quainter phrases St Austen bewailes this vanity of his lib 3. conf cap. 5 with whom whilest not conuerted Tully aboue all compares seemed worthier of his study then any of our inspired authors we may think it a malady of great wits which had need to be cured by such repentance let good wits therefore take heede of it Now as we loue truth and the records of it so if we would store our selues therewith I know nothing more necessary then to come with honest and purged affections for a minde blurred with sensuall vanities worldly corruptions diuelish wickednesse can hardly take the faire impressions of truth Sap. 1.4 Into a malicious soule wisdome as it is in the booke of Wisdome shall not enter nor dwell in the body that is a subiect vnto sinne If pride be the domineering sinne in vs 〈…〉 and hath giuen vs any of the waters of strife to drinke Lord how hard wee study yet not to buy but disgrace a truth if it hath bin our ill lucke to haue vented an errour wee take it our credit to defend it and though wee are conscious of the falshood yet wee must not seeme to erre In our conferences which should serue to put vp truth before vs it is victory that is onely aimed at A modest man dares scarce speake what is true for feare of putting vs into the contrary error and as the leauen of pride is so soure so is it wonderfully swelling as if plaine and certaine truths were occupata materia a matter already taken vp by others of low and vulgar wits and vnfit for the sublimity of our spirits we range after curious speculations that still will runne away from vs or if caught will bee of no vse wee peremptorily determine where wee should onely religiously admire againe if this spirit haunt vs a new error pleaseth vs better then an auncient established truth thinking it a brauer act to be the maister of a young vanity then the disciple of an aged truth no wonder then if some now and then picke out of their authors such a point for their venting which others saw as well as they and could haue bought it but being but a toy and not worth the expence haue wisely scorned it these marketings can hardly bee avoided by men of pride humility is more thirsty and still on the getting hand because indeed blessed bee him who as hee frustrats proud wits Luk. 1.15 Ψ. 25.9 so hath hee promised that the humble he will teach his way Now as the fate of pride is so is that of worldlings so is that of sensuality so is that of enuy sois that of vncharitablenesse all these hang plummets vpon the soule suffer her not to ascend vp to many truths nay though our vnderstandings be sometimes of their owne naturall vigour soaring yet as the very Eagles made for stight can onely flutter not mount when weighty stones are tyed to their feet so these base and vnworthy affections cannot choose but clogge and presse vs when wee are to raise vp our spirits to any high point but did wee carry in our breasts contented chast moderate peaceable affections indeavouring nothing more then to be holy as God is holy 1. Pet. 1.16 the eye of our soules would oft see more cleerely pearce more deepely into heauenly misteries that rule of our Sauiour is most diuine Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe the will of my father he shall knowe of the doctrine whether it be of God Much here might bee added concerning those many preiudices whereof wee should also rid our selues before we can entertaine truth it is true it is true is the cry of many but why it is attended with signes Mat. 24.24 yea but false prophets shall doe wonders euen to the deceiuing of the elect themselues if that were possible it is confirmed by the sufferings of the professors 〈◊〉 yea but 't is not the paine but the cause that maketh a martyr it is accompanied with prosperity yea but the Apostles that church wherein the faith was most purely kept 〈◊〉 11.37 were destitute afflicted tormented it is followed by multiudes yea but it was neuer so well with the world that the best thing should please the most 〈…〉 7.13 the broad way heares ill it is bequeathed by our auncestors but walke not in the statutes of your fathers Ezek. 20.18 I am the Lord saith God sometimes by his prophets it were ill with truth if a long custome could prescribe against it it is taught by great Rabbies but they list not to be men nor euer could produce any character that exempts them from ignorance it is deliuered by those of reputed sanctity yea but our sauiour mentioneth false prophets that shall come in sheepes clothing Mat. 7.15 nor is I will not say a counsell of Saints but men a quire of Angells to bee welcomed with any other curtesy then a curse Gal. 1.8 if they bring things contrary to what hath bin receiued from Christ I wonder at our sottishnesse that can bee patient to haue our vnderstanding giued by these weake preiudices that we may breake them let vs be perswaded of this easy truth 2. Cor. 1.24 that none but God can Lord it ouer faith because