ingentia quibus magâ— quidam per incantationes fecer unt similia c. ibidem Hac autem antiqua miracula per deum scilicet facta quâ—tidiè in mysterio râ—no vantur in Ecclesia quae etiam tanto maiorasunt quanto non corporalis sed spirtiuilia ibidem * Vnde quum in canonizatione sancti Thoma de Aquino opponeretur quod non fecerat miracula in vita vel non multa dictuÌ„ fuit per Papam non esse curandâ—m Gerson ibidem p. 512. Vide Plura Gerson tractat octauo super Magnificat partiti one tertia de custodia Angelica * See Chap. 29. parag 1. * Nota treâ— persâ—nas pâ—sse consideâ—ari quaÌ„â—â— nos Deum oramus vnam ipsius Dei a quo petimus beneficia alteram Christi per cuius meritum ea câ—piâ—nus nobis darâ— tertiam eius qui peâ—iâ—en â—â—câ—a per Christâ—â—n Ex his tribus personis nâ—n potest prinâ—â— Sanctis tribâ—â— vt iam prebauimus sed sâ—â—uÌ„ tertia Bellar. cap. 17. de Beat. Saâ— * Itaque Sanctos invocamus ad hoc solum vt faeciant id quod nos facimus qui meliùs et efficaciùs ipsi facerè possunt quà m nos meliùs illi et nos simul quà m nos soli Probatur iam coÌ„clusio solus Christus est qui mundâ—m reconcilia â—t Deo qui meruit nâ—â—is gloriam gratiam omnia necessaria ad salutem Bellar. ibidem Bellarminus ibidem 1. Tim. 2.5 * Sect. 5. Chap. 42. Parag. 4. * In festo inventionis Sanctae Crucis * Vide Riberam in 7. ad Hebrae num 72. * Bellarm. de beatitud Sanct. l. 1. cap. 15. Bellarm. l. 1. de Beatitud Sanct. c. 12. a Peresius part 3. de Tradit considerat 7. b Bellarm de Sanâ—t beatitud l. 1. cap. 12. * Vide Bellar. de Beatitud Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 12. parag 5. * Rom. 13.7 a St Austine whose authority they wrest to this effect was mistaken in the vse or significatioÌ„ of the word Latriae His error was in that he thought it did alwayes signifie religious worship or adoration of spirit and this kind of worship he knew onely to be due to God wheras he had observed the Latine word adorare to be common both to civill and religious worship The same Father in 61. Question vpon Genesis acknowledgeth no medium or meane betweene Civill adoration and Latria that is betweene civill worship and the worship which is due onely vnto God The occasion of S. Austines distinction may be best gathered from his words Quaeritur quomodo scriptum sit Dâ—minum deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruieâ— cum Abraham sic honorauerit populum quendam gentium ut etiam adoraret Sed animaduertendum est in eodem praeceptâ— nondictum Dominum deum tuum seluÌ„ adorabis sicut dictum est et illi soli seruies quod est Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talis enim seruitus non nisi Deo deâ—etur Aug. quest 61. super Gen. b Vide Vasques lib. 2. de adoratione disp 8. cap. 12. num 366. * Luk. 4. vers 6 7. Matth. 4. vers 9. * Rev. 19.9 * Bellar. l. 1. de Sanctor beatitudine cap. 14. * Aug. questione 61. in Gen. * Bellarmin ibid de Sanc. beatitudâ— * Vide Bellarmin lâ—câ— citatâ— * Acts. 10. ver 5 6. * Plinius in Historia Similia habet Lactantius * Acts. 10.46 * Coloss 2. ver 18. * Vasques l. 1 de Adorat disput 5. cap. 3. * Bellarm. de Sanctor beatitudine lib. 1. cap. 4. * Vide Rosariun Maria. * Vid Deâ—ri l. 4. c. 1. q 2 s 2 Bellar. lib. 1. de Sanctor beatâ—t c. 17. a Concipitur et Deiparam Virginem vt sponsam â—uasuram fuisse summipatris cum illi ediderit vnigenituÌ„ nec non mairem futuram verae vita per hoc long melioris quà m Heua quandoquidem ficut Adamus ita et Heua in animaÌ„ est ficta viventem at Maria sicut Christus in spiritum est electa viuificantem Vnde mater nedum dicitur vita sedgratia et dilectio â—pulchra sicut et de illâ sacra canit Ecclesia Iaâ—â—bus NaclaÌ„tus â—piscopus Clugiensis in seriâ—turaemedulla fâ—l 37. pag. 1â—6 * Compare these the like eiaculatorie hymns with the eiaculations of heathen Orators and Poets chap. 20. * Vid. Putean in Mod. Pallade * Bellar. La. de Sanctor beat cap. 17. * Bellar. ibid. * 1 Cor. 9. ver 12. * Heb. 7. ver 25. * Ioh. 16. ver 7. * Breviaâ—â—uÌ„ Roman de ordine commendatuâ—nis anâ—mae Deo * Equidem Anaxarche Alexandrum nullo plane honore qui quidem hominibus conveniaâ— indignum esse censeo Caeterum statuta sunt inter homines divini humani honoris discrimina cùm multis alijs rebus tùm Ten plorum exaedificatione statuarum erectione Dijs enim delubra consecramus ijsque sacra facimus libamus Rursus hymni deorum sunt laudes hominum sed non cum adoratione coniunctae The Greeke is sed praecipue adorationis ritu Hominibus siquidem à salutantibus oscula dantur eos veâ—ò edita loco positos ne contingi quidem fas est ideo adoratione coluntur Tripudia etiam salutationesque dijs fiunt paeanes cantâ—ntur Neque verò mirum id est quâ—m ex dijs alij alijs honores tribuantur quidem heroibus alij etiam ipsi à diuinis honoribus diversi Non est igitur consentaneum haec omnia inter se confundere neque hominem nimijs honoribus supra humanum modum extollere deoâ— ad statum ab illorum dignitate alienum redigere vt nimirum eodem quo homineâ— cultu colantur Neque enim pateretur Alexander privatum aliquem regios honores electione sâ—ffragusque illegitiâ—â—s