Picture Or certainly the greatest part of Christians in stead of knowing Christ in spirit and adoring him spiritually would alwayes have his imagination tied to the corporall object and his spirit disturbed with the fancy thereof Of thousands of men who returne from Jerusalem or from mount Sina or from the river of Jordan and many other famous places mentioned in the Scripture scarce can you find one which brings back the admiration which he had conceived before he had seen them The spirit of man hath alwayes a more reverent opinion of things which are ancient then of Moderne of those which are farthest off then of those which are neare The objects the most excellent and sacred become contemptible by the facility and proximity of accesse but those who goe out of a devout affection to visite Palestine or Arabia carry with them for the most part exorbitant imaginations which sometimes passe to an excesse impossible in nature thinking to find the third heaven in a cave not considering that the innobling of those places proceeds not from any quality which renders them either more holy or more full of majesty then the other parts of the earth but from the sole reputation of the wonders past under that climate so that the sight takes away the esteeme thereof because it answers not to the imaginations with which they were preoccupied CHAP. V. Of the difference and capacity of spirits Of the faculties of the soule Of those who promise themselves to beleeve so that they have proofe and doe assure themselves they should have beleeved in Christ if they had seene his Miracles Of those who limit God according to their owne wisdome or beleeve the truth because it is conformable to their owne opinion TO dispute whether there bee Spirits more capable of Theologie then others or whether the faculties of the soule are prevalent in this studie are questions remore from our intention without controversie the intellect is the true place of this science although the vulgar imagine that there is more trouble to retaine a point of Religion then to conceive it and wish rather the gift of memorie then that of the understanding The knowledge of salvation is an effect of grace only A single historicall and speculative culative knowledge proceeds from a particular favour of God But this grace destroyes neither the naturall difference nor essence of spirits God employes for our instruction the objects the sences and the other faculties of the soule Jesus Christ himselfe as hee was man became more knowing by experience a man which hath the sence of hearing from whence comes faith hath a manifest advantage for the understanding of preaching above that man whom God hath strucken with deafnesse so there is no doubt but a good naturall understanding presupposing the light of grace knowes better how to conceive a matter of religion and to weigh the importance thereof and search into the causes and to discover the consequences then a spirit naturally stupid and blockish the greatest braines are ordinarily more slow to believe then those which have but mean ones as the highest Planets have the slowest motions but their beliefe is more sollid when once they have known the truth For God employes the same faculties for to produce an effect for which they had nothing but a naturall repugnancie so that the most violent persecutors become oft-times the greatest zelots of the faith whether the faculty of those who believe more promptly be more worthy of praise it 's a point we will not as yet touch The vulgar presuppose that the Science of religion requires nothing but a single apprehension or reception of truths presupposed without any mixtion of the discursive faculty and without any act of the judgement many make scruple of reasoning upon the doctrines oâ— faith because that reason is nothing but a naturall faculty But this maxime in the sence they give unto it is in effect contrary to all reason by the same consequence they ought not to bring to Church neither their eares nor common sence for to discerne the voyce and accents of the Word which is preached unto them noâ— their memorie to retaine the impression for these faculties as well as reason arâ— purely naturall I will leave what is to be spoken upon this subject to come to some remarkes Scarce can a man bee found doubting of some point of religion but he promiseth himselfe firmly to beleeve the truth so that hee may see manifest and concluding proofe there is nothing so common as this voyce If I see the proofe I will believe it But they promise that which is not in their power for every historicall faith it selfe is a gift of God and saving faith proceeds from a particular favour of heaven In the meane time they attribute unto themselves the power thinking that the matters of the faith may as easily be insinuated into our beliefe as philosophical propositions which have no need but of a moral perswasions or of the evidence of the senses for to introduce them into our spirit Whereas theologicall truths the most cleare and palpable are alwaies obscure unto us without a particular illumination With a like vanity many assure themselves that if they had seene the miracles that God wrought in Egypt or that Jesus Christ did in Judea they would not have failed to believe in him They wonder at the stupidity of the Jewes and thinke that if such wonders had been presented to their eyes they should have been far from being incredulous But certainly if a man should see all the rivers converted into blood the Seas cleave in sunder the Heaven open his gates the Mountaines to remove themselves the Sun stand still the Dead to come forth of their graves the Rocks to melt into water when he himselfe should have been in Heaven or should have returned from Hell he would not have returned better if God gave him not another understanding capable of this faith Now the Idolatrie which formes God after the resemblance of man consists not alwayes in Statues or materiall pictures neither in the grosse conception of Ideots who never thinke of God but in imagining some figure apprehensible to the sence and place in Heaven a fantasme for the object of their contemplation But there is one far more subtill which indeed considers God as a Spirit but bounds him by the law of Nature or restraines him to the same lawes which serve for bounds to the humane spirit or confines his wisdome to the maximes of morall and intellectuall vertues Two things amongst all others have seemed most absurd in the true religion the one under the Ancient testament to wit the Circumcision the other under the New to wit the Crosse of Christ the one ordained for a Sacrament the other for the foundation properly of the Alliance both of them shamefull in themselves ridiculous in the quality the Scripture gives them For God would oblige the wisest to search their salvation by a way
convince the Apostolicall writings of falshood and so by consequence to annihilate C ristianity CHAP. 19. Why the opinions the most erronious are maintained with greater obstinacy then those which are lesse absurd The plea of these which burnt their children Pretexts for transubstantiation THe more monstrous is the errour the more pertinacious is the belief when once it hath taken place in the spirit the reason is because the falshoods the most enormous are made important by the highest pretexts of truth and are not authorised but by the most undoubted maximes of religion under the colour of this soveraigne power◠they make men renounce their judgement of reason nay more disavow their own proper sences If ever there were an error incapable it was the impiety of the Israelites who burnt their own children as a sacrifice pleasing to God Neverthelesse neither nature which cried out against those horrors nor the threatnings frō heaven which condemned them could not hinder their practise But it needs must be that some violent passion which brake in sunder the strongest chains of naturall affections was moved with some powerfull engine cloaked over with some very specious pretext Their apology might be that the chiefest good of man consists in the remission of his sinnes that this remission could not be without the effusion of blood That it were a folly to go about to appease God by the blood of beasts and therefore some humane sacrifice must be offered That this sacrifice ought to be innocent and that a greater innocence could not be found then in a little infant That to be of the proper substance of the man which did present it and so it was necessary that his offering should be offered in expiation But if the sacrifice ought to be but Eucharisticall then it were but to mock God to present him a calf or a pigeon his Majesty requiring more noble offerings nay more demanding our own bowels and that they knew not how to offer him a more precious present then the life of their own children Under this pretext and such like this abomination passed for the most ardent piety which a man may show to God equallising or rather surpassing all which the Scripture extolls in Abraham for an action of this quality So that the excesse of errour augments the perswasion The article of transubstantiation is produced under the name of the most excellent and most dreadfull misterie of all religion bearing upon its front the expresse words of the sonne of God whose presence is fearfull to the Angels arming