Pontanus his Catalogue of Heresies who makes one Iohn Agricola the author of this Sect Anno 1535. Q. 5. What is the Religion of the Socinians A. Faustus Socinus an Italian of Siena placed all Religion in these old condemned Heresies so greedily embraced by his Disciples 1. That man before his fall was naturally mortal 2. That no man by the light of nature can have any knowledge of God 3. That man before his fall had not original righteousnesse 4. That there is no original sin in us as it imports concupiscence or deformity of nature 5. That there is a free-will to goodnesse in us and that we may here fulfil the Law 6. That God hath no foreknowledge of contingencies determinately but alternatively 7. That the causes of predestination are not in God but in us and that he doth not predestinatâ— to salvation any particular or certain person and that predestination may be frustrated 8. That God could justly pardon our sins without any satisfaction 9. That Christ by his death did not satisfie for us but onely obtained power for us to satisfie for our selves by our faith and obedience 10 That Christ died for himselfe that is not for his sins for he was without sin but for the mortality and infirmities of our nature which he assumed 11. That Christ became not our High Priest nor immortal nor impassible before he ascended into Heaven 12. That Death Eternal is nothing else but a perpetual continuance in death or anniâ—ilation 13. That everlasting fire is so called from its effect which is the eternal extinction or annihilation of the wicked which shall be found alive in the last day 14. That Christs incarnation is against reason and cannot be proved out of Scripture 15. That Christ is not truly God 16. That the Holy Ghost is not God that there is not a Trinity of Persons in one God 17. That the Old Testament is needlesse for a Christian man These opinions are but renovations of old Hâ—resies broched by Eâ—ian Photinus Arrius Samosatenus Sabellicus Servetus Anâ—â—triniâ—arians and others Q. 6. What be the Armimans Tenets A. Iames Arminius Divinity Reader in Leyden Anno 1605. published and taught five Articles which have occasioned great troubles in Holland being eagerly maintained by his Followers called Remonstrantes They hold 1. that election to life is the will of God to save such as will believe and persevere in obedience that men may be elected to faith and yet not elected to salvation that election is sometimes absolute sometimes conditional that the act of faith is chosen as a condition to salvation and that in election to faith the condition of using the light of reason is required That faith and obedience are foreseen by God as already performed by those who are to be chosen peremptorily and compleatly That election sometimes is changible and some elect may finally perish and consequently no certainty of our elections immutability That God hath not decreed to leave any man in the state of sin and damnation meerly out of his will and pleasure and consequently it is not Gods meer will that one Nation should receive the Gospel and not another but a fore-sight of the goodnesse and worth of one Nation above another 2. They teach that God so ordained his son to dye that he did not determin to save any particular man expresly so that Christs death was powerful and sufficient in respect of impertation though there had been no actuall application thereof to any particular man that Christ did not establish a new Covenant of grace by his blood but onely procured a right to his Father to make with men any Covenant whatsoever that Christ by his satisfaction did not merit faith and salvation to any man in respect of effectual application but onely obtained power that the Father might make what conditions he pleased with man the performance whereof depends upon his free will that the Covenant of grace consisteth not in being justified and saved by faith in Christ but in this that God esteemeth our imperfect faith and obedience as meritorious of life eternal as if we had fulfilled the Law that all men are received into the Covenant of grace and all freed from original sin that Christ died not for those whom God elected and highly loved seeing such stood in no need of Christs death 3. They teach that original sin of it self was not sufficient to condemn man kind to temporal or eternal punishment that an unregenerate man is not totally dead in sin nor destitute of all strength to spiritual good things but that he may hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and life that a natural man can by using the gifts of nature rightly obtain saving grace and salvation and that God affordeth sufficient means to bring men to the knowledge of Christ. 4. They teach that holinesse and righteousnesse could not be seated in mans will when he was created and therefore in his fall could not be separated from it that in spirituall death spiritual gifts were not separated from the will of man seeing the will of it self was never corrupted but intangled by the darknesse of the intellect and unrulinesse of the affection that in mans conversion no new gifts are infused and therefore the faith by which we are converted is not a quality infused but onely an act of man that the grace by which we are converted is onely a gentle perswasion so that Morall grace makes naturall men become spiritual and that God by moral reason produceth the consent of the will that God in mans conversion doth not use his omnipotent power to bend the will infallibly so that man may and doth oftentimes resist and hinder his own conversion that grace and free will are comperating causes in our conversion so that grace in order of causality doth not precede the action of the will 5. They teach that perseverance is not the effect of election but a condition of the new Covenant to be performed on mans part before his peremptory election and that by his own free-will that God furnisheth the faithfull man with sufficient means to persevere yet it is in the choice of mans will to persevere or not to persevere that regenerate men may and do fall totally and finally from grace and salvation and that they may sin against the Holy Ghost that no assurance of perseverance can be had in this life without speciall revelation that the Doctrine of assurance is hurtfull to all holy exercises and a means of presumption and security whereas doubting is commendable that temporary and true justifying faith differ onely in continuance that it is no absurdity if man be oftentimes regenerated his former regeneration being extinct that Christ never prayed for the faithfuls infallible perseverance in faith These are the five Articles of Arminianisme as they are set down in the Book called The Iudgement of the Synod of Doâ—t Q. 7. What are the opinions of the new Church of
would have burnt incense on the Altar but was prohibited by Azariah the high Priest and eighty other Priests This Vzziah named also Azariah though a King yet was justly resisted by the Priests for his pride sacriledge and ambition in medling with their function whereby he violated the Laws of Politick government which a King should maintain for confusion must arise where offices are not distinct but where men are suffered to incroach upon each others function 2. He had no calling to the Priesthood and no man taketh upon him this office but he that is called of God as was Aaron 3. He violated the Law of God who confined the Priesthood to the house of Aaron and Tribe of Levi excluding from that all other Tribes 4. He was injurious to Christ whose type the high Priest was in offering sacrifices and incense representing thereby our high Priest Christ Jesus who offered up himself a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God So Iohojada the high Priest did well to depose Athaliah who was a stranger an idolater and usurper this was lawful for him so to doe being high Priest whose authority was great both in civil and ecclesiastick affaires but this is no warrant for any private man to attempt the like Besides Iehojada was bound to see the young King righted both as he was high Priest and as he was his kinsman Hezechias restored all according to King Davids institution he raised great Taxes towards the maintenance of Gods worship and permitted the Levites to flea the burnt offrings which before belonged only to the Priests office and caused the people to keep the Passover in the second moneth whereas by Moses his institution it should be kept the first moneth He permitted also many that were not sanctified or cleansed to eat the Passover against Moses his Law which were innovations in Religion Iosias reformes all abuses abolisheth idolatry repaireth the Temple readeth publickly the Law of Moses which was found by Hilkiah the high Priest and makes a covenant with God to keep the Law Under King Eliakim or Ioachim Religion was so corrupted that the Priests Levites Prophets or Scribes with the Elders of the people condemned the Prophet Ieremy to death Under Zedechiah both the Church government and state fell together in Iudea Q. In the mean while what Church government was there among the Ten Tribes A. The Kings of Israel our of policy least the people should return again to Ierusalem and the two Tribes defaced their Religion with much Idolatrous worship for executing of which they had their Priests and inferior Ministers answering to the Levites but they suffered no Priests or Levites of the order of Aaron to live amongst them Yet they had their Prophets also and Prophets Children or Scholars Their two chief Prophets extraordinary were Eliah and Elisha They had also their Elders who had power of Ecclesiastical censures but both Elders and people were ruled by the Prophets who recided in the chief Cities at last the ten Tribes lost both themselves and Church discipline when they were carried away by the Assyrians When Salmanasser carried away the Israelites into Assyria some remainders of them stayed behinde in their own country but being overpressed with multitudes of strangers sent thither to new plant the country the small number of the Ephramites left behind were forced to comply with the new inhabitants in their idolatrous religions now that the Israelites were not quite driven out of their native country may be seen in the History of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34. 6 7 33 2 Chron 35. 18. 2 Kings 23. 