THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OF THF
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
>
T H E
PRACTICAL WORKS
THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER:
A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,
A N I)
A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HIS WRITINGS,
BY THE
REV. WILLIAM ORME,
AUTHOR Of "THE LIFE OF JOHN OWEN, D.0. j" " BIBLIOTHECA BIBLICA," ETC
IN TWENTY-THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. XXI.
LONDON:
JAMES DUNCAN, 37, PATERNOSTER ROW.
MDCCCXXX.
LONDON :
HINTED BY MILLS, JOWETT, AND MILLS,
BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
OF THE
REV. RICHARD BAXTER.
VOLUME XXI.
CONTAINING
THE REASONS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION ; MORE REASONS
FOR THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
VOL. XXI.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY MILLS, JOWETT, AND MILLS,
BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.
CONTENTS
OF
THE TWENTY-FIRST VOLUME.
THE
REASONS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
THE FIRST PART CONTINUED.
OF NATURAL RELIGION, OR GODLINESS.
PAGE
Chap. IX. Of man's subjection to God, or relation to him as
our Ruler 1
X. Of God's particular laws, as known in nature:
what the law of nature is
XL 3. Of God's relation to man, as his Benefactor
and his End; or, as his Chief Good; proved
that God is man's End , 17
XII. Of man's relation to God, as he is our Father,
Benefactor, and End, or Chief Good; and the
Duties of that relation
XIII. Experiments of the difficulty of all this duty, be-
fore proved from nature ; and what it must cost
him who will live such a holy life 52
XIV. That there is a life of retribution after this, proved 57
XV. Of the intrinsical evils of sin ; and of the perpe-
tual punishment due to the sinner, by the un-
doubted law of nature 95
XVI, Of the present sinful and miserable state of the
world , 116
A 2
iv CONTENTS.
XVII. What natural light declareth of the mercy of God
to sinners, and of the hopes and means of man's
recovery
PAGE
122
THE SECOND PART.
OF CHRISTIANITY, AND SUPERNATURAL REVELA-
TION.
Chap. I. Of the need of a clearer light, or fuller revelation
of the will of God, than all that hath been
opened before 131
II. Of the several religions which are in the world . . 13S
III. Of the christian religion; and, 1. What it is .... 144
IV. Of the nature and properties of the christian reli-
gion 168
V. Of the eongruities in the christian religion, which
make it the more easily credible, and are great
preparatives to faith 181
VI. Of the Witness of Jesus Christ, or the great demon-
strative evidence of his verity and authority, viz.,
the Spirit, in four parts: 1. Antecedently, by
prophecy ; 2. Constitutively and inherently, the
image of God, on his person, life, and doc-
trine ; 3. Concomitantly, by the miraculous power
and works of Christ and his disciples; 4. Subse-
quently, in the actual salvation of men by reno-
vation : opened : notes added 199
VII. Of the subservient proofs and means by which the
fore-mentioned evidences are brought to our cer-
tain knowledge. How we know the antecedent
prophetical testimony, and the constitutive, inhe-
rent evidence. How we know the concomitant
testimony of miracles : 1 . By human testimony.
2. By evidence of natural certainty. 3. By
divine attestation in the testifier's miracles. The
proofs of that divine attestation with the wit-
nesses : 1 . In the holy constitution of their souls
and doctrine: 2. In their miracles and gifts:
3. In the success of their doctrine to men's sanc-
tification. How the church's testimony of the
CONTENTS. v
PAGE
disciples' miracles and doctrine is proved : 1 . By
most credible human testimony : 2. By such as
hath natural evidence of certainty : 3. By some
further divine attestation. The way or means of
the church's attestation and tradition. The Scrip-
tures proved the same which the apostles deliver-
ed and the churches received. How we may
know the fourth part of the Spirit's testimony,
viz., the successes of christian doctrine to men's
sanctification. What sanctification is, and the
acts or parts of it. Consectaries 241
VIII. Of some other subservient and collateral argu-
ments for the christian verity 287
IX. Yet faith hath many difficulties to overcome : what
they are, and what their causes 301
X. The intrinsical difficulties in the christian faith re-
solved ; or, twenty-four objections against Christ-
ianity answered 307
XI. The extrinsical difficulties ; or, sixteen more objec-
tions resolved 358
XII. The reasonable conditions required of them who
will overcome the difficulties of believing, and will
not undo themselves by wilful infidelity 377
The sum of all, in an address to God 390
CONSECTARIES.
XIII. 1. What party of Christians should we join with,
or be of, seeing they are divided into so many
sects 395
XIV. 2. Of the true interest of Christ and his church, and
the souls of men ; of the means to promote it, and
its enemies and impediments in the world ; which,
being only named in brief propositions, should be
the more heedfully perused by those that dare
pretend the interest of religion and the church,
for the proudest or the most dividing practices ;
and those which most directly hinder the success-
ful preaching of the Gospel, and the pure wor-
shipping of God, and the saving of men's souls. . 398
vi CONTENTS.
PAGE
THE CONCLUSION ; or, an Appendix, defending the soul's
immortality against the Somatists, or Epicureans, and
other Pseudo-philosophers 413
MORE REASONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN RELI-
GION, AND NO REASONS AGAINST IT; or,
a Second Appendix to the ' Reasons of the Christian
Religion :'
I. In answer to a letter from an unknown person, charging
the Holy Scriptures with contradiction 523
II. Some animadversions on the foresaid treatise, ' De Ve-
ritate,' resolving several questions there included or
implied . - 556
OF NATURAL RELIGION,
OR
GODLINESS.
CHAP. IX.
II. Of Man's Subjection to God, or Relation to him as our
Governor.
Sect. 1. Man being made thus a rational, free agent, and soci-
able to be governed, and God being bis rightful Governor, is imme-
diately related to God as his subject, as to right and obligation. a
There is no sovereign without a subject : subjection is our
relation to our governor, or else our consent to that relation.
In the former sense we take it here. A subject is one that is
bound to obey another as his ruler. He that is a subject by
right and obligation, and yet doth not consent and actually
subject himself to his rightful governor, is a rebel. There
cannot be greater obligations to subjection imagined by a
created understanding, than the rational creature hath to God.
Sect. 2. All men are obliged to consent to this subjection,
and to give up themselves absolutely to the government of God. b
God's absolute propriety in us, as his creatures, giveth him so
full a title to govern us, that our consent is not at all necessary
to our obligation and subjection-relative ; but only to our
actual obedience, which cannot be performed by one that con-
senteth not. Therefore, God's right and our natural condition
are the foundation of our subjection to him, as to obligation and
duty ; and he that consenteth not, sinneth by high treason
against his sovereign. As God did not ask our consent whether
he should make us men, so neither whether he should be our
a Seneca (Epist. ad Luc. 83, p. (mihi) 711.,) saith, Sic certe vivenduni est,
tanquam in conspectu vivamus. Sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis in pectus
inspicere posset et potest : quid euim prodest ab liomine aliquid esse secre-
tura. Nihil Deo clausum interest aniinis nostris, et cogitationibus mediis
intervenit.
b Diogenes (in Laert.) said to an immodest woman -. Non vereris mulier,
ne forte stante post tergum Deo (cuncta enim plena ipso sunt) inhoneste te
habeas ?
VOL. XXI. R
2 THE REASONS OF
Governor, and we his subjects as to obligation, nor yet whether
he shall punish the rebellious and disobedient : but he asketh
our consent to obey him, and to be rewarded by him ; for we
shall neither be holy nor happy but by our own consent. Those,
therefore, whom I have confuted in my treatise of policy, who
say, ' God is not our King, till we make him King, nor his laws
obligatory to us till we consent to them ; ' speaking, de debito, do
not reason, but rave, and are unworthy of a confutation.
Sect. 3. All men, therefore, are obliged to subject their
understandings to the revealed wisdom of God, and their wills to
his revealed will ; and to employ all the powers of soul and
body, and all their possessions, in his most exact obedience.
Subjection is an obligation to obedience. Where the autho-
rity and subjection are absolute and unlimited, there the obe-
dience must be absolute and most exact. The understanding of
our absolute Ruler is the absolute rule of our understandings.
No man must set up his conceits against him, or quarrel with
his government or laws. If any thing of his revelation or pre-
scription seem questionable, unjust, or unnecessary to us, it is
through our want of due subjection, through the arrogancy and
enmity of our carnal minds. His will, de debito, must be the
absolute rule of all our wills. So much secret exceptions and
reserves as we have in our resignation and subjection, so much
hypocrisy and secret rebellion we have. Our subjective obliga-
tion is so full and absolute, and our Ruler so infallible, just, and
perfect, that it is not possible for any man's obedience to God
to be too absolute, exact, or full. Nothing can be more certain,
than that a creature, subject to the government of his Creator,
of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, doth owe him the most
perfect and exact obedience, according to the utmost of his
powers, without any dissent, exception, resistance, unwillingness,
or neglect. d
Sect. 4. All obedience which rulers require of their subjects,
c Primus est Deorum cultus, Deos credere ; deinde reddere illis raajestatem
suam : reddere bonitatem, sine qua nulla majestas est : scire illos esse qui
prsesident mundo, qui universa, ut sua, temperant : qui humani generis tutelam
gerunt. — Senec. Epist. 92.
d Nihil mihi videtur frigidius, nihil ineptius, quam lex cum prolegomeno :
Die quid me velis fecisse ; non disco, sed pareo. — Idem. Ep. 95. If men's
laws must have so great authority, much more God's. Ex quo intelliges par
est, eos qui perniciosa et injusta populis jussa descripserint, cum contra fece-
rint quod polliciti professique sint, quidvis potius tulisse quam leges.— Cicero
de Leg. 1. 2. p. 235. Multa perniciosa, multa pestifera sciscuntur in populis,
quae non uiagis legis women attingunt, quam si latrones, &.c.—Id. Ibid. -..
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 3
or subjects give to any governors, must be in full subordination
to the government and will of God.
For all powers, under the absolute Sovereign of the world, are
derivative and dependent, and are no more than he hath given :
they are from him, under him, and for him ; and can no more
have any authority against him, than a worm against a king, or
than they could have being and authority without him. He that
contradicteth this proposition, must take down God, and deify
man, and so defy and conquer heaven, or else he will never
make it good. As for the difficulties that seem to rise, by allow-
ing subjects to prefer God's authority before their parents or
princes ; it belongeth no more to the clearing of the present
subject that I resolve them, than that I resolve such as arise
from our allowing subjects to disobey a justice or constable
when he is against the king. e
Sect. 5. They that are obliged to such absolute and exact
obedience, are obliged to use their utmost diligence to under-
stand God's laws, which they must obey.
For no man can obey a law which he doth not know of, and
understand. Subjection includeth an obligation to study our
Maker's laws, so far as we must do them : indeed, those that
concern others, we are not so much bound to know, as a subject
to know God's laws for kings and pastors of the church ; but
for our own duty, we cannot do it before we know it. Those
that are ignorant of their Maker's will, through unwillingness,
contempt, or negligence, are so far disobedient to his government.
Sect. 6. There are many and great temptations to draw us to
disobey our Maker, which every one is bound with greatest
vigilancy and constancy to resist. f
He that is bound to obey, is certainly bound to resist all
temptations to disobedience. For that is far from absolute or
true obedience which will fail, if a man be but tempted to dis-
obey. Kings and parents will not accept of such obedience as
this ; they will not say, ' Be true to me, and honour me, and
obey me, till you are tempted to betray me, and to reproach me,
e Plutarch (de Tranquil. Anini.) saith, that it is one of Aristotle's sayings,
" That he that helieved as he ought, of the gods, should think as well of him-
self as Alexander, who commanded so many men." — (P. 155.)
f DicebatThales, homines existimare oportere Deos omnia cernere, deorum-
que omnia esse plena, et tunc fore omnes castiores. — Cicero 2. de Leg. Athen-
odorus dicere prudenter solebat, ita cum hominibus homines vivere debere,
acsi Deus retributor bonorum malorumque ultor, omni loco ac tempore ac-
tiones nostras intueretur, conspicereturque humanis nostrisoculis. — Fulgof.
I.7.C.2.
B2
4 THE REASON'S OF
and rebel.' He that will be false to God, when he is tempted to it,
was never true to him. No temptation can bring so much for
sin, as God giveth us against it ; nor can offer us so much gain,
or honour, or pleasure by it, as he offereth us on condition we
obey him. And that the world is full of such temptations, expe-
rience putteth past dispute ; of which, more anon.
Sect. 7. No price can be offered by any creature, which, to a
subject of God, should seem sufficient to hire him to the smallest
sin.e
Sin hath such aggravations (which shall be opened anon) that
no gain or pleasure that cometh by it, can counterbalance ;
there being no proportion between the creature and the infinite
Creator, there can nothing by, or of, the creature be proportion-
able, or considerable, to be. put into the balance against the
Creator's authority and will. The command of kings, the
winning of kingdoms, the pleasure of the flesh, the applause of
all the world, if they are offered as a price or bait to hire or
tempt a man to sin, should weigh no more against the command
of God, than a feather in the balance against a mountain. All this
common reason will attest, however sense and appetite reclaim.
Sect. 8. No man can reasonably fear lest his true obedience
to such a governor, should prove his final detriment or hurt ; but
if it did, it were nevertheless our duty to obey. h
1. No man can reasonably think that God is less able
to reward, protect, and encourage his subjects in their duty,
than any tempter whatsoever in their disobedience. And no
man can think that he is less wise to know how to perform it :
nor can any think that infinite goodness is less disposed to do
good to the good, than any tempter whosoever can be, to do
good to the evil. These things being all as clear as light itself
to the considerate, it must needs follow that no reason can
allow a man to hope to be finally a gainer or saver by his dis-
obedience to his Maker, or to fear to be a loser by him.
2. But if it were so, obedience would be our duty still ', for
s Sic vive cum hominibus tanquam Deus videat : sic loquere cum Deo tan-
quam homines audiant. — Sen. Ep. 10. Chilou (in Laert. p. 4.5.) inquit,
Damnum potius quam turpe lucrum eligendum, % nam id semel tautum dolori
esse : hoc semper.
h Plus aptid bouos pietatis jura (,uam omnes opes va!ent. — Justin. Hist. 1. 3.
Because God hath penalties to promote obedience, all religion is called, " The
fear of God." Laertius saith of Cleanthe^. Cum aliquaudo probro illi dare-
tur, quod esset tiniidus : at ideo, inquit, parum pe' co. Fear is a preserving',
cautelous passion, though it make not a good man of itself, but as joined with
love.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 5
the authority of God, as his propriety, is ahsolute, and he that
giveth us power to require the analogical ohedience of our horse
or ox, though it be to our benefit only, and his hurt, yea, though
it be in going to the slaughter, if he did so by us, could do us
no wrong, nor give us any just excuse for our disobedience. For
as sweet as life is to us, it is not so much ours in right as his,
and therefore should be at his disposal.
Sect. 9. The breaking of God's laws must needs deserve a
greater penalty than the breaking of any man's laws, as such.
The difference of the rulers and their authority, puts this past
all controversy ; of which, yet I shall say more anon.
Sect. 10. What is said of the subjection of individuals to
God, is true of all just societies as such, the kingdoms of the
world being all under God, the universal King, as small parcels of
his kingdom, as particular corporations are under a human king.
Therefore, kings and kingdoms owe their absolute obedience
to God, and may not intend any ultimate end, but the pleasing
of their universal Sovereign ; nor set up any interest against him,
or above him, or in co-ordination with him ; nor manage any
way of government, but in dependence on him, as the principle
and the end of it ; nor make any laws, but such as stand in due
subordination to his laws ; nor command any duty but what hath
in its order a true subserviency and conducibility to his pleasure.
CHAP. X.
Of God's particular Laws, as known in Nature.
The true nature of a law I have opened before. ' It is not
necessary that it be written or spoken, but that it be in general
any apt signification of the will of the rector to his subjects,
instituting what shall be due from them, and to them, for the
ends of government. Therefore, whatsoever is a signification
of God's will to man, appointing us our duty, and telling us
what benefit shall be ours upon the performance, and what loss
or hurt shall befal us, if we sin, is a law of God.
Sect. 1 . A law being the rector's instrument of governing,
there can be no law where there is no government ; and, there-
fore, that which some call the eternal law, is indeed no law at
all, but it is the principle of all just laws.
The eternal wisdom and goodness of God, that is, the
1 Though Cicero's books De Legibus he usually read by us when we are boys,
they are worthy the perusal of the wisest men, and fit for the edification and
pleasure of the learned.
6 THE REASONS OF
perfection of his nature and will, as related to a possible, or
future kingdom, is denominated justice ; and this justice some
call the eternal law ; but it is truly no law, because it is the will
of God in himself, and not as rector : nor is it any signification
of that will, nor doth it suppose any governed subjects in being
from eternity; nor doth it make any duty to any from eternity:
but all the laws which God maketh in time, and, consequently,
which men make, which are just and good, are but the products
of this eternal will and justice.
And whereas some sav, that there is an eternal truth in such
axioms as these, Thou shalt love God above all, and do as
thou wouldst be done by, and the good should be encouraged,
and the bad punished, &c; I answer, God formeth not propo-
sitions, and therefore there were no such propositions from
eternity ; nor was there any creature to love God, or to do
good or evil, and be the subject of such propositions : that
proposition, therefore, which was not from eternity, was neither
true nor false from eternity ; for non entis non sunt accidentia
vel modi. But this is true, that from eternity there were the
grounds of the verity of such propositions when they should
after be ; and that if there had been subjects from eternity for
such propositions, and intellects to frame them, they would
have been of eternal truth.
Sect. 2. At the same time of his creation, that God made
man his subject, he also made him some laws to govern him. k
For subjection, being a general obligation to obedience,
would signify nothing, if there were no particular duties to be
the matter of that obedience. Else, man should owe God no
obedience from the beginning, but be lawless ; for where there
is no law, there is no obedience, taking a law in the true
comprehensive sense, as I here do.
Sect. 3. All the objective significations, in natura ferum,
within us, or without us, of the will of God, concerning our
duty, reward, or punishment, are the true law of nature, in the
primary proper sense.
Sect. 4. Therefore, it is falsely defined by all writers, who
make it consist in certain axioms, as some say, born in us, or
written on our hearts from our birth ; as others say, disposi-
tively there.
It is true that there is, in the nature of man's soul, a certain
k Quod (de magistra loquitur) cum dico legem, a me dici nihil aliud intel-
ligi volo quam imperium, sine quo nee domus ulla, nee civitas, &c. — Cic. de
leg, 3. init.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 7
aptitude to understand certain truths as soon as they are reveal-
ed, that is, as soon as the very natura rerum is observed ; and
it is true that this disposition is brought to actual knowledge as
soon as the mind comes to actual consideration of the things ;
but it is not true that there is any actual knowledge of any prin-
ciples born in man, nor is it true that the said disposition to
know is truly a law, nor yet that the actual knowledge following
it is a law : but the disposition may be called a law, metonymi-
cally, as being the aptitude of the faculties to receive and obey
a law, as the light of the eye, which is the potentia et dispositio
videndi, may be called the light of the. sun, but unhandsomely.
And the subsequent, actual knowledge of principles, may be called
the law of nature, metonymically, as being the perception of it,
and an effect of it ; as actual sight may be called the light of the
sun ; and as actual knowledge of the king's laws may be called
his laws within us, that is, the effect of them, or the reception
of them ; but this is far from propriety of speech.
That the inward axioms, as known, are not laws, is evident,
1. Because a law is in genere objectivo, and this is in genere ac-
tionum. A law is in genere signorum ; but this is the discerning
of the sign. A law is the will of the rector signified : this is his
will known. A law is obligatory : this is the perception of an
obligation. A law maketh duty ; but this is the knowledge of
a duty made. 2. The law is not in our power to change or
abrogate ; but a man's inward dispositions and perceptions are
much in his power to increase, or diminish, or obliterate. Every
man that is wilfully sensual and wicked, may do much to blot
out the law of nature, which is said to be written on his heart ;
but wickedness cannot alter or obliterate the law of God. If
this were God's law which is upon the heart, when a sinner hath
blotted it out, he is disobliged from duty and punishment ; for
where there is no law, there is no duty or transgression : but no
sinner can so disoblige himself by altering his Maker's laws.
3. Else, there would be as many laws of nature, not oidy as
there are men, but as there is diversity of perceptions ; but God's
law is not so uncertain and multiform a thing. 4. And if man's
disposition, or actual knowledge, be God's law, it may be also
called man's law ; and so the king's law should be the subject's
perception of it.
It is, therefore, most evident, that the true law of nature is
another thing ; and is it not, then, a matter of admiration, that
so many sagacious, accurate schoolmen, philosophers, lawyers,
and divines, should, for so long time, go on in such false defini-
S THE REASONS OF
tions of it ? The whole world belongeth to the law of nature,
so far as it signifieth to us the will of God, about our duty, and
reward, and punishment : the world is as God's statute book : l
the aforesaid, natural aptitude maketh us fit to read and practise
it. The law of nature is as the external light of the sun, and
the said natural disposition is as the visive faculty to make use
of it, yet much of the law of nature is within us too ; but it is
there only in genere objectivo, et signi. Man's own nature, his
reason, free-will, and executive power, are the most notable signs
of his duty to God ; to which all mercies, judgments, and other
signifying means, belong.
Sect. 5. The way that God doth, by nature, oblige us, is by
laying such fundamenta from which our duty shall naturally
result, as from the signification of his will.
Sect. 6. These fundamenta are some of them unalterable, while
we have a being, and some of them alterable; and, therefore,
some laws of nature are alterable, and some unalterable ac-
cordingly." 1
As, for instance, man is made a rational, free agent, and God
is unchangeably his rightful Governor, of infinite power, wisdom,
and goodness, therefore the nature of God and man, in via, thus
compared, are the fvndamentvm from whence constantly re-
sulteth our indispensable duty to love him, trust him, fear him,
and obey him ; but if our being, or reason, or free-will, which
are our essential capacities, cease, our obligations cease cessante
fundamento. God hath made man a sociable creature; and,
while he is in society, the law of nature obligeth him to many
things which he hath no obligation to when the society is dis-
solved ; as when a parent, child, wife, or neighhour dieth, all
our duties to them cease. Nature, by the position of manv cir-
1 Onmis lex inventum sane et donum est Deorum : Decretum verohonunum
prudentum. Demost. cont. Arts. or. 1.
m Communis lex nunquam immutatur, cum secundum naturam sit: jus
verb scriptum saepius. — Jristot. Rhet., ad The.od. c. 4. Diogenes (in La-
ert.) congregatis ad se plurimis exprob:avil, quod ad inepta studiose concur-
rerent; ad ea verb qua? gravia ac uiilia, negligenter convenient. Dicehatque
de fodiendoet ealcitrarido certare homines, ut autem boniet probifierent curare
neminem. Musicos in jus vocabat, quod cum lyras chordas congrue aptarent,
animi mores inconcinnos habereut. Mathematicos carpebat, quod Solein, et
Lunam,et Syder intuentcs, qua ante pedes erant, negligerent. Oratores item,
quod studerent justa dicere, non autem et facere. Avaros quoque, quod pecu-
niam vituperarent, ac summe diligerent: et eos qui justos, quod pecunias
contemnerent, laudabant; pecuuiosos vero imitari satagebant. Stomachaba-
tur eis, qui pro bona valetudine sacra facerent, inter sacrificia contra sanita-
tem caenarent. Servos mirabatur, qui cum edaces dominos cernerent, nihil
diriperent ciborum. Dicebat manus ad amicus, non coinplicatis digitis ex-
tendi oportere.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 9
cumstances, hath made incest, ordinarily, a thing producing
manifold evils, and a sin against God ; and yet nature so placed
the children of Adam, in other circumstances, that the said na-
ture made that their duty (to marry one another) which in others
would have been an unnatural thing. Nature forbiddeth parents
to murder their children ; but when God, the absolute Lord of
life, would that way try Abraham's obedience, when he was sure
that he had a supernatural command, even nature obliged him
to obey it. Nature forbiddeth men to rob each other of their
proper goods; but when the Owner of all things had given the
Israelites the Egyptian's goods, and changed the propriety, the
fundamentum of their former, natural obligation ceased. Changes
in natura rerum, which are the foundation of our obligation, mav
make changes in the obligations which before were natural ; but
so far as nature (that nature which foundeth duty) is the same,
the duty remaineth still the same : the contrary would be a plain
contradiction.
Sect. 7. The authoritas imperantis is the formal object of all
obedience ; and so all our duty is formally duty to God, as our
Supreme, or to men, as his officers ; but, as to the material ob-
ject, our natural duties are either, I. Towards God ; II. To our-
selves; III. Toothers.
Sect. 8. I. The prime duties of the law of nature are towards
God, and are our full consent to the three relations, of which
two are mentioned before : to be God's rational creatures, and
not obliged to take him heartily for our absolute Owner and
Ruler, is a contradiction in nature.
Sect. 9. Man's nature being what it is,, and related thus to
God, and God's nature and relations being as afore described,
man is naturally obliged to take God to be what he is in all his
attributes forementioned, (cap. 5,) and to suit his will and af-
fections to God accordingly ; that is, to take him to be omnipo-
tent, omniscient, and most good, most faithful, and most just,
&c, and to believe him, seek him, trust him, love him, fear him,
obey him, meditate on him, to honour him, and prefer him be-
fore all the world; and this with all our heart and might, and
to take our chiefest pleasure in it."
n Laertius sailh of the Magi that they do Deoruni cultui vacare; signa
statuasque reprehendere ; et eorum imprimis qui mares esse deos et faeminas
dicunt, errores improhare. Signa et statuas ex discipline institute e medio
tulisse. Qui et revicturos homines, immortalcsque futuros, dicunt, et uni-
versa illorum precationibus consistere. Plerique et Judaeous ab his duxisse ori-
ginum traduut. — Laert. p. 4 — 'J.
JO THE REASONS OF
All this so evidently resulteth from the nature of God and man
compared, that I cannot perceive that it needeth proof or il-
lustration.
Sect. 10. It is a contradiction to nature, that any of this duty,
proper to God, may be given to any other ; and that any crea-
ture or idol of our imagination, should be esteemed, loved,
trusted, obeyed, or honoured as God.
For that were falsehood in us, injury to God, and abuse of the
creature.
Sect. 11. Nature requireth that man, having the gift of speech
from God, should employ his tongue in the praise and service of
his Maker.
This plainly resulteth from our own nature, and the use of the
tongue, compared with or related to God's nature and perfections,
with his propriety in us, and all that is ours, and his govern-
ment of us.
Sect. 12. Seeing man liveth in total dependence upon God,
and in continual receivings from him, nature obligeth him to use
his heart and tongue in holy desires, expressed and exercised in
praver, and in returning thanks to his great Benefactor : of
which more anon.
For, though God knows all our sins and wants already, yet the
tongue is fitted to confess our sins, and to express our desires ;
and, by confessing and expressing, a twofold capacity for mercy
accrueth to us : that is, 1. Our own humiliation is excited and
increased bv the said confessions; and our desires, and love, and
hope, excited and increased by our own petitions, (the tongue
having a power to reflect back on the heart, and the exercise of
all good affections being the means of their increase.) 2. And
a person that is found in the actual exercise of repentance, and
holy desire, and love, is morally, and in point of justice, a much
fitter recipient for pardon and acceptance, and other blessings,
than another is ; and it being proved, by nature, that prayer,
confession, and thanksgiving hath so much usefulness to our
good, and to our further duty, nature will tell us that the tongue
and heart should be thus employed ; and, therefore, nature
teacheth all men in the world, that believe there is a God, to
confess their sins to him, and to call upon him in their distress,
and to give him thanks for their receivings.
Sect. 13. Seeing societies, as such, are totally dependent upon
God ; and men's gifts are communicative, and solemnities are
operative } nature teacheth us, that God ought to be solemnly
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 11
acknowledged, worshipped, and honoured, both in families and
in more solemn, appointed assemblies.
It greatly affecteth our own hearts, to praise God in great and
solemn assemblies : many hearts are like many pieces of wood
or coals, which flame up greatly when set together, which none
of them alone would do. And it is a fuller signification of
honour to God, when his creatures do purposely assemble for his
solemn and most reverent praise and worship ; and, therefore,
nature showing us the reasons of it, doth make it to be our duty.
Sect. 14. Nature telleth us, that it is evil to cherish false
opinions of God, or to propagate such to others ; to slander or
blaspheme him, to forget him, despise him, or neglect him ; to
contemn his judgments, or abuse his mercies ; to resist his in-
structions, precepts, or sanctifying motions ; and that we should
always live as in his sight, and to bend all our powers entirely
to please him, and to think and speak no otherwise of him, nor
otherwise behave ourselves before him, than as beseemeth us to
the infinite, most blessed, and holy God.
Sect. 15. Nature telleth us, that in controversies between
man and man, it is a rational means for ending strife, to appeal
to God the Judge of all, by solemn oaths, where proof is want-
ing, and it is a heinous crime to do this falsely, making him
the patron of a lie, or to use his name rashly, irreverently, pro-
fanely, or in vain.
All this being both against the nature of God, and of our
speech, and of human society, is, past all doubt, unnatural evil.
Sect. 16. Nature telleth us, that God should be worshipped
heartily, sincerely, spiritually, and also decently and reverently,
both with soul and body, as being the Lord of both.?
Pietas est scientia colendi numinis ; inquit ^milius in Plutarch. Nulla
pietas est erga deos, nisi honesta de numine deorum ac mente opinio sit. —
Cicer.pro Plane. De diis ita ut sunt loquere. — Bias in Laert. Equidem
is qui de diis talia commentus est, an philosophus appellandus sit uescio, (in-
quit Laert. De Orpheo, p. 3.) Videant certti qui ita volunt, quo sit censeu-
dus nomine, qui diis cuncta hominum vitia, et quae raio a turpibus quibusque,
et flagitiosis geruntur, adscribit. Fulmine interisse cognoscitur. — Laert,
Proem.
p Lege ' Laert. de Magis.' Cicero, ' De nat. Deor.' lib. 1. p. 46, saith, that
Possidonius believed that Epicurus thought that there was no God, and there-
fore not according to his judgment ; but, in scorn, describeth God like a man
careless, idle, &c, which he would not have done, if had thought that there
was a God indeed. Impellimur natura ut prodesse velimus quamplurimis,
imprimisque docendo rationibusque prudentiae tradendis. Itaque non facile
est invenire, qui quod sciat, ipse non tradat alteri. Ita non solum ad discen-
dum propensi sumus, verum etiam ad docendum. — Cie. 2. de Fin. Descrip-
12 THE REASONS OP
Sect. 17. It telleth us, also, that he must not be worshipped
with sin or cruelty, or by toyish, childish, ludicrous manner of
worship, which signify a mind that is not serious, or which tend
to breed a low esteem of him, or which are in any way contrary
to his nature or his will.
Sect. 18. Nature telleth us, that such as are endued with an
eminent degree of holy wisdom, should be teachers of others,
for obedience to God and their salvation.
As the soul is more worth than the body, and its welfare
more regardable, so charity to the soul is as natural a duty as
to the body, which cannot better be exercised than in communi-
cating holy wisdom, and instructing men in the matters of
highest, everlasting consequence.
Sect. 19. Yea, nature teacheth, that so great a work should
not be done slightly and occasionally only, as on the by, but
that it should be a work of stated office, which tried men should
be regularly called to, for the more sure and universal edifica-
tion of mankind.
Nature telleth us, that the greatest works of the greatest
consequence, should be done with the greatest skill and care,
and that it is most likely to be so done when it is made a set
office, entrusted in the hands of tried men, for it is not many
that have such extraordinary endowments, and if unfit persons
manage so great a work, they will mar it, and miss the end ;
and that which a man taketh for his office, he is more likely to
take care of, than that which he thinks belongeth no more to
him than others ; and how necessary order is, in all matters of
weight, the experience of governments, societies, and persons,
may soon convince us.
Sect. 20. Nature telleth us also, that it is the duty of such
teachers to be very diligent, serious, and plain ; and of learners
to be thankful, willing, studious, respectful, and rationally obe-
dient, as remembering the great importance of the work.
For in vain is the labour of the teachers, if the learners will
not do their part; the receiver hath the chief benefit, and
therefore, the greatest part of the duty, which must do most to
the success.
Sect. 21. Nature telleth men, that they should not live
tionem sacerdotum nullum jusvae religionis genus praetermittit. Nam sunt ad
placandos Deos alii constitute, qui sacris praesint solennibus : ad interpretanda
alii praedictavatum ; neque multorum neesset infinitum, neque ut ea ipsa quae
suscepta public^ esseut, quisquam extra collegium nosset. — Clc. de Leg,
1.2. p. 241.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 13
loosely and ungoverned, but in the order of governed societies,
for the better attainment of the ends of their creation, as is
proved before.
Sect. 22. Nature telleth us that governors should be the
most wise, and pious, and just, and merciful, and diligent, and
exemplary, laying out themselves for the public good, and the
pleasing of the universal sovereign.
Sect. 23. It teacheth us also, that subjects must be faithful
to their governors, and must honour and obey them in subordi-
nation to God. i
Sect. 24. Nature telleth us that it is the parents' duty, with
special love and diligence, to educate their children in the know-
ledge, fear, and obedience of God, providing for their bodieSj
but preferring their souls.
Sect. 25. And that children must love, honour, and obey their
parents, willingly and thankfully receiving their instructions and
commands.
Sect. 26. Nature also telleth us, that thus the relations of
husband and wife should be sanctified to the highest ends of
life ; and also the relation of master and servant ; and that our
callings and labours in the world should be managed in pure
obedience to God, and to our ultimate end/
Sect. 27. Nature teacheth all men to love one another, as
servants of the same God, and members of the same universal
kingdom, and creatures of the same specific nature.
There is somewhat amiable in every man, for there is some-
thing of God in every man, and therefore something that it is
our duty to love ; and that according to the excellency of man's
nature, which showeth more of God than other inferior crea-
tures do, and also according to their additional virtues. Love-
1 Autoritate nutuque legum ducetnur doniitas habere libidines, coercere
omnes cupiditates, nostra tueri, ab alienis meutes, oculos, manus abstiuere. —
Cic. 1. de Or at.
r Nihil interest utrum vir bonus scelestum spoliaverit, an bonum improbus :
nee utrum bouus an nialus adulteratus sit : sed lex damni solum spectat dis-
similitudinem, utiturque pro paribus, si alter violavit, alter violatus est. —
Aristot. Ethic. 5. c.4. Vide ' Plutarchi Roman.' queest. 65. Temperantia
lihidinum iuimica est. — Cic. When an adulterer asked Thales whether he
should make a vow, he answered him, ' Adultery is as bad as perjury;' inti-
mating that he that made no conscience ot adultery, would make none of per-
jury. — Lacrt. Cyrus is praised by Plutarch, de curioslt, that would not see
Panthffia: and they are by him reproved that casta wanton eye at women in
coaches as they pass by, and look out at windows to have a fail view of them, ai:d
yet think that tl.ey commit no fault, suffering a curious eye and a wandering
mind !o slide and run every way.
14 THE REASONS OF
liness eommandeth love, and love maketh lovely. This, with
all the rest aforementioned, are so plain, that to prove them is
hut to be tedious.
Sect. 28. Nature telleth us that we should deal justly with all,
giving to every one his due, and doing to them as we would be
done by.
Sect. 29. Particularly it telleth us that we must do nothing
injuriously against the life, or health, or liberty of our neigh-
bour, but do our best for their preservation and comfort.
Sect. 30. Man being so noble a creature, and his education
so necessary to his welfare, and promiscuous, unregulated gene-
ration tending so manifestly to confusion, ill education, divisions
and corruption of mankind ; and unbridled exercise of lust, tend-
ing to the abasement of reason, and corruption of body and
mind, Nature telleth us that carnal copulation should be very
strictly regulated, and kept within the bounds of lawful mar-
riage ; and that the contract of marriage must be faithfully
kept, and no one defile his neighbour's bed, nor wrong another's
chastity, or their own, in thought, word, or deed.
This proposition, though boars understand it not, is proved
in the annexed reasons. Nothing would tend more to house-
hold divisions and ill education, and the utter degenerating and
undoing of mankind than ungoverned copulation. No one
would know his own children, if lust were not bounded by
strict and certain laws ; and then none would love them, nor
provide for them ; nor would they have any certain ingenuous
education. Women would become most contemptible and mi-
serable, as soon as beauty faded and lust was satisfied ; and so
one half of mankind made calamitous, and unfitted to educate
their own children, and ruin and depravation of nature could
not be avoided. They that think their choicest plants and
flowers fit for the enclosure of a garden, and careful culture,
weeding and defence, should not think their children should be
educated or planted in the wilderness. It is not unobservable
that all flying fowls do know their mates, and live by couples,
and use copulation with no other; and that the beasts, and
more terrestrial fowl do copulate but only so oft as is necessary
to generation : and shall man be worse than beasts ?
Sect. 3 i. Nature bindeth us not to violate the propriety of
our neighbour, in any thing that is his, by fraud, theft, or rob-
berv, or any other means ; but to preserve and promote his just
commodity as our own.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 15
Sect. 32. Government and justice being so necessary to the
order and welfare of the world, nature teacheth us that bribery,
fraud, false witnesses, and all means that pervert justice must be
avoided, and equity promoted among all. s
Sect. 33. The tongue of man being made to be the index of
his mind, and human converse being maintained by human cre-
dibility and confidence, nature telleth us that lying is a crime,
which is contrary to the nature and societies of mankind.
Sect. 34. And nature telleth us that it is unjust and criminal
to slander or injuriously defame our neighbour, by railing, re-
viling, or malicious reports ; and that we ought to be regardful
of his honour as of our own.
Sect. 35. Nature telleth us that, both in obedience to God,
the just Disposer of all, and for our own quietness, and our
neighbour's peace, we should all be contented with our proper
place, and due condition and estate, and not to envy the pro-
sperity of our neighbour, nor covetously draw from him to
enrich ourselves.
Because God's will and interest is above our own, and the
public welfare to be preferred before any private person's ; and
therefore all are to live quietly and contentedly in their proper
places, contributing to the common good.
Sect. 36. Nature teacheth us that it is our duty to love
human nature in our enemies, and pity others in their infirmi-
ties and miseries, and to forgive all pardonable failings, and not
to seek revenge, and right ourselves by our brother's ruin : but
to be charitable to the poor and miserable, and do our best to
succour them, and help them out of their distress. '
All these are our undeniable duties to God, and our neigh-
bours.
Sect. 37. Nature also telleth us, that every man, as a rational
lover of himself, should have a special care of his own felicity,
and know wherein it doth consist, and use all prudent diligence
to attain it, and make it sure.
Sect. 38. Nature telleth us, that it is the duty of all men
to keep reason clear, and their wills conformable to its right
apprehensions ; and to keep up a constant government over
s Aristotle, ' Ethic' 4. saith, " Every lie is evil, and to be avoided." The
Roman laws against perjury, and false witness, and bribery, tell us what na-
ture saith thereabout. Read, in Lamprid., how vehement Alexander Severus
was against bribery ; Fundamentum justitise est fides, id est, dictorum con-
ventorumque constantia et Veritas. — Cicer.
1 De altero temere amrmare peiiculosum est, propter occultas homhmm
voluntates, uiultiplicesque naturas. — Cicer,
16 THE REASONS OF
their thoughts, affections, passions, senses, appetite, words, and
actions, conforming them to our Maker's laws. u
Sect. 39. Nature telleth us, that all our time should be
spent to the ends of our creation, and all our mercies improved
to those ends; and all things in the world be estimated by
them, and used as means conducing to them.
Sect. 40. Nature commandeth us to keep our bodies in
sobriety, temperance, and chastity; and not be inordinate or
irregular in eating, drinking, lust, sleep, idle 5S, apparel,
recreation, or any lower things.
Sect. 41. It commandeth us, also, watchfully and resolutely to
avoid or resist all temptations, which would draw us to any of
these sins.
Sect. 42. And it teacheth us patiently to bear our crosses,
and improve our trials to our benefit, and see that they breed
not any sinful distempers in our minds or lives.
Sect. 43. And nature telleth us, that this obedient pleasing
of our Maker, and holy, righteous, charitable, and sober living
should be our greatest pleasure and delight ; and that we should
thus spend our lives, even to the last ; waiting patiently in
peaceful, joyful hopes for the blessed end which our righteous
Governor hath allotted for our reward. x
u A man that loved his belly, desiring to be admitted into Cato's family ;
Cato answered, " Non possum cum tali vivere, cujus palatum plus sapit quam
cerebrum." — Erasm. Nullus mihi per otium dies exit. Partem noctium
studiis vendico, non vaco somno sed succumbo. — Sen. "What mean you
to make your prison so strong?" said Plato, to one that pampered his
body. — Ficin. in Vit. Plat. Vires corporis sunt vires carceris, inquit Pe-
trarch. 1. 1. dial. 5. Cato, homo virtuti simillimus qui nunquam recte
fecit uc facere videretur, sed quia aliter facere non poterat ; cuique id solum
visum est rationem habere ; quod haberet justitiam. — Velleius Pater. 1. 2.
Magna pars libertatis est, bene moratus venter. — Sen. Plato saith, "God
is the temperate man's law, and pleasure the intemperate man's. Temper-
antia voluptatibus imperat; alias odit atque abigit ; alias dispensat, et ad
sanum modum dirigit, nee unquam ad illas propter ipsas venit. — Senec. Scit
optimum esse modum cupidorum, non quantum velis, sed quantum debeas
sumere. — Sen. Animis tenduntur insidiae ah ea quae penitus in omni
sensuimplicata insidit imitatrixboni, voluptas, malorum autem materomnium;
cujus blanditiis corrupti, qua* natura bona sunt, quia duleedine hac et scahie
carent, non cernimus satis. — Cic. de Leg. 1. p. 226, Ampliat retatis spatium
sibi vir bonus : hoc est, vivere bis, vita posse priore frui. — Martial.
* As a summary ol what the light of nature may teach man, see the Stoics
Ethics, collected by Barlaam ; (much of which may be found in Seneca, and
is coufessed and praised by Cicero , though he chide them for their new words
and schism ;) where you will see, that the Stoics were wiser and better men
than the Epicureans would have men believe. Oculos vigilia fatigatos,
cadentesque, in opere detineo. Male mihi esse malo, quam molliter: si
mollis es, pauiatim effeminatur animus, atque in similitmiiuem otii sui et pigri-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 17
All this is evidently legible in nature, to any man that hath
not lost his reason, or refuseth not considerately to use it.
And he that will read but Antonine, Epictetus, and Plutarch,
(who are so full of such precepts, that 1 refer you to the whole
books, instead of particular citations,) may see, that he who
will deny a life of piety, justice, and temperance to be the duly
and rectitude of man, must renounce his reason and natural
light, as well as supernatural revelation.
Sect, 44. ^ason also teacheth us, that when the corruptions,
sluggishness, or appetite of the flesh, resisteth or draweth back
from any of this duty, or tempteth us to any sin, reason must
rebuke it, and hold the reins, and keep its government, and not
suffer the flesh to bear it down, and to prevail.
CHAP. XI.
III. Of God's Relation to Man, as his Benefactor and his End,
or as his Chief Good.
The three essential principles in God do eminently give out
themselves to man in his three divine relations to us, — his
power, intellect, and will ; his omnipotency, omniscience, and
goodness; in his being our Owner, our Ruler, and our chief
Good. The two first I have considered already ; our omni-
potent Lord or Owner, and our most wise Governor, and our
counter-relations with the duties thereof. I now come to
the third.
For the right understanding whereof, let us a little consider
of the image of God in man, in which we must here see him. y
It is man's will, which is his ultimate, perfective, imperant
faculty; it is the proper subject of moral habits, and principal
agent of moral acts ; and therefore in all laws and converse,
the will is taken for the man, and nothing is further morally
good or evil, virtuous or culpably vicious, than it is voluntary.
The intellect is but the director of the will ; its actions are not
the perfect actions of the man ; if it apprehend bare truth,
tise, in qua jacet, solvitur. Dormio minimum, et brevissimo somno utor : satis
est mihi vigilare desiisse. Aliquando dormisse scio, aliquando suspico. — Sen.
y Por6 coeli generationis authorem suraraJ bouum atque excellentissimum
(asseruit Plato) : ejus quippe quod sit in rebus conditis pulcherrimum, eum
esse conditorem, quern intelligibilium omnium constet esse praestantissimum.
Itaque, quoniam hujusmodi Deus est, coeluin vero prsestantissimo illi simile
est; quoniam pulcherrimum cernitur, nulli creaturae erit sirailius, quanaDeo
soli. — Laert. in Plat.
VOL. XXI. C
18 THE REASONS OF
without respect to goodness, its object is not the highest, or
felicitating, or attractive object, and therefore the act can be
no higher : if it apprehend any being or truth as good, it
apprehendeth it but as a servant or guide to the will, to bring
it thither to be received by love. The perfect excellency of
the object of human acts is goodness, and not mere entity or
verity. Therefore, the most excellent faculty is the will ; it is
good that is the final cause in the object of all human acts :
therefore, it is the fruition of good which is the perfective, final
act ; and that fruition of good, as good, is, though introduc-
torily by vision, yet finally and proximately by complacencies,
which is nothing else but love in its most essential act, delight-
ing in its attained object. And for the executive power,
though, in the order of its natural being, it be before the will,
yet in its operation, ad extra, it is after it, and commanded
by it.
Accordingly, while we see God but in this glass, we must
conceive that his principle of understanding and power, stand
in the foresaid order as to his will : and his omnipotence and
omniscience, to that eminently moral goodness, which is the
perfection of his will. The natural goodness of his essence
filling all.
Therefore, here note, that this attribute of God, his goodness
doth make him our chief Good, in a twofold respect, both effi-
ciently and finally. In some sort it is so with the other attri-
butes : his power is efficiently the spring of our being and
actions ; and, finally and objectively, itterminateth our submis-
sion and our trust. His wisdom is the principle of his laws,
and also the object and end of our inquiries and understandings ;
but his goodness is the efficient of all our good in its perfection
of causality, and that end of our souls, which is commonly
called ultimate-ultimus. So that to submit to his power, and to
be ruled by his wisdom, is, as I may say, initially our end. But
to be pleasing to his good-will, and to be pleased in his good-
will ; that is, to love him, and to be beloved by him, is the abso-
lute perfection and end of man. z
Therefore, under this his attribute of goodness, God is to be
spoken of, both as our Benefactor, and our End ; which is to be
indeed our Summum Bonum.
z Nihil est Deo sirailius at gratius, quam vir, animo perfecto bonus, qui
hominibus casteris antecellit, quod ipse a diis immortalibus distat. — Luc.
Apul. cle Deo Soer.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
19
Sect. 1. Man hath his being, and all the good which he
possesseth, from God, as the sole, first efficient by creation.
Sect. 2. Therefore, God alone is the universal, grand Bene-
factor of the world, besides whom they have no other, but
merely subordinate to him.
No creature can give us any thing which is originally its own,
having nothing but what it received from God : therefore, it is
no more to us, but either a gift of God, or a messenger to bring
us his gift 5 they have nothing themselves but what they have
received ; nor have we any sort of good, either natural, moral,
of mind or body, or fortune, or friends, but what is totally from
the bounty of our Creator, and as totally from him, as if no
creature had ever been his instrument.
Sect. 3. As God's goodness is that by which he communi-
cateth being, and all good, to all his creatures, and is his most
completive attribute in point of efficiency ; so is it that attribute
which is in genere causa finalis, the finis, ultimate-ultimus of all
his works. God can himself have no ultimate end but himself ;
and his rational creatures can have no other lawful, ultimate end.
And in himself, it is his goodness which is completely and ulti-
mately that end. a
Here I am to show, I. That God himself can have no ulti-
mate end but himself. II. That man should have no other.
III. That God, as in his goodness, is ultimate-ultimus, the end
of man.
I. 1. That which is most beloved of God, is his ultimate
end: but God himself is most beloved of himself, therefore he
is his own ultimate end.
The reason of the major proposition is, because to be the
ultimate end, and to be maxime umatum, is all one. Finis
qucErentis hath respect to the means of attainment, and is that
cujus amore media eliguntur et applicantur. This, God is not
capable of, (speaking in propriety,) because he never wanteth
his end. Finis fruitionis is that, which amando fruimur, which
we love, complacentially, in full attainment : and so God doth
still enjoy his end, and to have it in love is to enjoy it.
The minor is past controversy.
a Quis dubitare potest, mi Lucili, quin Dcorum immortalium munus sit
quod vivimus. — Prope Deus est, tecum est, intus est : ita dico, Lueili, sacer
intra nos spiritus sedet,bonorum malorumque nostrorum observator et custos.
Hie prout a nobis tractatur, ita et nos tractat ipse. Bonus vero vir sine Deo
nemo est. Au potest aliquis supra formam, nisi ab illo, adjutus exurgere.
Ille dat cousilia, magtrifica et erecta, in unoquoque bono viro. — Se?i.
c 2
20 THE REASONS OF
Object. But if God have not finem qiuerentis, then in every
instant he enjoyeth his end : and if so, then he useth no means
at all, for what need any means be used for that end which is
not sought, but still enjoyed. And, consequently, where there
is no means, there is no end.
Ansvv. As finis signifieth nothing but effectum, viz., perfec-
tionem operis, which is but finis terminativiis, so it is not
always at present attained ; and God may be said to use means,
that is, subordinate efficients, or instruments, to accomplish it.
But as it signifieth Causam finalem, scil. cvjus amores res fit,
so far as it may, without all imperfection, be ascribed to him,
he must be said continually to enjoy it: and yet to use means
for it, but not as wanting it, but in the same instant using and
enjoying; that is, he constantly communicateth himself to his
creature, and constantly loveth himself so communicated. He
is the first, efficient and ultimate end, without any interposing
instant of time, were eternity divisible ; but in order of nature,
he is the efficient before he is the end enjoyed, but not before
the end intended. He still sendeth forth the beams of his
own glory, and still taketh pleasure in them so sent forth. His
works may be increased, and attain perfection, (called finem
operis by some,) but his complacency is not increased or per-
fected in his works, but is always perfect : as if the sun took
constant pleasure in its own emitted light and heat, though the
effects of both on things below were most various. God is still
pleased in that which still is, in all his own works, though his
works may grow up to more perfection.
Or, if any think fit to say, that God doth qucerere finem,
and that he may enjoy more of it at one time than another, yet
must he confess, that nothing below the complacency of his own
will, in his own emitted beams of glory, shining in his works, is
this his ultimate end.
2. That which is the beginning, must be the end : but God
is the beginning of all his works, therefore he is the end of all.
He himself hath no beginning or efficient, and consequently no
final cause of himself, but his works have himself for the effi-
cient and for their end : that is, he that made them, intended
in the making of them, that they should be illustrious with his
communicated beams of glory, and thereby amiable to his will,
and should all serve to his complacency.
If the end were lower than the beginning, there would be no
proportion, and the agent would sink down below himself.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 21
3. If any tiling besides God were his ultimate end, it must
thereby be in part deified, or his actions debased by the lowness
of the end: but these are impossibilities. The actions are no
more noble than their end, and the end is more noble than the
means as such.
4. The ultimate end is the most amiable and delectable.
The creature is not to God the most amiable and delectable :
therefore, the creature is not his ultimate end. The first argu-
ment was from the act; this from the object.
5. The ultimate end is that in which the agent doth finally
acquiesce : God doth not finally acquiesce in any creature.
Therefore, no creature is his ultimate end.
6. That which is God's ultimate end, is loved simply for
itself, and not as a means to any higher end. The creature is
not loved by him simply for itself, but as a means to a higher
end, viz., his complacency in his glory shining in it ; ergo, it
is not his ultimate end. The ultimate end hath no end ; but
the creatures have an end, viz., the complacency of God in his
glory shining in the creature. b
Object. But you confound the final object and the final act.
God's complacency of love is his final act, but our inquiry is of
the final object.
Answ. The Jinis cui, or personal end, is most properly the ulti-
mate, to him for whose sake, or for whom the thing is done : but
this is God only, and therein he is both the act and object.
He that did velle creaturas, did velle eas ad complacentiam
propria voluntatis. The question is not of the actus compla-
centice, but of the actus creandi vel volendi creaturarum exist-
entiam : which he doth propter voluntatis impletionem, et inde
complacentiam, which is the final act, and the final object of
the creating act ; but for the actus complacentice, it is not actus
intentionis, but fruitionis, and therefore hath no end above
itself. And the final object of that complacency, is not the
creature itself, but the impletion of the divine will in the
creature ; yea, the image of his omnipotency, wisdom, and
goodness shining in the creation, is not loved propter se, ulti-
mately, but for the sake of that divine essence and perfection
b That the finis cui is properly the ultimate end, and the finis cujus is
subordinate to it, Cicero showeth in Piso's ' Speech,' (1. 5. de Finib. p. 188.) In
nobis ipsis ne intelligi quidem, ut propter aliam quampiam rem, verbi gratis,
propter voluptateni, nos amemus. Propter nos enim illam, non propter earn
nosiuetipsos diligimus. Quid est quod magis perspicuum est, non niodo carum
sibi quemque 3 verum etiam vehementer carum.
22 THE REASONS OF
of which it is the image, as we love the image of our friend for
his sake ; so that when all is done, God himself is his own end
in all his works, so far as, very improperly, he may he said to
intend an end.
Or, if you could prove the creature to be the objectum finale,
that proveth him not to be properly the finis ultimus. For that
is a difference between man's agency and God's. Man is an
agent made and acting for his final object, and more ignoble
than his object, (as the eye of a fly that beholdeth the sun) :
but God is an agent more noble than the object, who gave the
object itself its being, and made it of nothing for himself* and
so the object is for his final act.
Object. But God, being perfect, needeth nothing, nor can re-
ceive any addition of perfection or blessedness ; and, therefore, it is
not any addition of good to himself which he intendeth in the
creation, and consequently it is his ultimate end to do the
creature good.
Answ. All the antecedent part is granted, and is, anon, to be
further asserted, but the last consequence is denied ; because
there is another end besides the addition of good to himself,
which God may intend, so far as he may be said to intend an
end. He doth all the good to the creature which it receiveth,
but not ultimately, for the creature's sake.
II. That man should have no ultimate end but God, that is,
ultimate -ultimus, as it is called, is proved in what is said ; and
the fuller opening of it belongeth to the next chapter.
III. It is God in all his perfections, omnipotency, wisdom,
and goodness, that is man's ultimate end ; but it is the last which
supposeth both the other, and to which man's will, which must
perform the most perfect, final act, is most fully suited, and
therefore is, in a special sort, our ultimate end. The omnipo-
tency of God, is truly the efficient, diligent, and final cause of
all things, but it is most eminent in efficiency. The wisdom of
God is truly the efficient, diligent, and final cause of all things,
but it is most eminent in direction and government. The
goodness of God is truly the efficient, dirigent, and final cause,
but it is most eminent in being the perfectivej efficient, and final
cause.
Sect. 4. God's ultimate end in creation and providence, is not
any supply or addition of perfection or blessedness in himself,
as being absolutely perfect in himself, and capable of no
addition.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 23
But those who think that God doth produce all things ex
necessitate naturce from eternity, say, ' That as the tree is not
perfect without its fruits, so neither is God without his works.'
They say, with Balbus (in Cicero,) and other stoics, ' That the
world is the most excellent being, and that God is but the soul
of the world ;' and though the soul be a complete soul, if it had
no body, yet it is not a complete man : and as the tree is
complete, ingenere causce, without the fruit, yet not as a totum
containing those effects ab essentia, which are its part and end ;
so, say they, ' God may be perfect without the world, as he is
only the soul and part of the world, but he is not a complete
world, nor in toto.'
Answ. 1 . That God is not the soul or constitutive cause of the
world, but somewhat much greater, is proved before : c and also
that it was not from eternity, and consequently that he created
it not by natural necessity ; the foundation, therefore, being
overthrown, the building falleth. Those that hold the foresaid
opinion, must hold that God is, in point of duration, an eternal,
efficient, matter, form, and end ; and that, in order of nature,
he is first an efficient principle, causing matter ; and secondly,
he is an efficient with matter; and in the third instant, he is the
form of the effected matter ; and in the fourth instant, he is the
end of his operations herein. And if you call the efficient
principle only, by the name of God, then you grant what I prove,
and you seemed to deny ; but if he be not God as the mere
efficient and end, but also the matter, then you make every
stone, and serpent, and every thief, and murderer, and devil, to
be part of God, and make him the subject of all the sin and evil,
all the weakness, folly, and mutations, which be in the world,
with the other absurdities before mentioned. And if you say,
that he is God, as efficient, form, and end, and not as matter,
then you contradict yourself, because the form and matter are
parts of the same being : and whether you call him God as the
form only, and so make him but part of being, and conse-
quently imperfect, and consequently not of God, or as matter
and form also, and so make him a compounded being, still you
make him imperfect in denying his simplicity or unity, and as
guilty of all the imperfections of matter and of composition,
and you make one part of God more imperfect than the rest, as
being but an effect of it. All which are inconsistent with the
nature of God, and with the nature of man and every creature,
who is hereby made a part of God.
c Chap. iv.
24 THE REASONS OF
2. If this had been true of the world, as consisting of its
constitutive causes, that it is God in perfection, and eternal, &c,
yet it could not be true of the daily generated and perishing
beings. d There are millions of men and other animals that,
lately, were not what they are ; therefore, as such, they were
no eternal parts of God, because, as such, they were not eternal ;
therefore, if God brought them forth for his own perfection, it
would follow that he was before imperfect, and consequently
not God, and that his perfections are mutable and perishing ;
therefore, at least, some other cause of these must be found out.
And as for the similitudes in the objection, I answer, 1. That
the fructifying of a tree is an. act of generation, and the ends of
it are partly the use, for food, to superior, sensitive creatures,
especially man, and partly the propagation of its species, be-
cause it is mortal ; fructification, is, indeed^ its perfection, but
that is, because it is not made for itself, but for another : sic vos
non vobis, may be written upon them all : but God is neither
mortal, needing a propagation of the species, nor is he subser-
vient to any other, and finally for its use.
And as for the soul, it made not the matter of its own body,
but found it made, though in the formation of it, it might be so
efficient, as domicilium sibi fabricare? But God made all
matter of nothing, and gave the world whatsoever it is or hath,
and therefore was perfect himself before ; for an imperfect being
could never have been the cause of such a frame : therefore, he
needed no domicilium for himself, nor as an imperfect part, a
form, to concur to the constitution of a whole ; but he is the
efficient, dirigent, and final cause of the world and all things,
but not the constituent or essential, for then the creature
and Creator were all one, and God debased and the creature
deified : but he is to them a super-essential cause, even more
than a form and soul, while he is a total efficient of all.
3. If all that is in the objection had been proved, it would
not at all shake the main design of my present discourse, which is
to prove that God is our grand Benefactor and chief Good, and
that he is man's ultimate End ; for if the world were his body,
and he both its efficient and its soul, he would be the cause of
all its good, and the cause would be more excellent than the
effect; and if our souls, that never made the matter of our
d Quid enim est aliud natura quam Deus, et divina ratio ? Toti mundo par-
tibnsque ejus inserta ? Ergo nihil agis ingratissime mortaliuin, qui te uegas
Deo deberc sed naturae; quia nihil natura sine Deo est, nee Deus siue na-
tura, idem est uterque nee distat officio. — Senec. de Benefic.
e Leg. /Euean Gazeum de Aniuia. iii. P.T. 2. Gr. Lat. p. 385, 386, &c
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 25
bodies, are yet the noblest part of us, and far more excellent
than the body, much more would God, that made, or caused all
the matter and order in the world, be more excellent than that
world which he effected ; and as the soul is not for the body as
its ultimate end, though it be the life of the body and its great
benefactor, but the body is finally more for the soul, though
the soul need not the body so much as the body needeth the soul;
and as the horse is finally for the rider, and not the rider for
the horse, though the horse needeth his master more than the
master doth the horse, for the horse's life is preserved by the
master, when the master is but accommodated in his journey by
his horse ; even so, though the world need God, and he needeth
not the world, and God giveth being and life to the world, which
can give nothing at all to him, yet the world is finally for God,
and not God for the world. The most noble and first being is
still the end.
And the generated part of the world, which is not formally
eternal, but both oriri et interne, is it that our dispute doth
most concern, which the objection doth no whit invalidate.
Sect. 5. The same will of God, which was the free, efficient,
is the end of all his works ad extraJ
God's essence hath no efficient or final cause, but is the effi-
cient and final cause of all things else ; they proceeded from
his power, his wisdom, and his good-will, and they bear
the image of his power, wisdom, and good-will ; and he
loveth his own image in them, and loveth them as they bear
his image, and loveth his image for himself; so that the act
of his love to himself is necessary, though voluntary, and so
is the act of his love to his image, and to all the goodness of
the creature, while it is such ; but he freely, and not neces-
sarily, made and continueth the creature in his image, and
needeth not the glass or image, being self-sufficient, so that his
creature is the mediate object ; his image on the creature, is the
ultimate, created object ; his own perfections, to which that
image relateth, is the objection simpliciter ultimatum ; his com-
placency or love, is the actus ultimus ; and that very act is the
object of his preceding act of creation, or volition of the crea-
tures : but all this is spoken according to the narrow, imperfect
f Goodness signifieth more than utility or pleasure to ourselves ; as when
we call a man a good man, a good scholar, a good judge, &c. : and so doth
evil signify on the contrary.
Bonum est quod sui ipsius gratia expetendum est. — Aristot. Rhet. 1.
Boimm omnis oviginis et ortus finis est. — Id. Mdaph, 1. 1. c. 3.
26 THE REASONS OF
capacity of man, who conceiveth of God as having api'ius et pos-
terius in his acts, which is but respectively and denominatively
from the order of the objects. In short, God's free-will is the
beginning of his works, ad extra, and the complacency of that
will in his works as good, in relation to his own perfections, is
the end ; and, therefore, he is said to rest when he saw that all
his works were good. s
Sect. 6. Whatsoever is the fullest expression and glorifying
demonstration of God in the creature, must needs be the chief,
created excellency. 11
Because he loveth himself first, and the creature for himself;
and seeing the creature hath all from him which is good and
amiable in it, it must needs follow, that those parts are most
amiable and best, which have most of the impression of the
Creator's excellencies on them ; not that he hath greater per-
fections to imprint on one creature than another, but the im-
pression of those perfections is much greater on one than on
another.
Sect. 7- The happier, therefore, God will make any creature,
the more will he communicate to it of the image and demon-
stration of his own goodness, and so will both love it the more,
for his own image, and cause it to love him the more, which is
the chief part of his image.
Sect. 8. The goodness of God is conceived of by our narrow
minds, in three notions, as it were, in three degrees of altitude ;
the highest is, the infinite perfections of his essence as such :
the second is, the infinite perfection of his will as such, which
is called his holiness, and the fountain of moralitv : the third
is, that one part of his will's perfection, which is his benignity
to his creatures, which we call his goodness in a lower notion,
as relative to ourselves, because he is inclined by it to do us
good ; this is his goodness in condescension.
Sect. 9. Though all this is but one in God, yet because our
minds are fain to receive it as in several parts or notions, we
may, therefore, not only distinguish them, but compare them,
as the objects of our love.
r
& Maximum bonum maxime semper expetendum. — Arist. 1, Eth. c. 7. Du-
plex bonum est. Alterum quod absolute et per se bonum sit ; alteram quod
alicui bono sit et usui. — Arist. Eth. 1. 7. c. 12. Veteres probe summum bo-
num definierunt, id ad quod omnia referuntur. — Arist. Eth. I. c. 1.
h It is a saying of Pliny's, that as pearls, though they lie in the bottom of
the sea, are yet much nearer kin to heaven, as their splendour and exceliency
show; so a godly and generous soul hath more dependence on heaven,
whence it cometh, than on earth where it abideth.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 27
Sect. 10. Man usually beginneth at the lowest, and loveth
God first, for his benignity and love to us, before he riseth to the
higher acts.
And this is not an irregular motion of a lapsed soul in its
return to God, so be if we make haste in our ascent, and make
no stay in these lower acts ; otherwise it will be privately sinful.
Sect. 1 1. Therefore, God multiplied! mercies upon man, that
he might facilitate this first act of love by gratitude.
Not that these mercies being good to ourselves, should lead
us to love God ultimately for ourselves ; but they should help us
first to love him for ourselves, as the immediate passage to a
higher act of love, with which we mast love him in and for
himself, and ourselves for him.
Sect. 12. Therefore, God hath planted in our. natures the
principle of self-love, that it might suit our natures to the
mercies of God, and make them sweet to us : not that we should
arise to any other esteem of them ; but that this sweetness in then),
which respecteth ourselves, and is relished by self-love, should
lead us to the fountain of perfect goodness from which they flow.
Our very senses and appetites are given us to this end, not
that we should judge by any higher faculties, but that the delights
of the patible or sensible qualities in the creatures, by affecting
the sense, might presently represent to the higher faculties, the
sweetness of infinite goodness to the soul ; and so we might by
all ascend to God.
Sect. 13. Those mercies, therefore, are the greatest, which
reveal most of God, with the least impediments of our ascent
unto him.'
Sect. 14. Therefore his love most revealed and communicated,
and his perfect goodness most manifested to the soul, is the
greatest mercy ; and all corporal mercies are to be estimated and
desired, but as they subserve and conduce to these, and not as
they are pleasing to our flesh or senses. k
Sect. 15. The perfect goodness of the will of God, though it
contain benignity and mercy, yet is not to be measured by the
good which he doth to us ourselves, or to any creature ; but its
highest excellency consisteth in its essential perfection, and the
perfect love that God hath to himself, and in the conformity of
1 Bonum summum est animi operatio secundum virtiitein optimam et per-
fectissimam in vita perfecta. — Aristot. Rhet. 1.
k Tria sunt genera bonorum ; maxima animi, secunda corporis ; externa
tertia. — Cicero 3. Tuscul. Nihil bonum nisi quod honestum j nihil malum
nisi quod turpe. — Cicero Att. 1. 10.
2S THE REASONS OF
his will to his most perfect wisdom, which knoweth what is to be
willed ad extra \ and in his complacency in all that is good as
such.
When self-love so far blindeth us, as to make our interest the
standard to judge of the goodness of God, we do but show that
we are fallen from God unto ourselves, and that we are setting
up ourselves above him, and debasing him below ourselves : as
if we and our happiness were that ultimate end, and he and his
goodness were the means, and had no other goodness but that
of a means to us and our felicity. l If he made us, he must needs
have absolute propriety in us, and made us for himself. To
measure his goodness by our own interest, is more unwise than
to measure the sea in our hand, or the sun and all the orbs by
our span. And to measure it by the interest of the universe, is
to judge of that which is infinite, by that which is finite ; betwixt
which there is no proportion. As God is infinitely better than
the world, so he is infinitely more amiable, and therefore must
infinitely more love himself than all the world ; and, therefore,
so to do, is infinite excellency and perfection in his will. But
the out-going of his will to the creature by way of causative
volition, is free ; and conducted by that wisdom, which knoweth
what is fit, and what degrees of communication are most eligible
to God. God is perfect without his works : he had wanted
nothing if he had never made them. He will not herein do all
that he is simply able to do, but all that his wisdom seeth fittest
to be done. He was as good before he made the world, as since ;
and those that think he caused it eternally, must confess him, in
order of nature, to be first perfect in himself, and to have more
goodness than all which he communicateth to the world. He
was as good before this present generation of men on earth had
any being : he is as good before he bringeth us to the heavenly
glorv, as he will be after ; though before he did not so much
good to us. It is no diminution of his goodness, to say, that he
made millions of toads, and flies, and spiders, whom he could
have made men if he had pleased ; or to say, that he made
millions of men, whom he could have made angels ; or that he
1 If a man must love his country better than himself, then God, much more,
and then self is not to be highest in our love. Respublica nomen universal
civitatis est, pro qua mori,et cui nos totos dare, et in qua omnia nostra ponere,
et quasi consecrare debemus. — Cicero 2. de Leg. Laudandus est is qui mor-
tem oppetit pro republica, qui doceat patriam esse chariorem nobis, quam
nosmetipsos : estqueilla vox inhumana et scelerata eorum, qui negant se re-
cusare, quo minus ipsis mortuis terrarum omnium deflagratio consequatur.—
Cicer. 3, de Fin,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 29
made not every clod or stone a star or sun ; or that he suffered
men to be tormented by each other's cruelty, or by such diseases
as the stone and strangury, convulsions, epilepsies, &c. ; or that
men at last must die, and their bodies rot and turn to dust.
That these things are done, is past dispute ; and that God is
good is past dispute : and, therefore, that all this is consistent
with this goodness, is past dispute ; and consequently that his
goodness is not to be measured by so low a thing as human or
any creature interest. m
If you say, that all this is hurtful to the individuals, but not
to the universe, to which it is better that there be a mixture of
evil with good, than that every part had a perfection in itself;
I answer :
1. It seemeth, then, that the good which you measure God's
goodness by, is not the interest of any individual creature, at
least, that is in this lower world. For you confess, that the good
which would make it happy, is given to it limitedly, and with
mixtures of permitted or inflicted evil ; and that God could have
given them more of that goodness, if he would : God could
have freed them from pain and misery ; yea, and have given the
ignorant more knowledge, and honesty, and grace. So that it
is not our interest that is the measure of his goodness : and if
so, what is it that you call the universal interest. Surely, the
universality of rational creatures hath no being but in the indi-
viduals ; and if it be not the welfare of the individuals, which is
the measure, there is not any interest or welfare of the uni-
verse, which is of the same kind : and for the insensible crea-
tures, they feel neither good nor hurt, and, therefore, by your
measure, should be none of the universe, whose measure it is.
Therefore, it must be somewhat above the sensible interest of
any, or all the individuals, which you call the bonum universitatis :
and that can be nothing else but that state and order of the uni-
verse, in which it is conformable to the idea of the divine intellect,
and to the volition of the divine will, and so is fittest for him
to take complacency in, as being the measure and reasons of
his own volitions and operations, which he fetcheth not aliunde,
m It was the erroneous reasoning of the philosophers, to prove the world
eternal, that optimum et putchrutn, God and the world, must be inseparable ;
and so to conclude the being of that, which their fancies think best to be ; (as
Ammonius argueth with Zachar. Mitilen. ;) whereby they might as well prove
(as Zach.telleth Amnion.) that Plato and Aristotle were from eternity, and
must never die. It is foolish to reason against sense and experience, or to
deny that which is, because we think that it should be otherwise.
30 THE REASONS OF
or at least which are unknown to such as we. No doubt but it
is more for the happiness of the individuals, that every dust, and
stone, and fly, and beast, and man were an angel ; but it is not so.
2. And surely they that believe the evil of sin, and that God
could have kept it out of the world, and saved the individuals
from it, will confess that man's interest is not the measure of
God's goodness, especially considering what consequents also
follow sin, both here and hereafter.
3. And as to this lower part of the universe, how many na-
tions of the earth are drowned in woful ignorance and ungodli-
ness : how few are the wise, and good, and, peaceable ! When
God could have sent them learning, and teachers, and means ot
reformation, and have blessed all this means to their deliver-
ance. So that the far greater part of this lower world hath not
so much good as God could give them ; and the infirmities of
the best do cause their dolorous complaints.
*It is certain that God is infinitely good, and that all his works
also are good in their degree ; but, withal, it is certain that God
in himself is the simple, primitive good, and that created good-
ness principally consisteth in conformity with his will, which is
the standard and measure of it.
Sect. 16. God, as considered in the infinite perfections of his
nature and his will, is most amiable, and the object of our high-
est love.
Sect. 17. But he is not known by us in those perfections, as
seen in themselves immediately, but as demonstrated and glori-
fied expressively in his works, in which he shineth to us in his
goodness.
Sect. 18. His works, therefore, are made for the apt reveal-
ing of himself, as amiable to the intelligent part of his creation."
They are the book in which he hath appointed us to read,
and the glass in which he hath appointed us, with admiration,
n Cotta telleth Velleius, that Epicurus, by making; God careless of the affairs
of man, Sustulerit omnem funditus religionem : quid est enim cur Deos ab
hominibus colendos dicas, cum Dii non modo hominibus non consulant, sed
omnino nihil curaut, niliil agaut? At est eorum eximia quajdam praestansque
natura, ut ea debeat ipsa per se ad se colendam elicere sapientem. (This rea-
son is not denied, but the goodness of God's nature proved by his doing;
good.) 12ua2 porro pietas ei debetur, a. quo nihil acceperis ? Aut quid
omniuo, cujus nullum meritum sit, ei debere potest? Est enim Pietas Justitia
adversus Deos : cum quibus quid potest nobis esse juris, cum homine nulla
cum Deo sit communitas ? sauctitas est scientia colendorum Deorum : qui
quamobreni coleudi sint non intelligo, uullo uec accepto ab iis, nee sperato
bono. — Cicer. de Nat. Dew. 1. I, p. 32.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 31
to behold the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness of the
Creator; and in which we may see that he is not only our chief
benefactor, but the ultimate object of our love, and so the end
of all our motions.
Sect. 19. This third relation of God to us as our chief Good,
efficiently and finally, is the highest, and the most perfective to
us, but is not separated from the former two, but they are all
marvellously conjunct, and concur in the production of most of
the subsequent effects of God's providence.
As the elements are conjunct, but not confounded in mixed
bodies, and in themselves are easily to be distinguished, where
they are not divided, and their effects sometimes also distinct,
but usually mixed, as are the causes : so it is in the case of these
three great relations, though God's proprietary extend further
than his government, because inanimates and brutes are capable
of one, and not of the other ; yet, as to the rational creatures,
they are, in reality, of the same extent. God is, as to right, the
Owner, and Ruler of all the world, and also their real Benefactor,
and, quoad debitum, their ultimate end. But as to consent on
their parts, none but the godly give up themselves to him in any
one of these relations. In order of nature, God is our first Owner,
and then our Ruler, and our chief Good and End. His work, in
the first relation, is arbitrary disposal of us ; his work, in the
second, is to govern us ; and, in the third, attraction and felici-
tating. But he so disposeth of us, as never to cross his rules
of government ; and so governeth us as never to cross his ab-
solute proprietary, and attracteth and felicitateth us in consent
with his premiant act of government ; and all sweetly and won-
derfully conspire the perfection of his works.
Sect. 20. All these relations are often summed up in one name,
which principally importeth the last, which is the perfective re-
lation, but truly includeth both the former ; and that is, that
God is our Father.
° Epicurus vero ex anirais hominum extraxit radicitus religionem, cum Diis
immortalibus et opem et graSiam sustulerit. Cum enim et praestantissimam
naturam Dei dicat esse, negat idem esse in Deo gratiam : tollit id quod
maxime proprium est optimae praestantissimajque naturae. — Cic. de Nat. Dew.
1.1, p. 33,34. Quae enim potest esse sanctitas,siDiihumananon curant. — Id.
Utinam istam calliditatem hominibusDiinededissent; quaperpaucibeneutun-
tur ; qui tameu ipsi a male utentibus opprimuntur ; innumerabiles autem improbe
utuntur : ut donum hoc divinum rationis et consilii, ad fraudem hominibus
non ad bonitatem, impertitumesse videatur : sed urgetis, hominum esse istam
culpam, non Deorum.— Resp. At, si medicus sciat eum segrotum, qui
jussus est viuum. sumere, meracius sumpturum statimque periturum, magna
32 THE REASONS OF
As the rational soul doth ever include the sensitive and vege-
tative faculties, so doth God's fatherly relation to us include his
dominion and government. A father is thus a kind of image of
God in this relation : for, 1. He hath a certain proprietary in
his children. 2. He is, by nature, their rightful governor. 3.
He is their benefactor, for they are beholden to him for their
being and well-being. Nature causeth him to love them, and
bindeth them again to love him ; and the title " Our Father
which art in heaven," includeth all these divine relations to us,
but especially expresseth the love and graciousness of God
to us.
Object. But I must go against the sense of most of the world,
if I take God to be infinitely or perfectly good; for operari se-
quitur esse, he that is perfectly good will perfectly do good.
But do we not see and feel what you said before. The world
is but as a wilderness, and the life of man a misery. We come
into the world in weakness, and in a case in which we cannot
help ourselves, but are a pity and trouble to others. We are
their trouble that breed us and bring us up. We are vexed with
unsatisfied desires, with troubling passions, with tormenting
pains, and languishing weakness, and enemies' malice; with
poverty and care ; with losses and crosses, and shame and
grief; with hard labour and studies; with the injuries and
spectacles of a bedlam world, and with fears of death, and
death at last. Our enemies are our trouble, our friends are our
trouble; our rulers are our trouble; and our inferiors, children,
and servants, are our trouble ; our possessions are our trouble,
and so are our wants. And is all this the effect of perfect
goodness ? And the poor brutes seem more miserable than we :
they labour, and hunger, and die at last to serve our will : we
beat them, use them, and abuse them at our pleasure : and all
the inanimates have no sense of any good ; and, which is worst
of all, the world is like a dungeon of ignorance, like an hospi-
tal of madmen for folly and distractedness, like a band of rob-
bers for injury and violence, like tigers for cruelty, like snarling
dogs for contention, and, in a word, like hell for wickedness.
What else sets the world together by the ears in wars and blood-
shed in all generations ? What maketh peace-makers the most
sit in culpa. Sic vestraista provirientia reprehendenda, quae rationem dederit
lis, quos sciverit ea perverse et improbe usuros. Nou intelligo quid intersit,
utrum uerao fit sapiens, an nemo esse possit. Debebant dii quidem omnes
bonos emcere, siquidem hominum generi consulebant : sin id minus, bonis
quidem consulere debebant. — Cotta in Cicer. cle Nat.Deor. 1. 3. p. 105, 106,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. S3
neglected men ? What maketh virtue and piety the mark of
persecution and of common scorn? How small a part of the
world hath knowledge or piety ! And you tell us of a hell for
most at last. Is this all the fruit of perfect goodness ? These
thoughts have seriously trouhled some.
Answ. He that will ever come to knowledge, must begin at
the first, fundamental truths, and in his inquiry proceed to lesser
superstructures, and reduce uncertainties and difficulties to
those points which are sure and plain, and not cast away the
plainest certain truths, because they overtake some difficulties
beyond them. The true method of inquiry is, that we first try
whether there be a God that is perfectly good or not : if this
be once proved beyond all controversy, then all that followeth
is certainly reconcilable to it ; for truth and truth is not con-
tradictory. Now, that God is perfectly good hath been fully
proved before : he that giveth to all the world, both heaven,
and earth, and all the orbs, all that good, whether natural,
gracious, or glorious, which they possess, is certainly himself
better than all the world, for he cannot give more goodness
than he hath ; this is not to be denied by any man of reason,
therefore it is proved that God is perfectly good. Besides, his
perfections must needs be proportionable ; we know that he is
eternal, as is unquestionably demonstrated : we see by the
wonderful frame of nature, that he is omnipotent and omni-
scient ; and then it must needs be, that his goodness must be
commensurate with the rest. h
Therefore, to come back again upon every consequent which
you understand not, and to deny a fundamental principle, which
hath been undeniably demonstrated ; this is but to resolve that
you will not know. By this course you may deny any demon-
strated truth in mathematics, when you meet with difficulties
among the superstructed consequents.
p If God's making man a free agent be not agaitvst his goodness, then the
sin which a free agent committeth, is no impeachment of God's goodness. At
verum prius,ergo — The reasons why God made man with free will, the ancient
writers commonly render to the infidels. Irreneus.Tertullian, Clemens Alexand.
Arnobius, Lactantius, Eusebius, Tatianus, Origen, &c. — Vid. Zachar. Mity-
len. Disput. p. 364. li.P. Grata Lat. torn. 1. Siquidem anima regalem ma-
jestatem ostendit, nullius dominio subjecta, et propria? potestatis, tanquam
imago Dei, communia cum archelypo quasdam habens. — Greg. Nyssen. citat.
etiam in Ctesarii, Dial. 3. The ancients commonly make the freedom of
the will, as well as rationality, to be God's natural image on the soul. See
especially the full discourse of Nemesius, de Natur. Horn. cap. 39—41. Lege
l'ennotti Propugnacul. libcrt.
VOL. XXI. D
34 THE REASONS OF
Let us, therefore, methodically proceed: we have proved
that God is the cause of all the goodness in the world, in
heaven and earth, and therefore must needs he hest himself.
And it is certain, that all the sins and calamities which you
mention are in the world, and that the creature hath all those
imperfections ; therefore, it is certain that these two verities
are consistent, whatever difficulty appeareth to you in re-
conciling them. Thus far there is no matter of douht. And
next we are, therefore, certain, that the measure of God's good-
ness is not to be taken from the creature's interest. And yet
we know that his goodness inclineth him to communicate
goodness and felicity to his creatures ; for all the good in the
world is from him. It remaineth, therefore, that he is good,
necessarily and perfectly ; and that he doeth all well, what-
soever he doeth ; and that there is in the creature a higher
goodness than its own felicity, even the image of God's power,
wisdom, and goodness, in which his holiness and justice have
their place. And that this goodness of the universe, which
consisteth in the glorious appearances of God in it, and the
suitableness of all to his will and wisdom, includeth all things,
except sin, which are contained in your objection; and that
punishment of sinners, though it be malum physicum to them,
is a moral good, and glorifieth God's justice and holiness ; and
even the permission of sin itself is good, though the sin be bad.
And yet that God will also glorify that part of his goodness
which consisteth in benignity ; for he hath an amor beneficenticc,
of which the creature only is the object ; but of his amor
complacent ice he himself is the chief object, and the creature
but the secondary, so far as it participateth • of goodness ; and
complacency is the essential act of love. Think but what a
wonderful fabric he hath made of all the orbs, composed into
one world : and can you possibly have narrow thoughts of his
goodness ! He hath placed more physical goodness in the
nature of one silly bird, or fly, or worm, than human wit is
able to find out ; much more in plants, in beasts, in men, in
sea and land, in the sun, and fixed stars, and planets : our
understandings are not acquainted with the thousandth thou-
sandth thousandth part of the physical goodness which he hath
put into his creatures : there may be more of the wonderful
skill, and power, and goodness of God, laid out on one of those
stars that seem smallest to our sight, than millions of human
intellects, if united, were able to comprehend. And who
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 35
knoweth the number, any more than the magnitude and excel-
lency, of those stars ? What man can once look up towards the
firmament in a star-light night, or once read a treatise of astro-
nomy, and then compare it with his geography, and compare
those far more excellent orbs with this narrower and darker
world we live in, and not be wrapt up into the astonishing
admiration of the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Creator ?
when the anatomising of the body of one man or beast might
wrap up any considerate man into Galen's admiration and
praises of the Maker. And how many myriads of such bodies
hath God created ? And how much more excellent are the
forms or souls, than any of those bodies ? And how little know
we how incomparably more excellent the nature of angels may
be than ours ? And what glorious beings may inhabit the
more glorious orbs ? And yet can you think meanly of the
Creator's goodness ! q
Oh, but you say, that all these lower creatures have still the
fore-mentioned sorrows and imperfections.
I answer you : 1. They were not made gods, but creatures,
and therefore were not to be perfect : 2. It is the corrupt and
blinded, sensual mind which crieth out, for want of sensible
pleasure, and can see no goodness in any thing but this. But
true reason telleth any man that hath it, that our sensible
pleasure is a thing too low to be the highest excellency of the
creature, and to be the ultimate end of God ; and that the
glory of the whole world, even the inanimate parts as well as
the animate, showing the glory of the infinite Creator, is the
excellency of the world. What, if the sun, and stars, and
earth, and sea, the fire and air, have no feeling; have they,
therefore, no goodness but what is a means to the sensible
delights of lower things ? Hath a worm more goodness than
i Si quis omnia alia habeat, valetutlinem, divitias, &c, sed malus ex
confessu sit, improbabis ilium. Item si quis nihil habet eorum qua? retulit }
careat pecunia, clientum turba, avorum et proavorum serie, si ex confesso bo-
nus tit, probas ilium. Ergo hoc unum bonum hominis, quod qui habet, etiamsi
aliis de-.tituitur, laudaudus est; qitud qui non habet, in omnium aliorum
copia damnatur, ac rejicitur. — Sen. Inter fines, is qui perfectus est, sem-
per prsecellk imperfettum. Peri'ectus porro est, quo admoto, nullo amplius
opus est. — Arlst. Mag. Mor. 1. c. 3. et Rliet. 7. Finis est cujus gratia omnia
comparantur. Majus bonum est finis, quam quod finis non est: et Met. 2.
c. 2. Quod per se bonum est suaque vi et natura, id omue finis est. Nothing
more common in philosophy, than that publica* saluti privata incolumitas
est postponenda. Therefore, self-love must not persuade us that there is no-
thing higher than our own good to be intended.
D 2
36 THE REASONS OF
the sun, if it have more feeling ? These are the madnesses of
sensual men. May not an excellent limner, watch-maker, or
other artificer, make a picture, a watch, or musical instrument,
merely for his own delight ? And may he not delight in the
excellency of it, though you imagine him to have no need of it,
or of the delight ? And what is the excellency of such a
picture, but to be the full demonstration of the author's skill,
in the fullest representation of the thing resembled? Will
vou say that he hath done no good, because he made not his
picture sensible, and made not its pleasure his ultimate end ?
Those things which in particulars we call bad, are good, as
they are parts of the universal frame ; as many darkenings and
shadowings in a picture may conduce to make it beautiful.
The eye is a more excellent part of the body than a finger, or a
tooth ; and yet it maketh to the perfection of the whole, that
there" be fingers and teeth, as well as eyes. So it doth to the
perfection of the world, that there be men, and beasts, and
plants, as well as angels ; and poor men as well as rich, and
sick men as well as sound, and pain as well as pleasure. Our
narrow sight, that looketh but on a spot or parcel of God's
work at once, doth judge according to the particular interest
of that parcel ; and so we would have no variety in the world,
but every thing of that species which we think best. But God
seeth all his works at once, uno intuitu, and therefore seeth
what is best in reference to the glory of the universe, and seeth
what variety is beautiful, and what each part should be, ac-
cording to the office and order of its place.
And, 3. Doth not your own experience reprehend your own
complaint, as guilty of contradiction ? You would have all
things fitted to your own particular interest, or else you think
God is not good enough to you ; and may not every other crea-
ture say the same as justly as you ? and then how would you
have a horse to carry you, an ox to plough for you, a dog to
hunt for you, a hare or partridge to be hunted ; yea, a bit of
flesh to nourish you ; yea, or the fruit of trees and plants ; yea,
or the earth to bear you, or the air to breathe in, or the water to
refresh you ? for every one of these might expect to be advanced
to be as high in sensual pleasure as you.
He that compareth, as aforesaid, the elements and orbs, which
have no sense, with a worm that hath it, will think that sense
hath blinded reason ;. when it is so overvalued as to be thought
the most excellent thing, or a meet measure of the goodness of
the Creator.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 37
1. Most of the calamities of the rational creature, which vou
3 4
mention, are sin, and the fruits of sin ; and when man bringeth
in sin, it is good that God should bring in punishment : it is an
act of justice, and declareth his holiness, and warneth others.
Therefore, all your complaints against these penal evils should be
turned only against the sinner; and all should be turned to the
praise of the righteous Governor of the world/
5. And as for the sin itself, which hath depraved the world
so foully as you describe it, it is none of the work of God at all.
If you say that he might have prevented it if he had pleased, I
answer, He hath declared his detestation of it; as our Ruler,
he hath forbidden it. He deterreth men from it by his sorest
threatenings ; he allureth them from it by his richest promises of
reward; he appointed) kings and magistrates, to suppress it by
corporal penalties : this and much more he doeth against it,
and more he could do, which should prove effectual ; but his
wisdom saw it not meet, nor conducible to the glory of the uni-
verse, to make all moral agents of one size, any more than all
natural agents, and therefore he made not man indefectible. Do
you think that a rational creature, with free-will, being the lord
of its own acts, and a self-determining principle to act without
force, is not a thing which God may make, and take delight in ?
as well as a watch-maker taketh delight to make a clock that
shall go of itself, without his continued motion ; and the longer
he can make it go without him, and so the more like to himself,
the more excellent he thinks his work. If God may make such
a free agent, then it is no impeachment to his goodness, if it
abuse its freedom unto sin ; especially when he will overrule
even that sin, so far as to bring good out of it by accident.
And, lastly, as for all the objections from sin and misery,
against God's goodness, I answer you with these questions : Do
you know what number the holy and glorious angels are, in com-
parison both of wicked men and devils : whether they may not
be ten thousand to one ? Do you know how many thousand
fixed stars there are, besides planets : do vou know whether
r Non quoniam mutabiles vires habemus, improbitatis nostras culpa in
Deurn conferenda est. Non enim in faeultaiibus sunt vitia, sed iu habitibus.
Habitibus autem ex. electione et voluntate sunt, ltaque nostra ipsorum elec-
tione et voluntate improbi evadimus, non natura sumus. — Nenicshts de Nat.
Hum. c. 41. Homo est principium suarum operationem. — Aris. 3, Eth.
Nemo nolens bonus et beatus est. — Sen. Si divitias velis, rem bonam esse
scias nee omnia in te sitam. Si vero beati, id ad bonum est et penes te. Opes
enim fortuna ad tenipus commodato dat : beatitudo autem a. nostra voluntate
procedit. — Epic let.
38 THE REASONS OF
they are all suns ; and how much larger they are than the earth ;
and how much more glorious ? Do you know whether they are
all inhabited or not; when you see almost no place on earth
uninhabited, not so much as water and air ? Do you know
whether those thousands of more glorious orbs have not inha-
bitants answerable to their greatness and glory, beyond the in-
habitants of this darker orb; do you know whether sin and
sorrow be not kept out there, and confined to this, and some few
such obscure receptacles ; do you know the degrees of holiness
and glory which those superior inhabitants possess ; and do you
know that all these things set together, the demonstration of
God's goodness by the way of beneficence, is not ten thousand
times beyond the demonstrations of it in the way of justice, and
all the other sorrows that you complain of? Till you know all
these, do not think yourselves meet, from your sensible troubles,
to argue against that infinite goodness which demonstrateth itself
so unquestionably to all, by all the goodness of the whole
creation. s
I may boldly, then, conclude that God is our Father, our chief
Good, our chief Benefactor, and ultimate End.
And so that, in semu plenissimo, there is a God : that word
comprehending both the aforesaid trinity of principles in the
unity of his essence, and the trinity of relations in the unity of
the relation of our Creator.
CHAP. XII.
III. Of Mans Relation to God, as he is our Father, or our
Chief Good; and of our Duty in that Relation.
Sect. 1. God being to man, efficiently and finally, his chief,
yea, his total Good, as is declared ; it must needs follow, that
man is, by immediate resultancy, related to him as his total
Beneficiary, and Recipient of his benefits ; and oweth him all
that which goodness, conjunct with sovereignty and dominion,
can oblige him to.
Whether all obligation, which is truly moral, to a duty, do
arise from sovereignty and rule, and belong to us as subjects only
in the nearest formal sense, or whether benefits simply, without
5 Read Gassendi Phys., sect. 2. 1. c. 6. sint ne ccelum et sidera habitabilia.
And Card. Nic. Causanus, 1. 2. de doct. ignot. 11. in Coroll., cited also by Gas-
sendus.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 39
any respect to government and subjection, may be said to oblige
to moral duty as such, is a question that I am not concerned to
determine, as long as God is both Governor and Benefactor, and
his government may give the formal, moral obligation, as his
benefits provide the greatest materials of the duty : though this
much I may say to it, that I cannot see but the duty of a bene-
ficiary, as such, may be called moral, as well as the duty of a
subject as such ; and if it were supposed that two men were
absolutely equals as to any subjection, and that one of them
should, by kindness, exceedingly oblige the other, all will acknow-
ledge ingratitude to be an unnatural thing; and why that vice
may not be called properly moral in a rational, free agent, I am
not yet convinced. You will say it is true ; but that is because
that both those men are subjects to God, whose law obligeth
them both to gratitude, and therefore ingratitude is a sin only
as against the law of God in nature : to which I reply, that I
grant God's law of nature maketh ingratitude a sin ; and I grant,
that a law is properly the instrument of a governor as such ;
and so, as ingratitude is the violation of a law, it is only a sin
against government as such. But I question whether, as love is
somewhat different from wisdom and power, and as a benefactor
and an attractive good hath the highest, and a peculiar kind
of obligation, so there be not something put by God into our
nature, which, though it be not formally a law, yet is as obliga-
tory, and as much, if not more than a law, which maketh it
more than the duty of a subject to answer love and goodness
with gratitude and love; so that if, per impossible, you suppose
that we had no other obligation to God but this of love and
goodness (or abstract this from the rest) J question whether it
be not most eminently moral, and whether the performance of
it do not morally fit us for the highest benefits and felicity, and
the violation of it merit not, morally, the rejections of our great
Benefactor, and the withdrawing of all his favours to our un-
doing : but in this controversy my cause is not much con-
cerned as I have said, because the same God is our Sovereign
also.
Sect. 2. The duty which we especially owe to God, in this
highest relation, is love ; which, as such, is above obedience as
such.
The difference of understandings and wills requireth govern-
ment and obedience, that the understanding and will of the
superior may be a rule to the subjects : but love is a concord of
40 THE REASONS OF
wills ; and so far as love hath caused a concord, there is no use
for government by laws and penalties, and therefore the law is not
made for a righteous man as such ; that is, so far as love hath
united his soul to virtue, and separated it from sin, he need not he
constrained or restrained by any penal laws, any more than men
need a law to command them to eat and drink, and preserve
their lives, and forbear self-destruction. But so far as any man
is unrighteous or ungodly, that is, hath a will to sin, or cross or
averse to goodness, so far he needeth a penal law; which, there-
fore, all need while they remain imperfect.
Nature hath made love and goodness like the iron and the
loadstone. The understanding doth not so ponderously incline
to truth as the will doth naturally to good ; for this being the
perfect act of the soul, the whole inclination of nature goeth
after it : therefore, love is the highest duty, or most noble act of
the soul of man ; the end and perfection of all the rest. 1
Sect. 3. The essential act of this love is complacency ; or
the pleasure of the mind in a suitable good. But it" hath
divers effects, concomitants, and accidents, from whence it bor-
rovveth divers names.
Sect. 4. The love of benevolence, as it worketh towards the
felicity of another, is the love of God to man, who needeth him ;
but not of man to God, who is above our benefits, and needeth
nothing.
Sect. 5. Our love to God, respecteth him either, 1. As our
efficient ; 2. Dirigent ; 3. Or final Good ; which hath accordingly
commitant duties.
Sect. 6. 1. Our love to God as our chief Good efficiently,
containeth in it; 1. A willing, receiving love; 2. A thankful'
love ; 3. A returning, devoted, serving love, which among men
amounts to retribution.
'Seneca, (Epist. 31,) saith, Quaerendum est quod non fiat indies deterius-
cui non possit obstari ; quo nil melius possit optari ; Quid hoc est' An-
imus sed hie rectus, bonus, maguus. Quid aliud ~oces, hunc, quam
Beum in humano corpore hospitantem ? Hie animus tam in equitem Ro
maiium, quam inservum potest cadere; Quid est eques Romanus? Aut
hbertinus ? Aut servus ? Nomina ex ambitioue, aut ex injuria nata sub
silirein ccelum ex angulo licet: exurg-e modo, et te di<r T1U m fin-e Deo"
finges autem, non auro, non argento: non potest ex hac materia ima-o
Dei expnmi similis. Plato saith, that man's end is, to be made like God —
Laert. in Plat. Socrates said, that God was the best and most blessed'- and
the nearer any one came in likeness to him, so much was he the better and
more blessed. Non potest temperantiam laudare, qui suinmmn bonum
ponet m voluptate.— Cicero.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 41
Sect. 7. 1. An absolute, dependent beneficiary ought with full
dependence on his total benefactor, to receive all his benefits
with love and willingness. u
An undervaluing of benefits, and demurring or rejecting
them, is a great abuse and injury to a benefactor. Thus doth
the ungodly world, against all the grace and greatest mercies of
God : thev know not the worth of them, and therefore despise
them, and will not be entreated to accept them ; but take them
for intolerable injuries or troubles, as a sick stomach doth its
physic and food, because they are against their fleshly appe-
tites. An open heart to receive God's mercies with high esteem,
beseemeth such beneficiaries as we.
Sect. 8. 2. Thankfulness is that operation of love which the
light of nature hath convinced all the world to be a duty ; and
scarce a man is to be found so brutish as to deny it : and our
love to God should be more thankful than to all the world,
because our receivings from him are much greater than from all. x
Sect. 9. 3. Though we cannot requite God, true gratitude
will devote the whole man to his service, will, and honour, and
bring back his mercies to him for his use, so far as we are aide.
Sect. 10. II. Our love to our diligent benefactor, is, 1. A
fiducial love. 2. A love well pleased in his conduct. 3. A follow-
ing love.
Though it belongeth to God chiefly as our sapiential Governor,
to be the dirigent cause of our lives : yet he doth it also as our
benefactor, by a commixture of the effects of his relations.
Sect. 11. 1. So infinite and sure a friend, is absolutely to be
trusted, with a general confidence in the goodness of his nature,
and a particular confidence in the promises or significations of
his good-will.
Infinite good cannot be willing to deceive or disappoint us :
and if we absolutely trust him, it will abundantly conduce to our
holiness and peace.
Sect. 12. 2. We must also love his conduct, his precepts, and
his holy examples, and the very way itself in which he leadeth us.
All that is from him is good, and must be loved, both for
itself and for him that it cometh from, and for that which it
u Gratus sum ; non ut alius mihi libentius prsestet, priori irritatus exemplo ;
sed ut rem jucundissimam faciam. — Senec. Ep.28.
x Credamus itaque nihil esse grato anime honestius. Omnes hoc urhes,
omnes etiam ex barbaris regionibus gentes conclamabuut : in tanta judiciorum
diversitate, referendam ben£ merentibus gratiani, omnes uno ore afiirmahunt ;
in hoc decors turba consentiens. — Sencc. lb.
42
THE REASONS OF
leadeth to ; all his instructions, helps, reproofs, and all his con-
ducting means, should be amiable to us.
Sect. 13. 3. Love must make us cheerfully follow him iri all
the ways, which by precept or example, he is pleased to lead us.
And so to follow him, as to love the tokens of his presence,
and footsteps of his will, and all the signs of his approbation,
and, with an heroic fortitude of love, to rejoice in sufferings,
and venture upon dangers, and conquer difficulties for his sake.
Sect. 14. III. Our love to God, as our final good, is, 1. A
desiring love; 2. A seeking love, and, 3. A full, complacential,
delighting love, Avhich is the perfection of us and all the rest ;
and, accidentally, it is sometimes a mourning loveJ
Sect. 15. 1. Man being put in via, under the efficiency and
conduct of love, to final love and goodness, hath his end to
intend, and his means to use ; and, therefore, love must needs
work by desire.
Sect. 16. So far as a man is short of the thing desired, love
will have some sense of want ; and so far as we are crossed
in our seekings, and frustrated in any of our hopes, it will be
sorrowful.
Sect. 17. 2. Man being appointed to a course and life of
means to his last end, must needs be employed in those means
for the love of that end ; and so the main work of this life is
that of a desiring, seeking love. z
Sect. 18. 3. The complacential, delighting love, hath three
degrees ; the first, in belief and hope; the second, in foretaste;
and the third, in full, inflamed exercise.
Sect, 19. 1. The well-grounded hope of the foreseen vision
and fruition of the infinite good, which is our end, must needs
possess the considerate mind with a delight which is somewhat
answerable to that hope.
?Bene meritos quin colas, nee exorari fas est, neque est excusatio diflicultatis :
neque aequum est tempore et die memoriam beneficii definire. — Cicer.
7 Vos, vos, apello, qui Mercurium, qui Platonem, Pythagoramque secta-
mini : vosque caeteros qui estis unius mentis, et per easdem vias placitorum
iuceditis unitate. Audetis ridere nos Quid Plato vester uonne animo
surgere suadet e terris, et circa Deum semper (quantum fieri potest) cogita-
tione ac mente versari ? Audetis ridere nos quod animarum nostrarum provi-
deamus saluti ? Id est ipsi nobis ? Quid enim sumus homines, nisi aniinas
corporibus clausae ? Vos euiru nonne omnes pro illarum geritis incolumita-
tibus curas ? Metusille vos habet ne velut trabalibus clavis affixi, corporibus
haereatis ? Quid illi sibi veliut secretarum artium ritus, quibus affamini
nescio quas potestates, ut sint vobis placidae, neque ad sedes remeantibus
patrias obstacula impeditionis opponant.— Arnob. adv. Gentes, lib. 2. p. 14.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 43
Sect. 20. 2. When the soul doth not only hope for its future
end, hut also at present close with God, sub ratione finis , in the
exercise of pure, complacential love, in prayer, praise, or con-
templation, he hath some measure of fruition even in via, and
a sensible foretaste of his future perfection, according to the
degree of this his love.
There is a delight that eometh into the mind by the mere
foresight and hope of what we shall be, and have, and do here-
after, and this eometh by the means of promise and evidence ;
and there is also a delight which eometh in upon the present
exercise of love itself on God as present ; when the soul, lit the
contemplation of his infinite goodness, is wrapt up in the plea-
sures of his love, and this is a degree of fruition of our end,
before the perfect fruition of it : and, therefore, take notice,
that there are these two ways of our comfort in this life. 1. Ex-
ploratio juris, the trial of our title. 2. Exercithtm amoris, the
feasting of the soul in the exercises of love.
Sect. 21.3. The final, perfect act of love will not be in via,
but when we have fully reached the end.
Sect. 22. This final act is not well expressed by the common
word 'fruition,' because it intimateth that we are the finis cut,
ourselves, and that our own enjoyment of God as our felicity, is
the finis idtirnate-ultimus, which is not true.
Sect. 23. Yet is fruition one ingredient into our end, because
our final act of love is for ourselves, though not principally.
Sect. 24. All the difficulties, define hominis, are best resolved
by understanding that it \s finis amantis, and what that is. The
nature of love is an inclination or desire of union or adhesion ;
and therefore it includeth the felicity of the lover, together with
the attractive excellency of the object, and is both gratia
amantis and amati shnul. But when the lover is infinitely
above the object, the lover is the chief end, for his own com-
placency, though the object have the benefit : and when the ob-
ject is infinitely better than the lover, the object must be incom-
parably the chief end, cujus gratia potissimum, though the
lover, withal, intend his felicity in fruition. a
Sect. 25. But if any soul be so far above self-love as to be
drawn up in the fervours of holy love, in the mere contempla-
tion of the infinite object, not thinking of its own felicity
a Magistris, Diis et parentibus, non potest reddi aequivalens. — Aristot. 9.
Ethic. Laus et gratiarum actio debetur danti, non accipienti. — Aristot. 4.
Ethic.
44 THE REASONS OF
herein, its felicity will be never the less for not intending or re-
membering it.
Sect. 26. Therefore the final act of love hath no fitter name
than love itself, or delightful adhesion to God, the infinite Good,
with full complacency in him. b
Sect. 27. Though God must be loved as our Benefactor, yet
the perfect goodness of his will and nature, as standing above
all our interest or benefits, must be the principal reason and
object of our love.
That we must love God more for himself than for ourselves,
is thus proved: 1. That which is most amiable must be most
loved; but God is most amiable, and not we ourselves, there-
fore he must be loved above ourselves, and, consequently, not
for ourselves, but ourselves for him. The minor is soon proved.
That which is best is most amiable ; but God is best, ergo. And
goodness is the proper object of love. c
2. That which the soul most loveth, it doth most devote itself
to, and adhere to, and rest in : but we must more devote ourselves
to God, and adhere to him, and rest in him, than ourselves ;
ergo, we must love him more.
3. That which is an absolute good, and is dependenton nothing,
must be absolutely loved for itself; but such is God ; ergo. And
that which is only a derivative, limited, dependent good, and
not made ultimately for itself; is not to be loved ultimately for
itself: but such is man; ergo.
4. That which is the fountain of all goodness and love must
be the end of all ; but that is God, and not man ; ergo.
5. To love God ultimately for ourselves is to deify ourselves,
and take down God into the order of a means, that is, of a
creature.
Sect. 28. Having proved that God must be loved above our-
selves, we need no other proof that not we, but God, must be
our ultimate end.' 1
b Qui sancti ? qui religionem colentes ? nisi qui meritam Diis immortalibus
gratiam, justis honoribus, memori meute persolvunt? — Cicer.pro Plane.
c If we must love good men for themselves, much more God. Ubi beneficus
si nemo alterius causa benigne facit. Ubi gratuus, si nun earn ipsum cui re-
serunt gratiam, ipsi cernunt grati ? Ubi ilia sancta amicitia, si non ipse ami-
cus per se amatur, toto pectore : qui etiam deserendus et abjiciendus est, de-
speratis emoluments et fructibus : quo quid potest dici immanius ? — Cicer.de
Lejf.l.p. 227.
d Justitia nihil expetit praemii, nihil pretii: per seigiturexpetitur: eademque
omnium virtutum causa atque sententia est : atque etiam si emoluments, non
suapte Datura virtus expetitur, una erit virtus, quae malitia reetissimedicetur.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 45
Sect. 29. Because we here see not God intuitively, but in liis
works, we are bound, with fervent desire, to study and contem-
plate them, and therein to feast our love in beholding and tast-
ing his love and goodness.
As a man will look on the pictures, the letters, the works of
his absent friend, and retain the image of him in his heart ; so
God, though not absent, vet unseen, expresseth himself to us in
all his works, that we may studiously there behold, admire, and
love him.
Sect. 30. Therefore God's works must be more valued and
studied, as they are the glass representing the image of his per-
fections, and showing us his chief, essential amiableness, than as
they are beneficial and useful to us, and so show us only his be-
nignity to us.
Sect. 31. Yet must self-love, and sense itself, and the sensi-
ble sweetness and experience of mercies be improved to our
easier taste of God's essential goodness, and we must rise up
from the lower to the higher objects; and this is our chief use
of sensible benehts. e
Doubtless, as the soul, while it dwelleth with flesh, doth re-
ceive its objects by the mediation of sense, so God hath pur-
posely put such variety of sensible delicacies into the creatures,
that by every sight, and smell, and hearing, and touch, and taste,
our souls might receive a report of the sweetness of God, whose
goodness all proceed from : and therefore this is the life which
we should labour in continually, to see God's goodness in
every lovely sight, and to taste God's goodness in every
pleasant taste, and to smell it in every pleasant odour, and to
hear it in every lovely word or sound ; that the motion may pass
on clearly without stop, from the senses to the mind and will,
and we may never be so blockish as to gaze on the glass, and
Ut enim quisque ad suum commodum refert maxime qiuecunque agit, ita
minime est vir bonus: ut qui virtutem pra?mio metiuutur, nullam virtutein
nisi malitiam putant. — Cicer. de Leg. 1. p. 227.
e Nihil hotnini metuendum, nisi ne faslicitatem ex cludat. — Solon in Laert.
p. 151. Suramo bonno constitute) in philosophia, constituta sunt omnia:
nam ca;teris in rebus sive praetermissum, sive ignoratuin est quippiam, non
plus iucommodi, quam quant i quaeque earum rerum est, inquibus neglectum
est aliquid. Summum autem bonum si ignoretur, vivendi rationeni ignorari
necesse est : ex quo tantus error consequitur, ut quem in poi turn se recipiant,
scire non possunt. Cognitis autem rerum finibus (bonorum et malorum) in-
venta vitae via est contbrmatioqiie omnium officiorum. — Piso in Cictr.de Finib.
lib. 5, p. 182. Decrescere summum bonum non potest. Moitalia eminent,
cadunt, deteruntur, crescuut, exhauiiunUir, implentur, Diviuoruin una
naUiraest.— Saiec. Epist. CG. p. »>44, 645.
46 THE REASONS OF
not see the image in it; or to gaze on the image, and never
consider whose it is ; or to read the hook of the creation, and
mark nothing but the words and letters, and never mind the
sense and meaning. A philosopher, and yet an atheist, or an
ungodly man, is a monster ; one that most readeth the book of
nature, and least understandeth or feeleth the meaning of it.
Sect. 32. Therefore, God daily reneweth his mercies to us,
that the variety and freshness of them, producing renewed de-
light, may renew our lively feelings of his love and goodness, and
so may carry us on in love, without cessations and declinings.
Our natures are so apt to lose the sense of a good that is
grown ordinary and common, that God, by our renewed neces-
sities, and the renewed supplies, and variety of mercies, doth
cure this defect.
Sect. 33. Those, therefore, that turn God's mercies to the
gratifying of their sensitive appetites and lusts, and forget him,
and offend him the more, and love him the less, do forfeit his
mercies by their inhuman and irrational ingratitude and abuse.
Which is the sin of all proud, covetous, voluptuous persons ;
the ambitious, fornicators, gluttons, drunkards, and lovers of
sports, recreations, idleness, or any pleasure, as it turneth them
from God.
Sect. 34. Above all other sin, we should most take heed of
the inordinate love of any creature, for itself, or for our carnal
self alone, because it is most contrary to our love of God, which
is our highest work and duty. f
Sect. 35. Those mercies of God are most to be valued, de-
desired and sought, which show us most of God himself, or
most help up our love to him.
Sect. 36. We must love both our natural selves and neigh-
bours, the bad as well as the good, with a love of benevolence,
desiring our own good and theirs : but, at the same time, we
must hate ourselves and them, so far as wicked, with the hatred
of displacency; and, with the love of complacency, must only so
far love ourselves or others, as the image of divine goodness is
in us or them.
I speak not of the mere natural passion of the parent to the
child, which is common to man and beast ; nor of the exercises
of love in outward acts, for those may be directed by God's
commands to go more to one, as a wicked child, that hath less
f Ccelestia semper spectato : ilia humana contemnito.— Cic. Somn, Scipi.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 47
true amiableness in him. But all holy love must be suited to the
measures of the truest object.
Sect. 37. The love of God should be with all our soul, and
with all our might; not limited, suppressed, or neglected, but
be the most serious, predominant action of our souls. g
How easy a matter is it to prove holiness to be naturally
man's greatest duty, when love to God, which is the sum of it,
is so easily proved to be so. All the reason in the world that
is not corrupted, but is reason indeed, must confess, without
any tergiversation, that it is the greatest and most unquestionable
duty of man to love God above all, yea, with all our heart, and
soul, and might : and he that doth so shall never be numbered
by him with the ungodly, for those are inconsistent.
Sect. 38. The exercises of love to God in complacency, de-
sire, seeking, &c. should be the chief employment of our
thoughts. 11
For the thoughts are the exercise of a commanded faculty,
which must be under the power of our will, and the ultimate
end, and the exercises of our love to it, should daily govern
them ; and what a man loveth most, usually he will think of,
with his most practical, powerful thoughts, if not with the most
frequent.
Sect. 39. The love of God should employ our tongues in the
proclaiming of his praise and benefits, and expressing our own
admiration and affection, to kindle the like in the souls of others.'
For the same God who is so amiable, hath given us our speech
with the rest of his benefits, and given it us purposely to declare
his praise. Reason telleth us, that we have no higher, more worthy,
or better employment for our tongues ; and that we should use
them to the best. The tongues of men are adorned with lan-
guage for charitable and pious communication, that they may be
fit to affect the hearts of others, and to kindle in them that
s Templutn mentis amo, non marmoris, aurea in illo. Fundamenta :
manet fiiles structura nivali, con fur git pietate nitens, tegit ardua culmen.
Justitia interius spargit sola picta rubetiti Flore, pudicitire pudor almus, et
atria servat. Haec domus apta mini est, haec me pulcherrirna sedes.
Aocipit, aeterno coelestique hospite digna. — Prudent. Quicquid boni egeris
in Deos refer. — Bias in Laert.
h When tbe oracle of Delphos adjudged the Tripos to the wisest, it was sent
to Thales, and from him to another, till it came to Solon, who sent it to the
oracle, saying, none is wiser than God. — Laert in Tkalet. So should we
all send back to God the glory and praise of all good which is ascribed to us.
1 Numen diviuum omni modo, oinni tempore ipse cole, juxta leges patrias,
et ut alii colant effice. — Dion. 1. 52.
4S THE REASONS OF
sacred fire which is kindled in themselves ; therefore, that tongue
which is silent to its Maker's praise, and declareth not the good-
ness, and wisdom, and. power of the Lord, and doth not divulge
the notice of his benefits, condemneth itself, and the heart that
should employ it, as neglecting the greatest duty it was made for.
Sect. 40. The lives of God's beneficiaries should be employed
to his praise and pleasure, and should be the streaming effects
of inward love ; and all his mercies should be improved to his
service, from a thankful heart.
All this hath the fullest testimony of reason, according to the
rules of proportion and common right. To whom should we
live, but to him from whom, and by whom we live ? What but
our ultimate end should be principally intended, and sought,
through our whole lives ? A creature that hath all from God,
should in love and gratitude bring back all to him ; and thus we
make it more our own.
Sect. 41. This life of love should be the chief delight and
pleasure of our souls, which all other pleasure should subserve,
and all be abhorred which contradicteth it. k
Nothing is more easily confessed by all, than the desirableness
of delight and pleasure ; and the most excellent object, which
must be most beloved, must be our chief delight : for love itself
is a delighting act, unless some stop do turn it aside into fears
and sorrows. Nothing can itself be so delectable as God, the
chief Good ; and no employment so delectable as loving him.
This, therefore, should be our work, and our recreation, our
labour and our pleasure, our food and feast. Other delights are
lawful and good, so far as they further these delights of holv
love, by carrying up our hearts to the original and end of all
our mercies and delights. But nothing is so injurious to God
and us as that which corrupteth our minds with sensuality, and
becometh our pleasure instead of God.
Sect. 42. The sense of the present imperfection of our love,
should make us long to know God more, and to love him and
delight in him, and praise him in perfection to the utmost extent
of our capacities. l
If it be so good to love God, then must the highest degree of
k Aristippus rogatus aliquando, quid liaberent eximium philosophi ? Si
omnes inquit, leges intereatit, cquabiliter vivimus. — Laert. Oderunt
peccare boni virtutis ainore. — Hor.
1 Read Seneca, (de vita beata,) fully proving, against tbe Epicureans, that
wealth, honour, and pleasure are not man's felicity, because they make him
not belter, or best.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 49
it be best : and reason teacheth us, when we feel how weak our
knowledge and love is, to long for more ; yea, for perfection.
Sect. 43. Thus hath reason showed us the end and highest
felicity of man, in his highest duty : to know God, to love him
and delight in him, in the fullest perfection, and to be loved by
him, and be fully pleasing to him, as herein bearing his image,
is the felicity and ultimate end of man. Love is man's final
act, excited by the fullest knowledge ; and God, so beheld and
enjoyed in his love to us, is the final object. And here the soul
must seek its rest. m
Object. But, qua supra nos nihil adnos. God, indeed, is near to
angels; but he hath made them our benefactors, and they have
committed it to inferior causes. There must be suitableness as
well as excellency to win love : we find no suitableness between
our hearts and God. And, therefore, we believe not that we
were made for any such employment. And we see that the far
greater part of mankind are as averse to this life of holiness as
ourselves ; and, therefore, we cannot think but that it is quite
above the nature of man, and not the work and end which he
was made for.
Answ. 1. Whether God have made angels our rulers or
benefactors, or what love or honour we owe them as his
instruments, is nothing to our present business ; for if it be
granted that he thus useth them, it is most certain that he is
nevertheless himself our benefactor, and nevertheless near us.
What nearness a) us they have, we are much uncertain ; but
that he himself is our total benefactor, and always with us, as
near to us as we are to ourselves, is past all cpiestion, and
proved before.
2. There neither is, nor can be, any object so suitable for
our love as God ; he hath all goodness in him, and all in the
creature is derived from him, and dependeth on him j and he
hath given us all that ever we ourselves received, and must
give us all that ever we shall receive hereafter. He is all-
sufficient for the supply of all our wants, and granting all our
just desires, and making us perfect ; all that he doth for us
he doth in love, as an intellectual free agent ; and he is still
present with us, upholding us, and giving us the very love
m Sursum animum vocant initia sua : erit autem illic, etiam antequam hac
custodiaexolvatur, si vitia sua deseruit, purusqneac lenis in cogitationes divi-
nas emicuit.— Senec. Ep. 80. Tutum iter est, jucunilum est, ad quod natura
te instruxit. Dedit tibi ilia quae si non deserueris, par Deo consurges. Parem
autem Deo te pecuuia non facit, etc. — Senec. Ep. 1j.
VOL. XXI. K
50 THE REASONS OF
which he demandeth ; and he created us for himself, to be his
own, and gave us these faculties to know and love him. And
can any, then, be a more suitable object of our love ?
3. Do you not find that your understandings have a suitable-
ness or inclination to truth and knowledge, and would you not
know the best and greatest things? and know the cause of
all the wonderful effects which you see ? And what is this but
to know God ? And do you not find that your wills have
a suitableness to good, as such, in the general, and to your own
felicity ? And do you not know that it should not be un-
natural to any man to love that best which is best, and especially
which is best for him ; and to love him best who is his greatest
benefactor, and most worthy of his love in all respects ? And
can you doubt whether God be most worthy of your love ? All
this is plain and sure. And will men's averseness to the love
of God then disprove it ? It is natural for man to desire
knowledge, as that which perfecteth his understanding ; and
yet boys are averse to learn their books, because they are
slothful, and are diverted by the love of play. What if your
servants be averse and slothful to your service ', doth it follow
that it is not their duty, or that you hired them not for it ?
What if your wife and children be averse to love you, is it
therefore none of their duty so to do ? Rebels are averse to obey
their governors, and yet it is their duty to obey them. If your
child, or any one that is most beholden to you, should be averse
to love and gratitude to you, as thousands are to their parents and
benefactors, will it follow that nature obliged them not to it ? n
4. What can you think is suitable to your love, if God be
not ? is it lust, or play, or meat, and drink, and ease ? A swine
hath a nature as suitable to these as you. Is it only to deal
ingenuously and honourably in providing for the flesh, and
maintaining the fuel of these sensualities, by buildings, trading,
manufactures, ornaments, and arts ? All this is but to have a
11 Quod si poena, si metus supplicii, non ipsa turpitude, deterret ab injuriosa,
facinorosaque vita, nemo est iujustus : at incauti potius habendi sunt improbi :
callidi, non boni sunt, qui utilitate tantum, non ipso liouesto, utboni viri sint
moventur. — Cicer. de leg. I. 1. p. 289. Complent bona corporis beatissimam
vitam ; sed ita ut sine illis possit beata vita existere. Ita enim parvae et exi-
gua; sunt ista? accessiones bonorum, ut sicut stellar in radio solis, sic ista? in
virtutum splendore, ne cernuntur quidem. Atque haec ut vere dicitur parva
esse ad beate vivendum momenta ista corporis commodorum, sic nimis vio-
lentum est, nulla esse dicere. Qui enim sic disputant, obliti milii videntur
quae ipsi egerint principia natura;. Tribuendum est his aliquid, dummodo
quantum tribuendum sit intelligas. — Piso in Cicerone de Finib. I. 5. p. 202.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 51
reason to serve your sense, and so the swinish part still shall he
the chief 5 for that which is the chief and ruling object with
you doth show which is the chief and regnant faculty. If
sensual objects be the chief, then sense is the chief faculty
with you. And if you had the greatest wit in the world, and
used it only to serve your guts, and throats, and lust, in a more
effectual and ingenious way than any other men could do, this
were but to be an ingenious beast, or to have an intellect bound
in service to your bellies. And can you think that things so
little satisfying, and so quickly perishing, are more suitable
objects for your love than God ?
5. What say you to all them that are otherwise minded, and
that take the love of God for their work and happiness ? They
find a suitableness in God to their highest esteem and love ;
and are they not as fit judges for the affirmative as you for the
negative ?
Object. They do but force themselves to some acts of fancy.
Answ. You see that they are such acts as are the more serious
and prevalent in their lives, and can make them lay by other
pleasures, and spend their days in seeking God, and lay down
their lives in the exercise and hopes of love. And that it is
you that follow fancy, and they that follow solid reason, is
evident in the reason of your several ways. That world which
you set above God, is at last called vanity by all that try it :
reason will not finally justify your choice ; but I have here
showed you undeniable reason for their choice and love ; and,
therefore, it is they that know what they do, and obey the
law of nature, which you obliterate and contradict.
Object. But we see the creature, but God we see not, and we
find it not natural to us to love that which we do not see.
Answ. Js not reason a nobler faculty than sight ? If it be,
why should it not more rule you, and dispose of you ? ° Shall
no subjects honour and obey their king but those that see him ?
You can love your money, and land, and friends, when they are
out of sight.
Object. But these are things visible in their nature.
Answ. They are so much the more vile, and less amiable. p
Your own souls are invisible, will you not, therefore, love them ?
Unum verb finem Aristotelis declaravit, esse usum virtutis in vita sancta
et integra. — Hesych. Must, in Aristot.
p Piso ubi supra, in Cic. saith, that all the difference in this between the
Stoics and the Peripatetics and Academics is but this, whether corporal
E 2
52 THE REASONS OF
You never saw the life, or form, of any plant or living wight ;
you see the beauty of your roses, and many other flowers, but
you see not the life and form within, which causeth all that
beauty and variety, which yet must be more excellent than the ef-
fect. Can you doubt whether all things which appear here to your
sight have an invisible cause and Maker ? Or can you think
him less amiable, because he is invisible, that is, more excellent ?
6. In a word, it is most evident, that all this averseness of
men's hearts to the love of God is their sin and depravity ;
and the unsuitableness of their nature is, because they are
vitiated with sensuality, and deceived by sensible things ; a
disease to be cured, and not defended. Their sin will not
prove the contrary no duty.
7. And yet, while we are in flesh, though God be not visible
to us, his works are, and it is in them (the frame of the world)
that he hath revealed and exposed himself to our love ; it is in
this visible glass that we must see his image, and in that image
must love him : and if we will love any goodness, we must love
his j for all is his, and as his should be loved by us.
CHAP. XIII.
Experiments of the Difficulty of all this Duty, and what it will
cost a Man that will live this Holy Life.
Hitherto I have proved that there is a God, of infinite
power, wisdom, and goodness ; the Creator, and consequently
the Owner, the Ruler, and the Father, or chief Good of man ;
and that man, as his creature, is absolutely his own, and there-
fore should resign himself, as his own, to his disposal ; and that
he is absolutely his subject, and, therefore, should most exactly
and diligently obey him ; and I have showed particularly
wherein ; also, that man is his total beneficiary, and made to
love him, as his chief Good and End; and therefore should
totally devote himself to him, in gratitude and love, and desire
him, seek him, and delight in him above all the world, and live
in his praises and continual service. q All this is fully proved
things shall be called no good at all, or only such little goods as to be next to
none. P. 202, 203. To the shame of those nominal Christians, who know no
greater good than they.
i Si quis est hoc robore animi atque hac indole virtutis, ac continenticp, ut
respuat omnes voluptates, omnemque vitae sua cursum labore corporis, atque
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 53
to be man's duty. And now let us see on what terms he
standeth in the world for the performance of it.
Sect. 1. There is in the present disposition of man a great
averseness to such a life of resignation, obedience, and love to
God, as is before described, even when he cannot deny it to be
his duty, and to be the best, most honourable, and most
felicitating life.
Too sad experience confirmeth this. The bad are so averse,
that they will not be persuaded to it ; the godly have such a
mixture of averseness, as fmdeth them matter of continual
conflict. It is this averseness which serveth instead of argu-
ments against it, or which is a pondus to the very judgment,
and maketh it so hard to believe any arguments which go
against so strong a contrary inclination.
Sect. 2. We find the senses of men are grown masterly and
inordinate, and are too eagerly set upon their objects, and
hold down the mind from rising higher, and cause it to adhere
to things terrene.
So that man's life now is like that of the brutes ; it is things
of the same nature that he valueth and adhereth to, and most
men live to no higher ends but to enjoy their sensual pleasure
while they may.
Sect. 3. We find that reason in most men is so debilitated,
that it cannot potently reduce itself into action, nor see that
practically which speculatively it confesseth, nor clearly and
powerfully observe those perfections of God in his works, nor
those duties of man, which we are convinced to be true ; but,
by inconsiderateness and dull apprehensions, is almost as no
reason to them, and falleth down before their sensuality.
Sect. 4. Hereupon men grow as strangers unto God, and
have no thoughts of him but dark, and dull, and ineffectual.
Sect 5. The world is full of allurements to the flesh, and those
in animi contentione conficiat, quem non quies, non remissio, non sequaliam
studia, Don ludi, non convivia delectant, nihil in vita expetendum putet, nisi
quod est cum laude et honore coujunctum ; hunc, mea seutentia, divinis qui-
busdam bonis instruction atque ornatum puto. — Cic. pro Cccl. Male de me
loquuntur, sed mali : moverer, si de me Marc. Cato, si Laelius sapiens, si duo
Scipiones ista loquerentur. Nunc malis displicere, laudare est. — Seneca.
Videturne gumma improhitate usus non sine summa esse ratione. Nee scena
solum referta est his sceleribus, sed multo vita communis pcene majoribus.
Sentit domus unius cuj usque, sen tit forum, sentit curia, campus socii, pro-
vincia, ut quemadmodum ratione recte fiat, sic ratione peccetur : alterum et
a paucis et raro alterum et srepe et a. pluribus : ut satius fuerit nullum omninu
nobis a diis datam esse rationem, quam tanta cum peraicie datam. — lta Cotta
contra Deos in Vic. de Nalur. Deor, 3. p. 111.
54 THE REASONS OF
mercies, which should raise the mind to God, are made the
food to this sensuality, and the greatest means to keep it from
him.
Sense is irrational, and fasteneth on its object, and when
reason faileth in its office, there we are left like dogs gnawing
upon a carrion, and in greediness, fighting for it with each other,
when we have separated the creature from God in our minds,
and so deprived it of its life and beauty, which fitted it for
another use. And when every place and state of life hath such
baits as these, which hourly are alluring a mind so weakly for-
tified against them, no wonder if they do prevail.
Sect. 6. Education, custom, and ill example confirm these
vicious habits with the most, and much increase them/
Sect. 7- The best have some of this inordinate sensuality
and weakness of reason, and are imperfect in virtue, and are
tempted by the world, as well as others.
Sect. S. Therefore no man can live to God according to his
certain duty, who will not deny the desires of his flesh, and
bring it into subjection, and live in vigilancy and daily conflict
against its lusts.
Object. But the appetite of meat, and drink, and sleep,
and ease, and venery, and sport, and pleasure, and gain, and
honour is natural to us, and that which is natural is no vice, nor
to be denied or destroyed.
Answ. It is natural to have the appetite, but it is the disease
of nature that this appetite is inordinate, and no otherwise na-
tural than the leprosy is to those to whom it is propagated by
their parents ; but it is natural to you to have lust and appetite,
and is it not natural to vou to have reason to moderate and rule
them ? If not, it is natural to you to be brutes, and not natural
to you to be men. What is more natural to man than to be
rational ? Is it not his essential form ? And whether is reason
or appetite, think you, naturally made to be the predominant
faculty ? Should the horse rule the rider, or the rider the horse ?
The soul and body are much like the rider and the horse; be-
think you which should naturally rule.
Sect. 9. The inordinacy of the fleshly appetite and fantasy,
r Vir bonus nee cite fieri, nee intellig-i potest : nam ille alter fortasse Phoe-
Dix anno quingentesimo nascitur. Nee est mirum, ex intervallo magna ge-
nerat ; mediocria et in turbam nascentia saepe fortuna producit : sed qui
sciret quid esset vir bonus, nondum se esse credere, fortasse etiam fieri nou
posse desperaret. — Sen.Ep.A2. Diogenes said, he found good children at
Lacsedemon, but good men no where in all Greece.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 55
maketh it a continual pain to the flesh to be restrained and
denied. 8
As it is to a headstrong, wilful horse to be governed, the
more inordinate the appetite is, the more it is pained by denial
and restraint.
Sect. 10. The far greater part of the world do live an un-
godly, sensual life, and the interest of the flesh is predominant
in them.
Sad experience puts this quite out of controversy.
Sect 1 1. Usually the more riches and fulness of all provisions
for the flesh men possess, the more sensual and vicious they are.
It is not always so ; but that it is usually so, we need no
proof but the knowledge of the world: nor need we take it
from Christ only as a point of faith, that it is hard for a rich
man to enter into heaven ; and reason telleth us, that when the
love of the world above God is the mortal sin, those are most
in danger of it, to whom the world appeareth most lovely ; and
they that have the most temptations, are in the greatest dan-
ger to miscarry.
Sect. 12. The rich are commonly the rulers of the world,
who have the liberties, estates, and lives of others much in their
power.
I never yet knew or heard of that place where the poor long
ruled.
Sect. 13. Commonly, the more averse men are to godliness,
and the more prone to sensuality, the less can they endure those
that would persuade them to godliness from their sensual lives,
or that give them the example of a holy, self-denying life.
For as it seemeth intolerable to them to leave their sensuality,
and to betake themselves to a contrary life, which they are so
averse to, so they take him as an enemy to them, that would
draw them to it, and are furious against him, as a hungry dog
against him that would take away his carrion. Experience puts
this past all doubt (of which, more anon).
Sect. 14. Hence it cometh to pass, that in all parts of the
s Rari quippe boni ; nuinero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum portas, vel
divitis ostia Nili. — Juven. Quae ego scio, populus non probat. Qua? pro-
bat populus, ego nescio. — Sen. Ep. 29. Imperitia in omnibus majori ex
parte dominatur, et multitudo verborum. — Cleobulus in Laert. Offendet
te superbus contemptu, dives contumelia, petulans injuria, lividus maligni-
tate, puguax contentione, ventosus et mendax vanitate ? Non feres a suspi-
cioso timeri, a. pertinace vinci, a. delicato fastidiri. — Sen. de Ira, 1. 3. c. 8.
Praestat cum paucis bonis adversus malos omnes, quara cum multis malis
adversus paucos pugnare. — Antisthenes in Laert, 1, (i. c, 1.
56 THE REASONS OF
world, the fore-described life of godliness is the matter of the
common hatred, scorn, and cruel persecution of the sensual and
ungodly. p
The more exactly any man shall set himself to obey God, the
more he crosses the lusts and carnal interests of the wicked, and
the more he commonly suffereth in the world. So full of malice
and prejudice is the world against such faithful subjects of God,
that they slander them, and make them seem the most odious sort
of men. And so unreasonable are they, and unjust, that the fullest
evidence for their justification doth but seem to aggravate their
faults, and nothing is so great a crime as their highest virtues.
Or if their justification be undeniable, they rage the more,
because they are hindered from making them suffer as deeply
in their names as in their bodies. These things are no more
questionable than the wars of Alexander or Caesar, the world
having longer proof, and fuller evidence, of them.
Sect. 15. And, ordinarily, God himself so ordereth it, that
his most faithful subjects shall be the deepest sufferers in this
life.
Sect. 16. Therefore, self-denial, mortification, contempt of
the world, and patience under manifold sufferings from God and
man, are necessary to all who will be faithful to God, in the
unquestionable duties before described.
It is tried friendship and obedience which is most valuable :
and unwholesome pleasures, though preferred by the foolish
patient, are forbidden by our wise physician, that they hinder
not our health, and greater pleasures.
Sect. 17- Therefore, if worldly, fleshly pleasures were our end
and chief good, the best men would have the smallest measure
of them.
Object. But you restrain man further thanGod restraineth him,
and bind him to more than God bindeth him to, and make su-
perstition to seem his duty, and then raise these consequences
from such premises.
Answ. What I mean by sin and duty I have so fully opened
before, and proved to be such by the light of reason, that this
objection hath no place. Even the sober heathens, the Greek
philosophers, and Roman worthies, found and confessed all this
1 Seneca Epist. 87. scribit, Tarn necessarhmi fuisse Romano populo nasci
Catonem quam Scipionem : alter emru cum hostibus nostris, alter cum mori-
bus bellum gessit. And if a Cato was at war with the manners of the
world, much more will a true saint, that is more fully acquainted with sacred
verity.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 57
to be true. If there be any thing in the life before described,
which all sound reason doth not justify and command, let him
that is able manifest so much : if not, it is no superstition 11 to
live as a man that is governed by God, and led by reason, and
to do that which all our faculties were made for. And for aus-
terities, I have pleaded for none which is not become needful
to our own preservation and felicity : as a patient will endure
a strict diet, and exercise, and blood-letting, and bitter physic,
for his health. It is not any affected, unprofitable austerities
that I plead for, but those which are for our good, and fit us for
our duty, and keep the flesh from rebelling against reason, and
keep man from living like a beast : even less than many of the
philosophers plead for ; and he that useth but this much which
is needful, will find it both opposed, as insufferable by the world,
and murmured against by his suffering and displeased flesh ; and
that the soul cannot do its duty, but at a considerable cost and
trouble to the body. Though there may be an evil masked and
cunningly moderated, which men call goodness, which may be
had at a cheaper rate. But saith Seneca truly, Non est bonitas,
pessimis esse meliorem.
CHAP. XIV.
That there is a Life of Retribution after this.
To know whether there be a life after this for men to receive
rewards or punishments in, is a matter of the greatest importance
to mankind to be fully resolved in : upon which depends our com-
forts and our religion, and without which we know not what to
expect, to hope for, or to fear, or what to intend and seek after
through our lives, or how to order our hearts or actions. x
u Qui totos dies precabantur et immolabant, ut sui liberi sibi superstates
essent, superstitiosi sunt appellati ; quod noraen patuit postea latius : qui
autem omnia quae ad cultum Deorum pertinerent, diligentur pertractarent,
et tanquam relegerent ; sunt dicti religioso ex relegendo, ut elegantes ex
eligendo, a diligendo diligentes, ex intelligendo iutelligentes : superstitiosi et
religiosi, alterum vitii nomen, alterum laudis. — Cicero de Nat. Deor. lib. 2,
pp. 73, 74. Ardua res haec est opibus non tradere mores. — Martial. Pit-
taci dictum est, Perdifficile est esse bonum.— Bruson. All Cicero's books
de fhiib. show the worthlessness of pleasure, in comparison of virtue.
x Senec. ' Consol. ad Marciam :' Cum tempus advenerit quo se mundus re-
novaturus, — omni flagrante materia uno igne, quicquid nunc ex disposito
lucet, ardebit — Nos quoque faelices anirnae, et zeterna sortitae, cum Deo visum
58 THE REASONS OF
This, therefore, I shall inquire into by the help of reason and
natural evidence, as one that would not be deceived, or deceive,
in so great a matter ; and 1 shall pass by those arguments which
are commonly fetched from the soul's immateriality, and inde-
pendence upon matter, and other such like, which are commonly
to be found in physics and metaphysics, as being not such as my
present method leadeth me to, and shall make use of such as
are the necessary consectaries of the certain truths already
proved.
Object. But whatever rationalities may be drawn from the
divine attributes, to prove a future state, yet. it depending wholly
on the divine attributes, and the divine will being absolutely free,
we can have no rational inducements to bring us to any suffi-
cient knowledge of it, but by a clear revelation of the divine
will.
Answ. Is the law of nature no clear revelation of God's will ;
or is it a law without any rewards or penalties ? It depended
on God's will whether man should be his subject or no, obliged
to obey him ; but doth it follow, therefore, that it cannot be
proved ? By making him a rational free-agent, and sociable,
placed among occasions of good and evil, God did reveal that it
was his will that man should be his subject, and obey him. One ac-
tion of God doth often reveal his will concerning another. Those
attributes of God which signify his relation to us do reveal much
of his will concerning what he will do with us in those relations ;
and though his will be free, his perfections consist not with false-
hood and mutability. If, in freedom, you include indetermina-
tion, then, when we prove the determination of it ad unum, you
will plead no longer that it is free ; any more than it is yet free
whether he will make the world.
Sect. 1. He that is the most righteous Governor of the world,
making a just difference, by rewards and punishments, between
the obedient and the wicked, which yet he maketh not in this
life, will certainly make it after this life ; but God is the most
righteous Governor of the world, making a just difference, by
rewards and punishments, between the obedient and the wicked,
erit iterum ista raoliri — Fcelicem filium tuum Marcia, qui ista (mortuus)
jam novit. Duae sunt viae, duplicesque cursus animorum e corpore exeun-
tium : nam qui se vitiis humanis contaminaruut, et libidinibus se tradide-
runt • iis devium quoddam iter est, seciusum a consilio Deorum. Qui autem
se integros castosque servarunt, quibusque fuit minima cum corporibus con-
ta°io, suntque in corporibus humanis vitam imitati Deorum ; iis ad illos a.
quibus sunt profecti, facile patet reditus. — Socrates in Cicer, Tuscul. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 59
which yet he maketh not in this life ; therefore he will make it
after this life.y
That God is the Governor of the world, in a proper sense, by
laws and moral government, is proved ; and that he is righte-
ous, is contained in the perfection of his nature : to deny either
of these, is to deny him to be God. That his laws of nature
have not only precepts of duty, but sanctions of reward and
punishment, is also proved; and further may be, thus: 1. If
there be no rewards or punishments, there is no judgment or
execution ; but there is judgment and execution ; for they are
parts of government. Ergo. 2. Without rewards and punish-
ments, precepts would be vain to such as us, and ineffectual as
to their ends ; but God hath not made his laws in vain. Ergo.
Object. Governors use not to give men rewards for their obe-
dience : subjects must obey without reward.
Answ. It is not the name, but the thing that we inquire of.
Call it a benefit, if you had rather : all government is upheld by
rewards and punishment. Reward is either that which is com-
mon to all obedient subjects, or such as is specially proper to
some. All subjects that are faithful have title to protection,
and approbation, and justification against all false accusations,
and to their share in that peace and felicity of the common-
wealth which is the end of the government ; and some common-
wealths having far greater felicities than others, accordingly the
subjects of them have their right and part : and this is the com-
mon reward or benefit of obedience and fidelity. Besides which,
some great exploits are usually rewarded with some special
premium. In human kingdoms, as such, the end is no higher
than the beginning : temporal governors give but temporal re-
wards. The felicities of the kingdom, which are the ends of
government, as they are from man, are but temporal ; and our
share in them is all our reward from man : but the original and
end of the kingdom of God are higher ; and of further prospect,
the benefits of fidelity are greater, as shall be further proved.
i Qui recte et honeste curriculum vivendi a uaturit datum confecerit, ad
astra facile revertetur. Non qui aut immoderate, aut intemperanter vixerit. —
Cic.de Univ. Improbo bene esse non potest. — Cic. Par. Impii apud
inferos pcenas luunt. — Cic.l. de Legib. Jmpiis apud inferos sunt poenae
prasparatae. — Cic. 1 de invent. Sic habeto, te non esse mortalem, sed corpus
hoc — Cic. Som. Scip. Cicero saith, that their worshipping; of Hercules,
and other heroes, doth imply, that animi omnium sunt iinmortales, sed bono-
rum divini. — Cic. 2. de Leg. Bonorum mentes mihi divinse atque aeternae
videntur, et ex homiuum vita ad Deorum religionem sanctimouiamque mi-
grare.— Idem. Deorum providentia mundus administrator, iidemque con-
sulunt rebus humanis, neque solum universis, verum etiam singulis.— Cic. 1.
de Divinat.
60 THE REASONS OF
But let it be noted, that this objection saith nothing against
a life of punishment. Governors never leave their precepts
without this sanction ; and he that believeth future punishment
will easilv believe a future reward.
J
Let it also be noted, that paternal government hath, evermore,
rewards in the strictest sense ; that is, a special favour and kind-
ness showed to the child that is specially obedient : and so the
rest according to their measures. But the kingdom of God is
a paternal kingdom, as is proved. That God will make, in his
retributions, a just dfference between the good and bad, is proved
from his justice in government. If his laws make no difference,
then men are left at liberty to keep or break them ; nor can it
rationallv be expected that they should be kept; nor could he
be said so much as to love, or approve, or justify the obedient
more than the rebellious ; but so unholy a nature, and so indif-
ferent between sin and duty, and so unwise and unjust in go-
verning, is not to be called God : either he justly differenceth,
or he doth not govern. 2
That God maketh not a sufficient, differencing retribution in
this life is the complaint of some, and the confession of almost
all the world : the bad are commonly the greatest, and the
lords and oppressors of the just. The Turks, the Tartarians,
the Muscovites, the Persians, the Mogul, and more such brutish
monarchs, who use the people as the slaves of their pride and
lust, do take up the far greatest part of the earth. Few places
are so good, where goodness exposeth not men to sufferings,
from the rabble of the vulgar, if not from the governors.
Slanders and abuses are the common lot of those that will
differ from the carnal, wild, rebellious rout. And poverty, pain,
sickness, and death, do come alike to all. The sensual, that
have wit enough so far to bridle their lusts as to preserve their
health, do usually live longer than more obedient men : and they
deny themselves none of those fleshly pleasures, which the
obedient do continually abstain from.
Object. But do you not, ordinarily, say, that vice bringeth its
punishment with it in its natural effects ; and obedience its
reward ? Is not the life of a glutton and drunkard punished by
poverty and shame, and sickness ? And is not godliness a
pleasure in itself? If it be our highest end and happiness to love
z Persuasum hoc sit a principio hominibus, Dominos esse omnium rerum
ac moderatores Deos ; eaque quae gerautur, eorum geri ditione atquenumiue.
Et qualis quisque sit, quid agat, quid in se admittat, qua mente, qua pietate
colat religioaem, intuerij piorumque et impiorum habere rationem.— Cicero
de Leg, 2.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. (51
God, and please him ; then, surely, the beginnings of it here must
have more good than all the pleasures of sin : and so God
maketh a sufficient difference here.
Answ. Some vices that are sottishly managed, do bring
poverty, shame, and sickness ; but that may easily be avoided
by a vicious wit. Gluttony and drunkenness may fall short of
sickness. Fornication, and adultery, and incest, may be
managed with greater craft. Pride, and ambition, may attain
dominion and wealth. Theft may be hid, and cheating and
fraud may make men rich, and free them from the pinching
wants, and cares, and the temptations to discontent and conten-
tion of the poor. Malice may delight itself in secret revenges,
in poisonings, murderings, and such like ; without any worldly
hurt to the transgressor. A Tiberius, a Nero, a Caligula, a
Domitian, a Commodus, a Heliogabalus, a Sardanapalus, may
be on the throne, when a Socrates, a Seneca, a Cicero, a Cato,
a Demosthenes is put to death ; yea, when a Paul or Peter, an
Ignatius, a Cyprian, are sacrificed to their bloody rage.
Yet it is true, that all this while they want the dignity and
comfort of the just : but while they value it not, and feel not
the want of it, they take it not for a punishment, but choose it
as a felicity.
And as for the present rewards of virtue, to speak impar-
tiallv, I verily think that if there were no life to come, virtue
and holiness were rationally more eligible : but that is much
because God is an end above ourselves. And for our own
content, in many, holiness would give the mind more pleasure,
than all fleshly pleasure and worldly greatness could counter-
poise. But with many others, whose afflictions are very heavy,
and pains and poverty very great, and who are grievously tor-
mented by cruel persecutors ; and, perhaps, a melancholy consti-
tution may forbid them much delight, it is hard to say, that if
they durst let loose themselves to all sin, which maketh for their
fleshly interest, their pleasure would not be much greater. While
the soul is in flesh, it unavoidably partaketh of the pain or
pleasure of the flesh. Therefore, the torment of the stone, or
strangurv, or of a rack, or strappado, will reach the soul : and
the operations of the soul being in and by the body, a tormented
body will hinder those contemplations which should feed our
joy, and also hinder the joy of those contemplations. Most
Christians enjoy little comfort in holiness, through the very cares
of this life, and the weakness of grace, and power of corruptions,
62 THE REASONS OF
and doubts and fears which do attend them : much less would
they have much comfort, if they were here tormented, and
miserable in body, and had no hope of another life. In some
sense, we may say, that heaven is begun on earth, because
holiness is begun. But the heaven on earth is the hope and
reflection of the heaven indeed, and is soon gone if that be
gone, as the light here ceaseth when the sun is set. God seen
and loved in a glass doth more differ, as to us, from God as seen
and loved in the intuition of his glory, than the heart of man is
now able to conceive. The difference may be well called speci-
fic as to our actions ; yea, transcendentlv such. Let any man in
torment without any hope of heaven be judge.
And though honesty, without the pleasure and comforts of it,
be still better and more eligible, vet while man's reason and
virtue are so weak, and his sense and appetite so strong, and his
body hath so much power upon his mind, it is very few that
the mere love of virtue would prevail with, if that virtue were
never to come to a higher degree than this.
It is undoubtedly true, that the delights of holiness are in-
comparably more desirable, as we have them in this life, than
kingdoms and all the pleasures of the flesh ; but, that is,
principally, because that this life is the passage to a better, and
hath relation to so glorious a reward. The least forethought
of future blessedness may weigh down all the riches and plea-
sures of the world, but take away the respect to the life to
come, and weak man would meet with no such comforts.
It is true, also, that virtue and piety is most desirable, even
for itself; but that is, especially, as it will be itself indeed, in
a life of fuller perfection than this : for here it is so weak and
clogged with so many corruptions and infirmities, that the
comfort of it is little perceived ; but as a child in infancy hath
less pleasure than a brute, for all his reason ; and, as young
scholars for a time do meet with more trouble than pleasure
in their learning, and half-witted artists are often more incommo-
dious than none ; and no one would much seek after arts and
learning, for all its excellency, if they had no hopes to ascend
above that troublesome, smattering degree : even so in the
present case, though the least virtue be in itself more valuable
than all sensual pleasure, yet, considered as good to us, we
should never be able to prefer it, if we had not hopes of a
higher measure than most of the truly virtuous and obedient
do here attain.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 63
Either it is fleshly, worldly pleasure, or it is the pleasing and
enjoying of God in holiness and love, which is man's ultimate
end : if it be the former, then, certainly the sensual and wicked
are in a better condition than the obedient ; for they have
much more of that kind of delight, while the best are often tor-
mented and persecuted by their cruelty : but if it be the latter,
then it is sure to be enjoyed hereafter, seeing we have here so
small a measure, and also find that all the virtue and holiness
of this life consisteth much more hi desire and seeking, than
in delightful enjoying ; and our delights are, for the most part,
the effects of hope of what we shall possess hereafter, more
than of the sense of our present happiness. a
There is no righteous governor on earth that will suffer, if
he can help it, his disobedient subjects to persecute those that
most carefully obey him, and to make them a common scorn,
and to imprison them, torment them, burn them at stakes, or
banish them; and then say, 'That their obedience is, in its
own nature, so much better than disobedience, that it is reward
enough of itself.' It is not the work of a ruler, only to see
that no man be a loser by him, or his service, in point of com-
mutative justice, but to see, that by distributive justice, such a
difference be made between the obedient and disobedient, as
the difference of their actions do require, in order to the ends of
government. Justice giveth every one his due : mercy, itself,
when it remitteth a penalty, doth it for the same ends, and upon
such reasonable considerations of repentance, confession, satis-
faction, reparation, according to power, that it may be called a
just mercy. God is such a lover of holiness, that he will in his
government manifest that love, and such a hater of sin, that he
will signify his hatred of it to the sinner . b
Moreover, the body itself is part of the man, and that part
which hath no small interest in the sin. It seemeth, therefore,
unjust that the bodies and sensitive powers of the disobedient,
should have all kind of pleasures, and the bodies and sense of the
obedient,have the pain of fasting, self-denial, persecutions, cruel-
ties, and no further judgment to make a more equal retribution.
a Animus est ingeneratus a Deo, ex quo vere vel agnatio nobis cum ccelesti-
bus vel genus vel stirps appellari potest. — Cic. 1, de Leg.
b Quum Pompeio res infeliciter cederent, et ad Caesarem inclinaret victoria,
Cato dicebat, iu rebus divinis multum esse caliginis ; quod Pompeio prater
jus agenti fuissent omnia prospera ; causam republics tuenti nihil succede-
ret. — Plutarch, in Calorie.
c Plato dicebat, Deum nullo uspiam modo iujustum esse sed plane justissi-
64 THE REASONS OF
Jn a word, I think there are few that compare the life of an
emperor of Turkey or Tartarv, or any wicked, sensual world-
ling, with the life of many a thousand persecuted and tor-
mented saints, .hut will confess, that no distrihutive justice doth
make in this life so sufficient a difference, as may make men
know the justice of the governor, the desirableness of a holy
state, or the danger of the contrary. It was the observation of this
which made most of the atheists of the world think that there
was no God, or that he exercised no moral government over
men ; and that made even the innocent often to stagger, and
tempted them to think their labours and sufferings were all in
vain, till they looked before them to the end. d
And if God's justice make not a sufficient difference here, it
is certain there is another life where he will do it ; because,
else, he should not be just, his laws would be delusory, and his
government be defective, and successful only by deceit.
Object. God is not obliged to do justice to men any more
than to any other creatures: he suffereth the dog to kill the hare,
the deer, and the innocent sheep ; the kite to kill the harmless
doves and chickens ; the ravenous birds, and beasts, and fishes
to devour and live on the rest ; and man upon all ; and he is
not bound to do them justice.
Answ. The brutes are no subjects capable of moral govern-
ment; and, consequently, of propriety, right or wrong. God,
that made them incapable of government, thereby declared that
he intended them not for it. Let no man here play with am -
biguities, and sav, 'That God governeth all the creatures.' The
word ' government' is taken equivocally, when it is applied to
a dead or brutish subject, a ship, a coach, a horse, a dog, and
meaneth not the same thing which we discourse of; it is
moral government by laws and judgment which we treat of.
When God had made man a governable creature, he thereby
mum: nee ei similius inveniri posse quicquam, quam qui inter nos justissi-
mus est. — In Timet.
d How like a Christian was that of Anaxagoras (in Laert. p. 85). Hie non
modo generis gloria et opibus, verum animi quoque magnitudine clarissimus
fuit -. quippe qui universtun patrimonium suis sponte concessit. Quo cum ah
eis insimularetur negligentiae, Quid ergo, inquit, nonne vos ista curatis ?
Deinde ab eis profectus, ad speculandum rerum naturam se contulit, rei et
publicae et privatae omnino negligens ; adeo ut cuidam se ita compellanti, nul-
lane tibi patriae cura est ? dixent, Mihi vero patriae cura est, et quidem sum-
ma ; dictum in ccelum intendens. Bene merenti, bene prof'uerit ; male me-
renti par erit. — Plant. Tas dyabss dyaSa iroih, dictum f'leobidi. Phocilidis.
My KaKdv eo Zpfrs o-Gretpeiv luov er' 4vi' irovTca. Qui indignum honore affici-
unt, stultitiae opinionem habent.— Cicer.
THE CHISTIAN RELIGION. f)5
declared his will, to be himself his Governor, which is all the
obligation that God is capable of as to actions, ad extra. He,
therefore, that made the rational world his kingdom, did there-
by engage himself to govern them in justice ; there is, therefore,
no comparison between the case of men and brutes, who never
were subjects, but utensils, in his kingdom.
Sect. 2. II. If there were no retribution in the life to come,
the secret sins and duties of the heart and life would be under
no sufficient government : but the secret sins and duties of the
heart and life are under a sufficient government ; therefore,
there is a retribution in the life to come. 6
This argument is a particular instance to clear the former
general argument : the major is proved by experience. The
heart is a fountain of good and evil. Men cannot see it, and
therefore pretend not to govern it, or make laws for it ; if
they did, it would be all in vain. The heart may be guilty of
atheism, blasphemy, idolatry, malice, contrivements and desires
of treason, murder, incest, adultery, fraud, oppression, and all
the villany in the world, and no man can know or punish it;
and God doth not do it ordinarily in this life, with any sufficient
act of justice. So, also, all those sins which men are but able to
hide, as, secret murders, treasons, revenge, slanders, fraud,
&c, do escape all punishment from man. And God hath no
observable, ordinary course of outward justice in this word, but
what he exerciseth by men, though, extraordinarily, he may
otherwise sometimes interpose : and how easy and ordinary
it is for subtle men to do much wickedness, and never be
discovered, needs no proof. The like we may say, in some
measure, of those secret duties of heart and life, which have
neither reward nor notice in this life ; and, if observed, are
usually turned into matter of reproach.
The minor needeth no more proof, when we have proved
e Qui largiuntur indignis ea quae dignis conferri debebant, tria committunt
absurda, nam et ipsi jacturam faciunt, et in bonos contumeliosisunt, et malos
roborant, materia, vitiorum suppeditata. — Anlonln. Stultissimum est existi-
mare omnia justa esse quce scita sint in populorum institutes, aut legibus.
Etiamne si quae sint tyrannorum leges, si 30 illi Athenis leges imponere vo-
luissent? Aut si omnes Athenienses delectarentur tyrannicis legibus, num id-
circo has leges justaj haberentur ? Nihilo credo magis ilia quam interrex
noster tulit, ut Dictator quern vellet civium, indicta causa, impune posset
occidere. Est enim utiuin jus quo devincta est homiuum societas, &c. — Civ.
fie leg. 1. p. 225. Idem uudique in infernum descensus est; said Anaxago-
ras to one that lamented that he must die in a strange country. — Laert. in
Anuxag.
VOL. XXI. F
66 THE REASONS OF
already that God is our Governor. It is certain that the
secret acts of heart and life are as much under his government
as the open, and therefore shall have equal retribution.
Sect. 3. III. If there were no life of retribution after this,
the sins of the great ones and rulers of the world, and all others
that by strength could make their part good, would be under
no sufficient justice ; but the sins, even of the greatest and
strongest, are under sufficient justice ; therefore, there is a life
of retribution after this.
The major is clear by experience: the sins of all the sove-
reigns of the earth are rarely under sufficient justice in this life.
If there were no punishment hereafter, what justice would be
done upon a Tamerlane, a Bajazet, a Mahomed, a Dionysius,
an Alexander, a Caesar, a Marius, a Sylla, a Sertorius, and many
hundred such, for all the innocent blood which they have shed,
for their pride and self-exalting. What justice would be done
on kings, and emperors, and states, that have none above them,
for all their lusts and filthiness, their intemperance and sensu-
ality, their oppression and crueltv. I know that God doth some-
times punish them by rebels, or by other princes, or by sickness
in this life ; but that is no ordinary course of justice, and
therefore not sufficient to its ends. Ordinarily, all things here
come alike to all ; and what justice would be done upon any
rebels or robbers that are but strong enough to bear it out ? Or
upon any that raise unrighteous wars, and burn, and murder,
and destroy countries and cities, and are worse than plagues to
all places where they come, and worse than mad dogs and
bears to others ? If they do but conquer, instead of punish-
ment for all this villany, they go away here with wealth and
glory. 1 '
The minor is past question : therefore, certainly, there is
another life where conquering, rewarded, prospering, domineer-
ing sin shall have its proper punishment.
f Nae illi falsi sunt qui diversissimas res pariter expectant, voluptatem et
praemia virtutis. — Sahist. Ut ex barba capillos detonsos uegligimus ; ita
ille divinus animus egressurus, quo receptaculum suum conferatur, ignis illud
exurat, an ferae distrahant, an terra contegat, non magis putat ad se pertinere,
q jam secundinas ad editum infantem. — Se?i. Ep. 93. Maximum est argu-
nientum naturam ipsam de immortalitate animorum tacite judicare, quod
omnibus curie sint, et maxicue quidem, quae post mortem futura sunt. — C'ic.
Cum natura caeteros animantes abjecisset, ad pastum, solum bominem erexit,
et ad cceli quasi cognationis domiciliique pristini conspectum excitavit. Turn
speciem ita formavit oris, ut in e;\ penitus reconditos mores effuigeret. — C'ic.
1. de legib.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 67
Sect. 4. IV. If God rule not man by the hopes and fears of
certain good and evil hereafter, he ruleth him not according to
his nature : but God doth rule man according to his nature.
Ergo.
The minor needeth no proof: the major is proved by expe-
rience. The nature of man is to be most moved with the.
hopes and fears of good and evil after death, otherwise death
itself would comparatively seem nothing to us. No other
creature hath such hopes and fears. If you ask, how can I tell
that ? I answer, as I can tell that a tree doth not hear, and a
stone doth not feel or see, because there is no appearance of
such a sense, whose nature is to make itself manifest by its
evidences where it is. Brutes show a fear of death, and love
of life, but of nothing further ; of which there is evidence
enough to quiet a mind that seeketh after truth, though not to
silence a prattling caviller. This will be further improved by
that which followeth.
Sect. 5. V. If the world cannot be governed according to its
nature and God's laws, without the hopes and fears of good and
evil after death, then the objects of such hopes and fears is
certain truth. But the antecedent is true ; therefore, so is the
consequent.
That the nature of man requireth a moral government, and
not only a physical motion, is already proved. Physical motion
only determineth the agent to act, and produceth the act itself
quoad eventum. Moral government doth institute for the subject
a debit um agendi et habendi, and judgeth him accordingly.^
If there were no government but physical motion, there were no
debitum in the world, neither offici, pramii vel poena, vel jus
possidendi, vel injuria : no right or wrong : for physical motion
doth equally produce the act in perjury, murder, treason, adul-
tery, as in good deeds : and it never produceth an act which
eventually never is. Therefore, there should be nothing a duty
but what cometh to pass, if physical motion were all the go-
vernment. Government, then, there must be : and what God
requireth of all by nature, I have showed before. Now, that
there is a moral impossibility of the performance of this in any
sincerity, so as to intimate any laudable government of the
world, I shall further prove :
b Piso (in Cic. de fin. 1. 5. p. 199.) speaking of corporal and sensitive good,
saith, Ouibus tantum praestat mentis excellens perfectio, ut vix cogitari possit
quid intersit. So that the perfection of the mind is the perfection of the man.
f2
68 THE REASONS OF
1 . If, according to the present temper of man, there be no
motives, which would ever prove sufficient to resist all the
temptations of this life, to keep us in true obedience and love
to God unto the end, without the hopes and fears of good and
evil after death ; then cannot the world be governed according
to God's laws, without such hopes and fears of futurity. But
the antecedent is true ; ergo, so is the consequent.
If God had prescribed man a course of duty in his laws, as to
obey and love him upon terms of fleshly suffering, and had not
given man such motives as might rationally prevail for the
performance, his laws had been all in vain. He that hath made
holiness our indispensable duty, hath certainly left us motives and
rational helps to perform it. But so many and great are the
temptations of this life, and so strong is our sense, and so great
are the sufferings of the obedient, that in this our imperfection
we could never go through them without the motives which are
fetched from another life. h 1. It would weaken the hands of
the best, as to their dutv ; it would embolden them to sin ; it
would give victory to all strong temptations. Let every reader
but consult with his own soul, and though it be granted that
virtue should be chosen for its own sake, how dear soever it may
cost, yet let him without lying say, what he thinketh he should
be and do in case of temptations, if he knew that he had no life
to live but this. I am not sure, but I will freely confess what I
think most, that now are honest, would be and do. First, they
would observe how little difference God maketh between the
obedient and disobedient in his providence, and how ordinarily
his present judgments are not much to be feared. And hence
they would think, that he maketh no great matter of it, what
they either are or do ; and so their very love of virtue would be
much debilitated : nay, the sufferings of the virtuous would
tempt them to think that it is no very desirable way. And
though still they would have something within them, which
would tell them, that honesty, and temperance, and piety are
good, yet the natural love of themselves is so deeply planted in
them, and so powerful, that in most great temptations it would
prevail. They would venture upon lying and perjury, rather
than lose their liberty, or livelihood, or reputation. Thev would
do any thing which the rulers bid them, or any one that is
H Ex ipsa vita discedimus tanquam ex hospitio, non tanquam ex domo:
commorandi enim nobis natura diversorium, non habitandi do mum dedit. —
Cic. in Cat. Moj.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 69
stronger than they, rather than suTer much for their innocency.
1 think they would not scramble much for riches, or high places,
because a quiet life best pleaseth them ; but if they had a fancy
to any delightful seat, or pleasant accommodation, they would
stretch their consciences hard to get it : and to escape poverty,
and suffering, and death, they would do I know not what. And
if their interest required them to do another mischief, in order
to the public good, for revenge I suppose them not much
inclined to, they would not be as Brutuses, and would be confi-
dent of the success of subtle and concealed enterprises ; they
would no further resist any great temptation, to please their
appetites in meats and drinks, or their flesh in lust, or ease, and
sports, and gaining, and such vain pastimes, than some other
carnal interest contradicting, did forbid them. And though
naturally some men prefer knowledge before all worldly plea-
sures, yet, considering how short a time they should be the better
for it, and how many toilsome hours they must lay out for it,
they would rather let it go, and take up with the ease and plea-
sure of the flesh. This, I fear, would be their life : for when all
the comforts of this life of flesh are laid in the one end of the
balance, what should weigh them down but something greater ?
80 that if some little restraint of villany might be made by
lower motives, I appeal to the conscience of the reader, whether
he thinks that the fore- proved duties of resignation, obedience,
and love to God above all, would ever be performed, by any con-
siderable number at least, if they knew that they had no life to
live but this.'
2. Yea, no tolerable government at all could be kept up : I
speak not of God's physical motion by omnipotency. For, 1.
The rulers of the world, that have none above them, would have
little or no restraint, and their examples would form the people
to all abomination. If they feared insurrections, they would
' Atque haud scio an pietate adversus Deos sublata, fides etiam et societas
humani generis et una excellentissima virtus justitia tollatur. — Cic. de Not.
Deor. p. 4. Pietas est fuudamentum omnium viitutum. — Cic. pro. Plan.
Zenophon reportelh Cyrus as saying, " If all my familiars were endued with
piety to God, they would do less evil to one another, and to me," 1. B. Pietate
adversus Deos sublata, fides etiam et societas humani generis, et una excel-
lentissima virtus justitia, tollatur necesse est. — Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 1. —
Lento gradu ad vindictam sui, divina procedit ira : tardilaremque supplicii
gravitate compensat. — Valer. Max. de DionysA. 1. c. 2. Nam quid facie t
is homo in tenebris, qui nihil timet nisi testem vel judicem ? Quid in deserto
. loco nactus quern multo auro spoliare possit iinbeciUtun atque solum ? &c. —
Cic. de Leg. 1. I'. 224.
70 THE REASONS OF
oppress them the more, to disable them : and what a world
must it be, when lust is the law to all the governors ! And the
people would have nothing but the hopes and fears of temporal
good or evil, to restrain them from any treason, or rebellion, or
villany. And all those that princes cannot please, would plot,
revenge, or play their game another way ; and subtle men would
think it easy to poison or murder, secretly, princes and nobles,
and any enemy that stood in the way of their own designs, if
once they were out of fear of a life to come. k
3. And all secret villany would be committed without fear ;
secret adulteries, theft, lying, perjury, and common honesty,
could not be maintained ; for every man's self-interest would be
his law, and prevail against all the principles of honesty. And
all that men would strive for, would be either to strengthen
themselves in their wickedness, that they might be out of fear of
human justice, or else to hide it from the cognizance of man.
Thus would the world be turned into a resemblance of hell, and
men be as much worse than wild beasts, as their natures are
better, which are corrupted; and all would be in wickedness and
confusion, without the hopes and fears of another life. l
Object. But in all this you argue against experience. Hath
there not been government and order kept up among heathens ?
And is there not a government at this day in all the kingdoms
and commonwealths throughout the world ?
Answ. In all this I speak according to experience. For, 1.
Almost all the world believe a life to come ; all the Christians,
all the Mahometans, and all the Jews, and almost all, or most
of the known idolaters and heathens : their very idolatry inti-
mateth this, when they number their deceased heroes with their
gods. And though the power of this belief is debilitated with
the most, and, therefore, piety and virtue proportionably
perish ; yet that common, dull belief of it which they have,
being a business of unspeakable consequence, doth restrain
them so far as they are restrained.
1 A fortnight after the writing of this, London was burnt.
1 Qui nihil alterius causa facit, et metitur suis commodis omnia, videtis
credo quid sit acturus — si negabit illi vitam erepturum, et aurum ablatururu,
Don quod turpe judicet, sed quod metuat ne emanel, id est, ne malum habeat.
— Cic.ibid. Thaletis dicta (in Laert.) sunt, Animas esse immortales. An-
tiquissimum omnium entium Deus : ingeuitus enim est : Pulcherrimum
mundus : k Deo enim factus : Maximum locus ; capit enim omnia : Velocis-
simum mens ; nam per universa discurrit, &c. Stoici dicunt esse dremones
quibus insit hominum miseratio, inspectores rerum humanarum : heroas
quoque solutas corporibus sapientum auimas. — Laert. in Zenone.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 71
2. Those that believe it not are yet in an uncertainty ; and
the possibility of rewards and punishments hereafter keepeth up
much of the order that is left.
