certaine Prophets told Paul that bonds did attend him at Jerusalem but the counsell they gave him not to goe thither was a motion of their owne particular spirit proceeding from their humane affection All the dreames which came to the Prophets were not propheticall they had markes by which they discerned the celestiall visions from naturall impressions to which they were subject as well as other men In the same manner as the divine providence of God hath separated that which was writ by their particular motion from that which was transmitted unto us by divine inspiration The Spirit which dictated the letter of David written with the bloud of poore Uria was quite contrary to that which indited the Psalmes Nathan counselling the building of the Temple seemed speaking like a godly man but the consequence shewes he spake not like a Prophet It is most true that neither sagacity nor humane affections reduced into a just temper are not incompatible with spirituall wisdome contrarily they serve for a helpe to our weaknesse All the articles of our faith are equally true but our beliefe embraces them not with equall facility We have lesse trouble to believe a divine Essence then a Trinity of Persons the immortality of the soule then the resurrection of the body The reason is that in the one we have nothing but a supernaturall revelation for the ground of our beliefe and in the other we are moreover sustained by humane reason which strengthens this faith So our obedience is more voluntary in things to which wee have besides the commandement of God some naturall or personall inclination then in those which are repugnant to our affections I doubt not but Abraham obeyed more joyfully when it was bidden him not to lay his hand upon Isaac then when he was commanded to slay him But in this concurrence namely of the Spirit of God with our spirits wee must marke these two principalls the one of which is alwaies regular and the other hath still some spice of obliquity A man addicted to his sence and that adores his owne opinions will very hardly give place to the Spirit of God Ordinarily Prophecies and Revelations came unto men then when they were asleep where God sent them those extasies whilst they lasted they were as if deprived of all sence which was because the soule is then dis-intangled from many functions and freed from an infinity of thoughts and of objects which possessed it waking being then lesse glued to their naturall judgement and so more susceptible of the influencie of heaven and more capable to receive the impression thereof CHAP. IIII. Concerning the Sences and of the imaginations vulgar meditations matters which seeme better in Painting then in the words of the holy Scripture Why the corporall figure of our Saviour is not delineated in the Gospell Why the sight of the places esteemed holy takes away the admiration thereof REligion contains divers matters which for a simple historicall knowledge are intelligible to the externall senses The starre which appeared to the wise men the manger at Bethlehem the crown of Thornes the punishment of the Crosse the Sepulchre of Christ and his comming out thereof the scarres of his Wounds his Ascension to Heaven are objects perceptible to the imagination Nay we cannot conceive the truth of the naturall body of Christ but under an imaginable and sensible forme But the internall forme of all these theologicall truths which is as it were the soul of Religion is not apprehensible but to the intellect The divinity resident in Christ the personall union of the two Natures the merits of his Death the efficacie of his Intercession the interest of the justice of God in this satisfaction The eternall Election the interiour Vocation Justification the essence of the Faith the regeneration are matters purely intellectuall In every narration principally in each article of faith which lies in the Historie there is ever two things requisite to the intelligence thereof 1. The action with its circumstances Secondly the causes and the consequences thereof Now the first point is better studied and more sought into by the common people as being more delectable to the imagination and far easier to bee conceived then the other which touches not the senses and requires a more spirituall and more laborious exercise of the understanding from whence it comes to passe that the science the conception the proofes and meditations of the vulgar are more imaginative then intellectuall A Deaths head the spectacle of a carkasse or of a dying man will represent our humane fragility more lively then can doe all the sentences of the Bible But the supernaturall causes of this corruption and the consequences thereof from whence results the true intelligence of our mortality they are not read in such characters A picture may give knowledge of an action but the reasons and the motives in which lyes the importance of the story askes another Pensill A Crucifix tells us not why Jesus Christ died Never man was yet converted by the sight of a picture If that were Painters and Sculptors would be the greatest Theologians After the same manner the sufferings of Christ reduced into a Tragedy and elevated by the highest colours of Eloquence what teares soever it may draw from the auditors will never suffice for a saving knowledge If the true pourtraict of Jesus Christ representing his naturall face were to be found in the world I would never blame the curiosity of those who would seek the possession