Twenty-Six Sermons, Sermon 23
A SERMON Preached at Lincolns-Inn, Aſcenſion-day, 1622. SERMON XXIII.
Deut. 12.30.
Take heed to thy ſelf, that thou be not ſnared by following them after they be deſtroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, ſaying, How did thoſe nations ſerve their gods? even ſo will I do likewiſe.
WHen I conſider our aſcenſion in this life, (that which David ſpeaks of, Who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord?) I ſee the Prophet adds there,Pſal. 24.30. as another manner of expreſſing the ſame thing, And who ſhall ſtand in that holy place? Quis aſcendet, & quis ſtabit? A man does not aſcend, except he ſtand. And ſuch an aſcenſion (an aſcenſion without a redeſcent) Moſes provides for here. Firſt they ſhould aſcend to an aboliſhing of all Idolatry; And then they ſhould ſtand in that ſtate, perſevere in that ſtation, and perpetuate that aſcenſion to themſelves, by ſhutting themſelves up againſt any new reentries of that Idolatry which had been once happily baniſhed from amongſt them. The inchoation of this aſcenſion, that ſtep which is happily made in the aboliſhing of idolatry, is in the beginning of this Chapter; Ye ſhall utterly deſtroy all the places, (which is a vehement gradation and heightening of the commandment:) It is a deſtruction, not a faint diſcontinuing of idolatry, but deſtruction; It is utter deſtruction, not a defacing, not a deferring of idolatry; and it is the utter deſtruction of the very place, not a ſeiſing the riches of the place, nor a ſlight correction of the abuſes of the place, but the place it ſelf, and (as is there expreſſed) all the place, not to leave the Devil one Chappel wherein the Nations had ſerved their gods. And the Holy Ghoſt proceeds in the next verſe with this particular vehemency, You ſhall overthrow their altars, break their pillars, burn their groves, hew down their images, and deſtroy their names. But all this is but the inchoation of this aſcenſion, the firſt ſtep in aboliſhing idolatry: The conſummation of it is, in ſtanding there; and that's in this Text, Take heed to thy ſelf, &c.
Serm. 23.The words are an Inhibition, and the perſons are all they to whom God hath extended his favors, ſo far as to deliver them from Idolatry formerly practiſed amongſt them,Diviſio. and to bring them to the ſincere worſhip of his Name. And for ſuch perſons we need not go far, for we our ſelves are they. God hath given us ſuch a deliverance heretofore in the reformation of Religion; ſo far we are aſcended, and ſo the Inhibition lies upon us, that we ſlide not back again. It hath two parts; 1. The main matter of the Inhibition, That we be not ſnared by Idolaters, after they have been deſtroyed from before us. And ſecondly, two particular dangers whereby we may be ſnared; Firſt, by following them: Take heed you be not ſnared by them; and then by an over-curious enquiring into their Religion, Enquire not after their Gods, &c. And through the firſt, the matter of the Inhibition, we ſhall paſs by theſe ſteps, 1. That there is no ſecurity; there is ſtill danger, though the Idolater be deſtroyed. And ſecondly, That there is therefore a diligence to be required, Take heed to thy ſelf. And then thirdly, That the danger from which this diligence muſt deliver us, is a ſnare; Take heed leſt thou be ſnared. And for the branches of the ſecond part, the ſnare of following them; the ſnare of enquiring into their opinions; it ſhall leaſt incumber you to have them opened then, when we come to handle them; firſt we paſs through the firſt part.
