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
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
that day to believe them if we speak properly and absolutely without reference to their former incredulity Our meaning is they shall do more then believe them for they shall feel them Nor can we say properly that the Elect after the resurrection shall believe the articles of faith seeing all agree that of these three principal vertues Faith Hope and Love onely Love shall then remain The reason is that which you have heard alreadie because evident knowledge must be excluded from the nature of faith and belief and the godly shall then clearly see Christ face to face and fully enjoy the fruit of his Passion which now they onely believe 11 As for certainty We may not exclude it from the nature of belief unlesse this speech be warily understood For the certainty of the Articles of our Faith ought to be greater then the certainty of other knowledge for we must believe them although they be contrary to the capacity of our understanding for even this must we believe that many things as all supernatural things surpasse the reach of our understanding Yet this we may safely say that the certainty of the articles of our belief as of Christ his death of his and our resurrection cannot be so great to us in this life as it shall be in the world to come when we shall evidently know them This rule then is infallible That the knowledge of any thing is more certain then the belief thereof although the belief of some things as of Christ his Passion be more certain then the knowledge of other things as namely then the knowledge of humane sciences So then out of this it is evident that belief taken generally doth neither exclude all certaintie nor necessarily require any seeing some belief hath a kinde of certaintie adjoyned with it and some cannot admit it Wherefore it remaineth that Assent is the essence of belief in general I say such an assent as is not joyned with evidency 12 This Assent may be weaker or stronger and so come nearer unto or be further from certainty according to the nature of that object whereunto we give assent or according to the nature of that whereupon our belief is grounded or lastly according to our apprehension either of the object or that which is the ground of our assent Excesse in the first of these to wit in certaintie or stabilitie of the object doth rather argue a possibility of firmer belief or more credibility not more firm or actual belief For as many things are more intelligible then others and yet are least understood of many so many that are most credible are least believed 13 Excesse in the second of these whence the assent of belief may be strengthned that is in the ground of belief doth rather argue a stronger hypothetical belief then any absolute belief unlesse the apprehension or conceit of this ground be strong and lively In ordinary reports or contracts it skils not of what credit the partie be unto whose credence or authority we are referred for the truth of any promise or report unless we have good inducements to think that he did either say or promise as we were told If we be not thus perswaded by some apprehension of our own we give onely conditional assent unto the report or promise and believe both with this limitation if he say so whose credit we so esteem But if we can fully apprehend that he said so we believe absolutely 14 As in science or demonstrations it is requisite both that we know the true cause of the effect and also that we apprehend it certainly as the true cause otherwise we have onely an opinion so in true and absolute belief it is requisite that we have both a sure ground of our belief and a true apprehension of that ground otherwise our belief must needs be conditional not absolute It remaineth therefore that we set down first the nature of the objects that may be believed secondly the several grounds of belief and thirdly the manner of apprehending them albeit in some the apprehension of the object it self and the ground of belief are in a sort all one as in that belief which is not grounded upon the authoritie of the teacher This rule is general Wheresoever the objects are in themselves more credible the ground may be more strong and the apprehension more lively so men be capable of it and industrious to seek it and equal apprehension of such objects as are more credible in themselves upon such grounds as are more firm makes the belief stronger then it could be of objects lesse credible or upon grounds lesse firm Caeteris paribus every one of these three First Greater credibility of the object Secondly Surer ground of belief Thirdly more lively apprehension of the object or ground encrease belief 15. For the Objects of belief whence this assent must be distinguished they are either natural or supernatural but first of that which is natural The 〈◊〉 of natural belief are of two sorts either scibilia or opinabilia either such things as may be evidently known in themselves but are not so apprehended by him that believes them or else such things as we can have no evident or certain knowledge of but onely an opinion And of this nature are all the monuments of former ages and relations of ancient times in respect of us which are now living all future contingents or such effects as have no necessary natural cause why they should be nor no inevitable let or hinderance why they may not be as whether we should have rain or fair weather the next moneth whether such or such Nations shall wage war against each other the next year These matters past and contingent which are not yet but may be albeit they agree in the general nature of opinabilia that neither of them can be exactly known but onely by opinion believed yet both differ in that which is the ground of our assent or belief The ground or reason why we believe things past as that Tully lived in Julius Caesars time or that the Saxons inhabited this land is the report of others The ground or reason why we believe future contingents is the inclination or propension which we see in second causes to produce such effects or the coherence betwixt any natural or moral contingent cause and their possible or probable issue As if we see one Kingdom mighty in wealth and at peace and unitie in it self bearing inveterate hate to another or if we know that the one hath suffered wrong not likely to be recompenced and yet able in politick estimation to make it self amends we beleeve that such will shortly be at open hostilitie one with another Or if we see the air waterish we believe it will shortly rain Yet are not the grounds why we believe things past and the grounds of believing future contingents alwayes so opposite but that they may jump in one and conspire mutually for the strengthning of belief
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
meet for them to understand All according to sobriety as God dealt to every one of them the measure of faith They are as many members of one body which have not one office v. 4. And we may see that verified in the Canon of the Old Testament which S. Paul attributes unto the Church in Christ There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit And again To one was given the spirit of wisdom as unto Solomon to another knowledge as unto Ezra Nehemiah to another saith as unto Moses Abraham to another prophecy as unto Esay Jeremy All these gifts were wrought by one and the same Spirit which distributeth to every one as he would The best means to discern this harmony in their several writings would be to retain the unity of the Spirit by which they wrote But alas we have made a division in the body of Christ whilest one of us detracts envies or slanders another or whiles we wrangle unmannerly about idle questions or terms of art our jars ours that have the name of Christs messengers make all the World besides and our selves oft-times we may fear doubt of the true and real unity betwixt Christ and his members now eclipsed by our carnal divisions But howsoever these here mentioned are in their kinde good motives unto sober mindes and the more diligent and attentive men are to observe these and the like the more fully shall they be perswaded that these writings are the dictates of the Holy Ghost CAP. VI. Of the Affections or dispositions of the sacred Writers WIth the Experiment of this kinde we may rank the vehemency of affection which appears in many of these sacred writers most frequent in the book of Psalms And to distinguish fained or counterfeit from true experimental affections is the most easie and most certain kinde of Criticism He that never had any himself may safely swear that most Poets ancient or modern have had experience of wanton loves For who can think that Catullus Ovid and Martial had never been acquainted with any but painted women or written of love matters onely as blinde men may talk of Colours Or who can suspect that either Ovid had penned his books De Tristibus or Boetius his Philosophical Consolation onely to move delight as children oft-times weep for wantonnesse or fained these subjects to delude the World by procuring real compassion to their counterfeit mourning But much more sensible may we feel the pulses of our Psalmists passions beating their ditties if we would lay our hearts unto them Albeit wee seek not to prove their divine authority from the strength of passion simply but from the objects causes or issue of their passions And the Argument holds thus As the Ethnick Poets passions expressed in their writings bewray their experience in such matters as they wrote of as of their carnal delight in love enjoyed or of earthly sorrow for their exiles death of friends or other like worldly crosses So do these sacred Ditties witnesse their Pen-mens experience in such matters as they professe as of spiritual joy comfort sorrow fear confidence or any other affection whatsoever If we compare Ovids Elegy to Augustus with that Psalm of David in number the 51. why should we think that the one was more conscious of misdemeanour towards that Monarch or more sensibly certain of his displeasure procured by it than the other of soul offences towards God and his heavie hand upon him for them Davids penitent bewayling of his souls losse in being separated from her wonted joyes his humble intreaty and importunate suit for restauration to his former estate argue he had been of more entire familiar acquaintance with his heavenly than Ovid with his earthly Lord that he had received more sensible pledges of his love was more deeply touched with the present losse of his savour and better experienced in the course and means of reconcilement to it again Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin For I know mine iniquities and my sin is ever before me Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done evil in thy sight What was it then which caused his present grief bodily pain exile losse of goods want or restraint of sensual pleasurs Yea what was there that worldly minded men either desireor know which was not at his command And yet he well for health of body only oppressed with grief of mind most desirous to sequester himself from all solace which his Court or Kingdom could afford in hope to finde his company alone who was invisible and to renew acquaintance with his Spirit Create a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me He accounts himself but as an exile though living in his native soil but as a slave though absolute Monarch over a mighty people whilest he stood separate from the love of his God and lived not in subjection to his spirit If one in hunger should loath ordinary or course sare we would conjecture he had been accustomed to more sine and dainty meats Hereby then it may appear that David had tasted of more choice delights and purer joyes then the carnal minded knew in that he loathes all earthly comfort in this his anguish wherein he stood in greatest need of some comfort desiring only this of God Restore me to the joy of thy salvation and establish me with thy free Spirit So far was he from distrusting the truth of that ineffable joy which now he felt not at the least in such measures as he had done before that he hopes by the manifest effects of it once restored to disswade the Atheist from his Atheism and cause lasciviâ—… blood-thirsty mindes to wash off the silth wherein they wallow with their cars For so he addeth Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked sinâ—… be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood O God which art the God â—… and my tongue shall sing joyfully of thy righteousnesse Open thou â—… and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise which as yet he could not shew forth to others because abundance of joy did not lodge in his heart for God had sealed up sorrow therein until the sacrifice of his broken and â—… were accomplished From the like abundant experience of â—… joy the Psalmist Psalm 66. v. 16. bursteth out into like consiâ—… inviting us as Christ did his Apostle Thomas to come near and lay our hands upon his healed sore and by the scars to gather the skill and goodness of him that had thus cured him beyond all expectation Come and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soul I called unto him with my mouth and he was exalted with my
