Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons, Treatise · Part 1
Of the firſt degenerate ſonne the ATHEIST.
SAthan that crooked Serpent turning himſelfe into diverſe ſhapes, hating alwayes that which is good, he ſtudies alwaies to turne men out of the right way. Now to draw them into foreign, That is unto ſuperſtition. Sometimes againe he perſwades them to foreign, that is to Atheiſme; but he never drawes them to foreign, which is the true worſhip and the golden mediocritie. The Hebrewes call the Atheiſt Acharon, becauſe he is altogether alienate from God. And the Poets in their Mytheologies call him the ſonne of the earth. And this Atheiſme they call foreign, the fight of the Gyants.
SECT. 1. Of the cauſes which leades men into Atheiſme.
VVHen the ſhallow braine of man cannot comprehend the infinite God,The firſt cauſe that moves men to be Atheiſts. becauſe he cannot comprehend him with his poore underſtanding, he beginnes by and by to deſpiſe him: and ſo Sathan leades the poore wretch to Atheiſme, Thou canſt not comprehend him, therefore reject him. That which ſhould moſt diſwade man from Atheiſme, and lead him moſt to worſhip the true God: Sathan uſes it as a ſnare to draw him from God; for if we could comprehend God, he could not bee God: And if our minde could comprehend God, we ſhould not be finite but infinite; and ſo conſequently we ſhould be Gods. We doe not comprehend God, but apprehend him onelyonly, as the Schoolemen ſpeakes.
The ſecond cauſe.Secondly, when men commit wickedneſſe, they ſtudy by all meanes to eſcape the puniſhment, He lyeth in waite to catch the poore, and ſayes in his minde, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face he will never ſee it. Pſal. 10.9. And even as rebels after they have conſpired againſt their ſoveraigne being guilty of Laeſmajeſtie, they ſtudy to deſtroy all the rolles and regiſters, and that the King himſelfe bee put from his throne, that they may eſcape all puniſhment which they are liable unto. And as thoſe who are addebted to others, wiſhes all the bonds and obligations, (whereby they are bound to repay) were burnt. So Atheiſts, and thoſe who deſpiſe God, caſting off the yoke of obedience, that they may worke ſinne with greedineſſe, denies altogether God and his ſcriptures.
The third cauſe.Thirdly, if it fall out that ſometimes the Atheiſt bee ſtirred up from this his Lethargy, and beginne to ſeeke any thing at the hand of God, hee doth it but coldly and faintly. And if the Lord grant not to him his deſire according to his minde; either he denieth God altogether, or doubts at leaſt whether there be a God or not. Iob 22.15. What is the Almighty that wee ſhould ſerve him, and what profit ſhall we have if we pray unto him. So when the Iſraelites wanted water in the wilderneſſe, Exod. 17.7. they beganne to ſay, Is the Lord amongſt us or not.
The fourth cauſe.Fourthly, the conſtant courſe of nature, and the wheeles mooving one within another, and turning about in the ſelfe ſame manner, mooves the Atheiſt to Atheiſme, 2 Pet. 3.4. Where is the promiſe of his comming, for ſince the Fathers fel aſleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. But to thoſe who lookes more neerely to the works of Gods providence, and to the connexion of cauſes; It is manifeſt, that the ſecond cauſes are alwaies mooved by the firſt cauſe. And thoſe who acknowledged the world to bee created (as they did) muſt acknowledge alſo that hee hath power to diſſolve it.
SECT. 2. Of the diverſe wayes how the word Atheiſt is taken; and of the ſundrie ſort of Atheiſts.
FIrſt, this word Atheiſt is taken for him who worſhips not the true God, Epheſ. 2.12. Having no hope, How many wayes this word atheiſt is taken.and without God in the world. Secondly, thoſe who worſhips the true God, and falſe gods; are Atheiſts, as the Samaritans. Thirdly, thoſe who worſhips the true God, by falſe meanes are Atheiſts, as the Iewes, and Turkes. But thoſe properly are Atheiſts, who hath no God at all, and there are ſundry ſorts of them.
