Body of Divinity, Book 4 · Chapter 24 – Chapter 25
CHAP. XXIV. Of Tale-bearing, Vain-glory, Violence, Unbelief, Unkindenesse, Unsetlednesse, Unthankefullnesse, Usury.
Of TALE-BEARING.
TAle-bearing, It is a sin easily to beleeve false tales, as Saul had an open earSe accusasse sufficiat, nemo …ri… innocens. to those Sycophants which were ready to accuse David to him of treason and conspiracy, Ahashuerus to Haman who traduced the Jews as a people carelesse of the Kings Laws, David to Ziba.
Reasons.
1. It is an encouragement and hearkening unto those whose trade is to invent and beleeve lies.
2. It makes a man guilty of those lies to which he hath given furtherance and countenance, and so he is partaker of anothers sins.
3. It is against the clear principle and rule of all actions, viz. to do as we would be done by, one is offended if another readily receive false tales against him.
Men are subject to this fault, because they are not so perfect in wisedom and charity as they ought to be, uncharitablenesse, evill suspitions, guiltinesse, willingnesse to have other faulty, and imprudent temerity, are the causes of this over-hasty crediting tales. A good man neither taketh up nor receiveth a slander against his neighbour, Psalm 15. 2. let thy countenance be like the Northwinde to back-biting tongues.
Vain-glory.
Vain-glory is a great sin, Iohn 7. 18. Matth. 6. beg. We are naturally prone to itSee Joh. 8. 5. 1 Thess 2. 6. Saul saith to Samuel, Honour me before the people, see 1 Sam. 18. 8. Haman would be worshipt with religious worship. foreign semper vulgatissima pestis est in mundo quod etiam gent…les poetae & historici vehementer reprehenderunt. Non est pagus, in quo non reperiatur unus atque alter, qui praealijs non velint sapere & magnifieri. Praecipuè tamen hoc vitio laborant homines ingeniosi, qui de eruditione & sapientia certant. Hic nemo vult alteri cedere, juxta illud, Qui volet ingenio cedere, nullus erit. Pulchrum est enim digito monstari, & dicier hic est. Sed in privatis hominibus, imo etiam magistratum gerentibus, non tam pernic…osa est, ut in his, qui Ecclesiae praesunt. Lutherus in 6. cap. ad Galat. Potest gloria dici vana tripliciter. Uno modo ex parte rei de qua quis gloriam quaerit, put… cum quis quaerit gloriam de co quod non est, vel de eo quod non est gloria dignum, sicut de aliqua re fragili & caduca. Alio modo, ex parte ejus à quo quis gloriam quaerit, puta hominis, cujus judicium non est certum Tertio modo, ex parte ipsius qu… gloriam appetit, qui videlicet appetitum gloriae suae non refert in debitum finem, put à ad honorem Dei vel proximi salutem. Aquinas 2•, 2ae Quaest. 132. Artic. 1. Gal. 5. 26.
It is when either by vain means which deserve not praise, or when by good duties in themselves praise-worthy, men seek the praise of men, more then the glory of God, Iohn 12. 44. But by holy means to seek a good name amongst men, with intentional reference to the glory of God, is not to be vain-glorious, see Phil. 4 7.
It is an inordinate desire of account and esteem from men.
The Philosophers (which Ierome was wont to call Animalia gloriae & popularis aurae mancipia) in those very Books which they wrote against vain-glory, whiles they did underwrite their own names, are condemned as guil…y of that vanity which they seemed to oppose.
It is inordinate,
1. When a man desires to be esteemed for those things which are in truth so vile, mean, base, that they do not at all commend, grace or countenance him which hath them, as riches, high place in the world, learning, wit, strength, beauty, nimblenesse, eloquence.
2. When a man desires esteem from men, with a neglect of the esteem and account which he should desire to have with God.
As Mr. Fox was going along London streets, a woman of his acquaintance met him, and as they discoursed together, she pulled out a Bible, telling him that she was going to hear a Sermon, whereupon he said to her, If you will be advised by me, go home again; but (said she) when shall I then go? To whom he answered, When you tell no body of it.
One must deny himself in all vain-glory attributed to him, Rom. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 12. 6.Labour to have your names in heaven, Luk. …0. 20. Rev. 2. 17. and be contented with the praise that comes from God only, 2 Cor. 5. 9. Joh. 5. 4. & 12. 43. see Acts 14. 14, 15. Rev. 19. 10.