3. Those few countries which believe that there is no life to
come, or rather those persons in some countries, do proportion-
ably increase or excel in wickedness. They give up themselves
to sensuality and lusts, to pride, and covetousness, and revenge,
and cruelty ; and are usually worse than others, as their belief is
worse. What maketh cannibals more savage than other people ?
What made a Nero, a Heliogabalus, &c, such swine ? What
made Rome itself at that pass, that Seneca saith, more died by
poison of servants' hands, and secret murders, than by kings,
even in days of such great and common cruelty ? All was
because men's consciences were from under the hopes and fears
of another life ; and if all were so, then all would live
accordingly.
But it is another kind of life which the law of God in nature
doth enjoin us ; it is another kind of life, which I before proved
to be all men's duty : and whether the world have sufficient
means and motives to such a life, and could be governed but
like men, without the hopes and fears of futurity, let sober and
considerate reason judge ?
Object. Can it be any worse than it is already ? What vice
or villany doth not everywhere abound, for all the belief of a
life to come ! m
Answ. If it be so bad for all that belief, what would it be
without ? If the enervating of it by the lusts of the flesh do
loose the reins, and leave the world in so much wickedness,
what would it be, if their hopes and fears of another life were
gone ? Now, men have a secret witness in their breasts, which
checketh and restraineth them : now they have kings and rulers,
who, having some belief of a life to come, do form their laws
accordingly, and govern the common people with some respect
to that belief. Now, there are many, through the mercy of God,
who are serious in that belief, and live accordingly ; who are
instructers, restraints, and examples to the rest. And from these
is that order which is kept up in the world. But if all were as
those few, that have overcome this belief, the world would be a
wilderness of savage beasts ; and would be so full of impiety,
m Qui ea committit quae leges probibent, et de quibus supplicia sunt, is ea
multo magis coinmittet, de quibus nullum supplicium est. — Aristot. 1. Rhet.
Object. At non apud omnes proficiunt leges. Resp. Nee philosophia
quidem ; nee ideo inutilis et formandis animis inefficax est. — Sen. Ep. 95.
72 THE REASONS OF
villany, perfidy, bloodiness, and all confusion, that we should
think it a greater sign of goodness in God to destroy it, than
to continue it ; and should think of his government ac-
cording to the effects, or should hardly believe he governed it
at all.
I come now to prove the consequence of the major proposi-
tion, that the object of those hopes and fears are certain truths,
which are so necessary to the government of the world : and
this needeth no other proof but this.
If God can govern the world without a course of deceit and
lying, then the objects of these necessary hopes and fears are
true; but God can govern the world without a course of deceit
and lying. Ergo.
The major is evident, because, to govern by the hopes and
fears of falsehoods, or things that are not, (when those hopes
and fears are not only of God, but made necessary to govern-
ment,) is to govern by deceit and lying ; or if it had not been by
falsehood uttered, but falsehood permitted, the minor is certain.
For if God cannot govern without such a course of deceit, it
is either for want of power, or of wisdom, or of goodness ; that
is, holiness and benignity of will : but the Omnipotent wanteth
not power, and the Omniscient wanteth not wisdom, to find out
true and suitable means; and he that is optimus^ wanteth neither
holiness to love truth and hate falsehood, nor benignity to love
his creature, and therefore needeth no such means.
And he that believeth that God himself doth govern the world
by a cheat, even by the hopes and fears of fictions, will surely
think it best to imitate his God, and to govern, and trade, and
live accordingly."
This argument was h necessitate ad ordinem ; the next shall
be only from God's actual government.
II Utiles esse has opiniones quis neget, cum intelligat quam multa firmen-
tur jurejurando : quanta? salutis sint fasdera religionis ; quam multos diviui
supplicii inetus, a scelere revoearet ? quamque saucta sit societas civium, in-
ter ipsos Diis immortalibus interpositis, tuni judicibus, tuna testibus. — Cic. dc
Leg. 1. 2. pp. 23o", 237. Nisi Deus istis te corporis custodiis liberaverit, ad
ccelum aditus patere non potest. — Cic. Somn. S-ip. Laertius saith of Bion
Borist, " That he had learned of impious Theodorus, to deny God in his
health ; but, falling into unhealthiness, he repented of his siu against God.
Ac siquidem id dogma tueri perstitisset, roerito dicendus esset sensisse ut
visum fuisset, etsi male visum esset. At nunc tameu longo morbo tabescens,
ac niori pertimescens, qui Deos non esse dixerat, phanum non viderat, mor-
talibus qui illudebat veris dum Diis immolarent. — Peccavi, dixit, delictis
parcite. — Stultus, qui mercede voluerit Deos esse. Quasi tunc Dii essent,
rjuum illos Bion demutn esse arbitraretur.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 73
Sect. 6. VI, If God do, de facto, govern the world by the hopes
and fears of good and evil in another life, then the object of
those hopes and fears is certain j but God doth, de facto, so
govern. Ergo.
The major is proved as before : for that which proved that
God can govern without falsehood, proved also that he doth
govern without it. It belongeth only to the impotent, the ig-
norant, or the bad to use such means.
Object. May not a parent or physician honestly deceive a
child or patient for his recovery to health ? why, then, may not
God do so ?
Answ. 1. They do it through insufficiency, to attain their end
by a better means ; but the Omnipotent and Omniscient hath
no such insufficiency. 2. They may not lie or utter any untruth
to do it, though they may hide some truth by words which he
is apt to mistake ; but if the world be governed by such hopes
and fears of futurity, it is hard to think whence they should
fetch the object, but from some divine revelation in nature. 3.
A whole course of government of all the rational world, by so
sorry an instrument as deceit and falsehood, is more inconsistent
with the nature and perfections of God than a particular act of
deceit, in a work of necessity and charity, is with the nature of
imperfect man.
The minor is proved in the answer to the last objections, and
bv the common experience of the world.
Object. How little do the hopes and fears of another world
do with the most ? Do you not see that fleshly interest ruleth
them, and therefore they are what the great ones would have
them be who can help or hurt them ?
Answ. 1. I have proved how much worse it would be, if that
restraint which these hopes and fears make were taken off.
2. That this restraint is general in all nations almost of the
earth, though the prevalency of sin do much enfeeble it.
3. That rulers themselves are under some of these restraints, in
their law-making and judgment. Though fleshly interest much
prevail against it, there are some remnants of secret hopes
or fears in the consciences of sinners, which keep up so much
good as is yet left, and keep men from those villanies, in which
they might hope to escape all sufferings from men.
Sect. 7. VII. If God himself kindle in the best of men
desires to know him, love him, and enjoy him perfectly here-
after, then such desires shall attain their end ; but God himself
74 THE REASONS OF
doth kindle such desires in the best of men : ergo, and conse-
quently there is such a life to come.
Here, 1. I must prove that the best men have such desires.
2.ThatGodkindleth them. 3. That, therefore, he will satisfy them.
1. And for the first, the consciences of all good men are
my witnesses, whose desires to know God better, to love him,
and please him more, and to enjoy his love, is as the very pulse
and breath of their souls. For this they groan, and pray, and
seek ; for this they labour, wait, and suffer. If you could help
them to more of the knowledge and love of God, you would
satisfy them more than to give them all the wealth and honours
of the world. Their religious lives, their labours, prayers,
contemplations, and sufferings, prove all this, and show for
what they long and live.
Object. But this is caused by the power of a deluded fan-
tasy, which seeketh after that which is not to be had. What,
if you fall in love with the sun : will it prove that you must
be loved by it, see it, and enjoy it, in the life to come ?
Answ. 1. To the similitude : either the sun is a rational free-
agent, or not : if it be, it is either the chief agent, or a de-
pendent instrument ; if it were the first, as it is not, I should
owe myself totally to it, in the exercise of all the powers given
me, as is aforesaid ; and if it gave me such desires, I might
suppose it was not in vain. But if it give me nothing but as
an instrument or dependent cause, I owe it nothing but in
subserviency to the first cause; but, in such subserviency, if
God had commanded me to love and honour it, as a lover of
mankind, and a rational benefactor, and had placed anv of my
duty or felicity in seeking perfection in that love and honour,
I should obey him, and expect an answerable benefit ; but if it
be no intelligent agent, or I cannot know that it is so, then I
can owe it no other respect but what is due to a natural
instrument of God.
2. To the matter : that these desires are not from a deluded
fantasy, but the work of God, I prove ; 1 . In that I have fully
proved them already to be our duty, by the law of nature ;
to love God with all the heart and might, and consequently to
° For as the sun is not seen without the sun, nor the air heard without the
air; but the eye that is full of the light seeth the light, and the ear full of
air heareth the resounding air; so God is not known without God: but a
mind full of God only is lifted up to God, so far as illustrated with the light
of God, he knoweth God, and inflamed with the heat of God, he thirsteth
after him. — Fie. c. 2. p. 15.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 75
desire to love him, and please him, and enjoy him in perfection,
that is, in the utmost of our capacity, is a proved duty. 2. In
that the best men are the possessors of it ; and the more all
other virtues and obedience do abound, the more this aboundeth.
And the more any are vicious, impious, sensual, worldly, the
less they have of these desires after God. 3. Thev increase in
the use of holy means appointed by God, and they decay by
evil means. All sin is against it, and all obedience doth
promote it. 4. It is found most suitable to the tendency of
our faculties, as their only perfection ; the only true advance-
ment of reason, and rectitude and felicity of the will. If it be
not by God, that the love and desires of God are kindled in us,
then no good is to be ascribed unto God ; for we have here no
greater good.
Now, that God will satisfy these desires is proved, in that
he maketh nothing in vain, nor kindleth any such desires
as shall deceive them, and make all their lives a mere delusion.
Yea, and do this by the very best of men. None of this is
consistent with the perfections of God. B
Sect, 8. VIII. If there were no life of retribution after this,
obedience to God would be finally men's loss and ruin ; but
obedience to God shall not finally be men's loss and ruin ;
ergo, there is another life.
The major is proved before ; however it would be best in
point of honesty, it would be worst to thousands in point of
personal utility. Even to all those, that, forsaking all the
sinful pleasures of this world, do conflict with their flesh, and
keep it under, and suffer the loss of ail outward comforts by
the cruelty of persecutors, and it may be, through melancholy or
weak fears, have little comfort from God instead of them ; and
at last, perhaps, be tormented and put to death by cruelty.
Few will think this desirable for itself.
And that our obedience to God shall not be men's final loss
and ruin needeth no proof but this ; that he hath made our
self-love a principle inseparable from our nature, and maketh
use of it in the government of the world j and commandeth
p It is a most improbable tiring, that God would give up all the best men in
the world to deceit, in so great a matter, and them that are most faithful to
the truth, and would save all the epicures, drunkards, fornicators, proud and
perjured atheists, from this error, if it were an error to believe a life to come.
®ebv fft'jSs, Kai ■navla tvpa^eis eu&toos. — Gr. Com. Supplicii facilius pius ,\
Diis supplicans, quam qui scelestus est, invenit veniam sibi.- — Plaut. Hud.
Topy XP 7 )*'*"' *X 6 ' T7 ) I/ sTrijU.eA.eiai' Kai @ebs. 'Els -ravra Kalpov, /cat Ti>X'1s poTr-qv
■nacrav. — Menand. Nee unquam bono quicquam mali evenire potest, nee
vivo nee mortuo, nee res ejus h Diis negliguntur. — Cic. Tuscul. 1.
76 THE REASONS OF
nothing but what is finally for our good; and so conjoineth the
pleasing of him and our own felicity inseparably in our end.
His regiment is paternal ; his glory which he seeketh by us is
the glory of his goodness communicated and accumulated on
us. This, taken in with the wisdom and goodness of his
nature, will tell any man, that, to be a loser finally by our obe-
dience to God, is a thing that no man need to fear ; he doth
not serve himself upon us to our hurt ; nor command us that
which will undo us. He neither wanteth power, wisdom, nor
goodness, to make us gainers by our duty. It is the desire of
natural justice in all, ut bonis bene fit, et mails male : if I find
but any duty commanded me by God, my conscience, and my
sense of the divine perfections, will not give me leave to think
that I shall ever prove finally a loser by performing it, though
he had never made me any promise of reward ; so far the law
of nature hath a kind of promise in it, that if he do but say,
' Do this,' 1 will not doubt but the doing of it is for my good.
And if he bid me but use any means to my own happiness,
I should blaspheme, if I suspected it would tend to my loss and
misery, and was made my snare.
Sect. 9. IX. The highest love and obedience to God is never
a work of imprudence or folly, nor ever to be repented of ; but
such thev would be to many, if there were no life to come : ergo.
By imprudence and folly, I mean that course which tendeth
to our own undoing, as aforesaid. No man shall ever have
cause to repent of his fidelity to God, and say, ' I did foolishly
in ruining mvself by it.' This argument being but a mere
consectary of the former, I pass over.
Sect. 10. X. If no man living be certain that there is no
future life of retribution, then it is certain that there is such a
life ; but no man living is certain that there is no such life ;
ergo, it is certain that there is.
The major is proved thus : if all men be in reason obliged to
seek the happiness, and escape the punishments, of another
life, before all the treasures and pleasures of this world, then it
is certain that such a life of happiness and punishments there
is 5 but if no man be certain that there is such a life, the bare
probability or possibility that there is such doth in reason
oblige all men to seek it, above all the world ; ergo, it is cer-
tain that such a life there is.
My argument is from our obligation to seek it before all, to
the certain being of it. 1. That no man is certain that there is
no life to come, I need not prove, as long as no man ever
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 77
proved such an opinion, and the boldest atheists or infidels say
no more, than that they think there is no other life ; but all
confess that they have no assurance of it. ''
2. If so, then, that the possibility or probability obligeth us
to regard it in our hopes, fears, and endeavours before all this
world, is evident from the incomparableness of them, or great
disparity of the things. When most of the world think there
is another life, and there is so much for it as we here lay down,
and a few atheists say only ' We do not believe it,' or c It is not
likely, though it be not a thing that we are certain of;' now
reason commandeth every man that loveth himself, to prefer it
before all earthly things. Because we are fully certain, beyond
all doubt, that all earthly things are of short duration, and will
quickly leave us : and when they are gone, they are to us as if
they had never been. They are a shadow, a dream, a something
which is next to nothing. To say, it will shortly have an end,
doth blot out the praise, and embitter the pleasures of all below.
What the better are all generations past, for all the wealth and
fleshly pleasures which thev ever received in the world ? There
is no wise man hut would prefer the least probahility of at-
taining full felicity, and escaping death and torments, before
the certainty of possessing a pin or a penny for an hour. The
disparity is much greater between things temporal and ever-
lasting, than any such similitude can reach. All the Christians,
and all the Mahometans, and most of the heathens of the
world, do hold the immortality of the soul, and the perpetuity
of the happiness or misery hereafter. The atheist is not sure
of the contrary ; and he is sure that a few years or hours will
put an end to all his temporal pleasures, and equal those that
lived here in pleasure and in pain : and, therefore, that at the
worst, his loss or hazard of the pleasures of sin, for the hopes of
eternal pleasure, is not a thing considerable. If those that
i Sicut non potest quicquam ijnis propinquatione fieri frigidissimum, ita
non potest homo quia solus hseret Deo sapientissimo, beatissimoque stultissi-
mus ex hoc, miserrim usque evadcre : neque potest Deus, qui summaveritas
e t bonitas est, humanum genus, prolem suain decipere. — Marsil. Ficin. de
Rel. Christ, c. 1. p. 13. Aristo hoc uiium tenuit, praeter vitia atque virtutes,
uegavit rem esse ullam aut fugieudam, aut expetendam. — Pisoin Cic.de Fin.
1.5. p. 203. Ea paranda viatico, qua? emu naufragio simul enatareiit ; ait
Antisthe.nes in Lctert.1.6. c. 1. Id ib. dixit, Eos qui cuperent immortales
esse oportere pie vivere et juste. Dii boni ! quid e3t in bom inis vita diu ?
Mihi ne diuturnum quidem quicquam videtur, in quo est aliquid extremum.
Cum euim id advenit, turn illud prseteriit, effluxit: tantum remanet, quod
virtute etrecte fuctis sit consecutus. Mora: quidem ceduut, et dies, et menses,
etanni; nee preteritum tempus uuquam revertitur, nee quid sequatur scire
potest. — Cic. Cut.Maj.
7S THE REASONS OF
dissent from him prove in the right, the sensualist is utterly
undone for ever : he must live in endless pain and misery, and
must lose an endless, unspeakable joy and glory which he might
have possessed as well as others. But if he himself prove in
the right, he gets nothing by it but the pleasing of inordinate
concupiscence for a few years ; and will die with as much emp-
tiness of content as if he had lived in continual pain. Now
this being the true case, no sober reason can deny, but that
wisdom obligeth every man to labour for an uncertain, endless
glory with angels, more than for the certain pleasures of the
world, which are of so short continuance ; and to do more to
escape uncertain, everlasting miserv, than a certain trouble to
the flesh for so short a time : and thus a life of godliness, spent
in seeking future happiness, and in escaping future punishment,
is naturally made the duty of all men in the world. 1
Object. But you seem here to forget that you had before made
godliness to be a man's loss and undoing, if so be, there were no
life to come : when now you make the loss and hurt to be as
nothing.
Answ. 1. I spoke before especially of those that suffer per-
secution for their fidelity : I speak here especially of all the
multitude of the world, who get nothing but the pleasures of
sin by their sensuality. 2. When I speak of all the pleasures,
profits, and honours of this world, and life itself, as next to
nothing, I do not say that they are simply nothing. They are
nothing compared to everlasting joy or misery, but they are
something to him that shall have no more. The ease and life
of a poor bird or beast is naturally desirable for it. One of the
best of Christians said that ' If in this life only we had hope in
Christ, we were of all men most miserable :' and yet, that " The
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
to the irlorv which shall be revealed in us." There is no con-
tradiction between these two ; that these short-lived pleasures
are not worth one thought in comparison of the life to come;
and yet that they would be considerable, if there were no other
to be had and hoped for. s
r Nemini explicatum potest esse, quomodo sese habiturum sit corpus, non
dico ad annum, scd ad vesperum. — Cic. 2. de Fin. Saith Plutarch : (de Tran-
quil. Anim. :) " Alexander wept because he was not lord of the world ; when
Crates, having but a wallet and a thread-bare cloak, spent his whole life in
mirth and joy, as if it had been a continual festival day."
s Plato dixit finem esse, Deo similem fieri. Virtutem sufficere quidem ad
bene beateque vivendum; ceterum instruments indigere, corporis, bonis, ro-
bore, sanitate, integritate sensuum et caeteris id genus : exterioribus item,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 79
3. And now the consequence is proved in what is said before.
If it should, by common reason and nature, be made all men's
duty in the world, to seek to attain a happiness which is not to
be attained, and to escape a misery which never was or will be
unto any, and this with the chief care and labour of their
lives, then the whole life of man should be vanity and a lie.
Nature should have formed him for mere delusion; to tire him
out in following that which is not. The world should not only
be totally governed by deceit, but formed principally for such a
life : and whereas, indeed, it is the worldling that pursueth
vanity, and spendeth his life in a dream or show; this opinion
would make men's wisdom, and honesty, and piety, to be the
vanity, dream, and show. But none of this can be imputed to
the most wise and gracious God : he need not set up a false,
deceitful hope or fear before his creatures, to keep them in obe-
dience; nor hath he appointed their lives for so vain a work.
Sect. 1 1 . XI. If the perfection of man's faculties, to which
nature formed him, be not attained in this life, then is there
another life where it is to be attained. But the antecedent is
true. Ergo ; so is the consequent. 1
The reason of the consequence is, because God, who maketh
nothing in vain, made not man in vain, nor his natural inclina-
tion to his own perfection. His will is signified by his works :
as a man that makes a knife, or sword, or gun, or ship, doth
tell you what he maketh it for, by the usefulness and form of it ;
so when God made man with faculties fitted to know him, and
love him, he showed you that he made him for that use, and
therein he would employ him.
Object. It would perfect the wit of a brute if it were raised
as high as a man ; and yet it followeth not that it shall be so.
Answ. I deny the antecedent : it would not perfect him in
his kind, but make him another thing of another kind. Man is
more than a perfect brute, and a brute is not an imperfect man :
but I speak of perfecting man in his own kind, according to his
nature.
Object. A chicken hath a desire to live to full maturity, and
puta opibus, &c. — Laert. in Platone. Arbitrator et Deos humana cernere
atque curare— et daemones esse. Porro in ' Dialogis Justitiam,* divinam
legem arbitratus est, ut ad juste agendum potentiiis suaderet, ne post mortem
pocnas improbi luerent. — Id. ibid.
1 Abeunt omnia undeorta sunt.— Cic. Cato Maj. Boni viri sunt Deorum
simulachra. — Diogen. in Laert. Surely if tbe world was made for man,
tben man was made for more than the world.— Du-Plessis Verit. Christ.
Rclig. Prcrfat.
SO THE REASONS OF
yet you kill it before : and grass and plants may be cut down
before they come to perfection.
Answ. I speak in mv argument of the species of man, and the
objection speaketh only of some individuals. If there be no
higher stature for any chicken or plant to grow up to, then that
is the state of its perfection. Its natural inclination to a more per-
fect state doth show that nature formed it for a more perfect
state, and that such a state there is to be attained, however by
accident it may be killed or cut down before it do attain it, which
never befalleth all the kind, but some individuals. So I confess
that by ill accidents, by sin, men may fall short of their na-
tural perfections. But nature's inclination showeth that there
is such a state."
And the antecedent is manifest, 1. In our nature 3 2. In all
men's experience.
1. We feel in our natures a capacity of knowing all that of
God which I have before laid down, and that it is improbable
by further light to know much more. We feel that our hearts
are capable of loving him, and of delighting in the contempla-
tion of the glory of his perfections. And we find all other
things so far below the tendency of our faculties, and the con-
tentment of our minds, that we know that this is it that we
were made for, and this is the proper use that our understand-
ings and wills were given us for. 2. And we find that we attain
not any such perfection in this life as we are capable of, and
do desire ; but that our increase of virtue and holiness is an
increase of our desires after more ; and the better any man is,
the more he still desireth to be better ; and the more he knoweth,
and loveth, and delighteth in God, the more he desireth it in a
far higher degree. And even of our knowledge of nature we
find, that the more we know, the more we would know; and
that he that knoweth the effect, would naturally fain know the
cause ; and that when he knoweth the nearer cause, he would
know the cause of that, and so know the first cause, God
himself. And the little that we here attain to of knowledge
u Senec. (Ep. 73, p. (mihi) 673) saith, Miraris honiinem ad Deos ire?
Pens ad homines venit : inimo (quod propius est) in homines venit : nulla
sine Deo mens bona est: seniina in corporihus humanis divina dispersa sunt;
qua? si bonus cultor excipit, similia origini prodeunt ; et paria his ex quibus
orta sunt, surgunt : si mains, nun aliter quam humus sterilis ac palustris, ne-
cat ; ac deinde creat purscamenta pro frugibus. Beata vita est conveniens
naturae suas : qua? non aliter contingere potest, quam si primum sana mens
est, et in perpetua possessione sanitatis suse.— Senec. cfe vita beat. cap. 3.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 8i
love, and delight, is far short of the perfection in the same kind
which our faculties incline unto.
Sect. 12. XII. Another illustration, or confirming argument,
may he gathered from the great disparity which God hath made
between men and beasts. x If God had intended us for no more
knowledge and fruition of himself hereafter than the beasts
have, then he would have given us no more capacity, desire, or
obligation to seek it than the beasts have : but he hath given
us more capacity, desire, and obligation to seek it. Ergo.
A beast hath no knowledge that there is a God ; no thoughts of
a life to come; no desire to know God, or love him, or enjoy him;
no obligation to take care for another life, or to provide for it,
or once to consider whether there be any such or not, because
he is not made for any life but this : and if God had made man
for no more, he would have disposed and obliged him no fur-
ther ; we have an understanding to know it, and thoughts, and
hopes, and fears, and cares about it, which are not all in vain ;
and we are plainly in reason obliged to this, and more than
we do, and that obligation is not vain. y
Sect. 13. XIII. If there, were no life of retribution hereafter,
man were more vain and miserable than the brutes by far, and
his reason would more delude him and torment him ; but the
consequence is absurd ; ergo, so is the antecedent.
The major is easily proved by our great experience ; for the
Avorld consisteth partly of men that believe another life, and
partly of them that do not ; and reason maketh them both the
more miserable. For the former sort, which is the most of the
world, their reason telleth them that it is their duty to labour
for a happiness hereafter, and to fear and prevent a future misery;
and so their expectation would be their mere delusion, and their
lives would be all spent and ordered in delusion : like a com-
pany of men that should run up and down to prepare for a
transplantation into the moon, and should cut down timber to
build there, and provide a stock of cattle to store the ground
* Nullum est animal prteter hominem quod habet ullam notitiam Dei. —
Cicer. 1. de Leg. Dii immortales sparserunt animus in corpora humana, ut
essent qui terras tuerentur, quique ccelestem ordinem contemplantes, imita-
rentur eum, vitas modo et constantia. — Cic. Cat. Maj.
y Ex terra sunt homines, non ut incolas et habitatures, sed quasi spectatores
superarum rerum atque ccelestium : quarum spectaculum ad nullum aliud
animantium genus pertinet. — Cic. de Nat. Deor.l.'l. Non temere, nee
fortuito, sati et creati sumus : sed profecto fuit quafdam vis, qua? generi con-
suleret humano : nee id gigneret aut aleret, quod cum omnes labores exant-
lavisset, turn incideret in mortis malum sempiternum. — Cic. 1. Tmc.
VOL. XXI, G
82 THE REASONS OF
there, and buy and sell lands there : such would be the life of
man in preparing for another world ; and he would be under a
double calamity. One, by all this fruitless labour, and another
by his fear of future misery, if his labour by temptations should
be frustrated, and he should miscarry. To have reason to lead a
man in such a delusory life, and to torment him with the fears
of what may befall him after death, is sure to be by reason more
unhappy than the beasts, that have none of this. z
And for the atheists, they are more unhappy too, so far as they
are rational and considerate. For they have no more happiness
than the beasts to comfort them, while they look for none here-
after; and they have, in all the way, the foresight of their end ;
they foreknow their great probability of sickness, and painful,
tormenting diseases. They foreknow the certainty of their
death ; they know how all their sport and pleasure will end,
and leave them in dolour; and how their corpses must be rotting,
and turn to dust ; they foresee abundance of crosses in their
way ; they are troubled with cares for the time to come. A
beast hath none of this fore-knowledge, and none of the fore-
thoughts of pain or dying, but only fearfully fleeth from a present
danger." Moreover, the poor atheist, having no certainty of the
truth of his own opinion, (that there isnootherlife,)isoften haunt-
ed with fears of it, and especially when approaching death doth
awaken both his reason and his fears. He then thinks, O what
if there should be another world, where I must live in misery for
my sin ! In despite of himself, some such fears will haunt him.
Judge, then, whether the use of reason be not to make man a
more deluded and tormented creature than the brutes, if so be
there were no life after this ?
But this cannot stand with the methods of our Creator, to
give us so great an excellency of nature, to make us more
vain and unhappy than the beasts. When he maketh a crea-
ture capable and fit for higher things, he declareth that he
intendeth him for higher things.
Object. But even here we have a higher kind of work and
pleasure than the brutes. We rule them, and they serve us :
we dwell in cities and societies, and make provision for the time
to come.
1 Mors iisterribilis est, quorum cum vita omnia extinguuntur. — Cic.Parad. 1.
Read Cic. (1. 3. de Nat. Deor.) where Cotta would prove, that God did man a
mischief by making him rational.
a Thus man, who is the most perfect of animals, should be the most imperfect ;
and he that is the wisest should be the most deluded.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 83
Answ. Those brutes that dwell in woods and deserts serve u s
not; and our ruling them is a small addition to our felicity:
pride itself can take little pleasure in being the master of dogs
and cats. Rule doth but add to care and trouble : Cceteris
paribus, it is an easier life to be ruled than to rule. And if we
take away their lives, it is no more than we must undergo our-
selves. And the violent death which we put them to, hath
usually less pain than our languishing age, and sickness, and
natural death. And it is as pleasant to a bird to dwell in her
nest, as to us to dwell in cities and palaces ; and they sing as
merrily in their way of converse, as we in our troublesome
kingdoms and societies. If present pleasure be the highest of
our hopes, they seem to have as much as we ; or if there be any
difference, it is counter-balanced by the twentyfold more cares,
and fears, and labours, and mental troubles, which we are more
liable to : and our knowledge doth but increase our sorrow, of
which next.
Sect. 14. XIV. If there were no life of retribution, the wiser any
man were, the more miserable would he be, and knowledge
would be their plague, and ignorance the way to their greatest
pleasure : but the consequent is absurd : ergo, so is the
antecedent. b
The reason of the consequence is manifest in what is said :
the ignorant have, nothing to disturb them in their sensual
delights. The more like to beasts they can be, to eat, and drink, and
play, and satisfy every lust, and never think of a reckoning, or
of death itself, the more uninterrupted would be their delights ;
the fore-thoughts of death, or any change, would not disturb
them. Their folly, which maketh them overvalue all the
matters of the flesh, would increase their pleasure and felicity.
For things delight men as they are esteemed, rather than as
indeed they are. But the more wise and knowing men would
b Dicunt Stoici malum, impium esse et sine Deo: quod duplici ratione
accipitur ; sive quod Deo contrarius dicatur, sive quod aspemetur Deum : id
tamen malis omnibus non convenire : pios autem et religiosos esse sapientes :
peritos enim esse divini juris omues. Porro pietatem scieutiam esse divini
cultus : Diis item eos sacrificia facturos, castosque futuros : quippe ea qua? in
Deos admittuntur peccata detestari, diisque charos ac gratos fore, quod sancti
justique in rebus divinis sint : solos vero sacerdotes esse sapientes, &c. —
Lttert. in Zenone, (How christian-like is all this spoken.) Nee enim tan-
tum mali est peccareprincipes (quanquam est hoc magnum per seipsum malum)
quantum illud, quod permulti imitatores prineipum existunt. Nam licet
videre, si velis replicare inemoriam temporum, qualescunque summi civitatis
viri fuerunt talem civitatem fuisse : qua;cunque mutatio morum in principi-
bus extiterit, eandem in populo secuturatn,— Cic. tie Leg. 3. p. 262.
g2
84 THE REASONS OF
always see vanity and vexation written upon all the treasures
and pleasures of the world ; and in the midst of their delights
would foresee death coming to cut them off, and bring them to
a dolorous end. So that, undoubtedly, the most knowing would
be the most miserable ; and though nature delight in knowing
much, it would but let in an inundation of vexatious passions on
the mind.
But knowledge is so great a gift of God, and ignorance so
great a blemish unto nature, that it is not by sober reason to be
believed, that so noble a gift should be given us as a plague, and
so great a plague and shame of nature as ignorance is should
be a blessing or felicity.
Sect. 15. XV. If the kings and temporal governors of the
world do extend their rewards and punishments, as far as to tem-
poral prosperity and adversity, life and death, in respect to the
present ends of government, and this justly ; then is it meet
and just that the universal King extend his benefits and punish-
ments much further, for good or evil, as they have respect unto
his own laws and honour j but the antecedent is true : ergo, so
is the consequent.
Kings justly take away men's lives for treason. They that
look but to the present temporal good or hurt of the common-
wealth, do think that no temporal punishment or reward can be
too great for some crimes, and for some achievements : read
but the statute-books, and this will be soon found.
And that the offences which are against the Infinite Majesty
deserve, incomparably, sorer punishments than any against men
as such, is past all question ; as, also, that love, and fidelity, and
duty to God, are incomparably more laudable.
Sect. 16. XVI. If there were no life of retribution after this,
it would follow, that man is more to be feared and obeyed than
God, and so hath the far greater and higher hand in the moral
government of the world; but the consequent is absurd and
blasphemous : ergo, so is the antecedent.
The argument is clear, and past all contradiction. The rea-
son of the major or consequence, is, because, though God can
destroy any wicked man at his pleasure, yet, all the world's
experience showeth up, that ordinarily in this life he doeth no
such things. If a strange judgment overtake some wicked man,
it is an unusual thing, and next to a miracle ; and, usually, all
things come alike to all ; the good and the bad die of the same
disease ; the deceitful and the wicked prosper in the world as
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 85
much as others : if either suffer more, usually it is the best.
" Videtis quam prosper a navigatio d, Diis datur sacrilegis," saith
Dionysius. Thunderbolts strike so few, that it is scarcely rational
much to fear them : if one fall under some extraordinary judg-
ment, many hundreds escape.
But, on the other side, kings and states do, ordinarily, exe-
cution on those that displease them and break their laws. The
case of a Daniel is so rare, that it would be no rule to direct a
rational course by : if the king should forbid me praying, as he
did Daniel, or command me to worship his image, as he did the
other three witnesses, reason and self-preservation would require
me to obey him ; for it is ten to one but he would execute his
wrath on me, and it is a hundred to one God would not deliver
me here. God suffered thirty or forty thousand to be murdered
at once, by the French massacre, under Charles IX.; he suffered
two hundred thousand to be murdered by the Irish papists ; he
suffered many to be murdered in Queen Mary's days ; he suf-
fered yet greater havoc to be made of the poor Waldenses and
Albigenses ; he suffered most cruel, inhuman torments and
death upon thousands of innocent persons, to change the new-
planted religion in Japan. He, therefore, that careth for his life
and peace, will think it far safer to venture on the present exe-
cutions of God than of his king, or enemy, or any one that is
strong enough to ruin him. If I lived under the Turkish empire,
and were commanded to deny Christ, and to renounce my bap-
tism, and to subscribe that my baptismal vow doth not oblige
me, or any way to lie, or be perjured, or sin against God, self-
preservation would bid me, Venture on the sin, for it is an
hundred to one but God will spare thee ; and it is an hundred
to one but that the prince will punish and destroy thee if thou
obey him not. How few, that knew there were no life to
come, would not rather venture to please a tyrant, or a robber,
than God, and more fear to displease them ; and would not bv
perjury, or any commanded villany, save himself from their fury
and cruelty ; and would not study more to flatter and humour
c Laert. (in Timon.) saith, that Philarchus, the historian, reporteth of
Praylus, the philosopher, that he was of so constant a mind, that he suffered
himself to be unjustly executed as a traitor, and would not use one word of
supplication for his life : but that is not the common temper of mankind.
Alta spectare si voles, atque hanc sedem et sternani domum contueri, neque
sermouibus vulgi te dederis, nee in praemiis humauis spem posueris rerum
tuarum : suis te illecebris oportet ipsa virtus trahat ad verum decus. — Cicero
in Somn. Scip.
86 THE REASONS OF
them, than to obey their God ! d and so man should have the
chief government of the world, while man's rewards and punish-
ments were so much more notable than God's : man would be
feared and obeyed before God ; that is, man would be taken for
our God. These things are clear, undeniable truths. If there
were no life to come, self-love and reason would make man more
obedient to man than God, and so make gods of flesh and blood ;
but whether this be the tendency of the government of God, let
reason judge. e
Sect. 17. XVII. A very probable argument may be inferred
from the number and quality of intellectual spirits. He that
looketh to the vast, and numerous, and glorious orbs which are
above him, and thinks of the glorious receptacles of a more
glorious sort of creatures, and then considereth that we are in-
tellectual agents, made to love and honour God as well as they ;
and considers further, both the benignity of God and the commu-
nion which those other orbs have with us, will think it probable
that we are in progress towards perfection ; and that we that
are so like them may be capable of their happiness.
Sect. 18. XVIII. If in this life God have little of the praise
and glory of his works, from those whom he created for it, but,
contrarily, be much dishonoured by them, then there is another
life in which he will be more honoured by them ; but the ante-
cedent is true : ergo, so is the consequent.
What a glorious fabric hath God set man to contemplate ; and
how little of it is here known ! so that philosophy is found to be
but a searching and wrangling about things which no man reaeh-
eth, and yet an inquisitive desire we have ; and, therefore, sure
there is a state in which these works of God shall be better
known of us, and God shall have the honour of them more than
now. His laws also prescribe us excellent duties, and his servants
are very excellent persons, according to his own descriptions ;
but our infirmities, our errors or divisions, our miscarriages and
d The very doubting of the life to come maketh multitudes take this course
in our age ; preferring that which they have in hand, before that which they
suppose uncertain.
e Rursus vero si animse lethi adeunt januas (Epicuri ut sententia definitur)
nee sic causa est competens cur expeti philosophia debeat, etiamsi verum est,
purgari has animas, atque ab omni puras vitiositate praestari : nam si commu-
niter obeunt, non tanturn est erroris maximi, verum stolidae caecitatis, frae-
nare ingenitos appetitus, cohibere in angustiis vitam, nihil indulgere naturae,
non quod cupidiues jusserint et instigaverint facere, cum nulla te praemia
tanti labovis expectent, cum dies mortis advenerit, et corporalibus fueris vin-
culis exolutus. — Arnob. adv. Gentes, 1. 2.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 87
scandals, do so dishonour him and his ways, that the glory of
them is much obscured, and blasphemers reproach him to his
face, and godliness, which the law of nature teacheth, is derided
as a foolish thing, and as the mere effect of superstitious fear.
Now, though all this doeth no hurt to God, yet he is capable of
wrong who is incapable of hurt ; and it is not to be believed
that he will finally put up with all this at his creatures' hands, and
never vindicate his honour, or never more show the glory of his
grace, his image, his justice and judgments, than he now doth.
Sect. 19. XIX. The constant testimony of conscience in all
men, that have not mastered reason by sensuality, and the com-
mon consent of all that are worthy to be called men, in all ages
and countries upon earth, doth show that the life to come is a
truth which is naturally revealed, and most sure/
Sect. 20. XX. The enemy of souls doth (against his will)
give man a fourfold reason to judge, that there is a life of re-
ward and punishment hereafter, viz. 1. By compacts with
witches ; 2. By apparitions ; 3. By satanical possessions ; 4.
By all kinds of subtle, importunate temptations, which evidence
themselves.
1. Though some are very incredulous about witches, yet to a
full inquiry the evidence is past question, that multitudes of such
there be. Though many are wronged, and some may be thought
so foolish or melancholy as not to know what they say against
themselves, yet against such numerous and various instances
these exceptions do but confirm the general truth, that such there
are. I have said so much of them in g two other writings, that
1 shall now say no more but this : That those judges ordinarily
condemn them to die. who themselves have been most incredu-
lous of such things ; that so great numbers were condemned in
Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex, about twenty years ago, that left
the business past all doubt to the judges, auditors, and reverend
ministers, (yet living,) who were purposely sent with them for
the fuller inquisition. That the testimonies are so numerous,
and, beyond exception, recorded in the many volumes written
on this subject, by the Malleus Malificorum, Bodin, Remigius,
and other judges who condemned them, that I owe no man any
f Plato often saith, that the wicked are punished after death. Antisthenes
(7. tome) had a book, De his quae sunt apud inferos. — Laert. 1.6. c. 1.
s * Saint's Rest ' (part 2) ; and ' Unreasonableness of Infidelity.' By the
doctrine of idols, false gods that were sometimes men, and their sacrifices,
the devil confesseth a life to come.
88 THE REASONS OF
further proof than to desire him to read the aforesaid writings ;
wherein he shall find men and women, gentlemen, scholars,
doctors of divinity, of several qualities and tempers, all con-
fessedly guilty, and put to death for this odious sin ; and he shall
find what compacts they made with the devil, promising him
their souls or their service, and renouncing their covenant with
God : all which doth more than intimate, that men have souls
to save or lose, and that there is an enemy of souls, who is most
solicitous to destroy them ; or else to what end would all this
be ? When people are in wrath and malice, desirous of revenge,
or in great discontents, or too eagerly desirous after over-hasty
knowledge in any needless speculation, the devil hath the ad-
vantage to appear to them, and offer them his help, and draw
them into some contract with him (implicit, at least, if not ex-
plicit ) : I have myself heen too incredulous of these things, till
cogent evidence constrained my belief. Though it belong not
to us to give account why Satan doeth it, or why upon no more,
or why God permitteth it, yet that so it is, in point of fact, it
cannot be rationally denied ; and, therefore, we have so much
sensible evidence, that there is a happiness and misery after this
life, which the devil believeth, though atheists do not.
2. And though some are as incredulous of apparitions, yet
evidence hath confuted all incredulity. I could make mention
of many ; but, for the notoriety, I will mention but two, which
it is easy to be satisfied about :
The one is the apparition, in the shape of Colonel Bowen, in
Glamorganshire, to his wife and family, speaking, walking before
them, laying hold of them, hurting them in time of prayer (the
man himself then living from his wife, in Ireland, being one that
from sect to sect had proceeded to infidelity, if not to atheism ;
and, upon the hearing of it, came over, but durst not go to the
place). The thing I have by me described largely, and attested
by learned, godly ministers that were at the place; and is fa-
mous, past contradiction. 11
2. But, to name no more, he that will read a small book
called ' The Devil of Mascon,' written by Mr. Perreaud, and
published by Dr. Peter Moulin, will see an instance past all
h In Ireland it was testified by the oaths of many witnesses, that after the
protectants had been murdered at Portdowu- Bridge, a long time together a
spectrum appeared in the river, like a person naked, standing in the water up to
the middle, and crying, * Revenge, revenge !' — See Dr. Jones's, mid Sir John
Temple's Books.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 89
question. The devil did there, for many months together, at
certain hours of the day, hold discourse with the inhabitants,
and publicly disputed with a papist that challenged him, and
when he had done, turned him, and cast him down so violently,
that he went home distracted. He would sing, and jest, and
talk familiarly with them as they do with one another. He
would answer them questions about things done at a distance,
and would carry things up and down before them, and yet never
seen in any shape. All this was done in the house of the said
Mr. Perreaud, a reverend, faithful minister of the protestant
church, in the hearing of persons of both professions, papists
and protestants, that ordinarily came in, for above three months,
at Mascon, a city of France, and at last, upon earnest prayer, it
ceased. Mr. Perreaud's piety and honesty were well known,
and attested to me by the right hon. the Earl of Orrery, now
Lord President of Minister, in Ireland, and attested to the world
by his most learned, worthy, honourable brother, Mr. Robert
Boyle, in an epistle before the book ; neither of them persons
apt to be over-credulous of such unusual things, yet both fully
satisfied of the truth of this story by Mr. Perreaud's own narri-
tive, with whom they were very familiar.
See the other testimonies cited in my ' Saint's Rest' (part 2).
Quest. But how doth this signify that there is any future state
for man ?
Answ. 1. Commonly, these apparitions do expressly refer to
some sin or duty which are regardable in order to a further
life. Sometimes they come to terrific murderers, or other great
offenders ; and sometimes the devil hath killed men outright,
which yet were no more painful than another death, if it carried
not their souls into a greater misery : sometimes they are used
to tempt people to sin, to witchcraft, to revenge, to idolatry and
superstition (to which use they are common among many of the
Indians). And all this intimateth some further hurt which sin
doth men after this present life, which they take not here for
their pain, but their pleasure. 2. Many of these apparitions
say, that they are the souls of such and such persons that have
lived here : if it be so, then the question is granted. And
whether it be so, I suppose is to us uncertain : for why a con-
demned soul may not appear as well as Satan, notwithstanding
that both of them are in that state of misery which is called
hell, I yet could never hear any sure proof. But, because this
is uncertain ; 3. At least it showeth us, that these evil spirits
90 THE REASONS OF
are near us, and able to molest us, and therefore are ordinarily
restrained, and that their natures are not, as to any elevation,
so distant from ours, but that a converse there may be ; and
therefore that it is very probable, that when the souls of the
wicked are separated from their bodies, they shall be such as
thev, or have more converse with them ; and that the good
spirits shall be the companions of the souls of men that here
were not far unlike themselves. When we perceive that we
live among such invisible spirits, it is the easier to believe that
we shall live with such of them hereafter as we are most like. 1
3. I may add to these the instance of satanical possessions : c
for though many diseases may have of themselves very terrible
and strange effects, yet that the devil, I mean some evil spirit,
doth operate in many, is past all contradiction. Some will
speak languages which they never learned; some will tell things
done far off; some will have force and actions which are beyond
their proper, natural ability. Most great physicians, how incre-
dulous soever, have been forced to confess these things : and
abundance of them have written particular instances.
And the manner of their transportations, their horrid blas-
phemies against God, with other carriages, do commonly inti-
mate a life to come, and a desire that Satan hath to dishonour
God, and destroy the souls of men as well as their bodies.
4. And, lastly, the temptations and suggestions of Satan, yea,
and often his external, contrived snares, are such as frequently
give men a palpable discovery of his agency, that there is indeed
some evil spirit that doth all this to the hurt of souls. Were
there no such tempter, it were scarcely credible that such horrid,
inhuman villanies should ever be perpetrated by a rational
nature, as histories credibly report, and as in this age our eyes
have seen. That men should ever, even against their own ap-
parent interest, be carried on obstinately to the last, in a wilful
course of such sins as seem to have little or nothing to invite men
to them, but a delight in doing hurt and mischief in the world.
Whence is it that some men feel such violent, importunate sug-
gestions to evil in their minds, that they have no rest from them ;
but which way soever they go, they are haunted with them till
they have committed it, and then haunted as much to hang
themselves in desperation ? Whence is it that all opportunities
are so strangely fitted to a sinner's turn, to accommodate him
in his desires and designs : and that such wonderful, successive
1 See what I have cited, " Saints' Rest/ part 2. cap. 7.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 91
trains of impediments are set in the way of almost any man
that intendeth any great work in the world ? k I have, among
men of my own acquaintance, observed such admirable frustra-
tions of many designed, excellent works, by such strange, unex-
pected means, and such variety of them, and so powerfully
carried on, as hath of itself convinced me, that there is a most
vehement, invisible malice permitted by God to resist mankind,
and to militate against all good in the world. Let a man have
any evil design, and he may carry it on usually with less resist-
ance. Let him have any work of the greatest natural importance,
which tendeth to no great benefit of mankind, and he may go
on with it without any extraordinary impediment. But let him
have any great design for common good, in things that tend to
destroy sin, to heal divisions, to revive charity, to increase virtue,
to save men's souls, 1 yea, or to the public common felicitv, and
his impediments shall be so multifarious, so far-fetched, so
subtle, incessant, and, in despite of all his care and resolution,
usually so successful, that he shall seem to himself to be like a
man that is held fast hand and foot, while he seeth no one touch
him ; or that seeth an hundred blocks brought and cast before
him in his way, while he seeth no one do it. Yea, and usuallv
the greatest attempts to do good shall turn to the clean con-
trary, even to destroy the good which was intended, and drive
it much further off. How many countries, cities, churches,
families, who have set themselves upon some great reformation,
have at first seen no difficulties almost in their way ! And
when they have attempted it, they have been like a man that is
wrestling with a spirit. Though he see not what it is that
holdeth him, when he hath long sweated, and chafed, and tired
himself, he is fain to give over ; yea, leave behind him some
odious scandal, or terrible example, to frighten all others from
ever meddling with the like again.' I have known that done
which men call a miracle, a sudden deliverance in an hour,
from the most strange and terrible disease, while, by fasting
and prayer, men were present begging the deliverance. And
k Polybius often noteth, that many excellent men have attempted great and
excellent works ; but very few have ever been so happy as to perform them ;
and of those that have gone a little way, but few have finished them.
1 He that did but well study the plain strife between Christ and Satan, about
knowledge and ignorance in the world, and how marvellously Satan keepeth
the Gospel from the infidel world, and locketh up the Scriptures in an un-
known tongue among the papists, and hinderetli preachers in all the world,
will see that there is certainly a kingdom of darkness, and a kingdom of
light, which strive for souls.
92 THE REASONS OF
presently, the devil hath drawn the persons into such a scandal-
ous sin, that God had none of the honour of the deliverance,
nor could anv for shame make mention of it, but it turned to
the greater dishonour of piety and prayer, though the wonder
was past doubt. I have known men wonderfully enlightened
and delivered from courses of error and schism, and being men
of extraordinary worth and parts, have been very likely to have
proved the recovery of abundance more : and they have been
so irresistibly carried into some particular errors on the con-
trary extreme, that all hopes of their doing good have turned to
the hardening of others in their schism, while they saw those
errors, and judged accordingly of all the reasons of their change.
But especially to hinder the successes of godly magistrates and
ministers in their reformings, and their writings for the winning
of souls, it were endless to show the strange, unexpected diffi-
culties which occur, and lamentably frustrate the most laudable
attempts. Nav, I have known divers men that have had reso-
lute designs to build an alms-house or a school-house, or
to settle some public, charitable work, that when all things
seemed readv, and no difficulty appeared, have been hindered
in despite of the best of their endeavours, all their days, or
manv years : yea, men that purposed but to put it in their wills
to do some considerable work of charity, have been so delayed,
hindered, and disappointed, that they were never able to effect
their ends. By all which it is very perceivable to an observing
mind, that there is a working, invisible enemy still seeking to
destroy all godliness, and to hinder men's salvation.
Perhaps you will say, c That if this be so, you make the devil
to be stronger than God, and to be the governor of the world ;
or to be more in hatred to goodness than God is in love with it.'
I answer, Xo ; but it appeareth that his enmity to it is
implacable, and that he militateth against God and man's feli-
city, and that sin hath so far brought this lower world under
God's displeasure, that he hath, in a great measure, forsaken it,
and left it to the will of Satan. Yet hath he his holy seed and
kingdom here, and the purposes of his grace shall never be
frustrated, nor the gates of hell prevail against his church ; and
if he may forsake hell totally, as to his felicitating presence, he
may also penally forsake earth as to the greater number ;
whilst, for aught we know, he may have thousands of orbs of
better inhabitants, which have not so forfeited his love, nor are
so forsaken by him.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 93
I have been the larger in proving a life to come, of retri-
bution to the good and bad, because all religion doth depend
upon it, and I have myself been more assaulted with tempta-
tions to doubt of this, than of Christianity itself, though this
have more of natural evidence. And I have set down nothing
that I am able, rationally, to confute myself, though every truth
is liable to some snarling exceptions of half-witted and con-
tentious men. No man that confesseth a life to come can
question the necessity of a holy life ; but I have thought meet,
first to prove that a holy life is our unquestionable duty, as the
prius cognitum, and thence to prove the certainty of the future
state; for, indeed, though God hath not hidden from us the mat-
ter of our reward and punishment, hopes and fears, yet hath he
made our duty plainer in the main, and proposed it first to our
knowledge and consideration." 1 The eternity of the future state
I have not here gone about to prove, because I reserve it for a
fitter place, and need the help of more than natural light, for
such a task. But that it shall be of so much weight and
duration, as shall suffice to the full execution of justice, and to
set all straight, that seemed crooked in God's present govern-
ment, this nature itself doth fully testify.
Three sorts of men will read what I have written : 1. Some
few (and but very few) of those whose consciences are so blood v
in the guilt of their debauchery, that they take it for their
interest to hope that there is no life but this : 2. Those whose
faith and holiness have made the world to come to be their
interest, happiness, hope, desire, and only joy : 3. Those that
only understand, in general, that it is the highest interest of
human nature, that there be a full felicity hereafter ; and see it
a most desirable thing, though they know not whether it be to
be expected or not. The first sort, I may fear, are under such
a curse of God, as that he may leave their wills to master their
belief, as their lusts have mastered their wills, and lest they be
forsaken of God, to think that true which their wicked hearts
desire were true ; and that the haters of God and a holy life,
should be left to dream that there is no God, nor future, happy
life. n
"' Virtutis merces ac finis optimum quiddam est, divinum et beatum. —
Arist. 1. Eth. c. 9. Virtutum omnium jucundae non sunt actioncs, nisi qua-
tenus finis copulatus conjunctusque asciscitur. — Id. 3. Eth. c. 9. Virtus ex -
tollit hominem et super astra mortales collocat ; nee ea quae bona aut mala
vocantur, aut cupit nimis, aut expavescit. — Sen. Ep. 88.
Tria sunt quse ex animae providentia accipit corpus animalis ; at vivat, ut
decore vivat, et ut immortalitas ill i. succesiione quseratur. — Macrob. 7. Sat.
94
THE REASONS OF
The second sort have both light, experience, and desire, and
therefore will easily believe.
The third sort are they whose necessities are great, and vet
conjunct with hope of some success. Though bare interest
should command no man's understanding, because a thing may
be desirable, which is neither certain nor possible ; yet J must
needs say, that reason and self-love should make any man, that
is not resolved in wickedness, exceedingly glad to hear of any
hopes, much more of certainty, of a life of angelical happiness
and jov, to be possessed when this is ended. And, therefore,
the inquiry should be exceedingly, willingly, and studiously endea-
voured. I shall conclude this point with a few serious questions
to those that denv a future life of retribution. °
Quest. 1 . Whether he that taketh a man to be but an inge-
nious kind of beast, can take it ill to be esteemed as a beast ?
May I not expect that he should live like a beast, who thinketh
that he shall die like a beast ? Is such a man fit to be trusted
any further in human converse, than his present fleshly interest
obligeth him ? May I not justly suppose that he liveth in the
practice of fornication, adultery, lying, perjury, hypocrisy,
murder, treachery, theft, deceit, or any other villany, as often as
bis interest tells him he should do it. What is a sufficient or
likely motive to restrain that man, or make him just, who
believes not anv life after this ? It seemeth to me a wrong
to him in his own profession, to call him an honest man.
2. If you think yourselves but ingenious beasts, why should
you not be content to be used as beasts ? A beast is not
capable of true propriety, right or wrong ; he that can master
him, doth him no wrong, if he work him, or fleece him, or take
away his life. Why may not they that can master you,
use you like pack-horses, or slaves, and beat you, and take
awav vour lives ? p
J J
3. Would you be only yourselves of this mind, or would you
have all others of it ? If yourselves only, why envy vou the
truth, as you suppose, to others ? If all others, what security
shall kings have of their lives, or subjects of their lives or
Animarum originem manare de ccelo, inter recte philosophantes iudubi-
tatae constat esse sentential. Et animae dum corpore utitur haec est perfecta
sapiemia, ut unde orta sit, de quo finite venerit, recoguoscat. — Macrob. sup.
Somn. Scip. 1. I.e. 9.
p Maximum argumentum. est, naturam ipsam de immortalitate animorum
taciturn judicare, quod omnibus cura sunt, et maxime quidem, quae post mor-
tem futura sunt. — tic, Tusc. fju. 1. 1. p, 220.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 95
liberties ? What trust can you put in wife, or child, or servant,
or any man that you converse with ? Will you not quickly
feel the effects of their opinions ? Had you not rather that
the enemy who would murder you, the thief who would rob
you, the liar that would deceive you, did believe a judgment
and life of retribution, than not ?
4. If there be no life after this, what business have you for
your reason, and all your noble faculties, and time, that is
worthy of a man, or that is not like children's games or
puppet-plays ? What have you to do in the world, that hath
any weight in the trial, any content or comfort in the review,
or will give solid comfort to a dying man ? Were it not better
to lie down and sleep out our days, than waste them all in
dreaming-waking ? O, what a silly worm were man ! what
should he find to do with his understanding ! Take off the
poise of his ultimate end, and all his rational motions must
stand still, and only the brutish motion must go on, and reason
must drudge in the captivity of its service. 9
But these questions, and more such, I put more home in my
book, called * A Saint, or a Brute.' If conscience tell you,
that you can put no trust in your friend, your wife, your
servant, or your neighbour ; if they believe that there is no life
but this : surely the same conscience may tell you, that then
the thing is true, and that the God of infinite power, wisdom,
and goodness, hath better means enough than deceits and lies
to rule the world by.
Hear what the conscience of the epicure saith, in ' Cicero
Academ.' (quest. 1. 4. p. (mihi) 44.) " Quis enim potest, cum
existimet it, Deo se curari, non et dies, et nodes, divinum numen
horrere," &c. It is true of the guilty ; but what greater joy to
the upright, godly, faithful soul.
CHAP. XV.
Of the Intrinsic Evil of Sin, and of the Perpetual Punishment
due to the Sinner, by the undoubted Laiu of Nature.
Sect. 1 . It seemed good to the most wise Creator, to give
man, with reason, a liberty of will, by which he is a kind
i Platonici dicuut, Beatum esse hominem fruentem Deo; non sicut cor-
pore, vel seipso fruitur animus, aut sicut amicus amico ; sed sicut Luce Ocu-
lus.— August, de Civ. Dei.
96 THE REASONS OF
of first cause of its own determination in comparative moral
acts ; though he hold the power in full dependence upon God,
and perform each act as an act in genere by the influx of his
Maker, and do all under his perfect government. And these
great principles in his nature, his power, his reason, and his
free, self-determining will, are the image of God, in which, as
man, he was created, which advanced by the perfections of
fortitude, wisdom, and moral goodness, are also in holiness the
image of God's perfections. r
When a man deliberated whether he shall do this sin or not,
as lie or murder, he cannot act in general without God, but
that he chooseth this act rather than another, may be without
any more of God than his giving and maintaining his free-
choosing power, and his universal influx before mentioned, and
his setting him among such objects as he acteth upon. Nei-
ther do those objects, nor any physical, efficient motion of God,
or any creature besides himself, determine his will effectually to
choose the evil and refuse the good. It is not true, that no-
thing undetermined can determine itself to act ; this is but to
deny God's natural image on the will of man. The will cannot
determine itself without the conduct of an intellect, and without
an object in esse cognito, or without divine sustenance and uni-
versal influx; but it can determine itself to the moral species,
which is but the mode of action to this, rather than that in the
comparative proposal, without any pre-determining efficient,
for such none of the former are.
And God having made such a self-determining creature, took
delight to govern him according to his nature, by the sapiential,
moral means of laws. Of what he doth more to cause good
than evil, and other such incident questions, I must now put
them off, to a fitter place. s
Sect. 2. God planted in man's mind a natural inclination to
truth and goodness and to his own felicity, and an aversion
r Ad hoc anima conjuncta corpori est, ut fruatur scientiis et virtutibus : si
autem cum fervore magno se invenerit, benigne recipietur asuocreatore ; sin
autem secus, relegabitur ad inferna. — Plat, in Tim. Animus recte solus
liber, nee dominationi cujusquam parens, neque obediens cupiditati. Recte
invictus, cujus etiainsi corpus constringatur, animo tamen vincula injici
nulla possunt. — Cic. .'{, de Finib. Deus anknum ut Dominum et imperantem
obedienti praefecit corpori. — Cic. de Univers.
s Casta placent superis ; pura cum mente venite,
Et manibus puris sumite fontis aquam. — Tibul.
Fone Deos, et quae tangendo sacra profanas ;
Non bene coelestes impia dextra colit. — Ovid.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 97
to falsehood, and to evil, and to his own misery and hurt, that
these, lying deeper than his liberty of choice, might be apondus
to his motions, and help him more easily and steadfastly to obey,
and adhere to and prosecute his proposed happiness and end.
Sect. 3. Accordingly, God formed his holy law with a perfect
fitness to these faculties and inclinations, furnishing it wholly
with truth and goodness, and fitting all things in it to the
benefit of man, as is proved before.
Sect. 4. This law had a sufficient promulgation, being legible
on the face of the whole creation, within our view, and espe-
cially on the nature of man himself, from whence his duty did
result.
Sect. 5. And God was pleased to make as legible, the most
rational, powerful motives to love and obedience, that can be
imagined by man ; that no tempter might possibly bid the ten
thousandth part so much for our love and obedience as he had
bid, and assured us of himself.
Sect. 6. From all this, it is most evident that God made us
not sinners, though he made us men ; but that man, being
defectible, abused his liberty, and turned from God, and brought
corruption and misery upon himself.*
Sect. 7. He that will understand God's justice aright, must
consider of these forty intrinsic evils that are in sin, which na-
ture itself declareth.
1. In its formal nature, it is the violation of a perfect, right-
eous law.
2. It is a contempt or denial of God's governing authority
over us.
3. It is the usurping of the government of ourselves, which
we denied to God.
4. It is a denial or contempt of the wisdom of God, as if he
had erred in the making of his laws, and knew not so well
what is just and meet and good for us, as we ourselves, and
were not wise enough to govern a lump of animated clay. u
5. It is an exalting our folly into the throne of the divine
wisdom, as if we had more wisdom than he that made us, and
knew better what is just and meet, and what is fit or good for
ourselves, and could correct God's laws, and make ourselves a
better rule.
I Animi morbi perniciosiores, pluresque quam corporis. — Cic. 3. Tuscul.
II The Athenians punished not only the total violation of a law, but even of a
clause or part of a law.
VOL. XXI. H
9S THE REASONS OF
6. It is a denial or contempt of the goodness of God, as if
he had ensnared us by his law, and envied our happiness, and
forbade us that which would do us good, and put us upon that
which will do us hurt, and so would seduce us into calamity,
and were an enemy to our welfare.
7. It is a preferring our naughtiness before his goodness, as
if we could do better in regulating ourselves than God, and
could make a better choice for ourselves than his laws have
made ; and as if our wills were fitter than God's to be the
rule of good and evil. x
8. It is a denial or contempt of his holiness and purity, which
is as contrary to sin as health to sickness ; as if by our deeds
we would persuade the world, that God is as Satan, a lover of
sin, and an enemy to himself and holiness.
9. It is a denial or contempt of God's propriety, as if we
were not his own, and he had not power to dispose of us as he
list ; or it is a robbing him of the use and service of that which
is absolutely his own.
10. It is a claiming of propriety in ourselves, as if we were
at our own disposal, and might do with ourselves and our
faculties as we list.
11. It is a belying or contempt of the great and gracious
promises of God, and of the wonderful mercy which he mani-
festeth in them, by which he doth bind and allure us to obe-
dience, as if he did not mean as he speaketh, or would not
make good his word to the obedient.
12. It is a falsifying or contempt of his dreadful threatenings,
as if he did not intend any execution of them, but made them
only as a deceitful terror to frighten men from sin, for want of
better means.
13. It is a denial or contempt of the dreadful, future judg-
ment of God, as if he would never call men to any account, nor
judge them according to his laws.
14. It is a denying the veracity of God, as if he were a liar
and deceiver, and did not intend the things which he speaketh ;
as if his precepts were but a false pretension, and he were, in-
deed, indifferent what he did, and were not to be believed in
his predictions, promises, or threats.
15. It is a contempt of all the mercies, even of this life,
x Piso (in Cic. de Fin. 1. 5. p. 203.) saith of the Epicureans, Quin etiam ipsi
voluptuarii diverticula quaerant, et virtutes habeant in ore totos dies,&c> which
showeth that virtue was commended even by the voluptuous.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 99
which flesh itself cloth overvalue ; as if protection, provision,
deliverances, comforts, were not so much to be regarded as our
concupiscence, or were not of weight enough to bind us to obey
so merciful a God, as if ingratitude were no crime.
16. It is a contempt of those castigatory afflictions, by which
God driveth men from sin, by giving them a taste of the bitter-
ness of its fruits.
17. It is a contempt of all the examples of his mercy and
his judgment upon others, by which he hath showed us how
good he is, and how just a punisher of sin.
IS. It is a contempt of all the inward motions and strivings
of God, which sinners often feel persuading them to forbear their
sins, and to seek after God.
19. It is a contempt of conscience, which beareth witness for
God against their sins.
20. It is a contempt of all the instructions and advice of wise
and good men, who are required, by God and nature, to warn
men, and dissuade them from their sins.
21. It is a contempt of the example of all obedient, virtuous
persons, whose lives instruct them and reprove them.
22. It is a contempt of virtue itself, which is contrary to sin,
and whose proper worth commandeth love.
23. It is a contempt of God's omnipresence, when we will sin
in his very presence ; and of his omniscience, when we will sin
when we know that he seeth it.
24. It is a contempt of the greatness and almightiness of God,
when a silly worm dare sin against him, who upholdeth the
world, and can do justice on him in a moment ; as if we could
make good our part against him.
25. It is a contempt of the attractive goodness of God, by
which he is man's End and Happiness ; as if all the goodness
and love of God were not enough to counterpoise the base and
brutish pleasures of sin, and to drive the rational soul to God.
(It was his efficient goodness which I spoke of before.)
26. And thus it declareth, that we are so far void of love to
God ; for love is desirous to please.
27. It is a setting up the sordid creature for our end; as if it
were more attractive and amiable than God, and litter to content
and delight the soul.
28. It is a contempt of all that glorious happiness of the life
to come, which God hath warranted the righteous to expect ;
as if it were not all so good as the defiling, transitory pleasures
h 2
100 THE REASONS OF
of sin, and would not recompense us for all that we can do or
suffer for God.
29. It is the silencing and laying hy our reason by inconsi-
derateness, or the perverting and abusing of it by error, in the
greatest matters, for which it was given us ; and so it is a vo-
luntary drunkenness or madness, in the things of God and our
felicity.
30. It is a setting up our senses and appetite above our reason,
and making ourselves in use, as beasts, by setting up the lower
bestial faculties to rule.
31. It is the deformity, monstrosity, disorder, sickness, and
abuse of a noble creature, whom God made, in our measure, like
himself, and so a contemptuous defacing of his image. y
32. It is a robbing God of that glorv of his holiness, which
should shine forth in our hearts and lives ; and of that compla-
cency which he would take in our love, obedience, perfection,
and felicity.
33. It is the perverting and moral destruction, not only of our
own faculties, (which were made for God,) but of all the world
which is within our reach ; turning all that against God and our
happiness, which was given us for them ; yea, it is worse than
casting them all away, while we use them contrary to their na-
ture, against their Owner and their End.
34. It is thus a breach in the moral order and harmony of
the world, and as much as in us lieth, the destroying of the
world ; as the dislocation or rejection of some parts of a clock
or watch is a disordering of the whole, and as a wound to the
hand or foot is a wrong to the body ; and it is a wound to every
society where it is committed, and an injury to every individual
who is tempted or afflicted by it. 1
35. It is a contradicting of our own professions, confessions,
understandings, and promises to God.
36. It is a preferring of an inch of hasty time before the
durable life to come, and things that we know are of short
continuance, before those of which we can see no end.
y Minus malum est feritas et iminanitas quam vitiiun, etsi terribilior.—
Arist. 7. Eth. c. 6'.
2 Nil peccant oculi, si non animus oculis imperet. — Sen. Omne animi
vitium tanto conspeciius in se Crimea habet, quantum major qui peccat babe-
tur. — Juv. Omnino ex alio ^enere impoteutia est, ex alio vitium : vitium
enim omne suae culpa? ignarum est, non i^iuira impoteutia. — Arisf.7 . Eth.c. 8.
Vitia nostra voluntate necesse est suscipi. — lb. '1. Eth. c. 5. Q u8e crimini
dautur vitia in nostra potestate sunt. — lb. '6. EtU c. 5.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 101
37. It is the preferring of a corruptible flesh and its pleasure,
before the soul, which is more noble and durable.
38. It is an unmercifulness and inhuman cruelty to ourselves,
not only defiling soul and body, but casting them on the dis-
pleasure and punishing justice of their great and terrible Creator.
39. It is the gratifying of the malicious tempter, the enemy
of God, and of our souls ; the doing his will, and receiving his
image instead of God's.
40. And all this is done voluntarily, without constraint, by a
rational, free agent, in the open light, and for a thing of nought.
Besides what Christians onlv can discern, all this the light of
nature doth reveal to be in the malignity of sin.
Sect, 8. Sin being certainly no better a thing than is here
described, it is most certain that it deserveth punishment.
Sect. 9. And reason telleth us, that God being the Governor
of the world, and perfect government being his perfect work and
glory in that relation, it is not meet that in such a divine and
perfect government so odious an evil be endured, and such con-
tempt of God and all that is good be passed by, without such
execution of his laws as is sufficient to demonstrate the justice of
the Governor, and to vindicate his laws and authority from
contempt. Nor that it be pardoned on any terms, but such as
shall sufficiently attain the ends of perfect government.*
The ends of punishment are, 1. To do justice, and fulfil the
law, and truth of the lawgiver : 2. To vindicate the honour of
the Governor from contempt and treason : 3. To prevent fur-
ther evil from the same offender : 4. To be a terror to others,
and to prevent the hurt that impunity would encourage them
to : 5. And if it be but merely castigatory, it may be for the
good of the sinner himself; but in purely vindictive punishment,
it is the governor and society that are the end.
1. It is true, that as the immediate sense of the precept, e.g.
"Thou shalt do no murder," is not, de eventu, it shall not
come to pass, but de debito, thy duty is to forbear it. So,
also, the immediate sense of the penal part is not de eventu,
e. g. if thou murder, thou shalt be put to death, but de debito,
death shall be thy due, thou shalt be reus mortis : so that if
it do non evenire, it is not presently a falsehood. Rut it is as
true, that when the sovereign makes a law, he thereby declareth
that this law is a rule of righteousness, that it is norma officii et
3 Sceleris etiani poena tristis, et prater eos eventus qui sequuntur, per se
maxima est, — Cic. 2. de Leg:
102 THE REASONS OF
jndicii ; that the subject must do according to it, and expect
to be done by according to it ; that it is the instrument of
government. Therefore, these two things are declared by it :
1. That, ordinarily, judgment and execution shall pass according
to it. 2. That it shall never be, extraordinarily, dispensed with
by sovereignty, but upon terms which as well declare the jus-
tice of the Governor, and discourage offenders from contempt,
and are as fit to preserve the common good, and the honour of
the sovereign. So that, thus far, a law doth assert also the
event, which I put, to prevent objections, and to show that
truth and justice require the ordinary execution of just and
necessary laws. b
2. And should they be ordinarily dispensed with, it would
intimate that the ruler did he knew not what in making
them ; that he repented of them as unjust, or oversaw himself
in them, or foresaw not inconveniences, or was no't able to see
them executed. It would, also, make him seem a deceiver,
that affrighted subjects with that which he never intended
to do ; which omnipotency, omniscience, and perfect goodness,
cannot do, whatever impotent, ignorant, bad men may do. c
3. And the offender must be disabled, when penitency showeth
not the change of his heart, that he do so no more ; and, there-
fore, death is ordinarily inflicted.
4. And, especially, offences must be prevented, and the honour
of the sovereign and safety of the people be preserved. If laws
be not executed, they and the lawgiver will be despised, others
will be let loose, and invited to do evil ; and no man's right will
have any security by the law ; therefore, it is a principle in poli-
tics, that poena debetur reipublices ; it is the commonwealth to
which the punishment of offenders is due ; that is, it is a means
which the. ruler oweth them for their security : and Cato was wont
to say, " Se malle pro collato beneficio nullum reportare yra-
tiam, quampro muleficio petpetrato non dare pamam." (Plutar.
Apoth. Rom.) He had rather miss thanks for his kindnesses
b "Ayei rb frelovrss KtxKys -nrphs rr/v Siktjv. 068 S'tiveiS®' t«s kukss ivZaifxoveiv .
Kai £uv 6 <pav\os, Kal gravwv KoAa^erai. Menand. Nemo malus felix. — Juv.
Malo benefacere tantundem est periculum, quantum bono nialefacere. — Plant.
Pen. See also the advertisement before the ' Unreasonableness of Infidelity ;'
and in the book itself, (P. I. pp. 53,) &c.aud ' More reasons,' &c. (pp. 93, 94,) and
of this book (pp. 6'4, 232. and 253,254) . Noxec par poena esto, ut in suo vitio
quisque plectatur.— Cic. 3. de Leg.
c Injusti judieis est bene agentem non remunerare, et negligentem non cor-
ripere. — Sen. de Benef. Turpe quid ausurus, te, sine teste, time. — Anson.
Yeterem ferendo ihjuriam, invitas novam,— Cell, Noc. Attic, 1. 18.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 103
and gifts, than punishment for his faults ; and was wont to
say, that " Magistratus qui maleficos prohibere possent, et tamen
iiupunitate donarent, lapidibus obruendos esse, ut Reipub. perni-
ciosissimos." A hundred such sayings are in Cicero : ('Offic' 3 :)
'• Quotusquisque reperietur qui impunitate propositi abstinere
possit injuria. Impunitas peccandi maxima est illecebra;" (' De
Natur. Deor/ 3 ;) " Nee domus, nee Respubl. stare potest, si in
ea nee recte factis prcemia extent idla, nee supplicio peccatis ; "
(' In Verrem 5 5 ;) " Est utilius unius improbi supplicia multo-
rum improbitarent coercere, quam propter midtos improbos uni
parcere; " (' Offic' 1 ;) " Non satis est eum qui lacesserit, in-
juria sucb pmnitere ; ut ipse nequid tale postliac committat, et
cceteri sint ad injuriam tardiores." This is the common sense
of all that know what it is to govern.
Object. But God is so good, that all his punishments tend at
last to the sinner's good, and are merely castigatory.
Answ. God is so wise, that he knoweth better than we what
is good and fittest to be done ; and God is so good, that for the
honour of his government, and holiness, and goodness, he ex-
presseth his hatred of sin, to the final ruin of the sinners ; and
he is so wise and good, that he will not spare the offender, when
the penalty is necessary to the good of the innocent, to prevent
their falls. The objection is a surmise not only groundless, but
notoriously false.
Sect. 10. He that would know how far punishment is neces-
sary to the ends of government, must first know how far the
penal law itself is necessary; for the first and chief benefit
to the commonwealth is from the law, and the next from the
execution.
The first benefit is to constrain men to duty, and to restrain
them from doing ill. d This is done immediately by the fear of
punishment, with the expectation of the benefit ; this fear of
d AIL laws were made for these two causes ; both that no man might be suf-
fered to do that which is unjust, and that transgressions being punished, the
rest might be made better. — Demos th. Or. 2. cont. Aristog. It is your part,
who are judges, to preserve the laws, and to make them strong and valid ; for
it is by the benefit of these that good men are better than the bad. — Id. ib.
Or. 1. The government is useless which hath not nerves and force against
the wicked and injurious, and in which pardon and the request of friends can
do more than the laws. — Id. Or. de fals. Leg. Let no man be thought
of so great authority, as to escape unpunished, if he break the laws. — Id. 3.
Olynth. Puniendis peccatis tres esse causas existimatum est. 1. Cum ad-
hibetur poena castigandi et emendandi gratia; ut is qui dtliquit attentior fiat
correctiorque. 2. Quum dignitas ejus authoritasque in quern peccatur tuenda
est, ne praetermissa animadversione contemptum ei pariat. 3. Propter exem-
plum ut caeteri metu pcenae terreantur. — Cell. 1. 6.
104 THE REASONS OF
punishment is to be caused by the rational expectation of it, if
they do offend ; this expectation is to be caused by the commi-
nation of the law. When the law saith, s He that sinneth shall
suffer,' the subject avoideth sin for fear of suffering; therefore,
the subject must believe that the lawgiver meaneth as he speak-
eth, even to govern and judge in justice according to that law :
and he that can but make the subject believe, that the governor
doth but affright men with a lie, and meaneth not to execute
his penalties, shall easily make his laws of none effect, and turn
loose offenders to presumptuous disobedience ; therefore, the
fore-belief of execution is necessary to the efficacy of the law,
which, else, is but a mawkin to affright away birds, and fit to
work on none but fools : and if it be so necessary a duty to the
subject, to believe that the law shall be the norma judicii, and
shall be executed, then in our present case it is certainly true ;
for God cannot lie, nor make it the duty of the world to believe
a lie, nor need so vile a means to keep the world in order : so
that it is most evident, that if the law be necessary, the execu-
tion of it is ordinarily necessary ; and either the execution, or
some means as effectual to the ends of government, is ever ne-
cessary.
Sect. 1 1 . Therefore, he that would know what degree of pu-
nishment it is meet and just for God to execute, must first know
what degree it is meet for him to threaten, or make due by law ;
or rather how much he hath made due : because, what God
should do, is best known by what he actually doeth.
If a temporal, short, or small measure of penalty be sufficient
to be threatened in the law, for the present attaining of the
ends of government, then such a punishment is sufficient in the
execution: but if the threatening of an endless punishment in
another world be little enough, in suo genere, to prevail now
with subjects for order and obedience, then the execution will
be, therefore, necessary by consequence.
Sect. 12. It followeth not, therefore, that punishment or
rewards must cease, if the ends be passed in natural existence ;
because moral means may in time be after their end, to which
they were appointed to operate in esse cogniio ; and that pe-
nalty which is perpetuated, may be a means to the ends already
attained ; that is, the threatenings, and the expectation of
them ; and then the honour of the ruler's veracity and justice
bindeth him to the execution. e
c In judicando vel corrigendo hsec est lex ut aut eum quern punit emendet,
aut poena ejus caeteros meliores reddat; aut sublatis malis securiores creteri
vivant. — Sen. de Clem.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 105
Sect. 13. Whatever reward or punishment is annexed to sin
by the law, is offered with the duty and sin to the subject's
choosing or refusing ; and no man is in danger of any punish-
ment, but he that chooseth it in itself, or in its annexed cause.
And he that will have it, or will have that which he is told by
God is annexed to it, (especially if it be deliberately and obsti-
nately to the last,) hath none to blame of cruelty towards him,
but himself, nor anything to complain of but his wilful choice.
Object. But it were easy with God to confirm man's will so,
that the threatening of a temporal punishment might have ruled
him.
Answ. It is easy with God to make every man an angel, and
every beast or worm a man : but if his wisdom think meet,
below men to make such inferior things as beasts ; and below
angels, or confirmed souls, to make so low a rank of creatures
as men, that have reason, and undetermined and unconfirmed
free wills ; what are we, that we should expostulate with him
for making them no better, nor ruling them in our way ?
Sect. 14. Sin doth unquestionably deserve a natural death,
and annihilation.
This all men grant, that believe God is our Governor, and that
there is any such thing as his laws, and man's sins. If treason
against a king deserve death, much more rebellion and sin against
God. Life and being is God's free gift. If he take it away from
the innocent, he taketh but his own ; therefore, there can be no
doubt but he may take it away from the guilty, who abuse it. f
Sect. 15. If such a penalty were inflicted, God is not bound
to restore that sinner to being again whom he hath annihilated,
(if it be not a contradiction.) And then this penal privation
would be everlasting; therefore, an endless privation of being
and all mercies is the sinner's due.
All this I know of no man that doth deny.
Sect. 16. God is not bound thus to annihilate the sinner, but
may continue all his natural being, and leave him under the
deserved privation of well being, depriving him of all other
mercies.
This is undeniable; that it is in God's choice whether he
will take away his being itself, or only all the mercies which are
f Animas vero ex hac vita, cum delictorum sordibus recedentes, aequandas
his qui in abr upturn ex alto praecipitique delapsi sunt, unde nunquam sit
facultas resurgendi. Ideo uteudum est concessis vita spatiis, ut sit perfectse
purgation s major facultas. — Macrob. de Somu. Scip. I, 1. c. 13.
10(5 THE REASONS OF
necessary to his well-being : for he that had nothing before but
by free-gift, may be deprived of any thing which was none of
his own, if he forfeit it by abuse. Nay, we live upon such con-
tinued emanation from God, as the beams from the sun, that it
is but God's stopping of his streams of bounty, and we perish,
without any other taking away of mercies from us.
Sect. 17- Nature teacheth men to choose a great deal of to-
lerable pain and misery, rather than not be at all ; even so
much as will not utterly weigh down the love of life, and of
vital operations. 5
I say not, as some, that the greatest torment or misery is more
eligible, or less odious, than annihilation ; but it is certain, that
a great deal is. We see abundance, however the Roman and
Greek philosophers scorned it as baseness, who are blind, or
lame, or in grievous pains of the gout and stone, and many that
are in miserable poverty, begging their bread, or toiling from
morning to night like horses, and yet seldom taste a pleasant
bit, but join distracting cares with labours; and yet they are
all unwilling to die. Custom hath made their misery tolerable,
and they had rather continue so for ever than be annihilated.
If, then, God may annihilate even the innocent, (supposing he
had not promised the contrary,) then may he lay all that pain,
and care, and labour on them, which they would themselves
prefer before annihilation. For it is no wrong to one that hath
his reason and liberty, to give him his own choice.
Sect. 18. It is just with God to lay more misery on a sinner,
than on one that never deserved ill ; and to lay more on him for
his sin, than he would choose himself, before annihilation.
Whether God may, without injustice, inflict more misery on
e Sua quemque fraus, et suus error maxime vexat, suum quemque scelus
agitat, amentiaque affieit, suae nialae cogitatioues conscientiaeque auimi ter-
rent. Ha? sunt impiis assiduze domesticsque furiae, qua? dies noctesque pcenas
a sceleratissimis repetunt. — Cicer. pro Rose. Improbitas nunquam sinit
eum respirare, nunquam quiescere. — Cicero de Fin. Impii pcenas luunt,
non tam judiciis, quaiu augore conscientiae, fraudisque cruciatu. — Id. 2, de
Leg. Animi conscientia nuprobi semper cruciantur, turn etiam poena? ti-
more. — Id. 2, de Fin. Impiis apud inferos sunt pcenae praeparatae. — Id. 1,
de Leg.
Hie geminae aeternuro porta;, quarum altera dura
Semper lege patens, populos regesque receptat. — Val. Flac. 1.
Claud. 2. Ruf. de inferis ita loquitur.
Hue post emeritam mortalia secula vitam
Deveniunt, ubi nulla manent discrimina fati
Nullus honor, vanoque exutum nomine Regem
Perturbatjplebeius egens
THE CHRISTIAN KKLIGION. 107
the innocent, than he would himself prefer before annihilation,
some make a question, and deny it. For my part, I see no
great difficulty in the question.
But it is nothing to that which I am proving. It is not God's
usage of the innocent, but of the guilty, which we are speaking
of; and that he may make them more miserable who deserve
it, than his bounty made them before any guilt, or than a just
man would choose to be, rather than be annihilated, I see no
reason at all to doubt. Penalty is involuntary ; and no man
ever said that it was unjust to lay more upon a malefactor than
he himself was willing of, and would choose before a condition,
which without his fault he might have been put into. h
So, then, we have already proved, 1. That God may punish a
man everlastingly ; 2. And with a greater penalty than anni-
hilation.
Sect. 19. God may leave a sinner his being, and, in particu-
lar, deprive him of his favour, and all the joys and blessedness
which he refused by his sinning.
Sect. 20. And he may justly withal deny him those corporeal
mercies, meat, drink, honour, pleasure, health, ease, &c, which
he over-valued and abused, and preferred before God and greater
blessings.
All this I think no man doth deny, that acknowledged! a God.
Sect. 21. He that is continued in his natural being, and is
deprived of God's favour, and of his future happiness for ever,
and understandeth what it is that he hath lost, and is also de-
prived of all those natural benefits which he desired, must needs
be under continual pain of sense, as well as of loss ; for all this
want must needs be felt.
Sect. 22. He that in all this misery of loss and sense doth
remember how it was that he came to it, and how base a thing
he preferred before his God, and his felicity, and for how vile a
price he sold his hopes of the life to come, and how odiously he
abused God by sin, (as it is before described,) cannot choose but
have a continual torment of conscience, and heart-gnawing re-
pentance in himself. 1
h Facinorum mala flagellantur a. conscientia cui plurimum tormentorum est,
eo quod perpetuaillam sollicitudo urget ac verberat. — Sen, Ep. 97. Consci-
entia aliud agere uon patitur, ac subinde respicere ad se cogit. Dat pcenas
qui metuit. — Se?i. Ep. 105.
' Faciuorosa conscientia instar ulceris in corpore, pceuitentiam relinquit in
anima lancinantem jugiter ac pervellentem. — Plut. de Tranquil. Maxima
est facta? injuria? poena fecisse : nee quisquam gravius afficitur, qua.ni qui ad
supplicium poenitentiae trahitur.— Sen. de Ira, 1. 3. c. 2°. It is one of Pytha-
108 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 23. He that is in utter despair of ever coming out of
this condition, will thereby have his torment yet more increased.
All these are natural, undeniable consequents.
Sect. 24. A body united to so miserable a self-tormenting,
forsaken soul, cannot have any peace and quietness, seeing it is
the soul by which the body liveth, and hath its chief peace
or pains.
Sect. 25. Thus sin doth both as a natural and as a moral
meritorious cause, bring on dissatisfaction, grief, vexation, de-
sertion by God, and privation of felicity and peace.
Sect. 26. For as long as a sinner is impenitent and unsancti-
fied, that is, loveth not God as God, nor is recovered from his
carnal mind and sin, it is both morally and naturally impossible
that he should be blessed, or enjoy God.
For, as it is only God that can, efficiently, make happy, be-
cause nothing worketh but by him ; and so sin meritoriously
undoeth the sinner, by making him unfit for favour, and making
him an object of displacence and justice ; so it is only God that
finally can make happy, all things being but means to him, and
unfit of themselves to give rest to the inquisitive, seeking mind : k
and God is enjoyed only by love, and the sense of his love and
goodness ; therefore, the soul that loveth not God, and is not
suited to the delightful fruition of him, can no more enjoy him
than a blind man can enjoy the light, or an ox feast with a
man.
Sect. 27. He that is under this punishment and despair, will
be yet further removed from the love of God, and so from all
capacity of happiness ; for he cannot love a God who, he
knoweth, will for ever, by penal justice, make him miserable.
He that would not love a God who aboundeth in mercy to
him in the day of mercy, will never love him, when he seeth
that he is his enemy, and hath shut him for ever out of mercy,
and out of hope.
Sect. 28. God is not bound to sanctify the mind and will of
goras's sayings, that a bad man suffereth more by the scourge of his own con-
science, than one that is beaten with rods, and chastised on his body. — Stob.
Serm. 24.
Cjuod quisque fecit, patitur : authorem scelus
Repetit, suoque praemitur exemplo nocens. — Sen. Her. fur.
Scd nemo ad id sero venit, unde nunquarn
Cum semel venit potuit reverti. — Id. Ibid.
v Nihil est miserius quam animus hominis conscius, &c. — Plant, Jam
aderit tempus, cum se etiam ipse oderit. — Plant. Jiac.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 109
such a self-detroying sinner, who hath turned away himself from
God and happiness. 1
And without a renewed mind, it is morally and naturally im-
possible that he should be happy. He that would not use the
mercy that would have saved him in the day of mercy, cannot
require another life of mercy and trial, when this is lost and
cast away ; nor can require the further helps of grace.
Sect. 29. If sin as sin have all the malignity and demerit
before proved ; much more the aggravated sins of many, and,
most of all, a life of wickedness, which is spent in enmity against
God and godliness ; and in a course of sensuality and rebellion
with the obstinate, impenitent ; rejecting of all the counsel, calls,
and mercies, which would reclaim the sinner ; and this to the
last breath." 1 ,
It hath before been manifested, that all wilful sin hath this
malignity in it; that, in effect, it denieth that there is a God,
or pulleth him down as much as in the sinner lieth, and it set-
teth up the devil in his stead, and calleth him God, or maketh
God to be such a one as the devil is ; and, also, maketh an
idol of the sinner himself : for it denieth God's power, wisdom,
goodness, propriety, sovereignty, and love ; his truth, and holi-
ness, and justice ; and maketh him, on the contrary, impotent,
unwise, bad, envious, unholy, false, unjust, and one that hath
no authority to rule us ; with much more the like.
But a life of enmity, rebellion, and final impenitency, which
is the case of all that perish, much more deserveth whatever
human nature can undergo.
Sect. 30. He that consenteth not to God's government is a
rebel, and deserveth accordingly; and he that consenteth to it,
consenteth to his laws, and, consequently, to the penalty
threatened ; and therefore if he break them he suffereth by his
own consent, and therefore cannot complain of wrong.
All that understand God's government and laws, and consent
to them, are not only under the obligation of governing power,
but also of their own consent; and it is justly supposed, that
1 Nam quis
Peccandi iinem posuit sibi, quando recepit.
Erectum seniel attrita de fronte ruborem ?
m Quisnam hominum est quem tu conteutum videris uno
Flagitio ? — Juven. 3.
In omni injuria permultum interest, utruiri perfcurbatione aliqua animiquse ple-
rumque brevis est, an consulte fiat : leviora enim sunt ea, qua; repentiuo aliquo
motu acciduut,quanieaqureprremeditataetpri£paratai[iferuiitur. — Cic.'d.Ojfic.
1 10 THE REASONS OF
they consented on good and rational grounds, not knowing where
they could be better ; on hopes of the benefits of the government
and the reward, they necessarily consented to the penalties.
Sect. 31. He that never consenteth to the law, and yet is
under the obligation of it, hath life and death, the blessing and
the curse, felicity and misery, set before him in the law : felicity
is annexed to obedience, and misery to disobedience ; and the
lawgiver telleth us, that accordingly he will judge and execute;
and he offereth every man his choice. He, therefore, that after
this doth choose the sin to which misery is annexed, doth choose
the misery, and refuse the happiness ; and, therefore, it is no
wrong to cast him into misery, though everlasting ; as long as
he hath nothing but what he chose, and loseth nothing but
what he rejected, and that with wilful obstinacy to the very last."
A sinner, in this case, hath nothing but blasphemy to say
against the justice of his Maker: for what can he say? He
cannot say that his Maker had not authority to make this law,
for his authority was absolute. He cannot say that it was too
cruel, hard, and unjust a law; for it was made but to deter him,
and such as he, from such sin, to which he had no greater
temptations than the toyish vanities of a fleshly life. And he
himself hath declared by the event, that the law was not terrible
enough to deter him. If it would not serve against so small
and poor a bait, he himself doth justify the terribleness of it bv
his contempt. God saith, ' I threaten hell to thee, to keep
thee from sin ;' the sinner saith, by his life and practice, ( The
threatening of hell is not enough to keep me from sin.' And
shall the same man say, when execution cometh, it is too great r
No sinner shall surfer any thing but what he chose himself, in
the causes of it. If he sav, ' I did not believe that God was in
good earnest, and would do as he said;' this is but to blaspheme,
and say, ' I took God for a liar, and deceiver, and a bad, and
unwise, and impotent Governor.' If he say, ' I did not know
that sin, even final impenitency in an ungodly life, deserved so
ill,' common reason, and all the world, will rise up against
him; and the light of nature will show him to his face, that all the
forty points of malignity were in sin, which I mentioned before;
and therefore that the law of nature had asufficient promulgation.
n Volenti non fit injuria. Neque enim civitas in seditione beata esse potest,
nee in discordia dominorum domus : quo minus animus a seipso dissidens,
secumque discordans, gustare partem ullam Iiliquidffi voluntatis, et berae po-
test. — Torquatus Epicur. in Cic. de Fin. 1. 1. p. 8(i.
It is an odd fiction of Cicero's, that men for sin shall be turned into women-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Ill
Having thus showed what punishment God may inflict with-
out the least imputation of injustice, let us next inquire of
reason what he will inflict.
Sect. 32. When it is at God's choice whether he will anni-
hilate a sinner, or let him live in misery, reason telleth us, that
the latter is more suitable to the ends of government ; because
the living offender will not only be still a spectacle in the eyes
of others, as a man hanged up in chains, but will also confess
his folly and sin, and his conscience will justify his judge, and
so God's justice will be more glorious and useful to its ends.
That which is not, is not seen nor heard ; the annihilated
are out of sight ; and the mind of man is apt to think of a
state of annihilation, as that which is a state of rest, or ease,
and feeleth no harm, and so is not terrible enough, as shall be
further said anon. The living sufferer, therefore, is rationally
the fittest monument of God's justice.
Sect. 33. It must reasonably be expected, that a soul, which
is made apt to perpetual duration, should perpetually endure;
and that the soul enduring, the misery also should endure,
seeing it was due by the law of nature, as is proved.
Perpetual duration is necessary to no creature, their beings
being but contingent, and dependent on the will of God ; but
perpetual duration of a dependent being is certain, when the
first being doth declare his will that it shall be so : and the
natural way by which God declareth his will concerning the
vise of any thing, is by the nature and usefulness of it, because
he maketh all things wiselv, and nothing in vain. Therefore,
when he maketh the nature of an angel, or spiritual being, apt
to perpetual duration, as being not mixed of separable principles,
nor corruptible, he thereby declareth his will for its duration,
because he gave it not that durable nature in vain.
Two arguments, therefore, I now offer, to prove that man's
soul is of perpetual duration : 1 . Because it is such in its
operations, and, therefore, in its essence, as the superior spirits
are, which are so durable : for they are but intelligences and
Atque ille qui recte €t honeste curriculum vivendi a natura datum confecerit,
ad illud astrum, quocum aptus fuerit revertetur: qui autem immoderate et in-
temperanter vixerit, eum secundus ortus in tiguram muliebrem transferer, et
si ne turn quiderh finem vitiorum f'aciet,(as he is less likely,") gravius etiam jac-
tabitur, etinsuis moribus simillimas fi«uras pecudum etferarum transferetur.
Neque malorum terminum prius aspiciet, quam illam sequi ca*perit conver-
sionem, quam habebat in se, &c. — eum ad prhnam et optimam conversioueni
pervenerit.— Cic.de Universit. p. (mihi) 358.
112 THE REASONS OF
free-agents ; fitted to love God, and delight in him, and praise
him ; and so is man. 2. Because, as is fully proved before, it
is made to be happy in another life : and that proveth that it
dieth not with the body : and that proveth that its nature is
incorruptible : and that proveth that it shall be perpetual,
unless any sin should forfeit its being, by way of penal depriva-
tion ; and that is improbable, both because God hath fitter ways
of punishment, and intimateth in its corruptible nature, that
this is not his intent, and because the state of future reward is
like to be a confirmed state.
Sect. 34. Experience telleth the world, that so great is the
folly and obduracy of man, and the force of present, sensual
allurements, that nothing less than a perpetual misery, worse
than annihilation, is rationally sufficient to be the penalty of
that law, which is the instrument of governing the world ; and
therefore it is certain, that so much is in the law, and so much
shall be executed.
Those thieves and murderers that have confirmed their infi-
delity, and overcome all the expectations of another world, will
as boldly venture their lives to rob and kill, as if they were of
little worth ; yea, when they know that they must die, how des-
perately they go to the gallows, and how little they make of their
lives. It is true, as was aforesaid, that nature abhorreth death ;
but we see among soldiers, that he that at first is timorous, when
he hath been used awhile to kill men, or to see them killed by
thousands, groweth senseless, almost regardless of his life, and
will make, as it were, a jest of death ; and when it is so ordi-
nary a thing with men to kill birds, and fishes, and beasts, for
their daily food and pleasure, why should they not easily bear
their own, if they look for nothing after death ? A beast
loveth his life as well as we, and our death is no more painful
than theirs, and we should have as much courage as a beast;
especially, men that live a poor and miserable life on earth,
would little fear that death which endeth it ; and so human
government itself would be in vain. He that would have an in-
strument to revenge him on his enemy, to kill his governor, or
do any villany in the world, if it were not for fear of another
world, might find enough among poor villains, that, by misery
or melancholy, are weary of their lives : at least, as long as
they run but a hazard, like a soldier in fight, and may possibly
escape by craft, or flight, or friends, or strength, what wicked-
ness will they not commit ? What prince so just that hath not
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 113
some rebellious subjects, or some enemy that seeks bis life ;
what man so good that is not envied by some ? Who hath
money or an estate, which one or other doth not desire ; and
if there were nothing but death and annihilation to restrain men,
what prince, what person, had any security of his life or estate ?
If a rogue once grow hut sensual and idle, he will deliberately
resolve, ' I will venture my life to live in pleasure, rather than
live in certain toil and misery ; a life short and sweet is bet-
ter than a longer which is miserable, and must end at last.'
We see, if once men be persuaded that they shall die like beasts,
that they are not much troubled at it, hecause they think that
when they have no being, they shall have no fear, nor care, nor
grief, nor trouble, nor pain, nor want ; and though right im-
proved reason, which hath higher expectations, makes a greater
matter of the loss of them, yet sensual men so brutify themselves,
that they grow contented with the felicity of a brute, and are
not much troubled that they have no more. Annihilation, there-
fore, certainly is a penalty utterly insufficient even to keep any
common order in the world, as 1 proved before ; and therefore
it is certain, that the penalty inflicted hereafter will be greater
than annihilation ; and if so, it must contain, with the being of
the creature, a suffering worse than the loss of being. p
K Sect. 35. The belief of a hell, or endless punishment, being
that which, de facto, the restraint of the obedient part of the
world, and that which proveth too weak with the disobedient
part ; it thence followeth, that a hell or endless punishment
will be inflicted. 11
The reasons I have given before, 1. Because that experience
showeth that the threatening of hell is necessary in the law ;
p Magna est peccandi illecebra spes impunitatis. — Cic. pro. Mil. The
light of nature taught men, that God would not accept the sacrifices of the
wicked, much less admit them to his glory. Donis impii ne placare Deos
audeant, Platonem audiant, qui vetat dubitare qua sit mente futurus Deus,
cum vir nemo bonus ab improbo se donari velit. Cic. de Leg. 1. 2. p. 244.
The Epicurean confesseth, Quod si qui satis opibus hominum sibi contra con-
scientiam septi esse et muniti videntur, Deorum tamen numen horrent,
easque ipsas solicitudines.quibus aniini noctes diesque exeduntur, a. Diis sup-
plicii causa importare putaut. — Cic. de LegA. 1. p. 84. Nullum conscium
peccatorum tuorum, mugis timueris quam temetipsum : alium enim potes
effugere, te autem nunquam. Nequitia ipsa est sui poena. — Sen.
i Peccati dolor et maximus et seteruus est. — Cic. Att. 11. Itaque non ob
ea solum incommoda qure eveniunt improbis, fugiendam improbibatem puta-
mus ; sed multo etiam magis, quod cujus in animo versatur, nunquam sinit
eum respirare, nunquam quiescere ; inquit Torquatus Epicureus in Cic. de
Fin. I. l.p. 85.
VOL. XXI. I
114 THE REASONS OF
therefore itself is necessary in the execution. 2. Because God
doth not govern the world by deceit.
Sect. 36. God will inflict more punishment for the final re-
jection of his government, than kings do for treason and rebellion
against themselves.
There is no proportion between God and man, and between
a fault against God and against man ; therefore, if racks, tor-
ments, and death be justly inflicted for treason against a king,
much more may be expected for rebellion against God.
Object. But men's sins do God no hurt, as they do the king.
Answ. They do wrong, where they do no hurt. It is not for
want of malignity in sin, but through the perfections of God,
that they do not hurt him ; but they displease him, and injure
him ; and they hurt the world and the sinner himself, who is
not his own. A child is to be corrected for many faults, which
do his father no harm. It is not hurting God that is the cause
that sin is punished.
Object. But God is merciful as well as just.
Answ. True ; and therefore he showed mercy to sinners in
the day of mercy ; and it is for the contempt and abuse of
mercy that he eondemneth^them : if the mercy abused had been
less, the sin and punishment had been less. A merciful king
and judge will hang a murderer or traitor : mercy to the good
requireth punishment to the bad. God's attributes are not con-
trary ; he is merciful to the due objects of mercy, and hath penal
justice for the objects of that justice.
Object. But after this life the ends of punishment cease,
therefore, so will the punishment ; for there will be none in the
next world to be warned by it, nor any further sin to be re-
strained, unless it be a castigatory purgatory for the sinner
himself.
Answ. 1. I have proved that the law was necessary to the
government of this world ; and if it was necessary that God say,
' Everlasting death shall be the wages of sin,' then his truth
and justice make the execution necessary afterwards/
2. When this life is ended, we look for a new heaven and a
new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness : and the penalties of
the sinners of this world may be a means of that righteousness
r Ut fulmina paucorum periculo caduut, omnium metu ; sic animadversiones
magnarum potestatum, terrent latius quam nocent. — Sen. Solon's counsel
for the felicity of the Commonwealth was, Ut boni prasmiis invitentur, et mali
pcenis coerceantur. — Cic, ad Brut. Oderuut peccare mali formidine poena.
—Hot.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 115
of the next ; as the punishment of the devils is a warning to us,
and proposed to us for our terror and restraint.
3. How little know we whether thousands of the orbs which
we see are not inhabited ; and whether the penalties of earthly
sinners may not be a warning to any of those superior worlds.
God hath not acquainted us with all the uses that he can make
of sinners' punishments : and, therefore, when nature telleth
us what is due, it is folly to say it will not be, because God hath
no use for it.
Object. But hell is a cruelty which expresseth tyranny rathe r
than wise justice.
Answ. That is but the voice of folly, partiality, and guilt :
every thief that is hanged is likely enough to think the same of
his own punishment and judge. If you think it such a cruelty,
why was not the threatening of it enough to govern you, and to
counterpoise a feather, the trifles of sordid, fleshly pleasure ?
Why did you choose it, in the choice of sin ? Were you not told
of it, and was not life and death offered to your choice ? Would
you choose that which you think it is cruelty to inflict? Who
is it that is cruel to you but yourselves ? Why will you now be
so cruel to your own souls, and then call God cruel for giving
you your choice ? O, sinners, as you are wise, as you are men,
as ever you care what becometh of you for ever, have mercy
upon yourselves, and do not refuse, and obstinately refuse, the
mercy of God, and then call him unmerciful. Have pity on
your own souls. Be not so cruel against yourselves as to run
into endless misery for nothing, and then think to lay the blame
on God. God calleth now to you in your sin and wilfulness,
and entreateth you to have mercy on yourselves, and then he
will have mercy on you in the day of your distress : but if you
will not hear him, but will have none of his mercy now, wonder
not if in vain you cry to him for it then.
Object. But I would not so use an enemy of my own.
Answ. 1. He doth not deserve it, for you are not gods.
2. You are not governors of the world, and so his fault respecteth
not any such law and judgment of yours, by which the world
must be governed. 3. Nor have you the wisdom and justice
of God, to do that which is right to all. Yet are you not bound
yourselves to take complacency in the evil of your enemy, but to
use just means to bring him to a better mind and state.
Sect. 37. The sum of all here proved is, that all sin deserveth
endless misery, and naturally induceth to it; and that all un-
i 2
116 THE REASONS OF
godly, impenitent souls shall certainly undergo it ; and that none
can be saved from this misery, but by turning to God, and being
saved from their sins. s
CHAP. XVI.
Of the present Sinful and Miserable State of this World.
Sect. 1. Though all men may know all this beforesaid to be
their duty, and sin to be so evil, and to deserve such punish-
ment, yet none do live perfectly without sin, according to the
law of nature. 1
I have heard but of few that pretend to such perfection, and
those few have confuted their own pretences, and been the fur-
thest from it of many others : and, therefore, this I have no need
to prove.
Sect. 2. The greatest part of the world do bend their minds
and lives to the satisfying of their flesh, and live in ungodliness,
intemperance, and unrighteousness, neglecting God and future
happiness, and that holy life which is the way thereto.
This being a matter of public or common fact, doth need no
other proof than acquaintance with the people of the world.
Sect. 3. Yea, there is an aversion and enmity in them, to
the life which God in nature doth prescribe them, and a strong
inclination to a fleshly life.
There needeth no other proof of this than the wonderful dif-
ficulty which we find in persuading men to change their lives,
to live to God, and to forsake their sensuality and worldliness ;
and the abundance of reason and labour that is lost upon them,
when we cannot so much as make them willing.
s Dat ille veniam facile, cui venia est opus. — Sen. Agam. Audetis ridere
nos, cum Gehennas dicimus et inextinguibiles ignes, in quos animas ilejici ab
eorum hosiibus cognovimus? Quid PJato vester in volumine de animse im-
mortalitate ? Nonne Acheroutem, nonne Stygem, &c, nominat ? In quibus
animas asseverat volvi, mergi, exuri ? Nee ejus auihoritas plurimum a veri-
tate declinat ? Quamvis enim vir lenis et beuevolae voluntatis iuhumanum
esse crediderit capitali animas sententia condemnare ; noti est tamen absoue
suspicatus, jaci eas in flumina torrentia fiammaruiu globis, et caniosis vora-
ginibus tetra. — A mob. adv. Gent. 1. 2, p. 14.
'Bias (in Laert.) inquit, lta amandum quasi odio simus habituri : Plurimos
enim esse malos : and though Cicero (in La?l.) says, That it is a sentence,
Sapiente plane indigua, it is his mistake of the sense of it; for it is true, that
in well-grounded friendship we must avoid suspicion, which is all that Cicero
pleads fur : but yet we must know men to be men, and mutable ; and all just
love is not well-grounded, intimate friendship.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 117
Sect. 4. It is evident in the effect, that much of this cometh
with us into the world.
1. How else should it be so universal as it is ? How should
it be found in all sorts of constitutions and complexions ; and
in every country and age till now ? 2. How should it work so
early in children as commonly it doth ? 3. How cometh it to
prevail against the best education, helps, and means ? Certainly,
all of us feel from our childhood too much of the truth of this.
Sect. 5. This natural pravity is quickly increased by the
advantage of sensuality, which is active before reason cometh to
any power of resistance, and so getteth stronger possession by
custom, and groweth to a confirmed habit. 11
Sect. 6. And if vicious education by vicious parents be added,
and bad company second that, and the vulgar course, or ruler's
countenance concur, the corrupt inclination is quickly more
radicated, and next to a nature.
Sect. 7. Many so far prevail against the light and law of
nature, as to grow strange to God and to themselves, to their
end and their work : even to doubt whether there be a God, or
whether they have any other life to live, and whether holiness
be good and necessary, and sin be bad, and deserve any
punishment. 2
Sect. S. There is a great deal of sottish unteachableness on
the minds and wills of men, which hindereth their conviction
and reformation.*"
Sect. 9. There is a great deal of senseless stupidity and hard-
heartedness on men, which maketh them sleepily neglect the
greatest things which they are convinced of.
Sect. 10. There is in most a marvellous inconsiderateness, as
if they had not their reason awake to use ; so that they will not
soberly and seriously think of the things which most deeply
concern them.
Sect. 1 1 . Most men are so taken up with the concernments
of their bodies, that their minds are pre-occupied, and made
unfit for higher things. 1
u In uno annulo omnes'boui principes possunt insculpi, inquit quidam in
I'opisc. Aurel.
* Seneca saith, that a good man is a phoenix, born once in five hundred
years. Ep. 42.
y Luciau (in Tim.) inq.Boni possessioest, quaehaud facile inveniri potest;
ut quae jamdudum e vita concesserit : Adeo obscura et pusilla, ut illam vel
Lynceus vix dum inveniat.
7 Diogenes crying, O homines adeste ! when a crowd came about him,
drove them away, saying, Homines voeavi, non sterquilinia.
118
THE REASONS OF
All this is proved, if we walk but in the world with open eyes.
Sect. 12. The love of the world and fleshly pleasure is so
powerful in the most, that they love not the holy law of God,
which forbiddeth them that sensuality, and commandeth them a
holy and temperate life. a
They are like children that cry for what they love, and will
not be restrained by telling them that it is unwholesome. Reason
signifieth nothing with them, as long as sense and appetite
gainsay it. They are angry with all that crosseth their appetites,
though it be to save their lives. The sense is become the pre-
dominant power in them, and reason is dethroned, and hath left
its power. Therefore, God's law is unacceptable and hateful
to these brutish people ; because it is quite against their incli-
nation, and that which the flesh doth call their interest and
good.
Sect. 13. Therefore they love not those who press them to
the obedience of this law, which is so ungrateful to them ; and
who condemn their sin by the holiness of their lives ; and that
awaken their guilty consciences, by the serious mention of the
retributions of the life to come.
All this is bitter to the taste, and the reasonableness, neces-
sity, and future benefits, are things that they are much insen~
sible of.
Sect. 14. Therefore, they love not God himself; as he is holy,
. and governeth them by a holy law, which is so much against
their inclinations ; as he forbiddeth them all their sinful plea-
sure, and threatened! damnation to them if they rebel, espe-
cially as his justice will execute this ; indeed, their aversation
from God, in these respects, is no less than a hating him as God.
Sect. 15. These vices, working continually in men's hearts,
do fill them with deceiving thoughts, and distracting passions,
and unquietness, and engage them in self-troubling ways, and
deprive them of the comforts of the love of God, and of a holy
life, and of the well-grounded hope of future blessedness.
Though they have such a present pleasure as prevaileth with
them, it bringeth speedy smart and trouble : just like the
pleasure of scratching to a man that hath the itch, which is
a Aristippus being asked, Quid esset admirandum in vita? answered, Vir
probus et moderatus ? quoniam etsi inter multos improbos agat, non tamen
pervertitur. — Stob. Hence, was Diogenes' searching Athens with a lan-
tern, to find a man. And when Themistocles had a farm to sell, he bid
the cryer tell it, as its great commendation, That there was an honest neigh-
bour dwelt near it : intimating the paucity of such.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 119
quickly recompensed with a smart if he go too deep : or, like
the pleasure of drinking cold water to a man in a fever, or a
dropsy, which increaseth the disease. Sin is their sickness,
and corrupteth their appetites, and though it have its proper
pleasure, it depriveth them of the pleasures and benefits of
health. b
Sect. 16. These vices, also, so deprave men's minds, making
every wicked man to be principally for himself and for his lusts,
that they are commonly distracted with envy, malice, conten-
tion, persecutions, the fruits of pride, and covetousness, and
sensuality ; and these diseases are still troubling them, till they
work their ruin where they do prevail.
Sect. 17. The same vices set kingdoms and other common-
wealths together in bloody wars, and cause men to study to
destroy one another, and glory in the success ; and fill the
world with rapine and violence by sea and land, and make it
seem as necessary to their own preservation, to kill one another,
as their enemies, as to kill toads and serpents, wolves and
tigers, and much more ; and, with much more care, and cost,
and industry is it 'lone.
Sect. 18. If any wise and charitable persons would heal
these vices, and reconcile these contentions, and persuade per-
sons and nations to a holy, sober, peaceable course, they are
commonly hated and persecuted ; they seldom succeed, nor can
their counsel be heard, through the multitude and fury of the
vicious, whose folly and violence bear down all. d
Sect. 19. And God himself doth give the sinful world a
taste of his displeasure by painful sickness, consuming plagues,
famines, poverty, and many the like calamities which fall upon
mankind. e
Sect. 20. But his sorest judgments are the forsaking of men's
souls, and leaving them in all this folly and disorder, this sin
and misery, to destroy themselves.
b Ut Scarabaei et vultures unguentis offenduntur ; ita non omnibus placent
optima. — Plutarch.
Vir bonus et sapiens qualem vix reperit unum.
Millibus e cunctis bominum consultus Apollo, &c. — Virgil.
c Vitio nostra quae amamus defendimus ; et malumus eaexcusare quam ex-
cutere. — Sen. Ep. 117.
u Absurdum est putare eum qui ab aliquibus ex bono malus fuerit factus,
eundem ab illis iterum ex malo bonum fieri posse. — Dion. Hal. 11.
e Ubi divitiae honori sunt, et eas gloria, imperium, potentia comitantur,
hebescere virtus, paupertas Probro haberi innocentia pro malevolentia duci
incipit. — Salust. in Cattilin,
120 THE REASONS OF
The principal mercies and punishments of this life are found
on the souls of men themselves. The greatest present reward
of obedience is, when God doth more illumine the mind, and
send in more of his celestial beams, and shed abroad his love
upon the heart, and fill it with the love of goodness, and delight
it in himself, and confirm the will against temptations. And
the greatest punishment is, when God, in displeasure for men s
disobedience, doth withdraw this grace, and leave men to
themselves, that they that love not his grace should be without
it, and follow their foolish, self-destroying lusts/
Sect. 21. God cannot pardon an incapable subject, nor any,
but on terms consistent with the honour of his justice, laws, and
government ; nor is there any that can deliver a sinner from
his punishment, upon any other terms whatsoever.
Sect. 22. The conclusion is, that the sin and misery of man-
kind in general is great and lamentable, and their recovery a
work of exceeding difficulty.
Object. All this showeth, that man's nature was not made
for a holy life, nor for a world to come, else their averseness to
it would not be .so great and common.
Answ. This is fully answered before : it is proved, that na-
ture and reason do fully bear witness against his wickedness,
and declare his obligations to a better life, and his capacity of
higher things ; and that all this is his rebellion against nature
and reason. And it no more proveth your conclusion, than
your children's or servants' averseness to obedience, peace, and
labour, proveth that these are not their duty ; or subjects'
rebellion, proveth that they are not obliged to be loyal. g
Object. But it is incredible that God should thus far for-
sake his own creation.
Answ. 1. There is no disputing against the light of the sun,
and the experience of all the world : it is a thing visible and
undeniable, that this case they are in tie facto, and, there-
fore, that thus far they are forsaken : it is no wisdom to say,
f ^lian (var. Hist. 1. 13) saith, That Theodata, a whore, told Socrates that
he could draw away none of her followers, but she could draw away his at her
pleasure ; and he answered, Non mirum : tu siquidem ad declivem tramitem
omnes rapis ; ego vero ad vivtutem cogo, ad quam arduus plerisque insolitus
est ascensus.
e Animi niorbi sunt cupiditates imniensse, inanes diviiiarum, gloria 1 domi-
nationis, libidinosarum etiam voluptatum accedunt 3?gritudines, molestia?
maerores, quae auimos exedunt conficiuntque curzis, — Cic.l, de Finib. In
naturalibus desideriis pauci non peccant — Aristot. 3 Eth.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 121
' That is not,' which all the world seeth to be so, because we
think it unmeet that it should be so. 2. Is it incredible that
God doth further than this forsake the wicked in the world of
punishment ? If he may further forsake hell, he may thus far
forsake earth, upon their great provocations. We have no
certainty of it, but it is not at all unlikely that the innumerable
fixed stars and planets are inhabited orbs, who have dwellers
answerable to their nature and pre-eminence ; and if God do
totally forsake hell, as to his mercy ; and, next to hell, do much
forsake a sinful earth, that is likest and nearest unto hell, and
do glorify his more abundant mercy upon the more holy and
happy inhabitants of all, or almost all, the other orbs, what
matter of discontent should this be to us ? 3. But God hath
not left this dark and wicked earth itself, without all remedy,
as shall be further showed. h
Read Cicero's third book c De Nat. Deor.,' and you will
see, in Cotta's speech, that the notoriously depraved reason of
man, and the prevalency and prosperity of wickedness, was the
great argument of the atheists against God and providence ;
which they thought unanswerable, because they looked no
further than this life, and did not foresee the time of full,
universal justice. And whereas Cotta saith, "That if there
be a God, he should have made most men good, and prevented
all the evil in the world, and not only punish man when it is
done ;" I shall answer that among the objections of the second
tome : and I before showed, how little reason men have
to expect that God should make every man as good as he
could make him, or make man indefectible ; or to argue from
man's sin against God's goodness : the free Creator, Lord, and
Benefactor, may vary his creatures and benefits as he seeth meet,
and may be proved good, though he make not man angelical,
and though he permit his sin, and punish him for sinning. 1
h God only can recover lapsed man. Nemo magnus sine aliquo afflatu divino
unquam fuit. — Cicero de Nat. Deor. 2. Of the paucity of the good, and the
abounding of wickedness, almost all poets, orators, philosophers, and histo-
rians openly complain.
' Pauci quos aequus amavit. Jupiter aut ardens avexit ad aethera virtus.
In vitia alter alterum trudimus : quomodo ad saluteiu revocari potest, quern
Qullus retrahit, et populus impel lit ? — Senec. Ep. 29. Serpunt vitia et con-
tactu nocent, et in proximum quemque transiliunt. — Id. de Trunq. vit.
Nam vitiis nemo sine nascitur ; optiinus ille
Qui minimis urgetur. — Horat. 1. Ser. 3.
Unicuique dedit vitium natura creato. — Propert.
Quid ulcus leviter tangam ? Omues mali sumus, — Senec.
Sicupis bouus fieri, primum crede quod malus sis. — Epictet. Enchri,
122 THE REASONS OF
CHAP. XVII.
What natural Light declareth of the Mercy of God to Sinners,
and of the Means and Hopes of Man's Recovery.
Sect. 1. Notwithstanding all this fore-mentioned sin, and
guilt, and misery, of man, and justice of God, experience
assureth all the earth, that great mercy is still continued to
them, and that they have to do with a most merciful God. k
Men's lives are continued even while they sin; patience
endureth them ; time is vouchsafed them ; food, and raiment,
and friends, and habitations, and health, and ease, and liberty
is given them ; the sun sendeth them its moving influence, its
light and heat ; the earth supporteth them, and arfordeth them
fruit, and maintenance, and pleasure ; the clouds yield them
rain, the air breath, and the sea itself is not unkind and
incommodious to them. Beasts, birds, and fishes, and all
inferior creatures, serve them 3 and yet much more mercy they
receive from God. '
Novi ego hoc seculum moribus quibus sit : malus bonum malum esse vult
ut sit sui similis : turbant, miscent, mores mali, rapax, avarus, invidus,
sacrum profanum, publicum privatum habent: Hiulca gens : Ha?cego doleo :
haec suut quae excruciant ; haec dies noctesque tibi canto ut caveas. — Plant.
Nisi enim talis (mala) esset natura hominum, non anteponerent vindictam
sauctitati et lucrum justitiae, iuvidentes alienae potentiae non laedenti. Sed
volunt homines vindictaa cupiditate communes leges dissolvere, &c. — Thucid.
1.3. Sed et boni, dicetis, sunt in rebus humauis; viri sapientes, justi, in-
culpati Res. Sint licet perhonesti, fuerintque laudabiles, sed audire
deposcimus, quot sint aut fuerint numero, Unus, duo, tres, centum
certe numero diffiniti. — At genus humanum non ex pauculis bonis, sed ex
caeteris omnibus aestimari convenit, ponderari. In toto enim pars est, non
totum in parte — Et quinam isti sunt, dicite ? Philosophi credo, qui se esse
solos sapientissimos autumaut Nempe illi qui cum suis quotidie cupidita-
tibus pugnant — Qui ne in vitia proritari facultatis possint alicujus instinctu,
patrimouia et divitias fugiunt, ne causas sibi afferant lapsus. Quod cum
faciunt et curant, apertissime animas esse indicant labiles, et icfirmitate ad
vitia proclives. Nostra autem sententia, quod bonum natura est, neque emen-
dari neque corrige se poscit : Immo ipsum debet quid sit malum nescire, si
generis forma cuj usque in sua cogitat integritate perstare Qui luctatur
animorum ingenitas corrigere pravitates, is apertissime monstrat imperfectum
se esse, quamvis omni et pervicacia contendat. — Arnob. adv. Gentes, lib.
2. in Aucluar. Bib. Pat. Tom. 1. 20.
k Crede mihi miseris caelestia numina parcunt.
Naec semper lsesos et sine fine premunt. — Ovid. 3. de Pont.
'When Piso(in Cicero) seeketh after the Summum Bonum, he proceedeth by
these steps ; 1. Omnem naturam esse sui conservatricem. Nemiuem esse qui
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 123
Sect. 2. It is, therefore, manifest, that God dealeth not with
the sinful world according to the utmost rigour of justice, nor
punisheth them as much as they deserve.
For all these mercies they have forfeited, and deserved to be
deprived of them.
Object. But it is no mercy, which hardeneth them in sin,
and endeth in misery ; it is rather a punishment, as to give
cold water to a man in a fever.
Answ. If it hardened them of its own nature, and not merely
by their abuse, and if it ended in misery by the designment of
the giver, and the tendency of the gift, then were it, as you
say, no mercy, but a plague. But it is mercy which, in its
nature, and by the donor's will, hath a fitness and tendency to
men's recovery, and to prevent their misery, and they are com-
manded and entreated accordingly to use it ; and are warned of
tbe danger of abuse.
Object. But God knoweth, when he giveth it them, that
they will so abuse it.
Answ. God's fore-knowledge, or omniscience, is his per-
fection, and will you argue from thence against his mercy ?
His fore -knowledge of men's sin and misery causeth them not :
What if he fore- knew them not ? Were it any praise to him
to be ignorant ? and yet the mercy would be but the same. If
you will not be reconciled to God's ways, till he cease to be
omniscient, or till he prevent all the sin and misery which he
fore-knoweth, you will perish in your enmity, and he will easily
justifv his mercy against such accusations.
Object. But God could give men so much more grace, as
to prevent men's sin and misery, if he would.
Answ. True j he is not unable : and so he could make every
clod a tree, and every tree a beast, and every beast a man, and
every man an angel, as I said before : but must he, therefore,
doit?
Here note, that it is one thing to say of any punishment
ipse se oderit. 2. Neminera esse qui quoraodo se habeat, nihil sua censeat
iuteresse. 3. Hominem h corpore et ammo constare, primasque animi partes
esse, et secundas corporis. 4. Aninium aliquid agere semper, neque ulla con-
ditione quietem sempitemam posse pati. 5. Bona esse qua? naturae conve-
niunt, eamque perficiunt. 6. Animi duo genera esse virtutum ; 1. Naturales,
viz. Docilitas, memoria, ingenium. 2. Voluntarias quae in voluntate posita
magis proprio nomine virtutes appellantur. 7. In prima Classe maxime
excellens, considerationem et cognitionem ccelestium. 8. Virtutes autem
voluntatis esse praestantissimas. 9. Et ita concludit, Virtutem esse maxime
expetendam.— This is the sum of the Lib. 5. de Finib,
124 THE REASONS OF
This is so deserved, that God may inflict it if he please,
without injustice ; vea, and thereby demonstrate his justice ; '
and another thing to sa), 'This is so due, that God must, or
will inflict it, if he will be just, unless a compensation be made
to justice.' It is of the first sort that I am now speaking; for
God may have a variety of times, and measures, and kinds of
punishments, which he may use at his own choice, and yet not
leave the sin unpunished finally : but whether he properly dis-
pense with any law, which is determinate as to the penalty, I
am not now to speak, it being not pertinent to this place and
subject.
Sect. 3. Therefore, God doth, in some sort and measure,
pardon sin to the generality of mankind, while he remitteth
some measure of the deserved punishment.
To remit or forgive the punishment is so far to forgive the
sin; for forgiveness, as to execution, is but nonpunire, proceed-
ing from commiseration or misery. And it is certain, by all
the mercy bestowed on them, that God remitteth something of
the punishment, which in law and justice he might inflict.
Though this be not a total pardon, it is not, therefore, none
at all.
Sect. 4. The goodness of God's nature, with this universal
experience of the world, possesseth all men's minds with this
apprehension of God, that he is gracious, merciful, long-
suffering, and ready to forgive a capable subject, upon terms
consistent with his truth and honour, and the common good.
It is true, that self-love and self-flattery do cause men to
think of the mercy of God, as indulgent to their lusts, and
suitable to their fleshly desires ; and, therefore, their conceits
are none of the measure of his mercy : but yet it may be per-
ceived, that this foresaid conception of God, as merciful, and
ready to forgive a capable subject, is warranted by the most sober
reason, and is not bred by sin and error ; for the wise and
better, and less sinful any is, the more he is inclined to such
thoughts of God, as of a part of his perfection. m
Sect. 5. This apprehension is increased in mankind, bv God's
obliging us to forgive one another.
m Saepe levant pcenas, ereptaque lumina reddimt
Cum bene peccati pce.uituisse vident. — Ovid. 1. de Pont.
Dissensio ab aiiis ; a te reconciliatio iucipiat : Cum ignsocis ita beneficium
tuum tempera, ut non ignoscere videaris, sed absolvere ; Quia gravissimum
perns genus est, coutumeliosa vecia. — Senec.
Pulchrum est vitara donare petentistatim. — Theb.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 125
For though it doth not follow, that God must forgive all that
which he hindeth us to forgive, for the reasons before expressed,
yet we must believe that the laws of God proceed from that
wisdom and goodness which is his perfection, and that they
bear the image of them • and that the obeying of them tendeth
to form us more to his image ourselves, and to make us holy as
he is holy ; and, therefore, that this command of God to man,
to be merciful and forgive, doth intimate to us, that mercy and
forgiveness are agreeable and pleasing unto God.
Sect. 6. God cannot cast away from his love, and from felicity,
any soul which truly loveth him above all, and which so repent-
eth of his sin as to turn to God in holiness of heart and life."
Here seemeth to rise before us a considerable difficulty. That
God can find in his heart to damn one that truly loveth him, and
is sanctified, is incredible ; because, 1. Then God's own image
should be in hell, and a saint be damned ; 2. Because then the
creature should be more ready to love God, than God to love him ;
3. Then a soul in hell should have holy desires, prayers, praises,
and other acts of love ; 4. And a soul capable of the glorifying
mercy of God should miss it. This, therefore, is not to be
believed ; for God cannot but take complacency on them that
love him, and bear his image ; and those will be happy that God
takes complacency on.
And yet, on the other side, Do not the sins of them that love
God deserve death and misery, according to his law; and might
he not inflict that on men which they deserve ? Doth not justice
require punishment on them, that yet sin not away the love of
God, nor a state of holiness ? To this, some answer, ' That all
those that consist with love and holiness are venial sins, which
deserve only temporal chastisement, and not perpetual misery.'
I rather answer, l.That all sin, considered in itself, abstracted
from the cause which counterbalanced! it and procureth par-
doning mercy, doth deserve perpetual misery ; and, therefore,
so do the sins of the best in themselves considered ; but that
grace which causeth their sanctification, and their love to God,
doth, conjunctly, cause the pardon of their sins ; so that God
will not deal with such as in rigour they deserve. 2. And if the
sin of any that love God should provoke him to cast them into
n Nee ex templo ara, nee ex humana natura miserecordia tollenda est ; in-
quit Phociou, in Stobtso. Facilius iis ignoscitur, qui nun peiseverare, sed
ab errato se revocare moliuutur : est enim humanuiu peecare, sed belluinum
in errore pvrseverare.— Cicero in VuIIh.
126 THE REASONS OF
hell, it follovveth not, that one that loveth God in sensu com-
jjosito, should be damned ; for God hath an order in his punish-
ments ; and, first, he would withdraw his grace from such a one
and leave him to himself, and then he will no longer love God ;
and so it is not a lover of God that would be damned.
Sect. 7. The sinful world is not so far forsaken by God, as to
be shut up under desperation, and utter impossibility of recovery
and salvation.
For if that were so, they were not in via, or under an obliga-
tion to use any means, or accept of any mercy, in order to their
recovery ; nor could they rationally do it, or be persuaded to do
it. There is no means to be used where there is no end to be
attained, and no hope of success.
Sect. S. The light of nature, and the aforesaid dealings of God
with men, continuing them under his government, in via, and
manifold mercies, helps, and means, do generally persuade the
consciences of men that there are certain duties required of them,
and certain means to be used by them, in order to procure then-
recovery and salvation, and to escape the misery deserved. p
He that shall deny this will turn the earth into a hell ; he
will teach men to forbear all means and duties which tend to
their conversion, pardon, and salvation, and to justify themselves
in it, and desperately give over all religion, and begin the hor-
rors and language of the damned.
Sect. 9. The very command of God, to use his appointed
means for men's recovery, doth imply that it shall not be in
vain, and doth not only show a possibility, but so great a hope-
fulness of the success to the obedient, as may encourage them
cheerfully to undertake it, and carry it through.^
No man that is wise and merciful will appoint his subject a
course of means to be used for a thing impossible to be got; or
will say, * Labour thus all thy life for it, but thou shalt be never
the nearer it if thou do.' If such an omniscient physician do
but bid me use such means for my cure and health, I may take
his command for half a promise, if I obey.
Sect. 10. Conscience doth bear witness against impenitent
Poenitenti optimus est portus, mutatio consilii. — Cicero Phil. 1. 2. Bea-
tus est cui ve.l in senectute continent, ut sapientiam, verasque opiniones con-
sequi possit. — Cicer. de Fin. Read Cato's speech in Cicero <ie Finib. (1. 3.)
That the principle of self-love and preservation is the seed of virtue; and how
every thing- abhorreth its own hurt and destruction.
v Sceleruui si benepcenitet, eradeuda cupidinis, prava sunt elementa. — Hor.
i Omnibus natura dedit fundameuta semenque virtutem. — Sen. Ep. 110.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 127
sinners, that the cause of their sin and the hinderance of their
recovery is in themselves ; and that God is not unwilling to for-
give and save them, if they were but meet for forgiveness and
salvation. 1 "
Even now, men's consciences take God's part against them-
selves, and tell them, ' That the infinite good, that communi-
cateth all the goodness to the creature which it hath, is not so
likely to be the cause of so odious a thing as sin, nor of man's
destruction, as he himself.' If I see a sheep lie torn in the
highway, I will sooner suspect a wolf than a lamb to be the
cause, if I see them both stand by. And if I see a child drown-
ed in scalding water, I will sooner suspect that he fell in by
folly and heedlessness himself, than that his mother wilfully
cast him in. Is not silly, naughty man, much more likely to
be the cause of sin and misery, than the wise and gracious
God ? Much more hereafter will the sinner's conscience jus-
tify God.
Sect. 11. God hath planted in the common nature of man-
kind an inseparable inclination to truth as truth, and to good
as good, and a love to themselves, and a desire to be happy,
and a lothness to be miserable ; together with some reverence
and honour of God, till they have extinguished the belief of
his being, and a hatred and horror of the devil, while they
believe he is ; all which are a fit stock to plant reforming
truths in, and principles fit to be improved for men's conver-
sion, and the excitation and improvement of them is much of
that recovering work. s
Sect. 12. Frequent and deep consideration being a great
means of man's recovery, by improving the truth which he con-
sidereth, and restoring reason to the throne, it is a great ad-
vantage to man that he is naturally a reasoning and thoughtful
creature, his intellect being propense to activity and knowledge.
Sect. 13. And it is his great advantage, that his frequent and
great afflictions have a great tendency to awake his reason to
consideration, and to bring it to the heart and make it effectual.
And, consequently, that God casteth us into such a sea and
r Homines ad Deos nulla re propius accedunt, quam salutem hominibus
dando. Nihil habet fortuna majus quam ut possit ; nee natura melius quam
ut velit, servare. — Cicero pro JLigar. Notitia peceati, initium salutis. — Sen.
Saith Epictetus, As our parents deliver us to schoolmasters to be nurtured, so
God delivereth us to our consciences, whose nurture is not to be contemned.
s Nemo adeo ferus est, ut non mitescere possit.
Si modo cultural patientein commodet aurem.— Horat. Ep, 1.
128 THE REASONS OF
wilderness of troubles, that we should have these quickening
monitors still at hand.
Sect. 14. And it is man's great advantage for his recovery,
that vanity and vexation are so legibly written on all things here
below ; and that frustrated expectations, and unsatisfied minds,
and the fore-knowledge of the end of all, and bodily pains
which find no ease, with multitudes of bitter experiences, do
so abundantly help him to escape the snare (the love) of pre-
sent things. 1
For all men that perish are condemned for loving the creature
above the Creator : and, therefore, such a world, which au-
peareth so evidently to be vain, and empty, and deceitful, and
vexatious, and which all men know will turn them off at last
with as little comfort as if they had never seen a day of pleasure
in it : I say, such a world, one would think, should give us an
antidote against its own deceit, and sufficiently wean us from its
inordinate love. At least, this is a very great advantage.
Sect. 15. It is also a common and great advantage for man's
recovery, that his life here is so short, and his death so certain,
that reason must needs tell him, that the pleasures of sin are
also short, and that he should always live as parting with this
world, and ready to enter into another."
The nearness of things maketh them to work on the mind of
man the more powerfully : distant things, though sure and great,
do hardly awaken the mind to their reception and due consi-
deration. If men lived six hundred or a thousand years in the
world, it were no wonder if covetousness, and carnality, and
security, made them like devils, and worse than wild beasts to
one another : but when men cannot choose but know that they
must certainly and shortly see the end of all that ever this world
will do for them, and are never sure of another hour ; this is so
1 Miserum te esse judico, qui nunquam fueris miser : Traxisti sine adversa-
ries vitam : Opus est ad sui notitiam experimento. Quid quisque possit nou
nisi tentando didicit. — Sen. de Pro. Non omnina Diis exosos esse, qui in
hac vita cum aerumnarum varietate luctantur ; sed esse arcanas causas, &c. —
Macrob. 1. 1. Saturn.
Rem pateris modicam et mediocri bile fereudam
Si flectas oculos majora ad crimina — Juven.
u Quotidie moriinur, quotidie enim demitur aliquapars vitae : Ettuncquoque
cum crescimus vita decrescit. Hunc ipsum quern agimus diem, cum morte
dividimus. — Sen. Ep. 24. Natura nihil hominibus brevitate vita praestitit
melius. — Id. Nihil a?que tibi proficiet ad temperantiam omnium rerum,
quam frequens cogitatio brevis revi et hujus incerti. Quicquid facis respice ad
mortem.— Sen, Ep, 25.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 129
great a help to sober consideration, and conversion, that it must
be monstrous stupidity and brutishness that must overcome it.
Sect. 16. It is also a great advantage for man's conversion,
that all the world revealeth God to him, and every thing telleth
him of the power, and wisdom, and goodness, and love of God ;
and of his constant presence, and so showeth him an object
which should as easily overpower all sensual objects, which
would seduce his soul, as a mountain will weigh down a feather.*
Though we see not God, (which would surely put an end to the
controversy whether we should be sensual or holy,) yet while we
have a glass as large as all the world, which doth continually re-
present him to us, one would think that no reasonable creature
should so much overlook him, as to be carried from him with
the trifles of this world.
Sect. 1 7. Men that have not only the foresaid obligations to
holiness, justice, and sobriety in their natures, but also all these
hopes, and helps, and means of their recovery from sin to God,
and yet frustrate all, and continue in ungodliness, unrighteous-
ness, or intemperance, impenitently to the end, are utterly
destitute of all just excuse why God should not punish them
with endless misery, which is the case of all that perish.
Sect. 18. All men shall be judged by the law which was
given them of God to live by.
For it is the same law which is regula officii et judicii : God
will not condemn men for not believing a truth which mediately
or immediately was never revealed to them, and which they had
no means to know. Nor for not obeying a law which was never
promulgated to them, or they could not come to be acquainted
with; physical impossibilities are not the matter of crimes, or
of condemnation.
Sect. 19. If any persons are brought by these means alone to
repent unfeignedly of an ungodly, uncharitable, and intemperate
life, and to love God unfeignedly as their God, above all ; and
x Magna pars peccatorum tollitur, si peccati testis adstat. — Seti. What then
may the presence of God do ? Clemens Alexand. was positive in it that
philosophy was blessed to the saving of many heathens who obeyed it.
Tunc est con sum mala infslicitas, ubi turpia non solum delectant, sed etiani
placent : et desinit esse remedio locus, ubi qua fuerant vitia, mores fiunt.— «
Sen. Prov, At inorbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis
Qui vero probari potest, ut sibi mederi animus non possit, cum ipse me-
dicinam corporis animus invenerit? O.imque omnes qui corpore se curari
passi sunt, non coutiuuo convalescant : Anima autem qui se sanari voluerint,
prseceptisque sapientum paruerint, sine ulla dubiutiunesaneutur. — Clc. Tuscul,
1.3. p. 270.
VOL. XXI. K
130 THE REASONS OF
to live a holy, obedient life, God will not condemn such persons,
though they want a supernatural revelation of his will. (As I
showed before, sect. 6.)
Sect. 20. When sinners stand at many degrees distant from
God and a holy life, and mercy would draw them nearer him by
degrees, they that have help and mercy sufficient,^ suogenere, to
have drawn them nearer God, and refused to obey it, do forfeit
the further helps of mercy, and mav justly perish and be forsaken
by him; though their help was not immediately sufficient to all
the further degrees of duty which they were to do. y
These things are clear in their proper light, I stand not to
prove, because I would not be unnecessarily tedious to the
reader.
And so much of godliness, or religion, as revealed by natural
light.
Object. But all heathens and infidels find not all this in the
book of nature, which you say is there.
Answ. I speak not of what men do see, but what they may
see, if they will improve their reason. All this is undeniably
legible in the book of nature; but the infant, the idiot, the illi-
terate, the scholar, the smatterer, the doctor, the considerate,
the inconsiderate, the sensual, the blinded, and the willing,
diligent inquirer do not equally see and read that which is written
in the same characters to all.
y Sunt enim ingeniis nostris semina innata virtutum, quse si adolescere
liceret, ipsa nos ad beatam vitam natura perduceret. Nunc autem simul ac
editi sumns in lucera, in omni continuo pravitate versamur, &c. — Cic. 3. Tuscul.
N. B. That when philosophers say, that all is good which nature teacheth, &c,
they mean by nature, the true and sound constitution of the soul, which they
distinguish from its diseases and corruption.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 131
PART II.
OF
CHRISTIANITY
AND
SUPERNATURAL REVELATION.
CHAP. 1.
Of the great Need of a clearer Light, or fuller Revelation of
the Will of God, than all that hath been opened before.
Whilst 1 resolved upon a deep and faithful search into the
grounds of all religion, and a review and trial of all that I had
myself believed, I thought meet first to pass by persons, and shut
up my books, and with retired reason to read the book of
nature only ; and what I have there found, I have justly told
you in the former part, purposely omitting all that might be
controverted by any considerable, sober reason, that I might
neither stop myself nor my reader in the way; and that I might
not deceive myself with plausible consequences of unsound or
questionable antecedents ; nor discourage my reader by the
casting of some doubtful passages in his way, which might
tempt him to question all the rest. For I know what a deal of
handsome structure may fall through the falseness of some one
of the supports, which seemed to stand a great way out of
sight. And I have been wearied myself with subtle discourses
of learned men, who, in a long series of ergos, have thought
that they have left all sure behind them, when a few false sup-
positions were the life of all. And 1 know that he who inter-
poseth any doubtful things, doth raise a diffidence in the rea-
der's mind, which maketh him suspect that the ground he
standeth on is not firm, and whether all that he readeth be not
mere, uncertain things. Therefore, leaving things controvertible
for a fitter place and time, I have thus far taken up so much as is
plain and sure ; which I find of more importance and usefulness
to rav own information and confirmation, than any of those
k2
132 THE REASONS OF
controvertible points would be, if I could ever so certainly
determine them. 2
And now, having perused the book of nature, I shall cast
up the account, and try what is yet wanting, and look abroad
into the opinions of others in the world, and search whence
that which is yet wanting may be most fully, and safely, and
certainly supplied.
Sect. 1. And first, when I look throughout the world, I find
that though all the evidence aforesaid, for the necessity of a
holy, virtuous life, be unquestionable in naturd rerum, yet most
of the world observe it not, or discern but little of it, nor much
regard the light without, or the secret witness of their con-
sciences within.
Natural light, or evidence, is so unsuccessful in the world,
that it loudly telleth us, something is yet wanting, whatever it
is. We can discern what it is, which is necessary to man's
happiness, but we can hardly discern whether, de facto, any
considerable number, at best, do by the teaching of nature
alone attain it. When we inquire into the writings of the best
of the philosophers, we find so little evidence of real holiness,
that is, of the aforesaid resignation, subjection, and love to God
as God, that it leaveth us much in doubt whether, indeed, they
were holy themselves or not, and whether they made the know-
ledge, love, obedience, and praise of God, the end and business
of their lives. However, there is too great evidence, that the
world lieth in darkness and wickedness, where there is no more
than natural light.
Sect. 2. I find, therefore, that the discovery of the will of
God, concerning our duty and our end, called, 'The law of
nature,' is a matter of very great difficulty to them that have no
supernatural light to help them.
Though all this is legible in nature, which I have thence
transcribed, yet if I had not had another teacher, I know not
whether I should ever have found it there. Nature is now a
very hard book ; when I have learnt it by my teacher's help,
I can tell partly what is there ; but at the first perusal, I could
not understand it. It requireth a great deal of time, and study,
and help to understand that which, when we do understand
it, is as plain as the highway.
7 Nullus unquam a mortali semine vir absolute bonus nascetur. — Dion. Hal.
1. 2. Truth delivered by the halves, will be lamely practised. Ideo peccamus,
quia de partibus vita? oiunes deliberamus j de toto nemo deliberat.— Sau
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 133
Sect. 3. Thence it must needs follow, that it will be but few
that will attain to understand the necessary parts of the law of
nature aright, by that means alone, and the multitude will be
left in darkness still. a
The common people have not leisure for so deep and long a
search into nature as a few philosophers made, nor are they
disposed to it : and though reason obligeth them, in so neces-
sary a case, to break through all difficulties, they have not so
full use of their reason as to do it.
Object. But as christian teachers do instruct the people in
that which they cannot have leisure to search out themselves ;
so, why may not philosophers, who have leisure for the search,
instruct the people quickly, who have not leisure to find out the
truth without instruction.
Answ. Much might be done, if all men did their best ; but,
1. The difficulty is such, that the learned themselves are
lamentably imperfect and unsatisfied, as I shall further show.
2. Though the vulgar cannot search out the truth without help,
yet it is necessary that by help they come to see with their
own eyes, and rest not in a human belief alone, especially when
their teachers are of so many minds, that they know not which
of them to believe. To learn the truth, in its proper evidence,
is very hard to them that have no more than the light of
nature.
Object. But what difficulty is there in these few precepts,
that all men may not easily learn them ? " Thou shalt love
God above all, and repent of sin, and set thy heart upon the
life to come, and love thy neighbour as thyself," &c. b
Answ. There is no difficulty in learning these words ; but,
1. There is great difficulty in learning to understand the sense,
a What difficulties the wisest heathens find about God's prospering the
wicked, and afflicting the good, and how dark were they about the life to come !
Therefore, Seneca's wise and good man was a phoenix. Sine doctrina si quid
bene dicitur, adjuvante natura, tamen id quia fortuito fit, semper paratum esse
non potest. — Cic. Deo?: Etsi ingeniis niagnis praediti quidam, dicendi
copiam sine ratione consequuutur, ars tameu dux certior est quam natura.
Aliud enim est poetarum more verba fundere, aliud, ea qua? dicas ratione et
arte distinguere. — Cicero de Fin. 4.
b You may perceive the heathen's gratitude to God, by these words of Cotta.
(In Cicer. de Nat. Deor. 3. p. 109.) Num quis quod bonus vir esset, gratias
Diis egit unquam? At quod dives, quod honoratus, quod incolumis. Jovera-
que optimum maximum ob eas res appellant, non quod nos justos, temperatos,
sapientes efficiat, sed quod salvos, incolumes, opulenlos, copiosos. Judicium
hoc omnium niortalium, fortuuam aDeo peteudani, aseipso sumendam esse
sapientiam,
134 THE REASONS OF
and certain truth of that which is contained in them : to know
what God is, so far as is necessary to our obedience and love ;
and to know what it is in him which is so amiable, and to know
that there is a life to come, and what it is; and to know what
is God's will, and so what is duty ; and what is the sin which
we must repent of : these are more difficult. Generals are soon
named, but it is a particular understanding which is necessary
to practice. 2. And it is hard to see that certainty and attrac-
tive goodness in these things, as may draw the mind to the
practical embracements of them, from the love of other things :
an obscure, doubtful, wavering apprehension, is not strong
enough to change the heart and life.
Sect. 4. These difficulties, in the mere natural way of revelation,
will fill the learned world with controversies ; and those con-
troversies will breed and feed contentions, and eat out the heart
of practical godliness, and make all religion seem an uncertain,
or unnecessary thing.
This is undoubtedly proved, 1 . In the reason of the thing ;
2. And in all the world's experience. So numerous were the
controversies among philosophers, so various their sects, so
common their contentions, that the world despised them, and
all religion for their sakes, and looked on most of them but as
mountebanks that set up for gain, or to get disciples, or to show
their wit : practical piety died in their hands.
Object. This is a consequent not to be avoided, because no way
hath so resolved difficulties as to put an end to controversies and
sects.
Answ. Certainly, clearness is more desirable than obscurity,
and concord and unity than division, therefore it concerneth us
to inquire how this mischief may be amended, which is it that I
am now about.
Sect. 5. These difficulties also make it so long a work to
learn God's will by the light of nature only, that the time of
their youth, and often of their lives, is slipped away before men
can come to know why they lived.
It is true, that it is their own fault that causeth all these in-
conveniences ; but it is as true that their disease doth need a
cure, for which it concerneth them to seek out. The life of man
is held upon a constant uncertainty, and no man is sure to live
another year; and therefore we have need of precepts so plain
as may be easily and quickly learnt, that we mav be always ready,
if death shall call us to an account. I confess that what I have
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 135
transcribed from nature is very plain there, to one that already
understandeth it; but whether the diseased blindness of the
world do not need yet something plainer, let experience de-
termine.
Sect. 6. That which would be sufficient for a sound under-
standing and will, is not sufficient for a darkened, diseased mind
and heart, such as experience telleth us is found throughout the
world.
To true reason which is at liberty, and not enthralled by sen-
suality and error, the light of nature might have a sufficiency to
lead men up to the love of God, and a life of holiness; but
experience telleth us that the reason of the world is darkened,
and captivated by sensuality, and that few men can well use
their own faculties ; and such eyes need spectacles, such crip-
ples need crutches, yea, such diseases call for a physician.
Prove once that the world is not diseased, and then we will
confess that their natural food may serve the turn, without any
other diet or physic.
Sect. 7. When I have by natural reason silenced all my
doubts about the life to come, I yet find in myself an uncouth,
unsatisfactory kind of apprehension of my future state, till I
look to supernatural evidence, which I perceive is from a double
cause. 1. Because a soul in flesh would fain have such appre-
hension as participateth of sense. 2. And we are so conscious of
our ignorance that we are apt still to suspect our own under-
standings, even when we have nothing to say against the con-
clusion.
What I have said in the first part of this book doth so fully
satisfy my reason, as that I have nothing to say against it, which
I cannot easily discern to be unsound ; and yet for all that,
when I think of another world, by the help of this natural light
alone, I am rather amazed than satisfied, and am ready to think
c Parvulos nobis natura dedit igniculos quos celeriter in aliis moribusopini-
onibusque depravatis sic restinguimus, ut nusquam naturae lumen appareat :
Nunc autem simulatque editi in lucem et suscepti sumus, in omni continuo
pravitate versamur, ut pene cum lacte nutricis errorem suxisse videamur :
cum vero parentibus redditi, deinde magistris traditi sumus, turn ita variis
imbuimur erroribus, ut vanitati Veritas, et opinioui contirmatas natura ipsa
cedat. — Cic. 3. Tunc. Multis signis natura declarat quid velit : obsurdes-
cimus tamen nescio quo mudo, nee ea quae ab ea moventur audimus. — Cic.
Lei. Si tales nos natura genuisset, ut earn ipsam intueri, et perspicere, eaque
optima duce cursum vitae couficere posseinus : haud esset sane quod quisquam
rationem et doctrinam requireret cum natura sufficeret. Nunc vero, &c. —
Cic. 3. Tusc, Quicquid infixum et ingenitum est, lenitur arte, non vinci-
tur. — Sen.
136 THE REASONS OF "
all this seemeth true, and I have nothing of weight to say
against it; but, alas ! how poor and uncertain a thing is man's
understanding. How many are deceived in things that seem as
undeniable to them. How know I what one particular may be
unseen by me which would change my judgment, and better
inform me in all the rest ? If I could but see the world which
J believe, or at least but speak with one who had been there, or
gave me sensible evidence of his veracity, it would much con-
firm me. Sense hath got so much mastery in the soul, that we
have much ado to take any apprehension for sure and satisfac-
tory, which hath not some great correspondency with sense.
This is not well ; but it is a disease which showeth the need of a
physician, and of some other satisfying light.
Sect. 8. While we are thus stopped in our way by tediousness,
difficulty, and a subjective uncertainty about the end and duty
of man, the flesh is still active, and sin increaseth and gets ad-
vantage, and present things are still in their deceiving power ;
and so the soul groweth worse and worse.
Sect. 9. The soul being thus vitiated and perverted by sin, is
so partial, slothful, negligent, unwilling, superficial, deceitful,
and biassed in its studies, that if the evidences of life everlast-
ing be full and clear, and satisfying to others, it will overlook
them, or not perceive their certainty. d
Sect. 10. Though it be most evident, by common experience,
that the nature of man is lamentably depraved, and that sin
doth overspread the world ; yet how it entered, and when, or
which of our progenitors was the first transgressor and cause,
no natural light doth fully or satisfactorily acquaint me.
Sect. 11. And though nature tell me that God cannot damn
or hate a soul that truly loveth him, and is sanctified, yet doth
it not show me a means that is likely to prevail considerably to
sanctify sou's, and turn them from the love of present, transitory
tilings, to the love of God and life eternal.
Though there be in nature the discovery of sufficient reasons
and motives to do it, where reason is not in captivity ; yet how
unlikely they are to prevail with others, both reason and expe-
rience fully testify. 6
d O curvae in terris animae, et crelestium inane- !
Quid juvat hoc, templis nostros immittere mores ?
Et bona Uiis ex hac scelerata ducere pulpa. ? — Persius.
Non hove mactato ccelestia numina gaudent :
Sed quae praestanda est, et sine teste fides. — Ovid. Ep. 19.
e Omne nefas, onmemque mali purgamine causam
Credehant nostri tollere posse senes, &c.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 137
Sect. 12. And whereas God's special mercy and grace is
necessary to so great a change and cure, and this grace is for-
feited bv sin, and every sin deserveth more punishment, and
this sin and punishment must be so far forgiven before God can
give us that grace which we have forfeited ; nature doth not
satisfactorily teach me how God is so far reconciled to man,
or how the forgiveness of sin may be by us so far procured/
Sect. 13. And whereas I see at once in the world, both the
abounding of sin, which deserveth damnation, and the abound-
ing of mercy to those that are under such deserts ; 1 am not
satisfied, by the light of nature, how God is so far reconciled,
and the ends of government and justice attained, as to deal with
the world so contrary to its deserts.
Sect. 14. And while 1 am in this doubt of God's reconcilia-
tion, I am still ready to fear, lest present forbearance and mercy
be but a reprieve, and will end at last in greater misery : how-
ever, I find it hard, if not impossible, to come to any certainty
of actual pardon and salvation.
Sect. 15. And while I am thus uncertain of pardon and the
love of God, it must needs make it an insuperable difficulty to
me, to love God above myself and all things : for to love a God
that I think will damn me, or most probably may do it, for
aught I know, is a thing that man can hardly do.
Sect. 16. And therefore I cannot see how the guilty world
can be sanctified, or brought to forsake the sin and vanities
which they love, as long as God, whom they must turn to by
love, doth seem so unlovely to them. g
Sect. 17. And every temptation from present pleasure, com-
modity, or honour, will be likely to prevail, while the love of
God, and the happiness to come, are so dark and doubtful, to
guilty, misgiving, ignorant souls.
Sect. 18. Nor can I see by nature how a sinner can live
Ah ! nimium faciles, qui tristia crimina caedis
FulmineA, tolli posse putatis aqua. — Ovid. 2. Fast.
f Multa miser metui, quia feci multa proterve. — Idetn.
In malis sperare bonum, nisi innocens nemo solet. — Sen.
e Turpe est quicquam mali perpetrare ; bene autein agere nullo periculo
proposito, multorum est : id vero proprium boni viri est, etiara cum periculo
suo honestatem in agentem sequi. — Plut. in Mario.
At mens sibi conscia facti
Prasmetuens, adhibet stimulos, terretque flagellis :
Nee videt interea qui terminus esse malorum
Possit, nee qui sit pceuarum denique finis.
Atque eadem met'.iit magis ha?cne in morte gravescant.— Lucret. 3.
13S THE REASONS OF
comfortably in the world, for want of clearer assurance of his
future happiness.
For if he do hut say, as poor Seneca, Cicero, and others such,
i It is most likely that there is another life for us, but we are not
sure/ it will both abate their comfort in the fore-thoughts of
it, and tempt them to venture upon present pleasure, for fear of
losing all. And if they were ever so confident of the life to
come, and had no assurance of their own part in it, as not
knowing whether their sins be pardoned, still their comfort in it
would be small. And the world can give them no more than is
proportionable to so small and momentary a thing.
Sect. 19. Nor do I see in nature any full and suitable sup-
port against the pain and fears of sufferings and death, while
men doubt of that which should support them.
Sect. 20. I must therefore conclude that the light and law of
nature, which was suitable to uncorrupted reason and will, and
to an undepraved mind, is too insufficient to the corrupted,
vitiated, guilty world, and that there is a necessity of some re-
covering, medicinal revelation.
Which forced the very heathens to fly to oracles, idols, sacri-
fices, and religious propitiations of the gods, there being scarcely
any nation which had not some such thing, though they used
them, not only ineffectually, but to the increase of their sin and
strengthening their presumption, as too many poor ignorant
Christians now do their masses and other such formalities and
superstitions. But as Arnobius saith, (Adv. ( Gentes/ 1. 7,)
Crescit enim multitude peccantium ; cum redemendi peccati
spes datur : et facile itur ad culpas, ubi est venalis ignoscentium
gratia. He that hopeth to purchase forgiveness with money, or
sacrifices, or ways of cost, will strive rather to be rich than to be
innocent.
CHAP. II.
Of the several Religions zvhich are in the World.
Having finished my inquiries into the state and book of na-
ture, I found it my duty to inquire what other men thought in
the world, and what were the reasons of their several beliefs, that
if they knew more than I had discovered, by what means soever,
I might become partaker of it.
Sect. 1. And, first, I find that all the world, except those
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 139
called heathens, are conscious of the necessity of supernatural
revelation ; yea, the heathens themselves have some common
apprehension of it.
Sect. 2. Four sorts of religions I find only considerable upon
earth ; the mere naturalists, commonly called heathens and ido-
laters, the Jews, the Mahometans, and the Christians. The
heathens, by their oracles, augurs, and auspices, confess the
necessity of some supernatural light; and the very religion of
all the rest consisteth in it.
Sect. 3. 1. As for the heathens, I find this much good among
them ; that some of them have had a very great care of their
souls ; and many have used exceeding industry in seeking after
knowledge, especially in the mysteries of the works of God :
and some of them have bent their minds higher to know God,
and the invisible worlds ; that they commonly thought that
there is a life of retribution after death, and among the wisest
of them, the sum of that is to be found, though confusedly,
which I have laid down in the first part of this book.
Especially in Seneca, Cicero, Plutarch, Plato, Plotinus, Jam-
blicus, Proclus, Porphyry, Julian the apostate, Antoninus, Epic-
tetus, Arrian, &c. : and for their learning and wisdom, and mo-
ral virtues, the christian bishops carried themselves respectfully
to many of them, as Basil to Libanius, &c. And in their days
many of their philosophers were honoured by the christian em-
perors, or at least by the inferior magistrates and christian peo-
ple, who judged that so great worth deserved honour, and that
the confession of so much truth deserved answerable love,
especially Adesius, Julianus, Cappadox, Proaeresius, Maximus,
Libanius, Acacius, Chrysanthus, &c. ; and the Christians ever
since have made great use of their writings in their schools,
especially of Aristotle's and Plato's, with their followers. 11
Sect. 4. And I find that the idolatry of the wisest of them
was not so foolish as that of the vulgar, but they thought that
the universe was one animated world, and that the universal soul
was the only absolute, sovereign God, whom they described much
the same as Christians do ; and that the sun, and stars, and earth,
h Eunapius saith, that Cons tan tine so honoured Sopater the philosopher, that
he made him usually sit by him on the same bench. Surely the philosophers
were falsely reported to Theoph. Antioeh. ad Autol. (1. 2. p. 137,) when he
saith, that Zeno's, Diogenes', and Cleanthes' books, doteach to eat man's flesh,
and fathers to be roasted and eaten by the children, and sacrificed by them,
&c. Belying one another hath been the devil's means to destroy charity
on earth.
140 THE REASONS OF
and each particular orb, was an individual animal, part of the
universal world ; and, besides the universal, had each one a
subordinate, particular soul, which they worshipped as a subor-
dinate, particular deity, as some Christians do the angels : and
their images they set up for such representations, by which they
thought these gods delighted to be remembered, and instru-
mentally to exercise their virtues for the help of earthly
mortals.
Sect. 5. I find that, except these philosophers, and very few
more, the generality of the heathens were and are foolish ido-
laters, and ignorant, sensual, brutish men. 1
At this day, through the world, they are that sort of men
that are most like unto beasts, except some few at Siam, China,
the Indian Bannians, the Japonians, the Ethnic Persians, and a
few more. The greatest deformity of nature is among them ;
the least of sound knowledge, true policy, civility, and piety, is
among them ; abominable wickedness doth nowhere so much
abound. So that if the doctrine and judgment of these may
be judged of by the effect, it is most insufficient to heal the
diseased world, and reduce man to holiness, sobriety, and
honesty.
I find, that those few among the heathens, who attain to
more knowledge in the things which concern man's duty and
happiness than the rest, do commonly destroy all again by the
mixture of some dotages and impious conceits. k
The literati in China excel in many things, but besides
abundance of ignorance in philosophy, they destroy all, by
denying the immortality of the soul, and affirming rewards and
punishments to be only in this life, or but a little longer : at
least, none but the souls of the good, say some of them, survive.
1 Sed nescio quomodo, nil tani ahsurde dici potest, quod lion dicatur ab
aliquo philosophorum. — Cic. Divin. 1. 2. p. 188.
k Sed haec eadem num censes apud eos ipsos valere, nisi admodum paucos a
quibus inveuta, disputata, conscripta sunt? Quotus enim quisque philoso-
phorum invenitur, qui sit ita moratus, ita ammo ac vita constitutus, ut ratio
postulat? Qui disciplinam suam, non ostentationem sciential, sed legem vitae
putet? Qui obtemperet ipse sibi, et decretis suis pareat ? Videre licet alios
tanta levitate et jactatione, ut iis i'nerit nou didicisse melius ; alios pecuniae
cupidos, gloriae nonnullos, multos libidinum servos : Ut cum eorum vita
mirabiliter pugnet oratio ; quod quidem mihi videtur turpissimum. Ut enim
si grammaticum se professus quispiam barbare loquatur, aut si absurde canat
is, qui se haberi velit musicum ; hoc turpior sit, quod in eo ipso peccet, cujus
profitetur scientiam. Sic philosophus in ratione vita peccans, hoc turpior est,
quod in officio, cujus magister esse vult, labitur, artemque vitee professus, de-
linquit in vita.— Cic, Tuscul. 1. 2. p. 252.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 141
And though they confess one God, they give him no solemn
worship. Their sect, called Sciequia, or Siacca, is very clear
for the unity of the Godhead, the joys of heaven, and the tor-
ments of hell, with some umbrage of the trinity, &c. But
they blot out all with their Pythagorean fopperies, affirming
these souls which were in joy or misery, after a certain space,
to be sent again into bodies, and so to continue through fre-
quent changes to eternity, to say nothing of the wickedness of
their lives. Their third sect, called Lauru, is not worth the
naming; as being composed of fopperies, and sorceries, and
impostures. All the Japonian sects, also, make the world to
be eternal, and souls to be perpetuated through infinite trans-
migrations. The Siamenses, who seem to be the best of all,
and nearest like the Christians, have many fopperies, and worship
the devil for fear, as they do God for love. The Indian Bramenes,
or Bannians, also, have the Pythagorean errors, and place their
piety in redeeming brutes, because they have souls which some-
times were human. The Persians, dispersed in India, who
confess God, and heaven, and hell, yet think that these are but
of a thousand years' duration. And it is above a thousand
years since they believed that the world should continue for a
thousand years, and then souls be released from hell, and a new
world made.
Sect. 7. Their great darkness and uncertainties appear by
the innumerable sects and differences which are among them ;
which are incomparably more numerous than all that are
found in all parties in the world besides.
I need not tell you of the two hundred and eighty-eight sects
or opinions, de summo bono, which Varro said was in his days.
The difference which you may find in Laertius, Hesechius, and
others, between the cynics, peripatetics, academics, stoics,
sceptics, Epicureans, &c, with all their subdivisions, are enough.
In Japan, the twelve sects have their subdivisions. In China, the
three general sects have so many subdivisions, that Verenius saith
of them, ft Singuli fontes labentibus paulatim seculis, afraudum
magistris in tot maandros derivati sunt, ut sub triplici nomine
trecenta mini sectae inter se discrepantes numerari posse videan-
tur : sed et hoe quotidianis incrementis augentur, et in pejus
ruunt." Petrus Texeira saith of the Indians, " In regno Gazer*
atensi varii sunt ritus et sectce incolarum, et quod mirum, vix
familiam invenias in qua omnes congruant : alii comedunt car*
nem, alii nequaquam ; alii comedunt quidem, sed non mactant
142 THE REASONS OF
animalia : alii nonnulla tantum animalia comedunt ; alii tan,'
turn pisces ; alii tantum lac et herbas" &c. Johan. a Twist,
saith of the Indian Bramenes, "Numerantur sectee precipui
nominis octoginta tres : sed pr enter has minus illustrium magna
est multitudo, it a ut singula families, peculiar em fere foveant
religionem." It were endless to speak of all the sects in Africa
and America ; to say nothing of the beastly part of them in
Brazil, the Cape of Good Hope, that is, Soldania, and the
islands of cannibals, who know no God, nor government nor
civility some of them. They are not only of as many minds
as countries, but of a multitude of sects in one and the same
country.
Sect. 8. I find not myself called or enabled to judge all these
people, as to their final state, but only to say, that if any of
them have a holy heart and life in the true love of God, they
shall be saved ; but, without this, no form of religion will save
any man, be it ever so right.
Sect. 9. But I find it my duty to love them for all the
good which is in them, and all that is true and good in their
religion I will embrace ; and because it is so defective to look
further, and try what I can learn from others.
There is so much lovely in a Cato, Cicero, Seneca, Antonine,
Epictetus, Plutarch, &c. in the religions of Siam, in the dis-
persed Persian Ethnics, in India ; in the Bramans or Bannians
of India ; in the Bonzii of Japan, and clivers others in China
and elsewhere, that it obligeth us not only to love them benevo-
lently, but with much complacence. And as I will learn from
nature itself what I can, so also from these students of nature.
I will take up nothing merely on their trust, nor reject any
doctrine merely because it is theirs ; but all that is true and
good in their religions, as far as I can discern it, shall be part
of mine : and, because I find them so dark and bad, I will
betake me for further information to those that trust to super-
natural revelation, which are the Jews, Mahometans, and the
Christians, of which I shall next consider apart.
Sect. 10. II. As to the religion of the Jews, I need not say
much of it by itself; the positive part of their doctrine being
confessed, by the Christians and Mahometans, to be of divine
revelation ; and the negative part, their denying of Christ, is to
be tried, in the trial of Christianity. !
1 (In to. 4. Bib. Pat.) Extat liber Hieronymi a Sancta Fide, ex Juiteo
Christiani, contra Juda?os et Talmud, qui ut elicit approbatio 5000 Judaeos ad
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 143
The reasons which are brought for the christian religion, if
sound, will prove the Old Testament, which the Jews believe ;
it being part of the Christian's sacred book : and the same
reasons will confute the Jews' rejection of Jesus Christ. I take
that, therefore, to be the fittest place to treat of this subject,
when I come to the proofs of the christian faith. I oppose
not what they have from God ; I must prove that to be of God,
which they deny.
Sect. 1 1. III. In the religion of the Mahometans I find much
good ; viz., a confession of one only God, and most of the
natural parts of religion ; a vehement opposition to all idolatry;
a testimony to the veracity of Moses, and of Christ ; that
Christ is the word of God, and a great prophet : and the writings
of the apostles true : all this, therefore, where Christianity is
approved, must be embraced.
And there is no doubt but God hath made use of Mahomet
as a great scourge to the idolaters of the world, as well as to
the Christians who had abused their sacred privileges and
blessings : wherever his religion doth prevail, he casteth down
images, and filleth men's minds with a hatred of idols, and all
conceit of multitude of gods, and bringeth men to worship one
God alone, and doth that by the sword in this, which the
preaching of the Gospel had not done in many obstinate
nations of idolaters.
Sect. 12. But withal I find a man exalted as the chief of
prophets, without any such proof as a wise man should be
moved with ; an Alkoran written by him below the rates of
common reason, being a rhapsody of nonsense and confusion ;
and many false and impious doctrines introduced ; and a
tyrannical empire and religion twisted, and both erected, propa-
gated, and maintained, by irrational, tyrannical means : all which
discharge my reason from the entertainment of this religion. m
1. That Mahomet was so great, or any prophet, is neither
confirmed by any true, credible miracle, nor by any eminency of
wisdom or holiness, in which he excelled other men ; nor any
thing else which reason can judge to be a divine attestation.
The contrary is sufficiently apparent in the irrationality of his
Alkoran ; there is no true learning nor excellency in it, but
fidem convertit. (P. 742, &c.) De Mali u metis Origine, &c. vid. fragm.
ex Anastas. Hist. Eccl. in B. P. Gr. Lat. to. 2. p. 289, &c.
m Vid. Theodori Abucare Opuscul. Mahumetem non esse ex Deo, &c. Et
Euthymii Zigabeu. Moamethica,
144 THE REASONS OE
such as might he expected among men of the more incult wits,
and barbarous education ; there is nothing delivered methodi-
cally or rationally, with any evidence of solid understanding ;
there is nothing but the most nauseous repetition, an hundred
times over, of many simple, incoherent speeches, in the dialect
of a drunken man ; sometimes against idolaters, and sometimes
against Christians, for calling Christ God ; which, all set
together, seem not to contain, in the whole Koran, so much
solid, useful sense and reason, as one leaf of some of those phi-
losophers whom he opposeth, however his time had delivered
him from their idolatry, and caused him more to approach the
christian faith.