1. Part.In that, the firſt branch is, That there is no ſecurity, though the enemy be deſtroyed. And there we are to conſider firſt, what amounts to a deſtruction, what is called a deſtruction in this caſe; God had promiſed the children of Iſrael, that he would give all the inhabitants of the Land of Promiſe into their hands; that he would aboliſh them, deſtroy them, and (as his own phraſe is) cut them off. Exod. 23.23.God performs all his promiſes; was this performed to them? did God deſtroy them all? Truly it was very much that God did in this behalf. He got great victories for them, and by ſtrange means. One angel was able to deſtroy for them almoſt 200 thouſand Aſſyrians in one night in Senacheribs Army.2 Kin. 19.35. This was a real execution by the hands of one, who having Commiſſion, had truly Power to do it, an Angel. But he prevailed for them ſo too in another caſe, only by an apparition of Angels, when there was no blow ſtrucken,2 Kin. 6.16. when Eliſha's ſervant ſaw mountains full of Horſes and Chariots of fire. He prevailed for them by creatures of a much lower rank, and weak in their nature,Exod. 23.28. by Hornets. He promiſes Moſes, that he would ſend Hornets before them, and they ſhould drive out the Inhabitants of the Land. He prevails for them by creatures of a lower rank then they,Joſ. 10.10. by creatures without life, by ſtones. The Lord diſcomfeited them by great ſtones from heaven. He prevailed by that which is no creature, no ſubſiſtence, a ſound only, The Lord thundered with a great Thunder upon the Philiſtines, and diſcomfeited them. He took a lower way then this, he employed nothing, and yet did the work, by imprinting a terror in their hearts,1 Sam. 7.10. Five of you ſhall chaſe a hundred, and a hundred of you ſhall put ten thouſand to flight. And a way lower then that;2 Kin. 6.17. he wrought not upon their mindes, but upon their ſenſes. He ſmote a whole Army with blindneſs. And he went further yet; he did nothing at all upon them, and yet wrought his purpoſe, only by diverſion; when Saul purſued David with the moſt vehemence of all,1 Sam. 23.27. a meſſenger came and told him that the Philiſtines had invaded his Land, and then he gave over the purſuit of David. Really great, admirably ſtrange things did God in the behalf of his children, for the deſtruction of his and their Idolatrous enemies. But yet were they ever deſtroy'd? totally deſtroy'd they were not; The Lord left ſome Nations (ſays the Text there) without haſtily driving them out; neither did he deliver them into the hands of Joſhuah. Judg. 2.23.The Jebuſites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jeruſalem unto this day, (ſays that holy ſtory) and ſo did other Nations with the other Tribes in other places.1.21.28. They were able (as we are told there) to put the Canaanites to Tribute, but not to drive them out; to make Penal Laws againſt them, but not to deliver the Land of them. Now why did God do this? We would not ask this queſtion, if God had not told us, ut erudiret in iis Jeruſalem, 3.2.that the Enemy might be their Schoolmaſter, and War their Chatechiſm, that they might never think that they ſtood in no more need of God. The Lord was with Judah, (ſaith the Text) ſo far with him,1.19. as that he drave out the Inhabitants of the Mountain, but yet would not drive out the Inhabitants of the Valley. Sometimes God does the greater work, and yet leaves ſome leſſer things undone. God chooſes his Matter and his Manner, and his Meaſure, and his Means, and his Minutes: But yet God is truly and juſtly ſaid to have deſtroyed thoſe Idolatrous Enemies, in that he brought them ſo low, as that they could not give Laws to the children of Iſrael, nor force them to the Idolatrous Worſhip of their gods, though ſome ſcattered Idolaters did ſtill live amongſt them. God could deſtroy Nequitias in coeleſtibus, he could evacuate all Powers and Principalities, he could annihilate the Devil, or he could put him out of Commiſſion, take from him the power of tempting or ſolliciting his ſervants. Though God hath not done it, yet he is properly ſaid to have deſtroyed him, becauſe he hath deſtroyed his Kingdom. Death is ſwallowed up in victory, ſaith Saint Paul out of Oſe. O death, where is thy ſting, ſays he! Where is it! Why,1 Cor. 15.5.4. Oſe. 13.14. it is in thy boſome. It is at the heart of the greateſt Princes of the earth; Though they be gods, they die like men. O grave, where is thy victory, ſays he there! Why, above the Victories, and Trophies and Triumphs of all the Conquerors in the world. And yet the Apoſtle ſpeaks, (and juſtly) as if there were no death in man, no ſting in death, no grave after death, becauſe to him who dies in the Lord, all this is nothing; not he by death, but death in him is deſtroyed. And as it is of the cauſe of Sin, the Devil; and of the effect of Sin, Death; ſo is it of Sin it ſelf; it is deſtroyed, and yet we ſin. He that is born of God, doth not commit ſin ſo, as that ſin ſhall be imputed to him. Sin and Satan, and Death are deſtroyed in us, becauſe they can do no harm to us. So the Idolatrous Nations were deſtroyed amongſt the Iſraelites, becauſe they could not bring in an Inquiſition amongſt them, and force them to their Religion. And ſo Idolatry hath been deſtroyed amongſt us, deſtroyed ſo, as that it hath been declared to be Idolatry towards God, and declared to be complicated and wrapped up inſeparably in Treaſon towards the King and the State. Our Schools and Pulpits have deſtroyed it, and our Parliaments have deſtroyed it. Our Pulpits eſtabliſh them that ſtay at home; and our Laws are able to lay hold upon them that run from home, and return ill affected to their home. Let no man therefore murmur at Gods proceedings, and ſay, If God had a minde to deſtroy Idolatry, he would have left no ſeed, or he would not have admitted ſuch arepullulation, and ſuch a growth of that ſeed as he hath done. God hath his own ends and his own ways: He deſtroyed the Nations from before the Iſraelites; Chriſt hath deſtroyed Sin, and Satan, and Death, and Hell; and Idolaters amongſt us, for Gods greater glory, do remain. For ſuch a deſtruction as ſhould be abſolute, God never intended, God never promiſed; for that were to occaſion, and to induce a ſecurity, and remove all diligence: Which is our ſecond Branch in this firſt part [Cave tibi] ſee, take heed, &c.
