Picture Or certainly the greatest part of Christians in stead of knowing Christ in spirit and adoring him spiritually would alwayes have his imagination tied to the corporall object and his spirit disturbed with the fancy thereof Of thousands of men who returne from Jerusalem or from mount Sina or from the river of Jordan and many other famous places mentioned in the Scripture scarce can you find one which brings back the admiration which he had conceived before he had seen them The spirit of man hath alwayes a more reverent opinion of things which are ancient then of Moderne of those which are farthest off then of those which are neare The objects the most excellent and sacred become contemptible by the facility and proximity of accesse but those who goe out of a devout affection to visite Palestine or Arabia carry with them for the most part exorbitant imaginations which sometimes passe to an excesse impossible in nature thinking to find the third heaven in a cave not considering that the innobling of those places proceeds not from any quality which renders them either more holy or more full of majesty then the other parts of the earth but from the sole reputation of the wonders past under that climate so that the sight takes away the esteeme thereof because it answers not to the imaginations with which they were preoccupied CHAP. V. Of the difference and capacity of spirits Of the faculties of the soule Of those who promise themselves to beleeve so that they have proofe and doe assure themselves they should have beleeved in Christ if they had seene his Miracles Of those who limit God according to their owne wisdome or beleeve the truth because it is conformable to their owne opinion TO dispute whether there bee Spirits more capable of Theologie then others or whether the faculties of the soule are prevalent in this studie are questions remore from our intention without controversie the intellect is the true place of this science although the vulgar imagine that there is more trouble to retaine a point of Religion then to conceive it and wish rather the gift of memorie then that of the understanding The knowledge of salvation is an effect of grace only A single historicall and speculative culative knowledge proceeds from a particular favour of God But this grace destroyes neither the naturall difference nor essence of spirits God employes for our instruction the objects the sences and the other faculties of the soule Jesus Christ himselfe as hee was man became more knowing by experience a man which hath the sence of hearing from whence comes faith hath a manifest advantage for the understanding of preaching above that man whom God hath strucken with deafnesse so there is no doubt but a good naturall understanding presupposing the light of grace knowes better how to conceive a matter of religion and to weigh the importance thereof and search into the causes and to discover the consequences then a spirit naturally stupid and blockish the greatest braines are ordinarily more slow to believe then those which have but mean ones as the highest Planets have the slowest motions but their beliefe is more sollid when once they have known the truth For God employes the same faculties for to produce an effect for which they had nothing but a naturall repugnancie so that the most violent persecutors become oft-times the greatest zelots of the faith whether the faculty of those who believe more promptly be more worthy of praise it 's a point we will not as yet touch The vulgar presuppose that the Science of religion requires nothing but a single apprehension or reception of truths presupposed without any mixtion of the discursive faculty and without any act of the judgement many make scruple of reasoning upon the doctrines oâ— faith because that reason is nothing but a naturall faculty But this maxime in the sence they give unto it is in effect contrary to all reason by the same consequence they ought not to bring to Church neither their eares nor common sence for to discerne the voyce and accents of the Word which is preached unto them noâ— their memorie to retaine the impression for these faculties as well as reason arâ— purely naturall I will leave what is to be spoken upon this subject to come to some remarkes Scarce can a man bee found doubting of some point of religion but he promiseth himselfe firmly to beleeve the truth so that hee may see manifest and concluding proofe there is nothing so common as this voyce If I see the proofe I will believe it But they promise that which is not in their power for every historicall faith it selfe is a gift of God and saving faith proceeds from a particular favour of heaven In the meane time they attribute unto themselves the power thinking that the matters of the faith may as easily be insinuated into our beliefe as philosophical propositions which have no need but of a moral perswasions or of the evidence of the senses for to introduce them into our spirit Whereas theologicall truths the most cleare and palpable are alwaies obscure unto us without a particular illumination With a like vanity many assure themselves that if they had seene the miracles that God wrought in Egypt or that Jesus Christ did in Judea they would not have failed to believe in him They wonder at the stupidity of the Jewes and thinke that if such wonders had been presented to their eyes they should have been far from being incredulous But certainly if a man should see all the rivers converted into blood the Seas cleave in sunder the Heaven open his gates the Mountaines to remove themselves the Sun stand still the Dead to come forth of their graves the Rocks to melt