eyes full of adultery and that could not cease from sinne great promisers of liberty to others they themselues being the servants of corruption as the Apostle largely describes their manners Now such as these hauing hearts already full of sensuality there is no roome for heauenly contemplations of chast truth whatsoeuer vigor and cleerenesse and intentiuenesse of the mind is requisite to the right discerning of things the very strength of the soule is lost in the armes of Dalilah frugality sobriety the sinewes of a sound iudgement are loosed besides there are not any of those holy and seuere truths in Gods word but these men wish and long they were false and a little matter will improue a wish into a beleefe quod volumus facile credimus as on the contrary he is apt to take those doctrines to be true which are indulgent to his dareling vices he would faine sinne with some warrant that hee may pacify fame abroad and conscience at home if it were possible natur a hominis procliuis in vitia vult non modo cum veniâ sed cum ratione peccare Lib. 4. c. saith Lactantius and therefore he sedulously hunts after and would gladly finde out some doctrines vnder whose protection he may offend in this purfuite euen the passages of scriptures are serched into by some to see what patronage they will afford to their intemperances that so they may securely inioy the pleasure of ill deeds making that their poyson which is appointed to be their medicine Thus haue I Fathers and brethren as breifely as so many particulars would permit shewed that they are our morrall evills to which wee may lay most of our errors in matters of religion that wherein I should now enlarge my selfe but cannot vnlesse I should trespasse to much vpon your patience is that for the avoidance of error wee would all of vs study true piety which standing in the feare of God must needs be the beginning of sauing wisdome this feare it being grounded in loue will make you still haue an eye to your fathers will and if a man will doe the will of my Father saith his son he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God now the will of God is that you bee industrious humble peaceable moderate in your desires religious in your liues and euery way contrary to the misbehauiored men which I haue set before you bee thus and the victory against error may soonest be atchiued sooner a great deale then by all the provisions of naturall witt or secular learning One of the heathens had this speech Aug. ep 20. Socrates Quibus satis persuasum vt nihil mallent esse quam viros bonos his reliqua facilis est doctrina so may I say diuine knowledge will easily impart it selfe to such who can be perswaded to desire to be nothing so much as true hearted Christians and can be content to be guided by Gods spirit for such haue the vnction whereof St Iohn speakes 1 Ioh. 2.20 and shall know all things all things meet for such knowledge and seruice of God here as shall make them partakers of his sight and glory hereafter David giues euery good man great assurance when he asketh what man is hee that feareth the Lord and subioynes Ps 25.12 him shall hee teach the way that he shall choose who is lead by God is out of the road of destroying error O lord by thy word and spirit guide vs all here present by thy sonne who is the truth bring vs to thy sonne who is the life and that it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all others that haue erred are deceiued we beseech thee to heare vs good Lord Letany to whom all praise and glory bee ascribed now and euer FINIS
their persons but their doctrines even when they haue beene most sound and orthodox And here let me giue warning that in matter of religion wee vse no inordinate hast in binding our iudgements to the opinions of others whom either the fame of learning or the greatnesse of place or the neerenesse of blood or the likenesse of manners or the sweetnesse of profit all which haue great forces vpon the mind hath wrought into our estimation for this casts vs into faction wherein if a man be once imbarked he will runne a hazard of erring because he hath left the guidance of reason and is lead only by certaine preiudices and anticipations borrowed from the persons of men which strongly sway which side soeuer bee taken Lastly I must report as an occasioner of some errors a too violent opposition of some errors for since it cannot be denyed but that there are dangers on either hand of truth and since it must be confessed that truth hath not the good hap alwaies to meet with well aduised champions it may possibly fall out and vsually doth that while thy oppose some falshoods with an extreame and vnlimited detestation while they take that to bee best in religion which is at furthest distance from the error they come to oppugne while they are ouer impetuously carried to the slaughter of their adversaries opinions in the servor of contentious zeale they fling themselues into points euery way as crronious as those which they haue incountred and so haue not left but changed a falshood and it may be to the worse and haue beene found liers against God at least for him which Iob blames Iob. 13.7 I haue done with the angrier part of the soule she hath her lustfulnesse also as great an enimy to truth let me then in the fourth place indite couetousnesse ambition who peruerting the iudgement must needs induce error