it selfe with the power of his omnipotency inclosing within its titles all the Majesty of heaven and the salvation of the whole world By how much the representation of this opinion is prodigious by so much the more it makes them believe it misterious From thence it comes that that belief is maintained with more pertinacity then any error whose absurdity is lesse apparant Also the believing hereof is esteemed so much the more meritorious by how much lesse the object is to be believed as indeed that man who firmly believes this transubstantiation should have were it true more faith then ever had all the Patriarks and Apostles together The third Section CHAPTER 1. What manner of knowledge or instruction is most naturall to the vulgar TWO men may know one and the same truth but in divers manners A Country man may know that an Eclypse ought to happen on such a day having read it in an Almanack but that is not called Science as an Astronomer who knows by demonstration foreseeing the Eclypse in his causes He is not learned in religion who knows all the matters but he that knows them in the manner they ought to be known on which many faults are to be observed There are two traditions or wayes of instruction on which the vulgar repose themselves Sentences and generall propositions 2 Histories in these two consists almost all the knowledge of the common people As for the first head the ignorant content themselves to know the generalities because the intelligence of particular points requires a sharper sight and a more fixed contemplation It s easier to an Idiot to say These Things then to restrain this generality to its species to know how to give each one of them its proper name To the other the instruction which is given them by history pleaseth them because of its facility for it consists in actions and circumstances perceptible to the imagination so that all their knowledge lodgeth either in copious generalities or in the single individuums but the points which are as it were mediums between these two wearies more the spirit obliging them to reason and to take the measure weight and number and the names of all things This is the cause the vulgar cast it off In the mean time many are Orthodoxall in the generality of a point who erre grossely in the particulars thereof witnesse the article of providence upon which the common people will give a cleare opinion in respect of the generality of this doctrine but in the particular points imagine a world of absurdities CHAP. 2. Of the superficiall knowledge of each point of Of religion Of their definitions and of their exact Knowledge An example in the doctrine of the Eucharist THE ignorance of generall as well as particular points proceed from this that popular spirits learn an infinity of descriptions but very few definitions I speak not in favour of subtil and artificiall definitions of which every one is not capable But certainly it is impossible to have the true knowledge of a point without knowing how to mark and define the essence if not exactly yet at least very near the truth When a man can say sinne is the poyson of the soule and knows how to give it a hundred epithites of this sort yet hath he not learnt what sinne is this ignorance is entertained by a multitude of Preachers who are content to declaim by descriptions and abundance of metahpots never showing but the superficies of matters in stead of setting forth the dimensions I leave the points which are elevated above all definition The imagination of Idiots who not understanding what is properly that eternity although they know that God hath neither beginning nor end believe him neverthelesse to have more age then he had foure thousand yeares since This point and many others are not the mark at which we shoot I could show that the greatest part of our differencies proceed from the ignorance of definitions If the Romish Church comprehended intercession to be a sacerdotall act and that Christ prayes in quality of a soveraign Priest dead for us and this function consists in the comparition of his person c. She would never transport to others the title of intercessor But to make you see how many excellent matters the exact intelligence of one point furnisheth in respect of a superficiall knowledge we will produce only one example In the words of the Lord
popular reasons such as are similitudes and arguments of this kind Those which are found in Scripture are not of this rank for the authority thereof makes them become demonstrations and undoubted proofs But all others have no other vertue thē to clear being besides uncapable to prove notwithstanding the vulgar will sooner believe for one bare comparison which maketh no proof then for a reason well concluding This is it that similitudes particular examples and the like arguments have an appearance manifest to the sense and therefore move beyond essentiall reasons which are not perceiveable but by the understanding Notwithstanding this faith is not more solid The man which conceives a point under the sole resemblance of truth and not in the proper essence thereof understandeth it not as he ought This is to have a true opinion but not a true knowledge And more deceive themselves by this meanes presuming they have the knowledge of a point instead whereof they have but the opinion It sufficeth not to say their opinion is conformable to the truth For truth is not known by opinion Whosoever desires the knowledge thereof ought to endeavour the understanding rather of one concluding and formall reason then ten thousand Arguments which have but a bare resemblance of truth CHAP. VIII Of whose who perswade themselves of the truth by false reasons Of those which falsely accuse themselves IT comes to passe that many believe a truth which is grounded on Scripture but conceive it under a false reason He believes the truth which holds we are justified by faith and not by works But if he believe that faith hath a prerogative because it is more excellent then works this reason is false For though faith be more excellent then works the excellency thereof is not the true cause why it justifies rather then works All the vulgar spirits know how to maintain a truth in expresse tearmes of Scripture But in that which the Scripture saith they often imagine a reason either false or impertinent So the friends of Job did maintaine Gods cause his power prudence wisdome and justice but by false presupposition And scarcely could one have said that they err'd if God himselfe had not interposed his judgement in the dispute So some to exalt the grace of God towards them accuse themselves to be the greatest sinners in the world imitating the Apostle S. Paul who speaketh of himself in this manner although that Judas and those that had crucified the Prince of glory were without doubt more guilty Now Saint Paul ranketh not himself simply amongst the greatest sinners but amongst them which had not sinn'd but through ignorance 'T is true that Originall sin is equall naturally in all men and 't is the grace of God which restrains many therein But that to amplifie this grace a man should accuse himself of actuall sinnes which he never committed this is a foolish sort of falshood The water of sprinkling which purified the unclean did defile those which were clean If we would exalt the mercy of God we have enow true arguments without searching imaginary for it If we would justify his severity we find enow true crimes in our life without imposing false ones upon us Whosoever will speak of God ought to speak according unto God that is to say according to the truth otherwise it is to speak against God To maintain truth with false reasons is to imitate the proceeding of Rebecca who to the end the Oracle might be found true had recourse to an abusive means using a fraudulent superstition There is nothing wherein one ought to be so circumspect as in speaking for the truth He that undertakes to maintain it is subject to a grievous censure if he acquits not himself thereof pertinently CHAP. IX Of points whereof one ought to know the causes Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes The understanding whereof decides many questions From whence come the greatest part of errours THe matters of Religion are known principally either by their causes or by their effects The Deity as being the highest cause of all is not demonstrable but by its effects Whose decrees ought also to be sought rather in their effects then in their causes But the other points which are subordinate are represented to us with their causes which teach us the true reasons of every one of them And in this the learned differ from the common people For the vulgar sees not the quality or truth of a point but in the effects and streames But to comprehend it well it behoves to see it in the spring Many matters of Religion are ridiculous without their causes All the ceremoniall law if one knows not the reasons thereof is nothing but a heap of unprofitable burdens The Temple but a shambles and the priesthood but a vaine occupation In lieu thereof considering them in their causes every thing there is important even to the least circumstances VVhosoever shall remember that Jesus Christ suffered out of the City of Jerusalem will admire the providence of this Law which ordained that the sacrifices of oblations whereof the blood ought to be carried into