Infidelitie of our thoughts and resolutions And albeit we all disclaim Manes Heresie that held one Creator of the matter and another of more pure and better substances yet are we infected for the most part with a Spice of his madnesse in making Material Agents the Authors of some effects and the Divine Power of others Nor can I herein excuse the School-divines themselves ancient or modern domestick or forain the best of them in my judgement either greatly erred in assigning the subordination of Second Causes to the First or else are much defective in deriving their actions or operations immediatly from Him who is the First and Last in every action that is not evil the Onely Cause of all good unto men as shall appear God willing in the Article of his Providence and some other Treatises pertinent unto it wherein I shall by his assistance make good these two Assertions The One that modern events and Dispositions of present times are as apt to confirm mens Faith now living as the Miracles of former would be were they now in use or as they were to instruct that age wherein they were wrought The Second that The Infidelity of such in this age as are strongly perswaded they love Christ with their heart and yet give no more then most men do unto his fathers providence may be greater then theirs that never heard of either or equal unto the Jews that did persecute him 7 Until the Article of the divine Providence and that other of the God-head be unfolded these General directions for Experiments in this kind must suffice First that every man diligently observe his course of life and survey the circumstances precedent or consequent to every action of greater importance that he undertakes or events of moment that befal him Secondly that he search whether the whole frame or composition of occurrents be not such as cannot be attributed to any natural but unto some secret and invisible Cause or whether some cause or occasions precedent be not such as the Scripture hath already allotted the like events unto Would men apply their mindes unto this study Experience would teach them what from enumeration of particulars may be proved by discourse That there is no estate on earth nor business in Christendom this day on foet but have a ruled cause in Scripture for their issue and successe Nor is there any prescript of our Saviour his Evangelists or Apostles but his people might have a Probatum of it either in themselves or others so they would refer themselves wholly into his hands and rely as fully upon his prescripts as becomes such distressed Patients upon so Admirable a Physitian 8 But many who like well of Christ for their Physitian loath his medicines for the Ministers his Apothecaries sake and say of us as Nathanael said of him Can there any good thing come from these silly Galilaeans They will not with Nathanael come near and See but keep aloof And what marvel if spiritual diseases abound where there be spiritual medicines plenty when the flock be they never so Soul-sick come only in such sort to their Pastours as if a sick man should go to a Physick-Lecture for the recovery of his health where the Professour it may be reads learnedly of the nature of Consumptions when the Patient is desperately sick of a Pleurisie or discourses accurately of the Plethora or Athletical constitution when his Auditor poor soul languisheth of an Atrophie Most are ashamed to consult us as good patients in bodily maladies alwayes do their Physitians in any particulars concerning the nature of their peculiar griefs so as we can apply no medicine to any but what may as well befit every disease Whereas were we throughly acquainted with their several maladies or the dispositions of their minds the prescript might be such or so applied as every man might think the medicine had been made of purpose for his Soul and finding his secret thoughts with the Original causes of his Maladie discovered the Crisis truly Prognosticated he could not but acknowledge that he who gave this prescript and taught this Art did search the very secrets of mens hearts and reins and knew the inward temper of his Soul better then Hippocrates or Galen did the constitution of mens Bodies Finally would men learn to be true Patients that is would they take up Christs yoak and become humble and meek and observe but for a while such a Gentle and moderate Diet as from our Saviours practise and doctrine might be prescribed by their spiritual Physitians upon better notice of their several dispositions they would in short time out of their inward Experience of that uncouth rest and ease which by thus doing their souls should find believe with their hearts and with their mouthes confesse that these were rules of Life which could not possibly have come from any other but from that Divine Aesculapius himself the only Son yea the Wisdom of the only Wise Invisible and Immortal God The more unlikely the means of recovering spiritual health may seem to natural reason before men trie them the more forcible would their good successe and issue be for establishing true and lively Faith But such as can from these or like Experiments subscribe unto main particular Truths contained in Scripture and acknowledge them as divine may be uncertain of their Number or Extent doubt they may of the number of Books wherein the like are to be sought and again in those books which are acknowledged to contain many divine Revelations and Dictates of the holy Spirit they may doubt whether many other prescripts neither of like use nor authoritie have not been inserted by men CAP. XXXII Containing a brief Resolution of Doubts concerning the Extent of the general Canon or the number of its integral parts 1 THe ful resolution of the former doubt or rather Controversie concerning the number of Canonical books exceeds the limits of this present Treatise and depends as much as any question this day controversed upon the testimonies of Antiquitie The order of Jesuits shall be confounded and Reynoldes raised to life again ere his learned Works lately come forth upon this Argument albeit unfinished to his mind whilest he was living 〈◊〉 confuted by the Romanists Or if any of the Jesuitish Societie or that other late upstart Congregation will be so desperate as to adventure their Honour in Bellarmine or other of their foiled Champions rescue they shall be expected in the Lists before they be prepared to entertain the Challenge by one of that deceased Worthies Shield-bearers in his life time whose judgment in all good learning I know for sound his observation in this kind choise his industrie great his resolution to encounter all Antagonists such as will not relent For satisfaction of the ordinarie Reader I briefly answer 2 First that this is no controversie of Faith nor need it to trouble any Christian mans Conscience that we and the Papists differ about the
heard or learned from his godly Ancestors doth but trace out the Print of Moses footsteps almost obliterate and overgrown by the sloth and negligence of former Times wherein every man had trod what way he liked best And though the same Prophet descend to later Ages as low as Davids Yet he proceeds still by the same Rule relating nothing but such Historical Events or Experiments as confirm the Truth of Moses divine Predictions such as are yet extant in Canonical Scriptures So perfect and absolute in his judgement was that Part of the Old Testament which then was written to instruct not only the Men such as he was but every Child of God that he presumes not to know or teach more them in It was written And thus much this people should have done by Moses Precept without a Prophet for their Remembrancer And these Words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thâ—… liesi down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a Sign upon thine hand and they shall be as Frontlets between thine eyes Also thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates And again Sâ—t your hearts unto all the Words which I command you this day that you may command them unto your children that they may observe and do all the Words of this Law For it is no vain Word concerning you but it is your Life and by this Word you shall prolong your dayes 2 Questionlesse they that were bound to observe and do this Law were bound to know it and yet Moses refers them not to his Successor as if it were so obscure that it could not possibly be known without his Infallibility but on the contrary he supposeth it so plain and easie that every Father might instruct his Son in it and every Mother her Daughter It was their own daily Experience of the fruits and benefits in Obeying of their harms and plagues in Disobeying his Precepts which was to seal their Truth unto their Consciences For without such Observation without squaring their Lives and comparing their Thoughts and Actions unto this streight and plain Rule all other Testimonies of men or Authorities of their most infallible Teachers were in vain The Miracles which they had seen to day were quite forgotten ere nine dayes after Nor could their Perswasions or conceit of Moses Infallibility serve them for any Rule when they had shaken off these inward Cogitations and measured not the Truth of his Predictions by Experiments In their Temptations they were as ready to disclaim Moses as alwayes they were to distrust God whose mighty Wonders they had seen To what use then did the sight of all Gods Wonders or of Miracles wrought by Moses serve Motives they were necessary and excellent to incline their stubborn hearts to use this Law of God for their Rule in all their Actions and proceedings and to cause them set their hearts unto it as Moses in his last Words commands them For this Law as he had told them before was in their Hearts 3 Would any man that doth fear the Lord or reverence his Word but set his heart to read over this Book of Deuteronomy or the one hundred and nineteenth with sundry other Psalms but with ordinary Observation or attention that so the Character of Gods Spirit so lively imprinted in them might be as an Amulet to prevent the Jesuites Inchantments It would be impossible for all the wit of Men or Angels ever to fasten the least suspicion on his thoughts whether the Ancient Faithful Israelites did take this Law of Moses for their Infallible Rule in all their proceedings For nothing can be made more evident then this Truth is in it self That the Israelites Swarving from this Rule was the Cause of their departure from their God and the Occasion or Cause of their Swarving from it was this devilish Perswasion which Satan suggested to them then as the Jesuites do unto the Christian People now That this Law was too Obscure too Hard too Difficult to be understood no compleat Rule for their actions without Traditions or relying upon their Priests or Men in chief Authority This Hypocrisie Moses did wel foresee would be the beginning of all their Miseries the very Watch-word to Apostasie For which Cause he labours so seriously to prevent it Deut 30. 14. For this Commandment which I set before thee this day is not hid from thee neither far off but the Word is very near unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart to do it How was it in their Mouthes and in their Hearts when it was so obscure and difficult unto them after Moses Death It was in their Hearts and in their Posterity too had they set their hearts to it But as it is true Pars sanitatis est velle sanari It is a part of Health to be willing to be healed so was it here Pars morbi nolle sanari more then a part of this their grievous Disease their Blindnesse of heart was their pronenesse to be perswaded that this Word or Doctrine which Moses here taught was too Obscure and Difficult for them to follow They first began as the Jesuites do to pick Quarrels with God for which their Stubbornnesse he gave them over to their hearts desire And this his Sacred Word which should have been a Lantern unto their feet and a Light unto their paths as it was to Davids became a stumbling Block and a Stone of offence 1 Cor. 1. 23. What was the reason By their swarving from this plain and straight Rule their wayes became crooked and their actions unjust And it is the Observation of the wise Son of Sirach As Gods wayes are right and plain unto the just so are they stumbling Blocks unto the wicked Not Moses himself had he been then alive could have made this or any other true Rule of Faith plain unto these Jews whilest they remained perverse and stubborn And had they without Moses or any infallible Teachers help cast off this Crookednesse of heart Moses his infallible Doctrine had stil remained easie streight and plain unto them For it was in their Hearts though hid and smothered in the Wrinkles of their crooked Hearts In our Saviours time they wil not assent unto the Word written nor unto the Eternal Word unto which all the Writings of the Prophets gave Testimony unlesse they may see a Signe What was the Cause They had not laid Moses Commandments to their hearts For had they from their hearts Believed Moses they had Believed Christ For all whose Miracles wrought for their good in their sight and presence they cannot or wil not see that his Words were The Words of Eternal Life as Peter confesseth John 6. 68. Nor would any Jesuite
with other stand mutually affected how both subordinate to the absolute immutability of that one everlasting decree Want of resolution in these points as far as my observation serves me hath continually bred an universal threefold want of care and vigilancie for preventing dangers in themselves avoidable of alacrious indeavors to redeem time in part surprized by them of patience of hearty submission to Gods will and constant expectation of his providence after all hope of redemption from temporal plagues long threatned by his messengers is past For here we suppose what out of the fundamental principles of Christian religion shall in good time be made evident that in all ruinated states or forepast alterations of religion from better to worse there was a time wherein the possibility of misfortunes which afterwards befel them might have been prevented a time wherein they might have been recovered from eminent dangers wherewith they were encompast a time after which there was no possibility left them of avoyding the day of visitation never brought forth but by the precedent fulness of iniquity but alwaies necessarily by it In the discussion of these and other points of like nature because more depending upon strict examination of consequences deduced from the undoubted rules of Scripture then upon authorities of antiquitie skill in the tongues or any other learning that required long experience or observation I laboured most whilest those Arts and Sciences which are most conducible to this search were freshest in my memory And could I hope to satisfie others in all or most of these as fully as I have long since done my self I should take greatest pleasure in my pains addressed to this purpose But would it please the Lord in mercy to raise up some English writer that could in such sort handle these points as their use and consequence or necessity of present times requires succeeding ages I am perswaded should have more cause to bless the day of his nativity then of the greatest States-mens or stoutest Warriors this land hath yielded since the birth of our Fathers this day living It shall suffice he to begin the offering with my mite in hope some learned Academicks for unto them belongs the conquest of this golden fleece will employ their Talents to like publick use What I conceive shall be by Gods assistance unfolded in as plain and unoffensive terms as the nature of the subject will bear or my faculties reach unto partly in the Article of Gods providence partly in other discourses directly subordinate unto it Lastly for the full and perfect growth at least for the sweet and pleasant flourishing of lively Faith one of the most effectual means our industry that can but plant or water attains unto would be to unfold the harmony betwixt Prophetical predictions and Historical events concerning the Kingdom of Christ and time of the Gospel a point for ought I know not purposely