how many false visions did couetousnesse helpe the lying Prophets too of old Esay 56.11 The preists in Esaies time were become shepheards that could not vnder stand for they were as greedy as their doggs they looked to their owne way 1 Tim 6. Tatus 1.11 euery one for his owne againe from his quarter Who were they in the Apostles time which corrupted betrayed forsooke the faith but men who supposed gaine to be Godlinesse and who were spotted with filthy lucre 2 Pet. 2.14.15 as St Paul giues vs their character those as St Peter saith who had hearts exercised with couetous practises right Balaamites were the men who forsooke the right path and went actray Ifid de scripe eccli louing the wages of vnrighteousnesse Euen that famous Osius of Corduba if Isidore charge him iustly consented to the Arrian impiety that in his olde age he might not loose those riches which he had got together in his youth and certainely the feare of losing the hope of gaining these temporall things hath so prevailed with many that wee must conclude with holy Paul 1. Tim. 6.10 the loue of money is the root of all euill which while some coueted after they haue erred from the faith and peirced themselues I am sure the Church of God through with diuers sorrowes And indeed I see not how truth can be thought vpon in the dust and noise of worldly imployments or grow vp amidst the choaking thornes of worldly cares how can the breasts of men be wells of the pure and liuing water of truth Gen. 26.15 when couetous lusts as so many Philistins haue stopt them vp and filled them with earth A worldling already hath admitted that grand error into his heart that riches is the soueraigne good fom which idolatry a man may quickly slip into any heresy that will sort with it Col. 3.5 such a much worme considers not what is true but what is profitable nay such a man feares some truth as much as a theife least it come forth to take his purse and lessen his heap The like accusation is to bee framed against Ambition for let a man inordinatly affect worldy grace or preferment if hee cannot thriue in the way of truth his discontented and reuengefull heart will turne ouer vnto such opinions which may bee professed with better preferment Besides the men that study preferment are of a very supple and plyant vnderstanding and can beleeue at the pleasure of another at the disposition of him who disposeth of the dignities hee expects as if he had lost his owne soule and were wholy actuated with the soule of his Maecenas In the meane while how can ye beleeue as our sauiour told the Iewes which receaue honour one of another and seeke not the honour which cometh from God alone Ioh. 5.44 how can a man alwaies thinke aright that must thinke as the grandees who oft are as great in crime as place will haue him The Apostle hath a text perhaps misread doubtlesse misvnderstood by the Eceboliuses of our age who are too oft found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it should bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruing not the Lord but the time Rom. 12.11 vide stephani lecti varias and that in the most reprobate sence of the phrase for they obserue not the season as the Apostle might meane wherein they might best doe good but whereby they might bee most great by applying themselues to the humors of those who if soothed are likeliest to preferre Ere I altogether dismisse this point let me touch an euill neere of kinne to ambition as dangerous to truth Gal. 6.12 Acts. 15.1 Certaine popular men there are such as those false Apostles in the dayes of the truth who would haue blinded the religion of Christ with the ordinances of Moses and superadded circumcision to baptisme perhaps that both Iew and Gentile might be pleased such as these I say there are who to gaine good estimation with different sects giue faire quarter to all opinions and these commonly talke of reconciling religions and composing of controversies that all may goe away contented I know it is a commendable indeuour of Godly men to seeke the vnion of Christian churches and let them be detested who by needlesse strifes exasperations make the rents of the Church wider those I here intend who loue their owne fame more then peace and peace more then truth which they care not how they pare to the quicke that they may gaine the applause of moderate and well tempered men In the fift and last place we are to brand a licentious and dissolute life 1 Tim. 1.19 with the stile of corruptor of the faith some putting away a good conscience which inferrs the leading a bad life concerning the faith haue made shipwracke saith St Paul and St Peter repors of the bringers in of damnable haeresies that they had their pernitious 2 Pet. 2.1.2.10.14.19 or as some bookes lasciuious waies that they walked after the flesh in the lusts of vncleanesse that they had
