CAHP. I.

INquiring therefore often with great desire, and at [...]ion, of very many excellent, holy and learned men, how and by what means I might assuredly and as it were by some generall and ordinary way dis­cern the true Catholick faith, from false and wicked Heresie. To this question I had usually this answer of [Page 6]them all, that whether I or any o­ther desired to find out the fraud of Hereticks, daily springing up, and to escape their snares, and willingly would continue safe and sound in re­ligion, that he ought two manner of wayes by Gods assistance to defend and preserve his faith, that is first by the authority of the law of God: se­condly by the tradition of the Ca­tholick Church.

Here some man perhaps may ask, that seing the Canon of the scripture is perfect and most aboundantly of it self sufficient for all things, what need we joyne unto it the authority of the Church her understanding and interpretation? The reason is this, because the scripture being of it self so deep and profound, all men do not understand it in one and the same sense, but diverse men diversly this man and that man, this way and that way expound and interpret the [Page 7]sayings thereof, so that to ones thin­king, so many men, so many opini­ons almost may be gathered out of them, for Novatus expoundeth it one way, Photinus another, Sabellius after this sort, Donatus after that: Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius will have this exposition: Appolinarius and Priscillian will have that: Io­vinian, Pelagius, Colestius, gather this sence: and to conclude Nestorius findeth out that: and therfore neces­sary it is for the avoiding of so great windings and turnings of divers er­rours that the line of expounding the Prophets and Aposties, be directed and drawn, according to the rule of the ecclesiasticall and Catholick sense.

Again in the Catholick Church, we are greatly to consider, that we hold that, which hath been beleeved every where, alwayes, and of all men: for that is truly and properly Catho­lick [Page 8](as the very force and nature of the word doth declare, which com­prehendeth all things that be truely universall) and that shall we do if we follow vniuersalitie, antiquitie, con­sent. Uniuersalitie shall we follow thus, if we professe that one faith to be true which the Church through­out the world acknowledgeth and confesseth. Antiquity shall we fol­low, if we disagree not any whit in opinion from them, whom all know that our holy Elders and Fathers reverenced, and had in great estima­tion. Consent shall we likewise follow, if amongst our forefathers we hold the definitions and opinions of all or almost of all the Priests and Doctours together.

CHAP. II.

WHat then shall a Christian Catholick do, if some small part of the Church cut it self off from the communion of the Uni­versall Faith? What else but pre­fetre the health of the whole body before the pestiferous and corrupt member? What if some new infe­ction goeth about to corrupt not onely a little part, but the whole Church? Then likewise shall he regard, and be sure to cleave unto antiquity, which cannot possibly be seduced by any crafty noveltie. What if in Antiquity it self, and a­mongst the Antient Fathers, be found some errour of two or three men; or haply of some one City or Province? Then shall he diligently take heed that he preferre the decrees and determinations of the Universall Antient Church, [Page 10]before the temerity or folly of a few. What if some such case happen where no such thing can be found? Then shall he labour, by conferring and laying together amongst them selves the antient Fathers opinions, not of all, but of those onely which living at diverse times, and sundry places, yet remaining in the commu­nion and faith of one Catholick Church, were approved masters and guides to be followed: and whatsoe­ver he perceiveth, not one or two, but all joyntly with one consent, plainly, usually, constantly, to have holden, written, and taught, let him know that without all scruple or doubt he ought to beleeve, hold, and professe that faith, that doctrine, that religion. But for more perspicuity and light of that which hath been said: each part is to be made clear with severall ex­amples, and somewhat more at large to be amplified, least too much [Page 11]brevity breed obscurity, and over­much hast in speech take away the substance and weight of the matter.

When in the time of Donatus, of whom came the Donatists, a great part of Africk fell headlong into his furious errour, and unmindfull of her name, religion, and profession, prefer­red the sacrilegious terrietity of one man, before the Church of Christ; then all those of Afriek which de­tested that profane Schisme and uni­ted themselves to the universall Churches of the world, they onely amongst them all remaining with in the bosome of the Catholick Church could be saved, leaving cer­tainly a notable example to their po­steritie how ever after by good cu­stome the sound doctrine of all men, ought to be preferred before the madnesse of one or a few. Likewise when the heresie of the Arians had neer corrupted not a little part, but [Page 12]well nigh the whole world, in such sort that (almost all the Bishops of the latine Church deceived, partly by force, partly by fraud) mens minds were covered as it were with a mist, what especially in so great a confusi­on was to be followed: then whosoe­ver was a lover and a follower of Christ, and preferred ancient faith before new errour, was not touched with any spot of that infection. The danger of w ^ch time doth abundantly shew, what calamity entreth in, when a new doctrine is admitted. For at that time not onely small matters, but things of great importance were o­verthrown: for not onely alliance, kindred, friends, families, but also cities, commonwealths, countries, Provinces, yea & at length the whol Romane Empire, was snaken and o­verturned. For when the profane no­velty of the Arians, like some Bello­na or sury, had first taken captive the [Page 13]Emperour, afterward subduing all pallaces to her new laws never ceas­ed after that to trouble and confound all things private and publicke, ho­ly and not holy, putting no diffe­rence betwixt good and truth but as it were from an high place did strike all at her pleasure. Then married wo­men were defiled, widows spoiled, virgins violated, Abbeys suppressed, Clergie-men vexed, Deacons bea­ten, Priests banished, Dungeons, Prisons, Mines, filled with holy men, of which the greater part ba­nished the Citie, like exiles, pined and consumed away amongst de­serts, dens, and wilde beasts, with nakednesse, thirst and hunger. And all this misery had it any other be­ginning? but because humane super­stition was admitted for heavenly doctrine, well grounded antiquity subverted by wicked novelty, whilest our Superiours decrees were vio­lated, [Page 14]our Fathers ordinances bro­ken, the Canons of our auncestours abrogated, and whilest the licentious libertie of prophane and new curio­fitie, kept not it self within the chaste limites of sacred and sound antiquitie. But perhaps we devise all this of hatred to Noveltie, and affection to Antiquitie? Who so thinketh, at least let him give credit to blessed Ambrose who in his se­cond book to Gratian the Empe­rour bewailing the sharp persecu­tion of that time, saith thus: But now O God (quoth he) we have suf­ficiently washed and purged with our ruine and blood, the death of the Con­fessours, the banishment of Priestes, and the wickednes of so great impie­ty, it hath manifestly appeared that they cannot be safe which have vio­lated and forsaken their faith. Like­wise in his third book of the same work. Let us therfore (quoth he) [Page 15] keep the precepts of our elders, & not with temerity of rude presumption, violate those seales descending to us by inheritance. None durst open that propheticall book close sea­led, not the elders, not the powers, not the Angells, not the Archan­gells: to explicate and interpret that book was a prerogative only re­served to Christ. The Preistlike book sealed by the Confessours and conse­crated with the death of many Mar­tirs, which of us dare presume to open? which book such as were com­pelled to unseale notwithstanding af­terward when the fraud was condem­ned, they sealed again, they which durst not violate or touch it became Martirs: how can we deny their faith, whose victorie we so praise & commend? We commend them I say, O venerable Ambrose, we surely commend them, and with praises admire them. For who is so senselesse, [Page 16]that although he cannot arrive to their perfection, desireth not yet to imitate, whom no force could them remove from defending their aunce­ [...]ours faith: not threatnings not flat­terings, not life, not death, not the King, not the Emperor, not men, not Devills; those I say whom for maintenance of religious antiquitie, our Lord vouchsased of so high, and so great a grace, that by them he would repaire the overthrowen Churches, give life to the dead spiri­tualtie, restore the overthrown glory of Priests, blot out & wash away with a fountaine of heavenly teares (which God put into the harts of the Bishops) those wicked, not books, but blottes and blurres, of new impie­ty, finally to restore almost the whole world (shaken with the cruell tem­pest of upstart heresie) to the antient faith, from new errour, to old sober­nes, from new madnesse, to antient [Page 17]light, from new darknesse. But in this divine vertue which they shewed in the confession of their faith this thing is especially of us to be noted, that in that antiquitie of the Church they took upon them not the defence of any one part, but of the whole. For it was not lawfull that such excellent and famous men, should maintaine and defend with so great might and maine the erroneous suspicions, and those contrary each to other, of one or two men; or should stand in conten­tion for the temerarious conspiracie of some small Province, but they did chuse by following the Canons and decrees of the Catholick and Apo­stolike veritie of all the Priests of holy Church, rather to betray them selves, then the universall ancient faith. For which fact of theirs they merited so great glorie that they are accounted not only Confessours but also justly and worthily the Princes [Page 18]of all Confessours. Great therefore & surely divine was the example of these blessed Confessours and of e­very true Catholick continually to be remembred who like the seven branched Candlestick, shining with the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost, delivered unto all posterity a most notable example; how afterward in each foolish and vain errour, the boldnesse of profane noveltie was to be repressed with authority of sa­cred Antiquity.

CHAP. III.

NEither is this any new thing, but alwaies usual in the Church of God, that the more religious a man hath been the more ready hath he alwayes resisted novell inventi­ons, examples whereof many might be brought, but for brevity sake I will onely make choice of some one which shall be taken from the Apo­stolick [Page 19]sea, by which all men may see most plainly with what force al­wayes, what zeal, what indeavour the blessed succession of the blessed Apostles have desended the integri­ty of that religion which they once received. Therefore in times past A­grippinus of venerable memory Bishop of Cart hage, the first of all mortall men maintained this asser­tion against the divine Scripture, a­gainst the rule of the universall Church, against the mind of all the Priests of his time, against the cu­stom and tradition of his forefathers, that rebaptization was to be admit­ted and put in practise. Which pre­sumption of his procured so great dammage and hurt to the Church, that not onely it gave all hereticks a pattern of sacrilege, but also mini­stred occasion of errour to some Ca­tholicks. When therefore every where all men exclaimed against the [Page 20]novelty of the doctrine, and all priests in all places, each one ac­cording to his zeale did oppose, then Pope Steven of blessed memo­ry, bishop of the Apostolique sea, resisted in deed with the rest of his fellow bishops, but yet more then the rest, thinking it as I suppose, rea­son so much to excell all other in de­votion towards the faith, as he was superiour to them in authoritie of place. To conclude in his Epistle which then was sent to Africk, he decreed the same in these words. That nothing was to be innovated, but that which came by tradition ought to be observed. For that holy and prudent man knew well, that the nature of pietie could admit no­thing else but only to deliver and teach our children that religion and that faith which we received and learned of our forefathers, and that we ought to follow religion whither [Page 21]it doth lead us, and not to lead reli­gion whither it please us, and that nothing is more proper to Christian modestie and gravitie, then not to leave unto posteritie our own inven­tions, but to preserve and keep that which our Predecessours left us. What therefore was then the end of that whole busines? What else but that, which is common and usuall, to wit, antiquitie was retained, novel­tie exploded. But perhaps that new invention lacked patrons and de­fenders? To which I say on the con­trary, that it had such pregnant witts, such eloquent tongues, such number of defendants, such shew of truth such testimonies of scripture, but [...] after a new and naughtie fashion, that all that conspiracie and schisme should have seemed unto me invincible, had not the very pro­fession of noveltie it self, so taken in hand, under that name defen­ded, [Page 22]with that title recommended, overthrowen the very ground of so great a schisme. To conolude, what force had the Councell or decree of Africke? By Gods providence none, but all things there agreed upon were abolished, disanulled, abroga­ted, as dreames, as fables, as super­fluous. And O strange change of the world, the authours of that opi­nion are judged and thought Catho­licks, the followers accounted and reputed Hereticks, the masters dis­charged, the schollers condemned, the writers of those books shall be children of the kingdome of Heaven, the maintainers of those books shall burne in Hell. For who doubteth but holy S. Cyprian, that light of all Saints, that lanterne of Bishops, and spectacle of Martirs, with the rest of his companions shall raigne with Christ for ever? And contrariwise who is so wicked to [Page 23]deny that the Donatists and such o­ther pestilent Hereticks, which by the authority of that Councell vaunt that they do practise rebaptization, shall burn for ever with the Devill and his Angels. Which judgement in mine opinion seemeth to have come from God, for their fraudulent deal­ing especially, which endeavouring under the cloak of an other mans name cunningly to frame an heresie, commonly lay hold of some dark sayings of one antient Father or o­ther, which by reason of the obscu­rity may seem to make for their opi­nion, to the end they may be thought, that whatsoever I know not what they bring forth to the world, neither to have been the first that so taught, neither alone of that opinion: whose wicked device in mine opinion is worthy of double hatred, both for that they fear not to sowe their poy­soned feed of herefie amongst others, [Page 24]and also because they blemish the memory of some holy man, and as it were with profane hands cast his dead ashes into the wind, bringing with shame that to light, which ra­ther with silence were to be buried, following therein the steps of their father Cham, who not onely negle­cted to cover the nakednesse of ve­nerable Noe, but also shewed it to others to laugh at, by which fact of his he incurred so great a crime of impiety that his posterity was sub­ject to the malediction of his sinne: Gen. 9. his blessed brethren doing far otherwise, who neither with their own eyes would violate the na­kednesse of their reverend father, nor yet permit it to remain uncover­ed for others to behold, but going backward as the holy text saith, they covered him: which is as much as to say that they neither approved with heart, nor blazed with tongue the ho­ly [Page 25]mans fault, and therefore they and their posterity were rewarded with their fathers blessing. But to returne to our purpose.

CHAP. IIII.

WE have therefore much to fear the sacriledge of a changed faith, of a violated religion: from which fault not only the disci­pline of the ecclesiasticall decree doth restraine us, but the authoritie also of the Apostles censure deterreth. For all men know how gravely, how severely, how seriously the blessed Apostle S. Paul inveigheth against certaine which with great levitie. Gal. 1. Were so soon transfer­red from him that called thē into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel, which is not another. 2 Tim. 4. That had heaped up to them solves masters according to their own de­sires, [Page 26]averting their ears from truth, being converted to fables: Having damnation because they have made void their first faith. 1 Tim. 5. Whom those men had deceaved of whom the same Apostle, in his e­pistle to the Romans thus writeth. I beseech you brethren to mark them that make dissentions and scanda [...]ls contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them, for such do not serve Christ our Lord but their own bolly: And by sweet speeches and benedictions seduce the hearts of Innocents. Rom. 16. That enter into houses and lead captive silly women loaden with sins, which are led away with divers desires, al­waies learning and never attaining to the knowledge of truth. 2 Tim. 3. Ʋain speakers and seducers who sub­vert whole houses teaching the things they ought not for filthy lucre: Tit. 1. Men corrupt in their minde; [Page 27]reprobates concerning the faith: 2 Tim. 3. Proud, and knowing no­thing but languishing about questions and strife of words, that are depri­ved of the truth, that esteem gaine to be pietie: 1 Tim 6. 1 Tim. 5. And with all idle they learn to go from house to house, not only idle, but also full of words and curious; speaking things which they ought not: 1 Tim. 1. Which repelling a good conscience have made sh [...]pwrak about the faith: Whose prophane speeches do much grow to impietie, and their speech spreadeth as a cancre. But that is also worth the noting which is written of them. But they shall prosper no further, for their folly shall be manifest to all as theirs also was. 2 Tim. 2. 2 Tim. 3, When there­fore such kind of men wandring up and downe through Provinces and Cities to set their errors to sale, came also unto the Galathians, who after [Page 28]they had heard them and were de­lighted with the filthie drugs of he­reticall Novelty, casting up againe the heavenly Manna of the Aposto­lick and Catholick doctrine; The Apolstle used his authoritie decreeing very severely in this sort. But al­though (quoth he) we or an Angel from heaven evangelize unto you be­side that which we have evangeliz­ed be he Anathema. Gal. 1.

What meaneth this that he sayeth But although we, why did he not rather say But although I? That is to say, although Peter, al­though Andrew, although John, yea finally although the whole company of the Apostles evangelize unto you otherwise then we have evangelized, be he accursed. A terrible censure, for maintaining the possession of the first faith, not to have spared himself, nor any other of the Apostles. But this is a smal matter: Although an [Page 29]Angel from heaven (quoth he) E­vangelize unto you beside that which I have Evangelized be he Anathe­ma: he was not contented for keeping the faith once planted to make men­tion of mans weak nature unlesse al­so he included those excellent crea­tures, the Angells. Although we (quoth he) or an Angel from hea­ven, not because the holy Angells of Heaven can now sinne but this is the meaning of that he saith: Although (quoth he) that might be which can­not be, whosoever he be that goeth about to change the faith which was once planted, be he accursed. But peradventure he uttered those words slightly and cast them forth rather of humane affection then decreed them by any reason grounded in Gods word. God forbid: For it fol­loweth, and that very earnestly ur­ged, very often repeated.

As I have foretold you (quoth he) and now againe I tell you If any body evangelize unto you beside that which you have receaved be he A­nathema. He said not if any man preach unto you beside that which you have receaved let him be bles­sed, let him be commended, let him be receaved, but Anathema, that is, separated, thrust out, excommu­nicated, least the c [...]uell infection of one sheep with his poisoned compa­ny corrupt the sound flock of Christ. But peradventure this was given in commandment only to the Galathi­ans: then likewise were these pre­cepts following commanded onely to the Galathians, to wit. If we live in the spirit, in the spirit also let us walk, let us not be made desirous of vain glory, provoking one an other, envying one another, Gal. 5. & such like which if it be absurd to say, and no man doubteth but that they were [Page 31]indifferently commanded to all, then certaine it is, that as these precepts touching manners include all, so likewise those concerning faith and doctrine, except none. And there­fore as it is not lawfull for any to provoke one another, to envy one a­nother, even so it is unlawfull for a­ny to admit or to receave any other faith or religion then that which the Catholick Church every where tea­cheth; or happily shall we be so mad to say that then it was commanded to curse and anathematize him that preached any otherwise then before had been preached, and that now it is not commanded, then was that likewise which is there said. But I say walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh, then onely commanded but now is not; which if it be impious & dangerous so to beleeve, then of necessitie it fol­loweth that as these precepts of life & [Page 32]manners are to be kept of all ages, so likewise those set down against in­novating of religion and changing of faith, are commanded to all posteri­tie, wherfore to preach unto Christi­an Catholick men, besides that which they have received never was law­full, no where is lawfull, nor ever shall be lawfull.

And on the contrarie to say Ana­thema and curse those which teach otherwise then once hath been recei­ved, was at all times needful, is e­very where convenient, & ever shall be requisite. Which being so, is there any man either so bold that dare teach that, which in the Church hath not been taught, or of such levitie that will receive ought besides that which he hath received of the Church. Let that vessel of election, that master of the Gentiles, that trump of the Apostles, that preacher of the world, he that was acquainted [Page 33]with heavenly affairs, cry out, and again cry out in his Epistles, to all men, to all times, to all places, that whosoever preacheth a new doctrine is to be accursed. And on the contra­ry part, let certain Frogs, corrupti­ble Gnats and Flies, such as the Pe­lagians be, reclaim and that to Ca­tholicks: We being your Authours (quoth they) we being your Lea­ders, we being your Interpreters, condemn that which before you did hold, hold that which before you condemned. Cast away your old Faith, your Forefathers Laws, your Elders Constitutions, and receive, what a Gods name? I tremble to speak, for they be so proud and pre­sumptuous, that as they cannot be maintained without sin, so neither impugned without some blot of of­fence.

CHAP. V.

BUt some man will say, why then doth God very often permit certain notable and excellent men in the Church to preach unto Catho­licks a new Religion. A very good question and such as deserveth a more diligent and ample discourse, unto which notwithstanding I will not answer out of mine own head, but with the authority of sacred Scripture, and the doctrine of a notable Master in Gods Church: let us then hear holy Moses, let him give us the reason, why learn­ed men, and such as for their great gift of knowledge are called of the Apostle Prophets, be sometimes permitted to preach new Doctrine, which the old Testament Allegori­cally calleth strange gods, because their opinions are so observed and [Page 35]honoured of Hereticks, as the gods were of the Gentiles: thus then wri­teth blessed Moses in Deuteron. 13. If there shall arise (quoth he) in the middest of thee a Prophet, or one which saith he hath seen a dream, that is some Master of the Church, whose Disciples or fol­lowers suppose to teach by some re­velation from God: what then? and shall foretell (quoth he) some sign or miracle, and that shall hap­pen which he hath said: some great Master is here surely meant, and one of so deep knowledge whom his fol­lowers imagine not onely to know things humane, but also to foresee future, and such as shall happen, which is farre above mans reach, as the scholers for the most part of Va­lentinus, Donatus, Photinus, Apolli­naris, and such like did brag that their masters were. What followeth? And shall (quoth he) say unto thee [Page 36]let us go and follow strange Gods, which thou knowest not, and let us serve them. What is meant by strange Gods, but forrein errours, which thou knowest not, that is new and never heard of before, and let us serve them, that is believe them, fol­low them. What then? Thou shalt not (quoth he) hear the words of that Prophet or Dreamer. And why I pray you, is not that forbidden by God to be taught, which is by God forbidden to be heard? Because (quoth he) the Lord your God doth tempt you, that it may appear whe­ther you love him or no, in your whole heart, and in your whole soul. The reason then is more clear then day, why the providence of God doth sometime suffer certain teachers and masters of the Church to Preach cer­tain new opinions that your Lord God (quoth he) may tempt you. And surely a great tentation it is, when as [Page 37]he whom you think a Prophet, a di­seiple of the Prophets, whom you esteem a Doctour and maintainer of the truth, whom you have highly reverenced, and most intirely loved, when he suddenly and privily bring­eth in pernicious errours which nei­ther you can quickly spy lead away with prejudice of your old teacher nor easily condemn, hindered with love to your old master.

CHAP. VI.

HEre some man haply doth ear­nestly desire to see that proved by some Ecclesiasticall examples which by the authority of Moses hath already been avouched. The demand is reasonable, and therefore of reason not long to be deferred. Wherefore to begin with those which are yet fresh in memory, and to the world best known. What kind [Page 38]of tentation think you was that of late dayes, when that ungracious and cursed Nestorius suddenly from a sheep transformed into a wolf, be­gan to devoure the flock of Christ, at such time as those which were spoiled, commonly took him for a sheep, and therefore were more sub­ject to his cruelty. For who would have easily imagined him to have erred, whom every man knew to have been chosen with such judge­ment of the Empire, who was so highly in grace with the Clergy, so much beloved of all holy men, so greatly in favour with the people, who openly expounded the Scri­ptures, and also confuted the pesti­ferous errour of the Jews: why could not this man, by such means easily perswade any, that he taught aright, preached aright, be­lieved aright, who to smooth the way, and make entrance for his own [Page 39]heresie, persecuted and preached a­gainst the blasphemies of all others. But this was that which Moses saith: The Lord your God doth tempt you, if you love him or no. And to passe over Nestorius in whom was alwayes more admiration then pro­fit, more fame then experience whom for some time humane favour had made greater, then Gods grace exalted. Let us rather speak of them which endowed with many gifts and men of great industrie, have been no small tentation to Catholicks, as amongst the Pannonians, in our Fa­thers memory Photinus is recorded to have tempted the Church of Sirminum, in which being preferred with the liking of all men unto the dignity of Priesthood, for some­time he behaved himself very Ca­tholickly but suddenly like that naughty Prophet or Dreamer of whom Moses speaketh, he began to [Page 40]perswade the people of God com­mitted to his charge, to follow other gods, that is strange and unknown errours, which before they were not acquainted with. But as this is usu­all, so that was very pernicious, that he had so great helps and furtherance for the advancing of so great wic­kednesse: For he was both of an excellent wit, and singularly well learned, and passing eloquent, as he which both in disputation and writing was copious and grave, in either language, as appeareth by the Books which he wrote, partly in Greek, and partly in the Latine tongue. But it hapned well that Christs sheep committed to his charge very vigilant and carefull in keeping the Catholick faith, did speedily remember Moses warning, and therefore albeit they admired much the eloquence of their Pro­phet and Pastour: yet were they not [Page 41]ignorant of the temptation. And therefore whom before they fol­lowed as the chief leader of the flock, the same very man after­ward they avoided as a ravening wolf. Neither do we learne only by Photinus but also by the ex­ample of Apollinaris the danger of this ecclesiasticall tentation, and therby also be admonished dili­gently to keep and retaine our faith and religion. For this Apollinaris procured his auditours great trou­ble & anguish of mind, whilest the authoritie of the Church drew them one way and the acquaintance of their master haled them another, so that wavering and tottering betwixt both, they were uncertaine whether part was best to be followed. But haply he was such a one as easely de­served to be contemned. Nay he was so famous and worthie a man, that in very many things he vvon cre­dite [Page 42]to fast. For who surpassed him in sharpnes of wit? in exercise, in learning? how many heresies in ma­ny and great books hath he over­thrown? how many errors against the faith hath he confuted? That most notable and great work of thir­tie books in which with great waight of reason he confounded, the fran­ticke cavills of Porphirius doth give credit to my report, and testifie the truth of my relation. It were too long to rehearse up all his works for which he might have been com­pared to the cheefe pillours of Gods Church, had not the prophane licen­tiousnesse of hereticall curiositie, by inventing I know not what new opinion spotted and discredited all his former labours, whereby his doctrine was accounted not so much an edification, as an ecclesiasticall tentation.

CHAP. VII.

HEre some man perhaps requi­reth to know what heresies these men above named taught: that is Nestorius, Appollinaris, & Pho­tinus. This pertaineth not to the matter, whereof we now intreat, for it is not our purpose to dispute a­gainst each mans particuler error, but only by a few examples plain­ly and clearly to prove, that to be most true which Moyses saith, that if at any time any ecclesiasticall do­ctour, yea and a Prophet for inter­preting the misteries of the prophe­tical visions, goeth about to bring in any new opinion into the Church, that the providence of God doth permit it for our proofe and triall. But because it will be profitable, I will by a little digression briefely set down what the forenamed hereticks [Page 44] Photinus, Apollinaris, and Nesto­rius taught. This then is the heresie of Photinus, he affirmeth that God is as the Jewes beleeve singular and solitary, denying the fulnesse of the Trinitie, not beleving that there is any person of the word of God, or of the holy ghost; he affirmeth also, that Christ was only man, who had his begining of the virgin MARY, teach­ing verie earnestly that we ought to worship only the person of God the father, and to honour Christ only for man. This then was Photinus opi­nion. now Apollinaris vaunteth much as though he beleved the uni­tie of Trinitie with full & sound faith but yet blasphemeth he manifestly against our Lords incarnation. For he saith that our Saviour either had not mans soul at all, or at least such a one, as was neither indued with mind or reason; furthermore he affirmeth that Christs body was not taken [Page 45]of the flesh of the holy virgin MA­RY, but descended from heaven into the wombe of the Virgin, holding yet doubtfully & inconstantly some time that it was coeternall to the word of God, some time that it was made of the divinitie of the word: for he would not admit two maner of substances in Christ, the one di­vine, the other humane, the one of his Father, the other of his Mother, but did think that the verie nature of the word was divided into two parts, as though the one remained in God, and the other was turn­ed into flesh, that wheras the truth saith, that Christ is one consisting of two substances, he contrary to the truth affirmeth, of the one divinitie of Christ to be two substances: and these be the assertions of Apollina­ris. But Nestorius sicke of a contra­rie disease whilest he faineth a distin­ction of two substances in Christ, [Page 46]suddenly bringeth in two persons: and with monstrous wickednes, will needs have two sonnes of God, two Christs one that was God, and ano­ther that was man, one begotten of the Father, another begotten of his Mother. And therefore he saieth that the holy Virgin MARY is not to be called the mother of God, but the mother of Christ, because, that Christ which was borne of her was not God but man. And if any man think that in his books he saith there was one Christ and that he preached one person of Christ, I must needs confesse that he lacketh not ground to say so, for that he did either of craftie pollicie, the rather to de­ceave, that by some good things, he might the more easely perswade that which is evill, as the Apostle saith. By the good thing he hath wrought me death. R. 7. Wherfore either craf­tely as I said in certaine places of his [Page 47]writings he vaunteth to beleeve one person in Christ, or else surely he did hold, that after our Ladies deli­verie, two persons became in such sort one Christ that yet in the time of our Ladies conception or deli­verie, and for some time after, there were two Christs, and that Christ was born first like unto another man, and only was man and not yet joyn­ed in unitie with the person of God the word, and that afterward the person of the word descended down assuming and joyning him self to that man in unitie of person, and although he now remaine in glorie assumpted for some time yet there seemeth to have been no difference betwixt him and other men. Thus then Nestorius, Apollinaris, Pha­tinus, like mad doggs barked a­gainst the Catholick Church: Pho­tinus not confessing the Trinity: A­pollinaris maintaining the nature of [Page 48]the Word convertible, and not con­fessing two substances in Christ, de­nying also either the whol soul of Christ, or at least that it was indued with mind and reason, beleeving for his pleasure what he liked of the se­cond person in Trinitie: Nestorius by defending either alwayes or for some time two Christs. But the Ca­tholick Church beleeving aright both of God and of our Saviour, neither blasphemeth against the mi­sterie of the Trinitie, nor against the incarnation of Christ, for it wor­shipeth one Divinitie in Trinitie & reverenceth the equalitie of the Tri­nitie in one and the same majestie, confessing one Christ, not two, and the self same both God and man, beleeving in him one person, yet acknowledging two substances, but yet beleeving one person: two sub­stances, because the word of God is not mutable that it can be turned [Page 49]into flesh: one person, least profes­sing two sonnes, it may seeme to worship a quaternitie and not to a­dore the Trinitie.

CHAP. VIII.

BUt it is worth the labour to de­clare this matter more plainly, more substantially, more distinctly. In God is one substance and three persons; in Christ be two substances, but one person. In the Trinitie there is another, and another; but not ano­ther and another thing: In our Sa­viour is not another, and another, but another & another thing. How is there in the Trinitie another and a­nother, but not another and another thing? Marry because there is ano­ther person of the father, another of the sonne, and another of the holy ghost: But yet not another & another nature, but one & the self same: How [Page 50]is there in our Saviour another and another thing, not another and ano­ther? because there is another sub­stance of the divinitie, and another substance of the humanitie, but yet the deitie and the humanitie is not a­nother and another, but one and the selfe same Christ, one and the same sonne of God, and one and the selfe same person, of the selfe same Christ and sonne of God. As in a man the body is one thing, and the soule is a­nother thing, but yet the body and the soule are but one and the selfe same man. In Peter & Paul the soule is one thing, the body is ano­ther thing, and yet the body and the soule are not two Peters, nor the soule is not one Paul, and the body another Paul, but one and the selfe same Peter, one and the selfe same Paul, subsisting of a double & divers nature of the body and the soule. So therefore in one and the selfe same [Page 51]Christ there are two substances, but one a divine substance, the other hu­mane, the one of God the Father, the other of the Virgin his Mother, the one coeternall and equall to the Fa­ther, the other substantiall to his Mo­ther, yet one and the same Christ in both substances. Therefore there is not one Christ God, another Christ man, not one increated, another crea­ted, not one impassible, another pas­sible, not one equal to the Father, a­nother lesse then the Father, not one of the father, another of the mother, but one and the selfe same Christ, God and man, the same increated and created, the same incommutable and impassible, the same changed & suffered, the same equall and in­feriour to the Father, the same begotten of his Father before all times, the same conceived of his Mother in time, perfect God and perfect man; in him [Page 52]as God is perfect Divinitie, in him as man is perfect humanitie: perfect humanitie I say, because it had both soule and body, yet a true body, such as our body is, and such as his mo­thers was; and a soule indued with understanding, with mind & reason. There is therefore in Christ, the Word, the Soul, the Flesh, but yet all these together is one Christ, one son of God, our onely Saviour and Redeemer: One I say, not by any I know not what corruptible confusi­on, of the divinity and humanity together, but by a certain perfect, and singular unity of person: for that conjunction did not change or con­vert either into other (which is the proper errour of the Arians) but did rather so unite both in one, that as the singularity of one and the same per­son remayneth alwayes in Christ, so likewise the properties of both natures do for ever continue; so that [Page 53]neither God ever beginneth to be a body, nor now at any time ceaseth to be a body; which thing is also more apparent by some humane ex­ample: for not onely in this world, but also in the next every man shall consist of body and soul, & yet ne­ver shall either the body be changed into the soul, or the soul ever con­verted into the body; but as every man shall live for ever, so for ever of necessity in each man the difference of either substance shall continue: So likewise in Christ each property of either substance shall continue for e­ver, saving alwayes and reserving the unity of person. And when we of­ten name this word Person, and say that the Sonne of God was made man, we must take great heed that we seeme not to say that God, the Word, the second person in Trinitie tooke upon him our actions onely in imitation, and [Page 54]and rather in shew and shadow, and not as a perfect and very man practised humane conversation: as we see used in Theaters and Stages, where one man in a little time taketh upon him many parts, of which not­withstanding himselfe is none; for as often as we counterfeit another mans actions, we so exercise his office, that yet we be not those men whose acti­ons we take upon us; for neither a tragedie player (to use prophane examples and such as the Maniches alledge) when he playeth the Priest or King, is therefore a priest or king, for so soon as the tragedie endeth, that person also which he played forthwith ceaseth. God keep us from this horrible and wicked mock­erie. Let this madnesse be proper to the Maniches, which preaching abroad their owne fantasies, af­firme God the sonne of God not to have been substantively the [Page 55]person of man, but to have fained the same by supposed action and conuersation. But the Catholick faith affirmeth that the word of God was so made man, that he took up­on him our nature & the proprieties belonging to the same, not deceitful­ly and in shew, but truely and verily, and did such things as belong to man, as his owne, and not as one that imitated other mens actions, and was verily that which in life and conversation he did shew himselfe to be, as we our selves also, in that we speak, understand and subsist, do not counterfeit our selves to be men, but are verily men. For neither Paul and John (to speak of them especi­ally for example sake) were men by imitation, but by subsistence, neither likewise did Paul counterfeit the Apostle or faine himselfe Paul, but was in veritie an Apostle and was Paul by subsistence. [Page 56]In like maner God the Word, by as­suming and having flesh, in speaking, doing and suffering, in flesh, yet without any corruption of his na­ture, vouchsafed perfectly to per­forme this, to wit not that he should imitate or counterfeit, but exhibit himself a perfect man, not that he should seem or be thought a very man, but should in veritie so be and subsist. Therefore as the soule joyned to the flesh; and yet not turned into the flesh, doth not imi­tate a man, but is a man, and not a man in shew and appearance, but in substance: so God the Word without any conversion of himself, uniting himself to man, was made man, not by confusion, not by mutation, but by subsisting. Let that exposition therefore of a fained & counterfeit person utterly be reje­cted, in which alwayes one thing is in shew, another in deed, inw ^eh. he that [Page 57]doth ought, is never the same person whom he representeth: for God for­bid, that we should believe that God the Word took upon him the person of man, after such a deceit­full manner; but rather in this sort, That his substance remaining incom­mutable in it self, and yet taking up­on him the nature of perfect man, was himself flesh, was himself a man, was himself the person of a man not deceitfully but truly, not in imitation, but in truth and substance; not finally after that sort which with action should desist, but after that manner which perfectly in substance should persist. This unity therefore of person in Christ was not framed, and finished after the Virgins deli­very, but in her very womb. For we must diligently take heed that we confesse Christ not onely one, but also to have been alwayes one, be­cause it is an intolerable blasphe­my [Page 58]to grant him now to be one, and yet contend that once he was not one, but two, that is one after the time of his Baptisme, but two in the time of his Nativitie; which great sacriledge we cannot otherwise a­void, but by confessing that man was united to God in unity of person, not in his Ascention, not in his Re­surrection, not in his Baptisme, but in his mothers womb, and immaculate conception: by reason of which U­nity of Person, both the Proprieties of God are indifferently and pro­miscually attributed to man, and the proprieties of man ascribed to God: hence cometh that which is written in the Scripture, That the Son of man descended from Hea­ven, and the Lord of Majesty was Crucified upon earth: Joan. 6. hence also it proceedeth that we say, that when our Lords flesh was made, when our Lords body was framed, [Page 59]that the very Word of God was made, the very wisdome of God was replenished with created know­ledge, as in the foresight of God His hands and feet are said to be digged, Psalm. 21. From this unity of Person, I say it proceedeth, by reason of like mystery, that when the flesh of the Word of God was born of his pure and immaculate mother, we do most Catholickly be­lieve that God himself the Word was born of the Virgin, and most impiously the contrary is maintain­ed. Which being so, God forbid that any one should go about to de­prive the holy Virgin Mary of the priviledges of Gods favour as her especiall glory: For she is by the singular grace of our Lord and God her son, to be confessed most truly and most blessedly to have been the mother of God, but yet not in such sort, as impious hereticks imagine [Page 60]and suspect, who affirm, that she is to be reputed in name onely and ap­pellation the mother of God, as she forsooth which brought forth that man which afterward became God, as we say, such a woman is the mo­ther of a Priest or Bishop, not be­cause she brought him that then was either Priest or Bishop, but by ge­nerating that man which afterward was made a Priest or Bishop: not in that manner I say the blessed Vir­gin is to be called the mother of God, but rather, because, as hath been said, that most holy mystery was finished in her sacred womb, wherein by reason of a singular, and one onely unity of person, as the Word in flesh is flesh, so man in God is God.

CHAP. IX.

BUt now what hath already been said touching the foresaid here­sies, or concerning the Catholick faith, let us in few words and com­pendiously for memory sake repeat them over again, that thereby with more facility they may be under­stood, and with greater certainty re­tained. Accursed therefore be Pho­tinus, not admitting the fulnesse of the Trinity, and affirming our Sa­viour Christ to have been onely man. Accursed be Appollinaris, maintaining in Christ corruption of changed divinity, and bereaving him of the propriety of perfect humanity. Accursed be Nestorius, denying God to have been born of a Virgin, teaching two Christs, and so aban­doning the faith of the Trinity, bring­ing in a quaternity. But blessed [Page 62]be the Catholick Church which a­doreth one God in perfect Trinity, and likewise worshipeth equality of Trinity in one Divinity, so that nei­ther singularity of substance con­foundeth propriety of Persons, nor distinction of Trinity separateth u­nity of Deity. Blessed I say be the Church, which believeth in Christ two true and perfect substances, but one onely person, so that neither di­stinction of natures doth divide the unity of person, nor unity of person doth confound the difference of sub­stances. Blessed I say be the Church, which, to the end she may confesse Christ alwayes to be and to have been one, acknowledgeth man united to God, not after our Ladies delive­ry, but even then in his mothers womb. Blessed I say be the Church, which understandeth God made man, not by any conversion of na­ture, but by reason and means of [Page 63]person, and that not a fained and transitory person, but substantially subsisting and permanent. Blessed I say be the Church, which teacheth that this unity of person hath so great force, that by reason thereof by a mystery strange and ineffable, she ascribeth unto man the proprieties of God, and attributeth to God the proprieties of man. For by reason of this unity of person she confes­seth, that man as he was God, de­scended from Heaven; and God as he was man, was made upon earth, suffered and was Crucified. Blessed therefore is that venerable, happy, and sacred confession, and compa­rable to those supernall praises of the Angels, who do glorifie one onely Lord God, yet with a triple Hagi­ologie: For this is the principall rea­son why the Church teacheth the u­nity of Christ, lest otherwise she should exceed the mystery of the Trinity.

And let this suffice touching this matter, spoken by way of digression: hereafter if it please God, I will in­treat and declare these points more copiously. Now to return to our for­mer purpose.

