A25291:1539
The Marrow of Sacred Divinity
The marrow of sacred divinity drawn out of the Holy Scriptures, and the interpreters thereof, and brought into method / by William Ames ... ; translated out of the Latin ... ; whereunto are annexed certain tables representing the substance and heads of all in a short view ... as also a table opening the hard words therein contained.The marrow of sacred divinity drawne out of the Holy Scriptures, and the interpreters thereof, and brought into method / by William Ames ... ; translated out of the Latine ... ; whereunto are annexed certaine tables representing the substance and heads of all in a short view ... as also a table opening the hard words therein contained.
London: printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Overton, 1642
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
26. The first of these is called Justice in that general sense, whereby it sets forth an inclination to do rightly, giving every man his own, and it may be called the rectitude of virtue: for in that description of virtue which the Apostle doth propound in a certain heap of words, Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if any praise, although truth, Justice, purity do set forth one and the same nature of virtue, yet Justice doth most intimately set forth the essence of it.
26. The first of these is called Iustice in that generall sense, whereby it sets forth an inclination to doe rightly, giving every man his own, and it may be called the rectitude of vertue: for in that description of vertue which the Apostle doth propound in a certaine heap of words, Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any vertue, and if any praise, although truth, Iustice, purity doe set forth one and the same nature of vertue, yet Iustice doth most intimately set forth the essence of it.
27. The second is Prudence; whereby all the strength of reason is used to find out that which is right, and to direct a right all the means of it: it is therefore the alone discerning of those things which pertain to right doing: and it contains in it self the force of understanding, knowledge and wisdom: so that all those perfections of the mind which are wont to be called intellectual virtues, in this respect alone do pertain to virtue, so far forth as by the power of them the will is directed in doing well.
27. The second is Prudence; whereby all the strength of reason is used to find out that which is right, and to direct a right all the meanes of it: it is therefore the alone descerning of those things which pertaine to right doing: and it containes in it selfe the force of understanding, knowledge and wisedome: so that all those perfections of the mind which are wont to be called intellectuall vertues, in this respect alone doe pertaine to vertue, so far forth as by the power of them the wil is directed in doing well.