vsurpare Multò itaque iustiuâ— deos indignaturos si quis mortalium divinâ—s hâ—nâ—â—es sibi arroget aut ab alijs delatos sustineat Arrianus de Expedit Alexandâ—â— l. 4. pag. 86. Cap. 29. * Bellar. l. 3. de beatitud Sanct. cap. 4. * Lib. 3. cap. 9. de cultu Sanctorum * See Psal 50. ver 7. c. and the 14. * Rom. 12. ver 1. * Subdit statim Tharasius ex AnastasiorationeÌ„ Quid enim aliud est quam honoris alicui exhibiti veluti emphasis adoratio Latria vero nequaquam Ac fi dicat ideò adorare licet quia adoratioest emphasis hoc est symbolum et signum interioris cultus et submissionis et tale signum imaginibus praeberipotest Latriam vero tribuere nequaquam licet Nam cum hac sit seruitus in spiritu et non in solo signo coÌ„sistat imagini suli qua non sentit nonpotestexhiberi Subiungit Neque etiam licebit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe imagiues quod est propriè Deum adorare Verbum enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprecari vota nuncupare vel peragere significat quod soli Deo fieripotest Vasqueâ— lib. 2. de
in his wonted vncleanenesse This relation of Calvines serveth as a testimony to confirme the truth of Tertullians observation which serues as a Document or sure experiment of our last assertion Vultis ex operibus ipsius tot ac talibus quibus continemur quibus sustinemur quibus oblectamur etiam quibus exterremur vultis ex anim◠ipsius testimonio comprobemus Qua licet carcere corporis pressa licet institutionibus prauis circumscripta licet libidinibus et cōcupiscentijs euigorata licet falsis Dijs exancillata cum tamen resipiscit vt ex crapula vt ex somno vt ex aliqua valetudine sanitatem suam patitur Deum nominat hoc solo quia proprie verus hic vnus Deus bonus magnus Et quod Deus dederit omnium vox est Iudicem quoque contestatur illum Deus videt deo commendo Deus mihi reddet O testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae Denique pronuncians haec non ad capitolium sed ad coelum respicit Novit enim sedem Dei vivi ab illo inde descendit Shall I proue vnto you there is but one God from his manifold workes by which we are preserued and sustained with which we are refreshed yea by which we are astonished or shall I proue the same truth by the testimony of the Soule it selfe which though it be kept vnder by the prison of the body though surrounded by naughtie and dissolute education though infeebled by lust and evill concupiscence though enslaued to false Gods yet when shee returnes vnto her selfe out of distempers surfet sleepe or other infirmitie and enioyes some gleames of health shee calls on God without addition of other titles because this God which shee calls vpon is truely one truely good and truely great What God shall award is a speech rise in every mans mouth vnto this God the Soule appeales as vnto her Iudge God he sees to God I commend my cause Let God determine of me or for me A worthy testimony that the Soule is naturally Christian Finally the Soule whiles shee acts these or the like parts looketh not to the Capitoll the imagined seate of such Gods as the Romans worshipped but vp to Heaven as knowing the seate of the living God from whom and whence shee is descended Many other authorities which might here be avouched to the same purpose do sufficiently argue that the multiplicitie of Gods was a conceipt or imagination seated or hatched onely in the braine that even the very Heathens themselues which worshipped many Gods and would haue maintained their profession of such service in opposition to their adversaries vnto death being throughly pinched with calamitie or occasioned to looke seriously into their owne hearts did vsually tender their supplications vnto the Deitie or divine power it selfe which filleth all places with his presence whose tribunall is in heaven Seeing anguish of soule contrition of spirit or generally affliction cause naturall notions of God and goodnesse formerly imprisoned in the earthly or fleshly part of this old man to shoote forth and present themselues to our apprehensions in case no calamitie or affliction doe befall vs we are voluntarily to consort with others whom God hath touched with his heavie hand or as Salomon adviseth vs to visite the house of mourning more then the house of mirth Or in case the Lord vouchsafe not to send these his seuerer visitors either to vs or to our neighbours yet he alwayes giues vs libertie to inuite another guest in afflictions roome which expects no costly or curious entertainement fasting I meane now to fast according to the prescript of Gods law is to afflict our soules CHAPTER IX In what respects supernaturall grace or faith infused is necessarie to the right beliefe of these truths which may in part be certainely knowne by diligent search of naturall reason 1. BVt if to nature not blinded by vaine curiosity nor polluted with the dregs of lust if to men free from passion or chastised by the hand of God the apprehension of the Deitie be cleare and evident the habit of supernaturall assent vnto the first Article of this Creed may seeme either altogether superfluous or not very