Chapter III (14)

_Direct._ VIII. Speak not of God in a light, unreverent, or common sort, as if you talked of common things; but with all possible seriousness, gravity, and reverence, as if you saw the majesty of the Lord.--A common and a holy manner of speech are contrary. That only is holy which is separated to God from common use. You speak profanely, (in the manner, how holy soever the matter be,) when you speak of God with that careless levity, as you use to speak of common things. Such speaking of God is dishonourable to him, and hurts the hearers more than silence, by breeding in them a contempt of God, and teaching them to imitate you in slight conceits and speech of the Almighty: whereas, one that speaketh reverently of God, as in his presence, doth ofttimes more affect the hearers with a reverence of his Majesty, with a few words, than unreverent preachers with the most accurate sermons, delivered in a common or affected strain. Whenever you speak of God, let the hearers perceive that your hearts are possessed with his fear and love, and that you put more difference between God and man, than between a king and the smallest worm: so when you talk of death or judgment, of heaven or hell, of holiness or sin, or any thing that nearly relates to God, do it with that gravity and seriousness as the matter doth require.

_Direct._ IX. Speak not so unskilfully and foolishly of God, or holy things, as may tempt the hearers to turn it into a matter of scorn or laughter.--Especially understand how your parts are suited to the company that you are in. Among those that are more ignorant, some weak discourses may be tolerable and profitable; for they are most affected with that which is delivered in their own dialect and mode: but among judicious or captious hearers, unskilful persons must be very sparing of their words, lest they do hurt while they desire to do good, and make religion seem ridiculous. We may rejoice in the scorns which we undergo for Christ, and which are bent against his holy laws, or the substance of our duty: but if men are jeered for speaking ridiculously and foolishly of holy things, they have little reason to take comfort in any thing of that, but their honest meanings and intents; nay, they must be humbled for being a dishonour to the name of godliness. But the misery is, that few of the ignorant and weak have knowledge and humility enough to perceive their ignorance and weakness, but they think they speak as wisely as the best, and are offended if their words be not reverenced accordingly. As a minister should study and labour for a skill and ability to preach, because it is his work; so every christian should study for skill to discourse with wisdom and meet expressions about holy things, because this is his work. And as unfit expressions and behaviour in a minister do cause contempt instead of edifying, so do they in discourse.

_Direct._ X. Whenever God's holy name or word is blasphemed, or used in levity or jest, or a holy life is made a scorn, or God is notoriously abused or dishonoured, be ready to reprove it with gravity where you can; and where you cannot, at least let your detestation of it be conveniently manifested.--Among those to whom you may freely speak, lay open the greatness of their sin. Or, if you are unable for long or accurate discourse, at least tell them who hath said, "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." And where your speech is unmeet, (as to some superiors,) or is like to do more harm than good, let your departing the room, or your looks, or rather your tears, show your dislike.[130]

_Directions for the glorifying God in our Lives._

_Direct._ I. Our lives then glorify God, when they are such as his excellencies most appear in: and that is, when they are most divine or holy; when they are so managed, that the world may see, that it is God that we have chiefly respect unto, and that HOLINESS TO THE LORD is written upon all our faculties and affairs.--So much of GOD as appeareth in our lives, so much they are truly venerable, and advanced above the rank of fleshly, worldly lives.[131] God only is the real glory of every person, and every thing, and every word or action of our lives. And the natural conscience of the world, which, in despite of their atheism, is forced to confess and reverence a Deity, will be forced (even when they are hated and persecuted) to reverence the appearance of God in his holy ones. Let it appear therefore, 1. That God's authority commandeth you, above all the powers of the earth, and against all the power of fleshly lusts. 2. That it is the glory and interest of God that you live for, and look after principally in the world, and not your own carnal interest and glory: and that it is his work that you are doing, and not your own; and his cause, and not your own, that you are engaged in.[132] 3. That it is his word and law that is your rule. 4. And the example of his Son that is your pattern. 5. And that your hearts and lives are moved and acted in the world, by motives fetched from the rewards which he hath promised, and the punishments which he hath threatened, in the world to come. 6. And that it is a supernatural, powerful principle, sent from God into your hearts, even the Holy Ghost, by which you are inclined and actuated in the tenor of your lives. 7. And that your daily converse is with God, and that men and other creatures are comparatively nothing to you, but are made to stand by, while God is preferred, and honoured, and served by you; and that all your business is with him, or for him in the world.