CHAP. X

WE have said in the premi­ses, that in the Church of God, the errour of the master is a great tentation to the people; and the more learned he were that erred, so much the greater was the tentati­on: Which we shewed first by the authority of holy Scripture, after­ward by the examples ecclesiasticall of those men, which for some time were reputed and accounted sound in faith, yet at last fell either into some other mans error, or els coined a new heresie of their own: This surely is a great matter, profitable to be learned [Page 65] [...]d necessary to be remembred; which once again we must inculcate and make plain by great store of examples, that all Catholicks may know, that with the Church they ought to receive Doctours, and not with Doctours to forsake the faith of the Church. But I suppose that, although I could bring forth many to shew this kind of tentation, yet there is almost none which can be compared to the tentation of Ori­gen, in whom were very many gifts, [...]o rare, so singular, so strange, that in the beginning any would have thought that his opinions might have been believed of all men. For if life procureth authority, he was a man of great industry of great chastity, patience, and labour: if family or learning, who more no­ble? being of that house which was honourable for Martyrdome, him­self afterward for Christ deprived [Page 66]not of father onely, but also spoiled of all his patrimony, and so much he profited in the mysteries of holy poverty, that as it is reported, for the confession of Christs name he often indured much affliction. Nei­ther was he only adorned with these gifts, all which afterward served for tentation, but was indued also with a force of wit so profound, so quick, so elegant, that he far excelled almost all other whatsoever. A man of such wonderfull learning and eru­dition, that there were few things in Divinity, in humane Philosophy, haply nothing which he had not perfectly attained: who having got­ten the treasures of the Greek tongue, laboured also about the Hebrew. And for his eloquence what should I speak of it, whose talk was so pleasant, so delectable, so sweet, that in mine opinion, not words but hony flwed from his mouth? What [Page 67]things were so hard to beleeve which with force of argument he made not plaine, what so difficult to bring to passe, which he made not to seem easie? But perchance he maintained his assertions by arguments only. Nay, without question there was ne­ver any Doctour which used more examples of sacred scripture. But yet happelie he wrote not much. No man living more; yea so much that in mine opinion all his works are so far from being read over, that they can not possiblie all be found; who not to lack anie furtherance to learn­ing, lived also untill he was passing old. But yet perchance unfortunate in his scholers. What man ever more happie, having trained up and been master to infinite Doctours, to Priests without number, to Confes­sours and Martyrs? Now who is able to prosecute with words, in what admiration he was with all men? in [Page 68]what glory? in what credit & grace? Who more zealous in religion re­paired not to him, from the furthest parts of the world? What Chri­stian did not almost worship him as a Prophet? What Philosopher did not honour him as a master? & how greatly he was reverenced, not only of private men, but also of the Em­pire it self, histories doe speak, which report that he was sent for of Alexander the Emperours mother, to wit, for the merit of his heavenly wisdome with the grace and love whereof he was inflamed. His epist­les also testifie the same thing, which with the authoritie of a Christian master he wrote unto Philip the Emperour, the first Christian a­mongst all the Romane Princes. And if any man upon our report admit­eth not the testimonie of a Christian touching his wonderfull knowledge, and learning, at least let him receive [Page 69] [...] confession of an heathen Philo­pher. For that impious Porphyrie [...]h, that himself being but yet as were a boy, moved with his fame, [...]vailed unto Alexandria where [...] did see him being then old, but [...] such a one and so learned as he [...]t had attained to the perfection [...] all knowledge. Time would soon­ [...] fail me, then I could touch though [...]efly those notable gifts which [...]re in that man, all which not­ [...]thstanding pertained not onely to [...] glory of Religion, but also to [...] greatnesse of the temptation. For [...]ho is he that would willingly [...]ve forsaken a man of such wit, [...] so deep learning, of so rare grace, [...]nd would not sooner have used [...]at saying, that he had rather erre [...]ith Origen then believe aright [...]th others? And what should I [...]y more, the matter came to that [...], that as the end shewed, not [Page 70]an usuall and common, but a pass [...] dangerous tentation of so worthy man, so famous a Doctour, so no [...] ­ble a Prophet, earried very man [...] from the true and sound faith of th [...] Church: For this Origen so ra [...] and singular a man, abusing [...] grace of God, too insolently flatt [...] ­ing himself, too much in his ow [...] wit, believing himself more th [...] reason would, little esteeming [...] old simplicity of Christian rel [...] ­gion, presuming to be wiser then a [...] ­other, contemning the traditions [...] the Church, and the old Fathe [...] documents, waded so far in expound­ing certain chapters of the Scriptu [...] after a new fashion, that he dese [...] ­ed that the Church of God shou [...] also say of him: If there arise up the middest of thee a Prophet, a [...] a little after, thou shalt not h [...] (quoth he) the words of that Pr [...] ­phet, and again, because (quoth h [...] [Page 71] your Lord God doth tempt you whe­ther you love him or no. And surely it is not only a tentation, but also a great tentation, when a man sedu­ceth secretly and by little and little the Church depending upon him (admiring his wit, knowledge, elo­quence, conversation, and grace, no­thing suspecting him, nothing fear­ing him) suddenly from the old reli­gion to a prophane and new do­ctrine. But some will say that Ori­gens books be corrupted: I will not gaine-say it, but rather wish it were so: for that hath both been said & written by some, not only Catho­licks, but also Hereticks. But this is now the point we are to consider, that although not he, yet the books passing abroad under his name are a great tentation, which stuffed with many horrible blasphemies, are read and used, loved, and liked, not as the books of others, but as his [Page 72]works: so that although Origen gave no cause of erroneous doctrine, yet his authoritie hath been the oc­casion why the errour hath been lik­ed and followed.

The case also of Tertullian is the very same with the former: for as Origen is to be thought the best a­mongst the Greek Doctours, so Ter­tullian without controversie is the chief of all the latin. For who was more learned then hee? Who in Di­vinitie or Humanitie more practi­sed? for by his great and wonderfull capacitie of wit, he attained to, and understood all Philosophie, all the sects of Philosophers, all their au­thours and patrons, all their learning, all sorts of histories and studies. And for his wit, was he not so ex­cellent, so grave, so sharpe, that he almost undertook the overthrow of nothing which either by quicknes of wit or weight of reason he crush­ed [Page 73]not in peeces? Now who is able to set down the commendation and praise which his stile and phrase of speech deserved, which was so fraught (I know not how) with that force of reason, that such as could not be perswaded, were compelled: whose almost so many words, were so many sentences so many sences, so many victories? This is well known to Marcion and Appelles, well known to Praxeas, and Her­mogenes, the Jews understand this, the Gentiles have tryed it, the Gno­sticks have proved it, and divers o­thers have felt it: whose blasphemous opinions he hath overthrown with his many and great volumes, as it had been with thunder & lightning. And yet this man after all this, this Tertullian I say, not holding the ca­tholick religion, that is the universal & old faith being far more eloquent then faithful, changing afterward [Page 74]his mind, did at last that which the blessed Confessour Hilarie in a cer­taine place writeth of him. He discre­dited (quoth he) with his later errour his probable writings; and therefore he was also a great tentation in the Church. But hereof I will say no more, onely this I add, that by his defending against the precept of Moses, for true prophesies the new madnesse of Montanus springing up in the Church, and those mad dreams of new doctrine of that fran­tick woman, he deserved that we should also say of him and his wri­tings: If a Prophet shall rise up in the midst of thee, and straight after, thou shalt not heare the words of that Pro­phet. Why so? Because (quoth he) your Lord God doth tempt you whe­ther you love him or no. We ought therefore evidently to note by these so many, so great, and divers others such weighty examples, and by the [Page 75]law of Deuteronomie most clearly to understand that if at any time any ecclesiasticall teacher shayeth from the faith, that gods providence doth suffer that for our triall whether we love him or no in our whol heart, & in our whol soul.

CHAP. XI.

WHich being so he is a true and perfect sincere Catho­lick that loveth Gods truth, that lo­veth his body the Church that pre­ferreth nothing before the religion of God, nothing before the Catholick faith, not any mans authority, not love, not will, not eloquence, not philosophie; but contemning all these things, setled in faith, stable and per­manent, whatsoever he knoweth the Catholick Church universally in old time to have holden, that he [Page 76]purposeth with himself onely to hold and beleeve: and therefore whatsoe­ver new doctrine, and not before heard of such a one perceives to be brought in, of some one man, beside or contrary to the old Saints and Doctors, let him know that doctrine doth not pertaine to religion, but ra­ther to tentation, for his proofe and tryall, especially being instructed with the saying of the Apostle St. Paul: For this is that which he wri­teth in his first epistle to the Corin­thians: There must (quoth he) be heresies also that they which are ap­proved may be made manifest a­mongst you. As though he should say. This is the cause why the au­thors of heresies are not straight roo­ted out by God, that the approved may be made manifest, that is, every one may appear how steadfastly, faithfully and constantly, he loveth the Catholick faith. And certaine it [Page 77]is that straigh: upon the springing up of any Noveltie, the weighty corne is discerned from the light chaffe; then is that easily blown out of the floore which before lightly remained in the floore; for some by and by fly away, others onely sha­ken are both afraid to perish, and a­shamed to returne remaining woun­ded, half dead, half alive, like unto those which have drunk so much poison, as neither killeth, nor well digesteth, neither bringeth death nor yet permitteth to live. O the mise­rable state of such persons! with what seas of cares, with what storms are they tossed! for some time as the wind driveth them, they are caried away headlong into errour, another time coming again to themselves, they are shaken and beaten like con­trary waves striving together, some­time with rash presumption they al­low such things as seem uncertain an [...] [Page 78]time of pusillanimitie they fear those things which are certaine, doubtfull which way to take, which way to re­turn, what to desire, what to avoid, what to hold, what to let go: which miserie and affliction of a wavering and unsetled heart, were they wise, is as a plaister of Gods mercy to­wards them. For this is the reason why (being out of the safe port of the Catholick faith) they are shaken, tossed & almost killed with stormes and troubles to the end they should take down the sails of their proud mind, which they vainly hoised up to the winds of novelties, and so re­tire and keep themselves within the most sure port of their calme and good mother; and first cast up those bitter & turbulent waters of errours, that afterward they may drink of the flowing rivers of lively and pure wa­ter. Let them learn to forget that well, which well they never learned, [Page 79]and those articles which the Church teacheth, and by reason are to be at­tained to, let them in Gods name endeavour to understand, and those which surpasse reason let them by faith beleeve.

CHAP. XII.

WHich being so: often times calling to mind and re­membring the self same thing; I can­not sufficiently marvel at the great madnesse of some men, at so great impietie of their blinded hearts, to conclude, at so great a licentious de­sire to errour, that they be not con­tent with the rule of faith once de­livered us, and received from our ancestors but do every day search & seek for new doctrine, ever desirous to add, to change, and to take a­way somthing from Religion, as though that were not the doctrine [Page 80]of God, which was once sufficiently revealed, but rather mans institution which cannot but by continuall cor­rection (or rather corruption) come to perfection.

Whereas the divine scriptures cry out: Do not translate the bounds which thy fathers have set down; and, Do not judge over thy judge; and, the Serpent will bite him that cutteth the hedge; and that saying of the Apostle by which all wicked novelties of all hereticks have often been cut in pieces, as it were with a spirituall sword, and al­wayes hereafter shall be: O Timo­thy keep the depositum, avoiding the prophane novelties of voyces, and op­positions of falsly called knowledge, which certain promising have erred about the faith. And yet for all this, some there be so shameles, so impu­dent, so obstinate, as not to yield to such force of divine scripture, not to be [Page 81]moved with such weight of reason nor yet shaken with such heavenly hammers, to conclude, which will not be beaten in pieces with such ce­lestiall lightning. Avoid (saith he) the profane novelties of voices. He saith not avoid antiquities, he saith not avoid antientness; nay rather, sheweth what contrariwise should follow. For if novelty is to be a­voided, antiquity is to be retained; if novelty be profane, antiquity is sa­cred. And oppositions (quoth he) of falsly called knowledge. Verily the name of knowledg in the Schools of Hereticks is false, where igno­rance is called knowledge; mist, re­puted clearnesse; and darknesse termed by the name of light. Which certain (quoth he) promising have erred about the faith. What pro­mised they, when they erred about the faith? What else, but I know not what new and unknown [Page 82]doctrine? For you may hear some of them say. O ye unwise and silly souls, which commonly are called Catholicks, come and learn the true faith, which no creature under­standeth besides us, which hath been hidden many hundred of years past, but of late hath been revealed and laid open: but learn it privily, learn it secretly, for it will delight you. And again, when you have learned it, teach it secretly, that the world may not understand it, that the Church may not know it; for it is granted to few to under­stand the secret of so great a myste­ry. Are not these, think you, the words of that Harlot, which in the Proverbs of Solomon calleth unto her the passengers: Who is (quoth she) most fool amongst you, let him turn unto me. Pro­verbs 9. And such as be of small judgement, she exhorteth, saying: [Page 83] Touch willingly secret bread, and drink sweet water privily. What followeth? But he knoweth not (quoth he) how in her company earthly men do perish. Who be these earthly men? Let the Apo­stle declare: Those (quoth he) which have erred about the faith. But it is worth the labour more di­ligently to examine the Apostle his whole Chapter. O Timothy (quoth he) keep the depositum, avoiding pro­fane novelties of voices. This excla­mation O, both sheweth foresight, and also argueth charity: for he foresaw certain errours which be­fore-hand he was sorry for. Who at this day hath the place of Timothy? but either the whole Church, or e­specially, the whole body of Pre­lates, who ought themselves to have the whole knowledge of divine reli­gion, and also to instruct others, what is meant by keep the deposi­tum. [Page 84]Keep it (quoth he) for fear of thieves, for danger of enemies, lest when men be a sleep they over­sowe Cockell amongst the Wheat, which the sonne of man hath sow­ed in his field. Keep (quoth he) the depositum: What is meant by this depositum? that is, that which is committed to thee, not that which is invented of thee: that which thou hast received, not that which thou hast devised: a thing not of wit, but of learning: not of private usurpation, but of pub­lick tradition: a thing brought to thee, not brought forth of thee: wherein thou must not be an au­thour, but a keeper: not a begin­ner, but a follower: not a leader, but an observer: Keep the depost­tum. Preserve the talent of the Ca­tholick faith pure and sincere, that which is committed to thee, let that remain with thee, and that deliver [Page 85]unto the people. Thou hast received gold, render then gold; I will not have one thing for another: Do not for gold give me either impudently lead, or craftily brasse; I will not the shew, but the very nature of gold it self. O Timothy, O Priest, O Teacher, O Doctour, if Gods gift hath made thee meet and sufficient for thy wit, exercise and learning, shew thy self Beseelel, that divine workman in building of the spiritu­all tabernacle, ingrave those precious stones of Gods religion, faithfully set them, wisely adorn them, give them brightnesse, give them grace, give them beauty. That which men before believed obscurely, let them by thy exposition understand more clearly. Let posterity rejoyce for coming to the knowledge of that by thy means, which antiquity with­out that knowledge had in venerati­on. Yet for all this, in such sort de­liver [Page 86]what thou hast learned, that albeit thou teachest newly and after a new manner: yet thou never preach a new religion, and deliver a new faith.

CHAP. XIII.

BUt peradventure some will say, shall we then have no advance­ment of religion in the Church of Christ? no growing on, no proceed­ing forward? To which I answer and say. Let us a Gods name have the greatest and most that may be. For who is either so envious to men, or hatefull to God which would la­bour to stop or hinder that? but yet in such sort and with this proviso, that it may appear to be truly an in­crease in faith, and not prove to be a change in religion; for this is the nature of such things as increase, that in themselves they become [Page 87]and grow greater; and this is the nature of a change and mutation, that something be turned from one thing which it was, to an other which it was not: Convenient it is, and very necessary, that the un­derstanding, knowledge and wis­dome, aswell of every man in par­ticular, as of all in common; as well of one alone, as of the whole Church in Generall, of all ages and times past, should abundant­ly increase and go forward, but yet for all that, onely in his own kind and nature; that is, in the same faith, in the same sense, in the same sentence. In this cafe, let the religion of our soul imitate the nature of our bodies, which although with processe of time they passe over many years, yet they remain the same that they were. There is great difference betwixt flourishing youth and wi­thered [Page 88]age, yet the self same men become old which before were young; so that although the state and condition of one and the self same man be altered, yet one very nature and person doth still remain. The limbs and members of infants be small, of young men great, yet not di­vers but the very same. So many joynts as young children have so ma­ny have they when they be men, and if any parts there be, which with in­crease of years spring forth, those before by nature were in man virtu­ally planted, so that no new things come forth in old men, which before were not contained in them being yet children. Wherefore there can be no doubt, but that this is the due and right order of growing, the most naturall and goodlyest way of increasing, onely to have in old years, those mem­bers, those parts and joynts which [Page 89]the wisdome of our Creatour be­fore framed when we were yet but little ones: And therefore if a man be afterward changed into some other shape or likenes then his nature re­quires; or if the number of his mem­bers be more or lesse then nature pre­scribeth; then of necessitie the whole body must either perish, or become monstrous, or at least remaine lame and maimed. In like manner Christian religion must follow these rules of increasing and growing; to wit, that with years it waxe more sound, with time it become more ample, with continuance it be more exalted, yet remaine pure and incor­rupt, and continue full and perfect with each of his parts, and as it were, with all his members and proper senses: And furthermore that it admit no change or mutation, su­staine no losse of his proprietie, no varietie or mutabilitie in definition: [Page 90]for example sake. Our forefathers in old time in the spiritual field of the Church, sowed the wheaten seed of true faith and religion; it were now very injurious and unreasona­ble, that we their posteritie in stead of the perfect and true graine should reape the false errour of coc­kle: And contrariwise it is reason and very convenient, that the beginning and ending not disagreing with it self, we should of the increase of wheaten seed reape the fruit of a wheaten religion; so that when with tract of time, any of those first seeds beginne to bud and come forth, let them be tilled, let them bee trim­med, yet without changing ought of the proprietie of the corn springing up: and albeit fashion, shape, and distinction, be added and put to, yet must the nature of each kind re­main and abide. For God forbid that those rosie plants of the Catho­lick [Page 91]doctrine should be changed into thistles and thornes; God forbid I say, that in this spirituall paradise, of the slippes of Cinamon and Bal­same should suddenly grow up dar­nel and poison. Therefore what­soever hath by the grace of God and our Fathers faith been sowen in this Church, reason it is that the same be cultivated and maintained by the industry of the children, meet that it flourish & waxe ripe, conve­nient that it grow and come to per­fection; lawfull indeed it is, that those ancient articles of heavenly philosophie, should be trimmed, smoothed, and polished: but un­lawfull that they should be chan­ed, mangled, and maimed. And al­beit they receive perspicuitie, light, and distinction, yet of necessitie must they retaine their fulnes, soundnes, and proprietie. For if once this li­centiousnes of wicked fraud be ad­mitted, [Page 92]I tremble to speak what danger is like to ensue of rasing and subverting religion; for if we take a­way any part of the Catholick faith, straight wayes other parts, and af­ter that other, and againe other, and that as it were of custome and by a kind of law, shall be abolished. And what followeth when every part by little and little is undermin­ed, but that in conclusion the whole corps of religion at one blow be come subverted and over thrown? And contrariwise if new things and old, forreine and domesticall, pro­phane and sacred, begin once to be confounded together, then must needs this custome generally follow, that nothing hereafter remaine in the Church untouched, nothing without corruption, nothing sound, nothing pure, nothing sincere; and so where before was the sacred school of chast and immaculate truth, there [Page 93]shall be a very brothel house of wicked & filthie errours. But God of his goodnes deliver his servants from such minds and let the impious rather, & gracelesse follow that fu­rious & mad proceeding. For the Church of Christ is a carefull & dili­gent keeper of religion committed to her charge, she never changeth or al­tereth in it any thing, she diminisheth nothing, she addeth nothing: What is necessarie she loseth not, what is superfluous she forceth not, her own she maintaineth, what is not her own shee usurpeth not, but with all indu­strie laboureth only about this one thing, that is, by faithfull & prudent handling of our forefathers doings, what by them in times past was well entered & begun, she polisheth; what then was well polished and decla­red, she confirmeth; what then was confirmed and defined, she retain­eth. To conclude what hath she else [Page 94]endeavoured by the decrees of Coun­cells, but that that doctrine which before was simplie credited, the same afterward should be more di­ligently beleeved: that religion which before was taught more slow­ly, the same afterward should be preached more instantly: That faith which before was more securely re­verenced, the same afterward should more carefully be practised. This I say alwayes and nothing els hath the Church, provoked with the no­velties of Hereticks, set down by the decrees of her Councels, to wit, onely to confirme that to posteritie by writing (comprehending a great summe of things in few words, & of­ten times for more easie understand­ing, to an old article of faith giving a new name) which before by tra­dition she had received of her fore­fathers.

CHAP. XIV.

BUt to return to the Apostle. O Timothie (quoth he) keep the depositum, avoyd prophane no­velties of voices. Avoid (quoth he) as a viper, as a scorpion, as a ba [...]ilisk, least they infect thee, not only by touching, but also with their very eyes and breath. What is meant by Avoid? 1 Cor. 5. that is, not so much as to eate with any such: what importeth this (Avoid) if any man (quoth he) come unto you and bring not this doctrine? what doctrine but the Catholick and universall, & that which with sound tradition of the truth, hath continued one & the self same, through all successions of times, and that which shall continue to the worlds end? What then? Re­ceive him not (quoth he) into the house nor say God save you for he that [Page 96]sayeth unto him God save you, com­municateth with his wicked works. Prophane novelties of voices; (quoth he) What is Prophane? Those which have no holines in them, no jote of religion, wholly unknown to the Church which is the temple of God. Prophane novelties of voices, quoth he, (of voices) that is novelties of opinions, novelties of things, novel­ties of senses, contrarie to our forefa­thers faith, contrarie to antiquitie, which if we admit and receive, of necessitie the faith of our blessed an­cestours, either all, or a great part of it, must be overthrown, the faith­full people of all ages and times, all holy Saints, all chast, all con­tinent, all virgins, all widowes, all Clerks, all Deacons, all Priests, so manie thousands of Confessours, so many bands of Martyrs, so many famous and great cities, and com­monwealths, so manie Islands, Pro­vinces, [Page 97]Kings, countries, kingdomes, nations, to conclude, almost the whol world incorporated by the Catho­lick faith to Christ their head must needs be saied, so many hundreds of years to have been ignorant, to have erred, to have blasphemed, to have beleeved they know not what. A­void (quoth he) Prophane novelties of voices, to receive which, to follow which never was the custome of Ca­tholicks, but alwayes the propertie of hereticks. And to say truth, what heresie hath ever peeped forth, but under the name of some certain man, in some certaine place, and at some certaine time? Who ever set abroach any heresie, who first devided not himself from the consent of the uni­versality and antiquity of the Ca­tholick Church? Which to be true, examples do plainly prove. For who ever before that prophane [Page 98] Pelagius presumed so much of mans free will, that he thought not the grace of God necessary to every particular good act? Who ever be­fore his monstrous disciple Celestiut, denyed all mankind to be tyed and bound with the sin of Adams pre­varication? Who ever before facrile­gious Arius, durst tear in peeces the Unity of Trinity? Who ever before wicked Sabellius, attempted to con­found the Trinity of Unity? Who e­ver before cruell Novatian, affir­med God to be so mercilesse, that he had rather the death of a sinner then he should returne and live? Who ever before Simon Magus (punish­ed by Apostolicall censure, from whom that old sink of filthinesse came by continuall and secret suc­cession unto Priscilian that was the last) durst ever affirme that God our Creatour was the Authour of evill, that is the Authour of our [Page 99]wickednes, impieties, and horrible crimes; because God (as he said) so made mans nature, that by a certain peoper motion and impulse of an in­forced will, it can do nothing else but sinne, desire nothing else but to offend, because being provoked and inflamed with the surious rage of all vices, it is with an insatiable desire carryed away headlong into the pit and sink of all filthinesse? Such ex­amples are infinite, which for brevity sake I omit; by all which notwit­standing it appeareth plainly and clearly that it is an usuall and com­mon thing in all Heresies to take great pleasure in prophane novelties, to loath the decrees of our forefa­thers, and so fall from the faith, by pretending the false and counterfeit name of knowledge and learning: contrariwise that this is proper to all Catholicks, to keep that faith which the holy fathers have left [Page 100]and committed to their charge, to condemne prophane novelties, and as the Apostle hath already said, & a­gain doth say: If any man shall preach otherwise then that which is re­ceived, to accurse him.

CHAP. XV.

HEre happily some man may demand whether hereticks also do use the testimony of holy scrip­ture. To which I say that they do and that very earnestly, for a man may behold them ranging & cour­sing in every part of the Bible, in Moses, in the Kings, in the Psalms, in the Apostles, in the Gospels, in the Prophets: for whether they be a­mongst their own brethren, or with strangers, whether in private or in publick, whether in talking, or wri­ting, whether in the house reasting, or abroad walking, they almost never alleadge any thing of their owne, which they do not pretend to sha­dow [Page 101]with the words of sacred scrip­ture. Read the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus, of Priscilian, Eunomi­us, Jovinian, and the rest of such like pestilent Hereticks, and you shall find through all their works an huge heap of examples, almost no page o­mitted which is not coloured and painted with the sayings of the new and old testament. But the more closely they lurk under the shadow of Gods law, the more carefully are they to be feared, the more narrowly to be watched; for they know full well that their stinking and unsavory drugs be not likely almost to please any, if simply & nakedly they be set forth: and therefore they do temper them as it were with the sweet pow­der of Gods word, that he w ^ch would have contemned mans erroneous invention dares not so readily reject Gods divine scripture: wherein they are like to those, which minding [Page 102]to minister bitter potions to young children, do first annoint the brim [...] of the cup with hony, that thereby unwary youth feeling the sweetnes, may nothing feare the bitter confe­ction. This devise also practise they, which upon noxious hearbs and juy­ces, write the names of good & whol­some medicines, whereby almost no man reading the good superscription any thing suspecteth the lurking poyson. The self same thing like­wise our Saviour crieth out to all Christians. Take ye heed of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing, but inwardly are ravening Wolves. Ma. 7. What is meant else by sheeps clothing, but the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles, which they with sheep-like sincerity did weare like certaine fleeces of that immaculate Lamb, which taketh a­way the sins of the world? And what is to be understood by ravening [Page 103]wolves, but the cruell and destru­ctive opinions of hereticks, which al­wayes trouble the sheep-folds of the Church, and by all means possible teare in pieces the flock of Christ? But to the end they may more craf­tily set upon the sheep of Christ mi­strusting nothing, remaining stil cruel beasts, they put off their wolvish weed, and shroud themselves with the words of scripture, as it were with certain fleeces, whereby it hapneth, that when the silly sheep feel the soft wooll, they little fear their sharp teeth: But what saith our Saviour? By their fruits you shall know them. That is, when they begin not only to utter those words, but also to ex­pound them, not only to cast them forth, but also to interpret them, then doth that bitterness break out, then is that sharpness espied, then is that madness perceived, then is that fresh & new poison ejected, then are pro­phane [Page 104]novelties set abroach, then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two, the old fathers bounds re­moved, the Catholick doctrine sha­ken, and the Churches faith torn in pieces. Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11: For such false Apostles (quoth he) are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ. What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ, but this? The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture & they likewise cited thē: The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms, & they likewise used it: The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets, and they in like manner brought them forth. But when that scripture which was alike alleadged, alike cited, alike brought forth, was not alike, & in one sense expounded, then were discerned the simple from the craftie, the sincere from the [Page 105]counterfeit, the right and good from the froward and perverse: and to con­clude, the true Apostles from those false Apostates. And no marvel (saith S. Paul) For Sathan himself trans­figureth himself into an Angel of light, it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice. Where­fore according to Saint Paul, when­soever either false Apostles, or false Prophets, or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture, by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour, there is no doubt, but that they follow the crafty slight of their master, which surely he would ne­ver have invented, but that he know­eth very well, that there is no readi­er way to deceive the people, then where the bringing in of wicked er­rour is intended, that there the au­thority of the word of God should [Page 106]be pretended. But some will say, how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture? Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Go­spel, where it is written: Then the de­vill took him up (that is our Lord and Saviour) and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple, and said un­to him, If thou be the Sonne of God, cast thy self down, for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee, that they may keep thee in all thy wayes, in their hands shall they hold thee up, lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone. Mat. 4 How will he, think you, handle poor silly souls, which so setteth up­on the Lord of Majestie with the au­thority of Scripture? If thou be (quoth he) the Son of God, cast thy self down. Why so? For it is writ­ten (quoth he): we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind, that by so nota­ble an example of the Scripture, [Page 107]we make no scruple or doubt, when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles, or Prophets, against the Catholick Faith, but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak. For as at that time, the head spake unto the head, so now the members do talk unto the members; that is, the members of the Devil to the members of Christ, the faithlesse to the faithfull, the it religious to the religious, to conclude, Hereticks to Catholicks. But what I pray, saith the Devil? If thou be the Sonne of God (quoth he) cast thy self down. That is to say. Desirest thou to be the Son of God, and to injoy the inheritance of the kingdome of Hea­ven, Cast thy self down, that is, Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church, which is reputed to be the Temple of God. And if any one demand of these Hereticks, per­swading them such things, how [Page 108]do you prove and convince me that I ought to forsake the old and Universall Faith of the Ca­tholick Church; straight wayes is ready at hand: For it is written: and forthwith he will alledge you a thousand Testimonies, a thousand Examples, a thousand authorities out of the Law, out of the Psalms, out of the Apostles, out of the Prophets; by which, expounded after a new and wicked fashion, he would throw headlong unfortunate souls, from the Tower of the Catho­lick Church, into the deep dungeon of wicked Heresie. Now with these sweet promises which follow, Here­ticks do wonderfully deceive simple men. For they dare promise and teach that in their Church, that is in the conventicle of their communion, is to be found a great and speciall, yea and a certain personall grace of God: So that whosoever be one of their crew, they shall straight­wayes [Page 109]without any labour, with­out any study without any industry, yea although they never seek, nor crave, nor knock, have such speciall dispensation, that they shall be car­ried up with the hands of Angels, that is, preserved by Angelicall pro­tection; that they never hurt their foot against a stone, that is, that they never can be scandalized. But some man will say, If the Devil and his Disciples, whereof some be false Apostles, false Prophets, and false Teachers, and all perfect He­reticks, do use the Scriptures, cite their sayings, bring forth their pro­mises; what shall Catholick men do? How shall the children of the Church behave themselves? How shall they in the holy Scriptures di­scern truth from falshood? To which I answer, that, They must have great care (as in the beginning of this Treatise I said, holy and learned men taught me) that they in­terpret [Page 110]the Divine and Canonicall Scripture according to the Tradition of the Universall Church, according to the rules of the Catholick do­ctrine: in which likewise they must of necessity follow, universality, an­tiquity, and consent of the Catholick and Apostolick Church. And there­fore, if at any time a part rebell a­gainst the whole, novelty against antiquity, the dissention of one or a few (seduced with errour) against the consent of all, or the farre grea­ter part of Catholicks; in that case let them preferre the integrity of u­niversality, before the corruption of a part; and in universality, let them also preferre the religion of antiqui­ty before profane novelty; and a­gain in antiquity, let them preferre, before the temerity of one or a few, the decrees of a generall Councell, if any be; or if no such be found, let them take that which is next [Page 111]hand, that is, to follow the opini­ons of many and great learned Do­ctours agreeing together: All which faithfully, soberly, diligently obser­ved and kept; by Gods grace, we shall without any great difficulty discover the errours of new upstart Hereticks.

CHAP. XIV.

HEre I perceive in order it fol­loweth, to shew by examples how the profane novelties of Here­ticks are, by bringing forth and com­paring the old Doctours opinions agreeing together, to be found out and condemned: which ancient con­sent of holy Fathers, is not so care­fully and diligently to be sought for and followed in every small question of the Scripture; but onely, and that especially in the rule of faith; nei­ther yet alwayes, nor all Heresies [Page 112]are after this sort to be impugned, but onely such as be new and up­start; to wit at their first springing up, and before they have (as hindred by the shortnesse of time) falsified the rules of the antient faith, and be­fore the poyson spreading farre a­broad, goeth about to corrupt the Fathers works: But those heresies which have already got ground, and be of some continuance, are not this way to be dealt withall; because by long tract of time they have had op­portunity to steal truth. And there­fore such kind of profane schisms and heresies which be of longer standing, we must not otherwise convince, but either onely, if need be, by the au­thority of the Scriptures, or els avoid and detest them being already con­victed and condemned in old time by generall Councels of the Catho­lick Church. Therefore so soon as a­ny infectious error begineth to break [Page 113]forth, and for her defence to steale certain words of holy scripture, and craftily and fraudulently to expound them; straight-wayes for the right understanding thereof the Fathers opinions are to be gathered togither, by which let any what soever new, and therefore prophane, doctrine growing up with out all delay be dejected & speedily condemned. But those Fathers opinions only are to be conferred togither which with holi­nesse, wisdome, and constancy, lived, taught, and continued in the faith, and communion of the Catholick Church, and finally deserved tody in Christ, or happily for Christ to be martyred: whom notwithstanding we are to beleeve with this condition, that whatsoever either all, or the greater part with one mind, plainly, commonly, and constantly, as it were a Councell of Doctours, agreeing together have decreed and set down, [Page 114]receiving it from their ancestours, holding it for their time, and deli­vering it to their posteritie; let that be had and accounted for undoubt­ed, for certain and firme truth. And whatsoever any, although holy and learned, although a Bishop, although a Confessour, and Martyr hath hol­den otherwise then all, or against all, let that be put aside from the au­thoritie of the common, publick, and generall faith, and reputed amongst his own proper, private, and fecret opinions, least with great danger of eternall salvation, we do accord­ing to the custome of sacrilegious Hereticks and Schismaticks, forsake the trueth of the universall faith, and follow the novell errour of some one man. The holy & Catholick mind of which blessed Fathers least any man think that he may rashly con­temne, The Apostle sayeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians: And [Page 115]some verily hath God set in his Church, first Apostles 1 Cor. 12. of which himself was one: Second­ly Prophets as Agabus was, of whom we read in the Acts, cap. 11. Thirdly Doctours, which novv are called Tractatours, vvhem also this Apostle some time narneth Pro­phets, (because their office vvas to expound and declare to the people the mysteries of the Prophets;) these therefore, disposed and placed by God at divers times and sundry pla­ces, agreeing and consenting all in one mind in Christ, touching the understanding of the Catholick faith whosoever contemneth, doth not contemne man but God: and that we disagree not by any means from the perfect and true unitie of those Fathers, the same Apostle doth earnestly beseech all Christians, say­ing: I beseech you brethren that you say all one thing, and that there bee no [Page 116]Schismes among you, but that you be perfect in one sense and in one knowledge. 1 Cor. 1 And if any man separate himself from the communi­on of their opinion, let him hear that saying of the same Apostle: He is not the God of dissention, but of peace: ch. 14. that is, not of him that leaveth consent and unity, but of them that remain in peace and agreement: As I do (quoth he) teach in all the Churches of the Saints, that is, of the Catholicks, which therefore be holy because they continue in the communion of the faith. And least happily any one should con­temne others, and proudly require onely to be heard, onely to be be­leeved, straight after he saith: What hath the Word of God (quoth he) proceeded from you, or hath it onely come unto you? And least this might be taken as spoken slightly, he ad­deth: If any (quoth he) seemeth a [Page 117]Prophet or spirituall, that is, a ma­ster in spirituall matters, let him be a zealous lover of unity and peace, in such wise that he neither preferre his own opinion before the judge­ment of others, neither leave or for­sake the sense and common consent of all men. The commandements of which things he that is (quoth he) ignorant of, that is, he that learneth not those things which he yet know­eth not, or contemneth those which he knoweth, he shall not be known, that is, he shall be thought unwor­thy, whom amongst such as be uni­ted in faith and equall humility, God should regard and look upon: a greater evil then w ^ch I doubt whe­ther any man can invent or devise; which yet notwithstanding (accord­ing to the Apostles commination) we see to have fallen upon Juli­an the Pelagian, who either con­temned to be joined at all in opinion [Page 118]with his fellows, or else presumed to separate himself from their so­cietie and communion.

But now it is time to bring forth the example which we promised: how and after what sort the judge­ment and opinions of holy Fathers were gathered togither, that accord­ing to them by the decree & autho­rity of a Councell the rule of faith might be set down: which to the end that I may more commodiously do, I will here make an end of this com­monitorie, and so take another be­ginning for declaring of those things which do follow.

CHAP. I. That there is a true Religion.

IT is altogether necessary that every one acknow­ledge, that in the world there is a true Religion: By Religion we understand a due Worship exhibited unto Almighty God, as he is the universall fountain, source, and moderatour of all things: For every effect doth exhibite a cer­tain worship to its cause whilst con­verting its self unto it, and as it were invocating it with a kind of subje­ction, [Page 2]it strives to imitate and make it self like unto it, which expresses nothing else but a certain return of honour from the effect to its cause, that it may be more and more perfected by it. Wherefore Al­mighty God being the universall Cause of all things, of whom hea­ven and earth and all that hath goodnesse in it, have their whole being and dependance: most clear it is that in man there ought to be an ingrafted and naturall instinct to convert it self to God, and to invoke and subject himself unto him, to do his uttermost to become like unto him, and to be perfected by him, which is nothing else then to exhibite worship unto him. Now if there be such a naturall inclination in the rationall nature of man to worship his Creatour, and that this inclina­tion cannot be superfluous, or in vain, we must of force conclude, that [Page 3]there is a true Religion to be found amongst men.

Moreover, seeing that man is na­turally inclined to the divine Wor­ship, (as every effect is to its cause) and that he is rationall, as not being necessitated to any thing, as other brute and irrationall things are, which are naturally carried away by their appetites; but having a true domi­nion over his actions, he freely dispo­ses of them as he list. Now if all men (as naturall reason is oftentimes ve­ry defective) should fall into so ge­nerall and gross an errour, that there should be no true and divine Wor­ship found amongst them, it would follow that they would be so depri­ved of the divine Providence, that there would appear no Divine care exercised towards them in the thing which is of all others most necessary and naturall unto them; seeing that this true divine Worship is that, by [Page 4]which man is to arrive to the fruiti­on of his last end. But this I have elsewhere plainly refuted.

I adde that every countrey and nation, in every age both past and present, having been (though in di­vers wayes) addicted unto the di­vine Worship, it must necessarily follow that this truth is wholly in­grafted and naturall unto man; for that is naturall (as I have elsewhere showen) which agrees unto all, and at all times, wherefore if there should be no true divine Worship found, this natural inclination would be wholly frustrate, seeing it were not able to arrive unto the end which it was ordained for: whence it would follow that Almighty God executed his Providence more towards unrea­sonable creatures then towards man.

Lastly, seeing that every cause in­fuses its perfection and goodnesse, as much as possible it may, into its ef­fect, [Page 5]intending by all means to at­tract it, and make it as farre as it hath capacity like unto it self; Al­mighty God being superlatively good, and the first origin of all things, hath questionlesse a speciall care of the perfection of man, for whose sake and use, he made all o­ther inferiour creatures: wherefore, the true perfection of man princi­pally consisting in the subjecting himself unto God, and in the Di­vine veneration in the which Religi­on doth chiefly consist, it follows that there is a true Religion to be found in the world.

CHAP. II. There are two sorts of Divine Worship.

MAn having a capacity to exhi­bite veneration unto Almighty [Page 6]God two wayes, corporally and spi­ritually, we ought to distinguish two sorts of Divine Worship in him, to wit, interiour and exteriour: interi­our is that which we perform by the acts of our understanding and will: exteriour is that which we exhibite by a personall reverence, externall ceremonies, and corporall sacrifices. Now as all matters are naturally made and ordained for their forms, so questionlesse the externall Wor­ship hath a due subordination to the interiour.

This interiour Divine Worship is nothing else but a righteousnesse and perfection of the interiour man, by the which God is most honoured, which I prove in this manner. Every cause receives most honour from the per­fection of its more principall effects, whence artizans become famous by the excellence of their master-pieces; but there is no visible effect more [Page 7]noble then man, who, the more ex­cellent he becomes in perfection, the more is the Divine Honour increa­sed. Now he is so much the more perfect, by how much his life is more holy, for sanctity is the perfection of the interiour man, by which even the whole man is perfected; and therefore the chief honour that man does Almighty God, is by a virtu­ous, holy, and perfect life, and in this manner, the true and entire wor­ship of Almighty God is the life of an upright and virtuous man beco­ming so by his actions, as they have a reference unto his Creatour.

We do not worship Almighty God meerly and precisely for him­self, but also that we may obtain from him that supreme blisse for which man is created; wherefore, the true Religion is the means and dis­position for the gaining of this su­preme felicity of man, as we see na­turall [Page 8]causes exact the congruous dispositions of that subject or matter into which they produce their ef­fects, seeing therefore it is manifest that man is much more perfectly disposed for the obtaining his chief blisse by a virtuous life, then by sacrifices and exteriour Ceremonies; it is no lesse certain that the true Re­ligion consists in the righteousnesse of life.

Moreover, Almighty God not being a body but a pure act, man becomes more like him by the purity of his interiour part, then by any exteriour integrity, and therefore God is more perfectly worshipped by the spirit, then by any functions of the body; for Almighty God being a Spirit, it behoves those that worship him, to adore him in spirit and verity.

CHAP. III. That there is no better life then that of Christians.