and who all superstition set apart would preserve it as one of the most precious jewels that the eye of man can behold Many have thought that they have the originall in an Epistle of Lentulus to the Senate of Rome of which I will say no more but that it is no Roman stile Some others have drawne the Copy from the Monument of a fabulous history which speaks of a Statue erected in memory of our Saviour Howsoever it comes to passe it is a strange thing that the Scripture which paints forth the stature of Saul the haire of Absalom the colour and visage of David expresses not any figure of our Saviour We find not therein the least Idea nor any lineament neither of his face colour aspect stature or yet of his voyce But that by which he was discernable from other men consisted not in his visible forme or in any extraordinary difference of Lineaments otherwise Judas had not needed a signe to make him to be known so that the representation of him at this day to the eye of flesh would make him contemptible to him that would not conceive a divine Majesty under a common and indifferent appearance Or it would be a Patron of Idolatry which would not faile to multiply under so favourable a pretext Our humane vanity would have added there to some frivolous and impertinent speculations of Phisiognomie Or superstition would cast its sight upon each man who should have some seeming resemblance of such a
with divers narrations which if taken only morrally would be found very impertinent The bargaine made between Lea and Rachel Gen. 30.14 the contention betweene Sara and Hagar the childish strife betwixt Isaac and Ismael if we bring no other conceptions then those of the vulgar these matters would be both frivolous and ridiculous certainly these histories carry a deeper sence And S. Paul Gal. 4.24 finding in these two last the Image of the most important truths which are in religion which shewes that the intention of the holy Ghost was cleare otherwise then only to paint forth simple moralities More faulty is as yet the stile of an infinite number of Preachers who believe they handle the Scripture very well so that they disguise all in Tropes If they handle the miraculous healing of the leprous all their discourse will be of the spirituall Leprosie If of the resurrection of one dead they will speake only of regeneration turning these histories out of their naturall sence and omitting in the meane time the considerations which they furnish us to the true understanding of the place Truly it s permitted to draw an instruction for manners from an article of the faith but it is a great folly to lay hold of the concommitant of a subject in stead of the principall and make the body of their discourse thereof When any will expresly handle a morall doctrine the Scripture abounds in formall passages for such matters otherwise hee should both mock them and his auditors to preach the decalogue in interpreting the Symbole But it is easier for the ignorant to preach morality then to handle a point more misterious only for to bring it forth after their ordinary fashion in grosse equipage and under triviall reasons For to handle worthily a doctrine of manners one ought to have provision of rare matters and conceptions elevated above the common which belongs not but to a profound Theologian The vulgar knowes the vertues by their habits then in their essence Popular piety abounds so in certaine acts that it neglects the others namely all charity at this day is reduced into almes Many love rather to nourish a poore man then to convert an Idolater although it be a greater worke of charity to save one soule then to feed a hundred thousand bellies Otherwise a man who had founded Hospitalls should have done a farre more excellent worke then all the labours of the Apostles CHAP. VI. Touching curiosities Rash questions of those which are returned from the dead Of the Divell who exhorted to repentance Of the knowledge of evill MAn never saw the creation of any thing when God would forme Eve he made Adam sleep So likewise he hath reserved to himselfe the judgement of three points 1. of his councells 2. of Scripture 3. of consciences To inquire of the Son proceeds of the Father as of the Intellect and the holy Ghost as of the will What had been the posterity of Adam if he had not falne and if in this case the Sonne of God would have cloathed himselfe with our flesh or if the sacred body of Jesus Christ was perfectly organified from the first moment of his conception if God could not have saved man by any other meanes then by the death of his Sonne And whether Jesus Christ by his sufferances hath merited his proper exaltation besides our salvation are most rash curiosities If any one should rise againe from the dead our curiosity would aske him a thousand questions but I marke that of all those who ever rise againe not one except our Lord is introduced speaking in the Scripture except we put into this ranke Moses and Elias in the transfiguration which neverthelesse spake not but of the death of Jesus Christ Though a man should come from heaven hee could not name the things which he had seene or understood because that it never having moūted into the thought of man they could not impose names thereto So that those things could not be declared but in tearms the sence whereof would be unknown unto us they are words uneffable which man cannot pronounce and ought not to affect If the dead ought to be our instructors the spirit of