IT is truly resolved by Learned men, aThat Theology is not a bare Speculative Science, which ultimately terminateth and stoppeth in the understanding, but that it is a Doctrine ordered and directed unto Practice, prescribing not only the bknowledge of Spiritual Truth, but the cdoing and loving of Spiritual Good. The Apostle calleth it the dacknowledgement of the Truth which is after Godliness; The Learning of Christ, and of the Truth as it is in Jesus. As light and heat, lustre, motion, and influence, are united in the Sun, the one working with and by the other; so Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are joined with fullness of ⟨image 3⟩Grace and Holiness, in the Sun of Righteousness, whose Wings have healing in them. The Doctrine of Religion is like the eProphets Vision of Cherubims, where he saw Wheels full of Eyes; the one for Vision, the other for Motion; and Hands under Wings; these to soar in contemplation, those to be employed in Action; and Lamps, and Burning Coals of Fire; the one for light, the other for heat. fAs an Heathens and Heretics Moral actions do not benefit him without Faith in Christ; so a Christians gspeculative knowledge, and mere Doctrinal Faith will not save him without good works, and the fruits of new obedience. hFides esse sine charitate potest, prodesse non potest Though therefore we dare not ascribe unto good works, any meritorious dignity, or proper causality, whereby they procure or produce Salvation for us, yet such a inecessity of them we ever acknowledge, as that without walking in the ⟨image 3⟩way of holiness, we shall not arrive at the Kingdom of Glory; without doing the will of God, we can never expect to receive the promises. And as it is a dangerous temptation of Satan on the one hand, to persuade men to deify their own good works, by putting confidence in them; so it is no less dangerous on the other hand by mere notional, airy and Platonical speculations to eat out all care of good works, and those moral duties of Piety, Temperance, righteousness, and Charity, in which the life and proper virtue 10of true saving faith doth exert it self.
IT is truly resolved by Learned men, aThat Theology is not a bare Speculative Science, which ultimately terminateth and stoppeth in the understanding, but that it is a Doctrine ordered and directed unto Practice, prescribing not onely the bknowledge of Spiritual Truth, but the cdoing and loving of Spiritual Good. The Apostle calleth it the dacknowledgment of the Truth which is after Godliness; The Learning of Christ, and of the Truth as it is in Jesus. As light and heat, lustre, motion, and influence, are united in the Sun, the one working with and by the other; so Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are joyned with fulness of ⟨image 3⟩Grace and Holiness, in the Sun of Righteousness, whose Wings have healing in them. The Doctrine of Religion is like the eProphets Vision of Cherubims, where he saw Wheels full of Eyes; the one for Vision, the other for Motion; and Hands under Wings; these to soar in contemplation, those to be imployed in Action; and Lamps, and Burning Coals of Fire; the one for light, the other for heat. fAs an Heathens and Hereticks Moral actions do not benefit him without Faith in Christ; so a Christians gspeculative knowledge, and meer Doctrinal Faith will not save him without good works, and the fruits of new obedience. hFides esse sine charitate potest, prodesse non potest Though therefore we dare not ascribe unto good works, any meritorious dignity, or proper causality, whereby they procure or produce Salvation for us, yet such a inecessity of them we ever acknowledge, as that without walking in the ⟨image 3⟩way of holiness, we shall not arrive at the Kingdom of Glory; without doing the will of God, we can never expect to receive the promises. And as it is a dangerous temptation of Satan on the one hand, to perswade men to deifie their own good works, by putting confidence in them; so it is no less dangerous on the other hand by meer notional, aiery and Platonical speculations to eat out all care of good works, and those moral duties of Piety, Temperance, righteousness, and Charity, in which the life and proper vertue
- aAquin. part. 1. qu. 1. art. 4. & Scholastici in Prologue. Sentent.Aquin. part. 1. qu. 1. art. 4. & Scholastici in Prolog. Sentent.
- bJohn 17. 3. Ephes. 4. 13.
- cMarth. 7. 21. Jam. 1. 22. John 13. 17.
- dTit. 1. 1. Eph. 4. 20, 21.
- eEzek. 1. 8, 13, 16, 18.
- fAug. de Civ. Dei. l. 19. c. 25. De Nupt. & Concupisc. l. 1. c. 3. Contr. 2. ep. Pelag. l. 3. cap. 5. Contr. Julian. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3.
- gAug. Tom. 4. lib. de Fide & oper. cap. 14. ad Simplician. quaest. 2.
- hAug. de Trin. l. 15. c. 18. Qualis est illa confessio quae sic Deo credit, ut pro nihilo ejus ducat imperium? aut quomodo ex animo ac verè dicimus, Domine, Domine, si ejus quem Dominum confitemur, praecepta contemnimus?—Inter Christianum & Gentilem non fides tantùm debet, fed etiam vita distinguere, Hier. Epist. ad Gelantiam de ratione Piè vivendi.
- iHeb. 12. 14. & 10. 36. Vide Davenant. de Justitia Actuali, cap. 30. 31.
- 10Gal. 5. 6. 1 Thes. 1. •3. 1 Tim. 1. 5.
