the Levites also was to help the Priests in gathering of tiths and to carry water and wood for the Tabernacle Q. Wherein did the high Priest differ from other Priests A. The high Priest only had power to enter into the Sanctuary he only wore a blew robe with bells a golden Ephod a breast-plate a linnen Myter a plate of Gold on his head by the Crown or plate was signified Christs Kingly office by the breast-plate his Priestly and by the bells his Prophetical office the high Priest also was only anointed after the order of Priesthood was setled but before this every Priest was anointed he also wore about his paps a broydred girdle to signifie that his heart should be girt and restrained from the love of earthly things They that took Sanctuary were not to be set at liberty till the death of the high Priest to signifie that by the death of our High Priest Jesus Christ we are made free The high Priesthood was tied to the line of Aarons first born the other Priests were of Aarons other children the Levites were of Levies other posterity the high Priest might marry none but a Maide other Priests migh marry a Widow Levit. 21. The high Priest might not miourn for the death of his kindred other Priests might mourn for their Father Mother Son Daughter Brother and husbandlesse Sister in other things they agreed For all Priests must be without blemish all must be presented to the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle all must be washed all must be consecrated by offering certaine Sacrifices all must have the blood of the Ram put on the tip of the right eare the thumb of the right hand and great toe of the right foot Exod. 29 Q. What Church government was there after Moses A. In the Desart Eleazer succeeded his Father Aaron and substituted under him Phinees to be chief of the Levites After the Israelites entred the Land the Tabernacle staied some years at Silo then did Ioshuah divide the Land and designed certain Cities of refuge which with some other Cities he assigned to the Priests and Levites The Priesthood did not continue long in the house of Aaron but after the death of Eleazer and three Priests his Successors this office devolved to Eli of the family of Ithamar who being carelesse suffered divers abuses to creep into the Ecclesiastical Government till God raised Samuel who reformed both the State and Church by appointing Schools of Prophets and Consistories of Levites From Silo the Tabernacle was translated to Nob from thence to Gibeon when Nob was destroyed by Ioab and at last it rested in Ierusalem So that all this time there could be no setled Church discipline among the Jewes The Ark also was oftentimes removed to wit from Canaan to the Philistines from thence to the Bethshemites afterward it stayed twenty years at Kiriathjeharim after this it remained three moneths with Obed-Edom and at last it was brought by David into Ierusalem All this time neither Tabernacle nor Ark nor Priesthood were setled till David assembled the Levites and out of them chose Abiathar for High Priest and Tsadoc for chief of the inferiour Priests who were to deliver the Ark to the Levites to be carried on their shoulders and withal appointed Singers and other Musitians in all 68. of the Levites He appointed also for the service of the Tabeâ—â—acle in Gibeon Tsadoc and his Brethren At last David being assured by Nathan that his Son Solomon should build the Temple he ordered that 24000. Levites should be set apart for the service of the Temple to wit 4000. door-keepers and as many Singers and 6000. Judges and Governors and the rest for other Offices Abiathar is made high Priest to wait on the Ark at Ierusalem Tsadoc is chief of the inferior Priests to serve in the Tabernacle at Silo. Tsadoc was Sauls high Priest descended from Eleazer Aarons first born Abiathar of the stock of Ithamar and Eli fled to David who entertained him for his high Priest after the death of Saul David retained them both thinking it did not stand with his honour and piety to reject Sauls high Priest This Tsadoc under Soloman was anointed the second time Priest as Solomon was the second time anointed King 1 Chron. 29. 22. and Abiathar is deposed for the sins of Eli and his Sons and so in Tsadoc the Priesthood is translated from the house of Ithamar to Aarons family again There were also Treasurers ordained some for the first fruits and tenths and others for the moneys that were given to the Temple towards the redemption of vows first born and sins The Priests and Levites were maintained out of the first fruits and tithes the other treasure was for maintaining the daily sacrifices and other charges of the Temple the Gibeonites with others appointed by David and Solomon did help the Levites in their Ministration the Priests and in their absence the Levites did administer justice both in Ierusalem and in the Cities of Refuge and ordered Ecclesiastick affairs There were also sometimes Extraordinary Prophets besides the Ordinary It s probable that the ordinary Prophets were of the Tribe of Levi because the administration and care of holy things belonged to them but extraordinary Prophets were of other Tribes these medled not with sacraments and sacrifices which was the Priests office nor had they their calling by succession as the Priests nor was the gift of Prophecy only tied to the man as the Priesthood was for we read of Miriam Hulda and divers other women Prophets and in the Primitive Church though women must not speak in the Church by preaching praying or exhorting in an ordinary way as the Ministers use yet they were not debarred to utter their extraordinary prophesies if so be their heads were covered in sign of modesty but otherwise the Apostle will not have women to speak in the Church because they must be in subjection to their Husbands and this punishment is laid on them for being deceived in Eve and harkning to the counsel of Satan For if women did preach they might be suspected to speak by that Spirit that deluded Eve Q. What was the Ecclesiastick Government after Solomon A. The renting of the ten Tribes from the other two under Roboam did much impair the beauty and magnificence of the Ecclesiastick state Besides that it was much defaced by idolatry but reformed by Hezekias Iosias and Iehosaphat who took away the high places Under Athaliah it was almost extinguished had not Iehojada the high Priest anointed Ioash who again reformed Religion He being denied all aid from the Levites out of their treasure towards the repairing of the Temple caused a Chest to be made into which mony given in that kinde should be put and imployed by the high Priest or by the chief of the inferior Priests and the Kings Scribe or Secretary towards the reparations of the Temple whereas before it was collected by the Levites King Vzziah
notorious Advancers of Heresie with their effigies and an account of their Lives Actions and Ends usually annexed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the view of all Religions c. The Religions of Asia The Contents of the first Section OF the Church-Disciplin Sacrifices Ordination Publick place Buildings first erected for Divine Service and days of Divine Service before Moses 2. Of the Church Government under Moses difference of the High Priest from other Priests 3. Of the Church Government from him till Solonion 4. Of the Government after Solomon till the division of the Tribes 5. Of Solomons Temple and the outward splendor of the Iewes Religion 6. Of the office of the Levites of the Prophets Scribes Pharises Nazarites Rechabites Essenes Sadduces and Samritans 7. Of the ancient observation of their Sabbath of the observation of their Passover of the feasts of Pentecost Tabernacles new Moons of Trumpets and of expiation of their Sabbatical year and their Iubilee 8. Of their ancient Excommunications how God instructed them of old and of the maintenance allowed by the Iewes to their Priests and Levites 9. Of the Government after the Jewes were carried captive into Babylon 10. Of the Iewish Church-Government at this day their Prayers Sabbaths Feasts Book of the Law Passover what observable thereupon and whether to be permitted among Christians in the exercise of their own Religion and wherein not to be communicated with by Christians 11. Of the Iewish preparation for morning prayer Fast in August Beginning of their new year Feast of Reconciliation Ceremonies in reading of the Law 12. Their Church officers Feast of Dedication and of Purim Fasts Marriages Divorcements Circumcision Redemption of the first born their duty toward the sick and Ceremonies about the dead The Contents of the second Section THe Religions of the ancient Babylonians of the making worshipping of images bringing in Idolatry 2. Of Hierapolis and gods of the Syrians 3. Of the Phoenicians 4. Of the old Arabians 5. Of the ancient Persians 6. Of the Scythians 7. Of the Tartars or Cathaians and Pagans 8. The Religions of the Northern Countries neer the Pole Three ways whereby Satan deludes men by false Miracles The fear of his Stratagems whence it proceeds His illusions many our duty thereupon 9. Of the Chinois 10. Of the ancient Indians 11. Of Siam 12. Of Pegu 13. Of Bengala 14. Of Magor 15. Of Cambaia 16. Of Goa 17. Of Malabar Pagan Idolaters believe the immortality of the soul. 18. Of Narsinga and Bisnagar 19. Of Japan 20. Of the Philippina Islands 21. Of Sumatra and Zeilan 22. Of the ancient Egyptians 23. Of the modern Egyptian Religion The Religions of Africa and America The Contents of the third Section OF the old African Religion 2. The Religion and Church Discipline of Fez. 3. Of Morocco 4. Of Guinea 5. Of the ancient African Aethiopians 6. Of the modern Abissins 7. Of the Lower Aethiopians 8. Of Angola and Congo 9. Of the northern neighbours of Congo 10. Of the African Islands 11. The Religion of America 12. Of Virginia 13. of Florida 14. Of the Religions by west Virginia and Florida 15. Of New Spain and Mexico 16. Idolaters their cruelty and cost in their barbarous sacrifices 17. Of the Americans their superstitious fear and Tyranny thereof 18. Of Jucatan and the parts adjoining 19. Of the southern Americans 20. Of Paria and Guiana 21. Of Brasil 22. Of Peru. 23. Of Hispaniola The Religions of Europe The Contents of the fourth Section THe Religion of the ancient Europaeâ—ns 2. The Roman chief Festivals 3. Their gods 4. Their Priests 5. Their Sacrifices 6. Their Marriage Rites 7. Their Funeral Ceremonies 8. The old Grecian Religion 9. Their chief gods 10. Of Minerva Diana Venus 11 How Juno Ceres and Vulcan were worshipped 12. The Sun worshipped under the names of Apollo Phoebus Sol Jupiter Liber Hercules Mars Mercurius 〈◊〉 c. 13. The Moon worshipped under divers names and shapes 14. The Earth and Fire how worshipped and named 15. The Deity of the Sea how worshipped 16. Death how named and worshiped 17. The Grecian Sacrifices and Coremonies 18. Their Priests and Temples of old The Contents of the fifth Section THe Religion of the old Germans Gaules and Britains 2. Of the Saxons Danes Swedes Moscovites Russians Pomeranians and their neighbours 3. Of the Scythians Geâ—es Thracians Cymbrains Goths Lusitanians c. 4. Of the Lithuanians Polonians Hungarians Samogetians and their neighbours 5. Of divers Gentile gods besides the above named 6. The ranks and armes of their gods 7. With what creatures their Charriots were drawn 8. Of peculiar gods worshipped in peculiar places 9. The. Greek chief festivals The Contents of the sixth Section OF the two prevalent Religions now in Eorope 2. Of Mahomets Law to his Disciâ—les 3. Of the Mahumetans opinions at this day â— Mahomet not the Antichrist 5. Of their Sects and how the Turks and Persians differ 6. Of â—he Mahumetan religious orders 7. Of their oâ—her hypocritical orders 8. Of their secular Priest â— Of the Mahumetan Devotion and parts there â—f 10. Of their Ceremonies in their Pilgrimage to Mecca 11. The Rites of their Circumcision 12. Their Rites about the sick and dead 13. The 〈◊〉 of Mahumetanisme and the causes thereof 14. Mahumetanisme of what continuance THe Contents of the seventh Section The Christian Religion propagated 2. The decay thereof in the East by Mahumetanism 3. Persecution and Heresie the two great enemies thereof 4. Simon Magus the first heretick with his Disciples 5. Menander Saturninus and Basilides Hereticks 6. The Nicholaitans and Gnosticks 7. The Carpocratians 8. Cerinthus Ebion and the Nazarites 9. The Valentinians Secundians and Prolemians 10. The Marâ—ites Colarbasii and Heracleonites 11. The Ophites Cainites and Sethites 12. The Archonticks and Ascothyptae 23. Cerdon and Marcion 14. Apelles Severus and Tacianus 15. The Cataphrygians 16. Pepuzians Quintilians and Artotyrites 17. The Quartidecimani and Alogiani â— 18. The Adamians Elcesians and Theodocians 19. The Melchisedicians Bardesanists and Noetians 20. The Valesians Catheri Angelici and Apostolici 21. The Sabellians Originians and Originists 22 The Samosatenians and Phorinians 23 The Manichaean religion 24. The Hierachites Melitians and Arrians 25. The Audians Semi-arrians and Macedonians 26. The Aeâ—ians Aetians and Apollinarists 27. The Antidicomarianites Messalians and Metangismonites 28. The Hermians Proclianites and Patricians 29. The Ascites Pattalorinchites Aquarii and Coluthiani 30. The Floriani Aeternales and Nudipedales 31. The Donatists Priscillianists Rhetorians and Feri 32. The Theopaschites Tritheits Aquei Melitonii Ophei Tertullii Liberatores and Nativita rii 33. The Luciferians Jovinianists and Arabicks 34. The Collyridians Paterniani Tertullianists and Abelonites 35. The Pelagians Predestinati and Timotheans 36. The Nestorians Eutychians and their Spawn The Contents of the eighth Section OF the opinions in Religion held the seventh Century 2. The opiniâ—ns of the eighth Century 3. The Tenets of the ninth and tenth Centuries 4. The opinions of the eleventh