In the beginning of the world we preſume all things to have been produced in their beſt ſtate; all was perfect, and yet how ſoon a decay! all was ſummer, and yet how ſoon a fall of the leaf! a fall in Paradiſe, not of the leaf, but of the Tree it ſelf, Adam fell; A fall before that, in heaven it ſelf, Angels fell: Better ſecurity then Adam, then Angels had there, we cannot have, we cannot look for here. And therefore there is danger ſtill, ſtill occaſion of diligence,Lev. 11.3. of conſideration. The chewing of the Cudd was a diſtinctive mark of cleanneſs in the Creature: The holy rumination the daily conſideration of his Chriſtianity, is a good character of a Chriſtian.1 Cor. 12.31. Covet earneſtly the beſt gifts, ſays the Apoſtle; thoſe to whom he writ had good gifts already, yet he exhorts them to a deſire of better And what doth he promiſe them? not the Gift it ſelf, but the way to it, I will ſhew a more excellent way. There is ſtill ſomething more excellent then we have yet attained to. Non dicit chariſma, Chryſoſt.ſed viam. The beſt ſtep, the beſt height in this world, is but the way to a better; and ſtill we have way before us to walk further in▪ Anathema pro fratribus, Rom. 9.3.was but once ſaid; St. Paul once, and in a vehement, and inordinate zeal, and religious diſtemper ſaid ſo, That he could be content to be ſeparated from Chriſt. Exi à me Domine, was but once ſaid, once St. Peter ſaid,Luc. 5.8. Depart from me, O Lord. The Anathema, the exi but once; but the Adveniat Regnum, Let thy Kingdom come, I hope is ſaid more then once by every one of us, every day; every day we receive, and yet every day we pray for that Kingdom, more and more aſſurance of Glory, by more and more increaſe of Grace. For as there are bodily diſeaſes, and ſpiritual diſeaſes too, proper to certain ages, (a yong man and an old man are not ordinarily ſubject to the ſame diſtempers, nor to the ſame vices) ſo particular forms of Religion have their indiſpoſitions, their ill inclinations too. Thou art bred in a Reformed Church, where the truth of Chriſt is ſincerely Preached, bleſs God for it; but even there thou mayeſt contract a pride, an opinion of purity, and uncharitably deſpiſe thoſe who labour yet under their ignorances or ſuperſtitions; or thou mayeſt grow weary of thy Manna, and ſmell after Egyptian Onions again. It is not enough that the State and the Church hath deſtroyed Idolatry ſo far as we ſaid before; ſtill there are weeds, ſtill there are ſeeds: And therefore Cave, Take heed. But yet it is but, Take heed. It is not take thought. Afflict not thy ſelf, deject not thy ſelf with ominous preſages, and prophetical melancholy, thy God will overthrow this Religion, and deſtroy this work which his right hand hath been a hundred years in repairing, and ſcatter his corn which his right hand hath been a hundred years in purifying. Come not to ſay, It was but the paſſion and animoſity of Luther, It was but the ambition and ſingularity of Calvin that induc'd this Religion, and now that that is ſpent, the Religion melts like ſnow. Take no ſuch thought, be not afraid that the truth of God ſhall or can periſh: It is not, Take thought; but it is much leſs, Take arms. Men may have falſe conceptions of preparations, and ways laid towards a re-entry of Idolatry; and men may have juſt and true reaſons of, or religious indignation to ſee ſo bad and ſo inſolent uſes made of thoſe favours which are offered to perſons of that profeſſion; but yet our inhibition is no further here, but to take heed, not to take arms, not to come by violence, not to ſlackneſs of Allegiance and Obedience. It is but Take heed, and but Take heed to thy ſelf. Pretend not thou who art but a private man, to be an Overſeer of the Publick, or a Controller of him who (by way of coaction) is accountable to God only, and neither to any great Officer at home, nor to the whole body of the people there, nor to any neighbour-Prince or State abroad. Idolatry is deſtroyed; but yet there is danger, not to make thee take thought, to ſuſpect Gods Power, or his Will to ſuſtain his Cauſe; not to take arms, as if the Lord of Hoſts needed Rebels; but to take heed, to watch plots of circumvention, and to heed to thy ſelf, that is, to all under thy charge, for thy danger is not evident. It is a ſnare, Laqueus, which is our laſt ſtop and ſtep in this firſt part.
