AMong other Methods and Arts pursued and improved to the disservice of the Souls of men , and the subversion of the Truth as it is in Jesus ; there are two , which though opposite to one another , are yet equally of a malignant influence upon Religion . The First is , mens deluding themselves with an Imaginary Romantick pretence of Grace and Faith , and consequently , that their conditions with ●eference to their everlasting interests are secure ; while in the mean time their hearts and minds are strangers to , and void of all those Dispositions , Qualities , Habits , &c. by which we are assisted to live soberly to our selves , righteously towards our neighbour , or answerably to the dependance we have on , or the relations we stand in unto God : whence it naturally & by a kind of necessity comes to pass , that they are wholly estranged in their lives from that Sobriety , Temperance , Justice , Equity , Devotion , Humility , Gratitude , Meekness , &c. they should be in the exercise of . These men presume themselves into Salvation , and claim happiness on the boldness of their belief ; nor do they apply themselves to conquer heaven otherwise than in the alone virtue of their imagination . If they can but arrive at so much impudence as to vote themselves Saints , they think that they are acquitted from all care of Vertue and Obedience . These are the men who set vertue and grace at odds , who frame to themselves a Religion not only empty of , but inconsistent with real goodness : the unhappy off-spring of those whom the Apostle James encounters , Cap. 2. vers. 14. to the end . The Second is , That some having obtained of themselves , endeavour to prevail with others , to renounce and seclude all infused principles ( commonly called grace ) with the subjective influences of the Spirit , and to erect in the room thereof acquired habits , natural dispositions , innate abilities , and moral vertues , as the whole of that , in the strength of which we may live acceptably to God , and acquire a fitness and title to immortality and life . Moral vertue ( saith a late Author ) is not onely the most material and useful part of all Religion , but the ultimate end of all its other duties : And all true Religion can consist in nothing else , but either the practice of vertue it self , or the use of those means and instruments that contribute to it . Eccles. polit. p. 69. All Religion is either vertue it self , or some of its instruments ; and the whole duty of man consists in being vertuous : ibid. p. 71. There is nothing beyond the bounds of moral vertue , but Chimera's and flying Dragons , illusions of fancy & impostures of Enthusiasm ; Idem def. & continuat . p. 338 , 339. Hence he challengeth any man to give him a notion of grace distinct from morality , affirming , that if grace be not included in morality , that it is at best but a phantasm and an imaginary thing ; Eccles. polit. p. 71. and again , that the spirit of God , and the grace of Christ , when used as distinct from moral abilities & performances , signify nothing ; def. & continuat . p. 343. Thus vertue & grace are not only made co-incident ; morality and Religion in its utmost latitude made convertible terms : but in the pursuance of these Notions , men are acted to vent all manner of contempt against the Spirit of God , deriding the inward operations , quicknings and influences of the Holy Ghost , as Enthusiastick dreams , canting phrases , & the fumes of Religious madness . To be born again , and to have a new spiritual life , is a phantastick jargon , unless it only signify to become a new moral man , ( saith the former Author ) def. & continuat . p. 343 , 344. All the pretended intercourse betwixt Christ & a believing soul , in way of discoveries , manifestations , spiritual refreshments , withdrawings , d●sertions , is nothing but the ebbs and tydes of the humours of the body , and the meer results of a natural and mechanical Enthusiasm ; nor otherwise intelligible , than by the laws of mechanism , as the motion of the heart , and the circulation of the blood are : ibid. p. 339 ▪ 340 , 341 , 342. Hence to describe conversion , by our being united to Christ , and ingrafted in him , is called a rowling up and down in ambiguous phrases , and canting in general expressions of Scripture , without any concern for their true sense and meaning ; ibid. p. 343.

The consideration of the inconsistency of these principles with truth , the affront offered to the Gospel , and dammage done to the souls of men by each of them , hath led me to this undertaking . On the one hand to separate grace from vertue , and to set faith and morality at variance , cannot but furnish men Atheistically and irreligiously disposed , with occasion of Blaspheming that worthy name by which we are called : it being too much the custom of prejudiced & disingenuous persons to reflect the scandals which arise either from the doctrines or conversations of professors , on that Holy and innocent Religion , which they ( though but hypocritically ) do profess . On the other hand , to swallow up the whole of Religion in morality , seems a plain renouncing of the Gospel , and shapen particularly to befriend men in such a design . For if the Gospel be nothing but a restitution of the Religion of Nature ; as the aforesaid Author affirms , def. & continuat . p. 316. And if the Christian institution doth not introduce any new duties distinct from the eternal rules of Morality ; as is alledged , def. & continuat . p. 305. I see not , but that whoever would act consistently to these principles , he must needs proceed to a plain renunciation of all the instituted duties of the Gospel , ( which is to overturn the whole fabrick of Christianity ) & confine himself to the Decalogue ; that being a plain and full system of the law of nature , and a sufficient transcript of the duties we were obliged to by the rule of Creation . Nor , supposing that Martin Sidelius was not mistaken in his hypothesis , that all Religion consists in morality alone ; ( The same opinion with that asserted by a late Author ; ) can I censure him for what he thereupon proceeded to , namely , the renouncing the Gospel : Nor doth he deserve the character fastned upon him ; def. & continuat . p. 313. of a foolish and half-witted fellow , upon the account of his deductions , they being neither streined nor absurd , but clear and natural ; whatever he demerited upon the score of his premises .