into water when he himselfe should have been in Heaven or should have returned from Hell he would not have returned better if God gave him not another understanding capable of this faith Now the Idolatrie which formes God after the resemblance of man consists not alwayes in Statues or materiall pictures neither in the grosse conception of Ideots who never thinke of God but in imagining some figure apprehensible to the sence and place in Heaven a fantasme for the object of their contemplation But there is one far more subtill which indeed considers God as a Spirit but bounds him by the law of Nature or restraines him to the same lawes which serve for bounds to the humane spirit or confines his wisdome to the maximes of morall and intellectuall vertues Two things amongst all others have seemed most absurd in the true religion the one under the Ancient testament to wit the Circumcision the other under the New to wit the Crosse of Christ the one ordained for a Sacrament the other for the foundation properly of the Alliance both of them shamefull in themselves ridiculous in the quality the Scripture gives them For God would oblige the wisest to search their salvation by a way
popular reasons such as are similitudes and arguments of this kind Those which are found in Scripture are not of this rank for the authority thereof makes them become demonstrations and undoubted proofs But all others have no other vertue thē to clear being besides uncapable to prove notwithstanding the vulgar will sooner believe for one bare comparison which maketh no proof then for a reason well concluding This is it that similitudes particular examples and the like arguments have an appearance manifest to the sense and therefore move beyond essentiall reasons which are not perceiveable but by the understanding Notwithstanding this faith is not more solid The man which conceives a point under the sole resemblance of truth and not in the proper essence thereof understandeth it not as he ought This is to have a true opinion but not a true knowledge And more deceive themselves by this meanes presuming they have the knowledge of a point instead whereof they have but the opinion It sufficeth not to say their opinion is conformable to the truth For truth is not known by opinion Whosoever desires the knowledge thereof ought to endeavour the understanding rather of one concluding and formall reason then ten thousand Arguments which have but a bare resemblance of truth CHAP. VIII Of whose who perswade themselves of the truth by false reasons Of those which falsely accuse themselves IT comes to passe that many believe a truth which is grounded on Scripture but conceive it under a false reason He believes the truth which holds we are justified by faith and not by works But if he believe that faith hath a prerogative because it is more excellent then works this reason is false For though faith be more excellent then works the excellency thereof is not the true cause why it justifies rather then works All the vulgar spirits know how to maintain a truth in expresse tearmes of Scripture But in that which the Scripture saith they often imagine a reason either false or impertinent So the friends of Job did maintaine Gods cause his power prudence wisdome and justice but by false presupposition And scarcely could one have said that they err'd if God himselfe had not interposed his judgement in the dispute So some to exalt the grace of God towards them accuse themselves to be the greatest sinners in the world imitating the Apostle S. Paul who speaketh of himself in this manner although that Judas and those that had crucified the Prince of glory were without doubt more guilty Now Saint Paul ranketh not himself simply amongst the greatest sinners but amongst them which had not sinn'd but through ignorance 'T is true that Originall sin is equall naturally in all men and 't is the grace of God which restrains many therein But that to amplifie this grace a man should accuse himself of actuall sinnes which he never committed this is a foolish sort of falshood The water of sprinkling which purified the unclean did defile those which were clean If we would exalt the mercy of God we have enow true arguments without searching imaginary for it If we would justify his severity we find enow true crimes in our life without imposing false ones upon us Whosoever will speak of God ought to speak according unto God that is to say according to the truth otherwise it is to speak against God To maintain truth with false reasons is to imitate the proceeding of Rebecca who to the end the Oracle might be found true had recourse to an abusive means using a fraudulent superstition There is nothing wherein one ought to be so circumspect as in speaking for the truth He that undertakes to maintain it is subject to a grievous censure if he acquits not himself thereof pertinently CHAP. IX Of points whereof one ought to know the causes Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes The understanding whereof decides many questions From whence come the greatest part of errours THe matters of Religion are known principally either by their causes or by their effects The Deity as being the highest cause of all is not demonstrable but by its effects Whose decrees ought also to be sought rather in their effects then in their causes But the other points which are subordinate are represented to us with their causes which teach us the true reasons of every one of them And in this the learned differ from the common people For the vulgar sees not the quality or truth of a point but in the effects and streames But to comprehend it well it behoves to see