2. And who can think it any probable sign, that he is the
prophet of truth, whose kingdom is of this world, erected by
the sword; who barbarously suppresseth all rational inquiry
into his doctrine, and all disputes against it, all true learning
and rational helps, to advance and improve the intellect of
man; and who teacheth men to fight and kill for their religion :
certainly, the kingdom of darkness is not the kingdom of God,
but of the devil ; and the friend of ignorance is no friend to
truth, to God, or to mankind ; and it is a sign of a bad cause,
that it cannot endure the light. If it be of God, why dare they
not soberly prove it to us, and hear what we have to object
against it, that truth, by the search, may have the victory : if
beasts had a religion, it would be such as this.
3. Moreover, they have doctrines of polygamy, and of a
sensual kind of heaven, and of murdering men, to increase their
kingdoms, and many the like ; which being contrary to the
light of nature, and unto certain, common truths, do prove that
the prophet and his doctrine are not of God.
4. And his full attestation to Moses and Christ, as the true
prophets of God, doth prove himself a false prophet who so
much contradicteth them, and rageth against Christians as
a blood-thirsty enemy, when he hath given so full a testi-
monv to Christ ; the particulars of which I shall show anon.
CHAP. III.
Of the Christian Religion : and first. What it is.
Sect. 1. IV. The last sort of religion to be inquired into, is
Christianity; in which, by the providence of God, I was edu-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.' 145
cated, and at first received it by a human faith, upon the word
and reverence of my parents and teachers, being unable in my
childhood, rationally, to try its grounds and evidences."
I shall declare to the reader just in what order I have received
the christian religion, that the inquisition being the more clear
and particular, the satisfaction maybe the greater; and it being
primarily for my own use that I draw up these papers, I find it
convenient to remember what is past, and to insert the transcript
of my own experiences, that I may fully try whether I have gone
rationally and faithfully to work or not. I confess, that I took
my religion at first upon my parents' word ; and who could ex-
pect that in my childhood I should be able to prove its grounds ?
But whether God owned that method of reception by any of his
inward light and operations, and whether the efficacy of the small-
est beams be any proof of the truth of the christian faith, I leave to
the reader, and shall myself only declare the naked history in truth.
Sect. 2. In this religion (received defectively both as to mat-
ter and grounds) I found a power even in my childhood, to awe
my soul, and check my sin and folly, and make me careful of
my salvation, and to make me love and honour true wisdom and
holiness of life.
Sect. 3. But when I grew up to fuller use of reason, and more
distinctly understood what I had generally and darkly received,
the power of it did more surprise my mind, and bring me to
deeper consideration of spiritual and everlasting things ; it
humbled me in the sense of my sin and its deserts, and made
me think more sensibly of a Saviour ; it resolved me for more
exact obedience to God, and increased my love to God ; and
increased my love to persons and things, sermons, writings,
prayers, conference, which relished of plain, resolved godliness.
Sect. 4. In all this time I never doubted of the truth of this
religion ; partly retaining my first, human belief, and partly awed
and convinced by the intrinsic evidence of its proper subject,
end, and manner ; and being taken up about the humbling and
reforming study of myself.
Sect. 5. At last, having for many years laboured to compose
n What the christian religion is, judge not by the intruded opinions of any
sect, but by the ancient creeds and summaries, which elsewhere I have re-
cited out of Tertullian and other ancients ; and which you may find recited or
referred to in Usher and Vossius, * De Symb.' See the desciiption of the
christian faith in Proclus ad Armenios, *De fide in Bib. Pat. Grscolat. to. 1.
p. 311.' Also the Catechism of Junilius Africanus, ' De Part. Div. Legis.' Et
Hermenopol. ' De Fide Orthod."
VOL. XXI. L
146 THE REASONS OF
my mind and life to the principles of this religion, I grew up to
see more difficulties in it than I saw before ; and partly by
temptations, and partly by an inquisitive mind, which was
wounded with uncertainties, and could not contemptuously or
carelessly cast off the doubts which I was not able, to resolve, I
resumed afresh the whole inquiry, and resolved to make as
faithful a search into the nature and grounds of this religion as
if I had never been baptised into it.
The first thing I studied was the matter of Christianity, What
it is ? And the next was the evidence and certainty of it; of
which I shall speak distinctly.
Sect. 6. The christian religion is to be considered, 1. In it-
self, as delivered by God; 2. In its reception and practice, by
men professing it. In itself it is perfect, but not so easily dis-
cernible by a stranger ; in the practisers it is imperfect here in
this life, but more discernible by men that cannot so quickly un-
derstand the principles ; and more forcibly constraineth them to
perceive its holiness and worth, where it is indeed sincerely
practised ; and is most dishonoured and misunderstood through
the wickedness of hypocrites who profess it.
As the impress on the wax doth make the image more dis-
cernible than the sculpture on the seal; but the sculpture is true
and perfect, when many accidents may render the impressed
image imperfect and faulty : so is it in this case. To a diligent
inquirer, Christianity is best known in its principles delivered
by Christ the Author of it ; and, indeed, is no otherwise per-
fectly known, because it is nowhere else perfectly to be seen: but
yet it is much more visible and taking with unskilful, super-
ficial observers, in the professors' lives ; for they can discern
the good or evil of an action, who perceive not the nature
of the rule and precepts. The vital form in the rose-tree is
the most excellent part ; but the beauty and sweetness of the
rose is more easily discerned. Effects are most sensible, but
causes are most excellent ; and yet in some respects the practice
of religion is more excellent than the precepts, inasmuch as the
precepts are means to practice ; for the end is more excellent
than the means as such. A poor man can more easily perceive
the worth of charity in the person that clotheth, and feedeth,
and relieveth him, than the worth of a treatise or sermon of
charity. Subjects easily perceive the worth of a wise, and holy,
° Leg Julian. Toletan, cont. JudffiflS. Et Rabbi Samuel. Marochiani de
adven.tu Messiaj.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 147
and just, and merciful king or magistrate, in his actual govern-
ment, who are not much taken with the precepts which require
yet more perfection : and among all descriptions, historical
narratives, like Xenophon's ' Cyrus,' do take most with them.
Doubtless, if ever the professors of Christianity should live ac-
cording to their own profession, they would thereby overcome
the opposition of the world, and propagate their religion with
the greatest success through all the earth.
Because no man can well judge of the truth of a doctrine
till he first know what it is, I think it here necessary to open
the true nature of the christian religion, and tell men truly what
it is : partly, because I perceive that abundance that profess it
hypocritically, by the mere power of education, laws and cus-
toms of their country, do not understand it, and then are the
more easily tempted to neglect or contemn it, or forsake it, if
strongly tempted to it; even to forsake that which, indeed,
they never truly received. And because it is possible some
aliens to Christianity may peruse these lines. Otherwise, were
I to speak only to those that already understand it, I might
spare this description.
Sect. 7. The christian religion containeth two parts: 1. All
theological verities which are of natural revelation : 2. Much
more which is supernaturally revealed. The supernatural reve-
lation is said in it to be partly written by God, partly delivered
by angels, partly by inspired prophets and apostles, and partly
by Jesus Christ himself in person.
Sect. 8. The supernatural revelation reciteth most of the
natural, because the searching of the great book of nature is a
long and difficult work for the now corrupted, dark, and slothful
mind of the common sort of men.
Sect. 9. These supernatural revelations are all contained, 1 . Most
copiously in a book called, ' The Holy Bible ; or Canonical
Scriptures.' 2. More summarily and contractedly, in three
forms, called, 'The Belief,' 'The Lord's Prayer,' and ' The Ten
Commandments.' 3. And most briefly and summarily, in a
' Sacramental Covenant :' this last containeth all the essential
parts most briefly ; and the second somewhat more fully ex-
plained* them ; and the first, the holy Scriptures, containeth also
all the integral parts, or the whole frame.
Sect. 10. Some of the present professors of the christian re-
ligion do differ about the authority of some few writings, called
' Apocrypha,' whether they are to be numbered with the ca-
l2
148 THE REASONS OF
nonical books of God, or not ; but those few containing in them
no considerable points of doctrine different from the rest, the
controversy doth not very much concern the substance or doc-
trinal matter of their religion.
Sect. 11. The sacred Scriptures are written very much his-
torically, the doctrines being interspersed with the history.
Sect. 12. This sacred volume containeth two parts : the first
called, ' The Old Testament,' containing the history of the cre-
ation, and of the deluge, and of the Jewish nation till after their
captivity ; as also their law, and prophets. The second, called
* The New Testament,' containing the history of the birth, and
life, and death, and resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ ;
the sending of his apostles ; the giving of the Holy Ghost ; the
course of their ministry and miracles ; with the sum of the
doctrine preached first by Christ, and then by them, and certain
epistles of theirs to divers churches and persons, more fully
opening all that doctrine.
Sect. 13. The sum of the history of the Old Testament is
this : That in the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth, with all things in them : p viz., That having first made the
intellectual, superior part of the world, and the matter of the
elementary world in an unformed mass, he did, the first day,
distinguish or form the active element of fire, and caused it to
give light : the second day, he separated the rarified, passive
element, called air, expanding it from the earth upwards, to be
a separation and medium of action between the superior and
inferior parts. The third day he separated the rest of the pas-
sive element, earth and water, into their proper place, and set
their bounds ; and made individual plants, with their specific
forms and virtue of generation. The fourth day he made the
sun, moon, and stars, for luminaries to the earth; either then
forming them, or then appointing them to that office, but not
revealing their other uses, which are nothing to us. The fifth
day he made fishes and birds, with the power of generation.
The sixth day he made the terrestrial animals, and man, with
the like generative power. And the seventh day he appointed
to be a Sabbath of rest, on which he would be solemnly wor-
shipped by mankind as our Creator. Having made one man
and one woman, in his own image, that is, with intellects, free-
will, and executive power, in wisdom, holiness, and aptitude to
obey him, and with dominion over the sensitive and vegetative,
P Gen. i.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 149
and inanimate creatures ; he placed them in a garden of plea-
sure, wherein were two sacramental trees, one called, the tree
of life, and the other, the tree of knowledge of good and evil : and
(besides the law of nature) he tried him only with this positive
prohibition, that he should not eat of the tree of knowledge :
whereupon the devil, i who before this was fallen from his first
state of innocency and felicity, took occasion to persuade the
woman that God's threatening was not true ; that he meant not
as he spoke ; that he knew man was capable of greater know-
ledge, but envied him that happiness ; and that the eating of
that fruit was not the way to death as God had threatened,
but to knowledge and exaltation : whereupon the woman seeing
the beauty of the fruit, and desiring knowledge, believed the
devil, and did eat of that which God forbade. The sin being
so heinous for a new-made, rational creature, to believe that God
was false and bad, a liar and envious, which is indeed the na-
ture of the devil, and to depart from his love and obedience for
so small a matter, God did, in justice, presently sentence the
offenders to punishment : yet would not so lose his new-made
creature, nor cast off mankind, by the full execution of his de-
served punishment; but he resolved to commit the recovery and
conduct of mankind to a Redeemer, who should better perform
the work of salvation than the first man, Adam, had done the
work of adhesion and obedience. This Saviour is the Eternal
Wisdom and Word of God, who was in due time to assume the
nature of man, and in the meantime to stay the stroke of jus-
tice, and to be the invisible Lawgiver and Guide of souls, com-
municating such measures of mercy, light, and spirit, for their
recovery, as he saw fit. (Of whom, more anon.) So that,
henceforward, God did no longer govern man as a spotless, in-
nocent creature, by the mere law of entire nature ; but as a
lapsed, guilty, depraved creature, who must be pardoned, re-
conciled, and renewed, and have laws and means made suitable
to his corrupted and miserable state. Hereupon, God published
the promise of a Saviour, to be sent in due time : r who should
i Caesarius (Dialog. 3. Q. 122) thiuketh that Adam was forty days in paradise,
and that, therefore, Lent is kept, to show our hungering after paradise. But
that is a singular fancy. And afterwards he changed it, upon some old men's
tradition, to a longer time. (Gen. ii. and iii.) Transtulit Deos hominem in Para-
disum, et undique occasiones suggerens utcresceret, et perfectus redderetur, et
declaratus tandem Deus, in astra ascenderet. Mediam etenim conditionem ob-
tinuit homo ; nee totus mortalis, nee totus immortalis |existens j verurn
utriusque extitit partu.-ips.~- Therph. Antio. ad Antal. 1. 1. p. 12^.
r Geo. iii. xv. , Geu. i\ .
150 TUB KKASONS OF
confound the devil that had accused God of falsehood, and of en-
vying the good of man, and had by lying murdered mankind; and
should overcome all his deceits and power, and rescue God's in-
jured honour, and the souls of sinners, and bring them safe to
the everlasting blessedness which they were made for. Thus God,
as man's Redeemer, and not only as his Creator, governeth
him. He taught Adam first to worship him now by sacrifice,
both in acknowledgment of the Creator, and to teach him to
believe in and expect the Redeemer, who, in his assumed hu-
manitv, was to become a sacrifice for sin. This worship by
sacrifice Adam taught Ins two sons, Cain and Abel, who were
the early instances, types, and beginnings of the two sorts of
persons which thenceforward would be in the world ; viz., the
holy seed of Christ, and the wicked seed of Satan. Cain, the
elder (as corruption now is before regeneration) offering the
fruits of his land only to his Creator ; and Abel, the younger,
sacrificing the firstlings of his flock of sheep to his Redeemer,
with a purified mind. God rejected the offering of Cain, and
accepted the sacrifice of Abel : whereupon Cain, in imitation
of the devil, envied his brother, and in envy slew him, to
foretell the world what the corrupted nature of man would prove,
and how malignant it would be against the sanctified, and what
the holv seed that are accepted of God must look for in this
world, for the hope of an everlasting blessedness with God.
After this, God's patience waited on mankind, not executing
the threatened death upon their bodies till they had each lived
seven, eight, or nine hundred years : s which mercy was abused
to their greater sin, the length of their lives occasioning their
excessive sensuality, worldliness, and contempt of God and life
eternal, so that the number of the holv seed was at last so small,
and the wickedness of mankind SO great, that God resolved to
drown the world. Onlv righteous Noah and his family (eight
persons) he saved in an ark, which he directed him to make for
the preservation of himself, and the species of aerial and terres-
trial animals. 1 After which Hood, the earth was peopled in
time from Noah, to whom God gave precepts of piety and
justice, which by tradition came down to his posterity through
the world." But still the greater part did corrupt their ways,
and followed Satan, and the holv seed was the smaller part :
tit" whom Abraham, being exemplary in holiness and righteous-
s Gi'ii. v. l Geo. \i. and vii.
" Gen. viii. i\. x. and xi.
thr Christian religion. 151
nets, with his son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob, God did, in
special approbation of their 1'ighteousneSS, renew his gracious
covenant with them, and enlarge it with the addition of many
temporal blessings, and spceial privileges to their posterity after
them ; promising that they should possess the land of Canaan,
and he to him a peculiar people above all the people of t In-
earth.* The children of Jacob, being afterwards by a famine
removed into Egypt, there multiplied to a great people. The
king of Egypt, therefore, oppressed them, and used them as
slaves, to make his brick, by cruel impositions: till at last God
raised them up Moses for a deliverer, to whom (iod committed
his message to the king, and to whom he gave power to work
miracles for their deliverance, and whom he made their captain
to lead them out of Egypt towards the promised land. Ten
times did Moses, with Aaron, his brother, go to Pharaoh, the
king, in vain, though each time they wrought public miracles to
convince him, till at last, when (iod had in a night destroyed
all the fust born in the land of Mgypt, Pharaoh did Unwillingly
let the seed of Jacob, or Israel, go; hut, repenting quickly, he
pursued after them with his host, and overtook them just at the
Red Sea, where God wrought a miracle, opening the sea, which
the Israelites passed through on dry ground : but the king, with
his host, who were hardened to pursue them, were all drowned
by the return of the waters, when the Israelites were over. Then
Moses led them on in the wilderness, towards the promised
land ; but the great difficulties of the wilderness tempted them
to murmuring against him that had brought them thither, and
to unbelief against, (iod, as if he could not have provided for
them. This provoked (iod to kill many thousands of them by
plagues and serpents, and to delay them forty years in that
wilderness, before he gave them the land of promise : so that
only two which eaine out of Egypt, Caleb and Joshua, did live
to enter it. Hut to confute their unbelief, God wrought many
miracles for them in this wilderness; he caused the rocks to
give them water ; he i\'(\ them with manna from above : then-
shoes and clothes did not, wear in forty years. In this wilder-
ness Moses received from (iod a law, by which they were to be
governed. In Mount Sinai, in flames of lire, with terrible
thunder, (iod appeared so far to Moses, as to speak to him, and
instruct him in all that he would have him to do: he gave him
the chief part of his law in two tables of stone, containing ten
1 lieu. xii. to the end of the Hook.
152 THE REASONS OF
commandments, engraven thereon by God himself, or by ange-
lical ministration: the rest he instructed him in by word of
voice. Moses was made their captain, and Aaron their high
priest, and all the forms of God's worship settled, with abun-
dance of laws for sacrifices and ceremonies, to typify the sacrifice
and reign of Christ. When Moses and Aaron were dead in the
wilderness, God chose Joshua, Moses' servant, to be their
captain, who led them into Canaan, and miraculously conquered
all the inhabitants, and settled Israel in possession of the land. y
There they long remained under the government of a chieftain,
called a judge, successively chosen by God himself, 2 till at last
they mutinied against that form of government, and desired a
king like other nations. a Whereupon, God gave them a bad
king in displeasure ; but next him he choose David, a king of
great and exemplary holiness, in whom God delighted, and
made his kingdom hereditary. To David he gave a son of
extraordinary wisdom, who by God's appointment built the
famous temple at Jerusalem ; yet did this Solomon, by the
temptation of his wives, to gratify them, set up idolatry also in
the land. Which so provoked God, that he resolved to rend
ten tribes of the twelve out of his son's hand; which accord-
ingly was done, and they revolted and chose a king of their
own, and only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin adhered to the
posterity of Solomon. The wise sentences of Solomon, and
the psalms of David, are here inserted in the Bible. The reigns
of the kings of Judah and Israel are afterwards described ; the
wickedness and idolatry of most of their successive kings and
people ; till God, being so much provoked by them, gave them
up into captivity. Here is also inserted many books of the
prophecies of those prophets which God sent from time to time,
to call them from their sins, and warn them of his foretold
judgments : b and, lastly, here is contained some of the history
of their state in captivity, and the return of the Jews by the
favour of Cyrus ; where in a tributary state they remained in
expectation of the promised Messiah or Christ. Thus far is
the history of the Old Testament/"
The Jews, being too sensible of their captivities and tri-
butes, and too desirous of temporal greatness and dominion,
expected that the Messiah should restore their kingdom to its
y Exod. and Numb. * Josh, and Judg-.
a 1 Sam. b 1 King. 2 King, and 1 Chr. and 2 Chr.
c Ezra and Nehem,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 153
ancient splendour, and should subdue the gentile nations to
them : and to this sense they expounded all those passages in
their prophets, which were spoken and meant of the spiritual
kingdom of Christ, as the Saviour of souls, which prejudiced
them against the Messiah when he came ; so that, though they
looked and longed for his coming, yet, when he came, they
knew him not to be the Christ, but hated him, and persecuted
him, as the prophets had foretold : the fulness of time being
come, in which God would send the promised Redeemer, the
Eternal Wisdom and Word of God, the Second in the Trinity,
assumed a human soul and body, and was conceived in the
womb of a virgin, by the Holy Spirit of God, without man's
concurrence. His birth was celebrated by prophecies, and
apparitions, and applause of angels, and other wonders. A
star appearing over the place, led some astronomers out of the
east, to worship him in the cradle, which Herod, the king,
being informed of, and that they called him the King of the
Jews, he caused all the infants in that country to be killed, that
he might not escape ; but, by the warning of an angel, Jesus
was carried into Egypt, where he remained till the death of
Herod. At twelve years old he disputed with the doctors in
the temple : at this time rose a prophet, called John, who
told them, that the kingdom of the Messiah was at hand, and
called the people to repentance, that they might be prepared for
him, and baptised all that professed repentance into the present
expectation of the Saviour. d About the thirtieth year of his
age, Jesus resolved to enter upon the solemn performance of
his undertaken work ; and, first, he went to John to be baptised
by him, the captains being to wear the same colours with the
soldiers. When John had baptised him, he declared him to be
the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world ; and
when he was baptised, and prayed, the heaven was opened, and
the Holy Spirit descended, in a bodily shape, like a dove, upon
him ; and a voice came from heaven, which said, " Thou art
my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." The first thing
that Jesus did, after his baptism, was, when he had fasted forty
days and nights, to expose himself to the utmost of Satan's
temptations, who, thereupon, did divers ways assault him ; but
Jesus perfectly overcame the tempter, who had overcome the
first man, Adam ; e thenceforth, he preached the glad tidings of
d Matt. i. ii. &c. Luke i. ii. &c. Vid. Prodi Homiliani de Nativ. Christi.
interpret, l'eltano.
s Matt. iv. and Luke iv.
154 THE REASONS OF
salvation, and called men to repentance, and, choosing twelve
to be more constantly with him than the rest, and to be witnesses
of his works and doctrine, he revealed the mvsteries of the
kingdom of God ; he went up and down with them, teaching
the people, and working miracles, to confirm his doctrine ; he
told them, that he was sent from God, to reveal his will to lost
mankind, for their recovery, and to bring them to a fuller
knowledge of the unseen world, and the way thereto; and
to be a Mediator and Reconciler between God and man,
and to lay down his life as a sacrifice for sin ; and that
he would rise again from the dead the third day; and, in
the mean time, to fulfil all righteousness, and give man an
example of a perfect life ; which, accordingly, he did : he
never sinned in thought, word, or deed ; he chose a poor,
inferior condition of life, to teach men, by his example, to
contemn the wealth and honours of this world, in compari-
son of the favour of God, and the hopes of immortality.
He suffered patiently all indignities from men ; he went up and
down as the living image of divine power, wisdom, and good-
ness, doing miracles to manifest his power, and opening the
doctrine of God to manifest his wisdom ; and healing men's
bodies and seeking the salvation of their souls to manifest his
goodness and his love. Without any means, by his bare com-
mand, he immediately cured fevers, palsies, and all diseases,
cast out devils, and raised the dead to life again ; and so open,
uncontrolled, and numerous were his miracles, as that all men
might see that the omnipotent God did thereby bear witness to
his word. Yet did not the greatest part of the Jews believe in
him, for all these miracles, because he came not in worldly
pomp to restore their kingdom and subdue the world ; but they
blasphemed his very miracles, and said, he did them by the
power of the devil ; and fearing lest his fame should bring envy
and danger upon them from the Romans, who ruled over them,
thev were his most malicious persecutors themselves. The
doctrine which he preached was not the unnecessary curiosities
of philosophy, nor the subservient arts and sciences, which
natural light revealeth, and which natural men can sufficiently
teach : but it was to teach men to know God, and to know
themselves, their sin, and danger, and how to be reconciled to
God, and pardoned, and sanctified, and saved ; how to live in
holiness to God, and in love and righteousness to men, and in
special amity and unity among themselves, who are his disci-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 155
pies 5 how to mortify sin, and to contemn the wealth and
honours of the world, and to deny the flesh its hurtful desires
aud lusts ; and how to suffer any thing that we shall be called
to, for obedience to God, and the hopes of heaven ; to tell us
what shall be after death ; how all men shall be judged, and
what shall become both of soul and body to everlasting. But
his great work was by the great demonstrations of the goodness
and love of God to lost mankind, (in their free pardon and
offered salvation,) to win men's hearts to the love of God,
and to raise their hopes and desires up to that blessed life,
where they shall see his glory, and love him, and be beloved by
him for ever. At last, when he had finished the work of his mi-
nistration in the flesh, he told his disciples of his approaching
sufferings and resurrection, and instituted the sacrament of his
body and blood in bread and wine, which he commandeth them
to use, for the renewing of their covenant with him, and remem-
brance of him ; and for the maintaining and signifying their
communion with him and with each other . f After this, his time
being come, the Jews apprehended him, and though upon a
word of his mouth, to show his power, they fell all to the
ground ; yet did they rise again and lay hands on him, and
brought him before Pilate, the Roman governor, and vehe-
mently urged him to crucify him, contrary to his own mind
and conscience. They accused him of blasphemy, for saying
he was the Son of God ; of impiety, for saying, " Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will rebuild it ;" he meant his body :
and of treason against Csesar, for calling himself a king;
though he told them that his kingdom was not worldly, but
spiritual. Hereupon, they condemned him, and clothed him
in purple, like a king, in scorn, and set a crown of thorns on
his head, and put a reed for a sceptre into his hand, and led him
about to be a derision ; they covered his eyes, and smote him,
and buffetted him, and bid him tell who struck him : at last,
they nailed him upon a cross, and put him to open shame and
death, betwixt two malefactors ; of whom, one of them reviled
him, and the other believed in him. They gave him gall and
vinegar to drink. The soldiers pierced his side with a spear,
when he was dead. All his disciples forsook him and fled ;
Peter having before denied thrice that ever he knew him, when
he was in danger. When he was dead, the earth trembled,
the rocks and the vale of the temple rent, and darkness was
f Vid. • Microlog. de Eccles.' observ. cap. 23.
156 HIE REASONS OF
upon the earth, though there was no natural eclipse, which
made the captain of the soldiers say, " Verily this was the Son
of God." When he was taken down from the cross, and
laid in a stone sepulchre, they set a guard of soldiers to
watch the grave, having a stone upon it, which they sealed ;
because he had foretold them that he would rise again. On
the morning of the third clay, being the first day of the
week, an angel terrified the soldiers, and rolled away the
stone, and sat upon it ; and when his disciples came, they
found that Jesus was not there, and the angel told them,
that he was risen, and would appear to them : accordingly,
he often appeared to them ; sometimes as they walked by the
way, and once as they were fishing, but usually when they
were assembled together. Thomas, who was one of them,
being absent at his first appearance to the rest, told them
he would not believe it, unless he saw the print of the nails,
and might put his finger into his wounded side. The next first
day of the week, when they were assembled, Jesus appeared to
them, the doors being shut, and called Thomas, and bade him
put his fingers into his side, and view the prints of the nails in
his hands and feet, and be not faithless but believing. After
this he often appeared to them, and once to above five hundred
brethren at once. He earnestly pressed Peter to show the
love that he bare to himself, by the feeding of his flock. He in-
structed his apostles in the matters of their employment. He
gave them commission to go into all the world, and preach the
Gospel, and gave them the tenour of the new covenant of grace,
and made them the rulers of his church, requiring them by bap-
tism solemnly to enter all into his covenant who consent to the
terms of it, and to assure them of pardon by his blood, and of
salvation if they persevere. He required them to teach his dis-
ciples to observe all tilings which he had commanded them, and
promised them that he would be with them, by his spirit, and
grace, and powerful defence, to the end of the world. And when
he had been seen by them for forty days, speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God, being assembled with them,
he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait
till the Holy Spirit came down upon them, which he had pro-
mised them ; s but they, being tainted with some of the worldly
expectations of the Jews, and thinking that he who could rise from
the dead would surely now make himself and his followers glori-
* All this is written hv the four Evangelists.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 157
ous in the world, began to ask him whether he would at this
time restore the kingdom to Israel ; but he answered them, " It
is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father
hath put into his own power ; but ye shall receive power, after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses
to me both at Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the uttermost parts of the earth. h And when he had said this,
while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him
out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly towards
heaven, as he went up, two men stood by them in white apparel,
and said, Why gaze ye up into heaven ? This same Jesus which
is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner
as ye have seen him go into heaven." Upon this they returned
to Jerusalem, and continued together till ten days after. As
they were all together, both the apostles and all the rest of the
disciples, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a
rushing, mighty wind, and the likeness of fiery, cloven tongues
sat on them all, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ut-
terance.' By this they were enabled both to preach to people
of several languages, and to work other miracles to confirm their
doctrine ; so that, from this time forward, the Holy Spirit, which
Christ sent down upon believers, was his great Witness and
Agent in the world, and procured the belief and entertainment
of the Gospel wheresoever it came ; for by this extraordinary
reception of the Spirit, the apostles themselves were more fully
instructed in the doctrine of salvation than they were before,
notwithstanding their long converse with Christ in person, it
being his pleasure to illuminate them by supernatural infusion,
that it might appear to be no contrived design to deceive the
world. And they were enabled to preach the word with power,
and by this Spirit were infallibly guided in the performance of
the work of their commissions, to settle Christ's church in a
holy order, and to leave on record the doctrine which he had
commanded them to teach : also, they themselves did heal the
sick, and cast out devils, and prophesy, and by the laying on of
their hands the same Holy Spirit was ordinarily given to others
that believed : so that Christians had all one gift or other of
that Spirit, by which they convinced and converted a great part
of the world in a short time : and all that were sincere had the
gift of sanctification, and were regenerate by the Spirit, as well
b Acts i. I Acts ii.
158 THE REASONS OF
as by baptismal water, and had the love of God shed abroad in
their hearts by the Holy Ghost, which was given them. A holy
and heavenly mind and life, with mortification, contempt of the
world, self-denial, patience, and love to one another, and to all
men, was the constant badge of all Christ's followers. The first
sermon that Peter preached did convert three thousand of those
sinful Jews that had crucified Christ. And after that many
thousands of them more were converted. k One of their bloody
persecutors, Saul, a pharisee, that had been one of the mur-
derers of the first martyr, Stephen, and had haled many of them
to prisons ; and as he was going on this business was struck
down by the highway, a light from heaven shining round about
him, and a voice saying to him, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me ? And he said, Who art thou, Lord ? And the Lord
said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest ; it is hard for thee to
kick against the pricks. And he, trembling and astonished,
said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? And the Lord said,
Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou
must do. And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless,
hearing a voice, but seeing no man : and so Saul was led blind to
Damascus, where one Ananias had a vision, commanding him to
baptise him, and his eyes were opened." ' This convert, called
Paul, did henceforward preach the Gospel of Christ, from
country to country, in Syria, in Asia, at Rome, and a great part
of the world, in marvellous, unwearied labours and sufferings,
abuses, and imprisonments, converting multitudes, and planting
churches in many great cities and countries, and working abun-
dance of miracles where he went. His history is laid down in part
of the New Testament : there are also many of his epistles, to
Rome, to Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessa-
lonica, to Timothy, to Titus, and to Philemon, and the He-
brews, as is supposed : there are also the epistles of Peter,
James, John, and Jude j with the revelation of John, contain-
ing many mysterious prophecies. An eunuch, who was of great
power, under the Queen of Ethiopia, was converted by Philip,
and carried the Gospel into his country. The rest of the apos-
tles, and other disciples, carried it abroad a great part of the
world, especially in the Roman empire : and though every
where they met with opposition and persecution, yet, by the
power of the Holy Ghost appearing in their holiness, languages,
and miracles, they prevailed and planted abundance of churches,
k Acts ii. and iii. l Acts ix.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 159
of whicli the most populous were at Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome,
and Alexandria : and though they were all dispersed abroad
the world, and out of the reach of mutual converse, yet did
they never disagree in their doctrine in the smallest point ; but
proceeded through sufferings in unity and holiness, in the work
of saving souls, till most of them were put to death for the
sake of Christ, having left the churches under the government
of their several pastors, according to the will of Christ." 1
This is the abstract of the history of the holy Scriptures.
Sect. 14. The sum of the doctrine of Christianity is contained
in these articles following, consisting of three general heads :
I. Things to be known and believed. II. Things to be willed,
and desired, and hoped. III. Things to be done.
1. I. There is one only God in essence, in three essential
principles, — power, understanding, and will ; or omnipotency,
omniscience, and goodness ; in three substances or persons, — the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who is a Mind, or Spirit,
and therefore is most simple, incorruptible, immortal, impas-
sionate, invisible, intactible, &c. ; and is indivisible, eternal, im-
mense, necessary, independent, self-sufficient, immutable, abso-
lute, and infinite in all perfections : the principal efficient,
dirigent, and final Cause of all the world : the Creator of all,
and therefore our absolute Owner, our supreme Ruler, and our
total Benefactor, and Chief Good and End. 11
2. God made man for himself; not to supply any want of
his own, but for the pleasing of his own will and love, in the
glory of his perfections, shining forth in his works : in his own
image; that is, with vital power, understanding, and free-will,
able, wise, and good, with dominion over the inferior creatures,
as being in subordination to God, their Owner, their Governor,
and their Benefactor and End. And he bound him by the law
of his nature to adhere to God, his Maker ; by resignation,
devotion, and submission to him as his Owner, by believing,
honouring, and obeying him as his Ruler ; and by loving him,
trusting and seeking him, delighting in him, thanksgiving to
him, and praising him, as his grand Benefactor, chief Good,
and ultimate End, to exercise charity and justice to each other;
and to govern all his inferior faculties by reason according to
m Acts per tot.
n 1 Cor. viii. 4, G; Matt, xxviii. 19; 1 John v. 7; 1 Tim. i. 17; Psalm
cxxxix. 7 — 9, and cxlvii. 5 ; Isa. xl. 17 ; 1 Tim. vi. lfi ; Mai. iii. 6 ; Jam. i. 17 ;
Neh. ix. 6 ; Rev. iv. 8 ; and xv. 3 ; Exod. xxxiv. C, 7 ; Ezek. xviii. 4 ; Psalm
xlvii. 7 ; cxix. C8, and cxlv. 9.
1€0 THE REASONS OF
his Maker's will, that he so might please him, and be happy m
his love : and, to try him, he particularly forbade him to eat of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
3. Man being tempted by Satan to break this law of God,
did believe the tempter, who promised him impunity, and ad-
vancement in knowledge, and who accused God as false in his
threatening, and as envying man this great advancement ; and so,
by wilful sinning against him, he fell from God, and his upright-
ness and happiness, under the displeasure of God, the penalty of
his law, and the power of Satan ; and hence we are all conceived
in sin, averse to good, and prone to evil, and condemnation is
passed upon all, and no mere creature is able to deliver us. 1 '
4. God so loved the world, that he gave his only son to be
their Redeemer, who, being the eternal Wisdom and Word of
God, and so truly God, and one in essence with the Father, did
assume our nature, and became man, being conceived by the
Holy Spirit, in the Virgin Mary, and born of her, and called
Jesus Christ; who, being holy and without all sin, did conquer
the tempter and the world, fulfilling all righteousness. He
enacted and preached the law or covenant of grace, confirming
his doctrine by abundant, uncontrolled miracles ; contemning
the world, he exposed himself to the malice, and fury, and con-
tempt of sinners, and gave up himself a sacrifice for our sins,
and a ransom for us, in suffering death on a cross, to reconcile
us to God. He was buried, and went, in soul, to the souls de-
parted ; and the third day he rose again, having conquered
death ; and, after forty days, having instructed and authorised
his apostles in their office, he ascended up into heaven in their
sight, where he remaineth glorified, and is Lord of all ; the
Chief-Priest, and Prophet, and King of his church, interceding
for us, teaching and governing us by his Spirit, ministers, and
word. q
° Prov/xvi. 4 ; Gen. i. 26 ; Deut. xxx. 19 ; Col. iii. 10; Eccles. vii. 29 : Psalm
viii. 5, 6 ; Mark xii. 30, 33 ; Deut. vi. 5 ; x. 12, and i. 32 ; Gen. ii. 16, 17 ;
Rom. vi. 23. See an exposition of the Creed briefly in Isidor. ' De Eccles.
Offic' (1. 2, c. 23, p. 222.) Of the original of the Creed, see Vossius ' De
Symbol.' and Parker 'De Descensu ad Inferos.' Of the several Creeds of
the Eastern and Western churches, see Usher, 'De Symbolis.'
p Gen. iii. ; John viii. 44 ; Rom. v. 12, 17, 18 ; Gen. iii. 16, 17 ; Rom. iii. 9,
19, 23, and vi. 23 ; Acts xvi. 18 ; Eph. ii. 2 ; Heb. ii. 14 ; Psalm li. 5 ; Rom.
v. xii ; Eph. ii. 2, 3, 5 ; Isa. xlviii. 4 ; Job. xiv. 4, and xxv. 4 ; Gen. vi. 5 ;
Hos. xi. 7 ; Rom. v. 18, 19 ; Rom. v. 6, 10 ; Acts iv. 12.
i John iii. 16, 17, and iv. 42 ; 1 John ii. 2 ; Rom. ix. 5 ; John x. 30 ; 1 Tim.
ii. 5 ; Heb. ii. 14, 16 ; Luke i. 27, 31, 35 ; Matt. i. 20, 21 ; Heb. iv. If) ; Matt.
iv. ; Heb. vii. 26 j Matt. iii. 15 ; Acts ii. 22 ; Heb. ii. 3, 4, ix. 26, and x. 12 ;
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
161
5. The new law and covenant which Christ hath procured,
made, and sealed, hy his hlood, his sacraments, and his Spirit,
is this : That to all them who, by true repentance and faith, do
forsake the flesh, the world, and the devil, and give up themselves
to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, their Creator, Re-
deemer, and Sanctifier, he will give himself in these relations,
and take them as his reconciled children, pardoning their sins,
and giving them his grace, and title to everlasting happiness, and
will glorify all that thus persevere ; but will condemn the unbe-
lievers, impenitent, and ungodly, to everlasting punishment.
This covenant he hath commanded his ministers to proclaim
and offer to all the world, and to baptise all that consent there-
unto, to invest them sacramentally in all these benefits, and enter
them into his holy catholic church. r
6. The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son,
did first inspire and guide the prophets, apostles, and evangelists,
that they might truly and fully reveal the doctrine of Christ, and
deliver it in Scripture to the church, as the rule of our faith and
life ; and by abundance of evident, uncontrolled miracles and
gifts, to be the great witness of Christ, and of the truth of his
holy word. 8
7. Where the Gospel is made known, the Holy Spirit doth
by it illuminate the minds of such as shall be saved, and opening
and softening their hearts, doth draw them to believe in Christ,
and turneth them from the power of Satan unto God ; whereupon
they are joined to Christ the Head, and into the holy catholic
church, which is his body, consisting of all true believers, and
are freely justified and made the sons of God, and a sanctified,
peculiar people unto him, and do love him above all, and serve
him sincerely in holiness and righteousness, loving and desiring
1 Tim. ii. 6 ; Eph. ii. 16; 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4 ; Luke xxiii. 43 ; Psalm xvi. 10 ;
1 Pet. iii. 18, 19; 2 Tim. i. 10; Heb.ii. 14 ; Acts ii. 24, 29, and iii.; Rom. ix.
5 ; Heb. vii. 24 ; Acts ii. 36, and x. 36 ; Heb. viii. 2, and x. 21 ; Acts iii. 23,
and v. 31 ; Heb. vii. 25 ; Rom. viii. 34 ; Eph. iv. 8, 1 1 — 13 ; Rom. viii. 9 ; 1
Thess. v. 12.
r Heb. ix. 15 ; John i. 12, and iii. 16; Acts xxvi. 18; Gal. v. 6; Acts xi 18 ;
iii. 19, and xx. 21 ; Rom. viii. 1,13; Mark iv. 12 ; Rom. viii. 16, 17 ; Gal. iv.
6 ; John iii. 6 ; 1 Cor. vi. 17 ; Rom. viii. 9 ; Eph. ii. 18, 22 ; Rev. ii. and iii. ;
Col. i. 22, 23 ; Heb. iv. 1 ; Mark xvi. 16 ; John iii. 3, 5, 36 ; Heb. xii. 14 ; 2
Tliess. i. 8, 9, and ii. 12; Lukexiii.3; Matt, xxviii. 19 ; Mark xvi. 15, 16 ; 2
Cor. v. 19 ; John vi. 37, and x. 28, 29.
s John xiv. 26, and xv. 26; 1 Pet. i. 10—12; 2 Pet. i. 21 ; 2 Tim. iii. 16;
John xi. 13; Eph. iii. 3, 5, and ii. 20; Isa. viii. 20 ; Rev. xxii. 18, 19 ; 1 Tim.
vi. 14 ; Luke xvi. 29, 31 ; Acts ii. 22 ; v. 32, and xix. 11, 19 ; Heb. ii. 3, 4 j
Gal. iii. 1 — 3; John xiv. 12, and iii. 2; 1 Cor. xiv.
VOL. XXI. M
162 THE REASONS OF
the communion of saints, overcoming the flesh, the world, and
the devil, and living in hope of the coming of Christ, and of ever-
lasting life. 1
8. At death, the souls of the justified go to happiness with
Christ, and the souls of the wicked to misery; and at the end
of this world the Lord Jesus Christ will come again, and will
raise the bodies of all men from the dead, and will judge all the
world, according to the good or evil which they have done; and
the righteous shall go into everlasting life, where they shall see
God's glory, and, being perfected in holiness, shall love, and
praise, and please him perfectly, and be loved by him for ever-
more, and the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment with
the devil , u
II. According to this belief, we do, deliberately and seri-
ously, by unfeigned consent of will, take this one God, the
infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, for our only God, our reconciled Father, our
Saviour) and our Sanctifier, and resolvedly give up ourselves to
him accordingly ; entering into his church, under the hands of
his ministers, by the solemnisation of this covenant, in the
sacrament of baptism. And in prosecution of this covenant,
we proceed to stir up our desires, by daily prayer to God, in
the name of Christ, by the help of the Holy Spirit, in the order
following: I. We desire the glorifying and hallowing of the
name of God, that he may be known, and loved, and honoured
by the world, and may be well pleased in us, and we may delight
in him, which is our ultimate end : 2. That his kingdom of
grace may be enlarged, and his kingdom of glory, as to the
perfected church of the sanctified, may come ; that mankind
may more universally subject themselves to God, their Creator
and Redeemer, and be saved by him : 3. That this earth, which
is grown too like to hell, may be made more like to the holy ones
in heaven, by a holy conformity to God's will, and obedience
to all his laws, denying and mortifying their own fleshly desires,
wills, and minds : 4. That our natures may have necessary
1 Acts xxvi. 17, 18 ; Rom. viii. 9 — 11 ; Acts xvi. 14 ; John vi. 44; Ezek. xxxvi.
26; Gal. v. 22; Col.ii. 19; Eph. v. 30— 32, and iii. 17 ; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, 27;
Rom. iii. 24, and iv. 24 ; John i. 12 ; Tit. ii. 14 ; Rom. v. 5 ; Matt. x. 37 ; 1
Cor. vi. 11 ; Luke i. 75; 1 John iii. 14; 1 Pet. i. 22; Acts xxiv. 2; Gal. v. 17,
24 ; 1 John ii. 15 ; 1 Cor. i. 7 ; 2 Pet. iii. 11, 12 ; Tit. i. 2, and iii. 7 ; Luke
xxiii. 43, and xvi. 22 ; 2 Cor. v. 1, 8 ; Phil. i. 23 ; 2 Pet. iii. ] 9 ; Luke xvi. 28 ;
Actsi. 11.
u 1 Cor. xv.; John v. 22, 29; Matt.xxv.; 2 Cor. v. 10; Matt, xxv., and xiii
41, 42, 43 j 2 Tim. iv. 8, 18 ; 2 Thess. i. 8—10, and ii. 12 ; John xvii. 24.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 163
support, protection, and provision, in our daily service of God,
and passage through this world, with which we ought to be
content : 5. That all our sins may be forgiven us, through our
Redeemer, as we ourselves are ready to pardon wrongs : 6. That
we may be kept from temptations, and delivered from sin and
misery, from Satan, from wicked men, and from ourselves :
concluding our prayers with the joyful praises of God, our
Heavenly Father, acknowledging his kingdom, power, and glory,
for ever. x
III. The laws of christian practice are these: 1. That our
souls do firmly adhere to God, our Creator, Redeemer, and
Sanctifier, by faith, love, confidence, and delight ; that we seek
him by desire, obedience, and hope ; meditating on himself,
his word and works of creation, redemption, and sanctification,
of death, judgment, heaven, and hell; exercising repentance,
and mortifying sin, especially atheism, unbelief, and unholiness,
hardness of heart, disobedience, and unthankfulness, pride,
worldliness, and flesh-pleasing ; examining our hearts, about
our graces, our duties, and our sins ; watchfully governing our
thoughts, affections, passions, senses, appetites, words, and
outward actions ; resisting temptations, and serving God with
all our faculties, and glorifying him in our hearts, our speeches,
and our lives, y
2. That we worship God according to his holiness, and
his word, in spirit and truth, and not with fopperies and
imagery, according to our own devices, which may dishonour
him, and lead us to idolatry.
3. That we ever use his name with special reverence,
especially in appealing to him by an oath ; abhorring pro-
faneness, perjury, and breach of vows and covenants to God.
x Luke xv. 21; Acts ii. 37, and iii. 19; Rom. viii. 13; Luke xiv. 33; 1
Thess. i. 9 ; Exod. xx. 3 ; Deut. xxvi. 17 ; Josh. xxiv. 16, 26; 2 Cor. viii. 5 ;
John xvii. 3 ; 1 Cor. viii. 6 ; 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18 ; 1 John i. 3 ; Eph. iv. 5, 6;
John xiv. 6 ; Luke v. 14, and xiv. 26 ; Acts ix. 6 ; Rom. vi. 13, 16 ; Luke xix.
27; John iii. 10; Matt, xxviii. 19; Eph. ii. 18, 22, and i. 13, 14, "18; Rom.
viii. 9, 13, 16, 26 ; 1 Cor. ii. 10; Eph. ii. 18, 22, and iii. 5, 16 ; 2 Cor. i. 22, and
v. 5 ; Isa. xliv. 3—5 ; Rom. xv. 6. See the Lord's Prayer.
y The Ten Commandments. Jude 21 ; Gal. v. 22 ; Luke x. 27 ; 1 Tim. iv.
7; Isa. lxiv. 7 ; Acts xxiv. 16 ; Col. iii. 5 ; Rom. viii. 13 ; Heb. iii. 11, 13 ;
Matt. xv. 18, 19 ; Luke xii. 15 ; Rom. xiii. 13, 14 ; 1 Cor. iii. 18 ; 2 Pet. i. 10 ;
2 Cor. xiii. 5 ; Gal. vi. 3, 4 ; Psalm iv. 4 ; civ. 34 ; i. 2, and cxix. 97, 99 ; Gen.
xxiv. 63; Eph. iii. 18, 19; Psalm xc. 12; Luke xii. 36; 2 Pet. iii. 11, 12;
Luke xxi. 36 ; Psalm cxli. 1 ; 1 Cor. x. 12 ; Psalm xxxix. 1 ; Prov. iv. 23 ; Eph.
vi. 10, 19 ; 1 Pet. v. 9 ; Jam. iv. 7 ; Psalm xxxiv. 3, and cxlv. 2 ; 1 Thess. iii.
17; Phil. iv. 6.
M 2
164 THE REASONS OF
4. That we meet in holy assemblies for his more solemn
worship ; where the pastors teach his word to their flocks, and
lead them in prayer and praise to God, administer the sacrament
of communion, and are the guides of the church in holy things ;
whom the people must hear, obey, and honour ; especially the
Lord's day must be thus spent in holiness. z
5. That parents educate their children in the knowledge
and fear of God, and in obedience of his laws; and that princes,
masters, and all superiors, govern in holiness and justice, for
the glory of God, and the common good, according to his laws ;
and that children love, honour, and obey their parents, and all
subjects their rulers, in due subordination unto God. a
6. That we .do nothing against our neighbour's life, or
bodily welfare, but carefully preserve it as our own. b
7. That no man defile his neighbour's wife, or commit
fornication; but preserve our own and others' chastity in
thought, word, and deed. c
8. That we wrong not another in his estate, by stealing,
fraud, or any other means ; but preserve our neighbour's
estate as our own. d
9. That we pervert not justice by false witness, or other-
wise ; nor wrong our neighbour in his name, by slanders,
backbiting, or reproach ; that we lie not, but speak the truth in
love, and preserve our neighbour's right and honour as our own. e
10. That we be not selfish, setting up ourselves and our
own, against our neighbour and his good, desiring to draw from
him unto ourselves ; but that we love our neighbour as our-
selves, desiring his welfare as our own ; doing to others as,
regularly, we would have them do to us ; forbearing, and for-
giving one another ; loving even our enemies, and doing good
to all, according to our power, both for their bodies and their
souls. f
1 John iv. 23, 24: Matt. xv. 9; lsa. i. 13; Deut. vi. 13, and x. 20 ; Jer. iv.
2, and xii. 16 ; Jam. v. 12 ; Acts v. 42; vi. 2, and xx. 7, 28, 30, 31, 36 ; 1 Cor.
xiv. 16, 26 ; Jam. v. 14 ; Phil. i. 4 ; 1 Cor. xi. 24, and x. 16 ; Heb. vii. 7 ; Rev.
i. 10; Acts xx. 7 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 2.
a Eph. vi. 4. 9 ; Deut. vi. 11, 12 ; Dan. vi. 10 ; Acts x. 30 ; Psalm ci. ; 1
Sam. ii. 23, 29 ; Gen. xviii. 19 ; Josh. xxiv. 15 ; Col. iii. 20, 22 ; Deut. xxi. 18.
b Matt. v. 21— 23, 25, 38,39.
c Matt. v. 27—30.
d IThess. iv. 6; Eph. iv. 28.
e Prov. xix. 5, 9, and xxi. 28 ; Rom. xiii. 9 ; Rev. xvi. 19, and xxiv. 17 ; Prov.
xvii. 23, and xxxi. 5 ; Col. iii. 9 ; Prov. xii. 22 ; vi. 17, and xiii. 5.
1 Rum. vii. 7, and xiii. 4; Matt. xix. 19, and xxii. 36; Luke xiv. 22, 23;
Jam. ii. 8, and iii. 13; 1 Cor. xiii.} Matt. vii. 12; Eph. iv. 32; Col. iii. 13;
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 165
This is the substance of the christian religion.
Sect. 15. II. The sum, or abstract, of the christian religion,
is contained in three short forms ; the first, called the Creed,
containing the matter of the christian belief; the second, called
the Lord's Prayer, containing the matter of christian desire
and hope ; the third, called the law, or decalogue, containing
the sum of moral duties ; which are as followeth.
The Belief.
1. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven
and Earth ; 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate ; was crucified, dead, and buried,
descended to g hell \ the third day he rose again from the dead ;
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God,
the Father Almighty) from thence he shall come again to
judge the quick and the dead : 3. I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgive-
ness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life ever-
lasting.
The Lord's Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name : thy
kingdom come : thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive them that trespass against us : and lead us not
into temptation ; but deliver us from evil : for thine is the king-
dom, the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The Ten Commandments.
God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God,
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage. 11
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
1 John iv. 16; Rom. xiii. 9 ; 1 Thess. iv. 9 ; 1 Pet. i. 22; iii. 8,andii. 17; Gal.
vi. 10; Eph. ii. 10; Tit. ii. 14.
e Hades, of which read Bishop Usher, in his ' Answer to the Jesuits' Chal-
lenge.' De totis Scripturis, haec breviatim collecta sunt ab Apostolis, ut quia
plures credentium literas nesciuat, vel qui sciunt pra:occupationibus seculi
Scripturas legere non possunt, haec corde retinentes habeant sibi sufficientem
scientiam salutareni.— Isidor. de Ecci. Offic. lib. 2. cap. 22. p. (in Bibl. Patr.)
222.
h Exod . xx. ; Deut. v.
L66 THE REASONS OF
likeness of any thing in heaven above, or that is in the earth be-
neath, or that is in the water under the earth : thou shalt not
bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : for I, the Lord thy
God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon
the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate
me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and
keep my commandments.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain,
for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.
4. 'Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labour and do all thy work ; but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any
work ; thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant,
nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is
within thy gates ; for in six days the Lord made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh
day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hal-
lowed it.
5. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be
long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; thou shalt
not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his
maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy
neighbour's.
Sect. 16. The ten commandments are summed up by Christ
into these two : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and soul, and might ; and thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself.
Sect. 17. These commandments, being first delivered to the
Jews, are continued by Christ as the sum of the law of nature ;
only, instead of deliverance of the Jews from Egypt, he hath made
our redemption from sin and Satan, which was thereby typified,
to be the fundamental motive ; and he hath removed the memo-
1 De die septimo qui inter omnes mortales Celebris est, magna apud ple-
rosque ignorantia est. Hie euim dies qui ab Hebraeis Sabbatum vocatur,
Grsece siquis interpretetur, Septimana, dicitur. Hoc nomine mortales omnes
diem istum appellant ; at nominis causam nesciunt plerique.— Theophil.
Antioch. ad Autol, lib. 1. p. (milii) 121. in B. P. Gr, L. T. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 167
rial of the creation-rest, from the seventh-day Sabbath, to be
kept on the Lord's day, which is the first, with the commemo-
ration of his resurrection, and our redemption, in the solemn
worship of his holy assemblies.
Sect. 18. III. The most brief summary of the christian reli-
gion, containing the essentials only, is in the sacramental cove-
nant of grace ; wherein the penitent believer, renouncing the
flesh, the world, and the devil, doth solemnly give up himself to
God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as his only God, his
Father, his Saviour, and his Sanctifier, engaging himself hereby
to a holy life of resignation, obedience, and love, and receiving
the pardon of all his sins, and title to the further helps of grace,
to the favour of God and everlasting life. This covenant is first
entered by the sacrament of baptism, and after renewed in our
communion with the church, in the sacrament of the body and
blood of Christ. k
So that the christian religion is but faith in God, our Cre-
ator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, producing the hope of life ever-
lasting, and possessing us with the love of God and man : and
all this expressed in the genuine fruits of patience, obedience,
and praise to God, and works of charity and justice unto man.
Sect. 19. That all this religion might be the better under-
stood, received, and practised by us, the word of God came
down into the flesh, and gave us a perfect example of it in his
most perfect life ; in perfect holiness and innocency, conquering
all temptations, contemning the honours, riches, and pleasures
of the world ; in perfect patience, and meekness, and condes-
cension, and in the perfect love of God and man. 1
When perfect doctrine is seconded by perfect exemplariness
of life, there can be no greater light set before us to lead us out
of our state of darkness into the everlasting light. And had it
not been a pattern of holy power, wisdom, and goodness ; of
self-denial, obedience, and love ; of patience, and of truth and
prudence, and of contempt of all inferior things, even of life
itself, for the love of God, and for life eternal, it would not have
been a full exemplification of his doctrine, nor a perfect revela-
tion of it to the world. Example bringeth doctrine near our
senses, and thereby maketh it more clear and powerful.
v Matt, xxviii. 19 ; Rom. viii. 1, and vi. 4 ; 1 Pet. iii. 21, 22 ; Heb. vi. 2.
Acts ii. 38, 41 ; Tit. iii. 5 ; 1 Cor. xi. De modo Baptizandi antiquo vide
Walafridum Strabon. de rebus Eccles. c. 26. p. {Bill. Pat.) W\,—Et.
Ivon. Carnol. serm. de sacram, Neopliytorum, pp, 767, 768, &c.
'John xiii. 15} 1 Pet.ii.21.
168 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 20. It is the undertaken office of Jesus Christ, to send
the Holy Spirit into believers' minds, and to write out the sub-
stance of the law upon their hearts, and give them such holy
and heavenly inclinations, that it may become as it were a
natural law unto them, and they obey it with love, facility, and
delight, though not in perfection till they arrive at the state of
perfection. 1 "
So much to show what the christian religion is.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Nature and Properties of the Christian Religion.
Having understood the matter and words of the christian
religion, before I proceeded any further, I thought it meet to pass
a judgment upon the nature, temperament, constitution, and
properties of it." And therein I found that which must needs
be a great preparative to belief.
Sect. 1. And first, I found that it is a most holy and spirit-
ual religion, resolved into the most excellent principles and
ends, glorifying God, and humbling man, and teaching us the
most divine and heavenly life, in the love and patient service of
our Creator.
1. It is most holy, for it calleth us up entirely unto God, and
consisteth in our absolute dedication and devotedness to him.
2. It is most spiritual, leading us from things carnal and
terrene; and being principally about the government of the
soul, and placing all our felicity in things spiritual, and not in
fleshly pleasures with the Epicureans and Mahometans, it
teacheth us to worship God in a spiritual manner, and not either
irrationally, toyishly, or irreverently ; and it directeth our lives
to a daily converse with God in holiness. 3. The principles oi
it are the three essentialities of God in unity, viz., the infinite
power, wisdom, and goodness ; and the three grand relations
of God to man, as founded in his three most famous works, viz.,
as our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Regenerator or Sanc-
tifier ; and the three great relations arising from creation, and
m John Hi. 5, 6, a»d vii. 38, 39 ; Gal.iv.fi, and v. 18, 25; Rom. viii; 9, 13 ;
2 Cor. iii. 3, 4 ; 1 Cor. vi. 11, and ii. 10, 11 ; Jer. xxxi. 33 ; Psalm i. 2 ; 2 Pet. i,
4 ; 1 John iv. 7, and v. 4, 18.
" Nihil est ad defendendum Puritate tutius : nihil ad dicendum Veritate
facilius. — Ing, Ambros.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 169
also from redemption, viz., as he is our Owner, our Ruler, and
our Benefactor, or chief Good and End. 4. The ends of the
christian religion, I find, are proximately the saving of man
from Satan, and the justice of God; the sanctifying them to
God, and purifying them from sin, the pardon of their sins, and
the everlasting happiness of their souls, in the pleasing and
fruition of God for ever. In a word, it is but the redeeming
us from our carnal self, the world, and the devil, to the love
and service of our Creator. 5. Nothing can be spoken more
honourably of God in all his perfections, in the language of
poor mortals, than what the christian religion speaketh of him.
6. And no religion so much humbleth man, by opening the
malignity, both of his original and actual sin, and declaring the
displeasure of God against it. 7 '• It teacheth us who once
lived as without God in the world, to live wholly unto God, and
to make nothing of all the world in comparison of him. 8. And
it teacheth us to live upon the hopes of heaven, and fetch our
motives and our comforts from it.°
Sect. 2. I find that the christian religion is the most pure,
and clean, and utterly opposite to all that is evil.
There is no virtue which it commendeth not, nor duty which
it commandeth not, nor vice which it condemneth not, nor sin
which it forbiddeth not.
The chief thing in it which occasioneth the rebellion and dis-
pleasure of the world against it, is the purity and goodness of
it, which is contrary to their sensual nature, and as physic to
their licentious lives : would it indulge their vices, and give
them leave to sin, they could endure it.^
Sect. 3. Particularly it most vehemently condemneth the
grand vices of pride, worldliness, and sensuality, and all their
polluting and pernicious fruits.
1. No religion doth so much to teach men humility, and
° Nulla major ad amorem invitatio, quam prasvenire amantem : et nimis
durus est animus, qui, si delectionem nolebat impeudere, nolit rependere. —
August, de Cat.rud. Iu eo quod amatur, autnon laboratur, aut labor ama-
tur. — August, de san. Vid. Ad Divos adeunto caste ; pietatem adhibento,
opes amovento : qui secus faxit, Deus ipse vindexerit. Leges Rom. — In Cic.
de. Leg. 2. p. 237. — Significat probitatem Deo gratam esse, sumptum esse remo-
vendum. — lb. p. 239.
i' Christianus nemo recte dicitur, nisi qui Christo moribus, prout valet,
cocquatur. Maxim. Christiani nomen frustra sortitur, qui Christum tninime
iniitatur: quid enim tibi prodest vocari quod non es, et nomen usurpare
alienum ? Sed si Christianum te esse delectat, qua? Christianitatis sunt
gere, et merito tibi Christiani nonieu assume. — August, de vita Christiani.
170 THE REASONS OF
make pride appear an odious thing. It openeth the malignity
of it, as it lifteth up the mind against God or man : it con-
demned! it as Satan's image : it giveth us a multitude of hum-
bling precepts and motives, and secondeth them all with the
strangest example of condescension and lowliness in Christ, that
was ever presented to the view of man. Whereas, I find, even
in the most famous of the Roman heathens, that a great deal of
pride was taken for a virtue, and men were instructed and ex-
horted to be proud, under pretence of maintaining and vindi-
cating their honour ; and true humility was taken for disgrace-
ful baseness, and men were driven from it by the scorn, not
only of the vulgar, but of philosophers themselves.* 1
2. And there is no religion that is fitted so much to the de-
struction of worldliness, or of the love of riches, as Christianity
is: for it teacheth men most effectually the vanity of the world ;
it appointcth them a holy life, so hateful to worldly men, as
will occasion them to feel the vexation of the world ; it openeth
to them the hopes of a life so much better, as may teach them
to take all the wealth and glory of this world for a shadow, a
feather, or a dream. It condemneth worldly love, as the sin in-
consistent with the love of God, and the certain mark of a
drossy, unsanctified, miserable soul. It setteth before us such
an example of Christ, as must needs shame worldliness with all
true believers/
3. And for sensuality, it openeth the shame of its beastiality,
and maketh the carnal mind and life to be enmity to God, and
the contrary to that spiritual mind and life, which is the pro-
perty of all that shall be saved : it strictly and vehemently con-
demneth all gluttony and excess of drink ; all rioting and time-
wasting, needless sports ; all fornication, and ribald talk, and
wanton carriage, words, or thoughts : whereas I find among hea-
thens and Mahometans, that inordinate sensuality was much
i Me vere Christiauus est, qui omnibus misericordiam facit, qui nulla om-
nino tnovetur injuria ; qui alieuum dolorem tanquam propium sentit ; cujus
mensani pauper non ignorat ; qui coram hominibus inglorius habetur, ut
coram Deo et angelis glorietur : qui terrena contemnit, ut possit habere
caelestia; qui opprimi pauperem se praesente nou patitur, qui miseris sub-
veuit, &c. — August, de Vita Cliristi.
' Omnis creatura cum bona sit, et bene potest amari, et male ; bene scilicet
ordine constituto, male ordiue perturbalo. — August, de Civ. Dei. Omnium
malorum affectuum priucipium est Pbilautia; finis autem Superbia : Philautia
amor est, quo corpus complectimur, rationi non consentaneus. Hanc qui
amputaverit, eadera opera, omnes aftectus ex ea orientes abscidit. — Maxim,
de Churitat.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 171
indulged : excess of eating and drinking was made a matter of
no great blame : time-wasting plays were as little accused, as
if men had no greater matter to do in the world, than to pass
away time in some sensual or fantastical delight : either by for-
nication, or many wives at once, their lust was gratified ; and
so their minds were debased, polluted, and called down and
made unfit for spiritual contemplation and a holy life. From
whence, no doubt, it came to pass, that they were so dark
about things spiritual and divine, and so overspread with errors
about many plain and necessary things.
Sect. 4. There is no religion which so notably detecteth and
disgraceth the sin of selfishness, or so effectually teacheth self-
denial as the christian religion doth.
It maketh man understand the nature of his corrupt, de-
praved state, that is, a falling from God to self ; and that his
recovery lieth in returning from self to God. It showeth him
how selfishness is the principle of divisions, enmity, wrath,
contentions, envy, malice, covetousness, injustice, oppression,
wars, uncharitablenes, and all the iniquity of the world : and,
how self is the grand enemy of God and man, and of the public
good and peace ; and contrary to the love of God and our
neighbour, and the commonwealth. It giveth us so many pre-
cepts for self-denial, as no other religion did ever mention, and
such an example of it in Jesus Christ, as is the astonishment of
men and angels ; and, therefore, all other religions did in vain
attempt the true purifying of heart and life, or the pacifying
of the divided minds of men, while they let alone this sin of
selfishness, or lightly touched it, which is the root and heart of
all the rest.
Sect. 5. No religion doth so much reveal to us the nature of
God, and his works for man, and relations to him, as the
christian religion doth.
And, doubtless, that is the most excellent doctrine, which
maketh known God most to man's mind ; and that is the best
religion, which bringeth man nearest to his Creator in love and
purity. Few of the heathens knew God in his unity, and fewer
in the trinity of his essential primalities : many questioned his
particular providence and government ; they knew not man's
relation or duty to him, while they were distracted with the
observance of a multitude of gods, they indeed had none.
Though God be incomprehensible to us all, yet is there a great
deal of the glory of his perfections revealed to us in the light of
172 THE REASONS OP
Christianity, which we may seek in vain with any other sort of
men. 8
Sect. 6. No religion doth so wonderfully open, and magnify,
and reconcile God's justice and mercy to mankind as Christ-
ianity doth.
It showeth how his justice is founded in his holiness and his
governing relation : it justifieth it by opening the purity of his
nature, the evil of sin, and the use of punishment to the right
government of the world ; and it magnifieth it by opening the
dreadfulness and certainty of his penalties, and the sufferings of
our Redeemer when he made himself a sacrifice for our sins.
By the revelation of justice, sin, and misery, it revealeth the
wonderful greatness of God's mercy ; it openeth those opera-
tions and effects of it, which heathenism and Mahometanism
are utter strangers to : they speak diminutively both of mercy
and justice, and cannot tell how to make God merciful, without
making him unjust ; nor to make him just, without obscuring
the glory of his mercy, which is peculiarly set forth in the work
of redemption, and the covenant of grace, and promise of ever-
lasting blessedness.
Sect. 7- The christian religion openeth many other parts of
holy doctrine, which are unknown to men that learned them
not from thence.
Such as the doctrine of the creation, and the fall, and of
original sin, and of justification, sanctification, adoption, and
the right worshipping of God ; of which mention is made before
more distinctly.
Sect. 8. No religion can be more charitable ; for it wholly
consisteth in the love of God and one another, and in the means
to kindle and maintain this love.
The whole law of Christ is fulfilled in love ; even in loving
God for himself above all, and our neighbours as ourselves for
the sake of God ; yea, our enemies, so far as there is any thing
amiable in them. The end of all the commandments is love,
out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and unfeigned faith :
and all Christians are obliged to love each other with a pure
s SicintelligimusDeum,si possumus, quantum possumus; sine qualitate bo-
num, sine quantitate magnum, sine indigentia creatorem, sine situ praesen-
tem, sine habitu omnia continentem, sine loco ubique totum, sine tempore
seni|)iternum, sine ulla sui mutatione, mutabilia omnia facientem, nihilque
patientem. Quisquis Deum ita cogitat, etsi nondum potest invenire quid sit,
pie tamen cavet, quantum potest, aliquid de eo sentire quod non sit. — August,
de Trinit, 1. 5. c. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 173
heart, and fervently ; yea, to show that love which they profess
to Christ himself, hy the loving of one another. How fre-
quently and earnestly is this great duty pressed by Christ and
his apostles ! How great a stress doth he lay upon it ! He
maketh it the evidence of our love to God ; he promiseth salva-
tion to it; he forbiddeth selfishness, that it may not hinder it;
he commandeth us to live in the constant expression of it, and
to provoke one another to love and to good works ; he hath
made himself the most matchless and wonderful example of it ;
he hath told us, that, according to men's charity, he will judge
them at the last day. How dry and barren are all religions
and writings, that we have ever come to the knowledge of in
the world, in the point of love and the fruits of love, in com-
parison of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1
Sect. 9. I find that the christian religion is most for unity
and peace of any religion in the world ; most vehemently com-
manding them, and appointing the fittest means for the attain-
ing of them.
1. All Christians are commanded to be of one mind, to think
the same things, and speak the same things ; and discord and
division, and contention is earnestly forbidden them, and con-
demned, and all occasions which may lead them thereunto.
2. And they have one Head and Centre, one God and Saviour,
who is their common Governor, End, and Interest, in whom,
therefore, they may all unite : when most others in the world
do show a man no further end than self-preservation ; and so
while self is each man's end and interest, there are as many
ends as men ; and how then is it possible that such should have
any true unity and concord ? But to every true Christian, the
pleasing and glorifying of God, and the promoting of his king-
dom for the salvation of the world, is above all self-interest
whatsoever ; and therefore in this they are all united : and
though they all seek their own felicity and salvation, it is onlv
in the seeking of this higher end; which is finis amantis ; sed
creatura amantis Creatorem ; the end of a lover, which de-
' Rom. xiii. 9 ; 1 Tim. i. 5, 6, 14 ; 1 Thes-. iv. i) ; I John iv. 7, ?, and in,
11, 14, 23. Sine cliaritate quomodo quis veram cuutritiuueni habere pote-
rit, quomodo ergo prccatorum remissionem.— Aug. Detis, quia hominem
nudum (Yagilemque formavit, dcdit ei praeter <a?tera huuc pietatis affectum,
ut homo hominem tueatur, diligat, foveat, conimque omnia | eiicula et acci-
piat, et pra?siet auxilium. Sununum igitur inter se hominum vinculum, est
humanitas ; quod qui disruperit, ueiarius et parricida existimandui est.—
iMCtant. Inst, 1, 6, c. 10.
174 THE REASONS OF
sireth unity, and respecteth both the lover and the beloved ; but
it is not the end of the love of equals, but of the creature to the
Creator, who therefore preferreth his beloved before himself in
his intentions. So that it is only this holy centring in God,
that can ever make men all of a mind, and agree the disagree-
ing world : while self is every man's end, they will have such
constant contrariety of interests, that it will be impossible for
them to agree ; but covetousness, ambition, and sensuality, will
keep them in factions, contentions, and wars continually.
Moreover, it is Christianity that most urgeth, and effectually
giveth, a hearty love to one another, and teacheth them to love
their neighbours as themselves, and to do as they would have
others to do by them : and this is the true root and spring of
concord. And it is Christianity which most teacheth the for-
giving of wrongs, and loving of enemies, and forbearing that
revenge which heathens were wont to account an honour. And
it is Christianity which teacheth men to contemn all the riches
and honours of the world, which is the bone that worldly dogs
do fight for, and the great occasion of their strife : and it
teacheth them to mortify all those vices, which feed men's divi-
sions and contentions. So that if any man live as a Christian,
he must needs be a man of unity and peace. If you say, that
the contrary appeareth in the practice of Christians ; I shall
answer that, with the rest of the objections, by themselves : I
shall only say now, that if this that I have laid down be cer-
tainly the doctrine of Christ, then it is as certain, that the con-
trary is contrary to Christianity, and that, so far, such persons
are no Christians : it is hypocrites that take up the name of
Christians for worldly advantage, and are no Christians indeed,
who live thus contrary to the nature and precepts of Christianity
which they profess. u
Sect. 10. The christian religion is most exactly just, in its
rules and precepts, and vehemently condemneth all injustice,
fraud, persecution, and oppression.
What more just rule can there be, than to suit all our actions
to the perfect law of primitive justice, and to do as we would
u Tale bonum est bonumpacis, ut in rebus creatis nilgratiosius soleat audiri,
nil delectabilius concupisci, et nil utilius possideri ; spiritus enim humaims, nun
quam vivificat membra, nisi fueriut unita ; sic Spiritus Sanctus nunquam vivi-
ficat ecclesiae membra, nisi fuerint in pace unita. — August, de Civ. Dei. Pax
vera est coucordiam habere cum inoiibus probis, et litigare cum vitiis. — Cas-
sian. Nee inveniri potest forma expressior conversatiouis angelica?, quam
unitas socialis,— Idem, in Psalm.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 175
be done by ? What more effectual piece of justice can there be,
than charity and self-denial ? to love all men for God, and to
account our neighbour's welfare as our own ? Bring all men to
love their neighbours as themselves, and they will have little
inclination to cruelty, oppression, fraud, or any other injuries.
And when heaven is made the reward of justice and mercy, and
hell the reward of injustice and cruelty, we have the greatest
motives that human nature is capable of.
Sect. 1 1. The christian religion is the most excellent rule for
order and government in the world, and for the peace of king-
doms and their stability : in that it prescribeth the only method
of true government, and condemneth both impiety and tyranny
in the governors, and all sedition and rebellion in the subjects.
1 . It setteth government on the only foundation, the authority
which men receive from God, and teacheth men to rule as the
officers of the universal King, in due subordination to him ; for
his glory, and according to his laws ; and letteth them know
that they have no power but from God, and therefore none
against him ; and that they must be judged by him themselves
for all their government : and that all oppression, tyranny, and
persecution will be to their own confusion in the end. 2. It
teacheth subjects to honour their superiors, and to obey them
in all things, in which they disobey'not God : and to be patient
under all oppressions ; and to avoid all murmurings, tumults,
and rebellions ; and this for fear of God's condemnation. And
certainly these are the most powerful means for peace ; and for
the happy order and government of societies. x
Sect. 12. The christian religion greatly condemneth all fierce-
ness, and impatience, and discontentedness ; and recpiireth a
meek and patient frame of mind, and therefore must needs con-
duce to the fore-mentioned unity and peace.
Sect. 13. It is wholly for sincerity and uprightness of heart,
and greatly condemneth all hypocrisy. It giveth laws for the
very disposition of the mind, and for the government of the
most secret thoughts, affections, and actions, and condemneth
every sin which the world observeth not, or condemneth not. y
Sect. 14. I find that the christian religion is not fitted to any
x Ordo in ecclesia ita statuit, ut alii sint oves, alii verb pastore.s ; ita ut hi
imperent, illi verb obediant : sitque hoc tanquam caput, illud pedes, illud
manus ; hoc oculi, illud verb aliud corporis memltrum, quo omnia recte inter
se conveniant, commodunique tam ad praefectos, quam ad subditos reduudet.
Nazianz. Or. de Modest, in Disput.
t Siinulata aequitas est duplex iniquitas. — August, in Psalm. 23.
176 THE REASONS OF
worldly designs, but only to the sanctifying of men's hearts and
lives, and the saving of their souls. Christ did not contrive by
dominion or riches to win the ungodly multitude to be his ad-
mirers, but by holy precepts and discipline to make his disciples
good and happy.
Mahomet took the way of violence, and fleshly baits, and
blind obedience, to bring in the multitude, and to advance a
worldly kingdom : but Christ goeth the clean contrary way ; he
calleth men to a life of self-denial and patient suffering in the
world : he calleth them to contemn the riches, honours, and
pleasures of the world, and forsake all, even life itself, for him,
and telleth them that they can on no lower terms than these be
his disciples. He hath set up a discipline in his church, to cast
out all drunkards, fornicators, covetous persons, railers, and
other such scandalous sinners who are impenitent : and will have
none in his true mystical church but such as are truly holy; nor
any in his visible church, but such as are professed to be so.
He turneth away all that come not up to his spiritual and holy
terms ; and he casteth out all that notoriously violate them, if
they do not repent. 1
Sect. 15. The christian religion containeth all things neces-
sary to man's happiness, and taketh men off unprofitable specu-
lations, and doth not overwhelm the minds of men with mul-
titudes of needless things.
It is, for the most, things unnecessary, as well as uncer-
tain, with which the philosophers have troubled the world.
They have lost true wisdom in a wilderness of fruitless contro-
versies. But Christianity is a religion to make men holy and
happy, and therefore it containeth these necessary, substantial
precepts, which conduce hereunto : and it taketh men off unne-
cessary things, which else would take up their minds, and talk,
and time, from things necessary : and so it is suited to the
generality of men, and not only to a few that have nothing
else to do but wander in a wilderness of vain speculations ; and
it is fitted to man's best and ultimate end, and not to a fantas-
tical delight. a
'■ Duas civitates duo f'aciunt atnores : Jerusalem facit amor Dei ; Babvlonem
facit amor seculi. Interroget igitur unusquisque se quid amet, et inveniet
unde sit civis. — August, in Psalm. 64.
Multo facilius iuvenit Syderutn conditnrem humilis pietas,qviam Syderum
ordinem superba curiositas. — August, de Ecllps. Doctrina Spiritus non curi-
oMtatem acuit, sed charitatem accendit. — Bern, in Cant. O beata regio
deliciarum ! ad quam suspiro de valle laclirymarum ; ubi sapientia siue iguo-
rautia, ubi memoria sine oblivione, iutellectus sine errore, ratio sine obscuri-
tate fulgebit.— Bernard.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 177
Sect. 16. It tendeth to exalt the mind of man to the
most high and heavenly elevation that it is capable of in this
life.
For it teacheth men, as is aforesaid, to live in the spirit, upon
things above, in the continual love of God, and desires and en-
deavours for everlasting glory, than which man's mind hath
nothing more high and honourable and excellent, to be em-
ployed about.
Sect. 17. It leadeth men to the most joyful life that human
nature is capable of on earth.
For it leadeth us to the assurance of the love of God, and of
the pardon of all our sins, and of endless glory when we die ;
it assureth us, that we shall live for ever, in the sight of the
glory of God, with Jesus Christ, and be like the angels, and be
perfected in holiness and happiness, and be employed in the
love and praises of God for evermore : it commandeth us to
live in the foresight of these everlasting pleasures, and to keep
the taste of them always upon our minds ; and, in daily medi-
tation on the love of God, to live in the daily returns of love,
and to make this our continual feast and pleasure. And can
the mind of man on earth have higher and greater delights
than these ? b
Sect. IS. The christian religion forbiddeth men no bodily
pleasure, but that which hindereth their greater pleasure, and
tendeth to their pain or sorrow ; nor doth it deny them any
earthly thing which is truly for their good.
Indeed, it taketh the brutish appetite and flesh to be an unfit
judge of what is truly good and desirable for us ; and it
forbiddeth much which the flesh doth crave, because either it
tendeth to the wrong of others, or the breach of order in the
world; or to the corrupting of man's mind, and diverting it
from things sublime and spiritual, or putting it out of relish
with that which is our true felicity, or the way thereto. It is
only on such accounts, and in such cases as these, that Christ
forbiddeth us the pleasures of the flesh; and so will parents
restrain the appetites of their children, and physicians of their
patients, and every wise man will restrain his own, when present
sensual pleasure tendeth to greater future pain. The satisfying
b lllud est verum ac summum gaudium, quod non de creatura, sed de crea-
tore coiicipitur ; quod cum acceperis, nemo toilet a. »e; cuialiunde comparata
omnis jucuuditas mceror est; oninis suavitas dolor est; oinne dulce ainarum
est ; omne quod delectare potest, molestum est. — Bernard.
VOL. XXI. N
178 THE REASONS OF
delights of man can be nowhere but in the love of God, and in
a heavenly life, and in the foresight of endless joys, and in the
knowledge and means which lead to these ; and the unwhole-
some, luscious pleasures of the flesh, do greatly tend to draw
down the mind, and corrupt the affections, and dull our desires
and endeavours towards these higher things : and, therefore,
our Saviour doth here more strictly diet us, than is pleasing to
diseased souls. But he loveth not our sorrows or pains, nor
envieth us any desirable pleasure ; he came not to torment us,
but to save us from torment ; if he forbid us any delight, it is
because he would have us have better and more, which that
would keep us from. If he teach us to deny our honour with
men, it is but that we may have honour with God and angels.
If he call us from our present wealth and profit, it is but to
secure our everlasting riches, and prevent our loss. All his
precepts are wholly fitted to our own good, though our good be
not the highest, ultimate end, but the glory and pleasure of our
Maker.
Sect. 19. There cannot possibly be any higher motives to
sincere piety and honesty given to the world, than the christian
religion sets before them ; even the joys of heaven, and the
pains of hell, and all the pleasures and privileges of a holy
life; and therefore it must needs be the powerful means to all
that is truly good and happy.
Sect. 20. It most strongly fortifieth the mind of man against
the power of all temptations.
For, as it enervateth the temptation, by teaching us to
mortify the lusts of the flesh, and to contemn the world, so it
always counterpoiseth it with the authority of God, the joys of
heaven, and the punishment of hell ; which are, in the balance,
against all the pleasures of sin, as a mountain is against a
feather.
c Nihil prodigas satis est voluptati : semper famera patitur sui qua? alimen-
tis perpetuis nescit impleri. — Ambros. in Luk. 6. Delectatio csedit et prae-
teriit, vulneravit et trausiit, miserum fecit et abiit, infelicera reddidit, et re-
liquit. — Amb. Qui pro modica delectatione dat illud, pro quo Christus se
tradidit, stultum Christum reputat mercatorem. — Aug. Centum decies
centum annosdemus deliciis ? Quaenam erit ex his ad aeternitatem compen-
satio ? — Chrys. de repar. laps. Ipse est Christianus, qui et in domo sua
peregrinum se esse cognoscit. Patria nostra sursum est ; ibi hospites non
erimus. — August, in F 'sal. 32. Delicatus es miles, si putas sine pugna te
posse vincere : fortiter dimica, atrociter in praelio concerta, considera pactum
conditionem quam accessisti, militiam cui nomeu dedisti. Ita enim quos
miraris omnes pugnaverunt, vicerunt, triumpharunt. — Chrysost.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 179
Sect. 21. It affordeth us the most powerful supports and
comforts in every suffering, that we may bear it patiently and
with joy.
For it assureth us of the love of God, and of the pardon of
our greater sufferings ; it showeth us how to be gainers by all,
and showeth us the glory and joy which will be the end of all.
Sect. 22. It affordeth us the greatest cordials against the
fears of death.
For it assureth us of endless happiness after death ; and if a
Socrates, or Cicero, or Seneca, could fetch any comfort from a
doubtful conjecture of another life, what may a Christian do,
that hath an undoubted assurance of it, and also of the nature
and greatness of the felicity which we there expect ! And why
should he fear dying, who looks to pass into endless pleasure ?
And, therefore, Christianity conduceth not to pusillanimity, but
to the greatest fortitude and nobleness of mind; for what
should daunt him who is above the fears of sufferings and
death. d
Sect. 23. It containeth nothing which any man can ration-
ally fear, or can any way be a hinderance to his salvation.* 5
This will be more cleared, when I have answered the ob-
jections against it.
Sect. 24. It containeth nothing that hath the least contra-
riety to any natural verity or law ; but contrarily comprehendeth
all the law of nature, as its first and principal part, and that in
the most clear and legible character, superadding much more
which naturalists know not.
So that, if there be any good in other religions, (as there is
some in all,) it is all contained in the christian religion, with
the addition of much more. There is no truth or goodness in
the religion of the philosophers, the Platonists, the stoics, the
Pythagorean Bannians in India, the bonzii in Japan, or those in
Siam, China, Persia, or any other parts, or among the Maho-
metans or Jews, which is not contained in the doctrine and
religion of the Christians.
d Beati, qui habitant ibi, laudabunt Deum in secula seculorum, Amen.
Regniun Dei conceditur in praedestinatione, promittitur in vocatione, osten-
ditur in justifieatione, percipitur in glorifieatione. — Bernard.
e 111k honesta; esse voluutates putaudae sunt, quae nun sunt implicatae dolori,
nee poenitendi causam afferuut, nee alio ullo detriment!) afficiunt eos qui per-
fruuntur, nee ultra modum progrediuntur ; nee nos multum a. gravioribus
negotiis abstrahunt, aut sibi servire cogunt. Propria voluptates sunt qua; iu-
sunt, aut annexae sunt cognitioni divini numiuis, et scientiis, et virtutibus.—
Nemesius de Nat, Horn, cap. 18. de Volupt.
N 2
ISO THE REASONS OF
Sect. 25. Accordingly, it hath all the real evidence which
the true parts of any other religion hath, with the addition of
much more supernatural evidence.
For all that is justly called the law of nature, which is the
first part of the christian religion, is evidenced by the light of
nature : and this Christians have as well as others. And all
that is of true, supernatural revelation, they have above others
by its proper evidence.
Sect. 26. The style of the sacred Scripture is plain, and
therefore fit for all; and yet majestical and spiritual, suited to
its high and noble ends.
Were it expressed in those terms of art, which the masters of
each sect have devised to transmit their opinions to posterity
by, they would be fit for none but those few, who by acquaint-
ance with such terms, esteem themselves, or are esteemed
learned men : and yet the men of another sect might little un-
derstand them. For most new sect-masters in philosophy
devised new terms, as well as new principles or opinions : though
at Athens, where the principal sects were near together, the
diversity was not so great as among them at a further distance,
yet was there enough to trouble their disciples. He that un-
derstandeth Zoroaster and Trismegistus, may not understand
Pythagoras ; and he that understandeth this, may not understand
his follower, Plato ; and he that understandeth him, may not
understand Aristotle. And so of Parmenides, Anaxagoras,
Aristippus, Antisthenes, Zeno, Chrysippus, Heraclitus, Demo-
critus, Pyrrho, Epicurus, with all the rest. And among Christians
themselves, the degenerated heretics and sectaries, that make
their own opinions, do make also their own terms of art ; so
that, if you compare the Valentinians, Basilidians, Apollina-
rians, &c, and our late Wigelians, Paracelsians, Rosicrucians,
Behmenists, Familists, Libertines, Quakers, &c, you shall find
that he that seemeth to understand one sect, must learn, as it
were, a new language before he can understand the rest. So
that, if the Scripture must have been phrased according to phi-
losophers' terms of art, who knoweth to which sect it must have
been suited ! and every day there riseth up a Campanella, a
Thomas White, &c, who is reforming the old terms and arts,
and making both new; so that nothing which is of universal
use, as religion is, can be fitted to any such uncertain measure.
Christ hath, therefore, dealt much better with the world, and
spoken plainly the things which the simple and all must know,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 181
and yet spoken sublimely of things mysterious, heavenly, and
sublime/
This is the true nature and character of Christianity.
CHAP. V.
Of the Congruities in the Christian Religion, which make it the
more easily credible, and are great Preparatives to Faith.
Because truth is never contrary to itself, nor agreeable with
error, it is a way that reason teacheth all men, in the trying of
any questioned point, to reduce it to those that are unques-
tionable, and see whether or no they accord with those ; and
to mark the unquestionable ends of religion, and try how it
suiteth its means thereunto : and, therefore, men of all sober
professions have their determinate principles and ends, by which
they try such particular opinions 8 as Christians do by their
analogy of faith. And in this trial of Christianity, I shall tell
you what I find it.
Sect. 1. I find in general that there is an admirable concord
between natural verity and the Gospel of Christ ; and that grace
is medicinal to nature ; and that where natural light endeth,
supernatural beginneth ; and that the superstructure which
Christ hath built upon nature is wonderfully adapted to its
foundation.
This is made manifest in all the first part of this treatise.
Reason, which is our nature, is not destroyed, but repaired, illu-
minated, elevated, and improved by the christian faith. Free-
will, which is our nature, is made more excellently free by
Christianity. Self-love, which is our nature, is not destroyed,
but improved by right conduct and help to our attainment of its
1 How excellently doth Seneca speak against a vain curiosity of speech, in.
divers of his epistles ; and with what contempt and vehement indignation.
This is also to be applied to the spirituality and plainness of the christian
way of worship. In exordio nascentis ecclesiae, uon eo quo nunc modo vel
ordine sacra celebrabantur missarum solemnia ; teste Gregorio, &c. Et for-
tasse primis temporibus, solius Pauli Epistolae legebantur, postmodum inter-
mixtffi aliae lectiones sunt, &c. — Berno Ab. Augiens. de quibus.ad Missampertin.
c. 1. p. 698. Bib. Pat. Orationes autem quas collectas dicimus, a diversis
auctoribus compositae creduntur, a Gelasioprassule Romano, et beato Gregorio
Papa. — Id. ibid, lege et Microlog. Eccles. observat. c. 12, et 13, et Hugo a S.
Vic tore de Offic. in Rom una Ecclesia. 1. 2. c. 16. Una tantum dicitur collecta,
nisi, &c.
£ Deus est principium Effectivum in creatione, Refectivum in redemptione,
Perfectivum in sanctificatione.— Jolt, a Combis Comp. TheologA. 4. c. 1.
182 THE SEASONS OF
ends. The natural part of religion is so far from being abro-
gated by Christianity, that the latter doth but subserve the
former. Christ is the way to God, the Father : the duty which
we owe by nature to our Creator, we owe him still; and Christ
came to enable and teach us to perform it. The love of God,
our Creator, with all our hearts, is still our duty ; and faith in
Christ is but the means to the love of God, and the bellows to
kindle that holy fire. The Redeemer came to recover us to our
Creator : he taketh not the book of the creatures or nature out
of our hands, but teacheth us better to read and use it. And
so it is through all the rest.
Sect. 2. I find also, that the state of this present world is
exceedingly suitable to the Scripture character of it ; that it is
exceedingly evil, and a deluge of sin and misery, doth declare its
great necessity of a Saviour, and showeth it still to be a place
unmeet to be the home and happiness of saints. h
Of all the parts of God's creation, this earth doth seem to be
next to hell : certainly, it is greatly defiled with sin, and over-
whelmed with manifold calamities ; and though God hath not
totally forsaken it, nor turned away his mercy as he hath done
from hell, yet is he much estranged from it ; so that those who
are not recovered by grace are next to devils : and, alas ! how
numerous and considerable are they to denominate it ' An evil
world.' Those that Christ calleth out of it, he sanctifieth, and
maketh them unlike the world ; and his grace doth not give
them a worldly felicity, nor settle them in a rest or kingdom
here ; but it saveth them from this world, as from a place of
snares, and a company of cheaters, robbers, and murderers ;
and from a tempestuous sea, whose waves seem ready still to
drown us. 1
I. I find it is a world of sin. II. And of temptation. III. And
of calamity.
I. For sin, it is become, as it were, its nature ', it liveth with
men from the birth to the grave. It is an ignorant world that
wandereth in darkness, and yet a proud, self-conceited world,
h Read chap. 16, with the Citations.
* Nam vitiis nemo sine uascitur: optimus ille
Qui minimis urgetur. — Horat.
The badness of the world occasioned the Manichees to think that God made
it not ; and Arnobius, with them to run into that error, to hold, that God made
not man, which he so vehemently defendeth; (lib.2.'Advers. Gentes ;') yet pro-
fessing, that he who made us, and whence evil cometh, is a thing- to us un-
known.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 183
that will not be convinced of its ignorance ; and is never mor e
furiously confident, than when it is most deceived and most
blind. Even natural wisdom is so rare, and folly hath the
major vote and strength, that wise men are wearied with resist-
ing folly, and ready, in discouragement, to leave the foolish
world unto itself, as an incurable Bedlam : so fierce are fools
against instruction, and so hard is it to make them know that
they are ignorant, or to convince men of their mistakes and
errors. The learner thinks his teacher doteth, and he that
hath but wit enough to distinguish him from a brute, is as con-
fident as if he were a doctor. The learned themselves, are, for
the most part, but half-witted men, who either take up with
lazy studies, or else have the disadvantage of incapable tem-
peratures and wits, or of unhappy teachers, and false principles
received by ill education, which keep out truth ; so that they
are but fitted to trouble the world with their contentions, or
deceive men by their errors : and yet have they not the ac-
quaintance with their ignorance, which might make them learn
of such as can instruct them ; but if there be among many but
one that is wiser than the rest, he is thought to be unfit to live
among them if he will not deny his knowledge, and own their
errors, and confess that modesty and order require that either
the highest or the major vote are the masters of truth, and all
is false that is against their opinions. k
Jt is an atheistical, ungodly world, that knoweth not its
Maker ; or forgetteth, contemneth, and wilfully disobeyeth him,
while in words it doth confess him : and yet an hypocritical
world, that will speak honourably of God, and of virtue and
piety, of justice and charity, while they are neglecting and
rejecting them, and cannot endure the practice of that which
their tongues commend. Almost all sorts will prefer the life to
come in words, when, indeed, they utterly neglect it, and prefer
the fleshly pleasures of this life ; they cry out of the vanity and
vexation of the world, and yet they set their hearts upon it, and
love it better than God and the world to come. Thev will
have some religion, to mock God, and deceive themselves, which
k Unicuique dedit vitium natura creato. — Propert.
Sed quia csecus inest vitiis amor, omne futurum,
Despicitur, suadent brevem prsesentia fructum
Et ruit in vetitum damni secura libido. — Claud. 2. Eur.
Egregium sanctumque virum si cerno, bimembri
Hoc monstrum puero, vel miranti sub aratro
Piscibus inventis, et fcetae comparo raulae. — Juven. Sal. 13.
184 THE REASONS OF
shall go no deeper than the knee and tongue, in forms, or
ceremonies, or a dissembled affection and profession. But to
be devoted absolutely to God, in self-resignation, obedience,
and love, how rare is it, even in them who cannot deny, but
the law of nature itself doth primarily and undeniably oblige
them to it. Their religion is but self-condemnation, while
their tongues condemn their hearts and lives. 1
It is a sensual, brutish world, and seemeth to have hired out
their reason to the service of their appetites and lusts ; gluttony,
and excess of drink, and sports, and plays, and gaming, with
pride, and wantonness, and fornication, and uncleanness, and
worldly pomp, and the covetous gathering of provision for the
flesh, to satisfy these lusts, is the business and pleasure of their
lives ; and if you tell them of reason, or the law of God, to take
them off, you may almost as well think to reason a hungry dog
from his carrion, or a lustful boar to forbear his lust. m
And it is a selfish world, where every man is as an idol to
himself, and affected to himself and his own interest, as if he
were all the world ; drawing all that he can from others, to fill
his own insatiable desires ; loving all men, and honouring, and
esteeming, and praising them, according to the measure of their
esteem of him, or their agreeableness to his opinions, ways, or
interest. Self love, self-conceit, self-esteem, self-will, and self-
seeking, is the soul and business of the world ; and, therefore,
no wonder that it is a divided and contentious world, when it
hath as many ends as men, and every man is for himself, and
draweth his own way. No wonder that there is such variety of
apprehensions, that no two men are in all things of a mind ;
and that the world is like a company of drunken men together
by the ears, or of blind men fighting with they know not
whom, and for they know not what ; and that ignorant sects,
and contentious wranglers, and furious fighters, are the bulky
parts of it ; and that striving who shall rule, or be greatest, or
have his will, is the world's employment.
It is a dreaming and distracted world, that spend their days
and cares for nothing; and are as serious in following a feather,
1 He that will peruse that notable description of the state of morals, and of
souls in flesh, which Arnobius hath, (' Adv. Gentes,' lib. 2. pp. 18, 19. Annot.
Bib. Pat.) (too long to be transcribed) shall see the vanity and shame of this
corrupted world expressed to the life.
m Nostri tantum qui Christiani vocamur nulla vobis cura est; sinitis enitn
nos qui nihil mali patramus, immo omnium piissimk justissimeque cum erga
]Jeum turn imperium vestrum nos gerimus, exagitari, rapi, fugari, nomen
duntaxat nostrum plerisque impugnantibus.-' Athenagor. Apolog. p. 1.
THIS CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 185
and in the pursuit of that which they confess is vanity, and
dying in their hands, as if, indeed, they knew it to be true
felicity. They are like children, busy in hunting butterflies ;
or like boys at foot-ball, as eager in the pursuit, and in over-
turning one another, as if it were for their lives, or for some
great, desirable prize ; or more like to a heap of ants, that gad
about as busily, and make as much ado for sticks and dust, as
if they were about some magnificent work. Thus doth the vain,
deceived world lay out their thoughts and time upon imperti-
nencies, and talk and walk like so many noctambulos in their
sleep : they study, and care, and weep, and laugh, and labour,
and fight, as men in a dream ; and will hardly be persuaded
but it is reality which they pursue, till death come and awake
them. Like a stage-play, or a puppet-play, where all things
seem to be what they are not, and all parties seem to do what
they do not, and then depart, and are all disrobed and un-
masked ; such is the life of the most of this world, who spend
their days in a serious jesting, and in a busy doing of nothing.
It is a malignant world, that hath an inbred, radicated
enmity to all that virtue and goodness which they want ; they
are so captivated by their fleshly pleasures and worldly interests,
that the first sight, approach, or motion, of reason, holiness,
mortification, and self-denial, is met by them with heart-rising,
indignation, and opposition ; in which their fury beareth down
all argument, and neither giveth them leave considerately to
use their own reason, or hearken to another's. There are few
that are truly wise, and good, and heavenly, that escape their
hatred and beastly rage ; and when countries have thought to
remedy this plague, by changing their forms of government,
experience hath told them, that the vice and root of their
calamity lieth in the blindness and wickedness of corrupted
nature, which no form of government will cure ; and that the
doves, that are governed by hawks and kites, must be their
prey, whether it be one, or many, that hath the sovereigntv. n
Yea, it is an unthankful world, that, in the exercise of this
malignant cruelty, will begin with those that deserve best at
their hands. He that would instruct them, and stop them in
n O ingratuin et impium seculum ! O in privatam perniciem incredibili
pectoris obstinatione pronum ! si aliquis ad vus medicus ex summotis venisset,
et incognitis regionibus, medicamen pollicens, certatim blanditiis, &e. Qua;-
nam est ha^c ferilas, qua; libido tain carnifex, inexpiabilc bellum iiulicere ni-
bil de te inerito ? Dilacerare si detur velle euni per viscera, qui non modo nul-
lum intulerit malum nulli, sed benignus liostibus, &c. — ArnobA. 1, in fine.
186 THE REASONS OF
their sin, and save their souls, doth ordinarily make himself a
prey : and they are not content to take away their lives, but
they will, among their credulous rabble, take away the reputa-
tion of their honesty ; and no wisdom or learning was ever so
great, no innocency so unspotted, no honesty, justice, or charitv
so untainted, no holiness so venerable, that could ever privilege
the owners from their rage, or make the possessors to escape
their malice. ° Even Jesus Christ, that never committed sin,
and that came into the world with the most matchless love,
and to do them the greatest good, was yet prosecuted furiously
to a shameful death ; and not only so, but, in his humiliation,
his judgment was taken away, and he was condemned as an
evil doer, who was the greatest enemy to sin that ever was born
into the world : he was accused of blasphemy, for calling him-
self the Son of God : of impiety, for talking of destroying the
temple ; and of treason, for saying he was a king. And his
apostles, that went about the world to save men's souls, and
proclaim to them the joyful tidings of salvation, had little
better entertainment ; wherever they came, bonds and afflictions
did abide them ; and if they had not been taught to rejoice in
tribulations, they could have expected little joy on earth. And
it was not only Christians that were thus used, but honesty in
the heathens as usually met with opposition and reproach, as
Seneca himself doth often complain : yea, how few have there
been that have been famous for any excellency of wit or
learning, or any addition to the world's understanding, but
their reward hath been reproach, imprisonment, or death. Did
Socrates die in his bed, or was he not murdered by the rage of
wicked hypocrites ? Plato durst not speak his mind, for fear of
his master's reward. Aristippus left Athens, ne his peccarent
in philosophiam. Not only Solon, but most benefactors to any
commonwealth, have suffered for their beneficence. Demos-
thenes, Cato, Cicero, Seneca, could none of them save their
lives from fury, by their great learning or honesty, p Yea,
among nominal Christians, he that told them of an antipodes,
was excommunicated by the papal authority for an heretic ;
Prosperum ac fselix scelus virtus vocatur. Quis nomen unquam sceleris
errori dedit? saspe error ing'ens sceleris obtinuit locum. — Scti. Here. fur.
p Anaxarchum Democritium a Cyprio tyranno excarnificatum accepimus :
Zenonem Eleatem in tormentis necatum: quid dicam de Socrate, cujus morti
illaciirymari soleo Platonem legens. Many more such instances hath Cotta
in Cicero, (De Nat. Deor. 1. 3. pp. 107, 108.) Primusque de vitas ratione disse-
ruit Socrates, primusque Philosophorum damnatus moritur. — Laert in Socrat.
p. 92.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 187
and a Savonarola, Arnoldus de Villa Nova, Paulus, Scaliger,
&c, could not be wiser than their neighbours, but to their cost :
No j nor Arias Montanus himself. Campanella was fain, in
prison, to compile his ' New Philosophy ;' and with the pleasure
of his inventions, to bear the torments which were their sour
sauce, i Even Galilaeus, that discovered so many new orbs, and
taught this world the way of clearer acquaintance with its
neighbours, could not escape the reverend justice of the papal-
ists, but must lie it a prison, as if supientia had been written
on his doors ; as the old woman cried out to Thales, when he
fell into a ditch, while he was by his instrument taking the
height of a star. And Sir Walter Raleigh could not save his
head by his learned ' History of the World,' but must be one
part of its history himself; nor yet by his great observation,
r how Antipater is taken for a bloody tyrant for killing Demos-
thenes, and how arts and learning have power to disgrace anv
man that doth evil to the famous masters of them. Peter
Ramus, who had done so much in philosophy for the learned
world, was requited by a butcherly, barbarous murder, being
one of the thirty or forty thousand that were so used in the
French massacre ; and many a holy person perished in the two
hundred thousand murdered by the Irish. It were endless to
instance the ungrateful cruelties of the world, and what enter-
tainment it hath given to wise and godly men : even those
whom it superstitiously adoreth, when it hath murdered them. s
And in all this wickedness, it is wilful, and stupid, and incor-
rigible ; and ordinary means do little to the cure. Thus is it a
sinful, evil world.
IJ. And it is a tempting world, that would make all bad as it
is itself. Wherever the sanctifying truth of God doth come to
illuminate and reform men, the world is presently up in arms
against it ; and fighting against that which would save men's
souls, as if it were a plague or enemy that would destroy them.
Princes think it is against their interest, and the people find
that it is against their lusts ; and so the sin of tyranny keepeth
the Gospel out of the greatest part of the world, and popular
fury resisteth it where it cometh. The empires of the Turks,
and Tartarian, and China, are sad instances of the success of
i Campanella telleth us himself of his thirty years' cruel persecution and
torments in the inquisition.
1 Hist, part 1. 1. 4. c. 3. sect. 6.
s Judices non tarn quid commiserit reus aliquis nostrum inquirunt, quam
ipsi nomini tanquam certo sceleri illudunt.— Athenagor. nb. sup:
18S THE REASONS OF
tyranny against the means of men's salvation ; and the empire
of Japan hath given the world an instance of such unparallelled
cruelty to that end, as maketh the persecutions of Nero and
Dioclesian, and even the popish inquisition, and almost the mas-
sacres of Piedmont, France, and Ireland, seem very merciful
acts of charity. What rage, what inhuman fury hath been
showed through all the world, to keep out knowledge, and keep
the nations in their darkness and misery, and forbid relief! but
for error and deceit, idolatry and superstition, how industriously
are they propagated ! Empire and arts, power and learning,
are employed to deceive and undo the world ; and though em-
pire be God's ordinance, and arts his gifts, they are turned against
him in the far greatest part of the earth, and Satan is served by
them as if they had been ordained by him : almost every country
hath its proper opinions, and a religion fitted to resist religion.
He that is an idolater, or a Mahometan, or infidel, would make
more ; and they that are against all serious religion, are as eager
to make others of their mind as if they were a work of charity
or commodity ; and he that is endeavouring to undo souls, is as
vehement in it as he that is endeavouring to save them. He
that hath any passion or corrupt affection, is as inclinable to
convey it to another as fire is to kindle fire, or one that hath the
plague to infect his neighbour. Covetousness, ambition, voluptu-
ousness, lust, and wrath and revenge, are all contagious. Rioters
think it strange if we run not with them into all excess. The
very noise of their impertinent talk and business, and the great
ado that they make in doing nothing, is a great diverter of those
that are about them, from serious business and sober considera-
tion. They keep men so busy about their vanities, that they
can find no leisure to remember that they are men, or to think
what business they have in the world, nor where it is that they
must dwell for ever ; and when their folly and selfishness hath
set them altogether by the ears, they must needs draw or drive
others into the fire of contention with them. They cry, i Who
is on my side ! who ! ' And he that will not be of one party
or other, but will keep his peace, shall lose it by the enmity of
all ; and no man shall be taken for orthodox or honest that will
not be of that faction whose commendation he desireth ; and
when he hath humoured them, he shall go for a knave or a re-
proached person, with all the rest. A peaceable man shall
hardlvfind the peace which he desireth to himself; but it is ten
to one but he loseth his labour, if he would make peace between
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 1S9
others, especially if he have an honest ambition of extending
that blessing to parties and countries, or any great and con-
siderable numbers. If, by tyranny and cruelty, by prisons, and
torments, and death, they cannot affright men from honesty and
the obedience of God, at least they will vex them in their way,
and be as thorns and briars to them in this wilderness. 1
III. And it is a calamitous, miserable world ; it is void of the
comforts of sacred illumination, and of the assured love of God,
and of the exercise of wisdom or holiness. The delights of
saints in loving God, and waiting for eternal life, are unknown
to all the multitudes of the ungodly ; they are confounded and
lost in their ignorance and error, and tormented with their own
passions, divisions, and contentions ; their vices are part of their
disquietment and pain, though pleasure be their intended end.
It is a pitiful servitude that they are in to Satan, and an endless
drudgery that they follow, in serving their covetousness, pride,
and lust ; and a tiresome task to care and labour, to make pro-
vision for their fleshly appetites and wills. They are led captive
bv Satan, to do his will ; and yet in doing it they do their own,
and are in love with their captivity, and glory in their chains.
They are engaged, daily, against God and mercy, against their
happiness, and their friends that would procure it ; and think
him their enemy that would make them wiser. They go under
the guilt of all this sin, and they have no assurance of pardon or
deliverance ; and God overtaketh them many times with bodily
distresses here. Sicknesses and pains consume men, and tor-
ment them ; wars and plagues do send them by thousands out
of the world, which they took for their felicity ; fire and famine,
'Vitiade mercede sollicitant : Avaritia pecuniam promittit : Luxuria multas
ac varias voluptates : Ambitio purpuram et plausum ; et ex hoc potentiam et
quicquid potentia ponit. — Senec. Ep. 59. la vitia alter alterum trudimus.
Quomodo ad salutem revocari potest, quern populus impellit, et nullus retra-
hit ? — Sentc. Ep. 29. When just Aristides was made treasurer at Athens,
though he most uprightly discharged his office, Themistocles accused him, and
got him condemned as for bribery. But by the favour of some of the greatest
he was delivered, and restored to his office for another year. The next year he
did by connivance gratify all the pillagers of the commonwealth, that would
grow rich by the common loss : and at the year's end they offered him the
office again with great honour. But he refused it, and said, that their honour
was a greater disgrace than their condemnation : for when he did well they
condemned him, and when he gave way to the unjust, they honoured him.
(Plutar.) When he was to be condemned by the popular sote, one came to
him in the crowd, that could not write, and not knowing who he was, desired
him to write his name to Aristides' condemnation; for he was resolved to give
his voice against him, because he was called a righteous man. Aristides did
as he desired, and wrote his name without discovering himself to him.
190 THE REASONS OF
piracy, and robbery, and fraud, impoverish them ; the frustra-
tions of their hope torment them ; and yet, under all, they are
hardened against God, and fall not out with their sin and folly,
but with the justice of heaven, and with its instruments, or rather
with all that breathe the image of the holiness of God. This is
the visible condition of this world.
Object. If you say, c Howcan all this stand with the infinite good-
ness of God ?' I have answered it before. It showeth you that it
is not this world, which is the great demonstration of the good-
ness or love of God, from whence we must take our estimate of
it by the effects. If you will judge of the king's splendour, and
bounty, and clemency, will you go seek for examples and de-
monstrations of it in a gaol, and at the gallows, or rather at
the court ? Hell is as the gallows, and earth is as the gaol.
Measure not God's bounty and mercy by these. It is no sign
of unmercifulness in God, that there are flies, and worms, and
toads, and serpents, on earth as well as men ; or that earth
was not made as indefectible as heaven. And when men have
drowned themselves in sin, it is no want of goodness in God,
but it is goodness itself, which causeth the demonstrations of his
justice on them. This world is not so much to all God's crea-
tion, as a wen or wart upon a man's bodv, is to the whole
. body; and if it were all forsaken by God, as it hath forsaken
him, it were, proportionably, no more than the cutting off such
a wart or wen. God hath many thousand, thousand, thousand
times more capacious regions, which it is likely have more
noble and blessed inhabitants : look to them, if you would see
his love in its most glorious demonstration. Justice, also, must
be demonstrated if men will sin ; and if hell be quite forsaken,
and earth, which is next it, be partly forsaken of the favour of
God, for all that God may gloriously demonstrate his love to a
thousand thousand-fold more subjects of the nobler regions,
than he doth demonstrate his justice on in hell or earth. But
these two things 1 gather for the confirmation of my faith.
1. That the sin and misery of the world is such that it groan-
eth for a Saviour ; and when I hear of a physician sent from
heaven, I easily believe it, when I see the woful world mor-
tally diseased, and gasping in its deep distress. The condition
of the world is visibly so suitable to the whole office of Christ,
and to the doctrine of the Gospel, that I am driven to think
that if God have mercy for it, some physician and extraordinary
help shall be afforded it. And when I see none else but Jesus
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 191
Christ, whom reason will allow me to believe is that Physician,
it somewhat prepareth my mind to look towards him with hope. u
2. And also, the evil of this present world is very suitable to
the doctrine of Christ, when he telleth us that he came not to
settle us here in a state of prosperity, nor to make the world
our rest or portion ; but to save us from it, as our enemy
and calamity, our danger ; and our wilderness, and trouble, and
to bring up our hearts first, and then ourselves to a better
world, which he calleth us to seek and to make sure of: whereas,
1 find that most other religions, though they say something of a
life hereafter, yet lead men to look for most or much of their
felicity here, as consisting in the fruition of this world, which
experience tells me is so miserable.
Sect. 3. Moreover, I find that the law of entire nature was
no more suitable to nature in its integrity, than the law of
grace revealed by Christ is suitable to us in our lapsed state;
so that it may be called the law of nature lapsed and restorable,
natwree lapses restaurandce.
Nature entire, and nature depraved, must have the same
pattern and rule of perfection ultimately to be conformed to ;
because lapsed man^ must seek to return to his integrity. But
lapsed or corrupted man doth, moreover, need another law,
which shall first tend to his restoration from that lost and
miserable state. And it was no more necessary to man in
innocency, to have a suitable law for his preservation and con-
firmation, than it is to man in sin and guilt to have a law of
grace for his pardon and recovery, and a course of means pre-
scribed him for the healing of his soul, and for the escaping
of the stroke of justices The following particulars further
open this.
Sect. 4. It seemeth very congruous to reason, that as mo-
narchy is the most perfect sort of government (which it is pro-
bable it is, even among the angels) so mankind should have
one universal head or monarch over them.
u Saith Cicero, (laughing at Epicurus,) Ego sunimuui dolorem (summum
dico, etiamsi decern atomis est major alius,) non contiuuo dico esse breveni :
multosque possem bonos viros nominare qui complures annos doloribus poda-
gra crucieutur maximis. — -Tuscul. 1. 2. p. 26'3.
x If any say that still perfect obedience is possible, I will not litigare de no-
mine, but say as Cicero, Ut nihil interest utrum nemo valeat, an nemo possit
valere ; sic non intelligo quid intersit, utrum nemo sit sapiens an nemo esse
posit. — Cicer. de Nat. Deor. 1. .'5. p. 138. (mihi). So I say of keeping - the law
perfectly.
192 THE REASONS OF
Kingdoms have their several monarchs ; but there is surely an
universal monarch over them all. We know that God is the
primary Sovereign ; but it is verv probable to nature that
there is a subordinate sovereign or general administrator under
him. It is not only the Scriptures that speak of a prince of
the devils, and of principalities, and powers, and thrones, and
dominions among the happy spirits ; and that talk of the angels
that are princes of several kingdoms, (Dan. x.,) but even the
philosophers, and most idolaters, have, from this apprehension,
been drawn to the worship of such, as an inferior kind of deity.
And if man must have a subordinate, universal king, it is meet
that it be one that is also man ; as angels and devils have
principals of their own sort and nature, and not of others.
Sect. 5. It seemeth congruous to reason, that this head be
one that is fitted to be our Captain General, himself to lead us
by conduct, precept, and example, in our warfare against those
devils, who also are said to have their prince and general.
As devils fight against us under a prince of their own nature,
so it is congruous, that we fight against them under a prince of
our own nature, who hath himself first conquered him, and will
go on before us in the fightJ
Sect. 6. It is congruous to reason, that lapsed man under
the guilt of sin, and desert of punishment, who is unable to de-
liver himself, and unworthy of immediate access to God, should
have a mediator for his restoration and reconciliation with God,
if any be found fit for so high an office.
Sect. 7. And it is congruous to reason, that this mediator be
one, in whom God doth condescend to man, and one in whom
man may be encouraged to ascend to God, as to one that will
forgive and save him ; and one that hath made himself known
to man, and also hath free access to God.
Sect. 8. It is congruous to reason, that lapsed, guilty, dark-
ened sinners, that know so little of God, and of his will, and of
their own concernments, and of the other world, should have a
teacher sent from heaven, of greater authority and credit than
an angel, to acquaint us with God and his will, and the life we
are going to, more certainly and fully than would be done by
nature only.
That this is very desirable, no man can doubt : how gladly
y Almost all the heathens in the world, who worshipped one God as chief,
had their demi-gods, as their particular protectors, and favourers, or media-
tors ; as intimating- that man is conscious of the need of some mediator of access
to the supreme Deity.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 19o
would men receive a letter or book that dropped from heaven ? or
an angel that were sent thence to tell them what is there, and
what they must for ever trust to ? yea, if it were but one of
their old acquaintance from the dead ? But all this would leave
them in uncertainty still, and they would be doubtful of the
credit and truth of any such messenger : and therefore to have
one of fuller authority, that shall confirm his word by unques-
tionable attestations, would very much satisfy men. I have
proved, that nature itself revealeth to us a life of retribution
after this, and that the immortality of souls may be proved
without Scripture : but yet there is still a darkness and unac-
quaintedness, and, consequently, a doubting and questioning the
certainty of it, upon a carnal mind : and it would greatly satisfy
such, if, besides mere reason, they had some proof which is more
agreeable to a mind of flesh ; and might either speak with some
credible messenger who hath been in heaven, and fully knoweth
all these matters ; or at least might be certainly informed of
his reports. And, indeed, to men who have fallen into such a
dark depravedness of reason, and such strangers to God and
heaven as mankind is, it is become needful that they have
more than natural light, to show them the nature, the excel-
lency, and certainty of the happiness to come, or else they are
never like so to love and seek it, and prefer it before all earthly
things, as is necessary to them that will attain it : for few men
will seek with their utmost labour, or let go all other things, to
attain a happiness which they are not well persuaded of the reality
of. And though sound reason might well persuade them of it,
yet reason is now become so blind, and unsound, and partial, and
enslaved to the flesh, that it is not fit for such an office, accord-
ing to our necessity, without some heavenly revelation. 2
Sect. 9. And it is exceedingly congruous to man's necessity,
who is fallen under the power and fears of death, as well as the
doubts and estrangedness to the other world, that he that will
save and heal us, do himself in our nature rise from the dead
and ascend up into heaven, to give us thereby a visible demon-
'• The most learned men of Greece and Rome, that saw by reason the im-
mortality of the soul, the life to come, and the perfections of God, were yet so
distrustful of their own reasons, that they spake of the life to come with great
pauses of doubtfulness or darkness : and were many of them glad to run to
oracles, and augures, and aruspices, to try if they could get any additional
light by supernatural revelation. How glad theu would they have been of a
certain teacher sent from heaven ! Falsum est; pejores morimur quam nas-
cimur : Nostrum istud, nun naturae vitium est. <Juid euim turpius quam in
ipso limine securitatis esse solicitum. — Seuec.
VOL. XXI. O
194 THE REASONS OF
station, that indeed there is a resurrection, and a life to come,
for us to look for.
Though God was not obliged to do thus much for us, yet
reason telleth us, that if he will do it, it is very suitable to our
necessities : for all the reasonings in the world do not satisfy in
such things, so much as ocular demonstration : when we either
see a man that is risen from the dead, or have certain testimony
of it, it facilitated the belief of our own resurrection : and he that
is gone into heaven before us, assureth us that a heaven there is.
Sect. 10. When God in mercy would forgive and save a sin-
ful people, it was very congruous to reason, that there should be
some fit means provided, to demonstrate his holiness in his jus-
tice, and to vindicate the honour of his laws and government,
and so to secure the ends of both.
For if God make a penal law, and execute it not, but let man
sin with impunity, and do nothing which may deter him, nor
demonstrate his justice, as much as the sinner's sufferings would
do, it would tell the world, that he who gave them the law, and
thereby told them that he would rule and judge them by it, did
but deceive them, and meant not as he spake : and it would
bring both the law and Governor into contempt, and per-
suade men to sin without any fear : and he that was questioned
for the second crime would say, I ventured, because I suffered
not for the first. It was the devil's first way of tempting men
to sin, to persuade mankind that God meant not as he spake in
his threatening of their death ; but that they should not die,
though God had threatened it. And if God himself should by
his actions say the same, it would tempt them more to sin than
Satan could, as his credibility is greater. Therefore, he that is a
governor must be just as well as merciful; and if God should have
pardoned sinners, without such a sacrifice, or substitute [such]
means, as might preserve the honour of his law and government,
and thefuture innocencyof his subjects, as well as theirpunishment
in the full sense of the law would have done, the consequences
would have been such, as I will leave to your own judgments. 3
Sect. 1 1. And it was very congruous to reason, that so odious
a thing as sin should be publicly condemned and put to shame,
a Saepe Jovem vidi cum jam sua mittere vellet
Fulmina thure dato sustinuisse manum ;
At si negligitur, magnis injuria pcenis
Solvitur. — Ovid 5. Fast.
DeiinjuriasDeo curae. — Tacit. Annal.X. 1. Virtutum omnium excellen-
tissima justitia.— Ammian. Marcel. 1. 20.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 195
although the sinner be forgiven : as it was done in the life and
death of Christ.
For the purity of God is irreconcilable to sin, though not to
the sinner ; and therefore it was meet that the sin have all the
public shame, though the sinner escape : and that God be not
like weak, imperfect man, who cannot do good, without doing or
encouraging evil.
Sect. 12. It is congruous to our condition, that seeing even
the upright do renew their sins, their consciences should have
some remedy for the renewal of their peace and comfort, that it
sink them not into desperation ; which is most suitably provided
for them in Jesus Christ.
For when we were pardoned once, and again, and often, and
yet shall sin, he that knoweth the desert of sin, and purity of
God, will have need also to know of some stated, certain course
of remedy.
Sect. 13. It was meet that the sinful world have not only a
certain teacher, but also a perfect pattern before them of
righteousness, love, self-denial, meekness, patience, contempt of
lower things, &c, which is given us by Jesus Christ alone.
And therefore the Gospel is written historically, with doc-
trines intermixed, that we might have both perfect precepts
and patterns.
Sect. 14. It was very congruous to a world universally lapsed,
that God should make with it a new law and covenant of grace;
and that this covenant should tender us the pardon of our sins,
and be a conditional act of oblivion : and that sinners be not
left to the mere law of perfect nature, which was to preserve
that innocency which they have already lost.
To say ' Thou shalt perfectly obey,' to a man that hath
already disobeyed, and is unfitted for perfect obedience, is no
sufficient direction for his pardon and recovery. Perhaps you
will say, that God's gracious nature is instead of a law of grace
or promise. But though that be the spring of all our hopes,
yet that cannot justlv quiet the sinner of itself alone, because he
is just as well as merciful, and justice hath its objects, and pardon
dependeth on the free will of God, which cannot be known to
us without its proper signs. The devils may say that the nature
of God is good and gracious, and so may any condemned male-
factor say of a good and gracious judge and king ; and yet
that is but a slender reason to prove his impunity or pardon.
All will confess, that absolute pardon of all men would be unbe-
o 2
196 THE REASONS OF
seeming a wise and righteous Governor. And if it must be con-
ditional, who but God can tell what must be the condition ? If
you say, that nature telleth us, that converting repentance is the
condition. I answer, 1. Nature telleth us, that God cannot
damn a holy, loving soul, that hath his image : but yet it telleth
us not, that this is the only or whole condition. 2. It is not
such a repentance as lieth but in a frightened wish, that the sin
had not been done, but such a one as consisteth in the change
of the mind, and heart, and life, and containeth a hatred to the
sin repented of, and a love to God and holiness. And we have
as much need of a Saviour to help us to this repentance, as to
help us to a pardon.
Sect. 15. It is very congruous to our miserable state, that the
condition of this covenant of grace should be, on our part, the
acknowledgment of our Benefactor, and the thankful acceptance
of the benefit, and a hearty consent for the future to b follow
his conduct, and use his appointed means in order to our full
recovery. Which is the condition of the christian covenant.
Sect. 16. Seeing man's fall was from his God unto himself,
especially in point of love ; and his real recovery must be, by
bringing up his soul to the love of God again. And seeing a
guilty, condemned sinner can hardly love that God, who in justice
will damn and punish him ; nothing can be more congruous and
effectual to man's recovery to God, than that God should be
represented to him as most amiable ; that is, as one that is so
willing to pardon and save him, as to do it by the most asto-
nishing expressions of love, in such an agent, and pledge, and
glass of love as Jesus Christ. c
The whole design of Christ's incarnation, life, death, resur-
rection, ascension, and intercession, is but to be the most won-
derful and glorious declaration of the goodness and love of God
to sinners. That as the great frame of the universe demon-
strateth his power, so should the Redeemer be the demonstration
of his love.
b Religiosi sunt, qui facienda et vitanda dUcernunt. — Mucrob. Saturn. I. 3.
Non votis neque supplicamentis muliebribus auxilia Deoruni parantur ; sed
vigilando, agendo, bene consulendo, prospere cedunt omnia : ubi socordioe te
atque ignavise tradideris, nequicquam Deos implores, irati enim insensique
sunt. — Scdlust.in Catilin.
c Mysterii opus et finem, sacriiicari scilicet et sanctificari fideles, ipse est
solus qui peragit. De his autem preces sunt, orationes, et supplicationes sa-
cerdotis. Ilia enim sunt Domini, ha?c vero servi : Seivator donat, sacerdos
pro iis quae data sunt gratias agit. — Nicol. Cabasil. Liturg. Expos, c. 4;),
adversus eos qui dicunt sanctorum in sacro My.sterio, memoriara esse sacerdotis
pro eis ad Deuiu supplicationem.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 197
That we may see both the wise contrivances of his love, and
at how dear a rate he is content to save us ; that our lives may
be employed in beholding and admiring the glory of his love, in
this incomprehensible representation. That we may love him,
as men that are fetched up from the very gates of hell, and
from under the sentence of condemnation, and made by grace
the heirs of life.
Sect. 17- Especially to have a quickening Head, who will
give the spirit of grace to all his members, to change their
hearts, and kindle this holy love within them, is most congruous
to accomplish man's recovery.
So dark are our minds, and so bad our hearts, so strong are
our lusts, and so many our temptations, that bare teaching would
not serve our turn, without a spirit of light, and life, and love, to
open our eyes, and turn our hearts, and make all outward means
effectual.
Sect. 18. The commission of the Gospel ministry to preach
this Gospel of pardon and salvation, and to baptize consenters,
and gather and guide the church of Christ, with fatherly love, is
also very congruous to the state of the world, with whom they
have to do.
Sect. 19. It is congruous to the state of our trembling souls,
that are conscious of their former guilt, and present unworthi-
ness, that in all their prayers and worship of God, they should
come to him in a name that is more worthy and acceptable than
their own, and offer their services by a Hand or Intercessor so
beloved of God.
Though an impious soul can never expect to be accepted with
God, upon the merits of another, yet a penitent soul, who is
conscious of former wickedness, and continued faults, may hope
for that mercy by grace through a Redeemer, of which he could
have less hopes without one.
Sect. 20. It is congruous to their state, who have Satan their
accuser, that they have a Patron, a High- Priest and Justifier with
God.
Not that God is in danger of being mistaken by false accusa-
tion, or to do us any injustice ; but when our real guilt is before
his face, and the malice of Satan will seek thereupon to procure
our damnation, there must also be just reasons before him for
our pardon ; which it is the office of a Saviour to plead or to
present, that is, to be God's instrument of our deliverance upon
that account.
198 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 21. It is exceedingly congruous to our condition of dark-
ness and fear, to have a Head and Saviour in the possession of
glory, to whom we may commend our departing souls at the
time of death, and who will receive them to himself; that we
may not tremble at the thoughts of death and of eternity.
For though the infinite goodness of God be our chief encou-
ragement, yet seeing he is holy and just, and we are sinners, we
have need of a mediate encouragement, and of such condescend-
ing love as is come near unto us, and hath taken up our nature
already into heaven. A Saviour that hath been on earth in
flesh ; that hath died, and risen, and revived, and is now in the
possession of blessedness, is a great emboldener of our thoughts,
when we look towards another world ; which else we should think
of with more doubting, fearful, and unwilling minds. To have a
friend gone before us, who is so powerful, so good, and hath
made us his interest; to think that he is Lord of the world that
we are going to, and hath undertaken to receive us to himself
when we go hence, is a great reviving to our amazed, fearful,
departing souls. d
Sect. 22. And it is very congruous to the case of an afflicted,
persecuted people, who are misrepresented and slandered in
this world, and suffer for the hopes of a better life, to have a
Saviour who is the Judge of all the world, to justify them pub-
licly before all, and to cause their righteousness to shine as the
light, and to turn all their sufferings into endless joys.
Sect. 23. And it seemeth exceedingly congruous to reason,
seeing that the divine Essence is an inaccessible light, that we
should for ever have a Mediator of fruition, as well as of acqui-
sition, by whom the Deity may shine in communicated glory
and love to us for evermore ; and that God be for evermore
eminently delighted and glorified in Him than in us, as he ex-
celleth us in dignity and all perfections ; even as in one sun, his
power and glory are more demonstrated than in a world of
worms.
Whether all these things be true or not, I am further to in-
quire; but I find now that they are very congruous to our con-
dition and to reason ; and that if they be so, no man can deny
but that there is wonderful wisdom and love to man in the
design and execution, and that it is to man a very desirable
a Perturbatione temporum eos etiam qui vero judicio nullius criminis con-
vinc queunt, maximis iuvolvi crimiuibus, haud est veri dissimile. — Pachymer.
I. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 199
thing that it should be so : and therefore that we should be ex-
ceedingly willing to find any sound proof that it is so indeed,
though not with a willingness which shall corrupt and pervert
our judgments by self-flattery, but such as will only excite them
to the wise and sober examination of the case. e
The evidences of the verity we shall next inquire after.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Witness of Jesus Christ on the demonstrative Evidence
of his Verity and Authority.
Though all that is said may be a reasonable preparative to
faith, it is more cogent evidence which is necessary to convince
us that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world. That a man
appealing like one of us is the eternal Word of God incarnate,
is a thing which no man is bound to believe, without very sound
evidence to prove it. f God hath made reason essential to our
nature. It is not our weakness but our natural excellency, and
his image on our nature. Therefore, he never called us to re-
nounce it, and to lay it by ; for we have no way to know princi-
ples but by an intellectual discerning them in their proper evi-
dence ; and no way to know conclusions but by a rational dis-
cerning their necessary connexion to those principles. If God
would have us know without reason, he would not have made
us reasonable creatures. Man hath no way of mental discern-
c Q. Si divina? Scripturae probationibus sufficiunt, quid necessaria est reli-
gioni fides ? R. Fides nostra super ratione quidem est, non tamen temerariti etir-
rationabiliterassurnitur. Eaenimquae ratio edocet, fides intelligit; et ubi ratio
defecerit, fides praecurrit. Non enim utcunque audita credimus, sed ea quae
ratio non improbat. Verum quod consequi ad plenum non potest, fideli pru-
dentia confitemur. — Junilius Afrlcan.de Part.Div. Leg. 1. 2. c. 30.
' Q. Unde probamus libros religionis nostras divina esse inspiratione con-
scriptos ? R. Ex multis, quorum primum est ipsius Scripturae Veritas ; deinde
ordo rerum, consonantia praeceptorum, modus loeutionis sine ambitu, puri-
tasque verborum. Additur conscribentiuin et.praedicantium qualitas, quod
divina bomines, excelsa vates, infacundi subtilia, non nisi divino repleti
Spiritu tradidissent. Turn praedicationis virtus, quam dum praedicaretur
(licet a paucis despectis) obtinuit. Accedunt his rectificatio contrariorum, ut
sybillarum velpliilosophorum; expulsioadversariorum,utilitasconsequentium,
exitus eorum quae per acceptationes, etfiguras, et prsedictiones, quae praedicta
sunt adpostremum; miracula jugiter facta, donee Scriptura'ipsa suscipere-
tur a gentibus. De qua hoc nunc ad proximum miraculum sufficit, quod ab
omnibus suscepta cognoscitur. — Junilius African, de Part. Div. Leg. 1, 2.
c. 29.
200 THE REASONS OF
ing or knowledge, but by understanding things in their proper
evidence. To know without this, were to know without knowledge.
Faith is an act, or species, of knowledge : it is so far from being
contrary to reason, that is but an act of cleared, elevated reason.
It is not an act of immediate intuition of God or Jesus Christ
himself, but a knowledge of the truth by the divine evidence of
its certainty. They that wrangle against us for giving reason
for our religion, seem to tell us that they have none for their
own, or else reprehend us for being men. If they had to
do with them who make God to be but the prime reason, would
they say that faith is something above reason, and therefore
something above God ? I believe that our reason or intellection
is far from being univocally the same thing with God's ; but I
believe that God is intellection, reason or wisdom eminenter,
though not formaliter: and that though the name be first used
to signify the lower derivative reason of man, yet we have no
higher to express the wisdom of God by, or better notion to ap-
prehend it by, than this which is its image. I conclude, there-
fore, that,
Sect. 1. The. christian religion must be the most rational in
the world, or that which hath the soundest reason for it, if it be
the truest : and the proof of it must be by producing the
evidences of its truth.
Sect. 2. The evidence which faith requireth is properly
called evidence of credibility.
Sect. 3. When we speak of human faith, as such, credibility
is somewhat short of proper certainty ; but when we speak cf
divine faith, or a belief of God, evidence of credibility is evi-
dence of certainty.
Sect. 4. The great witness of Jesus Christ, or the demonstra-
tive evidence of his verity and authority, was the Holy Spirit.
Sect. 5. The word or doctrine of Jesus Christ hath four seve-
ral infallible testimonies of God's Spirit, which, though each of
them alone is convincing, yet, altogether, make up this one great
evidence, that is, 1. Antecedently ; 2. Constitutively, or inhe-
rently; 3. Concomitantly; and, 4. Subsequently. Of which I
shall speak in course.
Sect. 6. I. Antecedently, the spirit of prophecy was a witness
to Jesus Christ. 5
Under which I comprehend the prediction also of types. He
that was many hundred years before, yea^ from age to age, fore-
is Heb. x. 15 ; 1 Pet. i. 10 3 2 Pet. i. 19, 20.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 201
told to come as the Messiah or Saviour, by divine prediction of
promises, prophecies, and types, is certainly the true Messiah, our
Saviour. But Jesus Christ was so foretold : ergo —
1. For promises and prophecies, presently after the fall of Adam,
God said, " I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and be-
tween thvseed and her seed: it shall bruise thv head, and thou shalt
bruise his heel." (Gen. iii. 15.) As it is certain that it was Satan
principally, and the serpent but instru mentally, that is spoken of
as the deceiver of Eve ; so it is as plain that it was Satan and his
wicked followers principally, and the serpent and his seed onlv,
as the instruments that are here meant in the condemnation :
and that it is the seed of the woman, by an excellency so called,
that is primarily here meant, and under him her natural seed,
secondarily, is proved, not only by the Hebrew masculine gen-
der, but by the fulfilling of this promise in the expository
events, and in other promises to the like effect. The rest of the
promises and prophecies to this purpose are so many, that to
recite them all would swell the book too large ; and therefore I
must suppose that the reader, perusing the sacred Scripture
itself, will acquaint himself with them there.' 1 Only a few I
shall repeat.
" In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."
(Gen. xxii. 18.)
" The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver
from between his feet, until Shiloh come." (Gen. xlix. 10.)
The whole of the second Psalm is a prophecy of the kingdom
of Christ. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine
a vain thing ? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the
rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his
anointed, &c. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of
Sion. I will declare the decree ; the Lord hath said unto me,
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee : ask of me,
and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Be wise,
therefore, O ye kings ! Be learned, ye judges of the earth !
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the
Son lest he be angry, and ye perish," &e.
" For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou
suffer thine holy one to see corruption." (Psalm xvi. 10.)
" Dogs have compassed me ; the assembly of the wicked have
enclosed me : they pierced my hands and my feet. { may tell
h Lege Disputationem Grege«tii cum Herbano Jiuleo.
202 THE REASONS OF
all my bones : they looked and stare upon me : they part my
garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." (Psalm
xxii. 16—18.)
"■ They gave me also gall for my meat ; and in my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink." (Psalm lxix. 21.)
" Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm
of the Lord revealed ? for he shall grow up before him as a
tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no
form nor comeliness ; and when we shall see him, there is no
beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected
of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we
hid, as it were, our faces from him : he was despised, and we
esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried
our sorrows ; yet, we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God,
and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he
was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like
sheep, have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own
way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
the shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was
taken from prison, and from judgment, and who shall declare
his generation : for he was cut off out of the land of the living ;
for the transgression of my people was he stricken ; and he
made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,
because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his
mouth ; yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him : he hath put
him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for
sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of
the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities : therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong ; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the
transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession
for the transgressors." (Isa. liii.)
" For unto us a child is born ; unto us a son is given ; and
the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Ever-
lasting Father, The Prince of Peace : of the increase of his go-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 203
vernment and peace there shall he no end, upon the throne of
David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it
with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." (Isa. ix. 6 )
" Behold, a virgin shall conceive and hear a son, and shall
call his name Immanuel." (Isa. vii. 14.)
" Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon
thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of
sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most Holy. Know, therefore, and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and
to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven
weeks and threescore and two weeks ; the street shall be built,
and the wall even, in troublous times ; and after threescore and
two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and
the people of the prince, that shall come, shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and
unto the end of the war desolations are determined; and he shall
confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst
of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abomination he shall make it deso-
late, even until the consummation, and that determined be poured
upon the desolate." (Dan. ix. 2-4, &c.)
" Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the
way before me ; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant whom
ye delight in ; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts :
but who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand
when he appeareth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like
fuller's soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,"
&c. (Mai. iii. 1—3.)
I omit the rest to avoid prolixity. There is scarcely any passage
of the birth, life, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, or
glory of our Saviour, which are not particularly prophesied of in
the Old Testament ; but nothing so copiously as his righteous-
ness and his kingdom. The prophecy of Isaiah is full of such,
and is but a prophetical Gospel.
To these must be adjoined the prophetical types, even the
typical persons, and the typical ordinances and actions. It
would be too long to open, how his sufferings from the malig-
nant world was typified in the death of Abel, and the attempted
204 THE REASONS OF
oblation of Isaac, and the selling of Joseph ; and his work of
salvation in Noah and his preserved ark and family ; and his
paternity, as to believers, in Abraham ; and his kingly conduct
and deliverance of the church by Moses, and his deliverance of
the Israelites from Egypt, and conduct of them in the wilder-
ness, and by Joshua's victorious bringing them into the land of
promise ; his reign and kingdom by David, and his building of
the church by Solomon, and his priesthood by Aaron and his
successors, &c.
And it would take up just a volume to open all the typical
ordinances and actions, which prefigured Christ. 1 From the
institution of circumcision, and the passover, or paschal
Iamb, to the end of all the mosaical ceremonies, Christ is the
signification and the end of all. I will only crave your con-
sideration of the custom of sacrificing in the general : it came
into the world immediately upon man's sin. We find Cain and
Abel, the two first persons born into the world, employed in it.
From thence to this day, it hath continued (in doctrine, though
the practice be restrained) with the Jews. It was no peculiar
ceremony of their law, but hath been commonly exercised by
almost all nations through the world ; both Greeks, Romans,
and barbarians ; and it yet continueth in most countries of the
heathens, where the doctrine of Christ hath not abolished it, as
it hath done both with the Christians and Mahometans ; for the
Mahometans borrow the confession of one God, and the
rejection of idols and sacrifices, originally from the Christians.
Now, I must confess, that I am not able to satisfy myself of the
original and universality of the custom of sacrificing, upon any
reasons but those of the Christians : either it was a prophetical,
promissory institution of God himself to lapsed Adam, to point
him to a Saviour, the second Adam ; or else, it must be from
the law of nature, or else it is from some other positive insti-
tution, or else it must be an universal error : there is no fifth
way that is probable can be imagined ; and, 1. I am not able to'
see that the mere light or law of nature should be the original
cause, for then it would be all men's duty still : and, what
reason can nature give us to judge that God is delighted in the
blood and pain of the innocent brutes ; or, that the killing and
offering of them should be any satisfaction to his justice for
our sins, or any rational means to avert his judgments, or pro-
1 See Whately ' On the Types,' and Lud. Crocii Epicris, and most largely
Micrelius's ' Judas,' or second part of his book against infidels.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 20")
cure our forgiveness. If it be said, that ' It was but a ceremo-
nial confession, that we ourselves deserve death as that creature
suffered it ) I answer, confession is indeed due from us bv
the law of nature ; but the question is, of the killing of the
poor beasts, and offering them in sacrifice. If the exercise of
our penitence by confession were all that might be done as
well without the creature's blood and death ; what is it
that this addeth to a penitent confession ; and why was the
oblation to God contained in the sacrifice ? If you say, that
the life of brutes is not so regardable, but that we take it away
for our daily food ; I answer, it is true, that it is allowed us for
the maintenance of our lives ; but yet it is not to be cast
away in vain, nor is God to be represented as one that doth
delight in blood : and the common sense of all the world in
their sacrificing, hath been, that besides the confession of their
own desert, there is somewhat in it to appease God's displea-
sure ; and none that I ever read of did take it for a mere con-
fessing sign or action. If it be said, that they did it to signify
their homage to God ; 1 answer, why then did they not offer
him only the living creature rather than the dead ? All took it
to be a propitiatory action ; and if there had been an aptitude
in this sign to betoken our penitent confession only, yet when
God knoweth our confessions as well without it, and when the
tongue is made the natural instrument to express the mind, and
there are a variety of other signs, it is incredible that all the
world should ever, even so early, hit upon this one strange way
of expression, without some special revelation or command of
God.
2. And it cannot be said, with any credibility, that God made
any other revelation of his will to the world for sacrificing,
besides what is made in nature and in holy Scripture. For
who ever dreamed of such a thing ; or hath delivered us any
such revelation, and told us when, and to whom, and how it
was made ?
3. And it is not credible that it was taken up erroneously by
all the world, as their vices or superstitions are. For though
it is past question, that error hath caused the abuse of it
through the world, yet for the thing itself there is no proba-
bility of such an original. For what can we imagine should,
induce men to it, and make all nations (how various soever
their idols are) to agree in this way of worshipping and
propitiating them ? There is nothing of sensuality in it that by
206 THE REASONS OF
gratifying a lust of the flesh might have such an universal
effect : and it must be some universal light, or some universal
lust or interest, that must cause such an universal concord.
Nay, on the contrary, you shall find that tradition and the
custom of their forefathers is the common argument pleaded
for sacrificing through all the world, even in the ancients' histo-
rical reports of it.
4. Therefore, it remaineth very probable, at least, that they
received it indeed by tradition from their forefathers : and that
could be from none originally, but the universal progenitor of
mankind, who was capable of conveying it to all his posterity ;
for no history mentioneth any later original, nor could any
later than Adam or Noah have made it so universal. And no
man can imagine why God should institute it, if it were not to
intimate the translating of our punishment into our Redeemer,
and to point us to the great sacrifice which is truly propitiatory,
and is the great demonstration of his justice, who in mercy
doth forgive.
Sect. 7. II. The second witness of the Spirit, which is in-
herent and constitutive to the Gospel of Christ, is that image
of God, the inimitable character of divinity, which by the Holy
Spirit is put into the doctrine of Christ, as the very life or soul
of it ; together with the same on the pattern of his own life.
1. On Christ himself, the inimitable image of God in his
perfection, is a testimony of his veracity-: which I ascribe to
the Holy Spirit, as the ultimate operator in the Trinity, even
that Holy Spirit by which he was conceived, and which fell
upon him at his baptism, and which (Matt, xii.) his enemies
did blaspheme. Many men have so lived, that no notable sin
of commission hath been found or observed in them by the
world at a distance : but the most virtuous, except Christ, was
never without discernible infirmities, and sins of omission.
No man ever convicted him of any sin, either in word or deed ;
his obedience to the law of God was every way perfect ; he
was the most excellent representative of the divine perfections.
The omnipotency of God appeared in his miracles ; the wisdom
of God in his holy doctrine ; and the love of God in his match-
less expressions of love, and in all the holiness of his life. He
was so far from pride, worldliness, sensuality, malice, im-
patiency, or any sin, that the world had never such a pattern
of self-denial, humility, contempt of all the wealth and honours
of the world, charity, meekness, patience, &c, as in him. He
THE CHISTIAN RELIGION. 207
obeyed his Father to the death. He healed men's bodies, and
showed his pity to their souls, and opened the way of life even
to his enemies. He instructed the ignorant, and preached re-
pentance to the impenitent, and suffered patiently the unthank-
ful requitals of them that rendered him evil for good. He
endured patiently to be reviled, scorned, buffetted, spit upon,
crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross, and put to death ; and
this, upon the false accusation and imputation of being an evil
doer. In a word, he was perfect and sinless, and manifested
first all that obedience and holiness in his life, which he put into
his laws, and prescribed unto others ; and such perfection is
inseparable from veracity. 1
Object. How know we what faults he might have, which
come not to our knowledge.
Answ. 1. You may see by his enemies' accusations, partly
what he was free from, when you see all that malice could
invent to charge him with. 2. If the narrative of his life in
the Gospel have that evident proof, which I shall anon produce,
there can remain no doubt of the perfect holiness and inno-
cency of Christ in his person and his life.
Object. We find him accused of many crimes, as of being a
gluttonous person, and a wine-bibber; of blasphemy, and im-
piety, and treason.
Answ. The very accusations are such as show their falsehood
and his innocency. He is called a gluttonous person and a
wine-bibber, because he did eat and drink, as other men, in
k All Christians agree in the main doctrines of a holy life. Leg. Marc.
Eremit. 'De LegeSpirituali,etDorothei Doctrinas, et Benedict! Instrumenta
Virtutum, Macarii Homil. Hesychii Presb. ' Ad Theodul. Centuriae ;' Tho.
Kempis, et Thauleri Opera ; and of the later true papist, Sale's ' Introduction
to a Devout Life,' ' Benedict! de Benedict., Regul.,' Barbanson, ' De Amore
Dei,' 'Parsons of Resolution,' Cressys's ' Sancta Sophia,' &c. And among
the protestants, the number of holy treatises is so great, that I shall not name
any in so numerous a treasury : so that however the spirit of contention caus-
eth many of them to overlook the good that is in one another, and aggravate
the evil, yet holiness is the doctrine of all the Christians in the world, and the
practice of all that are sincere : and while the sects and hypocrites do rail at
one another, yet in all they speak against sin. I have oft thought, why is it
that, as Christians, men live together in love; but as parties, when they come
to the interests of their sects, they hate, revile, and persecute one another?
And I answer it, because as Christians they give no cause of hatred to each
other; but as sects and parties, they leave God's way, and show their selfish-
ness and loathsome faults, and are inclined to injure one another, and so do
again suffer by those whom they have injured. But the wisdom from
above is pure and peaceable, &c. — Leg: etiam Tlialessi Centuriae, et JVili
Parcenesis.
20S THE REASONS OF
temperance and sobriety, and did not tie himself to a wilderness
life of austerity, in total abstinence from common meats and
wine, as John Baptist did, and as they thought he that pro-
fessed extraordinary sanctity should have done. They accused
him of eating with publicans and sinners, because he went to
them as a physician to heal their souls, and lived a sociable,
charitable life, and did not observe the laws of proud phari-
saical separation. They accused him of blasphemy and treason
for saying the truth, that he was the Son of God and the King
of Israel : and of impiety, for talking of pulling down the
temple, when he did but prophesy of his own death and
resurrection. And this was all that malice had to say.
Object. He carried himself contemptuously to magistrates : he
called Herod, the king, " That fox." The scribes and pharisees
he railed at, and called them hypocrites, painted sepulchres, a
generation of vipers, &c. When he was called to answer whether
they should pay tribute to Caesar, he doth but put off the resolu-
tion by ambiguity, instead of an open exhorting them to obedi-
ence, and saith, " Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's."
And when he was called to for tribute for him, he payeth it but as
a way to avoid offence, having pleaded first his own immunity.
Answ. 1. His speeches of Herod and the scribes and phari-
sees, are not revilings, but a free and just reprehension of their
sin, which being done by God's commission, and in his name,
and for his cause, is no more to be called reviling, than an arrest
of a felon or traitor in the king's name, or an accusation put
in against him for his crimes, should be so called. God will not
forbear damning impenitent rebels, though they call it cruelty ;
nor will he forbear the reprehension and shaming of their vil-
lanies, though they call it railing; nor will he flatter proud, re-
bellious dust, though they call flattery a necessary civility ; nor
will he give leave to his messengers to leave sin in honour, and
to let the proud do what they list, and quietly damn themselves
and others without plain reproof, though it be called irreverent,
sauciness, or sedition. And he that considereth how little title
Caesar had to the kingdom of the Jews, and that the sword alone
is a better proof of force and strength than of authority, and
is a plea which an usurper may have on his side, will rather
praise the submission and peaceableness of Christ, than blame
him as disloyal. But for the doctrine of obedience in general,
who hath ever taught it more plainly and pressingly than Christ
and his apostles ?
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 209
The Gospel or doctrine of Christ itself also hath the very
image and superscription of God, I will not say imprinted on it,
for that is too little, but intrinsically animating and constituting
it; which is apparent in the matter, and the method, and the
style.
1 . The matter and design containeth the most wonderful ex-
pression of the wisdom of God, that ever was made to man on
earth. All is mysterious, yet admirably fit, consistent, and
congruous, as is before declared, That a world which is visibly
and undeniably fallen into wickedness and misery, should have
a Redeemer, Saviour, and Mediator towards God. That he
should be one that is near enough to God, and unto us, and
hath the nature of both. That he should be the second Adam,
the Root of the redeemed and regenerate. That God should
give all mercy from himself, from his own bounty and fulness,
and not as unwilling be persuaded to it by another ; and, there-
fore, that the Redeemer be not any angel or intermediate person,
but God himself. That thus God come nearer unto man, who
is revolted from him, to draw up man again to him. That he
lose not the world, and yet do not violate his governing justice.
That he be so merciful as not to be unrighteous, nor permit
his laws and government to be despised; and yet so just, as to
save the penitent, renewed souls. That he give man a new law
and conditions of salvation, suitable to his lapsed guilty state,
and leave him not under a law and conditions which were fitted
to the innocent. That he revealed himself to the apostate
world in that way which only is fit for their recovery ; that is, in
his admirable love and goodness, that so love might win our
love, and attract those hearts, which under guilt and the terrors
of condemning justice, would never have been brought to love
him. That guilty souls have such evidence of God's reconcili-
ation to encourage them to expect his pardon, and to come to
him with joy and boldness in their addresses, having a Mediator
to trust in, and his sacrifice, merits, and acceptable name, to
plead with God. That justice and mercy are so admirably con-
joined in these effects. That Satan, and the world, and death
should be so conquered in a suffering way, and man have so
perfect a pattern to imitate, for self-denial, humility, contempt
of honour, wealth, and life, and exact obedience, and resigna-
tion to the will of God, with perfect love to God and man. That
the world should be under such an universal Administrator, and
the church be all united in such a Head ; and have one in their
VOL. xxi. p
210 THE REASONS OF
nature that hath risen from the dead, to be in possession of the
glory which they are going to, and thence to send down his Spirit
to sanctify them, and fit them for heaven ; and afterwards to
be their Judge, and to receive them unto blessedness. And
that sinners now be not condemned merely for want of inno-
cency, but for rejecting the grace and mercy which would have
saved them. That we have all this taught us by a messenger
from heaven, and a perfect rule of life delivered to us by him ;
and all this sealed by a divine attestation. That this doctrine
is suited to the capacity of the weakest, and yet so mysterious
as to exercise the strongest wits ; and is delivered to us, not by
an imposing force, but by the exhortations and persuasions of
men like ourselves, commissioned to open the evidences of truth
and necessity in the Gospel. All this is no less than the image
and wonderful effects of the wisdom of God. 1
And his goodness and love is as resplendent in it all ; for
this is the effect of the whole design, to set up a glass in the
work of our redemption, in which God's love and goodness
should be as wonderfully represented to mankind, as his power
was in the works of creation. Here sinful man is saved by a
means which he never thought of, or desired ; he is fetched up
from the gates of hell, redeemed from the sentence of the
righteous, violated law of God, and the execution of his justice ;
the eternal Word so condescendeth to man in the assumption
of our nature, as that the greatness of the love and mercy,
incomprehensible to man, becomes the greatest difficulty to
our belief. He revealeth to us the things of the world above ?
and bringeth life and immortality to light : he dwelleth with
men ; he converseth with the meanest ; he preacheth the glad
tidings of salvation to the world : he refuseth not such fami-
liarity with the poorest, or the worst, as is needful to their
cure ; he spendeth his time in doing good, and healing all
manner of bodily diseases ; he refuseth the honours and riches
of the world, and the pleasures of the flesh, to work out our
1 Cum Dominus palam dicit ' Ego in medio vestri sum, sicut qui ministrat*
quis adeo saevus aut mentis inops est, ut omnem mox fastum et ambitionem
non respuat? Cui universasancta, menteque et ratione praedita creatura, cul-
tum et ministerium defert, quique eadem prorsus cum Deo Patre majestateet
potestate pollet, is ministri persona sumpta, discipulorum pedes lavat. — Titus
Bostrens. in Luc. c. 21. Diligens lector intelliget unam taciem esse elo-
quiorum sacrorum ; cum distincte considerabit, quid sit admonitio, quid sit
preceptum, quid prohibitio, quid remissio ; et haec nee se invicem impugnare,
nee a seipsis distare ; sed in omnibus sanitatis remedium moderare. — Hilde-
bert. (Jccnoman, Epist. 83. Argum.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 211
salvation ; he beareth the ingratitude and abuse of sinners, and
endureth to be scorned, buffetted, spit upon, tormented, and
crucified by those, to whom he had done no greater wrong
than to seek their salvation ; he maketh himself a sacrifice
for sin, to show the world what sin deserved, and to save them
from the deserved punishment. God had at first decreed and
declared that death should be the punishment of sin ; and
Satan had maliciously drawn man to it, by contradicting this
threatening of God, and making man believe that God would
falsify his word, and that he did envy man the felicity of his
advancement to be more like God in knowledge : and now Christ
will first justify the truth and righteousness of God, and will
demonstrate himself, by dying in our stead, that death is indeed
the wages of sin ; and will show the world, that God is so far
from envying their felicity, that he will purchase it at the dear-
est rate, and deliver them freely from the misery which sin and
Satan had involved them in. Thus, enemies are reconciled by
the sufferings of him whom they offended ; even by his suffer-
ings in the flesh, whose Godhead could not suffer ; and by his
death as man, who, as God, was most immortal. As soon as
he was risen, he first appeared to a woman who had been a
sinner, and sent her, as his first messenger, with words of love
and comfort to his disconsolate disciples, who had but lately
sinfully forsaken him ', he giveth them no upbraiding words,
but meltingly saith to her, " Go to my brethren, and say unto
them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, to my God,
and your God." (John xx. 17.) He after this familiarly con-
verseth with them, and instructeth them in the things concern-
ing the kingdom of God. He maketh an universal pardon, or
act of oblivion, in a covenant of grace, for all the world that
will not reject it ; and appointeth messengers to preach it unto
all ; and whatever pains or suffering it cost them, to go through
all with patience and alacrity, and to stick at nothing for the
saving of men's souls. He gave the Holy Spirit miraculously
to them, to enable them to carry on this work, and to leave
upon record to the world the infallible narrative of his
life and doctrine : his Gospel is filled up with matter of con-
solation, with the promises of mercy, pardon, and salvation,
the description of the privileges of holy souls, justification,
adoption, peace, and joy ; and finally, he governeth and de-
fendeth his church, and pleadeth our cause, and secureth our
interest in heaven, according to the promises of this, his word.
p2
212 THE REASONS OF
Thus is the Gospel the verv image of the wisdom and goodness
of God ; and such a doctrine, from such a person, must needs
be divine. m
2. And the method and style of it is most excellent, because
most suitable to its holy ends ; not with the excellency of
frothy wit, which is but to express a wanton fancy, and please
the ears of airy persons, who play with words, when they
should close with wisdom and heavenly light : such excellency
of speech must receive its estimate by its use and end ; but, as
the end is most divine, so the light that shineth in the Gospel is
heavenly and divine. The method of the books themselves is
various, according to the time and occasions of their writing ;
(the objections against them are to be answered by themselves
anon ;) but the method of the whole doctrine of Christianity,
set together, is the most admirable and perfect in the world ;
beginning with God in unity of essence, proceeding to his trinity
of essential, active principles, and of persons, and so to his
trinity of works, creation, redemption, and regeneration, and of
relations of God and man accordingly, and to the second trinity
of relations, as he is our Owner, Ruler, and chief Good ; and
hence it brancheth itself into a multitude of benefits, flowing
from all these relations of God to man, and a multitude of
answerable duties, flowing from our correlations to God, and
all in perfect method, twisted and inoculated into each other,
making a kind of circulation between mercies and duties, as in
man's body there is of the arterial and venal blood and spirits,
till, in the issue, as all mercy came from God, and duty
subnrdinately from man, so mercy and duty do terminate in the
everlasting pleasure of God ultimately, and man subordinated,
in that mutual love which is here begun, and there is perfected.
This method you may somewhat perceive in the description of
the christian religion, before laid down.
3. And the style also is suited to the end and matter ; not
to the pleasing of curious ears, but to the declaring of heavenlv
mysteries ; not to the conceits of logicians, who have put their
understandings into the fetters of their own ill-devised notions,
and expect that all men, that will be accounted wise, should
m Duo, siue pluribus, faciunt hominem sanctum : viz., cognitio et amor:
hoc est cognitio veritatis, et amor bonitatis. Sed ad eognitionem Dei qui est
Veritas, non potes venire, nisi per eognitionem tui-ipsius : nee ad ainorem Dei
qui est bonitas, nisi per amorem proximi tui. Ad cognitionem tui-ipsius potes
pervenire per frequentem ineditationem : ad cognitionem Dei per puram con-
templationem. — Edmund Cantuar, Specul. Eccles. c.3. vid. plura. c. 2!'. &c.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 213
use the same notions which they have thus devised, and about
which they are utterly disagreed among themselves ; but in a
language suitable both to the subject, and to the world of
persons to whom this word is sent, who are commonly ignorant
and unlearned, and dull : that being the best physic which is
most suitable to the patient's temper and disease. And though
the particular writers of the sacred Scriptures have their several
styles, yet is there in them all in common a style which is
spiritual, powerful, and divine, which beareth its testimony
proportionally of that Spirit, which is the common author in
them all : but more of this among the difficulties and objections
anon.
But for the discerning of all this image of God in the doc-
trine of Jesus Christ, reason will allow me to expect these
necessary qualifications in him that must discern it : 1. That
before he come to supernatural revelations, he be not un-
acquainted with those natural revelations which are antecedent,
and should be foreknown, as I have in this book explained
them with their evidence : for there is no coming to the highest
step of the ladder, without beginning at the lowest ; men,
ignorant of things knowable by natural reason, are unprepared
for higher things : 2. It is reasonably expected that he be one
that is not treacherous and false to those natural truths which
he hath received ; for how can he be expected to be impartial
and faithful in seeking after more truth, who is unfaithful to
that which he is convinced of; or that he should receive that
truth which he doth not yet know, who is false to that which
he already knoweth ; or that he should discern the evidence of
extraordinary revelation, who opposeth with enmity the ordi-
nary light or law of nature ; or that God should vouchsafe his
further light and conduct to that man, who wilfully sinneth
against him, in despite of all his former teachings ? 3. It is
requisite that he be one that is not a stranger to himself, but
acquainted with the case of his heart and life, and know his
sins, and his corrupt inclinations, and that guilt, and disorder,
and misery, in which his need of mercy doth consist ; for he
is no fit judge of the prescripts of his physician, who knoweth
not his own disease and temperature. But of this more anon.
Sect. 8. 111. The third way of the Spirit's witness to Jesus
Christ, is concomitantly by the miraculous gifts and woiks of
himself, and his disciples ; which are a cogent evidence of God's
attestation to the truth of his doctrine.
214 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 9. By the miracles of Christ, I mean, 1. His miraculous
actions upon others ; 2. His miracles in his death and resurrec-
tion ; 3. His predictions.
The appearance of the angel to Zachary, and his dumbness ;
his prophecy and Elizabeth's, with the Angel's appearance to
Mary; the angel's appearance and evangelising to the shepherds;
the prophecy of Simeon and of Anna; the star, and the testimony
of the wise men of the East ; the testimony of John Baptist,
that Christ should baptise with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,
and that he was the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of
the world : these and more such I pass by as pre-supposed.
At twelve years of age he disputed with the doctors in the tem-
ple, to their admiration. (Luke ii. 46.) At his baptism, the
Holy Ghost came down upon him in the likeness of a dove, and
a voice from heaven said, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am
well pleased. (Luke iii. 22.) When he was baptised, he fasted
forty days and nights, and permitted Satan to tempt him extra-
ordinarily, by carrying him from place to place, that he might
extraordinarily overcome. When Nathaniel came to him, he
told him his heart, and told him what talk he had with Philip
afar off, till he convinced him that he was omniscient. At
Cana of Galilee, at a feast, he turned their water into wine.
(Luke iv. ; Matt, iv.) At Capernaum he dispossessed a demo-
niac. (Luke iv. 33, 34, &c.) He healed Simon's mother of a
fever at a word. (Luke iv. 38, 39.) He healed multitudes of
torments, diseases, and madness. (Matt. iv. 24. ; Luke iv. 40,
41.) He cleanseth a leper by a word. (Matt. viii. 2, 3 ; Luke
v. 12.) So also he doth by a paralytic. (Matt. ix. ; Luke v.)
He telleth the Samaritan woman all that she had done. (Johniv.)
At Capernaum he healed a nobleman's son by a word. (John v.)
At Jerusalem he cured an impotent man, that had waited five-
and-thirty years : a touch of his garment cureth a woman dis-
eased with an issue of blood twelve years. (Matt. ix. 23.) He
cured two blind men with a touch and a word. (Matt. ix. 28,
29.) He dispossessed another demoniac. (Matt. ix. 32.) He
raised Jairus's daughter at a word, who was dead or seemed so.
(Matt. ix. 23, 24.) He dispossessed another demoniac, blind
and dumb. (Matt, xii.) He healeth the servant of a Centurion
ready to die, by a word. (Luke via.) He raiseth the son of a
widow from death, that was carried out on a bier to be buried,
(Luke vii.) With five barley loaves, and two small fishes, he
feedeth five thousand, and twelve baskets full of the fragments
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 215
did remain. (Matt. xiv. ; John vi.) He walketh upon the waters
of the sea. (Matt, xiv.) He causeth Peter to do the like.
(Matt, xiv.) All the diseased of the country were perfectly
healed by touching the hem of his garment. (Matt. xiv. 36.)
He again healed multitudes, lame, dumb, blind, maimed, &c.
(Matt, xv.) He again fed four thousand with seven loaves, and
a few little fishes, and seven baskets full were left. (Matt, xv.)
He restoreth a man born blind to his sight. (John ix.) Jn the
sight of three of his disciples, he is transfigured into a glory,
which they could not behold, and Moses and Elias talked with
him, and a voice out of a cloud said, this is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. (Matt. xvii. ; Luke ix.)
He healed the lunatic. (Matt, xvii.) Multitudes are healed by
him. (Matt. xix. 2.) Two blind men are healed. (Matt, xx.)
He healed a crooked woman. (Luke xiii. 1 1.) He withereth
up a fruitless tree at a word. (Mark xi.) He restoreth a blind
man, nigh to Jericho. (Luke xviii. 36.) He restoreth Lazarus
from death to life, that was four days dead and buried. (John
xi.) He foretelleth Judas, that he would betray him : and he
frequently and plainly foretold his own sufferings, death, and
resurrection ; and he expressly foretold the destruction of Jeru-
salem, and of the temple, and the great calamity of that place,
even before that generation had passed away. (Matt, xxiv., &c.)
He prophesied his death the night before, in the institution of
his supper. When he died, the sun was darkened, and the
earth trembled, and the veil of the temple rent, and the dead
bodies of many arose, and appeared ; so that the captain that
kept guard, said, " Truly this was the Son of God." (Matt, xxvii.)
When he was crucified and buried, though his grave- stone was
sealed, and a guard of soldiers set to watch it, angels appeared,
and rolled away the stone, and spake to those that inquired
after him : and he rose and revived, and staid forty days on
earth with his disciples : he appeared to them by the way :
he came often among them on the first day of the week,
at their meetings, when the doors were shut : he called Tho-
mas to see the prints of the nails, and put his finger into
his side, and not be faithless, but believing, till he forced
him to cry out, my Lord, and my God ! (John xx.) He
appeareth to them as they are fishing, and worketh a miracle
in their draught, and provideth them broiled fish, and eateth
with them : he expostulated with Simon, and engaged him,
as he loved him, to feed his sheep, and discourseth of the
216 THE REASONS OF
age of John. (John xxi.) He giveth his apostles their full com-
mission for their gathering his church by preaching and baptism,
and edifying it by teaching them all that he had commanded
them, and giveth them the keys of it. (Matt, xxviii. ; John xix.,
and xx.) He appearetli to above five hundred brethren at once.
(I. Cor. xv.) He showed himself to them by many infallible
proofs, being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God ; and being assembled
with them, commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem till the Spirit
came down (miraculously) upon them : and he ascended up to
heaven before their eyes. (Acts i.) And two angels appeared to
them, as they were gazing after him, and told them, that thus
lie should come again. When Pentecost was come, when they
were all together, (about a hundred and twenty,) the Holy Spirit
came upon them visibly, in the appearance of fiery cloven
tongues, and sat on each of them, and caused them to speak
the languages of many nations, which they had never learned, in
the hearing of all : upon the notice of which, and by Peter's ex-
hortation, about three thousand were at once converted. (Acts ii.)
After this, Peter and John do heal a man at the entrance of
the temple, who had been lame from his birth, and this by the
name of Jesus, before the people. (Acts iii.) One that was above
forty years old. (Acts iv. 22.) When they were forbidden to
preach, upon their praises to God the place was shaken, and
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. (Acts iv. 31.) Ana-
nias and Sapphira are struck dead by Peter's word, for hypo-
crisy and lying. (Acts v.) And many signs and wonders were
done by them among the people; (Acts v. 12;) insomuch that
they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and
couches, that, at least, Peter's shadow might overshadow them.
(Acts v. 14, 15.) And a multitude came out of the cities
round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folks and demoniacs, and
they were healed every one. (Ver. 16.) Upon this the apostles
were shut in the common prison ; but an angel by night opened
the prison and brought them out, and bid them go preach to the
people in the temple. (Acts v.) When Stephen was martyred,
he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand.
(Acts vii.) Philip, at Samaria, cured demoniacs, palsies, lame-
ness, and so converted the people of that city; insomuch that
Simon, the sorcerer, himself believed. The Holy Ghost is then
given by the imposition of the hands of Peter and John, so that
Simon offered money for that gift. Philip is led by the Spirit
THE CHRIS'lIAN RELIGION. 217
to convert the Ethiopian nobleman, and then carried away.
(Acts viii.) Saul, who was one of the murderers of Stephen,
and a great persecutor of the church, is stricken down to the
earth, and called by Jesus Christ, appearing in a light, and
speaking to him from heaven, and is sent to preach the Gospel,
which he doth with zeal and power, and patient labours to the
death. Ananias is commanded by God to instruct him and
baptise him after his first call. (Acts ix.) Peter, at Lydda,
cureth Eneas by a word, who had kept his bed eight years of a
palsy. (Acts viii.) At Joppa, he raiseth Tabitha from the dead.
(Acts ix.) Cornelius, by an angel, is directed to send for Peter
to preach the Gospel to him : the Holy Ghost fell on all that
heard his words. (Acts x.) Agabus prophesied of the dearth.
