force of assimilating them unto the paterns of godly and religious mens Souls represented herein yea even of transforming them into the similitude of that Image wherein they were first created The Idaeas of Sanctity and Righteousnesse contained in this Spiritual Glasse are the causes of our Edification in good life and Vertue as the Idaea or Platform in the Artificers head is the cause of the Material House that is builded by it SECT II. Of Experiments and Observations External answerable to the rules of Scripture CAP. VII Containing the Topick whence such Observations must be drawn 1 IF the Books of some Ancient rare Author who had written in sundry Arts should be found in this Age all bearing the Authors name and other commendable Titles prefixed a reasonable man would soon be perswaded that they were His whose name they bore but sooner if he had any positive arguments to perswade himself or their Antiquitie or if they were commended to him by the authoritie or report of men in this case credible But besides all these if every man according to his Experience or Skill in those Arts and Faculties which this Ancient writer handles should upon due examination of his Conclusions or discourse find resolution in such points as he had alwayes wavered in before or be instructed in matters of his Profession or observation whereof he was formerly ignorant this would much strengthen his Assent unto the former reports or traditions concerning their Author or unto the due praises and Titles prefixed to his Works albeit he that made this trial could not prove the same truth so fully to another nor cause him to Believe it so firmly as he himself doth unlesse he could induce him to examine his writings by like Experiments in some Facultie wherein the examiner had some though lesse Skill And yet after the like trial made he that had formerly doubted would Believe these works to be the supposed Authors and subscribe unto the Titles and commendations prefixed not so much for the Formers Report or Authoritie as from his own Experience Now we have more certain Experiments to prove that the Scriptures are the word of God then we can have to prove any mens works to be their supposed Authors for one Author in any Age may be as good as another He perhaps better of whom we have heard lesse We could in the former case only certainly Believe that the Author whosoever was an excellent Scholler but we could not be so certain that it was none other but he whose Name it did bear For there may be many Aristotles and many Platoes many Excelllent men in every Profession yet but One God that is All in All whose Works we suppose the Scriptures are which upon strict examination will evince him alone to have been their Author 2 The meanes then of establishing our Assent unto any part of Scripture must be from Experiments and Observations agreeable to the rules in Scripture For when we see the reason and manner of sundrie events either related by others or experienced in our selves which otherwise we could never have reached unto by any Natural Skill or generally when we see any effects or concurrence of things which cannot be ascribed to any but a Supernatural Cause and yet they fully agreeing to the Oracles of Scriptures or Articles of Belief This is a sure Pledge unto us that he who is the Author of Truth and gives being unto all things was the Author of Scriptures 3 Such Events and Experiments are divers and according to their diversities may work more or lesse on divers dispositions Some may find more of one sort some of another none all Some again may be more induced to Believe the truth of Scriptures from one sort of Experiments some from others Those observations are alwayes best for every man which are most incident to his Vocation With some varietie of these observations or Experiments we are in the next place to acquaint divers Readers CAP. VIII That Heathenish Fables ought not to Prejudice divine Truth 1 NOthing more usual to men wise enough in their generation then for the varietie or multitude of false reports concerning any Subject to discredit All that are extant of the same And all inclination unto diffidence or distrust is not alwayes to be misliked but onely when it swayes too far or extends is self beyond the limits of its proper Circumference that is matters of Bargain or secular Commerce As this diffident temper is most common in the cunning managers of such affaires so the first degree or propension to it were not much amiss in them did they not Transcendere à genere ad genus that is were not their Mistrust commonly too generally rigid and stiff For most men of great dealings in the world finding many slipperie companions hold it no sin to be at the least suspitious of all Others being often cozened by such as have had the name and reputation of Honest men begin to doubt whether there be any such thing indeed as that which men call Honestie and from this doubting about the real nature of Honestie in the Abstract they resolve undoubtedly That if any man in these dayes do not dâ—… ill with others it is onely for want of sit opportunitie to do himself any great good But as Facilitie in yielding Assent unless it be moderated by discretion is an infallible Consequent of too great simplicitie and layes a man open to abuse and wrong in matters of this life so General Mistrust is the certain forerunner of Insidelity and makes a man apt enough to cozen himself without a tempter in matters of the life to come though otherwise this is the very disposition which the great Tempter works most upon who for this reason when any notable truth of greater moment fals out labours by all means to fil the world with reports of like events but such as upon examination he foresees wil prove false for he knows well that the Belief of most pregnant truths may be this means be much impaired as honest men are usually mistrusted when the world is full of knaves And to speak the Truth It is but a very short Cut betwixt general and rigid Mistrust in worldly dealings and Infidelity in spiritual matters which indeed is but a kind of diffidence or mistrust and he that from the experience of often cozenage comes once to this point That he will trust none in worldly affairs but upon strong securitie or legal assurance may easily be transported by the varietie or multitude of reports in spiritual matters notoriously false to Believe nothing but upon the sure pledge and Evidence of his own Sense or natural Reason This is one main fountain of Atheism of which God willing in the Article of the Godhead In this place I onely desire to give the Reader notice of Satans Policy and to advertise him withall that as there is a kind of Ingenuous Simplicity which if it match with sobâ—ieâ—ie and serious
