mercifull Doctors but there is others who being of a more cholerick religion would be more rigorous towards sinners then God himself For if some man through humane frailty have faln under the burden of Persecution and since raised from his fall required the peace of the church these would refuse it him although he had sought it w th tears of blood as if they had had more interest in the offence then God himself or Jesus Christ who dyed for that sinner Our Lord hath said if you are persecuted in one place flie into another some superabounding in zeal have judged the practice of this command to be unworthy a Christian generosity nay more a base cowardlinesse equivolent to a dissertion of the faith one of the chief writers of the Primitive Church hath set out a Treatise expresly in favour of this Paradox The melancholie humour so farre predominates in many that their piety consists in sadnesse taking the wrinkles of the forehead for marks of Religion and scarce will they believe him to be a good Christian that is not Hypocondriacall Men the most pious have alwayes been different in their fashion of life some sociable and Politicke others loving a retired life with fasting and austerity to these two sorts of humours which are the most generall God himselfe by a wise indulgence would deferre something to the end to draw all sorts of people to his Gospell making them see two different Moddels The one in John Baptist a man of great abstinencie and austeritie as well in life as in cloathing the other in Jesus Christ whose life was popular and disdained not the table nor conversation of the greatest sinners But this could not universally please all men The spotts which appeare in the writings of the clearest authors shew oft-times the humour in which they dipt their Pen which you may perceive among many others in S. Jerome Now these irregular impressions which nature formes in their spirits goes not alwayes to so remarkable an excesse But although a man be exempt from all grosse and notable errors neverthelesse those truths which are lodged in his spirit have some taint of his owne humor And there is very few men but that give unto religion some face or colour or some posture according to their particular inclination And if one might looke into their braines you should see as many severall Ideas as you doe of faces CHAP. III. Naturall humours taken for Christian vertues and the particular spirit for the Spirit of the holy Ghost The divell falsly accused of all our evill thoughts why it is hard for a man to know the time when he was regenerated why certaine articles of our faith are more easie to our beliefe then others why divine Revelations were communicated to men in their sleepe THese naturall qualities oft-times deceive the clearest sights the moderation which you see in many proceeds rather from the heavinesse of their flegme then from a vertuous habitude many are ardent in religion and believe they have the Zeale of God who if entireing into themselves would find that the fire which hears them proceeds from a naturall choler farre different from true zeale many take the combat of the conscience for that of the spirit against the flesh and security for the Peace of conscience Many also are religious through a fearfull humour proceeding either from the weaknesse of the sex or the imbecillity of a scrupulous spirit in things the most indifferent making as much esteeme of an article of Discipline as of an article of Faith and flying superstition through a superstitious feare There are some found that are so adicted to meditation that they almost fall into an extasie so fervent and assiduall in prayers that they disdaine to descend from the Mountaine with Moses or from the third Heaven with S. Paul for to return to converse with men some assure themselves of their constancie in the faith upon a naturall generosity the experience whereof discovers its weaknesse making the most resolute coâ—â—ages to abjure at the voyce of a Maid and teacheth us that martyrdome is a thing that man cannot promise to God In generall a Christian ought to keepe himselfe from being deceived by these naturall qualities like the Comets which have the forme and appearance of Starres but yet are not fixed in the firmament There raignes two false opinions amongst those which are ignorant upon this subject that all the ill thoughts and wicked and blasphemous imaginations which passe through their braines against their will proceeds from another spirit then their own and accuse the divell thereof which ought to be true in part but I believe often-times they doe him wrong for although there should have been no divels the spirit of man is sufficiently fruitfull in monstrous absurdities for to produce such fancies without the suggestion of evill angels and 't is not to be believed that Satan hath leave to enter so freely into all houses or to enter into our Chambers and Cabinets whensoever he pleases much lesse into our thoughts There is another familiar errour belonging to many which take their inclinations who have some morall goodnesse for an infallible marke of the Spirit of grace of all those who have some light feeling of religion there is not one but doth believe that he is already regenerated Almost all because they cannot remember the time in which they have perceived so notable a motion they presuppose they have been regenerated in their infancie not having any other memorie thereof And indeed it is very difficult for a man to discerne the true moment of his conversion in punctually noting the houre or the day We perceive not how it is made in us in its first moment nor haue we any hand therein no more then in our naturall production If a dead man should arise he could not tell how he recovered life Nay more this regeneration is not wrought by a violent and remarkable motion except in some one as it was in Paul as in those who in the same houre from tormentors became Martyrs and as without doubt it comes to passe in some whom God regenerates at the brinke of the sepulchre Ordinarily the Spirit of God leads men insensibly to the first point of Sanctification by many turnings and preceding dispositions which in their beginnings are not to be perceived but many make themselves believe they have been regenerated from their cradle which are as yet far from the state of grace Nay those namely who have been a long time regenerated and have gotten a sollid experience in spirituall things find themselves oft-times deceived by their particular spirit which counterfeits the voyce of the Spirit of God These two spirits intermingle themselves in many actions It was by the Spirit of God that Isaac blessed Jacob but in this that he believed that he blest Esau and such was his intention it was the errour of his particular spirit It was by the Spirit of God that
