with divers narrations which if taken only morrally would be found very impertinent The bargaine made between Lea and Rachel Gen. 30.14 the contention betweene Sara and Hagar the childish strife betwixt Isaac and Ismael if we bring no other conceptions then those of the vulgar these matters would be both frivolous and ridiculous certainly these histories carry a deeper sence And S. Paul Gal. 4.24 finding in these two last the Image of the most important truths which are in religion which shewes that the intention of the holy Ghost was cleare otherwise then only to paint forth simple moralities More faulty is as yet the stile of an infinite number of Preachers who believe they handle the Scripture very well so that they disguise all in Tropes If they handle the miraculous healing of the leprous all their discourse will be of the spirituall Leprosie If of the resurrection of one dead they will speake only of regeneration turning these histories out of their naturall sence and omitting in the meane time the considerations which they furnish us to the true understanding of the place Truly it s permitted to draw an instruction for manners from an article of the faith but it is a great folly to lay hold of the concommitant of a subject in stead of the principall and make the body of their discourse thereof When any will expresly handle a morall doctrine the Scripture abounds in formall passages for such matters otherwise hee should both mock them and his auditors to preach the decalogue in interpreting the Symbole But it is easier for the ignorant to preach morality then to handle a point more misterious only for to bring it forth after their ordinary fashion in grosse equipage and under triviall reasons For to handle worthily a doctrine of manners one ought to have provision of rare matters and conceptions elevated above the common which belongs not but to a profound Theologian The vulgar knowes the vertues by their habits then in their essence Popular piety abounds so in certaine acts that it neglects the others namely all charity at this day is reduced into almes Many love rather to nourish a poore man then to convert an Idolater although it be a greater worke of charity to save one soule then to feed a hundred thousand bellies Otherwise a man who had founded Hospitalls should have done a farre more excellent worke then all the labours of the Apostles CHAP. VI. Touching curiosities Rash questions of those which are returned from the dead Of the Divell who exhorted to repentance Of the knowledge of evill MAn never saw the creation of any thing when God would forme Eve he made Adam sleep So likewise he hath reserved to himselfe the judgement of three points 1. of his councells 2. of Scripture 3. of consciences To inquire of the Son proceeds of the Father as of the Intellect and the holy Ghost as of the will What had been the posterity of Adam if he had not falne and if in this case the Sonne of God would have cloathed himselfe with our flesh or if the sacred body of Jesus Christ was perfectly organified from the first moment of his conception if God could not have saved man by any other meanes then by the death of his Sonne And whether Jesus Christ by his sufferances hath merited his proper exaltation besides our salvation are most rash curiosities If any one should rise againe from the dead our curiosity would aske him a thousand questions but I marke that of all those who ever rise againe not one except our Lord is introduced speaking in the Scripture except we put into this ranke Moses and Elias in the transfiguration which neverthelesse spake not but of the death of Jesus Christ Though a man should come from heaven hee could not name the things which he had seene or understood because that it never having moūted into the thought of man they could not impose names thereto So that those things could not be declared but in tearms the sence whereof would be unknown unto us they are words uneffable which man cannot pronounce and ought not to affect If the dead ought to be our instructors the spirit of error would easily counterfeit them and under this pretext would authorise his impostures The Scripture of all the damned names but only Judas and would not expresse the name the evill rich But many spirits which they pretend to be returned from the other world particularise by names and surnames the soules they have seen in hell For the vulgar presuppose that they know one another and that the Devill knows all that are within his bottomles pit Upon this imagination the Exorcists believing they have the power to make him tell nothing but truth and inquire of curious things taking pleasure to make him talk whereas Jesus Christ never made him speak but once imposing silence upon them in all other deliverance of those out of whom he had cast the Devils Namely it is not long since the Devil preached repentance by the mouth of some which were possessed his words have been gathered and published in a grosse volume by men bearing the title of approved theologians which have alledged them for a very perswasive argument of amendment of life showing that the Devil who took upon him this office was sent by God to convert men seeing that the other wayes were unprofitable farre from repulsing the impudency of this adversary who speaks not of piety but by mockery or for to render it suspected because of which when he would have spoken in favour of the truth our Lord made him alwayes hold his peace All unlawfull curiosities have relation unto two heads whose inquisition is forbidden us to wit the hight of heaven and the depth of hell The Scripture praiseth those who have not known the depths of Satan A too exact knowledge of evill offends the spirit and a man well skilled in malice although that it but in Theory will ever now and then give a tast thereof The diligence of Casuists to examine all the species of sins namely those whose onely name strikes a horror to our eares hath been a perniious labour more capable to destroy good manners then to instruct the consciences CHAP. 7. Wherefore Scholastick Theologie was invented and how it was established with a contrary successe THree things have made Scholasticall Theology to be cried down setting aside the impurity des dogmes of their opinions with which it is stuffed 1 The multitude of Philosophicall matters 2 The vain curiositie of questions 3 the barbarousnesse of the language the intention of those who built it was to keep the key of knowledge among themselves and to hinder the common people from entering therein and to take from them the knowledge of Theologie to this effect they stopt the gap with thorns and made the passage difficult First mingling Philophy therewith nay all the most subtil speculations of Metaphysicks then reducing the whole Christian doctrine into
