IT were as fruitleſſe a diligence for a Divine in writing of this nature, as this excellent book of Prouerbs is, to enquire out methodicall connexions of ſentences, as it were for an artiſt to ſtudy the coherences of Bedes axiomes: Not therefore to trouble you with anxious prefaces this way let it ſuffice you (men, fathers, and brethren) that our royall Preacher doth in this verſe commend to his ſtudious hearers, a commodity fitteſt for humane nature to deſire and enioy, Truth: concerning which, his advice hath two branches, one in tearmes affirmatiue, it is to bee bought, the other in negatiue, it is not to be folde; of the firſt whereof hopeing that the God of truth will aſſiſt me, and preſuming that your loue of truth will accompany me, I purpoſe for to ſpeake.

IF error were only the diſeaſe of the ignorant, it might reaſonably bee ſaid vnto me, Phyſition heale thine owne country flocke, & come not hither where various learning hath provided ſufficient preſeruatiues againſt this euill, or if this malady of the ſoule, might be cured by a bare information of the vnderſtanding the matter more conueniently might bee left to your publicke ſchooles, or priuate ſtudies, then brought vp into your pulpit, but ſince experience abundantly teacheth, that the moſt dangerous, and troubleſome errors haue had their birth; and breeding amidſt the tongues, and pens, of men famed for their wit & learning; and ſince the affections, (which many times are as inordinate in the greateſt clerks, as the ſimpleſt Idiots) doe (though very irregularly I confeſſe) too too oft lead the vnderſtanding: I could not take it ſo misbeſeeming a worke for a preacher, who hath ſo much to doe with the ordering of mens affections, to take in hand this ſubiect in this place, let mee then once more (Reuerent Fathers & beloued brethren) venture vpon your patience, and as heretofore I haue from that wiſe king invited you to buy the truth, Prov. 23.23. ſo ſuffer mee now from this holy Apostle adviſe you to fly error.

A thing (if yet I can entitle it to entity) well worth our ſpeedieſt flying from it, or chaſing it from vs.Errorem definirefacilius quam finire Aug. lib. 1. contra Academicos cap. 4. For if wee define error, which is ſooner defined then finiſhed ſaid Licentius, what is it but a pittifull deformity, & incongruity betwixt our vnderſtanding, and the things which God and nature haue eſtabliſhed? For as it is the iuſtice of truth to conſider euery thing as indeed it is, herein nobly doing right to the firſt truth, God (the fountaine of that ſetled being which things haue) ſo on the contrary iniurious error is a falſe witnes-bearer againſt God, reporting otherwiſe of things, then God made them, or then hee would haue them to bee apprehēded by vs; either faſtning vpon things what belongs not to them, or denying to them what doth. Alas how haue we loſt God, and the tracks of things as he hath left them to vs, yea how haue wee loſt our ſelues, and the indowments wherewith wee were truſted! For whereas reaſon was beſtowed vpon vs, to be a lamp whereby we might diſcerne betwixt truth, and that which is the ſhadow thereof, error hath put out this light, and ſo deprived vs of that which is the ſoule of the ſoule to vſe Philo his words euen as the apple is the eye of the eye. De mundi opificio. Philoſophers ſpeake of a naturall appetite which the ſoule of euery man hath to know what is true in things; & therefore howſoeuer there may be found thouſands, that moſt gladly would deceiue others, ſcarce one among them would willingly be deceiued himſelfe. Yet I know not how error hath ſomewhat dulled this appetite, I am ſure it cannot ſatiſfie it, but fruſtrates the honeſt deſires of the ſoule; and inſteed of her due meate, feeds her either with incertaine opinions which breed crude, and vndigeſted tenents in the iudgement, or elſe with certaine falſhood the very poyſon of the minde. Nor is error only dangerous to the firſt harborers of it, but like the plauge, it runns from man to man; no man almoſt being content to erre to himſelfe, but hath a longing to tranſmit his erronious conceits to others, as it appeareth in all Hereticks. But the malignity of error is neuer of greater force then when it lighteth into men of our calling, for when we haue once loſt part of our prieſtly pectorall, Exod 28.30. our vrim our light of true doctrine, and haue clad our ſelues in the darke hue of falſhood, wee conueigh our faſhion vnto multitude of ſoules, and cannot periſh alone. By this you ſee the perrill, and cannot but welcome our Apoſtles admonition, calling you from it.

