The Marrow of Sacred Divinity - William Ames (1642)

1. FRom these vertues of Religiō towards God, Faith, Hope, and Charity, there ariseth a double act of Religion which respects that spirituall communion which is exercised betweene God and us: Hearing of the word, and Prayer.

2. The reason or foundation of this distribution is in this, that we doe affect God with religious worship, when we yeild him due honour, whether this be by receiving that which he him selfe propounds to us, or by offering that which may be received by him according to his perfection; for in both respects we doe that which is immediatly, and directly honorable to God.

3. The first act of Religion therefore is about those things which are communicated to us from God: and the other is about those things which are yeilded to God from us.

4. Hearing the word is a religious receiving of the will of God.

5. Therefore hearing is here taken for any receiving of the words of God, whether they be communicated to us by preaching, or by reading, or any other way, because God is wont to worke in a singular manner, and by his own institution in the preaching and hearing of the Word.

6. Therefore this word ought not to be taken so strictly, that it should either chiefly, or necessarily include alwayes the outward sence of hearing: but that it may note any percieving of the will of God, and chiefly set forth an inward receiving and subjection.

7. The receiving of the Word consists of two parts, Attention of mind, and intention of will.

8. Attention is an applying of the understanding to perceive the revealed will of God. Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she might attend to the things which were spoken by Paul. It is often called in the Scripture especially in the Old Testament, A seeking of the will of God, or of God himselfe, to set forth that great desire wherewith we should be carried to know Gods Will, as to the finding out of some thing which we can by no meanes want. Esay 58. 2. Yet they seeke me dayly, and delight to know my wayes; as a Nation which doth righteousnesse and doth not forsake the judgement of their God, they inquire of me the ordinances of Iustice, they delight in approching to God.

9. In this attention there needeth that providence whereby we may discerne, what that is that God willeth. Rom. 12. 2. That yee may prove what is that good, pleasing, and perfect Will of God: which when it is perceived, we must not deliberate further, whether it be good, or to be observed or no: for the will of God itselfe is the last bound of all religious inquiry. Gal. 1. 15. 16. When it pleased GOD to reveale his Sonne in mee, I did not consult with flesh and blood.

10. Intention is an applying of our will to a religious observance of the will of God already perceived. Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn and will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous judgement.

11. The purpose of the intention ought to be so strong and firme, that without all exception we be ready to observe whatsoever God will command. Ier. 42. 5, 6. The Lord be a true and faithfull witnesse betweene us, if we doe not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us: whether it be good, or whether it be evill, we will obey the voyce of the Lord our God.

12. In respect of this intention the Law of God it selfe is said to be in the heart of a believer. Psal. 40. 9. & 119. 11. Ier. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10.

13. This hearing that it may be right, ought to be from religious observance, bringing subjection of the inward acts, and inclinations of the mind. Romans 6. 17. From the heart yee obeyed that forme of doctrine to which yee were delivered.

14. But that it may be truly religious, It is requisite, first that it arise from Faith, whereby we believe that to be the word of truth which God reveales unto us, and also are accordingly affected toward it. Hebr. 4. 2. The word being heard did not profit them, not being mingled with Faith in them that heard it. Luc. 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne in us whilest he spake to us?

15. By this Faith we cleave to the word. Psa. 119. 31. And the word it selfe cleaves unto, and is ingrafted in us, unto salvation, Iames 1. 21. That ingrafted word.

16. Secondly the same hearing must flow from that hope, whereby we doe embrace that which God hath promised as the word of life, also expecting life by it▪ Deut. 32. 47. John 5. 39. It is your life, yee looke in them to finde eternall life.

17. By this hope it comes to passe that the faithfull bring forth fruit with patience. Luc. 8. 15.

18. In like manner it must have love joyned with it, whereby we cleave to the same word, or to God revealing himselfe to us in that word as simply good. Psa. 119. 97. How doe I love thy Law. 1 Thess. 2. 10. They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

19. In respect of this love the Word of God doth dwell plentifully in the faithfull, Colossians 3. 16. So as they are also transformed into the forme and fashion of it, Romans 6. 17.

20. Such an Hearing of the Word of God is the true, and proper worship of God. 1. Because it doth immediatly and directly bring spirituall honour to God, for although the act of hearing is most properly directed to our receiving of the Will of God, yet because in the manner of receiving we doe subject our consciences to God, therefore we give him that honour of power, and Divine truth in the aknowledgement whereof his religous worship is exercised. 2. Because it containeth a direct, and immediate, exercise of Faith, Hope, and Love, in which the worship of God doth most essentially consist.