sententia vide Lod. Vivem de verit Christ fidei lib. 4. which allowes not the people of God to try before they trust but because she findes the ignorance of the most to bee her greatest reuenue shakels the soules of infinit numbers in the prison of a darke implicit faith as if they could not be holy but in stupidity nor good Christians vnlesse they turne beasts and bee led without reason but shall we with such curious diligence suruey the nature and conditions of those wares that are commodious for the body and shall we trust a few plausible words of the Chapman goe no farther in matters of that moment as religion is vpon the truth whereof dependes the saluation of our soules Why Is it not possible for men to be men and erre are not many false prophets gone out into the world are there not many falshoods for one truth doth not falshood at the first blush sometimes seeme as truth Was there neuer any rotten wood varnished or painted was it neuer knowne that a strumpet put vpon her the attire and gestures of an honest matron Now how shall all this fraud bee discouered if wee will put out our owne eyes and not vse that discretion which God and nature hath left vs for the differencing of things I confesse indeed that if we will resigne vp our selues wholy to some others opinion and degrade our selues of our own vnderstanding wee may fall vpon some truths in the worship of God but this is by chance not iudgement and is not much better then if we should againe build vp the * Acts 17.23 Altar to the vnknown God To remedy all these inconueniences let vs embrace the allowance of the blessed Apostles 1 Thes 5.21 of St Paule who exhorts vs to try all things and hold that which is good 1 Iohn 4.1 of St Iohn who bids vs not to beleiue every spirit but try them whether they are of God 1 Pet. 3.15 of St Peter who requires that wee be ready alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in vs. This that wee may be able to doe let vs goe on and shew the best meanes whereby wee may discerne truth from falshood in matter of religion Where first it is no reason why it should not easily be granted that that is truth which beares conformity to the minde of the first truth God for our vnderstanding is no otherwise true then as it is euen and adequate to things themselues considering them as they are nor are those Entitles true but as they are agreeable to diuine vnderstanding which is not only the measure but the cause of all things but if in any thing certainely in religion that is most true that beares correspondency with Gods minde and will for who should prescribe what belongs to his honour but himselfe Shall man who knowes so little in and about himselfe especially since his vnderstanding grew crazie by his fall attempt to define how his maker shall bee serued The effect of this presumption is too well known in the superstitious who measuring God by themselues thrust such vnseemely kindnesses vpon him as are wholy vnworthy of his maiesty yea to speake the truth worship their owne fancies insteed of a deity what an ilfauoured and mishapen peece of honour would it bee which a silly country fellow should lay downe for the right service of our king may we not quickly imagine what an vntoward forme of diuine worship that would proue which poore ignorant man a worme no man deviseth No no let vs let God alone with his owne honour he is best knowne how great he is to himselfe and can surely tell vs what his will is he cannot be deceiued because most wise he will not deceiue because most good It is by the sunne that wee behold the sunne it must be by God himselfe that wee can know God and therefore for this point wee may set vp our resolution with Ambrose in his epistle against Symmachus 2. Epist cont Symmachum coeli mysteria doceat me Deus ipse qui condidit non homo qui seipsum ignorauit cui magis de Deo quam Deo credam As for the mysteries of heauen let God teach vs who made vs not man who knowes not himselfe concerning God whom should we better trust then God himselfe That of Saint Hilary is of kinne to this Lib. 1. de Trinit concedamus cognitionem sui Deo idoneus enim sibi testis est qui nisi per se cognitus non est let vs leaue to God the knowledge of himselfe and since he is not known but by himselfe hee is fittest to be his owne witnesse but let vs with attentivest reverence marke the seuerity of God himselfe in the prophecy of his seruant Esay Es 29.14 the words whereof his owne sonne repeates in the fifteenth of Matthew Mat. 15.9 In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Now since the conceit of man is so vaine a measure of diuine worship and that God must bee honoured after his owne way it remaines to be but enquired where the seate of his will is * Saluianus readily answeres vs De guber mundi lib. 3. ip sum sacrae scripturae oraculum Dei mens est the oracle of holy scripture is the mind of God Ioh. 77.17 If it be truth we seeke for thy word O Father is truth saith our Sauiour Behold the louing care of God to man when by reason of our lame and blinde vnderstanding wee could not soare vp to God to enter our selues into his acquaintance hee hath descended downe to vs by those who haue beene from euerlasting in his bosome his deare sonne and spirit he hath conveied vnto vs his counsailes 2. Pet. 1.21 Greg. mag and by the men who spake and wrote as they were inspired hath sent vs as Gregories phrase is diverse epistles concerning his will here then may we rest that whatsoeuer his word enioineth is well-pleasing whatsoeuer it forbiddeth is vnacceptable to him whatsoeuer is of a middle nature it is vncertaine whether it may be wellcome It is most certaine it is not expected They are then too daring that thrust vpon the people of God as necessary to their saluation or their makers worship those obseruances that we are sure are beside they are not sure are not against this written word If it were possible in these contentious times for any one man of an humble and indifferent spirit no more to heare of those differences of religion which so much troubles the world then that good poore man in the story of* Alexander did of those wars that had filled all Asia in his time Vide Curtium in lib. 4. and had beene long round about him before hee had diligently read ouer the holy scriptures and if afterwards there should without all forestalling perswasions or Oratory