_Direct._ II. The more of heaven appeareth in your lives, the more your lives do glorify God.--Worldly and carnal men are conscious, that their glory is a vanishing glory, and their pleasure but a transitory dream, and that all their honour and wealth will shortly leave them in the dust; and therefore, they are forced, in despite of their sensuality, to bear some reverence to the life to come. And though they have not hearts themselves to deny the pleasures and profits of the world, and to spend their days in preparing for eternity, and in laying up a treasure in heaven; yet they are convinced, that those that do so, are the best and wisest men; and they could wish that they might die the death of the righteous, and that their last end might be like his. As heaven exceedeth earth, even in the reverent acknowledgment of the world, though not in their practical esteem and choice; so heavenly christians have a reverent acknowledgment from them, (when malice doth not hide their heavenliness by slanders,) though they will not be such themselves. Let it appear in your lives, that really you seek a higher happiness than this world affordeth, and that you verily look to live with Christ; and that as honour, and wealth, and pleasure command the lives of the ungodly, so the hope of heaven commandeth yours. Let it appear that this is your design and business in the world, and that your hearts and conversations are above, and that whatever you do or suffer, is for this, and not for any lower end; and this is a life that God is glorified by.

_Direct._ III. It glorifieth God, by showing the excellency of faith, when we contemn the riches and honour of the world, and live above the worldling's life; accounting that a despicable thing, which he accounts his happiness, and loseth his soul for.--As men despise the toys of children, so a believer must take the transitory vanities of this world, for matters so inconsiderable, as not to be worthy his regard, save only as they are the matter of his duty to God, or as they relate to him, or the life to come. Saith Paul, 2 Cor. iv. 18, "We look not at the things which are seen," (they are not worth our observing or looking at,) "but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." The world is under a believer's feet, while his eye is fixed on the celestial world. He travelleth through it to his home, and he will be thankful if his way be fair, and if he have his daily bread: but it is not his home, nor doth he make any great matter, whether his usage in it be kind or unkind, or whether his inn be well adorned or not. He is almost indifferent whether, for so short a time, he be rich or poor, in a high or in a low condition, further than as it tendeth to his Master's service. Let men see that you have a higher birth than they, and higher hopes, and higher hearts, by setting light by that, which their hearts are set upon as their felicity. When seeming christians are as worldly and ambitious as others, and make as great a matter of their gain, and wealth, and honour, it showeth that they do but cover the base and sordid spirit of worldlings, with the visor of the christian name, to deceive themselves, and bring the faith of christians into scorn, and dishonour the holy name which they usurp.

_Direct._ IV. It much honoureth God, when his servants can quietly and fearlessly trust in him, in the face of all the dangers and threatenings which devils or men can cast before them; and can joyfully suffer pain or death, in obedience to his commands, and in confidence on his promise of everlasting happiness.--This showeth that we believe indeed that "there is a God," and that "he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Heb. xi. 6; and that he is true and just; and that his promises are to be trusted on; and that he is able to make them good, in despite of all the malice of his enemies; and that the threats or frowns of sinful worms are contemptible to him that feareth God. Psal. lviii. 11, "So that men shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth," and that at last will judge the world in righteousness. Paul gloried in the Thessalonians, "for their faith and patience, in all their persecutions and tribulations which they endured; as a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that they might be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which they suffered. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble us, and rest with his saints to those that are troubled," 2 Thess. i. 4-7. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified," 1 Pet. iv. 14. "If any man suffer as a christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf," ver. 16. When confidence in God, and assurance of the great reward in heaven, Matt. v. 11, 12, doth cause a believer undauntedly to say as the three witnesses, Dan. iii. "We are not careful, O king, to answer thee in this matter: the God whom we serve is able to deliver us:" when by faith we can go through the trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, of bonds and imprisonment, to be destitute and afflicted, yea, and tortured, not accepting deliverance, (upon sinful terms,) thus God is glorified by believers. "Lift up your voices," O ye afflicted saints, "and sing, for the majesty of the Lord. Glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea," Isa. xxiv. 14, 15. Sing to his praise with Paul and Silas, though your feet be in the stocks. If God call for your lives, remember that "you are not your own, you are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your bodies and spirits which are his," 1 Cor. vi. 20. Rejoice in it, if you "bear in your bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus," Gal. vi. 17; and if you "always bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in your bodies," 2 Cor. iv. 10. And "with all boldness," see that "Christ be magnified in your bodies, whether it be by life or death," Phil. i. 20. He dishonoureth and reproacheth Christ and faith, that thinks he is not to be trusted even unto the death.

_Direct._ V. It much honoureth God, when the hopes of everlasting joys do cause believers to live much more joyfully than the most prosperous worldlings.--Not with their kind of doting mirth, in vain sports and pleasures, and foolish talking, and uncomely jests; but in that constant cheerfulness and gladness, which beseemeth the heirs of glory. Let it appear to the world, that indeed you hope to live with Christ, and to be equal with the angels. Do a dejected countenance, and a mournful, troubled, and complaining life, express such hopes? or rather tell men that your hopes are small, and that God is a hard master, and his service grievous? Do not thus dishonour him by your inordinate dejectedness; do not affright and discourage sinners from the pleasant service of the Lord.

