institutions is to giue satisfaction vnto men in cases wherein no asseveration will be taken for sufficient such as is solemnly and deliberatly conceived and vttered as it were in the sight and presence of him whom we acknowledge to be the searcher of all hearts the supreame judge of all controversies and the avenger of all falshood and wrong And for this reason solemne oaths are not to be administred by any but by those whom he termes gods These just occasions or necessity of taking oaths presupposed the generall resolution or publicke iniunction to sweare onely by the name of the true and everliving God is an honour to him because we hereby professe our selues to be only his servants and him to be the cleare fountaine of truth the severe avenger of all falshood in deede word or thought But his honour would be no whit lesse if the vse or necessitie of oaths amongst men were none as in case every mans yea or nay were as good as his affirmatiue or negatiue oath much better than his bond But taking men as they are to confirme every word vttered or promise made by them with a solemne oath would be a prophanation of his name by whom they sweare although they sweare or promise nothing but the truth For it is one thing to sweare the truth another to sweare in truth and judgement This can never be performed without due observance of the end and occasion why oaths were instituted 3. Far otherwise it is in supplications and thanksgivings the more often and solemnly we prayse God or pray vnto him the more we honour him because these are direct and immediate acts of his service not instituted to giue satisfaction vnto men but onely to glorifie his name and to better our owne soules Besides this difference in the subiects wherein they are vsed the vse and end of Images in Romish devotions is altogether different from the vse or end of the booke in administration of oaths The image is vsed by them as the meane or messenger for transporting devotions or religious affections vnto God or the Saints whose honour is principally and expresly aymed at in their vnwildie ejaculations before stockes and stones yet so as the image is in their intentions a true sharer with the prototypon in such honour We vse the booke onely as a complement of the civill act whereby we giue satisfaction vnto men or as a visible remembrancer partly to by-standers or spectators whose eyes by this meanes may become as true witnesses as their eares that such protestations haue beene made partly vnto him that makes them who will be more wary and circumspect what he avoucheth and protesteth when he perceiues his speeches must be sealed with such remarkable circumstances as they cannot but be often recalled to his owne and others memory To the same end men of honourable place or calling vse to lay their hands vpon their hearts when they take a solemne oath yet no man will thinke that they intend hereby to honour themselues or to share with him by whose name they sweare although we grant oaths so taken to be true and proper acts of Religion or Gods service 4. Nor doe such as sweare or at least are thought to sweare by ordinary or obvious creatures as by this bread by this light intend the transmission of any peculiar honour by them to the creator Nor can such attestatiōs though in some cases for ought I conceiue not vnlawfull be in any case or vpon any occasions more proper acts of divine worship or service than other asseverations of truth are from which they differ not in nature but onely in degree of seriousnes or vehemencie There is in all men by nature a pronesse or desire to make them vpon provocation or mistrust which naturall pronesse may perhaps by religious discretion be severed from that corruption of nature wherewith even oaths expresly conceived in Gods name are often polluted Though the forme be not alwayes so expresse the intent and meaning of such attestations may for the most part be the same with that which Iosuah vsed cap. 24. ver 27. And Iosuah wrote these words in the booke of the Law of God and tooke a great stone and pitched it there vnder an Oake that was in the Sanctuarie of the Lord. And Iosuah said vnto the people Behold this stone shall be a witnesse vnto vs for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he hath spoken with vs it shall be therefore a witnesse against you lest you deny your God 5. Againe it will be graunted but by a few of our writers though Vasques take it for vnquestionable that Iacob did truely worship the stone but God alone presente lapide as some of his sect perswade themselues they honour God in the Images presence not the Image Of many expositions to this purpose I might make better vse against Bellarmine Sacroboscus than I can against Vasques who hath drawne the controversie about Image-worship to such a strait and narrow issue that by pinching him too hard or too hastily in these passages we may giue him opportunity