Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion, Chapter 20
The xx. Chapter.
That the true Religion is the way to atteyne to the sayd end, and souereine welfare; and what are the markes of that Religion.
I HaueHave proued alreadie, That there is but one God the father of Mankynd: That he created the world for mans vse: and that he gouerneth both the World and Man by his prouidence. Herevppon the lea…t man among all will conclude by and by, That …ith he is our father, we owe him obedience; sith wee hold all things of him in fee, wee owe him fealtie and homage; sith he prouideth all things for vsus, we ought to call vponupon him in all our doings and in all our necessities. Also I hauehave shewed, that Man is of nature immortall: and therefore he must applye himself withall his heart to immortall things. That by sinne he is falne from God and from himselfe: and therefore he must craue forgiuenesse of him, that his wrath may bee appeased: That this offence was a certeyne pride and ouerwéening of himselfe; and therefore he must acknowledge his frayltie and wretchednesse, and humble himself before GOD. Now in one word, what is all this to say, but that as there is but… one God and one Mankynd; so there ought to be but one Religiō, that is to say, one ordinarie duetie & seruice of man towards God? For what els are all the exercises of Religion, but appertenances of the Articles which we hauehave proued; that is to wit, of the creation of the world, and of Gods Prouidence; of the Immortalitie of the Soule, and of Mans fall; and of Mans souereine welfare? In Religion men …, men knéele, men hauehave ordinances to obserue: this is done in token of obedience. Againe; they giuegive thankes … praise vntounto GOD, and they giuegive him the firstfruites both of their Cattell and of their Corne: that is a signe of acknowledgement that they be but as his Tennants: They call vponupon him in their aduersitie, and they aske prosperitie of him in all their doings, be they neuer sosmall▪ It is properly a commending of themselues to his prouidence. Also in Religion there is wéeping, forrowing, fasting, putting on of sackcloth, and besprinkling of themselues with du…t. This is in token that wee ought to humble our selues beneath the very earth. Againe, there be Sacrifices both generall and particular; and what are those but protestations that all of vsus and eueryevery of vsus hauehave deserued death? In the end of all this, there commeth a promise and a pretence of euerlasting life, to such as discharge their duetie towards God: which is as much to say, as yt those Ceremonies and obseruations are not the things that wee must rest vponupon, but are meanes to leade vsus to our right end, which is to lift vsus vp on high. But betwéene these two last Articles, namely betwéene the death which wee protest our selues to hauehave deserued, and the euerlasting life that is behighted vsus to inherit, there is a maruelous waste distance to bee filled vp: and yet notwithstanding eyther it must néedes bee that man is set in the world in vayne, or els that there is a way or a bridge ordeyned for the passing thereof. Therefore Religion, which hath brought vsus to the pits brim, must also shewe vsus this bridge; that she may vnyte and linke vsus againe vntounto God, from whom we be gone so farre and so strangely by our fall; and that she may reconcyle vsus as bastardly children to our father, and as rebellious Subiects to our Prince: without which reconciliation or (according to the Latin deriuation) Religion, God ceasseth to be our father, and wee to bee his children; and all Religion, how gay and glorious show soeuer it hauehave, is vtterly vnprofitable and vayne. Now, the end that man should ame at in this life, is to returne vntounto God, and it cannot be in vayne: but in vayne it should be, if there be no way to leade man vntounto GOD, or rather to bring God vntounto man. To the intent therefore that neither GOD be defrauded of his glorie, nor man of his end and felicitie, there must according to my former profes) néedes bee a way, that is to say a meane to reconcyle man vntounto God, and to vnite him againe vntounto him, that he may bee saued; which way wee will (according to the common spéech) call Religion.
