doctrine in which likewise they must of necessity follow universality antiquity and consent of the Catholick and Apostolick Church And therefore if at any time a part rebell against the whole novelty against antiquity the dissention of one or a few seduced with errour against the consent of all or the farre greater part of Catholicks in that case let them preferre the integrity of universality before the corruption of a part and in universality let them also preferre the religion of antiquity before profane novelty and again in antiquity let them preferre before the temerity of one or a few the decrees of a generall Councell if any be or if no such be found let them take that which is next hand that is to follow the opinions of many and great learned Doctours agreeing together All which faithfully soberly diligently observed and kept by Gods grace we shall without any great difficulty discover the errours of new upstart Hereticks CHAP. XIV HEre I perceive in order it followeth to shew by examples how the profane novelties of Hereticks are by bringing forth and comparing the old Doctours opinions agreeing together to be found out and condemned which ancient consent of holy Fathers is not so carefully and diligently to be sought for and followed in every small question of the Scripture but onely and that especially in the rule of faith neither yet alwayes nor all Heresies are after this sort to be impugned but onely such as be new and upstart to wit at their first springing up and before they have as hindred by the shortnesse of time falsified the rules of the antient faith and before the poyson spreading farre abroad goeth about to corrupt the Fathers works But those heresies which have already got ground and be of some continuance are not this way to be dealt withall because by long tract of time they have had opportunity to steal truth And therefore such kind of profane schisms and heresies which be of longer standing we must not otherwise convince but either onely if need be by the authority of the Scriptures or els avoid and detest them being already convicted and condemned in old time by generall Councels of the Catholick Church Therefore so soon as any infectious error begineth to break forth and for her defence to steale certain words of holy scripture and craftily and fraudulently to expound them straight-wayes for the right understanding thereof the Fathers opinions are to be gathered togither by which let any what soever new and therefore prophane doctrine growing up with out all delay be dejected speedily condemned But those Fathers opinions only are to be conferred togither which with holinesse wisdome and constancy lived taught and continued in the faith and communion of the Catholick Church and finally deserved tody in Christ or happily for Christ to be martyred whom notwithstanding we are to beleeve with this condition that whatsoever either all or the greater part with one mind plainly commonly and constantly as it were a Councell of Doctours agreeing together have decreed and set down receiving it from their ancestours holding it for their time and delivering it to their posteritie let that be had and accounted for undoubted for certain and firme truth And whatsoever any although holy and learned although a Bishop although a Confessour and Martyr hath holden otherwise then all or against all let that be put aside from the authoritie of the common publick and generall faith and reputed amongst his own proper private and fecret opinions least with great danger of eternall salvation we do according to the custome of sacrilegious Hereticks and Schismaticks forsake the trueth of the universall faith and follow the novell errour of some one man The holy Catholick mind of which blessed Fathers least any man think that he may rashly contemne The Apostle sayeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians And some verily hath God set in his Church first Apostles 1 Cor. 12. of which himself was one Secondly Prophets as Agabus was of whom we read in the Acts cap. 11. Thirdly Doctours which novv are called Tractatours vvhem also this Apostle some time narneth Prophets because their office vvas to expound and declare to the people the mysteries of the Prophets these therefore disposed and placed by God at divers times and sundry places agreeing and consenting all in one mind in Christ touching the understanding of the Catholick faith whosoever contemneth doth not contemne man but God and that we disagree not by any means from the perfect and true unitie of those Fathers the same Apostle doth earnestly beseech all Christians saying I beseech you brethren that you say all one thing and that there bee no Schismes among you but that you be perfect in one sense and in one knowledge 1 Cor. 1 And if any man separate himself from the communion of their opinion let him hear that saying of the same Apostle He is not the God of dissention but of peace ch 14. that is not of him that leaveth consent and unity but of them that remain in peace and agreement As I do quoth he teach in all the Churches of the Saints that is of the Catholicks which therefore be holy because they continue in the communion of the faith And least happily any one should contemne others and proudly require onely to be heard onely to be beleeved straight after he saith What hath the Word of God quoth he proceeded from you or hath it onely come unto you And least this might be taken as spoken slightly he addeth If any quoth he seemeth a Prophet or spirituall that is a master in spirituall matters let him be a zealous lover of unity and peace in such wise that he neither preferre his own opinion before the judgement of others neither leave or forsake the sense and common consent of all men The commandements of which things he that is quoth he ignorant of that is he that learneth not those things which he yet knoweth not or contemneth those which he knoweth he shall not be known that is he shall be thought unworthy whom amongst such as be united in faith and equall humility God should regard and look upon a greater evil then which I doubt whether any man can invent or devise which yet notwithstanding according to the Apostles commination we see to have fallen upon Julian the Pelagian who either contemned to be joined at all in opinion with his fellows or else presumed to separate himself from their societie and communion But now it is time to bring forth the example which we promised how and after what sort the judgement and opinions of holy Fathers were gathered togither that according to them by the decree authority of a Councell the rule of faith might be set down which to the end that I may more commodiously do I will here make an end of this commonitorie and so take another beginning for declaring of those things which do follow A Recapitulation of all
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
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
of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which amongst all the societies of men in this world is that blessed company of holy ones that houshold of faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the living God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so they may embrace her commuuion follow her directions and rest in her judgement Now that thou maist be the better able to follow this wholesome counsell let me advise thee with care and diligence to peruse this ensuing treatise and that thou maist receive much benefit thereby for thy souls health thou hast already the prayers of S. Augustine and thou shalt have the hearty wishes and desires of Thy charitable Welwisher A. P. The TABLE Chap. I. HOw S. Augustine came to be deceived by the Manichees Page 1 Chap. II. That the Manichees do condemn the old Testament Page 11 Chap. III. Of the four wayes of expounding the old Testament Page 15 Chap. IV. 3. ways whereby men fall into errour Page 31 Chap. V Of the truth of the holy Scripture Page 37 Chap. VI. That the holy Scripture is first to be loved before it can be learned Page 42 Chap. VII That we ought not to judge rashly of the holy Scriptures and how and with what care and diligence the trve religion is to be sought for Page 49 Chap. VIII Of the way to the instruction of piety and of the wonderfull pains S. Augustine took to find it out Page 63 Chap. IX Of Credulity Page 68 Chap. X. Why Credulity is the way to Religion Page 75 Chap. XI Of understanding belief and opinion Page 83 Chap. XII That it is the safest way to believe wise men Page 93 Chap. XIII That Religion takes her beginning from believing Page 98 Chap. XIV That Christ chiefly exacted belief Page 104 Chap. XV. Of the most commodious way to Religion Page 114 Chap. XVI That miracles do procure belief Page 117 Chap. XVII The consent of nations believingin Christ Page 124 Chap. XVIII The conclusion by way of exhortation Page 129 The Profit of Believing CHAP. I. How Saint Augustine came to be deceived by the Manichees O Honoratus IF any Heretick and a man believing Hereticks did seem unto me to be one and the same thing I