of Indian Idolaters Their Martyrs will never goe peere with ours When a man suffers death under an opinion that it will be meritorious I am afraid he is a Martyr of his owne merit rather then that of Christs the punishment gives him no higher a tytle then that of his beliefe or of his profession There is as yet one point more which we may as yet remarke To the question where the Church was before the last Reformation we ordinarily answer that it was in Poperie as if Poperie were all the world whereas it holds but one little corner As if the Church could not be in Africa or in Asia where Popery was not In effect we deprive our selves of a very easie answer and doe a great injury to an infinity of Grecian Arminian and Abissin Churches and others in which the Church of God resided Churches who confesse the Trinitie of Persons the Verity of the two Natures in Christ and all the points of Mediation Churches which seek their justification by faith in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ onely Churches which practise the same Sacraments with us and admit no other eating of the body of Christ but that which is spirituall Churches in which nothing is wanting that is essential to the faith but if corruptions have made them deformed 't is not so exorbitant but that the Church might as well subsist therein as in the Roman which held nothing but on part of the West CHAP. 17. The conversion of a Romane Catholick is now more difficult then in the beginning of the Reformation THE Reformed Church had in times past enough to open the doore to Empires and to whole nations who presented themselves in crowds to enter in at this day it is a wonder to heare of any one Proselyte Mens judgements vary upon the causes of so great a difference That novelty provoked the spirits to harken to this Religion so full of admirable Paradoxes whereas now use hath brought in the disgust That the Reformation came when the Vatican insolently tyrannised the Potentates and the people glad to shake off the yoke and that the behaviour of the first reformed had a lustre which rendered his Religion amiable That their zeale which let this Religion at so high a prise alighted in many a violent passion to seeke this treasure That persecution whose antiperistasis redoubled their zeal hath more augmented the Church then prosperity the most triumphant Like the Ark which did more miracles whilst that it wandered in the wildernesse under a pavilion of goates hair more then after when it was placed under the wainscot of Cedar laid over with plaites of Gold That the miraculous subsisting of the Church among so many powerfull opposirions ravished the eyes of all the world seeing a burning bush and yet remain unconsumed That the voice of the Martyrs shook the prisons and the tribunalls the fires in which they were sacrificed served for lights to show many the way to heaven And finally God which makes the winds blow in such places and seasons as seems good to him hath bounded the course of his grace and forbidden his word to passe further But to this one may adde that the prudence of the Romane Clergy hath choaked divers abuses and sent to the Assise many blasphemies which made the most stupid to abhorre them And above all time hath furnished them with many sleights unknown to their forefathers being buried in ignorance of learning for to shun the most manifest truths and give a colour to opinions the most absurd suspending the judgements of the clearest sighted between the miracles of Moses and the cunning of the inchanters Finally they had many principalls and interpretations which they have left acknowledging that they were contrary to themselves in times past they were content to make the Scripture their judge at this day they accuse it of incompetency and decline its juridiction This principall being rejected it is more difficult to reduce a Romane Catholick to the Orthodox Religion CHAP. 18. Why the conversion of a Jew at this day then it was at the beginning of Christian Religion THese reasons are also those in part of the pertinacity of the Jews if ever this nation ought to render it self to the obedience of the faith it is at this day that it ought to be a dispersion of more then 1500 yeares far longer then all precedent calamities and in which they have neither had temple nor sacrifice to expiate their sinnes The vain expectation of their pretended Messias so oftentimes frustrated since the prefixed tearme of his coming of which they know not what to think The confusion happened in their genealogies so great that namely when their Messias should come they cannot know him not being able to mark any family that 's desended from David These testimonies I say of their foolish hope ought to make them leave their stubbornnes more then ever And notwithstanding their obstinacy was never so great Nay it is now harder to convert a Jew then in times past before so long a lapse of time which as yet makes them requoil farther from their pretensions The weaknesse of their cause hath made them ingenious to strengthen themselves therein Since the subversion of their Republick some yeares after the ascention of our Lord perceiving that the time belied their hope and being ashamed not to see some glimpse which might promise them the effect on the other side seeing that Christianity spread it self farre and near principall under the Empire of Constantine the great they sought all the meanes they could imagine to retain their nation still in their blindnesse Now in as much as that they were condemned in their own Maximes and namely by the interpretation of their Rabbins They took counsell how to abrogate them and to substitute ohers of a contrary opinion to them so then so that where a passage of the ancient Testament speaking of the Messias was taken in its true sence by the ancient Jewes