painted out in the vision of Ezekiel The Psalmist speaking of the food which God provides for beasts makes mention of young ravens rather then of other fouls of the aire for a speciall reason The Revelation represents not Christ to all the Churches under the same figure To one it shews the stars and the golden Candlesticks to another it makes it see the two edged sword to another flaming eyes and the feet as of brasse His titles are divers according to the diversity of subjects Many know in generall that the ceremonies figure out Christ but know not how and in what quality each of them represent him There is none of them which hath not besides the generall intention of the Law their particular aime and reason for want of understanding them distinctly makes the reading of them contemptible and envied by the common people Many also not knowing at what the Scripture aimes are astonished at the recital of divers enormous things which it particulariseth so carefully I put not in this rank those which are symbolical as the cōmandement made to Hosea that he should get unto him a whore this is but a parable But the incest of Judas with his sons wife seems fitter to have been buried with him then to be inserted in the holy history even with so many shamefull and horrid circumstances yet notwithstanding if one heed the arrogance of the Jews which insolently glory of their extraction who ground even their election and divine alliance on the vertues of their Patriarks One shall find this error cannot be better refuted nor this pride better taken down then by making them see the proceedings of their father guilty of a thousand filthy acts CHAP. III. Of the method which seems defective in many discourses of Scripture Of the stile thereof Of superfluous words Of strange similitudes Of the imitation of Scripture language Of mysterious omissions THere are found many discourses in the Scripture which seem to be without order and without connexion built with pieces ill joyned nay in the judgement of the ignorant extravagant and from the purpose The Lamentations of Jeremy a number of Psalmes divers Sermons of our Lord some Epistles of the Apostles keep not in appearance any regular method Many subjects seem ranked confusedly in history unlesse one see their subjects the connection and their aim as in the Apology of Saint Stephen and other places One may take notice of censures made as it seemeth out of season nay which is more divers answers which concern not the queries and in no wayes touch the question proposed The vulgar interpreters are much troubled when they must expound such passages and shew themselves ridiculous endeavouring to reduce them to the ordinary rules of their Logick By this meanes they give them a contrary and forced sense What may be said upon this subject cannot be comprehended in this abridgement I will touch but one point thereof for example of all the rest Sometimes it is said in the Gospell that Jesus answered where notwithstanding it appeareth not by any circumstance of Scripture that any had spoke unto him Some are astonished then why it is said he answered when none had asked him I take this tearm not for a bare Hebraisme but indeed for a proposall relative to anothers Now many which opened not their mouth in the presence of Jesus Christ ceased not to speake in the secret of their heart but their thoughts being known to him he answered the subject of their thoughts We ought also to observe that where the Scripture oft-times breaks off that which seems should have followed in the thred of the same discourse and inserts a subject quite different whereof the hearers never thought If the construction thereof be not alwaies Grammaticall it is reall consisting more in the coherence of mysteries then in the forme of words In that which the Scripture saith one ought even to consider why it speaks in such tearms for when it expresseth the same thing by divers names this diversitie of words representeth alwaies some diversitie of qualitie in the same subject Such a thing is called by one name in one passage which is otherwise named in another and this for a notable cause Moses Exod. 3. asked what was the name of God that is to say in what qualitie he should speak whether as Elohim or as Jehovah or as Shadai or Adma or according to some other name by which he is called It is to be noted that the title of Jehovah which is translated Lord was not given him in all the Scripture touching the Creation but onely after the making of man In one place the Scripture saith that Jesus Christ sitteth on the right hand of God In another that he standeth at the right hand of God I have before spoken of the redundants which seeme to be in Scripture When it saith that such a man lived so many years and then died These two last words seeme to be superfluous which containe notwithstanding a substantiall addition It gives this Epitaph but to the Patriarchs which lived before the flood Of all those which died after Noah it saith barely such a man lived so many yeares without adding that he died Which thing is considerable It is to be observed also whether the Scripture it selfe speaks or whether some body els speake in it The similitude which compares God to a man that was dead asleep with too much drink is but an echo or an Ironicall repetition of the idolaters language who spake of God in those jolly tearmes It is to be noted also that the Scripture sometime expresseth a thing by its contrary As when one is accused to have blessed God to denote the most horrible impiety that may be These observations require many others which we omit I will speake onely one word of a question that may be made to wit whether wee may not accustome our selves to write and speak the same style with the Scripture There are found some that affect its language and assay to counterfeit its voyce to authorize their dreams and make them passe for Oracles But they are barbarisms in divinitie have made those dreames be accounted for strange It were therefore to be wished that those that speak according to the truth of Scripture had also the phrase and language thereof A Sermon woven not with superfluous or impertinent quotations but with tearms and speeches of the Holy Ghost joyned and ranked in their proper places nips off the lustre of the most eloquent pieces A collection which might be made upon all sorts of subjects continuall reading a method fit for this purpose are a memorie ready and present to occurrences a judicious spirit and long experience might frame the habit thereof But we must observe that as the Scripture often hides an extraordinarie sense under a common phrase wee may well have the same words of it though not alwaies in so lofty a sence There is for example sometimes a reproofe or a doctrine
certaine Prophets told Paul that bonds did attend him at Jerusalem but the counsell they gave him not to goe thither was a motion of their owne particular spirit proceeding from their humane affection All the dreames which came to the Prophets were not propheticall they had markes by which they discerned the celestiall visions from naturall impressions to which they were subject as well as other men In the same manner as the divine providence of God hath separated that which was writ by their particular motion from that which was transmitted unto us by divine inspiration The Spirit which dictated the letter of David written with the bloud of poore Uria was quite contrary to that which indited the Psalmes Nathan counselling the building of the Temple seemed speaking like a godly man but the consequence shewes he spake not like a Prophet It is most true that neither sagacity nor humane affections reduced into a just temper are not incompatible with spirituall wisdome contrarily they serve for a helpe to our weaknesse All the articles of our faith are equally true but our beliefe embraces them not with equall facility We have lesse trouble to believe a divine Essence then a Trinity of Persons the immortality of the soule then the resurrection of the body The reason is that in the one we have nothing but a supernaturall revelation for the ground of our beliefe and in the other we are moreover sustained by humane reason which strengthens this faith So our obedience is more voluntary in things to which wee have besides the commandement of God some naturall or personall inclination then in those which are repugnant to our affections I doubt not but Abraham obeyed more joyfully when it was bidden him not to lay his hand upon Isaac then when he was commanded to slay him But in this concurrence namely