_Direct._ VI. When christians live in a readiness to die, and can rejoice in the approach of death, and love and long for the day of judgment, when Christ shall justify them from the slanders of the world, and shall judge them to eternal joys: this is to the glory of God and our profession.--When death, which is the king of fears to others, appeareth as disarmed and conquered to believers; when judgment, which is the terror of others, is their desire; this showeth a triumphant faith, and that godliness is not in vain. It must be something above nature that can make a man "desire to depart and be with Christ, as best of all," and "to be absent from the body and present with the Lord," and to "comfort one another" with the mention of the glorious coming of their Lord, and the day when he shall judge the world in righteousness, Phil. i. 21; 2 Cor. v. 8; 1 Thess. iv. 18; 2 Thess. i. 10.

_Direct._ VII. The humility, and meekness, and patience of christians, much honour God and their holy faith; as pride, and passion, and impatience dishonour him.--Let men see that the Spirit of God doth cast down the devilish sin of pride, and maketh you like your Master, that humbled himself to assume our flesh, and to the "death of the cross," and to the contradiction and reproach of foolish sinners, and "made himself of no reputation," but "endured the shame" of being derided, spit upon, and crucified, Phil. ii. 7-9; Heb. xii. 2; and stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. It is not stoutness, and lifting up the head, and standing upon your terms, and upon your honour in the world, that is the honouring of God. When you are as little children, and as nothing in your own eyes, and seek not the honour that is of men, but say, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name be the glory," Psal. cxv. 1; and are content that your honour decrease and be trodden into the dirt, that his may increase, and his name be magnified; this is the glorifying of God. So when you show the world, that you are above the impotent passions of men, not to be insensible, but to be "angry and sin not," and to "give place to wrath," and not to resist and "avenge yourselves," Rom. xii. 19; and to be "meek and lowly in heart," Matt. xi. 29. It will appear that you have the wisdom which is "from above," if you be "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and hypocrisy," James iii. 17. "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth," as if this were the wisdom from above which glorifieth God; for this "wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish," ver. 14, 15. "A meek and quiet spirit is of great price in the sight of God," 1 Pet. iii. 4; an ornament commended to women by the Scripture, which is amiable in the eyes of all.

_Direct._ VIII. It honoureth God and our profession, when you abound in love and good works; loving the godly with a special love, but all men with so much love, as makes you earnestly desirous of their welfare, and to love your enemies, and put up wrongs, and to study to do good to all, and hurt to none.--To be abundant in love, is to be like to God, who is love itself, 1 John iv. 7, 11; and showeth that God dwelleth in us, ver. 12. "All men may know that we are Christ's disciples, if we love one another," John xiii. 35. This is the "new" and the "great commandment; the fulfilling of the law," Rom. xiii. 10; John xv. 12, 17; xiii. 34. You will be known to be the "children of your heavenly Father, if you love your enemies, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that hate and persecute you, and despitefully use you," Matt. v. 44. Do all the good that possibly you can, if you would be like him that doth good to the evil, and whose mercies are over all his works. Show the world that you "are his workmanship, created to good works in Christ Jesus, which he hath ordained for you to walk in," Eph. ii. 10. "Herein is your Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit," John xv. 8. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," Matt. v. 16. "Honour God with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thy increase," Prov. iii. 9. "And those that honour him he will honour," 1 Sam. ii. 30; when barren, worldly hypocrites, that honour God only with their lips, and flattering words, shall be used as those that really dishonour him.

_Direct._ IX. The unity, concord, and peace of christians, do glorify God and their profession; when their divisions, contentions, and malicious persecutions of one another, do heinously dishonour him.--Men reverence that faith and practice which they see us unanimously accord in. And the same men will despise both it and us, when they see us together by the ears about it, and hear us in a Babel of confusion, one saying, This is the way, and another, That is it; one saying, Lo here is the true church and worship, and another saying, Lo it is there. Not that one man or a few must make a shoe meet for his own foot, and then say, All that will not dishonour God by discord, must wear this shoe: think as I think, and say as I say, or else you are schismatics. But we must all agree in believing and obeying God, and "walking by the same rule so far as we have attained," Phil. iii. 15, 16. "The strong must bear the infirmities of the weak, and not please themselves; but every one of us please his neighbour for good to edification; and be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus, that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God: receiving one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God," Rom. xv. 1, 2, 5-7.