to brush vs of or occasion him to stand at bay Whereas if wee giue him leaue to take his own course through them he will quickly run himselfe so far out of breath that we may easily overtake him on plain ground or driue him into that net out of which there is no possibility of evasion Be it granted then to this end and no farther that Iacob did not onely adore God praesente lapide but salute or adore the stone withall in such a manner as Vasques would haue Images worshipped together with their prototypons will it hence follow that such as frame their devotions by Vasques his rule doe not transgresse the law of God doe not remoue the bounds of the ancient or commit no more Idolatrie than Iacob did Their pretended warrant from this instance rather proues that the devill wrought the Romish Church vnto Idolatry by the same fallacy which seduced the Heathens rude Pagans or vncatechized Christians vnto sorcery For what professor of magicall secrets at this day is there which cannot which doth not pretend the like examples of Patriarkes or Prophets for their superstitious practises As Satan is Gods ape so Idolatry and sorcery the two principall parts of his service haue their originall for the most part from an apish imitation of some sacred actions rites or ceremonies vsed by Gods servants He is a counterfeit Lord and his professed or domesticke servants must be cloathed in such liveries as may beare some counterfeit colour of Saints garments The reason why most men slide more easily and farther into these two sinnes than into any other without all suspition of any danger oftimes with presumption of doing well may be gathered partly from the propertie of mans nature assigned by the Philosopher partly from the Apostles character of the naturall man Qui non percipit quae sunt spiritûs
slaine in such a stile as were enough to cast a musing Reader into a waking dreame or imagination that the walls the houses the very soile whereon shee trod had beene animated with some peculiar Genius capable of friendship and foehood Horruit Argia dextrasque ad moenia tendens Vrbs optata prius nunc tecta hostilia Thebe Si tamen illoesas reddis mihi coniugis vmbras Nunc quoque dulce solum With griefe o'regrowne to Theban-walls her suppliant hands shee bends Oh Cittie late too dearly lou'd since loue in sorrow ends Now hostile Thebes yet so thou willest my Consorts Corps restore Still shalt thou be a Soile to me as deare as heretofore These or the like speeches of heathen Poets if by Christians they may not be vttered without reproofe Lactantius his censure of Tullie for his too lavish Rhetoricall Prosopopeia made vnto Philosophie shall saue me a labour O Philosophie the guide of life the searcher out of vertue the banisher of vice without thee not onely wee thy followers should be no bodies but even the life of mankinde could be nothing worth for thou hast beene the Foundresse of Lawes the Mistresse of manners and discipline As if forsooth saith this Author Philosophie it selfe could take any notice of his words or as if He rather were not to be praised which did bestow her He might with as good reason haue rendered the like Rhetoricall thanks to his meate and drinke for without these the life of man cannot consist howbeit these are things without sense Benefits they are but they can be no Benefactors As they are the nourishment of the bodie so is wisedome or true Philosophie of the soule 3. That the seminaries of Poetrie should be the chiefe nurses of Idolatry argues how apt the one is to bring forth the other or rather how both lay like twinnes in the wombe of the same vnpurified affection vsually begotten by one spirit Woods and fountaines as every Schoole-boy knoweth were held chiefe mansions of the Muses to whose Courts the Poets resorted to doe their homage invoking their aide as the goddesses whom they most renowned hereto allured by the opportunitie of the place The pleasant spectacle and sweete resounds which woods and shadie fountaines afford will sublimate illiterate spirits and tune or temper mindes otherwise scarce apt for any to retired contemplations They are to every noise as an organized bodie to the soule or spirit which moues it Gentle blasts diffused through them doe so well symbolize with the internall agitations of our mindes and spirits that when wee heare them we seeme desirous to vnderstand their language and learne some good lesson from them And albeit they vtter not expresly what we conceiue yet to attentiue composed thoughts they inspire a secret seede or fertilitie of invention especially sacred 4. But is or was the notion of the Deitie naturally more fresh and liuely in these seminaries of heathenish Poetry than in other places Yes every vnusuall place or spectacle whether remarkeably beautifull or gastly imprints a touch or apprehension of some latent invisible power as President of what we see Seneca's observation to this