of such production Wherefore seeing there be so many millions of thinges and kindes of creatures most certainely produced and existing in the worlde as all our sences are witnesses no man can say these things were made of them selues for so the same shoulde be and not be togither which is a repugnancie in nature neither of any other former depending cause for that likewise must haue an other to produce it Therefore sith nothinge is made of nothinge by nature which alwaies worketh in a subiecte and something nothing of it selfe nothing of any thing that is depending and yet so many thinges be in the worlde and the first of those created effects must bee of nothing otherwise they shoulde haue former secondary and created causes and betweene being and not being nothing and some thing nothing and so many thinges as nowe be there is infinite difference and improportion that cause which of nothinge created all things of necessity must be infinite omnipotent and illimited conteyning all goodnesse and perfection and so worthy all reuerence worship and whatsoeuer homage may be conceaued belonging to religion And as so many millions and distincte degrees of thinges coulde not in the beginning be created without an infinit omnipotent cause so as well the orderly productions and generations of all creatures since then and the daylie and howerly preseruation of them and all those excellencies wherewith they be endued from falling to corruption cannot be attributed to any inferiour agent The continuance and duration of essence and perfection is as much depending of an infinite and illimited agent as their first production was and as in the beginning without the worke of that omnipotent cause they coulde not possibly haue bin made of nothing as they were so without the like assistance they woulde in an instant be annihilate and come to nothing againe For though we shoulde graunt to all conceited men that euer were or woulde be accounted Philosophers that these inferiour thinges be compounded of elementary causes that they be produced by creatures of their own kindes men by men beastes by beastes of the same nature and so of others that they are assisted of the celestiall bodies and receaue influence from the heauens that respiration is from the aire heate from the fire and other necessaries from other elements yet neuer any Philosopher or man of iudgment can bee so absurde in reasoning but confes that al these things themselues both in production of other creatures as also in their owne being and preseruance depende of a former infinite cause and that these as they made nothing in the beginning but were made and had emanation for themselues of an other so they cannot either produce others or themselues continue without like assistance Therefore in euery least action duration or preseruance for euery minute of time we must of necessity appeale to that first omnipotent Creator For no proceeding can be infinitely without ende either in the production emanation or preseruance of thinges for so all causality and effecting operations should be taken away and no least effect could be produced For in ordinate causes the latter dependeth of the former and all latter causes of some precedent and firste cause but where there is no beginning there is no first so no causality consequently no effect nothing is nothing euer was nothing can be produced or preserued hereafter all things are already returned to nothing which is euidently vntrue therefore that first cause must needes be most honourable and deseruing all reuerentiall dutie and submission Moreouer experience teacheth that there is an infinit number of things in the world whose essence and being is not of necessity but contingent so that they may and may not be and whether they be or no no absurdity in nature can be concluded For who can say that man to giue example or any other creature is absolute and necessary to be either in respect of himselfe or any other for their being or not being It he be absolute necessary for the beeing of other creatures of necessity those creatures both in being and preseruation must depende of him which is euidently vntrue For if man were not other things might be as the heauens and diuers others were before he was created if all men were consumed yet all other thinges might remaine in safety In respect of himselfe he cannot be named absolutely and of necessity to be for so he shoulde bee of himselfe and without dependance of any other which is euidently false of euery limited and depending thing such as man and all creatures are Therefore aboue all depending thinges and such as be not of necessity we must at last arriue to one that is of it self absolute in depending of which the rest must haue dependance and to whome religion and duety is belonging both for that absolute and independing preeminence in himselfe as also that of necessity we depende of him The same reason ioyned with experience teacheth there is a subordination in all inferiour thinges none of them is altogither for it selfe nothing without some order to an other In arts and sciences belonging to the minde and intellectuall powers there is a subalternation In corporall and bodily thinges the matter is more apparant the heauens their motions and influences are not for themselues but for others that take benefite of their motion and receaue influx for them the simple and elementary creatures are for compounded thinges no compounded thing is for it selfe but is subordinat beastes sowles fishes and the rest are referred to man man as he is not of himselfe so much lesse to himselfe can he bee subordinat and so of euery thing that made not this subordination Therefore at last wee must come to some excellent thing which as he appointed this subordination and of himselfe can be subordinat to none because he is the first deuiser of this order so they all must needes bee subordinat to him And when in all orders of things alwaies that which is the end of others is most perfect and no reasonable and intellectuall agents doe thinges by themselues without instrumental causes or worke by instruments and secondary helpes but to some end and purpose Then seeing so many intellectuall eternall glorious and admirable thinges of the worlde coulde not possibly be framed ordered or disposed of by any thing inferiour vnreasonable and not intellectuall of necessitie as the first cause in producing and ordering so many and meruailous degrees and estates of creatures argueth both a first cause and infinite and omnipotent power in him so in ordeyning them to some ende that ende muste bee the most perfecte thing then seeing none coulde be more greater then hee or equall to himselfe for his honour and dignity they were created and hee was and is their end because his infinitnesse in power excludeth assistance his onely immensity in goodnesse and perfection debarreth all other last and finall ends and
One Relgion must needs be true all others be both palpably erronious in thēselues and haue acknowledged not only in generall the verity of this holy profession but giuen confirmation to those priuate Articles which be the greatest misteries and most secret difficulties in that worshippe All witnesse both of God and creatures al reason naturall aboue nature haue so consented To this the groundes of all worships haue giuen authority The Prophets Sybills and Oracles of the pagans haue yeelded The Rabbins and holy prophets before Christ and the Thalmud after haue answered against the Iewes and Mahumet himselfe for him and his hath made conclusion Christians onely doe remaine and they cannot condēne Christianity And against that which all Arguments confirme no Argument can be alleadged If any enemie Iewe Pagan or Mahumetan shoulde argue against it I make him answere first that his allegatiō is to be contemned because the rules and foundation of his own worship giue strēgth to that which he would weaken by his infirme assertion Secondly as the errors of al those worships condemne them selues to be impious so they disable all the Argumēts they bring against vs and ratifie our religion to bee most holy by all those reasons I vsed against Atheists before because true reuerence must be admitted Thirdly the publickly approued rules of these worships haue approued before the very particuler points to which these priuate men appose themselues in reasoning Fourthly the sacred misteries against which they dispute as the nature of God incarnation of Christ the resurrection and such be wholie supernaturall and belonging to the extraordinarie power of God or his owne essence which cannot be likened to inferiour and ordinary effects and causes from which their reasons and propositions be abstracted and they confound themselues for no common notion or position can be taken from finite and infinite things from the nature of God the Creator and his creatures from his ordinary and extraordinary power betweene which there is so great difference of degree and improportion But the contrary is to be concluded for vs that our verities by that Argument also are most certaine otherwise we might blasphemously affirme that there is no difference betweene God and his creatures betwene his ordinary and extraordinary naturall and supernatural works things finite and limited that which is infinite without limitation So that howsoeuer this questiō be disputed either by humane or diuine reasonings this sacred religion which I defend is the most certaine knowledge in the world confirmed by al arguments grounded vpon that infallible euidence of God which by no possibilitie can be vntrue and impugned by none but weake feeble positions of such erronious iudgments which are manifestly already conuinced to be false and by how much the infinite vndeceaueable wisedome and witnes of God vpon which euery Article of this diuine worship is builded exceedeth the deceitfull sentences of men deduced from often illuded phantasie deceiptful speaches distempered Organs By so much the doctrine of Christian religion both in other dignities and certainty it selfe excelleth all other science or knowledge of things This last dependeth oftentimes vpon a false foundation and euer vpon that which is deceiptfull and subiect to error that first of religious faith is alwaies and in al things grounded vpon that which hath no possibiltie to erre is onely vnpowerable to haue defect But of this shal be more entreated in my seconde parte of Resolution against internall enemies The end of the first Parte of the Resolution of Religion