restraint that none after their times should be enrolled in the Catalogue of Saints or worshipped though in some particular Country or Province onely without the approbation of their successors So approved it was a point of sacriledge to deny them solemn worship or doubt of their admission into the Church triumphant To invest the soules of men deceased with robes of glory is by this reckoning but an exercise of the same authoritie which giues Bishops their palls we will suppose so But did Basil Ambrose Hierom Austin Gregorie the Great or others adored for Saints by the Catholicke Church Romane attaine to this dignitie by any Popes donation Were they as solemnly canonized as S. Bernard S. Thomas Becket S. Francis S. Dominick S. Thomas of Aquine or some others that died since Innocent the second If they were not either the Popes approbation is nothing worth or S. Francis and S. Dominicke are so much better Saints than Hierom Ambrose or Austin as it is worth Or were these men of such extraordinary worth that they needed no Papall testimony Rather to affirme this were to deny the Popes Supremacy a point of greater danger in Rome than to say in England any could be made Dukes or Earles without the Kings Maiesties consent or approbation How then came these reverend Fathers by such honour as hath bin done vnto them for many hundreth yeares by the vniversall Church More by custome than by expresse law or solemne warrant Bellarmine out of Aquinas prima secundae quaest 97. Articulo 3. giues vs to vnderstand that as customes in other cases haue the force of lawes from the tacite consent of the Prince without which they haue no force at all but rather antiquitie of errour and continuance of corruption so the worship of Saints though brought in by the generall custome of particular Churches hath iust force and authoritie either from the expresse or racite approbation of the Pope He is the sole spirituall Monarch I haue often read it though I never beleeved it that the visible head of the Church speaking ex cathedrâ cannot erre in matters of faith but I never suspected it had beene any where written what now I read in Bellarmine that the bodie of the Church cannot erre in matters of fact made publicke onely by example and custome whose originall is more hard to be found out than the head of Nilus if it shall please the Pope to be silent or not to pronounce against them ex cathedrâ But we must cease to be men before we can beleeue his Holinesse to be such an omnipotent God as can make all them Saints whom the people throughout most Churches haue made choice of for their Patrons Such abuses as bad custome had brought into some places about the time of Alexander the third might for ought we know haue overspread many Churches in times before 2. But if the Popes approbation be sufficient to warrant the publicke adoration of Saints Alexander the third was two wayes too blame First in seeking to reforme the abuses or bad customes of most particular Churches seeing these by his connivence would haue beene no abuses or by his approbation lawfull services Secondly in so applying his medicine as there was no likelihood but it should rather exasperate than asswage the present disease or prevent future contagion For how far did he restraine the people from wonted superstition Did he prohibite all men to present their devotions vpon their knees or to vow pilgrimages to any that were not canonized by him or his Successors No in that the words of the Decree expresly forbid all publike worship of Saints not canonized the Interpretors gather it was his purpose to allow them private worship They may yet haue houshold Saints of their owne choosing to whom they may tender all the points of religious obsequies hitherto mentioned not in secret onely but as many looking on as lift so it be not in the open Church or in solemne service For publicke worship such as in that Decree is onely forbidden is not opposed to secret or private worship where none besides God and good friends be present The prohibition of it vnlesse the penaltie be great and the enquirie strict licenceth any worship that is not tendred in the name as the institution of the whole Church Now as Printers sometimes gaine more by forbidden bookes then by such as are authorized for publicke sale so hath the divell found opportunitie to enlarge his service by this vnseasonable restraint of it The vniversall prohibition to worship any for Saints in publicke Liturgies that were not canonized hath by a kinde of Antiperistasis intended the peoples superstitious bent to worship more private Saints than otherwise would haue beene thought on with greater devotion in their chambers or private chappells than if their open service had beene authorized in Churches A man may take a deadly surfeit as well at home as at a publicke feast and spirituall surfeiting or drunkennesse being the disease which Pope Alexander sought to cure his prescript was no better than if a Physician should strictly charge an intemperate glutton or drunkard to be abstemious at great feasts abroad leaving him to his bellies discretion at his owne Table or amongst his companions in private meetings 3. This our judgement by these Analogies vpon Pope Alexanders successe-lesse medicine wants not approved experiments For the intollerable abuse of submissiue servitude to a numberlesse rout of base obscure private Saints was never greater never more rise than in the ages betweene the reformation pretended by Pope Alexander and Luther And it seemes the Trent Councell was partly of this minde in that to Bishops within their Diocesses it leaues more authoritie in judging of miracles in admission of new reliques in setting vp new fashioned images than the former decree by Bellarmines interpretation did Yet if any doubtfull case or questionable abuse of greater moment should any where happen the consent and advise of the Metropolitan and other neighbour Bishops must be demanded in a provinciall Synode before the Bishop of the Diocesse take vpon him precisely to determine one way or other alwayes provided that no novelties or rites before vnusuall in the Church be established before they know his Holines pleasure CHAPTER XL. That the medicine on which the present Romish Church doth now relie is worse than the disease it selfe That they make the Pope a greater God than the Heathen did any other God besides Iupiter 1. FRom this positiue decree we may infer that not all their private doctors onely as Valentian and Bellarmine in the name of the rest avouch but their whole Church representatiue the Councell and Pope joyntly agree in this conclusion Whatsoever religious rite or forme of worship is once approued by the Pope thus consulted may not be suspected of superstitiō c. And when the Councell professeth their desire that all superstition may be abandoned in the inuocation of Saints the adoration
