quietnesse and tranquility he is not in fire earthquakes and whirlwinds but in the soft and still voyce it s not the quaking of the body but humility and reverence of mind which he requires these Sectaries deny all ministeriall Ordinances and knowledge got by study and industry pretending an inward light from the spirit and that all our Learning got by Preaching Hearing Reading or Catechising iâ— but notionall and carnall and hanging upon the tree of knowledge they blasphemously prate also that Christ had his failings and that he distrusted God on the Crosse when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me by which they overthrow the work of our Redemption which none could perform but he that knew no sin in whose lips was found â—o guil whom his enemies could not accuse of sin They will not have Ministers to preach for titheâ— which they call wages and yet our Saviour saith That the labourer is worthy of his wages and the Apostle That they who serve at the altar should live by the alâ—ar and if they communicate of their spirituall things why should they not participate of the peoples temporall things They will not have particular houses for preaching and prayer and yet among the Iews was the temple and Synagogues and after Christianity was settled Churches were erected They cannot abide studied or methodicall Sermons nor expouâ—ding nor learning in matters of Divinity by which we see how ignorant these people are who despise such helps as God hath given for propagating the Gospel Is it not better to studie and premeditatâ— than to utter quicquid in buecam veâ—erit undigested immethodicall ignorant trash Christ and his Apostles expounded and opened the Scriptures and yet these men reject expounding these men are also against singing of Psalmes a duty practised by Christ and urged by Saint Paul and Saint Iames. They reject infant-Baptisme and yet to infants belongeth the kingdome of heaven They will have no set days for Divine worship and consequently the Lords day must be of no account with them They will have no prayer before and after Sermâ—n and yet the Apostles joyned prayer with their Doctrine and breaking of bread Acts 2. 24. neither did they ever undertake any weighty businesse without prayer They condemn set houres of prayers and yet we read in the Acts of the Apostles that the third and ninth houres were set houres of prayer but by these wild Fancies we may see how crosse-grained these people are in contradicting every thing even Gods word it self if it be not consonant to their shallow reason which they call the spirit but it is indeed the spirit of giddinesse with which they are troubled and trouble others for the rejecting of all outward forms and decent ceremonies in Religion iâ— the overthrow of Religion it self which thought it consist not in ceremonies yet without them it is like a man stript naked of his garments and so for want of them exposed to all injuries of weather and danger of death The leaves of a tree are not the fruit thereof and yet without them the fruit will not prosper Q. 14. What other opinions do the Quakers hold An. Not to mention their â—orrid blasphemies in saying that some of them are Christ some God himself and some equall with God because they have the same spirit in them which is in God They maintain that the Scripture is not the word of God that out preaching is conjuration that expounding of Scripture is adding to it that the letter of Scripture is carnall that the word is not the rule to try the spirits that the soul is a part of God and long existent before the body that there is no Trinity that Christ hath no other body but his Church that Christs coming in the flesh was but a figure that all men have a light in them sufficient to salvation that the man Christ is not ascended into heaven that there is no imputation of Christs righteousnesse that prayer for remission of sinnes 〈◊〉 needlesse that we are justified by our own inherent righteousnesse that there is no 〈◊〉 life or glory to be looked for but in this world that there is no locall heaven nor hell nor resurrection of the body that many of them cannot sin that the calling of our Ministry is Antichristian that our preaching is altogether uselesse that themselves are immediately called by God that our worshiping of God in the Church is heathenish that the of children with water in Baptisme is Antichristian that we have no Sacraments that Dâ—vids Psalms are â—arnall and noâ— to be sung that in our Churches which they â—ll breasts houses God is not worshipped 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 to destroy all propertie and that therefore all things ought to be common that no man is to be called Master or Sir or to be saluted by the way and that one man ought not to have power over another here we see that these men despise Magistracy reject the Ministry sleight all decency and ordinances in Christs Church and in a word overthrow as much as in them lyeth all Religion and piety setting up a Babel of their own full of impiety ignorance aud blasphemie these are the fruits of too much liberty and the effects of reading Scripture by ignorant and malicious spirits who like spiders suck poyson out of the sweetest and wholesomest flowers and like mad men use that sword of the word to destroy themselves and others which was ordained to saye and defend us from our enemies Q. 15 Wherein do the absurdities and impieties of their opinions consist An. 1. In rejecting all Vniversity Learning because Christ and his Apostles were never taught in Schools but this opinion is ridiculous for Christ and his Apostles taught no other Divinity for the matter than what is taught in Universities the difference is onely in the manner of attaining this knowledge for they had it by inspiration we by study labour and instruction and yet the prophets had their Schools and Colledges both on the hill of God 1 Sam. 10. 5. 10. and at Bethel 2 Kings 2. 3. and at Iericho v. 5. and at Naiâ—th 1 Sam. 14. 20. Elisha had his Colledge 2 Kings 6. 1. 2. They will not have us expound Scripture because the Apostles expoundeâ— them but this conceit is also frivolous for to what purpose did Christ appoint Doctours and Pastors to continue still with his Church if they are not to expound Scripture what the Apostles expounded briefly we expound more fully In their expositions there be many intricate obscure high and figurative passages which require a further exposition God did never reveal all his truth at one time Among the Jews we read that Ezra the Scribe and the Levites expounded the Law Neh. 8. Christ took a Text and expounded it Luke 4. and so did Philip Acts 8. 3. They will not have Ministers to be called Masters but I would know of these men whether they that labour in
in the morning though a Goose or an Asse and all the day after they pray to it but a Crow they cannot abide the sight of that will make them keep in all day They salute the first appearance of the New Moon with prayers on their knees Neer to every Idol is a Cistern of water in which they that passe by wash their feet worship and offer Rice Eggs or such like When they sow mow marry go to sea and when the women lie in they feast their idols with musick and other solemnities fourteen days together and so do sea-men after they return home See Linschoten Q Of what Religion are the people of Malabar A. Pythagoreans they are holding not onely the immortality of Soules both of beasts and men and transanimation but also a divinity in Elephants Kine and other beasts therefore at Calecut the chief City of this Dominion and head of a small Kingdome of the same name there is a stately Temple of 700. pillars dedicated to the Ape Their Bramanes or Priests the successors of the old Brachmannes are in such esteeme here that the King will not converse with his new married Wife till one of the chief Bramanes hath had the first nights lodging with her They hold that God made the World but because the trouble of governing thereof is so great therefore hath given the charge thereof to Satan whom they worship with flowers on their Altars and sacrifices of Cocks The Bramanes wash his image sitting in a fiery Throne with three Crowns and four Horns in sweet water every morning The King of Calecut eats no meat till it be first offered by his Priests to this Idol Debtors that will not pay are arrested by a rod sent from the chief of the Bramanes with which a circle is made about the Debtor in the Kings name and the said Priest out of which he daâ—e not go till the debt be satisfied otherwise he is put to death Every twelfth year in the City of Quilacare is a Jubilee kept to the honour of their Idol in which the King of that place upon a Scaffold covered with silk before the people washeth himself then prayeth to the Idol and having cut off his nose ears lips and other parts at last cuts his own throat as a sacrifice to his idol His successor by their discipline is bound to be present and to act the same tragedy on himselfe at the next Jubilee See Castaneda Barbosa Boterus Linâ—â—hoten and Purchas Q. How caâ—â— these Idolatrous Pagans to beleeve the immortality of souls A. By the meer force of natural reason for they observed that the soul is incorporeal not onely free from al dependance on the body in respect of its essence but also in regard of its inorganical operations to wit of Understanding and Will they found that the more the body decayed and grew weak the more vigorous active and strong was the soul that it lost nothing of its operations by the losse or decay of the outward senses that it could comprehened all the world within it self that it could move it self in an instant from one end of the world to the other that it can make things past many years agoe as if they were present that it can conceive spiritual Essences and Universalities all which do prove how far the soul exceedeth the body and bodily senses which can reach no farther then to sensible qualities singularities or individuals to things present only to bodies only Besides they observed that the soul could not dye or perish or corrupt and putrifie as bodies do because it is immaterial simple without composition of different substances and free from contrary and destructive qualities which are the causes of death corruption and putrefaction in bodies Again every body is quantitative sensible and may be measured and filled but the soul hath no quantitie nor is it sensible but by its effects nor can it be measured nor can the whole world fill it nor doth it increase or decrease as bodies do nor can it receive hurt or detriment from any outward thing and whereas bodily senses are weakned by any vehement object as the eye by too much light the ear by a violent souâ—d c. the soul is perfected by its object and the more sublime or eminent the object is the more is the soul corroborated in sits understanding neither is the soul subject to time and motion as bodies are for it makes all times present and is not capable of generation corruption alteration c. moreover there is in the soul even of Epicurus himself a desire of immortality which desire cannot be in vain nor frustrated because natural and consequently necessary and wee know that God hath made nothing in vain but this desire must be in vain if frustrâ—ted And we find that many who have denied the souls immortality in their health and prosperity have been forced to confesse it in their sicknesse and troubles and on their death bed If we look upon the writings of the learned Gentiles we shall find them professing this truth this we may see in the fragments of Zoroastres in Trismegistus in Phocillides who thus sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The soul is immortal and void of old age and liveth allwayes And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The soules remain void of fate in death The Pythagoreans believed the same as we see by their opinion of Transanimation Socrates and Plato speak most divinely of the soul essence and immortality so doth Aristotle in his books De anima so do the Poets so doth Cicero in Som. Scip. Erigamus in caeâ—um oculos tanquam in Patriam in quam nobis aliquando redeundum est Let us saith he lift up our eyes towards Heaven as our country to which at last we shall return So he saith The body is fraile but the spirit is immortal So Seneca Animus unde demissus estâ— ibi illum aeterna requies manet Eternal rest remaines for the soul there from whence it came Animus sacer aeternus cui non possit inijci manus Many such passages may be seen in his writiâ—gs and that generally the Gentiles believed this truth is plain by their opinion they had of torments in Hell and of joyes in their Elysian fields Q. Of what Religion are the people of Narsinga and Bisnagar A. This rich Indian Kingdom having these two names from the two Chief Cities thereof is infested with horrible Idolatry Here is an Idol to which Pilgrimes resort either with their hands bound or ropes abovt their necks or knives sticking in their armes and legs which limbs if they fester they are accounted holy Gold Silver and Jewels are given by these Pilgrims to maintain this Idol and his Temple All these gifts are cast into a Lake and kept there for the uses aforesaid This Idol is carried yearly in procession with Virgins and Musick going before Under the Idols Chariot Pilgrims