necessary Vnto this difficulty proposed in termes more generall whether faith may be of obiects otherwise evident and exactly knowne some schoole-men acutely thus reply He that by reasons demonstratiue knowes this or other like truths beleeved that there is one God and no more which hath created the world may notwithstanding the evidence of motiues necessitating his will to this assent either doubt or deeme it a truth very obscure and vnevident whether God ever revealed thus much otherwise than by the common light of Nature or helpes of Art Cōsequently to their divinity they might reduce the resolution of the difficultie proposed to fewer termes and more constant thus the habit of faith or supernaturall assent is not necessary to ascertaine vs that the matters beleeved by vs are in themselues true seeing this much as is supposed may be prooved by reasons more evident than faith which is alwayes of obiects vnevident at least wise as apprehended by vs but to assure vs that their truth was testified or avouched by God whose testimony cannot be knowne but by his expresse word written or spoken 2. But if our former assertion that our knowledge of any obiect cannot be more certaine then it is evident be orthodoxall he that could demonstrate any Article of beliefe should be more beholding to the evidence of Art or demonstration than to the supernaturall habit of vnevident faith Wherefore with better consonancy to former discussions and if we be not in both mistaken vnto the truth we may thus resolue the doubt proposed The necessary existence of a God-head or supreame cause with the possibilitie of other things beleeved may be indefinitely knowne by light of Nature or demonstration but so much of these or any Article in this Creede contain'd as every Christian must beleeue or which is all one the exact forme of any one Articles entire truth can never be knowne by Art or Nature but onely by Gods word revealed or the internall testimony of his spirit refashioning his decayed image in mens hearts according to the patterne wherein they were first created That the resurrection though this truth to corrupt nature seemes most difficult is not impossible yea that it is impossible there should not be a resurrection or iudgement after death may be demonstrated but that the wicked shall rise to torments the righteous to ioy glory everlasting is a streame of life which naturally springs not within the circuit of the heavens it must be infused from aboue 3. The naturall man left to himselfe or vsing meere spectacles of art yea though admitted to the glasse of Gods word will alwayes in one point or other conceiue amisse of the Deitie and transforme the incorruptible nature into the similitude of corruption Yet further admitting the naturall man
seene vaiâ—ely puffed vp in his fleshly minde If so maine a pillar of Christs Church as S. Iohn who foresaw the generall Apostasie from the sincere worship of God to Antichristian Idolatry were thus shaken with this temptation it was not to be expected that any after that Sathan who can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light was let loose should be able to stand without vigilant attention vnto Iohns admonitions and these fayre warnings which God had given the world in him and Cornelius A senselesse and reprobate stupiditie more than Iewish hath befallen most of the moderne Romanists for their wilfull relapse into Heathenish Idolatrie What heathenish Priest did ever frame an answere to the obiections of the Orthodoxe either so ridiculous in it selfe or which might argue such a respectlesse esteeme of the divine Maiestie whom they were chalenged to wrong as Vasquez and Salmeron with others haue made to this instance of S. Peter and Cornelius St Peter say these Iesuites in part approved by Bellarmine who loues to haue two strings to his deceiptfull Bowe disclaimed the worship offred him not as if it were not due vnto him How then In modestie Doth this make for them or against them If it were his modestie to refuse it from Cornelius it would be good manners in them not to offer it till they know more of his minde or meete him face to face as Cornelius did who yet did not presse him to take it as in good manners he should if out of modestie onely he had refused it But they haue made S. Peters Image of such a mettall as it will not easily blush charm'd it with such new distinctions as it shall not tremble whiles they doe such homage to it as would haue moved S. Peter himselfe no lesse than the peoples dauncing before the golden Calfe did Moses The Image they thinke doth well approue of their service in that it doth not disallow it nor bid them stand vp saying what it could not truely say albeit these Impostors could teach it to speake for I also am a man Yet if S. Peter himselfe heare their prayers and see their gestures to it as well as if he were amongst them will he not be as modest in Gods presence who is alwayes an vndoubted spectator of this their service as he was before Cornelius Will he not disavow their practise as quite contrary to his example and