two Cherubins in the Temple four in the Tabernacle there was but one golden Candlestick and one brazen Laver but in the Temple there were ten of each So this Temple of Solomons far exceeded the other built by Zerobbabel wherein was wanting the Cloud the celestial fire the Ark and the holy Oyl besides in number of Prophets magnifick structure and wealth it was far inferiour to the first and yet in respect of Christ the second did far exceed the first who supplyed the want of the Cloud fire oyl Prophesie Vrim and Thummim He being all these in a more excellent manner but wee must note that though the pot with Manna and Aarons rod were kept in Moses his Ark yet in Solomons Ark were only the two Tables of the Law 1 Kings 8. 9. In the Womens Court stood the Gazophylacium or treasury containing the Almes or Gifts that were offered Q. What else may we observe of Solomons Temple A. That this Temple was to the Jewes as their Cathedral or Metropolitan Church the Synagogues which were not in Ierusalem till after the captivity did resemble our Parish Churches in which the Scribes taught as the Priests in the Temple and as there was a high Priest for the Temple so there was for the Synagogue a high Ruler called Archisynagogus In the Synagogues also they had their distinct Courts as in the Temple and an Ark for the book of the Law and the same holinesse ascribed to the one as to the other but that they could sacrifice nowhere but in the Temple upon the brazen Altar in the Court of the Priests which Altar was called Ariel or the Lyon because like a Lyon it devoured the flesh of the sacrifices Upon the golden Altar incense was offered Christ was represented by both Altars his humanity and passion by the brazen his divinity resurrection and ascension by the golden Altar and the incense thereof mounting towards Heaven In the Court of the Priests called the holy place stood the Table of Shew-bread on which were twelve loaves which represented the twelve Tribes upon each loaf was a dish of franckincense shewing Christs intercession for his people The Candlestick and Pincers or Snuffers represented the doctrine and disciplin of the Church Some divide the Temple but into three parts excluding the Court of the Gentiles to wit into the outward Court of the Israelites the holy or Court of the Priests and the holiest of all into which the high Priest entred once yearly with blood incense and smoak It was death for any other to enter there and even for the high Priest himselfe if he entred above once in a year yet Pompey and Heliodorus took the boldness to enter thither but the one never prospered after and the other fell mad so dangerous a thing it is to be too bold with Religion The brazen Laver and the Shew-bread in the Priests Court represented the two Sacraments of the Church to wit Baptism and the Eucharist The Women shewed their devotion in bestowing their looking-glasses which were not of glass as ours are but of polished brass upon the brazen Laver Exod. 38. 8. a looking-glass sheweth us the spots of our faces but Baptism washeth away the spots of our soules Two other Temples were built in opposition to that of Ierusalem namely the Temple of Samaria built by Sanballat upou mount Garizim the other at Heliopolis in Egypt by Onias the fourth whom Antiochus had put from the high Priesthood The second Temple of Ierusalem built by Zerobbabel was begun in the second yeare of King Cyrus Ezra 3. 8. and was finished in the ninth year of Darius Histaspes which was 46. years in all whereas the first Temple was begun and finished in seven years Herod spent eight years whether in repairing of the old or in building of a new is uncertain yet Iosephus tells us that Herod pulled down the old temple and built a new one which was six and forty years in adorning and perfecting of which the Jewes are to be understood Iohn 2. 20. Q. What did the Temple and the Vteasils thereof represent to us A. As the flitting Tabernacle shadowed out the Church militant so the fixed Temple resembled the Church triumphant the three Courts represented the threefold estate of mankind to wit his state in sinne before the Law by the outward court of the Gentiles his state under the Law by the inward court of the Priests and his state under grace by the holy of holies The Temple as it was built by Solomon a peaceable Prince resembleth the Christian Church erected by Christ the Prince of peace The one was built without noise so was the other The Temple was built upon a hill and the Church saith Christ is like a City built upon an hill In the Oracle or most holy place was neither the light of Sun Moon nor Candle resembling the new Ierusalem in the Revelation having the glory of God and the Lamb for the light thereof Rev. 21. 23. In this place stood the Ark and golden Censer with the Tables of the Law Aarons rod and the pot with Manna the mercy Seat covered the Ark whereon were the golden Cherubins Christs Kingly Office was represented by the Ark crowned with gold his Priesthood by the censer and his Prophetical office by the mercy seat whence God spake to the high Priest the Tables of the Law and Aarons rod shadowed out his active and passive obedience the Cherubins looking on the Ark did signifie Jews and Gentiles looking on Christ their King The pot with Manna did adumbrate his divinitie by the one and his humanity by the other The Propitiatory covered the Law and so hath Christ hid and concealed the condemning power thereof in the Sanctuary or holy place was the Table with the twelve Loaves representing the Twelve Tribes and in them all true Israelites or Church of Christ on the one side having the golden Candlestick on the other the Altar of incense besprinkled yearly with the blood of the Sacrifice and representing the preaching of the word and prayer which by the death of Christ are made acceptable to God In the same place also stood the brazen Altar of burnt offrings and the brazen Sea the one resembled Christ by whom we are justified the other holiness of life by which we are sanctified or the Altar of burnt offrings did signifie our Eucharist and the brazen Sea our Baptisme The fire that burned continually on the Altar did signifie Christs divinity for our God is a consuming fire saith the Apostle The holy Oyl with which the Priest was anointed shadowed the graces of the Spirit poured our on Christs humanity with this oyl of gladness Christ was anointed above his fellows Q. What was the office of the Levites A. Besides that they helped the Priests in gathering of Tithes some of them did carry wood and water for the Tabernacle which they were bound to carry up and down with its Utensils to pitch and
sometimes by bowing or prostrating the whole body and sometimes by kissing the idol or by kissing their own hand if they could not reach to kisse the idol of this Job speaketh if my mouth hath kissed mine hand when I beheld the Sun shining or the Moon walking in her brightnesse Iob. 31. 27. but of the Babylonish idolatry see Diodorus Philostratus Eusebius Isidor Scaliger Q. How doth it appear that the Gentile Idols were dead men A. By their own testimonies for Hermes in Asclepio as Apuleâ—us records confesseth that Aesculapius grandfather to Asclepius and that Mercury his own grandfather who had divine worship at Hermopolis in Egypt were men whose bodies were buried the one in Lybia the other in Egypt in the Town Hermopolis so called from him but under these names Spirits or Devils are worshipped which I did draw or intice into their Statues Plutarch witnesseth that the Egyptian god Osyris was a man who because he distinguished every Region in the Camp by their colours in which Dogs Oxen and other beasts were painted therefore after his death he was honoured under these shapes In Cyprians book concerning the vanity of Idols Alexander is informed by Leo the chief Egyptian Priest that their gods were no other then men The Greek Poets in rehearsing the Genealogy and off-spring of their gods do intimate that they were men King â—aunus in Italy made his Grandfather Saturn a god and so he did deifie his father Picus and his wife Fauna who from her gift of prophecying was called Fatua and afterward Bona dea When the Senate made an Act that none should be worshipped at Rome for gods but such as the Senate did allow did they not by this Act intimate that their gods were but men and subject to their approbation Cicero in his books of the nature of Gods sheweth that all their Deities both great and small were but men their Temples were their Sepulchres and their Religion but Superstition Virgil by confessing that the Trojan gods were subdued by the Grecians doth acknowledge they were but men Sibylla calls the Gentile gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the idols or images of dead carkasses the whole story of Iupiter to wit his birth education actions and death do testifie he was but a man and if we look on his adulteries incests with his own sister Iuno and his daughter Minerva if on his Sodomy with Ganymedes his ravishing of Europa and many others if on his impiety against his father Saturn whom he drove out of his kingdom and forced to hide himselfe in Italy if I say we consider these things we must needs say that he was so far from being a god that he scarce deserved the name of a man but rather of a savage beast and indeed not unlike in â—alacity to the Goat his Nurse Such another god was Saturn a cruel murtherer of his own children and whose chief delight was to have little children sacrificed to him What was Mercury but a Theese Venus a Whoore Bacchus a Drunkard Vulcan was but a Smith Apollo a Shepherd and Mason Mars a Souldier Neptune a Mariner Minerva a Spinster or Weaver Saturn a Husbandman Aesculapius a Physitian c. in a word as these were men so they had no other Deity but what they had from men therefore I will end with that witty saying Si Dii cur plangit is si mortui cur adoratis if these are gods why do you bewail them if men why do you adore them But against these deified men the fathers of the Church have written sufficiently chiefly Clemens Augustine Eusebius Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Nazianzene c. who tell us that there was no Religion at all among the Gentiles seeing every kinde of impurity and impiety was patronized by their gods and as Greg. Nazianzene saith in his third Oration against Iulian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be wicked was not only counted no disgrace but it was also honoured with Altars and Sacrifices Therefore justly might the Apostle call the worshippers of such gods Atheists because they did not worship the true God but such as were no gods at all and scarce worthy to be called men Goodly gods saith the same Father who would be drawn to Aethiopia so far off for the love of good cheer these sure were belly-gods and withall would undertake a quarrel for the Strumpet Lacaena Q. What Religious worship or idolatrous rather was used in Hierapolis of Syria A. In this holy City for so Hierapolis signifieth was a magnificent Temple built by Deucalion or as some write by Semiramis or as others by Bacchus Queen Stratonice repaired or re-builded rather this Temple being decayed Here men used to geld themselves and put on womens apparrel such Priests were called Galli Here stood two Priapi or Phalli and within the Quire into which the chief Priest onely might enter stood Iupiters statue supported with Bulls Iuno's with Lyons having in one hand a Scepter and a Distaff in the other In the Temple stood Apollo cloathed and bearded whose Oracles were much consulted if the Petition was liked the Image would move forward if otherwise backward Here also stood divers other Idols 300. Priests were maintained here who did Minister all in white with their heads covered and sacrificed twice a day with singing and musical Instruments if to Iuno but to Iupiter no musick Their high Priest was elected every year whose cloathing was Purple and a golden Myter Not far from the Temple was a deep Lake in which were kept consecrated fishes in the midst thereof stood a stone Altar crowned continually with Garlands on this odours did still burn They had divers feasts the greatest was that of the Fire where they set divers trees hung with divers sorts of beasts for sacrifice on fire after they had carried about these Fires in Procession their Idols Here the gelded Priests wound each other and divers young men at this feast geld themselves Here was much confused Musick Disorder Fury and Prophecying Into the Temple none might enter in 30. days in whose Family any died and then his head must be shaved He that but lookt upon a dead Corps was excluded the Temple a whole day To touch a Dove was abomination because Semiramis was transformed into a Dove and so it was to touch fishes because of Derceto the Mermaid and Mother of Semiramis half a Fish and half a Woman To Hierapolis were divers Pilgrimages each Pilgrim was tied to cut his hair on his head and browes to sacrifice a sheep to kneele and pray upon the fleece thereof to lay the head and feet of the sheep upon his own head to crown himself to drink cold waâ—er onely and to sleep on the ground till his return The young men were bound to consecrate their hair then to cut it in the Temple and to offer it in a box of Gold or Silver with their names inscribed thereon Some other foolish circumstances there were in
