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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04378	The height of Israels heathenish idolatrie, in sacrificing their children to the Deuill diuided into three sections: where is shewed in the first, the growth and degrees of this, and generally of other sinnes and idolatries. In the second, that the Deuill was the god of the heathen; with the meanes by which he obtayned that honour. With a large application to our times, against popery, shewing the pride thereof, and malice both against soule and body; together with the meanes, sleights, and policies by which it seduceth, killeth, and in the person of the Pope, raiseth it selfe to its present height. In the third, the blinde zeale of idolaters. Deliuered generally in two sermons preached at S. Maries in Cambridge: the first whereof is much inlarged: by Robert Ienison Bachelor of Diuinitie, and late Fellow of S. Johns Colledge in Cambridge.	Jenison, Robert, 1584?-1652.	1621 (1621)	STC 14491; ESTC S107702	160,311	208

peoples hands not suffering them ordinarily to be read or knowne in any vulgar language Perhaps it will be said The Bible is translated into English by Papists the new Testament by the Rhemists and the Old by the Dowists To which I answer Popish translations of the Bible in vulgar languages this indeed is done to bleare mens eies they are driuen to this shift necessarily to saue their credits to seeme to satisfie the people and that they might not be thought to be so terribly afraid of the Scriptures But to what good purpose is this done 1. Obscure It is first done obscurely SeeValles de sacra philos p. 73. whereby in the English they retaine diuers Greeke words as azymes c. 2. Corrupt Secondly it is done in many places corruptly and as it seemes seeing they cannot be so ignorant of the originall of purpose to establish popish opinions as Iohn 1.12 and Luk. 2.14 to establish freedome of will where in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or power signifies not any power or ability of man but the right or priuiledge to become the sonnes of God And in the second it is not as they read it to men of good will but good will towards men which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that good pleasure of God whereby he freely accepts men to life by Christ The like might be shewed in other places as Psal 19.4 to proue the visibility of the Church but especially Gen. 3.15 where they render it She not It or He as doth Saint Ierome referring it to the blessed Virgin not to Christ the promised seed which shewes their blasphemy in corrupting the text and fountaine in maine fundamentall points 3. Called in Thirdly they haue indeed translated the Bible and yet I say not for all popish places and also for a while let some number of copies to be saleable at the beginning yet hauing by that meanes hushed that former clamour they haue called all vulgar Bibles straightly in againe Relation Sect. 34. yea the very Psalmes of Dauid though translated by their owne Preacher Pangorola as doubting else it seemes that their owne Bibles if ordinarily and by euery one read would make men hereticks as some blasphemously haue vttered Oh but haue you neuer heard of a booke intitled An Anker of Christian doctrine Anno 1618 newly published by Th. Wr. wherein as he would haue vs beleeue the most principall points of Catholique that is in his sence Romish Religion are proued by the onely written word of God Yes the first part concerning the Creed I haue seene where of 53. Articles few in expresse tearmes containe matter of controuersie others prosecute controuersall points which in the generall but not in the application we also acknowledge This Booke will bee of this vse not to cleare but to bleare the eies of the simple while they for the most part of them onely heare of such a booke not knowing or able to iudge how his promise is performed This way of triall as their last which should haue beene their first refuge they are now driuen to to proue Popery by Scripture Yet the Author very wisely for himselfe abandons not other proofes by traditions c. and indeed it concernes him so to doe that so when he shall finde Scripture to faile him he may haue recourse to these againe from Scripture which in effect he doth while he pretends the contrarie for as other Papists herein contrarie themselues while they indeauour to proue by Scripture the same things they hold tradition Doctor Feild of the Ch. lib. 4. chap. 20. as our writers shew against them so he vndertaking to proue by the expresse written word of God that other proofes are both necessary and authenticall which are his owne words in the preface pag. 7 when he comes to proue it in the place pointed to in his margine namely in the third Article he tels vs there in the beginning that indeed the controuersie of tradition may not be omitted in this place because not onely some other points of Christian faith namely that our vsuall Creed is authenticall doctrine but also the assurance which we haue of the whole sacred Bible dependeth especially vpon tradition c. What is this