their doctrine as directly contradictory to his instructions And doe they truely honour or rather fouly vilifie S. Peter and the rest of Gods glorious Saints in obtruding greater honour to their Images of liuelesse wood and stone than any Christians offred to them whilest they liued or were they present yet are capable of CHAPTER XXVII That the respect which wee owe to Saints deceased supposing they were really present with vs doth differ onely in degree not in nature or qualitie from the respect which wee owe vnto true liuing Saints That the same expression of our respect or observance towardes Saints or Angells locally present cannot without supersitition or Idolatrie be made vnto them in their absence 1. SVppose St Peter or the Angell whom St Iohn proffered to adore should vndoubtedly appeare vnto vs and vouchsafe vs libertie of proposing our desires vnto them we might and would tender them respect and reverence not for their civill dignitie or hopes of promotion from them but for their personall sanctitie which should exceed all the reverence wee owe to ordinary godly men as much as the civill Honcaâ— we giue to Kings doth our civill respect of any subiect that is our better But as our soveraigne observance of Kings or supreame earthly Maiestie may not transcend the latitude of civill honour so neither might wee tender such honour reverence or worship to S. Peter or the Angell were they present as would transgresse the vtmost bounds of that respect or reverence which is in some measure due to every godly man The difference betweene our respect to Angells the blessed Virgine or to Saints of the highest ranke and the lowest may be greater in degree than the latitude of civill honour in respect of Monarchs and their meanest officers can afford because the amplitude of sanctifying grace doth for ought we know farre exceed the measure of morall vertues or latitude of civill dignitie But the severall observances which we owe to Kings and to others that are our betters in the ranke of subiects differ more in specificall qualitie and essence than the severall respects which are due to Angels or Saints of the highest order and to religious Lazarus were both equally present For Kings in matters concerning our goods or bodies haue a soveraigntie communicated to them from God not communicate by them to their greatest subiects so haue no Saints or Angels in matters spirituall any Lordship or dominion over vs wee owe no allegiance of our spirit saue onely to one Lord. Christ in these cases is our sole King whose felicitie is communicated to all his followers his soveraigntie to none in respect of him the greatest Saints and Angels be our fellow-subiects What respect or reverence then doe we owe them in respect of prayers or invocations suppose we might speake with them face to face As our necessities would compell vs to request their prayers to God for vs so good manners would reach vs to fit the manner of our observance or submissiue entreatie to the measure of their sanctitie or of that favour which they haue with God in respect of ordinary godly men whose prayers we craue with due observance of their persons The rule of religious discretion would so proportion our obedience to their instructions as their instructions are proportioned to the directions of vsuall Pastors we would be readie to doe them any bodily service with so much greater fidelitie and better affection than we doe to others as we conceiue them to be more faithfull and fervent in Gods service than others are But Religion it selfe and the rule of Gods word which they most exactly obey would restraine vs from falling downe before them with our bodies with purpose to lift vp our minds vnto them as to our patrons or secundary Mediators To offer vp the fruites of the spirit or consecrate the spirit of prayer and thankesgiving to the honour of any saue onely of him that made redeemed and sanctified our soules and spirits is wee maintaine it vnto death sacrilegious heathenish impiety Yet must dulia which these men consecrate wholly to the honour of Saints be of necessitie an essentiall part of the spirit of prayer if the prayers themselues which it brings forth be as they contend Cultus ver è religiosus true or intrinsecally religious worship Religion is the bond or linke betweene the Creator and the creature the essence of religious prayers consists in the elevation of the spirit the vse and end of the spirits elevation is that we may be ioyned in spirit with Christ To fixe