Father of Christ and author of the Gospel but Moses Law they rejected and the old Testament as proceeding from the other god to wit of justice The Cerdonians also denyed the Resurrection of the flesh and Humanity of Christ Affirming that he was not born of a Virgin nor suffered but in shew Marcion by birth a Paphlagonian neer the Euxin Sea was Cerdons Scholar whose opinions he preferred to the Orthodox Religion out of spleen because his Father Bishop Marcion excommunicated him for Whoredom and because he could not without true repentance be received again into the Church therefore he professed and maintained Cerdons Heresies at Rome in the time of M. Antoninus Philosophus 133. years after Christ but he refined some points and added to them some of his own phansies With Cerdon he held two contrary gods and denied Christs Incarnation of the Virgin and therefore blotted his Genealogy out of the Gospel affirming his body to be from heaven not from the Virgin He denied that this world by reason of the Ataxie and Disorder in it could be the work of the good god He rejected the Old Testament and the Law as repugnant to the Gospel which is false for their is no repugnancy He denied the Resurrection and taught that Christ by descending into hell delivered from thence the souls of Cain Esau the Sodomites and other reprobates translating them into heaven He condemned the eating of flesh and the married life and renewed baptism upon every grievous fall into sin If any of the Catechumeni died some in their name were baptised by the Marcionites They also baptised and administred the Eucharist in presence of the Catechumeni against the custom of the Church They permitted Women also to baptize They condemned all Wars as unlawfull and held transanimation with the Pythagoreans Q. 15. What was the Religion of Apelles Severus and Tatianus A. Apelles whose scholars were called Apellitae was Marcions Disciple and a Syrian by birth He flourished under Commodus the Empâ—ror about 150. years after Christ. He taught that there was but one chief God to whom was subordinat a fierie God who appeared to Moses in the bush who made the world and gave the Law to the Israelites and was their God He gave to Christ a body compacted of the Stary and Elementary substance and appeared in the shape onely of man This body when he ascended he left behind him every part thereof returning to their former principles and that Christs spirit is onely in heaven He rejected the Law and Prophets and denied the Resurrection Severus author of the Severians was contemporarie with Apelles under Commodus 156. years after Christ. He used the company of one Philumena a Strumpet and Witch He taught his disciples to abstain from Wine as being poyson begot of Satan in the form of a Serpent with the Earth The world he said was made by certain Powers of Angels which he called by divers barbarous names He hated Women and Marriage denied the Resurrection the Old Testament and Prophets using in stead of them certain Apocryphall Books Tatianus a bad Scholar of a good Master Iustin Martyr was a Mesopotamian by birth and lived under M. Antoninus Philosophus 143. years after Christ his disciples were called Tatiani from him and Encratitae from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance or continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh and Marriage They were called also Hydro-Paristatae users of Water for in stead of Wine they made use of Water in the Sacrament They held that Adam was never restored to mercy after his fall And that all men the sons of Adam are damned without hope of salvation except the Tatiani They condemned the Law of Moses the eating of flesh and the use of wine and held Procreation of Children to be the work of Satan yet they permitted though unwilingly Monogamy or the marrying once but never again they denied that God made male and female and that Christ was the seed of David Q. 16. Of what Religion were the Cataphrygians A. Montanus disciple to Tatianus who was his contemporary was author of this Sect who for a while were from him called Montanists but being ashamed of his wicked life and unhappy end they were afterward from the Country where he was born and which was first infected with his heresie called Cataphrygians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were named also Tascodragitae because they used in praying to thrust their forefingers into their Nostrills to shew their devotion and anger for sin Tascus in their Language signifieth a long slick or slaff and Druggus their Nose as if you would say Perticonasati as the interpreter of Epiphanius translates it They loved to be called Spirituales because they bragged much of the gifts of the Spirit others that were not of their opinion they called naturual men This Heresie began about 145. years after Christ and lasted above 500. years He had two Strumpets which followed him to wit Prisca and Maximilla these forsook their Husbands pretending zeal to follow Montanus whereas indeed they were notorious Whoors they took upon them to prophesie and their dictates were held by Montanns as divine oracles but at last he and they for company hanged themselves He blasphemously held himself not onely to be in a higher measure inspired by the Holy Ghost then the Apostles were but also said that he was the very Spirit of God which in some small measure descended on the Apostles he condemned second marriages and yet allowed Incest He trusted altogether to Revelations and Enthusiasmes and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist these wretches mingled the Bread with Infants Blood they confounded the persons of the Trinity affirming the Father suffered Q. 17. What was the Religion of the Pepuzians Quintilians and Artotyrites A. These were disciples of the Cataphrygians Pepuzians were so called from Pepuza a town between Galatia and Cappadocia where Montanus dwelt and Quintillians from Quintilla another whorish Prophetesse and companion to Prisca and Maximilla They held Peprza to be that new Ierusalem fore told by the Prophets and mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews and in the Revelatien In this they said we should enjoy life eternal They perferred Women before Men affirming that Christ assumed the form of a Women not of a Man And that he was the author of their wicked Tenets They commended Eve for eating the forbidden fruit saying that by so doing she was the author of much happinesse to man They admitted Woman to Ecclesiastical functions making Bishops and Priests of them to preach and administer the Sacraments They mingled also the Sacramental Bread with humane Blood The Artotyritae were so called from offering Bread and Cheefe in the Sacrament in stead of Wine because our first Parents offered the fruits of the Earth and of sheep and because God excepted Abels sacrifice which was the fruits of his sheep of which Cheese cometh therefore they held cheese
then he concludes that the body or flesh which suffered at Ierusalem was not christ body 22. He makes the soul of man to be all one with the Gospel and the body of Christ to be the whole Creation by this and such like stuffe with which his books are fraughted we may see that he deserveth to have his brains purged with Hellebor rather than his crasie opinions refused by arguments or Scripture In the mean while we may perceive to our great grief the lamentable fruits which are begot of two much liberty in religion These impious Opinions are in his printed Pamphlets lately published One Richard Coppiâ— holdeth some of the before recited opinions withall lately before a confused multitude in an usurped pulpit asserted the lawfulnes of womens preaching for such Ranters a pillory were more fit than a pulpit Q. 12. What opinions in Religion are lately broached by Iohn Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton An. These two would perswade us that they are the two last witnesses and prophets of Christ sent by his spirit to seal the foreheads of the elect and reprobate that one Iohn Robins is the last great Antichrist and son of perdition spoken of by the Apostle in the Thessalonians because he sheweth lying signes and wonders and assumes to himself the titles of the onely God in that he calls himself Adam and Melchisedeth and Father of Iesus Christ in saying the three persons in Trinity are Adam that is himself Abel that is his sonne Iesus and Caiâ— that is the holy Ghost Many such blasphemies they ascribe to him They affirm also that Christians using the sword of steel are ignorant of Iesus and enemies to his Gospel and they teach that the two uncreated substances of earth and water were eternally resident in the presence of God the Creator that death was from Eternity that the person of the reprobate Angel or Serpent entred into the womb of Eve and there died but quickened in her all manner of uncleannesse that there is no devil at all without the body of man or woman but what dwells within them so that the devil spoken of so often in the Scripture is mans spirit of unclean reason and cursed imagination that God the Father was a spirituall man from Eternity and that in time his spirituall body brought forth a naturall body that if the very Godhead had not died that is say they the soul of Christ which is the eternall Father had not died all men had perished eternally that Moses and Eliah are angels and did represent the person of the Father in heaven as they did the person of the Son on earth that Eliah was made protectour of God when God became a child and that he filled the Lord Iesus with those great revelations of his former glory which he possessed in heaven when he was the immortall Father and that it was Eliah who spake these words from heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased they say also that all the Ministry in this world whether Propheticall or Ministeriall with all the worship taught by them is all a lye and abomination to the Lord. Again they declare that whereas there are three witnesses on earth water blood and the spirit that by water is meant the Commission given to Moses and the Prophets under the Law by blood the Commission given to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel by the Spirit is meant the Commission of the two witnesses that were to come in this last age whose ministry is invisible and spirituall cutting off all formall worshipping of an invisible spirituall personall God they say there is hardly a minister in the world that confesseth an invisible God but they preach a God of three persons that is a monster instead of one true personall God they say that the true God is a distinct body or person as a man is a distinct body or person again they say that there is no Christian Magistrate in the world that hath any authority from Christ to set up any visible form of worship and that the spirits and bodies of men are both mortall both begot together and both of one nature that the spirit is nothing without the body that it is the Spirit alone that walks and works eats and drinks and dies for the spirit is a naturall fire of reason they say also that the bodies or persons of holy men wherein they lived and died shall not appear again any more but when the Saints are glorified they are absolutely of the very same glorious nature both in spirit and body as God is and that believing spirits are of the very same divine nature of God This is the summe of their Divinity and Phylosophie as may be seen in their transcendent spirituall Treatise as they call it which is full of transcendent nonsence and blasphemieâ— for here they lay their axe to the very root of Christianity in giving a new Father to our Saviour Jesus Christ in calling the blessed Trinity a monster in denying the Creation whilst they make earth and water eternall in making angels and mens souls mortall in making weak man Gods protector and author of that divine knowledge which was in Christ in denying the Ministry of the Gospel and the power of the Magistrates and the outward worship of God and making the souls of men corporeall in denying also the Resurrection of the flesh and transforming men into the Divine nature By this and other wicked tenets permitted and countenanced among us at this time we see what Christian religion is come to in this land so famous heretofore for piety and zeal we received Christianity as soon as any Nation in Europe whether by the preaching of Saint Peter or Saint Paul or Simon Zelâ—tes or Ioseph of Arimathea I know not but all agree we received it very early and have continued ever since in the profession thereof neither was there ever any Nation more devout and zealous in the advancement thereof as our goodly Temples Monasteries Hospitals Colledges and Schools can witnesse but alas now Quantum mutamur ab illis Angligenis what is there left among us but the bare Skeliton of Religion the vitall substance thereof being eat up and consumed by heresies and blasphemies worse than any Sarcophagus I may here with Ieremiah complain that from the daughter of Sion all her beauty is departed her Princes are become like Harts c. How is the gold become so dimme and the most fine gold changed and the stones of the Sanctuary are scattered in every corner of the streets c. Q. 13. What are the opinions of the Quakers An. These fanaticall spirits are called Quakers because they use to quake and tremble when they prophesie so did the Heathen soothsayers of old non vultus non color unus non compta mansere 〈◊〉 sed pectus anhelum rabie fera corda tument c. but the spirit of God is the spirit of peace
