of their conversation That so many naturall relations met in one man which might have brought the title of father and uncle together would have brought a thousand confusions in the world That the same proximity being disputed amongst them which are of the same blood would have produced divers strifes in families for the reason as that of the straight line which oblige the brother to marry his half sister that the woman who in case of injury or dissertion might find a refuge with their brothers had lost his refuge if the brotherhood had been confounded in the marriage And other reasons which one might alleadge for this law CHAP VI. Of the exercise of the mind in every point of Religion The default of the vulgar and of preachers herein The Scripture speaks by proofs GOd would that our knowledge should be discursive in part and that this faculty of the soule which passeth from one subject to another for to discern them compare them together and give judgement thereof might also be sanctified by this exercise in matters of Religion But because it is more difficult to reason upon a point then to conceive it nakedly and barely the common people is contented to heare that such a thing is true or good or just without searching why or how it is such The ignorant love onely to heare a thing affirmed or denyed insomuch that to the understanding of a proposition or assertion thus naked there is need of but a bare apprehension or understanding of words without other trouble of mind Whereupon they are delighted in maximes and proverbs because it is not needfull to conceive the sense thereof easie to whosoever understandeth the words For 't is to be presupposed they are grounded on reason and 't is enough to hold them for true without any other form of enquiry This same facility is the cause we have more talkers then preachers Provided they stretch out a point by a long train of equivalent tearms that they delate a text into Paraphrases that they heape togeather a great masse of sentences of Scripture they think they have worthily handled and the vulgar abide therewith satisfied But the interpretation thereof requires much more then this Certainly Jesus Christ himselfe and the most excellent instruments which have spok by his spirit have not contented themselves to pronounce the affirmative or negative upon any point but besides have shewed the reasons thereof If they teach that the worship of God ought to be spirituall they give this proofe thereof to wit that God is a spirit If the alleadge to make the Jewes see that the Messias ought to die and rise again the words of the Psalmest thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption they frame thereof an argument which imports that this Oracle cannot relate but to David or to Christ that the body of David had notoriously felt the same corruption which death brings to other men So that this prophecy could not belong but to Christ If they say that man is not justified by the Law they prove it by the end of the Law which is to manifest sinne If they declare that Circumcision doth not justifie they shew it by the example of Abraham who was justified before he was circumcised So that his circumcision being after his justification could not have produced it If they affirm that there was a Law before that of Moses they argue that where there is no law there is no sin Now we read that there was sin before Moses this is proved because that death which is the wages of sinne raigned from Adam to Moses If they maintaine free Election they produce the decree given before the infants had none either good or evil If they maintain that the Covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the Law they make it cleare that it did precede the Law foure hundred and thirty yeares If they publish that Christ is greater then the Angells they prove it by his titles which were never conferred upon them If they preach the weaknesse of the Jewish priesthood they take it from this that the Scripture hath substituted for it another of anorder altogether different to it after the order of Melchisedech for if perfection had been in the Leviticall Priesthood what need had there been that anothe Priest should arise which was according to the order of Aron If they teach that Jesus Christ ought to die they note that where there is a Testament there the death of the Testatour ought to intervene before the heires can have benefit thereof In brief if they speak of the resurrection or of other points of faith their discourse never consists in bare assertions but in reasons and demonstrative proofs CHAP VII Of Popular reasons as well in the Romane Religion as amongst the vulgar of the Orthodox Churches The difference betwixt the maximes of faith and those of charity THose which among the vulgar reason upon matters of Religion are accustomed to conceive them as reasons one may call popular These reasons are taken from the superficies not from the very substance of truth This is the reason why oft times they are found false although their facility render them plausible to the ignorant If it were needfull one might shew that the Romane Religion is for the most part propt up by popular reasons Popular is the comparison of Intercessours which are employed towards the Grandees of this world brought for the Invocation of Saints Popular is the question whether we ought to condemn our ancestours and so many souls which hold the faith we at this day disallow Popular are the marks under which they represent the Church For the antiquity multitude locall succession are not essentiall properties thereof Popular are the austerities fastings scourgings and externall mortification of the Monks profession Popular are the images and the title which is given them that they are the booke of Ideots The most ordinary reason which authoriseth the reason of the common people is that of charity Prayers for the dead have been covered under this pretence and many sometime have extended even to hell praying even for the damned not to deliver them wholly from pain knowing that is impossible but for to procure for them some diminution thereof whereunto charity carrieth them The maximes of charity are more persuasive and efficacious amongst the common people then the maximes of faith The reason thereof is because that those of faith are more removed from the appearance and have not so much relation with reason and naturall affection as those of charity which are more intelligible and more agreeing with the common notion of men Notwithstanding to say truth every act of Religion which is undertaken without faith is also without charity And the charity of the ignorant is a strange fire which is not acceptable at the altar But our discourse properly concerns them who being orthodox in points of Religion prop not up the belief of them but upon