Now,There is but one true Religion. all the auncient men agree fully, that there ought to be a Religion among all men; as in déede there is not a thing that doth more necessarily followe, than a GOD, a Man, and a Religion; a Father, a Sonne, and an Obedience; a Mayster, a Seruant, and a seruice: a Giuer, a Receyuer, and a reward: or rather a Lender, a Detter,Marsilius ficinus cōcerning the Christian Religion. and a Bond. And therfore full well doth one say, The Philosophers ought to hauehave bin the first Diuines. For, inasmuch as we make towards GOD with two wings, that is to say, with Wit and Will: Wit can no sooner conceyue that God is our father, but by and by Will inferreth therevpon, Ergo wee ought to obey him and to serue him: yea and it procéedeth yet further, that sith he is our father and we his children, it is for our most behoof to returne vntounto him.In the last cap. of his Esculapius. O Lord (saith Hermes) What thankes shal we yeeld thee? And byandby he answereth, Lord, there is but only one thanke, and that is the acknowledging of thy Maiestie. And agein: The only way to come vntounto God, is godlines matched with knowledge, that is to say, to knowe how he wilbe serued, and therevpon to serue him. And Pythagoras was woont to say to the same purpose, forasmuch as wee be nothing without God, it becommeth vsus to liue vntounto God. Plato in his Epinomis and in his Thoe…tetus.Plato commendeth Religion in a thousand places, whereof I will not take past two or three sayings here. It is mans felicitie (saith he) to be like vntounto God. As how? By being rightuous and holy. How may that be? By Religion towards GOD, which is the greatest vertue that can be among men. Aristotle (by many mens report) was Religious, and as for Auerrhoes his interpreter, he was vtterly irreligious. Neuerthelesse see how nature swimmeth ouer vngodlines. Aristotle in his fifth booke of Moralles: and in his first of Heauen.Aristotle sayth it is graffed in nature to doo sacrifice. And Auerrhoes vppon that first booke of Heauen.Auerrhoes sayth that we be bound by nature to magnifie God with Prayers and Sacrifices. What is this to say, but that it is naturall to man, yea euen in respect of his shape and substance, to hauehave a Religion? And why?Alexander of Aphrodyse, concerning the prouidence of God, cyted by Cyrillus. Alexander professeth himselfe to be the interpreter of Aristotle, and therefore hee shall interprete him for vsus here. It is (sayth he) because our whole felicitie consisteth in deuotion towards God. For wee looke for none other reward but God himselfe, and him being the very souerein good, we obteyne by seruing him. Now when we heare these words, wee may thinke it was a strong torment of conscience that wroong this trueth out of them. For all men knowe, that chéesly Auerrhoes vrgeth the eternitie of the world, and the vniuersalitie of one onelyonly Mynd, which yet notwithstanding cannot match with godlynes.
Epictetus maketh not the like florishes of Philosophie, but yet he playeth the Philosopher much better in deede. If wee had wit (sayth he) what should we doe but prayse God continually, and sing Psalmes of thankesgiuing vntounto him, euen in digging and tilling the ground, and both in iourneying and in resting? As how? Euen saying thus: Great is God which hath giuen vsus these tooles to till the earth withall; Great which hath giuen vsus hands to woorke withall; Greate which hath giuen vsus too growe euen not woting it, and to breath euen being a sleepe, for these are things that cannot be imputed to our owne cunning. Such (sayth he) ought to be the Songs of eueryevery of vsus. And againe: If I were a Nightingale, I should doe as Nightingales doe: but being a reasonable Creature, what shall I doe now? I will euermore prayse God (saith he) without ceasing; and I will exhort you all to do the lyke.Simplicius vppon Epictetus. And Simplice his interpreter hauing first made many goodly discourses, addeth that hee which is negligent and slothfull in seruing and honoring God, cannot be diligent in any other thing, how needfull so euer the same be.Hierocles in his first chapter against Atheifts. Of all vertues (saith Hierocles) Religion is the guyde, for it concerneth the matters of God, and therfore Pythagoras beginneth his precepts thereat. And the woord which he vseth there for a guyde signifieth a Queene, which one word importeth very much, namely that al the vertues which we make account of, as Hardines, Wisdome, Iustice, and Temperance, are nothing if they be not referred vntounto God, and vsed in respect of him, that is to say, if Religion do not direct and leade them to God the principall end whereto all our doings ought to tend.Hierocles. cap. 6. 19. 11. But what is Religion? It is (sayeth he) the obeying of God, the moother of all vertewes, and the disobeying of all vyces. And our obeying of God must be of such a sorte, that we must rather disobey our parents, yea and lose our lyues to than disobey him. For our obeying of our parents must be for the louelove of God; and it is of his goodnesse that we possesse our lyues.Iamblichus in his 45. Chapter of Mysteries, Iamblichus sayeth thus. Let vsus begin at the best and most precious; namely the obseruing of Religion, which is the seruing of God. And in another place. Thou surmisest (saith he) that there is some other way than Godlynes to atteyne to felicitie, and thou askest of me what that way may be. But surely (say I) if the very substance and original power of al goodnes and welfare be in the Gods: onelyonly those are happy which consecrate and vnyte themselues to God after our example. For in that state are both contemplation and knowledge accomplished; and besides the knowledge of the Goddes, there is also the knowledge of ourselues, which is gotten by casting backe our vnderstanding towards ourselues.Proclus in his booke of praying. To be short, Proclus as wel vppon his owne iudgment as vppon the opinions of Plato, Iamblichus, Porphyrius, Plotin and others, saieth that Religion and the calling vponupon God are proper and peculiar to man after the fourth maner as Aristotle termeth it; that is to say, a naturall propertie which agreeth fitly to the whole kind of man, and only to man, and without the which he cannot bee a man. Now I am not ignorant that they speake sometimes of the seruing of the Gods in the pulrall number, as though there were mo Gods then one; insomuch that some of the Philosophers turned aside to arte magike, and all of them yeelded to the I dolatries & Superstitions of their tymes. For in deede, to knowe that God ought to bee serued, and to knowe after what sort he wilbe serued, and to serue him thereafter, are things farre differing. But it is inough for this tyme that we win thus much at their hands, that of necessitie there is a Religion; which thing euen the Nauigations of our tyme doe shewe to be imprinted in all the Clymates of the world, and in all kinds of men; as which hauehave discouered Nations that wander in Woods, without Law, without Magistrate, without King, but none without some kynd of seruing of God, none without some shadowe of Religion.