There is danger though the Idolaters be thus deſtroyed. There is uſe of diligence, if there be danger, and the more, if this danger be a ſnare. Take heed that the Idolater do not kindle a Rebellion; take heed that the Idolater do not ſollicite an Invaſion; take heed of publick and general dangers. Theſe be Caveats for Princes; but take heed of a ſnake, take heed of a ſnare, this appertains to every private man.Pſal. 11.6. God ſtudied plagues for Egypt, 69.21.and they were ſtrange plagues; but that's as great as any at leaſt, which David ſpeaks of, Pluet laqueos, Upon the wicked God ſhall rain ſnares. And after, Menſa laqueus, Their table ſhall become a ſnare before them. And if God puniſh our negligence of his former favours ſo far, as to rain ſnares even at our tables, that almoſt at every table that we can come to, we ſhall meet ſome that would enſnare us, Is not this Caveat neceſſary in theſe times? Take heed that thou be not ſnared. David thought he had carried his complaint to the higheſt,64.65. when he ſaid of his Enemies, They commune of laying ſnares privily. But now they do not plot privily, but avow their miſchiefs, and ſpeak ſo, as we dare ſcarce confeſs that we heard them: And that's a ſhrewd ſnare, when they dare ſpeak more then we dare hear. Will a man have taken up a ſnare from the earth, Amos 3.5.and have taken nothing, ſaith the Prophet? Since they have laid their ſnares, they will take ſome, and thou mayeſt be one: And therefore take heed of their ſnares. There is a ſnare laid for thy ſon, a perſwaſion to ſend him to foreign Univerſities; they will ſay, Not to change his Religion: For Religion, let him do as he ſhall ſee cauſe; but there he ſhall be better taught, and better bred then at home. There is a ſhare laid for thy ſervants, what need they come to Church, they have nothing to loſe, who will indite them, who will perſecute them? And yet in due time ſuch ſervants may do the Cauſe as much good as the Maſters. There is a ſnare laid for thy wife; Her Religion, ſay they, doth not hinder her husbands preferment, why ſhould ſhe refuſe to apply her ſelf to them? We have uſed to ſpeak proverbially of a Curtain Sermon, as of a ſhrewd thing; but a Curtain Maſs, a Curtain Requiem, a ſnare in thy bed; a ſnake in thy boſome is ſomewhat worſe. I know not what name we may give to ſuch a womans husband; but I am ſure ſuch a wife hath committed adultery, Spiritual Adultery, and that with her husbands knowledge; call him what you will. There is a ſnare for thy ſervant, for thy ſon, for thy wife, and for thy fame too; and how far ſoever thou wert from it, they will have the world believe thou diedſt a Papiſt. If thy declination be towards profit, if thy byas turn that way, there is a ſnare in the likeneſs of a Chain, of a Jewel, a Penſion. If it be ſociety and converſation, there may be a ſnare in meeting more good company at Maſſes, then at thy Pariſh Church. If it be levity, and affectation of new things, there may be a ſnare of things ſo new in that Religion, as that this Kingdom never ſaw them yet, not then when this Kingdom was of that Religion. For we had received the Reformation before the Council of Trent, and before the growth of the Jeſuits: And if we ſhould turn to them now, we ſhould be worſe then we were before we receiv'd the Reformation; and the Council of Trent and the Jeſuits have made that Religion worſe then it was;Rom. 8.38. as St. Bernard ſays upon St. Pauls words, Neither height, nor depth, nor life, nor death, ſhall ſeparate us: Minime tamen dicit, nec nos ipſi. The Apoſtle doth not ſay, that we our ſelves, and our own concupiſences ſhall not ſeparate us from God. So though Excommunications have not, Invaſions have not, Powder-Plots have not; yet God knows what thoſe ſnares may work upon us. In laqueo ſuo comprehendantur, Pſal. 9.16.ſays David. Now laqueus is a ſnare, as their malice intends it for us; and laqueus is a halter, as our Laws intend it for them; and in laqueo ſuo, as it's theirs, let them be taken. Our good and great God in his power and mercy hath deſtroyed Idolatry; but in his wiſdom he hath left exerciſe for our diligence in ſome danger, and that danger is a ſnare, and therefore, Take heed thou be not ſnared. And ſo we have done with the firſt part.