purpose will open vnto vs one maine head or source of heathenish Idolatrie which well cleansed might adde fertilitie to Christian devotion In vnoquoque virorum bonorum quis deus incertum est habitat deus To proue this conclusion that God is neare vs even within vs thus he leads vs. If thou light on a groue thicke set with trees of such vnusuall antiquitie and height as that they take away the sight of Heaven by the thicknesse of their branches ouer spreading one another the height of the wood the solitarinesse of the place and the vncouthnesse of the close and continued shade in the open aire doe ioyntly represent a kinde of Heaven on earth and exhibit a proofe vnto thee of some divine power present Or if thou chance to see a denne whose spatious concauitie hath not beene wrought by the hand-labour of men but by causes naturall which haue so deepely eaten out and consumed the stones that they haue left a hanging mountain to ouer spread it like a Canopie the sight likewise will affect the minde with some touch or apprehension of Religion We adore the heads of great Rivers c. Vide Parag. 8. 9. of this Chapter 5. And because superstition can hardly sprout but from the degenerate and corrupt seeds of devotion wicked spirits did haunt these places most which they perceived fittest for devout affections As sight of such groues and fountaines as Seneca describes would nourish affection so the affection naturally desirous to enlarge it selfe would with the helpe of these Spirits sleights and instigations incite the superstitious to make their groues more retired and sightly Thus like cunning anglers they first baite the places and then fish them and their appearance being most vsuall when mens mindes were thus tuned to devotion the eye would easily seduce the heart to fasten his affections to the place wherein they appeared as more sacred than any other And to the spirits thus appearing as to the sole Lords and owners of the delightfull soile and chiefe Patrons of these bewitching rites and customes they thought their best devotions were not too good 6. Throughout the story of the Iudges and Kinges of Israel we may obserue how groues were as the banquetting houses of false gods the trappes and ginnes of sacrilegious superstition For this cause in all suppressions of Idolatrie the commission runnes joyntly for cutting downe groues and demolishing Altars So God Deuteronomie the 5. after commandement given to destroy the Amorites addeth this iniunction withall Ye shall overthrow their Altars and breake downe their pillars and ye shall cut downe their groues and burne their graven Images with fire And vnto Gideon the first in my remembrance to whom this warrant was in particular directed Throw downe the Altar of Baal that thy Father hath made and cut downe the groue that is by it Iudg. 6. v. 25. And Ezekiah whiles he remoued the high places and brake the Idolls cut downe the groues 2. King 18. v. 4. The like did Iosias after him 2. King 23. v. 14. How availeable either this destruction of groues was to the extirpation or the cherishing of them to the growth and increase of Idolatrie the good successe of â—agello his like religious policie in winning the Lithuâ—nians his stifly Idolatrous and strangely superstitious Country men vnto Christian Religion may enforme vs. I relate the Story at large as I finde it because it conteines fresh and liuely experiments as well of this present as of diverse other observations in this Treatise And no man will easily distrust auncient reports when he sees them parallele by moderne and neighbour examples The common sort saith mine Author speaking of the Lithuanian about two hundred yeares agoe was very stiffe and would hardly indure to be intreated to relinquish their
holy Ghost or a mockery of him a sacrilegious put loyning of that which was brought vnto the Sanctuary and solemnly consecrated to the Lord of the Temple CHAPTER XXVI That the Worship which Sathan demanded of our Saviour was the very same wherewith the Romish Church worshippeth Saints that is Dulia not Latria according to their distinction That our Saviours answere doth absolutely prohibite the offering of this worship not onely to Sathan but to any person whatsoever besides God The truth of this assertion proued by S. Iohns authoritie and S. Peters 1. THe doctrine delivered in the former Chapter was a truth in olde times so cleare and so well approued by the constant practise of liuing Saints that the very quotation of that Law whereon wee ground it did put the Devill himselfe for the present to a non-plus But he hath bethought himselfe of new answers since and found opportunitie to distill his intoxicating distinctions into moderne braines through Iesuiticall quills Howsoever to eyes not darkned with the smoake of hell it will never take the least tincture of probabilitie much lesse any permanent colour of solid truth that the Tempter should