The Major Works (English Library) (9 page)

19. The bad construction and perverse comment on these paire of second causes, or visible hands of God,
¹¹⁹
have perverted the devotion of many unto Atheisme; who forgetting the honest advisoes of faith, have listened unto the conspiracie of Passion and Reason. I have therefore alwayes endeavoured to compose those fewds and angry dissentions between affections, faith, and reason: For there is in our soule a kind of Triumvirate, or Triple government of three competitors, which distract the
peace of this our Common-wealth, not lesse than did that other
¹²⁰
the State of Rome.

As Reason is a rebell unto Faith, so passion unto Reason: As the propositions of Faith seeme absurd unto Reason, so the Theorems of Reason unto passion, and both unto Faith;
¹²¹
yet a moderate and peaceable discretion may so state and order the matter, that they may bee all Kings, and yet make but one Monarchy, every one exercising his Soveraignty and Prerogative in a due time and place, according to the restraint and limit of circumstance. There is, as in Philosophy, so in Divinity, sturdy doubts, and boysterous objections, wherewith the unhappinesse of our knowledge too neerely acquainteth us. More of these no man hath knowne than my selfe, which I confesse I conquered, not in a martiall posture, but on my knees.
¹²²
For our endeavours are not onely to combate with doubts, but alwayes to dispute with the Devill; the villany of that spirit takes a hint of infidelity from our Studies, and by demonstrating a naturality in one way, makes us mistrust a miracle in another.
Thus having perus’d the Archidoxis
¹²³
and read the secret Sympathies of things, he would disswade my beliefe from the miracle of the Brazen Serpent,
¹²⁴
make me conceit that image work’d by Sympathie, and was but an Ægyptian tricke to cure their diseases without a miracle. Againe, having seene some experiments of
Bitumen
, and having read farre more of
Naptha
, he whispered to my curiositie the fire of the Altar might be naturall, and bid me mistrust a miracle in
Elias
when he entrench’d the Altar round with water;
¹²⁵
for that inflamable substance yeelds not easily unto water, but flames in the armes of its Antagonist: and thus would hee inveagle my beliefe to thinke the combustion of
Sodom
might be naturall, and that there was an Asphaltick and Bituminous nature in that Lake before the fire of
Gomorrha
:
¹²⁶
I know that Manna is now
plentifully gathered in
Calabria
, and
Josephus
¹²⁷
tels me in his days ’twas as plentifull in
Arabia
; the Devill therefore made the
quere
, Where was then the miracle in the dayes of
Moses
? the
Israelites
saw but that in his time, the natives of those Countries behold in ours. Thus the Devill playd at Chesse with mee, and yeelding a pawne, thought to gaine a Queen of me, taking advantage of my honest endeavours; and whilst I labour’d to raise the structure of my reason, hee striv’d to undermine the edifice of my faith.

20. Neither had these or any other ever such advantage of me, as to encline me to any point of infidelity or desperate positions of Atheisme; for I have beene these many yeares of opinion there was never any. Those that held Religion was the difference of man from beasts, have spoken probably, and proceed upon a principle as inductive
¹²⁸
as the other: That doctrine of
Epicurus
, that denied the providence of God,
¹²⁹
was no Atheism, but a magnificent and high-strained conceit of his Majesty, which hee deemed too sublime to minde the triviall actions of those inferiour creatures: That fatall necessitie of the Stoickes, is nothing but the immutable Law of his will. Those that heretofore denied the Divinitie of the holy Ghost, have been condemned but as Heretickes; and those that now deny our Saviour
¹³⁰
(though more than Hereticks) are not so much as Atheists: for though they deny two persons in the Trinity, they hold as we do, there is but one God.

That villain and Secretary of Hell, that composed that miscreant piece of the three Impostors,
¹³¹
though divided from all Religions, and was neither Jew, Turk, nor Christian, was not a positive Atheist. I confesse every Countrey hath its
Machiavell
, every age its
Lucian
, whereof common heads must not heare,
nor more advanced judgements too rashly venture on: ’tis the Rhetorick of Satan, and may pervext a loose or prejudicate beleefe.