should think fit to be silent at this present and to abstain both from speaking and writing in this cause But now whereas they do verymuch differ For he is an Heretick according to my opinion who for some temporall benefit and chiefly for glory and his own preferment either broacheth or followeth false and new Opinions but a man believing Hereticks is one that is deluded with a certain imagination of Piety and Truth I held it to be my duty to deliver thee my opinion touching the finding out and embracing the Truth with the love whereof we have both as thou knowest been greatly enflamed even from our youths Truth is a thing farre differing from that which vain men do conceive who having too deeply settled their affections upon these bodily and corporall things do hold and imagine it to be nothing else but what they do perceive and discern by those five most known Messengers of the Body and they to sse to and fro and rerevolve in their minds the impressions and images which they have received from these things even when they endeavour to disbelieve their senses and by a deadly and a most deceitfull rule taken from thence they think that they do frame a right and perfect judgement of the inefffable Secrets and Mysteries of Faith There is nothing more easie my most dear friend then for a man not onely to say but also to think that he hath found out the Truth but how extream hard it is to find it out indeed thou wilt as I hope acknowledge and confesse upon the perusall of these my writings which that they may prove beneficiall unto thee or at least not hurtfull and unto all those into whose hands they may chance to light I have beseeched the divine Majesty and I do beseech him and I hope it will come to passe if mine own conscience can but bear me witnesse that I came to write them not with a desire of vain renown or frivolous ostentation but with a pious and a serviceable mind My intent therefore is to prove unto thee if I can that it is sacrilegiously and rashly done of the Manichees to speak bitter words and inveigh against those who following the authority of the Catholick faith are fortified and strengthened before-hand by believing and are prepared to receive the light of the Divine grace before they can behold that Verity and Truth which is seen and beheld with a pure and clean mind For thou knowest O Honoratus that we put our selves into the company of such men for no other cause but for that they said that the terrour of authority being set aside they would with plain and admirable reasons bring their hearers and followers unto God and free them from all errour For what else was it that enforced me to follow them and to hearken to them attentively almost for the space of nine years having despised and contemned the religion which by my parents was ingraffed in me being a little child but for that they affirmed that we are terrified with superstition and commanded to believe before any reason is given us of belief and that they importune and urge none to believe untill the truth be first discussed and made manifest unto them who would not be allured with these promises especially the mind of a young man desirous of truth a babler and one that was puffed up with pride upon disputations had with some skilfull and learned Schoolmen and such an one they found me then to be namely who despised my former religion like old wives tales and desired to embrace and with greedinesse to receive the manifest and sincere Truth which they promised to teach and deliver But again what reason withdrew me and called me back that I did not wholly adhere unto them but kept my self in the degree of Hearers as they use to call them and did not forgo the hopes and affairs which I had in this world but for that I also noted and observed that they were more eloquent and copious in confuting others then firm and certain in proving and maintaining their own grounds But what shall I say of my self who was now become a Catholick Christian who being almost exhausted and greedy after a very long thirst was now with an ardent affection returned again to the breasts of the Church which I shaked and wrung much weeping and lamenting to the end I might not onely draw from thence sufficient comfort for my misery and affliction but might also recover my former hope of life and salvation What then shall I say of my self And as for thee thou didest so vehemently hate and detest them that I could hardly draw thee by entreaties and exhortations to
even by the eyes of common people give me leave a little to consider with my self upon whose words I have believed that there was a Christ that being already guarded and fortified by such a faith I may give ear and hearken unto thee I perceive that I believed and gave credit unto none but to a setled and confirmed opinion and to a most renowned fame and report of people and nations these people also I see in all places to be in possession of the secrets and mysteries of the Catholick Church Why shall not I then chiefly enquire of them diligently what Christ hath commanded by whose authority being moved I have already believed that Christ hath commanded some profitable thing Wilt thou better expound unto me what Christ hath said whom I would not think to have been or now to be if thou didst recommend it unto me to be believed This therefore as I said have I believed upon a famous report of men confirmed with consent and antiquity but you who are both so few and so turbulent and so new it is certain you can produce and bring forth nothing which may deserve credit and belief And therefore what a madnesse is this in thee to say Believe them the known multitude of Christendome that we ought to believe Christ but learn of us Manicheans what Christ hath said Why so I beseech thee Verily if that known multitude should fail and could teach me nothing I should much more easily perswade my self that I ought not to believe Christ at all then that I ought to believe any thing concerning him of any others but of those by whose means I first believed him O mighty confidence or rather folly I will sayst thou teach thee what Christ hath commanded in whom thou art already perswaded to believe What if I did not believe in him at all couldest thou teach me any thing concerning him But sayst thou it behooves thee to believe What upon your warrant and recommendation No sayst thou for we do by reason lead those which do already believe in Christ Why then shall I believe in him Because it is a grounded report was it grounded upon you or upon others Upon others sayst thou Shall I believe them first and be afterwards taught and instructed by thee Peradventure I ought to do so were I not above all things admonished by them not to come at all unto thee for they say that you hold pernicious doctrines Thou wilt answer they lie How then may I believe them concerning Christ whom they have not seen if I may not believe them concerning thee whom they will not see Here sayest thou Believe the Scriptures But all Scripture if being new and unheard of it be alledged or commended but by a few and hath no reason to confirm it receives no credit nor authority at all but those that alledge it wherefore if you that are so few and unknown commend those Scriptures unto me I refuse to believe them besides also you proceed against your promise rather by commanding belief then giving any reason thereof Here again for the authority of Scriptures thou wilt call me back to the known multitude of Christendome and to common report Restrain at length thy obstinacy and I know not what unruly appetite of worldly fame and rather admonish me to seek out the chief rulers of this known multitude and to enquire for them diligently and painfully that rather I may learn something of them touching these Scriptures who if they were not I should not know whither any thing ought to be learnt at all or no. As for thee return into thy corner and lurking-hole and delude us no more under a shew and pretence of truth which thou endeavourest to take away from them unto whom thou grantefl authority and credit and if they also deny that we ought not to believe Christ unlesse an undoubted reason can be rendred thereof they are not Christians For certain Pagans do alledge that against us foolishly indeed but yet not contrary nor repugnant to themselves But who can endure that those men should professe that they belong to Christ who strongly affirm that nothing ought to be believed unlesse most evident reason can be given even unto fools concerning God and divine matters But we see that Christ himself as that history teacheth which they also believe desired nothing more principally nor more carnestly then that he might be credited and believed when as they with whom he was to treat about those affairs were not yet fit to learn and conceive the divine mysteries For to what other purpose did he work so great and so many miracles he himself also affirming that they were done for no other end but that men might give credit and beliefe unto him He led the simple sort of people by belief you lead them by reason