easily known for what is more obscure then the causes of them but for that we are accustomed frequently to see themâ— those things are therefore most fitly done that a multitude of beleevers being gathered together and propagated by themâ— profitable authority might be coâ—verted into customes themselves An observation S. Augustine in his first book of his Retractations and 14. Chapter alledgeth these words why sayst thou are not these things done now because they would not move unlesse they were wonderfull and if they were common and usuall they were not wonderfull and expounds them thus This I said because not so great nor all miracles are done now but not that none are also now done CHAP. XVII The Coâ—sent of Nations beleeving in Christ ALl customes have such vertue power to winn the love and affection of men that we sooner can condemne and detest even the things that are naught and wicked in them then forsake or change them and this for the most part comes to passe when as our unlawfull appetites and deseres have gotten a dominion and predominancy over us doest not thou think that great care hath been taken about the affaires of mankinde and that they are put into a good state and condition that not only divins most learned men doe argue and contend that nothing that is earthly nothing that is fierie finally nothing that is perceptible by the corporall senses ought to be worshipped â—nd adored for God but that he is to be prayed unto entreated and supplicated only by the understanding or intellectuall power but also that the unskilfull multitude of both sexes doth in so many and so divers nations both beleeve it and publish it that there is continency and forbearance of meates even to the most slender diet of bread and water and fastings not for one day only but also continued for divers dayes togetherâ— that there is chastity even to the contempt of marriage and issue that there is patience even to the contemning of crosses and flames that there is liberality even to the distribution of patrimonies to the poore and finally so great a disesteeme and contempt of all things that are in this world that even death it self is wished and desired Few there are that do these things fewer that doe them well and prudently yet the people doe approve them hearken unto them and like them yea they love and affect them and not without some progresse of their mindes towards God and certain sparks of piety and vertue they blame and reprehend their owne weakenesse and imbecillity that they cannot doe these things This the divine Providence hath brought to passe by the predictions of the Prophets by the humanity and doctrin of Christ by the voyages of the Apostles by the contumelies crosses bloud and death of Martyrs by the laudable and excellent lives of Saints and by miracles done at convenient times in all these things worthy of so great matters and vertues When as therefore we see so great help and affiâ—tance from God and so great fruit and entrease thereby shall we make any doubt or question at all of retyring into the besome of that Church which even to the confession and acknowledgement of mankinde from the Sea Apostolike by succession of Bishopsâ— hath obtained the soveâ—eignty and principall authority heretiks in vain barking round about it and being condemned partly by the judgement of the people themselves partly by the gravity of Councels partly also by the majesty and splendour of miracles Unto which not to graunt the chiefe place and preheminence is either indeede an extreme impiety or a very rash and a dangerous arrogancy for if there be no certain way for the minds of men to wisdome and salvation but when faith prepareth and disposeth them to reason what is it else to be ungraetfull unto the divine Majesty for his aide and assistance but to have a will to resist an authority which was gained and purchased with such labour and paines And if â—very art and trade though but base and easy requires a teacher or master that it may be learned and understood what greater expression can there be of rash arrogancy and pride then both to have no minde to learne the books of the divine mysteries from their interpreters and yet to have a minde to condemne the unknown CHAP. XVIII The Conclusion by way of exhortation VVHerefore if either reason or our discourse hath any wayes moved thee and if thou hast a true care of thy self as I beleeve thou hast I would have thee to hearken and give eare unto me and with a pious faith a cheerefull hope and â—incere charity to addresse thy self to good Masters of Catholick Christianity and to pray unto God without ceasing and intermission by whose only goodnesse we were made and created by whose justice we are punished and chastized and by whose clemency we are freed and redeemd by which means thou shalt neither want the instructions and disputations of most learned men and those that are truly Christian nor books nor cleare and quiet thoughts whereby thou mayst easily find that which thou seekest And as for those verball and wretched men for how can I speakâ— more mildly of them forsake them altogether who found out nothing but mischiefe and evill whilst they seek to much for the ground thereof In which question they stirre up oftentimes their hearers to enquire and search but they teach them those things when they are stirred up that it were better for them alwayes to sleep then to watch and take great pains after that manner for they drive them out of a lethargy or drowsy evill and make them frantike between which discases whereas both are most commonly mortall yet neverthelesse there is this difference that those that are sicke of a lâ—thargy doe die without troubling or molesting