stupiditie tremble at their sencelesse petulancy in this argument As the learned Papist hath no parallell the Iew excepted in this kinde so in the maine points of their Religion as in the doctrines concerning the authoritie of the Church and the sacrifice of the Masse they doe not goe so much beyond others as besides themselues The waight or consequence of the matters conteined in the mentioned controversies breeds an extreme desire to haue their profitable tenents countenanced by sacred authoritie and extremitie of desire an vnsatiable thirst or greedinesse of lucking wringing those Texts of Scripture which in colour of words or literall shew doe seeme at first sight to make somewhat for them but in truth and substance manifest the poyson of their doctrine and argue their eager appetite in maintaining it to be a spice or symptome of spirituall madnesse To proue the sacrifice of the Masse some not content to vrge that of the Prophet And they shall offer a pure oblation to me in all places or Melchisedeckes offering consecrated bread and wine which being once granted would everlastingly over-throw it would perswade vs the latine Missa was coyned in the Hebrew mint from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masas which in the first signification imports as much as to blow whence the Verball 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Missah in a secondary sence signifieth tribute or Pole-money The implication is the very name of the Masse imports that this oblation or sacrifice is Gods tribute to be paid vnto him as duely as Peter-pence is to the Pope Their owne acknowledgement of this doting fancy in some of their writers leaues a suspition whether it were a true relation rather then a meere iest put vpon that ignorant Priest who being put to finde the word Masse in the Scriptures after a long and wearisome search when he was ready to giue over or fall asleepe lighting vpon those words in the first of Iohn Invenimus Messiam cryed out Wee haue found the Masse we haue found the Masse to the confusion of the Heretiques 2. I know not whether the Prophets interpretations of dreames and visions were of greater force to perswade the Heathen that the spirit of the immortall Gods did dwell in them than such dreaming interpretations as latter Iewes doe make of Prophecies or other divine Oracles are or might be of for confirming Christians beliefe that the Lord hath sent a spirit of slumber vpon them so like they are in their comments or meditations vpon Scriptures concerning Christ vnto such as dreame The same phantasmes which by floting in our braines breed dreames by night present themselues to our waking thoughts by day but want opportunitie to deceiue so long as our eyes and eares are open to receiue forraigne information But whiles the externall senses which serue as witnesses and that principall internall sense which sittes as chiefe Magistrate in the inferior part of the soule are surprized by sleepe the vainest fancies the braine can represent passe for currant without examination or checke The phantasie or common sense is as credulous of their suggestions or obtrusions as illiterate ignorant or vnexperienced people are of counterfeit commissions or pretended warrants As at this instant though I think of my good friends in London yet the sight of Oxford and other vndoubted pledges of my presence in this place wherein I am will not suffer my soule to be miscarried with false imaginations of being elswhere whereas whiles the gates of these outward senses are shut and the passages from the principall sense internall or examinatiue facultie stopped the modell of that famous Cittie rouling in my fantasie would forthwith breede an imagination that I were in it in their presence whose image or representation onely is present with me Vpon appearances altogether as light and frivolous are the Iewes transported from Christ now fully manifested and presented to them to imbrace such shadowes or prefigurations of him as had fallen out in the dayes of their Patriarkes or ancient Kings No man that reades their writings but will perceiue many phantasmes or modelles of Evangelicall truth swimming in their heads but the vaile being laid before their hearts disenables their iudgements for distinguishing figures from substances or apparitions from realities 3. The reliques of orthodoxall truths which vnto this day worke in this heartlesse peoples braines would be sufficient to forme Christ crucified in the hearts of Heathens not given vp to a reprobate sense For example that practicall pre-notion Gebher hath sinned Gebher must be punished wheron they ground their ceremonies in the feast of atonement being construed according to its literall and naturall sense is in effect the same with that divine Oracle As by man came death so by man came the resurrection of the dead or with that fundamentall Article of our beliefe that man was to satisfie for the sinnes of men But the passages of these latter Iewes internall senses being lockt vp in a deeper slumber in the day of their solemne feasts then our externall senses are in the dead of the night the cleare representatiō of the former Christian truth makes no impression in their heart but vanisheth into a heathenish dreame Like so many men that vse to walke and raue in their sleepe they vnwittingly act our Saviours sufferings after the manner of an Interlude putting Gebher which in their Rabbinicall language signifieth a Cock for meere affinitie of name for Gebher in Hebrew signifieth a man vnto all the tortures they can devise adding withall that every Gebher every man amongst them deserues to be so dealt withall as they deale with this poore creature Nor is any creature of this kind so fit for this purpose in their fantasie as a white one Their severall phantasmes or pre-notions concerning this mystery rightly put together and examined by vigilant thoughts signifie thus much that the matter of the sacrifice by which the atonement for mans sin was to be wrought was to be a Gebher a man without blemish or spot of sinne 4. If any prophecie include the least historicall reference or allusion to Abraham to Moses David or Solomon as the first draught almost of every Prophecie is some former History this is a motiue sufficient to these blinde guides to interpret the place as wholly meant of these types alone Christ who is the body therein presented God blessed forever which vpholdeth all things by the power of his word the very Center though they perceiue it not whereon their soules doe rest hath no more place in our thoughts than the bed wherein we lye hath in our night imaginations of walking or talking with our friends either deceased or farre absent Every metaphor or resemblance borrowed from things visible as mouldes for fashioning our conceits of matters spirituall or invisible to be accomplished in the life to come make these miserable wretches quite forget the estate as well wherein they are as whence they are fallen and cast them into pleasant dreames of