He must
1. Be nothing in his own esteem, 1 Cor. 11. 31. he must judge aright of his estate, indowments and actions.
2. He must be content to be nothing in the thoughts of other men, Zach. 13. 5. Motives to shun vain-glory.
1. There is no greater folly in the world then flattery, and there is no greater flattery then self▪ flattery.
2. This disposition will betray a man to divers enemies.
1. It will make a man exalt himself.
2. It will strengthen a mans heart against admonition.
3. Its easie for the vilest men to keep up a credit in the world; the Pharisees were counted the only Saints.
4. God will be highly displeased if we take to us false honour, as he was with Herod.
How to distinguish real glory and vain-glory.
1. All true honour is grounded on real excellency, and that which is so in Gods account, 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4.
2. True honour must be à laudato viro, from one that is praise▪ worthy.
3. From persons that know you.
Violence.
Violence is a great sin.
It is unrighteousnesse born forth with strong hand, with strength of body,2 Sam. 22. 49. wit, or purse of friends, unjustice maintained and backed with strength.
Two things must concur to it.
1. An unequal and unrighteous intent and practice.
2. A prosecuting such intent and practice with might of any kinde, as in one instance the Prophet noteth, They covet fields and take them by force.
A man of violence is he who will bear out a bad matter with mony, favour, wit, strength, or any outward helps he can use for that purpose.
That this is evil appears by that place where David affirms of God, that the man which loveth violence his soul hateth, that is, he hates him in all extremity, with an utter hatred, the reason is, because he hath sold over himself to sin; he sins of wilfulnesse, is an obstinate sinner, a despiser of God, he hath buried all justice and equity, love and charity, and shamefully abuseth those gifts to mischief, which God hath furnished him with for better purposes, it begins in very children, the stronger, bigger, and craftier, will wrong the weaker and sillier.
Violence bursting forth into any extremities of dealing, was in the old law punished with the like of that that was done Lev. 24. 17.
Unbelief.
Infidelity was the first sin, Gen. 3. 4▪ and is the mother of all sins, Heb. 3. 12. TheHildersam. See Ball of faith, p. 208. There is a two fold unbelief, 1. Purae negationis, negative, as in Pagans and Turks. When one barely wants faith, having not the means of grace, Eph. 2. 20. 2. Pravae dispositionis, positive, He that lives under the means of grace and rejects them, as Isa. 7. 9. 2. Thess. 2. 12. evil heart is called the heart of unbelief, as faith is the fountain of all graces, Act. 15. 9. Our Saviour often checks his disciples for this, Matth. 6. 30.
It is against those most lovely and soul-ravishing Attributes of God, his mercy, goodnesse, free-grace, longanimity, patience, bowels of compassion.
It is called a provocation, Psal. 78. 4. Heb. 3 8. which notes the highest act of displeasure; the unbeliever is abominable to God and good men, Psal. 15. 4.
It is a departing from God, Heb. 3. 12. see Iohn 3. 33. Christ marvelled at it, Mark 6. 6.
It is hard to finde out unbelief to be a sin, not that unbelief whereby we assent not to the doctrine of the Scripture, but that whereby we do not apply Christ for our only Saviour, for seeing the Law of God is partly ingra…ted in our nature, we easily beleeve that what opposeth that is a sin, but the Gospel being wholly supernaturall and meerly by divine revelation, therefore what opposeth that is not presently acknowledged to be a sin, the Scripture discovers this unbelief.
The Spirit convinceth us of unbelief and the sinfulnesse of that state, Iohn 16. 9.
1. It discovers the nature of it, and therein our ignorance, 2 Cor. 4. 4.
1. In respect of the reality of the Gospel, that there is such a thing as pardon, a reconciled, justified state, faith, hope.
2. In respect of the glory of the Gospel, 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Cor. 3. ult. Christ is precious to them that beleeve.
2. Shews the distance that unbelief makes between God and us in our approaches to him, Heb. 3. 12.
3. Discovers our rebellion and opposition to God and the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 10. 3. by cavilling, objecting, and hard thoughts of Christ.
Secondly, The Spirit convinceth us of our unbelief in respect of the objects and effects of it.
1. Its objects. 1. Christ as he hath all merit and satisfaction, in our approaches to God we cannot set that which is in Christ by way of satisfaction against our own guilt. 2. We are not able to see pardoning promises speak pardon to us through the bloud of Christ; as that promise, Isa. 1. 18.
