name of old did not venture upon it. But | vey or transfer it to others. Now, to assert the Scriptures have two great evidences of the necessity of such an internal testimony, their divinity-their own internal character, is nothing more than to say, that whatever and that external testimony. There are two evidence the Scripture may have in itself, or things which principally prove their internal from other considerations, yet the divine faith character. of this truth must be from above. And he that would deny this, would thereby plainly discover, that he was an entire stranger to that faith himself. "The Scripture," says Thomas à Kempis, " must surely be believ ed and understood by means of the same Spirit by whom it was at first delivered." And, as St. Augustine expresses it, "the only effectual teacher is he who has his chair in heaven, and yet instructs the hearts of men on this earth."+ The same Divine Spirit plants faith in the mind, together with the proper intelligence of divine things, and daily augments and improves these dispositions. This great gift of the Spirit is, therefore, to be sought by fervent and constant prayer; and the Son of God, who is truth itself, has assured us, that his most bounti ful Father will give it to those that ask him. Aristotle has told us, "That divine inspiration is to be sought by sacrifices." And it is no less true, "that the faith and under. standing of things revealed by divine inspiration are to be sought by prayer."§ Varro tells us, that he wrote first of human, and then of divine institutions, because societies of men existed first, and the latter were instituted by them. True religion, on the contrary, instead of being instituted by any city or society on earth, hath instituted a city altogether heavenly and divine, and is itself inspired by God, who is the giver of eternal life to all that worship him in sin. cerity. || 1. The incomparable sublimity and purity of the doctrine they contain: for in vain will you look for such profound mysteries, and such pure and holy precepts, any where else. 2. The inimitable and evidently divine majesty of the style, attended, at the same time, with a surprising and wonderful simplicity. Their voice is not the voice of man; but the whole of them, notwithstanding their great extent, sounds something more grand than can be expected from the mouths of mortal men. Nor ought we to pass over that divine efficacy which the Scriptures have, not only to move the minds of men, but also, by a divine operation, to change them into something quite different from what they were before; according to that of Lactantius, "Give me a fierce, cruel, and passionate man, with a few of the words of God I will make him as meek as a lamb," &c.+ And the external testimony already mentioned has, to be sure, as much weight as any thing of that kind can possibly have. Who would deny to the regular succession of the Catholic church, the credit of a witness? Who, on the other hand, would claim the authority of a judge and arbitrator? It would be quite silly to ascribe to the church a decisive power, as if, when a book were first presented to it, or brought out of any place, where it had been long concealed, it could immediately pronounce whether that book was divine authority or not. The church is only a witness with regard to those books we acknowledge, and its testimony extends no farther than that they were received, in the first ages of Christianity, as sacred and divinely inspired, and as such handed down from age to age, to the church that now is; and he that would venture to discredit this testimony must have a heart of lead, and a face of brass. There is no occasion to dispute so fiercely about the inward testimony of the Holy Ghost: for I am persuaded that those who talk about it, understand nothing more by it, than that the Holy Spirit produces in the hearts of men that faith whereby they cheerfully and sincerely receive these books, and the doctrine contained in them, as divine; because such a faith either includes, in the very notion of it, or at least is necessarily connected with, a religious frame of the mind, and a sincere disposition to universal obedience. "And he that believeth," as It is truly surprising to observe, how dif ferently this religion was of old received among men, and what different entertainment it meets with even to this day, though the doctrine has been always the same, though it is still enforced by the same arguments, and has the same difficulties and prejudices to struggle with. When the divine apostle preached in the Areopagus at Athens, a great many mocked and ridiculed him; others said, "We will hear thee again of this matter; but certain men clave unto him and believed." And that we may not think that this faith in those who believed was owing to their uncommon penetration or sagacity on the one hand, or their weakness and simplicity on the other, of the two mentioned in Scripture that believed on this occasion, the one was a philosopher, and