women laden with iniquity were the cheif Ring-leaders in the errours of the Monnaâ—ists and as it is commonly said Bellum inchoant inertes fortes finiunt Weaklings are able to begin a quarrel but the prosecution and finishing is a work for stronger men so hath it fared here For that quarrel which these poor souls had raised Tertullian a man of great Wit and Learning is drawn to undertake so that for a Barnabas to be drawn away to errour there needs not always the example and authority of a Peter A third reason is the marvellous violence of the weaker sort in maintaining their conceits if once they begin to be Opinionative For one thing there is that wonderfully prevails against the reclaiming of them and that is The natural jealousie they have of all that is said unto them by men of better wits stand it with reason never so good if it sound not as they would have it A jealousie founded in the sense of their weakness arising out of this that they suspect all to be done for no other end but to circumvent and abuse them And therefore when they see themselves to be too weak in reasoning they easily turn them to violence The Monks of Egypt otherwise devout and religious men anciently were for the most part unlearned and generally given over to the errour of the Anthropomorphitae who held that God had hands and feet and all the parts that a man hath and was in outward shape and proportion like to one of us Theophilus a learned Bishop of Alexandria having fallen into their hands was so roughly used by them that ere he could get out of their fingers he was fain to use his wits and to crave aid of his Equivocating Sophistry and soothly to tell them I have seen your face as the face of God Now when Christian and Religious doubts must thus be managed with wilfulness and violence what mischeif may come of it is already so plain that it needs not my finger to point it out Wherefore let every such Weak person say unto himself as St. Austin doth Tu ratiocinare ego mirer disputa tu ego credam Let others reason I will marvel let others dispute I will beleive As for the man strong in passion or rather weak for the strength of passion is the weakness of the passionate great reason hath the Church to except against him For first of all from him it comes that our Books are so stuft with contumelious meladiction no Heathen Writers having left the like example of choller and gross impatience An hard thing I know it is to write without affection and passion in those things which we love and therefore it is free so to do to those who are Lords over themselves It seems our Saviour gave some way to it himself For somewhat certainly his Kinsmen saw in his behaviourâ— when as St. Mark reports they went forth to lay hold upon him thinking he was beside himself But for those who have not the command of themselves better it were they laid it by St. Chrysostom excellently observeth that the Prophets of God and Satan were by this notoriously differenced that they which gave Oracles by motion from the Devil did it with much impatience and confusion with a kind of fury and madness but they which gave Oracles from God by Divine Inspiration gave them with all mildness and temper If it be the cause of God which we handle in our writings then let us handle it like the Prophets of God with quietness and moderation and not in the violence of passion as if we were possess'd rather then inspir'd Again what equity or indifferencey can we look for in the carriage of that cause that falls into the handling of these men Quis conferre duces meminit qui pendere causas Qua stetit inde â—avet What man overtaken with passion remembers impartially to compare cause with cause and right with right Qua stetit inde â—avet on what cause he happens that is he resolute to maintain ut gladiator in arenam as a Fencer to the Stage so comes he to write not upon conscience of quarrel but because he proposes to contend yea so potently hath this humour prevail'd with men that have undertaken to maintain a faction that it hath broken oâ—t to the tempting of God and the dishonour of Martyrdom Two Friers in Florence in the action of Savonoralla voluntarily in the open view of the City offer'd to enter the fire so to put an end to the controversie that he might be judged to have the right who like one of the three children in Babylon should pass untouch'd through the fire But I hasten to visit one weak person more and so an end He whom we now are to visit is a man Weak through Heretical and erring Faith now whether or no we have any Receit for him it may be doubtful For St. Paul advises us to avoid the man that is a maker of Sects knowing him to be Damned Yet if as we spake of not admitting to us the notorious sinner no not to eat so we teach of this that it is delivered respectively to the weaker sort as justly for the same reasons we may do we shall have a Recipe here for the man that errs in Faith and rejoyceth in making of Sects which we shall the better do if we can but gently draw him on to a moderation to think of his conceits onely as of opinions for it is not the variety of opinions but our own perverse wills who think it meet that all should be conceited as our selves are which hath so inconvenienced the Church were we not so ready to Anathematize each other where we concur not in opinion we might in hearts be united though in our tongues we were divided and that with singular profit to all sides It is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and not Identity of conceit which the Holy Ghost requires at the hands of Christians I will give you one instance in which at this day our Churches are at variance The will of God and his manner of proceeding in Predestination is undiscernable and shall so remain until that day wherein all knowledge shall be made perfect yet some there are who with probability of Scripture teach that the true cause of the final miscarriage of them that perish is that original corruption that befell them at the beginning increased through the neglect or refusal of grace offered Others with no less favourable countenance of Scripture make the cause of Reprobation onely the will of God determining freely of his own work as himself pleases without respect to any second cause whatsoever Were we not ambitiously minded familiam ducere every one to be Lord of a Sect each of these Tenets might be profitably taught and heard and matter of singular exhortation drawn from either for on the one part doubtless it is a pious and religious intent to endeavour to free God
thus far spoken of his Admission let us now a little consider of his Restraint and see whether he may have any part in hearing and handling Religious Controversies where plainly to speak my mind as his admission before was so his exclusion here is much more necessary the way to these Schools should be open to none but to men of upright life and conversation and that as well in regard of the profane and wicked men themselves as of the Cause which they presume to handle for as for themselves this is but the Field wherein they sowe and reap their own infamy and disgrace Our own experience tells us how hard a thing it is for men of behaviour known to be spotless to avoid the lash of those mens tongues who make it their cheif fence to disgrace the persons when they cannot touch the cause For what else are the Writings of many men but mutual Pasquils and Satyrs against each others lives wherein digladiating like Eschines and Demosthenes they reciprocally lay open each others filthiness to the view and scorn of the world The fear therefore of being stained and publickly disgraced might be reason enough to keep them back from entring these contentions And as for the cause it self into which this kind of men do put themselves needs must it go but ill with it for is it possible that those respects which sway and govern their ordinary actions should have no influence upon their pens It cannot be that they who speak and plot and act wickedness should ever write uprightly Nam ut in vita ita in causis quoque spes improbas habent Doubtless as in their lives so in the causes they undertake they nourish hopes full of improbity Besides all this the opinion of the common sort is not to be contemned whom no kind of reason so much abuses and carries away as when the discredit of the person is retorted on the cause which thing our adversaries here at home amongst us know very well a master-piece of whose policy it is to put into the hands of the people such Pamphlets which hurt not our cause at all but onely discredit our persons St. Chrysostom observes out of the ancient Customes of the Olympick Games that whensoever any man offered himself to contend in them he was not to be admitted till publick Proclamation had been made throughout the multitude to this purpose Whether any man knew him to be either a Servant or a Thief or otherwise of infamous life And if any imputation in this kind were proved against him it was sufficient to keep him back Had the Heathen this care that their vanities should not be discredited how great then must our care be that they which enter into these Exercises be of pure and upright condition Let mens skill and judgment therefore be never so good yet if their lives be notoriously subject to exception let them know that there is no place for them in these Olympicks Men indeed in civil business have found out a distinction between an Honest man and a good Common-wealths-man And therefore Fabricius in the Roman Story is much commended for nominating to the Consulship Ruffinus a wicked man and his utter enemy because he knew him to be serviceable to the Common-wealth for those Wars which were then depending But in the business of the Lord and Common-wealth of God we can admit of no such distinction For God himself in the Book of Psalms staves them off with a Quid tuae ut euarres mea c. What hast thou to do to take my words into thy mouth since thou hatest to be reformed The world for the managing of her matters may employ such as her self hath fitted But let every one who names the name of God depart from iniquity For these reasons therefore it is very expedient that none but right good men should undertake the Lords quarrels the rather because there is some truth in that which Quintilian spake Cogitare optima simul deterrima non magis est unius animi quam ejusdem hominis bonum esse ac malum As impossible it is that good and bad thoughts should harbour in the same heart as it is for the same man to be joyntly good and bad And so from the consideration of this sick person let us proceed to visit the next The weak persons I have hitherto treated of are the fewest as consisting in a kind of extreme For the greatest sort of men are in a mediocrity of men eminently Good or extremely ill the number is smallest but this rank of sick persons that now we are to view is an whole army and may be every one of us if we do well examine our selves shall find our selves in it For the weak whom we now are to speak of is he that hath not that degree and perfection of faith and strength of spiritual constitution that he ought to have Wherefore our Recipe here must be like the Tree of Life in the Book of the Revelation it must be Medicine to heal whole Nations For who is he amongst men that can free himself from this weakness Yea we our selves that are set over others for their cure may speak of our selves and our Charge as Iolaus in Euripides doth of himself and Hercules children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We take care of these our selves standing in need of others care for us Hippocrates counsels his Physician to look especially that himself be healthy to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fair of colour and full of flesh For otherwise saith he how can he give comfort and hope of success to a sick patient who by his ill colour and meagreness bewrays some imperfection of his own But what Physician of Soul and Manners is capable of this counsel or who is it that taking the cure of others dâ—th not in most of his actions bewray his own disease Even thus hath it pleased God to tie us together with a mutual sense of each others weakness and as our selves receive and bear with others so for our selves interchangeably must we request the same courtesie at others hands Notwithstanding as it is with the health of our bodies no man at any time is perfectly well onely he goes for an healthy man who is least sick so fares it with our souls God hath included all under the name of Weak some perad venture are less weak then others but no man is strong Infaelicissimum Consolationis genus est de miseriis hominum peccatorum capere solatia It is but a miserable comfort to judge our own perfections onely by others defects yet this is all the comfort we have Let us leave therefore those who by reason of being less crazie pass for healthy and consider of those whom some sensible and eminent imperfection above others hath rank'd in the number of the weak And of those there are sundry kinds especially two One is Weak because he is not yet fully informed not so sufficiently Catechized
or to Breathe and this Notion belongs to the FATHER and the SON alike for Pater Filius spirant Spiritum Sanctum Hence it evidently follows that he who acknowledgeth thus much can never possibly scruple the Eternal Deity of the Son of God If any man think this Confession to be Defecti for I can conceive no more in this point necessary to be known let him supply what he conceives be deficient and I shall thank him for his favour How we come to know the Scriptures to be the Word of God HOw come I to know that the Works which we call Livie's are indeed his whose name they bear Hath God left means to know the prophane Writings of men hath he left no certain means to know his own Records The first and outward means that brings us to the knowledge of these Books is the voice of the Church notified to us by our Teachers and Instructors who first unclasp'd and open'd them unto us and that common duty which is exacted at the hand of every learner Oportet discentem credere And this remaining in us peradventure is all the outward means that the ordinary and plainer sort of Christians know To those who are conversant among the Records of Antiquity farther light appears To find the ancient Copies of Books bearing these Titles to find in all Ages since their being written the universal consent of all the Church still resolving it self upon these writings as sacred and uncontrolable these cannot chuse but be strong Motioners unto us to pass our consent unto them and to conclude that either these Writings are that which they are taken for or nothing left us from Antiquity is true For whatsoever is that gives any strength or credit to any thing of Antiquity left to posterity whether it be Writings and Records or Tradition from hand to hand or what things else soever they all concur to the authorising of holy Scriptures as amply as they do to any other thing left unto the world Yea but will some man reply this proves indeed strongly that Moses and the Prophets that St. Matthew and St. Paul c. writ those Books and about those times which they bear shew of but this comes not home for how proves this that they are of God If I heard St. Paul himself preaching what makes me beleive him that his Doctrine is from God and his words the words of the holy Ghost For answer There was no outward means to perswade the world at the first rising of Christianity that it is infallibly from God but onely Miracles such as impossibly were naturally to be done Had I not done those things saith our Saviour which no man else could do you had had no sin Had not the world seen those Miracles which did unavoidably prove the assistance and presence of a Divine power with those who first taught the will of Christ it had not had sin if it had rejected them For though the world by the light of natural discretion might easily have discover'd that that was not the right way wherein it usually walk'd yet that that was the true path which the Apostles themselves began to tread there was no means undoubtedly to prove but Miracles and if the building were at this day to be raised it could not be founded without Miracles To our fore-fathers therefore whose ears first entertain'd the word of life Miracles were necessary and so they are to us but after another order For as the sight of these Miracles did confirm the doctrine unto them so unto us the infallible records of them For whatsoever evidence there is that the Word once began to be preach'd the very same confirms