Firſt, ſome Atheiſts, who denyes altogether that there is a God, as Diagoras. Secondly, others doubted whether there was a God or not, as Protagoras. Who ſaid, Si Deus est unde prodeunt mala, ſi non eſt unde bona. That is, if there be a God, whence commeth evill, and if there be not a God, whence commeth good things. Thirdly, thoſe who granted that there was a God, but denyed that he had any care of things below here. But enjoyed himſelfe quietly in the Heavens, Such was Epicurus. Fourthly, Democratus, and Leueippus, and thoſe who held that all things were ruled by a fatall neceſſity.
The contradicting Atheiſt.Thoſe Atheiſts againe are divided into the contradicting Atheiſt, who denies God and all religion. The ſecond is the ſcepticke Atheiſt,The ſcepticke atheiſt. The phyſicall atheiſt. The ſtupide atheiſt. diſputing by way of Probleme, whether there be a God or not. The third is the Phyſicall Atheiſt, who meaſures all things by the law of nature. The laſt is the ſtupide or blockiſh Atheiſt.
The firſt ſort of Atheiſt denying God altogether, are directly oppoſite to the Chriſtian, and in part onelyonly to the Phyſicall Atheiſt. The Phyſicall Atheiſt, and contradicting Atheiſt, are ſemiantipodes, halfe oppoſite: but the Chriſtian is directly oppoſite to him, and they are very antipodes.
The ſecond Atheiſt is the diſputing Atheiſt, or ſcepticke, he propones whether there be a God or not, and while he hanges in aequilibrio, betweene the two, yet he inclines more to the negative than to the affirmative part; and him we call dubitabundum Atheum, the doubting Atheiſt, and he is in the middeſt as it were betwixt the contradicting Atheiſt, and the Phyſicall Atheiſt.
The third is the Phyſicall Atheiſt, who is ſo taken up with thoſe things which he perceives by ſenſe, that hee never lifts up his minde to thoſe things which ſavours of metaphyſicks, and far leſſe to thoſe things which ſavours of divinitie, and he is ſo drowned in natura naturata, that he never thinks of natura naturans; that is, he is ſo drowned in nature below here, that he never lookes up to God, who is the God of nature. And the common ſaying may be applied well to him, Where there is three Phyſitians there are two Atheiſts. And as thoſe who are borne in the bordering Country, ye can hardly diſcerne by their language what country men they are. So it is hard to tell whether this Phyſicall Atheiſt comes neerer to the ſcepticke or contradicting Atheiſt.
The fourth is the ſtupid Atheiſt, who by ſtupidity and blockiſhneſſe quenches that light of nature, which is inbred in all men. And if it fall out at any time (which ſeldome happeneth) that he ſtirre up this inbred light, then it befalleth him as it doth thoſe who hath ſome Lucida intervalla, that is, ſome cleare intermiſſions, in the midſt of their madneſſe, but afterward they are more madde then they were before. So thoſe Atheiſts, after they have quenched thoſe ſparkes of light, they are more ſtupide then ever they were. This Atheiſt is a midſt as it were, betwixt the diſputing Atheiſt, and the Phyſicall Atheiſt.
Men are moſt diſcerned by their tongue,The atheiſts are deſcerned by their language. what country men they are, and whence they fetch their pedegrees. The Chriſtian man is foreign, who ſpeakes the language of Canaan, who prayſes God, and worſhips him, and the Atheiſt is oppoſite to him, who is foreign, and of a ſtrange language. Although the Atheiſts be foreign inter ſe, of one language amongſt themſelves. The contradicting Atheiſt is foreign. Who ſetteth his mouth againſt the Heavens, Pſal. 73.9. Such as was that beaſt Diagoras.
The ſecond is the Phyſicall Atheiſt, who is foreign, ſive impeditae linguae, who liſpes ſometimes, and ſtammers, that there is not a God.
The third is the ſcepticke Atheiſt, and he is, foreign diſputing, pro & contra, on both ſides.