the holy place should be consumed out of the compasse of the Camp or of the City We know that our Lord in the dayes of his flesh was environed with sorrow and feare But if we know not the cause thereof we make him inferiour to many martyrs who bare a smiling face amidst their punishments The Jew understands nothing in the Ceremoniall Lawes for although he knowes the number thereof all their particular forms he is ignorant of the cause thereof not knowing that they were given to serve onely till the coming of Christ The true meanes to well understand a point is to learn the causes thereof and the understanding of them is a soveraign eye-salve to cleare ones self of many difficulties Saint Paul sheweth by the finall cause of the Law that it is uncapable to justifie men for saith he the Law came because of transgressions to wit to discover not to cover them And indeed they which think to be justified by the works of the Law know not why it was given The Law was never given to justifie Gal. 3.21 on the contrary its office is to condemne men A great part of errours which wast Religion and likewise of them which trouble it at this day proceeds from this that the cause is taken for the effect or the effect is taken for the cause Instead that the Sabbath is made for man Pharisaisme concluded that man was made for the Sabbath Instead that meats were not unclean but because they were forbidden superstition believed them to be forbidden because they were uncleane Instead than the alter sanctified the offering they would by their Maximes that the offering did sanctifie the alter Instead that the Scripture sanctifieth the Church it is maintained that the Church sanctifieth the Scripture Instead that justification produceth works they hold that works produce justification
Alphabet without knowing how to join them to make entire words thereof Religion as it is in the knowledge of many consisteth in the multitude of matters confusedly heaped together in the mind without symmetry or proportiō without any form either of building or body the head and feet being confounded Some of our controversies concern the same order and rank of points The Romane Catholicks coming to contend with us begin voluntarily with the question of the Church giving it the highest place to the end they may make it passe as a rule and principle of faith But the Article of the Church holdeth not the first rank in the Creed CHAP. IIII. Of those which believe the truth by vertue of a false principle or of some passage of Scripture which toucheth not the question MAny believe the truth by a false faith The Turk believes God the creation providence the immortality of the soul Christ born of a virgin a great Prophet and the word of God because the Alchoran saith it These points are true in themselves but the belief which he hath thereby cannot be formally true because it depends on a false principle Truth may not be believed for a lyes sake One may not commend them which endeavour to amplifie the Oracles of the Sybills to the end they may make them speak more advantagiously in favour of the Christian Religion Nor the pious frauds of them which under colour of proving the immortality of the soul have supposed fabulous apparitions It importeth not onely what we believe but also why we believe it A man which believeth there is a God because Philosophy or naturall reason teacheth him so hath not a Theologick faith although the beliefe which he hath touching God be true in it self and in its principles He that believeth all the Articles of Christianity because great Doctors believe them or onely because the Church holds them for true hath built his faith upon mans testimonie 'T is a complaint of a person eminent in humane learning that being Orthodox in the Article of Christs Divinity notwithstanding in his interpretation and Paraprases upon the new Testament he did enervate or allude asmuch as was possible for him all the most manifest passages which authorise the beliefe of this point But on the other side the world is full of people which upon every sort of matter alledge a multitude of Texts though oft times the twentieth part suit not to the subject They which believe a truth but ground it upon a passage of Scripture which maketh not to the purpose believe the truth falsely That which they believe is very true but that by vertue whereof they believe it is not so For the Scripture ill applyed is no more Scripture but a perverting thereof although it be alleadged to prove the truth which it teacheth in other passages And 't were to be wished that many would bring hither as much feare and discretion as they abound in impertinent quotations But the vulgar often suffer thēselves to be led more by passages which come by the by then by those which lead straight to the mark I have seene a man which could never be brought from the Invocation of Saints for any Text alleadged unto him unlesse when one quoted to him the passage of Esay 63. ver 16. which notwithstanding is not the most concluding of all those which are made use of in this controversie A Rabbin converted to the faith and who had writ against those of his nation found the Trinity and the two natures of Christ in the foure Hebrew letters of the word Jehovah And made almost more esteem of this Cabbalistick proof then of all the passages of the old Testament infinitely more cleare and expresse upon this subject That which remaines to be said requires another Parenthesis CHAP. V. Every point of Religion hath its peculiar reasons examples and considerations to this purpose ALL the points of Religion and all the lesser branches of them have every one their particular reason And the Scripture saith not only that it is so but also how and why it is so It gives us not simple positions but teacheth by demonstration and arguments even to the resolving of objections which may be moved to the contrary This is not then sufficient when a man knows all his Religion by Propositions or Maximes though conceived in proper Scripture tearms if he know not also the particular reason of every one of them And to render a reason of our faith is not only to alleadge the Scripture which affirms such or such points but also to shew why these points which the Scripture affirmeth are such and that they are the causes of every one of them in particular Divinity is all full of demonstrative arguments They which have but a naked knowledge of conclusions see well the face and externall shape of Religion But the beating of its arteries the spirit which moves it and the faculties which stir within it are visible to them who know the reasons wherewith it is animated It is not to the purpose to alleadge that one ought not to demand a reason what God saith and that it is enough to believe what the Scripture pronounceth is true This objection is of value as touching points the search whereof is forbidden us as Why God sheweth mercy more to one then to another and for other matters which we may call transcendent which God hath bounded with praecipices environed with high barricadoes which hinder us from entring in thereat But in those whereof the Scripture teaches us the reasons 't is a foolish modesty to reason against his command which obligeth us to learn them Nay this is a manifest arrogance to will the ignorance of those reasons the Scripture gives us thereof under pretence of believing the Scripture simply For the Scripture it self teacheth us to reason upon many points infinitely raised above us When it is asked Why God permitted that sinne should enter into the world though it were in his power to hinder it Many reasons of this permission may be found full of excellent doctrine and saving the matters we have excepted there is not any point of Religion nay any particle whereof one may not find some reason either exprest in the Scripture or duly averred by lawfull consequences or resulting from the property of the subject If there be any thing which seemeth to be out of all enquiry they are the principles of nature As for example The prohibitiō of marriage between brother and sister is the voice of nature which hath no need to be propped with reasons since it is reason it self And though one may always say that the Scripture would oblige men to search the alliance of the remotest races to the end that the affections correspondencies of humane societie might be multiplied which would not be if marriages should be alwayes contracted within the same family Which would by this shame restrain the license which might grow from the facility