handled by any modern writer except those whose success cannot be great until their delight in contention and contradiction be less Notwithstanding whatsoever I shall find good in them or any other without all respect of persons much more without all desire of opposition or occasion of contention a matter alwaies undecent in a Christian but most odious and lothsom in a subject so melodious and pleasant I will not be afraid to follow intending a full Treatise of the divers kindes of Prophecies with the manner of their interpretations before the Articles of Christs Incarnation Passion and Ascension These are the especial points which for the better confirmation of true Christian faith and rectifying perswasions in matters of manners or good life are principally aimed at in these meditations The main obstacle the Atheist stumbles at is the Article of the bodies resurrection Whose passive possibility shall by Gods assistance be evidently demonstrated against him by the undoubted rules of nature whose Priest or Minister he professeth himself to be That de facto it shall be the Scriptures whose truth ere then will appear Divine must assure us Nature cannot though thus much were in some sort known and believed by many natural men from traditions of the ancient or suspected from some notions of the law of nature not quite obliterated in all sorts of the heathen as shall in that Article God willing be observed But why our Assent unto this and all other Articles in this Creed being in good measure established the momentary hopes or transitory pleasures of this world should with most in their whole course of life with all of us in many particular actions in private and secret temptations more prevail then that exceeding weight of glory which Christian hope would fasten on our souls to keep unruly affections under hath often enforced me to wonder and wonderment hereat first moved me to untertake these labors if by any means I may attain unto the causes of this so grievous an infirmity or find out some part of a remedy for it Doubtless had the heathen Philosophers but known or suspected such joyes as we profess we believe and hope for or such a death or more then deadly torments as after this life ended we fear their lives and manners would as far have surpassed the best Christians now living as their knowledge in supernatural mysteries came short of the most learned that are or have been in that profession and yet whatsoever helps any Christian or heathen had for encreasing knowledge or bettering manners are more plentiful in this then any precedent age so that the fault is wholly in our selves that will not apply medicines already prepared as shall God prospering these proceedings be declared in the last Article of this Creed For controversies betwixt us and the Romish Church besides such are directly opposite to the end and method proposed I purposely meddle with none of that rank some as that of the Churches infallibility undermine the very foundation others as the doctrine of merit and justification the propitiation of the Mass unroof the edifice and deface the walls of Christian faith leaving nothing thereof but altarstones for their idolatrous sacrifices For this reason have I built with one hand used my weapon with the other laying the positive or general grounds of Faith against the Infidel or Atheist in the first Book and gaurding them in the second by the sword of the Spirit against all attempts of Romish Sanballats or Tobiahs who still labor to perswade our people the walls of Christs Church here erected since our fore-fathers redemption from captivity unless supported by their supposed infallibility are so weak That if a Fox should go upon them he should break them down In the third which was at this time intended but must stay a while to bring forth a fourth I batter those painted walls whose shallow foundations are discovered in the second The other controversies about the propitiatory sacrifices of the Mass Merits and Justification I prosecute in the Articles of Christs Passion and
3 Lastly the experiments which are related by Authors of this profession men in any reasonable mans judgement as much to be Believed herein as any other Writers in theirs are far more notable and apt to produce belief and hope of attaining the truth in this profession than any others can have in theirs The experiments of others were but ordinary and natural these are extraordinary and supernatural If the Atheist should impudently deny the truth of their report we may convince him with S. Augustines acute Dilemma If the Miracles related by our Writers be true they give evident experiment of the truth of Scripture if there were no such particular miracles but all feigned then this was a miracle above all miracles that Christian Religion should prevail against all other Arts Power or Policy without any extraordinary event or miracle It was not so easie a matter to cozen all the Roman Emperours and their Deputies with feigned Tales the World which hated Christians so much was inquisitive enough to know the truth of their reports I may conclude Nisi veritas magna fuisset non praevaluisset It was miraculous doubtless that it should so enrease without arms without any promise of carnal pleasure or security but even against their natural inclination that did profess it and all the Worlds opposition against it It had enemies both private and publick domestick and forraign even the flesh and sense of those which followed it fought against it 4 Mahomet since that time hath found a multitude of followers but all either enforced to follow him by threats of shame disgrace and tortures in this life or else allured thereto by fair promises of carnal pleasures to be perpetual without interruption in the life to come He hath set his followers such a course as they might be sure both of wind and tide And if the Haven whereat they arrive were as safe as their course is easie they were of all men the most happy But Christianity from its first beginning was to row against the stream of flesh and blood and to bear out sail against all the blasts that the Devil World or Flesh could oppose against it In a word the increase of Mahumetism hath followed the barbarous Turkish monarchies advancement as moisture in bodies doth the increasing fulness of the Moon And it had been an extraordinary Miracle if a barbarous multitude never acquainted with any civil pleasures should not have composed their mindes unto their Emperours in following a Religion framed as it were to court the senses and wooe the flesh But Christianitie then flourished most when the scorching heat of persecution was at the height When the countenance of Emperours as terrible to their foes for their Heroical valour as plausible to their friends for their lovely carriage were most fiercely set against it What Princes either more terrible to their enemies or more amiable to their friends than Trajan Dioclesian or others of the Christians persecutors were What man living is there of civil education that would not have lothed Mahomet and the whole succession of the Ottoman Familie in respect of these Roman Princes And yet a great part of their native Subjects men as otherwise excellently qualified so of a quiet and peaceable disposition yet readie alwaies to venture their lives for these Heathen Princes in most dangerous service against the enemies of the Roman Empire but most readie to follow the Crucisied Christ through fire and sword against their Emperors command dearer to them than this mortal life and all the Worlds threats or allurements It were sottish to think that such men had not perfect notice of some Higher Powers Commandment to the contrarie whom they thought it safer to obey when they contradicted the commandments or fair allurements of these supream Earthly Powers And it were as silly a perswasion to think that if the great Turk would change his religion for any other that might yeeld like hopes of carnal pleasure after this life any great number of his Subjects would lose their dignities for refusing subscription 5 The brief of what hath been or may be said concerning the grounds or motives of our Assent unto Objects supernatural may be comprised in these four Propositions following of which the first two are Axiomes evident in nature and received by all The two latter undoubted Axiomes amongst true Believers but suppositions onely to meer natural men or Novices in Christianity 6 The first The Stile or Title of these Sacred Books pretending divine Authority binde all men to make trial of their truth commended to us by our Ancestors confirmed to them by the Blood of Martyrs their Predecessors to use the means which they prescribed for this trial that is Abstinence from things forbidden and Alacrity in doing things commanded by them 7 The second Ordinary Apprehension or natural Belief of matters contained in Scriptures or the Christian Creed are of more force to cause men to undertake any good or abstain from any evil than the most firm Belief of any ordinary matters or any points of meer Natural consequence 8 The third Objects and grounds of Christian Belief have in them greater stability of truth and are in themselves more apt to found most strong and firm Belief then any other things whatsoever meerly credible 9 For as the most noble Essences and first Principles of every Art are most intelligible so are divine Truths of all other most Credible Not that they are more easie to be Assented to of any at their first proposal But that they have a greater measure of credibilitie in them and as their credibilitie and truth is inexhaustible so Belief of them once planted can never grow to such fulnesse of certaintie as not to receive daily increase if we applie our mindes diligently unto them so that true Christian Belief admits no stint of growth in this life but still comes nearer and nearer to that evidence of Knowledge which shall swallow it up in the life to come For the conceit of impossibilities or repugnances in nature objected by the obdurate Atheists to make the Principles of Christian religion seem incredible that they might like old Truants have the companie of Novices in Christianitie to loiter or mis-spend good hours with them we shall by Gods assistance dispel them and all other Clouds of like Errours in unfolding the truth of those Articles which they most concern 10 The fourth The means of apprehending the truth of Scriptures and experiments confirming their divine Authority are both for variety of kindes and number of Individual in every kinde far more and more certain than the means of apprehending the grounds of any other Belief or the experiments of any other teachers Authority 11 Some Particulars of every kinde with the General Heads or Common places whence like Observations may be drawn we are now to present so far as they concern the confirmation of the truth of Scriptures in general For the experiments which confirm the truth
force of assimilating them unto the paterns of godly and religious mens Souls represented herein yea even of transforming them into the similitude of that Image wherein they were first created The Idaeas of Sanctity and Righteousnesse contained in this Spiritual Glasse are the causes of our Edification in good life and Vertue as the Idaea or Platform in the Artificers head is the cause of the Material House that is builded by it SECT II. Of Experiments and Observations External answerable to the rules of Scripture CAP. VII Containing the Topick whence such Observations must be drawn 1 IF the Books of some Ancient rare Author who had written in sundry Arts should be found in this Age all bearing the Authors name and other commendable Titles prefixed a reasonable man would soon be perswaded that they were His whose name they bore but sooner if he had any positive arguments to perswade himself or their Antiquitie or if they were commended to him by the authoritie or report of men in this case credible But besides all these if every man according to his Experience or Skill in those Arts and Faculties which this Ancient writer handles should upon due examination of his Conclusions or discourse find resolution in such points as he had alwayes wavered in before or be instructed in matters of his Profession or observation whereof he was formerly ignorant this would much strengthen his Assent unto the former reports or traditions concerning their Author or unto the due praises and Titles prefixed to his Works albeit he that made this trial could not prove the same truth so fully to another nor cause him to Believe it so firmly as he himself doth unlesse he could induce him to examine his writings by like Experiments in some Facultie wherein the examiner had some though lesse Skill And yet after the like trial made he that had formerly doubted would Believe these works to be the supposed Authors and subscribe unto the Titles and commendations prefixed not so much for the Formers Report or Authoritie as from his own Experience Now we have more certain Experiments to prove that the Scriptures are the word of God then we can have to prove any mens works to be their supposed Authors for one Author in any Age may be as good as another He perhaps better of whom we have heard lesse We could in the former case only certainly Believe that the Author whosoever was an excellent Scholler but we could not be so certain that it was none other but he whose Name it did bear For there may be many Aristotles and many Platoes many Excelllent men in every Profession yet but One God that is All in All whose Works we suppose the Scriptures are which upon strict examination will evince him alone to have been their Author 2 The meanes then of establishing our Assent unto any part of Scripture must be from Experiments and Observations agreeable to the rules in Scripture For when we see the reason and manner of sundrie events either related by others or experienced in our selves which otherwise we could never have reached unto by any Natural Skill or generally when we see any effects or concurrence of things which cannot be ascribed to any but a Supernatural Cause and yet they fully agreeing to the Oracles of Scriptures or Articles of Belief This is a sure Pledge unto us that he who is the Author of Truth and gives being unto all things was the Author of Scriptures 3 Such Events and Experiments are divers and according to their diversities may work more or lesse on divers dispositions Some may find more of one sort some of another none all Some again may be more induced to Believe the truth of Scriptures from one sort of Experiments some from others Those observations are alwayes best for every man which are most incident to his Vocation With some varietie of these observations or Experiments we are in the next place to acquaint divers Readers CAP. VIII That Heathenish Fables ought not to Prejudice divine Truth 1 NOthing more usual to men wise enough in their generation then for the varietie or multitude of false reports concerning any Subject to discredit All that are extant of the same And all inclination unto diffidence or distrust is not alwayes to be misliked but onely when it swayes too far or extends is self beyond the limits of its proper Circumference that is matters of Bargain or secular Commerce As this diffident temper is most common in the cunning managers of such affaires so the first degree or propension to it were not much amiss in them did they not Transcendere à genere ad genus that is were not their Mistrust commonly too generally rigid and stiff For most men of great dealings in the world finding many slipperie companions hold it no sin to be at the least suspitious of all Others being often cozened by such as have had the name and reputation of Honest men begin to doubt whether there be any such thing indeed as that which men call Honestie and from this doubting about the real nature of Honestie in the Abstract they resolve undoubtedly That if any man in these dayes do not dâ—… ill with others it is onely for want of sit opportunitie to do himself any great good But as Facilitie in yielding Assent unless it be moderated by discretion is an infallible Consequent of too great simplicitie and layes a man open to abuse and wrong in matters of this life so General Mistrust is the certain forerunner of Insidelity and makes a man apt enough to cozen himself without a tempter in matters of the life to come though otherwise this is the very disposition which the great Tempter works most upon who for this reason when any notable truth of greater moment fals out labours by all means to fil the world with reports of like events but such as upon examination he foresees wil prove false for he knows well that the Belief of most pregnant truths may be this means be much impaired as honest men are usually mistrusted when the world is full of knaves And to speak the Truth It is but a very short Cut betwixt general and rigid Mistrust in worldly dealings and Infidelity in spiritual matters which indeed is but a kind of diffidence or mistrust and he that from the experience of often cozenage comes once to this point That he will trust none in worldly affairs but upon strong securitie or legal assurance may easily be transported by the varietie or multitude of reports in spiritual matters notoriously false to Believe nothing but upon the sure pledge and Evidence of his own Sense or natural Reason This is one main fountain of Atheism of which God willing in the Article of the Godhead In this place I onely desire to give the Reader notice of Satans Policy and to advertise him withall that as there is a kind of Ingenuous Simplicity which if it match with sobâ—ieâ—ie and serious