error would easily counterfeit them and under this pretext would authorise his impostures The Scripture of all the damned names but only Judas and would not expresse the name the evill rich But many spirits which they pretend to be returned from the other world particularise by names and surnames the soules they have seen in hell For the vulgar presuppose that they know one another and that the Devill knows all that are within his bottomles pit Upon this imagination the Exorcists believing they have the power to make him tell nothing but truth and inquire of curious things taking pleasure to make him talk whereas Jesus Christ never made him speak but once imposing silence upon them in all other deliverance of those out of whom he had cast the Devils Namely it is not long since the Devil preached repentance by the mouth of some which were possessed his words have been gathered and published in a grosse volume by men bearing the title of approved theologians which have alledged them for a very perswasive argument of amendment of life showing that the Devil who took upon him this office was sent by God to convert men seeing that the other wayes were unprofitable farre from repulsing the impudency of this adversary who speaks not of piety but by mockery or for to render it suspected because of which when he would have spoken in favour of the truth our Lord made him alwayes hold his peace All unlawfull curiosities have relation unto two heads whose inquisition is forbidden us to wit the hight of heaven and the depth of hell The Scripture praiseth those who have not known the depths of Satan A too exact knowledge of evill offends the spirit and a man well skilled in malice although that it but in Theory will ever now and then give a tast thereof The diligence of Casuists to examine all the species of sins namely those whose onely name strikes a horror to our eares hath been a perniious labour more capable to destroy good manners then to instruct the consciences CHAP. 7. Wherefore Scholastick Theologie was invented and how it was established with a contrary successe THree things have made Scholasticall Theology to be cried down setting aside the impurity des dogmes of their opinions with which it is stuffed 1 The multitude of Philosophicall matters 2 The vain curiositie of questions 3 the barbarousnesse of the language the intention of those who built it was to keep the key of knowledge among themselves and to hinder the common people from entering therein and to take from them the knowledge of Theologie to this effect they stopt the gap with thorns and made the passage difficult First mingling Philophy therewith nay all the most subtil speculations of Metaphysicks then reducing the whole Christian doctrine into
high and ticklish questions which the vulgar neither durst nor could approach and finally inventing a certain canting of strange and unexplicable words as the Physicians having their tearmes and Characters not to be understood but onely by those of the same profession Now this Theologie begins to be introduced amongst us the principall matters which they handle at this time are the divine decrees with all their consequences There be those which find the depth of the highest secrets of God nothing is unknown unto them neither in heaven nor hell and their mouths bring forth words uneffable which themselves understand not For these new stuffes still have new names and it is to be feared in the end least all the doctrine of Religion should again turn Scholastick But this Metamorphosis hath not the same successe which it had in times past for the ancient Scolastick theology being invented for to keep the people in a stupid silence held it self in the compasse of the cloysters and of the universities but the Modern have leapt into the Pulpit of the Churches from thence to the market places to the shops to the tables and into the brains of the cōmon people to fill them with scruples cries and contentious disputes and to make them fight for a subject which for the most part they understand not CHAP. 8. The boldnesse of the vulgar the last Christians ought to know more then the first The modern Church ought to be called ancient THAT which we have spoken justifies not the temerity of ignorant men who presently condemne all matters or questions which surpasse their capacity The vulgar are wonderfully bold to reject as curious each doctrine which they understand not or they judge it unprofitable under colour that they do not comprehend the importance thereof or they accuse it of novelty because they never heard of it before we give examples thereof we shall produce some observations Our age is reputed worse then the precedent If this complaint be as true as it is common let those judge who will compare the ancient and the modern occurrences Certainly in one point our age surpasseth others and in the same respect posterity will surpasse our selves especially in the knowledge of many things unknown to the ages past a knowledge which facilitates the Scriptures in divers matters which our forefathers fifteen ages past could never find the intelligence of setting aside the discovery of the new world and a thousand other wonders which have happened since them many Prophesiess have been dark unto them which at this day are as cleare as the sun for their accomplishment hath dissipated the obscurity and knowledge hath multiplied from time to time according to the measure that the lamb hath opened the