but to runne himselfe giddy in a circle to flye from tradition to Scripture and from Scripture againe to proue tradition which tradition must testifie of Scriptures and so round c. The maine waight of al his proofes then rests not on Scripture as he by his title pretends but on tradition into which mans faith must lastly bee resolued But to returne for all this late pretence of Scriptures made by one man the rest dare not trust their cause to the triall of Scripture onely vnlesse it be onely in their exposition and application of it which yet the very euidence of the words and truth in them will soone refell in any man of common vnderstanding who shall not bee blinded through preiudice but iudge euen by common reason and not by any priuate spirit For though reason cannot reach to the things contained in Scripture without a superiour illustration yet it can iudge of consequences and dependancies of points and whether such a point be rightly deduced or no from such or such a place This they know wel enough and accordingly feare wherefore their very common seruice among them as containing many sentences and passages of Scripture must be read onely in a strange tongue yea all of all sorts euen women and children must pray in Latine Nay in Italy it hath beene obserued that in their Sermons though they preach commonly on the Gospell of the day they do not read or any waies recite the text but discourse onely of such points as they thinke fittest that so no sound of Scripture might possesse the people Papists write and speake disgracefully of the Scripture To this purpose they also speake and write disgracefully of the Scripture saying it containeth not all things necessary to saluation charging it with imperfection saying it is but a piece of a rule and with obscurity calling it a nose of waxe Which they doe to make the people more willing to part with this treasure and to admit of their trash of tradition vnder the name of vnwritten truths deliuered by the Church by speech onely which Church now hath declared her mind in the Councell of Trent whereunto all those that are solemnly made Doctors in Italy must subscribe Thus they deale with the learneder and more curious sort who else looking into the fountaine of truth should finde but little agreement betweene it and the Romish doctrine As for the simpler sort they deale with them as wise men do with children who get some precious or good thing from them and giue them in stead thereof a counter or some toy so they in stead of Scripture giue them images as their bookes with many outward ceremonies and ornaments to gaze

Scripture as Feare God honour the King c. yet in the house is nothing but swearing drinking whoring and in no place either God or the King more dishonoured and disobeyed They then that looke onely on the outward profession and behauiour of such as voluntarily seeme to relinquish all for Christ his sake to obserue truely their canonicall houres of prayer to liue an austere life c. and see no further may easily be drawne on to a liking of that Religion which these professe and be hardned in it but they that haue better iudgement and the spirit of discerning can easily put difference betweene a vizor and a true face betweene Iesabels painting and naturall beauty betweene painted fire which onely hath the resemblance of fire and true fire which hath also the vertue and efficacy of fire lastly between flowers which are only painted or wrought with the needle though neuer so accurately and elegantly which send forth no sweet sauour and those which hauing deepe root in the ground and being inwardly watered with the dew of heauen exhale forth most comfortable and refreshing smels 6. By Insinuations Whereby they would Further these deceiuers would creepe into men and obtaine their purpose by a kind of Insinuation whereby partly they would seeme to come neare vnto vs or at the least not to be so farre off vs in many things as wee too harshly conceiue of them partly they would haue vs come neare vnto them First seeme to come neare vnto vs in some things First they come neare vnto vs for words oftentimes in diuers points pretending thus and thus they hold yet this is but to delude the simple for what they build with their words they destroy and pull downe againe indeed holding otherwise and beguile the ignorant by shrouding themselues vnder the couert of words First whereas it might seeme to vs as indeed it is but harsh doctrine which Bellarmine deliuereth a Bellarm. de grat lib. arb lib. 6. cap. vlt. namely that man before all grace hath freewill not onely to things morall and naturall but euen to the workes of piety and to things supernaturall as b Biel 2. d. 28. lit K. Bellarm. de grat lib. arbit lib. 5. cap. 7. to auoid sinne when he is tempted to it to know c Bellar. ibid. lib. 5. cap. 14. and doe that which is morally good and wherein there is no sinne yea d Refert Greg. Arim. 2. d. 29. art 2. to loue God aboue all and to keepe his Commandements the more easily to deceiue the ignorant they very warily in words seeme to ioyne Gods grace with our will to helpe it as if without it they