of their vanity dispose our minds to embrace the stability of Gods Word with greater stedfastnesse We know the vertue and benefit of the Sun not so much by looking upon it self continually or directly as by the variety of other objects or colours all pleasant with it to the eye but altogether invisible or indistinguishable without it so for mine part I must professe that such historical narrations poetical fictions or other conceits of Heathens as they themselves knew little use of nor should I have done had I been as they were being compared with this heavenly light of Gods Word did much affect me even in my best and most retired meditations of sacred mysteries their observation as it were tied my soul by a new knot or fest more surely unto that truth which I knew before to be in it self most sure most infallible Yea even in points wherein my heart unto my seeming was best established it much did nourish augment and strengthen belief already planted to observe the perfect consonancie of profane with sacred Writers or the occasions of their dissonancie to be evidently such as Scriptures specifie that of many events wondred at by their Heathenish relators no tolerable reason could be given but such as are subordinate to the never-failing rules of Scripture And whosoever will may I presume observe by Experiment the truth of what I say There is no motive unto belief so weak or feeble but may be very available for quelling temptations of some kind or other either in speculation or practise oft-times such as are absolutely more weak or feeble more effectuall for expelling some peculiar distrust or presumption then others farre more forcible and strong for vanquishing temptations of another kinde in nature most grievous Many half students half gallants are often tempted either to distrust the commendations of this Eden which we are set to dress or distaste the food of life that grows within it from delights suggested by prophane books wherewith commonly they are first acquainted and hence much affect the knowledge their Authors profer as likely to Deifie them in the worlds eies Our proneness to be thus perswaded is a witness of our first parents transgression and these suggestions as reliques of Satans baits whereby he wrought their bain But what is the remedy not to tread in any heathenish soil lest these serpents sting us rather the best medicine for this malady would be a confection of that very flesh wherein such deadly poyson lodged Other arguments may more perswade the judicious or such as in some measure have tasted the fruits of the spirit But none the curious artist better then such as are gathered from his esteemed Authors Even such as are in faith most strong of zeal most ardent should not much mispend their time in comparing the degenerate fictions or historical relations of times ancient or modern with the everlasting truth For though this method could not add much encrease either to their faith or zeal yet would it doubtless much avail for working placid and milde affections The very pencilmen of sacred writ themselves were taught patience and instructed in the waies of Gods providence by their experience of such events as the course of time is never barren of not alwaies related by Canonical Authors nor immediately testified by the spirit but oft times believed upon a moral certainty or such a resolution of circumstances concurrent into the first cause or disposer of all affairs as we might make of modern accidents were we otherwise partakers of the spirit or would we mind heavenly matters as much as earthly Generally two points I have observed not much for ought I know if handled at all by any writer albeit their fruit and use would fully recompence the best pains of any one mans life-time though wholly spent in their discussion whose want in my mind hath been the bane of true devotion in most ages The first is an equivalencie of means in the wisedome of God so proportioned to the diversity of times as no age could have better then the present howsoever they may affect the extraordinary signs and wonders of former generations Of this argument here and there as occasion shall serve in this work elsewhere at large if God permit The second is an equivalencie of Errors Hypocrisie Infidelity and Idolatry all which vary rather their shape then substance in most men through ages nations and professions the ignorance of God remaining for the most part the same his attributes as much though in another kind transformed by many in outward profession joyned with the true Church as in times past by the Heathen The truth of which assertion with the original causes of the error and means to prevent it are discussed at large in the article of the God-head Many likewise for ought their conscience because not rightly examined will witness to the contrary are strongly perswaded they love Christ with heart and soul and so detest as well the open blasphemy or professed hatred which the Jew as the secret enmity the Jesuit or other infamous Hereticks bear against him when as oft times the onely ground of their love to him is their spite to some or all of these as they are deciphered to them in odious shape the onely original of their despite to these the very dregs of Jewish Popish or other Heretical humours in themselves by some light tincture of that truth which they outwardly profess exasperated to more bitter enmity against them with whose internal temper they best agree then otherwise they could conceive as admission to place of credit or authority makes base minds conscious of their own forepast villanies more rigid censurers of others misdemeanors or cruel persecutors of such malefactors as themselves in action have been and in heart yet are were all occasions and opportunities the same then any moderate or sincere man in life and action could be Of the original of this disease with the crisis and remedy as also the tryal of faith inherent in the articles concerning Christ and remission of sins From the manner of Jerusalems progress to her first destruction and discovery of the Jews natural temper the principal subject of my subcisive or vacant hours from these meditations and other necessary imployments of my calling I have observed the original as well of most states as mens miscariages professing true religion to have been from presumption of Gods favour before dangers approach and distrust of his mercy after calamities seiz upon them The root of both these misperswasions to be ignorance or error in the doctrin of Gods providence whose true knowledge if I may so speak is the fertil womb of all sacred moral truths the onely rule of rectifying mens wils perswasions and affections in all consultations or practises private or publick Unto this purpose much would it avail to be resolved whether all things fall out by fatal necessity or some contingently how fate and contingency if compatible each