THere is no life more perfect and holy then the life of Chri­stians, for if we take a view of all living creatures, we shall find in the lowest degree of life those which one­ly enjoy vegetation or growth, as plants, thence we raise us unto the animall or sensitive life, which de­gree of life admits a latitude of di­vers degrees of sensitive perfection, whereof that degree is more perfect which enjoyes the perfect degree of sensations. Now the intellectu­all life farre exceeding that which is onely vegetive and sensible, we easily conclude that the life of beasts is farre inferiour to the life of man, in which also we distinguish [Page 10]divers degrees of actuall perfecti­on, though not of essentiall, for we preferre those that follow the light and dictamen of reason, before those who swerving from it and neglect­ing reason, give the full scope and rains to sense. The reason is clear; because the more they neglect rea­son, and addict themselves to sensu­all pleasure, the lesse they participate the life of man, and become more like unto beasts; but those who are guided by reason and do suppresse the brute and inferiour part, do lead the life of man and not of beasts; there being therefore in man a com­bination of these two degrees of the rationall and brute life, and the ra­tionall being farre more excellent of the two, it must needs follow that that man is more perfect who ad­dicts himself to a rationall life, then he who gives himself over to the life of brutes, now amongst those who [Page 11]addict themselves unto an intellectu­all life, there is a great difference; for the soul of man becomes much more perfect by the knowledge and love of the truth of spirituall things then of corporall, especially as they are exercised about the divine Perfe­ctions: hence it is that the life and powers of the soul of man become more perfect, the more it refrains from corporall objects, and imployes it self in the contemplation and love of spirituall things, especially of the divine Perfections. Now a Chri­stian life aims chiefly at this, that neglecting all created objects whe­ther spirituall or corporall, it wholly imployes it self in the contemplation and love of Almighty God, so that it becomes in a manner by an intel­lectuall and affectionate union one and the Spirit with its divine Ob­ject; wherefore, it being a thing im­possible to find a life more perfect [Page 12]then that by which a man is united with his first cause, and his last end, it appears clearly that there can be no life more perfect then that of a Christian.

Morever, the righteous life of man, as he is man (as I have said before) receives its value from the degree of reason which it exercises; wherefore, the more rationall it is, the greater is its worth and value: Therefore, seeing that those which are true Christians are unwilling to do any thing at all against reason, it must needs follow that their life farre excells the life of other Sects and Religions.

The virtuous life of man hath a chief regard unto that for which it was created, to wit, the contempla­tion of the said perfections, for which is required a most pure sere­nity of mind; for if a mind be sub­ject to humane and sensuall passions, [Page 13]it will be altogether unfit for so sub­lime and elevated an object; But there is no life to be found which more undresses the interiour powers of the soul of man, then that of Christians, which spends its whole endeavours in uniting it self onely with its Creatour: Therefore, there is none which surpasses it in true di­gnity and excellency.

CHAP. IV. There cannot be imagined the last end of any life better then that of Christians.

TO the end I may make it ap­pear that there is no life to be compared with that of Christians, we must know that there are two changes principally required to a virtuous life, to wit, a perfect end, and proportionable means for at­taining [Page 14]to that end. First, I will shew that there is no end of the life of man, so consonant to reason, at that which Christians aim at; next I shall make appear that the means which Christians are to put in exe­cution for the gaining their end, are the most accomplished and excellent of all others.

And as for the end, it will easily appear, if we daily consider that there are two sorts of ends of the life of man; the end cujus, or, of which, and the end quo, or, by which: that is the thing it self which we seek, and the means by which we enjoy the same. Nothing que­stionlesse is so excellent as Almighty God; But God is the end of the life of Christians, for whose sake, and unto whom they addresse all their actions: This end therefore of theirs admits no colour of question. Their faith also aspires unto the clear vision [Page 15]and fruition of Almighty God, not by the mediation of creatures, but immediately by his divine Essence. Now man by his clear intuition and fruition becoming united unto Al­mighty God, arrives by the same unto his most consummate and su­preme perfection, beyond which there remains not the least object of any rationall desire; Almighty God being that goodnesse which plenarily satiates all the appetites of the soul of man.

It remains now that I shew by most pregnant and convincing rea­sons, that the last blisse and felicity of man consists in the clear intuition of the Divine perfections, for I have now proved that it cannot be attained unto in this life; and if we place it in the contemplation of Al­mighty God, this not being had here, it is to be expected in the next life, where if it shall consist in the [Page 16]intellectuall possessing of the first verity not known by its own proper species or immediate objective in­fluence, but by the intervention of effects or other representatives there will arise many difficulties; for first it will not appear how mans intelle­ctuall appetite will be fully satiated and wholly acquiesce in such a me­diate contemplation, for if the soul of man in the state of separation from the body hath knowledge not onely of materiall objects, but of spirituall also, and immateriall sub­stances; either it hath this know­ledge perfectly or imperfectly; if im­perfectly? by their intervention man cannot arrive unto the perfect know­ledge of God, and all things in the state of imperfection have a capa­city and appetite of their respective perfection (so the matter seeks its form, and that which is foul to be­come beautifull) certainly the soul [Page 17]of man as unsatisfied by such an im­perfect knowledge of its object, cannot be at quiet, which also may be seen in the endeavours of men, whose understanding not content with a confused and perfect know­ledge of things, strives by all labour and industry to arrive unto the per­fect knowledge of them. If with a perfect knowledge they penetrate the effects, they are presently infla­med with a desire to know their causes, for man naturally desires true knowledge which consists in the knowing the causes of things. That which is naturall cannot be taken from nature, and as naturall motion grows more impetuous and swift in the end, then it was in its bigin­ning; so mans understanding, the more perfectly it hath penetrated the effects, the more earnestly doth it seek to know the causes of them; therefore, I do not see how the natural [Page 18]appetite of mans understanding may be satisfied without the clear sight of Almighty God, which also is con­firmed by experience, that the ca­pacity of mans mind is not satisfied by any limitted object, beyond which it alwayes apprehends some­what to remain unknown, whence it is that if any limitted dimension or number be presupposed, there re­mains alwayes a faculty of our un­derstanding to add somewhat further and further without end, and this is the nature of that infinity which the Mathemacians in their lines and numbers call the infinity of encrease or augment. Therefore all created substances being finite and limitted, our understanding never rests satiated untill it behold the increated sub­stance of Almighty God, which alone as being a pure act admits no bounds or circumscription. It is therefore unreasonable to prefix any [Page 19]other end of the life of man, then that which our faith hath established (to wit) the clear vision of the di­vine Essence. For it is manifest to all, that Almighty God is the last object in which the soul of man doth finally acquiesce. All naturall mo­tion tends to some last end or centre whither being arrived, it ceases. Now there being no created sub­stance in which the heart of man can fix its finall affection, we may con­clude, that it onely rests then when he shall behold face to face Almigh­ty God, then whom there being no­thing greater, there can be nothing wanting in him to the full satiety of man; nor shall he further affect in­feriour objects, because he shall make no account of them. For there is no proportion between things limited and that which is infinite; as also because there is no perfection in any effect, which is not more per­fectly [Page 20]and eminently contained in the first cause, and consequently there will be no further desire of any thing, because our understanding will be most compleatly perfected, as fully possessing its supreme and last ob­ject, in the which it will most easily behold those other inferiour things, towards which it is naturally incli­ned; and this is one difference be­tween the understanding and senses, for the senses in the fruition of their principall object are exhausted and corrupted; but the understanding is thereby exceedingly perfected.

But here we must observe, Al­mighty God being infinite, and above the sphere of all cleated sub­stances, that our understanding by its own proper forces, virtue, and energy cannot raise it self so high as to be­hold the divine Essence; but there is necessary a supernaturall disposi­tion or quality called by Divines, [Page 21]the light of glory, which God in­fuses in the next life into the souls which are free from all guilt of sinne or pain, that be may thereby make them capable and fit for this beatifi­call vision. For Almighty God al­wayes supplies necessities, nor can there be any thing elevated above its own proper sphere, unlesse it be as­sisted by some superiour virtue; now the vigour alone of the most intense naturall light of our understanding, is no way sufficient to produce the clear vision of Almighty God, be­cause the excellence of the object precisely does not elevate naturall power to an act of another kind, or of a superiour nature, such as is the beatificall vision in regard of a crea­ted understanding, which therefore ought to be supplied with some su­pernaturall disposition or quality, which we call the light of Glory. Whence it appears, what a true and [Page 22]rationall judgement our Faith frames of the end of humane life and how easily it dissolves the diffi­culties of controversie, in the which those of other opinions find them­selves wholly intangled, as in so ma­ny Labyrinths. Where whatsoever we say either of the end cujus, or the end quo, there can be found none so good and rationall, no nor even imagined, as that which Christians professe and teach.

CHAP. V. There can be no better means to at­tain unto eternall blisse, then a Christian life.

BEing now to treat of the means by which we are to arrive to the fore-mentioned ends, I shall make it appear that there is none which may rationally be compared with those, which are approved by the [Page 23]Christian Faith; for Almighty God doing nothing in vain, I suppose that no man can doubt, but man is to ar­rive unto his last end, which is eter­nall beatitude, by some means or other; for that thing questionlesse would be altogether vain and to no purpose which could not arrive unto the end for which it was ordained, as for example, the power of moti­on in man would be in vain, had he no limbs, muscles, and joynts to perform it, seeing therefore that man naturally thirsts after eternall blisse, if the means of attaining it should be taken away, certainly his desire of it would be altogether frustrate: Therefore there must be some means found, by which man is to arrive to this clear vision of God, which is his end. This means Christians call the purity of heart, and the divine Grace supernaturally infused into our souls, which makes them per­fect, [Page 24]and enables them to operate and profit in all sorts of virtues.

No man can deny but that the purity of heart is the means to raise our selves to the contemplation of the first Verity. I call the means that, which bears a proportion with the gaining the ends, and to the clear knowledge of God, there is exacted a great rapt or extasie, he being the most supreme object of our understanding, and elevated farre above all things which are per­vious to the senses. Wherefore there is necessary a most exquisite purity of mind, that is a sovereign eleva­tion of the soul from the love and affection of visible and corporall things to the intense love of invisi­ble and spirituall objects; for that we call pure, which hath no mixture in it of any thing which is of an in­feriour nature and quality: Now our understanding being separated [Page 25]from all corporall organs, and out soul being a spirituall and rationall substance, the more it abstracts and raises it self from corporall and ma­teriall things, and unites it self with Divine objects, the more pure it be­comes. Whatever Philosophers may have established and taught of the purity of heart, of virtues, and of morall integrity is not onely practi­sed and taught by the Christian Re­ligion, but by the same Religion there are found out new wayes and documents for the purifying our hearts with greater sanctity. For that purity of heart, which is found out and gained by the force of na­ture, is a mean no way proportion­able with the end which we have prefixed for Christians; for what­ever exceeds the forces of any nature cannot be gained without the as­sistance of another superiour nature, even as water or any ponderous bo­dy [Page 26]is not raised of it self, but by the motion of another; but to see the divine Substance (as I have said in the precedent Chapter) is above the sphere of a created nature, and therefore every intellectuall nature operating according to its capacity, it must needs follow, that a created understanding cannot purifie and un­dregge it self sufficiently, unlesse it be elevated by a superiour assistance, and therefore the morall integrity and righteousnesse of which Philo­sophers have treated, bears not a suf­ficient proportion with the last end and supreme blisse of man. Hence it is that Christians with great rea­son do attribute this proportion to Grace, and other virtues supernatu­rally infused by Almighty God, who is wanting to none in the requi­sits necessary for the directing them, how with a most pure inten­tion they may arrive unto their [Page 27]wished end. To prove which more at large is not for my present inten­ded brevity, having manifestly de­monstrated in my Treatise Of the simplicity of a Christian life, that it is not derived from a naturall love or imagination, or from the light of na­turall reason alone, or from any ce­lestiall influence, or from any other spirituall creature, but from the gra­ces and supernaturall gifts which Almighty God infuses into our souls. Wherefore, not to repeat the same thing oftentimes, those that are willing may read that Treatise, and see how Christian life is a most perfect mean for the gaining the end of mans life, whence it must needs follow that there is no other life so good and absolutely perfect as that of Christians.

CHAP. VI. By Christian Religion man most as­suredly obtains eternall blisse.

IF it be necessary (as I have pro­ved it is) that amongst men there be some true Religion, which con­sists in the righteousnesse of life, the Christian Religion excelling others in this, must of force be the true Re­ligion, by the which Almighty God is both exteriourly and interiourly most duly worshipped. For the ex­teriour doth either practise, or is an expression of the interiour; so that if the interiour be true, it is manifest that the exteriour is either a practi­call execution or expression of the same verity, whilst corresponding to the interiour, it is rightly termed a true exteriour worship, of which I shall hereafter treat more at large. We therefore worshipping Almigh­ty [Page 29]God chiefly to exhibite a true ho­nour unto him, and next for the ob­taining our own true beatitude, it must follow that God is truly wor­shipped by Christians, and that Christians by so doing aim at their own blisse, which finally they are capable on; and consequently those which do persevere unto the end in a true virtuous and Christian life, may safely promise unto themselves eter­nall blisse. Moreover, having plain­ly heretofore demonstrated a divine Providence over humane affairs, to which Providence it appertains to direct things to their proper ends by proportionable means, and there are no means which bear greater pro­portion with eternall blisse then those of a Christian life; we may not doubt but whoever shall have led a Christian life, (the Wor­ship of Christian Religion being the most perfect) shall be fi­nally [Page 30]elevated to that eternall blisse.

Further, if it be blasphemy to impeach the divine Goodnesse of Injustice, Christians who observe this law cannot be frustrate of their blisse; for Almighty God being the authour or the first mover of all things to their proper ends, either he will promote some mortals to their beatitude, or none; if none, mans creation would be vain, and (as I have heretofore made appear) many absurdities would follow: if some, then will he most justly preferre Christians whom we know to be the most virtuous of all men.

For if Christians shining before others in Piety and Religion be­come destitute of their finall blisse, no man certainly must look for it be­cause if that which appears greater have no being at all, what may be expected of that which appears lesse? [Page 31]As for Christians, certainly they ap­pear to have a greater proportion with their blisse then others, because (as I have proved) they have lesser impediments, and are more disposed unto it; and therefore is the Christi­an Faith and Religion to be prefer­red before all others. And truly, if Christians living according to the prescript of their Religion become frustrate of their expected blisse, we must conclude that there is no such thing, but a meer fable, a fiction, a chymera; for in naturall causes we see that they produce their severall forms and effects, if they be not hindred, and the matter subject­ed have in it congruous dispositions, and shall the end and last form of a virtuous life, which is eternall blisse, to which no life is better disposed then that of Christianity, be denied, to that which is most habill and dis­posed? Which if it be so, then truly [Page 32]there is no finall felicity of man, be­cause (as I have shown) there is no other form of finall blisse, and con­sequently there is no last end of the life of man. Since therefore it would follow (the end being the measure, or rule of the means by which the end is gained) that man would be the most miserable of all living creatures, and void of all order, would be subject to all casualty, and destitute of all providence, which is the greatest of all absur­dities, I conclude therefore (that which I intended) that a Christian life by true Religion, is a most safe and certain way to eternall blisse.

CHAP. VII. The truth of Christian Faith is pro­ved by being the cause of a virtu­ous life.

HAving proved the Verity of Christian Religion by Argu­ments [Page 33]grounded in the virtuous life of Christians, now I intend to con­firm the same out of the causes of the same life. The principall causes of this life is the Faith of our Savi­our Christ Jesus crucified, informed with Charity, that is, which works by love: the Scripture teaching us, Justitia Dei per fidem Jesu Christi in omnes & super omnes qui credunt in eum: that is, The Justice of God is by the Faith of Jesus Christ for all and over all which believe in him: and without Faith it is impos­sible to please God. This Faith of Christ informed, is that by which we beleeve that Christ crucified is true God, and true man, the Son of God identified in nature with the Father and the holy Ghost, but di­stinguished in person, whom we love above all things. Faith therefore al­together with the love of Christ is the cause of the forementioned life.

That it is so, daily experience teaches us, for that which is manifest cannot be denied, and of this we have a most palpable experience, be­cause we see Christians make so much progresse in the righteousnesse of life, as they profit in the Faith of Christ; and on the contrary: for between these two sorts is such a strict connexion, as they inferre a mutuall consequence; and on the contrary, the defect of one inferres the losse of the other; for no sooner grows a Christian vitious of life, but the form of his Faith, which is Churity towards God vanishes, and on the contrary. If therefore we per­ceive in the life of man such an ef­fect, which men have learned by their own and others experience to have constantly endured from the coming of our Saviour even unto these present times and that all Chri­stians do averre and teach the same, [Page 35]why should we not out of admira­tion of so important a matter play the Philosophers, enquiring and searching into the causes of it, even as the Philosophers having percei­ved the effects of naturall things, and being ignorant of their causes began first to admire, and then by discourse to search into the causes of them?

First, therefore there is no effect perfecter then its principall, or totall cause, of whom its perfection hath its dependance; if therefore the righteousnesse and verity of a Chri­stian life, which of all sorts of life is the most excellent, hath its depen­dance of the Faith of Christ, it is not possible, but that Faith must be true; but if it be true, it follows that Christ is true God, and that his Re­ligion is true, which the Christians professe.

It is no lesse impossible that that [Page 36]which is good, and true, hath its substantial dependance of that which is evill and false; for evill, as it is evill false, as it is false, is a certain nothing or a negation of the positive perfections of goodnesse and verity; now if the Faith of Christ should be false, and the love of him vitious, certainly the perfection of a Christi­an life which is known to be so good, could not substantially depend on that Faith and love which are evill, as it is clear.

Further, if the Faith of Christ were false, it would be the greatest of all errours; for to affirm a man crucified to be true God, if it were not true, were an extreme madnesse and folly; how could the life of Christians therefore, it being most perfect, (as I have proved) proceed from so great an errour? Seeing that the institution of a well-order­ed life is derived from, and grounded [Page 37]in the framing a right conceit and understanding of it; and all errour in affection and morall actions pro­ceed from its in justice, and difformi­ty with the rule of equity.

Moreover, the better any nature or subject is disposed, the more is it facilitated for the receiving a more perfect form; but the form and per­fection of our understanding is ve­rity, and the disposition for the re­ceiving of verity is a purity and sin­cerity of heart, and therefore the more a man hath his mind undrossed from the affection of creatures, the more it is prepared for the embracing verity, and rejecting that which is false; but I have proved, that there is no disposition more undrossed and purified, then that of a Christian life; and therefore if the Christian Faith were erroneous, none would more easily discern the deceit, then Christians. But we behold the clean [Page 38]contrary: for as they daily arrive to a more elevated degree of sanctity, the more constantly and undoubted­ly they assever its integrity; and as they grow more grounded in their Faith, their lives also increase in per­fection, whence it undoubtedly fol­lows, that their Faith is true.

Almighty God, as he is the first mover, and first cause of all things, doth no lesse produce and cause mo­tions in spirituall things then he doth in materiall and corporall, and con­sequently causes motions in our un­derstanding and will; and no man must doubt, but he affords the light of verity at least of things necessary to the salvation of reasonable crea­tures, more clearly to them who by their concurrence and sanctimony of life become better disposed for it. Now if virtuous and sincere Chri­stians were erroneous in their Faith, they should have no prerogative be­fore [Page 39]the vitious and sinfull, but as misled and blinded with many enor­mious deceits and errours would be given over to a reprobate sense, which is quite contrary to the good­nesse and present Providence of Al­mighty God.

The end is the cause of the means which are ordained for the gaining it; wherefore, those that erre in the end must needs go astray in the ele­ction of the means to attain it: for if the end in practicall things is as the principle and cause in things which are speculative, seeing there­fore that Christians do not erre in the means which serve for the gain­ing the end, (to wit) in the virtue of their lives, but do farre excell all others, it follows they erre not in the end: But all assuredly confesse Christ to be their end; for they one­ly strive to become most like unto him, and with all their endeavours [Page 40]aim to enjoy him; therefore we must conclude that which they most con­stantly professe, that Christ crucified is true God.

The proceedings of Almighty God are alwayes ordinate, ordering things by his divine Wisdome, so as that he governs the inferiour things by the superiour; and hence he sub­ordinates nobler effects to nobler causes, for all causes must be per­fecter then their effects; now in hu­mane affairs there is no nobler effect then a Christian life, which conse­quently must proceed from the most noble cause; now we see this wholly to flow from Christ, whom there­fore we must acknowledge to be the most perfect of all causes.

Secundary causes are the instru­ments of the primary or the First cause, a Christian life therefore pro­ceeding from Christ as from his cause, we must confesse that Christ [Page 41]being a man crucified is the instru­ment of producing this excellent ef­fect of Christian perfection; now if Christ were not also God as he taught himself to be, there could be no man more wicked and execra­ble, and by this means Almighty God would use a most detestable instrument for the production of a virtuous life, which is extremely absurd.

The cause being the measure of the effect, by how much the perfe­ction of the effect approaches nearer to the perfection of the cause, and becomes more like unto it, so much is it nearer its compleat and full per­fection; but we see the more like a man is to Christ Jesus in his life, the more holy he becomes, and in a man­ner Divine, which were not possible, unlesse he both were true God, and his Faith most intirely true.

We know causes by their effects, [Page 42]as we experience in medicines by their successe; seeing therefore that Philosophers leave behinde them unto posterity the rules of a virtuous life, and yet very few of them have attained unto any considerable de­gree of perfection, notwithstanding great endeavours done to that effect; nay, in the great abundance of the most excellent of them, none almost, without the direction of Christian Faith, have been able to effect any thing; which yet we see in that short time, and exactly to be brought to passe by Christian Discipline in the congregation of the faithfull in every sex and age: and the reason is, be­cause in deed there is no comparison between Philosophicall documents and the rules of Christian life, nei­ther for Morality nor Religion. For what is more admirable, then that a most lewd and wicked man (as we are taught by daily examples [Page 43]of all ages) as soon as he hath truly converted himself unto Christ cru­cified, becomes a new man, of proud and envious, humble and courteous; of covetous and sordid, liberall and bountifull; of lewd and luxurious, becomes continent and chaste, and as it were, with the principles of his Faith sucks in the respective anti­dotes for his particular vices, and with a manifold interest recompen­ces and repayes the debts of his for­mer vices; which never any sect of Philosophers hath attained unto: whence it necessarily follows, that Christ is the principall or instru­mentall cause of it, and a medicine which restores all morality and produces a most perfect life in his faithfull.

CHAP. VIII. That Christian Doctrine containing the Grounds of Faith is from God.

THe reading, hearing, and con­templation of holy Scripture is the cause of Christian perfection, and the substance of our Religion; for the verity of Scripture is the ob­ject of Faith, and therefore the ar­guments of Faith are those which are drawn out of holy Scriptures.

We know that in the understand­ing of man there is no determinate knowledge of future contingencies, of which we can frame no acts nor science, which made the most famous and learned of all Philosophers con­clude, that men could have no know­ledge of future things subject to chance; and to have it was proper onely to Almighty God, who being [Page 45]eternall, comprehends in his eternity all things, the which are clearly laid open to his understanding, and of the which men cannot arrive unto the knowledge unlesse they be revealed unto them by Almighty God: see­ing therefore that the holy Scripture almost every where, but chiefly in the Old Testament, doth foretell future contingencies, which depend on mens free-will, not onely in gene­rall terms, but most exactly intend­ing unto particulars, and that not those of one, ten a hundred, or a thousand years, but hath foretold those of two three, and four thou­sand years; and not onely those which befell unto the Jews, and those which were to be done by Christ his Spouse the Church: but as it were foretold all the prosperities and adversities which should hap­pen to almost all Nations: as the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians, [Page 46]Medes Greeks, Romans, and the rest; and that just as it was foretold it most exactly came to passe; we must necessarily confesse that the Scri­ptures came from God, and were not written by the industry and wit of men, and therefore those which as yet remain to be fulfilled, are to be held most infallible; as proceed­ing from the same Spirit who fore­told those others which have so ad­mirably beyond all imagination been accomplished. And hence we clear­ly gather, that Almighty God hath a most speciall care of men, and ex­ercises his divine Providence about humane affairs.

The foreseeing then of future con­tingencies appertaining onely to Al­mighty God, humane industry and sagacity cannot so order and dispose such combination of affairs, as the heroicall enterprizes and warlike ex­ploits of famous men, but oftentimes [Page 47]do beyond all expectation light on most unexpected and variable e­vents. God onely therefore can de­termine these actions of men so that they may be signs of what is to fol­low in future ages; but we see how those things which are already brought to passe in the new Scri­pture, or shall hereafter follow, are deciphered and delineated under most proper types and figures in the Old Testament.

Nor can it rationally be said that those interpretations are vainly rai­sed or feigned by Christians, or com­posed without ground, because in so great a variety of things and times, in so manifold a composition of words, and in so great a diversity of Au­thours and sacred Writers, there could not be so exact an uniformity of the Old Law with the New, un­lesse some understanding and divine Providence had framed a correspon­dence [Page 48]of things which were to hap­pen in their due times: nor can it be said that it was done by chance, for there cannot be found the least thing which is dissonant, impertinent, or discomposed, but every thing with an equall tenour and most sweet har­mony makes up the concord; so that that which is obscurely toucht in one place, in another is found ma­nifest, so as the whole Scripture may seem to explicate it self; this if it be unknown to those which are ignorant of holy Scriptures it is farre otherwise with those who have en­riched their understandings with the treasures gathered out of the most sincere fountain of Verity: if there­fore they desire to know the truth, let them with piety, humility and purity search into the same fountain of holy Scriptures, and questionlesse they will be of our opinion.

Wherefore Allegoricall Exposi­tion [Page 49]agrees onely to holy Scripture, because this alone is that which hath descended from Almighty God, as he exercised his all-seeing and cele­stiall Wisdome. I call an Allegory not the fabulous Interpretations Po­ets use, (and we also do expound Parables without an Allegory) nor a parabolicall and literall sense, which we use when in a fable or pa­rable, we do not intend to signifie that which is couched under the bare notion of the words, but onely that which is raised in our conceits by those words, and hath a further sense. But an Allegoricall sense we call that which contains three things: first, that without all fiction accord­ing to the proper signification of the words, the history both concerning the words, actions, and relations be plainly and sincerely recounted. Se­condly, that there be some future thing signified by that thing which [Page 50]is done at present. Thirdly, that those things which are done, be so fitly disposed and ordered, that when they are put in execution there appear in them an insinuation of their future correlatives: whence it is manisest, that no created industry could ever couch such a confirmati­on of things in this sense but onely the divine Providence, which had an infallibility of all future con­tingencies.

Also the manner of speech and context of holy Scripture is so sin­gular, that it could not have been used by any the most excellent and skilfull of all Christians, although they were most exercised in all kind of knowledge; for this manner of order and expression was onely gran­ted unto them unto whom the holy Ghost vouchsafed to dictate and in­spire it, because, although there in­terceded severall distances of times [Page 51]between those Hagiographers or ho­ly Writers, and also some of them used more elegance of writing; yet the substance of the expression was alwayes the same in all, which is a manifest sign that it was not Hu­mane, but Divine.

The same is also approved by the effects, by which we gather the virtue of the cause; for (as I have already shewed both in this book, and in another of the simplicity of a Christian life) there is no nobler ef­fect then a Christian life, which can­not proceed out of any inferiour and created cause, but onely from the free gift and liberall hand of Al­mighty God, seeing therefore that that Doctrine is the chief instrument of a Christian life in which the whole form of Christian Religion doth consist, it clearly appears, that the same, and even the manner of speech could not be Humane but Divine: [Page 52]for experience teaches, that humane learning little avails mankind to a happy and blessed life, because be­fore this light appeared to the world, it was wholly drowned in a dark night of vices and confusion; but after the rayes of Apostolicall Doctrine displayed themselves, and the sound of Evangelicall Preach­ers was heard, all those clouds and mists were disperst, and the minds of men replenished with those beams became resplendent with a most shi­ning serenity of truth and virtue.

But in case that some should de­ny things so long since past, I will relate some domesticall examples of my own experience; for I have ex­perienced that men have been by this divine Doctrine and the manner of it more illuminated, delighted, and converted, then by any other; where­fore since the Preachers of our times neglecting this sacred Doctrine, have [Page 53]betaken themselves to Philosophical proportions and Rhetoricall orna­ments, they have profited their Au­ditours very little, or nothing at all; whereas heretofore making use in their Sermons of a plain manner of speech, and content onely with the instruction and textuall frequence of holy Scripture, they have wonder­fully inflam'd the minds of their hearers, who were so mutually de­lighted, that both in prosperity and adversity they did expresse their ju­bilee of mind, whence they were wonderfully stirr'd up to leade most blessed and virtuous lives.

I call God to witnesse that I have been oftentimes preaching unto the people, when I have made digressi­ons to prove the profundity of the sacred Text unto the wits of this age; to the learneder sort by Philosophi­call subtilties, and humane learning: I have plainly perceived out of a [Page 54]certain impatience and aversion of my Auditory very little attention in them; and this not onely of the mo [...]e ignorant but even of the learn­ed sort: but as soon as I turned my self again unto the Majesty of sa­cred Writ, either in the Interpreta­tion of divers senses, or in the relati­on of the histories, I have seen an admirable attention in every one, all fixing their eyes upon me as if they had not been living creatures, but meer statues.

Yea, I have experienced, that when omitting other questions I have insisted upon the Exposition of sacred Scripture my Auditory hath been so delighted so illustrated, and verity appearing so touched to the quick by Divine influence, that they have immediately reform'd their lives, insomuch that being delighted with no other reading, or hearing any other thing renou [...]cing all ter­rene [Page 55]delights and appetites, and stir­ring themselves up daily more and more, they have lived lives more di­vine then humane. And what I now affirm happen'd farre more fre­quently in those Primitive Ages, when Christian Religion was but newly planted.

This is that Doctrine which is more piercing then the two-edged sword; which imbelished the whole with virtues, which defaced the wor­ship of the devils, and demolished the profane Oracles of their Idols; this is that which hath dispersed a world of errours, and hath been so fruitfull of all sorts of wonders as I will hereafter declare.

Our understanding the more pu­rified it is, the more capable it is of Verity; and hence it is that so many most excellent and elevated wits, have not onely extolled the praises of this Doctrine by their writings, [Page 56]but giving testimony of it by their preaching, life, and manners, have not doubted to spend their lives in its defence, which certainly they would no way have done, had they not seen almost a sensible and ocular evidence of its verity.

Further, truth gives testimony of truth, and falsity is the cause of di­vision; other disciplines, arts, and faculties are not contrary, but as ser­vants unto this; whence most learn­ed and skilfull Doctours, who are most versed and exercised in all Sci­ences, do most constantly maintain, that there is no part of Philosophy which is repugnant or inconsistant, nay, which is not most fitly cohe­rent with it; and therefore it is per­mitted all Christians to imploy their indeavours in the gaining of all Sci­ences, which would no way be tole­rated, if it were detrimentary unto the Catholique Faith: there are [Page 57]onely some few subject to superstiti­on, which are forbidden, as that of Divination, being no lesse pernici­ous then unprofitable; which by the learnedst, even of the Philosophers, are hissed at, derided, and condemn­ed, as not to be accounted amongst the Arts and Sciences. And if at any time there appear any contradi­ction between Philosophicall and Christian Principles, they are so ap­parantly reconciled by our Do­ctours, that it clearly appears, that all Philosophy is but the servant and hand-maid of the sacred Doctrine; for the easie dissolving of objections is the certain sign of Verity.

It is the nature of Verity, that the more it is impugned, the more (if it have a fit champion) is it brought to light, because our understanding having Verity for its object, is na­turally inclined unto it, as to its pro­per perfection, and where the more [Page 58]it shines, with greater delight it is embraced; but then Verity appears most, when it is most sharply im­pugned, because in the very discussi­on and conflict of disputation it manifests it self. Seeing therefore that Christian Doctrine having been so vehemently impugned by so ma­ny Philosophers and Tyrants, hath alwayes remained invincible and victorious, which the infinite vo­lumns of Christians testifie, it is con­sequent that its truth proceeded from Almighty God; otherwise in so many conflicts it had not so long remain'd unconquer'd.

CHAP. IX. Christian Faith proved true out of their use of Prayer and Con­templation.

AS Faith and the reading holy Scriptures, Auscultation, and [Page 59]Meditation is the principall cause of a Christian life, so Prayer is its principall nourishment where it hath its growth and perfection: for by long experience we have found in our Religion, that all those who profit in our Religion, and have ar­rived to the highest degrees of san­ctity have attained it by frequent and continuall Prayer; and we have observed, that they have taken such gust and complacence in it, that they have despised all other humane de­lights as vile, abject, and unworthy of them. Nor doth this happen one­ly to the most eminent and learned sort of those which flourish in san­ctity but it is commonly found in the simple and ignorant, as well men as women, and even in all those who have learned to leade a Christi­an life. By this effect therefore we may prove the Verity of out Faith.

Almighty God being a pure Act, the first Verity, and an infinite Light, the nearer a man makes his approach unto him, the more abundartly doth he partake this Purity, Verity, and Light; But man doth not make his approach unto Almighty God by corporall paces, but by the purity of life, elevation of mind, and con­templation of Verity: Seeing there­fore that there can be no life more candid and more sincere, then that of Christians; and that then the mind of man is most pure, when it is wrapt up in a soaring and exta­ticall contemplation of the Divine perfections, it follows, that man is most possessed of this Verity and Light, as he is in the very act of prayer and contemplation: and see­ing that we find by experience, that Christians as they encrease in the fervour of Devotion and frequency of Prayer, are more and more con­firmed [Page 61]in their Faith, and inflamed with the love of Christ, and profit in virtue we must confesse that the Faith, Verity, and Light of Chri­stian Religion is Divine. Our un­derstanding affecting Verity as its proper perfection, and abhorring Falsity as its greatest enemy; man is in nothing so disposed for the enter­taining of Verity and rejecting of contraries as in the very act of Pray­er and Contemplation; by which he doth most stedfastly and ardently embrace the documents of Faith, which therefore cannot be erro­neous.

Moreover, all Christians in their Prayers to Almighty God, do be­seech him to grant that for the which they pray, by the merits of Christ; for in the end of every prayer they most commonly adde some such form, Through Jesus Christ our Lord: or, Through Christ our [Page 62]Lord and yet they obtain admira­ble and incredible graces from him; which if any should not believe, yet certainly they must grant that which by daily experience is manifest, that they obtain that which they princi­pally seek after, the righteousnesse of a virtuous life, the quiet and joy­fulnesse of mind; so as they preferre the pious tears of Devotion farre before any delights and pleasures of the world. Now certainly if Christ were not he whom our Faith pro­claims him to be, they could not in so great a serenity of mind, and at so near a distance of so great a light be environed and buried in so great a darknesse; nor would Almighty God permit them to be so grosly deceived, or at least, if they were obstinate in an errour, he would not grant their petitions.

Again, every cause disposing its matter for the producing its effect, [Page 63]after it hath introduced its last dis­position, immediately produces it, nor would it dispose the matter un­lesse it meant to Introduce the form; nor any cause of motion would pro­duce it, if it intended not some end of the motion produced; but a just man unlesse he were invited and drawn on by Almighty God, who is the first cause of all things, could not elevate his mind unto him by prayer. Blisse therefore being the end of prayer and a virtuous life, Almighty God would not induce man unto those means of prayer and virtue, unlesse he intended to make him finally blessed. If therefore Christians makig progresse in vir­tue and prayers become more groun­ded and settled in their Faith and Contemplation of Christ, their Faith cannot be but from Almighty God, by which he leades men unto blisse.

Every cause grants (as I may say) unto its effect what it asks; the ef­fect asks of its cause its due and proper perfections, which then it is said to exact, when it is rightly dis­posed: for then the cause, if not otherwise hindred, delaies not the execution of the effect, infusing that quantity of perfection into it, which the degree of disposition doth exact; which immediate execution pro­ceeds out of its facility and good­nesse which of its nature is desirous to communicate it self. Almighty God therefore being the most sove­reign good, questionlesse will more then other causes which have not so great goodnesse grant the petitions to this effect especially unto those which are best disposed for the re­ceiving his favours as are Christians, chiefly when they are in the act of Prayer and Contemplation; but Christians ask nothing more then the [Page 65]light of truth, according to that of the Psalmist, Ill umina oculos meos nè unquam obdormiam in morte: Enlighten my eyes that I never sleep in death. And therefore Almighty God never denies them their request; but Christians the more they pray, the more they are confirmed in their Faith, therefore this our discourse is of greater force.

Further, if Christ were not God, to professe himself so would be the most supreme degree of blasphemy and detestation that could be. Now if Christians do pray to God the Father through Christ, whom they believe to be of the same nature with the Father and the holy Ghost, how doth Almighty God permit them in so great an errour arising out of ignorance and simplicity, and doth not draw them out of it, knowing that they serve him with their whole affection, and humbly beg of him [Page 66]the knowledge of truth? or if their obstinacy be in fault, why doth he leave so great a wickednesse and treason against his Divine Majesty unrevenged? or why doth he (as we see him) favour this errour and impiety? whilst bestowing so many and great gifts on them he question­lesse grants them that which they ask at his hands.

Our soul (as I have said) doth chiefly delight in Verity, and is di­sturbed, perplexed and confounded with Falsity, in which it can take no rest; if therefore the Faith of Christ were false, there would be no impo­sture so absurd and pestilent as it; for how should innumerable men, especially just and wise-men, so im­ploy themselves in the contemplati­on of Christ crucified, that for this alone they should despise all humane affairs, and should not onely most willingly suffer want of sustenance, [Page 67]labours, heats and cold, contume­lies, threats, buffets, p [...]isons, and most cruel racks, and torments, nay, death it self, but if they be without them, do wish to undergo them: duly we may say, the finger of God is here.

CHAP. X. The same Verity proved out of the exteriour worship of Christians.

I Have now shewed out of the principall cause of Christian life, to wit, the reading of holy Scri­ptures and exercise of Prayer, by which it is conceived no [...]ished, in­creased, and perfected, thru our Re­ligion is true and void of all falsity and deceit, which are the interiour causes of it. Now I will briefly run over the externall causes, which serve as instruments and props of the in­ternall, to wit, the Sacraments and [Page 68]Ceremonies instituted in order to them, all which appertain unto the exteriour worship of Christian Re­ligion; and that I may not spend time about every one in particular, I will treat of them altogether, as the different members of one and the same body. For all sacramentall Ceremonies, and even the other Sa­craments having a reference unto the Sacrament of the Eucharist, they may be rightly styled one thing.

From this externall worship, if it be rightly observed, we see that Christians gain great improvement in their Devotion and Sanctity, for we see by daily experience even from the beginning of our Religion, to these very times by the records, at­testation, and examples both of the Primitive and Modern Fathers, that those which piously and exactly practise this exteriour worship, and do often administer or receive those [Page 69]Sacraments and divine Mysteries, or do take upon them some one, which before they had not, do in­crease in perfection, and become daily more divine by their admira­ble sanctity; and those on the con­trary which do in a customary way, without Faith and Religion famili­arly and accustomarily frequent them, become the worst of all men; which most plainly appears (to omit the examples of antiquity) in the Priests and Clergy of our times, then whom, if good, none better; but if evill, none are found more wicked and pernicious. For the good, as void of all affection to temporall things, onely insist in the worship of Almighty God, for whose sake and Faith they doubt not to spend their lives; those which are bad are so excessive in their im­pieties, so puft up with pride, envy, avarice, and so overwhelmed with [Page 70]all vices, that as altogether lost, and which is worst of all, they know not how to think of amendment, and then chiefly, when by admoni­tion, reprehension, exhortation, and good examples, by which others are wont to enter into themselves, they become more harsh, refractory and intractable. These things being so and as present before our eyes, being no way refragable, we must seek the reason why two such contrary effects proceed from the same Ceremonies of the same Sacraments. Now it is not repugnant to Philosophy that two contrary effects proceed from one and the same cause, if the mat­ters subjected have contrary dispo­sitions; for the earth by the beams and heat of the funne of soft becomes hard, and ice by the same of hard is dissolved into a liquid humour. A tree, whilst it stands rooted in the earth, by influence of the Planets [Page 71]bringeth forth blossomes and fruit, and by the same influence when it is rooted up, it withers: and truly those effects being so opposite, that the one is most excellent in those which perform those sacred Mysteries (as (I have said) with due veneration; the other most pernicious in those which do abuse them, they cannot proceed from any vain or false cause; & this not appearing so in men of any other Religion, there can be no other reason of it given, but their different and contrary worship of Almighty God; for if the exteriour worship of Christian Religion did not depend of God himself, and did not contain in it self that divine Virtue and Ve­rity in such a manner as instruments do contain the virtue of their prin­cipall cause, they would no way be able to produce, increase, and con­summate the most excellent effect of Christian sanctity. This exteri­our [Page 72]worship cannot produce this ef­fect of its own proper force, because Christian life being wholly spiritu­all, and consisting in the intellectuall part of man, cannot substantially pro­ceed from corporall instruments: for what can Baptisme, the anoint­ing with oil and balm, the use of in­cense, the oblation of Bread and Wine, the Altars, and other such extrinsecall things of their own vir­tue, conduce to the perfection of the soul, unlesse they were the instru­ments of some superiour cause? For if these were introduced for a super­stitious worship by any humane in­vention or diabolicall imposture, a life so holy would never proceed from so wicked and vain illusions.