would grant it could doe nothing so Bellarmine sayes e De grat lib. arbit lib. 6. c. 4. in titulo Mans will in things appertaining to piety and saluation can will nothing without the assistance of Gods grace yea f Ibid. Sect. nos tres the speciall assistance Yea and some now reuile vs for charging them with the contrary This yet is but a fetch to deceiue the ignorant and as one g White way to the t●ue Church Sect. 40. nu 57. saith a dram of their wit to make their Pelagianisme goe downe the easilier For many require no such assisting grace Besides they maintaine the merit of congruity wherein it is confessed there is the influence of no speciall grace it onely consisting in doing that which is in our owne power But here Secondly marke another fetch of like nature concerning this merit of congruity which is generally holden by the Schoolemen which yet is the very heresie of the Pelagians The Iesuites beginne to say this kind of merit is now reiected and yet themselues and their Peers teach the very same doctrine and disposing our selues to our owne iustification that name is hatefull yet the thing it selfe is liked well enough Hosius saith a See White vt suprà Sect. 40 nu 62. the Councell of Trent chose rather to call good workes going before Iustification Dispositions or Preparations to grace then merits of any sort Thus they are content to lay by the name but the thing they hold as fast as euer they did Thirdly they say and will perswade men they hold that the Saints are subordinate to Christ and that their intercession is grounded onely on his intercession and yet they both ordinarily practise the contrary yea and also teach it the Priest in the Masse craues saluation not onely for the prayers of the Saints but also for their merits as might easily be euidenced from their writings Lastly not to be infinite my purpose being but to giue a taste of their dealings they protest and that by writing that they allow not of the murthering of Kings or that a subiect should rebell against his Soueraigne yet in deed not only practise otherwise but teach that a King hauing the sentence of deposition or excommunication pronounced against him by the Pope is no longer King and that his subiect is then loosed from his oath of allegeance and maintaine that to kill such an one is not to kill a King but as they say a man masked vnder that title c. 2. Haue vs to come neare them Now on the other side see how they would insinuate themselues by drawing vs on by degrees to yeeld vnto them For whereas it is true as well in matter of doctrine as of practise Nemo repentè fit pessimus no man becomes suddenly notoriously euill or hereticall but that error and idolatry creepe in by stealth by little and little Seducers would seeme modest at the first and not to ouer-charge our stomackes with harder meat then they conceiue will easily be digested they know how to beginne with the spoon Therefore you shall not haue them first to vrge you to beleeue the infallibilitie of their god the Pope and that he cannot erre in Peters Chayre how wicked soeuer he be or that you may buy off your sinnes as familiarly as you may buy wares in the market c. No but meeting with a young nouice By yeelding in something they will know of him whether he thinke that a Catholike so liuing and dying may be saued if he stand at it he shall be vrged with our confession and with the charitablenesse of that iudgement Next he shall be told their Church is a true Church and that it were too vnreasonable to denie them so much and then that there is but one Church as but one Christ out of which no saluation That this one Church is more like to be their Church then any other as being so vniuersall so ancient c. And thus if the hearer suffer himselfe through his vngrounded iudgement to be hood-winkt with this veyle of the Church time shall lead him into those hatefuller absurdities And this is a right serpentine tricke which doth serpere creepe on and in by littles as errour hath euermore done Thus

present Master Master Robert Fowbery is not behind many at the least in the land such yearely maintenance allowed so many young students of your owne Towne whose need may require it for the ease of their charge in the Vniuersities till seuen yeares study haue inabled them to prouide and care for themselues so that you haue at this houre by the helpe of this and other incouragements now liuing of such as are bred and borne in this your Towne eight Preachers of gifts competent at the least all whom you well approue of Besides your other yearely pensions allowed as to diuers officers both chiefe and subordinate so to other Masters in their seuerall kinds as for the securing your estates by the counsell and direction of Law for the curing of your bodies by the helpe and meanes of Physicke for the trayning of youth to handle the pen by faire writing and the Pyke and Peece for the seruice of your Prince and Country not to speake of such yearely reparations as proue most necessary all which together keepe the waters of your cisterne though it haue a good feeder lowe and neare the bottome Well then and truely is