take it down whilest it was movable they were distinguished according to Levies three sons into the Gershonites Cohathites and Merarites the first carried the hangings and coverings The second the chief things of the Sanctuary the third had the charge of the wood-work In Davids time some were Judges some Treasurers some Singers and some Porters 1 Chron. 23. 26. The Singers and Porters were divided into 24. orderâ— 1 Chron. 25. 26. The elder Levites were to oversee and teach the younger Who from the thirtieth year of their life till the fiftieth did bear about the Tabernacle Under them were the Gibeonites or Nethinims whose office was to draw water and hew wood for the house of God Q. What were the Prophets Scribes and Pharises A. Not only were they called Prophets to whom God revealed himself and his purposes in an extraordinary way but those also that expounded the Scripture they were also called Fathers Doctors of the Law Disputers Wise men and Rabbies from their greatness in knowledge Which title the Pharisees did appropriate to themselves their Scholars were called children and sons of the Prophets The name of Scribes was given to Scriveners and publick Notaries these were called Scribes of the people Mat. 2. 4. and likewise those that did write and expound the Law such a Scribe was Esdras Esdr. 7. 6. these were called Doctors of the Law The Pharisees were so called from separation and by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Sepaâ—â—rists for they separated themselves to a strict kind of life and to the study of the Law having no commerce with other people nor communicating with them in dyet apparrel nor customs They held a fatal necessity with the Stoicks and transammation with the Pychagoreans hence they thought that either the soul of Iohn Baptist or of Elias or of Ieremy had animated Christs body They preferred Traditions to the written Word and placed most of their holiness in washing counting it a less sin to commit fornication then to eat with unwashed hands from their daily washings they were named Hemero-Baptists they always washed when they returned from the market thinking themselves polluted with the touch of other people They are noted Mat. 9. 11. for holding it unlawful to eat with sinners and Mark 7. 4. for their superstitious washing of cups pots brazen vessels and tables and Luke 18. 12. for fasting twice in the week and Mat 23. 5. for their broad Phylacteries which were scrolls of partchment wherein the law was written so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep or reserve for by these they kept the Law in their memory they are noted also for their large borders and fringes Mat. 23. 5. they wore their Phylacteries on their foreheads and left arms and Hierom observeth in Matth. 23. that they used sharp thorns in their fringes that by the pricking thereof they might be put in minde of the commandements Q. What were the Nazarites Rechabites and Essenes A. The Nazarites were votaries Numb 6. so called from Nazar to separate for they separated themselves from wine and strong drink from coming neer the dead and from the rasor some were Nazarites for their life as Sampson Iohn Baptist c. others only for a time to wit thirty days as Absolom who cut his hair the thirtieth day of his vow such a Nazarite was Paul Act. 21. 24. Nazareth was a village in Galilee where Christ was conceived and bread and therefore was called a Nazarite Mat. 2. 23. and his Disciples Nazarites Acts 24. 5. but indeed he was the onely true Nazarite because he was pure holy and separate from sinners but he was no legal Nazarite for he drunk wine and went neer the dead These Hereticks were also called Nazarites who taught that with the Gospel should be joyned the Law of Moses Acts. 15. 2. Of the Rechabites so called from Rechab their Father We read Ierem. 35. 2 3 4 c. these neither drunk wine nor lowed seed nor built houses nor planted vineyards but like strangers lived all their days in Tents The Essenes so called from their skill in curing of diseases for they were much given to the study of Physick in their opinions were Pythagoreans ascribing all things to fate offering no sacrifices but of inanimate things shunning oathes pleasures and wine contenting themselves with water only and mean apparrel their garments were white and had all things in common amongst them They worshipped towards the East observed the Sabbath more strictly then others kept seven Pentecosts every year to wit every seventh week one and generally they abstained from marriage yet some did marry for procreation They were superstitious in preserving the names of Angels they were much given to silence with the Pythagoreans chiefly at table none were admitted into their Society without four years probation there were some of these Essenes contemplative only and lived in gardens or remote villages who contented themselves with bread and salt others were active and gave themselves to manual labours these lived in Cities and fared better and eat twice a day Q. What were the Sadducees and Samaritans A. The Sadduces were so called either from Isedek justice because they would be accounted the onely just men in the world or from Sadock the Author of their Sect who was the scholar of Antigonus Socheus these rejected all Traditions and Scriptures except the five books of Moses denied the Resurrection paines or rewards after this life Angels and spirits fate likewise or destiny ascribing all to mans freewill They held also that the soul died and perished with the body The Samaritans held with the Sadduces that there was no Scripture but the Pentateuch that there was no Resurrection nor life Eternal nor any Traditions to be admitted yet they dissented from the Sadduces in acknowledgeing Angels in worshipping only upon mount Garizim whereas the Sadduces worshipped also in Ierusalem and kept faire correspondency with the other Jewes whereas the Samaritans and Jewes did so hate and abhor each other that there was no commerce between them but did curse and excommunicate each other Of these Jewish Sects see Iesephus Philo Drusius de trib Sect. Munster Sigonius Buxtorsius and others Q. How did they anciently observe their Sâ—bbath A. The day before was the preparation of the Sabbath called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which began about the sixth hour that is our twelfth That day they might not travel above twelve miles least by comming home too late they might want time for preparation to the Sabbath which began in the evening and which for the excellency thereof was called the Queen of Feasts and gave denomination to the whole week on the Sabbath they must not travel above two thousand paces or cubits for so far was the distance of the Ark from the Camp They were so superstitious in the keeping of their Sabbath that they would not fight that day and so suffered Ierusalem
sometimes by bowing or prostrating the whole body and sometimes by kissing the idol or by kissing their own hand if they could not reach to kisse the idol of this Job speaketh if my mouth hath kissed mine hand when I beheld the Sun shining or the Moon walking in her brightnesse Iob. 31. 27. but of the Babylonish idolatry see Diodorus Philostratus Eusebius Isidor Scaliger Q. How doth it appear that the Gentile Idols were dead men A. By their own testimonies for Hermes in Asclepio as Apuleâ—us records confesseth that Aesculapius grandfather to Asclepius and that Mercury his own grandfather who had divine worship at Hermopolis in Egypt were men whose bodies were buried the one in Lybia the other in Egypt in the Town Hermopolis so called from him but under these names Spirits or Devils are worshipped which I did draw or intice into their Statues Plutarch witnesseth that the Egyptian god Osyris was a man who because he distinguished every Region in the Camp by their colours in which Dogs Oxen and other beasts were painted therefore after his death he was honoured under these shapes In Cyprians book concerning the vanity of Idols Alexander is informed by Leo the chief Egyptian Priest that their gods were no other then men The Greek Poets in rehearsing the Genealogy and off-spring of their gods do intimate that they were men King â—aunus in Italy made his Grandfather Saturn a god and so he did deifie his father Picus and his wife Fauna who from her gift of prophecying was called Fatua and afterward Bona dea When the Senate made an Act that none should be worshipped at Rome for gods but such as the Senate did allow did they not by this Act intimate that their gods were but men and subject to their approbation Cicero in his books of the nature of Gods sheweth that all their Deities both great and small were but men their Temples were their Sepulchres and their Religion but Superstition Virgil by confessing that the Trojan gods were subdued by the Grecians doth acknowledge they were but men Sibylla calls the Gentile gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the idols or images of dead carkasses the whole story of Iupiter to wit his birth education actions and death do testifie he was but a man and if we look on his adulteries incests with his own sister Iuno and his daughter Minerva if on his Sodomy with Ganymedes his ravishing of Europa and many others if on his impiety against his father Saturn whom he drove out of his kingdom and forced to hide himselfe in Italy if I say we consider these things we must needs say that he was so far from being a god that he scarce deserved the name of a man but rather of a savage beast and indeed not unlike in â—alacity to the Goat his Nurse Such another god was Saturn a cruel murtherer of his own children and whose chief delight was to have little children sacrificed to him What was Mercury but a Theese Venus a Whoore Bacchus a Drunkard Vulcan was but a Smith Apollo a Shepherd and Mason Mars a Souldier Neptune a Mariner Minerva a Spinster or Weaver Saturn a Husbandman Aesculapius a Physitian c. in a word as these were men so they had no other Deity but what they had from men therefore I will end with that witty saying Si Dii cur plangit is si mortui cur adoratis if these are gods why do you bewail them if men why do you adore them But against these deified men the fathers of the Church have written sufficiently chiefly Clemens Augustine Eusebius Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Nazianzene c. who tell us that there was no Religion at all among the Gentiles seeing every kinde of impurity and impiety was patronized by their gods and as Greg. Nazianzene saith in his third Oration against Iulian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be wicked was not only counted no disgrace but it was also honoured with Altars and Sacrifices Therefore justly might the Apostle call the worshippers of such gods Atheists because they did not worship the true God but such as were no gods at all and scarce worthy to be called men Goodly gods saith the same Father who would be drawn to Aethiopia so far off for the love of good cheer these sure were belly-gods and withall would undertake a quarrel for the Strumpet Lacaena Q. What Religious worship or idolatrous rather was used in Hierapolis of Syria A. In this holy City for so Hierapolis signifieth was a magnificent Temple built by Deucalion or as some write by Semiramis or as others by Bacchus Queen Stratonice repaired or re-builded rather this Temple being decayed Here men used to geld themselves and put on womens apparrel such Priests were called Galli Here stood two Priapi or Phalli and within the Quire into which the chief Priest onely might enter stood Iupiters statue supported with Bulls Iuno's with Lyons having in one hand a Scepter and a Distaff in the other In the Temple stood Apollo cloathed and bearded whose Oracles were much consulted if the Petition was liked the Image would move forward if otherwise backward Here also stood divers other Idols 300. Priests were maintained here who did Minister all in white with their heads covered and sacrificed twice a day with singing and musical Instruments if to Iuno but to Iupiter no musick Their high Priest was elected every year whose cloathing was Purple and a golden Myter Not far from the Temple was a deep Lake in which were kept consecrated fishes in the midst thereof stood a stone Altar crowned continually with Garlands on this odours did still burn They had divers feasts the greatest was that of the Fire where they set divers trees hung with divers sorts of beasts for sacrifice on fire after they had carried about these Fires in Procession their Idols Here the gelded Priests wound each other and divers young men at this feast geld themselves Here was much confused Musick Disorder Fury and Prophecying Into the Temple none might enter in 30. days in whose Family any died and then his head must be shaved He that but lookt upon a dead Corps was excluded the Temple a whole day To touch a Dove was abomination because Semiramis was transformed into a Dove and so it was to touch fishes because of Derceto the Mermaid and Mother of Semiramis half a Fish and half a Woman To Hierapolis were divers Pilgrimages each Pilgrim was tied to cut his hair on his head and browes to sacrifice a sheep to kneele and pray upon the fleece thereof to lay the head and feet of the sheep upon his own head to crown himself to drink cold waâ—er onely and to sleep on the ground till his return The young men were bound to consecrate their hair then to cut it in the Temple and to offer it in a box of Gold or Silver with their names inscribed thereon Some other foolish circumstances there were in