21. I confesse I have perused them all, and can discover nothing that may startle a discreet beliefe: yet are there heads carried off with the wind and breath of such motives. I remember a Doctor in Physick of Italy, who could not perfectly believe the immortality of the soule, because
Galen
seemed to make a doubt thereof.
¹³²
With another I was familiarly acquainted in France, a Divine and man of singular parts, that on the same point was so plunged and gravelled with three lines of
Seneca
,
¹³³
that all our Antidotes, drawne from both Scripture and Philosophy, could not expell the poyson of his errour. There are a set of heads, that can credit the relations of Mariners, yet question the testimonies of Saint
Paul
; and peremptorily maintaine the traditions of
Ælian
or
Pliny
,
¹³⁴
yet in Histories of
Scripture, raise Quere’s and objections, beleeving no more than they can parallel in humane Authors. I confesse there are in Scripture stories that doe exceed the fable of Poets, and to a captious Reader sound like
Garagantua
or
Bevis
: Search all the Legends of times past, and the fabulous conceits of these present, and ’twill bee hard to find one that deserves to carry the buckler unto
Sampson
,
¹³⁵
yet is all this of an easie possibility, if we conceive a divine concourse or an influence but from the little finger of the Almighty. It is impossible that either in the discourse of man, or in the infallible voyce of God, to the weakenesse of our apprehensions, there should not appeare irregularities, contradictions, and antinomies: my selfe could shew a catalogue of doubts,
¹³⁶
never yet imagined nor questioned,
as I know, which are not resolved at the first hearing, not fantastick Quere’s, or objections of ayre: For I cannot heare of Atoms in Divinity. I can read the history of the Pigeon that was sent out of the Ark, and returned no more, yet not question how shee found out her mate that was left behind: That
Lazarus
was raised from the dead, yet not demand where in the interim his soule awaited; or raise a Law-case, whether his heire might lawfully detaine his inheritance, bequeathed unto him by his death; and he, though restored to life, have no Plea or title unto his former possessions. Whether
Eve
was framed out of the left side of
Adam
, I dispute not; because I stand not yet assured which is the right side of a man, or whether there be any such distinction in Nature;
¹³⁷
that she was edified out of the ribbe of
Adam
I believe, yet raise no question who shall arise with that ribbe at the Resurrection. Whether
Adam
was an Hermaphrodite, as the Rabbines
¹³⁸
contend upon the letter of
the Text; because it is contrary to reason, there should bee an Hermaphrodite before there was a woman, or a composition of two natures, before there was a second composed. Likewise, whether the world was created in Autumne, Summer, or Spring; because it was created in them all; for whatsoever Signe the Sun possesseth, those foure seasons are actually existent: It is the nature of this Luminary to distinguish the severall seasons of the yeare, all which it makes at one time in the whole earth, and successive in any part thereof.
¹³⁹
There are a bundle of curiosities, not onely in Philosophy but in Divinity, proposed and discussed by men of most supposed abilities, which indeed are not worthy our vacant houres, much lesse our serious studies; Pieces onely fit to be placed in
Pantagruels
Library, or bound up with
Tartaretus de modo Cacandi
.
¹⁴⁰