POPVLAR ERRORS IN Generall Poynts concerning the knowledge of RELIGION Having Relation to their causes and reduced into divers observations By Jean D'Espaigne Minister of the Holy Gospell LONDON Printed for THO. WHITTAKER at the signe of the Kings armes in Pauls Church-yard 1648. To the most Illustrious CHARLES Monarch of great Brittaine c. Defender of the Faith THe deceased King Father of your Majesty was pleased to command the impression of a Manuscript which was the first fruits of my Pen on which hee daigned to cast his eyes where in his Royall goodnesse had more respect to my zeale then to the worke This which I offer at your Majesties feet carries its deniall on the front But that the clemencie of him who was pleased to cast his eye upon the Hysop as well as upon the Cedars of Lebanon makes me hope for a favourable Aspect I beseech the Lord God to accept your oblations and make your Crowne flourish and establish your Throne as the Sun it selfe To the Reader THis Treatise is nothing but a heape of observations very differing there more especially where they are joyned they are for the most part distant in respect of the subject This is the reason wherefore I have only sought to range them in their proper places and passe from the one unto the other without giving them any other connexion or closing them with other cimment I shall marke in the first place the nature and differencie of spirits principally of the common people in matters concerning Religion Secondly the matters which are of the knowledge thereof Thirdly the forme and manner of this knowledge and finally the meanes to obtaine it In all these foure heads which I have placed in as many sections wee shall shew divers popular errors which serve for the subject of this Treatise If this worke be triviall it corresponds to its title which promiseth nothing but popular matters if defective 't is for having omitted that which many have often repeated if clownish this stuffe is not capable of a more artificiall web nor of the polisure of a more elegant stile if rash as shocking so many maximes held as Oracles among the people and partly approved by the silence of the learned weighing them in the ballance of the Sanctuarie we shall find that in matter of Religion nothing ought to be more suspected then vulgar opinions some think to understand very well their religion that will find themselves not only in a darke ignorance but also in a den of Errors The first Section CHAPTER I. The first Errour which arose amongst Christians THe report which was spread among the Disciples of the Lord a few dayes before his Ascension that St. John the Evangelist should not die was the first Errour that sprang up amongst the Christians This opinion contradicted not any article of the Faith and neverthelesse the Spirit of truth would have the censure thereof to remaine till the end of dayes as a Pillar of Salt to season our conceptions Each Errour in things indifferent is unworthy of a Christian Time hath refuted many if antiquity should again arise she would be ashamed to have marked with Heresie those who believed the Antipodes and the Scholasticks who tooke Zona torrida for the flaming sword which made the earthly Paradice unaccessible they would find at this day these imaginations were more specious then veritable But I will lay aside all matters of this quality we contest not here the common opinion which marks the nativity of our Saviour to be in the season of the winter Solstice nor the oracles attributed to the Sybills which if we must believe all that they say have spoken of Jesus Christ more clearely upon the Tripos of Idols then the true Prophets upon the seat of Truth Nor the histories which contain so many particularities of Simon Magus which are for the most part fables Nor the interpretation which takes the foure living creatures described in Daniel for the foure Evangelists Nor the forme which they attribute to the crosse which many say to have been of another fashion then they represent at this day Nor the belief that Adam the men of the ancient world were of giant-like stature these are problems we â—ouch not much lesse will I speak of opinions of which you may put amongst the dorages of old womens tales or that the Hebrew or any other tongue be naturall or that there hath been men ingeudeed by devills or whether witches can transform themselves into wolves or any other species There is none but simple Idiots who believe Luciser to be the name of the devill And many say the tree of the crosse without thinking on the superstition which hath produced this fashion of speech imagining that the crosâ— on which our Saviour suffer'd was made oâ— the wood of the tree of life The opinions which I undertake to refuse are of far greater consequence they concern the true intelligence of Religion in stead of which many embrace an ignorance reduced into art sustained by maximes which under appearance of follid piety do infold divers capitall errors transforming men into stones making superfluous the greatest part of the Scripture and instead of Cherubins engrave upon the walls the figure of many unclean creeping things of these maximes some are avowed by an expresse profession others tacitely authorized by the common practise not onely among the dregs of the people but yet amongst many which are not separated froÌ„ ignorants but by the wainscot of a pulpit CHAP. II. Of the efficacy and differencie of humours upon the intelligency of Religion and of the strange opinions they produce I Hold there are very few men altogether exempt from popular errors the spirits the most pure have still a touch in some point of this contagion The reason is that man naturally seeks to conceive the truth of things the nearest to the form of his own inclination as he that would turn the course of his boul turns his head on that side to this contributes education old customs and the multitude of voices which stupifies the strongest brains Now as the inclinations are different the truth which is unick in it self appeares in divers forms according to the quality of the spirits which conceives it like the Aethiopians representing the uglinesse of the devill have a custome contrary to other people they paint him white so after this manner the diversity of humours produces diversity of conceptions and difference of opinions upon the same subject These humours some times carries away mens spirits to make them seek to be more perfect then God himself some cannot perswade themselves that God is so severe as he saith himself to be and being touched with an humour more pitifull have found wherewithall to extinguish the eternall fire teaching that the damned nay more that the devills after some time of suffering in the end shall be freed from their torments this so favorable an opinion hath gotten them the title of
that should be scandalous to naturall prudence to the end that their wisdome should not undertake to controule his which neverthelesse happens without thinking thereon to the most religious spirits The ancient Christians in their ordinary prayers demanded of God the retarding of the last day This request was founded upon the comming of Antichrist which they knew ought to preceed that day which would bring with it many calamities which they sought to keep from them by their prasers upon this that the Assembling of the Elect and the calling of so many people would require a long space of time and upon other reasons which was knowne unto them but they tooke not heed that the holy Ghost whose foresight surpasses that of man commanded them to say Come Lord Jesus come For a close we shall marke that in divers matters of religion many submit their beliefe to the testimony of the Scripture because that they find therein some reason or circumstance which seemes to agree with their naturall judgement They perswade themselves of the truth of an history or the equity of a law or the excellencie of a mystery or the importance of a Sacrament or the justice of a rigorous execution for as much as they meet therein a certaine shadow or an appearance conformable to the thoughts which are the most prevalent in their spirits the faith proceeding thereof is vaine as wee shall declare hereafter in its proper place CHAP. VI. Some say Knowledge produceth Atheisme all here saies have not proceeded from learned men The abuses of humane learning in religion THe common people reproches Athiesme to the learned and their scorning of all religion An accusation but too true in respect of many Some doe so inclose themselves within the thoughts of a Science or particular faculty that their spirit cannot admit any principall higher then that of their owne art from whence it comes to passe that they know no other divinity then the matter and the forme or the temperature of the body or the vertue of herbs or the law of nature or nature it selfe Others although most speculative in the higher causes attaine not to the first But certainly we must impute this crime to their ignorance not to their knowledge for to say the truth there was never Atheist but was ignorant never a perfect Philosopher but acknowledged a God the most specious arguments that impiety euer displayed for to sight against this fundamentall point of religion if we look neerly unto it are nothing but popular reasons And it is impossible to an Atheist to sustain his cause without disavowing some principalls of naturall reason If Atheisme were grounded upon knowledge the perswasion would be the stronger in stead that its weaknesse is subject to a thousand doubts which wearies those which are most obstinate As I have seene in a learned man famous in his profession who having called my selfe to comfort him in his sicknesse assured me upon the silence he exacted of me that his health depended upon the resolution of a point which he never could believe and asked the proofe thereof which was if there were a God a question so criminall that cannot proceed but from a spirit full of Egyptian darknesse what learning soever he hath in other matters Againe the vulgar charge the learnâ—d to have been the authors of all the heresies which have troubled the Church complaining that all the