he cryed out that he might be believed you cry out against it he commended those that did believe you blame and reprehend them But unlesse he had turned water into wine to omit his other miracles could men have been brought to follow him if he had done no such things but onely taught and instructed them Or is that word of his not to be regarded 1 Joh. 14.1 Believe God and believe me Or is he to be blamed for rashnesse in belief who would not have Christ come into his house because he believed that by his command onely his sick sonne could be cured Mat. 8.8 He therefore bringing a medicine which was to cure the most corrupt manners did by miracles winne authority by authority deserved belief by belief drew together a multitude by a multitude obtained antiquity by antiquity strengthened and confirmed Religion which not onely the most foolish novelty of hereticks endeavouring by deceits but neither the antient errour of the Gentlies being violently bent against it could in any part abolish or destroy CHAP. XV. Of the most cemmodious way to Religion VVHerefore albeit I am not able to teach thee yet do I not cease to warn and admonish thee that because many men will seem to be wise and it is not easie to discern whither they be fools or no thou beseechest the divine Majesty with very much earnestnesse and fervent desires with sighs and sobs or also if it be possible with weeping and tears to free and deliver thee from the evil of errour if thou desirest to lead a blessed and an happy life Which may more easily be brought to passe if thou wilt willingly obey his commands which he hath been pleased to have confirmed and strengthened by so great an authority of the Catholick Church For seeing that a wise man is by his mind so united unto God that nothing is interposed and set between them which may divide and separate them for God is truth and no man is to be accounted a wise man that doth not attain to the knowledge of truth we cannot deny but that the wisdome of man is interposed as a certain medium
from new errour to old sobernes from new madnesse to antient light from new darknesse But in this divine vertue which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of us to be noted that in that antiquitie of the Church they took upon them not the defence of any one part but of the whole For it was not lawfull that such excellent and famous men should maintaine and defend with so great might and maine the erroneous suspicions and those contrary each to other of one or two men or should stand in contention for the temerarious conspiracie of some small Province but they did chuse by following the Canons and decrees of the Catholick and Apostolike veritie of all the Priests of holy Church rather to betray them selves then the universall ancient faith For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessours but also justly and worthily the Princes of all Confessours Great therefore surely divine was the example of these blessed Confessours and of every true Catholick continually to be remembred who like the seven branched Candlestick shining with the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost delivered unto all posterity a most notable example how afterward in each foolish and vain errour the boldnesse of profane noveltie was to be repressed with authority of sacred Antiquity CHAP. III. NEither is this any new thing but alwaies usual in the Church of God that the more religious a man hath been the more ready hath he alwayes resisted novell inventions examples whereof many might be brought but for brevity sake I will onely make choice of some one which shall be taken from the Apostolick sea by which all men may see most plainly with what force alwayes what zeal what indeavour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles have desended the integrity of that religion which they once received Therefore in times past Agrippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Cart hage the first of all mortall men maintained this assertion against the divine Scripture against the rule of the universall Church against the mind of all the Priests of his time against the custom and tradition of his forefathers that rebaptization was to be admitted and put in practise Which presumption of his procured so great dammage and hurt to the Church that not onely it gave all hereticks a pattern of sacrilege but also ministred occasion of errour to some Catholicks When therefore every where all men exclaimed against the novelty of the doctrine and all priests in all places each one according to his zeale did oppose then Pope Steven of blessed memory bishop of the Apostolique sea resisted in deed with the rest of his fellow bishops but yet more then the rest thinking it as I suppose reason so much to excell all other in devotion towards the faith as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Africk he decreed the same in these words That nothing was to be innovated but that which came by tradition ought to be observed For that holy and prudent man knew well that the nature of pietie could admit nothing else but only to deliver and teach our children that religion and that faith which we received and learned of our forefathers and that we ought to follow religion whither it doth lead us and not to lead religion whither it please us and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and gravitie then not to leave unto posteritie our own inventions but to preserve and keep that which our Predecessours left us What therefore was then the end of that whole busines What else but that which is common and usuall to wit antiquitie was retained noveltie exploded But perhaps that new invention lacked patrons and defenders To which I say on the contrary that it had such pregnant witts such eloquent tongues such number of defendants such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture but 〈◊〉 after a new and naughtie fashion that all that conspiracie and schisme should have seemed unto me invincible had not the very profession of noveltie it self so taken in hand under that name defended with that title recommended overthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme To conolude what force had the Councell or decree of Africke By Gods providence none but all things there agreed upon were abolished disanulled abrogated as dreames as fables as superfluous And O strange change of the world the authours of that opinion are judged and thought Catholicks the followers accounted and reputed Hereticks the masters discharged the schollers condemned the writers of those books shall be children of the kingdome of Heaven the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell For who doubteth but holy S. Cyprian that light of all Saints that lanterne of Bishops and spectacle of Martirs with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for ever And contrariwise who is so wicked to deny that the Donatists and such other pestilent Hereticks which by the authority of that Councell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization shall burn for ever with the Devill and his Angels Which judgement in mine opinion seemeth to have come from God for their fraudulent dealing especially which endeavouring under the cloak of an other mans name cunningly to frame an heresie commonly lay hold of some dark sayings of one antient Father or other which by reason of the obscurity may seem to make for their opinion to the end they may be thought that whatsoever I know not what they bring forth to the world neither to have been the first that so taught neither alone of that opinion whose wicked device in mine opinion is worthy of double hatred both for that they fear not to sowe their poysoned feed of herefie amongst others and also because they blemish the memory of some holy man and as it were with profane hands cast his dead ashes into the wind bringing with shame that to light which rather with silence were to be buried following therein the steps of their father Cham who not onely neglected to cover the nakednesse of venerable Noe but also shewed it to others to laugh at by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impiety that his posterity was subject to the malediction of his sinne Gen. 9. his blessed brethren doing far otherwise who neither with their own eyes would violate the nakednesse of their reverend father nor yet permit it to remain uncovered for others to behold but going backward as the holy text saith they covered him which is as much as to say that they neither approved with heart nor blazed with tongue the holy mans fault and therefore they and their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing But to returne to our purpose CHAP. IIII. WE have therefore much to fear the sacriledge of a changed faith of a violated religion from which fault not only the discipline of the