19 20. Q. Wherein did the outward splendor of the Iews Religion consist A. In the wealth and magnificence of their Temple which for the beauty riches and greatnesse thereof was one of the wonders of the world for besides the abundance of Iron work there was in it an incredible quantity of brasse silver and golden materials The great Altar the Sea or Caldron the Basis the two Pillars before the Temple the twelve Oxen the ten Lavers the Pots the Shovels the Basins and other Utinsels of the Temple were all of brasse 1 Kings 7. as for silver Iosephus tells us lib. 8. 9. that there were in the Temple ten thousand Candlesticks whereof most were silver wine Tankards eighty thousand silver Phials ten thousand two hundred thousand silver Trumpets forty thousand Snuffers or pot-hooks which he calls musical instruments besides incredible numbers of silver Plates and Dishes silver Tables and the Doors of silver This we know that David left seven thousand talents of refined silver for the Temple besides what Solomon added 1 Chron. 29. as for gold we read that the Oracle and Altar were overlayed with gold so were the Cherubins and the whole house overlaid with gold and the very floore also 1 Kings 6. besides the golden Altar Solomon made the Table whereon the shewbread was of gold the Candlesticks also with the flowers and lamps and tongs with the bowls snuffers basons spoons censers and hinges all of pure gold 1 Kings 7. I need not speak of the rich woods and pretious stones in the Temple The Contriver of this Fabrick was God himselfe the form of it was four square the Courts four one for the Gentiles another for the Israelites the third for women and the fourth for the Priests the Gentiles might not enter into the Israelites court for that was counted a prophanation of the Temple yet our Saviour who was frequently conversant in the court of the Gentiles accounted that a part of his Fathers house and the house of prayer and it was out of this Court that he whipped the buyers and sellers this was called Solomons porch Iohn 10. Acts 3. because in that place Solomon stood when he dedicated the Temple and used there to pray or because it stood undemolished by the Chaldeans when the rest of the Temple was destroyed In the Priests Court stood the Altar of burnt offerings and the brasen Sea In the Sanctuary called the Oracle because there God delivered his Oracles stood the Ark the Censer Propitiatory and Cherubines it had no light nor window in it hither the high Priest only had access and that but once a year where he burned incense so that he neither could see not be seen In the holy place which was also without windows there burned lights perpetually to represent the celestial lights but in the most holy there was no light at all to shew that all outward light is but darknesse being compared with that light which God inhabiteth and which no man can approach unto Within the Ark were the two Tables of the Law the pot with Manna and Aarons rod. The Tables and the rod represented Christs active and passive obedience the golden pot with Manna his two natures The Temple was built after the manner of the Tabernacle but that did far exceed this in stability magnitude glory and continuance In the Tabernacle were but
Blessed be thou O God Lord of all the World who hast given such understanding to the cock When they change their shirts the walls and bed-posts must not see their nakedness but they must change within the bed-cloaths They must not in the morning put on the left shoe before the right but at night they should put off the left shoe first As they are going out of their chamber in the morning they must with a submissive mind bow their head to the ground in remembrance of the devastation of the Temple at Jerusalem but no man must offer to say his prayers till first he hath eased himself at the stoole and washed his hands because upon them evil spirits sit in the night time and his face also because it was made after the image of God but they must be careful that the right hand with which they touch the Law and write the name of God may no waies be defiled And when in private they are easing of themselves they must not then think of God or of his Law for that will shorten their life as their Rabbins say If any man touch his eye in the morning with unwashed hands he shall be blind if his ears deaf if his nostrils they shall still be dropping if his mouth it shall stink if any part of his skin it shall be scabbed they must not presume to pray but in their four cornerd cloak from which hangs certain borders laces or Phylacteries which they call Zizim they must also have their Tephillin tied to their heads and hands these are scrowls or bundels of prayers but of these and many more of their superstitious ceremonies see Buxtorsius in Synagoga Iudaica Q. How do they prepare themselves for the feast of Reconciliation A. The first ten days after the beginning are penitential in which they fast and pray The ninth day every man young and old takes a Cock in his hand every woman and maid a Hen. After some impertinent sentences pronounced out of Scripture each one whirls the Cock about the Priests head saying This Cock shall die for me then the Cocks throat is cut his body flung to the ground and at last roasted His guts are cast upon the top of the house that the Ravens may carry them away and their sins together They labour much for white Cocks which they hold to be pure from sin red Cocks they detest as being full of sin The reason why they sacrifice a Cock is because the Hewbrew word Gheber signifieth a man and in the Thalmud a Cock so to them the death of a Cock is as much as the death of a man After this they go to the Church yard confesse their sins and give to the poor the price of their Cocks because of old they used to give their cocks to the poor In the afternoon they dip themselves again in water and prepare lights for their next days service in the Synagogue where in the evening they meet and reconcile themselves to each other where hath been any offence he that seeks to be reconciled is sufficiently satisfied though the other be obstinate and thinks himself acquitted in seeking for that the other hath refused If the party wronged die he that did the wrong goeth to his grave and before ten witnesses confesseth his fault they confesse also their sins to each other in some secret place of the Church they go two and two the one boweth his body turning his face to the North whilest he is confessing and beating of his breast receiveth thirty nine stripes on the back of his fellow with a leather thong whom he repayes in the like manner Having done they return home and make merry with their roasted cocks and hens Over their cloaths they put on a white shirt or surplice to shew that now they are white and pure from sin Q. What other Ceremonies use they in the feast of Reconciliation A. The ninth day the men in the Synagogues the women at home about evening light wax candles over which they pray stretching out their hands towards the lights which if they burn clear they take it for a good sign that their sins are pardoned and that they shall be happy if the lights be dim or the wax melt it 's ominous Then they fast goe bare-footed abstain from oyl bathing and carnal copulation they spend much of the night in singing and praying and most of the next day while the Priest extendeth his hands to blesse them they all lay their hands on their faces as not daring to look on those sanctified hands of the Priest At this time they fast 48. hours together and some have been observed to stand upright and pray above 24. hours without intermission Some write that they use at this time to bribe Satan that he may not accuse them for their sins Q. What Ceremonies use they when they have read over the Law A. They divide the Pentateuch into 52. Sections according to the 52. Sabbaths of the year The last Lesson which falls out on that day that immediately follows the feast of Tabernacles about the 23. of September is accompanied with singing and the Priests dancing All the books are this day brought oâ—t of the Ark with dancing about it in the interim whilest the books are out of the Ark a candle burns within it to shew that the Law is a Light In the Synagogue they fling Nuts Peares and other fruit to the Youth who in scrabling for the same fall often times together by the ears That day their Ecclesiastick Offices are proposed to sale which occasioneth much strife and malice among them The money raised on the Offices is for the repair of their Synagogues and relief of the poor At last they conclude all with good cheer and wine at supper and are merry if while the Law was carried about he did not stumble that carried it for that is held very ominous Q. What are these Church offices which they sell yearly A. First the Office of lighting the candles Secondly Of furnishing the consecrated wine which is spent in their Sabbaths and other Festivals Thirdly the Office of folding and unfolding the Book of the Law Fourthly of lifting up and carrying about the said Book Fifthly of touching the sacred staves on which the Book or Parchment is rowled Young men are greedy of this office because they think the touching of these staves will prolong their life Sixthly the Office of reading the Law And seventhly of supplying his place who is negligent in his Office Q. Why do they keep the feast of Dedication A. They keep it in memory of Iudas Macchabaeus who dedicated the Temple the 25. of November After it had been possessed and polluted by the Grecians it was then ordained by Iudas and his brethren and all the people that this feast should be kept yearly for eight days together At that first Dedication was found a small vessel of Consecrated oyl which of it self was