_Direct._ X. Justice commutative and distributive, private and public, in bargainings, and in government, and judgment, doth honour God and our profession in the eyes of all: when we do no wrong, but do to all men as we would they should do to us, Matt. vii. 12: that no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter; for the Lord is the avenger of all such, 1 Thess. iv. 6.--That a man's word be his master, and that we lie not one to another, nor equivocate or deal subtilly and deceitfully, but in plainness and singleness of heart, and in simplicity and godly sincerity, have our conversation in the world. Perjured persons and covenant-breakers, that dissolve the bonds of human society, and take the name of God in vain, shall find by his vengeance that he holdeth them not guiltless.

_Direct._ XI. It much glorifieth God to worship him rationally and purely, in spirit and in truth, according to the glory of his wisdom and goodness; and it dishonoureth him to be worshipped ignorantly and carnally, with spells, and mimical, irrational actions, as if he were less wise than serious, grave, understanding men.--The worshippers of God have great cause to take heed how they behave themselves; lest they meet with the reward of Nadab and Abihu, and God tell them by his judgments, "that he will be sanctified in all them that come nigh him, and before all the people he will be glorified," Lev. x. 1-3. The second commandment is enforced by the jealousy of God about his worship. Ignorant, rude, unseemly words, or unhandsome gestures, which tend to raise contempt in the auditors; or levity of speech, which makes men laugh, is abominable in a preacher of the gospel. And so is it to pray irrationally, incoherently, confusedly, with vain repetitions and tautologies, as if men thought to be heard for their babbling over so many words, while there is not so much as an appearance of a well composed, serious, rational, and reverent address of a fervent soul to God. To worship God as the papists do, with images, Agnus Dei's, crucifixes, crossings, spittle, oil, candles, holy water, kissing the pax, dropping beads, praying to the Virgin Mary, and to other saints, repeating over the name of Jesus nine times in a breath, and saying such and such sentences so oft, praying to God in an unknown tongue, and saying to him they know not what, adoring the consecrated bread as no bread, but the very flesh of Christ himself, choosing the titular saint whose name they will invocate, fasting by feasting upon fish instead of flesh, saying so many masses a day, and offering sacrifice for the quick and the dead, praying for souls in purgatory, purchasing indulgences for their deliverance out of purgatory from the pope, carrying the pretended bones or other relics of their saints, the pope's canonizing now and then one for a saint, pretending miracles to delude the people, going on pilgrimages to images, shrines, or relics, offering before the images, with a multitude more of such parcels of devotion, do most heinously dishonour God, and, as the apostle truly saith, do make unbelievers say, "They are mad," 1 Cor. xiv. 23, and that they are "children in understanding," and not "men," ver. 20. Insomuch as it seemeth one of the greatest impediments to the conversion of the heathen and Mahometan world, and the chiefest means of confirming them in their infidelity, and making them hate and scorn christianity, that the Romish, and the eastern, and southern churches, within their view, do worship God so dishonourably as they do: as if our God were like a little child that must have pretty toys bought him in the fair, and brought home to please him. Whereas, if the unreformed churches in the east, west, and south were reformed, and had a learned, pious, able ministry, that clearly preached and seriously applied the word of God, and worshipped God with understanding, gravity, reverence, and serious spirituality, and lived a holy, heavenly, mortified, self-denying conversation, this would be the way to propagate christianity, and win the infidel world to Christ.

_Direct._ XII. If you will glorify God in your lives, you must be above a selfish, private, narrow mind, and must be chiefly intent upon the public good, and the spreading of the gospel through the world.--A selfish, private, narrow soul brings little honour to the cause of God: it is always taken up about itself, or imprisoned in a corner, in the dark, to the interest of some sect or party, and seeth not how things go in the world: its desires, and prayers, and endeavours go no further than they can see or travel. But a larger soul beholdeth all the earth, and is desirous to know how it goeth with the cause and servants of the Lord, and how the gospel gets ground upon the unbelieving nations; and such are affected with the state of the church a thousand miles off, almost as if it were at hand, as being members of the whole body of Christ, and not only of a sect. They pray for the "hallowing of God's name," and the "coming of his kingdom," and the "doing of his will throughout the earth, as it is in heaven," before they come to their own necessities, at least in order of esteem and desire. The prosperity of themselves, or their party or country, satisfieth them not, while the church abroad is in distress. They live as those that know the honour of God is more concerned in the welfare of the whole, than in the success of any party against the rest. They pray that the gospel may have free course and be glorified abroad, as it is with them, and the preachers of it be "delivered from unreasonable and wicked men," 2 Thess. iii. 1, 2. The silencing the ministers, and suppressing the interest of Christ and souls, are the most grievous tidings to them: therefore they "pray for kings, and all in authority," not for any carnal ends, but that "we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty," 1 Tim. ii. 1-3. Thus God must be glorified by our lives.

