Bellarmine, and some others, turn the Text into an Allegory; they say ⟨p. 3⟩that in these words there are two Allegories. First, the Chamber Door is the Sense: Shut the Door, that is (say they) thy Sense, lest vain imaginations, and worldly thoughts distract thy mind in praying. Secondly, The Door, say they, is our Mouth. Shut thy Door, that is, thy Lips (say they) and let thy Prayer be like the Prayer of Hannah, conceived in thy mind, but not uttered with thy mouth. 'Tis usual with Papists, and other monkish men, that lye in wait to deceive, to turn the blessed Scriptures into a Nose of Wax, under pretence of Allegories and Mysteries. Origen was a great admirer 1of Allegories; by the strength of his parts and wanton wit, he turned most of the Scriptures into Allegories; and by the just Judgement of God upon him, he foolishly understood and absurdly applied that Matth. 19. 12. literally (Some have made themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heaven) and so gelded himself. And indeed he might as ⟨p. 4⟩well have plucked out one of his eyes upon the same account, because Christ saith, It is better to go to Heaven with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into Hell fire Matth. 18. 9. In all Ages Heretics have commonly defended their Heresies by translating of Scriptures into Allegories. The Apostle speaks of such, as, denying the Resurrection of the body, turn all the testimonies of the Resurrection into an Allegory; meaning thereby only the spiritual Resurrection of the soul from sin; of which sort was Hymeneus and Philetus, who destroyed the faith of some, saying the Resurrection was past already, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18. And are there not many among us that turn the whole History of the Bible into an Allegory; and that turn Christ, and Sin, and Death, and the Soul, and Hell, and Heaven, and all into an Allegory? Many have and many do miserably pervert the Scriptures, by turning them into vain and groundless Allegories. Some ⟨p. 5⟩wanton wits have expounded Paradise 2to be the Soul, Man to be the Mind, the Woman to be the Sense, the Serpent to be Delight, the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to be Wisdom, and the rest of the Trees to be the Virtues and Endowments of the Mind. O friends it is dangerous to bring in Allegories, where the Scripture doth not clearly and plainly warrant them; and to take those words Figuratively, which should be taken properly.
Bellarmine, and some others, turn the Text into an Allegory; they say ⟨p. 3⟩that in these words there are two Allegories. First, the Chamber Door is the Sense: Shut the Door, that is (say they) thy Sense, lest vain imaginations, and worldly thoughts distract thy mind in praying. Secondly, The Door, say they, is our Mouth. Shut thy Door, that is, thy Lips (say they) and let thy Prayer be like the Prayer of Hannah, conceived in thy mind, but not uttered with thy mouth. 'Tis usual with Papists, and other monkish men, that lye in wait to deceive, to turn the blessed Scriptures into a Nose of Wax, under pretence of Allegories and Mysteries. Origen was a great admirer 1of Allegories; by the strength of his parts and wanton wit, he turn'd most of the Scriptures into Allegories; and by the just Judgement of God upon him, he foolishly understood and absurdly applied that Matth. 19. 12. litterally (Some have made themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heaven) and so gelded himself. And indeed he might as ⟨p. 4⟩well have pluck't out one of his eyes upon the same account, because Christ saith, It is better to go to Heaven with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into Hell fire Matth. 18. 9. In all Ages Hereticks have commonly defended their Heresies by translating of Scriptures into Allegories. The Apostle speaks of such, as, denying the Resurrection of the body, turn all the testimonies of the Resurrection into an Allegory; meaning thereby only the spiritual Resurrection of the soul from sin; of which sort was Hymeneus and Philetus, who destroyed the faith of some, saying the Resurrection was past already, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18. And are there not many among us that turn the whole History of the Bible into an Allegory; and that turn Christ, and Sin, and Death, and the Soul, and Hell, and Heaven, and all into an Allegory? Many have and many do miserably pervert the Scriptures, by turning them into vain and groundless Allegories. Some ⟨p. 5⟩wanton wits have expounded Paradise 2to be the Soul, Man to be the Mind, the Woman to be the Sense, the Serpent to be Delight, the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to be Wisdome, and the rest of the Trees to be the Vertues and Endowments of the Mind. O friends it is dangerous to bring in Allegories, where the Scripture doth not clearly and plainly warrant them; and to take those words Figuratively, which should be taken properly.
- 1Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Lib. 6. chap. 8.
- 2Philo▪ Judaeus, and others of a later date.