But some may object that this worship is not the cause of perfecti­on, but rather the exercise of virtues and credulity of men, by which they believe it to be divine: for the good [Page 73]striving daily by their virtues to root out their vices, do every day more then other grow perfect by those exercises. But we now seek the rea­son why others who are studious in the disciplines of virtue and mora­lity, who either do not make use of these Sacraments, or do a long time refrain from the use of them, do swerve so farre from the integrity they aim at? Truly, if this worship were unprofitable or false, the more one should recede from it and cast it away, the more he would profit in the exercise of morall virtues: Priests also by deriding and con­temning it would not grow more vicious, but more virtuous, the contrary of which daily experience teacheth.

Moreover, Almighty God being the supreme Verity, the more one is illuminated by him, the nearer he approaches unto him; but the more [Page 74]a man is involved with falsity and errours, the farther he becomes di­stant from him: Now we know that those, who with Piety and Religion do frequent those myste­ries, are so vehemently delighted with this Divine Worship, that of­tentimes rapt out of themselves with the astonishment of their corporall part they remain immoveable, and their faces casting forth resplendent rayes of sanctity make them no lesse amiable then venerable; which though it happen'd oftner in the Primitive Ages (as we reade) then now-adayes it doth, yet there are not wanting those whom we know, which enjoy those priviledges, and those not onely of the learneder sort, but of the simple and vulgar people. Whence therefore is this kind of ex­tasie? whence this absorpt and plea­sant contemplation? whence this servour of a spirit inflamed? those [Page 75]scalding lights, and sweet showers of devout tears? whence this ineffable jubilee of the Church melodiously rejoycing in her Hymns and Canti­tles? Truly, unlesse this worship were from God, and consequently true, there would be no where found so many dreams and lyes, it being wholly in a manner compacted of Types and mysterious Figures. For what ever is contained in the Myste­ries, Sacraments, Temples, Altars, Mytres, Vestments, in all the world of Ceremoniall Rites, in the modu­lation of Hymns, and in the rest of the spirituall appurtenances would be a meer vanity and labour lost; all which, neverthelesse, are instituted for the worship of Christ. If there­fore this worship were sustained by the means of falsities, men, at least the wiser and more perspicacious wits, would not out of the medita­tion of those Sacraments be so won­derfully [Page 76]elevated to the contempla­tion of Divine objects, nor reple­nished with so great and celestiall delight; for the understanding (as I have said) by falsities becomes more uncertain and dull, and at a greater distance from Almighty God; wherefore out of the contrary effect, we gather that this worship is true, and replenished with Divine graces and favours.

The order also and signification of the things which are performed in the Church, shew clearly that it is no humane invention but a divine disposition; for there is nothing in this worship irrational nothing vain, but every thing hath its order and proper mystery, of which I shall not now speak in particular, although in the third book I shall touch some, as the necessity of the subject will require. If any one desires more fully to be satisfied of this Verity, [Page 77]let him revolve the explanations of the Fathers, where seriously weigh­ing every one in particular, he shall never be satiated with admiration, to find in these Ceremonies no lesse order and harmony then in the uni­versall work of Nature, and shall receive most excellent contentment and dilatation of heart; and if he be not of a perverse and obstinate con­dition, and have a mind wholly darkned, he shall be forced to con­fesse, that all those things are from God, and not invented and institu­ted by men.

CHAP. XI. The same Verity proved out of the intrinsecall effects of Christian life.

I Have hitherto proved to the pow­er of my mean ability the Verity of Christian Faith by Arguments [Page 78]drawn out of both the internall and externall causes of a Christian life, now therefore I judge it fit to prove the same by descending to the ef­fects of it; one of the principall effects, and immediately subsequent in that is, the peace and quiet of mind, the joy and liberty of the soul: for besides those examples which we reade and hear of our Authours and Predecessours, it is plainly seen in our age, that true Christians are not mo­ved by the brushes and storms of persecution, but do persevere more immoveable in the Faith and Con­fession of Christ then before, and even glory in their tribulations and sufferings: we are to search therefore whence these effects proceed, and how it happens that the more they follow Christ in the perfection of their lives, they attain unto the greater liberty and serenity of mind.

Christians themselves affirm this to be the reason of it, because (say they) this blisse of man consisting onely in our knowledge and con­templation of Divine objects, it is manifest that the desire and appetite of man cannot be bounded or limit­ed by any ultimate and last end, which is not God himself: The qui­et (therefore) and peace of mind that Christians possesse cannot proceed from any other thing, then that they have prefixt unto themselves that last end which of all others is the true one; whence if you should ask all Christians, what was their supreme end to which they aim at, question­less all would answer, that it was Al­mighty God; and therefore esteem­ing all worldly things as nothing in comparison of God, and hoping af­ter their transitory life to obtain and enjoy him, they contemne and set at naught whatever the world con­tains. [Page 80]Hence it is, that being bereft and despoil'd of their worldly goods, they are not contristated; when care­lesse of their lives, they offer them­selves to death, that they may ob­tain Almighty God, their onely and supreme good: and as God is every where by his Essence, Presence, and Power, so is he in them also parti­cularly by love and contemplation as the thing beloved is said to be in the party that loves. Now when the thing beloved is present, the mind of him that loves is delighted, and rejoyceth; and therefore Chri­stians who live virtuously are ex­tremely delighted with the presence of Almighty God, whom they in­ternally do perceive as present. And because God is an infinite Power, when they experience his savours, slighting all other things, they fear nothing; and in this manner being armed with great liberty and confi­dence, [Page 81]they are not drawn from their purposes and resolves neither by fair means, nor by any terrours whatso­ever. But a man not being able by his naturall forces by reason of the sensuall impediments and weaknesse of his understanding to arrive unto this serenity and liberty of mind, we must necessarily (say they) confesse that this tranquillity and peace of mind is bestowed upon us as a most supernaturall and divine gift, by virtue of which Almighty God and our eternall blisse is daily before our eyes.

That that is the true cause of peace, joy, and liberty of mind in the Christians it is plain, our soul being one of the same, and having all its powers radicated in the essence of it, as often as it is wholly imploy­ed in the intense operation of some one power, it cannot use the service of another but very remisly; for ex­ample, [Page 82]If one be in an intense con­templation, he is not expedite in the use of the other powers of his soul; and if one be in great pain, he is not at the same time fit for contemplati­on; if therefore Christians were decei­ved by their Faith as by a vain cre­dulity, no virtue of their superiour cause would affist them to confirm so great an errour, and so they would be left onely to their naturall perfections, nay, even those would be much impair'd by so great a de­privation of Verity; how therefore could they so inviolably preserve so great a peace, joy, and liberty of mind amongst so many calamities and oppressions, especially so uni­versally retain it, as not onely a few, but innumerable do? For the Philo­sophers vaunt of one or two at most which they pretend amongst them to have had this peace, quiet, and joy of mind; but we can produce [Page 83]infinite of both sexes which in all parts of the world have possessed the tranquillity and liberty of mind in most excessive tribulations and torments, and this onely by invo­cating, praising, and glorifying Christ crucified. Moreover, we have found by the experience of our ancestours, and our own, that this peace, joy, and liberty of mind is augmented by the increase of Faith, and sanctimony of a Christian life, which certainly would not be so, un­lesse there was expected by Faith, Hope, and the true Profession of them, a true and solid good; for as a man profits more in the righteous­nesse of life, so is he brought more into the knowledge and professi­on of the truth and good which he seeks by eschewing the contraries, and therefore if Christians had not found a solid good in the perfection of their lives, their joy would not [Page 84]be increased by it, but rather decrease as they should find themselves de­ceived in it.

This is very well confirmed out of the life of the religious, for to omit examples of past Ages (which I cannot comprise in this short Trea­tise) we daily see innumerable both men and women do betake them­selves to strict Cloisters out of the desire of a more perfect life, forsa­king their parents, kindred, friends, riches, and all pleasures together with their own liberty to live with strangers and externs, to whom they become so subject and obedient, that as for exteriour subsisting and facul­ties they enjoy none, but those which by the command of their superiours are permitted them, as precisely ne­cessary for their livelihood, and those to be changed and substracted as things though common to all, yet uncertain to every one in particular; [Page 85]but as for the corporall perfections, they keep the chastity of their mind and body most incorrupted and en­tire, subduing their carnall and sen­suall appetites, by watching, fasting, abstinence, and other mortifications. And as for the perfections of the mind, of which liberty is the chief, they renounce of their own accord all the use of it with a perpetuall and most strict obligation, conforming themselves wholly to the will and disposition of their superiours. Thus having forsaken all the goods which mortalls are wont to call theirs, to rejoyce in, and be delighted with, all these who aspire to this perfection live so contented and joyful, that one would think they had even the abun­dance of all pleasures and delights, and by daily profiting in this way they become more full of tranquil­lity and alacrity, rejoycing and tri­umphing onely in the praises of [Page 86]Christ crucified; and if one should ask why they did so, they all unani­mously would answer, that all their joy and delight is placed in Christ Jesus, and in those things which have dependance of him.

First therefore I say that no man can with reason suspect that this should proceed out of folly, seeing it hath been the continuall practice not onely of humble and simple men, but of innumerable eminent Saints and Doctours who would easily by reason of their wisdome and sanctity discern the errour and folly of it, if it were vain and erroneous, for de­ceit and errour cannot any long time consist with wisdome and virtue; such men striving to attain unto the heighth of perfections, there being none greater then that which they aim at (to wit) a Christian religious life, of which that state is accounted the highest and supreme degree, cer­tainly [Page 87]there are none more apt then they to receive celestiall illuminati­on. If therefore the Faith were not true, questionlesse the vanity and deceit of it in many Ages, in so great a concourse of people of all condi­tions, especially by such wise and virtuous men had ere this been de­tected, nor had such men been able in so holy a servitude to preserve so great a peace and tranquillity of mind, and perpetually to take such comfort and joy in it. The contrary of which is manifest, for these are they who by their words and expe­rience have confirmed, and do con­firm it by their Writings, and as be­ing set free, and onely subject to the graces and favours of Almighty God, do enjoy a most perfect peace and tranquillity of mind, and there­fore all kind of deceit is farre distant from the Faith of Christ.

Every cause moved by its own [Page 88]goodnesse, which it seeks to extend and communicate, doth, as much as it may possible, direct its effect to its proper end, especially, when the effect is disposed for it, to which the more it approacheth, the more it is delighted and doth acquiesce in it. Now God is supremely good, and a most liberall and bountifull dis­penser of his own goodnesse, and therefore he directs all his effects, which are well disposed, to their proper and deserved ends, that they may take up their final rest in them. Now there being no more intense disposition for the end of man then that of most approved and religious men, he will questionlesse direct them unto their wished end in which they obtain their desired rest in the enjoying their end; but these by their daily progresse are more con­firmed in the orthodox Faith, re­joycing in Christ Jesus, do bend [Page 89]their whole endeavours in gaining him alone, setting all other things at naught. Whence it appears, that there is no errour or falsity in this Faith, otherwise, by the Divine di­rection, by forsaking more and more this false delight of mind, they would be directed to their true and wished for end and tranquillity.

All joy is grounded in some love or other, for love is the first act of the will or rationall appetite; from which the other acts have their in­flunce. The joy therefore and ju­bilee of mind, which doth most un­feignedly appear in the countenances of those men, not consisting in any transitory, fading, or naturall per­fection of the soul, and all of them affirming with one voyce and com­mon consent, that it proceeds from the love of Christ crucified, cannot be grounded in any errour or vain affection because, the more uprightly [Page 90]and holily such men did live, the more it would decay in them; for (as I have said) if the Faith of Christ were false, they would daily more apparantly perceive, that in their preposterous affections they were wholly deceived, and thence they would become more heavy and sorrowfull, but the sincerity of their deportments, the chearfulnesse of their countenances, that refulgent kind of sanctity in their exteriour, for which they are in such reverence and veneration of all men, shew it to be farre otherwise, whilst we may see them alwayes in all events more pleasant, content and joyfull.

CHAP. XII. The same truth proved out of the ex­trinsecal effects of Christian life.

ANother effect of Christian life is gathered from the exteriour [Page 91]man, from their manners and de­portment, which is in a manner a sign and argument of a certain kind of Divinity, by reason of which many are even enforced to esteem and reverence them: whence the ve­nerable aspect of humble men have blunted and affrighted the proud and fierce minds of Tyrants; which we reade of that powerfull and bar­barous King of the Hunns, Attila, though he could be satisfied by no slaughter or massacre of men, nor terrified by any power of enemies, yet at Ravenna, a Speech of S. Leo Pope set him packing out of Italy, and he contrary to his wonted cu­stome, and not without the great admiration of his followers, seemed not onely to reverence the venerable Bishop, but to obey him in a man­ner commanding him. And in like manner Totilas the cruel Emperour of the Gothes, after he had destroy­ed [Page 92]so many thousands by innumera­ble massacres, wasted and consumed whole Nations, not being able to suffer the countenance of S. Bennet a poor Monk, fell down prostrate on his face, and could scarce raise himself, when the servant of God commanded and assisted him to rise. In like manner Theodosius the Em­perour returning to Millain after his cruel slaughter of the Thessalonians, was by the authority of S. Ambrose chiding him, and reviling his cruelty, denied the entrance into the Church, untill he had by a publick penance enjoyn'd him by the Bishop, expia­ted his cruelty and injustice. I should want time, if I should re­count the examples in this kind; but it is not for my present purpose to prove that which by daily examples is known to all, for I have often seen arrogant and wicked men in the pre­sence of the holy and virtuous, both [Page 93]to have changed their words, and with great sorrow and compunction of heart to have reformed their lives. For the divine Spirit doth adorn the exteriour both of men and women, the younger with a wonderfull sweetnesse and grace, the elder men with the veneration of their white hairs, and makes them as the present matter requires, to become now amiable to some, and now again to some others formidable.

This effect in the exteriour pro­ceeds out of the supernaturall bounty of the mind, that is, out of the grace of God adorning the understanding, will, and other powers of the soul, which we gather hence, that our soul vehemently altering our bodies by force of the imagination doth ex­ceedingly change the countenance and visage: as by lascivious thoughts the body is stirred up to lust, and by the instigation of hatred it is in­flamed [Page 94]with desire of revenge, whnnce we experience that the body is much altered by force of the ima­gination; and by the alteration of the sensible appetite, and the com­motion of the spirits, the face and visage is straightway changed, so that by fear men are wont to become pale and wan; by anger and bash­fulnesse red and blushing, and joy and sorrow make their severall im­pressions in the countenance. The reason is, because our understanding using corporall instruments and or­gans, what ever passes in the interi­our, especially any vehement con­ceits, hath its influence into the cor­porall and exteriour parts, especial­ly into the face and eyes, for we plainly discern in proud men an ar­rogance of look; in the cruel, a stern and fierce cast of their eyes; in the light ones, a subtil and unconstant deportment; and in the lascivious, a [Page 95]wanton aspect; nay, some malevo­lous old women with the very conta­gion of their looks are said to infect and fascinate little infants: to con­clude, the good and evill habits of the mind, especially if they have ta­ken deep root, can scarce by any dis­simulation be so hidden, that they appear not in the exteriour. Every cause therefore likening its effect, and every effect making an expressi­on of its cause, this exteriour beauty and comlinesse of Christians, and this honest and venerable manner of deportment cannot proceed from any other cause then the beauty of the mind and integrity of their life.

Which effect we daily see to be of such virtue, that as we daily ex­perionce there is nothing to be found more energeticall and efficacious for the conversion of sinners, for we experience that the examples of [Page 96]simple Christians living uprightly have profited men more then the perswasions of learned and eloquent Philosophers, nay, even the relations or beholding of miracles. For we often see eloquent and learned men whilst they are preaching high and elevated subtilties of knowledge to be hearkned unto with great attenti­on, but their lives not corresponding to their words, they have profited the Church very little, but onely born away the reports and praises of their eloquence and wisdome. In past and present Ages there have been many miracles which little con­duced to the amendment of life; for though we see multitudes of men flock together to see them, yet if we look more diligently into it, we shall find that very few have reaped the profit of bettering their lives by them, but by the perfection of a vir­tuous Christian, we both have [Page 97]known and seen innumerable sorry and contrite for their sins, and con­verted unto Almighty God, and those not onely of the vulgar and simple sort of people, but most emi­nent in prudence and learning; of the which very many having felt the odour of a good fame and sanctity, contemning the pleasures and de­lights of the world, have betaken themselves to these happy and reli­gious Societies and Monasteries, where loathing their former courses, they passe their lives with exceeding content, pleasure, and sincerity.

Hence it is manifest, that there is some virtue in Christians by which these admirable effects are produ­ced, for a body hath no substantiall influence into a spirit, which we see manifestly expressed in the most for­mall body of all, to wit, the celestiall which suffer nothing from any cor­porall virtue; for the heavens suffer [Page 98]not from the neighbouring fire, much lesse therefore shall a spirit suffer by any corporall influence. Those things therefore that are exteriour and visible in a Christian life being corporall, they cannot have any pro­per and substantiall influence into the soul, by which it may receive bene­fit, unlesse thereby some virtue be together infused into it; but in a Catholique and virtuous man the most eminent and chief virtue, from which an upright institution of life, exteriour beauty, and holy conver­sation doth proceed is the immacu­late Faith and Love of Christ cruci­fied; for this Faith and Love being augmented, their exteriour orna­ments and veneration are increased, and of greater efficacy for the con­version of men. Faith therefore which operates with love cannot be a de­ceit, seeing that falsity is void of all virtue, and cannot penetrate the heart of man.

Verity is more powerfull then falsity, but there was never any vir­tue or remedy found more efficaci­ous for the living well and virtuous­ly, then a Christian life, as we are taught by the comparison of Philo­sophers and other men, by whose learning and examples very few have been converted to a good life, and by the life of Christians innume­rable do daily rise and leade most unspotted lives; and therefore a vain and erroneous falsity cannot be the ground or root of this life, other­wise, men would more easily be re­claim'd to the amendment of their lives, by the learning and morality of Philosophers, then by Christian examples, which we find most false by experience.

Moreover Almighty God being the first mover without whom there is not the least motion, and doing all things by his wisdome, he subordi­nates [Page 100]the nobler effects to the no­bler causes; but the most excellent of all effects is a Christian life: Almighty God therefore by exhor­tations, and chiefly by internall in­spirations stirring up men to this life by most conspicuous examples of the faithfull, to the end that the cause may produce an effect like it self, as the sunne and men do generate a man, it follows neces­sarily that a perfect Christian is the noblest cause and most perfect instrument of producing this effect: Therefore the virtue of this instru­ment co-operating with Almighty God is not a falsity, but a most su­preme Verity; but this virtue is Faith inflamed with a burning cha­rity, as I have shown; our Faith therefore is most true.

CHAP. XIII. The same confirmed by the wonder­full works of Christ, and first by his Power.

VVE have proved now by the assistance of Almigh­ty God the Verity of Christian Faith out of the manifest effects, which daily are seen in the Ortho­dox Church, and although there might be manifold other arguments brought to the confirmation of it, yet having regard to my intended brevity, I will argue onely out of those events of former Ages, of the Verity of which the whole world is a sufficient witnesse. Wherefore, as Philosophers by the effects which they saw in naturall things were mo­ved to search into the causes of things, we in like manner setting be­fore our eyes the triumph of Christ, [Page 102]which we have heretofore described, will most exactly, as farre forth as the matter requires, search into the causes of those effects. And as the Philosophers contemplating the na­ture of things, out of the greatnesse, the wonderfull order and perfection of the whole world, did conclude that the cause of it was Almighty God, who was more powerful, wise, and perfect then all others, whom they termed the first principle and mover of all things; so we contem­plating the triumph of Christ cruci­fied, will shew him to have been, and to be beyond all comparison more powerfull then the feigned Gods of all other Religions, and to have done greater things, and pro­duced perfecter effects then any, and with an ineffable and infinite wisdome and goodnesse to have in­finitely surpassed them. Which done it will be clear that this God, [Page 103]is the great Lord and King above all other Gods.

I will begin with the effects of his Power, and placing his triumph before your eyes, I argue in this manner. Either this Jesus the cru­cified Nazarean, whom the Chri­stians adore is true God, and first cause of all things, or he is not; if he be, the disputation is ended, be­cause, if he be God, the Christians Faith, and his universall Doctrine and Religion must be true: if he be not, it follows, that Jesus the Naza­rean was a most prodigious mon­ster, of a most inexcogitable pride, and unheard of arrogance, whilst being a pure creature and mortall man, he would be esteemed as the onely supreme Deity, and adored above all others: whence we might justly tearm him the most lying and worst of all creatures, nay, even the most notorious of all fools, for un­dertaking [Page 104]phane novelties set abroach, then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two, the old fathers bounds re­moved, the Catholick doctrine sha­ken, and the Churches faith torn in pieces. Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11: For such false Apostles (quoth he) are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ. What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ, but this? The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture & they likewise cited thē: The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms, & they likewise used it: The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets, and they in like manner brought them forth. But when that scripture which was alike alleadged, alike cited, alike brought forth, was not alike, & in one sense expounded, then were discerned the simple from the craftie, the sincere from the [Page 105]counterfeit, the right and good from the froward and perverse: and to con­clude, the true Apostles from those false Apostates. And no marvel (saith S. Paul) For Sathan himself trans­figureth himself into an Angel of light, it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice. Where­fore according to Saint Paul, when­soever either false Apostles, or false Prophets, or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture, by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour, there is no doubt, but that they follow the crafty slight of their master, which surely he would ne­ver have invented, but that he know­eth very well, that there is no readi­er way to deceive the people, then where the bringing in of wicked er­rour is intended, that there the au­thority of the word of God should [Page 106]be pretended. But some will say, how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture? Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Go­spel, where it is written: Then the de­vill took him up (that is our Lord and Saviour) and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple, and said un­to him, If thou be the Sonne of God, cast thy self down, for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee, that they may keep thee in all thy wayes, in their hands shall they hold thee up, lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone. Mat. 4 How will he, think you, handle poor silly souls, which so setteth up­on the Lord of Majestie with the au­thority of Scripture? If thou be (quoth he) the Son of God, cast thy self down. Why so? For it is writ­ten (quoth he): we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind, that by so nota­ble an example of the Scripture, [Page 107]we make no scruple or doubt, when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles, or Prophets, against the Catholick Faith, but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak. For as at that time, the head spake unto the head, so now the members do talk unto the members; that is, the members of the Devil to the members of Christ, the faithlesse to the faithfull, the irreligious to the religious, to conclude, Hereticks to Catholicks. But what I pray, saith the Devil? If thou be the Sonne of God (quoth he) cast thy self down. That is to say: Desirest thou to be the Son of God, and to joy the inheritance of the kingdome of Hea­ven, Cast thy self down, that is, Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church, which is reputed to be the Temple of God. And if any one demand of these Hereticks, per­swading them such things; how [Page 108]hath that crafty commander of the Arabians Mahomet done? he never affirmed himself God, true it is, by his eloquence and power, by his arms, gifts, and a luxurious licence of pleasutes, he drew unto him a barbarous and unskilfull multitude; and did not he give a most honoura­ble testimony of Christ? Assuming to himself nothing above humane forces and policy, but such was not Jesus the Nazarean; never did any mortall propose more difficult things to be believed and done then Christ did; for he absolutely commanded the belief of a Trinity, to wit, the Father, Sonne and holy Ghost, the same one God three really distin­guished persons, which yet being identified in substance, were one, and the self same entity. Then he com­mands himself to be believed as God the Sonne, being the same with the Father and the holy Ghost, and [Page 109]that he is at the same time true man, the sonne of the Virgin Mary, whom he also commands to be ado­red as the true Mother of God; that the Crosse also, which was al­wayes esteemed as the instrument of equivalent ignominy, should be held in most supreme honour and ve­neration, as the chief sign of our salvation: In his last supper he commanded by his last Will and Testament, that we believe that Bread and Wine by virtue of a few words of Consecration were really and substantially changed and tran­substantiated into his Body and Bloud, notwithstanding, that the wonted accidents of Bread and Wine persisted, and that we should under those signes of Bread and Wine adore him, and receive him as nourishment and a celestiall via­ticum by which he promised us eter­nall life, and that no body could en­ter [Page 110]into the kingdome of Heaven unlesse they were born again of wa­ter and the holy Ghost. Moreover, he commanded that all his Scri­ptures should be believed to a tittle without hesitation, doubt, or dero­gation, notwithstanding they con­tain things most difficult to humane understanding, without the belief of all which, there was no salvation. Nor is this constant and firm vene­ration of those things sufficient, un­lesse contemning visible things, and loving the invisible, we do patiently undergo all kind of persecutions, In patientia enim vestra possidebitis (inquit) animas vestras: In your patience you shall (saith he) possesse your souls. He promised his fol­lowers and servants in this life, not riches, honours, and dignities, but the clean contrary, to wit, poverty, ignominy, oppression, and what is more, outrages blows, banishment, [Page 111]gaols, conflicts, and torments, by suffering which for his sake, he pro­mises us an unspeakable beatitude; promising things unto us which ex­ceed the understanding of man, as Glory, for example, in heaven with the Angels, the Resurrection of the bodies, and that which neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath ascended into the heart of man: These things notwithstanding being so, he brought to passe whatever he pleased, although the world fought against him. For innumerable men of all sorts and conditions, have so received and maintained this Do­ctrine, that they chose rather to leave their lives then to forsake their Faith. Kings also and Princes (as we see at present) humbly inclining themselves under the yoke of Faith, are obedi­ent to his inferiour Ministers. Let us set therefore before our eyes Christ as a poor man, accounted formerly [Page 112]and esteemed the sonne of a Carpen­ter, and contemned by those that knew him, and let us ask him what he thinks: Now let him answer, I, though a poor man and a stranger to the world, do intend to bring the whole world under my Laws, and do intend that men do adore me as a true God, together with my Fa­ther, and the holy Ghost, and that they also worship the Crosse, on which being nail'd, I shall die a most ignominious and cruel death, between two theeves, and after this cruel death, that they do most de­voutly and honourably reverence the Instruments and Reliques of my torments, and preserve and place them amongst their chief and preci­ous jewels and treasures. And that above all things with Faith and their best Devotions they adore this Sacrifice of Bread and Wine, as the true substance of my Body and [Page 113]Bloud, and that by the Water of holy Baptisme, they believe their souls to be cleansed from all spot of sinne and that they are sanctified by the anointing of Oyl and Balm; and lastly, that receiving and observing my whole Doctrine entirely, they esteem it as a great wickednesse to derogate ought from it, even to the last tittle; and that they honour and make their addresses unto my Mo­ther, being sanctified with an uncor­rupted and perpetuall Virginity, and esteem her next unto God, as Lady and Queen of the Universe, by a speciall prerogative exalted above all the quire of Angels, and that they make their supplications to those whieh from being Fishermen I have chosen to be my Disciples, and that they adore their very bones, ashes and other reliques: wouldst thou not judge this poor man, thinking and speaking such [Page 114]things of himself to be a sot, fool, and worthy onely to be laugh­ed at?

If further whilst thou laugh'st at him, he should go on, and say it is my will, that they not onely do most firmly beleeve all those things, but that for this reason, they lead their lives most continently and up­rightly, and for my promise given them of an invisible happinesse, they despise all terrene and sensible things, and to shew their most ardent affe­ction towards me, they do most wil­lingly undergo poverty, thirst, fa­mine, toils, miseries, torments, and most cruel deaths, and that they choose rather all these things then deny the least tittle of my Doctrine? Wouldst thou not think this man wholly mad and out of his wits? If he should adde to this, it is my pleasure that all this be brought to passe against the resistance of the [Page 115]whole world, against Kings and Princes, against all the Religions and sects of Gods and men; I intend to fight against infernal powers to gain the victory, and triumph over them, questionlesse thou wouldst burst in­to a louder laughter.

But if being asked by what con­fidence or arms he meant to effect those things? he should answer, by no other then by the preaching of himself and his Disciples; and be­cause eloquence hath a great force to perswade the minds of men (lest any of his victories should be attri­buted unto it) that he should affirm that faculty no way to fit his pur­pose, and that his Ministers should bring those things to effect, without all art, by a sober, modest and sim­ple narration of those things, thou wouldst ascribe this to a higher de­gree of madnesse. If he should go on, I know that for my sake an infi­nite [Page 116]multitude of men would perish; that the more there die, the more the number of the faithful shall increase, and my Faith shall be propagated to the farthest ends of the world; for the bloud of my Martyrs shall, as the Seed of the Church, yield a fruitfull harvest of my Believers; and I will deliver unto one of those my Fishermen, and to his Ministers, which shall never fail, by a continu­all inheritance the perpetuall Sceptre of the Kingdome of Heaven, and I will make to stoop the supreme Ci­ty and Lady of the world, and the Emperour himself to kisse the feet of my Substitutes. Oh! if thou shouldst hear him say so, with what furies, I will not say madnesse, wouldst thou think him to be agita­ted? what peals of laughter wouldst thou not bestow upon him?

Hearken to him a little further, there shall be infinite Books writ­ten [Page 117]of me, by most excellent and learned men, which shall praise and magnifie both me and my Doctrine, and extolling it above all others, shall defend it with their whole for­ces; my Priests shall with great re­verence of the people, with solemne pomp and magnificence, and with torches lighted proclaim the same, which all the auditours shall receive uncovered with a reverend and most humble attention; would not these things seem dreams unto thee?

Hear him conclude, being armed with this onely weapon, without all doubt I will bring all those things to perfection, and with an invincible power, I will prove my self victo­rious, and will bring the whole world under my obedience, nor shall there ever any prevail against these ground-works and foundations of my Religion.

Whilst he assevered these things [Page 118]who would not judge that this were a work impossible to all mankind, to Nature and the heavens, and one­ly feizible to the divine Omnipo­tence?

Now all these things being brought to effect, it is manifest that it is the onely work of the divine Majesty, and that this Faith of Christ was onely established by Almighty God alone: for was there ever any of the antient wizards, or Philosophers, or Mahomet, or some one of the most powerfull Kings that ever did the like? Or are there any Gods of the Gentiles and Nations to be com­pared to this? These kind of exploits have not been heard of from the ori­gen of things! let them blush there­fore and be confounded which judge of Christ as Infidels.

Nor may these things be said to happen by chance, seeing that the Prophets and Sibylls foretold them [Page 119]long before, and the antient and in­corrupted Monuments of the Jews and Gentiles give testimony of them, in which is written, that those things were not onely revealed by Almigh­ty God to come to passe, but that Almighty God did himself promise to perform them.

As in naturall things there are some causes necessary, and others, as of most things are indifferent, so in arguments and intellectuall discour­ses, some there are which necessarily enforce the understanding to assent, which are called demonstrations; others are called learned, dialecticall proofs, which though not alwayes, yet for the most part incline the un­derstanding, though it do not firmly tye it to the asseriton; others again are so weak as they scarce incline it at all. Wherefore, although in mat­ters of small consequence, as in Ma­thematicks, there are found many [Page 120]demonstrations notwithstanding in naturall things there are found very few, but in the high and most emi­nent things, as also in moralls there are found no demonstrations at all. But the light of our understanding is so weak, that it doth not discern the proper difference of things: for the Philosophers use accidents instead of differences, and therefore they are ignorant of the proper definitions of things; the essence therefore or definition of the thing, being the mean or middle term of a demon­stration, it follows, that few or no demonstrations are found in naturall things; wherefore, it is very hard to settle or ground our understanding in naturall and morall Sciences, much more in metaphysicall, and most of all to apply our understandings, and altogether to attract our will, that we draw it from vices to virtues; for the sensuall part, being opposite [Page 121]to the spirituall and rationall, it is very difficult that the affection fol­lows the understanding, but of all things it is most difficult to make both Powers so agree, that the fruit of good works do issue from them, and persevere unto the end of our lives; for of every Philosopicall Thesis there are almost as many opi­nions as heads, and very few of them effect what they teach, and scarce any of them have persevered unto the end of their lives without corruption of vices, and if any one such be found, they account it a miracle. Now if the very chief of those Philosophers could not con­vince the understanding of man to beleeve those few truths which reason it self dictates, and are naturally in­grafted in us, as that there is a God, and that he doth exercise his Pro­vidence about humane affairs; that good is to be sought after, and evill [Page 122]avoided, and others of the like na­ture; and if they could not reconcile the affection in a very few things with the understanding for their well-doing, that they did not finally disagree, by how much would they be lesse able to perform it in things which exceed the bounds of reason: But the Disciples of Christ with their onely preaching did unite the will and understanding of an infinite multitude of men, and, as it were, transfixing them, did enforce them to believe and love those things un­to the which neither demonstration it self, nor any humane reason could any way arrive, so that for the pro­mise of heaven, they have esteemed all earthly things as drosse, and be­coming indefatigable in their la­bours, they could not be removed from their purposes, neither by fair means, threats or torments. Now by what virtue have poor ignorant [Page 123]Fishermen done these things? cer­tainly by no Humane power, but Divine. For nature hath expressed the whole forces she had towards mortalls in the Philosophers, and yet we see, she hath not had in them the force to accomplish those things. Certainly if the Faith of Christ were stuffed with lies, que­stionlesse a few Fishermen could not have done those wonders in confir­mation of it, nor could the Faith it self have persisted in its full force so long time against so powerfull and manifold oppositions.

Moreover, if Christ crucified and his Fishermen drew so efficaciously the whole world to the Divine love as I have said, they could not do it by plain and bare words, for grave, wise, and learned men are not led away with bare words; wherefore it is certain that they confirmed their words with miracles, which were so [Page 124]many, so stupendious, that farre sur­passing the limits of nature, they could onely be wrought by Almigh­ty God, who alone is the authour of miracles. But the Divine Majesty doth not give testimony to the con­firmation of lies, but of Faith, and therefore the Faith of Christ, in con­firmation of which they are done, cannot be false. Now if any should deny miracles, this would be the greatest miracle of all, that those manifold and admirable things, of which I have made mention should be done without miracles by Christ a poor man, and those ignorant and unpolished Fishermen his Disciples. Therefore, whether Christ and his disciples did shine with miracles or no certainly an infinite power sur­passing all the power of all Gods, doth appear in his works; but as of all causes that is the first which hath more power then the rest, so amongst [Page 125]Gods, he is truly to be esteemed the true God, which is most eminent above all others in power, as is Christ our most invincible Con­querour.

CHAP. XIIII. The same concluded out of the Wis­dome of Christ.

I Will now shew that his Wis­dome was inferiour to none. First, then it is the part of Wisdome to or­der and dispose things rightly, but in all things which are to be directed to their ends, the rule of Govern­ment ought to be drawn from the end of them; for then every thing is rightly disposed when it is direct­ed to its proper end, for the end of every thing is its supreme and chief good; whence those that in the stu­dies of arts do so regard the end, that they direct all other subordinate [Page 126]things unto it, are called masters of that art. As in Architecture, those work-men which carry the stones, wood, lime, and other requisits are not said to be architects, but those which give the chief disposition, pro­portion, and form to the building. In artificiall things, they having one­ly their particular ends, in which the end of man doth not consist; he that shall be skilfull in those is not to be term'd absolutely wise, but with a restriction to his art. He therefore is rightly to be styled absolutely wise, who observing the supreme and consummate end of humane life, doth dispose all fit means and all his actions and operations unto it; But Jesus the Nazarean efficaciously teaching his Disciples and Follow­ers, shew'd them the true end of mans life, and the true means by which they were to arrive unto it, and this not onely by his Word, but [Page 127]by his lively example, so that no end of humane life can be found out, or imagined better, or more perfect then the life of Christians. Wherefore it is clear that neither amongst the Gods of the Gentiles (suppose the impossibility of their Deity) nor amongst men there ever was or could be found a wiser then Christ.

The sign of a knowing man is to be able to teach, for when a man is arrived unto the perfection of a Science he can easily teach it others, as in naturall things for example. When a man hath attained unto a perfect age, he is capable of propa­gating mankind by generation of children: but there was not any o­ther God or man from the begin­ning, who taught a more profitable wisdome then that of Christians, or who taught it with greater facility: as for the learning of Philosophers, it is obscure, and scarce to be learned [Page 128]in long time, and perplexed with many difficulties and errours, by reason of which the very masters themselves are very uncertain and anxious, as I have said before that they were concerning the divine Providence, and in the end of hu­mane life, but after the supreme wis­dome of our Saviour and Master Christ appeared, the world was so illustrated in a short time with the Doctrine of the divine Providence and Goodnesse, of the immortality of the soul, of the end and beatitude of man, of the means to arrive unto it, and many other documents that Christians of both sexes, even in their tender age and infancy did more clearly penetrate those things, then famous Philosophers had done by their great industry and study. And they became so constantly grounded in this Doctrine, that they had rather suffer a thousand torments [Page 129]even to death it self, then impiously deny the least tittle of the Doctrine of Christ.

The virtue of the cause appears the greater, the further it operates and the quicker; wherefore, the more quicker that Wisdome hath its effect in men, the more questionlesse is its power. 'Tis not the work of a principall virtue or industry to make those wise which are docile, and have their minds greatly disposed for wis­dome: but suddenly to teach fools, children dullards, girls, reprobates, and most wicked men, and strum­pets wisdome, and convert them un­to a good life, exceeds all humane forces. But our Christ Jesus did not onely convert innumerable of those, but also of prudent and learned men presently, with onely a beck, and made a change in their lives by the true compunction of their hearts, and daily doth not cease from those ef­fects, [Page 130]which none ever of the Gods or men have done; and therefore his Wisdome and Doctrine is to be pre­ferred before all. When Nature is determined to do something in par­ticular, it is not to be esteem'd the part of any rare virtue to effect it in naturall things by means which are naturall, as if a spirituall crea­ture by the application of fire to a house should straight burn it, which was not hard for any man to do; but if it were performed by contrary causes as by striking fire out of ice to raise a great combustion, this would be esteemed a work of great virtue. It is a sign therefore of a su­preme and infinite virtue to produce all naturall effects without any na­turall instrument, or to do any thing with any instrument, or to do it with the instruments ordained for contrary effects. Wherefore, to teach wis­dome by due and naturall means ac­cording [Page 131]to the wonted capacity of men as the Philophers do, is no mat­ter of admiration; but to teach us the supreme and ineffable wisdome by the folly of the world, that is by those things which men commonly esteem foolish and absurd, and to convert those follies into the instru­ments of divine Wisdome, and to place the chief Wisdome in them is a most difficult work, and to be esteemed onely Divine. For if the horrour and contumely of the Cross, together with the scorns, buffets, stripes and torments, which Christ in his death did suffer, be rightly considered, there could be found no­thing more foolish and horrible then the Crosse, before Christ was nailed unto it; but Christ by means of it did infuse into the wood, the most sovereign of all Wisdomes, as all Christians do professe and te­stifie by daily experience; therefore [Page 132]the supreme and divine Wisdome hath been onely found in Christ Jesus.