Héerby then we know that there is a Religion,Tha… there is but one true Religion. that is to say, a way to Saluation, or a way whereby to come home againe vntounto God. But are there many wayes, or but onelyonly one? It is a high question, but yet easie to be decyded, if we consider what Religion requireth of vsus, and what it is to get for vsus. Religion (as the men of olde time themselues hauehave taught vsus) requireth of vsus in effect, that we should yéeld full obedience vntounto God: ful obediēce say I, so as we should dedicate our selues to his glorie, both our thoughts, words and deedes, in such sort that our selues and all that euer is in vsus should bee referred to his honour. If Religion require this, how can it be any other then one? Or what diuersitie can it admit? And if any require lesse of vsus, cōtented peraduenture with the outward man, (which is all one as if they would rob God of one halfe of a Man;) what is their dooing but Hipocrisie or high treason against God? But now ageine, séeing that Religion byndeth vsus in so great a bond, euen by nature, that there is not any man which is not inforced to confesse the dette so witnessed by the whole worlde: surely there is no man that féeleth himselfe able to pay it, or which doth not willingly pleade giltie, yea and which is not inforced to say, that the most part of his thoughts, words and déedes, are not only farre of from God, but also tending directly to offend GOD. Now then, if Religion offer vsus not as well a meane whereby to discharge and cancell the bond, as it offereth vsus the bond it selfe: It is so farre of from being the way to welfare which it ought to bee, that it is rather a definitiue sentence of death, and an expresse condemning of vsus. Therfore let vsus see whether there be many wayes of satisfaction, or but onelyonly one.
What shall the deuoutest man in the world offer vntounto God for his owne discharge? Shall hee offer his first fruites? God gaue him both the séede and the whole crop. Sacrifices? The Wood, the Fyre, and the Cattell, are all of Gods gift. The whole world, if a man had it? Hee hath lost the inheritance and the right thereof in séeking to infranchise himself from the seruice of God. Nay (which more is) God not onelyonly gaue the world vntounto man, but also man to man himself. The world then and all that euer is therein, cannot discharge man against God. What may man himself doe? Surely an acceptable Sacrifice should man be to GOD (as Hierocles saith) if he were such a one as he ought to be. But what should the best of all men offer vp in sacrifising himself? Soothly nothing but enuy, hatred, rayling, backebyting, vaine thoughts, vntrue words, wrongfull dealing, and (to go yet further) faynt thanks, with cold and counterfet praiers. Now these are so farre of from amounting to a discharge, that they turne to a huge heape of worse and more vndischargeable bonds, according to the infinitenesse of the Maiestie of the Creator that is offended by them. Now then, if neither yt world nor man can dischardge man against God; what remayneth to doe it, but God himselfe, whom Religion must offer to man for his discharge; euen God mercifull, to God iust; God a paymayster, to God the creator: Uerily, that hauing shewed vsus how déeply wée be indetted to GOD; it may also teach vsus the woonderfull meane ordeyned by God and in God, wherby he and his souereine Iustice may be satisfied, and our extreme iniquitie be therewith reléeued? Now the dette of vsus all is all of one sort and nature; namely that we owe our selues all wholy vntounto God; and our vnabilitie to discharge it is also all alyke; namely that all that euer commeth of our selues can deserue nothing but death vponupon death. Our common bond (say I) entred into of vsus all by Gods benefites towards the first man, is by his disobedience become forfeted, both in respect of himselfe and of all mankind. Besides this, the creditor and the payer are both one, and cannot be but both one. For it is onelyonly God that both doth and can satisfie himself. It followeth then, that the true Religion can be but one; namely euen that only one which sheweth vsus the onelyonly one meane of saluation: and that all other Religions, if they abate any whit of mans debt vntounto God, are traiterous to his maiestie; and if they set not downe a sufficient meane of discharge, they be but vayne and vnauaylable ceremonies: and so as well the one sort as the other, vtterly vnworthy of the name of Religion. Furthermore, if there be diuers true Religions, I meane diuers, as in respect of the substance of them, whereof riseth that diuersitie? Of the thing which they poynt at? Nay, in God (whom Religion looketh at) there is such vnitie, that all other maner of vnitie is diuersitie in respect of that. And then if it bee so that one Religion relye vponupon one God, and another