Our ſecond part conſiſts of two branches,2. Part. of two ways of falling into this danger. Firſt, by following them; and then, by inquiring into their Religion. For the firſt, the Original word which we tranſlate, following, is Achareihem, and it is only poſt eos, Come not after them; which (if we were to reflect at all, which we always avoid, upon publick things) would afford a good note for the publick, for the Magiſtrate, Come not after theſe Idolaters, but be ſtill beforehand with them. That which is proverbially ſaid of particular Bodies, will hold in a Body Politick, in any State. Qui medicè miſerè. That man hath no health, who is put to ſuſtain it, or repair it with continual Phyſick. That State hath no ſafety, that refers all to a defenſive War,Luke 4.24. and to a reparation of Breaches, then when they are made. That State will be ſubject to the other Proverb, which Chryſoſtom foreſaw: Medice cura teipſum. That State which hath been a Phyſitian to all her neighbour States, let blood, and ſtaunched blood in them, ſo as conduced beſt to their own health, may be put to imploy all her means upon her ſelf, to repair and cure her ſelf, if ſhe follow, that is (in this acceptation of the word) come after her Idolatrous enemies, and be not ſtill beforehand with them. But that is not our ſphear, the Publick, the State; but yet States conſiſt of Families, and Families of private perſons, and they are in our ſphear, in our charge. And therefore we lay this Inhibition upon all that are Maſters of Families, Take heed of being ſnared by following, by coming after them, in this ſenſe. That becauſe thou thinkeſt thou haſt a power in thy wife, in thy children, in thy ſervants, and canſt do what thou wilt with them at any time, therefore thou needeſt not be ſo ſcrupulous at firſt, but mayſt admit any ſupplanters, any underminers into thy houſe, becauſe they are good company, or becauſe they have relation to great perſons. Come not to this, Poſt eos, play not that after-game, to put thy ſelf to a neceſſity of taking ſowre and unkinde courſes with wire and children after; but be beforehand with ſuch Idolaters, prevent their ſnare. We lay this Inhibition too upon every particular conſcience. Covetouſneſs is Idolatry, ſaith the Apoſtle, and Quot vitia, tot Idola, ſaith St. Hierom. As many habitual ſins as we have, ſo many Idols have we ſet up. True repentance deſtroyes this Idolatry, 'tis true; but then, Take heed of being ſnared, poſt ea, by coming after them, by expoſing thy ſelf to dangers of relapſes again, by conſideration how eaſily thou madeſt thy peace laſt time with God. It was but a ſigh, but a tear, but a bending of the knee, but a receiving of the Sacrament, that went to it then. And poſt ea, when all is done which was done before in the way of ſin, all that is eaſily done over again, which was done in the way of remedy. Say not ſo: for a merry heart, and a chearful countenance, upon the teſtimony of a good conſcience, is a better way to God then all the dejections of Spirit, all the ſowre contritions, and ſad remorſes in the world. Thou art not ſure that thou ſhalt get ſo far, as to ſuch a ſadneſs as God requires for ſin, thou mayſt continue in thy preſumption. Thou art not ſure that thou ſhalt go no further then God requires, in that ſadneſs, it may flow out to deſperation. Be beforehand with thy ſins, watch the approaches of thoſe enemies; for if thou build upon that way of coming after them upon preſumption of mercy, upon repentance, thou maiſt be ſnared, and therefore take heed. And this is the ſenſe of the phraſe, as the Original will afford it, with Idolaters in the State, with Underminers in thy Houſe, with ſins in thy Soul, be ſtill beforehand, watch their dangerous acceſſes. But St. Hierom, and the great ſtream of Expoſitors that go with him, give another ſenſe of the word, Ne imiteris, Be not ſnared by following them. And in that ſenſe we are to take the word now.
