Lib. IX. Of the Advancement of Learning. o i o 



profitable courfe, if there were a Ibber and diligent Traftate com- 

 piled, which as a kind of Divins Dtaleclick^ might give direftions, 

 concerning the true limits and ujc cf Rcafon in matters Divine :, which 

 would be a kind of Opiats Medicine^ not only to quiet and lay ajlccp the 

 vanity of Aery fpeculutions , rpherovith the Schools jometime labour 5 

 hut likenvfc not a little calnt^ and mitigate the juries and rage of Con- 

 trcverCics^ rohich raife fidings and factions in the Church. A Treatife 

 of this nature we let down as Deficient^ and term it Sophron or the 

 the right ufc of Humane Reafon in matters Divine. 



If. It imports exceedingly the Veacc of the Church , that the * 

 League of Chrifiians^ prefcribed by our Saviour in thofe two claufes ^y^^'^V^' 

 which feem to crolsone the other, were well and clearly expound- dibus uniutis 

 ed ^ whereofthe one defines thus, He that is not with m is againjl '" Civitate 

 us : the other thus ; He that is not againii us is with us. From thofe tuc.'c ixl // • 23 

 twofeveralaffcrtionsit plainly appears, that there are fome Articles i-^^-^u ^ . fo 

 Tphcrcin whofeever dijfenteth, is to be held as not comprehended in the 

 league : and there are other Articles^ nehcrcin a man may difjent , and 

 }et the league be kept entire. For the bounds of Chriftian community 

 are fet dovvn ^ One Faith, one Baptifm-^ and not^onc Rite, one Opinion. Ephef.iv; 

 We fee likewise the Coat of our Saviour was entire without feam •-, but joan.x x. 

 the garment of the Church was of divers Colours. The Chaff' mn(i tfal.xiv. 

 be fever'd from the corn in the ear -, but theTares may not prefent- 

 ly bepuU'd up from the Corn in the Field. When Mofes favv an 

 Egyptian fighting with an Ifraelite, he did not fay, why ftrive you> 

 but drew his fvvord and flew the Egyptian ; but when he (aw two 

 Israelites fight^thoughit could not poffible be that both parties had a 

 juft caufe ; yet he thus befpeaks them both^Tou are hrethren^-whyfirive Exod ih 

 you ^ Whereforeifthefe things be well obferved, it will be found 

 a matter of great moment and ufe to define what, and of what la- 

 titude thofe points are, which difcorporate men from the body of 

 the Church, and caftthem out and quite calbier them from the com- 

 munion and fellowfhip of the faithful. And if any think that this 

 hath been done now long ago, let him ferioufly confider with what 

 fincerity, and moderation the fame hath been perform'd. In the 

 mean fpace it is very likely, that he that makes mention of Peace , 

 fhall bear away that anfwer Jehu gave to the Meflenger, // it Peace 

 Jehu ^ IVhat hafi thou to do with Peace ^ turn and follow me. P^rfte 'Reg.ix, 

 is not the matter that many feek after, but parties and fiding : Not- 

 vvithflanding v/e thought good to fet down amongft Deficients, as a 

 wholfome and profitable work, a Treatife touching the Degrees ofV- 

 mty in the City of God. 



II[. Seeing the Parts of Sacred Scripture touching the Information * 

 ofTheology^^ie fuch and fbgreat^let us fpecially confider the Interpre- utres 

 tion thereof 5 nor do we here fpeak of the Authorrty of interpreting sxES^^iive 

 them, which is efl:abli(ht by the confent of the Church, butof the EiBanationes 

 manner of Interpreting. This is of two forts, methodical 3 and Solute^ Scripturarum. 

 or at large : for this divine water, which infinitely excels that 

 o£ Jacobs jvc//, is drawn forth and deliver'd much after the f;ime 

 manner as Natural waters uCcto be out of I^Fells 5 for tiiefe at thefirft 

 draught are either receiv'd into Cijicrns^ and fo may be conveyed, 



and 