meditation doth prepare our Hearts to Christian Belief so there is a kinde of Suspition by which we may out-reach the old Serpent in his subtiltie and prevent his former Method of deceit So whilest we read or hear varietie of reports concerning any notable Event or many Writers beating about one matter every one of which may seem improbable in particular Circumstances or else their diversitie such as makes them Incompatible we should be Jealous that there were some Notable Truth whose Belief did concern us which Satan hath sought to disparage by the mixture either of gross improbable fruitless fables or else of dissonant probabilities 2 Truth is the Life and nutriment of the world and the Scriptures are the Veins or Vessels wherein it is contained which soon corrupts and putrifies unless it be preserved in them as in its proper Receptacles as both the fabulous conceits of the Heathen and foolish practises of the Romish Church in many points may witness But as from Asphaltites or the dead sea we may finde out the pleasant streams and fresh springs of Jordan so from the degenerate and corrupted rellish of decayed Truth which is frequent in the puddle and standing lakes of Heathen Writers we may be lead to the pure Fountain of Truth contained in these sacred Volumes of Scripture 3 The Experiments which now we seek or would occasion others chiefly young students to observe are such as the Heathen did guess at or men out of the works of nature by reading of Poets or Ancient Writers may yet doubt of whereas the true resolution of them onely depends upon the Truth set down in Scripture CHAP. IX Observations out of Poets in general and of Dreams in particular 1 THe most exquisite Poems are but a kinde of pleasant waking dream and the art of Poetrie a lively imitation of some delightful visions And as nothing comes into a mans Fancie by night in dreams but the parts or matters of it have been formerly in his outward senses for even when we dream of golden Mountains or Chimeras the several ingredients have a real and sensible truth in them onely the frame or proportion is such as hath no sensible example in the works of nature so in Ancient Poems which were not made in imitation of former as pictures drawn from pictures but immediately devised as we now suppose from the sensible experiments of those times as pictures drawn from a living face many parts and lims have a real and senble truth onely the composition or frame is Artificial and fained such as cannot perhaps be parallel'd in every circumstance with any real events in the course of times And albeit the events which the most Ancient Poets relate through long distance of time seem most strange to us yet is the ground of their Devises especially Such as upon better search may alwaies be referred to some Historical truth which yielded stuff to Poetical structure as daies spectacles do unto nights visions This Aristotle had observed out of the practise of the best Ancient Poets and prescribes it as a rule to Poets to have alwaies an Historical truth for their ground Nor durst Poets have been so audacious in their fictions at the first seeing their profession was but either to imitate nature or adorn a known truth not to disparage any truth by prodigious or monstrous fictions without any ground of like experience For this is a fundamental law of their Art Curandum ut quando non semper Vera profamur Fingentes saltem sint illa Simillima Veri Though all 's not true that faining Poets sing Yet nought on Stage but in truths likeness bring None I think will be so foolish as to take Homer in the literal sence when he tels us how Iris by day and Sleep by night run Errands for the greater Gods and come with these and the like messages unto Kings chambers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why will by counsel guide a State Must early rise and lie down late Yet with such Artificial and painted plumes oftentimes are covered true and natural bodies though the messengers be Poetical and fained yet these kindes of night-messages had an Historical truth for not the Poets onely but many great Philosophers of the old world have taken Nocturnal presages for no dreams or fancies Hence did Homer usurpe his libertie in faining his Kings and Heroicks so often admonished of their future estate by the gods he presumed at least that these fictions might carrie a shew of truth in that age wherein such admonitions by night were not unusual And his conceit is not dissonant unto the sacred storie which bears record of like effects in Ancient times and gives the true cause of their expiration in later 2 So usual were dreams among the Patriarchs and their interpretations so well known that Jacob could at the first hearing interpret his young son Josephs dream Gen. 37. 10 11. What is this dream that thou hast dreamâ—… Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren come indeed and fall on the ground before thee Nor did he take it onely for a Fable no more then his brethren had done his former for a Fancie for as the Text saith his brethren envied him but his father noted the saying And Joseph himself coming to riper year was as expert in interpreting Pharaohs and his servants dreams Gen. 40. verâ—… 12 13. Then Joseph said unto him this is the interpretation of it The three branches are three dayes within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and resiore thee unto thine office and thou shalt give Pharoahs cup into his hand after the old manner when thou wast his Eutler And verse 19. Within three dayes shâ—… Pharaoh take thine head from thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birâ—… shall eat thy flesh from off thee These considerations will not suffer me mistrust divers Ancient Historiographers making report how Princes and Fathers of Families have had fore-warnings of future events either concerning themselves their Kingdoms or Posteritie Nor were all dreams among the Heathens illusions of wicked spirits for Elihu spake out of the common experience of those Ancient times wherein he lived God speaketh once or twice that is usually and one seeth it not In dreams and visions of the night when sleep falleth upon men and they sleep upon their beds then he openeth the ears of men even by their corrections which he had sealed that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise and that he might hide the pride of man and keep back his soul from the pit and that his life should not passe by the sword A lively experiment of Elâ—hu his observation we have Gen. 20. 3. When Abimelech King of Geâ—ar had taken Sarah Abrahams wife God came to him in a dream by night and said to him Behold thou art but dead because of the woman which thou haji taken for she is a mans wife And again verse 6 7.
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
had been often consulted it is evident and that oftentimes the Devils deluded such as consulted them is as manifest But since that saying of the Prophet was fulfilled I will put my law in their inward parts and write in their hearts since the knowledge of Truth hath been so plenteously made known and revealed and the principles of Religion so much dilated and enlarged by discourse the Devil hath chosen proud hearts and busie brains for his Oracles seeking by their subtilty of wit and plausibility of discourse to counterfeit and corrupt the form of wholesome Doctrine as he did of old the truth of Gods visible Oracles by his Apish Imitations 3 This conclusion then is evident both from the joynt authority of all Ancient Writers as well prophane as sacred That God in former times had spoken unto the world by Dreams Visions Oracles Priests and Prophets and that such revelations had been amongst the Israelites as the Stars or Night-Lamps amongst the Heathen as Meteors fiery Apparitions or wandering Comets for their direction in the time of darknesse and ignorance But when both the sensible experience of our times and the relations of former Ages most unpartial in this case have sufficiently declared unto us That all the former Twinckling Lights are vanished the reason of this alteration I see men might seek by Natural Causes as Plutarch did but this doubt is cleared and the question truly resolved by our Apostle in these words At sundry times and in diverse manners God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath made Heir of all things by whom also he made the world who being as the Apostle there saith the Brightnesse of his glory hath put the former lights which shined in darknesse to flight The consideration hereof confirms that truth of our Apostle to all such as are not blinded in heart where he saith That the night was past and the day was come For the suddain vanishing of all former lights about this time assigned by Christians of our Saviours Birth abundantly evince That this was the Sun of Righteousnesse which as the Prophet had foretold should arise unto the world It was the light which had lately appeared in the Coasts of Jurie then approaching Italy Greece and other of these Western Countreys which did cause these sons of darknesse the demoniacal Spirits to flit Westward as Darknesse it self doth from the face of the Sun when it begins to appear in the East And Plutarch tels us That after they had forsaken the Countrey of Greece they hanted little desart Islands near adjoyning to the coasts of this our Britanie where they raised such hideous storms and tempests as Navigators report they have done of late in that Island called by their own Name Both reports had their times of truth and the like may be yet true in some places more remote from commerce of Christians But the Heathen as Heathenish minded men do even to this day sought the reasons of such alterations from sensible Agents or second Causes which have small affinity with those effects or if they had yet the disposition of such causes depends wholly upon his will who though most Immutable in Himself changeth times and seasons at His pleasure And wheresoever the light of his Gospel cometh it verifieth that saying of our Apostle Ecce vetera transierunt nova facta sunt omnia And new times yield new observations which cannot be taken aright nor their causes known without especial directions from this rule of Life By which it plainly appeareth that the second main Period of the World since the Floud whose beginning we account from the promulgation of the Law and the distinction of the Israelites from other people until the time of Grace yields great alteration and matter of much different observation from the former And in the declining or later part of this second age we have described unto us as it were an Ebbe or stanch in the affairs of the Kingdom of Israel going before the general Fulnesse of Time After which we see the Tenor of all things in Jurie and of other Kingdoms of the world quite changed But the particulars of this change I intend to handle hereafter I now would prosecute my former observations of the old world 4 Continually whilest we compare Ancient Poets or stories with the Book of Genesis and other volumes of sacred Antiquity these sacred books give us the pattern of the waking thoughts of Ancient times And the Heathen Poems with other fragments of Ethnick writings whose entire bodies though not so aged as the former being but the works of men have perished contain the dreams and fancies which succeeding ages by hear-say and broken reports had conceived concerning the same or like matters So no doubt had God disposed that the delight which men took in the uncertain Glimpse of truth in the one should enure their mindes the better to observe the light which shineth in the other and that the unstable variety of the one should prepare mens hearts more stedfastly to imbrace the truth and stability of the other when it should be revealed unto them And as any man almost if he be observant of his former actions cogitations and occurrents may find out the occasion how dreams though in themselves oftentimes prodigious absurd and foolish come into his Brain or Fancie so may any judicious man from the continual and serious observation of this Register of truth find out the Original at least of all the principal heads or common places of Poetical fictions or ancient Traditions which cannot be imagined they should ever have come into any mans fancy unlesse from the Imitation of some Historical truth or the Impulsion of real events stirring up admiration I or Admiration as shall afterward appear did breed and Imitation spoil the divine Art of Poetry CAP. XI Of the Apparitions of the Heathen Gods and their Heroicks 1 WEre all the works of Ancient Poets utterly lost and no tradition or print of their inventions left so as the art of Poetrie were to begin anew and the Theatre to be raised from the ground the most curious wits in this or near adjoyning Countreys might for many generations to come Beat their Brains and sift their Fancies until they had run over all the formes and compositions which the whole Alphabet of their Fantasmes could afford before they could ever dream of bringing the gods in visible shape upon the Stage or interlacing their Poems with their often apparitions And unlesse ensuing times should yield matter of much different observations from that which these present do this invention would be accounted dull and find but sorry and unwelcome entertainment of the auditors or spectators That the like invention findes some acceptation now it is because mens mindes have been possessed with this conceit from the tradition of their forefathers For many