(Acts xi.) Peter, imprisoned by Herod, is delivered by an angel,
who opened the doors, and loosed his bonds, and brought him
out. Herod is eaten to death by worms. (Acts xii.) At
Paphos, Elymas, the sorcerer, is stricken blind by Paul's word,
for resisting the Gospel ; and Sergius, the Roman deputy, is
thereby made a believer. (Acts xiii.) At Lystra, Paul, by a
word, cureth a cripple that was so born ; insomuch as the peo-
ple would have done sacrifice to him and Barnabas, as to Mer-
cury and Jupiter. (Acts xiv.) Paul casteth out a divining devil;
and being imprisoned and scourged with Silas, and their feet in
the stocks, at midnight as they sung praises to God, an earth-
quake shook the foundations of the prison, the doors were all
opened, and all their bonds loosed, and the jailor converted.
(Acts xvi.) The Holy Ghost came upon twelve disciples,
upon the imposition of Paul's hands. And God wrought so
many miracles by his hands, at Ephesus, that from his body were
brought to the sick, handkerchiefs, and aprons, and the diseases
departed from them. (Acts xix.) At Troas, he raised Euty-
chus to life. (Acts xx.) His sufferings at Jerusalem are foretold
by Agabus. (Acts xxi.) At Melita, the people took him for a
god, because the viper hurt him not that fastened on his hand •
and there he cured the father of Publius, the chief man of the
island, of a flux and fever, by prayer and imposition of hands.
In a word, in all places where the apostles came, these miracles
were wrought, and in all the churches the gifts of the Holy
Ghost were usual, either of prophecy or healing, or of speaking-
strange languages, or interpreting them, some had one, and
some another, and some had most or all. And by such mira-
cles were the christian churches planted : and all this power
218 THE REASONS OF
Christ had foretold them of at his departure from them :
"These signs shall follow them that believe : in my name shall
they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they
shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them ; thev shall lav their hands on the sick, and
they shall recover." (Mark xvi. 17.) Yea, in his lifetime on
earth, he sent forth his apostles and seventy disciples with the
same power, which they exercised openly. (Luke ix. 1, &c, and
x. 16, 17-) Thus was the Gospel confirmed by multitudes of
open miracles. 11
And Christ's own resurrection and ascension was the greatest
of all. And here it must be noted that these miracles were,
1. Not one or two, but multitudes. 2. Not obscure and doubt-
ful, but evident and unquestionable. 3. Not controlled or
checked by anv greater contrary miracles, as the wonders
of the Egyptian sorcerers were by Moses, but altogether
uncontrolled. 4. Net in one place only, but in all coun-
tries where they came. 5. Not by one or two persons only,
but by very many who were scattered up and down in the
world.
And that miracles, and such miracles as these, are a certain
proof of the truth of Christ and Christianity, is most evident,
in that they are the attestation of God himself.
1. It is undeniable that they are the effects of God's own
power. If any question whether God do them immediately, or
whether an angel or spirit may not do them, that makes no dif-
ference in the case considerable ; for all creatures are absolutely
dependent upon God, and can use no power but what he giveth
them, and continueth in them, and exerciseth by them. The
power of the creatures is all of it the power of God. Without
n At qui causa; causis, partes partibus volumus aequare, niagis nos valemus
ostendere quid in Cbristo fuerimus secuti, quam in philosophis quid vos. Ac
110s quidem in illo secuti haec sumus : opera ilia magnifica potentissi masque
virtutes, quas variis edidit, exhibuitque miraculis, quibus quivis posset ad ne-
cessitatem credulitatis adduei, et judicare fideliter,, non esse quae fierent homi-
nis sed divinae alicujus et incognitas potestatis. Vos in philosophis virtutes
secuti quas estis ? Ut magis vos iilis. quam nos Christo oportuerit credere ?
Quisquam ne illoruui aliquando verbo uno potuit, aut uuius imperii jussione
non dicam maris insanias aut tempestatum furores prohibere, compescere, non
ccecis restituere lamina, nou ad vitam revocare defunctos, non annosas dissol-
ves passiones sed quod levissimum est furenculum, scabiem, aut inhrcrentem
spinulam callo una interdictione sanare? Personarum contentio non est elo-
quentiae viribus, sedgestorum operum virtute pendenda. — Arnob. ade.Getit.1.2.
Tria totus mundus mirabatur : Christum post mortem surrexisse ; cum
carne ccelum ascendisse; et per duodecim Apostolos Piscatores rnundum con-
vertisse. — Ckristos, in Math,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 219
him they are nothing, and can do nothing ; and God is as near
to the effect himself, when he useth an instrument, as when he
useth none. So that, undoubtedly, it is God's work.
2. And God having no voice but created, revealeth his mind
to man by his operations ; and as he cannot lie, so his infinite
wisdom and goodness will not give up the world to such
unavoidable deceit, as such a multitude of miracles would lead
them into, if they were used to attest a lie. If I cannot know
him to be sent of God, who raiseth the dead, and showeth me
such a seal of omni potency to his commission, I have no possi-
bility of knowing who speaketh from God at all, or of escaping
deceit in the greatest matters ; of which God, by his omnipotent
arm. would be the cause. But none of this can stand with the
nature and righteous government of God. This, therefore, is
an infallible proof of the veracity of Christ and his apostles :
and the truth of the history of these miracles shall be further
opened anon.
Sect. 10. IV. The fourth part of the Spirit's testimony to
Christ is subsequent, in the work of regeneration or sanctifica-
tion, in which he effectually illuminateth the mind, and renew-
eth the soul and life to a true resignation, obedience, and love of
God, and to a heavenly mind and conversation ; and so proveth
Christ to be really and effectively the Saviour, p
This evidence is commonly much overlooked and made little
account of by the ungodly, who have no such renovation on
themselves ; because, though it may be discerned in others by
the fruits, yet they that have it not in themselves, are much
hindered from discerning it ; partly because it is at a distance
from them, and because it is in itself seated in the heart, where
it is neither felt nor seen by others, but in the effects ; and
partly because the effects are imperfect, and clouded with a mix-
ture of remaining faults : but, especially, because that ungodly
men have a secret enmity to holy things, and thence to holy
persons, and therefore are falsely prejudiced against them ;
which is increased by cross interests and courses in their con-
verse.^ But yet, indeed, the spirit, of regeneration is a plenary
evidence of the truth of Christ and Christianity.
p Ideo non omnibus Sanctis miracula attribuuntur, ne perniciosissimo errore
decipiantur infirmi, aestimantes in talibus factis esse majora bona, quam iu
operibus justitiae, quibus vita aeterna comparator. — Aug. de Civ. Dei, 33.
1 Christianity is thus truly and orderly described by Augustin, de Agon, cap
18. Fides est prima, quae subjugat auimam Deo ; deinde prascepta dat vivendi •
quibus custoditis spes nostra firmatur et uutritur, cum quod cognitio et actio
beatum faciunt, in cognitione cayendus est error, iu actione nequitia.
220 THE REASON'S OF
To manifest which, I shall, 1. Consider what it is, and doeth ;
2. How and by what means ; 3. On whom; 4. Against what
oppositions ; 5. That it is Christ indeed that doth it.
I. The change which is made by the Spirit of Christ doth con-
sist in these particulars, following: 1. It taketh down pride,
and maketh men humble and low in their own eyes; to which
end it acquainteth them with their sin, and their desert and
misery. 2. It teacheth men self-denial, and causeth them to
resign themselves to God, and use themselves as being wholly
his own. 3. It absolutely subjecteth the soul to God, and setteth
up his authority, as absolute, over our thoughts and words, and
all our actions ; and maketh the Christian's life a course of care-
ful obedience to his laws, so far as thev understand them. 1 4.
It taketh up a Christian's mind with the thankful sense of his
redemption ; so that the pardon of his sins, and his deliverance
from hell, and his hopes of everlasting glory, do form his soul to
a holy gratitude, and make the expressions of it to be his work.
5. It giveth men a sense of the love of God, as their gracious Re-
deemer ; and so of the goodness and mercifulness of his nature.
It causeth them to think of God as their greatest Benefactor,
and as one that loveth them, and as love itself; and so it recon-
cileth their estranged, alienated minds to him, and maketh the
love of God to be the. very constitution and life of the soul. 6.
It causeth men to believe that there is an everlasting glory to be
enjoyed by holy souls, where we shall see the glory of God, and
be filled with his love, and exercised in perfect love and praise,
and be with Christ, his angels, and saints for evermore : it
causeth them to take this felicity for their portion, and to set
their hearts upon it, and to make it the chief care and business
of all their lives to seek it. 7. It causeth them to live in the
joyful hopes and foresight of this blessedness, and to do all that
they do as means thereunto ; and thus it sweeteneth all their
lives, and maketh religion their chief delight. 8. It accordingly
employeth their thoughts and tongues, so that the praises of
God, and the mention of their everlasting blessedness, and of the
way thereto, is their most delightful conference, as it beseemeth
travellers to the city of God ; and so their political converse is
in heaven. 9. And thus it abateth the fears of death, as being
but their passage to everlasting life ; and those that are confirmed
1 Ille Justus et sancte vivit, qui rerum integer {estimator est : Ipse est qui
ordinatam liabet charitatem, ue aut diligat quod non est diligendum, aut non
diligat quod est diligendum, aut amplius diligat quod minus est diligendum,
aut minus diligat quod amplius est diligendum ; aut minus aut amplius quod
seque diligendum est. — August, de Doctr. Christian.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 221
Christians indeed, do joyfully entertain it, and long to see their
glorified Lord, and the blessed Majesty of their great Creator.
10. It causeth men to love all sanctified persons with a special
love of complacency, and all mankind with a love of benevolence,
even to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to abhor that self-
ishness which would engage us against our neighbour's good.
1 1. It causeth men to love their enemies, and to forgive and for-
bear, and to avoid all unjust and unmerciful revenge. It maketh
men meek, long-suffering, and patient, though not impassionate,
insensible, or void of that anger which is the necessary opposer
of sin and folly. s 12. It employeth men in doing all the good
they can ; it maketh them long for the holiness and happiness
of one another's souls, and desirous to do good to those that are
in need, according to our power. 13. This true regeneration
by the Spirit of Christ doth make those superiors that have it,
even princes, magistrates, parents, and masters, to rule those
under them in holiness, love, and justice, with self-denial; seek-
ing more the pleasing of God, and the happiness of their subjects,
for soul and body, than any carnal, self-interest of their own; and
therefore it must needs be the blessing of that happy kingdom,
society, or family, which hath such a holy Governor. O that
they were not so few ! 14. It maketh subjects, and children,
and servants submissive and conscionable in all the duties of their
relations, and to honour their superiors as the officers of God,
and to obey them in all just subordination to him. 15. It
causeth men to love justice, and to do as they would be done
by, and to desire the welfare of the souls, bodies, estates, and
honours of their neighbours, as their own. 16. It causeth men
to subdue their appetites, and lusts, and fleshly desires, and to
set up the government of God and sanctified reason over them ;
and to take their flesh for that greatest enemv, in our corrupt
state, which we must chiefly watch against and master, as being
a rebel against God and reason. It allovveth a man so much
sensitive pleasure as God forbiddeth not, and as tendeth to the
holiness of the soul, and furthereth us in God's service ; and all
the rest it rebuketh and resisteth. 4 17. It causeth men to esti-
mate all the wealth, and honour, and dignities of the world, as
they have respect to God and a better world, and as they either
help or hinder us in the pleasing of God and seeking immor-
s Apud Christianos, non qui patitur, sed qui facit injuriam miser est. —
Hieron.
1 Sanctitatis causa servanda sunt, pudicitia corporis, castitas animae, et
Veritas doctrinal. — Jug. ibid.
222 THE REASONS OF
tality ; and as they are against God and our spiritual work and
happiness, it causeth us to account them but as mere vanity,
loss, and dung. 18. It keepeth men in a life of watchfulness
against all those temptations which would draw them from this
holy course, and in a continual warfare against Satan and his
kingdom, under conduct of Jesus Christ. 11 19. It causeth men
to prepare for sufferings in this world, and to look for no great
matters here ; to expect persecutions, crosses, losses, wants,
defamations, injuries, and painful sickness and death ; and to
spend their time in preparing all that furniture of mind which is
necessary to their support and comfort in such a day of trial,
that they may be patient and joyful in tribulation and bodily
distress, as having a comfortable relation to God and heaven,
which will incomparably weigh down all. 20. It causeth men
to acknowledge that all this grace and mercy is from the love of
God alone, and to depend on him for it by faith in Christ; and
to devote and refer all to himself again, and make it our ultimate
end to please him ; and thus to subserve him as the first Efficient,
the chief Dirigent, and the ultimate, final Cause of all : of whom,
and through whom, and to whom are all things; to whom be
glory for ever. Amen.
This is the true description of that regenerate, sanctified state,
which the Spirit of Christ doth work on all whom he will save,
and that are Christians indeed ; and not in name only. x And
certainly this is the image of God's holiness, and the just con-
stitution and use of a reasonable soul ; and, therefore, he that
bringeth men to this is a real Saviour : of whom more anon.
II. And it is very considerable, by what means, and in what
manner, all this is done : it is done by the preaching of the Gospel
of Christ, and that in plainness and simplicity. The curiosity
of artificial oratorv doth usually but hinder the success, as
painting doth the light of windows. It was a few plain men,
that came with spiritual power, and not with the enticing words
of human wisdom, or curiosities of vain philosophy, who did
more in this work than any of their successors have done since.
As in naturals, every thing is apt to communicate its own nature,
and not another's. Heat causeth heat, and cold causeth cold ;
u Fides attingit inaccessa, deprebetidit iguota, comprebendit immensa, ap-
prehendit novissima : Ipsam denique a?ternitatem suo illovastissimo sinu quo-
dammodo circumcludit. — Bern, in Cant.
x (juatuor mirabilia fecit Deus : de Piscatore primum Ecclesiae pastorem :
de persecutore magistrum et doctorem gentium : de publicano primum Evan-
gelistam ; de latrone primum CceKcolam. — Chrysost. in Matt,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 223
so wit j by communication, causeth wit, and common learning
causeth common learning ; and so it is holiness and love which
are fittest to communicate and cause holiness and love, which
common qualifications are too low for, though they may be
helpful in their several places and degrees. What contemned
instruments hath God used in the world, to do that for the re-
generating of souls, which the greatest emperors by their laws,
or the most subtle philosophers by their precepts, did not ? The
Athenian philosophers despised Paul, and Gallio counted his
doctrine but a superstitious talk about names and words ; but
Satan himself despised not those whom he tempted men to
despise, but perceived they were like to be the ruin of his
kingdom, and therefore every where stirred up the most vehe-
ment, furious resistance of them. It is evident, therefore, that
there is an inward, effectual operation of the Holy Ghost, which
giveth success to these means, which are naturally in themselves
so weak. y
And it is to be observed, that this great change is very often
wrought on a sudden, in a prevalent, though not a perfect
degree. One sermon hath done that for many thousand sinners,
which twenty years' teaching of the greatest philosophers never
did. One sermon hath turned them from the sins which they
had lived in all their days j and hath turned them to a life which
they were strangers to before, or else abhorred. One sermon
hath taken down the world, which had their hearts, and hath
put it under their feet, and hath turned their hearts to another
world : which showeth that there is an internal agent, more
powerful than the speaker.
And it is remarkable that, in the main, the change is wrought
in one and the same method. First humbling men for sin and
misery, and then leading them to Jesus Christ as the remedy,
and to God by him j and so kindling the love of God in them by
y Multo melius est, ex duobus imperfectis rusticitatem sanctam habere,
quam eloquentiam peccatricem. — Hieron. ad Nejwl. The better any philo-
sopher was, the nearer he came to the christian pastors, as to the converting
of souls ; that is, they wrought the greatest reformation on their auditors.
Laertius saith of Socrates, that TheaMetum cum de disciplina dissereret, ut ait
Plato, mirifice immutatum, divinunique ferme remisit. Eutyphrona,qui patri
diem dixerat, quaedam de justitia et pietate loquens, ab instituto revocavit.
Lysidem hortando maxime moralem fecit. Lamproclem filium in matrem
immitem et ferum, ut ait Xenophon, suadendo ad reverentiam reduxit.
Glauconem Platonis fratrem ad republican! accedere volentem a proposito
retraxit, quod is rudis esset, ignarusque rerum. These were the converts of
Socrates; a change agreeable to the verities which he delivered. But it is
another kind of success that the doctrine of Christianity hath had.
224 THE REASONS OF
the bellows of faith ; and then leading them towards perfection
in the exercises of that holy love.
III. And it will further lead us to the original of this change,
to consider on whom it is thus wrought. 1. For their place and
time. 2. Their quality in themselves. 3. And as compared
to each other. 4. And as to their numbers.
1. For time and place, it is in all ages since Christ, (to say
nothing of the former ages now,) and in all nations and countries
which have received him and his Gospel, that souls have been
thus regenerated to God. If it had been only a fanatic rapture
of brain-sick men, it would have been like the effects of the
heresies of the Valentinians, Basilidians, gnostics, Montanists,
See. ; or of the Swenckfeldians, Weigelians, Behmenists, quakers,
and other enthusiasts, who make a stir for one age, in some one
corner of the world, and then go out with a perpetual stink. In
all ages and countries, these effects of christian doctrine are
the very same as they were in the first age and the first country
where it was preached. Just such effects as it hath in one
kingdom or family, it hath in all others who equally receive it ;
and just such persons as Christians were in the first ages at
Jerusalem, Rome, Antioch, Philippi, &c. ; such are they now in
England, according to their several degrees of grace, though not
in miracles and things extraordinary to the church. The children
of no one father are so like as all God's sanctified children are
throughout the world.
2. As to their civil quality, it is men of all degrees that are
thus sanctified, though fewest of the princes and great ones of
the world. And as to their moral qualifications, it sometimes
falleth on men prepared by a considering, sober temper, and by
natural plainness and honesty of heart; and sometimes it be-
falleth such as are most profane, and drowned in sin, and never
dreamed of such a change ; nay, purposely set their minds
against it. These God doth often suddenly surprise by an over-
powering light, and suitable constraining, overcoming attraction,
and maketh them new men.
3. And as to their capacities compared, there is plainly a dis-
tinguishing hand that disposeth of the work. Sometimes a
persecuting Saul is converted by a voice from heaven, when pha-
risees that were less persecutors, are left in their unregeneracy.
Sometimes, under the same sermon, one that was more profane
and less prepared is converted, when another that was more
sober and better disposed, remaineth as he was before. The
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 225
husband and the wife, the parents and the children, brothers and
sisters, companions and friends, are divided by this work, and
one converted and the other not : though none are deprived of
this mercy, but upon the guilt of their forfeiture, resistance, or
contempt ; yet is there plainly the effect of some special choice
of the Holy Spirit, in taking out some of these that abused
and forfeited grace, and changing them by an insuperable
work.
4. And as to the number, it is many thousands that are thus
renewed ; enough to show the love and power of him that
calleth them : but yet the far smaller part of mankind, to show
his dominion, and distinguishing will, who knoweth the reason
of all his works. Of which, more anon.
IV. Consider what opposition this work of grace doth over-
come. 1. Within us. 2. Without us.
1 . Within men it findeth : 1 . A dungeon of ignorance, which
it dispelleth by its heavenly light. 2. Abundance of error and pre-
judice, which it unteacheth men. 3. A stupid, hardened heart,
which it softeneth,and a senseless sleepiness of soul which it over-
cometh, by awakening, quickening power. 2 4. A love to sin,
which it turneth into hatred. 5. An idolising self-esteem, and
self-conceitedness, and self-love, and self-willedness, which it
turneth into self-loathing and self-denial : not making us loathe
ourselves as natural, or as renewed, but as corrupt with sin, and
abusers of mercy, and such as by wilful folly have wronged God,
and undone themselves : so that repentance maketh men fall
out with themselves, and become as loathsome in their own
eyes. 6. It findeth in us an overvaluing love of this present
world, and a foolish, inordinate desire to its profits, dignities,
and honours, which it destroyeth and turneth into a rational
contempt. 7. It findeth in us a prevailing sensuality, and an
unreasonable appetite and lust ; and a flesh that would bear
down both reason and the authority of God : and thus it sub-
dueth and mortifieth its inordinate desires, and bringeth it under
the laws of God. 8. It findeth all this radicated and confirmed
by custom : and overcometh those sins which a sinner hath
turned as into his nature, and hath lived in the love and practice
of all his days. All this, and more opposition within us, grace
doth overcome in all the sanctified : and there is not one of all
z Nullus sanctus et Justus caret peccato ; nee tamen ex hoc desinit esse
Justus vel sanctus ; Cum affectu teueat sanctitatem. — August, de defin. Eccles,
dogm.
VOL. XXI. O
226 THE REASONS OF
these, if well considered of, but will appear to be of no small
strength and difficulty to be truly conquered. 1
2. And without us, the Holy Spirit overcometh, 1. Worldly
allurements ; 2. Worldly men ; 3. All other assaults of Satan.
1 . While the soul is in flesh, and worketh by the means of
the outward senses, these present things will be a strong temp-
tation to us : prosperity and plenty, wealth and honour, ease
and pleasure, are accommodated to the desires of the flesh ;
partly to its natural appetite, and much more to it as inordinate
by corruption ; and the flesh careth not for reason, how much
soever it gainsay. And then all these enticing things are near
us, and still present with us, and before our eyes ; when
heavenly things are all unseen ; and the sweetness of honour,
wealth, and pleasure, is known by feeling, and therefore known
easily, and by all ; when the goodness of things spiritual is
known only by reason and believing. All which laid together,
with sad experience, do fully show that it must be a very
great work to overcome this world, and raise the heart above it
to a better, and so to sanctify a soul.
2. And worldly men do rise up against this holy work, as
well as worldly things. Undeniable experience assureth us,
that through all the world, ungodlv, sensual men have a
marvellous, implacable hatred to godliness and true mortifi-
cation ' 3 and will, by flattery, or slanders, or scorns, or plots, or
cruel violence, do all that they are able to resist it: so that he
that will live a holy, temperate life, must make himself a scorn,
if not a prey. The foolish wit of the ungodly is bent to reason
men out of faith, hope, and holiness, and to cavil against our
obedience to God, and to disgrace all that course of life which
is necessary to salvation ; and it is a great work to overcome
all these temptations of the foolish and furious world : great, I
say, because of the great folly and corruption of unregenerate
men, on whom it must be wrought ', though it would be smaller
to a wise and considerate person. To be made as an owl, and
*To the grand objection of the many that are not reformed by Christianity,
let Cicero answer, who, telling us how few philosophers lived as they taught,
objecteth : Nonne verendum, si est ita ut dicis, ne philosophiam falsa gloria
exornes ? Quod est enim majus argumentum nihil earn prodesse, quam quos-
dam perfectos philosophos turpiter vivere? R. Nullum vero id quidem
argumentum est : Nam ut agri non omnes frugiferi sunt qui coluntur, sic
animi non omnes culti fructum ferunt ; atque ut ager quamvis fertilis sine
cultura fructuosus esse non potest, sic sine doctrina animus : ita est utraque
res sine altera debilis. Cultura autem animi philosophia est, quce extrahit
vitiaradicitu3,etprseparatanimosadsalus aecipiendos. — Tuscul,2.])p. 252,253.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 227
hunted as a partridge, or a beast of prey, by those that we
converse with, when we might have their favour, and friendship,
and preferments, if we would say and do as they, this is not
easy to flesh and blood, but it is easy to the Spirit of God.
3. The devil is so notoriously an enemy to this sanctifying
work, that it is a strong discovery that Christ was sent from
God to do it. What a stir doth he first make to keep out the
Gospel, that it may not be preached to the nations of the
world ; and where that will not serve, what a stir doth he make
to debauch Christ's ministers, and corrupt them by ignorance,
heresy, error, schism, domineering pride, sensuality, covetous-
ness, slothfulness, and negligence, that they may do the work
of Christ deceitfully, as if they did it not; yea, and if it may
be, to win them to his service, to destroy the church by op-
pression or division, under pretence of serving Christ. And
what cunning and industry doth this serpent use, to insinuate
into great ones, and rulers of the earth, a prejudice against
Christ and godliness, and to make them believe, that all that
are seriously godly are their enemies, and are against some
interest of theirs, that so he might take the sword which God
hath put into their hands, and turn it to his own service against
him that gave it. How cunning and diligent is he to seduce
men, that begin to set themselves to a religious life, into some
false opinions, or dividing sects, or scandalous, unjustifiable
practice, that thereby he may triumph against Christ, and have
something to say against religion, from the faults of men, when
he hath nothing to say against it justly from itself; and that
he may have something to say to those rulers and people, with
whom he would fain make religion odious. How cunningly
doth he engage ungodly men to be his servants in seducing
others, and making them such as they are themselves, and in
standing up for sin and darkness against the light and life of
faith ; so that ungodly men are but the soldiers and preachers
of the devil, in all parts employed to fight against God, and
draw men from holiness, and justice, and temperance, to sin
and to damnation : so that it is a very discernible thing, that
Satan is the head of one party in the world, as the destroying
prince of darkness and deceit ; and that Christ is the head of
the other party, as the Prince of light, and truth, and holiness;
and that there is a continued war, or opposition, between these
two kingdoms or armies, in all parts and ages of the world ; of
which I have more fully treated in another book. b If any
b Treatise against Infidelity, part 3.
Q 2
22S THE REASONS OF
shall say, ' How know you that all this is the work of Satan ? '
I shall have fitter occasion to answer that anon. I shall now
say but this,— that the nature of the work, the tendency of it,
the irrational, erroneous, or brutish, tyrannical manner of doing
it, the internal importunity and manner of his suggestions, and
the effects of all, and the contrariety of it to God and man,
will soon show a considerate man the author ; though more
shall be anon added.
V. All this aforegoing will show a reasonable man, that the
Spirit's regenerating work is such, as is a full attestation of
God to that doctrine by which it is effected. And if any now
say, c How prove you that all this is to be ascribed to Jesus
Christ, any more than to Socrates, or to Seneca, or Cicero ? ' I
answer, 1. So much truth of a sacred tendency, as Plato, or
Pythagoras, or Socrates, or any philosopher taught, might do
some good, and work some reformation, according to its
quality and degree ; but as it was a lame, imperfect doctrine
which they taught, so was it a very lame, imperfect reformation
which they wrought, unlike the effects of the doctrine and
spirit of Jesus Christ. I need to say no more of this, than to
desire any man to make an impartial and judicious comparison
between them j and besides much more, he shall quickly find
these differences following: 1. That the philosophers' disciples
had a very poor, dark, disordered knowledge of God, in com-
parison with the Christians ; and that mixed with odious fop-
peries, either blasphemous or idolatrous. 2. The philosophers
spake of God and the life to come almost altogether notionally,
as they did of logic or physics ; and very few of them practi-
cally, as a thing that man's happiness or misery was so much
concerned in. 3. They spake very jejunely and dryly about a
holy state and course of life, and the duty of man to God, in
resignation, devotedness, obedience, and love. 4. They said
little, comparatively, to the true humbling of a soul, nor in the
just discovery of the evil of sin, nor for self-denial. 5. They
gave too great countenance to pride, and worldliness, and
pleasing the senses by excess. c 6. The doctrine of true love
to one another is taught by them exceedingly lamely and de-
c Some of the strictest of the philosophers, were for a community of wives ;
Laertius saith of the stoics, (in Zenone I. 6. 9. p. 442,) Placet item illis
uxores quoque communes esse oportere apud sapientes, ut quilibet illi congre-
diatur qua; sibi prior occurrit, ut ait Zeno in Rep. et Chrysippus tie Rep.
Diogene item Cynico et Platone hujus rei autoribus. What blindness and
impurity against nature was ia this opinion !
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 229
fcctively. /• Revenge is too much indulged by them ; and loving
our enemies, and forgiving great wrongs, was little known, or
taught, or practised. 8. They were so pitifully unacquainted
with the certainty and blessedness of the life to come, that they
say nothing of it that is ever likely to make any considerable
number set their hearts on heaven, and to live a heavenly life.
!). They were so unacquainted with the nature and will of God,
that they taught and used such a manner of worship, as tended
rather to delude and corrupt men, than to sanctify them. 10.
They meddled so little with the inward sins and duties of the
heart, especially about the holy love of God; and their goodness
was so much in outward acts, and in mere respect to men, that
they were not likely to sanctify the s.oul, or make the man good,
that his actions might be good ; but only to polish men for
civil societies, with the addition of a little varnish of super-
stition and hypocrisy. 11. Their very style is either suitable to
dead speculation, as a lecture of metaphysics ; or slight and
dull, and unlike to be effectual to convert and sanctify men's
souls. 12. Almost all is done in such a disputing, sophistical
way, and clogged with so many obscurities, uncertainties, and
self-contradictions, and mixed in heaps of physical and logical
subtleties, that they were unfit for the common people's benefit,
and could tend but to the benefit of a few. 13. Experience
taught, and still teacheth the world, that holy souls and lives,
that were sincerely set upon God and heaven, were strangers
among the disciples of the philosophers and other heathens ; or
if it be thought that there were some such among them,
certainly they were very few, in comparison with true Christ-
ians ; and those few very dark, and diseased, and defective.
With us, a child at ten vears old will know more of God, and
show more true piety, than did any of their philosophers. With
us, poor women and labouring persons do live in that holiness^
and heavenliness of mind and conversation, which the wisest
of the philosophers never did attain. I spake of this before,
but here also thought meet, to show you the difference between
the effects of Christ's doctrine, and the philosophers'.
2. And that all this is justly to be imputed to Christ himself,
I shall now prove. 1. He gave them a perfect pattern for this
holy, obedient, heavenly life, in his own person, and his con-
versation here on earth. 2. His doctrine and law require all
this holiness which I described to you : you find the pre-
script in his word, of which the holy souls and lives of men are
230
THE REASONS OF
but a transcript. 3. All his institutions and ordinances are but
means and helps to this. 4. He hath made it the condition of
man's salvation to be thus holy, in sincerity, and to desire and
seek after perfection in it : he taketh no other for true Chris-
tians indeed, nor will save any other at the last. 5. All his
comforting promises of mercy and defence are made only to
sueh. 6. He hath made it the office of his ministers through
the world, to persuade and draw men to this holiness : and if
you hear the sermons, and read the books, which any faithful
minister of Christ doth preach or write, you will soon see that
this is the business of them all : and you may soon per-
ceive, that these ministers have another kind of preaching
and writing than the philosophers had ; more clear, more
congruous, more spiritual, more powerful, and likely to win men
to holiness and heavenliness. When our divines and their
philosophers are compared, as to their promoting of true holi-
ness, verily the latter seem to be but as glow-worms, and the
former to be the candles for the family of God : and yet I truly
value the wisdom and virtue which I find in a Plato, a Seneca,
a Cicero, an Antonine, or any of them. If you say, our advan-
tage is, because, coming after all, we have the helps of all, even
of those philosophers ; I answer, mark in our books and ser-
mons, whether it be any thing but Christianity which Ave
preach ? It is from Christ and Scripture that we fetch our
doctrine, and not from the philosophers : we use their helps in
logic, physics, &c, but that is nothing to our doctrine. He that
taught me to speak English, did not teach me the doctrine
which I preach in English ; and he that teacheth me to use the
instruments of logic, doth not teach me the doctrine about
which I use them. And why did not those philosophers, by all
their art, attain to that skill in this sacred work, as the
ministers of Christ do, when they had as much or more of the
arts than we ? I read, indeed, of many good orations then
used ; even in those of the Emperor Julian, there is much good ;
and in Antonine, Arrian, Epictetus, Plutarch, more : and I read
of much taking oratory of the Bonzii, in Japan, &c. ; but com-
pared to the endeavours of christian divines, they are poor, pe-
dantic, barren things, and little sparks ; and the success of them
is but answerable. 7- Christ did before-hand promise to send
his Spirit into men's souls, to do all this work upon all his
chosen ; and as he promised, just so he doeth. 8. And we find
by experience, that it is the preaching of Christ's doctrine by
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 231
which the work is done : it is by the reading of the sacred Scrip-
ture, or hearing the doctrine of it opened and applied to us,
that souls are thus changed, as is before described : and if it be
by the medicines which he sendeth us himself, by the hands of
his own servants, that we are healed, we need not doubt whether
it be he that healed us. His doctrine doth it as the instrument-
al cause : for we find it adapted thereunto, and we find nothing
done upon us but by that doctrine, nor any remaining effect but
what is the impression of it : but his Spirit inwardly reneweth
us as the principal cause, and worketh with and by the word :
for we find that the word doth not work upon all, nor upon all
alike, that are alike prepared ; but we easily perceive a voluntary,
distinguishing choice in the operation. And we find a power
more than can be in the words alone, in the effect upon our-
selves. The heart is like the wax, and the word like the seal,
and the Spirit like the hand that strongly applieth it. We feel
upon our hearts, that, though nothing is done without the seal,
yet a greater force doth make the impression than the weight
of the seal alone could cause.
By this time, it is evident, that this work of sanctification is
the attestation of God, by which he publicly owneth the Gospel,
and declareth to the world that Christ is the Saviour, and his
word is true. For, 1. It is certain that this work of renovation
is the work of God. For, 1 . It is his image on the soul ; it is
the life of the soul, as flowing from his holy life ; wherein are
contained the trinity of perfections : it is the power of the soul,
by which it can overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil,
which, without it none is able to do. It is the wisdom of the
soul, produced by his light and wisdom ; by which we know
the difference between good and evil, and our reason is restored
to its dominion over fleshly sense. It is the goodness of the soul,
by which it is made suitable to the eternal Good, and fit to know
him, love him, praise him, serve him, and enjoy him ; and there-
fore nothing lower than his goodness can be its principal cause.
2. It subserveth the interest of God in the world, and reco-
vereth the apostate soul to himself; it disposeth it to honour
him, love him, and obey him : it delivereth up the whole man
to him as his own : it casteth down all that rebelleth against
him : it casteth out all which was preferred before him : it
rejecteth all which standeth up against, and would seduce and
tempt us from him ; and therefore it is certainly his work.
3. Whose else should it be? Would Satan, or any evil cause,
232 THE REASONS OF
produce so excellent an effect ? Would the worst of beings
do the best of works ? It is the best that is done in this lower
world. Would any enemy of God so much honour him, and
promote his interest, and restore him his own ? Would any
enemy of mankind thus advance us, and bring us up to a life of
the highest honours and delights that Ave are capable of on
earth, and give us the hopes of life eternal.
And if any good angel, or other cause, should do it, all
reason will confess, that they do it but as the messengers or
instruments of God, and as second causes, and not as the first
cause ; for otherwise we should make them Gods. For my
own part, my soul perceiveth that it is God himself that hath
imprinted this his image on me ; and hath hereby, as it were,
written upon me his name and mark, even holiness to the Lord; and
I bear about me continually a witness of himself, his Son, and
Holy Spirit : a witness within me which is the seal of God, and
the pledge of his love, and the earnest of my heavenly inheritance.
And if our sanctification be thus of God, it is certainly his
attestation to the truth of Christ, and to his Gospel. For, 1.
No man that knoweth the perfections of God will ever believe
that he would bless a deceiver, and a lie, to be the means of
the most holy and excellent work that ever was done in the
world. If Christ was a deceiver, his crime would be so execrable,
as would engage the justice of God against him, as he is the
righteous Governor of the world ; and therefore he would not
so highly honour him, to be his chief instrument for the world's
renovation. He is not impotent to need such instruments ; he
is not ignorant that he should so mistake in the choice of in-
struments ; he is not bad that he should love and use such in-
struments, and comply with their deceits. These things are all
so clear and sure, that I cannot doubt of them.
2. No man that knoweth the mercifulness of God, and the
justice of his government, can believe that he would give up
mankind so remedilessly to seduction ; yea, and be the prin-
cipal causer of it himself. For if, besides prophecy, and a holv
doctrine, and a multitude of famous miracles, a deceiver might
also be the great renewer and sanctifier of the world, to bring
man back to the obedience of God, and to repair his image on
mankind, what possibility were there of our discovery of that
deceit ? or rather, should we not say, ' He were a blessed de-
ceiver, that had deceived us from our sin and misery, and
brought back our straying souls to God.'
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 233
3. Nay, when Christ foretold men that he would send his
Spirit to do all this work, and would renew men for eternal life,
and thus be with us to the end of the world ; and when I see all
this done, I must needs believe that he that can send down a
sanctifying Spirit, a spirit of life, a spirit of power, light, and
love, to make his doctrine in the mouths of his ministers effectual
to men's regeneration and sanctification, is no less himself than
God, or certainly no less than his certain Administrator.
4. What need I more to prove the cause than the adequate
effect ? When I find that Christ doth actually save me, shall
I question whether he be my Saviour ? When I find that he
saveth thousands about me, and offereth the same to others,
shall I doubt whether he be the Saviour of the world ? Surely,
he that healeth us all, and that so wonderfully and so cheaply,
may well be called our Physician. If he had promised only to
save us, I might have doubted whether he would perform it ;
and, consequently, whether he be indeed the Saviour. But,
when he performeth it on myself, and performeth it on thou-
sands round about me ; to doubt yet whether he be the Sa-
viour, when he actually saveth us, is to be ignorant in despite
of reason and experience. I conclude, therefore, that the Spirit
of sanctification is the infallible witness of the verity of the
Gospel, and the veracity of Jesus Christ.
5. And I entreat all that read this, further to observe the
great use and advantage of this testimony above others :
in that it is continued from generation to generation, and
not as the gift and testimony of miracles, which continued
plentifully but one age, and with diminution somewhat after.
This is Christ's witness to the end of the world, in every
country, and to every soul ; yea, and continually dwelling
in them : " For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he
is none of his." (Rom. viii. 9.) He that is not able to ex-
amine the history which reporteth the miracles to him, may be
able to find upon his soul the image of God imprinted by the
Gospel, and to know that the Gospel hath that image in itself
which it imprinteth upon others ; and that it cometh from God,
which leadeth men so directly unto God, and that it is cer-
tainly his own means which he blesseth to so great and excel-
lent ends.
6. Note, also, that part of the work of the Spirit of God, in
succeeding the doctrine of Jesus Christ, doth consist in the
effectual production of faith itself: for though the work be
234 THE REASONS OF
wrought by the reasons of the Gospel and the evidences of
truth, yet it is also wrought by the Spirit of God, concurring
with that evidence, and as the internal efficient, exciting the
sluggish faculties to do their office, and illustrating the under-
standing, and fitting the will to entertain the truth ; for the
difficulties are so great, and the temptations to unbelief so subtle
and violent, and our own indisposedness, through corruption,
the greatest impediment of all, that the bare word alone would
not produce a belief of that lively, vigorous nature, as is neces-
sary to its noble effects and ends, without the internal co-opera-
tion of the Spirit. So that Christ doth not only teach us the
christian faith and religion, but doth give it us, and work it in
us bv his Spirit : and he that can do so, doth prove the divine
approbation of his doctrine ; without which, he could not have
the command of men's souls.
7. Note, also, that the Gospel proposeth to the soul of man
both truth and goodness ; and the truth is in order to the good,
and subservient to it. That Christ is indeed the Saviour, and
his word infallibly true, is believed, that we may be made par-
takers of his salvation, and of the grace and glory promised.
And when the Spirit by the Gospel hath regenerated and re-
newed any soul, he hath given him part of that grace in pos-
session, and hath procreated him in the habitual love of God,
and of holiness, with a love to that Saviour and holy word
which brought him to it ; so that this love is now become as a
new nature to the soul : and this being done, the soul cleaveth
now as fast to Christ and the Gospel, by love as by belief: not
that love becometh an irrational, causeless love, nor continueth
without the continuance of belief, or belief without the reasons
and evidence of verity and credibility : but love now, by con-
currence, greatly assisteth faith itself, and is the faster hold of
the two : so that the soul that is very weak in its reasoning-
faculty, and may oft iose the sight of these evidences of truth,
which it did once perceive, may still hold fast by this holy love.
As the man that by reasoning hath been convinced that honey is
sweet, will more easily change his mind than he that hath
tasted it ; so love is the soul's taste, which causeth its fastest
adherence to God and to the Gospel. If a caviller dispute with
a loving child, or parent, or friend, to alienate their hearts from
one another, and would persuade them that it is but dissembled
love that is professed to them by their relations and friends,
love will do more here to hinder the belief of such a slander
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 235
than reason alone can do ; and where reason is not strong
enough to answer all that the caviller can say, yet love may be
strong enough to reject it.
And here I must observe how often I have noted the great
mercy of God, to abundance of poor people, whose reasoning
faculty would have failed them in temptations to atheism and
infidelity, if they had not had a stronger hold than that, and
their faith had not been radicated in the will by love. I have
known a great number of women who never read a treatise that
pleaded the cause of the christian religion, nor were able to
answer a crafty infidel, that yet in the very decaying time of
nature, at four-score years of age and upward, have lived in that
sense of the love of God, and in such love to him and to their
Saviour, as that they have longed to die and be with Christ,
and lived in all humility, charity, and piety, such blameless, ex-
emplary, heavenly lives, in the joyful expectation of their
change, as hath showed the firmness of their faith, and the love
and experience which was in them would have rejected a tempta-
tion to atheism and unbelief more effectually than the strongest
reason alone could ever do. Yet none have cause to reproach
such, and say, 'Their wills lead their understandings, and they
customarily and obstinately believe they know not why/ For
they have known sufficient reason to believe, and their under-
standings have been illuminated to see the truth of true religion ;
and it was this knowledge of faith which bred their love and
experience : but when that is done, as love is the more noble
and perfect operation of the soul, having the most excellent
object, so it will act more powerfully and prevailingly, and
hath the strongest hold : nor are all they without light and
reason for their belief, who cannot form it into arguments, and
answer all that is said against it.
Object. But may not all this which you call regeneration,
and the image of God, be the mere power of fantasy, and
affectation ; and may not all these people force themselves, like
melancholy persons, to conceit that they have that which indeed
they have not ?
Answ. 1. They are not melancholy persons that I speak of,
but those that are as capable as any others to know their own
minds, and what is upon their own hearts. 2. It is not one or
two, but millions. 3. Nature hath given man so great ac-
quaintance with himself, by a power of perceiving his own
operations, that his own cogitations and desires are the first
236 THE REASONS OF
thing that naturally he can know; and therefore if he cannot
know them, he can know nothing. If I cannot know what I
think, and what I love and hate, f can know nothing at all. 4.
That they are really minded and affected as they seem, and
have, in them that love to God, and heaven, and holiness which
they profess, they show to all the world by the effects : 1. In
that it ruleth the main course of their lives, and disposeth of
them in the world. 2. In that these apprehensions and affec-
tions overrule all their worldly, fleshly interest, and cause them
to deny the pleasures of the flesh, and profits and honours of
the world. 3. In that they are constant in it to the death, and
have no other mind in their distress, when, as Seneca saith,
il Nothing feigned is of long continuance, for all forced things
are bending back to their natural state." 4. In that they will
lay down their lives, and forsake all the world, for the hopes
which faith in Christ begetteth in them. d
And if the objectors mean that all this is true, and yet it is
but upon delusion or mistake that they raise these hopes, and
raise these affections, I answer, this is the thing that I am dis-
proving : 1. The love of God, and a holy mind and life, is not
a dream of the soul, or a deliration; I have proved from natural
reason in the first book, that it is the end, and use, and per-
fection of man's faculties ; that if God be God, and man be
man, we are to love him above all, and to obey him as our
absolute Sovereign, and to live as devoted to him, and to delight
in his love : man were more ignoble or miserable than a beast,
if this were not his work : and is that a dream or a delusion
which causeth a man to live as a man ; to the ends that he was
made for ; and according to the nature and use of his reason
and all his faculties ? 2. While the proofs of the excellency and
necessity of a holy life are so fully before laid down, from
natural and supernatural revelation, the objector doth but refuse
d I plead for no superstition, granting what Torquatus,the Epicurean (in Cic.
de Fin. 1. 1, p. 87.) saith, Superstitione qui iinbutus est, quietus esse nunquam
potest: But I like not the quietness which intoxication, madness, or igno-
rance of danger doth procure. Though there be much difference, and though
prejudice, and faction, and the interest of their parties, cause uncharitable
hypocrites to slander and rail at all that are against their sect and mind ; yet
among all Christians, there are holy, serious persons to be found, though such
as the worldly sort do vilify : and all ot them write for purity, holiness, love,
and peace (of which more after). Read the writings of Thaulerus, and that
excellent, holy book of GerardusZutphaniens,' DeReformationeInteriori,etde
Spiritualibus Ascensionibus ;' where you will see a specimen of other kind of
purity than the philosophers held forth.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 237
to see in the open light, when he satisfieth himself with a hare
assertion, that all this is no sufficient ground for a holy life, but
that is taken up upon mistake : 3. All the world is convinced
at one time or other, that, on the contrary, it is the unholy,
fleshly, worldly life, which is the dream and dotage, and is
caused by the grossest error and deceit.
Object. But how shall Iknow that there is indeed such holi-
ness in Christians as you mention, and that it is not dissembled
and counterfeit ?
Answ. I have told you in the foregoing answer, 1. If you were
truly Christians, you might know it by possession in yourselves :
as you know that vou love your friend, or a learned man know-
eth that he hath learning. 2. If you have it not yourselves, you
may see that others do not dissemble, when you see them, as
aforesaid, make it the drift of all their lives, and prefer it before
their worldly interest, and their lives, and hold on constantly in
it to the death. When you see a holy life, what reason have
you to question a holy heart ? especially among so great a num-
ber, you may well know, that if some be dissemblers, all the
rest are not so.
Object. But I see no Christians that are really so holy : I see
nothing in the best of them above civility, but only self-con-
ceit, and affectation, and strictness in their several forms and
modes of worship.
Answ. 1. If you are no better than such yourself, it is the
greatest shame and plague of heart that you could have con-
fessed : and it must needs be, because you have been false to
the very light of nature, and of grace. 2. If you know no
Christians that are truly holy, it must needs be, either because
you are unacquainted with them, or because your malice will
not give you leave to see any good in these that you dislike.
And if you have acquainted yourself with no Christians that
were truly holy, what could it be but malice or sensuality that
turned you away from their acquaintance, when, there have been
so many round about you ? If you have been intimate with
them, and known their secret and open conversation, and yet
have not seen any holiness in them, it can be no better than
wilful malice that hath blinded you. And because a negative
witness that knoweth not whether it be so or not is not to be
regarded against an affirming witness who knoweth what he
saith, I will here leave my testimony as in the presence of God,
238 THE REASONS OF
the Searcher of hearts, and the Revenger of a lie, yea, even of
lies pretended for his glory. c
I have considered of the characters of a Christian in the
twenty particulars before expressed in this chapter, (sect. 10,)
and I have examined my soul concerning them all ; and as far
as I am able to know myself, I must profess, in humble thank-
fulness to my Redeemer, that there is none of them which 1
find not in me : and seeing God hath given me his testimony
within me, to the truth of the Gospel of his Son, I take it to
be my duty in the profession of it, to give my testimony of it to
unbelievers. And I must as solemnly profess, that I have had
acquaintance with hundreds, if not thousands, on whom I have
seen such evidences of a holy, heavenly mind, which nothing but
uncharitable and unrighteous censure could deny. And I have
had special, intimate familiarity with very many; in all whom I
have discerned the image of God, in such innocency, charity,
justice, holiness, contempt of the world, mortification, self-de-
nial, humility, patience, and heavenly-mindedness, in such a
measure, that I have seen no cause to cmestion their sincerity,
but great cause to love and honour them as the saints of God :
yea, I bless the Lord that most of my converse in the world,
since the twenty-second year of my age, hath been with such; and
much of it six years sooner. Therefore, for my own part, I can-
not be ignorant that Christ hath a sanctified people upon earth. f
Object. But how can one man know another's heart to be
sincere ? s
Answ. I pretend not to know by an infallible certainty the
heart of any single individual person: but, 1. I have, in
such a course of effects as is mentioned before, great reason
to be very confident of it, and no reason to deny it, con-
cerning very many. A child cannot be infallibly certain that
his father or mother loveth him, because he knoweth not the
heart : but when he considereth of the ordinariness of natural
affection, and hath always found such usage, as dearest love
e Serpit hodie putrida tabes hypocrisis per omne corpus ecclesias ; et quo
tolerantius, eo clesperatius ; eoque periculosius quo communius. — Bernard.
f Cum dilectione fides Christiani : sine dilectione fides dannonum. Qui
autera non credunt, pejores sunt quain dsmones. — Aug. de Cliarit. Hypo-
crita ut sine fine crucietur, vivere sine fine compellitur: ut cujus vita hie
niortua fuit in culpa, illic ejus mors vivit in poena. — Greg. Mor. 1. 2.
s Nihil prodest aestimare quod non sis : et duplicis peccati reus es, non
habere quod crederis, et quod habueris simulare. — Hieron.Ep. adfil. Maurit.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 239
doth use to cause, he hath much reason to be confident of
it, and none to deny it. 2. There may be a certainty that
all conjunctly do not counterfeit, when you have no certainty
of any single individual. As 1 can be sure that all the mothers
in the world do not counterfeit love to their children, though I
cannot be certain of it in any individual.
Object. But it is not all Christians, nor most, that are thus holy.
Answ. It is all that are Christians in deed and truth. Christ
is so far from owning any other, that he will condemn them the
more for abusing his name to the covering of their sins. All
are not Christians who have the name of Christians. In all pro-
fessions, the vulgar rabble of the ignorant and ungodly do use
to join with the party that is uppermost, and seem to be of the
religion which is most for their worldly ends, be it right or
wrong, when indeed they are of none at all. Hypocrites are no
true Christians, but the persons that Christ is most displeased
with. Judge but by his precepts and example, and you will see
who they are that are Christians indeed. 11
Object. But what if the preaching or writings of a minister
do convert and sanctify men, it doth not follow that they are
saviours of the world.
Answ. Whatever they do, they do it as the ministers and
messengers of Christ, by his doctrine, and not by any of their
own : by his commission, and in his name, and by his power or
Spirit. Therefore, it witnesseth to his truth and honour, who is
indeed the Saviour, which they never affirmed of themselves.
Object. What, if Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, the Japonian
Bonzii, the Indian Bramenes, &c, do bring any souls to a holy
state, as it is likely they did, it will not follow that they were all
saviours of the world.
Answ. 1. They have but an imperfect doctrine, and conse-
quently make on the minds of men but a lame, defective change ;
and that change but upon few, and that but for a few ages, and
then another sect succeedeth them : so that they have no such
attestation and approbation of God, as Christ hath in the reno-
vation of so many thousands all abroad the world, and that for
so many ages together. 2. They did not affirm themselves to
be the sons of God, and the saviours of the world ; if they had,
h Siquis hominem qui sanctus non est, sanctum esse crediderit, et Dei cum
junxerit societati, Christum violat cujus membra sumus — Omnes credentes
Christi corpus efficimur. Qui in Christi corpore errat et labetur dicens mem-
brum ejus esse sanctum cum non sit, vel nun sanctus cum sit, vide quali cri-
mine obnoxius fiat. — Hieron. in Phil.
240 THE REASONS OF
God would not have annexed such a testimony to their word as
he doth to Christ's. 3. The mercy of God is over all his works.
He hath compassion upon all nations, and setteth up some
candles, where the sun is not yet risen. The light and law of
nature are his, as well as the light and law of supernatural re-
velation : and, accordingly, he hath his instruments for the
communication of them to the rude and ignorant part of the
world. All the truth which any philosopher teacheth, is God's
truth : and it is no wonder if a God of so much goodness do
bless his own truth, according to its nature and proportion,
whoever be the messenger of it. Whether the success of phi-
losophy be ever the true sanctification and salvation of any souls,
is a thing that I meddle not with ; it belongeth not to us, and
therefore is not revealed to us. But it is visible in the Gospel,
that all that part of practical doctrine which the philosophers
taught, is contained in the doctrine of Christ, as a part in the
whole : and, therefore, the impress and effect is more full and
perfect, as the doctrine ; and the impress and effect of the phi-
losophers' doctrine, can be no better than the cause, which is
partial and defective, and mixed with much corruption and
untruth. All that is good in the philosophers is in the doctrine
of Christ : but they had abundance of false opinions and ido-
latries to corrupt it, when Christianity hath nothing but clean
and pure. So that, as no philosopher affirmed himself to be the
saviour, so his doctrine was not attested by the plenary and
common effect of regeneration, as Christ's was : but as thev were
but the ministers of the God of nature, so they had but an
answerable help from God, who could not be supposed (however
had they wrought miracles) to have attested more than them-
selves asserted, or laid claim to. 1
'The Grecians, Romans, and Mahometans take the murder of many thou-
sands in unjust wars, to be glorious, and yet punish the murder of single per-
sons. Their renown was got by the most transcendent, unjust, and most inhu-
man cruelties. Their Alexanders and Caesars were renowned murderers and
thieves. Aristotle and Cicero make revenge a laudable thing, and the
omission of it a dishonour. Of the cruel, murderous sport of their gladiators ;
the killing of their servants when they were angry; their streams of blood,
wherewith Rome almost in every age had flowed, by those civil wars which
pride and unjust usurpations had produced, &c, it is needless to tell any that
have read their histories. Even Cato could lend his wife to his neighbour ;
and the Mahometans may have many, and pufthem away again. And many
other such sensualities are the temperature of their religion, which was
hatched in war, and maintained by it, and even constituted of war and car-
nality, added to some precepts of honesty borrowed from Christianity, and
from the more houest heathens.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 241
Object. But Mahomet ventured on a higher arrogation and
pretence ; and yet if his doctrine sanctify men, it will not justify
his pretences.
Answ. I. It is not proved that his doctrine doth truly sanctify
any. 2. The effect which it hath can be but lame, defective,
and mixed with much vanity and error, as his doctrine is : for the
effect cannot excel the cause. 3. That part of his doctrine
which is good, and doth good, is not his own, but part of Christ's,
from whom he borrowed it, and to whom the good effects are
to be ascribed. 4. Mahomet never pretended to be the son of
God, and saviour of the world, but only to be a prophet:
therefore, his cause is much like that of the philosophers fore-
mentioned, saving that he giveth a fuller testimony to Christ.
5. If Mahomet had proved his word, by antecedent prophecies,
promises, and types, through many ages ; and by inherent purity,
and by concomitant miracles, and by such wonderful, subsequent
communications of renewing, sanctifying grace by the Spirit of
God, so ordinary in the world, we should all have had reason to
believe his word : but if he pretend only to be a prophet, and
give us none of all these proofs, but a foppish, ridiculous bundle
of nonsense, full of carnal doctrines,mixed with holy truth, which
he had from Christ, we must judge accordingly of his authority
and word, notwithstanding God may make use of that common
truth, to produce an answerable degree of goodness, among
those that hear and know no better.
These objections may be further answered anon, amongst the
rest : and thus much shall here suffice of the great and cogent
evidences of the truth of the christian faith.
CHAP. VII.
Of the subservient Proofs and Means, by which the foremea-
tioned Evidences are brought to our certain Knowledge.
The witness of the Spirit in the four ways of evidence already
opened, is proved to be sure, and cogent, if first it be proved to
be true, that indeed such a witness to Jesus Christ, hath been
given to the world. The argument is undeniable, when the
minor is proved : he, whose word is attested by God, by many
thousand years' predictions, by the inherent image of God upon
VOL. XXI. R
242 THE REASONS OF
the frame of his doctrine, by multitudes of uncontrolled miracles
and by the success of his doctrine, to the true regeneration of a
great part of the world, is certainly to be believed : but such
is Jesus Christ. Ergo. — I have been hitherto for the most
part proving the major proposition, and now come to the minor
as to the several branches.
Sect. 1. I. The prophetical testimony of the Spirit is yet
legible, in the promises, prophecies, and types, and main design
of the Old Testament.
Sect. 2. The books of Holy Scripture where all these are
found, are certain, uncorrupted records thereof, preserved by the
unquestioned tradition and care, and to this day attested by the
general confession of the Jews, who are the bitterest enemies
of Christianity.
There are no men of reason that I have heard of, that deny
the books of Moses, and the Psalms, and the prophets, &c, to
be indeed those that went under those titles from the beginning :
and that there can be no considerable corruption in them which
might much concern their testimony to Christ, the comparing
of all the copies, and the versions, yet extant, will evince, to-
gether with the testimony of all sorts of enemies, and the moral
impossibility of their corruption. But I will not stand to prove
that which no sober adversary doth deny. To these books the
Christians did appeal, and to these the Jews profess to stand.
Sect. 3. II. The constitutive, inherent image of God upon the
Gospel of Christ, is also still visible in the books themselves, and
needeth no other proof than a capable reader, as afore described.
Sect. 4. The preaching and writings of the ministers of Christ,
do serve to illustrate this, and help men to discern it ; but add
nothing to the inherent perfection of the Gospel, for matter, or
for method.
Sect. 5. III. The testimony of the age of miracles afore
described, can be known naturally no way but by sight or other
senses to those present, and by report or history to those absent.
Sect. 6. The apostles, and many thousand others, saw the
miracles wrought by Christ, and needed no other proof of them
than their senses.
The many thousands who at twice were fed by miracle, were
witnesses of that. The multitude were witnesses of his healing
the blind, the lame, the paralytic, the demoniac, &c. The
pharisees themselves made the strictest search into the cure of
the man born blind, (John ix.,) and the raising of Lazarus from
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 243
the dead, and many more. His miracles were few of them hid,
but openly done before the world. k
Sect. /• The apostles, and many hundreds more, were wit-
nesses of Christ's own resurrection, and needed no other proof
but their sense.
At divers times he appeared to them, together and apart,
and yielded to Thomas's unbelief so far, as to call him to put
his finger in his side, and see the print of the nails. He in-
structed them concerning the kingdom of God for forty days.
(Acts i.) He gave them their commission. (Mark xvi.; Matt,
xxviii. ; John xxi.) He expostulated with Peter, and engaged
him to feed his lambs. He was seen by more than five hundred
brethren at once. And, lastly, appeared after his ascension to
Paul and to John that wrote the. Revelations.
Sect. 8 .The apostles also were eye-witnesses of his ascension.
(Acts i.)
What he had foretold them they saw him fulfil.
Sect. 9. All these eye-witnesses were not themselves deluded
in thinking they saw those things which indeed they did not see.
For, 1. They were persons of competent understanding, as
their writings show ; and, therefore, not like children that
might be cheated with palpable deceits. 2. They were many ;
the twelve apostles and seventy disciples, and all the rest;
besides many thousands of the common people that only won-
dered at him, but followed him not. One or two may be easier
deceived than such multitudes. 3. The matters of fact were
done near them, where they were present, and not far off. 4.
They were done in the open light, and not in a corner, or in
the dark. 5. They were done many times over, and not once
or twice only. 6. The nature of the things was such, as a
juggling, deluding of the senses could not serve for so common
a deceit : as when the persons that were born blind, the lame,
the paralytic, &c, were seen to be perfectly healed, and so of
the rest. 7. They were persons who followed Christ, and were
still with him, or very often ; and, therefore, if they had been
once deceived, they could not be so always. 8. And vigilant,
subtle enemies were about them, that would have helped them
to have detected a deceit. 9. Yea, the twelve apostles and
k Miracula ubicunque fiunt, vix a tota civitate feruntur, &c. Nam plerum-
que fiunt ignorantibus caeteris, maxime si magna fit civitas ; at quando alibi
aliisque narrantur, tanta ea commendat autoritas, ut sine difficultate vel du-
bitaticme credautur. — Aug, de Civit. Dei, 22.
r2
244 THE REASONS OF
seventy disciples were employed themselves in working miracles,
healing the sick and demoniacs, in Christ's own life-time, and
rejoiced in it. And thev could not be deceived for divers years
together in the things which they saw, and heard, and felt, and
also in that which they did themselves ; besides that, all their
own miracles which they wrought after Christ's ascension,
prove that they were not deceived. 10. There is no way left,
then, but one to deceive them; and that is, if God himself
should alter and delude all their senses, which it is certain that
he did not do ; for then he had been the chief cause of all the
delusion, and all the consequences of it in the world. He that
hath given men sight, and hearing, and feeling, will not delude
them all by irresistible alterations and deceits, and then forbid
them to believe those lies, and propagate them to others. Man
hath no other way of knowing things sensible but by sense.
He that hath his senses sound, and the object proportionate,
and at a just distance, and the medium fit, and his understand-
ing sound, may well trust his senses, especially when it is the
case of many. And if sense in those cases should be deceived,
we should be bound to be deceived ; as having no other way
of knowing or of detecting the deceit. 1
Sect. 10. Those that saw not Christ's miracles, nor saw him
risen, received all these matters of fact from the testimony of
them that said they saw them ; having no other way by which
they could receive them. m
Sect 11. Supposing, now, Christ's resurrection and miracles
to be true, it is certain that their use and obligation must ex-
tend to more than those that saw them ; even to persons absent,
and of other generations.
This I have fully and undeniably proved, in a disputation in
my book against infidelity, by such arguments as these.
1. The use and obligation of such miracles do extend to
all that have sufficient evidence of their truth. But the nations
and generations which never saw them, may have sufficient
evidence of their truth, that they were done ; ergo, the use and
obligation do extend to such.
The major is past all contradiction. He that hath sufficient
evidence of the truth of the fact is obliged to believe it. The
minor is to be proved in the following sections.
1 Uuum boni viri verbuiu, uuus nutus, sexcentis arguments ac verborum
continuationibus parem fidein meretur. — Plutarch, in Phocion.
m Pluiis est oculatus testis uuus, quam auriti decern. Qui audiunt, audita
dicunt : qui vident, plane sciunt. — PUuit, True
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 245
2. The contrary doctrine maketh it impossible for God to
oblige the world by miracles, according to their proper use :
but it is not impossible, therefore, that doctrine is false.
Here note, that the use and force of miracles lie in their
being extraordinary, rather than in the power which they mani-
fest ; for it is as great an effect of omnipotency, to have the
sun move, as to stand still. Now, if miracles oblige none to
believe but those that see them, then every man in every city,
country, town, family, and in all generations to the end of the
world, must see Christ risen, or not believe it, and must see La-
zarus risen, or not believe it; and must see all the miracles himself
which oblige him to believe : but this is an absurdity, and con-
tradiction, making miracles God's ordinary works, and so as no
miracles.
3. They that teach men that they are bound to believe no
miracles but what they see, do deprive all after ages of all the
benefit of all the miraculous works of God j both mercies and
judgments, which their forefathers saw. But God wrought
them not only for them that saw them, but also for the absent
and after times."
4. By the same reason, they will disoblige men from believ-
ing any other matters of fact, which they never saw themselves ;
and that is to make them like new comers into the world, yea,
like children and fools, and to be incapable of human society.
5. This reasoning would rob God of the honour of all his
most wondrous works, as from anv but those that see them.
So that no absent person, or following age, should be obliged
to mention them, believe them, or honour him for them, which
is absurd and impious.
(i. The world would be still, as it were, to begin anew, and no
age must be the wiser for all the experiences of those that have
gone before ; if we must not believe what we never saw: and
if men must not learn thus much of their ancestors, why should
they be obliged to learn any thing else, but children be left to
learn only by their own eye-sight ?
"Every man expecteth himself to be believed; and therefore oweth just
belief to others. The testimony of one or two eye-witnesses, is to be pre-
ferred before many learned conjectures and argumentations. Many wise men
heretofore thought that they proved by argument, that there were no antipodes ;
and others, that men could not live under the equator and poles. But one
voyage of Columbus hath fully confuted all the first ; and many since have
confuted both the one and the other; and are now believed against aW those
learned arguments by almost all.
246 THE REASONS OF
7. If we are not bound to believe God's wondrous works
which have been before our days, then our ancestors are not
bound to tell them us, nor we to be thankful for them : the
Israelites should not have told their posterity how they were
brought out of the land of Egypt, nor England keep a day of
thanksgiving for its deliverance from the powder-plot : but the
consequent is absurd ; ergo, so is the antecedent. What have
we our tongues for, but to speak of what we know to others.
The love that parents have to their children will oblige them to
acquaint them with all things useful which they know. The
love which men have naturally to truth, will oblige them to
divulge it. Who that had but seen an angel, or received
instructions by a voice from heaven, or seen the dead raised,
would not tell others what he had seen and heard ? And to what
end should he tell them, if they were not obliged to believe it ?
8. Governments, and justice, and all human converse, are
maintained by the belief of others, and the reports and records
of things which We see not : few of the subjects see their king.
Witnesses carry it in every cause of justice; thus princes prove
their successions and title to their crowns, and all men their
estates, by the records or testimony of others.
9. It is impudent arrogancy for every infidel to tie God to be
at his beck, to work miracles as often as he requireth it ; to
say 'I will not believe without a miracle; and if thou work
ever so many in the sight of others, I will not believe unless I
may see them myself.'
Sect. 12. There need not be new revelations and miracles to
confirm the former, and oblige men to believe them ; for then
there must be more revelations and miracles to confirm the
former, and oblige men to believe those ; and so on to the end
of the world : and then God could not govern the world by a
settled law, by revelations once made ; which is absurd.
Sect. 13. Therefore, the only natural way to know all such
matters of fact, is sensible apprehension to those that are present,
and credible report, tradition, or history, to those that .are absent,
as is aforesaid ; which is the necessary medium to convey it
from their sense to our understandings ; and in this we must
acquiesce, as the natural means which God will use.
Sect. 14. We are not bound to believe all history or report ;
therefore, we must be able to discern between the credible and
the incredible; neither receiving all, nor rejecting all, but making
choice as there is cause.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 247
Sect. 15. History is more or less credible, as it hath more or
less evidence of truth : 1. Some that is credible hath only evi-
dence of probability, and such is that of mere human faith : 2.
Some hath evidence of certainty, from natural causes concur-
ring, where the conclusion is both of knowledge, and of human
faith : 3. And some hath evidence of certainty from super-
natural attestations, which is both of human faith, and of
divine.
Sect. 16. That history or report, which hath no more evidence
than the mere wisdom and honesty of the author or reporter,
supposing him an imperfect man, is but probable j and the con-
clusion, though credible, is not infallible, and can have no
certainty but that which some call moral ; and that in several
degrees, as the wisdom and honesty of the reporter is either
more or less. °
Sect. 17. II. Where there is an evident impossibility that
all the witnesses or reporters should lie, or be deceived, there
the conclusion is credible, by human faith, and also sure, by a
natural certainty.
Sect. 18. Where these things concur, it is impossible that
that report or history should be false: 1. When it is certain
that the reporters were not themselves deceived. 2. When it
is certain that indeed the report is theirs. 3. When they took
their salvation to lie upon the truth of the thing reported, and
of jheir own report. 4. When they expected worldly ruin by
their testimony, and could look for no commodity by it, which
would make them any reparation. 5. When they give full
proof of their honesty and conscience. 6. When their testi-
mony is concordant, and they speak the same things, though
they had no opportunity to conspire to deceive men ; yea, when
their numbers, distance, and quality, make this impossible.
7. When they bear their testimony in the time and place where
it might well be contradicted, and the falsity detected, if it
were not true ; and among the most malicious enemies ; and
yet those enemies either confess the matter of fact, or give no
regardable reason against it. 8. When the reporters are men
° Quod si falsa historia ilia rerum est, undetam brevi tempore totus mundus
ista religione completus est ? Aut in unam coire qui potuerunt mentem
gentes regionibus disjunctaj ? Ventis,ccelo, convexionibusque dimotae : Im&,
quia ha?c omnia et ab ipso cernebant geri, et ab ejus praeconibus qui per orhem
totum missi veritatis ipsius vi victae, et dederunt se Deo, nee in magnis
posuere dispendiis, membra vobis projicere, et viscera sua lanianda praebere.
— Arnob. I. 1. p. 9.
24 S THE REASONS OF
of various tempers, countries, and civil interests. 9. When the
reporters fall out, or greatly differ among themselves, even to
separations and condemnations of one another, and yet none
ever detecteth or confesseth any falsehood in the said reports.
10. When the reporters being numerous, and such as profess
that lying is a damnable sin, and such as laid down their liber-
ties, or lives, in asserting their testimonies, did yet never any of
them, in life or death, repent and confess any falsehood or
deceit. 11. When their report convinceth thousands, in that
place and time, who would have more abhorred them if it had
been untrue.
Nay, where some of these concur, the conclusion may be of
certainty : some of these instances resolve the point into natural
necessity : 1. It is of natural necessity that men love themselves,
and their own felicitv, and be unwilling of their undoing and
misery : the will, though free, is quondam natura, and hath its
natural, necessary inclination to that good, which is appre-
hended as its own felicitv; or else to have omnimodamrationem
boni, and its natural, necessary inclination against that evil, or
aversation from it, which is apprehended as its own undoing or
misery ; or to have omnimodam rationem mali, its liberty is
only so'vato ordine finis ; and some acts that are free, are,
nevertheless, of infallible, certain futurition, and of some kind
of necessity, like the love and obedience of the saints in heaven.
2. Nothing can be without a cause sufficient to produce it ; but
some things here instanced, can have no cause sufficient to pro-
duce them, if the thing testified were false ; as the consent of
enemies ; their not gainsaying ; the concurrence of so many,
and so distant, and of such bitter opposites, against their own
common, worldly interest, and to the confessed ruin of their
souls ; and the belief of many thousands that could have dis-
proved it if false ; and more which I shall open by-and-by.
There is a natural certainty that Alexander was the king of
Macedonia, and Cassar emperor of Rome ; and that there is such
a place as Rome, and Paris, and Venice, and Constantinople ;
and that we have had civil wars between the king and parlia-
ment, in England, and between the houses of York and Lan-
caster ; and that many thousands were murdered by the French
massacre, and many more by the Irish; and that the statutes of
this land were made by the kings and parliaments whose names
they bear, &c, because that, 1. There is no cause in nature
which could produce the concurrence of so many testimonies of
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 249
men so distant and contrary, if it were not true ; 2. And on
the contrary side, there are natural causes which would infal-
libly produce a credible contradiction to these reports, if they
were false.
Sect. 19. III. When they that testify such matters of fact, do
affirm that they do it by God's own command, and prove this
by multitudes of evident, uncontrolled miracles, their report is
both human and divine, and to be believed as most certain by a
divine belief.
This is before proved in the proof of the validity of the tes-
timony of miracles, and such miracles as these.
Sect. 20. The testimonies of the apostles and other disciples
of Christ, concerning his resurrection and miracles, were credible
by all these three several sorts of credibility. 1. They were
credible, and most credible, by a human belief, as they were the
testimony of honest, and extraordinarily honest, men. 2. They
were credible, as reported with concauses of natural certainty.
3. They were credible, as attested by God by miracles, and
therefore certain, by a certainty of divine belief.
Sect. 21. 1. They that observe in the writings of the said
disciples, the footsteps of eminent piety, sincerity, simplicitv,
self-denial, contempt of the world, expectation of a better world,
a desire to please and glorify God, though by their own reproach
and sufferings, mortification, love to souls, forgiving enemies,
condemning liars, with high spirituality and heavenly-minded-
ness, &c, must needs confess them to be most eminently credible
by a human faith. They being also acquainted with the thing
reported.
Sect. 22. II. 1. That the apostles were not themselves de-
ceived, I have proved before. 2. That the report was theirs,
the churches that saw and heard them, knew by sense : and
how we know it, I am to show anon. 3. That they took their
own salvation to lie upon the belief of the Gospel which thev
preached, is very evident, both in the whole drift and manner of
their writings, and in their labours, sufferings, and death : and
that they took a lie to be a damning sin.
He that doth but impartially read the writings of the apostles
and evangelists, will easily believe that they believed what they
preached themselves, and looked for salvation by Jesus Christ.
Much more, if he further consider of their forsaking all, and
labouring, and dying in and for these expectations : and nature
taught them, as well as Christ, to know that a lie was a damning
250 THE REASONS OF
sin. They teach us themselves that liars are without, as dogs,
and not admitted into the kingdom of God:P and that God
needeth not our lie to his glory ; nor must we do evil that
good may come by it. Therefore, they could never think
that it would help them to heaven, to spend their labours, and
lay down their lives, in promoting a known lie, to deceive the
world.
Sect. 22. 4. That they expected temporal ruin by their reli-
gion, without any worldly satisfaction, is manifest both in Christ's
prediction, telling them that it would be so, and in the tenor of
his covenant, calling on them to forsake life and all, if they will
be his disciples ; and in the history of their own lives and labours,
in which they met with no other usage than was thus foretold
them.'i
Many of them had not much wealth to lose ; but every man
naturally loveth his ease, and peace, and life. And some of them,
though not manv, had worldly riches, as Zaccheus, Joseph of
Arimathea, &c, and commonly they had possessions, which
they sold, and laid down the price at the apostles' feet. And the
apostles had ways of comfortable living in the world : instead
of all this, they underwent reproach, imprisonment, scourgings,
and death. Commodity or preferment they could not expect
bv it.
Object. But to men that had been but low in the world, the
very applause of the people would seem a sufficient satisfaction
for their sufferings. To be teachers, and have many followers,
is a thing that some people would venture liberty and life for.
Answ. Lay all these following things together, and you may
be certain that this was not the case. 1. Even women, and
many that were not teachers, were of the same belief. 2. The
teachers did all of them set up their Lord, and not themselves,
but debased and denied themselves for his honour and service.
3. Their way of teaching was in travel and labour, where they
must deny all fleshly ease and pleasure ; and so must have
nothing but bare applause, if that had been it which they sought
after. 4. They suffered so much reproach and shame from the
unbelievers, who were the rich and ruling party, as would have
p Rev. xxi. 22.
lAmbiguse, si quando cilabere testis
Incertffique rei, Phalaris licet imperet ut sis
Falsus, et admoto dictet perjuria tauro ;
Summum crede nefas vitam praeferre pudori,
Et propter vitam vivendi perdere causas. — Juv. 8.
THE CHRISTIAN RKLIG10N. 251
much overbalanced their applause among believers. They were
persecuted, imprisoned, scourged, scorned, and made as the off-
scouring of the world. 5. They were so many, that no single
person was likely to be carried so far with that ambition, when
his honour was held in equality with so many. 6. One of the
great vices which they preached and wrote against, was pride,
and self-seeking, and overvaluing men, and following sect-mas-
ters, and crying up Paul, Apollo, or Cephas, &c. r And those
that thus sought to set up themselves, and draw away disciples
after them, were the men whom they especially condemned.
7. If they had done, as this objection supposeth, they must
have all the way gone on against their certain knowledge and
conscience, in teaching lies in matter of fact. And though
some men would go far in seeking followers and applause, when
they believe the doctrine which they preach themselves, yet
hardly in preaching that which they know to be false. The
stirrings of conscience would torment some of them, among so
many, and at last break out into open confession and detection
of the fraud. s 8. And if they had gone thus violently against
their consciences, they must needs know that it was their souls ?
as well as their lives and liberties, which they forfeited. 9. And
the piety and humility of their writings show that applause
was not their end and prize. If they had sought this, they
would have fitted their endeavours to it ; whereas it is the sanc-
tifying and saving of souls, through faith in Jesus Christ, which
they bent their labours towards. 10. So many men could never
have agreed among themselves in such a scattered case, to carry
on the juggle and deceit, without detection. Now tell us, if you
can, where ever so many persons in the world, so notably hum-
ble, pious, and self-denying, did preach against pride, man-
pleasing, and lying, as damnable sins ; and debase themselves,
and suffer so much reproach and persecution, and go through
r 1 Cor. i. and ii. and iii. Acts xx.
s Sed non creditis gesta haec. Sed qui ea conspicati sunt fieri, et sub oculis
suis viderunt agi, testes optimi certissimique authores, et credideruut haec
ipsi et credenda posteris nobis haud exilibus cum approbationibus tradiderunt.
Quinam isti sunt, fortasse quaeritis : gentes, populi, nationes, et incredulum
illud genus humanum ; quod nisi aperta res esset, et luce ipsa clarior, nun-
quam rebus hujusmodi credulitatis suae commodarent assensum. At nunquid
dicemus illius temporis homines usque adea fuisse vanos, mendaces, stolidos,
brutos, ut quae nunquam viderant, vidisse se fingerent ? Et quae facta non
erant falsis proderent testimoniis, ut puerili assertione firmarent ? Cumque
possent vobiscum et uuanimiter vivere, et inoffensas ducere conjunctiones,
gratuita susciperent odia, et execrabili haberentur nomine. — ArnobA. 1.
252 THE REASONS OF
such labour and travel, and lay down their lives, and confessedly
hazard their souls for ever, and all this to get followers, that
should believe in another man, by persuading men that he
wrought miracles, and rose from the dead, when they knew
themselves that all were lies which they thus laboriously di-
vulged ? If you give an instance in the disciples of Mahomet,
the case was nothing so : no such miracles attested ; no such
witnesses to proclaim it; no such consequences of such a testi-
mony ; none of all this was so : but only a deceiver maketh a
few barbarous people believe that he had revelations, and was a
prophet ; and being a soldier, and prospering in war, he setteth
up, and keepeth up a kingdom by the sword ; his preachers
being such as being thus deluded, did themselves believe the
things which they spake, and found it the way to worldly
greatness.
Sect. 24. 5. That the witnesses of Christ were men of honesty
and conscience, is before proved. 6. That it was not possible
for so many persons, to conspire so successfully to deceive the
world, is manifest from, 1. Their persons; 2. Their calling; 3.
Their doctrine ; 4. And their manner of ministration and labours.
1. For their persons, they were, 1. Many; 2. Not men of
such worldly craft and subtlety, as to be apt for such designs ;
3. Of variety of tempers and interests, men and women ; 2. For
their callings, the apostles knew the matter of fact indeed by
common sense ; but their sufficiency and gifts by which they
carried on their ministry, were suddenly given them by the Holy
Ghost, when Christ himself was ascended from them : and
Paul, that had conferred with none of them, yet preached the
same Gospel, being converted by a voice from heaven in the
heat of his persecution. 3. Their doctrine containeth so many
and mvsterious particulars, that they never could have con-
corded in it all, in their way. 4. And their labours did so dis-
perse them about the world, that many new emergent cases must
needs have cast them into several minds or ways, if they had
not agreed by the unity of that Spirit, which was the common
teacher of them all.
Sect. 25. 7. Tbat the disciples of Christ divulged his miracles
and resurrection, in the same place and age, where the truth or
falsehood might soon have been searched out ; and yet that the
bitterest enemies either denied not, or confuted not their report,
is apparent, partly by their confessions, and partly by the non-
existence of any such confutations.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 253
That the disciples in that age and country did divulge these
miracles, is denied by none : for it was their employment, and
by it they gathered their several churches ; and their writings,
not long after written, declare it to this day. That the enemies
confuted not their report, appeareth, 1. Not only in the Gospel
history, which showeth that they denied not many of his mira-
cles, but imputed them to conjuration, and the power of Satan ;
but also by the disputes and writings of the Jews, in all ages
since which do go the same way. 2. And if the enemies had
been able to confute these miracles, no doubt but they
would have done it; having so much advantage, wit, and
malice.
Object. Perhaps they did, and their writings never come to
our knowledge.
Answ. The unbelieving Jews were as careful to preserve their
writings, as any other men ; and they had better advantage to
do it, than the Christians had : and therefore if there had been
any such writings, yea, or verbal confutations, the Jews of this
age had been as likely to have received them, as all the other
ancient writings which they yet receive. Josephus's testimony
of Christ is commonly known ; and though some think it so full
and plain, that it is likely to be inserted by some Christian, yet
they give no proof of their opinion ; and the credit of all copies
justifieth the contrary ; except only that these words are likely to
have been thrust in, ' This is Christ,' which some annotator
putting into the margin, might after be put into the text. And
that the Jews wanted not will or industry to confute the Christ-
ians, appeareth by what Justin Martyr saith toTryphon, of their
malice : " That they sent out into all parts of the world their
choicest men to persuade the people against the Christians, that
they are atheists, and would abolish the Deity, and that thev
were convict of gross impiety." 1
Sect. 26. 8. The great diversity of believers and reporters of
the Gospel miracles, doth the more fully evince, that there was
no conspiracy for deceit.
There were learned and unlearned Jews and gentiles, rich and
poor, men and women ; some that followed Christ, and some
(as Paul) that perhaps never saw him : and for all these to be
at once inspired by the Holy Ghost, and thenceforth unanimously
1 Prophetizare et virtutes facere et dajmonia ejicere interdtim non estmeriti
illins qui operatur ; sed invocatio Christi hoc agit, velob utilitatem eoruni qui
vident et audiiuit, vel, &c. — Hieron.in Malt. vii.
254 THE REASONS OF
to accord and concur in the same doctrine and work, doth show
a supernatural cause. a
Sect. 27. 9. There were dissensions upon many accidents, and
some of them to the utmost distance, which would certainly
have detected the fallacy, if there had been any such, in the
matters of fact, so easily detected.
1. In Christ's own family there was a Judas, who betrayed
him for money : this Judas was one that had followed Christ,
and seen his miracles, and had been sent out to preach, and
wrought miracles himself. If there had been any collusion in
all this, what more likely man was there in the world to have
detected it ? Yea, and his conscience would never have accused,
but justified him, he need not to have gone and hanged or pre-
cipitated himself, and said, I have sinned in betraying the inno-
cent blood. The pharisees, who hired him to betray his Master,
might, by money and authority, have easily procured him to
have written against him, and detected his fraud, if he had been
fraudulent : it would have tended to Judas's justification and
advancement. But God is the great Defender of truth.
2. And there were many baptised persons, who were long in
good repute and communion with the Christians, who fell off
from them to several sects and heresies; not denying the dignity
and truth of Christ, but superinducing into his doctrine many
corrupting fancies of their own ; such as the Judaziers, the
Simonians, the Nicolaitans, the Ebionites, the Cerinthians, the
Gnosticks, the Valentinians, Basilidians, and many more : and
many of these were in the days of the apostles, and greatly
troubled the churches, and hindered the Gospel ; insomuch as
the apostles rise up against them with more indignation than
against the infidels ; calling them dogs, wolves, evil-workers,
deceivers, brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, &c.
They write largely against them ; thev charge the churches to
avoid them, and turn away from them, and after a first and se-
cond admonition, to reject them as men that are self-condemned,
&c. And who knoweth not that among so many men thus ex-
communicated, vilified, and thereby irritated, some of them
would certainly have detected the deceit, if they had known any
deceit to have been in the reports of the aforesaid miracles ?
u OperumDei causa si lateat hominem, non se obliviscatur esse hominem,
nee propterea Deo det insipientiam, quia non bene capit ejus sapientiam. —
Aug- de spiv, et lit. Rationem de occulto Dei consilio quaerere, nil aliud
est quam coni.ra ejus consilium superbire. — Gregor. Horn.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 255
Passion would not have been restrained among so many, and
such, when they were thus provoked. x
3. And some in those times, as well as in all following ages
have forsaken the faith, and apostatised to open infidelity : and
certainly their judgment, their interest, and their malice, would
have caused them to detect the fraud, if they had known any in
the matters of fact of these miracles. For it is not possible that
all these causes should not bring forth this effect, where there
was no valuable impediment. If you again say, l It may be
they did detect such frauds by words or writings which come
not to our knowledge/ I answer again, 1. The Jews, then, that
have in all ages disputed and written against Christianity, would
certainly have made use of some such testimony, instead of
charging all upon magic, and the power of the devil. 2. And
it is to me a full evidence, that there were no such deniers of
the miracles of Christ, when I find that the apostles never wrote
against any such, nor contended with them, nor were ever put to
answer any of their writings or objections. When all men will
confess that their writings must needs be written according to
the state and occasion of those times in which they wrote them :
and if then there had been any books or reasonings divulged
against Christ's miracles, they would either have written purposely
against them, or let fall some confutations of them, in their
epistles to the churches. But there are no such things at all.
Sect. 28. 10. Seeing it is so heinous a crime to divulge lies
in multitudes of matters of fact, to deceive the world into a
blasphemy, it is scarcely possible that the consciences of so many
persons, of so much piety as their writings prove, should never
be touched with remorse for so great a villany, either in life, or
at the hour of death, and force some one of them to detect all
the fraud, if they had been guilty of it.
There is a natural conscience in the worst of men, (much
more in the best,) which will at some time do its office, and will
constrain men to confess, especially their heinous crimes, and
especially at the time of death, when they see that their lies will
serve their worldly interest no more : and especially if they be
men that indeed believe another life. Now, consider, if th e
* 2 Peter ii. ; Jude; Tit. iii. 10. Nulla major est comprobatio quam ge-
starum ab eo fides rerum ; quam virtutum novitas, quam omnia victa decreta,
dissolutaque fatalia, qua? populi gentesque suo generis sub limine nullo dissen-
tiente vicere : quae nee ipsi audent falsitatis arguere, quorum antiquas seu
patrias leges vanitatis esse plenissimas atque inanissimae superstitionis osteu-
dit, — Ai 'nob. ad. GentA. 1.
256 THE REASONS OF
apostles and disciples had been deceivers, how heinous a crime
thev had committed. 1 . To affirm a man to be God incarnate,
and to be the Saviour of the world, on whom all men must trust
their souls, &c, if he had been but a deceiver. 2. To make
such abundance of lies in open matters of fact. 3. To frame
hereupon a new law to the world. 4. To overthrow the law of
Moses, which was there in force. 5. To abuse the intellects of
so many thousand persons with such untruths, and to call the
world to such a needless work as the christian religion would
be, if all this were false. To put the world upon such tasks,
as forsaking all for Christ. 6. To draw so many to lose their
lives in martyrdom to attest a lie. 7. To lose their own time,
and spend all their lives and labour upon so bad a work : all
these set together, would prove them far worse than any thieves,
or murderers, or traitors, if they knew it to be a lie which they
preached and attested. There are now no men known on earth,
even in this age of villanies, guilty of such a heinous crime as
this. And let any man that readeth the apostles' writings, or
considereth of their lives and deaths, consider whether it be not
next to an impossibility, that so many, and such persons, should
go on in such a way, upon no greater motives of benefit than
they expected ; nay, through such labours, reproach, and suf-
ferings, and not one of them to the death be constrained by
conscience to detect the fraud, and undeceive the world. y
Sect. 29. 11. Lastly, it is not possible that so many thousands
of such persons as they presently converted, should ever have
been persuaded to believe their reports of these matters of fact,
in a time and place where it was so easy to disprove them, if
they had been false.
For, 1. The understanding is not free as the will is, but only
participative in quantum a voluntate imperatur : and a man
cannot believe what he will, nor deny belief to cogent evidence,
though against his will. The intellects' acts, as in themselves,
are necessitated; and per mod urn natures. 2. And all these
new converts had understandings which were naturally inclined
y Occursurus forsitan est cum aliis multis calumniosis et puerilibus vocibus.
Ma°-us fuit, clandestinis artibus omnia ilia perfecit, /Egyptiorum ex adytis
angelorum potentium iiomina, et reniotas furatus, est discipihias. Quid dici-
tis^O parvuli ? Iucoraperta vobis et uescia temerariae vocis loquacitate gar-
rientes? Ergone ilia quae gesta sunt, daemonum fuere praestigiae, et magica-
rum artium ludi? Potcstis aliquem nobis designare, monstrare, ex omnibus
illis Magis, qui unquam fuerS per seeula, consimile aliquid Cbristo millennia
ex parte qui Lcerit ? Qui sine ulla vi carniiuum, ikc.—dmob.ubi sup. I. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 257
to truth as truth, and averse to falsehood. And they had all
self-love. And they all embraced now a doctrine which would
expose them to suffering and calamity in the world. And, there-
fore, both nature and interest obliged them to be at the labour
of inquiring whether these things were so or not, before they
ran themselves into so great misery. And the three thousand
which Peter converted at his first sermon, must also take the
shame of being murderers of their Saviour, and for this they
were pricked at the heart. And Paul must be branded for a
confessed persecutor, and guilty of the blood of Stephen. And
would so many men run themselves into all this for nothing,
to save the labour of an easy inquiry, after some matters of
public fact ? How easily might they go and be satisfied,
whether Christ fed so many thousand twice miraculously, and
whether he healed such as he was said to heal, who were then
living ? And whether he raised Lazarus and others from death,
who were then living ? And whether the earth trembled, and
the vail of the temple rent, and the sun was darkened at his
death ? And whether the witnesses of his resurrection were
sufficient ? And if none of this had been true, it would have
turned them all from the belief of the apostles, to deride them.
Object. Is not the unbelief of the most, a greater reason
against the Gospel, than the belief of the smaller number is
for it ?
Answ. No : 1 . Because it is a negative which they Were for,
and many witnesses to a negative, is not so good as a few to an
affirmative. 2. Most of them were kept from the very hearing
of the apostles, which should inform them and excite them.
3. Most men everywhere follow their rulers, and look to their
worldly interest, and never much mind or discuss such matters,
as tend to their salvation, especially by the way of suffering and
disgrace. 4. We believe not that the unbelieving party did
deny Christ's miracles, but fathered them upon the devil : there-
fore even their testimony is for Christ. Only they hired the
soldiers to say, that Christ was stolen out of the sepulchre while
they slept, of which they never brought any proof, nor could
possibly do it, if asleep.
Sect. 30. III. 1 have proved Christ's miracles to be, 1. Credi-
ble, by the highest human faith. 2. Certain, by natural evi-
dence ; there being a natural impossibility that the testimonies
should be false. 3. I am next to prove, that they are certain,
by supernatural evidence ; which is the same with natural
vol. xxi. s
258 THE REASONS OF
evidence, as in the effect, but is called supernatural, from the
way of causing it.
Sect. 31. The same works of the Spirit, inherent, concomi-
tant, and subsequent, were the infallible proof of the truth
of the disciples' testimony of Christ's person, miracles, and
doctrine. 8
Sect. 32. I. They were persons of holy lives : and holiness
is the lively impress or constitution of their doctrine, now visible
in their writings.
What was before said of the doctrine of Christ himself, is
true of theirs : and as the king's coin is known by his image and
superscription, or rather, as an inimitable author is known by
his writings, for matter, method, and style, even so is God's
Spirit known in them, and in their doctrine.
Sect. 33. II. Their miraculous gifts and works were so evi-
dent, and so many, and uncontrolled, as amount to an infallible
proof that God bare his witness in the world, and showeth the
most infallible proof of his assertions.
Sect. 34. Their gifts and miracles were many in kind : as
their sudden illumination, when the Spirit fell upon them, and
knowing that which they were ignorant of before ; their pro-
phesying and speaking in languages never before learned by
them, and interpreting such prophecies and languages ; their
dispossessing demoniacs, and healing diseases ; their deliver-
ances by angels out of closed prisons and fetters ; their inflicting
judgments on opposers and offenders ; their raising the dead ;
and the conveying of the same Spirit to others, by the imposi-
tion of the apostles' hands.
1. It is not the least testimony of the veracity of the apostles,
that even while they lived with Jesus Christ, they remained
ignorant of much of the mystery of the Gospel, and some, that
are since necessary articles of faith : as of his death and burial,
and resurrection, and ascension, and much of the spiritual
nature of his kingdom, and privileges of believers ; and that all
this was made known to them upon a sudden, without any
teaching, studying, or common means, by the coining down of
the Holy Ghost upon them. a And that Christ had promised
them his Spirit before, to lead them into all truth, and bid
them wait at Jerusalem till they received it ; and it came upon
them at the appointed time, on the day of pentecost. And he
1 2 Peter ii. 16. Eye-witnesses of his majesty on the mount.
a Acts i. and ii. ; John xiv. 16.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 259
promised that this Spirit should be sent on others, and become
his agent, or advocate in the world, to do his work in his bodily
absence, and bear witness of him. And he told his disciples that
this Spirit should be better to them than his bodily presence ;
and therefore it would be for their good that he should go from
them into heaven. So that Christ's teaching them immediately
and miraculously, by this sudden giving them his Spirit, is an
infallible proof both of his truth and theirs.
2. This prophesying was partly by foretelling things to come,
as Agabus did the dearth, and Paul's bonds, and partly the expo-
sition of old prophecies, and partly the spiritual instruction of
the people by sudden inspirations ; and those that were enabled
to it, were people, of themselves, unable for such things, and
ignorant but a little while before.
3. Their speaking in various languages was a thing which
no natural means could produce. Fernelius, and many other
physicians, who were very loth to believe diabolical possessions,
do confess themselves convinced by hearing the possessed speak
Greek and Hebrew, which they had never learned. How
much more convincing is this evidence, when so many speak in
so many languages, even in the language of all the inhabitants
of the countries round about them, and this, upon these sudden
inspirations of the Spirit.
4. Their interpreting of such tongues also, which they never
learned, was no less a proof of a supernatural power and attes-
tation.
5. Their deliverances are recorded in the Scriptures : Peter,
(Acts xii.,) and Paul, and Silas, (Acts xvi.,) had their bonds all
loosed, and the prison doors opened by an angel and a miracle,
which must be by a power that sufficiently attesteth their verity.
6. And they inflicted judgments on delinquents by no less a
power : Ananias and Sapphira, one after the other, were struck
dead upon the word of Peter, for their hypocrisy and lies :
Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck blind by Paul, in the presence
or knowledge of the governor of the country ; and the excom-
municated were often given up to Satan, to suffer some extra-
ordinary penalty.
7. Their healing demoniacs, the lame, the blind, the para-
lytic, and all manner of diseases, with a word, or by prayer and
imposition of hands in the name of Christ ; yea, upon the
conveyance of napkins and cloths from their bodies, is wit-
nessed in the many texts which I have before cited out of the
s2
260 THE REASONS OF
Acts of the Apostles : and this Christ promised them particu-
larly beforehand; and it was the occasion of that unction of the
sick, which some have still continued as a sacrament.
8. Their raising the dead is also among the before-cited
passages : so Peter raised Dorcas or Tabitha, (Acts ix.,) and it
is like, Paul Eutichus. (Acts xx.)
9. And it is the greatest evidence of all, that the same Spirit
was given to so many others, by their imposition of hands and
prayers ; and all these had some of these wonderful gifts, either
prophecies, tongues, healing, or some such like.
Sect. 35. 2. These miracles were wrought by multitudes of
persons, and not only by a few ; even by the apostles and
seventy disciples, and others on whom they laid their hands,
which was by the generality or greater part of the Christians.
If it were but by one or two men that miracles were wrought,
there would be greater room for doubting the truth ; but when
it shall be by hundreds and thousands, there can be no difficulty
in the proof. That the apostles and the seventy disciples
wrought them in Christ's own time, is declared before ; that
they wrought them more abundantly after, and that the same
Spirit was then commonly given to others, I shall now further
prove, b besides all the histories of it before recited : that upon the
imposition of the apostles' hands, or baptism, or prayer, the Holy
Ghost was given, is expressed; (Acts ii. 38 ;) to three thousand
at once the Holy Ghost was given ; " All the assembly were
filled with the Holy Ghost ; and with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
great grace was upon them all." (Acts iv. 31.) The Samari-
tans received the Holy Ghost upon the prayer of Peter and John ;
(Acts viii. 15, 17;) so that Simon Magus would fain have bought
that gift with money. Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost by
the imposition of Ananias's hands. (Acts ix. 7.) Upon Peter's
preaching, the Holy Ghost fell on all the family, and kindred,
and friends of Cornelius, who heard him preach ; and they spake
with tongues, and magnified God. (Acts x. 44,45, 47.) Even
in the same manner as it fell on the apostles. (Acts xi. 15.)
The disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost. (Acts xiii. 52.)
Twelve men, upon Paul's imposition of hands, received the Holy
Ghost, and spake with tongues and prophesied. (Acts xix. 6.)
The Holy Ghost was given to the Roman Christians. (Rom. v.
•5.) Yea, he telleth them, if any have not the Spirit of Christ,
b Matt. xvi. 17; x. 1, 2, and iii. 11 ; Luke x. 1, ]/, 19 ; Acts ii. 1—3.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 261
the same is none of his. (Rom. viii. 9.) The same was given to
the church of the Corinthians. (1 Cor. vi. 19, and xii. 12, 13.)
And to the church of the Galatians. (Gal. iii. 1 — 5.) And
to the church of the Ephesians. (Eph. i. 13, and iv. 30.) To
the Philippians. (Phil. i. 19, 27. and ii. 1.) To the Colossians,
(Col. i. 8.) To the Thessalonians. (1 Thess. v. 19. and i. 6.)
And what this Spirit was and did, you may find in 1 Cor. xii.
4, 7, &c. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal. For, to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom,
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another
faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by the
same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another
prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another divers
kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But
all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to
every man severally as he will : " For by one Spirit we are all
baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or gentiles, bond
or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." And
(in 1 Cor. xiv.) the gift of speaking with tongues was so common
in the church of the Corinthians, that the apostle is fain to
give them instructions for the moderate use of it, lest they hin-
dered the edification of the church, by suppressing prophecy or
instruction in known tongues. And therefore he persuadeth
them to use it but more sparingly.
And James (v. 14, 15,) exhorteth Christians when they were
sick, to send to the elders of the church, that they may pray for
them, and anoint them, and they be forgiven and recover : by
which it seems it was no unusual thing in those times to be
healed by the prayers of the elders. Yea, the very hypocrites,
and ungodly persons, that had only the barren profession of
Christianity, had the gift of miracles, without the grace of sanc-
tification. And this Christ foretold : " Many shall say in that day,
Lord have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name cast
out devils? and done many wonderful works?" (Matt. vii. 22.)
c Quid soboles, virtusque Dei, et sapientia Christus?
Nonne satis vanis curas erroribus aufert ?
Nosque simul monitis et factis edocet uuura
Cuncta Deum regere, et cum]
Omnipotens verbo stemit mare, vel pede calcat;
Et verbo morbos abigit, vel daemonas urget ;
Aut reduces animas in corpora sancta remittit ;
Jamque din examines tumulis jubet ire reclusis;
Integratque putres vita remeante sepultos :
262 THE REASONS OF
Object. But all were not healed by them : Paul left Tropbimus
at Miletum sick. Why cloth not Paul cure Timothy of his weak
stomach and infirmity, without drinking of wine, if he could
doit?
Answ. 1. Certainly, they did not cure all men that were sick,
for then who would have died. It Was none of the intent of the
Spirit of Christ, in working miracles, to make men immortal
here on earth, and to keep them from heaven.
2. And it is easily confessed, that the Spirit was not at the
command or will of them that had it : and therefore they could
not do what and when they pleased, but what the Spirit pleased
and his operations were at his own time and disposal. And
this proveth the more fully that it was the testimony of God, and
not the contrivance of the wit of man. 3. And miracles and
tongues were not for them that believed, but rather for them
that believed not : and, therefore, a Trophimus or a Timothy
might be unhealed.
Sect. 36. 3. These miracles were oftentimes wrought, even
for many years together, in several countries and places through
the world, where the apostles and disciples came : and not only
once, or for a little space of time.
Dissimulation might be easier cloaked for a few acts, than it
can be for so many years. At least, these gifts and miracles
continued during the age of the apostles, though not performed
every day, or so commonly as might make them ineffectual, yet
so frequently as to give success to the Gospel, and to keep up a
reverence of Christianity in the world. They were wrought not
only at Jerusalem, but at Samaria, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth,
Philippi, and the rest of the churches through the world.
Sect. 37. 4. They were also wrought in the presence of
multitudes, and not only in a corner, where there was more
possibility of deceit.
The Holy Ghost fell on the apostles and all the disciples at
Jerusalem before all the people ; that is, they all heard them
speak in several tongues, the wonderful works of God ; even
the Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabitants of
Mesopotamia, Judaea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pam-
phylia, Egypt, Lybia, Cyrene, Rome ; Jews, and proselytes,
Cretes, and Arabians. (Acts ii. 8 — 12.) It was three thousand
Nonne potestatem propriani satis indicat auctor ?
Qui solus naturam omnem vitamque gubernat.
Claudian. Mammert. Carm.post lib. de Anxm,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 263
that the Holy Ghost fell on. (Acts ii. 38.) Those that went into
the temple, and all the people, saw the lame man, that was
cured by Peter and John. (Acts iii.) The death of Ananias and
Sapphira was a public thing, so that fear fell on all, and hypo-
crites were deterred from joining with the church. (Acts 5.)
The gifts of tongues, aud interpretation, were commonly exer-
cised before congregations or multitudes. And crowds of
people flocked to them to be healed. As with Christ they un-
covered the roofs of the houses to lay the sick before him ; so
with the apostles they strove who might come within their
shadow, or touch the hem of their garment, or have cloths or
napkins from them, that they might be healed. So that here
was an age of public miracles.
Sect. 38. 5. All these miracles were uncontrolled; that is,
they were not wrought in opposition to any controlling truth,
which hath certain evidence contradicting this, nor yet were
they overtopped by any greater miracles for the contrary.
A miracle, if God should permit it to be wrought in such a
case, might be said to be controlled, either of these two ways :
1. If a man should work miracles to contradict the certain light
of nature, or persuade men to that which is certainly false : 2.
If men should do wonders as Jannes and Jambres,the Egyptian
sorcerers, which should be overtopped by greater wonders, as those
of Moses, and as Simon Magus, and Elymas by Peter and Paul j
in these cases God could not be said to deceive men, by his
power or permission, where he giveth them a sufficient preser-
vative. But these miracles had no such control, but prevailed
without any check from contradictory truths or miracles. Thus
Christ performed his promise. " Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that believeth on me, the works that I do, shall he do
also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go
unto the Father/' (John. xiv. 12.)
Sect. 39. III. The third testimony of the Spirit to the truth
of the apostles' witness, was the marvellous success of their
doctrine to the sanctifying of souls, which as it could not be
done without the power and Spirit of God, so neither would the
righteous and merciful Governor of the world, have made a com-
pany of profligate liars and deceivers his instruments of doing
this excellent work by cheats and falsehoods.
This I spake of before, as it is the seal of Christ's own doc-
trine. I now speak of it only as it is the seal of the apostles'
verity, in their testimony of the resurrection and miracles of
264 THE REASONS OF
Christ. Peter converted three thousand at once. Many thou-
sands and myriads up and down the world were speedily con-
verted. And what was this conversion ? They were brought
unfeignedly to love God above all, and their neighbours as them-
selves. (Acts ii. 42, 46.) They continued stedfastly in the
apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and
prayer. And all that believed were together and had all things
common, (not by levelling, but by loan ;) and sold their posses-
sions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man
had need, and did eat their meat with gladness and singleness
of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people.
(i The multitude of believers were of one heart, and of one
soul ; neither said any of them that ought of the things that
he possessed was his own, but they had all things common."
Acts iv. 32.
All that are in Christ, have his Spirit, and are spiritually
minded, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(Rom. viii.) They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with
the affections and lusts : the world is crucified to them, and
they to the world. (Gal. v. 24, and vi. 14.) They are chosen to
be holy and unblamable in love. (Eph. i. 4.) They walk as
renewed in the spirit of their minds, with all lowliness and
meekness, and long-suffering, forbearing one another, endea-
vouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Eph. iv. 23, ii. 3.) As being created unto good works in Christ.
(Eph. ii. 10.) Without corrupt communication, bitterness,
wrath, clamour, evil-speaking, fornication, uncleanness, covet-
ousness, filthiness, foolish talking and jesting. (Eph. iv. 29, and
v. 3, 4.) Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, living soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world, as redeemed from
all iniquity, and purified as a peculiar people to Christ, zealous
of good works. (Tit. ii. 12, 14.) Having their conversation
in heaven, from whence they expect their Redeemer to translate
them into glory. (Phil. iii. 20, 21.) These were the fruits of
the ministry of the apostles.
And God was pleased to bless their labours more than any
others since, and make better, more holy, more heavenly Christians,
by the means of their endeavours ; that so he might give a fuller
proof of the truth of their testimony of Christ.
Sect. 40. It is the great advantage of our faith, that these
second attestations to the disciples' testimony of the miracles of
Christ, are much more open, evident, and convincing, to us at
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 265
this distance, than the miracles of Christ himself; that so there
might he no place for rational doubting.
The sorts of their miracles were as numerous as his. Thev
were wrought by hundreds and thousands, and not by Christ
alone. They were wrought for an age, and not for three years
and a half alone. They were wrought in a great part of the
world, and not in Judea and Galilee alone. They were done in
the face of abundance of congregations, and not before the Jews
only : and they succeeded to the conversion and sanctification
of many thousands more than did the preaching of Christ him-
self. So that if any thing that is said before, of the confirma-
tion of Christ's own miracles, had wanted evidence, it is abun-
dantly made up in the evidence of their miracles who were the
reporters and witnesses of his.
Sect. 41.1 have hitherto been showing you, how the mira-
cles of Christ were proved, attested, and made certainly known
to the first churches planted by the apostles themselves, viz., by
the testimony of the Spirit, 1. In their doctrine and lives ; 2.
In their miracles ; And 3. In their success, in the sanctification
of men's souls. I am next to show vou how these matters of
fact, or actions of the apostles, are certainly proved, or brought
down to us.
Sect. 42. And this is by the same three ways of proof as the
apostles proved to the first churches their testimony. Though
with much difference in the point of miracles ; viz., I. We have
it by the most credible human testimony ; II. By such testi-
mony as hath a natural certainty ; III. And by some of that
testimony of God, which is also a supernatural evidence. Of
all which I must speak in order, supposing what is said before.
Sect. 43. I. The only natural way of transmitting those
things down to us, is by historical conveyance. And the authors
of this history, are both the churches of Christ, and their
enemies. The credibility of which testimonies will be more fully
opened, under the second degree of proofs ; which compre-
hended this.
Sect. 44. II. That there is a natural impossibility that our
history of the apostles' gifts and miracles should be false, will
appear by reviewing all the particulars by which the same was
proved of the apostles' testimony of the miracles of Christ : and
in many respects, with much more advantage.
Sect. 45. It is naturally impossible that all the reporters
could be themselves deceived. For, 1. They were many thou-
266 THE REASONS OF
sands, in several countries through the world : and, therefore,
could not be all either mad or senseless. 2. They were men
that took their salvation to be most nearly concerned in the
thing, and were to forsake the pleasures of tbe world, and suffer
from men for their religion. And, therefore, could not be
utterly careless in examining the thing. 3. They were present
upon the place, and eye-witnesses, and ear- witnesses of all. 4.
The languages were said to be spoken in their assemblies, and
the miracles done among them, for many years, even an age
together. And it is impossible all countries could be cheated by
juggling, in matters which their eyes and ears were such com-
petent witnesses of, for so many years together. 5. They were
said to be the objects of many of these miracles themselves ; viz.,
That the cures were wrought on many of them ; that the same
Spirit was given to them all. 6. And they were said to be the
agents themselves in the several works of that Spirit, according
to their several gifts. So that their common deceit must be
impossible.
If any man should now among us, take on him to speak with
divers languages, or tell the churches that divers languages are
spoken among them in their hearing, by unlearned men ; and
that prophesyings, interpretations, miraculous cures, &c, are
wrought among them ; and name the persons, time, and place ;
and should tell them that they had all some sort or other of the
same gifts themselves ; were it possible for the people to believe
all this, if it were a lie ? Would they not say, c When did we
ever hear your languages ? or when did we ever see your cures
and other miracles ? when did we see an Ananias and Sapphira
die ? When did we do any such works ourselves ? Do we not
know what we do ?' Men could not believe such palpable
untruths in matter of public fact, so near them, among them,
upon them ; and much less could so many thousands believe
this, in so many nations, if it were false : because the under-
standing is not free in itself; but per modum natures is necessi-
tated by cogent evidence. Absurd doctrines may easily deceive
many thousands : and so may false history do by men at a suffi-
cient distance. But he that thinks the ears and eyes and other
senses of so many thousand sound persons, were all deceived thus
in presence, will surely never trust his own ears, or eyes, or sense
in any thing ; nor expect that any man else should ever believe
him, who so little believeth his own sense and understanding.
Sect. 46. That the reporters were not purposely the
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 267
deceivers of the world by wilful falsehood, is also certain by
these following evidences.
Sect. 47. I. It was not possible that so many thousands, in
all countries, should have wit and cunning enough for such a
contrivance, and could keep it secret among themselves, that it
should never be detected.
They that think they were all so stupid as to be themselves
deceived, cannot also think that they were all so cunning as to
conspire the deceiving of all the world, so successfully and
undiscovered. But it is past doubt, that for their naturals,
they were ordinary persons, neither such mad people as all to
think they saw, and heard, and did things which were nothing
so, for so long together ; nor yet so subtile, as to be able to lay
such a deceiving plot, and carry it on so closely to the end.
And they that suspect the apostles and first disciples to be the
authors of the plot, will not suspect all the churches too ; for if
there were deceivers, there must be some to be deceived bv
them : if Christ deceived the disciples, then the disciples could
not be wilful deceivers themselves; for if they were themselves
deceived, they could not therein be wilful deceivers : and then,
how came they to confirm their testimony by miracles ? If the
apostles only were deceivers, then all the disciples and evan-
gelists who assisted them must be deceived, and not wilful
deceivers. And then how came they also to do miracles ? If
all the apostles and disciples of the first edition were wilful
deceivers, then all the churches through the world which were
gathered by them, were deceived by them, and then they
were not wilful deceivers themselves : which is all that I am
now proving, having proved before that they were not de-
ceived.
Sect. 48. II. If they had been cunning enough, it is most
improbable that so many thousands, in so many nations, should
be so bad, as to desire and endeavour, at such a rate as this,
their own temporal and eternal ruin, to deceive all the world
into a blasphemy, without any benefit to themselves, which
might be rationally sufficient to seem a tempting compensation
to them.
Sect. 49. For all these churches which witnessed the apostles'
miracles, 1. Did profess to believe lying and deceiving to be a
heinous sin ; 2. And to believe an everlasting punishment mi-
liars. 3. They were taught by their religion to expect calamity
in this world. 4. They had experience enough to confirm them
268 THE REASONS OF
in that expectation ; therefore they had no motive which could
oe sufficient to make them guilty of so costly a deceit. d
For, 1. Operari sequitur esse- A man will do ill, hut
according to the measure that he is ill ; and as bad as human
nature is, it is not yet so much depraved, as that thousands
through the world could agree, without any commodity to move
them to it, to ruin their own estates, and lives, and souls for
ever, merely to make the world believe that other men did
miracles, and to draw them to believe a known untruth. And,
2. As free as the will is, it is yet a thing that hath its nature
and inclination, and cannot act without a cause and object ;
which must be some apparent good : therefore, when there is
no good appearing, but wickedness and misery, it cannot will
it : so that this seemeth inconsistent with human nature.
Sect. 50. And the certain history of their lives doth show,
that they were persons extraordinarily good and conscionable ;
being holy, heavenly, and contemners of this world, and ready
to suffer for their religion ; and therefore could not be so
extremely bad, as to ruin themselves only to do mischief to the
world and their posterity. e
Sect. 51. And their enemies bare them witness, that they did
and suffered all this in the hopes of a reward in heaven ; which
proveth that they were not wilful liars and deceivers ; for no
man can look for a reward in heaven, for the greatest known
villany on earth, even for suffering, to cheat all the world into
a blasphemy.
Even Lucian scoffeth at the Christians for running into
sufferings, and hoping to be rewarded for it with a life ever-
lasting.
Sect. 52. III. If they had been so cunning, and so bad, yet
was it impossible that they should be able for the successful
execution of such a deceit, as will appear by all these following
evidences.
Sect. 53. I. It was impossible that so many thousands, at
such a distance, who never saw each other's faces, could lay the
plot, in a way of concord ; but one would have been of one
mind, and another of another.
Sect. 54. II. It is impossible that they should agree in car-
d Nemo jam infamiam incutiat ; nemo aliud existimet : quia nee fas est ulli
de sua religione mentiri. — Tertul. Apol. e. 20.
e Quid adeo simile philosophus et christiauus ? Graeciaj discipulus et cocli?
Fame negotiator etvitae ? Verborum etfactorum operator. — Tertul. Jpol.c, 46.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 269
rying it on, and keeping it secret through all the world, if they
had accorded in the first contrivance and attempts.
Sect. 55. III. It is impossible that all the thousands of ad-
versaries among them, who were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses
as well as they, should not discover the deceit.
All those Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and other countrymen
mentioned, (Acts ii.,) were not Christians ; and the Christians,
though many, were but a small part of the cities and countries
where they dwelt : and Paul saith, that tongues and miracles
were for the sake of unbelievers, and unbelievers were ordi-
narily admitted into the christian assemblies, and the Christians
went among them to preach, and most of the miracles were
wrought in their sight and hearing.
Sect. 56. IV. It is impossible that the falling-out of Christians
among themselves, among so many thousands in several nations,
should never have detected the deceit, if they had been all such
deceivers.
Sect. 57. V. It is impossible but some of the multitudes of
the perverted, exasperated, separating, or excommunicated
heretics, which were then in most countries where there were
Christians, and opposed the orthodox, and were opposed by
them, should have detected this deceit, if it had been such.
Sect. 5S. VI. It is impossible but some of the apostates of
those times, who are supposed to have joined in the deceit,
would have detected it to the world, when they fell off from
Christianity.
Sect. 59. VII. It is scarcely possible among so many thousands
in several lands, that none of their own consciences, living or
dying, should be constrained, in remorse and terror, to detect so
great an evil to the world.
Sect. 60. VIII. Much more impossible is it, that, under the
conscience of such a villany, they should live, and suffer, and
die rejoicingly, and think it a happy exchange to forsake life
and all, for the hopes of a reward in heaven for this very
thing.
Sect. 61. IX. Lastly, it is impossible that these thousands of
Christians should be able to deceive many more than themselves,
into the belief of the same untruths, in the very time and place
where the things were said to be done, and where the detection
of the deceit had been easy, yea, unavoidable.
Christianity was then upon the increase • they that were
converted, did convert more than themselves. Suppose in
270 THE REASONS OF
Jerusalem, Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, &c, some thousands
believed by the preaching of the apostles, in a few years, at the
first ; in a few years more, there were as many more added.
Now, supposing all this had been but a cheat, if the Christians
had told their neighbours; — among us, unlearned men speak in
the languages of all countries ; they cast out devils ; they cure
all diseases with prayer and anointing ; they prophesy, and
interpret tongues ; they do many other miracles; and the same
Spirit is given to others by their imposition of hands ; and all
this }n the name and by the power of Jesus ; — would not their
neighbours easily know whether this were true or not ? And if
it were false, would they not hate such deceivers, and make
them a common scorn, instead of being converted by them ?
Sect. 26. The aforesaid impossibilities are herein founded :
1. There is no effect without a sufficient cause : 2. A necessary
cause, not sufficiently hindered, will bring forth its answerable
effect. But the opposed supposition maketh effects without
any sufficient cause, and necessary causes without their adequate
effects.
Sect. 63. The providence of God permitted dissensions and
heresies to arise among Christians, and rivals, and false teachers
to raise hard reports of the apostles, and the people to be some-
what alienated from them, that the apostles might by challenges
appeal to miracles, and future ages might be convinced that the
matter of fact could not be contradicted.
The Romans had contentions among themselves ; the strong
and the weak contemning or condemning one another about
meats and days. (Rom. xiv. 15.) The Corinthians were divided
into factions, and exasperated against Paul by false apostles ;
so that he is fain at large to vindicate his ministry ; and he doth
it partly by appealing both to miracles and works of power
wrought among them, and by the Spirit given to themselves.
(2 Cor. xii. 12, and xiii. 3 — 5; and 1 Cor. xii. 7, 12, 13.)
The Galatians were more alienated from Paul by Jewish teachers,
and seemed to take him as an enemy for telling them the truth,
and he feared that he had bestowed on them labour in vain ;
and in this case he vehemently rebuketh them, and appealeth first
to miracles wrought among them, and before their eyes, and
next to the Spirit given to themselves : — " O foolish Galatians,
who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth
crucified among you ? This only would I learn of you; Received
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 271
ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
He, therefore, that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh
miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law, or by
the hearing of faith?' (Gal. iii. 1 — 5.) Now, if no such
miracles were wrought among them, and if no such Spirit was
received by themselves, would this argument have silenced
adversaries, and reconciled the minds of the Galatians ? or rather
have made them deride the cause that must have such a defence,
and say, ' Who be they that work miracles among us, and
when did we receive such a Spirit ? ' So, to the Romans,
this is Paul's testimonial : " For I will not dare speak of any of
those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the
gentiles obedient by word and deed, through mighty signs and
wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God," &c. (Rom. xv.
18, 19.) And to the Corinthians he saith, " I thank my
God, 1 speak with tongues more than you all." (I Cor. xiv. IS.)
So, " Tongues are for a sign to them that believe not." (Gal,
ii. 8; 1 Cor. xiv. 22.) So, (Acts ii. 43, iv. 30, v. 12,
vii. 36, viii. 13, xiv. 3, vi. 8, viii. 6, 13, xv. 12, and
xix. 11, 1 Cor. xii. 10.) miracles are still made the confirma-
tion of the apostles' testimony and doctrine.
And in Heb. ii. 3, 4, you have the just method of the proof
and progress of Christianity; which at the first began to be
spoken by the Lord, (but how is that known?), and was con-
firmed to us by them that heard him. (But how shall we know
that they said truth ?) God also bearing them witness with signs
and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy
Ghost, according to his own will.
" And with great power gave the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus." (Acts iv. 33.) "That which
was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled of the word of life, for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that
eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto
us ; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship with us," &c. (1 John i.
1-3.)
Sect. 64. III. The miracles of the apostles are not only
attested by the churches which were eye-witnesses of them ;
1. By the way of most credible human testimony ; 2. And by
natural evidence of infallible certainty; But also, 3. By super-
272 THE REASONS OF
natural testimony of God himself, as appeareth in these follow-
ing evidences.
Sect. 65. I. Many miracles were wrought by those first
churches, who were the witnesses of the apostles' miracles, which
is a divine attestation to their testimony.
1 . The Scriptures forecited tell us, that the same Holy Ghost
was given to them all, though all had not the same gifts ; and
that tongues, and healing, and miracles were the gifts of many
though not of all. Which, as I have showed, they could not
themselves have believed of themselves, if it had not been true.
Yea, sufficient historical testimony telleth us, that for three or
four hundred years, at least till Constantine owned and pro-
tected Christianity by secular power, miracles were wrought in
confirmation of the christian faith. It hath been the devil's
craft to seek to destroy the credit of them, partly by hypocrites,
who have counterfeited miracles ; and partly by lying legends of
the carnal, proud, domineering part of the church, who have told
the world so many palpable lies, that they seemed to do it in
design, to persuade them to believe nothing that is true. But
yet all wise men will know the difference between history credi-
ble and incredible. The many testimonies of the miracles of
Gregory Thaumaturgus, and many others, mentioned by Euse-
bius, and almost all other christian writers of those times, and
those mentioned byAugustine/DeCivitate Dei, (lib. xxii. cap. 8.')
and ' Retract, (lib. i. cap. 13. et passim ;') and by Cyprian, Ter-
tullian, and many more ; will not be thought incredible by im-
partial, considering men.
Sect. 66. II. The eminent sanctity of the pastors of the
churches, with the success of their testimony and doctrine, for
the true sanctification of many thousand souls, is God's own at-
testation to their testimony and doctrine.
How far the sanctifying, renewing success of the doctrine, is a
divine attestation to its verity, I have before opened. And how
far God owneth even the truths of philosophy, by blessing them
with an adequate proportionable success. The defective partial
truths of philosophy, produce a defective partial reformation ;
how far God accepteth it, belongeth not to my present business
to determine. The more full and integral discovery of God's
will, by Jesus Christ, doth produce a more full and integral re-
novation. And, 1. The cause is known by the effect. 2. And
God will not, as is before said, bless a lie to do the most excellent
work in all the world. Now, it is a thing most evident, that
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 273
God hath still blessed the ministry of the christian pastors in all
ages, to the renewing of many thousand souls. That this is
truly so, I shall somewhat more fully show anon. But that it is
God's own attestation, I have showed before.
Sect. 67. I have opened the validity of the apostles' testi-
mony of the resurrection and miracles of Christ, and the first
churches' certain testimony of the miracles of the apostles ;
both of them having a threefold certainty, moral, natural, and
supernatural : in all which I have supposed, that such a testi-
mony the churches have indeed given down to their posterity ;
which is the thing that remaineth lastly to be here proved.
Sect. 6S. The doctrine and miracles of Christ and his apos-
tles have been delivered us down from the first churches, by all
these following ways of history : 1. By delivering to us the same
writings of the apostles and evangelists which they received from
their hands themselves, as certain truth, and delivered down as
such to us ; even the holy Scriptures of the New Testament.
They that believed their words, believed their writings, and
have told us their belief, by preserving them for posterity as
sacred verities.
In the holy Scriptures, the life, and death, and doctrine of
Christ is contained ; with the doctrine of the apostles, and so
much of the history of their preaching and miracles, as Luke
was an eye-witness of, or had certain knowledge of, (who was
commonly Paul's companion,) by which we may partly judge of
the acts of the rest of the apostles. And if the churches had
not believed all these, they would not have delivered them as
the infallible writings of the inspired apostles to their posterity.
Sect. 69. II. The very successive being of Christians and
churches, is the fullest history that they believed those things
which made them Christians and churches, which was the doc-
trines and miracles of Christ.
A Christian is nothing else but one that receiveth the doctrine,
resurrection, and miracles of Christ, as certain truth, by the
preaching and miracles of his great witnesses, the apostles : so
many Christians as there ever were, so many believers of these
things there have been. It was this doctrine and miracles that
made them Christians, and planted these churches : and if any
man think it questionable, whether there have been Christians
ever since Christ's time, in the world, all history will satisfy
him, Roman, Mahometan, Jewish, and Christian, without any
one dissenting voice. Pliny, Suetonius, Tacitus, Marcellinus,
VOL. XXI. T
274 THE REASONS OF
Eunapius, Lucian, and Porphyry, and Julian, and all such ene-
mies may convince him : he shall read the history of their suf-
ferings, which will tell him, that certainly such a sort of persons
there was then in the world.
Sect. 70. The succession of pastors and preachers in all ge-
nerations, is another proof : for it was their office to read pub-
licly, and preach this same Scripture to the church and world,
as the truth of God.
I speak not of a succession of pastors in this one city or that,
or by this or that particular way of ordination, having nothing
here to do with that : but that a certain succession there hath
been since the days of the apostles, is past question : for,
1. Else there had been no particular churches ; 2. Nor any bap-
tism ; 3. Nor any public worship of God ; 4. Nor any synods,
or discipline : but this is not denied.
Sect. 71. IV. The continuance of baptism, which is the
kernel or sum of all Christianity, proveth the continuance of
the christian faith. For all Christians in baptism, were baptised
into the vowed belief and obedience of the Son and Holy Ghost,
as well as of the Father.
Sect. 72. V. The delivering down of the three breviate sym-
bols, of fajth, desire, and duty, — the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and
Decalogue, — is the churches' delivery of the christian religion,
as that which all Christians have believed.
Sect. 73. VI. The constant communion of the church in
solemn assemblies, and setting apart the Lord's-day to that use,
was a delivery of the christian faith, which those assemblies all
professed to believe.
Sect. 74. VII. The constant preaching and reading of the same
Scriptures in those assemblies, and celebrating there the sacra-
ment of Christ's death, and the custom of openly professing
their belief, and the prayers and praises of God, for the resur-
rection and miracles of Christ, are all open, undeniable testi-
monies that these things were believed by those churches.
Sect. 75. VIII. The frequent disputes which Christians in all
ages have held with the adversaries of the Scriptures and Christ-
ianity, do show that they believed all these Scriptures, and the
doctrines and miracles therein contained.
Sect. 76. IX. The writings of the Christians in all ages, their
apologies, commentaries, histories, devotional treatises, all
bear the same testimony, that we have these things by their
tradition.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 275
Sect. 77. X. The confessions, sufferings, and martyrdom
of many in most ages, do bear the same testimony, that they
believed this, for which they suffered ; and that posterity re-
ceived it from them.
Sect. 78. XL The decrees and canons of the synods or coun-
cils of the bishops of the churches, are another part of the his-
tory of the same belief.
Sect. 79. XII. Lastly, the decrees and laws of princes concern-
ing them, are another part of the history • showing that they
did believe these things.
Sect. 80. And if any question whether our Scriptures which
contain these histories and doctrines be indeed the same which
these churches received and delivered from the apostles, he may
easily be convinced, as followeth.
Sect. 81. I. Various copies of it in the Hebrew and Greek
text, were very quickly scattered about the world, and are yet
found in all nations agreeing in all material passages.
Sect. 82. II. These Scriptures were translated into many lan-
guages, of which there are yet extant, the Syriac, Arabic, Ethi-
opic, Persian, &c, which agree in all material things.
Sect. 83. III. It was the stated office of the ministers in all
the churches in the world, to read these Scriptures openly to
the people, and preach on them in all their solemn assemblies :
and a thing so publicly maintained and used, could not possibly
be altered materially.
Sect. 84. IV. All private Christians were exhorted to read
and use the same Scriptures also, in their families, and in secret.
Sect. 85. V. This being through so many nations of the world,
it was not possible that they could all agree upon a corruption
of the Scriptures : nor is there mention in any history of any
attempt of any such agreement.
Sect. 86. VI. If they would have met together for that end,
they could not possibly have all consented ; because they were
of so many minds, and parties, and inclinations.
Sect. 87. VII. Especially when all Christians by their religion,
take it to be matter of damnation, to add to, or diminish from,
these sacred writings, as being the inspired word of God.
Sect. 88. VIIL And every Christian took it for the rule of his
faith, and the charter for his heavenly inheritance ; and there-
fore would certainly have had his action against the corrupters
of it.
t2
276 THE REASONS OF
As the laws of this land, being recorded, and having lawyers
and judges, whose calling is continually to use them, and men
holding their estates and safety by them, if any would alter them,
all the rest would quickly detect it, and make head against
him.
Sect. 89. IX. Yea, the many sects and contentions among
Christians, and the many heretics that were at enmity with
them, would certainly have detected any combination to cor-
rupt the Scriptures.
Sect. 90. X. Some few heretics in the beginning did attempt
to bring in the Gospel of Nicodemus, and some other forged
writings, and to have corrupted some parts of Scripture ; and
the churches presently cried them down.
Sect. 91. XI. Most heretics have pleaded these same Scrip-
tures : and denied them not to be genuine : yea, Julian, Celsus,
Porphyry, and other heathens, did not deny it, but took it as a
certain truth.
Sect. 92. XII. The ancient writers of the church, Clemens,
Ignatius, Justin, Irenseus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Amobius, Athen-
agoras, Lactantius, Eusebius, Nazianzen, Nyssen, Basil, Chrysos-
tom, Epiphanius, Hierom, Augustin, &c, do all cite these Scrip-
tures as we now have them in all things material.
Sect. 93. XIII. The christian emperors have inserted the
mention of some passages in their laws, in the same words as
they are in our Bibles.
Sect. 94. XIV. Several councils have not only cited several
passages out of them, but pleaded them still as the word of
God, and enumerated the particular books which constitute the
whole system.
All this set together, will tell any man of reason, considera-
tion, and impartiality, that we have much fuller certainty that
these Scriptures are the same which the first churches received
from the apostles, than they can have that Virgil's, Ovid's,
Cicero's, or Plutarch's works are theirs ; or that the statutes of
this land are current. Yea, were it not lest I be too tedious, I
might distinctly show you the forementioned, threefold certainty
of all this. 1. A moral certainty of the strongest human faith ;
2. A natural certainty, grounded upon physical impossibilities of
the contrary ; 3. And somewhat of a divine, supernatural at-
testation, by the continued blessing of God on the Scriptures,
for the sanctifying of souls in every age.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 277
And this bringeth me up to the last part of this chapter. I
have all this while been showing how the three first parts of the
Spirit's witness to Christ, are made known to us, viz. prophecy,
the holiness of the doctrine, and miracles. I come now in a
word to the fourth .
Sect. 95. IV. How may we certainly know the fourth part of
the Spirit's witness to Christ, viz. the success of his doctrine
in the regeneration of his disciples, and the actual saving them
from their sins ? f
Answ. I shall answer this, 1 . As to the times past ; And, 2.
As to the present age.
Sect. 96". I. What men have been in times past, we have
but these three ways to know : 1. By the history of those ages :
2. By their remaining works : 3. By their successors, in whom
their belief and qualities are continued. And, 1. That there
have been holy persons in all ages, yea, that all true Christians
were such, we have as good testimony as history can afford ;
whether you will judge of them by their profession, life, or
sufferings. 2. Their remaining works are very great testimo-
nies what a spirit of holiness, charity, and justice, doth breathe
in the writings of those holy men, which are come to our hands.
Clemens Romanus, Ignatius, Cyprian, Ephrem Syrus, Macarius,
Augustin, Gregory Nazianzen, Gr. Nyssen, Basil, Ambrose,
Chrysostom, Salvian, Cassianus, Bernard, &c. 3. Those that
succeed them at this clay in the serious profession of Christianity,
are a living history of the virtues of their ancestors.
Sect. 97. II. Of the sanctity of the Christians of this present
age, there is a double knowledge to be had : 1. By them that
are regenerate themselves ; 2. By them that are not : between
these ways of knowledge the difference must be great.
Sect. 98. I. As he that hath learning, or love to his parents,
or loyalty to his king, or faithfulness to his friend, may know
that he hath it ; so may he that is renewed by the Spirit of God,
and hath a predominant love to God, a heavenly mind and con-
versation, a hatred of sin, and delight in holiness, a love to all
men, even his enemies ; a contempt of the world ; a mastery
over his fleshly appetite, sense, and lusts ; a holy government of
his passions, thoughts, and tongue ; with a longing desire to be
f Matt. i. 21. He shall save his peo le from their sin«. Vide quae de
nomine Jesu habet Beda in Luc. ii. (I. 1. c. 7. fol. 02. p. 2.) de nuiuero 888 in
Uteris numeralibus 'bjo-as incluso.
278 THE REASONS OF
perfect in all this, and a supporting hope to see God's glory,
and enjoy him in the delights of love and praise, for evermore. 8
Sect. 99. This evidence of the spirit of sanctification in our-
selves, is not the reason or motive of our first faith, but of our
confirmation, and fuller assurance in believing afterwards : for
a man must in some sort believe in Christ, before he can know
that he is sanctified by him.
The rest of the motives are sufficient to begin the work of
faith j and are the means which God ordinarily useth to that
end.
Sect. 1 00. It is Christ's appointed method, that by learning
of him, and using his appointed means, men be brought up to
such a degree of holiness, as to be able to discern this witness
in themselves, and thence to grow up to full assurance of faith
and hope ', therefore, if any one that hath heard the Gospel,
do want this inward assuring testimony, it is because they have
been false to the truth and means before revealed to them.
He that will but inquire into the Gospel, and receive it and
obey it so far as he hath reason to do it, and not be false to his
own reason and interest, shall receive that renewing, sanctifying
Spirit, which will be an abiding witness in himself. But if he
will reject known truth, and refuse known duty, and neglect the
most reasonable means that are proposed to him, he must blame
himself if he continue in unbelief, and want that evidence which
others have. Suppose, that in a common plague, one physician
should be famed to be the only and infallible curer of all that take
his remedies ; and suppose many defame him, and say, ' He is but
a deceiver/ and others tell you, ' He hath cured us, and many
thousands, and we can easily convince you, that his remedies
have nothing in them that is hurtful, and therefore you may
safely try them, especially having no other help :' he that will
so far believe in him, and trust him now, as to try his remedies,
£ Sicut ars in eo qui nactus est illam, ita gratia Spiritus in eo qui recepit,
semper quidem praesens, at nou perpetuo operans est. — Basil, de Spir. sand.
Animae affiatae ac illustratae Spiritu, fiunt et ipsa? spirituales; et in alios
graiiam emittunt : Line futurorum prascientia, arcanorum intelligentia,
occultorum coinpreliensio, donorum distributiones, ccelestis conversatio, cum
Angelis chorea ; hinc gaudium nunquam fiuieudum, bine in Deo perseveran-
tia, et cum Deo similitudo, et quo nihil sublimius expeti potest, hinc est ut
divinus fias. — Basil. Ibid. Hoc itaque prodest in Deum credere, recta fide,
Deum colere, Deum nosse, ut et bene vivendi ab illo sit nobis auxilium ; et si
peccaverimus, indulgentiam mereaniur ; non in factis quae odit, securi perse-
verautes,&c. — August, de Fid. et Operib. c. 21. p. 34.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 279
may live ; but he that will not, must blame none but himself if
he die of his disease. He that trieth, shall know by his cure and
experience, that his physician is no deceiver : and he that will
not, and yet complaineth that he wanteth that experimental
knowledge, doth but talk like a peevish self-destroyer.
Sect. 101. If. He that yet hath not the evidence of the
spirit of regeneration in himself, may yet be convinced that it is
in others ; and thereby may know that Christ is indeed the
Saviour of the world, and no deceiver.
Even as in the aforesaid instance, he that never tried the
physician himself, yet if he see thousands cured by him, may
know by that that he is not a deceiver } and so may be per-
suaded to trust and trv him himself.
4
Sect. 1 02. The way to know that others are thus regenerated,
is, I. By believing them fide liumana; 2. By discerning it in
the effects. h
And though it be too frequent to have presumptuous, self-
conceited persons, to affirm that the Spirit of Christ hath
renewed them, when it is no such matter, yet all human testi-
mony of matters so near men, even within them, is not, there-
fore, incredible; but wise men will discern a credible person
from an incredible. In the fore-mentioned instance, many mav
tell you, that they are cured by the physician, when it is not so j
but will you therefore believe no one that telleth you that he is
cured ? Many may boast of that learning which they have not,
and tell you, that they have knowledge in mathematics, or in
several arts ; but is no man therefore to be believed, that saith
the same ?
But yet I persuade no man here to take up with the bare
belief of another man's word, where he seeth not enough in the
effects to second it, and to persuade a reasonable man that it is
true. But, as he that heareth a man that was sick profess that
he is cured, may well believe him, if he see" him eat, and drink,
and sleep, and labour, and laugh, as the healthful used to do ;
so he that heareth a sober man profess with humble thanks to
God that he hath changed and renewed him by his Spirit,
may well believe him, if he see him live like a renewed man.
Sect. 103. Though you cannot be infallibly certain of the
h Non in meditatione sermonis et structura verborum, sed in rebus opere
declaraudis, tanquam doctrina viva, professio no&tra posita est. — Athenagor.
Apol. B. P. p. 78. Yet there he complaineth that they were accused of the
most odious villanies, without all show of cause.
280 THE REASONS OF
sincerity of any one individual person but yourself, because we
know not the heart j yet may you be certain that all do not
dissemble.
Because there is a natural impossibility that interests, and
motives, and sufficient causes should concur to lead them to it :
as I said before, we are not certain of any individual woman,
that she doth not dissemble love to her husband and children ;
but we may be certain that all the women in the world do not,
from many natural proofs which might be given.
Sect. 104. All these effects of renovation may be discerned
in others. 1. You may discern that they are much grieved for
their former sins. 2. That they are weary of the remnant of
their corruption or infirmity. 3. That they long and labour to
be delivered, and to have their cure perfected, and live in the
diligent use of means to that end. 4. That they live in no sin,
but smaller human frailties. 5. That all the riches in the world
would not hire them deliberately and wilfully to sin, but they will
rather choose to suffer what man can lay upon them. 6. That
they are vile in their own eyes, because of their remaining im-
perfections. 7. That they do no wrong or injustice to any ;
or if they do wrong any, they are ready to confess it, and make
them satisfaction. 8. That they love all good men with a love
of complacency, and all bad men with a love of benevolence,
yea, even their enemies ; and instead of revenge, are ready to
forgive, and to do what good they can for them and all men :
and that they hate bad men in opposition to complacency, but
as they hate themselves for their sins. 9. That they love all
doctrines, persons, and practices, which are holy, temperate,
just, and charitable. 10. That their passions at least are so far
governed, that they do not carry them to swear, curse, or rail,
or slander, or fight, or to do evil. 1 1 . That their tongues are
used to speak with reverence of holy and righteous things, and
not to filthy ribald, railing, lying, or other wicked speech. 12.
That they suffer not their lusts to carry them to fornication, nor
their appetites to drunkenness or notable excess. 13. That
nothing below God himself is the principal object of their
devotion ; but to know him, to love him, to serve and please
him, and to delight in these, is the greatest care, and desire,
and endeavour of their souls. 14. That their chief hopes
are of heaven, and of everlasting happiness with God, in the
perfection of this sight and love. 15. That the ruling motives
are fetched from God, and the life to come, which most com-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 281
mand their choice, their comforts, and their lives. 16. That in
comparison with this, all worldly riches, honours, and dignities,
are sordid, contemptible things in their esteem. 17. That for
the hope of this, they are much supported with patience under
all sufferings in the way. IS. That they value and use the
things of this world, in their callings and labours, in subservi-
ency to God and heaven, as a means to its proper end. 19.
That they use their relations in the same subserviency ; ruling
chiefly for God, if they be superiors, and obeying chiefly for
God, if they be inferiors, and that with fidelity, submission, and
patience, so far as they can know his will. 20. That their
care and daily business in the world is, by diligently redeeming
precious time, in getting and doing what good they can, to make
ready for death, and judgment, to secure their everlasting hap-
piness, and to please their God. '
Sect. 105. All this may be discerned in others, with so great
probability of their sincerity, that no charitable reason shall
have cause to question it. And 1 repeat my testimony, that
here is not a word which I have not faithfully copied out of my
own heart and experience ; and that I have been acquainted
with multitudes, who, I verily believe, were much better than
myself, and had a greater measure of all this grace.
Sect. 106. If any shall say, that men superstitiously appoint
themselves unnecessary tasks, and forbid themselves many lawful
things, and then call this by the name of holiness : 1 answer,
that many indeed do so, but it is no such that I am speaking
of: let reason judge, whether in this or any of the foregoing
descriptions of holiness, there be any such thing at all con-
tained.
Sect. 107- He that will be able to discern this Spirit of God
in others, must necessarilv observe these reasonable conditions :
1. Choose not those that are notoriously no Christians, to judge
of Christianity by — a drunkard, fornicator, voluptuous, carnal,
worldly, proud, or selfish person, calling himself a Christian, is
certainly but a hypocrite ; and shall Christianity be judged of by
a lying hypocrite ? 2. As you must choose such to try by, as are
1 Spiritus sanclus conceditur ad usum, ad iniraculum, ad salutem, ad auxi-
lium, ad solatium, ad fervorem. Ad usum vitae, bonis et malis communia
bona tribuens : ad miraculum in signis et prodigiis. Ad salutem, cum toto
corde revertitur ad Deum. Ad auxilium cum in omni colluctatione adjuvat
innrmitatem nostram : ad solatium cum testimonium perhibet spiritui nostro,
quod filii Dei sumus : ad fervorem, cum in cordibus perfectoruni vehemeutius
spiralis validum ignem charitatis accendit. — Bern. Serm. 15. Penticost.
282 IHE REASONS OF
truly serious in their religion, so you must be intimate and
familiar with them, and not strangers, that see them as afar off,
for they make no vain ostentation of their pietv. And how can
they discern the divine motions of their souls, that only see
them in common conversation ? 3. You must not judge of
them by the reyilings of ignorant, ungodly men : 4. Nor by the
reproach of selfish men, that are moved only by some interest
of their own : 5. Nor by the words of faction, civil or religious,
which judgeth of all men according to the interest of their sect,
or cause and party : 6. Nor by your own partial interest, which
will make you judge of men, not as they are indeed; and
towards God, but as they either answer or cross your interests
and desires : 1 . Nor must you judge of all by some that prove
hypocrites, who once seemed sincere : 8. Nor must you judge
of a man by some particular fall or failing, which is contrary to
the bent of his heart and life, and is his greatest sorrow : 9. Nor
must you come with a forestalled and malicious mind, hating
that holiness yourself which you inquire after ; for malice is
blind, and a constant false interpreter, and a slanderer. 10. You
must know what holiness and honesty is, before you can well
judge of them.
These conditions are all so reasonable and just, that he that
liveth among religious, honest men, and will stand at a distance,
unacquainted with their lives, and maliciously revile them, upon
the seduction of false reports, or of interest, either his own in-
terest, or the interest of a faction, and will say, ' I see no such
honest and renewed persons, but a company of self-conceited
hypocrites :' this man's confirmed infidelity and damnation, is
the just punishment of his wilful blindness, partiality, and
malice, which made him false to God, to truth, and to his own
soul.
Sect. 10S. It is not some, but all true Christians, that ever
were, or are in the world, who have within them this witness or
evidence of the spirit of regeneration. 1 ^"
As I have before said, Christ will own no others : " If any
man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. If
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed
awav, behold all things are become new. He that forsaketh not
all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." (Rom.viii. 4 — 9;
2 Cor. v. 17 ; Luke xiv. 26, 33). " They that are Christ's, have
k Inseperabilis est bona vita 5. fide qua? per dilectionem operatur, imb vero
ea ipsa est bona vita. — Aug, de Fid, et Oper. c.23.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 283
crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts." (Gal. v. 24).
Indeed the church visible, which is but the congregate societies
of professed Christians, hath many in it that have none of this
spirit or grace ; but such are only Christians equivocally, and
not in the primary, proper sense: "There are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness
on earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood ; and these
three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness
of God is greater : for this is the witness of God, which he hath
testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath
the witness in himself: he that believeth not God, hath made
him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of
his Son." (Uohnv.7— 10.)
Sect. 109. The more any one is a Christian in degree, the
more he hath of this witness of the sanctifying Spirit in himself,
and the more holy he is.
Sect. 110. The nearer any philosopher or others are like to
Christians, the nearer they come to this renewed image of God. 1
Sect. 111. As this image of God, the holiness of the soul, is
the very end and work of a true Saviour, so the true effecting of
it on all true Christians, is actually their begun salvation ; and
therefore the standing, infallible witness of Christ, which should
confound unbelief in all that are indeed his own.
This, which I spake of in the foregoing chapter, is a testi-
mony in every holy soul, which the gates of hell shall not prevail
against." 1 He that undertaketh to cure all of the plague, or
stone, or gout, or fever, that will take his medicines, and be
ruled by him, is certainly no deceiver, if he do that which he
undertaketh. He that undertaketh to teach all men arithmetic,
geometry, astronomy, music, &c, who will come and learn of
him, is certainly no deceiver if he do it. What is it that Jesus
Christ hath undertaken? think of that, and then tell me whether
he be a deceiver. He never undertook to make his disciples
kings, or lords, or rich, or honourable in the world; nor
vet to make them the best logicians, orators, astronomers,
mathematicians, physicians, musicians, &c, but to make them
the best men : to renew them to the love of God in holiness, and
thereby to save them from their sins, and give them repentance
1 See what I cited before of Socrates and his converts.
m Nulla in discendo mora est, ubi spiritus sauctus doctor adest. — Beda in
Luc.
284 THE REASONS OF
unto life. Nor hath he promised this to all that are baptised
or called Christians, but only to those that sincerely consent to
learn of him, and take his counsel, and use the remedies which
he prescribeth them. And is it not certain 1 that Christ doth
truly perform this undertaking ? How, then, can he be a de-
ceiver, who doth perform all that he undertaketh ? Of this all
true Christians have a just demonstration in themselves, which
is his witness."
Object. But Christ undertaketh more than this, even to bring
us to everlasting blessedness in heaven.
Answ. It is our comfort that he doth so. But methinks it is
easy to believe him in that, if he perform the rest. For, 1. I
have proved in the first part of this book, that by the light of
nature, a future life of retribution must be expected, and that
man is made for a future happiness. 2. And who then should
have that happiness, but the holy and renewed souls ? Doth
not natural reason tell you, that so good a God will show his love
to those that are good, that is, to those that love him ? 3. And
what think you is to be done to bring any man to heaven, but to
pardon him, and make him holy? 4. And the nature of the
work doth greatly help our faith. For this holiness is nothing
but the beginning of that happiness.
When we find that Christ hath by his Spirit begun to make
us know God, and love him, and delight in him, and praise him ;
it is the easier to make us believe that he will perfect it. He
that promiseth to convey me safely to the antipodes, may
easily be believed, when he hath brought me past the greatest
difficulties of the voyage. He that will teach me to sing arti-
ficially, hath merited credit when he hath taught me the gra-
dual tones, the scale of music, the sol-fa-ing, the clefs, the
quantity, the moods, the rules of time, &c. He that causeth
me to love God on earth, may be believed if he promise me that
I shall love him more in heaven. And he that causeth me to
desire heaven above earth, before I see it, may be believed when
he promiseth, that it shall be my great delight when I am there.
It is God's work to love them that love him, and to reward the
obedient ; and I must needs believe that God will do his work,
n Spiritus Paracletus dat pignus salutis, robur vitae, scientiae lumen. Pignus
salutis, ut ipse reddat testimonium spiritui tuo quod filius Dei sis : robur vita?,
ut quod per naturam tibi est impossibile, per gratiam ejus non solum possibile
sed facile fiat : lumen scientiae, ut cum omnia bene feceris, te servum in-
utilem putes ; et quicquid boni in te inveneris, illi tribuas, a quo omne bonum
est. — Bern. Serm. 2. Pentecost.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 285
and will never fail the just expectations of any creature. All
my doubt is whether I shall do my part, and whether I shall be
a prepared subject for that felicity. And he that resolveth this,
resolveth all : he that will make me fit for heaven, hath over-
come the greatest difficulty of my belief, and I should the more
easily believe that he will do the rest, and that I shall surely
come to heaven when I am fit for it.
Object. But Christ doth not only undertake to regenerate
and to save us, but also to justify us, and this by a strange way,
by his sacrifice and merits.
Answ. The greater is his wisdom and goodness, as made
known to us. I am sure an unpardoned, unrighteous person is
incapable of felicity in that state ; and I am sure I cannot
pardon myself, nor well know which way else to seek it : and I
am sure that so excellent and holy a person is fitter to be well-
beloved by God than I. But I pray you remember; 1. That he
undertaketh not to pardon or justify any man, whom he doth not
renew and sanctify ; 2. And that all his means, which seem so
strange to you, are but to restore God's image on you, and fit
you for his love and service. And this we can testify by expe-
rience, that he hath done in some measure in us : and if I find
his means successful, I will not quarrel with it, because it
seemeth strange to me. A physician may prescribe me remedies
for some mortal disease, which I understand not, but seem
unlikely to do the cure ; but if I find that those unlikely means
effect it, I will not quarrel with him, nor refuse them, till I know
myself to be wiser than he, and have found out some surer means.
It is most evident, then, that he who saveth us is our Saviour,
and he that saveth us from sin, will save us from punishment ;
and he that maketh us fit for pardon, doth procure our pardon ;
and he that causeth us to love God above all, doth fit us to enjoy
his love ; and he that maketh us both to love him and to be
beloved by him, doth prepare us for heaven, and is truly the
Mediator.
Sect. 112. Four or five consectaries are evident from this,
which I have been proving : 1 . That we have left no room for
their insipid cavil, who say that we fly to a private spirit, or con-
ceit, or enthusiasm, for the evidence of our faith.
There are some, indeed, that talk of the mere persuasion, or
inward active testimony of the Spirit, as if it were an inward
word that said to us, ' This is the word of God : ' ° but this is
Of this see Amyraldus in Thess. Salmuriens.
286 THE REASONS OF
not it which I have been speaking- of; but the objective testi-
mony, or evidence of our regeneration, which could not be
effected but, 1. By a perfect doctrine; and, 2. By the con-
current work or blessing of God's Spirit, which he would not
give to confirm a lie. The Spirit is Christ's witness in the four
wavs forementioned ; and he doth moreover cause me to believe
and increase that faith, by blessing due means ; but for any
enthusiasm, or unproved, bare persuasion, we own it not.
Sect. 1 13. II. That malignity is the highway to infidelity :
as the holiness of his members is Christ's last, continued
witness in the world, so the malicious slandering and scorning
at godly men, or vilifying them for self-interest, or the interest
of a faction, is the devil's means to frustrate this testimony.
Sect. 114. III. That the destruction of true church discipline
tendeth to the destruction of Christianity in the world, by laying
Christ's vineyard common to the wilderness, and confounding
the godly and the notoriously ungodly, and representing Christ-
ianity to pagans and infidels, as a barren notion, or a common
and debauching way.
Sect. 115. IV. That the scandals and wickedness of nominal
Christians is, on the same accounts, the devil's way to extirpate
Christianity from the earth.
Sect. 116. V. That the great mercy of God hath provided
a sure and standing means for the ascertaining multitudes of
holy Christians of the truth of the Gospel, who have neither
skill nor leisure to acquaint themselves with the history of the
church, and records of antiquity, nor to reason it out against a
learned, subtile caviller, from other extrinsic arguments.
Abundance of honest, holv souls, do live in the fervent love of
God, and in hatred of sin, and in sincere obedience, in justice
and charity to all men, and in heavenly desires and delights ;
who vet cannot well dispute for their religion ; nor yet do they
need to fly to believe as the church believeth, though they know
not what or why, nor what the church is. But they have that
Spirit within them, which is the living witness and advocate of
Christ, and the seal of God, and the earnest of their salvation ;
not a mere pretence that the Spirit persuadeth them, and they
know not by what evidence ; nor yet that they count it most
pious to believe strongest without evidence ; when they least
know why. But they have the Spirit of renovation and adoption,
turning the very bent of their hearts and lives from the world to
God, and from earth to heaven, and from carnality to spirituality,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGipN. U&7
and from sin to holiness, p And this fully assureth them, that
Christ, who hath actually saved them, is their Saviour, and that
he who maketh good all his undertaking, is no deceiver, and
that God would not sanctify his people in the world by a blas-
phemy, a deceit and lie, and that Christ who hath performed his
promise in this, which is his earnest, will perform the rest. And
withal the very love to God, and holiness, and heaven, which is
thus made their new nature by the Spirit of Christ, will hold
fast in the hour of temptation, when reasoning otherwise is too
weak. O what a blessed advantage have the sanctified against
all temptations to unbelief? And how lamentably are ungodly
sensualists disadvantaged, who have deprived themselves of this
inherent testimony ? If two men were born blind, and one of
them had been cured, and had been shown the candlelight and
twilight, how easy is it for him to believe his physician, if he
promise also to show him the sun ; in comparison of what it is
to the other who never saw the light ?
CHAP. VIII.
Of some other subservient and collateral Arguments for the
Christian Verity.
Having largely opened the great evidence of the christian
verity, viz. the Spirit in its four ways of testifying antece-
dently, inherently, concomitantly, and subsequently; I shall
more briefly recite some other subservient arguments, which I
find most satisfactory to my own understanding.
Sect. 1. I. The natural evidence of the truth of the Scrip-
ture, about the creation of the world, doth make it the more
credible to me in all things else.
For that is a thing which none but God himself could reveal
to us. For the Scripture telleth what was done, before there
was any man in being. And that this world is not eternal, nor
of any longer continuance, is exceedingly probable, by the state
of all things in it. 1. Arts and sciences are far from that
maturity, which a longer continuance, or an eternity would have
produced. Guns and printing are but lately found out : the
body of man is not yet well anatomized; Asellius's milky
veins, and Pecquet' s receptacle of the chyle, and Bartholine's
p O magna vis veritatis ! quae contra hominum ingenia, calliditatem, soler-
tiam, contraque fictas omnium insidias facile se per se ipsam defendat! — Cic.
pro Cceli.
288 THE REASONS OF
glandules, and the vasa lymphatica, are of late discovery :
Galilseus's glasses, and his four Medicaean planets, and the
lunary mutations of Venus, and the strange either opacous parts
and shape of Saturn, or the proximity of two other stars which
misshape it to our sight, the shadowy parts of the moon, &c.
with the innumerable stars in the via lactea, &c, were all
unknown to former ages. Gilbert's magnetical discoveries, (I
speak not of those questionable inferences which Campanella
and others contradict,) the nature of many minerals and plants,
the chief operations and effects of chemistry, abundance of
secrets for the cure of many diseases, even the most excellent
medicaments, are all of very late invention. Almost all arts and
sciences are increasing towards perfection. Ocular demonstra-
tions by the telescope, and sensible experiments, are daily mul-
tiplied : yea, the world itself is not all discovered to any one
part ; but a great part of it was but lately made known even to
the Europeans, whose knowledge is greatest, by Columbus, and
Americus Vesputianus ; and it is not long since it was first mea-
sured by a circumnavigation. If the world had been eternal,
or of much longer duration than the Scripture speaketh, it is
not credible that multiplied experiences, would not have brought
it above that infancy of knowledge in which it so long con-
tinued.
Object. Cursed wars by fire and depopulation, consume all
antiquities, and put the world still to begin anew.
Answ. It doth indeed do much this way ; but it is not so
much that war could do : for when it is in one country, others
are free, and some would fly, or lie hid, or survive, who would
preserve arts and sciences, and be teachers of the rest. Who
can think now that any wars are likely to make America, or
Galilaeus's stars, unknown again, or any of the fore-named in-
ventions to be lost ?
2. Moreover, it is strange, if the world were eternal, or much
older than Scripture speaketh, that no part of the world should
show any older monument of antiquity ; no engraven stones or
plates ; no mausoleums, pyramids, or pillars ; no books ; no
chronological tables ; no histories, or genealogies, or other me-
morials and records. I know to this, also, cursed wars may con-
tribute much ; but not so much, as to leave nothing to inquisi-
tive successors.
Sect. 2. II. It greatly confirmeth my belief of the holy Scrip-
tures, to find by certain experience, the original and universal
pravity of man's nature, how great it is, and wherein it doth
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 289
consist ; exactly agreeing with this sacred word ; when no others
have made such a full discovery of it.
This I have opened, and proved before ; and he is a stranger
to the world and to himself that seeth it not : were it not lest
I weary the reader with length, how fully and plainly could I
manifest it.
Sect. 3. III. The certain observation of the universal, spiritual
war, which hath been carried on according to the first Gospel,
between the woman's and the serpent's seed, doth much confirm
me of the truth of the Scriptures. q
Such a contrariety there is, even between Cain and Abel,
children of the same father; such an implacable enmity, through-
out all the world, in almost all wicked men against godliness
itself, and those that sincerely love and follow it ; such a hatred
in those that are orthodoxly bred, against the true power, use,
and practice, of the religion which they themselves profess ;
such a resolute resistance of all that is seriously good and holy,
and tendeth but to the saving of the resisters ; that it is but a
public, visible acting of all those things which the Scripture
speaketh of ; and a fulfilling them in all ages and places in the
sight of all the world. Of which, having treated largely in my
treatise against infidelity of the sin against the Holy Ghost, I
refer you thither.
Sect. 4. IV. It much confirmeth me to find that there is no
other religion professed in the world, that an impartial^ rational
man can rest in.
That man is made for another life, the light of nature proveth
to all men ; and some way or other there must be opened to us
to attain it. Mahometanism I think not worthy a confutation :
Judaism must be much beholden to Christianity for its proofs,
and is but the introduction to it, inclusively considered. The
heathens, or mere naturalists, are so blind, so idolatrous, so di-
vided into innumerable sects, so lost and bewildered in uncertain-
ties, and show us so little holy fruit of their theology, that I can
incline to no more than to take those natural verities which they
confess, and which they cast among the rubbish of their foppe-
ries and wickedness, and to wipe them clean, and take them
for some part of my religion. Christianity, or nothing, is the way.
Sect. 5. V. It much confirmeth me to observe, that commonly
1 Even between the carnal, hypocritical, nominal Christian and the true
Christian ; as Gal. iv. 29. "As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted
him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now."
VOL. XXI. U
290 THE REASONS OF
the most true and serious Christians are the holiest and most
honest, righteous men j and that the worse men are, the greater
enemies they are to true Christianity : and then to think how
incredible it is that God should lead all the worst men into the
truth, and leave the best and most godly in an error.
In small matters, or common secular things, this were no
wonder: but in the matter of believing, worshipping, and
pleasing God, and saving of souls, it is not credible. As for the
belief of a life to come, no men are so far from it as the vilest
whoremongers, drunkards, perjured persons, murderers, op-
pressors, tyrants, thieves, rebels, or if any other name can denote
the worst of men : and none so much believe a life to come, as
the most godly, honest-hearted persons. And can a man that
knoweth that there is a God, believe that he will leave all good
men in so great an error, and rightly inform and guide all these
beasts, or living, walking images of the devil. The same, in a
great measure, is true of the friends and enemies of Christianity.
Sect. 6. VI. It hath been a great, convincing argument with
me, against both atheism and infidelity, to observe the marvel-
lous providences of God, for divers of his servants, and the
strange answer of prayers which I myself, and ordinarily other
Christians, have had.
I have been, and am, as backward to ungrounded credulity
about wonders as most men, that will not strive against know-
ledge ; but I have been often convinced by great experience,
and testimonies which I believed equally with my eye-sight, of
such actions of God, as I think would have convinced most, that
should know as much of them as I did. But few of them are
fit to mention ; for some of them so much concern myself, that
strangers may be tempted to think that they savour of self-
esteem ; and some of them, the factions and parties in these
times, will by their interest be engaged to distaste : and some of
them have been done on persons, whose after, scandalous crimes
have made me think it unfit to mention them, lest I should
seem to put honour on a scandalous sinner, or seem to disho-
nour God's works by mentioning such an object of them ; and I
have much observed, that whatever wonder I ever knew done,
in answer to prayer, or attestation of any good, the devil hath,
with marvellous subtlety, endeavoured, by some error or scandal
of men, to turn it all against Christ, and to his own advantage.
But yet God declareth the truth of his promises, by the deliver-
ances of his servants, and the granting of prayers, which are put
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 291
up to him in the name of Christ. I will not dispute whether
these actions shall be called miracles, or not : it is enough
for my purpose, if thev be but attesting providences. All church
history telleth us of many such heretofore : how great things
have been done, and deliverances wrought upon Christians' earnest
prayer to God. The success of the thundering legion in the army
of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, in Germany, is commonly men-
tioned : you may see it in the ' Apolog.' of Justin Martyr and
Tertullian: see more in Pamelius's 'Notes onTertull.' (n.64.) Cy-
prian saith to Demetrius, (p. 328,) of the Christians' casting-out of
devils, "O si audire velles et videre, quando a nobis adjuranturet
torquentur spiritualibus flagris, et verborum tormentisde obsessis
corporibus ejiciuntur, quando ejulantes et gementes voce humana,
et potestate divina flagella et verbera sentientes, venturum judi-
cium confitentur. Veni et cognosce vera esse quae dicimus: etquiasic
Deos colere te dicis,vel ipsis quos colis, erede : aut si volueris et tibi
credere, de te ipso loquetur, audiente te, qui nunctuum pectus ob-
sedit. Videbis nos rogari ab eis quos tu rogas, tamen ab eisquostu
adoras; videbis sub manu nostra stare vinctos,et tremere captivos,
quos tu suspicis et veneraris ut Dominos : certe vel sic confundi in
istis erroribus tuis poteris, cum conspexeris et audieris Deos tuos,
quid sint, interrogatione nostra statim prodere," &c.
But it were too tedious to recite all that antiquity telleth
us of this kind : later times have their testimonies also : Bay-
nam could tell the papists, that burned him, in the midst of
his flames, " Lo, ye papists, here is a miracle ; I feel no more
pain in this fire than in a bed of down ; it is as sweet to me as
a bed of roses." Bishop Farrar could sav, when he went to the
fire, " If I stir in the fire believe not my doctrine;" and accord-
ingly remained unmoved : many more you may see in martyr-
ologies and church-historv. It was the merciful providence of
God to Mrs. Honywood/ who, in her passionate self-accusations,
when the minister was persuading her of the pardon of her sin,
threw the glass which was in her hand up to the wall, saying,
" She was as certainly an hvpocrite, as that glass would break *"
and it fell to the ground, and remained unbroken. They were
convincing providences which God exercised on the leading
women of the familistical sect which troubled New England :
when one of them, Mrs. Dyer, brought forth a monster that
had the parts of man, beast, birds, and fishes ; and the other,
their prophetess, Mrs. Hutchinson, brought forth about thirty
r See her story in Fuller's • Worthies of England.'
u2
292 THE REASONS OF
misshapen lumps or births at once \ and thereby the land was
awakened and delivered from the danger. 8
My own deliverances by prayer, because they were my own,
I think not fit here to express ; nor many other persons, that
were familiar with me, some vet living, and some dead : nor
would I mention such small things as corporal deliverances and
cures, but only because they are matters of sense, aad somewhat
unusual; and not as supposing them the great matters which
Christians have to look after or expect in answer to their
prayers : they are far greater things which prayer brings to all
true Christians : the strengh of the Spirit against temptations j
s Which Mr. Weld, of New England, hath printed : and upon Mr. Stubs's
extenuation, in his book for Sir Henry Vane, against me, in letters since he
hath fully confirmed. The many miracles mentioned by such credible per-
sons as Augustin (De Ch it. Dei) aud other learned, holy men, deserve some
credit surely. Victor Uticeusis telleth of many confessors, whose tongues were
cut out by the Arian Vandal Hunnerichus, who spake freely without tongues.
and .Eneas Gazreus, in a notable treatise for the immortality of the soul, saith
the same, and that he saw them himself; and hath more such wonders.
Ego novi multa bonorum virorum corpora, quae etiam phalanges daemonum,
tantopere terrerent, quantopere ipsi vexabant hominem abs se captum atque
obsessum ; itemque morbos innumeros quibus curandis ars medica non suffi-
ceret, ipsa facile curarent, perpurgarent, omninoque auferrent. — Id. ibid. p.
411, B. P. Even Cicero, speaking of some sacrilegious, impious person*,
could observe, Qui vero ex his et omnium scelerum principes fueruut, et prse-
ter caeteros in omui religione inipii, non solum vita cruciati (vel cum cruciatu,
ut Lambinus) atque dedecore, verum etiam sepultura ac justis exequiis carue-
runt. — Lib. 2. de Lex. p. 245. And to the objection, that it often falleth out
otherwise, and that the best suffer most, he answereth, Non recte existima-
mus qua? poena sit divina : et opiuionibus, vulgi rapimur in errorem, nee vera
cernimus : morte aut dolore corporis, aut luctu auimi, aut offensioue judicii,
hominum miserias pouderamus : quaefateor humauaesse, et multis bonis viris
accidisse : sceleris autem poena tristis, et praeter eos eventus qui sequuntur,
per se ipsa maxima est. \ idemus eos qui nisi odissent patriam, niiuquam in-
imici nobis fuissent, ardentes cum cupiditate, turn metu, turn conscientia ;
quid agerent modo timeutes, vicissim contemuentes religiones. And he con-
cluded, Duplicem pcenam esse divinam, quod constaret et ex vexandis vivo-
rum animis, et ea fama mortuorum, ut eorum exitium et judicio vivorum, et
gaudio comprobetur. — Ibid. 1 desire the learned reader to read the three
miracles which .En. Gazsus saith he saw with his own eyes, in his 'Theo-
phrast. in Bib. Pat. Gr. To. 2. pp. 414, 415.' The first, of an old man, that
raised one from the dead: the second, of a good man, that when he was dvin°-,
promised his scholar, that was bliud, that within seven days he should have
his sight, which accordingly came to pass : the third, of the confessions before
mentioned, that by prayer could speak most articulately without tongues : all
these he professeth he saw with his own eyes : and the rationality and pietv
of his writings maketh his testimony the more credible. Lege Palladii
Historiam Lausiac, c. 52. de miraculo ab ipso -riso. Though 1 know that
as apparitions, so miracles are too often counterfeit, yet all that are recorded
by the ancient doctors and historians cannot be so thought, especially when
we have seen something like them.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 293
the mortification of those sins which nature, constitution, tem-
perature, custom and interest, would most strongly draw them
to; the special assistances of God in duty; the information of
the mind, by a light which showeth the evidence of truth in a
special clearness ; the resolution of doubts ; the conquest of
passions ; the elevation of the soul in divine love and praises ;
the joy of the Holy Ghost, and comfortable thoughts of the
coming of Christ, and our endless blessedness with God in
heaven. These are the answers of prayer, which are the fulfill-
ing of the promises of Christ, and which are of greater moment
than miracles, of which we have ordinary experience.
Sect. 7. VII. It confirmeth my belief of the Gospel, to ob-
serve the connaturality and suitableness which it hath to the
best and holiest souls : that by how much the better, in true
honesty, and charity, and heavenliness, any man is, by so much
the more is the Gospel beloved, pleasant, and suitable to him j
as human food is to human nature.
My much converse in the world with men of all sorts, but
most with the persons now described, hath given me opportunity
to be fully assured of the truth of this experiment, beyond all
doubt. And that which is the best in man, is certainly of God :
and therefore that which is suitable and connatural to the best
in man, must be of God also.
Sect. 8. VIII. It confirmeth my belief of the Gospel, to find
it so very suitable to the world's diseases, necessities, and busi-
ness j to reconcile them to God, and fill them with love and
heavenly-mindedness ; which other religions do meddle with so
little, and superficially, and ineffectually.
Sect. 9. IX. The matter of the Gospel is so holy and spiritual,
and against all sin, and evil spirits, that it is incredible that evil
spirits, or very bad men, should be the inventors of it: and yet
to forge so many miracles and matters of fact, and call a man
God, and to perplex the world with needless, delusory strict-
nesses, and to father all this on God himself, would have been
a villany so transcendent, that none but men extremely bad
could do it. Therefore it must needs be the design of heaven,
and not of men.