vponupon another, we be sure that there is but one God, and that all other Gods are either Creatures or Uanities, insomuch that (as Proclus himselfe saith) mo Gods and no God differ nothing atall. And so what shal those other Religions be, but either Idolatrie or Atheisme, that is to say, vtter Godlesnes? Whereof then? Of their ground? Nay, Man which is the ground whereon Religion worketh, is but one kind of thing. Also as the disease being in all men commeth of one roote, so is it of one selfsame nature. Likewise the remedie thereof (as I hauehave sayd already) is but only one. Now where the ground is all one, the disease all one, and the remedie all one too: who will euer say that there should bee diuersitie of Artes in the handling or ministring of them? If a man bee too humble himselfe, I would fayne hauehave them to tell me, what other way there is than to know himselfe: what other way to knowe himselfe, than to behold himselfe: what other way to behold himselfe, then to looke into a faire cleare glasse? And what clearer glasse is there, than the Lawe of God, and the perfect obedience which GOD requireth at mans hand? And seeing that this lawe, and the perfect obedience required by the same, can be but one, How may Religion be diuided into mo than one? Ageine, if man be to be lifted vp vntounto God, what other way is there than to make him knowe God as his Creator, that he may honor him; as his gouernour, that he may call vppon him; as his father, that he may obey him; and altogither iust, that hee may seeke to appease his wrath? Which thing sith hee cannot doe of himselfe, what shift hath he but to hauehave recourse to the remedie? And séeing that the remedie can bée but onelyonly one; doth it not follow that saluation lyeth in that onelyonly Religion which sheweth it vntounto vsus, and that to hauehave any mo Religions, is but confusion and vanitie? And to speake properly, what is Religion? An arte or skil (if I may so terme it) how to saue men. And wherein consisteth this arte? First in shewing men their disease; secondly in shewing them that it is deadly; and finally in teaching the fit and conuenient remedie. In déede the very Law of Nature leadeth vsus well too the first poynt. For who is hee which euen of Nature accuseth not himselfe, and whose conscience nippeth him not when hee hath sinned? Reason also leadeth vsus to the second poynt. For who is hee that concludeth not with himselfe, that the Creature which offendeth his creator deserueth to be rooted out, that is to say, that sinne ingendreth death? And thus farre may all Religions come, and all Ceremonies ordeyned by man, as Praiers, Sacrifices, Wasshins, Cleansings, & such others. Bnt what is all this but a bringging of vsus to Hellgate, or rather a shewing of Paradise vntounto vsus a farre of, howbeit with such a horrible and infinite gulfe betwixt vsus and it, as man and all the whole world can neither fill vp nor passe ouer? Yet must there néedes be a passage; For the end of Man is to be vnited vntounto God, and this end is not in vaine; the meane to be vnited aboue, is to be reconcyled here beneath; and the meane to be reconcyled here beneath, is (as I hauehave sayd alreadie) but onelyonly one, which is, that God himselfe acquit vsus without our discharging of the debt which wee owe vntounto him. OnelyOnly that Religion then (and none other) which leadeth vsus streight to the said passage, and by the following whereof we find it, is the true Religion, as that which allonly atteineth to the ende of Religion, which is the sauing of man. May not men (wil some say) worship God diuersly, some lifting vp their eyes to heauen, and othersome casting their faces downe to the ground? Yes, for the worshipping is but one, and the humbling of mens selues is but one still, though there bee difference in the signes. But our disputing here is not of the Ceremonies, but of the substance of them. Also may not men offer Sacrifice diuersly? Yes. But if thy Sacrifices hauehave no further ende then the sheading of the blud of a beast; then (as sayth Hierocles) they be to the Fyre but a feeding thereof with fewell and vapors; and to the Préestes, a superfluous maintenance of butcherie. It is requisite therefore that sacrifices should bee referred to somewhat; namely that by them thou shouldest protest, that whereas the sillie innocent beastes doo suffer death, it is thou thy selfe that hast deserued it both in body and Soule. Againe, if thou hauehave nothing els in thy Religion, but Sacrifices and prayers; how goodly a showe soeuer they make, thou hast nothing but a confession of thy fault, and a sentence of death against thee for the same. For if those Ceremonies aime not at a certein marke, they be trifling toyes; and if that be the end whereat they aime; then come they short, as which doe but leade thee vntounto death, and there leaue thee.