God said unto him by a dream I know that thou didst this even with an upright minde and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sin against me therefore suffered I not thee to touch her Now then deliver the man his wife again for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest live but if thou deliver her not again be sure that thou shalt die the death thou and all that thou hast And Moses witnesseth the ordinarie Prophecie of Ancient times to have consisted of dreams and visions Numb 12. 6 7. If there be a Prophet of the Lord amongst you I will be known unto him by a vision and will speak unto him by a dream My servant Moses is not so that is he is no ordinary Prophet unto him will I speak mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words but he shall see the similitude of the Lord. 3 These allegations sufficiently prove that night-dreams and visions were frequent and their observation if taken in sobriety to good use in Ancient times even amongst the Nations until they forgot as Joseph said That interpretations were from God and sought to finde out an Art of interpreting them Then night-visions did either cease or were so mixt with delusions that they could not be discerned or if their events were in some sort fore seen yet men being ignorant of Gods providence commonly made choice of such means for their avoidance as proved the necessary occasions or provocations of the events they feared 4 Much better was the temper of the Nations before Homers time They amongst other kindes of prophecyings and Sooth-sayings held dreams and their interpretations as all other good gifts to be from God As no evil was done in the Grecian Camp which the Gods in their opinion did not cause so Homer brings in Achilles advising Agamemnon to consult their Gods interpreters with all speed for what offence committed against them they had sent the Pestilence into their Camp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to what Priest or Prophet shall we wend Or Dreamer for even Dreams from Jove descend All those kindes of Predictions had been in use amongst the Heathens as they were amongst the Israelites albeit in later times they grew rare in both for the encrease of wickednesse throughout the World the multiplicity of businesse and solicitude of Humane affairs and mens too much minding of politick means and other second causes of their own good did cause the defect of true dreams and other divine admonitions for the welfare of mankinde 5 This cause the Scriptures give us 1 Sam. 28. 6. Saul who had followed the Fashions of other Nations not the prescripts of Gods Word asked counsel of the Lord but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by Prophets His sins had made a separation between him and the God of Israel who for this cause will not afford his presence to his Priests or Prophets that came as mediators betwixt Saul and him much lesse would he vouchsafe his Spirit unto such Priests or Prophets as were carnally minded themselves This was a rule so well known to the people of God that Strabo from the tradition of it for Moses his story he had not read reckons up this as a special point of Moses his doctrine concerning the worship of the God of Israel his words are to this effect Moses taught that such as lived chastly and uprightly should be inspired with true visions by night and such men it was meet should consult the Divine Powers in the Temple by night-visions but others who were not so well minded ought not to intrude themselves into this sacred businesse or if they would they were to expect no true visions but Illusions or idle Dreams from God they were not to expect any Yet may it not be denied but that the Heathens were oft-times by Gods permission truly resolved by Dreams or Oracles though ministred by Devils of events that should come but seldome were such resolutions for their good So the Witch which Saul most Heathen-like consulted when God had cast him off did procure him a true prediction of his fearful end This is a point wherein I could be large but I will conclude As the Heathens relations of sundry events usual in Ancient times confirm the truth of the like recorded in Scripture so the Scriptures give the true causes of their Being Ceasing or Alteration which the corrupt and Polypragmatical disposition of later Ages without revelation from the cause of causes and disposer of times could never have dreamed of as may partly appear from what hath been said of Dreams more fully from that which follows next of Oracles CAP. X. Of Oracles I Have often and daily occasion for the satisfaction of my minde in sundry questions that might otherwise have vext me to thank my God that as he made me a Reasonable Creature and of a Reasonable Creature a Student or Contemplator so He did not make me a meer Philosopher though Plato thought this deserved the greatest thanks as being the greatest benefit bestowed upon him by his God but never was I more incited in this respect to blesse the day wherein I was made a Christian then when I read Plutarchs Tract of the causes why Oracles ceased in his time Whether Heathen Oracles were all illusions of Devils or some uttered by God himself for their good though oft-times without successe by reason of their curiosity and superstition I now dispute not That Oracles in ancient times had been frequent that such events had been foretold by them as surpassed the skill of humane reason all Records of unpartial Antiquity bear uncontrollal le evidence Nor did the Heathen Philosophers themselves which lived in the Ages immediately following their decay call the truth of their former use in question but from Admiration of this known change they were incited to search the cause of their ceasing Plutarch after his acute search of sundry causes and accurate Philosophical disputes refers it partly unto the Absence of his Demoniacal Spirits which by his Philosophy might dy or flit from place to place either exiled by others more potent or upon some other dislike and partly unto the alteration of the soyl wherein Oracles were seated which yeelded not Exhalations of such a divine temper as in former times it had done and without a certain temperature of exhalations or breathing of the Earth the Demoniacal Spirits he thought could not give their Oracles more then a Musitian can play without an Instrument And this decay or alteration of the soyl of Delphi and like places was in his judgement probable from the like known experience in sundry Rivers Lakes and hot-Baths which in some places did quite dry up and vanish in others much decay for a long time or change their course and yet afterwards recover their former course or strength either in the same places
or some neer adjoyning Thus he expected Oracles should either come in use again in Greece or else burst out in some more convement Soyl. The Atheists of this Age our English home-bred ones at least have altogether as great reason to deny the decay or drying up of Rivers and Lakes as to suspect the frequency of Oracles or other events in times past for neither they no◠their fathers have had any more experience of the one then of the other Plutarchs testimony amongst many others is Authentick for the use and decay of Oracles but neither his Authority nor the reasons which he brings can give satisfaction to any man that seeks the true cause of their defect He refers it indeed in a generality to the Gods not that they wanted good will to mankinde still but that the matter did decay which their ministers the demoniacal Spirits did work upon as you heard before We may upon sure grounds with confidence affirm That even this decay of matter which he dreams of had it conferred ought to the use of Oracles was from God And he as the Psalmist speaks that turneth the floods into a wildernesse and drieth up the water Springs and maketh a fruitful land barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein did also bring not onely the Oracle of Delphi so much frequented amongst the Grecians but all other kindes of divinations used amongst his own people in the old World to desolation and by powring out his Spirit more plenteously upon the barren hearts of us Heathen hath filled the Barbarous Nations of Europe with better store of Rivers of comfort then the Ancient Israel his own inheritance had ever known Or if we desire a more immediate cause of these Oracles defect amongst the Heathens the time was come that the strong mans house was to be entred his goods spoiled and himself bound now the Prince of this world was to be cast out 2 Plutarchs relation of his demoniacal Spirits mourning for great Pans death about this time is so strange that it might perhaps seem a Tale unlesse the truth of the common bruit had been so constantly avouched by ear-witnesses unto Tiberius that it made him call a convocation of Wise men as Herod did at our Saviours birth to resolve him who this great Pan late deceased should be Thamous the Egyptian Master unknown by that name to his Passengers until he answered to it at the third call of an uncouth voice uttered Sine Authore from the land requesting him to proclaim the news of great Pans death as he passed by Palodes was resolved to have let all passe as a Fancy or idle Message if the wind and tide should grant him passage by the place appointed but the wind failing him on a sudden at his coming thither he thought it but a little losse of breath to cry out aloud unto the shoar as he had been requested Great Pan is dead The words as Plutarch relates were scarce out of his mouth before they were answered with a huge noise as it had been of a multitude sighing and groaning at this wonderment If these Spirits had been by nature mortal as this Philosopher thinks the death of their chief Captain could not have seemed so strange but that a far greater then the greatest of them by whose power the first of them had his being should die to redeem his enemies from their thraldom might well seem a matter of wonderment and sorrow unto them The circumstance of the time will not permit me to doubt but that under the known name of Pan was intimated the great Shepheard of our souls that had then layd down his life for his flock not the fained son of Mercury and Penelope as the Wisemen foolishly resolved Tiberius Albeit even this base and counterfeit resolution of these Heathens coyning bears a lively image for the exact proportion of the divine truth Charactred out unto us in Scripture For it shall appear by sufficient testimonies in their due time and place to be produced that sundry general confused or Enigmatical traditions of our Saviours Conception Birth and Pastoral office had been spread abroad amongst the Nations Hence instead of Him they frame a Pan the God of Shepherds in stead of the Holy Spirit by whom he was to be conceived they have a Mercury their false Gods fained Messenger and Interpreter for Pans father instead of the Blessed Virgin who was to bear our Saviour they have a Penelope for their young Gods Mother The affinity of quality and offices in all the parties here paralleld made this transfiguration of divine Truth easie unto the Heathen and the manner of it cannot seem improbable to us if we consider the wonted vanity of their imaginations in transforming the glory of the Immortal God into the similitude of earthly things most dislike to it in nature and quality Thus admitting Plutarchs story to be most true it no way proves his intended conclusion that the wild goatish Pan was mortal but the Scriptures set forth unto us the true cause why both he and all the rest of that hellish crue should at that time howl and mourn seeing by the Great Shephe ds Death they were become Dead in Law no more to breath in Oracles but quite to be deprived of all such strange motions as they had seduced the ignorant World with before All the antick tricks of Faunus the Satyrs and such like creatures were now put down God had resolved to make a translation of his Church and for this cause the Devils were enforced to dissolve their old Chappels and seek a new form of their Liturgie or Service Whilest the Israelites were commanded to consult with Gods Priests Prophets or other Oracles before they undertook any difficult war or matters of moment Satan had his Priests and Oracles as much frequented by Heathen Princes upon the like occasions So Strabo witnesseth That the Ancient Heathen in their chief consultations of State did rely more upon Oracles then humane policy If Moses were forty dayes in the Mount to receive Laws from Gods own mouth Minos will be Jupiters Auditor in his Den or Cave for the same purpose In emulation of Shiloh or Kiriath-jearim whilest the Ark of God remained there the Heathens had Dodona and for Jerusalem they had Delphi garnished with rich donatives of forrain Princes as well as Grecians so magnified also by Grecian Writers as 〈◊〉 it had been the intended Parallel of the holy City Insomuch that Plutarch thinks the story commonly received of that Oracles original to be lesse probable because it ascribes the invention of it to Chance and not to the Divine Provivence or Favour of the Gods when as it had been such a direction unto Greece in undertaking wars in building Cities and in time of Pestilence and Famine Whether these effects in Ancient times had been alwayes from the information of Devils as I said before I will not dispute That this Oracle