A TABLE OF SVCH THINGS as are conteined in the first parte of the Resolution of Religion The firste Chapter of the firste booke Of the Name and Nature of Religyon Chap. 2. The absolute Necessitie of God and a firste moste excellent cause deseruing worshippe Chap. 3. The Necessity of a diuyne prouidence towards Man and all Creatures for him and his Religious duty for the same Chap. 4. Religion euidentlie needfull to obtaine a Supernaturall and Euerlastinge felicitie for the immortall Soule of Man which can neyther finde anye ende in this lyfe or perish in death Chap. 5. The testymonie of holie Scriptures moste certainelie reuealed of God and theyr infallible authoritie Chap. 6. The practise and euydence of all Natyons States of people and particular Parsons Chap. 7. The testimonie of all intellectuall creatures Chap. 8. The moste certayne and myraculous Testimonie of God Chap. 9. The testimony and example of al creatures euen vnsensible rendring a kinde of Reuerence Chap. 10. Extraordinarye punishments imposed vppon the Irreligious for their impiety and rebellion of all Creatures against them for that cause Chap. 11. The miraculous obedyence and submission of all creatures to the Religious Chap. 12. The afflictions and aduersities of the godlye and Religious for which the Epicures denye Religyon are a manifest proofe thereof Chap. 13. The temporall honors and delightes of the Religious were often greater and their myseries lesse then of the Irreligious Chap. 14. The temporall honors and dignities of the Catholike Christians in particuler greatest and theyr afflictions least Chap. 15. If by impossibilitie there should be no reward for Religion or punishment for Irreligion after death yet the condition and estate of the Religious is to bee preferred Chap. 16. A conclusion of the vnnaturall absurdities which the Irreligious must graunt The first Chapter of the seconde booke Brieflie shewing against all externall Infidels how that Religion which was taught by Christ is the true worshippe of God Chap. 2. and first Argument Prooueth the same against them by theyr owne confession and groundes of all other Religions Argum. 2. Howe all externall and notoryous signes giuen by God to knowe the Messias were only veryfied in Iesus Christ and cannot possiblie be performed in any other Argum. 3. That the time wherein Iesus was borne by all accoumpts and reasons was the time of the comminge of the Messias Argum. 4. How all particular articles of christian catholike Religion for which Iewes Mahumetanes and Pagans denie it are prooued by theyr owne groundes Argum. 5. The straunge and extraordinarye punyshements inflicted vppon all Enemies of Christ and his Religion Argum. 6. The palpable and moste manifest errors against the light of nature of all other Religions Argum. 7. The excellencie and dignitie of christian Catholike Religion aboue all others Argum. 8. Howe this worshippe hath ouercome all enemies in all kindes of Arguments and disputations and that in naturall reason it is the most certaine knowledge in the world and all Obiections alleadged by Infidels agaynst it false euen in humane reason August lib. 7. confess c. 10. Isodor lib. 10. Etimol ca. 17. Cicero de Inu lib. 2.4.8 August l. ver Relig. 10. c. 4. et l. 10. ciuit 2. cap. 4. Iacob cap. 1. Actor ca. 26. Leuit. cap. 16.7 ver 36. Exod. cap. 29. ver 9. Num. c. 19. All people euen Atheists themselues in time of misery confessed a God and Religion
THE FIRST PART OF THE RESOLVTION OF RELIGION DEVIDED INTO TWO BOOKES CONtayning a Demonstration of the Necessity of a Diuine and Supernaturall Worshippe * ⎠* IN THE FIRST AGAINST ALL Atheists and Epicures In the second that Christian Catholicke Religion is the same in particuler and more certaine in euery Article thereof then any humane or experimented knowledge against Iewes Mahumetans Pagans and other externall enemies of Christ MANIFESTLY CONVINCING ALL their Sects and Professions of intollerable errors and irreligious abuses PRINTED WITH LICENCE 1603. THE EPISTLE OF THE AVTHOR TO THE READER AS amonge all dutyes and offices of Man deare Reader there is none by infinite inequality either so excellent or deserued as that Reuerence and Homage hee oweth to God his moste Soueraygne and Omnipotent Prince in whom all pre-eminences and dignities are contemed and from whom all benefittes and created prerogatiues are deriued So among all other sciences and knowledges of this worlde none can bee in any degree so certayne and vndoubted as that worshippe taught and reuealed of the same infinite wisedome and goodnesse which can neyther bee deceaued in him selfe or bring others into error Yet the corrupt malice and vngratitude of man hath growen great that at this present our meanest Function and Obligation is not more neglected and the very base and contemptible things of this life preferred before that Supreame Honour to which wee are bounde by so manie Titles And the wilfull blindnes of prophane people reiecting the infallible Rule of Religious causes and measuring secret supernaturall misteries by their owne shallow and depraued Iudgments doe esteeme that moste certaine and vnchaungeable veritie of diuine Adoration more doubtfull and vncertaine then recanted conceits of humane affairs Thus hath Man by negligence and malice shewed vndutifull disobedience to his Creator and abused his owne vnderstanding and will so excellent powers of his intellectuall and immortall Soule feeding the first with errors and making vnlawfull appetites the obiect of the other in such order that no sentence is so certayne but one or other hath called it into question no paradoxe so incredulous but some embrace it nothing so good but it hath beene refused nothing so lewd impious but some men haue approued it The manyfold euen hundreds of false Religions that haue inuaded and now beare dominion in the world and the irreuerent and irreligious liues of men and practise of al offences Atheisme and Epicurisme them selues wil beare me witnes Some wauering and staggering in fayth others by this number of errors vncertayne what to beleeue and those which make aduantage of such times to procure excuse to their own impieties either in opinion the dutie of Religion or in desire wish there were none at all no God no Heauen no Hell no Immortallitie after death no pleasure but in filthinesse Wherefore fullie to satisfie all English Subiects I haue made demonstration not onlye of the necessitie of a supernaturall Religion in generall against all Atheists and Epicures but by diuers Arguments by which true Reuerence may be prooued or error impugned and confuted and farre both greater in number and more forcible then can be alleadged to establish anie error that onlie Catholike Christian worshippe is the same in particuler against all enemies as well Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans and other externall aduersaryes which I will performe with so much more breuitye by how much I may hope there is lesse need thereof in a Christian Nation as also against all Heretickes and internall enemies more at large by aboue an hundred vnanswerable Reasons as the present occasion more requireth in which the former Infidels will likewise bee more plainly cōfuted manifestly conuincing all theyr Sects and Professions of intollerable errors and vnsufferable abuses even by the light of Nature and without all shew or apparaunce of true Reuerence hauing no groūde either natural or aboue nature of such doctrynes being onelie resolued into the lying manifest deceitfull and false inuentions of the deuill and licentious deceauers and contrariewise euerie Article of that worshippe I defend by Arguments diuyne and humane supernaturall and by nature Testymonies of God and Creatures Attributes Properties Offices Prerogatiues Endes Effects Name Nature and signes of true Relygion and priuiledges of truth to be the moste certayne knowledge in the worlde as certaine to vse S. Augustines example or more vndoubted then that a man liuing is a liue or any other manyfest veritie in nature and resolued vnto the moste faithfull and vndeceaueable trueth of God whereupon not onlie the whole substance but euery priuate question thereof is builded For which cause amongst others I haue named it a Resolution of Religion because it is resolued into that first and vnfallible veritie which by no possibilitie can be deceaued By which proportion in naturall Sciences Philosophers affyrme those conclusions and arguments to be moste true which can be resolued to the first principles which cannot be false And as in practicall and compounded thinges that composition and potion of Phisicke to giue example which as it is composed of diuers simples in it selfe is not perfectlie to be discerned what vertue and operation it hath but if it be resolued to those parciculer things of which it is made and theyr natures and effects declared the operation of the whole confection is euydentlie prooued euen so it is in that great and noble Composition of spirituall preseruatyues in Religious causes as I haue declared So that no particle or least question of diuine worshippe though neuer so secrette in it felfe can haue the least suspition of doubt beeing resolued into that infinite wisedome And as all errors that can be deuised concernyng Religion are defended by one of these three kindes of people Atheists Epicures and Nullifidyans which denie all worshippe or by externall Infidelles Iewes Pagans and Mahumetanes which although they professe a worshippe yet they both disalow the true Reuerence and Christ the author thereof or by internall enemyes and hereticks which though they acknowledge Christ for a true Messias which lykewise Mahumetes did and that hee deliuered true Religion yet they doe erre in the manner of worshippinge in particular So will I prooue these three conclusions that there is a Religion to be vsed against the first that the Religion which Christ deliuered is true against the second and to the third that Christian Catholike Religion is the same In proofe of which Propositions not onlie the true worshippe shall bee inuinciblie prooued but all doubtes difficulties and obiections of these misbeleeuers solued and resolued For which cause also I haue intituled this worke a Resolution And so I end humblie desirynge all Readers of these books which by them shall eyther be confirmed in truth or reclaymed from error sometimes to vouthsafe to remember in theyr deuoutest prayers the poore Author hereof Their Catholike Countrieman R. B. THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FIRST PART OF THE RESOLVTION OF RELIGION PROOVING THE NECESSITY of a