These among other Considerations , having swayed me to this undertaking ; I would hope , that an endeavour of instructing the minds of Men , and of contributing to the conduct of their Judgments and Consciences in those things may not be unacceptable : and the rather , because not onely of some difficulty in setting forth the due lines , measures , and bounds of Vertue and Grace ; the describing their mutual Relations , and the subordination of the one to the other : But , because there is very little extant upon the subject , at least with respect to the end , and in the manner that it is here managed . Nor indeed was any thing of this nature thought necessary in a Nation where the Gospel is embraced , till the Debates and Discourses of some have of late made it so .

§ 2. To avoid all Ambiguity , Darkness and Prevarication , it will be needful ere we make any further proceed , that we fix the meaning and import of Vertue and Morality ; Grace and Religion ; these being the terms of the Question to be Discoursed and Decided ; nor without a setling the Notion and Conception of these , can any thing of this Argument be duly understood .

Vertue is a term seldome occuring in the Scripture . In the Old Testament we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chajil , several times rendred by our interpreters Vertuous , viz. Ruth , 3.11 . Prov. 12.4 . Prov. 31.10 . and once Vertuously , namely , Prov. 21.29 . but indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no such signification as that we now use to express by Vertue : it properly signifies Courageous , strenuous , industrious , diligent ; strength , valour , activity of body and mind , &c. And accordingly the Septuagint in none of the preceding places , nor elsewhere , translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Prov. 12.4 . The 70 render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Jun. & Trem●l . Mercer , Piscator , strenua ; Pagnin fortis ; industrious , diligent , sirenuous . Prov. 31.10 . who can find a Vertuous Woman ? The 70. translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Munster , Pagnin , fortem : Jun. & Tremel . Piscator , Mercer , Castalio , strenuam . Prov. 31.29 . Many Daughters have done Vertuously . The 70. turn it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , have gotten Wealth : So Munster , Pagnin , paraverunt sibi opes . Jun. & Trem. Mercer , Piscator , gesserunt se strenue , have done , or approved themselves industriously . Ruth . 3.11 . The 70. translate it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a woman of courage , activity . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertue , is very rarely met with in the N. T. I do not say , that it occurs not at all there , in so affirming , Valla mistook ; nor do I say that it occurs but thrice , for in so alledging , Laurentius was overseen : But I think I may affirm that it is to be found but four times in the whole New Testament , viz. Phil. 4.8 . 1 Pet. 2.9 . 2 Pet. 1.3 . and 2 Pet. 1.5 . In any of which places I much question whether it ought to be interpreted in the sence vulgarly received . 1 Pet. 2.9 . we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praises , and Dr. Hammond paraphraseth the place thus ; That you may set forth and illustrate Christs powerful and gracious Workings , who hath wrought so glorious and blessed a Change in you . 2 Pet. 1.5 . it plainly signifies a peculiar disposition of mind distinct from Faith , Patience , Temperance , &c. and so cannot bear the sence commonly there put upon it : D. Hammond rendreth it by Courage , Fortitude , Man-hood ; and that agreeably enough to the derivation commonly given of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mars , Bellum , War . In a word the foresaid Annotator acknowledgeth that it no where in the N. T. signifieth probity of mind or what we now understand by vertue , unless it be Phil. 4.8 . where I think the context if narrowly viewed , will lead us to render it rather as the Syriack hath done , by any work Glorious or Honourable &c. However it must be Acknowledged though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue may possibly be used in the Scripture in the sence vulgarly put upon it ; that originally we are indebted to the School's of the Philosophers for it , and ought therefore to address our selves to them for the sence and meaning of it .