But then is an admonition in this kinde, ſo much the more to be heeded, the fouler the error is concerning which the warning is giuen. Such a one is this which Saint Iames meanes; for if you will ſurveigh the verſes bordering vpon my text, you ſhall finde him labouring to root that impiouſly abſurd conceit out of mens minds that God is a ſollicitor and temptor to ſinne, The diuell greedy after the deſtruction of ſoules, was it ſeems impatient of any long delay, ere hee wrought his feates, and therefore not tarrying vntill the Goſpell of our Sauiour were generally planted and ſtrongly rooted in mens hearts by the preaching of the apoſtles, hee very early began to ſow his tares, where the Lords firſt husband men had caſt in their good ſeed. Nay ſo diligent was the malice of Satan, in his hireling Simon Magus, the Patriarch of hereticks, that the Apostles were prevented,Haeretic. Fabul. compend. de Simone. for as Theodoret writeth when he had quitted Samaria, he trauelled into diuers parts, where the Apoſtles had not preached, foreſtalling as he went along the mindes of men, with his deteſtable impoſtures, that the doctrine of Apoſtolicall teachers, might wholly bee ſhut out, or enter with greater difficulty; now among his peſtilentiall errors,Aduerſ. haereſes cap. 24. that was one, as Vincentius teſtifieth, that God the creator was author of the euills, euen of ſinne; an impiety which wanted not abettors in all ages; For beſides Simon, Cerdon, Marcion, Florinus in the firſt times, and the Manichees, with the Priſcillianists, afterwards, euen our preſent age hath afforded that impure ſect of the Libertines fouly guilty that way. It is probable that ſome in the Apoſtles time had drunk of Simons cuppe, which might moue Saint Iames to giue caveats to his ſchollers, that they erre not in this point: Howſoeuer we deeme of the occaſion, moving him to write, his admonition, is ſo much the waightier, the more grieuous the error which hee ſpeakes of, is: an error primae magnitudinis of the biggeſt ſize. For if God be an author of, or a tempter to ſinfull euill; if wee cannot bee content to ſay that he permits offences, but will haue him to neceſſitate them; if wee cannot reſt ſatiſfied with that truth, that God doth in his infinit wiſdome make vſe of the wicked wills of his creatures, to his owne glory, but wee will further ſay that hee makes their wills ſo wicked; if when men are read to be hardned by God, wee will pronounce that hee doth it, not only by witholding grace, but infuſing mallice: if when wee ſpeake of Gods concurring, with euery worke of his creature, wee will not diſtinguiſh the action it ſelfe from the obliquity, but promiſcuouſly entitle God to both: Lord what confuſion will there be in all things, let the pale betwixt iuſt and vniuſt, holy and prophane be pull'd downe! For if God ſolicit and impell men to evill, when I ſinne I ſin not, for why ſhould it be my fault to bee lead by God, nay this confounds God and the diuell makeing them all one; then which what more horrid blaſphemy can be conceaued. And as for the attributes of God, which are indeed himſelfe, not one of them can ſtand with any honor, if this error bee not demoliſhed; for how is he goodneſſe it ſelfe if ſuch ſtreames of euill doe flow from him, how is he all power when he is the parent of defects, and impotencies? What iuſtice is it to puniſh thoſe crimes which he himſelfe makes, and plague in another his owne fault; and if he encline, yea driue a man to ſinne, that ſo afterwards he may ſhew his mercy in remitting it,Aug. alas, as that father ſaith it is but a maleuolent good will to make any one miſerable to appeare himſelfe mercifull. A more ſacrilegious indignity againſt God cannot bee offered, then by this abominable error; not is there any more pernitious to humane ſociety. For it erects a prophane ſanctuary for all offenders, euery one ſheltring his iniquity, vnder the authority & patronage of God himſelfe. There is in man a naturall humour not to owne his offences, and he is glad if he can tranſlate them vpon another; this error affords the boldeſt ſhift, when it propoſeth God the author of and mouer to ſinns, none if this doctrine were currant, but would freely and riotouſly offend when they haue not fault, but neceſſity, yea diuine authority to charge in whatſoeuer they doe. This I ſpeake to diſcouer the waight of the Apoſtles admonition, who giues warning in a matter of great importance, this error not only grating vpon, but caſting downe the very foundation of all religion.

But although our Apoſtle hath eſpeciall reference to this one particular moſt impious error, yet there is no doubt,In locum. but as Paraeus rightly comments the admonition here giuen extends to our auoidance of all other foule errors about the doctrines of faith. For if wee bee vntoucht of this falſhood, there are beſides this, many others, iniurious to God and dangerous to ſoules, wherewith if wee are likely to be tainted, our Apoſtles watchword is ſtill in force. Erre not my beloued brethren. Let me then (taking my text in its iuſt latitude) enter into that, wherevnto I haue deſtinated my meditations, for this place and time; which is to lay downe a courſe how wee may recouer others and preſerue our ſelues form errors in religion, that ſo this monitory ſpeech of out Apoſtle may take effect among vs. And of this, as God, the hower, and your patience will permit.

Concerning our recouery of others faln into error, though herein much may bee ſaid, yet in this ſcantneſſe of time, it will be thriftieſt for me, to obſerue only our Apoſtles method herein, first wee muſt haue a care as well to inſtruct them, as condemne them, ſo doth Saint Iames; who together with his cry Nolite errare, vſeth very powerfull arguments, drawne from the nature of God, and the true cauſes of ſinne; whereby hee proues that God cannot be a tempter to euill, as reading the chapter you ſhall perceiue. And indeed it cannot be but a fruitleſſe imperiouſneſſe to command a man not to erre & not teach him with all the folly of his error, & what reaſons there are to withſtand it; and here I cannot but diſlike the courſe taken vp by ſome of our calling, who ſometimes in the pulpet doe with greater eagernes of paſſion, inveigh againſt popiſh errors, then ſoundneſſe of iudgement, and choice of arguments refute them; this rather advantageth then reformeth falſhood; putting this frump into our aduerſaries mouths; wee ſee a will rather then a power in our oppoſits to convince vs of error, for we heare much noiſe, little reaſon; and who are they that we ſhould credit them, vpon their bare words, and weake aſſertion only: but this is a fault moſt ſeene in the country, and therefore not to bee inſiſted on in this place.

