Glory and Dominion through all ages for ever Amen FINIS THE PROFIT OF BELIEVING Very usefull Both for all those that are not yet resolved what Religion they ought to embrace And for them that desire to know whither their Religion be true or no. Written by S. Augustine LONDON Printed by ROGER DANIEL In Lovels Court near Pauls Church-yard 1651. The Preface To the well-disposed READER Learned Reader I Know thou art not ignorant that of all the affairs and businesses in this world there is none of that consequence and importance unto thee as the saving of thy soul and that our Blessed Saviour who knew best of all the mestimable value thereof and vouchsafed to redeem it at so dear a rate as with his own pretious bloud plainly declared the importance thereof when he said in the Gospel Mat. 16.16 What is a man profited if he shall gain the world nnd loose his own soul Or what shall he give in exchange thereof Wherefore let me advise thee to seek out and embrace the true Faith and Religion for that without such a Faith according to the Apostle Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please God and without pleasing of him it is impossible to be saved If thou thinkest that thou hast found out the truth already and that thou dost embrace it then give me leave to tell thee that the world at this present abounds with an hundred heresies at least the embracers whereof shall not according to S. Pauls doctrine Gal. 5.20 inherit the kingdome of God and yet as the same Apostle doth affirm Ephes 4.5 there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme so that it is an hundred to one but that thy Faith and thy Religion are false and thy salvation is in danger thereby Is there not then great reason that thou shouldest well consider whither the Faith and Religion which thou embracest be true or no when upon this resolution depends thy fruition of unspeakable blisse or intolerable suffering of endlesse pains for all eternity How to find out the true Faith Religion it is a matter of very great difficulty not onely by reason that there are many faiths and religions in the world and of all these there is but one true and all the rest be false but also for that the controversies debated now adayes are so many and so intricate that few have leasure to study them and fewer ability to conceive and understand them yet the zeal of learned Writers hath not been wanting to satisfie men herein But what age since the Apostles dayes hath brought forth any man so able to perform so great a task as was that incomparable Doctor S. Augustine lib. 3. de Eccles fol. 170. who as Doctour Field asserteth was the greatest and chiefest of the antient Fathers and the most famous of all the Divines which the Church hath had since the Apostles time and as Doctour Covell affirmeth in his answer to Master Burges pag. 3. hath farre excelled all others that have been or are like to be hereafter those onely excepted that were inspired by the Holy Ghost both in Divine and Humane knowledge What man since the Apostles dayes could ever so well discern true doctrine from false truth from errour and true faith from heresie as could that great S. Augustine who did not onely like another David fight against the Goliah of one heresie but like another Joshua fought the battels of the Lord against all the force and power of heresie in his dayes for fourty years together Wherefore if this great Doctour should have left any advises or instructions behinde him unto any of his dear friends that were then hereticks whereby he taught them how to find out the true faith and religion amongst so many heresies ought not such instructions to be greatly desired and if any such could be found to be highly esteemed and diligently perused Surely thou wilt say that coming from so great a Doctour and being so proper and necessary fot these times without doubt they ought Why then Learned Reader give me leave to present unto thee a learned Treatise of his which he sent unto his dear and learned friend Honoratus to draw him from the Manichean heresie to the true Religion I durst not presume to tender it unto thee in this poor English habit were I not confident that thou seekest more after the true Religion and the saving of thy soul then after vain eloquence the entising words of humane wisdome 1 Cor. 2.4 but I will assure thee under this poore attire thou wilt find a rich and a learned discourse of great S. Augustine not onely very profitable for those that are not yet resolved in point of Religion but also for them that dere to be satisfied whither the faith and Religion which they embrace be true or no. If the stile be displeasing and ungratefull unto thee know that very many of the African Fathers have harsh stiles besides consider how hard a matter it is to teach a native African to speak true English In this work first he shews how the old Testament is to be expounded and defends the Authority of it against the Manichees that rejected it Secondly he overthrowes that Manichean principle That nothing is to be believed in point of Faith which is not first by reason made manifest and evident unto the Believer In the third place he adviseth fervent and frequent prayer peace and tranquility of mind and a sequestration of affections from terrene things as aids necessary for the finding out the truth then declaring that Christ hath raised a very great and a famous Church consisting of all Nations which is to continue very visible