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_Grand Direct._ XVI. Let your life on earth be a conversation in heaven, by the constant work of faith and love; even such a faith as maketh things future as now present, and the unseen world as if it were continually open to your sight; and such a love as makes you long to see the glorious face of God, and the glory of your dear Redeemer, and to be taken up with blessed spirits in his perfect, endless love and praise.

My Treatise of "The Life of Faith," and the fourth part of "The Saints' Rest," being written wholly or mostly to this use, I must refer the reader to them, and say no more of it in this direction.

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_Grand Direct._ XVII. As the soul must be carried up to God, and devoted to him, according to all the foregoing directions, so must it be delivered from carnal selfishness, or flesh-pleasing, which is the grand enemy to God and godliness in the world; and from the three great branches of this idolatry, viz. the love of sensual pleasures, the love of worldly wealth, and the proud desire and love of worldly honour and esteem: and the mortifying of these must be much of the labour of your lives.

Of this also I have written so much in a "Treatise of Self-denial," and in another called "The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ," that I shall now pass by all, save what will be more seasonable anon under the more particular directions, in the fourth part, when I come to speak of selfishness, as opposed to the love of others.[133]

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I have now given you the general grand directions, containing the very being and life of godliness and christianity; with those particular subdirections which are needful to the performance of them. And I must tell you, that as your life, and strength, and comfort principally depend on these, so doth your success in resisting all your particular sins: and therefore, if you first obey not these general directions, the more particular ones that follow will be almost useless to you, even as branches cut off from the stock of the tree, which are deprived thereby of their support and life. But upon supposition that first you will maintain these vital parts of your religion, I shall proceed to direct you first in some particulars most nearly subordinate to the forementioned duties, and then to the remoter branches.

FOOTNOTES:

[80] Laert. saith of the magi, that they did Deorum vacare cultui: signa statuasque reprehendere: et eorum imprimis, qui mares esse deos et fœminas dicunt, errores improbare. Signa et statuas ex disciplinæ instituto è medio tulisse: and that some thought that the Jews came from them, p. 4, 6. And Laertius himself saith to those that make Orpheus the first philosopher, Videant certe qui ita volunt, quo sit censendus nomine, qui Diis cuncta hominum vitia, et quæ rarò à turpibus quibusque et flagitiosis hominibus geruntur, ascribit, p. 4. He saith also that the said magi held, and Theopompus with them, that men should live again, and become immortal. The like he saith of many other sects. It is a thing most irrational to doubt of the being of the unseen worlds, and the more excellent inhabitants thereof; when we consider that this low and little part of God's creation is so full of inhabitants: if a microscope will show your very eyes a thousand visible creatures which you could never see without it, nor know that they had any being, will you not allow the pure intellectual sight to go much further beyond your microscope?

[81] Thales' sayings in Laert. are, Animas esse immortales: Antiquissimum omnium entium Deus; ingenitu senim: Pulcherrimum mundus, à Deo enim factus: Maximum locus; capit enim omnia: Velocissimum mens; nam per universa discurrit: Fortissimum necessitas; cuncta enim superat. Sapientissimum tempus: invenit namque omnia. _Q._ Utrum prius factum nox an dies? _R._ Nox, una prius die. _Q._ Latet ne Deos homo male agens? _R._ Ne cogitans quidem. _Q._ Quid difficile? _R._ Seipsum noscere. _Q._ Quid facile? _R._ Ab alio moveri. _Q._ Quid suavissimum? _R._ Frui. _Q._ Quid Deus? _R._ Quod initio et sine caret. p. 14, 20, 21.

[82] Conjungi vult nos inter nos, atque connecti per mutua beneficia charitatis: adeo ut tota justitia et præceptum hoc Dei, communis sit utilitas hominum. O miram clementiam Domini! O ineffabilem Dei benignitatem! Præmium nobis pollicetur, si nos invicem diligamus; id est, si nos ea præstemus invicem, quorum vicissim indigemus: et nos superbo et ingrato animo, ejus remittimur voluntati, cujus etiam imperium beneficium est. Hieron. ad Celant. See my book of the "Reasons of the Christian Religion."

[83] Vel propter unionem inter creaturam et Creatorem necessaria fuit incarnatio. Sicut in Divinitate una est essentia et tres personæ; ita in Christo una persona et tres essentiæ, Deitas, anima, et caro. Christus secundum naturam divinitatis est genitus; secundum animam creatus; et secundum carnem factus. Unio in Christo triplex est; Deitatis ad animam; Deitatis ad carnem; et animæ ad carnem. Paul. Scaliger Thes. p. 725. Christus solus, et quidem secundum utramque naturam dicitur caput ecclesiæ. Id. p. 726.