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
Picture Or certainly the greatest part of Christians in stead of knowing Christ in spirit and adoring him spiritually would alwayes have his imagination tied to the corporall object and his spirit disturbed with the fancy thereof Of thousands of men who returne from Jerusalem or from mount Sina or from the river of Jordan and many other famous places mentioned in the Scripture scarce can you find one which brings back the admiration which he had conceived before he had seen them The spirit of man hath alwayes a more reverent opinion of things which are ancient then of Moderne of those which are farthest off then of those which are neare The objects the most excellent and sacred become contemptible by the facility and proximity of accesse but those who goe out of a devout affection to visite Palestine or Arabia carry with them for the most part exorbitant imaginations which sometimes passe to an excesse impossible in nature thinking to find the third heaven in a cave not considering that the innobling of those places proceeds not from any quality which renders them either more holy or more full of majesty then the other parts of the earth but from the sole reputation of the wonders past under that climate so that the sight takes away the esteeme thereof because it answers not to the imaginations with which they were preoccupied CHAP. V. Of the difference and capacity of spirits Of the faculties of the soule Of those who promise themselves to beleeve so that they have proofe and doe assure themselves they should have beleeved in Christ if they had seene his Miracles Of those who limit God according to their owne wisdome or beleeve the truth because it is conformable to their owne opinion TO dispute whether there bee Spirits more capable of Theologie then others or whether the faculties of the soule are prevalent in this studie are questions remore from our intention without controversie the intellect is the true place of this science although the vulgar imagine that there is more trouble to retaine a point of Religion then to conceive it and wish rather the gift of memorie then that of the understanding The knowledge of salvation is an effect of grace only A single historicall and speculative culative knowledge proceeds from a particular favour of God But this grace destroyes neither the naturall difference nor essence of spirits God employes for our instruction the objects the sences and the other faculties of the soule Jesus Christ himselfe as hee was man became more knowing by experience a man which hath the sence of hearing from whence comes faith hath a manifest advantage for the understanding of preaching above that man whom God hath strucken with deafnesse so there is no doubt but a good naturall understanding presupposing the light of grace knowes better how to conceive a matter of religion and to weigh the importance thereof and search into the causes and to discover the consequences then a spirit naturally stupid and blockish the greatest braines are ordinarily more slow to believe then those which have but mean ones as the highest Planets have the slowest motions but their beliefe is more sollid when once they have known the truth For God employes the same faculties for to produce an effect for which they had nothing but a naturall repugnancie so that the most violent persecutors become oft-times the greatest zelots of the faith whether the faculty of those who believe more promptly be more worthy of praise it 's a point we will not as yet touch The vulgar presuppose that the Science of religion requires nothing but a single apprehension or reception of truths presupposed without any mixtion of the discursive faculty and without any act of the judgement many make scruple of reasoning upon the doctrines oâ— faith because that reason is nothing but a naturall faculty But this maxime in the sence they give unto it is in effect contrary to all reason by the same consequence they ought not to bring to Church neither their eares nor common sence for to discerne the voyce and accents of the Word which is preached unto them noâ— their memorie to retaine the impression for these faculties as well as reason arâ— purely naturall I will leave what is to be spoken upon this subject to come to some remarkes Scarce can a man bee found doubting of some point of religion but he promiseth himselfe firmly to beleeve the truth so that hee may see manifest and concluding proofe there is nothing so common as this voyce If I see the proofe I will believe it But they promise that which is not in their power for every historicall faith it selfe is a gift of God and saving faith proceeds from a particular favour of heaven In the meane time they attribute unto themselves the power thinking that the matters of the faith may as easily be insinuated into our beliefe as philosophical propositions which have no need but of a moral perswasions or of the evidence of the senses for to introduce them into our spirit Whereas theologicall truths the most cleare and palpable are alwaies obscure unto us without a particular