the Modern have changed the exposition Our Lord for to prove Christ to be more then man alledgeth that David called him Lord alledging to this purpose Psalm 110. this passage was not then in dispute For the Jews then of that time confessed that those tearms could not have relation but to the Messias But those at this day overthrow this interpretarion which their forefathers did agree unto without reply so that upon all those passages which the Apostle cited in favour of Christ the Jews disputed the application rather then the explication but now they contest both having charged their principalls There is another trick which they use to make Christian religion to be suspected both to their nation and also to all others hath been to seek out all the passages of the new Testament which seemes to differ from the ancient in some historicall circumstances as in the date of yeares in the names of places in the numbring of persons and such like pretending by this difference to
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
that should be scandalous to naturall prudence to the end that their wisdome should not undertake to controule his which neverthelesse happens without thinking thereon to the most religious spirits The ancient Christians in their ordinary prayers demanded of God the retarding of the last day This request was founded upon the comming of Antichrist which they knew ought to preceed that day which would bring with it many calamities which they sought to keep from them by their prasers upon this that the Assembling of the Elect and the calling of so many people would require a long space of time and upon other reasons which was knowne unto them but they tooke not heed that the holy Ghost whose foresight surpasses that of man commanded them to say Come Lord Jesus come For a close we shall marke that in divers matters of religion many submit their beliefe to the testimony of the Scripture because that they find therein some reason or circumstance which seemes to agree with their naturall judgement They perswade themselves of the truth of an history or the equity of a law or the excellencie of a mystery or the importance of a Sacrament or the justice of a rigorous execution for as much as they meet therein a certaine shadow or an appearance conformable to the thoughts which are the most prevalent in their spirits the faith proceeding thereof is vaine as wee shall declare hereafter in its proper place CHAP. VI. Some say Knowledge produceth Atheisme all here saies have not proceeded from learned men The abuses of humane learning in religion THe common people reproches Athiesme to the learned and their scorning of all religion An accusation but too true in respect of many Some doe so inclose themselves within the thoughts of a Science or particular faculty that their spirit cannot admit any principall higher then that of their owne art from whence it comes to passe that they know no other divinity then the matter and the forme or the temperature of the body or the vertue of herbs or the law of nature or nature it selfe Others although most speculative in the higher causes attaine not to the first But certainly we must impute this crime to their ignorance not to their knowledge for to say the truth there was never Atheist but was ignorant never a perfect Philosopher but acknowledged a God the most specious arguments that impiety euer displayed for to sight against this fundamentall point of religion if we look neerly unto it are nothing but popular reasons And it is impossible to an Atheist to sustain his cause without disavowing some principalls of naturall reason If Atheisme were grounded upon knowledge the perswasion would be the stronger in stead that its weaknesse is subject to a thousand doubts which wearies those which are most obstinate As I have seene in a learned man famous in his profession who having called my selfe to comfort him in his sicknesse assured me upon the silence he exacted of me that his health depended upon the resolution of a point which he never could believe and asked the proofe thereof which was if there were a God a question so criminall that cannot proceed but from a spirit full of Egyptian darknesse what learning soever he hath in other matters Againe the vulgar charge the learnâ—d to have been the authors of all the heresies which have troubled the Church complaining that all the errors have had the originall from their subtilties who have seduced the common people and which cannot proceed but from learned men But we find two sorts of heresies Some more artificiall and subtill which cannot proceed but from the invention of learned men of this ranke are those who have fallen upon the attributes and the divine decrees The predestination the Trinity the Union of the two Natures in Christ and such like points The others more grosse and stupid as that of the Anthropomorphites And these proceeds from imaginations of the vulgar In generall Idolatrie hath alwaies began by ideots Nay the greatest part of popery â—he invocation of Saints the adoration of their reliqnes the worship of Images the prayers for the dead have never drawne their originall but from the superstition of the vulgar In heresies the most subtill the learned conduct the multitude but in those whose stuffe is more grosse as in the exterior practice and Ceremonies of religion the people lead the skilfull who carried by a multitude as by a crowd or a torrent suffer themselves to be lead to the very melting of the Calfe of gold Nay what is more shamefull one hath seene learned and able men most grosly deceived by the imposture of idiots not only simple in matter of action but moreover in things purely dogmaticall without speaking of the gravity of Tertullian miserably seduced by the dotages of Montanus nor so many spirits abused by Priscilla