admitteth no companion in equality of perfection And euery man and creature is so much more indebted and religed to him then to any inferiour agent parent Prince or potentate to whome we yeeld reuerence for benefits receaued by how much his infinit greatnesse and perfection exceedeth any limited and depending thing and by how much euery effecte is more beholding to the first and vniuersall cause without which absolutely it cannot be then to any secondary and particuler worker without which by the power of the former absolutely it may bee produced But if sence and experience may not bee admitted with these sensuall and beastlie men if no reason can haue allowance with such vnreasonable mindes and all naturall arguments demonstrations and daily experiments must be condemned with such vnnatural monsters if we should grant them al they can demande with so many impossibilities in ordinary connaturall things that inferiour causes could worke without dependance assistance of the superiour that no creature is depending either in essence or opperation that there is no first principall cause that chance and fortune which can be nothing but the accidentary concourse or effect of inferiour causes made all thinges and whatsoeuer impossibility any foolish and franticke braine can imagine to excuse their wicked and lasciuious liues Yet thousands of effects which haue beene and coulde not be by the production of any created cause must needes condemne them For all nations and people in the world Christians Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans and all estates of men haue prooued and must and doe acknowledge that infinite miraculous and supernaturall operations haue beene wrought which no limited power with all the coniunctions inclinations aspects constellations either of celestiall elementary or compounded thinges which they can deuise coulde possibly doe hauing no potentiality in them to effecte the meanest of those strange and meruailous operations onely able to be produced by an omnipotent and infinite agent And further to shewe an absolute dominion ouer all creatures to resist and restraine the most vsuall and naturall habilities of all inferiour causes as the most mooueable heauēs that they did not mooue but stand as it were amazed at so great a maiestie that the greatest planets which could be commanded of no inferiour agent haue changed their course and order The highest and ascending Element of fire hath descended euen to punnish the Irreligious The Aire hath denyed respiration to creatures The Waters in most huge quantities haue ascended against their natural propēsity to dtowne both particuler countries and the whole world in the generall inundation The whole earth hath trembled and all the firmaments and foundations of the world haue bin mooued at the pleasure of their Creator which no creature nor al creatures togither could effect yet all countries peoples and estates are witnesses to these thinges Thus we see all testimonies crie out there is a God infinite omnipotent and independing which hath effected these thinges This is the euidence of all creatures all nations and kingdomes all estates and degrees of men Patriarkes Prophets Priestes Kings Rulers Princes Philosophers Christians Iewes Mahumetanes Pagans al Rabbynes Doctors Sybilles Flamens Arch-flamens Calyphes Brachmans al that can be cyted for authority agree in this that there is a God This is the sentence vniforme consent of them all that disagree so much about his nature and religion in particuler Al good men allowe of this this all impious and wicked haue confessed except perhaps some fewe priuate men in so many generations times of the world which drowned in all licentious liuing haue to excuse their impieties rather wished it in will then affirmed in iudgement and those also when they came to death and miseries as I cited before acknowledged it And to conclude against barbarous and absurde people with absurdities if there is no firste omnipotent and most excellent cause then no religion which is onely due to so great a maiesty is to be rendred Then all nations and people of the worlde in all generations and so many thowsands of yeares that euer professed it were fooles and one Lucretius that liued and dyed mad or any particuler and beastly man that to tumble in filthinesse would wish so vnpossible a thing is only wise and holy If there is no first absolute and independing cause no operation can be effected nothing is now done nothing can be brought to passe hereafter because depending causes cannot worke without assistance so there neither is or can be any change alteration generation or corruption in the worlde but all thinges must needes returne to nothing If there is no God first and illimited cause to haue created the worlde there is no science knowledge or facultye in the worlde there neither is was or can be any creature or the least effecte because none of these limited and depending thinges coulde by any possibility bee of it selfe or any other depending cause And a thousand such impossible absurdities which follow this most blasphemous and sacriledgeous assertion there is no GOD if any barbarous and beastlie mouth durst be so impudent to pronounce it But this will bee more manifest in many chapters the whole treatise following to the confusion of al enemies to true Religion For which cause as also that I hope no man can be so vnreasonably blasphemous to make it a doubt I passe it ouer more brieflie in this place THE NECESSITY OF A DIuine prouidence towards man and other creatures ordeyned for him and his duety to render Reuerence and Religion ¶ CHAP. III. BVT to preuent the prophane and blasphemous excuses of this impious generation accusing the infinit wisdome of God of folly challenging his incomprehensible goodnes of improuidence If by impossibility thinges could be effected caused without any cause which nature generally reacheth for a most euident contradiction yet nothing coulde endure or be preserued without the prouidence and protection of an independing cause For duration and perseuerance of second causes is no lesse depending then their first creatiō Then how doth that infinit number of things which this worlde possesseth endure without corruption How can so many and diuers creatures not only wanting iudgment and reason for their rule and direction but all sense and life obtayne their endes and remayne in order so infallibly as they doe When by reason we knowe nothing wanting reason can make comparison conferre past present and future times and things iudge and discerne what is danger what is not what euill to be auoided what good and to be followed or by any possibility either knowe prosecure or imbrace that order and ende whereunto it is ordeyned And yet the certaine orderly and indefectiue motions of Heauens operations of Elements concourse of causes and workes of all inferiour and compounded creatures sensitiue vegetiue and such as haue neither reason sence or vegetation vtterly vnable to order and direct themselues giue testemony they are guided
to reade their bookes And Attilius himselfe Duum vir one of the two principall men to whome their custody was committed only because hee wrote them forth was sewed into a sacke and cast into the Sea If we make comparison betweene the writers of holy Scriptures and Diagoras and such Atheists as woulde deny them or the Panym Philosophers though wee single them forth that were accounted best there is no semblance of proportion The Prophets and writers of holy Scriptures were most holy and a spectacle of sanctity to all generations and many of them dyed for defence of those thinges they committed to writing Many of the Phylosophers were of such filthy liues that their sinnes are not to bee named and their errors intollerable and their chiefest men as themselues acknowledge did not as they did beleeue beleeuing one God with Scriptures and seruing Idols as Plato to Dyonisius giueth plaine witnesse of himselfe If we consider the efficacie of the doctrine of those holy writers although they entreated of harde most difficulte vnpleasing things to sensuall mindes and the Pagan Philosophers of pleasing and delightfull thinges yet the austere doctryne of them hath almoste conuerted the whole worlde to liue as they beleeued and these philosophers could neuer yet allure one Kingedome or Citie euen to thinke only as they taught And yet as I wil proue herafter they haue attempted it by all meanes they coulde If we talke of consent or disagreement in Wrighters vpon which in matters of Authoritie Trueth or Falsehoode may easilie be concluded No man is ignorant that not only all Pagan prophane Historians disagree amonge themselues and all Philosophers of the diuided Sects of Stoicks Peripateticks Accademicks and Epicures but the professors of euerie of these sectes were at warre among themselues and yet they entreated onely of naturall things proportionate to humane capacitie contrariewise not onlie the sacred histories of Scriptures agree but all theyr Writers Prophets Priests Euangelists and Apostles agree in one without any leaste difference or variance in doctrine and yet they all entreate of matters Supernaturall and aboue the reache of mans reason Wherefore I conclude in this Argument when so many holie writers as moyses Dauid Esdras Ieremie Ezechiell Daniâ—ll Zachary Malachie S. Mathew Marke Luke Iohn Peter Paule Iames and others were so diuided in time seperated in place as Egipt Hierusalem Babilon Rome and others where they wrote so distinct in natures and naturall conceits and iudgementes as all men are and yet in so many bookes as the Scriptures conteine and in so manie supernaturall misteries agreed vniformely together without the leaste dissent or contradiction this Direction must needes proceed of God who penetrateth al things and cannot lead into error When I see so miraculous agreement in the 72. that by the appointment of Kinge Ptolomy of Egipt translated the olde testament recorded by enemies and like assistance in later handlers of those sacred workes farther consider how in so many garboiles troubles of Nations many writings of the moste allowed Pagans haue perished yet these haue bin preserued in all the most famous languages of the worlde I cannot bee induced but they be the euidence of God and preserued by him Further when I perceaue the greatest humane Authoritie that can be cited for anie monument vsed for the