A ſecond direction is afforded from the curteous language of Saint Iames in our text; the matter which he confutes, comes not ſhort of blaſphemy, yet the Apoſtle abſtaines from that harſher terme, and molifies that had opinion into the gentler name of error and now hee calls from this error he ſalutes his ſchollers after a milde & louing manner, Erre not beloued brethren. If we could doe any good vpon others errors, this behauiour is of all others the moſt winning; to come to the handling of our brethrens ſores, with brotherly minds, full of loue and compaſſion. Aſeruant of the Lords, eſpecially he that doth the Lords ſervice in freeing mens ſoules from error,2. Tim. 2.24.25 Muſt be as Saint Paule deſcribes him, gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekneſſe inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelues, if God peraduenture will giue them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth; and ſurely great reaſon we haue to ſhew humanity to humane errors; remembring how difficult a matter it is for poore ignorant men, ſo euery way beſet with the ſnares of error, to eſcape all danger, yea not forgetting that wee our ſelues are but men, and may poſſibly haue as great ſtaines, in our iudgement, as thoſe wee would expunge in others; how ſoeuer, by dealing with our brethren after a faire, & mild demenaour, wee ſhall render them more docile, and tractable, it being the nature of many to lend a more patient eare to thoſe of whom they haue an opinion that they proceed in loue: the mind delights rather to follow then to be lead, and rather to be lead, then drawne, violence making it the more contumatious: it fares with him that hath put on error, as it did with him in the Apoloag whom the ſunne fairely and ſerenely ſhining vpon, might haue woode to caſt off his cloake, which the bluſtering winde made him to keepe cloſer on; and ſurely there are ſome that if gently admoniſhed will both reuerence their inſtructer, and embrace his advice, but if ouer roughly and ſmartingly handled,Salvian, will rather be exaſperated then reformed facti ſunt ingeſta acrius veritate peiores; they are made worſe by a truth too too eagerly put vpon them. They ſeeme then ſmally acquainted with the diſcretion of admoniſhers, or condition of humane nature, who fly into the face of their erring brethren, with biting inuectiues, and rigorous puniſhments, as if it were all one to raile and convince, condemne and teach, or as if it were a brauer thing for Chriſtians to imploy power then loue, in the correcting of their brethren; I ſpeake not againſt the due puniſhment of men obſtinate and irreclaimable, but that they may not bee ſo, I would haue all louing meanes firſt tryed to recall them; yea and when a ſevere ſtroke is giuen I would haue it inflicted with demonſtration of vnfained ſorrow and loue, as the primitiue Church did her cenſures with much mourning; as may bee gatherered by St Paules epiſtles with whom to correct & lament are ſymonimas as the iuditious writer of the Trent counſells hiſtory hath noted,1 Cor. 5.2. 2 Cot. 2.4. Hiſtor, Confil. Trident. who obſerues farther, that in thoſe times the exceſſe of charity in correcting did make the corrector feele greater paine then the corrected; the proceedings of latter times, haue bin ſo harſh and feirce, that it may bee thought that ſome haue beene ſo far from greiving at the errors of others, that rather they haue beene glad of them, eſpecially if they bee ſuch, the ſedulous diſcouery & puniſhment whereof would as they hoped inſinuate them into the fauours of the great ones, of the world, men thus being more beholding to the errors of others, then their owne vertues for their preferments, or if this humour hath not tooke them, it is to be feared another hath, full of malignant vaineglory; while they ſomewhat reioiceat the daily outburſting of error, that ſo they might haue worke, if not for their authority to vſe the rod, yet for their learning to imploy the pen or tongue in confuting them. I thinke it a worthy worke to convince erronious doctrines, and I hope this place will neuer want thoſe, that ſhall performe it readily and ſolidly, but to deſire errors to make oſtentation of this skill, is a perverſeambition, voide of all brotherly charity,Epiſt. 132. ad Florenlinam. non vt quod ſcimus doceamus aliorum ignor antiam opt are debemus ſaith Auſten, to the end we may teach the world what wee know, wee may not wiſh for the ignorance or error of another. But ſo much ſhall ſuffice for the courſe intimated in our Apoſtles proceeding, fit for vs to take in the recouering of others from their errors; how wee ſhall preſerue our ſelues, it remaines to the preſcribed.