and Gentile is much-what the same and the same celestial observation may serve for both The Priests after their return from captivity were forbidden to eat of the Most Holy Thine till there arose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim Fzra 2. 63. But either no such did arise at all from the erection of the Second Temple until Christ time or if any did it was but to give this people a Farewel of Gods extraordinary speaking unto them either by Priests or Prophets Josephus consciseth that revelations by Urim and Thummim did finally cease 200 years before his time Put more probable is the opinion of others that this as all other kind of Prophecies and many extraordinarie signs of Gods power and presence sometime most frequent in that nation did cease with that generation which returned from captivitie or immediately after the finishing of the Second Temple as if God during all that time had appointed a Fast or Vigil as an introduction to the Time of Fulnesse â—foel 2. 28. Wherein their sons and daughters should prophecie and their old men dream dreams and their young men see visions and his Spirit should be poured out on all flesh as well upon the servant as the master as well upon the Gentile as the Jew Malach. 1. 11. For this cause as I said God had enjoyned this long fast in Judah to humble the Jew and teâ—uâ—h him that He was no more his God then the Gentiles and imposed silence to all his prophets dis-inuring his chosen Israel from his wonted Call that so this people might grow more mild and apt to herd together with his other slock now to be brought into the same fold wherein both might joyntly hear the great Shepherds voice As God elsewhere had threatned so it came to passe that visions had ceased in Judah before the rising of the Roman Empire and likely it is that presages by dreams or like means formerly usual among the Ancient Heathen did either altogether determine or much decrease in many Nations about the same time For which reasons the Romans of that Age being the only wise men of the world given too much by nature unto secular Policâ—e did give lesse credit to the relations of the Ancient Greeks or the events registred by their Ancestours in their own Countrey The like incredulity remaineth in most of us but may be easily removed by discovering the root of it CHAP. XII The reasons of our mistrusting of Antiquities 1 IT is the common practise of men to measure matters of Ancient times by observation of the times and place wherein they live as commonly we passe our censure on other mens actions and intentions according to our own resolutions and secret purposes in like cases And besides this general occasion of mistaking other mens actions and events of other times every particular sort of men seek to assign causes of things sutable unto their proper Faculties The Natural Philosopher striveth to reduce all effects to Matter and Form or some sensible qualitie the Mathematician to abstract Forms or Figures or insensible influences the Politician thinks no alteration in publick States or private mens affairs fals out but from some Politick cause or Purpose of man and whilest in the Annals of Antiquities he reads of sundry events surpassing the reach or skill of mans invention or contrary to the ordinarie course of nature he attributes all unto the Simplicity or credulitie of their Ancestors Albeit if we should search the true cause of their credulitie in yielding assent unto such strange reports it will easily confute the error of posterity for this credulity in such particulars could not have been so great in their Ancestors unlesse their mindes had been first inclined to the general from the tradition of their Predecessors But why their forefathers should either have invented such strange reports or be so inclinable to believe them if we search into the depth or first spring of this perswasion we cannot imagine any other cause but the real and sensible Experience of such strange events as they reported to posterity This did enforce Belief upon the first Progenitors of any Nation and from the fulnesse of this perswasion or actual Belief in them was bred this credulitie or aptnesse in posterity to believe the like which yet in successe of time did by little and little wear out It is great simplicity and uncharitable credulitie in us to think that either the most Ancient or middle Ages of the world were generally so simple credulous or apt to believe every thing as some would make them It had been as hard a matter to have perswaded men of those times that there were no Gods no divine power or providence as it would be to perswade the modern Athiests that there is an Almighty power which created all things governeth and disposeth of all things to his glory The most politick Atheâ—st now alive is as Credulous in his kinde as the simplest creature in the old world was and will yield his assent unto the Epicures or other Brutish Philosophers conclusions upon as light reasons as they did their Belief unto any Fable concerning the power or providence of the Gods the reason of both their credulities in two contrary kindes is the same The often manifestation of an extraordinary power in Battels or presence in Oracles and sensible documents of revenge from heaven made the one prone to entertain any report of the Gods though never so strange and the want of like sensible signs or documents of the same power in our dayes whilest all mens minds are still set upon politick means and practises for their own good doth make the other so credulous and apt to assent to any Politik Discourse and so averse from Belief of the Prophets or sacred Writers which reduce all effects to the First Cause But this we cannot do so immediately as the Ancient did because God useth his Wisdom more in the managing of this Politick world then he did in times of old and men naturally are lesse apprehensive of His Wisdom then of His Power so that his present wayes are not so obvious at the first sight unto sense as sometimes they were though more conspicuous to sanctified reason now at this day then before and the manner of his proceeding more apt to confirm true Belief in such as follow his 〈◊〉 then ever it was For the same reason were the Ancient Israelites more prone to Idolatry then their successours were after the erection of the second Temple or either of them were at any time to serve their GOD. For the sensible signs and bewitching inticements of some extraordinary powers mistaken for Divine were then most common and Gods Wonders and miracles grew more rare because they swarved from his commandments What Jew was there almost in the time of the Maccabees but would have given his body for an Holcaust rather then sacrifice to any of the Heathen Gods The undoubted experience of long Wo and
are such warnings usually sent immediately g upon the principal 〈◊〉 act but rather after continuance in the like And the vicinitie of this h places name which was a second witnesse of Crassus sins might have put him in minde of his former misdeeds in Jerusalem with whose sacred treasure he had dealt just so as Plutarch saith he did with the treasurie of that Goddesse of â—…rapolis Which makes me supect that Plutarch did mistake the storie For as Josephus tels us he took away the two thousand Talents which Pompey left untoucht and eight thousand besides But such was the Heathens prejudice of the Jews that the least injurie offered to their Idol-Gods was more then the most grievous sacriledge that could be devised against the God of Israel The worst that could be done against his Temple was in many of their opinions but as reprochful words which can bear no Action because not easily appliable to any determinate person with many of them it was all one Non esse Does non apparere represented in some visible shape or image Thus Polybius otherwise an ingenuous writer imputes the cause of Antiochus Epiphanes suddain and fearful death unto his intended pillage of the Goddesse Artemis Temple when as this misereant was guilâ—e of that actual crime before for ransacking the Temple of Jerusalem See Joseph Antiq. l. 12. c. 13. But as the plenarie cause of Crassus miserable and shameful death was his shamelesly miserable and Sacrilegious Mind in geral so in the means or manner of His end the Almighty would have his particular offences against his Priest and Temple to be most Fminent and Conspicuous Fleazar the high Priest seeing him wholly bent to make a golden Harvest of the Parthian expedition feared lest he should rake all the sacred Treasure into his cossers For preventing of which misehief he presents him with a Golden Beam whereon the Hangings of the Temple hung hoping thereby to redeem the rest of the sacred Treasure but he having gotten this into his hands which otherwise he could not have found being covered with wood contrarie to his Oath most agreeable to his Humour seazed upon all the residue Yet gold which he thus greedily sought as to his seeming the onely sure Nerve of war by the Almighties disposition became the indissoluble chain of his dismal Fates As love to it had made him perjure himself to circumvent Gods Priest so did it expose him to circumvention by a Perjured Villain who having found out his appetite prepared a sit Bait for his Bane For by feeding this greedy thirst of gold he insinuated himself into the societie of his Secrets which he disclosed unto the Parthian Had Crassus wits naturally been â—o dull or had he usually shewed himself so grosse and sottish as he proved in this expedition he had never born any place amongst the Remans much less had they ever permitted him to manage any for rain Wars But 〈◊〉 partly from his prodigious Stupiditie uncapable of any warning by so many Ominous Signs and tokens as did stupisie his whole Armie besides partly from his more then brutish Facilitie in taking an uncouth way as if he had been a tame beast before the drover until he came to the very Stand where his enemies stood with their bowes bent and their arrows of death made readie upon the string for his destruction all the Roman writers agree that He was lead awry by Sinister Fates Now if they had but once read what God he was that had blinded Absalom to disclaim Achitophels good counsel and ratisie Hushais plot for his Overthrow 2 Sam. 17. they would easily have granted that the same God and no other had infatuated Crassus heart to renounce Cassius and other grave experienced Roman Warriors wholsome advise and betake himself wholly to the Barbarous Fugitive Augarus directions suborned by the Parthian to betray him 4 But Cassius much wiser then his General in this one particular of mistrusting Forainers was afterwards as far over-seen in the main chance and overtaken with that sin which had caused Crassus blindnesse First polluted with like Sacriledge and cruel oppression of these Jews then with his own bloud shed by his servant at his commandment upon as grosse an over-sight as Crassus had committed So shall they all sooner or later be Infatuate that robbe God of His Honour and put their trust in Wrong and Violence And thus till this time did they perish all as many as bare ill will to Sion for Hierusalems Hour was not yet come because the Day-spring had not visited her from on High The glorie of her Temple was not as yet revealed unto whom after Her children had offered greater disgrace then the Romans had done to their Temple the Staff of her wonted Stay begins to break the bonds of her former peace untwine and onely one part of her double Fates remain if then she fall she riseth not again she hath no inclination left but to destruction The burthen of the Fathers sins and the yoke of captivitie due thereto grows heavier and heavier in the descent upon posteritie without all hope of recoverie much lesse of revenge upon such as offer her greatest violence but rather happy shall that man be thought and highest earthly honour shall be the wages of his service that rewards her children as they had served their Lord and Saviour But these times were not come in Crassus or Cassius dayes in which some Reliques of her Ancient Hopes remained to see the rods and scourges of her correction consume and wither after once the Almighty had taken off his punishing Hand And if unto these Three above mentioned we adde the like destinie of Antonie and Scipio and the ill successe of the other Romans who had ought to do with these Jews before our Saviours time we may conclude that although the Romans were then Lords of the earth yet This People whom they held as Base retained the priviledge of Gods Royal Priests Although the souls of all flesh were the Lords who for this cause revenged the oppressed in every Nation yet Israel onely as the Prophet speaks was as A Thing Hallowed unto the Lord His First Fruits all such as devoured them did offend evil should come upon them although inflicted by their own or their servants hands at their appointment Lastly if we call to mind the former distinction of Ages and the divers manner of Gods dealing with them before and after the Baby Ionish Captivitie the contraction or Abridgment of their large Priviledges in the long succession of times foretold by Ancient and acknowledged by their own later Writers we cannot mistrust the Amplitude of their Fundamental Charter or their Historical Narrations of what the Lord had done of old unto Jabin Sisera and Sâ—…herib would we allowing some different condition of times compare theirs with Pompeys and his Complices unusual Fates Gods Power was more immediately manifested in the one his
God towards them but unto theâ—r 〈◊〉 toward him for if they had been thankful unto Him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light on them should have been spent upon their Enemies But as an 〈◊〉 Psalâ—… 〈◊〉 in the perâ—â—n of his God â—sal 81. 11. 〈◊〉 people â—… 〈◊〉 m◠〈◊〉 and Israel woulâ—… have none of Me. So 〈◊〉 them â—… of thâ—â—r 〈◊〉 and they 〈◊〉 walked in their own Counâ—… my People would 〈◊〉 â—…kened unto Me and Israel had walked in my â—… I would 〈◊〉 hâ—… bled their Enemies and turned my hand against â—… Aâ—… The 〈◊〉 of the Lord should have been Subject to thâ—… 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 sâ—â—uld have â—nâ—ured for ever I would hâ—ve sed Them saith the Lord with thâ—… wheat and with the honey out of the rock would I hâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 This one place to omit many other abundantly proves the 〈◊〉 Assert on That â—f this People had continued in well doine all the Natioâ—… continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Thâ—â—r â—xtraordinary Prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christâ—an may as well doubt as the â—eathen wonder Why Israel 〈◊〉 in my 〈◊〉 as the Author of the hundred and sixt Psalm coâ—… of was not dâ—…oved at once as other great and mighty Nations had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more abundant Favours their Fore-fathers had sound and 〈◊〉 greateâ— Gods â—…essings laid up for their Poâ—… were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was their Ingratitude in rebelling their Rebellion it self so much 〈◊〉 wilfully â—…nous and alwaâ—es the more wilful or â—…ainous any Sin 〈◊〉 more grievous certaâ—n and more speedy punishment it deserves How 〈◊〉 that Mos◠〈◊〉 and Holy One. which so often protesteth â—…e resâ—…eth no 〈◊〉 Person 〈◊〉 this most Ungrateful Stubborn and Râ—â—â—llious People 〈◊〉 gâ—â— then any other 4 The full and necessary Consequence of these Collections is Thus 〈◊〉 and no more The â—inal â—xtirpâ—tion of these â—ews had been accomplashed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before it came to pâ—… had the Lord been onely Just or resâ—… their deserts 〈◊〉 hom he so often preserved when justly he might have â—… thâ—… But if we look farther into the waâ—es of Gods Providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reason of destroying others and preserving them will appear one 〈◊〉 â—… For that suddain Execution of his Justice upon others which did 〈◊〉 much advance his Glory equally practised upon them had as greatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ougâ—â— the Nations This cause of their long preservation the Lord himself asâ—…gns Deut. 32. 