Studies whose Principal End is delight can under go long toyl and great pains never attaining to exact Knowledge but by Believing their Instructors and taking many Theoremes and Conclusions upon Trust before they can make Infallible Trial of their Truth and yet in matters of their Salvation which cannot be exactly Known but only Believed in this life and whose Belief must be got by Practise not by Discourse demand Evidence of Truth and infallible Demonstration before they will vouchsafe to Believe or adventure their pains on their Practise and finally so Demean themselves in speech and resolution as if God Almightie should think himself highly graced and our Saviour his Son much beholden to them that they should Deign to be his Scholars sooner then Mahomets or Machiavels But we that are his Messengers must not debase His Word nor Disparage our Calling by Wooing them upon such Terms or professing to shew them the Truth before they be willing to learn it One first Principle whereof is this That such as will seek may find starting holes enough to run out of Christs Fold and escape his Mercies profered in his Church And as many reasons are daily brought sufficient to perswade a Right-disposed understanding of the Truth of Scriptures so no Argument can be found of force enough to convince a Froward Will or perswade perverse Affections These are they which make a many altogether uncapable of any Moral most of all of any Divine Truth and must be laid aside at the first Entrance into the School of Christ and continually kept under by the Rod of his Judgements and Terrours of that Dreadful Day Unto such as account these Consequents lesse dreadful or their dread lesse probable then that they should for a time at least lay aside all Perversitie of will or Humour of Contradiction to make sure trial of those divine Oracles for their Good we can apply no other Medicine but that of Saint John He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Rev. 22. 11. 2. Thus much of general Inducements to Belief In the Observation and Use of all these and others of what kind soever we must implore the Assistance of Gods Spirit who only worketh True and lively Faith but ordinarily by these or like means These Scriptures are as the Rule or Method prescribing us our Diet and Order of life these Experiments joyned with it are as Nutriment and the Spirit of God digesteth all to our Health and Strength Without It all other means or matters of best Observation are but as good Meat to weak or corrupt Stomacks With It every Experiment of our own or others Estate taken according to the rules of Scriptures doth nourish and strengthen Faith and preserve our spiritual Health Many in our dayes uncessantly blame their Brethrens Backwardnesse to Entertain the Spirit or rely upon it only being more Blame-worthy themselves for being too forward in Believing Every Spirit and seeking to discern Canonical from Apocryphal Scriptures by the Spirit and again to Trie True from False Spirits by the Scriptures without serious Observation and setled Examination of Experiments answerable unto sacred Rules Such mens fervent Zeal unto the Letter of the Gospel is like an hot Stomach accustomed to light meats which increase Appetite more then Strength and fill the body rather with bad Humors then good Bloud 3 The Spirit no doubt speaks often unto us when we attend not but we must not presume to understand His Suggestions by His immediate Voice or Presence only by His Fruits and the inward Testimony of an appeased Conscience which he alone can work must we know him He that seeks as †Ignatius Ignatius Loyola taught his sons to discern Him without more ado by his manner of breathing may instead of him be troubled with an unwelcome Guest alwayes ready to invite himself where he sees preparation made for his Better and one I am perswaded that hath learned more kinds of Salutations then Loyola knew of able to fill empty Breasts or shallow Heads unsetled in Truth with such pleasant mild and gentle Blasts as are apt to breed strong perswasions of more then Angelical Inspirations 4 God grant the carriage of ensuing Times may argue these Admonitions needlesse which further to prosecute in respect of times late past and now present could not be unseasonable but thus much by the way must now suffice me purposed hereafter if God permit to Treat of the Trial of Spirits and certain apprehension of inherent Faith about the general means of whose production and establishment the Question most controversed in these days â—s Whether beside the Testification of Gods Spirit which as all agree must by these late mentioned or other means work Faith in our hearts the Testimony or authority of others besides our selves be necessary either for ascertaining our Apprehension of the Spirit thus working or for assuring the truth of Experiments wrought by it in our Souls or if no other besides the testimony of Gods Spirit and our own Conscience be necessary either after their Sentence given or whilest they give it How far the Authoritie or Ministery of men is necessary or behoveful either for bringing us acquainted with the Spirit of God or for the assistance and direction of our Conscience in giving right Sentence of the Truth or true meaning of Gods word Of these questions and others subordinate to them we are to dispute at large in the Books following How far the Ministry of Men is Necessary for PLANTING True Christian Faith and retaining the Unity of It PLANTED The Second Book of Comments upon the CREED AS in the first Intention so after some Prosecution of this long work my purpose was to refer the full Examination of the Romish Churches pretended Authoritie in matters Spiritual unto the Article of the Catholick Church Which with those three others of the Holy Ghost Communion of Saints and forgivenesse of Sins for more exact Methods sake and continuation of matters in nature and sacred writ most united I have reserved for the last place in this Frame of Christian Belief annexing the Articles of the Bodies resurrection and Everlasting life unto that of Final Judgement whereon these Two have most Immediate and most direct Dependance 2 But after the Platform was cast and matter for Structure prepared upon evident discovery of the Jesuites Treachery in setting up the Pope as a secret Competitor with the Blessed Trinity for Absolute Soveraignty over mens Souls and for this purpose continually plotting to have the Doctrine of their Churches Infallibilitie planted as low and deep as the very first and Fundamental Principles of Belief albeit in laying the former Foundations I had come to ground firm enough if free from undermining to bear all I meant to build upon it I was notwithstanding in this place constrained to Bare the whole Foundation and all about it unto the very Rock on whose strength it stands lest this late dismal Invention concerning the Popes