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
friends and her kinsfolk which remained in Sodom And it is probable out of that Chapter that Lots sons in Law remained in Sodom and likely their wives too Lots other daughters For so it is said not without Emphasis in the Original Take thy wife and thy two daughters which are found or as the Chaldee paraphrase which are found faithful with thee that is which are not corrupt by conversing with others abroad lest thou be destroyed with others in the punishment of this city Whether this Tradition of the Jews be true or no it makes little for my present purpose Very Ancient it is whether true or false might give occasion to the former Fable as other stories of the Bible do sometimes the rather because the sence is mistaken As the coÌ„mon opinion is that Lots wife was transformed into a Pillar of Salt when as no circumstance of the text doth enforce so much but rather leaves us free to think what is more probable that fearful showers of Gods Vengeance wherewith Sodom was destroyed were heaped upon her so that her body was wrapt wrapt up in that congealed matter which was perhaps in form like to some thunder-stone or the like from which it could not be discerned being as it were Candyed in it 5 If such a transformation of Lots wife seem strange what will the Atheist say unto the destruction of Sodom and the five Cities or if this seem more strange and incredulous because their destruction vanisheth whilest they perished What can he say to the salt sea Doubtlesse unlesse God had left this as a Lasting Monument to confute the Incredulitie of Philosophers by an ocular and sensible Demonstration they would have denyed the truth of â—hâ—s Effect as well as they doubt of the Cause which the Scriptures assign of it Is the violence of that strom which destroyed the five Cities strange and above the force of nature so is the qualitie of that Sea and the Soâ—l about it contrarie to the nature of all other seas or in-land lakes And let the most curious Philosopher in the world give any natural cause of it and the disproportion between the cause and the known effect will be more Prodigious in Nature then the cause which Moses gives of it is strange Some Cause by their confession it must have and though the storm were raised by a Supernatural Power yet admitting the violence of it to be such as the Scripture tels us the fall of so much durable matter no cause can be conceived so probable in nature as that which Moses gives as out of the grounds of Philosophy divers Experiments in nature I could easily prove â—ut Strabo that great Philosopher and no Credulous Antiquarie hath eased me of this labour For albeit he held the Syrians for a Fabulous people yet the evident marks of Gods wrath that had been kindled in that place as concavities made by fire distillation of pitch out of the seared rocks the noysom smell of the waters thereabouts with the reliques and ruines of the Ancient Habitations made the Tradition of neighbour inhabitants seem probable unto him That there had been Thirteen populous Cities in that soil of which Sodom was the chief whose circumference then remaining was sixtie Furlongs But as the custom is of secular Philosophers he seeks to ascribe the cause of this desolation rather unto Earth then Heaven and thinks the Lake was made by an Earthquake which had caused the bursting out of hot waters whose course was upon Sulphur and Brimstone And it is not unlikely that the earth did tremble whilest the heavens did so terribly frown and the Almightie gave his Fearful Voice from out the clouds and once having opened her mouth to swallow up those Wicked Inhabitants the Exhalations of whose sins had bred these Stormes became afterwards a Pan or Receptacle of moysture infecting all the waters which fell into it with the loath some qualities of those dregges of Gods wrath which had first setled in it as bad Humours when they settle in any part plant as it were a new nature in the same and turn all Nutriment into their Substance CAP. XVI Of NOAHS and DEUCALIONS Floud with other Miscellane Observations 1 NOt any son so like his natural father as Deucalions Floud is like Noahs Every School-boy from the similitude of their substance at the first sight can discern the one to be the bastard Brood of the other albeit Ovid from whom we have the picture of the one hath left out added divers Circumstances at his pleasure which assures me that he had never read the sacred Storie as some think he did but took up the confused Tradition of it which had passed through many hands before his time For other Poets which had come to Plutarchs reading though not to ours make mention of Deucalions Ark his Doves returning to him again before the waters Fall his Prognostication of the waters decrease by her perpetual absence at her last setting out This Tradition was so commonly received in Greece that some Etymologists think the Famous Hill Parnassus did take its name from the Arks abode upon it as if it had first been called Larnassus These are sure testimonies that such a floud had been but that in Deucalions time any such had been or that the Ark did stay in Greece hath no shew of truth See S. Augustin De civit Dei Lib. 18. cap. 10. L. vives 2 If Trogus Pompeius Works had come entire into our hands or had they light upon a more skilful and sincere Epitomist then Justin we should have found more evident prints of the storie of Noahs Floud in that Controversie between the Scythians and Egyptians whether were the most Ancient people As Justin relates it Lib. 2. thus it was 3 The Egyptians thought the Heavens over them had been in love with their soyl and that from the conjunction of the ones mildnesse with the others Fertility the first people of the world had been brought forth in Egypt The Scythians alledged it was most probable that their countrey was first inhabited because if fire had shut up the womb of their mother earth this Element did forsake theirs first as being the coldest countrey or if water had covered the face of nature and made it unapt for conception by too much moisture this Veil was first put off in Scythia as being the highest part of the inhabited Land Unto these reasons of the Scythians the Egyptians yielded as Justin reports Both of them erred in the manner of mans Propagation both again held a general Truth in thinking mankind had some late Propagation and that Kingdoms had not been so frequented with people in former generations as now they were The Scythians agreed herein with Scripture That the higher parts of the World which they inhabited or parts near unto them were first dried up from the waters for in the mountains of Armenia the Ark stayed and Noah
the Turks by Adoption Heires of the same promise So truly doth the Scripture tell us the truth of all antiquitie and the true causes of Nations encrease but of this elsewhere To conclude this story of Noah 6 The former Argument drawn from the suddain increase and propagation of men the scarcitie of Arts Civil Discipline and Inventions with other Experiments better known to them then us enforced certain of the Ancient Philosophers to hold a perpetual Vicissitude some of General some of Particular Deluges whereby the works of Antiquitie once come to perfection had been and continually should be defaced either generally throughout the World or in sundry Countries according to the extent of the Inundation This Opinion might seem more safe because not eaâ—â—e to be disproved in that Old World in which the wisest living besides the people of God had no distinct Knowledge of any thing that had happened 100 year before his own Birth much lesse what mutations should follow after his death but unto us their Prognostication is like unto some late Prophecies of Dooms-day confuted by a world of witnesses even by the continuance of every thing after that time which by their prophecies should have imposed a fatal end to all things We may truly use the Mockers words to these mockers of truth Since the old Philosophers died all things continue alike Seed-time and Harvest have been still distinct nor hath there been any Floud to destroy either the Whole Earth or any entire Nation thereof For Assurance of which promise the Almightie hath set his Bow in the Cloud whose Natural Causes though the Philosophers can in some sort assign and shew the manner how diversities of colours arise in it yet the Ancient Poets saw more then either they themselves have left exprest or later Philosophers sought to conceive when they feigned Iris to be Thaumantis Filia the Daughter or as we of this age would say the Mother of Wonderment the Messenger of the great God Jupiter and his Goddesse Juno The occasions of this Fiction had they been well acquainted with them might have informed Philosophers that the Rain-bow had some better use then a bare Speculation how it was made some Final besides the Material and Efficient Cause unto whose search the Admirable Form or composition of it did incite men naturally And the Ancient Philosophers who were for the most part Poets and endued with more lively notions of the First and Supreme Cause of all things did usually assign a Final Cause commonly Supernatural of such effects as proceeded from Efficient and Material Natural Causes As the Pythagoreans thought the Thunder whose matter form and efficient they well knew was made to terrifie such as were in Hell not erring in the general that it had some such like use though mistaken in the particulars whom it was made to terrifie Natural Philosophie gives us the Material and sensible Efficient Causes the Scripture onely the true and Supernatural End which leads us to the Immortal Invisible and Principal Efficient Cause of all natural effects even of Nature it self And Aristotle acknowledgeth the motions or dispositions of the Matter to depend upon the End or Final Cause albeit he gives no Final cause at all of main principal much lesse the Supreme or Principal Final cause of all natural effects but confounds the Form with the End against his own principles and contrary to the Analogie between Nature and Art which is the ground of all his Discourse about the Matter Form and Efficient For the Artificial Form is not the End of the Artists work but rather incites the Spectator to view and admire his Skill from which his gain or fame may redound And these one or both are the Principal end of all his labours so is the Glory of the First and Supreme Efficient Cause the Principal and utmost End of all the works of Nature and Nature itself if I may so speak the Art or Skill of the First and Supernatural Cause But as Aristotles Philosophie is imperfect because it leades us not either unto the First Cause or Last End of all things so it is fully sufficient to confute such Divines as think there were Rainbows before the Floud Which opinion hath no pretence of Scripture to enforce it and grounds in nature it can have none unlesse they will avouch this evident untruth That every disposition of the Air or every Cloud is fitly disposed to bring forth the Rain-bow And if other Natural Causes with their motions and dispositions depend upon the Final such as acknowledge the truth of Scripture have no reason to think that either the Clouds or Air had that peculiar disposition which is required unto the production of the Rain-bow before the Floud when this wonderful Effect could have no such use or end as it hath had ever since For it was ordained as the Scripture tels us to be a Sign or witnesse of Gods Covenant with the New World a Messenger to secure mankind from destruction by Deluges Now if it had appeared before the Sight of it after the floud could have been but a silly comfort to Noahs Timorcus Posteritie whose mistrust lest the the like inundation should happen again was greater then could be taken away by any ordinary or usual Sign if we may believe such Testimonies of Antiquitie as we have no reason to suspect I omit the discussion of their Opinion who think the Rain-bow doth naturally argue such a temper of the air as is unapt for the present to conceive any Excessive Moisture Either from these reasons in nature then well known or from the Tenour of Gods forementioned Covenant communicated to the Ancient Heathen people by Tradition doth Jupiter in Homer make Iris the messenger of his Peremptorie command unto Neptune to desist from aiding the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jove I come a messenger to him that Neptune hight His pleasure is that thou henceforth ne come in field or fight But hence to Heaven or to wide Sea address thy speedy flight 7 The true Mythologie of which Fiction I should from the circumstance of the Storie conjecture to be this The swelling of waters and abundance of moisture did advantage the Grecians and annoy the Trojans for whom fair weather was best as having greatest use at that time of service by Horse For this reason is Neptune by Iris commanded to get him into the Sea which â—s as much as to say the Over-flow of waters and abundance of moisture was now to be asswaged and Apollo on the other side sent to encourage Hector and his Trojans The meaning is that Jupiter would now have fair and drie weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go to prepare the Troops of Horse for they must do the deed And charge thine enemies at