illumination With a like vanity many assure themselves that if they had seene the miracles that God wrought in Egypt or that Jesus Christ did in Judea they would not have failed to believe in him They wonder at the stupidity of the Jewes and thinke that if such wonders had been presented to their eyes they should have been far from being incredulous But certainly if a man should see all the rivers converted into blood the Seas cleave in sunder the Heaven open his gates the Mountaines to remove themselves the Sun stand still the Dead to come forth of their graves the Rocks to melt into water when he himselfe should have been in Heaven or should have returned from Hell he would not have returned better if God gave him not another understanding capable of this faith Now the Idolatrie which formes God after the resemblance of man consists not alwayes in Statues or materiall pictures neither in the grosse conception of Ideots who never thinke of God but in imagining some figure apprehensible to the sence and place in Heaven a fantasme for the object of their contemplation But there is one far more subtill which indeed considers God as a Spirit but bounds him by the law of Nature or restraines him to the same lawes which serve for bounds to the humane spirit or confines his wisdome to the maximes of morall and intellectuall vertues Two things amongst all others have seemed most absurd in the true religion the one under the Ancient testament to wit the Circumcision the other under the New to wit the Crosse of Christ the one ordained for a Sacrament the other for the foundation properly of the Alliance both of them shamefull in themselves ridiculous in the quality the Scripture gives them For God would oblige the wisest to search their salvation by a way
so great importance but in the essence it self and in the right conception of the truth thereof So some measure the sin of Adam the justice of his punishment the quality of grace the satisfaction of Christ the damnation of infidells by the Lawes and rules of Civill right or by naturall equity having as sleight a foundation as popular spirits who conceive alwayes some point of their religion under maximes of their art or of the condition they professe imploying them not as simple comparisons for to inlighten but as demonstrative proofes CHAP. 7. Why learned men receive the truth with more difficulty then other men and if the promptitude of belief is alwayes most praise worthy TThe same which we have written of the most piercing spirits happens also to men of eminent knowledge which is that they are for the most part slower of belief in a point of Religion then ordinary men there must be more powerfull operations and a longer time for to draw them to the tearmes of an intire perswasion on which I will only say the most prompt belief is not alwayes the most firm The faith of a man who receives the Gospell with a precipitated and easie approbation ought to be suspected of nullity it is to be feared it s rather credulity then sollid faith surely our Lord spake of certain auditors who easily received the word with gladnesse but left it with the same facility which they had brought to its reception the truth is alwayes open and never hides her face to the end that he who receives her may see what manner of guest he is to receive So when a man begins to be illuminated in the first acts of this faith he meets with an infinity of objections which hinder his resolution to an entire belief But he which finds no obstacles therein never considers thereof in good earnest far from having conceived the faith a man who will sound the depth of Religion and know the bottome as far as man can discover he who will learn all the measures of the Tabernacle and know the dimensions and the proportions and weigh all the reasons which forbids the entrance and those which invite him thereto his pace will not be very fast and wil not come very soon to the altar But if once he be enlightened by the light of the Sanctuary the slownes thereof redounds to his advantage for belief is far more cleare being received upon solid grounds more sound As lodging in a spirit refined from all that surcharged it and more solid as having prevented by a ripe deliberation whatsoever might come to shake it In this tryall of religion the learned have alwayes helps which facilitates their understanding and where they know to make use thereof they understand better the importance of a point of the law or of the Gospell the enormity of sinne or the excellency of redem prion far better then the common people That as they have more trouble to be perswaded so they have more objections to be resolved then those which see not the difficulty thereof but the perswasion being formed in them possesses all those advantages which I have related And notwithstanding it is not altogether universally true that the learned are the more difficult to believe the truth the conversion of an idiot proves oftentimes more painfull and troublesome A grosse ignorance incapable to comprehend the easiest matter is the mother of stubbornesse nay more of presumption the enemy of all knowledge Many refuse instruction because they believe they have knowledge enough So that under the shadow of Christian liberty an artificer censures what he understands not CHAP. 8. Why the learned are subject to more doubts then the simple people WE find an infinite number of persons among the common people who never doubt of any point of faith nor of any other matter approved by the orthodoxall Church whereas that ordinarily the most knowing men are full of doubts Now its true that believing and doubting are acts formally contrary for distrust although many teach it is not of the essence of faith no more then vice is not essentiall to vertue and every sort of doubt is a testimony of our weaknesse and a mark of ignorance But it is easie to judge from whence it comes that popular spirits are not subject to so many doubts as the great Theologians For