nobler effects to nobler causes for all causes must be perfecter then their effects now in humane affairs there is no nobler effect then a Christian life which consequently must proceed from the most noble cause now we see this wholly to flow from Christ whom therefore we must acknowledge to be the most perfect of all causes Secundary causes are the instruments of the primary or the First cause a Christian life therefore proceeding from Christ as from his cause we must confesse that Christ being a man crucified is the instrument of producing this excellent effect of Christian perfection now if Christ were not also God as he taught himself to be there could be no man more wicked and execrable and by this means Almighty God would use a most detestable instrument for the production of a virtuous life which is extremely absurd The cause being the measure of the effect by how much the perfection of the effect approaches nearer to the perfection of the cause and becomes more like unto it so much is it nearer its compleat and full perfection but we see the more like a man is to Christ Jesus in his life the more holy he becomes and in a manner Divine which were not possible unlesse he both were true God and his Faith most intirely true We know causes by their effects as we experience in medicines by their successe seeing therefore that Philosophers leave behinde them unto posterity the rules of a virtuous life and yet very few of them have attained unto any considerable degree of perfection notwithstanding great endeavours done to that effect nay in the great abundance of the most excellent of them none almost without the direction of Christian Faith have been able to effect any thing which yet we see in that short time and exactly to be brought to passe by Christian Discipline in the congregation of the faithfull in every sex and age and the reason is because in deed there is no comparison between Philosophicall documents and the rules of Christian life neither for Morality nor Religion For what is more admirable then that a most lewd and wicked man as we are taught by daily examples of all ages as soon as he hath truly converted himself unto Christ crucified becomes a new man of proud and envious humble and courteous of covetous and sordid liberall and bountifull of lewd and luxurious becomes continent and chaste and as it were with the principles of his Faith sucks in the respective antidotes for his particular vices and with a manifold interest recompences and repayes the debts of his former vices which never any sect of Philosophers hath attained unto whence it necessarily follows that Christ is the principall or instrumentall cause of it and a medicine which restores all morality and produces a most perfect life in his faithfull CHAP. VIII That Christian Doctrine containing the Grounds of Faith is from God THe reading hearing and contemplation of holy Scripture is the cause of Christian perfection and the substance of our Religion for the verity of Scripture is the object of Faith and therefore the arguments of Faith are those which are drawn out of holy Scriptures We know that in the understanding of man there is no determinate knowledge of future contingencies of which we can frame no acts nor science which made the most famous and learned of all Philosophers conclude that men could have no knowledge of future things subject to chance and to have it was proper onely to Almighty God who being eternall comprehends in his eternity all things the which are clearly laid open to his understanding and of the which men cannot arrive unto the knowledge unlesse they be revealed unto them by Almighty God seeing therefore that the holy Scripture almost every where but chiefly in the Old Testament doth foretell future contingencies which depend on mens free-will not onely in generall terms but most exactly intending unto particulars and that not those of one ten a hundred or a thousand years but hath foretold those of two three and four thousand years and not onely those which befell unto the Jews and those which were to be done by Christ his Spouse the Church but as it were foretold all the prosperities and adversities which should happen to almost all Nations as the Assyrians Chaldeans Persians Medes Greeks Romans and the rest and that just as it was foretold it most exactly came to passe we must necessarily confesse that the Scriptures came from God and were not written by the industry and wit of men and therefore those which as yet remain to be fulfilled are to be held most infallible as proceeding from the same Spirit who foretold those others which have so admirably beyond all imagination been accomplished And hence we clearly gather that Almighty God hath a most speciall care of men and exercises his divine Providence about humane affairs The foreseeing then of future contingencies appertaining onely to Almighty God humane industry and sagacity cannot so order and dispose such combination of affairs as the heroicall enterprizes and warlike exploits of famous men but oftentimes do beyond all expectation light on most unexpected and variable events God onely therefore can determine these actions of men so that they may be signs of what is to follow in future ages but we see how those things which are already brought to passe in the new Scripture or shall hereafter follow are deciphered and delineated under most proper types and figures in the Old Testament Nor can it rationally be said that those interpretations are vainly raised or feigned by Christians or composed without ground because in so great a variety of things and times in so manifold a composition of words and in so great a diversity of Authours and sacred Writers there could not be so exact an uniformity of the Old Law with the New unlesse some understanding and divine Providence had framed a correspondence of things which were to happen in their due times nor can it be said that it was done by chance for there cannot be found the least thing which is dissonant impertinent or discomposed but every thing with an equall tenour and most sweet harmony makes up the concord so that that which is obscurely toucht in one place in another is found manifest so as the whole Scripture may seem to explicate it self this if it be unknown to those which are ignorant of holy Scriptures it is farre otherwise with those who have enriched their understandings with the treasures gathered out of the most sincere fountain of Verity if therefore they desire to know the truth let them with piety humility and purity search into the same fountain of holy Scriptures and questionlesse they will be of our opinion Wherefore Allegoricall Exposition agrees onely to holy Scripture because this alone is that which hath descended from Almighty God as he exercised his all-seeing and celestiall Wisdome I call an Allegory not the fabulous Interpretations Poets
champion is it brought to light because our understanding having Verity for its object is naturally inclined unto it as to its proper perfection and where the more it shines with greater delight it is embraced but then Verity appears most when it is most sharply impugned because in the very discussion and conflict of disputation it manifests it self Seeing therefore that Christian Doctrine having been so vehemently impugned by so many Philosophers and Tyrants hath alwayes remained invincible and victorious which the infinite volumns of Christians testifie it is consequent that its truth proceeded from Almighty God otherwise in so many conflicts it had not so long remain'd unconquer'd CHAP. IX Christian Faith proved true out of their use of Prayer and Contemplation AS Faith and the reading holy Scriptures Auscultation and Meditation is the principall cause of a Christian life so Prayer is its principall nourishment where it hath its growth and perfection for by long experience we have found in our Religion that all those who profit in our Religion and have arrived to the highest degrees of sanctity have attained it by frequent and continuall Prayer and we have observed that they have taken such gust and complacence in it that they have despised all other humane delights as vile abject and unworthy of them Nor doth this happen onely to the most eminent and learned sort of those which flourish in sanctity but it is commonly found in the simple and ignorant as well men as women and even in all those who have learned to leade a Christian life By this effect therefore we may prove the Verity of out Faith Almighty God being a pure Act the first Verity and an infinite Light the nearer a man makes his approach unto him the more abundartly doth he partake this Purity Verity and Light But man doth not make his approach unto Almighty God by corporall paces but by the purity of life elevation of mind and contemplation of Verity Seeing therefore that there can be no life more candid and more sincere then that of Christians and that then the mind of man is most pure when it is wrapt up in a soaring and extaticall contemplation of the Divine perfections it follows that man is most possessed of this Verity and Light as he is in the very act of prayer and contemplation and seeing that we find by experience that Christians as they encrease in the fervour of Devotion and frequency of Prayer are