Money said to be one of the sinewes of the Common-wealth Sure it with Gods blessing is so here as also in part of the Church too Long then may that flourish by which both our Church here and Common-wealth flourisheth Pray yee with me then for the Peace yea also plenty of this our Ierusalem Psalm 122.6.7.8.9 they shall prosper that loue thee peace be within thy walles and prosperity within thy Palaces for my brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee because of the house of the Lord our God I will seeke thy good This care Right Worshipfull of seeking the prosperous estate of this Towne lies chiefely vpon you into whose hands God hath subordinately put the sword of Iustice for the due equall and vnpartiall execution both of his owne and also of those many good Lawes of this Land which most wisely and respectiuely haue beene made for the aduancement of religion and all vertue and godlinesse both in Church and Common-weale as also for the extirpating of whatsoeuer is contrary thereunto Each Kingdome Common-wealth Citie Towne Corporation is onely and so farre safe and setled as it rests it selfe by weldoing vpon God by a continuall reliance and dependance on him Otherwise sinne where it raignes and is suffered in any kind whatsoeuer is that onely thing which weakens and at the length ruines both Church and Common-weale howsoeuer in outward respects Prou. 28.2 seemingly most strong and flourishing For the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof Sinne makes both priuate men of strong weake as Sampson and Cain Iudges 16.19.20 Gen. 14.14 So Dauid cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Sam. 22.19 Isa 2.7.8 and also weakens whole Common-weales Cities and Townes whilest it makes God who onely is our strength and stay depart from vs and giue vs ouer to our selues and the will of others Israel was many waies strong in Isaiahs time their Land was full of siluer and gold c. but it was also full of Idols Israel was well furnished of all things needfull for an established state both of Church and Common-wealth they had stayes of all kinds As 1. Plenty of food and yearely prouision of all things needfull for life as also abundance of wealth 2. Military strength prouision and munition 3. Magistrates and wise Senatours and the knowledge how to rule the people with all other parts of Politicall regiment 4. Prophets Gal. 2.9 2. Kings 2.12 who were not onely as Pillars next to Christ in the Church but as the horsemen and charets of Israel Who were stayes to them as godly Ministers are now not onely by establishing them in grace and goodnes which they did by soundnesse of Doctrine sharpenesse of reproofe example of life liuing and dying in and for the truth but also by their prayers by which they stayed Gods hand as did Moses and often stood in the gappe 5. Mechanicall Arts which also are necessary 6. But aboue all God himselfe was their strength so called 1. Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel Yet because they trusted in the other more then in God therefore see how they are threatned Behold the Lord Isa 3.1.2.3 the Lord of hosts doth take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stay and the staffe the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water The mighty man the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet and the prudent and the Auncient the Captaine of fiftie and the honorable man the Counseller the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator And this God hath now accordingly brought to passe Euen thus must we perswade our selues God hath blessed this our Towne in a competency with most of these stayes Now it is not any of these neither yet our strong walles or our mines of coale by which our Towne hath hitherto beene as the Hearth to warme most places of this our Iland nor all these together that can afford vs any security Vt munitum muro tibi visum est oppidum Si Incolae benè sint morati pulchrè munitum arbitror Perfidia peculatus ex vrbe auaritia si exulant quarta inuidia quinta Ambitio sexta Obtrectatio septima Periurium Octaua indiligentia Nona iniuria Decima quod pessimum aggressu Scelus Haec nisi indè aberunt centuplex murus rebus seruandis parum est Plaut in Pers if at any time vice superstition profanesse c. be suffered to take root and spread among vs. For each City saith one is better fenced with the good maners of the * Ciuitas non tāmuris quàm moribus munitur Citizens then with the walles of the Citie To which purpose Plautus though an heathen giues this fit answere to a tempting question which he propounds in the person of Sagaristio to a virgin concerning Athens How thinke you is not the Towne well fenced with a wall If the Inhabitants be well nurtured sayd the wise maide I esteeme it excellently fenced If perfidiousnesse and Interuerting or stealing from the Prince and common treasury together with Auarice be banished the Citie if fourthly Ambition fiftly Enuy sixtly Detraction seuenthly Periurie eightly Idlenesse ninthly Iniuries and wrongs tenthly which worst is mischiefe and villanie These vnlesse they be abandoned and expelled the City a hundred walles are nothing to the safety of it In like maner Psm 125.1.2 As the mountaines are about Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people namely such as trust in him so that in stead of other walles he himselfe will be vnto Ierusalem a wall of fire round about Zachar. 2.4.5 and will be the glory in the midst of her But this is meant whilest they rest onely on him otherwise if the Vineyard which euen Gods right