their purposes or affections change they are so ready to sing Canticum novum ditties so strangely contrary to their late passionate songs that no devise can better emblazen the inconstancy of their boysterously blind perswasions than Polyphoemus as the Poet pictures him in his woeing fit Candidior folio nivei Galataea ligustri Floridior prato longa procerior alno Spendidior vitro tenero lascivior haedo Laevior assiduo detritis aequore chonchis Solibus hybernis aestiva gratior vmbra Nobilior pomis Platano conspectior alta Lucidior glacie maturâ dulcior vua Mollior cygni plumis et lacte coacto Et si non fugias riguo formosior horto This was his note whiles his loue did kindle in hope much changed with alteration of his possibilities Saevior indomitis eadem Galataea iuvencis Durior annosa quercu fallacior vndis Lentior salicis virgis vitibus albis His immobilior scopulis violentior amne Laudato Pavone superbior acrior igne Asperior tribulis faeta truculentior vrsa Surdior aequoribus calcato immitior hydro Et quod praecipuè si possem demere vellem Non tantum cervo claris latratibus acto Verùm etiam ventis volucrique fugacior aura 6. Is it not a miserable condition whereunto the vnconstancy of humane passions seekes to bring the inflexible rule of truth vsually wrested to hold as exact consort with our Palinodies or recantations as with our first approved lessons although the one be more dissonant to the other than the latter part of Polyphoemus his song was to the former For without some apprehension of consort with Gods word no dogmaticall assertion can be conceived or maintained as true by any Christian though a Christian onely in his owne conceit So true it is which was before generally observed and often intimated that even the worst of Heathenish humors for the most part alter onely their course not their nature in those parts of the world which of heathens haue turned Christians As the Sea-water is no lesse salt in the reciprocation or stanch than while it boyles or over-flowes the bankes And if it be not tedious to resume the burden of this discourse As the common notion of Gods goodnesse occasioned the heathen to conceit every procurer of any good much affected for a God so this affectionate loue of divine truths in generall fastens our vnpurified perswasions vnto whatsoever we vehemently loue or much affect as to a truth divine or practice either warranted or commended to vs by the word of God Loue or hatred towards any object divine or humane if it be vnpurified affectionate or excessiue is alwayes prone either to slaunder divine justice where men are faultie or to miscensure mens actions in cases overruled by divine justice Priamus doting affection towards his vnlawfull daughter-in-law misswayed his minde to accuse the gods as authors or direct causes rather than to suspect her as any occasion of the evills which he feared or suffered And that vnpurified affection which many beare vnto truths or goodnesses divine confusedly apprehended will not suffer them to see or acknowledge Gods speciall providence in their punishments Ready they are at all assayes to inveigh against or meditate revenge vpon their brethren for chastisements appointed to them by the finger of God though executed by the hand of man God is too good to be the author of evill vnto them though of evill onely temporall That is in the true resolution of their secret thoughts they are so well perswaded of themselues that nothing to their apprehension is borne or bent to doe them harme besides the envy or malice of other men Every portion of Scripture which reproues or forbids malice doth by their interpretation in this taking condemne all such of malice or envy as any way vexe or displease them 7. What poysonous humor can wee condemne in any Heathen whose very dregges are not incorporated in the grand tyrannous monster of our times faction I meane with its members To eares animated with the spirit of this blind beast the least iarre in opinion though concerning matters of greater difficultie than consequence and better able to abide long search than speedy determination sounds as a deadly heresie alreadie condemned by Gods owne mouth Not to consort with these men in their occasionlesse vociferations against others presumed errors is in their verdit to be backward in religion to renounce the vnitie of faith to giue our hearts to the enemy As he that in singing obserues due time or a constant tone amongst such as regard neither but following the eare rise and fall with most or sweetest voyces shall by immusicall hearers be censured as the author of discord No sect or profession almost throughout any age but hath beene haunted with one or other violent humor with whose tincture if a man can cunningly temper or colour his discourses he may vent whatsoever he pleaseth albeit compounded of the very lees and refuse of that heresie which he seemeth most to oppugne Blasphemy breathed from some mens mouths so it be spiced or interspersed with holy phrase is suckt in as greedily by their followers as if it were the Spirit of life the very poyson of Aspes distilling from others lippes so it be tempered with the infusion or expression of propheticall fervencie in reproving sinne doth relish to their factious consorts as the quintessence of zeale Finally whilest one factious minde inveighs against his opposites bitternesse it selfe becommeth sweete to his associates but if an indifferent man shall lift the doctrine refute the error or reproue the passions of the one or other his discourses though seasoned with the spirit of meekenesse of sinceritie and judgement breeds a grievous disgust in both 8. The true