inference be nakedly layd downe the articles of our doctrine and the tenents of the Romish Church it were not possible but he should admire the sweet consent which our religion hath with Gods word and he would more then wonder from whence all the rest were fetcht and would conclude that if what they teach in many points be true there hath crept into the world a new Gospell whereof no footsteps in the many writings of the holy Prophets and Apostles doe appeare These additaments are stiled sacred traditions but by what chaine were they let downe from heauen Or how can their necessary vse by prudent hearted christians bee embraced when they are already bound to beleiue 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 that the Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation as Saint Paul saith and that they are of sufficiency for all those things whereby the man of God may be perfectly furnished to euery good worke men may bee wise aboue that which is written but then they are wise aboue sobriety for it is a luxury in religion to desire more then what will instruct vs to every good worke here and fit vs for eternall saluation hereafter But here wee must goe one step farther to quit that obiection which good soules doe many times make against their owne good for they willingly granting that God hath made the scripture a perfect register of his will and that it is a great contentment to man that God himselfe is become his teacher by whom if he bee deceiued he may say as he of old Rich. de So vict Si erròr è Domine a te decepti sumus if I am in an error thy word hath deceiued me yet how shall these writings bee vnderstood by vs For wee heare many and those none of the meanest clerkes complaining of the great obscurity to be found in that booke and how shall wee Puisnes and Pigmes in comparison of others reach to the sence thereof buy the truth we would but it is somewhat aboue the proportion of our states and abilities to this I can giue no better answere but doe yee with humble diligence and teachable affections read ouer this heauenly booke and you will answere your selues for doubtlesse you shall finde many easy places therein and those will incourage you to read the rest Euen this writing of Solomon though it containe parables high enough for the most reaching vnderstanding yet withall it certifies vs in the very* entrance that they are framed to giue subtilty to the simple Prov. 1.4 and to the young man knowledge and discretion and will the spirit faile of the end proposed Experience will teach vs otherwife for howsoeuer we shall meete in scriptures with some of those depths wherein Eiephants may swimme and if they will bee too curiously and presumptuously venturing be drowned too yet we shall also light vpon exceeding many foords and those streaming likewise with the waters of life wherein those that are yet but lambes may wade and be refreshed admirable is the temper of holy scriptures as the Author thereof takes care of all and is rich to all that call vpon him as speakes the Apostle Rom. 10.12 so is the stile thereof disposed and bending towards all that approach with reuerence it so exerciseth the wits of the most learned as that it satisfieth the desires of the most ignorant God is the Father and lord of vs all and he speakes as becometh both those titles for hauing differing children and seruants and having commandes for all of them he must needs attemper his speech to each seuerall capacity that euery one may know his duty in the place hee holds vnder him Vide Vivem de verit fidei lib. 2. cap de virtutibus evangelii Howsoeuer then the olde Philosophers savouring of the heathenish envy and pride and mindeing onely the benefit of a few professe they will write obscurely and to the most as good as if they wrote not at all Arist epist ad Alexandrum de libris phyfic auscult witnesse the epistle of Airistotle to his greatest scholler yet to conceiue so of God the author of mankind aswell as of the Bible were the impeachment of his wisdome and goodnesse for what shall he be the God onely of vniversities shall the witty onely ingrosse him No 1. Reg. 20.28 doubtlesse hee is a God of the* vallies as well as of the mountaines the showres of his gratious pleasures shall equally descend on both there are in euery corner of his family soules sicke and to be cured hungry and to be fed naked and to be clothed lost and to be found and therefore there is doubtlesse in his word that medicine meat succor saluation that shall bee fit for all there is a spirituall market where all may buy but heere is the folly we are many of vs lazy and then lay our sloth vpon obscurity of scriptures and some of vs it may bee drunke with inordinate affections and then like drundards though the way bee broad and plaine inough yet we find fault with the narrownesse vneuennesse yea by the abuse of our selues and the word of God instead of buying