26. I have said I would sâ—atter thâ—m abrâ—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Remembrance to cease from amongst men save that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the â—nemy lesâ— their Adversaries should wax proud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ur 〈◊〉 hand and not The Lord hath done all this Again a 〈◊〉 â—… most Just so was he most kind and Merciful towards all 〈◊〉 excepted even towards the Gentiles in these Jews for by their 〈◊〉 deliverance and restauration the other might have learned That their 〈◊〉 â—… of â—od and Lord of loâ—ds most worthy to be Honoured of all the world as he himself addeth in the fore-cited place For the Lord shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people and â—â—pent toward his servants when he seeth that their 〈◊〉 â—… and none â—… Hold nor leâ—t abroad when men shall say 〈◊〉 herâ— are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—ir mighty God in whâ—m they trusted which aâ—d eat the sat of thâ—â—r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and did drink the wine of their drink-offering Let them riâ—â— up and 〈◊〉 you let him be your refuge Behold now for I. I am He and there is no gods with Me. Thus since these Jews began first to be a Nation as well the Wane as the Encrease of their estate or to use our Apostles words as well their Diminution as Abundance might have yielded the docil and well disposed greater riches then the Spoyls of their Cities and Countrey did the proud and Mighty amongst the Gentiles And albeit they oft times sinned more grievously then others did yet were there alwayes left some Godly amongst this People which in their distresse knew themselves and could teach others the right way to Repentance of which the Heathen one and other were altogether Ignorant And this was an especial Cause though subordinate to the former of their long preservation For when they were not so extream bad as to continue in former sins but unfainedly called upon the Lord in their distresse He heard their prayers and being once received to His they found Favour at their Enemies hands So Solomon had observed When the wayes of a man please the Lord he will make also his Enemies to be at peace with him The truth whereof we have seen continually experienced in these Jews before our Saviours time though much degenerate from their â—ncestors But their posterity as much degenerate from them as they from the other go as far beyond the middle sort in punishment as they came short of their First Fore-fathers in all Graces and Favours bestowed upon them by their God Though these such I mean as lived since our Saviours time cry unto the Lord yet doth he not hear them although their distresses have been more and more grievous many hundred years together then their Fore-fathers What is the reason Because they have turned their ears continually from hearing the Law therefore their prayers are continually turned into Sin Prov. 28. 9. Psal 109. 7. 5 Thus though the Alteration of the Jewish State be such as all the World might Wonder and stand amazed at such as would make the wisest Heathen Giddâ—e that should seek to compâ—sse the true Causes thereof by Politick Search yet unto us Christians that have the Oracles of our God their Estate cannot seem strange seeing nothing good or bâ—d that hath befallen this people from their first Beginning to this present day but is Foretold in the Sacred Story which hath continually proved it self as Infallible a Prognostication for what is to come as it is an Authentick Register of all things past 6 The particular Kalendars wherein their Good or Dismal Dayes are distinguished according to the diversity of their wayes we may find Levit. 26. After Moses had proposed Extraordinary Blessings if they would walk in the Laws which he had given them he threatned them with Plagues and Calamities in their own Land with Bodily sickness Incursion of Enemies Oppressions and spoyl of goods strange overthrows in Battel and fearfulness of Heart v. 16. And if these would not reclaim them then he threatneth to punish them Seven Times more according to their Sins as with Barrenness of Soyl Prodigious Famin and scarcity of Fruit v. 18. And yet if they hold on still to walk stubbornly against Him He threatneth to multiply the former â—lagues Seven Times by sending Wild Beasts among them which should spoyl them and destroy their cattel and make them few in number and your High-wayes shall be desolate v. 21. The like multiplying of his Plagues for the Increase of their Stubbornnesse he reiterates Twice again Yet if by those you will not be Reformed
32. 3 Of their Estate from this Accident till three hundred years after nothing memorable hath come unto my reading dishonourable it was in that their name throughout this time seemes quite put out miserable we may presume it in that their wonted curse is not expired but rather increased in ages following in which we have expresse distinct undoubted records 4 About the year one thousand they were so vexed throughout most parts of Europe that as Moses had foretold and my Author little thinking of Moses speeches expresly notes They could find no rest A company of them seated about Orleans out of their Divelish Policy addresse an Embassageto to the Prince of Babylon advertising him that the Christians in these Western parts were joyning forces to assault him hoping hereby to make him invade Christendom by whose broils they expected either better security from wonted dangers or fitter opportunity of fishing for gain in troubled streams But the tenour of their Embassage being either known or suspected by the Christians the Embassadour upon his return was called in question convict and sentenced to the Fagot Nor could the hainousnesse of the Fact be expiated by his death the rest of his Country-men generally presumed to be as treacherous when occasion served were made away without any Formal course of Law by Fire Water Sword or what instrument of death came next to hand This fury of Christians raging against them as far as the fame of their villany was spred which was quickly blazed throughout Europe 5 Ere this time Ismael was come to his full growth and his posterity having prosecuted their old broken title to the Land of Promise through their division had left the possession of it to the Turk and so far is Isaacs seed from all hope of possessing the good things thereof that the very love which Christians the true seed of Abraham bare unto these Lovely dwellings of Jacob breeds his ungratious posterities Wo unto whom the inheritance belonged For no expedition either made or intended by Christians for recovering Jewry from the Turk and Saracens but bringeth one Plague or other upon the Jew so provident is this People to procure their own mischief and as it were to anticipate Gods Judgements upon themselves by such Devices as their former Embassage whose effect was to hasten the Sacred War which in the Age following undertaken upon other occasions more then doubles all their wonted miseries For it being intended against the Turk and Saracen these other Infidels were apprehended as a fit subject for such Souldiers as were indeed bent for Asia and the Holy Land to practise licentious hostile Outrages upon by the way Others again made a shew of setting forward against the Turks or Saracens of Asia intending indeed onely to spoil the Jews of Europe Unto which purpose that worthy Edict of the Claremont Councel ministred this occasion 6 The joynt consent of Bishops and others there assembled testified aloud in these Termes Deus vult Deus vult having found as it seems some lavish commendations as if it had been the Voice of God and not of Man brought forth a Rumor of a voice from heaven calling Europaeans into Asia The report was not so vain as the people of those times credulous For beside such as were appointed or would have been approved by the Councel huge multitudes of all sorts conditions and sexes run like Hounds to the false Hallow some pretending the Holy Ghosts presence in visible shape Amongst the rest one Emicho with a great band of his Country-men gathered from the banks of Rhein having ranged as far as Hungary and there either despairing of his hoped prey in Asia or onely using this expedition generally countenanced by Christian Princes as a fair pretence to catch some Booty nearer home falleth upon the Jews about that Country compelling them either to live Christians or die Besides the spoil of their goods twelve thousand of their persons were slain by Emicho and his complices as the Annals of these Countries do testifie The like had been practised a little before by one Codescalcus a Dutch Priest who had perswaded the King of Hungary that it was a charitable deed to kill these uncharitable Jews until his beastly life did discredit his doctrine and Christians begun to feel the harms of such licentious Pilgrimages after the Jews being exhausted could not satisfie his and his followers greedy appetites 7 About the same Age Petrus Cluniacensâ—s directeth a Parenetical discourse unto Lewis the French King for furtherance of his intended Expedition against the Saracens shewing him withall a ready means of maintaining his army making the perfidious Jews purchase their lives with losse of their goods But more vehement if not more Jewish was Rodulphus Vilis the German Monk delivering it in Sermons as sound Doctrine throughout both Germanies that for the better supply of the sacred war which Christians he thought were bound in conscience to undertake the Jews being as great enemies to Christianity as the Saracens were might not onely be robbed of all their goods but ought to be put to death by Christians as a good Omen to their future successe against the Saracens And unlesse Saint Bernard with other grave Divines of that Age had sounded a Counter-blast to this Furious Doctrine both by mouth and pen this Monks prescript had been practised generally throughout Germany ready enough to hold on as she had begun to evacuate her self of Jewish bloud alwayes apprehended by that people as the worst humour in their body politick Many such general Massacres have been intended against them in divers Countries but God still raised up one or other to solicit their Cause because he hath an ear continually unto the Psalmists Petition not so much for Theirs as Christians good Slay them not lest my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power Psal 59. 11. Unlesse God had given them such trembling hearts and sorrowful minds as Moses had fore-told through Germany France and other Countries they had not been scattered so soon through this Island whither they were first brought from France by him that brought many grievances thence unto this Nation But the evil which he intended hath God turned to our good For Gods Israel planted here until this day may hear and fear his Heavy Judgement manifested upon these Jews in the time of our fore-fathers albeit at their first coming they found some breathing from their wonted persecutions But so prodigious is all appearance of prosperity in such as God hath cursed that these Jews hopes of ease and welfare are an infallible Symptome of great distemper in the publick state wherein they live Twice onely I find in all the Legend of their wandring they had obtained some freedom and hopes of flourishing in the Lands where they were scattered once in France in the time of Theodebert and Theoderick when sacred orders as you heard before were set to sale Once in
England under William Rufus whose conditions were such that whosoever would give enough might have whatsoever lay in his power to grant Their estate in England during other three Kings raign until Richard the first yields little matter of observation this people hate had not as yet broken out against them but was all this time in gathering and after their first planting here they were to have a time to bring forth fruit for others to eat a time to gather wealth for others to spend as Moses had foretold 8 Most miserable in the mean time was their estate throughout the Eastern Empire as one of their own Writers Benjamin Tudelensis who went on Pilgrimage to visit his Country-men wheresoever dispersed throughout the world complaineth of their general hard usage amongst the Graecians instancing in such as were seated about Constantinople within whose wals they might not come but upon occasion of publick commerce or business in which case they were allowed passage onely by Boat having their habitation as it were in an Island Amongst two thousand of this servile Congregation there residing not one permitted to come on horse-back save only Solomon the Emperours Physitian whose exaltation perhaps not fourteen handfuls above ground was held as a publik grace of the whole Nation the chief solace of that miserable and servile usage which all the rest without difference good or bad did sustain dayly beat and scourged in the open streets Yet must we believe this Relator That these Jews were wealthy good and merciful men observant of the Law such as could patiently endure this miserable captivity But Patience perforce according to the Proverb is no Patience If GOD had granted them ability or opportunity they had quickly shewed their Jewish minds by Jewish actions And why he keepeth them continually under unwilling to hear their cry though They cannot we Christians may easily perceive the cause For so his Prophet Samuel had fore-told And ye shall cry out at that day because of your King whom ye have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you at that day Which words as a learned convert Jew rightly observeth were not fulfilled in Samuels time whose opinions may be fortified by these reasons 9 Samuels authority over that people was not so strictly linked with GODS but that they might reject the one for their present Judge still retaining the other for their supream Lord and who can deny that the God of their Fathers did rule over them in Davids Solomons Jehoshaphats and Ezekiahs times Sin no doubt they did in abandoning Gods Priest and Prophet to follow the fashions of other Nations in submitting themselves unto a King And Samuel like a good Physitian forewarneth them of that incurable disease which this new-fangle and intemperate act did even then Prognosticate whose Fatal Crisis notwithstanding did not insue until they overgrown with desperate wilful and intemperate malice had rejected Hint with open mouth who was both Priest and Prophet and their lawful King whose kingdom was not of this world whose Soveraignty was so united with the divine Majesty that in casting him away they could not but cast off God that he should not reign over them 10 Again before that time God alwayes heard their cry and redeemed them from all Forrain Bondage and such as Samuel there describeth was neither general nor perpetual under their own Kings neither did the best of such use any nor the worst all or most part of the natural Israelites in such sort as he there threatneth yet all the miseries there threatned 1 Sam. 8. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. have been since accomplished in full measure if I may so speak in length breadth and profundity First this Serviâ—â—â—y hath been extended over All the Nation without exception Secondly the continuance of it hath been exceeding long and perpetual without interruption and so must continue until they confesse their forefathers rebellion and acknowledge him for their King whom rejecting they rejected God for he that will not so honour the Son cannot Honour the Father as King Lastly those marks of servility set forth by Samuel have been so deeply imprinted in this generation rejected of GOD that his Prophecy compared with Modern Histories concerning them will seem but as Painted Wounded men in a cloth of Arrasse to the bleeding reliques of a scattered vanquished army For neither under any Caesar though they made choice of Caesar for their King nor under any other Kings or States have they lived as Free-denizons capable of publick Office or Honour the best of them are but as slaves prohibited to use the meanest of Christians so The most of them as Samuel fore-told are admitted in Common-wealths for manual services or other handy-crafts imployments Captains I think none of them have been unlesse perhaps in some desperate services many of them in greater Cities are suffered to follow Merchandize that they may serve the State as Spunges alwayes surer to be squeezed for the moysture they have sucked then to be nourished by it Sundry of them are curious Artificers and professe ingenious Trades like silly Silk-worms permitted to exercise their skill in precious stuff to fill Princes Coffers and find their Countries cloathing 11 The possession offields and Vineyards hath not been so usual amongst this people as their spoil amongst such as possessed any so this Jew relateth it as a special prerogative of Calonymus the son of Theodorus both in their life-times chief of the Synagogue in Narbona and lineally descended as he pretendeth from David that he might quietly possesse the fruits of his grounds The Princes it seemeth of that and like places did take other Jews fields and vineyards and best Olive trees and gave them unto their servants rather tything then taking the tenth of their seed and Vineyards for that usually was the Jews part the other nine as Samuel foretold 1 Sam. 8. 14 15 16. fell unto Princes Officers lot 12 But the greater these dispersed sons os Isaac Servility was the more it commendeth the fidelity of Gods word concerning the sons of Rechab who as this Author relateth live united in form of a Kingdom or Nation not subject to any forrain yoak rather able to offend their neighbours then likely to receive harms from them Their estate to this Authors dayes continued such as they themselves acknowledged unto Jeremy Onely experience it seemeth had taught them to build Cities for their better security against the incursion of forrainers which was not against their oath in case of necessity as appeareth from Jeremy 35. 9 10 11 12. Because in other points they have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their Father and kept his precepts and done according to all that he had commanded them therefore Jonadab hath not wanted a man to stand before him until this day that is their estate hath continued such as their Father left them much better then the estate of Abrahams Sons by Sarah Though