seales of his oracles The name of antiquiry hath abused many the Church which was then and which is at this day are but one universall Church in respect of time the difference of ages makes us to distinguish into two calling it the ancient and the new but by transposition of names for we call it ancient considering it in the first ages in which it was yong new to the contrary we qualifie it new in this time in which it ought to be called ancient as having obtain'd to a greater age notwithstanding taking Antiquity in the ordinary sence it may teach vs very much principally for historie and matters which consist in action But as by this meanes we may know that which our forefathers have known we have moreover this advantage that we know many things which were unknown to them CHAP. IX Concerning that Maxime That we cannot say any thing but what hath been already spoken THis popular opinion serves for a pretext of ignorance and of carelesnesse to many men They would be much troubled if one should aske them if this maxime had been alwayes true ever since the beginning of the world for then it would follow that whatsoever came since the first man should have beene spoken before and so of necessitie that Adam had spoken of David of Moses and Solomon of Pilate and of the Romans of Constantine the great and of Charlemaine If this axiome hath not been alwaies true in what time began it then to be when all things hath been made an end to be spoken who made up the closure but certainly the assertion hath not been alwaies true not in Philosophie to whom nature and experience have discovered from time to time many things unknowne to antiquity Not in Physick which hath seen new diseases produced and hath found out new remedies Not in the Politicall science to whom occurrences have suggested lawes unthought of by the Ancients Not in Mathematicks which have produced new inventions unknown to our Fathers Not in History which each day is inlarged and will never faile to find new subjects Not in Mechannick arts many of which have been invented in this last time and the others still produce some new artifice Ecclesiasts which they alleage to the contrary speakes only of the ordinary course of nature and of actions common to all ages and to all men For the production and corruption of sublunarie bodies life and death laughter and teares prosperity and adversity are nothing new under the Sun But they may object that Theology is a compleat Science having all its principalls and all its materialls in the Scripture to which nothing may be added It is most true but all that which is in the Scripture hath not as yet been understood so then all that which may bee spoken upon the Scripture hath not as yet been spoken There is an infinite number of points in History in the Prophets in the Morall lawes in the Ceremonies of the ancient Testament and in the misteries of Faith whose sence as yet hath never been intirely dived into Setting all curiosities apart 't is a blockish rashnesse to believe that Theologie cannot furnish a subject to many excellent considerations as yet never conceived nor understood nor will I speak of the divers Prophesies whose accomplishment we still expect and it is not possible to speake thereof with so much sufficiencie as those that shall see the issue so that all is not spoken which may belong to this matter Finally there is many assertions which cannot bee pronounced in true tearmes but in their proper time as that which our Lord said All is fulfill'd could nor be spoken before One day it will be said the resurrection is past which hath not as yet beene spoken but by some hereticks but we must passe to another head CHAP. X. Of Paradoxes or matters which are strange to the vulgar VVHatsoever is contrary to the common opinion or naturall sence of men is ordinarily rejected as monstrous Many cannot believe that Moses requiring to be blotted out of the booke of life or St. Paul wishing to be made Anathema spoke in good earnest for all the condition they proposed to this demand or for what favour soever they could pretend
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
are men for whom it is difficult to be saved they are those which have the charge of soules For to save themselves they ought to save many others For whom it sufficeth not to have piety and other vertues which are common to all other Christians Their is need of knowledge and eloquence The want of morall vertues which alwayes render it more criminall repugneth not the essence of his office nor abateth the dignity of the Sacraments nor the efficacy of the word which he administreth Ignorance is the most formall crime of him who ought to instruct others A good man may be a bad Pastor The vulgar hold for a maxime That the good life of a Preacher edifieth as much or more then his doctrine This error is truely popular and more foolish then can be imagined It s true that workes ought to accompany words and woe to that man who practiseth not his owne doctrine But this is impiety to thinke that the actions of a Pastor are more considerable more perfect or of greater edification then his doctrine which is the rule which is more essentiall to his charge more fruictfull in instruction more necessary to salvation either the seeing of his example or the hearing his word Is the example of a man of greater weight them the Ordinance of God Is it from the Pastors example that wee receive the faith or from his Preaching Are his good