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
have been so frequent among the Nations presently after Jerusalems destruction and the Extirpation of the Jews were added as so many Seals to assure the Truth of the Prophets and Gospel and to testifie both to Jew and Gentile That if either the one did follow his Jewish Sacrifice or the other his wonted Idolatrie after the Truth of Gods new Covenant with Mankind was Sealed and proclaimed There remained no more sacri fice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fire that there was no other name under Heaven able to save them from such everlasting Flames as they now had seen some Flashes of but only the Name of Jesus whom the Jew had crucified So the Prophet Joel concludes Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord that is of Jesus for now all Israel might know for a surety that God had made that Jesus whom they had Crucified both Lord and Christ He shall be saved The fruits of calling upon the name of the Lord and that distinction betwixt the state of the Elect and Reprobate intimated by the Prophet in the last Verse of that Chapter shall be most fully manifested in the Day of Judgement For such as have watched and prayed continually alwayes expecting their Masters Coming shall upon the first apprehension of his approach lift up their Heads as knowing that their Redemption draweth neer But for the Riotous or carelesse liver he shall not be able to stand before the Son of Man instead of calling upon his Name he shall cry unto the Hills Cover me and to the Mountains Fall ye upon me Yet was the same distinction between the Reprobate and the Elect truly notified by the confident Carriage of the Christians in those fearful times lately mentioned which did so much affright the Heathen as we may gather from Antoninus the Emperours Decree inhibiting the Christians persecution by the Commons of Asia It seems the other had accused the Christians as Hurtful Persons and offensive to the Gods unto which the Emperour makes Reply in this manner I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons for they punish such as will not worship them more grievously then you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men It shall seem requisite to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved ye may compare our estate with theirs They have more Confidence to God-wards than You have I will shut up this Discourse for the present with that Saying of our Saviour Remember Lots Wife and His Exhortation Take heed to your selves lest at anytime your Hearts be oppressed with Sâ—rfetting and Drunkennesse and Cares of this Life and lest that Day come on you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth So did the former Calamities in Titus and Trajans time which were as the Dayes of Noah They ate they drank and rose up to play and when they said Pax tutaomnia suddain destruction came as an unexpected Actor upon the Stage For as you heard before one Cause of the great Concourse unto Antioch at that direful Season was to see Playes and Prizes and in the former under Titus two whole Cities were overwhelmed with the Tempest of Gods Wrath while the Citizens were sitting in the Theatre So must all such Fruitlesse Spectacles or pleasant but unseasonable Comedies be concluded with their Spectators Tragedie in the Catastrophe of this great and spacious Amphitheatre All that follows till you come at the 9th Paragraph was An APPENDIX in the former Edition yet set before the whole Book and so must be accounted and allowed for in the Reading ALbeit Lawful in every Age it hath been to Vary if without dissension from former Interpreters in unfolding divine Mysteries without Censure of Irregularity so the Explication be Parallel to the Analogie of Faith yet partly to clear my self from all Suspicion of Affecting Novelties partly more fully to satisfie the ingenious and unpartial Reader I have thought good to acquaint him with Some Observations which have almost beâ—â—othed my mind unto that exposition of our Saviours Words related by Saint Matthew and Saint Luke which I here commend to his Christian consideration That happily will cause others to suspend their Judgements which for a long time did retard my Perswasion and inhibit my Assent unto the Truth I here deliver For albeit the Reasons alledged seemed very probable whilest weighed apart but far more pregnant from comparing the Concurrence of all Circumstances which led me to that opinion yet on the other side strange it seemed that my best grounds being borrowed from the relation of Antiquity no Ancient Writer living shortly after those times should have observed the like But whilst I considered again how the Almighty whether in his just Judgement for the Sins of that present or in his Wisdom and Mercy for the greater good of future Generations had deprived us of all their sacred Meditations that lived about Titus's time or immediately after both Effects as I conceived might have One the same just Cause though secret and onely known to God not fit for us to make any further Inquiry after theâ—… might stir us up to true Admiration of his Wisdome And truly Admirable his Wisdom seemed in this that the Canon of the new Testament being finished in the most known Tongue then extant in the World in which respect besides others The Gospel of the Kingdom might be truly said to be preached through The Whole for a witnesse to all Nations he would have it Severed from all other Writings as well by the Subsequent as Precedent Silence of Ecclesiastical Sacred Writers He that would not have any Prophet in Israel after the Erection of the Second Temple would not for the same Cause onely known to Him have any Writings of men otherwise most religious and devout to be extant in the Age immediately following the Gospels Promulgation that it thus shining like a Solid or compact glorious Star in the Transparent Sphere Environed every where with Vacuity might more clearly Manifest â—t Self by its own Light to be Supercelestial Necessary it was the Period of that Generation wherein our Saviour lived and died should have the Divine Truth of his Gospel confirmed unto them by Signs as the Prophet speaks In the heavens and in the earth to increase their Care and diligence in commending it to Posterity who were to rely on it immediately not on their Fore-fathers relation of Signs past The like or more effectual and as fully answerable to the Rules set down in it they could not want so long as they carried souls or minds careful to observe and practise what is prescribed And who knows whether the Lord had not appointed that the serious consideration of those Prodigious Signs which followed the publishing of the
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
the knowledge of the truth And as the Philosopher said of his moral Auditors Indocilitie that it skilled not whether he were Young or of Youthful affections so is it not the difference of Sex but resolution that makes a good Scholler or non proficient in the School of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST Many men have weak and Womanish and many women Manly and Heroick resolutions towards God and godlinesse 5 The infirmitie which vexed the religious Hanna was not so grievous as that of Naamans she was in our corrupt language as many honest women at this day are by nature Barren or if we would speak as the Prophet did in the right language of Canaan the Lord had made her barren weary she was of her own and according to the ordinary course of nature she saw no hope of being the author of life to others Yet in this her distresse she prayed unto the Lord her God and he granted her desire From this Experiment of Gods Power though not altogether so remarkable in ordinarie estimation as Naamans cure she fully conceives not only the truth of the former Oracle acknowledged by Naaman but more Emphatically expressed by her There is none Holy as the Lord yea there is none besides thee and there is no God like our God nor that other Attribute only of Wounding or making whole so lively uttered vers 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up but Gods Word planted in her heart by her fresh Experience grows up like a grain of Mustard-seed and brancheth it self into a faithful acknowledgement of most of his Attributes The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him enterprises are established the Bowe and the mighty men are broken and the weak have girded themselves with strength they that were full are hired forth for bread and the hungry are no more hired so that the barren hath born seven and she that hath born many children is feeble the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich bringethlow and exalteth he raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them He will keep the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darknesse for in his own Might shall no man be strong Nor doth it contain it self within the bounds of ordinary Belief but works in her heart like new wine filling it not only with Songs of Joy and Triumph over her envious Enemies Mine heart rejoyceth in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoyce in thy salvation but also with the Divine Spirit of Prophecy The Lords adversaries shall be destroyed and out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judge the ends of the world and shall give power unto his King and exalt the horn of his Anointed verse 10. 6 The like docilitie was in the blessed Virgin of whom perhaps Annah was the Type both of them verified that saying Verbum sapientisat est One Experiment taught them more then five hundred would do most of us The reason was because their hearts were so much better prepared For as heat in some bodies by reason of the indisposition of the matter causeth heat and nothing else in some scarce that in others brings forth life and fashioneth all the Organs and Instruments thereof so Experiments of Gods power in some mens hearts breed onely a perswasion of his Might or operation in that particular as in those foolish Aramites who vanquished in Battel by the Israelites whom he favoured questioned whether he were a God as well of the Vallies as of the Mountains in others the same or lesse Apprehension of his Power or Presence begetteth life and fashioneth this image in their hearts which thence will shew it self unto others in such ample and entire Confession of his Attributes as Hannah and the blessed Virgin uttered Some again are so ill disposed and indocile that the whole Moral Law of God might sooner be engraven in hardest Marble or Flint then any one precept imprinted in their hearts by such wonderful Documents of his Power as would teach the godly in an instant both the Law and Prophets Imagine some men in our dayes had been cured by like means of such a maladie as Naaman was or some women blessed from above with fruit of their wombes after so long sterilitie as Hannah endured Who could expect that one of ten in either Sex should return to give like thanks to God in the presence of his Priests or Prophets Were Elisha now living he must be wary to work his cure by his bare word and so perhaps he should be censured for a Sorcerer in any case he might not use the waters of Jordan or other like second causes otherwise curious wits would find out some hidden or secret vertue caused in them at least for the time being by some unusual but Benign â—â—â—ect of some Planet or Constellation in whose right they should be entitled either ful Owners or Copartners of that glory which Naaman ascribed wholly unto God And poor Hannah in this Politick Age should not be so much praised for her devotion or good skill in divine Poesie as pitied for a good Hâ—â—â—st wel-meaning silly Soul that did attribute more to God then was his due upon ignorance of Alterations wrought in her Body by natural causes For it is not the custome of our Times to mark so much the ordering or disposition as the particular or present operation of such Agents If any thing fall out amisse we bid a Plague upon ill Fortune or curse mischance if ought aright we applaud our own or others Wits that have been employed in the businesse or perhaps thank God for Fashion sake that we had Good Luck He is to us in our good successe as a friend that lives far off who we presume wisheth well to such projects as he knows in general we are about being unacquainted with the particular means that must effect them or no principal Agent in their contrivance Hence do not I marvel though many do if such men in our times as reap the fruits of the fields which God hath blest in greatest Abundance make no conscience of returning the Tenth part to him that gave the whole when as not one of a thousand either in heart or deed or out of any distinct or clear apprehension of his power or efficacie or true resolution of all effects into the First Fountain whence they flow doth attribute so much as the Tenth nay as the Hundreth part to Gods doing in any Event wherein the industrie of man or operation of second Causes are apparant We speak like Christians of matters past recorded in Scripture but in our discourses of modern affairs our Paganismes and more then Heathenish Solecismes bewray the
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