Also, Wisdome being the honour and badge of Divine things, certain­ly that Wisdome is to be preferred before all others, which teaches men Divine things better then all others: but this hath been done by none so well as by that of Christ; therefore this must be the most excellent of all. But that it is so appears out of the Writings before Christ, which are not contained in his Doctrine, which if they be compared with the Books and Monuments of Christians, thou wilt easily confesse that there were very few things taught by the Phi­lophers and other Authours. Nay, what is more, Christian Doctrine doth extremely conduce to the in­crease and perfection of Philosophy it self, seeing it doth so wonderfully every way lay open the knowledge [Page 133]of Divine things, that almost all Christians do professe, know and teach those things which before them were scarce understood by the Pro­phets themselves. And after the preaching of the Apostles men did so blush at their own errours, and strive to purge themselves of them, in such sort, as if having wandred in a dark night and weltred in the dirt of their errours, being environed on a sudden with a great light, be­holding their impurities and stricken with shame and confusion they had endeavoured to cleanse themselves; for both the Philosophers and Poets being confounded at the worship of their Idols, at their old wives stories, and impure dotage, the light of Christ once shining (at whose abun­dant lustre they were dazled) they endeavoured to make good one lie with another, to feign their Allego­ricall Interpretations, when they saw [Page 134]they could by no other means hide and justifie the wickednesse of their Gods, and their vices so enormious that the worst of men would be a­shamed to own them.

It belongs also to a wise man not onely to have the knowledge of easie things, but of those which are most difficult, and to be able to teach the same, and defend them against their adversaries; no man ever taught more difficulties of Divine things, nor ever made them appear with more ease then Christ, who did not onely instruct his own few Dis­ciples, but even the whole world. And Christians do easily defend those documents against infinite op­ponents, that whoever shall have read their Arguments and Books they will not be able to doubt, that the verity of them proceeded of an eternall and incomparable Wis­dome. Our adversaries fought [Page 135]against them most exactly, not one­ly with Sophistry, with captious and syllogisticall contentions, but with contumely, threats, the sword and death it self, over all which their in­vincible Verity remained triumph­ant. Truly, if the Tyrants had con­tended with the Princes of the Phi­losophers with both arguments and torments, as they did against Chri­stians, I am confident they would have been contented to deny their very first Principles; but Christ pro­posing those things which cannot be found out by naturall reason, and defending them both from the sword and from all the wisdome and inju­ries of the Gods and Philosophers both by his solid force established them for all eternity.

Moreover, Christians Faith is ei­ther true or fictitious; if true, we are agreed; if fictitious, even thence may be drawn an efficacious argu­ment: [Page 136]That Christ was the most understanding and wise of all others which found out such difficult and sublime things, and did so perswade them unto mortalls, that they would not be infringed or destroyed by any device or humane reason or power. That Christian Doctours themselves do make profession of the science of Philosophy, and although those things which Christ taught were a­bove the sphere of reason, yet they shew that they are no way repu­gnant unto Philosophy; and that other Sciences do rather serve to con­firm them then otherwise. They do not as certain superstitious and igno­rant people, who reject or contemn Philosophy, or some other true Sci­ence, challenging all things which are well said as their own, from others whom they say are unjust possessours of them. Now who is there to be found wise, cautious, and [Page 137]subtill which can maintain any ficti­on and lie against all the arguments and reasons of so many wise and learned men, and shew that they are consonant to all Philosophy? Truth certainly is consonant to truth, and all truth is dissonant to falsity. If therefore the Philoso­phers not without great difficulty have been able to preserve and pro­tect Verity inviolate against their ad­versaries, by how much lesse will they be able to defend falsity being of its own proper nature weak, against violent and subtill oppositi­on? therefore although it were grant­ed that this Faith were fictitious, yet we should necessarily con­clude that Christ had the most pier­cing and elevated wisdome of all others, who by his invitation hath drawn men unto him by most sub­lime and uninvestigable documents, and hath enforced them by a sacred [Page 138]inspiration to leade virtuous and blessed lives. But seeing that things inconsistent cannot hang together, as for example, a false and true Philo­sopher can have no true coherence; and that by his Doctrine men are directed as by a straight rule to a virtuous life, we must confesse that his Faith and Doctrine is true, and that he is the wisest of all Gods and men.

Hence it is that men most versed and skilfull in all Sciences, and most eminent for the sanctity of their lives have embraced that Doctrine of Christ as the supreme Wisdome, and have extol'd it with their praises, magnified it with their Works and Monuments, and confirmed it with the testimony of their lives. Which had they not most certainly known that it was delivered unto men by Almighty God, certainly they had not undergone so many labours toils [Page 139]amd agonies for the defence of it.

The Wisdome of the greatest Master then chiefly appears, when by a compendious epitome he brings his Disciples to the end and last perfection of all Sciences, but this Christ alone hath effected; for every Science is either rationall or reall, as for rationall, it is either Logick, Rhe­torick, or Poetry, which treats of ens rationis, or the entity of reason: and their end is by divers Argu­ments and Exhortations to force the understanding of man to assent to that which they incend. To this Christ himself hath above all other without all difficulty brought his Disciples; which most appears out of this, that whereas they were Fishermen formerly ignorant and unskilfull, and innumerable others of the simpler sort, who having once received this Doctrine have with most efficacious persuasions chang'd, [Page 140]as it were, the face of the whole world, which neither the force of arms, nor other endeavours of all Wisdome (if we consider it aright) could ever have done. As for reall Science it is divided into practicall and speculative; the practicall is that which is morall, which Chri­stian Discipline doth teach so exact­ly, and with such facility and cele­rity, that the Philosophers (as I have said before) can find no defect in it. If the Science be speculative, it either abstracts from all sensible and intelligible matter, and so it is that which is termed Divine, in the which Christ did so surpasse all others, that he is not onely the chief, but that there is no comparison to be made with him: or it abstracts onely from sensible matter and not from intelligible, and this is called Mathematick, by which one consi­ders the form, and hath no regard [Page 141]to the good or end of it, (as the Phi­losophers say): and for this reason, the Doctrine of Christ onely attend­ing the good and end of things im­parts little to this Science, because it doth not appertain or conduce to salvation; yet if there be any profit to be gathered out of it which helps to a good and virtuous life, this the Christian Doctrine laies claim unto; for in holy Scriptures there are num­bers and figures, which are most fit­ly disposed and ordered for the im­proving morality, and the contem­plation of the Divine perfections, so that neither in the least Disciplines of Philosophy hath not this Doctrine its wholesome and profitable influ­ence; or the Science abstracts from neither sensible nor intelligible mat­ter, and this is naturall Philosophy, to whose greatest good and last end Christian Doctrine doth by divers means both easily and with great [Page 142]content and pleasure lead us. For the knowledge of naturall things in it self, is not that supreme end un­to which we strive by them to attain unto, but by these corporall things we are brought unto the knowledge of invisible objects, which the Chri­stian Doctrine doth afford with great satisfaction in great abundance, whilst it represents most admirably, and to our great satisfaction the in­visible perfections and mysteries of Almighty God, in all naturall things as in so many mi rours; Christ there­fore was the most wise Master of all, who most easily brought the whole world to the last end and highest perfection of all Sciences.

To conclude, the delights of the understanding farre exceed the plea­sures of the senses, and that which chiefly appertains unto the under­standing consists in the knowledge of the first Verity, from which, as [Page 143]it is most perfectly conceived, arises the greatest delight. The sign there­fore of the sovereign Wisdome of Christ is the supreme delight which Christians enjoy in his contemplati­on, then which there hath been none hitherto found so great: for there have been innumerable, as now-a­dayes there are, which for the con­templation of the first Verity con­tained in the Christian Doctrine, forsaking all the pleasures and en­ticements of the world have beta­ken themselves to desert and seque­stred places, and which is most of all, they have made such progresse in that contemplation, that a man would think they were not men, but petty Gods and Angels upon earth; for being as it were, elevated above the terrene sphere of carnality they do not onely not affect it, but do not so much as vouchsafe to look upon it, having withing themselves like [Page 144]Gods and Angels that which satis­fies and suffices them. Out of all which we may easily gather, that the Doctrine of Christ is the chief of all, and that Jesus Christ himself is the true Wisdome of the eternall Father, which onely was able to bring so many and so wonderfull things to passe.

CHAP. XV. The same Verity confirmed out of the Goodnesse of Christ.

I Have now shown that Jesus the Nazarean hath so farre surpassed all other men, and all the Gods of the Gentiles in Power and Wis­dome, that if any believe there is a God, he must questionlesse judge no other beside him to be so. It re­mains that I make the same appear out of his Perfection and Good­nesse, by proving that he is the sove­reign [Page 145]of all Goods and the last end of humane life, in which we must in the first place observe, that humane actions are directed to some end or other; for the actions of men as they are humane proceed questionlesse from the free will or election of man, by which he differs from brutes. Now the object of the will is some good or end prefixt, and therefore there being no infinite or endlesse processe of those prefix­ed ends (otherwise the motion of eve­ry appetite would cease) it is neces­sary there be one last end of man, for it is impossible there should be two substantiall last ends of any thing, seeing that beyond the last end there remains nothing to be sought after. That is called the last end which doth so satiate the appe­tite of any thing that it formally in­cludes, or at least subordinates all those things which can be desired or [Page 146]sought after, and therefore there is but one and the same last end of all men. Neverthelesse we must know that all men do not agree about their last end, as it is taken materially, that is, where and in what it is found; although all agree in the formall conceit of it, that is, in the nature of it, and in what it consists, because the nature of the last end of mankind is the supreme felicity of it. Now all men agree in the desire of their chief felicity, yet all do not think that that felicity consists in the same thing. Having formerly proved that the last end of humane life is the first Verity and first cause, that is Al­mighty God, if I shall now shew that Jesus Christ is this last end, it will manifestly appear that he is the first Verity, the first Cause, and true God, and the supreme good in which most assuredly doth consist the na­ture of the last end.

Which that we may more clearly understand, we must consider, that when any nature is directed; or affe­cted towards any thing as to its last end, that by the admixtion of ano­ther nature which distracts it, it may be so hindred, that it do not prose­cute its end at all, or at least but very remisly; for example, a weight or ponderous body naturally tends downwards; and all gravity, or such bodies inclin'd by the form of their weight, or of their nature seek their centre; but a bird flies upwards, because it hath not onely the form of gravity but also that of an animall or sensible living creature, and so this animall or living motion suspends, and hindring the naturall inclination of its gravity or weight, it mounts on high. In like manner, an insen­sible mixt body having much air and fire mixt with its earth sinks downward but slowly, but if there [Page 148]be any weight which is meerly pon­derous, it is vehemently carried downwards, unlesse some violent obstacle do hinder it; and the more purely ponderous it is, the more im­petuously it is carried of its own na­ture to its centre: wherefore man consisting of a double nature, to wit, spirituall and corporall or sensible, although the understanding and will by their naturall motion tend to­wards Almighty God; yet by rea­son of the mixture of the sensible part, which for its naturall functions hath its sensible organs, it is disturb'd with passions, and is more frequent­ly distracted then otherwise it would naturally be; so that although the superiour and spirituall part cannot be violently forced; yet either by er­rour, the understanding being ill in­formed, or by excesse of appetite the will, becoming ill affected, it is drawn to affect those things which [Page 149]are very inordinate. Wherefore, if we intend to find out that in which the nature of the last end of man doth consist, it is necessary to seek it out of its motion, out of the vehe­mence of its love and ardent affecti­ons; but our nature consisting of both the rationall and sensible part, we must not consider the affections of them, who lead their lives like beasts, but of those onely which have reason alwayes for the guide of their actions which are onely worthy in­deed of the true name of men: for if by the experiment of a ponderous body I intend to find out the centre of gravity, I must not consider it in the flight of birds, but by the mo­tion of bodies which are meerly ponderous; but I have formerly proved, that there is no life more purely rationall, then that of Chri­stians, therefore we shall come bet­ter to the knowledge of the last end [Page 150]of man, by the consideration of the love and affection of Christians, which truly and with all propriety are to be esteemed men, rather then by the inordinate appetites of others. But all Christians which live up­rightly, with a most vehement affe­ction, with a sweet concord and harmony, do bend their whole en­deavours towards Christ crucified as towards their supreme and last end, for whose sake they esteem all other things as dregs and corrupti­on, and therefore he is their last end, the true God, and supreme good of all mankind.

The last end of man is his com­pleat and absolute perfection, and therefore the nearer he is unto it, the more perfect he is, and the more he increases in perfection at the near­er distance he is from it, because to grow perfect is nothing else then to approach unto his last end; but [Page 151]there hath never any thing been found by coming near unto which by the approaches of the understand­ing and affection (we speak of them here and not of corporal approaches) humane nature hath so much profit­ed as unto Christ crucified, inso­much that the more nigh it comes unto him, the more vehemently it affects him, and the more it becomes (as I have formerly shown) perfect in all morality; whence it plainly ap­pears, that Christ is the last end of humane life. The desire of the last end is most naturall unto all thins, and therefore every thing immove­ably adheres unto its last end; for the last end in practicall things is like the first principles in things of specula­tion: Therefore as the first princi­ples are ingrafted in our nature, so is the desire of our last end, and therefore it persists immoveable. Therefore when a man no way di­verted [Page 152]by his vicious appetites, doth rationally so firmly fix his affecti­on upon some one thing so tenaci­ously, that he disesteems all others for it, and had rather lose his life then forsake it, it is a sign that he hath truly found out his last end; and hence it is, that although others have prefixed unto themselves other last ends, yet we have seen none, or very few, except Christians, who had ra­ther lose their lives then forsake those ends of theirs; others undergo the extremity of all miseries to conserve their lives; for a man will give all he hath rather then lose his life: but Christians do not onely patiently, willingly and joyfully lose all they have for Christ, but even they esteem their lives as nothing for his sake; and certainly if Christ were not the supreme Good, such men of the greatest wisdome would not lose their lives, being the most precious [Page 153]unto them, for the defence of the greatest of all errours.

Moreover things which are of the same nature being ordained for the same end, and in that regard be­ing united, even as all ponderous bo­dies are in & tending to their centre, it is a most manifest argument seeing that there was nothing ever found in which men were so firmly united as in Christ crucified, that he is the last end of man; for those that believe in him are no lesse united and linked together, then all the parts of the earth being compacted into one so­lid globe are adherent to their cen­tre: in the same manner all Christi­ans which truly seek Christ, come to have but one heart and one soul in him, nay, the more they profit in their Faith, with greater delight and more ardent charity do they love one another: if therefore Christ were onely a man, and his Faith [Page 154]contain a clandestine and impious fiction and forgery, it would not have taken such effect in so many thousands of men of severall condi­tions and qualities; because those who are onely tyed together by fal­sity are easily dissolved, nor could so many men grounding the union of their friendship on the false founda­tion of an errour, increase their love as the errour grew more enormious: spirituall delights they are the great­er when our soul approaches nearer to its last end, and then they are most perfect when they more attain unto the end it self. If man there­fore be somewhat delighted when he beholds his end imperfectly afar off, he will be farre more when he shall more perfectly possesse it; but the delight which Christians do en­joy of Christ, surpasseth all the exte­riour pleasures of the senses or under­standing; which appears out of [Page 155]three things: first, out of the incom­parable constancy of Martyrs, of whom we reade innumerable, who with joy and mirth ran to their tor­ments as to their nuptials, and tri­umphing in the midst of their suffer­ings have sung hymns unto God, as if they had been in some place of pleasure: which could no way hap­pen; unlesse by the excesse of an im­mense delight, as if all their corpo­rall senses were brought afleep, and Christ had defended them from all grief and terrour, which truly is a prerogative not granted to any other delight: for a grief (as experience teaches) disturbs the whole man, and expelling all pleasure puts him out of himself. Secondly, out of the in­finite examples of the antient Monks, who, forsaking the world and wandring in the deserts and caves as the companions of wild beasts, in abstinence, fasting, and [Page 156]mortification, being in want of all things, and naked, have neverthe­lesse lived most joyfully with that unspeakable content which they found in the contemplation of Di­vine things. And as yet we see the imitation and prints of their foot­steps in the Religious men, who in great numbers (as I have said) of their own accords subjecting them­selves to a willing servitude and to perpetuall clausures, do most con­tentedly and joyfully passe their lives under a most exact obedience, as if they were set at liberty by be­ing subjected under this yoke of Grace. Thirdly, out of the lives of most wise men, who flourishing with the erudition of all Sciences, having drunk of the sacred fountain of holy Scriptures, and tasted the sweetnesse of Christ, have given over all other Sciences, being onely delighted with his Doctrine, unto [Page 157]which they have stuck so firmly, as if they could not be drawn from it, esteeming all the wisdome of Philo­sophers and eloquence of the Ora­tours as dry apples and unsavoury, which I can testifie of very many, such as I have known to have done so; but of these examples it is ma­nifest, that the delights which pro­ceed out of the Faith & Contempla­tion of Christ crucified do far surpass all others: we must therefore con­clude that they proceed from the uni­versal and supreme good, and chiefly because the more near access we have unto Christ by Faith and Love, the more are those delights augmented.

And that we may briefly con­clude with one argument, joyning in one all the proprieties of the last end; all the individuall or singular natures of the same kind (as I have said) are ordained for the same last end, and all men do agree in the nature of their [Page 158]last end, though not in the thing in which that nature of the last end is contained, for this is that which we seek. The blisse therefore of man consisting in an act of our under­standing, we must conclude, that that thing to which the nature of the last end agrees, is that in which all the most rationall and which are most pure of heart do agree in, and with all uniformity seek after it, and do immoveably insist upon, and which they love above themselves, and consequently are most admira­bly delighted in it, and deriving from it the integrity of their lives, and the splendour of a celestiall cla­rity, and transformed with a Divine love, become even one and the same thing with it, and being in a manner raised above the world, valuing all terrene things as dirt, they take joy onely in those Divine favours, and lastly enjoy a most blessed quiet [Page 159]and peace of mind. But these things which are the conditions of the su­preme Good were never found in any but in Christ crucified, and tha as he is true God, and therefore he is the supreme Good.

But why should I insist longer in these things which are of them­selves manifest? For Good of its own nature desiring to communi­cate it self, the supreme Good must needs be that which most desires to communicate its virtue; but there is no communication of any other good found so great and ample as that which proceeds from Christ Jesus, after whose coming into the world and the propagation of his Faith, the whole world is pur­ged of a dark and profound mist of sinnes and errours, and reple­nished with all virtue and sancti­mony of life, and so many graces [Page 160]and favours are from thence granted and decreed unto the faithfull, that they are rightly esteemed happy and blessed upon earth; for if there can be any felicity or blisse upon earth, it is onely found in the Chri­stians, which I have proved in the Epitome of the simplicity of a Chri­stian life.

The incomparable Clemency and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ declares the infinite abundance of his Goodnesse; because no malice of any hainous sinners and wick­ednesse are sufficient to make him deny or deferre his pardon to those that are truly repentant, but com­monly he doth not cease to heap greater graces and gifts on those who return unto him. And it is a thing most experienced, that as of­ten as any shall by sinne forsake him, that he is straight deprived of [Page 161]that sweetnesse and righteousnesse of life, so that he is drowned in ter­rene impurities and corruptions, and that he is tormented and vexed with intolerable cares; but assoon as he returns to his former state of recrea­tion and quiet, he is, as it were, cu­red of the unquenchable thirst of some most malignant calenture.

CHAP. XVI. The same proved out of the Power, Wisdome and Goodnesse of Christ altogether.

TO the end that those things which I have formerly said of the Power, Wisdom and Goodnesse of Christ may be more easily under­stood, let us here by way of Epi­logue, make a recapitulation of them. We affirm that if Christ be not God, as he declared himself to [Page 162]be, that he was the most arrogant and proud, the most absurd and foolish of all men; but if he did not make himself God, but it was a fallacy of his Disciples, and a hu­mane fiction (as some foolish and doting men do avouch) how could so much Power, Wisdome and Goodnesse proceed out of the great­est of all falsities and prestigious im­postures? For if he be not God, I know no other who may any way seem to be so; for if Almighty God do govern and conserve these inferi­our things by congruous means, we having proved that there is no means more perfect for a good and virtu­ous life then Christ, I do not see how we may chuse, but either we must confesse that Christ is the true means of our blisse warranted by Almighty God unto mankind, or that we deny the divine Providence and [Page 163]Justice; or that denying there is any God at all, we believe that all things happen by chance or fate: all which, besides the first which must necessarily be granted, are most absurd and foolish.

If there be any true Religion in the world, which by Argu­ments we have convinced and sup­posed as granted, who can deny, considering so many, and so for­cible Reasons, that this must needs be the Christian Religion? There being no other so well grounded in Reason; so that if this be not true, it will force us to deny all Religion.

Also we know that no other Religion was ever so sharply impugn'd perpetually in all Ages, as the Christian; for other Re­ligions, or rather fraudulent Su­perstitions, in a manner by the [Page 164]same vanity by which they were set afoot, were destroyed and came to nothing; but the Chri­stian as the most pure gold, hath been refined in perpetuall flames of most cruel Persecutions, which could not have happened, had any other been true, and this false.

It is moreover manifest, that the Christian Religion never suf­fered or was persecuted by virtu­ous and just men, but was alwayes held by them in great esteem, re­verence and veneration, having al­wayes had continuall and insatia­ble Warre, with flagitious, wick­ed and sacrilegious Tyrants, and their father the Devil; and as many as have persecuted it and its Ministers, have alwayes been (as now-adayes also appears) of a most wicked condition, which never happened to any other Re­ligion; [Page 165]why therefore should we chuse to imitate wicked men, rather then the virtuous?

Further, there is no other Re­ligion, unto which so many have hitherto been converted, and do daily come unto it upon this con­dition, that they know themselves not to be called to riches, honours or pleasures, (which in their Ba­ptisme they oblige themselves to renounce) but unto contempt, abstinence, parsimony, contume­lies, and (if occasion require it) unto the greatest and last extremi­ty of all; no man therefore being in his right wits would be indu­ced unto it by such promises and obligations, as we have seen so many thousands to be, unlesse the light of a most evident Veri­ty did even pierce the hearts of mortalls.

The understanding therefore is constrained by these reasons and ar­guments, to believe this admirable Faith of Christ to be true; for if one, two or three, or a few agru­ments do not force an assent, yet all together if they be rightly consi­dered, will not have lesse force then Mathematicall Demonstrations, or then if some of the dead were raised to life for the confirmation of this Verity.

Wherefore if the Christian Religion be true, all others are to be exploded as false; seeing the Christian doth most constant­ly avouch, that there is no salva­tion out of it; which is no more then reason; because our salvation consisting in the vision of God, unto which no man can attain without Celestiall and Divine fa­vours, (as I have shewed be­fore) [Page 167]no man can obtain it with­out Faith, the Scripture affirming, Sine Fide impossibile est placere Deo, That without Faith it is impossible to please God.

Nor is there left any suffici­ent cause of a just complaint or excuse for those who are born in strange and remote Countreys, which do not admit the Christian Religion; because if any one led by the light of reason, with a right intention and pure heart, do convert himself to the universall and common Parent of all men, and their Creatour, who appears plainly in the order and govern­ment of his Creatures, and which affords unto all the things which are necessary for them, and shall beseech him to shew his Verity unto him; he shall not (as I have touched in the beginning of this [Page 168]Work according to the Christian Truth) be frustrate of his desire; but shall obtain the Light which is necessary to his salvation, ei­ther by internall inspirations, as did holy Job; or by Angels, as did Cor­nelius the Centurion; or as the Eunuch by Philip, that is, by some A postolicall man.

CHAP. I. How Saint Augustine came to be deceived by the Manichees.

IF any Heretick, and a man believing Here­ticks did seem unto me to be one and the same thing; I should think fit to be si­lent at this present, and to abstain both from speaking and writing in this cause: But now where­as they do verymuch differ (For he is an Heretick (according to my opinion) who for some tempo­rall [Page 2]benefit, and chiefly for glo­ry and his own preferment, either broacheth or followeth false and new Opinions: but a man belie­ving Hereticks, is one that is de­luded with a certain imagination of Piety and Truth) I held it to be my duty to deliver thee my opinion, touching the finding out and embracing the Truth, with the love whereof we have both (as thou knowest) been greatly enfla­med even from our youths. Truth is a thing farre differing from that which vain men do conceive, who having too deeply settled their af­fections upon these bodily and cor­porall things, do hold and ima­gine it to be nothing else, but what they do perceive and discern by those five most known Mes­sengers of the Body: and they to sse to and fro and rerevolve in their minds the impressions and [Page 3]images which they have received from these things; even when they endeavour to disbelieve their sen­ses: and by a deadly and a most deceitfull rule taken from thence, they think that they do frame a right and perfect judgement of the inefffable Secrets and Myste­ries of Faith. There is nothing more easie (my most dear friend) then for a man not onely to say, but also to think that he hath found out the Truth: but how extream hard it is to find it out indeed, thou wilt (as I hope) acknow­ledge and confesse upon the perusall of these my writings; which that they may prove beneficiall unto thee, or at least not hurtfull, and un­to all those into whose hands they may chance to light, I have beseech­ed the divine Majesty, and I do be­seech him, and I hope it will come to passe; if mine own conscience can [Page 4]but bear me witnesse that I came to write them not with a desire of vain renown or frivolous ostentation, but with a pious and a serviceable mind. My intent therefore is to prove unto thee, if I can, that it is sacrilegiously and rashly done of the Manichees, to speak bitter words and inveigh against those, who following the au­thority of the Catholick faith, are fortified and strengthened before­hand by believing, and are prepared to receive the light of the Divine grace, before they can behold that Verity and Truth which is seen and beheld with a pure and clean mind. For thou knowest, O Honoratus, that we put our selves into the com­pany of such men for no other cause, but for that they said, that, the ter­rour of authority being set aside, they would with plain and admira­ble reasons bring their hearers and followers unto God, and free them [Page 5]from all errour. For what else was it that enforced me to follow them, and to hearken to them attentively, almost for the space of nine years, having despised and contemned the religion which by my parents was ingraffed in me, being a little child, but for that they affirmed that we are terrified with superstition, and commanded to believe, before any reason is given us of belief: and that they importune and urge none to be­lieve, untill the truth be first discus­sed and made manifest unto them; who would not be allured with these promises? especially the mind of a young man desirous of truth, a bab­ler, and one that was puffed up with pride upon disputations had with some skilfull and learned School­men: and such an one they found me then to be, namely, who despi­sed (my former religion) like old wives tales, and desired to embrace [Page 6]and with greedinesse to receive the manifest and sincere Truth which they promised to teach and deliver. But again, what reason withdrew me and called me back that I did not wholly adhere unto them, but kept my self in the degree of Hear­ers, as they use to call them, and did not forgo the hopes and affairs which I had in this world; but for that I also noted and observed, that they were more eloquent and copious in confuting others, then firm and cer­tain in proving and maintaining their own grounds? But what shall I say of my self, who was now be­come a Catholick Christian: who being almost exhausted and greedy after a very long thirst, was now with an ardent affection returned a­gain to the breasts of the Church, which I shaked and wrung, much weeping and lamenting, to the end I might not onely draw from thence [Page 7]sufficient comfort for my misery and affliction, but might also recover my former hope of life and salvation? What then shall I say of my self? And as for thee, thou didest so vehe­mently hate and detest them, that I could hardly draw thee by entreaties and exhortations to hearken unto them and try them: and when thou heardest them, with what other thing I pray thee wert thou taken and de­lighted (for I beseech thee, call it to remembrance) but with a certain great presumption and promise of reasons? But because for a long time they made many large and ve­hement discourses touching the er­rours of unskilfull men (which every one that is but meanly learned can easily do) it was late before I came to the knowledge thereof. And if they delivered any thing unto us out of their own men, we thought there was a necessity to receive and em­brace [Page 8]it, when as other things upon which we might rely, occurred not: wherein they dealt with us as deceit­full Fowlers are wont to do, who prick down limetwigs by a waters side, to the end they may deceive the thirsty Birds: for they stop up, and by some means or other they cover the other waters that are there­abouts: or they drive the birds from thence with frights and fears, that not by their own free choise and election, but meerly for necessi­ty and want of water they may fall into their snares. But why do I not return this answer to my self, that such neat and pretty similitudes as these, and such like reprehensions may be both most civilly and most snappishly objected by any enemy or adversary whatsoever, against all those that deliver any thing by teaching or instruction? But yet for this cause I thought it necessary to [Page 9]insert some such thing into these my writings, that I may warn and ad­monish them thereby to leave off all such manner of proceedings: to the end that (as a certain man said) the toyes of common places being set a­side, one thing may contend and strive with another, one cause with another, one reason with another: wherefore let them forbear to say, what they hold in a manner necessa­ry to be spoken, when any one for­sakes them that hath long been their hearer, The light is passed through him. For thou my greatest care (for I am not too solicitous for them) seest how vain a thing this is, and how easie a matter it is for any one to blame and reprehend it; this there­fore I leave to thy wisdome to be discussed. For I am not afraid lest thou shouldest think that I was de­prived of light, when I was entang­led with a worldly life, and had a [Page 10]remote and obscure hope of a beau­tifull wife, of the pomp of riches, of the vanity of honours, and of other hurtfull and pernicious pleasures: for I ceased not to desire and hope for all these things (as thou knowest right well) when I was their follow­er and heard them attentively: nor do I attribute this to their doctrine, for I confesse they diligently warned and admonished me to beware of these things: but to say that I am now destitute of light, when as I have alienated and withdrawn my self from all these shadows and sem­blances of things, and have resolved to content my self with such food onely, as may seem necessary to the health of my body: and that I was enlightned and shining before, when I was addicted unto those things and was intangled with them, is the part of a man (to speak in the mild­est manner) who lesse considerately [Page 11]ponders the things of which he much desires to talk and discourse. But if you please let us come to the matter.

CHAP. II. That the Manichees do condemn the old Testament.

THou art not ignorant how the Manichees reprehending the Catholick Faith, and especially rent­ing and tearing in pieces the old Te­stament, do move and disturb the unskilfull people: who truly know not how those things are to be under­stood, and how being taken they may profitably descend and be con­veyed into the veins and marrow of tender souls. And because there oc­curre certain things in those books which may give some offence to those that are ignorant and carelesse of themselves (as the greatest part of the common people is) they may be [Page 12]plausibly reprehended and blamed, but cannot be plausibly defended by many, by reason of the mysteries which are contained therein; and those few that can do it, affect not publick and open conflicts whereby to divulge their fame and renown, and for this cause they are not known at all but unto those onely, who with much care and diligence do seek and enquire after them: wherefore touch­ing this rashnesse of the Manichees, in reprehending the Old Testament and the Catholick Faith, hear I be­seech thee, the things which move and trouble me; the which I desire and hope that thou wilt receive with such an hearty mind and good will as by me they are delivered and spo­ken; for God, unto whom the se­crets of my conscience lie open and are manifest, knows, that I deal not malitiously in this speech, but as I conceive, it ought to be understood [Page 13]in proof of the truth, unto which long since I have addicted my self, and that with an incredible care and solicitude, lest I should erre and go astray with you, which I may easi­ly do; when as to hold the same course with you, and yet to embrace and keep the right way, it is a mat­ter (not to speak too harshly) of ex­tream difficultie. But I presume that even in this hope which I have of your attaining together with me un­to the way of wisdome, he, unto whom I have consecrated my self, will not leave nor forsake me: when dayes and nights I endeavour to be­hold: and for that I perceive my self to be weak and infirm, by reason that the eye of my soul is for my sinnes, and the custome thereof wounded with the stripes of invete­rate opinions, I beg it oftentimes with weeping and tears, and as it happeneth unto mens eyes, which af­ter [Page 14]the sufferance of a long blind­nesse and darknesse are hardly open: they have a great desire to see light, and yet by their twinckling and turning away, they refuse to behold it, especially if any one should en­deavour to expose them to the light of the Sun: so it falls out with me at the present, for I acknowledge that there is a certain unspeakable and singular good of the soul, which may be seen and contemplated with the mind, but I confesse with tears in mine eyes and sighs from my heart that I am not yet fit nor able to be­hold it: wherefore the Divine good­nesse will not forsake me, if I fain nothing, if I speak according to my duty, if I love the truth, if I affect friendship, and if I take a great care that thou mayest not be deceived.

CHAP. III. Of the four wayes of expounding the Old Testament.

THose that earnestly desire to know the Old Testament, are to understand that it is taught and expounded after four manner of wayes: according to the History, according to the Etiologie, accord­ing to the Analogy, and according to the Allegory. Think me not foo­lish for using Greek names: First, for that I have so received, and I dare not deliver this otherwise unto thee then as I have received: Next thou also observest, that we have no usuall names for these things: and if I had framed any by-interpretation, I should be lesse apt to be under­stood: and if I should use any cir­cumlocution, I should be lesse quick and lesse ready in discoursing: this [Page 16]onely I intreat and beseech thee to believe, that howsoever I may erre, I do it not out of any arrogancy or pride. The Scripture is treated ac­cording to the history when it is de­clared therein what is written, or what is done: and what is not done but written onely as it were done. According to the Etiology, when it is shewed thereby for what cause any thing is either done or said. Ac­cording to the Analogy, when it is demonstrated that the two Testa­ments, the Old and the New, are not contrary the one unto the other. According to the Allegory, when it is read therein that certain things that are written, ought not to be un­derstood according to the letter, but according to the figure. All these manner of wayes of alledging Scri­pture, have been used by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Apostles. He cited Scripture according to the [Page 17]History, when, unto those that ob­jected that his Disciples had pluck­ed the ears of Corn upon the Sab­bath day, he answered, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him: how he entred into the house of God and did eat the loaves of Propo­sition (or Shew-bread) which it was not lawfull for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but for Priests onely? Mat. 12.1, 3, 4. 1 Sam. 21.6. Exod. 29.32. He alledged Scripture according to the Etiology, when having forbidden the dismissing of wives for any cause but onely fornication, unto the Pha­risees, who told him that Moses had given men leave to dismisse them, having first given them a bill of di­vorce, he said: This Moses did for the hardnesse of your hearts. Deut. 24.1. Mat. 19.8. for here a cause was rendred, why that was well per­mitted [Page 18]by Moses for a time, to the end that this which Christ comman­ded might seem to shew and de­monstrate other times, but to declare how the divine Providence hath with a certain wonderfull disposition ordered and composed the courses and order of these times, it is a long work. Now touching the Analogy, whereby appears the accord and consent of both the Testaments, what shall I say, but that all those have u­sed it, unto whose authority the Ma­nichees do give place, when as they may consider with themselves how many things they are wont to say are thrust into the divine Scripture by I know not what corrupters of the truth? which I alwayes thought to be an extream weak speech even when I heard and followed them: neither was this my opinion onely, but thine also (for I well remember it) and it was the opinion of us all [Page 19]who endeavoured to be somewhat more carefull and wary in judging, then was the common people and multitude of believers. And where­as they have expounded and decla­red unto me many things that did much move and trouble me (name­ly those wherein they boasted and bragged oftentimes, and that more abundantly because more securely, as not having any adversary to resist and oppose them. I think they have spoken nothing more impudently or (to speak more mildly) with lesse cir­cumspection and more weaknesse, then that the divine Scriptures are falsified and corrupted: when as it ought but lately to have been done, and yet they cannot convince it to be so, by any copies that are now ex­tant: for if they did say, that they did not think that they ought to re­ceive those Scriptures at all, because they are written by such Authours [Page 20]as they did not conceive to have written the truth, their pretence of rejecting them would in some sort be more hidden, and their errour more humane and pardonable: for upon this ground they have rejected the book which is called the Acts of the Apostles: at which their proceed­ings, when I well weigh it and con­sider it with my self, I cannot suffi­ciently wonder and admire; for they wanted not onely humane wisdome herein, but even a reasonable and an indifferent judgement: for that book hath so many things, which are like unto those which they do receive, that it seems to me to be a great folly not to receive this also, and if any thing displeaseth them therein, presently to say it is salfe, and put in: now if they judge such a speech to be impudent (as indeed it is) why should they conceive those things to deserve any credit and esteem in S. Paul's Epi­stles, [Page 21]and the four books of the Go­spell, wherein I know not whether or no, proportionably speaking, there be many more things then there could be in that book, which they would have men believe, to have been thrust in by falsifiers and cor­rupters? But this indeed is my opi­nion, which I request thee to weigh and consider with me, with a very clear and peaceable judgement: for thou art not ignorant how the Mani­chees endeavouring to bring in the the person of their authour Mani­cheus into the number of the Apo­stles, do say that by him we have re­ceived the Holy Ghost, whom our Lord promised to send to his Disci­ples: if therefore they should receive those Acts of the Apostles where­in the comming of the Holy Ghost is evidently declared and set down, Act. 2.2. they could find no ground to say why that was inserted and put [Page 22]in: for they pretend I know not what corrupters of the divine books to have been before Manicheus his time: and that they were corrupted by those that desired to confound the law of the Jews with the Gospel of Christ; but this they cannot say of the Holy Ghost, unlesse peradven­ture they will affirm that the corru­pters could foretell things that were to come, and thereupon did put into their books that which might be produced against one Manicheus who sometimes was to come, and who should say and averre that he had sent the Holy Ghost; but of the Holy Ghost we intend to speak more plainly hereafter; but now let us return to our former matter; for I think that I have sufficiently de­monstrated and shewn, that the hi­storicall sense is to be found in the Old Testament, and the Etiolo­gicall and Analogicall in the New: [Page 23]it remains that I shew also the Alle­goricall therein. Our Redeemer himself alledgeth in the Gospel an Allegory out of the Old Testament, saying: This generation seeketh af­ter a sign, and none shall be given unto it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly: so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. Mat. 12.39 40. Jonas 1.17. And what shall I say of the Apostle Paul, who also in his 1 Ep. to the Corinthians c. 10. to the 12. v. signifies, that the history it self of Exodus was an Allegory of the Christian people that was to come? Moreover Brethren, I would not (saith he) that ye should be ignorant how that all our Pathers were under the cloud, Exod. 13.21. Num. 14.14. Deut. 1.33. Psal. 78.14. and all passed through the sea: Exod. [Page 24]14.22. Josh. 4, 23. Psal. 78.13. and were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea: and did all eat the same spirituall meat, and did all drink the same spirituall drink: (for they drank of the spiri­tuall Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ) but with ma­ny of them God was not well plea­sed: Num. 24.28. and 26.65. for they were overthrown in the wilder­nesse. Now these things were our fi­gures (or examples) to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Psalm. 106.14. Neither let us worship I­dols, as some of them did, as it is written, Exod. 32.6. The people sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornica­tion, as some of them did, and there fell in one day three and twenty thou­sand men, Num. 25.9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them [Page 25]tempted him, and were destroyed by serpents. Numb. 21.6. Neither let us murmure, as some of them mur­mured, and they perished by the de­stroyer. Numb. 14.37. And all these things happened to them in a fi­gure (or for an example) but they were written for our admonition up­on whom the ends of the world are come. The same Apostle useth also a certain Allegory, which is much to our purpose, because the Manichees are wont to alledge it in their dispu­tations, and boast of it, when wri­ting to the Galathians he saith, Gal. 4.22, 23, 24, 25, 26. For it is writ­ten that Abraham had two sonnes, the one by a bond-maid, Gen. 16.15. the other by a free-woman. Gen. 21.2. but he that was by the bond-maid was born according to the flesh; but he that was by the free-woman was born according to promise: which things are said by an Allegory: for [Page 26]these are the two Testaments, the one from the mount Sina which gen­dreth to bondage, which is Agar (for Sina is a mountain in Arabia adjoyning to Hierusalem that now is) and is in bondage with her children: But Hierusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. Here therefore those too too wicked men whilest they endeavour to fru­strate the Law, do enforce us to al­low and approve of those Scriptures: for they diligently observe that it is said, that they are in bondage that are under the Law, and they often alledge that last above the rest, Ga­lath. 5.4. Christ is become of no ef­fect unto you that are justified by the Law, ye are falne from Grace. We grant all these things to be true, nei­ther do we say, that that Law is ne­cessary, but onely for [...]ose unto whom bondage is yet profi [...]able and expedient; and therefore tha [...]t it was [Page 27]fitly and commodiously ordained that such men as could not be re­claimd and withdrawn from sinning by reason, ought to be constrained by sucha law, namely by the threats and terrours of those punishments, which even fools themselves can perceive and apprehend: from which when the grace of Christ doth free us, it doth not condemn that Law, but it invites us for the time to come to o­bey his charity, and not to serve and be subject to the terrour of the Law. For that is a Grace, that is to say, a Benefit, which they that yet desire to be under the bonds of the Law, do not understand that the Divine Majesty hath imparted unto them; whom Paul the Apostle doth de­servedly reprove, as though they were Infidels, because they did not believe that they are now freed by our Lord Jesus Christ, from that servitude and bondage whereunto [Page 28]they were subject for a certain time by Gods most just order and dispo­sing. Hereupon it is that the same Apostle saith. Gal. 3.24. The law was our Pedagogue (or usher) in Christ, he therefore gave unto men a Pedagogue whom they should fear, who gave them afterwards a master whom they should love: and yet neverthelesse in those precepts and Commandments of the Law, (which it is not lawfull for Christians now to use, such as are either the Sabbath or Circumcision or the Sa­crifices, and whatsoever is of that sort) so great mysteries are contain­ed and comprehended, that every godly man may understand that there is nothing more pernicious and hurtfull, then that whatsoever is comprised therein should be under­stood according to the letter, that is, to the native sense of the words: and nothing more wholesome and pro­fitable, [Page 29]then to have it expounded ac­cording to the spirit or spirituall sense and understanding: hence it is that the letter killeth, but the spirit quic­keneth or giveth life. 2 Cor. 3.6. hence it is, that in the reading of the Old Testament, the self same veil re­maineth untaken away, because in Christ it is made void: vers. 14. for not the Old Testament, but the veile thereof is made void in Christ, to the end that may be understood and made manifest by him, which with­out him is hidden and obscure: and therefore the same Apostle imme­diately after saith: But when thou shalt turn to Christ the veil shall be taken away, vers. 16. but he doth not say that the Law or the Old Testament shall be taken away: they are not therefore taken away by our Lords grace, as though un­profitable things lay hidden and were covered there, but rather the [Page 30]veil or cover is taken away, where­with wholesome and profitable things were covered and kept close. This is the benefit which they reap and receive, who with a studious and a devout mind, and not with a trou­bled and wicked spirit, do seek after the sense of those Scriptures: and both the order of things, and the causes of what is said and done, and so great an accord of the Old Testa­ment with the New, even to the last tittle, and so great mysteries and se­crets of figures are clearly and plain­ly demonstrated and shewn: that all the things that are found out by in­terpreting them, may enforce men to confesse and grant that they are mi­serable and wretched, that will con­demn these things, before they have attained to the knowledge of them.