unto us that it was accompanied with Miracles and Wonders so that as those Miracles by being seen did prove unanswerably unto our fore-fathers the truth of the doctrine for the confirmation of which they were intended so do they unto us never a whit less effectually approve it by being left unto us upon these Records which if they fail us then by Antiquity there can be nothing left unto posterity which can have certain and undoubted oredit The certain and uncontrolable Records of Miracles are the same to us the Miracles are The Church of Rome when she commends unto us the Authority of the Church in dijudicating of Scriptures seems onely to speak of her self and that of that part of her self which is at some time existent whereas we when we appeal to the Church's testimony content not our selves with any part of the Church actually existent but add unto it the perpetually successive testimony of the Church in all Ages since the Apostles time viz. since its first beginning and out of both these draw an argument in this question of that force as that from it not the subtilest disputer can find an escape for who is it that can think to gain acceptance and credit with reasonable men by opposing not onely the present Church conversing in earth but to the uniform consent of the Church in all Ages So that in effect to us of after-ages the greatest if not the sole outward mean of our consent to holy Scripture is the voice of the Church excepting always the Copies of the Books themselves bearing from their birth such or such names of the Church I say and that not onely of that part of it which is actually existent at any time but successively of the Church ever since the time of our blessed Saviour for all these testimonies which from time to time are left in the Writings of our fore-fathers as almost every Age ever since the first birth of the Gospel hath by God's providence left us store are the continued voice of the Church witnessing unto us the truth of these Books and their Authority well but this is onely fides humano judicio testimonio acâ—quaesita what shall we think of fides infusa of the inward working of the holy Ghost in the consciences of every beleiver How far it is a perswader unto us of the Authority of these Books I have not much to say Onely thus much in general that doubtless the holy Ghost doth so work in the heart of every true Beleiver that it leaves a farther assurance strong and sufficient to ground and stay it self upon But this because it is private to every one and no way subject to sense is unfit to yeild argument by way of dispute to stop the captious curiosities of wits disposed to wrangle and by so much the more unfit it is by how much by experience we have learn'd that men are very apt to call their own private conceit the Spirit To oppose unto these men to reform them our own private conceits under the name likewise of the Spirit were madness so that to judge upon presumption of the Spirit in private can be no way to bring either this or any other controversie to an end If it should please God at this day to adde any
stand to it or no that they did maintain amongst them an implicite faith and it was usual with some of them when they were prest with any reason they could not put by to answer that though themselves could say little to it yet such and such could say much which was enough for them When all had spoken their pleasure the conclusion of the Synod was that they must reform the manner of propounding their mind that they must give up their answer in affirmatives as much as was possible that this form of answer was not according to the Decree of the States and this was the effect of that Session On Friday the 5 15 of Decemb. there was a short Session in the morning The matter propounded was whether it were not fit that the Remonstrants should be required to give up their minds concerning all the five points before the Synod proceeded to examine or determine any thing The reason was the connexion of the points mutually one with another for which cause it was hard to determine of one except their mind in the rest were known The Secular Lords and the Synod liked well of the proposal Those of Geneva thought it best to take their opinions out of their books to which the Praeses answer'd that it could not be because they were called thither by their citatory Letters to propose defend their own opinions That they could not complain of the Synod for calling on them thus at once to deliver themselves For the Synod doubts not that they were provided since themselves had long since given it out in their books and private speeches that they were provided The Remonstrants then being called in were told that it was the determination of the Synod that they should deliver their opinions at once concerning the five points and for this they had given them time till Munday For this would prove better for the Synod and for themselves Then that they should deliver themselves in affirmatives as much as possibly might be For by their negatives they delivered not their own opinions but diverted upon other Thâ— Confessions and Creeds had alwayes been framed by affirmatives thus or thus we do believe not by negatives To this they replyed Attendemus ad ea quae à Domino Praeside dict a sunt considerabimus Then did the Praeses signifie that on the morrow there should be a Latin Sermon in the Synod house Scultetus is the man that makes it And this is the effect of what was done at that time and so ceasing to trouble your Lordship any farther at this time I humbly take my leave resting Dort this 15. of Decemb. 1618. stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord THe seventh of Decem. stylo novo being Friday in the morning the Synod met the first thing that was done was the pronouncing the Decree of the States concerning Grevinchovius and Goulartius to this effect That whereas the Remonstrants had petitioned to the States that Grevinchovius and Goulartius might be admitted into the Synod there to defend the Remonstrants Cause the Lords for good causes thought they neither ought nor could grant it yet thus much did they graciously permit that they might freely come in private and do them what help they could and if they thought that in any thing they saw further into the Cause than their brethren they might have leave to exhibit their mind in writing to the Synod Provided First that they had leave of the Synod so to do Secondly that they did not seek any frivolous delayes Thirdly that they promised to submit themselves to the Decree of the Synod and last of all that the Church Censures respectively pass'd on Grevinchovius and Goulartius be not prejudiced but stand still in their full force and vertue This Decree was consented unto by the whole Synod Here the Praeses admonisht those of Vtrecht to provide themselves and resolve what they would do whether they would profess themselves parties for the Remonstrants or keep their places and sit as Judges if they would express as parties then must they cease to be accounted part of the Synod and be accounted as Episcopius and the rest that were cited They required that time might be given them to deliberate The Praeses eagerly urged them to give their resolute answer They replyed it was a greater matter than might so soon be dispatch'd So far they went that at length they fell on some warm words For when two of the Remonstrants Deputies by chance â—pake both at once the Praeses admonisht them to speak modestiùs ornatiús For men here speak one by one and not by pairs But here the Secular Deputies strook in and thought fit they should have time of respite till the morrow yet so that in the mean time the Synod should proceed Then were the Remonstrants call'd in and the Decree of the States concerning Grevinchovius and Goulartius read unto them Episcopius standing up required that a little time might be granted to them to speak and forthwith uttered an Oration acrem sanè animosam and about which by reason of some particulars in it there will grow some stir The effect of the Oration was this THat Religion was the chiefest note of a man and we were more distinguished by it from other Creatures than by our Reason That their appearance before the Synod was ut illam etiam Spartam ornarent that they might endeavour something for the preservation of the Purity of Religion That Religion was nothing else but a right Conceit and Worship of God That the Conceits concerning God are of two sorts some absolutely necessary which were the grounds of all true Worship in these to erre might finally endanger a man Some not absolutely necessary and in these sometimes without great danger men might mistake That they descryed many conceits passing in our Churches which could not stand with the Goodness and Iustice of God with the use of the Sacraments with the Duties of Christian men These had given occasion to the Adversaries abroad to accuse our Churches and lay upon them many strange imputations That therefore their endeavour had been none other but to remove these imputations and to provide as much as in them lay that the Conceits of some few might not pass for the general Doctrine of our Churches But this their endeavour had hitherunto had but ill success And as in a diseased body many times when Physick is administred the humours which before were quiet are now stirred and hence the body proves more distempered so their endeavours to cure the Church had caused greater disorder yet in this had they not offended For they laboured to none other end but that the Church might not be traduced by reason of the private conceits of some of her Ministers That in this behalf the world had been exceedingly incensed against them but this Envy they esteeemed their Gloriam
their Considerations should come in place that they thought it some wrong done them to have this order now perverted The Praeses answered that no wrong was done them for their Considerations should not yet be sifted till the five Articles were concluded And so the order in their Citatory Letters should be kept That long since in a Synod at Delpht they had promised to deliver them up in a Provincial Synod there and therefore now after so many years they could not be unprovided Here the Praeses Politicus charged them to obey their Decree and to do as the Praeses and the Synod requir'd The Praeses Ecclesiasticus then admonisht them that they were not to accompt of themselves as a Colledge and so still to give answers in commune but they must answer particularly every one for himself and thereupon he asked every of them in order whether they had any such Consideration or no some answered they had some that they had some few of no great moment some that their Considerations were not written down some that they had none at all When the Praeses had said jactatum suisse by them long since that they had sundry Considerations ready â— Corvinus excepted against the word jactatum the Praeses replyed He used not the word to disgrace them but only as a Frequentative to signifie that they had often boasted of it When some Litigation was here fallen Martinus Gregorii one that sits close upon the Remonstrants skirts cut it off and commanded them to be quiet The Remonstrants here signified that such Considerations as they had were only in the Dutch tongue The Praeses replyed they should have leasure to translate them Then did the Seculars pronounce a Decree charging them to provide themselves singly one by one he that had many to give up many he that had few to give up few he that had none to give up none and that whether it were in Dutch or Latin The Remonstrants required some time for saith Episcopius we came imparatissimi ad hanc rem First there were given them to two dayes then three then four within which space every man alone by himself was to give up his Considerations and this was the effect of the Session The answer of the English Divines to the Remonstrants exception against the Synod I will send your Lordship in my next Letters together with the Remonstrants answer upon the later Articles Harman the Post came to Dort on Sunday about three of the clock and went for England on Munday about ten of the clock in the morning Mr. Dean of Worcester is very crazy and sickly of late and keeps his Chamber neither hath he been in the Synod some of these last Sessions I hear he purposes to come to the Hague to see if he shall have his health better there Here is a Rumour that the Remonstrants are a little divided amongst themselves and that Corvinus complains that what he hath done was because he suffered himself to be drawn on by others how true this is I know not I heard Scultetus tell my Lord Bishop so much and that Meierus of Basil should say that Carvinus had signified so much to him My Lord Bishop is a little displeased with Mr. Amyes for putting into his hand Grevinchovius his Book in the Preface of which there are cited out of a Writing of Mr. Amyes certain words very reproachful unto Bishops Other Newes here is none and therefore for this time ceasing any further to trouble your Honour I humbly take my leave resting Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord ON Thursday 10 â—0 of this present in the morning the Synod being met the first thing done was the Admission of the Scottish Deputy in this manner He was brought to the Synod House by the two Scribes and met at the door by two of the Deputies for the States and by them conducted to his Seat which is a little seat made under the English Seats where he sits alone when he was sate the Praeses welcom'd him in the Name of the Synod Then were the Leters from the States read which were to stand instead of Synodical Letters for otherwise the custom is here that he that comes to be a Member of the Synod brings Letters of Credence from the Church that deputes him After this he delivered himself in a short speech to this effect That the reason of his coming he had delivered unto the States at the Hague namely the Kings pleasure that he therefore once minded to have said nothing but he could not obtain so much of himself especially when he heard what gentle Welcome the Praeses gave him and he was desirous to shew himself thankful for such great Courtesie That the Scotch Nation had evermore so linkt it self to this people that it hath alwayes laboured to endeavour the peace of this State and now it was ready to do as much for the peace of the Churches amongst them That they had very straightly bound unto them the Scottish Church demeruistis Ecclesiam Scoticanam by this so kindly welcoming him That his years were not many but he hoped ere he departed to make amends for that That the King at his coming away did charge him verbis sublimibus above all sphere of Conceit and apprehension to exhort them unto peace and with a short passage to that purpose he ended The Praeses thanking him for his good Counsel gave him his Oath And so they past away to other business To morrow I trow we shall have more matter for then the Remonstrants are to give in their Exceptions against the Catechism and Confession and so at length we shall come to the Question For this time therefore I humbly take my leave of your Honour resting Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Thursday the 17 27 of this present the Deputies being met in the morning the Remonstrants were called in and willed to give up their Considerations upon the Catechism according to to the injunction laid on them on Fryday last Episcopius Corvinus Duinghonius Poppius Pinakerus and Sapma gave up all together in common and excused themselves for not giving up one by one as was enjoyned them because their Considerations being altogether the same they thought they might exhibit them all together Niellius Goswinus Matthisius and Isaacus Frederici gave up singly every one by himself the rest gave up none at all What these Considerations were I know not for they were not publisht Then did the Praeses require them coram Deo to answer directly and truly First whether or no these were the Observations which they gave up to the States of Holland to which was answered that as far as they could remember they were and some others besides Secondly whether they had any more Considerations besides these to which they all answered No. Here Scultetus stood up