as thier sight extends not it self so farre so they see not all the difficulties which the other discover in the study of Religion as for those who have never doubted of any point it is of necessity that this great security of spirit proceeds from one of those two causes either of a perfect and transcendent faith incompatible with all species of doubt or from an extreame stupidity which never comprehended the importance of a doctrine nor ever sounded the depth thereof A man who hath alwayes had an absolute and unvariable perswasion of all points of Religion without any contradicting thought must necessarily be either An anges or a beast This stupid confidence deceives an infinity of souls especially in the personall application of their beliefe Many hold themselves so assured of their salvation that their spirit is incapable of doubting but not through the excellency of faith which requires a more exact triall but through an excesse of self love from hence it comes to passe they willingly believe whatsoever makes for their advantage But if they have no pertinent reasons it is a most grosse presumption CHAP. 9 Of common proverbs in generall and of certain maximes in favour of ignorance THE vulgar people governe themselves by certain maximes esteemed for oracles but which are indeed as many approved errours The proverbs which belong to Oeconomie exteriour policie and to naturall prudence in the conduct of our lives are nothing to our purpose there are some which touch Religion that are held for assured principalls which have nothing but an abusive and fraudulent appearance whosoever would make the inventory should discover a thousand absurdities For all the proverbiall sentences which are at this day in use have not been dictated by the mouth of the wise or from reason common to all men or from universall experience Ignorance hath brought forth many which are authorised onely by the credit of the multitude And every man who desires to understand very well his Religion ought to take of these prejudicated proverbs which at this time have course such are the following maximes to wit That there 's no sin but with the will which is false Originall sinne in little children omissions proceeding from forgetfulnesse the first motions which are not in the power of man extravagant dreames wandering and idle thoughts doubtles which trouble the spirit are not voluntary and notwithstanding are still sinnes Idiots imagine that sinne resides not but in the will not considering that it hath its place in the Intellect it self but this is to justifie that opinion which some hold that Ignorance is
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
ordinary points of particular commerce amongst men and notwithstanding it is as yet undecided For some put no difference betwixt a light interest and that which the Jewes call biting it being interdicted by the Law and others admit it as lawfull in the proportions of equity as the same Law recommends but the difficulty of a solution takes not away the necessity and the impossibility of it in some points takes not away from us the searching after others CHAP 13. Of certain questions which are indifferent in which the one ought the rather to be delivered then the other THere be disputable matters which ar not so indifferent or so well ballāced but that the weight of the one will turne the scales It s a disputable point whether the terrestriall Paradise be as yet subsistent The negative hath more appearance It s a question not necessary whether the Arch of the alliance was burnt when the Babylonians fired the temple the affirmative is the most certain namely we do imploy it to convince of falsenesse the history of the Macchabees which relates that this Arch was sound at the return from the Captivity Behold here one more important to wit whether the spirits and namely the soule of man are purely immateriall essences Certain ancient Theologians followed also by some moderne Divines deny it and give it a substance as that of the aire subtil and imperceptible but notwithstanding in some sort materiall to which it is very hard to subscribe This is the most considerable of all whether the humane soule be immediately produced from God and by him infused into the body or whether it draws its effence from his Progenitors who transmit it to their children by naturall propagation the first of these two opinions is without doubt the more receiveable and the most worthy of a Christian I set aside the disputes touching the salvation of Adam and Solomon in which the most favourable opinion is also most certain CHAP. 14. Indifferent questions sometimes become necessary Many things are held for problematicall which are not so in effect Problematicall points ought not to be believed with the same faith as the articles necessary to salvation IF there be any matters which are of small importance they are these following What age had Terah when Abraham was born unto him Genesis 11.12 how many yeares the Hebrews were in Egypt Exod. 12. Gal. 3.17 How many persons descended thither with Jacob. Gen. 46.27 Acts 7.14 These points and many other which we might quote have some difficulty An ignorant will not trouble himself therewith but an Atheist will find wherewithall to calumniate the whole Bible and the Jews from thence have drawn objections against us crying out the new Testament to be false which they pretended to be contrary to the history of Moses A Christian is obliged to seek instruction as well in these things as also in an infinite of others to the end that Religion be not blasphemed through our ignorance On which occasion you may mark a number of matters which are Problematicall rather in opinion then in effect I believe that many questions which we hold for disputable the solution thereof is contained in the Scripture although we find it not therein Our ignorance is the cause that they remain Problematicall which would not be if the Scripture were perfectly understood certainly