Thunder upon Perjurers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore among the Romans the Herauld or Foecialis in making of Leagues used as he was killing the Hog by which they used to confirm their Covenants to call on Iupiter 5. Dagon from Dag a Fish because from the navel downward he was made in the form of a fish but upward like a man this was a great Idol among the Philistines and is thought to be the same that Neptun or Triton Others who derive the word from Dagan that is corn of which he is said to be the inventer make him all one with Saturn 6. Astaroth or Astarte was Goddesse of the Sidonians the word signifieth a flock of sheep or sheep fold this is thought to be all one with Iuno Venus or Lucina under which names and the form of a sheep they worshipped the Moon as they did the Sun under the name of Iupiter and form of a Ram. She is called also by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven where her aboad is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from her dominion over the Stars 7. Adâ—ammelech that is the Kings cloak or power Anamelech the Kings Oracle or Answer these two Idols were worshipped at Sepharvaim a Town of the Assyrians 2 Kings 17. these gods were also honoured in Samaria and so were Succoth-Benoth the Tabernacle of Daughters Nergal the light of the grave Ashima a fault Nibhas the fruit of vision Tartak that is Chained All which may be seen in the above named chapter of the Kings 8. The Moabites worshipped Chemosh the Ammonites Milchom 2 Kings 23. Nisroch was Senacharibs Idol 2 Kings 19. Remphan or Repham is the same that Hercules the god of Tyrus from Rephaim that is Giants Moloch or Molech from Molach to reign was a great idol among the Moabites and Ammonites and is thought to be the same that Saturn for their images and sacrifices were much a like to whom the superstitious Gentiles and the Jews also offered their sons and daughters to be burned Thamuz mentioned Ezek. 8. 14. is by Hierom taken for Adonis so called from Adon that is Lord by which they understood the Sun as likewise by Hercules many other idol gods they worshipped but these mentioned are the chief Q. What kind of Discipline was used among the Phoenicians A. By their execrable discipline they were bound to offer yearly Sacrifices to Saturn or the Devil rather of young Infants and in the Temple of Venus to practise not onely Whoredom but Sodomy also the Phoenicians were bound to prostitute their daughters to Venus before they married them In the Temple of Venus were celebrated the annual Rites of Adonis with beatings and howlings to whom they perform solemn Obsequies The next day they say he is alive and then they shave their heads The women that refused to be shaved were tied to prostitute themselves to strangers for one day and by this means money was raised for Venus The fun also is much worshipped amongst them whose Priest is crowned with gold and is cloathed with a long sleeved garment down to the feet They were also tied by their Discipline to worship Astarte in the shape of a sheep and Dagon in the form of a Mermaid This idol was called Atergatis and Dercetis in honour of which the Phoenicians abstained from fish yet her Priests did eat of the fish which they set all day before her She had also offered to her fishes of gold and silver Of these passages see Eusebius in his Preparation Diodorus Siculus Lucian Pliny Athenaeus and others Q. What was the Religion and Discipline of the old Arabians A. They worshipped the Sun and Moon Serpents Trees and other such like Deities The Nabathaeans burned Frankincense to the Sun on his Altar They doe not bury their dead but lay them even their Kings in dunghills Adultery is death among them but Incest Is no sin They are circumcised after the example of Ismael at thirteen years of age Their Priests are cloathed with linnen they wear Myters and Sandals they abhor Swines flesh they pay the tithes of their Frankincense to their god Satis the Priests are not to take it by weight but by measure They are tied by their discipline not to gather Cinnamon till first they sacrifice then they divide it with a consecrated spear and assign to the Sun his portion In Panchaea is a rich and stately Temple adorned with Statues and the Priests houses about it The Priests here rule all both in Politick and Ecclesiastick Affairs They are bound to spend their time in singing Hymns and rehearsing the Acts of their gods It is not lawful for them to go out of the sacred bounds allotted them if they doe they may be killed by Law They hold Mice to be arrant enemies to their gods therefore they kill them Of this subject see Solinus Athenaeus Diodorus Boeinus and others Q. What was the Religious discipline of the antient Persians A. They had neither Temples Altars nor Images holding these improper for their Gods but on the tops of hills offered sacrifices to Heaven and to the Sun Moon Fire Earth Water and Winds The Priest useth neither Musick Vestments nor Libaments bâ—t onely his Tiara or Head attire crowned with Myrtle He prayeth for all Persians chiefly for the King He cuts his sacrifice into smal pieces and puts herbs under One of the Magi is bound to stand by and to sing a Hymn of the Genealogy of their gods for without a Magus the sacrifice is not lawful Every man celebrates his own birth day To lye and to be in debt are heinous crimes with them so it is to spit wash or pisse in a River which with them are hallowed The Magi may with their own hands kill any thing except a man and a dog They leave no part of their sacrifices for their gods but divide it by the direction of their Magus amongst themselves for they hold that God is satisfied with the soul of the sacrificed beast To blow the fire with their breath or to cast any dead thing inâ— to it or dirt was death They sacrificed chiefly to the Fire and Water the fire they cherish with dry sticks without their barks with tallow also and oyl When they sacrifice to the Waters they slay the beasts in a ditch and lay the flesh on Mirtle and Lawrel the Magi burn the same then they pray and sprinkle on the earth Oyl Milk and Honey They used not to slay their sacrifice with a knife but with a mallet or club The Magi keep the sacrifice still burning and pray every day an hour before it They adored the Sun whom they called Mithra at his rising and offered to him white Horses whose sacred Chariot was drawn with white Steeds before the King when he went to sacrifice They had divers festival days the chiefe whereof was that of the Sun The next was that they called the Destruction of Vices when they
birds and their Priests are in such esteem that they think life and death plenty and famine are in their power In the Kingdome of Congâ— they worship some monstrous creatures in stead of God But they were converted to Christianity by the Portugal Anno 1490. At the City of Banza afterward called Saint Saviours was erected a Cathedral Church for the Bishop who was there received by the King in great magnificence This Church had 28. Canon Residents All their Idols of beasts birds trees and herbs with their conjuring characters were burned Divers Religious persons and Jesuits were sent from Portugal thither to erect Schools and Colledges for Divinity and the Arts. See Purchas Lopez Maffaeus Osorius of the acts of Emanuel Q. What Religion do the northern neighbours of Congo professe A. In Loango under the Line they worship idols and are circumcised Every trades-man appeaseth his god with such things as belong to his trade the husbandman with corn the weaver with cloath c. At the death of their friends they kill Goats to the honour of their idols and make divers feasts in memorial of the dead They will rather dye then touch any meat which is prohibited by their Priests At Kenga the Sea-Port of Loango there is an idol kept by an old Woman which is once a year honoured with great solemnity and feasting There is another idol at Morumba thirty leagues northward where boys are sworn to serve this God and are initiated with hard diet ten days silence abstinence from certain meats and a cut in their shoulder the blood of which is sprinkled at the Idols feet Their trials of life and death are in the presence of this Idol At Anzichi they are circumcised worship the Sun and Moon and each man his particular Idol In some of these neighbouring countries the people are man-eaters and worship the Devil to whom when they offer sacrifice they continue from morning till night using charming Vociferations dancing and piping See Lopez Barros and others Q. Of what Religion are the Islands about Africa A. In some of them are Mahumetans in some Christians but in most Heathens In Socotera an Island neer the mouth of the Red Sea whence we have our best Aloes they are Iacobites and are governed by their Abuna or Priest They much reverence the Crosse. They have Altars in their Churches which they enter not but stand in the Porch In Madagascar or the great Island of Saint Laurence there are many Mahumetans upon the coast but more Idolaters within the Land who acknowledge one Creator and are circumcised but use neither to pray nor keep holy day They punish adultery and theft with death In the Isle of Saint Thomas under the Line are Christians and Moors In divers Islands are no people at all In the Canaries are Christians before they were idolaters and had many wives whom they first prostituted to their Magistrates and this uncivil civility they used to strangers instead of hospitality They bury the dead by setting them upright against a wall with a staff in their hand and if he was a great man a vessel of milk by him Madera is also possessed by Christians and so be the other Islands on this hither part of the African coast see Ortelius Mercater and other Geographers Q. What Religion was professed among the Americans A. Before the Spaniards came thither they were all Pagans who as they were distinguished into divers Nations so they worshipped divers gods after divers manners but they did generally acknowledge the Sun and Moon for the chief gods In Canada they worshipped the Devil before the French came thither and in most places there as yet they worship him who when he is offended with them flings dust in their eyes The men marry two or three wives who after the death of their husbands never marry againe but go still after in black and besmear their faces with coal dust and grease they do first expose their daughters to any that will lie with them and then give them in marriage They believe that after death their soules ascend into the Stars and go down with them under the Horizon into a Paradise of pleasure They believe also that god stuck a multitude of arrows in the beginning into the ground and of these sprung up men and women They have divers ridiculous opinions of God as that he once drank much Tobacco and then gave the pipe to their Governour with a command that he should keep it carefully and in so doing he should want nothing but he lost the Pipe and so fell into want and misery Such senselesse conceits have these people who as they are savage in their carriage so in their understandings they are little better then beasts They use to sing the Devils praises to dance about fires which they make to his honour and leap over them They bemoan the dead a great while and bring presents to the grave Many of these ignorant souls were converted to Christ by the industry of the Jesuites Anno 1637. and 1638. See Father Pauls relation of new France See also Champlain and Iaques Cartier c. Q. What is the Religion of Virginia A. Before the English planted Christianity there they worshipped the Devil and many idols as yet they doe in many places there They beleeve many Gods but one principally who made the rest and that all creatures were made of water and the Woman before the Man who by the help of one of the gods conceived and bore children They are all Anthropomorphites giving to their gods the forms of men whom they worship with praying singing and offerings They hold the soules immortality rewards and punishments after this life the one in heaven the other in a burning pit toward the west The Priests are distinguished from other people by garments of skins and their hair cut like a comb on their crowns They carry their gods about with them and ask counsel of them Much of their devotion consisteth in howling and dancing about fires with rattles of Gourd or Pompian rindes in their hands beating the ground with stones and offering of Tobacco Deer suet and blood on their stone Altars They undertake no matters of consequence without advice of their Priests the chief whereof is adorned with Feathers and Weasels tails and his face painted as ugly as the devils They bury their Kings after their bodies ate burned and dryed in white skins within arches of mats with their wealth at their feet and by the body is placed the devils Image The Women expresse their sorrow with black paint and yellings for twenty four hours None but the King and Priest may enter these houses where the Images of Devils and their Kings are kept Instead of saying Grace at meat they fling the first bit into the fire and when they will appease a storm they cast Tobacco into the water Sometimes they sacrifice children to the devil But of these passages See