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
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
did his words give life unto his greatest works his Divinations were to his Miracles as his humane soul was to his body And no question but the conception of their Faith that heard him preach was as immediately from those words of eternal life which issued from his mouth as ours is from the Word preached by his Messengers To what other use then could miracles serve save onely to breed a praeviall admiration and make entrance for them into his hearers hearts though his bodily presence at all times was not yet were his usuall works in themselves truly glorious more then apt to dispell that veil of prejudice commonly taken against the meannesse of his person birth or parentage had it been meerly naturall not occasioned through wilfull neglect of extraordinary means precedent and stubborn opposition to present grace most plentifully offered His raising others from death to life was more then sufficient to remove that offence the people took at that speech If I were lift up from the earth I should draw all men unto me To which they answered We have heard out of the Law that the Christ bideth forever and how sayest thou that the Son of Man must be lift up Who is that Son of Man 18 To conclude then his distinct and arbitrary foretelling Events of every sort any Prophet had mentioned many of them not producible but by extraordinary miracles withall including divine testifications of farre greater glory ascribed to him then Moses or any Prophet ever challenged was The demonstrative Rule according to Moses prediction whereunto all visible signes and sensible miracles should have been resolved by their spectators as known effects lead contemplators unto the first and immediate causes on which their Truth and Being depends That Encomium This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear him with the like given by John Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world unto all such as took him for a true Prophet did more distinctly point out the similitude peculiar to Him with Moses expressed in the forecited place of Deuteronomy literally though not so plainly as most Readers would without direction observe it seeing even interpreters most followed either neglect the words themselves in which it is directly contained or wrest their meaning Unto him shall ye hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly Their request then was Talk thâ—â— with us and we will hear but let not God talk with us lest we die Here the whole multitude bound themselves to hear the word of the Lord not immediately from his mouth but by Moses For whiles the people stood afar off he onely drew neer to the darknesse where God was This their request and resolution else-where more fully expressed the Lord highly commended I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee they have well said all that they have spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me and to keep all my commandements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for ever If we observe that increment the literal sence of the same words may receive by succession of time or as they respect the Body not the Type both which they jointly signifie the best reason can be given of Gods approving the former petition and Israels peculiar disposition at that time above others will be this That as posterity in rejecting Samuel rejected Christ or God the second Person in Trinity so here the Fathers in requesting Moses might be their spokesman unto God requested that Great Prophet ordained to be the Author of a better Covenant even that promised womans seed their brother according to the flesh to be Mediator betwixt God and them to secure them from such dreadfull flames as they had seen so they would hearken as then they promised unto his words as unto the words of God himself esteeming him as the Apostle saith so farre above Moses As he that builds the house is above the house And in the Emphasis of that speech Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him purposely resumed by Moses with these threats annexed as if he had not sufficiently expressed his mind in the like precedent Unto ‖ him ye shall hearken The same difference between Moses and the Great Prophet then meant is included which the Apostle in another place expresseth He that despiseth Moses Law dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be worthy which treadeth under foot the Son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing Untill the soveraignty of the Law and Prophets did determin that Encomium of Moses did bear date There arose not a Prophet siâ—â—e in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knâ—w face to face but vanished upon the Criers voice when the Kingdom of heaven began to appear The Israelites to whom both promises were made did far exceed all other nations in that they had a Law most absolute given by Moses yet to be bettered by an Everlasting Covenant the Former being as an earnest penny given in hand to assure them of the Latter In respect of Both the name of a Soothsayer or Sorcerer was not to be heard in Israel as in the nations which knew not God much lesse expected a Mediator in whom the spirit of life should dwell as plentifully as splendor doth in the body of the Sun from whose fulnesse ere he visibly came into the world other Prophets were illuminated as those lights which rule the night are by that great light which God hath appointed to rule the day at whose approach the Prince of darknesse with his followers were to avoid the Hemisphere wherein they had raigned In the mean time the testimonies of the Law and Prophesies served as a light or candle to minish the terrors of the night Even Moses himself and all that followed him were but as messengers sent from God to sollicit his people to reserve their alleageance free from all commerce or compact with Familiar spirits until the Prince of glory came in person 19 Thus without censure of their opinion that otherwise think or teach albeit the continuance of Prophets amongst this people were a mean to prevent all occasions of consulting sorcerers or witches yet the chief ground of Moses disswasion from such practises according to the literall connexion of these words The nations which thou shalt possesse hearken unto those that regard the times and unto sorcerers as for thee the Lord the God hath not suffered thee so with those following hitherto expounded The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet was the consideration of their late mighty deliverance by Moses the excellencie of
it self would rather have held the Negative For if we believe as the Papists generally instruct us that we our selves all private spirits may erre in every perswaâ—on of faith but the Church which onely is assisted by a publick spirit cannot possibly teach amisle in any We must upon terms as peremptory and in equal degree believe every particular point of faith because the Church so teacheth us not because we certainly apprehend the truth of it in itself For we may erre but this publick spirit cannot And consequently we must infallibly believe these propositions ‖ Christ is the Redeemer of the world not Mahomet ‖ There is a Trinity of persons in the divine nature for this reason only that the Church commends them unto us for divine revelations seeing by their arguments brought to disprove the sufficiency of Scriptures or certainty of private spirits no other means possible is left us Nay were they true we should be only certain that without the Churches proposal we stil must be most uncertain in these and all other points because the sons are perpetually obnoxious to errour from which the mother is everlastingly priviledged The same propositions and conclusions we might conditionally believe to be absolutely authentick upon supposal they were Gods word but that they are his word or revelations truly divine we cannot firmly believe but only by firm adherence to the Churches infallible authority as was in the second Section deduced out of the Adversaries principles Hence it follows that every particular proposition of Faith hath such a proper causal dependance upon the Churches proposal as the conclusion hath upon the premisses or any particular upon it universal Thus much Sacroboscus grants 3 Suppose God should speak unto us face to face what reason had we absolutely and infallibly to believe him but because we know his words to be infallible his infallibility then should be the proper cause of our belief For the same reason seeing he doth not speak unto us face to face as he did to Moses but as our adversaries say reveals his will obscurely so as the Revealer is not manifested unto us but his meaning is by the visible Church which is to us in stead of Prophets Apostles and Christ himself and all the several manners God used to speak unto the world before he spake to it by his only son this Panthea's infallibility must be the true and proper cause of our Belief And Valentian himself thinks that Sarah and others of the old world to whom God spake in private either by the mouth of Angels his son or holy spirit or by what means soever did not sin against the doctrine of saith or through unbelief when they did not believe Gods promises They did herein unadvisedly not unbelievingly Why not unbelievingly because the visible Church did not propose these promises unto them 4 If not to believe the visible Churches proposals be that which makes distrust or dissidence to Gods promises infidelity then to believe them is the true cause of believing Gods promises or if Sarah and others did as Valentian faith unadvisedly or imprudently in not assenting to divine truths proposed by Angels surely they had done only prudently and advisedly in assenting to them their assent had not been truly and properly belief So that by this assertion the Churches proposal hath the very remonstrative note and character of the immediat and prime cause whereby we believe and know matters of saith For whatsoever else can concur without this our aslent to divine truths proposed is not true Catholick belief but firmly believing this infallibility we cannot erre in any other point of faith 5 This truth Valentian elsewhere could not dissemble howsoever in his prosessed resolution of Faith he sought to cover it by change of apparel Investing the Churches proposal only with the title of a Condition requisite and yet withal so dislonant is falsity to it self making it the Reason of believing divine Revelations If a reason it be why we should believe them need must it sway any reasonable minde to embrace their truth And whatsoever inclines our minds to the embracement of any truth is the proper efficient cause of belif or assent unto the same Yea Efficiency or Causality it self doth Formally consist in this inclination of the minde Nor is it possible this proposal of the Church should move our minds to imbrace divine Revelations by any other means then by believing it And Belief it self being an inclination or motion of the mind our minds must first be moved by the Churches proposal ere it can move them at all to assent unto other divine truths Again Valentian grants that the orthodoxal or catechistical answer to this interrogation Why do you believe the doctrine of the Trinity to be a divine revelation is because the Church proposeth it to me for such He that admits this answer for sound and Catholick and yet denies the Churches proposal to be the true and proper cause of his Belief in the former point hath smothered doubtlesse the light of nature by admitting too much artificial subtilty into his brains For if a man should ask why do you believe there is a fire in yonder house and answer were made Because I see the smoak go out of the Chimney should the party thus answering in good earnest peremptorily deny the sight of the smoak to be the cause of his Belief there was a fire he deserved very wel to have either his tongue scorched with the one or his eys put out with the other Albeit if we speak of the things themselves not of his Belief concerning them the fire was the true cause of the smoak not the smoak of the fire But whatsoever it be Cause Condition Circumstance or Effect that truly satissieth this demand Why do you believe this or that it is a true and proper cause of our belief though not of the thing believed If then we admit the Churches proposal to be but a condition annexed to divine revelations yet if it be an infallible medium or mean or as our adversaries all agree The only mean infallible whereby we can rightly believe this or that to be a divine revelation it is the true and only infallible cause of our Belief That speech of Valentian which to any ordinary mans capacity includes as much as we now say was before alledged That Scripture which is commended and expounded unto us by the Church is eo ipso even for this reason most authentick and clear He could not more emphatically have expressed the Churches proposal to be the true and prime cause why particular or determinate divine revelations become so credible unto us His Second Sacrobosâ—us hath many speeches to be inserted hereafter to the same effect Amongst others where Dâ— Whittaker objects that the principal cause of faith is by Papists ascribed unto the Church he denies it only thus far What we believe for the Churches proposal we