errors have had the originall from their subtilties who have seduced the common people and which cannot proceed but from learned men But we find two sorts of heresies Some more artificiall and subtill which cannot proceed but from the invention of learned men of this ranke are those who have fallen upon the attributes and the divine decrees The predestination the Trinity the Union of the two Natures in Christ and such like points The others more grosse and stupid as that of the Anthropomorphites And these proceeds from imaginations of the vulgar In generall Idolatrie hath alwaies began by ideots Nay the greatest part of popery â—he invocation of Saints the adoration of their reliqnes the worship of Images the prayers for the dead have never drawne their originall but from the superstition of the vulgar In heresies the most subtill the learned conduct the multitude but in those whose stuffe is more grosse as in the exterior practice and Ceremonies of religion the people lead the skilfull who carried by a multitude as by a crowd or a torrent suffer themselves to be lead to the very melting of the Calfe of gold Nay what is more shamefull one hath seene learned and able men most grosly deceived by the imposture of idiots not only simple in matter of action but moreover in things purely dogmaticall without speaking of the gravity of Tertullian miserably seduced by the dotages of Montanus nor so many spirits abused by Priscilla and Maximilla pretended prophetesses The learned who have believed something of Purgatory hath been brought to this beliefe by the revelation of silly devotious women by the apparition of soules that good people said they had seen with their eyes by the Enthusiasmes of some melancholy men and by the recite of some Miracles which oft-times were but effects of nature as the nocturnall fires which often appeare in Church-yards The errors of the first sort are knowne for the most part by the names of some chiefe Hereticks which hath produced them Thus the blasphemies of the Sabellians Arrians Euticheans Nestorians are marked with the name of their authors famous for having been Patriarkes of so many severall bands of hereticks but the errors of the second sort have not so certaine a Genealogie it s not so easie to name the inventors of the offerings for the dead of the adorations of Saints or of the service of Images or the noting the time of their originall because these abuses have bin generated from the confused medly of the common people so that the true father of them is unknown But a man may take notice of a familiar abuse in those who make use of humane learning for in many religion takes some taint of their humours so very often they give it the bent or a forme set set out according to the rules of the art which they exercise or of some other Science with which they are indued In the greatest part of the Fathers wee find alwaies either in matter or phrase something which smells of Platonisme a Philosophie which they had dranke in with their studies Afterwards that of Aristotle came into favour the Theologians have imitated his language his countenance and his gate The excesse to which this disguise obtained was never so put off but many indeavoured to set it againe on foot So we have seen many Lawyers and Phisitians who accommodate Theologie to the maximes of their profession not only in the tearmes or in the method as when the one makes it personall reall and active the others Patholotick and Therapentiâ—ke which is not of
so great importance but in the essence it self and in the right conception of the truth thereof So some measure the sin of Adam the justice of his punishment the quality of grace the satisfaction of Christ the damnation of infidells by the Lawes and rules of Civill right or by naturall equity having as sleight a foundation as popular spirits who conceive alwayes some point of their religion under maximes of their art or of the condition they professe imploying them not as simple comparisons for to inlighten but as demonstrative proofes CHAP. 7. Why learned men receive the truth with more difficulty then other men and if the promptitude of belief is alwayes most praise worthy TThe same which we have written of the most piercing spirits happens also to men of eminent knowledge which is that they are for the most part slower of belief in a point of Religion then ordinary men there must be more powerfull operations and a longer time for to draw them to the tearmes of an intire perswasion on which I will only say the most prompt belief is not alwayes the most firm The faith of a man who receives the Gospell with a precipitated and easie approbation ought to be suspected of nullity it is to be feared it s rather credulity then sollid faith surely our Lord spake of certain auditors who easily received the word with gladnesse but left it with the same facility which they had brought to its reception the truth is alwayes open and never hides her face to the end that he who receives her may see what manner of guest he is to receive So when a man begins to be illuminated in the first acts of this faith he meets with an infinity of objections which hinder his resolution to an entire belief But he which finds no obstacles therein never considers thereof in good earnest far from having conceived the faith a man who will sound the depth of Religion and know the bottome as far as man can discover he who will learn all the measures of the Tabernacle and know the dimensions and the proportions and weigh all the reasons which forbids the entrance and those which invite him thereto his pace will not be very fast and wil not come very soon to the altar But if once he be enlightened by the light of the Sanctuary the slownes thereof redounds to his advantage for belief is far more cleare being received upon solid grounds more sound As lodging in a spirit refined from all that surcharged it and more solid as having prevented by a ripe deliberation whatsoever might come to shake it In this tryall of religion the learned have alwayes helps which facilitates their understanding and where they know to make use thereof they understand better the importance of a point of the law or of the Gospell the enormity of sinne or the excellency of redem prion far better then the common people That as they have more trouble to be perswaded so they have more objections to be resolved then those which see not the difficulty thereof but the perswasion being formed in them possesses all those advantages which I have related And notwithstanding it is not altogether universally true that the learned are the more difficult to believe the truth the conversion of an idiot proves oftentimes more painfull and troublesome A grosse ignorance incapable to comprehend the easiest matter is the mother of stubbornesse nay more of presumption the enemy of all knowledge Many refuse instruction because they believe they have knowledge enough So that under the shadow of Christian liberty an artificer censures what he understands not CHAP. 8. Why the learned are subject to more doubts then the simple people WE find an infinite number of persons among the common people who never doubt of any point of faith nor of any other matter approved by the orthodoxall Church whereas that ordinarily the most knowing men are full of doubts Now its true that believing and doubting are acts formally contrary for distrust although many teach it is not of the essence of faith no more then vice is not essentiall to vertue and every sort of doubt is a testimony of our weaknesse and a mark of ignorance But it is easie to judge from whence it comes that popular spirits are not subject to so many doubts as the great Theologians For as thier sight extends not it self so farre so they see not all the difficulties which the other discover in the study of Religion as for those who have never doubted of any point it is of necessity that this great security of spirit proceeds from one of those two causes either of a perfect and transcendent faith incompatible with all species of doubt or from an extreame stupidity which never comprehended the importance of a doctrine nor ever sounded the depth thereof A man who hath alwayes had an absolute and unvariable perswasion of all points of Religion without any contradicting thought must necessarily be either An anges or a beast This stupid confidence deceives an infinity of souls especially in the personall application of their beliefe Many hold themselves so assured of their salvation that their spirit is incapable of doubting but not through the excellency of faith which requires a more exact triall but through an excesse of self love from hence it comes to passe they willingly believe whatsoever makes for their advantage But if they have no pertinent reasons it is a most grosse presumption CHAP. 9 Of common proverbs in generall and of certain maximes in favour of ignorance THE vulgar people governe themselves by certain maximes esteemed for oracles but which are indeed as many approved errours The proverbs which belong to Oeconomie exteriour policie and to naturall prudence in the conduct of our lives are nothing to our purpose there are some which touch Religion that are held for assured principalls which have nothing but an abusive and fraudulent appearance whosoever would make the inventory should discover a thousand absurdities For all the proverbiall sentences which are at this day in use have not been dictated by the mouth of the wise or from reason common to all men or from universall experience Ignorance hath brought forth many which are authorised onely by the credit of the multitude And every man who desires to understand very well his Religion ought to take of these prejudicated proverbs which at this time have course such are the following maximes to wit That there 's no sin but with the will which is false Originall sinne in little children omissions proceeding from forgetfulnesse the first motions which are not in the power of man extravagant dreames wandering and idle thoughts doubtles which trouble the spirit are not voluntary and notwithstanding are still sinnes Idiots imagine that sinne resides not but in the will not considering that it hath its place in the Intellect it self but this is to justifie that opinion which some hold that Ignorance is