his truth wee purchase that his grieuous iudgement that seeing wee shall not see and hearing wee shall not vnderstand that so that of the Apostle may bee verified Mat. 13.14 2 Cor. 4.4 if the Gospell bee hid it is hid vnto them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them Much fault may bee in our selues that wee misse of so rich a bargaine as truth but came wee with honest mindes to the word we should finde that though many hard things therein surpasse our vnderstanding yet if we practise but so many duties of piety and embrace so many articles of faith which wee may clearely vnderstand there will remaine of easy lessons such store as shall serue to the attainment of eternall life Thus haue wee layd downe the prime and master direction how to descerne falshood from that heauenly truth which we would buy shewing that nothing is to be retained as necessary to the true worship of God which beares not conformity to his will whereof the letters patents are the holy scriptures but further because in the ware it selfe which we would get into our hand there are found certaine proper qualities or characters whereby it may be distinctly knowne from sophisticate falshoods it will not be impertinent to admonish somewhat herein The first innate property of this truth is that it is alway one and the same euen as God himselfe the parent thereof is in whom is no variablenesse or shadowe of turning saith St Iames Iac. 1.17 Eph. 4.5 as one Lord so one faith is St Paules doctrine to imagine that diuers and contrary traditions in religion may be true is to bring in a plurality of Gods For the one and simple vnderstanding
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
resemblance of that holinesse which is in God If it cannot beget vertue but serues only to make vs hide our badnesse it hath but the force of an humane law if it doe but onely pare off but not root vp vices it is but a lecture of heathennish philosophy if instead of crossing it gratifies the ill humours of the flesh and world it is the doctrine of divells but if it bee fitted to the rendring of a man not onely a full renouncer of his owne lusts but a sincere imitator of his makers holinesse this is the truth that is fallen downe from heauen to bring vs vp thither Fiftly I must adioiyne this as a cognisance of the best religion that it calls especially for the inward man for nothing can be more agreeable to a spirituall and inuisible nature then a spirituall service surely the Father seekes such worshippers Ioh. 4.23 as speakes the sonne and I hope many such hee will finde though I cannot but feare there will bee still more who supposing that God loues whatsoeuer they themselues admire going about to put vpon him their owne humors place all religion in externall gawdes and shewes what a deale of mechannicall religion is there in the world whilest the Pharisaicall Iew is busy in the washing of his cupps and platters Mat. 23.25.14 and makes his obserued prayers long euen to hoarsnesse but to haue a cleane and sincere soule is his least care The blind heathen playes the Antique in gesture before his God Lact. Lib. 4. c. 3. and when his ceremony is ended his religion is ended The silly Papist with his fingers turnes ouer his beades with his knees creeps to his image with his tongue performes his confessors taske and then he hath done with God till the next holy day nay whilest so many amongst our selues meere Mimicks in religion are zealous rather in their eyes eares hands tongues then in their hearts that finde all religion in the temple and in the temple leaue it as they finde it neither bringing in nor carrying away any in their mindes which should be the hourely liuing Temples of God beautified with modesty perfumed with innocency and stored with the sacrifices of flagrant loue to God his causes his seruants seruices of the body were decent haue their place but not as distinctiue notes of a true religion which rather calls for the offices of a good and well guided minde Lastly I may not omit without wronging my wares that the truth which must be bought will be knowen by her antiquity and lastingnesse because it is the of spring of him that was and is Rev. 4.8 and is to come heere those of the Church of Rome will bee ready to pleade a purchase nameing vs Popes and auncestors for many yeares in whose hands their doctrine hath bin kept wee deny it not to bee too olde and yet wee graunt it not to be olde inough for antiquity hath its degrees we yeeld the second but the first is the best and that is ours wee say not this or that Pope but with Ignatius Christ is our antiquity Epist ad Philadelph nor to vse Cyprians Apologie doe wee so much attende what any others before vs haue done or taught * Epi. 63. sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit what Christ who was before them all did and commanded to be taught and done and this truth which in the Primitiue times was cleerely professed and in the darker daies of Antichristianisme preserued both in the Oracles of the vncorrupted word and in the hearts of persecuted witnesses our eyes eyes blessed if thankfull behold it not new but renewed and vindicated from the tirannie of former times if it had stood onely vpon humane props fraudes and forces might by this time haue vndermined it but by a higher hand it hath hitherto miraculously continued and no doubt will