Touching those words of the A­postle: The letter killeth, but the spirit quickneth, as they are here ex­pounded [Page 31]by S. Augustine, he pas­seth this judgement, that he did more conveniently in his opinion ex­pound them in his book De Spiritu & Litera, though this sense is not to be rejected. Lib. 1. Retract. c. 14.

CHAP. IV. Of three wayes whereby men fall into errour.

THat for the present the depth and profoundneste of know­ledge and science being set aside, I may so treat with thee, as I think I ought to treat with my familiar friend, that is, as well as I can, but not so well as I have admired to see very learned men been able to do: there be three kinds of errout into which men may fall when they reade any thing; I will speak of every one of them. The first kind is, when [Page 32]that is thought to be true which in­deed is false, and was thought to be so by the Authour that wrote it. The second kind not being of so large an extent, yet no lesse damage­able and hurtfull then the former, is, when that which is false, is thought to be true, and was thought to be so by the Authour that wrote it. The third kind, is, when some truth is learned out of another mans wri­ting, which the Authour himself that wrote it, understood not: in which kind there is no small profit, yea if thou dost consider it attentively thou shalt find that the Reader gains unto himself the whole profit of the rea­ding. An example of the first kind is this: If any one should say and believe that Rhadamanthus hear­eth and judgeth in hell the causes of the dead, because he read it in Vir­gils verses; for this man erres two manner of wayes: first, for that he [Page 33]believeth that which he ought not to believe; and secondly, for that the Authour which he read, is not thought to have believed it. An ex­ample of the second kind may be this: because Lucretius writes, that the soul is made of atomes, and that after death it is dissolved into the same atomes and perisheth, if any one should think that this is true, and that he ought to believe it: for this man is not lesse unhappy for perswading himself certainly in so great a matter that to be true, which indeed is false, for that Lucretius, by whose books he was deceived, was of that opinion; for what doth it avail him to be certain of the Au­thours opinion, when as he hath made choise of such an authour, not by whom, but with whom he might erre and be deceived? An example of the third kind is this: if any one having read some place in Epicurus [Page 34]his works wherein he praiseth con­tinency, should affirm, That he pla­ced the chiefest good and felicity in Virtue; and that therefore he ought not to be blamed nor reprehended; now though Epicurus believes that the chiefest happinesse of man con­sists in corporall pleasures, yet what prejudice doth this man receive and sustain by his errour, when as he holds not so filthy and hurtfull an opinion, nor for any other cause is he pleased with Epicurus, but for that he conceives him not to have held so bad an opinion as ought not indeed to have been held and maintained? this errour, is not onely humane and pardonable, but also oftentimes most worthy of a man: for what if a man should make me this relati­on touching one of my loving friends, that my friend when he was come to mans estate, told him in the hearing of many, that his in­fancy [Page 35]and childhood had been so pleasing and delightfull unto him, that even he swore he would lead such a life afterwards: and that I had received such certain proofs of the truth of this matter, that I could not without shame and impu­dency deny it: should I seem wor­thy of blame and reproof, if I should think that when he said this, he meant and intended to signifie thereby, that he took much delight in an innocent life, and a mind ali­enated from those appetites and de­sires wherewith mankind is wont to be involved, and thereupon my love and affection towards him should be much increafed, although perhaps the young man having been foolish in his tender age, had great­ly affected a certain liberty in play­ing and eating and sluggish rest? for suppose he had died after I had received this relation touching him, [Page 36]and no body could be found that could tell me what his judgement and opinion was herein: would a­ny one be so mischievous and wic­ked as to fall out and be angry with me for praising his resolution and intention according to the intel­ligence which had been delivered and imparted unto me? Yea what if a just valuer and esteemer of things should perhaps make no difficulty to praise and commend my good will and opinion, for that I was taken and delighted with in­nocency, and being a man would rather frame a good conceit of an­other man in a doubtfull matter, even when he spake otherwise then he ought to have done?

CHAP. V, Of the truth of the Holy Scripture.

NOw thou hast heard the three kinds of errour into which men may fall that reade any thing: hear also so many conditions and differ­ences of the same Scriptures, for it is necessary that so many do occurre; for either some one hath written a profitable work, and another doth not rightly and profitably under­stand it: or the writer and the reader have both bestowed their labours unprofitably; or the reader doth well and rightly understand, but the Authours work is uselesse and un­profitable. Of these three kinds the first I disallow not, the last I esteem not: for whether can I blame an Au­thour whose work is not well and rightly understood, if he be no way guilty of that fault, nor can I be [Page 38]troubled to see an Authour read that hath not known the truth, when I see that his readers do receive no hurt nor prejudice thereby: where­fore, there is one kind that is most approved, and is most purged and cleansed from errour, which is, when not onely good works are set forth, but are also well and rightly under­stood by their readers; yet notwith­standing that also is divided into two kinds, and it is not wholly free from errour: for it happeneth often­times that the writer hath a good meaning, and the reader hath fo too, but another then he, and oftentimes a better conceit, oftentimes a lower, and yet one that is commodious and profitable: but when as we attain to the true sense and meaning of the Authour which we reade; and the work much conduceth to the leading of a good life, the truth appears a­bundantly therein, and there is no [Page 39]gap nor passage that lies open to falshood and deceit. This kind is very seldome to be found, when the discourse is about things that are ex­tremely hard and obscure; neither in my opinion can it be clearly and ma­nifestly known, but onely be belie­ved: for by what proofs or argu­ments can I so perfectly gather what the will of a man is, that is absent or dead, that I can swear and take my oath what it is: when as if he were asked, even being present there might be many things which he might most officiously conceal and hide, al­though he were not a wicked man? but to know the quality of the Au­thour I think it nothing avails to the knowledge of the matter: yet ne­verthelesse he highly deserves to be reputed and esteemed to be a good man, who by his books and writings affords great assistance unto man­kind and to posterity. Now I would [Page 40]have the Manichees to tell me in which kind they place the errour (which they conceive) of the Ca­tholick Church. If in the first it is a grievous fault indeed, but we need not seek farre to know how to defend it; for it is sufficient to deny that we understand it, as they conceive, when they inveigh against it. If in the se­cond, it is no lesse grievous, but the same words will serve to confute it. If in the third, it is no fault at all. Go to then, and hereafter consider the Scriptures themselves: for what do they object against the books which are called the Old Testament? do they say that they are good, but that we do not well and rightly un­derstand them? but they themselves receive them not. Do they say that they are neither good, nor rightly understood by us? but this is suffi­ciently convinced by the former de­fense; or will they say, that we right­ly [Page 41]understand them, but that the books be naught? what is this, but to acquit and absolve their living ad­versaries, with whom they are in de­bate, and to accuse those that are for­merly dead, with whom they have no contention nor strife? Verily I do believe that all the works which those men left to posterity, were pro­fitably written, and that they were great and very holy men, and that that Law was made and published by Gods will and command: and although my skill and knowledge be but very little in books of that kind, yet this I can easily prove to be true unto one that bears an equall and an impartiall, and not an obsti­nate and a refractory mind; and I will do it, when thou wilt afford me an attentive and a courteous hearing, and mine own occasions will per­mit. But now is it not sufficient for me, howsoever that businesse goes, [Page 42]not to have been beguiled nor de­ceived.

CHAP. VI. That the holy Scripture is first to be loved before it can be learned.

O Honoratus, I call mine own conscience and God, who in­habits pure fouls, to witnesse, that I judge and esteem nothing to be more wise, nothing more chaste, nothing more religious then all those Scri­ptures be, which under the name of the Old Testament, are held and em­braced by the Catholick Church. I know thou admirest to hear me talk thus, for I cannot disguise nor dis­semble the matter, we have been ex­horted and perswaded to believe far otherwise: but truly, a rasher act cannot be committed (rashnesse be­ing a fault unto which we were ad­dicted [Page 43]being yet but children) then to forsake the judgement of the Ex­positours of any kind of books, who professe that they can receive them, and can teach and deliver them to their disciples: and to require their judgement and opinion of them, who being constrained, I know not for what cause have denounced a most sharp and bitter warre against their authours and compilers? and that I may speak of those sciences wherein perhaps a Reader may erre without any heinous crime or of­fence, who ever thought that the exposition of the profound and ob­scure books of Aristotle ought to be received from his enemy? or who being desirous to learn the Ge­ometry of Archimedes, would take Epicurus to be his master, against which he disputed very stiffely and eagerly, and yet (as I conceive) he understood nothing thereof? Are [Page 44]those Scriptures of the law most plain and easie against which they proceed with violence in vain and to no pur­pose, as though they were exposed and lay open to the capacity of the common people? I think these men are like to that woman which they themselves do laugh at and deride, who being angry to hear the prai­ses of the sunne, and to have it recom­mended unto her by a certain Mani­chean woman to be worshipped, as she was religiously simple, starts up upon a sudden, and stamping often upon the place, which the sunne with his beams had enlightned thorough a window, began to cry out, Be­hold I contemn and tread under foot the sunne and thy God. That this was done altogether foolishly, and like unto a woman, no man can deny: but do not those men seem to resemble her, who casting forth vi­olent speeches and curses against the [Page 45]things they understand not, neither why they were written, nor what manner of things they be (which seem as though they were low and contemptible, but to them that, un­derstand them they are subtile and divine) think to receive some bene­fit thereby, because unskilfull men do countenance and applaud them? believe me whatsoever is contained in those Scriptures is high and di­vine: there is truth altogether in them, and most fit instruction both for the amending and reforming mens minds: and it is certainly so well digested and ordered, that eve­ry one may receive from thence that which is sufficient for himself, if he comes prepared to take it with such piety and devotion, as true Religi­on doth require. Should I go about to prove this unto thee I must al­ledge many reasons, and entertain thee with a longer discourse: for [Page 46]first I must perfwade thee not to hate the Authours themselves, and then to love them: and this I must effect by any other means, rather then by expounding their opinions and their writings: and therefore if we did hate Virgil, yea if we did not love him upon the commendati­on of our Predecessours before we understood him, we should never be satisfied in those innumerable que­stions touching him wherewith Grammarians are wont to be much perplexed and troubled: nor should we give eare to any man that could resolve those questions to his honour and praise, but we should give coun­tenance and shew favour unto him who by those questions would en­deavour to shew that he erred and doted; but now when as many men do labour to expound them, and that after divers manners, and every one according to his skill and abi­lity, [Page 47]they receive the chiefest com­mendation and applause, by whose expositions he is found to be a bet­ter Poet, and he is conceived and believed even by those that under­stand him not, not onely to have committed no fault nor errour, but to have said nothing which doth not deserve much glory and praise: and therefore if a Master fails but in a small question, and knows not what to answer, we are rather angry and offended with him, then we will conceive that by any fault commit­ted by Maro he is silent and dumb: but if a Master should in his own defence, affirm that so great an Au­thour hath committed a fault, he would loose so much credit and re­putation thereby, that his scholars would hardly continue with him e­ven though he should hyre them with wages and rewards. How great a matter were it for us to give [Page 48]so much credit to those Writers by whose mouthes the Holy Ghost hath spoken as Antiquity confirmed by a long continuance doth testifie and declare? but we forsooth being very wise young men, and wonder­full searchers of reasons, not having so much as perused those books, nor sought out Masters to expound them unto us, nor somewhat accu­sed our own slownesse herein, nor held them to have any judgement or understanding who affirmed that those works had for a long time been read, kept and expounded thorough the whole world, though that no credit was to be given unto them, being moved by their words, who were their enemies and offend­ed with them, by whom we were enforced with a false promise of rea­son to believe and embrace unheard of millions of fables and tales.

CHAP. VII. That we ought not to judge rash­ly of the holy Scriptures: and how and with what care and diligence the true Religion is to be sought for.

BUt now if I can, I will ac­complish that which I have begun, and I will treat with thee after such a sort, that in the mean time I will not expound the Ca­tholick Faith, but I will shew un­to them that have a care of their souls some hope of divine fruit, and of finding out the Truth, to the end they may search out the great mysteries and secrets of Faith. He that seeks after the true Re­ligion, doth without doubt ei­ther believe already that the Soul is immortall, unto whom [Page 50]that Religion may be commodious and profitable, or he desires to find her to be so in the same Religion; and therefore all Religion is for the souls sake: for the nature of the bo­dy howsoever it doth put him to no care and solicitude, especially after death, whose soul hath taken a course by which it may become blessed. Wherefore true Religion if there be any, was either onely one chiefly in­stituted for the souls sake: and this soul erres and is foolish, as we see un­till she gets and possesses wisdome, and that perhaps is the true Religion, if I seek out and enquire the cause of her erring, I find it to be a thing which is extremely hidden and ob­scure. But do I send thee to fables? or do I enforce thee to believe any thing rashly? I say our soul being entangled and drowned in errour and folly, seeks after the way of ven­ty and truth, if there be any such to [Page 51]be found, if thou findest not thy self thus inclined and disposed, pardon me, and make me I pray thee, parta­ker of thy wisdome: but if thou doest, let us, I beseech thee, both to­gether seek out the truth. Imagine with thy self that no not ce had as yet been given unto us, nor no insi­nuation made unto us of any Reli­gion what soever. Behold we under­take a new work, and a new busi­nesse. Professours of Religion are I believe to be sought for, if there be no such thing. Suppose then that we have found men of divers opinions, and in that diversity seeking to draw every one unto them; but that in the mean time, some amongst these do surpasse the rest in renown of fame, and in the possession of almost all people. Whether they embrace the truth or no it is a great question; but are they not first to be examined and tried, that so long as we erre (for as [Page 52]men we are subject to errour) we may seem to erre with mankind it self? but thou wilt say, Truth is to be found but amongst a few certain men: if thou knowest amongst whom it is, why then thou knowest already what it is. Did not I say a little be­fore that we would seek after the truth, as though we were yet igno­rant thereof? but if by the force of truth thou doest conjecture that there be but few that embrace it, and yet thou knowest not who they be, what if those few do lead and rule the multitude by their authority, and can dive into the secrets and myste­ries of faith, and can make them in a manner plain and manifest? do we not see how few attain to the height of eloquence, and yet the schools of Rhetoricians do make a great noise throughout the whole world, with companies of young men? Do all those that desire to become good [Page 53]oratours, being terrified with the multitude of unskilfull men, think that they ought to addict themselves rather to the studie of the orations of Coccilius and Erucius, then to those of Tullius Cicero? all men affect the things that are strengthened and con­firmed by the authority of their an­cestours. The simple sort of people endeavours to learn those things which a few learned men have deli­vered unto them to be learned: but very few there be that attain unto great eloquence, fewer there be that practise it, but fewest of all that grow eminent and are famous. What if true Religion be some such thing? what if a multitude of ignorant people frequents the Churches, it is no proof nor argument, that there­fore none are made perfect by those mysteries? and yet if so few should studie eloquence, as there are few that become eloquent, our parents [Page 54]would never think it fit to have us recommended unto such masters. When as therefore the multitude, which abounds with a number of un­skilfull people, invites us to these stu­dies, and makes us earnestly to affect that which few do obtain, why will we not admit that we have the like cause in Religion, the which perad­venture we contemne and despise to the great perill and hazard of our souls? for if the most true and most sincere worship of God, though it be but amongst a few, yet it is a­mongst those with whom the multi­tude, though wholly addicted to their appetites and desires, and farre from the purity of knowledge and understanding, doth consent and a­gree, which without all doubt may come to passe: I ask, what answer are we able to give, if any one should reprove our rashnes & folly, for that having a great care to find out the [Page 55]true Religion, we do not diligently search it out amongst the masters and teachers thereof? if I should say the multitude hath discouraged me. Why then hath it not disheartened men from the study of the liberall sciences which hardly yields any profit to this present life? why not from seeking after money and getting wealth? why not from obtaining dignities and ho­nours? moreover, why not from reco­vering and preserving health? finally, why not from the desire of a blessed & an happy life? in all which affairs though many men be imployed, yet few there be that are eminent and excell. You will say that the books of the Old Testament seemed to con­tain absurd things. Who are they that affirm it? namely enemies, for what cause or reason they did it, is not now the question; but yet they were enemies, you will say when you read them you understood so much [Page 56]by your own reading. Is it so in­deed? if thou hadst no skill in Poe­trie at all, thou durst not take in hand Terentianus Maurus without a master; Asper, Cornutus, Donatus, and a multitude of other Authours are thought requisite for the under­standing of any Poet, whose verses deserve no greater esteem then the approbation and applause of a stage: and thou without a guide doest un­dertake to reade those books, and without a master darest passe thy judgement upon them, which, how­soever they be, are notwithstanding by the confession of almost all man­kind, published to be holy and re­plenished with divine matters: nor if thou findest some things therein which seem unto thee absurd, dost thou rather accuse the dulnesse of thy wit, and thy mind corrupted with the infection of this world (as the minds of all fools are) then those [Page 57]books which peradventure by such kind of men cannot be well concei­ved and understood. Thou shouldst do well to seek out a man both pious and learned, or one that is esteemed and reputed so to be, by the appro­bation and consent of many; by whose instructions thou mightest be­come better, and more expert and skilfull by his learning. Such an one (saist thou) was not easie to be found: it would be some labour and trouble to seek him. There was none such in the land wherein thou didst dwell. If so, what cause could more profitably enforce thee to travell? if he lay hid in the continent or firm land, or were not there at all; thou shouldst sail beyond sea: if he were not there to be found by the shore, thou shouldest make a voyage even unto those lands, wherein the things which are contained in those books are said and reported to have been [Page 58]done. O Honoratus have we done any such thing? and yet when we were but most wretched and silly boyes we did at our own pleasure, and in our own judgement, condemn a Religion, and that perhaps a most holy one (for I speak, as yet, as though some doubt were to be made thereof) whose fame and renown hath already possessed the whole world. What if the things which seem in those Scriptures offensive to some that are ignorant and unskil­full, be for this cause so written and set down, that when such things are read as agree not with the sense of all sorts of men, but much lesse with theirs that are holy and wise, we may with more care and diligence seek out a secret and hidden meaning thereof? doest thou not see how men labour to interpret the pastorall Ca­tamite, upon whom the rough shep­herd poured out his affections: and [Page 59]how they affirm that the boy Alex­is (upon whom Plato is also said to have made some love-verses) signi­fies I know not what great and my­sterious matter, but that it surpasseth the judgement and understanding of unskilfull men: when as indeed that Poet abounding in his inventions may without any detestable crime or offence be conceived to have pub­lished lascivious songs? but were we indeed hindred and withdrawn from seeking out the true Religion, either by the publishing of some law a­gainst it, or by the power of them that oppose it, or by the contempt­ible shew and appearance of men de­dicated to the service of God, or by any base or dishonest report; or by the newnesse of the institution, or by some hidden profession thereof? No, no, none of these things did with­draw and hinder us: all laws both divine and humane do permit men to [Page 60]seek out the Catholick faith, and certainly it is lawfull according to humane law to hold & embrace it, if so long as we erre, we be uncertain of the divine law. We have no enemie that puts any fright or terrour into our weaknes: although truth and the salvation of our souls, if it be sought after, where it is lawful to seek it with most safety; and it cannot be found, ought to be enquired for with any danger and hazard whatsoever; the degrees of all powers & dignities do most devoutly impart their service unto this sacred and divine worship: and the very name of Religion is most honourable, and hath a very great esteem and renown. What hindereth us then at last to seek out carefully, and to examine with a pi­ous and diligent search, whether here be that truth which though few do know and retain after the sincerest manner, yet the favour and good will of all nations doth conspire [Page 61]therein? All this being so, imagine (as I said) that we now make our first enquiry what Religion we ought to embrace both for the clean­sing and reforming of our souls. Without doubt we must take our be­ginning from the Catholick Church, for there are now more Christians then if the Jews were joyned with the worshippers of idols. And where­as of the same Christians there be divers heresies, and all would have themselves thought to be Catholicks, and do call others besides themselves hereticks; the Church is one, as all do grant, greater in multitude, if thou considerest the whole world and (as those that know do affirm) more sincere in truth then all the rest; but as for truth it is another question. But that which is sufficient for those that seek it, is, that the Catholick Church is one upon which other here­sies do impose divers names, when as [Page 62]every one of them is called by its pro­per name, which it dares not deny; whereby we may understand by the judgement of Arbitratours not hindred by any favour, unto whom the name Catholick, which all seek after, ought to be attributed. But lest that any one should think that this thing ought to be debated with much babling or superfluous dis­course, there is one Church indeed wherein even the humane Laws are after a sort Christian. Yet I will have no preocupation of judgement to be drawn from hence but I judge it to be a most fit beginning for the seeking out of the truth. For there is no fear least the true worship of God relying upon no proper force of its own, should seem to stand in need to be upheld and supported by them whom it ought to sustain and support: but certainly it were a per­fect happinesse, if the Truth could [Page 63]there be found, where with most fe­curity it may be sought and retain­ed: but if it cannot, it ought to be sought for in another place, what danger and perill soever be in­curred.

CHAP. VIII. Of the way to the instruction of pi­ety, and of the wonderfull paint Saint Augustine took to find it out.

HAving thus resolved and de­termined these things, which in my opinion are so right and just, that I ought to prevail in that cause with thee, whosoever were against it: I will recount unto thee as well as I can, what course I took to find out the true Religion, when as I sought it with such a mind and re­solution as I have now declared that it ought to be sought for. When I [Page 64]was departed from thee beyond the Sea, now staggering and doubting what I ought to embrace and what to reject (which doubting daily en­creased in me from the time that I gave ear unto that man, whose coming unto us, was as thou know­est) promised as from heaven, for the resolving of all the difficulties wherewith we were troubled, and I knew him to be a man like other men, but onely that he was eloquent, I held a great debate and deliberati­on with my self being now in Italy, not whether I should continue in that sect into which I was sorry and grieved that I had faln, but by what means I might find out the truth, for the love whereof thou canst bear me witnesse, how I sighed and groaned. I was often of an opinion that it could not be found out, and the great waves of my thoughts and cogitations moved me to assent [Page 65]to the Academicks. Oftentimes a­gain when I considered as well as I could, that the mind of man is en­dued with such vivacity and natu­rall strength, with such wisdome and sharpnesse of wit, and with such quicknesse of judgement and understanding, I did not think that Truth could lye hidden and be concealed, but onely that the manner of Seeking it was hid­den and unknown, and that that manner was to be received from some Divine Authority, it re­mained that I should enquire what that Authority was, when as in so great Dissensions and diversi­ty of Opinions every one did pro­mise that he would Teach and de­liver it. Whereupon there oc­curred unto me an intricate Wood or Labyrinth into which it was very tedious and irksome to en­ter; and my mind remaining rest­lesse [Page 66]amongst these things, was tos­sed to and fro with a great desire of finding out the truth: yet never­thelesse by little and little I brake off from their company more and more whom I had already purpo­sed to forsake, and there was no­thing now remaining in so great pe­rils and dangers, but that with tears and pittifull words, I should beseech the Divine Providence to assist and help me; and this I did deliver gent­ly and carefully, and now I was al­most shaken by some disputations had with the Bishop of Millan S. Ambrose, l. 5. conf. c. 14. so that not without some hope I desi­red to enquire many things touching the Old Testament, which (as thou knowest) being discommended and dispraised unto us we abhorred and detested. And I had resolved to re­main so long a Catechumen in the Church unto which I was delivered [Page 67]by my parents, untill I could find out that which I desired, or could perswade my self that it ought not to be sought for. Wherefore if there had been any one then, that could have taught me, he might have found me a most apt schollar and very docible. After this man­ner and with the like care and an­xiety of thy soul thou seest that thou hast been long troubled and afflicted, and if thou seemest to thy self to have been already sufficiently tossed, and wouldest make an end of these labours and pains: Follow the way of the Catholick Discipline, which hath proceeded from Christ himself by his Apostles even unto us, and from hence shall descend and be con­veyed to posterity.

CHAP. IX. Of Credulity.

THou sayest my advice is foolish and ridiculous, seeing that all men do make it their profession to embrace and deliver Catholick do­ctrine. That all Hereticks do pro­fesse this I cannot deny, but after such a manner, that unto those which they entice and allure unto them, they promise to give a reason for the most hidden and most obscure things: and chiefly for this cause they blame and reprehend the Catholick Church, because those that approch and come unto her are commanded to believe: but they glory and boast that they impose not upon their followers the yoke of Faith and Believing, but o­pen unto them the fountain it self of teaching and instruction. What (sayst thou) could be uttered or spo­ken [Page 69]more redounding to their praise and commendation? It is not so. This they promise having no power nor ability to perform it, but that by the name and pretence of reason they may winne and allure much compa­ny unto them; for the soul of man naturally rejoyceth at the promise of reason, and not having regard to her own forces and weaknesse, by a desire she hath to eat the meats of those that are in health (which are not prudently given to the infirm) she hastily falls upon the poyson of the deceivers. But as for true Reli­gion it can by no means be well and rightly received without some weighty command and force of au­thority, unlesse those things be first believed, which every one may af­terwards attain unto, and learn if he carries himself well, and be thought worthy of it. Perhaps thou requirest some reason hereof, whereby thou [Page 70]mayst be induced and perswaded to believe that thou oughtest not sooner to be taught by reason, then by Faith and Belief. Which I can easily give unto thee, if thou wilt ac­cept and receive it from me with an equall and impartiall mind. But that it may commodiously be done, I would have thee as it were answer to such questions as I shall propose unto thee. And first of all I would have thee to tell me: why dost thou conceive that we ought not to Be­lieve? Because (sayst thou) credu­lity it self, from whence men are called credulous, seems unto me to be a certain vice, else it would not be a custome to object this name by way of reproch. For if a suspiti­ous man be culpable and faulty, be­cause he suspects things not certain­ly known: much more doth a cre­dulous man deserve to be blamed, who differs herein from a suspicious [Page 71]man, that he that is suspitious ma­keth some doubt in unknown things, but he that is credulous makes none at all. In the mean time I admit of this opinion and this distinction; but thou knowest also that we do not say a man is curious but by way of taunt and reproch, but when we call a man studious, we speak it in his praise and commendation: where­fore if you please, mark what dif­ference you conceive to be between these two. Thou answerest, that although both be moved with a great desire of knowing, yet in this they differ, that the curious man en­quires after the things that belong not unto him, but the studious on the contrary after his own affairs. But we grant that a wife and children and their welfare do belong unto a man, and therefore if any one being gone a farre off out of his native soile should make a diligent enquiry [Page 72]of those that come from his parts, how his wife and children do, he hath certainly a great desire to know it, and yet we call not this a studious man, although he be desirous to know, and even those things which do chiefly belong and appertain un­to him. Wherefore now thou under­standest that that definition of a studious man is herein defective and imperfect: that every studious man desires to know the things that be­long unto him, but that every man that hath such a desire ought not to be called a studious man; but he who exceedingly seeks after the things which belong to excellent breeding, and to the adorning of the mind, we rightly call (in La­tine) a Student, that is, a desirous man, especially if we adde what he desires to hear. For we call one also studious of his friends, that loves his friends onely: yet neverthelesse we [Page 73]think him not worthy of the com­mon name of studious men without any addition. But one that desires to know how his friends do. I would not call him studious or desirous of hearing, unlesse having a good fame and credit he should often desire to hear the same thing, but if he should but once desire to hear it, I would call him a Student or desiring man. Now reflect upon a curious man, and tell me whether if any one should willingly hear a short tale not conducing at all unto his profit, that is, of things not belonging unto him, and this not with great eager­nesse and often, but very seldome and very modestly, either in some banquet, or in some meeting or as­sembly, wouldest thou think him to be a curious man? I conceive not, but truly he that hath a care of that thing which he would willingly hear might seem indeed to be so. Where­fore [Page 74]the definition also of a curious man ought to be corrected by the same Rule as is that of a studi­ous man. And therefore consider also, whither the things former­ly spoken ought to be amended. For why is he not unworthy of the name of a suspitious man, who sometimes suspecteth something, and he of a credulous man that sometimes believeth something? Wherefore as there is a very great difference between one that is desi­rous of any thing, and one that is altogether studious, and again be­tween one that hath a care of a thing, and one that is curious: so is there between a believing man and a credulous man.

CHAP. X. Why credulity is the way to Religion.

BUt thou wilt say, Now see whi­ther we ought to believe in Re­ligion. For neither if we grant it to be one thing to believe, another to be credulous, doth it follow, that it is no fault to believe in matters of Re­ligion: for what if it be a fault both to believe and to be credulous, as it is both to be drunk and to be a drunkard? whosoever thinks this to be certainly true, can in my opinion have no friend at all. For if it be a thing unreasonable to believe any thing, either he commits a foul fault that gives credit to his friend; or if he believes him not, I see not how he can call himself a friend, or the other. Here peradventure thou wilt say, I grant that something ought some­times to be believed: now declare [Page 76]how in Religion it is not a thing un­reasonable to believe any thing be­fore we know it, or understand it. I will if I can. Wherefore I ask thee, which doest thou conceive to be the greater fault, to instruct an unwor­thy person in Religion, or to believe that which is said by the instructours and teachers thereof? if thou under­standest not whom I call an unwor­thy person: such an one I mean as comes to receive and embrace Reli­gion with a feigned and dissembling heart. Thou grantest, as I conceive, that it is a thing more worthy of blame to expound to such an one the holy mysteries of faith, then to give credit to religious men, affirming something of Religion it self. Nei­ther would it become thee to give another answer. Wherefore now ima­gine with thy self, that the man were present who is to instruct thee in point of Religion: how wilt thou [Page 77]make him believe that thou comest with a true and an unfeigned mind, and that thou usest no deceit nor dis­simulation in this businesse? thou wilt say that upon thy good conscience thou feignest nothing, assuring it with all the words thou canst use, but yet with words. For being a man thou caust not so open the corners and se­crets of thy mind to another man, that he may know thee inwardly. And if he shall say: Behold I do believe thee: but is it not more fit that thou also shouldst give credit unto me, seeing that if I hold and embrace any truth, thou art to receive the benefit thereof, and I to impart it? What answer shall we give, but that he ought to be believed? but saist thou, Had it not been better to alledge reason unto me, that I might follow it without any rashnesse whi­thersoever it should lead me? Per­haps it had been: but seeing that it [Page 78]is so great a matter for thee to know God by reason, doest thou think that all men are capable of understand­ing the reasons whereby the mind of man is led to the knowledge of di­vine things or the greater part of them, or but a few? I think, thou sayst but a few. Doest thou believe that thou art in that number? Thou saist, It is not my part to answer to that question. Thou thinkest then that it is his part also to believe thee in this matter: which he doth in­deed. Onely let me put thee in mind, that he hath already twice given credit unto thee, speaking uncertain things: and that thou wouldest not so much as once believe him, when he religiously warned and admo­nished thee. But suppose this to be so, and that thou comest with a sin­cere mind to embrace Religion, and that being one of those few men, thou canst understand the reasons by [Page 79]which the divine power is certainly known, doest thou think that Religi­on is to be denied to other men, that have not so great wits and judge­ments as thou hast? or doest thou conceive that by little and little they ought to be led by certain degrees to those chiefest secrets? thou plainly seest what course of proceeding is the more religious. For thou canst not think that any man ought by any means to be forsaken or rejected in the desire and affection of so great a matter. But art not thou of opinion, that unlesse a man first believes, that he shall attain unto that which he in­tended, and bears an humble and a suppliant mind, and being obedient to certain great and necessary pre­cepts, be very well purged and made clean by a certain course of life, he cannot otherwise obtain those things that are purely true? indeed thou thinkest so. If then they, who by [Page 80]certain reason can most easily con­ceive the divine mysteries, (one of which sort I believe thee to be) should proceed in this way, wherein those walk that first do believe, would they receive any hurt there­by? I think not. But yet thou saist, what necessity is there of delay? be­cause, although by their proceedings they shall not prejudice themselves at all, yet they will endamage others by their example. For there is hard­ly any one, that hath so high a con­ceit of himself as he can have; and he that thinks too humbly of him­self, ought to be raised up, and he that thinks too high, ought to be repres­sed, that neither the one may be overcome by despair, nor the other cast down headlong by boldnesse and presumption. Which is easily brought to passe, if even those that are able to flie, should a little be en­forced to go, lest any should be dan­gerously [Page 81]invited thereunto, and there­by also a sufficient care may be had of others. This is the Providence of true Religion: this God himself hath appointed and commanded: this hath been delivered by our Prede­cessours of happy memory, this hath been observed even untill our dayes; to go about to overthrow this order, is nothing else but to seek out a sacrilegious way to true Reli­gion. Which whosoever do, cannot attain unto that which they intend; though that be granted them which they desire. For howsoever they sur­passe and excell in wit, unlesse the di­vine Majesty doth aid and assist them, they creep upon the ground. Which assistance he then affords when they that tend and walk to­wards him, have a care to proceed according to the course of humane society. Then which degree and step towards heaven nothing can be found [Page 82]more firm and stable. Verily, such is the force and efficacy of this rea­son, that I cannot resist it, for how can I say, that nothing ought to be believ­ed unlesse it be known? besides all friendship is taken away unlesse some­thing may be believed which cannot be demonstrated and proved by cer­tain reason: and oftentimes without offence credit may be given to such stewards as are servants to Lords. But in matters of Religion what can be done that is more unreasonable and unjust, then that Gods Prelates should believe us, when we promise that we come to embrace Religion with an unfeigned mind; and we re­fuse to give credit unto them, when they teach and instruct us? Finally, what way can be more wholesome and profitable, then by believing those things which God hath ap­pointed as preparatives for the culti­vating and adoring the mind to be [Page 83]first disposed, and made fit to un­derstand and receive the truth? or if thou beest already sufficiently dispo­sed thereunto, rather to go a little a­bout, where thou maist walk with the greatest safety, then both to be the Authour of danger to thy self, and an example of temerity, and rashnesse unto others.

CHAP. XI. Of Ʋnderstanding Belief and Opinion.

VVE have shewed already how without offence we may follow those that command us to believe: it remains that we consi­der for what cause they are not to be followed that promise to conduct and lead us by reason. Some are of opinion that they can hearken and give eare to these promisers of rea­son, not onely without any blame or [Page 84]dispraise; but also with some com­mendation and praise; but it is not so, for there be two sorts of persons that deserve praise in point of Reli­gion: the one which hath already found out the true Religion, which we ought to judge most happy and blessed: the other which with the greatest care, and after the rightest manner, doth seek after it: the first sort is now in possession of it, the se­cond is in the way, by which not­withstanding most certainly they will arrive at it. There be three o­ther kinds of men which are indeed to be misliked and detested. The first is, of those that are opinative, that is, who think they know that which they know not. The second is, of those who truly do perceive their own ignorance, but do not so seek that they may find. The third is of those that neither think they know, nor have any will or desire to [Page 85]seek. There are also three things in the minds of men, near as it were the one unto the other, most worthy to be distinguished, to understand, to believe, and to think. Of which, if they be considered by themselves, the first is alwaies without offence, the second sometimes faultie, the third never without a fault; and this we ought to reserve to the same beati­tude and felicity. For in this life how much soever a man knows, his know­ledge doth not as yet make him most blessed, for that there be in­comparably more things whereof he is ignorant. For to understand great and worthy, and divine things it is a most blessed thing. But it is not hurt full to understand superfluous things, but perhaps it was prejudicial to learn them, when as they took up the time of necessary things. Also it is not a miserable thing to understand hurt­full things, but to do or suffer them. [Page 86]For if any one understands how his enemie may be slain without endan­gering himself, he becomes not guil­ty by understanding it, if he desires it not: yea if he be free from such a desire, who is more innocent and guiltlesse then he? In believing a man is then to blame, when either he believes some unworthy thing of God, or gives too facile and easie credit unto the things reported of man. But in other things, if a man believes any thing, he commits no fault by believing, though he under­stnnds that he knows not the thing which he believes. For I believe that in times past, most wicked conspira­tours were put to death by the power and authority of Cicero: but this I do not ogely not know, but also I know assuredly that I can by no means attain unto the knowledge thereof, To be opinative or to be led by opinion, is for two causes an un­seemly [Page 87]thing: First, because he can­not learn a thing, if it be to be learn­ed, that hath perswaded himself that he knows it already. And secondly, for that rashnesse is of it self a sign or token of an ill disposed minde. For although any one thinks that he knows that which I said touching Cicero (as there is nothing that can hinder him from learning it) yet be­cause he can have no certain know­ledge of it, and for that he under­stands not, That there is a great dif­ference, whither any thing be com­prehended by certain reason of mind, which we say is to understand, or whither it be committed to common fame or writing, to be profitably believed by posterity, he erres in­deed; and there is no errour but hath its foulnesse and deformity. Where­fore that we understand we attribute it to reason: that we believe, to au­thority; and that we are opinative, [Page 88]to errour and mistaking: but eve­ry one that understands doth also believe: and so doth every one that is opinative: but not every one that believes, understands: and no man understands that is opinative. If therefore these three kinds be refer­red to those five sorts of men where­of we made mention a little before, to wit, to the two approved kinds which we put in the first place, and to the other three vicious kinds; we find that the first kind (which is those that are happy) doth believe truth it self: and that the second kind (which is those that are desi­rous and lovers of truth) doth be­lieve authority: in both which kinds the believers deserve praise. But in the first of the vicious kinds (that is of those that think they know that which they know not) there is in­deed a faulty credulity. The other two disallowed kinds (that is, both [Page 89]those that seek after truth with a de­spair of finding it out, and they that seek not after it) do believe nothing; and this is onely in things belonging to some doctrine or discipline, for how a man can believe nothing in the other actions of his life I under­stand not. Albeit even amongst those that affirm that in their actions they follow probable opinions, some there be that will seem rather not a­ble to know any thing, then to be­lieve nothing. For who doth not be­lieve that which he doth approve? Or how is that which they follow profitable, if it be not approved? Wherefore there may be two kinds of those that oppose the truth: the one that opposeth knowledge onely, and not faith: the other that con­demneth both the one and the other. But whither any can be found that use such proceedings in humane af­fairs, I am wholly ignorant. These [Page 90]things are spoken that we may un­derstand, that believing the things which we do not as yet fully know nor understand, we are vindicated and defended from the rashnesse and temerity of opinative men. As for them that say that we ought to be­lieve nothing, but that which we know, they have onely regard to the name of opinion, which I con­fesse is but base and ignominious: but if any one will consider atten­tively, that there is a very great dif­ference between these two things, whither a man thinks that he knows a thing, or whither being moved by some authority, he believes that which he understands that he knows not, he shall certainly shun and a­void the crime both of errour, inhu­manity and pride.

CHAP. XII. That it is the safest way to Be­lieve Wise men.

