puto verisimile arbitramur till he came in with a scio And though I know not as much as Gregory this I may presume to know the place in Saint Paul wracked so often to confesse a purgatory may be applyable to it being a building of hay and stubble and have the charity to believe the foundation laid in Christ faith in him and love of him the ground-work though in the superstructure may be some light aery phantasms stubble and straw which in the day of tryall shall vanish yet he shall be saved so as by fire through or out of fire drosse vanishes but gold shall abide the fiery tryall in the day of the Lord. Sect. 27. Rogula fidei una omnino est sola illa immobilis irreformabilis according to Tertullian and if your Occham is to be credited nec tota Ecclesia nec concilium generale nec summus Pontâ—fex potest facere articuluÌ„qui non fuit articulus c. Therefore if any thing be fundamentall after the Church defines it must be fundamentall before for deductions are not prime and native principles nor superstructures foundations that which is a foundation to all cannot vary to different Christians in regard of it selfe for then it could not be a common rule to any nor could the souls of men acquiesce on a tottering foundation a trice foundation as common to all must be firm unto all in which sense the articles of Christian Faith are fundamentall and not what men please to define for as Irenaeus quum enim una eadem fides sit neque is qui multum de ipsà dicere potest plus quam oportet dicit nec qui parum ipsam minuit if every thing defin'd by the Church be fundamentall in the faith the Churches definition would be the church-Church-foundation and so by consequence the the Church could lay her own foundation and the Church have an absolute and perfect being before her foundation laid If the too preposterous zeal of the Roman Church since she grew to her in controlable greatnesse had not rashly determined those things to be matter of belief which for many centuries pass'd onely for pious opinions Christendom might have serv'd God in an holy fire of zeal and spirituall fervency which now sacrifices myriads of souls to Belial in the flames of contention what a sight is it to see writers committed together by the ears for trifling ceremonies and beggarly distinctions tanquam pro aris focis incens'd none are affrighted at their noises and loud brayings under Asses skins scioli and smatterers in Divinity onely busie in the skirts and outsides of learning and yet will admit no salvation but by a compliance with their vertiginous pates wise men should know as the body hath certain diseases that are with lesse evill tolerated then remov'd as to cure a Leprosie with the blood of a child so it is better a triviall error should dilate it self then children of the Church should perish while some error may be disseminated with lesse inconvenience then discover'd the use which wise men should make of other mens lapses is to avoid a precipice and the advantage pious men should make of these great flaws in Christianity is not to joyn with them that make them nor to help to dislocate these main bones in the body which disjoynted cannot be set Sect 28. The uncharitable dealings of Christians with Christians cannot induce me to bee uncharitable to any I must believe with St. Hierom Haeretici fiunt non quod Scripturas contemnunt sed quod non intelligunt it is ignorance and not the contempt is the cause of most if not all of our separations The Sheba's of separation all the Trumpeters of sedition may alarm the rabble that brainless horse to battel to trample down order and break the rankes discipline with a separate your selves from Idols curse you Meroz curse you bitterly What society hath light with darknesse Come out of Babylon my people with a hundred such places of Scripture rack'd and by an invention witty in cruelty tortur'd to confesse something may patronize their black designes wringing blood even out of the Gospell of peace Which have as little relation to Christian societies as a Lo here is Christ Lo there go not out after them rack'd so frequently to confesse them Antichrists who correspond not to the whimzies of every phanatique denoting such as Judas Theudas Arthronges and Barchosba Impostors who pretended to be Messiasses sent for the delivery of the Jews out of the hands of the Romans and if it was possible would deceive the Elect the Jewish Christians which are forewarn'd but as the Calvinists it is impossible for them to be deceived who are the Elect and as the Romanist who are in their Church the treasury of all truth cannot be deceived But if the Elect can scarce be saved what shall become of the ungodly if the Christian Jew who washed with Christs blood speaks better things then that of Abels what will become of them against whom it cries worse then that did against Cain while they themselves could cry Let it be upon us and ours if the Elect as the Papist the Catholick with all his indulgengencies masses rosaries and abstinences can scarce be saved what will become of those who are out of the Communicative line of Gods mercy his Ark City our holy Apostolick and Catholick Church If the Elect as Fiduciaries they that can believe they shall bee saved can scarce believe it so strongly but that an intervening scruple of an obstreperous Conscience may damn them what will become of a Papist who believes in a God of wood a God of bread who saies wee can have no assurance since by faith we are saved thus the stream of life is made the puddle of phanatick interpretations while all like the Tyrant who fitted wretches to his bed hack maim and mutilate or stretch and tenter the Scripture to adequate them to inhumane purposes and Heaven it selfe must admit no room beyond the capacities of their empty noddles Vain fuellers fit onely to feed the flames of contention out of whose embers are even rais'd combusti Sect. 29 Though Heaven gates be narrow I cannot believe them so strait as most sects would make them should I not believe one lie with the Fiduciary or many with the Pontifician not easily induc'd to believe heaven the purchase of fonder imaginations Charity would perswade me it is even a receptacle to those whose uncharitable opinions have mutually condemned and secluded each the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The practice of our lives not tongues must make us Christians wee must be rather so by entring into imitation of Celestiall virtues then curious inquiries May we flourish in verity which is the root in humility which is the flower and well doing which is the fruit of the tree of life Sect. 30. Those aëry mysteries which have unhinged so many Cardinall heads shall not extend my Pericranium
rent with his owne arguments shall he not dare to encounter you out of the slender scrip of his owne reason and with pebbles drawn from a brooke of clearer testimonies aime at your forehead that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pontificiall infallibility in the head of your Church and then amputate it by the two edg'd sword of verity and the whole host of delusion your Catholique body of error cui fumus pro fundamento shall evaporate yet by wrinkling and shrinking truth I shall not bring the Church in that narrow compasse to give private spirits leave to ruffle her or make her lesse Catholick or not infallible which could she be she might cease to be holy nor could I be perswaded that the pontificiall robes carried holiness to the Lord that Vrim and Thuminim perfection and light were relative to the Miter and the lips of that high Priest onely carried knowledge I could fly the bosom of the common mother but since from distemper'd parents we exuge poyson not nutriment you must give leave to decline those breasts which flow not with the sincere milk of the word and believe the body distemper'd and of a richetty constitution whose head so exceeds the proportion had infallibilitie a tie above the intention of a Priest in Collation of orders to the proof of which though I cannot expresse the exactnesse of pedantism in quotation yet I shall not be warp'd from that may expresse ingenuity and satisfie a pretender to it in a rural retirement having no book but one of an imperfect edition forc'd to read my self ubi multa desiderantur à desunt nonnulla but nothing that may inform of truth though I can make use onely of some confus'd notes for the engraphical part of memory yet in the agraphical part I shall not show so great a deficiency in the Mnenonâ—cal Art as may render truth suspected truth shal be my aim I may fly high rove yet never farre from the mark and perhaps escape the faâ—lts of most Polemicks who resemble a piece of Arras where there is much in representation and nothing in reality or Plutarchs heartlesse fish with a sword assimilating body want both vigor and acutenesse the discourses of umbraticall Doctors on all sides like bodies bred in the shade cannot endure the Sun or a shower in their more serious retirements affecting nothing beyond Domitians humour of catching of flies which I shall without torture inforce them to confesse Could you but dispossesse your self of prejudicacy truth is a garment that time can wear who pretend to grey-headed error rather dâ—scredit it then patronize it Lay aside those great names of Seraphick and Angelick Doctors look not on any Religion through the opticks of blear-ey'd prejudice as I am confident you make not yours squint to self-interest I have neither giv'n up my name to regall or papall supremacy neither protested covenanted or ingag'd to any faction hee who aims at truth by the Roman or any other bias wiâ—l never come nere the mark the fire of self-love as it is kindled by the breath of the Father of lies so it partaketh of the quality of his flames to be without light since it keepeth us in darknesse to our selves an imperception of the true dimensions of others This liking or disliking of others is but the spurious issue of philautie which undervalues al meets not in a compliance with the humour some natures as Seneca observes are so shady as they think