poynts SECTION I. Of the ingraffed Notion of a Deitie and the originalls of Atheisme ATheisme and irreligion are diseases so much more dangerous than infidelitie or Idolatrie as infidelitie is than heresie Every hereticke is in part an Infidell but every infidell is not in whole or part an hereticke Every Atheist is an infidell so is not every infidell an Atheist The name of Hereticke is common to all and proper onely to such as either deny or mis-beleeue any one Article in the Apostles Creed Infidels all are to be accounted which either deny or beleeue not the Articles concerning Christ Such are the Iewes Turkes Mahumetans in generall c. whom no man calls Atheists An Atheist he is Qui titubat in Limine which either denies or beleeues not the very first Article in the Creed God or the divine providence Now seeing beliefe as it is terminated to the first words of the Creed is as the Diameâ—rall line or Axis which severs Atheisme or irreligion from Religion whether true or false and doth as it were constitute two distinct Hemispheres of men it will be necessary in the first place to examine the originall meaning of the first words in the Creede I beleeue in God CHAPTER I. To beleeue in God is originally no more than to beleeue there is a God who is in all things to be beleeved Of this beliefe trust or confidence in God is the necessary consequent in Collapsed men Despaire the necessary consequent of the same or like beliefe in Collapsed Angels 1. TO beleeue in God hath gone currant so long for as much as to put trust or confidence in Him that now to call it in or make it goe for lesse will perhaps bee thought an vsurpation of authoritie more then criticall and much greater then befits vs. Notwithstanding if on Gods behalfe wee may plead what Lawyers doe in Cases of the Crowne Nullum tempus occurrit regi that the Auncient of daies vnto whose soveraigntie all truth is from eternitie essentially annexed may not be preiudiced by antiquitie of Custome or prescription especially whose originall is erroneous the case is cleare That to beleeue in God is in their intention which first composed this Creed no more then to beleeue there is a God or to giue credence to his Word For iustifying this assertion I must appeale from the English Dialect in which the manner of speech is proper and naturall were it consonant to the meaning of the originall as also from the Latine in which the phrase being forreine and vncouth must be valued by the Greeke whose stamp and Character it evidently beares Now the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the Hebrew phrase wherevnto by sacred Writers it was framed is no more then hath beene said To beleeue there is a God otherwise we must beleeue not only in God the Father in Christ the Sonne and in the holy Ghost but in the Catholike Church in the Communion of Saints in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and in the resurrection of the bodie and in life everlasting seeing the Greeke particle vsually expressed by the Latine In is annexed after the same manner to all these obiects of our beliefe as is apparant in the auncient Greeke Creeds And he that diligently reads the translation of the Septuagint shall finde the Greeke phrase which is verbatim rendred by the Latine in Deum credere to beleeue in God promiscuously vsed for the other credere Deo to beleeue God 2. Or if besides the evident records of the auncient Copies personall witnesses be required amongst the auncient I know few amongst moderne writers none more competent then those which are expresly for vs as Beza Mercer Drusius vnto whom we may adde Ribera and Lorinus Now as to vse the benefit of a truth known and testified is alwayes lawfull so in this case it is to vs most expedient almost necessarie For either I did not rightly apprehend whiles I read it or at least now remember not how the Schooleman remooues the stumbling blocke which he had placed in the very entry to this Creed If to beleeue in God be as much as to put trust or confidence in Him by exacting a profession of this Creed at all mens mouths we shall enforce a great many to professe a lie For of such as not onely out of ordinarie charitie but vpon particular probabilities we may safely acquit from actuall Atheisme or contradicting Infidelitie a great number doe not put their trust or confidence in God this being the marke whereat the beliefe of novices must ayme not the first step they are to make in this progresse And for my selfe vntill I be better instructed if a poore deiected soule should come vnto me with a complaint of his distrust or diffidence I would not instantly vrge him to make proclamation of his trust in God against his conscience for this were to quench smoaking flax by violent blowing those weake and smoothered sparkles which should be charily revived by milde and gentle breathing The contrarie advice on my part or practise on his should not want an approved patterne To confesse his present vnbeliefe whiles he prayes for future increase of such weak beliefe as he may safely make profession of And as the fire once throughly kindled bursts out of its owne accord into a lasting flame so beliefe once inwardly planted wil naturally bring forth stedfast confidence without farther plantation or superaddition of any new beliefe or perswasion Many beginning their faith the other way may for a long time be stifly perswaded that they beleeue in God when in deed they doe not truely beleeue him his Word or his mercies These no man firmly can beleeue but he shall assuredly beleeue in him yea put his whole trust and confidence in his goodnesse Howbeit as much as now I write would hardly be permitted me in most mens hearing to speake without this or the like interpellation Shall we then beleeue in Saints or good Angels because we assuredly beleeue there be such natures Or shall we say the wicked Angels beleeue in God because they beleeue his being more firmely then we can doe and know his word as clearely 3. That inferior subiects salute not every officer in the Court after the same manner they doe the Prince is not because they see not the one as perfectly as the other rather the more fully they discerne them by one and the same inerring sight the better they conceiue the different respect which is due to their severall presences Angels we beleeue are ministring spirits appointed to execute Gods will whose maiestie they adore as fervently as we doe putting greater confidence in his mercie then we can doe even because their knowledge of it is more cleare their experience of it more vndoubted But the better we beleeue this their subordinatioÌ„ vnto God the lesse shall we be inclined to beleeue in them the more to put our confidence in God in whom even the Angells