works the power of God to salvation Doe they containe the remission of our sins Shall we be saved by them or by his doctrine He which finds more efficacy in a mans example then in the word of Jesus Christ is not worthy to be his Disciple CHAP. VIII That it is more profitable for us to be taught by men then by Angels Why the world values not prophets but after their death MAny could wish they might bee taught by Angels thinking that their instructions will be more profitable and their word more efficacious Wherein they are deceived For there are divers points whereof the Angels cannot speake with so great feeling nor with a knowledge so particular as men The diseases of the body and other kinds of the crosse the burthen of sinne the terrors of conscience the horrors of death the combate of the flesh against the spirit repentance it self and regeneration are things whereof they have no experience and therefore cannot be touched with such compassion towards sinners as men who feele the same infirmities This is a reason why the sonne of God would take upon him our infirmities to the end hee might have the more compassion and speake with greater efficacy furthermore that Angell which appeared to Cornelius the Centurion would not undertake to instruct him but sent him for this purpose to a sinfull mortall man This is the custome of the world and examples thereof are frequent in all ages to undervalue or even persecute Prophets while they live and to adore them after death The reason is that the eye of the flesh seeth in them the same visage as in other men the same naturall infirmities and a contemptible appearance especially if he be in his owne country or amidst his familiars Saul asked Samuel whether he was a man of God not knowing that he was so because he saw nothing extraordinary in his person The bald head of Elishai served as an object of mockery to the little children Many that looked on St. Paul as absent said that his presence had not so much force as his writings On the other side the most eminent servants of God are they against whom Satan hath prepared most ambushes The liberty of their censures renders them odious He that reverenced yesterday Iohn the Baptist willingly procured his imprisonment or death but after that God had taken them into his rest and that there was nothing remaining but the sound of their voice which seemeth to eccho still in their graves the world regretts at what it hath lost and endeavours to expiate its ingratitude with excessive honours Chrysostome was accused of adultery condemned chased out of his Church and confined in banishment where finally hee dyed The children of them which had driven him away fell downe on their knees before the dead body and desired pardon of it for their parents Such also have builded rich tombs in memory of the just who had persecuted them in their lives Great were the advantages of them who were conversant with the sonne of God who might heare him speaking with open mouth propose unto him the most difficult doubts and questions and learne from his mouth an infinite number of sublime and unheard-of doctrines But they payd him with outrages and many honour him at this day who would have helped to have crucified him if they had bin in his time CHAP. IX The want of particular instructions ALL the instruction which is sought for at this day from the mouth of Preachers is reduced to Sermons The most excellent amongst them out of the pulpit is no more then a private man in the judgement of the vulgar The common people believe that publique instructions are sufficient for them and as for the rest every Christian may order his actions according as they conform to them There is none so sottishly ignorant who doth not think himselfe capable to direct his owne conscience Notwithstanding mans life is full of occurrents wherein the wisest are subject to deceive themselves and the most conscientious by trusting over much to their owne judgement commit notable faults in the conduct of their affairs of houshold government or trading of judicature of publique policy and other vocations Witnesse Davids heedlesnesse in causing the Arke to bee carryed upon his owne Chariot Moreover publique instructions cannot expresse so many circumstances which often change the quality of actions And which is more not onely the points which lye in practise but also those which concern meerely beliefe being composed in publique frame not alwayes in the mind of the hearers so exact an impression as particular instruction auricular confession if it had not passed into superstition was an exercise of great profit CHAP. X. Of books of religion and of the time imployed in them to the prejudice of Scripture Of the multitude vanity kinds and reformation of them AMongst the abuses which keepe up the ignorance of the vulgar wee accompt also the reading of so many religious books whereunto the common people give their time and thoughts as to an exercise of great edification although the books of a good divine containe in substance the same matters which are in Scripture Whosoever shall read in Origen or Nazianzene the sacrifice of Abraham curiously painted out with all its circumstances with a representation as patheticke as Rhetoricke can furnish it with shal never be so lively touched therewith as by the simple recitall of Moyses A paraphrase of the new Testament is but a dead Letter in comparison of the vivacity of the Text. All this is said without derogating