is yet to come therfore must make both confession of their faith and of their sâ—â—s They pray that their death may be a sufficient expiation for their sins and that they may have a share in Paradise and in the life to come Q. How do they use their dead A. When the Party dieth his kindred tear off a little piece of their garments because Iacob tore his garments when he heard of Iosephs death They mourn also seven days because Ioseph did so for his father All the water in the house they pour out into the streets They cover his face and bow his thumb that it resembleth the Hebrew Shaddai that so they may terrifie Satan from comming near the Corps His other fingers are stretched out to shew that now he holds the world no longer having forsaken it They wash the body with warm water and anoint the head with wine and the yolk of an egg and cloath him with the white surplice he wore on the day of Reconciliation and then they Coffin him When the Corps is carried out of the house they cast a shell after him signifying that all sorrow should be now cast out of that house In the Church yard a prayer or two is said then the Corps is buried the next of kin casteth in the first earth In their return they cast grasse over their heads either to signifie their frailty and mortality For all flesh is grass or else their hope of the Resurrection When they enter the Synagogue they skip to and fro and change their seat seven times The Mourners go bare-foot seven days abstain from wine and flesh except on Sabbaths and Festivals They bath not in 33. days nor pare their nails They burn candles for seven days together thinking that the departed souls return to the place where they left the body and bewail the losse thereof They beleeve that no Jew can be partaker of the Resurrection who is buried out of Canaan except God through hollow passages of the earth convey his body thither grounding this conceit upon Iacobs desire to Ioseph that he should bury him in Canaan and not in Egypt They borrowed diverse Gentile customs in their Funerals as cutting or tearing their skin hiring of women to sing and minstrils to play also shaving going bare footed and bare-headed with dust on their heads washing anointing and embalming besides beautifying of their Sepulchres and adding of Epitaphs c. they used also burning of the dead as may be seen in 1 Sam. 31. 12. and Amos 6. 10. they bury apart by themselves and not with those of another Religion Their common Epitaph is Let his soul be in the bundle of life with the rest of the just Amen Amen Selah Other vain opinions and ceremonies they have but not to our purpose Of which see Munster Buxtâ—rfius Margarita Galatin Hospinian Fagius D. Kimchi Aben Esra c. The Contents of the second Section The Religions of the ancient Babylonians of the making worshipping of images and bringing in Idolatry 2. Of Hierapolis and gods of the Syrians 3. Of the Phenicians 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 Religions SECT II. Quest. WHat kinde of Religious or rather Superstitious government was there among the Ancient Babylonians Answ. They had their Priests called Chaldeans and Magi who were much addicted to Astrology aâ—d Divination and had their Schools for education of the Youth in this knowledge They worshipped divers gods or idols rather the two chief were Belus or Bel or Baal by whom they meant Iupiter the other was Astaroth or Astarte by which Iuno was understood They were bound also by their superstitious discipline to worship the Sun and so was the King to offer to him every day a white horse richly furnished They worshipped also the Fire under the name of Nego and and the Earth by the name of Shaca To this Goddesse they kept a feast for five dayes in Babylon where during that time the Servants were Masters and the Masters Servants They worshipped also Venus for maintaining of whose service the women prostituted themselves to strangers and received much money thereby to this purpose they sat and exposed themselves at the Temple of Venus which they call Militta Their Priests used to have their Processions and to carry their Idols on their shoulders the people before and behinde worshipping The Priests also there used to shave their heads and beards and to stand in their Temple with Axes Scepters and other Weapons in their hands and Candles lighted before them They held a Divine Providence but denied the Creation Ninus was the first Idolater who after the death of his Father Belus set up his Image and caused it to be adored with divine honours here at Babylon and in the rest of his dominions Thus we see that the making of images and the worshipping of them was the invention of the Gentiles for indeed they were men whom the Pagans affirmed to be gods and every one according to his merits and magnificence began after his death to be worshipped by his friends but at length by the perswasion of evil spirits they esteemed those whose memories they honoured to be lesser gods this opinion and idolatry was fomented by the Poets and not onely a preposterous love and a vain admiration of the worth and merits of dead men brought in idolatry but likewise Deisidemonia or a foolish and preposterous fear primus in orbe Deos fecit timor for the Gentiles did fear their Religion would be in vain if they did not see that which they worshipped they would therefore rather worship stocks and stones then an invisible Deity but it is ridiculous saith Seneca Genâ— posito simulachra adorare suspicere fabros vero qui illa secerunt contemnere to worship and admire the image and to slight the image maker whereas the Artificer deserves more honour then the Art Against this madnesse the Prophet Isaiah speaketh chap. 44. men cut down trees rinde them burn a part of them make ready their meat and warm themselves by the fire thereof but of the residue he maketh a god an idol and prayeth to it but God hath shut their eyes from sight and their heart from understanding Divers ways they had in worshipping of their Idols sometimes by bowing the head sometimes by bending the knee
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
remember that God doth sometimes permit Satan to buffet us as he did Paul that he might try our patience and obedience that we may be the more watchfull of our selves against that roaring Lyon which compasseth the earth to and fro seeking whom he may devour that we may be the more earnest in prayer that we may adhere the closer to God and that we may acknowledge his fatherly care and goodnesse who will not suffer us to be tempted above measure comforting our selves in this that his grace is sufficient for us 5. We must remember that God hath given his Angels charge over us to hold us up in their hands least we dash our foot against a stone Christ was no sooner tempted by Satan but the Angels came and ministred to him When Iacob was persecuted by his brother Esau God sent a multitude of Angels to guard him The Prophet Elisha was encompassed with fiery Chariots or Angels in that shape from the Syrian Souldiers Let us not then fear so long as we know that the Angels of God are round about those that fear him and delivereth them and that the same Angels will be ready at our death to convey our souls as they did Lazarus into Abrahams bosome 6. Let us support our selves against Satan by the assurance of Christs death and the remission of our sins for blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven him therefore let us not be afraid for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus It is God that justifieth who can condemn if Satan objects against us that sin hath abounded let us answer him in the Apostles words grace hath much more abounded 7. Let us as our Saviour counselleth us watch and pray continually our spirituall enemies are many vigilant malicious and powerful nothing will give them advantage over us but security and neglect of prayer vigilancy and prayer are Armour of proofe against all tentations with these Saint Paul armed himself when he was buffeted by the Angel of Satan therefore saith Saint Hierom When thou walkest abroad let prayers arm thee when thou returnest home let prayers meet thee Egredientes domo armet oratio regredientibus de platea occurrat oratio Lastly let us take heed we do not countenance or approve or have any commerce with Necromancers or such as take upon them to raise Spirits for God often times punisheth such vain curiosity let us beware of too much retirednesse for Satan is most ready to tempt us when we are alone so he tempted Eve when she was alone in the Garden and assaulted Christ when he was alone in the Desart Let us take heed also of too much sadnesse and melancholy for though this be a natural infirmitie yet Satan by it takes occasion to work mischief as we see in Saul who is said to have an evil spirit when he was in his melancholy fit and we know that in the Gospel mad men Phreneticks and Lunaticks are called Demoniacks because the Devil took occasion by their madnesse to advance his kingdom of darknesse And let us chiefly endeavour to have a good conscience which is a continual feast to live a holy life and to be just in all our wayes and so we shall not need to feare Satans Stratagems or illusions for the righteous man is bold as a Lyon Q. Of What Religion were the Chinois A. They were alwaies and still are Idolaters except as few gained to Christianity by the Jesuits and a few Tartars that are Mahumetans That vast Dominion is full of Temples and Monasteries replenished with multitudes of Idols which their cunning Priests feed with the smoak of meats but they eat the meat themselves The Priests here have so much power over their gods that they may beate and whip them when they do not answer their expectation They have one Idol with three heads which they much reverence These represent their three great Philosophers Confusius Xequiam aud Tanzu Their chiefe gods are the Sun Moon and Stars They worship also the devil not out of love but feare that he may do them no hurt therefore they place his picture in the fore Castle of their ships They are Pythagoreans in the opinion of Transahimation therefore some of them will not kill any living thing For this cause at Quinsay in a walled Parke belonging to a Monastery the Monks feed 4000 living creatures of divers kinds out of their charity to the souls of Noble men which were entred into the bodies of these creatures Their Monks are shaven are bound to weare beads to be present at burials to maintain Celibate whilst they are Monks to pray two hours together before day Of these religious Orders there be four sorts distinguished by their colours black white yellow and russet These have their Priors Provincials and Generall he is carryed on mens shoulders in an Ivory Chaite and is cloathed in silke Their maintainance is not onely the Kings allowance but also the benevolence of devout people which they procure by begging and praying for them They have their Nuns also and Hermits and consecrated Hills to which the people make divers Pilgrimages There are many Colledges for learning which is of high esteem among them Their Secular Priests weare long hair and black cloath their Regulares are shaven but neither must marry They are bound to observe all Feastivall days such as the New and Full Moons the Kings birth-day but chiefly New-years day which is the first day of the New Moon in February The people here are very Superstitious in obâ—rving their birth-day and in performing the Funâ—al Obsequies of their Parents whom they adore and bury in the fields with all solemnity and excessive charges No man is tyed to any particular worship among them but he may be of what Sect he will They have abundance of Hospitals for the poor and no beggers to be seen among them But for any knowledge of heavenly joyes or hell torments they have very little or none at all They are very much afraid when there is any Eclipse of the Sun or Moon which they hold to be man and wife for then they think that these two gods are angry with them Of their many superstitious Ceremonies and vain opinions in Divinity see the Discourse of China Boterus Ortelius Maffaeus Linschoten and the Jesuits Epistles Q What was the Religion of the ancient Indians A. They worshipped their own gods till Bacchus and Alexander subdued them and then the Grecian deities were honoured amongst them chiefly Iupiter Iuno Neptune and Berecynthia Hercuses also they honoured in the forme and bigness of a Gyant The River Ganges and their tallest trees were honoured as Gods among them therefore it was death to cut down any of them Dancing to their Idols was held a part of Divine worship but the Brachmans among them worshipped no Images nor any living creature were very temperate in in their dyet and gave themselves to contemplation of divine things They abstain