it in the spring Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes All the ceremoniall law if one knows not the reasons thereof is nothing but a heap of unprofitable burdens The Temple but a shambles and the priesthood but a vaine occupation In lieu thereof considering them in their causes every thing there is important even to the least circumstances VVhosoever shall remember that Jesus Christ suffered out of the City of Jerusalem will admire the providence of this Law which ordained that the sacrifices of oblations whereof the blood ought to be carried into the holy place should be consumed out of the compasse of the Camp or of the City We know that our Lord in the dayes of his flesh was environed with sorrow and feare But if we know not the cause thereof we make him inferiour to many martyrs who bare a smiling face amidst their punishments The Jew understands nothing in the Ceremoniall Lawes for although he knowes the number thereof all their particular forms he is ignorant of the cause thereof not knowing that they were given to serve onely till the coming of Christ The true meanes to well understand a point is to learn the causes thereof and the understanding of them is a soveraign eye-salve to cleare ones self of many difficulties Saint Paul sheweth by the finall cause of the Law that it is uncapable to justifie men for saith he the Law came because of transgressions to wit to discover not to cover them And indeed they which think to be justified by the works of the Law know not why it was given The Law was never given to justifie Gal. 3.21 on the contrary its office is to condemne men A great part of errours which wast Religion and likewise of them which trouble it at this day proceeds from this that the cause is taken for the effect or the effect is taken for the cause Instead that the Sabbath is made for man Pharisaisme concluded that man was made for the Sabbath Instead that meats were not unclean but because they were forbidden superstition believed them to be forbidden because they were uncleane Instead than the alter sanctified the offering they would by their Maximes that the offering did sanctifie the alter Instead that the Scripture sanctifieth the Church it is maintained that the Church sanctifieth the Scripture Instead that justification produceth works they hold that works produce justification
And 't is likwise disputed whether faith depend on election or election depend on faith This turning topsie turvy is ordinary amongst the ignorant who believe that the person is acceptable for his works instead that the works are acceptable for the person CHAP. X. Of the ignorance of the vulgar who believe that one ought not to search nor give any other reason of the points of Religion then the will of God IF t were not the will of God that we should know why and how he worketh we could not know how our Lord could be born of a Virgin yet notwithstanding this is one of the prime Articles of our faith He hath not said why instead of causing the Hebrews to passe when they came out of Egypt by the Philistines country which was the straight way to enter into Canaan he led them by a great circuit full of wandrings and inconveniences Nor why having given to Abraham the land of the Amorites his posterity ought not to have possessed it but at the end of 400 yeares Gen. 15. Nor why the bill of divorce was permitted the Jewes Nor why he disapproved Davids designe touching the building of the Temple And a thousand other effects of his providence whereof he would have us know the causes Many think they know enough thereof when they referre all things simply to the will of God which they say sufficeth for all reason and that in every point be it historicall or dogmaticall when one asks why it is so one ought to content himself with saying that God would have it so or hath so ordained This Maxime teacheth ignorance under the shaddow of modesty By this meanes there 's no question but may be avoided in two words and the veriest idiot shall be capable to give a solution thereof 'T is true the will of God is the soveraigne cause of all things and the onely reason of a great part thereof But this answer suffiseth not for all questions nay in many matters it is impertinent When one asketh how Abraham was justified this would be an absurdity to answer that he was justified by the will of God instead of saying it was by faith An absurdity to shew the first cause when the second is demanded An absurdity to produce the will of God when the question is of the formall or instrumentall cause An absurdity to name the Architect instead of the matter This is to annihilate the dispensation which God hath established in his works and to breake downe those steps by which he would have us climb up unto him To think to leape over all at one leape is extreme folly A man that alledgeth nothing but the will of God upon a Subject proposed understands not what this will of God is For to understand it 't is necessary to know wherein it consisteth and how it concerns the matter in question Now the understanding of this point presupposeth the knowledge of second causes by which the will of God worketh He that alleadgeth the second causes and gives reasons thereof alleadgeth the will of God For God hath willed that such things should be so for such reasons and these reasons are one part of his will When the Disciples asked why they could not deliver the man possessed the vulgar answer would import because it pleased not God But our Lord notes their incredulity as a cause of this inability and shewes fasting and prayer as the meanes necessary to the expulsion of the Devill When Saint Paul was buffeted