the other a * Eodem certe spiritu, et credenda et intelligenda the apostle John expresses it, "has this tes-sacra scriptura, quo tradita est. timony in himself," though he cannot con Qui cathedram habet in cœlo, corda docet in terris. - Το θεοπνευστον ταις θυσίαις ζητητέον. Την των θεοπνεύστων πιστιν και συνίσιο ευχαίς ζητητεον. St. Aug. de Civ. Del, lib. vi. c. ili. Acts xvii. 32, 34. woman. Now, though, without doubt, human liberty is to be allowed its due weight in this matter; yet we cannot help acknowledging, that a certain influence or energy seems to discover itself here. the submission due to their real dignity and The basis of religion is faith; just apprehensions or right notions+ of God, ac. cording to Epictetus. St. Ignatius says, "Faith is the beginning of life, and love the end of it :" and the words of the Apostle are, "He that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" so that the giving of a law to man, and the enforcing it with the motives of rewards and punish- prayer; for if these are omitted, his labour ments, is not inconsistent with the filial, disinterested obedience of a rational creature, even in a state of innocence. will be altogether in vain, supposing him to be ever so well versed, not only in these books, but also to have all the advantages that can be had from the knowledge of lan guages, and the assistance of commentators and interpreters. Different men have differ All true and lively faith begets love; and thus that heavenly light is the vehicle of heat: and as, by this means, true faith has a tendency to the practice of obedience, so all true obe-ent views in reading this book; as in the dience depends upon faith, and flows from it; but it also proceeds from love, because faith first produces love, and then works by it. All knowledge of mysteries is vain, and of no value; unless it have an influence upon the affections, and thereby on the whole conduct of life. The luminaries of heaven are placed on high; but they are so placed, that they may shine and perform their periods for the benefit of this earth. § same field the ox looks for grass, the hound for a hare, and the stork for a lizard. Some, fond of critical remarks, pick up nothing but little stones and shells. Others run in pursuit of sublime mysteries, giving them. selves but very little trouble about the precepts and instructions that are clear and evident; and these plunge themselves into a pit that has no bottom. But the genuine disciples of this true wisdom are those who 1. We must believe that God is this make it their daily employment to purify truth is written in capital letters on every their hearts by the water of these fountains, page of the sacred books of Scripture: for and reduce their whole lives to a conformity all things that are therein delivered by with this heavenly doctrine. They desire God, and concerning him, confirm this, and not to know these things only, that they may take it for a primary and undoubted principle. But these sacred books acknowledge another more universal evidence of this leading truth, and an evidence quite distinct from theirs, to which they refer all, even the most obstinate unbelievers, and those that are entirely ignorant of this celestial doctrine, for full conviction.|| have the reputation of knowledge, or to be distinguished in the world: but that their souls may be healed, and their steps directed, so that they may be led, through the paths of righteousness, to the glorious felicity which is set before them. The sum of all is, that our felicity lies solely and entirely in that blessed God who As it is quite plain, that the testimony of is also the fountain and source of our being; the written word will have little or no influ- that the only means of our union with him ence upon men who have not received the is true religion; and this again consists in least tincture of divine faith; should any per- our entertaining just notions of God, worson, disputing with them, reason after this shipping him acceptably, and endeavouring manner, there is a God, because this is as- after a constant and unwearied obedience to serted in the Sacred Scriptures, and their all his commands, according to that most testimony must by all means be believed, pure and perfect rule laid down in these because they are the word of God; an argu- divine books, which we profess to receive as ment of this kind, to be sure, would have such. Let us, therefore, have constantly no other effect, but to expose the person fixed in our minds these words of the Psalthat urged it to the ridicule of Atheists and mist, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Unbelievers; because it evidently begs the that walk in the way of the Lord. Thon question, and runs into a vicious circle. He, hast commanded us to keep thy precepts therefore, that would bring over such per- diligently. O! that my ways were directed sons to the faith, must reason after a quite to keep thy statutes." different manner. But let him, on the other