to the end of all things since there is no reason why God who is if I may so speake as wise at first as at last and as strong at last as at first should either change his minde or not afford his support Hauing thus shewed where truth is shopt and how it may be discouered the onely labour that is left mee is to stirre you vp to bee so affected that it may be possessed by you where not to bee so arrogant as to chalke you out a way of study in arts and sciences and languages and such like helps to the inquisition euen of divine truths this I leaue to the Gamaliels maisters of the Israell at whose feet I wish I might haue longer sate I shall onely accompt it my duty to admonish you and my selfe in a few words of the chiefest qualities wherewith wee should bee inuested who are inioyned to buy the truth And here let a high loue and esteeme of this ware be first wrought in vs for doubtlesse here is a thing of rich value before vs since the holy ghost doth so sollicite vs to the purchasing thereof wee may well giue it out that this is that one pearle of great price mentioned in the Gospell Mat. 13.46 which caused the wise merchant to goe and sell all that he had and buy it for if it be an excellency drawing toward Angellicall perfection to consider of things as indeed they are if it be so sweet a food to the soule of man to contemplate of those matters whereof she is capable without mistakeing if it bee the noblest schollership to coppy out into our vnderstandings that which is originally eternally in Gods if God bee so iealous of his honour and so vnlike those so ciable Gods of the heathen that one only prescribed worship can content him how should wee bee rauished with truth in which all this is found wee cannot but long to buy it if wee once bee thus perswaded of the worth of it Therefore I hope the next thing will bee heeded by vs which is as heartily to be affected with the excellency of scriptures aboue all other writings since in that holy paper is vnquestionably wrapt vp this heauenly ware 2. Tim. 3.19 much time would then bee spent as was done by Timothy in knowing the sacred letters and not suffer our selues to bee so bewitched with the name of humane polite literature that Philosophers Historians Poets yea and those Diuines too with whom Aristotle is more frequent then Paule should take vp our solemnest and devoutest studies and the Bible bee onely read at some by houres rather because we would not bee altogether ignorant thē that we would be very skil full in it surely they are worthy to bee deceiued in diuine matters who are infected with the humour of Angelus Palitianus who would not vouchsafe the reading of scriptures Vide viuem de veri fidei lib. 2. cap. de veter Testam as not containeing elegancies sutable to his wit and stile as if he meant to be saued by Criticismes and
de vita contempl wee need no encouragement in this kind for wee haue bought truth already then I haue nothing to say but this euermore defend it with your tongue and penne and if need bee seale it with your blood euer more adorne it with the holinesse and integrity of your liues that so when this life shall bee changed into a better you may with soules full of truth the more comfortably come into the presence of the God of truth to whom Father sonne and holy ghost bee ascribed all glory and praise now for euer FINIS IAMES I. VER 16. Doe not erre my beloued brethren IF error were only the disease of the ignorant it might reasonably bee said vnto me Physition heale thine owne country flocke come not hither where various learning hath provided sufficient preseruatiues against this euill or if this malady of the soule might be cured by a bare information of the vnderstanding the matter more conueniently might bee left to your publicke schooles or priuate studies then brought vp into your pulpit but since experience abundantly teacheth that the most dangerous and troublesome errors haue had their birth and breeding amidst the tongues and pens of men famed for their wit learning and since the affections which many times are as inordinate in the greatest clerks as the simplest Idiots doe though very irregularly I confesse too too oft lead the vnderstanding I could not take it so misbeseeming a worke for a preacher who hath so much to doe with the ordering of mens affections to take in hand this subiect in this place let mee then once more Reuerent Fathers beloued brethren venture vpon your patience and as heretofore I haue from that wise king invited you to buy the truth Prov. 23.23 so suffer mee now from this holy Apostle advise you to fly error A thing if yet I can entitle it to entity well worth our speediest flying from it or chasing it from vs. Errorem definirefacilius quam finire Aug. lib. 1. contra Academicos cap. 4. For if wee define error which is sooner defined then finished said Licentius what is it but a pittifull deformity incongruity betwixt our vnderstanding and the things which God and nature haue established For as it is the iustice of truth to consider euery thing as indeed it is herein nobly doing right to the first truth God the fountaine of that setled being which things haue so on the contrary iniurious error is a false witnes-bearer against God reporting otherwise of things then God made them or then hee would haue them to bee apprehēded by vs either fastning vpon things what belongs