Mixture of Scholastical Divinity with Practical Part 2, Part 3 – Letters
Ecclesiastes, 7. 29.
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.
IN the verse foregoing, Solomon complaines of the generall depravation of mankind: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found: in the words there is an …, foreign, sive …; so that the words [one] and [none] are here taken for few, and fewer, as 'tis observed in the Dutch Annotations: if ye take the words properly, the last clause is to be limited unto his outlandish wives, and concubines, that seduced him unto Idolatry; who are said to be a thousand, 1 Kin, 11. 3: seven hundred wives three hundred concubines: amongst all these, there was not so much as one prudent, and good woman; now lest any, should hereupon throw the blame of this upon God, for giving man so depraved a nature, he cleareth God, by laying downe two conclusions.
The First, concerning the state of man by creation, God made man upright.
The second, concerning the state of man by his apostacy, and defection from God; but they have sought out many inventions.
Unto these two Conclusions he premiseth a preface; Lo this only have I found; wherein we have three things remarkable: First, the importance of these two conclusions; implyed in the note of attention [Loe!] Secondly, the meanes, by which he came to the knowledge of them, diligent search, and study into the word, and will of God, [this have I found.] Thirdly, a comparison of them with other points, he found them [only.]
First, here's the weight and importance of these two conclusions, implyed in the note of attention [Loe:] and the weight, and concernment of them may be gather'd. First, from the influence of them upon practise; being well studyed, they will make us thankfull unto God; humble in, and watchfull over our selves; charitable unto others, in admonishing of them, and praying for them. Secondly, from the pronenesse that is in men to justify themselves, and accuse God for the corruption of their natures: let no man (saith James) say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, James 1. 13: this prohibition implyeth, that men are apt to say, that they are tempted by God.
Secondly, we have the meanes by which Solomon came to the knowledge of these two points; diligent search, and study into the word, and will of God: this have I found; to wit, by inquiring after divine revelations, the light of nature, and reason can never discover, that Adam was made upright. as the representative of all mankind; and that, his fall from this uprightnesse was imputable, and derivable to all mankind: indeed the Lord of Plessie Marlie in his worke intituled the truenesse of Christian religion, chap 26, proveth, by naturall reasons; that man's nature is corrupted, that man is falne from his first originall, and for it also chap. 27: he alleadgeth the testimonyes of diverse antient Philosophers: indeed, by the woefull effects, they had a confused knowledge of the …, that there was a great confusion, and disorder in the soule of man; but first, however they knew it to be vitium, a blemish, or infirmity of nature; yet doubtlesse the generality of them was ignorant that it was peccatum, a fault, or sinne.
Secondly, reason, though never so much improved, could never attaine unto so much as a glimmering of it's …, the cause whence it came: it fared with them, as with Rebecca, Gen. 25. 22: two children strugled together within her wombe, and … said, if it be so, why am I thus? so they, by dayly experience, find contrary appetices strugling within them; but they cannot ghesse at the cause of this unnaturall war; and therefore they say, as shee, if it be so, why are we thus? and unto this demand 'tis impossible to have any satisfying answer, unlesse they doe, as shee did in the close of the verse, shee went to inquire of the Lord.
This then may discover the true reason, why Papists, Socinians, and Arminians, have been at such a losse, touching originall righteousnesse, and originall sinne: they have not taken such a course, as Rebecca here; they have not gone to inquire of the Lord, they have consulted reason only, and not scripture, they have followed Aristotle, not Paul, for their guide.
Thirdly, we have a comparison of these conclusions, with other pointes of doctrine; shinted in the particle [only:] this only have I found; this, and nothing else. But sounds not this very strangely? was Solomon such a truant, such a sorry proficient in the study of divinity, as to know only two heads thereof, originall righteousnesse, and originall sinne? sure then he was not gifted, or qualified for the office of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher, for he had been unable to declare all the counsell of God.
For Answer unto this
First, this particle [only] is to be taken, not simply, but secundum quid, (q)Solummodo hoc inveni: Hic notatur concupiscentiae … litas, quae quidem non … à Deo, sed à … …, … solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecit Deus hominem …. Bonavent.in relation unto that depravation of man-kind, spoken of in the foregoing verse: this only have I found; to wit, as touching the cause of it; first, negatively; that God is not the cause of it; for he made man upright: secondly, affirmatively; that man himselfe is the cause of it; But they have sought out many inventions. If it be objected, that the Divell was also a cause of the corruption of man's nature, and therefore the Preachers resolution of it into man alone is defective; he might have found, that Satan propounded unto our first parents many inventions, as well, as that they sought out many inventions.