doctrine which they had delivered in their Scholes and pulpits Episcopius most impudently answered thus briefly we here delivered to you the Delegates this book and to none else if you be pleased to take it from us we will leave it with you if not we pray you give it us again and we will keep it one of the Delegates commanded Heinsius to write down that their peremptory and saucy answer Episcopius very bravely told Heinsius that they would save him that labour for they had set down the same words already in their Preface and pointed out to him the place where he might find them so that my Lord they were never since the beginning of the Synod so lusty as now so as none can chuse but think that they yet have some secret and sure hopes I forget to tell your Lordship that the President told me he had been glancing at this volume and he finds it to be in many parts a confutation of the several discourses which have been had publickly in the Synod upon the â—ive Articles There is some talk â—here about the citation of Vorstius and Festius Hommius yesternight told me he had some talk with your Lordship about it If he be cited your Lordships credit with the Prince of Orange and Count William must help us for discretion in dealing with him else he will keep the Synod as long as the Remonstrants did your Lordship I hope will give counsel to them that if Vorstius should desire to have time to give in apologies and explications for the hard speeches in his book De Deo and should desire to be convinced with Reason and satisfaction of his arguments all which would take up a long time that the Synod would talk of no such matter with him but in plain terms tell him that all the members of the Synod had read his Book and found many things in it very near unto open blasphemy scandalous without all question to the Reformed Religion that explications of things which are not once to be called in question is no satisfaction and they therefore only desire to know whether he will make a plain recantation denial of it publickly ask God forgivenss for it his Church likewise there assembled whom by that Book he hath scandalized if he do this we gain him if not then without any more ado let the Synod censure him as they shall think fit I wish that to the terrour of others he might solemnly be excommunicated in the Synod in this and all other businesses we do and must relie upon your Lordships care for the handsome carriage of them which as your Lordship hath hitherto done so that your Lordship may still continue to the good of God's Church and your own immortal credit it is no small part of the prayers of Dordrecht this 20. of March Stylo novo Your Lordships humble and faithful servant Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord THis week hath been a very barren one for news for we have been taken up wholly with hearing yet such Sessions as we had your Lordship shall here have a note of them Sessio 119. 18. Martii Stylo novo There were read Letters from the Marques of Brandeburgh in Dutch containing as the President told us an excuse why he deputed none to the Synod the President told us they should be turned into Latin and after read again unto the whole Synod there were read the judgements of the South Hollandi the North Hollandi the Zelandi the Vltrajectini upon the third and fourth Articles Sessio 120. eodem die post meridiem There were read upon the same Articles the judgements of the Frisii the Transisulani the Groninganii and Omlandii the Gallo-belgici the Drentani And so was ended the reading of all the Collegial judgements upon the third and fourth Articles in which there was wonderful great consent both in the things themselves as likewise in the phrases and forms of speaking Sessio 121. 19. Martii There were read the judgement of our College upon the fifth Article Which was far longer than any which we gave in before At the end of it we annexed an adhortation to the Delegates for the defence in their Provinces of the Doctrine received in the Reformed Churches Likewise an Exhortation to all the Members of the Synod for avoiding harshness and rigidity and embracing of all moderation in making the Canons especially upon the second Article as likewise an admonition to the Provincials for great wariness and discretion in propounding to the common People the Doctrine of Predestination and especially Reprobation these things we told his Majesty desired us to observe and so with a Prayer we wish'd both we and all the Synod might be careful in the observing of them There was read the judgement of the Palatines at the end whereof they annexed an Epilogue much to the same purpose with ours In all the judgements that were read upon this Article it is to be observed that every College concluded with such an Epilogue and a Prayer Sessio 122. eodem die post meridiem There were read the judgements of the Hassiaci of the Helvetici of the Nassovici of the Genevenses who used as in their former judgements no confirmations besides plain citations of places of Scripture of the Bremenses Sessio 123.20 Martii There were read the judgement of the Embdani who were exceeding long of the four Professores Belgici which was subscribed as with their own hands so a little beneath with the hand of Sibrandus next the judgement of Sibrandus subscribed likewise by the other four Professours there were read likewise the judgement of the Geldri of the South Hollandi all these except the Embdani were exceeding short Sessio 124. eodem die post meridiem D. Crocius one of the Bremenses appointed by the President publickly all Auditours being admitted did discuss at great length these two questions First An fides justificans per Dei acceptì lationem reputetur à Deo pro omni illâ legis justitiâ quam nos praestare tenebamur The second An ipsa fides seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere id est actus credendi imputetur homini à Deo ad justitiam he held the Negative of both against Socinus the Remonstrants but namely Bertius Sessio 125. 21. Martii There were read the judgements of the North Hollandi the Zelandi the Vltrajectini the Fristi Sessio 126. eodem die post meridiem There were read the judgements of the Transisulani the Groninganii and Omlandii the Drentani the Gollo-belgici And so was happily ended the reading of all the Collegial judgments upon the five Articles in which praised be God for it there was seen an incredible harmon far greater than almost could be hoped for in so great an Assembly of so many learned men The President told us that the Estates General between this and Easter did expect that the Canons should be made and therefore did desire that against the morrow at ten of
90. Christian Omnipotency Philip. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that enableth or that strengthneth me p. 114. Luke 18. 1. And he spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint p. 131. My kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 Iesus answered my kingdom is not of this world If my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iews c. p. 146. 1 Sam. 24.5 And it came to pass afterward that Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls Skirt p. 161. John 14.27 Peace I leave unto you My peace I give unto you p. 177. The profit of godliness 1 Tim. 14.8 But Godliness is profitable unto all things p. 193. A Second Sermon on the same Text. p. 214. Iacobs Vow Gen. 28.20 And Iacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. p. 228. Dixi Custodiam Psal. 36.1 I said or resolved I will take heed to my ways p. 244. MISCELLANIES p. 257. Letters concerning the Synod of Dort A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet EPiscopacy as established by Law in England not prejudicial to Regal Power written by the special command of the late King by R. Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincolne The Whole Duty of Man laid down in a plain and familiar way for the use of All but especially the meanest Reader Necessary for all Families with private Devotions for several Occasions The Gentleman 's Calling Written by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety Or an Impartial Survey of the Ruines of Christian Religion Undermin'd by Unchristian Practice By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man A Scholastical History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture Or the Certain and Indubitate books thereof as they are received in the Church of England By Dr. Cosin Lord Bishop of Durham Divine Breathings or a Pious Soul thirsting after Christ in an hundred excellent Meditations Hugo Grotius de Robus Belgicis Or the Annals and History of the Low-Countrey Wars in English wherein is manifested that the United Netherlands are indebted for the glory of their Conquests to the Valour of the English A Treatise of the English Particles shewing much of the variety of their significations and uses in English and how to render them into Latin according to the propriety and elegancy of that language with a Praxis upon the same By William Walker B. D. School-master of Grantburn with a Table newly added The Royal Grammar commonly called Lillies Grammar explained opening the meaning of the Rules with great plainness to the understanding of Children of the meanest capacity with choice observations on the same from the best Authors By W. Walker B. D. Author of the Treatise of English Particles A Catalogue of the names of all the Parliaments or reputed Parliaments from the year 1640. A Narrative of some Passages in or relating to the Long Parliament by a person of Honour Sober Inspections into the Long Parliament By Iames Howel Esquire Dr. Sprackling against the Chymists Nemâ—sius's Nature of Man in English By G. Withers Gent. Inconveniences of Toleration A Letter about Comprehension A Collection of Canons Articles and Injunctions of the Church of England By Anthony Sparrow Lord Bishop of Exon. The Bishop of Exons Caution to his Diocese against false doctrines delivered in a Sermon at his Primary Visitation The form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial by Bishop Andrews A Thanksgiving Sermon preach'd before the King by I. Dolhen D. D. Dean of Westminster and Clerk of the Closet Bishop Brownrigs Sermon on the Gunpowder Treason A Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the Fines received by the Church at its Restauration wherein by the Instance of one the richest Cathedrals a fair guess may be made at the receits and disbursments of all the rest A Narrative or Journal of the Proceedings of the Lord Holles and the Lord Coventry Ambassadors Plenipotentiaries for the Treaty at Breda Written by a person of Quality concerned in that Ambassie A Narrative of the Burning of London 1666 with an account of the losses and a most remarkable Parallel between it and MOSCO both as to the Plague and Fire Lluellyns three Sermons on the Kings Murder A Collection of the Rules and Orders now used in Chancery Iter Lucitanicum Or the Portugal Voyage with what memorable passages interven'd at the Shipping and in the Transportation of her Sacred Majesty Katherine Queen of Great Britain from Lisbon to England By Dr. Samuel Hynde All sorts of Law Books A TRACT CONCERNING SCHISME AND SCHISMATICKS WHEREIN Is briefly discovered The Original Causes of all Schism HEresie and Schism as they are commonly used are two Theological scar-crows with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion use to fright away such as making inquiry into it are ready to relinquish and oppose it if it appear either erroneous or suspitious for as Plutarch reports a Painter who having unskilfully painted a Cock chased away all Cocks and Hens that so the imperfection of his Art might appear by comparison with Nature so men willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own endeavour to hinder an inquiry into it by way of comparison of somewhat with it peradventure truer that so the deformity of their own might not appear but howsoever in the common manage Heresie and Schisme are but ridiculous terms yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment the one offending against Truth the other against Charity and therefore both deadly when they are not by imputation but indeed It is then a matter of no small importance truly to descry the nature of them and they on the contrary strengthen themselves who through the iniquity of men and times are injuriously charged with them Schisme for of Heresie we shall not now treat except it be by accident and that by occasion of a general mistake spread through all the writings of the Ancients in which their names are familiarly confounded Schisme I say upon the very sound of the word imports Division Division is not but where Communion is or ought to be Now Communion is the strength and ground of all Society whether Sacred or Civil whosoever therefore they be that offend against the common society and friendliness of men if it be in civil occasions are guilty of Sedition and Rebellion if it be by reason of Ecclesiastical difference they are guilty of Schisme So that Schisme is an Ecclesiastical Sedition as Sedition is a lay Schism yet the great benefits of Communion notwithstanding in regard of divers distempers men are subject to Dissention and Dis-union are often necessary For when either false
GOLDEN REMAINS of the ever Memorable M r John Hales of Eton College LONDON Printed for R. Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery Lane CONTROVERSERS of the Times Like Spirits in the Mineralls with all their labor nothing is don Page 34 Golden Remains OF THE EVER MEMORABLEâ— Mr. John Hales OF EATON-COLLEDGE c. The Second Impression With Additions from the Authours own Copy Viz. SERMONS MISCELLANIES ALSO LETTERS and EXPRESSES Concerning the Synod of Dort not before Printed From an Authentick Hand LONDON Printed by Tho. Newcomb for Robert Pawlet at the Sign of the Bible in Chancery-lane 1673. To the Reader IF that Reverend and Worthy Person Mr. Farindon had not died before the Impression of this Book you had received from that excellent hand an exact account of the Authour's Life which he had begun and resolved to perfect and prefix to this Edition And as the loss of him is great in many particulars so especially in this because there was none to whom Mr. Hales was so throughly known as unto him nor was there any so able to declare his worth partly by reason of his own abilities eminently known principally because he learn'd his Authour from an intimate converse who was a man never to be truly express'd but by himself I am therefore to intreat thee Reader being deprived of the proper Plutarch not to expect any such thing as a Life from me but to accept so much onely as is here intended If Mr. Hales were unknown unto thee be pleased to beleive what I know and affirm to be true of him if he were known then onely be satisfi'd that what is published in his Name did really proceed from him and more then this needs not to be spoken in reference to the advancement of this Work because he which knew or beleiveth what an excellent person Mr. Hales was and shall be also perswaded that he was the Authour of this Book cannot chuse but infinitely desire to see and read him in it In order to the first of these I shall speak no more then my own long experience intimate acquaintance and high veneration grounded upon both shall freely and sincerely prompt me to Mr. John Hales sometime Greek Professor of the Vniversity of Oxford long Fellow of Eaton Colledge and at last also Prebendary of Windsore was a man I think of as great a sharpness quickness and subtilty of Wit as ever this or perhaps any Nation bred His industry did strive if it were possible to equal the largeness of his capacity whereby he became as great a Master of Polite Various and Vniversal Learning as ever yet convers'd with Books Proportionate to his Reading was his Meditation which furnished him with a Iudgment beyond the vulgar reach of man built upon unordinary Notions rais'd out of strange observations and comprehensive thoughts within himself So that he really was a most prodigious Example of an acute and peircing Wit of a vast and illimited Knowledge of a severe and profound Iudgment Although this may seem as in it self it truly is a grand Elogium yet I cannot esteem him less in any thing which belongs to a good man then in those Intellectual perfections and had he never understood a Letter he had other Ornaments sufficient to indear him For he was of a Nature as we ordinarily speak so kind so sweet so courting all mankind of an affability so prompt so ready to receive all conditions of men that I conceive it near as easie a task for any one to become so Knowing as so Obligeing As a Christian none more ever acquainted with the nature of the Gospel because none more studious of the knowledge of it or more curious in the search which being strengthened by those great