The fourth is the Stupide Atheiſt, who is foreign ſcarce having a tongue, and dumbe when hee ſhould praiſe God.By what arguments atheiſts are to be reluted onelyonly by reaſon.
All theſe Atheiſts which we have reckoned up, muſt be refuted by the principles of nature onelyonly, for all other arguments they ſcorne. When we diſpute againſt a Turke, we may bring the Alkoron againſt him, when we diſpute againſt a Iew, we may bring the old Teſtament, and the Thalmud againſt him, when we diſpute againſt a Saducee, or a Samaritane, wee may bring the five bookes of Moſes againſt them, When we diſpute againſt a Pagan, we may bring the wiſe ſayings of the heathen againſt him. But nothing will ſerve againſt the Atheiſt, but onelyonly to bring him to the barre of Reaſon, and God hath left this reaſon within him to convince him, and make him inexcuſable.
How Atheiſts denies the firſt principle, that there is a God.Object. But wee cannot diſpute againſt him who denies the firſt principles, the Atheiſt denies the firſt principle, that there is a God: Therefore we cannot diſpute againſt him.
Anſw. The Atheiſt denies this firſt principle, onelyonly in his Iollity, and wantonneſſe; But when he is put to it in diſtreſſe, and God beginnes to frowne upon him, then he is forced to confeſſe, that there is a God. The foole ſaith in his heart that there is not a God, Pſal. 14.1. The heart is taken three wayes in the Scriptures, firſt, for the reaſonable faculty of the ſoule, The Lord is ſaid to give Salamon a heart like the ſand of the ſea, 1 King. 4.29. that is, a heart that could underſtand and apprehend all things, the foole labours to obſcure this principle, in his underſtanding: Secondly, the heart is taken for the will and affections, Pſal. 119.36. Incline mine heart to thy law, and not to covetouſneſſe, that is my will and affections; So 2 Cor. 6.11. My heart is enlarged to you Corinthians, that is my will and affections. And in this ſenſe the foole wiſhes in his heart that there were not a God to puniſh him, and to take order with him for his offences. Thirdly, the heart is taken for the conſcience, Davids heart is ſaid to ſmite him, 1 Sam. 24.5. that is, his conſcience ſmote him. The foole can never get this principle, blotted out of his conſcience. But ſtill he muſt be inforced to grant that there is a God, when his conſcience is wakened.
The conſcience in the Syriack is called Tira, Tara foreign conſcientia from foreign figuravit.Rom. 2. forma mentibus impreſſa, there are ſome lineaments drawne in the conſcience which cannot be blotted out, which Iamlicus de myſterijs, chap. 11. calls a touch of the dietie.
Things are not hidden in the conſcience, as in ſinking paper, where the letters can never be reade, but they are written in the conſcience, as letters are written with the juyce of an Onyon, where the letters at the firſt are not legible, but hold them to the fire a little, and then they beginne peece and peece to be legible; So the things written in the conſcience, although at the firſt they ſeeme not legible, yet hold them a little to the fire of Gods wrath, they beginne preſently to be legible: as the letters which were written upon the wall with a finger to Belthaſar; there ſinne is written with the point of a Diamont, and with a pen of iron, Ier. 17.1. Salomon ſayes, Prov. 26.3. that the whip is for the fooles backe: when God beginnes to whip theſe fooles, the Atheiſtes, then they confeſſe that there is a God. In their jollity amongſt their companions they can propound this queſtion, whether there be a God or not? but when they are brought to the gallowes, and the rope about their necks, then they beginne to cry peccavi, and confeſſe that there is a God indeede. There was controverſie betwixt the Stoickes, and Peripatetickes; The Stoicke held that man had no paſſions in him, and that he was foreign; the Peripatetickes held the contrarie: Now, it fell out upon a time, that a Stoicke and an peripateticke were ſailing together in one ſhippe; there aroſe upon a ſudden a great tempeſt upon the ſea, the Stoicke began to looke pale, the Peripateticke marked this, and reaſons this wayes againſt the Stoicke, thou lookes pale Stoicke, therefore thou art not foreign, without paſſions. He could not free himſelfe of feare when he was in danger to be caſt away. So, although Atheiſtes given to their luſts, belch forth ſometimes that there is not a God, yet in their diſtreſſes they are inforced to grant it. And as Tertullian writing againſt the Gentile. (who worſhipped many gods) obſerveth well in ſport, yee worſhip many Gods, but when ye are in diſtreſſe yee looke not to the capitall, where your many gods are, but ye looke up to the heavens, where the onelyonly true God dwels. So Atheiſtes are inforced to grant, that in their perplexities, which they denied in ſport.