For answer; Satan was the cause of our first parents fall, or sin, only per modum suadentis, not per modum … determinantis, he was only a counselling, and perswading cause, and that's only an imperfect cause, only a morall cause, he was not of sufficient efficacy to make them sinne, for, nothing can be the sufficient cause of sinne unto man, besides his own will, as Aquinas (r)Nil … potest este homini … … …, quod est spiritualis …, … propria voluntas, & ideo dicta, vel fact a alterius hominis … else solum causa imperfecte … … ad ruinam.rightly 2a. 2ae. q: 43. Ar. 1. ad 3m; nothing can compell, or determine him thereunto: so then, notwithstanding Satans temptations, the Preacher saith truely touching the causation of that pollution, which is in our nature; that 'tis only to be attributed to the fall of our first parents, because they of their own accord have freely sought out many inventions.
There's a second … of the word translated [only] that makes it to amount to no more than chiefly; and indeed, some Logicians say, that exclusive particles sometimes exclude not, à … à …, but only à summitate …, and, if the particle may be thus interpreted, then Solomon by the addition thereof signifies; that the principall thing, that is to be remarked, touching the sinfullnesse of men is; that God was not the cause of it, by his creation of man's nature; but that our first parents were authors thereof, by their fall from that rectitude, in which God created them, God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions: now the preheminence of this above all other doctrines, touching the sinfulnesse of man, is very evident unto those, that looke upon sinne, as the scripture describes it; for 'tis the foundation of all true sincere sorrow for sinne, and mortification of it: the knowledge of an effect is ever confused, untill we understand it's cause; so our sight of sinne is never distinct, and accurate, untill we come to a veiw of the originall of all sinne; and when this fountaine of sinne is found out, originall sinne, both imputed, and inherent, it will be then a farre more easy worke, than formerly, to discover the streames of actuall sins.
There's a third interpretation of the particle yet behind, which renders it, seorsim, (s)The originall word foreign most directly signisicth …, apart. so that it sccmeth to me, that the … … may be that … in the consideration of man the workes of God, and the … of man be found the workes of God to be right all and that it was man himselfe who had made himselfe and his works to a perverse and ….apart, or severally; and, by this exposition, Solomon professeth, that he hath separated, in his consideration, God's worke, from man's worke; God's work in the creating of man's nature upright; and mans worke in the defiling of his nature by his fall; wherein he sought out many inventions: and … separation,…. of God's act, and man's act, being … made, may sufficiently instruct concerning the cause of … irrectitude in men, and women, of which he complaines in the verse preceding, that 'tis not God, but man himselfe.
Having thus briefly run over the praecognita, proceed we next unto the conclusions themselves.
The first conclusion, concernes originall righteousnesse, the second concernes originall sinne.
The first conclusion concernes originall righteousnesse; God made man upright; not only with an uprightnesse of innocency, but also with an uprightnesse of sanctity: but of this before at large.
The second conclusion concernes originall sinne; peccatum originale originans; the fall of our first parents; they have sought out many inventions: these words describe the fall of our first parents, not as 'tis considered formally, in it selfe; but metonymically, by it's motives, or effects: by it's motives, if we understand them only of our first parents; by it's effects, if we extend them unto their posterity also.
First, by it's motives, if we understand them of our first parents only; they sought out many …: that is, plurima …, many reasonings, as Junius, and Tremelius render the word, they found out many reasons, arguments, or motives to eate of the forbidden fruit; and what they did, in this their first sinne, is reckoned to be done by us their off-spring, because we were represented by them, and contained in them; even as Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham, because, he was in the loines of his Father Abraham, when Melchisedech … him, Heb. 7. 9, 10.