2. We improve not the Covenant, we look not upon Christ as the Head of it. As he is the party that makes good the Covenant with God for us, though I have many miscarriages, yet he hath fully satisfied and made reconciliation with God for me, as he is the Head of the Covenant also to us, what need I doubt but I shall have strength? pardon is given into the hands of my Mediator.
2. In reference to the effects of unbelief.
1. The Spirit shews a man what weaknesse and corruption he lies under still by reason of unbelief.
2. Lets him see how much terrour and guilt he still lies under, he cannot call God father, Heb. 10. 22.
3. Discovers the comforts and joyes of beleevers, both from Scripture and the experiences of others of Gods people, 1 Iohn 1. 4. & 15. 11. and yet much wrath and guilt still lies upon his conscience.
4. The Spirit convinceth of unbelief by a Saints often being at a losse in the things of the Gospel. 1. He goes a long time together, and cannot meet with one promise to suit his condition. 2. When he hath a promise he can make no use of it, cannot plead it with faith and expectation. 3. He cannot walk in the strength of a promise.
Lastly, Gods Spirit convinceth us also of the sinfulnesse of unbelief.
1. By clearing up to the soul that he lies under the breach of the great Gospelcommand.
2. By shewing what it is to neglect the love and grace of the Gospel, Heb. 2. 3. Matth. 24. 51.
3. By presenting to the soul how ill God takes it when we will not beleeve him.
There are divers aggravations of this sin.
1. Other sins deserve damnation, but this formally opposeth the way of salvation. Some say only unbelief damns a man, which is not true in a rigid sense, for every sin damns a man unrepented of, but only unbelief is more opposite to the way of curing then other sins.
2. It is opposite to the chiefest grace faith, Illud est optimum cujus privatio est pessima: The Scripture honours faith, giving remission of sins, the righteousnesse of Christ, and salvation it self to it.
3. It dishonours God and Christ, and the holy Ghost; it is the glory of Gods love that he becomes thy God, though he so great and thou so vile, this is the honour of Christ to thee, A Son is born, a Childe is given, God shews the riches of his free-grace here, thou grudgest him the honour to be the pardoner of thy sins.
4. It is most rooted in us; hence the Lord so often checks his disciples for theirOmne peccatum formaliter consist it in aversione à Deo, unde tanto aliquod peccatum est gravius, quanto per ipsum homo magis à Deo separatur. Per infidelitatem autem maximè homo à Deo elongatur. Aquin. 2…, 2ae. Quaest. 10. Artic. 3. Insidelium quidam sunt, qui nunquam susceperunt sidem, sicut Gentiles & Iudaei, & tales nullo modo sunt ad …idem compellendi, ut ipsi credant, quia credere voluntatis est; sunt tamen compellendi à sidelibus, si adsit facultas, ut sidem non impediant, vel blasphemiis, vel malis persuasionibus, vel etiam apertis persecutionibus. Aquin ibid. Artic. 8. unbelief; and faith is called The work of God in a speciall manner, because of the difficulty of it, and the contrariety of our natures. Hence Comfort you, comfort you, again and again, because the heart of man terrified for sin doth utterly refuse all true comfort in a right way.
5. It hath more fair pretences for it, more arguments then any other sin; that is a dangerous sin which comes upon us as a duty, I am unworthy.
6. It puts the lie upon God, Iohn 1. 5. God saith he will be thy God, Christ saith he will put away thy sins, thou saiest he will not.
7. The devil most tempts a godly man to this sin, as the incestuous person, the devil had almost tempted him to finall despair, as he would hold the prophane man in security, so the penitent sinner in irksome unbelief.
8. It hath the most terrible and sad effects, it breeds daily unsetlednesse and tossings of heart, therefore doubting and uncertainty is opposed to faith, at last it will breed secret impatience and grudging against God, and in the end open hatred of him.
Unkindnesse.
Unkindnesse is a fault.
This is contrary to a plain precept, Put on kindnesse; and Be kindly affected one toward another.
Reasons.
1. It springs from bad causes, some habitual distempers of self-conceit, pride, malice, or ill education, and a kinde of testy and pettish temper, or some present passion of anger, grief or fear, which withdraws the minde from the consideration of that which is comely and convenient.