by Sathan he did not simply understand that such was the will of God but that his power was accomplished in weaknesse When we search the causes of our salvation This would be a dangerous proceeding to desire to mount up to Election without passing by the middle meanes The will of God is the first reason but the last answer one ought to give to a question CHAP XI Objections of the vulgar touching the reasons Scripture expresseth not and how we may know them THe Scripture is full of Lawes and mysteries whereof we know not the reasons We read of divers ceremonies divers points of history and doctrine the particular reasons whereof are not yet found out But oft times we abuse our selves by believing that the Scripture discovers not the reason thereof under colour that our ignorance hindreth us from seeing them This is a common objection in the mouth of the vulgar when they heare men reason upon any matter to alleadge that this reason is not at all exprest in Scripture Certainly the Scripture expresseth not why the Law permitted Homicides confin'd within the Cities of Refuge to return to their houses after the death of the high Priest And notwithstanding besides politick reasons which may be given for this Law It is impudence to deny that it meant to represent the efficacy of Christs death But to produce an example more formall to this purpose the reason for which our Lord was put in a new sepulchre wherein never any one was buried is notwithstanding lesse exprest Yet notwithstanding we say that the wisdome of God would prevent the malice of the Jews who not able to deny the truth of his resurrection might have disputed the cause thereof pretending that he had recovered life by touching the bones of some Prophet as he that was raised in the grave of Elisha This reason is not grounded but upon conjecture but of so great appearance that it were a shame to reject it In many things the very effect shews its cause If any man ask why Jesus Christ trusted Judas with the bag whose covetousnes he knew rather then another of his disciples the reason thereof is evident to him that considers that the convenience of this office rendered his treason so much the more inexcusable VVhen the Scripture tells not at all why God permitted sinne why he would harden Pharaoh why he suffers the vessells of wrath the effects which proceed thence shew that sin is the cause thereof CHAP. XII Of the prudence that is requisite in the examination of points where the cause is uncertaine Of a Ly. Whether Satan made Pilates wife speak for the innocence of Jesus Christ IT is true that one ought carefully to take heed of those causes and reasons which are not plain unto us but by a conjecturall appearance for the consequences thereof may be foolish and dangerous Some have thought that Jacob in all the proceedings he made to gaine his fathers blessing was inspired by the spirit of God But the consequence thereof sounds very ill For then it must be that the Holy Ghost had dictated the deceitfull words which came from Jacobs mouth Now God is an enemy of lies He may command to kill but not to pronounce a falshood although a barely be not so bad as manslaughter The reason thereof is that man slaughter may be sometimes an act of Justice but a ly can never be truth And therefore God himself may kill but he can never ly On the
of their conversation That so many naturall relations met in one man which might have brought the title of father and uncle together would have brought a thousand confusions in the world That the same proximity being disputed amongst them which are of the same blood would have produced divers strifes in families for the reason as that of the straight line which oblige the brother to marry his half sister that the woman who in case of injury or dissertion might find a refuge with their brothers had lost his refuge if the brotherhood had been confounded in the marriage And other reasons which one might alleadge for this law CHAP VI. Of the exercise of the mind in every point of Religion The default of the vulgar and of preachers herein The Scripture speaks by proofs GOd would that our knowledge should be discursive in part and that this faculty of the soule which passeth from one subject to another for to discern them compare them together and give judgement thereof might also be sanctified by this exercise in matters of Religion But because it is more difficult to reason upon a point then to conceive it nakedly and barely the common people is contented to heare that such a thing is true or good or just without searching why or how it is such The ignorant love onely to heare a thing affirmed or denyed insomuch that to the understanding of a proposition or assertion thus naked there is need of but a bare apprehension or understanding of words without other trouble of mind Whereupon they are delighted in maximes and proverbs because it is not needfull to conceive the sense thereof easie to whosoever understandeth the words For 't is to be presupposed they are grounded on reason and 't is enough to hold them for true without any other form of enquiry This same facility is the cause we have more talkers then preachers Provided they stretch out a point by a long train of equivalent tearms that they delate a text into Paraphrases that they heape togeather a great masse of sentences of Scripture they think they have worthily handled and the vulgar abide therewith satisfied But the interpretation thereof requires much more then this Certainly Jesus Christ himselfe and the most excellent instruments which have spok by his spirit have not contented themselves to pronounce the affirmative or negative