changed Lots Wife into a Pillar of Salt and Nebuchadnezzar into a beast Satan hath no power over celestial bodies though he be Prince of the Aire he cannot create nor do these things which God hath reserved for himselfe Therefore when we hear of men transformed into beasts or raised from the dead and such like miracles as exceed the course and activity of nature we may be assured these are not true miracles but Satanical delusions especially if they be done to confirme errour wickednesse and superstition for the end of all true and divine miracles are to establish truth and holinesse Therefore when we read of bringing down the Moon of driving the Stars backward and such like impossibilities beleeved among the Gentiles we must conclude they were meer delusions of Satan Such were those wonders adscribed to Simon Magus of making images to walk of turning stones into bread of being transformed into a Sheep Goat and Serpent of raising souls from the dead and such like stuffe all these were meer jugling tricks and Satanicall deceptions Q. But why are we so afraid of Satans Stratagems seeing the most of them are but illusions A. This fear in us proceeds partly from the guilt of our own conscience for Adams sin brought fear both on himselfe and on his posterity therefore after he had fallen he confesseth that as soon as he heard the voice of God in the Garden he was afraid and so we his children do often times fear where no fear is and are afraid sometimes at our own shadows or at the shaking of a leafe Partly this fear proceeds from want of faith which Christ reproved in his Apostles who when they saw Jesus walking in the night time on the Sea they were afraid thinking they had seen a Spirit Besides the implacable hatred of Satan against mankind his delight he taketh in affrighting and hurting us either in our persons or in our estates that irreconcilable enmity which is between the Serpent and the Womans seed is a great cause of this fear in us Lastly we are naturally fearful in the dark because our imagination worketh upon it self having no outward object to divert it hence Satan who is the Prince of darknesse useth the opportunity of the night to hurt or to delude us thus he affrighteth us in the dark in our houses with strange apparitions motions and sounds whence some houses have blin said to be hanted with Spirits So in the night he affrighteth travellers with ignis fatuus or jack in the candle as we call it which though it be a natural Meteor yet Satan can move it to and fro purposely to draw travellers into precipices or waters So in the night time he affrighteth mariners at Sea by insinuating himself into these fiery Meteors which like candles or balls of fire run up and down the ship these were deified by the old Pagans if one single flame appeared they called it Helena and held it an ominons fign of destruction as she was to Trâ—y if there were two they named them Castor and Pollux and placed their statues in their ships as we read Act. 28. And Sea men use to tell us of many strange sights and apparitions they have seen in the Ocean Satan also useth to affright men in Churches and Church yards in the dark by representing to their phantasie the shape of dead men in their winding sheets in the night also strange voices and sounds are heard neer deep waters or rivers which are taken as presages of some shortly to be drowned there the like I have heard my selfe and have found the event to fall out accordingly for one day travelling before day with some company neere the River Don by Aberden we heard a great noise and voices call to us I was going to answer but was forbid by my company who told me they were spirits which never are heard there but before the death of some body which fell out too true for the next day a gallant Gentleman was drowned with his horse offering to swim over It is strange what Plutarch writeth of the voice which from the shoare called upon Thamus the Egyptian ship-Master who then had cast Anchor at Praxeae telling him that the great god Pan was dead Though the night Mare which is called Incubus and Succubus be a natural disease as Physitians know yet Satan hath often times made use of this infirmitie to abuse the bodies of men and womâ—n in their sleep By all which we see his malice against mankinde and the causes of our fear which hath wrought so powerfully among the ignorant Pagans that they have planted their whole Religion in the worshipping of these evil spirits for their gods were none other as Porphyrie she â—eth l. 2. de abstinen l. 2. de sacrificio For saith he These wicked Spirits delight in shedding of blood in filthy and obscene speeches exhorting men to lust vice wickednesse and flagitious actions c. they perswade men that the supreame God delighteth in such impieties c. Q Since the Stratagems and illusions of Satan are so many what is our duty in this case A. Our duty is 1. To be assured that nothing can come to pasâ—e but by the providence of our Heavenly Father who hath numbred the hairs of our heads and hath Satan in a chain so that without permission he could neither afflict Iob in his person children nor cattel nor durst he enter into the herd of swine without leave from Christ. 2. Let us remember what Christ hath promised to wit that he will be with us to the end of the world and if he be with us who can be against us Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil to cast out the strong man and to tread down Satan under our feet he hath promised not to leave us Orphans he is the good Shepherd that laid down his life for his sheep which he holdeth so fast that no man shall take them out of his hand his name is Emanuel God with us He was amongst his Apostles Luke 24. when they were assembled together and in great fear and so he will be in the midst of two or three gathered together in his name He is the watchman of Israel that neither slumbers nor sleeps therefore with David let us lie down and take our rest for he will make us to live in safety Though we walk through the vally of the shadow of death let us fear no evil because the Lord is with us Let us not be moved because he is at our right hand he is our buckler and our exceeding great reward therefore let us not feare 3. Let us put on the whole Armour of God chiefly the shield of faith that we may quench all the fiery darts of the Devil and let us fight against Satan as Christ did with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Let us resist the Devil and he will flee from us 4. We must
fiery torches if he be wicked if good they comfort him and defend his body in the grave till the day of judgment but the bodies of the wicked are knocked down nine fathoms under ground and tormented by their angry Angels the one knocking him with an hammer the other tearing him with an hook till the last day against this torment the Turks use to pray at the graves of the dead The women there do not accompany the dead to the grave but stay at home weeping and preparing good cheer for the Priests and others of the departed mans friends They believe that when the Corps hath been in the grave on quarter of an hour that a new spirit is put into it is set upon its knees and is examined by the foresaid Angels of his faith and works They believe also that it is a work of charity and conducible to the soul of the defunct if the birds beasts or ants be fed with the meat which they set on the graves of the dead Q. How far hath this Mahumetan Superstition got footing in the world A. Though it be not so far extended as Gentilisme yet it hath over-reached Christianity not in Europe where Christianity prevaileth but in Africa where it hath thrust out the ancient Christian Churches and erected the Half-Moon in flead of the Crosse except it be among the Abyssins and some small places held by the Spaniard or Portugal But in Asia it hath got deeper footing having over-run Arabia Turkie Persia some part of Mogols countrey and Tartaria onely here and there some smal Congregations of Christians are to be found In America indeed it is not as yet known Now the reasons why this Superstition is so far spread are these 1. The continual jars frivolous debates and needless digladiations about questions of Religion among Christians which hath made the world doubt of the truth thereof and takes away the end and scope of Religion which is to unite mens affections but the remedy is become the disease and that which should cure us woundeth us 2. The wicked and scandalous lives both of Christian Laity and Clergy for the Mahumetans generally are more devour in their religious duties and more just in their dealings 3. The Mahumetan Conquests have in those parts propagated their Superstition 4. Their religion is more pleasing to the sense then Christianity for men are more affected with sensitive pleasures which Mahomet proffers in his Paradise then with spiritual which are lesse known and therefore lesse desired 5. The greatnesse of the Turkish tyranny over Christians the rewards and honours they give to those that will turn Muselmen or Mahumetans are great inducements for weak spirits to embrace that religion for a Christian Runegado that will receive circumcision among them is carried about the streets with great joy and solemnity is presented with many gifts and made free from all taxes for which very cause many both Greeks and Albanians have received circumcision 6. The liberty which is permitted to multiply wives must needs be pleasing to carnal-minded men 7. They permit no man to dispute of their Alcoran to call any point of their religion in question to sell the Alcoran to strangers or to translate it into other languages It is death to offend in any of these which is the cause of much quietnesse and concord among them 8. They inhibit the profession of Philosophy among them and so they keep the people in darknesse and ignorance not suffering the light to appear and to detect their errors 9. They teach that all who live a good life shall be saved whatsoever his religion be this makes many weak Christians revolt from their holy faith without scruple or check of conscience for what care they whether they serve Christ or Mahomet so they be saved 10. They hold that after a certain time of torments in Hell the wicked shall be released from thence this doctrine is more pleasing to wicked men then Christianity which admits of no redemption from Hell nor any mitigation of eternal torments 11. Men are much taken with moral outsides whereby the Turks exceed Christians for they are more modest in their conversation generally then we men and women converse not together promiscuously as among us they are lesse sumptuous in their buildings lesse excessive and phantastical in their clothes more sparing in their dyet and altogether abstemious more devout and reverend in their Churches so that they will not suffer a piece of paper to be trod upon or lie on the ground but will take it up kisse it and lay it in some place out of danger and this is because the name of God and Mahomets Law is written upon paper they are also more sober in their speeches and gesture and more obedient to their Superiors then we are 12. There is nothing more pleasing to our nature then private revenge which by Christs Law is prohibited but by the Mahumetan Law is allowed for they are to hate and to kill their enemy if they can 13 Arianism had infected most of the Eastern Churches therefore it was no wonder if they received Mahomets Doctrine which was grounded upon Arius his Heresie 14. They suffer no man to blaspheme Christ but honour him and speak reverently of him so they do of Moses and Abraham which makes that neither Iews nor Christians are in those parts much averse from or violent against their Religion 15. They have been alwayes very zealous and diligent in gaining Proselytes and yet force no man For these and such like reasons let us not wonder at the great encrease of Mahumetanisme in the world Q. Of what continuance is Mahumetanisme A. Mahomet was born in the year of Christ 592. in the time of S. Gregory the Pope and Mauritius the Emperour according to Genebrard he lived 63. years of which he spent 23. years in spreading of his doctrine then died in the year of our Lord 655. Constance being Emperour and Eugenius the first Pope So that Mahumetanisme hath lasted already above 1000. years to the great oppression and vexation of the Church of Christ and to the eternal dishonour of Christian Princes who if they had spent but the tenth part of that blood against the Turks which they have shamefully and sinfully shed in their own private quarrels there had not been at this day any remainder of that damnable Sect which hath longer continued a scourge to the Church of Christ then ever any enemy did against Gods people of old For the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites scarce 200. years the Canaanites 20. years the Moabites 18. years the Philistines 40. years the Assyâ—ians and Chaldeans from the first to the last did not â—ex oppress Gods people above 300. years afterward they were oppressed by Antiochus Epiphanes 40 years the Christian Church from Nero till Constantine was afflicted about 260. years and afterward by the Goths and Lombards nere 300. years But this oppression of the Church by