vpon that levell whence the right aspect of heaven and heavenly powers is taken But lest having this libertie of trying all they should come to fasten on that which is best His pollicie is to cast them so farre one wrong way or other in youth that either they shall haue no thought or inclination to retire in mature age or no strength left when they grow old to recover the miscarriages of fresh and liuely motions To sway themselues that way which nature first enclined them or grace doth call them is not easie to be attempted almost impossible to be effected by men that haue beene long fettered in some linke of sociall lust or other filthinesse by men whose mindes haue beene perpetually enwrapt in the curiosities of their proud imaginations Those are the two speciall snares whereby Gods enemy detaines stirring spirits in the dregs of contradicting Atheisme But the men of whom we now speake such as haue wedded their soules to the earth count toyling and moyling in gainefull businesses greatest pleasures are as the tempter knowes of a cleane contrary constitution apt they are not to moue many wayes either vpward or downeward but onely to waggle to and fro within a narrow compasse without whose lists should he tempt them to outray much in any notorious dissolutenesse outragious villany or open blasphemy the vncouthnesse of their distemper procured by these vnnaturall motions might happily admonish them in good time to seeke a medicine The onely meanes he hath herein to prevent them is continually to feede this their deadly disease so kindly and gently as it shall never bewray any danger vntill they be past all possibilitie of recovery They goe to Hell as in a lethargie or deepe slumber Much what to this purpose it is in other parts of these comments observed that the equable morall temper which never alters much from it selfe is most obnoxious to finall miscarriage because seldome so fiercely assaulted by the enemy as to occasion any extraordinary terror of conscience And it is the lesse assaulted because it seldome or lightly rebels against him Now men never much affrighted with the danger wherein all by nature stand nor enflamed with loue of a better Country than they enioy cannot addresse themselues to any resolute or speedy departure out of the territories of civill moralities within which if Satan hold vs he makes full reckoning of vs as of his civill or naturall subiects and this as S. Gregorie obserues is the reason why many are not molested by him CHAPTER VI. Of Disputatiue Atheisme deniall of the God-head or divine providence with the severall curiosities which occasion it 1. FOrraigne supportance is seldome reiected by deserved fame and men of no deserts alwayes seeke to vnderprop their ruinous reputation or groundlesse prayse some by the place which they hold or by the societie wherein they liue others by their auncestors birth or education many by the subiect of their thoughts or worthinesse of matters which they vnworthily handle To professe noble sciences or at the most to haue taken degree in any is ground enough for some men to raise themselues farre aboue such as but yesterday were their full equalls or to stand vpon tearmes of comparison with the best And few there be of their owne Coate that would not willingly yeeld to them what thus they challenge as their due would they shew themselues either able or willing to repay that credit and estimation to the common profession which like bankrouts or decayed Marchants they are enforced either to borrow or beg from it as from the publicke stocke For all of vs are glad to see our owne profession grac't or exalted the rather because we hold it not safe to haue our heights measured onely by our personall stature vnlesse withall we take in the advantage of the ground whereon we stand 2. A second maine stem of habituated Atheisme arose as was lately intimated from this partiall desire in professors to establish the soveraigntie of those arts or faculties wherein they were best seene or most delighted And the best meanes for advancing or establishing their soveraigntie was to extend the limits of their wonted authoritie by reducing all or most effects to their principles as great Lawyers striue to bring most causes to those Courts wherin their practise or authoritie is greatest Another principall veine serving to feed the disease whereto this partiall and intemperate appetite of curious artists ministred first matter wee may if we mistake not fitly deriue from a generall aptitude of the humane soule to take impression from those obiects with which it is most familiar and to iudge of others by their correspondency with these Hence as sollicitors seeking after meanes conducible to any end vsually interceps our desires or intentions of the end it selfe for whose sake onely the meanes in reason were to be sought so doth the curious speculation of creatures visible divert the minds of many from the invisible creator vnto whom the fight of these by nature not misleveled by inordinate or vnwildy appetites would direct all And our generall facility to beleeue with speed what we much affect or strongly desire brings forth peculiar pronesses in the professors of severall arts to frame vniversall rules whether negatiue or affirmatiue from broken and imperfect inductions Now the power and wisedome of God being especially manifested in the workes of creation in the disposition of things created and in matters manageable by humane wit or consultation Satan by his sophisticall skill to worke vpon the pride of mans hart hath erected three maine pillars of Atheisme or irreligion as so many counter sorts to oppugne our beliefe or acknowledgement of the divine providence in the three subiects mentioned Many naturall Philosophers out of a partiall desire to magnifie their owne facultie observing none brought forth without a mother nothing generated without pre-existent seede or matter forth with concludes the course of things naturall which we daily see to haue beene the same from everlasting that generation had no beginning that corruption can haue no ending The imperfection of this induction and the over-reaching inference which some in this kind haue fram'd from a Maxime most true in a sense most impertinent Ex nihilo nihil fit falls in our way againe in the Article of creation The Astronomer likewise finding the influence of starres by experience to haue great force in this inferior world seekes to extend their dominion ouer humane actions or consultations as if all matters of state or private life were by their conventicles or coniunctions authentickly predetermin'd without possibilitie of repeale And thus as the Moone eclipseth the Sunne or lower Planets sometimes hide the higher so haue the Sunne the Moone and Hoast of heaven excluded his sight from approaching vnto the Father of lights Or if through them he can discerne the truth of his existence or see some glimpses of his generall attributes yet the eyes of his minde are so