advantages before mentioned could not prove otherwise then highly effectual He took indeed to himself a liberty of judgeing not of others but for himself and if ever any man might be allowed in these matters to judge it was he who had so long so much so advantagiously considered and which is more never could be said to have had the least worldly design in his determinations He was not onely most truly and strictly Iust in his Secular Transactions most exemplary Meek and Humble notwithstanding his perfections but beyond all example Charitable giving unto all preserving nothing but his Books to continue his Learning and himself which when he had before digested he was forced at last to feed upon at the same time the happiest and most unfortunate helluo of Books the grand Example of Learning and of the envy and contempt which followeth it This testimony may be truly given of his Person and nothing in it liable to the least exception but this alone that it comes far short of him Which intimation I conceive more necessary for such as knew him not then all which hath been said In reference to the second part of my Design I confess while he lived none was ever more sollicited and urged to write and thereby truly to teach the world then he none ever so resolved pardon the expression so obstinate against it His facile and courteous Nature learnt onely to yeild to that sollicitation And therefore the World must be content to suffer the loss of all his learning with the deprivation of himself and yet he cannot be accused for hiding of his Talent being so communicative that his Chamber was a Church and his Chain a Pulpit Onely that there might be some taste continue of him Here are some of his Remains recollected such as he could not but write and such as when written were out of his power to destroy These consist of Sermons Miscellanies and Letters and each of them proceeded from him upon respective obligations This Impression is further augmented with the Addition of some Authentick Letters relating to the same Transaction His Letters though written by himself yet were wholly in the power of that Honourable Person to whom they were sent and by that means they were preserv'd The Sermons preached on several eminent occasions were snatch'd from him by his freinds and in their hands the Copies were continued or by transcription dispers'd Of all which now published for His there is need to say no more then this That you may be confident they are His. This Reader is all the trouble thought fit to be given thee By JOHN PEARSON If any Person hath any more of the Writings of this Authour he is desired that he would be pleased to communicate them to the Book-seller Robert Pawlet for whom this Book is Printed upon Promise or other Engagement that he will take care to Print them by themselves Mr. Garthwait I Am very glad you chose so judicious an Overseer of those SERMONS of Mr. HALES as Mr. Gunning whom I always have had in high esteem both for his Learning and Piety and I am of his Opinion that they may pass for extraordinary That Sermon of Wresting hard places of Scripture may well begin
to suppose they know all things and to be bold in affirming and the Heathen Rhetorician could tell us that by this so speedy entring upon action and so timely venting our crude and unconcocted studies quod est ubique perniciosissimum praevenit vires fiducia a thing which in all cases is most pernicious Presumption is greater then strength after the manner of those who are lately recovered out of some great sickness in whom appetite is stronger then digestion These are they who take the greatest mysteries of Christian Religion to be the fittest arguments to spend themselves upon So Eâ—kins in his Chryâ—opassus a work of his so termed wherein he discusses the question of predestination in the very entrance of his work tells us That he therefore enterpris'd to handle this argument because forsooth he thought it to be the fittest question in which he might Iuveniles calores exercere The antient Masters of Fence amongst the Romans were wont to set up a Post and cause their young Schollars to practise upon it and to foin and fight with it as with an adversary Instead of a Post this young Fencer hath set himself up one of the deepest Mysteries of our profession to practise his freshmanship upon Which quality when once it finds Scripture for its object how great inconvenience it brings with it needs no large discourse to prove St. Ierome a man not too easily brought on to acknowledge the errours of his writings among those few things which he doth retract censures nothing so sharply as the mistake of his youth in this kind In adolescentia provocatus ardore studio Scripturarum allegorice interpretatus sum Abdiam Prophetam cujus historiam nesciebam He thought it one of the greatest sins of his youth that being carried away through an inconsiderate heat in his studies of Scripture he adventured to interpret Abdias the Prophet allegorically when as yet he knew not the Historical meaning Old men saith our best natural Master by reason of the experience of their often mistakes are hardly brought constantly to affirm any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will always cautelously interline their speeches with it may bees and peradventures and other such particles of wariness and circumspection This old mens modesty of all other things best fits us in perusing those hard and obscure Texts of holy Scripture Out of which conceit it is that we see St. Austine in his books de Genesi ad literam to have written onely by way of questions and interrogations after the manner of Aristotle in his Problemes That he might not for so he gives his reason by being ever positive prejudice others and peradventure truer interpretations that every one might choose according to his liking ubi quid intelligere non potest Scripturae Dei det honorem sibi timorem and where his understanding cannot attain unto the sense of it let him give that honour and reverence which is due unto the Scripture and carry himself with that aw and respect which befits him Wherefore not without especial providence it is that the holy Ghost by St. Paul giving precepts to Timothy concerning the quality of those who were to be admitted to the distributing of Gods holy word expresly prescribes against a young Schollar lest saith he he be puft up For as it hath been noted of men who are lately grown rich that they differ from other rich men onely in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that commonly they have all the faults that rich men have and many more so is it as true in those who have lately attained to some degree and mediocrity of knowledge Look what infirmities learned men have the same have they in greater degree and many more besides Wherefore if Hippocrates in his Physician required these two things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great industry and long experience the one as tillage to sow the seed the other as time and season of the year to bring it to maturity then certainly by so much the more are these two required in the spiritual Physician by how much he is the Physician to a more excellent part I will adde yet one third motioner to this abuse of Scriptures and that is The too great presumption upon the strength and subtilty of our own wits That which the Roman Priest sometimes told an over-pleasant and witty Vestal Virgin Coli Deos sancte magis quam scite hath in this great work of exposition of Scripture an especial place The holy things of God must be handled sancta magis quam scite with fear and reverence not with wit and dalliance The dangerous effects of this have appeared not in the green tree onely in young heads but in men of constant age and great place in the Church For this was that which undid Origen a man of as great learning and industry as ever the Church had any whilst in sublimity of his wit in his Comments on Scripture conceiving Meteors and airy speculations he brought forth those dangerous errors which drew upon his person the Churches heaviest censure and upon posterity the loss of his works Subtle witted men in nothing so much miscarry as in the too much pleasing themselves in the goodness of their own conceits where the like sometimes befalls them which befell Zeuxiâ— the Painter who having to the life pictured an old woman so pleas'd himself with the conceit of his work that he died with laughing at it Heliodor Bishop of Tricca in Thessaly the Author of the Ethiopick Story a polite and elegant I confess but a loose and wanton work being summon'd by a Provincial Synod was told that which was true That his work did rather endanger the manners then profit the wits of his Reader as nourishing loose and wanton conceits in the heads of youth and having his choice given him either to abolish his work or to leave his Bishoprick not willing to lose the reputation of wit chose rather to resign his place in the Church and as I verily think his part in heaven And not in private persons alone but even in whole Nations shall we find remarkable examples of miscarriage in this kind The Grecians till barbarism began to steal in upon them were men of wonderous subtlety of wit and naturally over indulgent unto themselves in this quality Those deep and subtle Heresies concerning the Trinity the Divinity of Christ and of the holy Ghost the Union and Division of the Divine Substance and Persons were all of them begotten in the heat of their wits yea by the strength of them were they conceived and born and brought to that growth that if it had been possible for the gates of hell to prevail against the Church they would have prevailed this way Wherefore as God dealt with his own land which being sometimes the mirrour of the world for fertility and abundance of all things now lies subject to many curses and especially to that of barrenness so at this day
death and hell you shall in these words find nothing pertinent But if you take this Resurrection for that act by which through the power of saving grace Christ the Sun of righteousness rises in our hearts and raises us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness here in these words you may perchance find a notable branch of it For to raise our thoughts from this earth and clay and from things beneath and such are those which here Abraham calls The good things of our life and to set them above where Christ sits at the right hand of God this is that practick Resurrection which above all concerns us that other of Christ in Person in regard of us is but a Resurrection in speculation for to him that is dead in sin and trespasses and who places his good in the things of this life Christ is as it were not risen at all to such a one he is still in the grave and under the bands of death But to him that is risen with Christ and seeks that good things that are above to him alone is Christ risen To know and beleive perfectly the whole story of Christ's Resurrection what were it if we did not practise this Resurrection of our own Cogita non exacturum à te Deum quantum cognovâ—ris sed quantum vixeris God will not reckon with thee how much thou knowest but how well thou hast lived Epictetus that great Philosopher makes this pretty Parable Should a Shepherd saith he call his sheep to account how they had profited would he like of that sheep which brought before him his hay his grass and fodder or rather that sheep which having well digested all these exprest himself in fat in flesh and wooll Beloved you are the flock of Christ and the sheep of his hands should the great Shepherd of the flock call you before him to see how you have profited would he content himself with this that you had well Con'd your Catechism that you had diligently read the Gospel and exactly knew the whole story of the Resurrection would it not give him better satisfaction to find Christ's Resurrection exprest in yours and as it were digested into flesh and wooll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To have read Chrysippus his Book this is not virtue To have read the Gospel to have gathered all the circumstances of the Resurrection of Christ this is not Christianity to have risen as Christ hath done so to have digested the Resurrection of Christ as that we have made it our own this is rightly to understand the Doctrine of the Resurrection of Christ. For this cause have I refused to treat this day of that Resurrection in the Doctrine of which I know you are perfect and have reflected on that in the knowledge of which I fear you are imperfect which that I might the better do I have made choice to prosecute my former Meditations begun when I last spake unto you in this place For so doing I shall open unto you one of the hardest points of your Spiritual Resurrection even to raise your thoughts from the things of this life and seat them with Christ above To make my way more fair to this I will take leave to put you in mind in short how I proceeded in the opening of these words when I last spake unto you out of this place You may be pleased to remember that after some instruction drawn from the first word Son I proceeded to consider the ensuing words wherein having by an Alchimy which then I used changed the word Recordare Remember into Cave Beware and so read my Text thus Beware thou receive not thy good things in this life I shewed you that we had never greater cause to consult our best wits what we are to do and how we are to carry our selves then when the world and outward blessings come upon us Upon this I moved this Question Whether or no if the things of this world should by some providence of God knock and offer themselves to us we are bound to exclude them and refuse them or we might open and admit of them I divided my answer according to the divers abilities and strengths of men First Qui potest capere capiat he that hath strength and spiritual wisdom to manage them let him receive them But in the second place he that is weak let him let strong diet alone and feed on herbs let him not intangle himself with more then he can manage Let him try Quid ferre recusent Quid valeant humeri To the first the sum of what I spake was this Receive them we may and that without danger of a Recepisti first if we so received them as if we received them not secondly if we esteemed them not good thirdly if we did not esteem them ours And here the time cut me off and suffered me not to descend unto the second part upon which now I am about to fall Cave ne recipias Take heed thou receive not thy good things In this matter of Receiving and entertaining these outward and foreign good things there have been two ways commended to you the one the more glorious to receive them of this we have spoken The other the more safe not to receive them of this we are now to speak These ways are trodden by two kinds of persons the one is the strong man and more virtuous the other is weaker but more cautelous the one encounters temptation the other avoids it We may compare them to the two great Captains Hannibal and Fabius the one ever calling for the battel the other evermore declining it In one of these two ranks must every good man be found if we compare them together we shall find that the one is far more excellent the other far more in number For to be able to meet and check our enemy to encounter occasions to act our parts in common life upon the common stage and yet to keep our uprightness this indeed is truly to live truly to serve God and men and therefore God the more because men On the contrary to avoid occasions to follow that other vincendi genus non pugnare to overcome the world by contemning and avoiding it this argues a wise indeed but a weak and fainting spirit I have often wondred at Antiquity which doting extremely upon a sequestred a solitary retired and Monkish life sticks not to give out that all perfection is in it whereas indeed there is no greater argument of imperfection in good men quam non posse pati solem non multitudinem not to be able without offence to walk the publick ways to entertain the common occasions but to live onely to God and to themselves Vtilis ipse sibi fortassis inutilis orbi Men of no great publick use but excellent for themselves Saints indeed in private but being called forth into common life are like Batts in the Sun utterly ignorant of publick practise like Scheubelius a great