seede and blood yet saith our Sauiour to them Iohn 3.39 ●● You are of your father the Deuill So Papists now who but they they only must be the true Catholikes the true Church for vs we are Lutherans Caluinists Schismatikes Heretikes with such swelling words of vanitie they bewitch and corrupt the mindes of the simpler sort from the simplicitie which is in Christ Iesus euen as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his suttletie 2 Cor. 1● 3 2 Pet. 2.17 18 19. Of these we reade in the 2. Pet. 2. who though indeed they be but Wels without water promising refreshing to the thirstie but leauing their soules emptie promising to others liberty but are themselues the seruants of corruption yet in speaking great swelling words of vanitie they beguile or allure and catch like fishes them that were cleane escaped from them which are wrapped in errour Hitherto referre we their great brags and vauntings whereby they astonish men and dazle their eyes with the name and report of the Church of Rome with Antiquitie of her doctrine with her Vniuersalitie Succession of Bishops Miracles Authorities of Fathers and lastly with the great rumour and report they giue of the learning of Papists Who doubts but many are bewitched with these sorceries who haue not the spirit of discerning to put difference betweene the emptie name of a Church and the Faith professed in a Church betweene Antiquitie and Nouelitie of Doctrine betweene true Vniuersalitie and a number of men giuen ouer to belieue lies betweene Succession of Bishops and Succession of Doctrine betweene true Miracles and lying wonders such as is said Antichrist should worke betweene Authorities of Fathers and Scripture truly alledged and the same wrested if not falsified and forged lastly betweene true and sauing Knowledge and a generall and swimming knowledge in the braine without obedience or without sufficient warrant and ground from Scripture for seeing they speake not alwayes according to this word Isa 8.20 It is because there is no light in them 5. With shewes of Holinesse Besides the aduantage from their vaunting and shewes of truth we may obserue how they can daube on artificiall colours of a holy profession and life thus Iesabel-and harlot-like to draw the eyes of men to looke vpon them loue and like them vnder which colour doubtlesse they beguile the simple and preuaile much Doe we not see how the Pope insinuates himselfe through deceit and vnder the shew of sanctitie In the Pope He is therefore called abstractiuely His Holinesse but how farre from communicating therein later Popes haue bin might easily and plentifully be shewed if I thought fit to rake in that dunghil He stiles himselfe in a shew of greatest humility With Canaan Gen. 9.25 Seruus seruorum Dei the Seruant of the Seruants of God yet indeed takes vpon him as Dominus Dominorum Lord of Lords suffering himselfe to be called and honoured by the name of God in the singular number We read of Pope Martin the fourth that hauing excommunicated the Sicilians Morn Myster Progress 53. Of this Pope was this Epitaph made Hîc iacet ante chorum submersor Toutonicorum Pastor Martinus extrà qui totus ouinus Et lupus introrsus c. and Peter of Arragon in fauour of Charles King of Sicilie they in the midst of their troubles had recourse vnto him and so prostrate vpon the earth they were inioyned to cry out aloud farre off from him Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem O Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vnto vs peace Which blasphemie he no waies put back Thus while hee shewed the hornes of the meeke Lambe Christ a Dragon spake out of his mouth for euen so he is described Reuel 13.11 Of this ranke generally are all false Prophets who come to vs in sheepes cloathing perhaps with the name of Iesus who is the Lambe of God vpon them but inwardly are rauening Wolues Mat. 7.15 who vnder colour of long Prayers and more then ordinary holinesse Mat. 23.14 deuoure Widowes houses Such are our Iesuites In Iesuites who deceiue not moe eyes through their dissembled apparell whereby they iet vp and downe vnknowne in the habit of Gentlemen Noblemen c. then they doe hearts and minds of the simple through their seeming deuotion whom you may behold now folding their hands now looking vp towards heauen now sighing now leauing the high-way when they meete women from whom they turne their eyes yet these men in secret doe such things as is not meete to name painted Tombes c. inwardly full of faction hatred of the truth cruelty c. Such also is the holinesse of their Monkes In Monkes who brag so of singular perfection good Workes Prayers Fastings voluntary Pouerty contempt of the World