upon any point but besides have shewed the reasons thereof If they teach that the worship of God ought to be spirituall they give this proofe thereof to wit that God is a spirit If the alleadge to make the Jewes see that the Messias ought to die and rise again the words of the Psalmest thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption they frame thereof an argument which imports that this Oracle cannot relate but to David or to Christ that the body of David had notoriously felt the same corruption which death brings to other men So that this prophecy could not belong but to Christ If they say that man is not justified by the Law they prove it by the end of the Law which is to manifest sinne If they declare that Circumcision doth not justifie they shew it by the example of Abraham who was justified before he was circumcised So that his circumcision being after his justification could not have produced it If they affirm that there was a Law before that of Moses they argue that where there is no law there is no sin Now we read that there was sin before Moses this is proved because that death which is the wages of sinne raigned from Adam to Moses If they maintaine free Election they produce the decree given before the infants had none either good or evil If they maintain that the Covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the Law they make it cleare that it did precede the Law foure hundred and thirty yeares If they publish that Christ is greater then the Angells they prove it by his titles which were never conferred upon them If they preach the weaknesse of the Jewish priesthood they take it from this that the Scripture hath substituted for it another of anorder altogether different to it after the order of Melchisedech for if perfection had been in the Leviticall Priesthood what need had there been that anothe Priest should arise which was according to the order of Aron If they teach that Jesus Christ ought to die they note that where there is a Testament there the death of the Testatour ought to intervene before the heires can have benefit thereof In brief if they speak of the resurrection or of other points of faith their discourse never consists in bare assertions but in reasons and demonstrative proofs CHAP VII Of Popular reasons as well in the Romane Religion as amongst the vulgar of the Orthodox Churches The difference betwixt the maximes of faith and those of charity THose which among the vulgar reason upon matters of Religion are accustomed to conceive them as reasons one may call popular These reasons are taken from the superficies not from the very substance of truth This is the reason why oft times they are found false although their facility render them plausible to the ignorant If it were needfull one might shew that the Romane Religion is for the most part propt up by popular reasons Popular is the comparison of Intercessours which are employed towards the Grandees of this world brought for the Invocation of Saints Popular is the question whether we ought to condemn our ancestours and so many souls which hold the faith we at this day disallow Popular are the marks under which they represent the Church For the antiquity multitude locall succession are not essentiall properties thereof Popular are the austerities fastings scourgings and externall mortification of the Monks profession Popular are the images and the title which is given them that they are the booke of Ideots The most ordinary reason which authoriseth the reason of the common people is that of charity Prayers for the dead have been covered under this pretence and many sometime have extended even to hell praying even for the damned not to deliver them wholly from pain knowing that is impossible but for to procure for them some diminution thereof whereunto charity carrieth them The maximes of charity are more persuasive and efficacious amongst the common people then the maximes of faith The reason thereof is because that those of faith are more removed from the appearance and have not so much relation with reason and naturall affection as those of charity which are more intelligible and more agreeing with the common notion of men Notwithstanding to say truth every act of Religion which is undertaken without faith is also without charity And the charity of the ignorant is a strange fire which is not acceptable at the altar But our discourse properly concerns them who being orthodox in points of Religion prop not up the belief of them but upon
other side many have believed that the dreame which came to Pilates wife proceeded from Satan who foreseeing his own ruine in the death of Christ assaied to hinder the sentence If speculations might be received I could say that Satan might be in doubt of the qualitie of Jesus Christ seing in him so great wonders as constrained them to call him the son of God and then againe an extreame annihilation which seemed incompatible with his divinity so that he thought to overwhelm him with torments as he got his desire on the first Adam by flatteries That although he knew that the future death of Christ was foretold by the Prophets by the sacrifices and other figures and by the faith of the ancient fathers notwithstanding he might imagine that as Isaac upon the point he was to be sacrifised by the expresse command of God was exempted from death some such like thing might befall Jesus Christ I might also say that Satan having the day before procured the death of Christ and employed Judas to this purpose it is very incredible that he changed his mind in so short a time But to come nearer unto the businesse this dreame which happened to Pilates wife