There are some that would beare vsus on hand,An obiection. that Religion is but an obseruation of certeyne Ceremonies in eueryevery Countrie; by which reason, that which is holy here, should be vnholy in another place; and that which is godly in one Land, should be vngodly in another. To be short, they make it lyke the Lawes that depend vppon Custome, which passe no further than the bounds of the place where they be vsed. If Religion be nothing else but so; what science, art, or trade is more vayne than that? Or rather what is to be sayd of it, but that in deede it is no Religion at all? Leachecraft is vncerteine in many respects, as of aire, of water, of age, and of clymate: but yet, ye which is Leachecraft in one Countrie, is not manquelling in another. Lawecraft hath almost as many sundry Lawes as caces, and the caces that are in the world are infinite. Yet notwithstanding who séeth not that all these diuersities of caces are brought vnderunder one vpryghtnes and reason? and that they which yéeld not thereunto, are not reputed for men, but rather, for enemies of mankynd and wyld beasts? Also vertue hath the affections to woorke vponupon, a ground more mouable than the Sea and the wind. And yet who wil say, that that which is hardines betweene the too Tropiks is Cowardlines in all other Countryes; or that yt which is stayednesse in one half of the world, is vnstayednesse in the other half? To be short, what thing is more subiect to rising and falling, or to be cryed downe or inhaunced, than coyne of siluer and gold, as which séemeth to followe the willes of princes? And yet notwithstanding, for all their ordinances and proclamations, both gold and siluer do alwayes kéepe a certeine rate and valew. What shall we say then to Religion, which hath a firmer and substantialler ground than all these; I meane not mennes bodies, goods, affections, or fantasies; but the very soule and mynd of man, who also hath such a rest to stay vppon, as is settled, vnmouable, and the Lord of all Chaunges, that is to wit, God? How much more wysely doth our Pythagorist Hierocles teache vsus, that Religion is the gouernesse of all vertewes, and that all vertewes tend to her as to their certeine end, as who would say, they be no vertewes if they swarue from her; insomuch that hardynesse being referred to any other than godlynesse, becommeth rashnesse; wisedome becommeth wylynes; lynes; and Iustice becommeth Iuggling; and at a woord, all vertue is but masking and hipocrisie? If Religion be the end of all vertewes, must it not needs be fixed and vnmouable? Or if it be mouable, what is there then that is iust, good, or vertuous? And if the case stand so; what thing in the world is more vnauaylable than man, or to speake more ryghtly, what thing is to lesse purpose in man, than his mynd? But there is vertue, and the wickeddest man that is, will auow it. Therefore there is also a certeine Religion, which maketh it to be vertue, and whereunto vertue referreth itself; and the vngodlyest man that is cannot scape from it.
Let vsus looke yet further into the absurdities of this opinion. Who can denie but that among the diuersities of Religions, there were many sorts of wickednes and vngodlynes openly executed; some woorshipping the creatures in Heauen yea and on earth, as the Egiptians did in old time, and as the Tartarians do at this day; some offering vp men in Sacrifice, as the Carthaginenses did in old tyme and as the Westerne Iles do yet at this day: and othersome permitting things not only contrarie to all Lawes, but also euen horrible and lothsome to nature? If all this be good; I pray you what good is there, or rather what euill is there in the world? But if it be euill in itself; who can deny but that there were wicked and vngodly Religions in the world, (I vse the woord Religion after the comon maner) and that a man had neede of a Rule whereby to discerne the good Religion from the bad? And in verie deede it is so rooted in nature to beléeue that there is but one Religion to be had, as well as to beleeue that there is but one God; that (as we may daily see) a man will rather indure the change of a temperate aire into an extreme whot or into an extreme cold; of freedom into bondage; and of Iustice into Tyrannye, than any alteration atall (though neuer so little) in the case of Religion: verily as who would say, it were not so naturall for a man too louelove his natiue Countrie, to be frée, and to be at his easie; as to hauehave some one certeine Religion to gwyde him to saluation.
Now my meaning hath bin to lay foorth this trueth after the mo sorts, of purpose to take away the doubts, and to auoyde the krinks inuented anew by certeine Libertines. But forasmuch as there are many Ceremonies which disguise them selues in the attire of Religion to deceyue vsus:The first mark of the true Religion. it is more needfull for vsus to hauehave sure and infallible marks, whereby to discerne the true Religion. First of all therefore let vsus lay this foundation which I hauehave layd and settled alreadie heretofore, namely that Religion is the ryght Rule of seruing God, and of reconcyling and reuniting man agein vntounto God, that he may be saued. Now mans Saluation is nothing els but his felicitie, happynes, souereyne good, or welfare: and his welfare (as I hauehave declared afore) is to be knit vntounto God. For neither the world, nor any creature in the World can make man happye, but only he that made man. And it is a cleare case that wee ought to serue him heere beneath, who is to make vsus happie aboue, and nòne other but him. All Religion therefore, (how goodly a showe so euer it hauehave to the eye,) which turneth away from seruing God to seruing the Creature, is but Idolatrie and vngodlynes vntounto vsus. Also all Religion which causeth vsus to séeke our welfare anywhere els, than only in him that is the maker of all welfare; wilbe vntounto vsus not only vanitie and a thrusting of vsus out of the way; but also a murthering of ourselues, and a casting of vsus headlong into all wretchednes. They may well hauehave in them an offering of first fruits, of thanksgiuings, and of other seruices: but all these are but iniuries and blasphemies ageinst God, if wee think ourselues beholden too any creature for the things which we neither hauehave nor can hauehave of any but the Creator. Also they may well hauehave prayers, and sacrifices, but those prayers shalbe both vayne and vngodly, being made to him that cannot here them, and which impute the gouernment of the world vntounto Creatures, or to such as sée them not, or can scarsly sée the things that are afore them. And asfor their Sacrifices, they shalbe but smokie sauours, yea ful of trayterous trecherie to God, in that they confesse their lyues before dead things and make amends to Creatures for the offences which they hauehave committed ageinst the Creator. Now therefore let the first marke of the true Religion which we séeke, be this; that it direct vsus & all our Churchseruices vntounto the true God the maker of Heauen and earth, the only searcher of mens hearts, which are the things wherewith he wil cheefely be serued; that it may distinguish it from all Idolatries, which seeke vntounto wood, to stone, to the Sunne, to the Moone, to Men, to Angells, and to all the Creatures that are in Heauen and in earth. And it is not needfull to heape vp here greate nombers of proofs, or to repeate agein the things that hauehave bin discoursed in the second and third chapters of this woorke. For sith there is but one God, and but one Religion; there is not also any thing more agréeable to nature, than to referre the same wholly to the creator. And in verie deede Plotin, Porphyrius, Proclus, Iamblichus and such others; which worshipped the Angels or good spirits as they thought; sayd that their so doing (wherein neuerthelesse they were more vnexcusable) was to atteyne by degrees to the highest God.