originall or roote of this accused partialitie in putting good for evill and evill for good hony for gall and gall for hony will better appeare from a more particular inquiry or Philosophicall search of the meanes by which it comes to passe That the selfe same sence or exposition of Scriptures which ere whiles did most offend should forthwith best please the very same parties And lest I should giue offence to any Christian Reader the instance shall be chiefly in those with whom all Christians are justly offended CHAPTER XLVI Shewing by instances of sacred Writ that the same sense of Gods word which sometimes most displeased may shortly after most affect or please the selfe same parties with them manner how this alteration is wrought 1. ACtuall fruition of excessiue pleasure either hinders the working or dulls the apprehension of inherent griefe So doth satisfaction of vehement desires because most pleasant drowne all taste of petty annoyances and dead the impression of such vngratefull qualities as accompany the qualitie eagerly afected Extremitie of thirst will make a man to be in charitie almost with any kinde of moysture and cover a multitude of faults in drinke of which no one but would be very offensiue
stupiditie tremble at their sencelesse petulancy in this argument As the learned Papist hath no parallell the Iew excepted in this kinde so in the maine points of their Religion as in the doctrines concerning the authoritie of the Church and the sacrifice of the Masse they doe not goe so much beyond others as besides themselues The waight or consequence of the matters conteined in the mentioned controversies breeds an extreme desire to haue their profitable tenents countenanced by sacred authoritie and extremitie of desire an vnsatiable thirst or greedinesse of lucking wringing those Texts of Scripture which in colour of words or literall shew doe seeme at first sight to make somewhat for them but in truth and substance manifest the poyson of their doctrine and argue their eager appetite in maintaining it to be a spice or symptome of spirituall madnesse To proue the sacrifice of the Masse some not content to vrge that of the Prophet And they shall offer a pure oblation to me in all places or Melchisedeckes offering consecrated bread and wine which being once granted would everlastingly over-throw it would perswade vs the latine Missa was coyned in the Hebrew mint from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masas which in the first signification imports as much as to blow whence the Verball 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Missah in a secondary sence signifieth tribute or Pole-money The implication is the very name of the Masse imports that this oblation or sacrifice is Gods tribute to be paid vnto him as duely as Peter-pence is to the Pope Their owne acknowledgement of this doting fancy in some of their writers leaues a suspition whether it were a true relation rather then a meere iest put vpon that ignorant Priest who being put to finde the word Masse in the Scriptures after a long and wearisome search when he was ready to giue over or fall asleepe lighting vpon those words in the first of Iohn Invenimus Messiam cryed out Wee haue found the Masse we haue found the Masse to the confusion of the Heretiques 2. I know not whether the Prophets interpretations of dreames and visions were of greater force to perswade the Heathen that the spirit of the immortall Gods did dwell in them than such dreaming interpretations as latter Iewes doe make of Prophecies or other divine Oracles are or might be of for confirming Christians beliefe that the Lord hath sent a spirit of slumber vpon them so like they are in their comments or meditations vpon Scriptures concerning Christ vnto such as dreame The same phantasmes which by floting in our braines breed dreames by night present themselues to our waking thoughts by day but want opportunitie to deceiue so long as our eyes and eares are open to receiue forraigne information But whiles the externall senses which serue as witnesses and that principall internall sense which sittes as chiefe Magistrate in the inferior part of the soule are surprized by sleepe the vainest fancies the braine can represent passe for currant without examination or checke The phantasie or common sense is as credulous of their suggestions or obtrusions as illiterate ignorant or vnexperienced people are of counterfeit commissions or pretended warrants As at this instant though I think of my good friends in London yet the sight of Oxford and other vndoubted pledges of my presence in this place wherein I am will not suffer my soule to be miscarried with false imaginations of being elswhere whereas whiles the gates of these outward senses are shut and the passages from the principall sense internall or examinatiue facultie stopped the modell of that famous Cittie rouling in my fantasie would forthwith breede an imagination that I were in it in their presence whose image or representation onely is present with me Vpon appearances altogether as light and