Error is a ſickneſſe of the ſoule: and the chiefe part, at leaſt the firſt degree of the cure, is to know and ſtop the fountaine of the diſeaſe. The cauſes of error are many; I will not touch vpon thoſe which may craue the mercy of our excuſe and pitty, and which are now ſo incident to our nature, that they are paſt our avoidance; for it is miſchife ſufficiently knowne and felt, that our firſt parent his inordinat and ambitious deſire of ouerwide knowledge, brought himſelfe, and his vnhappy poſterity into the darke priſon of ignorance; where lying, and God as Dauid ſets it forth,Pſalm. 14.2. looking downe from heauen vpon the children of men, to ſee if there were any that would vnderſtand, he findes not one they are all corrupt as in their wills ſo in their vnderſtandings: hee that readeth the third to the Romans where this paſſage of Dauid is alleaged ſhall perceaue,Rom. 3.9.11. that no fauourable ſynecdoche can ſaue any of the poſterity of Adam from his epidemicall contagion: And although God the great Phyſition of ſoules, by his ſpirit, by his begotten word the ſonne, and by that word which he put into the mouthes of his prophets, and Apoſtles, hath purged the minds of many of much ignorance, and made their vnderſtanding more cleare and lightſome; yet whether it bee that the diſeaſe, is too deepely rooted in our nature to bee driuen out vpon a ſodaine, or whether it bee that God will haue ſOme reliques thereof abide in vs, to containe vs within the bounds of humility, and doth not thinke it fit we ſhould inioy all our happineſſe at once: whatſoeuer the reaſon is, euen the beſt men doe ofter finde in themſelues certaine grudgings of this malady. Not only they bewray their ignorance but their error, as Dauid ingeniouſly confeſſeth that before he went into the ſanctuary, the ſchoole of God, Pſal. 73.17.22. in a matter of no ſmall importance, he was fooliſh and ignorant, and euen brutiſh before God. The truth is (for an Apoſtle hath taught it) that in this life,1. Cor. 13.9. we know but in part, and no wonder is it, if this penurious and incompleat knowledge leaue vs in the hands of diuers errors. But this naturall ſeebleneſſe of the vnderſtanding (although queſtionleſſe it be the parent of ſundry miſtakes, I come to pitty not to laſh; eſpecially where there is a care to heale and ſtrengthen ſuch weakneſſe of the minde, by thoſe wholſome remedies which God hath preſcribed; and there be no willing fomentation of, but all manly reſitance againſt erroneous fancies; and if alſo ſince wee want the happineſſe of being free from error and ignorance, wee want not the wiſdome to bee forry for our defects, andto pray for their forgiueneſſe and couering in Chriſt.

The leaders into errors againſt which my diſcourſe is ſpecially bent, come forth not ſo much from the coaſts of a naturally weake vnderſtanding, as of ſome morally bad affections, which muſt be ſubdued or error will bee victorious. For that the affections are of great force, to ſway the iudgement, wee need not marvaile, ſince the will is the moſt imperious faculty of the ſoule, & makes vſe of the vnderſtanding but as a councellor; now as when a prince is ſtrongly let vpon a thing, and is reſolued to haue his owne way, the councellors many times what for feare, what for loue; or very flattery are plyant inough to his purpoſe, and willingly ſuffer themſelues, to be corrupted, that they may appeare ſerviceable; ſo when once the will is in ordinately affected and mainely bent to that ill vpon which the affection is placed, it giues little leaſure and no leaue to the vnderſtanding to diſſent from it, yea it dimns the eye of the ſould, that it cannot diſcerne the truth, or faſhions the ſight to its owne wrong guiſe,Iud. 16.16.19.20. when I read the ſtory of Sampſon I meet with no vnfit Embleme of this the affections dealing with the vnderſtanding; Dalilah firſt allures the man to betray his owne ſtrength and then puts him into the hands of his enimies; ſo doe the affections firſt emaſculat the vnderſtaning, and corrupt its abilities, and then deliuer it ouer into the hands of ſome dangerous falſhood. To the making good this point I ſupoſe euery mans experience will afford euidence. For who cannot witneſſe ſo much, that when his minde hath beene tranſported with the violence of ſome bad paſſion, or deſire, hee hath conceiued ſo and ſo of things and hath beene ſomewhat eager in the maintenance of his conceit, who afterward, when this ſtorme of paſſion is gone ouer, and the ſoule hath recouered her wonted tranquility and cleereneſſe; obſerues his miſtake, changeth his opinion, and growes ſomewhat aſhamed of his vnderſtanding. Now if the ſuddaine vntuly commotions and wanton deſires of the minde vitiat and rauiſh the vnderſtanding, and beget diuers errors, how ſhould not ſuch be peſtered with theſe miſhapen bratts, in whom vnbridled ſinfull affections keepe a ſtanding court, and whoſe whole life is an habituated vitiouſneſſe: Nor is it nothing to our purpoſe, that wee may obſerue thoſe grand maſters of error, the hereticks in all ages, for the moſt part haue beene ill mannered men, & ſuch in whom the diſtempers either of the concupiſcible or iraſcible part, of the ſoule, haue beene eminent. St Paule prophecying of the laſt perilo us times ſhewes that men ſhall bee ſelfe amorous,2 Tim. 3.1.2.3.4.5.6.8.13. couetous, boaſters, what not, & afterwardes declares that of this rotten timber ſhould teachers of falſhood be made deceiuing, & being deceiued, reſisting the truth, as Iannes and Iambres did Moſes: nor can I thinke that alwaies the hereſies of theſe men did produce their vitiouſneſſe, but rather that the vitiouſneſſe of theſe men did thruſt them vpon their hereſies. They were firſt men of corrupt mindes and then reprobate concerning the faith, as the Apoſtle orders his deſcription: and ſurely if wee take a liſt, of the preſent errors of the Church of Rome, which wee moſt condemne, it were no hard matter to finde out their genealogy and ſhew that the greateſt part of their falſe doctrines, and bad practiſes, come as it were out of the loines of couetouſneſſe, or ambition, or licentiouſneſſe. If then we would not fall backe into the ſame, or plunge our ſelues into as bad errors, wee muſt take heed of certaine vitious humors & affections, the accuſtomed originalls of falſe opinions in matters of religion, the chiefe whereof I ſhall name vnto you.