there is some which are not therein decided we ought not to beso bold as the Scholasticks who have disputed if the ravishing of S. Paul into the third heaven was in body or in spirit onely They might be assured nor to find the solution thereof But on the other side it 's a great temerity to hold all for undecided in the Scripture because we cannot resolve it In the mean time there is no reason for us to imbrace with an equall stablenesse of belief the points which are as yet Problematicall unto us as those of which we have a full assurance It is most worthy to be believed that the Virgin never had any other children then he for whom all ages call her blessed But this point is not of the same quality as those whose demonstration is cleare undubitable and necessary CHAP. 15. Of those who will know nothing but what is found in the Scripture WIthout derogating from the Scripture the perfect rule of faith as well as of manners we say there is divers matters not contained therein whose ignorance would be shamefull and unfitting to a Christian capable of instruction I speak not here of many natural principles which the Scripture expresseth not as not to know that two contradictions cannot be true or that the whole is greater then a part under colour that the Scriptures speaks not of it should be a criminall brutality The Scripture teaches not naturall Notions but presupposeth them as manifest because it speaks to men not to stones I leave divers histories and prophesies as are the works of Daniel the drying up of the river Euphrates in the Apocalips and a number of others which is impossible to understand without the knowledge of many things which the Scripture teacheth not The Passage of the Israelites through the red sea The darknesse happening at the death of our Lord are acknowledged to be miraculous because they came in a time that they could not be produced by naturall causes which was the reason that the Scripture passeth it under silence All the predictions which have come to passe since the closing of the new Testament show not their accomplishment but in humane histories Nay all these prophesies are finally reduced into histories which are not found in the Scripture But I will onely touch one point or two which consist not but onely in act He who would believe the temple of Jerusalem is as yet standing that the Jews sacrifice therein and that the other legall ceremonies are practised as if their Republick as yet subsisted would be culpable of a very grosse error and notwithstanding the history of the cessation of sacrifices is not to be read in the Scripture it teacheth us that the Leviticall sacrifices were abolished by right but as then in act Neverthelesse this actuall abolition came since so advantageously for the Christians that one cannot be ignorant thereof without manifest carelesnesse Also we do not learn in the Scripture that there be as yet Jews in the world and neverthelesse it would b a blockish stupidity to be ignorant of the subsistance of that nation whose misery verifies the threatnings of our saviour upon them and whose conversion we do as yet expect But above all it would be an ignorance worthy of reproach to put in indifferency how many ages we ought to count since the birth of Christ A man who should not know whether there were more then two hundred yeares since Jesus Christ was borne should be unworthy the name of a Christian although that the supputation be a matter of Chronologie which is not deduced in the Scripture but
convince the Apostolicall writings of falshood and so by consequence to annihilate C ristianity CHAP. 19. Why the opinions the most erronious are maintained with greater obstinacy then those which are lesse absurd The plea of these which burnt their children Pretexts for transubstantiation THe more monstrous is the errour the more pertinacious is the belief when once it hath taken place in the spirit the reason is because the falshoods the most enormous are made important by the highest pretexts of truth and are not authorised but by the most undoubted maximes of religion under the colour of this soveraigne power◠they make men renounce their judgement of reason nay more disavow their own proper sences If ever there were an error incapable it was the impiety of the Israelites who burnt their own children as a sacrifice pleasing to God Neverthelesse neither nature which cried out against those horrors nor the threatnings frō heaven which condemned them could not hinder their practise But it needs must be that some violent passion which brake in sunder the strongest chains of naturall affections was moved with some powerfull engine cloaked over with some very specious pretext Their apology might be that the chiefest good of man consists in the remission of his sinnes that this remission could not be without the effusion of blood That it were a folly to go about to appease God by the blood of beasts and therefore some humane sacrifice must be offered That this sacrifice ought to be innocent and that a greater innocence could not be found then in a little infant That to be of the proper substance of the man which did present it and so it was necessary that his offering should be offered in expiation But if the sacrifice ought to be but Eucharisticall then it were but to mock God to present him a calf or a pigeon his Majesty requiring more noble offerings nay more demanding our own bowels and that they knew not how to offer him a more precious present then the life of their own children Under this pretext and such like this abomination passed for the most ardent piety which a man may show to God equallising or rather surpassing all which the Scripture extolls in Abraham for an action of this quality So that the excesse of errour augments the perswasion The article of transubstantiation is produced under the name of the most excellent and most dreadfull misterie of all religion bearing upon its front the expresse words of the sonne of God whose