prevailed that all flesh died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sheweth also how he was preserved with his wife and children in a great Ark and how of all the beasts that live on the earth two and two entred into the Ark c. and lastly how he built an Altar after his deliverance This description is directly of Noahs flood not of Deucalions besides Mela Solinus and Pliny write that Ioppe the maritime town of Syria was of great antiquity as being built before the flood which cannot be meant of Ogyges or Deucalions flood which were onely in some places of Greece and went not so far as Syria neither was it any great antiquity for Ioppe to be built before these floods for many Cities besides this were built before therefore doubtlesse is meant Noahs floood Lastly Iosephus saith that Omnes barbaricae historiae Scriptores all the Barbarian historians have mentioned this flood Q. VVhat festival dayes were observed in New Spain A. Every twentieth day which was the last day of their moneth was holy and then were men Sacrificed At the first appearance of green corn children were sacrificed so when the corn was a foot above the ground and again when it was two foot high holy days were kept children butchered In some of their feasts they sacrificed a woman and with her skin covered a man who danced about the streers two days together In one of their feasts which the Mexicans kept in their 〈◊〉 upon the Lake a boy and a girle were drowned to keep company with the gods of the Lake In May they kept the feast of Vitziliputzli in which his Image made of paste richly adorned was carried by the maidens attired in white on their shoulders to the court and thence by the young men to the stairs of the Temple and thence to the top with Musick much adoration vain ceremonies and wicked sacrificing of men were used that day In May also was kept the Feast of Pennance and Pardon in which a captive was sacrificed After much profane adoration the people took up earth and eat it desiring pardon for their sins and bringing rich presents to their Idol and whipping themselves on the shoulders Much meat is presented that day to the Idols and then to the Priests who five days before had eat but one meal a day The Merchants had their peculiar god and festival day in which they sacrificed a man after they had given him for nine days divine honours His heart they offered about midnight to the Moon perhaps because she is mistresse of the waters on which Merchants use to traffick or because they are more beholding to her light in the night then others are Concerning these festivals their Schools and Seminaries their belief of the Souls immortality of their rewards and punishments of their nine severall places appointed for them See Acosta Gomara and P. Martyr in his Decads Q. What was the Religion of Jucatan and the parts adjoyning A. In Iucatan they were Circumcised and yet grosse Idolaters but curious work-men in carving and adorning their Images They had in their houses Images made like Beares which they worshipped as their houshold gods with singing and Incense In hollow Images they caused boyes to answer the peoples petitions as if God had spoke to them When they wanted rain or were in any danger they had their Processions and Pilgrimages to these Idols In Nicuragua they worshipped the Sun and divers Idols All their Priests except Confessors married The ordering of the Sacrifices and their numbers depended meerly on the Priests who used to go about the captives three times singing mornfully and then with their flint knives suddenly open their Breasts They divide the body thus the Prelate hath his Heart the King his hands and feet the taker his Buttocks and the people the rest The heads are set on trees under which they Sacrifice men and children They have their Idolatrous Processions in which for the honour of their Idol they wound themselves and for the desire of future happinesse they offer themselves chearfully for Sacrifices Whilst the Priest annoints the cheeks and the mouth of the Idol with blood the others sing and the people pray The Priest makes marriges by joyning the little fingers of the Bridegroome and Bride neer a fire but the Lords are permitted for honours â—ake first to corrupt the Brâ—de The Adulterer is beaten and the Adulteresse is divorced He that forceth a Virgin is a slave except he pay her Dowrie But if a slave force his Masters daughter they are both buried alive See Benzo P. Martyr and Gomara Q. What was the Religion of the Southern Americans A. They generally worship the Sun and Moon with divers Idols and the devill in divers shapes they believe the Souls immortality Their Priests are their Physitians and therefore in great esteem and exceeding rich for they have all the goods of him whom they cure When they go to wars they carry their gods with them of whom they ask Counsel of all affairs and then they keep Lent for two moneths They punish in some places theft and murther with the losse of Eares and Nose in other parts with death These faults in the Nobility are punished with the losse of their hair onely In some places they hold it a part of their devotion to offer their daughters to be defloured by their Priests When it thunders and lightens they say the Sun is angry with them When there is an Eclipse they Fast the married Women scratch their Faces and pluck their hairs the Maidens draw blood with sharp fish bones When the Moon is Eclipsed they say the Sun is angry with her When a Comet is seen they beat drums and hollo thinking by this to drive it away They use to consult with and invocate the Devil The Priests learn Physick and Magick when they are young being two yeers shut up in Woods all that time they keep their Cells see no women nor eat flesh They are taught by their Masters in the night The dead are buried either at home or being dried at the fire are hanged up The bones at last are burned and the Skull presented to the Wife to be kept by her as a relique In their Lent fasts they abstain from Women and Salt See P. Martyr Gomara Linschoten Cieza c. Q. Of what Religion are the people of Paria Guiana and along the River Debaiba or St. Iohn A Hereabout they be very zealous in worshipping of the Devil and Idols to whom they sacrifice men and then eat them When their gods are angry they macerate themselves with fasting Their Priests are stoned or burned if they marry against their vow of Chastity They believe rewards and punishments after this life The spot in the Moon they hold to be a man imprisoned there for Incest with his Sister They feed yearly the departed souls with Maiz and Wine They held the souls of great men onely and such as were buried
is Idolatry saith he to carve or paint Idols so it is any ways to adorne them to build houses or temples for them so that all such Artificers are guilty of idolatry so are judicial Astrologers who call the stars by the names of Idols and take upon them to foretell future contingencies by them so are School-Masters who teach the Genealogies and Fables of these false gods this severity indeed was needful in the beginning of the Gospel when Gentilisme was to be suppressed that way might be made for Christianity but now Pagan idolatry being quite extinguished among us there is no danger in reading or teaching of Heathen Authors He condemneth also Merchants that bring home and sell incense or any thing else whereby idols are worshipped So he will not have Christians to be present at the solemnities shews or festivals of idols nor to give any countenance to them or to wink and connive at them or to call them gods or to swear by them for that is to take the name of the true God in vain nay he will not permit Christians to light candles or set up bayes in their doors which upon solemn days was an honour due to the Emperour because this ceremony had some resemblance with Gentile idolatry The Contents of the fourth Section The Religion of the ancient Europaeans 2. The Roman chief festivals 3. Their gods 4. Their Priests 5. Their Sacrificesâ—6 Their Marriage Rites 7. Their Funeral Ceremonies 8. The old Grecian Religion 9. Their chief gods 10. Of Minerva Diana Venus 11. How Juno Ceres and Vulcan were worshipped 12 The Sun worshipped under the names of Apollo Phoebus Sol Jupiter Liber Hercules Mars Mercurius Pan c. 13. The Moon worshipped under divers names and shapes 14. The Earth and Fire how worshipped and named 15. The Deity of the Sea how worshipped 16. Death how named and worshipped 17. The Grecian Sacrifices and Ceremonies 18. Their Priests and Temples of old SECT IV. Quest. WHat was the Religion of the ancient Europaeans Answ. The same Paganism was professed among them that was in the other parts of the world and which is yet professed in Lapland Finland and some parts of Norway Lituania and Samagâ—tia whose religion is Idolatrous whose knowledge is Magick and whose actions are barbarous The chief gods that were worshipped in Europe were the Sun Moon Stars Elements Rivers Fountains Trees and indeed so many great and small that according to Varros computation they exceeded 30000. in number If we speak of the Religions professed among the Greeks and Romans we shall speak in a manner of all because they had almost all Europe under their Dominion and before their conquests the same idols were worshipped by all but under different names Numa taught the Romans to worship their gods by offering Corn and Cakes besprinkled with salt and to erect Temples but no Images thinking it both absurd and impossible to represent that incomprehensible power by outward shapes and forms But many years after Tarquinius Prisâ—us taughâ— them according to the Grecian manner to set up images to their Gods Then were the Vestal Nuns chosen who were to continue so thirty years the first ten they were learners the second ten years practitioners in their office but the third ten years teachers of the novices If they committed whoredom they were burned or buried alive if the sacred fire went out by their neglect which was held ominous they were scourged Then were the Priests of Mars called Salii instituted at first but twelve afterwards twenty foure These were chosen out of the Patricii and they were in March to dance solemnly with their Targets called Ancilia one of which fell down from heaven These festival dances were dedicated to Mars They had their Augures or Diviners They had their Triumviri called Epâ—lones who had the charge of the holy feasts and other Triumviri who had the charge of the Siâ—yls books Arvales had the care of the fields Feciales of the wars All these were Orders of Priest-hood to which may be added Flamines of which there were as many as there were of their greater gods Iupiters Priests were called Diales the Priests of Mars Martiales of Romulus Quiâ—inales c. He that had the charge of these Priests of the Sacrifices and of Festivals was called Rex Sacrificulus or the King of Priests because anciently Kings did exercise the Priests office But above them all was the Pontifical Colledge which at first consisted only of eight but Sylla enlarged them to fifteen these were to assist the chief Pontifie or Pope in whom alone was the supream power of all Religion of Sacrifices Holy days Priests Yestals Vows Funerals Idols Oaths Ceremonies and whatsoever concerned Religion besides the care of the wooden bridge called Pons sublicius He had more priviledges and honours then the Kings themselves for he might ascend the Capitol in his Litter which was not lawful for others And whatsoever criminal fled to him he was that day free from punishment Neither was he bound to give an account of any thing he did Q. What were the Roman chief Festivals A. Saturnalia to the honour of Saturn about the Suns going into Capricorn then the servants were better then their Masters this feast they had from the Greeks Feriae Latinae to Iupiter this feast was kept upon the hill Albanus midway between Alba and Rome by the Romans and Latines Quinquatria was a feast of five days to the honour of Minerva it was kept after the Ides of March the first day was for sacrifice the other three for sword-players and the last for lustration Natalitia to the Genius in which feast it was held abominable to shed the blood of some beasts and ominous seeing those birth feasts were wholly dedicated to mirth and joy Vertumâ—alia were feasts to Vertumuâ—â— the god of Merchandising it was kept in the moneth of October Lupercalia in February to the honour of Pan Lycaeus the god of shepherds who keeps the sheep from the wolves This feast Evander brought with him out of Arcadia into Italy in it the young men used to run up and down the streets naked with leather thongs in their hands striking gently all such as they meâ— young Ladies used purposely to offer their naked hands to be struck by them hoping hereby to become fruitful Agonalia were feasts kept in Ianuary either to the honour of Ianus or else of Agon the god of actions and enterprizes Carmentaliâ— in Ianuary also to the honour of Carmenta Evanders mother who was a Prophetesse Feralia so called a ferendis epulis from carrying meat to the graves of their friends this feast was kept in February to the Manes or infernal Ghosts Terminalia in February also to Terminus the god of marches and bounds this feast was observed to keep amity between neighbours that they might not differ about the bounds of their lands Saliaria in March to the honour of Mars whose Priests called Salii