of the Spirit of God with our spirits wee must marke these two principalls the one of which is alwaies regular and the other hath still some spice of obliquity A man addicted to his sence and that adores his owne opinions will very hardly give place to the Spirit of God Ordinarily Prophecies and Revelations came unto men then when they were asleep where God sent them those extasies whilst they lasted they were as if deprived of all sence which was because the soule is then dis-intangled from many functions and freed from an infinity of thoughts and of objects which possessed it waking being then lesse glued to their naturall judgement and so more susceptible of the influencie of heaven and more capable to receive the impression thereof CHAP. IIII. Concerning the Sences and of the imaginations vulgar meditations matters which seeme better in Painting then in the words of the holy Scripture Why the corporall figure of our Saviour is not delineated in the Gospell Why the sight of the places esteemed holy takes away the admiration thereof REligion contains divers matters which for a simple historicall knowledge are intelligible to the externall senses The starre which appeared to the wise men the manger at Bethlehem the crown of Thornes the punishment of the Crosse the Sepulchre of Christ and his comming out thereof the scarres of his Wounds his Ascension to Heaven are objects perceptible to the imagination Nay we cannot conceive the truth of the naturall body of Christ but under an imaginable and sensible forme But the internall forme of all these theologicall truths which is as it were the soul of Religion is not apprehensible but to the intellect The divinity resident in Christ the personall union of the two Natures the merits of his Death the efficacie of his Intercession the interest of the justice of God in this satisfaction The eternall Election the interiour Vocation Justification the essence of the Faith the regeneration are matters purely intellectuall In every narration principally in each article of faith which lies in the Historie there is ever two things requisite to the intelligence thereof 1. The action with its circumstances Secondly the causes and the consequences thereof Now the first point is better studied and more sought into by the common people as being more delectable to the imagination and far easier to bee conceived then the other which touches not the senses and requires a more spirituall and more laborious exercise of the understanding from whence it comes to passe that the science the conception the proofes and meditations of the vulgar are more imaginative then intellectuall A Deaths head the spectacle of a carkasse or of a dying man will represent our humane fragility more lively then can doe all the sentences of the Bible But the supernaturall causes of this corruption and the consequences thereof from whence results the true intelligence of our mortality they are not read in such characters A picture may give knowledge of an action but the reasons and the motives in which lyes the importance of the story askes another Pensill A Crucifix tells us not why Jesus Christ died Never man was yet converted by the sight of a picture If that were Painters and Sculptors would be the greatest Theologians After the same manner the sufferings of Christ reduced into a Tragedy and elevated by the highest colours of Eloquence what teares soever it may draw from the auditors will never suffice for a saving knowledge If the true pourtraict of Jesus Christ representing his naturall face were to be found in the world I would never blame the curiosity of those who would seek the possession and who all superstition set apart would preserve it as one of the most precious jewels that the eye of man can behold Many have thought that they have the originall in an Epistle of Lentulus to the Senate of Rome of which I will say no more but that it is no Roman stile Some others have drawne the Copy from the Monument of a fabulous history which speaks of a Statue erected in memory of our Saviour Howsoever it comes to passe it is a strange thing that the Scripture which paints forth the stature of Saul the haire of Absalom the colour and visage of David expresses not any figure of our Saviour We find not therein the least Idea nor any lineament neither of his face colour aspect stature or yet of his voyce But that by which he was discernable from other men consisted not in his visible forme or in any extraordinary difference of Lineaments otherwise Judas had not needed a signe to make him to be known so that the representation of him at this day to the eye of flesh would make him contemptible to him that would not conceive a divine Majesty under a common and indifferent appearance Or it would be a Patron of Idolatry which would not faile to multiply under so favourable a pretext Our humane vanity would have added there to some frivolous and impertinent speculations of Phisiognomie Or superstition would cast its sight upon each man who should have some seeming resemblance of such a
Picture Or certainly the greatest part of Christians in stead of knowing Christ in spirit and adoring him spiritually would alwayes have his imagination tied to the corporall object and his spirit disturbed with the fancy thereof Of thousands of men who returne from Jerusalem or from mount Sina or from the river of Jordan and many other famous places mentioned in the Scripture scarce can you find one which brings back the admiration which he had conceived before he had seen them The spirit of man hath alwayes a more reverent opinion of things which are ancient then of Moderne of those which are farthest off then of those which are neare The objects the most excellent and sacred become contemptible by the facility and proximity of accesse but those who goe out of a devout affection to visite Palestine or Arabia carry with them for the most part exorbitant imaginations which sometimes passe to an excesse impossible in nature thinking to find the third heaven in a cave not considering that the innobling of those places proceeds not from any quality which renders them either more holy or more full of majesty then the other parts of the earth but from the sole reputation of the wonders past under that climate so that the sight takes away the esteeme thereof because it answers not to the imaginations with which they were preoccupied CHAP. V. Of the difference and capacity of spirits Of the faculties of the soule Of those who promise themselves to beleeve so that they have proofe and doe assure themselves they should have beleeved in Christ if they had seene his Miracles Of those who limit God according to their owne wisdome or beleeve the truth because it is conformable to their owne opinion TO dispute whether there bee Spirits more capable of Theologie then others or whether the faculties of the soule are prevalent in this studie are questions remore from our intention without controversie the intellect is the true place of this science although the vulgar imagine that there is more trouble to retaine a point of Religion then to conceive it and wish rather the gift of memorie then that of the understanding The knowledge of salvation is an effect of grace only A single historicall and speculative culative knowledge proceeds from a particular favour of God But this grace destroyes neither the naturall difference nor essence of spirits God employes for our instruction the objects the sences and the other faculties of the soule Jesus Christ himselfe as hee was man became more knowing by experience a man which hath the sence of hearing from whence comes faith hath a manifest advantage for the understanding