seemes to me an obiect worthy deeper speculation of the observant that albeit some Atheists may so farre abortivate or dead the seedes of religion sowen in their soules as that they shall never bring forth any expresse thought or liue apprehension of their Creator yet can they not vtterly evacuate nature of their remainder Either in their speeches actions or resolutions they still bewray some corrupt reliques of celestiall infusions And as wine and strong waters which through ill keeping haue lost their natiue force and proper relish become most loathsome vnpleasant so the imbred notions of God and godlinesse after they be themselues tainted doe sublimate the corruptions of nature with which they mingle into a kinde of rancor more than naturally irreligious such as the Psalmist calls the poyson of Aspes In all the contentious quarrels vsually pickt by dissolute and godlesse persons against men of religious and vnspotted life there appeares a root of bitternesse supernaturall or diabolicall The pietie that shines in the one the other holds in execration and persecuteth with such a kind of zealous hate as true pietie doth execrable villanies If they be men of better place which be thus badly minded they exact respect and dutie in such straines of passion as if it were sacriledge to deny it them albeit in other cases nothing to them is sacred or worthy of religious esteeme The threates likewise of revenge breath'd out by them in their braver humors are vsually besprinckled with some flowing notions of a divine Maiestie whereof in this humor onely they are apprehensiue because the personall offence committed against their dignities cannot seeme so great as they desire to make them without deriving Gods right or soveraignty vpon themselues or making him sharer in their wrongs 7. Of some affinitie or rather of the selfe same progenie with this observation is that sweete discourse of S. Austine wherein he proues the desire of peace to be so deeply implanted in every mans soule as spirits most turbulent and vnquiet can never vtterly shake it of but rather of necessitie though preposterously follow it even in such seditious and tumultuous broyles as wilfully and causlâ—sly they haue kindled What Kite is there so much addicted to solitude in soaring after his prey which hath not his mate whom he helpes in hatching and cherishing their common brood which preserues not the lawes of domesticke societie with his female consort with as great peace as he can How much more is man led by the lawes of nature to mainteine peace as farre as in him lyeth with all men when as even wicked and naughtie men will fight for the welfare of them and theirs and would if it were possible that all men and all things els might do them service vnlesse they conspire together for their peace either through love or feare Thus doth pride though preposterously imitate God it hateth equalitie with all fellow creatures vnder God but seekes to exercise dominion over them in Gods stead So then it hates that iust peace which is of God and loues its owne unrighteous peace but not to loue some one kinde of peace or other it cannot choose For 〈◊〉 is so contrary to nature as to 〈◊〉 out all print of natures lawes Those as the same Father addes which disturbe the peace wherein they liue doe not simply hate peace but rather covet to change it at their pleasure It is not their will then to haue no peace but to haue such peace as they will In like manner the Foole of Fooles the irreligious Politician when he wisheth in his heart there might be no God desires himselfe might be as God The observances which he exacts of his inferiors are many times such as naturall reason not infatuated may easily discover to belong vnto a greater power than he is capable of whose authoritie he abuseth as vngracious servants doe their gracious Lords and Masters CHAP. VIII Meanes for preventing infection of Atheisme or irreligion In what temper or constitution of minde the ingraffed notion of God and goodnesse doth best prosper That affliction giues vnderstanding in matters sacred with the reasons why it doth so 1. THe chiefe causes of Atheisme being discovered the meanes to prevent it cannot be difficult and these consist in this â—iple care First To preserue the heart or fountaine pure cleane from all mixture of earth or dregs of lust in which the image of God either cannot be imprinted or will quickly be defaced Secondly To keepe it calme and free from agitation of boysterous or tumultuous passions whereby the representation of impressions acquired or naturally inherent are alwayes hindred Thirdly To avoyde the intangling loue of wrangling arts whose impertinent curious disquisitions wooven for the most part with obscure perplexed termes sâ—re as a cataract vpon the eye of reason intercepting its rayes from piercing into the heart that being a deepe into whose bottome ordinary sights without these helpes as well for right proposall or representation of the obiect as for the right qualification of the facultie cannot diue To the set the Reader may adde the qualities before required for the right growth of faith Whatsoever hindreth it must needs hinder all beliefe of the true God and whatsoever is availeable for furthering it must needs be alike availeable for raising beliefe of Gods existence his goodnesse or other attributes But of that puritie of heart wherein the right and perfect representation of the divine nature is onely seene wee are to speake more particularly in the last part of this Treatise 2. Besides avoidance of these generall incumbrances a peculiar disposition or temper there is wherein the common notion of the Deitie or divine power giues a more sensible Crisis of its inherence in our soule The nature of which disposition cannot better be expressed than by a temper contrary to the gyantly vastnesse of minde or vnrelenting stubbornnesse of heart It is well observed by the Examiner of wits that he which is by nature vnapprehensiue of danger is neerer allied vnto foole-hardinesse than to fortitude seeing the truely valourous will in many cases be afraid though not affrighted out of their wits or farther deiâ—cted than occasions require Howbeit the valour it selfe so much magnified amongst the Heathen or with the world to this day is no fit consort for Christian humility rather to be reckoned amongst the mightie things which God hath purposed to confound than with the weake which he hath chosen to confound them The true reason why it was so much extold aboue other vertues was not the great Philosopher being judge because it was by nature better or did internally more beautifie the parties minds where in it rested but because it did much benefit others The disposition which now wee seeâ—e is somewhat lower more apprehensiue of death of danger or other humane infirmities â—pter to be stricken with feare at consciousnes of internall evils than to be driven vpon imminent perils by