with divers narrations which if taken only morrally would be found very impertinent The bargaine made between Lea and Rachel Gen. 30.14 the contention betweene Sara and Hagar the childish strife betwixt Isaac and Ismael if we bring no other conceptions then those of the vulgar these matters would be both frivolous and ridiculous certainly these histories carry a deeper sence And S. Paul Gal. 4.24 finding in these two last the Image of the most important truths which are in religion which shewes that the intention of the holy Ghost was cleare otherwise then only to paint forth simple moralities More faulty is as yet the stile of an infinite number of Preachers who believe they handle the Scripture very well so that they disguise all in Tropes If they handle the miraculous healing of the leprous all their discourse will be of the spirituall Leprosie If of the resurrection of one dead they will speake only of regeneration turning these histories out of their naturall sence and omitting in the meane time the considerations which they furnish us to the true understanding of the place Truly it s permitted to draw an instruction for manners from an article of the faith but it is a great folly to lay hold of the concommitant of a subject in stead of the principall and make the body of their discourse thereof When any will expresly handle a morall doctrine the Scripture abounds in formall passages for such matters otherwise hee should both mock them and his auditors to preach the decalogue in interpreting the Symbole But it is easier for the ignorant to preach morality then to handle a point more misterious only for to bring it forth after their ordinary fashion in grosse equipage and under triviall reasons For to handle worthily a doctrine of manners one ought to have provision of rare matters and conceptions elevated above the common which belongs not but to a profound Theologian The vulgar knowes the vertues by their habits then in their essence Popular piety abounds so in certaine acts that it neglects the others namely all charity at this day is reduced into almes Many love rather to nourish a poore man then to convert an Idolater although it be a greater worke of charity to save one soule then to feed a hundred thousand bellies Otherwise a man who had founded Hospitalls should have done a farre more excellent worke then all the labours of the Apostles CHAP. VI. Touching curiosities Rash questions of those which are returned from the dead Of the Divell who exhorted to repentance Of the knowledge of evill MAn never saw the creation of any thing when God would forme Eve he made Adam sleep So likewise he hath reserved to himselfe the judgement of three points 1. of his councells 2. of Scripture 3. of consciences To inquire of the Son proceeds of the Father as of the Intellect and the holy Ghost as of the will What had been the posterity of Adam if he had not falne and if in this case the Sonne of God would have cloathed himselfe with our flesh or if the sacred body of Jesus Christ was perfectly organified from the first moment of his conception if God could not have saved man by any other meanes then by the death of his Sonne And whether Jesus Christ by his sufferances hath merited his proper exaltation besides our salvation are most rash curiosities If any one should rise againe from the dead our curiosity would aske him a thousand questions but I marke that of all those who ever rise againe not one except our Lord is introduced speaking in the Scripture except we put into this ranke Moses and Elias in the transfiguration which neverthelesse spake not but of the death of Jesus Christ Though a man should come from heaven hee could not name the things which he had seene or understood because that it never having moūted into the thought of man they could not impose names thereto So that those things could not be declared but in tearms the sence whereof would be unknown unto us they are words uneffable which man cannot pronounce and ought not to affect If the dead ought to be our instructors the spirit of error would easily counterfeit them and under this pretext would authorise his impostures The Scripture of all the damned names but only Judas and would not expresse the name the evill rich But many spirits which they pretend to be returned from the other world particularise by names and surnames the soules they have seen in hell For the vulgar presuppose that they know one another and that the Devill knows all that are within his bottomles pit Upon this imagination the Exorcists believing they have the power to make him tell nothing but truth and inquire of curious things taking pleasure to make him talk whereas Jesus Christ never made him speak but once imposing silence upon them in all other deliverance of those out of whom he had cast the Devils Namely it is not long since the Devil preached repentance by the mouth of some which were possessed his words have been gathered and published in a grosse volume by men bearing the title of approved theologians which have alledged them for a very perswasive argument of amendment of life showing that the Devil who took upon him this office was sent by God to convert men seeing that the other wayes were unprofitable farre from repulsing the impudency of this adversary who speaks not of piety but by mockery or for to render it suspected because of which when he would have spoken in favour of the truth our Lord made him alwayes hold his peace All unlawfull curiosities have relation unto two heads whose inquisition is forbidden us to wit the hight of heaven and the depth of hell The Scripture praiseth those who have not known the depths of Satan A too exact knowledge of evill offends the spirit and a man well skilled in malice although that it but in Theory will ever now and then give a tast thereof The diligence of Casuists to examine all the species of sins namely those whose onely name strikes a horror to our eares hath been a perniious labour more capable to destroy good manners then to instruct the consciences CHAP. 7. Wherefore Scholastick Theologie was invented and how it was established with a contrary successe THree things have made Scholasticall Theology to be cried down setting aside the impurity des dogmes of their opinions with which it is stuffed 1 The multitude of Philosophicall matters 2 The vain curiositie of questions 3 the barbarousnesse of the language the intention of those who built it was to keep the key of knowledge among themselves and to hinder the common people from entering therein and to take from them the knowledge of Theologie to this effect they stopt the gap with thorns and made the passage difficult First mingling Philophy therewith nay all the most subtil speculations of Metaphysicks then reducing the whole Christian doctrine into
of their conversation That so many naturall relations met in one man which might have brought the title of father and uncle together would have brought a thousand confusions in the world That the same proximity being disputed amongst them which are of the same blood would have produced divers strifes in families for the reason as that of the straight line which oblige the brother to marry his half sister that the woman who in case of injury or dissertion might find a refuge with their brothers had lost his refuge if the brotherhood had been confounded in the marriage And other reasons which one might alleadge for this law CHAP VI. Of the exercise of the mind in every point of Religion The default of the vulgar and of preachers herein The Scripture speaks by proofs GOd would that our knowledge should be discursive in part and that this faculty of the soule which passeth from one subject to another for to discern them compare them together and give judgement thereof might also be sanctified by this exercise in matters of Religion But because it is more difficult to reason upon a point then to conceive it nakedly and barely the common people is contented to heare that such a thing is true or good or just without searching why or how it is such The ignorant love onely to heare a thing affirmed or denyed insomuch that to the understanding of a proposition or assertion thus naked there is need of but a bare apprehension or understanding of words without other trouble of mind Whereupon they are delighted in maximes and proverbs because it is not needfull to conceive the sense