labours every Academick may in part perceive but more fully if he would vouchsafe to lift more of their arguments then in these short transeursive disputes I could Nor would I disswade any Artist well grounded in Arislotle from perusing the most learned works any romanist hath written in this argument In most other controversies betwixt us and them it is dangerous I must confesse even for well grounded Artists to begin with their writings not so in this For I protest in the sight of God and his holy Angels that as farre as I can remember the inclinations of my youth or by them prognost eate how afterward I might have been affected I never was I never should have been so throughly possessed with such great dislike of Romish Antichristianisme in this point by hearing the most famous Preachers in this Land or reading all the Learned Writers in Reforme Churches as I was by examining the labours of Bellarmin Valentian and others of best note amongst them seriously addressed to this purpose comparing them onely with the known Principles of Christianity and such passages of sacred Writ as every Christian Artist should be acquainted with For the principles whereon I proceed I have been onely beholden to the Canon of Scriptures for deducing of such blasphemous consequences from them as I charge the adversary with onely to that small measure of knowledge in Aristotelian Philosophy where-with my God hath blessed me whiles I was bound by local statutes to the study of Arts purposely abstaining from other writings which with their informations of my understanding might have bred prejudice in my affection Since that time although the years of my Ministry hardly exceed the space of ordinary apprentiships yet have I often wished the discussion of these points had been then imposed upon me by some experienced Divine that would onely have given me right hold of their assertions Upon this consideration I would beseech the flourishing Artists of these famous Academies whom God hath furnished with all store of munition necessary for this service not to neglect opportunities present Let them defer if so they please the fruits of their labours in other points though this be the fault of our English until the Autumn of their age But the mark I now propose unto them being the evident resolution of Jesuitical Positions into those gross and palpable blasphemies whereto they tend which they onely seek to hide by Sophismes and artificial tricks of wit Academical wits might displume them of these figtree-leaves manifest their nakedness to the world much better in the spring whiles their skill in arts were fresh and flourishing whiles the strength and vigour of their invention would more easily bend this way then in the Autumn when their leaves begin to fade and their sap retire to the root as their pleasant grapes grow ripe Many towardly plants in this nurcery now able to match the stoutest Jesuit living at his own weapon whilest in his mature age multo jam fractus membra labore more fit to be a leader then a Combatant in these encounters he shal look back on his former labours or calls to mind his wonted dexterity in school disputes may take up old Nestors complaint Tunc ego debueram capienda ad Pergama mitti Tunc poteram magni si non superare morari Hectoris arma meis sed in illo tempore nullus Aut puer Hector erat nunc me mea deficit aetas The school Jesuit in these studies is like the Ivy alwaies green because not set to bring forth fruit unto salvation but rather to choak and strangle the plants of life And for such instruments of the Romish Church as this land usually yields this wrangling faculty is all the skill they care for or for the most part make profession of Yet such is the brittleness of the matter they are to work upon in this controversie that were all the Priests and Jesuits harbored within the confines of great Brittain at this present day but enjoyned to write all they could to any purpose in defence of their Mother some few Artists of those Universities which out of their pride they seem to vilifie amongst the ignorant would I dare not say make them blush for sooner might they make a Black-moors face of the same colour with his teeth but as many of their favourers of this Kingdom as have not sworn allegiance to the Church of Rome and are able to examine an argument to be ashamed on their behalf even to acknowledge that for ought these Mountebanks could say or write in their defence the Positions maintained by their Masters forraign Jesuits were indeed idolatrous and blasphemous howbeit the Church it self we must believe could never be vanquished because no man can tell where or in what shape to find it Nor need young Artists fear the countenance of antiquity in this point from which their enemies supplies are so slender that would they come to open tryal and bring onely such of the Fathers for the seconds as lived within five hundred years of Christ or before the mixture of Romish Religion with Heathenism not fully effected till a little after that time the paucity of those whose aid they durst solicit in respect of that great army which is as resolute as we against them would make them instantly either yield themselves or forsake the field Nor have they been hitherto able to address any answer but to their shame to the Worthies of the English Church whose labours have made the conquest in this quarrel easie to any of their successors that will adventure to follow their steps Nothing remains but what best becomes the exercise of young wits to exceed the sophistical disputes of Jesuites against the truth in copiousnes of irrefragable demonstrations That the allegeance they seek to establish unto the Romish Church is solemn Apostasie from Christ that the belief of it is the very Abstract of Sorcery the utmost degree of Antichristianism that can be expected These and like points being fortified by strength of argument in the time of your Regency or farewel to the study of Arts might be polished at your better leisure afterwards to be revised and published at the appointment of authority Or if the zeal of Gods glory thus mightily eelipsed by this foul idol of the Romish Church do not as yet so fully move you yet that indignation which first wrought a desire in me of giving this onset should work me thinks in every heart that bears any sparkle of love unto his native countrey For what indignity is it to think that whilest our gracious Soveraign is a most zealous Professor and Defendor of the truth we teach so many of his natural subjects our countrimen brethren should be won unto the Romish faction especially by importunate inculcating two Heresies of all maintaind by that Church in themselves most sottishly improbable and yet apparently most damnably idolatrous in their consequences if erroneous I mean This concerning