2. The fruits of it are evil. It discontenteth and offendeth those to whom it is shewed.
We must consider of our slips in this kinde and be humbled for them.
2. Let us learn to mend this fault, and to be plentifully constant in the practise of the contrary duty, even to be kinde, affable, and gentle in our whole carriage, and at all times to all men, so far as just occasion offers it self, and not to give over our selves so farre to any passion either of grief or anger, as not to exercise this vertue.
Unsetlednesse.
See Gen. 49. 4. Iames 1. 8.Facta est sides temporum potius quam Evangeliorum, annuas atque menstruas Deo fides decernimus. Hil. ad Constantium Augustum. Ecebolius Constantij tempore prae se ferebat magnum zelum Religionis Christianae, sub Iuliano autem acrem in Paganismo. se ostendit. Mortuo Iuliano rursus sub Christiano Imperatore Christianam Religionem pro…iteri statuit: in eum que sinem ante templi portas pronura abjiciens sese & pedibus cuntium ac redeuntium sese exponens vociferatus est: Calcate me salem insipidum. Theodoricus Gotthorum Rex Arianus Diaconum quendam habebat Orthodoxum, Diaconus relicta fide Orthodoxa ad Arianismum transiit, ratus se hoc pacto Theodorico Regi gratiorem etiam fore, ac rem acceptissimam praestiturum. At Rex cognito hoc facto cum quem antea tantopere dilexerat confestim capite mulctari jussit dicens. Si Doo sidem non servasti, quomodo homini since…am conscientiam servabis? Vedel. de prudentia vet. Eccles. l. 2. c. 4.
Such Christians as are unstable are easily seduced, 2 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 14.
One Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was nicknamed Euripus because of his ebbing and flowing.
One sort of Sect…ries there is which will not ingage to hold any thing, but are known by beleeving nothing; these passe now under the name of Seekers.
The usual way in these daies is to play the Scepticks, and question almost every thing in Religion, and hold nothing, or else to place Religion in some new opinion.
Unstedfast Christians are rotten-hearted, Psal. 78. 36, 37. and will never hold out in time of danger.
Rivet. Discus. Grot. Dialy si Sect. 8. p. 262. taxeth Grotius of great inconstancy.
Causabone Epist. 513. to Scaliger, saith thus of Lipsius, Omnino magnam literae jacturam in eo fecerunt, majorem tamen facturae, si quam verbis docuit constantiam, vita exhibuisset.
Such Christians should be carefull to wait on the Ordinances, the Ministry, Ephes. 4. 14. Pray to God to stablish them, see 1 Thess. 3. ult. & 2 Thess. 2. ult. and frequent the company of setled and stablished Christians, and take heed of seducers.
Unthankefulnesse.
Unthankfulnesse to God or man is a great sin.
It is contrary to plain precepts, Col. 3. Be ye thankefull; and in respect of God he saith, In all things give thanks.
The nine Lepers are secretly taxed by our Saviour for not returning to give thanks unto him, when he had delivered them from that foul and infamous disease of the leprosie: The Apostle also taxeth the Gentiles for it, saying, That they glorified not God as God, neither were they thankfull.
Reasons. 1. It springeth from evil causes, either from the strength of pride and self-conceit, in that a man thinketh himself worthy of all that which is done for him and more, and conceiveth that all should serve his turn, or from notable folly and unreasonablenesse, that he wanteth wit to consider of his own need of benefits, or at least from some sudden and vehement passion and distemper.
2. The effects of it are also naught, it offendeth men, it causeth them to repent of their labour, cost, love; and if it be practised toward God it offendeth him also, and hindereth him from bestowing benefits.
Let us blame our selves and be humbled for our unthankfulnesse in defrauding God or men of their due praises and acknowledgement for mercies received; unthankfulnesse to God shews great blindnesse of minde, great want of humility in the consideration of our own un worthinesse and want of faith in Gods providence, let us be humbled for it and crave pardon of it.
2. Let us be carefull to reform it, and be constant in the contrary duty.
Usury.
Usury (say some) is a lending for gain.See Dr Willet on Exod. 22. Quaest. 44. That Usury is simply unlawfull, yet all gain by the loane of mony (saith he) is not unlawfull, see his quaest. 47. See him also on Levit. 25. pag. 625, 626, 629. Usura dicitur, quasi usu aera, id est, usus aeris, & est commodum certum quod propter usum rei mutuatae recipitur. Cookes 5th Report, Claytons Case.