and conspicuous even to the worlds end he exhorts Honoratus to addresse himself unto the Pastours and Teachers thereof and to learn of them the true faith and Religion This way of proceeding to find out the truth is far more short and easie then by the examination of all the points of controverted doctrine by their conformity to the holy Scriptures for it consists in two points onely first in seeking out which of all the Churches is the Church of Christ and secondly whither this Church can erre or no. For the finding out of the Church S. Augustine proposed four marks unto Honoratus Unity Universality Sanctity and Apostolicall Succession the which are set down very plainly in Scripture The Unity of the Church is twofold in body and in faith in regard of the first our Saviour saith his Church is one fold and hath one shep-heard Joh. 10.16 and the Apostle calls it one body 1 Cor. 12.13 In respect of the second S. Paul earnestly exhorted the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 to speak the same thing and that there be no division amongst them but that they be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and he beseeched the Ephesians to endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 4 5. affirming
unwary youth feeling the sweetnes may nothing feare the bitter confection This devise also practise they which upon noxious hearbs and juyces write the names of good wholsome medicines whereby almost no man reading the good superscription any thing suspecteth the lurking poyson The self same thing likewise our Saviour crieth out to all Christians Take ye heed of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Ma. 7. What is meant else by sheeps clothing but the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles which they with sheep-like sincerity did weare like certaine fleeces of that immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world And what is to be understood by ravening wolves but the cruell and destructive opinions of hereticks which alwayes trouble the sheep-folds of the Church and by all means possible teare in pieces the flock of Christ But to the end they may more craftily set upon the sheep of Christ mistrusting nothing remaining stil cruel beasts they put off their wolvish weed and shroud themselves with the words of scripture as it were with certain fleeces whereby it hapneth that when the silly sheep feel the soft wooll they little fear their sharp teeth But what saith our Saviour By their fruits you shall know them That is when they begin not only to utter those words but also to expound them not only to cast them forth but also to interpret them then doth that bitterness break out then is that sharpness espied then is that madness perceived then is that fresh new poison ejected then are prophane novelties set abroach then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two the old fathers bounds removed the Catholick doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torn in pieces Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11 For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ but this The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture they likewise cited thē The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms they likewise used it The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets and they in like manner brought them forth But when that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike in one sense expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere from the counterfeit the right and good from the froward and perverse and to conclude the true Apostles from those false Apostates And no marvel saith S. Paul For Sathan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice Wherefore according to Saint Paul whensoever either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty slight of their master which surely he would never have invented but that he knoweth very well that there is no readier way to deceive the people then where the bringing in of wicked errour is intended that there the authority of the word of God should be pretended But some will say how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Gospel where it is written Then the devill took him up that is our Lord and Saviour and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee that they may keep thee in all thy wayes in their hands shall they hold thee up lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Mat. 4 How will he think you handle poor silly souls which so setteth upon the Lord of Majestie with the authority of Scripture If thou be quoth he the Son of God cast thy self down Why so For it is written quoth he we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind that by so notable an example of the Scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholick Faith but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake unto the head so now the members do talk unto the members that is the members of the Devil to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the it religious to the religious to conclude Hereticks to Catholicks But what I pray saith the Devil If thou be the Sonne of God quoth he cast thy self down That is to say Desirest thou to be the Son of God and to injoy the inheritance of the kingdome of Heaven Cast thy self down that is Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demand of these Hereticks perswading them such things