presence is fearfull to the Angels arming it selfe with the power of his omnipotency inclosing within its titles all the Majesty of heaven and the salvation of the whole world By how much the representation of this opinion is prodigious by so much the more it makes them believe it misterious From thence it comes that that belief is maintained with more pertinacity then any error whose absurdity is lesse apparant Also the believing hereof is esteemed so much the more meritorious by how much lesse the object is to be believed as indeed that man who firmly believes this transubstantiation should have were it true more faith then ever had all the Patriarks and Apostles together The third Section CHAPTER 1. What manner of knowledge or instruction is most naturall to the vulgar TWO men may know one and the same truth but in divers manners A Country man may know that an Eclypse ought to happen on such a day having read it in an Almanack but that is not called Science as an Astronomer who knows by demonstration foreseeing the Eclypse in his causes He is not learned in religion who knows all the matters but he that knows them in the manner they ought to be known on which many faults are to be observed There are two traditions or wayes of instruction on which the vulgar repose themselves Sentences and generall propositions 2 Histories in these two consists almost all the knowledge of the common people As for the first head the ignorant content themselves to know the generalities because the intelligence of particular points requires a sharper sight and a more fixed contemplation It s easier to an Idiot to say These Things then to restrain this generality to its species to know how to give each one of them its proper name To the other the instruction which is given them by history pleaseth them because of its facility for it consists in actions and circumstances perceptible to the imagination so that all their knowledge lodgeth either in copious generalities or in the single individuums but the points which are as it were mediums between these two wearies more the spirit obliging them to reason and to take the measure weight and number and the names of all things This is the cause the vulgar cast it off In the mean time many are Orthodoxall in the generality of a point who erre grossely in the particulars thereof witnesse the article of providence upon which the common people will give a cleare opinion in respect of the generality of this doctrine but in the particular points imagine a world of absurdities CHAP. 2. Of the superficiall knowledge of each point of Of religion Of their definitions and of their exact Knowledge An example in the doctrine of the Eucharist THE ignorance of generall as well as particular points proceed from this that popular spirits learn an infinity of descriptions but very few definitions I speak not in favour of subtil and artificiall definitions of which every one is not capable But certainly it is impossible to have the true knowledge of a point without knowing how to mark and define the essence if not exactly yet at least very near the truth When a man can say sinne is the poyson of the soule and knows how to give it a hundred epithites of this sort yet hath he not learnt what sinne is this ignorance is entertained by a multitude of Preachers who are content to declaim by descriptions and abundance of metahpots never showing but the superficies of matters in stead of setting forth the dimensions I leave the points which are elevated above all definition The imagination of Idiots who not understanding what is properly that eternity although they know that God hath neither beginning nor end believe him neverthelesse to have more age then he had foure thousand yeares since This point and many others are not the mark at which we shoot I could show that the greatest part of our differencies proceed from the ignorance of definitions If the Romish Church comprehended intercession to be a sacerdotall act and that Christ prayes in quality of a soveraign Priest dead for us and this function consists in the comparition of his person c. She would never transport to others the title of intercessor But to make you see how many excellent matters the exact intelligence of one point furnisheth in respect of a superficiall knowledge we will produce only one example In the words of the Lord
Alphabet without knowing how to join them to make entire words thereof Religion as it is in the knowledge of many consisteth in the multitude of matters confusedly heaped together in the mind without symmetry or proportiō without any form either of building or body the head and feet being confounded Some of our controversies concern the same order and rank of points The Romane Catholicks coming to contend with us begin voluntarily with the question of the Church giving it the highest place to the end they may make it passe as a rule and principle of faith But the Article of the Church holdeth not the first rank in the Creed CHAP. IIII. Of those which believe the truth by vertue of a false principle or of some passage of Scripture which toucheth not the question MAny believe the truth by a false faith The Turk believes God the creation providence the immortality of the soul Christ born of a virgin a great Prophet and the word of God because the Alchoran saith it These points are true in themselves but the belief which he hath thereby cannot be formally true because it depends on a false principle Truth may not be believed for a lyes sake One may not commend them which endeavour to amplifie the Oracles of the Sybills to the end they may make them speak more advantagiously in favour of the Christian Religion Nor the pious frauds of them which under colour of proving the immortality of the soul have supposed fabulous apparitions It importeth not onely what we believe but also why we believe it A man which believeth there is a God because Philosophy or naturall reason teacheth him so hath not a Theologick