[84] Ex apostolica et veteri traditione, nemo baptizatur in ecclesia Christi, nisi prius rogatus, an credat in Deum Patrem, et in Jesum Christum Dei Filium, et in Spiritum Sanctum, responderit, firmiter se credere: quantum vis ergo heres sit, si judicii aliquid habet, et ita rogatur, et ita respondet prorsusque ita expresse credere jubetur: namque implicite et involute non isthæc solum, sed quæcunque Divinæ literæ produnt, credit, de quibus tamen non omnibus interrogatur, quod ea expresse scire omnia, illi minime opus sit. Acosta, 1. 5. c. 6. p. 461. Christian religion beginneth not at the highest, but the lowest: with Christ incarnate, teaching, dying, &c. Dr. Boy's postil. p. 121. out of Luther.

[85] Sane omnium virtutum radix et fundamentum fides est; quæ certantes adjuvat, vincentes coronat, et cœlesti dono quosdam defectu signorum remunerat: nihil enim quod sinceræ fidei denegetur, quia nec aliud à nobis Deus, quam fidem exigit: hanc diligit, hanc requirit, huic cuncta promittit et tribuit. S. Eulogius Mart. Arch. Tolet. Memorial. Sanct. p. 4. Notandum, quod cum fides mortua sit præter opera, jam neque fides est: nam neque homo mortuus, homo est.--Non enim sicut spiritum corpore meliorem, ita opera fidei præponenda sunt, quando gratia salvatur homo, non ex operibus sed ex fide: nisi fortè et hoc in quæstione sit, quod salvet fides quæ cum operibus propriis vivit; tanquam aliud genus operum sit, præter quæ salus ex fide proveniat: nec autem sunt opera quæ sub umbra legis observantur. Didymus Alexand, in Jac. cap. 2.

[86] Dilectio Dei misit nobis salvatorem: cujus gratia salvati sumus: ut possideamus hanc gratiam, communicatio facit spiritus. Ambros. in 2 Cor. xiii. 13.

[87] O Domine Jesu doles non tua sed mea vulnera! Ambros. de Fide ad Grat. l. 2. c. 3. Nos immortalitate male usi sumus ut moreremur: Christus mortalitate bene usus est ut viveremus. August. de Doct. Christ. l. i. c. 14.

[88] Scrutari temeritas est, credere pietas, nosse vita. Bernard. de Consid. ad Eugen. 1. 5.

[89] Deus est principium effectivum in creatione refectivum in redemptione, perfectivum in sanctificatione. Joh. Combis comp. Theol. 1. 4. c. 1.

[90] Rejectis propheticis et apostolicis scriplis, Manichæi novum evangelium scripserunt: et ut antecellere communi hominum multitudini et semi-dei viderentur, simularunt enthusiasmos seu afflatus, subito in turba se in terram objicientes, et velut attoniti diu tacentes; deinde tanquam redeuntes ex specu Trophonio et plorantes, multa vaticinati sunt; prorsus ut Anabaptistæ recens fecerunt in seditione monasteriensi. Etsi autem in quibusdam manifesta simulatio fuit, tamen aliquibus reipsa à diabolis furores immissos esse certum est. Carion. Chron. 1. 3. p. 54.

[91] Nemo magnus sine aliquo afflatu divino unquam fuit. Cicero 2. de Nat. Deor.

[92] Laertius in Zenone, saith, Dicunt Stoici Deum esse animal immortale, rationale, perfectum ac beatum, à malo omni remotissimum, providentia sua mundum et quæ sunt in mundo administrans omnia: non tamen inesse illi humanæ formæ lineamenta. Cæterum esse opificem immensi hujus operis, sicat et patrem omnium.--Eumque multis appellari nominibus juxta proprietates suas.--Quosdam item esse dæmones dicunt quibus insit hominum miseratio, inspectores rerum humanarum; heroas quoque solutas corporibus, sapientum animas.--Bonos aiunt esse divinos, quod in seipsis quasi habeant Deum. Malum vero impium et sine Deo esse, quod duplici ratione accipitur, sive quod Deo contrarius dicatur, sive quod aspernetur Deum: id tamen malis omnibus non convenire. Pios autem et religiosos esse sapientes, peritos divini juris omnes. Pietatem esse scientiam divini cultus. Diis item eos sacrificia facturos, castosque futuros. Quippe ea quæ in Deos admittuntur peccata detestari, Diisque charos ac gratos fore quo sancti justique in rebus divinis sint.

[93] De diis ita ut sunt loquere. Bias in Laert. Leg. Pauli Scaligeri Theses de Archetypo Mundo Ep. Cath. 1. 14. God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. Lord Bacon, Essay 16. p. 87. Deus est mens soluta, libera et segregata ab omni concretione mortali, omnia sentiens, movens, &c. Cicero 1. Tuscul.