from Wine and strong drink and women and lie on skins Their Gymnosophists were Philosophers who accustomed their bodies to endure all hardnesse and their eyes to gaze on the Sun from morning to evening Of the Indian Religion see Alexander ab Alexandro Pliny Bâ—emus c. Q. What is the Religion of Siam A. This kingdome of the East-Indies except where the Moors inhabit and some Christians is also idolatrous But especially they worship the four Elements and accordingly there be four differâ—nt Sects Each one desireth to be buried in that element which he worshippeth hence some are buried some burned some hanged in the Ayr and some drowned in the Water They hold that God made all things that the good are rewarded and the wicked punished That each man hath two spirits waiting on him a good and a bad That the world shall stand 8000 yeers and then shall be burned into ashes whence shall come forth two eggs and out of them one man and one woman who shall again replenish the Earth Their religious Orders are so strict that it's death among them to speak to a woman They feed on Rice onely and herbs which they beg from door to door They must not buy nor sell nor take Rents They are tyed to rise at midnight to pray to their Idols They go still bare-footed and in poor cloaths Every King of this Country at his Coronation is bound to erect a Temple with high Steeples and multitudes of Idols Their priests go in yellow being a sacred colour resembling the Suns light They may not nourish any female thing not so much as a hen He that drinks Wine is stoned to death See the discourse of China Boterus Maginus and others Q. What is the Religion of Pegu A. The religious Ceremonies of this kingdom consisted in multitudes of Temples Images and begging preachers who are still preaching and begging Their Alms are brought to them in the Pulpits whilst they are preaching The people when they enter into their Churches at the dore wash their feet and by lifting up their hands to their heads salute the preacher first and and then the Sun When any enters into that Order of Talipâ—n or preacher he is first carried in solemnity about the streets on horse-back with Pipes and Drâ—ms then upon mens shoulders to his house which is without the Town They keep holy day every New-Moon They believe multitudes of gods worlds succeeding each other that this world hath been governed by four gods already who are gone the fift is not yet come after whose death the world shall be burned After this life they hold some shall live in carnal pleasure some in torment and others shall be aunihiarid They hold Transanimation and are bound to fast thirty days every year They know no women for whom they allow Nunneries The People drink the water wherein their Preachers wash themselves coâ—nting it holy They feed the Devil each morning with baskets of rice that he may not hurt them that day When they are sick they build him Altars and pacifâ—e him with flowers meat and musick Their Idols are honoured with divers festivals in which wax lights are burned all night and the gates stand open that all those may see and have accesse to the idol who bring presents with them Q. Of what Religion are the people of Bengala A. They are not content to worship the River â—ahges but to its image also they give divine honours The River is visited by many Pilgrims who think themselves happy if they can wash themselves in it If any can drink of the water thereof at the point of death he thinks presently by the vertue thereof to obtain heaven There is also a Well which they adore in If they wash away all their sins and are all clean both without and within if they wash in it and drink thereof They carry away the sand of this Well as a sacred Relique and in recompence leave flowers behind them in the Well For fear Ieast their idols should saint with too much heat there are some who with fans blow the wind for refrigeration All are bound to enter bareâ—ooted into the idol-Temples The more horrid and ugly the idol looks the more he is worshipped Sick people are brought and laid before the idols which are honoured with lights continually burning before them Their marriages are made in some Water wherein the Priest and the married couple hold a Cow with her Calfe by the taile and poure water upon it then the Priest tieth the maâ—ried persons cloaths together then going round about the Cow aud Calse the Ceremony is ended The Priest hath for his Fee the Cow and Calf the poor some Almes and the idols some Money About Iemena they use to pray naked in the water and to do pennance by lying flat on the ground 〈◊〉 the earth holding up their hands to the Sun and turning themselves about fourty times Who deâ—ire more of this stuff let them read Linschoten R. Fitzh 〈…〉 Q. Of what Religion is the kingdom of Magor A. They are for the most part Pythagoreans holding Transanimation they acknowledge one God but have many fabulous conceits of him as that he hath appeared in the world in divers monstrous shapes to wit of a Fish a Snail a Hog a Monster resembling Woman in the lower part and a Lyon in the upper They worship divers idols one chiefly representing a Woman with two heads and many hands to this image neâ—r the City Tahor repair many Pilgrims The King worshippeth every morning the image of the Sun and of Christ also the Son of righteousnesse which he sets on the crown of his head See Oranus in his Narration of Magor Q. What is the Reiigion of Cambaia A. The people here are so superstitiously Pythagoreans that there are among them some religious orders who are afraid to kill a Gnat or Worm They are much addicted to fasting and almes-giving Their religious persons called Verteus leave no hair on their heads and faces but a little on their crown They will not drink their water cold fearing least thereby they should slay the soul of the water which is quickened by boyling The people here redeem birds and beasts appointed to be slain and if any bird be sick or hurt they carry it to the Hospital They redeem also Malefactors condemned to dye and sell them for slaves For fear least they should tread upon Ants they will rather go out of the way then goe neer their Hills They drink no Wine nor will eat Eggs least there should be blood in them Neither will they eat of Radishes Onyons or any herb that hath red colour in it See Maffaeus Linschoten and Purchas Q. What is the Religion professed in Goa A. Here are Christians Jewes Mahumetans and Pagans who pray to the Sun and Moon and worship divers idols of horrible Aspects but their custome is to pray to the first thing they meet with
Mahomet hath as I said lasted above a thousand years The reasons are divers as I have shewed in the former question to which may be added these 1. By this long persecution and tyranny of the Turks God will try and exercise the faith patience constancy and other vertues of his people which would corrupt and purrifie like standing water or Moab â—â—tled upon the Lees not being poured from vessel to vessel How can the courage of a Souldier be known but in a skirmish or the skill of a Mariner but in a storm Marcet sine adversario virtus that tree saith Seneca is most strongly rooted in the ground which is most shaken with the wind Nulla est aâ—or fortis solida nisi in quam venti saepius incursant ipsa enim â—exatiane constringitur adices certius figit 2. God is pleased to continue this tyranny and power of the Mahumetans to the end that Christian Princes may love each other and stick close together against the common enemy that their military discipline might be exercised abroad and not at home For this cause the wisest of the Romans were against the utter destruction of Carthage fearing least the Romans wanting an enemy abroad should exercise their swords against themselves which fell out accordingly For the same cause God would not utterly destroy the Philistines Ammonites Moabites and other neighbouring enemies of the Iewes But such is the madnesse of Christians that though we have so potent an enemy close at our doores ready to devour us yet wee are content to sheath that sword into our owne bowels which we should imploy against the common foe 3. God will have this sword of Mahumetanisme to hang over our heads and this scourge to be still in our eyes that thereby wee may be kept the more in awe and obedience that if at any time we start aside like a broken bow we may returne againe in time considering God hath this whip ready and at hand to correct us Thus God lest the Canaanites among the Jewes to be pricks in their eyes and goads in their sides I will not saith the Lord drive out any from before them of the Nations which Joshua left when he died that through them I might prove Israel whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk tberein c. therefore the Lord left these nations without driving them out hastily See Iudg. 2. 21 22. 3. 