forbearing the very touch of Money Virginitie c. The outward austeritie in the habits and outward shew of some of them preuailes much in this kind with well-meaning soules which being simple and plaine dealing themselues conceiue of others by themselues who yet with the false prophets of old doe weare a rough garment to deceiue Zach. 13.4 Iustin Hist lib. 1. fine I cannot fitlier compare these then to Zopyrus who caused himselfe to be whipped and filthily mangled his nose cares and lips to be cut away yet all in hypocrisie to the end he might betray the Babylonians to whom he fled into the hands of his Master King Darius as he also did So these whip and scourge themselues c. that so by seeming to auoid hypocrisie and to meane sincerely they might become guides to the people which they no sooner obtaine but presently they betray them into the hands of their god Pope Herein also they resemble the Scribes of old who adorned themselues with large and broad Phylacteries that is Mat. 23.5 ex Deut. 6.8 as S Ierome noteth with parchments in which the Law of God was written namely the Decalogue which folding vp they bound to their foreheads in fashion of a coronet that they might be still before their eyes Now they that would seeme more zealously obseruant of Gods Lawes then others made their Phylacteries broder then ordinary that they might therein write moe sentences of the Law These that they might be knowne to differ from the common sort carried Gods Lawes more beautifully decyphered on their garments Thus they seemed to be clad with holinesse hauing it written in their foreheads as had Aaron Holinesse to the Lord. Thus certainly they got what they looked for estimation in the world and won credit in the hearts and thoughts of the people But what were they in our Sauiours account Matth. 23.3.5 what were they in truth Hypocrites doing all to be seene of men none greater transgressors of the Law then they Thus were they and thus are the Scribes of our times like to our Alehouses which on the wall haue some goodly sentences of

hinderances to the truth of God secondly wee note a double fetch of politique seducers The first to take the aduantage of the wils corruption and of our muddy affections thereby to dimme and obscure the cleare sight of the iudgment which they do not in women onely but in men also of womanish affections The second is that they beginne with women the weaker sexe and with the weakest of that sexe silly and simple women whom as they seduce so do they vse as instruments to seduce men by them Now this is a deuillish fetch first practised by the deuill who in deceiuing Adam by his wife Eue hath thus set a copy to such his schollers as are of the Schoole and Synagogue of Satan See how it was sampled by Balaam who not able to bewitch the Israelites by his sorceries yet by his wicked counsell hee did Numb 31.16 Much euill by women For as Moses tels vs Women namely the women of Moab caused the Children of Israel through the counsell of Balaam to commit trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor that is by entising them to carnall copulation they drew them on to spirituall fornication to Idolatry Psal 106.28 and to ioyne themselues vnto Baal Peor and to eate the sacrifices of the dead Numb 25.1.2 This lesson it seemes was all taken out by some in the Church of Pergamus Reu. 2.14 that held the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed vnto Idols and to commit fornication 1 King 11.3.4 Euen thus did Salomons wiues turne away his heart after other gods For as Nehemiah told the Iewes that had married wiues of Ammon Nehem. 13.26 and of Moab strange women caused him to sinne And certainly there was a mystery in it that women were the Deuils prophetesses among the Heathen by whom also as by Pythia he gaue forth his Oracles Yea in all ages of the Christian Church we shall finde women strongliest infected with error and the greatest abetters thereof so that deprauation of religion hath often beene hatched in and by their mariages and errors and heresies haue grown strong in their nurseries Constantia widow of Licinius and sister to Constantine the great being corrupted with the blasphemy of Arrius got her brother to call home Arrius from banishment So Iustinia mother to the Emperor Valentinian got the Arrians a Temple at Millan So Eudoxia perswaded her husband Theodosius to fauour Eutiches his faction against the Orthodoxe teachers and so was Arcadius seduced by his sister Eudoxia And had not Simon Magus his Helena and Apelles his Philumena and haue not other heretiques their seuerall women whom first of all they animated with the spirit of error Instances and particular examples in our owne times and neighbour Nations would be odious Yet this we may say safely and experience shewes vs as much that many are hooked in to imbrace Popery by vnfortunate mariages with women popishly affected there is seldome any marrying of such vnlesse men be first married to their Religion and the Whore of Rome Howsoeuer though they be no Papists before yet doubtlesse curtaine Sermons preuaile much with many to make them so If it