Sect. 10. X. When I deeply consider the evidence of verity
in the Gospel, it hath as much to convince me, as I could have
chosen or desired.
Sect. 11. 1. If I had been put myself to choose by what
means God should open to man the things of the unseen world,
I could have desired no more than that a messenger might come
294 THK REASONS OF
to us from heaven, to tell it us ; unless we had either sight and
sense, or immediate vision and fruition.
And I am fully satisfied, 1 . That spiritual things are invisible,
and are no objects of corporeal sense. 2. That it is not meet
and honourable to God's wisdom and justice to govern rational
free-agents in via, by sight and sense. It would be no trial, or
thanks to the most sensual wretch, to forbear his sin, if heaven
and hell were open to his sight. 3. That spiritual vision and
fruition is our state inpahia; our end and perfection, and not
fit for the state of trial and travellers in the ways.
Sect. 12. II. If I had been to choose who this messenger
should be, I could have preferred none before him, who is the
very wisdom, truth, and word of God.
Had it been but an angel, I might have thought that his in-
defectibilitv and veracity is uncertain to mankind on earth ; but
wisdom and truth itself can never lie.
Sect. 13. III. If I had been to choose in what way this mes-
senger should converse with man, as an effectual and suitable
teacher of these mysteries, and how the work of mediation be-
tween God and man should be performed, I could have desired
no fitter way than that he should assume our nature, and in that
nature familiarly instruct us, and be our example, and our high
priest toward God by his merit, sacrifice, and intercession.
Sect. 14. IV. Had I been to choose what way he should
prove his message to be of God, I could not have chosen a more
satisfying way than that of prophecy, sanctity, and open, nume-
rous, and uncontrolled miracles, with his own resurrection and
ascension, and giving the Holy Ghost to be his advocate and wit-
ness continually to the world.
Sect. 15. V. I could not have expected that these miracles
should be done in the sight of all the persons in the world, in
every place and age, (for then they would be but as common
works,) but rather before such chosen witnesses as were fit to
communicate them to others.
Sect. 16. VI. Nor could I have chosen a fitter way for
such witnesses to confirm their testimony by, than by the same
spirit of holiness and power, and by such a stream of miracles
as the apostles wrought, and such success in the actual renova-
tion of their followers.
Sect. 17. VII. Nor could I well have chosen a more meet
and convincing way of history or tradition, to convey down all
these things to us, than that before described, which hath been
used by God,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 295
Sect. IS. VIFI. Nor could I have chosen any one standing
seal and witness of Christ, so fit for all persons, learned and un-
learned, and to endure through all generations, as is the actual
saving of men, hy the real renovation of their hearts and lives
hy the Holy Spirit, reclaiming them from selfishness, sensuality,
worldliness, and other sin, and bringing them up to the image of
God's holiness, in love and heavenliness j which is the continued
work of Christ.
So that when God hath done all things so, as my very reason
is constrained to acknowledge best, what should I desire more ?
I confess I feel still that my nature would fain be satisfied by the
way of sight and sense. Could I see heaven and hell, I think it
would most effectually end all doubts. But my reason is satis-
fied that it is a thing unmeet, and utterly unsuitable to a world
that must be morally governed and conducted to their end.
Sect. 19. XI. The temptations of Satan, by which he would
hinder us from faith, love, and obedience, are so palpable, mali-
cious, and importunate, that they do much to confirm me of the truth
and goodness of that word and way which he so much resisteth.
I think that there are few men, good or bad, if they will observe
both the inward suggestions with which they are often solicited,
for matter, manner, and season, and the outward impediments
to every good work, and invitations to evil, which they meet with
in their conversations, but may be convinced that there are mali-
cious spirits, who ar,e enemies to Christ and us, and continually
by temptations fight against him.
Sect. 20. XII. The devil's contracts with witches opposing
Christ, and engaging them to renounce their baptism, and to
forsake his ways, is some confirmation of the christian verity.
That witches really there are, as I said before, he that will
read Remigius and Bodin only, may be satisfied, as also the
' Malleus Maleficorum,' ' Danaeus,' &c. ; and the numerous in-
stances in Suffolk and Essex, about twenty-one years ago, may
further satisfy them. And that the devil draweth them to such
renunciations of the covenant and ordinances of Christ, the
many histories of it are full proof. 1
Sect. 21. XIII. Though many such reports are fabulous and
delusory, yet there have been certainly proved, in all ages, such
apparitions as, either by opposition or defence, have borne some
testimony to the christian faith.
Of both these last, see what I have written in my * Treatise of
1 Of the abundance of witches at that time read Bishop Hall, ' sol. 15. pp.
53, 54.' Read Edm. Bower, < Of the Salisbury Witch.'
296* THE REASONS OF
Infidelity/ and in the ' Saints' Rest' (part ii. p. 25S) ; and read
Lavater ' De Spectris,' et 'Zanchius' (torn. 3. lib. iv. cap. 10, et
cap. 20) ; ' Dailris,' &c. And what I said before, especially the
narrative called 'The Devil of Mascon,' and Dr. Moor, ' Of
Atheism.'
Sect. 22. XIV. The speeches and actions of persons pos-
sessed by the devil, usually raging blasphemously against Christ,
do somewhat confirm the christian verity.
That there are, and have been, many such, there hath been
unquestionable evidence. See my 6 Saints' Rest' (part ii. p. 258,
&c.) j ' Zanchius' (torn. 3. lib. iv. cap. 10. p. 288) ; Forestus ' De
Venenis' (observ. 8) ; in Schol. Pet. Mart. ' Loc. Com.' (clas. i.
cap. 9); Fernel. 'De abdit. rerum causis' (lib. ii. cap. 16);
Platerus ' Observ.' (p. 20) ; ' De stupore Daemon,' &c. ; Tertul.
* Apol.' (cap. 23) ; Cyprian. Epis. ' Ad Demetrium. Origen. in
Matt. 17;' Augustin. ' De Divinat,' ' Daemon,' &c.
Sect. 23. XV. Lastly: the testimony of the enemies of
Christianity is some encouragement to faith. u
What conjectures there be that Pythagoras had his know-
ledge from the Jews, and Plato was not a stranger to Moses's
writings, hath been showed by many. How plain it is that the
wiser and better any heathens have been, the nearer they have
come in their doctrines to that of Jesus Christ, I need not say
much to convince the considerate, that are men of reading.
How the Jews were convinced of the miracles of Christ, and
fled to the accusation of Christ as a magician, is already showed.
The wisest and best of the Roman emperors favoured them.
Dion Cassius, in the ' Life of Nerva Coccieus/ (page 1,) saith,
" Caeterum Nerva omnes qui impietatis in Deos rei fuerant, eos
absolvi voluit : exules in patriam reduxit." These that were
called impietatis rei, were the Jews and Christians who refused
to sacrifice to idols : and he addeth, " Et ne servi de caetero
dominos criininarentur, edicto vetuit, neve liceret aut impietatis,
aut Judaicae secta quemquam de hinc insimulari." It seemeth
bv this that when displeased servants would be revenged on
their masters, they used to accuse them of Christianity, or
Judaism.
Trajan did something against the Christians, being provoked
by the Jews, who (saith Dion Cassius, in ' Vita Trajani') did
u Porphyry was so convinced of the truth of Daniel's prophecy, that he is
fain to say, that it was written after the things were fulfilled; saith Grot.
Imo Petri miracula Phlegon Ad Hani imperatoris libertus in Auualibus suis
fcommemoravit : inquit Grotiiis de I'erit. lid. t. 3.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 297
make one Andrew their captain, and, about Cyrene, murdered,
of Greeks and Romans, above two hundred thousand men ; but
upon Pliny's information of the Christians' innoceucy and unjust
sufferings, their persecutions were moderated. x
Adrian also was exasperated by the Jews, who, as JE\. Spar-
tianus saith, in ' Adrian,' " Moverunt bellum, quod vetebantur
mutilare genitalia;" and the Christians were taken for a sort of
Jews, and so suffered often for their faults. But Serennius
Granianus Legatus, a Roman nobleman, writing to Adrian, how
unjust it was, upon vulgar clamour, to kill innocent Christians
only for their religion, Adrian wrote to Minutius Fundanus, pro-
consul of Asia, that no Christian should suffer, but for proved
crimes. Euseb. ' Hist.' (lib. 4.) v
Lampridius, in ' Alexand. Sever./ saith : " Quod (viz.
templum Christo facere) et Adrianus cogitasse fertur j qui
templa in omnibus civitatibus sine simulachris jussit fieri : quae
hodie idcirco, quia non habent numina, dicuntur Adriani ; quae
ille ad hoc parasse dicebatur : sed prohibitus est ab his, qui
consulentes sacra repererant, omnes Christianos futuros, si id
optato evenisset, et templa reliqua deserenda."
Lucian honoureth the Christians, while he derideth them for
their sufferings and faith, saying : " Persuaserunt sibi infoelices
Christiani, se immortalitate fruituros, perpetuoque victuros esse :
ideo et mortem magno contemnunt animo : ac non pauci sua
sponte semetipsos occidendos offerunt : postquam vero semel a.
nobis desciverunt, Graecorum Deos constanter abnegant," &c.
When Adrian had found how the Christians differed from
the Jews, and had suffered by Barchochebas, because they
would not join in the rebellion, when he had ended the war,
x Fuit vero prodigiorum apud sepulchra editorum tanta frequentia, .tot
eorum testes, ut etiam Porphyrio ejus rei confessionem expresserit inquit.—
Grot. 1. 3.
y I know what a stir is made about Josephus's ' Testimony of Christ ;' some
accounting it current, and some as foisted in by some Christian ; but 1 doubt
not to say, that to those who well consider all, the middle opinion of B. Usher
will appear to be the most probable : viz. That the whole sentence is current,
except those words, " This was Christ ;" and that some Christian, having
written those words as expository in the margin of his book, they afterwards
crept thence into the text. Athenagoras tells M. Aurel. Antoniuus, the em-
peror, and L. Aur. Commodus, to whom he wrote : Nee dubito quin vos etiam
doctissimi et sapientissimi principes, historias et scripta Mosis, Esaiae,
Hieremiae, et reliquorum prophetarum aliqua ex parte cognoveritis. Sed
vobis relinquo qui libros novistis, studiosius, in illorum prophetias inquirere
ac perpeudere, &c. — Apol. p. in B. pp. 56, 57. And it is likely that Autoniue
learned somewhat from the Scriptures, as well as Severus, if he so well knew
them ; and thence received some of his wisdom and virtue.
298 THE REASONS OF
he gave Jerusalem to the Christians and others^ to inhabit:
saith Eusebius.
Antoninus Pius published this edict for the Christians : " Si quis-
quam cuiquam Christiano, quia Christianus sit pergat molestiae
quicquam aut eriminis inferre, ille cui crimen illatum erit, etiamsi
Christianus reipsa deprehensussit,absolvatur : qui autem ilium ac-
cusaverat, justum debitumque supplicium subeat :" adding a decree
of Adrian's, thus : " Pro quibus hominibus et alii provinciarum pre-
sides, jam ante divo patri meo scripserunt; quibus ille rescripsit,
nequid interturbarent hoc genus hominum nisi qui convicti essent
tentasse quippiam contra rempublicam." Euseb. 'Hist, '(lib. 4).
And though, under that excellent prince, Antoninus Philoso-
phus, some persecution was raised, it was mostly by officers at
a great distance, in France, &c, yet all was staid, and favour
showed them, upon the miraculous relief of the army by rain,
upon the Christian soldiers' prayers, called Legio Fulminatrix ;
when they were at war with the Quadi ; of which see Jul.
Capitolin., Dion Cass., Tertul. * Apolog.,' Euseb. (lib 5.), Orosi-
um/ &c. His letters to the Senate are these : " Credibile est
Christianos, licet eos impios existimemus, Deum pro munimento
habere in pectore: simulenim atque humi sese abjecerunt, etpre-
ces fuderunt, ad ignotum mihi Deum, statim e coelo pluvia de-
Iapsa est, in nos quidem frigidissima, in nostros vero hostes
grando et fulmina: eorumque orationibus et precibus statim
Deus prsesto fuit, qui neque vinci neque expugnari potest.
Quamobrem concedamus talibus, ut sint Christiani, ne qua? tela
ejus generis contra nos petant et impetrent."
After this emperor, a company of beasts successivelv followed ;
yet most of them were restrained from great persecutions :
Commodus was restrained by Martia, a friend to the Christians,
as Dio Cass, writeth ; and others bv other means. And the
Christians often tendered their apologies : among whom,
Apollonius, a senator, in the reign of Commodus, offered a book
for Christianity, and was beheaded ; Euseb. (lib. 5.) But of all
the emperors that were from Augustus to Constantine, there
were but ten that persecuted the Christians, of whom, those
that I have mentioned, who reversed their decrees, or restrained
the persecutors, were a part.
Septim. Severus forbade any to become Christians ; but what
judgments did fall upon divers of his presidents, who perse-
cuted the Christians, and what convictions some of them had
by miracles, is worth the reading in Tertullian t Ad Scapul.'
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 299
Alexander Sevcrus, the most excellent of all the heathen
emperors, not excepting Antoninus Philos. was guided by the
renowned Ulpian, and his mother Mammea, supposed a Chris-
tian : of him, saith Lampridius, "Judaeis privilegia reservavit :
Christianos esse passus est :" vea, in the mornings he wentto pray-
er " in lacario suo, in quo et divos principes, sed optimus electos,
et animas sanctiores, in queis et Apollonium ; et quantum scrip-
tor suorum temporum dicit, Christum, Abraham, et Orpheum,
et hujusmodi Deos habebat." Yea, saith the same Lampridius,
" Christo templum facere voluit, eumque inter Deos recipere :
Quod et Adrianus cogitasse fertur:" &c. j ut ante. And after:
" Cum Christiani quendam locum, qui publicus fuerat, occu-
passent ; contra, popinarii dicerent sibi eum deberi ; rescripsit,
melius esse ut quomodocunque illic Deus colatur ; quam popina-
riis dedatur." The great strictness of the christian churches
in the election of their pastors, he made his example in the
choice of his officers : " Dicebatque grave esse, cum id Chris-
tiani et Judaei facerent in praedicandis sacerdotibus qui ordinandi
sunt, non fieri in provinciarum rectoribus, quibus fortunae homi-
num committuntur et capita:" that is, "Nomina eorum pro-
ponebat, hortans populum, siquis quid haberet criminis, proba-
ret manifestis rebus ; si non probaret, poenam subire capitis."
He made a saying of Christ's his motto, saith Lamprid : "Cla-
mabatque saepius quod a quibusdam sive Judaeis sive Christianis
audierat, et tenebat ; idque per praeconem cum aliquem emen-
daret, dici jubebat, Quod tibi nonvis, alteri ne feceris : quam
sententiam usque adeo dilexit, ut et in palatio, et in publicis
operibus, praescribi juberet." Thus you see what opinion the
best Roman heathen emperors had of Christ and the christians,
Paul had liberty in Rome to preach in his hired house to any
that would come and hear him; (Acts xxviii. 31 ;) no man
forbidding him. And those Emperors that did persecute
Christianity, were either such beasts as Nero, or at best such as
never understood the reason of that religion, but persecuted they
knew not what. And it was not so much for the positive parts
of Christianity that they persecuted them, as for the negatives,
even for denying honour and worship to those idols, whom the
Romans had been long accustomed to adore. So that " Tollite
impios, Tollite impios," was the cry of the rabble, as if it had
been ungodliness to deny their gods : and to sacrifice or burn
incense on the idols' altars was that ordinary command which
they disobeyed, to the suffering of death.
300 THE REASONS OF
As Grotius saith, (lib. 3,) " Multa habemus testimonia quae
historiae istis libris traditae partes aliquot confnmanu Sic Jesum
cruci affixum, ab ipso et discipulis ejus miracula patrata, et
Haebraei et Pagani memorant. De Herode, Pilato, Festo, Faelice,
de Johanne Baptista, de Gamaliele, de Jerosolymorum excidio,
exstant scripta luculentissima Josephi edita paulo post annum a
Christi obitu 40. Cum quibus consentiunt ea quae apud Thal-
mudicos de iisdem temporibus leguntur. Neronis saevitiam in
Christianos Tacitus memoriae prodidit. Exstabant olim et libri
turn privatorum ut Phlegontis, turn et acta publica, ad quae
Christiani,provocabant, quibus constabat de eo sidere, quod post
Christum natum apparuit, de terrae motu, et solis deliquio contra
naturam, plenissimo lunae orbe, circa tempus quo Christus crucis
supplicio affectus est."
Celsus and Julian do not deny the miracles of Christ : Maho-
met himself confesseth Christ to be a true prophet, and the word
of God ; and condemneth the Jews for rejecting him. He con-
fesseth his miraculous nativity, and mighty works, and that he
was sent from heaven to preach the Gospel : he bringeth in God
as saying, "We have delivered our declarations to Jesus, the son
of Mary, and strengthened him by the Holy Ghost." And, we
have delivered him the Gospel, in which is direction and light,
&c. : and he teacheth his followers this creed, say, ' We believe
in God, and that which was delivered to Moses and Jesus, and
which was delivered to the prophets from their Lord. We dis-
tinguish not between any of them, and we deliver up ourselves
to his faith.' And if Christ be to be believed, as Mahomet
saith, then Christianity is the true religion ; for, as for his and
his followers' reports, that the Scriptures are changed, and that
we have put out Christ's prediction that Mahomet must be sent,
&c. ; they are fables, not only unproved, but before here proved
utterly impossible.
ReadEusebius/Eccles. Hist.' (l.xviii.c. 17 and 18. and 1. xi.c.
10,) of God's strange judgments on Maximinus, the emperor;
whose bowels were tormented, and his lower parts ulcerated
with innumerable worms, and so great a stink that killed some of
his physicians ; which forced him to confess, that what had
befallen him was deserved, for his madness against Christ ;
for he had forbidden the Christians their assemblies, and per-
secuted them : wherefore he commanded that they should cease
persecuting the Christians ; and that, by a law and imperial edict,
their assemblies should be again restored : he confessed his sins,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. SOI
and begged the Christians' prayers, and professed that if he were
recovered, he would worship the God of the Christians, whom
by experience he had found to be the true God.
See Bishop Fotherby's 'Atheomast.' (1. i. c. 3. pp. 140, 141,)
comparing his case with Antiochus's.
Paulus Orosius, 'Hist.' (lib. 6, fine,) telleth us of a fountain of
oil which flowed a whole day in Augustus's reign j and how
Augustus refused to be called Dominus, and how he shut up
Janus 's temple because of the universal peace ; and that "Eo
tempore, id est, eo anno quo fortissimam verissimamque pacem
ordinatione Dei Caesar composuit, natus est Christus; cujus
adventum pax ista famulata est ; in cujus ortu audientibus homi-
mbus exultantes angeli cecinerunt, Gloria in excelsis Deo et in
terra pax hominibus bouse voluntatis."
See also what, after others, he saith of Tiberius motioning to
the senate, that Christ might be accounted a God; andSejanus
resisting it : (lib. 7. 'Auct. Bib. Pat.' to.l. p. 209,) where he saith
also, that aliquanti Grcecorum libri attested the darkness at
Christ's death. And (lib. 7. p. 216) he showeth that, as after
the ten plagues of Egypt, the Israelites were delivered, and the
Egyptians destroyed, so was it in the Roman empire with the
Christians and Pagans, after the particul ir revenges of the ten
persecutions. But because he is a christian historian, I cite no
more from him.
CHAP. IX.
Yet Faith hath many Difficulties to overcome : what they are ;
and what their Causes.
There are two sorts of persons who may possibly peruse
these things, and are of tempers so contrary, that what helpeth
one may hurt the other : the first are those who see so many
objections and difficulties, that they are turned from the due
apprehension of the evidences of Christianity, and can think of
nothing but stumbling-blocks to their faith. To tell these men
of more difficulties, may add to their discouragement, and do
them hurt : and yet I am not of their mind that think they
should be therefore silenced ; for that may tempt them to ima-
gine them unanswerable, if they come into their minds : the
better way for these men is, to desire them better to study the
302 THE REASONS OF
evidence of truth : and there are other men, who must be
thought of, who seeing no difficulties in the work of faith, do
continue unfortified against them, and keep up a belief by mere
extrinsic helps and advantages, which will fall as soon as the
storms assault it : and because no doubt is well overcome that is
not known, and nil tarn certum quam quod ex dnbio certum est,
I will venture to open the difficulties of believing. 2
Sect. 1. That believing in Christ is a work of difficulty, is
proved, both by the paucity of sound believers, and the imper-
fection of faith in the sincere ; and the great and wonderful
means which must be used to bring men to believe.
Superficial believers are a small part of the whole world, and
sound believers are a small part of professed Christians : and
these sound believers have many a temptation, and some of them
many a troublesome doubt, and all of them a faith which is too
far from perfection. And yet all the miracles, evidences, argu-
ments and operations aforesaid, must be used to bring them
even to this.
Sect. 2. The difficulties are, I. Some of them in the things to
be believed ; II. Some of them in extrinsical impediments ;
III. And some of them in the mind of man who must believe.
Sect. 3. I. 1. The mysteriousness of the doctrine of the
blessed Trinity, hath always been a difficulty to faith, and occa-
sioned many to avoid Christianity, especially the Mahometans ;
and many heretics to take up devices of their own, to shift it off.
Sect. 4. II. The incarnation of the Second Person, the eternal
Word, and the personal union of the divine nature with the
human, is so strange a condescension of God to man, as maketh
this the greatest of difficulties, and the greatest stumbling-block
to infidels and heretics.
Sect. 5. III. The resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ,
and the advancement of man's nature in him above the angelical
nature and glory, is a difficulty.
Sect. 6. IV. To believe all the history of the miracles of
Christ, the prophets, and apostles, is difficult, because of the
strangeness of the things.
Sect. 7. V. It is not without difficulty firmly to believe the
2 Omnis credendi difficultas non temere ex futili nulliusque judicii opinione
nascitur ; sed ex valida causa, et verisimilitudiue pi mi mum munita : turn
enim incredulitas rationem justam habel, quum ipsa res de qua non creditur,
quiddam incredibile continet. Nam rebus quae dubitandi causam non habent,
non credere, eorum est qui sauo judiciu in discutienda veritate minime utun-
luT.—Atlienagor. Leg. p. 82.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 303
immortality of souls, and the endlessness of the felicity of the
life to come. a
Sect. 8. VJ. And it hath proved hard to many to believe
the endless miseries of damned souls in hell.
Sect. 9. VII. And it is as hard to believe the paucity of the
blessed, and that the damned are the far greater number.
Sect. 10. VIII. And that so great a change, and so holy a
life, is necessary to salvation, hath proved a difficulty to some.
Sect. 11. IX. The doctrine of the resurrection of the body
is one of the greatest difficulties of all.
Sect. 12. X. So is Christ's coming into the world so late,
and the revealing of his Gospel to so few, by prophecy before,
and by preaching since.
Sect. 13. XI. So also was the appearing meanness of the
person of Christ, and of his parentage, place, and condition in
the world ; together with the manner of his birth.
Sect. 14. XII. The manner of his sufferings and death upon
a cross, as a malefactor, under the charge of blasphemy, im-
piety, and treason, hath still been a stumbling-block both to
Jews and gentiles.
Sect. 15. XIII. So hath the fewness and meanness of his
followers, and the number, and worldly pre-eminence and pros-
perity of unbelievers, and enemies of Christ.
Sect. 16. XIV. The want of excellency of speech and art in
the holy Scriptures, that they equal not other writings in
logical method and exactness, and in oratorical elegancies, is
a great offence to unbelievers.
Sect. 17^ XV. As also that the physics of Scripture so much
differeth from philosophers'.
Sect. 18. XVI. As also the seeming contradictions of the
Scripture do much offend them.
Sect. 19. XVII. And it offendeth them, that faith in
Christ himself is made a thing of such excellency and necessity
to salvation.
Sect. 20. XVIII. And it is hard to believe, that present
adversity and undoing in the world is for our benefit and ever-
lasting good.
Sect. 21. XIX. And it offendeth many, that the doctrine of
Christ doth seem not suited to kingdoms and civil governments,
but only for a few private persons.
a Si animus sit quinta ilia, non nominata magis quam intellecta natura :
multo integriora et puriorasunt ut a, terra longissime seefferant. — Cicer, Tusc.
Qu.\. l.p.223.
304 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 22. XX. Lastly, the prophecies, which seem not intelli-
gible, or not fulfilled, prove matter of difficulty and offence.
These are the intrinsical difficulties of faith.
Sect. 23. II. The outward adventitious impediments to the
belief of the christian faith are such as these : 1. Because many
Christians, especially the papists, have corrupted the doctrine
of faith, and propose gross falsehoods, contrary to common
sense and reason, as necessary points of christian faith, as in
the point of transubstantiation.
Sect. 24. II. They have given the world either false or insuf-
ficient reasons and motives, for the belief of the christian verity ;
which, being discerned, confirmeth them in infidelity.
Sect. 25. III. They have corrupted God's worship, and have
turned it from rational and spiritual, into a multitude of irra-
tional, ceremonious fopperies, fitted to move contempt and
laughter in unbelievers.
Sect. 26. IV. They have corrupted the doctrine of morality,
and thereby hidden much of the holiness and purity of the
christian religion.
Sect. 27. V. They have corrupted church history, obtruding
or divulging a multitude of ridiculous falsehoods in their legends
and books of miracles, contrived purposely by Satan to tempt
men to disbelieve the miracles of Christ and his apostles.
Sect. 28. VI. They make Christianity odious, by upholding
their own sect and power, by fire, and blood, and inhuman
cruelties.
Sect. 29. VII. They openly manifest that ambition and worldly
dignities, and prosperity in the clergy, is their very religion j
and withal pretend that their party, or sect, is all the church.
Sect. 30. VIII. And the great disagreement among Christians
is a stumbling-block to unbelievers, while the Greeks and
Romans strive who shall be the greatest ; and both they, and
many other sects, are condemning, unchurching, and reproaching
one another.
Sect. 31. IX. The undisciplined churches, and wicked lives
of the greatest part of professed Christians, especially in the
Greek and Latin churches, is a great confirmation of infidels in
their unbelief. b
Sect. 32. X. And it tempteth many to apostacy, to observe
the scandalous errors and miscarriages of many who seemed
more godly than the rest.
Sect. 33. XI. It is an impediment to Christianity, that the
b Leg. Nazianz. Orat. 2(J et 32,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 305
richest, and greatest, the learned, and the far greatest number
in the world, have been still against it.
Sect. 34. XII. The custom of the country, and tradition of
their fathers, and the reasonings and cavils of men that have
both ability, and opportunity, and advantage, do bear down
the truth in the countries where infidels prevail.
Sect. 35. XII J. The tyranny of cruel, persecuting princes, in
the Mahometan and heathen parts of the world, is the grand
impediment to the progress of Christianity, by keeping away
the means of knowledge.
And of this the Roman party of Christians hath given them
an encouraging example, dealing more cruelly with their fellow-
Christians, than the Turks, and some heathen princes do ; so
that tyranny is the great sin which keepeth out the Gospel from
most parts of the earth.
Sect. 36. III. But no impediments of faith are so great as
those within us j as, 1 . The natural strangeness of all corrupted
minds to God, and their blindness in all spiritual things.
Sect. 37. II. Most persons in the world have weak, in-
judicious, unfurnished heads, wanting the common, natural
preparatives to faith, not able to see the force of a reason, in
things beyond the reach of sense.
Sect. 38. III. The carnal mind is enmity against the holiness
of Christianity, and therefore will still oppose the receiving of
its principles.
Sect. 39. IV. By the advantages of nature, education, custom,
and company, men are early possessed with prejudices and false
conceits against a life of faith and holiness, which keep out
reforming truths.
Sect. 40. V. It is very natural to incorporated souls, to desire
a sensible way of satisfaction, and to take up with things pre-
sent and seen, and to be little affected with things unseen, and
above our senses. c
Sect. 41. VI. Our strangeness to the language, idioms, pro-
verbial speeches then used, doth disadvantage us as to the
understanding of the Scriptures.
Sect. 42. VII. So doth our strangeness to the places and
customs of the country, and many other matters of fact.
Sect. 43. VIII. Our distance from those ages doth make it
necessary, that matters of fact be received by human repoit
c Magni autem est in^enii, revocare mentem a sensibus, et cogitation em a
cciisuetudine abdueerc.— Cicero Tuscul. On. 1. 1. p. 222.
VOL. XXI. X
306 THE REASONS OF
and historical evidence ; and too few are well acquainted with
such history.
Sect. 44. IX. Most men do forfeit the helps of grace by
wilful sinning, and make atheism and infidelity seem to be
desirable to their carnal interest, and so are willing to be
deceived ; and forsaking God, they are forsaken by him, fleeing
from the light, and overcoming truth, and debauching con-
science, and disabling reason, for their sensual delights.
Sect. 45. X. Those men that have most need of means and
help, are so averse and lazy, that they will not be at the pains
and patience to read, and confer, and consider, and pray, and
use the means which are needful to their information ; but
settle their judgment by slight and slothful thoughts.
Sect. 46. XL Yet are the same men proud and self-con-
ceited, and unacquainted with the weakness of their own under-
standings, and pass a quick and confident judgment on things
which they never understood; it being natural to men to
judge according to what they do actually apprehend, and not
according to what they should apprehend, or is apprehended
by another.
Sect. 47. XII. Most men think it the wisest wav, because it
is the easiest, to be, at a venture, of the religion of the king and
the country where they live ; and to do as the most about them
do, which is seldom best.
Sect. 48. XIII. Men are grown strangers to themselves,
and know not what man is, or what is a reasonable soul ; but
have so abused their higher faculties, that they are grown
ignorant of their dignity and use, and know not that in them-
selves which should help their faith.
Sect. 49. XIV. Men are grown so bad and false, and prone
to lying themselves, that it maketh them the more incredulous
of God and man, as judging of others by themselves.
Sect. 50. XV. The cares of the body and world do so take
up the minds of men, that they cannot afford the matters of
God and their salvation such retired, serious thoughts, as they
do necessarily require.
Sect. 51. XVI. Too i'ew have the happiness of judicious guides,
who rightly discern the methods and evidences of the Gospel,
and tempt not men to unbelief by their mistaken grounds and
unsound reasonings. These are the impediments and difficulties
of faith in the persons themselves who should believe.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 307
CHAP. X.
The intrinsical Difficulties in the Christian -Faith resolved.
Object. 1. The doctrine of the Trinity is not intelligible or
credible.
Ansvv. 1. Nothing at all in God can be comprehended, or
fully known by any creatures. God were not God, that is,
perfect and infinite, if he were comprehensible by such worms
as we. Nothing is so certainly known as God, and yet nothing
so imperfectly.
2. The doctrine of the Trinity in unity is so intelligible
and credible, and so admirably apparent in its products, in the
methods of nature and morality, that to a wise observer it
maketh Christianity much the more credible, because it openeth
more fully these excellent mysteries and methods. Jt is intelli-
gible and certain that man is made in the image of God ; and
that the noblest creatures bear most of the impress of their
Maker's excellency; and that the invisible Deity is here to be
known by us, as in the glass of his visible works ; of which the
rational or intellectual nature is the highest with which we are
acquainted. rt And it is most certain that in the unity of man's
mind or soul, there is a trinity of essentialities, or primalities,
(as Campanella calleth them ;) that is, such faculties as are so
little distinct from the essence of the soul as such, that philoso-
phers are not yet agreed, whether they shall sav, it is realiter^
formaliter, relative rel denominatione extrinseca. To pass by
the three faculties of vegetation, sensation, and intellection;
in the soul, as intellectual, there are the essential faculties of
power, executive or communicative, ad extra; intellect and
will, posse, scire, velle ; e and accordingly in morality or virtue,
there is in one new creature or holy nature, wisdom, goodness,
and ability or fortitude, and promptitude to act according to
them ; and in our relation to things below us, in the unity of
our dominion or superiority, there is a trinity of relations, viz.,
(1 See part 1. c. 5. Pardon the repetitions here for the reasons after men-
tioned. See, before, in the margin of chap. 5, part 1, the Collection of Chris-
topher Simpson, ' Of Trinity in Unity, in the Harmony of Musical Concor-
dance, in the Division Violist.' p. 17.
c Read Canipauella's 'Metaphysics,' and his ' Atheismus triumphatus/ of
this.
x 2
308 THE REASONS OF
we are their owners, their rulers, according to their capacity, and
their end and benefactors. So that in the unity of God's image
upon man, there is this natural, moral, and dominative image ;
and in the natural, the trinity of essential faculties ; and in the
moral, the trinity of holy virtues j and in the dominative, a
trinity of superior relations/
And though the further we go from the root, the more dark-
ness and dissimilitude appeareth to us, yet it is strange to see
even in the body, what analogies there are to the faculties of
soul, in the superior, middle, and inferior regions ; and in
them, the natural, vital, and animal parts, with the three sorts
of humours, three sorts of concoctions, and three sorts of spirits
answerable thereto, and admirably united : with much more,
which a just scheme would open to you. And, therefore, seeing
God is known to us by this his image, and in this glass, though
we must not think that any thing in God is formally the same
as it is in man, yet, certainly, we must judge that all this is
eminently in God; and that we have no fitter notions and
names concerning his incomprehensible perfections, than what
are borrowed from the mind of man. Therefore, it is thus un-
deniable, that God is in the unity of his eternal, infinite essence,
a trinity of essentialities, or active principles, viz., power, intel-
lect, and will ; and in their holy perfections, they are omni-
potency, omniscience or wisdom, and goodness; and in his
relative supremacy is contained this trinity of relations, he is
our Owner, our Rector, and our chief Good, that is, our Bene-
factor and our End.
And as in man's soul, the posse, scire, velle, are not three parts
of the soul, it being the whole soul, quce potest, quce intelligit
et quce vult, and yet these three are not f or maliter,ov how you will
otherwise call the distinction, the same ; even so in God, it is not
one part of God that hath power, and another that hath under-
standing, and another that hath will ; but the whole Deity is
power, the whole is understanding, and the whole is will. The
whole is omnipotency, the whole is wisdom, and the whole is
f Richardus in Opuscul. ad S. Bernard, de appropriates personarum, inquit,
quod potentia, sapientia, et bonitas, sunt notissicia quid sint apud nos, qui
ex. visibilibus invisibilia Dei per ea quae facta sunt intellecta conspicimus : et
quoniam in elementis, et plantis, et brutis reperitur potentia sine sapientia ;
et in homine et ill angelo reperitur potentia, set! non sine sapientia ! Et in
Lucifero reperitur potentia et sapientia, sine bonitate et charitate, seu bona
voluntate : sed in homine bono, bonoque in angelo, non datur bona voluntas,
nisi adsit posse et scire : igitur sunt tria h;ec distincta ; et posse est per se ut
principale, sapientia est a potentia, et ab utrisque voluntas et amor.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 309
goodness, the Fountain of that which in man is called holiness,
or moral goodness : and, yet, formally to understand is not to
will, and to will is not to he ahle to execute.
If you say, i What is all this to the Trinity of hypostases or
persons ? ' I answer, Either the three subsistences in the Trinity
are the same with the potentia, intellectus, and voluntas, in the
divine essence, or not : if they are the same, there is nothing at
all unintelligible, incredible, or uncertain in it; for natural reason
knoweth that there is all these eminently in God ; and whoever
will think that any human language can speak of him, must con-
fess that his omnipotence, wisdom, and goodness, his power,
intellect, and will, must be thus to man's apprehension distin-
guished, otherwise, we must say nothing at all of God, or say that
his power is his willing, and his willing is his knowing, and that
he willeth all the sin which he knoweth, and all that he can do j
which language will, at best, signify nothing to any man. s
And it is to be noted, that our Saviour, in his eternal subsist-
ence, is called, in Scripture, the Wisdom of God, (or his Internal
Word) ; and in his operations, in the creation, he is called, the
Word of God, as operative or efficient ; and in his incarnation
he is called, the Son of God : though these terms be not always,
and only thus used, yet usually they are.
The words of an ancient, godly writer before cited, are con-
siderable, Potho Prumensis, ' De Statu Domus Dei, (lib. i. p.
567. in Biblioth. Patr. t. 9.') " Tria sunt invisibilia Dei ; h. e.
potentia, sapientia, benignitas, a quibus omnia procedunt, in
quibus omnia subsistunt, per quae omnia reguntur : Pater est
potentia, Filius sapientia, Spiritus Sanctus benignitas. Potentia
creat, sapientia gubernat, benignitas conservat. Potentia per
benignitatem sapienter creat : sapientia per potentiam benigne
gubernat : benignitas per sapientiam potenter conservat : sicut
imago in speculo cernitur, sic in ratione animae. Huic similitu-
dini Dei approximat homo; cui potentia Dei dat bonum posse;
sapientia tribuit scire ; benignitas prsestat velle : haec triplex
animae rationalis vis est ; scil. posse, scire, velle ; quae supra-
dictis tribus fidei, spei, et charitati cooperantur," &c. Read
s Ecce in uno capite, duo tibi sunt oculi : sed est substantias eorum unus
aspectus, &c. Quod si unius substantias in te ista bina continent uaitatem,
non vis in Deo Patre et Filio vere duas personas unam babere substautiam. —
Arnobius Conflict, cum Serapione, p. 354. Vide Cscsarii Dialog. Q. 2. de
triplici luniiue. 2o<£i'ai> eav elirw ■yevvtjj.t.a. outs iyu, inquit Theophil. Antioch.
ad Autol. 1. 1, p. 3. Leg. August, de Trinitate, et Dialog ex eo excerpt, de
Trinit. in B. P. Gr. Lat. to. 1. p. 540.
310 THE REASONS OF
more in the author, 11 and in Raimundus Luilius; and among
later writers, in Campanella, Raymundus de sabundis, &c, as
I said before. He that will give you a scheme of divinity in the
true method, will but show you how all God's works and laws flow
from these three essentialities or principles ; and the three great
relations founded in them, his being our Owner, Ruler, and
chief Good ; and how all our duty is branched out accordingly
in our correlations. He will show you the Trinity of graces,
faith, hope, and love ; and the three summary rules, the Creed,
Lord's Prayer, and Decalogue ; and, in a word, would show you
that the Trinity revealeth itself through the whole frame of true
theology or morality ; but who is able to discern it in the smaller
and innumerable branches ? '
Yea, if ever it were to be hoped that our physics should be
brought into the light of certainty and true method, you would
see unity in trinity in all things in the world ; you would see
that in the sun and the other celestial luminaries, which are the
glorious images of the intellectual world, in the unity of their
essence there is a moving, illuminating, and heating power,
and that no one of these is formally the other, nor is any one of
them a part of the sun or other luminary, much less a mere
accident of qualitv, but an essential, active principle or power ;
the whole luminary being essentially a principle of motion, light
and heat, which are not accidents in them, but acts flowing im-
mediately from their essential powers, as intellection and volition
from the soul.
I shall now say no more of this, but profess that the discovery
h Nihil aliud est Films vel Verbum Dei, quam cogitatio, vel ars, vel sapientia
ejus Nihil aliud Sp. Sanctus quam amor Dei intelligitur. — Id. Ibid. p.
542, 543.
1 Leg. et Hilar. deTrinit. Vide. Maxim. Mystagog. Ecclesiast. c. 6. Per
talem rationem venit homo ad cognitionem Dei, quod est unus in substantia,
et trinus in personis. Istud idem videt homo in seipso : nam ipse videt bene
quod semper habuit homo in seipso potentiam, et post potentiam, sapientiam :
Et de ambabu; venit amor : et quando videt homo quod ita est in seipso,
ex hoc inteliiget bene quod ita est in Deo, qui est ultra ilium, viz. Quod in
Deo sit potestas, et de ilia potestate venit sapientia, et de utraque venit amor.
Et propter hoc quod ex prima persona venit secunda, et de ambahus pro-
ccdit tertia, ideo prima persona vocatur Pater, secunda Filius, tertia Spirit-
us Sanctus. Isto modo venit homo primo ad cognitionem Dei sui creatoris,
quomodo est sine principio, et quare vocatur Dens, unus substantia, trinus
personis. Et quia prima persona vocatur Pater, secunda Filius, tertia Spiritus
Sanctus ; et quia appropinquatur potestas Patri, sapientia Filio, bonitas et
amor Sp.Sancto : tali modo debet cognoscere Deum Filium, etiste modus cog-
nitionis e«-t fundamentum contemplationis. — Edmund Arcldepis. Cantuari.
Specul. Ecvles. c. 28. See more of this before, (to. 1. c, 5.)
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 311
of the emanations or products of the Trinity, and the image and
vestigia of it, in the course of nature and method of morality,
doth much increase my reverence to the christian doctrine : so
far is the Trinity from being to me a stumbling-block.
Object. But what are such trinities in unity as these to the
Trinity of persons in the Deity ? Such weak arguments will but
increase incredulity. Will you pretend to prove the Trinity by
natural reason ; or would you persuade us that it is' but three of
God's attributes, or our inadequate conceptions of him ? Opera
Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa : ergo, no creature can reveal
to us the Trinitv.
Answ. 1. It is one thing to prove the sacred Trinity of per-
sons by such reason, or to undertake fully to open the mystery ;
and it is another thing to prove that the doctrine is neither in-
credible nor unlikely to be true; and that it implieth no con-
tradiction or discordancy, but rather seemeth very congruous
both to the frame of nature and of certain moral verities. This
only is my task against the infidel.
2. It is one thing to show in the creatures a clear demonstra-
tion of this Trinity of persons, by showing an effect that fully
answereth it ; and another thing to show such vestigia, adum-
bration or image of it, as hath those dissimilitudes which must
be allowed in any created image of God. This is it which I am
to do.
3. He that confoundeth the attributes of God, and distin-
guished! not those which express these three essential primalities
or active principles to which our faculties are analogous, from the
rest ; or that thinketh that we should cast by this distinction,
under the name of an inadequate conception, so far as we can
imagine these principles to be the same, and that there is not
truly in the Deity a sufficient ground for this distinction, is not
the man that I am willing now to debate this cause with ; I have
done that sufficiently before. Whether the distinction be real,
formal, or denominative, the Thomists, Scotists, and nominals,
have disputed more than enough ; but even the nominals say that
there is a sufficient ground for the denomination, which some
call virtual, and some relative ; and they that dispute of the
distinction of persons, do accordingly differ, calling it either
relative, virtual, formal, or moral, or ratione ' ratiocinata, as thev
imagine best; and they that differ about these do accordinglv
differ about the difference of the faculties of our souls : for my
part, I see not the least reason to doubt but that the Trinitv of
312 THE REASONS OF
divine primalities, principles, and perfections hath made its im-
press on man's soul in its three parts, viz., the natural, the moral,
and the dominative parts, In the first we have an active power,
an intellect and free-will : in the second, fortitude, or holy
promptitude and strength ; wisdom and goodness, or love: in
the third, we are to the inferior creatures their owners, rulers,
and benefactors, or end ; and whatever you will call our faculties,
and their moral perfections, it is undouhted that in God, his
omnipotencv, wisdom, and goodness are his essence, and yet as
much distinct as is aforesaid. And what mortal man is able to
say whether the distinction of persons be either greater or less
than this ? And remember, that as I speak of motion, light
and heat, both as in the faculties of the sun, as I may call them,
and in the acts or emanations ; and of the power, intellect and
will of man, both as in the faculties and acts ; so do I here of
the divine primalities ; yet so, as supposing that in God, who is
called a pure act, there is not such a difference between power
and act as there is in man or other creatures.
4. No man, I think, is able to prove that the works of the
Trinity, ad extra, are anymore undivided, than the works of the
three essential active principles. They are so undivided as
that yet the work of creation is eminently, or most notably
ascribed to the Father, as is also the sending of the Son into
the world, the forgiving of sin for his sake, &c, and the work
of redemption to the Son, and the work of sanctification to the
Holy Ghost : we shall be as loth to say, that the Father or
Holy Ghost was incarnate for us, or died for us, or mediates for
us, as that the power or love of God doth the works which
belong to his wisdom. And the essential wisdom and love of
God are no more communicable to man, than the Son and Holy
Spirit, who are said to be given to us, and to dwell within us.
The Scripture often calleth Christ the wisdom of God : and
Ao'7©- is both the ratio et oratio, the internal and expressed, (or
incarnate) word. And he that understandeth that by the Holy
Ghost, which is said in Scripture to be given to believers, is
meant the habitual or preva ent love to God, will better under-
stand how the Holy Ghost is said to be given to them that
already have so much of it as to cause them to believe. Abun-
dance of heretics have troubled the church with their self-de-
vised opinions about the Trinity, and the person and natures of
Christ : and I am loth to say, how much many of the orthodox
have troubled it also, with their self-conceited, misguided,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 313
uncharitable zeal, against those whom they judged heretics.
The present divisions between the Roman church, the Greeks,
the Armenians, Syrians, Coptics, and Ethiopians, is too sad a
proof of this : and the long contention between the Greeks and
Latins about the terms hypostatis and persona.
5. And I would advise the reader to be none of those that
shall charge with heresy all those schoolmen, and late divines,
both papists and protestants, who say that the three persons are
" Deus seipsum intelligens, Deus a seipso intellectus, et Deus
a seipso amatus," though I am not one that say as they : nor
yet those holy men whom I have here cited, Potho Prumensis,
Edmundus Archiepisc. Cantuariensis, et Parisensis, and many
others, who expressly say, that potentia, sapientia, et amor, are
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. k
6. But for my own part, as I unfeignedly account the doc-
trine of the Trinity the very sum and kernel of the christian
religion, (as expressed in our baptism,) and Athanasius' Creed,
the best explication of it that ever I read, so I think it very
unmeet in these tremendous mysteries, to go further than we
have God's own light to guide us : and it is none of my purpose
at all to join with either of the two fore-mentioned parties, nor
to assert that the mystery of the blessed Trinity of hypostases,
or persons, is no other than this uncontroverted Trinity of essen-
tial principles. All that I endeavour is but as aforesaid, to show
that this doctrine is neither contradictory, incredible, nor un-
likely, by showing the vestigia or image of it, and that which is
as liable to exception, and yet of unquestionable truth. And
if the three hypostases be not the same with the trinity of
principles aforesaid, yet no man can give a sufficient reason why
three in one should not be truly credible and probable in the
one instance, when common, natural reason is fully satisfied of it
in the other. He must better understand the difference between
a person and such an essential principle in divinis, than any
mortal man doth, who will undertake to prove from the title of
a ' person' that one is incredible or unlikely, when the other is
so clear and sure : or rather, he understandeth it not at all, that
so imagineth. For my part, I again, from my heart, profess, that
the image or vestigia of Trinity in unity through the most notable
parts of nature and morality, do increase my estimation of the
christian religion, because oftheadmirablecongruity and harmony.
k See Bishop Lucy, in the end of his book against Hobs, proving the
Trinity by Lully's reasons.
314 THE REASONS OF
Object. II. But who is able to believe the incarnation and
hypostatical union ? If you should read that a king's son, in
compassion to poor flies, or fleas, or lice, had himself become
a fly, or flea, or louse (had it been in his power), to save their
lives, would you have thought it credible ? And yet the conde-
scension had been nothing to this, as being but of a creature to
a creature.'
Answ. This is indeed the greatest difficulty of faith : but
if you do not mistake the matter, you will find it also the greatest
excellency of faith. 1. Therefore, you must take heed of
making it difficult by your own error: think not that the
Godhead was turned into man, (as you talk of a man becoming
a fly,) nor yet that there was the least real change upon the
Deity by this incarnation ; nor the least real abasement, dis-
honour, loss, injury, or suffering to it thereby. For all these are
not to be called difficulties, but impossibilities and blasphemies.
There is no abatement of any of the divine perfections by it,
nor anv confinement of the essence : but as the soul of man doth
animate the body, so the Eternal Word doth, as it were, ani-
mate the whole human nature of Christ. As Athanasius saith,
M As the reasonable soul and human flesh do make one man, so
God and man are one Christ : and that without any coarctation,
limitation, or restriction of the Deity." 2. And this should be
no strange doctrine, nor incredible to most of the philosophers
of the world, who have one part of them taught, that God is the
Soul of the world, and that the whole universe is thus animated
by him : and another part, that he is the Soul of souls, or in-
telligences, animating them as they do bodies. That, therefore,
which they affirm of all, cannot by them be thought incredible
of one. And it is little less, if any thing at all, which the
peripatetics themselves have taught of the assistant forms
(intelligences) which move the orbs; and of the agent-intellect
in man ; and some of them, of the universal soul in all men.
And what all their vulgar people have thought of the deifying
of heroes, and other men, it is needless to recite : Julian himself
1 Arnobius junior, in his conflict ' cum Serapione,' useth this similitude:
As fire and gold are two distinct substances, yet fire is of itself invisible, till by
union with the heated gold it becometh visible : so Christ's divine nature and
his human, &c. — Leg. pp. 36'8, 329. And to the question, ' Utrum Pater Filium
genuerit necessitate an voluntate ?' he answereth, " Neither : because under-
standing or wisdom is not necessitated, and yet is antecedent to volition." Hut
by necessity he seemeth to mean that which is by constraint. Vide Nat.
Fervardent. in loc. Leg. Methodii Resp. ad eos qui dicunt, <Juid profuit nobis
Filius Dei homo factus ? &c. — Edit, per Gretser,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 3 15
believed the like of Esculapius. None of these philosophers,
then, have any reason to stumble at this, which is but agreeable
to their own opinions. And, indeed, the opinion that God is
the Soul of souls, or of the intellectual world, hath that in it
which may be a strong temptation to the wisest to imagine it :
though, indeed, he is no constitutive form of any of those crea-
tures, but to be their Creator and total Efficient is much more.
What union it is which we call hypostatical, we do not fully
understand ourselves : but we are sure that it is such as no more
abaseth the Deitv, than its concourse with the sun in its
efficiencies. 111
Object. But what kin are these assertions of philosophers to
yours, of the incarnation of the Eternal Word and Wisdom
of God ?
Answ. What was it but an incarnation of a Deity which thev
affirmed of Esculapius and such others ? And they that thought
God to be the Soul of the world, thought that the world was as
much animated with the Deity as we affirm the human nature of .
Christ to have been; yea, for aught I see, whilst they thought
that this soul was parcelled out to every individual, and that
matter only did pro tempore individuate, they made every man
to be God incarnate. And can they believe that it is so with
every man, and yet think it incredible in Christianity that our
human nature is personally united to the divine ! I think in this
they contradict themselves.
3. And it is no way incredible that God should value man
according to his natural worth and usefulness, as an intellectual
agent, capable of knowing, and loving, and praising him, and
enjoying him. His creating us such, and his abundant mercies
to us, do abundantly prove the truth of this. Nor is it incredi-
m Junilius (De part. Div. Leg-. 1. 1, c. 19.) saith, that Et essentia vel natura
facit, quia ei nihil accitlens est, et tamen voluntate, quia nihil facit necessi-
tate vel coactus. Speaking- of his operations as he is Bonus, Sapiens, Fortis.
(Leg-. Ruperti Tuitiens. de Divin. Offic. 1. 11, c. 2, 3, 4.) C^uod nomen Patris,
FiJii et Spiritus Sancti propria veri Dei descriptio sit, &c. per totuin lib. Arnob.
fubi supra, 1. 1.) telleth ihe heathens how many they worship as gods, who
once were men, as Jupiter, Esculapius, Hercules, &c. p. o". Leg. Tliedori
Presbyteri Rhaitliuensis Praspar. et Meditat. de Incr.rnat. Christi. et Heresibus
circa eandem. Leg-, et Theodori Abucarse Opuscul. 2. explau. vocum qui-
bus philosophi utuntur, &c. Et ejusdem fidem orthodox, missam ad Armen. a
Thoina Patriarch. Hierosol. Vide et Theorian. Dialog, cum Generaliss.
Armeniorum. At Deus Verbuin nihil ipsum a societate, et aniinae iminuta-
tum neque illorum imbecilitatis particeps, sed eis suam divinitatem imparti-
ens, unum cum eis fit; etpermanet, quod erat ante junctionem. Vide caetera
in Nemesio Emissen.de Natura hom. c 3.
316 THE REASONS OF
ble that he should be willing that his depraved creature should
be restored to the use and ends of its nature : nor is it incredible
that God should choose the best and fittest means to effect all
this. Nothing more credible than all this.
4. And it is not incredible at all that the incarnation of the
Eternal Word should be the fittest means for this reparation. It
we consider, 1. What question we should have made of the
word of an angel, or any mere creature, that should have said
he came from God to teach us, seeing we could not be so certain
that he was infallible and indefectible. 2. And how short a
creature would have fallen in the priestly part of mediation.
3. And how insufficient he would have been for the kingly dig-
nity, and universal government and protection of the church,
and judgment of the world. 4. And withal, that God himself
being the Glorifier of himself, and the Donor of all felicity to us,
it is very congruous that he should most eminently himself per-
form the most eminent of these works of mercy.
5. And it much assisteth mv belief of the incarnation, to
consider that certainly the work that was to be done for man's
recovery was the winning of his heart to the love of God from
himself and other creatures : and there was no way imaginable
so fit to inflame us with love to God, as for him most wonderfully
to manifest his love to us, which is more done in the work of
man's redemption than any other way imaginable ; so that being
the most suitable means to restore us to the love of God, it is
fittest to be the way of our recoverv, and so the more credible.
6. And it much suppresseth temptation to unbelief in me, to
consider that the three grand works in which God's essentiali-
ties declare themselves, must needs be all such as beseemeth
God ; that is, most wonderful, transcending man's comprehen-
sion. And as his omnipotency showed itself, with wisdom and
love, in the great work of creation, so was it meet that his wis-
dom should show itself most wonderfullv in the great work of
redemption, in order to the as wonderful declaration of his love
and goodness, in the great work of our salvation, our regenera-
tion, and glorification. And therefore if this were not a won-
derful work, it were not fit to be parallel with the creation, in
demonstrating God's perfections to our minds.
Object. 111. But how incredible is it that human nature should,
in a glorified Christ, be set above the angelical nature.
Answ. There is no arguing in the dark, from things unknown,
against what is fully brought to light. What God hath done
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 317
for man, the Scripture hath revealed; and also that Christ him
self is far above the angels : but what Christ hath done for
angels, or for any other world of creatures, God thought not
meet to make vis acquainted with. There have been Christians
who have thought, by plausible reasonings from many texts of
Scripture, that Christ hath three natures, the divine, and a
super-angelical, and a human ; and that the Eternal Word did
first unite itself to the super-angelical nature, and in that created
the world ; and in that appeared to Abraham and the other
fathers, and then assumed the human nature last of all for re-
demption : and thus they would reconcile the Arians and the
orthodox. But most Christians hold only two natures in
Christ ; but then they say, that he that hath promised that we
shall be equal with the angels, doth know that the nature of
man's soul and of angels' differ so little, that in advancing one,
he doth, as it were, advance both : and certainly maketh no dis-
order in nature, by exalting the inferior in sensu composite^
above the superior and more excellent. Let us not then deceive
ourselves, by arguing from things unknown.
Object. IV. There are things so incredible in the Scripture
miracles, that it is hard to believe them to be true.
Ansvv. 1. No doubt but miracles must be wonders ; they were
not else so sufficient to be a divine attestation, if they were not
things exceeding our power and reach. But why should they
be thought incredible ? it is because they transcend the power
of God, or his wisdom, or his goodness ; or because they are
harder to him than the things which our eyes are daily witnesses
of. Is not the motion of the sun and orbs, and especially of the
primum mobile, which the peripatetics teach ; yea, or that of
the earth and globes, which others teach, as great a work as
any miracle mentioned in the holy Scriptures ? Shall any man
that ever considered the number, magnitude, glory, and motions
of the fixed stars, object any difficulty to God ? Is it not as
easy to raise one man from the dead, as to give life to all the
living ?
2. And are not miracles according to our own necessities and
desires ? Do not men call for signs and wonders, and say, l If I
saw one rise from the dead, or saw a miracle, I would believe ;
or, at least, I cannot believe that Christ is the Son of God,
unless he work miracles ? ' And shall that be a hinderance to
your belief, which is your last remedy against unbelief? Will
you not believe without miracles, and yet will you not believe
318 THE REASONS OF
them because they are miracles ? This is but mere perverseness;
as much as to say, we will neither believe with miracles nor
without.
3. Impartially consider of the proof I have before given you,
of the certain truth of the matter of fact, that such miracles
were really done : and then you may see, not only that they are
to be believed, but the doctrine to be the rather believed for
their sakes.
Object V. It is hard to believe the immortality of the soul,
and the life to come, when we consider how much the soul de-
pendeth in its operations on the body ; and how it seemeth but
gradually to exceed the brutes : especially to believe the eternity
of it, or its joys ; when omite quod oritur hiterrit ; and if
eternity a parte ante be proper to God, why not eternity a parte
post ? n
Answ. I. The immortality of the soul, and consequently its
perpetual duration, and a life of retribution after this, did not
seem things incredible to most of the heathens and infidels in
the world : and I have proved it before by evidence of nature to
common reason. So that to make that incredible in Christianitv,
which philosophers and almost all the world hold, and which
hath cogent natural evidence, is to put out the eye of reason as
well as of faith.
2. And that it hath much use of, or dependence on the body
in its present operations, is no proof at all that when it is out
of the body it can no otherwise act or operate. Not to meddle
with the controversy, whether it take with it hence the material,
n Fuge garrulitates anxias philosophorum, qui asserere non erubescunt,
suas canumque animas eaudam tenere speciem. — Basil. Hexam. I. 8. Interp.
Eustath. Leg. Mammerti Claudiani 1. 3 de statu animas ; et prascipue Gr.
Nyssenum ; et qua; ex eo citautur in Caesarii Dialog. 3. This stuck with
Galen, and some such. His et talibus adductus Socrates, nee patron uin
quaesivitad judicium capitis, nee judicibus supplex fuit : adhibuitque liberam
contumaciam a magnitudine animi ductum, non a superbia ; et supremo vitae
die de hoc ipso multa disseruit ; et paucis ante diebus, cum facile posset educi
£ custodia, noluit : et cum pen£ in manu jam mortiferum illud teneret pocu-
lum, locutus ita est, ut non ad mortem, verum in coelum videretur ascendere.
lta enim censebat, atque disseruit : duas esse vias, duplicesque cursus auimo-
ruin e corpore excedentium : nam qui se humauis vitiis coutaminassent, et se
totos libidinibus dedissent, quibus ccecati velut domesticis vitiis atque flagitiis
se inquhiassent, vel in republica violanda fraudes iuexpiabiles coneepissent, iis
devium quoddam iter esseseclusum a. concilio Deorum : qui autem seintegros
castosque servassent, quibusque fuisset minima cum corporibus coutagio,
seseque ab his semper se vocassent, e?sentque in corporibus humanis vitam
imitati Deorum ; his ad illos ;i quibus essent profecti, reditum facilem patere*
— Cicer. Tuscul, 1. p. 233.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 311)
sensitive soul as a body afterward to act by ; or whether it
fabricate to itself an ethereal body ; or remain without any body
of itself ? It is certain, that it was not the body that was the
principle of intellection and volition here : but it was the soul
which did all in the body, but according to the mode of its pre^
sent co-existence : seeing, then, that it was the soul that did it
here, why may it not also do it hereafter ? If the candle shine
in the lantern, it can shine out of it, though with some differ-
ence : he is scarcely rational that doubteth whether there be such
things as incorporeal, invisible intelligences, minds, or spirits :
and if they can act without bodies, why may not our minds ?
Though the egg would die if the shell were broken, or the hen
did not sit upon it, it doth not follow that, therefore, the chicken
cannot live without a shell, or sitting on. Though the embryo
and infant must have a continuity with the mother, and be
nourished by her nourishment, it doth not follow that, therefore,
it must be so with him, when he is born and grown up to ripe-
ness of age. And when there is full proof that souls have a
future life to live, it is a folly to doubt of it, merely because we
cannot conceive of the manner of their acting without a bod\~;
for he that is not desirous to be deceived, must reduce things
uncertain and dark, to those that are clear and certain, and not
contrarily : all good arguing is a notioribus, and not a minus
notis. The nearer any being is in excellency unto God, the more
there is in it which is hard to be comprehended : spirits and
minds are excellent beings ; and therefore very imperfectly
known even by themselves, while they are in the lantern, the
shell, the womb of flesh. The eye is not made to see its own
sight, though it may see in a glass the organ of its sight : and
as sight seeth not sight, or hearing heareth not hearing, or
taste tasteth not tasting, &c, the act being not its own object ;
but yet by seeing other things, I am most certain that I see ;
and by hearing, tasting, smelling, &c, I am certain that I hear,
taste, and smell : so is not the intellect here fitted intuitively to
understand its own act of understanding ; but by understanding
other objects, it understandeth that it doth understand : (though,
I confess, some learned men in this think otherwise, viz., that the
intellect intuitively knoweth itself). If a man have a watch which
is kept in order, to tell him the hour of the day, though he know
not the reason of the frame, the parts, and motions, nor how to
take it to pieces, and set it again together, yet it serveth his
turn to the use he bought it for. And a ship may carry him who
320 THE REASONS OF
is unacquainted with the workmanship that is in it : and so, if
a man's soul know how to love and please its Maker, and know
itself morally, it attaineth its end, though it know not itself
physically so far, as to he able to anatomize its faculties and
acts. Argue not, therefore, from obscurities against the light.
And that man doth not differ from a brute only in degree,
but specifically, he that is indeed a man doth know : consider-
ing what operations the mind of man hath above brutes ; not
only in all the most abstruse and wonderful arts and sciences,
astronomy, geometry, music, physic, navigation, legislation,
logic, rhetoric, &c, but also his knowledge of a Creator, a love
and fear of him, an obedience to him, and a care for an ever-
lasting life. Whether brutes have analogical ratiocination or
not, it is certain that these things are far above them. °
2. If by the eternity of our felicity, were meant only an avum
of very long duration, it would be so strong a motive to godli-
ness and Christianity, with any rational man, as to weigh down
all the counter-pleasures of this world.
3. But as long as there is no want of power in God to perpe-
tuate our blessedness, nor any proof that is disagreeable to his
wisdom or his will, why should that seem incredible to us, which
is sealed and attested so fully by supernatural revelation, as I
have proved ? If once the revelation be proved to be divine,
there is nothing in this which reason will not believe.
4. And all they that confess the immortality and perpetuity
of the soul, must confess the perpetuity of its pleasure or pain.
5. And why should it be hard for the peripatetic to believe the
perpetuity of the soul, who will needs believe the eternitv of
the world itself, both as a parte ante, and a parte post ; surely
it should seem no difficulty to any of that opinion.
Object. VI. Who can believe that God will torment his
creatures in the flames of hell for ever ? Is this agreeable to
infinite goodness ?
Answ. 1. I have fully answered this already (chap. 15, part 1,)
Campanella well noteth, that the soul hath naturally a certain inward
knowledge or sense of itself ; but when men go about to bring this to such a
knowledge as we have of things extrinsical, by ratiocination, they ofttimes
reason themselves into ignorance and error. And Cicero hath the very same,:
Nee vero de hoc quisquam dubitare posset, nisi idem nobis accideret dili^enter
de animo cogitantibus, quod iis saepe usu venit, qui acriter oculis dericientem
soleni intuerentur, ut aspectura omnino amitterent ; sic mentis acies seipsam
iutuens, noununquam hebescit; ob eamque causani contetnplandidiligentia.ni
amittimus.— Cicer. TusciiL 1. 1, r. -33.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 321
and therefore I must entreat the objector to peruse his answer
there, only I shall now say, that it is not incredible that God is
the Governor of the world, nor that he hath given man a law,
nor that his law hath penalties to the disobedient, nor that he is
just, and will judge the world according to that law, and make
good his threatenings ; nor is it incredible that those who chose
sin, when they were foretold of the punishment, and refused
godliness, when they were foretold of the blessed reward and
fruits, and this with obstinacy to the last, should have no better
than they chose. It is not incredible that unholy enemies of
God and holiness, should not live hereafter in the blessed sight
and love, and holy, delightful fruition of God, no more than
that a swine is not made a king ; or that an immortal soul,
who is excluded immortal happiness by his wilful refusal, should
know his folly, and know what he hath lost by it, or that such
knowledge should be his continual torment ; nor is it incredible
that God will not continue to him the pleasures of whoredom,
and gluttony, and drunkenness, and sports, and worldly wealth,
or tyrannical domination, to quiet him in his loss of heaven ;
nor that he will deprive him of the temporal mercies which now
content him, or may afford him any delight hereafter : nor is
it incredible, if his body rise again, that it shall be partaker
with his soul ; nor that God, who might deprive him of his being,
if he had been innocent, may make him worse, or bring him
into a condition to which he would prefer annihilation, when
he is an obstinate, impenitent sinner. It is not incredible that
a good king, or judge, may hang a felon, or traitor, for a crime
against man and human society ; nor is it any goodness in them
to be unjust, or to cherish murderers by impunity : none of all
this is at all incredible. But it is indeed incredible, till con-
science have humbled him, that the thief or murderer should
like this penalty, or think well of the judge ; or that a sinner,
who judgeth of good and evil in others as dogs do, by the in-
terest of his throat or flesh, and thinks them good only that
love him, and bad, that hurt him and are against him, should
ever believe that it is the amiable goodness of God, which
causeth him, in justice, to condemn the wicked.P
v Sosipatra ubi incidisset in disputationem de anima in genere ; qua? ejus
pars supplicio puniatur, qusque iuteritus sitexpers, durn furore quodam divi-
iio incitata rapitur, &c. — Eunap. in ALdes. p. 59-1. Et, ut quod ignotuin
est pateat, h&'c est hominis vera mors, cum animal nescientes IDeum, per-
longissimi temporis cruciatu consumuntur ignifero, in quern illas jaciuut qui-
dam crudeliter saevi, et ante Christum incogniti, et ab solo sciente detecti.
This was the conceit of Aniob. adv. Gent. 1. 2, p. 11.
VOL. XXI. Y
322 THE REASONS OF
2. But yet, let not misunderstanding make this seem harder
to you than indeed it is/i Do not think that souls in hell are
hung up in flames, as heasts are hung in a butcher's shambles ;
or that souls have any pain but what is suitable to souls, and
that is more than bodies bear : it is an affliction in rational
ways which falls on rational souls. Devils are now in torment,
and yet have a malignant kingdom, and order, and rule in the
children of disobedience, and go up and down seeking whom
they may devour. We know not the particular manner of their
sufferings, but that they are forsaken of God, and deprived of
his complacential love and mercy, and have the rational misery
before described, and such also as shall be suitable to such kind
of bodies as they shall have : and while they are immortal, no
wonder if their misery be so.
Object. VII. Who can believe that the damned shall be far
more than the saved, and the devil have more than God ? How
will this stand with the infinite goodness of God ?
Answ. I have fully answered this before, in part I. Ch. II.,
and shall now add but this, 1. In our inquiries, we must begin
with the primum cognita, or notissima, as aforesaid ; that God
is most good, and also just, and punisheth sinners, is before
proved to be among the notissima, or primum cognita ; and there-
fore it is most certain, that these are no way contradictory to
each other.
2. And if it be no contradiction to God's goodness, to punish
and cast off for ever the lesser part of the world, then it is none
to punish or cast off the greater part ; the inequality of number
will not alter the case. 1 '
i We say not that corporeal fire doth touch the soul. Sed memorata* apud
inferos pceoae et suppliciorum geueribus multiformes : ecquis erit tarn brutus,
et rerum consequentias nesciens, qui auimis incorruptibihbus credat, aut
teuebras tartareas posse aliquid nocere ? aut igneos fluvios, aut casnosis
gurgitibus paludes ; aut rotarum volubilium circumactus. Quod enim
contiguum non est, et k legibus dissolutionis amotum est, licet omnibus am-
biatur flammis, illibatum necesse est permaneat. — Arnob. udvers, Gentes.
1. 2, p. 17. Auct. Bill. Pat. sem. 1.
r And seeing most of the heathens believe the immortality of souls, and the
justice of God, it is meet that they believe a punishment for the bad, as they
do a reward for the good. As Arnobius saith, lib. 2. advers. Gent.: Cum igitur
haec ita sunt, quaeuam injustitia tanta est, ut fatui vobis credulitate in ista
videamur? Cum vos et similia credere, et in eadem videamus expectatione
versari ? Si irrisione existimamurdigni, quod spem nobis hujusmotli pollice-
mur, et vos eadem expectat irrisio, qui spem vobis immortalitaiis adsciscitis.
Si tenetis aliquam sequiminique ratione, et nobis portione ex ista rationem
eoucedite. Si nobis haec gaudia Plato promisisset Consentaneum fuerat
ejus suscipere nos cultus, a quo tantum doui expectareraus et muueris. Nunc
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 323
3. It is no way against the goodness of human governors, in
some cases, to punish even the greater number, according to
their deserts.
4. Can any man that openeth his eyes deny, in matter of
fact, that the far greater part of the world is actually ungodly,
worldly, sensual, and disobedient ; or that such are meet for
punishment, and unmeet for the love and holy fruition of God ?
When I see that most men are ungodly, and incapable of
heaven, is it not harder to reason to believe that these shall
have that joy and employment of which they are incapable, than
that they shall have the punishment which agreeth with their
capacity, desert, and choice ? Must I believe that God's ene-
mies shall love him for ever, merely because they are the
greater number ? If one man, that dieth unrenewed, be capable
of heaven, another is so, and all are so ; therefore, I must
either believe that no impenitent, ungodly person is saved, or that
all be saved. The number, therefore, is nothing to the deciding
of the case.
o. Can any man in his wits deny that it is as sure that God
permitteth sin in the world, as that the sun shineth on us ; yea,
that he permitteth that enormous deluge of wickedness which
the world groaneth under at this day ; and that this sin is the
soul's calamity, and, to a right judgment, is much worse than
punishment, whatever beastly sensuality may gainsay. If, then,
the visible wickedness of the world be permitted by God, without
any impeachment of his goodness, then certainly his goodness
may consist with punishment (which as such is good) when sin
is evil : and much of this punishment also is but materially
permitted by God, and executed by sinners upon themselves.
6. The wisdom and goodness of God saw it meet, for the
right government of this world, to put the threatenings of an
everlasting punishment in his law : and how can that man have
the face to say, it was needless, or too much in the law, with
whom it proved not enough to weigh down the trifling interests
of the flesh ? And if it was meet to put that penalty in the law,
it is just and meet to put that law into execution, how many
soever fall under the penalty of it, as hath been proved.
7. The goodness of God consisteth not in a will to make all
cum eamChristus non tautum promiserit, verum etiam virtutibus tantis mani-
festaverit, posse compleri, quid aliewum facimus aut stultitia? crimen quibus
rationibus sustinemus, si ejus nomiui majestatique substernimur a. quo spera-
mus utrumque et mortem cruciubilem i'ugere, et vitani seteruitate donari ?—
Auct. Bib. Put. To. l.,p. 17.
v 2
324 THE REASONS OF
his creatures as great, or good and happy, as he can ; but it is
essentially in his infinite perfections, and expressively in the
communication of so much to his creatures, as he seeth meet,
and in the accomplishment of his own pleasure, by such ways of
benignity and justice as are most suitable to his wisdom and
holiness. Man's personal interest is an unfit rule and measure
of God's goodness.
8. To recite what I said, and speak it more plainly, I confess it
greatly quieteth my mind against this great objection of the
numbers that are damned and cast off for ever, to consider how
small a part of this earth is of God's creation, as well as how sinful
and impenitent. Ask any astronomer that hath considered the
innumerable numbers of the fixed stars and planets, with their
distances, and magnitude, and glory, and the uncertainty that
we have whether there be not as many more, or an hundred or
thousand times as many, unseen to man, as all those which we
see, (considering the defectiveness of man's sight,) and the planets
about Jupiter, with the innumerable stars in the milky way,
which the tube hath lately discovered, which man's eyes without
it could not see : I say, ask any man who knoweth these things^
whether all this earth be any more in comparison of the whole
creation than one prison is to a kingdom or empire, or the
paring of one nail, or a little mole, or wart, or a hair, in com-
parison of the whole body. And if God should cast off all this
earth, and use all the sinners in it as they deserve, it is no more
sign of a wantof benignity,or mercy, in him, than it is for a king
to cast one subject of a million into a gaol, and to hang him for
his murder, or treason, or rebellion ; or for a man to kill one
louse, which is but a molestation to the body which beareth it ;
or than it is to pare a man's nails, or cut off a wart, or a hair, or
to pull out a rotten, aching tooth. I know it is a thing uncer-
tain and unrevealed to us, whether all these globes be inhabited
or not. But he that considereth, that there is scarce any unin-
habitable place on earth, or in the water, or air ; but men, or
beasts, or birds, or fishes, or flies, or worms, and moles, do take
up almost all ; will think it a probability, so near a certainty as
not to be much doubted of, that the vaster and more glorious
parts of the creation are not uninhabited ; but that they have
inhabitants answerable to their magnitude and glory, as palaces
have other inhabitants than cottages ; and that there is a con-
naturality and agreeableness there as well as here, between the
region, or globe, and the inhabitants. But whether it be the
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 325
globes themselves, or only the inter-spaces, or other parts, that
are thus inhabited, no reason can doubt, but that those more
vast and glorious spaces are pioportionablv possessed. And
whether they are all to be called angels, or spirits, or by what
other name, is unrevealed to us : but whatever they are called,
I make no question but our number, to theirs, is not one to a
million at the most. s
Now this being so, for aught we know, those glorious parts
may have inhabitants without any sin or misery ; who are filled
with their Maker's love and goodness, and so are fitter to be the
demonstration of that love and goodness than this sinful mole-
hill or dungeon of ignorance is. If I were sure that God would
save all mankind, and only leave the devils in their damnation,
and forsake no part of his creation but their hell, it would not
be any great stumbling to my faith. Or if earth were all God's
creation, and I were sure that he would condemn but one man
of a hundred thousand, or a million, and that only for final im-
penitency in the contempt of the mercy which would have saved
him ; this would be no great difficulty to my faith. Why then
should it be an offence to us, if God, for their final refusal of his
grace, do for ever forsake and punish the far greater part of this
little, dark, and sinful world, while he glorifieth his benignity
and love abundantly upon innumerable angels, and blessed
spirits, and inhabitants of those more large and glorious seats ?
s Of the probability of the habitation of the planets, see Gassendus, and his
reasons, that the inhabitants are not men of our species, but that the in-
habitants are diversified as the habitations are, and other things in the uni-
verse. Though Cicero frequently derideth the superstitious fear of hell,
yet he meaneth not of all future punishment of the wicked, but of the poet's
fables of Styx, Cerberus, Tantalus, and Sysiphus kind of penalties, and of
Minos and Rhadamanthus, the infernal judges. Sed si generis Christus hu-
mani (inquitis) conservator advenit, cur non omnes aequali munificentia
liberat? Resp. iEqualiter liberal, qui aequaliter omnes vocat. Haud ab in.
dulgentia principali quemquam repellit, aut respuit: qui sublimibus, infimis,
servis, &c, uniformiter potestatem veniendi ad se facit ? Patet omnibus fons
vitae, neque ab jure potandi quisquam prohibetur. Si tibi fastidium tantum
est, ut oblati respuas benencium muueris, quinimo si tantum sapientia pri-
vates ; ut ea quae offeruntur a Christo ludum et iueptias nomines, quid invitans
peccat, cujus solum sunt hae partes, ut sub tui juris arbitriofructum suae benig-
nitatis exponat? An orandus es, ut beueficiuui salutis a Deodigneris accipere
et tibi aspernanti, fugientique longissime, infundcuda est in gremium divinae
benevolentiaj gratia ? Vis sumere quod offertur, et in tuos usns convertere
cousulueris tu tibi. Aspernaris, contemnis et despicis, te muneris commodi-
tate privaveris. Nulli Deus infert necessitatem. Object. Nolo (iuquisj et
voluntatem uou habeo. Resp. Quid ergo criminaris Deum, tauquam tibi de-
sit? Opem desideras tibi ferre, cujus dona et munera non tantum asperneris
et fugias, verum in alia verba coguonihies, et jocularibus facetiis proseqr.aris.
Arnob. Advers. Cent. I. 2.
32G THE REASONS OF
If you would judge of the beneficence of a king, will you go to
the gaol and the gallows to discern it ; or to his palace, and all
the rest of his kingdom ? And will vou make a few condemned
malefactors the measure of it ; or all the rest of his obedient,
prosperous subjects ? If hell be totally forsaken of God, as
having totally forsaken him ; and if earth have made itself next
to hell, and be forsaken as to the far greater part, because that
greater part hath forsaken him ; as long as there may be millions
of blessed ones above, to one of these forsaken ones on earth, it
should be no offence to any but the selfish, guilty sinner. I con-
fess, I rather look upon it as a great demonstration of God's holi-
ness and goodness in his justice, that he will punish the rebellious
according to his laws ; and a great demonstration of his good-
ness in his mercy, that he will save any of such a rebellious
world, and hath not forsaken it utterly, as hell. And when of
all the thousands of worlds or globes which he hath made, we
know of none forsaken by him, but hell, and part of the earth,
all the devils, and most of men ; we should admire the glory of
his bounty, and be thankful, with joy, that we are not of the for-
saken number ; and that, even among sinners, he will cast off
none but those that finally reject his mercy. 1
But selfishness and sense do make men blind, and judge of
good and evil only by self-interest and feeling : and the male-
factor will hardly magnify justice, nor take it to be a sign of
goodness : but God will be God, whether selfish rebels will or not
Object. That any thing existeth besides God, cannot be known
but by sense or history. Have you either of these for those
inhabitants? And if we may go by conjectures, for aught you
know, there may as many of those worlds be damned as of
earthly men.
Answ. 1. Some men are so little conscious of their humanity,
that they think that nothing is known at all : but he that
knoweth by sense that he is himself, and that there is a world
about him, and then, by reason, that there is a God, may know
also, by reason, that there are other creatures which he never
saw. Neither sense nor history told us of the inhabitants of the
then unknown parts of the world ; and yet it had been easy to
gather at least a strong probability that there are such. He
that knoweth that an intelligent nature is better than a non-
intelligent, and then knoweth that God hath made man
1 Eunomiani minas futuri supplicii et gehennse, non ad veritatem, sed ad
metiim prolatas aiebant. — Hermenop. de Seeds, sect. 13.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 327
intelligent, and then thinketh what difference there is in matter,
magnitude, and glory, between the dirty body of man, with the
earth he lives in, and those vast and glorious ethereal spaces,
will quickly judge that it is a thing incredible, that God should
have no creatures nobler than man, nor imprint more of his
image upon any in those more glorious regions, than on us that
dwell, as snails, in such a shell ; or that there should be such
a strange disproportion in the works of God, as that a point of
dirty earth only should be possessed of the divine or intellectual
nature, and the vast and glorious orbs, or spaces, be made only
to look on, or to serve these mortal worms. But proofs go
according to the preparation of the receiver's mind : nothing is
a proof to the unprepared and prejudiced.
2. We have sense, by the telescope, to tell us, that the moon
hath parts unequal, and looketh much like the habitable earth :
and we have sense to tell us, that there are witches and appari-
tions, and, consequently, other kinds of intellectual wights than we.
And we have history to tell us of the appearances and offices of
angels : and if there be certainly such wights, our eyes may help
us to conjecture their numbers, compared to us, by the spaces
which they inhabit.
3. There is a proportion and harmony in all the works of
God : and, therefore, we that see how much the superior orbs
do in glory excel this dirty earth, have reason to think that the
nature of the inhabitants is suited to their habitations, and,
consequently, that they are more excellent creatures than we,
and therefore less sinful, and therefore more happy.
4. Yet, after all this, I am neither asserting that all this is
so, nor bound to prove it ; I only argue, that you, who are
offended at the numbers that sin and perish, do wrangle in the
dark, and speak against you know not what. Conjecture is
enough for me to prove that you do foolishly to argue against
experience (of the sin and misery of the most) upon mere uncer-
tainties. You will not censure the actions of a prince or ge-
neral, when your ignorance of their counsels maketh you
uncertain of the cause ; yea, and of the matter of fact itself.
The proof lieth on your part, and not on mine : you say, our
doctrine is incredible, because so few are saved, and yet confess
that, for aught you know, taking all together, it may be many
millions for one that perisheth. I think, by proving you un-
certain of this, I prove you foolish in your infidelity. And if
you will conjecture, then, that there may as many of those other
32S THE REASONS OF
regions be damned, 1. You show yourselves much more harsh
in your censures than the Christians are, whose harshness you
are now reproving : yea, you conjecture this without all ground
or probability, and will you say, then, e For aught I know it
may be so. Ergo: Christianity is incredible.' Can a groundless
conjecture allow any rational man such a conclusion ?
Object. But you say, yourselves, that many of the angels fell,
and are now devils.
Answ. But we say not how many : we never said that it is
the whole number of the glorious inhabitants of all the superior
world, who are called angels, as messengers or officers about
man. We know not how small a part of them, comparatively,
it may be, and of them we know not how few fell. Augustine
conjectured that it was the tenth part, but we have no ground
for anv such conjecture.
Object. But it is incredible that the world should perish for
one man's sin, whom they never knew, nor could prevent ?
Answ. 1. To them that know what generation is, and what
the son is to the father, it is not incredible at all that the
unholv parents do not beget holy children, nor convey to them
that which thev have not themselves : nor yet that God should
hate the ungodly ; nor that the parents' choice should signify
much for their children's state, who have no wills of their own
fit for actual choice ; nor that restored, imperfect holiness should
not be conveyed to children by natural propagation, which came
to the parents by regeneration ; nor that the children of traitors
should be disinherited for their fathers' faults; nor that the
children of drunkards and gluttons should be naturally diseased.
2. No man in the world doth perish for Adam's sin alone,
without his own : though we judge the case of infants to allow
you no exception, yet, to carry the controversy to them into the
dark, and to argue a minus notis, is not the property of such as
seek impartially for truth. Christ hath procured a new covenant,
upon which all those that hear the Gospel shall again be tried
for life or death ; and those that hear it not, have divers means
which have a tendency to their recovery, and are under unde-
niable obligations to use those means in order to their recovery,
which, if they do not faithfully, they perish for their own sin.
Should it not make Christianity the more easily credible, when
certain experience assureth us, how prone even infants are to
sin, and how universally the. world is drowned in wickedness;
and then to find so admirable and suitable a remedy revealed ?
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 329
Object. But punishment is to warn others from sinning ; but
after this life there will be none to warn : therefore, there will
be no punishment, because the end of punishment ceaseth.
Answ. 1. It is a false position, that punishment is only or
chiefly to be a warning to others. It is chiefly for the ultimate
end of government, which secundum quid, among men, is the
bonum publicum ; but simpliciter, in God's government, it is the
glorifying or demonstration of the holiness and justice of God,
the universal Governor, to the pleasure of his holy will.
2. It is the penalty as threatened in the law, and not the
penalty as executed, which is the first necessary means to deter
others from offending; and then the execution is secondarily
necessary, because the law must be fulfilled. It is not the actual
hanging of a murderer which is the first instrument or means
to restrain murderers, but it is the penalty in the law, which
saith that murderers shall be hanged ; and the commination of
the law would be no restraint, if it were not that it relateth to
a just execution. So that it was necessary to the restraint of
sinners in this world, that God should threaten hell in his law :
and, therefore, it is necessary that he execute that law, or else
it would be delusory and contemptible."
3. How know we, who shall survive this present world, to
whom God may make man's hell a warning ? Are not the
devils now set out in Scripture for a warning to man ? And
how know we what other creatures God hath to whom these
punished sinners may be a warning ; or whether the new earth
wherein righteousness must dwell, according to God's promise,
2 Pet. iii. 12, 13, shall not have use of this warning to keep
them in their righteousness ? As long as all these things are pro-
bable, and the contrary utterly uncertain, how foolish a thing is
it to go from the light of a plain revelation and Scripture, and
argue, from our dark uncertainties and improbabilities, against
that light ; and all because self-love and guilt doth make sinners
unwilling to believe the truth ? So much for the objection
against hell.
Object. VIII. But it is incredible that all those shall be
u See more of this before, (Part I., eh. 15,) The reader must pardon this
speaking of the same thing twice, both because the objection requireth the
repetition, and because 1 think it needful to most readers, to procure their ob-
servation. Aut ideo gregem pusillum appellat, quia tot una hominum genus,
ne dura soli sancti, cum imraensa ilia angelorum nuiltitudine, collatum, per-
exiguus grex est. Est enim illorum multitudo incredibilis, hominum uume-
rum iunnitis pene partibus excedeus. — Titus Bostrens. in Luce. 12.
330 THE REASON'S OF
damned that live honestly and soberly, and do no body harm,
if they do not also live a holy and heavenl) life, and forsake all
for another world.
Answ. 1. It is but selfishnes and blindness which maketh men
call him an honest man, and speak lightly of his wickedness,
who preferreth the dung and trifles of this world before his
Maker, and everlasting glory. What, if a pack of murderers,
and thieves, and rebels do live together in love, and do one
another no harm, shall that excuse their murders and rebellions,
and give them the name of honest men ? What is the creature
to the Creator ? What greater wickedness can man commit,
than to deny, despise, and disobey his Maker, and to prefer the
most contemptible vanity before him, and to choose the transitorv
pleasure of sinning before the endless fruition of his God ?
What is wronging a neighbour in comparison of this wrong ?
Shall a sinner refuse his everlasting happiness when it is offered
him, and then think to have it when he can possess the pleasure
of sin no longer, and all because he did no man wrong ? Doth
he think to refuse heaven, and yet to have it ? If he refuse the
love of God, and perfection of holiness, he refuseth heaven.' It
is so far from being incredible that the unholy should be damned
and the holy only saved, that the contrary is impossible. I
would not believe an angel from heaven, if he should tell me
that one unholy soul, in sensu composito, while such, shall be
saved and have the heavenly felicity, because it is a mere con-
tradiction ; for to be blessed in heaven is to be happy in the
perfect love of God ; and to love God without holiness, signifieth
to love him without loving him. Are these the objections of
unbelief? x
Object. IX. The resurrection of these numerical bodies, when
they are devoured and turned into the substance of other bodies,
is a thing incredible.
Answ. 1. If it be neither against the power, the wisdom, or
the will of God, it is not incredible at all ; but it is not against
any of these. Who can say that God is unable to raise the
dead, who seeth so much greater things performed by him in the
* We deny not but that there are different degrees of punishment, according
to the difference of men's sins. Etsi mortalibus in decies millenos annos
hffic externis sensibus exposita vita producatur, nunquam tamen opinor tantae
angelorum etdajmonum multitudini,humanarum auimarum Humerus par erit.
— JEneas Gazaus de Anima Theophrastus , p. 399. Cum non esses, te for-
mavit ex humida et minima substantia, et ex minutissima guttula, quae nee
psa aliquando erat. — Thcoph. Antioch, ad Antolych, 1. 1.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. ',YSl
daily motion of the sun, or earth, and in the support and course
of the whole frame of nature ? He that can, every spring, give
a kind of resurrection to plants, and flowers, and fruits of the
earth, can easily raise our hodies from the dust : and no man
can prove that the wisdom of God, nor yet his will, are against
our resurrection ; but that both are for it, may be proved by his
promises. Shall that which is beyond the power of man be
therefore objected as a difficulty to God ? y
2. Yea, it is congruous to the wisdom and governing justice
of God, that the same body which was partaker with the soul in
sin and duty, should be partaker with it in suffering or felicity.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ did purposely die and rise again in
his human body, to put the resurrection out of doubt, by unde-
niable, ocular demonstration, and by the certainty of belief.
4. There is some natural reason for the resurrection, in the
soul's inclination to its body. As it is unwilling to lay it down,
it will be willing to reassume it when God shall say the time
is come. As we may conclude at night when they are going to
bed, that the people of city or country will rise the next morning,
and put on their clothes, and not go naked about the streets,
because there is in them a natural inclination to rising and to
clothes, and a natural averseness to lie still, or to go unclothed ;
so may we conclude, from the soul's natural inclination to its
body, that it will reassume it as soon as God consenteth.
5. And all our objections, which reason from supposed con-
tradictions, vanish, because none of us all have so much skill in
physics as to know what it is which individuateth this numerical
body, and so what it is which is to be restored ; but we all con-
fess that it is not the present mass of flesh and humours, which,
being in a continual flux, is not the same this year which it was
the last, and may vanish long before we die.
Object. X. If Christ be indeed the Saviour of the world, why
7 One that had never heard nor thought of the way of generation, would
think it as unlikely a thing- that an acorn shonld bring forth an oak, or such
a thing as sperma Inimcnnim the body of a man, as you do that the body rise
again. And the Platonists think, that all souls, presently upon their departure
hence, do fabricate to themselves either aerial or ethereal hodies: and why
should you think them so alienated from the bodies which they live in, as
only to be incapable of those ? If we knew what the hoc idem of the body is,
we might have more particular, explicit satisfaction : in the mean time we
must implicitly trust in God. — Leg. Finem. Disput. Zacharia: Scholast, Mi/ii-
ien. Lege etiam Athenagoram de Resurrectione. Read Garbut ' Of the
Resurrection.' Read /En. Gazeus's 'Theophrastus,' where is a handsome
discourse of the resurrection.
332 THE REASONS OF
came he not into the world till it was four thousand years old ;
and why was he hefore revealed to so few, and to them so
darkly ? Did God care for none on earth but a few Jews ; or
did he not care for the world's recovery till the latter age, when
it drew towards its end ?
Answ. It is hard for the Governor of the world, by ordinary
means, to satisfy all self-conceited persons of the wisdom and
equity of his dealings 5 but, 1. It belongeth not to us, but to
our free Benefactor, to determine of the measure and season of
his benefits : may he not do with his own as he list ; and shall
we deny or question a proved truth because the reason of the
circumstances is unrevealed to us ? If our physician come to
cure us of a mortal disease, would we reject him because he
came not sooner, and because he cured not all others that were
sick as well as us ?
2. The eternal Wisdom and Word of God, the Second
Person in the Trinity, was the Saviour of the world before he
was incarnate. He did not only by his undertaking make his
future performances valid, as to the merit and satisfaction
necessary to our deliverance, but he instructed mankind in
order to their recovery, and ruled them upon terms of grace,
and so did the work of a Redeemer or Mediator, even as Pro-
phet, Priest, and King, before his incarnation. He enacted the
covenant of grace, that whoever repenteth and believeth shall
be saved ; and so gave men a conditional pardon of their sins. 2
3. And though repentance, and the love of God, was neces-
sary to all that would be saved, even as a constitutive cause of
their salvation, yet that faith in the Mediator, which is but the
means to the love of God, and to sanctification, was not always,
nor in all places, in the same particular articles necessary as it
is now where the Gospel is preached. Before Christ's coming,
a more general belief might serve the turn for men's salvation,
without believing that " This Jesus is the Christ ; that he was
conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate ; was crucified, dead, and buried, and de-
scended to hades, and rose again the third day, and ascended
into heaven," &e. And as more is necessary to be believed,
z If philosophy be medicinal to the foolish world, why were Thales, Pythago-
ras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, arid Zenoborn no sooner; but the world suffer-
ed to lie so long in ignorance ? Answer this yourselves, and you are answer-
ed. Arnobius answereth the objection, jiartly by alleging- man's ignorance
of what God did to former ages ; and partly by asserting God's mercy to them.
Adv. Gerdes. 1. 2,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 333
since Christ's incarnation and resurrection, than before, so more
was before necessary to the Jews, who had the oracles of God,
and had more revealed to them than to other nations, who had
less revealed ; and now more is necessary where the Gospel
cometh, than where it doth not.
4. So that the gentiles had a Saviour before Christ's incarna-
tion, and not only the Jews. They were reprieved from legal
justice, and not dealt with by God upon the proper terms of
the covenant of works, or mere nature : they had all of them
much of that mercy which they had forfeited, which came to
them by the grace of the Redeemer. They had time and helps
to turn to God, and a course of means appointed them to use, in
order to their recovery and salvation ; according to the use of
which they shall be judged. They were not, with the devils, left
remediless, and shut out of all hope, under final desperation ;
no one ever perished in any age or nation of the world, who, by
believing in a merciful, pardoning, holy God, was recovered to
love God above all. And if they did not this, they were all
without a just excuse. a
5. The course of grace, as that of nature, doth wisely pro-
ceed from low degrees to higher, and bringeth not things to
perfection at the first ; the sun was not made the first day of
the creation, nor was man made till all things were prepared for
him. The church's infancy was to go before its maturity. We
have some light of the sun before it rise ; much more before it
come to the height : as Christ now teacheth his church more
plainly, when he is himself gone into glory, even by his pastors
whom he fitteth for that work, and by his Spirit, so did he
(though more obscurely, yet sufficiently) teach it before he
came into the flesh, by prophets and priests : his work of
salvation consisteth in bringing men to live in love and obedi-
ence ; and his way of teaching them his saving doctrine, is by
his ministers without, and by his Spirit within ; and thus he
did before his coming in flesh, and thus he doth since ; we that
are born since his coming, see not his person any more than
they who were born before \ but we have his word, ministers,
a Object. Quid visum est ut ante horas pauculas sospitator Christus cceli ex
arcibus mitteretur? Resp. Quae causa est quod serius hyems, aestas, au-
tumnus fiant? Non minus inficias nescire nos: nee promptum est cui-
quam Dei mentem videre, aut quibus modis ordinaverit res suas, homo ani-
mal ccecum et ipsum se nesciens ullis potest rationibus consequi Nee con-
tinuo sequitur ut infecta fiant quae facta sunt, et amittat res fidem, quae potes-
tatibus est inonstratum. — Id. ibid.
334 THE REASONS OF
and Spirit, and so had they : his reconciling sacrifice was
effectual, morally, in esse coynito et volito, before the performance
of it : and the means of reconciling our minds to God were
sufficient in their kind before, though more full and excellent
since his coming. b
If you would not be deluded into infidelity by this objection,
which, indeed, is one of the greatest difficulties of faith, you
must not further one error by another. 1. Think not that God
is hired or persuaded by Christ, as against his will, to forgive
men's sins, and save their souls, or to do them any good.
Understand that no good cometh to man, or anv creature, but
totally from God's will and love, who is the original and eternal
Goodness. All the question is but of the modus covferendi,
the way of his conveyance ; and then it will not seem incredi-
ble, that he should give out his mercy by degrees, and with
some diversity.
2. Think not that Christianity doth teach men, that all those
who were not of the Jewish nation or church then, or that are
not now of the christian church, were so cast off and forsaken
by God as the devils are, to be left as utterly hopeless or reme-
diless} nor that they were upon no other terms for salvation,
than man in innocency was under, which was, " Obey per-
fectly, and live ; or if thou sin, thou shalt die ;" for this had
been to leave them as hopeless as the devils, when once they
had sinned.
3. And think not that Christ can show no mercy, nor do any
thing towards the salvation of a sinner, before he is known
himself to the sinner ; especially before he is known as an in-
carnate Mediator, or one that is to be incarnate. He struck
dovvn Paul, and spake to him from heaven, before Paul knew
b Nam quod nobis objectare consuestis, novellam esse religionem nostram,
et ante dies propemodum paucos natain, neque vos potuisse antiquam et
patriam linquere, &c. ; ratione istud iutenditur nulla : quid enim si hoc modo
culpam velimus infligere, prioribus illis et antiquissimis seculis, quod inventis
frugibus glandes spreveriut, quod corticibus coutegi, et amiciri desierint pelli-
bus, postquam vestis excogitatae est textili Commune est omnibus et ab
ipsis pene incunabulis traditum, bona malis auteferre, inutilibus utilia pra?-
ponere Convenit ut inspiciatis non factum, nee quid reliqueritnus oppo-
nere sed secuti quid simus potissimum contueri. — Arnob ib. 1. 2. And he
next instanceth what abundance of things they had then innovated at Rome.
Et postea sed novellum nomeu est nostrum, et ante dies paucos reli"-io est
nata quam sequimur : Resp. Ut interim concedam Quid est in negotiis
hominum, quod vel opere corporis et manibus fiat, vel solius animae disciplina
et cognitione teneatur, quod non ex aliquo cceperit tempore ? Philosophia,
musicaj astronomia, &c, — Id. ib. p. 24.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 335
him ; he sent Philip to the eunuch, hefore he knew him ; and
Peter to Cornelius, and sendeth the Gospel to heathen nations,
before they know him. H the apostles themselves, even after
that they had lived long with Christ, and heard his preaching,
and seen his miracles, yea, and preached and wrought miracles
themselves, did not yet understand that he must suffer, and die,
and rise again, and send down the Spirit, &c, you may con-
jecture by this what the common faith of those before Christ's
coming was, who were saved.
4. Think not, therefore, that Christ hath no way or degree
of effectual teaching, but by the express doctrine of his incar-
nation, death, and resurrection, which is now the Gospel.
5. And think not that all the mercies which pagan nations
have from God, are no acts of grace, nor have any tendency to
their conversion and salvation. Doubtless, it is the same Re-
deemer, even the eternal Wisdom and Word of God, who before
his incarnation gave greater mercy to the Jews, and lesser to the
gentiles. He doth by these mercies oblige or lead men to re-
pentance and gratitude, and reveal God as merciful, and ready
to forgive all capable sinners. As even under the law, (Exod.
xxxiv.,) he revealed himself more fully to Moses, " The Lord,
the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abun-
dant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, for-
giving iniquity, transgression and sin," &c; though he " will, by
no means (no, not by Christ) clear the guilty ;" that is, either
say to the wicked, ' Thou art just,' or pardon any incapable
subject. Doubtless, mercy bindeth heathens to know God as
merciful, and to love him, and to improve that mercy to their
attainment of more, and to seek after further knowledge, and
to be better than they are; and they are set under a certain
course of means and appointed duty, in order to their reco-
very and salvation 5 else it might be said they have nothing
to do for their own recovery, and, consequently, sin not by omit-
ting it. By all this you may perceive that Christ did much by
mercies and teaching before his incarnation, and since for all the
world, which hath a tendency to their conversion, recovery, and
salvation.
Object. XL The conception of a virgin, without man, is im-
probable, and must all depend upon the credit of her own word ;
c Religionis autoritas non est tempore estimanda sed numine. — Id. lb. Yet
next he saith, Our religion is the oldest, because Cud is so, though Christ
came but lately to teach it us better.
336 THE REASONS OF
and the meanness of his parentage, breeding, and condition*
doth more increase the difficulty.
Answ. It was meet that the birth of Christ should begin in a
miracle, when his life was to be spent and finished in miracles.
2. It is no more than was promised before by the prophet, " A
virgin shall conceive and bear a Son," &c. (Isa. vii. 14.) And
why should the fulfilling of a prophecy by miracle be incredi-
ble ? 3. It is neither above, nor against, the power, wisdom, or
love of God, and therefore it should not seem incredible. There
is no contradiction or impossibility in it, nor any thing contrary
to sense or reason. Reason saith, indeed, that it is above the
power of man, and above the common course of nature, but not
that it is above the power of the God of nature. Is it any
harder for God to cause a virgin to conceive by the Holy Ghost,
than to make the first of human kind, or any other kind, of no-
thing ? 4. It was meet that he who was to be a sacrifice for
sin, and a teacher and pattern of perfect righteousness, and a
Mediator between God and man, should not be an ordinary
child of Adam, nor himself be defiled with original or actual
sin ; and therefore that he should be in a peculiar sense the Son
of God. 5. And this doth not depend only on the credit of the
Virgin Mother's word, but on the multitude of miracles whereby
God himself confirmed the truth of it.
And as for the meanness of his person and condition, 1. It
was a needful part of the humiliation which he was, for our sins,
to undergo, that he should " take upon him the form of a ser-
vant, and make himself of no reputation." (Phil. ii. 7 — 9-)
2. It was a suitable testimony against the pride, carnality, and
worldly-mindedness of deluded men, who overvalue the honour,
and pleasure, and riches of the world ; and a suitable means to
teach men to judge of things aright, and value every thing truly
as it is. The contrary whereof is the cause of all the sin and
misery of the world. He that was to cure men of the love of
the world, and all its riches, dignities, and pleasures, and he
that was to save them from this, by the office of a Saviour, could
not have taken a more effectual way than to teach them by his
own example, and to go before them in the settled contempt of all
these vanities, and preferring the true and durable felicity. 3.
Look inwardly to his Godhead and spiritual perfections. Look
upward to his present state of glory, who hath now all power
given into his hands, and is made Head over all things to the
church, (Eph. i. 22.) Look forward to the day of his glorious
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 337
appearing, when he shall come with all his celestial retinue to judge
the world ; and then you will see the dignity and excellency of
Christ. If you prefer not spiritual and heavenly dignities your-
selves, you are incapable of them, and cannot he saved: but if
you do, you mav see the excellencies of Christ. He that know-
eth how vain a bubble the honour of man and the glory of this
world is, will not be offended at the King of saints, because his
kingdom is not of this world ; and he that knoweth any thing
of the difference between God and the creature, heaven and
earth, will not despise the eternal Jehovah because he weareth
not a silken coat, and dwelleth not in the gilded palaces of a
prince. If earthly glory had been the highest, it had been the
glory of Christ : and if he had come to make us happy by the
rich man's way, " to be clothed in purple and silk, and faring
sumptuously every day," (Luke xvi.,) then would he have led us
this way by his example. But when it is the work of a Saviour
to save us from the flesh, and from this present evil world, the
means must be suited to the end.
Object. XII, But it is a very hard thing to believe that person
to be God incarnate, and the Saviour of the world, who suffered,
on a cross as a blasphemer and a traitor that usurped the title
of a king.
Ansvv. The cross of Christ hath ever been the stumbling-
block of the proud and worldly sort of men ; but it is the con-
fidence and consolation of true believers. For, 1. It was not
for his own sins, but for ours that he suffered ; even so was it
prophesied of him, " Surely he hath borne our griefs, and car-
ried our sorrows : yet did we esteem him stricken of God, and
afflicted : but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was
upon him, and with his stripes we are healed : all we, like sheep,
have gone astray; we have every one turned to his own way,
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah
liii. 4.) And it is impudent ingratitude to make those his suf-
ferings the occasion of our unbelief, which we were the causes
of ourselves, and to be ashamed of that cross which we laid upon
him by our sins. It is not worth the labour to answer the
slanders of his accusers about his usurpation of a kingdom, when
they believed it not themselves. He was above a worldly king-
dom ; and it could be no blasphemy for him to say that he was
the Son of God, when he had so fully proved it by his works. d
d Leg. I von Carnotcns. de rebus Ecclesiasfc. cap. Quare Deus natus et
VOL. XXI. Z
338 THE REASONS OF
2. His suffering as a reputed malefactor on a cross, was a
principal part of the merit of his patience; for many a man
can bear the corporal pain who cannot so far deny his honour
as to bear the imputation of a crime ; for the innocent Son of
God, that was never convict of sin, to suffer under the name of
a blasphemer and a traitor, was greater condescension than to
have suffered under the name of an innocent person.
3. And in all this it was needful that the Saviour of mankind
should not only be a sacrifice and ransom for our sinful souls,
but also should heal us of the over-love of life and honour, by
his example. Had not his self-denial and patience extended
to the loss of all things in this world, both life itself and the
reputation of his righteousness, it had not been a perfect exam-
ple of self-denial and patience unto us ; and then it had been
unmeet for so great a work as the cure of our pride and love of
life. Had Christ come to deliver the Jews from captivity, or to
make his followers great on earth, as Mahomet did, he would
have suited the means to such an end ; but when he came to
save men from pride, and self-love, and the esteem of this world,
and to bring them to patience, and full obedience to the will of
God, and to place all their happiness in another life, true rea-
son telleth us that there was no example so fit for this end, as
patient submission to the greatest sufferings. The cross of
Christ, then, should be our glory, and not our stumbling-block
or shame. Let the children of the devil boast that they are
able to do no hurt, and to trample upon others : the disciples
of Christ will rather boast that they can patiently endure to be
abused, as knowing that their pride and love of the world is
the enemy which they are most concerned in conquering.
Object. XIII. It was but a few mean, unlearned persons who
believed in him at the first, and it is not past a sixth part of
the world that yet believeth in him ; and, of these, few do it
judiciously and from their hearts, but because their kings, or
parents, or country, are of that religion.
passus est?— Bill. Pat. To. 10, pp. 809, 810. Etiam Ruper. Tuitiens. lib.
3. de Divinis Offic. cap. 14. de eo quod solet quaeri, Cur Deus lapsum homiuis
evenire permiserit pro quo incaruatio ejus necessaria fuit ? — p. 897. Pytha-
goras samius suspicione dominationis injusta. vivus concrematus in fano est:
nunquid ea quae docuit, vim propriam perdiderunt, quia non Spiritum sponte,
sed crudelitate appetitus effuuit : similiter Socrates civitatis suae judicio dam-
natus, &c. Aquilius, Trebonius, Regulus, acerbissimarum mortium experti
sunt formas : nunquid idcirco post vitam judicati sunt turpes ? Nemo unquam
innocens male interemptus infamis est; nee turpitudinis alicujus commacu-
latur nota, qui non suo merito, poenas graves, sed cruciatoris perpetitur saevita-
tem. — Arnoh, adv. Gent, lib. 1, p. 7.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 339
Ansvv. 1. As to the number, I have answered it before. It
is no great number, comparatively, that are kings, or lords, or
learned men, and truly judicious and wise ; will you, therefore,
set light by any of these ? Things excellent are seldom com-
mon. The earth hath more stones than gold or pearls. All
those believed in Christ who heard his word, and saw his works,
and had wise, considerate, honest hearts, to receive the suffi-
cient evidence of truth. The greater part are everywhere
ignorant, rash, injudicious, dishonest, and carried away by
pejudice, fancy, custom, error, and carnal interest. If all men
have means in its own kind sufficient to bring them to believe,
to understand so much as God immediately requireth of them,
it is their fault who after this are ignorant and unbelieving;
and if it prove their misery, let them thank themselves. But
yet, Christ will not leave the success of his undertaking so far
to the will of man, as to be uncertain of his expected fruits :
he hath his chosen ones throughout the world, and will bring
them effectually to faith and holiness, to grace and glory,
though all the powers of hell do rage against it : in them is his
delight, and them he will conform to his father's will, and re-
store them to his image, and fit them to love and serve him
here, and enjoy him for ever. And though they are not the
greater number, they shall be the everlasting demonstration of
his wisdom, love, and holiness : and when you see all the
worlds of more blessed inhabitants, you will see that the damned
were the smaller number, and the blessed, in all probability,
many millions to one. If the devil have the greater number in
this world, God will have the greater number in the rest. e
2. It was the wise design of Jesus Christ, that few, in compa-
rison, should be converted by his personal converse or teaching,
and thousands might be suddenly converted upon his ascension,
and the coming down of the Holy Ghost : both because his
resurrection and ascension were part of the articles to be be-
lieved, and were the chief of all his miracles which did convert
men ; and therefore he would rise from the dead before the
e How gallantly have your learned philosophers excelled us. When the
Pyrrhonians, and Arcesilas's new academics, have learned to know that no-
thing can he known ; and the one sort of them say, that they know not that
much neither. But whether they dare say that they know that they know not
that much, they have not told us. Of them, even Cicero learned as much to
duubt as to know,
Quicquid nil verum statuens academia duplex
Personat; arroso quicquid sapit ungue Cleanthes
Apol, Sidonius, C'ctrm. 2, p. 123.
z2
310 THE REASONS OF
multitude should be called : and, because the Spirit, as it was
his extraordinary Witness and Advocate on earth, was to be
given by him after he ascended into glory; and he would have
the world see that the conversion of men to faith and sanctity
was not the effect of any politic confederacy between him and
them, but the effect of God's power, light, and love : so tbat it
should be a great confirmation to our faith, to consider that
those multitudes believed by the wonderful testimony and work
of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples, when Christ had been
crucified in despite, who yet believed not before, but were his
crucifiers. It was not so hard nor honourable an act to believe
in him, when he went about working miracles, and seemed in a
possibility to restore their temporal kingdom, as to believe in
him after he had been crucified among malefactors. He, there-
fore, that could, after this, by the Spirit and miracles, bring so
many thousands to believe, did show that he was alive himself
and in full power.
3. And that the apostles were mean, unlearned men, is a
great confirmation to our faith ; for now, it is apparent that
they had their abilities, wisdom, and successes from the Spirit
and power of God : but if they had been philosophers, or cun-
ning men, it might have been more suspected to be a laid con-
trivance between Christ and them : indeed, for all his miracles,
they began to be in doubt of him themselves, when he was dead
and buried, till they saw him rise again, and had the Spirit
come upon them ; and this last, undeniable evidence, and this
heavenly, insuperable call and conviction, was it which miracu-
lously settled them in the faith.
4. And that Saviour who came not to make us worldlings,
but to save us from this present evil world, and to cure our
esteem and love of worldly things, did think it most meet both
to appear in the form of a poor man himself, and to choose dis-
ciples of the like condition, and not to choose the worldly-wise,
and great, and honourable to be the first attestors of his mira-
cles, or preachers of his Gospel;' though he had some that
were of place and quality in the world, as Nicodemus, Joseph,
f Quid nobis estinvestigareea qua ncque scire compendium, Deque ignorare
detrimentum est ullum ? Remittite hsec Deo, atque ipsum scire concedite,
quid, quare, et unde sit? debuerit esse autnon esse. Vestris non est rationi-
bus liberum implicare vos talibus, et tam remotas inutiliter curare res: vestra
in ancipiti sita est salus aiiimaiuin vestrarum ; et nisi vos applicatis Dei prin-
cipis notioni, a corporalibus vinculis exolutos, expectat mors saeva ; non re-
pentinam afferens extinctionem, sed pertractuni temporis cruciabilis poena?
acerbitate consumens.— Arnob. adv. Gent. 1. 2.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 341
Cornelius, Sergius Paulus, &c, yet his power needed not such
instruments ; as he would not teach us to magnify worldly
pomp, nor value things by outward appearance, as the deluded,
dreaming world doth, so he would show us, that he needeth not
kings nor philosophers, by worldly power or wisdom, to set up
his kingdom. He giveth power, but he receiveth none. He
setteth up kings, and by him they reign, but they set not up
him, nor doth he reign by any of them; nor will he be be-
holden to great men, or learned men, for their help to
promote his cause and interest in the world. The largeness of
his mercy, indeed, extendeth to kings and all in authority, as
well as to the poor ; and if they will not reject it, nor break his
bonds, but kiss the Son, before his wrath break forth against
them, they may be saved as well as others ; (Psalm ii. 1,2, 9,
10; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2;) but he will not use them in the first
setting up of his church in the world, lest men should think
that it was set up by the learning, policy, or power of man ;
(1 Cor. i. 26—29, and ii. 5— 7, 10, 13, and xiii. 19, &c. ;)
and therefore he would not be voted one of the gods, by Tibe-
rius, or Adrian's senate, nor accept of the worship of Alexander
Severus,who,in his Lararium, worshipped him as one of his demi-
gods, nor receive any such beggarly deity from man ; but when
Constantine acknowledged him as God indeed, he accepted his
acknowledgment. Those unlearned men whom he used were
made wiser in an hour by the Holy Ghost, than all the philoso-
phers in the world : and those mean, contemned persons,
overcame the learning and power of the world, and not by arms
as Mahomet, but against arms and arguments, wit and rage ;
bv the Spirit alone they subdued the greatest powers to their
Lord.
Object. XIV. But it doth, sapere scenam, sound like a poeti-
cal fiction, that God should satisfy his own justice, and Christ
should die instead of our being damned, and this to appease
the wrath of God, as if God were angry, and delighted in the
blood or sufferings of the innocent.
Answ. Ignorance is the great cause of unbelief. This objec-
tion cometh from many errors, and false conceits about the
things of which it speaketh. 1. If the word, Satisfaction,' of-
fend you, use only the Scripture words, that Christ was a sacrifice,
an atonement, a propitiation, a price, &c. ; and if this be in-
credible, how came it to pass that sacrificing was the custom
of all the world ? Doth not this objection as much militate
342 THE REASONS OF
against this ? Was God angry, or was he delighted, in the
blood and sufferings of harmless sheep and other cattle ? And
must these either satisfy him, or appease his wrath ? What,
think you, should be the cause that sacrificing was thus com-
monly used in all ages, through all the earth, if it savoured but
of poetical fiction ? g
2. God hath no such thing as a passion of anger to be ap-
peased, nor is he at all delighted in the blood or suffering of the
worst, much less of the innocent, nor doth he sell his mercy for
blood ; nor is his satisfaction any reparation of any loss of his
which he receiveth from another. But, 1. Do you understand
what government is, and what divine government is, and what
is the end of it ; even the pleasing of the will of God in the de-
monstrations of his own perfections ? If you do, you will know
that it was necessary that God's penal laws should not be broken
by a rebel world, without being executed on them according to
their true intent and meaning, or without such an equivalent
demonstration of his justice as might vindicate the law and law-
giver from contempt, and the imputation of ignorance or levity,
and might attain the ends of government as much as if all sin-
ners had suffered themselves ; and this is it that we mean by a
sacrifice, ransom, or satisfaction. Shall God be a Governor, and
have no laws ; or shall he have laws that have no penalties ; or
shall he set up a lying scare-crow to frighten sinners by deceit,
and have laws which are never meant for execution ? Are any
of these becoming God ? Or shall he let the devil go for true,
who told Eve at first, " You shall not die/' and let the world sin
on with boldness, and laugh at his laws, and say God did but
frighten us with a few words which he never intended to fulfil ;
or should God have damned all the world according to their
desert? If none of all this be credible to you, then certainly
nothing should be more credible than that his wisdom hath
found out some way to exercise pardoning, saving mercy, with-
out any injury to his governing justice and truth, and without
exposing his laws and himself to the contempt of sinners, or
emboldening them in their sins ; even a way which shall vindi-
e Lege pretiosissimum Grotii lib. de satisfactione : Item Zarnovecium et
Johan. Junium et Essenium de satisf. Pontifex ille credo est qui principali-
ter apud divinitatem summae Trimtatis humani generis oblata sanctificat, pec-
cata expiat, vota commendat. Ipse ergo verus sacerdos est, quia Filius Dei
secundum id quod aequalis est Patri, non tarn preces fundit, quam precantes
exaudit; homopotius hie iutelligendus est, quern pontificem apostolus dicens,
nostrisque iufirmitatibus compati, &c. — Claudian, Mammert. de statu Anima
eontr. Faust. 1. I.e. 3.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 343
cate his honour, and attain his ends of government as well as if
we had been all punished with death and hell, and yet may save
us with the great advantage of honour to his mercy, and in the
fullest demonstration of that love and justice which may win our
love : and where will you find this done but in Jesus Christ
alone ? 2. You must distinguish between anger and justice :
when God is said to be angry it meaneth no more but that he is
displeased with sin and sinners, and executeth his governing
justice on them. 3. You must distinguish between sufferings in
themselves considered, and as in their significations and effects :
God loved not any man's pain, and suffering, and death, as in
itself considered, and as evil to us ; no, not of a sacrificed beast ;
but he loveth the demonstration of his truth, and justice, and
holiness, and the vindication of his laws from the contempt of
sinners, and the other good ends attained by this means ; and
so as a means adapted to such ends he loveth the punishment
of sin.
Object. XV. It is a suspicious sign that he seeketh but to set
up his name and get disciples, that he maketh it so necessary to
salvation to believe in him ; and not only to repent and turn to
God.
Answ. He maketh not believing in him necessary, sub ratione
finis, as our holiness and love to God is ; but only sub ratione
medii, as a means to make us holy, and work us up to the love
of God. He proclaimeth himself to be the Way, the Truth,
and the Life, by whom it is that we must come to the Father ;
and that he will save to the uttermost all that come to God by
him. (Heb. vii. 25 ; John xiv. 6.) So that he commandeth
faith but as the bellows of love, to kindle in us the heavenly
flames : and I pray you, how should he do this otherwise ? Can
we learn of him if we take him for a deceiver ; will we follow
his example if we believe him not to be our pattern ; will we
obev him if we believe not that he is our Lord ; will we be com-
forted by his gracious promises and covenant, and come to God
with ever the more boldness and hope of mercy, if we believe
not in his sacrifice and merits ; shall we be comforted at death,
in hope that he will justify us and receive our souls, if we believe
not that he liveth, and will judge the world, and is the Lord of
life and glory ; will you learn of Plato or Aristotle, if you believe
not that they are fit to be your teachers ; or will you take physic
of any physician whom you trust not, but take him for a de-
ceiver ; or will you go in the vessel with a pilot, or serve in the
344
THE REASONS OF
army under a captain, whom you cannot trust ? To believe in
Christ, which is made so necessary to our justification and sal-
vation, is not a dead opinion, nor the joining with a party that
crieth up his name ; but it is to become Christians indeed ; that
is, to take him unfeignedlv for our Saviour, and give up ourselves
to him by resolved consent or covenant, to be saved by him from
sin and punishment, and reconciled to God, and brought to per-
fect holiness and glory. This is true, justifying, and saving
faith ; and it is our own necessities that have made this faith so
necessary, as a means to our salvation : and shall we make it
necessary for ourselves, and then quarrel with him for making it
necessary in his covenant ?
Object. XVJ. If Christ were the Son of God, and his apostles
inspired by the Holy Ghost, and the Scriptures were God's word,
thev would excel all other men and writings, in all true rational
worth and excellency ; whereas, Aristotle excelleth them in logic
and philosophy, and Cicero and Demosthenes in oratory, and
Seneca in ingenious expressions of morality, &c.
Answ. You may as well argue that Aristotle was no wiser
than a minstrel, because he could not fiddle so well ; or than a
painter, because he could not limn so well ; or than a harlot,
because he could not dress himself so neatly. Means are to be
estimated according to their fitness for their ends. h Christ
h The parts and style of men may vary, who speak the same truth. Sentit
ut Pythagoras, dividit ut Socrates, explicat ut Plato, implicat ut Aristotele^.,
ut jEschines blanditur, ut Demosthenes irascitur, vernat ut Hortensius, ut
Cethegus, incitat ut Curio, moratur ut Fabius, simulat ut Crassus, dissimulat
ut Caesar, suadet ut Cato, dissuadet ut Appius, persuadet ut Tullius : instruit ut
Hieronimus, destruit ut Lactantius, astruit ut Augustinus, attollitur ut Hilarius,
summittitur ut Joannes, ut Basilius corripit, ut Gregorius consolatur, ut Orosi-
us affluit, ut Ruffinus stringitur, ut Eusebius narrat, Jt Eucheus sollicitat, ut
Paulinus provocat, ut Ambrosius perseverat. Sidonis Ep. Mammert. Even
as your heathen authors had their several styles, so had the sacred writers,
Qua Crispus brevitate placet, quo pondere Varro.
Quo genio Plautus, quo flumine Quintiliauus.
Qua. pompa Tacitus nunquam sine laude Joquendus.
dpol. Sidonius, Carm. 2. Auetuar. Bib. Pair. p. 123.
Nihil fide nostra iniquius fingi posset, si in eruditos tantum, et dicendi facul-
tate et logicis demonstrationibus excellentes caderet : popularis autem multi-
tude, ut auro et argento aliisque omnibus rebus, quae hie in pretio hsbentur,
atque a plerisque avide expetuntur, sic hoc quoque frustraretur, ac Deus id
quod altum et excelsum est, et ad paucos pertingit, gratum acceptumque
haberet ; contra, quod propiuquius est, nee vulgi captum superat, aspernare-
tur et rejiceret. — Nazimiz. Orat.26. p. 453. Sed ab indoctis hominibus et
rudibus scripta sunt. Et idcirco non sunt f'acili auditione credenda. Vide ne
magis fortior haec causa sit : cur ilia sint nullis coinquinata mendaciis; mente
siuiplici prodita, et ignara lenociniis ampliare trivialis et sordidus sermo est:
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 345
himself excelled all mankind, in all true perfections; and yet
it became him not to exercise all men's arts, to show that he
excelleth them. He came not into the world to teach men
architecture, navigation, medicine, astronomy, grammar, music,
logic, rhetoric, &c, and therefore showed not his skill in these.
The world had sufficient helps and means for these in nature.
It was to save men from sin and hell, and bring them to pardon,
holiness, and heaven, that Christ was incarnate, and that the
apostles were inspired, and the Scriptures written ; and to be
fitted to these ends is the excellency to be expected in them ;
and in this they excel all persons and writings in the world.
As God doth not syllogise, or know by our imperfect way of
ratiocination, but yet knovveth all things better than syllogisers
do, so Christ hath a more high and excellent kind of logic and
oratorv, and a more apt, and spiritual, and powerful style, than
Aristotle, Demosthenes, Cicero, or Seneca. He showed not
that skill in methodical healing which Hippocrates and Galen
showed, but he showed more and better skill, when he could
heal with a word, and raise the dead, and had the power of life
and death ; so did he bring more convincing evidence than
Aristotle, and persuaded more powerfully than Demosthenes or
Cicero. And though this kind of formal learning was below
him, and below the inspired messengers of his Gospel, yet his
inferior servants, an Aquinas, a Scotus, an Ockam, a Scaliger,
a Ramus, a Gassendus, do match or excel the old philosophers ;
and abundance of Christians equalise or excel a Demosthenes or
Cicero, in the truest oratory.
2. His mercy had a general design for the salvation of all
sorts and ranks of men, and therefore was not to confine itself
to a few trifling, pedantic logicians and orators, or those that
had learned to speak in their new-made words and phrases ;
but he must speak in the common dialect of all those whom he
nunquam enim Veritas sectata est fucum, nee quod exploratum et eertum est,
cireumduci se patitur orationis per ambitum longiorem : collectiones enthy-
meta, definitiones, omniaque ilia ornamenta quibus fides quan-itur assertionis,
suspicantes adjuvant, lion veritatis lineamenta demonstrant Solcecismis,
barharismis, inquis obsitae sunt res vestrae Puerilis sane et angusti pecto-
ris repreheusio : yuam si admitteremus ut vera sit <^i_iiti enim officit, O
queeso ? aut quam praestat intellectui tarditatem ? utnunne quid leve, an
hirsuta cum asperitate promatur ? inflectatur quod acui, an acuatur quod
oportebat inflecti. — Ar:iob. 1. 1. p. 10. Dissoluti est pectoris, in rebus seriis
quaerere voluptatem Atsi verum spectes, nullus sermo natura est integer,
vitiosus similiter nullus : qua?nam enim est ratio naturalis, aut in lmindi con-
stitutionibus lex scripta, ut hie paries dicatur, et haec sella ? — Id. ibid.
346 , THE REASONS OF
would instruct and save. As the statutes of the land, or the
books of physic, which are most excellent, are written in a style
which is fitted to the subject matter, and to the readers, and
not in syllogisms, or terms of logic, so was it more necessary
that it should be with the doctrine of salvation. The poor and
unlearned were the greatest number of those that were to be
converted and saved by the Gospel, and still to use the holy
Scriptures.
3. There is greater exactness of true logical method in some
parts of the Scripture, (as e.g. in the covenant of faith, the
Lord's Prayer, and the Decalogue,) than any that is to be found
in Aristotle or Cicero ; though men that understand them not do
not observe it. The particular books of Scripture were written
at several times, and on several occasions, and not as one
methodical svstem, though the Spirit that endited it hath made
it indeed a methodical system, agreeable to its design : but if
you saw the doctrines of all this Bible, uno intuitu, in a perfect
scheme, as it is truly intended by the Spirit of God; if you saw
all begin the Divine Unity, and branch out itself into the Trinity,
and thence into the Trinity of relations and correlations, and
thence into the multiplied branches of mercy and precepts, and
all these accepted and improved in duty and gratitude by man,
and returned up in love to the blessed Trinity and Unity again,
and all this in perfect order, proportion, and harmony; you
would see the most admirable, perfect method that ever was set
before you in the world : the resemblance of it is in the circular
motion of the humours and spirits in man's body, which are
delivered on from vessel to vessel, and perfected in all their mo-
tions. I know there are many schemes and systems attempted
which show not this, but that is because the wisdom of this
method is so exceedingly great that it is yet but imperfectly un-
derstood ; for my own part, I may say as those that have made
some progress in anatomy beyond their ancestors, that they have
no thought that they have yet discovered all, but rejoice in what
they have discovered, which showed them the hopes and possi-
bility of more ; so I am far from a perfect comprehension of this
wonderful method of divinity, but I have seen that which truly
assureth me that it excelleth all the art of philosophers and
orators, and that it is really a most beautiful frame and harmo-
nious consort, and that more is within my prospect than I am
vet come to.
4. Moreover, it is Christ who gave all men all the gifts they
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 347
have : to logicians, orators, astronomers, grammarians, physi-
cians, musicians, &c, whatever gifts are suited to men's just ends
and callings he hestowed on them ; and to his apostles he gave
those gifts which were most suitable to their work. I do not
undervalue the gifts of nature or art in any ; J make it not, with
Aristotle, an argument for the contempt of music, Jovem neque
carnere, neque Cytharam pulsare ; but I may say, that as Cod
hath greater excellencies in himself, so hath he greater gifts to
give ; and such gifts as were fittest for the confirmation of the
truth of the Gospel, and first planting of the churches, he gave
to the apostles ; and such as were fit for the edifying of the
church he giveth to his ministers ever since ; and such as were
fit for the improvement of nature, in lower things, he gave the
philosophers and artists of the world.
Object. XVII. The Scripture hath many contradictions in it,
in points of history, chronologv, and other things. Therefore,
it is not the word of God.
Answ. Nothing but ignorance maketh men think so : under-
stand once the true meaning, and allow for the errors of printers,
transcribers, and translators, and there will no such thing be
found. Young students, in all sciences, think their books are
full of contradictions; which they can easily reconcile, when
they come to understand them. Books that have been so often
translated into so many languages, and the originals and transla-
tions so often transcribed, may easily fall into some disagreement
between the original and translations ; and the various copies
may have divers, inconsiderable verbal differences. But all the
world must needs confess, that in all these books, there is no
contradiction in any point of doctrine, much less in such as our
salvation resteth on.
There are two opinions among Christians about the books of
the holy Scripture : the one is, that the Scriptures are so
entirely and perfectly the product of the Spirit's inspiration,
that there is no word in them which is not infallibly true : the
other is, that the Spirit was promised and given to the apostles,
to enable them to preach to the world the true doctrine of the
Gospel, and to teach men to observe whatever Christ com-
manded ; and truly to deliver the history of his life and suffer-
ings, and resurrection, which they have done accordingly. But
not to make them perfect and indefectible in every word, which
they should speak or write, not no, about sacred things ; but
only in that which they delivered to the church, as necessary to
salvation, and as the rule of faith and life; but every chrono-
348 THE REASONS OF
logical and historical narrative is not the rule of faith or
life. I think that the first opinion is right, and that no
one error or contradiction, in any matter, can be proved in
the Scriptures. Yet all are agreed in this, that it is so of
divine inspiration, as yet in the manner, and method, and
style, to partake of the various abilities of the writers, and
consequently of their human imperfections. And that it is
a mere mistake which infidels deceive themselves by, to
think that the writings cannot be of divine inspiration unless
the book, in order and style, and all other excellencies, be as
perfect as God himself could make it : though we should grant
that it is less logical than Aristotle, and less oratorical and gram-
matical and exact in words than Demosthenes or Cicero, it
would be no disparagement to the certain truth of all that
is in it. It doth not follow that David must be the ablest
man for strength, or that he must use the weapons which
in themselves are most excellent, if he be called by God to
overcome Goiiah ; but rather that it may be known that he
is called by God, he shall do it with less excellence of
strength and weapons than any other men : and so there
may be some real weakness, not culpable, in the writings
of the several prophets and apostles, in point of style and
method, which shall show the more that they are sent by God
to do great things by little human excellency of speech, and
yet that human excellency be never the more to be disliked, any
more than a sword, because David used but a sling and stone.
If Amos have one degree of parts, and Jeremiah another, and
Isaiah another, &c, God doth not equal them all by inspiration,
but only cause every man to speak his saving truth in his own
language, and dialect, and stvle. As the body of Adam was
made of the common earth, though God breathed into him a
rational soul; and so is the body of every saint, even such as may
partake of the infirmities of parents; so Scripture hath its style,
and language, and methods so from God, as we have our bodies ;
even so that there may be in them the effects of human imper-
fection : and it is not so extraordinarily of God as the truth of
the doctrine is : all is so from God, as to be suitable to its pro-
per ends. But the body of Scripture is not so extraordinarily
from him, as the soul of it is; as if it were the most excellent
and exact in every kind of ornament and perfection. The truth
and goodness is the soul of the Scripture, together with the
power manifested in it : and in these it doth indeed excel.
So that variety of gifts in the prophets and apostles may cause
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 349
variety of style and other accidental excellencies in the parts of
the holy Scriptures, and yet all these parts be animated with one
soul of power, truth, and goodness.
But those men who think that these human imperfections of
the writers do extend further, and may appear in some by-
passages of chronologies or history, which are no proper part
of the rule of faith and life, do not hereby destroy the christian
cause : for God might enable his apostles to an infallible
recording and preaching of the Gospel, even all things neces-
sary to salvation, though he had not made them infallible in
every by-passage and circumstance, any more than they were
indefectible in life.
As for them that say, ( I can believe no man in any thing,
who is mistaken in one thing, at least, as infallible,' they speak
against common sense and reason : for a man may be infallibly
acquainted with some things, who is not so in all. An his-
torian may infallibly acquaint me, that there was a fight at
Lepanto, at Edge-hill, at York, at Naseby; or an insurrection
and massacre in Ireland and Paris, &c, who cannot tell me all
the circumstances of it : or he may infallibly tell men of the
late fire which consumed London, though he cannot justly tell
whose houses were burnt, and may mistake about the causers of
it, and the circumstances. A lawyer may infallibly tell you
whether your cause be good or bad, in the main, who yet may
mis'report some circumstances in the opening of it. A physi-
cian, in his historical observations, mav partly err as an historian
in some circumstances, and yet be infallible as a physician in
some plain cases which belong directly to his art. I do not
believe that any man can prove the least error in the holy
Scripture in any point, according to its true intent and meaning;
but, if he could, the Gospel, as a rule of faith and life, in
things necessary to salvation, might be nevertheless proved
infallible by all the evidence before given.
Object. XVI [I. The physics, in Gen. i., are contrary to all
true philosophy, and suited to the vulgars' erroneous conceits.
Answ. No such matter : there is sounder doctrine of physics
in Gen. i., than any philosopher hath who contradicteth it :
and as long as they are all together by the ears among them-
selves, and so little agreed in most of their philosophy, but
leave it to this day either to the sceptics to deride as utterly
uncertain, or to any novelist to form anew into what principles
and hypotheses he please, the judgment of philosophers is of
no great value, to prejudice any against the Scriptures. The
350 THE REASONS OF
sum of Gen. i. is but this : that God, having first made the
intellectual, superior part of the world, and the matter
of the elementary world, in an unformed mass or chaos, did the
first day distinguish or form the active element of fire, and
caused it to give light. The second day he separated the
attenuated or rarified part of the passive element, which we
call the air ; expanding it from the earth upwards, to separate
the clouds from the lower waters, and to be the medium of
light :' and whether, in different degrees of purity, it fill not all
the space between all the globes, both fixed and planetary, is a
question which we may more probably affirm than deny, unless
there beany waters also upwards by condensation, which we can-
not disprove. The third day he separated the rest of the passive
element, earth and sea, into their proper place and bounds ; and
also made individual plants in their specific forms and virtue of
generation, or multiplication of individuals. The fourth day he
made the sun, moon, and stars; either then forming them, or
then making them luminaries to the earth, and appointing them
their relative offices ; but hath not told us of their other uses,
which are nothing to us. The fifth day he made inferior sen-
sitives ; fishes and birds, the inhabitants of water and air, with
the power of generation or multiplication of individuals. The
sixth day he made first the terrestrial animals, and then man,
with the power also of generation or multiplication. And the
seventh day, having taken complacency in all the works of this
glorious, perfected frame of nature, he appointed to be observed
by mankind as a day of rest from worldly labours, for the wor-
shipping of him their omnipotent Creator, in commemoration
of this work.
This is the sum and sense of the physics of Gen. i. ; and here is
no error in all this, whatever prejudice philosophers may imagine.
Object. XIX. It is a suspicious sign that believing is com-
1 Lege Basilii Hexaraer. et Greg. Nysseui add it. Basil saith, that
in priiicipio is in the beginning of time ; but that the intellectual world
is here presupposed ; erat autiquissima creaturaj ordinatio, il lis quaes extra
inuudum sunt, apta virtutibus, orta sine tempore, sempiterna sibique
propria; in qua couditor omnium Deus opera certa constituit, id est, lu-
men intellectibile, conveniens beatitudini amautium Dominum : rationabiles,
invisibilesque dico naturas, et omnium intellectibilium decorationem, qua?
capacitatem nostra; mentis excedimt, quorum nee vocabula reperire possibile
est. Haec subs tan ti am invisibilis mundi replevisse sciendum est, &c. — Basil.
Hex.inttrp. Eustath.l.l. Caesarius (Dial. 1. Qu. 50, et Qu. 51.) saith,
that Moses past by the nations of angels, and began with the creation of the
visible world, and that the first day he created matter, and afterward other
things of that, &c. : and that of the light first made, God made the sua. But
he ignorantly denieth its circular motion,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 351
manded us instead of knowing, and that we must take all upon
trust without any proof.
Answ. This is a mere slander. Know as much as you are
able to know : Christ came not to hinder, but to help your
knowledge. Faith is but a mode or act of knowing : how will
you know matters of history which are past, and matters of the
unseen world, but by believing. If you could have an angel
come from heaven to tell you what is there, would you quarrel
because you are put upon believing him ? if you can know it
without believing and testimony, do : God biddeth you believe
nothing but what he giveth you sufficient reason to believe.
Evidence of credibility in divine faith is evidence of certainty :
believers in Scripture usually say, ' We know that thou art the
Christ,' &c. You are not forbidden, but encouraged to try the
spirits, and not to believe every spirit nor pretended prophet :
let this treatise testify whether you have not reason and evidence
for belief. It is Mahomet's doctrine, and not Christ's, which
forbiddeth examination.
Object. XX. It imposeth upon us an incredible thing when
it persuadeth us that our undoing, and calamity, and death, are
the way to our felicity and our gain, and that sufferings work
together for our good ; at least, these are hard terms which we
cannot undergo, nor think it wisdom to lose a certainty for
uncertain hopes.
Answ. Suppose but the truth of the Gospel proved ; yea, or
but the immortality and retribution for souls hereafter, which
the light of nature proveth, and then we may well say that this
objection savoureth more of the beast than of the man : a
heathen can answer it, though not so well as a Christian.
Seneca and Plutarch, Antonine and Epictetus, have done it in
part: and what a dotage is it to call things present, certainties,
when they are certainly ready to pass away, and you are uncer-
tain to possess them another hour : who can be ignorant what
haste time maketh, and how like the life of man is to a dream !
What sweetness is now left of all the pleasant cups and morsels,
and all the merry hours you have had, and all the proud or
lustful fancies which have tickled your deluded, fleshly minds !
Are they not more terrible than comfortable to your most retired,
sober thoughts ? and what an inconsiderable moment is it till it
will be so with all the rest ! All that the world can possibly
afford you will not make death the more welcome, nor less
terrible to you ; nor abate a jot of the pains of hell. It is as
comfortable to die poor as rich j and a life of pain, and weak-
352 THE REASONS OF
ness, and persecution, will end as pleasantly as a life of pomp,
and wealth, and pleasures. If it be no unreasonable motion ot
a physician to tell you of blood-letting, vomiting, purging, and
strict diet, to save your lives ; nor any hard dealings in your
parents to set you many years to school to endure both the la-
bour of learning and the rod, and after that to set you to a seven
years' apprenticeship, and all this for things of a transitory
nature; surely, God deserveth not to be accused as too severe if he
train you up for heaven more strictly, and in a more suffering
way than the flesh deserveth. Either you believe that there is a
future life of retribution or you do not : if not, the foregoing
evidences must first convince you, before you will be fit to debate
the case, whether sufferings are for your hurt or benefit ; but if
you do believe a life to come, you must needs believe that its
concernments weigh down all the matters of fleshly interest in
this world, as much as a mountain would weigh down a feather ;
and then do but further bethink yourselves, impartially, whether a
life of prosperity or adversity be the more likely to tempt you into
the love of this world, and to turn away your thoughts and de-
sires from the heavenly felicity ? Judge but rightly, first, of your
own interest, and you will be fitter to judge of the doctrine of
Christ. 1
Object. XXI. Christ seemeth to calculate all his precepts to
the poorer sort of people's state, as if he had never hoped that
kings and nobles would be Christians : if men think as hardly
of the rich as he doth, and take them to be so bad, and their
salvation so difficult, how will they ever honour their kings and
governors ? And if all men must suffer such as abuse and injure
them, and must turn the other cheek to him that striketh them,
and give him their coat who taketh away their cloak, what use
will there be for magistrates and judicatures ?
Answ. 1. Christ fitteth his precepts to the benefit of all men ;
but, in so doing, he must needs tell them of the danger of over-
loving this world, as being the most mortal sin which he came
to cure ; and he must needs tell them what a dangerous tempta-
tion a flesh-pleasing, prosperous state is to the most, to entice
them to this pernicious sin. Had he silenced such necessary,
k Sed et nobis in bujusmooli casibus non auxiliatur Deus. Prompta et
manifesta causa est. Nihil enim est nobis promissum ad banc vitam, nee in
carunculffi bnjus folliculo constitutis opis aliquid sponsum est, auxiliique de-
cretum : quinimo edocti sumus minasomnes quaecunque sunt parvi ducere —
Atque ista quani dicitis persecutiouis asperitas, liberatio nostra est, non per-
secute : nee pcenam vexatio infeiet, sed ad lucem libertatis educet. — Arno-
lius adv. Gent. 1. 2. injinc.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 35
9
truths as these, he could not have been their Saviour; for how
should he save them from sin if he conceal the evil and the
danger of it. If the corruption of man's nature be so great, that
riches, and honours, and pleasures, are ordinarily made the occa-
sions of men's perdition, must Christ be Christ and never tell
them of it ? and is he to be blamed for telling them the truth ;
or they, rather, who create these difficulties and dangers to
themselves ? Christ teacheth men to honour a sacred office,
such as magistracy is, without honouring vice, or betraying sin-
ners by concealing their temptations ; and to holy, faithful
rulers he teacheth us to give a double honour. They that will
prove that most of the great and wealthy shall be saved, must
prove, first, that most of them are godly and mortified, heavenly
persons ; and the fit proof of that must be by showing us the
men that are so.
2. The laws of Christ require every soul to be subject to the
higher powers, and not resist; and this not only for fear of
their wrath, but for conscience' sake ; and to pay honour and
custom to all whom it is due to. And what more can be de-
sired for the support of government.
3. Yea, nothing more tendeth to the comfort and quietness
of governors, than the obedience of those precepts of patience
and peace, which the objection quarrelleth with. If subjects
would love each other as themselves, and forgive injuries, and
love their enemies ; what could be more joyful to a faithful go-
vernor ? And to the question, ' What use would there be then
of judicatures ?' I answer, they would be useful to good men,
for their protection against the injuries of the bad, where we
are but defendants ; and also in cases where it is not want of
love, but of knowledge, which causeth the controversy, and
when no fit arbitration can decide it : and they will be useful
among contentious persons, for all men are not true believers ;
the most will be, ordinarily, the worst. As we will not be fornica-
tors, thieves, perjured, &c, lest you should say, i To what purpose
is the law against such offenders ?' so we will not be revenged
and contentious, lest you should say, ( To what end are judi-
catures ?' The law is to prevent offences by threatened penalties :
and that is the happiest commonwealth where the law doth most
without the judge, and where judicatures have least employ-
ment ; for there is none to be expected on earth so happy, where
mere love of virtue and of one another will prevent the use
both of penal laws and judicatures.
VOL. XX f. A A
354 THE REASONS OF
4. And it is but selfishness, and contentiousness, and private
revenge, which Christ forbiddeth, and not the necessary defence
or vindication of any talent which God hath committed to our
trust, so it be with the preservation of brotherly love and
peace.
5. And that Christ foreknew what princes and states would
be converted to the faith, is manifest, 1. In all his prophets,
who have foretold it, that kings shall be our nursing fathers,
&c. 2. In that Christ prophesied himself, that when he was
lifted up he would draw all men to him. 3. By the prophecies
of John, who saith, that the kingdoms of the world should
become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ.
Object. XXII. But it is the obscurity of all those prophecies,
which is one of the difficulties of our faith, and that they are
never likely to be fulfilled. Almost all your expositors differ about
the sense of John's Revelations : and the calling of the Jews,
and bringing in all the gentiles to their subjection, seem to be
plainly prophesied of, which are never likely to come to pass. 1
Answ. 1. Prophecies are seldom a rule of life, but an encou-
ragement to hope, and a confirmation to faith, when they are
fulfilled : and, therefore, if the particularities be dark, and un-
derstood by few, so the general scope be understood, it should be
no matter of offence or wonder. It is doctrine, and precept,
and promises of salvation, which are the daily food of faith.
2. If no man can hitherto truly say, that any one promise or
prophecy hath failed, why should we think that hereafter they
will fail ? What, though the things seem improbable to us, they
are never the more unlikely to be accomplished by God. The
conversion of the gentiles of the Roman empire, and so many
other nations of the world, was once as improbable as the calling
of the Jews is : and yet it was done.
3. And many of those prophecies are hereby fulfilled, it being
not a worldly kingdom, as the carnal Jews imagined, which the
prophets foretold of the Messiah, but the spiritual kingdom of
a Saviour. When the power and glory of the Roman empire, in
its greatest height, did submit and resign itself to Christ, with
many other kingdoms of the world, there was more of those
prophecies then fulfilled, than selfishness will suffer the Jews to
understand : and the rest shall all be fulfilled in their season.
But as, in all sciences, it is but a few of the most extraordinarily
1 Obj. Sed et ipse pollicetur quse non probat. Resp, Ita est : nulla enim
futurorum existere potest comprobatio. — Arnob, lib. 2.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGTON'. 355
wise, who reach the most subtle and difficult points ; so it will
be but a very few Christians who will understand the most dif-
ficult prophecies, till the accomplishment interpret them.
Object. XXIII. But the difficulties areas great in the doctrines
as in the prophecies. Who is able to reconcile God's decrees,
foreknowledge, and efficacious, special grace, with man's free-
will, and the righteousness of God's judgment, and the reason-
ableness of his precepts, promises, and threats ? How God's de-
crees are all fulfilled, and in him we live, and move, and be ; and
are not sufficient for a good thought of ourselves : but to believe,
to will, and to do, is given us ; and he will have mercy on whom
he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth : and it is
not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God
that showeth mercy. And yet that he would not the death of
a sinner, but rather that he repent and live; and that he would
have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; and
layeth all the blame of their misery on themselves." 1
Answ. First, Consider these things apart and in themselves,
and then, comparatively, as they respect each other. 1. Is it
an incredible thing that all being should be from the First Being,
and all goodness from the Infinite Eternal Good ; and that
nothing should be unknown to the Infinite Omniscient Wisdom ;
and that nothing can overcome the power of the Omnipotent;
or that he is certainly able to procure the accomplishment of
all his own will ; and that none shall disappoint his purposes,
nor make him fall short of any of his counsels or decrees ? Go
no further now, and do not by false or uncertain doctrine make
difficulties to yourselves, which God never made, and then tell
me whether any of this be doubtful."
2. On the other side, is it incredible that man is a rational
free-agent, and that he is a creature governable by laws ; and
that God is his Ruler, Lawgiver, and Judge : and that his
laws must command and prohibit, and the sanction contain
rewards and punishments : and that men should be judged
righteously, according to their works : or that the messengers
of Christ should entreat and persuade men to obey : and that
they should be moved as men by motives of good or evil to
m Read Cicero ' De Fato, de Divinatione,' &c, and all those philosophers de
fnlo, whose opinions Grotius hath collected, and you will see that they had
the same doubts as we, but were less able to resolve them.
" Intellectual est optimum cognoscere voluntatem Dei : omnium superior
efficitur homo, qui obedierit veritati. — Pachomius in monit. per Voss, Edit.
A A 2
35
6 THE REASONS OF
.j
themselves ? Is there any thing in this that is incredible or
uncertain ? I think there is not.
And these difficulties will concern you, nevertheless, whether
you are Christians, or not : they are harder points to philoso-
phers than to us ; and they have been their controversies before
Christ came into the world : they are points that belong to the
natural part of theology, and not that which resteth only on
supernatural revelation ; and therefore this is nothing against
Christ.
2. But yet I will answer your question, who can reconcile
these things ? p They can do much to the reconciling of them,
who can distinguish a mere volition, or purpose, or decree, from
an efficacious, pre-determining influx : 2. And can distinguish
between those effects which need a positive cause, and purpose or
decree, and those nullities which, having no cause but defective,
do need no positive purpose or decree : 3. And can distinguish
between the need we have of medicinal grace for holy actions,
and the need we have of common help for every action natural
and free : 4. And can distinguish between an absolute volition,
and a limited volition, in tantum et ad hoc, and no further :
5. They that can distinguish between man's natural liberty of
self-determination, and his civil libertv from restraint of law,
and his moral liberty from vicious habits : 6. They that can
well difference man's natural power or faculties, from his moral
power of good and holy disposition : 7. They that know what
a free power is, and how far the causer of that power is, or is
not, the cause of the act or its omission : 8. They that can dis-
tinguish between those acts which God doth as our Owner or as
our free Benefactor, and those which he doth as Rector : 9. And
between those which he doth as Rector, by his legislative will,
antecedent to men's keeping or breaking his laws, and by his
judicial and executive will, as consequent to these acts of man :
10. He that can distinguish between God's method in giving
both the first call of the Gospel, and the first internal grace to
receive it, and of his giving the grace of further sanctification,
Leg. librum excell. D. Strangii Scoti de hisce controversiis. Plurima
etiam consideratu dignissimasunt in Ro. Baronii Metaphysic.
p Dorothceus (Doct. 6.) to prove the unsearchableness of God's counsels and
differencing grace, doth instance in two young maids, in natural temper much
alike, both brought as captives in a ship to be sold. A holy woman bought one
of them, and instructed her in holiness. A harlot bought the other, and
taught her the trade of wickedness : and who, saith he, can give the reason of
this event ?
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 357
justification, and glory: 11. And between the manner of his
procuring our first faith, and the procuring our following sancti-
fication : 12. And he that knoweth how easy it is with God to
attain what he willeth, without destroying the liberty of our
wills: (as a miller can make the stream of water turn his mill and
grind his corn, without altering any thing in the inclination of the
water:) 13. And, withal, how incomprehensible the nature and
manner of God's operation is to man ; and how transcendently
it is above all physical agency by corporeal contact or motion.
I say, he that understandeth and can apply these distinctions,
can reconcile the decrees and concourse of God with his go-
vernment and man's free-will, as far as is necessary to the
quieting of our understandings.
Object. XXIV. But the christian faith doth seem to be but
human, and not divine, in that it is to be resolved into the credit
of men : even of those men who tell us that they saw Christ's
miracles, and saw him risen and ascend ; and of those who saw
the miracles of the apostles ; and of those who tell us, that the
first churches witness that they saw such things. The certainty
cannot exceed the weakest of the premises; and this is the ar-
gument : The doctrine which was attested by miracles is of
God ; but the christian doctrine was attested by miracles ;
proved ; the spectators averred it to others, who have trans-
mitted the testimony down to us. So that you are no surer of
the doctrine than of the miracles, and no surer of the miracles
than of the human testimony which hath delivered it to you.
Answ. If you will be at the labour to read over what I have
written before, you shall find a threefold testimony to Christ,
besides this of miracles ; and you shall find the apostles' testi-
mony of Christ's miracles and resurrection, attested by more
tha?i a human testimony; and you shall find the miracles of the
apostles also to have a fuller attestation : even, 1. Besides the
most credible and human testimony ; 2. A natural impossibility
of deceit and falsehood ; 3* And a further attestation of God,
supernaturally : and you shall find that the Gospel hath its cer-
tain evidence in the sanctifying effect, by the co-operation of
the holy Spirit of Christ unto this day. Peruse it impartially,
and you will find all this in what is said.
What, would men rather desire to attest the veracity of a
messenger from heaven, than miracles ; evident, uncontrolled,
multiplied miracles ! And must this messenger live in every
age, and go into every land, to do these miracles in the presence
358 THE REASONS OF
of every living soul ! If not, how would those that live in
another land or age be brought to the knowledge of them, but
by the testimony of those that saw them ; and how would you
have such testimonies better confirmed, than by multiplied mira-
cles, delivered in a way which cannot possibly deceive ; and
fully and perpetually attested by the spirit of effectual sanctifi-
cation on believers ? It is an unreasonable arrogancy to tell our
Maker that we will not believe any miracles which he doth, by
whomsoever, or howsoever witnessed, unless we see them our-
selves with our own eyes ; and so they be made as common as
the shining of the sun : and then we should contemn them as
of no validity.
So much shall here suffice against the objections from the in-
trinsical difficulties in the christian faith. Many more are
answered in my 'Treatise against Infidelity,' published heretofore.
CHAP. XI.
The Objections from Things extrinsical, resolved.
Object. I. All men are liars, and history may convey down
abundance of untruths : who liveth with his eyes open among
men, that may not perceive how partially men write ; and how
falsely through partiality ; and with what brazen-faced impu-
dence the most palpable falsehoods, in public matters of fact, are
most confidently averred ? and that in the land, the city, the
age, the year of the transaction. Who, then, can lay his sal-
vation upon the truth of the history of acts and miracles done
one thousand six hundred years ago ?
Answ. The father of lies, no doubt, can divulge them as well
by pen or press, as by the tongue : and it is not an unnecessary
caution to readers, and hearers too, to take heed what they be-
lieve ; especially, 1. When one sect or party speaks against
another ; 2. Or when carnal interest requireth men to say what
they do j 3. Or when failing out provoketh them to asperse any
others ; 4. Or when the stream of the popular vogue, or coun-
tenance of men in power, hath a finger in it ; 5. Or when it is as
probably contradicted by as credible men ; 6. Or when the
higher powers deter all from contradicting it, and dissenters
have not liberty of speech.
But none of these, nor any such, are in our present case :
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 359
there are liars in the world ; but shall none, therefore, be be-
lieved ? There is history which is false ; but is none, therefore,
true ? Is there not a certainty in that history which tells us of
the Norman conquest of this land ; and of the series of kings
which have been since them ; and of the statutes which they
and their parliaments have made : yea, of a battle, and other
transactions, before the incarnation of Jesus Christ ? Doth the
falsehood of historians make it uncertain whether ever there
was a pope at Rome, or a king in France, or an inquisition in
Spain, &c.
But I have proved that it is more than the bare credit of any
tradition or historians in the world, which assure us of the truth,
both of fact and doctrine, in the christian faith.
Object. II. Are not the legends written with as great confi-
dence as the Scriptures ; and greater multitudes of miracles
there mentioned and believed by the subjects of the pope ? and
yet they are denied and derided by the protestants !
Answ. Credible history reporteth many miracles done in the
first ages of the christian church, and some since, in several
ages and places ; and the truth of these was the cloak for the
legend's multiplied falsities, which were not written by men
that wrought miracles themselves to attest them, or that proved
the verity of their writings as the apostles did; or were they
ever generally received by the christian churches, but were
written awhile ago, by a few ignorant, superstitious friars, in
an age of darkness, and in the manner, exposing the stories to
laughter and contempt, and are lamented by many of the most
learned papists themselves, and not believed by the multitude
of the people. And shall no chronicles, no records, no certain
history be believed, as long as there are any foolish, supersti-
tious liars left upon the earth ? Then, liars will effectually serve
the devil indeed, if they can procure men to believe neither
human testimony nor divine.
Object. III. Many friars and fanatics, quakers, and other
enthusiasts, have, by the power of conceit, been transported into
such strains of speech, as in the apostles were accounted fruits
of the Spirit ; yea, to a pretence of prophecy and miracles :
and how know we that it was not so with the apostles ?
Answ. I. It is the devil's way of opposing Christ, to do it by
apish imitation : so would the Egyptian magicians have dis-
credited the miracles of Moses : and Christianity consisteth not
of any words which another may not speak, or any actions of
360 THE REASONS OF
devotion, or gesture, or formality, which no man else can
do. q There are no words which seem to signify a rapture, (which
are not miraculous,) but they may be counterfeited ; but, yet, as
a statuary or painter may be known from a creator, and a statue
from a man, so may the devil's imitations and fictions, from
the evidences of Christianity which he would imitate. Look
through the four parts of the testimony of the Spirit, and
you may see this to be so: 1. What antecedent prophecies
have foretold us these men's actions ? 2. What frame of holy
doctrine do they deliver, bearing the image of God, besides so
much of Christ's own doctrine as they acknowledge ? 3. And
what miracles are, with any probability, pretended to be done
by any of them, unless you mean any preacher of Christianity
in confirmation of that common, christian faith. There are no
quakers, or other fanatics, among us, that I can hear of, who
pretend to miracles. Jn their first arising, two or three of
them were raised to a confidence that they had the apostolical
gift of the Spirit, and could speak with unlearned languages,
and heal the sick, and raise the dead, but they failed in the
performance, and made themselves the common scorn, by the
vanity of their attempts. Not one of them, that ever spake a
word of any language but what he had learned ; not one that
cured any disease by miracle. One of them, at Worcester,
half famished, and then, as is most probable, drowned himself;
and a woman, that was their leader, undertook to raise him
from the dead : but she spake to him as the priests of Baal
spoke to their god, that could not hear ; and made but matter
of laughter and pity to those that heard of it. There hath not
been in England, in our days, that ever I could hear of, either by
Jesuit, friar, quaker, or other fanatic, so much as a handsome
cheat, resembling a miracle, which the people might not easily
see to be a transparent foolery. But manv wonders I have
known done at the earnest prayers of humble Christians. So
that he who shall compare the friars and fanatics with the
apostles and other disciples of Christ, whose miracles were such
as before described, will see that the devil's apish design, though
it may cheat forsaken souls into infidelity, is such as may con-
firm the faith of sober men. 4. And what spirit of sanctifica-
tion doth accompany any of their peculiar doctrines ? If any
i How like are the stories of Eunapius, of Jambiichus, /Edesius, Sosipatra
the wife of Eustathius, and others' raptures, prophecies, visions, miracles, to
those of the Roman legends, aud the quakers.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 361
of them do any good in the world, it is only by the doctrine of
Christ ; but, for their own doctrines, what do they but cheat
men, and draw the simple into sin ? A friar, by his own doc-
trine, may draw men to some fopperv, or ridiculous ceremony, or
subjection to that clergy, whose holy diligence consisteth in
striving who shall be greatest; and lord it over the inheritance
of Christ, and rule them by constraint, and not willingly. A
quaker, by his own doctrine, may teach men to cast away their
bands, and cuffs, and points, and hat-bands, and to say, 'thou,'
instead of ' you,' and to put off their hats to no men, and to be
the public and private revilers of the most holy and most able
preachers of the Gospel, and the best of the people, and, with
truculent countenances, to rail at God's servants, in a horrid
abuse of Scripture terms. If this image and work of the devil
were indeed the image and work of God, it were some testi-
mony of the verity of their doctrine : and yet, even these sects
do but, like a flash of lightning, appear for a moment, and are
suddenly extinct, and some other sect or fraternity succeedeth
them. The quakers already recant most of those rigidities, on
which, at first, they laid out their chief zeal. If a flash of such
lightning, or a squib, or glow-worm, be argument sufficient to
prove that there is no other sun, then friars and fanatics, as often
as they are mad, may warrant you to believe that all men are so
too, even Christ and his apostles.
Object. IV. But the power of cheaters, and credulity of the
vulgar, is almost incredible. The great number of papists who
believe their holy cheats ; and the great number of Mahome-
tans, who believe in a most sottish, ignorant deceiver, do tell us
what a folly it is to believe for company.
Answ. This is sufficiently answered already. No doubt but
cheaters may do much with the ignorant and credulous multi-
tude ; but doth it follow, thence, that there is nothing certain
in the world ? None of these were ever so successful in de-
ceiving;, as to make men of sound understanding and senses
believe that they saw the lame, and blind, and deaf, and sick,
and lunatic healed, and the dead raised, and that they them-
selves performed the like; and that they saw and were instructed
by one risen from the dead, when there was no such thing ; or
that abundance of men did speak in many unlearned tongues,
and heal the lame, and blind, and sick, and raise the dead ;
and this for many years together, in many countries, before
many congregations ; and that they procured the same spirit to
362 THE REASONS OF
those that believe them to do the like, and that by this means
they planted churches of such believers through the world.
Who is it that hath been such a successful deceiver ?
As for the Mahometans, they do but believe, bv education
and human authority, that Mahomet was a great prophet, whose
sword, and not his miracles, hath made his sect so strong that
thev dare not speak against it. Those few miracles which he
pretended to are ridiculous, unproved dreams : and if there be
found a people in the world that, by a tyrant's power, mav be so
barbarously educated as to believe anv foppery, how foolish and
vain soever be the report, it doth not follow that full and un-
questionable evidence is not to be believed.
Object. But what can be imagined by the wit of man more
certain than sense, when it is sound sense, and all the senses,
and all men's senses, upon an object suitable and near, and with
convenient media ? &c. And yet, in the point of transubstan-
tiation, it is not a few fools, but princes, popes, prelates, pas-
tors, doctors, and the most profound and subtle schoolmen,
with whole kingdoms of people of all sorts, who believe that all
these senses are deceived, both other men's and their own.
What, therefore, may not be believed in the world? 1 "
Answ. And yet a nihil scitur vel certum est, is an inhuman,
foolish consequence of all this ; nor hath it any force against
the certainty of the Scripture miracles. For, 1. All this is not
a believing that positivelv they see, and feel, and taste, and
hear that which indeed they do not ; but it is a believing that
they do not see, and hear, and feel, and taste, that which
indeed they do. They are made believe that there is no bread
and wine when indeed there is. But this is no delusion of the
senses, but of the understanding, denying credit to the sense.
If vou had proved that all these princes, lords, prelates, and
people, had verily thought that they had seen, and tasted, and
felt bread and wine, when it was not so, then you might have
carried the cause of unbelief; but upon no other terms, which
is to be remarked, than by proving that nothing in all the world
is certain or credible : for all the certainty of the intellect is so
far founded in the certainty of sense, and resolved into it, in
this life, that it cannot possibly go beyond it. ]f you suppose
1 Sensus nostras, non parens, non nutrix, non magister, non poeta, non
sceua depravat; non multitudinis consensus abducit a vero : animis omnes
tenduntur insidia?, vel ab iis quos raodo enumeravi vel ab ea qua? penitus in
omni sensu implicata insidet imitatrix boni voluptas, malorum autem mater
omnium. — Ck. de Leg, 1. p. 226'.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 363
not all men's sound, consenting senses to have as much infalli-
bility as man is capable of in this lite, for the ordinary conduct
of his judgment, you must grant that there is no further infal-
libility, to be had by any natural way : for he that is not certain
of the infallibility of such consenting senses is not certain that
ever there was a Bible, a pope, a priest, a man, a council, a
church, a world, or any thing.
2. And, for my part, I do not believe that all these that you
mention do really believe that their senses are deceived, though,
if they did, it is nothing to our case. Most of them are fright-
ened, for carnal preservation, into a silencing of their belief;
others know not what transubstantiation meaneth. Many are
cheated by the priests changing the question ; and when they
are about to consider whether all our senses be certain that this
is bread and wine, they are made believe that the question is
whether our senses are certain of the negative, that here is not
the real body and blood of Christ : and they are taught to be-
lieve that sense is not deceived about the accidents, which they
call the species, but about the substance only; when most of
the simple people by the species do understand the bread and
wine itself, which they think is to the invisible body of Christ,
like, as our bodies, or the body of a plant, is to the soul. So
that, although this instance be one of the greatest in the world,
of infatuation by human authority and words, it is nothing
against the christian verity.
Object. V. You are not yet agreed among yourselves what
Christianity is, as to the matter of rule. The papists say it is
all the decrees, define, at least, in all general councils, together
with the Scriptures canonical and apocryphal. The protestants
take up with the canonical Scriptures alone, and have not near
so much in their faith or religion as the papists have. s
Answ. What it is to be a Christian, all the world may easily
perceive, in that solemn sacrament, covenant, or vow, in which
they are solemnly entered into the church and profession of
Christianity, and made Christians : and the ancient creed doth
tell the world what hath always been the faith which was pro-
s Of the canon of the Scripture, read Dr. Reynolds, (De Lib. Apocr.,) anil
Bishop Cosins's full Collections on that subject. Vide etiam Carm. Jambic,
Amphilochii in Auct. Bib. Pat. To. 1. p. 621. Many papists confess, that the
holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to the salvation of all. yuern-
admodum enim siquis vellet sapientiain hujus seculi exercere, non aliter hoc
consequi poterit, nisi dogmata philosophorum legat; sic quicunque volumus
pietatem in Deum exercere, non aliunde discemus quam ex Scripturis divinis.
— Spiritus ffippolit. Homil, Auctuar. Bill. Pat. To. 1. p. 622.
364 THE REASON'S OF
fessed : and those sacred Scriptures which the churches did
receive, do tell the world what they took for the entire com-
prehension of their religion ; but if any sects have been since
tempted to any additions, enlargements, or corruptions, it is
nothing to the disparagement of Christ, who never promised
that no man should ever abuse his word, and that he would
keep all the world from adding to, or corrupting it. Receive
but so much as the doctrine of Christ, which hath certain proof
that indeed it was his, delivered by himself, or his inspired
apostles, and we desire no more.
Object. VJ. But you are not agreed of the reasons and reso-
lution of your faith. One resolveth it into the authority of the
church, and others into a private spirit, and each one seemeth
sufficiently to prove the groundlessness of the other's faith.
Answ. Dark-minded men do suffer themselves to be fooled
with a noise of words not understood. Do you know what is
meant by the resolution and grounds of faith ? Faith is the
believing of a conclusion, which hath two premises to infer and
prove it ; and there must be more argumentation for the proof
of such premises, and faith in its several respects and depen-
dences, may be said to be resolved into more things than one,
even into every one of these. This general and ambiguous
word 'resolution,' is used oftener to puzzle than resolve. And
the grounds and reasons of faith are more than one, and what
they are I have fully opened to you in this treatise. A great
many of dreaming wranglers contend about the logical names
of the " objectum quod, et quo et ad quod;" the "objectum
formale, et materiale, per se, et per accidens, primarium et
secundarium ; ratio formalis quae, qua et sub qua ; objectum
univocationis, communitatis, perfectionis, originis, virtutis, adae-
quationis," &c. the " motiva fidei, resolutio," and many such
words ; which are not wholly useless, but are commonly used
but to make a noise to carry men from the sense, and to make
men believe that the controversy is de re, which is merelv de
nomine. Every true Christian hath some solid reason for his faith,
but every one is not learned and accurate enough to see the true
order of its causes and evidences, and to analyse it thoroughly,
as he ought. And you will take it for no disproof of Euclid or
Aristotle, that all that read them do not sufficiently understand
all their demonstrations, but disagree in many things among
themselves.
Object. VII. You may make it a ridiculous idolatry to worship
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. '565
the sun, and Jupiter, and Venus, and other planets and stars,
which in all probability are animate, and have souls as much
nobler than ours as their bodies are ; for it is likely God's works
are done in proportion and harmony : and so they seem to be to
us as subordinate deities. l And yet at the same time you will
worship your Virgin Mary, and the very image of Christ, yea,
the image of the cross which he was hanged on ; and the Salita
Capita, and rotten bones of your martyrs, to the dishonour of
princes, who put them to death as malefactors. Is not the sun
more worthy of honour than these ?
Answ. 1. We ever granted to an Eunapius, Julian, Porphyry,
or Celsus, that the sun, and all the stars and planets, are to be
honoured according to their proper excellency and use ; that is,
to be esteemed as the most glorious of all the visible works of
God ; which show to us his omnipotency, wisdom, and goodness,
and are used as his instruments to convey to us his chief, corporal
mercies, and on whom, under God, our bodies are dependent,
being incomparably less excellent than theirs ; but whether they
are animated or not, is to us utterly uncertain : and if we were
sure they were, yet we are sure that they are the products of the
will of the Eternal Being ; and he that made both them and us,
is the Governor of them and us. And, therefore, as long as he
hath no way taught us to call them gods, nor to pray to them,
nor offer them any sacrifice, as being uncertain whether they
understand what we do or say ; nor hath any way revealed that
this is his will ; nay, and hath expressly forbidden us to do so :
reason forbiddeth us to do any more than honourably to esteem
and praise them as they are, and use them to the ends which our
Creator hath appointed.