1 2 3 c. 4. God is content to continue this Mahumetan Sect so long because justice is exercised among them without which a State or Kingdome can no more stand then a tree without a root or an house without a foundation they are also zealous and devout in their way and great enemies to Idolatry so that they will permit no images to be painted or carved among them knowing that God is not offended so much against any sin as against idolatry which is spiritual adultery most destructive of that matrimonial conjuction between God and us 5. The Lord by the long continuance of Mahumetanism will punish the perfidiousnesse and wickednesse of the Greek Emperours as likewise the multitude of heresies and schisms hatched in that Church 6. This Sect of Mahumeranism is so made up of Christianism Judaism and Gentilism that it abates the edge of any of these nations from any eager desire of its extirpation 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 Marcites Colarbassi and Heracleonites 11. The Ophites Cainites and Sethites 12. The Archonticks and Ascothyprae 13. Cerdon and Marcion 14. Apelles Severus and Tacianus 15. The Cataphrygians 16. Pepuzians Quintilians and Artotyrites 17. The Quartidecimani and Alogiani 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 Photinians 23. The Manichaean Religion 24 The Hierachites Melitians and Arians 25. The Audians Semi-arians and Macedonians 26. The Aerians Aetians and Apollinarists 27. The Antidicomarianits Messalians and Metangismonites 28. The Hermians Proclianites and Patricians 29. The Ascites Pattalorinchites Aquarii and Coluthiani 30. The Floriani Aeternales and Nudipidales 31. The Donatists Priscillianists Rhetorians and Feri 32. The Theopaschites Tritheits Aquei Melitonii Ophei Tertullii Liberatores and Nativitarii 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 SECT VII Quest. WHat is the other great Religion professed in Europe A. Christianity which is the Doctrine of Salvation delivered to man by Christ Jesus the Son of God who assuming our nature of a pure Virgin taught the Jewes the true way to happinesse confirming his doctrine by signes and miracles at length sealed it with his blood and so having suffered death for our sins and rose again for our justification he ascended to his Father leaving twelve Apostles behind him to propagate this doctrine through the world which they did accordingly confirming their words with miracles and their own blood and so this light of the Gospel scattered all the fogs and mists of Gentile superstition at the sight of this Ark of the new Covenant the Dagon of idolatry fell to the ground when this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah did roar all the beasts of the forrest that is the Pagan Idols or Devils rather hid themselves in their dens Apollo complained that his Oracles failed him and that the Hebrew child had stopped his mouth When it was proclaimed at Palotes by Thanas the Egyptian ship-master that the great god Pan was dead all the evil spirits were heard to howl and bewail the overthrow of their Kingdom Porphirie complained that the preaching of Christ had weakened the power of their gods and hindred the gain of their Priests The bones of Babylas so hindered Apollo that he could deliver no Oracle while they were there The Delphick Temple fell down with earthquake and thunder when Iulian sent to consult with the Oracle Such was the irresistible power of the two-edged sword which came out of Christs mouth that nothing was able to withstand it The little stone cut out of the mountain without hands smot the great Image of Nebuchadnezzar and brake it in pieces to the Doctrine of twelve poor weak fishermen did the great Potentates of the world submit their Scepters Thus the stone which the builders refused became the head of the Corner it was the Lords doing and its marveilous in our eyes The terrible beast which with his iron teeth destroyed all the other beasts is destroyed by
this cause these Abclites did marry Wives but not use them as Wives for propagation for â—â—ar of Original sin whereof they would not be authors therefore they condemned copulation as a work of the flesh and altogether Satanical But for the conservation of their Sect they used to adopt other mens Children This heresie sprung up under Arcadius the Emperout 370. yeares after Christ in the Terriroties of Hippo where Saint Austin was Bishop This heresie lasted not long Q. 36. What Tenets in Religion held the Pelagians Praedestinati and Timotheans A. The Pelagians were so called from Pelagius a Brittain by birth and a Monk at Rome afterward a Presbyter under Theodâ—sius the yonger 382. years after Christ. They were named also Caelestiani from Caelestius one of Pelagius his scholars These taught that death was not the wages of sin but that Adam should have died though he had not sinned That Adams sin was hurtful onely to himselfe and not to his posterity that concupiscence was no sin that Infants did not draw original sin from their Parents that infants might be saved without baptisme that they should have life eternal but out of the Kingdom of God that man after the fall had the free will to do good and ascribed no more to grace but that by it we had our nature and that by our good works wee obtaine grace they rejected the Doctrine of predestination perhaps because the Hereticks called Praedestinati made Predestination a cloak for all wickednesse security and desperation for they taught that the Predestinate might sinne securely for he could not be damned and that such as were not predestinate should never be saved though their life were never so holy This heresie was not long before Pelagianisme and is the same with that of the Libertins The Timotheans so called from Timotheus Aelurus that is the Caâ— from his bad conditions sprung up under Zeno the Greek Emperour 447. years after Christ. These taught that the two natures of Christ were so mixed in the Virgins Womb that they ceased to be what they were before and became a third substance made up of both as a mixed body is made up of the Elements which lose their names and forms in the mixtion These Hereticks afterward lost the name of Timotheans from Timotheus their Author Bishop of Alexandria and were called Monothelites and Monophysites from ascribing onely one will and one nature to Christ. Of the Pelagians see Austin and the other Fathers who have written against them Q. 37. What was the Religion of the Nestorians Eutychians and of those Sects which sprung out of them A. The Nestorians were so called from Nestorius Patriarch of Constantinople who broached his Heresie under Theodosius the younger 400 years after Christ. He taught that in Christ were two distinct persons to wit the Son of God and the Son of Mary that the Son of God in Christs baptisme descended into the Son of Mary and dwelt there as a lodger doth in a house therefore he would not call the Virgin Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of Christ. Besides he made the humanity of Christ equal with his divinity aad so confounded their properties and operations This Heresie was but the spawn of some former Heresies chiefly of Manicheisine and Arrianiame It was condemned in the Councel of Epâ—esus under Theodosius the younger in which Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria was Presidentâ— and the author Nestorius was deposed and banished where his blasphemous tongue was eat out with Wormes and his body with Core and his seditious complices swallowed up by the Earth The Eutychians so named from Euâ—yches Archimandrite or Abbot of Constantinopie who lived in the latter end of Theodosius the younger held opinions quite contrary to Nestorius to wit that Christ before the Union had two distinct natures but after the Union only one to wit the Divinity which swallowed up the Humanity and so they confounded the property of the two natures affirming that the Divine nature suffered and died and that God the Word did not take from the Virgin Humane nature This heresie was first condemned in a Provincial Synod at Constantinople then it was set up again by Dioscurus Bishop of Alexandria in the theevish Councel of Ephesus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at last condemned by the generall Councel of Chalcedon under Marcian the Emperour From the Eutychians sprung up the Acephalâ— or headlesse Hereticks so called because they had neither Bishop Priest nor Sacâ—ament amongst them these held that in Christ were two natures which notwithstanding they confounded as they did also the properties saying that the humanity lost it selfe and properties being swallowed up by the divinity as a drop of Vineger is lost in the Sea Severus Bishop of Alexandria was author of this Sect under Anastasius Emperour 462. yeares after Christ. They were called also Theodosians from Theodosius their chiefe Patron and Bishop of Alexandria 2. The Monophysites were all one with the Eutychians differing onely in name 3. The Agnoetae so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorance becausâ— they held that Christs Divinity which with them onely remained after the Union was ignoranT of the day of judgement and where Lazarus after his death was laied This heresie was revived by Theodosius Bishop of Alexandria under Mauritius the Emperour 572. yeares after Christ. 4. The Iacobites so called from Iacobus the Syrian held the same opinions that the Eutychians and scoffed the Christians with the name of Meâ—chites because they followed the Emperour in their Faith These under Phâ—cas the Emperour drew all Syria into their Heresie 575. yeares after Christ. 5. The Armenians so named from Armenia insected with that Heresie held that Christ took not a humane body from the Virgin but that it was immortall from the first minute of its Conception hence they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they againe in sâ—orn called the Orthodox Christians Manicheans and Phantasâ—asts these held a Quaternity of Persons and that the Divinity suffered and kept their Easter after the Jewish manner They sprung up under Phocas the Emperour 577. yeares after Christ. 6. The Monothelites in words held there were two natures in Christ but in effect denyed them by giving him one Will onely All these branches of Eutychianisme were condemned by the fifth General Councel held at Constantinople under Iustinian the first who confirmed the councel of Chalcedon to which these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doubting Hereticks for so they called themselves would not subscribe At last sprung up Mahumetanisme 589. years after Christ. Of which we have spokeh already Of all these see Isidor Theodoret Evagrius Nicephorus Sâ—erates Sozomen and others The Contents of the Eighth Section Of the opinions in Religion held the seventh Centurâ— â— The opinions of the eighth Century 3. The Tenets of the ninth and tenth Centuries 4.