of preaching above that man whom God hath strucken with deafnesse so there is no doubt but a good naturall understanding presupposing the light of grace knowes better how to conceive a matter of religion and to weigh the importance thereof and search into the causes and to discover the consequences then a spirit naturally stupid and blockish the greatest braines are ordinarily more slow to believe then those which have but mean ones as the highest Planets have the slowest motions but their beliefe is more sollid when once they have known the truth For God employes the same faculties for to produce an effect for which they had nothing but a naturall repugnancie so that the most violent persecutors become oft-times the greatest zelots of the faith whether the faculty of those who believe more promptly be more worthy of praise it 's a point we will not as yet touch The vulgar presuppose that the Science of religion requires nothing but a single apprehension or reception of truths presupposed without any mixtion of the discursive faculty and without any act of the judgement many make scruple of reasoning upon the doctrines oâ— faith because that reason is nothing but a naturall faculty But this maxime in the sence they give unto it is in effect contrary to all reason by the same consequence they ought not to bring to Church neither their eares nor common sence for to discerne the voyce and accents of the Word which is preached unto them noâ— their memorie to retaine the impression for these faculties as well as reason arâ— purely naturall I will leave what is to be spoken upon this subject to come to some remarkes Scarce can a man bee found doubting of some point of religion but he promiseth himselfe firmly to beleeve the truth so that hee may see manifest and concluding proofe there is nothing so common as this voyce If I see the proofe I will believe it But they promise that which is not in their power for every historicall faith it selfe is a gift of God and saving faith proceeds from a particular favour of heaven In the meane time they attribute unto themselves the power thinking that the matters of the faith may as easily be insinuated into our beliefe as philosophical propositions which have no need but of a moral perswasions or of the evidence of the senses for to introduce them into our spirit Whereas theologicall truths the most cleare and palpable are alwaies obscure unto us without a particular illumination With a like vanity many assure themselves that if they had seene the miracles that God wrought in Egypt or that Jesus Christ did in Judea they would not have failed to believe in him They wonder at the stupidity of the Jewes and thinke that if such wonders had been presented to their eyes they should have been far from being incredulous But certainly if a man should see all the rivers converted into blood the Seas cleave in sunder the Heaven open his gates the Mountaines to remove themselves the Sun stand still the Dead to come forth of their graves the Rocks to melt into water when he himselfe should have been in Heaven or should have returned from Hell he would not have returned better if God gave him not another understanding capable of this faith Now the Idolatrie which formes God after the resemblance of man consists not alwayes in Statues or materiall pictures neither in the grosse conception of Ideots who never thinke of God but in imagining some figure apprehensible to the sence and place in Heaven a fantasme for the object of their contemplation But there is one far more subtill which indeed considers God as a Spirit but bounds him by the law of Nature or restraines him to the same lawes which serve for bounds to the humane spirit or confines his wisdome to the maximes of morall and intellectuall vertues Two things amongst all others have seemed most absurd in the true religion the one under the Ancient testament to wit the Circumcision the other under the New to wit the Crosse of Christ the one ordained for a Sacrament the other for the foundation properly of the Alliance both of them shamefull in themselves ridiculous in the quality the Scripture gives them For God would oblige the wisest to search their salvation by a way
multitude of clear and bright shining dayes in a well furnished library The thief learnt more Theology hanging by Jesus in a quarter of an houre then many great Doctours have gotten all their life I stop not at those speculations which they alledge upon this question from whence it proceeds that sometimes one hath seene ignorants being on their bed of death with deliberate judgement discourse of the highest points of faith with as much depth and in as good tearmes as the most accomplisht Theologians Whether it be that the soul being as it were half loosed from the body begins as then to soare aloft and to discover that it never saw before or that it being illuminated with a greater light it perceives what it had never before learned I leave the decision thereof But this grace is not common nor doth it authorise a voluntary ignorance nor the practice of the common people whose knowledge is at this day reduced to the onely rudiments of faith Nor the carelesnesse nor the insufficiency of many preachers who never give any thing but milk to their auditors under pretext that it is the word of God for to keep them in perpetuall infaney and far from perfection The second Section CHAPTER 1. Divinity reduced into a verball science abundance of tearmes as well scholastick as Oratorian A difference in this respect amongst the Sciences an objection touching the stile of the Scripture IN these times a man is held for learned although he knows many words although in effect he knows very little of the substance the knowledge of many which are reputed for learned consists rather in tearmes then in reality A collection of words heaped up in the braine to the bignesse of a mountain contains oft times but an atome the production whereof is ridiculous they are so multiplied by a labour full of vanity that there is more time spent in learning the tearms then the thing it self and in the end of our studies it s found we know a quantity of words but scarce any substantiall matters if one should gather all the tearms which are naturalised in Theologie and the divers sences of each one of them he would make a dictionary whose volume would surpasse foure Bibles If there be any thing in which our knowledge is straightened in narrow bounds it is the mystery of the Trinity all which men can say insubstance is reduced into very few words Neverthelesse besides the tearms of Essentiall Personall Consubstantiall and others whose introduction hath been made necessary by the importunity of heresies we heare spoken of Active and Passive Generation likewise of Active and Passive Spiration and Procession of emperichorisie of absolute properties and relative properties of Agenesia or ingenerability of works externall and of works internall of divided and undivided operations of reall and modall distinctions of a distinction Characteristicall of the supposed suppositive and Apotesmes suppositions The principles attributes substantiall Oeconomicall attributes the Endiathetick the word Prophoric reflexively a production by the way of the intellect and by the way of the will a production Physicall and Metaphysicall Hyperphysicall Notionall acts the abstract the Concret The Mission taken Actively and the Mission taken Passively the communication of Idiomes and an infinity of other words many of which are not altogether unprofitable but the multitude of them shews our knowledge to be more verball then Reall One of the highest points of our knowledge consists in distinctions Now it