faith although the beliefe which he hath touching God be true in it self and in its principles He that believeth all the Articles of Christianity because great Doctors believe them or onely because the Church holds them for true hath built his faith upon mans testimonie 'T is a complaint of a person eminent in humane learning that being Orthodox in the Article of Christs Divinity notwithstanding in his interpretation and Paraprases upon the new Testament he did enervate or allude asmuch as was possible for him all the most manifest passages which authorise the beliefe of this point But on the other side the world is full of people which upon every sort of matter alledge a multitude of Texts though oft times the twentieth part suit not to the subject They which believe a truth but ground it upon a passage of Scripture which maketh not to the purpose believe the truth falsely That which they believe is very true but that by vertue whereof they believe it is not so For the Scripture ill applyed is no more Scripture but a perverting thereof although it be alleadged to prove the truth which it teacheth in other passages And 't were to be wished that many would bring hither as much feare and discretion as they abound in impertinent quotations But the vulgar often suffer thēselves to be led more by passages which come by the by then by those which lead straight to the mark I have seene a man which could never be brought from the Invocation of Saints for any Text alleadged unto him unlesse when one quoted to him the passage of Esay 63. ver 16. which notwithstanding is not the most concluding of all those which are made use of in this controversie A Rabbin converted to the faith and who had writ against those of his nation found the Trinity and the two natures of Christ in the foure Hebrew letters of the word Jehovah And made almost more esteem of this Cabbalistick proof then of all the passages of the old Testament infinitely more cleare and expresse upon this subject That which remaines to be said requires another Parenthesis CHAP. V. Every point of Religion hath its peculiar reasons examples and considerations to this purpose ALL the points of Religion and all the lesser branches of them have every one their particular reason And the Scripture saith not only that it is so but also how and why it is so It gives us not simple positions but teacheth by demonstration and arguments even to the resolving of objections which may be moved to the contrary This is not then sufficient when a man knows all his Religion by Propositions or Maximes though conceived in proper Scripture tearms if he know not also the particular reason of every one of them And to render a reason of our faith is not only to alleadge the Scripture which affirms such or such points but also to shew why these points which the Scripture affirmeth are such and that they are the causes of every one of them in particular Divinity is all full of demonstrative arguments They which have but a naked knowledge of conclusions see well the face and externall shape of Religion But the beating of its arteries the spirit which moves it and the faculties which stir within it are visible to them who know the reasons wherewith it is animated It is not to the purpose to alleadge that one ought not to demand a reason what God saith and that it is enough to believe what the Scripture pronounceth is true This objection is of value as touching points the search whereof is forbidden us as Why God sheweth mercy more to one then to another and for other matters which we may call transcendent which God hath bounded with praecipices environed with high barricadoes which hinder us from entring in thereat But in those whereof the Scripture teaches us the reasons 't is a foolish modesty to reason against his command which obligeth us to learn them Nay this is a manifest arrogance to will the ignorance of those reasons the Scripture gives us thereof under pretence of believing the Scripture simply For the Scripture it self teacheth us to reason upon many points infinitely raised above us When it is asked Why God permitted that sinne should enter into the world though it were in his power to hinder it Many reasons of this permission may be found full of excellent doctrine and saving the matters we have excepted there is not any point of Religion nay any particle whereof one may not find some reason either exprest in the Scripture or duly averred by lawfull consequences or resulting from the property of the subject If there be any thing which seemeth to be out of all enquiry they are the principles of nature As for example The prohibitiō of marriage between brother and sister is the voice of nature which hath no need to be propped with reasons since it is reason it self And though one may always say that the Scripture would oblige men to search the alliance of the remotest races to the end that the affections correspondencies of humane societie might be multiplied which would not be if marriages should be alwayes contracted within the same family Which would by this shame restrain the license which might grow from the facility