Object. But how can we prove by reaſon againſt Atheiſtes, that there is a God, ſeeing to beleeve that God is, is an article of our faith; and that which we beleeve, is not taken up by reaſon, but by faith?
Anſ. Some articles of our faith are onelyonly beleeved; as the myſtery of the Trinity, and the Incarnation of Chriſt: reaſon hath never place in theſe: There are other articles of our faith againe, that are both beleeved and taken up by reaſon; as the creation of the world, and the immortalitie of the ſoule, theſe may be proved by reaſon, and that there is a God.
Queſt. When we diſpute againſt an Atheiſt proving that there is a God; whether diſpute we againſt him as Divines; or as Phyſitians doe, who brings their proofes from nature onelyonly?
Anſw. We diſpute againſt them as Divines, although we uſe natural midſes to this purpoſe,Some articles of our faith are both beleeved and taken up by reaſon. we diſpute not as Phyſitians: Round wounds or circular are hardlier cured then long wounds, although the Chirurgian prove this by principles of Geometrie, yet he cures not the wound as a Geometritian, but as a Chyrurgian: So although the Divine proves there is a God by midſes taken from nature, yet hee concludes not as a Phyſitian, but as a Divine.
There are devils, therefore there muſt be a God.Argu. 1. Atheiſtes cannot denie, but that there are devils, and if they grant that there are devils, they muſt grant alſo that there is a God. But perhaps they will denie that there are devils, what will they ſay then to the Demoniackes that are poſſeſſed, and in ſtrength ſurpaſſes many men; and ſometimes they ſpeake both Greeke and Hebrew, being Idiots, and unlearned, and if there were not ſuch a ſpirit in them, how could they doe theſe things, and the devils being of ſuch power, and ſo malicious and cruell, if there were not a ſuperiour power to bridell them, and to reſtraine their wickedneſſe, they would preſently turne all things upſide downe. Socrates being accuſed of Atheiſme, anſwered, that he beleeved alwayes that there were genij, both good and evill.
Argu. 2.The conſcience of man proves that there is a God. The ſecond reaſon to prove that there is a God, is taken from the conſcience of man; when a man commits a ſecret ſinne, which none is privie to, Iuſtice requires that this ſinne be puniſhed, and puniſhed it cannot be unleſſe there be both a witneſſe, a Iudge, and a ſentence given out. This witneſſe beares record, but before whom? not before man, for no man knowes the fact. This witneſſe then muſt teſtifie before a higher Iudge, before whom all things are knowne. Darius made a decree, Ezr. 6.11. that whoſoever ſhould alter his word, that the timber ſhould be pulled downe from his houſe, and being ſet up, that hee ſhould be hanged thereon. So the great King of Kings, ordaines, that men ſhould be tried by their owne conſcience, and the timber of their owne houſe to torture them before him, who is the great Iudge.Bernard de interiore domo, cap. 14. It was well ſaid by Bernard, In domo propria, & propria familia, habeo accuſatores, teſtes, judices & tortores, accuſat me conſcientia, teſtes eſt memoria; Iudex ſubſtitutus eſt ratio, voluptas eſt carcer: Timor tortor, oblectamentum tormentum, quotquot enim fuerunt oblectamenta mala, tot erunt tormenta dira in paena nam inde puniuntur, inde delectantur, In my owne houſe, and at home, I have the accuſers, witneſſes, Iudges, and torturers, my conſcience accuſeth me, my memorie is the witneſſe, my reaſon is the ſubordinate Iudge, pleaſure is the priſon, feare is the torturer, delight is the torment; for in whatſoever pleaſure a man hath taken delight in, with as many torments ſhall hee be puniſhed. The Lord the great Iudge hath appoinied this conſcience as his deputie, to teſtifie for him, and to convict the evill doers.