But will this sayd marke alone fuffice vsus?The second marke of true Religion. No: wee must not only serue GOD, but we must also serue him aright. Now then, what is the Rule of this seruice, or who is he that can set it downe in writing? That we may serue him aright, it behoueth vsus to know him aright: and which of vsus can vaunt of that? How many bee there which after long studie, can but so much as tell vsus what it is not? And what followeth then, but that lyke as the wizdome of the world, cannot without the ouerthrowe of it selfe, atteyne any further concerning God, than to say what hee is not: so the same wizdome may well atteine so farre as to discerne what seruing of God is false; but it can no more set downe and poynt out the true seruice, than it can atteyne to the knowledge of the Godhead. The Country cloyne shalbe skorned for his labour, if he take vponupon him to appoynt how his Prince is to be serued; and yet is he a man as well as the Prince, differing from the Prince in state and calling, but not atall in nature and kind. What is to be sayd then of Man, who is but a woorme, yea and lesse than a woorme in respect of the euerlasting God; if hée will needes shape him & serue him after his owne fancie? The Philosopher will say that GOD ought to bee serued. And if he be a Diuine, he will passe somewhat further, and say, that he is not serued with vapors and smoakes, nor with the sheading of blud. But which of them hath euer sayd, God is spirit and serued in spirit? And if any of them hauehave come any thing neere it; how wyde hath he wandered away ageine when he came to the particular poynting out of that seruice? Of a trueth, what are all the worshippings of God which man hath ordeyned of his owne head, but childish imaginations, not onelyonly vnbeseeming the Maiestie of God, but also inferiour to the discretion of a man? as Gamings, Showes, Stageplayes, Ronnings of Horses, Iusts, a thousand sorts of Combats, Swordplayings, Wrestlings, Buffetings and such other? And what doth all this betoken, but that man mounteth not aboue man; and that when he thinketh himself to flye his lightest pitch, he scarce heaueth himselfe vpright vppon his feete, but neuer riseth aboue the earth? For what man is hee which calling his witts about him, and looking aduisedly vntounto him selfe, could find in his heart to bee honored and serued after that maner? Surely then let vsus say, that looke how farre God voutsafeth to stoope vntounto vsus, so farre be we able to mount vp vntounto him: for his comming downe, is our mounting vp. For if we cannot see the Sonne but by helpe of the Sonne, how welsighted so euer we be: much lesse can God be séene or knowen of vsus, without the help and light of God himself. To be short, we cannot serue God except we knowe him nor knowe him except he voutsafe to discouer himselfe to vsus, and therefore wee can not knowe how to serue and worship him, furtherfoorth then he listeth to shewe it vntounto vsus by his word. And yet for the discouering of himself vntounto vsus, he néedeth neither to drawe vsus vp to his brightnes, nor to come downe to vsus in his maiestie. For our mynds could no more abyde it than our eyes can away with the beholding of the Sonne: but hee must be fayne too stoope to our small abilitie, by telling vsus what seruice he requireth at our hands, not according to his spirituall nature which we cannot possibly comprehend, but as it were through a glasse or a scarf, according to ye fleshly nature which we beare about with vsus. Thus hauehave we found our second marke of Religion; namely that the seruice of God which Religion is to teach vsus, must be grounded vppon his word, and reuealed vntounto vsus by his ownselfe.