demand cultum latriae as now it is taken by the Iesuites of our Saviour Or although he had set so high a price at the first word vpon so faire commodities as he proffered there could be no doubt of his readinesse to fall lower at the second rather than to hazzard the losse of his Market For he loues to play at small games rather than altogether to sit out And if the Iesuites answers to our arguments were currant their Master with halfe of one of their skill in Sophistrie might haue put ours to a new reply as he did him twice to a scriptum est It is written sayth our Saviour Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue True sayth the Iesuite cultu latriae for it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this kinde of worship exprest by the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our Adversaries doctrine is due to Saints What was it then which the Devill did expresly demand of our Saviour Latria or Dulia neither expresly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adoration But this Worship may be demanded vpon some higher style than befits Saints to accept or vse It may be demanded in testification of homage royall or in acknowledgment of the partie to whom it is tendred for Lord and Soveraigne of the parties which tender it To him that would thus reply the reioynder is readie out of the text for the Devill did not exact any externall signe of submission vnto himselfe as vnto the supreame disposer or prime fountaine of the temporall blessings which he promised The tenor of his promise was thus All this power will I giue thee and the glory of the kingdomes for that is delivered vnto me By whom questionlesse by some Superior more soveraigne Lord from whose right he sought to deriue his warrant to bestow them To whomsoever I will I giue it The warrant pretended in respect of the parties capable of the donation of it is very large but not without conditions to be performed by them If thou therefore wilt fall downe before me and worship me all shall be thine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or falling downe before him being all the Tempter did demaund our Saviours reply had neither beene direct nor pertinent vnlesse the exclusiue particle onely be referred as well to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship or prostration as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or supreame service Is it then but a meere tricke of wit or poynt of Sophistrie without sinne thus palpably to divide that sense of Scripture which God had so closely joyned Is it a pettie presumption onely for a Iesuite to thinke he could haue caught the Devill more cunningly in his owne play or haue gone beyond him with a mentall reservation or evasion if the like proffer had beene made to him as was to our Saviour For this in effect is the Iesuites answer The Law forbids 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely the Devill required onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he demaunded nothing forbidden by the Law To be able thus to play fast and loose with the sacred bond of Gods Law at his pleasure or to loose the linke of absolute allegiance to supreame Maiestie with frivolous distinctions pretended from some slips of the Auncients is that wherein the Iesuite glories Such of this sublimated sect as stifly maintaine that not onely all Image-worship but all civill vse of Pictures was forbidden the Iewes are not ashamed to stand vpon the former glosse as the best rocke of their defence for maintaining the distinction between Dulia and Latria But the words of the Law are still the same and therefore can admit no distinction now which they might not then haue borne Howbeit were that Law abrogated so far as it concernes the vse of Images it could not disanull this new distinction were this grounded vpon any other pregnant Scripture but so grounded it is not it cannot be 2. Such as would blush at the former Glosse will perhaps reply that the lowest degree of any worship was more than the Devill had right to chalenge and more than might be tendred to him by any Intelligent creature The exception I graunt were good if our Saviour had onely refused to worship him because he was Gods enemy but it no way toucheth the reason of his refusall which is vniversally perpetuall For he tooke no notice of the Devils ill deserts but frames such an answer to the demaund it selfe as was to stand for an vnalterable expositiō of that indispensable Law in respect of every creature either tempting or tempted in like sort to the worlds end None may worship or serue any Creature with religious Worship all of vs must so worship and serue God alone The words of the Text it selfe as well in the Septuagint as in the Hebrew are no more than these Thou shalt feare thy Lord thy God and him shalt thou serue The super-eminent dignitie of the partie whose feare and service are enioyned doth