Argu. 3. The diverſitie of the faces of men proves that there is a God againſt the Atheiſt,The diverſitie of the faces of men proves that there is a God. for looke upon a company where there are tenne thouſand men, yee will ſee them all diſtinguiſhed by their faces, this diſtinction of the faces of men is moſt neceſſary for the preſervation of the ſocietie of men. The diverſitie of tongues was a great judgement to the world, Gen. 11. that one of them could not underſtand another. But this diſtinction of faces is a great bleſſing to the world, for without it no ſocietie could ſtand; then the husband ſhould not know his wife from another woman, neither ſhould the father know his children from other men, and if the malefactor were not taken in the very fact he needed not to be afraid.S. Auſtine cap. 8. adverſus paganos. Saint Auguſtine writing againſt the Panims, calles this diverſitie of faces a great miracle: Men are diſtinguiſhed from other, ſometimes by ſome marke, as the Iewes who lives amongſt Chriſtians. But theſe markes may alter and be changed: So men are diſtinguiſhed by their languages, and by their dialects, as amongſt the Iewes, ſome ſaid Shibboleth, and others ſaid Sibboleth, Iudg. 12.6. So theſe about Ieruſalem had a proper dialect to themſelves foreign, Act. 2.8. So Peter was knowne to be a Galilean, by his ſpeech, Matth. 26.73. and ſo the Levite, Iudg. 18.3. was knowne by his dialect, but theſe may ſoone varie, and ſo doth not the faces of men.Many things diſtinguiſheth man from man but the face above all. This diverſitie of the faces of men, proves that there is a God, for this diverſitie of faces comes, either from nature, from chance, or from God; here is not a fourth. This diverſitie of faces comes not from nature, for nature endeavours alwayes to bring forth things alike, as in a buſhell of barley,This diverſitie of faces comes neither from nature, nor from chance, but onelyonly from God. or wheate, wee ſee all the graines alike: This diverſitie of faces, proceedes not from chance; If a man throw a die, and deſire alwayes a diverſe number to fall out to him, yet not withſtanding, the ſame number ſhall occurre to him often, which argues that this diverſitie of faces, comes not from chance. It reſts then that this diverſitie of faces comes onelyonly from God, who hath onelyonly diſtinguiſhed the faces of men, for the preſervation of ſocietie amongſt men.
Object. But if they ſay that this diverſitie of faces comes from phanſie; then I would aske them, ſeeing phanſie is ſeene more in beaſts than in men? what is the reaſon that there is no ſuch diverſitie amongſt beaſts, as there is amongſt the faces of men; therefore it reſts, that it is onelyonly God who makes this diverſitie of faces.