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
Some of them deny the souls immortality and doubt whether there be any other Deity except Heaven and Earth 21. The Family of Love whose author was one Henry Nicolas a Hollander They reject all Sacraments and the three last petitions of the Lords prayer They say that Christ is onely the image of God the Fathers right hand and that mans soule is a part of the divine essence 22. Effroâ—tes so called from shaving their foreheads till they bleed and then anoint them with oyle using no other baptisme but this they say the holy Ghost is but a bare motion inspired by God into the mind and that he is not to be adored all which is directly repugnant to Gods word which proves that the holy Ghost is true God Thou hast not lyed saith Saint Peter unto man but unto God meaning the holy Ghost This Sect took up their station in Transylvania 23. Hosmanists these teach that God took flesh of himself whereas the Scripture saith that Christ was made of a Woman They deny pardon to those thaâ— relapse into sin and so they abridge the grace of God who wills us to repent and thereupon receives us into â—avour 24. 〈◊〉 so called from one Gaspâ—â— Schewenkfeld a Silesian he taught that the Scripture was needlesse to Salvation and with the old Mâ—nichees and Valentinians that Christ was not conceived by the holy Ghost in the Virgins Womb but that God created a man to redeem us and joyned him to himselfe and that this man became God after he ascended into Heaven they confound the Persons of Father and Son and say that God did not speak these words This is my beloved Son That faith is the very essence and nature of God That all Christians are the Sons of God by nature procreated of the divine essence That the Sacraments are uselesse that Christs body is every where Of these Sects and many more of lesse note see Florimundus Raymundâ—s hence we may see what a dangerous Gap hath been made since Luther began to oppose the Church of Rome for the little Foâ—â—es to destroy Christs Vineyard what multitudes of Taâ—es have grown up 〈◊〉 the good Corn in the Lords field what troublesome Frogs worse then those of Egypt have crawled into mâ—st mens houses what swarmes of Locusts have darkened thâ— Sun of righteousnesse whilst â—e was â—â—ining in the Firmament of his Church Q 13. What other opinions in religion were maintained this age A. Carolostadius Arch Deacon of Witâ—berâ— and Oecolâ—â—padius Monk of the Order of S. Bridges opposed Luthers Doctrin in the point of the real presence shewing that Christ was in the bread onely sacramentally or significatively The Libertius whose author was one Quintious a Taylor of Piâ—cardy taught that whatsoever good or evil we did was not done by us but by Gods Spirit in us that sin was nothing but an opinion that in reproving of sinners we reproved God himself that he onely was regenerate who had no remorse of conscience that he onely reâ—euted who confessed he had committed no evil that man in this life may be perfect and innocent that the knowledge we have of Christ and of our Resurrection is but opinion that we may dissemble in Religion which is now the opinion of Master Hobbs and lastly they slight the Scriptures relying on their own inspirations and they slight the Pen men of the Holy Ghost calling Saint Iohn a foolish young man Saint Matthew a Publican Saint Paul a broken vessel and Saint Peter a denyer of his Master Zuinglius Canon of Constance held the Doctrine of Câ—rolostadius against Luther concerning the real presence David George a Glasier in Gaunt taught that he was God Almighties Nephew born of the Spirit not of the flesh the true Messiah and third David that was to reign on Earth that Heaven was void of inhabitants and that therefore he was sent to adopt Sons for that heavenly Kingdom He denied Spirites the Resurrection and the last judgement and life eternal He held promiscuous copulation with the Adamits and with the Manichees that the soul was not polluted with sin that the souls of Infidels shall be saved and the bodies of the Apostles as well as those of Infidels shall be burned in Hell fire and that it was no sin to deny Christ before men therefore they condemned the Martyrs of folly for shedding their blood for Christ. Melaâ—â—ctâ—on was a Lutheran but not altogether so rigid so was Bucer except in the point of Christs real presence Westphalus also but he denied original sin and the Holy Ghosts procession from the Son and that Christs did not institute the Lent Fast nor was any man tied to keep it Q. 14. What were the chief Heads of Calvins Doctrine A. That in this life our â—aith is not without some doubtings and incredulity that the Scriptures are sufficient without traditions that an implicite faith is no faith that the Books of Tobias Iudith a part of Hester The Wisedome of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Baruch The History of Bell and the Dragon and the books of Macchabees are not parts of the Canonical Scripture that the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament is only authentical and so the Grek of the New Testament that the Scripture in Fundamentals is clear of it selfe and is a sufficient judge of controversies that the Elect have saving faith onely which can never totally and finally be lost that predestination to life or death dependeth not on mans foreseen merits or demerits but on Gods free will and pleasure that no sin comes to passe without the will of God that the Son of God received not his Essence of the Father nor is he God of God but God of himselfe that Christ in respect of his humaniâ—y was ignorant of some things that the Virgin Mary was obnoxious to divers sins and infirmities that Christ is our Mediaâ—or in respect of both natures that Christ was in the state of damnation when he suffered for us but did not continue in it that Christ by his suffering merited nothing for himselfe that he descended not truly into Hell but by suffering the pains of Hell on the Crosse that there is no Limbus Patrum nor Purgatory that our prayers avail not to the dead that the torments of the evil Angels were deferred till the day of judgement that Christ came not out of the grave whilest it was shut that the true Church of God consisteth onely of the Elect and that it is not visible to men that the Church may erre that Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome nor the Pope his successor but that he is Antichrist that the Church and Magistrate cannot make Laws to bind the conscience that caelibat and the monastical life is unlawful consequently the vows of chastity poverty and obedience that man hath not free will to goodnesse that concupiscence or the first motions before the will consents are sins that all sins are mortal and none in themselves venial that 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
Arnhem Answer They hold that Independency is a beginning of Christs temporall Kingdome here on earth that within five years but these are already expired Christ was to come in the flesh and with an iron sword to kill most of his enemies and then that he should reign here on earth with his Saints a thousand years in all carnal delights 2. That God is not onely the author of sin but also of the sinfulnesse or Ataxie thereof 3. That all men are bound to know God in abstracto without Christ without Grace or Scripture 4. They held extreme unction to be a Sacrament and necessary for the sick and of divine institution so they held the holy kisse of peace a religious and needfull Ceremonie 5. They put down singing Psalmes and set up in lieu thereof singing prophets who are to chant out alone in the Congregation their own hymnes 6. They teach that the soul is mortall 7. That just mens souls go not into heaven till the last day but remain in the upper element of fire whither Enoch and Eliah with the Soul of Christ before his resurrection and the soul of the good thief went and no higher they teach also that the Souls of the wicked go not before the last judgement into hel but remain in the lower region of the air or in the bottom of the sea 8. They say that after the day of judgement all the world shall be hell except that part of heaven where God resides with his Angels 9. In preaching they will have their Ministers covered and the people bare but in administring the Sacrament they will have the people covered and the Minister bare Q. 8. Vpon what grounds do these Millenaries build Christs temporall Kingdome here on earth for a thousand years An. Upon that place of the Revilation 19. 4 5 6. I saw the Souls of them who were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years but this place proves no such Kingdome for it is mysticall and symbolicall Divinity not argumentative Again in this place there is no mention at all of any earthly presence of Christ nor of any earthly reign with him besides the Kingdome of Christ is everlasting for of his Kingdome saith the Angel there shall be no end therefore here is put a definite number for an indefinite Christ saith his Kingdome is not of this world the Kingdome of Christ is spirituall and within us and if we speak of Christs Kingdome as he is Mediator reigning in his Church by his word sacraments and discipline we must conclude that he hath reigned already above 1600. years and how long more he shall reign here on earth we know not 2. They build their opinion upon Dan. 12. 