2. And for the martyrs, and the Virgin Mary, we do no other-
wise by them : we honour them by estimation, love, and praise,
agreeable to all the worth which God hath bestowed on them :
and the holiness of human souls, which is his image, is more
intelligible to us, and so more distinctly amiable than the form
of the sun and planets is. But we pray not to them, because
we know not whether they hear us, or know when we are sincere
or hypocritical ; nor have we any such precepts from our common
Lord. It is but some ignorant, mistaken Christians who pray to
the dead, or give more than due veneration to their memories.
And it is Christ, and not every ignorant Christian, or mistaken
sect, that I am justifying against the cavils of unbelief.
1 Thus Julian, in his « Orations,' and Eunapias, in ' .-Edesio/ p. (mini) .593.
3G6 THE REASONS OF
Object. VIII. You make the holiness of christian doctrine a
great part of the evidence of your faith ; 11 and yet papists and
protestants maintain each others' doctrine to be wicked. And
such, especially against kings and government, as Seneca, or
Cicero, or Plutarch, would have abhorred. The protestants tell
the papists of the general council at the Lateran, (sub Innoc. 3,)
where, (Can. 3,) it is made a very part of their religion, that tem-
poral lords, who exterminate not heretics, may be admonished
and excommunicated, and their dominions given by the pope to
others, and subjects disobliged from their allegiance : they tell
them of the doctrine of their leading doctors, that kings excom-
municate are no kings, but may be killed : and of the many
rebellions which the pope hath raised against kings and empe-
rors. And the papists say, that the protestants are worse than
they, and that their religion hath everywhere been introduced
by rebellion, or stablished by it : and that the Bible, which is
your re)igion, hath caused most rebellions, and, therefore, they
dare not let the people read it : and is this your holy doctrine ?
Answ. 1. That Christianity is incomparably more for govern-
ment and due subjection than heathenism, is past all doubt, to
those that are impartial judges. How few of all the Roman
heathen emperors was there, that died not by subjects' hands !
Among the Athenians, a king and a tyrant were words too often
of the same signification. How hateful the name of a king was
among the Romans, is well known. How few, even of their
most renowned orators and philosophers, were not put to death,
upon accusation of resistance of some prince : Brutus, Cicero,
Cato, Seneca, &c. Cicero, pro Milone, can say, "Non se
obstrinxit scelere, siquis tyrannum occidat; quamvis familiarem,"
which Brutus practised on Caesar. Et Tuscul. (5.) " Nulla nobis
cum tyrannis societas est, neque est contra naturam spoliare
eum quern honestum est necare." Much more such dangerous
doctrine hath Cicero. Seneca (Traged. Hercul. fur.) saith,
" Victima haud ulla amplior potest, magisque opima mactari Jovi,
quam rex iniquus." But Christianity teacheth us subjection to
" As you cannot judge of the faculties of man by an infant, so neither of the
nature of Christianity hy infant Christians. A primo mirabiliter occulta
est natura, nee perspici nee cognosci potest; progredientibus autem a-tatibus
sensim, tardeve poiius nosmet ; psos cogr.oscimus : itaque ilia prima commen-
datio qua; a natura nostri facta est, nobis obscura et incerta est ; primusque
appetitus ille animi, tantum ag-it ut salvi atque integri esse possimus : cum
autem despicere effiperimus et sentire quid simus, et quid ab animantibus cae-
teris differaruus, turn ea sequi incipimus ad qua? uati sumus. — Cic. de fin, 1. 5.
p. 192. So it is here.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 367
bad rulers, and not only to the good. The ordinary writings of
the Athenian and Roman learned men are so bitter against kings,
and so much for the people's power, that it is mere impudency
for men of their religion to asperse Christianity as injurious to
kings. How things were used to be carried at Rome, you may
perceive by these words of Lampridius, who, wondering that
Heliogabalus was killed no sooner, but permitted three years,
saith, " Mirum fortasse cuipiam videatur, Constantine venerabi-
lis, quod haec clades quam retuli loco principum fuerit, et quidem
prope triennio, ita ut nemo inventus fuerit qui istum a guberna-
culis Romans majestatis abduceret ; cum Neroni, Vitellio, Ca-
ligulae, caeterisque hujusmodi nunquam tyrannicida defuerit."
Hesechius (in Arcesil.) saith, " Arcesilaus regum neminem
magnopere coluit : quamohrem legatione ad Antigonum fungens
pro patria, nihil obtinuit." And Laert. maketh Solon resolve
not to live in his own country, merely because there was a
tyrant, that is, a king, that had by a faction set up himself, and
yet ruled, as he professed, as righteously as a senate. And he
saith of Thales, that it was one of the rarities which he spake
of, " Rempubl. vidisse tyr annum senem." And of Chrysippus,
" Quod videtur aspernator regum, immodice fuisse," &e. x
We do not deny but there are three sorts of Christians that
are too much for the resisting and destroying of bad governors,
and speak much as these heathens did. The one sort are some
over-philosophical, learned men, who have more conversed with
the ancient Greeks and Romans, than with christian writers.
Such was honest Petrarch, who perilously saith, " Et sane si vel
unum patria civem bonum habeat, malem Dominum diutius non
habebit." The second sort are the faction of the pope, who are
led to it by mere interest ; their religion and clergy interest both
consist in an universal kingdom or government over kings and
all the christian world : it is no wonder, therefore, to find them
industrious to subject all powers to themselves. The third sort
are here and there a few enthusiasts, or fanatical, deluded
persons, who are like the turbulent zealots among the Jews, who
occasioned the combustions and bloodshed at Jerusalem, about
the time of its destruction, who are but the more ignorant sort of
Christians, misled by pretences of zeal or inspiration, for want
x Cum Antistibus agamus ut ex libris illis (Sibilliuis) quidvis potius quam
regem proferaut: quern Romae posthac necDii nee homines esse patientur. —
Cic. Divinat. 1. 2. p. 186. Imperatorem necesse est ut suspiciamus, ut eniin
quem Dominus noster elegit; utmerito dixerim, noster est magis Caesar, ut a
Deo nostro constitutus. — Tertul. Apol. c. 33.
36S THE REASONS OF
of judgment, staidness, and experience. And this is vitium
persona, and is no disparagement to Christ. As for any doc-
trines of rebellion or sedition, or deposing and killing excommu-
nicated kings, there is none more condemneth them than Christ.
It is not every proud or covetous person that maketh the name
of Christianity or church government a cloak for his usurpation,
ambition, or worldliness, that we are pleading for. A Roman
prefect was wont to say, e Make me the bishop of Rome, and I
will be a Christian.' What, if the match had been made, and
the pagan had turned Christian in profession, for that bishopric,
and had lived like a pagan still, and domineered according to his
ambition, would Christianity have been ever the worse for that?
Judge of Christ by his own book and doctrine, and not by the
council of Lateran, nor by the books, or doctrine, or practice of
any proud and worldly hypocrite, who abuseth his name to sin
against him. Christ never promised to make such laws as no
man could abuse or break. Yet, withal, let me tell you, that
the spleen and envy of factious persons do usually cause them
to belie each other, and make each other's doctrine as odious as
they can : and if wrangling boys fall out, and call one another
bastards, it is no good proof that they are so indeed. y
Object. But those of you that do escape the doctrines of
disloyalty are traitors against your country's liberties, and base-
spirited men, and flatterers of princes, and defenders of tyranny
and oppression, and all to beg their countenance for your re-
ligion. The christian spirit is poor and private, in comparison
with the old Greek and Roman genius, which would stand up
against the proudest tyrant.
Answ. It seems Christianity is hot and cold, as malice fan-
cieth it. Indeed, the doctrine of it is so much for submission,
patience, and peace, as giveth more countenance to this accu-
sation than the former, but is guilty of neither of the crimes.
It is not flattering hypocrites that I am to defend, let them bear
y Beda (in Apocal. 13. fol. 211. p. 2.) expoundeth the number of Antichrist,
666, by reference to 1 King's x. 14.; 2 Cor. ix. 13.; where Solomon's yearly
revenue of gold was 666 talents : and so he saith, Antichrist shall exact that
tribute of money to himself, which is due to a true king. As if covetousness
and great revenues were the number of the beast. Et in cap. 17. In pur-
pura fucus simulati regiminis : in coccino, cruentus habitus impietatis de-
monstratur. — Fol. 214, p. 2. Vobis humana Eestimatio innocentiam tradi-
dit : humana item dominatio imperavit : hide nee plenae nee adeo timend'e
estis discipline : tanta est prudeutia hominis ad demonstrandum bonum,
quantum authoritas ad exigeudum : tam ilia falli facilis cjuam ista contemni.
Tertul, Ai>ol. c. 45.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 369
their shame, but it is the doctrine of Christ which is the thing
in question. Did Christ flatter Herod, when he said, " Go tell
that fox, behold, I cast out devils ?" &c. (Luke xiii. 32.) Did
John the Baptist flatter him when he lost his liberty and life for
reprehending his filthy lust ? Did Christ flatter the pharisees ?
(Matt, xxiii.) Doth James flatter the rich and great ?
" Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the mise-
ries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted,
and your garments moth-eaten ; your gold and silver is can-
kered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and
shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure
together for the last days. Ye have lived in pleasure on the
earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a
day of slaughter : ye have condemned and killed the just, and
he doth not resist you." (James v. 1, &c.) " Do not rich men
oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats ?" (James
ii. 6.) Christianity teacheth us to lament the sin of tyranny, the
grand crime which keepeth out the Gospel from the nations of in-
fidels and pagans through the earth, and eclipseth its glory in the
popish principalities : it teacheth us to resist tyrannical usurpers
in the defence of our true and lawful kings. But if it teach
men patiently to suffer, rather than rebelliously resist, that is not
from baseness, but true nobleness of spirit, exceeding both the
Greek and Roman geniuses, in that it proceedethfrom a contempt
of those inferior trifles which they rebel for, and from that satis-
faction in the hopes of endless glory, which maketh it easv to
them to bear the loss of liberty, life, or any thing on earth, and
from obedience to their highest Lord. But in a lawful way,
they can defend their countries and liberties as gallantly as ever
heathens did.
Object. IX. If your religion had reason for it, what need it
be kept up by cruelty and blood ? How many thousands and
hundred thousands hath sword, and fire, and inquisition de-
voured, as for the supporting of religion ? And when they are
thus compelled, how know you who believeth Christianity
indeed ?
Answ. This is none of the way or work of Christianity, but
of that sect which is raised by worldly interest and design, and
must accordingly be kept up. In Christ's own family, two of
his disciples would have called for fire from heaven to consume
those that rejected him, but he rebuked them, and told them
that they knew not what manner of spirit they were of, and that
VOL. XXI. B B
370 THE REASONS OF
he came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Will you
now lay the blame of that consuming zeal on Christ, which he
so rebuketh ? The same two men would have been preferred
before the rest, to sit at his right hand, and his left hand in his
kingdom ; and his disciples strove who should be the greatest.
Did Christ countenance this, or did he not sharply reprehend
them, and tell them that they must not have titles and domina-
tion as secular princes have, but be as little children in humility,
and their greatness must consist in being greatly serviceable,
even in being servants to all. If men after this will take no
warning, but fight, and kill, and burn, and torment men, in
carnal zeal, and pride, and tyranny, shall this be imputed to
Christ, who, in his doctrine and life, hath formed such a testi-
mony against this crime, as never was done by any else in the
world, and as is become an offence to unbelievers. 2
Object. X. We see not that the leaders in the christian re-
ligion do really themselves believe it : Pope Leo the Tenth
called it Fabula de Christo. What do men make of it but a
trade to live by; a means to get abbeys, and bishoprics, and
benefices; and to live at ease and fleshly pleasure. And what
do secular rulers make of it, but a means to keep their subjects
in awe ?
Answ. He that knoweth no other Christians in the world but
such as these, knoweth none at all, and is unfit to judge of those
whom he knoweth not. True Christians are men that place
all their happiness and hopes in the life to come, and use this
life in order to the next, and contemn all the wealth and glory of
the world, in comparison with the love of God, and their salvation.
True pastors and bishops of the church do thirst after the con-
version and happiness of sinners, and spend their lives in diligent
labours to these ends ; not thinking it too much to stoop to the
poorest for their good, nor regarding worldly wealth and glory
in comparison with the winning of one soul, nor counting their
lives dear, if they might but finish their course and ministry with
joy. (Luke xv. ; Acts xx.; Heb. xiii. 7, 17, &c.) They are
hypocrites, and not true Christians, whom the objection doth
describe, by what names or titles soever they be dignified,
z In ecclesia non coactum, sed acquiescentem oportet ad ineliora converti :
noii est enim qui curare possit invitum. — Chrysost. Nemo invitus bene agit,
etiamsi bonum est quod facit. — Aug. Confes. Prasfecti vel Antistetis vitium
est non quam optimum esse, nee novas subinde virtutum accessiones facere :
siquidem virtutis suae praestantia, multitudinem ad mediocritatem tracturus
sit. — Nazian, Oral. I, p. 8.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 371
and are more disowned by Christ than by any other in the
world. a
Object. XI. Christians are divided into so many sects among
themselves, and every one condemning others, that we have
reason to suspect them all ; for how know we which of them to
believe or follow ?
Answ. 1. Christianity is but one, and easily known; and all
Christians do indeed hold this as certain, by common agreement
and consent, they differ not at all about that which I am plead-
ing for. There may be a difference whether the pope of Rome
or the patriarch of Constantinople be the greater, or whether
one bishop must rule over all, and such like matters of carnal
quarrel ; but there is no difference whether Christ be the Saviour
of the world, or whether all his doctrine be infallibly true : and
the more they quarrel about their personal interests and by-
opinions, the more valid is their testimony in the things wherein
they all agree. It is not those things which they differ about
that I am now pleading for, or persuading any to embrace ; but
those wherein they all consent. b
2. But if they agree not in all the integrals of their religion,
it is no wonder, nor inferreth any more than that they are not
all perfect in the knowledge of such high and mysterious things ;
and when no man understandeth all that is in Aristotle, nor any
two interpreters of him agree in every exposition, no, nor any two
men in all the world agree in every opinion, who hold any thing
of their own, what wonder if Christians differ in many points of
difficulty.
3. But their differences are nothing in comparison with the
heathen philosophers, who were of so many minds and wavs
that there was scarcely any coherence among them, nor many
things which they could ever agree in.
4. The very differences of abundance of honest Christians, is
occasioned by their earnest desire to please God, and do nothing
but what is just and right, and their high esteem of piety and
honesty, while the imperfection of their judgments keepeth them
a Profecto arsquEedamartium, etscientia scientiarum tnihi esse videtur,ho-
minemregere, animal omnium maxime varium et multiplex. — Naz.Orat.l.p.8.
b Sicut noxium est si unitas desit bonis, ita perniciosum est si sit in malis.
Perversos quippe unitas corroborat, dum concordant; et tanto magis incorri-
gibiles, quanta unanimes fecit. — Greg. Moral. 1.33. Sed perturbat nos
opinionum varietas hominumque dissentio : et quia non idem contingit in
sensibus, hos natura certos putamus : ilia quae aliis sic, aliis secus, nee iisdem
semper uno modo videntur, ficta esse dicimus. J^uod est longe aliter. — Cic.
de Leg. l.p, 22G.
BB2
372 THE REASONS OF
from knowing, in all things, what it is which indeed is that good
and righteous way which they should take. If children do dif-
fer and fall out, if it he but in striving who shall do best, and
please their father, it is the more excusable : enemies do not so.
Idiots fall not out in school-disputes, or philosophical controver-
sies ; swine will not fall out for gold or jewels, if they be cast
before them in the streets ; but it is likely that men may.
5. But the great sidings and factions kept up in the world,
and the cruelties exercised thereupon, are from worldly hypo-
crites, who, under the mask of Christianity, are playing their
own game ; and why must Christ be answerable for those whom
lie most abhorreth, and will most terribly condemn ?
Object. XII. You boast of the holiness of Christians, and we
see not but they are worse than heathens and Mahometans ;
thev are more drunken, and greater deceivers in their dealings ;
as lustful and unclean, as covetous and carnal, as proud and
ambitious, as tyrannical and perfidious, as cruel and contentious ;
insomuch, as among the Turkish Mahometans, and the Indian
Banians, the wickedness of Christians is the grand cause that
they abhor Christianity, and it ke.epeth out your religion from
most nations of the earth ; so that it is a proverb among them,
when any is suspected of treachery, ' What, do you think I am
a Christian ? ' And Acosta witnesseth the like of the West
Ind
ies. L
Answ. 1. Every man knoweth that the vulgar rabble, who
indeed are of no religion, will seem to be of the religion which
is most for their worldly advantage, or else which their ancestors
and custom have delivered to them ; and who can expect that
such should live as Christians, who are no Christians ? You
may as well blame men, because images do not labour, and are
not learned, wise, and virtuous. We never took all for Christ-
ians indeed, who, for carnal interest, or custom, or tradition, take
c Spiritus Sanctus est Patris et Filii amor et connexio : ad ipsum perlinet
societas, qua efficimur unum corpus unici Filii Dei. Sicut cnim unum corpus
hominis multis constat meinbris, etvegetat omnia membra una annua, faciens
in oculo at videat, in aure ut audiat, &c. Ila Spiritus Sanctus membra cor-
poris Christi (mod est ecclesia, continet et vegetat. Et sic.it humani corporis
membmm praecisum, for in am quidem qua membrum cognoscitur retinet, &c.
Sic quicuuque a prsedictae pacis imitate divisusest, Sacramentum quidem tan-
quam formam retinet, sed spiritu prater unitatem lion vivit. Frustra ergo
foris de forma gloriantur, nisi intus spiritu vegetentur. — Aug. dc Grat. Nul-
lus Christianus malus est nisi banc professionem shnulaverit. — Athenag. Leg.
pro Christ, p. 3. Nemo (in carceribus vestris) Christianus nisi plane tau-
tum Christianus : aut si aliud, jam nou Christianus. — Tert. Apol, c. 43,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 373
up the hare name, and desire to he called Christians. Rehels
may affect the name of loyal subjects, and thieves and robbers
the name of true and honest men : shall loyalty, truth, and ho-
nesty, therefore, be judged of by such as them ? Nothing can
be more unrighteous than to judge of Christianity by those
hypocrites, whom Christ hath told us shall be condemned to the
sorest punishment, and whom he hateth above all sorts of sin-
ners. What, if Julian, Celsus, Porphyry, or any of these ob-
jectors, should call themselves Christians, and live in drunken-
ness, cruelty, perjury, or deceit, is it any reason that Christ
should be reproached for their crimes ? Christianity is not a
dead opinion or name, but an active, heavenly principle, renew-
ing and governing heart and life : I have before showed what
Christianity is.
2. In the dominions of the Turks, and other infidel princes,
the Christians, by oppression, are kept without the means of
knowledge ; and so their ignorance hath caused them to de-
generate, for the greater part, into a sensual, sottish sort of
people, unlike to Christians : and in the dominions of the Mos-
covite, tyranny hath set up a jealousy of the Gospel, and sup-
pressed preaching, for fear lest preachers should injure the
emperor : and in the west, the usurpation and tyranny of the
papacy hath locked up the Scriptures from that people in an
unknown tongue, that they know no more what Christ saith, than
the priest thinks meet to tell them, lest they should be loosened
from their dependence upon the Roman oracle: and thus igno-
rance with the most destroyeth Christianity, and leaveth men
but the shadow, image, and name ; for belief is an intellectual
act, and a sort of knowing ; and no man can believe really he
knovveth not what. If any disciples in the school of Christ, have
met with such teachers as think it their virtue and proficiency to
be ignorant, call not such Christians as know not what Christ-
ianity is, and judge not of Christ's doctrine by them that never
read or heard of it, or are not able to give you any good ac-
count of it ; but, blessed be the Lord, there are many thousand
better Christians.
Object. XIII. But it is not the ignorant rabble only, but many
of your most zealous professors of Christianity, who have been
as false, as proud, and turbulent, and seditious, as any others.
Answ. 1. That the true, genuine Christian is not so, d you may
see, past doubt, by the doctrine and life of Christ and his apos-
d Ut ubicunque triticum, ibi et zizania : sic ubicunque fuerit bonum Dei,
374 THE REASONS OP
ties. And that there are thousands and millions of humble,
holy, faithful Christians in the world, is a truth which nothing
but ignorance or malice can deny. 2. Hypocrites are no true
Christians, what zeal soever they pretend : there is a zeal for
self and interest, which is often masked with the name of zeal
for Christ. It is not the seeming, but the real Christian, which
we have to justify. 3. It is commonly a few young, inexperi-
enced novices, who are tempted into disorders. But Christ
will bring them to repentance for all, before he will forgive and
save them. Look into the Scripture, and see whether it doth
not disown and contradict every fault, both great and small,
which you ever knew any Christian commit? If it do, (as
visibly it doth,) why must Christ be blamed for our faults, when
he is condemning them, and reproving us, and curing us of them.
Object. XIV. The greater part of the world is against Christ-
ianity : heathens and infidels are the far greater part of the
earth : and the greatest princes, and most learned philosophers,
have been and are on the other side.
Answ. 1. The greater number of the world are not kings, nor
philosophers, nor wise nor good men ; and yet that is no dispa-
ragement to kings, or learned, or good men. 2. The most of
the world do not know what Christianity is, nor ever heard the
reasons of it ; and, therefore, no wonder if they are not Christ-
ians. And if the most of the world be ignorant and carnal, and
such as have subjected their reason to their lusts, no wonder if
they are not wise. 3. There is nowhere in the world so much
learning as among the Christians ; experience puts that past
dispute with those, that have any true knowledge of the world.
Mahometanism cannot endure the light of learning, and there-
fore doth suppress or slight it. The old Greeks and Romans
had much learning, which did but prepare for the reception of
Christianity, at whose service it hath continued ever since. But
barbarous ignorance hath overspread almost all the rest of the
world: even the learning of the Chinenses and the Pythagoreans
of the East, is but childishness and dotage, in comparison with
the learning of the present Christians.
illic erit et scandalum inimici.— Chrysost. in Malt. 6. Horn. 33. Sed dicet
aliquis etiam de uostris,excedere quosdam a. regula. discipline- Desunt turn
Christiani haberi apud nos. Philosophi vero illi cum talibus factis in nomine
et in honore sapientiae perseverant.— Tertul. Jpol. c. 46. See a notable ex-
hortation in Dorotha?us, (Doct. 5. ne nos ipsos informemus,) How unhappy
they are that go on their own heads, and want good guides iu religion.— Bibl %
Pat. Gr. Lat. torn. 1, p. 778.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 375
Object. XV. For all that you say, when we hear subtle argu-
ings against Christianity, it staggereth us, and we are not able
to confute them.
Answ. That is indeed the common case of tempted men ;
their own weakness and ignorance is their enemies' strength.
But your ignorance should be lamented, and not the christian
cause accused. It is a dishonour to yourselves, but it is none to
Christ. Do your duty, and you may be more capable of discern-
ing the evidence of truth.
Object. XVI. But the sufferings which attend Christianity are
so great, that we cannot bear them : in most places they are
persecuted by princes and magistrates ; and it restraineth us
from our pleasures, and putteth us upon an ungrateful, trouble-
some life ; and we are not souls that have no bodies, and there-
fore cannot slight these things. e
Answ. But you have souls that were made to rule your bodies,
and are more worthy and durable than they ; and were your
souls such as reason telleth you they should be, no life on earth
would be so delectable to you, as that which you account so
troublesome. And if you will choose things perishing for your
portion, and be content with the momentary pleasures of a
dream, you must patiently undergo the fruits of such a foolish
choice. And if eternal glory will not compensate whatever you
can lose by the wrath of man, or by the crossing o your fleshly
minds, you may let it go, and boast of your better choice as you
find cause.
How much did the light of nature teach the stoics, the cynics,
and many other sects, which differeth not much in austerity
from Christ's precepts of mortification and self-denial ? So-
e An hoc usquequarjue aliter in vita. ? et non ex maxima, parte de tota judi-
cabis. An dubium est quin virtus ita maximam partem obtineat in rebus hu-
manis, ut reliquas obruat ? Audebo quas secundum naturam sunt bona ap-
pellare, nee fraud are suo veteri nomine, virtutis autem amplitudinem quasi in
altera librse lance ponere. Terram, mini crede, ea lanx, et maria deprimet:
semper enini ex eo quod maximas partes continet, latissimeque funditur, res
toto appellator. Dicimus aliquem bilarem vivere? Igitur si semel tristior
effectus .est, an hilara vita amissa est? — Cic. de Fin. I. 5. p. 209. Isti
ipsi qui voluptate et dolore omnia metiuntur, nonne clamant, sapienti
plus semper adesse quod velit, quam quod nolit. — Id. ibid. Those that
revolt from Christ because of sufferings, are like him that Cicero, (ibid.)
speaks of, Nobis Heracleotes ille Dionysius fta<ritiose descivisse videtur a
Stoicis, propter oculorum dolorem. Quasi hoc didicisset aZenone, non dolere
cum doleret ! Illud audierat, nee tamen didicerat, malum illud non esse,
quia turpe non esset, et esset ferendum viro. — p. 209. Qui per virtutem
peritat, non interit. — Plant, in du cgpt.
376 THE REASONS OF
crates could say, " Opes ac nobilitates, non solum nihil in se
habere honestatis, verum omne malum ex eis aboriri. Dicebat
et unicum esse bonum scientiam, malumque unicum inscitiam.
Et referenti quod ilium Athenienses mori decrevissent, et natura
illos, inquit. Et multa prius de immortalitate animorum ac
preeclara disserens, cicutam bibit. Magna animi sublimitate
carpentes se et objurgantes contemnebat." (Laert. 1. 2. in Socr.
pp. 96, 105.) When he was publicly derided, "Omnia ferebat
aequo auimo." And when one kicked him, and the people mar-
velled at his patience, he said, " What if an ass had kicked me,
should I have sued him at law ? " (p. 93.) When he saw in
fairs and shops what abundance of things are set to sale, he re-
joicingly said, " Quam multis ipse non egeo ? et cum libere quo
vellet abire carcere liceret, noluit, et plorantes severe increpavit,
pulcherrimosque sermones illos vinctus prosecutus est." Jf so
many philosophers thought it a shameful note of cowardice, for
a man to live and not to kill himself, when he was falling into
shame or misery ; much greater reason hath a true believer, to
be willing to die in a lawful way, for the sake of Christ, and the
hope of glory ; and to be less fearful of death, than a Brutus, a
Cato, a Seneca, or a Socrates, though not to inflict it on them-
selves. Soundly believe the promises of Christ, and then you
will never much stick at suffering. To lose a feather, and win
a crown, is a bargain that very few would grudge at : and pro-
fanely, with Esau, to sell the birth-right for a morsel ; to part
with heaven for the paltry pleasures of flesh and fancv, were be-
low the reason of a man, if sin had not unmanned him. "Who-
soever will save his life, shall lose it : and whosoever will lose
his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? "
(Matt. xvi. 25, 26.)
Virulent Eunapius giveth us the witness of natural reason for
a holy, mortified life, whilst he maketh it the glory of the philo-
sophers, whom he celebrateth. Of Antoninus, the son of ^Edesius,
he saith, " Totum se dedidit atque applicuit Diis loci gentilibus,
ct sacris mysticis et arcanis ; citoque in Deorum immortalium
contubernium receptus est ; neglecta prorsus corporis cura,
ejusque voluptatibus remisso nuntio, et sapientiae studio profano
vulgo incognitum amplexus. — Cuncti mortales hujusce viri tem-
perantiam, constantiam et infiecti nesciam mentem demirati
fuere." (Eunap. in iEdes.) What a saint doth he make Jam-
blichus to be, of whom it was feigned, that in his prayers he
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 377
would be lifted up above ten cubits from the earth, and his gar-
ments changed into a golden colour, till he had done ? (Eun. in
Jam hi. p. 572.) Even while he raileth at the Alexandrian
monks, *' Ut homines quidem specie, sed vitam turpem porco-
rum more exigentes," &c. (p. 598,) contrary to the evidence of
abundant history, he beareth witness against a vicious life. And
if holiness, and mortification, or temperance, be so laudable, even
in the judgment of the most bitter heathens, why should it be
thought intolerable strictness, as it is more clearly and sweetly
proposed in the christian verity? And if he say of Jamblichus,
" Ob justitiae cultum, facilem ad deorum aures accessum habuit:"
we may boldly say, that the righteous God loveth righteousness,
and that the prayers of the upright are his delight; and that their
sufferings shall not always be forgotten, nor their faithful labours
prove in vain.
CHAP. XII.
The reasonable Conditions required of them, who ivill overcome
the Difficulties of Believing, and ivill not undo themselves btj
ivilful Infidelity.
I have answered the objections against Christianity, but have
not removed the chief impediments; for recipitur ad modum
recipientis ; the grand impediments are within, even the inca-
pacity, or indisposition, or frowardness of the persons that
should believe. It is not every head and heart that is fit for
heavenly truth and work. I will next, therefore, tell you, what
conditions reason itself will require of them that would not be
deceived ; that so you may not lay that blame on Christ, if you
be infidels, which belongeth only to yourselves.
Cond. 1. Come not, in your studies of these sacred mysteries,
with an enmity against the doctrine which you must study ; or
at least suspend your enmity, so far as is necessary, to an im-
partial search and examination/
For ill-will cannot easily believe well. Malice and partiality
will blind the strongest wits, and hide the force of the plainest
evidence.
Cond. 2. Drown not the truth in a vicious, fleshly heart and
life; and forfeit not the light of supernatural revelation, by wil-
ful sinning against natural light, and debauching your consci-
ences, by abusing the knowledge which already you have.
1 Non meretur audirc veritatem, qui fraudulenter interrogat. — Ambros.
378 THE REASONS OF
Sensuality, and wilful debauchery, is the common temptation
to infidelity : when men have once so heinously abused God, as
that they must needs believe, that if there be a God, he must be
a terror to them; and if there be a judgment, and a life of retribu-
tion, it is likely to go ill with them; a little thing will persuade such
men, that there is no God, nor life to come, indeed. When they
once hope it is so, and take it for their interest, and a desirable
thing, they will easily believe that it is so indeed. And God is just,
and beginneth the executions of his justice in this world : and
the forsaking of a soul that hateth the light, and wilfully resist-
eth and abuseth knowledge, is one of his most dreadful judg-
ments. That man who will be a drunkard, a glutton, a whore-
monger, a proud, ambitious worldling, in despite of the com-
mon light of nature, can hardly expect that God should give
him the light of grace. Despiting truth, and enslaving reason,
and turning a man into a beast, is not the way to heavenly
illumination. 6
Cond. 3. Be not ignorant of the common, natural truths,
(which are recited in the first part of this book) ; for superna-
tural revelation presupposeth natural ; and grace, which maketh
us saints, supposeth that reason hath constituted us men ; and
all true knowledge is methodically attained.
It is a great wrong to the christian cause, that too many
preachers of it have missed the true method, and still begun at
supernatural revelations, and built even natural certainties
thereupon ; and have either not known, or concealed much of
the fore-written natural verities. And it is an exceedingly great
cause of the multiplying of infidels, that most men are dull or
idle drones, and unacquainted with the common, natural truths,
which must give light to Christianity, and prepare men to re-
ceive it. And they think to know what is in heaven, before they
will learn what they are themselves, and what it is to be a man.
Cond. 4. Get a true anatomy, analysis, or description of
Christianity in your minds ; for if you know not the true nature
of it first, you will be lamentably disadvantaged in inquiring into
the truth of it.
For Christianity, well understood in the quiddity, will illustrate
the mind with such a winning beauty, as will make us meet its
evidence half-way, and will do much to convince us by its jaro-
per light.
s Read the beginning of Theophil, Antioch : 'Ad Autolye.' showing that
wickedness causeth further atheism, and that it blindeth sinners that they
cannot know God.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 379
Cond. 5. When you have got the true method of the Christian
doctrine, or analysis of faith, begin at the essentials, or primitive
truths, and proceed in order, according to the dependences of
truths ; and do not begin at the latter end, nor study the con-
clusion before the premises.
Cond. 6. Yet look on the whole scheme or frame of causes
and evidences, and take them entirely and conjunct ; and not as
peevish, factious men, who, in spleenish zeal against another
sect, reject and vilify the evidence which they plead.
This is the devil's gain, by the raising of sects and contentions
in the church : h he will engage a papist, for the mere interest
of his sect, to speak lightly of the Scripture and the Spirit ; and
many protestants, in mere opposition to the papists, to slight
tradition, and the testimony of the church, denying it its proper
authority and use. As if in the setting of a watch or clock, one
would be for one wheel, and another for another, and each in
peevishness cast away that which another would make use of,
when it will never go true without them all. Faction and con-
tentions are deadlv enemies of truth.
Cond. 7- Mark well the suitableness of the remedy to the
disease ; that is, of Christianity to the depraved state of man :
and mark well the lamentable effects of that universal deprava-
tion, that your experience may tell you how unquestionable
it is.
Cond. 8. Mark well how connaturally Christianity doth relish
with holy souls, and how well it suiteth with honest principles
and hearts ; so that the better any man is, the better it pleaseth
him. And how potently all debauchery, villany, and vice, be-
friendeth the cause of atheists and unbelievers.
Cond. 9. Take a considerate, just survey of the common
enmity against Christianity and holiness, in all the wicked of
the world ; and the notorious war which is everywhere managed
between Christ and the devil, and their several followers ; that
you may know Christ partly by his enemies.
Cond. 10. Impartially mark the effects of christian doctrine,
wherever it is sincerely entertained, and see what religion
maketh the best men ; and judge not of serious Christians at
a distance, by false reports of ignorance or malicious adver-
saries; and then you will see that Christ is actually the Saviour
of souls.
Cond. 11. Be not liars yourselves, lest it dispose you to think
h Viva lectio est vita sanctorum. — Greg. Mor. 24,
380 THE REASONS OF
all others to be liars, and to judge of the words of others by
your own.
Cond. 12. Bethink vou truly what persons vou should be
yourselves, and what lives you should live, if you did not believe
the christian doctrine ; or, if you did not believe it, mark what
effect your unbelief hath on your lives. h
For my own part, I am assured, if it were not for the
christian doctrine, my heart and life would be much worse than
it is, though 1 had read Epictetus, Arian, Plato, Plotinus,
Jamblichus, Proclus, Seneca, Cicero, Plutarch, every word ;
and those few of my neighbourhood, who have fallen off to
infidelity, have at once fallen to debauchery, and abuse of their
nearest relations, and differed as much in their lives from what
they were before in their profession of Christianity, though
unsound, as a leprous body differeth from one in comeliness
and health.
Cond. 13. Be well acquainted, if possible, with church
history, that you may understand by what tradition Christianity
hath descended to us.
For he that knoweth nothing but what he hath seen, or
receiveth a Bible, or the Creed, without knowing any further
whence and which way it cometh to us, is greatly disadvantaged
as to the reception of the faith.
Cond. 14. In all your reading of the holy Scriptures, allow
still for your ignorance in the languages, proverbs, customs, and
circumstances, which are needful to the understanding of parti-
cular texts ; and when difficulties stop you, be sure that no such
ignorance remain the cause.
He that will but read Brugensis, Grotius, Hammond, and
many others that open such phrases and circumstances, with
topographers, and Bochartus, and such others as write of the
1 An vero nisi Deum genus humanum respicere, eique praeesse putaremus,
adeo puritati et innocentiae studeremus ? Nequaquam, sed quia persuasissimi
sumus, Deo qui et nos et mundum hunc coudidit, transactae hie vitas totius
rationes nos reddituros, moderatum,beuiguum,et plerisquecontemptum viven-
di genus deligimus. (juippe nullum in hac vit;\ tantum malum, etiamsi capi-
tis periculum agatur, supervenire nobis posse arbitramur, quod non oninino
sit minimi, immo nihil! faciendum prasilla quam asummo judice expectamus
olim felicitate, &c. — Athenag. Apol. p. 58. in B. P. Si enim solam hanc
praesentem vitam nos victuros crederemus, suspicioni foret locus, nos carni et
sanguini indulgentes, aut avaritia aut concupiscentia captos, peccare ? Nos
vero omnibus non modo factis sed cogitation ibus et sermonibus nostris, turn
noctu turn interdiu, Deum adesse scimus ; eumque et totum esse lumen, et quae
in cordibus nostris latent videre, et hac mortale vita defunctos, et alteram hac
terrestri longemeliorem, nempe ccelestem, nos victuros. — Id ibid.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 381
animals, utensils, and other circumstances of those times, will
see what gross errors the opening of some one word or phrase
may deliver the reader from.
Cond. 15. Understand what excellencies and perfections
they be which the Spirit of God intended to adorn the holy
Scriptures with, and also what sort of human imperfections are
consistent with these, its proper perfections ; that so false ex-
pectations may not tempt you into unbelief.
It seduceth many to infidelity, to imagine, that if Scripture
be the word of God, it must needs be most perfect in every
accident and mode, which were never intended to be part of its
perfection. Whereas, God did purposely make use of those
men, and of that style and manner of expression, which was
defective in some points of natural excellency, that so the su-
pernatural excellency might be the more apparent. As Christ
cured the blind with clay and spittle, and David slew Goliath
with a sling. The excellency of the means must be estimated
by its aptitude to its end.
Cond. 16. If you see the evidence of the truth of Christ-
ianity in the whole, let that suffice you for the belief of the
several parts, when you see not the true answer to particular
exceptions.
If you see it soundly proved that Christ is the Messenger of
the Father, and that his word is true, and that the holy Scrip-
ture is his word, this is enough to quiet any sober mind, when
it cannot confute every particular objection ; or else no man
should ever hold fast any thing in the world ; if he must let all
go after the fullest proof, upon every exception which he cannot
answer. The inference is sure. If the whole be true, the parts
are true.
Cond. 17. Observe well the many effects of angels' ministra-
tion, and the evidences of a communion between us and the
spirits of the unseen world ; for this will much facilitate your
belief.
Cond. 18. Overlook not the plain evidences of the appa-
ritions, witches, and wonderful events which fall out in the times
and places where you live, and what reflections they have upon
the christian cause.
Cond. 19. Observe well the notable answers of prayers, in
matters internal and external, in others and in yourselves.
Cond. 20. Be well studied at home, about the capacity, use,
and tendency, of all your faculties -, and you will find that your
382 THE REASONS OF
very nature pointeth you up to another life, and is made only
to be. happy in that knowledge, love, and fruition of God, which
the Gospel most effectually leads you to.
Cond. 21. Mark well the prophecies of Christ himself, both
of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the successes of his
apostles in the world, &c, and mark how exactly they are all
fulfilled.
Cond. 22. Let no pretence of humility tempt you to debase
human nature below its proper excellency, lest thence you be
tempted to think it incapable of the everlasting sight and fruition
of God.
The devil's way of destroying is oftentimes by overdoing.
The proud devil will help you to be very humble, and help you
to deny the excellency of reason and natural free-will, and all
supernatural inclinations, when he can make use of it to persuade
you, that man is but a subtile sort of brute, and hath a soul but
gradually different from sensitives, and so is not made for
another life.
Cond. 23. Yet come to Christ as humble learners, and not
as arrogant, self-conceited censurers ; and think not that you
are capable of understanding every thing as soon as you hear it.
Cond. 24. Judge not of the main cause of Christianity, or of
particular texts or points, by sudden, hasty thoughts and glances,
as if it were a business to be cursorily done; but allow it your
most deliberate, sober studies, your most diligent labour, and
such time and patience, as reason may tell you are necessary to
a learner in so great a cause.
Cond. 25. Call not so great a matter to the trial, in a case
of melancholy and natural incapacity, but stay till you are fitter
to perform the search.
It is one of the common cheats of Satan, to persuade poor,
weak, and melancholy persons, that have but half the use of
their understandings, to go then to try the christian religion,
when they can scarcely cast up an intricate account, nor are fit
to judge of any great and difficult thing. And then he hath an
advantage to confound them, and fill them with blasphemous
and unbelieving thoughts ; and if not to shake their habitual
faith, yet greatly to perplex them, and disturb their peace.
The soundest wit, and most composed, is fittest for so great
a task.
Cond. 26. When, upon sober trial, you have discerned the
evidences of the christian verity, record what you have found
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 383
true ; and judge not the next time against those evidences, till
you have equal opportunity for a full consideration of them.
In this case the tempter much ahuseth many injudicious
souls : when, by good advice and most sober meditation, they
have seen the evidence of truth in satisfying clearness, he will
after surprise them, when their minds are darker, or their
thoughts more scattered, or the former evidence is out of mind,
and push them on suddenly then to judge of the matters of
immortality, and of the christian cause, that what he cannot
get by truth of argument, he may get by the incapacity of the
disputant ; as if a man that once saw a mountain some miles
distant from him, in a clear day, should be tempted to believe
that he was deceived, because he seeth it not in a misty day
or when he is in a valley, or within the house ; or as if a man
that, in many days' hard study, hath cast up an intricate, large
account, and set it right under his hand, should be called sud-
denly to give up the same account anew, without looking on
that which he before cast up, when, as if his first account be
lost, he must have equal time, and helps, and fitness, before he
can set it as right again. Take it not, therefore, as any dis-
paragement to the christian truth, if you cannot on a sudden
give yourselves so satisfactory an account of it, as formerly, in
more clearness, and by greater studies, you have done.
Cond. 27- Gratify not Satan so much as to question well-re-
solved points, as often as he will move you to it.
Though you must prove all things, till, as learning, you come
to understand them in their proper evidence, time and order;
yet you must record and hold fast that which you have proved,
and not suffer the devil to put you to the answer of one and the
same question over and over, as often as he please. This is to
give him our time, and to admit him to debate his cause with
us by temptation, as frequently as he will, which you would not
allow to a ruffian to the debauching of your wife or servants :
and you provoke God to give you up to error, when no resolu-
tion will serve your turn. After just resolution, the tempter is
to be rejected, and not disputed withj as a troublesome fellow
that would interrupt us in our work.
Cond. 28. Where you find your own understandings insuf-
ficient, have recourse for help to some truly wise, judicious
divine.
Not to every weak Christian, nor unskilful minister, who is
not well grounded in his own religion, but to those that have tho-
384 THE REASONS OF
roughly studied it themselves. You may meet with many dif-
ficulties in theology, and in the text, which you think can never
be well solved, which are nothing to them that understand the
thing. No novice in the study of logic, astronomy, geometry,
or any art or science, will think that every difficulty that he
meeteth with, doth prove that his author was deceived, unless
he be able to resolve it of himself: but he will ask his tutor,
or some one versed in those matters, to resolve it : and then he
will see that his ignorance was the cause of all his doubts.
Cond. 29. Labour faithfully to receive all holy truths with a
practical intent, and to work them on your hearts according to
their nature, weight, and use. For the doctrine of Christianity
is scientia affectiva practica ; a doctrine for head, heart, and
life. And if that which is made for the heart, be not admitted
to the heart, and rooted there, it is half rejected while it seemeth
received, and is not in its proper place and soil.
Jf you are yet in doubt of any of the supernatural verities,
admit those truths to your hearts which you are convinced of;
else you are false to them and to yourselves, and forfeit all further
helps of grace.
Object. This is but a trick of deceit to engage the affections,
when you want arguments to convince the judgment: perit
omne judicium cum res transit in affectum.
Answ. When the affection is inordinate, and overruns the
judgment, this saying hath some truth, but it is most false as
of ordinate affections which follow sound judgment. For by
suscitation of the faculties, such affections greatly help the
judgment : and judgment is but the eye of the soul to guide the
man, and it is but the passage to the will, where human acts are
more complete. If your wife be taught that conjugal love is
due to her husband, and vour child that filial love and reverence
is due to his father, such affections will not blind their judg-
ments; but, contrarily, they do not sincerely receive these
precepts, if they let them not into the heart, and answer them
not with the affections. k
And here is the great difference between the faith of an honest,
sanctified ploughman, and of a carnal, unsanctifiedlordor doctor;
k Dubitamus, ambigiuius, nccesse quod dicitur plenum fidei suspicamur:
committanius nos Deo, nee plus apud nos yaleat incredulitas nostra, quam il-
lius nominis et potential magnitudo : ne dum ipsi nobis argumenta conquiri-
mus quibus esse videatur falsum id quod esse novimus atque adnitimur verum
obrepat dies extremus, et inimicae mortis reperiamur in faucibus. — Arnob, adv.
Cent, 1. 2. verbis ultitn.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 3S5
the one openeth his heart to the doctrine which he receiveth,
and faithfully admitteth it to its proper work, and so embraceth.
it practically, and in love, and therefore holdeth it fast as a
radicated, experienced truth, when he cannot answer all cavils
that are brought against it. The other superficially receiveth it
into the brain, by mere speculation, and treacherously shuts up
his heart against it, and never gave it real rooting, and there-
fore, in the time of trial loseth that unsound, superficial belief
which he hath. God blesseth his word to the heart that honestly
and practically receiveth it, rather than to him that imprisoned!
it in unrighteousness.
Cond. 30. Lastly, if yet any doubts remain, bethink you
which is the surest side which you may follow with least danger,
and where you are certain to undergo the smallest loss.
It is pity that any should hesitate in a matter of such evi-
dence and weight, and should think with any doubtfulness of
Christianity, as an uncertain thing : but yet true believers may
have cause to say, c Lord help our unbelief, and increase our
faith,' and all doubting will not prove the unsoundness of belief.
The true mark to know when faith is true and saving, notwith-
standing all such doubtings, is the measure of its prevalency with
our hearts and lives. That belief in Christ and the life to come
is true and saving, notwithstanding all doubtings, which habi-
tually possesseth us with the love of God above all, and resolveth
the will to prefer the pleasing of him, and the hopes of heaven,
before all the treasures and pleasures of this world, and causeth
us in our endeavours to live accordingly. And that faith is
unsound which will not do this, how well soever it may be de-
fended by dispute. Therefore, at least, for the resolving of your
wills for choice and practice, if you must doubt, yet consider
which is the safest side. If Christ be the Saviour of the world,
he will bring believers to grace and glory : and you are sure
there is nothing but ' transitory trifles which you can possibly
1 Qua? mala Stoici non audent appellare ; aspera autem, et incommoda et
rejicienda, et aliena naturae esse concedunt; eanos mala dicimus, sed exigua,
et porro minima. — Piso de Peripat. et Academ. in Cicer de Fin.)). 5. p. 234.
Cum ergo haec sit conditio futurorum ut teneri et comprehendi nullius possim
anticipationis attactu, nonne purior ratio est, ex duobus iucertis et in ambigua
expectatione pendentibus, id potius credere, quod aliquas spes ferat, quam
omnino quod nullas ? Id illo enim periculi nihil est, si quod dicitur immi-
nere, cassum fiat et vacuum ; in hoc damnum est maximum, (id est salutis
amissio,) si cum tempus advenerit, aperiatur hoc fuisse mendacium. Quid
dicitis O nescii etiam flctu et miseratione dignissimi ; ita non tarn £xtimes-
citis, ne iorte haec vera siat, qua; sunt despectui vobis, et pra;bent materiam
VOL. XXI. C C
386 THE REASONS OF
lose by such a choice. For, certainly, his precepts are holy and
safe, and no man can imagine rationally that they can endanger
the soul. But if you reject him by infidelity, you are lost for
ever : for there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful
looking-for of judgment, and fire, which shall devour his adver-
saries for ever. There is no other Saviour for him who finally
refuseth the only Saviour. And if you doubted whether faith might
not prove an error, you could never see any cause to fear that it
should prove a hinderance to your salvation: for salvation itself
is an unknown thing to most that do not believe in Christ : and
no man can well think that a man who is led by an age of such
miracles, so credibly reported to us, to believe in one. that leadeth
up souls to the love of God, and a holy and heavenly mind and
life, can ever perish for being so led to such a Guide, and then
led by him in so good a way, and to so good an end.
And thus, reader, I have faithfully told thee what reasonings
my soul hath had about its way to everlasting life, and what
inquiries it hath made into the truth of the christian faith : I
have gone to my own heart for those reasons, which have satis-
fied myself, and not to my books, (from which I have been
many years separated,) for such as satisfy other men, and not
myself. I have told thee what I believe, and why; yet, other
men's reasonings, perhaps, may give more light to others,
though these are they that have prevailed most with me. There-
fore, I desire the reader that would have more said, to peruse
especially these excellent books : Camero's ' Prselectiones de
Verbo Dei,' with the Theses Salmurienses and Sedanenses on
that subject; Grotius i De Veritate Religionis Christiana? ;'
Marsilius Ficinus ' De Relig. Christ, cum notis Lud. Crocii ;'
Lodovicus Vives De Verit. Fid. Christ. ;' Phil. Morney du
Plessis l De Verit. Fid. Christ.;' John Goodwin 'Of the Au-
thority of the Scriptures ;' Campanella's l Atheismus Triumpha-
tus ;' Hieronymus Savonarola's ' Triumphus Crucis ;' (both
excellent books, excepting the errors of their times ;) Raymun-
dus ' De Sabundis Theologia Naturalis ;' ' Micrelii Ethno-
phronius ;' (an excellent book ;) Raymundus Lullius Articul.
Fid. Alexander Gill ; (out of him, on the Creed ;) Mr. Stilling-
risus ? Nee saltern vobiscum sub obscuris cogitationibus vulvitis, ne quod
hodie credere obstinata reimitis perversitate redarguat serum tempus et irre-
vocabilis pcenitentia castiget? Nonne velle haec saltern vobis fidem faciuiit
argumenta credendi, quod jam per omnes terras in tam brevi tempore im-
mensihujus sacramenta diffusa sunt, &c. — Amob. 1.2. p. 12.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 387
fleet's ' Origines Sacrae ;' (a late and very worthy labour ;) Dr.
Jackson on the Creed; Mr. Vincent Hatecliff's 'Aut Deus aut
Nihil j' (for the first part of religion;) passing by Lessius,
Parsons, and abundance more ; and common-place books,
which many of them treat very well on this subject : and of
the ancients, Augustin ( De Civitate Dei,' and Eusebii ' Prepa-
ratio et Demonstratio Evangelica,' are the fullest; and almost
all of them have somewhat to this use, as Justin M. Athenago-
ras, Tatianus, Tertullian, Clemens Alexand., Origen against
Celsus, &c, Cyprian, Lactantius, Athanasius, Basil, Gr. Na-
zianzen, Nessen, &c.
For my own part, I humbly thank the heavenly Majesty for the
advantages which my education gave me, for the timely recep-
tion of the christian faith ; but temptations and difficulties
have so often called me to clear my grounds, and try the evi-
dences of that religion, which I had first received upon the
commendation of my parents, that I have long thought no sub-
ject more worthy of my most serious, faithful search ; and have
wondered at the great number of Christians, who could spend
their lives in studying the superstructures, and wrangling about
many small uncertainties, to the great disturbance of the
church's peace, and found no more need to be confirmed in the
faith. In this inquiry I have most clearly, to my full satisfac-
tion, discerned all those natural evidences for godliness or
holiness, which I have laid down in the first part of this book :
and I have discerned the congruous superstruction and con-
nexion of the christian religion thereunto ; I have found, by
unquestionable experience, the sinful and depraved state of man;
and I have discerned the admirable suitableness of the remedy
to the malady : I have also discerned the attestation of God in
the grand evidence, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate or Agent of
Jesus Christ, viz., 1. The antecedent evidence in the spirit of
prophecy, leading unto Christ. 2. The inherent, constituent
evidence of the Gospel, and of Christ, the image of God, in the
power, wisdom, and goodness, both of Christ and of his doc-
trine. 3. The concomitant evidence of miracles in the life,
resurrection, and prophecies of Christ, and in the abundant
miracles of the apostles, and other of his disciples, through the
world. 4. The subsequent evidence in the successes of the
Gospel, to the true sanctification of millions of souls, by the
powerful efficacy of divine cooperation. I have spent most of my
life in converse with such truly sanctified persons, and in preach-
"c c2
3S8 THE REASONS OF
ing this Gospel, through the great mercy of God, with such
success upon no small numbers ; so that I am certain, by full
experience, of the reality of that holy change, which cannot be
done but with the co-operation of God. I have seen that this
change is another matter than fancy, opinion, or factious con-
junction with a sect : even the setting up God in the soul as
God, as our Owner, Ruler, and chief Good, and the devoting of
the soul to him in resignation, obedience, and thankful love ;
the seeking of an everlasting felicity in his glorious sight and
love in heaven ; the contempt of this world as it pleaseth the
flesh ; and the holy use of it, as the way to our felicity and
pleasing God; the subduing and denying all carnal desires,
which would rebel against God and reason, and restoring reason
to the government of the lower faculties ; the denying of that
inordinate selfishness, which setteth up our interest against
our neighbours, and the respecting and loving our neighbours
as ourselves, and doing to others as we would be done by, and
doing good to all men as far as we have power ; the holy go-
verning of our inferiors, and obeying our superiors in order to
these ends ; living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this world,
and in the patient bearing of all afflictions ; and diligently serving
God in our several places, to redeem our time, and prepare for
death, and wait with longing for the everlasting glory, the
hope of which is caused in us by faith in Christ, our Ransom,
Reconciler, Example, Teacher, Governor, and Judge. This is
the true nature of the religion expressed in the Gospel, and
impressed on the souls of sanctified men. By this effect, I
know that Christ is the Saviour of the world, and no deceiver,
as I know a man to be a true physician, and no deceiver,
when I see him ordinarily and thoroughly perform the cures
which he undertaketh. He saveth us actually from the power
of our sins, and bringeth up our hearts to God, and therefore
we may boldly say, 'He is our Saviour.' This witness, through
his mercy, I have in myself, and is always with me, and in
those whom I converse with round about me. I have also, upon
just inquiry, found that the witnesses of Christ's resurrection
and miracles have delivered us their testimony with a three-fold
evidence, 1. The evidence of just credibility to a human belief.
2. The evidence of natural certainty in the natural impossibilities
of deceit. 3. The evidence of supernatural, divine attestation,
in, 1. The image of God on their hearts and doctrine: 2. Their
miracles ; and, 3. Their sanctifying success. And I have found
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 389
that the witnesses of the miracles of the apostles themselves
have also given us the same three degrees of proof of the verity
of their testimony, though miracles continue not now as then :
and I have looked round ahout me in the world, as diligently
and impartially as I could, to see whether Christ, and the way
which he hath prescribed us, have any competitor which may
make it difficult to resolve which to prefer and follow : and as
I have found that none but God alone hath absolute dominion
and sovereignty over us, and is our chief Benefactor, nor fit to
be our felicity and ultimate end, so I have found that there is
no one so fit to be taken for our Mediator and the way to God,
as Jesus Christ ; none else that hath a natural aptitude : none
else among men that is perfect without sin, that hath con-
quered Satan, the world, and death; that is a messenger from
heaven so infallible and sure, whose doctrine and life is suited
to our case ; none else that is become a sacrifice for our sins,
and hath risen from the dead, and ascended into glory, and
doth govern and preserve us, and will judge the world, and hath
power to give the Holy Ghost, both for gifts and graces ; nor
that actually giveth it to the sanctifying of all his sincere fol-
lowers ; none else that hath such a church and kingdom,
contemning the world, and contemned by the world, and so
truly fitted to the pleasing of God, and the future fruition of
him in glory. I see that Judaism is but the porch of Christ-
ianity, and if Christ had not confirmed the verity of the Old
Testament to me, J should have found the difficulty of believing
it much greater : and as for Mahometanism, besides the com-
mon truths which it retaineth of the unity of the Godhead, the
verity of Christ, and the life to come, &c, there is nothing else
which at all inviteth my understanding : and as for heathenism,
the case that it hath brought the miserable world into is much
to be pitied and deplored : much precious truth is revealed to
us by nature, but experience telleth us of the need of more,
and Christianity hath all which nature teacheth with a great
deal more : so that Christianity hath no considerable com-
petitor. 111
And as for worldly wealth and honour, superiority and com-
mand of others, the favour, applause, and praise of great ones,
or of the multitude, voluptuousness, and fleshly delights, &c,
ease, long life, or any accommodations of the flesh ; yea, learn-
m Leg Idiotic cojiteup'at. de Amore Dei.
390 THE REASON'S OF
ing itself, as it is but the pleasing of the fancy in the knowledge
of unnecessary things ; all these I have perused, and found them
to be deceit and trouble : a glimpse of heaven, a taste of the
love of God in Christ \ yea, a fervent desire after God ; yea, a
penitent tear, is better than them all, and yieldeth a delight
which leaveth a better taste behind it, and which my reason
more approveth in the review. And the vanitv of all inferior
pleasures appeareth to me in the common effects ; thev distract
and corrupt the minds of those that have the greatest measure
of them, and make them the calamity of their times, the furious
afflicters of the upright, and the pity of all sober standers-by,
who see them turn the world into a Bedlam ; and how all their
honour, wealth, and sport, will leave them at a dying hour, and
with what dejected minds unwelcome death will be entertained
by them, and with what sad reviews they will look back upon
all their lives, and in what sordid (hist and darkness they must
leave the rotting flesh when their souls are gone to receive their
doom before the Judge of all the world. All these are things
which are past all doubt with me, since I had any solid use of
reason, and things which are still before my eyes.
Wherefore, my God, I look to thee, I come to thee, to thee
alone : no man, no worldly creature made me, none of them did
redeem me, none of them did renew my soul, none of them will
justify me at thy bar, nor forgive my sin, nor save me from thy
penal justice ; none of them will be a full or a perpetual felicity
or portion for my soul. I am not a stranger to their promises
and performances ; I have trusted them too far, and followed
them too long : O that it had been less ; though I must thank-
fully acknowledge, that mercy did early show me their deceit,
and turn my inquiring thoughts to thee. To thee I resign my-
self, for I am thine own ; to thee I subject all the powers of my
soul and body, for thou art my rightful, sovereign Governor ;
from thee I thankfully accept of all the benefits and comforts of
my life ; in thee I expect my true felicity and content. To
know thee, and love thee, and delight in thee, must be my
blessedness, or I must have none. n The little tastes of this
sweetness which my thirsty soul hath had, do tell me that there
n Illaenim gloria quid est nisi seternum angelorum beatorumque spiritum
convivium, quod est semper laudare Deum ? Ad hoc vitae praesentis inopia
nullatenus valet contingere. Scire autem ubi sit, et praegustare, illud gaudio
spei, sitire et esurire quod gustaveris, ha?c est ilia quae dicitur sanctorum in
hac vita perfectio. — Hugo a S. Victore Erud. Theol. dc Offic. Eccl. lib. 2, cap. 19 .
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 391
is no other real joy. I feel that thou hast made my mind to
know thee, and I feel thou hast made my heart to love thee, my
tongue to praise thee, and all that I am and have, to serve thee;
and even in the panting, languishing desires and motions of my
soul, I find that thou, and only thou, art its resting place ; and
though love do now but search, and pray, and cry, and weep,
and is reaching upward, but cannot reach the glorious light, the
blessed knowledge, the perfect love for which it longeth, yet by
its eye, its aim, its motions, its moans, its groans, I know its
meaning, where it would be, and I know its end. My displaced
soul will never be well till it come near to thee, till it know thee
belter, till it love thee more. It loves itself, and justifieth that
self-love, when it can love thee ; it loathes itself, and is weary of
itself, as a lifeless burthen, when it feels no pantings after thee.
Wert thou to be found in the most solitary desert, it would seek
thee ; or in the uttermost parts of the earth, it would make after
thee. Thy presence makes a crowd, a church ; thy converse
maketh a closet, or solitary wood or field, to be kin to the an-
gelical choir. The creature were dead if thou wert not its life ;
and ugly, if thou wert not its beauty ; and insignificant, if thou
wert not its sense. The soul is deformed which is without thine
image ; and lifeless, which liveth not in love to thee, if love be
not its pulse, and prayer, and praise, its constant breath. The
mind is unlearned which readeth not thy name on all the world,
and seeth not ' Holiness to the Lord ' engraven upon the face of
every creature. He doteth that doubteth of thy being or per-
fections ; and he dreameth who doth not live to thee. O let me
have no other portion, no reason, no love, no life but what is
devoted to thee, employed on thee, and for thee here, and shall
be perfected in thee, the only perfect, final Object for evermore.
Upon the holy altar, erected by thy Son, and by his hands, and
his mediation, I humbly devote and offer thee this heart : O
that I could say, with greater feeling, this flaming, loving, long-
ing heart 1 But the sacred fire which must kindle on my sacri-
fice, must come from thee, it will not else ascend unto thee; let
it consume this dross, so the nobler part may know its home.
All that I can say to commend it to thine acceptance is, that I
hope it is washed in precious blood, and that there is something
in it that is thine own ; it still looketh towards thee, and groan-
eth to thee, and followeth after thee, and will be content with
gold, and mirth, and honour, and such inferior fooleries, no more;
it lieth at thy doors, and will be entertained or perish : though,
392 THE REASONS OF
alas ! it loves thee not as it would, I boldly say it longs to love
thee, it loves to love thee ; it seeks, it craves no greater blessed-
ness than perfect, endless, mutual love ; it is vowed to thee, even
to thee alone, and will never take up with shadows more, but is
resolved to lie down in sorrow and despair if thou wilt not be
its Rest and Joy. It hateth itself for loving thee no more, ac-
counting no want, deformity, shame, or pain, so great and
grievous a calamity.
For thee, the glorious, blessed God, it is that I come to Jesus
Christ : if he did not reconcile my guilty soul to thee, and did
not teach it the heavenly art and work of love, by the sweet
communications of thy love, he could be no Saviour for me.
Thou art my only ultimate End ; it is only a guide and way to
thee that my anxious soul hath so much studied : and none can
teach me rightly to know thee, and to love thee, and to live to
thee, but thyself; it must be a teacher sent from thee, that must
conduct me to thee. I have long looked round about me in the
world, to see if there were a more lucid region, from whence thy
will and glory might be better seen, than that in which my lot
is fallen : but no traveller that I can speak with, no book which
I have turned over, no creature which I can see, doth tell me
more than Jesus Christ : I can find no way so suitable to my
soul, no medicine so fitted to my miser}', no bellows so fit to
kindle love, as faith in Christ, the Glass and Messenger of thy
love. I see no doctrine so divine and heavenly, as bearing the
image and superscription of God ; nor any so fully confirmed
and delivered by the attestation of thy own omnipotency ; nor
any which so purely pleads thy cause, and calls the soul from
self and vanity, and condemns its sin, and purifieth it, and lead-
eth it directly unto thee; and though my former ignorance dis-
abled me to look back to the ages past, and to see the methods
of thy providence, and when I look into thy word, disabled me
from seeing the beauteous methods of thy truth, thou hast given
me a glimpse of clearer light, which hath discovered the reasons
and methods of grace, which 1 then discerned not ; and in the
midst of my most hideous temptations and perplexed thoughts,
thou kepst alive the root of faith, and kepst alive the love to
thee, and unto holiness, which it had kindled. Thou hast mer-
cifully given me the. witness in myself; not an unreasonable
persuasion in my mind, but that renewed nature, those holy and
heavenly desires and delights, which surely can come from none
but thee. And O, how much more have I perceived in many
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 393
of thy servants, than in myself ! Thou hast cast my lot among
the souls whom Christ hath healed ; I have daily conversed
with those whom he hath raised from the dead. I have seen
the power of thy Gospel upon sinners : all the love that ever I
perceived kindled towards thee, and all the true obedience
that ever I saw performed to thee, hath been effected by the
Word of Jesus Christ. How often hath his Spirit helped me to
pray ; and how often hast thou heard those prayers ! What
pledges hast thou given to my staggering faith, in the works
which prayer hath procured, both for myself and many others ?
And if confidence in Christ be yet deceit, must I not sav, that
thou hast deceived me ? who I know canst neither be deceived,
or by any falsehood or seduction deceive.
On thee, therefore, O my dear Redeemer, do I cast and trust
this sinful soul ! with thee, and with thy Holy Spirit, 1 renew
my covenant ; I know no other, I have no other, I can have no
other Saviour but thyself : to thee I deliver up this soul which
thou hast redeemed, not to be advanced to the wealth, and ho-
nours, and pleasures of this world, but to be delivered from
them, and to be healed of sin, and brought to God, and to be
saved from this present evil world, which is the portion of the
ungodly and unbelievers ; to be washed in thy blood, and illu-
minated, quickened, and confirmed by thy Spirit, and conducted
in the ways of holiness and love, and at last to be presented,
justified and spotless, to the Father of spirits, and possessed of
the glory which thou hast promised. O thou that has prepared so
dear a medicine for the cleansing of polluted, guilty souls, leave
not this unworthy soul in its guilt, or in its pollution : O thou
that knowest the Father, and his will, and art nearest to him,
and most beloved of him, cause me in my degree to know the
Father ; acquaint me with so much of his will as concerneth my
duty, or my just encouragement : leave not my soul to grope in
darkness, seeing thou art the Sun and Lord of Light. O heal
my estranged thoughts of God : is he my Light and Life, and all
my hope ; and must I dwell with him for ever, and yet shall I
know him no better than thus ; shall I learn no more that have
such a teacher ; and shall I get no nearer him, while I have a
Saviour and a Head so near ? O give my faith a clearer prospect
into that better world, and let me not be so much unacquainted
with the place in which I must abide for ever: and as thou hast
prepared a heaven for holy souls, prepare this too-unprepared
soul for heaven, which hath not long to stay on earth ; and
394 THE REASONS OF
when at death I resign it into thy hands, receive it as thine own,
and finish the work which thou hast begun, in placing it among
the blessed spirits, who are filled with the sight and love of
God. I trust thee living, let me trust thee dying, and never be
ashamed of my trust.
And unto thee, the eternal Holy Spirit, proceeding from
the Father and the Son, the communicative Love, who conde-
scendest to make perfect the elect of God, do I deliver up this
dark, imperfect soul, to be further renewed, confirmed, and per-
fected, according to the holy covenant. Refuse not to bless it
with thine in-dwelling and operations, quicken it with thy life,
irradiate it by thy light, sanctify it by thy love, actuate it purelv,
powerfully, and constantly, by thy holy motions : and though
the way of this thy sacred influx be beyond the reach of human
apprehension, yet let me know the reality and saving power of
it by the happy effects. Thou art more to souls than souls to
bodies, than light to eyes. O, leave not my soul as a carrion
destitute of thy life ; nor its eyes as useless, destitute of thy
light; nor leave it as a senseless block without thy motion !
The remembrance of what I was without thee, doth make me
fear lest thou shouldest withhold thy grace. Alas ! I feel, I
daily feel, that I am dead to all good, and all that is good is
dead to me, if thou be not the life of all. Teachings and
reproofs, mercies and corrections, yea, the Gospel itself,
and all the liveliest books and sermons are dead to me, be-
cause I am dead to them ; yea, God is as no God to me,
and heaven as no heaven, and Christ as no Christ, and
the clearest evidences of Scripture verity are as no proofs
at all, if thou represent them not with light and power to
my soul. Even as all the glory, of the world is as nothing
to me, without the light by which it is seen. O thou that hast
begun, and given me those heavenly intimations and desires,
which flesh and blood could never give me, suffer not my folly
to quench these sparks, nor this brutal flesh to prevail against
thee, nor the powers of hell to stifle and kill such a heavenly
seed. O pardon that folly and wilfulness which hath too often,
too obdurately, and too unthankfully striven against thy grace,
and depart not from an unkind and sinful soul. I remember,
with grief and shame, how I wilfully bore down thy motions :
punish it not with desertion, and give me not over to myself.
Art thou not in covenant with me, as my Sanctifier, and Con-
firmer, and Comforter ? I never undertook to do these things
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 395
for myself, but I consent that thou should work them on me.
As thou art the Agent and Advocate of Jesus, my Lord, O plead
his cause effectually in my soul against the suggestions of
Satan and my unbelief, and finish his healing, saving work, and
let not the flesh or world prevail. Be in me the resident wit-
ness of my Lord, the author of my prayers, the spirit of adop-
tion, the seal of God, and the earnest of mine inheritance. Let
not my nights be so long, and my days so short, nor sin eclipse
those beams which have often illuminated my soul. Without
thee books are senseless scrawls, studies are dreams, learning is
a glow-worm, and wit is but wantonness, impertinency, and
folly. Transcribe those sacred precepts on my heart, which, by
thy dictates and inspirations, are recorded in thy holy word.
I refuse not thy help for tears and groans; but O, shed
abroad that love upon my heart, which may keep it in a conti-
nual life of love : and teach me the work which I must do in
heaven. Refresh my soul with the delights of holiness, and
the jovs which arise from the believing hopes of the everlasting
joys. Exercise my heart and tongue in the holy praise of mv
Lord. Strengthen me in sufferings, and conquer the terrors of
death and hell. Make me the more heavenly, bv how much
the faster I am hastening to heaven ; and let my last thoughts,
words, and works, on earth be likest to those which shall be my
first in the state of glorious immortality, where the kingdom is
delivered up to the Father, and God will for ever be all, and in
all : of whom, and through whom, and to whom, are all things:
to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
CHAP. XIII.
Consectaries. — I. What Party of Christians should ive join with,
or be of, seeing they are divided into so many Sects.
I shall briefly despatch the answer of this question in these
following propositions :
Sect. 1. Godliness and Christianity is our only religion; and
if any party have any other, we must renounce it.P
Sect. 2. The church of Christ being his body, is but one, and
° Vid. Pet. Damian. Dom. vobisc. c. 6. de Unit. Eccles.
p Psalm i. ; Matt. xvii. 19 ; Acts xi. 26.
396 THE REASONS OF
hath many parts, but should have no parties, but unity and
concord without division.* 1
Sect. 3. Therefore no Christian must be of a party or sect,
as such, that is, as dividing itself from the rest, causing schism
or contention in the body, or making a rent unnecessarily in any
particular church, which is a part. r
Sect. 4. But when parties and sects do trouble the church,
we must still hold to our mere Christianity, and desire to be
called by no other name than Christian, with the epithets of
sincerity ; and if men will put the name of a party or sect upon
us for holding to Christianity only, against all corrupting sects,
we must hold on our way, and bear their obloquy. 8
Sect. 5. What Christianity is, may be known, 1. Most sum-
marily in the baptismal covenant, in which we are by solemniza-
tion made Christians, in which, renouncing the flesh, the world,
and the devil, we give up ourselves devotedly to God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, as our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
2. By the ancient summary rules of faith, hope, and charity,
the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Decalogue. 3. Integrally
in the sacred Scriptures, which are the records of the doctrine
of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 1
Sect. 6. But there are many circumstances of religious wor-
ship, which Scripture doth not particularly determine of, but only
give general rules for the determination of them, as what chapter
shall be read, what text preached on, what translation used,
what metre or tune of psalms, what time, what place, what
seat or pulpit, or cup or other utensils, what vesture, gesture,
&c. : whether we shall use notes for memory in preaching ;
what method we shall preach in ; whether we shall pray in the
same words often, or in various ; with a book, or without, with
many others. In all which the people must have an obedien-
tial respect to the conduct of the lawful pastors of the churches."
Sect. 7. Differing opinions, or practices, about things indif-
ferent, no, nor about the mere integrals of religion, which are
not essentials, do not make men of different religions or
churches (universally considered). x
i 1 Cor. xii ; Eph. iv. 3, 4, 14.
r 1 Cor. i. 10 ; Acts xx. 30 ; Rom. xvi. 17.
s 1 Cor. iii. 3 — ■) ; Acts xxiv. 14, and xxviii. 22.
1 Matt, xxviii. 19, 20 ; Mark xvi. l(i ; Heb. vi. 1—3.
" 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 10.
x Rom. xiv. and xv., Gal.ii. 13 — 15 ; Phil. iii. 16, 17.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 397
Sect. S. Nothing will warrant us to separate from a church
as no church, but the want of something essential to a
church.
Sect. 9. The essential or constitutive parts of the church
catholic, or universal, are Christ the Head, and all Christians as
the members. y
Sect. 10. All sincere and sanctified Christians are the mem-
bers of the church mystical, invisible, or regenerate : and all
professors of sincere Christianity, that is, all baptised persons,
not apostatised nor excommunicate, are the members of the
church visible, which is integrated of the particular churches.
Sect. 11. It is essential to particular political churches, that
they be constituted of true bishops or pastors, and of flocks of
baptised or professed Christians, united in these relations for
holy communion in the worshipping of God, and the promoting
of the salvation of the several members. 2
Sect. 12. It is essential to a true bishop or pastor of the
church to be in office, (that is, in authority and obligation,)
appointed by Christ in subordination to him in the three parts
of his offices, prophetical, priestly, and kingly ; that is, to teach
the people, to stand between them and God in worship, and
to guide, or govern them, by the paternal exercise of the keys of
his church. a
Sect. 13. He that doth not nullify, or unchurch a church,
may lawfully remove from one church to another, and make
choice of the best and purest, or that which is most suited to
his own edification, if he be a freeman.
Sect. 14. But in case of such choice, or personal removal,
the interest of the whole church, or of religion in common,
must be first taken into consideration, by him that would rightlv
judge of the lawfulness of the fact. b
Sect. 15. If a church which, in all other respects, is purest
and best, will impose any sin upon all that will have local com-
munion with it, though we must not separate from that
church as no church, yet must we not commit that sin, but
patiently suffer them to exclude us from their communion. c
y Eph. i. 22 ; iv. 12, 15, and v. 23 ; Col. i. 18, and ii. 19 ; 1 Cor. v. and xii.
27 ; Matt, xxviii. 19.
1 Acts xiv. 23; Phil. i. 1 ; Eph. iv. 11, 12 ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13.
"Matt, xxviii. 19, 20, and xviii. 15,18; 1 Thess. v. 12 ; Heb. xiii. 17;
James v. 14 ; Acts ii. 42 ; viii. 1, and xx. 36'.
b Rom. ix. 3 ; 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26.
c Rom. iii. 8.
39S THE REASONS OF
Sect. 16. True heresy, (that is, an error contradictory to an
essential article of the christian faith,) if it be seriously and
really held, so that the contrary truth is not held seriously and
really, doth nullify the Christianity of him that holdeth it, and
the church-state of that congregation which so professeth it.
But so doth not that fundamental error which is held but in
words through ignorance, thinking it may consist with the
contrary truth, while that truth is not denied, but held, majore
fide', so that we have reason to believe, that if they did discern
the contradiction, they would rather forsake the error than the
truth. 11
But of this more elsewhere.
CHAP. XIV.
Consectary II. — Of the true Interest of Christ, and his Church,
and the Souls of Men : of the Means to promote it, and its
Enemies and Impediments in the World.
So great and common is the enmity against Christianity in
the world, yea, against the life and reality of it in all the
hypocrites of the visible church, that the guilty will not bear
the detection of their guilt ; and therefore the reader must
excuse ine for passing over the one-half of that which should
be said upon this subject, because they that need it cannot
suffer it. e
Sect. 1. Every true Christian preferreth the interest of
Christ and of religion, before all worldly interest of his own, or
any others. f
For he that setteth himself or any thing above his God, hath
indeed no God ; for if he be not Maximus, Sapientissimus,
Optimus, Greatest, Wisest, and Best, he is not God ; and if
d Tit. iii. 10; 2 John x. and xii. 1G; Heb. v. 11, 12; 1 Cor. xv. 1, 2, &c;
Luke xviii. 34 ; Gal. v. 2, and i. 7 — 9, and iii. 1, 2. In isto i'actiosissimo
<-rpculo, vix quisquam eximie doctas hsereseos suspicione carebat. — Erasm. in
Vita Hieronym. Et profecto ita est, ut id habendum sit antiquissiinuin et
Deo proximuin, quod sit optimum. — Cic.de Leg. lib. 2. p. 244.
e I entreat the reader to peruse the Lord Bacon's ' Considerations,' and Mr.
Hales' 'Of Schism,' and Mr. Stillingfleet's ' Irenicon,' especially p. 117, and
Mr. Jer. Borough's ' Irenicon,' which will all much promote his understand-
ing in this point ; and Grotius ' De Imper. Sum. Pot.'
1 Luke xiv. 26, 29, 33.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 399
he be not really taken as such, he is not taken for their God ;
and he that hath no God hath no religion ; and he that hath no
religion is no Christian; and if he call himself a Christian, he
is an hypocrite.
Sect. 2. Though we must prefer the interest of Christ and
the church above the interest of our souls, yet must we never
set them in competition or opposition ; but in a due con-
junction, though not in an equality. g
I add this, to warn men of some common, dangerous errors,
in this point ; some think that if they do but feel themselves
more moved with another minister's preaching, or more edified
with another way of discipline, they may presently withdraw
themselves to that minister or discipline, without regard to the
unity and good of the church where they are, or whatever
public evil follow it : whereas, he that seemeth to deny even
to his soul some present edification for the public good, shall
find that even this will turn to his greater edification.
And some, on the contrary extreme, have got a conceit, that
till they can find that they can be content to be damned for
Christ, if God would so have it, they are not sincere : which is
a case that no Christian should put to his own heart, being
such as God never put to any man : all the trial that God
putteth us to is but whether we can deny this transitory life,
and the vanities of the world, and the pleasures of the flesh, for
the love of God, and the hopes of glory ; and he that doth thus
much, shall undoubtedly be saved. But to think you must ask
your hearts such a question, as whether you can be content to
be damned for Christ, is but to abuse God and yourselves.
Indeed, both reason and religion command us to esteem God
infinitely above ourselves, and the church's welfare above our
own ; because that which is best must be best esteemed
and loved. But yet, though we must ever acknowledge this
inequality, yet that we must never disjoin them, nor set them in
a positive opposition or competition, nor really do any thing which
tendeth to our damnation, upon any pretence of the church's
good, is past all question. He that hath made the love of our-
selves and felicity inseparable from man, hath made us no duty
inconsistent with this inclination ; that is, with our humanity
itself; for God hath conjoined these necessary ends, and we
must not separate them.
g Rom. ix, 3, and xv. 7 ; 1 Cor. x. 31 j Efh. i. 12, 14.
400 THE REASONS OF
Sect. 3. The interest of the church is but the interest of the
souls that constitute the church ; and to prefer it above our
own, is but to prefer many above one. h
Sect. 4. He that doth most for the public good, and the souls
of many, doth thereby most effectually promote his own conso-
lation and salvation.
Sect. 5. The interest of God is the ultimate end of religion,
church, and particular souls. i
Sect. 6. God's interest is not any addition to his perfection
or blessedness ; but the pleasing of his will, in the glory of his
power, wisdom, and goodness, shining forth in Jesus Christ,
and in his church. k
Sect. 7. Therefore, to promote God's interest, is by promoting
the church's interest.
Sect. 8. The interest of the church consisteth, 1. Intensive,
in its holiness. 2. Conjunctiva and harmonice, in its unity,
concord, and order. 3. Extensive, in its increase, and the
multiplication of believers.
Sect. 9. I. The holiness of the church consisteth, 1. In its
resignation and submission to God, its Owner. 2. In its sub-
jection and obedience to God, its Ruler. 3. In its gratitude
and love to God, its Benefactor and ultimate End. •
Sect. 10. These acts consist, 1. In a right estimation and
belief of the mind. 2. In a right volition, choice, and resolu-
tion of the will. 3. In the right ordering of the life. m
Sect. 11. The means of the church's holiness are these:
1. Holy doctrine; because, as all holiness entereth by the
understanding, so truth is the instrumental cause of all.
Sect. 12. II. The holy, serious, reverent, skilful, and diligent
preaching of this doctrine, by due explication, proof, and appli-
cation, suitably to the various auditors.
Sect. 13. 111. The holy lives and private converse of the
pastors of the church. 11
Sect. 14. IV. Holy discipline faithfully administered; en-
couraging all that are godly, and comforting the penitent, and
h Eph. iv. 11—16; Col. i. 24 ; 1 Tim. iv. 16, and iv. 7, 8.
5 Rom. xi. 36 ; Prov. xvi. 4 ; 1 Cor. x. 31.
k Eph. iii. 10, 21, and v. 27, 29; 1 Thess. i. 10, 11 ; John xxl. 15—17;
Matt. xxv.
1 Eph. v.25, 26; Tit. ii. 19 ; 1 Peter ii. 9, 10, and i. 3,6, 8, 1 1—16, 22.
m Acts xxvi. 18 ; Eph. i. 18 ; Matt, xxviii. 19 ; Heb. v. 9. •
» Matt, xxviii. 20 ; Gal. i. 7; 2 Tim. i. 13; Acts xx. 20, &c. ; 1 Tim. iv.
2; I Tim. v. 17.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 401
humbling the proud, and disgracing open sin, and casting out
the proved impenitent, gross sinners 3 that they infect not the
rest, embolden not the wicked, and dishonour not the church in
the eyes of the unbelievers.
Sect. 15. V. The election and ordination of able and holy
pastors, fit for this work.
Sect. 16. VI. The conjunct endeavours of the wisest and
most experienced members of tbe flock, not usurping any ec-
clesiastical office j but by their wisdom, and authority, and ex-
ample, in their private capacities, seconding the labours of the
pastors, and not leaving all to be done by them alone.
Sect. 17. VII. Especially the holy instructing and governing
of families, by catechising inferiors, and exhorting them to the
due care of their souls, and helping them to understand and
remember the public teaching of the pastors, and praying and
praising God with them, and reading the Scripture and holy
books, especially on the Lord's day ; and labouring to reform
their lives.
Sect. IS. VIII. The blameless lives, and holy conference,
converse, and example, of the members of the church among
themselves. Holiness begetteth holiness, and increaseth it, as
fire kindleth fire.?
Sect. 19. IX. The unity, concord, and love of Christians to
one another.
Sect. 20. X. And, lastly, holy princes and magistrates, to en-
courage piety, and to protect the church, and to be a terror to
evil doers. These are the means of holiness.
Sect. 21. The contraries of all these may easily be discerned
to be the destroyers of holiness, and pernicious to the church.
1. Unholy doctrine : 2. Ignorant, unskilful, negligent, cold, or
envious preaching : 3. The unholy lives of them that preach it :
4. Discipline neglected, or perverted, to the encouraging of the
Acts xx. 1 ; Tim. i. 6, 18, 19; iii. 2, and iv. 12; 1 Cor. v.; Matt, xviii. 15 ;
2 Thess. iii. ; Rom. xvi. 16, 17 ; 1 Tim. v. 20 ; Acts xx.; 2 Tim. ii. 15, 21,
and 2 Tim. iii. 2, 3 ; John viii. ; Acts xviii. 26 ; Rom. xvi. 3 ; 1 Tim. vi. 18 ;
Tit. iii. 8.
p 1 Tim. iii. 5 ; Eph. vi. 4; Deut. vi. 6 — 8, and xi. 18, 19 ; Acts x. 2, 24 ;
1 Pet. iii. 2 ; Phil. ii. 15 ; 2 Pet. iii. 14 ; Tit. ii. 5 ; 1 Tim. vi. 1 ; Rom.
ii. 24 ; John xvii. 21 ; 1 Cor. i. 10 ; Isa. xxxii. 1 ; Iii. 5, and xlix. 23 ; Hos.
viii. 4, 5 ; Psalm ii. ; Dan. ix. 6, 8 ; Rom. xiii. 3, 5, 6 ; 2 Pet. ii. ; Gal. i. 7, 8 ;
1 Tim. iii. 6; v. 22; iv. 15, 16, and vi. 4, 5 ; 1 Cor. v.; 1 Tim. iii. 7;
Mark ix. 38, 39; Phil. i. 15; James iii. 1, 15, 17; 1 Sam. ii. ; Acts xx. 30,
31 ; Rom. xvi. 16, 17 ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13 ; 2 Chron. xxvi. 14, 15; Ezek. xxii.
27 ; Hos. ix. 15, and vii. 3 ; Zenh. iii. 3 ; 1 Cor. ii. C, 8.
VOL. XXI. D D
402 THE REASONS OF
ungodly, and afflicting of the most holy and upright of the
flocks: 5. The election or ordination of insufficient, negligent,
or ungodly pastors : 6. The negligence of the wisest of the
flock, or the restraint of them by the spirit of jealousy and envy,
from doing their private parts in assistance of the pastors.
7. The neglect of holy instructing, and governing of families ;
and the lewd example of the governors of them : 8. The scan-
dalous or barren lives of Christians : 9. The divisions and
discord of Christians themselves : 10. And bad magistrates,
who give an ill example, or afflict the godly, or encourage vice,
or, at least, suppress it not.
Sect. 22. To these may be added, 1. The degenerating of
religious strictness, from what God requireth, into another
thing, by human corruptions, gradually introduced ; as is seen
among too many friars, as well as in the pharisees of old.
2. A degenerating of holy institutions of Christ, into another
thing, by the like gradual corruptions, as is seen in the Roman
sacrifice of the mass. 3. The degenerating of church offices by
the like corruptions, as is seen in the papacy, and its manifold
supporters. 4. The diversion of the pastors of the church to
secular employments. 5. The diminishing the number of the
pastors of the church, as proportioned to the number of souls :
as if one school-master alone should have ten thousand scholars;
or ten thousand soldiers but one or two officers. 6. The pre-
tending of the soul and power of religion, to destroy the body,
or external part : or making use of the body, or external part,
to destroy the soul and power ; and setting things in opposition
which are conjunct. 7. The preferring either the imposition or
opposition of things indifferent, before things necessary. 8. An
apish imitation of Christ by Satan and his instruments, by coun-
terfeiting inspirations, revelations, visions, prophecies, miracles,
apparitions, sanctity, zeal, and new institutions in the church.
9. An overdoing, or being righteous over-much, by doing more
than God would have us (over-doing being one of the devil's
ways of undoing). When Satan pretendeth to be a saint, he
will be more strict than Christ, as the pharisees were in their
company, Sabbath-rest and ceremonies : and he will be zealous
with a fiery, consuming zeal. 10. Accidentally, prosperity itself
consumeth piety in the church ; if it occasion the perdition of
the world, the church is not out of danger of it. q
"iMatt. xv. 2,3, 9, 11, 13; Col. ii. 20— 22; Mark ii. 26; Luke vi. 2, and
xiii. 14, 15; Johu v. 18; xi. 49, and xviii. 13; Acts iv. 6, and xxiii. 2;
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
403
Sect. 23. II. The unity, and concord, and harmony of the
church consisteth, 1 . In their universal adoption, or one relation
to God, as their reconciled Father in Christ : 2. In the one rela-
tion they have all to Christ their Head : 3. In the unity of the
Spirit, which dwelleth and worketh in them all : 4. In their one
relation to the body or church of Christ, as its members : 5. In
the unity of that faith which stateth them in these relations :
6. In the unity of the baptismal covenant, which initiateth them :
7. In the unity of the Gospel (in the essentials), which is the
common rule of their faith and life, and the ground of their
hope and comfort : 8. In the bond of mutual, brotherly love :
9. In the concord of a holy life: 10. fn the unity of the end
which they all intend, and shall at last attain, the pleasing of
God, and the heavenly glory/
Sect. 24. The means of this unity and concord are, 1. All,
as aforesaid, which promote their holiness. From holiness is
the centring of all hearts in God : and it destroyeth that di-
viding selfishness, which maketh men have as many ends as
they are persons. 2. The learning and ability of the pastors, to
hold the flocks together by the force of truth, and to stop the
mouths of cavilling dividers and seducers : when no gainsavers
are able to stand before the evidence of that truth which they
demonstrate. 3. The holy lives of pastors, which keep up the
love of truth and them in the people's hearts. 4. By the pater-
nal government of the pastors, ruling them, not bv force, but
willingly, and in fatherly love, and a loving, familiar converse
with them. 5. By the just execution of discipline on the im-
penitent, that the godly may see that wickedness is disowned.
6. By the concord of the pastors among themselves ; and the
prudent use of synods or councils to that end. 7- By the hum-
ble and submissive respect of the people to their pastors. S. Bv
keeping up the interest and authority of the most ancient and
experienced of the flock, over the young and inexperienced, who
are the common causes of division. 9. By the pastors' avoiding
2 Tim. ii. 4— 6, 12, and 1 Tim. iv. 15; Matt. ix. 37, 38; 1 Cor. iii.9; Acts
xiv. 23 ; Tit. i. 3 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 26 ; xv. 16, xxxi. 33—35 ; Matt. xv. 9, 13 ; Rom.
xiv. and xv. ; Acts xv. 28 ; 1 John iv. 1 ; 2 Thess. ii. 2 ; 1 Kings xxii. 22, 23 ;
2 Cor. xi. 14, 15 ; Matt. xxiv. 24 ; xv. 2 ; xi. 13, and xii. 2 ; Luke xiii. 14, 15 ;
John iv. 16 ; Luke ix. 54; Acts xi. 36, and xxii. 22 ; Rom. x. 2; Prov. i. 32;
James v. 5,6.
r Eph. iv. 1—4, &c. ; Rom. viii. 17; Eph. i. 22 ; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13; Eph.
iv. 15, 16; Rom. viii. 9, and x. 3, 15, 17; Gal. i. 6—8; Phil, i, 17, 27;
1 Thess. iv. 9 : 1 Pet. i. 22; Eph. iii. 17, and iv. 16; Heb. x. 24 ; 1 Cor. i.
10; 1 John iii. 22; 1 Thess. ii. 4.
DD 2
404 THE REASONS OF
all temptations to worldliness and pride, that they tear not the
church, by striving who shall be the greatest, or have the pre-
eminence. 1 0. By godly magistrates keeping their power in
their own hand, and using it to rebuke intolerable, false teachers,
and to encourage the peaceable, and restrain the railing and
violence of pastors and parties against each other ; and by im-
partial keeping the church's peace. s
Sect. 25. Hence the causes of church divisions are discern-
ible. 1. The increase of ungodliness and sin, which is as fire
in the thatch, and possesseth all men with dividing principles,
practices, and ends. 2. The disability of pastors overtopped
in parts by every sectary. 3. The ungodliness of the pastors,
which looseneth the hearts of the people from them. 4. The
strangeness, violence, or hurtfulness of the pastors. 5. The
encouragement and toleration of all the most flagitious and im-
penitent, in undisciplined churches, which frighteneth men out
of the church as from a ruinous house, and tempteth them to an
unwarrantable separation, because the pastors will not make a
necessary and regular separation. 6. The discord of the bishops
among themselves. 7. The people's ignorance of the pastoral
power and their own duty. 8. An unruly, fierce, censorious
spirit in many of the young and inexperienced of the flock.
9. The pastors striving who shall be the greatest, and seeking
great things in the world, or popular applause and admiration.
10. The magistrates either permitting the endeavours of
dividing teachers in palpable cases, or suffering self-seeking
pastors or people to disturb the church.*
Sect. 26. But next to common ungodliness, the great causes
of the most ruinating church divisions are, 1. Wars and dissen-
sions among princes and states, and civil factions in kingdoms,
whereby the clergy are drawn or forced to engage themselves on
one side or other ; and then the prevailing side stigmatizeth those
as scandalous who were not for them, and think themselves en-
gaged by their interest to extirpate them. 2. Mistaking the
s Phil. ii. 4, 21 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 14 ; Tit. iii. 5 ; Eph. iv. 3—5, 14—16 ; 1 Thess.
v. 12, 13; Tit. i. 9, 11 ; Luke xxi. 1, 5; 1 Tim. iii. 4—6 ; 1 Pet. v. 2,3; Acts
xx. 20, &c; 2 Cor. i. 24 ; 1 Tim. v.; 1 Tit. iii. 10 ; 1 Cor. v.; John xvii. 21,
23; Acts xv. ; Heb. xiii. 7,17 ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13 ; 1 Pet. v. 5 ; Luke xxii.
24, 26", 27; 1 Pet. v. 2, 3 ; 2 Chron. xix. 6, 7, 11.
* 1 Kings xv. 13, 29 ; 2 Kings x. 17, 28 ; Rom. xiii. 3—6 ; 2 Chron. xxviii.
23 ; Ezek. xviii. 30 ; Numb, xxxii. 23 ; 1 Tim. iii. 6 ; Eph. iv. 14 ; 3 John 9,
10 ; 1 Kings xxii. 24, 25 ; 1 Cor. i. 11, and iii. 3, 4 ; 1 Cor. v. 5, 12, &c. ;
Tit. i. 10 ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 14 ; 3 John 9. Non qui jussus aliquid facit, miser
est ; sed qui iuvitus. — Scnec. Ep* (J2. Nullum violentum est perpetuum.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 405
just terms of union and communion, and setting up a false cen-
tre as that which all men must unite in. Thus have the Roman
parly divided themselves from the Greeks and protestants, and
made the greatest schism in the church that ever was made in
it. 1. By setting up a false, usurping, constitutive head, the
Roman bishop; and pretending that none are members of the
church who are not his subjects; and so condemning the far
greatest part of the catholic church. 2. By imposing an oath,
and divers gross corruptions in doctrine, discipline, and worship,
upon all that will be in their communion, and condemning those
that receive them not, and so departing from the Scripture suffi-
ciency. These two usurpations are the grand dividers."
Sect. 27. All heretics, also, who speak perverse things against
Christianity, to draw away disciples after them ; or schismatics,
who unwarrantably separate from those churches in which they
ought to abide, that they may gather new congregations after
their own mind, are the immediate adversaries of church union
and concord. x
Sect. 2S. So are the importune and virulent disputations of
contentious wits, about unnecessary things, or matters of fac-
tion and self-interest.
Sect. 29. Especially when the magistrate lendeth his sword
to one party of the contenders, to suppress or be revenged on
the rest, and to dispute with arguments of steel.
Sect. 30. The well-ordered councils of bishops or pastors of
several churches assembled together, have been justly esteemed
a convenient means of maintaining the concord and peace of
Christians, and a fit remedy for the cure of heresies, corruptions,
and divisions. 7 And when the cause requireth it, those councils
should consist of as many as can conveniently meet, even from
the most distant churches, which can send their bishops, without
incurring greater hurt or discommodity than their presence will
u Jam. iv. 1, 2 ; Phil. ii. 4, 21 ; 1 Kings xii. 31, 32, anil xxii. 27 ; Rev. xiii.
1(5, 17 ; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 28 ; Eph. iv. 7, 8, 13, 16 ; 3 John 9; Matt. xv. 2, 3 ;
1 Tim. iii. 3.
x Acts xx. 30, 31 ; Rom. xvi. 17 ; 1 Tim. i. 19 ; Eph. iv. 14 ; 2 Tim. ii. 16,
17, 23 — 25 ; Rom. xiv. ; 1 Tim. vi. 3 — 5, and i. 3 — 7 ; Luke xxii. 24 ; 1 Kings
xxii. 27; Gal. v. 15.
y Acts xv. Surely there is no better way to stop the rising of new sects and
schisms, than to reform abuses, to compound the smaller differences, to pro-
ceed mildly, and not with sanguinary persecutions ; and rather to take off the
principal authors by winning and advancing them, than to enrage them by
violence and bitterness. — Lord Verulam's Essay 58.
40(i THE REASONS OF
countervail in doing good ; and, therefore, the councils, called
general, in the dominions of the christian Roman emperors,
were commendable, and very profitable to the church, when
rightly used. But, whereas, the pope doth argue that he is the
constitutive head of tbe whole catholic church throughout the
world, because his predecessors did often preside in those coun-
cils, it is most evident to any one who will make a faithful
search into the history of them, that those councils were so far
from representing all the churches in the world, that they were
constituted only of the churches or subjects of the Roman em-
pire, and those that, having formerly been parts of the empire,
continued that way of communion when they fell into the hands
of conquerors, their conquerors being commonly pagans, infidels,
or Arian heretics. I except only now and then two or three, or
an inconsiderable number of neighbour bishops. There were
none of the representatives of the churches in all the other
parts of the world, as I have proved in my 'Disputation' with
Mr. Johnson : and desire the reader, who thinketh that his
* Reply' doth need any confutation, but to peruse Ortelius, or
any true map of the Roman empire ; and Myraeus, or any
Notitia Episcopatuum, and withal the names of the bishops in
each council ; and then let him ask his conscience whether
those councils were true or equal representatives of all the
christian world, or only of the subjects or churches of one em-
pire, with a few inconsiderable, accidental auxiliaries : and if he
smile not at Mr, Johnson's instances of the bishops of Thrace,
and other such countries, as if they had been out of the verge of
the Roman empire, at least he shall excuse me from confuting
such replies.
And since then Christ hath enlarged his church to many more
nations, and remote parts of the world, and we are not hopeless
that the Gospel may yet be preached to the remotest parts of
the earth, and an equal, just representative may become more
impossible than it now is. Yet now such proper universal
councils are so far from being the constitutive, visible head of
the church, or, the pope as there presiding, or any necessary
means of its unity and peace, that, rebus sic stantibus, they are
morally impossible. For, 1. Their distance is so great from
Abassia, Egypt, Armenia, Syria, Mexico, New England, and
other parts, to those of Muscovy, Sweden, Norway, &c, that it
will be unlawful and impossible to undertake such journies, and
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 407
deprive the church of the labours of the pastors so long on
this account. 2. It, cannot be expected that many live to
perform the journey and return. 3. The princes, in whose
countries they live, or through whose dominions they must pass,
are many of them infidels and will not suffer it, and many still
in wars, and most of them full of state jealousies. 4. When
they come together, the number of just representatives which
may be proportioned to the several parts of the church, and
may be more than a mockery or faction, will be so great that
they will not be capable of just debates, such as the great mat-
ters of religion do require : or, if they be, it will be so long as
will frustrate the work, and waste their age, before they can re-
turn, when usually the cause which required their congregation
will bear no such delays. 5. They cannot all speak to the un-
derstanding of the council in one and the same language, for
all the commonness of Greek and Latin, God hath neither pro-
mised that all bishops shall be able to converse in one tongue,
nor actually performed it. 6. Such a council never was in any
christian emperor's time ; for they neither could nor did sum-
mon all the just representatives of the churches in other princes'
dominions, but only those in their own.
Sect. 31. The predominancy of selfishness and self-interest
in all hypocrites, who are but Christians in name, and not by
true regeneration, and the great numbers of such hypocrites in
the visible church, is the summary of all the great causes of
divisions, and the prognostics of their continuance. 2
Sect. 32. Unity and harmony will be imperfect, whilst true
holiness is so rare and imperfect ; and to expect the contrary,
and so to drive on an ill-grounded, unholy unity, is a great
cause of the division and distraction of the churches. 11
Sect. 33. When differing opinions cause discord betwixt
several churches, the means of christian concord is, not
an agreement in every opinion, but to send to each other a pro-
fession of the true christian faith, subscribed, with a renuncia-
tion of all that is contrary thereto; and to require christian
love and communion on these terms, with a mutual patience
and pardon of each other's innrmities. b
Sect. 34. No Christian must pretend holiness against unity
1 Isa. ix. 17 ; Phil. ii. 21 ; Acts viii. 18, 20 ; 1 Tim. vi. 10 ; 1 John ii. 15 ;
Gal. v. 11, and vi. 12—14.
a Luke xxii. 24 ; Acts xv. 39 ; Gal. ii. 12—15.
b Phil. Hi. 15, 16 ; Rom. xiv. and xv. ; 1 Peter iii. 15.
408 THE REASONS OF
and peace, nor unity and peace against holiness ; but take
them as inseparable in point of duty : and every tender con-
science should be as tender of church division and real schism,
as of drunkenness, whoredom, or such other enormous sins.
(James iii. 14 — 1 7-) c
Sect. 35. III. The extensive interest of the church, consisting
in the multiplication of Christians, is, 1. Principally in the
multiplication of the regenerate members of the church mys-
tical : 2. And, subordinately, in the multiplication of professed
Christians in the church visible.
Sect. 36. It is not another, but the very same Christianity
which in sincerity constituteth a mystical member, and in pro-
fession a visible member of the church (which is not two
churches, but one) ; so that all are hypocrites who are not
sincere/ 1
Sect. 37. The instituted door or entrance into the church
visible, is by baptism . e
Sect. 38. The pastors of the church, by the power of the
keys, are judges who are to be admitted by baptism, and to
baptise them : f and the people are to take the baptised for
church members, and in point of public communion, to see as
with their pastors' eyes (ordinarily) ; though, as to private
converse, they are judges themselves.
Sect. 39. Those that are baptised in infancy should at age
have a solemn transition into the rank of adult members, upon
a solemn, serious owning and renewing of their baptismal co-
venant. 6
Sect. 40. God doth not require a false profession of Christi-
anity, but a true ; but yet he appointeth his ministers to take a
profession not proved false, as credibly true, because we are no
heart-searchers; and every one should be best acquainted with
himself; and God will have every man the chooser or refuser of
his own felicity, that the comfort or sorrow may be most his
own : and a human belief of them that have not forfeited their
credit, especially about their own hearts, is necessary to human
converse. 11
Sect. 41. And God taketh occasion of hypocrites' intrusion :
c Rom. xvi. 17 ; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13 ; 1 Cor. i. 10 ; ii. and iii. throughout.
d Matt, xxviii. 19 ; Mark xvi. l(j ; Eph. vi. 24 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 22 ; Rom. viii. 9.
e Matt, xxviii. 19.
f Acts ii. 41, 42, and viii. 37, 38.
s See my ' Treat, of Confirmation.'
* Acts viii. 37; xiii. 21, 22, and ii. 41 ; Luke xiv. lfi, 18, 21, 23.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 409
1. To do good to the church by the excellent gifts of many
hypocrites. 2. To do good to themselves, by the means or helps
of grace which they meet with in the church.'
Sect. 42. But the proper, appointed place which all that are
not (at age) persuaded to the profession of true Christianity,
should continue in, is the state of catechumens, or audientes ;
mere learners, in order to be made Christians. k
Sect. 43. The visible church is much larger than the mystical,
though but one church, that is, the church hath more professing
than regenerate members, and will have to the end of the world,
and, none must expect that they be commensurate. 1
Sect. 44. As a corn-field; 1. Corn; 2. Straw and chaff,
and, 3. Weeds [and stricken ears ; and is denominated from
the corn, which is the chief (preserved) part; but the straw
must not be cast out, because it is necessary for the corn ; but
the weed must be pulled up, except when doing it may hurt the
wheat : even so the church hath, 1 . Sincere Christians, from
whom it is denominated ; 2. Close hypocrites, whose gifts are
for the good of the sincere, and must not be cast out by the
pastors ; 3. Heretics and notorious wicked men, who are im-
penitent after due admonition ; and these must be cast out,
except when it may hazard the church." 1
Sect. 45. The means of increasing the church must ulti-
mately be intended always to the increase of the church mys-
tical, for holiness and salvation."
Sect. 46. These means are, 1 . All the fore-mentioned means
of holiness, for holiness is the church's glory ; the image of God,
which will make it illustrious and beautiful in the eyes of men,
when they are sober and impartial, and will do most to win
them home to Christ. 2. Especially the great abilities, holiness,
patience, and unwearied diligence of the ministers of Christ, is
a needful means. 3. The advancement of arts and sciences
doth much to prepare the way. 4. The agreement and love
of Christians among themselves. 5. Love to the infidels and
ungodly, and doing all the good we can even to their bodies.
6. A spiritual, pure, rational, and decent worshipping of
God. 7. And the concord of christian princes among them-
5 Phil. i. 15—18; Matt. x. 1, and vii. 22, 23.
k Mark xvi. 16; Acts v. 13.
1 Rom. ix. 6; Matt. xiii. 41, 42, 47, and xx. 22.
"' Matt. xiii. 28, 36, and iii. 12 ; Psalm ii. 4 ; Jer. xiii. 28.
" 2 Tim. ii. 10 ; John xi. 52 ; 1 Tim. ii. 4.
410 THE REASONS OF
selves, for the countenancing and promoting the labours of such
preachers as are fitted for this work.
Sect. 47. The hinderances, then, of the church's increase, and
of the conversion of the heathen and infidel world, are, 1. Above
all, the wickedness of professed Christians, whose falsehood,
and debauchery, and unholiness, persuade the poor infidels
that Christianity is worse than their own religion, because they
see that the men are worse that live among them. And 2. The
badness of the pastors, especially in the Greek and Latin
churches, and the destruction of church discipline, and impurity
of the churches hereupon, together with the ignorance and
unskilfulness of most for so great a work, is a great impediment.
3. The defectiveness in arts and sciences. 4. The many
divisions and unbrotherly contentions of Christians among
themselves, either for religion or for worldly things. 5. Not
devoting ourselves, and all that we have, to the winning of
infidels, bv love, and doing them good. 6. A carnal, irrational,
or indecent manner of worshipping God ; for they will contemn
that God, whose worship seemeth to them ridiculous and con-
temptible. /• The discords, wars, or selfishness, of christian
princes, who unite not their strength to encourage and promote
this noble work, but rather hinder it, by weakening the hands of
the labourers at home. 8. Especially when the very preachers
themselves are guilty of covetous or ambitious designs, and,
under pretence of preaching Christ, are seeking riches, or setting
up themselves, or those that they depend on. These have kept
under the church of Christ, and hindered the conversion of the
world till now.P
Acts ii. 44, 46 ; iv. 32, 34 ; ix. 31 ; xii. 24 ; ix. 1.5, and xx. 20, &c. ; 2 Tim.
ii. 21 ; John iv. 22—24, and xvii. 24, 25 ; 2 Tim. ii. 25.
p Isa. ix. 17 ; 1 Thess. v. 22 ; Rom. ii. 21, 24 1 Tim. vi. ; 1 Tit. ii. 5 ;
1 Pet. iii. 16, 17; iv. 15, and ii. 12. Read Joseph Acosta of this at large,
and Tho. D. S. Jesu de convers. gent. 1 Cor. xiv. 2, &c; vii. 10, 11, and xiv.
16", 22, 23. Read Bishop Bilson ' Of Christian Subjection, (p. 526. 'J Vos
a?ris tinnitibus et tibiarum sonis persuasum babetis Deos ;
delectari et affici, irasque aliquando conceptas eorum satisfactione moi-
liri. Nos inconveniens ducimus, quinimo iucredibile judicamus, eos qui
gradibus mille genus omne virtutum perfectionis transierint summitate, in
voluptatibus habere atque in deliciis esse res eas, quas homo sapiens rideat,
et quae non aliis videantur continere aliquid gratiae, quam infautibus parvulis
et trivialiter et populariter institutis. Hsec cum ita se habeant, cumque sit
opiniouum tauta uo^trarum vestrarumque diversitas, ubi aut nos impii, aut
vos pii ; cum ex partium sensibus pietatis debeat atque impietatis ratio pon-
derari ? Non enim qui simulachrum sibi aliquod conficit, quod pro Deo
veneretur is habeudus est rebus esse deditus divinis. Opinio religionem
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 411
Sect. 48. The attempts of the Jesuits in Congo, Japan, and
China, was a very noble work, and so was the Portuguese kings'
encouragements ; but two things spoiled their suceess, which
protestants are not liable to: I. That when they took down
the heathen images, they set them vip others in the stead ; and
made them think that the main difference was, but whose image
they should worship : and withal, by their agnus deis, and
such like trinkets, made religion seem childish and contempt-
ible. 2. But, especially, that they made them see, that while
they seemed to promote religion, and to save their souls, they
came to promote their commonwealth, or the pope's dominion,
and to bring their kings under a foreign power. 1 *
Sect. 49. The honest attempts of Mr. Elliot, in New Eng-
land, is much more agreeable to the apostles' way, and maketh
more serious, spiritual Christians ; but the quality of place and
people, and the greatness of wants, doth hinder the multiplica-
tion of converts, and higher attempts were very desirable.
Sect. 50. The translating of fit books into the language of
the infidels, and dispersing them, may, in time, prove the sowing
of a holy, fruitful seed/
Sect. 51. Prosperity useth greatly to increase the church ex-
tensively, in the number of visible members ; and adversity and
persecution to increase it intensively, by increasing holiness in
the tried and refined; therefore, God useth to send vicissitudes
of prosperity and adversity, like summer and winter, to the
churches, that each may do its proper work.
Sect. 52. Every true Christian should daily lament the com-
mon infidelity and impiety of the world, that the interest of true
Christianity is confined in so narrow a room on earth ; and to
pray with his first and most earnest desires, that more labourers
mav be sent forth, and that God's name mav be hallowed, his
facit ; et recta de Diis mens : ut nihil eos existimes contra decus praesumptas
sublimitatis appetere. — Arnob. adv. Gentes, 1. 7. in Bib. Pat. Auct. torn. 1.
p. 60. Suppose these words spoken by us to the papists. Acosta is very
large and honest in this reproof and lamentation of the sins of the clergy.
i Read Pet. Maffeus' ' Hist. Ind.' and ' Epist. Jesuit.' and ' Hist. Japon.' and
' Chin.' The king of Tenerate told Sir Francis Drake, " We agree with
you in religion against the Portuguese, that we must not worship stocks and
stones." Fuller's ' Holy State' in the 'Life of Sir Francis Drake,' out of a
MS. of one of his company. What a scandal is such worship against the christ-
ian cause.
r Acts ix. 31. As for the grand controversy of " per se aut per alium,"
read Grotius ' De Imper.' (pp. 290, 291.) " Nam illud quod quis per alium
facit, per se facere videtur ;" ad eas duntaxat pertinet actiones, quarum
causa efficiens proxima a jure indefinita est.
412 THE REASONS OF
kingdom come, and his will be done on earth, that it may be
liker heaven, which now is grown so like to hell ; but yet, to
comfort himself in considering, as is before said, that as this
earth is to all the nobler world, but as one mole-hill to all Eng-
land ; so if God had forsaken all, it had been but as the cutting
off a cancer from a man, or as the casting away of the paring
of his nails, in comparison of all the rest. 8
Therefore should we long for the coming of our Lord, and
the better world, which we have in hope. How long, Lord,
holy and true, how long ? Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly :
Amen. For we, according to his promise, look for new heavens,
and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Pet. iii.
11—13.)
" Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened to me ;
how, then, shall Pharoah hear me ? " (Exod. vi. 12.)
" Not to many people of a strange speech, and of a hard
language, whose words thou canst not understand : surely, had
I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee, for they will
not hearken unto me ; for all the house of Israel are impudent
and hard-hearted." (Ezek. iii.)
October 16, 1666.
• Dr. Jer. Taylor, of ' Repent. Pref.' " I am sure we cannot give account of
souls, of which we have no notice." Leg. Athanas. Patri. Constantin. tie
necessaria Episcop. residentia.
THE CONCLUSION.
Defending the Soul's Immortality against the Somatists or
Epicureans, and other Pseudo-philosophers.
Though in this treatise I have not wilfully balked any re-
gardable objections, which I thought might stick with an intel-
ligent reader, about the truth of the things here delivered ; yet,
those which are proper to the somatical, irreligious sect of
philosophers, I thought more fit to put here as an appendix by
themselves, that they might not stop the more sober in their way.
As to the subject and method of this discourse, it consisteth
of these four parts : 1 . The proof of the Deity, and what God
is. 2. Of the certain obligations which lie upon man, to be
holy and obedient to this God. 3. The proofs of a life of
retribution hereafter, where the holy and obedient shall be
blessed, and the unholy and disobedient punished. 4. The
proofs of the verity of the christian faith.
For the first of these, that there is a God, though I have
proved it beyond all rational contradiction, yet I have despatched
it with haste and brevity; because it is to the mind as the sun
is to the eye, and so evident in all that is evident in the world,
that there needeth nothing to the proving of it, but to help the
reader to a rational capacity and aptitude, to see that which all
the world declareth. The common argument, from the effects
to the cause, in all the entities and motions in the world, is un-
deniable. Whatsoever any being hath, and hath not originally
from itself, or independently in itself, it must needs have from
another ; and that other cannot act beyond its power, nor give
that which it hath not either formally or eminently ; therefore,
he that findeth in the world about him so much entity and
motion, so much intellection, volition, and operation, and so
much wisdom, goodness, and power, must needs know that all
these have some cause, which, formally or eminently, or in a
way of transcendency, hath more itself than it giveth to others.
414 THE REASONS OF
I measured my endeavours about this subject, according as the
occasions of my own soul had led me. Among all the tempta-
tions which have at any time assaulted me, I have found those
so contemptible and inconsiderable, as to their strength, which
would have made me doubt of the being of God, that I am apt
to think that it is so with others ; and, therefore, in the review
of this discourse, I find no reason to stand to answer any man's
objections against the being, or essential attributes or properties
of God. a
And for the second point, that we all owe to this God our
absolute resignation, obedience and love, and so that holiness is
naturally our duty, it doth so naturally result from the nature of
God and man compared, that I can scarcely think of any thing
worthy of a confutation which can be said against it, but that
which denieth the nature of God or man ; and, therefore, is
either confuted under the first head, or is to be confuted under
the third.
As for the fourth particular contained in the second tome, b
(the truth of the Gospel,) I find not any reason to defend it
more particularly, nor to answer any more objections than I
have done ; for, in proving the truth, I have proved all the con-
tradictory assertions to be false ; and I have answered already
the greatest objections : and after this, to answer every ignorant
exception of unsatisfied persons, against the several passages of
the Scripture, would be tedious, and not necessary to the end of
my design. And, indeed, I perceive not that any considerable
number are troubled with doubtings of the truth of the christian
faith, in a prevalent degree, who are well convinced of those
antecedent verities of the Deity, and of the natural obligation
and necessity of holiness, and of the immortality of the soul, or
of a future life of reward and punishment, and that live in any
reasonable conformity to these natural principles which they pro-
fess. For when natural evidence hath sufficiently convinced a man
that he is obliged to be holy, in absolute obedience and love to
a Si vis Deorum speciem apprehendere, proprietates anima? ration ah's
ultima' cogita, et oppositas in perfectione Diis atlribue.— Jamblic. de Mvster.
per iicin.
b When Mahomet had taken Constantinople, and demanded of the patri-
arch an account of the christian faith, George Scholarius, alius Gennadius,
then patriarch, wrote that brief summary which you may find in Mart. Cru-
cius's 'Turco Grans." (1.2;) 'Hist. Eccles.' (p. 10,) &c which very well
openeth the mystery of the Trinity, aud of Christianity, with seven reasons
of it.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 415
his Creator, through the hopes and fears of another life, he is
very much prepared to close with the design and doctrine of the
Gospel, which is so far from contradicting this, that it doth but
confirm it, and show us the way by which it may most certainly
be brought to pass.
And, therefore, my observation and experiences constrain me
to think, that there is no point which I have insisted on, which so
much calleth for my vindication, as the third about the life to
come.
I know there is a sort of overwise and overdoing divines, who
will tell their followers in private, where there is none to contra-
dict them, that the method of this treatise is perverse, as appeal-
ing too much to natural light, and overvaluing human reason ;
and that I should have done no more but shortly tell men that
all that which God speaketh in his word is true; and that, pro-
pria luce, it is evident that the Scripture is the word of God ;
and that to all God's elect he will give his Spirit to cause them
to discern it ; and that this much alone had been better than all
these disputes and reasons : but these overwise men, who need
themselves no reason for their religion, and judge accordingly of
others, and think that those men who rest not in the authority
of Jesus Christ should rest in theirs, are many of them so well
acquainted with me, as not to expect that I should trouble them
in their way, or reason against them, who speak against reason,
even in the greatest matters which our reason is given us for. As
much as I am addicted to scribbling, I can quietly dismiss this
sort of men, and love their zeal, without the labour of opening
their ignorance.
My task, therefore, in this conclusion, shall be onlv to defend
the doctrine delivered in this foregoing treatise, of the life to
come, or the soul's immortality, against some who call them-
selves philosophers. For of men so called, it is but a small part
who at all gainsay this weighty truth. The followers of Plato,
the divine philosopher, with the Pythagoreans, the stoics, the
cynics, and divers other sects, are so much for it, that, indeed,
the most of them go too far, and make the soul to be eternal
both u parte ante, and a parte post : and Cicero doth conclude,
from its self-moving power, that it is certainly eternal and
divine : insomuch that not only Arnobius, but manv other
ancient Christians, write so much against Plato for holding the
soul to be naturallv immortal, and assert themselves, that it is
of a middle nature, between that which is naturally immortal,
416 THE REASONS OF
and that which is merely mortal, that he that doth not well
understand them, may be scandalized at their expressions, and
think that he readeth the philosophers' defending the soul's im-
mortality, and the Christians' opposing it. And though Aristotle's
opinion be questioned by many, yet Cicero, who lived in time
and places wherein he had better advantage than we to know
his meaning, doth frequently affirm, that he was in the main
of Plato's mind ; and that the academics, peripatetics, and
stoics, differed more in words than sense ; chiding the stoics
for their schism or separation, in setting up a school or sect as
new, which had almost nothing new but words. Not only Fer-
nelius, de abditis rerum causis, but many others have vindicated
Aristotle, however his obscurity hath given men occasion to keep
up that controversy. And if the book ' De Mundo,' be un-
doubtedly his, I see no reason to make any more question of his
meaning; much less if that book be his which is entitled, *Mys-
tica iEgypt. et Chald. Philos.' which Aben Ama Arabs translat-
ed out of Greek into Arabic, which Franc. Roseus brought from
Damascus, and Moses Rovas Medicus Haeb. translated into
Italian, and Pet. Nicol. Castellinus into Latin, and Patricius
thinketh Aristotle took from Plato's mouth. c
It is only, then, theEpicureans, and some novel somatists, that
I have now to answer, who think they have much to say against
the separated subsistence and immortality of man's soul, which
I may reduce to these objections following :
I. Matter and motion, without any more, may do all that
which you ascribe to incorporeal substances of souls : therefore,
you assert them without ground. II. To confirm this, the brutes
have sense, imagination, thought, and reason, by matter and
motion only, without immortal or incorporeal substances; there-
fore, by sense, imagination, thoughts, or reason, you cannot
prove that man hath more. III. Forms are but accidents, that
is, qualities or the mode of matter, and not substances different
from matter : therefore, it is so with human souls. IV. The
r That Plato and Aristotle were of one opinion about the soul,Mirandula and
Mars. Ficinus, (' Upon Priscians Theophrastus de Anima,') have largely la-
boured to eviuce. Galen is known to speak many objections against Plato,
and the soul's immortality, but in other places he speaketh doubtfully : and if
really Nemesius had those words out of such a book of Galen, as he citeth,
' De Ani.' (c. ii. p. 481,) be would then seem to have thought better of the
rational soul. Plotinus's last words were, as Porphyry saith in his 'Life,'
" 1 am now returning that which is divine in us, to that which is divine in the
universe."
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 417
soul depended! upon matter in its operations, and acteth
according to it, and not without it : therefore, it is material, and
consequently mortal. V. No immaterial substance moveth that
which is material, or is the principle of its operations ; but the
soul moveth the body as the principle of its operations : ergo. VI.
If in our dreams the thoughts do operate only according to the
accidental irregular motion of the spirits, and sometimes be so
inactive, that we do not so much as dream, then the soul is
nothing but the said active spirits, or some material, corruptible
thing : But, &c. ergo. VII. Sense is a more perfect apprehen-
sion than reason : therefore, brutes, which have sense, have as
noble and perfect a kind of soul as man ; or, at least, reason is
no proof of the immateriality of souls. VIII. Sensation and
intellection are both but reception, and the soul is but a patient
in them, ergo : it is not a self-moving, and so not an incorpo-
real substance. IX. Nothing is in the understanding but what
is first in the sense: ergo, the understanding can reach no farther
than to sensible things : ergo, it is itself of no higher a kind.
X. Corporeal objects move the soul, ergo, it is corporeal. For
things material cannot work upon that which is immaterial.
XI. If the soul were incorporeal, it would know itself to be so ;
but it is not only ignorant of that, but hath no true notion, but
merely negative, of immaterial beings. XII. That which is gene-
rated, is corruptible ; but the soul is generated, as is proved by
Senertus, and many others. XIII. Quicquid oritur interit ; that
which is not eternal as to the past duration, is not eternal as to
the future duration : but all Christians maintain, that the soul
is either created or generated, and not of eternal duration, as to
what is past : and all the philosophers, or most who took it to
be eternal as to future duration, went on that ground, that it
was so antecedently. XIV. You give us none but moral argu-
ments for the soul's immortality. XV. Nay, you confess, that
the soul's eternal duration cannot by you be proved by any natu-
ral evidence, though you think you so prove a life of retribution.
XVI. The soul and body are like a candle, where oil, and wick,
and fire, (which are all,) are in fluxu continuo ; and as there is
not the same individual flame this hour as was the last, so
neither have we the same individual souls ; ergo, they are inca-
pable of a life of retribution hereafter. XVII. If the soul be a
durable substance, (as we must confess no substance is annihi-
lated,) it is most likely to come from the anima mundi, or some
VOL, XXI. E E
418 THE REASONS OF
universal soul of that orb or system of which it is a part, and so
to return to it again, as the beams to the sun ; and so to cease
its individuation, and consequently to be incapable of a life of
retribution. XVIII. The Platonists, who hold the soul's immor-
tality, (and some Platonic divines too,) have so many fopperies
about its vehicles, regions, and transmutations, as make their
principal doctrine the less credible. XIX. If the soul should
continue its individuation, yet its actings will be nothing like
what they are in the body ; nor can they exercise a memory of
what they did in the bodv, as having not the material spirits and
nerves by which memory is exercised ; and, therefore, they can
have no proper retribution, especially punishment, for any thing
here done. XX. The belief of the immortality of the soul doth
fill men with fears, and take up their lives in superstitious cares
for a life to come, which might be spent in quietness, and in
public works : and it fills the world with all those religious sects
and controversies which have so long destroyed charity and
peace.
These are the objections which I have here to answer.
Object. I. Matter and motion, without any more, may do all
that which you ascribe to souls. d
Answ. When nothing seemeth to us more false and absurd
than the matter of your objection; you cannot expect that your
naked assertion should satisfy us without proof ; and a satisfac-
tory proof must reach to all the noblest instances, and must have
better evidence than the bold and confident affirmations of men,
who expect that their conceptions should be taken for the
flower of reason, whilst they are pleading against the reasoning
nature itself. And to what authors will they send us for the
proof of this assertion ; is it to Mr. Hobbs ? We have perused
him, and weighed his reasons, and find them such as reflect no
dishonour on the understandings of those who judge them to be
d The Platonists' opinion, that the soul is all the man, and that animus cu-
jusque is estquisque, is incomparably more probable, and of more honest ten-
dency, than theirs that think the body is all the man. Qui putant hominem
esse ex anima corporeque compositum, consequenter utile a justo se jungunt :
qui vero hominem esse animam conjungunt. — Proclus deAnim.etDoe.rn. per -Ficin.
What then will they hold and do, that think man is tantum corpus. For as
Proclus there saith, and Cicero often, most philosophers agree that vivere se-
cundum suam naturam, is man's great duty and felicity: therefore, as men
differ about man's nature, they will differ about his duty and felicity. They
that think he is all body, will describe his work and his happiness accordingly .
a truth of sad and desperate consequence.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 419
void of probability as well as cogent evidence. But after so
smart a castigation as he hath received from tlie learned Dr.
Ward (now Bishop of Exeter), and from that clear-headed pri-
mate of Ireland, Dr. Bramhal, I hope it will not be expected
that I trouble myself or my reader with him here. Is it to Gas-
sendus ? he vvriteth for the immaterial, created human soul him-
self; and charity obligethme not to charge him with prevarica-
tion, whatsoever to Cartesius or anywhere else he writeth, which
seemeth injurious to this doctrine : and if Sorberius number it
with his honours, (in vita Gassendi,) that Mr. Hobbs could not
sufficiently admire his work, " Qui Heroem nostrum nunquam
majorem apparere pronunciabat, quam in retundendis larvis,
tenues in auras tarn facile diffugientibus, gladio imperviis, nee
ictum clavae excipientibus : ita enim sentiebatvir emuncta? naris
de meditationibus Cartesii et de ilia Gassendi disquisitione," &c.
It was because he weighed not honour in an English balance ?
or judged not of an Englishman by an English judgment, nor
himself well perceived what was indeed honourable or dishonour-
able in his friend. If you send us to Epicurus and Lucretius,
thev are so overwhelmed with the number of adversaries that
have fallen upon them, that it is a dishonour to give them
another blow. Besides all the crowd of peripatetics, Platonists,
and stoics, even the moderate latitudinarian Cicero hath spit so
often in the face of Epicurus, that when Gassendus had laboured
hard in wiping it, he thought meet to let this spot alone. But
because it is only this sort of men that are the adversaries with
whom we do contend, I will this once be so troublesome to the
reader, as to give him first some general countercharges and
reasons against the authority of these men ; and next, some
particular reasons against the objected sufficiency of matter and
motion, to do the offices which we ascribe to souls.
And, 1. When I find men dispute against man, and reason
against the power of reason, I think human interest alloweth
me to be distrustful of their sophistry, and to yield no further
than I have cogent evidence. If man's soul be his form, he
denieth man to be man, who denieth him that soul.
2. I find philosophers so little agreed among themselves, that
it greatly diminisheth their authority, and requireth a man who
is just to his reason, to make a very accurate trial before he fall
in with any of their opinions. Their divisions are sufficiently
opened and aggravated by Laertius, Cicero, and many more of
themselves j and contemptuously displayed by Hermas, Arno-
e E 2
420 THE REASONS OF
bius, Athenagoras, Lactantius, Eusebius, and many other Christ-
ians. There are few things that one asserteth, but there are
many to rise up against him and contradict it. They must bet-
ter defend themselves against one another, before their authority
be much reverenced by others.
3. I find the wisest of them so conscious of their ignorance,
that they take most for uncertain which they say themselves,
and confess they talk but in the dark, which made the Pyrrho-
nians and Arcesilaus have so many followers, and Cicero, with
the academics, so over-modest in disclaiming certainty and con-
fidence, and writing by dialogues, with so much indifference
and wavering as they did. I need not send you to Zanchez's
' Nihil scitur,' nor to our Mr. Glanvil's ' Vanity of Dogmatizing/
for satisfaction. The learned Gassendus's modesty is suffi-
cient, who, if he speak of occult qualities, will ask you what
qualities are not occult; and if he speak of the magnitude and
distances of the stars, will tell you how little possibility of as-
surance is left to mortals about those things which others, with
over-much confidence, have asserted ; e and about the case in
hand, he could no better defend Epicurus, against Cicero's
" Hoc est optare, et provincias dare atomis, non disputare,"
than by confessing, " Vere quidem id objici ; sed earn tamen
esse ingenii humani imbecilitatem, ut objici idem nemini non
possit. De ipsis principiis dicere nil aliud licet, nisi quod haec
isto, ilia illo modo se habeant, ex sua? naturae necessitate ; cum
ignoremus germanam causam ob quam ita se habeant; imo cum
ea frustra quaeratur, nisi sit eundum in infinitum/' (Sec. 1, 1. iii.
c. 7, p. 275.) And ingenuously he confesseth, (Sec. 2, 1. ii.
c. 3, p. 560,) "Verum quicquid dicatur (sell, per Cartesium et
Epicurum) hypothesis semper mera est, ac difncultas remanet,
fierique nihil tutius potest, quam profitendo ignorantiam, totum
quern videmus rerum ordinem in arbitrium, summi opificis con-
ferre. Dicere certe quod aliqui, solem v. g. idcirco hie potius
quam alibi esse, quia ejus natura ita exigat, id quidem vere di-
citur ; sed interim nil aliud est, quam respondere ipsum quaesi-
tum, et dissimulando ignorantiam, videri esse animi in causam
optimam parum grati." Which is true, and applicable to many
other cases. And it was ingenuously confessed lately by the
e The truth is, as fire is, per essentiam, a moving, enlightening, heating
substance, so the soul is, per essentiam, a life, or vital principle ; and, there-
fore, as Porphyry argueth, for the soul to die, is for life itself to die, or that
which is, per essentiam, life to cease to be what it is,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 421
very ingenious Mr. Samuel Parker, " I am lately grown such
a despairing sceptic in all physiological theories, that I cannot
concern myself in the truth or falsehood of any hypotheses ; for,
though I prefer the mechanical hypotheses before any other, yet
methinks their contexture is too slight and brittle to have any
stress laid upon them ; and I can resemble them to nothing
better than your glass-drops, from which, if the least portion be
broken, the whole compages immediately dissolves and shatters
into dust and atoms : for their parts, which rather lie than hang
together, being supported only by the thin film of a brittle con-
jecture, not annealed by experience and observation," &e. And
upon the like reasons, it is rejected by that eminently learned
and industrious man, Dr. Willis, ( De Ferment, (p. 3.' ) "At
quoniam principia sua supponit potius quam demonstrat, do-
cetque qualis figurae elementa ista corporum sint, non quae ipsa
fuerint, atque etiam notiones inducit valde subtiles et a sensu
remotas, quaeque naturae phaenomenis quando ad particularia
descenditur, non satis quadrant, hac insuper habita," &c. f
4. And I find that the philosophers who have rejected or
vilified Epicurus and his way, have been very numerous ; mul-
titudes to a i'ew, and of the most venerable names in the ages
and places where they lived ; and no one sect of them so vilified
by the rest, as the Epicureans were by all.
5. I find, also, that the most who in this age adhere to the
Epicurean or Cartesian hypotheses, are the younger sort of in-
genious men, who have received prejudice against the peripa-
tetics, Platonists, and stoics, before they did ever thoroughly
study them ; but, reverencing more some person noted for much
ingenuity, by his authority, have been drawn to defend what they
scarcely understand themselves; and that it is the mere novelty of
some of these new-started notions, which maketh them so much
followed ; as novelties in religion are with some young and
wanton wits : and, accordingly, I expect that, ere long, they
will grow out of fashion, and die again, before ever they come to
have such supporters as the other philosophy hath had.
f Quibusdam qui ne iguem calcre putant, nisi eum manu contrectarint,
nihil credenclum esse placet, quod supra progredientem naturam videatur.
Multorum quoque studia tardantur, quod id credere noluit quod minus sub
eorum cognitionem cadit : qua; errorum pravitas ex. ingeniorum imbecilitate
defluxit : siquidem cum sensuum angustia? ex quibus hominem agnitio erui-
tur, in externorum seusilium genere verseutur, satis notem esse debet, his
tanquam compedibus intelligentia; cursum retardari, diviuaque capessere
nequire. — Paul. Cartes, in I Sent, dis. 9. p. 22.
422 THE REASONS OF
6. Respicere adphtrima, to take in all that must be taken
in, is the character of true wisdom. But I find that the Epicu-
reans do respicere ad pauca ; they look so much at things cor-
poreal, that they quite overlook the noblest natures ; and they
reduce all to matter and motion, because nothing but matter
and motion is thoroughly studied by them. And, like idle boys,
who tear out all the hard leaves of their books, and say they
have learned all when they have learned the rest ; so do they
cut off and deny the noblest parts of nature, and then sweep
together the dust of agitated atoms, and tell us that they have
resolved all the phenomena in nature.
7. And I find that they are very kind-natured to their own
conceptions, and take those for demonstrations, which other
men think are more like dreams.
8. I perceive that they are deluded by taking the vestigia and
images of things, for the things themselves. The intellectual
nature is the image of the divine, and the sensitive of the in-
tellectual, and the vegetative of the sensitive, and the fiery of
the incorporeal. And when they can prove no more in any of
the lower, but such an image of the higher, they would on that
advantage confound them all ; and would hence conclude that
brutes are intellectual, and deny the differencing forms of all
things.
9. I find that as they look so much at the organ, as to over- "
look the agent ; and look so much at the particles of matter, as
to overlook the different natures of it ; so do they observe the
second cause with so narrow a mind, as much to overlook the
first : or when they have acknowledged that there is a God,
they think they have done fair, though afterwards they consider
not that interest of his in all operations, which their own con-
cessions necessarily infer.
10. Lastly, I perceive that they proceed not methodically in
their collections, but confound all by mixing certainties with
uncertainties : whereas the first, the great, the most discernible,
truths, should be first congested as certainties by themselves,
and the uncertainties should not be pleaded against them, nor
suffered to stand in contest with them.
Perceiving all these general reasons to distrust this sort of
philosophers above others, though I resolve to be impartial, I
cannot willingly be so foolish as to overlook their disadvantage
in the present cause.
11. The particular reasons which dissuade me from believing
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 423
the Epicurean sufficiency of matter and motion, are these fol-
lowing :
1. They all, with whom I have now to do, are constrained to
confess an incorporeal, intellectual substance, even that there is
a God, and that God is such. Epicurus himself doth not deny
it ; yea, seemeth to speak magnificently of God, and in honour
to him would excuse his providence from the minding of inferior
•things. For, 1. They know that matter did not make itself,
and motion is but its mode ; and, therefore, matter cannot be
made by its own motion. Its being is in order of nature before
its motion ; and matter is in itself so dull a thing, and by the
adversaries stripped of all forms, which are not caused by motion,
that if it were said to be from eternity in its duration, they will
confess it could be but as an eternal effect of some nobler cause :
so that at the first word they grant, that matter hath an incor-
poreal cause. 2. And motion, as it is found in matter, could
not cause itself: though it be but the mode of matter, it is such
a mode as must have a cause. And the passive matter yet un-
moved, is supposed by themselves to be void of all antecedent,
moving power; so that they are all fain to say that God made
the matter, and gave it the first push. And so all matter and
motion is reduced to a first Efficient, who is incorporeal ; and,
therefore, an incorporeal Being is acknowledged. 5
2. I meet with none of them who dare deny this God to be
an intellectual, Free-agent ; so that though it be granted them,
that intelligere velle be not in God the same thing formally as
it is in man, yet it is something which eminently must be so
called, man having no fitter expression of it, than from these
acts of his own soul. Epicurus will not make God defectively
ignorant, impotent, or bad. When themselves divide all things
into such as have understanding, and such as have none, of
which part do they suppose God to stand? Things that are void of
understanding, formally or eminently, are below the dignity of
things that have understanding. So that they confess there is
existent an incorporeal, intelligent, Free-agent. h
s Read the ' Mystic. .-Egypt.' and Chald. Philos. to prove that souls are not
corporeal ; and Nemesius and Mammertus.
h If the soul be nothing but matter and motion, then no man is the same
this year as he was the last. For matter is in fluxu continuo, as they object
themselves anon : we have not the same flesh and blood to-day which we
lately had ; and the motion of this instant is not the same with the motion
which succeedeth in the next ; so that no man's soul, and consequently no
man, is long the same. And so (as I have said after) kings will lose their
titles to their crowns, and all men to their lands, as being not the same who
424 THE REASONS OF
3. As they confess that this intellectual agent is the first
cause both of matter and motion, so they cannot deny that he
still causeth both, by his continued influx, or causing efficacy :
for there can be no effect without a cause ; and therefore, when
the cause ceaseth, the effect must cease. The material part of
a moral cause may cease, and yet the effect continue : but that
moral causation continueth which is proportioned to the effect.
The parent may die while the child surviveth ; but there is a
continued cause of the life of the child, proportioned to the
effect. Matter is not an independent being. To say that God
hath made it self-sufficient and independent, is to say that he
hath made it a god. Suppose but a total cessation of the divine
emanation, influx, and causation, and you must needs suppose
also the cessation of all beings. If you say that when God hath
once given it a being, it will continue of itself, till his power
annihilate it : I answer, if it continue without a continuing
causation, it must continue as an independent, self-sufficient
being. But this is a contradiction, because it is a creature :
God is no effect, and therefore needeth no cause of subsistence ;
but the creature is an effect, and cannot subsist a moment
without a continued cause. As the beams or communicated
light cannot continue an instant, if there were a total cessation
of the emanation of the luminary, because their being is merely
dependent ; and they need no other positive annihilation, be-
sides the cessation of the causation which did continue them.
It was from one of your own poets that Paul cited: "Jn him we
live, and move, and have our being, for we are his offspring."
And nothing is more abhorrent to all common reason, than that
this stone or dirt, which was nothing as yesterday, should be a
god to itself, even one independent, self-sufficient being, as
soon as it is created ; and so that God made as many demi-gods
as atoms. We see, past doubt, that one creature cannot subsist
or move without another, on which it is dependent ; how much
less can any creature subsist without its continued reception
were born heirs to them ; and there must be no rewards or punishments,
unless you will reward and punish one for another's faults, and they need no
more to fear the pain or death -which will befal them, than that which befals
their neighbour, because it is not the man that now is who must undergo it :
nor should any man have a wife or child of his own one year tog-ether. If
they like not these consequents, let them either prove that identifying- matter
and motion are permanent, or grant that some other permanent thing doth
identify the person. See this as the argument of Ammonius and Numenias«
pressed by Nemesius de Anim. c. 2. p. 477. Vid. et Cleanthis argumenta pro
animai corporeitate a Nemcsio profligata, ibid. p. 479. &c,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 425
of its Creator's influx ? If you could suppose that for one mo-
ment there were no God, you must suppose there would be
nothing. If I thought any would deny this, besides those in-
flated vertiginous brains, that are not to be disputed with, I
would say more for the illustration of it.
Object. But though matter subsist not without a continued
divine causation, or emanation, or efficacious volition, yet mo-
tion may continue when all divine causation of it ceaseth :
because when God hath given it one push, that causeth a mo-
tion, which causeth another motion, and that another, and so,
in infinitum, if there were no stop.
Answ. 1. If this were so, it must be on supposition of a vis
motiva communicata vel impressa ; for if there had been no
such, the first motion would have not been, or all have presently
ceased for want of a continued cause. As there is no motion
sine vi motiva, so none can be communicated, but by the com-
munication of that force. Action is not nothing, nor will be
caused by nothing : as the delapsus gr avium would presently
cease, if we could cause the pondus or gravity to cease ; so is it
in all other motions. If there be no vis, or strength, communi-
cated along with the motion, there would be nothing in that
motion to cause another motion, nor in that to cause another.
And if it were by way of traction, if the cause cease which is
the prima tr aliens, all the motion ceaseth : and so, also, if it be
by way of pulsion. So that in every motion there is something
more than matter and motion.
2. All motion (of things below within our reach) hath many
impediments, and therefore would cease, if the first Cause con-
tinued not his powerful efficacy. It is tedious and needless to
enumerate instances. *
3. The moving power of the noblest creatures, is not purely
active, but partly passive, and partly active, and must receive
the influx of the highest Cause, before it can aet or communi-
cate any thing. Therefore, as soon as the first Mover should
1 If the doctrine of matter arid motion only were true, there would never be
any true miracles in the world, but all things go on from motion to motion,
as the first touch did put them into a necessity ; whereas, howerer the world
hath been deluded by many fictions, yet many certain miracles there have
been. Whether the removing of the mountain by faith, mentioned by M. Pau-
lus Veuetus (1. 1, cap. 18,) be true or not, and the non-dissolution of excom-
municate bodies in Constantinople, mentioned in Mart. Crusius's « Hist.
Eccles.Turco-Grsec.' (I. 2,) with multitudes of the like, which most historians
have, &c. ; yet, certainly, that there have been some such, hath been fully
proved unto many.
426 THE REASONS OF
cease, the rest would be soon stopped, though some active power
was communicated to them : as we see in a clock, when the
poise is down, and in a watch, when the spring is down $ the
motion ceaseth first where it first began.
4. Can you constrain your reason to imagine that God is the
sole, principal, active Cause, for the first touch, and, as it were,
for one minute, or instant, (while he causeth the first motus,)
and is an inactive being, or no cause ever after, save only repu-
tative, because he caused the first. This is to say, that God
was God till he made the world, and ever since he hath done
nothing, but left every atom or creature to be god. Is God so
mutable, to do all for one instant, and to do nothing ever after?
5. The infiniteness and perfection of God fully prove, that
all continued motion is by the continuance of his efficiency. For
it is undeniable, that he who made all things is everywhere, or
present to all his creatures, in the most intimate proximity. And
it is certain, that he cannot but know them all ; and also that
his benignity maintaineth all their beings and well-beings, and,
therefore, that he is not an inactive Being ; but that his power
as well as his wisdom and goodness, is continually in act. How
strangely do these Epicureans differ from Aristotle ; who durst
not deny the eternity of the world, lest he should make God an
inactive Being ad extra, from eternity to the creation. When
as these men feign him to have given but one instantaneous
push, and to have been ccetera otiosus, or inactive from eternity.
Seeing, then, it cannot by sober reason be denied, that God
himself is by a continued causation, the Preserver and intimate
first Mover of all things, it must needs thence follow, that mat-
ter and motion are still insufficient of themselves ; and that this
is to be none of the controversy between us : but only whether it
be any created nature, power, or other cause, by which God
causeth motion in any thing, or all things? Or whether he do
it by his own immediate causation alone, without the use of any
second cause, save mere motion itself? So that the insufficiency
of matter and motion to continual alterations and productions,
must be confessed by all that confess there is a God.
4. It is also manifest in the effect, that it is not a mere mo-
tion of the first cause, which appeareth in the being and motions
of the creature. There is apparently a tendency in the creature's
motion to a certain end, which is an attractive good ; and there
is a certain order in all motions to that end ; and certain laws,
or guidances, and over-rulings, to keep them in that order : so
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 427
that wisdom and goodness do eminently appear in them all, in
their beings, natures, differences, excellences, order, and ends,
as well as motion the effect of power, 1. It is certain that
God who is unmoved himself, is the first Mover of all. 2. And
if God were not unmoved, but by self-motion caused motion, yet
he exerteth wisdom and goodness in his creation and providence,
as well as motion. 1. He that is infinite, and, therefore, not
properly in any place or space, or at least is limited in none,
can himself, bv locomotion, move himself in none ; which, me-
thinks, none should question : and thev that make the world in-
finite, or at least indefinite, as they call it, methinks should not
deny the infiniteness of God : and they acknowledge no motion
themselves but locomotion, or miyratio a loco in locum. But,
saith Gassendus : (vol. 1. p. 337 :) "Et certe captum omnem
fugit, ut quippiam quantumvis sit alteri prsesens conjunctumque
ipsum moveat, si in seipso immotum maneat, &c. Jtaque
necesse omnino videtur, ut cum in serie moventium quorum
moventur alia ab aliis procedi in infinitum non possit, pervenia-
tur ad unum primum ; non quod immotum moveat, sed quod ip-
sum per se moveatur." Answ. You gather from hence, that it
is the contexture of the most subtle atoms which is the form
and first mover in physical beings. But you granted before, that
God moved those atoms, and also put a moving inclination into
them : and atoms are far from being unum or primum. You
said before, " Sufficiat Deum quidem esse incorporeum, ac per-
vadere fovereque universam mundi machinam." And if so,
then movere etiam as well as fovere. Either you mean as you
speak in confessing a God, or not; if not, it is unworthy a philo-
sopher to dissemble for any worldly respects whatsoever : if you
do, then it is beyond your capacity to conceive that God being
unmoved moveth all things, or not : if not, why should it be be-
yond your capacity to conceive the same in a second order of a
second spiritual being. The reason as to motion is of the same
kind : if yea, then either you believe God is the first Mover, or
not ; if not, withdraw your former confession ; if yea, what
locomotion (for you deny all other) can you ascribe to God, who
is unbounded and infinite ; what place is he moved from, and
what place is he moved into ? And is his motion rectus vel
circulans ? is it one or multifarious ? or, rather will you not
renounce all these ? 2. And as God moveth being unmoved, so
he doth more than move , he moveth orderly, and giveth rules
and guidances to motion \ and moveth graciously to the felicity
428 THE REASONS OF
of the creature, and to a desirable end. A horse can move more
than a man ; for he hath more strength or moving power ; but
he moveth not so regularly, nor to such intended ends, because
he hath not wisdom and benignity or goodness as man hath. He
that buildeth a house or ship, or writeth such volumes as Gas-
sendus did, doth somewhat more than barely move, which a
swallow or a hare could have done as swiftly. And he that
looketh on the works of God, even to the heavens and earth, as
Gassendus hath himself described them, and seeth not the effects
of wisdom and goodness in the order, and tendency, and ends
of motion, as well as power in motion itself, did take his survey
but in his dream. Saith Balbus, in Cicero ' De Nat. Deor.' (1. 2,
p. 62 :) " Hoc qui existimat fieri potuisse," (that is, for the
world to be made by mere fortuitous motion of atoms, &c.,)
et non intelligo cur non idem putet, si innumerabiles unius et
viginti formae literarum, aliquo conjiciantur, posse ex his in ter-
rain excussis Annales Ennii, ut deineeps legi possint effici, quod
nescio an in uno quidem versu possit tantutn valere fortuna.
Quod si mundum efficere potest concursus atomorum, cur por-
ticum, cur templum, cur domum, cur navem non potest, quae
sunt minus operosa, et multo quidem faciliora ? Certe ita te-
mere de mundo effutiunt, ut mihi quidem nunquam hunc admi-
rabilem cceli ornatum, qui locus est proximus, suspexisse vide-
antur." Where he brings in this passage, as from Aristotle, that
if we should imagine men to have lived in some dungeon or
cavern in the earth, and never to have seen the sun, or light, or
world, as we do, and if there should be a doubt or dispute among
them whether there be a God ; and if you should presently
bring up these men into our places, where they might look
above them and about them, to the sun and stars, and heaven
and earth ; they will quickly, by such a sight, be convinced that
there is a God. But as he truly addeth, " Assiduitate, quoti-
diana,et consuetudine oculorum assuescunt animi neque admiran-
tur neque requirunt rationes earum rerum quas semper vident :
perinde quasi novitas nos magis quam magnitudo rerum debeat
ad exquirendas causas excitare."
But I suppose it will be granted me, that the first Mover doth
more than merely move, the effects of wisdom and goodness be-
ing so legible on all the world ; but you will say, that to do it
wisely and to attain good ends by it, &c. is but the modus of
action with the effect; and, therefore, matter and motion rightly
ordered may be nevertheless sufficient to all effects. To which
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 429
I answer, that the creatures' motion requireth not only that the
Creator move them, but that he place and order them, and move
them rightly; and that he remove and overcome impediments, &c.
Therefore, there is necessary in the first Mover, both wisdom and
love as well as power : and neither his power, wisdom, or love, is
locomotion in himself. And this much being proved, that in
every motion there is divine power, wisdom, and love, which
is more than matter and motion itself; I proceed next to inquire :
5. Do you think there is any thing existent in the world,
besides matter and motion, or not ? As to mere site and figure,
and other such order or modes of matter, I know you will not
deny them to have now a being as well as motion. But is
there no different tendency to motion in the parts of matter ?
Is there not in many creatures a power, an inclination, or
aptitude to motion, besides motion itself? Is there not a
reason, a priore, to be given, why one creature is more agile
and active than another, and why they act in their various
ways ? Why is fire more active than earth, and a swallow than
a snail ? If you say, that the different ratio motus is in some
extrinsical agent only which moveth them, you will hardly
show any possibility of that, when the same sun, by the same
virtue, or motion, as you will say, is it that moveth all : and if
it were so, you must go up to the first cause, to ask for the
different motions of those movers ; when our inquiry now is
de natura moventium ct motorum Creatorum ? If you say that
it is the ratio recipiendi in the different magnitudes or positions
of the parts of matter, which is the cause of different motions, I
would know, 1. Whether this difference of magnitude, and
figure, and site, being now antecedently necessary to different
motions, was not so heretofore as well as now ? If you say
1 No,' you feign, without proof, a state of things, and order of
causes, contrary to that which all men's sense perceivelh to be
now existent. And who is the wiser philosopher ; he that
judgeth the course and nature of things to be, and have been,
what he now findeth it, till the contrary be proved ; or he that
findeth it one thing, and feigneth it some time to have been
another, without any proof? That which is now antecedently
necessary to diversity of motion, it is likely was so heretofore.
2. And then how could one simple, equal act of God, setting
the first matter into motion, cause such an inequality in
motions to this day, if it be true that you hold, that only that
which is moved, or in motion itself, can move; and that motion
430 THE REASONS OF
is all that is necessary to the diversity ? 3. Either the first matter
was made solid in larger parcels, or all conjunct, or in atoms.
If it was made first in atoms, then motion caused not division :
if it was made conjunct and solid, then motion caused not con-
junction and solidity : and if the first division, or conjunction,
site, and figure, of matter, was all antecedent to motion, and
without it, we have no reason to think that it is the sole cause
of all things now.
But, surely, quantity, figure, and site, are not all that now is '
antecedent to motion. Doth not a man feel in himself a cer-
tain power to sudden and voluntary motion ? He that sat still,
can suddenly rise and go : and if you say, that he performeth
that sudden motion by some antecedent motion, I answer, that
I grant that ; but the question is, whether by that alone, or
whether a power distinct from motion itself, be not as evidently
the cause ? For otherwise the antecedent motion would pro-
ceed but according to its own proportion ; it would not in a
minute make so sudden and great an alteration. I can
restrain also that motion which some antecedent motion (e. g.
passion) urgeth me to. Surely this power of doing or not doing,
is somewhat differing from doing itself. A power of not moving
is not motion.
And what is the pondus which Gassendus doth add to
magnitude and figure, as a third pre-requisite in atoms ? I
perceive he knoweth not what to make of it himself. But, in
conclusion, it must be no natural gravity by which the parts are
inclined to the whole in themselves, but the mere effect of
pulsion or traction, or both. At the first, he was for both con-
junct, pulsion of the air, and traction of the atoms from the
earth : but of this he repented, as seeing impulsionem aeris
nullum esse, and was for the traction of atoms alone ; than
which, his friend's conceit of the pulsive motion of the sun in
its diastole, or whatever other motion is the cause, doth seem
less absurd. But that man that would have me believe that if
a rock were in the air, or if Paul's steeple should fall, the de-
scent would be only by the traction of the hamuli of invisible
atoms, or by the pulsion of air and sun conjunct, must come
nearer first, and tell me how the hamuli of atoms can fasten
upon a marble rock ; and how they come to have so much
strength as to move that rock, (which no man can move in its
proper place,) if there be no such thing as strength or power,
besides actual motion ; and why it is that those drawing atoms
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 431
do move so powerfully earthwards, when at the same time it is
supposed, that as many or more atoms are moving upwards by
the sun's attraction, and more are moved circularly with the
earth ; why do not these stop or hinder one another ; and why
doth not the rock as well go upwards with the ascending atoms ;
and when the rock descendeth, doth it carry down none of the
ascendants with it ? As likely as for the descendants to carry
down it. Are those atoms that carry down the rock more
powerful than a hundred thousand men, who could not lift it
up' at all, much less so swiftly ? And why do riot the same
partial atoms bear down a feather, or the birds that fly quietly
in the air ; and why feel we not the power of their motion upon
us ? How easily can some men believe any thing, while they
think that their increase of wisdom lieth in believing no more
than evidence constraineth them to. If Gassendus's instance of
the loadstone put under the balance to increase the pondus of
the iron, prove any thing, it will prove something more than a
traction of the hooked atoms, even the traction of nature that
needeth no hooks.
And mark, I pray you, what Gassendus granteth, when he
saith, " Unum omnino supponere par est, viz., quantacunque
fuit atomis mobilitas ingenita tanta constanter perseverare : so
that," saith he, "they may be hindered from moving, but not
from endeavouring to move and free themselves from their
restraint." k What need we more than this, or what more do
we plead for ? It is granted us, then, that when a moveable, or
active being is stopped from motion, it doth not thereby lose its
mobile, or active nature, or disposition ; and so, that it is not
only motion that causeth motion, but that there is in atomis
mobilitas ingenita, which continueth when the motion ceaseth.
You will say, perhaps, that he meaneth only a passive recepti-
k Those that fly to this " ingenita dispositio velpondus," will, in other words,
grant that nature, form, or quality, which they deny : and those that grant
nothing to move but former motion, must needs make some degrees of mo-
tion daily to diminish in the world, one thing or other still ceasing its motion;
and all motion within our knowledge, having such constant impedition, that
before this time, we may think all things would have stood still, if their
opinion were true. If they say, that the sun, or some superior movers, renew
the motion of things inferior, I grant it ; but, that is, because it hath a moving
nature*, for if they say, that the sun itself hath not the least impedition to
diminish the degrees of its motion, they speak, not only without any proof
but contrary to our observation of all things known, and to their own opi-
nion, who make the air impeditive to other motions, and the effluvia of other
globes to be impeditive to the sun.
432 THE REASON'S OF
vity, by which one thing is easier moved by an exterior cause
than another. But you mistake him ; for he taketh not mobi-
litas ingenita only passively, but also actively ; and therefore
saith that "it endeavoureth to move and free itself." And (lib.
iv. c. 2) he saith, " Non motus sed impetus, ab initio perse-
verat ; vel nisus perpetuus :" which is as much as I desire now :
for then there is somewhat besides matter and motion, even an
impetus et nisus, which must also come from a power which,
per nisum et impetum, doth show itself.
And, indeed, it doth not only overpass our reason, but
contradict it, that mere subtlety of matter, or smallness of par-
ticles, should be all the cause of motion that is found in the
matter itself. Must we believe that an alcohol impalpabile of
marble or gold, if it could but be atomised more, would be as
moveable as fire 3 or would thereby turn to fire itself; or as
active as the vital and intellectual creatures ; yea, turned to
such a thing itself. If all matter was atoms at first, then all
was fire, and all was of one kind, and equally moveable : and
what hath made the difference since ? And if you will feign that
God made some parts atoms, and some parts more gross ; or
that he distinguished matter ab initio, into Cartesius's materia
subtilis, globuli (Etheri, and grosser matter, why may not we
better say, that the same Creator hath distinguished matter by
different natures and powers, which we find them possessed of?
And by what proof do you distinguish matter into those three
degrees or sorts, any more than into two, or four, or six, or ten,
or ten hundred ? Who can choose but shake the head to see wise
philosophers thus impose upon the world, and at the same time
say it is the first duty of a man that would be wise, to believe no
more than by evidence he is forced to ? Yea, and at the same
time to say, these are but our hypotheses, which, saith one, I ac-
knowledge to be false ; and, saith another, I cannot say is true,
and yet they are our foundation ; and from these our philoso-
phical verities result, which must make you wise, who must
believe nothing without proof. Alas ! what is man !
And I would know whether thev can prove against Gassendus,
that impetus et nisus vel conatus, is ipse motus, when the hea-
viest poise is at a clock that standeth still, the poise doth not
move, but it doth rati vtl conari. Hold but a weight of an
hundred pounds of lead in your hand, as immoveable as pos-
sible, I am of opinion you will feel that it doth incline to motion,
though it move not. Is not this inclination, then, somewhat
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 433
different from motion ? If you tell me again of nothing but
the invisible, tractive, hooked atoms, I advise you to involve a
thousand pounds of lead in a sufficient case of feathers, which,
it seems, are charmed from the power or touch of atoms, and
try then whether it be no heavier than the feathers are. The
same, I may say, of a spring of steel, which is wound up in a
standing watch or other engine ; there is no proof of any motion,
and yet there is a conatus different from motion. You will say,
perhaps, that the particles in the steel are all in motion among
themselves ; but when will you prove it ? and prove also that
they are so in the lead or rock that, by gravity, inclineth to
descent ? and prove also that the particles are moved by an ex-
trinsic mover only, and have no principle of motion in them-
selves ?
Moreover, what think you is the nature of all our habits ? Is
there nothing in a habit but actual motion ? Suppose that you
sleep without a dream ; or that a lethargy intercept your in-
tellectual motion ; or that other business alienate your thoughts,
do you think that all your learning is thereby obliterated ? Or
that you are afterwards as unapt for your arts and trades, as if you
had never learned them ? Let a musician, an astronomer, a
physician, try whether they will not return more expert than an
idiot ? What, then, is this habit ? It is not actual motion
itself, else it would be totally extinct, when the motion is but
for an hour intercepted. If you say that there is other motion
in us still to renew it, I answer why should that other (e. g. the
motion of the lungs or heart, or the circulation of the blood)
make you an artist the next morning, any more than your neigh-
bour, if that were all ? You will grant, I suppose, that a habit
is somewhat distinct from motion, but it is the effect of it only,
and one of the phenomena, which we say that matter and motion
are sufficient for. To which I answer, do you deny that a habit
doth itself conduce to future motion, or not ? If not, it is no
habit: if yea, then, as to future actions, there is more than
matter and motion needful, and the principles are more. And
then, what reason have you to contradict us, who, finding some
principles in nature which conduce to motion as much and more
than habits do, do assert such principles ? And how know you
that former motion proceedeth not from such natures or prin-
ciples, when you confess that later motions do so ? If you say
that habits are nothing but a cursus motnum, as of water, that
by running in a certain channel is inclined to run that way again,
VOL. XXI. F F
434 THE REASONS OF
I answer, they are certainly something that remain when the
action ceaseth ; and, therefore, are an inclination ad agendum,
as well as a cursus actionum : and they are something that are
active principles, and not only so many channels which the
spirits have made themselves in the brains and nerves, otherwise
the numberless variety of objects would so furrow and channel
the brain, that they would consume it, (as gutta cavat lapi-
dem, &c.)
6. And do you know what you oblige yourselves to, when
you undertake to solve all phenomena by matter and motion
only ? And how have you satisfied the studious and impartial
world herein ? I hope you will not put off ali questions that
are put to you, with these same two general words only. When
we ask you what causeth the descensus gravium, do not tell us,
It is matter and motion; but tell us the differences in the motion
or matter, which cause this effect as different from others.
What is the reason in motion that fire ascendeth ? What is
the reason that the motus projectorum doth continue ? Why
doth the ant take one course, and the bee another, and the fly
another, &c. ; what different motions are they that are the
cause ? What motion is it that causeth the hen to sit on her
eggs in fasting and patience, and to know her chickens, and to
cherish them till they are mature, and then beat them away ;
and so almost of all other birds and beasts ? What is the dif-
ference in motion that causeth one creature to love this food,
and another that ; that one eateth grass, and another flesh ; that
every seed doth bring forth only its proper species ? What are
the differences in motion which cause the difference in odour,
and taste, and virtue, and shape of leaves, and flowers, and fruits,
&c, between all the plants that cover the earth ? That all that
come of one seed have an agreement in leaf, and flower, and
fruit, and odour, and taste, and virtue : e. g., germander, betony,
peony, &c. ; what are the different motions that cause all these
differences, even in the very seeds themselves ? To tell us only,
in general, that the difference is all made by motion, is to put
an end to learning and studies, and to give one answer to all
the questions in the world, and one description of all beings in
the world. You may as well tell us that you solve all the
phenomena, to tell us that all things are entities, and made and
moved by God. It is a fair advancement of knowledge, indeed,
to cast away and deny all the noblest parts of the world, and to
tell us, that all the rest is matter of various magnitude and figure,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 435
variously moved and placed. This is short philosophy; and the
particular specifying differences you do not, you cannot, tell us
according to your principles.
Gassendus (sec. 1, 1. iii. c. 2) denieth the transmutation of
elements. Others of the atomists tell us that every hour
changeth the elements, and that continual motion is continually
turning one into another j and that fire e. g. is but that part of
matter which falleth under such or such a motion; and that the
same matter which is fire this moment while it moveth, is some-
thing else the next when that motion ceaseth ; and that what-
ever matter falleth under the same motion, be it stone or earth,
or any thing, it is presently by that motion turned to fire, as fire
may be into stone or earth. But that which we expect from
them is, to tell us what motion it is that maketh the different
elements ; and what doth constitute them ; and what transmu-
teth them : and not to put us off with two general words, when
they boast of solving all the phenomena.
We expect, also, to hear from them, how density and solidity
come to be the effects of motion ; and how the cohesion of the
particles of gold, or marble, or glue, is caused by the mere mag-
nitude and figure of matter, or by the motion of it, without any
other material properties.
And they must give us a better account than they have yet
done, of the true cause of sense in matter and motion. They
know our argument; but I could never yet understand how they
answer it. We say that Nihil dat quod non habet, vel formali-
ter vel eminent er : all the objections against this maxim, they
may find answered, besides others, in Campanella, ' De sensu re-
rum.' Atoms, as matter, have no sense ; they smart not, they
see not, they feel no delight, &c. Formaliter, you will not
imagine that they have sense; and they cannot have it eminenter,
being not above it, but below it ; and showing us nothing that
doth transcend it, or is like it. And motion is no substance,
but a mode of matter ; and therefore hath itself no sense.
Object. Doth not Campanella, Telesius, &c, argue that all
things have sense ?
Answ. 1. Their fanaticisms are no part of our physical creed.
2. They mean, when all is done, but this much : that there is
some image or participation of life in inanimates, of sense in
vegetatives, of reason in sensitives, and of angelical intellection
in rationals. 3. As it is said in the e Mystic. iEgypt. et Chald.
Philos./ ascribed to Aristotle, " Et si quibusdam videtur quod
ff2
436 THE REASONS OF
elementa habent animam, ilia est aliena adventitiaque eis.
Cumque sint viva, vita illis est accidentaria, non naturalis :
alioquin forent inalterabilia." (1. xii. c. 11.) So the stoics
deified the fire, and made it intellectual ; but it was not as it is
matter, but as they supposed it animated with an intellectual
form. So many of the ancients thought that the angels were
compounded of an intellectual form or soul, and of a fiery or
ethereal body : but it is only the body that we are now in-
quiring of. Have atoms sense ? Doth matter feel or see as
such ?
Object. We say not that all matter or atoms have sense, but
only some part of it, which by motion is subtilized.
Answ. Still nihil dat quod non habet ; you grant then that
matter, as such, hath no sense at all, else the argument would
hold ad omnem : and if it have none as matter, motion can give
it none as mere motion, for motion hath not sense to give. Let
motion attenuate the matter, and subtilize it, it is but matter
still, and it can be no less than atoms 3 therefore show us how
materia subtilis, or atoms, should feel or see, because of the
subtletv or parvity, and by its magnitude or grossness lose that
sense : tell us how and why the change of mere magnitude and
figure should make a thing feel that felt not before. H you
difference not matter by some natural difference of forms, or
properties and virtues, you will never speak sense in proving
sense to be in matter, by mere atomizing it, or moving it. The
alcohol of marble feeleth no more than the solid stone ; nor
the air than the earth ; for any proof that we have of it. The
boys that whip their tops, and the women that turn their wheels,
so swiftly, that the motion shall not be discerned, vet put no
feeling into either, though the motion be swifter than that of
the heart, or lungs, or blood. k What the learned Dr. Ward
hath said of this, against Mr. Hobbs, I refer .you to peruse, and
excuse me from transcribing it. Scaliger, Sennertus, and many
others, have heretofore challenged these philosophers to show
the world how atoms by motion, or elements' by mixture, can
get that sense which neither matter, motion, nor mixture have ;
but we can meet with no account of it yet worth the reading ;
not by Cartesius, not by Regius or Berigardus, not by Gassen-
dus, nor any other that we can get and read. How unsatisfac-
k Sane ignis, aer, aqua, terra, suapte natura carent anima : et cuicunque
horum adest anima, hoc vita utitur peregrina : alia vero praeter haac nulla
sunt corpora. — Plotin, Eneud, 4, 1. 7. c. 2. p. 457.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 437
tory is it to tell us that " Facultas sentiendi et movendi, quae
anima sensitiva vulgo dicitur, est partium animalis in spiritus,
nervos et alia sensoria, &c, talis attemperatio et conformatio,
qua animal ab objectis variis motibus affici potest;" as Regius
(1. v. c. 3, p. 267). This is an easy solving of the phenomena
indeed. But " Qualis est ilia eontemperatio ? et quomodo po-
test contemperatio insensibilium, sensihile constituere ? Nonne
dat ista contemperatio quod non habet ? "
Ohject. Perhaps you will say, with him, in Cicer. 'De Nat.
Deor.,' that by this argument God must be a fiddler, because he
maketh men that are such.
Answ. By this argument no fiddler, nor any other man, hath
more wisdom than God, or can do that which God cannot do;
but because God is above him in his skill, doth it follow that the
names which signify human imperfections, must be put on God ?
Can God enable a man to do that which he is not able to do
himself, and can he give that which he hath not to give ?
Object. None of the parts of a clock can tell the hour of the
day, and yet all set together can ; and none of the letters of a
book are philosophy, and yet the whole may be a learned system;
and no atoms in a lute can make melody as the whole can do.