every thing turbulent and stormy that is even in a meridian lâ—ght Some like to old rusticks are content to meet in the Church porch of tradition to talk of mundan a affairs which care not to enter into the Church to serve God in his Ordinances others resemble young Novices which creep into the Church by holes to angle and ring the bells backward neglecting the key of tradâ—tion others by curious inquiries are put into a wheeâ— and are circled so long betwixt proving the Scripture by tradition and tradition by Scripture till the Devill find a means to dispute them into infidelity and make them believe neither Most mens lips and pens open wide like to a monilesse purse nothing comes out of this and what is worth nothing out of them yet this nothing must be plac'd in competition with nothing lesse then salvation the tradition of the Church must be a satisfactory proof to believe by Divine faith if we may believe a Papist Scripture Gods word If wee ask why we must believe it is replied because the Church is infallibly govern'd by the holy Ghost if we inquire how they run to revelation guilty of enthusiasm which they object to others or if they offer to prove it by Scripture as most do it is an acknowledgement that the Scripture is of higher proof then the Churches tradition thus these impertinents touch neâ—ther Heaven nor Earth in their discourses they open an entry into a room but shut it presently Some elate tradition above Divinity the principles of any conclusion must be of more credâ—â— then the conclusion it self the Articles of Faith the Trinity Resurrection and Communion if the conclusions by which they are proveable is Ecclesiastical tradâ—tion it must follow that the Churches tradition is of more credit when the Faith of the Articles must be finally resolv'd into the veracity of the Churches testimony Others depresse tradition even below humanity are so far from equalizing it with rational dâ—scourses as they prefer the dreams of phanaticks before the Churches tradition without which a rayling Song thrust upon an evil air is not worse musick then the confused notes which some intitle the harmony of Scriptures and if they know Gods Law by heart they have no heart to his Law and after all these pretences of Knowledge and illumination like to the Egyptian sages can produce nothing but frogs and blood Nor doe the Exotique Seminaries furnish us better then the weeds which the ranknesse of our own soil hath cast up Apostolicall pruging-hookes are exchang'd for Sanguinary instruments involving the world in blood and staining their own lives at theâ—r deaths leaving nothing behind but a memorial of some hideous impietie while with styles solemnly religious and even Seraphical devotions we find more principl'd in Caesar Borgia and Nicholas the Florentine then Elemented in Religion not erecting a Spiritual Kingdome for Christ but a temporal for the Pope which he honest good man solemnly vows and protests against for all the Bishops of Rome at their Creation make a solemn vow and confess to observe inviolably all Ordinances made in the first eight generall Councells in which is provided that all Causes be determined by the Bishop of the same Province where they are begun This might check the exorbitancy of the Roman See and confine Tibur within her own limits if sober men having neither the inebriations of passion or self-interest might be judges Neither might that impertinent question of triflers
grease of maintenance onely creak make a noise and disquiet the world Sect. 2. Most Polemicks while they have too rashly charg'd the body of error have made themselves her Captives and lent Antagonists Trophies of their rashnesse Though truth is a strong fort inconsideration may become a traytor and expose it to the mercy of an enemy Most men are so drunk with dispute and inebriated by their passions that they cast at Antagonists heads all they can lay hold on not fearing a rebound or what weapons they administer to their own ruine show the weakness of their adversaries with so much of their own that they lend opportunities to error they permit the wild bore in their Vineyards would keep out the Foxes and open a gap for the Foxes would expell the Wild bore they whose malice nam'd the Bishop of Rome Antichrist their weaknesse opened a door to the Brownist to bring in their own orders as rivolets from that See into the premunire of Antichristian While Rome would prevent dissentious they are forc'd to dissent from themselves admit that overgrown monster tyrannons infallibility like the Wild Bore of the Forrest to lay wast Gods Vineyard grown cruelly subtle by age and confidence in his tuskes gores all that stand in opposition â—oming with maliâ—e ambition and Avarice and wallowing in impurities they who dissent from these have not learn'd to agree with themselves each one hath his distinct Idol different Concubine various glosse on which their phancies set produces a brood of sects While they adulterate the Scripture and seem to approve that which they so much decry while they wed themselves to the Idols of their own phancy become the greatest Idolaters or confirm Copernicism with their whimzies the Earths motion by a continuity of giddinesse Sect. 3. With the Lyrck Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri me quocunque rapit tempestas deferor Neither shall I put gall in the ink I write of Religion because others sowre their language If I open sores the launching shall be onely to let out their corruption or take away the proud flesh that keeps the wounds of the Church from healing And though I may confess with S. Bernard Non sit major superbia quam ut unus homo toti congregattoni judicium suum praeferat tanquam ipse solus spiritum Dei habeat yet 't is a different thing for a man modestly in some points dis-satisfied to propose quaeres not to a Congregation onely but the Catholick Church and a sober man may without trenching on irreligion or the least touch of madness or insolency dispute a matter of Religion with the Roman or Church or Prelate as Irenaeus with Victor modesty accompanying and a desire to fist out truth free from vanity and purpos'd opposition even against a particular Church though to dispute an â— Article of Faith what the Catholick Church hath alwayes believ'd is what S. Austine calls insolent madness But in other things Consent of Nations Authority confirm'd by Miracles and Antiquity of S. Peters chair and succession from it motives to keep in the Catholick Church must not hold against demonstration of truth quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur ut in in dubium venire non possit proponenda est omnibus illis quibus in Catholicâ teneor ita si ali quid apertissimum Evangelioâ— they have opened the gates and made the way that went before us non Domini nostri sed duces fuere truth lies open to all it is no mans severall patet omnibus veritas nondum est occupata multum exilia etiam futur is relicta dissentire licet sed cum ratione non mihi credendum sed veritati Sect. 4. Though I cannot look upon the Pope with that dreadfull apparition which some affrighted with the horror of their own imaginations who character him by a Virgils Polyphemus monstrum horrendum informe ingens cuilumen ademptum Or some sad and distorted phancies flutering betwixt the twilight of ignorance and self-conceit bandy against the name with prejudice as it nothing could result from thence might not taint the odour of virtue and innocence yet could I but believe infallibility to bee the Prerogative of the the pontificial chair I might believe with the Schoolmen sin a non-entity that Pontificial impurities passing for nothing the chair might be secur'd from rasher imputations St. Irenaeus might not accuse a Victor S. Cyprian a Stephen S. Athanasius a Pope Liberius for Arrianism all that pretend to goodnesse Heresie in an Anastatius Honorius John 22. Necromancy in a Silvester Magick in a third Paul a John the 8th 12 13 14 15 16 17. as if the name which implies gratious could import a concatenation of mischiefe they being link'd together in with the 7th Boniface for the most part entring like Foxes living like Lyons and dying like Dogs non montes parturient ridiculum murem sed secundum ridiculum morem in the eight John and Benedâ—ct the 9th supposed to appeare in the shape of a Monster after death because in all his life hee appeared not lesse then a Monsteâ— in all his Actions a 6th Vrban could drown five Candinalls for revenge andas if this had been too little let loose a deluge of impiety the 5. Cardinal virtues suffering for name sake But these are modest vey'd with witchcrafts incests cruelties of a sixth Alexander Idolatrous sacrifices in a Marcelln Diabolicall applications in a Celestine inhumations and such ridiculous peeces of cruelties in others that even Paganism is charitable and Mahometism it self comparatively virtuous Should I omit a 10th Leo's that Father of Christendom in long Coats who before the times others do arrive at age had attain'd to be Father of all the Aged a Pope at twenty quantum peperit nobishaec fabula Christi and after a dispure de animâ redit in nihilum quod fuâ—t ante nihil but I would sally no further shrowds best befiit the dead and by a candid retrogradation to draw a white veil of innocence over those who should have been nursing Fathers to the Church yet let mee tell you Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how assents he to Christ in his words who dissents from him in his works Three blazing Comets conspicuous in the Roman Horizon at the same time it would be strange if they should produce no alteration in the Ecclesiastick body three Popes cohabiting at Rome three in diverse Countries a schism for forty years Popes at the French and German devotion Ambition and Corruption to the attaining the Papall dignity as Platina being more prevalent then a Christian life it would be a miracle above any Legends pretend to that Contrariety should râ—concile mutuall Contradictions render infallible while the Church musick must bee onely set out of such discord Antipopes not onely in competition for but opposition to the pontificial dignity of the Popes infallibility see your own