2. Many of them who sleep in the dust shall arise c. hence they inferre two resurrections in the first many shall rise to reign with Christ here on earth in the second they say all shall rise to Judgement but this interpretations is ridiculous for the first Resurrection mentioned in Scripture is spirituall to wit a rising from the death of sinne of which the Apostle if you be risen with Christ seek the things that are above for as sin is called death you were dead in sinnes and trespasses so the forsaking of sinne is called a resurrection this is the rising of the mind the other of the body Agaiâ— in Scripture many and all are promiscuously taken for the same as here many shall rise that is all So Matth. 4. Christ healed all Diseases that is many Besides the words of Daniel are directly spoken of the second Resurrection to Iudgement and not to a temporary Kingdome for he saith that some of those shall rise to life eternall not to a temporary of a thousand years and others to everlasting shame which yet the Millenaries deny in saying the wicked shall not rise till the expiration of the thousand years and where they say that the Saints shall shine as starres or the Firmament in the first Resurrection but as the sun in the second it is vain for in the second Resurrection shall be degrees of glory as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 15. For as one Star differeth from another star in glory so is the Resurrection of the dead some shall shine as the Sun who is the brightest of all the starres and some shall be lesser starres an glory they do also vainly call their first Resurrection a hidden mystery whereas indeed it is the second Resurrection that is a mesterie and so hidden that the wisest Philosophers understood iâ— not and thought Paul had been 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 preached this mystery as Athens that which cannot be apprehended by reason but by faith 〈…〉 â—e truly called a hidden mystery 3. They misapply divers places of Scripture to prove this imaginary reign of Christ here on earth as Psalm 102. 16. when the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory This Scripture was fulfilled when Ierusalem was rebuilt after the captivity So they alledge Acts 3. 20. 21. The Heavens shall receive Christ till the times of restitution of all things but this is spoken of the second Resurrection for then shall be a restitution of all things and not before in their thousand years reign for they confesse that then all the Jews shall not rise nor all Christians it must then follow that there shall not be a restitution of all things at that time That place of Rom. 11. 12. concerning the calling of the Jews is impertinent for we deny not but they shall be called to the faith of Christ but that they shall return to build Ierusalem and be under Christs earthly reign 1000. years is not at all spoken in that place no lesse impertinent is that place of 2. Pet. 3. 13. We look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for this is spoken of the last Judgement wherein all things shall be renewed by fire and not before as the circumstances of the Scripture do shew and all Jnterpreters do agree so without any sense or reason they apply the 65. chapter of Isa. to their Millenary reign which is plainly spoken of the calling of the Gentiles and of Christs first coming to preach the Gospell and to gather a Church which there and elsewhere is called Ierusalem and the Prophets usually under the terms of planting building eating and drinking new heavens and new earth the joy of hills forrests and trees c. do expresse the happy estate of the Church of Christ under the Gospel When the mountain of the Lords House shall be coealted on the top of the mountains and all nations shall flock to it then Jerusalem that is the Church shall be the throne of the Lord. Then out of Sion shall go forth a Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem then shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed Christ shall reign over
the Image of God original and actual sin and free will 3. Their opinions concerning the Law of God concerning Christ Faith Iustification and good works 4. Their Tenets concerning pennance fasting prayer and almes 5. Their opinions concerning the Sacraments and Ceremonies used in those controverted 6. What they believe concerning the Saints in Heaven 7. Their Doctrine concerning the Church 8. What they hold concerning Monks Magistrates and Purgatory 9. Wherein the outward worship of the Church of Rome consisteth and first part of their Masse 10. Their dedication of Churches and what observable thereupon 11. Their Consecration of Altars c. 12. The Degrees of Ecclesiasticall persons in the Church of Rome Their sacred orders office of the Bishop and what colours held Sacred 13. Wherein the other parts of the Masse consisteth 14. In what else their outward worship doth consist 15. Wherein consisteth the seventh part of their worship and of their holy days 16. What be their other holy-days which they observe canonical hours and processions 17. Wherein the eighth part of their worship consisteth their ornaments and Vtensils used in Churches dedicated to Christ and the Saints their office performed to the dead SECT XIII Quest. 1. WHat is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome at this day and first of the Scriptures A. Though they maintain the same Scriptures with us the same Commandments the Lords Prayer and the three Creeds of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius yet in many points they differ from other Churches which briefly are these 1. They hold that Apocrythal Books are for regulating our faith and manners of equal authority with the Canonical Scripture such are Iudith Tobias third and fourth of Esdras the Book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Baruch the Epistle of Ieremie the thirteenth and fourteenth Chapters of Daniel the Books of Macchabâ—es and that part of Hester which is from the tenth verse of the third Chapter 2. They preferr the vulgar Latine Edition to the Hebrew and Greek Texts 3. They hold that there is no necessity to translate the Scripture into Vulgar languages 4. That the Scripture is not to be read of Lay-people except of such as are discreet judicious and learned and are authorised by the Ordinary 5. That the Masse is not to be celebrated in the Vulgar tongue 6. That the sense and interpretation of the Scripture depends upon the Churches approbation 7. That the Scriptures by reason of their difficulty and obscurity are not fit to be read by the Laity or to be judges of controversies 8. That the Scriptures have four different senses namely the Literal Allegorical Tropological and Anagâ—gical which are to be expounded according to traditions written and unwritten according to the practise of the Church the consent of Fathers and interpretation of Councels confirmed by the Pope 9. That the Scriptures are not of absolute necessity for the being of a Church seeing there was a Church from Adam to Moses for the space of two thousand years without any Scripture being onely guided and instructed by traditions without which the Scriptures are not perfect as not containing all Doctrines necessary to salvation Q. 2. What are their Tenets concerning predestination the Image of God Original sin and Actual and Free-will A. 1. They hold election mutable because the Elect may totally fall from faith and righteousnesse 2. That sin foreseen was the cause of reprobation in respect of the positive act of condemnation and some of them hold that foreseen works were the cause of election 3. concerning the Image of God they hold that it consisteth most in charity and that this is Gratia gratum faciens Grace which makes us acceptable and that it is a habit infused whereas they say that Gratia gratis data is the gift of Miracles 4. That man in the state of innocency did not stand in need of any special assistance by which he might be excited to good workes 5. That original sin is not in the understanding and will but in the inferiour part of the soul onely which they call the flesh that concupiscence and ignorance are onely infirmities and remainders of original sin That the Virgin Mary was without original sin That Infants dying in original sin onely are punished with the paine of losse not with the paine of sense That original fin is taken away by baptisme and that in the regenerate it is remitted and not imputed or to be called a sin but onely as it is the cause and punishment of sin that some actual sins are of their own nature veniall