through mine Hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory Life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old Age. This eating which he refused could never have been of Faith that is no way Warrantable by the Doctrine or Principles of Faith which had taught him the contrary as he well exprest in the next words following for though I were now delivered from the Torments of Men yet could I not escape the Hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this Life manfully and will shew my self such as mine Age requireth 9 And it should be considered that the Parties of whom our Apostle speaks in the forementioned place were never injoyned by any Lawful Superiours either Civil or Ecclesiastick to eat such Meats as they made scruple of yea the very original or fountain of their Scruple was from the expresse Law of God denouncing fearful Judgements against all such as polluted themselves with Unclean Meats so that their eating albeit solemnly injoyned by the greatest Powers on earth could not fall within the Subject of true Obedience because the Laws injoyning it as they conceived stood actually condemned by the expresse Law of God to the contrary in defence whereof many of their Ancestors had exposed their Bodies to most grievous Tortures and the refusal of such Meats as they made Scruple of had been alwayes accounted the justest Title of glorious Martyrdom amongst the Jews And albeit these Laws concerning Unclean Meats were indeed Antiquated at the Alteration of the Priesthood yet should we not marvail if at the first planting of the Gospel many good Christians did make great Conscience of eating such Meats as were forbidden by them when S. Peter himself long after our Saviours Ascension durst scarce take Gods own word against his written Law then not Abrogated as he supposed in this Case For when there came a voice unto him saying Arise Peter kill and eat Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is Polluted or Unclean And the voice came unto him again the second time saying the things that God hath purified do not thou account Polluted Nor was Peter as it seems yet fully satisfied for it is added in the next words This was so done thrice and the vessel was drawn up again into Heaven All these Circumstances abundantly evince that it was not the bare Doubt or Scruple but the Quality of the things doubted of and the inveterate Opinion or abominable Conceit which the Jews or other of their Instruction had of the Meats themselves that made their eating to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far from being of Faith that it rather seemed to overthrow it Had the excesse of the Danger they feared been lesse or had there been any ordinary Possibility of any proportionable Good to set against it their Sin in eating had been lesse albeit the Grounds of their Scruple had been greater or their Perswasions one way or other lesse setled 10 Albeit this Exposition of our Apostle may seem strange and new to many honest and well disposed Minds in our Church yet in truth the manner of the deduction only is new the Doctrine it self is generally held by all Divines though not expresly in Conclusion yet in the Premises wherein it is essentially contained and may be most evidently deduced Thus. 11 All Sin consists either in preferring none before some the lesse before a greater or a Corporal before a Spiritual Good the Hainousnesse of Sin in the excesse of difference betwixt the true good neglected and the seeming good embraced which is either absolutely evil or else a far lesse good which in competition with the greater good is likewise to be accounted evil Now if whatsoever be not of Faith be a Sin then by the former Rules it is a Sin because a lesse good is preferred before a greater or some evil chosen without any proportionable good that might serve as a sufficient Recompence But if the nature of all Actual Sin consist in one of these two It is questionable how or in what case Doubting or Scruple of what we do doth make our Actions Sinful Briefly it is an External Cause or Circumstance concurring to the making of a Sinful Action not any essential part or internal Circumstance of the Sin it self once caused And it thus concurs only when that which in it self is Evil or proves so in the event would not be â—vil unto us unlesse we had some doubt or scruple that is some Notice or Apprehension of it as Evil In such Cases indeed we should not Sin unlesse we had formerly doubted but to speak exactly we do not sin because we do what we doubt of but because in doing some Actions when we Doubt we exactly prefer Evil before Good which otherwise we should not albeit we did the self same Action For it could not be Evil to us without the Apprehension of its Nature so as the Apprehension of it concurs to the making of it Evil. And because in all Doubts or Scruples there is some Apprehension of Evil therefore when we Doubt in Cases above mentioned our Actions are not of Faith but Sinful But if either we could be fully perswaded to the contrary that is if we could out of sincerity of Conscience setled Judgement discern that very thing which either we our selves sometimes did or others yet Apprehend as Evil not to be truly Evil the same Action which before had been shall not be now sinful unto us because we now prefer not Evil before Good Or again albeit the thing were in it self Evil being prohibited by some positive Law but we upon invincible or unculpable Ignorance did not Apprehend it for such we should not actually sin in doing it because in this Case we could not truly be câ—nsured for preferring Evil before Good seeing the Apprehension maketh it evil to us albeâ—t we did prefer that which was evil before that which was good As for example If a Proâ—â—â—yte should have eaten Swines Flesh being altogether ignorant not by his own but the Priests Negligence of the Israelites Law to the contrary he had done that which was evil because forbidden by the Law but not ill because he had no Apprehension of it as evil but did eat it without all scruple as well as the strong in Faith did in S. Pauls time As doubting in those Cases wherein we have an Apprehension of some excesse of evil makes mens Actions not to be of Faith and want of doubt so all other Circumstances be observed makes them to be according unto Faith †so it oft-times fals out that such as nothing Doubt whether they do ill or no do Sin far more then such as not without great Scruple of Conscience make the same sinisâ—er Châ—ice For oft-times the Causes why men make no scruple or why they Apprehend not the evil which they do are such
as will necessarily make their Actions worse then if they had doubted and yet had done the same This Rule holds alwayes true when the Cause why men doubt not of their Actions is some inordinate desire of Gain Pleasure or other like corrupt Affection or some strong Humour of Contradiction not stedfast or wel-grounded Resolution not pure Simplicity or invincible Ignorance not occasioned by default or Neglâ—gence in our Vocation If scruple either hath not been conceived or else expelled upon these later Motives our Actions are thereby Justifiable or excusable but where strength of inordinate Affection or desire either expels or impairs a scruple of some excessive evil which hath been conceived though amisse or hinders the conceiving of some such doubt or scruple in matters whose Unlawfulnesse might well be doubted of or rather might clearly be discerned and ought with Resolution to be avoided there the Action is so much the more sinful as the scruple is lesse or their Confidence or Boldnesse that undertake it greater The difference betwixt him that in this case doubteth and him that doubteth not is altogether such as Moralists acknowledge betwixt the Actions of Intemperate and Incontinent men CAP. VIII Who most transgresse our Apostles former Rule with Directions for squaring our Actions unto it or other Rules of Faith 1 FRom what hath been said in this Point we may safely gather that none in our dayes so much transgresse as those that perswade themseves they most precisely keep this Rule of our Apostle which indeed was the Rule of Conscience and of Nature They of all others transgresse it most that make no Scruple of denying Obedience but confidently adventure upon any Course of life against their Pastours serious Admonitions for their Spiritual Good For whosoever doth any thing for his own private commodity or bodily Good which though he Doubt not might upon due Examination and Attention to his Pastour seem Doubtful whether it may not endanger his Soul or impair his Spiritual Estate doth in so doing Sin against his own Soul and wound his Conscience because there is no Proportion between the Good which he seeks and the Evil which he might justly fear Such Actions too well resemble our first Parents Sin who preferred the mo mentary Pleasures of their licorish Taste before the Perpetuity of their Estate in Paradise wherein did grow much better Fruit then that they so greedily longed for And we may as truly say that our first Parents were condemned for eating as those that doubted of the Lawfulness of what they eat They did not eat of Faith more then the others but lesse although they were Perswaded that God rather had dealt hardly with them in Forbidding them to eat then that they should give just Offence to God in Eating But the bolder they were the greater was their Sin and lesse of Faith nay most against Faith because their incontinent Desires had expelled all fear and made them confident 2 The best Method to square our Actions to the Rule of Faith would be This. First to be rightly instructed and perswaded in what order or rank of Goodnesse Obedience to Spiritual Governours ought to be placed Secondly having found out the true Nature and Quality and due Estimation of Obedience in general to account the degrees of Goodness which appear in this or that particular Act of Obedience And these are to be taken according to the Generality or Soveraigntie of the Authoritie commanding or according to the Manner and Tenour of the Command or Charge it self as those Commands are to be Obeyed with more alacritie although they proceed from the same or equal Authoritie in which obedience is demanded upon stricter or more adjuring Terms or wherein the zealous desires of Men in Authority are either more fully and significantly expressed to all or more lively intimated unto us in particular 3 Thirdly to calculate the Inconvenience or Scandals that may arise from our Disobedience For albeit we might denie Obedience in sundry particulars with far safer Consciences then others could yea although it were Indifferent for us as perhaps in divers Cases it is to some men to perform or deny Obedience yet we should alwaies have an especial Care that we embolden not others who have not the like Motives or cannot be so well Perswaded to do the like by our Example For so we may commit the self same Sin which they that were strong in Faith did by causing others to eat such Meats as they either made Scruple of before they eat or else were upbraided by then Consciences after they had eaten And as I intimated before unlesse Discobedience be upon evident and well grounded Resolutions it is as dangerous a Sin as a man can practise and of all Sins that are it is most properly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of Faith Seeing Faith and Obedience amongst all other Vertues are of most strict Alliance Neither is there any breach or defect of Faith but in some Disobedience or other no Sin but in Disobedience to the Rule of Faith Which later God willing shall afterwards more plainly appear 4 Lastly we are diligently to consider the Hopes or Probabilities of Goodnesse either inherent or consequent to the Actions themselves which are to be undertaken 5 All these Considerations must be put in opposite ballance to our Doubts or Fears of Evil whether inherent or consequent to the same Actions or Matters injoyned if we were left to our own Choice or to the Probabilities or Jealousies which we may have that the Form of publick Command is contrarie to Gods Law Although for Doubts or Scruples conceived out of private dislike to the things injoyned only because we see no express Warrant for them out of Scripture or because they go against our Consciences we need not so much to oppose former Considerations to over sway them as seek to extirpate them For after the interposition of Authority we may rather suspect that these doubts are not of Faith but of Humour unless we can derive them from some Opposition betwixt the publick Edicts injoyning Obedience the Law of God which must be presumed to Countenance as long as it doth not Contradict Superiors Injuctions because it gives Authority and Commission to make them Every Doubt or Scruple that such Edicts are formally or directly Contrary to Gods Law is not sufficient to deny Obedience unto them nor do Spiritual Governours in demanding Obedience to such as their Inferiours suspect to be against Gods Law oppose Human Authoritie to Divine or desire men to Obey Them rather then God as some frivolously have Objected Indeed the least Probabilitie or Suspition of Disobeying God should make us refuse to Obey Man in case our Disobedience unto man redounded only to Man not to God But in as much as Christ hath said He that beareth You heareth Me Disobedience unto Spiritual governours is Disobedience unto Christ yea unto God And therefore Obedience may not be