is most certain that there is more distinction of termes then of things themselves the onely word of faith is taken in so many differing significations that it requires a great deal of study This knowledge is necessary to a Theologian but considering it in it self it gives at no other quality but the knowledge of distinguishing of syllables like those who know all the differences names of a plant and yet are ignorant of the vertues thereof In the mean while we see some who will display a conception as a rare and misterious doctrine which in the depth contains no other skill but the clearing of an ambiguous word the surplusage being nothing but some triviall matter Now besides the multitude of termes already received and as yet remain in case they each day invent new ones so that the language of Canaan hath the least part in Religion and if Saint Paul should again return into the world scarce would he be capable to be received Doctor in Theology for want of having studied Thomas Aquinas for the points of Religion have other names then those by which they were called in his time and for one name that they then had there they give them a hundred at this day besides those which they have given to new matters which all the Apostles never knew The Common people think that knowledge consists in the abundance of words although that twenty different words signifie but the same thing an ignorant fellow thinks he knows much because he knows many synonimies This error ought to be attribured either to the ignorance or to the negligence of many Preachers and composers of books fertill in words barren in substance whose instructions are more verball then doctrinall The art to amplifie a discourse through a diversity of words and phrases equivolent in sence and gilded over sometimes with interrogations sometimes with Allegories sometimes with Apostrophes with Prosopoeia's these circumlocutions would not be impertinent if they alwayes brought along with them some new reality which should not onely augment the discourse but also the Subject and matter thereof otherwise to produce one onely conception stretched out in words as if it were new matter under colour that they represent it in divers vestes and different postures it is a cunning more fit for a stage then a Pulpit These Retoricall amplifications are admitted into some certain sciences in others they are altogether unprofitable Physick hath nothing to do therewith neither in respect of the Theory nor of the practice The Mathematicks suffer it not it would be ridiculous to demonstrate the proportion of the diameter to the circumference or the Roots of the numbers in Panegyricks and Rethoricall declamations The Theologian and the Lawyer onely employ them the reasons is that the end of these two professions is not onely to instruct and to inform the judgement of the auditors but also to move their affections to what else serves the ornament and the copiousnesse of a language but Theology is not onely to move the affections as ignorant men suppose The first vertue of a Christian consists in the knowledge of God and of his works Knowledge which cannot be but onely in the intellect which is instructed by proofs and reall and direct demonstrations not by the windings and turnings of words or exaggerating of things which oftener clouds the truth more then it enlighteneth it enlightens it But one may object that the Scripture it self is not every where logicall in all it parts
high and ticklish questions which the vulgar neither durst nor could approach and finally inventing a certain canting of strange and unexplicable words as the Physicians having their tearmes and Characters not to be understood but onely by those of the same profession Now this Theologie begins to be introduced amongst us the principall matters which they handle at this time are the divine decrees with all their consequences There be those which find the depth of the highest secrets of God nothing is unknown unto them neither in heaven nor hell and their mouths bring forth words uneffable which themselves understand not For these new stuffes still have new names and it is to be feared in the end least all the doctrine of Religion should again turn Scholastick But this Metamorphosis hath not the same successe which it had in times past for the ancient Scolastick theology being invented for to keep the people in a stupid silence held it self in the compasse of the cloysters and of the universities but the Modern have leapt into the Pulpit of the Churches from thence to the market places to the shops to the tables and into the brains of the cōmon people to fill them with scruples cries and contentious disputes and to make them fight for a subject which for the most part they understand not CHAP. 8. The boldnesse of the vulgar the last Christians ought to know more then the first The modern Church ought to be called ancient THAT which we have spoken justifies not the temerity of ignorant men who presently condemne all matters or questions which surpasse their capacity The vulgar are wonderfully bold to reject as curious each doctrine which they understand not or they judge it unprofitable under colour that they do not comprehend the importance thereof or they accuse it of novelty because they never heard of it before we give examples thereof we shall produce some observations Our age is reputed worse then the precedent If this complaint be as true as it is common let those judge who will compare the ancient and the modern occurrences Certainly in one point our age surpasseth others and in the same respect posterity will surpasse our selves especially in the knowledge of many things unknown to the ages past a knowledge which facilitates the Scriptures in divers matters which our forefathers fifteen ages past could never find the intelligence of setting aside the discovery of the new world and a thousand other wonders which have happened since them many Prophesiess have been dark unto them which at this day are as cleare as the sun for their accomplishment hath dissipated the obscurity and knowledge hath multiplied from time to time according to the measure that the lamb hath opened the seales of his oracles The name of antiquiry hath abused many the Church which was then and which is at this day are but one universall Church in respect of time the difference of ages makes us to distinguish into two calling it the ancient and the new but by transposition of names for we call it ancient considering it in the first ages in which it was yong new to the contrary we qualifie it new in this time in which it ought to be called ancient as having obtain'd to a greater age notwithstanding taking Antiquity in the ordinary sence it may teach vs very much principally for historie and matters which consist in action But as by this meanes we may know that which our forefathers have known we have moreover this advantage that we know many things which were unknown to them CHAP. IX Concerning that Maxime That we cannot say any thing but what hath been already spoken THis popular opinion serves for a pretext of ignorance and of carelesnesse to many men They would be much troubled if one should aske them if this maxime had been alwayes true ever since the beginning of the world for then it would follow that whatsoever came since the first man should have beene spoken before and so of necessitie that Adam had spoken of David of Moses and Solomon of Pilate and of the Romans of Constantine the great and of Charlemaine If this axiome hath not been alwaies true in what time began it then to be when all things hath been made an end to be spoken who made up the closure but certainly the assertion hath