of Christ 145. They rejected all married people as uncapable of Heaven and held that the Apostles perpetually abstained from marriage They had all things in common holding those unfit for Heaven who had any thing peculiar to themselves They denied repentance and reconciliation to those that fell after Baptism In stead of the Evangelists they used Apocrypha books as the Gospel according to the Egyptians the act of Andrew and Thomas These Hereticks were called also Apotactitae by the Latines and by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from renouncing of the world Q. 22. What was the Religion of the Sabellians Originians and Originists A. The Sabellians were indeed all one in opinion with the Noetians but this name grew more famous then the other for Sabellius an African by birth was a better scholar then Noetus Sabellianisme began to be known about the year of Christ 224. under the persecution of Valerian They held there was but one person in the Trintry whence it followeth that the Father suffered therefore they were named Patripassiani This one Person or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they is called by divers names as occasion serves The Originians were so called from one Origines a Monk who lived in Egypt and was disciple to Antony These condemned marriage extolled concubinat and yet were enemies to propagation committing the sin of Onan They also reject such books of the old and new Testament as seem to favour marriage The Origenists or Adamantians wree so called from that famous Origen who for his constancy in times of persecution and for his inexhausted labours was named Adamantïus His errours began to spred about the year of Christ 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued above 334. years They were condemned first in the council of Alexandria 200. years after his death and again in the fifth generall council of Constantinople under Iustinian the first they held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Revolution of souls from their estate and condition after death into the bodies again to converse in the world and so by denying the perpetuity of our future estate either in heaven or hell by consequence they denyed the Resurrection of the flesh They held also that the punishments of the Devils and Reprobates should last only a 1000. years and then should be saved They taught that Christ and the holy Ghost do no more see the Father then we see the Angels that the Son is coessential to the Father but not coeternal because say they the Father created him as he did also the holy Spirit That the soules were created long before this world and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their bodies as into prisons They did also overthrow the whole historical truth of Scriptures by their allegories Q. 23. What was the Religion of the Samosatenians and Photinians A. Paulus Samosatenus was so called from Samosata where he was born near Euphrates His Scholars were called Paulinians and Samosatenians and afterward Photinians Lucians and Marcellians from these new teachers Their beleef was that Christ was meerly man and had no being till his incarnation This Heresie was taught 60. years before Samosatenus by Artemon and was propagated afterward by Photinus Lucian and Marcellus Arrius and Mahomet They held that the Godhead dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by grace and efficacy and that he was onely the external not the internal word of God Therefore they did not baptize in his name for which cause the Councel of Nice rejected their baptisme as none and ordered they should be rebaptiâ— zed who were baptized by them This heresie under the name of Samosatenus brake out about 232. years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern parts ever since The Photinians so called from Photinus born in the lesser Galatia held the same heresie with Samosatenus and began to propagate it about the year of Christ 323. at Syrmium where he was Bishop under Canstantius the Emperor and before him Marcellus his master under Constantine the great publickly taught it affirming also that the Trinity was the extention of the divinity which is dilated into three and contracted again into one like wax being contracted may be dilated by heat This heresie was much spread under Valens the Arrian Emperor 343. years after Christ. Q. 24. What was the Manichean Religion A. Manes a Persian by birth and a Servant by condition was Father of the Manichean Sect which was the sink of almost all the former heresies for from the Marcionites they derived their opinion of two Principles or gods one good the other bad With the Encratites they condemned the eating of flesh egges and milk they held also with the Anthropomorphites that God had members and that he was substantially in every thing though never so base as dung and dirt but was separated from them by Christs comming and by the Elect Manicheaâ—s eating of the fruits of the Earth whose intestins had in them a cleansing and separating vertue They condemned also the use of wine as being the gall of the Princes of darknesse With Marcion also they rejected the Old Testament and currilated the New by excluding Christs Genealogies and said that he who gave the Law was not the true God They babled also that there was a great combat between the Princes of darknesse and of light in which they who held for God were taken captives for whose redemption God laboureth still With the Ophites they held that Christ was the Serpent which deceived our first Parents and with divers of the precedent Hereticks not onely did they deny Christs Divinity but his Humanity also affirming that he fained himself to suffer die and rise again and that it was the Devil who truly was crucified With Valentinus they taught that Christs body was fixed to the Stars and that he redeemed only our souls not our bodies With the former Hereticks they denyed the Resurrection and with Pythagoras held transanimation With Montanus Manes held that he was the true Paraâ—let or comforter which Christ promised to send With the Gentiles they worshipped the Sun Moon and some Idols With Anaxagoâ—As they held the Sun and Moon to be ships and taught that one Schacla made Adam and Eve They make no scruple to swear by the creatures they give to every man two contrary souls which still struggle in him With the Poets they held that the heaven was supported by the shoulders of one whom they called Laturanius They make the soul of man and of a tree the same in essence as being both of them a part of God with the former hereticks also they condemned marriage and permitted promiscuous copulation and that not for procreation but for pleasure They rejected baptisme as needlesse and condemned alms-giving or works of charity they make our will to sin natural and not acquired by our fall as for sin they make it a
named from the Caldaicks word Tsalah which signifieth to pray therefore in Greeke they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayer because they did pray continually and Martyriani for worshipping as a Martyr one of their Sect who was killed by a Souldier They were called also Enthusiastae from their pretended inspirations and Euphemitae from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises or elogies which they sung to God and Satanici from worshipping of Satan whom they held to be the governour of mankind They held that nothing was required to salvation but prayer therefore they rejected faith preaching and sacraments and taught that God was visible to our bodily eyes and that Satan was to be worshipped that he might do no hurt they bragged that they could visibly expel Satan whom they could see come out of the mouth like smoak and in form of a Sow with her Pigs into whose place the holy Ghost did visibly succeed They live idly and hare working so that they excommunicate any of their Sect that labour they condemn all almes giving except to those of their own Sect They allow lying perjury and disâ—embling in Religion They slighted the Sacraments and held that baptism was of no use but onely for sins past This heresie prevailed under Valentinian and Valens Emperors 341. years after Christ. The Metangismonites were so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is transvasation or putting one vessel or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek into another for they held that the Son was in the Father as a lesser vessel in a bigger and so they make the Divine Essence bigger and lesser then it self they held also that God was corporeal Q. 29. What was the Religion of the Hermians Proclianites and Patricians A. The Hermians or Hermogenians so called from Hermius or Hermogenes an African under Severus the Emperour 177. years after Christ are by Saint Austin reckoned the same with the Seleucians These held that the elements or matter of the world was coeternal with God That the Angels were made of spirit and fire and that they were the creators of mens souls That evil was partly from God partly from the matter that Christ in his ascention left his body in the Sunne they denied that there was ever any visible Paradise that there shall be any Resurrection and that baptisme by water was to be used The Proclianites were so called from one Proclus or Proculus an obscure man who held the Hermogenian opinions and withal taught that Christ was not yet come into the flesh The Patricians were so called from one Patricius whom Danaeus thinks lived under Arcadius the Emperour 387. years after Christ. These held that not God but Saran made mans flesh and that therefore men may lawfully kill themselves to be rid of the flesh they admit and reject what books of the Old Testament they please Q. 30. What did the Ascitae Pattalorinchitae Aquarii and Coluthiani professe A. The Ascitae so named from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bottle used to carry about Bottles filled with Wâ—ne and stopped bragging that they were the new Evangelical Bottles filled with new Wine and such they held necessary for all good Christians to carry about in this they placed the main of their Religion These and divers other heresies like Ionas his gourd were quickly up and quickly down The Pattalorinchitae were so named from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a staff or stick and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nose for they used to thrust their fingers into their Nose and Mouth to hinder them from speaking for they placeâ— all their Religion in silence Hence they were called Silentiarii The Aquarii were so called from 〈◊〉 water because in stead of pure Wine they offered Water in the Sacrament These were the spawn of the Severians Encratites and Helcesaites The Coluthiani were so called from Coluthus Presbyter of Alexandria and coetanial with Arrius under Constantine 290. years after Christ. Their opinion was that God could not be the author of punishment because it is evil whereas Amos the Prophet shews the contrary that their is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3. 6. and in Isay the Lord formeth the Light and Darknesse making peace and creating evil Is. 45. 7. Q. 31. What were the Religious Tenets of the Floriani Aeternales and Nudipedales A. The Floriani were so called from Florinus or Florianus a Roman Presbyter who lived under Commodus the Emperor 153. years after Christ. These hereticks were spawned by the Valentinians whose Doctrines concerning the â—â—ones and other of their Tenets they maintained and withall that God made evil and sin whereas Moses tells us that all things which he made were very good They retained also the Jewish manner of keeping Easter and their other Ceremonies Aeternales from the opinion of the worlds eternity for they held there should be no change after the Resurrection but that the world should continue as it is now This heresie in Philaster and Austin hath neither name nor author The Nudipedales were those who placed all Religion in going bare foot because Moses and Ieshua are commanded to pull off their shoes and Isay to walk bare-foot whereas these were Extraordinary and peculiar precepts and signs of particular things not enjoyned to be iitated Q. 32. What was the Religion of the Donatists Priscillianists the Rhetorians and the Feri A. The Donatists so called from Donatus a Numidian who because Cecilian was preferred before him to the Bishoprick of Carthage accused him and all the Bishops that ordained him to be Traditores that is such as had delivered the Bibles to be burned by Idolaters under the persecution of Maximinus though this accusation was found false yet Donatus persisted obstinate and separated himself and congregation from all others accounting that no Church where any spot or infirmity was to be found and that such a pure church was onely to be found among the Donatists and yet they would have no man to be forced or urged to a godly life but must be leâ—t to himself which was to open a Gap to all impurity they did also flight the magistracy and would not suffer them to punish hereticks They held the efficacy of the Sacraments to depend upon the dignity of the Minister and not on the Spirit of God they rebaptized also the Orthodox Christians as if their baptisâ—n had been no baptism They held it no sin to kill themselves rather then to fall into the hands of the Magistrate and so they made no scruple to kill others that were not of their faith when they found any advantage They used certarn magical purifications and bragged much of Enthusiasms and Revelations They also with the Arrians made the Son lesse then the Father and the Holy Ghost then the Son This herefie was divided into divers schismes the chief whereof were