hand, who once accepts these books with Psalm xxvi. 9. † Φιλόθεος και θεοδίδακτος LECTURE XXI. Of the DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. tion of the Divine essence, as distinct from what we call his attributes, would be a refinement so absurd, that, under the appearance of more accurate knowledge, it would betray our ignorance the more and so unOf all the maxims that are naturally writ-accountable would it be to attempt any such ten on the heart of man, there is none more thing with regard to the unsearchable macertain or more universally known, than jesty of God, that, possibly, the most towerTHAT GOD IS; concerning which I gave a ing and exalted genius on earth ought frankly dissertation some time ago. But of all the to acknowledge, that we know neither our secrets and hidden things of nature, which own essence, nor that of any other creature, have been the subject of human study and even the meanest and most contemptible. inquiry, there is nothing, by a prodigious Though in the schools they distinguish the odds, so difficult or unsearchable, as to know Divine attributes or excellencies, and that WHAT HE IS. The saying of St. Augus- by no means improperly, into communicable tine, concerning time, is well known in the and incommunicable; yet we ought so to schools; with how much greater truth might guard this distinction, as always to remem. it be said of Him who is more ancient than ber, that those which are called communicable, time," and who bid time flow from the be- when applied to God, are not only to be unginning!" that he hath "made darkness derstood, in a manner, incommunicable, and his hiding place, and amidst that darkness quite peculiar to himself, but also, that in dwells in light inaccessible,"+ which, to our him they are, in reality, infinitely different eyes, is to be sure more dark than darkness from those virtues; or rather in a matter itself. "O the divine darkness!" says where the disparity of the subjects is so very a great man; and another most acutely, great, those shadows of virtues, that go under "If you divide or cut asunder this darkness, the same names, either in men or angels; who will shine forth ?" When, therefore, for it is not only true, that all things, in the we are to speak of him, let us always call to infinite and eternal Being, are infinite and remembrance the admonition which bids us eternal, but they are also, though in a man"speak with reverence and fear." For what ner quite inexpressible, himself. He is good can we say that is worthy of him, since man, without quality, great without quantity, &e. when he speaks of God, is but a blind per- He is good in such a sense as to be called by son describing light? Yet, blind as we are, the Evangelist the only good Being. He there is one thing we may, with great truth, is also the only wise Being; "To the only say of that glorious light, and let us frequent-wise God," saith the Apostle. And the same ly repeat it: O when will that blessed day Apostle tells us, in another place, "That shine forth, which shall deliver the soul from he only hath immortality," that is," from those thick integuments of flesh, that, like his own nature, and not from the will or disscales on the eye, obstruct its sight, and position of another."+ "If we are conshall introduce it into a full and open view sidered as joined to, or united with God,” of that primitive, eternal light? Perhaps says an ancient writer of great note, we the properest answer we could give to the have a being, we live, and in some sort are question, What is God? would be to ob- wise: but if we are compared with God, we serve a most profound silence: or, if we have no wisdom at all, nor do we live, or so should think proper to answer any thing, it much as have any existence." All other ought to be something next to this absolute things were by Him brought out of nothing, silence; namely, GOD is; which gives us a in consequence of a free act of his will, by higher and better idea of him, than any means of his infinite power; so that they thing we can either express or conceive. may be justly called mere contingencies, and Theological writers mention three me- he is the only necessarily existent Being. thods, whereby men come to some kind of Nay, he is the only really existent Being. knowledge of God themselves, and commu-To ovas o, or, as Plotinus expresses it, o nicate that knowledge to others, namely, the govтws ov. Thus also the Septuagint speaks way of negation, the way of causation, and of him, as the only existent Being, § and so the way of eminence: yet the very terms that are used to express these ways, shew what a faint knowledge of the invisible Being is to be attained by them; so that the two last may be justly reduced to the first, and all our knowledge of this kind called negative. For, to pretend to give any explanaQui tempus ab ævo also does the Heathen poet. This is likewise implied in the exalted name Jehovah, which expresses his being, and that he has it from himself; but what that being is, or wherein its essence, so to speak, consists, it Matthew xix. 17. Η Εξ οικείας φυσεως, ουκ εξ έτερου βουλήσεως. 