in our Saviours Logicke make the indefinite Forme of the Commaundement fully aequivalent to this vniversall Negatiue No man may tender any act of religious feare worship or service to any man or Angell to any thing in heaven or earth or in the regions vnder the earth but onely to him who made all who is Lord of all whom all are bound to feare and worship with all their hearts with all their soules and all their might And of all kindes of religious feare or service Cultus duliae is either most improperly or most impiously tendred to Saints and Angels For though as in Gods house there be many Mansions so no doubt there be severall degrees or rankes of Attendants yet the highest and the lowest members of Christs mysticall body are brethren the
ignorance of Scriptures and incogitancie of divine providence they secretly nurse in their auditors an Heathenish misconceipt of Gods power and goodnesse as if either he cannot or will not take immediate notice of all petitions faithfully exhibited To say he cannot heare all that sue vnto him is to deny the infinitie of his wisedome to say he cannot redresse their wrongs or effect their prayers heard is to gainesay his omnipotencie to say he will not both wayes doe what is best for all faithfull petitioners is to make his mercie and loving kindnesses to his people lesse than most Princes beare vnto their meanest subjects and to debase his fidelitie and veracitie below the rate of common honestie For should I say not any royall hearted Prince or nobly minded Potentate but any honestly disposed able to succour vs solemnly invite vs to open our grievances vnto themselues ingaging their credit to heare vs as readily as any for vs we should much disparage their fidelity by bribing or soliciting their followers to be our spokesmen Yet saith the wisedome the sonne of God God blessed for ever Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will refresh you And must we with yong Samuel run from the Lord thus solemnely by his owne mouth inviting vs vnto old Elies which never call vs No it is a way as more compendious so farre more safe to say as often as this or the like everlasting invitation sounds in our eares Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth or Heare Lord for thy seruant asketh Thou hast commended continuall prayer directed not to others but to thy selfe or thy Father for thy sake as a dutie necessary to all Thou hast assured vs we can never be too importunate with him though we never cease to implore his favour yea that for our importunity we shall be heard O remember this ye that haue forgotten God and his goodnesse lest he teare you in peices and there be none that can deliver you lest of that infinite number of Saints whom in worshipping you haue not honoured but disgraced and slaundered as Iewish receptors of your sacrilegious devotions not one appeare to make intercession for you but all against you For why yee haue robb'd God of his honour as despitefully and shamefully as did those idolatrous Israelites for whose plagues that great Prophet and Saint of God became solicitor 5. Every inclination vnto evill is apprehensiue of opportunities the greater alwayes readier to take occasion where none is given of doing amisse and oft-times apt to be most provoked by such motiues as in reason should restraine it As for the sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds to vouchsafe to be conceived and borne of a woman in the fullness of time and in this decrepite age of the world was a wonderfull document not only of Gods vnspeakable loue towardes mankinde but also of his vnconceivable wisedome in contriving the Redemption of the weaker sexe the manner of whose transgression had made their estate more desperate and the meanes of their recovery more difficult Yet how hath the conceipt of Christs humiliation here on earth of his dependance on his mother during the time of his formation and birth and of his subjection to her in his infancie brought forth preposterous and more than heathenish transformations of his glory in the superstitious daughters of the idolatrous Church They cannot conceiue Christ as King vnlesse they acknowledge her as Queene Dowager of heaven her title of Lady is â—quiparant to his title of Lord her authoritie for some purposes held as great her bowells of compassion towardes the weaker sexe especially more tender And as the Heathens frame Gods suitable to their owne desire soliciting them most though otherwise lesse potent whom they conceiue to be most favourable to their present suites so hath the blessed Virgin throughout the Romish Church obtained what she never sought the intire monopolie of womens prayers in their travailes as if her presence at others distressefull labours for she her selfe by their doctrine brought forth her first borne and onely sonne without paine had wrought in her a truer feeling or tenderer touch than the high Priest