looking forward and two backward in his right hand it held a horn which the Priest every yeer sprinkled with Wine in the left hand a Bow this also seems to be Mars The Sclavi adored an Idol standing on a Pillar with a Plough-share in one hand a Lance and Banner in the other his head was beset with Garlands his leggs were Booted and at one of his heels a bell did hang. Some of them did worship an Idol on whose brest was a Target in which was ingraven an Oxe head It had a Pole-Axe in its hand and a little Bird sitting on its head All these may seem to represent Mars The Moscovites and Russians adored an Idol called Perun in the shape of a man holding a burning stone in his hand resembling Thunder a fire of Oken wood was continually maintained burning to the honour of this Idol it was death for the Ministeres if they suffered this fire to go out It seems this was Iupiters Image The Stetinians in Pomerania worshipped a three-headed Idol and used to ask Oracles or advice of a black horse the charge of which was committed to one of the Priests In the countries about Moscovia they worship an idol called Zolota Baba the golden Hag. It is a Statue like an old woman holding an infant in her bosome and neer to her stands another infant To this Idol they offer the richest Sabel skins they have They sacrifice Stags to her with the blood whereof they annoint her face eyes and her other parts The beasts entrails are devoured raw by the Prlests With this idol they use to consult in their doubts and dangers Q. What Religion did the Scythians Getes Thracians Cymbrians Goths Lucitanians other Europeans profess A. The same Gentilisme with the rest adoring Idols of stocks and stones in stead of the true God or rather they worshipped the Devil as appears by their inhumane humane sacrifices The Scythians used to sacrifice every hundreth captive to Mars So did the Thracians thinking there was no other means to pacifie that angry and butcherly god but by murthering of men Of the same opinion were the old Germans who sacrificed men to Mercury The Cymbrians or Cymmerians by their women Priests used to murther and sacrifice men These she-devils girt with brasse girdles and in a white surplice used to cut the throats of the captives to rip up their bowels and by inspection to foretel the event of the war and withal to make drums of their skins The Goths did not think they pleased the Devil sufficiently except first they had tormented the poor captive by hanging him upon a tree and then by tearing him in pieces among brambles and thorns These Goths or Getes believed that the dead went into a pleasant place where their God Tamolxius ruled to him they used still to send a Messenger chosen out among themselves by lot who in a boat of five Oars went to supplicate for such things as they wanted Their manner of sending him was thus They took him hand and foot and flung him upon the points of sharp pikes if he fell down dead they concluded that the god was well pleased with that messenger if otherwise they rejected him as an unworthy messenger therefore they chose another to whom they gave instructions before he died what he should say to their god and so having slain him upon their pikes committed the dead body in the boat to the mercy of the sea The Lithuanians used to burn their chief captives to their gods The Lusitanians ripped open the bowels of their captives in their divinations and presented their right hands being cut off to their gods The Sclavi worshipped an idol called Suantovitus whose Priest the day before he sacrificeth makes clean the Chappel which none must enter but he alone and whilest he is in it he must not draw his breath but hold his head out of the window least with his mortal breath he should pollute the Idol The next day the people watching without the Chappel door view the Idols cup if they find any of the liquor which was put there wasted they conclude the next years scarcity but other wise they hope for plenty and so they fill the cup again and pray to the Idol for victory and plenty then pouring out old wine at the idols feet and offering to him a great cake they spend the rest of the day in gormandising It is held a sin and a dishonour to the idol not to be drunk then Every one payeth a piece of money to the idols maintenance to which also is paid the third part of all bâ—oties taken in the war To this purpose the idol maintained three hundred horse whom the Priest payed being the Idols treasurer In Lituania Russia and the adjacent places the Rusticks offer a yearly sacrifice of Calves Hogs Sowes Cocks and Hens about the end of October when their fruits are all gathered in to their idol Ziemiennick they beat all these creatures to death then offer them with prayers and thanksgiving which done they fall to eating and drinking flinging first pieces of flesh into every corner of the house Q. What did the Lithuanians Polonians Hungarians Samogetians and their neighbours professe A. Their chief god was the Sun They worshipped also the Fire which they continually maintained by Priests chosen for that purpose They ascribed also Divinity and worship to trees and the taller the tree was the more adoration it had When Christianity began to be preached among the Lithuanians and were exhorted to cut their trees none would venture to touch these gods till the preacheâ—s encouraged them by their example but when they saw the trees cut down they began to lament the losse of their gods and complained to their Prince of the wrong done to them by the Christians whereupon the Preachers were commanded presently to abandon the country and so these dogs returned to their vomit They adored also Serpents which they entertained in their houses and used by their Priests to ask Oracles or advice of the fire concerning their friends when they fell sick if they should recover health again The same Idolatry was used by the Polonians or Sarmatians The Hungarians or Pannonians did not onely worship the Sun Moon and Stars but also every thing they first met with in the morning Most part of Livonia is yet idolatrous worshipping the Planets and observe the heathenish customes in their burials and marriages In Samogethia a country bordering on Prussia Livonia and Lithuania they worshipped for their chief god the Fire which their Priests continually maintained within a Tower on the top of an high hill till Vladislaus King of Poland beat down the Tower and put out the fire and withal caused their Groves to be cut down which they held sacred with the Birds beasts and every thing in them They burn the bodies of their chief friends with their horses furniture and best cloaths and withal set down victuals by
was not Head of the Church nor Vicar of Christ nor successor of Peter that Bishops were murtherers in delivering over to the secular power such as did not obey them that canonical obedience was a humane invention that Priests though excommunicate ought to preach that Excommunications Suspensions and Interdicts were invented to maintain the Clergies pride These and such like points did he defend for which he was condemned in the councel of Constance These same opinions were maintained by Hierom of Prague for which also he was by the same Councel condemned the next year One Pickard of Fâ—anders renewed in Bâ—hemâ—a the Heresie of the Ad mâ—tes The Hussites divided themselves into thrâ—e Sects to wit the Pragenseâ— the Thabo iteâ— so called from mount Thabor where Christ was transfigurrd which name Zisca their Captain gave them calling the Castle where they used to meet Thabor as if they had seen there Christs transfiguratâ—on The third Sect were called Orphans after Zisca's death as having lost their Faâ—her and Patron all these used barbarous cruelty against Priests Monks Churches Images Reliques and such as professed the Roman Catholick Religion The Mosâ—ovites or Russians fell off to the Greek Religion and held that the Pope was not the chief Pastor of the Church that the Roman Church was nor head of the rest They rejected also the Latine Fathers the definitions canons and decrees of the general Councels and used leavened bread in their Eucharist One Rissuich a Hollander taught that the Angels were not created that the soule perished with the body that there was no Hell that the matter of the Elements was coeternal with God He blasphemed Christ as a Seducer and not the Son of God He held that Moses never saw God nor received his Law from him that Scriptures were but Fables that the Gospel was false and such like blasphemous stuffe did he spue out for which he was burned Q. 10. What opinions did the Sixteenth Century hâ—ld A. Martin Luther an Augustin Frier â—aught thaâ— Indulgences were unlawful that the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Iames the second of Pâ—ter the two last of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Apecalyâ—e were not canonical He opposed invâ—cation of Saints Image wâ—rship Free-wâ—ll the Popes Supremacy Excommunication teâ—poral posseâ—â—ions of â—he Clergy merit of Works possibility of tuâ—filing the Law the Monastical life caelibaâ— canonical obâ—dience distinction of Meats Transubstantiation communion under one kinde the Masse auricular confession Absolution Purgatory extream Unction and five of the Sacraments He held also that General Councels might erre that 〈◊〉 was not a particular person that Faith onely justified that a faithfull man may be assured of his salvation that to the faithful sin is not imputed that the first motions are sin that Sacraments did not confer grace Divers other opinions are fathered upon him by his adversaries as may be seen in the above named Authors The Anabaptists so called from Re-baptizing had for their author one Nicolas Storke who pretended familiarity with God by an Angel promising him a Kingdom if he would reform the Church and destroy the Princes that should hinder him His Scholar Muncer raised an army of 4000. Bores and Tradesmen in Suevia and Franconia to maintaine his Masters dreams but they were overthrown by Count Mansfield Iohn of Leyden a Taylor renewed the said dreams and made himself King in Munster of the Anabaptists whose Viceroy was Knipherdoâ—ing but this phantastical Monarchy was soon destroyed the Town taken after 13. moneths Siege where the King and his Viceroy with their chief Officers were put to death Their Tenets were that Christ was not the Son of Mary nor true God that we were righteous not by faith in Christ but by our own merits and sufferings They rejected original sin baptisme of Infants communion with other Churches Magisâ—â—acy among Christians Oaths and punishments of Malefactors They refused to swear allegeance to Princes and held that a Christian may have many wives and that he may put away his wife if she be of another Religion and marry another That no man must possesse any thing in proper that re-baptization may be used that before the day of judgement the godly should enjoy a Monarchy here on Earth that man had free-will in spiritual things and that any man may Preach and give the Sacraments Q. 11. What are the Anabaptists of Moravia A. These at first called themselves Apostolicall because they did imitate the Apostles in going bare-foot and in washing one anothers feet in having also all things in common amongst them But though this custom be now left yet at this day in Moraviae they have a common Steward who doth distribute equally things necessary to all They will admit none into their Society but such as have some trade and by their handy worke can get their livings As they have a common Steward for their temporals so they have a common Father for their spirituals who instructs them in their Religion and prayeth with them every morning before they goe abroad to worke These publike prayers are to them instead of Sermons They have a generall governour or head of their church whom none knoweth but themselves for they are bound not to reveal him They communicate twice in the year the men and women sit promiscuously together On the Lords day they walk two and two through the Towns and Villages being clothed in black and having slaves in their hands They are much given to silence at table for a quarter of an houre before they eat they sit and meditate covering their faces with their hands the like devotion they shew after meat All the while their governour stands by to observe their gesture that if any thing be unbeseeming he may tell them of it When they come to any place they discourse of the last judgement of the eternall paines of hell of the crueltie of Divels tormenting mens bodies and souls that so they may afright simple people into their religion then they comfort them by shewing them a way to escape all those torments if they will be but rebaptized and embrace their religion They observe no festival days nor will they admit of any disputations Q. 12. What Sects are spâ—ung out of Lutheranism A. Besides the Anabaptists already mentioned there be Adiaphorists of which Melancthon is thought to be author these hold the customs and constitutions of the church of Rome to be things indifferent and that they may be professed or not professed without scruple 2. Vbiquitaries These hold that Christs humanity as well as his divinity is every where even in hell Breâ—tius is thought to be father of this opinion But if Christs humanity be every where then we must deny the articles of his Resurrection Ascention and comming again to judge the Quick and the dead for what needs there such motions if he be everywhere 3. Majorists so called from one