IF that which is not known ought not to be believed, I ask then how can children obey parents and embrace them with mutuall love and affection, whom they may be­lieve not to be their parents; for that who is their father, it cannot be known by reason, but it is believed upon the word and authority of the Mother: and as for the Mother, she often is not believed, but Mid­wives, Nurses and Servants: For if her child may be stoln from her and another put in the place, cannot she deceive being deceived? and yet not­withstanding we believe, and that without any doubt and staggering at all, that which we confesse we cannot know: and unlesse this were [Page 94]so, who sees not but that Piety the most holy tye and bond of man­kind would be violated and defiled by a most proud wickednesse and offence? For who, though he be a mad man, can think him worthy of blame, who doth perform his obli­ged duties unto those whom he be­lieves to be his parents, although in­deed they were not? On the con­trary, who will not think fit to have him cast out of the society of men, who will not love those which per­haps are his true parents, for fear lest he should love those that are false ones? Many arguments may be brought to shew that nothing at all remains safe and secure in humane society, if once we are resolved to believe nothing which we cannot know nor understand. But now hear that whereby I am confident I shall at the present more easily draw and perswade thee, that seeing the que­stion [Page 95]is concerning Religion, that is about the worship of God, and the knowledge of Divine things) those are lesse to be followed, and heark­ned unto, who most readily promi­sing reason, do forbid and prohibite us to believe. No man doubts, but that all men are either fools or wise men; I call not those wisemen here, that are prudent, ingenious, and witty, but those that are endued with as firm and certain a knowledge both of Divine and Humane things as man is capable to receive, and do lead their lives and frame their man­ners conformable thereunto: but as for others, how learned or unlearn­ed soever they be, or whither they deserve to be praised or dispraised for the manner of their lives, I re­pute and account them in the num­ber of fools: which being so, what man, though but of a slender under­standing doth not plainly see, that [Page 96]it is more wholesome and profita­ble for fools to obey the precepts and commands of wise men, then to frame and order their lives accor­ding to their own judgements and fancies? For every thing that is done, if it be not rightly done, it is a fault: nor can any thing be by any means rightly done, which doth not flow and proceed from right reason; now right reason is virtue it self; But amongst what sorts of men is virtue to be found, but in the mind of a wise man? wherefore the wiseman onely offends not; but every fool offends, unlesse it be in those actions wherein he doth obey a wise man; for such actions do pro­ceed from right reason, nor is the fool to be accounred Master (as I may say) of his own actions, he be­ing as it were but the instrument or servant of the wise man. Where­fore if it be better for all men not to [Page 97]offend then to offend: verily all fools would live better if they could be servants to wise men. And if this without doubt be fit and expedient in things of lesse moment, as in buy­ing or tilling a field, in marrying a wife, in the education and breeding of children, and finally in the man­aging of private affairs: much more is it expedient in matters of Religi­on. For Humane things are both more easie to be known then Di­vine: and in all things that are more holy and more excellent, we sinne so much the more grievously and dangerously, by how much we owe unto them a greater honour, re­verence and respect. Wherefore thou seest that from hence forth there remains nothing more for us to do, so long as we are fools, but, if we desire to lead a good and a religi­ous life, to seek out wise and pru­dent men, that by obeying of them [Page 98]we may not so much feel the domi­nion of folly, whilst it is in us, and at the length we may become wise men our selves.

CHAP. XIII. That Religion takes her beginning from Believing.

HEre again ariseth a question of great difficulty: for how [Page 99]shall we that are fools be able to find out a wise man, seeing that di­vers do indifferently challenge that name unto themselves, although al­most none dare presume to do it o­penly, when as they do so disagree amongst themselves about those things, in the knowledge whereof wisdome doth consist, that it is ne­cessary to think that either none of them are wise men, or that there is but one certain wiseman. But when a fool enquires who that is, truly I fee not by what means he can be plainly discerned and perceived: for a man cannot know any thing by any signs whatsoever, unlesse he knows the thing it self, whereof these be the signs; but a fool knows not wisdome. For wisdome is not like gold and silver and such like things, which thou mayest both know when thou seest, and yet not enjoy and possesse them: he that [Page 100]wants wisdome cannot see nor be­hold it with the eye of his mind: for all the things which we perceive with our corporall senses, are out­wardly proposed and presented unto us; and therefore we may behold strange and externall things with our eyes, albeit we have not any of the things, nor any thing of that kind: but that which is perceived by the understanding, is inwardly in the mind, and it is nothing else to have it, but to see and behold it. But a fool wants wisdome, and therefore knowes it not, for he cannot see it with his eyes; for he cannot see it and not have it: and he cannot have it and still continue and remain a fool: wherefore he knows it not, and whilst he knows it not, he cannot know it in another place: and there­fore no man so long as he remains a fool, can by most certain knowledge find out a wise man, by obeying of [Page 101]whose precepts and commands he may be freed from so great an evil as folly is. Now it is God onely that can give satisfaction to this mighty difficulty, and afford remedy for this great evil; and because our que­stion is about Religion, unlesse we both believe that there is a God, and that he gives assistance to hu­mane minds, we ought not indeed to inquire and seek for true Religion. For what do we desire to find out at length by so great an endeavour? What wish we to attain unto? Whither do we long to arrive? Is it unto that thing which we believe not to have a being, nor to belong and appertain unto us? Nothing is more perverse then such a mind. When thou durst not beg a favour of me, or with impudence durst crave one dost thou come to demand how Religion may be found out, when thou thinkest not that there is a God. [Page 102]and that we care not whither there be any or no? What if it be so great a matter, that unlesse it be diligently sought for, and with all might and power it cannot be found out? What if the extream difficulty of finding out the meaning and understanding of that which shall be found out doth vex and trouble the mind of the seeker? For what is more plea­sant and familiar to our eyes, then this light is? and yet after long ob­scurity and darknesse they cannot endure it. What is more fit and commodious for a body that is con­sumed and exhausted with sicknesse, then meat and drink? Yet we see that those that are upon recovery are restramed and kept back that they may not presume to feed so plentifully as well men do, lest by a full diet they should return to their former disease. I speak of those that are recovering their health: but [Page 103]what do we not enforce the sick men themselves to eat something? which is so great a trouble unto them, that certainly they would not obey us, did they not believe that they shall escape that sicknesse thereby. When therefore wilt thou settle thy self to a most painfull and laborious search? When wilt thou adventure to take so great care and labour upon thee, as this businesse doth deserve, when as thou dost not believe that there is any such thing as that which thou seekest? Wherefore it was rightly instituted and ordained by the ma­jesty of Catholick discipline, that before all things they should be in­duced and perswaded to believe, that come to receive and embrace Re­ligion.

CHAP. XIV. That Christ himself chiefly exa­cted belief.

SEeing my discourse is concerning those that desire to be called Christians. I pray tell me what rea­son can that heretick alledge unto me? What can he say to draw me from Believing, as from a rash and inconsiderate thing? If he com­mands me to believe nothing, then do I not believe that there is any true Religion in the world: and because I do not believe that there is any such thing, I do not seek after it. But he (as I conceive) will shew it to the seeker; For so it is written: He that seeks shall find. Wherefore I would not come to him that for­bids me to believe, unlesse I believed something. Is there any greater madnesse, then that I should dis­please [Page 105]them onely with a belief which is supported by no know­ledge, and yet that belief alone hath brought me to the self same man? What shall I say, but that all He­reticks do exhort us to believe Christ? Can they be more opposite and con­trary to themselves? Wherein they are to be pressed two manner of wayes. First they are to be asked, where is the reason which they pro­mised, where the reprehension and blaming of rashnesse, where the pre­sumption of science and knowledge? for if it be an absurd thing to believe anyone without reason, why dost thou expect, why dost thou go about to have me believe any one without rea­son, that I may more easily be led by thy reason? Will thy reason build any thing that is firm & stable upon the foundation of temerity & rashnesse? I speak according to them whom we discontent & displease by belie­ving. [Page 106]For to believe before reason, when thou art not yet fit to conceive and understand it, and by faith it self to prepare the mind to receive the seeds of verity and truth, I judge it to be not onely a most wholsome and profitable thing, but also so necessary, that those that have sick and feeble minds cannot recover their healths without it: which be­cause they conceive to be a ridicu­lous thing and full of rashnesse, it is impudently done of them to per­swade and exhort us to believe Christ. Moreover, I confesse that I have already believed Christ, and have perswaded my self, that that is true which he hath said, although this my belief be supported by no reason. This is the first lesson O heretick which thou wilt teach me; but because I have not seen Christ himself, how he vouchsafed to ap­pear amongst men, who is publickly [Page 107]reported to have been seen even by the eyes of common people, give me leave a little to consider with my self upon whose words I have belie­ved, that there was a Christ, that being already guarded and fortified by such a faith, I may give ear and hearken unto thee; I perceive that I believed and gave credit unto none, but to a setled and confirmed opini­on, and to a most renowned fame and report of people and nations: these people also I see in all places to be in possession of the secrets and mysteries of the Catholick Church. Why shall not I then chiefly en­quire of them diligently what Christ hath commanded, by whose autho­rity being moved, I have already believed that Christ hath comman­ded some profitable thing? Wilt thou better expound unto me what Christ hath said? whom I would not think to have been, or now to be, [Page 108]if thou didst recommend it unto me to be believed. This therefore (as I said) have I believed upon a famous report of men, confirmed with consent and antiquity: but you who are both so few, and so turbu­lent, and so new, it is certain you can produce and bring forth nothing which may deserve credit and be­lief. And therefore what a madnesse is this in thee (to say) Believe them (the known multitude of Christen­dome) that we ought to believe Christ, but learn of us (Maniche­ans) what Christ hath said: Why so I beseech thee? Verily, if that known multitude should fail, and could teach me nothing: I should much more easily perswade my self, that I ought not to believe Christ at all, then that I ought to believe a­ny thing concerning him of any o­thers, but of those by whose means I first believed him. O mighty con­fidence, [Page 109]or rather folly! I will (sayst thou) teach thee what Christ hath commanded, in whom thou art already perswaded to believe. What if I did not believe in him at all, couldest thou teach me any thing concerning him? But (sayst thou) it behooves thee to believe. What, upon your warrant and recommen­dation? No (sayst thou) for we do by reason lead those which do al­ready believe in Christ. Why then shall I believe in him? Because it is a grounded report, was it groun­ded upon you, or upon others? Upon others sayst thou. Shall I believe them first, and be afterwards taught and instructed by thee? Peradven­ture I ought to do so, were I not a­bove all things admonished by them not to come at all unto thee: for they say that you hold pernicious doctrines. Thou wilt answer, they lie. How then may I believe them, [Page 110]concerning Christ whom they have not seen: if I may not believe them concerning thee whom they will not see? Here sayest thou, Believe the Scriptures. But all Scripture, if being new and unheard of, it be alledged or commended but by a few, and hath no reason to confirm it, receives no credit nor authority at all, but those that alledge it: wherefore if you that are so few and unknown commend those Scriptures unto me, I refuse to believe them: besides al­so you proceed against your pro­mise, rather by commanding belief, then giving any reason thereof. Here again (for the authority of Scri­ptures) thou wilt call me back to the known multitude of Christendome, and to common report. Restrain at length thy obstinacy, and I know not what unruly appetite of world­ly fame: and rather admonish me to seek out the chief rulers of this [Page 111]known multitude, and to enquire for them diligently and painfully, that rather I may learn something of them touching these Scriptures: who if they were not I should not know whither any thing ought to be learnt at all or no. As for thee, re­turn into thy corner and lurking-hole, and delude us no more under a shew and pretence of truth, which thou endeavourest to take away from them, unto whom thou grantefl au­thority and credit: and if they also deny, that we ought not to believe Christ, unlesse an undoubted reason can be rendred thereof, they are not Christians. For certain Pagans do alledge that against us, foolishly in­deed, but yet not contrary nor repu­gnant to themselves. But who can endure that those men should pro­fesse that they belong to Christ, who strongly affirm that nothing ought to be believed, unlesse most [Page 112]evident reason can be given even un­to fools, concerning God and divine matters? But we see that Christ himself (as that history teacheth which they also believe) desired no­thing more principally, nor more carnestly, then that he might be cre­dited and believed: when as they with whom he was to treat about those affairs were not yet fit to learn and conceive the divine mysteries. For to what other purpose did he work so great and so many mira­cles, he himself also affirming that they were done for no other end, but that men might give credit and beliefe unto him? He led the simple sort of people by belief: you lead them by reason: he cryed out that he might be believed, you cry out against it: he commended those that did believe, you blame and re­prehend them. But unlesse he had turned water into wine, to omit his [Page 113]other miracles, could men have been brought to follow him, if he had done no such things, but onely taught and instructed them? Or is that word of his not to be regarded: 1 Joh. 14.1. Believe God and be­lieve me: Or is he to be blamed for rashnesse in belief, who would not have Christ come into his house, because he believed that by his com­mand onely his sick sonne could be cured? Mat. 8.8. He therefore bringing a medicine which was to cure the most corrupt manners, did by miracles winne authority, by au­thority deserved belief, by belief drew together a multitude by a mul­titude obtained antiquity by antiqui­ty strengthened and confirmed Reli­gion: which not onely the most foolish novelty of hereticks endeavouring by deceits, but neither the antient er­rour of the Gentlies being violently bent against it, could in any part a­bolish or destroy.

CHAP. XV. Of the most cemmodious way to Religion.

VVHerefore albeit I am not able to teach thee, yet do I not cease to warn and admo­nish thee, that (because many men will seem to be wise, and it is not ea­sie to discern whither they be fools or no) thou beseechest the divine Majesty with very much earnest­nesse, and fervent desires, with sighs and sobs, or also (if it be possible) with weeping and tears, to free and deliver thee from the evil of errour, if thou desirest to lead a blessed and an happy life. Which may more ea­sily be brought to passe, if thou wilt willingly obey his commands which he hath been pleased to have confirmed and strengthened by so great an authority of the Catholick [Page 115]Church. For seeing that a wise man is by his mind so united unto God that nothing is interposed and set be­tween them, which may divide and separate them, (for God is truth, and no man is to be accounted a wise man that doth not attain to the knowledge of truth) we cannot deny but that the wisdome of man is interposed as a certain medium be­tween his folly and the most sincere truth of the Divine Majesty. For a wise man according to the ability which he hath received, doth imi­tate God: and a fool hath nothing nearer unto him which he may pro­fitably imitate and follow, then a wise man: when because (as I said) it is not easie to understand by rea­son, it was necessary that certain mi­racles should be proposed and set before mens eyes (which fools do use much more commodiously then their understandings) to the end that [Page 116]the life and manners of men moved with authority, might first be pur­ged and made clean, and so they might be enabled to understand rea­son. And therefore when as man was to be imitated, and yet no con­fidence to be placed in him: how could the Divine Majesty shew greater signs of his favour and libe­rality, then that the sincere, eternall, and unchangeable wisdome of God, unto whom it behoves us to cleave and adhere should vouchsafe to take humane nature upon him? who did not onely do those things, which might serve to invite us to follow God: but did also endure and suf­fer those things, whereby we were discouraged from following of him. For whereas no man can obtain the most certain and chiefest good, un­lesse he doth fully and perfectly love it, (which by no means will be brought to passe so long as men fear [Page 117]the miseries of the body, and the things that are subject to fortune and chance) he by his wonderfull birth and admirable works hath purcha­sed for us love and charity: and hath excluded terrour and fear by his death and resurrection. And final­ly he hath shewed himself to be such an one in all other things (too long to be here expressed and set down) that we may know and perceive hereby how farre the divine clemen­cy can reach and be extended, and how farre mans infirmity can be ele­vated and extolled.

CHAP. XVI. That Miracles do procure Belief.

THis, believe it, is a most whole­some authority: this at the first is a withdrawing of our minds from an earthly habitation: this is a con­version from the love of this world [Page 118]to the true God. It is onely authority which moveth fools to make haste unto wisdome. So long as we can­not understand sincere things, it is indeed a miserable thing to be de­ceived by authority: but truly it is more miserable, not to be moved thereby. For if the Divine Provi­dence doth not rule and govern hu­mane affairs, we ought not to busie and trouble our selves about Religi­on: but if even the frame and spe­cies of all things, which we must believe proceeds and flows from some fountain of the truest beauty, doth as it were publickly and pri­vately exhort all the more noble and braver spirits both to seek God, in I know not what inward conscience and to serve him: we ought not to despair, but that the same God hath constituted and ordained some au­thority, upon which if we lean and rely as upon a sure step, we may be [Page 119]elevated and lifted up unto him. This authority, (reason being set a­side, which to understand to be true and sincere, it is a very hard matter for fools to do, as I have often said) doth move and excite us two manner of wayes: partly by miracles, and partly by the great number and mul­titude of followers. It is certain that a wise man needs none of these things, but now we are discoursing how we may become wise men, that is, how we may cleave and adhere unto the truth: which is a thing that doubtlesse cannot be done with a foul and impure mind: the unclean­nesse whereof, is (to expound it briefly) the love of all things what­soever besides it self and God: from which filth by how much any one is more purged and cleansed, by so much the more easily doth he be­hold the truth. And therefore to de­sire to see the truth that thou mayst [Page 120]cleanse the mind, when therefore it ought to be cleansed, that thou may­est see the truth, is certainly a per­verse and a preposterous thing. Wherefore to a man that is not able to behold the truth that he may be made fit to see it, and may suffer himself to be purged and cleansed, authority is at hand, which without doubt receives her strength and vi­gour partly by miracles, and partly by the number and multitude of fol­lowers, as I said a little before. A miracle I call any hard or unwonted thing whatsoever, which appears a­bove the expectation and power of the wonderer. In which kind no­thing is more fit for the common people, and for men that are abso­lutely sottish and foolish, then that which is applyed and proposed to the senses. But these again are di­vided into two sorts: for some there be that onely move men to wonder [Page 121]and admiration: and others which besides do winne and purchase great favour and good will. For if any one should see a man fly, he would onely wonder at it, because it is a thing which besides the beholding of it, yields to the spectatour no com­modity nor profit. But if any one being afflicted with a grievous and desperate sicknesse, shall so soon as the disease is commanded to depart, recover his health, he shall overcome the wonder of the cure by the chari­ty of the curer. Such things were done as many as were sufficient, when God appeared to men in the shape of a true man: The sick were cured, Mat. 9.6, 13, 15, 16. Mat. 9.7, 22. Mar. 3.5, 10. Joh. 4.53. the leaprous were cleansed; Mat. 8.3. Mar. 4, 2. Luke 5.3. & 7.22. go­ing was restored to the lame, Mat. 11.5. sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf, Luke 18.42. Joh, 9.7. [Page 122]The men of that time saw water turned into wine, Joh. 2.9. five thousand people filled with five loaves of bread, Mat. 14.20, 21. men walking upon the sea, Mat. 14.25. Joh. 6.19. & 21.7. and the dead rising from death to life, Luke 7.15. & 8.55. So some miracles were done for the cure of the body by a more manifest benefit, and some for the cure of the soul by a more hidden sign, but they were all for the help of mankind by the testimony of the Divine Majesty: thus did the Divine Majesty then draw unto it the straying souls of mortall men. Why (sayst thou) are not these things done now? Because they would not move unlesse they were wonderfull, and if they were common and usuall they were not wonderfull. For bring unto me a man when he first sees the courses of day and night, and the most constant order of celestiall [Page 123]things, the 4. changes of the yeare, the falling and returning of the leeves unto the trees, the infinite vertue of seeds, the beauty of light, the va­rieties of colours, sounds, smels and tasts, and if wee can but speak with him, we shall find him wholly astonished, and quite overcome with the sight of these miracles: and yet we despise and we make and account of al these things, not because they are easily known (for what is more ob­scure then the causes of them?) but for that we are accustomed frequent­ly to see them, those things are there­fore most fitly done, that a multi­tude of beleevers being gathered to­gether and propagated by them pro­fitable authority might be converted into customes themselves.

CHAP. XVII. The Cousent of Nations beleeving in Christ.

ALl customes have such vertue power to winn the love and affection of men, that we sooner can condemne and detest even the things that are naught and wicked in them then forsake or change them: and this for the most part comes to passe, when as our unlawfull appetites and deseres have gotten a dominion and [Page 125]predominancy over us: doest not thou think that great care hath been taken about the affaires of man­kinde, and that they are put into a good state and condition, that not on­ly divers most learned men doe argue and contend, that nothing that is earthly, nothing that is fierie finally, nothing that is perceptible by the corporall senses ought to be wor­shipped and adored for God, but that he is to be prayed unto, entreated and supplicated only by the under­standing or intellectuall power: but also that the unskilfull multitude of both sexes doth in so many and so divers nations both beleeve it and publish it? that there is continency and forbearance of meates, even to the most slender diet of bread and wa­ter, and fastings, not for one day on­ly, but also continued for divers dayes together; that there is cha­stity even to the contempt of mar­riage [Page 126]and issue: that there is pa­tience even to the contemning of crosses and flames: that there is li­berality even to the distribution of patrimonies to the poore: and finally, so great a disesteeme and contempt of all things that are in this world, that even death it self is wished and desired. Few there are that do these things, fewer that doe them well and prudently: yet the people doe approve them, hearken unto them, and like them: yea they love and affect them; and not without some progresse of their mindes tow­ards God, and certain sparks of piety and vertue, they blame and re­prehend their owne weakenesse and imbecillity that they cannot doe these things. This the divine Pro­vidence hath brought to passe by the predictions of the Prophets, by the humanity and doctrin of Christ, by the voyages of the Apostles, by [Page 127]the contumelies, crosses, bloud and death of Martyrs, by the laudable and excellent lives of Saints, and by miracles done at convenient times in all these things worthy of so great matters and vertues. When as there­fore we see so great help and affi­stance from God, and so great fruit and entrease thereby, shall we make any doubt or question at all of retyr­ing into the besome of that Church, which even to the confession and acknowledgement of mankinde from the Sea Apostolike by succession of Bishops, hath obtained the sovereign­ty and principall authority, heretiks in vain barking round about it, and being condemned partly by the judge­ment of the people themselves, part­ly by the gravity of Councels, partly also by the majesty and splendour of miracles? Unto which not to graunt the chiefe place and preheminence, is either indeede an extreme impiety, [Page 128]or a very rash and a dangerous arro­gancy, for if there be no certain way for the minds of men to wisdome and salvation, but when faith pre­pareth and disposeth them to reason; what is it else to be ungraetfull unto the divine Majesty for his aide and assistance, but to have a will to re­sist an authority which was gained and purchased with such labour and paines? And if every art and trade, though but base and easy, requires a teacher or master that it may be learned and understood: what greater expression can there be of rash ar­rogancy and pride, then both to have no minde to learne the books of the divine mysteries from their interpreters, and yet to have a minde to condemne the unknown.

CHAP. XVIII. The Conclusion by way of ex­hortation,

VVHerefore if either reason or our discourse hath any wayes moved thee: and if thou hast a true care of thy self (as I beleeve thou hast) I would have thee to hearken and give eare unto me, and with a pious faith, a cheerefull hope, and sincere charity to addresse thy self to good Masters of Catholick Christianity: and to pray unto God without ceasing and intermission: by whose only goodnesse we were made and created, by whose justice we are punished and chastized, and by whose clemency we are freed and redeemd, by which means thou shalt neither want the instructions and disputations of most learned men, and those that are truly Chri­stian, [Page 130]nor books, nor cleare and quiet thoughts, whereby thou mayst easily find that which thou seekest. And as for those verball and wret­ched men (for how can I speake more mildly of them) forsake them altogether: who found out nothing but mischiefe and evill, whilst they seek to much for the ground thereof. In which question they stirre up of­tentimes their hearers to enquire and search, but they teach them those things when they are stirred up, that it were better for them alwayes to sleep, then to watch and take great pains after that manner, for they drive them out of a lethargy or drowsy evill and make them fran­tike: between which discases, whereas both are most commonly mortall: yet neverthelesse there is this diffe­rence, that those that are sicke of a lethargy doe die without troubling or molesting others: but the frau­tike [Page 131]man is dreadfull and terrible un­to many, and unto those especially that seek to assist him. For neither is God the author of evill, nor hath it ever repented him to have made any thing, nor is he troubled with a storme of any commotion or stirring of the minde, nor is a particle or piece of earth his kingdome: he neither approves nor commands any heinous crimes or offences, he never lies. For these and such like things did move and trouble us, when they did strongly oppose them and in­veigh against them, and fained this to be the doctrine of the old Testa­ment which is a most absolute fal­shood and untruth. Wherefore I graunt that they doe rightly blame and reprehend those things. What then have I learned? what thinkest thou, but that when they reprove those things, the Catholike doctrine is not reprehended? so that the truth [Page 132]which I learned amongst them, I hold and reteyne: and that which I conceived to be false and untrue, I refuse and reject but the Catholick Church hath also taught me many other things, whereunto those men being pale and without bloud in their bodies, both grosse and heavy in their understandings cannot aspire, namely that God hath no body, that no part of him can be perceived by corporall eyes, that nothing of his substance and his nature is any wayes vioable or changeable, or compounded or framed, which things if thou grauntest me to be true (as wee ought not to frame any other conceit of the divine Majesty) all their subtle devises and shifts are subverted and overthrnown. But how it can be, that God hath nei­ther caused nor done any evill, and that there neither is, nor ever hath been any nature and substance, which [Page 133]he hath not either produced or made, and yet that he frees and delivers us from evill, is a thing approved upon so necessarie reasons and grounds, that no doubt at all can be made thereof: especially by thee and such as thou art, if so be that to their good wits they joyne piety, and a certaine peace and tranquillity of a minde, without which nothing at all of so great matters can be con­ceived and understood, and here is no report of great and large promises made to no purpose, and of I know not what Persian fable, a tale more fit to be told to Children then to ingenious and witty men, and as for truth it is a farre other thing then the Manichees do foolishly imagine and conceive, but because I have made a farre longer discourse then I thought to have done, let me here end this booke: wherein I would have thee to remember that I have [Page 134]not yet begun to refute the Mani­chees, and impugne those toyes: nor to have expounded any great mat­ter of the Catholick doctrine, but that my only intent was to have rooted out of thee if I could, the false opinion of true Christians which hath been malitiously or unskilfully insinuated unto us, and to stirre thee up to the learning of certaine great and divine things. Wherefore I will put a period to this worke: and if it makes thy mind more quiet and contented I shall peradventure be more ready to serve thee in other things.

CHAP. I.

I Have been a long time your debtour, venerable Brother & fellow Bishop Pau­linus, The me­mory of the saints is the place where their bo­dy or re­licks are kept. for the Letters you sent me by the servants of our most religious sister Flora, wherein you propounded a question, viz. Whither it profits any one after his decease, to have his body buried at the memory of [Page 2]some Saint. For this, it seems, the above mentioned widow had enquired of you, concern­ing her sonne deceased in those parts to whom you had re­turned answer to her comfort; signifying withall, that the thing was accomplished, which with such maternall and pious affection she desired; name­ly, to have the corps of the faithfull youth Cynegius de­parted, put in the Church of the most blessed Confessour Faelix: by occasion whereof it came to passe, that you writ also at the same time to me by the same messengers, inti­mating the question above­said, and demanding my opi­nion therein, yet in such man­ner, as you do not altogether conceal your own. For you say, the desire of those faithfull [Page 3]religious minds, which pro­cure such things to be done for them, seem not to you to be altogether vain; and that the custome of the Catholick Church, Note this The cu­stome of the Church to pray for the dead. which is to pray for the dead, cannot be to no pur­pose: so as, that even thence we ought to conjecture, that it is of some avail for a man after his death, if by his faith­full friends living such a place be provided for the interment of his body, as may procure him the assistance or patronage of some Saint. But you say withall, Patron­age of Saints usefull for the dead. that although this be so, yet you see not sufficiently how the opinion can be recon­ciled to that of the Apostle, who saith, We shall all stand at Christs Tribunall, that e­very one may receive according to what he hath done in his bo­dy [Page 4]whither it be good or evil. For say you, without all doubt this sentence of the A­postle doth tell us, that That which shall profit us after death, must be done before, viz. in our life, therefore not then to be done, when every one is to receive for what he hath done already.

But the difficulty is resolved thus; namely, that it is procu­red by the manner of life which we lead here in the body, that such Things as these should do us good after we are departed: and so it holds true still, that according to things done in the body men receive, Saint August. in his Enchiri­dion ad Lauren­tium chap. 110. asserts these threefold sorts of Christians, whereof the middle sort is onely ca­pable of help after this life, which clearly con­cludes Purgatory. yea when they receive benefit by what is [Page 5]done for them religiously after their decease. For it must be confest, there are some sorts of men, to whom the doing of such Things as these would be of no advantage at all, to wit, either those who have lived so ill, that they deserve not to be holpen by them, or those who have lived so well, they need not. It is therefore by the manner of life which every one leadeth in this body, that the things religiously done for them after the body, do either profit or not profit at all. For certainly, if no merit be acqui­red in this life, by which such Things may be rendred profi­table to a man after his death; Note, The Church used then an office of the dead. it were then, that is to say, af­ter he is dead, in vain to seek it. So we see, neither the office of the Church, nor our own care [Page 6]of our deceased friends is idle or vain; and yet that it is true, that every one receiveth ac­cording to those Things which he hath done in the body, whi­ther it be good or evil, our Lord himself rendring unto e­very one according to his works. For as we say, it is procured by the life a man leadeth in the body, that what is thus done for him, should profit him af­ter his body is dead. And to have said onely thus much might I conceive, be a suffici­ent answer to your demand: but by reason of some other Things, which seem to me not unworthy our consideration, I shall crave your attention yet a little further.

We reade in the Book of Macchabees, Maccha­bees al­ledged for Scri­pture. That sacrifice was offered for the dead. And [Page 7]though it were not found at all in any place of the antient Scri­pture, yet the Authority of the universall Church, which is clear for this custome, is not lightly to be regarded; Univer­sall cu­stome of praying for the dead. Masse for the dead. where in the prayers which the Priest maketh unto our Lord God, standing at his Altar, recom­mendation of the dead hath its due place.

CHAP. II.

WE must therefore somewhat more di­ligently enquire into the point propounded, viz. Whither the place of buriall may be any ad­vantage to a deceased soul? And first, we shall not so much look upon the common opi­nion, as examine according to the sacred Scriptures of our re­ligion, [Page 8]whither indeed it ad­deth any thing to the misery and affliction of mens souls af­ter this life, if their bodies be not buried at all. Out of all doubt, that which Virgil some where saith is of little truth, Aeneid, 6 that the souls of unbu­ried people are forbidden the passage of the Infernall River, as if forsooth

For what Christian heart can be moved with such ficti­ons? seeing our Lord Jesus, that Christians might dy securely under their hands, who for som time were to have power over their bodies, assures them that not an hair of their head should perish; and therefore ex­horts [Page 9]them not to fear those who after they have killed the body have no more to do. Upon which subject in my first book of the City of God, I suppose I may have spoken sufficiently to stop their mouths, who charged the Christians with the calamities of those times, especially that which Rome suffered by those barbarous people, yea objected that Christ either could not, or would not help his own; to whom when as I replyed, that the souls of the faithfull people were at that time largely re­warded by Christ for their suf­ferings, they objected again, or rather reproached me with the dishonour of their un­buried bodies: whereupon I was forced to inlarge my self somewhat upon that subject, [Page 10] concerning the buriall of men, which I will here set down in the words I then used. ‘Nei­ther indeed was it possible, they should all be buried in such a ruine of Carcases. Nor will a pious man who be­leeveth that saying of our Saviour much fear this, nor think that beasts, which by chance devour their bodies, can at all prejudice their Re­surrection, being assured, that not an hair of their head shall perish. For he who is Truth it self would never have said, Fear not them which kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, if it could be any prejudice to the future life of the Saints, that which their enemies do to their bodies here. Unlesse peradventure a man will [Page 11]be so absurd, as to contend, that we ought not before our death to fear them which kill the body, viz. least they should kill it, but yet that we ought to fear, least after death they should not suffer that body to be buried, which they have already killed. For then certainly it were not true which Christ sayes, They which kill the body, have no more to do, if so be they could do any thing more towards the dead car­case, that were to be regard­ed. But God forbid, that any thing should be false which the Truth hath spoken. For we say, they which kill, do something while they kill the body, because in the body there is sense and some feel­ing, while it is to be killed: [Page 12]but that afterwards they have no more to do, because in a body already killed there is no sense at all. Wherefore many bodies of good Christians have hap­pened to want buriall, but none of them could be ever excluded from heaven and earth both, which he totally filleth with his presence, who best knoweth, how and whence to restore again that which he once made. It is said indeed in the Psalmes, They exposed the Bodies of thy servants for meat to the fouls of the air, Psal. 78. and the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the land, they poured out their bloud like water round about Hierusalem, and there was none that would bury them. But this was spoken rather to [Page 13]aggravate the cruelty of those who did such things, then to intimate any unhappinesse in them which suffered: For although such things at these may seem hard, yea horri­ble in the eyes of men, yet precious doubtlesse in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.’

‘And therfore all these par­ticulars, that is to say, pro­vision of a Funerall, the qua­lity of Sepulture, the pomp and magnificence of Exequies may seem rather to be, as it were, comforts of the liv­ing, then any helps for the dead. For certainly if a state­ly Buriall could of it self any thing advantage a wicked man, to be poorly buried, or not buried at all would be some prejudice to a good; [Page 14]which we know to be false, for doubtlesse that rich glut­ton in the Gospell, Luc. 16. who was clothed in purple and fared so deliciously every day, when he died, had a very sumptu­ous Funerall made him by his kindred and servants; but yet far more glorious in the sight of God was that given unto the poor begger by the hands of Angels, who carri­ed him out not unto any Tomb of Marble, but (to the place where he desired to be) into the bosome of Abraham. 'Tis true, those against whom we have undertaken to de­fend the City of God, laugh at these things, neverthelesse even their own Philosophers oftentimes have seem'd to make as little account of the rites of Sepulture; and whole [Page 15]Armies of men, when they come into the field with reso­lution to dy for their tempo­rall countryes, of all things mind least where their bo­dies fall, or what beasts shall devour them; yea the Poets themselves not without ap­plause have been heard to say, Heaven covers him who hath no Cofin: Lucan. how much lesse ought they then to insult over Christans concerning their bodies lying unburied, to whom they cannot but know, restauration of their flesh and of all the members of their body is promised, by him who is sufficiently able to do it, yea and shall be in a moment perfectly made good unto them, whether from the earth, or from those remotest receptacles of other [Page 16]elements, into which the sub­stance of their bodies by ne­ver so many changes, and changes upon changes may be retired.’

CHAP. III.

‘WHich yet we speak not to the intent the bodies of men, especially those of the Faithfull and Just, should be neglected after death, and thrown out of sight as some other com­mon carcases, for as much as the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to use them in their times as his own organs or instruments unto all good works. For if but a ring, vest­ment, or some other thing belonging to our Father be very dear unto us, and so [Page 17]much the more, by how much our naturall affection was greater and more lively towards him; in no sort cer­tainly may the bodies of men be despised, which we carry about us much more intrinse­cally and nearly united then any vestment whatsoever: for our bodies pertain not un­to matter of ornament or any extrinsecall help, but to the very substance of our nature. Whence it is also, that the Funeralls of just men in old time, were performed with a great deal of piety & care; their Exequies solemnly cele­brated, and the places of their buriall with much diligence provided, yea themselves in their life time, Gen. 23.47.49.50 would fre­quently give command con­cerning the burying and re­moving [Page 18]of their bodies after their death, as there was cause. Tob. 2.12 And Tobias is com­mended by no lesse Testi­mony then of an Angel, to have merited with God, for that he was diligent to bury the dead. Yea our Lord himself, (although he were to rise again within three dayes after his Passion) yet cōmended the care the good woman had of his buriall, and commanded that the good work she had done in providing such precious oint­ments to imbalm his body; should be preached, to her praise all the world over: & there is honourable men­tion made in the Gospel of those who took down the body of our Lord from the Crosse, and gave it Buriall. [Page 19]All which Authorities yet are not to teach us, that there is any sense in dead bodies, but onely, seeing that such offices of piety are pleasing to God, they signifie unto us, that even the dead bodies do pertain unto the divine Pro­vidence, and this the rather to confirm our Faith in the Resurrection. And hence al­so we may learn not unpro­fitably, how great reward there may be for such Alms as we give unto living peo­ple, when even that which is bestowed upon the dead and livelesse members is not lost with God. There are indeed some other particulars, which the Holy Patriarchs who speak them, would have to be understood concerning the buriall and translating of [Page 20]their bodies after death, as spoken by a propheticall spi­rit, but this is no place to treat of them, seeing that which we have deliver'd already may suffice. For if those things which are necessary to the sustenance of the liv­ing, and cannot be wanted but with great difficulty, as victualls, apparell &c. yet do never (when they are wanted) violate or over­throw the virtue of patience in good people, nor extir­pate piety quite out of the mind, but rather exercise and revive it; much lesse doubtless can those things, w ^ch are usu­ally expended in Funeralls & Exequies upon deceased per­sons, (when they happen to be wanting) make those per­sons miserable, who are al­ready [Page 21]setled and at rest in those secret Tabernacles of the just. And therefore when it so fell out in the devastati­on of that great City and of the adjacent Towns, that the bodies of good christians had not Buriall, we may not pre­sently charge either the living with any crime thereabout, who could not help it, nor yet the dead with any great misfortune, who were as lit­tle sensible of it.’ This is my opinion concerning the matter of Sepulture in generall, which I have therefore translated into this book out of that other of the City of God, in regard it was something more easie for me to repeat it in this, then to deliver it in a new manner.

CHAP. IIII.

NOw if this be so, sure­ly also the provision of place for the burial of bodies at the monuments of Saints must have something in it; it must be at least an argument of some good humane affection toward our friends, whose funeralls we celebrate: and if it be some kind of Religion to bury them at all, certainly to have care in what place we bury them can­not but be of like merit. But yet, when such comforts as these are procured by the liv­ing, (by which indeed their pi­ous affection toward their de­ceased friend is sufficiently de­clared to survive) yet I say, I perceive not, for my part, any advantage coming thereby un­to [Page 23]the dead, unlesse it be in this onely respect, namely, that when men remember where the bo­dies of their deceased friends are placed, they may in their prayers recommend them unto God more effectually by the in­tercession of those Saints unto whose patronage they may seem by the place of their Buriall, Patron­age of Saints profit­able when de­sired. to be received; which yet also they might, if they pleased, very wel do, supposing they were not in­terred in such places. Neither are those more eminent Sepul­chres of the dead called Me­mories or Monuments for any other reason, then because they do as it were, renew or preserve the remembrance of such per­sons, as are by death with­drawn from the common con­versation of men, and so hin­der, that they perish not alto­gether [Page 24]as much in the minds of their friends, as they seem lost to their eye. For the very name of memory imports this clear­ly, and a Monument is so cal­led, because it admonisheth, or, as it were, prompteth the mind to something, which is fit to be thought on. For which reason also, the same thing w ^ch we call a Memory or Monu­ment, the Greeks call [...], from [...], which in their lan­guage is as much as remem­brance with us. Whensoever therefore the mind of a man remembers where the body of some dear friend is buryed, if the place which comes to mind be also venerable and renown'd for the name of some Martyr, in­stantly without more adoe the good affection of him that re­members this, Souls re­commē ­ed unto the Mar. tyrs. in his prayers [Page 25]recommendeth the soul it loved unto the same Martyr: which affection yet, when it is exhibit­ed by faithfull and dear friends unto people departed, they themselves before their de­parture merited, that it should be availeable to them: And therefore where necessity suf­fers not either that bodyes be buryed at all, or not in such places as these, Prayer for the souls de­parted. yet prayer for the souls departed is never pre­termitted, which the Church of God, as it were, ingageth her self to performe, at least under a generall Commemora­tion, without particular men­tion of names, in behalf of all those who are departed in the Christian Catholick Com­munion, to the intent that by the care of one pious & Com­mon Mother unto all, supply [Page 26]may bee made of such good of­fices, wherein possibly our friends, kindred, Children or parents may be defective to­wards us. So that indeed, in case these supplications wee speak of (which are usually done in right faith and piety for the dead) should bee want­ing, or not made at all, I for my part suppose, it would not much profit a mans soul, to have his body buryed in a holy place.

CHAP. V.

