Truth tried: or, animadversions on a treatise published by the Right Honorable Robert Lord Brook, entituled, The Nature of Truth, its vnion and vnity with the soule. Which (saith he) is one in its essence, faculties, acts; one with truth. By I. W.

CHAP. 17. Concerning Curiosity in the search of Causes. With a Close of all.

ANd now he returns again to his former complaint, of too much curiosity in the search of Causes. There is (he grants) a secondary intermediate Being, which we may call a Cause; Which doth precede and produce another: The Observation of which, saith he, is very ••itting, so that wee search, and puzle not our selves with the grounds and reasons of this precedency. As, to observe, That Fire, applied to combustible matter, will burn it: Without inquiring How the Fire doth work upon the Wood, &c.

He would have us therefore observe What is the Cause of this Effect, and What is the Effect of this Cause; without any curious search How this Cause comes to produce such an Effect. There is no Gene∣rall Rule, can be prescribed in this case; Sometimes it is needlesse to inquire so much as, By what Cause this or that was produced: Some∣times again it is usefull to Know, not only What did produce it, but also How it did produce it. Thus farre I allow, Curiosity in searching Trifles,

also How it did produce it. Thus farre I allow, Curiosity in searching Trifles, hinders the finding of more solid and profitable Truths; fo•• (as he speaks) Intus existens prohibet alienum.

What his Lordship hath, concerning the Holinesse of Time and Place, I assent to; That they are not capable of any other Sancti∣fication, then a holinesse of Separation, a Relative Holynesse: And the contrary Opinion is disclaimed, by him on whom his Lordship fa∣stens it.

That the Heart also should be always in such a holy frame, as that it be fit for a Sabbaths imployment, fit for a Sacrament; I hold for an an undoubted Truth. Yet are we not always to be imployed in such services of Gods Worship; For even Adam in Paradise had a Parti∣cular calling, besides his Generall calling; and the exercise thereof, being done in obedience to Gods command, was no doubt pleasing and acceptable ••o God. Nor can I assent that All things are Ordinan∣ces, though in All things we should acknowledge God.

The rest of the Chapter is but a Recapitulation of his Position, and its Consequents; which needs no further consideration, besides what I have already given you in the Examination of those severall Parti∣culars. I need not make answer to the Conclusion, having already de∣livered my judgement concerning the Premises. But leave it to ano∣ther to passe Censure.

And thus, (Sir) I have finished that Task, which at your request I have undertaken: Which, beyond my expectation, is grown into a farre larger body then I intended. You expect not Accuratenesse, in that which is drawn up in so short a time: Nor the Judgement of Au∣thors in these Points; for that was not the task imposed, to give you account of Others opinions, but of mine own. I have therefore spared the labour of turning over any other books, save his Lordships own; nor have made any farther use of any, then as my present memory did supply▪ I may seem too prolix perhaps in some Digressions, prosecuting somewhat largely occasionall questions, lighted on by the way: But if I have discovered any Truth, though with some breach of Method; If (with Samson) I can impart to my friends some Honey, though I step a little out of the way to fetch it; If, (as he found that Honey in the conquered Lion, which yet was not of it, but only accidentally there, so) I in the examining the main question, have withall cleared

some doubts, which though not directly contained in it, were yet occasioned by it; I hope a small errour in Methode will be passed over.

Sir, I am sorry it so falls out, that the first occasion, wherein I should have to doe with so Noble a Lord, should be by way of Encounter. But being partly injoyned by your request, which is to me a Com∣mand, (whom therefore it concerns, to excuse my presumption to his Lordship;) and having also so fair an Invitation in Mr. Sadlers Epistle prefixed to his Lordships Treatise; as being that, then which nothing could be more gratefull to this Noble Lord; I have adventured to commit this, with my selfe, to be at your service.

J. W.