The Marrow of Sacred Divinity - William Ames (1642)

1. OBservance is either Religion, or Iustice.¹⁷⁹

2. This distribution as touching the thing it selfe is made by God in the division of the decalogue, as it is enfolded by Christ. Mat. 22. 37. Also the sence of the same distribution is expressed in other words, Rom. 1. 18. Where all disobedience of man is distributed into impiety and injustice, which could not stand unlesse all obedience also were conversant in Piety and Iustice: which is also more plainly opened. Tit. 2. 12. Where of those thres thinge propounded. Righteousnesse and Piety, doe make the parts of new Obedience, and Temperance notes the manner or meanes of performing the same, namely denying worldly lusts.

3. Unto the same also that distribution of a Christian life tends, which is more frequently used, into holinesse and righteousnesse. Luc. 1. 75. Eph. 2. 24. And the same is the meaning of that distribution which is of love towards God, and love towards our neighbour.

4. Yet we use the names of Religion & Iustice, because Religion is a word most generall, containing all those duties which are owing to God, and it is most emphaticall, because it expresseth that proper and distinct way whereby they are due to God. Acts 26. 5. Iames 1. 26, 27. And often in the Epistle to the Hebrewes.

5. Religion is Observance, whereby we performe those things which doe directly pertaine to the bringing of honour to God. Romans 1. 21. When they knew God, yet they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankefull.

6. Therefore this neme is not amisse by some said to be derived à Religando from binding againe, because in this part of obedience we doe directly and immediatly tend unto God, that we may cleave, and as it were, be tied to him.

7. It hath the first place in observance, 1. Because obedience towards God must necessarily begin, from God himselfe, and from those affections, and acts whereby we are caried towards him. 2 Cor. 8. 5. They gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us by the Will of God. 2. Because Righteousnesse towards men, must be performed by force and vertue of Religion, that it may be true obedience towards God, for it would not be obedience towards God, unlesse it did bring honour to God: neither could it bring honour to God, unlesse it should proceed from a religious affection. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Doe all to the glory of God: whereunto that phrase also belongeth. In the Lord, in the Name of the Lord. Col. 3. 17. And as to the Lord, and not to men. There Verse 23. 3. Because Religion hath command over the acts of Iustice, and is the cause of them not only virtually effecting, but also directing and ordering. Iames 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious among you, not refraining his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this mans religion is vaine. 4. Because religion is in a certaine manner the end of all the acts of Iustice, as far forth as they dispose to the act of religion, as a certaine greater thing.

8. Hence Iustice it selfe is sometime called religion in the Scriptures. There Verse 27. But religious worship, pure, and without spot before God, and the Father is to visite the fatherlesse, &c. Not only because it is a signe which is not separated from true religion, but also because it ought to be exercised by the command of religion, and have its beginning from it.

9. Hence the offices of religion a re the first and chiefest. Mat. 6. 33. & 22. 37. First seeke the kingdome of God. The first and great Commandement.

10. They are the first in order, so that they ought to be taken care for in the first place, There.

11. Hitherto pertaines that phrase, which every where we meete with in the Psalmes, of seeking God early in the morning.

12. Also they are chiefe in dignity, and so chiefly to be cared for. Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother above me, is not worthy of me.

13. Hence the duties of religion ought to be performed with more intent and stirred up forces then the duties of Iustice, for that rule pertaines properly to them, not to these, to love with all the heart, all the soule, and all the thought. Mat. 22. 37.

14. Which yet must not be so understood, as if all the strength were not also required in performing and fulfilling the duties of the second table, but. 1. Because this is principally required in the duty of Religion. 2 Because it is not required in the other dut is in respect of our neighbour, whom they doe immediatly respect; but in respect of God, and by vertue of religion. 3. Because one may love his neighbour with too much intention as touching the very materiall act of loving, although this cannot be done under the respect of vertue and love, but we can no way love God with too much intention.

15. Hence, if some duties of piety and justice cannot be performed together, an equall and prudent comparison being used, the duties of piety are to be preferred. Mat. 12, 46, 47, 48. Luke 2. 49. Behold my mother and my brethren, why did ye seeke me? knew ye not that I must goe about my fathers businesse?

16. But an equall comparison is, when a just proportion is observed of the greatest to the greatest, and of the lesser to the lesse.

17. But because God is more worshipped with the inward affection then with the outward worke, but men doe more need the outward worke: therefore the outward worke of religion may sometime be omitted, that a necessary worke of Iustice, and mercy may be fulfilled. Matthew 12. Verse. 1. 3, 4. 7. 10. 12. I will have mercy and not sacrifice, &c.