and some mortal That the sin against the holy Ghost is pardonable 6. They hold that in free-will is required not onely a liberty from coaction but also from necessity that an unregenerate man can by his own strength without Gods special help perform some moral good in which there may be no sin found That an unregenerate man hath freedom of will in matters of salvation though not without the help of grace so that he may hinder or further his conversion and may by his natural power cooperate with grace Q. 3. What are their opinions concerning the Law of God concerning Christ faith justification and good works A. 1. They divide the two Tables so that they make but three commandements in the first and seven in the second making one commandement of the first two and two of the last They hold that Idols and Images are not the same and that the Images of Christ and of the Saints may be worshipped without Idolatry That equivocation may be used in some cases and an officious lye 2. Concerning Christ they hold that he was not ignorant of any thing and that he did not attain to knowledge by learning That he descended truly into Hell in respect of his soul and there preached to the Fathers in prison and delivered them from their Limbus so that they had nor as yet entered into Heaven till Christ by his death had opened the gates thereof which Adam shut by his sin That Christ did merit by his sufferings not onely for us but also for himself that glory which he enjoyes after his Ascension 3. Concerning faith they say that Historical miraculous and saving faith are one and the same that the special application of the promises of grace belongs not to faith but to presumption That faith hath its residence onely in the intellect and not in the will That faith is an assent rather then knowledge That justifying faith may be totally lost in the regenerate That true faith may be without charity That we are not justified by faith alone That man by the natural strength of free-will can prepare himself for future justification being assisted by the holy Spirit In his preparation are contained these acts namely Fear Hope Love Repentance a purpose to receive the Sacrament a resolvtion to live a new life and to observe Gods Commandements 4. Concerning justification they say that the first is
have our Lamps ready to meet the Bridgroome The Completory is a fit time for prayer because then Christ prayed and swear Blood in the Garden The song of 〈…〉 then sung for as he immediatly before his death uttered these words so should we before our sleepâ— which is a resemblance of death Four Psalmes 〈◊〉 are then said to expiate the sins of our child-hood youth manhood and old age The Creed is said the first hour and 〈◊〉 to shew that all 〈◊〉 workes must begin and end iâ— saith About mid-night are said the Nocturnals because about that 〈◊〉 the Egyptian first borne were 〈◊〉 then Christ was borne then was he apprehended by the Iewes 〈◊〉 are we in greatest danger then is the prince of darknesse most busie in his workes of darknesse Q. 25. What mâ—y we observe concerning their Processions A. They ground their Processions on the practise of David and Salomon when the oâ—e accompained the Ark in Triumph to the Tabernacle the other to the Temple They have four solemn Processions Namely on the Purification of the Virgin on Palm-Sunday on Easter day and on Holy thursday being the fortieth day after Easter and the day of Christs Asension kept in memory of that Procession which Christ made with his Disciples when they walked to the Noâ—ne of Olives from whence he ascended to Heaven as there is a Procession every Sunday in memory of Christs Resurrection so there was wount to be another every Thursday in remembrance of his Ascension but because of the multitude of Festivals this is kept but once yearly solemnly yet every Sunday it is remembred in that days Procession They hold also that these Processions were typified by the Israelits comming out of Egypt For as Moses delivered them from the Tyranny of Pharâ—â—h so hath Christ freed us from the oppression of Satan The Tables of the Law were received on Sinai and carried before the people so the Gospel is taken down from the Altar and carried in their Procession A fiery pillar went before the Israelites and burning Tapers are carried before the people in these solemnities as every Tribe had their armes and colours carried before them so here are carried Crosses and Banners Their Levites hore the Tabernacle and our Deacons carry the Coffer or Pix Their Priests carried the Ark and our Priests carry the holy Reliques In their Procession Aaron followed in his Ornaments and in ours the Bishop in his Pontificals There was the sounding of Trumpets here the noyse of Bells there was sprinkling of Blood here of holy water c. They carry Banners and Crosses in memory of that Crosse seen in the aire by Constantin and which after he always wore in his Banners Besides these triumphant Processions they have also in times of publick calamity mâ—urnfull Processions which they call Rogatioâ—s and the Greeks Litaniae that is prayers of supplications of which there is the great Letanie kept on Saint Marks Feast and invented by Gregory the first in a great Plague at Rome The lesser Letanie is kept three days before the ascension and was invented at Vienna by Mamertus Bishop there in a time when there were great Earth-quakes and Irruptions of Wolves which in France did great hurt this is called the lesser Rogation because it was found out in a lesser City then Rome and by a lesser Bishop then Gregory Yet the lesser is more ancient by 80. years for it was devised in the time of Zeno the Emperor of Constantinople whereas the other was found out in the time of Mauritius who was contemporary with Gregory the great Pope Liberius appointed there should be Letanies when Wars Plague or Famine do threaten which commonly fall out about that time of the year wherein the memory of Christs Ascension is observed Q. 26. Wherein consisteth the Eighth part of their Worship A. In the Worship of the Saints whom they honour with Temples Chappels Altars Images Holy-days mentioning of their names in the Masse reserving and worshiping of their Reliques praying to them c. They divide them into four ranks namely Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins The Festival days of the Saints kept in memory of their martyrdom are called Natales that is birth-days for then they began truly to live when they died for Christ. In the Kalendar these following Saints have their Holy-days Fabian and Sebastian Agnes the Conversion of S. Paul Iulian Agatha the Purification of Mary this day is a Procession in memory of that Procession which Ioseph and Mary made to the Temple this Feast was instituted in the time of Iustinâ—an upon a great mortality which then hapned and candles this day are carried with great solemnity to shew that our light should shine before men that Christ who was this day presented in the Temple is the true light of the world and that like wise Virgins whereof Mary was the chief we should have our Lamps ready the Feast of S. Peters chair is kept in memory of his advancement first to the Bishoprick of Antioch then of Rome the Feast of the Annunciation is kept in memory of the tidings which the Angel brought to Mary of her conception on the first of May is the Feast of Philip and Iames the lesser the son of Alpheus and Brother of our Lord who was the first Bishop of Ierusalem had seen Christs Transfiguration and for preaching Christ was thrown down from the pinacle of the Temple by the Jewes the other Iames called the greater and of Compostella was the son of Zebedaeus and brother to S. Iohn the Evangelist on the third of May is the invention of finding of the Crosse by Helena Constantines mother the Feast of S. Iohn Baptist is kept the 24. of Iune in which are fires made and Torches carried to shew that he was a shining and a burning Lamp the Feast of Peter and Paul is kept the 29 of Iune in memory that they both suffered in one day under Nero on the 25 of Iuly is the Feast of S. Iames S. Iohns brother who preached the Gospel in Spain and returning to Ierusalem was beheaded by Herod the Feast of the seven Sleepers is on the 27 of Iuly these flying from the persecution of Decius hid themselves in a Cave where they slept about 300 years and being awaked thought they had slept but one night the Feast of S. Peters Chaines is kept August the first in memory of Peters miraculous delivery from Herods prison when the Chaines fell from him of their own accord the Feast of S. Laurence is kept August the tenth in memory of his martyrdom under Valerian he was Arch-Decon of Rome after whom none there have had that title the Assumption of Mary is on the fifteenth of August this is her greatest Feast for it is ushered in with a fast and hath its Octave on this day herbes and flowers are gathered and blessed because she is compared to the Rose and Lilly S. Bartholomews Feast is on the 24 of