4 Deo si conjungimur, sumus, vivimus, sapimus Deo si comparamur, nec sapimus omnino, nec vivi”: mus, imo nec sumus, Greg. Mag. Mor. does not say; nor, if it did, could we at all can this be done? Though he repeated, conceive it. Nay, so far is that name from great, great, the whole day, it would have discovering what his being is, that it plainly been to little purpose, for he must have endinsinuates, that his existence is hid, and co-ed at last, because the day would have endvered with a veil. I am who I am; or, Ied; but his greatness was before the beam what I am.* As if he had said, I myself ginning of days, and will reach beyond the know what am, but you neither know nor end of time." The poet expresses himself can know it; and if I should declare where- admirably well: "I will praise thee, O in my being consists, you could not conceive blessed God, with my voice, I will praise it. He has, however, manifested in his thee, also, with silence. For thou, O inexworks and in his word what it is our interest pressible Father, who canst never be known, to know, "That he is the Lord God, mer-understandest the silence of the mind, as well ciful and gracious, abundant in goodness and as any words or expressions."+ truth." LECTURE XXII. How to regulate Life according to the We call him a most pure Spirit, and mean to say, that he is of a nature entirely incorporeal; yet this word, in the Greek, Hebrew, and all other languages, according to its primitive and natural signification, conveys no other idea, than that of a gentle gale, or wind, which every one knows to be a body, though rarified to a very great degree; so that when we speak of that infinite purity, all words fail us; and even when we think of it, I HAVE now, at different times, addressed all the refinements of the acutest understand-myself to you upon several subjects of great ing are quite at a stand, and become entirely importance, and of the utmost necessity; useless. It is, in every respect, as necessary though what I have hitherto said was only to acknowledge his eternity, as his being; designed as a preface, or introduction, to provided that when we mention the term God, what I further proposed. But to attempt to we mean by it the first being, supposing that prosecute this design at the very end of the expression to include also his self-existence. year, would be quite improper, and to little This idea of a first and eternal Being is or no purpose; I shall, therefore, altogether again inseparably connected with an infinite forbear entering upon it, and, for this time, degree of all possible perfection, together with lay before you a few advices which may be immutability, and absolute perseverance there- useful, not only in order to employ to greater in. But all these are treated of, at great advantage the months of vacation that are length, in theological books, whereof you have now at hand, but also the better to regulate a very large collection. your whole lives. In like manner, if we suppose God to be And my first advice shall be, to avoid too the first of all beings, we must, unavoidably, much sleep, which wastes the morning hours, therefrom conclude his unity: as to the in- that are most proper for study, as well as for effable Trinity subsisting in this Unity, a the exercises of religion; and stupifies and mystery discovered only by the Sacred Scrip- enervates the strength of body and mind. I tures, especially in the New Testament, remember, that the famous abbot of Clairewhere it is more clearly revealed than in the vaux,‡ when he found the friars sleeping Old, let others boldly pry into it, if they immoderately, used to say, "That they slept please; while we receive it with an humble like the secular clergy."§ And though we faith, and think it sufficient for us to admire do not admit of the severe rules to which the and adore. monks subjected themselves, we must at The other attributes, that used to be men- least allow, that the measure and degree of tioned on this subject, may be supposed to sleep, and other bodily refreshments, suitbe perfectly comprehended under the follow-able for a young man devoted to study and ing three, viz. power, wisdom, and goodness: devotion, is very far different from that exfor holiness, justice, mercy, infinite bounty, cess in which the common sort of mankind &c. may be, with great propriety, ranked indulge themselves. under the general term of goodness. Another advice, which is akin to and nearly connected with the former, shall be, Volebat dicere quam magnus sit, sed hoc qui fier potest? Etsi tota die magnum diceret, parum esset, finiret enim aliquando, quia finiretur dies, magnitudo autem filius ante dies, et ultra d'es. † Ύμνω σε μακας. Και δια φωνάς. Τεσα και σιγάς Syn. Hymno. 