Collectanea de Diversis Rebus: Addresses and PapersEade, Peter, Sir
Science
Collectanea de Diversis Rebus: Addresses and Papers
Eade, Peter, Sir
English essays; Speeches, addresses, etc., English
First, Sir T. Browne says, “I dare without usurpation assume the
honourable style of a Christian, not that I merely owe this title to the
font, or any education . . . but that having in my riper years and
confirmed judgement, seen and examined all, I find myself obliged by the
principles of grace, and the law of mine own reason, to embrace no other
name but this.”
Again, whilst professing himself a member of the reformed faith, he shows
the great charity of his mind by saying “I could never divide myself from
any man upon the difference of an opinion, or be angry with his judgement
for not agreeing with me in that from which perhaps within a few days I
should dissent myself.”
And speaking of Death, he says “I hold the same conceit (of the soul)
that we all do of the body, that it should rise again,” and in all
humility he adds “so that I might enjoy my Saviour at the last, I could
with patience be nothing almost unto eternity.”
As for the many difficulties and mysteries of our religion, he expresses
an almost blind faith in all that is written. He writes “I desire to
exercise my faith in the difficultest point: for to credit ordinary and
visible objects, is not faith, but pursuasion;” again, he craves by faith
“that greater blessing pronounced to all that believe and saw not,”
adding “God hath not made a creature that can comprehend him; ’tis a
privilege of his own nature. ‘_I am_, _that I am_,’ was his own
definition unto Moses; and ’twas a short one to confound mortality, that
durst question God, or ask him what he was.”
Speaking of natural, as a confirmation of revealed religion, he says
“there are two books from whence I collect my divinity. Besides that
written one of God, another of his servant nature, that universal and
publick manuscript, that lies expansed unto the eyes of all.” . . . “Nor
do I so forget God as to adore the name of nature, which I define not,
with the schools, to be the principle of motion and rest, but that
straight and regular line, that settled and constant course the wisdom of
God hath ordained the actions of his creatures, according to their
several kinds.”
And as a comfort to the comparatively weak, he says, in speaking of
Christian martyrs, “’Tis not in the power of every honest faith to
proceed thus far, or to pass to Heaven through the flames. . . . Yet men
may, notwithstanding, in a peaceful way, truly adore their Saviour, and
have, no doubt, a faith acceptable in the eyes of God.”
These extracts are quite sufficient to show you the tone in which this
great work was written; and to disprove the allegation made by some
against Browne of having written an Atheistical book. It is remarkable
that it was placed by the Roman Church in the _Index Expurgatorius_.
Sir Thomas Browne wrote yet another religious or semi-religious book,
which was entitled “_Christian Morals_.” It is very different in style
from the one just mentioned, and the manner is more that of proverbs or
aphorisms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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