not been alwaies true not in Philosophie to whom nature and experience have discovered from time to time many things unknowne to antiquity Not in Physick which hath seen new diseases produced and hath found out new remedies Not in the Politicall science to whom occurrences have suggested lawes unthought of by the Ancients Not in Mathematicks which have produced new inventions unknown to our Fathers Not in History which each day is inlarged and will never faile to find new subjects Not in Mechannick arts many of which have been invented in this last time and the others still produce some new artifice Ecclesiasts which they alleage to the contrary speakes only of the ordinary course of nature and of actions common to all ages and to all men For the production and corruption of sublunarie bodies life and death laughter and teares prosperity and adversity are nothing new under the Sun But they may object that Theology is a compleat Science having all its principalls and all its materialls in the Scripture to which nothing may be added It is most true but all that which is in the Scripture hath not as yet been understood so then all that which may bee spoken upon the Scripture hath not as yet been spoken There is an infinite number of points in History in the Prophets in the Morall lawes in the Ceremonies of the ancient Testament and in the misteries of Faith whose sence as yet hath never been intirely dived into Setting all curiosities apart 't is a blockish rashnesse to believe that Theologie cannot furnish a subject to many excellent considerations as yet never conceived nor understood nor will I speak of the divers Prophesies whose accomplishment we still expect and it is not possible to speake thereof with so much sufficiencie as those that shall see the issue so that all is not spoken which may belong to this matter Finally there is many assertions which cannot bee pronounced in true tearmes but in their proper time as that which our Lord said All is fulfill'd could nor be spoken before One day it will be said the resurrection is past which hath not as yet beene spoken but by some hereticks but we must passe to another head CHAP. X. Of Paradoxes or matters which are strange to the vulgar VVHatsoever is contrary to the common opinion or naturall sence of men is ordinarily rejected as monstrous Many cannot believe that Moses requiring to be blotted out of the booke of life or St. Paul wishing to be made Anathema spoke in good earnest for all the condition they proposed to this demand or for what favour soever they could pretend
of their conversation That so many naturall relations met in one man which might have brought the title of father and uncle together would have brought a thousand confusions in the world That the same proximity being disputed amongst them which are of the same blood would have produced divers strifes in families for the reason as that of the straight line which oblige the brother to marry his half sister that the woman who in case of injury or dissertion might find a refuge with their brothers had lost his refuge if the brotherhood had been confounded in the marriage And other reasons which one might alleadge for this law CHAP VI. Of the exercise of the mind in every point of Religion The default of the vulgar and of preachers herein The Scripture speaks by proofs GOd would that our knowledge should be discursive in part and that this faculty of the soule which passeth from one subject to another for to discern them compare them together and give judgement thereof might also be sanctified by this exercise in matters of Religion But because it is more difficult to reason upon a point then to conceive it nakedly and barely the common people is contented to heare that such a thing is true or good or just without searching why or how it is such The ignorant love onely to heare a thing affirmed or denyed insomuch that to the understanding of a proposition or assertion thus naked there is need of but a bare apprehension or understanding of words without other trouble of mind Whereupon they are delighted in maximes and proverbs because it is not needfull to conceive the sense thereof easie to whosoever understandeth the words For 't is to be presupposed they are grounded on reason and 't is enough to hold them for true without any other form of enquiry This same facility is the cause we have more talkers then preachers Provided they stretch out a point by a long train of equivalent tearms that they delate a text into Paraphrases that they heape togeather a great masse of sentences of Scripture they think they have worthily handled and the vulgar abide therewith satisfied But the interpretation thereof requires much more then this Certainly Jesus Christ himselfe and the most excellent instruments which have spok by his spirit have not contented themselves to pronounce the affirmative or negative upon any point but besides have shewed the reasons thereof If they teach that the worship of God ought to be spirituall they give this proofe thereof to wit that God is a spirit If the alleadge to make the Jewes see that the Messias ought to die and rise again the words of the Psalmest thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption they frame thereof an argument which imports that this Oracle cannot relate but to David or to Christ that the body of David had notoriously felt the same corruption which death brings to other men So that this prophecy could not belong but to Christ If they say that man is not justified by the Law they prove it by the end of the Law which is to manifest sinne If they declare that Circumcision doth not justifie they shew it by the example of Abraham who was justified before he was circumcised So that his circumcision being after his justification could not have produced it If they affirm that there was a Law before that of Moses they argue that where there is no law there is no sin Now we read that there was sin before Moses this is proved because that death which is the wages of sinne raigned from Adam to Moses If they maintaine free Election they produce the decree given before the infants had none either good or evil If they maintain that the Covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the Law they make it cleare that it did precede the Law foure hundred and thirty yeares If they publish that Christ is greater then the Angells they prove it by his titles which were never conferred upon them If they preach the weaknesse of the Jewish priesthood they take it from this that the Scripture hath substituted for it another of anorder altogether different to it after the order of Melchisedech for if perfection had been in the Leviticall Priesthood what need had there been that anothe Priest should arise which was according to the order of Aron If they teach that Jesus Christ ought to die they note that where there is a Testament there the death of the Testatour ought to intervene before the heires can have benefit thereof In brief if they speak of the resurrection or of other points of faith their discourse never consists in bare assertions but in reasons and demonstrative proofs CHAP VII Of Popular reasons as well in the Romane Religion as amongst the vulgar of the Orthodox Churches The difference betwixt the maximes of faith and those of charity THose which among the vulgar reason upon matters of Religion are accustomed to conceive them as reasons one may call popular These reasons are taken from the superficies not from the very substance of truth This is the reason why oft times they are found false although their facility render them plausible to the ignorant If it were needfull one might shew that the Romane Religion