thereof easie to whosoever understandeth the words For 't is to be presupposed they are grounded on reason and 't is enough to hold them for true without any other form of enquiry This same facility is the cause we have more talkers then preachers Provided they stretch out a point by a long train of equivalent tearms that they delate a text into Paraphrases that they heape togeather a great masse of sentences of Scripture they think they have worthily handled and the vulgar abide therewith satisfied But the interpretation thereof requires much more then this Certainly Jesus Christ himselfe and the most excellent instruments which have spok by his spirit have not contented themselves to pronounce the affirmative or negative upon any point but besides have shewed the reasons thereof If they teach that the worship of God ought to be spirituall they give this proofe thereof to wit that God is a spirit If the alleadge to make the Jewes see that the Messias ought to die and rise again the words of the Psalmest thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption they frame thereof an argument which imports that this Oracle cannot relate but to David or to Christ that the body of David had notoriously felt the same corruption which death brings to other men So that this prophecy could not belong but to Christ If they say that man is not justified by the Law they prove it by the end of the Law which is to manifest sinne If they declare that Circumcision doth not justifie they shew it by the example of Abraham who was justified before he was circumcised So that his circumcision being after his justification could not have produced it If they affirm that there was a Law before that of Moses they argue that where there is no law there is no sin Now we read that there was sin before Moses this is proved because that death which is the wages of sinne raigned from Adam to Moses If they maintaine free Election they produce the decree given before the infants had none either good or evil If they maintain that the Covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the Law they make it cleare that it did precede the Law foure hundred and thirty yeares If they publish that Christ is greater then the Angells they prove it by his titles which were never conferred upon them If they preach the weaknesse of the Jewish priesthood they take it from this that the Scripture hath substituted for it another of anorder altogether different to it after the order of Melchisedech for if perfection had been in the Leviticall Priesthood what need had there been that anothe Priest should arise which was according to the order of Aron If they teach that Jesus Christ ought to die they note that where there is a Testament there the death of the Testatour ought to intervene before the heires can have benefit thereof In brief if they speak of the resurrection or of other points of faith their discourse never consists in bare assertions but in reasons and demonstrative proofs CHAP VII Of Popular reasons as well in the Romane Religion as amongst the vulgar of the Orthodox Churches The difference betwixt the maximes of faith and those of charity THose which among the vulgar reason upon matters of Religion are accustomed to conceive them as reasons one may call popular These reasons are taken from the superficies not from the very substance of truth This is the reason why oft times they are found false although their facility render them plausible to the ignorant If it were needfull one might shew that the Romane Religion is for the most part propt up by popular reasons Popular is the comparison of Intercessours which are employed towards the Grandees of this world brought for the Invocation of Saints Popular is the question whether we ought to condemn our ancestours and so many souls which hold the faith we at this day disallow Popular are the marks under which they represent the Church For the antiquity multitude locall succession are not essentiall properties thereof Popular are the austerities fastings scourgings and externall mortification of the Monks profession Popular are the images and the title which is given them that they are the booke of Ideots The most ordinary reason which authoriseth the reason of the common people is that of charity Prayers for the dead have been covered under this pretence and many sometime have extended even to hell praying even for the damned not to deliver them wholly from pain knowing that is impossible but for to procure for them some diminution thereof whereunto charity carrieth them The maximes of charity are more persuasive and efficacious amongst the common people then the maximes of faith The reason thereof is because that those of faith are more removed from the appearance and have not so much relation with reason and naturall affection as those of charity which are more intelligible and more agreeing with the common notion of men Notwithstanding to say truth every act of Religion which is undertaken without faith is also without charity And the charity of the ignorant is a strange fire which is not acceptable at the altar But our discourse properly concerns them who being orthodox in points of Religion prop not up the belief of them but upon
And 't is likwise disputed whether faith depend on election or election depend on faith This turning topsie turvy is ordinary amongst the ignorant who believe that the person is acceptable for his works instead that the works are acceptable for the person CHAP. X. Of the ignorance of the vulgar who believe that one ought not to search nor give any other reason of the points of Religion then the will of God IF t were not the will of God that we should know why and how he worketh we could not know how our Lord could be born of a Virgin yet notwithstanding this is one of the prime Articles of our faith He hath not said why instead of causing the Hebrews to passe when they came out of Egypt by the Philistines country which was the straight way to enter into Canaan he led them by a great circuit full of wandrings and inconveniences Nor why having given to Abraham the land of the Amorites his posterity ought not to have possessed it but at the end of 400 yeares Gen. 15. Nor why the bill of divorce was permitted the Jewes Nor why he disapproved Davids designe touching the building of the Temple And a thousand other effects of his providence whereof he would have us know the causes Many think they know enough thereof when they referre all things simply to the will of God which they say sufficeth for all reason and that in every point be it historicall or dogmaticall when one asks why it is so one ought to content himself with saying that God would have it so or hath so ordained This Maxime teacheth ignorance under the shaddow of modesty By this meanes there 's no question but may be avoided in two words and the veriest idiot shall be capable to give a solution thereof 'T is true the will of God is the soveraigne cause of all things and the onely reason of a great part thereof But this answer suffiseth not for all questions nay in many matters it is impertinent When one asketh how Abraham was justified this would be an absurdity to answer that he was justified by the will of God instead of saying it was by faith An absurdity to shew the first cause when the second is demanded An absurdity to produce the will of God when the question is of the formall or instrumentall cause An absurdity to name the Architect instead of the matter This is to annihilate the dispensation which God hath established in his works and to breake downe those steps by which he would have us climb up unto him To think to leape over all at one leape is extreme folly A man that alledgeth nothing but the will of God upon a Subject proposed understands not what this will of God is For to understand it 't is necessary to know wherein it consisteth and how it concerns the matter in question Now the understanding of this point presupposeth the knowledge of second causes by which the will of God worketh He that alleadgeth the second causes and gives reasons thereof alleadgeth the will of God For God hath willed that such things should be so for such reasons and these reasons are one part of his will When the Disciples asked why they could not deliver the man possessed the vulgar answer would import because it pleased not God But our Lord notes their incredulity as a cause of this inability and shewes fasting and prayer as the meanes necessary to the expulsion of the Devill When Saint Paul was buffeted by Sathan he did not simply understand that such was the will of God but that his power was accomplished in weaknesse When we search the causes of our salvation This would be a dangerous proceeding to desire to mount up to Election without passing by the middle meanes The will of God is the first reason but the last answer one ought to give to a question CHAP XI Objections of the vulgar touching the reasons Scripture expresseth not and how we may know them THe Scripture is full of Lawes and mysteries whereof we know not the reasons We read of divers ceremonies divers points of history and doctrine the particular reasons whereof are not yet found out But oft times we abuse our selves by believing that the Scripture discovers not the reason thereof under colour that our ignorance hindreth us from seeing them This