truly mortified except he be shut up in a Covent Q. 17. How were the Monks and Nunnes of old consecrated A. The Monks after prayers and exhortation made by the Priest is by the same signed with the signe of the Grosse and shaved or polled rather then is his old garment taken off and he is cloathed in a Monastical habit and with other holy men present is made partaker of the Divine mysteries The Nunnes were consecrated either by the Bishop or the Priest and by them covered with a Vaile if the Abbatesse presumed to do this she was excommunicated Twenty five yeares of age was then held a fit time for Virgins to be Vailed but now they may at twelve or before the dayes of the yeare for receiving their Vaile and Consecration were the Epiphany Easter-eve and the festival dayes of the Apostles except in case of death The Virgin to be consecrated was presented to the Bishop in her Nunnes habit then before the Altar with Musick and burning Tapers the Priest before hee puts on her Vaile thus saith Behold Daughter and Forget thy People and thy Fathers House that the King may take pleasure in thy beauty To this the people cryed Amen and so the Vaile is cast over her and all the religious Martons present do kisse her after the Priest hath blessed and prayed for her in this Vaile is placed as much Sanctity as in Baptisme and that such Virgins as depart out of this world without it are in danger of damnation Q. 18. What was the Religious Order of the Benedictines A. Benedict or Beâ—et in Vmbria a country of Italy being weary of the warres and tumults there retired himselfe into a Desart place after the manner of Authoâ—y the Thebaâ— to whom did flock multitudes of people from thence he goeth to Cassinum an ancient Town where he setled and prescribed Laws to his Monks after the manner of Saint Basil. He is said to found twelve Monasteries over which he placed twelve Abbots that were his Disciples His chiefe Monastery Cassinum was richly endowed by Tertullus a Roman Patritian who bestowed on it Castles Villages Lands and large possessions Equitius a Senator followed his example and conferred large revenues on it and so did divers others after him This Order did quickly spread through France Germany Sieily Spain England and other places By the meanes of Maâ—rus his Disciple who was Sonne to Equitius the Roman Senator neere Orleans the first Monastery of Benedictines is founded consisting of one hundred and fourty Brothers which number was not to be altered By Placidus Sonne to Tertullus the Roman Patrieian Benet set up a Monastery in Sicily By Leobardus he erected a Monastery in Alsatia foure miles from Strasburg he planted also a Monastery at Rome neere the Lateran Church in the time of Pelagius By Dâ—natus a Benedictine Covent is erected in Spain about the yeare of Christ 590. By Austin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Benedictines got footing in England Anno 596. and so by degrees they spread through other places chiefly in Germany by Boniface the German Apostle and Bishop of Mentz Anno 545. These Benedictines were afterward divided into divers Sects Namely the Cluniacenses instituted in Burgundy by one Otho an Abbot to whom William Sirnamed the Godly D. of Aquitain gave a Village called Mastick Anno 916. The Carnalduenses were erected by one Romoaldus a Benedictine on the top of the Appenin Hills The Vallisumbrences so called from Vallis Vmbrosa on the side of the Appenins were erected by one Gualbertus a Florentine Anno 1060. the Montelivetenses were set up by one Bernard Ptolâ—mens at Sienna in Tuscany Anno 1047. The Grandimonteâ—ses about the same time were instituted by one Steven a Noble man in France The Cistertians so called from Cistertium in Burgundy about the same time were erected by one Robert Abbot of Molismenia Saint Bernard was of this order who about the yeare of Christ 1098. was made Abbot of Claravallis whose Monks were called from his name Bernardines who are all one with the Cistertians saving that the Cistertians wear all white but the Bernardines a black Gowne over a white Coat The Celestini so called from Pope Celestinus the Fifth their founder whose former name was Peter Moroneus This Order was confirmed by Gregory the tenth in the Council of Lyons All these were branches of Benedictines The Camalduenses Montelivetenses and Cistertians wear white the Monks of the Shaddowy Vally Purple the Celestins Skie colour or blew The Grandimontenses wear a Coat of Mailes and a black Cloak thereon Q. 19. What other Orders proceeded from the Benedictines A. Benet may be called the founder and author of all the Religious Orders that were in the West for 666. years together that is till the times of the Dominicans and Mendicants so that there were of Benedictine Monks reckoned by Trithemius L. 1. c. 4. above Fifteen thousand Abbies out of which proceeded multitudes of Cardinals Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots and other eminent men besides Popes The Gregorian Order was a branch of the Benedictine Gregory the great afterward Pope was at first a Monk who after his fathers death erected on his own charges Six Monasteries in Sicily and at Rome converted his Fathers house into a Monastery and dedicated it to Saint Andrew to these Monks he prescribed the rule of Saint Bennet and assigned to them a large dark or brown coloured cloak to be worne on which was woven a red crosse in the brest these did not shave their beards The Monks called Gerundinenses were after the Order of Bennet instituted by Iohn Bishop of the Geruâ—dinenses in Portugal about the year of Christ 610. He was warned in a dream to build a Monastery which he did and had it ratified by the Pope He gave them a white Garment to wear with his own arms on the breast thereof they were ordered to wear four Ribbands to wit two red and two green This order was erected under Pope Boniface the fourth The rule which Bennet prescribed to his Monks was written out by Pope Gregory the great and confirmed by Pope Eugenius the Second Q. 20. What were the rules which St. Bennet prescribed to his Monks A. He first sheweth what the duty of the Abbot is namely to be careful of his charge to be holy just wise and charitable in his deeds and to be powerful in his words to exhort correct reprove to beware of partiality and dissimulation and chiefly of covetousnesse and pride not to do any thing of himself without advice of the Covent he enjoyneth all to be obedient silent humble to be watchful to prayer in the night he prescribes what Psalms they are to sing every day and night and what Psalms in their canonical hours That Haleluia should be said continually between Easter and Pentecost that they should praise God with David seven times a day to wit in the morning at the first third sixth and ninth hours in
may be heard and seen But they must do nothing without the leave of the Abbatesse and some witnesses except in time of confession Priests must not enter the Nunnery except to give the Sacrament in the agony of death and that with some witnesses all the Priests and Brothers may enter to perform Funerall obsequies The Bishop of the Diocesse must be the Father and Visitor of the Monasteries and Nunneries the Prince of the Territory shall be the Protector and the Pope the faithful Guardian without whose will no Covent shall be made Let there be a hole like a grave still open in the Covent that the sisters may pray every day there with the Abbatesse taking up a little dust between her fingers that God who preserved Christs body from the corruption of the grave would also preserve both their bodies and souls from the corruption of sin Let there be a Beer or Coffin at the Church-door with some earth that all commers in may remember they are dust and to dust shall return to the observers of this rule Christ promiseth his aid who revealed himself to Saint Briget and counsels her to convey it to the Pope to be confirmed So goeth the story as it is set down by Hospinian who translated it out of the German into the Latin tongue this order came into England An. 1414. and was placed at Richmond There be few of these elsewhere except in Sweden Q. 21. What was the Order of S. Katherine and of S. Iustina A. Katherine born at Senae in Tuscany in her Childhood vowed Virginity and in a dream saw Dominick with a Lilly in his hand and other religion-founders wishing her to professe some of their orders she embraced that of Dominick in which she was so strict that she abhorred the smell of flesh drunk onely water and used no other cheer but bread and raw herbs She lay upon boards in her cloathes She girt her self so close with an Iron Chain that it cut her skin she used to watch whole nights together and scarce slept half an hour in two days in imitation of S. Domimick She used to chastise her self three times every day with that Iron Chain for an hour and half at a time so that the blood run from her shoulders to her feet One chastisement was for her self the other for the dead and the third for those that were alive in the world Many strange stories are recorded of her as that Christ appeared and married himself to her with a Ring that he opened her side took out her old heart and put a new one instead of the former that he cloathed her with a bloody coloured garment drawn out of the wound in his side so that she never felt any cold afterwards and divers other tales to this purpose Some say this order began Anno 1372. others Anno 1455. The Nuns of this order wear a white garment and over it a black Vaile with a head-covering of the same colour The order of Saint Iustina was instituted by Ludevicus Barbus a Venetian Anno 1409. after the ancient discipline of Benedict This rule was enlarged by Eugenius the fourth and confirmed by Iohn 24. The Monks of this order are carefull not to eat out of the Covent with seculars and to wash the feet of strangers Q. 22. What were the Eremites of Saint Hierom of Saint Saviour the Albati Fratricelli Turlupini and Montolivetenses A. Saint Hieroms Eremites in Spain under Saint Austins rule was instituted about the year 1366. in Vibinum a City of Vmbria in Italy in the time of Pope Gregory the nineth and was confirmed by Gregory the twelfth Of this order there are in Italy five and twenty Covents They differ in their habit and other things little or nothing from the other Monks of Saint Hierom. The Canons of Saint Saviour were instituted also in Italy neer Senae in a place called Scopetum whence they are named Scopetiâ—i They follow Saint Austins rule Their Author was one Franch of Bononia Anno 1366. in the time of Pope Vrban the the fifth and were confirmed by his successor Gregory the eleventh Anno 1370. They wear a white cloak with a white hood above a white linnen gowne Albati were so called from the white linnen they wore these in the time of Pope Boniface the nineth Anno 1399. came down from the Alpes into Lucâ— Flaminia Hetruria Fisa and other places of Italy having for their guide a Priest cloathed in white and carrying in his hand the Crucifix he pretended so much zeal and religion that he was held a Saint These people increased to such a vast body that Boniface the nineth grew jealous their Priest aimed at the Popedom therefore sent out some armed men against them apprehended their Priest and put him to death upon which the whole multitude fled every man returning to his house These made profession of sorrow weeping for the sins and calamities of those times they eat together in the High-ways and slept all promiscuously together like beasts they are by most reckoned among the Hereticks and not religious orders and so are the Fratricells or Beghardi who would be counted the third order of Franciscans they were called Fratricella Brothers of the Cells and Caves where they dwelt Their Women were named Beghinae and Beguttae These sprung up Anno 1298. they went with their faces covered and their heads hanging down their lives were â—â—agirious and their opinions heretical as we have already shewed among the Heresies therefore they are condemned by Boniface the eight Clemens the fifth and Iohn the twenty second yet Gregory the eleventh and Eugenius the forth defended such of them against whose life and faith no just exceptions could be taken Gregory about the year 1378. Eugenius Anno 1431. The Turlupini also though they would have been thought a religious order were heretical in their Teners and therefore condemned and burned Anno 1372. Montolivetenses or Monks of Mount Olivet began Anno 1407. when the Church was divided between three Popes In this distracted time many of Sene betook themselves to the next Hill which they called Mount Olivet and cloathed themselves in white professing St. Bennets rule They were confirmed by Pope Gregory the twelfth There were others of the same name loug before these but Boniface the eighth Anno 1300. put them down and executed their Author at Viterbium he only wore a linnen cloth about his wast the rest of his body naked Q. 23. What were the Canons of Saint George the Mendicants of Saint Hierom the Canons of Lateran Order of the Holy Ghost of Saint Ambrese ad Nemus and of the Minims of Jesu Maria A. The Canons Regular of Saint George called also Apostolici were instituted by Laurence Iustinian Patriarch of Venice Anno 1407. they were confirmed by Gregory the twelfth They wear a linnen surplesse over their garments and a black hood but out