VVHerefore (to re­turn to our purpose) when as this faithfull Mother desired to have the body of her faithfull Child put in the Church of a Martyr, this de­sire of hers was a kind of [Page 27]prayer, for as much as shee beleeved his soul might re­ceive help by the merits of the Martyr. Souls re­ceiving help by the me­rits of the Mar­tyrs. S. Aug. assures us that prayer for the dead is very pro­fitable; though he was not cer­tain whi­ther the buriall in any parti­cular place be so availa­ble, yet he much enclin­e [...]h to that al­so, and proveth it very strongly. And this was that which profited if any thing did profit at all. So when the Mother afterwards remem­bers the same sepulchre, and in her prayers more and more in­stantly recommends her Sonne, it is not the place of the dead body, but the Mothers lively affection, (perhaps excited and quickened by the memory of the place) which succours the soul of the deceased. For doubt­less it doth not unprofitably concern the religious mind of one that prayeth to consider at once, both who is recom­mended, and to whom he is recommended. Even as we see men that pray, do com­monly so dispose the members [Page 28]of their body, as usually is most proper and effectuall for sup­pliants to do, as when they bend their knees, when they spread their hands, when they prostrate their bodies on the ground, or do any other visible action of that nature; although, I say, their invisible will and hearts intention be known well enough unto God, who needs none of these signs to make him see what is in the heart of man yet certainly the man who prayeth, doth move himself to pray, to lament, to grieve by such motions and postures as those, much more humbly, much more fervently and de­voutly then otherwise he would. Yea, and how it comes to pass I know not, seeing these motions of the body are not made but by some precedent [Page 29]motion of the mind, yet certain it is, that by these externall actions visibly done, that o­ther invisible motion which caused them, is reciprocally increased, and by this means that affection of mind which preceded those Actions as the cause of them, is it self also in­creased, because they are done: and yet notwithstanding, when it happens that a man is held in such sort, or perhaps tyed by constraint, that he cannot so dispose his corporall members as willingly he would, his in­teriour man ceaseth not there­fore to pray, nor yet to pro­strate himself before Almighty God in the more secret Cabi­net of a contrite heart.

In like manner truly it much imports, where a man can place the dead body of him, for [Page 30]whose soul he intends to sup­plicate almighty God; Observe this, that it much imports even wherthe body is interred. because both his precedent affection did chuse an holy place, and also having put the body there, the remembrance of the same place revives and increases that affection which preceded it. But neverthelesse a religious friend being determined to give buriall to him whom he lov­eth, although he cannot per­haps obtain to bury him where he would, yet let him not by any means forbear necessary prayers in his recommendation: for whatsoever becometh of the dead body, Rest of the souls to bee procur­ed even after death. the Rest of his soul must be procured: which soul of his, when it left the bo­dy, carried its sense along with it, by which is distinguished in what condition every one is after death, whither good or [Page 31]euil. Nor doth the spirit of man after departure expect, that its life should be any way relieved now by that flesh, to which it self, when time was, afforded life; which life at the hour of death it carried away with it self, and shall restore again, when it returnes. For this is certain, the flesh procures not the merit of Resurrection to the spirit but the spirit to the flesh, whither it revives unto pain or glory.

CHAP. VI.

VVE read in the Chroni­cles of the Church, which Eusebius wrote in Greek, and after him Ruffinus translated into Latine, that the bodies of some Martyrs in France were thrown unto dogs, [Page 32]and that what the dogs left of them together with their very bones was afterwards consum­ed with fire, and the ashes cast into the river Rhosne; so that not the least part of them could remain for memory. Which we cannot imagine was per­mitted by the Divine Provi­dence for any other reason then to teach Christians, that by them, who for the honour and Confession of Christ do de­spise their own lives, the want of buriall after death is least of all to be regarded. For out of all doubt this thing, which was executed with so great cruelty upon the Martyrs bodies, would never have been suffered by God, if the victorious Souls themselves could thereby have been hindered of their Crowns and rest. Hence therefore it is [Page 33]clearly manifest, that our Lord saying Fear not those who kill the body, and have no more to do, meant not, that men should act nothing upon the bodies of his servants deceased, as well as living, but that whatsoever they should be suffered to do, nothing should be done, that might disturb their happinesse, nothing that should affect them with any sense of grief, nothing that should hinder the perfect resurrection and restau­ration of their bodies in due time.

CHAP. VII.

ALL which notwithstand­ing, by reason of that naturall and inbred affection which is in men, in respect whereof it is said that no man ever hated his own flesh, if they perceive that any thing be like­ly after their death to be want­ing unto their bodies, which the solemnity of funerall would require at least accord­ing to the custome of the coun­trey and place where they live, we see, they cannot forbear to be sad like men, and sollicitous for that provision touching their bodies before death, of which, when they are once dead, they shall not be sensible at all. Yea so far doth this ex­tend, that in the book of Kings [Page 35]we read, how God Almighty himself by one Prophet threat­neth another, who had trans­gressed his command, that his body should not be buried in the Sepulchre of his Fathers. The words of Scripture are these. Thus saith our Lord, 3 Reg. 13.21. Forasmuch as thou hast diso­beyed the mouth of our Lord, and hast not kept the Com­mandment which our Lord thy God commanded thee, but camest back, and hast eaten bread, and drank water, in the place in which our Lord commanded thee not to eat bread, nor drink water, thy carcase shall not be brought in­to the sepulchre of thy Fa­thers. Which punishment, if we consider it according to the Gospel, where (as hath been often said) we are taught [Page 36]not to fear, after our departure, any thing that may be done to our dead members, it will scarce seem to be any punish­ment at all: but if we reflect upon that humane affection, which all men naturally bear to their own flesh, a man can hardly choose but be contrista­ted, even while he liveth, for that, which when he is dead, he shall not feel. In this respect therefore it was a punishment unto the Prophet, that he could not forbear to grieve at present, for that which should after­ward befall his body, though when it should indeed befall, he were sure enough to have no sense of it. For the will of our Lord doubtlesse was to chastise his servant thus far one­ly, who had transgressed his command, not so much by any [Page 37]particular pravity of his own will, as through the fallacy of another who deceived him, and made him think he had o­beyed the command of God, when he did not. And it were very hard to think otherwise, as that his body being killed by the tearings of that beast, his soul should also be plucked away at the same time to the torments of hell. No, we see the Lyon which killed him be­came instantly his Guardian, and defended his body from the ravening of other beasts, yea the very Asse on which he rode, remained untouched, seeming to assist as it were, with an undaunted presence, at the Funeralls of his Master; which certainly was not with­out miracle, and an evident sign that the man of God in [Page 38]that case was corrected onely unto a temporall death, and not at all punished afterward: not much unlike to that pas­sage of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11.31. where ha­ving commemorated the infir­mities, yea deaths of many of the people, for some particular offenses among them, he con­cludes at last thus, If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged by our Lord, but when we are judged, we are chastized by our Lord, lest we should be condemned with the world. And truly he who had deceived this Prophet, buryed him afterward in his own mo­nument with sufficient honour, yea and took order beside, that himself might be afterwards buryed as near as might be un­to his corps, hoping, (as we may probably suppose) that [Page 39]by this means his own bones might be spared, when the time should come, according to the prophesie of this very man of God, that the good King Jo­sias should cause the bones of many dead people to be dis­interred, and those idolatrous altars which had been built un­to strange Gods, in and about Hierusalem, to be defiled there­with. For so indeed it came to passe: The Monument wherein this Prophet was bu­ryed, who foretold those things three hundred years before, and the Sepulchre of him who de­ceived him, were spared. And so we see, out of that naturall affection by which every man loves his own flesh, 4 Reg. 23.12. this Pro­phet was carefull to provide for the temporall security of his body even after death, [Page 40]who yet by a lye (so much as in him lay) cared not to haz­zard his soul for ever. In this respect therefore, that every one naturally loveth his own flesh, it was some kind of pu­nishment for the one to know, that he should not come to be buried in the Sepulchre of his fathers; and in the other (if that had been all) a provi­dence not unworthy of com­mendation, viz. to lay his bones in a Sepulchre, which he was sure none would vio­late.

CHAP. VIII.

THe Martyrs indeed, while they fought for the truth, vanquished this affection; and it was no marvell they should: for they who could not be o­vercome with any torments they suffered alive, it had been very strange, should they have shrunk at any thing which was to follow after death, whereof they should have no sense. Doubtlesse God Almighty, who suffered not the Lyon so much as to touch the Prophet after he was dead, but as it were commanded him to gard that body which he had slain, could as easily, if he had so pleased, have kept off those doggs from the bodies of his servants, he could have terri­fied [Page 42]by a hundred wayes the cruell minds of those people, that they should not have da­red either to burn their bodies, or to throw about their ashes. But this was a tryall of those Saints not fit to be wanting to the rest of their sufferings, that the fortitude of their Confessi­on, which was already well seen in not yielding to any tor­tures to save their life, might yet be consummated as it were, and perfected in this, that for Christs sake they regarded as little the honour of Sepulture, remaining through their Faith in the Resurrection, as secure of their bodies, as they were of their souls. And for this rea­son also it was fit that such things should be permitted to be done, that the Martyrs themselves by such glorious [Page 43]combats should become fer­vent witnesses of that Truth, which from our Saviour they had learned, namely, That they which thus cruelly tyran­nized over their bodies, after death had no more to do; see­ing that whatsoever they should attempt upon the bo­dies once dead would be no­thing: nothing I say, either in respect of the soul, which one­ly hath sense, and was already departed; or in respect of God the Creatour, whose provi­dence is such, as nothing can be lost which he hath made. And yet notwithstanding, while these Martyrs themselves with infinite courage suffered such things, not caring (for the love of Christ) what be­came of their bodies dead or alive; their fellow-brethren, the [Page 44]rest of the Christians had great sorrow at the same time, were much afflicted, that by reason hereof and of the extream vi­gilance of their persecutours, they could not perform the ho­nours of their funeralls, no not so much as to procure private­ly the least Relick of them, Christi­ans in old times used dili­gence to get any small re­licks of Saints. as the same history sheweth. So as, when no evil at all touched them who were killed, either that their bodies were torn in pieces, or their bones burnt, or their ashes cast abroad, yet in the living we see, there was much sorrow and affliction, because they were not able to do that for their friends, which this naturall affection seemed to require: that is, there was in them a great deal of fense for that, of which the dead had no sense, and much compassion, [Page 45]as I may so say, where indeed was no Passion at all.

CHAP. IX.

According unto which kind of miserable compassion, as it may be called, we reade, those men were highly com­mended by King David, who had buried, that is, 2 Reg 2.5. shewed such pity unto the dry bones of Saul and Jonathan. But can any pity be shewen to them who have no sense of misery? Or shall we say, that this a­greeth with the opinion of Vir­gil, that deceased people can­not passe that river of Hell, cannot come at the Elysian fields, nor be at rest, till their bodies be buried? God for­bid that Christianity should admit such a Paradox. If that [Page 46]were true, millions of Martyrs were in a miserable case, whose bodies were never buried, yea and the Truth it self had much deceived them, saying, Fear not them who kill the body, and afterward have no more to do, if they could do them so great mischief yet after death, as to hinder their passe unto their desired rest. But seeing this is so undoubtedly false, and that for certain the want of buryall hurteth faithfull souls no more, then it doth advantage an in­fidell to be buried sumptuous­ly, what may the reason then be, that the good and religious King David should so highly commend them, who buried Saul and his son? Certainly it was nothing but this, viz. the good affection, with which their hearts were touched, who [Page 47]buried them, and that it seem­ed to be affliction to them, that such calamity should be­fall the bodies of others, as out of that naturall love which all men bear to themselves, they would never wish to their own; and that they were con­tent, yea studious, while they lived, and knew what they did, to exhibite those good offices to others, though unsensible of them, which they would be glad should be performed to themselves afterward, when they also should be past all sense.

CHAP. X.

BUt there are certain visions recounted, which may seem to move no inconsiderable doubt in this point. For they say, that fundry deceased per­sons have been known to ap­pear unto the living, not onely in their sleep, but otherwise, and to tell their friends, who were otherwise ignorant of it, in what places their bodies lay unburied, seeming to desire, that those duties which were wanting might be performed towards them. Now if we should say that these things were false, we might be thought to use more boldnesse then be­came us, both in regard of the writings of some faithfull Christians who report it, as [Page 49]also in regard of the testimony and sensible experience of those to whom such visions have happened. We shall answer therefore, that it follows not, that the dead have any sense at all of what is done to their bo­dies, because they seem to speak, to declare or desire such and such things of men in their sleep. For even the living ma­ny times appear unto the liv­ing while they sleep, when themselves know not that they do appear, and afterward hear men relate with great confi­dence the things which they dreamed, affirming that such and such things they saw them, that is to say, their friends that should appear to them, do or speak in their sleep. If there­fore, for instance sake, it be possible for a man to see me in [Page 50]his sleep, telling him, that some such thing is done, or shall be done, my self in the mean time not knowing nor perceiving a­ny such thing, yea so little re­garding what he dreams, that I neither know nor care, whi­ther such a person sleeps when I wake, or waketh when I sleep, or whither it happens not, that we sleep or wake both of us at that same time, when he supposeth he sees me in his sleep: if I say, this be possible, what wonder is it if the dead, without any reall sense or knowledge of such things themselves, should also be seen of the living, yea and tell them something, which when they wake they may find to be true. I rather think indeed that all this is done by the ministery of some Angels, whither by [Page 51]divine permission onely or command, that they signifie such things unto men by way of vision, touching the burying of those bodies, whose spirits at that time know not any thing what becomes of their bodies. For this doubtlesse is not altogether unprofitably done, whither we regard the comfort of the living to whom those dead people belong, whose Ghosts do seem thus to appear, or the office of buriall it self, which is matter of so commendable charity even to mankind in generall, that al­though the dead receive no particular comfort thereby, yet it cannot be wholly neglected without offence of Religion; sometimes indeed men are much misled by fallacious and imaginary visions, but they are [Page 52]most commonly such, as de­serve justly to be so deluded: as for example, when any one sees in his dreams such things as Aeneas is reported to have met with in his imaginary tra­vels through hell, and that the Ghost of some unburied per­son should appear to him, beg­ging the same things of him, which Palinurus is fabled to have done of Aeneas, that is to say, the interring of his corps, and that when he awakes he should indeed find the bo­dy in such a place as was told him in his dream; if because he finds thus much of his dream to be true, he should fall to think, that therefore mens bo­dies are buried, that the souls thereby may passe unto those places of rest, to which other­wise by the law of Hell they [Page 53]could not passe, who doubts but that this man should gross­ly deceive himself, and deviate from the Truth?

CHAP. XI.

YEt such is the generall in­firmity of men that when at any time they happen to have a vision in their sleep of any dead person, presently they imagine the very soul of such a man appears to them; when as at the same time, if they happen to dream of one, or see one that is alive, they never take it either for body or soul, but as it is indeed, for a meer si­militude of such a man appear­ing to them; as if perchance it were not altogether as possible, for the similitudes of souls, as wel as of bodies, (in the absence [Page 54]of the souls themselves & with­out their knowledge thereof) to be presented to men in their dreams.

This, which I am about to tell, when I was at Millain, I heard reported for certain. A certain debt was demanded of one by virtue of a writing under his deceased fathers hand, which debt had been discharg­ed by the Father living, his sonne not knowing thereof, nor yet how to make it appear that it was discharged: he was therefore much troubled and perplexed at it, wondring why his Father at his death, and at the making of his Testament should not acquaint him with that debt. Being thus in per­plexity, his Father in his sleep appears to him, and tels him where he should find the dis­charge [Page 55]of that debt recorded; which the sonne accordingly seeking found and produced, and thereby not onely voided the Action of debt, which was unjustly brought against him, but also recovered the writing it self, which his Father when he paid the mony, did not re­member to take out: In this case therefore it cannot but seem, that the soul of the Father had a care of his sonne, by coming to him and telling him matter of importance, which himself knew not of, and thereby delivering him from a great deal of trouble. But at the same time that I heard this, namely while I stayed at Mil­lain, there happened at Car­thage something which makes me doubt: it was this. Eulogius the Rhetorician there, one who [Page 56]had been formerly my scholar in that Art, (as himself told me the story afterwards, when I was come again into Africk) was reading to his Scholars Tullies books of Rhetorick, and perusing the lesson or place which he was to expound publickly the next day in the Schools, he met with one ob­scure passage in it, which he could not possibly understand, and was therefore very much perplexed about it, yea could take no rest all that night, till, as he said, I my self appeared to him and told him the mean­ing of it: yet certainly not I my self, but some image or si­militude of me; for I knew no­thing of the businesse, I was far from him on the other side of the sea, busied about other af­fairs, had no thoughts, no care, [Page 57]not so much as dream't, what my Scholar might be doing. Now how these things come to passe, I confesse I know not, yet which way soever they do, why may we not think, that the appearances of the dead and living both, are, as it were, much one and the same, effected in one and the same manner, and by one and the same means, that is, neither the living nor the dead knowing at all, when themselves or their similitudes do so appear.

CHAP. XII.

NOt unlike unto dreams are the visions which some have both living and wa­king, namely those who are troubled in their mind, frantick or distempered people; for such many times we observe talking to themselves as unto companions, sometimes with such as are absent, as if they were present, and with the dead as if they were alive, and this by reason of the Idea's or forms of such persons or things as by accident get into their fancy. But even as the living themselves, in such cases, know not that they seem to appear and speak unto such persons, who through distemper of mind do conceive themselves [Page 59]to fee and hear them; (for in re­ality sure they are neither pre­sent with them, nor talking to them, but onely the poor men have such phantasms in their head which trouble them,) so also is it, when they imagine themselves to talk or converse with any that be dead; for the dead come not at them, nor do they know whither such people think of them yea or no.

And like unto this is also an other case of some people, who seem, as it were, to be ab­stracted from themselves, and more deprived of their bodily senses, then they should be, if they onely slept, yet in the mean time entertained with strange visions. For unto such also appear the similitudes of living and dead men: and [Page 60]when they come again to their senses, if they report that they saw any of the dead, men are apt to believe that in their ex­tasies they were really with those dead, not considering how at the same time, upon their report, they also saw o­thers which were alive, and far enough distant from them, and no way thinking of them, as I shall shew you by one notable example. A certain ordinary person of Tul­ly's incorporation, which is nigh unto Hippo, one Curina by name, a poor Officer in that place, and scarce got in­to the rank of a Duumvir, and an absolute rustick beside, fell sick, had his senses quite taken from him, and lay for some dayes in a manner dead, yet some little breath remain­ing [Page 61]in him, which could hard­ly be perceived by laying ones finger to his nosthrills, yet it served for some slender token of life, so as he was not bu­ried as one absolutely dead; he stirred not one member of his body, received no kind of sustenance all that while, perceived no body, either by sight or any other sense, what pain soever they laboured to put him to; yet in his vision he saw many things, which at length after many dayes awa­king he reported. And first of all upon the very opening of his eyes, Let some body, quoth he, go to Curina the Smiths house and see what's to do there; whither when the messenger came, that Curina, viz. the Smith, was found to be dead, in that very moment when [Page 62]this other returned to his sens­es, seeming, as it were, to be restored from death to life. Then he told those who stood about him, that Curina the Smith was commanded to ap­pear at the very time, that himself was discharged, and that when he was dismissed, in the place from whence he came, he heard it said, that not Curina the Officer, but Curina the Smith was the man commanded to be brought unto those places of the dead. In this extasie therefore of his, as in a vision, he may seem to have conversed with the dead, yea to have seen them treated, as doubtlesse they are, accord­ing to their severall merits. And truly perhaps I should have thought my self, he had conversed with the very souls [Page 63]of the dead, if he had not also seen in that vision sundry which are yet alive, namely, some Churchmen of his own Countrey, by the Priest whereof he was told, that at Hippo he should be baptized by me, which accordingly, he said, was done. Wherefore in that vision, it is clear, he saw both a Priest, certain of the Clergy, my self; none of us all as yet dead, as well as he saw those that were dead. Why then might he not see us all both dead and living, after one manner, that is, not present but absent, not know­ing, but ignorant of what he saw, in a word, not in our persons, but in our simili­tudes, even as he did the pla­ces also? For he saw the Field where the Priest was, he saw [Page 64]not only the Clarks, but the whole City of Hippo it self, where he was Baptized; in which places yet certainly he was not, for he knew nothing of what was done at Hippo all that time, which he would have done doubtlesse, if in­deed he had been there. All this therefore was but by the way of vision, wherein things passe not alwayes in themselves or in verity of their substance, but are represented in Image or Similitude onely. Lastly, after many other things which he saw, he told how he was taken up into Paradise, and that it was said to him, when he was dismissed and ready to return to his friends, Go, Be Baptized, if ever you will live in this place of the Bles­sed; and when they told him [Page 65]further, that he must be Ba­ptized by me, he answered, it was done already, but hee who communed with him re­plyed, Go, saith he, and be Baptized indeed, for all this thou hast seen but in vision. After this, the man recover­ed and came to Hippo. Easter approching he delivered in his name among the rest of the Competents, unknown to me, and not much caring, as it seems, to tell his Vision, ei­ther to my self or any about me. But Baptized he was, and when the Holy-dayes were over, he went home a­gain to his own, and a year or two it was, before I under­stood any of these particulars, which I first learned from a friend of mine and his, sitting at table together and discour­sing [Page 66]of such matters. There­upon I became my self in­quisitive concerning the busi­nesse, and caused him to make relation of the whole matter to my self in presence of many honest men, his fellow Citizens, who them­selves testified the strange sicknesse which he had, and that for the space of many dayes he lay as one dead, and what happened to that other Curina the Smith; and when he repeated all things, as I have related, his neigh­bours that stood by, re­membred and testified that they had heard the same things from him before. Wherefore, as he saw his own Baptizing, and me, and the City of Hippo, the Church and the Font, not in the [Page 67]things themselves, or their very substance, but by cer­tain similitudes, so also did he see many other persons alive, which neither knew nor had thought of him.

CHAP. XIII.

VVHy then might he not see those deceas­ed persons (which he saw) not in their own persons or sub­stances, but in representation onely, they themselves neither seeing nor conversing with him? Why shall we not say, that such things as these may be the operations of some An­gels by order of the divine pro­vidence, Angels appear to the living. who is pleased to use both the good and bad (yet both well) according to the unsearchable depth of his Judgments, whither mens minds be thereby instructed or deceived, whither they be comforted or troubled, ac­cording as every one is capable of punishment or favour from [Page 69]him whose Mercy and Judge­ment both his Church worthi­ly celebrateth? But let every man judge of this as he thinks best. Certainly, if the souls of the dead could be so present in the affaires of the living, and converse with us, as they seem to do sometimes in our sleep; not to speak of others, my own deare Mother would not forbear me one night, who while she lived, followed me both by Sea and Land to enjoy my company: for God forbid, that by being Blessed her self, she should be now less tender-hearted towards me, that she should not, when any thing afflicts my heart, com­fort her son as she used to do, whom, when time was, she loved with most singular affe­ction, and could never endure [Page 70]to see him grieved. But surely that is most true, which the Psalmist saith, Psal. 26.10. namely That my Father and Mother have forsaken me, yet our Lord hath taken me up. If then (as the Scripture saith) our Fathers have forsaken us, how are they present with our affayres? how know they our cares? And if our Fathers themselves are not present, do not know our af­fairs, what are those other dead, which should know them? Isaias the Prophet saith, Isa. 63.16. Thou art our Father, because Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knows us not. If such great Patriarch's were ignorant of what was done touching the people of their own posterity, yea to whom for their faith in God that people and posterity were espe­cially [Page 71]promised, who can think that the dead generally do mixe themselves or meddle one way or other in the affaires of the living? in what sense can we say, it was happy for them who dyed before such or such evils happened, if even after death they were to be sensible of the calamityes of the times? or shall we peradventure say, that the errour is on our part, who will needs suppose them to be at rest, whom yet the restless or calamitous lifes of others here do indeed conti­nually disquiet? But if so, what then would be the meaning, what speciall favour in that promise which God Almighty made unto the good King Jo­sias, namely that hee should dy before, that he should not [Page 72]live to see the evills which were threatned unto that place and people? The words of God are these. Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel, my words which thou hast heard, and didst tremble before my face when thou heardest what I speak against this place and against the Inhabitants there­of, that it should be forsaken, and become a Curse, and hast rent thy cloaths and wept be­fore me; I also have heard, saith our Lord, it shall not be: Behold I will gather thee unto thy Fathers, and thou shalt be placed in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evils which I will bring upon this place and the Inhabitants thereof. This good King was terrifyed with the threatnings of God All­mighty, [Page 73]had wept and tore his garments, and is therefore as to his own person, secured against all those calamityes which were to come, by the promise of a timely death be­fore they came, and that he should so rest in peace, that none of all those evills should touch him. Therefore cer­tain it is, that the Spirits of men departed are there, where they neither know nor feel the accidents of this life. How then do they visit their own se­pulchres? how can they know whither their bodyes be bu­ryed or unburyed? how can we make them partake of the miseryes of the living? Seeing if they be bad, they have enough to suffer of their own: if otherwise, they rest in peace, [Page 74](as the good King Josias was to doe) having no sense of evill at all, either in the way of passion or compassion, but as absolutely free and discharged of whatsoever concernes this world.

CHAP. XIV.

BUt perhaps some will say, if the dead have no care for the living, why did that rich Glutton in the Gospell, Luc. 16. being himself in hell, pray Father Abraham to send La­zarus unto his five Brethren yet living in the world, and to deale with them, so as they might not come to that place of torment? But must we needs think that because Dives sayd thus, that therefore he did know at that time what his Brethren did, or how their state was? no verily, but we may think his care of the living (though he knew not particularly what [Page 76]they did) was such, as our care for the dead is, who know not certainly eyther what they do, or where they are and yet we have some kinde of care of them; for if we had not, cer­tainly we should never pray for them. Neyther did Abraham send Lazarus unto them, but replyed, they have Moyses and the Prophets, whom they ought to follow, to the end they came not into those places of torment. And if you object, how could Abraham himself know that they had Moyses & the Prophets, if the dead know nothing of the affayres of the world after death (for Moyses and the Prophets were all af­ter Abraham:) & how could he know that by observing the precepts of Moyses and the [Page 77]Prophets men might escape hell, yea how could he know that this Dives had lived all his life long in ryot and plea­sures, and poore Lazarus in paynes? for so he tells him plainly, Son remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life, and Lazarus like­wise evill: if I say you con­clude, that therefore Abraham, though dead, must needs know many things done among the living; I shall answere he did certainly know them, yet not then when they were a doing, or perhaps but newly done in the world, but afterwards, as he might by sundry wayes, and particularly the state of Dives and Lazarus he knew, not when Dives and Lazarus lived in the world, but afterwards [Page 78]when they were both dead, hee might learn it of Laza­rus; least otherwise that which the Prophet saith might seem not to hold true, viz. that Abraham knoweth us not.

CHAP. XV.

THerefore indeed it must be confessed that the dead know not what is done here; He de­clares how ma­ny wayes the dead may come to know what is done in this world, & what things they know. but this to be understood only while it is, as it were, a doing here, or but newly done, for afterwards, as I sayd, they may understand it, namely by those who dying depart from hence unto them; but yet not all things whatsoever, but those only which they are per­mitted [Page 79]to disclose, yea which they are permitted to remem­ber, and may be necessary for others to know. The dead also may understand some thing from those Angels, whose office is to attend the affaires of this world, according as he sees good and expedient for them to know, to whom all things are subject. For unless there were some Angells, which conversed both with the dead and the living, our Lord Je­sus would not have sayd, it came to pass that the beggar dyed and was carryed of the Angels into Abrahams bo­some. Therefore they could be now here, now there, see­ing as God would have it, they were used to carry him from hence unto the place of [Page 80]his rest. The souls of the dead also may know some things by divine Revelation, either of such things as be necessary for them to know, or at least not necessary to be unknown, and this not only of things past or present, but of those also which are to come, even as in times past not all men in generall were made acquainted with the Secrets of God, but only Prophets and such other holy men while they lived, and they not every one of them knowing all things, but every one some, according as the Di­vine Providence was pleased to reveale. And that some of the dead also may be sent unto the living, the Scripture it self doth testifie, (as contra­rily S. Paul from among the [Page 81]Living was rapt up into Pa­radise) for so we read, the Prophet Samuel after he was dead, appeared unto King Saul yet living, and foretold him things to come. 'Tis true, there are some that say, it was not Samuel himself that appeared, who could not, they think, have been so feecht up with magicall charmes, but rather some evill Spirit ready and apt for such business bor­rowed his shape. But the book we call Ecclesiasticus, written as 'tis commonly said by Je­sus the Son of Sirach, but for resemblance of stile and elo­quence not unlike to be Solo­mons own work, in the praises of holy men sayes of Samuel, that being dead he Prophecyed: But if again you extenuate the [Page 82]authority of this book with the Jewes (because they say it is not in their Canon) yet at least concerning Moyses no doubt can be made, Deut. 34.5. but that in Deuteronomy he is related to be both dead and buryed, and yet in the Gospell to have appeared unto the living, to­gither with Elias, who as yet is not dead.

CHAP. XVI.

HEnce also we answer an other question, viz, what may be said of the Martyrs, who by the favours which are granted unto such as pray unto them do declare themselves both to understand and to have care of our affairs, 7 favours obteined by pray­er to Saints. if the dead know not at all what the liv­ing do? for 'tis certain, and we know it by report of witnesses beyond exception, that when the City of Nola was besiedg­ed by the Barbarians, the Bles­sed Confessour Felix, Saints appear miracu­lously some­times when in­vocated. not onely by the effects of his particular favours, but even personally and in plain view did appear unto many good people inha­biting that City, whom he had [Page 84]formerly dearly loved. But it must be said, that such things as those happen miraculously, and are farre different from the usuall course, which God hath appointed unto the nature of all sorts of things. For because our Lord turned once water into wine, we must not therfore for­get what the nature of water is and what its proper virtue in the order of elements is, not because Lazarus rose again from death, that therefore e­very man that dyeth may rise again when he will, or that a dead man is raised by no great­er power, then another is a­wakened out of sleep. For to speak according to the limits and condition of mans nature in it self is one thing, and to speak according as God is [Page 85]pleased to demonstrate his di­vine power in it is another: and the things which come to passe naturally and as it were by constant course are of one sort, and those which are done mi­raculously by God are of an other; yet is God alwayes as­sistant unto nature, without whom it could not be, and in miracles themselves nature is not absolutely excluded, be­cause at least in her though not by her they are wrought. We must not therefore imagine, that the dead do ordinarily and of course mix themselves in the affairs of the living, because the Martyrs do somtimes shew themselves present, How mi­racles are wrought by pray­ing to Saints. for the cur­ing or help of some particular persons: But rather we are to know, it is by divine power of [Page 86]priviledge & dispensation that the Martyrs themselves are present with us at any time, because the dead generally & by any vertue of their own na­ture cannot be so. Although I confesse to determine in what particular manner the Martyrs do help them, Here he inquires the man­er how miracles are ob­teined by pray­ing to Saints. who for certain are helped by the Mar­tyrs, is a mater farre above my capacity: that is to say, whi­ther the Martyrs be present in their own persons at the same time in so divers and farre di­stant places as their Memories are, or that they otherwise hap­pen to shew themselves: or whither that God Almighty, the Martyrs abiding alwayes in that place which is appoint­ed for their merits, farre re­mote from the conversation of [Page 87]men, yet praying generally for the necessities of those who pray unto them, in the same manner as we pray for the dead (to whom we are never present, nor know where they be, or what they do) or I say, whi­ther that God Almighty him­self, who is every where present, though not as joyned to us, nor as divided from us, hearing the prayers which the Mar­tyrs make, doth by the mini­stery of Angels, which he sends abroad into all places, exhi­bite such comforts unto people against the miseries of this life, as he seeth to be most expedi­ent, who by his wonderfull power and goodnesse giveth testimony unto the merits of his Martyrs both where, Merits of the Martyrs acknow­ledged by S. Austin. and when, and how he pleaseth, [Page 88]but chiefly at their memories, as knowing this in his divine wisdome, The Me­mory and me­diation of Saints expedi­ent for confir­mation of faith. to be most expedi­ent for the Confirmation and Exaltation of the Faith of Christ, for which the Martyrs suffered. This I say is a thing much higher then I can reach unto, more abstruse and diffi­cult then I can search out; and therfore which of the two it be, or whither perhaps both of thē may not be true, viz. that sometimes by the very presence of the Martyrs themselves, and sometimes again by An­gels personating the Martyrs these things may be done, I dare not determine: I desire rather to learn such things of those who know them; For some there are surely who do know them, as there be some [Page 89]others also perhaps, who think they do, but do not. For doubt­lesse such things as these are the Free Guifts of God, who liberally bestoweth them as he pleaseth, some to one, some to another, according to that of the Apostle saying The mani­festation of the spirit is given to every one for their profit. 1 Cor. 12.7, &c. To one saith he, is given by the spirit the word of wisdome: and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit. To an other faith in the same spirit: to another the grace of doing cures in one spirit: to an other working of miracles; to an other kinds of tongues; to an other prophesie; to an other discerning of spi­rits; to an other interpreta­tion of tongues. And all [Page 90]these worketh one and the same spirit, dividing to every one according as he will. Of all which spirituall Gifts re­coned up by the Apostle, he that hath the discerning of spi­rits, he onely is the man who knoweth the things we speak of, as they ought to be known.

CHAP. XVII.

ANd such most probably was that Holy Person John the Monk, whom the good Emperour Theodosius the Elder was pleased to con­sult concerning the event of the civill war: for this man had also the gift of Prophesie; as I doubt not concerning those gifts but as every one might have any one in particular and alone, so, How S. Aug. re­verenced monks. as it pleased God, some one had many; as this John for example, of whom it is recounted, that a certain woman very devout and reli­gious, being as it were passio­nately desirous to see him, and labouring by her husband to procure it some way or other [Page 92]with the Holy man, it not be­ing his manner to admit the conversation of women upon any terms, he refused, but yet Go, saith he, tell your wife she shall see me at night, but it shall be in her sleep; and so she did. The good man ap­peared to her, and instructed her in all the duties of a faith­full wife, as she her self, as soon as she did awake, told her husband, describing the man of God to him, in such form and shape as he knew him to have. This truly I have heard reported by one, who had it from the parties them­selves, The manner how ap­paritions are made a grave and honourable personage, and worthy, I think, of all credit. But as to the matter, if I my self had ever seen that Saintly Monk, (as [Page 93]report of him, that he was a man of most sweet conversa­tion, and wont most patiently to hear what men propound­ed to him, and most wisely to give answer) I would have enquired of him something pertaining to this question, that is, Whither himself, or (which is all one) his spirit in the figure of his body did in­deed come unto that woman in her sleep, in such manner as we men dream of our selves in the shape of our bodies; or else that himself being other­wise busied, or sleeping, yea perhaps dreaming too, this vi­sion happened to the woman by an Angel or by some other means, and that he by the spi­rit of prophecy knowing be­fore-hand when such a vision [Page 94]should be vouchsafed unto her, was pleased by a kind of pro­mise thereof, to gratifie the desires of that good woman. For if himself in person were present at the time of that vi­sion, certainly it was by speci­all, nay by wonderfull grace and priviledge, that he so was, not by nature, or any proper faculty of his own. And whi­ther the woman saw him per­sonally and really present or no yet surely something of like nature it was, to that we reade of in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Saul, Act. 9.11. of whom our Lord Jesus speaking to Ana­nias tells him, that Saul had seen Ananias coming to him; &c. when as Ananias him­self as yet knew not Saul, nor any thing of the businesse. Yea [Page 95]and which way soever of these that man of God should have answered me, I would yet have proceeded further with him concerning the Martyrs, and asked him, in what manner it is that they are present, either in mens sleep or otherwise, to such persons as have the favour to see them sometimes, viz. when and how they please, and chiefly how they are present, when devils in mens bodies do cry out, confessing that they are tormented by them, and do beseech the Martyrs to spare them; Why God Al­mighty dispens­eth his favours at the memory and in­tercessi­on of Martyrs. or whether such things be done indeed and immediate­ly by Angelicall powers one­ly, yet in the honour and com­mendation of Martyrs, as God is pleased to command, for the good of us men, the Martyrs [Page 96]themselves in the mean time re­maining in perfect rest, attend­ing wholly unto an other and much better vision, wherein though separated from us, yet their charities cease not to pray for us.

For of a truth at the Martyrs S: Devils torment­ed by the relicks of Martyrs. Gervasius and Protasius in Millain, the devils did expres­ly and by name confesse (be­sides sundry persons that were deceased) Saint Ambrose Bi­shop of the place, who was then alive, Saints li­ving ab­sent tor­ment de­vils in possessed bodies. and entreated that he would spare them, yet was he at that time busied else­where about other matters and knew nothing of that which passed. Now supposing these things to be done, sometimes as I have said, by the Martyrs themselves present, and some­times [Page 97]by the presence of An­gels, by what signs they may be discerned or distinguished the one from the other, none I suppose, can certainly know or determine, but he onely who hath the proper gift thereof, which gift is distributed unto every one who hath it, by the Spirit of God, according as himself pleaseth. That holy man John, A won­derfull humility in S. Aug. mixed with great Christi­an piety. 'tis very like would have satisfied me in all these points; at least thus far, that either by his teaching me I should have learnt, and percei­ved the things I heard to be true, or else not being able to perceive them my self, I should yet believe them upon his cre­dit, who did both know them, and affirm them to be so. Nay, if perchance he should answer [Page 98]me out of holy Scripture, and say Enquire not of things too high for thee, Ecclus. 3 search not after things that be too hard, but what our Lord hath command­ed thee, think on that alwayes, yet even this also I should take in good part. For surely, there being many things so obscure and intricate, that we can hardly expect to attain them perfectly in this life, it should be no small advantage, but to know clearly and cer­tainly that they are not to be enquired further after: as when a man studies hard to learn a thing, which he supposeth per­haps will be much for his pro­fit, yet I think it doth him no harm, when an other man rightly informs him, how to do as well without it.

CHAP. XVIII.

TO conclude therefore, things standing thus as hath been said, we are not to i­magine that any thing we do for the dead doth profit them, save that onely which we beg for them of Almighty God, by the sacrifices which we make to him on their behalf, Masse, Almes, and Prayer profita­ble for the dead accord. to S. Austin. that is to say, by the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, by Almes, or by our own pray­ers: yea even these advantage not all for whom they are made, but such onely, Prayers and Mas­ses for the dead profit onely such who died in Gods Grace. whose former life hath deserved that such good offices should profit them after death. But because we our selves discern not certainly among the dead, [Page 100]who are such, and who are not such, it is thought more expedient to do these things in generall for all the faith­full departed, A pious and pru­dent dis­course. to the intent that none be omitted to whom such favours may of right be­long. For it is much better, if it so fall out, that some thing superfluous be done in regard of those who receive neither good nor harm by them, then that any thing ne­cessary should be wanting to those who have need. How­beit every man performeth these things with more dili­gence and devotion for his particular friends then other­wise; as expecting the same measure of Charity after­wards from his own. But as to this matter of Funerall [Page 101]and all that solemnity which we use about interring the bo­dy, whatsoever is spent or done that way it is no suc­cour or salvation to the soul, but an office of pure humani­ty agreeable unto and issuing from that affection, whereby all men naturally love their own flesh, The final resoluti­on of the question, that it is good carefully to bury the dead and also to bury them in places conse­crate to Martyrs, and when their re­liques are the reason of it. yea and think it rea­sonable, that in some cases a man should have care of his neighbours body, as well as of his own, and in this case e­specially, when the spirit is gone to whom it did belong, when time was, to uphold and go­vern it. And truely if they who believe not the resurrecti­on of the flesh, do yet per­form such things to their dead, how much more ought we to do so who believe not onely [Page 102]that the dead body shall rise again and live for ever, but that the performance of such good offices towards them is it self in some sort a testimo­ny of that Faith. But that we bury them at the Memories of the Martyrs, as I have said before, in this respect onely it seems to me to advantage the dead, namely that thereby the affection of his friends praying for him, and commend­ing him to the Patronage of these martyrs, may be increas­ed.

Thus have you my answer, framed as well as I could, un­to such points as you thought expedient to enquire of me: if it seems overlong, I desire you would pardon me, and impute it to the delight and [Page 103]affection I have to hold dis­course with you. As for the book it self, I intreat your ve­nerable Charity would let me know by your letters ere long what you think of it. I be­lieve, it will be much more welcome for the bearer's sake, viz. our Brother and fellow-Priest Candidianus, whom for the report your letters gave of him, I received with all affection, and dismissed again as much against my will: For verily he much comforted us with his presence in Christs Charity; and to speak but the truth, I compli­ed with your desires much upon his instance. For in­deed your letters found me so distracted with other cares, that you may attribute not a [Page 104]little to his daily solliciting and minding me thereof, if you receive any com­petent answer to your question.