the Circumcellions so called from their Cells and Cottages in which they lived to shew their austerity these made no bones to murther all they met that were not of their Religion so that they were more dangerous then High-way Robbers The Donatists were named also Parmenianists from Parmenianus one of Donatus his disciples At Rome they were named Campates from the Camp or Field and Montenses from the Hill where they used to hide themselves The Priscillianists were so named from Priscillianus a Spaniard who under Gratian the Emperor spread his heresie first in Spain 348. years after Christ. From thence like a canker it run through all the West his heresie was made up of former heresies for with the Manicnes he held that the world was made by an evil god With the Sabellians he confounded the persons of the Trinity with the Origenists he taught that mens souls were made before their bodies in some receptacle of Heaven and with the Manichees that they were parcels of the Divine Essence With Astrologers they held that all humane events depended on the Stars and with the Stoicks that we sin necessarily and coactively With the Gnosticks they condemned marriage with the Encratites the eating of flesh with the Audians they allowed lying and perjury in matters of Religion and with the Gâ—osticks they rejected the ancient Prophets as fanatical and ignorant of the will of God The Rhetorians so called from one Rhetorius held the same Tenet which the Mahumetans do at this day namely that every man shall be saved by the Religion he professeth and that therefore no Religion should be forced but men should be left to their own choice and will The Feri or wild Hereticks were such as held it unlawful to eat or converse with men therefore they held none should be saved but such as lived alone They taught also that the holy Ghost was a creature Q. 33. What were the Theopaschitae Tritheiâ—ae Aqueiâ— Melâ—â—onii Ophei Tertullii Liberatores and Nativitarii A. The Theopaschites held that the divinity of Christ suffered as if there had been in him but one nature because one person The Tritheits divided the Essence of God into three parts the one they called the Father the other the Son and the third the Holy Ghost as though either of the persons had not bin perfectly God The Aquei held that the water was not created but coeternal with God this heresie was culled out of the Hermagenian and Audian Tenets The Melitonii so named from one Melito taught that not the soul but the body of man was made after Gods Image and so with the Anthropomorphites they made God corporeal The Ophei so called from one Opheus held there were innumerable worlds The Tertullii from one Tertullus taught that the souls of wicked men should be converted into Devils and Savage Beasts Liâ—eratores are those who taught that Christ by his descending into Hell did set at liberty all wicked that then beâ—eved in him Nativitarji were such as taught that Christs Divine Nativity had a beginning because it is written Psal. 2. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee so they acknowledged the Eternity of his Essence but not of his Filiation These were but branches of former Heresies broached by obscure or unknown authors and of short continuance Q. 34. What were the Luciferians Jovinianists and Arbicks A. Luciferians so called from Lucifer Bishop of Caralitanum in Sardinia who lived under Iulâ—an the Apostate 333. years after Christ taught with the Cerinthians and Marcionites that this world was made by the Devil That mens souls were corporeal and had their being by propagation or traduction They denyed to the Clergy that fell any place for repentance or reconciliation neither did they restore Bishops or inferious Clerks to their Dignities if they fel into Heresie though they afterward repented This was the Doctrine of the old Novaâ—ians and Meletians these Luciferians were named also Homonymians for using the word flesh ambiguously in their dispurations The Iovinianists were so called from Iovinian a Roman who lived under Jovinian the Emperour 335. years after Christ. These held with the Stoicks that all sins were equal that after baptisme we could not sin that fasting was needlesse that Virginity was not better then the married life and that the blessed Virgin in bearing Christ lost her Virginity The Arabicks were so named from Arabia the countrey where this heresie was broached and maintained under Philip the Emperour 217. years after Christ they held that mens soules died with their bodies and that both in the last day should rise again From this heresie they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is mortal soules not much different from them are the Psychopanuychitae of this age who make the soul sleep in the Grave with the body till the Resurrection Q. 35. What were the Collyridians Paterniani Tertullianists and Abelonitae A. The Collyridians were hatched also in Arabia and so named from a kinde of Cakes or Buns which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Cakes they presented every year with great ceremony to a certain Maid fitâ—ng in a chair of State and covered with a vail â—n honour of the Virgin Maâ—y these flourished under Theoâ—osius the great 357. years after Christ. Paterniani so called from one Paternus an obscure fellow were named also Venuâ—iani from Venus which by their venereal actions they honoured more then God These held that all the lower parts of mans body from the Navel downward were made by the Devil and therefore they gave themselves to all lasciviousnesse and uncleannesse therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriders of good manners and honesty The Tertullianists were so called from that famous Lawyer and Divine Terâ—ullian who lived under Severus the Emperour about 170 years after Christ. He being excommunicated by the Roman Clergy for a Montanist fell unto these heretical opinioâ—s to wit that God was corporeal but without delineation of members that mens souls were not onely corporeal but also distinguished into members and had corporeal dimensions and did encrease and decrease with the body and that the soul had its Original by propagation or traduction He held also that the souls of wicked men after death were converted into Devils that the Virgin Mary â— after Christs birth did marry once and with the Catapâ—rygian he bragged much of the Paraclet or Spirit which they said was poured on them in a greater measure then on the Apostles He condemned all use of arms and wars among Christians and with the Mâ—ntanists rejected second marriages as no better then adultery The Abelonitae were so called from Abeo Adams Son these taught that Abel was married but had no carnal commerce with his Wife because there is no mention made of his Children as there is of Cains and Seths For
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
this life our sinnes are still inherent in us though they be not imputed to us that wee are justified by faith without works and that faith is never without charity that the best of our works deserve damnation that here we may be assured of our justification and salvation that the Church Liturgy ought not to be read in Latin but in the vulgar tongue that faith is a more excellent vertue then charity that there is no merit in us that in this life we cannot possibly fulfil the Law that to invocate the Saints to worship Images and Reliques or the Crosse is Idolatry that usury is not altogether unlawful that Lent and other set Fasts are not to be kept that there be onely two Scaraments Baptisme and the Lords supper and that the Sacraments cannot justifie or confer grace that the Baptisme of water is not of absolute necessity nor depends the efficacy of it from the intention of the Minister nor ought it to be administered by private men or women in private houses That Christ is not corporally in the Eucharist that in the want of Bread and wine other materials may be used and that Wine alone without Water is to be used that there is no Transubstantiation nor ought to be any adoration of the Bread that the â—up should be administred to all that Extream Unction was onely temporary in the Church that the Clergy ought to marry He rejected also the Church-Hierarchy and Ceremonies and exorcisms Penance also Confirmation Orders Matrimony and Extream Unction from being Sacraments Q. 15. What other opinions in Religion were held this age A. Servetus a Spaniard who was burned at Genevâ— taught with the Sabellians that there was but one Person in God and that there was in Christ but one nature with Eutychees he denied the holy Ghost and Baptisme to Infants which he would have to be deferred till the thirtieth year of their age He held also that God was Essential in every creature Brentius a Lutheran taught that Christs body after its ascension is every where whence sprung up the Vbiquitaries Castelliâ— a School-Master in Geneva held that the Canticles was not Scripture but a Love Ballade between Solomon and one of his Concubines One Postellus taught that men of all Sects and Professions should be saved by Christ. Oâ—iander held that we were justified not by â—aith but by the Essential righteousnesse of God which he said was the formal cause of our justification One 〈◊〉 a Maâ—tuan taught that Christ justified us not as he was God but as he was man Amsdorphius wrot a Book to prove that good works were pernicious to salvation One George Maiâ—r taught that Infants could not be justified for want of good works Iohn Agricâ—â—â— affirmed that the Law was altogether needlesse and that Christians were not tied to the observation thereof Hence sprung up the Antinomians One Steunbergetus in Morâ—via denyed the Trinity the Divinity of Christ the holy Ghost and Virginity of Mary he rejected also Baptisme and the Lords day affirming we had no command in Scripture to keep that but the Sabbath onely One Oâ—inus taught that â—olygamy or multiplicity of Wives was lawful One Valentinus Gentilâ—â— of Naples denied the Trinity and rejected the Creed of Athâ—â—â—â—ius One 〈◊〉 of Cracovia in â—oland denyed also the Trinity and thâ—â—ty of Essence and taught that neither the Second nor Third Person were God that Satan was created evil that mans intellect is eternal that our free will was a passive power moved necessarily by the appetite that God was the Author of sin and that the will of man in sinning was conformable to the will of God that it was not adultery to lie with another mans Wife that we must belive nothing but what is evident to sense or reason that the same body which dieth riseth not again that the soul perished with the body that there should be no care had of burial that separated souls could not suffer corporeal fire and that God being a Spirit should not be invocated by our mouth but by our heart One Swenkfeldius taught that the Scripture was not the Word of God nor that our faith depended on it but it rather on our faith That Christ brought his body with him from Heaven That Christs humanity became God after his ascension that every man was endowed with the same essential vertues of justice wisdom c. which were in God That the power and efficacy of Gods word preached was the very Son of God In Moravia there started up some professors called Nudipedales because they went bare-footed these in imitation of the Apostles forsook houses Lands Businesse and Children and lived together in common avoiding the society of other people Another Sect sprung up which called themselves Free Men teaching that they were freed from obedience to Magistrates from Taxes Tythes and other duties that after baptisme they could not sin That they were not onely like God but already deified And that it was lawful among themselves but no where else to have women in common Q. 16. Were there no other opinions held this Century A. Yes many more so vain and luxuriant are the wits of men in finding out many inventions and shaping to themselves forms and Ideas of Religions every one esteeming his own the best and as much in love with his own imaginations as Narcissus was with his shadow in the Water or Dercalion with his own picture Some reject Scriptures others admit no other writings but Scriptures Some say the Devits shall be saved others that they shall be damned others that there are no Devils at all Some hold that it is lawful to dissemble in Religion others the contrary Some say Antichrist is come some say not others that he is a particular man others that he is not a man but the Devil and others that by Antichrist is meant a succession of men some will have him to be Nero some Caligula some Mahomet some the Pope some Luther some the Turk some of the Tribe of Dan and so each man according to his fancy will make an Antichrist Some onely will observe the Lords day some onely the Sabbath some both and some neither Some will have all things in common some not Some will have Christs body onely in Heaven some everywhere some in the Bread others with the bread others about the bread others under the Bread and others that Christs body is the bread or the bread his body And others again that his body is transformed into his divinity Some wil have the Eucharist administred in both kinds some in one some not at all Some will have Christ descend to Hell in respect of his soul some onely in his power some in his divinity some in his body some not at all some by Hell understand the place of the damned some Limbus Patrum others the wrath of God others the state of the dead others the grave Some wil make Christ two Persons some give him but