18. Neither yet is religion in the meane while by this meanes violated, because religion it selfe doth command to omit an externall worke, that a necessary may be performed.

19. The immediate object of religion unto which it is caried, is God: and that so adequate, that no duty of religion may be referred to any other object without greatest injury to God; hitherto pertaines that title of God whereby he is said to be Zelotes, Zelotypus, zealous or Iealous.

20. But that respect, under which religion doth consider God, is that Divine excellency, which shines forth in his sufficiency and efficiency; it is not some one attribute, but a perfection arising of all his attributes. Ex. 34. 6, 7, 8. Iehova Iehova the strong God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering, & full of loving kindnesse and truth, &c. Therefore all the attributes of God have some power to beget religion in us, & so, in the Scriptures, the speciall respect of it is referred, sometime to mercy, Psal. 130. 4. with thee is pardoning, that thou mayest be reverently worshipped: sometime to Iustice. Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 12. 29. Let us have grace, by which we may so serve God, that we may be accepted of him with reverence and feare. For our God is a consuming fire. And so also to all the other attributes.

21. Hence religion doth immediatly flow from that Faith wherewith we believe in God, as in the sufficient, and efficient cause of life.

22. So is that to be understood which is wont to be said, that religion respects God as the first beginning and supreame Lord of life. And so that distinction of the Papists is too empty whereby they confesse, that those acts of religion which respect God as the first beginning of life, are to be performed only to God, but they contend that other acts of religion may be communicated to the Creatures also, when there is no act of religion which doth not belong to God, as the first beginning of life.

23. The proper act of religionis to bring honor to God, and it is called worship. Exod. 12. 25, 26. and adoration, John 22. 23. For it must containe in a certaine manner good unto God, otherwise it should not be obedience towards him, but there can be no intrinsecal good added to God, but an outward good, which is honor, that is, a testification of the vertue of another to further his glory or estimation, and this is all that which the Creature can performe unto God.

24. Therefore an agreable or worthy estimation of God, and other acts wherby an estimation is manifested, doe make as it were, the next matter of religion. And every humane honest act, as far forth as it may be referred to the honour and glory of God, may be the matter, or matteriall object of religion. Also one and the same act which in respect of subjection to the precept is called obedience, in respect of the honour which it brings to God, is called religion and worship.

25. The proper manner of honour, or religious worship is to subject the soule it selfe, and the inward affections and acts of the will to another.¹⁸⁰

26. For in respect of the soule and inward acts of it, man is not subject directly and Per se to any Creature, although as the soule is knit to the body, and the inward acts to the outward, his, as it were necessary, condition doth command that subjection which is due to the Creature as a superior.

27. This honour is due to God, not only according to the agreement of the thing, in which sence we say, those things are due which we give of liberality; but also according to the right of the person to whom it is given, and that by so strict a right, that in respect of the debt it exceeds all Iustice, although in respect of equality it is much exceeded by Iustice.

28. Therefore all worship which either by its nature or condition, or by Law, and common custome, or by the mind and institution of him that gives it doth give religions honour to another beside the true God, it doth so far forth at least faine to it selfe a new and a false GOD.

29. He that doth not give this religious worship to God is prophane, he that gives it to another besides to the true God is an idolater, Acts 10. Revel. 19. 10. & 22. 8.

30. But because greatest care ought to be had in Divine worship therefore among the Latines the word religion is sometime metaphorically used to set forth any anxious care, even in things that were not sacred. By which appeares that the Heathens themselves by the light of nature did see, that the care of Religion is to bee prefered before all other things.

31. Also because the feare of conscience pertaines to the worship of religion, therefore also every scruple of conscience is wont to be called religion, whence also we may gather, that nature it selfe doth dictate that the conscience of a man doth first and most properly respect religion.

32. The generall state of the Church, as it doth prefesse a right manner of worshipping God, is rightly wont to be called the Christian Religion, because such a relation of a state or profession, ariseih from vertue and the act of Religion.

33. Those things which by a speciall institution are destinated to religious uses as the instruments of religion, are also by reason of their state or fixed relation which they have, called religious.

34. That peculiar manner of living which the Monkes have chosen to themselves to exercise a certaine fained perfection, without any reason, and not without wrong to other Christians, is wont to be called religion by the Papists, and such Monkes religious persons.

35. He that is not religious, is not a Christian.

36. The true religion is onely one.