21. Hence no word or sentence of men, ought to be mingled with the word of God, and propounded in the same manner with it, least by this meanes we doe in some sort worship men instead of God.

22. Unto this hearing that pride is most formally opposed whereby one doth so affect his owne excellency, that he will not be subject to the Will of God. For although this pride is contrary to humility of religion, and obedience, or obedience in generall, yet it seemeth to be most properly opposite to them in this act of religion: because a proud man, as he is such, is so far from subjecting himselfe to the will of another; as to a Law, that he would have his own will in stead of a Law. Ierem. 13. 15. Heare and give eare: be not proud; for the Lord hath spoken. Ier. 5. 5. They have broken the yoke, they have burst the bonds.

23. The proper act as it were of this pride is that contempt whereby one doth set at naught either God or the Will of God and observance of it, 2. Sam. 12. 9. Why hast thou despised the Word of the Lord, in doing that which is evill in his Eyes.

24. Hence pride is said to be the cause of all other sins, for a double reason. 1. Because all other sinnes are referred in a certaine manner to that excellency which is seene in pride as to an end. 2. Because pride casteth away from it selfe in contempt the government of the word, by the power whereof alone sin is avoyded.

25. Hence there is in every sin found some respect of pride, but especially in those which are committed upon deliberate counsell.

26. Hence also all consultation with the world; flesh or wisdome of the flesh in those things which pertaine to religion, is opposed to the hearing of the Word. Romans 8. 7. Gal. 1. 16.

27. For as by pride men doe altogether reufse to subject themselves to the will of God: So by these consultations of those things which are not after God, they doe seeke to themselves as it were other Gods, to whom they may be subject.

28. The most accursed opposition to hearing of the word of God is in consulting with the Devills. Esay 8. 19. Deut. 18. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Where a certaine religious Faith, and Hope due to God only is transferred either explicitly or implicitly to the enemies of God.

29. Hence it is that Faith¹⁹⁰ is wont chiefly to be required in such consultations by those who are the masters of such Arts.

30. By vertue of this Faith there is a certaine covenant entred into with the Devill, with some religion; if not openly and eypressively, at least secretly and implyedly.

31. But although one have not a direct intentation to aske counsell of the Devill, yet if he doe that which either of its owne nature, or by use and application which it hath doth infer a compellation of the Devill to receive his helpe or counsell, he is made partaker of the same sin.

32. Therefore all arts brought in by instinct¹⁹¹ of the Devill, for the knowing of secrets are in this respect to bee condemned.

33. All divination therefore which is neither grounded upon certaine revelation of God, not the course of nature ordained by God in things created, is to be condemned.

34. All applying of things or words either to predictions, or those operations to which they have no disposition, either by their nature, or Gods Ordinance, is to be condemned.

35. As the helpe of the Devill is sought by such like courses, they doe containe in themselves a certaine invocation of him, and so are opposed to calling upon God: but as certaine revelation is expected, or a submission of mind used to the receiving and executing his commands, so they are opposed to the hearing of the word of God.

36. This communion therefore with the Devill is not only in this respect unlawfull, because it is joyned with fraud and seducing, but also because of its own nature it is contrary to true religion.

37. For we have not civill communion or fellowship with the Devill: religious communion we cannot have, no not as some of old had with the good Angels, who are ministring spirits, for our good sent of God for that purpose.

38. Whatsoever therefore we doe with the Devill besides those things which pertaine to the resisting of him as the enemy of our soules, it makes to the violating of true religion, and is a certaine perverse religion.

39. If he seeme sometime to be subject to the command of men, by vertue of certaine inchantements, it is only a shew of subjection, that by that meanes he may more easily rule over men: therefore he doth not hinder, but only colour that religious subjection which men performe to him in that communion.

40. All those doe in part communicate with such sins, who by words, figures, & such like things of no sufficient vertue, doe desire to cure diseases in others, or suffer such things in themselves or others for that end.

41. Sympathies, and Antipathies,¹⁹² and specificall vertues which are found in some things are hereby differenced from such inchantements, in that the common experience of all men, doth acknowledge these: there is some Faith required in those; but in these none.

42. A strong imagination doth peradventure concurre in many to make these meanes effectuall; but that also doth often arise from a certaine religious Faith: neither can it effect any thing in parents for children, or in men for Cattell, without a certaine diabolicall operation accompanying it.

43. They that are most given to the hearing of the word, as they doe least of all care for such acts, so they doe receive the least fruit by them.