Against this interpretation there are two doubts.(t)Quod autem quaesivisse dicuntur ratiocinia, quae tamen illis non … à serpente antiquo … … sunt: eo docere voluit, illas fraudes … avide … arreptas fuisse. Quod vero dicit plurima … …, cum tamen … testetur duplici tantum ratione pellectos fuisse, nempe quod corpori simul & animae … … verito fructu comedere, sciendum est in his multas rationes comprehendi. Nam quod aperiendi illis essent oculi, & ipsi Deo assimulandi, multiplicem rationem continet: fore ut Deo felicitate per omnia similes sorent; non minus quam ille sapientes, potentes, …, omnique virtute consummati: Ad corpus quod attinet sibi in animum … fructum illum esu jucundum, & … …. Cartwright in locum.
The first, these reasons or motives were first propounded by Satan, and therefore not sought out by them; they were his temptations, and not so properly their own inventions.
Answer; They are said to be sought out by them, as their inventions; because they so greedily, and speedily embraced them; their acceptation of them answer'd Satan's temptations, as an eccho; and there is such resemblance betwixt a voyce, and an eccho; as that standers by sometimes can hardly discerne betwixt them.
A second doubt is, concerning the multitude of these inventions, or reasons; they have found out many inventions: now Moses, in his history, mentioneth but a few motives, or arguments, that induced them to this fact, Gen. 3. 6: and when the woman saw, that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise; shee took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat: improbable therefore that the Preacher speakes of these reasons, or motives.
Answer. These motives were very comprehensive; though they were formally, and expressly few, yet they were implyedly many: that one designe to be wise, to have their eyes opened, knowing good & evill, virtually comprehended many other plots, dependent upon it: or concomitant with it: they hoped, that their knowledge, and wisdome would be backed, or accompanied with an equall power, and so able to effect whatsoever they desired: they projected then, not only to be as knowing; but also as powerfull, and in every thing as happy, and glorious as Gods.
But some may thinke, that this exposition is somewhat strayned, and far fetched; and therefore I shall propound a second, which extends the clause, not only unto them, but to all their posterity also, that descend from them in an ordinary way of generation: and so the fall of our first parents is here set forth by it's mediate effects, the inventions of them, and their progeny: touching their actuall sins, which issue from originall corruption inherent in both, as streames from a fountaine, and branches from a tree; they have all sought out many inventions.
First, for the committing of sinne.
Secondly, for the defending of sinne.
Thirdly, for the extenuating of sinne.
Fourthly, for the concealing of sinne.
First, for the committing of sin: & so the clause may be verified either of the same, or of several men, & both again of the same, or several sins.
First, of the same sinnes; and that in regard, either of the motives for, meanes unto, or manners of committing them:
First, they have found out many inventions; that is, many motives and reasons to incite themselves unto the same sins: thus an Harlot, is allured unto her libidinous course of life, by pleasure, and by profit, by a desire to maintaine her selfe in idlenesse, and gaiety of apparrel, by a vaine, and proud delight that shee takes in the courtings, & adorations of her beauty: thus in an unworthy, and sinfull compliance with the vices of the times, there may be a concurrence of many impulses, servile feare, covetousnesse, vaine-glory, and ambition; but now, though men may by variety of arguments tempt themselves unto the same sinnes; yet there's no solidity in any of these arguments; they are but inventions, have no more reality in them, than poeticall fictions.
Secondly, they have found out many inventions; that is, many meanes and wayes for the practising of the same …: how many are the wiles by which an adultresse deviseth to defile her husbands bed? who can reckon up all those unlawful practises, tricks, deceits, cheats, and fetches, by which misers scrape, and hoard up wealth in an inordinate way? and it is not as impossible to trace all the bypathes, and crooked wayes, by which the ambitious ascend their undeserved honours, and preferments.
Thirdly, they have … out many inventions; that is, many wayes and manners of acting the same sinnes. Tiberius instituted (saith … ) a new office forsooth, à …, for the devising of new, and various pleasures; he had also (as the same Author) monstrosi concubitus repertores, such as invented monstrous kinds of libidinous filthinesse; indeed not only he, but diverse others of the Romanes (as their Historians and Satyrists informe us) used such unnaturall wayes of lust, and uncleannesse, as modesty prohibits the recitall of them; and the devisers of them may be those inventors of evill things, of which the Apostle speaks, Rom. 1. 30: But to speake of our own times; the drammatique poetry of our age hath been very inventive; and … was never able to keep pace with the various, and quaint frauds of cheaters; with the severall modes, and methodes of drinking unmeasurable healthes; with those horrid oathes, and blasphemies, that some men (shall I say rather incarnate Divels) dayly coyne, and boast of such coynage, as a rare invention; with those monstrous, and ridiculous fashions in apparrell, and otherwise, by which the gallants of both sexes expresse their pride, and vanity.