a Bishop for if Presbyters had been distinct from Bishops Paul would not have left them unsaluted for why should he salute the Deacons and not thâ— Presbyters which are a higher degree Quest. Why were the Pastors called Bishops and Presbyters A. To put them in mind of their duty and dignity for the word Episcopus or Bishop signifieth the care inspection and oversight which they should have of mens souls in guiding instructing and feeding them with the Word and Sacraments Presbyter signifieth the age dignity and experience that ought to be in Ministers whose grave carriage wisdome and knowledge should procure reverence of the people to that high calling and obedience to their Doctrine Q. Are young men then fit to be made Presbyters oâ— Bishop A. No except there be extraordinary gifts in them as were in Timothy or in extream necessity when grave and ancient men cannot be found Temeritas florentis aelatis prudentia sinectutes Young men are rash inconstant head strong proud inconsiderate and indiscreet in their words and carriage for the most part which hath brought this high calling into obloquie and contempt They have not that experience wisdome gravity and knowledge that are in old men nor are they Masters of their passions and affections and how are they fit overseers of others who cannot oversee themselves a young Presbyter is a contradiction and a young Bishop is incongruous Young and green heads have been the cause of so much distemper so many Heresies and schismes in the Church of Christ Therefore little hope there is that ever peace Religion and truth shall flourish in that Church where giddy young men are Bishops or Presbyters and hot-spurs or green heads are preferred to gray hairs ancient Divines are fittest to serve the ancient of dayes Q. But if Paul constituted Presbyters and Deacons in all the Churches which be planted why doth he not salute them as he did these of Philippi A. For brevities sake he oftentimes omits them thinking it sufficient to have saluted the Church in generall in which they are included being members thereof Q. Is not the degree of Bishops higher than that of Presbyters A. Sometimes to avoid heresie schismes and troubles in the Church the Presbyters have chosen one of their own society to precede or oversee the rest but this was onely in some places and at some times and rather an ecclesiastick custome than a divine tradition saith Hierom. Q. But why did Paul besides his custome salute the Deacons at Philippi A. Because by Epaphroditus they had sent him relief therefore he would particularly thank them besides he would shew that under these two names of Presbyter and Deacon is contained the whole Ministry of the Church the Presbyter caring for the things of the soul the Deacon for the things of the body Q. What doth the ward Deacon signifie A. A Minister or servant for so the Magistrate is called Rom. 13. a Deacon or Minister Paul calls himself the Deacon of the Gospel Eph. 5. and he calls Christ the Deacon of Circumcision Rom. 15. but this word is appropriated to him that hath the charge of the poor and strangers in collecting and laying out the Church money for their relief Such were those seven mentioned Acts â— and as Christ had twelve Apostles so one of them to wit Iudas was a Deacon for he kept the bag Q. Were there in the Church preaching Presbyters onely A. No there were also ruling Elders of which Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 5. 1â— Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine for the preaching Presbyters thought it too great a burthen to preach and to have the inspection of mens manners therefore they desired some of the Laity to assist them whom they called ruling Elders Q. What difference is there between a Minister and a Deacon A. The Greek word signifieth both promiscuously but we have appropriated the word Minister to a preacher and the word Deacon to the Overseer of the poore Q. How doth it appear that Presbyter and Bishop was the same A. Because the Apostle Phil. 1. salutes the Bishops of Philippi but in one Town there is onely one Bishop usually so called So Acts 20. having called together the Presbyters he bids them take heed to the stock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made them Bishops And leaving Titus at Crete to establish Presbyters sheweth that a Bishop must be without reproof Q. Have there not been sometimes two Bishops in one Town A. We read in Sozomen l. 4. c. 14. that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium wrote to Foelix and the Clergy of Rome to admit of Liberius as an assistant Bishop to Foelix but the Councel of Nice forbids two Bishops to be in one City Can. 8. Q. Why do not the Reformed Churches now call our Ministers by the name of Bishops and Priests A. Because these Offices have been abused in Popery the one to pride and tyranny the other to superstition and idolatry Q. May a man exercise the office of Presbyter or Bishop without a calling A. No for no man takes upon him this office but he that is called of God as Aaron was Vzza was struck with sudden death for his rash touching of the Ark 2. Sam. 6. God complains of those Prophets that run and yet were not sent Ier. 23. and how can such preach if they be not sent Rom. 10. Leprâ—sie shall seize upon King Uzziah if he stretch out his hand to touch the Ark 2 Chron. 26. Christ himself spoke not of himsel nor was his Doctrine his own but his that sent him Iohn 5 7. Q. How must a man be called A. First Internally by the Spirit moving his heart and furnishing him with graces fit for so high a Calling Secondly Externally by the Church to which twofold calling we must yield obedience and not resist and run from it as Ionah did Q. How shall we know the inward call of the Spirit from the stattering concept of our Fancies A. If we are called by the Spirit we have no other ends but Gods glory and the salvation of souls we seek Christ for his miracles not for his loaves we will not trust to our own strength learning or eloquence but will disclaim our own sufficiency with the Apostle will accuse our own uncircumcised and defiled lips with Mosâ—s and Esay and will rely onely upon the goodnesse and promise of God who will give us wisdome and will put in our mouths what we shall speak Quest. How many sorts of callings are there in the Church A. Two to wit Extraordinary as that of the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets and Ordinary as the callings of Presbyters or Bishops of preaching Prophets or Pastors and of Deacons Q. Can both these callings be in one maâ— A. Yes for Ieremy and Ezechiel were ordinary Priests and Levites yet were extraordinary Prophets So Luther had an ordinary Function in the
from the Son abstained from blood and strangled things observed the Sabbath with the Lords day condemned the fourth marriage as utterly unlawful rejected confirmation administred the Sacrament in leavened bread and in both kindes and excluded the blessed souls from heaven till the Resurrection they did besides hold that all mens souls were created together in the beginning that Hereticks are to be rebaptized that the child is not to be baptized till the mother be purified which is fourty dayes after a Male childe and eighty after a Female that children should receive the Eucharist as soon as baptized that the Father may dissolve the Matrimony of his child if he dislike it that the Eucharist is not to be reserved nor to be carried to sick persons in danger of death that Priests and Deacons must be married that children of five or six years old may be made Subdeacons that women during their monthly purgations are not to be admitted into the Church nor to the Eucharist But these opinions the Maronites renounced when the Christians had the command of Syria and Palestine but when Saladine recovered those 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fell off from the Roman Church and embraced their former Teners but in the 〈◊〉 of Gregory the 〈◊〉 and Clement the eighth they reconciled themselves again to the Roman Church Q. 13. What are the Cophti A. The 〈◊〉 are the Iacobites of Egypt for the Egyptians were anciently named 〈◊〉 we call them Cophti that is Egyptian Christians as the Iacobâ—res of Syria are named Syrians and in no country were these Euâ—ychians more patronised then in Syria and Egypt yet these Iacobites differ from Eutyches in this that He taught the two natures in Christ to be one by confusion or commixtion whereas They say that they are one by co-adunation but so that the properties oh each nature remain distinct so that in effect they 〈…〉 but dare not say to for fear of 〈…〉 persons not being able to 〈…〉 the Nature and the Person These 〈…〉 to the Patriarch of Alexandria whose 〈…〉 is now in the City of Caire They used heretofore to be circumcised but by the Popes perswasion have left it They baptize not children till the 〈◊〉 day to whom they give the Euceharist immediately after baptism and then also confer on them all sacred orders under Priesthood their parents promising for them and performing what they promise till they be sixteen years old chastity fasting on Wednesdayes Fridays and in the four Lents They administer the Eucharist in leavened bread and in both kinds With the Greeks they leave out the words of the 〈◊〉 creed and from the Son they deny the Sacrament and extream Unction to the sick reject Purgatory and prayer for the dead and all General Councils chiehly Chalcedon after that of Ephesus They keep no Lords day nor Feasts except in Cities They marry within the second degree of consanguinity without dispensation they account the Romane Church heretical and in their Liturgies use to read the Gospel of Nicodeâ—â—â— Q. 14. What are the Abyssin Christians A. These be they which in habit the Mid-land 〈◊〉 under Presbyter or Preâ—ious 〈◊〉 they have a 〈◊〉 of their own whom they call Abunna whose 〈◊〉 is white his upper Vestimeâ—t is like a Cardinals cloak 〈…〉 before When he rides abroad on his Mule he is attended on with a great train three crosses or staâ—es are carried about him and holdeth a crosse in his own hand They have many 〈◊〉 Priests or Bishops and great store of Monasteriâ—s All their Patriarchs and Bishops are of S. Anthonies order as are the Patriarcks of Alexandria to whose jurisdiction anciently Aethiopia did belong and yet at this day they are tied to chuse their Abunna whom they call Catholike of the juriâ—diction of 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of which place he is confirmed consecrated and invested in his Ecclesiastical Rights In their Liturgy also they pray particularly for the Patriarch of Alexandria The 〈◊〉 Religion consisteth in circumcising Male and Female whether out of Religion or the ancient custom of their Nation as being descended from the ancient Aethiopians or Arabians Ismaels posterity who used to be circumcised is uncertain But most likely they are circumcised in memory and imitation of Christ who was also circumcised They use also every year to baptise themselves in Lakes and Rivers 〈◊〉 Epiphany day in remembrance of Christs baptisme who was baptized on that day in Iordan The other points of their Religion be these they abstain from such beasts as the old Law accounteth unclean they keep the Sabbath and Sunday together The Thursday before Easter they administer the Sacrament is unlearened bread but ordinarily in leavened bread all communicate standing in both kindes The Wine they receive from the Deâ—con in a spâ—on and that in the Church onely The day they receive in they must not spit till 〈…〉 After sorty days the Males are baptized the 〈◊〉 after eighty except in case of necessity and then also they give them the Eucharist they think their Children dying without baptisme shall be saved by the â—aith of their parents They confesse after every sin committed and then receive 〈…〉 They are Iacobites in acknowledging 〈…〉 and will in Christ therefore they 〈…〉 of Chalcedan for condemning Dioscorus the 〈◊〉 So they deny Confirmation Extream and 〈◊〉 They hold tradâ—ction of souls admit of painâ—ed not 〈◊〉 Images they usually excommunicate are none but 〈◊〉 and this onely belongs to the 〈◊〉 Priests and 〈◊〉 have neither Tythes nor Almes by begging but live by their labour They permit not their Bishops and Priests to marry twice Flesh is eat every Friday betwixt Easter and Whitsunday The King conferreth all Ecclesiastick promotions except the Patriarchship Of these passages see the above named Authors and 〈◊〉 the Aethiopian Liturgy in Bibliâ—thâ—ca 〈◊〉 tom 6. Alvares the King of Portugals Chaplain who lived in Aethiopia 6 years wrote the Aethiopian History Zega Zabo an Aethiopian Bishop sent into Portugal by King David the Abyssin who set out the confession of the Aethiopian faith translated by Damianus a Goes c. Q. 15 Wherein doth the Protestant Church agree with 〈◊〉 dissent from other Christian Churches A. They agree with the Greek Church in giving the Sacrament in both kindes in admitting Priests to marry in rejecting images purgatory and extreame unction and in denying the Popes supremacy in the same points also they agree with the Melchites or Syrians with the Georgians Mengrelians and Gircassians and with the Moscovites or Russians who are all of the Greek profession though in some things they differ The Protestants agree with the Nestorians in rejecting auâ—â—cular confession in permitting Priests to marry in communicating in both kinds and in rejecting Crucifixes With the Christians of Saint Thomas they agree in administring the Sacrament in both kinds in rejecting images and extream Unction and permitting Priests to marry and denying the Pope supremacy They agree with the Iacobites