intreat the Christian Reader to consider well upon whom their usual Objections of Scriptures Obscurity are most likely to fall Upon us for whose good they were given Or upon God the Father who gave them his Son that partly spake them his Holy Spirit who only taught them his Prophets Apostles Evangelists or other his blessed Ministers which wrote them CAP. XV. The Romanisis Objections against the Scriptures for being Obscure do more directly impeach their first Author and his Messengers their Pen-men then us or the Cause in hand 1 THat these Scriptures which our Church holds Canonical and we now maintain to be the Rule of Faith were given for the good of Christs Church or Multitude of faithful men throughout the World our Adversaries wil not deny or if they would the Scriptures which expresly to deny they dare not bear evident Testimony hereof Infinite places are brought to this purpose by such as handle that Question Whether the written Word contain all Points necessary to Salvation 2 Saint John saith he wrote his Gospel that we might Believe By what Authority did he undertake by whose Assistance did he perform this Work Undertaken it was by Gods appointment effected by the assistance of his Eternal Spirit to the end we might Believe the Truth what Truth That which he wrote concerning the Mysteries of mans Salvation But how far did he intend this our Belief of such Mysteries should be set forward by his pen Unto the first Rudiments only or unto the midway of our Course to Heaven Questionlesse unto the utmost Period of all our Hopes for he wrote these things that we might Believe yea so believe in Christ as by Believing we might have Life through his Name Was he assisted by the Eternal Spirit who then perfectly knew the several tempers and capacities of evey Age And did he by his direction aim at the perfect Belief of succeeding Ages as the end and scope of all his Writings And yet did he write so obscurely that he could not be understood of them for whose good he wrote Out of Controversie his desire was to be understood of all for he envied no man Knowledg nor taught he the Faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons He wished that not the great Agrippa's or some few choice ones only but all that should hear or read his Writings to the Worlds end might be not almost but altogether such as he was Faithful Believers From his fervent desire of so happy an end as the Salvation of all he so earnestly sought the only correspondent Means to wit Posterities ful instruction in the Mysteries thereto belonging And for better Symbolizing with the ignorant or men as most of us are of duller capacity in such profound Mysteries his Paraphrase upon our Saviours speeches is oft-times so copious as would be censured for polixity or Tautology in an Artist But seeing the common salvation of others not his own Applause was the thing he sought he disdains not to repeat the same thing sometimes in the same otherwhiles in different words becoming in speech as his fellow Apostle was in Carriage All unto all that he might at leastwise of every sort gain some oft-times solicitous to prevent all occasion of mistaking our Saviours Meaning though in matters wherein Ignorance could not be deadly nor Errour so easie or dangerous as in those other Profundities of greatest moment which he so dilates and works upon as if he would have them transparent to all Christian eyes 2 Do not all the Evangelists aim at the same end do they not in as plain 〈◊〉 as they could devise or we would wish divulge to all the world the true Sense and Meaning of our Saviours Parables which neither the promiscuous Multitude to whom he spake nor his select Disciples or Apostles themselves until they were privately instructed understood aright as they themselves testifie so little ashamed are they to confesse their own so they may hereby expel or prevent like ignorance in others Tell me were not our Saviours Parables expounded by his blessed mouth as plain Rules of Life as may without prejudice to his all sufficiency be expected from any other mans Are not his similitudes wherein notwithstanding are wrapt the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom drawn from such matters of common Use as cannot change whilest Nature remains the same for the most part so plain and easie as wil apply themselves to the attentive or wel-exercised in Moralities Strange it seemed unto our Saviour that his Disciples should not at the first proposal understand them Perceive ye not this Parable how should you then understand all other Parables Yet happy were they that they were not ashamed to bewray their Ignorance by asking when they doubted though in a point of little Difficulty This good desire of progresse in their course begun brought them within the Hemisphere of that glorious light whereby they were enabled afterward to discern the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom And unto their Question concerning the meaning of that great Parable of the Sower which is one of the Fundamental Rules of Life Our Saviour immediately replies To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but unto them that are without all thing are done in Parables that they hearing may hear and not understand lest at any time they should turn and their sins should be forgiven them 4 Had our Evangelists only set out the Text and concealed the Comment it might have ministred matter of suspicion whether all Christians throughout all generations whilest this Gospel shal endure should be taught of God from the greatest to the least of them or whether Christ had not appointed some great infallible Teacher as his Vicar general to supply the same place successively in the Church that he himself had born amongst his Disciples One on whose living Voice all the Flock besides were in all Doubts or Difficulties to rely as the Apostles did on Christs in the unfolding of this Parable But seeing they have plainly revealed to us in writing what was revealed to them concerning the Meaning of this and other Parables of greatest Use from our blessed Saviours Mouth Their written Relations of these mysteries with their Expositions must be of the same Use and Authority unto us as Christs living Words were unto them And as they were not to repair unto any other but their Master alone for the Word of Eternal Life not to omit any other infallible Teacher for declaration of his Meaning so may not any Christian to this day infallibly rely upon any mans Expositions of his Words already expounded by himself and related by his Apostles these laid up like precious seed in our hearts the diligent labours of Gods ordinary Ministers only supposed would bring forth the true and perfect Knowledge of other Precepts of life in abundance competent to every man in his rank and order 5 For seeing what
affirm he may be an Heretick or a Son of Satan although it were true he could not propose an Heresie to be Believed yet is there no shew of Truth why he may not be so maliciously bent as he wil not vouchsafe actually to determin that for Heresie in others which in his judgement as he is a Doctor or private man is very orthodoxal thus doing he should go against his own Conscience to give Sentence Gods Spirit as they say wil guide his Tongue when or whilest he speaks ex cathedra But an evil Spirit may so work upon his Affections that he shal not come in good time so to speak especially against that Opinion which in his private Conscience he holds for true This I think none of them can deny 4 Now whilest these doubts stand unsatisfied and ye without further assurance of his Infallibility in deciding Controversies then only this Hypothetical or conditional if he speaks ex cathedra all the comfort which the Christian World perplexed with the variety of Opinions and diversities of Sects can reap from these fair promises of the Jesuites concerning their Church or Popes infallible Authority is but as if a man should say unto a Husbandman doubtful upon the uncertaintie of Weather when to sow or reap tush be of good cheer you shall certainly know what season is good what not for Seed-time and Harvest when the man in the Moon sets forth an Almanack Veritas hypotheticae propositionis saith old Javel nihil ponit in crumena Many die with fewer pounds in their purses then Arguments in their heads sufficient to prove the Truth of this conditional Proposition If I had five thousand pounds I should be a wealthy man In like manner if this be all the assurance their infallible Rule can afford us That a general Councel if lawfully assembled or the Pope if he speak ex cathedra cannot possibly erre The most pestiferous and noisome Heresies that now infect the Church may perhaps be quelled some hundred years after all now alive be dead When the Pope wil call a Councel or consult his Chair GOD knows what manner of Resolutions were to be expected if either should happen we may conjecture by their wonted Practise which is thus 5 After a Councel is called the Major part being made to serve their Makers turn for of Bishops the most must be the Popes new creatures the rest must subscribe to their Decrees usually set forth in the weather Wizards language and their sceptick School-men appointed to riddle out some good meaning that may save their Prelates Credit In the mean time the Pope and his Cardinals may follow their pleasures take their ease and with it the dreaming Captains Motto Tot urbes capio dormiens ac vigilans We take up as many Controversies we edifie the Church as much sleeping as waking If no tolerable interpretation of their doubtful Decisions can be found yet a good sense must be Believed and private Spirits may not peremptorily avouch that the Councel meant this or that but only it meant the best and this we take to be the best and therefore we think it meant thus but with humble submission to their infallible Authority All this while the Sectaries so they term us must be set to prove Negatives as that there can be no true Meaning in those speeches which may have twenty But if out of their School-mens Wranglings who can better seek out then follow the truth found any interpretation or manner of Tenet can be found which may yield advantage to them or prejudice to their Adversaries about some hundred years after perhaps when they have light on a Pope and Cardinals whose wits and they once in their life-times meet a Decision may be had upon this Opportunity of seeming advantage And yet the Catholick Church during this hundred or perhaps two hundred years of her silence must be supposed to have held perpetually the self-same Tenet which this private man hath bolted out of late albeit neither he nor any particular member thereof did know as much yea though five heads of the Church and as many principal members five successions of Popes Cardinals and Bishops have died in the mean time no one of which in all their lives did trouble their thoughts with any such matter and whilest both their Schoolmens private speculations and their publick Practise have witnessed the contrary Was the Doctrine of Justification and Merits held by any of their Doctors heretofore as the later Jesuites have refined them Did any of their Popes and Councels determin of their manner of Worshipping Images as Vasquez hath of late And yet I think if the Pope should be driven to a Decision of this Question he would define as Vasquez hath done so extraordinary is the Approbation of his Apologie for Imagery as if It likewise were worthy of Adoration And if this Pope should so determin it you must think that all his Predecessours were of the same Opinion if they had been asked cundem sensum tenuit semper mater Ecclesia 6 But what is most strange That Church may for five six or twelve hundred years and more use a Translation justly suspicious as for many other Reasons so for this That of the divers Authors thereof some we know not others we know too wel and yet when a Councel after so long time shal meet every mans work found very authentick Some learned Papists have been perswaded that their vulgar Translators were docti à Deo omnes all assisted by the Holy Ghost in their Translations But Bellarmin thinks this Opinion too charitable for so they must grant that Theodotion the Heretick the undoubted Author of some parts of that Edition was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost If he were not how is that part of their Vulgar which they have from him authentick and true Though erre he might as being a private man or rather a publick Heretick Dicimus tamen eum non errasse in ea translatione quam approbavit Ecclesia yet we say saith Bellarmin but I hope no wise man wil so think that he did not erre in that Translation which the Church hath approved I see then it is all one whether the Holy Ghost do assist the Translatour whilest he is about his work or the Pope his Translation after it be finished and He dead nor doth it skil how he were Qualified whilest he lived either for Integrity Wit or Learning the Cause is all one as in the Pope himself who may as freely bestow this particular gift of not erring in Translations upon whom he please without all respect of good Qualities as Saint Peter did that transcendent donative of absolute Infallibility upon him and his Successors Saint Jeroms Translation had laudable Testimonies of Antiquity yet not generally received in his time onely prejudiced by the Newnesse of it and Antiquity of the Italick But whose is the Vulgar or how first came it in request It is saith Bellarmine
sinister Pretences or humorous though strong Perswasions of Conscience counselling us to the contrary our Punishment in this life is just whose present smart should teach us to beware of far more grievous in the life to come But whether offend or swerve more from the Rules of Scripture prescribed for their several Christian Carriage Superiours in commanding wrongfully or Inferiours in disobeying just commands cannot oft-times if we speak of particular Actions be infallibly known in this life but must be referred unto that day of Final Judgement The dread of which should in the mean time inforce every Superiour daily to consult his own Heart and strictly to examine his Conscience whether it be not likely then to give Evidence against him for imposing too heavy burthens upon his Inferiours And so must every Inferiour again use the like diligence in the daily examination of his Conscience whether it be likely or no to convince him before the Judge of quick and dead of Disobedience to such as he had set in Authority over him or of such sinister Pretences for using the Libertie of Conscience as Conscience it self never sought after but were suggested onely by Humour Popularitie or other Desires whose maintenance have either inforced him to obey Man against God or not to obey Man commanding for God 4 Our Partialitie it is towards our selves or rather to our sensual delights or pleasures that makes us so ignorant in all things which concern our Weal For would we truly and unpartiallie Judge our selves we should not be judged Not the best experienced Justice in this Land can by examining ordinarie Malefactors discern what issue their Cause shall have before an unpartiall Judge better then we by this strict pre-examination might foresee what finall Sentence were prepared for us good or bad according to the diversitie of our Actions and Course of Life To this end hath Christ left every mans Conscience in full Authoritie during his absence to examine reprove convince and sentence the desires of his own heart of which would we daily in sobriety of Spirit and fear of his last Judgement ask counsel and patiently expect Gods Providence we should by this ordinary Means discern who commanded aright who otherwise as clearly as others heretofore have done by Means most extraordinary For even the most extraordinary miracles did ascertain the Ancient of Divine Truth and confirme them in the practise of Christian Obedience not immediately as part of their Rule of Faith whereon finally to relie but by enforcing them to look into their own Souls and Consciences in which Truth was already written if they had urged it to confession If our examination without Miracles were as strict our Beliefe would be as firm Spiritual Governours commands as Christian-like and Inferiours Obedience in all points as sincere as was theirs 5 For Conclusion I would give the Christian Reader a present Antidote against all the poisonous inchantments of Romish Sorcerers The Medicine is very brief and easie onely to think every morning next his heart or at other seasonable hours That there is a Divine Providence in this life to guide us and after this life ended a fearful judgement to passe upon all such as here abjuring the Guidance of it follow either the Wayes of flesh and blood in breeding or of carnal Wisdom in composing strife and dissention about matters Spiritual He that will seriously ruminate on these matters in his vacant well composed thoughts calling the Adversaries Arguments home to the Point which they must touch ere they can wound us let me have onely his dying curse in recompence of all my pains if any Difficulty any Jesuite or other learned Papist either hitherto hath or ever shall be able to bring do trouble his mind Whatsoever can be brought either to countenance their unchristian Doctrine or disparage our Orthodoxal Assertions either presuppose a secret denial of Gods peculiar Providence and inward calling of men or else proceed from want of consideration that there is a final Judgement wherein all Controversies must be taken up all Contentious and rebellious Spirits punisht according to their deserts Indeed if the Authors or Abetters of Schisme and Heresie might escape for ever unpunished or Christian Modestie and Humilitie be perpetually over-born by Impudencie Scurrilitie and violent