others but the frautike man is dreadfull and terrible unto many and unto those especially that seek to assist him For neither is God the author of evill nor hath it ever repented him to have made any thing nor is he troubled with a storme of any commotion or stirring of the minde nor is a particle or piece of earth his kingdome he neither approves nor commands any heinous crimes or offences he never lies For these and such like things did move and trouble us when they did strongly oppose them and inveigh against them and fained this to be the doctrine of the old Testament which is a most absolute falshood and untruth Wherefore I graunt that they doe rightly blame and reprehend those things What then have I learned what thinkest thou but that when they reprove those things the Catholike doctrine is not reprehended so that the truth which I learned amongst them I hold and reteyne and that which I conceived to be false and untrue I refuse and reject but the Catholick Church hath also taught me many other things whereunto those men being pale and without bloud in their bodies both grosse and heavy in their understandings cannot aspire namely that God hath no body that no part of him can be perceived by corporall eyes that nothing of his substance and his nature is any wayes violable or changeable or compounded or framed which things if thou grauntest me to be true as wâ—e ought not to frame any other conceit of the divine Majesty all their subtle devises and shifts are subverted and overthrown But how it can be that God hath neither caused nor done any evill and that â—here neither is nor ever hath been any nature and substance which he hath not either produced or made and yet that he frees and delivers us from evill is a thing approved upon so necessarie reasons and grounds that no doubt at all can be made thereof especially by thee and such as thou art if so be that to their good wits they joyne piety and a certaine peace and tranquillity of a minde without which nothing at all of so great matters can be conceived and understood and here is no report of great and large promises made to no purpose and of I know not what Persian fable a tale more fit to be told to Children then to ingeniâ—us and witty men and as for truth it is a farre other thing then the Manichees do foolishly imagine and conceive but because I have made a farre longer discourse then I thought to have done let me here end this booke wherein I would have thee to remember that I have not yet begun to refute the Manichees and impugne those toyes nor to have expounded any great matter of the Catholick doctrine but that my only intent was to have rooted out of thee if I could the false opinion of true Christians which hath been malitiously or unskilfully inâ—inuated unto us and to stirre thee up to the learning of certaine great and divine things Wherefore I will put a period to this worke and if it makes thy mind more quiet and contented I shall peradventure be more ready to serve thee in other things FINIS
delighted for I beseech thee call it to remembrance but with a certain great presumption and promise of reasons But because for a long time they made many large and vehement discourses touching the errours of unâ—kâ—â—full men which every one that is but meanly learned can easily do it was late before I came to the knowledge thereof And if they delivered any thing unto us out of their own men we thought there was a necessity to receive and embrace it when as other things up on which we might rely occurred not wherein they dealt with us as deceitfull Fowlers are wont to do who prick down limetwigs by a waters side to the end they may deceive the thirsty Birds for they stop up and by some means or other they cover the other waters that are thereabouts or they drive the birds from thence with frights and fears that not by their own free choise and election but meerly for necessity and want of water they may fall into their snares But why do I not return this answer to my self that such neat and pretty similitudes as these and such like reprehensions may be both most civilly and most snappishly objected by any enemy or adversary whatsoever against all those that deliver any thing by teaching or instruction But yet for this cause I thought it necessary to insert some such thing into these my writings that I may warn and admonish them thereby to leave off all such manner of proceedings to the end that as a certain man said the toyes of common places being set aside one thing may contend and strive with another one cause with another one reason with another wherefore let them forbear to say what they hold in a manner necessary to be spoken when any one forsakes them that hath long been their hearer The light is passed through him For thou my greatest care for I am not too solicitous for them seest how vain a thing this is and how easie a matter it is for any one to blame and reprehend it this therefore I leave to thy wisdome to be discussed For I am not afraid leâ—t thou shouldest think that I was deprived of light when I was entangled with a worldly life and had a remote and obscure hope of a beautifull wife of the pomp of riches of the vanity of honours and of other hurtfull and pernicious pleasures for I ceased not to desire and hope for all these things as thou knowest right well when I was their follower and heard them attentively not do I attribute this to their doctrineâ— for I confesse they diligently warned and admonished me to beware of these things but to say that I am now destiâ—ute of light when as I have alâ—enated and withdrawn my self from all these shadows and â—emblances of things and have resolved to content my self with such