crediting of these religious testaments as for the bookes of the first testament all Christians Iewes Mahumetans and many Gentiles consenting that they be holie and for euery booke of the new testament besides the authorities of all Schooles Vniuersities and thousands of pâ—ouinciall Sinods the whole Christian worlde in their moste learned Doctors and Fathers assembled twenty times in generall councells and confirminge them all by theyr sentence and neuer so any ten persons together iudiciallie agreeing to approoue any Pagan writer in all things I cannot be of opinion but these books were penned by holie instinct from God Moreouer when the light and law of nature and reason make me secure and all Philosophers Christians Pagans the learned of the whole world euer ageed togither in this giue it for a distinction betweene a limmited and infinite power that future thinges which haue no certaintie in their causes cannot certainelye bee knowne and foretoulde but by an infinite knowledge penetrating thinges more perfectly then they be in their causes and whosoeuer certainlie prophesieth of such things must needes receaue that facultie from God which can bee ignorant of no effect But the whole sacred Scripture is euidence that many things within their causes be moste vncertaine as depending of the freedome of mans will election and others more secret onlie to bee produced at the moste secret will and pleasure and by the Omnipotent power of god himselfe haue bin as certainely plainelie foretolde with their manner and circumstances manie years before they came to passe as if they had bin present witnesses of those things as so manye Predictions of Abraham Iacob Moyses Dauid Daniell Esaie Ieremie Zacharye Christ his Apostles and others and â—oâ—ie Scriptures of the Regiment of Iuda the diuisioÌ„ of the Land of Canaan the perpetuall desolation of Ierico of the birth and acts of Iosias three hundred years before he was borne the destruction of Babilon by kinge Cirus his name foretolde two hundred years before he came And two witnesses named of it Vrias and Zacharias which were not borne manie yeares after this was prophesied The captiuitie of the Israelites in Babilon the time of that continuance and their deliuery againe in the time of Esdras The destruction of Balsasar kinge of Babilon and the verie night of his desolation the time of the coÌ„ming of the Messias his life death resurrection ascention other misteries as they were effected in christ the miracles which happened then the reprobation of the Iewish people conuersioÌ„ of the Gentiles destruction of Ierusalem the pittifull miseries it did endure and the like which were vncertaine thinges and yet were as certainelie fortolde as they were certaine when they were performed therefore seeing these things be so vndoubtedlie come to passe we cannot make question of any other to be effected in his time hereafter the one being as difficult to be foreseene as the other consequently much more all other matters reuealed in those holye writings which be of more easie subiect are vnfalliblie true and so to bee beleeued Lastlie to put all out of doubt that euen from the firste time of committinge those misteries to writinge by the holye penne men of Sacred Scriptures euerie man might be secure they were spoken and reuealed of God which coulde neither be deceaued in himselfe or bringe others into error So manye miraculous workes and operations which none but a diuine power and such as had authoritie from him coulde effect were giuen vnto those chosen Scribes of this holye lawe and wrought by them to confirme the
trueth of those misteries they committed to those holie bookes that the whole worlde hath wondred at those miracles and all Philosophers euer confessed that such things hauing no cause or power of their production in nature coulde not be produced but by the assistance of an infinite and illimited Agent and not by him to confirme anie falsehoode or thinge vntrue The number of these signes bee too many to bee remembred and not onlie the Scriptures be full of those strange and meruailous workes but they be reported by heathen writers and wrought often times in open spectacles and places of viewe before whole multitudes of people that coulde not be deceaued of which I shall haue oportunity of speech hereafter therefore pas them ouer in this place Wherefore I may saie in this pointe as that learned Schoole-man said in the like Domine si decepti sumus a te decepti sumus O Lorde if wee bee deceaued wee are deceaued by thee For no other power coulde effect these thinges and not to giue credit to anie mistery so confirmed is the greatest obstinacie and incredulity can be assigned Therefore the holie scriptures by no possibilitie can be vntrue and if there were no other Argument either for Religion in generall or that in particuler which I will defende it were moste peruerse and obdurate Infidelitie to denie it without farther proofe THE EXAMPLE AND EVIdence of all Nations states of people and particuler persons ¶ CHAP. VI. THVS we see howe that diuine maiestie which claymeth Reuerence at our handes is infinite and euerlasting our Lorde Creator omnipotent to rewarde if we render worshippe iust and powerable to punish if we denie it We are his creatures seruants and depending of him in all we are we haue or can expect whether we liue or die wee are and must be in his subiection all reasons diuine and humane tell vs we must render Religion to him no excuse can bee founde in iudgment no reason will defende the contrary cause Then let vs try if we can finde any hope of comfort in company for this irreligious people For although no man may followe multitudes into error neither the testimony of any man or number of men if all the worlde woulde bee so wicked to become patrons of Irreligion can giue answere to that which is alleadged against it yet to men that be reprobate in their owne proceedings and dare not defende their condemned impieties it is some comfort to haue fellowes in damnation and these people voide of al truth and piety will not be ashamed to glory in any practizers of this opinion though neuer so wicked and vnreasonable Then let vs mooue this question of worship to all Kingdomes Countries Citities Communities to al persons of what estate degree or condition that euer were in any authority credit or reputation or worthy to be imitated in any time or age of the worlde from the first creation to these daies and prooue what companions we can finde for these prophane and beastlie scholers of Irreligion if any such be at this present which I rather feare then affirme If we appeale to the Patriarches that ruled in the lawe of Nature from Adam â—o Moyses or to Priests Iudges Prophets and Kinges that ruled in Israell Iurie froÌ„ him to Christ in all that lawe there is no controuersie in that generation for they did not only professe a Religion but that in particuler which was the true and lavvefull worshippe of GOD. If wee exhibite this complaint vnto all Rulers Kinges Emperours Priestes Flamens Archflamens Oracles or the Gods themselues of the Gentiles their very names and all Histories will tell vs although they erred in particuler what this dutie was yet they all agreed to vse Religion and euer in their Lawes Practice Sacrifices and so manifolde Rites defended it Let vs enquire of such as were most learned amongest them their Poets Philosophers Prophets and they giue consent so Linus Thebius that liued 1430. yeares before Christ speaketh euen of those thinges whereof Moyses entreated Amphion Mercurius Liricus Orpheus Musaeus Homer and Aesiodus are not vnlike and all the latter professe Religion And diuers of their most learned auncient and approoued Philosophers confirmed christian worship so far they were from denying pietie but of this hereafter And from the first to the last they all with mutuall agreement teach Religion is to bee vsed So Phegous that liued so neare to the deluge so Mercurus Trismagistus Cadmus Esculapius Thales Milesius Chilon Pithacus Bias Periander Pherecides Pithagoras Anacharsis Alemeon Epinenides Xenophanes Democritus Heraclitus Themistocles Aristides Anaxagoras Empedocles Permenides Melesius Hippocrates Zeno Socrates Alcibiades Isocrates Xenophon Achita Plato Antisthenes Spensippus Ermias Demosthenes Aristotle Dion Carmcides Eschines Xenophilus Phedron Xenocrates Hermegitius Apuleius Plotinus Dema Chalisthenes Zenon Chrisippus Polemon Crates and Crates Licon Tymon Diogines and Diogines Onesicitus Aristobolus Archimedes Panetius Possidomus Cathon Cato and the rest generally giue vs answere taught in learning and practised in life that Religion is to bee vsed and had in highest estimation If wee consult vvith the renowned Sibils so famous in all chiefest Nations of the worlde Italy Greece Persia Siria Egipt as Sibilla Persica Libica Delphica Cumaea Erithraea Samia Cumena Hellespontica Phrisia and Tiburta or Tiburtina they tell vs in particuler of christian worship so do others which liued after which will be more euident in my Arguments for Christians against externall Infidels If we will debate this cause with those who for their wise dome were called and and euer named the sage and most prudent in the worlde Thales and his companions they haue spoken and practized the same and their religious wits were the greatest cause of their so excellent cognomination If we will propounde this question to the most ancient Legists and Lawe-makers Rulers States and Kingdomes of the worlde they will witnesse it was so from their first foundation Before the deluge there is none or little memory kept but in holy Scriptures which teach the true Religion After the deluge Noe that holy and religious Patriarke was Prince in the world of him and his children proceeded all latter generations How religious hee was it needeth no recitation he liued after the Fludde 350. yeares and as Philo is witnesse did see 14000. men that were descended from him by which of spring all Nations of the worlde were after inhabited and of his children Sem Cham and Iaphet which were borne before the Fludde were founded 72. Nations all the founders of these Nations were the grande children of that truely religious Noe liuing in his time instructed of him and coulde not either be vtterly irreligious in themselues or institute Nations without Religion especially when Idolatry false worships were not knowne in the worlde some hundred yeares after these thinges And their first God Lisania surnamed Iupiter liued in Archadia a country obscure