not to them or denying to them what doth Alas how haue we lost God and the tracks of things as he hath left them to vs yea how haue wee lost our selues and the indowments wherewith wee were trusted For whereas reason was bestowed vpon vs to be a lamp whereby we might discerne betwixt truth and that which is the shadow thereof error hath put out this light and so deprived vs of that which is the soule of the soule to vse Philo his words euen as the apple is the eye of the eye De mundi opificio Philosophers speake of a naturall appetite which the soule of euery man hath to know what is true in things therefore howsoeuer there may be found thousands that most gladly would deceiue others scarce one among them would willingly be deceiued himselfe Yet I know not how error hath somewhat dulled this appetite I am sure it cannot satisfie it but frustrates the honest desires of the soule and insteed of her due meate feeds her either with incertaine opinions which breed crude and vndigested tenents in the iudgement or else with certaine falshood the very poyson of the minde Nor is error only dangerous to the first harborers of it but like the plauge it runns from man to man no man almost being content to erre to himselfe but hath a longing to transmit his erronious conceits to others as it appeareth in all Hereticks But the malignity of error is neuer of greater force then when it lighteth into men of our calling for when we haue once lost part of our priestly pectorall Exod 28.30 our vrim our light of true doctrine and haue clad our selues in the darke hue of falshood wee conueigh our fashion vnto multitude of soules and cannot perish alone By this you see the perrill and cannot but welcome our Apostles admonition calling you from it But then is an admonition in this kinde so much the more to be heeded the fouler the error is concerning which the warning is giuen Such a one is this which Saint Iames meanes for if you will surveigh the verses bordering vpon my text you shall finde him labouring to root that impiously absurd conceit out of mens minds that God is a sollicitor and temptor to sinne The diuell greedy after the destruction of soules was it seems impatient of any long delay ere hee wrought his feates and therefore not tarrying vntill the Gospell of our Sauiour were generally planted and strongly rooted in mens hearts by the preaching of the apostles hee very early began to sow his tares where the Lords first husband men had cast in their good seed Nay so diligent was the malice of Satan in his hireling Simon Magus the Patriarch of hereticks that the Apostles were prevented Haeretic Fabul compend de Simone for as Theodoret writeth when he had quitted Samaria he trauelled into diuers parts where the Apostles had not preached forestalling as he went along the mindes of men with his detestable impostures that the doctrine of Apostolicall teachers might wholly bee shut out or enter with greater difficulty now among his pestilentiall errors Aduers haereses cap. 24. that was one as Vincentius testifieth that God the creator was author of the euills euen of sinne an impiety which wanted not abettors in all ages For besides Simon Cerdon Marcion Florinus in the first times and the Manichees with the Priscillianists afterwards euen our present age hath afforded that impure sect of the Libertines fouly guilty that way It is probable that some in the Apostles time had drunk of Simons cuppe which might moue Saint Iames to giue caveats to his schollers that they erre not in this point Howsoeuer we deeme of the occasion moving him to write his admonition is so much the waightier the more grieuous the error which hee speakes of is an error primae magnitudinis of the biggest size For if God be an author of or a tempter to sinfull euill if wee cannot bee content to say that he permits offences but will haue him to necessitate them if wee cannot rest satisfied with that truth that God doth in his infinit wisdome make vse of the wicked wills of his creatures to his owne glory but wee will further say that hee makes their wills so wicked if when men are read to be
maners that when wee perceaue a doctrine to bee generally receaued by holy and learned men in our owne and elder Churches we take them along with vs in our inquiry after truth and not hastily breake from them to follow our wone way vpon a presumptuous conceit of our wone iudgements which we haue as much if not more reason to mistrust as wee haue to misdoubt other mens Againe whereas naturall reason is but a blind wandring guide in matters spirituall this man is too ftifly addicted to the dictats thereof it is a foule staine of iudgement when a man conceiues that there are the same bounds of things naturall of his owne apprehension for things may bee in themselues though they be not vnderstood by vs and it is an vneuen measuring of a mans sese when hee imagins there is same latitude of his owne and humane vnderstanding as if hee knew as much as another can know but solly is then enraged euen to balsphemy when in an ouer proud indulgence to his owne wit a man shall thinke that God were able to speake or doe nothing which he is not able to comprehend of this giantlike presumption was Eunomius of whom Theodoret reports that hee gaue out he had the same notice of God Haeret. fabul comp cap. de Eunomio as God had of himselfe as no odds were to bee