or to avenge their own wrongs and so to decline the sentence of the Magistrate is quite to cut off all use of Authority Indeed it hath been sometimes seen that the event of a Battel by consent of both Armies hath been put upon single Combat to avoid further effusion of bloud but Combats betwixt Subjects for private causes till these latter Ages of the world was never allowed yet I must confess the practise of it is very ancient For Cain the second man in the world was the first Duelist the first that ever challenged the Feild in the fourth of Genesis the Text saith That Cain spake unto his Brother and when they were in the Feild he arose and slew him The Septuagint to make the sense more plain do add another clause and tell us what it was he said unto his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us go out into the feild and when they were in the feild he arose and slew him Let us go out into the feild it is the very form and proper language of a Challenge Many times indeed our Gallants can formalize other words but evermore the substance and usually the very words are no other but these of Cain Let us go out into the Feild Abel I perswade my self understood them not as a challenge for had he so done he would have made so much use of his discretion as to have refused it yet can we not chuse but acknowledge a secret judgment of God in this that the words of Cain should still be so Religiously kept till this day as a Proem and Introduction to that action which doubtless is no other then what Cain's was When therefore our Gallants are so ready to challange the Feild and to go into the Feild let them but remember whose words they use and so accordingly think of their action Again notwithstanding Duels are of so antient and worshipful a Parentage yet could they never gain so good acceptance as to be permitted much less to be counted lawful in the civil part of the world till Barbarism had over-ran it About five or six hundred years after Christ at the fall of the Roman Empire aboundance of rude and barbarous people brake in and possest the civiller part of the world who abolishing the ancient Laws of the Empire set up many strange Customs in their rooms Amongst the rest for the determining of quarrels that might arise in case of doubtful title or of false accusation or the like they put themselves upon many unusual forms of Trial as to handle red hot Iron to walk bare-foot on burning coals to put their hands and feet in scalding water and many other of the like nature which are reckoned up by Hottoman a French Lawyer For they presumed so far on Gods providence that if the party accused were innocent he might do any of these without any smart or harm In the same cases when by reason of unsufficient and doubtful evidence the Judges could not proceed to Sentence as sometimes it falls out and the parties contending would admit of no reasonable composition their manner was to permit them to try it out by their swords that so the Conquerour might be thought to be in the right They permitted I say thus to do for at the best 't was but a permission to prevent farther mischeif for to this end sometimes some known abuses are tolerated So God permitted the Jews upon sleight occasions to put their wives away because he saw that otherwise their exorbitant lusts would not be bounded within these limits which he is Paradise in the beginning had set And it is observed of the wise men which had the managing and bringing up of Nero the Emperour that they suffered him to practise his lusts upon Acte one of his Mothers Chamber-maids Ne in stupra foeminarum illustrium perrumperet si illa libidine prohiberetur Lest if he were forbidden that he should turn his lust upon some of the Noble-women Permission and toleration warrants not the goodness of any action But as Caiaphas said Better one man die then all the people perish so they that first permitted Duels seem to have thought better one or two mutinous persons and disorderly die in their folly then the whole Common-wealth to be put into tumult and combustion yet even by these men it was never so promiscuously tolerated that every hasty couple upon the venting of a little choler should presently draw their swords but it was a publick or solemn action done by order with inspection either of the Prince himself or of some other Magistrate appointed to order it Now certainly there can be no very great reason for that action which was thus begun by Cain and continued onely by Goths and Vandals and meer Barbarism Yet that we may a little better acquaint our selves with the quality of it let us a little examine the causes and pretences which are brought by them who call for trial by single Combat The causes are usually two First disdain to seem to do or suffer any thing for fear of death Secondly point of honour and not to suffer any contumely and indignity especially if it bring with it dis-reputation and note of cowardise For the first Disdain to fear death I must confess I have often wondred with my self how men durst die so ventrously except they were sure they died well In aliis rebus siquid erratum est potest post modum corrigi in other things which are learnt by practising if we mistake we may amend it for the errour of a former action may be corrected in the next we learn then by erring and men come at length not to err by having often erred but no man learns to die by practising it we die but once and a fault committed then can never afterward be amended quia poena statim sequitur errorem because the punishment immediately follows upon the errour To die is an action of that moment that we ought to be very well advised when we come to it Ab hoc momento pendet aeternitas you may not look back upon the opinion of honour and reputation which remains behind you but rather look forward upon that infinite space of Eternity either of bliss or bale which befalls us immediately after our last breath To be loath to die upon every sleight occasion is not a necessary sign of fear and cowardise He that knew what life is and the true use of it had he many lives to spare yet would he be loth to part with one of them upon better terms then those our Books tell us that Aristippus a Philosopher being at Sea in a dangerous Tempest and bewraying some fear when the weather was cleared up a desperate Ruffian came and upbraided him with it and tells him That it was a shame that he professing wisdom should be afraid of his life whereas himself having had no such education exprest no agony or dread at all To whom the Philosopher replied there
this weakness of the flesh is no prejudice at all to the strength of a Christian for though the flesh be weak yet the spirit is strong and so much our Saviour tells us too and why then do we not follow the stronger part Si spiritus carne fortior quia generosior nostra culpa infirmiora sectamur saith Tertullian If the spirit be stronger then the flesh what madness is it in us to make choice of and follow the weaker side Nulla fides unquam miseros elegit amicos Which of you is so improvident as in a faction to make choice of that side which he sees to be the weakest and which he knows must fall Again this weakness of a Christian is onely outward within what he is the words of my Text do sufficiently shew Socrates outwardly was a man of deformed shape but he was one of an excellent spirit and therefore Alcibiades in Plato compares him to an Apothecary's box which without had painted upon it an Ape or a Satyre or some deformed thing but within was full of sweet and precious oyntment Thus Beloved it is with a Christian whatsoever outward deformity he seems to have howsoever he seems to be nothing but rags without yet he is totus purpureus all scarlet and glorious within I have said Ye are gods saith the Scripture the Magistrate is wont to ingross and impropriate this Scripture to himself because sitting in place of Authority for execution of Justice he carries some resemblance of God but to whom can this Scripture better belong then to the Christian man For the magistrate indeed carries some shew of God without but many times within is full of corruption and weakness the Christian carries a shew of weakness without but within is full of God and Christ. The second thing which I told you we learn't was a Lesson teaching us not to be puft up with opinion and conceit of our own outward strength and glory for if any man because of this shall begin to think of himself above what he ought let him know that he may say of his exceeding strength no otherwise then the man in the Book of Kings spake when his ax was fallen into the water Alas Master it was but lent Those that build houses make Anticks which seem to hold up the beams whereas indeed as St. Paul tells the Olive-branch Thou bearest not the root but the root thee So is it true in them they hear not up the house the house bears up them Beloved seem we never so strong yet we are but Anticks the strength by which the house of Christ doth stand it is not ours it is Christ's who by that power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself doth sustain both himself and us Luke XVIII 1. And he spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint MY Text is like the Temple at Hierusalem it is the House of Prayer wherein we may learn many special points of the skill and practise of it Now as that Temple had two parts First the Fore-front the Porch the walk before it and secondly the Temple it self So have these words likewise two parts First there are words which stand before like a Porch or Walk and they are these And he spake a parable unto them Secondly here are words like unto the Temple it self that men ought always to pray and not to faint If you please before we enter into the Temple or speak of these words That men ought always to pray let us stay and entertain our selves a little in the Porch and see what matter of meditation it will yeild And he spake a Parable unto them c. to instruct and teach the ignorant no method no way so speedy and effectual as by Parables and Fables Strabo gives the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For man is a creature naturally desirous to know but it is according to the Proverb as the Cat desires fish loath to touch the water loath to take the pains to learn knowledge is indeed a thing very pleasant but to learn is a thing harsh and tedious above all the things in the world The Book which St. Iohn eats in the tenth of the Apocalyps was in his mouth sweet as honey but bitter in his belly Beloved those Librorum helluones students that like St. Iohn eat up whole Volumes these find the contrary for in the mouth in the perusal◠their Books are harsh and unpleasant but in the stomach when they are understood and digested then are they delightful and pleasurable Yet one thing by the providence of God our nature hath which makes this rough way to learn more plain and easie it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common experience shews we are all very desirous to hear narrations and reports either pleasant or strange wise men therefore and God himself which is wiser then men being to train up mankind Genus indocile a subject dull of hearing and hardly drawn to learn have from time to time wrought upon this humour upon this part of our disposition and mitigated sugred as it were the unpleasantness of a difficult and hard lesson with the sweetness of some delightful Parable or Fable And S. Chrysostom tells us of a Physician who finding his Patient to abhor Physick but infinitely long for Wine heating an earthen cup in the fire and quenching it in Wine put his potion therein that so the sick person being deceived with the smell of Wine might unawares drink of the Physick or that I may better draw my comparison from Scripture as when Iacob meant to be welcome to his father Isaac he put on his brother Esau's apparel and so got access So beloved wise men when they meant either to instruct the ignorant or to reprove offenders to procure their welcom and make their way more passable have been wont for the most part as it were to clothe their lesson or reproof in a Parable or to serve it in a dish savouring of wine that so Iacob might be admitted under Esau's coat that the smell of the pleasantness of Wine might draw down the wholesomeness of Physick Great and singular have been those effects which this kind of teaching by parables hath wrought in men by informing their ignorance reproving their errour working patience of reproof opening the understanding moving the affections and other sovereign commodities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for this cause not onely our Poets and prophane Authours but whole Cities and men which gave Laws to Common-wealths have made especial choice of this course Yea our Saviour Christ himself hath filled the Gospels with Parables made them like a Divine and Christian AEsop's Fables because he found it to be exceeding profitable For first of all it is the plainest and most familiar way and above all other stoops to the capacity of the learner as being drawn either from Trees or Beasts or from some ordinary common
and known actions of men as from a shepherd attending his flock from an husbandman sowing corn in his feild from a fisher casting his net into the Sea from a woman putting leven into her dough or the like So that in this respect a Parable is like Moses's Tabernacle which outwardly was nothing but Goats skins or some ordinary stuff but within it was silk and purple and gold And indeed since those we teach are either children or ignorant persons who are but children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every man in what he is ignorant is no better then a child that manner of information fits best which is most easie and familiar Again a Parable is a kind of pattern and example expressing unto us what we hear now nothing doth more illustrate and explain then instance and example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Parable as it were upon a Stage the thing that we are taught is in a manner acted and set forth before our eyes Secondly Parables do not onely by their plainness open the understanding but they work upon the affections and breed delight of hearing by reason of that faceteness and wittiness which is many times found in them by reason of which they insinuate themselves and creep into us and ere we are aware work that end for which they were delivered Who is not much moved with that Parable of Iotham in the Book of Iudges that the Trees went forth to chuse a King or that of Menenius Agrippa in Livie that the parts of the body conspired against the belly by which the one shewed the wickedness of the men of Sechem against the sons of Gideon the other the folly of the common people in conspiring against the Senatours and Noble-men And no marvel Beloved if this faceteness of Parables doth thus work with men since it seems to have had wonderful force with God himself For when the Canaanitish woman in the Gospel had long importun'd our Saviour in the behalf of her daughter and our Saviour had answer'd her with that short cutting and reproachful parable It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it unto dogs she facetely and wittily retorts and turns upon our Saviour his own parable Truth Lord saith she yet dogs do eat the crums that fall from their master's table be it that I am but a dog I require no more then is due to a dog even the crums that fall from your table With which speech our Saviour was so far taken as that he seems to have been stricken into a wonderment for he presently cries out O woman great is thy faith Thirdly there is one thing that this way of instruction by Parable hath above all other kinds of teaching it serves excellently for reproof for man is a proud creature impatient of plain and open check and reprehension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times no way of dealing with him when he hath offended but by deceiving him with wiliness and craft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that comes rudely and plainly to reprehend doth many times more hurt then good I speak not this onely in regard of Ministerial reprehension used by the Preacher of the word but of all other for to reprove offenders is a common duty and belongs to every private man as well as to the Minister St. Austin in his Book de Civitate Dâ—i handling the question Why in common calamities the good do bear a part as well as the evil amongst many other reasons gives this as a special one That good men are not careful enough in reproving the errours of their offending brethren but by connivency and silence in a manner partake in their sins and as it were by consent make them their own It shall not be amiss therefore even for you of the Laity to hear something concerning this art of reprehension as a duty concerning you as well as the Preacher For the wisdom and gentleness of a Christian is never better seen then in reproving Now one common errour of reprehenders is their over-blunt and plain manner of rebuking dum sic objurgent quasi oderint whilest they reprove the vice as if they hated the person and upbraid rather then reprehend by this our importunity we destroy more sinners then we save It is an excellent observation in St. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonable and importunate reprehenders make offending persons depudere to steal their forehead and to set a good face upon their fact as the phrase of the world is and to seek out excuses and apologies for their sin Tully tells us that Antony the Oratour being to defend a person who was accused of faction and sedition bend his wits to maintain sedition was good and not to be objected as a fault That we force not our offending Brethren unto this degree of impudency let us consult with our charity and know the quality and nature of the offender Husbandmen tell us that the young and tender branches of a Vine are not to be prun'd away with a knife but gently pull'd away by hand Beloved before we reprove let us know the condition of our brother whether he be not like the young Vine soft and tender and so to be cured rather with the hand then with the knife and if he be grown so hard that he shall need the knife we must not rashly adventure of it but know there is a skill likewise in using the knife As Ehud in the Book of Iudges when he went to kill Eglon carries not his Dagger in his hand but comes unto him with a present and had his Dagger girt privily under his garment or as a skilful Physician of whom we read being to heal an impostume and finding the sick person to be afraid of Lancing privily wrap'd up his knife in a spunge with which whil'st he gently smoothed the place he lanced it so Beloved when we encounter our offending Brother we must not openly carry the Dagger in our hand for this were to defie our brother but we must wrap our knife in our spunge and lance him whil'st we smooth him and with all sweetness and gentleness of behaviour cure him as Esay the Prophet cured Hezekias by laying a plaister of Figs upon the sore Men when they have offended are like unto fire we must take heed how we come too near them and therefore as the Cherubims in the Book of Esay's Prophesie takes a cole from the Altar with the tongs so when the Prophets dealt with them they did not rudely handle them with their hands but they came upon them warily under Parables as it were with the Cherubim tongs How could Nathan have come so near unto King David and drawn from him an acknowledgment of his sin had he not come with the Cherubims tongs and deceived him with a Parable or how should the Prophet made King Ahab see his errour in letting go King Benhadad if he had not as it were put a trick upon the King
dares call any sin little that is committed against God Small contempts against great Princes are accounted great oversights for what is wanting in the thing is made up in the worth of the person How great a sin then is the smallest contempt that is done against God Prudentissimus ille est qui non tam considerat quid jussum sit quam illum qui jusserit nec quantitatem imperii sed imperantis cogitat dignitatem It is the best wisdom for us not so much to consider what is commanded as who it is that commandeth it to consider I say not the smallness of the Law but the greatness of the Law-giver Sins comparatively may be counted greater or lesser but absolutely none can be counted small To conclude then this point Charity suspecteth no harm saith St. Paul true but we must note that some virtues in us concern our selves as Faith Hope Temperance and the like some virtues concern not our selves but others but such an one is Charity Charity that wills Christians to think well of all others can have little room upon our selves Let us then make use of this Charity towards our Neighbours hope the best of all their actions but let us take heed how we be over-charitably minded to our selves Caesar profess'd that he would rather die then suspect his friends and he sped accordingly for he died by the treachery of those freinds whom he suspected not Let us take heed how we be over-kind unto our own thoughts how we think it an errour to be too suspicious of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peradventure those sons of our own hearts whom we least suspect will in the end prove those who shall betray us But I come to a third reason A third reason why I shall advise you to this jealousie over your own thoughts is the difficulty of discovering them betime and discerning of what spirit they are For our heart is like that feild in the Gospel in which the Husbandman sows good corn and the enemy sows tares God infuseth good thoughts and the Devil ill Now as weeds many times at their first budding are hardly known from good herbs so at the first springing and budding of our thoughts a hard matter it is to know the weed from the good herb the corn from the tare As Iudah in the Book of Genesis knew not Tamar till the fruit of his sin committed with her began to shew it self so till the fruits of our thoughts and purposes begin to appear except we search very narrowly we can scarcely discover of what rank they are Tunc ferrum quod latebat infundo supernatabat aquae inter palmarum arbores myrrhae amaritudo reperta est Then the iron that lay in the bottom will swim at the top of the water and among the pleasant Palm-trees will be found the bitterness of Myrrh We read in the second of Samuel that when the Ark was brought from Kirjath-jearim the oxen that drew the cart shook it and Vzzah reaching out his hand to save it from falling for his good service was laid dead in the place Doubtless Vzzah his accompanying the Ark was a sign of his love unto it his love unto it begat in him a fear to see it in danger his fear to see it in danger bred in him a desire to keep it from danger See Beloved what a number of golden thoughts are here yet as we read in the Book of Iob when the servants of God came and stood before him Satan also came and stood amongst them So in this chorus and quire of these Angelical thoughts the devil finds a place to rest himself in For this desire of Vzzah to save the Ark from danger made him forget what was written that none should touch the Ark save onely the Preists the breach of which precept brought that fearful judgment upon him You see Beloved that though the course of our thoughts be like Iacob's Ladder and God himself be at one end of them yet Satan if he can will be at the other Let us learn by this example of Vzzah betimes to discover our thoughts and not to suffer them to grow till their fruit betray them Indeed our Saviour hath given us a rule You shall know them by their fruits but we must take heed that we extend not this rule too far Vzzah felt the fruit of his thoughts to his own cost It is never good trying conclusions there Vbi poenastatim sequitur errorem Let us learn to decipher our thoughts then when we may do it without danger whilst they are in semine whilst they are yet but budding and peeping above ground Donec Sarculo tantum opus est non Securi whil'st yet there is onely need of the Weed hook and not of the Hatchet A fourth reason yet there is for which I would counsel you to hold a strict hand over your thoughts and it is Because that from outward sins we can better preserve our selves then from our sins in thought Beloved there is a transient sin and there is an imminent sin there is a sin that is outwardly acted by the service of the body there is a sin that requires not the help of the body but is committed inwardly in the very thought and soul a speculative or an intellectual sin Outward sins are many ways pass'd by means may be wanting company may hinder time and place may be inconvenient but for speculative sins or sins in thought all times all occasions all places are alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Basil A man saith he of great gravity and countenance sits in the midst of the market-place with many hundreds about him and looking upon him yet notwithstanding this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even this man in the mid'st of all the company fancies to himself what he desires and in his imaginations goes unto the place of sin or rather retires into his own heart and there he finds place and means to commit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin that hath no witness but God If we retire to our private chambers these sins will follow us thither and as Baanah and Richab did by Isboseth Saul's son they will find us out upon our beds and slay us there If we go to the Church they will find us out there and as Adramelech and Sharezer slew Sennacherib whil'st he was worshipping his god they will set upon us even in the midst of our holiest meditations and prayers neither Chamber nor Church no place so private none so holy that can give us Sanctuary or shelter us from them St. Hierom confesses thus much of himself that when he had forsaken the world all outward occasions of sin and gone into the Desert and shut himself up in a poor Cell and macerated his body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with watchings with fastings and perpetual prayers and religious exercise yet could he not be secure from them Pallebant ora jejuniis mens desideriis aestuabat in
gone him through then if you please you may look back and take a veiw of his imperfections and supply them out of some other Authours partly Latine as Iustine Salust Caesar's Commentaries Hirtius Velleius Paterculus partly Greek as Polybius Plutarch Dionysius Halycarnasseus Appianus Alexandrinus Dion Cassius out of which Authours you may reasonably supply whatsoever is wanting in Livie Having thus brought the Story to the change of the Empire you must now begin another course and first you must take in hand Suetonius Tranquillus who being carefully perused your way lies open to the reading of our Politician's great Apostle Tacitus Now the same infelicity hath befallen him which before I noted in Livie for as this so that is very imperfect and broken a great part both of his Annals and Histories being lost And as I counsel'd you for Livie so do I for Tacitus that you read him throughout without intermingling any other Authour and having gone him through in what you shall see him imperfect Dion Cassius or his Epitomizer Xiphiline will help you out though by reason of your fore-reading of Suetonius you shall find your self for a good part of the Story furnish'd before hand And thus are you come to the Reign of Nerva where Suetonius and Tacitus ended hitherto to come is a reasonable task for you yet If you shall desire to know the State and Story afterward till Constantine's death and the Division of the Empire or farther to the fall of the Western Empire let me understand your mind and I will satisfie you For the Editions of those Authours hitherto mentioned your choice is best of those whom either Lipsius or Gruterus or Causabon have set forth though if you be careful to buy fair Books you can scarcely chuse amiss your Greek Authours if you list not to trouble your self with the Language you shall easily find in Latine sufficient for your use Onely Plutarch what ever the matter is hath no luck to the Latine and therefore I would advise you either to read him in French or in English But as for Tacitus the cheif Cock in the Court-basket it is but meet you take special good advise in reading of him Lipsius Savile Pichena and others have taken great pains with him in emaculating the Text in setling the Reading opening the Customs expounding the Story c. and therefore you must needs have recourse unto them yet this in onely Critical and not Courtly Learning Tacitus for your use requires other kind of Comments For since he is a Concise Dense and by repute a very Oraculous Writer almost in every line pointing at some State-Maxim it had been a good employment for some good Wit to have expounded proved exemplified at large what he doth for the most part onely but intimate Something our Age hath attempted in this kind though to little purpose Gruterus hath collected certain places here and there collected out of him and Scipio Anâ—mirati hath glossed him in some places according to the shallowness of the new Italian Wits But Annibal Scotus Groom of the Chamber to Sixtus Quintus hath desperately gone through him all whom I would wish you to look upon not for any great good you shall reap by him for he is the worst that ever I read onely you shall see by that which he hath with great infelicity attempted what kind of Comment it is which if it were well performed would be very acceptable to us From the order of Reading we come to the Excerpta and to such things as we observe and gather in our reading Here are two things to be marked First the matters and things which we collect Secondly the manner of observing gathering registring them in our paper-paper-books for our speedy use To omit all that which belongs to the style and language wherein your Authour writes in which I suppose you mean not much to trouble your self matters observable in History may be all rank'd under three heads First there is the Story it self which usually we gather by Epitomizing it Secondly there are Miscellanea such as are the Names and Genealogies of Men descriptions of Cities Hills Rivers Woods c. Customs Offices Magistrates Prodigies certain quaint observations as who was the first Dictator when the Romans first began to use Shipping or to coin gold what manner of Moneys the Ancients used their manner of War and Military Instruments and an infinite multitude of the like nature Thirdly there are Moralia For the first you need not trouble your self about it it is already done to your hand For there is almost no story of note whereof there is not some Epitome as good as any you can frame of your own Indeed if you did intend any exact knowledge of History it were good you did this your self though it were Actum agere Because what we do our selves sticks best in our memories and is most for our use But since your aim is at something else you may spare your own and make use of others labours The second Head is pleasant but is meerly Critical and Scholastical and so the less pertinent to you and therefore I shall not need to speak any more of it The Third which I called Morals is that Penelope which you must wooe under this I comprehend all Moral Sentences and Common Places all not able examples of Iustice of Religion c. Apothegins Vafre sâ—mulanter dicta facta Civil stratagems and plots to bring ends about censures upon mens persons and actions considerations upon mens natures and dispositions all things that may serve for proof or disproof illustration or amplification of any Moral place considerations of the circumstances of actions the reasons why they prove successful or their errours if they prove unfortunate As in the second Punick War why Annibal still prevailed by hastning his actions Fabius on the contrary by delay And this indeed is one of the special profits that comes by History And therefore I have always thought Polybius might we have him perfect one of the best that ever wrote Story For whereas other Historians content themselves to touch and point at the true reasons of Events in civil business Polybius when he hath Historically set down an action worthy consideration leaves it not so but reveiws it insists and as it were comments upon it considers all the circumstances that were of any force in the manage of it and contents not himself as it were to cast its water but looks into its bowels and shews where it is strong and where diseased Wherefore I would have you well acquaint your self with him and especially with those passages I now spake of that they may be patterns to you to do the like which that you may with greater assurance and profit do make special account of those who wrote the things of their own times or in which themselves were Agents especially if you find them to be such as durst tell the truth For as it is with Painters who