his age and after Christ 361. To him succeeded Hilarion the first Eremite in Palestina and Syria Then Paul surnamed the Simple Amen an Egyptian with divers others Q. 3. How did these first Eremites live A. They spent their time in working sometimes in preaching praying fasting and meditating and sometimes in composing differences between Christians in visiting the sick and in such like holy exercises did they place their Religion Paul the Theban was content with a cave in stead of a palace with a piece of dry bread brought to him by a Raven every day in stead of delicate cheer with water in stead of wine and with the leaves of Palmes in stead of rich apparrel And to avoid idlenesse he would work sometiems with his hands Anthony contented himself with bread salt and water his dinner-time was at Sun-setting he used to fast sometimes two dayes together and to watch and pray whole nights he lay on the bare ground disputed often times with the Arâ—iâ—ns and Meletians in defence of Athanasius did intercede many times with the Emperour Constantine for distressed Christians and was alwayes ready to compose their quarrels Hilarion was content to live in a little hovel which he made himself of shells twigs and bulrushes foure foot broad and five foot high spending his time in praying fasting curing of diseases casting out Devils His garment was sack-cloath which he never put off his food roots and herbs which he never â—asted before Sun set six ounces of Barleyâ—bread contented him from 30. years till 35. from that time till 63. he used Oyle to repair his decayed strength From 64. till 80. he abstained from bread That he might not be idle he made him baskets of bulrushes and used to lie on the ground Thus did these Primitive Eremites spend their time Not in chambering and wâ—â—tâ—nnesse surâ—etting and drunkennesse but in temperance sobriety continence hunger thirst heat and cold reading praying preaching and fasting not placing Religion in saying but in suffering not in good words but in good works not in talking of Scripture but in walking by Scripture Q. 4. Wherein did some Eremites exceed in their Religious or rather superstitious kind of living A. As Jealousie is too much Love so is Superstition too much Religion but too much of one thing as we say is good for nothing Ne quid nimis should be in all our actions God will have merey and not sacrifice He will say Who required these things at your hands Such kind of bodily exercise as the Apostle saith availeth little It is not a torn skin nor a macerated body nor a pinched belly that God requires but a broken and contriâ—e spirit a renting of the heart and not of the garment and therefore the excesse of Eremitical penance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will-worship and not that which God requireth to wit mercy and justice to relieve the oppressed to comfort the comfortlesse to visit the Fatherlesse and widows and to keep our selves unspotted of the world To place Religion in abstinence from certain meats is against the Apostles rule â— Tim. 4. saying That every Creature of God is good and nothing to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving Altogether to abandon the society of Christians is contrary to Saint Pauls counsel Heb. 10 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the fellowship that we have among our selves as the manner of some is under pretence of forsaking the world to abandon all care of Friends and Family is condemned by the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. If any man hath not a care of his Family he hath denied the Faith and is worse then an Infidel They that willingly deprive themselves of the means of doing good to their neighbours transgresse the Law of God which commands us to love our neighbours as our selves These subsequent examples will shew how far some men have exceeded the bounds of Christianity and out-run Religion by too much superstitious devotions and excessive pennance One Asepesâ—â—a lived Sixty years together in a Closet all which time he never was seen of any nor did he speake to any The like is recorded of one Didymus who lived ninety years by himselfe One Batthaeus an Eremite of Caelosyria fasted so long till Worms crawled out of his teeth One Martinus tyed his leg with an Iron Chain to a great Stone that he might not remove thence One Alas never tasted bread in eighty years together Iohn Sorâ—â—ny the Egyptian stood praying within the Cliff of a certain Rock three years together so long till his legs and feet with continual standing swelled with putriâ—ied matter which at last broke the skin and run out One Dominicus and Eremit wore continually next his skin an Iron Coat of Male and almost every day used to scourge himself with whips in both hands Some have killed themselvs with hunger some with thirst some with exposing themselvs to excessive heat have been stifâ—ed others by extremity of cold have been frozen to death as if God took delight in self-murther which in him to affect were cruelty and in any to act were the greatest impiety Some again not content with ordinary ways of Eremitisme have spent their days within hollow pillars whence they were named Stylitae neither admitting the speech nor sight of any man or woman O 〈◊〉 hominum O quantum est in rebus inaâ—e What needed all this toil Christ saith that his Yoâ—k is easie and his Burthen light but these men laid heavy burthens on themselves which God never required he made man Animal Politicum a sociable creature therefore said It was not good for man to be alone Wo to him that is alone saith Solomon Besides no place though never so remote and solitary can priviledge a man from sin Lot was righteous among the wicked Sodomites and yet in the solitary Cave committed Incest with his two Daughters what place could be more retired then Paradise and more secure then Heaven yet Adam fell in Paradise and the Angels fell in Heaven Q. 5. Whether is the solitary life in a Desart or the sociable life in a Covent to be preferred A. 1. The sociable life because the end of our creation was not to live apart like wild beasts but together like men 2. Because we are hound to help each other by Counsel Instruction Admonition Exhortation to bear one anothers burthens to comfort the comfortlesse to support the weak to cloath the naked to seed the hungry for as the Orator said we are not born for our selves but our Parents Country and Friends challenge a share in us 3. Because he that liveth alone as he sins against his creation and humane society so he sins against himselfe in that he debars himselfe of those comforts and aid both spiritual and corporal which he hath in a sociable life 4. Because God is more present with many then with one Therefore his Church which he promiseth to
end to all Iewish rites which wâ—re but shadows of christs sufferings the substance being come the shadows were to vanish therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 9. That they who turns to these beggarly elements again desire to be in bondage again and in the next chapter he tells the Galathians that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing Lastly this millenary kingdome of eating drinking and sensuall pleasures was fitly devised by Cerinthus the heretick as best suiting with his swinish disposition for he was noted for a person given to gormandizing and libidinous sports Q. 10. What other Sects and Opinions are there now stirring amongst us A. We have Anti-trinitarians or Polonian Arrians which sprung up in Poland Anno 1593. These deny the Trinity of Persons the Divinity of Christ and of the Holy Ghost that Christ was the Son of God essentially but in respect of his dominion and say that the eternal generation of the Son is against truth and reason We have also Millenaries the spawn of Cerinthus the Heretick these dream of a temporary Kingdome bere on Earth which they shall enjoy with Christ a thousand years But indeed they aim at the enjoyment of the temporal estates of such as they call wicked who as they think have no property in their estates We have Traskits so called of one Trask who would have no Christian Sabbath kept but the Jewish Laws observed and their Sabbath or Seventh day to be perpetually kept holy till the worlds end Others we have who will keep no Sabbath at all these we call Anti Sabbatarians We have likewise Anti-Scripturians who reject all Scriptures as mans inventions there are amongst us Divorcers who hold that men may put away their Wives upon small occasions VVe have also Soul-Sleepers who with the Arabick Hereticks hold that the soul dieth or sleepeth with the body whose souls I think are asleep before the body dieth Amongst other professions we have of late Seekers or Expeâ—â—ers who deny there is any true Church or Ministery and therefore they are seeking one But they know not where to find this Church except it be in the Land of Utopia There was one Hetherington a Box maker who rejecting all Church discipline published that the Sabbath of the Iews was abolished by Christ and that every day now is a Sabbath that the books of Esdras were canonicall Scripture and in other opinions agreed with the â—amilists Q. 11. What Opinions in Religion are held by Theaurau John Ans. He cals himself Priest of the Iews sent as he saith from God to convert them his wilde whimsies are these 1. He cals it nonsence and a lie to say that God is Father of us all 2. That we Gospellers as he cals us worship the Devill because saith he the spirit of man is a Devill 3. That it is a Monster and absolute blasphemie to say the godhead dwelt in Christ bodily 4. He wonders how he that created all could be born of a woman by which we may plainly see he is a circumcised Iew. 5. He saith that the child which the Virgin brought forth is love as if the generation of christ were altogether mysticall and not reall 6. He saith That Mary is christ and christ is Mary and that these are but names of one thing 7. He denyeth That Christ was properly born or that he was born in one or that he was begotten or that be could be flesh properly or that he did descend into our flâ—sh but into our spirits onely or that he could be included in the Virgins Wombe and withall he belyeth us in saying That we have brought the humanity to be very God whereas we say the same person is God and man one not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of person 8. He calls the English clergy thieves robbers deceivers sounding from Antichrist and not from the true christ in which we see the Impudent spirit of an heretick who can no other wayes defend his lies and blasphemies but by railing 9. He prateth That the Gospel cannot be preached by another but by it self so that mans voyce or outward sound is a lye and Antichist 10. That our Ministers are not christs ambassadors but that their call is a lye for 't is learning and learning is that whâ—re which hath deceived the Nations and compleated the work of Antichrist See the impudence and boldnesse of this blind ignoramus 11. He denyeth that the Priests tips can preserve knowledge though the Scripture is plain for it but by the Priest he understands knowledge it self and so he will make the Holy Ghost to speak Tautologies in saying knowledge shall preserve knowledge here we see the fruits of ignorance 12. He makes the spirit of man to be a quintessence abstracted out of the elementarie motions such is his dull philosophie 13. Out of his kind respect to the Devil by whose instinct he writeth he affirms That he with the false prophet shall receive mercy at last because God with not punish a finite thing infinitely but here be again bewrayes his ignorance for the devil is infinite a posteriore both in regard of his essence and of his desire in sinning besides that God whom he offendeth is infinite 14. Hâ— ignorantly saith That â—e who confâ—rs Gods gift is as great yea greater than God himself is so then it must follow that the Apostles were greater than God when they gave the gifts of the Holy Ghost by imposition of hands 15. He impiously saith that Saint Paul wrote many things which he understood not 16. And as impiously doth he say that in them books which we call Scripture is the lye as well as in other books 17. After his ignorant manner he câ—â—founds the gift of prophesie with the Prophet himself in saying man is not the Prophet but the light in man from God 18. He will not have us to seek for Antichrist abroad for man in darknesse is Antichrist I deny not but every man in darknesse is in some sort an Antichrist yet there is one great Antichrist to be sought for abroad 19. The Trinity which he acknowledgeth is God the Sonne and Man this Trinity is hatched in his crasie 〈…〉 20. He is so mad that he saith he can make one word bear forty significations so he can make 〈◊〉 thou stand for dark or light or hell or heaven or sea or land or angel or Sunne or the devil 21. He will not have Christs body that suffered to be our Saviour nor Christs body for christs body saith he is obedience thus he would fain make christ our Saviour a 〈◊〉 allegorie and therefore in plain termes affirmeth that true Christ hath not nor cannot have any true corporall body for he is a spirit and a spirit is free from flâ—sh as if forsooth a spirit flesh could not be united in the same person
a Bishop for if Presbyters had been distinct from Bishops Paul would not have left them unsaluted for why should he salute the Deacons and not thâ— Presbyters which are a higher degree Quest. Why were the Pastors called Bishops and Presbyters A. To put them in mind of their duty and dignity for the word Episcopus or Bishop signifieth the care inspection and oversight which they should have of mens souls in guiding instructing and feeding them with the Word and Sacraments Presbyter signifieth the age dignity and experience that ought to be in Ministers whose grave carriage wisdome and knowledge should procure reverence of the people to that high calling and obedience to their Doctrine Q. Are young men then fit to be made Presbyters oâ— Bishop A. No except there be extraordinary gifts in them as were in Timothy or in extream necessity when grave and ancient men cannot be found Temeritas florentis aelatis prudentia sinectutes Young men are rash inconstant head strong proud inconsiderate and indiscreet in their words and carriage for the most part which hath brought this high calling into obloquie and contempt They have not that experience wisdome gravity and knowledge that are in old men nor are they Masters of their passions and affections and how are they fit overseers of others who cannot oversee themselves a young Presbyter is a contradiction and a young Bishop is incongruous Young and green heads have been the cause of so much distemper so many Heresies and schismes in the Church of Christ Therefore little hope there is that ever peace Religion and truth shall flourish in that Church where giddy young men are Bishops or Presbyters and hot-spurs or green heads are preferred to gray hairs ancient Divines are fittest to serve the ancient of dayes Q. But if Paul constituted Presbyters and Deacons in all the Churches which be planted why doth he not salute them as he did these of Philippi A. For brevities sake he oftentimes omits them thinking it sufficient to have saluted the Church in generall in which they are included being members thereof Q. Is not the degree of Bishops higher than that of Presbyters A. Sometimes to avoid heresie schismes and troubles in the Church the Presbyters have chosen one of their own society to precede or oversee the rest but this was onely in some places and at some times and rather an ecclesiastick custome than a divine tradition saith Hierom. Q. But why did Paul besides his custome salute the Deacons at Philippi A. Because by Epaphroditus they had sent him relief therefore he would particularly thank them besides he would shew that under these two names of Presbyter and Deacon is contained the whole Ministry of the Church the Presbyter caring for the things of the soul the Deacon for the things of the body Q. What doth the ward Deacon signifie A. A Minister or servant for so the Magistrate is called Rom. 13. a Deacon or Minister Paul calls himself the Deacon of the Gospel Eph. 5. and he calls Christ the Deacon of Circumcision Rom. 15. but this word is appropriated to him that hath the charge of the poor and strangers in collecting and laying out the Church money for their relief Such were those seven mentioned Acts â— and as Christ had twelve Apostles so one of them to wit Iudas was a Deacon for he kept the bag Q. Were there in the Church preaching Presbyters onely A. No there were also ruling Elders of which Paul speaketh 1. Tim. 5. 