Townes and Prouinces is inumerable there were before the comming of Christ infinite Idolatries in the worlde since his Incarnation besides Sectes amongst the Iewes Mahumetanes not to be numbred among Christians if we ioine these presēt heresies which now raigne almost 300. to those 400. and more which haue bin in formerages there haue bin 700. false professions in Christianitie and the impietie of men hath beene such especially in times of errors that there was neuer almoste any truth so euident but by one Cittie Towne Countrie companye of People or other it hath beene denied onlie this veritie of Religion and obligation of worshippe to God hath been so manifest that in so manie thousands of yeares in no one age yeare or day in so many vaste and populous Nations no litle Kingdome Prouince Citie Towne Village or priuate person but in such sense as I haue declared to their owne confusion called it into question TESTIMONIE OF ALL INTELlectuall Creatures ¶ CHAP. VII OR if the testimonie of all inferior thinges the witnesse of the whole worlde and all reasonable men from the first foundation till now so learned and wise euerie particular mans practise and experiēce by al sences powers of knowledge all reasons that can be aleadged all proofe in reason that can be vsed the vnyforme and euer agreeinge consent and example of al creatures wil not serue to dispute this questyon againste the blinde sencelesse and vnreasonablie deluded and wantonly bewitched appetites of some one or a fewe beastly and franticke men let vs seeke for a tryall to intellectuall and spirituall creatures which as by their perfection of nature they are of higher and more infallible iudgement so in respecte they are freed and exempted of corporall and bodylie composition from whence this blindnesse of sensualitie proceedeth are like to giue the truest sentence such be the heauenlye spirits seperated soules and the Diuels themselues though depriued of grace yet perfect in naturall vnderstandinge All Testimonies are recorde all Historians thousands and millions of men that haue beene present witnesses and euerye particuler person euen of this impious schoole it selfe hath prooued by one experimentall argument or other that there bee such perfecte intellectuall creatures The rare and wonderfull effects which bee daylie wrought by such meanes the apparitions of Angelles illusions of Diuelles their workes tempestes plagues and other miseries they haue procured theire possessinge bodyes both of men and women and beastes where their effects are manifest the appearing of soules deuided and separated from their bodies and still enduringe after death some miraculouslie vnited againe and telling what they endured in their seperation others not restored reporting either the ioyes they founde if they were trulie religious or the paines they endured if they were prophane and wicked haue testified these thinges The infinite miracles and supernaturall effects which the Angels and holy religious soules haue wrought in their apparitions haue euidently confirmed their sentence to bee true The vnspeakable torments of the wicked irreligious soules damned for impiety and irreuerence prooued by vndenyable arguments and the Diuels potent and wise conquered and cast out by poore religious men by nature their inferiors and these thinges seene prooued witnessed and written by millions of men of greatest iudgment Emperors Kings Princes Phylosophers Magitians and of all conditions not only priuate men and in secret but greatest assemblies in pubicke places are sufficient argument in this cause But in respect these Testimonies haue chieflie bin vsed to prooue true Religion in particuler and not the necessity of Reuerence in generall which for the euidence thereof needeth no such probation I wil passe it ouer to the proper place against externall Infidels and Heretickes where it shall be handled to the manifest confusion of all misbeleeuers not onely Atheists Epicures and deniers of worshippe but all enemies of Christian Catholicke Doctrine OF THE MYRACVLOVS AND most certaine Testimony of God ¶ CHAP. VIII I Will passe ouer in this place the testimony of the Creator and so manie thousands of miraculous and most certaine supernaturall Arguments of God which can neither bee deceaued in himselfe or be cause of erring vnto others both in regarde they are needlesse in this matter neuer called so farre into question that it craueth such extraordinary defence as also that they haue principally beene vsed to propose true worshippe in particuler to misbeleeuing Nations of which neuer any denyed a Religion in generall Therefore I am to make demonstration by that Argument hereafter against all professors of false worships which in some manner wil also appeare in my Chapters following of the extraordinary punnishment God hath inflicted vpon the Irreligious and the miraculous fauours wherewith hee hath honoured his holy and true worshippers in this place onely I affirme since the firste miraculous creation of man in the beginning and the supernaturall prouidence of God ouer him while hee continued in obedience and strange punishing of him for his neglecte of dutie therein he euer obserued the same order in all states and conditions The punishment of Adam drowning of the world confusion of the Tower of Babell destruction of the Egiptians abolishinge of Idols desolation of the Iews and a thousand strange miraculous punishments imposed vpon the Irreligious contrariewise as strange and wonderfull fauours towardes the godly exceedinge all limits of nature witnessed by millions of presēt wittnesses Princes and whole Cuntries and registred by moste credible writers both Pagan Mahumetan Ieweish and true beleeuers are euidence TESTIMONIE AND EXAMPLE of all creatures euen insensible ¶ CHAP. IX ANd this religious worshippe is so vniuersally due to be performed that if the verye sensible and insensible thinges that are not capable of vnderstandeinge were able to vtter that by wordes which they vniformelie practise in theyr operations or supernaturallye declare as often times they haue to the admiration of all and confusion of such men that naturall instinct and desire which is imparted to them all to doe homage reuerence to their Creator they would assemble thēselues in generall coūcell against this impious people and condemne them to be the moste vnnaturall senceles monsters of the world For the vnuiolable decree of nature is that euery effect must yeeld a certaine honor reuerēce to the cause by which it is produced exalted so in creatures of vnderstandinge the childe honoreth the parents by which he was begotten brought vp and norished the scholer his master by whom he was īstructed the subiect his soueraīe the seruant his master by whom they are ruled euery depēding thing that more exellent Regent of whom it hath dependance And al insensible things with one consent do answer by their acts deeds that they owe religion vnto god are boūd to worship him in their kind performe it for the heauens and celestiall spheres so all Eleaments and inferior creatures as well
supernaturall Worship OF THE NAME AND NAture of Religion ¶ CHAP. I. RELIGION amonge other names is so tearmed of the Latines either a Relegendo of often reading repeating and rumynating thinges appertayning to diuine Reuerence or a Reeligendo of chusing to please God againe by submission whome by want thereof we had forsaken or lastlie of Religando in that we are bounde vnto him by many Obligations both in respecte of excellencies conteyned in himselfe as benefits bestowed vpon vs And after the same proportion is tearmed of the Greekes Thresthia or Eusebia a pleasing oâ— God pietie and dutie vnto him And was charactered of the Hieroglyphycall Egiptyans in the same sence and of the true Religious Hebrewes named Zebach a Sacrifice which is the supreame worship of God or Chucath bolam an eternall and euer during statute or Chucath hatorah a statute of the lawe ordeyned by the lawe of God and euer due to him And by generall consent and conceit of all men of whatsoever profession and estate Infidels or true beleeuers Heretickes or Catholickes vnlearned or Philosophers alwaies vsed for that honour and reuerence we owe to God our maker and preseruer OF THE ABSOLVTE NECESsitie of God and a first cause most excellent and deseruing Worship and Religion ¶ CHAP. II. WHerefore vsing this worde Religion in the same sence and acceptance there neuer was or can be any nation people or particuler person so impious in gratefull or irreligious but if they acknowledged or confessed a God supreame gouernour and cause of thinges from whome they had their being and preseruation as both Lactantius and other learned Authors witnesse and experience prooueth all Atheists haue done when they come to die and see their owne defects but they yelded vnto him â—â—e religion or other For although many or most by their owne demerits and wickednesse were ignorant of the true felicitie of man what it was humane reason not able to clime so high yet knowing which by no possibility they coulde not but knowe themselues to be creatures and so dependant must of necessitie acknowledge all their perfections how many and excellent soeuer to be communicated and deriued vnto them from a former and independing cause so that for gifts and benefits already receâ—ued thankes and gratuity for those that shoulde afterwardes want submission prayer and obsecration and in regarde of his exceeding dignity and prehemmence all worshippe and reuerence were due and to be rendred For seeing he from whome all these thinges were imparted vnto man must needes be the first originall greatest most perfecte and without dependance of any other and all graces dignities and perfections that be or coulde be produced in all creatures that are haue beene or by possibility could be created for such also shoulde be his workes were to bee obtayned of him in him also they were to be sounde in a far more eminent and excellent degree for nothing can giue thay vnto an other which it hath not in it self either in the same or a better manner which must needes be most true in the first and principall cause for if this shoulde want the perfections and excellencies which be and were to be made by it it coulde neither giue them to others because it selfe should want them neither obtaine them for it selfe of any other because it is the first and can haue no former cause from whome to receaue them Then seing all those dignities and prerogatiues of wisdome bonity iustice mercy knowledge