no sinne but when it is voluntary But the Law the rule of our conceptions obligeth ignorance namely that which is not voluntary to come under the expiation and purgation of sacrifices which presupposeth a fault Jesus Christ died as well for our ignorance as for our other sinnes The holy language when it speaks of a sinner useth a terme which fignifieth an ignorant the high priest prayed for the ignorants that is he prayed for the sinners The eye to wit the understanding is called evill although its malignity consists in nothing but in errour That it is better to have piety then knowledge But knowledge is the best part of piety the new man is renewed in knowledge whatsoever any man may say an ignorant man can never be a good Christian all his vertues are none Nay more there is nothing so dangerous as an ignorant Zelot That we have knowledge enough and that nothing is wāting but the practice but if any one believe he knows enough as yet he knows nothing seeing that he is ignorāt of his own ignorāce if any one should ask that man which is so perfect in the knowledge of his Religion from whence it proceeds that they fail so much in their practice they alleadge the corruption of their nature presupposing that it lodgeth onely in the affectiōs or in the wil as if the intellect were altogether exempt Neverthelesse if the eye of the soule which is the understanding if this eye were pure all its actions would be full of light It is true that the greatest part of those that commit evill know that it is unlawfull but they believe to find their good therein which is a capital errour A man who kills himself believes that death is better to him then life the highest mover to sinne will be alwayes found in the falsenesse of the judgement and in the unjust perswasions of the spirit or because we do not understand God rightly but onely cursorily under some generall notions without descending to the species circumstāces or we understand without believing it Or we believe it but with so weak a faith that it is easily turned aside It is true that we have knowledge enough to make us inexcusable but never too much to make us better That works of Charity are the most visible marks of a Christian This maxime is repugnant to experience we cannot discern a Christian from a Jew by alms or actions of benificency which the one may exercise as well as the other the first mark which makes a Christian to be known is the confession of his faith there is not a sect how desperate soever but can furnish some examples of probity temperance and of all vertues whatsoever Many hereticks have cover'd the foulnes of their errours by the splend our of their charitable life if we must among so many congregations differing in doctrine dispute which is the most innocent in respect of manners the Anabaptist would carry away the prise We never yet granted to the Romane Catholicks that holinesse of life was a mark of the true Church and we do affirm that the impurity of their manners had been no lawfull cause of our separation That a Christian is not obliged to learn any thing but in as much as it conduces to his salvation This bold assertion carries not the mark of final obedience Many believe themselves to be very pious because they have a great desire to be happy and the reason why they hearken to the Scripture is because it may make them happy Now it is most true that God hath made his word the conduit pipe of our salvation but we ought not onely for this respect to hearken to it but in as much as it is the word of God to which we owe our attention although it were against our owne profit Those whose practice is otherwise are more amorous of their own salvation then of their Saviour and that their devotion proves but mercenary But this maxime serves as a pretext to another errour None dares absolutely say that the Scripture contains any thing but that it serves to salvation Neverthelesse besides an infinite number of histories all the genealogies chronologies etimologies of proper names description of countries and of buildings ceremoniall ordinances propheticall emblemes the inwreathing of mysteries and divers other pieces of Scripture are superfluous in the judgement of the Communalty because they see not to what use it serves towards their salvation He that would rase out all that ignorant men hold to be unprofitable must reduce the Bible to the fourth part of what it containes where as the Romish Church believes they ought to adde thereto That a Christian ought to content himself with that which is simply necessary to salvation which is as much to say that a man ought to know no more of Religion but just as much as will serve him to be saved as if it were a dangerous thing to understand too well his salvation for to have too many Torches to conduct him to heaven under colour that a little spark or a smoaking snuffe may give him sufficient light I believe for certain that God hath had mercy upon many Idiots who never knew of what tribe our Lord descended according to the flesh nor of what family was the virgin Mary nor whether Abraham preceded Moses But this ignorance is not pardoned to all A certain measure of knowledge will be sufficient to save one which will not suffice for the salvation of another More belongs to a Doctor in Theologie then to a lay man to him that sits in the chaire of the Prophets then him that sits at their footstool to a man that hath lived forty years in the Church then to an American or another proselyte who never heard speak of Jesus Christ but at the houre of his death That a Christian hath not need of much knowledge for to be saved It is a favourable prejudication to those who are negligent but most dangerous in matters of such consequence If man knew how difficult it were to be saved he would never thinke the gate of heaven so large that the blinde might passe through without knowing of it if there be any thing in which agility dexterity skill knowledge are requisite it is in this point It belongs to none but those which are wise to obtain the kingdome of heaven It is true the goodnesse of God saves an infinity of simple Idiots inlightned onely with some glimmering of his knowledge but it is most sure that many of them receive it in a greater measure in the last moment of their lives for this light may come at once as a lightning which passes from the East to the West and discovers in a wink both the length and the largenesse and the depth of many doctrines which he could never have so well comprehended though he should have studied 30 years One only night at the foot of Jacobs ladder will make him see more miseries then a
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