One describes it thus, Usury is when a man makes a gain of lending and binds the party borrowing without consideration of his gains or losses to repay the principall with advantage. It is hard to desine some vices, as Heresie, Sacriledge, and also Usury.
It is matcht with theft, Ezek. 18. 13. with adultery, vers. 10. and with violence, vers. 11. It is condemned there amongst the great transgressions of the moral Law, therefore that Law, Levit. 25. 36. is not Judicial, as some say, but Moral, see Exod. 22. 25. & Deut. 23. 19. Psal. 15. 5.
To borrow a thing on usury is to covenant with the lender to return him not only the thing lent in the full quantity of it, but something over and above only in liew and recompence of the lending of it; which is unlawfull, saith Mr Elton on the eighth Commandment, and he proves it by Ier. 15. 10. and answers there the chief objections brought for usury of any kinde.
Sir Francis Bacon cHenry the 7th p. 59. & 66.cals it the bastard and barren imployment of money, and the bastard use of money.
Vel minimus fructus ex pecunia percipi non potest sine Dei offensione & proximi injuria. Ab hoc usuram exige quem non si… crimen occidere. Ambrose.Calvin. Epist. 226. see his Epist. 383. where he gives strict cautions to those that take use. See B. And. Theologic. determinat. de Usuris, & B. Downames Treatise on Psalm. 15. against it, and Knewstub on the eighth Command. Thom. Aquin. 2a, 2ae. quaest. 78. Artic. 1, 2, 3, 4. and Theatre of Gods Judgm. part. 1. c. 42. and especially Dr. Fentons Book.
Rivetus in Catholico orthodoxo, Tractatu quarto, quaest. 15. Salmasius de Usuri…, c. 4. and Zanchy on Ephes. 4. and Mr. Perkins on 8th Cammand. and Dr. Ames on Psal. 15. and de Consc. l. 5. c. 44. and Dr. Hall in his Cases of Consc. seem to allow of it in some cases.A Councell hath defined that to say Usury is not a sin, is no better then Heresie.
Yet Dr. Hall in his Practicall cases of Conscience saith, All usury which is an absolute contract for the meer loan of mony is unlawfull, both by law natural and positive, both divine and humane.
There is not a toleration of usury by that Act Eliz. 13. c. 8. but a limitation of it; the Title of it is An Act against Usury, and it calleth it a detestable sin.
CHAP. XXV. Of Witchcraft.
VVItchcraft is a great sin, 1 Chron. 10. 13, 14. God would not haveSee Dr Willet on Exod. 22. 18. That Witches ought to die. Never did any trust in the devil, but he deceived them, even for the base things of this life, witnesse all Witches (his most devoted and professed servants) if ever he made any one of them wealthy: all ages are not able to shew one. Perkins on Heb. 11. The Hebrew word Exod. 22. 18. signifies a woman Witch, as Menasseh Ben Israel de creatione and others have observed: which shews 1. That women are most prone to witchcraft. 2. That though the Witch be a weak woman, yet she must die without mercy. Sennertus gives these reasons why women are more inclinable to this sin then men. 1. Because they are of weaker judgement, and therefore more easily deceived by Satan. 2. They are desirous of revenge, and therefore old women if they hate any are ready to use all means to hurt them, Practic▪ Med. l. 6. part. 9. c. 5. Witches to live, therefore he would not have others to use their art and counsell, Deut. 18. 10, 11. he forbids all to consult with familiar Spirits, and more plainly, Levit. 19. 31.
Reasons.
1. The cause which moveth any to seek unto them, is distrust in God, or impatience under Gods hand, or some inordinate desire of knowing or doing things which the Lord allows not to know or do, things secret and strange.
2. The persons sought to are in league with the devil, and so are an abomination to God, Deut. 18. 11.
3. The effect of seeking unto them is dangerous, it works confidence in them, and so in Satan whose vassals they are, and withdraws the heart from God.
Bodin lib 4. Daemon. proveth by many examples and confessions of Witches, that witchcraft hath no power upon the Regenerate, or upon Magistrates, who execute the Laws against them; which is fully confirmed by King Iames, Daemonol. l. 2. c. 6.
B. Carletons Examinat. of Sir Christ. Heyd. Book. c. 5.
Saul was convinced of the evil of Witchcraft, his zeal ran out against Witches, yet after he himself went to a Witch.
The End of the fourth Book.