[94] Persuasum hoc sit à principio hominibus, dominos esse omnium rerum ac moderatores Deos: eaque quæ gerantur eorum geri ditione atque numine--Et qualis quisque fit, quid agat, quid in se admittat, qua mente, qua pietate colat religionem, intueri, piorumque et impiorum habere rationem. Cicero 2. de Leg.

[95] Deorum providentia mundus administratur, iidemque consulunt rebus humanis neque solum universis, verum etiam singulis. Cicero 1. de Divin.

[96] Aristippus rogatus aliquando quid haberent eximium philosophi? Si omnes, inquit, leges intereant, æquabiliter vivemus. Laertius.

[97] If προσευχη in Luke vi. 12, do signify an oratory, it yet importeth that he continued for prayer in it.

[98] Maxime pars hominum morbo jactatur eodem.

[99] Animi labes nee diuturnitate evanescit, nec manibus ullis elui potest--Non incestum vel aspersione aquæ vel dierum numero tollitur. Cicero 2. de Legib.

[100] See Plutarch's Tract, entitled, "That vice is sufficient to make a man wretched." Si non ipso honesto movemur ut viri boni simus, sed utilitate aliqua, atque fructu, callidi sumus, non boni; si emolumentis, non suapte natura, virtus expetitur, vana erit virtus, quæ malitia rectè dicitur. P. Scal. p. 744.

[101] Voluntarium est omne peccatum. Tolle excusationem: nemo peccat invitus. Martin. Dunilens. de Morib. Nihil interest quo animo facias, quod fecisse vitiosum est, quia acta cernuntur, animus non videtur. Id. ibid.

[102] Sick bodies only suffer ill; but sick souls both suffer ill and do ill. Plutarch's Mor. p. 314.

[103] See the Assembly's Larger Catechism about aggravations of sin.

[104] See my treatise of "Crucifying the World," and of "Self-denial."

[105] Of the Temptations to hinder Conversion, see before, chap. i.

[106] Vide Pool's Synopsis, Critic, in Levit. i. 77. In these latter the word "spirit" signifieth the ill disposition, which Satan as a tempter causeth, and so he is known by it as his offspring.

[107] See my "Treatise against Infidelity," as before cited.

[108] Animi molles et ætate fluxi dolis haud difficulter capiuntur.

[109] See my two sheets for the Ministry.

[110] Vir bonus est qui prodest quibus notest, nocet autem nemini. P. Scalig. Ne pigeat evangelicum ministrum, ægrotum visitare, venio aliquo recreare, familicum cibario saltem pane pascere, nudum operire, pauperem, cui non est adjutor, à divitum calumniis et potentia eripere, pro afflictis principem magistratumve convenire: rem familiarem consilio augere, morientibus sedulo et benigne astare, lites et dissidia componere, &c. Acosta, 1. 4. c. 18. p. 418.

[111] Some think they merit by curing the hurts which they have caused themselves. Sed nequitia est, ut extrahas mergere, evertere ut suscites, includere ut emittas. Non enim beneficium injuriæ finis; nec unquam id detraxisse meritum est, quod ipse qui detraxit intulerat. Senec. de Benef.

[112] "Sell all and give to the poor, and follow me." But sell not all, except thou follow me: that is, except thou have a vocation, in which thou mayest do as much good with little means, as with great. Lord Bacon's Essay 13.

[113] Absurdum est unum laute vivere, cum multi esuriunt. Quanto enim gloriosius est multis benefacere, quam magnifice habitare? Quanto prudentius in homines quam in lapides, et in aurum impensas facere. Clem. Alexand. 2. Pædag. 12.

[114] Nobilius et præstantius est charitatem exercere in Deo, quam virtutes propter Deum. Charitas compendiosissima ad Deum via est per quam celerrime in Deum pervenitur; nec sine charitate aliqua virtus supernaturaliter homini sapit: charitas enim forma omnium virtutum est. Per hoc charitatis exercitium, homo ad tantam sui abominationem venit, ut non solum seipsum contemnat, verum etiam se ab aliis contemni æquo animo ferat; imo etiam ab aliis contemptus gaudeat.--Thaulerus, flor. c. 7. p. 114.

[115] Austin, (Tract. 9. in John,) having showed that among men, it maketh no one beautiful to love one that is beautiful, saith, Anima nostra fœda est per iniquitatem: amando Deum pulchra efficitur: qualis amor qui reddat pulchrum amantem? Deus semper pater est: amavit nos fœdos, ut ex fœdis faceret pulchros: pulchri erimus amando eum qui pulcher est. Quantum in te crescit amor, tantum crescit pulchritudo; quia ipsa charitas animæ pulchritudo est.