God grant I may for futurity learn to doe something rather then hear others talk about nothing which if they bring not into the premunire with the fool in the Psalmist who said in his heart there was no God yet I have said in my heart with the Psalmist all men are lyars and every one deceiveth his neighbour I must believe as in Epiphanius time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pietie or impiety must onely distinguish Orthodox or Pseudodox we glory and are inflated with the names of Churches while we lose the power of godlinesse soul of Religion and prerogative of Christians Christs Legacy Charity Sect 31. Faith may lay a Foundation but wee may hope in vain for that building which is made without hands if charity here laies not her hand to make a superstruction those Babel-builders who think to reach Heaven by another way produce nothing but confusion of languages impenitent confidence will shipwrack in an Ocean of infirmity when penitent despair which expected to bee ingulph'd into an Abysse of miseries wasted with gales of sighes and Seas of tears may arrive at a Port of everlasting security the Scripture saies Heaven is taken by violence but 't is a strange phancy the world takes up that it may be taken with impudence fronti nulla â—ides may admit a double sence though a Judas may veil impiety with kisses yet if a timely repentance prevents not he may break in two and discover his black soul naked I cannot believe that Faith justifies works justifie or both yet we are justified by faith by works by both the conditions not causes of our justification and the conditions not perform'd it is impossible without this righteousnesse to see God I will not say Christ cannot save though the Scripture saies Christ could do no miracles in his own Country not because hee was less potent but they were more incapable where impenitence keeps the door mercy cannot enter it is not materiall whose Communion they boast of or disclaim who have fellowship with the unfruitfâ—ll works of darknesse since Idolaters drunkards liers Adulterers no dogs and unclean person shall enter into the City of God or be partaker of the benefits of his holy Church Sect 33. Of all graces the Apostle makes the greatest of charity and the world least of that charity which antidates Christs presence here in his members and outdates the other graces in futurity when faith and hope shall bee swallowed up in an abysse of ravishing realties that which was but a Lamp here will be then a star inlightned by the Sun of righteousnesse a Lamp here with the oyl of faith and light of good works converting sinners from the darker waies of iniquity shall shine like the stars in glory hereafter and not such who compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte and make him worse then themselves who tith mint and annise boggle at trifling formalities and forget the greater mysteries of salvation Sect 34. Self-interest opens the floodgates of dissention to drown the humble vallies of peace men esteem opinions because their own all adore the Chimaera's of their own private brains call light darknesse and darknesse light presume they have the most glorious stars for their Conductors when they are onely ignes fatui which misguide to a precipice of flames Gods fire gave light and burned Hells fire burns without light who leave the light of truth heat of charity to live in flames of contention deserve that fire without light even the best Apostles dissented knowledge nor piety can amputate all differences but wisdom and charity must prevent their prejudices Sect 35. Not every light and aery error in disputable Doctrine and points of curious speculation can be a just cause of separation in that admirable body of Christ his Church or of one member from another He gave his naturall body to be torn on the crosse that his mysticall should be one and as Saint Austin he is no partaker of divine charitie that is enemy to this unity All these divisions are disguises of charity and vizards of factions a pageantry of pompous folly or preposterously inflated knowledgâ— and though they mask in the names of Papists Protestants Reformists sub-Reformists Aâ—omist Familist Brownist c. the Church of God can have no musick to set out such discords My name is Christian and my sirname is Catholick by the one I am known from Infidells by the other from hereticks and schismatickâ— the name of Catholick congregates what is homogeneous and dissipates what is heterogeneous both in the Court of heaven and in the Court of the Church He cannot put on the garments of Christ who rends and divides his Church Catholick is every where the same that which is trusted to thee not thatâ— which invented by thee which thou hast received not imagined a matter not of wit but doctrine in which thou art not to be Author but a retainer not to lead but follow that which the whole Church holds not instituted by Councells but retained is rightly believ'd Apostolicall tradition such as the Creed Sacraments c. The antient consent of holy Fathers is not in all questions of Divine Law but onely in the rule of Faith by us with exact study to be sifted out and followed there are some things in which the best defenders of the rule Salva fidei compage agree not but one thinks better and truer then another Every error denies not Christ the foundation or makes Christ deny it and thrust it from the foundation not every error in those things which are of faith is either infidelity or heresie if men differ it is no more then they have done ever pious men even in differences may preserve charity intire â—concord which is the effect of charity est unâ—o voluntatum non opinionum Some Churches build after the Italian fashion with a flat top others with wide windowes to let in the air and catch the applause of the world some build Babel-like and will have their head reach Heaven and if their confusion of languages impeded not might be near allyed others of the Synagogue fashion will admit nothing but round and limit Heaven in their narrow conventicles it could bee wish'd that all would bee what the Apostle exhores of one mind but it is not to be hoped whâ—ile the Church is triumphant over humane fragilities which here hang thick and close about her the want of peace and unity even where Religion is pretended proceeds from men and humours rather then things and errors to be found in them Episcopacy squares with Monarchy Presbyterie with Aristocracy independency with Democracy men made Religion lackey to self-interest and State policy the great Turk walking in his Garden with a Bashaw who wonder'd hee would suffer the Christians distracted in Sects to orespread his Empire asked how he liked his Garden answering it was admirable for the variety reply'd
defisting from fruitlesse and hellfuelling clamors may we all with the good Polycarpus day and night with a still voice like the breathing of Gods Spirit humbly invoke Gods mercy for the peace of all Churches spread over the face of the universe And in our sehismes neminem judicantes aut a jure communionis si diversum senser it amoventes entertaining the charity of holy S. Cyprian nor judging nor excommunicating our brethren because they will not permit their reason to be overweigh'd perhaps with some unnecessary scruples in the fallacious ballances of lighter imaginations calling our Brother Racha witlesse or vain for dissenting and thou fool belch'd out so often in virulency may endanger judgment and hell In vain we may repair to the Altar use outward forms and ceremonies and neglect love which is the perfection of the Law Sect. 39. Christs spouse is an Army with Banners as order to an Army so is discipline to a Church Though Troops do not move according to the discipline of Warre it is not lesse an Army Confusion may prejudice the successe it cannot the name Though discipline is as an hedge to a Vinyard or resembles the wall to a City or proportion to a body yet a Vinyard is not lesse a Vinyard for the defect of an hedge nor the wall makes a City or some misproportion or dislocation of parts bring the body under the notion of incorporeall I shall not cavill at what we want to the complement of my desires but praise God for what we have that may conduce to his glory Sect. 40 I love to see Lent the spring-time of sanctified resolutions and times houre-glasse fil'd with the dust of mortified concupiscence flow in lectures of mortality and repentance while every good Christian verifies what 's feigned of the Phoenix in a bed of spices in odours of devotion kindled by the declining beams of the true Sun of Righteousnesse can quicken out of ashes an acceptable sacrifice to the Father of all lights Yet if my absteining from flesh will raise an evill spirit in my brother I will abstain even from that abstinence may starve his soule and not neglect that devotion which may feed my own Sect. 41. Church musick would elevate my devotion and make my ravish'd soul in an extasie treat with the God of harmony and in my opinion Religion like a modest Matron may make use of those ornaments which vice misuses and their zeal is strangely out of tune this can distemper which if the stories of Hippocrates Terpander and Timotheus are to be credited in the extremities of phranticks could once do miracles but if that musick which can appease an evill spirit in a Saul can raise it in another we must be content without the Kingly Prophets Harp Lute and Organ relinquish that musick which can unâ—une a Brother and think no harmony good enterlac'd with such dilcords as the ill disposing of him for whom Christ dyed Sect. 42. I have no prejudice by Surplice Cope Hood all the Priests garment may be enterwoven with holinesse to the Lord putting on of these may consist with the putting on of the new man and the Breast-plate of righteousnesse externall glory with internall holinesse A Surplice to me can emblematize innocence and the keeping the supervesture of my flesh unspotted