Alciatus Simanus Casanovius Menno and divers other Anabaptistical Vipers who extreamly increased the restlesse waves of sects and opinions We recommending the rest to their proper place Hell will take a more particular survey of one Religion and by the horridnesse of that guesse at the others This Servetus was a Spaniard born in the kingdom of Arragon most unworthy both of his Name and Nation Being rapt into a most incredible enthusiasme he boldly layeâ— his unwash'd hands upon holy divinity and at 〈◊〉 four and twentieth year of his age boasted himselfe 〈◊〉 be the only Teacher and Seer of the world making 〈…〉 main design and that by his impious and worthlesse â—â—â—â—tings to inveigh against the Deity of the Son of God 〈◊〉 which writings being sufficiently furnished and withâ— enflamed with hopes of raising no ordinary tumults 〈◊〉 bestirres himself winde and tyde for Basill but Oecâ—lampadius an Ecclesiastical Doctor learnedly before a full Senate confuted the blasphemies of this man and by the publick Authority he had caused him as a poisonous blasphemer to be thrust out of the Church of Basil. From thence he went to Venice where in regard the Venetians had been timely forewarned of him by the wise and learned Melancthon he made no harvest of his incredible blasphemies nor indeed was he permitted â—eed-time for them Religion is nowhere safe But having consulted with the Arch-hereticks his Predecessors and being bird-lim'd he held that there was but one person in the Godhead to be worshipped and acknowledged which was revealed to mankind sometimes under one notion sometimes under another and that it was thus that those notions of Father Son and Holy Ghost were to be understood in the Scriptures Nay with the same line of his blasphemous mouth he affirmed that our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his humane nature was not the Sonne of God nor coeternal with the Father The Holy Ghost he granted to be nothing but that influence by which all things are moved which is called nature He most impiously Ironical affirmed that to understand the word Person we must referre our sesves to Comedies But the most horrid blasphemy of all was when by the suggestion of Satan he imagined that the most glorious and ever to be worshipped and adored Trinity who doth not tremble at it was most fitly-compared to Cerberus the Porter of Hell-gate But he stayed not here no he thought it should be accounted nothing but a diabolical phantasme the laughing-stock of Satan and the monstrous Geryon whom the Poets by some strange mystery of Philosophy feigned to have three bodies O incredible and unheard of subtily of blasphemy The most glorious name of the most blessed Trinity is grown so odious to this man that he would personate being the greatest that ever was all the Atheists that have quarrelled with that name Moreover he maintained that taking but away the only Article of the Trinity the Turkish Alcoran might be easily reconciled to the Christian Religion and that by the joyning together of these two a great impediment would be removed yea that the pertinâ—cious asserting of that Article had enraged to madnesse whole Countries and Provinces This abomination of God and men held that the Prophet Moses that great servant of God and faithful steward of the Lords house that Prince and Captain Generall of the people of Israel one so much in favour with God that he was admitted to speak to him face to face was to be accounted no other than an Impostor He accounted the Patriarch Abraham and his seed too much given to Revenge and that he was most unjust and most malicious to his enemy The most glorious Church of Israel 't is the swine that loves the miâ—e he esteemed no better than a Hogge-Sâ—y and declared himself a sworn Prince of the Anabaptistical generation But keep off and approach not O all ye other Heresies and Hydra's of opinions of this one man furies not capable of expiation Being arrived at Geneva and being forbidden to spue out and spatter his pestiferous blasphemies he continued in hostility against all sharp but wholesome admonitions which Calvin that famous Minister of the Church perceiving being desirous to discharge the duty of a soul-saving Pastor went friendly to Servetus in hopes to deliver him out of his most impious errours and horrible Heresie and so to redeem him out of the jawes of Hell and faithfully reproved him But he being dazled with the brightnesse of Truth and overcome returned nothing to Calvin so well deserving of him but an intolerable obstinacy and inconvincible recapitulation of his blasphemies whence it came to passe that by the just and prudent Decree of the Senates of Bernen Zuring Basil and Scaffuse and by the righteous condemnation of the eternal God in the moneth of December in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three or as Sleidan hath it in October he was How great is the obstinacy of blasphemy being at that time ecstatically hardened and intoxicated consecrated to the avenging flames ARRIuS Divisit Trini qui formam numinis ecce Dividitur membris Visceribusque suis. THE CONTENTS Arrianisme it 's increase ANNO 323. THe General Councill at Nice Anno 325. called as a Remedy against it but without successe The Arrians misinterpret that place John 10. 30. concerning the Father and the Sunne They acknowledged one onely God in a Iudaical sense They deny the Trinity Arrius his wretched death Anno 336. ABout the year of the Incarnation of the Son of God three hundred twenty and three Hell was deliver'd of a certain Priest at Alexandria named Arrius a man subtle beyond expression the trumpet of eloquence one thee 〈…〉 have been cut out for all honesty and elegance 〈◊〉 with the poison of his Heresie and the 〈…〉 of his destructive doctrine did in the time of Silvester Bishop of Rome and the Emperour constaâ—â—â— draw in a manner all Christendome to his opinion and so corrupted some even great nations in the Eastâ— that except a few Bishops who stood to the true doctrine none appeared against him To remedy this disease at Nice in Bithynia in the year three hundred twenty 〈◊〉 a generall Council was called but to 〈…〉 the contagious stocks of Arrianisme were deeply 〈◊〉 so that they were become such ravening wolves among the flock of Christ that all that would not embrace their belief were to expect banishment or death These imagined that the Sonne was not of an equall nature and coeternall with the Father but that he was onely agreeing and concurring with his Father to confirm which they alledged that place of Iohn 10. 30 which sayes I and the Father are one and though they called the Sonne a great God yet they denied that he was a living and true God and coessential with the Father They boasted that they were ready to answer all objections and acknowledged
Christians Whether to be permitted amongst Christians to exercise their own Religion Wherein Christians are not to communicate with Iews Iews spend eight days in their Easter sâ—lemnities Their Pentecost Their feast of Tabernacles Their new Moons Fast in August Their solemnities in beginning the new year Their preparation for morning prayer Their feast of Reconciliation and Ceremonies therein Their Rites after the Law is read over Church Offices sold among the Iews Their feast of Dedication Their feast of Purim Their fasts Their Marriages Their Bills of Divorce Their separation of the wife from the deceased Husbands brother Their circumcision and Rites thereof How they redeem their first born Their duty to the sick Their Ceremonies about the dead Babylonians their ancient Religion The making worshipping of Images and bringing in Idolatry The Gentiles Idols were dead men Hierapolis the Religion thereof Gods of the Syrians Phoeâ—icians Their Religion and Discipline Arabians theiâ— Religion and Discipline Persians their ancient Religion Scythians their old Religion Tartars their old Religion Pagans their knowledge of the Creation Tartars their diversities of Religion Religions of the Northern countries neer the Pole Three wayes whereby Satan deludes men by false miracles The fear of Satans stratagems though illusions whence it proceeds Our duty respecting the many stratagems and illusions of Satan Chinois their Religion Indians their Ancient religion Siam its religion Pegu its Religion Bengala and its Religion Magor and its Religion Cambaia and its religion Goa the religion thereof Malabar its religion Pagans though Idolatrous believe the immortality of the soule Narsinga and Bisnagar its Religion Japon its religion Philippinae their religions Sumatra and Zeilan their Religions Egyptians their ancient Religion Egyptian Idolatry continuance thereof Egypt its modern religions Africans their Religion Fez the Religion and Church discipline thereof Their times of prayer Morocco its Religion Guinea its Religion Aethiopians of Africa their ancient Religion Their Religion at this day The lower Aethiopians their Religion Angola its Religion Congo its religion The Religion its Northern Neighbours African Islands their religions America the Religion thereof Virginia its Religion Florida its Religion Religions of the nations by west Virginia and Florida New Spain itâ— Religion Idolaters their cruelty and cost in their barbarous sacrifices Persius his notable saying Mexico its Priests and Sacrifices Americans acknowledge a Supreme God a Trinity the immortality of souls a life after this and have some tradition of Noahs flood New Spain its festival days Jucatan its religion and parts adjoyning Southern America the Religion thereof Paria Guiana and Debaiba their Religions Brasil its Religion Peru its Religion Peruviant their Festival days Peruvians their Belief of the departed souls Americans their superstitious feare aud Tyranny thereof Hispaniola its Religion Idolatry further condemned Europeans Greekes and Romans their Religions Romans their old Religion See Alexanâ— ab Alexandro Plutarch Pliâ— Cicero Gelâ—â— Fenestella Lâ—tus Their chief Festivals See Plutarch Alex. ab Alexandro Ioseph Scaliger Rosinus and others Their chiefgods But one God acknowâ—edged by the wiser sort of Gentiles Of these see Augustine in the City of God Lactantius Cicero Plutarch Rosinus and others Their Priests Of these seeâ— the aforenamed Authors Romans their Sacrifices Of these particulars see Servius on Virgil Rosinus Alexâ—â— ab Alex. and the Latine Poets Their marriage Rites See Scâ—liger de re Poetica Alex. ab Alex. Rosinus Servius Del-Rio in Senecam c. Their Funeral Rites Of these and other customs see Virgil. and Servius on him Kirchmannus also Rosinus Rhodiginus Alex. ab Alex. Gyraldus and others Burial of the dead an act of justice and mercy Aen. l. 9. Aen. lib. 10. Greeks and Gentiles their Religion and gods See the Greek Poets and their Interpreters Of these see the Greek and Latine Poets Greeks their gods how worshipped and painted See Pausanias Capella Boccatins c. See Cartarius Martianus Capella Scaliger Spondanus c. But see the Mytbologists and what we have written in Mystag Poetice Moon how worshipped Earth and fire how worshipped See the Mythologists Sea how worshipped Of all these we have spoken fully in Mystagogo poetico Death how worshipped Of these things see more in Mystag Poetic Greeks their Sacrificing See Suidas Eustathius Rhodiginus Athenaeus c. Their Priests and Temples But of theâ—â— passages 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 on Aristophâ—â— Suidas 〈◊〉 Virgil Cerda on Tertullian Rhodiginus Turneâ—us and others Germans Gauls and Brittains their Religions See Tacitus Cesars Commentaries Camden and others Old Saxons worshipped their gods under divers shapes and forms Danes Swedes Moscovites and their neighbours their Religions See Saxo Grammaticus Cranzius on Vandalia Olaus Guaguin and other Historians Scythians Getes Thracians Cymbrians Goths c their Religions See Olaus Magnus Saxo Guaguinus Ioâ—annes Magâ—â—s Aventinus c. Lithuanians Polonians Hungarians c. Their Religions See Olaus Munster in his Geography and others Gods of the Gentils Of these see Austin Lactantius Tertullian Plutarch Arnobius Eusebius c. How Ranked and Armed Of these see the Poets and their Commentators Their Chariots how drawn In Myst. Poet. In what peculiar places worshipped Greeks their chiefe Festivals Of these see Suidas Athenaeus Rhodiginus Gyraldus Hesychius â—ertullian Austin Plutarch Iuâ— Pollux the Scholiast of Aristophanes Meursius and others Mahumetans their Religion See Lanicerus and others Their Law Their opinions Mahomet not that great Antichrist spoken of by Saint Paul and Saint John Their Sects See Borrius Lanicerus Knolles Camerarius Iovius c. Mahumetans their religious orders See Menavino Nicholaus Nicholai Septemcastrensis c. See Georgiovitz Septemcastrensis Busbequius and others Their secular Priests See Cuspinian Knolles c. Their devotion See Georgiovitz Knolles Purchaâ— c. Their Pilgrimage to Mecca See Vertoman Lanicerus and others Their Circumcision See Georgiovitz and others Their Rites about the sick and dead See Menavino Bellonius c. Their Superstition how far spread Mahumetanism of what continuance Christianity its beginning Yeelds to Mahumetanism Religion by what Engines battered Hereticks and Heresies namely Simon Magus Menander Saturninus Basilides See Austin Irenaeus and Epiphanius upon this subject in their Books they wrote against Heresies Trinity denied by Simon Magus and his Scholars with others besides Iewes and Mahumetans and why See Irenaeus Austin Theodoret Tertullian Epiphanius c. Nicholatians Gnosticks See Irenaeus Tertullian Austin Theodoret c. Carpocrates See the authors above named Eusebius also and Clemens Alexandrinus Cerinthus Ebionites Nazarites See Epiphanius Eusebius Austin c. Valentinians Secundians Ptolomeans See Irenaeus Epiphanius Austin with his Commentator Danaeus c. Marcites Colarbasians Heracleonites See Tertullian Itenaeus Epiphanius Austin c. Ophites Cainites Sethites See the above named Authâ—â—s Archonticks Ascothyptaâ— See Austin Theodoret Isidorus c. Cerdon Marcion See Epiphanius Eusebius Austin Theodoret c. Apelles Tatianus See Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius Austin Theodoret Epiphanius c. Cataphrygians See Epiphanius Eusebius Austin Theodoret Isidor