A Chain of Graces Drawn Out for Reformation of Manners, Tract · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
TO your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; &c. Seuen ſeuerall vittues are linked in one Chaine, and all alike propounded as the obiect of this exhortation. Whence we may obſerue in generall: Obſeru. All Graces as well as any muſt be the obiect of a Chriſtians diligence. It is not enough to ſhew our diligence in one or two Graces, or in a few duties, but wee muſt extend it vntounto all. pRom. 12. Phil. 4.8.Therefore the Apoſtle puts vp all theſe vponupon one file, vſing the Verbe foreign but once for all, that ſo we may take them vp all together. All virtues are ſo linked one in another, that he that will hauehave one muſt hauehave all, or elſe let all alone. Hence Hierome qHierom. in Epiſt., (and after him, Bernard rBern. de Paſſione Dom. cap. 42.to like effect:) All virtues doe ſo cohere together, that he that hath one hath all, and he that wants one, wants all. Their meaning is: He that hath one in any perfection, hath alſo the ſeeds of all the reſt at leaſt ſBellarm. de gra. & lib. arb. l. 5. c. 3.. As vices, ſo graces aſſemble themſelues by troopes tCan. 6.13.. So Chryſostome: Neque enim ſola temperantia poteſt homini ſalutem adferre, ſi caetera deſint bona, neque cura pauperum, neque benignitas, nec quicquam aliorum quae cum virtute geruntur, ſed oportet vt omnia ſimul concurrant in animas noſtras uChryſoſt. de orando Deum, lib. 1.. Temperance alone cannot bring a man to heauen, if other good things be lacking; neither care of the poore, nor bounty, or any other things; but it is neceſſarie that all graces ſhould be found within vsus.
Away then from Religion all trifling Pedlers, Vſe 1 that pedle with ſome peeces of it, which doe not croſſe their luſts, but will not deale for the whole commoditie. Some will reade, but not pray; or pray, but not reade; or reade, but not heare; or heare, but not doe; or doe, but not all. Such are like Bedlams that cloath only ſome parts of their bodies, and expoſe the reſt to the extremitie of the cold. What got Herod but greater condemnation becauſe he did not all? He that keepes the whole Law, and yet offends in one point, is guiltie of all: for he that ſaid, doe not commit adulterie, ſaid alſo, doe not kill: now if thou commit no adulterie, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranſgreſſor of the Law *Iam. 2.10, 11.. So he that bade thee get faith, bade thee adde virtue to it; and ſo of all the reſt. Virtue without knowledge will but breed ſuperſtition. Knowledge without temperance doth make a man no better then a learned ſwine. Temperance without patience is not enough: nor patience without godlineſſe: nor godlineſſe without brotherlykindneſſe: nor brotherly-kindneſſe without charitie.
HaueHave reſpect therefore vntounto all Gods commandements, Vſe 2 as worthy Zacharie and Elizabeth xLuk. 1.6.There is no way but this, to keepe vsus from confuſion, and euerlaſting ſhame yPſa. 119.6.. We are in a militant condition with many and mighty enemies. Shall we goe out againſt ſuch a puiſſant Armie with but a peece of armour, or only with a man or two? Nay, take we vntounto vsus the whole armour of God, or neuer looke to ſtand in the euill day zEph. 6.13.. All the graces that are to be had, are little enough to defend vsus againſt ſo many enemies as doe encampe againſt vsus. But yet if there were no ſuch neceſſitie of them for our defence, the excellencie of them ſhould make vsus take them vp. If a man diſcerne but one grace begin to peepe, doth he not finde it good? Reaſon then will tell him, that if one be good; many, be better; and all, be beſt of all.
This being premiſed, Generall grounds for the expoſition of theſe 7. graces.I come now to the particular, graces, or virtues, or duties, call them as you pleaſe. For they are graces in reſpect of their originall; virtues, in reſpect of their habite; duties, in reſpect of exerciſe. Diuers hauehave diuerſly deſcanted vponupon the number, and order of theſe ſeuen. I will not fill my paper with other mens alluſions, much leſſe with their deluſions. What comes neereſt to the Apoſtles meaning, I will briefly ſhew; due reuerence obſerued to all other men.
First, it is confeſs'd by all, that theſe graces are ſuch as pertaine to Chriſtian conuerſation in this world among men, as fruits of faith in God.
Secondly, it is granted, that the Apoſtle doth not curiouſly obſerue the naturall order, dependance, and flux of theſe ſeuen, betweene, among, or from one another; but only preſſe them as neceſſarie additions vntounto, and fruits of faith, to proue it true and fruitfull.
Thirdly, it is agreed, that the Apoſtle doth not by reckoning vp theſe ſeuen, exclude the care of labouring after any other elſe-where expreſſed: but only mentions a great number, to intimate vntounto vsus a care of all; for he vſeth a ſynecdochicall figure frequent in Scripture, mentioning only ſome, when hee includeth all aIſai. 4.1. Amos 1.3..
Fourthly, therefore the diſtinction of theſe ſeuen, muſt be made according to the ſeuerall obiects about which they are conuerſant in the practiſe of them.
Fifthly, the conuerſation of a Chriſtian reſpecteth more immediatly things, or perſons. For all his actions are either ſuch as concerne duties to be performed by himſelfe alone: or ſuch as are immediatly directed to the perſons of other men. Direction and furniture for both theſe ſorts of actions are here ſet downe.
1. The actions which are immediatly circares, about things chiefly belonging to his owne perſon in the exerciſe of faith, concerne either
1. Good, to which belongs virtue to doe good, and knowledge to direct him in it.
2. Euill, and this is either
1. Euill of ſinne, to which he ſhall be enticed many waies, for auoiding whereof he muſt hauehave Temperance.
2. Euill of puniſhment, ſometimes for doing good, if it come from men; for other cauſes, as it comes from God. For his cariage herein he muſt hauehave patience to beare, and godlineſſe to honour God in the bearing of it.
2. The actions which more immediatly concerne his cariage towards the perſons of men, are ſuch as hee muſt performe either
1. To good men, conſidered as members actually ingraffed into Chriſt, effectually called to the ſame glory and virtue with him, whom hee muſt vponupon this ground extraordinarily regard: towards theſe hee muſt ſhew Brotherly-kindneſſe.
2. To all men in generall, conſidered as partakers of the ſame common nature with vsus, and created in the image of God as well as our ſelues, and capable alſo of bliſſe, for ought wee know of any particular perſons in the whole race of man-kinde, conuerſing or liuing on the earth; to theſe belong Charity.
Thus hauehave I according to my skill marſhalled theſe ſeuerall graces in their proper rankes: It now remaines that I proceed to the diſtinct handling of them as they lie in order.