of their soules can haue of their infirmities or as if she would vse more faithfull and effectuall intercession with her sonne than he can or will doe with his Father Some in our times out of the weaknesse of their sexe matching with the impetuousnesse of their adulterous and disloyall zeale haue in this kinde beene so impotently outragious as to intercept others supplications directed to Christ and superscribe them in this forme vnto his mother Blessed Lady commaund thy sonne to heare this womans prayers and send her deliverance These and the like speeches haue moued some good women in other points tainted rather with superstition than precisenesse to dispense with the law of secrecie seldome violated in their parliaments and I know not whether I should attribute it to their courage or stupiditie not to be more affrighted at such blasphemies than at some monstrous and prodigious birth This and the like inbred inclinations vnto superstition in the rude and vninstructed people are more artificially set forward by the fabulous Romane Legendary and his Limmer than the like were in the Heathen by Heathen Poets and Painters Witnesse that Page in the Legend of S. Dominicke written by a Dominican Fryer of Antwerpe and dedicated to the Generall of that order in the yeare 1611. The device is our Saviour Christ readie to dart his three arrowes of famine warre and pestilence vpon the inhabitants of the earth for their wickednesse and the blessed Virgin his mother staying his hand vpon her vndertakings for a speedie reformation to be wrought to his contentment by S. Francis and S. Dominicke Vindicibus scelerum telis Deus impetit orbem At virgo Iratam comprime Nate manum Spondeo ait meliora homines quicorrigat ille Est mihi Franciscus quin mihi Dominicus The world with sinne-revenging darts to smite the Lord He threates Her Sonne to stay his wrathfull hand our Lady thus intreates All shall be well men will amend I promise doe not feare St Francis He this cure shall worke with Dominick my deare 6. But that which surpasseth all misconceipts of auncient Heathens of Turkes Mahumetans or other moderne infidells is conteined in their implicite beliefe of the Catholicke Church since it was contracted into the bosome of the Pope In the former point of Intercession amongst many false ones sundry true Saints were intituled to some part of that honor of which they haue spoyled God in this they disrobe him of his fundamentall and most glorious attributes to adorne and beautifie wicked monsters fashioning the infallibilitie of his promises and immutable counsell of his most sacred will to the inconstancie of tyrannicall lust or fluctuant resolutions of trecherous and perfidious miscreants In the former point Saints and Angels were but abetters of their idolatry
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
was in him But the particular branches of this dutie spring more directly out of the Articles concerning Christ vnto such knowledge of whom so much as may bring forth the true similitude of his minde the true knowledge of the divine nature and generall attributes is by way of method necessary and vnto this knowledge the generalities of the former principle presupposed and practised there is yet a more excellent way CHAPTER LI. The best meanes to rectifie and perfect our knowledge of God is to loue him sincerely Of the mutuall ayde or furtherance which the loue of God and the knowledge of God reciprocally and in a manner circularly afford each to other in their setting and growth 1. TO make loue the mother and knowledge the daughter will seeme an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or meere inversion of natures progresse from whose footesteps the common Maxime vnseene vnsought after or as the Latines expresse it Ignoti nulla cupido vnknowne vndesired hath beene gathered by the investigators of truth The very essences of desire and loue especially of things not actually enioyed are so closely enterwrapt and linkt together that for knowledge or whatsoever is no essentiall part of themselues to interpose or come betweene them is impossible If then knowledge according to the former saying be alwayes presupposed to desire how should it be the ofspring of loue 2. The former Maxime notwithstanding if I much mistake not though within its limits without controlle yet rightly examined hath no just authoritie saue onely in such expresse and actuall desires as are fashioned to determinate particulars desired It no way stretcheth to that mother desire which all men naturally haue of knowledge indefinitely taken This alwayes workes before we are aware and all of vs desire to know before we know what knowledge or desire meaneth This natiue desire of knowledge no man I thinke were he to speake directly and bona fide to this point would avouch to be different from the desire of happinesse alike naturally and inseparably rooted in all One the