proposition must finally be resolved Every conclusion of faith as is before observed out of Bellarmine must be gathered in this or like Syllogisme Whatsoever God or the first Truth saith is most true But God said all those words which Moses the Prophets and the Evangelists wrote Therefore all these are most true The Major in this Syllogisme is an Axiom of Nature acknowledged by Turks and Infidels nor can Christian faith be resolved into it as into a Principle proper to it self The Minor say our Adversaries must be ascertained unto us by the Churches authority and so ascertained becomes the first and main principle of faith as Christian whence all other particular or determinate conclusions are thus gathered Whatsoever the Church proposeth to us for a divine Revelation is most certainly such But the Church proposeth the Books of Moses and the Prophets finally the whole volumes of the old and new Testament with all their parts as they are extant in the vulgar Roman Edition for divine revelations Therefore we must infallibly believe they are such So likewise must we believe that to be the true and proper meaning of every sentence in them contained which the Church to whom it belongs to judge of their sence shall tender unto us 2 For better manifestation of the Truth we now teach the young Reader must here be advised of a Twofold Resolution One of the things or matters believed or known into their first parts or Elements Another of our Belief or perswasions concerning them into their first Causes or motives In the one the most general or remotest cause In the other the most immediate or next cause alwayes terminates the resolution The one imitates the other inverts the order of composition so as what is first in the one is last in the other because that which is first intended or resolved upon by him that casteth the plot is last effected by the executioner or manual composer In the former sence we say mixt bodies are lastly resolved into their first Elements houses into stones timber and other ingredients particular truths into general maximes conclusions into their immediate premisses all absurdities into some breach of the rule of contradiction Consonantly to this interpretation of final resolution The First Verity or divine infallibility is that into which all Faith is lastly resolved For as we said before this is the first step in the progresse of true Belief the lowest Foundation whereon any Religion Christian Jewish Mahometan or Ethnick can be built And it is an undoubted Axiom quod primum est in generatione est ultimum in resolutione when we resolve any thing into the parts whereof it is compounded we end in the undoing or unfolding it where nature begun in the composition or making of it But he that would attempt to compose it again or frame the like aright would terminate all his thoughts or purposes by the end or use which is farthest from actual accomplishment Thus the Architect frames stones and timber and layes the first foundation according to the platform he carries in his head and that he casts proportionably to the most commodious or pleasant habitation which though last effected determines all cogitations or resolutions precedent Hence if we take this ultima resolutio as we alwayes take these termes when we resolve our own perswasions that is for a resolution of all doubts or demands concerning the subject whereof we treat A Roman Catholicks faith must according to his Principles finally be resolved into the Churches infallibility For this is the immediate ground or first cause of any particular or determinate point of Christian faith and the immediate cause is alwayes that into which our perswasions concerning the effect is finally resolved seeing it onely can fully satisfie all demands doubts or questions concerning it As for example if you ask why men or other terrestrial Creatures breath when fishes do not to say they have lungs and fishes none doth not fully satisfie all demands or doubts concerning this Subject For it may justly further be demanded what necessity there was the one should have lungs rather then the other If here it be answered that men and other perfect terrestrial creatures are so full of fervent blood that without a cooler their own heat would quickly choak them and in this regard the God of nature who did not make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or give them life in vain to be presently extinct did with it give them lungs by whose respiration their naturall temper should be continued This answer doth fully satisfie all demands concerning the former effect For no man of sense would further question why life should be preserved whose preservation immediately depends upon respiration or exercise of the lungs and is therefore the immediate cause of both and that whereunto all our perswasions concerning the former subject are lastly resolved Or if it should be demanded why onely man of all other creatures hath power to laugh to say he were indued with reason doth not resolve us for a Philosophical wit would further question Why should reasonable substances have this foolish faculty rather then others A good Philosopher would perswade us the spirits which serve for instruments to the rational part are more nimble and subtle and so more apt to produce this motion then the spirits of any other creatures are But this I must professe resolves not me for how nimble or subtle soever they be unlesse man had other corporeal Organs for this motion the spirits alone could not produce it and all organical parts are framed for the operation or exercise of the faculty as their proper end Whence he that would finally resolve the former Problem must assigne the true final cause why reasonable substances more then others should stand in need of this motion Now seeing unto reason onely it is proper to forecast danger and procure sorrow and contristation of heart by preconceit of what yet is not but perhaps may be it was requisite that our mortality through reason obnoxious to this inconvenience should be able to correct this contristant motion by the contrary and have a faculty to conceive such pleasant objects as might dilate the heart and spirits that as man hurts his body by conceited sorrow whereto no other Creature is subject so he might heal it again by a kind of pleasance whereof he alone is capable 3 Answerable to this latter acception of final resolution if you demand a Roman Catholick why he believes there is a Trinity there shall be a resurrection or life everlasting his answer would be because God or the First Verity hath said so but this doth not fully satisfie for we might further question him as he doth us why do you believe that God did say so Here it sufficeth not to say This truth is expresly taught in Canonical Scriptures for the doubt whereby he hopes to stagger us most is this Why do you believe
or how can you know those Books which ye call Scriptures were from God The last and final answer according to the Jesuitical Catechismes wherein as you heard before out of Bellarmine they think they have great advantage of us would be this The holy Church our Mother doth so instruct giving us this expresse admonition withall his amplius fili 〈◊〉 ne requiras Here upon God their Father and the infallible Church their Mothers blessing their souls are bound to rest without further doubt or demand Whence unlesse they use some mental reservation or seek to shrowd themselves in the former aequivocation hitherto unfolded they must of necessity account themselves accursed if they deny the last or final resolution of their belief to be into the Churches infallibility or veracity Again what reasonable man would demand further resolution of any doubts incident to his faculty be it real or verbal speculative or practick then into the prime and immediate rules He should surely be lasht in a Grammar School that either for quantitie of syllables right accent construction of words or the like would seek a further reason then a known general rule which admitteth no exception So should he with disgrace be turned over the Barre amongst the Lawyers that would demur or seek a devolution of an evident ruled case which by his own confession could never alter Much more grosse would his absurdity appear that in the Mathematicks or other demonstrative science should attempt to resolve a Probleme or conclusion further then into an unquestionable Theorem or definition Finally might we have a centumviral Court of all professions under the Sun our Adversaries would be condemned with joint consent either of intolerable folly or impudency if they should with Valentian deny the last resolution of their faith to be into the Churches infallibilitie seeing they make it such a Catholick inerrable perpetual rule of Christian faith as admits no exception no devolution from it no appeal It is to them more then he said of Logick Ars artium scientia scientiarum a faculty of faculties a Rule of Rules able rightly to resolve all doubts concerning the very Canon of Scriptures or Gods Word written or unwritten or the true sence or meaning of both briefly able most authentically to determine and define all Controversies in Religion of what kind soever 4 Nor will it boot them ought to say that Gods Word in the Churches mouth is the Rule whereinto faith is finally resolved seeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods Word either written or unwritten For this is more then the party which believes it can know nor hath he any other motive to believe it besides the Churches definition or assertion Suppose then we should conceive so well of a temporall Judge as to presume he did never speak but according to the true meaning either of Statute or customary Law yet if we could not know either the one or the other or their right interpretation but onely by his determinations the Law were little beholden to him unlesse for a flout that should say he were resolved jointly by the Judge and it For seeing the Law is to him altogether uncertain but by the Judges avouchment or interpretation his last resolution of any act of justice must be onely into the Judges skill and fidelitie This inference Sacroboscus would not deny he himself hath made the like to prove that not the Scripture but the Church must be the infallible rule of faith You will object saith he when the Church defines it alwayes defines according to the Word of God either written or unwritten New revelations it receives none the promised assistance of the spirit helps it onely to know what is already revealed Therefore from the first to the last that which determines controversies and is the Judge in all questions of faith is the Word of God To this objection thus he answers Because we cannot be certain of the true sence of Gods Word but by the voice of the Church which hears our controversies and answers them The Church is Judge although it judge according to Gods Word which upon examination and by the spirits assistance it alwayes understands aright And if every one of us should have the infallible gift of understanding Gods Word we should not need any other Judge The Reader I hope will remember what was said before that those flowting hypocrites would fain believe the Pope saith nothing but what God saith that God may be thought to say all he sayes which is the most abhominable Blasphemie that ever Hell broacht worse then worshipping of Devils as shall appear hereafter 5 It may be some Novice in Arts that hath late read some vulgar Logicians upon the demonstrations might here frame this doubt in favour of the Romish Churches Doctrine As the finall cause may be demonstrated by the efficient and the efficient by the final so may the Church be infallibly proved by Scriptures and the Scriptures again by the Churches authority both infallibly believed each for others sake as both the former demonstrations are true and certain and yet mutually depending one upon the other 6 This objection had some late Logicians understood what they said would carry some shew of truth to countenance Valentians former Circular Resolution but they lace their Masters Rule uttered by him Pingui Minerva too too straitly For taking it as they do we should admit of circular demonstrations the conceit whereof can have no place but in a giddy brain To demonstrate the final cause in any work of Nature were to assigne a Counsellor to the infinite wisdom of the God of Nature in whose intention the end is first and is the cause of all operation or efficiencie Who could give or who would demand a naturall cause why life should be preserved for this is the will of him that gave it If question were made of the manner how the life of man and other creatures is preserved when as their heat might seem to choak them A man might truely answer by respiration and respiration is from the lungs But it is one thing to ask How or by what Means another for what End any effect is produced The former is an inquiry of the Efficient within these precincts of means or motions alwayes prime and independent The later of the final cause absolutely indemonstrable because it implies a contradiction to give a reason why that should be for whose sake all other things of that rank have being Nor is the End it self to speak properly ever produced though oft-times in common speech we take the Effect immediately thereto destinated because most sensible for the End it self as we do the starre next to the Pole because visible for the Pole or point immoveable Thus we confound respiration or actual preservation of life with the Final cause why men have lungs when as both are effects of the lungs both means of accomplishing Natures or rather the God of Natures