Follow them not then▪ that is, imitate them not, neither in their Severity and Cruelty, nor in their Levity and Facility, neither not in their Severity, when they will apply all the capital and bloody penalties of the Imperial Laws (made againſt Arrians, Manicheans, Pelagians, and Neſtorians, Hereticks in the fundamental points of Religion, and with which Chriſt could not conſiſt) to every man that denys any collateral and ſubdivided Tradition of theirs; that if a man conceive any doubt of the dream of Purgatory, of the validity of indulgence, of the Latitude of a work of Supererogation, he is as deep in the fagot here, and ſhall be as deep in Hell hereafter, as if he denyed the Trinity, or the Incarnation and Paſſion of Chriſt Jeſus; when in a days warning, and by the roaring of one Bull, it grows to be damnation to day, to beleeve ſo as a man might have beleeved yeſterday, and have bin ſaved, when they will afford no Salvation, but in that Church which is diſcernable by certain and inſeparable marks, which our Country-man Saunders makes to be ſix, and Mich. Medina extends to eleven, and Bellarmine declares to be fifteen, and Bodius ſtretches to a hundred, when they make every thing Hereſie; and rather then lack a Text for putting Hereticks to death, will accept that falſe reading, haereticum hominem devita, which being ſpoken of avoiding,Titus 3.10. they will needs interpret of killing (for Eraſmus cites a Witneſs, who heard an antient and grave Divine cite that place ſo, and to that purpoſe) follow them not, do not imitate them; be content to judge more charitably of them. For thoſe amongſt them who are under an invincible ignorance (becauſe their Superiors keep the Scriptures from them) God may be pleaſed to ſave by that revelation of his Son Chriſt Jeſus, which he hath afforded them in that Church: Howſoever, they who have had light offered to them, and wilfully reſiſt it, muſt neceſſarily periſh. Follow them not, imitate them not in that ſeverity, neceſſarily to damn all who think not in all things as they do: Nor follow them not in that facility, to make their Divinity, and the Tenets of their Church, to wait upon temporal affairs, and emergent occaſions. The Anabaptiſt will delude the Magiſtrate in an examination, or in any practiſe, becauſe he thinks no man ought to be a Magiſtrate over him in things that have any relation to ſpiritual Cognizance, and Treaſon in alienating the Subject from his Allegiance muſt be of ſpiritual cognizance, Where others are too ſtrong for them, they may dignifie their Religion (ſo their Jeſuit Ribadineyra ſays) and where they are too ſtrong for others, they muſt profeſs it, though with Arms (ſo their Jeſuit Bellarmine argues it.) In this planetary, in this tranſitory, in this occaſional Religion, follow them not: We ſay in Logick, Subſtantia non ſuſcipit magis & minus, Subſtantial and fundamental points of Religion (and obedience to Superiors is amongſt thoſe) do not ebb and flow; they binde all men, and at all times, and in all caſes. Induite Dominum Jeſu, ſays the Apoſtle, Put ye on the Lord Jeſus, Rom. 13 14.and keep him on, put him not off again. Chriſt is not only the Stuff, but the Garment ready made; he will not be tranſlated and turn'd, and put into new faſhions, nor laid up in a Wardrobe, but put on all day, all the days of our life▪ though it rain, and rain blood; how foul ſoever any perſecution make the day, we muſt keep on that Garment, the true profeſſion of Chriſt Jeſus; follow not theſe men in their ſeverity, to exclude men from ſalvation in things that are not fundamental, nor in their facility to diſguiſe and prevaricate in things that are.