he alone is set aboue errour and deceit the Apostle saith it vpon deliberation what Dauid did in hast euery man is a lyar Rom. 3.4 Ps 116.11 what through Ignorance what through negligence what through malice small reason haue wee then to prime our consciences vpon any one sleeue not knowing whether he will runne with them To auoide all these impediments to the procuring of truth let vs in the last place commend prayer vnto you by which holy men haue confessed that they haue more profited then by reading hearing Aug. Epist 112. or any other diligence Iob. 32.8 for if it be true what Elihu saith there is a spirit in man but it is the inspiration of the Lord that giueth vnderstanding and it being most true what our sauiour hath that his Father will giue the spirit to those that aske him Luk. 11.13 who can doubt but that devout prayer is one of the currantest coines whereby wee may traffique with God for the obtaining of those illuminations that shall bring truth with them into our breasts Thus haue I reuerent Fathers and bretheren brought you what I haue conceiued in this argument I am not much acquainted with your eares and therefore know not how to fit them onely I thought that a discourse of truth and the purchase of it might not be vnsutable to that place wherein is held so famous a Mart of truth or did the considerations of mine owne meannesse deterre mee since I knew I came amongst the wise with whom as Prospers phrase is truth is not then onely great when great ones teach it But if you will except Vide Prosp praesat in 2. l.
the kinde nature of that truth whereof our author here treateth Solomon who wrote so many bookes euen to wearinesse of flesh giues this as the Epitome of all Feare God and keepe his commandements Eccl. 12.13 which being the whole duty of man may well be thought the chiefe scope of those writings wherein he hath preached to posterity more particularly for this booke of his parables hee salutes his reader in the very entrance with a discouery of his full drift which is Prov. 1.2 that men should know wisdome and instruction and that they should perceiue the words of vnderstanding now the vnderstanding he promiseth is not as we may well suppose only of earthly and worldly things which wee can all well and soone enough finde out without the helpe of so great a teacher but of those better higher matters belonging to the seruice of God the tranquillity of soules and the wellfare of all societies in that great house of God the world It remains then that the truth here spoken of should finde an interpretation agreeable to the maine scope of the author and consequently import the true knowledge which appertaineth to the true worship of the most true God in whose right service stands the whole duty and felicity of man Following then this sense as knowing none other to follow I must a little resume my former obseruation that Solomon supposeth there is such a true knowledge in diuine matters and that we may bee possessors thereof for why should we be set to buy that which is not and to what purpose is it if it may not be bought herein wee haue the more sober scepticks of our age somewhat yealding and plyant Vide Mont. ess lib. 2. cap. 12. Charr de la sag lib. 2. cap 2. For Montagnie and Charron those two French writers that call for such a suspence of iudgments almost in all inferiour things allowing vs rather to cheapen then buy yet they willingly grant divine verities which when reuealed from God we must with ready submission assent vnto as vnto vncontroleable truths But whether our Pyrronists euen in faith will grant so much or no wee will confidently auerre it vpon these grounds First wee confesse God to be our father and Lord now a sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his Lord Mal. 1.6 as the Prophet Malachy but not only by the spirit of prophecy as I take it but following herein the very light of nature well inferres For there cannot be a closer sequence then of these termes pater filius obsequium dominus servus hominium obedience is due from the sonne to the father homage from the tenant to his Lord. If then at the very instant of our being that bill was drawne whereby we stand obliged to God it is necessarily requisite that there should be some certaine rule of that worship which wee owe to him and that we should be acquainted with it Our very nature confirmes vs in the acknowledgement that such a truth is likewise to bee found lib 3. cap. 10. For as Lactantius well shewes euen by the testimony of those who saw nothing but by the twilight of nature man is naturally inclined to some religious conceits lib. 1. de legibus Vide Purch pilgrimag passim Philosophers haue differenced him from all other creatures by this inclination so that indeed as Cicero long agoe obserued and our late nauigations haue plentifully discouered there is not any so wild a portion of mākind which doth not serue some deity