Answ. This is but to play with words. In all these instances
the whole hath nothing of a higher kind in nature than the
several parts, but only a composition, by the contribution of each
part. The clock telleth you nothing hut per modum siyni ; and
that signum is only in the sound, or order of motion. And
sound and motion belong to the whole, by virtue or contri-
bution of the parts, and is not another thing above them. And
that the motion is so ordered, and that man can by it collect the
time of the day, is from the power of our understandings, and
not from the matter of the engine at all. So the book is no
otherwise philosophy at all, but per modum signi : which signum
is related to man's understanding, both as the cause and orderer,
and as the receiver and apprehender. So that the letters do
nothing at all, but passively serve the mind of man ; and so it
is in the other instance. The strings do but move the air, and
cause the sound which is in the ear : that this is melody, is
caused only by the mind of man, who first frameth, and then
orderly moveth them, and then suo modo receiveth the sound,
and maketh melody by the aptitude of his apprehension. If you
had proved that clock, or book, or lute, do make themselves, and
order and use themselves, and know the time, or understand and
438 THE REASONS OF
delight in themselves, you had done something ; but by the de-
ceitful names of philosophy and melody, to confound the bare
natural sound and sign, with that ordering, and that reception,
which is the privilege of a mind, is unfit for a philosopher.
Moreover, 1 expect, from matter and motion, an account of
motion's great concomitants, that is, of light and heat. 1 Mis-
take me not, I am not undervaluing the effects of motion ; I
take it for a most noble and observable cause of most that is
done or existent in the corporeal world : but must it, therefore,
be the solitary cause ? I have long observed, amongst wranglers,
and erroneous zealots in divinity, that most of their error and
misdoing lie in netting the necessary, co-ordinate causes or
parts of things as inconsistent, in opposition to one another. It
would make one ashamed to hear one plead, that Scripture
must be proved by itself; and another, that it must be proved
by reason ; and another, that it must be by miracles ; and
another, by the church ; and another, by general history and
tradition, &c. As if every one of these were not necessary
concurrent parts in the proof. Such work have we among poor,
deluded women, and ignorant men, while the Romanists say>
that they are the true church ; and the Greeks say, it is they ;
and the Lutherans say, it is they ; and the anabaptists sav, it
is they : as if my neighbours and I should contend, which of
our houses it is that is the town. And so do these philosophers,
about the principles and elements. The intellectual nature,
which is the image of God, hath notoriously three faculties, un-
derstanding, will, and executive power ; and men think that
they cannot understand the one, without denying the other two:
and the fiery nature which constituteth the sun and other lumi-
naries (and is the image of the vital nature) hath three notori-
ous powers or properties ; light, heat, and motion ; and they
cannot understand motion, without making nothing of light and
heat, or greatly obscuring and abusing them. Cull out into one
and set together but what Patricius hath said of light, and what
Telesius hath said of heat, and Campanella after him, and
what Gassendus and Cartesius have said of motion, and cut off
1 Vid. Priscian. in Thophrast. Proving that light is neither a body nor a
quality, (c. 1!>.) But I find no satisfaction when he cometh to tell us what it is :
nor will 1 subscribe to Ficinus, who, with other Platonists, saith ; Cceleste
corpus primum luminis susceptaculum incorporea vita et intelli"-entia regi
a qua et lumen habeat ; taeterisque tradat Si Lumen esse dicamus,
radios visuales ccelestium oculorum in se viventium, perque ejusmodi radios
cuncta videntium agentiumque videndo— — non errabimus.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 439
all their superfluities, and you will have a better entrance into
sound philosophy, than any one book that I know doth afford
you. m I confess, that as wisdom must lead the will, and deter-
mine its acts, quoad specific •ationem,a.nd the will must set a- work
the same intellect, and determine its acts, quoad exercitiam ;
and the active power doth partly work ad intra in the operations
of both these, and ad extra is excited by the imperium of the
will ; so that these three faculties (as Sckeibler, Alsted, and
many others, truly number them) are marvellously conjunct and
co-operative : even so it is in the motion, light, and heat of the
active element, or fiery, or ethereal nature." I know that mo-
tion contributeth to light and heat, but it is as true that light
and heat have their proper, co-equal and co-ordinate properties
and effects, and that heat contributeth as much to motion, at
least, as motion doth to heat : indeed, in one essence they are
three co-equal virtues or faculties, the vis motiva, illuminativa,
et calefactiva. And so vain is their labour, who only from mat-
ter and motion give us an account of light and heat, that I find
no need or willingness to be at the labour of confuting them.
Call but for their proofs, and you have confuted them all at
once.
And if no better solution be given us of the nature of light
and heat, what shall we expect from them about intellection
m Leg. le Grand. Dissert, in Epicur. Philos. ad Gassend. et de communi
rerum vivendi ratione ad Campanel. et de nomiiiibus Dei soli attributis; in
which he taketh atoms, or indivisible particles, for the iirst real, passive mat-
ter, antecedent to the distinction of elements ; but fire, called also spiritus
aethereus et natura, to be of a higher elevation, the active informer, disposer,
and moderator, of all matter; and animated fire, that is, the sun and its
emanations, to be the life and ruler of the material world : and that this was
the sense of almost all the old philosophers, and that by their numerous
names of God, they meant the same thing, as diversely operating ; that is, the
sun, fire, or ether, (which they took to be animated intellectuals,) as
considered in its various respects to mortals. Ut docet Hermes, Mens
generalis habet pro corpore ignem, et quasi igne stipatur et circumvestitur
vovs o^vhpos ex 6£ c <*>£<•« to -/rDp; semper enim et necessario ignis aethereus et mens
universalis sibi invicem comites assident ; amboque ita affines nihil constitu-
nnt aliud quam spiritum igneum, aethereum, lucidum, ccelestem, et divinum,
tenebrosaui hanc et iuformem immanis materiei abyssum compleutem, illus-
trantem et animantem. — Idem ad Campanel. p. SO. Vide qua ex Mercur.
Pimand. citat. p. 79.
11 Saith a novel philosopher himself, Ex speculis ustoriis certum est calorem
a sole creari intensissimum, non acceleratione mows, sed coalitioneradiorum.
° Lumen species est inter omnes species sensibiles prae caeteris intellectua-
lem speciem representans : et in intellectu est per causam; in ccelo per
forma? plenitudinem ; in igne per pleuitudinem participationis ; hiuc deriva-
tur in portiones. — Ficin. in Theophrast, de Atiim. c. 44.
440 THE REASONS OF
and volition : do atoms understand or will ; or doth motion
understand or will ? If not, (as sure they do not as such,) then
tell us how that which hath no participation of understanding
or will should constitute an agent that doth understand and
will ? Set to this work as philosophers, and make it intelligible
to us, if you are in good earnest.
7. But to proceed a little further with you ; I take it for
granted, that you confess that an intellectual, incorporeal being
there is, while we confess a God : and that this sort of being is
more excellent than that which is corporeal, sensible, and gross.
I would next ask you, do you take it for possible or impossible
that God should make any secondary beings, which are incor-
poreal and intellectual also ? If you say, it is impossible, give
us your proof. If possible, I next ask you, whether it be not
most probable also ? You acknowledge what a spot or punctum
in the world this earthly globe is : you see here that man, whose
flesh must rot and turn to dust, hath the power of intellection
and volition : you look up to the more vast and glorious
regions and globes, and I am confident you think not that only
this spot of earth is inhabited : and surely you think that the
glory of the inhabitants is likely to be answerable to the glory of
their habitations. You make your atoms to be invisible, and so
vou do the air and winds ; when vet our earth and dirt are visible.
Therefore, you take not crassitude, or visibility, or sensibility, to
have the pre-eminence in excellency. Judge, then, yourselves,
whether it be not likely that God hath innumerably more noble
and excellent creatures than we silly men are ? And will you
reduce all their unknown perfections, or their known intelligence,
to matter and motion only ?
Moreover, when you observe the wonderful variety of things,
in which God is pleased to take his delight, what ground have
we to imagine that he hath no greater variety of substances, but
corporeal only ? Nor any other way of causation but by motion?
When no man can deny, but he could otherwise cause the
variety which we see, and fix in the creatures, ah origine, their
different natures, properties, and virtues ; what reason, then, have
you to say, that he did not do so ?
And can you believe that the goodness of that God, who hath
p Non ergo levitas et gravitas causae primi motus sunt, sed qualitates sunt
elemenlorum ; sed tamen ut etiam hoc detur, quotnodo ratiocinari, opinari,
judicare, gravjtatis et levitatis opera esse possunt ; si non sunt gravitatis et
levitatis opera, neque elementorum sunt : si non elementorum, necpje certe
corporum. — Nemesius de An. c. 2. p. 484.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 441
made this wonderful frame which we see, would not appear in
making some creatures liker and nearer to himself, than matter
and motion are ?
But to talk no more of probabilities to you, we have certain
proof that man is an intellectual free-agent, whose soul you can
never prove to be corporeal, and whose power of intellection and
volition is distinct from corporal motion. And we have proof
that there are superior intelligences more noble than Ave, by the
operations which they have exercised upon things below.
And what should move you (who seem not to be overmuch
divine, and who seem to observe the order and harmony of the
creatures) to imagine, that God doth himself, alone, without any
instrument or second cause, move all the corporeal matter of the
world ? If you are serious in believing that God himself doth
move and govern all, why do you question whether he make use
of any nobler natures next him, to move things corporeal. And
why do you, against your own inclinations, make every action to
be done by God alone ? I doubt not but he doth all : but you
see that he chooseth to communicate honour and agency to his
creatures. He useth the sun to move things on earth. Therefore,
if you believe that corporeal beings stand at so infinite a distance
from his perfection, you may easily judge that he hath some
more noble, and that the noblest are the most potent and active,
and rule the more ignoble : as you see the nobler bodies (as the
sun) to have power upon the more ignoble. Therefore; to vio-
late the harmony of God's works, and to deny all the steps of
the ladder, save the lowest, is but an unhappy solving of pheno-
mena.
Nay, mark what you grant us : you confess God to have
power, wisdom, and will, and that he is incorporeal, and moveth
all : And you confess that man hath, in his kind, power, under-
standing, and will ; and is there any thing below that is liker
God ? If not, do you not allow us to take these faculties for
incorporeal ? and that those are so that are higher than we ?
8. And you seem to us by your philosophy to write of nature,
as the atheist writeth of God ; instead of explaining it, you deny
it. What is nature but the principium motus et guietis, &c. ? q
i So Lipstorpius, in his ' Specim. Philos. Cartes.' Deus in principio mundi
materiam simul cum motu et quiete creavit Unde communissima naturae
lex, &c. (vide p. 37, 38.) So that nature, with the Cartesians, is nothing at all,
but God's first moving act at the creation, as if he caused motion without any
created principle, and as if spirits and fire had no more moving nature, or prin-
ciple, than clay, but only that their matter was either in the creation more
442 THE REASONS OP
And you deny all such principia, and substitute only former
motion ; so that you leave no other nature but what a stone
receiveth from the hand that casteth it, or the children's tops
from the scourge that driveth them : or, rather, every turn is a
nature to the next turn ; and so the nature of things is mostly
out of themselves in the extrinsic mover.
And so you level all things in the world ', you deny all specific-
forms, or natural faculties and virtues. Tbe sun and a clod
have no natural difference, but only magnitude, and figure, and
motion : as if so noble a creature had no differencing, peculiar
nature of its own, nor any natural power or principle of its own
motion, and so it moved but as a stone is moved.
Yea, you make all motions so violent, and deny all proper
natural motion at all ; for that which hath no active principle of
motion in its nature hath no proper natural motion as distinct
from violent.
Hereby, also, you deny all vital powers ; you make a living
creature and a dead to differ but in the manner of motion ;
which, whether you can at all explain, we know not. Why
may not the arrow which I shoot, or the watch which I wind
up, be said to live as well as you ? It hath matter and motion;
and some inanimates (the air and fire) perhaps have as subtle
matter, and as speedy motion, as is in you. Why doth not the
wind make the air alive, and the bellows the fire. ? In a word,
you deny all intelligeneies, all souls, all lives, all natures, all ac-
tive qualities and forms ; all powers, faculties, inclinations,
habits, and dispositions, that are any principles of motion : and
so all the natural excellency and difference of any creature above
the rest. A short way of solving the phenomena.
Lastly, with nature you deny the being of morality. For if
there be no difference of beings, but in quantity, figure, motion,
moved by God, or since by a knock from some other mover put into motion,
by which accidental motion clay or water may be made fire. Leg. Petr. Mons-
nerii. lib. de Jmpetu, et lib. 2. de motu naturali : where the nature of motion is
more exactly handled than by the Epicureans or Cartesians, though too little is
said, de vi moventis, in comparison of what is said, de impetu mobilis. Leg-.
1. 2. pp. 76, 77, Slc, ' De causa iutrinseca motus localis naturalis ;' et p. 78,
his ' Seven Reasons against Gassendus,' his 'Doctrine of Gravitation by the
traction of Atoms,' and his ' Confutation of all the Extrinsic Causes,' viz.,
Causa prima sola, aer, terrae vis magnetica (vel per qualitatem diffusam, vel
per vim sympathicam, vel tractionem filamentorum) virtus cceli pellens,
detrusio per lucem, et generans : and as easily may the Cartesian reason be
coufutcd, which Lipstorpius so magnifieth : and the impetus innatus is the
reason which he assigneth, (pp. 80, 81,) &c. Vid. exceptiones Jo. Bap. du
Hamel. contra Cartes, in conciliat. pp. 148, 151, 170, 209, 210.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 443
and site, and all motion is locomotion, which moveth by natural
necessitating force, then a man moveth as a stone, because it is
irresistibly moved, and hath no power to forbear any act which
it performeth, or to do it otherwise than it doth. For if there
be no power, habits, or dispositions, antecedent to motion, but
motion itself is all, then there is one and the same account to be
given of all actions, good and bad ; I did it because I was irre-
sistibly moved to it, and could no more do otherwise, than my
pen can choose to write. There is, then, no virtue or vice, no
place for laws and moral government, further than they may be
tacklings in the engine which necessitateth : whatsoever is done
amiss, is as much imputable to God, the first Mover, as that
which is done well. If you shoot an arrow which killeth your
friend, the arrow could not hinder it ; if you make or set
your watch amiss, though one motion causeth another, yet the
error of all is resolved into the defect of the first cause. They
that killed Henry III., and Henry IV., kings of France, may say,
that as the knife could not resist the motion of their hand,
so neither could they the motion of the superior cause that
moved them, and so on to the first. No traitors or rebels can
resist the power which acteth them therein, any more than the
dust can resist the wind which stirreth it up. And so you see
what cometh of all the government of God and man, and of all
laws and judgments, justice and injustice, right and wrong:
and how little cause you have to be angry with the thief that
robbeth you, or the man that cudgelleth you, any more than
with the staff. But of this I refer you to the aforesaid writing
of Bishop Bramhal against Mr. Hobbs, allowing you to make the
most you can of his reply.
We are certain, by the operation of things, that there is a
difference in their natural powers and virtues, and not only in
their quantity, figure, and motion. God hath not. made only
homogeneal, indifferenced matter ; there are plainly now exceed-
ing diversities of natural excellencies, virtues, and qualities, in
the things we see : and he that will say, that by motion only
God made this difference at first, doth but presumptuously speak
without book, without all proof to make it credible, and taketh
on him to know that which he knoweth that he knoweth not.
Is not the virtue and goodness of things as laudable as their
quantity and motion ? Why, then, should we imagine so vast
a disproportion in the image of God upon his works, as to ac-
knowledge the magnitude and motion incomprehensible, and to
444 THE REASONS OF
think that in virtue and goodness of nature they are all alike,
and none is more noble or more like himself than a clod of
earth ? We see that the natures of all things are suited to
their several uses. Operari sequitur esse; things act as thev
are. There is somewhat in the nature of a bird, or beast, or
plant, which is their fitness to their various motions. If only
motion made that fire to day, which yesterday was but a stone,
why doth not the strongest wind so much as warm us ? Or why
doth it so much cool us ? Why doth not the snow make us as
warm as a fleece of wool ? The wool doth move no more than
the snow, and the matter of it appeareth to be no more subtle.
Indeed, man can give to none of his works a nature, a life, or
virtue, for the operation which he desireth. He can but alter
the magnitude, and figure, and motion of things, and compound
and mix them, and conjoin them : and these Epicureans seem
to judge of the works of God by man's. But he who is Being,
Life, and Intelligence,dothaccordinglyanimate his noble engines,
and give them natures and virtues for their operations ; and not
only make use of matter and weight where he findeth it, as our
mechanics themselves can do. Debasing all the noblest of
God's works, is unbeseeming a true philosopher, who should
search out the virtues and goodness, as well as the greatness of
them.
But I have been longer in answering this first objection than
I can afford to be about the rest, unless I would make a book of
this, which I call but the conclusion. I will add but this one
thing more ; that in case it were granted the Epicureans, that
the soul is material, it will be no disproving of its immortalitv,
nor invalidate any of my former arguments for a life of retribu-
tion after this. To which purpose, consider these things.
1. That where matter is simple, and not compounded, it hath
no tendency to corruption. Object. Matter is divisible, and
therefore corruptible, how simple soever. Answ. It is such as
may be divided, if God please, and so the soul is such as God
can destroy. But we see that all parts of matter have a won-
derful tendency to unity, and have a tendency to a motus
aggregativus if you separate them. Earth inclineth to earth,
and water to water, and air to air, and fire to fire. 2. All
philosophers agree to what I sav, who hold that matter
is eternal, either a parte ante, or a parte post: for if
matter be eternal, the soul's materiality may consist with its
eternity. 3. Yea, all without exception do agree, that there is
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 445
no annihilation of matter when there is a dissolution. Therefore,
if the soul he a simple, uncompounded being, though material,
it will remain the same. This, therefore, is to be set down as
granted us, by all the infidels and atheists in the world, e That
man's soul, whatever it is, is not annihilated when he dieth, if it
be anv kind of substance, material or immaterial.' And they
that call his temperament his soul, do all acknowledge that
there is in the composition some one predominant principle,
more active or noble than the rest ; and of the duration of this
it is that we inquire, which no man doth deny, though some
deny it to be immaterial. But this will be further opened under
the rest of the objections. The reasons of my many words in
answering this objection, I give you in the words of a late learned
conciliator, " Philosophise Platonicae explicationi diutits iramo-
rati sumus, quod res maximas et cognitione dignissimas com-
plectatur. Habet id quoque prae caeteris, quod ad aeternas et
primitivas rationes mentem erigat, eamque a fluxis et perituris
rebus avocatam, ad eas quae sola intelligentia percipiuntur con-
vertat. Qua quidem in re infinitum prope momentum est : num
obiuimur turba philosophorum, qui nimis fidunt sensibus, et
nihil prater corpora intelligi posse contendunt. Atque ut mihi
videtur, nulla perniciosior pestis in vitam humanam potest in-
vadere, nihil quod magis religioni adversetur." (Joh. Bap. c Du
Hamel. in Consens. veteris. and novae Philos. Praefat.')
Object. II. Bysense,imagination,cogitation, reason, you cannot
prove the soul to be incorporeal, because the brutes partake of
these ; whose souls are material and mortal.
Answ. 1. It is easy for men, that set themselves to say all
they can, either with Mr. Chambre, to extol the brutes as ra-
tional ; or with Gassendus, to talk of the whispers and consulta-
tions of the ants ; or with Telesius and Campanella, to say that
every thing hath sense ; or, on the other hand, with Cartesius, to
deny all to a brute which belongeth not to an engine. But our
converse with them doth teach all men to judge of their natures,
as between both these extremes, unless by study and learning
they learn to know less than they did before, and do but studv
to corrupt their understandings, and obliterate things that are
commonly known. I doubt not but the minerals have something
like life, and the vegetatives have something like to sense, and
the sensitives have something like to reason; but it doth not follow
that therefore it is the same. But this is so copiously written
of by very many, that I supersede my further labour about it.
446 THE REASONS OF
2. If it were so, that the apprehensions of a brute might be
called reason or intellection, vet the difference betwixt it and
human intellection is so great, as may easily prove to those that
have their reason in free use, that they are several species of
creatures, made for several uses and ends, and none of the twenty
arguments which I used are at all debilitated by this. If a bird
have reason to build her nest, and to feed her young, yet she
hath none to build cities and castles, or to use navigation, or
any of the arts ; much less to set up government by laws, and
to write systems of philosophy and other sciences ; and least of
all to inquire after God, the Cause of all things, or to hope for
blessedness in another life, or to escape a future misery, or to
be ruled in this life by the interest of another. Beasts think
not of God, nor of loving him, seeking him, pleasing him, or
enjoying him, or of being judged by him. I know the perverse
wrangler will ask me how I know this, and I can answer him
no better than thus : as I know that a stone doth not see or
feel, or that my paper doth not talk, because they manifest no
such thing*; and these are all operations which they that ex-
ercise are apt to manifest, and things that in their nature are
unapt to be long hid. Campanella, who hath written, de sensu
rerum, to prove brutes rational, and plants sensible, hath yet in
his ( Atheismus Triumphatus' written more for the excellency of
human nature, and the soul's immortality, than any infidel can
soundly answer.
3. And how prove you that the souls of brutes exist not after
death ? Of their individuation we shall say more anon. But
there is no. part of their substance annihilated, as you will con-
fess ; nor any part of it abased below the same nature which it
had in the composition : only the constituting parts are sepa-
rated, retaining their several natures still. All men that confess
that brutes are sensible, do confess that there is some one pre-
dominant part in their composition, which is the principal
cause of sense ; whether it be the finest atoms, or the materia
subtilis, or globuli ccelestes, or elementary fire, or Aristotle's
quintescence analogous to the celestial, starry substance, or yet
an incorporeal soul : whatever it is, it is not annihilated, nor
the nature of the simple essence destroyed. r
4. And here let me venture to tell you once for all, that I
1 See Sir W, Raleigh ' Hist. (1. 1.)' of fire, making it certainly a thing
unknown, and probably quiddara medium between things corporeal and in-
corporeal.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 447
never found cause to believe that any mortal man s is so well
acquainted with the true difference between a corporeal and an
incorporeal substance, as to tell us certainly wherein it doth
consist ; and to lay the stress of this controversy upon that dif-
ference. I know what is said of moles et extensio, et partes
extra partes ; of divisibility and impenetrability; and so on the
contrary side. But how much of this is spoken in the dark.
Are you certain that no true matter is penetrable ? If you say,
that which is so we call not matter, and so make the controversy,
de nomine, only intelligible, I must pass it by. And are you
sure that no matter is indivisible ; and that no spiritual, incor-
poreal substance is quantitative, extended, or divisible ? It now
goeth for current, that light is a body ; and Patricius, that so
judgeth, doth take it to be indivisible, in lonyitudine radiorum,
and to be penetrable; and that it cannot penetrate other bodies;
and it is hard to be sure that diaphanous bodies are not pene-
trated by light. I know, Gassendus and others think that it
passeth but through the pores of the glass or chrystal ; but I
have heard of no engyscope that hath perceived pores in glass.
In cloth they are certainly discernible, and large, and numerous,
when yet the light doth not penetrate it as it doth the glass :
Gassendus saith, the reason is, because the pores of the glass,
and other diaphanous bodies, are all one way, so that the light
is not intercepted by their irregularity ; and he giveth us a proof
of his opinion, because that if you set white papers on each side
s Hence it is tViat the wisest philosophers differ in this point, whether any
proper matter be found iu the soul of man. Micrselius Ethnoph. (1. 1. c. 13.
pp. 23, 24,) hath instanced in many that are for some materiality. Earn seu-
tentiam inter veteres probavit apud Macrobium, Heraclitus Physicus, cui
annua est essentia? stellaris scintilla : et Hipparchus apud Plinium cui est
cceli pars : et Africanus apud Ciceronem, qui detrahit auimum ex illis sem-
piternis ignibus, qua? sidera vocamus ; quaeque globosse et rotunda; diviuis
animata? ineutibus circulos suos orbesque conficiunt celeritate mirabili : et
Seneca, qui descendisse earn ex illo coelesti spiritu ait, et Plato ipse, qui
alicubi animam vocat ai/yoei5es tJxWi radians et splendidum vehiculum :
et Epictetus qui astra vocat nobis <pi\a Kai cruyyevyj roi/c€?a, arnica et cog-uata
elementa : Jpseque cum peripateticis Aristoteles, qui earn quinta essentia
constare et avaKoyov too iriijcnloi atii/iali in animabus inesse dicit. Inter
nostrates Scaliger quoque vocat atmnam naturam crelestem, et quintam esseu-
tiam alia quidem a quatuor elemeutis natura prseditum, sed non sine
omni materia. Eadem opinio arridet Roberto de Fluctibus, &c. Lege
rationes Carpentarii in Dec. 1. Exerc. 7, contra porositatem diaphanorum.
Dicit Plato universal natura? animam porrectam esse a centro orbis terra?
usque ad extremas oras cceli : non ut locum ista notet porrectio, sed extensi-
onis quendam modum, quein mens et ratio assequatur. — Nemes. de Aram,
c. 2, p. 487.
44S THE BEASONS OF
the glass, there will be umbles on one side, and light reflected
on the other : I have often tried, and seen indeed abundance of
such umbles ; but I as plainly see that they all answer the squilts
or sanded faults that are in the glass (the bigger sort of which
are all as visible as the shades). And surely all the rest of the
glass is not pores, or nothing. And if the pores lie all one way,
how cometh it to pass, that a glass of water, or a ball of
chrystal, is equally perspicuous every way : look which way you
will, it is all alike : therefore it must be every way equally
porous. But I would know whether we have any atoms smaller
than the body of light which thus penetrateth the glass and
chrystal. I think they all make it the most subtle matter ;
and yet Gassendus thinketh that they are bodies, and such as
have their hamuli too, which flow from the loadstone to the
iron : and if so, then those bodies must be more penetrating
than light, for they will pass through a brick wall, and operate
by their attraction on the other side, where no light can pass.
And whether the air be penetrable by light, is scarcely well cleared
or understood. They that think there is no vacuum, I think,
with Gassendus, can never prove that there can be any motion,
unless the air or some bodies are penetrable. Let them talk of
a circulation, with Cartesius, as long as they will, somebody
must cedere before the next can move ; and no one can give
wav till the motion, or cession, begin at the utmost part of the
corporeal world. My understanding is past doubt that there
must be an inane, or a penetration ; and yet, on the other side,
I am satisfied that entity is the first excellency, and that some-
thing is better than nothing. And therefore if rarity be only by
the multitude and greatness of interspersed vacuities, and the
rarity and subtlety of matter be but the scantiness or smallness
of its quantity in that space, then it would be but next kin to
annihilation, and the rarest and most subtle matter would be,
ceeteris paribus, the basest, as being next to nothing. For
instance, Sir Kenehn Digby telleth Gassendus, from two accurate
computers, that gold, in the same space, is seven thousand six
hundred times heavier than air : so that air is, in the same
spice, seven thousand six hundred times nearer to nothing than
gold is ; and the whole air betwixt us and the heavens hath
interspaces that are vacuous, to the same proportion of seven
thousand six hundred to one : and then we may well say that
datur inane : nay, quatre, whether it be more proper to say,
that all between us and heaven is a vacuum, or not, when it is
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 449
to be denominated from the space which so far exceedeth all
the rest as seven thousand six hundred to one ? And, then, if
the ether be something more subtle, it must be still nearer
to nothing, and consequently be most vile. But I am satisfied
that dung is not so much more excellent than light, as it is
more gross. And that these terrestrial bodies are not the most
noble, nor have most of entity or substance, because they are
more gross. 1 Therefore, though Gassendus put off Sir K.
Digby, by saying only that the said disproportion is no incon-
venience, I see not how these inconveniences will be answered.
I am satisfied that nothing is not so good as entity, and yet that
the most subtle and invisible substances are the life of the world,
and of the greatest excellency and force. But what will hence
follow about penetrability J know not ; but I know that it is
little about these things, which men understand, of what they
say. The fiery nature seemeth, as Patricius saith, to be some
middle thing between corporeal and incorporeal. And I much
doubt whether materia be a summum genus, and whether the
lowest degree of things incorporeal, and the highest degree of
things corporeal, suppose fire, or that which is the matter of
the sun, do differ so much more than gradually, as that mortals
can say, that one of them is penetrable and indivisible, and the
other not. There have been some philosophers that have
thought that sensibility was as fit an attribute to characterise
matter or bodies by, as any other ; but then they meant not, by
sensible, that which man can perceive by sense, but that which
is a fit object for senses of the same kind as man's, supposing
them elevated to the greatest perfection that they are capable
of in their kind. And so air and atoms, being of the same kind
as other matter, may be visible to a sight of the same kind
as ours, if it received but the addition of enough degrees. And,
for aught I know, this is as wise philosophy as that which is
more common. I am sure it is more intelligible.
And for divisibility, they have demonstrations on both sides
that a punctum is divisible, and that it is not. One thinketh,
that if three be set together, it is possible, at least, for God to
divide just in the midst. Another, with Gassendus, thinketh,
that it is unlikely to be true, that every part should be as much or
more than the whole, and a point as mUch as all the universe :
and that if a point may be divided into infinite parts, it is infi-
1 1 hope we shall not have philosophiam staticum, and judge, of essences and
excellences by the balance.
VOL. XXI. G G
450 THE REASONS OF
nite in magnitude, and therefore larger than the world. And
is it any marvel, if indivisibility, then, he an unfit property to
know a spirit by, when they are not agreed about it as to bodies?
Certain it is, that there is a true individuation of souls, and so a
numeral division of them. That which is your soul is not your
neighbour's. And it is certain, that created spirits are not in-
finite as to extent. And what division God can make upon
them, is more than I can tell.
Scotus thinketh, that the subject of physics is not corpus nata-
rale, but substantia naturalis ; and so that angels are moved
motu physico. Scaliger, Scheibler, &c, say, that angels have
extension and figure; that is, extension entitative, distinct from
extension quantitative. Vid. Scalig. (Exercit. 359. s. 4.) The
termini essendi, saith Scheibler, being no other than are signified
per inceptionem, seu dependeniiam ab alio et desitionem : and
that no creature is immense, but hath finitas adessendi accord-
ing to which it is determinate to a certain space. He saitb,
that angels are finite ; 1. Essentia: 2. Numero : 3. Potestate:
4. Quantitate, h. e. non esse immensos. And that they are in
spatio inteUigibili. He saith also (Exerc. 307), " Unam primum
est : alia dependent igitur. Ergo sua natura omnia praetur
unum sunt corruptibilia. Tametsi sunt entia absoluta a subjecto
et termino, non sunt absoluta a causa."
Damascene saith, ('De Orthod. fid.' 1. ii.) " That God only is a
spirit by nature, but other things may be spirits by indulgence
and grace."
The doctrine of Psellus is too gross, and largely delivered by
himself. u
Eugubinus, Niphus, and Vorstius, were of the same mind,
that angels were corporeal.
Augustin himself saith, that "Anima respectu incorporei
Dei corporea est." (De Spir. et Anim.c. 2.)
Csesarius, (in Dialog, i. p. 573, B. P.,) saith, " 'Aa-^a-nn ^v 6i
ayyeXoi ko.6' -rj^as crw/.ia 5e KaO' eavlss, uis aue/nos, -5) 7rDp, s kclttv (§", v) ai'jp. trd^RTa
yap virdpxecri Aeirla. nal av\a t£cb ttjs -/jfj-irepas 7raxvTi7T@-." Ana he applieth
to them the apostle's words, "There are bodies celestial and
bodies terrestrial."
Arnobius is a little too gross herein, and almost all the an-
cients, especially the Greeks, that speak of that subject, take
angels for more subtle, purer bodies.
u In Ficinus's ' Collections, (lib, de daemonib.')
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 451
I know not what Athenagoras meaneth to call the devil,
J T?js u'Aijs /cat ru>v iv abr'o eiSd'v apxav Materia? ejusque formarum
princeps, et alii ex illis qui circa primum mundi fundamentum
erant peccarunt, &c. (p. 71.) And hence he and others talk of
their falling in love with virgins, &c.
And when Faustus Rhegiensis wrote a book, to prove that
angels and souls were but a purer, subtle sort of bodies or
matter, Claudianus Mammertus largely and learnedly confuteth
him, who pretended that all the ancients were on his side : yet
doth the same Mammertus think, that though angels, quoad
formam, be incorporeal, they had bodies also which were fire,
or of the nature of the stars. Which Csesarius also seemeth to
mean, when he saith, that " Not only that which is here with
us below is fire, but also those higher powers seem to be fire,
and kin to that which is with us, as our souls are kin to angels."
(Dialog. 1. q. 58, 59. p. 584* And (qu. 60) he saith, "That
the shepherds, when they will boil flesh, (in the fields where
they have no fire,) do use to fill a glass vessel with water, and
hold it directly opposite to the sun, and then touch dried dung
with it, and it will kindle fire." And having thus proved the
sun to be fire, he saith, (Dial. 2. q. 195,) that " Omnibus cre-
atis levior est ignis natura : ideoque angeli etiam banc sortiti
sunt : qui facit angelos suos spiritus, et ministros suos ignis
flammam." And (q. 107.) he saith, that "the star which led
the magi to Christ was an angel." It would be tedious to cite
all out of Tertullian, Lactantius, and all the ancients, that was
written to assert that angels were corpora temdora ; and out of
those that came after them, and confuted them, who yet wrote
that thev were the souls of fiery bodies.
And abundance of our writers of physics, metaphysics, and
logic, do tell us, that angels have materiammetaphysicam } a.m\ in a
certain sense may be called corporeal. And the sum of all is, when
they determine the questions about their locality, extension, or
quantity, that they have their vbi, their quantity and extension,
which are the properties of bodies, suo rnodo, vel mo do metaphy-
sico, as bodies have them modo tuo physico ; being not immense
or infinite anv more than bodies. How far the name of nature
belongeth to them, see Fortunius Licetus ' De natura primo-
movante.' And Scheibler, with others, maketh the difference of
extension to be this, that angels can contract their whole sub-
stance into one part of space; and therefore have not partes
gg2
452 THE REASONS OF
extra 'partes. Whereupon it is. that the schoolmen have ques-
tioned how many angels may sit upon the point of needle?
For my part, I profess, that as my understanding is fully
satisfied hy the operations and effects, that there are such invi-
sible, potent substances, which we call angels and spirits ; so it
is utterly unsatisfied in the common properties of penetrability,
and impenetrability, extension, or discerptibility, and indiscerp-
tibility, or indivisibility, as the characters to know them by.
And as I think that materia had been as fit a name as another,
for that part or notion of spiritual substances which is distin-
guished from their form, if custom had so pleased to use it ; so
J think that such substances as we call spirits or immaterial,
may be well said to be compounded of metaphysical or spiritual
matter and form ; and this in consistency with such simplicity
as belongeth to a creature. And I remember not what apt
word we have instead of matter, to supply its place in Latin,
which taketh not in the notion of the form : for the word mat-
ter signifieth no real being, but only a partial, inadequate con-
ception of real beings, quoad hoc, which have all something
more which is essential to them. There is no such thing ex-
istent, as matter without form or peculiar nature. And the
matter and form are such partes inteUigibiles as can neither of
them exist alone : therefore, as it is not fit to make too eager a
controversy, de nomine materia, vel materialis ; so, I think,
that it is little that we know of any substances at all, but what
their accidents and effects reveal. Matter we know by the
quantity, figure, colour, heat or cold, density or rarity, hard-
ness or softness, levity or weight, &c. And forms or differ-
encing natures we know by their operations : but that either
matter or form is known to us immediately by itself, and is the
ohjectum sensusper se et immediate, I cannot say by any observed
experience of mine own.
Would you have me to go further yet ? I shall then adven-
ture to say, that as I feel no satisfying notion to difference the
highest simple being, called material, from the lowest next it,
called immaterial, but what is in and from the forms ; so I
think that it is too slippery aground for any man to satisfy him-
self or others by, to say only that one is material, and the other
immaterial. Matter, as I said, being but a pars intelligibilis, or
inadequate conception of a thing, is not to be a genus in any
predicament. And if substance express the adequate conception,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 453
it must comprehend something answerable to matter, with that
differencing nature called the form ; and what name besides
matter to give to that part of the conception of a substance,
which is contradistinct from the form, philosophers are yet but
little agreed in : some name there must be when we speak of
any created substances : for the name of substance must not
confound these distinct conceptions. Therefore, materia meta-
physica vel spiritualis is the term, that hitherto men are fain
to use.
Moreover, it is the form that doth difference and denominate.
How then can you sufficiently difference corporeal and incorpo-
real from the material cause, by calling one physical and the
other hyperphysical, or metaphysical ? Doth any man's under-
standing perceive the true, positive difference by these words ?
Is matter as opposed to nihil reale, and is ens creatum (or as it
expresseth our half-conception both of corporeal and incorpo-
real substances) differenced so discerniblv, or toto genere, vel
tota specie, without a form to make the difference. Doth mole
immunis et mole prcedita speak a formal difference, or not ? If
not, what place hath it in arbore Porphyrii vel Gassendi ? And
if it do not, you make the matter of substances ab origine dif-
ferenced in se without any forms to difference them ; that is,
the physical and the metaphysical matter. But if those words
do express a formal difference, you should find some other to
expound them by : for surely mole prmdita expresseth no form
intelligibly ; and mole immunis is but a mere negation of
quantity.
Differences, therefore, that are fetched from matter here, or
the material part of substance, are hardly made intelligible :
and we have so little acquaintance with spiritual substances in
their naked matter (for unless you will take sVuz which is bet-
ter than substance I know not how else to call it) ; that we
speak but bv rote when we talk of indivisibility, and unextensive-
ness, and impenetrability as the notifying differences ; because
they are things beyond our understandings.
Is there a difference between intellectual and spiritual beings
among themselves or not ? Doubtless, there is, as the case of
angels, devils, and the souls of men declare : is this difference
among any of them spccifical and formal ? It is commonly so
concluded, as between angels and men. Is there any agreement
in substance, or in another essential part, where there is a formal
difference ? I know none that notify the other essential differ-
454 THE REASONS OF
ence of the substance of men's souls and angels; but they com-
monly confess that both are spirits, not differenced materially
otherwise than in degrees of purity and dignity, which how far
it belongeth to the form I pretermit. But there can be no
specifical difference in the matter considered without that form
which specifieth. At least, some agreement there is ; and of
spirits which are of different forms or species, there must be
some one name for that in which they still agree. If you say
that it is in substance, you must then take substance as we do
matter for an inadequate conception, or only the pars intelUgi-
bilis of a being as without the form ; but that is not the com-
mon acceptation of it ; nor is it then fit for the place assigned
it in ordine predicament all.
From all this, I am not about to injure any man's understand-
ing, by building my conclusions upon any questionable grounds:
I do but right your understandings so far, as to remove all un-
certain foundations, though they be such as seem to be most for
the advantage of my cause, and are by most made the great
reasons of the soul's immortality. And it is not my purpose to
deny, that as angels are compounded ex gene re et differentia, so
the generical nature of angels greatly differeth from the nature
of corporeal things : as God can make multitudes of corporeal
creatures, formally or specifically different, of the matter of one
simple element only (as air, or firej, without material mixture ;
so he can either make an element of souls, either existent of it-
self, of which he will make individuals, yea, species formally
diverse, or else existent only in the species and individuals, as he
please. But then we must say, that as fire, and air, and water, differ
formally, as several elements, so the spiritual element, or general
nature hath aforrnal difference from the corporeal, called the mate-
rials But hence itwill follow, 1 .Thatangels and human souls have
a double form, as some use to call it, that is, generical as spirits,
which is pre-supposed as the aptitude of their metaphysical mat-
ter, by which they differ from bodies; and specifical, by which
they are constituted what they are, and differ among themselves:
unless you deny all such formal difference among them, and dif-
ference them only by individuation and accidents ; as several
drops or bottles of water taken out of the same sea. 2. And
x Porphyry ' De Occasion, per Ficin.' holds that Anima quidem medium
quiddam est inter essentiam iudividuam, atque essentiam vera corpora di-
visibilem. Intellectus autem essentia est individua solum : sed qualitates
materialesque formse secuudum corpora sunt divisibiles.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 455
it will seem plain, that our differencing characters, or properties,
between spirits and bodies, must be sought for in their different
forms, which must be found in the noble operations which flow
from the forms, and not from uncertain accidents. Therefore,
my design in all this is but to intimate to you, how lubricous
and uncertain, and beyond the reach of man's understanding,
the ordinary characters from such accidents are, and that it
is better to fetch the difference from the operations.
Saith Georg. Ritschel, ' Contempl. Metap. (c. 6. pp. 40, 43.)'
" Difficile est rebus materialibus immersis substantiam immate-
rialem concipere Et licet pro certo non constet an menti
angelicse omnis simpliciter materialitas repugnet; certum tamen
est elementarem nostram ab illis abesse ; atque divinam essenti-
am ab omni esse materia secretam eeterna ejus et immutabilis
habitudo convincit, nisi per materialitatem forte substantiam in-
telligas. (Sect. 15.) Dubium quidem nullum est immaterialem
mundum essentiarum varietate intelligibilium aeque admirabilem
et augustum esse, atque mundum corporeum videmus : sed in
quo ilia consistat diversitas, nobis indicio certo non percipitur.
Nimirum si prater te et lumbricum atque scarabaeum animal
aliud nullum vidisses, audires autem esse alia innumera genera,
diversitate naturae et forma penitus discrepantia, turn vagas qui-
dem confusasque de diversitate volvere cogitationes posses ; non
posses autem illas tot bestiarum,piscium, reptilium, avium, species
suo vultu et coloribus signare : ita quid spiritus sit immaterialis
ex te capere, qui mentem immaterialem habes, qualemcunque
notitiam potes, non potes autem in te perspicere in quo precise
ilia varietas consistat."
To come nearer to the application of what is said, to the pre-
sent objection, 1. The souls of men and brutes, we see, do not
differ in genere entis, nor in genere substantia, nor in genere
principii vitalis, nor in genere sentientis. 2. The matter of both,
whether it differ as a metaphysical and physical, or how, is much
beyond our knowledge. 3. The great diversity of operations
doth show the great diversity of their powers, and forms, and
inclinations. 4. This showeth the diversity of their uses and
ends, for which they were created. 5. It is certain that no
substantial principle in either of them is annihilated at death.
The souls of brutes have the same nature after death as they had
before, and the souls of men have the same nature as before :
they are not transformed into other things. 6. Therefore, about
both of them, there is nothing left of doubt or controversy, but
456 THE REASONS OF
only, 1. About the perpetual individuation; 2. The future
operations; and so the habits, viz.: 1. Whether the souls of
men or brutes, or both, do lose their individuation, and fall into
some universal element of their kind ? 2. Whether they operate
after death, as now? There is nothing else about their immor-
tality that common reason can make a question of. And for
the souls of brutes, whether they remain individuate, or return
to a common element of their kind, is a thing unknown to us,
because unrevealed ; and unrevealed, because it is of no use and
concernment to us. Our own case concerneth us more, and
therefore is more made known to us by God, as will further ap-
pear in that which followeth.
Object. III. Human souls are but forms; and forms are but
the qualities or modes of substances, and therefore accidents ;
and therefore perish when separated from the bodies.
Answ. The world of learned men do find themselves too much
work, and trouble others with controversies about names and
words, and especially by confounding words and things, and not
discerning when a controversy is only de nomine, and when it is
de re; y and they have done so about forms as much as any
thing. The word ' form' is usually liable to this ambiguity : in
compounded beings, it is sometimes taken for the active, pre-
dominant part or principle, and sometimes for the state, which
resulteth from the contemperation of all the parts. Which is
the fit test to be called the form, is but a question de nomine.
Gassendus himself confesseth this ambiguity of the word, and
having pleaded that all forms, except man's intellectual soul, are
but modes or qualities of bodies, and accidents, he addeth, (sec.
1. 1. vi. c. 1,) "Si formae nomine spiritual quendam et quasi
florem materia intellexeris, cujusmodi fere concipimus animam
in equo, turn forma dici potest substantia, immo et corpus tenu-
issimum, quod crassius pervadat, perficiat et regat. At si
formae nomine intelligitur dispositio ac modus quo tarn substantia
ilia spirituosior quam crassior reliqua se habet, et ad quam fa-
cultates actionesque naturales consequentur turn posse qualita-
tem conseri ac dici." Whether the souls of brutes be only the
spirits, or the flos materia, or not, it is granted by him, and by
almost all men, that in mixed bodies there is one part more sub-
tle than the rest, which is the most active, powerful, predomi-
nant part, and which doth corpus pervadere, perficere, regere.
y Lege Plotinum de Anim. En. 4. 1. 3. c. 391. sect. 26.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 457
He thinketh that this is but that subtle matter which others
call fire ; but others think, upon the reasons before given, that
it is a superior nature, and that the spirits, or fiery nature, is but
its nearest instrument, because no subtlety will make atoms
sensible or appetitive, which, in their proper nature, have no such
thing. But whatever becomes of the controversy, whether the
animal principle in brutes be material or immaterial, it is granted
us, and is certain, that in all mixed beings, there is a difference
of the constitutive parts. As the fiery nature, such as the sun is
of, is active in comparison with the other three elements, which
to it are passive j so the vital principle in brutes is active,
powerful, and regent, as to the rest of the compounding parts.
And it is certain, that the name of a form is, by contenders,
taken sometimes for that regent, active principle or substance,
(be it what it will,) and sometimes for the temperament resulting
from all the parts. In engines, where there is no principle or
part which is notably predominant, the name of the form is
given to the ordered coujunction of all the parts ; so in a watch,
the spring, though the beginning of motion is not so fitly called
the form of the watch, as the order of the whole frame : but in
living things, there is more room for a competition between the
regent part and the temperament, which of them should be called
the form. Now it is undeniable with all men, that both in men
and brutes that regent principle is a substance, and that the
contemperation, or order of the parts, is but their mode, and
maketh no other kind of being than ordo civitatis vel reipub-
licce is, which ceaseth upon the dissolution And the form of
simple beings, corporeal or incorporeal, elements or spirits, is
neither another substance, distinct from the physical and meta-
physical matter, nor yet an accident or mode ; but that peculiar
nature, consisting in certain powers or virtues, by which, as es-
sential to it, that being is specifically differenced from others ;
which some call an essential quality, and some a substantial
quality, and some a substantial form, because it is the perfection
and essential nature of the substance in specie, and not another
substance besides it.
Thus, Burgersdicius (however in his 'Physics' he saith as
others), in his 'Metaphysics,' (1. i. c. 25, s. 6 — 9,) saith
that, " Forma substantial est quae materiam complet eamque
informat, atque ita constituit substantiam corpoream : forma
accidentalis est additamentum complete substantia? inhserens, et
cum ilia constituens. Ens concretum atque unum per accidens."
45 S THE REASONS OF
And he addeth that a Forma substantial non per se est sub-
stantia : substantia enim per se subsistit, &c. Quid ergo erit
substantial forma? Nihil aliud quam substantial modus.
Quia formis debetur, quod res corporales tales res sint, iis etiam
ex parte debetur quod sint : quia esse non potest concipi absque
tali aut tali esse, et tale esse est ipsius esse complementum."
And vet the same man saith, (ibid. 1. ii. c. 17, s. 13, p. 304,)
" Resp. Animas vegetativas et sensitivas unitas quidem esse
corpori ex elementis confecto, sed mediante spiritu vitali et
animali. Ideoque facultates earum animarum non esse tempe-
rationes primarum qualitatum, sed ipsam substantiam animarum,
quatenus spirituum ope elementari corpori alligantur."
If, then, you take the word t form' for the order of the parts, I
sav that man's soul is not his form in that sense, nor is his form
a substance ; but if the regent, predominant, active, vital, intel-
ligent principle be called the form, so the form is a substance,
and the soul is that form.
Here we must not confound formam corporis, formam animce,
et for mum hominis. 1 . The form of Adam's body, before it had
received a soul, was but the contemperation or order of all the
parts by which it was apt to receive a soul, and to be actuated
by it, as corpus physicum organicum. 2. The form of the soul
itself (e. g. in its separated state) is that vis naturalis intelligen-
di, volendi, et exequendi, by which it is essentially differenced
from all other kinds of being (commonly comprehended under
the name of reason alone). 3. The forma hominis, taken for
the state of the parts contemperate and ordered, is that said
state or order, and not the soul : but taken for the vital, intelli-
gent, regent part, or principle, it is the soul itself. So that the
soul is not the forma coyporis, nor the forma hominis in the one
sense ; but it is the forma hominis in the other ; and its own
differencing nature is its own form.
The like ambiguity there is in the word ' quality,' used in the
objection. As I was never satisfied with the order or number of
Aristotle's ten predicaments, so especially I never understood
him in the predicament of quality itself. As it is a very hard
thing to know what those are that are by him, and commonly
called qualities; so I think that name too general and defective,
to signify the nature of them aright. And I supposed ever that
his forma et figura differ much more from the other species of
quality, than most of the predicaments do from one another, (of
which see Burgersdicius 'Metaph.' (1. ii. c. ult.) et Gassendus
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 459
(in Loc.) Judicious Mr. Pemble, de origine formam, pleadeth
hard that " Principia constitutiva," are "materia (vel subjectum)
et accidentia; et principium transmutationis" is "contrariarum
qualitatum pugna :" that, "forma, excepta humana, non est sub-
stantia, nee materialis, nee immaterialis, sed accidens vel acci-
dentium mixtura dictum temperamentum, et quod accidentia per
se et immediate agunt, et non in virtute formae substantialis." That
is, "quod qualitates immediate haerent in materia, et a qualitati-
bus immediate profluunt operatione set operandi vires. Quod
qualitates omnes primae, (which he maketh five; lux, calor, frigus,
humiditas, siccitas,) et aliquae secundiae, tenuitas, crassities,
gravitas, levitas, fluor, consistentia, creationis die primo existe-
runt : quod qualitates omnes activae generant sibi simile, et ita
sui diffusivae et similium generativae sunt, ut necessario materiam
sibi proportionatam efficiunt. Quod animae vegetativae in plan-
tis et sensitivae in brutis sunt tantum temperamenta nobiliora
qualitatum actuosiorum in materia subtili, pura, spirituosiore."
Telesius maketh the same principles (materia, calor, et frigus)
as to the chief; but he maketh calor et frigus to be substances,
vel forma substantiates, el non tantum accidentia. So that they
that agree that it is qualities that are the active forms, are never
the more agreed what they are, nor what the word 'qualities' doth
signify. And what if, by the word 'quality,' Pemble do mean the
very same thing as many others do that call them forms, when
they speak of vegetatives. And what if, by substance, Telesius
mean the same that Pemble doth by accidents ? Is not the
world, then, troubled with ambiguity of words ? He that will
consider them well, may suspect that they mean as I conjecture.
An active power, or principle, being the chief cause of operations,
alterations, or discrimination, is the thing that they all mean by
these names. And the followers of Democritus, especially Gas-
sendus and Cartesius, do not improbably argue that it is some
substantial being which maketh that change or effect upon our
senses, which as there received, is a quality. So that unless Mr.
Pemble can better tell us what lux et calor are, than by calling
them qualities, he hath given the understanding no satisfaction
at all : much less when he nakedly asserteth, without any
proof, that sensation doth not superare naturum primarum qua-
litatum, that are none of them sensible themselves. And when
he hath no other answer to this argument, but that non minus
miranda sunt in inanimatis, which he giveth not one instance or
460 THE REASONS OF
word to prove. When Aristotle, &c., Scaliger, Sennertus, and
abundance more, have said much to the contrary.
I conclude, that for all that is here said, and whether you call
them our forms or not, (as you may or mav not, in several
senses,) human souls are those parts of man which are simple,
pure, invisible, active, powerful substances ; and, therefore, be-
ing not annihilated, must needs subsist in their separated state.
Object. IV. The soul is material, and consequently mortal,
because it dependeth upon matter in its operations, and conse-
quently in its essence. 3
Answ. 1. I have proved already, that if you did prove the soul
material, you had not thereby at all proved it mortal : unless
you mean only that it hath a posse mori vel annihilari ; which
mav be said of every creature : for simple matter, which hath
no repugnant parts or principles, hath not only a posse non mori,
but an aptitude in its nature, ad non moriendum. Remember
your friends that make the world, or matter, at least, to be eter-
nal. Thev thought not that materiality was a proof of either
annihilation or corruption.
Object. If it be material, it must be compounded of matter
and form, and, therefore, is corruptible.
Answ. True, if that matter and form were two several sub-
stances, and were one repugnant to the other. The soul and
body are different substances ; but the metaphysical matter and
form of the soul, being but the genus et differentia, are not two
substances, much less repugnant; and, therefore, have never the
more a tendency to corruption.
2. The soul useth matter, and dependeth no otherwise on it
than its instrument. It doth not follow that a man is a horse,
because he dependeth on his horse in the manner of his riding,
and his pace ; nor that 1 am inanimate, because in writing I de-
pend on my pen, which is inanimate. If you put spirits of
wine into water or whey, as its vehicle to temper it for a medi-
cine, it doth not follow that the spirits are mere water, because
they operate not without the water, but conjunct, and as tem-
pered by it. If the fire in your lamp do not shine or burn with-
z Against the soul's dependence upon matter, the Platonics write excel-
lently ; Plato himself, aud Plotinus, and Jamblicus, Proclus, &c. Aniina
per essentiam est mobilis ex seipsa ; sed conjuncta corpori quodammodo
evasit etiam mobilis aliuiide ; sicut enim ipsa sua praesentia dedit corpori
ultimum ex se. movendi vestigium, sic et ipsa propter corporeum contuber-
nium conditionis notatu subiit mobilis aliunde. — Proclus de Anim. et Dtmon.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 461
out the oil, but in manner and duration dependeth on it, it
doth not follow that fire is annihilated when the candle is
out, or that it was but oil before ; no, nor that it ceaseth to be
fire afterwards, as Gassendus must needs confess, who holdeth
that the elements are not turned into one another. (S. 1. 1. Hi.
c. 2.) Fire ceaseth not to be fire, when it goeth out of our
observation.
The noblest natures use and rule the inferior; God himself
moveth and useth things material, and yet is not, therefore,
material himself. Yea, if motus be in patient e et incipitur ad mo-
dum recipientis, you may conjecture how farGod's own operations
upon the creatures mav be called dependent as to the effect, as
being ad captum et modum creatures. And the sun doth move
and quicken all passive matter here below, ad modum recipientis,
with great variety through the variety of the matter ; and yet it
followeth not that the sun is itself such passive matter.
3. The soul hath operations which are not upon matter at
all, though matter may possibly be an antecedent occasion, or
pre-requisite. Such is the apprehension of its own intellection
and volitions, and all that it thence gathereth of God, and other
intellectual natures and operations, of which I must say more
anon.
Object. V. No immaterial substance moveth that which is ma-
terial, as a principle of its operations ; but the soul moveth the
body as the principle of its operations : ergo :
Answ. 1. I have already said, that if you proved the soul
material, it would not prove it mortal.
2. As the body hath various operations, so it is moved by
various principles or powers. As to locomotion, and perhaps
vegetation, the materia subtilis, or finest atoms, as you will call
it, or the fiery matter in the spirits, as I would call it, is an
active being, which hath a natural power to move itself and the
rest. But whether that motion do suffice to sensation, is unde-
cided. But, certainly, there is another inward principle of
motion, which guideth much of the locomotive, and overruleth
some of the natural motion by a peculiar action of its own,
which is called intellection and volition, as I have proved before.
When 1 go to the church, when 1 write, or talk, the spirits are
the nearest sufficient principle of the motion as motion ; but,
as it is done in this manner, to this end, at this time, with these
reasons, it is from the intellectual principle.
3. And thus I deny the major proposition, and I prove the
462 THE REASONS OF
contrary. 1. God is the first Principle of all motion in the
world, and the first Cause of material motion, and yet is not
material. 2. What the lower and haser nature can do, that
the higher and nobler hath power to do (supposltis suppomndis) :
therefore, if a body can move a body, a soul can do it much
more.
But, saith Gassendus, " Causis secundis primum agendi prin-
cipium est atoinorum varia mohilitas ingenita, non incorporea
aliqua substantia." Answ. Angels are causa secunda ; souls
are causa secunda ; animated bodies of men are causa secundae ;
prove it now of any of these in your exclusion, if you can.
But he saith, " Capere non licet quomodo si incorporeum sit,
ita applicari corpori valeat, ut ill i impulsum imprimat; quando
neque ipsum contingere, carens ipsa tactu seu mole qua tangat,
non potest. Physicse actiones corporeas cum sint, nisi a prin-
cipio physico corporeoque elici non possint. Quod anima autem
humana incorporea cum sit, et in ipsum tamen corpus suum
agat, motumque ipsi imprimat, dicimus animam humanam qua
est intellectus seu mens, atque adeo incorporea, non elicere
actiones nisi inteliectuales, seu mentales et incorporeas. Et
quum est sentiens, vegetans, preeditaque vi corporum motrice
atque adeo corporea est, elicere actiones corporeas," &c. And
of angels and devils he saith, " That it is known by faith only
that they are incorporeal, and perhaps God gave them extra-
ordinary bodies, when he would have them move or act on
bodies."
To this I answer, 1 . Who gave those atoms their ingenite
mobility, and how ? You say that " Captum omnem fugit ut
quippiam aliud moveat, si in seipso immotum maneat." If so,
then it seemeth that either God was moved when he moved
atoms, or that he never moved them. How, then, came they
to be moved first ? But you confess that God put into them
their mobility. You say, ' De Deo alia ratio est, quoniam in-
finitse virtutis cum sit, et ubique prssens, non ullo sui motu, sed
nutu solo agere et movere quidlibet potest." If you think not
as you speak, it is unworthy of a philosopher ; if you do, then
it is strange that you should overthrow your own reasoning, and
excuse it no better than thus. If the reason why incorporeal
spirits cannot move bodies be that which you allege, because
only a body can be applied to a body to make impression on it,
then God can less move a body than man's soul can ; because
his purest essence is more distant from corporeal grossness than
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 463
our souls are, at least the reason would be the same. And to
say that God is everywhere, and of infinite virtues, maketh him
nevertheless a spirit : and created spirits (if that be enough)
may have power or virtue enough for such an effect. Doubtless,
if God move bodies, the spirituality of an agent hindereth not
the motion.
2. But why should it, cuptum omnem superare, that a nobler
and more potent nature can do that which a more ignoble can
do ? Because I cannot know how a spirit by contact can apply
itself to matter, shall I dream that therefore it is incapable of
moving bodies ? Clean contrary, I see that matter of itself is
an inactive thing, and were it not that the noble, active element
of fire, which, as a lower soul to the passive matter, and a thing
almost middle between a spirit and a body, did move things
here below, I could discern no motion in the world but that
which spirits cause, except only that of the parts to the whole,
the aggregative motion which tendeth to rest. The difference
of understandings is very strange : it is much easier to me to
apprehend that almost all motion should come from the purest,
powerful, active, vital natures, than that they should be all
unable to stir a straw, or move the air, or any body.
Object. VI. The soul is, in our sleep, either inactive, as when
we do not so much as dream, or acteth irregularly and irra-
tionally, according to the fortuitous motion of the spirits.
Ergo : it is no incorporeal, immortal substance. n
Answ. 1 . I suppose the soul is never totally inactive. I never
awaked since I had the use of memory, but I found myself
coming out of a dream ; and I suppose they that think they
dream not, think so because they forget their dreams.
2. Many a time my reason hath acted for a time as regu-
larly, and much more forcibly than it doth when I am awake :
which showeth what it can do, though it be not ordinary.
3. This reason is no better than that before answered ; where
I told you, that it argueth not that I am a horse, or no wiser
than my horse, because I ride but according to his pace, when
he halteth, or is tired. Nor doth it prove that when I alight,
I cannot go on foot. He is hard of understanding that be-
lieveth that all the glorious parts of the world above us have
no nobler, intellectual natures than man. Suppose there be
angels ; and suppose one of them should be united to a body, as
a See in Aristasus' Histor. de 70. p. 879, the King's Quest. 19, about dreams;
with the answer, how far dreams are in our power.
464 THE REASONS OF
our souls are, we cannot imagine but he would actuate it, and
operate in it according to its nature ; as I write amiss when my
pen is bad. The same I say of persons lethargic, apoplectic,
delirant, &c.
Object. VII. Reason is no proof of the soul's immateriality, be-
cause sense is a clearer and more excellent way of apprehension
than reason is ; and the brutes have sense.
Answ. 1. I have said enough to the case of brutes before.
2. The soul understandeth bodily things, by the inlet of the
bodily senses : things incorporeal (as I shall show more anon) it
otherwise understandeth. When it understandeth by the help
of sense, it is not the sense that understandeth any thing. If
brutes themselves had not an imagination which is an image of
reason, their sense would be of little use to them. We see,
when, bv business or other thoughts, the mind is diverted and
alienated, how little sense itself doth for us ; when we can hear
as if we never heard, and see, and not observe what we see, yet
it is true that the more sense helpeth us in the apprehending of
things sensible, which are their objects, the better and more
surely we perceive them by the understanding. As the second
and third concoction will not be well made, if there be a failing
in the first; so the second and third perception, in the fantasy
and intellect, will be ill made, if the first deceive or fail them.
But this proveth not either that the first concoction, or percep-
tion, is more noble than the third ; or that sensitives without
reason have any true understanding at all ; or that sense, fan-
tasy, and reason, are not better than sense alone. But these
things need not much disputing. If sense be nobler than rea-
son, let the horse ride the man, and let the woman give her
milk to the cow, and let brutes labour men, and feed upon them,
and let beasts be your tutors, and kings, and judges, commit to
them the noblest works, and give them the pre-eminence, if you
think they have the noblest faculties.
Object. VIII. Sensation and intellection are both but recep-
tion ; the passiveness, therefore, of the soul doth show its mate-
riality. 5
Answ. A short answer may satisfy to this objection.
1. All created powers are partly passive, how active soever
they be. For being, in esse et operari, dependent on, and sub-
ordinate to, the first Cause, they must needs receive his influ-
b Read Priscian's 'Thophrast. de Anim.' with Facinus's Notes, which
show how far the sense is active.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 465
ence, as well as exercise their own powers. As the second
wheel in the clock must receive the moving force of the first,
before it can move the third.
2. It is an enormous error about the operations of the soul,
to think that intellection, yea, or sensation either, is mere recep-
tion, and that the sensitive and intellective power are but pas-
sive. The active soul of man, yea, of brutes, receiveth not its
object as the mark or butt receiveth the arrow that is shot at it.
It receiveth it by a similitude of nature, and by an active
attendance, and embracement, yea, by an active appetite, sicut
foemina mareni, vel potius sicut esuriens cibum : yea, it moveth
towards its object, and meeteth it. It actively welcometh it,
and improveth it : as I said even now, a scholar that in his
studies so far diverteth his thoughts, that he knoweth not
that the clock hath struck at his ears, and knoweth not what
those say that talk by him, doth show that some active attend-
ance is necessary to almost all perception. He that feeleth not
that his understanding doth agere as well as pati, when he is
studying, reading, or writing, is a stranger to himself. How
often have I read over many lines when I have thought of
something else, and not known one word that I have read ? Is
inventing, compounding, dividing, defining, &c, no action ? I
never felt cause, from any experience of my own, to believe that
I was a mere patient in any thought that was ever in my mind.
Nay, the Epicurean that supposeth thoughts to be but a dance
of atoms, called spirits, doth think that those atoms or spirits
are notably active. Cartesius's materia subtilis is eminent in
activity. Do you think that every dead object which I think on,
with my eyes shut, in the night, is so much more alive than I ;
and so much more active than my mind, that it must be ac-
counted the sole agent, and my mind the patient. They know
little of a mind that talk in this strain.
I know Cartesius telleth us, that the eye hath no fire or
light in it, except, perhaps, the eye of a cat or owl. But if the
c Sensus principium mediaque et finem sensiendae rei individual compre-
hendit,et actio est,judiciumque perfectum,et inprasenti momentosimul totu9
existit, etsi non absque passione aliqua instrument! sensus efficitur non tamen
est haec passio sensus ; quo fit ut patiamur et vigilantes et dormientes nee
tamen perseutiamus. — Theophrast. de Anim. ut supr. Lege Mars. Fici-
num ' De Volupt. (c. 1 — 3.)' &c. Platonis dogma defendentem, scil. — Volup-
tatem esse Actum vel Motion. Priscian in Theophrast. ' De Anim.
(c. 3.)' saith, Auima quidem cum sit forma vivens et sensualis, agit circa ilia
quse sibi offeruntur, Vitaliter atque sensualiter : et quia est iu corpora, usque
ad cerium spatium operator.
VOL. XXI. H H
466 THE REASONS OF
study of matter and motion had left him any room for the con-
sideration of other things which he passed over, he would, by a
little search, have found that the' eye doth close with its pri-
mary' object, light, bv mere connaturalitv, because it partici-
pated of light itself, in its own constitution. It is fire in the eye,
even in the visive spirits, which meeteth the fire or light with-
out, and by union causeth that which we call sight. And seeing
that experience forced him to confess it of cats and owls, how
could he think that all other eyes or sights were quite of
another kind ? Some men have been able to see in the dark,
and had sparkling eyes, almost like cats. The degree here
differenceth not the species. If this materia subtilis, or
globuli atheri, be fire, he might have allowed some of that to the
visive spirits in man, as well as in owls. Saith Ficinus, in ' The-
ophrast. de Anim. (c. 14.)' " Primum luminosum est coeleste :
secundum est igneum : tertium inter composita quod quasi
fulget ut ignis. Primum luminale est oculus prsecipue radiosus,
in animalibus, quae nocte vident; sed alii quoque oculi quamvis
minus, sunt tamen luminales."
Nemesius, d ' 1. pro Immort. Anim. in Bibl. Pat.' (p. 505,)
approveth Plato's judgment : " Plato inquit per confusionem
splendorum res aspici existimat, ut id lumen quod ex oculis
proficiscitur aliquo usque in aerem,qui ejusdem est secum genus
effiuat. Quod vero a corporibus manat contraferatur, et quod
in aere est, qui interponitur, facileque, diffunditur et vertitur,
simul cum oculorum igne extendatur. Et Galenus (inquit) de
visione cum Platone consentit in 70 de consens." And he saith
himself, " That the sun sendeth its light by the air, and the
light in the eye streameth also into it ; which is to seeing, as
the nerves are to the brain for feeling. Porphyry saith, " That
sight is the soul itself discerning itself in all things." But if
there were any doubt in the point of sight, which is performed
both by active spirits, and an active object light, yet, methinks,
that when I feel a stone, much more when I meditate on a
mountain, all should confess that my sense and intellection is
like to have more action than that stone and mountain. And if
you say only, that spirits first moved move others, and so touch
the intellectual organs, or spirits, I have partly answered that
before, and shall answer it more anon. We have great reason
to ascribe the most of action to that part which is most subtle,
vigorous, and active.
d See Alcinous 'De doctr. Plat. (cap. xviii.)' to the same purpose.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 467
Object. 9. There is nothing in the intellect which was not
first in the sense, from which it receiveth all its knowledge by
the ideas of the fantasy ; therefore, the soul can reach no higher
than to corporeal, sensible things ; therefore, it is but such
itself.
Answ. The antecedent is false, and both the consequents.
Had he limited his assertions to corporeal objects, I should
easily acknowledge to Gassendus, that " Omnis quae in mente
habetur idea ortum ducit a sensibus. Et omnis idea aut per
sensum transit, aut ex iis quae transeunt per sensum formatur.
Et quae idea propriis acquiritur sensibus perfectior est ea quae
ex facta ab alio descriptione formatur. Qualis idea rei, talis
definitio." But that these things will not hold true as he
delivereth them, universally, I think I shall make plain, and
confute this objection, to the satisfaction of any one thatknoweth
himself.
Ortum ducere a sensu is an ambiguous phrase : the sense
may be the occasion, sine qua non, of that whereof it never had
the least participation in itself. I desire you but to distinguish
between the intellect's object and its act, and those objects
which it knovveth by the mediation of other extrinsic objects,
and those which it knoweth by the mediation of its own act.
These differences are past all doubt. When the eye seeth these
lines and this paper, the light, and lines, and paper, are each
one thing, and the sight of them is another. I see the light,
and thereby the paper, but I see not my sight ; my sight is not
the object of my sight ; it may be said, that the object is in my
sight, but not that my sight is in my sight; yet, by seeing, I
perceive not only what I see, but that I see ; and I perceive
much more plainly that I see, than what I see. I may doubt of
a thousand objects which I see, what matter, shape, or colour,
they are of; but I doubt not at all of the act of seeing; that
right or wrong some sight I have, or that I see the light ; so is
it with the intellect. This book is one thing, and the under-
standing of it is another thing. The book is the object of my un-
derstanding ; but, at least, in primo instanti, my understanding
is not the object of my understanding ; but by understanding,
I have an immediate perception that I understand. And, as
Cartesius truly saith, the act of intellection is more perceived
than the object : I am more certain that I think and understand,
than I am of the nature of that which I think of and understand.
If any say, that the act of intellection is the object of another
H H 2
468 THE REASONS OF
intellection, because intelligo me intellir/ere, and so that intel-
lectio non est tantum actus intellectus, seel etiam est in intellectu,
and that the intellect doth understand its own act, intuitive, as
some speak, or by reflection, as others, though doubtless the
first perception that I understand is not bv reflection, but by
that same act of understanding something else, as sight doth
not reflect upon itself to get a perception that I see. I will
enter no controversy about any of these notions of the manner
of our understanding our own act of intellection, which doth
not concern the present business. But it is most certain that
actus intelligendi nunquam fuit in sensu : when the object of
intellection did pass through the sense, the act of intellection
did not ; nor the intellection or perception of that act of intel-
lection did not : nor the intellection of the common nature of
an intelligence, which from hence I gather ; nor the intellection
of particular intelligences, as angels ; nor my intellection of
any man's intellect or intellectual act, whose nature I gather
from mine own ; nor the conception I have of a Deitv, as the
most perfect intellect; nor the perception which I have of my
own volition of rav own felicitv, or of the means thereto as
such, nor of the pleasing of God, nor of another man's good ;
nor my perception of the nature of the will hence gathered ;
nor my conception of the volitive power in other persons ; nor
my conceptions of the volitions of God, of angels, &c; nor my
conception of intellectual or moral habits, nor of the will's
natural inclinations : none of all these were ever in the sense,
nor passed through the sense ; some of them (which Gassendus
'De Ideis' doth overlook) are, without any idea at all, properly so
called, as the first perception of the act of my own under-
standing and will, by understanding and willing other things,
as we perceive that we see non videndo ipsum visum, sed alia
videndo ; and that idea which we have of all the rest is fetched
from this perception of our own acts, and not from any thing
which ever was in the sense ; the soul, by knowing itself, doth
gather the knowledge of all higher intellectual beings, which is
its most considerable, worthy knowledge. I hope I have given
you instances enough, and plain enough ; and you see now
what truth there is of nihil est in intellectu quod non fuit prius
in sensu.
D'Orbellis distinguisheth knowledge, largely, taken into sen-
sitive et intellective; and both of them into abstractive et
intuitive. Knowledge intuitive is of an object as itself present,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 4G9
when a thing in its present existence is the moving ohject of
knowledge. Knowledge abstractive is when the species of the
thing doth move us to know the thing itself; and that whether
the thing itself he present or absent, and have existence or not.
The example of intuitive sensitive knowledge or perception,
which he giveth, is the eve-seeing colours. The instance of
abstractive sensitive knowledge is, as the fantasy doth imagine
colours : the instance of intuitive, intellective knowledge is, the
saints seeing the glory of God in heaven ; and he might have
instanced in many other things. The instance of abstractive,
intellective knowledge, is the understanding's knowledge of the
quiddity of colours by means of the species : to which may be
added, that abstractive knowledge is either per speciem propriam
or per speciem alienam : in this life the soul knoweth its own
acts, either intuitively, or by an act, if possible, yet nearer to its
essential power, that hath no usual, distinguishing name. It
knoweth its own powers, inclinations, and habits, neither by a
knowledge, in proper and strict sense, intuitive or abstractive;
for it is not by a proper species, but it is its natural, innate
power of discerning this principle, that quicquid agit potest
agere quod agit ; by arguing ab acta, ad potentiam et naturam.
But in the large sense, as Cartesius useth the word, this may be
called an idea. The mind knoweth God, and angels, and other
men's souls, in this large sense, also, by an idea, but not per
speciem propriam, sed alienam, that is, not by a species of God
and angels, but by an idea borrowed from our own intellections
and volitions, iiut this is not an idea that ever passed through
the senses ; and Gassendus might have thought on it, whether it
be not an idea in the intellect, if not without the fantasy, at
least over and above the idea in the imagination, when he
denieth that there are any such intellective ideas.
2. But what, if there had been nothing in the intellect but
what passed through the sense ? It would no more thence
follow, that the intellect is no more noble, spiritual, or immortal
than the sense, than it will follow that the king is no better
than his porter, because none cometh to him till he let them in,
or that the animal spirits are no more noble than the teeth, or
than the natural heat ; or the third concoction is no more
excellent than the first, because nothing cometh to the third
concoction but what was masticated, swallowed, and passed
the first and second concoction : of which before.
3. And even, by the help of things sensible., Epicurus can
470 THE REASONS OF
reach the knowledge of insensible atoms ; and Cartesius, of his
subtle matter, and globuli ccelestes; why, then, by things sensible,
may we not reach the knowledge of spiritual substances and
powers ?
Yet, after all this, I am much of their mind who think that it
is not actual knowledge that is born with us ; nor is there any
true idea or picture of any thing innate in our understandings ;
and I think that \f,])er possibile vel i?npossibile, you suppose a
man born without any one sense, that he would have had no
actual knowledge at all, though that is uncertain. Because, as
if I had not seen any thing objective, I should not have perceived
that I could see ; so if I had never known any other object, I
could not have known what it is to know : and other objects
have no way, that I know of, to the intellect, but through the
sense (though what the active spirits would have done upon the
fantasy, I cannot possibly understand). But all this only con-
cludeth, that the senses' reception is the way to the intellection
of things sensible ; and that it was a necessary occasion, sine
qua non, to the perception of our own intellectual act, because
thus necessary to the act itself: but not that any idea of our
own intellection, or any of all the things fore-instanced, was
received through the senses.
Object. X. That which things corporeal work upon, is corpo-
real : for it cannot be conceived how bodies can work upon that
which hath no body. But things corporeal work upon the
soul : ergo, it is itself corporeal.
Answ. 1. I largely before showed, that our uncertainty of
the just consistence of metaphysical matter, or incorporeal
substance, doth make all such arguings to sound like dreams.
2. I have showed that spiritual powers receive not impres-
sions as dull matter doth, by a mere passive power, but by an
activity and outgoing; it worketh indeed upon that which it
receiveth, much more than any such matter can be said to work
upon it : nay, matter doth not properly work upon it at all, but
only affordeth it matter to work upon, and occasion to exercise
its active power. As the stone, or tree, doth not work upon the
sight, but the sight by the help of light doth work upon it. As
the eye can see a dunghill, and yet be of a nobler kind ; and
God and angels can know beasts and worms, and yet be incor-
poreal. So man can know things inanimate, and yet be ani-
mate ; and things insensible, and yet be sensible ; and things
irrational, and yet be rational j and things corporeal, and yet be
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 471
incorporeal. And this by the activity and extent of its power,
and not bv any passive, debasing defectiveness at all.
Object. XI. That is not incorporeal which neither knoweth
itself to be incorporeal, nor hath any notion but negative of an
incorporeal being : but such is man's soul. e
Answ. 1. If the soul know not itself to be an immortal spirit,
what maketh almost all the world to judge so of themselves ?
Insomuch, that those men that under pretence of philosophy
deny it, are fain to study very hard, and take many years' pains
to blot out this light of nature from their minds, because they
cannot be ignorant of it at easy rates. The understanding will
not lose its natural light, nor suffer such verities to be oblite-
rated, but by a great deal of industry, and by the engines of
abundance of false notions, which are sought after to that use.
As Cicero saith of the Epicureans, they learn those things ; " quae
cum praeclare didicerunt nihil sciant." (Tiso. de Fin. 5. p. 204.)
They learn diligently to unlearn the truth, that when they have
learned much, they may know little.
2. Hath man no notion but negative of an incorporeal being ?
I showed you before why the notion of materiality should not
be here used for a cheat or blind. But look back on what I said,
even now, and you will see that, as Cartes truly saith, "We have
not only positive conceptions of a mind, but the first, the clearest,
and the surest conceptions of it, in the measure that is fit for
our present state."
Quest. 1 . Have you not a positive conception of intellection
and volition ? If not, you are unfit for any controversies about
them, and cannot own your own humanity.
Quest. 2. Have you not a clearer perception that you think,
and know, or reason, either right or wrong, than you have what
that thing is that you think or reason about?
Quest. 3. Have you not a sure and positive conception that
omnis actus est alicujus actus, et quod nihil, nihil agit, and
therefore that you are an intelligent, volitive being ?
Quest. 4. Have you not a positive, sure conception, that
quicquid agit agere potest, and that nothing doth that which it
cannot do ; and therefore that your souls are beings potentiated
for intellection, volition, and execution ?
Quest. 5. Have you not a positive, sure conception that you
have a natural inclination to these acts, and a pleasure in them,
e Vid. Paul. Cortesium, in Sent. 1, Dis. 1, p. 7, et Dis. 2, p. 8. That spi-
ritual things are better known than corporeal, and of the knowledge of God.
472 THE REASONS OF
and that they are natural and perfective to you, and, conse-
quent^ that your souls are beings that have not only a power,
but a vis et inclinatio naturalis, or a power that is natural,
and active, and inclined to these particular things/
Quest. 6. Have you not a positive, sure conception that the
end and highest object of these acts and inclinations, are things
above sense, viz., yourselves or minds in the first place, and
then the things above you, the first Being, Cause, and Mover of
all ; the infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, who is your
Maker and your End ? If you find no such thing, the Lord
have mercy on you; for every honest man may find it.
Quest. 7 '• Have you not a positive, sure conception that such
as the operations are, which flow from the essential powers or
faculties, such in nobility, and excellency, and nature, is the
substance thus potentiated and acting ?
All these are clear, undeniable, positive conceptions of the
soul, which, set together, are thus much : that the mind or soul of
man is a noble essence, above the reach and nature of sense,
naturally potentiated and inclined, as an active being, to intel-
lection, volition, and seeking after things celestial and everlast-
ing, especially God himself, his ultimate End. All this is
positive, clear, and sure ; and you would think this enough, 1.
If you would consider what Lud. Vives saith : that God hath
given man a soul to use, rather than accurately to know ; or to
know so far as is necessary to use. As your child may have the
use of his knife, or clock, or watch, or clothes, without knowing
what metal they are made of, or how to compose and make the
like, as long as he can but do that with them which is necessary
to their use. Often, saith Seneca, " Necessaria ignoramus, quia
superflua didicimus." 2. If your minds were not by sense de-
luded and captivated to such fixed ideas of things corporeal and
gross, as to overlook all other beings, and measure all substance
by such gross ideas. 3. If you well considered that you know
in any respect little more of things corporeal, and in some re-
spect much less. Let us see wherein it is that you know more ;
either as to the sensible or insensible parts of such beings. As
for the substances, as such, you confess they are but per acci-
dens, the objects of sense, and that, as stripped of their accidents,
vou have no positive, true conception of them ; and as for the
accidents, you are no whit agreed either what they are, or how
f Porphyr. <]e occas. inq. Anima est essentia inextensa, immaterialis, im-
mortalis, in vita habente a seipsa vivere atque esse siuipliciter possideute.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 473
many. Of all things, you are most unanimous in that of
quantity, moles, or extension ; but what a poor kind of know-
ledge is it, to know that this or that is quantum, and not to
know what it is that is quantum. What light, colour, sapor,
odor are, and what all the senses that perceive them, you
are as much disagreed as if this age had been the first that had
debated it. The same I may say both of qualities in general,
and of all other in particular, except figure, which properly be-
longeth not to that predicament. Of all the rest there is the
like disagreement ; even time and place, which, truly, are no-
thing but entia rationis, are disposed by you in the first place,
and are two of Gassendus's four predicaments. About the num-
ber either of principles or elements, there is no agreement ; no,
nor what any one of the elements are : who hath told us what
is the form of earth, or water, or air ; or described them other-
wise than by their qualities ? And then differ you as much
about those qualities ! Who hath told us any thing about the
naked matter or form of fire, such as the sun and luminaries arc,
any otherwise than by its acts and powers, or virtues of motion,
light, and heat, as we describe to you the soul of man ? And if
vou go to the invisible part of matter, it would make a man
rather sick than wise, to read men provincias dare atomis, as
Cicero speaketh ; and to think with what bold, unreasonable
fiction they number them, as shaped and figured ; and figure
and shape them to the uses which they have feigned for them ;
and then use them and conduct them, and vary their motions,
as confidently and seriously as if they had given us any proof of
this, and indeed expected to be believed : nay, we must know
how the corners of atoms (pardon the contradiction) came to
be filed or worn off by motion, and so reduced to greater sub-
tlety. And Gassendus, after all the fabric which he buildeth
upon atoms, saith, " That atoms have not of themselves a
moving force, but from God's first motion." (S. 1 . e. viii. p. 2S0.)
" Non quod Deo necesse fuerit creare seorsim atomos, quas de-
inceps in partes grandiores, grandioresque ex his, mundus consta-
ret, compingerit ; seel quod creans materiae massam, in corpuscula
exolubilem, atque adeo ex corpusculis tanquam minimis extre-
misque particulis compositam, concreasse ill i ipsa corpuscula
consentur." (Ibid,) So that they know not indeed whether God
created matter first in atoms disjunct, or in more large and bulky
parts ; and so whether motion did divide grosser and greater
parts into atoms, or whether it coagulated atoms into greater
474 THE REASONS OF
bodies. But the sum is, that they only affirm, that whatever
bodies God made, they are divisible into atoms ; that is, into parts
by man indivisible. A great mystery surely, that the whole is di-
visible into smaller parts ! And what the nearer is any man by this,
for the discerning of any of their wild hypotheses ? In a word,
God hath given man knowledge for his benefit and use, to the
ends of his being and life ; and so far as we have use for it, we
may know all things about us ; but to humour our wanton fancies
he is not obliged. And because we have more use for the facul-
ties of our souls than for fire and water, or any outward thing,
he hath given ns the first and surest knowledge of them ; what-
soever self-contradicting somatists say to depress this knowledge,
and advance that knowledge of bodies which their own disagree-
ments do confute. Sure I am, if that be a probable opinion which
hath divers learned men for it, almost all things are probable in
philosophy; and if that be improbable which hath multitudes of
learned men against it, almost all things are improbable.
Object. XII. That which is generated is corruptible ; but the
soul is generated : ergo, &c.
Answ. 1. If, by corruptible, you mean that which hath a posse
]jerire, or a certainty of perishing, if God uphold it not, I grant
it of the whole creation ; but if you mean that which in its nature
is so fitted to dissolution, perishing, or decay, as that God seem-
eth to intend it to such an end, or must miraculously preserve it,
or else it will perish, or that which eventually will perish, then
we must not so easily dismiss vou.
2. The word ' generated ' is of so great ambiguitv, and genera-
tion itself a thing so little understood by mortals, that this reason
doth but carry the controversy into the dark, and argue ub ob-
scuriore et minus nolo ; which is the way of a wrangler, and not
of one that would reveal the truth. Either generation is the
production of some new substance, not existent before, so much
as in its matter ; or it is only the composition of pre-existent
substances. If it be the latter, then you may prove the possi-
bility and probability of the dissolution of the frame, and separa-
tion of those several substances. But vou will confess vour-
selves, that each part retaineth its proper nature still ; and that
if one were a more noble and active element than the rest, it is
not annihilated, but remaineth so still without debasement.
Therefore, if their opinion were true, who hold the pre-existence
of that purest part of man, which we call his soul, either in a
common element, or individuate, no reason can think that the
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 475
dissolution doth any more than separate the parts of man, and
return that soul to its pre-existent state ; where, still, it will he
as nohle a creature as it was here.
But if generation do produce a substance de novo, which did
no way pre-exist, then it is either a corporeal substance, or a
spiritual or incorporeal : whichsoever it be, can you give a reason
why this should perish at the dissolution, any more than if it
had pre-existed ? If the nature of it be the same, why should
not the duration be the same ? One of the two you will confess
it, either a corporeal substance or an incorporeal, if it be at all
a substance ; and you confess that no substance is annihilated,
or perisheth, otherwise than by dissolution of parts. If the
reason of your major be because the thing generated hath a be-
ginning, and did oriri de novo, so did all matter and substances
that be created ; or, if you suppose them all from eternitv, yet
do but suppose them to be created, and have had a beginning,
and yet to be the same as if they had been eternal, and vou will
see that there will be the same reason to prove their continu-
ance, as long as their nature and their dependence on God are
both the same.
But, it may be, you will form your objection better, and say,
that generation produceth no new substance, but only a compo-
sition, order, and temperament of pre-existent substances ; but
souls are generated : ergo, they are no substances, but the order
and temperament of pre-existent substances.
Answ. I never saw any thing like a cogent proof of the major;
and most Christians think you can never prove the minor.
A substance may be called new, either because it is made of
nothing, as in creation, or because it ariseth to its natural state
of perfection ex semine vel natura fcecunda, where it was only
virtually and seminally before.
Before you can prove your major, even in the first sense, vou
must be better accpiainted with the nature of God, and of spirits,
and of generation, than you are 5 I cannot imagine what show
of proof you can bring to prove that, universally, no generation
causeth a substance totally new, unless you will go to Scripture,
(which you believe not,) and plead from Gen. i. that "God
then ended all his works, and, therefore, cloth create no more."
But, 1. He may cause them totally de novo, without such a
creation as is there spoken of; for he may, by an established
law of nature, adjoin his producing influx to the act of the crea-
ture, ordinarily, and so difference it from that proper creation.
476 THE REASONS OF
2. No man can prove that God hath there said one word to
assure us, that he will never create any thing hereafter. Can-
not a workman look on his house, and see that it is well done,
and say, 'I have finished it,' without obliging him never to build
another, nor to make any reparations of that as there is cause ?
May not God create a new heaven and earth ? May he not
create a new star, or a new plant, or animal, if he please, with-
out the breaking of any word that he hath spoken ? For my
part, I never saw a word which I could discern to have any such
signification or importance. The argument from Gen. i. is no
better than theirs, who, from Christ's consummatum est, do
gather, that his death and burial which followed that word, were
no part of his satisfactory, meritorious humiliation.
On the contrary, there have been both philosophers and
divines, who have thought, that God doth, in omni instanti, pro-
perly create all things which he is said to conserve : of whom
the one part do mean only, that the being of the creatures is as
dependent on his continual causation, as the life of the branches
is on the tree , but that the same substance is continued, and
not another daily made. But there are others who think that
all creatures are in fluxu continue), not per locomotum, but ab
entitaie ad nihilum, and that they are all but a continual ema-
nation from God, which, as it passeth from him, tendeth to no-
thing, and new emanations do still make such a supplv, as that
the things may be called the same ; as a river, whose waters
pass in the same channel ; as they think the beams or light of
the sun do in omni instanti oriri et festinare ad nihilum : the
stream being still supplied with new emanations. Were it not
for the overthrow of individuation, personality, rewards and
punishments, that hence seemeth to follow, this opinion would
seem more plausible than theirs, who groundlessly prohibit God
from causing any more new beings.
But though, no doubt, there is unto all beings a continual
emanation or influx from God, which is a continued causation,
it may be either conservative of the being first caused, or else
restorative of a being continually in decay, as he please: for
both ways are possible to him, as implying no contradiction ;
though both cannot be about one and the same being, in the
same respect, and at the same time. And our sense and reason
tell us, that the conservative influx is his usual way.
2. But it is commonly, and not without reason, supposed,
that generation produceth things de novo in another sense ; not
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 477
absolutely, .is creation doth, but secundum quid, by exalting the
seminal virtue into act, and into perfection. New individuals
are not made of new matter now created ; but the corporeal
part is only pre-existent matter, ordered, compounded, and con-
tempered ; and the incorporeal part is, both quoad materiam suam
metcqihysicam, et formam vel naturam specificam, the exaltation
and exurgency of that into full and perfect existence, which did
before exist in semine virtuoso.
Wlien God had newly created the first man and woman, he
created in them a propagating virtue and fecundity : this was,
as it were, semen seminis : by this they do first generare semen
separabHe, which suppositis svpponendis, hath a fecundity fit to
produce a new supposition vel personam ; and may be called a
person seminally or virtually, but not actually, formally, and
properly; and so this person hath power to produce another,
and that other in the same way. And note, that the same
creating word, which said, "Let there be light;" and, "Let
us make man;'' did say also to man, as well as to other
creatures, " Increase and multiply :" not, ' Create new souls or
bodies,' but by generation, " Increase and multiply," which is
the bringing of many persons out of two, and so on, as out of a
seminal pre-existence, or virtual, into actual, formal existence.
He knoweth not the mysteriousness of this wonderful work of
God, nor the ignorance of mankind, who knoweth not that all
generation of man, brutes, or plants, hath much that is to us
unsearchable. And they that think it a dishonour to a philoso-
pher, not to undertake or pretend to render the just causes of
this and all other the phenomena in nature, do but say, ' I will
hide the dishonour of my ignorance by denying it ;' that is, by
telling men that I am ignorant of my ignorance, and by aggra-
vating it by this increase, and the addition of pride, presump-
tion, and falsity.
This much is certain, 1. That whatsoever distinct parts do
constitute individuals, which are themselves of several natures,
so many several natures in the world we may confidently assert,
though we understand not whether they all exist separately, or
are found only in conjunction with others.
2. We certainly find in the world/ 1. An intelligent nature.
b The Platonists' method of progression is thus summed up in Plotinus
Ennead.4. I. 3. p. 384., and out of him by Fk-inus : sicut aeris Summum
prim urn omnium ig-nitur, ab infimo ignis, sic ccelum summum corpus primo
animator ab aiiinia qute est ultimum diviuorutn : ipsum Lonum est quasi
478 THE REASONS OF
2. A sensitive nature. 3. A fiery, active, vegetative nature. 4.
A passive matter, which receiveth the influx of active natures,
which is distributed into air, and water, and earth.
3. The most active nature is most communicative of itself, in
the way of its proper operations.
4. We certainly perceive that the sun and fiery nature are
active upon the air, water, and earth, which are the passive ele-
ments. And by this activity, in a threefold influx, motion, light,
and heat, do cause the sensible alterations which are made
below ; and so that it is a kind of life, or general form, or soul
to the passive matter.
5. We also find that motion, light, and heat, as such, are all
different totd specie from sensation ; and therefore, as such, are
not the adequate causes of it. And also that there is a sensi-
tive nature in every animal, besides the vegetative.
6. Whether the vegetative nature be any other than the fiery
or solar, is to man uncertain. But it is most probable that it is
the same nature, though it alvvavs work not to actual vegetation,
for want of prepared matter. But that the sun and fiery nature
is, eminenter, vegetative ; and, therefore, that vegetation is
not above the nature of fire, or the sun, and so may be an effect
of it.
7. In the production of vegetatives by generation, it is evident
that, as the fiery active nature is the nearest cause efficient, and
the passive is the matter and recipient, so that this igneous
nature generateth as in three distinguished subjects, three several
ways. 1. As in parentibus et semine, into which God, ab ori-
yine i in the creation, hath put not only a spark of the active,
virtuous, fiery nature in general, but also a certain special
nature, differencing one creature from another. 2. The sun
and superior globes of the fiery nature, which cast a paternal,
though but universal influx, upon the foresaid semen. 3. The
color naturalis telluris, which may be called, as Dr. Gilbert and
others do, its soul or form ; which is to the seed as the aniina
matris is to the infant. And all these three, the fiery nature of
the semen, of the sun, and of the color naturalis telluris, are
centrum: mens, lumen inde emicans ; et permanens : anima, lumen de
lumine se movens : corpus, per se opacum illuminatur ab anima; sed
animse in caslo, secura illuminant; sub ccelo non sine cura. Est utique
aliquid velut centrum ; penes hoc autem circulus ab ipso micans : prater haec
et alius circulus, lumen de lumine : ultra haec insuper non amplius luminis
circulus, sed jam luminis indigus alieni, propria lucis inopia. — Inqui. Plot,
ibid.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 479
generally the same ; and, by their agreeableness, do meet in
co-operation for generation.
S. Herein all three, as conjunct, are the cause of life, as life,
the sun, the seed, and the color telluris, communicating con-
junctly what in their natures they all contain ; that is, an active
nature, having a power, by motion, light, and heat, to cause
vegetation and its conjunct effects. But the color et motus
solis, and the color telluris, are but universal causes of life as
life ; but the virtus seminalis is both a cause of life in gcnere,
and a specifying cause of this or that sort of plants in specie.
The reason why, e. g., an oak, an elm, a rose-tree, and every
plant is what it is, in specie, being to be fetched from the seed
alone, and the Creator's will.
9. Though the seed be the chief, or only specifying cause,
(why this is adiantum, and that betonica, and that calendula,
&c.,) yet the sun and earth, the universal causes, do contribute
much more to the life as life, than the seed itself.
10. This fiery, or solar, active nature is so pure, and above
the full knowledge of mortals, that we have no certainty at all,
whether, in all this generative influx, it communicate to vege-
tatives from itself a pre-existent matter, and so draw it back to
itself again by circulation ; or whether it do only by the sub-
stantial contact of its active streams, cherish, and actuate, and
perfect the substance which it findeth in semine et materia
•passivd ; or whether, per influxum virtutis, it operate only by
that which is commonly called quality, without any communi-
cation or contact of substance.
11. In all this operation of the solar or fiery nature in gene-
ration, it is, quid medium, between the passive matter and the
animal nature ; and is plainly an image of the animal nature
and its operations ; so like it, that it hath tempted many to
ascribe all animal operations only to the solar or fiery nature,
and hath caused wise men to doubt whether this nature be to be
numbered with things corporeal or incorporeal ; and to place
it between both, as participating in several respects of both.
12. If the sensitive nature be really above, or specifically dif-
ferent from the fiery, we may, in what is said, conjecture much
at the order of the generation of things sensitive, viz., by a
threefold cause co-operating, one specifying, and two universal
and cherishing. The specifying is the virtus seminalis maris et
famines conjunct, and of neither alone ; the same God which
blessed the single seed of a plant with the gift of multiplication,
4 SO THE REASONS OF
blessed only the conjunct seeds of male and female animals
with that gift : the superior, universal cause, is either some
anima universalis ejusdem naturae, or God immediately. Bvan
anima universalis, I mean not an anima totius mundi, but of
that superior vortex, or part, which this earth belongs to.
Either this is the sun, or some invisible soul. If it be the sun,
it is not by its simple, fiery nature before mentioned ; because
sensation seemeth to be somewhat, tota specie, different from
motion, light, and heat ; and then it must prove that the sun is
compound, and hath a superior form and nature, which either
formaliter, or eminent er, is sensitive ; and that by this it is that
it animateth inferior sensitives. But of this we mortals have no
certainty. It seemeth verv improbable, that a worm, or fly,
should have a nature superior to any that the sun hath ; but
probabilities are not certainties : there are things highest and
things lowest, in their several kinds. But remember, that if it
should be the sun, it is by that nature superior to fire, by which
it doth it : the maternal universal cause of the sensitive life is
the mother. Whether the spirits of a sensitive creature have
more in them than the spirits of a plant ; and do more by
nutrition than cause vegetation; whether they nourish sensitive
life as such is doubtful, but if they do so, they be but an uni-
versal, and not a specifying cause, that is, the cause of life as
life, but not of the vita bovis, equi, canis, felis, aquila, qua
talis. And, therefore, if the late-discovered trick of passing all
the blood of one animal into another, be prosecuted to the
utmost trial, possibly it may do much to the advantage of life
and sense as such ; but never to the alteration of the species,
to turn a dog into a swine, or any other sort of animal.
13. Whether the sensitive nature be most refined corporeal,
or totally incorporeal, is past the reach of man to be assured of.
14. The foresaid difficulty is greater here than in the vegeta-
tive generation, viz., Whether, in the multiplication of sensitive
souls, there be an addition of substance communicated from the
universal causes, or a greater quantity or degree of matter,
physical or metaphysical, propagated and produced into exist-
ence by generation, than there was before ? It seemeth hard
to say, that a pair of animals in Noah's ark had as much matter
or substance in their souls, as the millions since proceeding from
them ; but whether such souls have quantitative degrees ; or by
what terms of gradation the souls of millions are distinct from
one, besides the number ; or whether God, in the blessing of
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 481
multiplication, hath enabled them to increase the quantity of
matter which shall serve for so many more forms, are things
which we cannot fully understand.
15. In the like manner, we may rise up, and conceive of the
generation of mankind. We are sure that he hath an intelli-
gent nature, much nobler than the sensitive. And we know
that homo general hominem : and we know that in his genera-
tion there is an universal cause, and a specifying cause : for
though there be one species of men, yet there are more of intel-
ligences ; and that one may have an universal cause, producing
that and other effects, and an univocal, special cause. We know
that because he is generated, the specifying cause is the fecun-
dity, or propagating power of the parent, generating a separable
seed, which seed, in conjunction, as aforesaid, et suppositis sup-
ponendis, is semen hominis, and is man seminally and virtually,
but not actually : that is, hath both passive and active power,
and virtue, by reception of the influx of the universal cause, to
become a man. The universal inferior or feminine cause, is
the mother's body and soul, or the whole mother, in whom the
infant is generated and cherished. I call it universal : for it is
only the semen that specifieth : and, therefore, by a false or
brutish semen a woman may produce a monster. The universal,
paternal cause is certainly God, ut prima, and it is probable,
also, ut sola : for he made man's soul at first by that immediate
communication, which is called breathing it into him ; and the
intellectual nature, though specified into angels and men, is the
nearest to God that we have any knowledge of: and therefore
reason will not teach us to look to any intermediate, universal, or
superior cause, because there is no created, superior nature to
the intellectual ; and it is absurd to go to the inferior to be the
cause of the superior. If any will needs think, that under God,
there is some universal intellect (not of the whole universe, for
that is plainly improbable, but of our system or vortex) they
must take it to be some angelical intelligence, as Aristotle, or
the sun : no man can prove either of these to have any such
office. And for the sun, it is certain that it is not possible,
unless itself be an intelligence : and though to human reason
it seem very likely, that so glorious a corporeal nature as the
sun should not be destitute of as noble a form, as a lump of
Tclay, as a human body doth possess, that so there may be a
proportion in God's works between the nobility of matter and
VOL. XXI. I I
4S2 THE REASONS OF
form ; yet all this to man is utterly uncertain ; nor doth any
man know whether the luminaries are animated with either
sentient or intelligent souls, or not. He that most confidently
asserteth either, and scorneth the contradictor, doth but tell
you that he is ignorant of his ignorance. But if it should
prove true, as many of the fathers thought, and IMammertus,
ub'i supra, asserteth, that angels have fiery bodies which they
animate, and so that the sun is animated with an intelligence,
it would not follow, that, as fiery or as sensitive, but only as in-
tellective, it were a subordinate universal cause of complete
human generation, and that sol et Iwmo yenerant hominem;
save, only, quoad corpus, which is but secundum quid. But that
God is the universal Cause is unquestionable, whether there be
any subordinate or not.
16. And here it is no wonder if the doubts arise which were
in the cases of the forementioned generations ; whether God as
the universal Cause produce new metaphysical matter for new
forms : whether millions of souls since generated have not
more such metaphysical matter than the souls of Adam and Eve
alone : how souls may be said to have more or less such matter
or substance : whether he educe all souls, e virtute etfeecundi-
tate primarum, by giving them a power without any division or
diminution of themselves, to bring forth others by multiplica-
tion ; and so cause his creature to participate of his own fecun-
ditv, or power of causing entities, &c. But such difficulties as
these, which arise not from uncertainties in theology, but are
the mere consequents of the imperfection of human intellects,
and the remoteness, depth, and unrevealedness of these myste-
rious works of God, should turn no man from the holding of
other plain revealed truths. As that man generateth man ; that
God is the chief specifying Cause by his first making of man,
and giving him the power and blessing of propagation, which
he still maintaineth, and with which he doth concur : that man
is the second specifying cause in the exercise of that power of
generation which God gave him. That God is the chief uni-
versal Cause ; and to the production of an intellectual nature, as
such, doth unspeakably more than man. That the mother, as
cherishing the semen utriusque parentis, is the maternal uni-
versal cause, &c. We know not fully how it is that one light
causeth a thousand, without division or diminution of itself; and
what it is that is caused de novo. It is easy to say, that it is
but the motion of one part of the atoms, or materia subtilis,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 4S?>
moving another, which was all pre-existent : but few men that
can see through a smoke or dust of atoms, will believe that the
sun, and other fiery bodies, which show themselves so wonder-
fully to us by motion, light, and heat, have no peculiar nature,
power, or virtues to cause all this, but mere magnitude and
figure : and that those corpuscles which have so many hundred
degrees of magnitude, and figures, should not fall into as many
hundred such bodies as we call elements, rather than into two
or four.
Suppose, which we may, ad verum exquirendum, that there
were no more fire in the universe than one candle : it having the
same nature as now it hath, that candle would turn cities and
all combustible matter into fire. But of the generation of man,
quoad animam, I refer the reader to Sennertus's 'Hypomnemata,'
to omit all others.
And now I would know what there is in generation that
should be against the immortality of the soul ? Will vou say, it
is because the soul hath a beginning ? I have answered before,
that so have all creatures. It is because it proveth the soul
material ? 1 . If it did, I have showed that you yourselves hold
a perpetuity of matter. 2. But it doth not so. If you say,
that incorporeal spirits generate not ; I answer, That is but a
naked, unproved assertion. If you say, that angels do not : I
answer, that 1. That is not because they are unable or unapt, if
God thought it fittest for them : nor, 2. Can any man prove de
facto whether they do or not. Christ saith, "They marry not,"
but he saith not whether they at all propagate their species or
not. I know the negative is taken for certain ; and I say not
that it is not true, but that it is not certain or at all known, and,
therefore, an unfit supposition to argue from, against the immor-
tality of the soul. And I must confess, that, for my part, as I
have often read, format se multiplicant , and that the fire can
more multiply or increase itself than earth ; and as I know that
the more noble any nature is, the more like it is to God, and,
therefore, more potent, more active, more fecund, and produc-
tive 3 so I should far rather think that the angelical nature can
propagate itself than the human, if God had not told me the
latter, and said nothing pro or contra of the former. And,
therefore, make no doubt : but if it do not, which no man
knoweth, it is not because things material are more able, but
for other reasons unknown to us. Whether, because God will
have this lower world to be the nidus vel matrix cadorum % and
n 2
484 THE REASONS OF
and the seminary of heaven, and a multiplication to be here, or
what it is, we know not. h
But if it be, on the other side, concluded, that the whole sub-
stance of a soul doth proceed directly and immediately from
God, it doth make no great alteration in this case, or any of the
coincident cases about human propagation; if you consider, 1.
That it is impossible that there should be any substance which is
not totally from God, either immediately or mediately ; and that
which is said to be mediately from him, hath in it as much of his
causation as if there were no medium : for God is not a partial
Cause, but a total in suo gcnere ; and he is as near to the effect,
as if there were no second cause. 2. That the somatists them-
selves say, that in the generation of plants and animals, which
they suppose to be totally corporeal, there is not the least de-
gree of substance produced de novo, and, therefore, there is none
but what was totally of God, and the parents do but cause instru-
mentally the uniting of matter pre-existent. Therefore, if, in
the generating of man, the parents do but instrumentally cause
the uniting of substance which is totally from God, though not
pre-existent, it little differenceth the case as to the consequents.
3. Especially considering that what God doeth, he doeth by an
established law of nature : as in his making of the world, he made
the sun a causa universalis constantly to send forth the emanation
of light, heat, and moving force upon passive matter, and there-
by to produce effects diversified by the preparations and recep-
tion of that matter ; as to soften wax, to harden clay, to make
a dunghill stink, and a rose smell sweet ; to produce a poisonous
and a wholesome plant, a nightingale and a toad, &c; and this
without any dishonour to the sun. So, if God the Father of
spirits, the central Efficient of souls, have made it the original
law of nature, that he will accordingly afford his communicative
influx, and that in human generations, such and such prepara-
tions of matter shall be as receptive of his emanations for such
and such forms, or spiritual substances, and that he will be here-
in but an universal Cause of souls as souls, and not of souls as
clean or unclean ; and that this shall depend upon the prepara-
" h Nemesius de Anima, (which goeth under the nameof Greg. Nyssen.) while
he endeavoureth to prove the pre- existence of souls, doth thus peremptorily
conclude : Si animag ex ortu fiunt mutuo, ratione providential fiunt, et caducse
sunt ut cactera qua? ex propagatione generis oriuntur : si sunt ex nihilo, Creatio
hasc est, neque verum est, cessavit Deus ab omnibus operibus suis : non ergo
nunc animae fiunt." But there is no appearance of a just proof in any thing
that he saith against either of the opinions which heopposeth.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 4S5
tion of the recipient, whether it be the body, or a sensitive fore-
going principle, still keeping at his pleasure, as a voluntary
agent, the suspension or dispose of the effect, this would make
no great alteration, neither as to the point of original sin, nor
any other weighty consequent.
Object. XIII. Omne quod oritur interit : That which is not
eternal as to past duration, is not eternal as to future duration :
but the soul is not eternal as to past duration : Ergo.
Answ. I confess this argument will prove that the soul is not
immortal ex necessitate simb nuturce, without dependence on a
voluntary preserver. And, therefore, Cicero, after most other
philosophers who use the major for a contrary conclusion,
mistook in this, that he thought the soul was as natural an ema-
nation from God, as the beams or light is from the sun ; and,
therefore, that it was naturally eternal both a parte ante et a parte
post: which made Arnobius, and other ancients, argue as much
against the Platonists' immortality of the soul, as against the
Epicureans' mortality; so that, as I said before, one would think
that they were heretical in this point that doth not mark them
well. But it is only this natural eternity which they confute :
and when the philosophers sav, that omne quod oritur interit,
they can mean, or at least prove, no more than this, that it is
not everlasting ex necessitate natures. But yet, 1. It may be in
its nature fitted to be perpetual. 2. And by the will of the
Creator made perpetual. Every creature did oriri de novo ; and
yet every one doth not interire.
Object. XIV. Among all your arguments for the soul's im-
mortality, there are none but moral ones.
Answ. Morality is grown so contemptible a thing with some
debauched persons, that a very argument is invalidated by them,
or contemned, if they can but call it moral. But what is mo-
rality, but the modality of naturals ? and the same argument
may be natural and moral. Indeed, we call that a causa moralis
ofttimes which doth not necessitate the effect; and, vet, some-
times even moral causes do infallibly and certainly produce the
effect : but causation and argumentation are different things,
and so is an effect and a logical consequence. Will you call the
consequents of God's own wisdom, justice, veracity, goodness,
&c, uncertain, as coming from a moral cause ? The soul is an
intellectual, free-agent, and adapted to moral operations ; and
this is its excellency and perfection, and no disparagement to it
at all. And if you will better read them over, you will find that
4S6 THE REASONS OF
my arguments are both physical and moral ; for J argue from
the acts or operations of the soul to its powers and nature, and
from its acts and nature to its ends, with many such like, which
are as truly physical media, as if I argued from the nature of
fire and earth, that one, if not hindered, will ascend, and the
other descend : and other men have given you other arguments
in their physics and metaphysics. 1
Object. XV. You seem to confess that you cannot prove the
endless duration of the soul by an argument from nature alone ;
"but only that it shall live another life, which you call a life of
retribution.
Answ. I told you that a great probability of it I thus prove :
God hath made the soul of a nature not corruptible, but apt to
perpetual duration ; ergo, he thereby declareth his will, that he
intendeth it for perpetual duration ; because he maketh nothing
in vain, either for substance or quality. It may be, some other
will think, that this argument will infer not only a probability,
but a certainty.
And if you go back to your objection of materiality, I now
only add, that Aristotle and his followers, who think that the
heavens are corporeal, yet think that they are a quinta essentia,
and simple and incorruptible ; and, therefore, that they shall
certainly be everlasting. And he taketh the souls of brutes to
"be analogous to the matter of the stars ; and so to be of that
everlasting quintessence : and can you, in reason, say less of ra-
tional souls.
2. It is sufficient that I prove, by natural evidence, a life of
retribution after this ; which shall fully make the miserable, un-
godly ones repent tormentingly of their sin, and fill the righte-
ous with such joys as shall fully recompense all their labour and
suffering in a holy life ; and that I moreover prove that dura-
tion of this life, and all the rest, by supernatural evidence.
Object. XVI. Both soul and body are like a candle in fluom
continuo ; and we have not the same substance this week or year
as we had the last, there being a continual consumption, or
transition and accretion : ergo, being not the same, we are in-
capable of a life of future retribution. Will you reward and
punish the man that is, or the man that was ?
1 Would you see physical arguments for the soul's incorporeity and immor-
tality ? Among; a multitude that have done it, I desire you to read Plotinus,
(En. 4. 1. 7.) ' Of the Immort. of the Soul,' whose arguments 1 pretermit,
because I would not be tedious in transcribing that which is already so well
•written, abating their peculiar conceits. Vid. et Savonarol. I. I.e. ult.
I THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 4S7
Answ. It is a foolish thing to carry great and certain truths
into the dark, and to argue against them, a minus notis, from
mere uncertainties. As to your simile, I confess that the oil of
your candle is still wasting, so is the wick ; but not, that new is
added to make it another thing, unless it be a lamp. I confess
that the lucid fume, which we call the flame, is still passing away ;
but whether the fiery principle (in its essence not visible, but
only in its light) be not still the same, till all the passive matter
be consumed, is more than you know. So, also, if you argue
from the vegetative life of a tree : whether the same principle of
vegetation, enlarging itself, continue not to the end to inviduate
the tree, though all the passive elements, earth, water, and air,
may be mjluxic and a transient state ? It is certain, that some
fixed principle of individuation there is, from whence it must be
denominated the same. The water of the hasty river would not
be called the same river, if the channel that it runs in were not
the same ; nor your candle be called the same candle, if some
of the first wick or oil, at least, did not remain, or the
same fire continue it, or the same candlestick hold it. And
what is it in the tree which is still the same ; or what in the
bird that flieth about, which is still the same ? When you have
searched all, you will find nothing so likely as the vital prin-
ciple, and yet that something there must be.
2. But doth not the light of nature, and the concurrent sense
and practice of all the world, confute you ; and tell you that, if
you cannot understand what the individuating principle is, yet
that certainly some such there is, and doth continue. Why, else,
will you love and provide for your own children, if they be not
at all the same that you begat, or the same this year as you
had the last ? Why will you be revenged on the man that did
beat you, or hang the thief that robbed you, or do justice on any
murderer or malefactor, seeing that it is not the same man that
did the deed ? If he transpire as much as Sanctorious saith,
and his substance diminish as much in a day as Opicius saith,
certainly a few days leave him not the same as those transitory
parts. Surely, therefore, there is something which is still the
same : else you would deny the king his title, and disoblige
yourselves from your subjection, by saying that he is not at all
the same man that you swore allegiance to, or that was born
heir to the crown : and you would, by the same reason, forfeit
your own inheritance. Why should uncertain, philosophical
whimsies befool men into those speculations, which the light
488 THE REASONS OF
and practice of all the world do condemn as madness ; but
arguing, ab ignotis, will have no better success. Of the indivi-
duation of bodies in the resurrection I spake before. k
Object. XVII. If the soul be a substance, we must confess it
not annihilated : but it is most likely to proceed from some ele-
ment of souls, or universal soul, either the ammo, mundi, or
rather the anima solis, vel hujus systematis ; and so to be
reduced to it again, and lose its individuation, and consequently
to be incapable of retribution. 1
Answ. 1. That the soul which we speak of is a substance, is
past all controversy : for though, as I have showed, there is truly
an order or temperament of the parts, which he that listeth may
call the form, the life, the soul, or what he please, yet no man
denieth but that there is also some one part which is more
subtle, pure, active, potent, and regnant than the rest ; and this
is it, whatever it is, which I call the soul. We are agreed of
the thing ; let them wrangle cle nomine, who have nothing else
to do.
2. That this substance, nor any substance else, is not anni-
hilated, as I have said, is past dispute.
3. Therefore, there is nothing indeed in all this business,
which is liable to controversy, but this point of individuation,
which this objection mentioneth, and that of action and opera-
tion following. And I must confess that this is the only particular
in which hereabouts I have found the temptation to error to be
much considerable. They that see how all waters come from
the sea, and how earth, water, air, and fire, have a potent incli-
nation to union, and when the parts are separated, have a motus
aggregativus, may be tempted to think it a probable thing that
all souls come from and return unto an universal soul or element,
of which they are but particles. But concerning this, I recom-
mend to the sober reader these following considerations :
1. There is in nature more than a probability that the uni-
verse hath no universal soul, whatever particular systems or
globes may have. 111 For we find that perfection lieth so much in
,; The sum of their reasons, who think that bodies at the resurrection aie
identified only by the soul's identity, you may see in Thorn. White's 'Theolog.
Jnstitut.' To. 2, li. 3. Lect. 4. pp. 239, 340.
1 Read Plotinus in Ennead. 4. p. 374, Ed. Basil. ' De Iudividuatione Anima-
rum,' as also the following pages, proving that our souls are not parts of the
Anima Mundi; et Sect. 8. p. 377. Quomodo animae different: et quomodo
&int immortales in forma propria restantes ?
111 Read the note in the foregoing page. (p. 486'.)
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 489
unity, and as all things are from one, so as they go out from
one, they go into multiplicity, that we have great cause to think
that it is the divine prerogative to he unions universalis. He is
the unicus universalis in entity, life, intelligence, &c. As he
hath made no one monarch of all the universe, no, nor of all
the earth ; nor any one head of all the church that is not God,
whatever the Roman vice-god said ; nor hath given any one a
sufficiency hereto, whatever a >self-idoliser may imagine of
himself, so he hath not given away or communicated that pre-
rogative which seemeth proper to the Deity, to be an universal
mind, and consequently an universal parent, and king, yea, more,
to be omnia in uno. Having no sort of proof that there is any
such thing, finding it so high and divine a prerogative, we have
little reason to believe that there is any such thing at all in being.
2. If you mean, therefore, no more than an universal soul to
a particular system, or vortex in the world, that universal will be
itself a particular soul, individuated, and distinct from other in-
dividuals. And, indeed, those very elements that tempt you,
might do much to undeceive you. There is of fire a specifical
unity, by which it differeth from other elements ; but there is no
universal aggregation of all the parts of fire. The sun, which
seemeth most likely to contend for it, will yet acknowledge
individual stars, and other parts of fire, which show that it is not
the whole. The water is not all in the sea : we know that
there is much in the clouds, whatever there is elsewhere above
the clouds. We have no great cause to think that this earth is
terra universalis. I confess, since I have looked upon the moon
through a tube, and since I have read what Galileus saith of it,
and of Venus, and other planets, I find little reason to think
that other globes are not some of them like our earth. And if you
can believe an individuation of greater souls, why not of lesser ?
The same reasons that tempt you to think that the individuation
of our souls will cease, by returning into the anima systematis
vel soils, may tempt you to think that the anima systematum
may all cease their individuation, by returning into God; and
their existence, too.
3. If this were left as an unrevealed thing, you might take
some liberty for your conjectures. But when all the twenty
arguments which I have given do prove a continued individua-
tion and retribution, it is deceitful and absurd to come in with
an unproved dream against it, and to argue, abignoto, against so
many cogent arguments.
490 THE REASONS OF
4. And we have proved supernatural revelation to second
this, which is evidence more than sufficient to bear down your
unproved conjectures.
5. If it had been doubtful whether the soul's individuation
cease, and nothing of all the rest is doubtful, yet this would not
make so great a difference in the case as some imagine ; for it
would confess the perpetuity of souls, and it would not over-
throw the proof of a retribution, if you consider these four
things :
1. That the parts are the same in union with the whole, as
when they are all separated. Their nature is the same, and, as
Epicurus and Democritus sav of their atoms, they are still dis-
tinguishable, and are truly parts, and may be intellectually
separated : the same individual water which you cast out of
your bottle into the sea, is somewhere in the sea still, and though
contiguous to other parts, is discernible from them all by God.
The hcecceity, as they say, remaineth.
2. That the love of individuation, and the fear of the ceasing
of our individuation, is partly but put into the creature from
God, pro tempore, for the preservation of individuals in this
present life. And partlv it is inordinate, and is in man the fruit
of his fall, which consisteth in turning to selfishness from God.
And we know not how much of our recovery consisteth in the
cure of this selfishness ; and how much of our perfection in the
cessation of our individuate affections, cares, and labours.
Nature teacheth many men, by societies, to unite as much as
possible, as the means of their common safetv, benefit, and
comfort ; and earth, water, air, and all things, would be aggre-
gate. Birds of a feather will flock together : and love, which
is the uniting affection, especially to a friend who is fit for union
with us in other respects, is the delight of life. And if our
souls were swallowed up of one common soul, as water cast into
the sea is still moist and cold, and hath all its former properties,
so we should be still the same ; and no man can give a just
reason why our sorrows or iovs should be altered ever the more
bv this.
3. And God can either keep the ungodly from this union
for a punishment, or let them unite with the infernal spirits,
which they have contracted a connaturality with, or let them,
wherever they are, retain the venom of their sin and misery.
4. And he can make the resurrection to be a return of all
these souls, from the ocean of the universal nature, into a more
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 4!)1
separated individuation again. I only say, that if it had heen
true, that departing souls had fallen into a common element,
yet on all these reasons, it would not have overthrown our
arguments for a life of full retribution. God, that can sav at
any time, ' This drop of water in the ocean is the same that
was once in such a bottle,' can say, ' This particle of the
universal soul was once in such a body, and thither I can again
return it.' But the truth is, no man can show any proof of
a future aggregation.
And to conclude, the Scripture here cleareth up all the matter
to us, and assureth us of a continued individuation vet more
than nature doth, though the natural evidences before produced
are unanswerable.
And as for the similitude of light returning to the sun, it is
still an arguing, a minus noto ; we know not well what it is;
we know not how it returneth ; and we know not how the
particles are distinguishable there. They that confess souls to
be indivisible, though the individuals are all numerically dis-
tinct, must on the same ground think that two or many cannot
by union be turned into one, as they hold that one cannot be
turned into two, or into several parts of that one divided.
Object. XVIII. The Platonists, and some platonic divines,
have so many dreams and fopperies about the soul's future state,
in aerial and ethereal vehicles, and their durations, as make
that doctrine the more to be suspected.
Answ. 1. Whether all souls hereafter be incorporate, in
some kind of bodies which they call vehicles, is a point which
is not without difficulty. A sober Christian may possibly doubt
whether there be any incorporeal, simple essence in a separated
existence, besides God alone. Those that doubt of it, do it on
these grounds : 1 . They think that absolute simplicity is a
divine, incommunicable perfection. 2. They think that Christ
is the noblest of all creatures ; and that seeing he shall be com-
pound of a human soul and body, though glorified and spiritual,
to eternity ; therefore, no angel shall excel him in natural sim-
plicity and perfection. 4. Because it is said, that we shall be
equal with the angels ; and yet we shall, at the resurrection, be
compounded of a soul and body. 4. Because, it is said, that he
made his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 5.
Because the ancient fathers, who first thought angels to be
subtle bodies, were confuted by those, as Mammertus foremen-
tioned, who asserted them to be fiery bodies, animated with
492 THE REASONS OF
incorporeal souls. 6. Because they read of the devil's dwelling
in the air, as one cast down; therefore they think that he hath
an airy body, instead of an ethereal or fiery. 7- Because they
see the sun so glorious a creature, in comparison with a body of
flesh ; therefore they think that the symmetry and proportion
among God's works require, that bodies and forms, or souls,
be suitable. 8. Because they know not what else becometh of
the sensitive soul of man, when he dieth, which they take to be
but a subtle body ; and therefore think it goeth, as a body or
vehicle, with the rational soul. 9. Because they mistake that
difficult text, (2 Cor. v. 1, 2, 8,) think, by the seventh and eighth
verses, that it speaketh of the instant after death ; and thinking,
by the first and second verses, that (as Beza and most think)
it speaketh of a celestial body as our clothing, and not of a mere
state of glory to the soul."
I name their reasons, that you may be charitable in your
censures ; but the truth is, they talk of unrevealed or uncertain
things, which do but trouble the heads of Christians to no pur-
pose, who may live better, and speed better, by following the
naked precepts of Christianity, and hoping for such a glory as
Christ hath plainly described, without prying into that which
doth less concern them to be acquainted with.
And Satan knoweth that over-doing is one way of undoing.
Thus men on all extremes do harden one another. As in these
times among us it is notorious, that the men of one extreme in
church affairs do harden the other, and the other harden them.
And as fanaticism riseth from the disliking of sensuality and
profaneness, incautelous, and sensual, and profane men run into
hell to avoid fanaticism ; even so the brutish grossness of the
somatists driveth some philosophers into platonic dreams ; and
the platonic fictions harden the Epicureans in a far worse way.
Lactantius ' De Ira Dei' (c. 13) thinks, that Epicurus was moved
to his opinion against Providence, by seeing the hurt that good
and religious men endure from the worse sort here in this world.
But why should you run out on one side the way, because other
men run out on the other ? Why do you not rather argue from
the doctrine in the sober mean, that it is true, than from the
extremes that the truth is falsehood, when reason will allow you
to conclude no more than that those extremes are falsehood ?
But, surely, I had rather hold Plato's anhna mundi, or Aristotle's
" Plotinus' ' Ennead. i. de Aiiinia,' hath a great deal of doctrine in it, much
wiser, and more wholesome than that of Epicurus and the atomists.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 493
mtellectas agens, and his moving intelligences, than Epicurus's
atoms and motion only. And J had rather think, with Alexander
Arphrod. that omnis actio corporis est ab incorporeo principio,
yea, or the stoics' doctrine of intellectual fire doing all, than
Gassendus's doctrine, that no incorporeal thing can move a
corporeal, or that atoms and their motion only do all that we
find done in nature.
When I look over and ahout me, I find it a thing quite past
my power, to think that the glorious parts above us are not
replenished with much nobler creatures than we. And therefore
if the Platonists, and the ancient platonic fathers of the church,
did all think that they lived in communion with angels, and
had much to do with them, and that the superior intelligences
were a nobler part of their studies than mere bodies, they shall
have the full approbation of my reason in this, though I would
not run with them into any of their presumptions, and uncertain
or unsound conceits.
Saith iEneas Gazaeus, (p. 778,) when he had told us that
Plato, Pythagoras, Plotinus, and Numerous, were for the passing
of men's souls into brutes ; but Porphyry and Jamblicus were
against it, and thought that they passed only into men : " Ego
quidem hac ipsa de causa filium aut famulum ob id quod com-
miserint peccatum puniens,antequam de ipsis supplicium sumam,
prnemoneo, ut meminerint ne posthac unquam in eadem mala
recurrant. Ueus autem quando ultima supplicia dec-emit, non
edoceteos qui pcenarum causas, sed scelerum menioriam omneni
toilet ? " (Vide p. 332.) For this reason, and many others,
we assume not their conceit of the soul's pre-existence, and
think all such unproved fancies to be but snares to trouble the
world with. We think not that God punisheth men for sin in
another world, while he totallv obliterateth the memory of the
other world, and of their sin ; when he hath told us, that in
Adam all die ; and by one man's disobedience many are made
sinners, and so condemnation passed upon all. (Rom. v.) Nor
will we, with Origen, thus tempt men to look for more such
changes hereafter, which we can give them no proof of. Nor
will we distribute the angelical hierarchy into all the degrees
which the pseudo Dionysius doth ; nor with the gnostics,
Basilidians, Saturninians, Valentinians, and abundance of those
ancient heretics, corrupt Christianity with the mixture of fanatic
dreams, about the unrevealed powers and worlds above us,
either worshipping angels, or prying into those things which he
494 THE REASONS OF
hath not seen, (and are not revealed) vainly puffed up by his
fleshly mind (or without cause puffed up by the imagination of
his own flesh, as Dr. Hammond translated! it). (Col. ii. IS.)
Nor will we make a religion with Paracelsus, Behmen, the Rosi-
crucians, or the rest, described by Christ. Beckman, (Exercit.) of
the philosophical whimsies of an over- stretched imagination:
and yet we will not reject the saying of Athenagoras, ' Apol.
(p. 57,)' "Magnum numerum angelorum et ministrorum Dei
esse fatemur ; quos opifex et architectus mundi Deus verbo suo
tanquam in classes ordinavit centuriavitque, ut elementa, ccelos,
mundum, et quae in mundo sunt, visesque, et ordinem omnium
moderarent." Though we may add, with Junilius Africanus,
that " whether the angels meddle with the government of the
world of stablished creatures, is a difficult question."
Object. XIX. If the soul do continue individuate, yet its
actings will not be such as they are now in the body, because
they have not spirits to act by : and, as Gassendus thinketh,
that the reason of oblivion in old men is the wearing-out of the
vestigia of the former spirits, by the continual flux or transition
of matter, so we may conceive that all memory will cease to
separated souls on the same account ; and therefore they will
be unfit for rewards or punishments, as not remembering the
cause.
Answ. 1. If Gassendus's opinion were true, men should for-
get all things once a-year, if not once a-month, considering
how many pounds of matter are spent every twenty-four hours.
And why, then, do we better, when we are old, remember
the things which we did between nine or ten years old, and
twenty, than most of the later passages of our lives, as I do,
for my part, very sensibly.
2. What is man's memory, (for with brutes we meddle not,)
but scientia prateritorum ? Is not remembering a knowing of
things past ? Surely, we may perceive that it is ; and that it is
of the same kind of action with the knowing of things present;
and therefore we make not memory a third faculty, because it is
the same with the understanding.
0. We have little reason to think, that the surviving soul will
See Plotin. (EneaJ. 4. 1. 3. p. 186,) showing:, that in separated souls, reason
is so powerful, that it, ex tempore, conceiveth all things propounded by the
intellect; and that souls in heaven converse without voice, hut demons and
souls that are in the air converse by voice. Vid. Porphyr, de Occasion, de
Passionibus Aninice et Corp.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 495
lose any of its essential powers, and grow by its change not
only impotent, but another thing. Therefore, it will be still an
intelligent power. And though remote actions and effects, such
as writing, fighting, &c, are done by instruments, which being
removed, we cannot do them without ; yet essential acts are
nothing so, which flow immediately from the essence of the
agent, as light, heat, and motion of the fire : if there be but
due objects, these will be performed without such instruments :
nor will the Creator, who continueth it an active, intelligent
power, continue it so in vain, by denying it necessaries for its ope-
rations. There is likely to be much difference, in many respects,
between the soul's actings here and hereafter : but the acts
flowing from its essence immediately, as knowledge, volition,
complacency, called love, and displacency, &c, will be the
same. How far the soul here doth act, without any idea or
instrument, I have spoken before. And the manner of our act-
ing hereafter no man doth now fully understand: but that
which is essentially an intellectual, volitive power, will not be
idle in its active essence, for want of a body to be its instrument.
If we may so far ascribe to God himself such affections or pas-
sions, as the ingenious Mr. Samuel Parker, in his 'Tentam.
Phil. (1. ii. c. 8. p. 333, &c.)' hath notably opened, we have no
reason to think that scientia prceteritorum is not to be ascribed
to a soul, when it is separated from the corporeal spirits. p
Or, if the soul out of the body were as liable, as it is by dis-
eases of the body while it is in it, to the loss of memory, yet all
those arguments which prove the life of retribution hereafter, do
fully prove that God will provide it a way of exercise, and pre-
vent all those hinderances of memory which may make his judg-
ment and retribution void. Again, therefore, I say, to argue
from things unknown, against clear evidence, in matters that
our own everlasting joy or sorrow is concerned in so deeply, is a
folly that no tongue can express with its due aggravations.
Object. XX. The belief of the immortality of souls doth fill
men with fears, and draw them to superstition, and trouble the
peace of kingdoms by unavoidable sects, in the prosecution of
these things which are of such transcendent weight ; when other-
p Plotin. (ubi supr. p. 398, sec. 26,) showeth that memory is more pertinent
to the soul than the body, and often without the body ; (et sec. 29, &c, et
c. 31, 32,) the difference between the sensitive and rational memory : (et 1. 2,)
he si oweth that the soul in heaven 1'orgettetU these trifles, not through ig-
norance but contempt.
496 THE REASONS OF
wise men might live in quietness to themselves and others, and
in promoting of the public good.<i
Answ. This is the maddest objection of all the rest; but in
our days there are men found that are no wiser than to make it.
I have answered it fully in divers popular treatises, as that called
'A Saint, or a Brute/ &e.
1 . The greatest and best things are liable to the worst abuses.
Thus you may argue against reason, that it doth but fill men's
brains with knavish craft, and enable them to do mischief, and
to trouble the world, and to live themselves in cares and fears,
&c. Upon many such reasons, Cotta, in Cic. ' De Nat. Deor.'
doth chide God for making man a rational creature; and saith,
he had been happier without it. And were it not for this wit
and reason, we should have none of these evils which you have
here now mentioned. Why, then, is not reason, as well as re-
ligion, on that acount to be rejected ?
On the same reason, philosophy and learning may be accused,
as it is with the Turks and Muscovites. What abundance of
sects, and voluminous contentions, and tiresome, consuming
studies have they caused ? Witness all the volumes of philoso-
phers and schoolmen.
On the same account you may cry down kings, and civil
government, and riches, and all that is valued in the world : for
what wars and bloodshed have there been in the world for crowns
and kingdoms ! What hatred and contention for honour and
wealth ! If you could make all men swine, they would not stir
for gold or pearls ; or if they were dogs, thev would not fight
for kingdoms ; and if they be blind and impious worldlings, they
will not be zealous about religion, unless to dispirit it, and to re-
duce it to the service of their fleshly interest, which is the hypo-
crite's zeal. No man will contend for that which he valueth
not.
But, 2. Consider that though dogs will not fight for crowns, they
will fight for bones, and sometimes need men of reason to stave
them off. And though swine fight not for gold, they will fight for
draff, and burst their bellies if they be not governed. And though
unbelievers and atheists trouble not the world to promote re-
ligion, they set families, towns and countries, and kingdoms to-
i Sic ille (Strato) Deum opere magno liberat, et me timore : quis enim
potest cum existimet a. Deo se curari, non et dies et noctcs divinum numen
horrere ? et si quid adversi accident, (quod cui uon accidit,) extimescere ne id
jure evenerit. — Cic, Acad, quasi, 1. 4, p. 44.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 497
gether by the ears, for their worldly pelf, and fleshly interest.
Inquire whether the wars of the world be not most for carnal
interest, even where religion hath been pretended ; and hearken,
in Westminster-Hall, and at the assizes, whether most of the
contendings there are such as are caused by religion, or by the
love of the world and of the flesh. And where religion seemeth
to be a part of the cause, it is the atheists and ungodly that are
commonly the chief contenders ; who think it not enough to
hope for no life to come themselves, but they cannot endure
other men that do it, because they seem wiser, and better, and
happier than they ; and by their holiness gall their consciences,
and condemn them.
3. The extremity of this objection's impudency appeareth in
this above all : that it is most notorious, that there is no effectual
cure for all the villanies of the world but true religion ; and shall
the cure be made the cause of that disease ? 1. Read and judge in
nature and Scripture, whether the whole matter of religion be
not perfectly contrary to the vices of the world. Will it trouble
kingdoms, or disquiet souls, to love God above all, and to honour
and obey him, and be thankful for his mercies, and to trust his
promises, and to rejoice in hope of endless glory ; and to love
our neighbours as ourselves, and to do no injustice or wrong to
any; to forbear wrath and malice, lust, adultery, theft, and ly-
ing, and all the rest expressed in this treatise. 2. Is it not for
want of religion that all the vices and contentions of the world
are ? Would not men be better subjects, and better servants,
and better neighbours, if they had more religion ? Would not
they lie, and deceive, and steal, and wrong others less ? Do you
think he that believes a life to come, or he that believeth it not, is
more likely to cut your purse, or rob you by the highway, or bear
false witness against you, be perjured, or take that which is not
his own, or any such unrighteous thing ? Is he more likely to live
as a good subject or servant, who looketh for a reward in hea-
ven for it, or he that looketh to die as a beast doth ? Is he more
likely to do well, and avoid evil, who is moved by the effectual
hopes and fears of another life, or he that hath no such hopes
and fears, but thinketh that if he can escape the gallows, there
is no further danger ? Had you rather your servant, that is
trusted with your estate, did believe that there is a life to come,
or that there is none ? Nay, why doth not your objection mili-
tate as strongly against the thief's believing that there will be
an assize ? For if the belief of an assize did not trouble him,
VOL, XXI. K K
49S THE REASONS OF
he might quietly take that which he hath a mind to, and do
what he list ; but this fills his heart with fears and troubles.
3. Compare those parts of the world, (Brazil, and Soldania, &c),
which believe not a life to come, (if any such there be,) with
those that do, and see which belief hath the better effects. 4.
What is there of any effectual power, to restrain that man from
any villany which he hath power to carry out, or policy to cover,
who doth not believe a life to come ? 5. And if vou believe it
not, what will you do with reason, or any of your faculties, or
your time ? How will you live in the world, to any better pur-
pose, than if you had slept out all your life ? What talk you of
the public good, when the denying of our final, true felicity, de-
nieth all that is truly good, both public and private.
But so sottish and malignant an objection deserveth pity more
than confutation. Whatever religious persons did ever offend
these men with any real crimes, I can assure them, that the cure
had been to have made them more religious, and not less ; and
that the true belief of a life to come is the end, the motive, the
poise of all wise and regular actions, and of love and peace, of
right government and obedience, and of justice, mercy, and all
that is lovely in the world.
An Objection about the World's Eternity.
Having said thus much about the point which I thought most
considerable, I shall answer an objection about the world's eter-
nity, because I perceive that it sticks with some.
Object. We find it the harder to believe the Scripture, and
the christian doctrine, because it asserteth a thing which Aris-
totle hath evinced to be so improbable, as is the creation of the
world within less than six thousand years. When no natural
reason can be brought to prove that the world is not eternal.
Answ. 1. It is you that are the affirmers, and, therefore, on
whom the natural proof is incumbent. Prove, if you can, that
the world is eternal. Were it not tedious, I should, by examin-
ing your reasons, show that they have no convincing force at all.
2. There is 50 much written of it, that I am loth to trouble
the reader with more. I now only again refer the reader to
"Raymundus Lullius, desiring him not to reject his arguments if
some of them seem not cogent, seeing if any one of all his multi-
tude prove such, it is enough/
I now only desire that the controversy between the Christian
r Vid. Paul. Cortes, in 2 sent. d. 1. pp. 30,31.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 499
and the infidel may be but rightly stated ; and to that end do
not charge Christianity with any schoolman's, or other confident
person's, private opinions, nor suppose Christ or Scripture to
determine any thing which they do not determine. 1. Christ-
ianity and Scripture do not at all determine, whether the whole
universe was created at the same time when this, our heaven and
earth, was ; but only, that the system or world which we belong-
to, the sun, and moon, and stars, and earth, were then created.
Nay, a great part of the ancient doctors, and of the most learned
late expositors on Gen. i., do expound the heavens which God
is said to create, as being only the visible heavens, and not in-
cluding the angels at all ; and others say, that by " in the be-
ginning," is meant ab initio rerum, and that the heavens there
meant being the angelical habitations, and the earth as without
form, were both ab initio rerum before the six days' creation,
which began with the making of light out of the pre-existent
heavens or chaos. I think not this opinion true ; but this liberty
christian doctors have taken, of differing from one another in
this difficult point. But they utterly differ about the time of the
creation of angels (on Gen. i. and on Job i.) and, consequently,
whether there were not a world existent when this world was
created. s
2. Or if any that seeth more than I, can prove the contrary,
yet it is certainly a thing undetermined by Scripture and the
christian faith, whether there were any worlds that had begun
and ended before this was made. That God is the Maker of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, is most
certain ; but whether this heaven and earth, which now is, was
the first which he hath made, is a thing that our religion doth
not at all meddle with. They that, with Origen, affirm that
there were antecedent worlds, are justly blamed on one side,
not for speaking things false, but things uncertain and unrevealed,
and for corrupting Christianity by a mixture of things alien and
doubtful ; and those who affirm that there were no antecedent
worlds, are as much culpable on the other side, if not more, on
s Some think, because they read much in Plato of the making of the world,
that his opinion was not for its eternity : but 1 doubt they are quite mistaken.
Alcinous in li.de doct. Plat, saitb too truly, Cum vero mundum Plato geuitum
inquit, haudquaquam sic eum sensisse credendum est, ut aliquod olim tem-
pos ante mundum praecesserit; verum quia semper in generatione perdurat
iudicatquc substantia? siue causam prestantiorem. Auimam praeterea mundi,
qua? semper extitit, haud efftcit Deus ; sed ornat : o&que ratioue earn faccre
npnnunquam asseritur, quod excitat earn, et ad seipsum ejus mentem velut
ex profuudo quodam sumno con vert it, &c.
KK 2
500 THE REASONS OF
the same account, and upon further reasons. On the one side*
we know that God needeth nothing to his own felicity, hut is
perfectly sufficient for himself, and that he createth not the
world ex necessitate naturce, as an agent which acteth ad ulti-
mum posse ; and, on the other side, we know, that though he
hath a goodness of self-perfection, unspeakably more excellent
than his benignity, as related to man (not that one property in
God is to be said more excellent than another in itself, but
that, quoad relationem, there is an infinite difference between
his goodness in himself, and his goodness only as related to his
creatures, and measured by their interest), yet we confess that
his fecundity and benignity are included in his own goodness ;
and that he delighteth to do good, and is communicative ; and
that he doth good ex necessitate voluntaria ; ex naturae, per-
fectione, without coaction ; it being most necessary that he do
that which his infinite wisdom saith is best ; which made Tho.
White "de Mundo" say, that God did necessarily make the world,
and necessarily make it in time, and not ab ceterno, and yet all
this most voluntarily, because he doth necessarily do that which
is best in the judgment of his wisdom. And we deny not, that
if a man will presume to give liberty to his reason, to search
into unrevealed things, that it will seem to him very improbable
that he who is actus purus, of infinite power, wisdom, and good-
ness, and who now taketh pleasure in all his works, and his
delights are with the sons of men, should, from all eternity,
produce no creature till less than six thousand years ago ; when
a thousand years with him are but as a day; and that he should
resolve to have creatures to all eternity, who, as to future dura-
tion, shall be so like to himself, when, from all eternity, he had
no creature till, as it were, five or six days ago ! Christians are
apt to have such thoughts as these as well as you, when they
look but to rational probabilities ; but they hold that all these
matters, whether there were antecedent worlds, and how many,
and of what sort, and of what duration, whether this was the
first, are matters unrevealed, which they ought not to trouble
the world or themselves with prying into, or contending about :
and they find that they are unfruitful speculations, which do but
overwhelm the mind of him that searcheth after them -, when
God hath provided for us, in the christian faith, more plain, and
sure, and solid, and wholesome food to live upon.
3. And if it be unrevealed in Scripture, whether, before this,
there were any other world, we must confess it unrevealed,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 50 1
whether there were any emanent or created entity which God
did produce from all eternity, considered quoad durationem onlv;
for the Scripture saith no more of one than of the other. And
if there were one moment, dividing eternity only imaginarilv, in
which there had heen nothing hut God, we must ecpjally confess
an eternity in which there was nothing hut God ; because eter-
nity hath no beginning. 1
4. But Christianity assureth us of these two things : 1. That,
certainly, there is no being besides God but what was created,
produced, or totally caused by him ; and that if any creature
were eternal as to duration, yet it is after God in order of being,
as caused by him, as the shadow is after the substance, and the
beams and light are after the sun ; or, rather, as the leaves
would be after the life of the tree, if thev were conceived
to be both eternal : one would be an eternal cause, and the
other but an eternal effect. 2. It is certain that this present
world, containing the sun, and moon, and heavens, and earth,
which is mentioned, (Gen. i.,) is not from eternity ; and, in-
deed, reason itself doth make that, at least, very probable, as
revelation makes it certain, which will appear when I have
opened the philosophers' opinions on the other side.
2. Among yourselves there are all these differences, and so
we have several cases to state with you : 1 . Some think that
this present system of compounded beings is from eternity ; 2.
Others think, that only the elements and heavens, and all simple
beings, are from eternity; o. Others think that fire or ether
onlv, as the active elements, are from eternit}, or the incor-
ruptible matter of the heavens ; 4. Others think that matter and
motion only were from eternity; 5. Others think that only
spiritual, purer beings, intelligences, or minds, were from eter-
nity, and other things produced immediately by them ; 6. And
there have been those heathen philosophers who held that only
God was from eternity.
Among all this variety of opinions, why should any one think
the more doubtfully of Christianity, for denying some of them,
which all the other deny themselves : is it a likely thing that
any individual mixed body should be eternal, when we know
that mixed bodies incline to dissolution : and when we see
* Lumine naturae non constat quod angeli facti sint in tempore, et nou
fuerint ah aeterno : nam imprimis per lumen naturae coguoscimus, exemnlo
solis et lumiiiis, effectual posse cosvum esse sua? causas : uiule nulla repug-
nautia est, ex parte Dei vel ex parte creatures, ut haec sit Deo coaeva. — Schibler
Met. <le Angel. See also Durandus, Ariminensis, Aquinas, Pererius, Suarez, &c.
502 THE REASONS OF
many of them, oriri et interire, daily before our eyes ? And if
man and beast, as to each individual, have a beginning and end,
it must be so as to the beginning of the species ; for the species
existeth not out of the individuals, and some individual must be
first: and as Bishop Ward argueth against Air. Hobbs, " If the
world be eternal, there have infinite davs gone before, e. g. the
birth of Christ : and then the whole is no greater than the
parts, or infinity must consist of finite parts." The heavens
and the earth, therefore, which are compounded beings, by the
same reason, are liable to dissolution, as man is ; and therefore
had a beginning. So that the truth is, there is no rational pro-
bability in any of your own opinions, but those which assert
the eternity of some simple beings, as matter, or intelligences,
or an anima universalis. Now, consider further, that if ever
there was a moment when there were no individuals, or mixed
beings, but only some universal soul or matter, then there was
an eternity when there was nothing else : (for eternity hath no
beginning :) and then, will it not be as strange to yourselves, to
think that God should, from all eternity, delight himself in
matter unformed, (if that be not a contradiction,) or in an
anima simplex et unica, without any. of all the variegated matter
and beings which we now find besides in nature, as that he
should eternally content himself with himself alone ? If all
individuals of compound beings were not from eternity, what
was ? Either the egg or the hen must be first (as the old in-
stance is). If you will come to it, that either anima unica, or
atoms unformed were eternal, why should not God as well be
without these, as be without the formed worlds ? u
What shall a presumptuous mind now say to all these diffi-
culties ? why return to modesty : remember that as the bird
hath wit given her to build her nest, and breed her young as
well as man could do it, and better, but hath no wit for things
which do not concern her ; so man hath reason for the ends and
uses of reason, and not for things that are not profitable to him;
and that such looks into eternity about things unrevealed do
but overwhelm us, and tell us that they are unrevealed, and that
we have not our reason for such employments.
And what is the end of all that I have said ? why, to tell you
that our religion doth not only say nothing of former worlds,
n Read in 'Bib. Pat.' the dispute of Zachaty Mitilene with Anmionius and
a physician, about the world's eternity. How nearly the Manichees' opinion
agreed with the Platoujsts', see in Nemesius ' De Anim. (pp. 487, 483, &c.)'
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 503
but, 2. That it also forbiddeth us to say yea or nay to such
questions, and to corrupt our minds with such presumptuous
searches of unrevealed things. And, therefore, that you have
no reason to be against the Scripture on this account; for it
doth not determine any thing against your own opinion, if you
assert not the eternity of this present world or system ; but it
determineth against your presumption, in meddling with things
which are beyond your reach.
And withal it giveth us a certainty, that as in one sun there
is the lux, radii, et lumen ; so, in one God, there is Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, eternally existent, and self-sufficient; which
quieteth the mind more than to think of an eternity of an anima
or materia, which is not God.
All this I have here annexed, because these philosophical
self-deceivers are to be pitied, and to have their proper help :
and I thought it unmeet to interrupt the discourse with such
debates, which are not necessary to more sober readers, but
only for them who labour of this disease : and I know that
when they read the first leaf of the book, which proveth that
man hath a soul or mind, they will rise up against it with all
the objections which Gassendus, Mr. Hobbs, &c, assault the
like in Cartesius with, and say, ' You prove not this mind is
any thing but the more subtle part of matter, and the tempe-
rament of the whole :' to whom I now answer, 1. That it is
not in that place incumbent on me, nor seasonable to prove any
more than I there assert. 2. But I have here done it for their
sakes, more seasonably, though my discourse is entire and firm
without it.
And I desire the unbelieving reader to observe, that I am so
far from an unnecessary encroaching upon his liberty, and
making him believe that Christianity condemneth all those con-
jectures of philosophers which it asserteth not itself, that I have
taken the liberty of freely conjecturing in such cases myself, not
going beyond the evidence of probability, or the bounds of
modesty ; x and that I think them betrayers of the christian
x Nor do I here press you with the authority of a Hermes, Zoroaster, or
Orpheus, as knowing how little proof is given us that the writings are theirs
which are fathered on them ; and giving some credit to Porphyry himself,
who, in the Life of Piotinus, telleth us that there were then, Ex antequa phi-
losophia egressi hseretici, Adelphii Acylinique sectatores, qui Alexandra Lybici
Philocomi, Demostrati, et Lydi plurimos libros circumferebant, etrevelationes
quasdam Zoroastris, Zostriaui, Nichotei, Allogenis, Mesi, aliorumque ejus-
modi palam ostendentes, et deceperunt nutltos, et ipsi decepti jam fuerant :
504 THE REASONS OF
cause, or very injurious to it, who would interest it in matter-
with which it meddleth not ; and corrupt it, by pretending that
it condemneth all the opinions in philosophy which themselves
are against. Nor am I one that believeth that Christianity will
allow me that zeal, which too hastily and peremptorily con-
demneth all, that in such points do hold what I dislike. I do
not anathematise as heretics all those who hold those opinions
which either Stephanus, or Guilielm. Episc. Parisiensis, con-
demned in their 'Articul. contra varios in fide errores :' though
I think many of them dangerous, and most of them very auda-
cious, e.g. "Quod intelligentia matrix coeli fluit in animas ra-
tionales sicut corpus cceli influit corpus humanum : quod scientia
intelligentiae non differet a substantia ejus. Quod intelligentia
sola voluntate movet ccelum : quod omne quod non habet mate-
riam est aeternum. Quod intellectus non est forma corporis nisi
assistens : quod anima separata non patitur ab igne : quod anima
separata manet animal vivum," &c. I can no more charitably
bear such opinions, than those that so severely then condemned
them. Though yet, I think, that in this age, it is one of the
devil's chief designs, to assault Christianity by false philosophy.
Pretend not, then, your by-opinions to prejudice you against
Christianity in the main ; much less against those natural veri-
ties, which all wise, and sober, and honest philosophers are
agreed in. When Xenocrates, de morte, (translated by Ficinus,)
had, in the name of Socrates, told Axiochus what Gobrins told,
of an inferior place, whither souls went at death, and of their
judgment, and of the torment, " Ubi homines impii omniformi-
bus suppliciis cruciati perpetua punitione vexantur," he dis-
claimeth the imposition of the belief of so much, but selects
his certainty, "Ego ratione coactushoc solum plane firmiterque
cognosco, animam omnem immortalem existere, et earn, quas
pura ex iis locis abierit, sine tristitia vivere ; quamobrem sive
sursum sive deorsum tendas, Axioche, beatum fore te oportet, si
modo pie sancteque vixeris." N.B. And he holds to this : "Non
in mortem, sed in ipsam immortalitatem migras : neque bonis
privaberis, sed integra bonorum possessione frueris : nee volup-
tates mortali corpori mixtas percipies amplius, sed omni prorsus
tristitia vacuas : illuc inquam proficisceris ex hoc carcere liber,
Ego vero Porpliyrius argumentationibus multis ostendi, librum
Zoroastri ab illis inscriptum adulterinum novumque esse, et ab eis confictum
qui struebanthaeresin : ut institution es su^eesse Zoroastris veteris creclerentiir.
Aiul hereupon Motinus wrote his book against the gnostics.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 505
ubi quieta omnia, et a tristitia senectuteque semota. Ubi ex-
ultatio sancta, vitaque malorum nescia, et tranquilla pace nutritaj
naturam rerum speculans, et arcana philosophiae comtemplans ;
haud sane ad turbae theatrive gratiam, sed ad perspicuae veritatis
objectum."
If you are not wise enough to be Christians, why will you not
be as wise and honest as the better sort of heathens : must we
have so much ado to reason debauched hypocrites and apostates,
to that which nature taught so many, who yet did but in part
improve it ? Believe this much, which a Xenocrates or Socrates
could teach you, and live accordingly, and you will not be
blinded and deceived with so many beastly lusts, which hinder
your belief, and will drown you in perdition. Or rather come
to Christ, who will better cure those lusts than Socrates, or
Plato, or any philosopher could do. But, alas ! Epicurus had
more court and country disciples than the manly sort of philo-
sophers, however the wise men vilified him in the schools : and
his apostles, while they contemn the doctrine of incorporeal
spirits, do so often animate themselves with those corporeal
spirits, which the hearers of Christ's disciples thought they had
drunk in, Acts ii. Tbat they are more fool-hardy, and pot-
confident, than their wiser adversaries ; and get that with auda-
city, that I say not impudency, which others lose by humble
modesty: for, saith Cicero, (de Fin. 1. ii. p. 100,) "Est tanti
philosophi tamque nobilis, audacter sua decreta defendere."
And this doctrine so befriendeth sin. that sin will befriend it :
and then it is not likely to want entertainment. For, as Cicero,
{ibid,) " Qualis est ista philosophia, quae non interitum afferat
pravitatis, sed sit contenta mediocritate vitiorum ? — in magnis
interdum versatur angustiis, ut hominum conscientia reuiota,
nihil tarn turpe sit, quod voluptatis causa non videatur esse fac-
turus. Deinde ubi erubuit (vis enim est permagna naturae)
confugit illuc ut neget accedere posse quidquam ad voluptatem
nihil dolentis. — Luxuriam non reprehendit, modo sit vacua in-
finita cupiditate et timore. Hoc loco discipulos quaerere videtur,
ut qui Asoti esse velint, philosophi fiant."
I have cited more out of Cicero than any other in this
treatise, and yet, when ] think how far our apostates are below
him, seeing they despise the words of Christ, I will once more
use the words of Cicero, to convince them, shame them, or
condemn them. Tuscul. (Qu. 1. 1. p. 229) " Quorsum igitur
haec spectat oratio ? Quae sit ilia vis et unde sit intelligendum
506 THE REASONS OF
puto. Noil est certe nee cordis, nee sanguinis, nee cerebri, nee
atomorum. Anima sit animus, ignisve nescio ;" (lie doubted
whether the Platonists or stoics were in the right ;) u nee me
pudet ut istos fateri me nescire quod nesciam : illud, si ulla alia
de re obscura, affirmare possem, sive anima,sive ignis, sit animus,
cum jurarum esse divinum." N. B. Cicero dare swear that the
soul is divine, though he doubt of the immateriality ; and our
apostates deny both. And reciting its operations, he saith,
(p. 239,) " Prorsus haec divina mihi videtur vis, quae tot res effi-
ciat ac tantas. Vigere, sapere, invenire, meminisse ; ergo
animus, qui, ut ego dico, divinus, ut Euripides audet dicere,
Deus est : et quidem si Deus aut anima aut ignis est, idem est
animus hominis. Sin autem est quinta quaedam natura ab
Aristotele inducta primum, hsec et Deorum est et animorum.
Animorum nulla in his terris origo inveniri potest : nihil enim
est in animis mistum, atque coneretum, aut quod ex terra natum
atque fie turn esse videatur : nihil ne aut humidum quidem, aut
stabile, aut igneum : his enim in naturis nihil inest quod vim
memorise, mentis, cogitationis habeat ; quod et prseterita teneat,
et futura provideat, et complecti possit praesentia; quse sola
divina sunt : nee invenietur unquam mule ad homines venire
possit, nisi a Deo. Singularis est igitur natura quaedam, atque
vis animi sejuncta ab his usitatis notisque naturis : itaque
quicquid est aliud quod sentit, quod sapit, quod vult, quod viget,
cceleste et divinum est, ob eamque rem seternum sit necesse est :
nee vero Deus ipse qui intelligitur a nobis, alio modo intelligi
potest, nisi mens soluta quaedam, et libera, segregata ab omni
concretione mortali, omnia sentiens, et movens, ipsaque prsedita
motu sempiturno ; hoc e genere atque eadem e natura est
humana mens." So that, though he suspected it to have been
some pure materiality, it was but such as he thought God had,
and consisted with its eternity. " Ubi igitur aut qualis ista
mens ? (scil. Deus) ubi tua, aut qualis, potesne dicere ? An si
omnia ad intelligendum non habeo, quse habere vellem, ne eis
quidem quae habeo, mihi per te uti licebit ? Non valet tantum
animus, ut sese ipse videat : at ut ocuius, animus sese non videns
alia cernit."
P. 220, he saith of them that plead for the soul's mortality :
" Prseclarum nescio quid adepti sunt, qui didieerunt se, cum tem-
pus mortis venisset, totos esse perituros. Quid habet ista res aut
laetabile aut gloriosum ? sed plurimi contra nituntur, animosque
quasi capite damiiatos morte mulctant : neque aliud est quid-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 507
quam cur incredibilis his animorum videatur aeternitus, nisi quod
ncqueunt qualis animus sit varans corpore intelligcre, et cogi-
tatione comprehendere : quasi vero intelligant qualis sit in ipso
corpore ! quae conform atio ! quae magnitudo ! qui locus. Haec
reputent isti qui negant animum sine corpore se intelligere
posse: videbunt, quern in ipso corpore intelligant ! Mihi qui-
deni naturam animi intuenti, multo difficilior occurrit eogitatio,
multoque obscurior, qualis animus in corpore sit, tanquam alienee
domi, quam qualis cum exierit, et in liberum ccelum, quasi in
domum suam venerit. Si enim quod nunquam vidimus, id quale
sit intelligere non possumus. Certe et Deum ipsum et divinum
animum corpore liberatum,cogitatione complecti non possumus."
P. 225. " Atque ea profecto turn multo puriora, et delu-
cidiora cernentur, cum, quo natura fert, liber animus pervenerit.
Cum nihil crit praeter animum, nulla res objecta, impediet,
(|UO minus percipiat, quale quidque sit; quamvis copiose haec
diceremus, si res pOstularet, quam multa, quam varia spectacula,
animus in locis ccelestibus esset habiturus."
P. 210, 211. " Ipsi major um gentium dii qui habentur,
hinc a nobis profecti in ccelum reperientur : multi de diis prava
sentiunt : id enim vitioso more effici solet : omnes tamen esse
vim et naturam divinam arbitrantur : nee vero id collocutio
hominum, aut consensus efficit : non institutis opinio est con-
firmata ; non legibus ; omni autem in re consensio omnium
gentium lex naturae putanda est. Haec ita sentimus natura duce,
nulla ratione, nullaque doctrina : maximum vero argumentum
est naturam ipsam de immortalitate animorum tacitam judicare,
quod omnibus curae sunt, et maxime quidem, quae post mortem
futura sint. N.B. Abiit ad deos Hercules; nunquam abiisset
nisi cum inter homines esset, earn sibi viam munivisset. Quid
in hac republica tot tantosque viros ad rempublicam inter-
fectos cogitasse arbitramur? Eisdemne ut fmibus nomen suum
quibus vita terminaretur ? Nemo unquam sine magna spe
immortalitatis se pro patria offerret ad mortem. ?\escio quo-
modo inhaeret in mentibus quasi saeculorum quoddam augurium
futurorum ; idque maximis ingeniis, altissimisque animis et
existit maxime et apparet facillime : quo quidem dempto quis
tarn esset amens, qui semper in laboribus et periculis viveret ?"
This maketh me think of Augustin's saying," Si anima mcrtalis
est, Epicurus in animo meo palmam habet." (Confess. 1. vi. c. ult.)
" Quod si omnium consensus (inquit. Cic. ib.) naturae vox
est, omnesque qui ubique sunt consentiunt esse aliquid quod ad
508 THE REASONS OF
eos pertineat qui e vita cesserunt, nobis quoque idem existiman-
dum. Etsi, quorum aut ingenio aut virtute animus excellit, eos
arbitramur quia natura optima sint, cernere naturae vim maxime ;
verisimile est cum optimus quisque maxime posteritati serviat,
esse aliquid cujus is post mortem sensum sit habiturus. Sed,
utdeos esse natura opinamur,qualesque sint ratione cognoscimus:
sic permanere animos arbitramur consensu omnium nationum.
N.B. Qua in sede, qualesque sint ratione discendum est."
P. 232. " Haec igitur et alia innumerabilia cum cernimus,
possumusne dubitare, quin his praesit aliquis vel Effector, si haec
nata sunt ut Platoni videtur, vel si semper fuerint ut Aristoteli
placet, moderator tanti operis et muneris ? Sic mentem hominis,
quamvis earn non videas, ut Deum non vides, tamen ut Deum
agnoscis ex operibus ejus, sic ex memoria rerum et inventione
et celeritate motus, omnique pulchritudine virtutis vim divinam
mentis agnoscito. In quo igitur est loco ? Ubi ubi sit animus,
certe quidem in te est. Quae est ei natura ? Propria puto et
sua. Sed fac igneam, fac spirabilem ! Nihil ad id de quo agimus :
illud modo videto : ut Deum noris, etsi ejus ignores et locum
et facicm : sic animum tibi tuum notum esse oportere, etiamsi
ejus ignores et locum et formam : in animi autem cognitione
dubitare non possumus, nisi plane in phvsicis plumbei sumus,
quin nihil sit animis admistum, nihil concretum, nihil copu-
latum, nihil coagmentatum, nihil duplex. Quod cum ita sit,
certe nee secerni, nee dividi, nee discerpi, nee distrahi potest;
nee interire igitur. Est enim interitus quasi discessus et se
cretio ac direptus earum partium, quae ante interitum junctione
aliqua tenebantur. His et talibus adductus Socrates, nee pa-
tronum quaesivit ad judicium capitis, nee judicibus supplex fuit,
adhibuitque liberam contumaciam, a magnitudine animi ductam,
non a. superbia : et supremo vitae die de hoc ipso multa disseruit,
et paucis ante diebus, cum facile posset educi e custodia, noluit :
et cum pene in manu jam mortiferum illud teneret poculum,
locutus ita est, ut non ad mortem trudi, verum in ccelum videre-
tur ascendere. Ita enim censebat, itaque disseruit ; Duas esse
vias, duplicesque cursus animorum e corpore excedentium : nam
qui se humanis vitiis contaminassent, et se totos libidinibus
dedissent — eis divium quoddam iter esse, seclusum a concilio
deorum. Qui autem se integrcs castosque servavissent, quibusque
fmsset minima cum corporis contagio, seseque ab his semper
sevocassent, essentque in corporibus humanis, vitam imitati
deorum, his ad illos a quibus essent profecti reditum facilem
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 509
patere. Cato autemsic abiit evita, ut causam moriendi naetum
se esse gauderet. Vetat enim Dominus ille in nobis Deus in-
jussu hinc nos suo demigrare. Cum vero causam justam Deus
ipse dedei it, ut tunc Socrati, nunc Catoni, ssepe multis ; ne ille
medius fidius vir sapiens laetus ex his tenebris in lucem illam
excesserit: nee tamen ilia vincula carceris ruperit ; leges enim
vetant."
P. 227. " Licet concurrant Plebeii omnes philosophi (sic
enim ii qui a Platone et Socrate, et ab ilia familia dissident,
appellandi videntur) non modo nihil unquam tarn eleganter ex-
plicabunt, sed ne hoc quidem ipsum quam subtiliter conclusum
sit, intelligent. Sentit animus se moveri : quod cum sentit,
illud una sentit, se via sua, non aliena moveri : nee accidere
posse, ut ipse unquam a se deseratur : ex quo efficitur seternitas.
I have been tedious, and will therefore only add his applica-
tion, pp. 233, 234. " Tota philosophorum vita, commentatio
mortis. Nam quid aliud agimus cum a voluptate, id est a
corpore, cum a re familiari, qua? est ministra et famula corporis,
cum a repub. cum a negotio omni sevocamus animum ? Quid
inquam turn agimus, nisi animum ad seipsum, advocamus ? secum
esse cogimus ? maximeque a corpore abducimus: secernere autem
a corpore animum, nee quidquam aliud est quam emori discere.
Quare hoc commentemur, mihi crede; disjungamusque nos a
corporibus, id est, consueseamu; mon. Hoc et dum erimus in
terris erit ill i coelesti vitae simile. Et cum illuc ex his vinculis
emissi feremur, minus tardabitur eursus animorum : quo cum
venerimus, turn denique vivemus : nam hsec quidem vita, mors
est, quam lamentari possem, si liberet."
And how the somatists were then esteemed, he addeth,
" Catervae veniunt contradicentium, non solum Epicureorum,
quos equidem non despicio ; sed nescio quomodo, doctissimus
quisque contemnit." And among Christians, they will never re-
cover their reputation.
J know that some doubting Christians are ready to sav, as
Cicero's auditor, who saith, that he had often read Plato ; " Sed
nescio quomodo dum lego assentior ; cum posui librum, et mecum
ipse de immortalitate animorum caepi cogitare, assensio omnis
ilia elabitur." But this is because the truth is not sufficiently
concocted, nor the conjoined frame of evidences entirely and
deeply printed on the mind ; and so diversions alienate the
mind from the just apprehension of some of those evidences
which it had formerly had a glimpse of, and leave it open to
the contrary suggestions. He that is surprised when his pro-
510 THE REASONS OF
spective glass, or telescope, is not with him, will not see those
things which by their help he saw before. And the remembrance
of former convictions in the general, will hardly satisfy- a man
against his present different apprehension, though he be conscious
that he had then more help than now. 1 have found, myself, a
far clearer apprehension of the certainty of the life to come, and
of the truth of the Gospel, when I have come newly from the
serious view of the entire frame of convincing evidences, than I
can have at other times, when many particulars are out of the
way, or much worn off my apprehensions.
These passages I have cited out of heathens, to convince or
confound those that, under the Gospel, with their hearts, tongues,
or lives, deny those truths which the light of nature hath so far
made clear. Remembering both those symbols of Pythagoras :
" De rebus divinis absque lumine ne loquaris, et Diis rebusque
divinis, nihil tarn mirabile dicitur, quod non debeas credere ; "
and his verse (translated by Ficinus) :
* " Corpore deposito cum liber ad ffitliera perges,
Evades hoimoem, factus deus ajtheris almi."
Alcinous, reciting Plato's 'Reasons for the Immortality of the
Soul,' (cap 25,) mentioneth seven reasons; 1. " Anima cuicun-
que aclest, vitam affert, utpote illi naturaliter insitam : quod
vero vitam preestat, mortem inhume suscipit : ergo immortale
existit. 2. Anima cum per corporis sensus ad ilia quae sensi-
bilia sunt descendit, angitur et turbatur ; nee similis esse potest
illius cujus praesentia turbatur. 3. Anima ipsa natura corpori
dominatur. Quod autem natura sua regit, et imperat, divinati
cognatum : ergo anima Deo proxima immor talis est," &c. And
because it may be objected, that, by the first reason, the souls
of brutes would be immortal, he answereth that, but so doubt-
fully and darkly as is not worth the reciting. But, though
Alcinous incline to the negative of the immortality of the animce
brutorum, Porphyrins is peremptory for the affirmative, upon
the supposition of their rationality.