and Maximilla pretended prophetesses The learned who have believed something of Purgatory hath been brought to this beliefe by the revelation of silly devotious women by the apparition of soules that good people said they had seen with their eyes by the Enthusiasmes of some melancholy men and by the recite of some Miracles which oft-times were but effects of nature as the nocturnall fires which often appeare in Church-yards The errors of the first sort are knowne for the most part by the names of some chiefe Hereticks which hath produced them Thus the blasphemies of the Sabellians Arrians Euticheans Nestorians are marked with the name of their authors famous for having been Patriarkes of so many severall bands of hereticks but the errors of the second sort have not so certaine a Genealogie it s not so easie to name the inventors of the offerings for the dead of the adorations of Saints or of the service of Images or the noting the time of their originall because these abuses have bin generated from the confused medly of the common people so that the true father of them is unknown But a man may take notice of a familiar abuse in those who make use of humane learning for in many religion takes some taint of their humours so very often they give it the bent or a forme set set out according to the rules of the art which they exercise or of some other Science with which they are indued In the greatest part of the Fathers wee find alwaies either in matter or phrase something which smells of Platonisme a Philosophie which they had dranke in with their studies Afterwards that of Aristotle came into favour the Theologians have imitated his language his countenance and his gate The excesse to which this disguise obtained was never so put off but many indeavoured to set it againe on foot So we have seen many Lawyers and Phisitians who accommodate Theologie to the maximes of their profession not only in the tearmes or in the method as when the one makes it personall reall and active the others Patholotick and Therapentiâ—ke which is not of
so great importance but in the essence it self and in the right conception of the truth thereof So some measure the sin of Adam the justice of his punishment the quality of grace the satisfaction of Christ the damnation of infidells by the Lawes and rules of Civill right or by naturall equity having as sleight a foundation as popular spirits who conceive alwayes some point of their religion under maximes of their art or of the condition they professe imploying them not as simple comparisons for to inlighten but as demonstrative proofes CHAP. 7. Why learned men receive the truth with more difficulty then other men and if the promptitude of belief is alwayes most praise worthy TThe same which we have written of the most piercing spirits happens also to men of eminent knowledge which is that they are for the most part slower of belief in a point of Religion then ordinary men there must be more powerfull operations and a longer time for to draw them to the tearmes of an intire perswasion on which I will only say the most prompt belief is not alwayes the most firm The faith of a man who receives the Gospell with a precipitated and easie approbation ought to be suspected of nullity it is to be feared it s rather credulity then sollid faith surely our Lord spake of certain auditors who easily received the word with gladnesse but left it with the same facility which they had brought to its reception the truth is alwayes open and never hides her face to the end that he who receives her may see what manner of guest he is to receive So when a man begins to be illuminated in the first acts of this faith he meets with an infinity of objections which hinder his resolution to an entire belief But he which finds no obstacles therein never considers thereof in good earnest far from having conceived the faith a man who will sound the depth of Religion and know the bottome as far as man can discover he who will learn all the measures of the Tabernacle and know the dimensions and the proportions and weigh all the reasons which forbids the entrance and those which invite him thereto his pace will not be very fast and wil not come very soon to the altar But if once he be enlightened by the light of the Sanctuary the slownes thereof redounds to his advantage for belief is far more cleare being received upon solid grounds more sound As lodging in a spirit refined from all that surcharged it and more solid as having prevented by a ripe deliberation whatsoever might come to shake it In this tryall of religion the learned have alwayes helps which facilitates their understanding and where they know to make use thereof they understand better the importance of a point of the law or of the Gospell the enormity of sinne or the excellency of redem prion far better then the common people That as they have more trouble to be perswaded so they have more objections to be resolved then those which see not the difficulty thereof but the perswasion being formed in them possesses all those advantages which I have related And notwithstanding it is not altogether universally true that the learned are the more difficult to believe the truth the conversion of an idiot proves oftentimes more painfull and troublesome A grosse ignorance incapable to comprehend the easiest matter is the mother of stubbornesse nay more of presumption the enemy of all knowledge Many refuse instruction because they believe they have knowledge enough So that under the shadow of Christian liberty an artificer censures what he understands not CHAP. 8. Why the learned are subject to more doubts then the simple people WE find an infinite number of persons among the common people who never doubt of any point of faith nor of any other matter approved by the orthodoxall Church whereas that