Argu. 4. Non datur progreſſus in infinitum, We cannot be led from Iudicatorie to Iudicatorie, therefore at laſt wee muſt ſtay at the barre of the Iudgement of God.wee cannot make an infinit progreſſe in things, but we muſt reſt in one chiefe and ſupreme cauſe. If a man be condemned by an inferior Iudge, and the ſentence be juſt, then it is altogether unlawfull for him to appeale; but if he be wrongfully judged by an inferiour Iudge, he may appeale to his ſuperior, as Saint Paul did to Ceſar, Act. 25. Nam appellatio eſt defenſio juſta & innocentiae praeſidium: An appeale is a juſt defence and a ſafetie of ones innocencie; and the law of nature teacheth us this, that a man is bound to ſtand in defence of his owne life, as farre as he can by lawfull meanes, neither doth he wrong to any, when hee ſtands thus in his owne defence; and as in naturall cauſes, the inferiour cauſes, are ſubordinate to the influx of the ſuperiour. So in caſes morall, the inferiour Iudges, are ſubject to the ſuperiour, and if they proceede not aright in judging, then they are not their deputies, and the partie wronged may ſeeke for redreſſe at the ſuperiours hands; and becauſe men ſhould not be led from judicatorie to judicatorie, there are in all well conſtitute common wealths, ſome ſupreme judicatorie, from the which men may not appeale, as in Iudea the great Synedrion, in Athens, Areopagus, and in Rome, the Senate; but becauſe all men may doe wrong and erre in judgement; the laſt and ſupreme Iudge is God himſelfe, to whom men appeales. He is the judge of the whole earth, who cannot but judge rightly, Gen. 18.25. Hee when he enquires for bloud, forgets not the bloud of the poore, Pſal. 9. Who ſayes, Bene appellatum ſed male Iudicatum: He approves the appeale, but diſlikes the wrong judgement. By this the Atheiſt may underſtand that there is a God, who is the Iudge of all.
A compariſon betwixt the Chriſtian, the Devill, and the Atheiſt.Let us make a compariſon betwixt the Chriſtian, the Devill, and the Atheiſt: The Chriſtian by a juſtifying faith, beleeves that there is a God, and he workes out his ſalvation with feare and trembling: The devill by an hiſtoricall faith, beleeves, that there is a God, Iam. 2.19. and feares and trembles, but hopes not for ſalvation; but the Atheiſt he trembles onelyonly, neither beleeves he by a juſtifying faith as the Chriſtian doth, neither by an hiſtoricall faith, as the devils doth, therefore he is worſe than the devill in this point.
A compariſon betwixt Balaam and the Atheiſt.Secondly, let us compare the worſt of men, and the Atheiſt together, let us compare the Atheiſt and Balaam the Diviner; Balaam ſaid, Num. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his. Balaam beleeved the immortalitie of the ſoule, and the happineſſe of the life to come; but the Atheiſt beleeves neither of theſe two; therefore the Atheiſt is worſe than Balaam the Diviner.
Thirdly,A compariſon betwixt the Saducee and the Atheiſt. let us compare the Atheiſt with the Saducee; the Saducees beleeved not the immortality of the ſoule, neither the reſurrection of the body, yet when they were demanded, Why then ſtudy ye to keepe the commandements of God, they anſwered, That it might goe well with them in this life; they admitted alſo the five Bookes of Moſes: but the Atheiſts, they acknowledge not the immortalitie of the ſoule, nether ſtudy they to obſerve the commandements of God, that it may goe well with them in this life; neither admit they any Scripture, therefore they are worſe than the Saduces.
Fourthly,A compariſon btwixt the Epicure and the Atheiſt. let us compare the Epicure and the Atheiſt: the Epicure denies all Religion, that hee may prove the ſoule to be mortall; as Lucretius did, following Epicurus: Therefore he falls upon this concluſion, 1 Cor. 15. Let us eate, let us drinke for to morrow we die; That is, we ſhal be quite extinguiſhed in ſoule and body, and there ſhall be no more of us than of beaſts when they are knockt in the head: But the Atheiſt gos further than the Epicure; for he denies all Religion, and the immortalitie of the ſoule, that he may come to his concluſion that there is not a God; theſe three go alwayes inſeparable together. If the ſoule be immortall, then there muſt be a Religion, and if there be Religion, there muſt be a God.
Laſtly,A compariſon betwixt the d…vill alone and the Atheiſt. let us compare the Atheiſt and the devill alone, the devill acknowledged Chriſt to be the Sonne of the moſt high God, Mark. 5.7. Secondly, he worſhipped, verſ. 6. Thirdly, adjures Chriſt, v. 7. and acknowledged, that an oath is the bond of the ſoule, Num. 30.2. Laſtly, he knowes that there is a day appointed, when God ſhall come to judge the world, Matth. 8.29. but the Atheiſt, neither acknowledge Chriſt to be the Sonne of the moſt high God, neither worſhips he Chriſt. He cares not for an oath, which is the bond of the ſoule, neither expects hee the laſt day of Iudgement; therefore in theſe he is worſe then the devill.