many times draw Pictures of fair Women and call them Helen or Venus or of great Emperours and call them Alexander or Caesar yet we know they carry no resemblance of the persons whose names they bear So when men write and decipher actions long before their time they may do it with great wit and elegancy express much politick wisdom frame very beautiful peices but how far they express the true countenance and life of the actions themselves of this it were no impiety to doubt unless we were assured they drew it from those who knew and saw what they did One thing more ere I leave this Head I will admonish you of It is a common Scholical errour to fill our papers and note-Note-books with observations of great and famous events either of great Battels or Civil Broiles and contentions The expedition of Hercules his off-spring for the recovery of Peloponnese the building of Rome the attempt of Regulus against the great Serpent of Bagradas the Punick Wars the ruine of Carthage the death of Caesar and the like Mean while things of ordinary course and common life gain no room in our Paper-books Petronius wittily and sharply complain'd against Scholemasters in his times Adolescentulos in Scholis stultissimos fieri quia nihil ex iis quae in usu habemus aut audiunt aut vident sed piratas cum catenis in littore stantes tyrannicos edicta scribentes quibus imperent filiis ut patrum suorum capita praecidant sed responsa in pestilentia data ut virgines tres aut plures immolentur in which he wisely reproves the errour of those who training up of youth in the practise of Rhetorick never suffered them to practise their wits in things of use but in certain strange supralunary arguments which never fell within the sphere of common action This complaint is good against divers of those who travel in History For one of the greatest reasons that so many of them thrive so little and grow no wiser men is because they sleight things of ordinary course and observe onely great matters of more note but less use How doth it benefit a man who lives in peace to observe the Art how Caesar managed wars or by what cunning he aspired to the Monarchy or what advantages they were that gave Scipio the day against Hannibal These things may be known not because the knowledge of these things is useful but because it is an imputation to be ignorant of them their greatest use for you being onely to furnish out your discourse Let me therefore advise you in reading to have a care of those discourses which express domestick and private actions especially if they be such wherein your self purposes to venture your fortunes For if you rectifie a little your conceit you shall see that it is the same wisdome which manages private business and State affairs and that the one is acted with as much folly and ease as the other If you will not beleive men then look into our Colledges where you shall see that I say not the plotting for an Headship for that is now become a Court-business but the contriving of a Bursership of twenty nobles a year is many times done with as great a portion of suing siding supplanting and of other Court-like Arts as the gaining of the Secretary's place onely the difference of the persons it is which makes the one Comical the other Tragical To think that there is more wisdom placed in these specious matters then in private carriages is the same errour as if you should think there were more Art required to paint a King then a Countrey Gentleman whereas our Dutch Pieces may serve to confute you wherein you shall see a cup of Rhenish-wine a dish of Radishes a brass Pan an Holland Cheese the Fisher-men selling Fish at Scheveling or the Kitchen-maid spitting a loin of Mutton done with as great delicacy and choiceness of Art as can be expressed in the Delineation of the greatest Monarch in the world From the order of Reading and the matters in Reading to be observed we come to the method of observation What order we are for our best use to keep in entring our Notes into our Paper-Books The custom which hath most prevailed hitherto was common placing a thing at the first Original very plain and simple but by after-times much increased some augmenting the number of the Heads others inventing qâ—â—â—ter forms of disposing them till at length Common-place-books became like unto the Roman Breviarie or Missal It was a great part of Clerk-ship to know how to use them The Vastness of the Volumes the multitude of Heads the intricacy of disposition the pains of committing the Heads to memory and last of the labour of so often turning the Books to enter the observations in their due places are things so expensive of time and industry that although at length the work comes to perfection yet it is but like the Silver Mines in Wales the profit will hardly quit the pains I have often doubted with my self whether or no there were any necessity of being so exactly Methodical First because there hath not yet been found a Method of that Latitude but little reading would furnish you with some things which would fall without the compass of it Secondly because men of confused dark and clowdy understandings no beam or light of order and method can ever rectifie whereas men of clear understanding though but in a mediocrity if they read good Books carefully and note diligently it is impossible but they should find incredible profit though their Notes lie never so confusedly The strength of our natural memory especially if we help it by revising our own Notes the nature of things themselves many times ordering themselves and tantum non telling us how to range them a mediocrity of care to see that matters lie not too Chaos-like will with very small damage save us this great labour of being over-superstitiously methodical And what though peradventure something be lost Exilis domus est c. It is a sign of great poverty of Scholarship where every thing that is lost is miss'd whereas rich and well accomplish'd learning is able to lose many things with little or no inconvenience Howsoever it be you that are now about the noon of your day and therefore have no leisure to try and examine Methods and are to bring up a young Gentleman who in all likelihood will not be over-willing to take too much pains may as I think with most ease and profit follow this order In your reading excerpe and note in your Books such things as you like going on continually without any respect unto order and for the avoiding of confusion it shall be very profitable to allot some time to the reading again of your own Notes which do as much and as oft as you can For by this means your Notes shall be better fixt in your memory and your memory will easily supply you of things
me not no Church either Ancient or Modern ever gave When it was objected what if they were in danger of death their answer was that the want of Baptism would not prejudice them with God except we would determine as the Papists do that Baptism is necessary to salvation Which is as much to undervalue the necessity of Baptism as the Church of Rome doth over-value it Here followed a recitation of all that had been done since the business of the Catechism had been set on foot amongst the rest was registred the exceptions of the Remonstrants of Vtrecht and it was added atque iis est à Praeside satisfactum Those of Vtrecht excepted against that word satisfactum they had said they an answer given them but no satisfaction For they persisted in their former opinion and forthwith that word was altered Here was a doubt moved whether it were not fit that some of the especial Reasons brought by the Synod in the Question of the Baptism of Infants should not be added to the Decree It was answered That Reasons were obnoxious to cavil and exceptions and it was not for the Authority of the Synod to Reason but to Decree After this the Praeses signified to the Synod that the time prefixt for the appearance of the Remonstrants was now expiring and yet nothing was signified concerning their appearance neither to the Secular President nor Ecclesiastical Wherefore naming them all he thought good to cite them to appear It was answer'd by those of Vtrecht that they did provide and would shortly be forth coming In the mean while to take up the time Mr. Praeses thought good to commend to the Synod the consideration redress of those abuses which were in Printing Every man was suffered to print what he listed whence came abundance of blasphemous heretical obscene and scandalous Pamphlets Many here delivered their opinions others required farther time to think of it The English first thought fit that the States General should be requested to take the care of this into their hands That there should be Censors to approve all such Books as should go to the Press That no man should print but such as were known to be of the Reformed Religion Unto this advice divers things were added by others as that there should be a set number of Printers that they should be sworn that there should be certain Laws prescribed unto them that they should print no Heretical Books especially the Books of David Georgius H. Nicolaus Socinus that no Libels no unlawful Pictures either obscene or made to any mans disgrace should be permitted that no Book should be Printed without the names of the Author Printer Place except the Synod or the Magistrates did in some cases otherwise think good that there should be care that the Correctors for the Press were good Scholars and many other things of the like nature Then were there read certain Canons made in some Synods before concerning this business Theodatus of Geneva told us that in his travails at Venice he had observed that there was a Colledge of sundry persons secular and spiritual to whose care was committed all the business of Printing He thought it fit there should be such Colledges here erected When all had spoken that would the Praeses told them that Adrian Smoutius had written a little Book in the Belgick Tongue unto the Synod and sent the Copies of it to him to be distributed And so requesting them to take in good part the good will of the man for want of more business the Synod brake up At length are we coming to the main battel The Armies have been in sight one of another and have had some parly The manner was this Upon Thursday the 6. of Decem. stylo novo The Synod being set in the morning the Praeses signified that there had come unto him in the name of the Remonstrants these four H. Leo Niellius Matthisius and Pinakerus to give notice that the Remonstrants were ready according to their Citation but because they had but lately come unto the Town that yet convenient lodgings were not provided their papers books and stuff were confused therefore they required respite either till Saturday or at least Friday morning The President of the Politicks replyed that they should come and personally make appearance before the Synod and there propose their mind and if the Synod approved their causes they might be deferred Upon this were two of the Deputies of Vtrecht sent forth to give them warning to provide for their present appearance In the mean while till they came the Praeses thought fit that such as in the former Session delivered not themselves concerning the Reformation of abuses in Printing should now doe it Here was little delivered besides what was said the day before only some few particulars as that order should be taken to repress this longing humour in many men of coming to the Press that there should be no impression of the Bible at any time without leave had Forreign Books brought out of other Countries should not be distracted here without peculiar leave after their being perused by the Censurers to ease the Censurers that they might not be troubled with reading too great a multitude of unprofitable Books it was thought fit that the Books should first be brought to the Classes and what they approved should be brought to the Censurers c. In the men while the Remonstrants came all that were cited by Letters and were admitted into the Synod There is in the midst of the Synod-House a long Table set as it seems for them for it hath hitherto been void no man sitting at it here Chairs and Forms being set they were willed to sit down The Praeses told them that he had commended to the Synod their suit of being a little respited but it was the will of the Deputies for the States that they should come before the Synod and propose their cause themselves Episcopius standing up spake to this effect First he prayed God to give a blessing to this meeting and to pour into their minds such conceits as best fitted men come together for such ends then he signified that according to their Citation they were now come ad collationem instituendam concerning that cause which hitherto with a good Conscience they had maintain'd As for the point of delay true it is they spake to the Praeses concerning a respite until Saturday or Friday by reason of that great distraction of their Books and Papers and want of convenient lodging but not as a petition to be moved in that behalf unto the Synod but only as a thing which out of common equity they might have presumed on without acquainting the Synod with it For they were ready even at that present to begin the business they came for without any farther delay But this they left to the Deputies Secular and Ecclesiastical to determine of Then were they requested to withdraw a little into a chamber
17 27. of Decemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Friday 18 â—â— of December in the morning it was long ere the Synod met At length being come together there were read the two Decrees one of the States another of the Synod made the former Session the reason of the repeating was the absence of some the day before Then did the Praeses signify that that very morning immediately before the time of the Synod he had received from the Remonstrants Letters satis prolixas which concern'd himself and the whole Synod the perusal of which Letters was the cause of his long stay The Letters were sent to the Delegates to know whether or no they would have them read Whilst the Seculars were advising of this point there were brought in a great heap of the Remonstrants Books and laid upon the Table before the Praeses for what end it will appear by and by The Secular Delegates signifie that they think not fit that the Letters should be publickly read and that the Remonstrants should immediately be call'd in They being entered the Praeses askt them whether they were ready to obey the Orders set down by the States the Synod They require to have their Letters read but the Seculars willed them instead of reading their Letters to hearken to a Decree of the States and forthwith was read a Decree sounding to this purpose that the States strictly commanded that nothing should be read or spoken in the Synod in prejudice of the Decree made yesterday but that they should without any further delay come to the business in hand The Remonstrants reply that except they may most freely propose their minds in both the parts of Predestination both Election and Reprobation they refused to go further in Conference for that their Conscience would not permit them The Praeses replyed that for liberty of proposal of their opinions they could not complain for the Synod had given them Libertatem Christianam aequam justam but such an absolute Libertyâ— as they seemed to require of going as far as they list of oppugning before the Synod what opinions they pleased of learned men this they thought unfit And as for Conscience they knew that the Word of God was the rule of it Now what part of Scripture had they that favoured them in this behalf or that did take any order and prescribe a Method in Disputation By thus stiffely urging their Conscience they did exceedingly wrong the Decree of the States and Synod as if by them something against the word of God some impiety were commanded When the Praeses had thus said he began to propose unto them certain Interrogatories concerning the Five Articles Your honour may be pleased to call to mind that in one of my former Letters I shewed that because the Remonstrants had given up their opinions very perplexedly and imperfectly the Synod had thought good that the Praeses should propose them certain questious out of their own Writings so the better to wrest their meaning from them This was the Praeses now beginning to do and this was the cause of the bringing in of the Books The Interrogatory proposed was this Whether or no they did acknowledge that the Articles exhibited in the Hague Conference did contein their opinions Episcopius stept up and required that it might be lawful for them to set down their own Tenents and not be forced to answer thus to other mens Writings H. Leo in choler told the Praeses that he did evidently see that it was the drift of the Synod to discredit them with the Magistrate and that for his own part he would rather leave his Ministery than make any answer to these