ordinarily the most knowing men are full of doubts Now its true that believing and doubting are acts formally contrary for distrust although many teach it is not of the essence of faith no more then vice is not essentiall to vertue and every sort of doubt is a testimony of our weaknesse and a mark of ignorance But it is easie to judge from whence it comes that popular spirits are not subject to so many doubts as the great Theologians For as thier sight extends not it self so farre so they see not all the difficulties which the other discover in the study of Religion as for those who have never doubted of any point it is of necessity that this great security of spirit proceeds from one of those two causes either of a perfect and transcendent faith incompatible with all species of doubt or from an extreame stupidity which never comprehended the importance of a doctrine nor ever sounded the depth thereof A man who hath alwayes had an absolute and unvariable perswasion of all points of Religion without any contradicting thought must necessarily be either An anges or a beast This stupid confidence deceives an infinity of souls especially in the personall application of their beliefe Many hold themselves so assured of their salvation that their spirit is incapable of doubting but not through the excellency of faith which requires a more exact triall but through an excesse of self love from hence it comes to passe they willingly believe whatsoever makes for their advantage But if they have no pertinent reasons it is a most grosse presumption CHAP. 9 Of common proverbs in generall and of certain maximes in favour of ignorance THE vulgar people governe themselves by certain maximes esteemed for oracles but which are indeed as many approved errours The proverbs which belong to Oeconomie exteriour policie and to naturall prudence in the conduct of our lives are nothing to our purpose there are some which touch Religion that are held for assured principalls which have nothing but an abusive and fraudulent appearance whosoever would make the inventory should discover a thousand absurdities For all the proverbiall sentences which are at this day in use have not been dictated by the mouth of the wise or from reason common to all men or from universall experience Ignorance hath brought forth many which are authorised onely by the credit of the multitude And every man who desires to understand very well his Religion ought to take of these prejudicated proverbs which at this time have course such are the following maximes to wit That there 's no sin but with the will which is false Originall sinne in little children omissions proceeding from forgetfulnesse the first motions which are not in the power of man extravagant dreames wandering and idle thoughts doubtles which trouble the spirit are not voluntary and notwithstanding are still sinnes Idiots imagine that sinne resides not but in the will not considering that it hath its place in the Intellect it self but this is to justifie that opinion which some hold that Ignorance is
increaseth day by day CHAP. XVI Of those which studie nothing but controversies what sort of controversies may teach us most doctrine What points of doctrine are the most difficult amongst Christians What expedient may weake ones take in the highest questions A rule which is not to be found but in the reformed Religion Of Miracles Of Martyres Concerning the question where was the Church before the Reformation SOme seek no other instruction but that of controversies a studie truly which is necessary for to furnish Antidotes in places or in times infected with heresies But yet it is incapable to give unto the soule a full reflection He should truly be a foole who would take no other nourishment but from the Treacle or the Rubarbe Controversies shewes not the whole body of Religion but the parts thereof which are in dispute And this is but by accident For our faith is affirmative not negative And our knowledge hath for its object the evidence of truths not the disguising of errors Who would come by this way to a more universall knowledge of religion he must study not only all whatsoever wee dispute with the Roman Catholicks but also whatsoever the Christian Church debates against an infinite of Sects who rob her of her title nay more all the differencies which wee have to decide with the Jewes Mahometans Indians and other Pagans and that which is worse with a multitude of Atheists If there be a controversie in which a Christian armed to the proofe against blasphemies may learne rare and excellent things 't is in that which we have with the Jewes I understand for to have an exact knowledge and not to consider only the trunke but also all the branches the juyce and the marrow from the lowest of the rootes to the highest of the leaves To see the depth of this controversie is more painfull then all the others It hath but very few Philosophicall arguments All therein is drawne from the deep fountaines of the ancient testament and you must lift all the curtaines of the Tabernacle and passe through many vailes before that one can see the holiest of holies This was the exercise of the first Christians For their first disputes began by the Jewes and excepting necessity which obligeth us to turn head to other adversaries this controversie would be more fruitfull then any other There are two sorts of matter in which lies the hardest controversies which be amongst Christians and the most difficult to manage 1. Those which touch the decrees of God as the Prevision or Prescience Prudence Predestination Reprobation c. Secondly Those which concernes the qualities of the soule be it in Nature or be it in Grace Free-will certainty of Faith c. The reason why these two points are more difficult then the others is evident in respect of the first Divine