be asked why especially the Deuill and his factors make so much vse of women in this kind and why they chuse them as apter for their purpose and end the answer is Because that sexe being carried more by affection then by iudgement is First easie to bee deluded through the credulity curiosity infirmity and simplicity of their sexe through the want first of iudgement and wisedome to see and auoid the sleights of Satan secondly of power to resist and as it is the easilier misled so the hardlier reclaimed as the weaker to resist by reason so the stronger to persist in wilfulnesse new fangled in their opinions as in their attire louing nothing that is vulgar Dallington in his Inference vpon Guicciardines Digression no not the truth as one pithily notes Secondly because that sexe is more fit and apt to delude by mouing perswading and intising of men who the more willingly often suffer themselues to become their spoile for their iudgements that they might be masters of the others affections Besides women rule more in the hearts of Children in diuers regards then the fathers which the popish sort of seducers are wise enough to obserue and make vse of Idem ibid. for they know that fathers doe but prouide for them but mothers feed them fathers are austere the mother indulgent fathers haue the awe mothers the loue fathers haue the eye but mothers the heart from whom with their milke they sucke this veriuice wherewith the teeth of many great families are set on edge and whereby within these few yeares their number is increased here among vs exceedingly especially in these Northren parts of England This being the danger though I know godly Matrons should instruct their children in godlinesse and Religion as also Christianly aduise their husbands with all humility yet God by his Apostle will not suffer a woman to teach 1 Tim. 2.11.12 I suppose publickly nor to vsurpe authority ouer the man but to bee in silence and to learne in silence with all subiection And hee reproues the Church of Thyatira for suffering the woman Iesabel Reuel 2.20 which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce his seruants to commit fornication and to eate things sacrificed vnto idols To conclude in a word the whole body of popery as it is popery is in the respect last spoken of a Seducer and a forcible though a silent solicitor of mans will and affections to sinne and consequently to error while their whole doctrine almost opens a window thereunto For to giue an instance when men may haue absolutions from any sinne whatsoeuer for a certaine and that a very small price and piece of mony as all sinnes are valued and rated in their bookes of taxes who then that is of vnmortified and vnregenerate affections as we are all naturally would not yea doth not take liberty to sinne securely as knowing beforehand how and at what price hee may redeeme it or at the worst that his satisfaction is to be but temporary either in this life or in their imagined Purgatory This doubtlesse is though an inward and not acknowledged yet a powerfull motiue with many lustfull young men and women and with many who loue liberty to become Papists and so to captiuate their iudgements in matters of religion to the wils of others when they see that popery for the practise of it is but a very outside of Christianity and a meere formality of deuotion which they can easily performe by saying ouer their beads c. And when they see that not the deuoutest Papist yea not a Papist in Christendome euer prayeth dayly with his family or sings but a Psalme at home as not taking themselues so strictly tied

perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie So that whereas Papists require of vs such things now and challenge vs to be no true Church because we worke no miracles but from miracles would approue themselues for the only true Church of God vpon earth we contenting our selues with that establishment of our doctrine which we haue from the Miracles and Reuelation of Christ and his Apostles whose doctrine wee hold and professe doe rest herein secure assuring our selues wee are thus farre no part of the Church of Antichrist whose propertie it must be in the latter dayes to worke miracles wishing them of the Church of Rome seriously to consider whether they or we or yet any other Church in the world be liker to be the Church of Antichrist seeing they bragge and stand so much on Miracles and Visions as to iustifie their Church thereby especially considering that the consciences of many among them are conuinced of the falsehood and forgerie of many of their Miracles and that some of themselues allow the faining of tales fables and Legends and Miracles of Saints for the prouoking of the common people to deuotion towards their Saints which therefore they call their pias fraudes godly and holy deceits We heare and read of many strange Miracles and Visions in Popery on which it is for many if not most chiefe points founded and by which it stands Wee had once here in England a holy maid of Kent Elizabeth Barton a Nunne which by the deuice of certaine Monks and Friers could seeme only to be fed by Angels