that cloathed with virgin purity here I may keep those virgins company which in long white robes of innocence follow the Lamb. Yet I think of these ceremonies as Augustus of the Roman Senator's Glasses who condemned a slave to his fish-ponds for breaking one of them whom Cesar rescued and broke the rest saying They are fine things yet not worth a man Yet I have observed none are so ready to take offence as they who are most proclive to give it imperious petulant and envious sciolists and to fear to offend them is not to have respect to the weak in faith but strong in passions Sect. 43. At the glories of the Church I am apt with Bonaventure astonish'd at the sight of the French Queen to cry out If an earthly Queen be so glorious how glorious is the Queen of heaven Or with the Father at Rome If an earthly Cities glories be such how great are the glories of the celestiall Jerusalem The splendor of these instructing my thoughts to think of him who is inter'd into the holy of holies and could not easily believe him to be of any Religion who could spoyl the glory of houses consecrated to Gods service to inrich his own and could wish they who seem so much to abhor Idols would not commit sacriledge and fear that Eagle-like snatching coales from the Altar they will fire their own nests Yet golden Priests with wooden Chalices are to be preferr'd before wooden Priests with golden All who cannot have the convenience of outward Ordinances may they have regard to inward holynesse adorn themselves with graces fitting the Temples of the Holy Ghost from the Altars of their hearts send up the Incense of their Prayers to him that dwells in a house not made with hands And we who agree not about a Terrestriall meeting may meet in a Celestiall while all worship him whose dwelling is in the heavens And yet where two or three meet together in his name he will not fail who cannot fail of his promise to be with them on earth Yet I could wish that those who even appear before men with fear and trembling would not appear before their Maker like mountains nor any would rush into Churches like to swine into a sty there gruntle and make a noise and run out again to wallow in a puddle of impurities nor any like idle boyes when they should be learning a lesson in Christs school get books they understand not and look on gayes make devotion by pictures The people on both sides may be bells of good mettall but are so miserably rung out of tune that they give notice of nothing but combustion some oreburden Gods service and others leave it naked as if because one man had swelter'd himselfe to death by too many cloths another was priviledged to starve himself to death with nakedness God of his mercy grant the rabble may no more ring changes but all chime in to his worship Sect. 44. I know Episcopacy the primitive pattern even the Antagonists by contradicting affirme it what by their own concessions dilated it selfe over the universall face of Religion envy not mussitating or calumny daring to detract in the beginning or about the middle of the second centurie must necessarily imply it then no innovation without we will imagine all the world sopite in error and those holyer flames of zeal which could transport the Martyrs with fervent desires of being carried in fiery chariots of persecuting adversaries to Heaven and administer no light to guide them upon Earth and truth had wanted Champions if some like the Fox who had lost his tail should not have perswaded beasts to a
Church within her head in Laud too crabbed a piece to be ever brought to square with the Romish building Sect. 46. Preaching brought Religion in and hath carried it out of the world some think all Religion in the ears and none in the hands to see Christ in the flesh Jerusalem in her glory and an Augustine in a Pulpet was esteem'd a wish of a pious transcâ—ndency may we feel Christ in the spirit see Jerusalem the holy City of his Church in her glory whose walls are of precious stones piety chastity meeknesse and temperancy c. adorn'd with all the glories of Celestiall virtues and I could be content without satisfying the itch of my ear though with a Saint Austine A Boniface could be a traytor to his Prince a coal of Hell an incendiary of mischief by blowing the flames of contention and raising a combustion in his Country yet neither the beams of light effluxions of piety streaming from this great luminary nor the living water issuing from this great Fountain in Gods Church could quench the flames of ambition or kindle zeal in his so passâ—onate an Auditor A master would think that servant distracted who would desire to hear his will often and alwaies do his own yet such is the madnesse of the world if they hear an Embassador from Heaven patiently though they list themselves to serve the world flesh and devill they oblige God and unserviceable to these Heaven must entertain them when perhaps instead of a Celestiall Embassador they have onely heard schisms trumpeter Sect. 47. Yet such an Orator as a Saint Austin or Saint Chrysostome migh represent vice so formidable that frighted at the horror of her own shape the Camelion vanity which changes into all shapes but white may renounce all for the Candor of innocene the lust-scorch'd Amorist may feel an Icy chilnesse steal through all the veins a Magdalens legion may depart with all Hell flames though shee keep her passion may change her object and Heaven have a Temple where Hell had a brothel the wind and Waves may still obey Christs voice while ebullitions of rage and storms of passions hearing Gods word in his Ministers are calm'd into obedience Avarice may scatter her Idol-Gold to entertain the Image of her Saviour Cast her bread upon the waters not that they may return but bring him who is the bread and water of life Good resolutions might be thus confirm'd vice eradicated devotion elevated and zeal infus'd by the ear may give it a durable consistence in the Soul make it so enamor'd with the Manna of Gods word that it might not languish after the flesh-pots of Aegypt and carnall concupiscences This was the custome of the Jewish Church in the Christian intimated by a word of exhortation in the Acts to meeknesse continence and all the virtues which bracelet-like must adorn Christianity which the defects of the Auditory the times or propriety of Text suggested and not to raise doctrinall points according to the whimzies of every Cockbrain Sciolist who 's seven year at an Academy hath like Pharoahs dream produc'd nothing but seven years famine or having sented Doway St. Thomas or some Romish fair where having purchas'd a few trinkets and a little gibrish may by order tuâ—â— Hocus Pocus juggle or make a Puppit-show in Religion introducing superfluous definitions which fewell contention excite rebellions hatred animosities calumnies contempt of superiors disseminating error and infusing prejudice tantum religio potuit suadereâ— Preachers like winds have influence on the people compar'd to waters May none think salviâ—icall preaching consists in state-invectives but in teaching their auditors decline the Islands of sin and thrust into the fair havens of grace and glory Sect. 49. Prayer is that sacred negotiation man hath with God the art of imparadising our souls the Iacobs Ladder by which we may bring down Angells and wrestle till they blesse us We may hear God speak in a Preacher we speak to him in our Prayers It cannot be obedience to hear our Masters command but do his will Thus with Enoch we may walk in Paradise and if we cast aside the mantle of mundan employments with Elias mount up in a fiery chariot to heaven Gods house should be called a house of prayer but most make it a den of theeves Not taking heaven by violence in prayer but offer violence on earth Gods word is rob'd of its efficacy and the Priests by that advantage turn'd mony-changers and expose Doves to sale Gods innocent children in the Temple as if these Doves could not mount up towards heaven unlesse they were sealed they are blinded in an unknown tongue or intitle Gods spirit to blasphemy or battologie or ready to offer the sacrifice of fooles or make fooles a sacrifice Sect. 50. I have no prejudice to publick Liturgy because the name may import sacrifice and Nature have some affinities with the Letanies in Masse I could wish they might not challenge a greater affinity by an ite missa est a period and the Roman by an ite missá est ignorantiae pars might challenge a greater affinity to what was ours while Physicians have their Catholicons Panchymagogy and Panaces Souldiers their Magazines and Panoplies that spirituall Physicians should be unprovided and Christs souldiers unarmed to resist the wounds of sin or wounded want balm in Gilead Could it be inconsistent with faith it could not with reason this might cement the body of the Church preserve the communion of Saints obstruct vanity by sealing up the fountains of impurities taking away the leisure which may administer occasions to sin But if we cannot all agree in uniformity in Gods service yet God grant we may introduce no deformity into his worship but agree all with one minde to serve him none make long prayers to devour Widdowes houses or Gods house a Widow while with zeal unlike Davids the zeal of Gods houses â—ats them not up but their zeal eats up Gods houses Sect. 51. I shall not deny a confession may be sometimes necessary to man as well as God If some sores have fester'd by rash exposures others have wrankled by unhappy concealments There may be good Samaritans who when we fall among theeves sins which rob us of Gods mercies may comfort us with the wine of Gods Word and powre the oyle of his Holy Spirit into our wounds which they cannot if they be not opened But these traders in indulgencies and picklocks of state instead of curing us of our wounds have rob'd us of our clothes the garment of Christs righteousnesse by teaching us relinquish our own and then have expos'd our nakednesse to the cold air of an uncharitable world Though we have Priests that passe by carelesly Levites which only shake their heads may we rely on that good Samaritan who when we had fallen among theeves powred the oyle of his precious blood into our wounds and left us two pence his two Testaments for our security in the Inne of this