Let vsus heare what the heathen say in this case, who knewe very well that all the Ladders of their Philosophie were too short to reache thereunto, and that it behoued men to be inlightened and instructed from aboue. Diuinitie (saith Plato Plato in his second Epistle: and in his Parmenides.) cannot be laydforth after the maner of other kinds of seruing, but hath neede of continuall mynding. And then our wit is foorthwith kindled as with a fyre, which afterward gathereth light more & more, and maynteineth it selfe. Finally (sayth he) we know nothing of Gods matters by our owne skill. If he which of all the auncient Philosophers saw most cléere, confesse here that his sight faileth very much if it be not ayded from aboue: what may we déeme of others? And in good sooth, in matters of Religion he sendeth vsus euermore to the auncient Oracles, that is to say (according to his meaning) to Gods word.Aristotle in his Supernaturals. Aristotle in his Supernaturals rehearseth and commendeth a certeyne answere of Simonides too Hieron Kyng of Sicilie; which is, that it belongeth to none but onelyonly God, to hauehave skill of the things that are aboue nature; and howe much lesse then to be skilfull in Diuinitie, and to dispose of Religion, that is to say to shewe the meane how to ouercome and surmount nature? And whereas Cicero in his Lawes sayeth,Cicero in his first booke of Lawes. that there is not any lawe among men wherto men are bound to obey, vnlesse it be ordeined by GOD, and deliuered as it were with his owne mouth: if he had bene well examined, he would hauehave sayde no lesse concerning Religion. It is certaine (saith Iamblicus Iamblichus.) that we be bound to do the things that please God. But which are those? Surely (sayth he) they be not possible to be knowen of any man, but of him that hath heard God himselfe speake, or which hauehave learned them by some heauenly instruction. And Alpharabius the Arabian agreeth thereunto in these words.Alpharabius in his booke of Sciences. The things that concerne GOD, and are to be beleeued through holy fayth, are of a higher degree than all other things, because they proceede from diuine inspiration, and mans wit is too weake, and his reason too short too attayne to them. And therefore we reade that as they which hauehave ordeined and stablished any Religion in any Nation, hauehave giuen it foorth as proceeding from God; verily because nature taught them, that it belongeth to none but to God alone, to appoynt how hee shalbe serued; neither would the ordinance therof otherwise be obserued, because the parties that were to obey it, would make as great account of thēselues as of the partie that should inioyne it. Thus by the definitiue sentence of the Philosophers, our second marke standeth firme, which will serue vsus to discerne the true Religion from the inuentions of men, so as we may well refuse for vntrueth, whatsoeuer is not grounded vponupon Gods word. But in following our former purpose, let vsus consider yet further whether this will suffice or no.The third marke of true Religion.
We hauehave néede of a Lawe that procéedeth from Gods mouth: and what may that I pray you be, but the same which proceedeth from holynesse it self, namely that we should be holy as he is holy? And if we cannot of our selues know God, nor how he ought to be serued; alas how shall we performe it when he hath declared it vntounto vsus? The ende of Religion (sayeth Plato) is to knit man vntounto God. The way to bring this to passe, is to become rightuous and holy, or (as saith Iamblichus) to offer vntounto GOD a cleane mynd voyd of all naughtines and cléere from all spot. What man (as euen they themselues confesse) could euer vaunt therof? And what els then is Religion to all of vsus, but a booke wherein we reade the sentence of our death, that is to wit our very death in deede, vnlesse that in the ende wee find some grace or forgiuenesse of our sinnes? Yet notwithstanding Religion is the Pathway to life, yea euen to eternall life; a Pathway that hath a certeyne ende, and which beguyleth vsus not. Therefore it must by some meanes or other fill vsus vp the great gulfe that is betwéene endlesse death, and endlesse life, and betwéene the dwellingplace of blessednes, and the horriblenes of Hell. And therefore let our third marke be, That Religion must put into our hands, a meane to satisfie Gods Iustice, without the which, not onelyonly all other Religions, but also euen that which conteineth the true seruing of the true GOD were vtterly vayne and vnprofitable. Now, mans reason hath well perceiued that some such meane was néedefull in Religion: but to knowe what that meane is, was to high a thing for mans reason to atteyne vntoo. In respect whereof the Platonists busied themselues very much in finding out some meane to cleanse men from their sinnes, and too knit them vntounto God beeing reconciled to his fauour, and they set downe certeine degrées wherby to atteine therunto. But yet in the end they confesse all their washings and clensings to be vtterly vnsufficient. There are which say it is to bee done by abstinence, by vertuous behauiour, by skill, or by Iupiters mysteries; and some say it is to be done by al of them successiuely one after another. But yet when they hauehave bestirred themselues on all sides, Porphyrius conclusion is, That they be Ceremonies without effect, and yet notwithstanding that there must of necessitie néedes be a meane to purge and iustifie men, and that the same must bee vniuersall, and that it is not possible (admitting Gods prouidence as we ought to doe) that God should leaue mankind destitute of that meane. And that this remedie ought to be conteyne din Religion, hee sheweth sufficiently in that hee seeketh it in taking the Orders, and in the Consecrations, hallowings and other misteries of his owne Religion, which in the end he letteth go againe. But yet more apparantly doth Hierocles