is for the most part propt up by popular reasons Popular is the comparison of Intercessours which are employed towards the Grandees of this world brought for the Invocation of Saints Popular is the question whether we ought to condemn our ancestours and so many souls which hold the faith we at this day disallow Popular are the marks under which they represent the Church For the antiquity multitude locall succession are not essentiall properties thereof Popular are the austerities fastings scourgings and externall mortification of the Monks profession Popular are the images and the title which is given them that they are the booke of Ideots The most ordinary reason which authoriseth the reason of the common people is that of charity Prayers for the dead have been covered under this pretence and many sometime have extended even to hell praying even for the damned not to deliver them wholly from pain knowing that is impossible but for to procure for them some diminution thereof whereunto charity carrieth them The maximes of charity are more persuasive and efficacious amongst the common people then the maximes of faith The reason thereof is because that those of faith are more removed from the appearance and have not so much relation with reason and naturall affection as those of charity which are more intelligible and more agreeing with the common notion of men Notwithstanding to say truth every act of Religion which is undertaken without faith is also without charity And the charity of the ignorant is a strange fire which is not acceptable at the altar But our discourse properly concerns them who being orthodox in points of Religion prop not up the belief of them but upon
experience sufficiently teacheth That concord is good amongst brethren that we ought to render to every one what belongs unto him that we ought not to do to others what we would not have done to us and the like propositions which the law of nature teacheth the most barbarous that he that is invited to a feast choose not the highest place that he which ought should agree with his Creditor to shun the Prison And other instructions of prudence of well being and administration which every man knows without Scripture God gave a commission to the Prophet to publish an Oracle the tenour whereof was that all flesh is as grasse and the glory thereof as grasse which seemes to be sufficiently known of it self without extraordinary revelation The 49. Psal calls all the inhabitants of the earth to heare things rare and excellent which it promiseth to discover unto them the summe whereof is this that every man is mortall that the wise man dyeth as well as the fool that riches exempts no man from the grave and other sentences which the veriest ideots sufficiently know though they never had been written from hence it cometh that the ignorant admireth not the Scripture because they believe it tells them nothing new and in truth if the words thereof contained nothing but what appeares manifest these matters would be purely vulgar But this is that which deceives the greatest part of readers or rather their ignorance deceives them in that they think these propositions of scripture have no other sense then that which is common and naturall to the grossest persons These are as for the terms the same sentences which are dictated unto us either by nature or by reason or by experience or by the universall voice of mankind But the sence which they have in scripture reacheth much further That which seemes there to be triviall is full of rarities which are not perceivable to all sorts of spirits If there be question of a passage which speaks of death the world is full of preachers which will give a description thereof which will declaim in a pathetick manner and will say all that which the simple know well enough But this is but to touch the superficies of scripture Sometimes it pronounceth proverbs taken from the mouth of common people nay of Pagan authors but it heightneth the sence thereof and referres to an end farre more noble Many Philosophers might have conceived the same morall precepts nay in the same tearmes with scrcipture but not to animate them with a sence so high and so compleat This is the admirable art of the Holy Ghost to hide the rarest mysteries under the appearance of the most common matters VVe reserve the examples hereof to another discourse The ignorant who believe that all the substance of a passage consists in that which is therein vulgar the understanding whereof is easie imagine they understand it very well and think they comprehend all the sense thereof The opinion they have of this easinesse abuseth them VVhen one finds a passage which seems so easie one may assure himself that there is some notable difficulty in it Those which seem most clear are very often most obscure If there be any thing which seems to be clear and intelligible such are similitudes taken from common and sensible things as of a sower of a net cast into the sea of agrain of mustard-seed of leaven put in meal c. Those cōparisons because they are familiar are even contemptible to the veriest ideors and there is none of them which attributes not to himself the understanding thereof notwithstanding it may be there are sew men that comprehend the full sense thereof not to speak in the similitude of the Potter that of the wild olive used by Saint Paul upon the subject of the calling of the Gentiles hath divers branches marvelously high whereunto all cannot attain One may referre hither divers subjects which seem to be within the cognisance of humane arts and sciences As the Pleiades and other Celestiall signes mentioned in Job for Astrologie The remedie applied upon the Carbuncle of Ezekiah and the third day observed for the most painfull in the wound of the Sichemites for Physick The statue of Nebuchadnezzar for buriall The temple and royall houses of Solomon for Architecture an infinitenesse of points which belong to Naturall Philosophy In effect there 's no doubt but the Scripture contains in it many admirable secrets of this quality but this is but the bark of a marrow more substantiall and wholsome CHAP. 2. Of matters which seeme unprofitable in Scripture Considerations upon Chronologie upon the Genealogies Proper names Ceremoniall Laws Rules Particularities little considerable in appearance and histories of enormous Acts. TO understand the Scripture 't is not enough to know what it saith 'T is necessary also to know why it saith it For the discourse thereof tends oftentimes to abut the words expresse not There is nothing so cleare as the Morall law the precepts thereof are evident there is no man so brutish which understands not very well when it speaks of honouring father and mother of absteining from homicide from false witnesse c. Notwithstanding Saint Paul saith this law was covered with a veil and that the Jews could not see Moses face They did comprehend well the sense thereof but saw not the aim thereof which seemed to contradict eve the language and the appearance of it For the law promised life to him that fulfilled it and yet notwithstanding this was not the intention of the Law to induce us to search for life by the fulfilling therof Our Lord said If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements and notwithstanding this proposition tended to an end quite different to wit that we should not hope for salvation by observation of the commandements The same ought to be observed in divers other passages The Scripture is full of an infinity of matters which considered in themselves seem to be wholly unprofitable or at least of very little importance if one take not heed at what they aim at It is true that some are either more profitable or more considerable then others our Lord himself distinguisheth the greater commandements from the lesser Without doubt the history of Christs passion is more necessary then that of Sampson or the victories of David or the description of Solomons Palace If it be so that the Scripture contains nothing superfluous there is neither a tache nor a goats haire in all the Tabernacle which serves not to the perfection of it To this purpose are the accounts of the yeares which the Scriptures observe so punctually It were a very great brutishnesse to be ignorant whether the world harh continued a long time and how The dayes of the ancient Fathers and the measure of the following ages which the holy history calculates so exactly give us their chronology The 430 years which expired the very night the Hebrews came out of Egypt published