more and more confirmed in their Faith and inflamed with the love of Christ and profit in virtue we must confesse that the Faith Verity and Light of Christian Religion is Divine Our understanding affecting Verity as its proper perfection and abhorring Falsity as its greatest enemy man is in nothing so disposed for the entertaining of Verity and rejecting of contraries as in the very act of Prayer and Contemplation by which he doth most stedfastly and ardently embrace the documents of Faith which therefore cannot be erroneous Moreover all Christians in their Prayers to Almighty God do beseech him to grant that for the which they pray by the merits of Christ for in the end of every prayer they most commonly adde some such form Through Jesus Christ our Lord or Through Christ our Lord and yet they obtain admirable and incredible graces from him which if any should not believe yet certainly they must grant that which by daily experience is manifest that they obtain that which they principally seek after the righteousnesse of a virtuous life the quiet and joyfulnesse of mind so as they preferre the pious tears of Devotion farre before any delights and pleasures of the world Now certainly if Christ were not he whom our Faith proclaims him to be they could not in so great a serenity of mind and at so near a distance of so great a light be environed and buried in so great a darknesse nor would Almighty God permit them to be so grosly deceived or at least if they were obstinate in an errour he would not grant their petitions Again every cause disposing its matter for the producing its effect after it hath introduced its last disposition immediately produces it nor would it dispose the matter unlesse it meant to Introduce the form nor any cause of motion would produce it if it intended not some end of the motion produced but a just man unlesse he were invited and drawn on by Almighty God who is the first cause of all things could not elevate his mind unto him by prayer Blisse therefore being the end of prayer and a virtuous life Almighty God would not induce man unto those means of prayer and virtue unlesse he intended to make him finally blessed If therefore Christians makig progresse in virtue and prayers become more grounded and settled in their Faith and Contemplation of Christ their Faith cannot be but from Almighty God by which he leades men unto blisse Every cause grants as I may say unto its effect what it asks the effect asks of its cause it s due and proper perfections which then it is said to exact when it is rightly disposed for then the cause if not otherwise hindred delaies not the execution of the effect infusing that quantity of perfection into it which the degree of disposition doth exact which immediate execution proceeds out of its facility and goodnesse which of its nature is desirous to communicate it self Almighty God therefore being the most sovereign good questionlesse will more then other causes which have not so great goodnesse grant the petitions to this effect especially unto those which are best disposed for the receiving his favours as are Christians chiefly when they are in the act of Prayer and Contemplation but Christians ask nothing more then the light of truth according to that of the Psalmist Ill umina oculos meos nè unquam obdormiam in morte Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death And therefore Almighty God never denies them their request but Christians the more they pray the more they are confirmed in their Faith therefore this our discourse is of greater force Further if Christ were not God to professe himself so would be the most supreme degree of blasphemy and detestation that could be Now if Christians do pray to God the Father through Christ whom they believe to be of the same nature with the Father and the holy Ghost how doth Almighty God permit them in so great an errour arising out of ignorance and simplicity and doth not draw them out of it knowing that they serve him with their whole affection and humbly beg of him the knowledge of truth or if their obstinacy be in fault why doth he leave so great a wickednesse and treason against his Divine Majesty unrevenged or why doth he as we see him favour this errour and impiety whilst bestowing so many and great gifts on them he questionlesse grants them that which they ask at his hands Our soul as I have said doth
men to scorn yea our Lord shall have them inderifion For indeed the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they seem foolishnesse unto him neither can he understand them because they are spiritually discerned But the true Christion the man that hath supernaturall light in him shall discern them and if with pure intention and an humble heart he set himself to the reading of holy Scriptures meditating or considering well what he reades and begging the grace of divine illumination with constancy and perseverance from God This man I say shall doubtlesse be wonderfully elevated by reading and fitted for divine favours and shall find those endlesse and immortall pleasures in them which do incomparably exceed the greatest of this world For this is certain every Thing is best delighted with that which is connaturall unto it as different humours do alwayes affect different recreations according to that of the Poet Trahit sua quemque voluptas Every man hath his own fancy But unto him that is indued with supernatur all light the most naturall that is most agreeable study of all is certainly the study of holy Scriptures which proceeded from that same fountain of light Therefore also in the reading and contemplation of them the true Christian finds his greatest content Besides every Thing is best pleased in such kind of Action as is most proper for it self But there is nothing more proper for a Christian then the Contemplation of Christ crucified by the study of Scripture For should he go about to conceive or meditate of him meerly according to naturall reason or the principles of Philosophy neglecting Scripture he would certainly find lesse proficiency and perhaps run himself into some hazard of dangerous errour for such contemplation were purely naturall imperfect and by which he should never attain unto the mysteries of Faith of which thing we have examples in our modern Divines who seeming to give themselves wholly to Aristotle and the study of Philosophy are become generally lesse devout lesse Contemplatiue then the meanest of the people Besides Truth which is the object of understanding the higher it is the greater delight it causeth in the acquisition now the verityes of holy Scripture are the most high and mysterious of all other because they treat principally of such things as be undiscernable by naturall light Again in regard of the inconstancy of mans nature which is neuer long delighted with the same thing but alwayes affects variety and change of pleasure the sacred Scriptures do become a most agreeable exercise to our spirit For how admirable how ravishing is that variety we meet with in them of Histories of senses of Types of Figures and yet a most exquisite harmony between them all All the parts All the Books of the Old and New Testament exactly consenting in one and pointing unto the same generall and supream verity or end which is the love of God and our neighbour of which while they treat sometime historically and plainly sometime more mystically and profoundly they do as it were present a nose-gay of celestiall and various flowers unto our soul which continually changing do yet most constantly encrease spirituall content We conclude therefore that in the reading and meditation of holy Scripture most exquisite delights be found The XVII Conclusion THat a good Christian the more simply that is to say sincerely he liveth the greater consolation he hath from God from our Lord Jesus Christ and from the study of holy Scriptures This is true whither we speak of simplicity only Interiour or that of the heart for the understanding or mind of man together with his affections the more pure and sincere they be so much the more do they render him fit and capable of divine Illustrations For this simplicity of heart doth indeed require that we be altogether purged from terrene and grosse affections to the end that a mans spirit might be intirely set upon God and by this simplicity or purity as much as may be made like unto him It is true also in regard of simplicity exteriour or that which consisteth in the Actions and conversation of men as is manifest For to contemplate well divine mysteries it is necessary that the heart of man be in great rest and very well composed in it self and therefore we see commonly that those who desire to partake of divine Illuminations do retire themselves as much as may be from the noyse and disturbances of the world as of the Spouse in the Canticles it is said I will lead her into the wildernesse saith he that is into solitude and there will I speak to her heart And in an other place He shall sit alone and keep silence because by so doing he shall be lifted up above himself And contrariwise