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NInthly, neither doth it a little conduce to Moderation, to know, that the facts and manners of men may not be drawne to the prejudice of the cause: for, howsoever it commonly holds, that impious opinions and loose life goe still together; yet it is no trusting to this rule, as if it did not ad∣mit
of exceptions. There have been those, whose errours have beene foule, and yet their con∣versation faultlesse. I remem∣ber what Bernard said of Peter Abailardus, that hee was Iohn without, and Herod within: And of Arnoldus of Brixia, Would God his doctrine were so sound, as his life is strict: And elsewhere; Whose conversation is Honey, his opinion Poyson; whose head is a Doves, his tayle a Scorpions. Epi∣phanius, when he speakes of the hereticke Hierax (an hereticke with a witnesse, who denyed the resurrection of the flesh, which he granted to the soule) could say, He was a man truly admirable for his exercise in pietie, and such an one, as be∣sides
the governance of his owne, could draw other mens soules to the practise of God∣linesse. And Augustine spea∣king somewhere of Pelagius and some others of his Sect (I re∣member) acknowledgeth, that the carriage of their life was faire, and unblamable: And those that are the bitterest ene∣mies to the Waldenses, or poore men of Lyons, give great testi∣monie to the integritie and in∣offensivenesse of their conver∣sation.
So on the contrarie, there are many whose Religion is sound, but their life impure. As Caesar said of old, Wee have enow of these Birds at home. Such, as like Ants, follow the track of their
fellowes to their common hil∣locke; going on those right wayes of Opinion, whereinto example & education have put them, yet stayning their profes∣sion by leud behaviour. I have read, that a rich Iew being askt why hee turn'd Christian, laid the cause upon the vertue of our Faith. And being askt, how hee did so well know the vertue of such faith; because (said hee) the nation of Christi∣ans could not possibly hold out so long, by vertue of their workes, for they are starke naught; therfore it must needs be by the power of their Faith. Certainely it were woe with us, if lives should decide the truth of Religion, betwixt us
and unbelievers, betwixt us and our ignorant fore-fathers: These are not therefore fit um∣pires betwixt Christians com∣petitioning for the truth. The Iew was the sounder for religi∣on, yet the Samaritan was more charitable, than either the Le∣vice, or Priest. It were strange, if in the corruptest Church, there were not some consciona∣ble; and no lesse, if in the ho∣lyest, there bee not some law∣lesse and inordinate; there is no Pomgranate wherein there is not some graines rotten. The sanctity of some few cannot boulster out falsehood in the common beleefe; neyther can the disorder of Ortho∣dox beleevers, disparage that
soundnesse of doctrine, which their life b••lyes. And if our Sa∣viour give us this rule for dis∣cerning of false Prophets; By their fruits you shall know them; doubtlesse, that fruit was in∣tended chiefely for their do∣ct••ine; their lives were fayre, their carriage innocent; (for they came in sheepes cloathing.) What was that other then ho∣nest simplicity? yet their fruits were evill: but withall, as a good and holy life is (as hee said well) a good Commentarie to the sacred Volume of God; so their out-breaking iniquities were a good Commentarie up∣on their vicious doctrines; both wayes were their fruits evill. And if meere outward carriage
should be the sole rule of our tryall, nothing could be more uncertaine then our determina∣tion: How many Dunghills have wee seene, which whiles they have beene covered with Snow, could not be discerned from the best Gardens? How many sowre Crabs, which for beautie have surpassed the best Fruit in our Orchard? As in matter of reason, experience tells us, that some falsehoods are more probable then some truths; so is it also in matter of practice; no face seemes so purely faire as the painted. Truth of Doctrine is the Test whither wee must bring our profession for matter of tryall; and the sacred Oracles of God
are the Test, whereby wee must trie the truth of Do∣ctrine.
Sententia impia, vita luxuriosa. Non bene vivit qui non rectè credit. Ca∣lixtus. Bene∣dict. Episc.
Bernard. Epist. 193.
Epist. 195.
Epist. 196.
Epiphan. haeres. 67.
Bromiard. V. Fides.
Nullum malum Pu∣nicum in quo non ali∣quod gra num sup∣put••e.
Ma••. 7.17, 18, 19.
Salmeron. 1. ••rolegom.