is a common objection in the mouth of the vulgar when they heare men reason upon any matter to alleadge that this reason is not at all exprest in Scripture Certainly the Scripture expresseth not why the Law permitted Homicides confin'd within the Cities of Refuge to return to their houses after the death of the high Priest And notwithstanding besides politick reasons which may be given for this Law It is impudence to deny that it meant to represent the efficacy of Christs death But to produce an example more formall to this purpose the reason for which our Lord was put in a new sepulchre wherein never any one was buried is notwithstanding lesse exprest Yet notwithstanding we say that the wisdome of God would prevent the malice of the Jews who not able to deny the truth of his resurrection might have disputed the cause thereof pretending that he had recovered life by touching the bones of some Prophet as he that was raised in the grave of Elisha This reason is not grounded but upon conjecture but of so great appearance that it were a shame to reject it In many things the very effect shews its cause If any man ask why Jesus Christ trusted Judas with the bag whose covetousnes he knew rather then another of his disciples the reason thereof is evident to him that considers that the convenience of this office rendered his treason so much the more inexcusable VVhen the Scripture tells not at all why God permitted sinne why he would harden Pharaoh why he suffers the vessells of wrath the effects which proceed thence shew that sin is the cause thereof CHAP. XII Of the prudence that is requisite in the examination of points where the cause is uncertaine Of a Ly. Whether Satan made Pilates wife speak for the innocence of Jesus Christ IT is true that one ought carefully to take heed of those causes and reasons which are not plain unto us but by a conjecturall appearance for the consequences thereof may be foolish and dangerous Some have thought that Jacob in all the proceedings he made to gaine his fathers blessing was inspired by the spirit of God But the consequence thereof sounds very ill For then it must be that the Holy Ghost had dictated the deceitfull words which came from Jacobs mouth Now God is an enemy of lies He may command to kill but not to pronounce a falshood although a barely be not so bad as manslaughter The reason thereof is that man slaughter may be sometimes an act of Justice but a ly can never be truth And therefore God himself may kill but he can never ly On the
experience sufficiently teacheth That concord is good amongst brethren that we ought to render to every one what belongs unto him that we ought not to do to others what we would not have done to us and the like propositions which the law of nature teacheth the most barbarous that he that is invited to a feast choose not the highest place that he which ought should agree with his Creditor to shun the Prison And other instructions of prudence of well being and administration which every man knows without Scripture God gave a commission to the Prophet to publish an Oracle the tenour whereof was that all flesh is as grasse and the glory thereof as grasse which seemes to be sufficiently known of it self without extraordinary revelation The 49. Psal calls all the inhabitants of the earth to heare things rare and excellent which it promiseth to discover unto them the summe whereof is this that every man is mortall that the wise man dyeth as well as the fool that riches exempts no man from the grave and other sentences which the veriest ideots sufficiently know though they never had been written from hence it cometh that the ignorant admireth not the Scripture because they believe it tells them nothing new and in truth if the words thereof contained nothing but what appeares manifest these matters would be purely vulgar But this is that which deceives the greatest part of readers or rather their ignorance deceives them in that they think these propositions of scripture have no other sense then that which is common and naturall to the grossest persons These are as for the terms the same sentences which are dictated unto us either by nature or by reason or by experience or by the universall voice of mankind But the sence which they have in scripture reacheth much further That which seemes there to be triviall is full of rarities which are not perceivable to all sorts of spirits If there be question of a passage which speaks of death the world is full of preachers which will give a description thereof which will declaim in a pathetick manner and will say all that which the simple know well enough But this is but to touch the superficies of scripture Sometimes it pronounceth proverbs taken from the mouth of common people nay of Pagan authors but it heightneth the sence thereof and referres to an end farre more noble Many Philosophers might have conceived the same morall precepts nay in the same tearmes with scrcipture but not to animate them with a sence so high and so compleat This is the admirable art of the Holy Ghost to hide the rarest mysteries under the appearance of the most common matters VVe reserve the examples hereof to another discourse The ignorant who believe that all the substance of a passage consists in that which is therein vulgar the understanding whereof is easie imagine they understand it very well and think they comprehend all the sense thereof The opinion they have of this easinesse abuseth them VVhen one finds a passage which seems so easie one may assure himself that there is some notable difficulty in it Those which seem most clear are very often most obscure If there be any thing which seems to be clear and intelligible such are similitudes taken from common and sensible things as of a sower of a net cast into the sea of agrain of mustard-seed of leaven put in meal c. Those cōparisons because they are familiar are even contemptible to the veriest ideors and there is none of them which attributes not to himself the understanding thereof notwithstanding it may be there are sew men that comprehend the full sense thereof not to speak in the similitude of the Potter that of the wild olive used by Saint Paul upon the subject of the calling of the Gentiles hath divers branches marvelously high whereunto all cannot attain One may referre hither divers subjects which seem to be within the cognisance of humane arts and sciences As the Pleiades and other Celestiall signes mentioned in Job for Astrologie The remedie applied upon the Carbuncle of Ezekiah and the third day observed for the most painfull in the wound of the Sichemites for Physick The statue of Nebuchadnezzar for buriall The temple and royall houses of Solomon for Architecture an infinitenesse of points which belong to Naturall Philosophy In effect there 's no doubt but the Scripture contains in it many admirable secrets of this quality but this is but the bark of a marrow more substantiall and wholsome CHAP. 2. Of matters which seeme unprofitable in Scripture Considerations upon Chronologie upon the Genealogies Proper names Ceremoniall Laws Rules Particularities little considerable in appearance and histories of enormous Acts. TO understand the Scripture 't is not enough to know what it saith 'T is necessary also to know why it saith it For the discourse thereof tends oftentimes to abut the words expresse not There is nothing so cleare as the Morall law the precepts thereof are evident there is no man so brutish which understands not very well when it speaks of honouring father and mother of absteining from homicide from false witnesse c. Notwithstanding Saint Paul saith this law was covered with a veil and that the Jews could not see Moses face They did comprehend well the sense thereof but saw not the aim thereof which seemed to contradict eve the language and the appearance of it For the law promised life to him that fulfilled it and yet notwithstanding this was not the intention of the Law to induce us to search for life by the fulfilling therof Our Lord said If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements and notwithstanding this proposition tended to an end quite different to wit that we should not hope for salvation by observation of the commandements The same ought to be observed in divers other passages The Scripture is full of an infinity of matters which considered in themselves seem to be wholly unprofitable or at least of very little importance if one take not heed at what they aim at It is true that some are either more profitable or more considerable then others our Lord himself distinguisheth the greater commandements from the lesser Without doubt the history of Christs passion is more necessary then that of Sampson or the victories of David or the description of Solomons Palace If it be so that the Scripture contains nothing superfluous there is neither a tache nor a goats haire in all the Tabernacle which serves not to the perfection of it To this purpose are the accounts of the yeares which the Scriptures observe so punctually It were a very great brutishnesse to be ignorant whether the world harh continued a long time and how The dayes of the ancient Fathers and the measure of the following ages which the holy history calculates so exactly give us their chronology The 430 years which expired the very night the Hebrews came out of Egypt published