much as is intimated in the words following was their inordinate desire of having an earthly King that might rule the nation with an iron rod. ‖ When Jesus therefore perceived by their forwardnesse to professe the former truth that they would come and take him to make him a King he departed again into a mountain himself alone for the same cause no doubt which the Evanâ—elist speciâ—… the former place But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew them all and had no need that any should testifie of man He knew such as upon these glimpses of his glory were presently so stifly set to believe in him upon hopes of being fed with dainties or mighty protection against the Heathen would be as violently â—eâ—t against him even to crucifie him for a seducer â—tter they had discovered his constant endeavours to bring them both by life and doctrine unto conformity with his cross mortification humility contempt of the world patience in affliction with other like qualities despiseable in the worlds eyes yet main principles in his school and elementary grounds of salvation so his country-men of Nazareth sodainly admiring the gratâ—ous words which proceeded out of his mouth after he begun to upbraid them with unthankfulness as speedily attempt to throw him headlong from the top of the hill whereon their City was built By this it may appear that of the â—ewish people in ancient times some did sin in being backward others in an immature forwardnesse to believe prophetical doctrines But the fountains or first heads whence these swift motions of life were depraved in the one was inordinate assection or intrinsick habitual corruption the root whence such deadnesse was derived into the actions of the other was hardnesse of heart precedent neglect of Gods word and ignorance of his wayes thence ensuing Which presupposed the parties so affected did not amisâ—e in not believing the true Prophets without examination but in not abandoning such dispositions as disenabled them for believing all parts of truth proposed with constancy and vniformity making them fit instruments to be wrought upon by seducers Hence saith our Saviour I come in my fathers name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own name him will ye receive How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honâ—â—r that cometh of God alone Nor Prophetical nor Aposâ—olical nor Messiacal much lesse could Papal authority make them believe the doctrine of life intirely and sincerely whilest their hearts were hardned whose hardnesse though might easily have been mollisied by laying Moses law unto them while they were young and tender 4 It is a rule as profitable for our own information in many points as for â—â—â—utâ—tion of the adversary that The commendation of necessary meâ—ns is alwayes included in the commendation of the end which how good or excellent soever it be our desires of it are preposterous all earnest endeavours to attain it turbulent unlesse first addressed with proportionable alacrity to follow the means that must produce it Sober spirits alwayes bound their hopes of accomplishing the one by perfect survey of their interest in the other as minds truly liberal determine future expences by exact calculation of their present revenews Even in businesses of greatest importance though requiring speediest expedition a wise man will moderate his pace according to the quality of the ground whereon he goes otherwise the more haste may cause worse speed The Jews were as we are bound to believe truths proposed without delay but both for this reason most strictly bound to a continual uniformity of practising divine precepts already known without dispensing with this or that particular though offensive to our present disposition without indulgence to this or that special time without all priviledge sought from the pleasure or displeasure of men Both bound so to frame our lives and conversations as to be instantly able to discern the truth proposed not by relying upon their authority that propose it but for it self or from a full and lively though a quick and speedy apprehension of immediate homogeneal consonancy between the external and the internal word For if any part of Gods word truly dwel in us though secret it may be and silent of it self yet wil it Eccho in our hearts whilst the like reverberates in our ears from the live-voice of the Ministery Thus had the Jews hearts been truly set to Moses law had their souls delighted in the practise of it as in their food they had resounded to the Prophets call as a string though untouched and unable to begin motion of it self wil yet raise it self to an unison voice or as the fowls of heaven answer with like language to others of their own kind that have better occasion to begin the cry In this sense are Christs sheep said to hear his voice and follow him not every one that can counterfeit his or his Prophets Call 5 The issue of all that hath been said is that none within the prâ—cincts of these times whereof we now treat from the Law given unto the Gospel were bound to believe Gods messengers without examination of their doctrine by the precedent written word Only this difference there was such as had rightly framed their hearts to it did make this trial of Prophetical doctrines as it were by a present taste which others could not without interposition of time to work an alteration in their distempered affections For this reason do the Prophets alwayes annex Mosaical precepts of repentance to their predictions of future events as knowing that if their hearts to whom they spake were turned to God their sight should forthwith be restored clearly to discern the truth For further manifestation of the same conclusion it appears sufficiently from sundry discourses in the former book that Israels incredulity unto their Prophets was finally to be resolved into their neglect their imperfect or partial observance of Moses precepts Wherefore not the live-voice of them whose words in themselves were most infallible and are by the approbation of time with other conspicuous documents of Gods peculiar providence preserving them in divine estimation so long become an undoubted rule of life unto us but the written word before confirmed by signs and wonders sealed by the events of times present and precedent was the infallible rule whereby the prophetical admonitions of every age were to be tried and examined 6 The words of the best while they spake them were not of like authority as now written they are unto us nor were they admitted into the Caâ—on but upon just proof of their divine authority That one speech which Fsay uttered was an Axiom so well known as might bring all the rest to be examined before admission To the Law and to the Tescimony if they speaâ— not according to this word it is because there is no light in them For Gods Wil already known and