The stoic philosophers bear, also, as full a testimony against
the atheist, and the deniers of humanity, as the rest ; for though
Cicero thank them fcr nothing, and rebuke them for denying
the soul's eternity, and giving us but usuram ut cornicibus, a
longer and not an everlasting life, yet some of them seem to be
of another mind, and the rest rather think that the souls of men
will participate in the world's periodical revolutions, than be at
all annihilated or deprived of felicity. The paucity of their
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 511
writings, which have come down to us, and the malice of the
Epicureans, with whom they were at the greatest odds, did make
them represented as if they had held more unreasonable opinions,
and been more sour and inhuman than indeed they were ; and
some, who, of late times, condemn them for that in which they
agree with the doctrine of Christ, do seem to mean Christianity,
while they exclaim against the severities of stoicism, and mean
the church while they name but the porch. Certainly, if Cicero
himself, who is offended with their schism, do represent their
opinions aright, and if we may judge of the rest by his speeches
of Cato, and by the writings of Seneca, Epictetus, and Antonine,
and if Barlaam hath truly collected their ethics, there were no
men that spake and lived so like Christians, who were strangers
to Christ. He that would see the difference between them and
the Epicureans, let him but read the ' Praeloquium,' before his
Antoninus, of Mr. Gataker ; that man of admirable learning,
humility, and piety, not to be named without love and honour,
nor in this age without tears. Of Antoninus himself, he saith,
" Certe tjuascunque Dominus ipse Christus in concionibus colla-
tionibusque suis historian evangelicae insertis (de mali cogitatione
etiam abstinenda, de affectibus vitiosis supprimendis, de sermone
otioso non insuper habendo, de animo cum primis excolendo, et
ad imaginem divinam effingendo, de beneficentia simplicissime
exhibenda, de injuriis sequanimiter ferendis, de admonitione et
increpatione cum moderatione cautioneque accurata exercendis,
de rebus quibuslibet, adeoque vita ipsa, ubi res ratioque poscit
nihil) habendis, de aliis denique plerisque pietatis, charitatis,
sequitatis, humanitatis, officiis quam exquisitissime obeundis
exequendisque) prsecepta dedit ; apud nostrum hunc eadem,
perinde acsi ilia lectitasset ipse, in dissertationum commenta-
tionumque harum congerie inspersa passim, nee sine vehementia
et vivacitate insigni qua? in praecordia ipsa penitus penetret.
Lector quivis sedulus advertet, ingenuus agnoscet."
The sum of their doctrine, different from the Epicureans, he
thus reciteth, and, by citations, copiously proveth : " Numen
coeleste rerum humanarum curam gerere ; nee universi tantum-
modo, sed hominum etiam singulorum, et rerum quoque singu-
larum ; rebus humanis praesto esse, generique humano, non ad
bona vere sic dicta duntaxat, sed et ad vitae hujus commoda, et
adminicula suppetitias ferre. Deum itaque ante omnia colendum;
ad omnia invocandum, per omnia cogitandum, in omnibus ag-
noscendum et comprobandum, de omnibus laudandum et cele-
512 THE REASONS OF
brandum ; huic uni in omni negotio simpliciter obsequendum ;
ab ipso quicquid obvenerit animo prompto ac lubenti excipien-
dum atque amplexandum, nihil melius, nihil convenientius, nihil
conducibiliuSj nihil opportunius, aut tempestivius, quam id,
quicquid existat, quod ipse voluerit, existimaridum : quocunque
ducere visum fnerit, citra tergiversationefn aut murmurationem,
sponte sequendum ; locum stationemque quemcunque is assigna-
veritj strenue tuendum, enixe tenendum, etiamsi mortem millies
oppetere oporteret. Hgec de nuniine stoici et erga numen
afFecta."
" De homine et officiis. Hunc et cordatus diligere et curare
et sustinere, injuriaque omni (ut qua? impietatis etiam notam
inurat) abstinere ; et benefieentia prosequi, nee sibi soli genitum
censere se, aut vivere, sed in commune bonum ac beneficium,
cunctis pro facultate viribusque semet exhibere, re ipsa, reique
bene gestae conscientia, (nee hac etiam ipsa quadamtenus repu-
tata), citra vestem, aut mercedis spem commodive proprii in-
tuitum, contentum agere ; a beneficio uno prsestito ad aliud
transire, nee unquam benefaciendo defatisci ; sed vitae telam,
tanquam vivendi fructus hie sit ) benefactis sibi invicem conti-
nenter annexis, ita totum pertexere, ut nusquam interveniat
hiatus ullus vel minimus ; beneficii loco, quod benefecerit haben-
tem ; sibique profuisse existimanteiri : si alii cuiquam usui esse
poterit; nee extra se proinde quicquam vel laudis humanae, vel
lucelli, aut aucupantem aut expetentem : ad haec nihil mentis
cultu antiquius, nihil honesti studio potius aut pretiosius habere :
ab eo denique quod officii sui esse norit, nulla vel vitae, nedum
alius rei cujuspiam, cupidine abducendum, nulla mortis crucia-
tusve illius, ne dum damni aut detrimenti formidine abigendum
se permittere." Hoec stoicorum praecepta sunt.
When will the whole tribe of the Epicureans ever give the
world such a prince as Antonine, who taught the world that a
prince should be a philosopher ; and that self-government, and
a well-ordered mind and life, is the first point in the govern-
ment and well-ordering of the commonwealth ; and that mo-
narchy may be so used, as to consist as well with the people's
interest and liberty, as the most accurate Venetian democracy :
the only hurt that ever he was charged to do being this, that he
lived so well, that he seemed somewhat to hinder the succeed-
ing lustre of Christianity, even in Constantine and Theodosius
themselves.
And as for the stoics' great doctrine of virtue's self-sufficiency
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 513
to felicity, which Plato and Aristotle also own against the Epi-
curean felicity of pleasure, it is undoubtedly a very great and
sacred theological verity ; but it implieth a higher truth, which
I have vindicated in this treatise, viz., that man hath an ultimate
end above himself, and that God, for all that he is perfect, and
can receive no addition of felicity, is both his own and our End,
though intendere finem is not spoken univocally of God and man;
and that his goodness, as essential in himself, and as his own
perfection, is, in the order of our conceptions, much higher than
his benignity or goodness, as related to the good of man. I
have read some late self-esteeming writers, (who love not to be
named by way of opposition,) who have undertaken the defence
of the Epicurean heresy, that pleasure is formally both man's
felicity, and his ultimate end : but their reasonings for it are not
half so handsome and adapted to deceive, as the discourse of
Torquatus in Cicero de Finib. is, which indeed may seem very
plausible, till Cicero's excellent answer is compared with it. It
is a fair pretence to say, that a good man is pleased with nothing
but that which is good, and that true pleasure is to be found
especially in virtue, and that temperance and chastity should
be more pleasant than excess and luxury ; and yet that the best
men, when they do any great and excellent work, do therefore
do it because it pleaseth them. But the truth is, that bonum
qua bonum est objectum voluntatis, good and appetible are the
same ; it is not first good because it pleaseth us, but it pleaseth
us, because it is esteemed by us to be good. And the greatest
good should most greatly please us, because it is first the greatest
good ; and as God in himself is infinitely better than any delight
or felicity of ours, so is he, therefore, to be more the object of
our delight. And as the good of the world, or of kingdoms, or
of thousands, is better than the pleasure of one individual per-
son, so should it be better loved, and more delighted in. For if
good, as good, be appetible and delectable, then the greatest
good must have the greatest love and pleasure. And nature
itself telleth us, that he that would not rather be annihilated
than the world should be annihilated, or would not lose his life
and honour, to save the life, and honour, and felicity of king
and kingdom, is no good member of civil society, but a person
blinded by selfishness and sensuality. Therefore, man hath
something above himself, and his own pleasure, to seek and to
take pleasure in. How far you can congruously say, that you
VOL. XXI. L L
514 THE REASONS OP
take pleasure in your pleasure, and so make your own pleasure
the object, yea, the only ultimate object of itself, I shall not now
stay to inquire.' But certain I am, that though our love, which
is our complacency in the beloved object, is our actus finalis,
yet it is not the o'bjectum finale to itself; but God himself, the
infinite Good, is that final Object ; and the public good is a more
noble and excellent object than our own. And though it be
truly our felicity to love God, yet we love him not chiefly be-
cause it is our felicity to love him, but because he is chiefly good
and lovely ; and then, in the second instant, we love our own
love, and delight even in our own delights. Indeed, the sensitive
life, as such, can seek nothing higher than its own delight ; but
the rational life is made to intend and prosecute that end, which
reason telleth us is best, and to prefer that before ourselves, which
is better than ourselves. And therefore the Epicurean opinion,
which maketh pleasure our highest end, doth show that the sect
is sensual and brutish, and have brought their reason into servi-
tude to their appetites and lusts. And nature itself doth abhor
the notion, when it is brought into the light; and will hear him
with some horror, who shall speak out and say, God is not to
be chiefly loved for himself, nor as he is best in himself, nor as
my ultimate objective End, but only to be loved next myself, as
a means to my felicity or pleasure, as meat, drink, ease, and
sport, and lust are ; and virtue or holiness is not to be loved
chiefly for itself, that is, as it is the image of God, and pleasing
to him, but as it conduceth to my pleasure.' As Cicero excel-
y Even in friendship with men, it is commonly said that we must have
more respect to our friend than to ourselves : and therefore Cicero pleadeth
that Epicurus's opinion is inconsistent with true friendship. However that
stand, 1 am sure, in our love to God, we must love him more for himself than
for our own ends and benefit. Therefore it is that I distinguished love before,
from obedience as such, as being somewhat more excellent, and the final
grace. And Proclus ' De Anim. et Dtemone,' discerned this distinction,
when he saith, " Belli finis est justitia : pacis autem aliud quiddam excel-
leutius bonum, amicitia, scil. atque unio finis enim universal virtutis est ut
tradunt Pythagorici. Aristotelesque confirmat ; ut omnibus jam factis ami-
cis, justitia uon ulterius egeamus, quando, viz. sublatum fuerit, meum, et
nou-meum." And if this be true of the love of man, much more of the love
of God ; which they also may do well to consider of who most fear the cessa-
tion of that individuation of souls, which consisteth in the distance that now
we are at: for though doubtless there will continue an individuation, yet
union is so much of the felicity, perfection, and delight of souls ; union, I
say, with God, as we are capable, and with one another ; that we should ra-
ther be afraid, lest we shall not be near enough, than lest too much nearness
should confound us.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 515
lently noteth, there is a great deal of difference between these
two, " To love virtue as virtue, and so to take pleasure in it
because it is virtue," and " To love virtue for pleasure's sake,
more than for its own ; " for he that doth so, must say as Cicero
chargeth Epicurus plainly to say, " That luxury is not to be
discommended, if it be not unpleasant ; for the end is the mea-
sure and rule to judge of all the means." If pleasure, as pleasure,
be best, then to him that so contrives it, to live more pleasedly
in whoredom, and drunkenness, and theft, and murder, than in
godliness and honesty, it will be better so to do ; and virtue, and
lust, or wickedness, will stand in competition only in the point
of pleasure : and then, which think you will have the greater
party, and what a case would mankind be in ? I am persuaded,
that the well studying the excellent discourse of Cicero on this
point, and the reasons which the stoics, and the rest of the phi-
losophers, give against the plebeian philosophers, as Cicero calleth
them, may much conduce to help many divines themselves to a
better understanding of the same controversy ; as in theology
they have otherwise worded it, " Whether God, or our own feli-
city, be most to be loved ? " and yet without running into the
fanatic extreme, of separating the love of God and ourselves,
and calling men to try whether for his glory they can be willing
to be damned. Only when you read the philosopher saying that
virtue in and for itself is to be loved as our felicity, elucidate it
by remembering, that this is because that virtue in itself is the
image of God, and by our felicity they mean the perfection of our
natures, in respect of the end for which we were made. And
that, as the excellency of my knife, or pen, yea, or my horse, is
not to be measured by their own pleasure, but their usefulness
to me, because I am their end ; so is it as to man's perfection,
as he is made for God, and related to him, for all that he hath
no need of us, seeing he can be pleased in us. Thus this phi-
losophical controversy is coincident with one of the greatest in
theology.
Though I have displeased many readers, by making this trea-
tise swell so big, by answering so many objections as I have
done, yet I know that many will expect that I should have
made it much greater, by answering, 1. Abundance of particulai
objections from Scripture difficulties ; 2. And many discourses
of several sorts of persons, who contradict some things which I
have said. But I supersede any further labour of that kind, foi
these following reasons :
l l2
516 THE REASONS OF
1. It would fill many volumes to do it, as the number and
quality of the objections do require. 2. Those that require it
are yet so lazy, that they will not read this much which I have
already written, as esteeming it too long. 3. They may find it
done already by commentators, if they will but have the pa-
tience to peruse them. 4. I have laid down that evidence for
the main cause of godliness and Christianity, by which he that
well digesteth it, will be enabled himself to defend it against
abundance of cavils, which I cannot have time to enumerate
and answer. 5. The scribbles of self-conceited men are so
tedious, and every one so confident that his reasons are consi-
derable, and yet every one so impatient to be contradicted and
confuted, that it is endless to write, against them, and it is un-
profitable to sober readers, as well as tedious to me, and un-
grateful to themselves. To instance but in the last that came
to my hands, an 'Inquisitio in Fidem Christianorum hujus seculi :'
(the name prefixed I so much honour, that I will not mention
it :) p. 3, he calleth confidence in error by the name of cer-
tainty, as if every man were certain that hath but ignorance
enough to overlook all cause of doubting. P. 13, he will not
contend if you say, that it is by divine faith, that we believe the
words to be true which are God's ; and by human faith, by
which we believe them to be the words of God. He saith, that
faith hath no degrees; but is always equal to itself: to believe
is to assent, and to doubt is to suspend assent ; ergo, where
there is the least doubt, there is no faith ; and where there is
no doubt, there is the highest faith ', ergo, faith is always in the
higbest, and is never more or less: and yet it. may be called
small when it is quasi nulla, (that quasi, is to make up a gap,)
in respect of the subject, or at least hardly yielded ; and in re-
gard of the object, when few things are believed. P. 26, he
maketh the Calvinists to be enthusiasts, that is, fanatics, be-
cause they say, that they know the Scripture by the Spirit : as
if, subjectively, we had no need of the Spirit to teach us the
things of God ; and, objectively, the Spirit of miracles and sanc-
tification, were not the notifying evidence or testimony of the
truth of Christ. The same name he vouchsafeth them that
hold that the Scripture is known by universal tradition to be
God's word, and every man's own reason must tell him (or
discern) the meaning of it. And he concludeth, that if every
one may expound the Scripture, even in fundamentals, then
every man may plead against all magistrates, in defence of
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 517
murder, or any other crime, as a rational plea ; and say, why
should you punish me for that which God hath bid me do ? As
if God would have no reasonable creature, but brutes only to be
his subjects. As if a man could knowingly obey a law, which
he neither knoweth, nor must know the meaning of, and is bound
to do he knoweth not what. And as if the king's subjects must
not understand the meaning of the fifth commandment, nor
of Rom. xiii. 1, " Honour thy father and mother ;" and, "Let
every soul be subject to the higher powers, and not resist." Or,
as if kings must govern only dogs and swine ; or might make
murder, adultery, idolatry, and perjury, the duty of all their
subjects when they pleased, because none must judge of the
meaning of God's law by which they are forbidden : or, as if it
were the only way to make men obedient to kings and parents,
to have no understanding that God commandeth any man to
obey them, nor to know any law of God that doth require it.
Or, as if all our pastors and teachers were not to be so useful to
us as a sign-post ; nor we were not to learn of them or of our
parents any thing that God, either by nature or Scripture, ever
taught us : or, as if a child or subject, who is required to learn
the meaning of his ruler's laws, to judge of thern judido privates
discretionis, were thereby allowed to misunderstand them, and
to sav that they command us that which they forbid us ; and
because the king forbiddeth us to murder, he alloweth us to say,
you proposed it to my understanding, and I understand it that
von bid me murder, and therefore you may not punish me. As
if he that is bound to judge by a bare discerning what is com-
manded him, and what forbidden, were allowed to judge, in
'partem utramlibet, that it is or it is not, as please himself. As
if when the king hath printed his statutes, he had forfeited all
his authority by so doing, and his subjects might say, why do
you punish us for disobeying your laws, when you promulgated
them to us, as rational creatures, to discern their sense ? Will
it profit the world to write confutations of such stuff as this ; or
must :i man that is not condemned to stage-playing or ballad-
making, thus waste his time ? Do the people need to be saved
from such stuff as this ? If so, what remedy, but to pity them,
and say, ' Quos perdere vult Jupiter hos dementat, et si populus
vult decipi, decipiatur.'
And yet to do no more wrong to the Scriptures, than to coun-
cils, and bulls, and statutes, and testaments, and deeds, and
bonds, he concluded], " Of all writings whatsoever, that by the
518 THE REASONS, &C.
mere words of the writer you cannot be certain of his sense,
though they be common words, and you take them in the
common sense." So that if any doubt arise about my words, if
I resolve it by writing, I cannot be understood ; but if 1 spake
the same syllables by word of mouth, it would serve the turn.
As if no man could be sure of the sense of any law, or testament,
or bond, or covenant, which is committed to writing, nor of any
exposition of them, if once it fall under pen or press. As if
God's writing the Ten Commandments had left them unintel-
ligible, in comparison of his speaking them : then farewell all
historical certainty. Hath every single priest himself anv assur-
ance of the sense of the council, the canons, the pope's decre-
tals and bulls, but by the way of writing ? And so the poor
people must, instead of the church, believe only that priest that
orally speaketh to them, though he have no certainty of the
matter himself. If this doctrine be made good once, it will
spoil the printers' trade, and the clerks', and the courts of record,
and the post-office, too.
But, p. 51, he maketh the consent of the universal church
to be the only sure communication of christian doctrine in the
articles of faith ; yea, the consent of the present age concerning
the former. But how the consent of the whole church shall be
certainly known to every man and woman, when no writing can
certainly make known any man's mind, is hard to tell a man
that expecteth reason. And that you may see how much the
subject of this treatise is concerned in such discourses, he addeth,
" That if the church had at any time been small, its testimonv
had been doubtful ; but (saith he) it testifieth of itself that
Christians were never few ;" and therefore it is to be believed.
But we will have no such prevaricating defence of Christianity.
The major is the infidel's erroneous cavil; the minor is a false
defence of the faith. The church never said that Christians
were never few : it hath ever confessed the contrarv, that once
they were few; and yet it hath proved against the infidel, that
its testimony was not doubtful, having better evidence of their
veracity than numbers.
You may perceive by these strictures upon this one discourse,
what an endless task it would be to write confutations of every
man that hath leisure to publish to the world his opinions, which
are injurious to the christian verity. And, therefore, no sober
reader will expect that I or he must be so tired, before he can be
satisfied and settled in the truth.
MORE REASONS
TOR THE
CHRISTIAN RELIGION,
AND
NO REASON AGAINST IT:
OR,
A SECOND APPENDIX TO THE REASONS OF THE
CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
BEING
I. An Answer to a Letter from an unknown person, charging the Holy Scrip-
tures with contradiction.
II. Some Animadversions on a Tractate de ' Veritate,' written by the noble
and learned Lord Edward Herbert, Baron of Cherbury, &c, and printed
at Paris, 1624, and at London, 1633 ; resolving Twelve Questions about
Christianity.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL
Sir HENRY HERBERT, Knt. 3 &c.
Sir,
The reasons arc many which induced me to presume to
direct these papers first to you, and to tell the world how much
I honour you ; first, my personal, ancient obligations to you ;
secondly, principally, your approved wisdom and moderation,
and taking part with the ways of charity and peace, in your
most public capacity, in these trying times ; thirdly, your
relation to the noble author, on whose writings I here animad-
vert; which, as it is your honour to be the brother of so
learned and ingenious a lord, and the brother of so excellently
holy, as well as learned and ingenious a person, as Mr. George
Herbert, orator to the university of Cambridge, and a faithful
pastor in the English church ; so it obligeth me the more to
give you an account of this animadversion. It is long since
I sought after the book, as provoked by the title and the honour
of the author's name, and received it from you as your gift.
The premised letter from an unknown person of the same
name, occasioned me to review it : the sad case of many of
my acquaintance, and the increase of infidelity of late, especi-
ally among debauched, sensual gallants, and the danger of
England hereby, and the temptations against which the best
of Christians have need of help, were the reasons of my pre-
sumption ; it being my calling to propagate and vindicate the
522 TO SIR HENRY HERBERT.
christian faith. I am so far from writing against his whole
hook, that I take most of his rules and notions, de veritate, to
he of singular use ; and had so great a wit had but the internal
conditions due to such an intellectual apprehension, as his and
your holy and excellent brother had, no doubt but our super-
natural revelations and verities would have appeared evident
to him, and possessed his soul with so sweet a gust, and fervent,
ascendant, holy love, as breatheth in Mr. G. Herbert's poems ;
and as would have made them as clear to him in their kind, as
some of his notitiae communes. The. truth is, as he was too
low to us, who number not our divine revelations with the
veresimilia, but with the certain verities ; so he was too high
for the atheistical sensualists of his age : and I would they
would learn of him, that the being and perfections of God, the
duty of worshipping him, and of holy conformity and obedience
to him, and particularly all the Ten Commandments, the neces-
sity of true repentance, and the rewards and punishments of
the life to come, with the soul's immortality, are all notitice
communes, and such natural certainties, as that the denial of
them doth unman them. To know this, and to live accord-
ingly, would make a great alteration in our times ; and Christ-
ianity could not be disrelished by such that so know and do. I
may well suppose that your approbation of the cause I plead
for, will make it needless for me to apologise for my boldness
in meddling with such an author, while I do it with all tender-
ness of his deserved honour. I remain,
Your obliged servant,
Richard Baxter.
Jan. 17, 1671.
MORE REASONS
FOR
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
I. IN ANSWER TO A LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN PERSON,
CHARGING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WITH CONTRADIC-
TION.
THE LETTER.
Sir,
I was right glad when I first heard that you had written and
put to print a book of the reasons of the christian religion, and
I did immediately buy the book, hoping, that in the reading
and perusing of it, I might have received satisfaction as tc any
doubt or scruple, and an answer satisfactory to all objections that
in reason may be raised against the grounds of the said christian
religion ; because I did think you to be as able to say and write
as much as any man in that thing, having, as I thought, studied
it as much as any that I had heard of; but, in the reading
and perusing it, I, contrary to my expectation, found it to be
short of giving me satisfaction.
For the greatest occasion of any doubt or scruple in any thing
tending or relating to the christian religion, that I at any time
had or have, were from that variousness and contrariety, if not
contradictions, which are, or at least seem to be, in the writings
of the apostles and evangelists, and other books received for
Scripture.
But you, in answer to that objection, p. 412, say, " Nothing
but ignorance maketh men think so ; understand once the true
meaning, and allow for the errors of printers, transcribers, and
translators, and there will no such thing be found." a
But you neither tell me which are those errors, nor yet how
I may know them.
1. Therefore, I humbly pray you, in writing, to tell me,
whether that which is written in the first chapter of Matthew's
* Page 347 of the present volume.
524 MORE REASONS FOR
Gospel, ver. 8, 9, where Matthew writes, " That Joram begat
Ozias, and Ozias begat Joatham," be any error of the transcri-
bers, translators, or printers, or the contrary to it, which is
written in the second book of the Kings, and in the books of the
Chronicles; if not, how may they be understood ? for in those
books it is written, " That Joram was father to Ahaziah, and
Ahaziah was father to Joash, and Joash was father to Amaziah,
and Amaziah was father to Azariah, and Azariah was father to
Joatham;" by the account of which books, there is above an
hundred years between the death of Joram, the son of Jeho-
saphat, and Joatham.
2. And, secondly, whether that which is written by Luke in
his Gospel, chap, xxiv., ver. 9, 10, 22, 23, where Luke writes,
" That Mary Magdalene, and other women, told the dis-
ciples, that they had seen a vision of angels, which said, that
Jesus was risen from the dead, and was alive;" whether this be
any error of the transcribers, translators, and printers, or any of
them ; or the contrary, which is written by St. John in his
Gospel, for he writes, chap, xx., v. 2, " That Mary Magdalene
told two of the disciples, and said to them, They (I suppose
meaning the adversaries) have taken away the Lord out of the
sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him."
If not, how may I understand them to be both true testimo-
nies or reports, for it seemeth by Luke, ver. 11, 1 2, 23, and
24, of his 24th chapter, that Mary and the other women had
told those things of their seeing the angel, which said that Jesus
was risen and alive, before that Peter ran or went to the
sepulchre.
3. And, thirdly, whether that which is written by Matthew,
in the 28th chapter of his Gospel, that the angel said to Mary
Magdalene, and the other Mary, " Fear not ye, for I know that
ye seek Jesus, which was crucified ; he is not here, for he is risen :
as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go
quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead ; and,
behold, he goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall you see
him ; lo ! I have told you."
" And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and
great joy ; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they
went to tell his disciples, behold Jesus met them." (See Matt,
xxviii. 1,5 — 9.)
Whether, I say, was this which is written in St. Matthew's
Gospel, that I have here transcribed, said to the women, and
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 525
that the women returned from the sepulchre to tell the disciples,
before that Mary Magdalene said to him that she supposed to be
the gardener, " If thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou
hast laid him, and I will take him away;" (John xx. 15 ;) or
whether there be any error of transcribers, translators, or
printers in those texts : if not, how may I understand them to
be true reports ?
Sir, I shall trouble you with no more but these few places which
I have proposed in three questions or particulars, although there
are several other texts, that I do not understand how they may
be reconciled, but if you shall, by strength of argument grounded
upon sound reason, make appear that it was nothing but igno-
rance hath made me to think that those testimonies agree not,
but are contrary one to the other ; and that they may be so
understood as that no such thing will appear in them, then I
shall be ready, and will with you conclude, and say so too, and
for the future suppose that other places of those books which
are received for Scripture, as seem to be contrary to one another,
may be reconciled, though I do not understand how.
But, on the contrary, if you do not endeavour by such sound
and plain arguments to make it appear that these texts here
transcribed by me, may be understood so as that no contradiction
is in them, I must think that it was nothing but ignorance that
made you say that which you have said, in answer to that and
some other objections.
Therefore, I humbly and earnestly pray and beseech you,
both in defence of your own writings, as also in defence of those
books in which you say you think that no one error or contradic-
tion in any matter can be proved, to make it appear in truth and
plainness.
If you judge I have erred from the truth, I hope you will en-
deavour to convert me from the error of my way, if any such be ;
which if you shall do, no doubt but it will be a good work. (See
James v. ult.)
Sir, It is your advice, that in such kind of scruples, the
doubtful should apply himself for satisfaction to some minister ;
therefore do I write to you, and if you shall not give me a gentle
and plain answer, I shall be discouraged to make my scruples
known to any other; therefore, in expectation of your plain
answer, I remain
Your loving Friend in the bond of Peace.
To Mr, Baxter.
526 MORE REASONS FOR
THE ANSWER.
Sir,
Two sorts of persons use to trouble me and others with
their objections against the christian religion. First, some
papists, who profess to believe it, but in design do act the part
of infidels, that they may loose men from all religion, in hopes
to bring them over to theirs, when they have taken them off all
other. For he that can make another man believe that he was
hitherto totally misled is most likely to become the master of his
faith ; for men are apt to think that none can so easily and
certainly show them the truth, as he that hath showed them
their error. And when men once think, that according to the
grounds of the reformed churches, they can have no certainty
of faith, they will the more easily be brought to the way of those
men, who promise them that certainty which they make them
believe that others want.
Secondly, the other sort are infidels, who of late are grown
numerous and audacious, and look so big, and speak so loud, as
to acquaint us that it is not they that are silenced in their speak-
ing place, nor driven five miles from every city and corporation.
Which sort you are of, I know not ; I read your name, and
that you are a sojourner ; but finding that you write not as a
tender doubter, who desireth to be concealed, but as a confident
gainsayer of the christian verity, and not knowing how safely to
send a letter to the place where you say you sojourn, I have
thought that it will be most pleasing to you to come to you by the
same way, as the book did which you except against, which was
written upon the provocation of a paper scattered among the
scholars of Oxford, when the Oxford oath and act were made
in the time of the great plague, as by one that was unsatisfied
in the grounds of Christianity ; but I strongly suspected was
written by a papist, it was made so suitable to their designs.
In two things you have not dealt righteously and ingenuously
with me.
1. In that you have not answered the grounded proofs of the
christian verity, which I have laid down, but nibble at the answer
to some objections, which is not the way of a lover of the truth.
2. In that you take no notice of, or make no answer to
the second part of my answer to that same objection, about
supposed contradictions in the Scriptures; where I showed you
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 527
at large, that if that which you object were granted, it would
not overthrow the certainty of the christian faith. Both those
should have been done by an impartial man.
The method which the nature of the cause requireth me now
to use, in my answer to you, shall be in the manifesting these
following propositions :
Prop. 1. That if it could not by us be proved that every word
of the Scripture is true, nor the penmen infallible or indefecti-
ble in every particle, yet might we have a certainty of the christ-
ian religion.
Prop. 2. That yet all that is in the Scriptures as the word of
God, is certainly true ; and no error or contradiction can be
proved in it, but what is in some copies by the fault of printers,
transcribers, or translators.
Prop. 3. That he that first proveth the truth of the christian
faith by solid evidence, may and ought to be certain of that truth,
though he be not able to solve all seeming contradictions in the
Scripture, or answer all objections which occur.
Prop. 4. The true method of one that would arrive at cer-
tainty, and not deceive himself and others, is to lay, first, the
fundamental proofs, and examine them till he is thereby con-
firmed, and afterwards to try the by-objections as he is able ;
and not to begin first at the answering of such by-objected dif-
ficulties, and judging of all the cause thereby. Of these I shall
now speak in order.
And, whereas, you bespeak plainness and gentleness in the
answer, I shall grant you the first as far as in such haste and
brevity I am able ; and the second as far as the nature of the
cause will bear. But if you account all Christians deceived
fools, you must not expect to be called wise, or that I should
flatter you, and tell you that apostasy is a state of safety ; for I,
that believe Hcb. vi. and x., must think that this were not gen-
tleness but cruelty, and worse than to kill you, for fear of dis-
pleasing you.
Prop. 1. If it could not by us be proved that every word of
the Scriptures is true, nor the penmen infallible or indefectible
in every particle, yet might we have a certainty of the christian
religion.
The reason is, because every particle in the Scripture, is not
an essential part of the christian religion, no, nor any integral
part, if you take the christian religion strictly, for the doctrine
of necessary belief, desire, and practice j and that part which is
528 MORE REASONS FOR
indeed the essence, yea, or integrity, of Christianity, may be cer-
tainly proved and believed, without our being able to prove the
certainty or truth of all the rest which is in the Scriptures.
The holy Scriptures contain all our religion, and somewhat
more : that is, the accidents and appurtenances of it. As the
body of a man, besides the parts essential and integral, hath its ac-
cidents ; such as are the hair and the colour, and some humours,
which are for beauty and other uses, though not parts. So far
are the papists from being in the right, who think that the
christian religion is not all, but part, contained in the Scriptures,
that there is more than all that is necessary to salvation, even
the appurtenances which have an aptitude to the adorning and
promoting of the rest.
To know who was the father of every person mentioned in the
bible's genealogies; to know what age each person was of, whose
age is there mentioned ; to know the name of every person, and
every town ; to know how far each city was from another whose
distances are there expressed ; with a multitude of such-like
historical, genealogical, chronological, topographical, physical,
incidental passages, is but an appurtenance, and not strictly a
part, essential or integral, of the christian faith, of holiness or
religion.
Yet, remember, that we maintain as certain, that they are all
liars who accuse God of lying ; and that, whatever some igno-
rantly talk to the contrary, God cannot lie. See the excellent
Amesius's disputation of this question, An f ahum subesse potest
ficlei divines, after his ' Medulla Theologian ;' which book, with his
' Cases of Conscience,' and Alstedius's * Encyclopaedia,' may,
after the Scriptures and Concordance, make a good divine, and
be a better library than the fathers of the fourth council of
Carthage were acquainted with. He that thinketh God can lie,
destroyeth the objectum formate fidei divinee, and, therefore,
can have no faith. If God could lie in one thing, we should
never be sure that he revealeth the truth, unless by sense itself
and after-experience. All faith goeth upon such a syllogism as
this, "Whatsoever God saith is true : but this God saith, ergo,
it is true." So that whosoever believeth every word in the
Scripture to be God's word, must believe it all to be true, or he
can believe none of it at all.
But, yet, it is possible for a man to believe one part of the
Bible to be God's word and not another part; which needeth no
proof.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 529
Because that many of the ancient churches, for a certain
time, doubted of, yea, received not the epistle of James, Peter
2nd, the Heb. Apocal., &c, and yet were truly of the christian
religion.
First, We deny not but that there are many false and wicked
sayings, historically recited in the Scripture ; as, the saying of
Cain, Pharaoh, Gehazi, the false prophets, the devil, of Job, to
Christ, &c, but the Scripture is nevertheless true, for it is true
that all these untruths were spoken.
Secondly, The disciples of Christ were not absolutely, and in
all things infallible, as all Christians do confess. They were
not as perfect in knowledge as now they are in heaven. Either
Paul or Barnabas was mistaken about the fitness of Mark to go
with them.
Thirdly, There was a greater assistance of the Spirit promised
them, when " two or three of them were assembled in Christ's
name," than when they proceeded singly: (Matt, xviii. 18:)
but there can be nothing above perfect infallibility and impec-
cabilitv to them all.
Fourthly, We confess that Christ's disciples were not inde-
fectible or sinless. As their understandings, so their will, and
lives, had still some imperfections. Mark, Paul, and Silas, did
not all perfectly do their duties in the case they differed about.
Peter did amiss, in avoiding the Gentile Christians, when Paul
blamed him openly; (Gal. h.;) and Barnabas and others did
not do well, in being drawn away to the same dissimulation.
When Paul saith of Timothy, " I have no man like-minded,"
and of others, " They all seek their own," he took not all
Christians that had the Spirit to be perfect : " If any man had
not the Spirit of Christ, he was none of his ;" (Rom. viii. 9 ;)
and the very wrangling, declining Galatians had received the
Spirit; (Gal. iii. 1 — 3;) and so had the wrangling Corinthians
Christ in them. (2 Cor. viii. 5.)
Fifthly, We confess that he who is either infallible or defecti-
ve, liable to error or sin, is of himself capable of being deceived,
and of deceiving others. If he were infallible in respect of the
knowledge of all the truth, yet while he can sin, of himself
considered, he can be heedless, rash, careless, partial, and for
by respects speak too little or too much. It is the devil's last
method, to undo by overdoing, and so to destroy the authority
of the apostles by over-magnifying them ; therefore we will not
use his methods, nor deny any of this.
VOL. XXI, MM
530 MORE REASONS FOR
Sixthly, Moreover, we confess that it is possible for a good
Christian to doubt whether those that were evangelists, as Mark
and Luke, had the same promise of the Spirit's infallible assistance
with the apostles ; seeing we find not that promise so expressly
any where made to them : and, thereupon, he may possibly
think that some errors may consist with their measure of the
Spirit, as it did with many Christians who had the same Spirit.
Seventhly, And we do not believe that the extraordinary
operations of the Spirit were always equally in the apostles
themselves ; we suppose the prophets could not always pro-
phesy ; nor those that spake with tongues use that gift at their
own pleasure; nor yet those that did miracles, healed the sick,
or raised the dead : but, that the Spirit wrought, as in various
sorts and measures in several persons, (1 Cor. xii.,) so also, at
various times, and in various measures in the same person.
Whereupon, it is possible for a good Christian to doubt whether
every word in Scripture was written then, when the writer had
the gift of infallibility and indefectibility.
Eighthly, And, we do confess ourselves, that the apostles had
not the infallible Spirit given them, for every use or thing that
they had to do, but for those matters, about which they had
special need of it, and use for it, to fulfil their office. The
Spirit was not so necessary for them to discern those things by,
which the common sense and understanding of a man was suffi-
cient to discern. Thev could taste sweet from bitter, feel heat
from cold, discern light from darkness, without an infallible,
extraordinary Spirit. And so being eye and ear witnesses of
what Christ did and said, of his words, his miracles, his resur-
rection, his ascension, they might infallibly know them by
ordinary means. And so a good Christian may doubt whether
they had the Spirit infallibly, to transcribe and cite every pass-
age in the Old Testament, visible to all ; or to relate the things
which they saw done with their eyes ; or to report the history
of several actions which were then done : as, what was the place
and power of Herod, Archelaus, Pilate, Felix, Festus, &c, and
such other parts of common history.
Ninthly, And we all confess that the words are but as the
body of the Scripture, and the sense as the soul ; and that the
words are for the sense : and there is more of the Spirit's assist-
ance in the sense and soul of the Scripture, than in the words
and body ; and that there is in the phrase and method some-
what of blameless, human imperfection j and that as David
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 531
was not stronger than Goliath, nor his weapons more excellent
in themselves, but God would overcome strength by the means
of the more weak ; so, an Aristotle may be more accurate in
method, and a Demosthenes, Varro, or Cicero, in words and
phrase, than an apostle : and they may be left to the imperfec-
tions of their several gifts, diversified by nature or education, in
their style. And God may hide that from the wise and prudent,
which he revealeth to babes ; and by the foolishness of preach-
ing, may save believers, and confound the wisdom of the world,
and by things that are not, bring to nought things that are,
that no flesh may glory in his sight ; nor do we say, that no
man may seek or attain more logic, philosophy, or grammar,
than he findeth in the Scriptures.
Tenthly, As protestants receive not so many books as
canonical as the catholics do, so some protestants have not
received so many as the rest; and so, may possibly err, in
thinking that some part of the Scripture is not the word of
God ; and, consequently, may think it of more uncertain credit.
Eleventhly, Some have thought that Matthew, being at first
written in Hebrew or Syriac, and after translated into Greek,
that the translator being unknown, the credit of the translation
must be the less certain, because they know not whether the
translator was one that had the promise of infallibility, though
doubtless they err who so conclude.
Twelfthly, Some think, that as certainly there are a great
number of various readings, which all prove that some of the
copies err ; so it is uncertain to us, whether all those which we
have, may not in some words or particles differ from others
which we have not, and from the autographs, seeing each scribe
had not a promise of infallibility.
Thirteenthly, If some particular books of Scripture were
not extant, or never known to some men, yet the rest may teach
those same men all the christian religion to their salvation :
therefore, if they may be Christians, and saved without knowing
that particular book, they may possibly be so, without knowing
that it is canonical, or of divine and certain truth.
Fourteenthly, Yea, more, no doubt but it is possible to be
saved, and to be good Christians, without being certain what is
contained in any one book of the Bible totally ; for he that
cannot read, may possibly not hear the whole book from an-
other, at least, so as to understand and remember it ; and yet
may hear the same doctrines out of another book : yea, more,
M M 2
532 MOKE REASONS FOR
it is past doubt that a man may, in some cases or circumstances,
be a true Christian who knoweth not that there is any Scrip-
ture which is God's infallible word : for first, so all the believers
of the old world were saved, before Moses wrote the law ;
and the christian churches were gathered, and thousands con-
verted to Christ, many years before a word of the New Testa-
ment was written : secondly, and all the thousands and millions
of Christians who cannot read, do know that there is such a
book, which hath such words in it, but on the credit of other
men : thirdly, and we know not but the Papists, who are too
great undervalues of the Scriptures, and lock it up from the
laity, and over-magnify tradition, may keep thousands among
them without the knowledge that there is a book which is God's
word, and yet, may teach them the christian religion by other
means, after to be mentioned. And it seemeth, by the ' Epist.
Jesuit.' and Maffaeus ' Histor. Indie' and other writings, that in
Japan, Congo, China, and other countries of the East, they did
teach them only by creeds, catechisms, and preachings, and I
remember no knowledge that they gave to most of them of the
Scriptures ; and yet, the most cruel torments and martyrdoms,
never before heard of, which the Christians in Japan endured,
(of which, see Varenius's history,) doth put all sober readers
past doubt, that there were many excellent Christians. And if
other means may make men Christians, who are never told of
the holv Scriptures, then, those same means, with the Scriptures,
may make them Christians, who are made believe, that all
Scripture passages are not the infallible dictates of God's Spirit.
J have given you instances enough to prove that many may
be Christians and have a certain faith, who are not certain of
all things in the Scriptures ; and, therefore, though all these
persons are herein defective or erroneous, yet that Christianity
may be otherwise known and proved : yea, though the case of
the Scriptures were as these mistaking persons think. And I
told you how many ways, besides Scripture, the sum and neces-
sary substance of Christianity is delivered down from the
apostles to the world: ' Reas. of Christ. Rel.' (pp. 236, 337.)
First, in the very successive being of Christians and churches,
who are the professors of this doctrine. Secondly, in a succes-
sion of pastors, whose office was to preach it. Thirdly, in a
succession of baptism, which is that solemnizing the christian
coAenant, in which the sum of the Gospel is contained. Fourth-
ly, in the three breviates or symbols of the christian religion, the
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION'. 533
Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Decalogue, which all the christian
churches still used : yea, every one that was baptised at age,
and the parent for the infant did openly make profession of
the christian faith, and of religion,' in all the essential particu-
lars. Fifthly, in the church's use of catechising those who were
to be baptised, that they might first know that religion which
they were to enter. Sixthly, in that constant communion of all
the churches in their solemn assemblies, and setting apart the
Lord's day to that use, where, in their worshipping of God,
they expressed and exercised their religion. Seventhly, in the
constant preaching of the Gospel by the pastors. Eighthly, in
the constant celebration of the sacrament of Christ's body and
blood, wherein the sum of the Gospel was recited and expressed.
And the custom was also to repeat the profession of their belief.
Ninthly, the frequent disputations of the christian pastors
for their religion against all heathens, infidels, and heretics.
Tenthly, the writings of the said pastors, apologies, doctrinal,
historical, commentaries, devotional. Eleventhly, the confes-
sion and sufferings of the martyrs. Twelfthly, the decrees,
canons, and epistles of councils or assemblies of the christian
pastors. Thirteenthly, and after these, the decrees and laws
of the christian princes ; in all which, we have no need of any
peculiar tradition of the church of Rome. Fourteenthly, yea,
we may add the confessions of adversaries, who tell us part of
the Christian's religion ; as Pliny, Celsus, Julian, &c. All
these ways set together, told men what Christianity was. Fif-
teenthly, but the fullest and surest discovery of it, was by the
holy Scripture of itself, which was constantly read in the assem-
blies of the Christians. In all this, I have but told you by how
many ways and means, materially, the gospel doctrine was
made known.
Now the great question is, whether, by all these means, we
might come to a certainty of the truth of the christian faith, in
case we could not prove every word or particle of Scripture to
be God's word, and so to be true. They that deny it, say,
"That he that can mistake, or be deceived in one thing, may
be so in another ; and we cannot take his word for certain,
who sometimes speaketh falsely, for we can never be sure that
he speaketh the truth." But I affirm the thing questioned, and
shall show the mistake of this reason of the adversaries.
First, It must be remembered that we ascribe infallibility,
534 MORE REASONS FOR
primitive and absolute, to God and no other. Therefore we are
certain that so much is true as is God's word.
Secondly, We are certain that all that is the word of God,
which he hath set his seal or attestation to, which I have largely
opened in the book which you oppose ; all that which hath the
antecedent, and constitutive, and concomitant, and subsequent
attestation of God there opened, we are certain is of God.
Thirdly, We are certain that the person of Christ and his
own doctrine had all this four-fold divine testimony ; and there-
fore that Christ and his doctrine are of God, and true : and,
consequently, that Christ was the Son of God, the Redeemer of
the World, the Head of the Church, and whatever he affirmeth
himself to be.
Fourthly, We are certain that the apostles, as preachers of
this Gospel and performers of the commission delivered them
by Christ, had the same actestation in kind as Christ himself
had : they had the same spirit. Though the antecedent testi-
mony by prophecy was not so full of them as it was of Christ,
yet the Gospel which they preached and left in writing, first,
hath in it still visibly to the eye of every truly discerning per-
son, the image of God's power, wisdom, and goodness. Se-
condly, the same Gospel, as preached and delivered by them,
had the concomitant testimony of abundant certain miracles,
prophecies, and holy works. Thirdly, the same Gospel maketh
that impression on the souls of true receivers, which is the
image of God's power, wisdom, and goodness, and so proveth it
to be of God. The concurrence of these three is a full and cer-
tain proof.
Now, if there be any doubtfulness in any of this, it must be,
first, either what it is that these attestations prove : secondly,
or whether they are really divine attestations : thirdly, or whe-
ther divine attestations are a certain proof of truth.
To begin at the last. First, if divine testimony be not a cer-
tain proof of truth, then there is no possible proof in the world;
for there is no veracity in any creature, but derivative from
God ; and then it must be either because a lie is as perfect and
good as truth, which humanity, reason, and all the world con-
tradictetb, and human society abhorreth, there being no savages
so barbarous as to think so, or because God is imperfect, either
in wisdom to know what is true and fit, or in goodness to choose
it, or in power to use it ; that is, that God is not God, or that
THE CH1USTIAN RELIGION. 535
there is no God, and, consequently, no being; for an imperfect
God, an unwise and ill, an impotent being, is no God : and,
verily, all our controversies with the infidel and the impious,
and the persecutor, must finally come to this, whether there be
a God.
II. And that these were really divine attestations, I have
fully proved in the treatise. First, they are divine effects, and
the divine vestigia, or image. Secondly, and such as none can
do but God. None else can give that full, antecedent testi-
mony of prophecy ; none else could have done what Christ did,
in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension ; none could heal
all diseases, work all miracles, raise the dead with a word ; none
else could do what the apostles did, in tongues, and miracles,
and wondrous gifts — and these wrought by so many, before so
many, for so long a time. No other doctrine could itself bear
God's image of power, wisdom, and goodness so exactly, nor
make such an impress of the same image on the souls of men :
nay, though this same doctrine, by the Spirit of God, be adapted
to such an effect, yet would it not do it, for want of powerful
application, if God, by the same Spirit, did not set it home :
so that the sanctification and renovation of souls is a divine
attestation of this sacred Gospel. And, besides all the past tes-
timonies of Christ's and his apostles' miracles, here is a double
testimony from God still vouchsafed to all true believers to the
end of the world : the one is God's image on the holy Scrip-
tures ; the other is the same image, by this Scripture, and the
Spirit that indited it, printed on all true christian souls.
Divine power, wisdom, and goodness, hath imprinted itself
first upon the sacred word, or doctrine, and by that produceth
inimitably holy life, light, and love, in holy souls. True Chris-
tians know this : they feel it: they profess it: they have this
Spirit in them, illuminating their minds, sanctifying their wills,
and quickening them to vital operation and execution ; and
this is Christ's advocate and witness still dwelling in all his
members. I speak not of an immediate, verbal, or impulsive
revelation in us, but of a holy, indwelling nature, principle,
operation, conforming the soul to God, and proving us to bear
his image. This is Christ's witness in us, that he is Christ
indeed, and true ; and this is our witness that we are the chil-
dren of God : and it is our inherent earnest and pledge, first-
fruits and foretastes of the glory which Christ hath purchased
and promised. If you know no such thing in yourself as this, you
536 MORE REASONS FOR
have resisted the Holy Ghost or quenched the Spirit : and if you
would not have him dwell and operate in your heart, no wonder
if you cannot see him in the holy word : and if you would not
consent that he rule your mind and life, no wonder if you deny
him also in that word which he did make to rule you.
If you question the real existence of these several testimo-
nies of God's Spirit, first, those that were given to Christ and
his apostles, I have plainly proved to you in the treatise, were
delivered down to the world three ways. 1. By the most cre-
dible human testimony, to produce a human faith : 2. By such
a connexion, and such circumstances, of those human testimo-
nies, as amount to a natural infallible certainty, as we have of
the wars in England, and that there was such a man as king
Charles, king James, &c, and that our laws were made by the
king and parliament, that London was burnt, that there is such
a city, &c. even to them that see not any of these. 3. By new
divine attestations to these attestations ; so that there concur-
reth, first, a full human faith : Secondly, a natural certainty :
Thirdly, a divine faith to the ascertaining us, that Christ did
die, rise, ascend, work miracles, give the Spirit, and by it the
apostles wrought the like.
Secondly, And the other two testimonies still show them-
selves j they are yet in being. The sacred Gospel is among us,
and on it the life, light, love, fore-described. The believers,
sanctified by this Gospel, are among us ; and have within them
the impressed life, light, love. We see it, where distance, self-
ishness, prejudice, or malignity hindereth not, shining, though
as through a lantern, and working, though imperfectly, in
others ; and they that have it, may so feel it in themselves, as
will preserve them against the cavils of unbelievers.
As the great Creator hath his standing testimony in the natu-
ral conscience of mankind, which, in despite of the devil, shall
keep up some natural religion in the world ; and they that have
not a written law, are a law unto themselves, showing that God
hath a law in their hearts ; so the gracious Redeemer hath his
standing witness in the sanctified, even his Holy Spirit, the divine
nature, the new creature, the image of God, the Father, Son,
and Spirit, dwelling in them, by divine life, light, and Jove, so
as shall keep up a church of holy ones to Christ, in despite of all
the powers of hell, even the spirits of death, of darkness, and
of malignity ; and so much for the validity of God's attestation.
HI. All, then, that remaineth doubtful, or further to be
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 537
spoken to, is, what it is that God hath thus attested by the
Holy Ghost.
And, first, we are sure it is not nothing; it is not nothing
that all this is done for : nor nothing that maketh this change
on souls. Secondly, we are sure it can be no less than the
truth of the person, office, and doctrine of Christ himself : he
hath certainly, by this, proved his own verity and veracity ; for
his own miracles and resurrection were seals affixed hereunto.
Thirdly, we are sure that the same Gospel spoken by himself,
was confirmed also when spoken or written by his disciples.
Else the same should be sure and not sure. Fourthly, we are
sure that the apostles' miracles, &c, confirmed all their com-
missioned work. I have proved this in my ' Treatise of the
Lord's-day.' Whatever Christ promised them the Spirit for,
that he gave them the Spirit for. He that findeth his promise
with the performance, may know that it was the promise which
was performed. Therefore, our work is to find out that promise.
And, first, we find their commission, (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20,)
"Go and disciple me all nations, baptising them into the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost : teaching them to
observe all things whatever I have commanded you.'" And the
promise is : " Lo, J am with you always to the end of the world."
And, " It is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not
away, the Advocate will not come unto you : but if I depart, I
will send him unto you. I have yet many things to say unto
you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the
Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth :
for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear,
that he shall speak ; and he shall show you things to come : he
shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto
you." (John xvi. 7, 12 — 15.) "And behold I send the promise
of my Father upon you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem,
till ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke xxiv. 49.)
So, (Acts i. 5, 8,) "Ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence. But ye shall receive power after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to
me, both in Jerusalem, and to all Judea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. " " I have
given to them the words which thou gavest me, and they have
received them. Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is
truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, so I have also sent
them into the world : and for their sakes I sanctify myself, that
538 MORE REASONS FOR
they also might be sanctified through the truth." (John xvii.
8, 17, IS.) "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever 1
have said unto you." (John xiv. 26.)
Add to these, the texts which mention the performance of
these promises ; (as Johnxx. 22 ; Acts ii.; Acts xv. 28; Heb.
iii. 3, 4.) " So great salvation, which at first began to be
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard
him : God also bearing them witness, both with signs and won-
ders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost,
according to his own will." "The things which are now re-
ported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto
you, by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." (1 Pet. i. 12.)
" Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit
of God, so that from Jerusalem, and round about by Illyricum,
J have fully preached the Gospel of Christ." (Rom. xv. 19, 20.)
<f This only would I learn of you ; received ye the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ?" (Gal. iii. 2.)
By all this it is evident, that the Spirit was given them, to
enable them to understand the Gospel, and to preach it to the
world ; to remember all that Christ had taught them : to help
them to deliver the covenant of grace, and draw men into it,
and baptise them : to gather churches, and to teach them to
observe all that Christ had commanded them, and made part of
his laws. To teach them all truth, which was evangelical, or
part of their ministerial office. To enable them to be most
certain and full in their testimony of what they had heard from
Christ, and seen him do, which was part of the Gospel. In a
word, to perform all their proper office.
I do not at the present suppose you to take these texts for
the word of God : for I must suppose you to be an infidel : but
I only offer them as part of the certain historical evidence, con-
curring with all the forementioned history and evidence of the
fact, to prove what it was which the apostles' miracles were
used to confirm. This same Gospel they preached every where,
when thev wrought these miracles. And if thev confirmed not
the Gospel, or christian religion, they confirmed nothing. So
that it being certain that this Spirit and miracles were real, and
certain that they were the testimony of God, and certain that it
was the truth of Christ's person, actions, doctrines, sufferings,
resurrection, ascension, and covenant, and commandments,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 530
which they attested, and all that is properly the Gospel or christian
religion, what hindereth our certainty of all this ? If it were a
douht whether the Spirit attested more, it is never the more
doubtful, whether he attested thus much. The apostles con-
stantly preached this Gospel ; they baptised persons into the
new covenant ; they opened the articles of the faith to them,
and caused them to profess that faith ; they engaged them into
the promise, and directed them in the practice of a godly,
righteous, and sober life: and they confirmed all this by mira-
cles. And is not all this then made sure ? Yea, before they
wrote any of the Scriptures.
And now to the objection, " He that speaketh falsely in one
thing, is to be believed certainly, or as infallible, in nothing."
I again answer, it is a blind objection. God only is absolutely
infallible. All men are fallible in some things : we are not to
believe that the apostles could err in nothing at all. Peter knew
not what he said, when he talked of dwelling on the mount.
They could err, and they could sin; and he that sinneth, erreth:
they were not absolutely perfect ; but it is in certain particu-
lars, even in the declaration of the Gospel, that God would not
suffer them to err or to deceive. Those words which the Holv
Ghost did by inspiration dictate to them, it is certain that all
those words the same Holy Ghost attested : that is, to all the
word of God.
And thus much being past doubt, what if we were now at a
loss about some appurtenances of the Gospel, whether there were
any of the Spirit's dictates, or any part of the word of God ; or
any proper part of that which the apostles were commissioned
for, and spiritually enabled to teach ? What if, in some points,
which they could know by common sense infallibly as well as
other men, any one should think that they were left merely to
that certainty of sense ? What if one be uncertain which are
the parts, and which but the appurtenances of the Gospel, in
some things which salvation is not laid on ; or were uncertain
whether the Spirit did determine the speaker's tongue or pen
about every such appurtenance ; what is this to the invalidating
of any of the rest ? If, indeed, when they speak by the Spirit's
revelation, they speak falsely at any one time, we could never
be sure that they spake true. But when we are sure that all is
true which they spake by the Spirit, and sure that they spake
the Gospel, or delivered the christian religion by the Spirit,
and are only not sure whether every word in genealogy, or by
540 MORE REASONS FOR
circumstances, were spoken by the Spirit, nothing will follow
hence, but that every word of God is true, and every word of
the apostles which was a word of God : and it is perverseness
to argue, they may err when they speak their own words as
men ; therefore, they may err when they speak God's words by
the Spirit.
First, The testimony of the internal sanctifying Spirit is in-
fallible. And so much as this Spirit attesteth to me is true ;
and I am sure that this Spirit attesteth the truth of the Gospel
in me ; for the substance of the Gospel is imprinted on my
heart, and by the impression I know the seal : but what if I
find on me no part of God's image which was made by the
name of Joram's father or son ; what if I feel no testimony of
the Spirit in me, which tells the age of such or such a man there
named ; nor can I prove, by the Spirit in me, how far Bethany
was from Jerusalem? What if the mention of Paul's cloak and
parchments did not sanctify me; must I be uncertain of that
which did ?
Secondly, What if I read a promise in the Scripture that
God will never fail me nor forsake me ; but will preserve me in
safety to his kingdom? If I were uncertain whether this pro-
mise extended to every hair of my head, so that none of them
should perish, or to the preservation of my colour, and such
like accidents; will it follow that 1 cannot be sure that I myself,
my soul, my person, shall not be forsaken?
What if have a promise that all things shall work together
for my good ; and I am uncertain whether sins or my own fol-
lies, or rashness, or the creeping of every worm in the world,
or the shaking of everv leaf, be numbered with those " all
things ;" must 1 be uncertain, therefore, whether any thing shall
work for my good, or whether sufferings for Christ shall do it ?
Thirdly, What if I be uncertain, whether the vegetative
faculties, or soul in man, be material or immaterial ; must I be
as uncertain whether a man have an immaterial, or incorporeal
soul ? And whether the intellectual powers be such or not?
Fourthly, What if I be in doubt, when the law doth summon
a man to any place, or command him any office, whether it is
meant that he shall not change his clothes, or leave them off,
nor cut his hair or nails, but bring all with him ; doth it follow,
that I must be as uncertain whether the person himself must
come or not ?
Fifthly, What, if I be disputing whether a tree be wood, and
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 541
I cannot tell whether the leaves, their ribs, or stalks, be truly
wood or not; must I therefore be uncertain of all the rest?
Sixthly, What, if we dispute whether all the king's officers
are to be obeyed, and it be a doubt to me, whether a prelate or
an apparitor be the king's officer ; can 1 therefore be assured
of no others ?
Seventhly, When a witness sweareth to any writing, that it is
true, or to any interrogatories, if I be uncertain whether it be the
true spelling, or syntax of the words, or the propriety of every
phrase or every circumstance of the matter which he attesteth ;
must I therefore be uncertain whether he attest any thing at all ?
This one consideration may show the unreasonableness of
such conclusions ; that all systems, physical and moral, have
their great essential, or principal parts, and their smaller
integrals, and their accidents, which are no proper parts. And
the great, and principal parts, are few, plain, discernible, and
necessary to the being, or the greatest ends ; the integrals are
numerous, small, hardly discernible, and necessary only to per-
fection ; the accidents are, some of them, yet of a lower nature,
less necessary, and less discernible. At the master trunks,
it is easy to know which is a vein, and which an artery, and
which a nerve, and what is their number ; but when you go to
their extremities, they will appear innumerable, small, and
scarcely discernible. 1 can know many grand trunks, or boughs,
a tree hath, when I cannot know the number of the thousands
of sprigs at the extremities, nor just where the woody nature
ceaseth, and the leaves or frutex doth begin. So I can easilv
know in the frame of grace, that faith, hope, and love are the
fruits of the Spirit, and so is every true part of holiness : but, to
know of every particular thought, whether it be the fruit of the
Spirit, and a real part of holiness or not, is not so easy.
Even so in our present case we can easily prove that all that
is God's word, and uttered and sealed by his Spirit, is true. But
to come to a full certainty of every hook, whether it be truly
canonical, and every copy that varieth in some readings from
others, or of every genealogical, chronological, topographical,
or historical word ; every phrase, location, order of sentences,
citation of the prophets, whether it were certainly all done by
the infallible inspiration of the Holy Ghost, is a thing that re-
quired! more knowledge than every true Christian hath, as not
having the same clearness and notoriety of evidence as the
Gospel, or substance of Christianity hath. Not but that all
542 MORE REASONS FOR
God's word is true, and all truth is equally truth, it having
not a magis et minus ; but all truth is not equally notorious
or evident.
Prop. 2. Yet all that is in the Scriptures expressed as God's
word, is certainly true; and no error or contradiction is in it,
but what is in some copies, by the failing of preservers, tran-
scribers, printers, or translators.
The reason why I have premised the former propositions is,
first, for your own sake ; secondly, for the sake of many infidels
that now have the same misapprehensions ; thirdly, and for the
sake of many thousand weak, dark, and tempted Christians ;
that you may not think that you may renounce Christianity, if
you could prove a contradiction or mistake in the Scriptures ;
there being greater certainty of our religion, than of every single
word in the Bible. And that everv Christian mav not think
that he must needs doubt as much of Christianity itself, and of
all the Gospel, as he doth whether such a text be God's word,
or have any contradiction to another ; and that he can have no
more certainty of the gospel, than he hath of Joram's son, or
whether Matthew did rightly apply the prophecy that Christ
should be called a Nazarene, (Matt. ii. 23,) or the name of
Jeremy, (Matt, xxvii. 9,) or whether Jude be canonical, and the
epistle to Laodicea, and Clemens Rom. ad Cor. not canonical ;
or whether Enoch's prophecy, cited by Jude, be divine ; with
many such like. We need not spread the sails so wide to the
temptations of Satan, as if we must let go all, if we doubt of the
divine authority of any one word.
But yet that indeed every word is divine and sure, which is
delivered as God's word, I now assert.
My meaning in that limitation is this : there are some pass-
ages (as I said) spoken only historically, and contain the nar-
ration of some words of the devil, as to Job, Christ, and, as
most think, to Saul at Endor, &c; and some words of wicked
men, and some words of weak and common persons ; and all
these are not mentioned as the words of God ; as the words of
Job's friends, which God reproved ; the words of the old pro-
phet that lied in the name of the Lord to the young prophet to
his destruction ; the words of Jonas, " I do well to be angry ; "
and the words of Christ's enemies, persecutors, &c. Yea, the
mention of the old prophet remembereth me, that all words
spoken as in God's name, and that by a pretended, yea, by a real
prophet, are not, therefore, the words of God j Micaiah only may
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 543
say true, while Zedekiah, and all the rest of Ahab's prophets,
may lie, as in the name of the Lord. Balaam, and the afore-
said old prophet, and many such, may say true, when God's
Spirit doth inspire them, and yet lie at another time in God's
name. And what Paul meaneth, by his " Not the Lord, but I,"
I leave to consideration. Whether, in i Cor. xiv., all those that
he correcteth for a disorderly using even the miraculous gifts of
tongues and prophesying, &c, had their timing and ordering of
their gifts from the same Spirit that gave them the gifts, you
may judge. And some Protestant expositors have doubted
whether James and the rest were guided by the Spirit, when
they persuaded Paul to go into the temple, to show the Jews
that he observed their law ; though I think that counsel was of
the Spirit, because Paul concurred in obeying it. But one
instance I more doubt of mvself, which is, when Christ and his
apostles do oft use the Septuagint in their citations out of the
Old Testament, whether it be always their meaning to justify
each translation and particle of sense as the word of God and
rightly done ; or only to use that as tolerable, and containing
the main truth intended, which was then in use among the Jews,
and therefore understood by them ; and so best, as suited to the
auditors. And so whether every citation of numbers or gene-
alogies from the Septuagint, intended an approbation of it in the
very points in which it differeth from the Hebrew copies ; such
plain exceptions being premised, I assert, that all that is said in
the Bible as by the Spirit of God, by men that had the promise
of his Spirit, and especially by the apostles, is certain truth, and
hath no contradiction in its parts.
Before I give you my reasons, I think it meet to remove all
ambiguity of the words ' infallible or certain,' that I may be
rightly understood.
First, the consent of all sober divines and philosophers teach-
ing us to distinguish between objective and subjective certainty,
that is, the certain truth of the thing, and the certainty of our
own apprehension of it.
Secondly, the word certain, when applied to the apprehen-
sion, sometimes signifieth an infallible apprehension, and some-
times a clear and strong apprehension, excluding both deceit
and doubts ; and by some abusively to a strong apprehension,
which excludeth doubts, but not deceits. Thirdly, in the object,
infallibility sometimes signifieth nothing but verity, which who-
ever believeth is not deceived ; and sometimes it signifieth also
544 MORE REASONS FOR
such clear evidence, as is, in its kind, sufficient to banish all con-
siderable doubting. And now I conclude :
First, Whatever is true, is objectively certain and infallibly
true ; so far as that no man in believing it true, is therein
deceived or mistaken. All truth is certain, infallible truth
in itself.
Secondly, Few truths in the world are so evident, as that a
blinded, prejudiced, indisposed person, may not be ignorant of
them, or err about them.
Thirdly, All truths in the Scripture have not equal evidence
that they are the word of God, though all that is known to be
the word of God, if equally so known, have equal evidence in
the formal reason of faith, that they are true.
Fourthly, All known truth is infallibly known : that is, he
thatknoweth it is not deceived, nor can possibly be deceived, by
taking it to be true : so that, as infallibility signifieth not being
deceived, all true knowledge is subjectively infallible and certain;
that is, it is true.
Fifthly, No man can know that infallibly, which is not ob-
jectively certain : that which is not true, cannot be known to be
true. The strongest, and most confident belief of a falsehood,
is a false belief, and more than fallible or uncertain.
Sixthly, All God's word being equally true and infallible, the
belief of it is also equally true and infallible. But being not all
equally intelligible, evident, (to be his word), and necessary,
the understanding and belief of every part is not equally easy,
strong, past doubting, or necessary.
Seventhly, There is a superficial belief of divine revelations,
even the Gospel, which a natural man may have by extrinsic
means. And there is a more clear apprehension which a more
common sort of grace may produce : but that belief which is
so clear and powerful, as truly to sanctify and save the soul,
must be the effect of the special operation of the Holy Ghost,
who yet hath a course of appointed means in which we must
receive it.
Eighthly, The reason of this necessity of the Spirit's opera-
tion of faith, and then by faith, is not because the Gospel
wanteth due ascertaining evidence, or an aptitude to convince
and sanctify a soul, for it is highly rational, though mysterious,
and good. But because, by corruption and pravity, the mind
of man is so indisposed to know, believe, and love truths of
such a nature, as that there is need of a special, internal,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 545
higher operator, to set home the work as the hand of a man
setteth the seal upon the wax, and to do that by it, which
the bare word alone, with the most excellent preacher, can-
not do.
Ninthly, Yet is no wicked infidel excusable, that saith, " If
I cannot believe it, I will not believe it ; " because, first, it is
his pravity which is his disability ; secondly, he is more able
for a common, superficial belief, than for a special, effectual
belief j thirdly, and if he did by the help of that common belief
do what he might, and God appointeth him in the use of means
to obtain a special faith through grace, he should find that
God hath commanded no man to labour and seek after grace in
vain ; and if any man have not that grace and power, which is
of necessity to his faith and salvation, it is along of himself, who
useth not his more common power and grace as he might use
them. And so much to prevent misunderstanding.
Now, my reasons why I take every history, chronology, gene-
alogy in Scripture as certainly true, and every other word which
is spoken by a true prophet and apostle as by the Spirit, and
not disowned by the Scripture itself, but especially such as you
accuse in the Gospel, are these.
First, d priori, because it seemeth to me that the writing of
the whole books of the New Testament by them, was done in
the discharge of the commission given them by Christ ; and he
promised his apostles his Spirit for the performance of all their
commissioned office work. This writing is part of the preaching
which Christ sent them for. And no doubt but the Spirit did
cause them to write all the substantial part ; and therefore we
have reason to think that the smallest parts are from the same
author, and that he assisted them in the least as well as in the
greatest. Yea. the very accidents may have a perfection in their
place, though less perfect in themselves. Though all the evan-
gelists use not the same method, or order, nor repeat Christ's
sayings in the same terms, yet in respect to the whole frame, it
may be best that there should be that diversity of words and order,
to preserve and declare the same sense and things. And even
their plain and less accurate style and method may be best, as
fittest to its use and end.
Secondly, a posteriori, there is no caviller that yet hath
proved any falsehood or contradiction in any passages of the
Scripture ; though the clearing of some of them require more
than vulgar knowledge.
VOL. XXI. N N
.)
46 MORE REASONS FOR
Thirdly, Saving the controversies about the few questioned
books, and some few sentences, and words, the church, which
received the Scriptures as God's word, did receive the whole as
his word, and as certainly true in every part.
Fourthly, Because that spirit of miracles in the apostles, and
that spirit of holiness in us, which attesteth the christian religion,
cloth receive it, and attest it as found in the sacred Scripture,
though not as there alone ; and it putteth no exception against
any part of the sacred record : therefore, while it particularly
attesteth the chief parts, it inferreth an attestation to the
smallest. (For that word or line, which is not strictly a part but
an accident of the christian religion, is yet a part of the Bible,
which containeth it.)
Fifthly, And though all the reasons, which I have given, prove
that the truth of the christian religion may be certainly proved,
though we could not prove every bv-expression in the Scripture
to be true ; and though we deny not but the penmen manifested
their human imperfections in style and method ; yet if each
passage were not true, it would be so great a temptation to the
weak, and make it so difficult to know in some points what is
true, in comparison of what it would be, if all be true, that we
have no reason to imagine this difficulty to ourselves, while it is
unproved.
And having said this, I am here in order to answer your ob-
jections ; which vet von should not have expected from me,
whilst so great a number of books are already written, which
have done it ; and why should you bid me write that again,
which is written already, unless you had confuted what is writ-
ten? If you understand Latin, you may find a multitude of such
seeming contradictions reconciled, in Sharpius, Magrius, Altha-
mer, Cumeranus, but most fully in abundance of commentators;
if you understand not Latin, you may read enough in Dr. Ham-
mond, and many other annotators and commentaries, Mr. Cra-
dock's ' Harmonv,' &c. And you may have enough that under-
stand Latin to translate you the solutions, as out of Spanhemii
Dub. Evangel. Grotius, Jansenius, Chemnitius, and such others.
And whereas you tell me that I invite men to go to some
minister for satisfaction, I do so ; but if I had invited all men
in England to seek to me, you may imagine how many of them
I must fail, though they should never so much resolve to be in-
fidels, and to perish unless I satisfy them.
But you greatly encourage me to a particular answer, by
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 547
promising me, that "you will trouble me with no more but these
tew places," and that if I clear these from your imputation of
contradiction, you "will conclude" as I do, and suppose the
other places reconcilable.
First, Your first case is of " Joram begat Ozias, &c." Matt,
i. 8, 9. Answ. Here are two difficulties to be resolved ; first,
whether Joram begat Ozias (called also, Azarias). Secondly,
why Matthew leaveth out Ahazariah, Joas, and Amaziah.
And for the first, is it not strange that you should number
this with contradictions ? Are we not all called the children of
Adam ; and Abraham called the father of the Jews ? Is there
not a mediate as well as an immediate generation and progeny?
Is not causa causce, causa causati ? Did not your great-grand-
father beget you in causa, while he begat him who begat him
who begat you immediately ? What more common among the
Hebrews, than to call posterity the children of their ancestors.
Even Christ is called the son of David ? And use is the master
and expositor of words. And you were born too late, to teach
either God or the world, in what sense to use words so many
hundred years ago. This language was well understood by them
who used the like.
And secondly, For the next question you must understand
the scope of an author and his undertaking, if you will under-
stand his words. Matthew's design was not to name every per-
son in all these periods of time, from whom Christ descended;
but first to show, for memory' sake, how the line of Christ's pro-
genitors may be mentioned by three fourteens in three several
periods of time ; one from Abraham to David, and one from
David to the captivity, and one from thence to Christ : therein
commemorating as many as God was pleased hereby to make
memorate, to their honour, and to show the truth of the descent
of Christ from Abraham and David. Secondly, and God is not
bound to give us a reason, why he omitteth any of their names;
but this probability is obvious, that seeing Matthew would for
memory keep himself to the number of fourteen, none were fitter
to be left out than the posterity of Athalia, and so of Ahab and
Jezebel ; which God hath foretold should be blotted out or
abolished. (1 Kings xxi. 21, 22.) And, therefore, he that would
have the names of the wicked to rot, would not here honour
them with a place among the progenitors of Christ : and yet the
second commandment limiting God's visiting the sins of the
fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation, it
N N 2
548 MORE REASONS FOR
is no wonder that the omission doth extend no further ; and so
suitable is God's word to his providence, that these three men
were all cut off by the sword, whose memory is here cut off by
Matthew.
II. As to your second pretended contradiction : first, remem-
ber that it was none of the purpose of any of the evangelists to
say all that could be said, even of the sayings and doings of
Christ himself, much less of any others ; and, therefore, if that
be said in one, which is not said in another, it is no wonder :
and you must remember what Dr. Hammond hath noted of
Luke, that (Luke i.) professing that he received his knowledge
from others, though directed by the Holy Ghost, he delivered
the things themselves, with less respect to the time and order,
when every thing was said and done, than the other did observe,
it being not his design to tell the time and order of each.
These things premised, set them all together and you will find
that, first, Mary Magdalene, Johanna, Maria Jacobi, and Salome,
having bought spices, and going to anoint the body of Jesus,
said, "Who will roll away the stone for us ?" And when they
came they found the stone rolled away by an angel that sat
upon it. Secondly, that angel, with another, speaks to the
women, saying, "Fear not; 1 know you seek Jesus that
was crucified ; why seek ye the living among the dead ? he is
not here, he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where
the Lord was laid," &c. Thirdly, then the women run and
tell the disciples, "They have taken away the Lord, and we
know not where they have laid him." Fourthly, Peter and
John ran to the sepulchre, and saw the clothes and returned.
Fifthly, Mary Magdalene being come back, stood weeping at the
door of the sepulchre, and looking in, she saw two angels, one
at the head, another at the feet of the place where Jesus lay ;
who sav, " Woman, why vveepest thou ? She said, They
have taken away my Lord, and [ know not where they have
laid him." Sixthly, having said this, she looked behind her
and saw Jesus, not knowing him, who said, "Woman, why
weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She thinking him to
be the gardener, answered, If thou hast taken him away, tell
me where thou hast laid him," &c. "Jesus said unto her, Touch
me not, for I am not yet ascended, &c. But go to my brethren,
and say unto them, I ascend to," &c. Seventhly, Mary runs
and tells this to the disciples, that she had seen the Lord, and
what he said to her : but they believed her not. Eighthly,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 549
either at the same time before Mary was gone, or, perhaps,
after she had overgone them to tell the disciples, Jesus met the
rest of the women, and said to them, " All hail : and thev laid
hold upon his feet, and worshipped him. And Jesus said to
them, Fear not, go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee,
and there they shall see me." Take all the evangelists, and tell
me, first, whether here be any more than all set together say?
Secondly, whether in all this there be any contradiction ?
But if you should take Dr. Hammond's shorter supposition :
First, that Mary and the women came to the sepulchre, and
find that, before they came, the stone was rolled away by an
angel, who had affrighted the keepers. Secondly, they go in
and miss the body. Thirdly, Mary runs and tells Peter and
John. Fourthly, they run and satisfy themselves, and .return
to the rest. Fifthly, the woman staying at the sepulchre seeth
the angels ; first one, on the stone, and on the right side of the
monument ; and then two, one at the head, and another at the
feet of it. Sixthly, the angels speak all that the evangelists
mention ; and Mary to them. Seventhly, she turneth back
and seeth Jesus, who speaketh to her, and to the rest, what is
recorded. Eighthly, then she goes and telleth all to the dis-
ciples. If this order be supposed, what contradiction is here ?
Where you say, in Luke, the women told the disciples of the
angels first, before Peter went, I answer : first, whether we
suppose that they first told them of the words of the angels that
were without the sepulchre before Peter went, and, after, of the
angels within the sepulchre, which might be the same angels,
but not the same apparition ; or whether you only suppose Luke,
as in Christ's doctrine, so in these by-matters of fact, to intend
onlv to deliver the matter, and not to tell just the time and
order : there is no untruth nor contradiction in either supposition.
111. Your third question is fully answered in the answer of the
former. According to the first harmony or supposition, Matthew
only mentioneth one of the apparitions of the angels, and one
of Marv's goings to the disciples ; and so this written in Matthew
was partly before Mary's seeing Christ, viz., the angel's first
appearance ; and partlv after, viz., her going the c econd time,
upon the second appearance of the angels, to tell them.
According to the second harmony, Mary's speech to Christ
was after the angels' appearance, even as they were turning
away from the angels to go tell the disciples the second time j
Jesus met them, and Mary, at first, took him for the gardener;
550 MORE REASONS FOR
but quickly knew him, and had from him the words which you
recite.
And, now, consider whether you deal reasonably with Christ,
and with your own soul, upon such poor cavils as these, to argue
against the christian faith, and plead for apostasy ; when the
Gospel hath all the divine attestations and evidences, which I
have opened in my treatise, and you are not able to confute
them j which leadeth me to my third proposition.
Prop. 3. He that first proveth the truth of the christian faith
by solid evidence, may, and ought to be certain of the truth,
though he be not able to solve all seeming contradictions in the
Scriptures, or answer all objections which occur ; yea, certain of
every particle thereof.
This I prove by these following arguments :
Arg. 1. From the consent of all mankind; who are forced
thus to conclude, in all arts and sciences : there being none of
them so plain and sure, but somewhat may be said against them,
which few, if any man, can answer ; and incommodum non solvit
argumenlum must be their reply.
Arg. 2. From the nature of objects, and the imperfection of
man's knowledge. If we could be sure of nothing till we can
answer all objections against it, we must come to Zanchez's
* Nihil scitur : ' nothing in all the world can be sure. Can no
man be sure that there is any such thing as motion, till he can
answer the objections that would first prove no vacuity, and then
no penetrability, and then an impossibility, till a cession begin at
the extremity of natural beings, and continue unto the supposed
mobile ? Shall we say that a wheel cannot possibly turn round ,
because no one part first giveth place to the other to succeed it ?
Will you be able to answer all the difficulties tossed in the
schools, or but those mentioned in Mr. Glanvil's ' Scepsis Scien-
tifica/ before you will be sure of any thing of those matters,
where these difficulties are found ?
He that can answer all objections, first, is supposed not only
to know, but to know the matter in some perfection ; and can
none know certainly but those, who be they, that know in such
perfection ? Secondly, yea, they are supposed to know all
other matters which may any way relate to the matter in hand ;
and shall no man know any thing certainly, till he knoweth all
things ? For instance,
First, What if the question be, ' Whether there be a God, the
Creator of all ; ' cannot I be sure of this till I can answer Aris-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 551
totle's objections of the world's eternity, and all the rest which
every atheist will allege ?
Secondly, What if the question be, e Whether God be most
wise ; ' cannot 1 be sure of it by the notorious effects of his wis-
dom, till I can answer him that saith, ' he that maketh fools,
and permitteth so much madness and confusion in the world,
and leaveth mankind in so great ignorance, is not perfectly-
wise ? '
Thirdly, What if the question be, ' Whether God be per-
fectly good ; ' cannot I be sure of it till I can answer all their
objections, who say ' perfect goodness would make all things
perfectly good, and would not let the world lie in so much
wickedness, nor so many tormenting diseases to afflict us, nor
the innocent horse and ox to be laboured, tired, tormented, and
killed by us at our pleasure ? ' &c.
Fourthly, What if the question were, ' Whether God be al-
mighty ;' cannot I know it till I answer them who say, that ( he
that cannot make an infinite world, is not infinite in power ; he
that hath a will which men can violate ; he that endureth all the
sin in the world, which he hateth, and the ruin and misery of so
many millions, whom he loveth, is not Almighty ? '
Fifthly, What if the questions, ( Whether man be a rational
creature ; whether he have any free will ; whether brutes have
reason \ whether plants and stones have sense ; ' can 1 know
none of these till I can answer all the objections of the soma^
tists against the soul ; and all the objections of Hobbs against
free will ; and all the objections of Chambre for the reason of
beasts; and all that Campanella hath said de sensu rerum?
In a word, what shall we know in the world if we can know
nothing till we can solve all difficulties and objections ? there-
fore I add,
Prop. 4. The true method of one that would arrive at cer-
tainty, and not deceive himself and others, is to begin at the
bottom, and discern things in their nearest, intrinsical, and most
certain evidences; and, afterwards, to try the by-objections as
he is able ; and not to pore first upon the objected difficulties,
and judge of all the cause by those.
The plain truth and case of Christians is, that if God had not
done more for them by giving them his Spirit by the Gospel,
and experience of its truth in the effects, than their teachers have
done by a right instructing them in the evidences of faith, or
552 MORE REASONS FOR
than the reason of the most doth in a clear discerning of those
evidences in the thing or word itself, it were no wonder if apos-
tates were more numerous than they are, when so many build
on the sand, and are strangers to the true foundation, and will
never see the evidences of the christian verity in itself; no won-
der if poor objections shake them, that never understood the
nature and reasons of their own religion. If the tree grow all
in top, which exposeth it to the winds, and little in the roots,
which must hold it fast, no wonder if it be overthrown. When
men never know the great, clear evidences of the christian reli-
gion, but take it up by custom, education, and on the credit
only of the time and place in which they live, no wonder if
every seeming weakness, error, or contradiction in Scripture,
make them doubt.
First, Look to all learning, arts, and sciences. Do not
learners that would know, begin at the elements and foundation ?
Do we not begin in grammar with our letters, syllables, words,
and chief rules, and in all arts and sciences, with the elements
and principles ?
Secondly, And reason telleth us that the points that are most
necessary, clear, and certain, must be held accordingly with a
more clear, assured confidence, than those that are unnecessary
and dark : and that uncertainties must be reduced to certainties,
and not certainties to uncertainties : and that all arguing should
be a notiore, and not a minus notis. And as I said before, as
the trunks of the tree, the veins, the arteries, the nerves are few
and visible, and easily and surely known, when the thousands of
little branches are hardly visible or numerable ; so is it with
the schemes of truths. He, therefore, that will begin at
these numerous small branches, will dote rather than know
or learn.
As in the former instances. First, When I see with my eyes
the effects of power, wisdom, and goodness in all the visible
works of God, I am sure that it is perfect power, wisdom, and
goodness, which is the cause of this. I am certain that nothing
can give that which fbrmaHter, or eminent er, it hath not to give,
nor can the effect exceed the total cause. I am certain that he
from whom all creatures, power, wisdom, and goodness doth
proceed, must needs himself be more great, and wise, and good,
than all the world of creatures set together, which he hath
made. To this fundamental certainty, therefore, I must hold if
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 553
I will not dote, whatever little objections or prattlings may be
used against it.
Secondly, Eternity is a thing incomprehensible, which quite
swalloweth up my understanding ; and many little things be
said against it. But I am certain that nothing can make
nothing; and if ever there had been nothing there never would
have been any thing : and to this certainty I will hold.
Thirdly, A holy life hath a great many of cavilling objections
raised against it by corrupted nature. And shall I there begin
to make my trial of it ? No, I am first sure that a rational free-
agent and subject of God, is bound to obey him, and that the
greatest good should be the greatliest loved, and that we are
totally our Creator's own, and should be totally devoted to him.
I am sure I cannot love the infinite good too much, nor be too
good, nor do too much good to others in the world, nor make
too sure of my own felicity, nor too much seek my ultimate
end. And shall not this assurance hold me fast against all the
snarlings and prattlings of the doting, drunken world ?
So here, I have in the Treatise opened those grounds on which
we may be certain of the necessity of this holiness, of the life to
come, and of the truth of the christian faith and hopes. And
because God in mercy hath not put off the world with the ske-
leton of a bare creed, but also given them the complete body of
sacred Scriptures, to be a full, perpetual record of this truth,
shall I turn his mercy to a snare and sin, and question all, even
the articles of the faith, because in the Scriptures there are some
things accidental to religion, and some things hard to be un-
derstood, which the ignorant and unskilful wrest to their
destruction ? This is but to be devils to ourselves, and foolish
enemies of our own peace and comfort : as Cicero speaks
against them that pleaded for the soul's mortality, as if it were
a desirable thing.
You have nothing else that suiteth the nature and interest of
a man, and agreeth with the nature and interest of God, to set
against the christian religion in competition. If you would
have no religion, you would have no hopes, no safety, no bu-
siness or comfort, but bestial, in this world, and you would be no
men. If you would have nothing but nature, and the holiness
which nature clearly calleth for, you would have health in an
unhealed body, and health without the physician and his means.
The Mediator is the way to the Father, and if you would love
554 MORE REASONS FOR
God and be happy in his love, and have the pardon of your
sins, you have little reason to reject him that cometh to procure,
reveal, and communicate that love and pardon, which must win
your hearts to the love of God. And if you would not die in
desperation, but have the hopes and foresight of a better life,
you have little reason to quarrel with a messenger from heaven,
which bringeth life and immortality to light. As bad as
Christians are, if personal quarrels and malignity blind you not,
and if you will not take the enemies and persecutors of Christi-
anity for Christians, merely because they assume the name, you
may easily see that serious Christians, who live according to
their profession, are persons of another kind of excellency than
all the unbelieving world.
I know that from some self-conceited, ignorant, well-meaning
persons, I must look to be reviled and called a betrayer of
Christianity, because I plead not for it in their way, and give
you any other answer to your objections, than ' That when God
giveth you the Spirit, you shall know that the Scripture hath
no contradictions, and that Christianity is the true religion : till
then you cannot know it, nor must I give you reasons for it/
But I do my work, and let who will wrangle and revile.
How far the sayings of some are true or false, c That the
Scripture is the only means of faith, or saving knowledge of
God ; that it is principium indemonstrabile, as first principles of
knowledge are in nature; that (as others say) it hath evidence
of credibility, but not evidence of certainty, as if evidence of
divine credibility or faith, were not evidence of certainty; that
faith hath not evidence, but evidence evacuateth faith, or the
merits of it,' with such like, a man of understanding may
gather from what is said : and I must not be so tedious as par-
ticularly here to resolve them, having done it in preface to the
second part of the Saint's Rest, edit. 2, &c, long ago. And
though I have written nothing here which some men cannot
make an ill use of, and some men will not turn to matter of
cavil and reproach, I will not therefore leave it out whilst I
expect that the good, which truth is fitted to, is greater than the
evil, which by accident and abuse will follow it.
And because you seem confident, and think me bound to
answer you, and consequently all others, not knowing how many
hundreds may trouble me in the like kind, I send you this in
print, that other men's mistakes and infidelity also may have
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 555
the same remedies. But I shall conceal your name and dwelling,
lest the shame of your sin should hinder your patient application
of the remedy, save only hy telling you that it is long ago since
I read a noble and learned lord, who in a Latin book De Veritate
(contra Veritatem) said much against the certainty of faith:
but it was all but learned froth and vanity. I rest
A servant of Christ,
And desirer of your faith and salvation,
R. Baxter.
December 28th, 1671.
THE
SECOND PART
OF THIS
APPENDIX,
BEING
SOME ANIMADVERSIONS ON THE FORESAID TREATISE, BE
VERITATE, RESOLVING SEVERAL QUESTIONS THERE IN-
CLUDED OR IMPLIED.
Having let fall the mention of that noble author's Treatise,
it came into my mind, that it, having never been answered,
might be thought unanswerable, and so the more considerable.
Therefore I adjoin so much of my animadversion, as the case in
hand requireth.
And, first, I must give the author the honour of his great
learning and strength of wit. Secondly, I must confess that
the teachers of the church have been too often such, as have
given him the scandal which he so often expresseth, as more
regarding their interest than truth, and not making clear the
truth which they have taught, and often wronging it by their
omissions, or additions, or unsound explications. Thirdlv, I
confess the body of his Treatise contained! many very consi-
derable things, in order to the disquisition of truth ; especi-
ally about the suitableness of the faculties to the object, the
conditions requisite to a true apprehension, and somewhat about
the nature of truth itself ; though that which he calleth Veritas
appar entice, I had rather call evidentia veritatis rei. And I am
not willing to think that I have as many different faculties as
there are different plants in my garden, or books in mv studv,
or sentences in those books , and in several things I miss that
accurateness which he pretendeth to : but these I shall pass by.
He saith, (p. 217,) "An vero aliud (praeter pcenitentiam)
et quidem convenientius detur medium, unde justitiae divinae fit
factum satis non est hie in animo exponere, Hoc solum-
modo dicimus, (quicquid in adversam partem a quibusdam sug-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 557
geratur) quod nisi sola poenitentia et fide in Deum, vitia et
scelera quaecunque eliminari possint, et justitise divine bonitas
divina adeo sit \vrpov ut non sit ulterius quo provocetur, nullum
universale ita patere, vel olim patuisse remedium, ut fuerit quo
confugeret misera ex peccati sensu languentium turba, vel
haberet unde gratiam et pacem illam internam conciliaret; et
tandem in id deveniendum sit, ut quosdam, immo longe majorem
liominum partem inscios nedum iuvitos, et creaverit et damna-
verit Deus Opt. Max. Quod adeo horrendum, et providentiae,
bonitati immo et justitiae divinae incongruum sonat, ut mitiori
immo et aequiori sententia dicendum sit, totum humanum genus
ex poenitentia semper habuisse media unde Deo aceeptum esse
potuit; quibus si exciderit, non jam ex Dei bene placito, sed ex
proprio hominum peccato, perditionem uniuscujusque extitisse
nee per Deum stetisse quo minus salvi fierent." The first question
then is,
Quest. 1. Whether, if Christ, and not only our repentance
and belief in God, be taken for a sacrifice, and price given to
God for man's redemption, it will follow, that most of the world
are damned by God's will, without any remedy to which they
could have recourse for salvation ?
Answ. First, It is strange that men should be left remediless,
if Christ, and not only their repentance, be the remedy. Surely
if Christ had given sinners nothing, yet he hath taken nothing
from them.
Secondly, We all confess the universal necessity of repent-
ance ; but this is partly co-ordinate, as the end, and partly
subordinate, as an effect, and therefore not contrary to the
necessity of a Redeemer. Repentance is our conversion, and
our begun recovery from sin ; and will it follow that the phv-
sician is unnecessary, because health and recovery are necessary?
yea, and sufficient in their kind.
Thirdly, How doth it follow that the remedy was not uni-
versal, when redemption by Christ was universal ? Christ so far
died for all men, as by his death he procured them any grace.
But he procured grace, though not equal grace, for all : you
confess an universal grace, and vet an inequality of benefits : we
say, that grace was procured by Christ : do we narrow it at all,
by saying Christ procured it ?
Fourthly, I perceive some men's misexplication of these things
was your snare and scandal. First, We distinguish between
Christ's procurement of our pardon and salvation by his sacrifice
553 MORE REASONS FOR
and merit with God, and Christ as the object of man's faith, or
as believed in by man. We do not make the latter so univer-
sally necessary as the former. For we hold that infants are
saved, that believe not. But we hold, that no one is saved for
whom Christ did not satisfy God's justice, and merit salvation.
Secondly, And that thus much causelessly offend you not, we
sav, that this satisfaction and merit consisteth not in an identity
or gradual proportion of Christ's pains or sufferings to all man-
kind, but in an aptitude of his sacrifice and righteousness to
attain the ends of God, the Sovereign of the world, the demon-
stration of his truth, holiness, and righteousness, together with
triumphant love and mercy, better than the remediless damna-
tion of all the sinning world would have done. Read but Mr.
Truman's ' Great Propitiation,' which showeth you the true
ends of the sacrifice of Christ, and this unjust offence will vanish.
Thirdly, And we maintain, as is said, that the merit and propi-
tiation wrought by Christ, is not to make our repentance need-
less, but to procure it, and to make it effectual to its ends. He
giveth us repentance, and remission of sins. You confess that
we may and must make a new covenant with God upon our
repentance : in that covenant God promiseth us grace, as we
consent to be his servants and children. Now if Christ did
procure, and, as God's general Administrator, give us that pro-
mise of pardon and salvation to the truly penitent, doth not
this more oblige us to repentance, and not less ? And the
merit of repentance, if you will so call it with the ancients, is
quite of another order, rank, and nature, than the merit of
Christ. It is one thing for the innocent Son of God to merit
repentance and pardon to all that will repent, and another thing
by repenting, through his grace, to perform the condition of the
further grace of pardon or salvation. Fourthly, And yet further
to heal your unjust offence, we do not hold that Christ maketh
God more merciful than he was, or that his redemption is the
first cause of our recovery and salvation, causing God to be
willing, who was unwilling before ; but that God's love and mercy
and his own good will is the first cause, which gave us Christ for
a Redeemer as a second cause, an effect of his love, and the
head of all the means of our recovery ; and the true meriting
cause of that grace and salvation which God will give us. Nor
so meriting as to change God, but so meriting as to remove the
impediments of his grace as to the communication, and as to
become the fittest instrument of the Father's love and mercy,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 559
by whom to govern the lapsed world, and to communicate grace
and life to sinners. Fifthly, And yet more fully to satisfy your
objection, we hold, that all mankind is brought by Christ under
a covenant of grace, which is not vain, or repealed by God ; but
as their abuse of the grace of the covenant may cast them out.
For as a covenant of entire nature, or innocency, was made
with all mankind in innocent Adam, so a covenant of grace was
made with all mankind in lapsed Adam, (Gen. iii. 15,) in the
promised seed, and renewed again with all mankind in Noah.
No man can prove either a limitation of this covenant to some,
(till the rest, by violating it, became the serpent's seed, at least,)
nor yet that ever God did abrogate it, as it was made to all the
world. Sixthly, And we further acquaint you, that it was not
the existent humanity of Christ that procured grace and life to
the world, for those about four thousand years before his incar-
nation. The mere decree and promise did serve for man's
salvation all that time, without the existence of his humanity.
Seventhly, Therefore, when you grant a necessity of believing
in God, as merciful, you must needs include Christ in his divine
subsistence, for you must needs grant that the eternal \6yos, or
wisdom of God, must be the fountain and determiner of all those
means by which his love and mercy would communicate reco-
vering grace and life to man. You will not divide God as the
object of our faith, and leave out the wisdom that must manage
all. Eighthly, And yet further to remove your scandal, we
maintain that the Jews themselves were not bound to believe
many that are now articles of our faith, that Christ " was
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead and buried, descended to hades, and rose
again the third day ; " and that his very death and resurrection
were not believed by his own apostles till he was risen.
Nor understood they the article of the Holy Ghost. So
that before a more general belief in the Messiah did serve
the Jews themselves : that all this is so, we are satisfied by this
evidence. First, By the silence of the Old Testament in the
matter, giving us no proof that ordinary, much less, all believers,
had such a particular knowledge of the office of Christ; and what
is not revealed is not to be believed. Secondly, From Heb. xi.,
where faith is described, as in its latitude, to be the evidence of
things not seen, and the substance of things hoped for, and a
believing that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that
diligently seek him, and a looking for a better country, and for
560 MORE REASONS FOR
,)
a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God ;
and a believing the word and faithfulness of God, &c. And the
Holy Ghost, when he purposely described the faith which the
ancients had been saved by, would never have left out the chief,
or any essential part. The same I say of Rom. iv., and 2 Cor.
iv. 18, and v. 1,6, 7 ; James ii., &c. Thirdly, The text
expresslv telleth us, first, of Christ's death and resurrection,
and, consequentlv, the offering himself a sacrifice for sin, and
ransom for the world, and dying for us, that the apostles them-
selves were ignorant of it till after his resurrection. When
Christ told them that he must be killed and raised again the
third day, Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying,
" Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. " (Matt,
xvi. 21, 22.) "The Son of Man shall be delivered into the
hands of men : but they understood not this saying, and it was
hid from them, that they perceived it not." (Luke ix. 44, 45.)
Again, " All things written in the prophets, concerning the
Son of Man, shall be accomplished, for he shall be delivered to
the Gentiles, and be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spit
on, and they shall scourge him, and put him to death, and the
third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of
these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither knew
they the things which were spoken." (Luke xviii. 31 — 34.)
So, " We trusted this had been he that should have redeemed
Israel — O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the pro-
phets have spoken ; ought not Christ to have suffered these
things, and to enter into his glory ? And beginning at Moses
and ali the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scrip-
tures, the things concerning himself." (Mark ix. 32; Luke xxiv.
21,25,26.) Here vou see that they knew not that he must
die for our sins, rise again, and ascend to glory; and that
it is no proof that all that were justified before understood
these things, because that Moses and the prophets had
foretold them, for the apostles themselves understood it not
in Moses and the prophets. Secondly, They understood not
aright the doctrine of his intercession, and that he must go
to the Father, and then be their High Priest, and that they
must come to God by him, and ask in his name : for it is said,
" Now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you
asketh me, Whither goest thou ? but because I have said
these things to you, sorrow hath filled your hearts — but it
is expedient for you that I go away." (John xvi. 5—7.)
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 561
" Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name." " At that day
ye shall ask in my name." (John xvi. 24, 26.) As for them that
say that the apostles knew that they were to come to God only
by a Mediator, as all the faithful did of old ; but vet they knew
not that they must come to him by Christ, and in his name.
First, There was no mediator existent but God before the incar-
nation, though there was to be a mediator after. Secondly,
This implieth that the apostles knew not Jesus to be the Christ,
and that they went to God by some other mediator, which are
both false. Thirdly, And if by mediation be meant the satis-
factory price of his sacrifice, they knew not that he was to die,
and to be a sacrifice for sin. Fourthly, And it is plain that they
understood not rightly the nature of his spiritual kingdom and
reign, but had got an opinion of an earthly kingdom for the
Jews' deliverance and exaltation : that Christ abideth for ever,
(John xii. 34,) in opposition to his heavenly abode, was then a
common opinion. "We hoped this had been he that should have
redeemed Israel : " (Luke xxiv :) one would have sat on his
right hand, and another on his left ; and they strove who should
be greatest. " Lord, wilt thou, at this time, restore the kingdom
of Israel ? " (Acts i.) When the Advocate was to be sent, he
was to teach them all things, and to testify of Christ, and to con-
vince the world of the sin of their unbelief, and of the righteous-
ness and truth of Christ, and of his judgment or kingdom and
power, as consisting, {quoad exercltium,) in the debellation or
dejection of the kingdom of Satan, and destroying the works
of the devil. (John xvi.) By all which, and much more, it
appeareth that the apostles, though then in a state of justifica-
tion, had a very general and defective knowledge of the office
of Christ ; and that, though his prophetical office was ordina-
rily believed, (John iv.,) the Samaritan woman could say, When
the Messiah cometh, he will tell us all things, and a temporal
kingdom expected ; yet his spiritual kingdom, and especially
his priestly office, by his sacrifice, death, resurrection, heavenly
intercession, (for all the old types and sacrifices,) was little un-
derstood by the disciples. Yea, he sometimes forbade them and
others to tell men that he was the Christ, because the great
evidences of his resurrection, ascension, and Spirit, by which it
was to be evinced, were yet to come. And we believe not that
all that were saved before had more knowledge than the apos-
tles, so that all the faithful Jews believed in the promised seed,
the Messiah, as one that was to be sent to be their Deliverer
vol, xxi. o o
562 MORE REASONS FOR
and Saviour, yet it was by a faith that was very general, and
far from that distinctness which, after the resurrection of Christ,
was required of all to whom the Gospel was promulgate, which
I have said the more of to you, lest you think that we hold
what we do not, and so take occasion to err by supposing us to
err. Clemens Alexandrinus, Justin Martyr, Arnobius, Lactan-
tius, and other old Christians, do go yet further than yet I have
conceded to you.
And our very learned Dr. Twisse doth argue that God could
have saved the world without a Redeemer, if he had pleased,
becaused he saved the faithful under the Old Testament without
any existent mediator, except God himself, or any existent
sacrifice, or merit, or intercession of him, and because he saveth
infants without faith. But for the first, I take it to be, at best,
too great temerity or audacity to dispute whether God could
have done things better or otherwise, which he has done so well
(of which I said more in my premonition before my treatise,
called l The Unreasonableness of Infidelity ; ' though I know
that Wallaeus and many learned protestants say the same). And
as for infants, they are not saved without the sacrifice and grace
of the Redeemer, though they know him not ; nor are they in the
covenant, without the faith of their parents or owners, which is
as their own. And if the spirit of the prophets be called the
Spirit of Christ, (1 Pet. i. 11,) and the reproach of Moses was
the reproach of Christ, (Heb. xi. 26,) we may much more
conclude of the ordinary believers before his coming, that Christ's
interest and his Spirit's operations and help, extended much
further than men's understanding of him, his undertaking and
his future work. No doubt but the eternal Ady^ that had un-
dertaken man's redemption, and thereupon was our Lord Re-
deemer, gave even to Socrates, Plato, Cicero, Seneca, Antonine,
Epictetus, Plutarch, &c, what light and mercy they had,
though they understood not well from whom or upon what
grounds they had them.
Ninthly, And also we hold that the Jews were not the whole
of God's kingdom, or church of redeemed ones in the world, as
I have fully proved elsewhere, but that as the covenant was made
with all mankind, so amongst them God had other servants
besides the Jews ; though it was they that had the extraordinary
benediction of being his peculiar sacred people. Tenthly, And
we hold that as the Jews had by promises, prophecies, and types,
more means to know God, and the Messiah to come, than other
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 563
nations, so they were answerably obliged to more knowledge and
faith than other nations were, that had not, nor could have,
their means.
If, then, all the world be under the first covenant of grace, and
if you confess this to proceed from the wisdom and goodness of
God, and that men are bound so to believe, and if Christ since his
incarnation hath diminished none of the mercies of God to the
world, but rather greatly increased them, and so where the
Gospel is not preached, nor cannot be had, they that refuse it
not are in no worse case than they were before, how can you
say that they are remediless, if Christ be the Ransom and
Remedy ?
We know that all men partake of a great deal of mercy from
God, after the notorious demerit of their sin. We know that
this mercy telleth them aloud, that God dealeth not with them
according to the first law of innocency ; they see he pardoneth
them, they feel that he pardoneth them in part; that is, he useth
them not as they deserve. We know that all his mercies oblige
them to hope that he will yet be further merciful ; and to re-
pentance, obedience, thankfulness, and love. We know that
the heathen are not left as the devils, without remedy, but all
the nations are under divine obligations, to use certain means,
which have a tendency to their recovery : and we know that
God biddeth no man to use his means in vain.
Fourthly, Let us, therefore, first, debate this case with any
unbeliever that hath your objections, whether you have any fault
to find with the christian doctrine of the way of man's salvation,
for the first four thousand years, before the incarnation of our
Lord ? If you have, First, Is it with the author ? Secondly,
Or with the terms and conditions of life ? First, The author
then was none but God. The eternal Aoy&, Wisdom, and Word,
did interpose to prevent the execution of strict justice, by re-
solving to glorifv love and mercy. Do you deny the being of
God's eternal Wisdom or Word ? Do you deny him to be God
himself; or a divine subsistence, and dream that it is but some
accident in God ? No, your fair description of God (p. 210),
dischargeth you from the imputation of so gross an error.
You will say that the divine Power and Goodness interposed as
well as the divine Ao'y^S Wisdom, and Word. True: OperaTrini-
tatis ad extra sunt indivisa : but so that each hath an eminency
in his own work, though not as separated or a solitary principle
or cause. The Father, and divine vital active power, was emi-
00 2
564 MORE REASONS FOR
nently glorified in the creation ; the Son, and divine Wisdom, is
eminently glorified in the making of the remedyingmedicine; and
the divine love and Spirit is eminently glorified in the operation
of it, to the health and salvation of the soul. The Son, and the
Wisdom or Word, doth not finish all the work himself, hut with
the Father and divine power, sendeth the Holy Spirit, and com-
municateth to man the love of God : and all together will be
glorified in our glorification.
Secondly, And if it be the terms of life that do offend you,
First, It is either the terms of satisfying the justice of God;
Secondly, Or the terms of conveying the benefits to man.
First, For the first, there is nothing in it, to give offence. For
we dream not of anv extrinsical agent or action, much less that
which was not existent till four thousand years after, having any
proper casuality to change God's mind or will ; the sum of the
christian doctrine, about the interposition and redemption by the
Son for man upon his fall, is but this : as if God should say,
I will not destroy or damn sinful man remedilessly, according to
the strict terms of the law of innocency, which he hath broken ;
but will give him a remedying covenant of grace ; because 1 will,
]n the fulness of time, provide better for the glorifying of my
truth and holiness, wisdom and goodness, justice and mercy,
than the remediless destruction of mankind would do, even by
the incarnation, doctrine, sacrifice, merits, &c, of the eternal
Word. So that this grand work of God is the cause of his sub-
ordinate works ; but not the cause of any real, but only relative
or denominative mutation in himself. This all sound Christ-
ians are agreed in; and can this offend you?
Secondly, And for the terms of communication of grace to
man, it is either, First, The new covenant as a gift of pardon
and life: Secondly, Or the conditions which it recmireth of man.
First, The former you neither do find fault with, nor can do,
that God should give the world a recovering and pardoning law.
Secondly, The second is all that is here liable to your exception.
And what do you think amiss in that ? First, Not that re-
pentance is one of the conditions of further grace ; for that you
plead for. Secondly, Not that fides in Deurn misericordem,
(faith in God's revealed mercy, as pardoning sin,) is required of
man ; for that also you plead for.
But you would have his goodness and mercy to be a sufficient
satisfaction to his justice. Ansvv. First, I hope you will not
exclude his wisdom, because you abhor atheism as folly.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 565
Secondly, And I hope you will distinguish between the prime
satisfying cause, and the satisfying means ; these plainly differ.
The prime satisfying cause is God's wisdom, contriving and de-
termining of the fittest way to communicate his love and Spirit;
hut the prime satisfying means is Jesus Christ, who was to do
that which was fittest to attain the aforesaid ends.
But that which you will except against is, that the belief in
Christ's future incarnation was made then necessary to salvation.
Answ. First, See that you feign not the christian doctrine to
say more of this than indeed it doth, which I have opened to
you before. I told you how narrow the apostles' own faith was
before Christ's resurrection. We know that all the believing
Jews knew not so much as they, nor so much as the prophets,
and more illuminated men ; and we know that the rest of the
world had not so full a revelation as the Jews. But we know
that all that had the notice of his promise, were to believe the
truth thereof; and those that had not the word of promise made
known to them, had the possession of many such mercies as that
promise gave, and as intimated much of the same grace, which
the promise did ; therefore, none could be bound to less than
to believe that God, of his mercy, would pardon sin, and save
penitent believers, by such a means of securing the honour of his
holiness, truth, and justice, as his infinite wisdom should provide.
This much you cannot deny. And that the promise of the
victorious seed, though it seem too obscure to bind men to so
distinct a faith as ours is, was, by tradition, told to Adam's
posterity ; and that they had a general belief of such an expia-
tion for some time, seemeth intimated in the early and almost
universal use of sacrificing, of which I shall speak more anon.
Hitherto, then, I have vindicated the christian doctrine of man's
salvation, for the first four thousand, years.
Secondly, And is there any thing since which should make it
more offensive to you ? First, As to the person of Christ, I
have said enough in my treatise, ' The Reason of Christian Re-
ligion.' Verily, I think it far harder to confute those that feign
all the world to be animated by God, as the universal soul, and
to conceive how God, who is most intimate to all things, in
whom we live, and move, and are, should not be as nearly united
to all things as Christians believe him to be to the human na-
ture of Christ, though undoubtedly it is not so, than that he
should have that near union with his human nature.
Secondly, And as to Christ's work, I have so largely showed
566 MORE REASONS FOR
you the necessity, the reasonableness, and the harmonical con-
gruities, that I will not repeat them. In a word, the New Testa-
ment is the doctrine of the eternal A07©*, Wisdom, or Word of
God incarnate, to communicate the divine Spirit and love to man,
to be a sacrifice for sin, the conqueror of Satan, death, and sin,
the head over all things to the church, the author of redemp-
tion, the grand administrator of the new covenant, the recon-
ciler and restorer of man to God, the teacher, ruler, and high
priest of the church, in order to this our restoration and salvation.
Thirdly, But if it be the time of his coming that doth offend
vou, I have answered that, and further add. First, What is
there in foolish man that should encourage him to dream that
he better knoweth the fittest season for God's works than God
himself. Secondly, Man was not all the while before without
the benefits of this designed and undertaken redemption : he
was still under a covenant of grace. Thirdly, Consider well
that God did not intend to give mankind, that had so heinously
sinned, by preferring the devils word befote his, a present and a
perfect pardon, but only to give a new law and covenant, which
should be a conditional gift of pardon, to be obtained in full
perfection in time, and by degrees we had made ourselves vo-
luntarily the slaves of Satan, and God would not deliver us all
at once : we had forfeited the heavenly assistance of the Holy
Spirit, and God would not give it us all at once. Man's time
of healing the wounds of his own sin, is the time of this life ; and
the perfect cure will not be done till our entrance into the per-
fect world. And as it is with individual men, so it is with the
world of all mankind. Grace imitateth nature, and doth all by
degrees ; darker revelations were meeter for the infancy of
the world, and clearer at noon-day ; and riper knowledge fitter
for its maturity. And when Satan, by divine permission, had
plaved his part, and seemed to triumph over the sinful world,
it was time for Christ to come, by power, wisdom, and goodness,
meanly clothed, to cast down his temples and altars, to subdue
his kingdoms, and to triumph over the triumpher.
Fourthly, But if it be the present conditions of the new cove-
nant since Christ's resurrection that offend you, viz., that
the world is required to believe in him, I have answered that,
and now add : First, Remember what I said before, that no
man's condition is made worse by Christ than it was before his
incarnation. They that neither have nor could have the cove-
nant of grace in the last edition, are under it as they were before
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 567
in the first edition, further than as their after sins have deprived
them of any of its benefits. Therefore, the coming of Christ
hath not narrowed the church, nor repealed or diminished any
grace that before was given ; but added much more. Secondly,
When there was more grace to be given, it was needful that the
condition should be suited to it. Would you rather be without
the graces and benefits, than be obliged to believe ? Would
you be cured by one that you would not believe, nor take for
your physician ? Would you be taught by one that you will not
believe or take for your teacher ? Would you be ruled by one
that you will not believe is your ruler ? And I have proved to
you that God biddeth no man believe either without a meet ob-
ject or meet evidence of the credibility ; yea, the certain verity
of that which he is commanded to believe. And the belief re-
quired of us is but a means to our love of God, and our belief
of the everlasting glory ; and, consequently, is needful to our
further duty, to our perfection, and our felicity. Do you not
think, yourself, that the greatest demonstrations of the divine love
are fittest to breed love in us to God ; and is not this wonderful
work of man's redemption, a wonderful demonstration of God's
love ? If you say that it is incredible because wonderful and
incomprehensible, I answer you, it is the more credible, be-
cause so wonderful. I cannot believe that any thing is a work
of God, especially one of his great transcendent works, which
mortal man can comprehend. The work of the Father, and of
Omnipotency in creation, is wonderful : will you, therefore, say
that there is no world ? The work of the Holv Ghost, in re-
generation, is wonderful, &c, especially in our perfection in
glory : and will you say, therefore, that there is no sanctifica-
tion or glorification ? So the work of the Son, and divine Wis-
dom and Word incarnate, is wonderful ; and it is the fitter to be
thought a work of God.
And would you not say yourself, that if God should send an
angel from heaven, to tell you his will, and tell you what is good
and evil, and to tell you the certainty of the life to come, and
the joys thereof, would it not be a singular help to your belief
of all these things revealed, if he did but give you sufficient
proof that he is sent of God ? What perversencss is it, then, to
quarrel with God's greatest mercy as incredible, merely because
it is wonderful and great, and therefore fit for God to give.
Therefore, observe here the error of those men that overlook
the benefit, and taking all duty for a burden, dispute against the
56S MORE REASONS FOR
necessity of the duty : whereas all our duty is our benefit, like
the duty of feasting, rejoicing, receiving money, or honour when
given us. And the true state of our question should be, whether
all they that, by the Gospel, have the offer of a Saviour and
salvation, and all those treasures of mercy, which are brought
to mankind bv Christ above what they had before his incarna-
tion, are bound to believe that procurement and offer, and to
accept so great a gift ? When the same men that question this
can be willing to accept of wealth and honours, without disputing
whether they may not live without them, and will say quis nisi
mentis inops oblatum respirit anrum ? And he that can make a
sorry shift with a candle, will not dispute whether it be his duty
to open his windows, and let in the light of the sun : it is riches
of mercy which all thev dispute against, who think they speak
against the necessity of some difficult duty.
Thirdlv, And remember again, that yourself confess an ine-
quality of God's benefits, and that he is not bound to give them
to all alike, though there were no inequality of demerit in the
receivers. If, then, he give more to the church by Christ incar-
nate, than he did before his incarnation, or more than he giveth
to the world that never hear the Gospel, their eye should not be
evil, because he is good ; much less ours, who receive the benefit.
Fourthly, And I am glad that all that you require of God for
all the world, is but that their salvation or damnation may be
brought to their own free choice, and not their perdition be a
thing unavoidable by God's mere will, without their culpable
mischoosing. And all this we maintain as well as you : and
vou can never prove that the christian religion doth deny it.
Nay, tell me if you can what mercy your doctrine giveth to all
the world, which ours giveth them not? Do yon say that they
are not under the mere law of innocency made with Adam, but
under the law of grace, which after was given him ? So do we.
But vou say, that this law of grace is the law of nature. Let
not names abuse us : it is not the law of innocent nature. But
it is so fitted to man's lapsed state, and doth also so fitly express
the gracious nature of God, and also hath such evidences in
God's merciful providence, and dealing with the sinful world,
that in all these respects, if you call it the law of lapsed and
reprieved nature under its reparation, we will not contend about
the. name.
But you say, that all men may be saved if they reject not
their salvation : so say we, that all should be judged according to
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 569
that means and law that is given them, their consciences accus-
ing or excusing them in the day when Christ shall judge the
world, as the Gospel telleth us. And none perish now for the
mere sin of Adam, nor merely for want of the innocency re-
quired by the first law ; but for the refusing and abusing some
mercv purchased by Christ, which had an apt tendency to their
repentance and recovery,
But you lay the main stress on this, that all men may be
saved by true faith in God, and true repentance, without believ-
ing in a crucified Christ. And we say that no man in the world
shall perish that hath true faith in God, and true repentance ;
for all such do love God as God, and do devote themselves to
his glory, to obedience and love : and do hate sin as sin,
and so are holy. And God cannot cast that soul into hell that
loveth him and beareth his image. Holiness hath so much of
God and heaven in it, that this would be to cast heaven and
God's image into hell, and to jumble heaven and hell together.
Do we not, then, grant you as much as you can reasonably
desire ? Tell us but what heathens or Mahometans are holv,
truly penitent for all sin, and devoted to God in obedience and
love, and we will grant you that thev shall all be saved.
But you were aware that we would tell you that this repent-
ance and holiness is not a thing which sinful man is so easily
brought to : and therefore the question must be whether really
these heathens do truly repent, and love God as God, or not ?
Ansvv. First, Here you may perceive that though before you
did but require that salvation be brought down to the sinner's
choice, yet now that will not serve the turn : yea, though faith
in God, and true repentance were the terms that, vou were sa-
tisfied, should be imposed on all, yet now you are loth to stand
to that, unless we grant that all these men have the power so to
believe and repent. Well, if by power you mean a natural
facultv, we grant that they have the power of intellection and
volition. And if it be the object that is in question, we grant
that the object of that faith and repentance, which you mention
yourself, is certain and existent. And if it be the evidence of
the object that is' in question, we grant that the being, power,
wisdom, goodness, holiness, truth, justice, and mercy of God,
are revealed to mankind by an evidence sufficient in its kind, if
their souls be but rightly disposed to receive it : and that sin
to be repented of is discernible in themselves, is doubtless.
Amyraldus largely laboureth to prove, that as God bindeth no man
570 MORE REASONS FOR
to natural impossibilities, that is, to any act without, First, A
faculty that can do it ; Secondly, An object; Thirdly, Evidence
of that object. As not to see, First, Without an eye ; Secondly,
That which is not in being ; Thirdly, Or that which is a
thousand miles off, or in the dark, without light : so that all
heathens have, First, The natural faculty ; Secondly, An object
which would save them if truly believed in and loved ; that is,
God ; Thirdly, A revelation of this object : and that to yvurov
rs 068 is such an object as would procure their felicity, if duly
apprehended. See also Mr. Truman's ' Treatise of Natural and
Moral Tmpotency.'
But, indeed, when all is done, the wit of man that is offended
with God, as if he gave not all men a power to be saved, will
not be satisfied if that be granted, unless also he actually save
them. Should we grant you all the rest, if some yet are damned,
when God could have saved them, it will not satisfy them that
will be above God, and will judge their judge.
But because you seem satisfied with less, suppose all the
question come to this, Whether or no those that never had
the Gospel, do ever come without it to true faith in God, and
true repentance, and so to be saved ?
Answ. First, And when we have granted you what you first
desired, that none perish but those that are wilfully impenitent,
and believe not truly in God, why must the controversy be
carried to men's hearts and acts ? I can read God's law, but I
cannot know or read the hearts of millions whom i never saw.
Must 1 be obliged to know the thoughts of every man in China,
Tartary, Japan, or the antipodes ? Secondly, What number
is it that you put the question of, and whose repentance you
assert ? Is it all or but some ? Jf all, he must be mad that
believeth it, that all men are true penitent believers in God. If
but some, First, Would not your wit quarrel still with God for
damning all the rest ? Secondly, And must it be the greater
part or the lesser : or would you know on what number, or
where to find satisfaction? And what have we to do to judge
another's servants ? To their own master they stand or fall.
Secondly, And methinks vou should easily grant, at least,
First, That repentance and holiness is far easier to them that
have the Gospel, than to them that never heard it. Secondly,
And that they are far more common. And so that far more
Christians are holy and saved than of others. For, First, Tell
me, if God should send an angel from heaven as aforesaid, with
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 571
miraculous evidence of his mission, to call men to repentance
and belief in God, and glory, would it not be easier for those men
to repent, than for others ? Nay, would not you the more easily
believe in Christ yourself, if you had but such an angel to confirm
you ? Why, then, should not the word of Christ, who by his
miracles, resurrection, and the donation of such a Spirit to his
servants, proved his mission from the Father, be a help to our
faith and repentance ? Especially when his word hath a self-
evidencing light also in the image and superscription of God
upon it. Secondly, You will not deny but that the difference
of common, lower means, doth make repentance much easier or
harder to one than another. Take one man that is born in
Brazil, or Soldania, or among any other savage people ; or that
is bred up in a tavern, alehouse, or whorehouse, or gaming-
house, among those that make a scorn of godliness ; and take
another that is bred up to learning, labour, and godliness,
among them that by doctrine and example do honour and
command a godly, righteous, sober life, and hath not one of
these abundance more hinderances to his repentance than the
other ? Thirdly, And will not sense and experience make you
certain that the christian part of the world hath more such helps
than all the rest ? Is there not more reason, learning, sobriety,
doctrine, all sorts of teaching there than among the rest ?
Were it but that Christianity hath furnished the world with
more helps to repentance and holiness, the case were clear.
Fourthly, And a little acquaintance with the world, and the
history of it, may fully satisfy you, that, de facto, there are
actually far more knowing, penitent, holy persons among Christ-
ians, than among any others. When, therefore, the fact itself
is undeniable, and we see that more souls are healed by Christ
in the church, than in the world without, what need we any
greater evidence ?
And if there were no more in it than this, that the actual
knowledge or belief of Christ incarnate, doth make so great an
addition to the helps and hopes of sinners, and maketh conver-
sion from sin to God, and salvation so much more easy and com-
mon, (as Aquinas Cont. Gent, argueth,) should not this be re-
ceived with the greatest thankfulness, rather than with irreve-
rent, arrogant contradiction ?
But I proceed to overthrow your fundamental error, " That
repentance alone with the mercy of God, is a sufficient satisfac-
tion for our sins to divine justice."
572 MORE REASONS FOR
First, If it be but proved that, de facto, God hath required and
provided another sacrifice for satisfaction, then you cannot call
repentance alone sufficient. But this is proved fully.
Secondly, If the great work of our redemption by Christ,
have all these blessed ends, tendencies, and effects, and bring all
those benefits to mankind, which in the treatise fore mentioned
I proved. If it was so actual a demonstration of God's wisdom
and love, of his holiness and truth, his justice and mercy, as is
there manifested and proved ; if it have brought men such helps
to repentance and holiness as are forementioned, how perverse
will it be then to say, that our repentance was sufficient without
the sacrifice and merit, and intercession, and administration,
which did procure and bestow it ! How absurd it is to say, that
the cure of our disease is sufficient for us, without the physician,
the medicine, the apothecary, the application, which we see, by
certain experience, are the things that work this cure ! And
which you yourself cannot deny, but that they effect this cure
of repentance or holiness, far more easily and commonly than it
is ever wrought without them. Nay, it is certain that the grace
of Christ is absolutely necessary to repentance and holiness in
any one in the world, whatsoever be thought of the necessity
of the knowledge of Christ incarnate.
II. Quest. Whether the notitice communes be not many more
than this learned and noble writer doth enumerate, viz : First,
That there is one only God, at least supreme, whom he very well
describeth by his attributes. Secondly, That this God is to be
worshipped and prayed to, religion being ultima hominis differ-
entia (p. 214). Thirdly, That the due conformity of our facul-
ties (that is, their holiness and rectitude) is the chief part of
God's worship ; especially gratitude. Fourthly, That all vices
and crimes must be expiated by repentance. Fifthly, That
after this life there is another life of rewards and punishment.
Answ. All these are excellent concessions, as being not only
truths, but such notitiee communes without which a man is
scarcely a man, but unmanned. Except that the fourth doth
erroneously assert the fore-disproved sufficient satisfactoriness in
our repentance. And that this is not a notitia communis, I
further thus manifest :
First, By all human laws and justice, no king will make
such a law as this, 'Let all the subjects be traitors, murderers,
oppressors, perjured never so long, and repent at any time before
they die, and all shall be forgiven.' Mere repentance will not
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 573
save such persons from the gallows. Secondly, And as to more
private justice, no man giveth his children and servants such a
law, ' Disobey me, burn my house, seek my death, and do all
the mischief you can, and repent at last, and you shall be for-
given.' Therefore, mere repentance is not sufficient satisfac-
tion, according to the notitice communes of mankind. Thirdly,
The reason of the thing doth prove it: because it is not suf-
ficient to secure the ends of government. Should such a law
alone be made, that men shall be forgiven all the villanies of
their lives, if they will but repent at last. First, It would en-
courage the most in the world to live in all manner of wicked-
ness : if the hearts of men are fully set in them to do evil, be-
cause sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, but
delayed ; how much more, if they were sure it should never be
executed ? Secondly, The laws and lawgiver would be con-
temned, and lose their ruling power. Thirdly, The common
good would be prostituted, and cast away utterly, and no man
should live in safety and peace, because of the dominion of
wickedness.
Object. Doth not Christianity then introduce these evils,
which giveth pardon to all the penitent ?
Answ. No : First, Because that only Christianity doth ac-
quaint us of a further satisfaction to justice than man's repent-
ance, by which all these ends of government may be obtained
better than by our perdition. Secondly, Because it giveth us
no assurance of life and time of repentance, but calleth us to be
always penitent and ready. Thirdly, Because it telleth us of
the blindness of the mind, the power of sin, and hardness of the
heart, by which repentance becometh so great and hard a work,
that without God's grace it will not be done ; and his grace is to
be diligently sought in the use of means ; and is so little at our
command, as that the resisting of the Holy Ghost may cause us
to be forsaken of God, and given over to our own hearts' lusts,
to walk in our own councils. (Psalm lxxxi. 11, 12.) Fourthly,
Because God doth not totally and perfectly pardon all sin, when
he doth pardon the everlasting punishment, though some in their
ignorance will say so, and revile those that will not be as igno-
rant. He pardoneth not temporal chastisements and death : he
remitteth not the sad penalties, of a temporary and partial de-
sertion by his Spirit ; horrors of conscience and fears of hell :
he remitteth not the temporal punishment by magistrates, but
commandeth justice to be done even on the penitent, even to
574 MORE REASONS FOR
loss of life itself. Fifthly, And his mercy is so great, that
through Christ he will forgive the eternal punishment, and will
judge men as he findeth them, and not as they have been before
conversion : so that without Christ you cannot imagine how God
should neither send one to hell or misery that loveth him, and
hath his image ; nor yet expose his government, laws, and the
common good, to so much mischief, as the proclamation of a
pardon to all villanies that are but repented of at last, alone
would cause.
Object. But if the king must not save a traitor or murderer,
because Christ died and satisfied for him, why should you say
that God doth so ?
Answ. First, Because Christ's sacrifice and merits were not
to satisfy the king, but God. Secondly, Because that God who
is satisfied by them, hath told us how far and with what excep-
tions he is satisfied : not so far as to excuse men from the laws
of men, or temporal justice, chastisement, or death; but to save
them from everlasting misery, and proeure them everlasting hap-
piness, and to sanctify their unremitted, castigatory penalties, to
the furtherance of these ends.
And that there are more notitia; communes about religion than
the five fore-named is easily manifested. It is as common a
truth that all men are sinful and depraved, even from the first,
(however it came to pass,) that thev are indisposed to the cer-
tain duties and ends, which their nature was formed for. That
God is the universal Governor of man, by moral means; that he
is just and true ; that God only can make known to us what is
pleasing to himself, and what reward or punishment he will re-
tribute ; that man's darkness is so great, that he learneth all
this from nature alone, with great imperfection, doubtfulness,
and dissatisfaction : That, therefore, a further supernatural re-
velation, which is sure, would be a great confirmation and satis-
faction to men's minds. And, therefore, almost all the world do
hearken after oracles, prophecies, visions, or some such further
revelation, as conscious of the unsatisfactoriness of their natural
light. That all God's revelations are certainly true. That
whatever revelation hath, First, On the doctrine of it, no con-
tradiction to natural truth, but the clear impress of divine power,
wisdom, and goodness, as its self-evidence. Secondly, And
maketh the same impress by divine co-operation on men's souls
in sanctifying them. Thirdly, And was attested by a multitude
of evident uncontrolled miracles, resurrection, raising the dead,
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 575
giving to multitudes a spirit of miracles, &c. ; this revelation
hath God's seal and witness, and can be from none but God.
These, and many more, which I have recited in my treatise are
naturally known verities : as you very well confess all the Ten
Commandments to be (going a little further than I see myself,
while you make one day in seven, as separated to God's worship
to be such, which elsewhere I have delivered my mind, how far
it is a natural or supernatural notice.)
III. Quest. Whether the notitice. communes are the only cer-
tainties in religion ?
Answ. No : can you possibly deny all certaintv of discourse
and conclusions ? Ex vero nil nisi verum sequitur. Will you
condemn the judge as condemning a malefactor upon uncer-
tainty, when he thus argueth : All wilful murderers must be put
to death ; this is certain in the law. This man is a wilful
murderer, proved certainly by confession, evidence, and witness ;
therefore this man must be put to death. So I argue, whatever
doctrine is attested by a multitude of certain uncontrolled
miracles, and by the divine impress on itself, and the divine
image wrought by it on all that truly receive it, is attested by
God himself, and is certainly true. But the doctrine of Christ-
ianity was so attested ; ergo, it is attested by God himself, and
true.
The major is a notitia communis, or naturally known truth.
The minor was known by sense itself to the first witnesses ; and
that was as natural a notice as any man is capable of, and as
sure, whatever the papists say against it for transubstantiation :
nothing can be sure, if all sound men's senses, with their just
objects and conditions, are not sure in their perceptions ; and
how sure the distant believers are, I have largely opened in the
treatise ; therefore the conclusion must be sure.
Object. But, say the misinformed believers, that which all
mankind believeth, or knoweth, hath its evidence in nature itself;
but beliefs of pretended revelations, oracles, and visions, are as
various as countries almost, and therefore uncertain.
Answ. First, To the last part, First, I answer, in your converse
with men, you will think him unnatural, unsociable, mad, that
will either believe all things or believe nothing. There is credible
truth, and there is incredible falsehood : and will you believe
that either God saith all that every liar fathereth on him, or else
that he never revealeth his will to mankind, any otherwise than
by his common works. W T hen God hath made a revelation of
576 MOttE REASONS FOR
his will to the world, the devil's usual way of hindering the belief
of it is by imitation, and by putting such names and colours on
falsehood, by false prophets, as God doth on the truth. Shall
we therefore conclude, that either all, or none, is the word
of God ; or that God saith not true, unless the devil say true
also ?
Secondly, And will you mark the gross error of such reasoners
about the notitiae communes ? First, It is certain that no actual
knowledge, conceptive or intellectual verity, is born in man ;
infants know not these common notions at all. As the eve is
not born with the actual species of all things afterward seen,
but only with a seeing power and disposition, so these are
called common notions, because man's intellect is so able and
disposed to know them, as that they will be known easily upon
the first due evidence or notification of the object, and therefore
almost all men know them. Secondly, It is certain, that this
knowing faculty in man, as this noble lord saith, requireth its
proper conditions for its true apprehension of the object. Now,
some men's understandings have the help of these conditions
far more than others have (he nameth to you the conditions
himself). Thirdly. It is certain, that the understanding per-
forms not all its apprehensions at once, or at first, but by degrees,
and in time, as the objects are duly presented. As an infant
seeth not the first day all that ever he must see, nor a scholar
learneth not the first dav all that he must learn. Fourthly, It
is certain, that the latter apprehensions are as sure, if not more
clear, than the first 5 as he that lived twenty years at home,
and afterwards travelleth to London, doth as certainly then see
London, as before he did his father's house 5 so a scholar doth
afterwards as certainly understand Horace, Virgil, or Homer, as
at first he understood his primer. Fifthly, It is certain, that
as particular notices are multiplied, quoad actus, in time by use
and information, so the knowing disposition of the faculty is
increased ; and the notice of a thousand truths doth so advance
the understanding, and befriend other truths not yet received,
that such a man can know more afterwards in a day, than an
ignorant man can learn in a year. Sixthly, By all which it is a
most evident thing, that to make common notions to be the only
certainties, is a weakness below a rational man ; and it is to
make the intellect of an infant to be the standard or measure
of all certain, intellectual verities, and to make the scholar, even
before he goeth to school, as wise, as to certainties, as his
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 577
master, and to make a new-born child to have seen as many
objects as Drake, or De Noort, or Sandys, or Ludovicus Ro-
manus, in all his travels. In a word, the notitice communes,
being the very lowest degree of knowledge, are thus equalled
with the wisdom of the greatest philosopher, or divine, or judge:
was this learned lord, when he wrote this book, sure of nothing
but these common notions in religion ? Seventhly, To which I
might add, that even in men's natural capacities, there is a
wonderful difference : as idiots know little, so dullards not
much : and must the wisest go no higher than these ? Eighthly,
And will lawyers, statesmen, physicians, philosophers, make
this consent of all mankind the test of all their certainties ? If
not, why should we do so in our search after the greatest verities,
which are most worthy of all the study of our lives ?
Nothing visible is so analagous to man's soul as fire; the
nature of which is to be ever of an active, illuminative, and
calefactive faculty ', but doth exercise it in such various degrees
as the fuel doth occasion. There is fire in a flint or steel, yea,
in all things ; but is it the best way to know what fire is and
can do, by judging of it only as it is in a stone ? No : but take
your steel, and strike the flint, and add the combustible fuel, and
that which is in a stone can set a city on fire. And, nil agit
quod agere non potest, whatever act is produced, proveth an an-
tecedent power. So, if you would judge what man's soul is, and
can do, and what truth is in the intellect, it is not in fools, but
in the wise, that you must discern it.
And by this, those may see their error, who are tempted to
think that man's soul is but highly sensitive and imaginative,
or not made for heavenly and holy employments, because so many
ignorant and wicked people are otherwise disposed : whereas
the power, and so the nature of man's soul, is certainly gathered
from what the wisest do attain : because nothing can act beyond
its power. And if the attainments and acts of some men's
souls do prove such a power in them, all souls of men are of the
same species, and therefore the rest might attain it, if they had
the same objects, evidences, excitations, and improvements. I
think all this is plain truth.
Ninthly, And if, by believing, you will heartily give up your
souls to Christ and his Spirit, you will find that there is yet a
more excellent addition of knowledge and certainty to be ob-
tained, than by all other means could be procured : at least, as
VOL. XXI. P P
57S MORE REASONS FOR
to the intention and clearness of the act, if not as to the exten-
sion of it to more objects.
IV. Quest. Whether the aforesaid common notices do make
up all the religion of the catholic church ? And, whether the
catholic church be all the world believing these common truths ?
Answ. The question is either, de nomine ecclesice, or, de re.
As to the name, the word is not used in God's word for any but
the society of believers, as separated from the unbelieving and
ungodly world. As for men themselves, every one may use
this and other words in what sense he please. But how aptly
you may judge.
Quoad rem, I have told you before, how far all the world are
capable of salvation ; if that be the question : and I add : the
' kingdom of God,' is a word of a larger sense, but the ( church
of God,' properly so called, is narrower, being ccetus evocatus.
The 'kingdom of God,' signifieth, First, All that, de jure, are
obliged to subjection and obedience ; and so all mankind on
earth are of his kingdom, even rebels: Secondly^ Or it signifieth
all that consent to subjection and obedience, and profess it :
and these are, First, Such as profess subjection to God under
some lame, defective, false conception; as one that alloweth
them to worship idols under him, or to live in wickedness : or
one that governeth not the world by a law, or will not
make a retribution hereafter ; or as one that will pardon and
save men, only for their superstition, or without a Saviour : and
thus, almost all heathens and infidels are of God's consenting
kingdom, secundum quid, eatenits, so far as this cometh to, and
no more. Secondly, Or such as profess subjection and love to
God, as truly described, and as reconciled to man, and saving
them by Christ our Mediator: and these are quoad actum;
First, But oral, or unsound, not cordial professors ; and such are
hvpocritical Christians, who a/e, simpliciter, of the visible
church : Secondly, Or sincere consenters, who are, simpliciter,
of the essential, mystical church of the regenerate. Now, when
we thus open the case as to the thing, there remaineth, besides
the controversy de nomine, no more than, how far heathens are
under a covenant of grace, and how far they are capable of sal-
vation, of which I have said enough before.
V. Quest. Whether all revelation for religion must be but
notitiarum communium symbolum, a creed containing these com-
mon notices or truths, as is asserted, p. 221.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 579
Answ. I have said enough against this before. First, What
need God send a prophet or an angel to tell the world that
which they all certainly knew'before ? Secondly, Full experience
assureth us, as I have proved in the treatise, that mankind hath
need of more. Thirdly, More tendeth to perfect man's under-
standing, and consequently, his will and life : this is undeniable:
and man's perfection is his felicity and end ; and therefore, more
than those common notices is needful to his end. Fourthly,
Else, as is said, you will reduce all the world to the measure of
that part which is the lowest, the unwisest, and the worst.
You would not, in wealth, or health, be equalled with the basest,
poorest, or the sickest ; nor yet in wit, and knowledge of other
matters, with the most foolish ; and why, then, in the know-
ledge, love, and practice of holiness ?
VI. Quest. Whether, as some others say, all supernatural
revelations be to be tried by the common notions known by
nature.
Answ. First, It is supposed that all that pretend to prophecy
and revelation, are not to be believed, and therefore that we
must try the spirits, whether they be of God ; and that all trial
of things unknown must be made by some fore- acknowledged
principles, if it be a conclusion that must be known. Secondly,
It must, therefore, next be understood, whether the truth of the
Gospel be to be known as a simple term, or a self-evident pro-
position, or as a true conclusion : First, The first kind of know-
ledge only apprehendeth the words and sense, but not the
verity : it is the truth of the doctrine that we inquire of.
Secondly, Many divines assert the second way, and sav, it is
principium indemonstrabile, like est vel non est. Doubtless,
this is not true, as to the natural evidence of the proposition,
principle, or doctrine ; but I think, that in the very hearing or
reading, God's Spirit often so concurreth, as that the will itself
shall be touched with an internal gust or savour of the goodness
contained in the doctrine, and at the same time, the under-
standing with an internal irradiation, which breedeth such a
sudden apprehension of the verity of it, as nature giveth men of
natural principles ; and 1 am persuaded, that this, increased by
more experience, and love, and inward gusts, doth hold most
Christians faster to Christ than naked reasoning could do : and,
were it not for this, unlearned, ignorant persons were still in
danger of apostasy, by every subtle caviller that assaulteth
them : and I believe, that all true Christians have this kind of
pp 2
580 MORE REASONS FOR
internal knowledge, from a suitableness of the truth and good-
ness of the Gospel to their now quickened, illuminated, sancti-
fied souls. Thirdly, But yet, I believe, that this is not all the
kowledge of the truth of trie Gospel which we have. There is
a common belief of its truth by other means, which most usually
goeth before this generative, spiritual reception and belief;
usually, they that are converted to holiness by the Gospel, are
such as had some belief of it before, and not such as took it to
be false to that moment. And after conversion, it is to be known
as a certain demonstrable conclusion, and so the faith of wise
and settled Christians is most rational ; and they are thus made
capable to defend it against temptations and adversaries, and to
preach it rightly to unbelievers.
Thirdly, The premises from which this conclusion is proved,
i The Gospel is true,' are both of them the truths of infallible
evidence, viz., whatsoever doctrine is attested by so many and
such miracles extrinsically, by the self-evidencing impress of
divine power, wisdom, and goodness intrinsically, and by the
effecting the like impression in holy life, light, and love, on the
souls of all sincere receivers, is certainly true, being attested by
the Spirit of God : but such is the doctrine of the Gospel : ergo,
it is true, as attested by the Spirit of God. I said before, the
first is a natural verity. The second proposition is partly of
sense, and partly of internal, and partly external experience, as
is largely manifested.
Now, as to the question, First, No doubt but our natural facul-
ties must be used in trying supernatural truth.
Secondly, No doubt, he that disputeth with, or preacheth to
an unbeliever, so as to prove what he delivereth to be true,
must deal with him upon some common principles which both
parties are agreed in, or else there is no room for proof or for
dispute.
Thirdly, But some persons are so ignorant of those certain
principles which infer the truth of Gospel revelation, that they
need first to be convinced of them ; which must be done by
inferring them from the first truths, or some principles which
they do confess. Fourthly, And as a man would convince others,
by the same method and arguing, he must convince himself,
and try the truth which he is in doubt of.
Fifthly, But if any should mean, First, That nothing is true in
the Gospel but these common principles of nature; Secondly,
Or that nothing else can be proved true ; Thirdly, Or that it
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 5S1
would prove any pretended prophecy, vision, or revelation true,
so be it they do not contradict the common truth. All these
are palpable untruths.
VII. Quest. Whether these common verities infer not the
truth of Christianity ?
Answ. This is sufficiently answered in the last. Perhaps the
few verities mentioned by the author are not enough to prove
Christianity by : but that it hath true evidence in sense and
reason is manifested heretofore : and I believe that he that will,
by just argumentation, follow on the christian cause with an un-
believer, if he can hold him to the point without rambling, and
suppose him capable of historical evidence, may drive him to
yield, or to deny common principles ; yea, to deny that God is
God, and that man is man ; and consequently, that there is
any being. But the evasion will be by denying notorious mat-
ter of fact, which, therefore, must be proved by its proper
evidence.
IX. Quest. Whether they are necessary conditions of the
certain knowledge of a divine revelation. First, That it be
made immediately to myself. Secondly, And that I feel a
divine afflatus in the reception, as is said, page — .
Answ. No : a revelation made to others, may be certainly
notified to me ; else, if an angel from heaven should appear to
all men in the town and country save one, or if all save one
saw a thousand miracles to confirm a revelation, yet that one
could not be sure of it. But I have, by abundance of arguments
in a peculiar disputation in a treatise called ' The Unreasona-
bleness of Unbelief,' long ago fully proved the negative. And,
again, in my i Reasons of the Christian Religion ;' therefore, I
will not weary the reader with repetitions.
X. Quest. Whether any concurrence of moral evidence, at
least such as Gospel revelation hath, do truly amount to natural
or certain evidence ? De Rev. et Verisim.
Answ. This question, too, I have plainly decided in the
I Reasons of the Christian Religion.' I now add, First, The name
of moral evidence is here taken by those that use it, for that
which dependeth on the credit of a voluntary agent as such :
and the name of natural evidence signifieth that which de-
pendeth on the nature of the object in itself considered. But
I somewhat doubt whether all that use the distinction do com-
monlv understand the difference, or what they say.
Secondly, Note that the act or effect of a voluntary agent,
5S2 MORE REASONS FOR
hath, nevertheless, a natural evidence when it is done or exist-
ent. If I voluntarily speak, or write, or go, my action is
naturally evident to those that see and hear it, as present sen-
sitive witnesses of it. If I freely build a house, it is, neverthe-
less, naturally evident when it is built. All things existent in
the universe were made by God as a Free -agent, and yet are,
nevertheless, naturally evident.
Thirdly, Every thing that is, when it is, if corporeal, is
naturally evident to those that have their faculties in those
conditions that are necessary, and have the object in its neces-
sary magnitude, cogitation, detection, site, distance, medium,
and abode.
Fourthly, The judgment that is made upon sense itself
faileth, as this noble author hath well opened, when either the
object, the evidence, the sense, or the intellect, want their ne-
cessarv conditions or qualifications, else not.
Fifthly, The fountain of all freedom and morality is the will
of God; and yet the moral evidence of truth, which is in God's
word, when known to be his word, is as sure as any natural
evidence of the thing, there being the surest natural evidence,
ab effectis, at least, that there is a God most perfect, that can-
not lie.
Sixthly, The essences of all things are but imperfectly evi-
dent to us ; the existences of corporeal things that are present
and duly qualified, are fully evident. The existence of things
absent beyond the reach of sense, is evident only to the discur-
sive intellect ; not by the immediate, natural evidence of the
things themselves, but by a borrowed evidence from causes or
signs ; discourse improving the fundamental common truths, for
the knowing of the rest, by proving a certain connexion between
them. The pretention of things, and the futurition, are both, like
the distant existence, unknown to sense, and the immediate ap-
prehension of the intellect, and therefore must both be known
also by collection as conclusions in discourse, or not at all.
Seventhly, Man was not born to know only things present
in their existence by sense, but also to know things absent,
things as past, and things as future. And herein he chiefly dif-
fereth from a brute.
Eighthly, Though the understanding is most confident of things
sensible and present, yet about things absent, past, and future,
it often doubteth more, and is less satisfied in its own conclu-
sions from natural principles than from moral. Because some-
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 583
times the natural principles themselves, though not the first,
yet the second or third, may be so obscure as to leave the mind
unsatisfied. Secondly, And the connexion among many parti-
culars may be obscure and doubtful. Thirdly, And in the long
series of collection or arguing, the understanding suspecteth
its own fallibility : so that when conclusions are far-fetched,
though from natural principles, the mind may be still in doubt
about them : and, on the contrary, when in the way of revela-
tion, the grounds are clear, and the understanding hath fewer
collections to make, and a shorter journey to go, it may be far
better satisfied of the truth.
Ninthly, Man's own necessity is the reason why God doth
give us supernatural revelation, and call us to know by the way
of believing: for, First, Most men are naturally dull. Secondly,
Few have leisure, by learning, to improve their intellects.
Thirdly, And fewer have leisure and disposition to exercise
them by long searches and argumentation upon every thing that
they should know. Fourthly, And therefore where revelation
was not, few were wise or virtuous ; and the philosophers them-
selves were all to pieces among themselves ; and their disagree-
ments and doubtfulness tended to the gulf of utter scepticism.
Now, as nothing is more necessary than religion, as you well
profess, so religion consisteth very little in the sensible appre-
hension of present existences, but in the knowledge of things
absent, or insensible things past, and especially things to come,
the happiness to be attained, and the misery to be escaped.
Now, if all the poor, unlearned men and women in the world,
must have known all these things only by natural discourse,
how little religion would have been in the world, when the phi-
losophers knew so little themselves ! And though your learn-
ing and understanding made the immortality of the soul so
clear to you, and the rewards and punishments of another life, as
that you number it with the common notices ; yet were not the
old philosophers themselves so commonly agreed on it as they
should have been, much less all the common people. And if
you say that now almost all the world believeth it, I answer it
is God's great mercy that it is so. But consider whether it be
not more by the way of believing, than of natural instinct or
knowledge : for all the Christians, and all the Mahometans,
who believe the words of Moses and Christ also> take it bv the
way of believing : and so do most of the heathens. The
Japonians have their Amida and Zaca : the Chinese, the In-
584 MORE REASONS FOR
dians, the Siamenses, the Peguans, &c, have all their prophets;
and the very savages of all the West Indies, or America, have
their idols, oracles, or wizards, whom they far more depend on
than their natural discourse about things invisible, past, or
future. So that, really, if commonness go with you for a proof
that anv point is of natural instinct and certainty, as a notitia
communis, this will be one of the chief of them, that ' reli-
gion consisting in the notice of, and due respect to, things
absent, invisible, past and future, is to be maintained in the
world by divine revelation and faith, and not by the immediate
evidence of things, nor by mere discursive collections from
things so evident.' So that man's weakness, with the quality
of the objects, maketh revelation so necessary, that without it
the vulgar, who are the main body of the world, would have
next to no religion ; and, on the contrary, how easy and plea-
sant, and satisfactory, is it, for all these poor people, yea, to the
most learned, to have these mysterious truths brought by reve-
lation to their hands ? Now, through God's mercy, all our
common people, women, and children, servants and day-labour-
ers, may know more with ease, than ever Democritus, Epicurus,
Antisthenes, Zeno, yea, Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle, could
reach by all their studies to the last; more, I say, of religious,
necessary knowledge.
Tenthly, And this being so necessary, and so great a mercy
to mankind, I wonder that you put it not among your common
notices, that God being perfect in love and wisdom, and having
made man purposelv to be religious here, and happy hereafter,
will certainlv provide for his religion and happiness, so neces-
sary and so excellent a means as revelation is, God being the
Father and Lover of light and of souls, and the devil being the
prince and friend of darkness. Consider whether you may not
strongly infer from the very nature of God, and the nature and
necessity of man, and the other communications of God's mer-
cies to the world, that he will certainly give them this great
rnercy also.
Eleventhly, It is certain that God hath ways of communi-
cating light to man's understanding immediately, and not only
by extrinsic, sensible objects. The Father of spirits, who com-
municateth so much to the corporeal world, is not further from
souls, nor more out of love with them ; but, if there be any
difference, may rather be thought to hold a nearer, more imme-
diate communion with them than with bodies, and to be himself
to the mind, what the sun is to the eye, and more.
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 585
Twelfthly, It is certain that God can give the standers-by,
that have no revelation immediately themselves, a fully satisfac-
tory attestation or proof, of the truth of another man's revela-
tions. He that denieth this, maketh God to be impotent.
Thirteenthly, It is certain that the attestation which I de-
scribed in the 'Reasons of the Christian Religion,' was such, sup-
posing that such were given, viz., in the antecedent testimony of
fulfilled prophecy, the constitutive testimony of God's Spirit
apparent in the effects on Christ's person, and on his Gospel,
and the concomitant testimony of all his miracles, and resurrec-
tion and ascension. And the subsequent testimony of the
Spirit, on the apostles' miracles and doctrine, and on the
souls of all serious Christians to the world's end. These are
things, set all together, First, Which none but God could do.
Secondly, And which God would not do to deceive the world.
Thirdly, Yea, which God would not permit to be done to de-
ceive them in so high a matter ; because he is the omnipotent,
omniscient, gracious Governor of the world ; and if these tes-
timonies were not of God, it were impossible to know any testi-
mony to be of God ; and seeing we can have no surer, it would
be man's duty to believe and obey, and be ruled by a lie. And
if it be our duty to believe God to be so defective either in
power, wisdom, or goodness, holiness, truth, justice, or mercy,
as to rule the world, and the best of the world, in the greatest
matters, by lying and deceit, as if he wanted better means :
what wit can devise any remedy against such deceit as shall be
so attested as aforesaid ? or, if deceit can be perceived, how
can it be man's duty to believe it, seeing man's intellect is
naturally made for truth, and abhorreth falsehood : and how
can it be good to obey deceit and lies; and, when the devil is
the father of lies, what blasphemy is it to charge them on God ?
Bv this it will be apparent, that the question must be, in the
upshot, whether there be a God or no God ? And so, whether
there be any thing or nothing.
Fourteenthly, There is some moral, historical evidence of the
truth of things past, which is as certain, and much more satis-
factory than the natural evidence of conclusions, raised by a
long series of argumentation : yea, some which is truly a natu-
ral evidence, though it depend on the credit of free-agents.
The proof and reasons I have given in the treatise. First, The
will, though free, is qucedam natura, and hath its natural pro-
pensity to known good, as the understanding also is, and hath
5S6* MORE REASONS FOR
its natural propensity to truth. And the understanding is not
free of itself, but acteth per modum nature. Secondly, There
are some of the acts of the will itself, which are so free as yet
to he necessary : as to will good, sub ratione boni ; to will our
own felicity, and will our own misery; to will life and pleasure,
with a simple complacency, though not always by election : to
will all that is fully discerned to have omnhnodam rationem
boni, and nill all that is discerned to have omnimodam rationem
mali : now it often falls out, that historical narratives shall pro-
ceed from some of these necessary acts. Salvation, life, and
goodness, and the necessary means of all, may be the motives.
Thirdly, There are other acts of the will which, though they are
not absolutely necessary, are yet so near to necessary, that they
always go one way, except in some verv rare, extraordinary case.
As, for example, it is not of absolute necessity that a man feed
or clothe himself, or that he murder not himself; but yet he
will ordinarily do the first, and forbear the latter, because he is
necessarily a lover of himself and life, and therefore will not
cast himself away, nor destroy himself, without some conceived
cause. Fourthly, There are no causes extant, in rerum natura,
for the commonness of some such actions : therefore it is cer-
tain they will not be done, because there can be no effect with-
out its cause ; and the turning of the will to a man's known
corporeal destruction, is an effect which hath no common cause.
Therefore it is a point of more natural evidence and certainty,
than many conclusions from natural premises are, that all the
people of Europe or England will not to-morrow kill them-
selves, nor go naked, nor famish or wound themselves, &c. And,
consequently, that formerly all never did so, since it was noto-
riously so much their interest to do otherwise. : for, there was
no cause to produce such an effect.
If it must be a miracle, rebus sic stantibus, which should
make all the Europeans or the English to go naked to-morrow,
or to kill themselves, when it is natural to them to do the con-
trary, or not to do this, for a miracle is the overpowering of
nature. But the antecedent is evident to reason from experi-
ence ; ergo, &e. There may be causes for one man's actions,
which can never fall out to all, or to very many.
All the physicians in England never did persuade all men
against phvsic, nor all the lawyers against law ; nor all the
covetous men in England, the labourers, or beggars, were never
against receiving meat, drink, and money ; because there never
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 587
was a cause of such effects : and as it must be a great, power-
ful common cause, that must do this ; so, also, if the question
be, whether ever there were a parliament in England ; whether
ever they made laws with the kings j whether our statutes were
made by such kings and parliaments as they are ascribed to?
&c. There is such a concurrent consent of competent witnesses
as could not be to it, were it false, because it would be an effect
without a sufficient cause. Yea, against the tendency or dis-
position of man's nature, which would have caused the wills of
some to contradict it, except a miracle had hindered thein.
For, among so many, there are cross interests notorious. Some
men's interest is against the thing, while other men's is for it :
and to make multitudes go against their apparent interest, and
friends and enemies of the event to agree, must be done by
t|ie power of truth, or by a miracle : supposing the case such as
they could not be all deceived in.
Fifteenthly, But there is yet a fuller natural evidence of the
truth of some reports ; even when, besides the report, there
remain some visible, inimitable effects of the reported actions,
which could be caused by nothing else. As if their fathers told
the grandchildren of Noah of the deluge, they might see such
effects of it, as might assure them that it was true. If the
parents of the man born blind (John ix.) were told by him that
his eyes were cured, when they saw it in the effects they must
believe if: if uncontrolled history tell our children that London
was burnt and new-built, that St. Paul's church was burnt, &c,
that multitudes died of the plague the year before, &c. When
they see the city, the church, the graves, the change of the
inhabitants, the proved testaments of the deceased, besides un-
contradicted testimonv, here is a natural evidence to assure it.
Sixteenthly, Though some half-witted philosophers boast
much of the certainty of their physics in comparison of
morality, the truth is, the most of physics are mere uncertain-
ties, and the wisest see it, and busily pull down others' doc-
trines, but confess they are yet but searching and groping by
extrinsic effects and experiments to know what to set up in the
stead ; and so did others before them : and long may they so
search before they find. Whereas, there is a more satisfying
evidence in much of morality, as being natural to mankind, and
such as will no sooner cease to be believed, than man will cease
to be man ; whereon all the affairs of the world are turned, and
converse, societies, and all the private comforts of nature are
588 MORE REASONS FOR
maintained : God hath made known to us what pleased him,
according to his own wisdom, and not at our direction or
choice. And he hath chosen that for us which is most useful :
it is more useful to us to know how to live well, and how to be
happy, and how to please and glorify God, and do good to
one another, than to know God's skill or mysteries in his works;
to know what is in the centre of the earth, or how the active
nature doth operate on the passive, whether cold be a privation
or positive, what is the cause of the continued motus jyrojecto-
rum ? whether light and heat be bodies or substances ? whether
they penetrate other bodies ? &c. As it is more useful for me to
know how to keep my clock in order, than how to make one, to
know how to plough, sow, eat, drink to my health, than to know
by what mysterious operations the corn or other things do grow,
and my food is digested, &c. Therefore, this learned lord doth
truly and wisely enumerate his notitice communes in morality
and religion as certainties, the denial whereof doth unman us.
God hath left such instincts, powers, inclinations, and consci-
ence in human nature, as shall naturally, though with some de-
gree of freedom in the exercise, be an insuperable witness in
the world to himself, and to our common principles and duties.
Seventeenthly, The historical evidence of the Gospel of
Christ is such as hath all the advantages before described, in
its kind. He lived and preached, and wrought his miracles
frequently, before thousands, friends and foes : his miracles were
never controlled, as Moses did the magicians', by greater, nor by
any certain truth which they contradicted : the eye-witnesses
themselves were unbelieving, till forced by cogent evidence :
they delivered his doctrine, miracles, resurrection to the world,
not only by credible report, and to the ruin of their worldly
pleasures and interests, with the loss of their lives, and all this
merely for the hopes of a reward in heaven, from God, that well
knew whether all were true or not; but also they did all in
the power of the same Spirit which Christ did work by, doing
such miracles as Christ had done : and this not a few, nor in a
corner, but in many countries of the world, and that by many
thousand Christians in one kind or other, tongues, healing, pro-
phecv, or the like, as well as the apostles. The certainty of
which fact is attested by the very existence of all the churches
converted by it, with all their baptisms, professions, and the
rest of the tradition before named. No Christian of all this
multitude, by any terrors, death, time, was brought at the last
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 589
to repent and say, that he had deceived the world by a lie.
Many apostates falling off for fear of sufferings, but none with
any such recantation : no adversary confuting the history, but
commonly confessing most of it with more such evidence, which
I have opened in the treatise, and must not often repeat lest I be
tedious. And that which is still the natural evidence is, that
there is still existent, First, On the sacred Gospel ; Secondly,
On the souls and lives of all serious Christians by its impress,
the inimitable image of the divine power, wisdom, and good-
ness, life, light, and love, as the divine attestation. Only as
this noble author requireth to all true conceptions and intellec-
tions, so do we to this, that there be but the necessary condi-
tions in the mind of the receiver.
And whereas he saith, that, commonly miracles are reported
a hundred years after ; here it was otherwise : the Jews were
enraged by them for fear of the Romans. The apostles and
others wrought them openly ; Matthew and John, that wrote
Christ's history, lived with him, and saw what they wrote : so
did Peter and James : Paul wrote what he saw and heard from
heaven; Luke wrote the acts of Paul which he saw, being his
companion in travels. The thousands were converted, and
churches in many countries planted, not by bare words, but by
the conviction of the miracles of the apostles themselves : so
that every church and Christian was a history of them. And
all this they were moved to, with the hopes of heaven, where
truth is known, to deny the world, and mortify the flesh, and
suffer whatever the Gospel would inflict, to preserve their hopes
and comforts founded in this word of faith.
XI. Quest. Whether the common custom of sacrificing
throughout the world in all generations, were not their actual
confession that the sinner deserved death, and that God's justice
required punishment or satisfaction ? And proceeded not from
divine revelation in the beginning, when God had newly made the
covenant of grace ? And so was delivered down by tradition ?
For my part, it cannot come into my understanding, why else
men should think that God is pleased or appeased by the crea-
ture's death 5 or how this should become so common through-
out the world? And the two exceptions confirm this to be
truth : First, Some savages in America use no sacrifices ; but
they are such as know not God, or so savage as to have lost all
ancient tradition.
590 MORE REASONS FOR
Secondly, All the Mahometans and Christians use no bloody
sacrifice. But that is because, First, Christians believe that sacri-
fices were but types of Christ, and that he put an end to them
by his perfect sacrifice. Secondly, And Mahometans received
it from Christ, being but Christians degenerate first into Ari-
ans, and then into Mahometans, and still professing to take
Christ for the Word and Son of God, and his word as true ;
only hating the Christians for saying that he is very God. But
of this, instead of writing after so many, I only refer you to their
writings, and especially to Dr. Owen's Latin Tractate on this
subject.
XII. Quest. Whether interest make the judgment of divines,
in the cause of faith, more suspicious or contemptible than
other men's ? I put this question, with respect to those words in
the preface. " Sed neque auspicaciores ubique posterioris istius
seculi Scriptores dicendi sunt. Fit ita ut pro regionum et fidei
diversitate in id potissimum incumbant, ne illos domi male
multet inopia, adeoque non tarn quid in se verum, quam quid
sibi ipsis utile exquirant. Non est igitur a larvato aliquo vel sti-
pendioso Scriptore, ut verum consummatum opperiaris. Illorum
apprime interest, ne personam deponant, vel aliter quidem sen-
tiant. Ingenuus et sui arbitrii, ista solummodo praestabit author."
Answ. First, It is not to be denied that there are multitudes
of such carnal pastors in the churches, that are Christians for
the ease, honour, and wealth. Secondly, But that this should
be so with all, I shall disprove ; and prove that none on earth
are so credible in this case as divines. First, Because they have
made it the business of their lives to search out the truth ; and,
therefore (some of them), must be supposed have the greatest ad-
vantages to know it. So that, for ability, they have no sort of men
that are competitors ; for diligence and helps are the improvers
of understanding : and all men are found best at their own pro-
fession ; lawyers in the law, physicians in medicine, philosophers
in philosophy, &c. And for yourself, your next words are,
" Nobis tamen ad alia omnia fere quam literarum studia (uti
oportuit) exequenda, otium fuit. Partim armis in diversis re-
gionibus, partim quinquennali legatione, partim negotiis turn
publicis turn privatis, vacaviinus." And snot this your disad-
vantage ? W T ho is a good linguist, lawyer, physician, &c, that
hath had but little leisure for his studies I
Secondly, And as for will and interest, it is notorious that
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 591
thousands of the ministry have so little set by worldly interest,
as that it is upon the terms of greatest self-denial to the flesh
that they take up and exercise their office, being moved only
by the great interest of their own and others' souls : their vo-
luntary, diligent labours, their holy Hves, their contempt of the
world, may convince any of this, that are not blinded by preju-
dice or malice. There are few learned men in the reformed
churches but might far better use their studies and labours, if
they took that for best which is most profitable, advancing, or
pleasing to the flesh.
Thirdly, You had a brother of your own, so holy a man, as
Ins sincerity was past exception, and so zealous in his sacred
ministry, as showed he did not dissemble ; and, I suppose, had
it been necessary, vou would have so maintained him, that he
should not have fled from truth for fear of poverty.
Fourthly, What can you think of all those that gave up their
lives for the christian faith and hopes ? Did they go upon such
carnal grounds as you mention ?
Fifthly, The revolutions of states, and the diversity of senti-
ments, and especially the interests of the carnal part, do bring
it to pass, by God's overruling of all, that usually the most
serious Christians and pastors are the sufferers of the age they
live in : so that how much hath God done hereby, to confute
such suspicions and accusations ! There are now in England
learned and worthy men, in church preferments, which doubtless
do not so love them, as to buy them with the loss of truth, and
that to keep up a religion against their consciences. But if
you did so accuse them, surely the many hundred silenced mi-
nisters now in England, that live in poverty, and many of them
want bread, when they might have preferment as well as others,
do live out of the reach of this accusation : 1 write not this at
all as meddling with their cause, but as answering your ex-
ception. I have myself got no more for preaching the Gospel
these nine years, than if I had been a layman ; I mean 1 have
preached for nothing, if the success on men's souls were not
something, and God's acceptance, so far as 1 did preach ; and
more than that, I would offer anv man mv most solemn oath to
satisfy him, that I believe and profess the christian doctrine for
its proper evidence, and for the hopes of the blessedness pro-
mised thereby, which, if they prevailed not with me above all
the riches, preferments, and pleasures of this world, I would
never have been a preacher or a Christian, nor would continue
592 MORE REASONS FOR
in my calling and profession one day, much less on the self-de-
nying terms, as I now do.
But, O my Lord, thou hast been to me a faithful Saviour, a
happy Teacher, a supporting Comforter, in my greatest dangers,
distress, and fears ; thy service hath been sweet and good ; thy
word hath been a powerful light, a quickening, a changing, an
elevating, a guiding, a comforting word. So far am I from
repenting that I am thy disciple, or thy servant, that, now I am
not far from my departure from this world, I do vehemently
protest, that I beg no greater mercy of thee in this world, than
that I may believe in thee more firmly, and hope in thy pro-
mises more confidently, and by thine intercession receive more
of thy Holy Spirit, by which 1 may have nearer access to God,
and that by thy blood and merits I may be justified and cleansed
from the guilt of all my sins, and that by thee I may be taught
to know the Father, and to love him as his love and goodness
hath manifested itself in thee, and in the gracious works of man's
redemption ; that thou wilt be the undertaker for my soul and
body through my life, and that at death I may commend my
spirit into thy hands, in a strong, well-grounded faith and hope,
and come to thee in the fervent desire of divine and heavenly
love. And I ask for no greater felicity hereafter, than to be
with thee where thou art, to behold thy glory, and to see the
glory of the blessed Deity, and live in the perfect knowledge,
and love, and praise of God.
Sixthly, And I may add, that it is not only clergymen that
are Christians ; besides them, the most learned men in the
world have defended, or adhered to the christian faith : I need
not name to you either men of your own rank, such as the two
Mirandulas, the great Du Plessis, Marnixius de Aldegonde,
Anhaltinus, a prince, though a divine, Bacon, and many a wor-
thy nobleman of these kingdoms, and of many others ; nor
such laymen as the Scaligers, Salmasius, Grotius, Causabon,
Thuanus, and multitudes more. Were all these, larvati vel pal-
liati, biassed by price or fleshly interest ? He that is not a
Christian for spiritual and eternal interest, taking up his cross
and following a crucified Christ, on terms of self-denial, even to
the forsaking of all for him, not excepting life itself, and doth
not by his cross, even crucify the flesh and the world, which is
the provision for its lusts, is, indeed, no Christian at all.
1 had thought to have said somewhat to your pp. 220, 221.
" Jn omni religione, immo et conscientia, sive ex natura sive ex
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 593
gratia, media sufficientia dari unde Deo accepti esse possint,
ultro credimus ." But I have been long enough, and the
answer mav be gathered from what is said before.
The Lord save this land and the darker world from infidelity
and its fruits ; and give us more of that Spirit which is Christ's
agent and witness in us, effectually to plead and maintain his
cause. Amen.
Jan. 16, 1672.
Ccbs. Baronius. Annal. ad An. 411.
But because we are discoursing of such matters, reader, I
entreat thee to suffer me, like the good householder in the Gos-
pel, who bringeth out of his treasury things new and old, to
add some things new, or later, to these of elder date ; for what
I shall briefly say will much delight thee : for I will not
report unproved things, but what I know to be confirmed
by the assertion of very many learned men, yea, and by all
religious men oft told the people in their sermons : and,
for my part, 1 will bring forth the author, of whom I re-
ceived it, and that is Michael Mercatus Miniatensis, Protho-
notary of the S. R. church, a man of most entire fidelity,
and of eminent knowledge and honesty of life. He told me of
his grandfather, of the same name with himself, Michael Mer-
catus, senior, between whom and Marsilius Ficinus, a man of a
most noble wit, there was an intimate friendship, contracted and
increased by philosophical studies, in which they both were fol-
lowers of Plato. It happened on a time that, as they used,
they were gathering from Plato, but not without doubting, how
much, or what of man, remained after death ; which platonie
documents, where they failed, were to be underpropped by the
sacraments of the christian faith ; for of that argument there is
extant a learned epistle of Marsilius to this Michael Mercatus,
of the immortality of the soul and God : and in their discourse
when they had long disputed, they thus concluded it ; and
giving each other their right hands, they covenanted, that
which ever of them first died, if he could do it, he should cer-
tify the other of the state of the other life. And having thus
covenanted and sworn to each other, they departed. And
after a considerable space of time, it fell out that Michael,
senior, being early in the morning at his philosophical studies,
VOL. XXI. Q Q
594 MORE REASONS FOR, &C.
unexpectedly he heard the noise of a horse swiftly running, and
stopping at his door, and, withal, the voice of Marsilius, crying
out, " O Michael! O Michael! those things are true."
Michael, marvelling at the voice of his friend, rose up, and
opening the window, he saw him whom he heard, with his back
toward him, in white, riding away on a white horse, and called
after him, "Marsilius, Marsilius !" and looked after him; but
he vanished from his sight. He being struck with admiration
at the strangeness of the case, took care to inquire what was
become of Marsilius, (who lived in Florence, where he died,) and
found that he died that same hour in which he heard and saw
him. And what did he hereupon ? Though he had been a
man of approved honesty, and had lived a life harmless and profit-
able to all, as it became a true philosopher, yet from that time,
bidding farewell to philosophical discipline, and becoming a for-
ward lover, or follower, of the true christian philosophy only, as
more eminent than the rest, he lived the rest of his time as
dead to the world, only for, or to, the life to come, being an ex-
ample of a most absolute Christian, who before had been
famous among the philosophers of his time in praise, as second
unto none. So far Baronius : the same is reported by abun-
dance of other writers.
END OF TWENTY-FIRST VOLUME.
Printed by Mills, Jowett, and Mills, Bolt-court, Fleet -street.
niiyiiiu «^l-oj. l,v
V KJUI
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
TVNews
OpenLibrary