Secondly, this clause may be understood of severall sinnes they have found out: many inventions; that is, they have invented many forts, and kinds of sinnes; First, many sinnes against the first table; much prophanesse, and neglect of duties; many …, and hereticall inventions against the truth of God; many superstitious, and idolatrous inventions against the worship of God.
Secondly, many sinnes against the second table; many vile, unjust, and uncharitable practises in the way of converse with, and carriage towards men.
If this be the sense of the clause, there be three things observable in it: First, the nature and originall of men's sins, they are their [inventions;] Secondly, their numerousnesse [many] Thirdly, their voluntarinesse [sought out.]
First, their nature and originall: they proceeded from their own invention, and therefore cal'd their inventions: the ground of all sinne is, that men lay aside the unerring rule of God's word, and will, and invent rules of their own to walke by: our first parents had never falne, but that they first suspected, and then disrelished the supposed rigour of God's precept; and hereupon chalked out unto themselves a way unto happinesse, that in truth, and reality lead downe unto the chambers of Death: what made Saul run upon a worser sinne, than that of witchcraft, rebellion against his maker.? a sinne that rooted out him, and all his posterity? but that he undervallued God's command, and followed his own judgment, his own invention? God commanded him to smite …, and utterly to destroy all that they had, and to spare them not; but to …, both man, and woman, infant, and suckling, oxe, and sheep, Camel, and Asse, 1 Sam. 15. 3: but he devised (as he thought) a more prudent, and politique course; he reserved their King for triumph or ransom; and the best of their cattle, for spoile, and plunder; though he pretended it was for sacrifice, in Psal. 106. vers 43: that which the Psalmist cals, the counsel of the Israelites, in the former part of the verse; he termes their iniquity in the latter part: they provoked him with their …, and were brought low for their iniquity: now, from this collation, the inference is …; that mens own counsel is their iniquity: men sinne, when they are guided by their own counsels, and inventions; the best way then, for prevention of sinne, is not to bee directed by our own counsels, and inventions, but to keep exactly unto the perfect rule of righteousnesse, the law, and testimony of God: I hate vaine thoughts, but thy law doe I love (saith the Psalmist, Psal: 119. 113.) the cause of his hatred of vaine thoughts, was his love of the law of God: so, on the contrary, distast at the lawes of God is the principle of all vaine thoughts, and sinfull inventions: because men doe not love God's law, therefore they love vaine thoughts, they seek out many inventions.
This note, as it may be averred of all sinne in generall; so in a more speciall manner of will worship, and …; for what is it other, than humane invention, the offering of strange fire to the Lord, which he commanded not? Levit. 10. 1: the setting of our posts by God's posts, our thresheld by his threshold? Ezek. 43. 8: what was the cause of the Israelites Idolatry against the second commandement, the same thing with superstition, but their desertions of God's ceremoniall Law, (that was to be the adequate rule of instituted worship,) and their seeking, and following of many inventions? and with what severity did God both threaten, and punish this Idolatry of the Israelites, you may read at large in the old Testament.
Secondly, we have the numerousnesse of mans sinnes; many inventions: the … inventions, which the deceitfull hearts of men have sought out, are so various, and numerous: as that they are unsearchable by any, but the Lord himselfe, who … the heart, and tryeth the …, Jer. 17. 9, 10: Unto this, at least by way of allusion, we may apply that of the Prophet Isay, 57. 10: thou art … in the … of thy way: the way to hell is so great, and broad, the pathes in it so many, the sinfull inventions which wicked men seeke, and pursue are so infinite as that 'tis no wonder, that they are quite tyred out in their journey: they are in this respect as a swift Dromedary traversing her wayes, Jer. 2. 23:(v)The late annotations. that is; severall wayes running, when she is proud, or hot with lust, to and fro after severall males, one while after one of them, and another while after another.
Thirdly, we have the voluntarinesse of man's sinnes, they are of their own seeking; they are their own inventions: they not only greedily embraced, what … counsels were propounded by others; but of themselves, of their own accord sought out many inventions; they sinned not only by others temptatinos, but by their own inventions, Hosea. 4. 8. Eccles. 8. 11.