prouidence immutability eternity and the rest for which faith hope loue reuerence feare obedience sacrifice adoration or any kinde of honour and worship is required are connected vnited togither in that one eternal vnchangeable essence not after that limited and participated manner as they be in creatures but in such an infinite and incomprehensible sort that the least perfection we can imagine and conceaue in him is infinitely greater then all creatures and their perfections for euery thing in God that is but one most simple and vndeuided essence is also God infinite and vnmeasurable all true reuerence and religion muste needes be due and belonging vnto him though any man or creature of vnderstanding coulde be so mad to thinke him selfe a creature not to be dependant of that most perfect and infinite diuine nature For excellency of it selfe is cause worthy of honour though there be no farther obligation or band of reuerence But let no man thinke that I intende in this place to make a formall dispute to prooue that there is a God of which my confidence is no reasonable creature can be doubtfull For all Argumentes will be testimony and the meanest of so many millions of creatures as bee in the worlde giue demonstration in this case and that was euer so vndoubted and euident to all kingdomes countries and particuler persons in all places times and generations from the first creation that neuer any nation neuer any priuate man except mad or franticke with passions and beastlie pleasures to excuse his filthinesse in so many thousandes of yeares hitherto made it a question and whereof euery Argument of this worke will be a witnesse But I chieflie contende at this time to vpbrayde the Irreligious people of these daies how vnnaturall a thinge it is for anie reasonable creature such as euery man by nature is to neglect this dutie to his soueraigne King and maker which is not onely to proclaime himselfe an irreligious and disobedient traytor and rebbell vnto his Creator but by the least deniall thereof falsely to affirme there were neyther Creature or Creator God man or any thing else in the worlde For since nothing can be made but of some cause and in causes an infinite number maie not be graunted either this first cause of thinges and religious dutie to him must be confessed or else wee must say that nothing is or can be made when wee thinke we see the heauens elements and so many glorious creatures in this world we are deceaued because no such thing is or can be framed that we our selues which conceaue such variety are not neither doe wee imagine any such thing at all For if we take that reuerentiall originall and absolutely independing cause away nothing either alreadie is or by possibility can be hereafter For although some haue defended that the power of creation and producing some thinge of nothing may be communicated of God to a secondary cause yet they say that in such case this second agent shoulde onely be an instrumentall cause which euer remayneth a principall worker and they alwaies suppose such an one to be communicating that property to the other for where a principall and communicating cause is wanting an instrumentall cause to which such power is deligated cannot bee neither by anie power is imaginable For euery receauer receaueth of some and there cannot be any thing produced where there is no power deligate or indeligate instrumentall or principall
a wicked childe or subiect to vertuous Parents and Princes That God is free from inducing or leading into errors is euident already by that most excellent goodnesse which I haue shewed to be in him And that he hath deliuered so certaine infallible means for euery man to knowe the truth that except wilfully we neede not erre I wil demonstrate by inuincible Arguments hereafter as also prooue in particuler against all Infidels Iewes Pagans Mahumetans and all sorts of heretickes that their errors and proceedings in them are so manifestly false that they cannot be excused from wilfull ignorance And that the order of Catholickes true beleeuers is so certaine that they cannot be deceaued And to ease this irreligious people of all complaints against the oppressions tribulations and persecutions of the godly prosperities of the wicked I will shewe that such obiections against Religion are a manifest conuiction of a diuine reuerence and howe the temporall fauourers and preferments of the Religious did alwaies exceede the honours of the vngodly And to giue them that they seeke I will prooue if by impossibility there shoulde bee no Religion nor God no immortality after death yet that the state of the professors of worship euen in this worlde is farre more glorious honourable and pleasant then of Epicures and irreligious men THE NECESSITY OF RELIGION to obtaine the Immortall and Supernaturall end for the immortall Soule for man which can neither haue any end in this life or perish possibly with death ¶ CHAP. IIII. WHerfore though wee shoulde become such great Politickes so fully possessed with selfe loue delight in religious affaires that we woulde vse no reuerence or worshippe but for our owne aduantage yet we cannot but performe this reuerentiall duety especiallie when we enter into reckoning with our selues how many and often helps succours we want necessary to that end whereto wee were ordayned and that which we moste desire the better immortall portion of mans soule not hauing perfection in this worlde and yet must receaue it from God For no corporall or corruptible thinge of this life is able to satisfie and giue rest to the greedy vnderstanding or vnpleaseable appetite of our resonable incorruptible parte neyther was there anie Philosopher or student of nature able to finde here the end and felicitie thereof For by felicitie and happinesse all men alwaies did and doe vnderstand such an estate as is deuoided of all euill we woulde eschewe and abounding with all good we woulde wish for as Aristotle saieth that is Blessednesse which all men and all thinges doe seeke and desire Which estate and degree neuer any man yet howe muche soeuer befrended of this worlde coulde taste in this life but whatsoeuer they either founde for themselues or deuised for others it was not so durable plesant good or perfect but it wanted one thing or other wee might wishe to haue or brought with it somthing vnstable variable tedious troublesome painfull or vnpleasant which a mā in reason might iustly craue to want as manifestly appeareth not only in the general conditions which the Philosopher by light of nature requireth to the blessednes of man but in honor riches knowledge delight or other pleasure which any sect of Philosophers Accademicks Peripatetickes Stoickes or Epicureans in particuler appointed for humane felicitie Wherefore seeing such a condition and estate of happines cannot be found in this life and euery thing one time or other enioyeth his end and felicitie of necessity this end and happines of man must be obtained after death and receaued of God by duty to him as also all necessary helpes dispositions thereof all reuerence and religion must needs be done vnto him by man in a more high degree then of any other creature not ordayned to such a supernaturall and eternall ende And this no Epicure howe much soeuer brutishly blinded in delight or malitiouslie iniurious to the perfection of humane nature can deny For if he alleadge no reason for his impious and irreligious minde then no man can be so foolish to beleeue him If he pretende any shewe of reason how weake or feeble soeuer it is thereby he ouerthroweth that by his owne reason and vnderstanding which his licentious and brutish will laboureth to builde For reason iudgment beeing operations only of the intellectuall part of mans soule as immediate cause and not depending of the sensible phantasie or any corporall or organicall instrument for neyther a tree or any vegetatiue thing or a dogge or any sensible creature can reason argue or dispute of thinges shoulde be a manifest demonstration that soule which is endued with those habilities to be independing of the body spirituall and immortall liuing for euer and so to haue felicity after death for attayning whereof a Religion and worship is due to God Therefore euery one knowing himselfe to be a reasonable creature no man can possibly call the other in question except first he woulde doubt whether he be a man whether hee hath reason iudgeth of thinges past present and to come compareth one thing with an other argueth and disputeth of causes and effects for as both reason and all learned Philosophers teach that soule which hath these independing operations must needes be separable from the body and immortall Let vs adde the vnsatiablenesse of the same faculty whome all the science and knowledge of this worlde cannot content and the naturall inclination it hath to knowe the causes of such effects as it findeth in this life and cannot that vnanswerable appetite and propension of the will which neuer enioyeth enough of the thing it loueth but desireth more that liberty and freedome it hath commanding all sensible powers and faculties either to exercise or suspende their operations prescribing dooing or not dooing of thinges and effecting the will and election of itselfe howe vrgent soeuer the repugnant sensible appetites and desires bee Then how can anye man imagine that power to be dependinge of the bodie which in it chiefest operations is dependinge thereof but euidentlye sheweth Superioritie ouer all corporall and sensible passions and suggestions that it can rule bridle them as it pleaseth in such sorte that no foote can goe no eye can see no member organe or sensible power is able to execute any function if the will forbiddeth Or what Epicure can be so mad to affirme so many spirituall vertues as Religion faith hope reuerence feare iustice such others which all men at one tyme or other in some degree finde in themselues to bee subiected in a corporall or corruptyble power Or is there any of this schoole of impiety but their conscience and vnderstanding telleth them that sinne is not to be comitted and when they haue sinned accuseth them as guiltie of transgressinge the lawe of God whom they haue offended and consequently whom they are to worshippe reuerence Of which
