A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

1. Answering this doubt: If God hath taken away the Idolatries, superstitious, and false religion of Heathens, and ⟨p. 119⟩hath also abolished the Jewish worship, why hath he suffered Heresies to enter into the Christian Church? He gives this solution, that although Heresies come into the Church through mens negligence, and slothfulness, (for while men slept, the enemy sowed the •ares among the wheat, Mat: 13. 25:) Yet the providence of God was no way slothful in the business, for he foresaw, and foretold that Heresies should come, and hath given plain warning in his word concerning the same. He addeth that the s•me God who did destroy the Heathenish and the Jewish religion, will also destroy Heresies, after he hath suffered them for a time. Although we had no distinct knowledge, what God intends to work out of Heresies, yet we ought not to censure, but humbly, and reverently, to adore Gods most wise, and most holy, (though secret and unsearchable) dispensations. If we should see somewhat which is deadly poison among some drugs, which a skilled and approved Physician is making use of, we must not rashly censure the Physician, for he knows how to disabuse that which is in it self poisonable, and to make it one of the ingredients in a most sovereign medicine. Or if we should come into the shop of a curious Artificer, or I•geneer, and there see some ugly and ill favoured instruments, which we think can serve for no good but for evil, yet it were foolishly done to censure the Artificer, who knows to make an excellent good use of these things, though we know not. How much more foolish and sinful is it, to suffer thoughts to rise in our hearts against the wisdom and providence of God, even although we know not what he intends to work out of such things? We were most of all inexcusable to accuse his providence, now when he hath made known in his word to us, that by occasion of Heresies, he will make manifest who are approved, who not. Wherefore (saith Chryso•ome, de divers▪ &c. tom: loc: Ser: 21.) that no man might say, why hath Christ permitted this, Paul saith, this permission ⟨p. 120⟩shall not hurt thee, if thou art one who are approved, for by this means thou shalt be made more manifest.