decrees are infinitely distant from our sight as being elevated above all times and inclosed in a volume of which we see nothing but a few characters hard to be discerned at so great a distance Many who thinke they read there distinctly draw most dangerous constructions But it is a wonder in the other point that so many difficulties are found seeing that the subject is so neare our eyes nay that it is within our selves Our intellect is in trouble to know whether our intellect and the will are faculties really different Whether granting the judgement of the Intellect the will must necessary follow or if it remaines in Balance and in power to suspend its action If our faith be placed in the Intellect or in our will Our soule so little knowes thereof that she knowes not where to find her selfe being ignorant whether she resides in the blood or in any other particular part of the body or whether she be universally diffused through all the parts thereof The proximitie it selfe of the subject is the cause of this difficulty The soule no more then the eye cannot see it selfe except it be by a very obscure reflection and that false to for the most part which we call indirect knowledge For to disturbe the spirits of the common people ye need but to set them on these two points which many have chosen expresly as being full of Labirinths He who hath not been acquainted with these slights ought to remember that in each controversie truth lodgeth in a center to which ought to bend all matters which are in dispute In these differences which concerne the will of God towards man or the will of man towards God for all the controversies of Election of universall grace of free will of perseverance and such like may have relation to these two things these maximes ought to be the center to wit that the glory of all good belongs to God That whatsoever is ill proceeds from man We must not attribute to God the ill that proceeds from man Nor to man the good which proceeds from God One cannot take from God the smallest part of his glory without ravishing it intirely because that it is indivisible as a point that admits no parting Commutative justice cannot happen to be in God The creature attributing unto God all the good which is in her cannot faile in excesse nor incurre any danger thereby but in attributing some portion thereof to himselfe he may runne some hazard In these principles which are as undoubtable as familiar as they may easily resolve all the subrilties will they or nill they which may be produced on the one side or the other And the weakest Christian taking heed to the lines which end not in this center or fall aside will easily judge that they are irregular This constant and universall rule may be applyed to all fo 〈…〉 â—octrine John 7.18 and I dare say that of all religions which are in the world there is none but the reformed which attributes to God the glory of all good especially in the salvation of man And certainly there is not one of the others but makes profession to attribute to God this glory but examining them nearly you shall not find any but that take away some part to make thereof a present to man what they avow in generall they steale by retaile or deny it by their consequences to hinder God from possessing of it in effect As to the rest the common people ought to distinguish the certaine and the infallible propositions from prejudicate opinions which may be disputable It 's a common opinion that there are no miracles wrought in the world and that there shall be never more This negative is uncertaine and the proofe neither assured or necessary When all the miracles which the Jesuits doe attest to have bin wrought in the midst of the Indies should be true they would not conclude the least of their errors no more then the annuall miracle at the poole of Shiloa gave authority to Pharisaisme Much lesse can they draw any consequence from the martyrdome which some of them have suffered by the hands
Alphabet without knowing how to join them to make entire words thereof Religion as it is in the knowledge of many consisteth in the multitude of matters confusedly heaped together in the mind without symmetry or proportiō without any form either of building or body the head and feet being confounded Some of our controversies concern the same order and rank of points The Romane Catholicks coming to contend with us begin voluntarily with the question of the Church giving it the highest place to the end they may make it passe as a rule and principle of faith But the Article of the Church holdeth not the first rank in the Creed CHAP. IIII. Of those which believe the truth by vertue of a false principle or of some passage of Scripture which toucheth not the question MAny believe the truth by a false faith The Turk believes God the creation providence the immortality of the soul Christ born of a virgin a great Prophet and the word of God because the Alchoran saith it These points are true in themselves but the belief which he hath thereby cannot be formally true because it depends on a false principle Truth may not be believed for a lyes sake One may not commend them which endeavour to amplifie the Oracles of the Sybills to the end they may make them speak more advantagiously in favour of the Christian Religion Nor the pious frauds of them which under colour of proving the immortality of the soul have supposed fabulous apparitions It importeth not onely what we believe but also why we believe it A man which believeth there is a God because Philosophy or naturall reason teacheth him so hath not a Theologick faith although the beliefe which he hath touching God be true in it self and in its principles He that believeth all the Articles of Christianity because great Doctors believe them or onely because the Church holds them for true hath built his faith