striuing to content it with those kinds of worships which they hope will be accepted Is there then this propension of all to some religion is there no religiō which may truly satisfie it Why is our vnderstanding desirous of the knowledg of an infinit truth if it be not capable thereof why capable if there be no way to enioy it Why doth our will not stay it self vpō any finite obiect but is still pressing forward to an infinit goodnesse if there be no certaine course to bee made partakers thereof I will first beleiue that God giues and our nature receiues so admirable a property in vaine before I can be perswaded that there is no true religion which only is that which can giue rest to these restlesse appetites of our soules Adde in the last place that man a creature of one of the highest formes for he is but little inferiour to the Angells should bee one of the foolishest and most wretched if religion were meerely but a name or fiction or if hauing truth in it could not possibly be possessed by vs. For as Ficinus well shewes De relig Christ cap. 1. many as the Apostles forsake all things all men something out of the loue or feare of a Godhead we quit present things in hope or dread of future our consciences are continually exercised either in feasting our selues for the obserued or vexing our selues for the omitted duty to that divine power which we acknowledge now if all this were vtterly in vaine we are most vaine and miserable especially since wee obserue in inferiour creatures no naturall disposition to abstaine from present good things in expectation of future or carry themselues in such a voluntary strictnesse We may not who for want of time must bee faine to leaue out some thing necessary stand too long vpon superfluous matters therefore will vpon the premises which even nature may subscribe vnto conclude that there is some where extant a forme of the true worship of God whereof man may bee partaker But the troublous dispute of the world is what this true worship is wherein it consists where to bee bought by what meanes to be purchased Let mee hasten then to these points not vnfit for this place necessary I am sure for these times wherein so many are at a stand which way to take not a few haue turned their backs to that wherein they ought to haue proceeded and all of vs God pardon our coldnesse and faint-heartednesse not so forward to vphold and beautify the truth which wee doe embrace The phrase of buying here vsed somewhat directs vs in our inquiry for the law of this action is that wee consider of the wares that are tendred vnto vs. Hee that would haue vs take things because offered doth not fell but impose and tirannize A man may safely suspect his dealing that would haue vs choose and winke or buy in the darke The basenesse of falshood shuns the light but truth as Tertullian speaketh Lib. cont valent cap. 3. nihil erubescit nisi solummodo abscondi is ashamed of nothing but to be hid it calles for all eyes and feareth not the seuerest tryall if it were onely guilded ouer it might forbid touching or scraping but being massy solid gold throughout the more you handle and examine it the brighter it will appeare It cannot therefore be but a* Turcisme in the Church of Rome De Turcarum
of one God cannot possibly cast forth the beames of two truths Well then may Austen call that opinion of Rhetorius Aug. de haeres cap. 72. haeresin nimium mirabilis vanitatis an heresy of a prodigious vanity who held that all heretiques though of neuer so different fancies did yet speake the truth as if any thing could swarue from it selfe and remaine it selfe no no truth is more vniforme and constant insomuch that if we suruey all the parcels of this rich beautifull commodity we shall finde each seuerall to agree with the rest in admirable consent whereas if wee take into our hands the infinite peeces of falshood wee shall not onely perceiue them opposite to truth but incoherent one to another nay in the same cause or question it will not be hard to descry the premisses and the more removed cōsequences mutually to wound one another and be both false but truth cuts not her owne throat but rather each part of her if of so partlesse a thing I may so speake lends stron succour to the other The second natiue note of diuine truth is that it still reflects it selfe vpon the glory of its Author and therefore she as wisdome in the booke of Proverbs gets her to the top of the high places Prov. 8.2.3 Psal 29.1.2 shee stands at euery entrance and sings that Psalme with a chearefull voice Giue vnto the Lord O yee mighty giue vnto the Lord Glory and strength giue vnto the Lord the glory due vnto his name all her cry is that flesh and blood may be humbled and the Father of spirits glorified she bids miserable man at last know and acknowledge his misery and begin to confesse himselfe altogether vnworthy of the least of his provoked makers mercy she preaceth to him not to