we see the richer a man is and more incombred with worldly affairs the lesse is he affected unto contemplation but where a mans outward affairs are few or none there is alwayes lesse distraction of mind Therefore our holy Fathers and predecessours in the Contemplative life were alwayes wont to renounce their affairs of the world and retire themselves into Solitude thereby more promptly and readily to attend Divine Meditations Every man therefore in his particular degree and quality shall find the more simply and uprightly he indeavours to live the greater Consolations he shall receive from God and from Christ The XVIII Conclusion THat the Christian life is the onely Blessed life Never was there nor ever shall be found out any kind of life more happy then that because none better If therefore the life of any men may be accounted happy in this world it is certainly that of Christians For if we observe it comprehendeth all those perfections wherein the Philosophers antiently placed happinese and so hath whatsoever they judged good and desireable as for example if we place happinesse as some of them did in the Contemplation of God and things Divine there is none more excellent and perfect then those which the Christian life affordeth If we place it in morall virtue and in the life active that is in good government of our selves and others there is no better to be desired by man then that which Christian Philosophy prescribeth If we place it in riches honours powers dignities or other goods of the body though this may seem hardest yet the Christian life is not altogether uncapable of these and hath no absolute repugnance to them for we say Whatsoever perfection appears in the effect is some way or other in the cause as the Sunne which causeth heat in all inferiour bodies is it self also at least virtually hot it is not indeed necessary the cause should contain every particular perfection of the effect formally and in the same manner as the effect doth it sufficeth that it be contained eminently as we say or by some more excellent way then it is in the effect So in proportion we also say that the Christian life doth
that there is one body and one spirit one hope of their calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme and the Scripture testifieth that in the Apostles dayes the multitude of Believers were of one heart and of one soul Acts 4.32 The Universality of the Church is also twofold in time and in place this later was foretold by the Prophet Moses relating Gods promise made to Abraham of an ample posterity and that all the nations of the earth should be blessed in his seed Gen. 22.18 Gal. 3.8 by the Royall Psalmist declaring that God the Father would give unto his Son the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 and that he should have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth Psal 72.8 and by the Prophet Isaiah affirming that all nations shall flow to the mountain of the Lords house Isa 2. v. 2. For the accomplishment of these Prophecies our Blessed Saviour declared Luke 24. v. 44. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses aend in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning him and v. 47. that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all uations beginning at Jerusalem and for the performance hereof he gave a commission unto his Apostles to teach all nations Matth. 28.19 and to preach the Gospel to every creature Mar. 19. v. 15. That the Church of Christ should be universall for time and continue perpetually unto the worlds end it was plainly foretold by the Prophet Isaiah who speaking of our B. Saviour saith that of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Vpon the throne of David and upon his kingdome shall he sit to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever and that no doubt may be made of the performance hereof the Prophet addes the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And by the Prophet Daniel affirming that in the dayes of those Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 All which was confirmed by the Angel Gabriel saying The Lord shall give unto Christ the throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. ver 32 33. For the perpetuall settlement and establishing of this Church Christ said unto S. Peter Vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 Touching the sanctity of the Church of Christ God by the Prophet Ezekiel saith I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Ezek 37. v. 26 28. and by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sunne even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a peace-offering Unto this sanctity our Blessed Saviour exhorts us saying Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 and Mark 7. v. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it And teaching how to distinguish the good from the bad he saith v. 20. By their fruits ye shall know them As for Apostolicall succession S. Paul saith Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the unity of faith and of the unity of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that is as Doctour Fulk against the Rhem. Test in Ephes 4. sect 4. fol. 335. and Mr. Calvin in his Instit cap. 8. de fide sect 37 38. pag. 233. 234. do expound for ever As for the second point whether the Church of Christ can erre or no S Augustine saith that neither the violence of heathens nor the subtilty of hereticks can overthrow it which agrees with our Savionrs promise Matth. 16.18 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and to preserve her from all errour and heresie Christ promised to be alwayes with her even to the worlds end Matth. 28.20 and God made this covenant with her Isa 59.21 My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever by which words saith Mr. Calvin in Comment hujus loci God promiseth that the Church shall never be deprived of this inestimable benefit to be governed by the Holy Ghost and to be suported by heavenly doctrine and to this effect he sent down the Holy Ghost to teach the Church all truth and to remain with her for ever Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.16 Thus thou seest how S. Augustines instructions for finding out the truth are grounded in Scripture but more expressely in S. Pauls doctrine who tells us Rom. 10.17 that faith cometh by hearing and hearing is by the word of God if we ask him how men may come to heare the word of God he answers v. 14 15. How shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unlesse they be sent So that faith is bred in men by hearing and believing the word of God made known unto them by preachers lawfully sent which preachers as he saith to the Ephesians Ephes 4. v. 11 12 13. are alwayes to be found in the Church of Christ and are placed there ver 14. that from henceforth we be no more children tossed to fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleighs of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive which is an office that cannot be performed by men that are frail and subject to errour unles the Lord by his divine assistance doth preserve them from erring Doctour Field having considered the facility and solidity of this method doth advise all those to practise it that desire to be satisfied in matters of Religion in these terms Epist dedic of the Church Seeing the controversies in our time are grown in number so many and in nature so intricate that few have time and leisure fewer strength of understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous
that we have no usuall names for these things and if I had framed any by-interpretation I should be lesse apt to be understood and if I should use any circumlocution I should be lesse quick and lesse ready in discoursing this onely I intreat and beseech thee to believe that howsoever I may erre I do it not out of any arrogancy or pride The Scripture is treated according to the history when it is declared therein what is written or what is done and what is not done but written onely as it were done According to the Etiology when it is shewed thereby for what cause any thing is either done or said According to the Analogy when it is demonstrated that the two Testaments the Old and the New are not contrary the one unto the other According to the Allegory when it is read therein that certain things that are written ought not to be understood according to the letter but according to the figure All these manner of wayes of alledging Scripture have been used by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Apostles He cited Scripture according to the History when unto those that objected that his Disciples had plucked the ears of Corn upon the Sabbath day he answered Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred and they that were with him how he entred into the house of God and did eat the loaves of Proposition or Shew-bread which it was not lawfull for him to eat neither for them that were with him but for Priests onely Mat. 12.1 3 4. 