And firſt omitting to charge that natuall flatnes and dulneſſe of ſpirit in ſome (which I had rather commiſerat) there is a voluntary ſluggiſhneſſe and affected lazineſſe of the minde, which cannot but expoſe a man to error; for ſince error eaſily followes an ignorance of the truth, and ſince truth doth commonly keepe ſo much ſtate, as not to reveale her ſelfe to any but thoſe who ſtudiouſly ſeeke her; this ſlouthfull, and negligent fort of men muſt needs miſſe her, and fall into error, ſince they will not take the paines of diligent inquiry into things; there is naturally in all of vs a cloudines and foggy darkneſſe of ignorance, and nothing will ſo much thicken it, in our breaſts, as this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Iſdor Peluſiot ep. lib. 3. epiſt. 191. this ſpiritleſſe, and languiſhing ſloth of the minde: if the ſoule be of neuer ſo rich mettall, idleneſſe will fennew and ruſt it, and make it vnſeruiceable, in the warre we haue againſt error. Obſerue the inclinations of theſe men, and ſee if they bee not worthy to be miſtaken; out of a loue they haue to eaſe their owne vnderſtanding, and to giue the powers, both of body and ſoule ſome reſt; in the queſtions o religion, they accept them with ready faith, as they are ſtated by others, reputed learned, or as they are vulgarly held;1 Theſſ. 5.21. 1 Ioh. 4.1. as for that aduice of the Apoſtle St Paule, proue all things, and hold that which is good, or that of St Iohn, try the ſpirits whether they are of God, it is with them too cumberſome, and tedious a buſineſſe; but while they giue this prone aſſent to aſſertions, and will not take the paines to examine them; while they thus haue made an abſolute reſignation of their iudgements, to the braines and faith of others, and thinke it reaſon inough to beleeue, their elders in time, or betters in place, though they ſpeake without reaſon; Lord whether will theſe be carried; into what pitte of error may they not quickly fall! Since it may be their lucke, not to meet, with the beſt leaders, and the leaders of theſe beare their faith along with them. To this miſchiefe men are not alwaies ſubiect, whoſe capacities are not great, or whoſe vnderſtanding is yet in its minority; but euen free and able men put themſelues into the hazard,Minutius in Octavio. to liue the more eaſily and idly, taedio inveſtigandae penitus veritatis, cuilibet opinioni temerè potiùs ſuccumbere malunt, quàm in explorando pertinaci diligentiâ perſeuerare, as hee ſaid not amiſſe in the dialogue of Minutius Faelix. out of a wearineſſe to ſearch deepely into truth, they had rather raſhly I may ſay baſely fall into the hands of any opinion, then perſeueringly indure the paines, of a thorough enguiry. But I diſmiſſe theſe.

The next ſort of men moſt obnoxious to error, are of a more elate and lofty ſpirit,Act. 8.9. Simon Mangus conſorts, that would haue himſelfe thought to bee ſome great one, as it is in the acts, and all antiquity proclaimes his pride, a malady diſcouered by St Paule, in the ſixt chapter of his first epistle to Timothy,1. Tim. 6.4. 2 Pet. 2.10. and by Saint Peter in his ſecond epiſtle and ſecond chapter thereof, in the faſe teachers, and ſeduced ſeducers of their time, and we may not wonder if the man that is poſſeſſed with the ſpirit of pride be carried into errors, if wee ſhall obſerue his manners, and garbe a little. For firſt, whereas there is nothing that doth caſt a ſooner, or thicker miſt before the vnderſtanding, then an opinionate dotage vpon our ſelues, this arrogant man ſetts too high a price vpon himſelfe, and his owne abilities; and whether his pride be conioined with ignorance or learning (as 'tis hard to ſay which is the more vnlucky coniunction) he is confident he erres not, and ſo indeed drawes neerer to error, the winde of pride hurting his eyeſight, this man caſts a ſcorne vpon what ſo euer elder times, or riper iudgements can ſhes him, contrary to that which he hath conceited. Nectorius boaſted Saram ſcripturam ſeprimum, Vincent. Lyrin. cap. 42. & ſolum intelligere, he firſt and alone vnderstood the ſcriptures, and all other Doctors before him meere Ignaroes; hee deſerued to erre, that would be wiſe alone. Thus a proud man, as if all the light were in himſelfe, diſdaines the ſoclety of other mens iudgements: of which branne are thoſe of our times with whom (ſaucily herein leuelling God with themſelues) 1000 yeares are but as Pſ. 90.4. yesterday, no regard had by them to Godly antiquity, and the conſtant iudgement of the Church in the beſt ages thereof: and what may wee thinke of their ſpirit, by whom the moſt renowned diuines of our preſent times, to whom the happy reformation of our Church next vnder God is ſo much indebted àre ſleightned and caſt off as tribolary writers. I doe not ſay but that there are blemiſhes of iudgement in the auntient, and errors may be found in our moderne worthies; and I account it a ſeruility vnworthy of free and generous Chriſtians, to mancipat our vnderſtandings to the iudgement of others, which may carry vs into errors as ſoone as any other thing, as I haue already noted: I onely call for ſo much modeſty, and good maners, that when wee perceaue a doctrine to bee generally receaued, by holy and learned men, in our owne and