The Atheiſt ſhould die the death.Theſe Atheiſts ſhould die the death; Whoſoever worſhipped ſtrange Gods ſhould die the death, Deut. 13.9. And Aſa, 2 Chro. 15.15. enlarges this threatning; Whoſoever would not ſeeke to the Lord God of Iſrael, ſhould die the death: Much more then ſhould theſe die the death, who denies the true God. And the Heathens judged that Atheiſts ſhould die the death, as Laertius witneſſeth of that wicked Theodorus, who was condemned in Areopago propter foreign. he was condemned for Atheiſme: and Socrates (as this ſame Laertius witneſſeth) quod non eoſdem, atque civitas deos pictaret, & quod nova numina inveheret, hee becauſe hee beleeves not in theſe gods which the reſt of the citie beleeved in, and ſtudied to bring in new gods amongſt them.
When there was no king in Iſrael, every man did that which ſeemed good in his owne eyes, Iudg. 17.6. So when men beleeve that there is no good, what marvell is it that they runne not into all ſinnes and abominations?Atheiſme is the center of all ſinnes. This Atheiſm, is the center of all ſinnes; and the Atheiſt is the vileſt of all creatures, wherefore let us abhorre Atheiſme above all other ſinnes, and ſhunne the company of theſe damnable Atheiſtes, who are appointed for hell and damnation.
SECT. 3. Of Superſtition.
THe ignorance of God hath two rivers proceeding from it; the one is Atheiſme,The ignorance of God breeds Atheiſme and ſuperſtition. and the other is Superſtition; and as ſeed ſowne in ſome hard ground, brings forth no fruit at all, but in other ground it grows ſo ranke and luxurian, that the labourer reapes no profit of it. The Atheiſt is like unto hard ground where no corne growes; the Superſtitious againe exceedes in his worſhip, and runnes as farre unto the other extremitie.
This ſuperſtition is called foreign, from foreign, timeo, metuo, & foreign numen.
It is a good obſervation of Tertullian, Verity in the midſt ſuffereth betweene two extreames.that as Chriſt ſuffered betwixt two theeves; ſo veritie ſuffereth betwixt the two extremes. The Heathen held a multitude of gods to be worſhipped, and they denied unitie. The Iews again holds unitie worſhipping one God, but denies the Trinity of perſons: Here trinitie and unitie ſuffereth in the middeſt betwixt the two extremes as Chriſt did in the middeſt betwixt two theeves. So Eutiches confounded the perſons; and Neſtorius divided Chriſt into two perſons, veritie ſuffered in the midſt here: ſo in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.12. Some held that they were onelyonly Chriſts, others called themſelves after Apollo, and others Cephas; veritie ſuffered in the midſt here; for we muſt fo… …nour Chriſt, that we deſpiſe not his Miniſters; and wee muſt ſo reſpect his Miniſters,Atheiſme and ſuperſtition are the two extreames, and true religion ſuffereth in the midſt. that we depend not upon them in matters of ſalvation, and ſo here foreign, and foreign, Atheiſme and Superſtition are the two extremes, and foreign, the true worſhip of God ſuffers in the midſt.
This Superſtition exceedes in worſhip, and offers more to God than he requires at their hand, Eſa. 1.12. and as the Lord forbids to be too juſt, Eccleſ. 7.16. ſo he forbids men to exceede this way, and to runne into ſuperſtition.
Queſt. How can a man exceede in the worſhip of God?
Anſw. in theogicall vertues, as they are theologicall, a man cannot exceede but onelyonly in the circumſtances, as when a man hopes hee muſt take heede what hee hopes for, how he hopes, and when; ſo a man cannot exceede in juſtice, in reſpect of juſtice it ſelfe, but in reſpect of the circumſtances. This juſtice may degenerate, and may exceed; as when the Iudge conſiders not where or whom he ſhould judge, or how hee ſhould judge.