how do you prove and convince me that I ought to forsake the old and Universall Faith of the Catholick Church straight wayes is ready at hand For it is written and forthwith he will alledge you a thousand Testimonies a thousand Examples a thousand authorities out of the Law out of the Psalms out of the Apostles out of the Prophets by which expounded after a new and wicked fashion he would throw headlong unfortunate souls from the Tower of the Catholick Church into the deep dungeon of wicked Heresie Now with these sweet promises which follow Hereticks do wonderfully deceive simple men For they dare promise and teach that in their Church that is in the conventicle of their communion is to be found a great and speciall yea and a certain personall grace of God So that whosoever be one of their crew they shall straightwayes without any labour without any study without any industry yea although they never seek nor crave nor knock have such speciall dispensation that they shall be carried up with the hands of Angels that is preserved by Angelicall protection that they never hurt their foot against a stone that is that they never can be scandalized But some man will say If the Devil and his Disciples whereof some be false Apostles false Prophets and false Teachers and all perfect Hereticks do use the Scriptures cite their sayings bring forth their promises what shall Catholick men do How shall the children of the Church behave themselves How shall they in the holy Scriptures discern truth from falshood To which I answer that They must have great care as in the beginning of this Treatise I said holy and learned men taught me that they interpret the Divine and Canonicall Scripture according to the Tradition of the Universall Church according to the rules of the Catholick
to do perversly learn to do well Come disprove me if you can or if you cannot Confesse that the things which we preach unto you are True The XV. Conclusion THat Christians in the Contemplation of Christ crucified also do find inestimable delectations We come to the knowledge of Invisible things in this life by the means of things visible because as philosophy teacheth our understanding naturally follows the phantasie that is apprehends nothing but what is prepared as it were and offered to her from thence Now there is no visible object in the world which can more effectually lead us unto the knowledge and contemplation of divine things then the Consideration of Christ crucified proceeding from a lively Faith Because indeed nothing can more effectually declare the goodnesse and inestimable charity of God towards man For seeing that to be loved is a thing of it self very agreeable to nature to be beloved in this manner of God that is unto so high a pitch that he should vouchsafe to be crucified himself for us who can think but that it is a pleasure of all pleasures to conceive Now such a love of God towards us doth the consideration of Christ crucified present unto our minds and therefore of necessity must cause in them ineffable delectations Besides hope of Good is a thing which naturally causeth delight as making in some sort the good we hope for present to us and the greater and more certain the good is which we hope so much the greater and more perfect delight is caused But there can be no greater good imagined then that which Christians hope for by the Passion nor more certain for as much as they are assured thereof by God himself who for that intent namely that he might make it sure to them was Crucified Therefore from such hope so great so sure Christians cannot but receive singular Consolation Thirdly Admiration is naturally accompanied with delight for as much as he which wonders at any thing is commonly possessed also with some great desire and hope to know what the matter is at which he finds himself to wonder Now what more admirable yea astonishing then that God Almighty should be made man and dye upon a Gibbet to save men Seeing therefore that Christians in the Contemplation of Christs Passion do consider this and also conceive most firm hope to attain one day unto an absolute assurance and sight of so rare a mystery how can they be otherwise affected then with excesse of delight Fourthly seeing God Almighty is so infinitely perfect and great it was not possible that by any one creature he could be competently expressed but it seemed necessary to his Divine wisdome to create an Universe of Creatures that is this whole world in the latitude and variety whereof the Spirit of man might have scope enough and find infinite examples wherein to contemplate even unto ravishment the singularities of his perfection And seeing in like manner that the goodnesse of the same God our blessed Saviour doth as infinitely surpasse all humane understanding not one onely or some few but a million a numberlesse multitude of divine gracious and stupendious works were requisite by him also to be done but to expresse it in some part in the meditation of which our souls are fed yea glutted as it were with admiration and content Amongst which none bearing more lively or legible Characters of his Love then that of his Passion it follows that in his Passion and the Contemplation thereof greatest content must be found as experience also proveth in an infinite number of Christians who by their actions have more then sufficiently shewen the sense they have had of the Crosse of our Saviour It were an endlesse labour to go about