not only with the paffions, but interests of men; two fuch potent Abettors as will buoy up the most forlorn caufe. The truth is, there are many fubterraneous fprings which feed this Ocean, and though religion and piety be on all hands demurely pretended, yet as we have feen the effects of our debates very difconfonant to fuch a Profeffion; fo if we examine the originals and caufes, we fhall find them for the most part as widely diftant. It may not be amifs to take a fhort view of fome of them; for though I cannot hope the difcovery of the Caufes will contribute to the general cure, yet perhaps it may prove Antidote to fome particular perfons, who will be the lefs apt to admire the verdure of the leaves (the flourishing appearances of zeal and piety) when they find both fruit and root of fo poisonous a quality.

CHAP. XIII.

A Survey of the Caufes of Difputes; and firft,

Pride.

A

ND in this inqueft we find Pride already arraigned to our hands, by the wifeft of Men, Prov. 13.10. only by pride cometh contention. It is indeed a most prolifick vice, and there are few fins to which it is not either a parent or nurse: but there is scarce any Y

which

which does more betray its immediate defcent from it than this of ftrife and debate, which has fo many of the lineaments and features of the de-. form'd Mother, as fufficiently atteft its extraEtion. And as this is true of all ftrifes in general, fo particularly of thofe whereof we now treat: for Pride being its felf an internal fin, it has fuch a neighbourhood with all the notions and fpeculations of the mind, that it easily makes impreffions on them: Nor are we to wonder that the Sacredness of divine things is not Amulet enough against its Charms, when we remember that the first act of Pride that ever was committed, was levelled even at God himself; and as it took up its first feat in a spiritual fubftance, fo has it ever fince, never acted more naturally, and therefore more vigorously than about fpiritual matters. Of this the Church in all ages has had many costly Experiments, for if we trace the Catalogues of Herefies from Simon Magus his daies down to our own, we shall find Pride a principal Actor in every Scene, though perhaps in various dreffes. For though Pride be alwaies in the general an affectation of fome transcendency, yet it differs as to the particular object, according to the feveral estimates men make of excellencies. So that the propugners of new Opinions, though they have this common aim, that they feek their own exaltation, yet do not alwaies do it in the same instances. For example, fome have coveted the repute of profound inquifitors, and this Vanity has prompted them to dive fo deep into

the

pe

the bowels of every the plainest doctrine, till at laft they have twisted and entangled them into the moit perplexing difficulties. Thefe Navigators think they have never fail'd fuccefsfully till they have found out a Terra incognita, though God knows they bring nothing from thence for the benefit of the habitable world; nor make it their bufinefs to refolve Doubts, but ftart them. Another fort of men there are of so fastidious and tulant wits, that they difdain an opinion of which themselves are not the Authors; they love not to have their understandings prefcrib'd to, by the preconceptions of others, how divinely foever infpir'd, and will rather have a Religion of their own making, than of his whom they pretend to worship. And this, 'tis to be doubted is the bottom of the great veneration fome have paid to Reafon, which they have fet up in the Throne, not only in defiance of blind implicit afsent, but even of divine revelation. But in the mean time 'tis to be observ'd, that 'tis not reason in general, the common excellency of our nature that is thus advanc'd, but every mans own private and individual; which upon a juft fcanning will often be found the most diftant thing from what it is call'd: Paffion and Phancy, by that omnipotent advantage of being a mans own, often paffing for deep difcourfe and ratiocination: and what a fruitful harveft of Tares fuch feed is apt to produce, our reafon would inform us if our experience did not. To these we may add another rank of men, who vehemently thirsting after a name in the thirsting 2

world,

world, hope to acquire that by being the diffeminators of novel doctrines; they think while they go on in the beaten track, they fhall be obscur'd in the Throng; the only way to make themselves confpicuous is to be fingular: Thus fondly chufing to be eminent, though by the infamous Characters of Heretick or Schifmatick, and (like him that fired Diana's Temple to fecure himself from oblivion) build themfelves eMonuments of the Churches ruines: and fure this Theudas his ambition of being fome body, has helpt to raise more opinions than he did men. Yet commonly it anfwers it even in that circumstance alfo; for when by Separating themselves from the unity of the faith, they have rendred themselves remarkable, their next aim is to have others joyn to them; and fo they may have the honour of being leaders, care not though it be into the ditch. To be call'd of men Rabbi Rabbi, is enchanting Mufick to any Pharifee, and ferves like the Timbrels in Tophet to drown the cries not of their Children, but Mother fcorching in the flames of their contention. Indeed fo impetuous and uncontroulable is this kind of vanity, that like a mighty torrent, it bears down all before it, overwhelms not only the oppofite vertues, but even all vices that are not of its own confederacy. Men can in this case lay fevere restraints upon their most intimate fenfualities, when they fufpect them treacherous to this grand Defign. The Wolf fhall be muzled and made to behave himself with the meeknefs beseeming the Sheeps cloathing. The Swine

fhall

fhall be wafht and by an unnatural violence withheld from the mire: All their rapacious and beftial appetites controul'd and made tame,that they worry not their reputation. And all this for a little naked popularity, for whofe dear purchase, very many have thought fit to diveft themselves, both of lawful and unlawful enjoyments; and have thought the tumultuous applaufe of a few factious fpirits worth all that felf-denial. But all Pride is not so perfectly Gamalion as to fubfift upon this meer air, there is another kind of it that proposes to its felf fomething beyond this: fuch is the affectation of rule and dominion, which though in refpect of any real good to the ruler, is as very a Chimera as the former; yet commonly they that are under fuch a Jurifdiction, find to their coft 'tis more than Imaginative. And God knows this afpiring humour, has been no less fatally active in Ecclefiaftick than in Civil affairs; nor has the Church ever been in more danger of Anarchy than by thofe who moft impatiently coveted a share in its government; for where this spirit of ambition is the Impellent, it does like the Demoniack in the Gofpel, burst asunder all fetters and chains, violates the unity both of doctrine and difcipline, nor is any attempt too bold for men thus animated: They who long to be in authority think the door opens not quick enough for their entry, and impatient of fo tedious an expectation, chufe rather to make breaches in the walls (nay fometimes to undermine the foundation) than to want an access to their