frivolous are the Iewes transported from Christ now fully manifested and presented to them to imbrace such shadowes or prefigurations of him as had fallen out in the dayes of their Patriarkes or ancient Kings No man that reades their writings but will perceiue many phantasmes or modelles of Evangelicall truth swimming in their heads but the vaile being laid before their hearts disenables their iudgements for distinguishing figures from substances or apparitions from realities 3. The reliques of orthodoxall truths which vnto this day worke in this heartlesse peoples braines would be sufficient to forme Christ crucified in the hearts of Heathens not given vp to a reprobate sense For example that practicall pre-notion Gebher hath sinned Gebher must be punished wheron they ground their ceremonies in the feast of atonement being construed according to its literall and naturall sense is in effect the same with that divine Oracle As by man came death so by man came the resurrection of the dead or with that fundamentall Article of our beliefe that man was to satisfie for the sinnes of men But the passages of these latter Iewes internall senses being lockt vp in a deeper slumber in the day of their solemne feasts then our externall senses are in the dead of the night the cleare representatiō of the former Christian truth makes no impression in their heart but vanisheth into a heathenish dreame Like so many men that vse to walke and raue in their sleepe they vnwittingly act our Saviours sufferings after the manner of an Interlude putting Gebher which in their Rabbinicall language signifieth a Cock for meere affinitie of name for Gebher in Hebrew signifieth a man vnto all the tortures they can devise adding withall that every Gebher every man amongst them deserues to be so dealt withall as they deale with this poore creature Nor is any creature of this kind so fit for this purpose in their fantasie as a white one Their severall phantasmes or pre-notions concerning this mystery rightly put together and examined by vigilant thoughts signifie thus much that the matter of the sacrifice by which the atonement for mans sin was to be wrought was to be a Gebher a man without blemish or spot of sinne 4. If any prophecie include the least historicall reference or allusion to Abraham to Moses David or Solomon as the first draught almost of every Prophecie is some former History this is a motiue sufficient to these blinde guides to interpret the place as wholly meant of these types alone Christ who is the body therein presented God blessed forever which vpholdeth all things by the power of his word the very Center though they perceiue it not whereon their soules doe rest hath no more place in our thoughts than the bed wherein we lye hath in our night imaginations of walking or talking with our friends either deceased or farre absent Every metaphor or resemblance borrowed from things visible as mouldes for fashioning our conceits of matters spirituall or invisible to be accomplished in the life to come make these miserable wretches quite forget the estate as well wherein they are as whence they are fallen and cast them into pleasant dreames of
to the spirit or to mens labours whom they presume to be throughly sanctified doe as lightly esteeme the opinion of greatest scholars auncient or moderne in divine mysteries as they highly magnifie their wit and judgement in artificiall learning or sacred generalities For matters of sanctification of election and salvation are as the onely trade or facultie which these men professe and of which they deeme their owne corporation onely free others not fit to be consulted or at least their voyces not to be taken vntill they haue served the like compleate apprenticeship to their supposed spirit or beene as long professors of the pure Word alone renouncing all commerce with naturall reason They are more offended with their followers for having recourse to it than ordinary tradesmen are with their servants or apprentices for haunting Alehouses Tavernes or worse places 7. Their first intention I am verily perswaded is to magnifie Gods grace more then others to their thinking doe Now it is a Maxime as plausible as true that Gods graces can never be magnified too much by any But it is a fault common almost to all to doe many things much amisse before we haue done them halfe enough The wisest oft miscarry in their proiects these men erre in their very first attempts their very intentions are mislevelled in that they thinke there is no direct way to grace but by declining helps of art or gifts of nature The first and immediate issue of this perswasion thus seeking to nurse a perpetuall irreconcileable faction betwixt Scripture and reason to magnifie grace by nullifying nature and art is that every action which is not warranted by some expresse rule of Scripture apprehended by grace is non ex fide not of faith whose onely compleate rule is scripture and being not of faith it must be a sinne so that these two propositions 1. all actions warranted by the expresse word of God must needs be