elder Churches, we take them along with vs in our inquiry after truth, and not haſtily breake from them, to follow our wone way vpon a preſumptuous conceit of our wone iudgements which we haue as much if not more reaſon to miſtruſt, as wee haue to miſdoubt other mens. Againe whereas naturall reaſon is but a blind & wandring guide in matters ſpirituall, this man is too ftifly addicted to the dictats thereof, it is a foule ſtaine of iudgement when a man conceiues that there are the ſame bounds of things naturall, & of his owne apprehenſion (for things may bee in themſelues, though they be not vnderſtood by vs) and it is an vneuen meaſuring, of a mans ſeſe when hee imagins there is ſame latitude of his owne, and humane vnderſtanding, as if hee knew as much as another can know; but ſolly is then enraged euen to balſphemy, when in an ouer proud indulgence to his owne wit, a man ſhall thinke that God were able to ſpeake or doe nothing which he is not able to comprehend: of this giantlike preſumption, was Eunomius of whom Theodoret reports that hee gaue out, he had the ſame notice of God, Haeret. fabul. comp. cap. de Eunomio. as God had of himſelfe as no odds were to bee put betwixt a finite, and infinite knowledge: for as Lactantius wiſely ſaith: Nibilinter deum hominem que diſtaret, ſiconſilia illa maie ſtatis aeternae cogitatio aſſequeret ur humana, there were no diſtance betwixt God & man, Lact. lib. 1. c. 1. if humane cogitation could attaine vnto the counſailes of the aeternall maiesty. And indeed while we extoll the ſoueraignty of our reaſon, we vnawares debaſe the dignity of that thing whereof reaſon is the teacher. For it can be no great matter which ſo narrow and ſhallow a thing, as humane vnderſtanding leſt to hyis owne forces, can helpe vs to the knowledge of: nay it may ſooner bee an error then a trifle. Adde hereunto that whereas an ill carriage of our ſelues towards the ſcriptures, (the rule of truth) is the readiſet downefall into error: the proud perſon either vainely ſuppoſeth it cannot bee Gods word which exceeds his wone witt; of ſaucily murmures that God ſhould challenge our aſſent, and giue vs not alwaies logicall demontrations of what he faith (as if it were not inough for this ſupreame legiſlator to pronounce a truth or law vnleſſe he argue it before the tribunall of our reaſon) or elſe he giues a faaint credit to whatſoeuer croſſeth his affection, or if he muſt needs interpret, he hath a will rather to wreſt the ſcriptures to his opinion, then bend his opinion to the ſcriptures to impoſe his ſence vpon the word, then ſetch his ſence from the word, as if he meant to lead, and not to follow the holy ghoſt; and theſe interpretations are for the moſt part made in haſt, for hee takes it to bee a kinde of diſparagement, to the nimbleneſſe of his witt to ſeeme to doubt, or deliberat long, and whiles hee makes more care to haſten then examine his opinion, he ſpeedily pronounceth and as eaſily errs. for want of mature deliberation; there is one euill of pride more; (making way to error) not to be omitted, it is a ſtudiouſneſſe of nouelty; I know not how the witt of man heated by pride, diſdaines as a wretched thing, and a matter of no glory to tread in the ſteps of others, that haue gone before, and thus while wee are deſirous to ſay what others haue not hit vpon, the imagination hunting and ranging about; ſome pretty and perhaps probable ſtrange opinion is ſtarted vp before it, which it runns away with in very quick ſent and great delight, we are marveilouſly favorable to our owne conceits, and although at firſt wee giue not any ſtrong beleife vnto them, yet wee lend them many harty wiſhes that they were true; and with long well wiſhing, in time they come within the conſines of ſome ſetled allowance, and at laſt paſſe into our vnmoueable aſſent; and now when all is done, the thing will be found to bee of more fineneſſe then ſtrength, of more ſubtilty then truth: theſe are the perills of pride, if it bee ioined with learning, but if the proud ſpirited man is not conſcious of much learnning, yet if hee findes ſome falſhes of goodneſſe, in himſelfe, hee thinks that want abundantly ſupplyed by certaine revelations of the ſpirit, whoſe great acquaintance he profeſſeth himſelfe to be, that now he thinkes that he hath arriued to an impeccancy of iudgement in matters ſpirituall: and (as Vincentius ſpeakes of ſome,Cap. 37. that boaſted of the grace of the ſpirit indiuiduated to them) that hee is ordered by God, that carried as it were by Angells hands, he can neuer daſh his foot against any stone of error: but alas this is the proneſt way to the wildeſt error, when euery outleaping & wantoneſſe of fancy (as it happeneth among fanaticall enthuſiaſts) ſhall be reputed an inſpiration and reuelation of the ſpirit: nor doth pride by ſo many waies lead into error, but which is worſt, leaues the minde as a finall pray to it: for it makes the vnderſtanding fierce and vntractable: every contradiction, euery affront from truth is reputed a contumely, the miſhapen iſſue of the minde being borne muſt now bee kept; all retractations are baſeneſſe, and diſhonour; thus, that men may not ſeeme to be men, and to haue erred they are become hereticks: ſo contumatious a murſe of error is pride.