upon mans testimonie 'T is a complaint of a person eminent in humane learning that being Orthodox in the Article of Christs Divinity notwithstanding in his interpretation and Paraprases upon the new Testament he did enervate or allude asmuch as was possible for him all the most manifest passages which authorise the beliefe of this point But on the other side the world is full of people which upon every sort of matter alledge a multitude of Texts though oft times the twentieth part suit not to the subject They which believe a truth but ground it upon a passage of Scripture which maketh not to the purpose believe the truth falsely That which they believe is very true but that by vertue whereof they believe it is not so For the Scripture ill applyed is no more Scripture but a perverting thereof although it be alleadged to prove the truth which it teacheth in other passages And 't were to be wished that many would bring hither as much feare and discretion as they abound in impertinent quotations But the vulgar often suffer thēselves to be led more by passages which come by the by then by those which lead straight to the mark I have seene a man which could never be brought from the Invocation of Saints for any Text alleadged unto him unlesse when one quoted to him the passage of Esay 63. ver 16. which notwithstanding is not the most concluding of all those which are made use of in this controversie A Rabbin converted to the faith and who had writ against those of his nation found the Trinity and the two natures of Christ in the foure Hebrew letters of the word Jehovah And made almost more esteem of this Cabbalistick proof then of all the passages of the old Testament infinitely more cleare and expresse upon this subject That which remaines to be said requires another Parenthesis CHAP. V. Every point of Religion hath its peculiar reasons examples and considerations to this purpose ALL the points of Religion and all the lesser branches of them have every one their particular reason And the Scripture saith not only that it is so but also how and why it is so It gives us not simple positions but teacheth by demonstration and arguments even to the resolving of objections which may be moved to the contrary This is not then sufficient when a man knows all his Religion by Propositions or Maximes though conceived in proper Scripture tearms if he know not also the particular reason of every one of them And to render a reason of our faith is not only to alleadge the Scripture which affirms such or such points but also to shew why these points which the Scripture affirmeth are such and that they are the causes of every one of them in particular Divinity is all full of demonstrative arguments They which have but a naked knowledge of conclusions see well the face and externall shape of Religion But the beating of its arteries the spirit which moves it and the faculties which stir within it are visible to them who know the reasons wherewith it is animated It is not to the purpose to alleadge that one ought not to demand a reason what God saith and that it is enough to believe what the Scripture pronounceth is true This objection is of value as touching points the search whereof is forbidden us as Why God sheweth mercy more to one then to another and for other matters which we may call transcendent which God hath bounded with praecipices environed with high barricadoes which hinder us from entring in thereat But in those whereof the Scripture teaches us the reasons 't is a foolish modesty to reason against his command which obligeth us to learn them Nay this is a manifest arrogance to will the ignorance of those reasons the Scripture gives us thereof under pretence of believing the Scripture simply For the Scripture it self teacheth us to reason upon many points infinitely raised above us When it is asked Why God permitted that sinne should enter into the world though it were in his power to hinder it Many reasons of this permission may be found full of excellent doctrine and saving the matters we have excepted there is not any point of Religion nay any particle whereof one may not find some reason either exprest in the Scripture or duly averred by lawfull consequences or resulting from the property of the subject If there be any thing which seemeth to be out of all enquiry they are the principles of nature As for example The prohibitiō of marriage between brother and sister is the voice of nature which hath no need to be propped with reasons since it is reason it self And though one may always say that the Scripture would oblige men to search the alliance of the remotest races to the end that the affections correspondencies of humane societie might be multiplied which would not be if marriages should be alwayes contracted within the same family Which would by this shame restrain the license which might grow from the facility
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
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