lawfull 2. all lawfull actions must needs be warranted by the expresse word of God differ no more in their Logicke then this verse read forward doth from it selfe read backward for Grammaticall sense Odo tenet mulum madidam mappam tenet anna And after once out of a scrupulous feare to sinne in any action by following reason without expresse warrant of Scripture for the particular they haue for a while accustomed themselues to levell every action or saying and to square each thought by some expresse suteable rule of Scripture the Scripture and their thoughts or apprehensions become so intwined that in fine they are perswaded whatsoever they haue don thought or spoken in matters concerning God or Christians duties is warranted by some expresse rule or other of sacred Writ Whose testimonies for the most part they vse no otherwise then men in high place and authoritie often vse the placets or suffrages of their inferiors to countenance their peremptory designes by way of ceremony or formalitie which if they doe not voluntarily they shall doe at length against their wills Concerning the true meaning of that Maxime Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne we haue elswhere delivered our opinion The Scripture we grant to be the compleate and perfect rule of faith to be the onely rule likewise of planting the roote or habite whence all good actions or resolutions must grow It is not the onely rule for rectifying every particular branch in the growth These must be rectified by necessary or probable deductions which reason or rules of art sanctified by the habit of faith frame out of Scriptures of sacred Maximes CHAPTER XLVIII Of the more particular and immediate causes of all the forementioned errors or misperswasions 1. TO giue one prime Philosophicall cause of all or most morall misperswasions or transfigurations of sacred Oracles is perhaps onely possible to the cause of causes Two Maximes neverthelesse there be vndoubtedly experienced in matters naturall from which as from two principall heads the maine streame of errors doth most directly spring though much increased by confluence of such fallacies as haue beene deciphred The Maximes are one Intus apparens prohibet alienum common in Philosophicall Schooles the other Mota faciliùs moventur as well knowne and of as great vse amongst the Mathematickes or such as write Mathematically of Mechanicall instruments The efficacie of every agent resultes from the fit disposition of the patient whence it is that the internall distemper or indisposition of the organ will not admit the proper stampe or impression of any externall though its proper object Not that any distemper can so prevent the force or any indisposition so dead the agencie of the object as it shall not moue and agitate the organor that it is possible for the organ being moued or agitated by externall objects to be altogether barren For the very motion of it is a kinde of conception But the organ being prepossessed by abundance of heterogeneall matter mingled with it the impression or conception proues like the monstrous brood of males and females of diverse kindes And the more vehemently the organ is agitated the more sensible is the representation or apprehension of the inherent humors and in as much as the object is rightly apprehended as the cause of this actuall motion or representation it is likewised judged but amisse to be such it selfe as the motion or representation which it worketh Thus we somtimes mis-gather those things the Sunne for example to be hote themselues which produce heate in others those to be colde which cause sense of colde those moyst which leaue an impression of moysture where none was or was vnfelt before their operation Yet is the Moone neither colde nor moyst in its selfe although the true cause of coldnesse or moystning in subiects aptly disposed to either qualitie Braines stuffed with cold will easily suspect fragrant or vnknowne odoriferous perfumes of the lothsome smell which indeed they cause by provoking the putrified phlegme to imprint its selfe vpon the organ As the Sunne shining through a red glasse transports the rednesse vpon the eye and being the immediate cause of the actuall representation now made is judged to be of the same hue So externall colours presented to eyes subiect to suffusion or possessed with reall effluxions of other visibles cause a representation of those internall humors in the organ whence colours externall being the true cause of our present actuall sight we deeme them to be like vnto the internall humors which are seene Many like irritations of the flesh are vsually caused by the spirit seeking to imprint the right sence or Character of Gods word could the polluted heart or minde infected with preiudicate opinions admit the impression But carnall lusts or implanted phantasies being by this meanes set on working conceiue a depraved sense or a sense quite contrary to the spirits meaning and yet imagine it to be suggested by the word of God onely because it concurres to the actuall producing of such humors or phantasies 2.