it did alwayes necessarily concur with miracles for distinguishing true professors from seducers When the controversie was betwixt Moses Pharaohs Enchanters the Lord confutes his adversaries by an ocular demonstration of his power yet further ratified by their confession whose words were the best Oracles which that people knew These fair warnings concurring with the Egyptians consciousnesse of their mercilesse practises against poor Israel stil thriving in despight of policy could not but witnesse even to the most unnatural men amongst them that the God of Jacob and his seed was a Father to the fatherless an Help to the helpless a God of mercy and a God of strength willing and able to right such as suffered wrong to succour all in distresse that with faith and patience commended their cause unto his patronage The most devoutly superstitious or idolatrous might at the least more then probably have gathered that the God of Moses was greater than any they or their cunning Magicians worshipped But it is a curiosity incident to superstitious hypocrites at their first entrance into Gods school scrupulously to demand full satisfaction in all doubts or difficulties than can be suggested and as if they sought to obtain mercy by way of bargain not by faith or favour to have their assurance precisely drawn and fully sealed before they surrender up the least part of their interest in any pleasure commodity or custome long enjoyed though never so destitute of reason As in this case imagin some Romish Schoolman or Jesuite had been in such favour in Pharaohs Court as that crew is now in too many Princes what other collections could we imagin he would have made but these How do these wonders prove the God of Israel to be so great a God as Moses boasts of He hath more skil we see in these particulars then the Gods adored by us Egyptians therefore in all or more in these then the Gods of any other nation Thesewere stranger works indeed then we expected such poor silly fellows could have wrought but may not others by the same reason work more strange hereafter And to speak the truth more that victory Moses had over the Egyptians could not prove unto the natural man so long as he considered the wonders only in themselves without any concurrence of other circumstances or truth presupposed then that this God of Israel was greater then any other he yet knew of not greater then any that might manifest himself hereafter Notwithstanding these few Documents or Essaies of his power compared with the End and occasions for which they were exhibited were so fully conformable to those natural notions even the heathen had of the Deity that no man free from passion or prejudice of their main estate for whose good the cunningest were thus foiled at their own weapon and the mightiest among the Egyptians plagued but might have seen The Finger of a good a just and merciful God in all their troubles had he in sobriety of spirit seriously consulted his own heart And who so sincerely had glorified his name according to this measure of knowledge or apprehension of his justice to him no doubt more had been given daily of this bread of life 4 The Jews I am perswaded could have given as instances of Devils cast out by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils as might have defeated any Induction gathered from the manifold practise of such works considered alone to prove the divine powers assistance Most apparently most malicious not withstanding was their application of such instances to our Saviour whose usual manner of dispossessing wicked spirits of those mansions wherein they have revelled most did abundantly witnesse he wrought by the Finger of God who only was greater then that strong man whom he vanquished bound and spoiled of his goods servants and possessions For though Devils sometimes suffer themselves to be commanded by men neither of greatest wisdom best place nor fashion yet this they do as any wel instructed in Gods law or illuminated with the notions of good and evil wil easily discern alwayes with purpose to bring men unto a perpetual acknowledgment of some divine power in them or to performance of some Magical service unto them no otherwise then cheating mates or cunning gamesters can be wel content to suffer bunglers beat them the first or second Set in hope to entise them to hold play longer or for greater wagers On the contrary the only Fee our Saviour demanded for all his admirable cures in this kind was the parties should give such glorie unto God alone as that infernal crew most detested but which the law of Moses so highly esteemed by his calumniators did purposely require in defiance of Beelzebub and all the powers of darknesse The end of every particular dispossession was such and the multitude of legal consessions sincerely uttered by poor souls set free so many as his bitterest adversaries own consciences could not but witnesse against themselves that all the chief Titles of Satans wanted triumphs over Gods people were utterly overthrown that he could not urge them either unto such blasphemies against God or outrages against themselves or their neighbours as he most delighted in Besides few or no instances could I think be brought of Devils cast out in any Magicians name in Christs they were and as it seems by such as had better acquaintance or more alliance with his accusers then with himself Thus much our Saviour in my conjecture intimates in that speech By whom then do your children cast them out therefore they shall be your judges Which words I neither would refer to Christs Disciples as some good Interpreters do nor as others unto such Exorcists as those mentioned Acts 19. 15. which attempting to throw out this strong man were overthrown in their own play but unto such as John complained of Master we saw one casting out Devils in thy name which followed not us and we forbad him This man though no Disciple was neither so ill disposed in himself nor so malitiously affected to our Saviour as these Jews were as appears by our Saviours answer unto John Forbid him not for there is no man that can do a miracle in my Name that lightly speaks evil of me for whosoever is not against us is on our part In the same words he concludes his disputation against the Jews in the fore-cited place 5 Such as this man was none of Christs followers but rather a friend as seems of his accusers yet using Christs not Beelzebubs name to cast out Devils were competent witnesses of his heavenly vertue and his adversaries malitious partiality Many other circumstances wel known then not now especially the long want of miracles more then prophesies before his coming did manifest their malice to be more impudent and shamelesse then we in such distance of time can discern That Finger of God from such Signs of the Time as we in general may suppose far more apparent in his victories