Secondly, men have found out many inventions, as for the committing, so for the defending of sinne: how many inventions have the Papists sought out for the supporting of Papal monarchy, and usurpations? for the patronage of their idolatries, in their invocation of Saints, worshipping of images, … of masse, and for the defence of all other execrable tenets, and practises in their religion? But, what talke we of Papists? some among us, who professe a great distance from Antichrists, have (to the reproach of our nation) made shamelesse apologies for libertinisme, prophanation of the Sabboth, polygamie, sacriledge, disobedience unto magistrates, neglect, and contempt of all God's ordinances.
Thirdly, they have found out many inventions, for the extenuating, excusing, palliating of sinne; of which see Dyke at large in the deceitfullnesse of the heart: I shall instance only, in the excuse of sinne, translation of it upon another cause, because herein our first parents were precedentiall unto all their posterity: Adam transferred the blame of his fall unto the Woman, nay he father'd it implyedly upon God himselfe, Gen. 3. vers. 12: the man said, the woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, shee gave me of the tree, and I did eat: tis, as if he should have said, if thou had'st suffer'd me to have been alone, I had still been innocent; it is this companion, whom thou hast given me, that hath inticed, and undone me: and Eve for her part, translates all the fault upon the Serpent, vers. 13: and the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat, this example, of our first parents, is imitated but, too too well by their sinsull progeny: there are that in their heares, though not in their words, impute their sinnes unto God's decrees, and providences, and others (which comes all to one) blame, the malignant influence of their stars, the good creatures of God; they were borne (they will say) under an unlucky planet; others complaine of Satan, and the world: the Divell is a wily serpent, the world a cunning strumpet; and how is it possible for such imprudent, and ignorant creatures as wee, either to discover or evade their artifices, and stratagems? the Divell (say some) owed me a spight; others discharge their sinnes upon the infortunity of their condition, and relations: it was poverty (saith the …) that made me steale; it is the greatnesse of my charge, and family (saith the worldling) that makes me osten passe by family duties, that makes me seeme a covetous niggard; it was provocation (saith the swearer) that made me take God's name in vaine; it was ill language (saith the man-slayer) made me strike; it was bad company (saith the intemperate person) hath seduced me unto this excesse of ryot: I should never thus have frequented tavernes, and ale-houses (saith another drunkard) but that my calling ingageth me there to meet, and conferre with chapmen: I had plyed my vocation, and kept my house (saith a third) but that the the tempest of my wives tongue ever and anon drave me out of doores; I had never been disloyall, and unchast (saith the adultresse) but that my husband was unkind, and jealous.
Lastly, men have found out many inventions for the concealing of their sinnes: very observable unto this purpose is that place in Job. 31. 33: If I covered my transgressions, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquity in my …: here the word [Adam] may be taken, either as the proper name of the first man; or as the common name of all men: first, as the proper name of the first man; he did what he could to hide his sinne, Gen. 3. 8: and as the common name of all men; and so 'tis as much as, after the manner of men, as 'tis varied in the margin; and so, we may note from the words; that 'tis the guise and manner of men to cover their transgressions, to hide their iniquity in their bosome: in this regard, what Solomon saith of the way of an adulterous woman, Prov. 30. 20: is incident unto other sinners; they cate, and wipe their mouthes, and say wee have done no …: the way of most sinners (save those impudent ones, that declare their sinnes as Sodom) may be compared (for secrecy, and concealement) to the way of a man with a maide, to the way of an Eagle in the aire, the way of a serpent upon the rocke, the way of the ship in the midst of the sea, which leave no track, or foot-step behind them: David was a man after God's own heart, and yet, what sad inventions did hee seeke out to hide the shame of his adultery with Bathsheba? first, he made Uriah drunke, that in that distemper he might goe home to ly with his wife; and so father that bastard, which he had begotten on her; and when this would not doe, gave directions unto …, for the contrivance of his death, which could not be effected, but by the fall also of diverse other innocent subjects of David's, 2 Sam. 11.