put betwixt a finite and infinite knowledge for as Lactantius wisely saith Nibilinter deum hominemque distaret siconsilia illa maie statis aeternae cogitatio assequeret ur humana there were no distance betwixt God man Lact. lib. 1. c. 1. if humane cogitation could attaine vnto the counsailes of the aeternall maiesty And indeed while we extoll the soueraignty of our reason we vnawares debase the dignity of that thing whereof reason is the teacher For it can be no great matter which so narrow and shallow a thing as humane vnderstanding lest to hyis owne forces can helpe vs to the knowledge of nay it may sooner bee an error then a trifle Adde hereunto that whereas an ill carriage of our selues towards the scriptures the rule of truth is the readiset downefall into error the proud person either vainely supposeth it cannot bee Gods word which exceeds his wone witt of saucily murmures that God should challenge our assent and giue vs not alwaies logicall demontrations of what he faith as if it were not inough for this supreame legislator to pronounce a truth or law vnlesse he argue it before the tribunall of our reason or else he giues a faaint credit to whatsoeuer crosseth his affection or if he must needs interpret he hath a will rather to wrest the scriptures to his opinion then bend his opinion to the scriptures to impose his sence vpon the word then setch his sence from the word as if he meant to lead and not to follow the holy ghost and these interpretations are for the most part made in hast for hee takes it to bee a kinde of disparagement to the nimblenesse of his witt to seeme to doubt or deliberat long and whiles hee makes more care to hasten then examine his opinion he speedily pronounceth and as easily errs for want of mature deliberation there is one euill of pride more making way to error not to be omitted it is a studiousnesse of nouelty I know not how the witt of man heated by pride disdaines as a wretched thing and a matter of no glory to tread in the steps of others that haue gone before and thus while wee are desirous to say what others haue not hit vpon the imagination hunting and ranging about some pretty and perhaps probable strange opinion is started vp before it which it runns away with in very quick sent and great delight we are marveilously favorable to our owne conceits and although at first wee giue not any strong beleife vnto them yet wee lend them many harty wishes that they were true and with long well wishing in time they come within the consines of some setled allowance and at last passe into our vnmoueable assent and now when all is done the thing will be found to bee of more finenesse then strength of more subtilty then truth these are the perills of pride if it bee ioined with learning but if the proud spirited man is not conscious of much learnning yet if hee findes some falshes of goodnesse in himselfe hee thinks that want abundantly supplyed by certaine revelations of the spirit whose great acquaintance he professeth himselfe to be that now he thinkes that he hath arriued to an impeccancy of iudgement in matters spirituall and as Vincentius speakes of some Cap. 37. that boasted of the grace of the spirit indiuiduated to them that hee is ordered by God that carried as it were by Angells hands he can neuer dash his foot against any stone of error but alas this is the pronest way to the wildest error when euery outleaping wantonesse of fancy as it happeneth among fanaticall enthusiasts shall be reputed an inspiration and reuelation of the spirit nor doth pride by so many waies lead into error but which is worst leaues the minde as a finall pray to it for it makes the vnderstanding fierce and vntractable every contradiction euery affront from truth is reputed a contumely the mishapen issue of the minde being borne must now bee kept all retractations are basenesse and dishonour thus that men may not seeme to be men and to haue erred they are become hereticks so contumatious a murse of error is pride To pride in the thired place let vs adioine as of neerest familiarity with it the angry spirit of faction and contention Rom. 2.8 Iam. 3.17 to be contentious and not to bee obedient to truth are things coupled together by Saint Paul and St Iames hath rightly obserued as of enuy so of strife where it is there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnsetled and tumultuous confusion and euery euill worke the obseruation hath place if wee apply it to the state of the soule there cannot be but much confusion and entercourse of error where contention hath got in Doe but obserue the men who know not how to hold any thing without passion how oft they shame reason to gratify their pettishnesse if a question bee moued which moues their choller with little or no choice they will crosse whatsoeuer you propose their humor carrying them not so much to know as oppugne truth against which if they can bee witty it is a braue sufficiency when once in the rage of pride and anger their error is marcht forth it is a difficult matter to worke a retrait and though you may conunice them they will not bee perswaded their fury will proceed in the brable vntill they haue improved their brable into a heresy this pettishnesse when it is sowred into malice hath often carried some who would bee at the most diametral disagreement with their aduersaries not only to dissent from