If in this matter then we consult the Philosophers , we shall find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue , used in a twofold signification . First to signifie a habit or facility of working or acting conformably to the Law of Right Reason . The alone moral measure of humane actions known or acknowledged by the Philosophers was Reason . Hence Aristotle having stated the form and essence of Vertue in a mediocrity ; he explain's Mediocrity to be that which Right Reason teacheth ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Eth. lib. 6. cap. 1. and lib. 2. cap. 6. he defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mediocrity , to be that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; circumscribed by Reason . They knew no other measure of moral Good and Evil but Reason ; and this they stiled the common Law ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the common law is right Reason . Laert. in Zenon . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Law is Right Reason , commanding such things as ought to be done , and forbidding such things as ought not to be done ; was the definition that the Stoicks gave of Law . To which agrees the description given by Tully ; that it is recta & à numine Deorum tracta ratio , imperans honesta & prohibens contraria ; Right Reason derived to us from God enjoyning things honest , and forbidding things dishonest : Philipp . 12. & lib. 1. de Legib. & lib. 1. de nat. Deor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; To obey Reason and to obey God is all one , saith Hierocles on the Pythagorean golden Verses : ver. 29. This they called the Royal Law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Right Reason is the Royal law ; Plato in his Minos . This they likewise stiled , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Law of being ; Plato ibid. Where I suppose by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of being . He means the Law of Nature , the Law common to all men : For so Aristotle defines that which he calls common Law in contradistinction from the Law which he calls private ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : Common Law is that which is according to Nature . Retor . lib. 1. cap. 14. Nor is there any thing more common than to express their obedience to the Law of Reason , by their following the conduct of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; to live agreeable to Nature : Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . If we observe Nature as our rule ordering our conversation according to right Reason , and agreeably to our Nature , we shall perform what in all things becomes us : Hierocles on the golden Verses of the Pythagoreans . ver. 13. To which accords that of Seneca , propositum nostrum est secundum naturam vivere ; our purpose and designe is to live according to Nature ; Epist. 5. and beata est ergo vita conveniens naturae suae : A happy life is such as is agreeable to Nature ; Senec. de vitâ beata cap. 3. & idem est beate vivere & secundum naturam ; it is all one to live happily and to live according to Nature ; idem ibid. cap. 8. — haec duri immota Catonis Secta fuit , servare modum , finemque tenere , Naturamque sequi : — saith Lucan . In all which places and many more which might be produced , nothing is meant by nature , but the law of reason : for as Juvenal saith , Nunquam aliud Natura , aliud sapientia dicit ; Nature doth not teach one thing , and Right Reason another : Sat. 14. Now any habit , promptitude or facility of acting conformably to this law of right Reason , they called it Vertue . Thus the Pythagoreans defined Vertue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a habit of which ought to be done : or of what Reason conducts , and leads us to ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Vertue is nothing else but a habit of decency : Theag. lib. de Virtut . Aristotle describes it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , A readiness of acting according to right Reason ; Eth. lib. 6. cap. 13. And more fully that it is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. An elective habit consisting in mediocrity in things relating to us , defined by reason &c. Eth. lib. 2. cap. 6. This is acknowledged by our late Author , Eccl. polit . p. 68. The practice of vertue ( saith he ) consists in living sutably to the dictates of Reason and nature . And def. & continuat p. 315 , 316. All men are agreed that the real end of Religion is the happiness and perfection of mankind ; and this end is obtained by living up to the dictates of Reason , and according to the laws of nature . This promptitude and facility of acting conformably to the dictates of Reason , the Philosophers stiled the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good order of the Soul : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The musick of the Soul . And herein they stated the Souls sanity , beauty , harmony &c. Hence Pythagoras and from him Plato defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vertue to be the harmony of the Soul . Plat. in Phaed.

Secondly , Vertue is used by Philosophers to denote any act which because of its conformity to Reason is Morally good . Whatever actions were found agreeable and conformable to Reason , they stiled them vertues ; and on the contrary , any act that was morally evil , they called it vice ; stating withal the obliquity of vice in a difformity to Reason , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Vice is a Practice against right Reason ; Plato . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , somewhat besides or beyond reason , Arist. Eth. lib. 1. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; vice is a transgression against right Reason ; Stob. Serm. 1. The denomination of vertue being once used to signify the conformity of our mind unto the law of Reason ; it is thence applyed to express the agreeableness of our actions unto the same law . And these are the alone acceptations of vertu● which can claim any room in the present debate ; all other signification put upon it , being forreign to the matter we have in hand . By consulting then the original Authors of this term , we have found it appropriat and fixed to express the conformity of our minds and Actions , its Habit 's and Operations to the Law of Reason ; and this must carefully be attended to in the whole of our future proceed .