To pride in the thired place let vs adioine as of neereſt familiarity with it, the angry ſpirit of faction and contention,Rom. 2.8. Iam. 3.17. to be contentious and not to bee obedient to truth, are things coupled together by Saint Paul, and St Iames hath rightly obſerued as of enuy ſo of ſtrife, where it is there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an vnſetled and tumultuous confuſion, and euery euill worke, the obſeruation hath place, if wee apply it to the ſtate of the ſoule, there cannot be but much confuſion, and entercourſe of error, where contention hath got in. Doe but obſerue the men who know not how to hold any thing without paſſion, how oft they ſhame reaſon, to gratify their pettiſhneſſe: if a queſtion bee moued, which moues their choller with little or no choice they will croſſe whatſoeuer you propoſe, their humor carrying them not ſo much to know as oppugne truth, againſt which if they can bee witty, it is a braue ſufficiency; & when once in the rage of pride and anger, their error is marcht forth, it is a difficult matter to worke a retrait, and though you may conunice them, they will not bee perſwaded; their fury will proceed in the brable, vntill they haue improved their brable into a hereſy, this pettiſhneſſe when it is ſowred into malice, hath often carried ſome (who would bee at the moſt diametral diſagreement, with their aduerſaries) not only to diſſent from their perſons, but their doctrines, even when they haue beene moſt ſound and orthodox. And here let me giue warning, that in matter of religion, wee vſe no inordinate haſt in binding our iudgements to the opinions of others, whom either the fame of learning, or the greatneſſe of place, or the neereneſſe of blood, or the likeneſſe of manners or the ſweetneſſe of profit (all which haue great forces vpon the mind) hath wrought into our eſtimation; for this caſts vs into faction, wherein if a man be once imbarked, he will runne a hazard of erring, becauſe he hath left the guidance of reaſon, and is lead only by certaine preiudices, and anticipations borrowed from the perſons of men, which ſtrongly ſway which ſide ſoeuer bee taken. Laſtly I muſt report, as an occaſioner of ſome errors a too violent oppoſition of ſome errors: for ſince it cannot be denyed but that there are dangers on either hand of truth, and ſince it muſt be confeſſed, that truth hath not the good hap alwaies to meet with well aduiſed champions, it may poſſibly fall out, and vſually doth, that while thy oppoſe ſome falſhoods with an extreame, and vnlimited deteſtation, while they take that to bee beſt in religion, which is at furtheſt diſtance from the error they come to oppugne, & while they are ouer impetuouſly carried to the ſlaughter of their adverſaries opinions; in the ſervor of contentious zeale they fling themſelues into points euery way as crronious as thoſe which they haue incountred; and ſo haue not left but changed a falſhood, and it may be to the worſe, and haue beene found liers againſt God, at leaſt for him which Iob blames.Iob. 13.7.