al whose words imply some prophecie which concernes not at all the present time or any prediction whereof the accomplishment is to us unknown We may truly pronounce the same words as the Scripture but in our mouth they are not Propheticall To close this Chapter wee are not onely to consider what the Scripture saith but also very often why it conceales certaine things for in many places it speaketh even by silence and its silence is significative That which I would say concernes not those matters whereupon the least curious may raise questions as upon the day of Christs Nativity his actions from his infancy to his twelfth yeare and from that time to his age of thirty yeares and other points whereof the holy history speakes not It may bee disputed also why the tribe of Dan is omitted Revel 7. in a Catalogue where all others are so expresly named But the sole omission of Melchisedechs Genealogie of his birth and death shew that the very silence of Scripture is mysterious including the image of Christs eternity I doubt not but it containes many other examples of this kind though our eye cannot see them all CHAP. IIII. Of infused knowledge Of Apostleship Of those that know nothing but by books I Lay aside the question whether the gifts of prophecie have wholly ceased We call a Prophet not him which foretells what is to come as the vulgar understand but him which hath graces extraordinarily infused for the understanding and interpretation of the divine mysteries These lights are not given at this day in so eminent a degree as heretofore but it may bee they are not wholly extinguished though they are rare and communicated to very few persons T is not enough to object that there may be found some sublime divine whose knowledge proceeds not from study so much as other mens The heavenly influences may descend as well into a library as into a wildernesse Daniel studied on Jeremy when the Angell came to speake unto him St. Paul amidst the ordinary inspirations of Gods spirit even after he had bin in the third heaven desired that Timothy should send him the books T is true when a man at this day hath so much spirituall wisdome as the chiefe Apostles if he hath nor the same authority nor the Prerogatives which were to them personall and cannot be transmitted by any title of succession No man can be qualified as an Apostle unlesse he had seene Jesus Christ raised from the dead to the end he might speake as an eye witnesse This served as a pretence to St. Pauls enemies to dispure his Apostleship alleadging that he being converted only after the ascension of our Lord he could not have seene him But he had seen him in heaven and in this very thing he had a very great advantage above the other Apostles which saw him not but upon the earth To come to our mark although that divine knowledge is no more communicated but by ordinary meanes and above all by the reading of divers authours I cannot hold them for great divines whose knowledge consists but in a bare remembrance of what they have read Much reading and a good memory make not a knowing man They that cannot say but what they have read have not the true gift of Prophecie yet lesse those poore ignorants which learne by heart oother mens Sermons Such shoulders are not capable to beare the arke of God CHAP. V. Of eloquence The principall part thereof is unknowne by the greatest part of Preachers Of vulgar matters in Sermons The excuse and deceit of ignorant Preachers Whether the word of God be in like lustre in the mouthes of all THe first and principall quality required in a Bishop is to be didactick to bee capable to teach excellent matters and to handle them powerfully and properly I stand not on them who under colour of the simplicity of the Scripture condemne absolutely the use of eloquence in the interpretation thereof Certainly â—n effeminate discourse woven with flowâ—rs variagated with colours and wantonly aâ—orned is sutable to the vulgar as a popâ—et to little children is incompetible with â—â—e Majesty of the Gospel But a masculine â—nd vigorous eloquence cloathed with â—umptuous ornaments and alwayes more naturall then artificiall is not onely conâ—enient but also necessary for a Minister Nay hee is unworthy to speake in the Church which cannot speake eloquentâ—y They that are herein defective are acâ—ustomed to blame in an other that which â—hey themselves see doth well For there is no man sobrutish who desires not when â—e speakes in publique to expresse himself in the best tearmes hee can Furthermore â—he vulgar give oftentimes the reputation of eloquence to many which have not the very shadow of it So a man heapes togegether abundance of words with a fine stile though he hath not any true Rhetoricke he shall passe in the esteeme of the ignorant for a great Oratour But that which is more considerable the principall piece of eloquence consisteth not â—n figures and other ornaments of language It lyes in that which is called invention and in the choice of matter which is the stuffe of a discourse A weake understanding is moved with representations and tragicall descriptions with exclamations gestures and other passionate actions But a man of understanding will be instructed with reasons And this is folly to move the affections without instructing the understanding a proceeding contrary to the naturall order which God hath established amongst the faculties of the Soule and the disposition which the Holy Ghost keepes in our sanctification The devotion which such discourses kindle in the hearers is a fire of chaffe which lasts but during the Sermon But the true instruction which must be given to the understanding consisteth not in vulgar matters When a Preacher hath said that we must believe in God that every man is a sinner that Jesus Christ is come into the world and shall turne and widen this discourse â—ith many words without producing upâ—â— such points any thing but which is alâ—ady common and knowne to his auâ—â—tors I doe not thinke that he hath inâ—â—tucted them This is not to teach a man â—hen hee is taught but that which hee â—nowes already though one tell it him in â—ivers words and different phrases The â—ost familiar and most notable points for Christians such as are the Precepts of the Decalogue and the Articles of the Creed â—nclude an infinite number of rare matâ—ers so that a scribe that is knowing in that â—hich concernes the Kingdome of Heaâ—en may alwaies draw thence new things The Psalmist who prayed that he might â—e cleare sighted to discover the wonders of the law knew that it contained much more then moralities naturally knowne â—o men They which treat of the points of religion so lightly present you with the â—ascall lambe boyled in water nay even altogether raw contrary to Gods ordiâ—ance The ordinary excuse of such Preachers which they put in the eares and mouth