The words, as hitherto expounded, run of sinne considered indefinitely; there be also that restraine them unto one particular sinne, mens erroneous inventions concerning their supreme …, and happinesse, and the wayes, and meanes leading thereunto: indeed this may be cal'd a … sinne; because 'tis … with every sinne; in every sinne, there is an aversion from the right end God, and a conversion unto some wrong end in our selves, or the creatures: severall men propound unto themselves severall cheife ends; some pleasure, some profit, some honour, some knowledge, and learning; nay, the very same men doe so succestively: in the morning of their dayes men usually aime at sensuall pleasures; and in their riper years their aimes are as vaine, dirt, aire and smoke, riches, and honours, &c: childrens ends are toyes, and trifles; and, when the dayes of childish vanity are past over, men dreame to be happy in the embraces of some rich, beautifull, and loving wife; but they are soon cloyed with the sweets of marriage, which are quickly imbitter'd, and over ballanced by it's greater cares, & troubles; & then men comomnly promise to themselves a great deale of comfort, and happinesse in their little children, and they when they grow up to maturity, prove many times the greatest crosses of their lives; and so bring downe their gray haires with sorrow to the grave: now, the reason of this variety, and vagrancy, that is in wicked mens desires about their chiefe ends, is the unsatisfactorinesse, which is in all sinite, and inseriour ends; unto which men divert from God, who alone is an infinite; and therefore all satisfying good: in the wayes of sinne, and lust, in the fruition of the creatures ther's nothing but vanity, and vexation of spirit; no rest for the sole of the soules foot, Gen. 8. 9: and therefore no wonder, that men, in a naturall condition, make their end to be, one while to satisfy this lust, and another while to satisfy that; one while to enjoy this creature, another while to enjoy that: when men for sake the fountaine of living waters; they then hew, and dig out unto themselves (many cisternes) … …, that will hold no water, Jer. 2. 13: when they neglect the unum necessarium, the one thing that's needfull, they are soon (with Martha) carefull, and troubled about many things, Luk. 10. 41. Carnal mens desires of happinesse are consused, and unsettled; for, they are the many (of whom the Psalmist speakes, Psal. 4. 6.) that say, who will shew us any good? they doe not pitch upon the true, and only good; yet they desire, in a generall way, to be happy; but they know not where this happinesse lyeth; and therefore is it, that (in the prosecution of it) they post, and run from creature to creature, from lust to lust, from sinne to sinne; they seek out many inventions, and doe not fix (as David) upon the lifting up of the light of God's countenance upon them: and thus have I given you the sense of the words, according unto our translation; I shall briefly acquaint you with other rendrings of them, and so conclude my meditations upon them.
First, the Septuagint render the word we translate inventions, foreign, Junius renders it ratiocinia, reasonings, or disputings; Luther, artes: Some translate it deliberations; others (of which Diodati is one) expound it so largely as to take in all thoughts, imaginations, and counsels, that are vaine, false, sinfull, and exalt themselves against the knowledge of God; Symmachus turnes the whole clause thus, foreign, operati sunt curiositatem … variam negotiationem; they were become polypragmatists, they toyled, and busied themselves with many curious, and … affaires, that were utterly unrelated unto their cheife end, the glory of God, and salvation of their soules; Bernard renders it thus, ipse autem se implicuit … …, he inwrapped himselfe in many griefes, troubles, difficulties, perplexities, and miseries, (w)Titil … vult quaestionum nomine contineri omnem …, perplexitatem, miseriam, in quis homines post primum parentem, qui naturam ipsam involvit, se quoque ipsi involvunt.Adam's fall was, as it were, a Pandora's box, out of which flew all the evils, and calamities, with which the world is replenished; in the vulgar latine 'tis ipse … infinitis miscuit quaestion bus, he hath mingled himselfe, or (as the Divines of Doway expresse it) he hath intangled himselfe with infinite or numberlesse questions; … Alapide (x)Quaestiones significant cupiditates, quibus scatet homo, per …: quaestiones enim notant cupiditatum originem, & fontem, … quod prodeant ex … … & sciendi, puta ex … sentiendi, & experiendi, quid in qualibet re sit bonum, … & …. … ad primam quaestionem serpenus, quam movit Evae, dicens; cur praecepit Deus vobis, ut non comederetis de ligno … boni & mali? Gen … ad quam quaestionem in curlositatem gustandi pomi exarsit Eva, illúdque …, ac eodem maritum nósque omnes perdidit, arque suam curiositatem & concupiscentiam in posteros omnes ….thinks, that questions here signify lusts and sinnes in generall, by a metalepsis; because all lusts, and sinnes have in some sort their originall from questions; the first sinne of our first parents had it's rise from the question of the serpent, Gen. 3. 1: He said unto the woman, yea, hath God said yee shall not eat of every tree of the Garden? and … by list'ning unto this question ruined herselfe, her husband, and all her posterity; and in ensuing sins the sinner hath ever some questions: First, interpretatively he questions, and disputes the authority of God's commands; and next, commonly, he hath some question concerning some creature, or other, to sind out what is good, and evill in it; and thirdly, some question concerning the sinne committed, a curious itch to experience what sweetnesse and delight there is therein.