purpose in whose will or pleasure the finall cause of any natural effect alwayes consists And seeing nothing in Nature can preoccupate his will no cause can be precedent to the finall This consideration of naturall effects tending as certainly to their proposed end as the arrow flyes to the mark caused the irreligious Philosopher to acknowledge the direction of an intelligent supernatural agent in their working the accomplishment of whose will and pleasure as I said must be the finall cause of their motions as his will or pleasure which bestows the charges not the Architect unlesse he be the owner also is the final cause why the house is built Finally every End supposeth the last intention of an intelligent Agent whereof to give a reason by the Efficient which onely produceth works or meanes thereto proportioned would be as impertinent as if to one demanding why the bell rings out it should be answered because a strong fellow puls the rope 7 Now that which in our Adversaries Doctrine answers unto the cause indemonstrable whereinto final resolution of Natures works or intentions of intelligent agents must be resolved is the Churches Authority Nor can that if we speak properly be resolved into any branch of the first Truth for this reason besides others alledged before that all resolutions whether of our perswasions or intentions or of their objects works of Art or Nature suppose a stability or certainty in the first links of the chain which we unfold the latter alwayes depending on the former not the former on the latter As in resolutions of the latter kind lately mentioned imitating the order of composition actual continuation of life depends on breathing not breathing on it breathing on the lungs not the lungs mutually on breathing so in resolutions of the other kind which inverts the order of composition the use or necessity of lungs depends upon the use or necessitie of breathing the necessitie or use of breathing upon the necessity or use of life or upon his will or pleasure that created one of these for another Thus again the sensitive faculty depends upon the vital that upon mixtion mixtion upon the Elements not any of these mutually upon the sensitive faculty if we respect the order of supportance or Natures progresse in their production Whence he that questions whether some kinds of plants have sense or some stones or metals life supposeth as unquestionable that the former have life that the second are mixt bodies But if we respect the intent or purpose of him that sets Nature a working all the former faculties depend on the sensitive the sensitive not on any of them For God would not have his creatures indued with sense that they might live or live that they might have mixt bodies but rather to have such bodies that they might live to live that they might enjoy the benefit of sense or the more noble faculties 8 Can the Jesuite thus assigne any determinate branch of the First Truth as stable and unquestionable before it be ratified by the Churches authority Evident it is by his positions that he cannot and as evident that belief of the Churches authority cannot depend upon any determinate branch of the First Truth much lesse can it distinctly be thereinto resolved But contrariwise presse him with what Divine precept soever written or unwritten though in all mens judgements the Churches authority set aside most contradictory to their approved practises for example That the second Commandement forbids worshipping Images or adoration of the consecrated Host he straight inverts your reason thus Rather the second Commandement forbids neither because the holy Church which I believe to be infallible approveth both Lastly he is fully resolved to believe nothing for true which the Church disproves nothing for false or erroneous which it allowes Or if he would answer directly to this demand To what end did God cause the Scriptures to be written He could not â—â—sonâ—â—t to his tenents say That we might infallibly rely upon them but rather upon the Churches authority which it establisheth For Gods Word whether written or unwritten is by their Doctrine but as the testimony of some men deceased indefinitely presumed for infallible but whose material extent the Church must first determine and afterwards judge without all appeal of their true meaning Thus are all parts of Divine truthes supposed to be revealed more essentially subordinate to the Churches authority then ordinary witnesses are to royal or supreme judgement For they are supposed able to deliver what they know in termes intelligible to other mens capacities without the Prince or Judges ratification of their sayings or expositions of their meanings and judgement is not ordained for producing witnesses but production of witnesses for establishing judgement Thus by our adversaries Doctrine Gods Word must serve to establish the Churches authority not the Churches authority to confirm the immediate soveraigntie of It ever our souls 9 Much more probably might the Jew or Turk resolve his faith unto the First Truth then the modern Jesuited Papist can For though their deductions from it be much what alike all equally sottish yet these admit a stabilitie or certainty of what the First Truth hath said no way dependant upon their authority that first proposed or commended it unto them The Turks would storme to hear any Mufti professe He were as well to be believed as was Mahomet in his life time that without His proposal they could not know either the old Testament or the Alcoran to be from God So would the Jews if one of their Rabbines should make the like comparison betwixt himself and Moses as the Jesuite doth betwixt Christ and the Pope who besides that he must be as well believed as his Master leaves the authority of both Testaments uncertain to us unlesse confirmed by his infallibility But to speak properly the pretended derivation of all three heresies from the First Truth hath a lively resemblance of false pedegrees none at all of true Doctrine and resolutions Of all the three the Romish is most ridiculous as may appear by their several representations As imagine there should be three Competitors for the Roman Empire all pleading it were to descend by inheritance not by election all pretending lineal succession from Charles the Great The first like to the Jew alledgeth an authentick pedegree making him the eldest The second resembling the Turk replies that the other indeed was of the eldest line but long since disinherited often conquered and enforced to resigne whence the inheritance descended to him as the next in succession The third like the Romanist pleads it was bequeathed him by the Emperors last Will and Testament from whose death his Ancestors have been intit'led to it and produceth a pedegree to this purpose without any other confirmation then his own authority adding withall that unlesse his competitors and others will believe his records and declarations written or unwritten to be most authentick they cannot
mulierum exercendis illorum impietas 〈◊〉 â—o processisset ut pro communi omnium incolumitate expediret tanti vim morbi celeri remedio coercere omnino 〈◊〉 tejiciendos ex civitatibus decrevit Hieron Rubeus lib. 11. hist Raven Of the â—… some â—… which â—… Moses and the Prophets Such speeches do not import an Absolute Cause of the thing but of our instruction or perswasion concerning it A comparison of the â—… Jews â—… with the stedfastnesse of Abrahams faith Deut. 29. 19. * Vide Socratem lib. 7. cap. 16. Krantzium lib. 10. Wandalorum c. 18. PapiriuÌ„ Masson lib. 3. p. 335. ex Villaneo Vide Hollinshead An. 40 Hen. 3. alibi At Prage in the year 1240. or thereabout they crucified a Christian Die Sacra Parasceves Krantzius lib. 7. Wandalorum c. 40. Vide Ezah 6. * Vide 〈◊〉 cap 〈◊〉 â—â—gr 〈◊〉 Gods Favours to the Ancient Israelites Parallel'd by like Blessings upon the Gentiles Exod. 25. 40. Heb. 8. 5 †Matth. 16. 3. Luke 12. 54. The Jews 〈◊〉 is an especial Light unto the Gentile Rom. 11. 25. â—…4 〈◊〉 Esay 5. 4 6. The Desolation of the Jews the most Effectual Sign for confirming Christian Faith Levit. 16. 44. A Parallel of the Israelites deliverance from Egyptian and Ours from Rome Babrlonish Ihraldom * Interim si Pontificii omnino cum Judaeis signuÌ„ habere velint accipiant hoc quod nos suâ— rhi miraculi loco habcmus unicum virum eumque miserum Monachum absque omni mundana vi Romanorum Pontificum tyrannidem quae tot seculis non tantùm potentissimis Regibus sed Toti Orbi Formidabilis fuit oppâ—gnasse superesse prostravisse juxta Elegantissimos versiculos Harmon Evangel cap. 59. ‖ Dolebat sanctissimo viro non solum vitam eorum quibus religionis confessio mandata erat nefariis sceleribus inquinari sed serpere etiam in religionem maximos errores Ideò de illis everteÌ„dis plurimum laborabat Sed quod tandem â—dcsct râ—pae authoritatem quousque processisset diffideret ne unos homo tanto negotio par esset de seipso spem â—… opravit ut omnes docti viri conjunctis studiis papam in ordinem redigerent Idem dixit quum paulo ante â—… infâ—â—â— us Lutheri propositiones de indulgentiis vidisset Lurherum in bonam causam ingressum esse sed unius â—… vires nihil valere ad tantam pontificis potentiam infringendam quae nimium invaluifâ—eâ— Et lectis approâ—… propofitionibus Luthâ—â—i exclamasse fertur Frater c. Johan Wolf in prafat ad Kranizii opera S. Peters Belief of known Orâ—dâ—â—â—nsâ—meâ—â— Eâ—pâ—… Jâ—â— 34 19. Wisd 6. 7. Acts 10. 34. Deut. 32. 29 30 39. Naaman without the written word by Experiment confirmed in the truth of what was written in the word 2 Kings 5. 15. Verse 17. 2 Tim. 3. 5 6 7. Beâ—… effects of Experiments lesse wonderful in Anna. 1 Sam. 2. 2. * De Prophetiâ Hannae vide AugustinuÌ„ lib. 17. de Civ Dei c. 4. Different Operations of like Experiments in diverse parties with their causes †1 Kings 20. vers 23. General directions for the right making of Experiments in our selves The causes why so many in â—ur dares have little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Experience of the truth of divine 〈◊〉 * The testimonies of the Ancient Israelites and modern Jews for the Canon of the old Testament is most Authentick For even those Aâ—… Fathers which our adversaries alledge to ackknowledg some more Books for Canonical then our Church doth did it only upon this Errour that they thought there had been more in the Canon of the Hebrew upon whose testimonies they relied as will be made clear against the Papists 〈◊〉 â—…at Mâ—… 11. 1◠〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 phâ—…â—â—â—nem c. That is their writinâ— wâ—re the complâ—at 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and infallible means of salvaâ—ion until John Yet can it not be proved that any Book held by our Church for Aâ—…al 〈◊〉 contained either undeâ— thâ— Law 〈◊〉 Proâ—â—â—ts 〈◊〉 the Historical books of the Hebrew Canon are Evident it is that the bâ—â—ks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mâ—…s were writ since Mâ—lâ—chies time from whom till John no Prophet was to be expected â—ut Mosâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 recorded in Histories and prophetical commentaries till Malachies time Inclusive was to be the immediat◠〈◊〉 for dâ—…ning the Great â—rophâ—â— See Lib. 2. c. 17. numb 3. 4. l. 1. c. 17. ‖ The divine Authority of Some Books in the new Testament especially the Apocalypse doubted of by the Ancient brought to light in later times Wherein the Testimony of the Rimish Church in discerning some Canonical Books is most available †How our firm Assent to some Principal mat ters revealed in Scriptures 〈◊〉 our Faith unto their whole Canon * This is that Circle which the Adversary 〈◊〉 as a Counterâ—… to us whilest we seek to overthrow their Circular â—… The Objects 〈◊〉 may justly be 〈◊〉 upon the Enthusiast but not on Our Church as shall appear in the 〈◊〉 Section of the Second Book †Proficiâ—â—tibus ut admonet P. noster Ignatius L. Exercit de dignosc spirit Spiritus malus se dure implacide violenter quasi cum strepitu quodam ut imber in saxa decidens infundit Bonus vero iisdem leniter placide suaviter sicut aqua irrorat spongiam Illis vero qui in deterius proficiunt experientia docet contrà evenire Delrius disquisit Magic lib. 4. cap. 1. q. 3. sect 6. 2 Tim. 3. 16. The Romanists 1. Objection set down here is answered in the next Chap. c. * This 〈◊〉 is answered Chap. 19 â—…c 〈◊〉 2. †This is R◠〈◊〉 and an sâ—… Chap. â—… ‖ Answered Chap. 12. * Tot verò traÌ„slationes mutationes sinc gravissimo periculo incoÌ„modo non fierent Nam non semper inveniun cur idonei in terpretes atque ita multi errores coÌ„mitterentur qui non possint postea sacilè tolli Cum neque Pontifices neque Concilia de tot linguis judicare possint Bellarm lib. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 15. in Fin. * Were their Objections against us pertinent not the Popes Infallibilitie but the Priests and Jesuites Honestie or Fidelity should be the Rule of mose Lay Papasts Faith †Concil Trident Sessione quarta Granting the Pope to be as infallible as God himself yet were not his Decrees related by his messengers to be so much believed as Gods written Word received by us them because it is more free from suspition of Forgerie then they can be harder to be Counterfeited then they are †A brief Answer to the Objection concerning the Illiterate In what Sense the Scripture or written Word may be said to be the Rule of their Faith-see chap. 11. parag 3. and 4. How far such are to rely upon their Instructors Authority see chap. 8. ‖ See chap. 16. * The want of skill in sacred tongues in former ages was for their ingratitude towards God and loving of Darknesse more then