22. These are niceties that become not those that peruse so serious a Mystery. There are others more generally questioned and called to the Barre, yet me thinkes of an easie, and possible truth. ’Tis ridiculous to put off, or drowne the generall Flood of
Noah
in that particular inundation of
Deucalion
: that there was a Deluge once, seemes not to mee so great a miracle, as that there is not one alwayes. How all the kinds of Creatures, not only in their owne bulks, but with a competency of food & sustenance, might be preserved in one Arke, and within the extent of three hundred cubits, to a reason that rightly examines it, will appeare very foesible.
¹⁴¹
There is another secret, not contained in the Scripture, which is more hard to comprehend, & put the honest Father
¹⁴²
to the refuge of a Miracle; and that is, not onely how the distinct pieces of the world, and divided Ilands should bee first planted by men, but inhabited by Tygers, Panthers and Beares. How
America
abounded with beasts of
prey, and noxious Animals, yet contained not in it that necessary creature, a Horse, is very strange. By what passage those, not onely Birds, but dangerous and unwelcome Beasts came over: How there bee creatures there, which are not found in this triple Continent;
¹⁴³
all which must needs bee strange unto us, that hold but one Arke, and that the creatures began their progresse from the mountaines of
Ararat
.
¹⁴⁴
They who to salve
¹⁴⁵
this would make the Deluge particular, proceed upon a Principle that I can no way grant; not onely upon the negative of holy Scriptures, but of mine owne reason, whereby I can make it probable, that the world was as well peopled in the time of
Noah
as in ours, and fifteene hundred yeares to people the world, as full a time for them as foure thousand yeares since have beene to us.
¹⁴⁶
There are other assertions and common
tenents drawn from Scripture, and generally beleeved as Scripture; whereunto, notwithstanding, I would never betray the libertie of my reason. ’Tis a postulate to me, that
Methusalem
was the longest liv’d of all the children of
Adam
, and no man will bee able to prove it; when from the processe of the Text I can manifest it may be otherwise.
¹⁴⁷
That
Judas
perished by hanging himself, there is no certainety in Scripture, though in one place it seemes to affirme it, and by a doubtfull word hath given occasion to translate it; yet in another place, in a more punctuall description, it makes it improbable, and seemes to overthrow it.
¹⁴⁸
That our Fathers, after the Flood, erected the
Tower of
Babell
, to preserve themselves against a second Deluge, is generally opinioned and beleeved; yet is there another intention of theirs expressed in Scripture:
¹⁴⁹
Besides, it is improbable from the circumstance of the place, that is, a plaine in the land of
Shinar
. These are no points of Faith, and therefore may admit a free dispute. There are yet others, and those familiarly concluded from the Text, wherein (under favour) I see no consequence. The Church of Rome confidently proves the opinion of Tutelary Angels, from that answer when
Peter
knockt at the doore, ’
Tis not he but his Angel
; that is, might some say, his Messenger, or some body from him; for so the Originall signifies;
¹⁵⁰
and is as likely to be the doubtfull
Families
¹⁵¹
meaning. This exposition I once suggested to a young Divine, that answered upon this point, to which I remember the
Franciscan
Opponent replyed no more, but, That it was a new and no authentick interpretation.

23. These are but the conclusions, and fallible discourses of man upon the word of God, for such I doe beleeve the holy Scriptures; yet were it of man, I could not choose but say, it was the singularest, and superlative Piece that hath been extant since the Creation; were I a Pagan, I should not refraine the Lecture of it; and cannot but commend the judgement of
Ptolomy
, that thought not his Library compleate without it: the Alcoran of the Turks
¹⁵²
(I speake without prejudice) is an ill composed Piece, containing in it vaine and ridiculous errours in Philosophy, impossibilities, fictions, and vanities beyond laughter, maintained by evident and open Sophismes, the policy of Ignorance, deposition of Universities, and banishment of Learning, that hath gotten foot by armes and violence; This
¹⁵³
without a blow hath disseminated it selfe through the whole earth. It is not unremarkable what
Philo
first observed, That the Law of
Moses
continued two thousand yeares without the least alteration;
¹⁵⁴
whereas, we see, the Lawes of other Common-weales doe alter with occasions; and even those that pretended their originall from some Divinity, to have vanished without trace or memory. I beleeve, besides
Zoroaster
, there were divers that writ before
Moses
,
¹⁵⁵
who notwithstanding have suffered the common fate of time. Mens Workes have an age like themselves; and though they out-live their Authors, yet have they a stint and period to their duration: This onely
¹⁵⁶
is a Worke too hard for the teeth of time, and cannot perish but in the generall flames, when all things shall confesse their ashes.

24.1 have heard some with deepe sighs lament the lost lines of
Cicero
; others with as many groanes deplore the combustion of the Library of
Alexandria
; for my owne part, I thinke there be too many in the world, and could with patience behold the urne and ashes of the
Vatican
, could I with a few others recover the perished leaves of
Solomon
. I would not omit a Copy of
Enochs
Pillars, had they many neerer Authors than
Josephus
, or did not relish somewhat of the Fable.
¹⁵⁷
Some men have written more than others have spoken;
Pineda
quotes more Authors in one worke, than are necessary in a whole world.
¹⁵⁸
Of those three great inventions in
Germany
,
¹⁵⁹
there are two which are not without their incommodities, and ’tis disputable whether they exceed not their use and commodities. ’Tis not a melancholy
Utinam
¹⁶⁰
of mine owne, but the desires of better heads, that there were a general Synod; not to unite the incompatible difference of Religion, but for the benefit of learning, to reduce it as it lay at first in a few and solid Authors; and to condemne to the fire those swarms and millions of
Rhapsodies
, begotten onely to distract and abuse the weaker judgements of Scholars, and to maintaine the Trade and Mystery of Typographers.