food onely as may seem necessary to the health of my body and that I was enlightned and shining before when I was addicted unto those things and was intangled with them is the part of a man to speak in the mildest manner who lesse conâ—iderately ponders the things of which he much desires to talk and discourse But if you please let us come to the matter CHAP. II. That the Manichees do condemn the old Testament THou art not ignorant how the Manichees reprehending the Catholick Faith and especially renting and tearing in pieces the old Testament do move and disturb the unskilfull people who truly know not how those things are to be understood and how being taken they may profitably descend and be conveyed into the veins and marrow of tender souls And because there occurre certain things in those books which may give some offence to those that are ignorant and carelesse of themselves as the greatest part of the common people is they may be plausibly reprehended and blamed but cannot be plausibly defended by many by reason of the mysteries which are contained therein and those few that can do it affect not publick and open conflicts whereby to divulge their fame and renown and for this cause they are not known at all but unto those onely who with much care and diligence do seek and enquire after them wherefore touching this rashnesse of the Manichees in reprehending the Old Testament and the Catholick Faith hear I beseech thee the things which move and trouble me the which I desire and hope that thou wilt receive with such an hearty mind and good will as by me they are delivered and spoken for God unto whom the secrets of my conscience lie open and are manifest knows that I deal not malitiously in this speech but as I conceive it ought to be understood in proof of the truth unto which long since I have addicted my self and that with an incredible care and solicitude lest I should erre and go astray with you which I may easily do when as to hold the same course with youâ— and yet to embrace and keep the right way it is a matter not to speak too harshly of extream difficultie But I presume that even in this hope which I have of your attaining together with me unto the way of wisdome he unto whom I have consecrated my self will not leave nor forsake me when dayes and nights I endeavour to behold and for that I perceive my self to be weak and infirm by reason that the eye of my soul is for my sinnes and the custome thereof wounded with the stripes of inveterate opinions I beg it oftentimes with weeping and tears and as it happeneth unto mens eyes which after the sufferance of a long blindnesse and dâ—rknesse are hardly open they have a great desire to see light and yet by their twinckling and turning away they refuse to behold it especially if any one should endeavour to expose them to the light of the Sun so it falls out with me at the preâ—ent for I acknowledge that there is a certain unspeakable and singular good of the soul which may be seen and contemplated with the mind but I confesse with tears in mine eyes and sighs from my heart that I am not yet fit nor able to behold it wherefore the Divine goodnesse will not forsake me if I fain nothing if I speak according to my duty if I love the truth if I affect friendship and if I take a great care that thou mayest not be deceived CHAP. III. Of the four wayes of expounding the Old Testament THose that earnestly desire to know the Old Testament are to understand that it is taught and expounded after four manner of wayes according to the History according to the Etiologie according to the Analogy and according to the Allegory Think me not foolish for using Greek names First for that I have so received and I dare not deliver this otherwise unto thee then as I have received Next thou also observest that we have no usuall names for these things and if I had framed any by-interpretation I should be lesse apt to
be understood and if I should use any circumlocution I should be lesse quick and lesse ready in discoursing this onely I intreat and beseech thee to believe that howsoever I may erre I do it not out of any arrogancy or pride The Scripture is treated according to the history when it is declared therein what is written or what is done and what is not done but written onely as it were done According to the Etiology when it is shewed thereby for what cause any thing is either done or said According to the Analogy when it is demonstrated that the two Testaments the Old and the New are not contrary the one unto the other According to the Allegory when it is read therein that certain things that are written ought not to be understood according to the letter but according to the figure All these manner of wayes of alledging Scripture have been used by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Apostles He cited Scripture according to the History when unto those that objected that his Disciples had plucked the ears of Corn upon the Sabbath day he answered Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred and they that were with him how he entred into the house of God and did eat the loaves of Proposition or Shew-bread which it was not lawfull for him to eat neither for them that were with him but for Priests onely Mat. 12. 1 3 4. 1 Sam. 21. 6. Exod. 29. 32. He alledged Scripture according to the Etiology when having forbidden the dismissing of wives for any cause but onely fornication unto the Pharisees who told him that Moses had given men leave to dismisse them having first given them a bill of divorce he said This Moses did for the hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 24. 1. Mat. 19. 