to expresse them the infinite variety the multitude and excesse of those joyes which the servants of God have tasted from time to time and do daily taste in this kind The lives yea the deaths of those antient Christians do abundantly testifie how great they were who in infinite multitudes of both sexes and of all Conditions men and women for the name and for the love of this crucified Jesus not onely patiently endured all sorts of persecutions and affliction but even exulted and leapt for joy in the midst of their tortures dying rather through the extremity of their delights then pain The number of Monks and other solitary persons is infinite who in all times for the love of Jesus have withdrawn themselves from the world and made choice to live in wildernesses and caves of the earth poor naked destitute of all things save the comforts of divine Love onely to attend unto this Contemplation Lastly the learnedest Doctours and wisest men of the world how often have they abandoned not onely the pleasures and vanities of the world which were scarce worthy of them but even their most pleasing and most commendable Studies yea their own selves also for the love and Contemplation of this Jesus The XVI Conclusion THat the holy Scriptures do exceedingly elevate the mind of good Christians unto these Contemplations First because All Scripture generally doth relate unto Christ crucified according to that of the Apostle The end or scope of the law is Christ And for as much as writing in its own nature is but the sign of words spoken as speech is of conceptions or thoughts because our thoughts do alwayes proceed from some interiour light or Illustration of the mind by how much that light is greater and more excellent so much the greater also and more perfect must the Conceptions be and the speech consequently more powerfull and the writing wherein that speech is represented more admirable and profound Now light supernaturall is alwayes greater and more perfect then naturall And seeing also that there be severall degrees in that light it cannot be doubted but the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists had the greatest measures thereof as being the men whom Almighty God was pleased so singularly to Illuminate as that neither in writing nor preaching they could so mistake as to deliver falsehood for truth Therfore also were their meditations their speech and all expressions of themselves alwayes profound powerfull and serious He therefore that presumeth to understand their writings without supernaturall Illustration is as wise as he that would have a bird to fly without wings of which sort yet there are some in the world viz. certain Philosophers Rhetoricians Grammarians Poets of this age who not knowing or not considering the profundity of sacred Scriptures do venture upon them with the same temerity as they do upon Tully Hortensius or some other of their windy Authours and perhaps not finding in them those flashes of elegance or subtilty to which themselves are accustomed presently they fall to slight and think meanly of them imagining weak men nothing to be so sublime as Plato's Philosophy no eloquence comparable to some piece of Cicero But he which dwelleth in heaven shall one day laugh these
hearken unto them and try them and when thou heardest them with what other thing I pray thee wert thou taken and delighted for I beseech thee call it to remembrance but with a certain great presumption and promise of reasons But because for a long time they made many large and vehement discourses touching the errours of unskilfull men which every one that is but meanly learned can easily do it was late before I came to the knowledge thereof And if they delivered any thing unto us out of their own men we thought there was a necessity to receive and embrace it when as other things upon which we might rely occurred not wherein they dealt with us as deceitfull Fowlers are wont to do who prick down limetwigs by a waters side to the end they may deceive the thirsty Birds for they stop up and by some means or other they cover the other waters that are thereabouts or they drive the birds from thence with frights and fears that not by their own free choise and election but meerly for necessity and want of water they may fall into their snares But why do I not return this answer to my self that such neat and pretty similitudes as these and such like reprehensions may be both most civilly and most snappishly objected by any enemy or adversary whatsoever against all those that deliver any thing by teaching or instruction But yet for this cause I thought it necessary to insert some such thing into these my writings that I may warn and admonish them thereby to leave off all such manner of proceedings to the end that as a certain man said the toyes of common places being set aside one thing may contend and strive with another one cause with another one reason with another wherefore let them forbear to say what they hold in a manner necessary to be spoken when any one forsakes them that hath long been their hearer The light is passed through him For thou my greatest care for I am not too solicitous for them seest how vain a thing this is and how easie a matter it is for any one to blame and reprehend it this therefore I leave to thy wisdome to be discussed For I am not afraid lest thou shouldest think that I was deprived of light when I was entangled with a worldly life and had a remote and