ReligioÌ„ being formerly accustomed to worship the fire for Goâ— and to adore the thunder and lightning with divine honor set groues or trees in common woods of vnusuall height had such authoritie from antiquitie for their sacred esteeme that to cut or burne them or offer them any violence was reputed a sacrilege so fearefull as would instantly provoke vengeance divine But the woods and groues being at length cut downe and wasted without the destruction or harme of any imployed in this businesse they grew more tractable and as if the woods had taught them obedience began to beleeue the Kings authoritie and command becomming at length forward professors of Christian Religion 7. The like superstitious feare had Constantines resolution in reformation expelled out of the Aegyptians who would haue perswaded him that if he tooke their sacred ell or fathom out of Serapes Temple the River Nilus which was vnder this conceited Gods patronage would cease to flow At ille Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aenum But whether Angells had not graced these nurseries of devotion by their appearance vnto Gods servants in them especially before the Law was given is easilier questioned than determined The generall observation of errors springing from ancient truths imperfectly related makes me suspect that the apparition of Angels or manifestation of Gods presence in like places vnto holy men and their demeanour vpon such manifestations was by preposterous imitation drawn to authorize the Idololatricall worship of such spirits as the heathen had seene in visible shape as also of the supersticious esteeme or reverence of the places themselues For in Constantines time as Eusebius tells vs the Heathens had erected their Altars in the oaken groue of Mambree in which the three Angells appeared to Abraham 8. But whether Constantine though much offended with the Altar did with it destroy the groue is vncertaine For albeit the title of the Chapter containing this story in our English Eusebius takes it as graunted that he did the text notwithstanding leaues it doubtfull if not more probable that he did not Nor was it necessary he should in this case follow the example of Iosias or Ezekias having that libertie which they had not to build a Temple in the same place to the Lord vnto zealous devotion in whose service the groue might afford no lesse plenty of fuell than it had done to heathenish supersticion and Idolatry For that which feedeth superstition through want of instruction onely or through licensed opportunities not naturally not of it selfe would proue best nutriment of true devotion to such as haue the spirit of grace or wisdome to disgest it especially if the practises which nourish superstition be controlled by plausible custome or authority No affection more fertile of either than the Poeticall temper according as it is well or ill imployed No place yeelds such opportunities for growth either of roote or branch as woods or groues or like shrowdes or receptacles of retired life nor could the sight or solitary frequenting any of these haue nursed such strange superstition in the heathen but onely by suggesting a liuelier notion of the Godhead than vsuall obiects could occasion And if other mens mindes be of the same constitution with mine our apprehensions of the true God as Creator haue a kinde of spring when he renewes the face of the earth Praesentemque refert quâ—elibet herba Deum The suddainâ— growth of every grasse points out the place of his presence the varietie of flowers and hâ—â—rbes suggestâ— a secret admiration of his inexpressible beautie In this respect the frequency of Sermons seemes most necessary in Citties and great Townes that their Inhabitants who as one wittily observeth see for the most part but the workes of men may daily heare God speaking vnto them whereas such as are conversant in the fields and woods continually contemplate the workes of God And nothing naturally more apt to awaken our mindes and make them feele or see his operations than the growth of vegetables or the strange motions or instincts of creatures meerely sensitiue The secret increase or fructification of vegetables without any inherent motion or motiue facultie and the experience of sensitiues accomplishing their ends more certainely without any sparkle of reason then man doth his by reasonable contriuance or artificiall policie moued some heathens to adore groues woods birds and sensitiue creatures almost of every kinde for gods who yet neither worshipped dead elements or liuing men Dead elemeÌ„ts they neglected because their qualities lesse resemble the operations of the liuing God with some notions of whose nature they were inspired Liuing men they much admired not in that the cause of every actioÌ„ which they effect and the manner of bringing their ends about was too well knowne They saw little it seemeth in their neighbours but what they knew to be in themselues whom they had no reason to take for gods and if one should haue worshipped another perhaps the rest would haue called them fooles as birds or other creatures would haue done so they had knowne what worship meant howbeit such men in every age as could either reveale secrets to come or bring things to passe beyond the observation or experience of former humane wits were even in their life accounted as gods or neare friends vnto some god 9. Others againe that would haue scorned to worship men or almost any other liue-creature otherwise then vpon these tearmes did adore the heads or first springs of Rivers whose continuall motion to feede the streames that flow from them without any visible originall whence their owne store should be supplied is by nature not stifled by art a sufficient motiue to call the invisible Creator and fountaine of all things to mans remembrance And some againe whom sight of ordinary fountaines did lesse affect were put in mind of some divine invisible cause or prime mouer by the annuall overflow of Nilus or the like experiments inscrutable by course of nature The admirable effects of Nilus overflow were the cause of that irreligious and brutish disposition which Seneca noteth in the Aegyptian husbandmen Nemo Aratorum in Aegypto Coelum aspicit No Plowman in Aegypt lookes towardes Heaven The like hath a Romane Poet Te propter nullos Tellus tua postulat imbres Aâ—ida nec plu vio supplicat herba Iove Aegyptian earth saue Nilus streames no water knowes No parched grasse or Ioue or moistned ayre there wo'es The soile being mellowed with this River seemed lesse beholden to heaven than Athens was where as some collect the art of tilling the ground was first invented amongst the Graecians Albeit I rather thinke it was the drinesse of the soile wherein that famous Cittie stood which occasioned that Idololatricall embleme whence some haue taken occasion to coniecture that the art of tillage was first manifested there Athenis vbi ratio colendi agrum primum ostensa esse Graecis dicitur simulachrum terrae extitisse suppliciter