Interrogatories The Praeses here advised him to bethink himself seriously whether his Conscience could assure him that this was a good cause of leaving his Ministery because he might not proceed in Disputation according as he thought fit Wezekius answered that he would not submit to this examen and nisi posset liberrimè agi he would not answer at all The same was the sence of Hollingerus his answer Episcopius plainly told them nisi in omnibus liberum esset to do as they thought good they would go no farther For we are resolved saith he agere pro judicio nostro non pro judicio Synodi then one of the Seculars stept up and willed those words should be noted The Praeses then told them that the true cause of all this their indisposition was that they forgot themselves to be Citati and that they were not acquainted with being commanded They were to remember that they stood before God before their Magistrate and that their cause was the cause of the Church whose peace would not be procured by this behaviour They might remember what they told the Forreign Divines in their Letters to them that there was of late a great Metamorphosis in the State Non estis nunc judices Domini rerum sed Citati but at it seemed they were resolved to suffer omnino nullum judicium de iis fieri Episcopius here urged his Conscience Adde Verbum Dei then saith the Praeses shew us upon what Text of Scripture you ground your Conscience otherwise you wrong both the Magistrate and the Synod Corvinus answered that that scantling of Liberty which the Synod gave them did not suffice their Consciences Poppius likewise required larger Liberty and that he might not be dealt withall by Authority but by Reason The Praeses answered that in Conscience he could not give them greater Liberty than they had already given them and therefore askt him if he would answer to the Interrogatories He stoutly replyed Malo quidvis pati Sapma replyed to the same purpose and over and above added Vt nostrum judicium non satisfacit Synodo ita nec Synodi Iudicium nostro Rickwardius told the Synod that they dealt not charitably with them and openly protested as Episcopius had before done non agemus pro judicio Synodi sed pro judicio nostro The Praeses replyed vocem hanc esse intolerandam Niellius excepted against this proceeding with them capitatim and requir'd that they might consult in common what answer to give For my self saith he I am a man of no ready speech and unfit for suddain disputation Too great advantage is taken against men by this kind of proceeding Many members of the Synod were they thus singled out to give a suddain answer might easily peradventure be put to some distress Nullam esse causam tam justam de qua non facile possit triumphari si de ea agatur tantum pro arbitrio adversarii The Praeses told them that here was nothing required but that they would give a reason of their Faith which they had for this many years taught in their Pulpits and in their Writings and therefore they could not be unprovided to give an answer and for that they mentioned
by himself at the latter end of this Session the first three their judgements began to be read but by that time two pages were read the hour was passed and so the rest of it was continued till the next occasion only my Lord I must tell you that so much as was read giveth us little hope of agreement among them for whereas other Colleges had taken it as granted only that homo lapsus was subjectum Praedestinationis they in these two pages did only dispute by many arguments against Gomarus his opinion and proved that largely which others had only taken as a ground their arguments Gomarus I see him note what difference shall further happen in their judgements your L. shall understand by my next Sessio 107. eodem die post meridiem This Session was publick all auditours being admitted in which D. Deodatus did at great length handle these two questions 1. Quantum differat fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu temporaneorum à vera et justificante Regenitorum fide 2. Quousque conceditur Diabolo progredi in oppugnanda justificatorum fide he did very sweetly just as he useth to preach not as Doctours use to do in Schools This is all which is done this week for this day being Saturday we have no Session The last Sunday I in which I returned the Letter your L. was pleased to send me sent to your Lordship all which had passed the week before which I hope your Lordship had your Lordship seeth there are but ordinary passages yet in the Synod if there were any thing worthy of extraordinary note I should not fail with all diligence to give your Lordship notice of it in mean time with many thanks to your Lordship for all your Lordships courtesies and the remembrance of my humblest service to your L. and your worthy Lady I take my leave ever entreating your Lordship that I may be accounted by your Lordship as I am I doubt not but your Lordship hath seen this pamphlet yet if you have not here it is Dordrecht this 9. of March 1619. Your L. in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord SUch things as have passed in our Synod since my last Letters unto your Lordship I here send your Lordship as briefly as I can I hope now at length towards the latter end of the next week we shall come to the making of the Canons Sessio 108. 11. Martii Stylo Novo Georgius Fabricius a Nassovian Divine substituted in the place of Dr. Bisterfield who died here was with the accustomed solemnity admitted into the Synod◠We go on in reading the judgement of the three Belgick professours which was very sound and of a just length it was subscribed by their three names Iohannes Polyander Antonius Thysius Anthonius Wallaeus and a little beneath that it was thus written Ego Sibrandus Lubertus hoc collegarum meorum judicium perlegi per omnia probo Gomarus his name was not at it but he presently rose and testified viva voce that he had read it and did in all things approve the judgement of his Colleagues excepting only that part of it which did determine hominem lapsum to be the object of Predestination which he said had not as yet been determined in the Belgick Churches in the French nor English Churches and many others Next was read the judgement of Dr. Sibrandus upon the same Article which differed nothing from that former of his Colleagues but that it was longer it was subscribed with his own name and a little beneath the former three Professors by their subscriptions testified that they had read it and did approve it Gomarus stood up and viva voce gave this same testimony to this judgement which he had given to the former making the same exceeption Next was Gomarus his judgement read upon the same Article he said nothing of that question of the object of Predestination whether it was homo lapsus or not which silence in that point being excepted his judgement in all points agreed with the former judgements of his Collegues it was only subscribed with his own name but D. Polyander did vivâ voce testifie in the name of himself his Colleagues that they did approve all things in Gomarus his judgement excepting only that opinion of the object the contrary whereof they professed themselves to hold the President instructed us concerning some particulars of the business of Camps and desired us against three of the clock in the afternoon to consult about it the particulars whereof your L. shall see in the next Session Sessio 109. eodem die post meridiem The president told us first that the time of fourteen days granted to the two suspended Ministers of Camps for their comparence was now passed and so that they contemned this favourable respite granted by the Synod and persisted in their contumacy Next that the other two Ministers of Camps who were here among the cited Remonstrants had been appointed by the Synod to give in within fourteen dayes an answer to the accusations layed against them by the Deputies of the Reformed-Church of Camps the Copy of which accusations at their own earnest request had been delivered to them by one of the servants of the Synod but that now in place of their answer which was expected they had sent to him a Letter which was read unto the Synod it had two great faults it was exceeding long exceeding foolish to this sence or rather non-sence they did show that they could not at the day appointed give in their answer to the accusations and why they could no more go on in this Synodical action which was commenced against them for many causes such as were first because they were wholly taken up making ready some writings for the Synod concerning the five Articles which were imposed on them by the commandment of the Delegates 2. Because the Copy of the accusations brought unto them by one of the Synod officers was not subscribed by the President nor by either of the Scribes of the Synod and therefore they thought it not an authentick Copy or of any Credit 3. Because crimes in it were objected to them both promiscuously and that laid to both their charge which only one of them had delivered and therefore their accusation was not exact according to form of law 4. That there were many things in it objected to them not warranted by any witness unless it were by some proofs taken out of their Colleague Foskculius late book which they christened with the name of stultum aud tenebricosum scriptum 5. Because it was full of false spellings and writing therefore they thought it was but negligently slubbered over for these and many more such causes as idle as these with which I hold it not fit to detain your L. though they might decline the judgement of the Synod especially since against the practice of the Belgick Church their own Consistory Classis and
Fathers they were called Heresies for Heresie is an act of the will not of the reason and is indeed a lye and not a mistake else how could that of Austin go for true Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo indeed Manichanisme Valentinianisme Macedonianisme Mahometisme are truly and properly Heresies For we know that the Authors of them received them not but invented them themselves and so knew what they taught to be a lye but can any man avouch that Arius and Nestorius and others that taught erroneously concerning the Trinity and the person of our Saviour did maliciously invent what they taught and not rather fall upon it by error and mistake Till that be done and upon good evidence we will think no worse of all parties than needs we must and take these Rents in the Church to be at the worst but Schismes upon matter of opinion In which case what we are to do is not a point of any great depth of understanding to discover if so be distemper and partiality do not intervene I do not see that opinionum varietas opinantium unitas are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that men of different opinions in Christian Religion may not hold communion in Sacris and both go to one Church Why may I not go if occasion require to an Arian Church so there be no Arianisme exprest in their Liturgy and were Liturgies and publick Forms of Service so framed as that they admitted not of particular and private fancies but contained only such things as in which all Christians do agree Schismes on opinion were utterly vanished for consider of all the Liturgies that are and ever have been and remove from them whatsoever is scandalous to any party and leave nothing but what all agree on and the evil shall be that the publick Service and Honour of God shall no ways suffer Whereas to load our publick Forms with the private fancies upon which we differ is the most soveraign way to perpetuate Schisme unto the worlds end Prayer Confession Thanksgiving Reading of Scriptures Administration of Sacraments in the plainest and the simplest manner were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy though nothing either of private opinion or of Church-Pomp of Garments or prescribed Gestures of Imagery of Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many superfluities which creep into the Church under the name of Order and Decency did interpose it self To charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all superstition and when scruple of conscience began to be made or pretended there Schism began to break in if the special Guides and Fathers of the Church would be a little sparing of incumbring Churches with superfluities or not over-rigid either in reviving obsolete Customes or imposing new there would be far less cause of Schism or Superstition and all the inconvenience were likely to ensue would be but this they should in so doing yield a little to the imbecillity of their Inferiours a thing which St. Paul would never have refused to do mean while wheresoever false or suspected opinions are made a piece of Church-Liturgy he that separate is not the Schismatick for it is alike unlawful to make profession of known or suspected falshood as to put in practise unlawful or suspect actions The third thing I named for matter of Schisme was Ambition I mean Episcopal Ambition shewing it self especially in two heads one concerning pluralities of Bishops in divers Seas Aristotle tells us that necessity causeth but small faults but Avarice and Ambition were the Mother of great Crimes Episcopal Ambition hath made this true for no occasion hath produced more frequent more continuous more sanguineous Schismes than this hath done The Sees of Alexandria of Constantinople of Antioch and above all of Rome do abundantly shew thus much and all Ecclesiastical stories witness no less of which the greatest that consists of fanctionating and tumultuating of great and potent Bishops Socrates Apologizing for himself that professing to write an Ecclesiastical story he did oft-times interlace the actions of secular Princes and other civil business tells us that he did this to refresh his Reader who otherwise were in danger to be cloyd by reading so much of the Acts of unquiet and unruly Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which as a man may say they made butter and cheese one of another for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may shew you a cast of my old Office and open you a mystery in Grammar properly signifies to make butter and cheese and because these are not made without much agitation of the milk hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a borrowed and translated signification signifies to do things with much agitation and tumult But that I may a little consider of the two heads I but now specified the first I mentioned was the Prelacies of Bishops in one Sea For the general practice of the Church since the beginning at least since the original of Episcopacy as now it is was never to admit at once more than one Bishop in one Sea and so far in this point have they been careful to preserve unity that they would not have a Bishop in his Sea to have two Cathedral Churches which thing lately brought us a Book out of France De Monomachia Episcoporum written by occasion of the Bishops of Langres who I know not upon what fancy could not be content with one Cathedral Church in his Diocess but would needs have two which to the Author of that work seems to be a kind of Spiritual Polygamy It fell out amongst the Ancients very often sometimes upon occasion of difference in opinions sometimes because of those who were interessed in the choice of Bishops that two and sometimes more were set up and all parties striving to maintain their own Bishop made themselves several Churches several Congregations each refusing to participate with others and many times proceeding to mutual Excommunications this is that which Cyprian calls Erigere Altare contra Altare to this doth he impute the Original of all Church-disorders and if you read him you would think he thought no other Church-tumult to be Schisme but this This perchance may plead some excuse for though in regard of Religion it self it matters not whether there be one or more Bishops in one Diocess for Epiphanius reckoning up the Bishops of Rome makes Peter and Paul the first and St. Augustine acknowledgeth for a time he sate fellow Bishop with his Predecessor though he excused it that he did so being ignorant that the contrary had been decreed by the Council of Nice yet it being a thing very convenient for the peace of the Church to have it so neither doth it any whit savour of their misdemeanor their punishment sleeps not who unncessarily and wantonly go about to infringe it But that other head of Episcopal Ambition concerning Supremacy of Bishops in divers Seas one claiming Supremacy over another as it hath been from