I haue done with the angrier part of the ſoule; ſhe hath her luſtfulneſſe alſo, as great an enimy to truth: let me then in the fourth place, indite couetouſneſſe, & ambition, who peruerting the iudgement, muſt needs induce error; how many falſe viſions did couetouſneſſe helpe the lying Prophets too of old?Eſay 56.11. The preiſts in Eſaies time were become ſhepheards that could not vnder ſtand for they were as greedy as their doggs, they looked to their owne way, 1 Tim 6. Tatus 1.11. euery one for his owne againe from his quarter. Who were they in the Apoſtles time, which corrupted, betrayed, forſooke the faith, but men who ſuppoſed gaine to be Godlineſſe, and who were ſpotted with filthy lucre, 2 Pet. 2.14.15. as St Paul giues vs their character, thoſe as St Peter ſaith, who had hearts exerciſed with couetous practiſes, right Balaamites; were the men who forſooke the right path and went actray,Ifid. de ſcripe. eccli. louing the wages of vnrighteouſneſſe. Euen that famous Oſius of Corduba if Iſidore charge him iuſtly, conſented to the Arrian impiety, that in his olde age he might not looſe thoſe riches which he had got together in his youth; and certainely the feare of loſing, the hope of gaining theſe temporall things hath ſo prevailed with many, that wee muſt conclude with holy Paul, 1. Tim. 6.10. the loue of money is the root of all euill, which while ſome coueted after, they haue erred from the faith, and peirced themſelues (I am ſure the Church of God) through with diuers ſorrowes. And indeed I ſee not how truth can be thought vpon in the duſt, and noiſe, of worldly imployments, or grow vp amidſt the choaking thornes of worldly cares: how can the breaſts of men be wells of the pure and liuing water of truth,Gen. 26.15. when couetous luſts, as ſo many Philistins haue ſtopt them vp and filled them with earth. A worldling already hath admitted, that grand error into his heart, that riches is the ſoueraigne good, fom which idolatry, a man may quickly ſlip into any hereſy that will ſort with it,Col. 3.5. ſuch a much worme conſiders not what is true, but what is profitable: nay ſuch a man feares ſome truth as much as a theife, leaſt it come forth to take his purſe, and leſſen his heap. The like accuſation is to bee framed againſt Ambition, for let a man inordinatly affect worldy grace or preferment, if hee cannot thriue in the way of truth, his diſcontented and reuengefull heart, will turne ouer vnto ſuch opinions, which may bee profeſſed with better preferment. Beſides the men that ſtudy preferment, are of a very ſupple and plyant vnderſtanding, and can beleeue at the pleaſure of another, at the diſpoſition of him, who diſpoſeth of the dignities hee expects; as if he had loſt his owne ſoule and were wholy actuated with the ſoule of his Maecenas, In the meane while how can ye beleeue as our ſauiour told the Iewes which receaue honour one of another and ſeeke not the honour which cometh from God alone, Ioh. 5.44. how can a man alwaies thinke aright that muſt thinke as the grandees, who oft are as great in crime as place, will haue him. The Apoſtle hath a text, perhaps miſread, doubtleſſe miſvnderſtood by the Eceboliuſes of our age who are too oft found 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when it ſhould bee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſeruing not the Lord but the time, Rom. 12.11. vide ſtephani lecti. varias. and that in the moſt reprobate ſence of the phraſe; for they obſerue not the ſeaſon (as the Apoſtle might meane) wherein they might beſt doe good, but whereby they might bee moſt great, by applying themſelues to the humors of thoſe, who if ſoothed, are likelieſt to preferre. Ere I altogether diſmiſſe this point, let me touch an euill, neere of kinne to ambition & as dangerous to truth:Gal. 6.12. Acts. 15.1. Certaine popular men there are, ſuch as thoſe falſe Apoſtles in the dayes of the truth, who would haue blinded the religion of Christ with the ordinances of Moſes and ſuperadded circumciſion to baptiſme perhaps that both Iew and Gentile might be pleaſed; ſuch as theſe I ſay there are, who to gaine good eſtimation with different ſects, giue faire quarter to all opinions; and theſe commonly talke of reconciling religions, and compoſing of controverſies, that all may goe away contented. I know it is a commendable indeuour of Godly men, to ſeeke the vnion of Chriſtian churches; and let them be deteſted, who by needleſſe ſtrifes & exaſperations, make the rents of the Church wider: thoſe I here intend, who loue their owne fame, more then peace, and peace more then truth: which they care not how they pare to the quicke, that they may gaine the applauſe of moderate and well tempered men.

In the fift and laſt place we are to brand a licentious and diſſolute life,1 Tim. 1.19. with the ſtile of corruptor of the faith, ſome putting away a good conſcience (which inferrs the leading a bad life) concerning the faith, haue made ſhipwracke ſaith St Paul, and St Peter repors of the bringers in of damnable haereſies that they had their pernitious, 2 Pet. 2.1.2.10.14.19. or as ſome bookes laſciuious waies, that they walked after the fleſh in the lusts of vncleaneſſe; that they had eyes full of adultery and that could not ceaſe from ſinne, great promiſers of liberty to others they themſelues being the ſervants of corruption, as the Apoſtle largely deſcribes their manners: Now ſuch as theſe hauing hearts already full of ſenſuality, there is no roome for heauenly contemplations of chaſt truth; whatſoeuer vigor, and cleereneſſe and intentiueneſſe of the mind, is requiſite to the right diſcerning of things, the very ſtrength of the ſoule, is loſt in the armes of Dalilah; frugality & ſobriety (the ſinewes of a ſound iudgement) are looſed; beſides there are not any of thoſe holy and ſeuere truths in Gods word but theſe men wiſh and long they were falſe, and a little matter will improue a wiſh into a beleefe, quod volumus facile credimus; as on the contrary he is apt to take thoſe doctrines to be true which are indulgent to his dareling vices; he would faine ſinne with ſome warrant, that hee may pacify fame abroad, and conſcience at home if it were poſſible; natur a hominis procliuis in vitia vult non modo cum veniâ ſed cum ratione peccare,Lib. 4. c. ſaith Lactantius and therefore he ſedulouſly hunts after and would gladly finde out ſome doctrines vnder whoſe protection he may offend, in this purfuite euen the paſſages of ſcriptures are ſerched into by ſome, to ſee what patronage they will afford to their intemperances, that ſo they may ſecurely inioy the pleaſure of ill deeds; making that their poyſon which is appointed to be their medicine.