The ſecond danger, and our laſt Branch of this laſt Part is, Enquire not after their gods, &c. Ignorance excuſes no man. What is curioſity?Auguſtine. Qui ſcire vult ut ſciat, He that deſires knowledge only that he may know, or be known by others to know; he who makes not the end of his knowledge the glory of God, he offends in curioſity, ſays that Father; But that is only in the end. But in the way to knowledge there is curioſity too; In ſeeking ſuch things as man hath no faculty to compaſs, unrevealed myſteries; In ſeeking things, which if they may be compaſſed, yet it is done by indirect means, by Invocation of Spirits, by Sorcery; In ſeeking things which may be found, and by good means, but appertain not to our profeſſion; all theſe ways men offend in curioſity. It is ſo in us, in Church-men, ſi Iambos ſervemus, & metrorum ſilvam congerimus, Hieron.If we be over-vehemently affected or tranſported with Poetry, or other ſecular Learning. And therefore St. Hierom is reported himſelf to have been whipt by an Angel, who found him over-ſtudious in ſome of Cicero's Books. This is curioſity in us, and it is ſo in you, if when you have ſufficient means of ſalvation Preached to you in that Religion wherein you were Baptized, you enquire too much, too much trouble your ſelf with the Religion of thoſe, from whoſe ſuperſtitions you are already by Gods goodneſs reſcued; remember that he who deſired to fill himſelf with the husks, was the Prodigal. It was Prodigality, and a dangerous expence of your conſtancy, to open your ſelf to temptation, by an unneceſſary enquiring into impertinent controverſies. We in our profeſſion may embrace ſecular Learning, ſo far as it may conduce to the better diſcharge of our duties, in making the eaſier entrance, and deeper impreſſion of Divine things in you: You may inform your ſelves occaſionally, when any ſcruple takes hold of you, of any point of their Religion. But let your ſtudy be rather to live according to that Religion which you have, then to enquire into that from which God hath delivered you; for that's the looking back of Lots wife, and the diſtemper and diſtaſte of the children of Iſrael, who remembred too much the Egyptian diet. If you will enquire whether any of the Fathers of the Primitive Church did at any time pray for any of the dead, you ſhall be told (and truly) that Auguſtine did, that Ambroſe did; but you ſhall not ſo preſently be told how they deprehended themſelves in an infirmity, and collected and corrected themſelves ever when they were ſo praying▪ If you enquire whether any of them ſpeak of Purgatory, you ſhall eaſily finde they do; but not ſo eaſily, in what ſenſe; when they call the calamities of this life, or when they call the general Conflagration of the world, Purgatory. If you enquire after Indulgences, you may finde the name frequent amongſt them; but not ſo eaſily finde when and how the Relaxations of Penances publickly enjoyned, were called Indulgences; nor how, nor when Indulgences came to be applyed to ſouls departed. If thou enquire without a Melius Inquirendum, without a through Inquiſition (which is not eaſie for any man who makes it not his whole ſtudy and profeſſion) thou maiſt come to think holy men have pray'd for the dead, why may not I? Holy men ſpeak of Purgatory and Indulgences, why ſhould I abhor the names or the things? And ſo thou maiſt fall into the firſt ſnare, it hath been done, therefore it may be done; and into another after, It may be done, therefore it muſt be done: When thou art come to think that ſome men are ſaved that have done it, thou wilt think that no man can be ſaved except he do it: From making infirmities excuſable neceſſary (which is the bondage the Council of Trent hath laid upon the world) to make Problematical things, Dogmatical; and matter of Diſputation, matter of Faith; to bring the Univerſity into Smithfield, and heaps of Arguments into Piles of Faggots. If thou enquire further then thy capacity enables thee, further then thy calling provokes thee; How do thoſe Nations ſerve their gods? thou maiſt come to ſay, as the Text ſays, in the end, Even ſo will I do alſo.
To end all, embrace Fundamental, Dogmatical, evident Divinity: That is expreſs'd in Credendis, in the things which we are to believe in the Creed. And it begins with Credo in Deum, Belief in God, and not in man, nor traditions of men. And it is expreſſed in petendis, in the things which we are to pray for in the Lords Prayer; and that begins with Sanctificetur nomen tuum, Hallowed be thy Name, not the name of any. And it is expreſſed in Agendis, in the things which we are to do in the Commandments; whereof the firſt Table begins with that, Thou ſhalt have no other gods but me. God is a Monarch alone, not a Conſul with a Colleague. And the ſecond Table begins with Honor to Parents, that is, to Magiſtrates, to lawful Authority. Be therefore always fat from diſobeying lawful Authority, reſiſt it not, calumniate it not, ſuſpect it not; for there is a libelling in the ear, and a libelling in the heart, though it come not to the tongue or hands, to words, nor actions. If it be poſsible, ſaith the Apoſtle, as much as in you lies, have peace with all men, with all kind of men. Obedience is the firſt Commandment of the ſecond Table, and that never deſtroys the firſt Table, of which the firſt Commandment is, Keep thy ſelf, that is, thoſe that belong to thee and thy houſe, intire and upright in the worſhip of the true God, not only not to admit Idols for gods, but not to admit Idolatry in the worſhip of the true God.