Fathers who had learned Christian Obedience alwayes ready to give honour where honour was due would most willingly have acknowledged so absolute a Soveraigntie and could have been glad to have used the Benefits of it to have spared themselves a great deal of trouble and pains if it could have been proved then to have been such an excellent Mean for allaying all Contentions amongst the Learned The Pope was much to blame to let Athanasuis suffer such pains exile and abuse by the Arian faction in the defence of the Truth if his Infallibilitie could have composed the Quarrel Austin hath been famous throughout all Generations since for his learned Labours against the Pelagian Heresie Cyril for his accurate Confutation of Nestorius and yet the Scripture was the best Weapon they knew Neither of them did ever appeal to the Popes Infallibilitie not the Popes themselves which then lived would have used any other Rule but Scripture for their own defence 3 Your usuall Argumentis that unlesse God had left such an infallible Authority as might take up all Controversies he had not sufficiently provided for his Church Then by your consent he left such an Authority as was sufficient to perform this good service to it To whom then did he commit it To the Sea of Rome say you How chanceth it your fore-elders did not put it in practise and make the Power of it better known This Blame you cannot lay 〈◊〉 the Almighty for he for his part by your confession provided abundantly for the Peace and Quiet of his Church And yet it seems the Church was ill provided for when Schisms and Heresies sprung so fast This therefore was your Churches fault that bore this Spiritual Sword in vain and world not use it when the Christian world stood most in need of it for the 〈◊〉 Decision of Controversies So then although we should grant you that your Church had sometimes the Birth-right amongst all the Israel of God yâ—â— might we justly say of it as old Israel said of Reuben his eldest son Thy â—â—nity is gone and we were to seek this Supream Authority if God had given any such Supremacy to any in some other Tribe which were likely to use it better 4 If you reply your Churches Authority in composing Controversies amongst the learned hath been better known since that flourishing Agâ—â— learned and religious Fathers and since it hath been so well known and acknowledged Heresies have been more thin sown then before few or 〈◊〉 till Luther arose daring to confront the Church or Popes Authority with Scripture You give us hereby just cause to suspect that Heresie had get the upper hand of Truth for the Multitude of followers that there had been a general Combination in Falshood till Luther brake it For if sundry 〈◊〉 the Ancient Hereticks with whose Doctrine the Primitive Church was pesterâ—… could under pretence of Scripture have got into Supream Authority or 〈◊〉 established their Propositions framed as they thought out of Gods Word with strength of Temporal Sword as Mahomet did his It were great Simplicity to think that they could not have been content to have let the Scriptures sleep or have threatned all with Death and Destruction that should have urged them to the prejudice of their Opinions especially of such Opinions as did concern their Dignity For all Falshood and Spiritual Blindnesse hates this Light and could either wish it put out or them utterly extinct that Object it to them As he that hath wound himself into anothers Inheritance by some quirk in Law or Captious clause not well understood would not be much offended to have all Evidences of primary Copies either burnt or buried even That by which he got it if It upon better Consideration or more indifferent hearing were likely to overthrow his Title 5 And if we may guesse at the course of Satans Policy in watching his Opportunities to effect his purpose by the customary fashion of secular Politicians his Schollars in like Cases most probable it is that after these Broâ—'s of Dissention about the Gospel of Peace so frequent in the Primitive Church the great Calamities and bodily Affliction which followed thereon most men grew weary of their Spiritual Warfare and became slothful in the search of Scriptures the only Armory for all munition in this kind of war Every man afterwards in the fresh memory of the Church their Mothers bleeding Wounds and the Desolation which had ensued these furious Broâ—'s became more tractable to entertain conditions of Peace and Satan himself who had sown the seeds of all the former Dissention after he saw all or most weary of war was content to turn Peace-maker for his own advantage These were as the first Preparations for laying the Foundations of the myâ—â—cal â—abel in whose erection the Marner Method and Circumstances of the formers dissolution are all inverted The Building of the first was hindered by the Confusion of Tongues or the Division of one Language into many whence insued the scattering of the People throughout the earth the second was finished by the Concourse of divers People and the Composition or Confusion of different Languages For as Goropius acutely observes the present temper of modern Italian Spanish French we may adde of our English Dialects was from the mixture of the Roman and Barbarous Tongues whilest the natural inhabitants of these Countries before accustomed to the Roman Language and the Barbarians which at that time over-ran them were inforced to imitate each other in their words and manner of speech that they might be the better understood in matters of necessary Commerce or ordinary Contracts And this is the true reason why our Ancient English Latinisms are not as the Latin Graecisms which were derived by Art and Imitation from clear Helicon extracted from the purest Roman but from Latin of the base and vulgar stamp This Confusion of the Latin and other barbarous Tongues was but a Type or picture of confounding the Ancient true Roman Religion with barbarous Heresies Heathenish Rites and several kinds of Paganisms whilest the Romans who had already begun to distaste the Truth sought by lying Legends and false Wonders to please the grosse Palate of the Goths Vandals Hunnes Alans Franks and Saxons and they again here-with delighted were content to imitate the other in sundry sacred and religious Rites so as neither kept their Ancient Religion but all imbraced this mixture or new confused Masse And to speak properly that Unity whereof the Adversary so much boasts since that flourishing Age of Fathers wherein Contentions were so rife and the Roman Church no better esteemed then some of her sisters was not a Positive Consent in the sincere Truth wrought by the Spirit of God as a perfect Homogeneal mixture by true and lively heat but rather a bare Negation of actual Dissention caused by a dull Confusion of the dregs of Errour coagulate and congealed together by Ignorance