strangely to alter her countenance and other parts of her body and so lying in a traunce to speake many things in commendation of Poperie and particularly in disallowance of King Henries diuorce from the Lady Catharine But the knauerie being found it cost them all their liues A like holy Nunne wee reade of Mary de la Visitation in Spaine about the yeere 1588 Prioresse of a Monasterie in Lisbon of whose Miracles Wounds Visions a Dominican Frier wrote in French dedicating his booke to the Queene of France This Mary saith he our Lord Iesus tooke to wife often appearing to her granting her many particular graces and fauours conuersing and speaking as familiarly with her as euer God did with Moses he oftentimes being accompanied with He and She Saints The Instructions drawne by that Frier from her Miracles and Visions were That it is needfull to honour Images That Saints in Paradise are Intercessours for vs That it is needfull to acknowledge the truth of the Sacrament of the Altar The like fountaines of Miracles are opened in the houses of our Lady of Lauretto of which there is a speciall booke written and translated into English of Hales of which Lipsius makes relation But we may obserue that all of them tend either to seduce from truth to falsehood or to giue allowance to treacherie and murther or lastly to exalt the Pope For the first it might easily be shewed how that the end of all popish miracles and visions is to confirme if not to teach establish such popish doctrines as haue no ground in the holy Scriptures Purgatory a maine prop of Popery for which our aduersaries themselues confesse they haue no expresse Scripture hath no better ground then visions and apparitions of the dead So is the Masse confirmed by many Miracles which the consecrated Host hath done So Garnet a traitor is now made a canonized Saint by an artificiall face vpon a straw taken vp being first cast downe at the place of his execution Thus their aduancing of Images their making the blessed Virgin to haue beene wholly without sinne and so the Feast of her Immaculate Conception the making of her also more mercifull then Christ many the like points of Popery receiue strength from visions and dreames of their owne the which might with ease very plentifully be shewed but that I take none of themselues can or will deny it I will content my selfe hauing already exceeded the bounds which at the first I set to my selfe to instance in their doctrine of Inuocation of Saints which hauing no expresse testimony of Scripture by their owne confession hath no better ground then apparitions of Satan in and vnder the likenesse and names of deceased Saints a thing wherein they may be very easily deluded For if Satan can take vpon him the person of an Angell of light if hee also among the Heathen could take vpon him the names of Iupiter Iuno and the like who we ●●en and get himselfe worshipped vnder their names how may he not also by Gods iust permission vsurpe the names of deceased men or women whether indeed Saints or no and shew himselfe vnder the names of Valentinus or Anasta●ius or Barbara c. And doth he not so especially when hee meetes with the credulous Euseb 〈…〉 Eusebius tels vs that one Potamiaena some three dayes after her martyrdome by night stood by Basilides her tormenter put a crowne vpon his head and told him she made request to God for him Bonfin 〈…〉 So Bonfinius tels vs that one Conrade a Germane was enioyned this penance by Hildebrand the Pope that carrying with him a catalogue of his sinnes sealed vp in letters he should seeke remission of them by going a Pilgrimage to all holy places of the world and that praying at the graue of Emmericke sonne to Stephen King of Hungary his letters were open and his sinnes quite blotted out of the paper Hereupon to this Chappell concourse was made from the remotest countries Now here to this purpose one fetch of the Papists is remarkable To confirme the doctrine and practise of Inuocation they take the aduantage of soueraigne baths and waters and where they espie any fountaine good against the stone or other diseases presently there is the Statue of Image of some Saint or other sent and erected by it by whose vertue the cure and miracle must seeme to be done or some Chappell is erected to this or that Saint vnto whom prayers before and thankes after washing must be offered 2 For the next points I will giue but one instance for each of them When in the yeare 1588. Philip the 2. King of Spaine intended the conquest and subuersion of England the forenamed Prioresse gaue incouragement to the enterprise blessed his Standard Royall and deliuering it to the chiefe Generall the Duke of Medina Sedonia openly pronounced and promised good successe and victory to him This Standard was after carryed in solemne Procession For all this the euent proued her a false Prophetesse 3 See one tricke of legerdemaine in this kind vsed by an ambitious spirit aspiring to the Popedome When Celestine the 5. poped it and had made himselfe odious and hated for his humility in riding on an Asse by our Sauiours example especially for beginning reformation of