But the generality of Popish interpreters understand the clause more particularly of the ignorance, …, and contentiousnesse of lapsed man,
First, of his ignorance: for questions presuppose ignorance, and doubts; to say that man hath mingled himselfe with infinite questions, is as much as to say, man is ignorant, sull of queries, in search of which he languisheth away his dayes: this the endlesse disputes of Philosophers, de summo …, concerning man's chiefe good, and end, doe plainly witnesse; for these imply that man is naturally … of it, and at some losse about it.
Secondly, of his …; he hath mingled himselfe with insinite questions; to wit, curious, nice, and unpresitable questions, that have no tendency to edification; such as the Apostle speakes of, 1 Tim. 1. 4: & 6. 4: of this curiosity the school-men are a sad example; many of whose questions are, like spiders webs, curiously spun but … to catch flies, than soules.
Thirdly, of his contentiousnesse, he hath mingled himselfe with infinite questions; that is, brawles, disputes, and quarrels; and that both with himselfe, and others.
First, with himselfe; how frequent, and warme are the contests in his own bosome, betwixt his rationall, and sensuall powers? ever and anon his sensitive appetite disputes the most rationall dictates of his understanding, and the most regular commands of his will.
Secondly, with others; with strangers, and neerest neighbours, with foes, and most intimate, and dearest friends, with his most faithfull servants, with the wife of his bosome, the children of his bowels.
Pineda observeth; that there is an Auxesis in the word [mingled;] so that it signifies man is ingulfed in, and (as it were) swallowed up of questions: they are (as it were) incorporated into him, and he (as it were) compounded, and made up of them; he is wholly, and altogether a questionist.
But the Reader may perhaps thinke, that I stay too long upon these severall versions, seeing the word [Chishbonoth] hath but one signification in the whole scripture: it signifies inventions (as 'tis rendered by our Translatours) and nothing else.
FINIS.
Certaine Letters OF HENRY IEANES Minister of Gods word AT CHEDZOY. AND Dr IEREMY TAYLOR Concerning A passage of his, in his further Explication of Originall sin.
OXFORD,
Printed by HEN: HALL for THO: ROBINSON, 1660.
Dr Taylor in his further explication of the doctrine of originall sin, pag. 496.
THat every man is inclined to evill, some more, some lesse, but all in some instances; is very true: and it is an effect, or condition of nature, but no sinne properly; 1: because that which is unavoidable is not a sinne; 2: because it is accidentall to nature, not intrinsecall, and essentiall; 3: It is superinduc'd to nature, and is after it, &c.
To the unprejudiced Reader.
I shall only give thee a briefe narrative of the occasion of the ensuing letters: one Mr T. C. of Bridgwater being at my house, brake out into extraordinary, (that I say not excessive, and Hyperbolicall) prayses of Dr Ieremy Taylor; I expressed my concurrence with him in great part; nay I came nothing behind him in the just cōmendations of his admirable wit, great parts, quick and elegant pen, his abilites in Criticall learning, and his profound skil in antiquity: but notwithstanding all this I professed my dissent from some of his opinions which I judged to be erroneous; and I instanced in his doctrine of originall sin; now his further explication of this lay then causually in the window (as I take it) which hereupon I took up, and turned unto the passage now under debate, and shewed unto Mr T. C. that therein was grosse nonsense, and blasphemy; he for his own part, with a great deale of modesty, forthwith declined all further dispute of the businesse, but withal he told me, that he would, If I so pleased, give Dr Taylor notice of what I said; whereunto I agreed, and in a short time he brought me from the Dr a faire, and civill invitation to send him my exceptions, and with it a promise of a candid reception of them; whereupon I drew them up in a letter unto Mr T. C. the Copy whereof followeth.