same inclination of the reasonable nature swayes to happinesse as to the end or marke through knowledge as the entry or passage but often miscarries not so much through faint intention or remisse endevours as from too hastie levell vnsteadie loose or immature delivery before it be furnished with internall weight to ballance it selfe against externall impulsions or attractions Goodnesse divine in whose fruition this happinesse consisteth was the port for which the Philosophers in their intricate disputes were bound the point whereon the former desire is by nature directly set but from which the alacrious endevours or vigorous intentions of men most greedie of knowledge vsually divert as far as an headlesse vnfeathered flight shot out of a strong bow in a mightie winde doth from the marke whereto the Archer would haue sent it Not the most exquisite knowledge of natures secrecies of every creature in the world can adde ought vnto our happinesse otherwise than by rectifying or right levelling that inbredde desire which impells or swayes vs to this anxious search of knowledge For knowledge it selfe we desire onely as it is good whereas no goodnesse saue divine can giue satisfaction to this desire Vnto this point or center of the soules rest and contentment which Philosophers sought vp and downe by as many Arch-lines as there be spheres or circles in the severall workes of nature the Psalmist directs vs by a short corde or string Delight thou in the Lord and he shall giue thee thy hearts desire Psal 37.4 And our hearts desire includes at least such a measure of knowledge and true happinesse as in this life is fittest for vs. But as we may in some sort desire his goodnesse may we so truely delight in him whom wee haue not knowne Is it true of our hearts what Iacob said of Bethel Are they indeed the houses of God is he in them and wee are not aware of his presence 3. Of things in their nature sensible but never apprehended by any particular sense there may be an implanted hate or loathing As whatsoever the mother neare childebirth hath beene affrighted or misaffected with will be misliked by the childe brought forth Hence doe these secret enmities which some reasonable creatures beare to dumbe beasts which never offended them vsually growe The Paroxysmes or fits of this dislike are never occasioned but by sight or feeling or some other sensitiue actuall apprehensions of matters thus offensiue howbeit some grudgings of the same disease may be procured by meere vicinitie or the vnknowne presence of the adversary as I haue known some men restlesse after hard labour and ever and anone to refuse the seate of their wonted rest not knowing any reason why so they did till search being made the sight of their adversary that was a Cat did bring their fit vpon them And yet I make no question but either delightful imployments exercise of the spirit and senses or the company of louely creatures might easily haue either prevented the working of the Antipathie or deaded all impression of irkesomnesse or dislike although their badde neighbour had still beene present As dislike and hate from antipathie so loue or delight may be raised from secret contact or vicinitie of sympathizing natures And whether we holde our soules to be immediately created of nothing or to spring as branches from our parents both wayes they may be capable of impressions from Gods presence which though for the most part vnapprehended is alwayes intimate and immediate to them as well in their operations as productions and would vndoubtedly fill them with secret joy did we not either giue preposterous issue to such gladnesse as by the sympathie is often vnwittingly raised in our hearts or stifle the first workings or intimations of it by contrary motions of vnhallowed mirth Were those secret rayes of warmth and comfort which daily issue from his brightnesse not cast as they vsually are vpon secondary causes or by-standing creatures but reflected vpon their fountaine the light of his countenance would more clearly shine vpon vs and instampe our mindes with the right portraicture of his perfections imitable The summe of the Psalmists late mentioned advise is to nurse the sympathizing instincts or seeds of secret joy but by abandoning all delight saue in those practises which preserue the health and peace of conscience For to delight in the Lord and in his law are with him tearmes synonymall Vnto this point the last passages of the fourth booke as of laying vp Gods word in our hearts of giving mature and right vent to internall motions or suggestions haue as the Reader will easily perceiue peculiar and immediate reference The imperfect light of speculatiue or artificiall knowledge may well beget some heate of loue but the perfection or splendor of knowledge divine cannot spring but from loue throughly kindled and bursting out into a flame which it seldome doth if those inward touches of