of the common people is this that they Preach the word of God and that therefore one ought to content himselfe with their doctrine though it be triviall and one ought not to bee troubled with their frequent repetitions nor disdaine their grosse stile and other defects which are found in their discourses VVhereunto I shall onely say that t is an abuse of the people to say that a mans Sermon is the word of God It is but the interpretation thereof which if it be defective or confused or darke or foolish or extravagant doth injure more the word of God then it receives authority there-from This colour they give their ignorance serveth to foment that of the people the greater part whereof content themselves with that they know of religion and even make a scruple to learne more One of the deceipts by which many Preachers are accustomed to hide this defect is this to take â— text of three words upon which they inlarge themselves in digressions mixing all the old and new Testament reducing all divinity into one Sermon and there is no matter so remote from the subject which either by hooke or by crooke they force not to their purpose So that once a valiant expositor of Scripture imployed forty yeares in interpreting the Prophet Esay The prolixity whereby they affect to appeare as Giants who neede a whole Acre of ground to stretch themselves upon is of no great fruict A succinct and nervous discourse nay one sole reason very pertinent or one rare or extraordinary conception couched in few words shall rather convert a soule or shall grave thereon more lively impressions then these vast discourses shall doe more fruictfull in words then matter VVe have many Sermons of Jesus Christ and some of his Apostles But the longest of them may be pronounced in the space of halfe an houre Finally not to touch on the repetitions wherewith many fill their auditoryes we shall find them which will be exact to the dividing of a graine of sand by so small distinctions and divisions that they themselves can scarce discerne them If in lieu of the vulgar method which under colour of desiring to say all that concernes a text yet teacheth nothing but things common and a thousand times repeated if a Preacher could find only three or foure observations which are rare and but little knowne his auditors might say they had learned that which they knew not And one such Sermon were worth a hundred others although the ignorant thinke that this doth much advantage to have a multitude of Sermons at the end whereof they are as knowing as they were at the beginning Many also have a superstitious opinion touching Preachers that one ought not to be more sought after or more willingly heard then an other because all Preach the word of God and that it is of the same weight and same vertue in the mouthes of all Now t is true that all make profession to carry the same sword of truth but all doe not mannage it with the same skill nor with the like force of arme From whence it comes to passe that it cutteth not equally in all hands nay in many it is as a plate of leade Of a thousand which handle the same passage of Scripture it is impossible to find two amongst them which are wholly alike in conceptions in the order and frame of discourse In so much that representing the same subject they give it so divers faces that even they themselves are different in shape But those which keepe the resemblance thereof nearer the life are to be preferred before others which shew but the draughts of it grosly delineated CHAP. VI. That the words of Scripture had more Emphasis in the mouth of Jesus Christ and his first Disciples then they have in ours The reason of this difference IT s true that all those to whom Jesus Christ himselfe Preached when he was conversant upon earth were not converted The most eminent Apostles complained that few persons received their Preaching yet neverthelesse t is certaine that the word of God had greater efficacy in their mouthes then now it hath in ours If it converted not all them who heard it it made it selfe felt by the most hardned as a burning cautery even within the very entrailes But besides the progresse thereof was altogether different One onely exhortation of St. Peter brought in one day three thousand Jewes to the Church And by an other Sermon he gained five thousand soules If at this day wee pronounce the same Sermon word by word in an assembly of Jewes it will not have the same successe Although wee sound the same discourse nay the proper expresse and formall words as Jesus Christ or some of his Apostles have sometimes uttered them they have not such vertue as they had when they themselves pronounced them viva voce When the Sonne of God speke there was felt an extraordinary working and force that never was upon the lipps of mortall man The Apostles whom he had animated with his owne vertue spake also as out of thunder and as cherubins of glory The sound of their wings was as the noyse of great waters and as the voice of God Almighty when he speakes If we would know from whence proceeds such vertue it may be some will say it consisted rather in their morals then in their words And that their supernaturall works which were seene to be done by them were the onely cause that rendred their discourse more efficacious then that of other men but it appeares to the contrary by the testimony of them to whom Jesus Christ spake in the way to Emaus For although they knew him not so farre were they short of seeing any miracle their heart burned within them as hee expounded to them the Scriptures These reasons may be given hereof that the Son of God who knew al the thoughts of his hearers strucke directly within them and they could not but be moved when they heard a voice which surprized their most secret thoughts That the same spirit which spake in his Disciples touched with his words that which men thought was closely hid within their hearts an example in Ananias and Zaphira whereunto may be referred that we read in the first to the Corinthes 14.24 and 25. that their breast was ful of flames and the words which came from them lighted as at a fornace did burne as live sparks nay as burning brans And finally that their tongues were touched immediatly with the finger of God having wholly an other force then ours which are not touched therewith but at a distance and by he interposition of many judgements nay seeble and light CHAP. VII What men are most hardly saved Of the vulgar error which imports that the Pastors manners edifie asmuch as his doctrine AN antient father said of his time that in his opinion there were not many Churchmen or Pastors that were saved This may seeme strange But if we may say there