8. for here a cause was rendred why that was well permitted by Moses for a time to the end that this which Christ commanded might seem to shew and demonstrate other times but to declare how the divine Providence hath with a certain wonderfull disposition ordered and composed the courses and order of these times it is a long work Now touching the Analogy whereby appears the accord and consent of both the Testaments what shall I say but that all those have used it unto whose authority the Manichees do give place when as they may consider with themselves how many things they are wont to say are thrust into the divine Scripture by I know not what coâ—rupters of the truth which I alwayes thought to be an extream weak speech even when I heard and followed them neither was this my opinion onely but thine also for I well remember it and it was the opinion of us all who endeavoured to be somewhat more carefull and wary in judging thâ—n was the common people and multitude of believers And whereas they have expounded and declared unto me many things that did much move and trouble mâ— namely those wherein they boasted and bragged oftentimes and thâ—t more abundantly because more securely as not having any adversary to resist and oppose them I think they have spoken nothing more impudently or to speak more mildly with lesse circumspection and more weaknesse then that the divine Scriptures are falsified and corrupted when as it ought but lately to have been done and yet they cannot convince it to be â—o by any copies that are now extant for if they did say that they did not think that they ought to receive those Scriptures at all because they are written by such Authours as they did not conceive to have written the truth their pretence of rejecting them would in some sort be more hidden and their errour more humane and pardonable for upon this ground they have rejected the book which is called the Acts of the Apostles at which their proceedings when I well weigh it and consider it with my self I cannot sufficiently wonder and admire for they wanted not onely humane wisdome herein but even a reasonable and an indifferent judgement for that book hath so many things which are like unto those which they do receiveâ— that it seems to me to be a great folly not to receive this also and if any thing displeasâ—th them therein presently to say it is false and put in now if they judge such a speech to be impudent as indeed it is why should they conceive those things to deserve any credit and estâ—em in S. Paul's Epistles and the four books of the Gospell wherein I know not whether or no proportionably speaking there be many more things then there could be in that book which they would have men believe to have been thrust in by falsifiers and corrupters But this indeed is my opinion which I request thee to weigh and consider with me with a very clear and peaceable judgement for thou art not ignorant how the Manichees endeavouring to bring in the the person of their authour Manicheus into the number of the Apostles do say that by him we have received the Holy Ghost whom our Lord promised to send to his Disciples if therefore they should receive those Acts of the Apostles wherein the comming of the Holy Ghost is evidently declared and set downâ—Act 2. 2. they could find no ground to say why that was inserted and put in for they pretend I know not what corrupters of the divine books to have been before Manicheus his time and that they were corrupted by those that desired to confound the law of the Jews with the Gospel of Christ but this they cannot say of the Holy Ghost unlesse perad venture they will affirm that the corrupters could foretell things that were to come and thereupon did put into their books that which might be produced against one Manicheus who sometimes was to come and who should say and averre that he had sent the Holy Ghost but of the Holy Ghost we intend to speak more plainly hereaâ—ter but now let us return to our former matter for I think that I have sufficiently demonstrated and shewn that the historicall sense is to be found in the Old Testament and the Etiologicall and Analogicall in the New it remains that I shew also the Allegoricall therein Our Redeemer himself alledgeth in the Gospel an Allegory out of the Old Testament saying This generation seeketh after a sign and none shall be given unto it but the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three dâ—yes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nâ—ghts in the heart of the earth Mat. 12. 39 40. Jonas 1. 17. And what shall I say of the Apostle Paul who also in his 1 Ep. to the Coâ—inthians c. 10. to the 12. v. signifies that the â—â—story it self of Exodus was an Allegory of the Christian people that was to come Moreover Brethren I would not saith he that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud Exod. 13. 21. Num.
â—o by the Authour that wrote it The second kind not being of so large an extent yet no lesse damageable and hurtfull then the former is when that which is false is thought to be trueâ— and was thought to be so by the Authour that wrote it The third kind is when some truth is learned out of another mans writing which the Authour himself that wroâ—e it understood not in which kind there is no small profit yea if thou dost consider it attentively thou shalt find that the Reader gains unto himself the whole profit of the reading An example of the first kind is this If any one should say and believe that Rhadamanthus heareth and judgeth in hell the causes of the dead because he read it in Virgils verses for this man erres two manner of wayes first for that he believeth that which he ought not to believe and secondly for that the Authour which he read is not thought