St. Paule in the lighte of nature speaketh in these wordes when the Gentiles which haue not the lawe of Moyses Christ naturally doe those thinges that are of the lawe the same not hauinge the lawe themselues are a lawe to themselues whoe shewe the worke of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience giuing testimony to them and amonge themselues their thoughts accusing or also defending And although the vnderstandinge in diuers first operations craueth aide from the imagination yet in many other noble acts thereof it is independing as in the iudgement of spirituall thinges and the vse of free will which no sence corporall organe or facultie was euer able to produce For betweene euery operation produced the cause which produceth it and the obiect and matter that is considered there must bee a due and correspondent proportion No vegetatiue power hath sence no sensitiue faculty can argue or conceaue immateriall thinges And yet we see that the vnderstanding of man is so farre from beeing wholy assisted of the body in these operations or to be hindred by separation from it that experience teacheth when it is vnited to this corruptible body the actes of the reasonable parts of the soule be more perfect by how much they are more abstracted and independing of the body as is euident in the exercises of all studyous and contemplatiue men and in some aged and decayed bodies when the soule hath lesse dependance when the vegetiue and sensitiue Organes are enfeebeled and not able so well to exercise theyr naturall operations when neyther Generation Augementation Heareinge Seeing or other such powers remaine yet often times when these thinges are nearest corruption or corrupted the Vnderstandynge and Immorrtall powers of the soule are moste perfecte expectinge a future ende and felicitie So lykewise it appeareth when wee consider that exellencye of the vnderstandinge aboue all Sensitiue Creatures howe it is ennabled not onelye to vnderstande all other things how eleuated soeuer aboue sence and imagination but to reflecte and ponder vpon it selfe and the other powers of the soule will ond memory and those also ouer themselues For not only the vnderstanding vnderstandeth and knoweth it selfe to knowe and vnderstand or that the will doth wish and desire or the memory remembreth but the will it selfe is reflected vpon it selfe willing it selfe to will and the memory aboue it selfe remembring that it did remember which is impossible for any corporall or sensible and corruptible power to doe The hearing heareth not it self to heare the foote cannot set it selfe and treade vpon it selfe and so of others The continuall combats and disagreements which the reasonable parte maintaineth against the sensible and corporall motions which is not in brute and sensitiue thinges For where all is like there can be no dislike and contention which groweth from vnlikenes and contrarietie those so often and vrgent feares of spirytuall domages belonginge to the soule and to happen after death and the hope of eternall pleasures then to be enioyed which euery man prooueth to exceede his corporall feares and bodely delights giue euidence in this case Then those so manie and Immortall Powers of the soule must haue their end and seeing the natures of thinges and their powers properties must agree be of the same order that substance of the soule which hath immortall and euer during properties and operations must be immortall for by no possibility where the subiect or substance is mortall the properties and qualities of that substance can be immortall for properties and accidents must haue some thing wherein to be subiected and receaued and those properties that be immortall an immortall subiect For properties and qualities be euer the properties of some thing to which they are belonging Therefore as those operations which the soule exerciseth only by dependance of the bodie and corporall organes as to eate to walke to growe to heare to smell and such other vegetatiue and sensible workes are an argument that soule which onely hath these works to perish with the body as the liues of Plants Herbes Birdes Beastes and Fishes doe because they wholy depend of that body which doth perish euen so the operations of the soule of man which are independing of the bodily helpe demonstratiuelie argue the separabilitie thereof and so duration for euer For that vvhich is intellectuall and spirituall cannot bee corrupted of anie corporall or naturall agent Neither hath it originall of decaye in it selfe but is altogither without contrarietie and repugnance And beeinge one simple spirituall and incompounded substance it must needes bee immortall after death and haue an euerlasting felicitie For the infinite wisedome of GOD vvhich coulde not constitute the leaste creature or doe anie thinge but to some ende hath assigned a certaine state and place vvherein euerye creature findeth center and rest where they enioye and preserue their perfection as the Element of Fire aboue the vppermost Region of the Ayre because it is highest the Ayre in his Regions as the Nature thereof requireth the heauier thinges Water and Earth in their lower elementary places and so of all other creatures and yet hitherto neuer anie man howe much soeuer beholdinge vnto nature couldâ— finde in earthly thinges a center and place of rest for the immortall appetites and faculties of his soule wherefore by no possibility his beatitude can bee in this vvorlde For although wee admitte in other creatures that all of euerye kinde obtayne not their ende yet to saie that none of anye sorte doe finde it is euidentlye vntrue Then to affirme that amonge so many millions of men so excellent creatures not one shoulde haue his ende and happinesse were to take all wisdome goodnesse and prouidence from GOD and argue him of ignorance and iniustice especially when wee often see wicked men in this worlde not onely to liue vnpunished but to bee exaulted with honor and passe their time in pleasures and the most holy and vertuous to liue in misery and to be afflicted with all aduersities which the infinite goodnesse of God woulde not doe except after death he had appointed punishment for the one and a beatificall rewarde for the other for of it owne nature vertue is honourable and sinne deserueth punishment For if there be no religion due to God but the soule of man is mortall and dieth with the body his end must be assigned in this life as it is in beastes other creatures must consist in corporal and temporal delightes Then cannot humilitie sobriety temperance abstinence patience virginity chastitie pennance prayer contemplation and other confessed vertues which be opposite enemies and a full priuation of bodely and sensuall pleasures be accounted vertues leading to a mans felicity when they directly depriue him of his supreame beatitude Or how could pride ambition oppression couetousnesse drunkennnesse theft rapine adultery and all vncleane wantonnesse of sensuality and other voluptuous sinnes bee so esteemed when they
liuinge as wantynge lyfe all remayninge in that order in whiche they were created and effecting those offices to which they were ordayned and neuer varying froÌ„ that dutie which is the greatest homage and religion such things can shewe and that which the Prophets Dauid and Daniell call the worship and reuerence of God because in this dutifull obedience their dependancy is witnessed and the glory and honour of God proposed to be remembred reuereÌ„ced of intellectuall and reasonable meÌ„ And Daniel making a recapitulation of the dutie of all creatures to their Creator expressing that to which they are obliged by nature after he had recounted the celestiall and intellectuall spirits and the dutie of Israell the chosen of God his Priests seruants spirits and soules of the iust religions men and parriculer persons deuoted to him how they must worship and reuerence their Creator he inciteth all inferior creatures to the same or rather man so perfect and excellent a worke of God by the exemplar obedience of inferior things Where he numbreth the Heauens Sun Moone Stars and all celestiall bodies benedicerie laudare superexaltare eum in secula to blesse praise and exalte him for euer And not onely those celestiall and more perfecte bodies but inferiour creatures as the Elements Fire Aire Water Earth Mountaynes Hilles Seas Riuers Fishes Foules Beastes and other meane and meteorologicall thinges Rayne Dewe Frostes Yse Snowe Lightnings Thunders Clowdes Day Night Light Heate Colde that which is nothing but only a priuation as Darknes the like which blesse praise and exalte him without intermission rendring reuerence and honour vnto him as euerie man daylie expecienceth they doe and shoulde be as violent and portentious a thing for the meanest of them not to performe as the Sunne to loose his light the Earth to bee vnstable or any other deformity that can be in nature Then howe much more rebellious and traiterous is the neglecte of dooing that duty in man by so many titles more â—â—debted to his Creator then any of those creatures which were all prouided for his vse and necessity to shew this religious obedience 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 if he should not onlie 〈◊〉 to doe it but denie it to be done as Atheists and impious Nullifidians doe THE EXTRAORDINARY AND strange punishements inflicted vpon the Irreligious and rebellion of all creatures againste them for that cause ¶ CHAP. X. YEa the Irreligion and dutilesse behauior of man is so vnnaturallie that all those creatures which were ordayned to be his seruants and so vnuariable reuerence theyr maker that it were a prodigeous thinge for them not to doe it yet to shewe the greatnes of Mans obligation more then theirs how often haue they forsaken theyr naturall institution at the disobedieâ—â—e of Irreligious men to testifie the gâ—â—atnes of their iniquities vngratfulnes to their Creator prouing thereby it is more monstrous for man to deny worship religion vnto God then for the earth not to suport vs the aire to refresh vs the fire to comfort vs and all other creatures to deny their naturall operations So in the first creatioÌ„ for the IrreligioÌ„ of Adam our progenitor the earth all creatures ouer which God had giuen him full dominioÌ„ in his state of obedieÌ„ce rebelled against him In the daies of Noe when the irreligeous world would not be obedient vnto God the Element of water miraculouslie asceÌ„ded ouer the whole globe of the earth 15. cubites higher theÌ„ the highest mountaine least any thinge should be preserued from destruction only the religious family of Noe and such creatures as hee had gathered together were miraculouslie preserued witnessed not only in holy Scriptures but in diuers Pagan and other authors Hieronimus