1 Sam. 21.6 Exod. 29.32 He alledged Scripture according to the Etiology when having forbidden the dismissing of wives for any cause but onely fornication unto the Pharisees who told him that Moses had given men leave to dismisse them having first given them a bill of divorce he said This Moses did for the hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 24.1 Mat. 19.8 for here a cause was rendred why that was well permitted by Moses for a time to the end that this which Christ commanded might seem to shew and demonstrate other times but to declare how the divine Providence hath with a certain wonderfull disposition ordered and composed the courses and order of these times it is a long work Now touching the Analogy whereby appears the accord and consent of both the Testaments what shall I say but that all those have used it unto whose authority the Manichees do give place when as they may consider with themselves how many things they are wont to say are thrust into the divine Scripture by I know not what corrupters of the truth which I alwayes thought to be an extream weak speech even when I heard and followed them neither was this my opinion onely but thine also for I well remember it and it was the opinion of us all who endeavoured to be somewhat more carefull and wary in judging then was the common people and multitude of believers And whereas they have expounded and declared unto me many things that did much move and trouble me namely those wherein they boasted and bragged oftentimes and that more abundantly because more securely as not having any adversary to resist and oppose them I think they have spoken nothing more impudently or to speak more mildly with lesse circumspection and more weaknesse then that the divine Scriptures are falsified and corrupted when as it ought but lately to have been done and yet they cannot convince it to be so by any copies that are now extant for if they did say that they did not think that they ought to receive those Scriptures at all because they are written by such Authours as they did not conceive to have written the truth their pretence of rejecting them would in some sort be more hidden and their errour more humane and pardonable for upon this ground they have rejected the book which is called the Acts of the Apostles at which their proceedings when I well weigh it and consider it with my self I cannot sufficiently wonder and admire for they wanted not onely humane wisdome herein but even a reasonable and an indifferent judgement for that book hath so many things which are like unto those which they do receive that it seems to me to be a great folly not to receive this also and if any thing displeaseth them therein presently to say it is salfe and put in now if they judge such a speech to be impudent as indeed it is why should they conceive those things to deserve any credit and esteem in S. Paul's Epistles and the four books of the Gospell wherein I know not whether or no proportionably speaking there be many more things then there could be in that book which they would have men believe to have been thrust in by falsifiers and corrupters But this indeed is my opinion which I request thee to weigh and consider with me with a very clear and peaceable judgement for thou art not ignorant how the Manichees endeavouring to bring in the the person of their authour Manicheus into the number of the Apostles do say that by him we have received the Holy Ghost whom our Lord promised to send to his Disciples if therefore they should receive those Acts of the Apostles wherein the comming of the Holy Ghost is evidently declared and set down Act. 2.2 they could find no ground to say why that was inserted and put in for they pretend I know not what corrupters of the divine books to have been before Manicheus his time and that they were corrupted by those that desired to confound the law of the Jews with the Gospel of Christ but this they cannot say of the Holy Ghost unlesse peradventure they will affirm that the corrupters could foretell things that were to come and thereupon did put into their books that which might be produced against one Manicheus who sometimes was to come and who should say and averre that he had sent the Holy Ghost but of the Holy Ghost we intend to speak more plainly hereafter but now let us return to our former matter for I think that I have sufficiently demonstrated and shewn that the historicall sense is to be found in the Old Testament and the Etiologicall and Analogicall in the New it remains that I shew also the Allegoricall therein Our Redeemer himself alledgeth in the Gospel an Allegory out of the Old Testament saying This generation seeketh after a sign and none shall be given unto it but the sign of the Prophet Jonas for as Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth Mat. 12.39 40. Jonas 1.17 And what shall I say of the Apostle Paul who also in his 1 Ep. to the Corinthians c. 10. to the 12. v. signifies that the history it self of Exodus was an Allegory of the Christian people that was to come Moreover Brethren I would not saith he that ye
is false and was thought to be so by the Authour that wrote it The second kind not being of so large an extent yet no lesse damageable and hurtfull then the former is when that which is false is thought to be true and was thought to be so by the Authour that wrote it The third kind is when some truth is learned out of another mans writing which the Authour himself that wrote it understood not in which kind there is no small profit yea if thou dost consider it attentively thou shalt find that the Reader gains unto himself the whole profit of the reading An example of the first kind is this If any one should say and believe that Rhadamanthus heareth and judgeth in hell the causes of the dead because he read it in Virgils verses for this man erres two manner of wayes first for that he believeth that which he ought not to believe and secondly for that the Authour which he read is not thought to have believed it An example of the second kind may be this because Lucretius writes that the soul is made of atomes and that after death it is dissolved into the same atomes and perisheth if any one should think that this is true and that he ought to believe it for this man is not lesse unhappy for perswading himself certainly in so great a matter that to be true which indeed is false for that Lucretius by whose books he was deceived was of that opinion for what doth it avail him to be certain of the Authours opinion when as he hath made choise of such an authour not by whom but with whom he might erre and be deceived An example of the third kind is this if any one having read some place in Epicurus his works wherein he praiseth continency should affirm That he placed the chiefest good and felicity in Virtue and that therefore he ought not to be blamed nor reprehended now though Epicurus believes that the chiefest happinesse of man consists in corporall pleasures yet what prejudice doth this man receive and sustain by his errour when as he holds not so filthy and hurtfull an opinion nor for any other cause is he pleased with Epicurus but for that he conceives him not to have held so bad an opinion as ought not indeed to have been held and maintained this errour is not onely humane and pardonable but also oftentimes most worthy of a man for what if a man should make me this relation touching one of my loving friends that my friend when he was come to mans estate told him in the hearing of many that his infancy and childhood had been so pleasing and delightfull unto him that even he swore he would lead such a life afterwards and that I had received such certain proofs of the truth of this matter that I could not without shame and impudency deny it should I seem worthy of blame and reproof if I should think that when he said this he meant and intended to signifie thereby that he took much delight in an innocent life and a mind alienated from those appetites and desires wherewith mankind is wont to be involved and thereupon my love and affection towards him should be much increafed although perhaps the young man having been foolish in his tender age had greatly affected a certain liberty in playing and eating and sluggish rest for suppose he had died after I had received this relation touching him and no body could be found that could tell me what his judgement and opinion was herein would any one be so mischievous and wicked as to fall out and be angry with me for praising his resolution and intention according to the intelligence which had been delivered and imparted unto me Yea what if a just valuer and esteemer of things should perhaps make no difficulty to praise and commend my good will and opinion for that I was taken and delighted with innocency and being a man would rather frame a good conceit of another man in a doubtfull matter even when he spake otherwise then he ought to have done CHAP. V Of the truth of the Holy Scripture NOw thou hast heard the three kinds of errour into which men may fall that reade any thing hear also so many conditions and differences of the same Scriptures for it is