to have believed it An example of the second kind may be thisâ— because Lucretius writesâ— that the soul is made of atomes and that after deaâ—h it is dissolved into the same atomes and perisheth if any one should think that this is true and that he ought to believe it for this man is not lesse unhappy for perswading himself certainly in so great a â—atter that to be true which indeed is false for that Lucretius by whoâ—e books he was deceived was of that opinion for what doth it avail him to be certain of the Authours opinion when as he hath made choise of such an authour not by whom but with whom he might erre and be deceived An example of the third kind is this if any one having read some place in Epicurus his works wherein he praiseth continency should affirm That he placed the chieâ—eâ—t good and felicity in Virtue and that therefore he ought not to be blamed nor reprehended now though Epicurus believes that the chiefest happinesse of man consists in corporall pleasures yet what prejudice doth this man receive and sustain by his errour when as he holds not so filthy and hurtfull an opinion nor for any other cause is he pleased with Epicurus but for that he conceives him not to have held so bad an opinion as ought not indeed to have been hâ—ld and maintained this errour is not onely humane and pardonable but also oftentimes most worthy of a man for what if a man should make me this relation touching one of my loving friendâ— that my friend when he was come to mans estate told him in the hearing of many that his infancy and childhood had been so pleaâ—ing and delightfull unto him that even he swore he would lead such a lâ—fe afterwards and that I had received such certain proofs of the truth of this matter that I could not without shame and impudency deny it should I seen worthy of blame and reproof if I should think that when he said this he meant and intended to signifie thereby that he took much delight in an innocent life and a mind alienated from those appetites and desires wherewith mankind is wont to be involved and thereupon my love and affection towards him should be much increased although perhaps the young man having been foolish in his tender age had greatly affected a certain lâ—berty in playing and eating and sluggish rest for suppose he had died after I had received this relation touching him and no body could be found that could tell me what his judgement and opinion was herein would any one be so mischievous and wicked as to fall out and be angry with me for praising his resolution and intention according to the intelligence which had been delivered and imparted unto me Yea what if a just valuer and esteemer of things should perhaps make no difficulty to praise and commend my good will and opinion for that I was taken and delighted with innocency and being a man would rather frame a good conceit of another man in a doubtfull matter even when he spake otherwise then he ought to have done CHAP. V Of the truth of the Holy Scripture NOw thou hast heard the three kinds of errour into which men may fall that reade any thing hear also so many conditions and differences of the same Scriptures for it is necessary that so many do occurre for either some one hath written a profitable work and another doth not rightly and profitably understand it or the writer and the reader have both bestowed their labours unprofitably or the reader doth well and rightly understand but the Authours work is uselesse and unprofitable Of these three kinds the first I dâ—â—allow not the last I esteem not for â—hether can I blame an Authour whose work is not well and rightly understood if he be no way guilty of that fault nor can I be troubled to see an Authour read that hath not known the truth when I see that his readers do receive no hurt nor prejudice thereby wherefoâ—e there is one kind that is most approved and is most purged and cleansed from errour which is when not onely good works are set forth but are also well and rightly understood by their readers yet notwithstanding that also is divided into two kinds and it is not wholly free from errour for it happeneth oftentimes that the writer hath a good meaningâ— and the reader hath so too but another then he and oftentimes a better conceit oftentimes a lower and yet one that is commodious and profitable but when as we attain to the true sense and meaning of the Authour which we reade and the work much conduceth to the leading of a good life the truth appears abundantly therein and there is no gap nor passage that lies open to falshood and deceit This kind is very seldome to be found when the discourse is about things that are extremely hard and obscure neither in my opinion can it be clearly and manifestly knownâ— but onely be believed for by what proofs or arguments can I so perfectly gather what the will of a man is that is absent or deadâ— that I can swear and take my oath what it is when as if he were asked even being present there might be many things which he might most officiously conceal and hide although he werâ— not a wicked man but to know the quality of the Authour I think it noâ—hing avails to the knowledge of the matter yet neverthelesse he highly deserves to be reputed and esteemed to be a good man who by his books and writings affords great assistance unto mankind and to posterity Now I would have the Manichees to tell me in which kind they place the errour which they conceive of the Catholick Church If in the first it is a grievous fault indeed but we need not seek farre to know how to defend it for it is sufficient to deny that we understand it as they conceive when they inveigh against it If in the second it is no lesse â—grievous but the same