world Sect. 52. I cannot be so much an Iconomachist as to think all image making Idolatry it 's eminently true of graven and molten which after the câ—remonies of consecration was by the Gentiles conceived bodies of inspir'd Deities Pictures by Gods own appointment lawfull as the cherubims or if unlawfull to the Jewes the commandment is as little relative to Christians as the Sabbath as little understood as the taking Gods name in vain meant by forswearing Yet he who keeps the seventh day to praise God for the Creation as the first in memoriall of the Redemption or he who is so farre from using Gods name in vain by forswearing it as he will not misuse it in vain conversation or hates so much an Idol as his eyes will not treat with a picture I honour him for his zeal I wish I could as well commend him for his charity and not misapprove him for his ignorance We should not offend weak ones yet some are so weak that all things offend them madder then he who perswaded himselfe he was made of butter the sunshine of the Gospell terrifies them and the least scintillation of charity seems dangerous Others have the weaknesse of children whom nothing but rattles and pictures will please take away these they grow querulous baul and disquiet the whole houshold of faith Sect. 53. The braâ—en Serpent the emblem of our Saviour curing the stingâ— of the fiery Serpents our sins while we wander in this wildernesse of error may be erected But if the old Serpent creeps into the body and tempts to Idolatry a Monk like an Idols Priest can give responses from a rood and make it move by a wire to induce a puppet-play in religion a prestò be gone befits both the Jugler and his Hocus had not foure Councels condemned them and a jury of Fathers Basils and Eusâ—bius testimonies on their side mistook Athanasius Chrysostoms and Damasus suffrages for them suspected therefore with Saint Hierom nos unam tantum veneramur imaginem Jesum nempe Christum qui est imago patris Though Basil saies the honour due to the abstract is due to the pattern if any one can show such an image of Christ as Christ is of the Father we will worship else we may believe with the Father Errare omnino meruerunt qui Christum non in divinis codicibus sed in parietibus quaerunt Or as Irenaeus saith where Pastors became dumb there Images became their Pastors These books of the unlearned though made use of by Paulinus Bishop of Nola since wooden Priests leave the rabble as unlearned as their books it is better the images of Christ be defac'd in Churches then the image of Christ should be defac'd in the people which should be the Temples of the holy Spirit But if any be lawfull sure the picture of the Father cannot being a piece of intollerable folly which in our fecunditie of sects may tempt a weak brother to reimbibe the humour of an Anthropomorphite God who loves decency in his spouse is so jealous of his honour in her that he cannot approve that fucated face of Religion which may shame honesty out of countenance This Italian wash and Spanish die disfigures the face of Religion whose grace is simplicitie What Caesar of his wife can we believe Christ should expect lesse of his spouse to be free not only from crime but even suspicion Sect. 54. Superstition which makes such a noise the worshiping of Daemons or Superstitum Cultus the worship of the survivor to dead mens souls as little as Idolatory an Image inspir'd by a Devill hath relation to Christians the part of that commandment which forbids adoration bowing down or corporall worship to an Idol seems to intimate a tribute due to God the worshipping God in spirit and truth plac'd in opposition only to that in the Mountain and Jerusalem impugns not this who redeem'd both body and spirit expects reverence from both Our spirits not lesse such by corporeall allegation even corporall worship is in spirit and in truth Henry Burtons Jesu-worship Idolatry prov'd the ridiculous non-conformist an Idolater who could Idolize his own fancy Most of our Polemick Divines more Andabâ—tarum pugnant their valour proceeds from their ignorance hacking and hewing fellowes which play prizes with the two eâ—g'd sword of Scripture and care not how they maim and mutilate Christian communion rather then not retain the aery name of Masters in the science of defence Yet the decryers of Idolatry are the greatest Idolaters covetous persons who would be gilded o're with promotion and made worshipfull like petty theeves they care not what hedges they break so they may warm their own fingers take away the fences of the Church to fence their own broken fortunes Ceremonies are the hedge that fences the substance of Relgion from the indignities which prophanes and sacriledge too frequently put on it While the divines of England have preached down ceremonies they have pulled up the hedge and not only let in Foxes into their Vinyards but opened a gap for the sheep to wander out of pasture of the Church and become a prey to Romish wolves seducing thâ—m in sheeps cloathing It is true that interâ—all worship of the heart is the greatest service of God but externall worship of God in his service is the great witnesse to the world that our hearts stands right in the service of God take away this and what light is there left to shine before men that they may see our Devotion like a day-spring from above or a starre guiding wise men to Jesus and glorifie our Father which is in heaven The Kingdome of heaven his Church without civill order and comlinesse religious exercises will be disorderly and confused like the first Chaos God made in the beginning void and without form and whose face darknesse covered Sect. 55. That Romanists deny Christs humanity by transubstantiation make irrite his death by merits and satisfaction Credat Judaeus Apella non ego Christian charity will lend me no such deductions A Chrysostom Theodoret Isychâ—us Eucheâ—â—us and some Primitive Fathers with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transfiguratioÌ„ conversion mutation translation transelementation transition if not a transubstantiation generally believed a mysterie a matter of faith not sense to be believ'd not grosly phancy'd if they have lent soÌ„e an occasion of error shall administer to me an occasioâ— Charity though both within and without the pale of the Church it may afford opportunity to scandall not to be redeemed by a fictitious miracle of an Hoasts conversion into flesh when Christs body is no longer present then the form of bread remains how is Christs body in the miracle when the Species being gone it is no longer a Sacrament I love not such acute disputing about Christs body as the killing of 1000. in a battell and at Beziers 60000. how can we not dread Christs appearance who singe his Livery
if it be confirmed by the Pope it cannot be confirm'd till finish'd if finish'd it hath err'd or not err'd if err'd the Pope ought not to confirm falshood if not err'd it was truth before he confirm'd it and at best his assent is but signum pro causa or a Councell must be either infallible by the means or the prophetick part the conclusion the means humane learning fallible meanes may have fallible effects or if by the conclusion the spirit makes no use of meanes they must either make means uselesse or open a gap for Enthusiasts to ruffle the Church Where two or three are conven'd Christ is in the midst of them to concede what he shall think fit for them not they fit for themselves a generall Councell may bee supposed not to erre led by the spirit of truth in Scripture and not presuming to lead both spirit and Scripture no Father having to deal with Hereticks intitled Councels infallible The letters of Bishops according to Saint Austine may bee disputed by more learn'd Bishops nationall Councells by plenary and even plenary may be amended the former by the later that onely which is found in Scripture may be neither doubted nor disputed The comforter shall abide with them and lead them into all truth viz. the Holy Ghost that lead the Catholick Church not into all curious truths in or about the faith but all truth necessary to salvation in which the Catholike Church can't erre for if it could erre it could not bee holy Sect. 67. Now let us peruse a little of the Elixir of the Fathers which some Pontificians sure rightly understood would turn al into Catholike Gold in which we may believe them but never that it is able to convert one intelligent man to be a Papist Illa Ecclesia quae fuit omnium gentium jam non est periit apostavit hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt O impudentem vocem illa non est quia tu in illa non es vide ne tu ideo non sis nam illa erit etiamsi tu non sis O vocem abominabilem detestabilem c. hanc praevidit spiritus Dei ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad Consuminationem seculi Sed forte ista civitas quae mundum tenuit universum aliquando evertetur absit Deus enim fundavit in aeternum si Deus fundavit in aeternum quid times ne cadat Portae inferorum non praevalebunt contra eam quod si non credâ—s verbo ipsis operibus crede Multo facilâ—us mâ—hi persuaderem Christo non esse credendum quam de illo quidquam nisi ab his per quos credidissem esse credendum Deus posuâ—t in sole tabernaculum suum qui contra Lucernam in candelabro positam oculos claudunt quid amplius dicturus sum quam caecos esse Quomodo impurâ—ssâ—me Diabole Ecclesiam te posse putas deâ—jcere adulterari non potestâ— sponsa Christi incorrupta est Pudica est domum unam novit unius cubiculi Sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Hoc Ecclesiae proprium est ut tum vincat cum laeditur tum intelligatur cum arguitur tum obtineat cum de seritur Haec ergo navis Ecclesia est quae si quotidie saeculum istud tanquam aliquod pelagus fortiter infestum nunquam elidâ—tur ad saxum nunquam mergitur ad profundum super petram fundata Ecclesia nullâ tempestate Concutitur