obscure hope of a beautifull wife of the pomp of riches of the vanity of honours and of other hurtfull and pernicious pleasures for I ceased not to desire and hope for all these things as thou knowest right well when I was their follower and heard them attentively nor do I attribute this to their doctrine for I confesse they diligently warned and admonished me to beware of these things but to say that I am now destitute of light when as I have alienated and withdrawn my self from all these shadows and semblances of things and have resolved to content my self with such food onely as may seem necessary to the health of my body and that I was enlightned and shining before when I was addicted unto those things and was intangled with them is the part of a man to speak in the mildest manner who lesse considerately ponders the things of which he much desires to talk and discourse But if you please let us come to the matter CHAP. II. That the Manichees do condemn the old Testament THou art not ignorant how the Manichees reprehending the Catholick Faith and especially renting and tearing in pieces the old Testament do move and disturb the unskilfull people who truly know not how those things are to be understood and how being taken they may profitably descend and be conveyed into the veins and marrow of tender souls And because there occurre certain things in those books which may give some offence to those that are ignorant and carelesse of themselves as the greatest part of the common people is they may be plausibly reprehended and blamed but cannot be plausibly defended by many by reason of the mysteries which are contained therein and those few that can do it affect not publick and open conflicts whereby to divulge their fame and renown and for this cause they are not known at all but unto those onely who with much care and diligence do seek and enquire after them wherefore touching this rashnesse of the Manichees in reprehending the Old Testament and the Catholick Faith hear I beseech thee the things which move and trouble me the which I desire and hope that thou wilt receive with such an hearty mind and good will as by me they are delivered and spoken for God unto whom the secrets of my conscience lie open and are manifest knows that I deal not malitiously in this speech but as I conceive it ought to be understood in proof of the truth unto which long since I have addicted my self and that with an incredible care and solicitude lest I should erre and go astray with you which I may easily do when as to hold the same course with you and yet to embrace and keep the right way it is a matter not to speak too harshly of extream difficultie But I presume that even in this hope which I have of your attaining together with me unto the way of wisdome he unto whom I have consecrated my self will not leave nor forsake me when dayes and nights I endeavour to behold and for that I perceive my self to be weak and infirm by reason that the eye of my soul is for my sinnes and the custome thereof wounded with the stripes of inveterate opinions I beg it oftentimes with weeping and tears and as it happeneth unto mens eyes which after the sufferance of a long blindnesse and darknesse are hardly open they have a great desire to see light and yet by their twinckling and turning away they refuse to behold it especially if any one should endeavour to expose them to the light of the Sun so it falls out with me at the present for I acknowledge that there is a certain unspeakable and singular good of the soul which may be seen and contemplated with the mind but I confesse with tears in mine eyes and sighs from my heart that I am not yet fit nor able to behold it wherefore the Divine goodnesse will not forsake me if I fain nothing if I speak according to my duty if I love the truth if I affect friendship and if I take a great care that thou mayest not be deceived CHAP. III. Of the four wayes of expounding the Old Testament THose that earnestly desire to know the Old Testament are to understand that it is taught and expounded after four manner of wayes according to the History according to the Etiologie according to the Analogy and according to the Allegory Think me not foolish for using Greek names First for that I have so received and I dare not deliver this otherwise unto thee then as I have received Next thou also observest
reason to believe and embrace unheard of millions of fables and tales CHAP. VII That we ought not to judge rashly of the holy Scriptures and how and with what care and diligence the true Religion is to be sought for BUt now if I can I will accomplish that which I have begun and I will treat with thee after such a sort that in the mean time I will not expound the Catholick Faith but I will shew unto them that have a care of their souls some hope of divine fruit and of finding out the Truth to the end they may search out the great mysteries and secrets of Faith He that seeks after the true Religion doth without doubt either believe already that the Soul is immortall unto whom that Religion may be commodious and profitable or he desires to find her to be so in the same Religion and therefore all Religion is for the souls sake for the nature of the body howsoever it doth put him to no care and solicitude especially after death whose soul hath taken a course by which it may become blessed Wherefore true Religion if there be any was either onely one chiefly instituted for the