Insolencie the Inconveniences objected by the Romanists might as much trouble us as the wickeds thriving did the Heathen that knew not God nor his Providence But whilest we acknowledge him and It the best Arguments our Antagonists bring wil appear as improbable as they are impious TO THE RIGHT REVEREND Father in God and my Honourable Lord WILLIAM By Divine Providence Lord Bishop of DURHAM Grace and Peace be multiplied RIght Reverend Father the sweet refreshing your Honourable Favours did yield to such of my labours as hitherto enjoy the light when a suddain uncomfortable blast had sorely nipt them in the very setting makes these last gatherings of that spring seek that comfortable warmth under your benigne Protection which the unconstant frowning season would hardly afford them in their growth Besides these and other my personal Obligements that Famous and worthy Founder of this Attick Bee-hive of whose sweetness would God I had been as capable as I have been long partaker had never allotted any Cell therein for me or other Countryman of mine but with particular relation to that seat of dignity which he sometimes did â—…r Lordship now doth and to the encrease of Gods gloâ—… good of his Church long may enjoy Seeing this our â—… Foster-Father is now ignorant of his childrens deâ—… and knows not me it shall be my comfort to have â—… honourable successors witnesses of my care and industry to fulfil his godly desire whose religious soul in his life time as his written Laws do testifie did detest nothing more then idleness in the Ministry specially in his adopted-Sons The matters I here present unto your Lordships and the worlds view are sometimes in themselves so harsh and hard to be concocted as he that would strive to make them toothsome unto nice tastes should put himself to excessive pains unless his judgement be much riper his wit readier his invention pleasanter his opportunities better and his leisure greater then mine are But it is one and the same point of judgement not to require exact Mathematical proofs in discourses of mortality or a smooth facile Rhetorical stile in Logical or Scholastick conflicts And as by the Statutes of that Society wherein I live I am bound to avoid barbarisme so my particular inclination moves me in controversies especially to approve his choise that said Fortia mallem quam formosa If any professed enemy to the truth we teach will answer me from point to point or attempt not as their custom now is onely in scoffing sort but seriously to avert those unsupportable but deserved imputations I lay upon the foundation of his Religion I shall I trust be able to answer him the better by
hath been the Original I am perswaded as well of the Papists error in demanding absolute obedience without all condition or limitation as of many Protestants granting lesse then is due to Pastors that is obedience onely upon this condition If they shew expresse warrant of Scriptures for the particulars enjoyned Nor is the condition between the Pastor and his flock like unto that between man and man in legal contracts or in controversies of debt wherein all are equal and nothing due unto the plantiffe before the performance of the condition be proved but such as is between a private man and a Magistrate both subordinate in their several places to one Soveraigne unto whom onely absolute and complete obedience is due though unto his Officers some obedience is absolutely due at the least to be dicto audiens to hear him with patience reverence and attention not to contradict or neglect his commands but upon such evident reasons as the inferiour party dare adventure to trie the cause instantly with him before the supreme Judge The acts of obedience which are absolutely due from the flock to spiritual Magistrates or Christs Messengers and precedent to the condition interposed or inserted are the unpartial examinations of their own hearts and consciences the full renouncing of all worldly desires earthly pleasure carnal lusts or concupiscences because these unrenounced have a command over our souls and detain them from performing service best acceptable unto God or yeelding that sincere obedience which is absolutely due unto his sacred Word For this end and purpose the flock stand absolutely bound to enter into their own hearts and souls to make diligent search and strict enquiry what rebellious affection or unruly desire is harboured there as often as their overseers shall in Christs Name charge them so to do otherwise their neglect or contempt will be in that dreadfull day a witnesse of their rebellion in this life a bar to keep sin in and shut grace out 13 But if any man out of the sincerity of a good conscience and stedfast resolution of a faithfull heart which hath habitually renounced the world flesh and Devil that it may be alwayes ready to serve Christ shall refuse his Pastors commandment though threatning hell pains to his disobedience in some particulars he doth yet better observe the former precept by this his deniall then others do by performance of absolute blind obedience without strict unpartial examination of their consciences for he doth herein obey God whom to obey with heart and mind thus freed from the dominion of Sathan and the World is the very end and scope the finall service whereunto all performance of obedience unto spiritual Governours is but as a trayning of Christs faithfull Souldiers And in these acts of obedience is that saying of our Saviour most generally and absolutely true He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me That precept of denying our selves and renouncing all is the foundation of all the rest concerning obedience without performance of this neither can our undertaking any other acts be sincere nor our refusall lawfully admonished safe our best obedience not hereon grounded is Non-christian our disobedien e Unchristian and rebellious For which cause we are absolutely bound unto habitual performance of this ere we can be admitted as lawfull auditors of Christs other precepts All other our resolutions or deliberate intendments whether for performance of any action commended for good and honest or for maintaining any Doctrine proposed by lawfull Pastors for true and Orthodoxal must be limited by their proportion or disproportion to the end of obedience enjoyned unto spiritual Commanders which as we said before was to obey God in all Those acts then must be undertaken which upon examination appear not prejudicial to that oath of absolute obedience which we have taken unto our supreme Lord these omitted which out of this generall resolution of renouncing all and denying our selves and this unpartial examination of our souls in particular doubts may seem to derogate from that absolute Loyaltie which we owe to Christ No Minister may expect obedience but upon these conditions and he that sincerely obeyeth in the forementioned fundamental act of renouncing all and denying himself and yet disobeys in other particulars upon such grounds and motives as we have said doth perfectly fulfill that precept if any such there were obey your spiritual Overseers in all things 14 Be our bond of duty to such Governours whether by ordinary subjection to their calling or voluntary submission of our judgements to their personal worth never so great yet seeing they command onely in Christs Name and for the advancement of his kingdom to imagine spiritual obedience should be due to such injunctions as upon sober and deliberate examination seem to crosse the end they propose would argue such spirituall madnesse as if a man should adventure to kill by all probability of present occurrence his father or mother because he had formerly vowed without consideration of any homicide much lesse parricide thence likely to follow to kill the first live creature he met In such a case as Philo acutely observes a man should not forswear himself or break his vow yet overthrow the very end and use of all vowes which were instituted as bridles to make us refram all occasions or provocations to evil not as halters to lead or draw us to such unnatural villanies 15 These rules hitherto mentioned rightly observed there is no greater diffculty in restraining universal precepts of obedience to the Church then in limitting general commandements of Kings to their Deputies or Vice-gerents Now if a King should charge his Subjects to obey his Lieutenant in all that he should command any reasonable man would take the meaning to be this That he should be obeyed in all things that belong unto the Kings service because this is the end of his appointment and the proper subject of this precept No man in this case would be so mad as to take the Princes word for his warrant if by his Lieutenant he should be put upon some service which were more then suspitious to be traiterous or apparently tending to the Kings destruction If a Jesuite should see the Popes Agent or Nuncio whom he were bound to obey by the Popes injunction delivered in most ample termes tampering with the Popes open enemies either consorting with us in our Liturgie or communicating with us in our Sacraments receiving pension from forrainers or secretly conferring with such of their Counsellors as had more wit then himself could he dispence with his oath of absolute allegeance to the Pope upon these or like evasions This is suspitious indeed but how shall I know whether the Popes Agent in doing this do disobey his Holinesse If he say no must I not believe him must I not obey him and do as he doth whom the Pope commands me to obey in all things The Jesuites are not so simple in the
quam à Deo homines avocare ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sui ab intellectu verae religionis avertere cum sint ipsi poenales quaerere quas ad 〈◊〉 comiâ—es quâ—â—â—… en soul fecerint errore participes Hi tamen adjurati per Deum verum à nobis statim cedunt fatentur de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extre coguntur These were the effects of Christs triumph over Satan sure pledges that the strong man was 〈◊〉 cast cut And the like power had not been so manifest before among the Sons of men * * 1 Kings 22. 24. †〈◊〉 5. 15. ‖ 〈◊〉 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â—… * This Law of Deuteronomie holds true in proportion throughout al Ages If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a sign or wonder And the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee come to Passe saying Let us 〈◊〉 after other Gods which thâ—u hast not known and let us serve them Thâ—u shalt not â—eaâ—ken to the words of that Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Deut. 13. 1. †1. Cor. 1. 26. * Phil. 2. 3. †1 Cor. 14. 32. That this 〈◊〉 â—… the 〈◊〉 should rather move all 〈◊〉 Christians to 〈◊〉 all in â—… 〈◊〉 of men then to rely upon any â—… 14. â—… Psal 119. 99. Heb. 3. 5. Psal 119. 100 * That our means for â—iscerning the â—â—â—ginal Causes oâ— O◠〈◊〉 of Conâ—…ns are fully â—â—ui â—aâ—â—nt to the Romish Churches †â—â—llaâ—miâ— lib. 3. de justif cap 3 4. c. disputes so eagerly against this Bishop as might have 〈◊〉 a Censurâ—â—f Irregulâ—…ty had â—e liâ—â—â— in his Diâ—â—esse ‖ Apostolica authoritate inhibemus omnibus tam Ecclesiasticis personis cujuscunque sint ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—m â—aiâ— is quocunque honore ac potestate praeditis Praelatis quidem sub interdicti ingressus Eccâ—… que â—uâ—rint sub eâ—communicationis latae sententiae poenis ne quis sine authoritate nostra audeat ullos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glosâ—â—s annotationes scholia ullumve omnino interpretationis genus super ipsius conciliâ— decretis quoâ—… aâ—â— quidquam quocunque nomine etiam sub praetextu majoris decretorum corroborationis aut executiâ—… â—… colore statuere Bullae Pij quarti super confirmatione oecum gener Concil Trident. * Maldoâ—atus censuâ—e of thâ—se men for dissenting as he thinks from their Church is so sharp and peâ—â—â—pâ—oâ—y as might well have caused Contention should his writings have come into their hands Impediunt nos quo â—inus acriter vehemeâ—ter invehamur in haereticos Catholici quidam qui nescio qua imprudentia hereticis se junxerunt Neminem nomino nâ—minem viâ—latae accuso religionis scio Catholicos scio doctos scio religiosos ac probos viros esse sed minimè profecto utilâ—m atque fidelem in hac re operam Ecclesiae navaverunt Quod contra Scripturae sensum contra Patrum omnium inter pretationem contra tacitum iâ—o minime tacitum sed satis superque explicatum consensum Ecclesiae dixerint atque contendeâ—int hoc loco de Sacramento non agi quod ut Benignissimè dicam est Temerarium gravioribus condemnarem verbis nisi crederem viros bene Catholicos Errore magis animi quam vitio in Haereticorum sententiam impegisse Maldonat Comment in sext Johan In this sense Christ is said to have come not to send Peace but a Sword unto the World That this very challenge of this insallible Authority of the Râ—mish Church for ending all Controversies â—â—th necessarily 〈◊〉 the greatest Diâ—…tion from it that can be in all relâ—giâ—us minds * â—… whether from the known or possible fruits of the Romish Churches Means so excellent as is pretended â—… Argument can be drawn to work a prejudicial conceipt in mens minds That it were â—… Authority to their Church before they come to direct examination of the main point what â—… Scriptures * See 〈◊〉 14 â—… 5 c. * Non ignoraâ—at dens multas in Ecclesia exorituras disâ—iculâ—ates circa fidem debuit igitur ju dicem aliqueÌ„ 〈◊〉 a providâ—◠〈◊〉 iste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest elle Scriptura neque Spirâ—aus revelans privatus neque princeps saecularis igâ—tur princeps Ecclesiasticus aut solus aut cerâ—e cum coÌ„silio coÌ„sensu Coepiscoporum Neque enim singitur neque singi potest aliquid aliud ad quod hoc judicium pertinere posse videatur Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo Dei cap. 9. * Christs Church having by our Doctrine a most infallable written Law and living though but fallible Ecclesiastick Judges is much better provided 〈◊〉 in all matters Spiritual then Politick â—…ties whose Laws as wel as Judges are faluble in matters Câ—vil †The utmost Bounds of all Christian Obedience unto any Authority on earth is only to abide a peaceable â—ial before the lawful Judges patiently to imbrace the Penalty inslicted but not to think about Penalties soever they shall 〈…〉 cause for which 〈…〉 be just or such as shal staâ—â— for good in the day of final Judgement for so earthly Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absâ—lute Authority over our Souls which is Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Adversaries go in t that a Prâ—viâ—cial Councel conjirmed by the Pope is as authentick as a General wherein be were presâ—â—t thâ—ugh a sâ—nt in the other 〈◊〉 acâ—quainted with particular Circumstances or carâ—â—ag of the Connoversie Much more availeable should a Popes Confirmation of such Councels be who were present and uel acquainted with all Occasions or other Circumstances of the Conâ—orersie or the Division Wherefore if Reason without Scripture might divide this Comrover sie it were more 〈◊〉 to have a many Popes as sâ—â—eralyâ—ce Statâ—â—o or Monarchies * Convenit etiam inter nos adversaries Sâ—… intelligâ— debere to Spiritu quo factae sunt id est Spiritu sancto Quod Apostolus Peâ—… Epist 2. cap. 1. doe et cum ait Ho◠〈◊〉 intelligentes quod omnis Prophetia Scripturae propria interpretatione non sit Non enim humana voluntate allata est aliquando Peopheâ—a sed Spirtu Sancto inspirati loquuti sunt Sancti Dei homines Ubi B. Petrus probat non debere exponi Scriptur as ex proptio ingenio sed secundum dictamen Spiritus Sancti quia non sunt scriptae humano ingenio sed ex inspiratione Spiritus Sancti Bel. lib. 3. de verb. Dei cap. 3. †2 Pet. cap. 1. vers 20. 21. ‖ Tota igitur quaestio in â—o posita est ubi sit iste Spiritus Nos enim existimamus hunc Spiritum etsi multis privatis hominibus saepe conceditur tamen cetto inveniri in Ecclesia id est in Concilio Episcoporum confirmato à summo Ecclesiae totius Pastore sive in sun mo Pastere cum Concilio aliotum Pastorum Bellarmin ibid. In this place as he professeth he will not dispute