nullo turbine ventisque subruitur Quorsum haec what a flood of Fathers is here without a drop of reason who ever deny'd God would have a Church spread ore the face of the Earth yet this implies that the Roman is only Catholick a Monopoly of heaven and mercy by usurpation of the name or because the Rivers of life shall not cease while time flowes to stream in the Citty of God his holy Catholick Church they lose their current if they stream not in the channells of Romish phancies Who would not with Saint Austin rather believe nothing of Christ then the Gospell of Peter Bartholomew Nicodemus the Acts of Paul and Tecla c. ridiculous figments of giddy heresie where the Devill in an Angell of lights shape would have brought darknesse in fashion this implies not sure we must not believe the true Gospell without it is maâ—gin'd with Pontifician notes and fenc'd with profit-angling baits of phanatick interpreters Gods Tabernacle is in the Sun and he hath a Church like the Sun shining with light and eminent in vertues who see not this light in a candlestick or so great a mountain as Gods Church Christianity more eminent then all other Religions with the Father I could call them no lesse then blind I should think them hallucinate could not see through the disfigurements of truth and veils of ceremonies a face of Religion in the Romish Church but desperately blind could see no other and after he had received the phantasticall garb would shut his eyes and think it immodesty to view poor truth naked I may believe with Saint Cyprian the Devill cann't deject the spouse who leaves not Christs bed to lie with Adonis or exchanges Christianity for Paganism the joyes of his Spirit for the salt waters of Mundan complacencies or the pure streamâ— of life for polluted puddles of phanatick interpretations I can assent to Saint Hilary Persecution is the Churches seed to Saint Ambrose the Church is a Ship secure in storms to Saint Hierom a Rock which windes nor waves move Yet believe these sayings have no other relation to the Roman Church then the Roman hath relation to the Catholick Church by being part of the whole body of Christianity of which Christ is the head Sect. 68. Papists while they bring in the Fathers in vizards may terrifie some weak ones but the vizards once pluckt off from the faces of the Fathers the children whom they have afrighted dare play with them and wise men conclude the cause not honest which needs a disguise since the confines of truth is to be naked Ignatius called the Roman Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most chast and Metropolis of the Region of the Romans and wishes those things may be firm which they teach May the Roman Church be firme to what it then taught and then may all firmly believe what she teaches and though not in a power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Ignatius was ignorant of but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he mentions be President Polycarp communicated with the Roman Church though disagreed about Easter was content to passe over rather a trifling formality then renounce his charity who instructs us nothing of their Roman power may instruct us in the power of Godlinesse not to relinquish Christian communion for triviall observances Irenaeus praises the Roman faith succeeding with Episcopacy yet oppugns Victor sure he dream'd not of Pontificiall infallibility Saint Cyprian saies the Romans are such to whom
perfidia cannot have successe which scarce will imply error in faith or misbeliefe but malitious falsitie in matter of trust and action such as Faelicissimus and his complices hasted to Rome with against Saint Cyprian Saint Hieroms orbis Major urbe may dismisse him and his zeal to Presbyterie confirm no friend to Papal glory For Saint Austin he is quoted to call himselfe rash detestable and strangely imprudent in a Councell to resist them with whom Christ could only be to the consummation of the age Saint Cyprian in a schism is pack'd to hell se judice macula istanec sanguine abluitur nec pasâ—ione purgatur inexpâ—abilis culpa non erit fidei corona sed perfidiae poena He oppos'd Pope Stephen and Saint Austin and he being both of the African Church dyed excommunicate from the Roman and if a Saint Greoories prayers brought them not from hell with Trajan to bear him company we may misdoubt a bene esse to those Romanists invoke as Grandees in the Court of heaven if extra Ecclesia parietes Romanae non sit salus But God be praised a Saint Hierom comes to their rescue with a non altera Romanae urbâ—s Ecclesia alteratotius orbis aestimanda est Gallia Bithynia c. unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis si authoritas quaeritur orbis major est urbe ubicunque fuerit Episcopus sive Regio ejusdem meriti est ejusdem sacerdotii potentiae divitiarum potestatis gradus paupertatis humâ—litas sublimiorem vel inferiorem Episcopum non faciunt omnes Apostolorum successores sunt Sect. 69. If the Roman Church be a branch she cannot be the Root though an elder sister she can be but a co-heir we need not cry out with Esau Hast thou but one blesâ—â—ng O my father Nor is it the essence of the Church nor the representative part in a synod but the vertuall power in the Pope and his Cardinalls which are the Elixir by whose vertue the name of Catholick is derivative To be blanch'd with Innocence or gul'd with Martyrdome to carry the Enfigns of the Lamb are nothing worth without the crosse keyes of Saint Peter the Purple of Christ invaluable should we deny the Cardinals scarlet Robe Who mock'd Christ more then the Jewes who cloth'd him in it with a hail King while the exorbitancy of their power takes away his plants Thorns in Christianity and buffets him in his members who by uncharitable censures have not only separated Protestants from their communion but Russian African Asiatick Graecian Churches where some praise God in the flames while these lasciviating in the sunshine of Gods mercies have kick'd against Divinity and retiring into the shade bellowing like mad beasts have preferred forms and shadowes before the light and glory of Religion yet if we will believe what their Bulls roar ten times their number is damned for not being Catholicks for sooth since every Christian under pain of damnation must be subject to the Roman Bishop Who taught us Our Father which art in heaven forbids us an inclosure and he who intends a Monopoly will leave out Christ with his brother The name of Catholick in the Creed plac'd in opposition to the Jewish inclosure of mercy it will be strange if universall should now turn particular and by not retaining the phancy of a particular Church a man could not be of the universall and yet every Church hath a particular phancy and it is probable all generally phancy by an audi Ecclesiam and in the Commission dic Ecclesiae what Christ never intended If thy brother trespasse against thee tell the Church viz. a company of Christians and if he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or a publican cite him before the Gentiles tribunall as thou wouldst an heathen or a publican It is true there is but one true Faith one true Church but both Faith and Church is the Catholâ—ck Christian not the particular Roman and this Catholick Christian Church he who will not both hear and obey the particular Church where he lives so far as it dissents not with the universall in my opinion is worse then pagan or publican Sect. 70. The Catholick Church is Gods house all Nationall Churches are in this universall house as so many daughters to whom as Christs Vicegerents the care of the houshold is commited by God the Father and the Catholick Church the mother of all Christians If sisters disagree in a family will the Father and the Mother God and the Church eject one child because that an other is petulant waspish or hath Christ given power to Rome because she is an elder sister that she or her steward the Bishop should cast out of the family which she pleaseth of the children of the family for telling stories of an elder sisters or stewards enormities Romana Ecclesia particularis according to Bellarmine and without there be two Roman Churches there cannot be both a particular Roman Church and a Catholick No sense will admit the Roman Catholick she is not universall so not Catholick in extent not entire in Doctrine in things belonging to the foundation so not Catholick in beliefe nor the prime Mother Church Jerusalem was that so not Catholick as fountain head or root of the Catholick Sect. 71. Catholica autem quae diffusaper universum orbem That Catholick Church which all Nations shall flow unto Kings and Queens shall be nursing Fathers and Mothers shall suck the milk of Gentiles this is the way which the fool cannot erre when the wisest may mistake there 's universality antiquity succession and unity here are unquestionable while all agree if not in manner yet matter of beliefe have the same limbs of Christian warfare that Constantines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Arke of the Covenant holy City fructiferous Vine direct way sole Dove excelse mountain celestiall Kingdome spouse and body of Chirst the house of God gate of Heaven a pillar and firmament of verity a light in a Candlestick a Tabernacle in the Sun a ship secure in storms a rock which though the winds of schism arise and waves of heresy beat cannot be moved here the sayings of Fathers writhed by Papists to rivet Saint Peters tattering chair are all verified that which was the Church of all ages is apostated perish'd this they say who are not in her see lest thou may not be she will be though thou art not in vain he sayes he hath God for his Father who will not acknowledge the holy Catholick Church for his Mother since in the expans'd arms of her charity she entertains the whole body of Christiâ—nity Be wise my soul lay thee a foundation here so though storms arise and waves beat thou shalt not be moved the quicksandâ— of heresie shall no more swallow thee up the waves of schism warp â—hee to irreâ—lâ—gion or byasse thee toward Atheisme Sect. 72.
