The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Introduction – Article 1
THE ENTRANCE to the Treatiſe.
LUKE 12.57.
VVhy even of your ſelves judge ye not what is right?
THe principall virtue of mans ſoule is Reaſon, unto whoſe power the ſoule would have every thing ſubject, if it might; becauſe that is the Standard to trie the truth; in the knowledge whereof principally the ſoule is delighted But becauſe arguments alwayes appeare not, by the weight of which reaſon may try the truth; the ſoule is content to beleeve or unbeleeve ſuch things, as it cannot trie by reaſon; either for the credit of the author, or for the deſire which it ſelfe hath, that they ſhould be ſo, or not ſo. The firſt degree then of the powers of the ſoule above reaſon is faith: but becauſe the ſoule is loth to bee deceived, therefore will it not alwayes come ſo farre as to beleeve, or diſcredit a thing, but is content to hold it in opinion: and yet upon a more ſleight view, to ſuppoſe ſomething to be, or not to be, true or falſe for a time: for a man may ſuppoſe that to be, of which he will not entertaine an opinion that it is, yea and have an opinion of that, which he doth not conſtantlie beleeve; yea and beleeve that for which he cannot give a ſound proofe that it is. So that faith, opinion, and ſuppoſition, are of larger compaſſe one than another, and all of greater circuit than reaſon Yet becauſe the imagination that lovely Dalilah is ever ſerviceable to reaſon her Samſon, though never faithfull; and becauſe there is nothing in any of theſe three, which the imagination dares not be buſie with; therefore by the helpe of imagination, reaſon enquires into the workes of all theſe, uſing thereto ſaying and gain-ſaying, likelyhood and unlikelyhood, and arguing on every ſide, till it come to a concluſion, in which it will reſt, at leaſt for a time. And as every minde or ſoule is more noble and excellent than another, (for there are many more degrees of excellencie in ſpirituall ſubſtances than there bee in bodily) ſo doth it exerciſe it ſelfe in the moſt hard and excellent things. And to ſet all other matters aſide (for all other are farre beneath the knowledge of God, and the aſſurance of our faith in him, which is our preſent ſearch) let us ſee by what degrees we are come unto that taske which we have undertaken.
Religion is a band or tyall of the conſcience in things pertaining unto God, in reſpect of the excellency of the reward to them that doe well, or of the puniſhment of them that doe ill: for there was never any religion true or falſe, but it was ſet in the ſervice of ſome God, whom the worſhippers beleeved to bee juſt in rewarding both good deeds and bad, and that not only in this life, but much more in another, where they perſwaded themſelves the ſoule was immortall, as one of their falſe prophets truely ſaid, Virtus recludit non meritis mori Coelum.— Seing then that religion (as every other thing that is reaſonably undertaken) proceeds from the knowledge of the End; and that all religion doth ſuppoſe an everlaſting happineſſe, or puniſhment to the ſoule in immortality (excepting only that of the peſtilentiall Sect of the Sadduces, who though they confeſſed God, yet thought that the promiſes and threatnings of the Law ſtretched no farther than to this life only, and therefore denied the reſurrection, the ſoules immortality, Angels, Devils) It might ſeeme that I, who enquire of religion according to the diſcourſe of reaſon, might hold it ſufficient to lay downe the reaſons of the poſitive Doctrine without any mention of hereſies or contrarie opinions, and that I ought firſt to enquire,See Chap. 39. whether there be any ſuch happineſſe at all, as is ſuppoſed in the life to come.See Chap. 40. Secondly, whether the ſoule be immortall, and ſo capable of eternall happineſſe. Thirdly, whether the ſoule although immortall, doe remaine a ſeparate and an entyre being by it ſelfe, or whether when it departs out of the body, it doth not returne into the Chaos of life, as a drop of water falling into a river: for if any one of all theſe points faile; that is, if there be no happineſſe at all after death, or if the ſoule enjoy it not, becauſe it dyes, or if that happineſſe be not peculiar and entyre to the ſoule by it ſelfe, and in it ſelfe, then the end of all our religion is utterlie fruſtrate. But for the preſent, they ſhall be onelyonly as poſtulata, or ſuppoſitions; the proofe ſhall appeare hereafter in the Article of Everlaſting life. And concerning hereſies, I confeſſe that in this diſputing age, wherein men will rather ſeeme to know, that they may oppoſe the truth, than willingly to ſubmit themſelves thereto, I had great doubt in my ſelfe, whether by the remembrance of them, I might not give occaſion to ſuch as itch after opinions, to be tainted with theſe ſtinking ulcers, or at leaſt cauſe a doubting, or falling away of them that are weake, when they conſider the diverſities that have been, and ſtill are concerning religion. But when I remembred the ſaying of S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.19. There muſt be hereſies even among you, that they that are approved might be knowne: I ſuppoſed that this benefit would grow thereby, that men in the examination of opinions might be more firmely grounded in the truth of God, while they take heed to his word, as to a light that ſhines in a darke place. Therefore as Mariners ſet Buoyes and Seamarkes for avoyding of ſhipwracke; or as Phyſicians deſcribe Aconitum and other poyſonous herbs, that they may be avoyded, ſo are theſe hereſies here ſet out.
Moreover in this triumph of the truth of Chriſt, a great part of the captive traine ſhould have beene wanting, if they had not been driven before the triumphant Coach: Whereas now the Chriſtian may have comfort to ſee how the truth hath been fought againſt, but yet hath overcome; hath beene beſieged, not taken, battered, not ſhaken: ſo that hereafter he may contemne the force of any adverſarie. And for feare of danger, I thinke there is none, when both by Scripture and reaſon theſe hereſies mentioned are ſo utterly overthrowne. But if any contrary to both theſe will yet bee licking of that foule vomit, Let him that is filthie, bee filthie ſtill; and let him that is holy, be holy ſtill. The hereſies I mention under the moſt uſuall and knowne name, not reckoning up for oſtentation, all thoſe that were followers of that opinion. The word Hereſie I uſe at large, for any opinion which a man doth chuſe to maintaine againſt the truth; knowne or unknowne. And herein I put not onelyonly the perverſe opinions of them that have beene called Chriſtians, but alſo thoſe falſe poſitions of the Heathens, who profeſt Philoſophie, of whoſe traditions and falſe principles we are admoniſhed to beware Col. 2.8. And theſe things being thus remembred, let us now with due reverence and regard firſt be aſſured, That God is, that we may know what that glorious truth is, which is the ground and rule of all truth, and the foundation of our moſt holy and Chriſtian religion: becauſe that this foundation being once laid, the ſpirituall building of our moſt glorious faith may on that firme Rocke be raiſed up in all the parts thereof perfect and entyre. And as we know that the author of all truth hath no need of our Lye, whereby to be juſtified: ſo where the truth is manifeſt, let us not ſhut our eyes againſt it, becauſe we know that it is the ſhine of his being upon our underſtanding; and that for this end, that our underſtanding and will being enlightned thereby, we may find the way to everlaſting happineſſe.