necessary that so many do occurre for either some one hath written a profitable work and another doth not rightly and profitably understand it or the writer and the reader have both bestowed their labours unprofitably or the reader doth well and rightly understand but the Authours work is uselesse and unprofitable Of these three kinds the first I disallow not the last I esteem not for whether can I blame an Authour whose work is not well and rightly understood if he be no way guilty of that fault nor can I be troubled to see an Authour read that hath not known the truth when I see that his readers do receive no hurt nor prejudice thereby wherefore there is one kind that is most approved and is most purged and cleansed from errour which is when not onely good works are set forth but are also well and rightly understood by their readers yet notwithstanding that also is divided into two kinds and it is not wholly free from errour for it happeneth oftentimes that the writer hath a good meaning and the reader hath fo too but another then he and oftentimes a better conceit oftentimes a lower and yet one that is commodious and profitable but when as we attain to the true sense and meaning of the Authour which we reade and the work much conduceth to the leading of a good life the truth appears abundantly therein and there is no gap nor passage that lies open to falshood and deceit This kind is very seldome to be found when the discourse is about things that are extremely hard and obscure neither in my opinion can it be clearly and manifestly known but onely be believed for by what proofs or arguments can I so perfectly gather what the will of a man is that is absent or dead that I can swear and take my oath what it is when as if he were asked even being present there might be many things which he might most officiously conceal and hide although he were not a wicked man but to know the quality of the Authour I think it nothing avails to the knowledge of the matter yet neverthelesse he highly deserves to be reputed and esteemed to be a good man who by his books and writings affords great assistance unto mankind and to posterity Now I would have the Manichees to tell me in which kind they place the errour which they conceive of the Catholick Church If in the first it is a grievous fault indeed but we need not seek farre to know how to defend it for it is sufficient to deny that we understand it as they conceive when they inveigh against it If in the second it is
society Then which degree and step towards heaven nothing can be found more firm and stable Verily such is the force and efficacy of this reason that I cannot resist it for how can I say that nothing ought to be believed unlesse it be known besides all friendship is taken away unlesse something may be believed which cannot be demonstrated and proved by certain reason and oftentimes without offence credit may be given to such stewards as are servants to Lords But in matters of Religion what can be done that is more unreasonable and unjust then that Gods Prelates should believe us when we promise that we come to embrace Religion with an unfeigned mind and we refuse to give credit unto them when they teach and instruct us Finally what way can be more wholesome and profitable then by believing those things which God hath appointed as preparatives for the cultivating and adoring the mind to be first disposed and made fit to understand and receive the truth or if thou beest already sufficiently disposed thereunto rather to go a little about where thou maist walk with the greatest safety then both to be the Authour of danger to thy self and an example of temerity and rashnesse unto others CHAP. XI Of Vnderstanding Belief and Opinion VVE have shewed already how without offence we may follow those that command us to believe it remains that we consider for what cause they are not to be followed that promise to conduct and lead us by reason Some are of opinion that they can hearken and give eare to these promisers of reason not onely without any blame or dispraise but also with some commendation and praise but it is not so for there be two sorts of persons that deserve praise in point of Religion the one which hath already found out the true Religion which we ought to judge most happy and blessed the other which with the greatest care and after the rightest manner doth seek after it the first sort is now in possession of it the second is in the way by which notwithstanding most certainly they will arrive at it There be three other kinds of men which are indeed to be misliked and detested The first is of those that are opinative that is who think they know that which they know not The second is of those who truly do perceive their own ignorance but do not so seek that they may find The third is of those that neither think they know nor have any will or desire to seek There are also three things in the minds of men near as it were the one unto the other most worthy to be distinguished to understand to believe and to think Of which if they be considered by themselves the first is alwaies without offence the second sometimes faultie the third never without a fault and this we ought to reserve to the same beatitude and felicity For in this life how much soever a man knows his knowledge doth not as yet make him most blessed for that there be incomparably more things whereof he is ignorant For to understand great and worthy and divine things it is a most blessed thing But it is not hurt full to understand superfluous things but perhaps it was prejudicial to learn them when as they took up the time of necessary things Also it is not a miserable thing to understand hurtfull things but to do or suffer them For if any one understands how his enemie may be slain without endangering himself he becomes not guilty by understanding it if he desires it not yea if he be free from such a desire who is more innocent and guiltlesse then he In believing a man is then to blame when either he believes some unworthy thing of God or gives too facile and easie credit unto the things reported of man But in other things if a man believes any thing he commits no fault by believing though he understnnds that he knows not the thing which he believes For I believe that in times past most wicked conspiratours were put to death by the power and authority of Cicero but this I do not ogely not know but also I know assuredly that I can by no means attain unto the knowledge thereof To be opinative or to be led by opinion is for two causes an unseemly thing First because he cannot learn a thing if it be to be learned that hath perswaded himself that he knows it already And secondly for that rashnesse is of it self a sign or token of an ill disposed minde For although any one thinks that he knows that which I said touching Cicero as there is nothing that can hinder him from learning it yet because he can have no certain knowledge of it and for that he understands not That there is a great difference whither any thing be comprehended by certain reason of mind which we say is to understand or whither it be committed to common fame or writing to be profitably believed by posterity he erres indeed and there is no errour but hath its foulnesse and deformity Wherefore that we understand we attribute it to reason that we believe to authority and that we are opinative to errour and mistaking but every one that understands doth also believe and so doth every one that is opinative but not every one that believes understands and no man understands that is opinative If therefore these three kinds be referred to those five sorts of men whereof we made mention a little before to wit to the two approved kinds which we put in the first place and to the other three vicious kinds we find that the first kind which is those that are happy doth believe truth it self and that the second kind which is those that are desirous and lovers of truth doth believe authority in both which kinds the believers deserve praise But in the first of the vicious kinds that is of those that think they know that which they know not there is indeed a faulty credulity The other two disallowed kinds that is both those that seek after truth with a despair of finding it out and they that seek not after it do believe nothing and this is onely in things belonging to some doctrine or discipline for how a man can believe nothing in the other actions of his life I understand not Albeit even amongst those that affirm that in their actions they follow probable opinions some there be that will seem rather not able to know any thing then to believe nothing For who doth not believe that which he doth approve Or how is that which they follow profitable if it be not approved Wherefore there may be two kinds of those that oppose the truth the one that opposeth knowledge onely and not faith the other that condemneth both the one and the other But whither any can be found that use such proceedings in humane affairs I am wholly ignorant These things are spoken that we may understand that believing the