There can be no cause to make a schisme or separation from the whole Church for the whole Church cannot universally erre in faith for if it could it would cease to be holy neither can all the members of the militant Church erre either in the whole or an Article of faith if they could there could be no union betwixt the head and members and so no body no Church The Church of the Elect is in the Church of them that are called and the invisible Church in the visible or else the invisible Church is tyed to no duty of Christianity for all such duties are required of the Church and performed as 't is visible and consequently if the whole Church of the Elect cannot erre in fundamentalls the whole visible Church cannot erre in which the Elect is 'T is manifest out of Saint Austin ipsa est Ecclesia quae intra sagenam dominicam cum malis piscibus natat grana sunt inter illam paleam quandâ— area cum videretur tota palea putabatur There are bad fish in the net of the Lord from which there must be ever a separation in heart and manners but a corporall separation must be expected at the sea-shore in the end of the world And as the spirit of a man doth not quicken any member of the body but as it is united to it so neither doth the Spirit of God any member of the Church but being united in the bond of peace Sect. 73. I have weakened the lights of my body to introduce knowledge by by these windowes of my soule lost my selfe to finde others to magnifie my age I will not boast I have outlived Emperours Popes If he lives only long who lives well I am the shortest liver I have served twice Jacobs time to a more deceitfull Master then Laban an impious world young in years old in folly a Labyrinth riddle bubble nothing The reward of Jacobs servitude was blessed mine cursed could produce only spotted actions checquer'd with the guilt of my own black imaginations who have been carried about with the air of my own phancy that I might not be transported with the wind of every phanaticks error discompos'd my fortune to settle my mind Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed Magis amâ—ca veritas If truth be not more my friend then any one my memory can challenge a familiar acquaintance with I may modestly presume my selfe destitute of any while I have moved upon quick-silver and wheâ—l'd upon the incertainties of giddy chance a Polypire Ephorine and Philaetic become all with all not that I might gain others with the Apostle or gain of others wiâ—h the world but gain my selfe And though this itch of my curiosity may produce bad blood by exasperating malignant humours yet I shall skin my own sores over by so good a conversation and by no rash exposures of aliene sores to the ayre I shall endanger the wranckling of any into male-content I shall not relinquish my part in our elder Brothers legacy the love that Christ bequeath'd us for the greatest of Mundan inheritances for if my barns were full my soul could not take her ease should I disease my brother I might fear with a Thou fool hac nocte in the night of error illuminated by no beam of Gods grace and mercy from a darker action to be cast into a darker dungeon for having no mercy on him for whom the light in darknesse rose I would snatch a Brother out of the fire with fear and trembling and not commit to flames with rigour and malice The Spanish devotion shall prescribe no rule to mine who hang'd up thirteen Indians to the honour of Christ and his twelve Apostles Sect. 74. I am not of the Tyrants minde oderint dum metuant as I would incurre no mans hate so I would lend an occasion to no mans fear since invention witty in cruelty should not wrack a confession that may prejudice another I would not endanger a Priests life to save mine own Bellum cum vitiis Pax cum hominibus is my motto I hate no Sect but pray for all that like Sampsons Foxes divided by the heads they may not be tyed together by the tails in the country they reside to raise a combustion or Snake-like return a sting for entertainment and can wonder that the twilight of nature and noctiluce of reason in Heathens should out-shine the Sun-beams of the Gospell in Christians while History presents us with an Aristodes a Phocion and Themistcoles who though their bodies suffered by an Ostracism would not exile out of their minds that piety which was due even to an ingratefull Country One asked What he would wish to his country for their ingratitude answered Never to want an Aristides The second commanded his sons to forget their Fathers injuries and the third dyed rather then he would revenge his own and could wish the Athenian Legislator might even prescribe a Law to Christians who for blindnesse returned light who instead of retaliating the losse of an eye administred light to the Author by opening the eyes of his understanding Sect. 75. I would convince by reason make no conviction by Law make a confiscation of error not goods though I seek not their goods but the good of their souls Persecution is a seeds-time of error as well as of truth The Norfolk Arian could laugh at the stake and though none can dye well who live not so no one can live so ill as cannot dye desperately The old Roman humour of braving death sleeps not with Paganisme Rome hath still her Scaevola's dare court the flames and have a hand in every combustion no part of the earth can make a breach for which they can want a Curtius who to make it up will not ingulph himselfe in misery Some with Augustus can die in a complement more with Tiberius in dissimilation No Priest but Galba-like will offer his neck with a feri si ere sit populi Romani while with Vespasian they can smile with an ut puto Deus fio A Garnet may be Sainted even for a powder plot And some resembling Otho's friends wil die for society while they like him murder themselves under pretence of being publick victims Sect. 76. I would bring tears to quench rather then fewell to the flames not cause others to be disembowelled but could even disbowell my selfe by an inviscerate dilection Show excrementatam liquidiora tam crassiora non solùm pectoris sed religionis anatomiam To reclaim these Traitors to reason who believe heaven can side with factions and omniscience cannot discover these disguises of charity He who commands us to let our light so shine before men that they may glorifie our heavenly Father commands us not to light men for his glory And though he whom we must pattern was a light in darknesse in usum nocturni luminis Nero like non proponit cremandos Christianos These fires may show hell flames but to show a way
either riches are to be preferr'd before poverty or marriage before Virginity and though I think marriage both honorable and lawfull in the Clergy yet I am of the L. Bacons opinion Charity can hardly water the ground where it must first fill a Pond aâ—d that many men believe not themselves wâ—at they would perswade others lesse do the things they would impose least know what they most confidently boast they onely set the sign of the Cross over their outer doors and sacrifice to the gut and grain in their inner closets and I must suspect the Sun of righteousness declining among these once not impious orders wher the shadows so far exceed the substaÌ„ce Sect. 59. Monachism prevails not so much in the sustentation of Popery as what is call'd Arminianism might against it I cannot think Bernevelt lesse the tongue and Genius of Holland because they could separate both from the body Politick nor that they inlarg'd not ignorance while they confin'd Grotius and learning and excellence suffer'd no lesse then by an Ostracism in this admirable Hugo Men born to raise the Low-Countries a pitch of excellence above their neighbours had not the envy of their neighbours conspiring with headstrong ignorance cast them below themselves but that which rais'd a tumult there and gilded a war here hath subdued even the Conquerors There is scarce a souldier but defends it and by it repels not introduces Popery into the Land Sect. 60. Calvin lends more occasion to mak Romish Proselytes then Ignatius Loyola and the Gomarists of Holland expell'd not Popery with Arminanism but opened a gap for the wild bore to lay wast their Vineyard whose entrance is by servile will irrespective Election and irreprobation paritie of sins the consequences of which to some more refin'd wits may seem to exceed the absurdities of a Talmud Alcoran and Popish Legends asperse the deiety with Tyranny jugling and partiality intitle goodnesse it self to sin while God is made Author of iniquity take away virtues essence by absuming will the Gospell promises and force of Laws confound the rationall faculties of the soul adequate humane nature to bestiall leave us to obey our fate and follow the duct of stars and teach such a trumpeter as the Jesuit Campian who could only sound to battail set others gether with noise and have himself no weapon or Trumpeter-like without a point not come to the purpose or can at most but scratch the face of Charity and disfigure Christian communion with quorsum corruptio haeretica contagio niâ—i ut qui solâ— side gloriam rapturi sunt in omnium tur pitudinum caeno volutati noturam accusent virtutem desperent praecepta deonerent as if these phancies were onely broched to vent irreligion and impiety by accusing nature despairing virtue and deonerating precepts ot wallow in the mud of impurities yet these may be deducible from a Saint Augustine their own Dominicans and a stream of interpreters while the Camells are forc'd to swim by the reason of the depth of the Enigmaticall Apostle and even the Roman Oracle himselfe dares not bee more confident then the Delphian gives onely dubious responses etripode Nay 't is affirm'd in their Angelick Doctor Aquinas who if the Elogies of three Popes carry credit quot articulos edidit tot miracula in jungimus ut ejus doctrinam tanquam veridicam Catholicam sectem â—ni ecce plus quam Solomon hic who with trifling arguments concludes for that the envy of which they would fix on the reformation In some distempers who feed the body feed the diseases if the too indulgent hand of some too officious Parent instead of help