[116] O orator, in tua oratione plus dilige Deum quam teipsum et alia: et si hoc facis, justus es et prudens, et de charitate et sanctitate habituatus: Qui habitus est amicus tuus in oratione--O Orator! quando orabis pro commissis, justitiam, Dei tecum teneas diligendo; non autem odiendo: quia si sic, misericordia Dei non posset esse tua amica, eo quia injustus esset; et tuus habitus esset crudelis et à spe et charitate prolongatus et tuum amare in odire esset perversum, de quo odire esset in æternum habituatus. Raim. Lullius, Arte Magna de Applic. cap. 114. p. 557, 558.

[117] Read Julian Toletan. his Prognosticon. Si in cœlis fidelibus hæc servatur hæreditas, frivola quædam et tepida proferunt aliqua, putantes eam se percipere in terrena Jerusalem; mille annis existimant esse deliciarum præmia proprietate recepturos: qui interrogandi sunt, quomodo astruant delicias corporales, dum dicatur hanc hæreditatem nec corrumpi posse nec marcescere. Didymus Alexand. in Petr. 1. cont. Millenar.

[118] Of the nature of affiance and faith, I have written more fully in my Disputation with Dr. Barlow, of Saving Faith.

[119] SOLA fide Deo SOLI constanter adhaere. A SOLO cunctis eripiere malis. Peucerus his Distich, in his ten years' imprisonment. Scult. Curric. p. 22.

[120] Of hope and assurance I have spoken afterward.

[121] Of enthusiastic impressions I have said more in my Directions for the Cure of Church Divisions, and in the defence of it, and in other books.

[122] 1 Chron. xvi. 34; 2 Chron. v. 13; Psal. xxxi. 7; lxxxvi. 5; cviii. 3, 4; xcii. 4, 5; cxxxvi. 4; cxlv. 5-7, 11, 12; cxix. 64; Job xxxvi. 24, 26; Psal. cvii. 22; civ. 31; lxvii. 6; Rev. i. 5; John xv. 9; Gal. ii. 20; Eph. i. 17, 18; ii. 6, 7; iii. 18, 19; Psal. cxxx. 6, 7; xci. 2, 9; xciv. 22; lix. 16; lxii. 7, 8; lvii. 1; xlvi. 1, 7, 11; lxxxix. 1; cxvi. 1-3; ciii. 1-3; lxvi. 13, 16, 17; xxxiv. 1-3.

[123] Phil. iii. 1; Isa. lviii. 19; Job xxii. 26; Isa. lv. 2, 3; Psal. iv. 7; Acts xiv. 17; Deut. xxvii. 7; xii. 12, 18; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 6; John xiv. 16, 26; xv. 26; Isa. liii. 3, 4; 1 Pet. i. 8, 9; Matt. xi. 28; Isa. lv. 1; Rev. xxii. 17; 1 Thess. v. 11, 14, 16; Phil. iv. 4; Psal. xxxiii. 1; 1 Pet. v. 7; John v. 40.

[124] Isa. lxiii. 9; 2 Cor. ii. 7; Zeph. iii. 17; Deut. xxx. 9; x. 15; Isa. lxii. 5; James ii. 13; John xiv. 13, 18.

[125] Lætari in Deo est res omnium summa in terris. Bucholtzer.

[126] Tres sunt virtutis conditiones, tentationis remotio, actuum multiplicatio, et in bono delectatio. P. Scaliger.

[127] Heb. i. 3; Acts vii. 55; Rom. iii. 23; Rev. xxi. 11, 23; Jude 24; 1 Pet. iv. 13; 2 Cor. iii. 18.

[128] _Lege Gassendi Oration, inaugural, in Institut. Astronom._

[129] Christianus est homo dicens et faciens ingrata diabolo; et ornans gloriam Dei, autoris vitæ et satis suæ. Bucholtzer.

[130] Of prayer I have spoken afterward. Tom. 2, &c.

[131] Turpissimum est philosopho secus docere quam vivit. Paul Scaliger. p. 728.

[132] Nam ilia quæ de regno cœlorum commemoranter à nobis, deque præsentium rerum contemptu, vel non capiunt, vel non facile sibi persuadent cum sermo factis evertitur. Acosta, lib. iv. c. 18. p. 418.

[133] I pass not this by as a small matter, to be passed by also by the reader. For I take the love of God kindled by faith in Christ, with the full denial of our carnal selves, to be the sum of all religion. But because I would not injure so great a duty by saying but a little of it; and therefore desire the reader, who studieth for practice, and needeth such helps, to peruse the mentioned books of "Self-denial," and "Crucifying the world."