Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 9
CAP. IX. Of Authoritie, and Reason.
AVthoritie leads us to the Authour of a thing, and bids us rest in his word, whether for credence to his relation, or obedience to his commandment. Reason wils us to look to the thing it self, and to the arguments for, or against it, taken either from common sense; or naturall principles, and conclusions; or other undoubted grounds of truth, or goodnesse of matter. The ground in Authoritie is, in a sort personall: in Reason, reall. It is a kind of impeachment of Authoritie, to examine the Reasons of things: so is it a prejudice to Reasons work to call Authoritie to counsell; save onelyonly when God speaks; for then the Authoritie justifies the Reason; and Reason bids, receav the Authoritie, Philip. 2.and do all things commanded without reasonings.
The Authoritie and credit of him that relates a matter, whether man, or Angel, yea or God himself, makes it not the truer in it self, but the more readily to be beleeved by them that hear it. The testimonie of God in his Word, that in the beginning he made the World of nothing; and will judg men and Angels at that day by Iesus Christ, is onelyonly therefore true in it self, because God indeed hath done the one, and will do the other; but is therefore by us to be beleeved as true, because he so testifies in his Word.
Divine Authoritie is to sway with us aboue all Reason: yea Reason teacheth, that God is both to be beleeved, and obeyed in the things, for which man can see no Reason. And hence it is that the Lord hath so severely punished mens transgressing his Laws of Ceremonies, and Divine Institutions, called by the Schoolmen voluntarie precepts; for that in commanding of them Gods absolute Authoritie most clearly appears, and mans pure obedience in observing them. Humain Authoritie hath more or lesse weight, according to the worth of the person, or other circumstances: But as the moneys of all men high, and low; good, and bad; are alike; so are the Reasons. The meanest mans Reason (specially in1 Sam. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2 Chr. 26 matter of Faith, and obedience to God) is to be preferred before all Authoritie of all men. I say, specially of Faith; yet not excluding other subjects. For though I will and ought to do some things, simply because I am commanded; yet I will not therefore simply beleev that any thing is good in it self. And albeit I am bound to obey humain Authoritie in sundry things, for the commanding of which I know no Reason, yea know there is no Reason: yet know I Reason for mine obedience, even the honour of Authoritie, and preservation of peace. The thing commanded may be unjust, and evill in him that commands, and yet good in me obeying his Authoritie in it. For example. A matter of outward wrong to me commanded by the Magistrate; in the doing whereof I sustain dammage, but sin not.
God who made two great lights for the bodily ey, hath also made two lights for the ey of the mind: The one the Scriptures, for her supernaturall light; and the other Reason, for her naturall light. And indeed onelyonly those two are a mans own: and so is not the Authoritie of other men. The Scriptures are as well mine, as any other mans; and so is Reason as far as I can attain to it: But the Authoritie of others is not mine, but theirs: which when I use, I borrow, and lay to pawn unto them, whom I cannot satisfie, or secure by the other means, which are mine own. Who would, borrow of others that hath enough of his own to satisfie as well.
God, who, though he be absolute Lord, so oft annexeth Reasons to his Precepts, teacheth even the most powerfull and mightie upon the Earth, in their governments, to prefer Reason afore Authoritie. And the man that would not rather rule men by Reason (yea beasts, if they were capable thereof) then by violent Authoritie, is himself inhumain, and beast-like.
The Authoritie of Gods Word, and testimonie is alwaies the same, as being grounded upon his unchangeable veritie: But the credit of mens judgments is lesse, or more according to varietie of circumstances. Men deserv most credit in the facultie wherein they hauehave been most exercised: for none can judg so well of the craft, Anacharsisas the crafts-man. So more likely it is, that a man wise, learned, and studious in the Scriptures, specially, if withall, he be such a one, as unto whom God hath promised, in ordinarie course, as unto one that fears him, to reveal his secrets, should finde the truth, then one sleightie, illiterate, and of more shallow meditations. In former ages the Divell hath so far prevailed, as that men in superstitious reverence, hauehave, as it were, pinned their Faith and Religion upon the sleeves of the Churches Authoritie, and Clergies learning: putting out, or winking with their own eyes, that their guides might lead them: and this blinde-fold devotion is yet affected by too many. But withall, there want not, specially in places of libertie, whose minds Satan hath so far possessed with the contrarie delusion, as they think it halfe Poperie so much as to seek counsell, and direction at men of Learning, and knowledg; lest, for sooth, they should be deceaved by them. This suspition hath been, and is, too much occasioned, by the abuse of Learning to covetousnesse, and ambition in the Learned: but is taken and held up by the other; partly, by unbelief, whilst they more fear the Divels subtletie in deceaving them by Learned men (specially being in any measure conscionable) then they trust to the blessing of God upon his own gifts in them for their information; partly, from conceiptednesse in themselvs, as if they were indeed verie Popes, and exempted from danger of erring; and partly, through partiall affection to their preconceaved opinions: of which they are as loath to hear any ill, as fond Parents are to hear ill of their Children, though there be never so much cause; lest thereby they should be brought out of love with them. But as we are more to desire, and endeavour, that we our selvs may walk in the wayes of God, then others: so should we rather desire, and more endeavour, as we have occasion, to converse with men of knowledg, and such, as may inform us; then with them that know lesse then our selvs, and do depend upon us for information. And, to conclude; as Learning makes the good better, and Comineus.the bad worse: so is it more likely, that a man should be bettered by it, then not; and that knowing what concerns him, he will be the more ashamed of the contrarie.
It is also more probable, that many, specially wise, and godly, should finde the truth, then one; as many eyes see more then one: whereupon it was, that the verie Apostles in some cases of practise sought or took the adviseActs 21. of others; which help our dulnesse makes much more necessarie for us.