Carelesnesse Sloth Negligence and want of zeal to the Truth 6 And after this Composal was once so wrought that men had felt some intermission of publick Dissention which they feared most such as were industrious in the search or would have been expert in the Knowledge of Scriptures were esteemed of but as Souldiers in the time of Peace and ease alwayes suspected lest they should raise new Broils And for this reason debarred of free accesse unto this Armory But how soever the Practise of examining the Churches Authority by Scripture was for many generations rare till Luther arose yet during all this time that of our Apostle Acts 14. 17. was in this Case most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD did not leave himself without a Witnesse In all these ages he had his Martyrs who in the fervency of their Zeal earnestly sought the dissolution of the coagulated Masse and extraction of Celestial Quintessences therein buried offering their Bodies as fuel to the flames of persecutions that were to effect it 7 Nor can you in reason demand we should give particular Instances of such Martyrs in every Age. For no man of sense but will easily conceive that your Church would seek by all means possible to obliterate their Fame and Memory upon whose Bodies she had exercised such extream Tyranny left their Example might encourage Posterity to like Resolutions Unlesse DRIFDO had unawares I think acquainted me with the Provost of STENELDA'S Epistle to S. BERNARD I had not known either your Cruelty against the Albigence's or Picards as I suppose or their Constancy in suffering Tortures in themselves most grievous yet attended with Usages as disgraceful both for the manner or form of Proceeding as injuriously inflicted as the ground or matter of Accusations brought against them were unjust and impious The Provosts Epistle was to this effect 8 I would gladly be resolved Holy Father might I enjoy your presence whence it is that in Hereticks the Devils members there should be so great Resolution for defence of their Heresies as the like can scarce be found in very religious and faithful Christians There are saith he amongst us Hereticks which put no confidence in the Suffrages of men deceased or Prayers of Saint Fastings and other afflictions of the Body usually undertaken for Sin are not in their Opinion necessary to the righteous Purgatory after death they acknowledge none Denying the making of our Lords Body in the Sacrament of the Altar the Church they affirm to be amongst them having neither fields nor possessions Of such we have known divers by the multitude misled with too much zeal violently haled agaiâ—… our will unto the flame whose Torments they not only indured with patience but entertained with joy I would therefore be resolved by you Holy Father whence so great Resolution in the Devils members should spring 9 No question but this Provost which esteemed no better of them then as of Hereticks or Satans members did relate the worst Opinions then known to be held by them and yet He as I would have the Reader note living in their time laies no such odious Tenents to their charge as those that lived long after or were imployed by the Romish State to write against Wickliff Husse or Jerome of Prage have charged them and their followers with Driedo tels us he finds no direct Answer by way of Epistle or writing unto this venerable mans demand in particular But out of S. Bernards Doctrine else-where delivered concerning like Hereticks he finds this Resolution The Constancy of Martyrs hath no affinity with the Stubbornnesse of Hereticks Pietie breeds contempt of Death in the one Hardnesse of heart in the other Such good minded men as S. Bernard I think had least to do in the Examination of such men most obnoxious to mis-information in the particulars of their carriage with which the Civil Magistrates of France though Romish Catholicks better acquainted have given them laudable Testimonies for their honest and religious Lives and whether these mentioned by that Provost were such as S. Bernard spake against in the place late cited is more then Driedo knew Howsoever in matters of this nature it is most true Bernardus non vidit omnia being as easie in his life time to be abused by crafty Politicians as his Authority is now by modern Jesuites He that will believe these men were such Hereticks as Driedo would make them only because Driedo sayes so may easily be perswaded that their Resolution did not spring so much from true and lively Faith as from Humorous Obstinacy or stubborn Pride But while we consider all Circumstances well though many we take from your Relation who in this Case relate nothing so well and truly as you should we have just cause to think they were not Hereticks but men rightly Religious fearing God more then men and more observant of his Laws then of humane Traditions For at this time as the Glory the temporal Power and Authority of your Church was exceeding Great so were the Hopes of these poor souls lesse either of purchasing Glory by contradicting or private Gains by disobeying your Decrees To attempt the one was the readiest way to procure their utter Disgrace the other an infallible provocation of greatest Danger Your Church had the whole Multitude of Nations as ready at her beck to applaud your cruel designs against them as the High-Priests and Elders had the Jewish People to approve our Saviours Condemnation The manner of their Tortures accompanied with such certainty of Ignominy and Disgrace were dreadful to the setled and deliberate cogitations of Flesh and Bloud their Memory for ought they could in human probability foresee was either to sleep with their Bodies and lie buried in their ashes or if surviving them to be perpetually scourged by the scurrilous pens and tongues of their bitter Adversaries No hope they had of being Canonized for Saints in the vehement desire whereof some in your Church have solicited the procurement of their own violent death by others hands 10 All these and many other like circumstances whiles we consider ye may brag of the Multitude and Universality as a Note of the true Church and we will easily grant you to have been at that time far more in number then these silly Sheep whose admirable Constancy neverthelesse in the heat of such extream Tyrannie and alwayes matcht with such harmlesse Simplicity doth make us think that albeit you were the greater yet these were that little Flock unto whose hearts our Saviour by his holy Spirit of comfort had said Fear not for it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom lands and possessions as your Adversaries truly object here on earth ye have had none But the Losse is little or rather your Gain exceeding great For these because these you have forsaken for the Gospels sake and mine you shall receive lands and possessions an hundred fold with life everlasting in the world to come