shewe it,Hierocles in his 14. and 24. Chapters, and in his preface. who sayth that Religion is a studie of Wisedome that consisteth in clensing and perfecting the life, that men may be at one with God, and become like vntounto him: and that to atteyne to that cleanesse, the meane is to enter into a mans owne conscience, and to consider of his sinne, and to confesse it vntounto God. Thus farre he is very well. Neuerthelesse, here they stoppe ouershort euerychone of them: for vppon confession inseweth but death, vnlesse God (who is the very Iustice it selfe, and more infinitely contrary to euill than we can imagine,) be appeased and satisfied for our offences, whereas in Religion we séeke for very life. To bee short, of the great nomber of Religions which are in the Worlde, some hauehave no certeine restingpoint atall; as we reade of some people of Affrik, which worship that thing which they méete duplicate page duplicate page first in the morning; and that is but a vaine Ceremonie: Some hauehave a restingpoynt, howbeit an euill one; as for example, all they that direct vsus to the creatures; and those are nothing els but Idolatries. Some doe set vntounto themselues a good end, in that they aime at the Creator; but they will néedes worship him after their owne fancie; and that is a swaruing aside to superstition, or rather (which worse is) a seruing of their owne fancie, and not of GOD. And among the residue, there is one which hath an eye to the Creator and honoureth his Lawe, and that is the Religion of the Iewes. This againe is a way that leaueth vsus in the middes of our way, leading vsus into the wood, but not leading vsus out againe. But the true Religion in déede and which deserueth the name of Religion, is only that which hath God for hir shooteanker, his woord for warrant of hir worshipping, and a meane appoynted by him to pacifie hym withal; and in that onelyonly and in none other resteth any Saluation.
Some tell vsus that Religion is nothing els but charitie;An obiection. that is to say, the performing of a mannes duetie towards his neighbour: and those men would tell vsus if they durst, that Religion is but an instrument of ciuil gouernment. But when they hauehave inlarged the commendations of charitie as farre as they can, what can they (at a woord) say more than we say thereof; namely, that Charitie is of such force and weight, that Religion can by no meanes stand without it? Neuerthelesse, to speake properly thereof, Charitie is not the marke whereby to discrene the true Religion, but rather to discerne who is ryghtly Religious. Too the intent a man may bée happye, he must returne vntounto God; therefore he must needs serue him. That is the badge of Religion. But the godly or Religious man vttereth his Religion, (that is to say, that God hath touched him truely in his hart,) in that he performeth all the dewties of vnfeyned freendship and godly affection towards his neybor who is the Image of God. Charitie therefore is nothing els but a rebounding of godlynes or of the louelove of God, backe vntounto our neybour, or a reflexion or sigh vponupon this Image. Also that a man may be happye, he must be linked vntounto God; and that he may be linked vntounto God, he must be reconciled into his fauor. Now this charitie which they speake of, is but a linking of Man vntounto Man. It is not that which maketh a man happie, neither doth the fault which hath destroyed vsus all, consist in want of charitie, (I meane that Charitie which they pretend); but in rebelling ageinst God. Therefore it booteth vsus not to be at one with our neybour, except we be at one with God. Neuerthelesse it is a good signe that our hart is seruent in the louelove of God, as the child is in ye louelove of his father, when being vnable as yet to vnite our selues vntounto him, we link our selues in one body and one mind to al those which beare his Image. To be short, the true marke of fire is not heate; for there are other things which are whot as well as fire: but it is a vertew that is so linked vntounto it, that as soone as ye heare of fire, it followeth immediatly that there is heate also, but not contrarywise. Lykewise Charitie is not the true religion itself, but a vertue which accompanieth it so of necessitie, that a man can no sooner say there is Religion in this man or that man; but that it must needs followe incontinently, that there is charitie in him also. And what maner of charitie? Soothly not such as they take it to be which refreyne from misdealing for feare of mannes Lawe; for that is but hipocrisie: nor a desire of credit that we may hauehave the better spéede in our affayres; for that is but a chaffaring. Nor a desire of honor whereby wee be spurred to dowel; for that is but a self louelove. But it is a certeine feare and louelove of God, which maketh vsus to cherish and louelove all those for Gods sake, which are of him and hold of him. Now what man is he that dareth vaunt of this perfect charitie, yt he loueth his neyghbor as he ought, and in such respect as he ought, that is to say as himself, and for the louelove of God? For how can we hauehave this charitie, if Religion go not afore? And if our louelove towards God be so short and feeble (as I sayd afore); what rebounding backe thereof will there be vppon our neyghbour.
Now therefore let vsus conclude, That as man hath but one end, namely of returning vntounto God; so there is but one ryght path to leade him thether, and that is Religion. And that as there is but one God; so there can be but one true Religion, that is to say, one way that leadeth to saluation; which Religion hath these thrée vnfallible marks whereby to discerne it; namely that it woorship the true GOD; that it worship him according to his word; and that it reconcyle to God the man that followeth it. And now let vsus consequently sée which of al the Religions in the world it is, that alonly is to be discrned by these marks.