Into this account we must also bring the advantage of Ages, and times in which men live: and so more credit in matters controverted between Rome and VsUs, is to be given to the Churches, and Fathers of that first Age after Christ, then of the latter, when the Mysterie of Iniquitie (rising by degrees) had gotten too great both height, and breadth.
Besides, the occasions offered have their weight in these Ballances. Austin is observed, by occasion of the errour of Pelagius, to have examined more diligently, and more exactly discerned, and in preffer terms to have propounded the truth, in the points of Predestination, and Free-will; then others his Ancients. Many are ignorant, yea mistake, specially in smaller matters; not properly because they want either skill, or will to finde out the truth in them, but occasion onelyonly pressing them to examine things receaved by tradition, or done of custom without ground of reason.
With these also we must ioin the consideration of such advantages, as the latter times have of the former, whose helpfull labours they enjoy: by which those which follow them (though in themselvs meaner then they) are enabled to discern of many things better then the other that went before them; as a dwarf set upon the shoulders of a giant can see further then he.
Lastly, It is more likely, that of two, in any measure alike otherwise, he who suffers affliction for conscience of God, should have the truth; then he that gets worldly benefit by his course in Religion; specially if he have not in a great measure learned to denie himself, and this world: it being their guize to dissemble herein, who love …ucre, and riches: asLactantius too many do.
The credit commending a testimonie to others cannot be greater then is the Authoritie in it self of him that gives it; nor his Authoritie greater then his person. The person then being but a man, the Authoritie can be but humain; and so the faith but humain, which it can challeng. The custom of the Church is but the custom of men: the sentence Whittakersof the Fathers but the opinion of men: the determination of Councels but the judgments of men, what men soever. And so, if all the men in the World (not immediately directed, as were extraordinarie Prophets, and Apostles, in whom the Spirit spake, and testified by them) should consent in one; as they, notwithstanding their multitude, were but men, though many; so were their testimonie but humain, though of many men; neither could it challeng other then humain assent unto it: and not that neither absolutely either in matters of discourse of reason, wherein it is possible that men should deceav themselvs; or of relation from others, by whom they may be deceaved. We are therefore to beware, that we neither wrong our selvs by credulitie; nor others by unjust suspition. To receav without examination mens sayings, is to make of P. Martyrmen, God: to reject them lightly, is to make of men Divels; or fools, at the best. The latter hath pride, and uncharitablenesse for the ground: the former either argues men to be simple, which cannot; or idle, which will not; or presumptuous, which think they need not; or superstitious, which dare not judg; or (which is worst of all the rest) desirous in a kinde of humble hypocrisie to shelter an evill conscience before God under the shadow of great mens Authoritie.
To presse immoderately mens Authoritie in Divine things, is to wrong Gods: which alone is authentick; and whose will, and it alone, and all it (so far as is fit for us to know it) we know more certainly to be contained, and preserved, without corruption, in the Scriptures; then any Fathers opinion, in the Books, which go under his name. This also wrongs mens Faith, and reason, captivating them by prejudice; and rather offering a hand to lead the blinde; then a light for the help of him that hath eyes to see with. I have known some, who, if they light upon a peremptorie Authour, and bold asserter of things, were readie to be still of the same opinion with the Book which they last read: their weaker judgment being overborn rather by the strength of other mens asseverations, then reasons. Lastly, this ingenders endlesse contentions: as is to be seen in some Learned mens writings; in which there is more adoe about the meaning of such, or such a place in a Father, then were enough to determine the whole controversie by the Scriptures, and good Reason.
These things notwithstanding, there is both a lawfull, and convenient use of humain testimonie even in Divine things; as first, for the convincing of such thereby, as regard it too much, and Gods Word too little Thus Paul amongst Heathens, even in his verie Sermons, alledged Heathenish Poets, and Phylosophers; and we in our writings rightly alledg Fathers, and Councels against Papists, and others, who more regard the saying of an ancient Father, or Canon of a Councell, then the written Word of the Ancient of Dayes. They are twice overcome, who are beaten with their own weapons, in which they trust. Secondly, It induceth a morall probabilitie, though no absolute necessitie of truth: and though we see not the truth by other mens eyes, but by our own; yet may we be something held up in the arms of their testimonie to see it the better, and so be helped, as Zacheus was, by the Tree, into which he clymbed, to see Christ. So the Apostles in penning some parts of Holy Scripture, upon occasion of differences in the Churches, and opposition to their Apostolicall Authoritie, took in, for the better passage with men of Gods undoubted truth, the concurring testimonie even of ordinarie Christians: though both the Decrees, & Epistles Act. 15. 23. 29. Gal. 1. 2.were penned by infallible, and immediate direction of the Holy Ghost, as well, and as much, as any other parts of Canonicall Scriptures. Thirdly, Citation of humain Authoritie helps to wipe away the aspersion of Schism, & singularitie, when we can shew that our assertions, and practises have agreement with such as are in account in the Churches. Lastly, It commends both a mans modesty & diligence, when he enquires after, and withall, his cause, in the eyes of men, when he appears to know the judgments of others in the things he handles: as it is, on the other side, an imputation to him that knows them not; and that even where it is otherwise, no benefit, to know them.
The Authoritie of him that prescribeth, or commandeth (within his limits) is the same, whether the matter be great, or small. God is God, in the smallest things, which he requires; and man but man, in his deepest charges. The Prophets, and Apostles in their writings are extraordinarie; and Pastors and Teachers, ordinarie Ministers; and neither are either more, or lesse in any part of their Ministerie, for the instruction of the Churches. So likewise all true Reasons are of the same force in themselvs, to confirm that for which they are brought: neither is any one stronger then other, but onelyonly more evident. The best but proves of itself the things to be so; and the meanest (if sound) doth as much.