souls sake and this soul erres and is foolish as we see untill she gets and possesses wisdome and that perhaps is the true Religion if I seek out and enquire the cause of her erring I find it to be a thing which is extremely hidden and obscure But do I send thee to fables or do I enforce thee to believe any thing rashly I say our soul being entangled and drowned in errour and folly seeks after the way of venty and truth if there be any such to be found if thou findest not thy self thus inclined and disposed pardon me and make me I pray thee partaker of thy wisdome but if thou doest let us I beseech thee both together seek out the truth Imagine with thy self that no not ce had as yet been given unto us nor no insinuation made unto us of any Religion what soever Behold we undertake a new work and a new businesse Professours of Religion are I believe to be sought for if there be no such thing Suppose then that we have found men of divers opinions and in that diversity seeking to draw every one unto them but that in the mean time some amongst these do surpasse the rest in renown of fame and in the possession of almost all people Whether they embrace the truth or no it is a great question but are they not first to be examined and tried that so long as we erre for as men we are subject to errour we may seem to erre with mankind it self but thou wilt say Truth is to be found but amongst a few certain men if thou knowest amongst whom it is why then thou knowest already what it is Did not I say a little before that we would seek after the truth as though we were yet ignorant thereof but if by the force of truth thou doest conjecture that there be but few that embrace it and yet thou knowest not who they be what if those few do lead and rule the multitude by their authority and can dive into the secrets and mysteries of faith and can make them in a manner plain and manifest do we not see how few attain to the height of eloquence and yet the schools of Rhetoricians do make a great noise throughout the whole world with companies of young men Do all those that desire to become good oratours being terrified with the multitude of unskilfull men think that they ought to addict themselves rather to the studie of the orations of Coccilius and Erucius then to those of Tullius Cicero all men affect the things that are strengthened and confirmed by the authority of their ancestours The simple sort of people endeavours to learn those things which a few learned men have delivered unto them to be learned but very few there be that attain unto great eloquence fewer there be that practise it but fewest of all that grow eminent and are famous What if true Religion be some such thing what if a multitude of ignorant people frequents the Churches it is no proof nor argument that therefore none are made perfect by those mysteries and yet if so few should studie eloquence as there are few that become eloquent our parents would never think it fit to have us recommended unto such masters When as therefore the multitude which abounds with a number of unskilfull people invites us to these studies and makes us earnestly to affect that which few do obtain why will we not admit that we have the like cause in Religion the which peradventure we contemne and despise to the great perill and hazard of our souls for if the most true and most sincere worship of God though it be but amongst a few yet it is amongst those with whom the multitude though wholly addicted to their appetites and desires and farre from the purity of knowledge and understanding doth consent and agree which without all doubt may come to passe I ask what answer are we able to give if any one should reprove our rashnes folly for that having a great care to find out the true Religion we do not diligently search it out amongst the masters and teachers thereof if I should say the multitude hath discouraged me Why then hath it not disheartened men from the study of the liberall sciences which hardly yields any profit to this present life why not from seeking after money and getting wealth why not from obtaining dignities and honours moreover why not from recovering and preserving health finally why not from the desire of a blessed an happy life in all which affairs though many men be imployed yet few there be that are eminent and excell You will say that the books of the Old Testament seemed to contain absurd things Who are they that affirm it namely enemies for what cause or reason they did it is not now the question but yet they were enemies you will say when you read them you understood so much by your own reading Is it so indeed if thou hadst no skill in Poetrie at all thou durst not take in hand Terentianus Maurus without a master Asper Cornutus Donatus and a multitude of other Authours are thought requisite for the understanding of any Poet whose verses deserve no greater esteem then the approbation and applause of a stage and thou without a guide doest undertake to reade those books and without a master darest passe thy judgement upon them which howsoever they be are notwithstanding by the confession of almost all mankind published to be holy and replenished with divine matters nor if thou findest some things therein which seem unto thee absurd dost thou rather accuse the dulnesse of thy wit and thy mind corrupted with the infection of this world as the minds of all fools are then those books which peradventure by such kind of men cannot