stand vpon the prerogatiues of naturall goodnesse shee counselleth him to cast away the insolent conceit of his owne merits and satisfactions and rely onely vpon the free and vndeserued grace of God for his saluation shee commandes him to submit all his owne wisdome greatnesse power to the power greatnesse wisdome of God she inioines him not to take in any partners into his redeemers honour but to let him haue all the glory of his owne workes without a sharer this voice thus aduancing our creator and restorer is high true but when I heare a skreaking that I am not so poore but that doeing what I may doe by my depraued nature I deserue at leastwise in congruity that God should looke favourably vpon mee when his fauour is receiued I then can doe those works which by their owne proper dignity may merit heauen and bring God vnder a debt when I heare a noise that I must get mee some of the ouerflowings of other mens goodnesse or pay some of mine owne satisfactions to helpe out the merits of my saviour as if there were some want in him of whose fulnsse wee may all receiue grace for grace when I am sollicited in performance of religion Iohn 1.16 to doe besides and sometimes against the command of God as if I might be a thought wiser then my maker these sounds must needs bee vntuneable to truth since they set not forth the grace and glory of God in that highest strain which heauenly doctrines should reach vnto Thirdly if amongst a heape of fruitlesse comfortlesse doctrines that vsually lye vpon the stall we would finde out and buy the truth let vs enquire after that which containes the most certaine and safe method of our reconciliation with God for since religion as that noble Frenchman hath it is the art of sauing man Mornaeus de verit rel Christianae cap. 20. which cannot bee but in coniunction with God and since it is confessed on all hands that sinne hath made a great gulfe betwixt God and man that must needs bee the only truth which will tell vs how a friendship may bee made vp againe betwixt the creator and his creature hence some say religion takes his name because it doth * Vide Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 28. Aug. de civ dei l. 10. c. 4. relige or binde together againe what was vnhappily disvnited But be that as Grammarians can agree it will be agreed by diuines that all mankind should be vtterly lost if being by sin brought vnto the very margent of that bottomles hellish pit there should be no bridge appointed to conveigh vs ouer in safety to the mercies of heauen but herein the grace of God which the scripture hath the honour to publish helps by bringing vs certaine newes of an Emmanuella God-man a mediatour who by his infinitely meritorious sufferings for what cannot the blood of the son of God obtaine payd off all the scores of his Fathers iustice extinquished all the fiery fiercenesse of his wrath and reconciled vs to his euerlasting loue wherein is euerlasting life and health when we were enimies saith the Apostle Rom. 5.10 wee were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne and being reconciled we shall bee saued by his life This is a true saying and worthy by all meanes to bee receiued because it can onely giue assurance of peace to our troubled consciences whereas all other waies in the case of mans reconciliation with God are but as thinne rotten short threads applyed to the bowing of a mighty Cedar to a poore shrubbe of wonderfull great distance from it euen tyes and bandes weaker and vainer then vanity itselfe Fourthly it may passe for an indiuiduall marke of true religion that it is a leader to true sanctity The wisdome that is from aboue Iac. 3.17.1.27 is first pure saith St Iames and in the last verse of his first chapter hee giues this character thereof charity towards others and cleanesse in our selues Not that all professors of the truth are presently possessed with sanctity not that the sanctity which is in the best is in this life perfectly squared to the exact rule of truth but our meaning is that what is diuinely true doth in its owne nature necessarily tend to the purging of our soules from corruption and the introducing of holy innocency charity and euery other vertue It must needs bee so since truth is the daughter of God the Holy of holies when therefore we heare a doctrine that fauours our sensuality that giues dispensation to carnall liberty that lendes patronage to the fopperies of our time vt honeste peccare videamur that we may seeme honestly vaine The voice thereof bewraies the falshood of it nay it is a very vnlucky truth if any truth can haue that misfortune which when entertained moues no man the more to the loue of God or practise of any goodnesse In a word since it was wisely said Summa religionis est imitari quem colis Aug. it is the abrigement of all religion to imitate him whom a man worships it is but froth that is not able to imprint in our accompts the liuely