No theologicall nor morall vertue can exceede in it ſelfe but onelyonly in reſpect of circumſtances men does exceede.This ſuperſtition the mother of it is ignorance, Ioh. 4. Yee worſhip yee know not what; the companion of it is hypocriſies, the daughters of it are foreign, will worworſhip, and idolatrey; and it is found more in women then in men, Act. 13.50. and in the ignorant more than the learned; and it is like wine which runnes into a mans head, and makes him giddy, whereas true worſhip is like wine which goes to the heart and cheares it.
What are the mother and daughters of ſuperſtition.This ſuperſtition is hardly rooted out, jelouſie, frenſie, and hereſie, and ſuperſtition are hardly rooted out; take but the example of the Iewes, who will not eate of the hollow of the thigh never ſince Iacob halted upon his thigh, ſaith Moſes, untill this day, Gen. 32.32. and it continues amongſt the Iewes untill this day now, for they will not eate of that at all, but ſels it to the Chriſtians,Superſtition is hardly rooted out of the heart The ſuperſtitious are ſiniſtrous in their concluſions. and if the Chriſtians will not buy it, they throw it to the dogges.
The ſuperſtitious are moſt ſiniſtrous in their concluſions, becauſe the nailes pierced the Lords hands, and feete, and the whip whipped him, therefore they will worſhip them. The Philiſtims will not ſet their foote upon the threſholds of the doore, 1 Sam. 5.5. becauſe Dagon fell and brake his necke upon the threſhold of the doore; but they ſhould rather have ſet their foote upon the necke of Dagon, and treade upon him, becauſe that Dagon could not preſerve himſelfe, that he breake not his necke.
Let us compare the religious,A compariſon betwixt the religious and ſuperſtitious. Plutarch de ſuperſtitione. and the ſuperſtitious together; the ſuperſtitious finds no comfort in his Religion, as the religious doth. The Church to the religious is a place of pleaſure, but to the ſuperſtitious, it is a place of torment; and therefore their Idols are called terriculamenta, Ier. 50.38. & tormina, in the temple hee is puniſhed and vexed, there he holds up his trembling hands, and he goes no otherwayes to the temple, than if hee were going to the den of Beares or Lyons.
The labourer after his labour findes his ſleepe comfortable unto him, Eccleſ. 5.12. but the ſuperſtitious is as much troubled, when hee ſleepeth,The ſuperſtitious is troubled as well in his ſleepe as when he awakes. as when hee waketh. Heraclitus was wont to ſay, that there was one common world for all men, and that men when they ſleepe, they goe every one into their ſeverall world; but the ſuperſtitious, when he ſleepeth is ſtill in the common world, becauſe hee is not freed from that which troubled him when he was awaked, dormit ratio ſed vigilat ſemper metus, his reaſon is aſleepe, but his feare alwayes waketh. It is a terrible thing to live under the power of a tyrant, but to live under a good king, or free common wealth, this is moſt comfortable: but thoſe who feare God as though he were a tyrant; whether ſhall they flie from him? If they take the winges of the morning, and flie a farre off, yet hee is before them, and where ſhall they hide them from him? The Law grants this to ſervants, when they are deſperate and out of hope of libertie, they may begge that they may be ſold and changed from a harder maſter to a more gentle; but the ſuperſtitious can finde no ſuch change, neither ſhall hee finde a God whom he ſhall not feare ſervilly, and from whoſe ſervice hee may exempt himſelfe:Let us not flye ſuperſtition ſo that we fall into Atheiſme. Let us therefore flie ſuperſtition, but not as ſome men uſe to doe, who when they are flying from robbers and wilde beaſts, they fall inconſideratly into ſome dangerous wayes, where there are ſteepe rockes, or dangerous pooles, wherein they may be drowned; ſo ſome men flying ſuperſtition, they paſſe by plentie, which is the midſt, and fall into damnable Atheiſme and impietie.