hath reach'd death to her beloved children while zealous ignorance in a supposed antidote administers poyson we know what a discracy the Roman Mother by rasher indulgences hath reduc'd the body Ecclesiastick if the preposterous zeal of other Churches hath begot an atrophy in some constitutions while ignorantly they take away Laws terror perswasions make us loath food or think our selves incapable it would be a strange Law would punish with death the rash zeal of a mistaking parent in the ruine of a child with the same medicine she cur'd others Quos praedestinavit ad finem praedestinavit ad medâ—a Endeavour to make your Calling and Election sure may counterprise the poyson in some and strength of nature work it out in others God of his mercy send the oyle of his holy Spirit that by the holy annointing the tumors of venemous malice may subside in all Sect. 61. The Satyr in the Fable seeing his Host blow his fingers to heat them and his broth that he might cool it renounc'd his society We are all too Satyricall have too much of a Satyrs nature in us the beastiall part so farre exceeds humanity that we renounce communion for that which might be rectified by reason That which can infrigidate an Italians zeal may inflame a frozen Islanders devotion Urban the eight demanded by a Cardinall why he preferr'd one for Nuntio whose capacities had arrived to no higher eminencies then the trash and refuse of mankind before a quick and refined piece in whom nature as in an Elixir had plac'd all that might inrich in the mysterious excellencies of state replyed This Eagle would not be lur'd to flies and those higher elevations of phancy would only render him incapable of himselfe and others who measure other mens thoughts by their own will prove ill Judges both of themselves and others Sect. 62. From those whom I am divided in opinion I will not prove a Separatist in my charity I shall contend in nothing but not to approve my selfe contentious As I am an English man I will use the liberty which God hath permitted me was I a Spaniard or Italian I would think with Erasmus si quid tyrannidis quod tamen non cogat ad impietatem satius est fâ—rre quâ—m seditiose reluctare nec esse pium nec esse rutum de potestate publicâ sinistram concipere aut serere opinionem c. Singularity not so precious as to cost the quiet of a Mother neither should I be troubled with those squibs and erackers the noise and fire that flies up and down the stories of hell for not confessing God before men to confesse the God of peace the best way is to bepeaceable I am not of the Gnosticks humour to deny God in the time of persecution and worship Idolls which the mistaken places of these Scripture wire-drawers import I should suppose I denyed God a common Father and persecuted the truth should I so wed my selfe to the Idoll of my own phancy as not to worship the true God after any form Sect. 63. Errors are more worthy of pitty then hate Reformations have been so tumultuous and refractory that quiet error to sober Christian might seem to be preferr'd before unruly truths All Churches betwixt invitation and menace would perswade resignation of faith to a simple
obedience to believe our own without enquiring into others cannot satisfie conscience Damnation by all visible Hierarchies every mouth smutcht with hells fire-brands is thundred against them which believe any Doctrine but theirs It cannot be fit to believe God inspir'd this Church and no other since mankind is come from the same carnall Ancestors and God the common Father Must we believe our Priests call their Doctrine faith or argue controversies if argue how much time and wealth must we expend by learning languages reading Authors unravelling ages examining Fathers conferring expositions and reconciling contradictions travailing over countries pilgrims on earth and at last we may be strangers to heaven come as short of it as life of examining all To embrace all opinions is as impossible as to learn or number since they are as numerous as the sand which hath an analogy with their foundations To reject all must relish of a stranger impiety when one way all other serve God though it would be a folly to leave a Meridian light to follow the ignis fatuus of every phanatick brain We then that are Layicks must build upon such infallible grounds that whatsoever superstructures of faith be raised these may support them All conclude vertues so eminent that it includes the rest ceremonies rites volumes tend to it and no Sacrament but finally resolves into it all essentialls of Religion close in our faith and love of God by a pious life and mutuall charity by fraternall dilection amongst Christians among the propitiations for sin contrition for it repenting to God and satisfaction to our neighbours all believe necessary heaven or hell recompence or castigation attendants of good or evill life with these the Lamb may wade to an haven of perpetuall felicities while the swimming Elephant cramp'd with difficulties drowns or meeting with the quicksands of controversy is swallowed up in an Abysse These indubitable verities may not only prevent the inroads of impiety and Atheism usher in repentance and reduce men from aery controversy to solid vertue and dispose to concord since we agree in eternall causes why should we disagree in triviall these common truths being firmer bonds of amity then any thing emergent out of traditions should dissolve in any who uses not Religion for a cloak while profit is as the body for whose ease he changes it at pleasure or as the thiefe whose quotidian prayer was that God would prosper him in his theevery which he called the work of his vocation and having inrich'd himselfe with spoile praised God for the blessing his endeavours Or seek their own and not Christs while religion so zealously pretended is made but a stalking horse to shoot at other foul upon which their aim is set While men change Religions more licentiously then a sober man would his clothes and put them on alike asham'd to seem naked and in some times perilous to be found without any Sect. 64. I have not been much troubled with the toy of the worlds Religion Weather-cock like to turn round with every gale of profits toties quoties vertitur annulus Politicus have not sought Religion for ends but made it the end of my curiosity I should not think Christ the lesse Christ for being sprinkled o're with blood or suffering not the scarfe of Christian warfare but I believe the Jesuites Martyrologie like our Foxes where weaknesse and ignorance hath many Martyrs but God few Saints Christ is still crucified between theeves I wish a timous repentance may not only make one but both good and poor truth may be rescued from the pillory of phanatick interpreters nor have her ears bor'd through with a Roman Ecclesia and a Pontifex maxmimus in Theology like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Philosophy one bafling Religion the other cashiering Reason with a contra negantem principâ—a take a view of those bulwarks of human knowledge which have past impregnable in the esteem of ages elated even above divinity while divinity by the Schoolmen hath been brought to the touchstone of Philosophy and when you find these mountains have travelled with a ridiculous mouse having scarce left an infallible maxime beside an Humanum est errare think what 't is to be infallible Sect. 65. Reflect upon the great Hagarite who conquered more of the world then his Master Alexandeâ— by his reason subdued ages yet see this praecursâ—r Christi in naturalibus sicut Johannes in gratuitis as some have tearm'd him discompos'd by Telesius degraded by Campanella bills of accusation brought in against him by B. Chartes Bacon Digby Hobs nay by all pregnant wits and teeming constitutions who have deserved to be a secretioribus naturae consiliis by the nobility of extracts in Chymistry or arriv'd to the exquisitenesse of parts by anatomicall inspections found guilty and exploded after so great a revolution of ages In medicine see Hippocrates alter the Antients Galen him Paracelsus both Van Helmont dissenting from all lacteall veins found out by Asellius inlarg'd by Pecquer in dogs by Bartholine in men and the knowledge of them arrived to the Zenith in the elaborate pieces of that great Master of generation and circulation Doctor Harvey the Liver hath lost his office the Senses their seat and the use of the Nerves now only found out by Doctor Glisson View the decay of nature against the opinion of all ages contradicted by Doctor Hackwell whose arguments are so irrefragable that nature must seem to admit a stranger decay in him assents not to it Let us contemplate Heaven Earth and Sea and all of them will instruct us of human fallibility The Jewes calculated by the Lunar account Pythagoras by the Solar and Copernicus rectify'd both Divert towards Astrology Astronomy and Geometry and see how the Professors by a stranger improvement have verified what they call themselves Mathematicks see the Sea rul'd by compasse which the land makes no use of and the Land prov'd as giddy as her inhabitants since Copernicâ—sm is aprov'd by all Unravell Lycostenes Apothegmsâ— Erasmus Adages Cicero's jests all the wisdome of Roman and Grecian and if you find nothing among Flores Poetarum Wits Commonwealth and the Elixir of the Sages which may outvie the Urbanities of a common wit Cease to be so passionate an admirer of Antiquity See the Antipodes confess'd by all which the poor Bishop Vergilius asserting by the fiery zeal of Pope Zachary was committed to the flames to instruct how infallible the Roman Oracle is in condemning that which all do maintain and he himselfe maintained an Antipodes in his life his footsteps being opposite to those of meek and pious Ancestors If these be dissatisfactory unspread what elapsed times have rolled up and as in a piece of Tapestry you shall see Snakes lasciviating among Roses and this Linsey-Wolsey interweaving truth with falsity the fashion of all ages There hath never wanted some who blinder then Moles have perswaded Moles have wanted eyes Lampreys have many Snakes at each horn Cameleons living