§ 3 With reference to these habit 's it is further needful to be observed , that though they be not affirmed to be essential to our Natures , nor to proceed by way of emanation from them , nor to be congenite and connate with us ; it is yet contended that there are those igniculi and semina , sparks and seeds naturally in all men which may be maturated and improved by frequent repetition of Acts into habit 's of Vertue . It is true all the Philosophers were not of this mind , some of the wisest of them acknowledging a Divine interposure in the communication of Vertues to men . Hence Plato in his Meno discourseth at large that Vertue comes by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine infusion . And that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither from nature , nor teachable . See Maximus Tyrius dissertat. 22. and the Dialogue between Alcibiades and Socrates in Plato . But the generality of them were otherwise perswaded : all the Stoicks affirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Vertue was teachable . This was what they meant by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; self-power and absolute free-will to Good ; their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good Nature or Seeds of Vertue in Nature . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Vertues are acquired by a rational government of ones self , and by good Education ; whereas Vices spring and proceed from the contrary ; Sallust . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Beata vita causa & firmamentum est sibi fidere : the alone foundation and source of Happiness is for a man to trust to himself ; Sen. Ep. 31. Omnibus natura fundamentum dedit semenque virtutum : omnes ad omnia ista nati sumus : cum irritator accessit , tunc illa animi bona velut sopita excitantur ; Seneca . Nature hath bestowed on every one the Seeds and means of Vertue : We are all born disposed to these things : and whensoever excited thereunto by a praeceptor , those dormant endowments display themselves . The passage of Apuleius lib. de philosoph. is pat to this purpose ; viz. That man by Nature is neither good nor bad ▪ but alike indifferent and equally disposed to either : haveing semina quaedam utrarumque rerum cum nascendi origine copulata , quae educationis disciplina debeant emicare ; congenite with him some Seeds of each , which education maturates , & excites . Hence though they used to acknowledg themselvs indebted to Jupiter for life and estate , yet as to the honour of being vertuous , they would neither allow him , nor any other to have a share with them in it . It was upon this account that Seneca thought it not enough that his Vertuoso should vie perfection and happiness with God himself ; Deus non vincit sapientem felicitate , etiamsi vincit aetate ; non est virtus major quae longior : God doth not excel a wise man in happiness , but only in duration ; nor is Vertue the greater , for being of a long standing , Ep. 73. But he add's elsewhere , est aliquid quo sapiens antecedat Deum , ille enim naturae beneficio non suo sapiens est ; there is something wherein a wise man challengeth the precedence of God , for as much as God is good only through the advantage of his Nature , but the wise man is so , through his own study and endeavour , Epist. 3. Of the same complexion are all the notions of Aristotle with respect to the attainment and acquisition of Vertue , as may be seen at large , lib. 2. Eth. cap. 1 & 2. Yea some flew higher , contending Vertue not only in the principles and Seeds of it to be an appurtenance of our Nature , but to be formally inlay'd into us : Hence that of Cleanthes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; That a wise man is such by Nature and not by institution . To which accords that of Cicero , justos quidem natur● nos esse factos &c. That we are naturally good and upright . In a word , the Original Authors of this Term neither knew nor acknowledged any other Vertue , save that whose alone measure was Reason ; and power of operation , natural strength . He that desires to see more of this may consult Plutarchs Dissertation entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that Vertue is teachable : And Stobeus Serm. 101. Now how suitable soever this Idea of Vertue already assigned be to Humane Nature considered as innocent , yet falling upon it as corrup● , it hath proved of no better use than to keep men off from Christ and the Covenant of Grace , and to lead them to live upon , In potestate habeo justum esse & justum non esse . The common saying of the Pelagians : Dubitari non potest inesse quid●m omni animae naturaliter virtutum semina . Cass. and trust to a Covenant of Works . From these , and no other principles sprung Pelagianism : and the dogmata of the one are nothing but a transcript of the sentiments of the other ; Instances ly at hand , if it were needful to produce them . The Pelagians recta Ratio is all one with the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . In Ipsâ enim naturâ inserta sunt velut semina , quae a●ditu & voluntate exculta fructificant — testimonium creatoris . Comment. in Epist. fathered ( but falsely ) on Ambrose . The virtutum semina are asserted equally by both : See Aug. de grat . Christi . cap. 18. And Jansenius his Augustinus , lib. 4. de heres. Pelag. cap. 7.

After all the claim put in by any to right Reason and Seeds of Vertue , there was not one of them but still discern'd a darkness to have benighted the mind , and a feebleness to have arrested the Soul with respect to all vertuous operations . This Plato called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an evil in nature ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a bad nature ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a natural evil &c. It is true , the source and real cause of this darkness of the Soul , and its proneness to forbidden instances they rightly knew not ; and accordingly they generally imputed it to the Body . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , That the Body was the fountain of the Souls misery ; is a noted saying of Pythagoras's . Plato tells us how that the Soul , by being thrust down into the body suffered a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lost its wings ; both in his Phaed. & in his Timaeus . Hence nothing more common with them , than to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Body the Sepulchre of the Soul . The very Poet hath it ,

Hinc metuunt , cupiuntque , dolent , gaudentque , nec auras

Respiciunt , clausae tenebris & Carcere caeco .