the Obscuritie or Difficulty of Scriptures cannot be meant of all Scriptures in respect of all Ages or all Men. â—…rs degrees of Scriptures Perâ—… arising from the Diversity of mens Conditions or Callings * ‖ Scripture more or lesse difficult to men of the same Profession from the different Measure of their natural Capacities or Gods Gifts bestowed upon them * This is a Point to be obsâ—…ved because the Weaknesse and 〈…〉 of all our Ad 〈◊〉 Ar 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—all 〈◊〉 by the particulars in this and the next Section * Prov. 3. 34. James 4. 6. 1 Pet. 〈◊〉 5. †〈◊〉 29. 14. 1 Cor. 1 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. †* Esay 29. 9 10 c. ver 13. * Velamen quod ipse Paulus 2. Cor. 3. 15. assiâ—mat usque in hodiernum diem cum legitur Moses esse positum supra cor Judaeorum profecto textum ut ita dicam bona ex parte est ex difficultate Scripturarum illarum Valent. tom 3. in Aquin disp 1. quaest 1. punct 7. parag 4. He addeth immediately Hoc enim ut antea monuimus est scripturam essedifficilem ejusmodi eam esse tam multa ut illa intelligatur requâ—ri ut proclive fuerit Judaeis 〈◊〉 aliis omnibus non percipere veram ejus sententiam quod quia dare nobis coguntur velint nolint sâ—ctaâ—ij rectè ac 〈◊〉 inde concludimus communem illam regulam magistram fidei quam necesse est esse propositam fidelibus 〈◊〉 non esse scripturam cum non sit cognitu facilis ipsis hominibus Huc illud Isaiae 29. pertinet †So our Saviour expoundeth it Matth. 15. verse 8 9. O Hypocrites Esaias prophesied well of you saying This People c. using the words before cited out of the 13. verse of Esay cap. 29. Out of both places it appears that their Hypocrisie and disobedience is the Truth known caused this Blindnesse and what the Prophet threatned ver 14. our Saviour ratifieth Mat. 15. ver 12 13 14. For when his Disciples said unto him Perceivest thou not that the Pharisâ—es are offended in hearing this saying He answered Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch So the Prophet had said in the 14. ver The wisdom of their wise men to wit the Pharisees shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid and in the 9. verse They are blind and make you blind For this cause our Saviour in the fore-mentioned place calleth not them as be did the multitude to hear and understand verse 10. Nor expounds the Parable unto them as he did to his Disciples verse 15. * Jâ—hn 7. 17. * Our Saviour fully confirmeth this Truth unto us which the Psalmist had before in effect delivered Psal 25. ver 14. The secret of the Lord is revealed unto them that fear him and his Covenant to give them understanding and vers 9. Them that be Meek will he guide in judgement and teach the Humble his way vide etiaÌ„ vers 10. 12. This evidently confuteth their folly who think or rather say our Saviour spake in this place of his own peculiar Doctrine and Authority Albeit Canus amongst others might be excused by such as would salve his credit by the common Answer non locutus est ex sua sententia as appeareth by the manner of his replie Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. cap. 8. †Non hoc dicit Dominus ut ostendat omnes viros bonos per se intelligere posse omnia loca Scripturarum sed ut doceat viros probos carere quibusdam impedimentis propter quae alij quidem nec per se nec per alios fidei veritatem intelligere possunt ut Johan 5. 44. Luke 16. 14. Bellarm. Tom. 1. Lib. 3. cap. 10. Canus in his first Answer to this place seems willing to assent unto the Truth Concediâ—us inquit liberaliter doctrinam cusque in sua vita statu necessariam illi fore perspectam cognitam qui fecerit voluntatem Dei. Sicut enim gustus bene affectus differentias saporum facilè discernit sic animi optima affectio facit ut homo doctrinam Dei ad salutem necessariam discernat ab errore contrario qui ex Deo non est Quae vero Ecclesiae sunt communia nec ad judicium nec ad fidem spectant singulorum ea non à quovis discerni judicari possunt quantumcunque is Dei faciat voluntatem In his second Answer he bewrayes a willingnesse to dissent from us or perhaps a fear not to say somewhat against us and therefore to such as will not be satisfied with the former he gives a second Answer in effect the same with Bellarmines We â—ay admit both their Conclusions without harm to our Cause From that which Canus granteth of private men both in his Answer to the second and third Argument we may conclude against him thus As God giveth them the Spirit of discerning true from false Doctrine in Points necessary to Salvation without all respects of persons so likewise will be by his Providence direct the learned or spirituall Overseers in every Nation without respecting Person Place or other Pâ—…gative for discerning Apocryphal from Canonical Books Nor is there any more Reason to appropriate their Discretion to the Pope or Clergie of Rome more then to appropriate the gift of discerning Truth from Falshood in Points reâ—… to Salvation to their Servants V. Can. Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. Cap. 8. Responsione ad secundum terâ—… * Râ—m 12. 2. Vâ—â—n which place He whom Bellarmin â—… laterâ—… â—… saith thus Per 〈◊〉 â—â—vationem â—… per â—idem in Christum accepistis â—… ut sic â—eddamini apâ—… quid à vobis 〈◊〉 per toâ—… at Deus Quid gratum sit beneplaâ—… Deo Simile quiddam dâ—cet â—… Prebantâ—s quid sit 〈◊〉 placitum Deo â—… cupiditates caâ—nis noâ—â—â—ae â—… nâ—i ut in actionibus nostris inâ—… voluntas Dei sed quod nostro â—… aâ—rider interpâ—… in id esse voâ—… Dei Sâ—… in 〈◊〉 â—… Vide annotat â—… Beâ—a ad paragraph 5. * * Denique quòd Honorius nonnulli alii Pontifices in errorem lapsi fuisse dicuntur quanquam de nullo prorsus satis compertum est pertinaciter erravisse id quidem utcunque res habeat non nisi ad privatum attiner personarum vitium atque adeo nihil nobis obstare potest ut qui non tam ipsas personas quà m authoritatem illam Apostolicae sedis in definiendo defendimus siâ—… supra Augustini etiam exemplo respondebamus Valent. Tan. 3. Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. Paragr 41. Casu 11. ‖ Valentianus loco citato Ad fidelitatem Dei erga Ecclesiam speciat ut impediret in eo casu quo minus per Pontificem illum controversia
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
whether the Pope alone speaking ex Cathedra be the Church for that he was to dispute of afterwards and he and all his fellows do and must acknowledge it as shall in due place be shewed That in this place he grants the communication of that Spirit by which the Scriptures were written unto private men doth not argue any agreement with us but rather his disagreement from sâ—me of Eis own profession who urge the necessity of the Churches Proposal so much and so far that not Gods Prophets or others to whom his Word was â—…dinarily revealed could without it be certain Vide Bellar. lib. 3. de justif cap. 3. * The Papists Assertions whence the proposed Conclusion is gathered â—… The general Points of Difficultie how either the Church can ascertain the Divine Truth of Scripture unto us or the Scripture the Churches infallible Authority ††John 16. 7. ¶ Verse 12. * 〈◊〉 Valenâ—… cap. 22. Valentians attempted Evasion out of the inchanted Circle of Roman Faith resuted * Ut breviter quae susius disputata sunt de resolutione fidei colligamus placet modum tradere quo quis de fide inteâ—rogatus debeat respondere Igitur siquis rogetur v. g Quare credat Deum esse trinum unum distinguat utrum viz. firmiter infallibiliter id credat vel de causa ob quam acceptaverat eam fidem Si primum respondeat qui a Deus revelavit Si rursus interrogetur unde cognoscat Deum revelasse respondeat se quidem non nosse id clare credere tamen eadem side infallibiliter id quidem non ob aliam revelationem bene tamen ob infallibilem propositionem Ecclesiae tanquam ob conditionem ad id credendum requisitam Si rursus unde cognoscat propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem similiter dicat se claâ—â— non nosse credere tamen fide infallibili ob revelationem Scripturae testimonium perhibentis Ecclesiae cui revelationi non credit ob aliam revelationem sed ob seipsam quamvis ad hoc ipsum opus sit Ecclesiae propositione ut conditione requisita Valent. tom 3. in Aquinat Disp 1. quaest 1. punct 1. Sect. 10. †Neque in sic respondeÌ„do erit aliquis vitiosus circulus Tum quia reveâ—atio propter quam dicitur credi infallibilitas propositianis propasitio ob quam dicitur credi revelatio non habent unum idem objectum sed aliud aliud Objectum n. propositionis est ipsa revelatio objection autem revelationis est ipsa veâ—…redita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse infallibilem Tum quia cum ex revelatione redditur ratio credendi propositionem reditur per causam revelatio enim est causa assensus fidei cum autem ex propositione Ecclesiae redditur ratio credendi revelationem ratio redditur non per causum credendi sed per conditionem ad id requisitam ita vitatur vitiasus circulus solum reditur ratio connexotum vicissim ex ipsismet connexis sub diversatione id quod omnino licet Valent. ibid. * In matters of Knowledge or Belief Reason and Curse are Synonymal and every Cause in 〈◊〉 goes before the Effect And even when we demonstrate the Cause by its proper Effect the Effect must needs be first known to us seeing it is the reason or Cause of our knowing the Cause though no Cause of the real Cause it self †Sacrobosous intangled in the former circle and caught in his own share ‖ Sed quaeris num quando quis credit ali quid propter authoritatem Ecclesiae necessariaÌ„ sit priâ—â—…pore vel saltem natura formaliter explicite credat ipsam Ecclesiam esse infallibilis authoritatis quemadmodum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusion propter Praâ—… necesse est ut prius assentiamur ipsis praemistis Respondeo id minime 〈◊〉 â—…rium nam actus fidei ferâ—… in suem objectum modo simplici ut visus in suum itaque sicut visus per spe 〈◊〉 albi v. g vider album non videndo ipsam speciem sic potest quis per Ecclesiae authoritatem credere ita ut 〈◊〉 prius formaliter explicite credat Ecclesiae Authoritatem Christophorus à Sacrobosco Dubliniensis è Societ Jesu 〈◊〉 128 139. A good examiner may know this fellow to be a Jesuite by his Answer so full stuft with mental Reservations 〈◊〉 Evasions and ambiguities First he will not resolve us whether men ordinarily must Believe the Church before Scriptures 〈◊〉 a man may Believe the Scriptures although he do not first Believe the Church explicitè or formally And in the very next 〈◊〉 be impertinently adds that Believing the Scriptures we cannot but implicite and vertually Believe the Church Which ar 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures must be Believed before the Church But say we could not Believe the one but â—e must upon equal termes 〈◊〉 the other this proves that neither could be any infallible or effectual Means of Believing the other For there is no man â—… twice 4 make 8 but knows as well twice 2 make 4 yet is neither a Means of knowing the other for both are immediately 〈◊〉 of themselves This shews the impertinency of their Answer that matter they know not what as if the knowledge of points of 〈◊〉 did resemble habitum principiorum rather then habitum conclusionis If so they do then cannot the Churches Infal 〈◊〉 being by their Positions a point of Faith be any Means of knowing the Scriptures to be Drvine which is a main point of faith * This 〈◊〉 of his doth very well illustrate our former â—… Chapâ— 12 concerning the Use of an ordinary â—… And the Visible Church may â—… the shapes and resemâ—… are called visible being indeed by naâ—… and are visible only by external demonstratâ—â—… as much as they present colours to 〈◊〉 sight â—… visible Were they really visible being received into our eyes they would hinder â—… of all colours so doth this admission of a real â—… in the Church exclude all infallible Belief of â—… * Jisdem serè argumeÌ„tis efficitur neque solam traditioneÌ„ viâ—… vocis eorum qui olim vita desuncti sunt esse judicem sufficientem fidei quae valeat per 〈◊〉 fine alia aliqua insallibili ac praeâ—…te authoritate omnes oâ—…ino definite fidei quaeâ—… Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut de an thoritate iâ—sius 〈◊〉 neceâ—… 〈◊〉 per aliquam aliâ—… au hâ—ritatem conâ—… iâ—â— etiam 〈◊〉 authâ—… traditionis siâ—… quoâ— revocetur in dubium Non enim traditio loquitur etiam ipsa clarè perspicuè de sese ut neque ipsa scriptura Deinde cum traditio scriptis ferè doctorum orthodoxorum in Ecclesia conservetur quaestiones ac dubia moveri possunt de 〈◊〉 illius sicut dubitatur saepe de sensu mente doctorum Valentianus Tom. 3. Disp 1. quaest 1. de objecto sidei punct 7. Sect. 12. * The politick Sophisines of the Papists in their Councels