4to. § Seculariter dormire. to observe temperance in eating and drink-your appetite would carry you. Consider ing for moderation in sleeping generally that, as Cato said, "the belly has no ears,”☛ follows sobriety in eating, and other sensual but it has a mouth, into which a bridle must gratifications; but that thick cloud of va- be put, and, therefore, I address not myself pours, that arises from a full stomach, must to it, but to the directing mind that is set of necessity overwhelm all the animal spirits, over it, which, for that reason, ought to goand keep them long locked up in an indo-vern the body, with all its senses, and curb lent, inactive state. Therefore the Greeks, them at its pleasure. St. Bernard's words not without reason, express these two duties, are admirable to this purpose: "A prudent to be sober, and to be watchful, indifferent- mind, devoted to God, ought so to act in its ly by the same term. And the apostle Peter, body, as the master of a family in his own that he might make his connexion more evi-house. He ought not to suffer his flesh to dent, uses, indeed, two words for this pur- be, as Solomon expresses it, like a brawling pose; but exhorts to these duties, as closely woman, nor any carnal appetite to act like a connected together, or rather as if they were rebellious servant; but to inure them to obein some respect but one,-Be sober, be vigi- dience and patience. He must not have his lant. And, in the same epistle, having senses for his guides, but bring them into substituted another word for sobriety, he ex- subjection and subserviency to reason and represses watchfulness by the same word he ligion. He must, by all means, have his had put for sobriety in the other place,-Be house and family so ordered and well dissober, and watch. Both these dispositions ciplined, that he can say to one, Go, and he are so applied to the mind, as to include a goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh; sober and watchful state of the body and and to his servant the body, Do this, and senses; as this is exceeding useful, nay, it doeth what it is bid, without murmuring. quite necessary, in order to a correspondent The body must also be treated with a little frame of the mind; and that disposition, hardship, that it may not be disobedient to both of body and mind, not only subservient, the mind."+ "For he," saith Solomon, but also necessary, to piety and constancy" that delicately bringeth up his servant in prayer; "Be sober, and watch unto from a child, shall have him become a reprayer."+ bellious son at last." This is what I would When the body is reduced to its lightest have you aspire to for a conquest over your and most active state, still, as it is corrupti flesh, and all its lusts: for they carry on a ble, it is, to be sure, a burden to the mind; deadly war against your souls; and their dehow much more must it be so, when it is de- sires are then most to be resisted, when they pressed with an immoderate load of meat flatter most. What an unhappy and disand drink; and, in consequence of this, of honourable inversion of nature it is, when 'sleep! Nor can the mind rouse itself, or the flesh commands, and the mind is in subuse the wings of contemplation and prayer 'with freedom, when it is overpowered with so heavy a load : nay, neither can it make any remarkable progress in the study of human literature, but will move slowly, and embar- Another thing I would have you beware rassed, be at a stand, like a wheel-carriage in of, is immoderate speech. The evils of the deep clay. The Greeks very justly express-tongue are many; but the shortest way to ed the virtue we are now recommending, by find a remedy for them all, is to study sithe term groovn, it being, as your fa- lence, and avoid, as the poet expresses it, vourite philosopher § observes in his Ethics,"excessive prating, and a vast desire of the great preservative of the mind. He is speaking."|| certainly a very great enemy to his own un- "He is a perfect man," as the apostle derstanding, that lives high, and indulges James expresses it, "who offends not in himself in luxury. "A fat belly is seldom accompanied with an acute understanding."|| jection ;-when the flesh, which is vile, gross, earthly, and soon to be the food of worms, governs "the soul, that is the breath of God!" &c. § word ;" and therefore, doubtless, he that speaks least, offends in this respect more Ventrem non habere aures. + Sic prudens et Deo dicatus animus habere se debe in corpore suo, sicut paterfamilias in domo sua. No habeat, sicut Solomon dicit, mulierem litigiosare carnem suam, nec ullum appetitum carnis ut servum rebellem, sed ad obedientiam et patientiam assuefac tum Habeat sensus suos non duces, sed rationi e religioni servientes et sequaces; habeat omnem omnino domum vel familiam suam sic ordinatam, et discipline sublitam, ut dicat huic, Vade, et vadat; et alii, Veni, et veniat; et servo corpori, Facito hoc, et sine murmure fiat quod juba tur; et paulo certe durius tractandum est corpus, ne animo male pareat. Prov. xxix. 21. 8 Ψυχή δ' εστιν αγμα Θεου, &c. Improba garrulitas, studiumque immane loquendi. |