popular reasons such as are similitudes and arguments of this kind Those which are found in Scripture are not of this rank for the authority thereof makes them become demonstrations and undoubted proofs But all others have no other vertue thē to clear being besides uncapable to prove notwithstanding the vulgar will sooner believe for one bare comparison which maketh no proof then for a reason well concluding This is it that similitudes particular examples and the like arguments have an appearance manifest to the sense and therefore move beyond essentiall reasons which are not perceiveable but by the understanding Notwithstanding this faith is not more solid The man which conceives a point under the sole resemblance of truth and not in the proper essence thereof understandeth it not as he ought This is to have a true opinion but not a true knowledge And more deceive themselves by this meanes presuming they have the knowledge of a point instead whereof they have but the opinion It sufficeth not to say their opinion is conformable to the truth For truth is not known by opinion Whosoever desires the knowledge thereof ought to endeavour the understanding rather of one concluding and formall reason then ten thousand Arguments which have but a bare resemblance of truth CHAP. VIII Of whose who perswade themselves of the truth by false reasons Of those which falsely accuse themselves IT comes to passe that many believe a truth which is grounded on Scripture but conceive it under a false reason He believes the truth which holds we are justified by faith and not by works But if he believe that faith hath a prerogative because it is more excellent then works this reason is false For though faith be more excellent then works the excellency thereof is not the true cause why it justifies rather then works All the vulgar spirits know how to maintain a truth in expresse tearmes of Scripture But in that which the Scripture saith they often imagine a reason either false or impertinent So the friends of Job did maintaine Gods cause his power prudence wisdome and justice but by false presupposition And scarcely could one have said that they err'd if God himselfe had not interposed his judgement in the dispute So some to exalt the grace of God towards them accuse themselves to be the greatest sinners in the world imitating the Apostle S. Paul who speaketh of himself in this manner although that Judas and those that had crucified the Prince of glory were without doubt more guilty Now Saint Paul ranketh not himself simply amongst the greatest sinners but amongst them which had not sinn'd but through ignorance 'T is true that Originall sin is equall naturally in all men and 't is the grace of God which restrains many therein But that to amplifie this grace a man should accuse himself of actuall sinnes which he never committed this is a foolish sort of falshood The water of sprinkling which purified the unclean did defile those which were clean If we would exalt the mercy of God we have enow true arguments without searching imaginary for it If we would justify his severity we find enow true crimes in our life without imposing false ones upon us Whosoever will speak of God ought to speak according unto God that is to say according to the truth otherwise it is to speak against God To maintain truth with false reasons is to imitate the proceeding of Rebecca who to the end the Oracle might be found true had recourse to an abusive means using a fraudulent superstition There is nothing wherein one ought to be so circumspect as in speaking for the truth He that undertakes to maintain it is subject to a grievous censure if he acquits not himself thereof pertinently CHAP. IX Of points whereof one ought to know the causes Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes The understanding whereof decides many questions From whence come the greatest part of errours THe matters of Religion are known principally either by their causes or by their effects The Deity as being the highest cause of all is not demonstrable but by its effects Whose decrees ought also to be sought rather in their effects then in their causes But the other points which are subordinate are represented to us with their causes which teach us the true reasons of every one of them And in this the learned differ from the common people For the vulgar sees not the quality or truth of a point but in the effects and streames But to comprehend it well it behoves to see it in the spring Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes All the ceremoniall law if one knows not the reasons thereof is nothing but a heap of unprofitable burdens The Temple but a shambles and the priesthood but a vaine occupation In lieu thereof considering them in their causes every thing there is important even to the least circumstances VVhosoever shall remember that Jesus Christ suffered out of the City of Jerusalem will admire the providence of this Law which ordained that the sacrifices of oblations whereof the blood ought to be carried into the holy place should be consumed out of the compasse of the Camp or of the City We know that our Lord in the dayes of his flesh was environed with sorrow and feare But if we know not the cause thereof we make him inferiour to many martyrs who bare a smiling face amidst their punishments The Jew understands nothing in the Ceremoniall Lawes for although he knowes the number thereof all their particular forms he is ignorant of the cause thereof not knowing that they were given to serve onely till the coming of Christ The true meanes to well understand a point is to learn the causes thereof and the understanding of them is a soveraign eye-salve to cleare ones self of many difficulties Saint Paul sheweth by the finall cause of the Law that it is uncapable to justifie men for saith he the Law came because of transgressions to wit to discover not to cover them And indeed they which think to be justified by the works of the Law know not why it was given The Law was never given to justifie Gal. 3.21 on the contrary its office is to condemne men A great part of errours which wast Religion and likewise of them which trouble it at this day proceeds from this that the cause is taken for the effect or the effect is taken for the cause Instead that the Sabbath is made for man Pharisaisme concluded that man was made for the Sabbath Instead that meats were not unclean but because they were forbidden superstition believed them to be forbidden because they were uncleane Instead than the alter sanctified the offering they would by their Maximes that the offering did sanctifie the alter Instead that the Scripture sanctifieth the Church it is maintained that the Church sanctifieth the Scripture Instead that justification produceth works they hold that works produce justification