all like attempts by common course of nature did continually though insensibly grow more dangerous in the processe This originall of superstitious performances towards the dead hath beene set downe before and is particularly prosecuted by Chemnitius to whose labours I referre the Reader 3. Againe the sweete comfort which some auncients of blessed memory tooke in the consort of mutuall prayers whiles they lived together made them desirous that the like offices might be continued after their decease Hence some in their life times if my memory fayle me not did thus contract that such of them as were first called into the presence of God should solicite the others deliverance from the world and flesh and prosecute those suits by personall appearance in the Court of heaven which they had joyntly given vp in prayers and secret wishes of heart whiles they were absent each from other here on earth To be perswaded that such as had knowne our minds and beene acquainted with our houres of devotion whiles wee had civill commerce together might out of this memory after their dissolution take notice of our supplications solicite our cause with greater fervency than we can is not so grosse in the speculatiue assertion as daungerous in the practicall consequent But if magicall feats can put on colourable pretences and Magitians make faire shewes vnto the simple of imitating Gods Saints in their actions what marvaile if Romish Idolatrie having in latter yeares found more learned patrones than any vnlawfull profession ever did doe plead its warrant from speculations very plausible to flesh and bloud or from the example of some auncients the preiudiciall opinions of whose venerable authoritie and deserved esteeme in other points may with many prevent the examinatioÌ„ of any reasons which latter ages can being to impeach their imperfections in this Yâ—t experiments in other cases approved by all manifest the indefinite truth of this observation That such practises aâ— can no way blemish the otherwise deserved same of their first practitioners vsually bring forth reproach and shame to their vnseasonable or ill qualified Imitators Now the pardonable oversight or doubtfull speculations of some Auncients haue beene two waies much malignified by later Romanists first by incorporating the superfluitie of their Rhetorical inventions or eiaculations of swelling affections in panegyricall passages into the bodie of their divine service secondly by making such faire garlands as Antiquitie had woven for holy Saints true Martyrs Collarâ— as a French Knight in a case not much vnlike said for every beast or chaines for every dead dogs neâ—ke which had brought gaine vnto their Sanctuary Touâ—hing the former abuse the incorporating of theâ—oricall expressions of the Auncients affection towards deceased Worthies into the bodie of their divine service Bellarmine is not ashamed to Apologize for the solemne forme of their publicke authorized Liturgie by the passionate ejaculation of Nazianzen his poeticall wit in his panegyricall Oration for S. Câ—priuâ— and for his kinde acquaintance while she livâ—d with Basill the great It is enough as this Apologizing Oratour thinkes to acquit their service from superstition and themselues from irreligion that this Father who spake as they doe was one of the wisest Bishops Antiquitie could boast of As in granting him to be as wise as any other we should perhaps wrong but a few or none of the auncient Bishops or learned Fathers so we should much wrong Nazianzen himselfe if we tooke these passages on which Bellarmine groundeth his Apologie for any speciall arguments of his wisedome and gravitie Howbeit Nazianzen might without preiudice to his deserved esteeme for wisedome gravitie say much and for the manner not vnfitly of Cyprian and Basill which was no way fitting for latter Romane Bishops to say of their deceased Popes or for the Popes whilest they liued to speake of their deceased Bishops But such a sway hath corrupt custome got over the whole Christian world that looke what honor hath beene voluntarily done to men in office as due vnto their personall worth their successors will take deniall of the like or greater as a disparagement to their places albeit their personall vnworthinesse be able to disgrace the places wherein they haue liued and all the dignities that can be heaped vpon them Vpon this carnall humor did the mystery of iniquitie begin first to worke The choisest respect or reverence which had beene manifested towards the best of Gods Saints or Martyrs either privately out of the vsuall solecismes of affectionate acquaintance alwayes readie to entertaine men lately deceased with such louing remembrances as they had tendred them in presence or in publicke and anniversary solemnities for others encouragement vnto constancy in the faith were afterterwards taken vp as a civill complement of their Funerall rites or inioyned as a perpetuall honor to their birthdayes whom the Pope either of his owne free motion or at the request of secular Princes or some favorites would haue graced with famous memory Rome-Christian hath beene in this kinde more lavish than Rome-Heathen And as in great Cities it is a disparagement to any Corporation or Company to haue had few or no Majors or chiefe Magistrates of their Trade so in processe of time it became matter of imputation vnto some religious orders that they had not so many Canonized Saints as their opposits lesse observant of their Founders lesse strict rules could bragge of For want of such starres to adorne their sphere the order of the Carthusians otherwise famous for austeritie of life was suspected not to be celestiall The fault notwithstanding was not in the Carthusians or their Religion vnlesse a fault it were not to seeke this honor at the Popes hands who did grant it against their wills to one of their order and our Country-man at the King of Englands suite And left any part of Heathenish Superstition that had beene practised in the Romane Monarchie might be left vnparalled by like practises of the Romish Hierarchie as the Deification of Antinous was countenanced with feigned relations of a new starres appearance and other like Ethnicismes vsually graced by Oracles so were Revelations pretended in the Papacy to credit their sanctifications which stood in neede of some divine testimony to acquit their sanctitie from suspition 4. To giue the blessed Virgin a title vnto far greater honor then any Saint or other creature by their doctrine is capable of it hath beene maintained that she was conceived without originall sinne And wanting all warrant of Scripture or primitiue Antiquitie for this conceit they support it by revelations which must be beleeved as well as any Scripture if the Pope allow them By whose approbation likewise every private mans relation of miracles wrought by any suiter for a Saintship becomes more authentique than Apolloes Oracles by whose authoritie Hercules and other Heroickes were enioyned to be adored as gods amongst the Heathen 5. It was an ingenuous