is inserted in the history as proceeding from an extraordinary cause If this cause be uncertain yet 't is dangerous to attribute to the power of Satan that which might proceed from the inspiration of God By the same reason before alleadged we may conclude that Pilate as well as his wife was induced by Satan to pronounce Christ innocent But certainly I had rather take the Testimony of his innocence for the voice of God then for a subtilty of the Devil CHAP. XIII Of hidden reasons of some impertinent opinions on this subject According to the vulgar all publick calamities or particular are but punishments of sinne or corrections or trialls But they ought to be referred to many other causes which are to us unknown VVe see not the providence of God but in parcells If we could see his works in their totall and join all ages together we might perceive in their linking together an order of causes and justice which cannot be observed in retaile Some hold that the personall sins of the fathers are not punished in their children unlesse when they are made partakers thereof with them And notwithstanding many children never having committed any evill have been borne with notable infirmities which their fathers sinnes have drawn upon them The piety of Josias hindred not that God should visit in his own person the idolatrie of Manasses although with such a temper as turned this punishment into mercy In the contentions of these times touching Gods foreknowledge reprobation and such like points every man attempts to produce such an opinion that God may be found just To this purpose all the distinctions and reasons are sought out which may be conceived But if God himself should heare out of the midst of a whirlwind that man which thinks he well pleadeth the cause of God will be found to have maintianed it with bad arguments And without doubt we shall heare of reasons whereof man never thought upon CHAP. XIIII Of points resulting from others and of the multitude of consequences THere is nothing wherein the vulgar is more subject to fail then in the deduction of consequences when one point is drawn from another This is principally seen when one comes from a geneâ—all point to a particular for generall Maxâ—mes are easie to the common people But â—rant of knowing their exceptions they â—re easily deceived when they will apply â—hem to some particular subject The same â—ncongruity is often found when they make a generall rule of a particular examâ—le It is true that in some matters an exâ—mple alone is sufficient to make up an universall proposition if we could produce onely one man which hath been justified â—r saved by works it would universally fâ—lâ—ow that the justification of all others ought to be attributed to works The reason whereof is evident such as is the justification of one such is the justification of all others On the other side if we shew but one which was justified without works this is an universall Maxime for all And the onely example of Abraham produced by Saint Paul is as strong as a demonstration but one cannot make a Maxime of this that David never saw the children of the righteous brought to beggerie The policy which God set up in Israell impeded this calamity whereunto many such as Lazarus might be subject Deut. 15.4 Psal 37. and 25. Many think they do enough when they draw a consequence from a principle and then another and finally an entire chain of conclusions but the more a consequence is removed from its principle the more feeble and weak it is Those which are immediately tyed to their foundation are strongest as in a building the part which is nearest to the foundation is also the firmest Others in what proportion they are removed therefrom lose their force and the last often ends in points and spiders webbes more subtile then solid The fourth Section CHAP. I. Generall considerations on the Scripture Of matters which seem vulgar and of easie understanding GOD would not that the Scripture should be very short to the end we might abound in knowledge nor over large that our time might suffice to learn it There was a King that read it fourty times Method is requisite thereunto They who read it onely in retail and in confusion cannot comprehend the harmony and contexture thereof The vulgar ought to know that the distinction thereof into Chapters and verses having been made by godly men but subject to erre is found oftentimes irregular separating that which ought to follow in a continued threed and confounding that which ought to be distinguished As for the rest 't is true that no man can promise himself a perfect understanding thereof There are more then a thousand passages which no man ever yet understood The Argument of Saint Paul concerning those which are baptised for the dead the fire which must prove every mans work the Prison wherein S. Peter lodgeth the spirits of all men the thousand yeares of the Revelations from whence the Millenaries have taken their names are to us as sealed letters nor to speak of an infinite number of questions in history in Chronologie in the names of places plants precious stones instruments of musick and other subjects the knowledge whereof is reserved for heaven But on the other side the clearest passages are oft times made obscure by prejudices which cover as a veile the eyes of many readers The true cause which renders the Scripture dark to them â—s this because they search that which is â—ot there We will represent something upon this point Many matters of Scripture seem triviall It saith that the sun shines as well on the on just as the just that we brought nothing into the world shal carry nothing therefrom a thing which