A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

seem Giants in Divinity, while they profess war to Philosophy; yet I would not have them teach their nurse to suck. It is blasphemous to preach fables, for truth: but it is not honest•• condemn all learning for fables. Moses rod was a common rod, yet it wrought great miracles. It is the rod that does the miracle, yet Moses must be learned to handle it.

seeme Giants in Divinity, while they professe warre to Philosophie; yet I would not have them teach their nurse to sucke. It is blasphemous to preach fables, for truth: but it is not honest•• condemne all learning for fables. Moses rod was a common rod, yet it wrought great miracles. It is the rod that does the miracle, yet Moses must be learned to handle it.

The Sophistry of Heretics is another disclaimed Fable: for whatsoever contradicts the truth, is a fable. The Devil sped so successfully in disputing with our mother Eve in her estate of innocence, that he doubts not to prevail over her •• cent children. I speak not here of the Jews Talmud, a bundle of most fabulous and ridiculous lies, too vile for a Christian ear. Nor of the Turkish Alcoran, a fa••• ⟨p. 291⟩of foolish impossibilities: as the stories of Angel Adriel's death, Seraphuel's Trumpet, Gabriel's Bridge, Horroth and Marroth's hanging, the Moons descending into Mahomets sleeve: the Litter wherein he saw GOD carried by eight Angels: their swinish Purgatory: Fables fit for none but beasts or mad-men. The Papists have innumerable volumes of Fables, Legends which they equal to the sacred History. That Saint Francis carried a thousand out of Purgatory with him to Heaven, when he went thither. That Saint Dunstan held the Devil by the nose with a pair of pincers. That Saint Anthony, when a Toad was served to his table, and a Text cited by his Host; Eat of every thing that is set before thee: he presently with the sign of the Cross turned it into a Capon ready roasted. That Friar Andrew should make roasted birds fly away by the same conjuration. I speak not of their monstrous miracles, and shameless wonders; their very Doctrine is fabulous. That CHRISTS body should be locally circumscribed in heaven, yet wholly present in ten thousand places at once on the earth; this is a Fable against the fundamental truth of his Humanity. That there is a Purgatory, is a Fable, (and that a cunning one) against the truth of CHRISTS sufficient satisfaction. Their School-men have invented a doctrine of Fables, cunningly devised: and the Friars had crochets enow, but the Jesuits put down all. As the Instruments of battery which the Ancients used in the wars, were more able to ruin and demolish than our new inventions; but were not so maniable, and apt for transportation. So the arguments of the Friars and School-men of the Romish Church, had as much force against the truth, as the subtleties of the Jesuits: but these are apter for conveyance and insinuation, than those cloisturall Monks. For there are some poisons that will not work, except they be ejaculated from the live creature that possesseth them: his personal malignity must concur to it.