1. Because spiritual things are against nature. 1Every thing in Religion is antipodes to nature. There are in Religion two things, Credenda & Facienda, and both are against nature.2 1. Credenda, Matters of Faith. As, for a man to be justified by the righteousness of another, to become a fool that he may be wise, to save all by losing all;3 this is against nature. 2. Facienda; ⟨p. 16⟩Matters of practice. As, 1. Self-denial; for a man to deny his own wisdom, and see himself blind; his own will, and have it melted into the will of God, plucking out the right eye, beheading and crucifying that sin which is the favourite, and lies nearest to the heart*; For a man to be dead to the world, and in the midst of want to abound; for him to take up the Cross, and follow Christ, not only in golden, but bloody paths; to embrace Religion when it is dressed in its nightclothes, all the Jewels of honour and preferment being pulled off, this is against nature, 5and therefore must be learned. 2. Self-examination. For a man to take his heart (as a watch) all in pieces, to set up a spiritual inquisition, or Court of conscience, and traverse things in his own soul; to take Davids Candle and Lantern*, and search for sin; nay, as Judge to pass the sentence upon ⟨p. 17⟩himself,* this is against nature, and will not easily be attained to without Learning.8 3. Self-reformation. To see a man as Caleb, of another spirit, walking antipodes to himself, his heart changed, the current of his life altered, and running into the channel of Religion; this is wholly against nature, and is as strange as to see the earth fly upward, or the bowl run contrary to its own bias. When a stone ascends, it is not a natural motion, but a violent; the motion of the soul heaven-ward, is a violent motion, it must be learned: flesh and blood is not skilled in these things: Nature can no more cast out Nature, then Satan can cast out Satan.
1. Because spirituall things are against nature. 1Every thing in Religion is antipodes to nature. There are in Religion two things, Credenda & Facienda, and both are against nature.2 1. Credenda, Matters of Faith. As, for a man to be justified by the righteousnesse of another, to become a foole that he may be wise, to save all by losing all;3 this is against nature. 2. Facienda; ⟨p. 16⟩Matters of practice. As, 1. Selfe-denyall; for a man to deny his own wisdome, and see himself blinde; his own will, and have it melted into the will of God, plucking out the right eye, beheading and crucifying that sin which is the favorite, and lies nearest to the heart*; For a man to be dead to the world, and in the midst of want to abound; for him to take up the Crosse, and follow Christ, not onely in golden, but bloody pathes; to embrace Religion when it is dress'd in its nightcloathes, all the Jewels of honour and preferment being pull'd off, this is against nature, 5and therefore must be learned. 2. Selfe-examination. For a man to take his heart (as a watch) all in pieces, to set up a spirituall inquisition, or Court of conscience, and traverse things in his own soul; to take Davids Candle and Lanthorn*, and search for sin; nay, as Judge to passe the sentence upon ⟨p. 17⟩himself,* this is against nature, and will not easily be attained to without Learning.8 3. Self-reformation. To see a man as Caleb, of another spirit, walking antipodes to himself, his heart changed, the current of his life altered, and running into the channel of Religion; this is wholly against nature, and is as strange as to see the earth fly upward, or the bowle runne contrary to its own byasse. When a stone ascends, it is not a natural motion, but a violent; the motion of the soul heaven-ward, is a violent motion, it must be learned: flesh and blood is not skill'd in these things: Nature can no more cast out Nature, then Satan can cast out Satan.
- 11. Contra naturam,
- 21. Credenda.
- 32. Facienda.
- *Peccatum in delitiis. Bern.
- 5Malumus vitium excusare, quàm excutere. Sen.
- *Psal. 119. vers. 105.
- *2 Sam. 24. 17
- 8Me, me, adsum qui feci, in me converti•e ferrum.