Aegiptius Mnaseas Damascenus Iosephus AlexaÌ„der Polihistor Melon Eupolemus others proued by diuers effectes which coulde proceed of no other cause How stranglie did God punish the irreligious builders of the tower of Babel confouÌ„ded theÌ„ so that no maÌ„ vnderstod what was spokeÌ„ by others which besides the holy Scriptures Iosephus Sibils and other witnesse and the diuersities of tongues to this day otherwise without originall are euidence At which time and in punishment of which irreligious offence so many monsters in humane nature were produced a great scandal to this Epicurish schoole when it is manifest they were broughte forth to be a memoriall and euerduring penance to mankinde for the same iniquitie and Irreligion they defende this was the beginning of the Monoclists Hermophrodites Acephalists Pigmes Giants Sciopedes Cinocephalists and others whose shapes punnishments of Irreligion are rather to be concealed then vttered onely heareby is euident howe monstrous Irreligion is which is repayed with so monstrous penalties Howe did God in the time of Abraham miraculouslie cause the fire against the naturall propensitie to descende destroy all the irreligious people of Sodome and those Cities preseruing the house and familie of religious Loth as both Scriptures other writers the Piller of Salt into which the incredulous wife of Loth was turned which Iosephus had seene and other monuments are recorde In the daies of Moyses when Pharao and his irreligious Egiptians woulde not permit the Israelites to worship God and exercise Religion the same water which miraculouslie before had giuen passage to the Religious people drowned King Pharao and his huge army of prophane Infidels The base and meane creatures of Frogs Ciniphes Flies Locustes and such as are engendred of vile corruption and the verie Meteors themselues that haue no life as Haile Thunder and Lightnings yea Darknesse which of it selfe is nothing and onlie a priuation of an accident and qualitie of light so fought against him that hee and all Egipt were enforced to yeelde and acknowledge their Irreligion and disobedience In the schismaticall and irreligious Rebellion of Chore Dathan and Abiron and thier confederates the Earth the most firme and stable Element prouided of God for mans supportation was opened and deuoured them S. Augustine Orosius are witnesses that in the irreligious times of the idolatrous Italians about 70. yeares before Christ the very domesticall and tamest creatures vsed for the seruice of men rebelled against them and affirme that their verie Dogges Horses Oxen Asses and other creatures moste at the commaunde of man sodainely became wilde ranne from their owners wandring vppe and downe vvith such fiercenesse and contempt to their former Masters and all men that no man durst or coulde approach them without daunger Such prodigious euents appeared against irreligious people at other times What supernaturall eclipse of the Sunne trembling of the Earth and renting of moste harde and solide Rockes cryed out againste the inhumane and barbarous irreligion of the Iewes and Gentiles at the death of Christ The earth quaked at such extraordinarye motion that as the Pagan wrighters affirme in Asia so farre distant twelue Cities were ouerthrowne in such order that Tiberius
authoritie experience sence and grounde of reasoninge and reason it selfe is denied for whose denyall not the leaste aparaunce of one Argument can be alledged for whose approbation all Testimonies of God and all creatures are certaine which if it be graunted and trulie practized all truthes graces honours dignities and priuiledges belonging to man naturall and supernaturall either in this life or after death are so certainly obtayned if it bee denyed all honours and immenities are lost all afflictions temporall and eternall are incurred all absurdities graunted all vntruthes affirmed all veryties condemned Sinne is vertue vertue is sinne sinne must be practised vertue may not bee allowed nothing is sinne nothing is vertue Falsehoods and contradictions are true all learning reiected No community Kingdome Magistracie Discipline no Soueraigne no Subiection no Lawe must be receaued no barbarous tyrannycall or licentious impiety omitted Mans soule mortall man a beast many beastes better then man And infinite more such absurdities which directlie proceede from this blaspheamous position Religion is not to bee vsed if anie man shall be so senceles to affirme it The end of the first Treatise THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SECOND TREATISE BRIEFELY SHEWing against all externall Infidels how only that Religion which Iesus Christ deliuered to the worlde is the true Worship of God HAuing ended my first conclusion of the necessity of a Religion against the Irreligious I am nexte in this time of so manifolde errors to auoide all daunger of professing false reuerence to prooue what religion among so many is only true which I will performe in so vndeniable manner that no verity shall be so certaine as that reuereÌ„ce to god which I wil defend And first against al external enimies of Christ My next proposition shal be that Religion which he taught is only true and all others false which to a people of a professed Christian Nation needeth not long probation wherefore to bee briefe in this dispute such is the vndoubted certainty of this sentence whether we consider the excellencie and dignity of the doctrine it selfe of the Messias and sonne of God vvhich gaue it vnto vs or the miraculous manner whereby it was deliuered and embraced or the basenesse impietie and most manifest errors of all other professions the wickednesse of the inuentors and disorders in inuenting and dylating them that a man which will giue credit to any probable Argument cannot call it into question And he shall see these Testimonies not onely recorded by the holy wrighters Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes immediatelye illuminated of God but of our greateste professed enemies emonge whome wee doe not oneâ—ie finde confirmed in generall the Religion of Christ but almoste euerie particuler article and mistery thereof registred and allowed as the Trinitie Incarnation the two natures of Diuinitie and Humanitie in Christ the promise of his comminge his miraculous conception natiuitie life deathe resurrection ascention comminge of the holy Ghost conuersion of the worlde the ende thereof his comminge to iudgemente his giuinge sentence the finall beatitude and rewarde of the vertuous worshippers of him eternall punishment of the wicked and his enemies and other misteries of our beleefe testified ratified of all kynde of Infidels Iewes Pagans Mahumetanes Brachmans allowed by god himselfe apparitions and witnesse of Angelles from heauen and all creatures vppon earth the heauens and celestiall bodies reioyceinge in his birth the Sunne Moone all elements and compounded things lamentinge his death The Sunne against nature eclipsed the Moone violentinge his course the aire darkened the earth trembleinge rockes rendeing the windes tempests Seas contrarie to their naturall inclinations performinge his commandements Oracles ceaseinge Idols fallinge the deuils and creatures both sensible insensible acknowledging and obeying him many miracles to the same effect wicked spirits professed enemies of all pietie cast forth by authority future contingeÌ„t things most certainly foretold incurable diseases healed blinde restored to sight lame to going deafe to hearing dumbe to speaking dead to life when in all humane reason science of Philosophers such effects are vnpossible to be performed by natural meanes or supernaturally to be wrought of God or any secondâ—rie cause by his cooperation to giue creditte and authoritye to falsehoode The moste straunge and myraculous alteration in the liues of those embraced him the wonderfull conuersion of the world vnto him the rare and extraordinarie stil continuing punishements vpon those refused him And these and such witnesses not giuen in obscure and base places onlie beefore simple and vnlearned menne as Seducers vse to deale but in frequente and publique places and moste famous Cityes beefore the mightiest and moste potent Prynces Kinges Tetrarches of Iurie Syria and other Nations yea the moste wise Phylosophers craftie and subtille Magicyans of the world Written and recorded not onelie by the holie Prophets Apostles and Euangelists myraculouslie prooued to haue beene directed and assisted and neuer to haue written vntruth or the Patriarkes in their testament cited by Origen that liued within one hundred and threescore years of Christ as then extant and translated forth of hebrue into greek by Procopius eleauen hundred years agoe where euerye one of them prophesieth most plainly of Iesus Christ the Mesias And the generall consent of the auncient Rabbines expositors of holie scriptures before christ but those which euer were in highest account reputation among the Gentils theÌ„selues whether for learning and antiquitie as Soroastres Hermes Trismegistus their most renouÌ„ed or such as god had illuminated with these misteries liued as Prophets for the instruction of that people as so many of the Sibils as plainlie foretelling the misteries proceedings of christ of his diuinitie humanity natiuity life death comming to iudgment and other secrets of christian doctrine as if they had beene personally present and seene those thinges effected So did the Oracles and answers of their Gods were enforced so to do as themselues confessed and not only to priuate men but to the Emperours and chiefe Princes So doe and did the moste authenticke Registers and imperiall Recordes Wrightings and Edicts of the Gentile Emperours as Tiberius Traiane Antonius and other princes as Pilate and Herod in Iurie the Senators at Rome and others So those which were the moste noisome and offensiue enemies of Christ the Thalmadists Pophiry and Mahumet that greate Seducer which in dyuers chapters of his Alcaron confirmeth the Miracles and Religion of Christ for moste true and holie Therefore dealing with men of a christian countrie such as I hope all inhabitants of Englande desire alwaies to bee accounted I might make an end of this matter But because I haue taken in hand to prooue catholike Religion to be the onlie true worshippe and reuerence of God not onlie against al deuided sects of heretickes which I am to performe in my disputation againste my cuntrie Protestants but also against all Infidels and other misbeleeuers and by moste certaine and