glorious Monarchies or Kingdomes here on earth still bragging as if they expected every next morning should be their coronation day as if they would make the world beleeue the Sunne did daily rise to grace or attend their reespousalls to their glorious God These are the ofspring of those somtimes virgins but foolish ones who having out-slept the time of the Bridegroomes comming haue not till this day beene able to repaire their lampes but since his departure haue sate in perpetuall darknesse bringing forth children in such deepe mid-night sleepe that the slumber cannot to this day be shaken out of their eyes nor their braines delivered of this hereditary drowsinesse 5. Many partakers they haue in this phrensie from originalls much what the same or very like For from a reason not much vnlike vnto the cause of dreames it is that externall noyses oftimes consort so well with internall musings as if the one were but the tune and the other the dittie or one the base and the other the treble Perhaps the sound either starts some notion afresh or causeth vs in this temper to resume our former thoughts whence we imagine it tels vs as it were by word of mouth what it onely suggests by naturall motion And sometimes as if we meant to saue our selues a labour or spare our breath which would be spent in speaking we tacitely articulate the sounds of bells or other tuneable bodies as if they did audibly speak what we inwardly muse Musing and dreaming are of neare alliance the fancy in both is apt to weaue in every circumstance or occurrent that hath the least semblance or connexion with the principall matter represented or thought vpon In dreames the principall or judicatiue sense is so bound with sleepe that it cannot examine intimations given by the fantasie In musing the phantasie is so contracted within it selfe that it can neither receiue instructions from the vnderstanding nor giue it perfect information from representations made by externall senses But from what originall soever these erroneous imaginations or fallacies proceed they insinuate themselues after the same manner into such as dreame and such as rather muse than meditate vpon Scripture Nor is there any other meanes to prevent their insinuations besides vigilant and attentiue alacritie to sift and examine every circumstance by setting our imaginations a-worke to countersway our extemporary conceites or apprehensions with all contrary inducements possible He that thinkes on nothing but on confirming his owne conclusions or apprehensions will quickly perswade himselfe the word of God specially if he heare it alledged or see it quoted by others speakes just so as he thinkes and proffers it selfe as a witnesse to giue testimony viva voce to the truth of his present cogitations To the superstitious Palmester or Chiromancer that saying of Moses Exod. 13. And it shall be a signe vnto thee vpon thine hand c. and that in Iob. cap. 37. vers 7 Qui in manu omnium hominum signat vt noâ—int omnes opera sua sound as fundamentall theoremes of the art which he professeth that is of making such prognostications of all the changes and chaunces incident to this mortall life by inspection of the lines or wrinckles in the palmes of mens handes as the Astrologer doth change of weather or of mens fates or fortunes by observing the positions or aspect of starres Generally braines apt to busie themselues with curious thoughts or scrupulosities frame such compositions of sacred lines as men in phrensie or other like grievous distemper do out of scrabled walls or painted cloaths The one makes foolish or monstrous pictures of true colours the other drawes senselesse and ridiculous inferences out of divine and supernaturall Antecedents Vnlesse I had compared the marginall quotations of some Anabaptisticall and schismaticall discourses with the Text and both with the conclusions intended by their authors I should hardly haue conceived it as possible for a man to speake nothing but Gospell and yet to speak scarce a true or wise word 6. This kinde of dreaming temper in many hinders the breaking out of the former generall seedes of errour vnto whose workings inwardly it vsually affords advantage and opportunitie Desire of proper excellency is a disease hardly cured in any and oft-times workes most indefatigably where it workes most secretly In many it seemes altogether mortified when it is onely stifned by being cut shorter or gathers strength by contraction to a smaller roome To excell others in many points men of this disposition will not striue to be excelled in most they can suffer with patience Gods gifts of wit of learning and judgement they will admire magnifie as much as any in others whose industrie and opportunities of increasing their talent in sacred negotiations they cannot but acknowledge greater then their owne yet will they not in conclusion be perswaded that any man not of their owne sect or disposition knowes so much of Gods eternall will purpose as they doe Others generall skill in Scriptures if it be great is for this reason alone suspected to be vnsanctified The stronger the reasons brought against them be the forwarder are they to appeale from reason vnto Scripture as if grace did abolish as well the life or remnant of natures integritie as her corruptions as if Gods law or written word did rather obliterate than refine quicken the imperfect characters or liuelesse lineaments of natures law written in our hearts Thus to abandon the helpe of Arts and naturall reason in this search they haue good reason if wee respect the end whereat their desires covertly ayme For Arts and reason being once excluded from examination or tryall of sacred mysteries their irrationall and surd conceits of Scriptures sense in particulars which they stand vpon may be as well esteemed as the most forcible deductions that can be drawne from the fundamentall Maximes of Religion or conclusions exactly remonstratiuely parallel'd to the rule of faith If allegations of sacred authority might once by multitude of mens voices thus affected be taken by number rather than by waight to refute the Anabaptist the Separatist or maintainers of other moderne errours would be a matter so much the harder as the refuter is more judicious For the better his judgement is the more accurately will he search or sift such circumstances as at first fight wedde these mens perswasions to their owne dreames or fancies To avoyde their fallacies the Reader is to remember that their modestie in some cases no way acquits them from imputation of extreme pride and insolency in many points of Christianitie Few there be so transcendently conceited of themselues but will yeeld to knowne professors of those faculties wherin they are not conversant So on the other side not many there are that will not stand vpon their skill in those particulars whereto they haue beene wholly addicted or long imployed in It is no marvaile then if such as for expounding greatest mysteries haue wholly betaken themselues