1â— Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine for the preaching Presbyters thought it too great a burthen to preach and to have the inspection of mens manners therefore they desired some of the Laity to assist them whom they called ruling Elders Q. What difference is there between a Minister and a Deacon A. The Greek word signifieth both promiscuously but we have appropriated the word Minister to a preacher and the word Deacon to the Overseer of the poore Q. How doth it appear that Presbyter and Bishop was the same A. Because the Apostle Phil. 1. salutes the Bishops of Philippi but in one Town there is onely one Bishop usually so called So Acts 20. having called together the Presbyters he bids them take heed to the stock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made them Bishops And leaving Titus at Crete to establish Presbyters sheweth that a Bishop must be without reproof Q. Have there not been sometimes two Bishops in one Town A. We read in Sozomen l. 4. c. 14. that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium wrote to Foelix and the Clergy of Rome to admit of Liberius as an assistant Bishop to Foelix but the Councel of Nice forbids two Bishops to be in one City Can. 8. Q. Why do not the Reformed Churches now call our Ministers by the name of Bishops and Priests A. Because these Offices have been abused in Popery the one to pride and tyranny the other to superstition and idolatry Q. May a man exercise the office of Presbyter or Bishop without a calling A. No for no man takes upon him this office but he that is called of God as Aaron was Vzza was struck with sudden death for his rash touching of the Ark 2. Sam. 6. God complains of those Prophets that run and yet were not sent Ier. 23. and how can such preach if they be not sent Rom. 10. Leprâ—sie shall seize upon King Uzziah if he stretch out his hand to touch the Ark 2 Chron. 26. Christ himself spoke not of himsel nor was his Doctrine his own but his that sent him Iohn 5 7. Q. How must a man be called A. First Internally by the Spirit moving his heart and furnishing him with graces fit for so high a Calling Secondly Externally by the Church to which twofold calling we must yield obedience and not resist and run from it as Ionah did Q. How shall we know the inward call of the Spirit from the stattering concept of our Fancies A. If we are called by the Spirit we have no other ends but Gods glory and the salvation of souls we seek Christ for his miracles not for his loaves we will not trust to our own strength learning or eloquence but will disclaim our own sufficiency with the Apostle will accuse our own uncircumcised and defiled lips with Mosâ—s and Esay and will rely onely upon the goodnesse and promise of God who will give us wisdome and will put in our mouths what we shall speak Quest. How many sorts of callings are there in the Church A. Two to wit Extraordinary as that of the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets and Ordinary as the callings of Presbyters or Bishops of preaching Prophets or Pastors and of Deacons Q. Can both these callings be in one maâ— A. Yes for Ieremy and Ezechiel were ordinary Priests and Levites yet were extraordinary Prophets So Luther had an ordinary Function in the
would infect others men by this are deterred from sinne by this also Gods anger is appeased and his judgement removed of averted and our communion with God is renewed and confirmed Therefore we are commanded Deut. 13. to remove the evil from amongst us and to depart out of Babylon and not to communicate with the unfruitfull works of darknesse Q. Are excommunicate persons members of the Church A. As they are excommunicate they are not members for how can they be members of the Church from whose Union and Society they are separated or how can Heathens and Publicans be members of the Church for such are excommunicate persons to be accounted yet in respect of their faith which is not quite extinguished and as they are subject to the external government of the Church they may be called members thereof Q. Are we Protestants justly excommunicate by the Pope A. 1. No for we are not Hereticks but Orthodox Professors 2. He hath no power to exclude us out of the Church who himself is scarce a member of the Church 8. T is no wonder that we are rejected by those who seem to be the onely builders whereas Christ himself the chief corner stone was rejected by the builders 4. By being excommunicate from Babylon we are made members of Ierusalem and indeed we had not been partakers of the true light so long as we remained in darknesse nor had we been the servants of Christ so long as we served Antichrist 5. No sooner had the Hirelings cast out Christs sheep out of the fold but Christ the true Shepheard found them out and brought them home with joy So the blind man Ioh 9. was no sooner cast out of the Synagogue but he was received and entertained by Christ. So we have gained Heaven by being excommunicate from Rome and Balaams curse is turned to a blessing Q. What hath Rome got by Excommunication A. Though she kept the world a while in awe and thereby got wealth yet by her excommuications she hath lost more then she hath got for she lost all the Eastern Countries when Pope Victor inconsiderately excommunicated the Eastern Churches about the matter of Easter What the Popes got by excommunicating the German Emperors and French Kings Histories can tell us they lost England by excommunicating Henry the eighth and his Protestant Children Q. Who are to be Excommunicate A. 1. Not Iewes and Turks but Christians for we are not to judge them who are without but if any be called a brother who is a fornicator c. 2. Not every sinful brother but he who sins of perversenesse after admonition for he doth wilfully by his sinnes separate himself from God therefore deserves to be separate from the Church by excommunication and consequently to be delivered over to Satan who reignes without the Church as Christ doth within and this delivering over is to the destruction of the flesh that is of the Old Man or body of sin but that the spirit may be saved that is that Grace or the New Man may be strengthened 3. A brother must not be excommunicate for every sin but for that which is publick and scandalous private sins are to be punished by him who knowes all secrets 4. A Brother must be excommunicate for his own sins but not for the sins of another every man must bear his own burthen therefore Bishop Auxlius was justly reproved by Saint Austin Epist. 75. for excommunicating the whole Family for the Masters offence alone Q. Can excommunication consist with Charity A. Yes for there can be no greater charity then to save the soul but the end of excommunication is to save the soul or the spirit it is charity to keep a man from blaspheming but Hymeneus and Alexander were delivered up to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1. it is charity to stay an Infection or Plague but excommunication is such a means therefore Paul wills the Corintâ—ians to take away the evil from among them fâ—r Knâ—w you not saith he that a little Leven will sowre the whole lump 1. Cor. 5. It is charity to keep a man from eating and drinking his own damnation but unworthy eaters of the Sacrament eat their own damnation if they be not suspended or kept off by excommunication Q. Is the Civil Magistrate prejudiced by the censure of excommunication A. No for the weapon of the Magistrate is the Sword but the Minister useth onely the Word The end of the Ministers censure is to save the sinner The end of the Magistrates is to kill the sinner The Minister is content to receive the sinner into the Church again upon his repentance but the Magistrate regards not the repentance and sorrow of the Malefactor the Minister takes notice of many sinnes which the Magistrate doth not because they are such as trouble not the State as private grudges of Neighbours c. There be also Magistrates that wink many times at great sinnes as for example drunkenesse which the Minister should not forbeare to censure Q. May the Minister or Presbytery excommunicate any man without the consent of the Church A. No for excommunication or separation from the body of Christ is of that consequence that it concerns all to take notice of it but the Minister may suspend from the Sacrament without the Churches consent such as he knows are scandalous and profane and this he ought to doe though the Church should refuse to assent for he is commanded not to give that which is holy to Dogs nor must he suffer any of his stock to eat his own damnation this is to put the Sword into his hand that would kill himself which is to be guilty of his sin Qui noâ— vetat peccare cum possit jubet Q. From what things can we not be excommunicate A. 1. From the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord no man can separate us for the foundation of God remaineth sure 2. Nor from the practise of those duties which are grounded on the Lawes of nature can we be hindered by excommunication such as are the duties of Husbands and Wives Fathers and Children Masters and Servants Princes and People therefore the Popes excommunication cannot loose people from their alleageance to their Prince 3. Nor can excommunicate persons be hindered from practising such things as are grounded on the Law of Nations such as traffique and commerce for an excommunicate person must be to us as a Publican and Heathen but with such the Iewes might have commerce and traffique 4. Excommunication doth not debar us from exercising the workes of charity for we are bound to feed the hungry and not suffer them to starve because they are excommunicate 5. Excommunication doth not debar us from hearing the word except we be scoffers of it Q. Is the Christian Magistrate subject to the censure of excommunication A. Yes for though he be a Father as he is a Prince yet he is a Brother as he is a Christian and therefore
lyable to be censered as a brother Hence King Vzziah was excommunicate by the Priest Azariah and Theodâ—sius the Emperor by Ambrose Q. Will it follow that there must be no excommunication because Christ will not have the Tares plucked up till the Harvest A. 1. No for Christ speaketh there of Hypocâ—its which cannot be plucked up by the Church because she knoweth them not but in the great Harvest they shall be pluckt up by the Angels at his command who knows the secrets of the heart 2. If the place be meant of Hereticks they are not to be plucked up at such times as may endanger the Churches peace but they must be left to a convenient time when the Church may excommunicate them without danger or else left to the judgement of the great day 3. All Tares cannot be pluckt up whilest the Church is here Militant for there will be found still some Tares amongst the Corn some Goats among the Sheep a Iudas among the Apostles as there were Cananites and Iebusites among the Israelites 4. Christ by this condemns their rashnesse who presently go to pluck up and flye to excommunication before they use reproofe and admonition Q. Can the Minister exclude any man from the Kingdome of God A. 1. He cannot by his own power but by the power of him whose Minister he is 2. He cannot exclude any man from Heaven but he can pronounce and declare that such a man is excluded thence Q. Can the delivering of a man over to Satan be a means to save his spirit A. Yes accidentally for God can draw good out of evil and light out of darknesse thus the bufferings which Paul suffered by the Angel of Satan caused him to pray heartily it is the special work of Gods mercy to save our souls by affliction and misery Q. Can an excommunicate person be accounted as a Brother A. Yes for excommunication takes not away true Brotherly love and affection an excommunicate person may be shut out of Heaven but not out of hope we may exclude him out of our Society but not of our â—owels of compassion and mercy we draw the Sword of excommunication against him not to kill but to cure him Who would be more fully resolved of these Presbyterian Tenets let him read their own writings Q. How many Erroneous opinions in Religion have been lately revived or hatched since the fall of our Church government A. It were almost endlesse to number every particular it may suffice that I shall name more then one hundred of the most ordinary and latest received of them which are 1. That the Scriptures are a humane invention insufficient and uncertain and do not contain half of his revealed will 2. That they are all allegoricall and written according to the private spirit of the pen-men and not as moved by the Holy Ghost And that the Old Testament is now of no force 3. That reason is the rule of faith 4. That Scripture binds us no further then the Spirit assureth us that such is Scripture 5. That Scripture should not be read to a mixt Congregation without present exposition 6. That God is the Author of the pravity and sinfulnesse of mens actions 7. That Turks Jewes Pagans and others are not to be forced from their opinions 8. That God loves a crawling worme as well as a holy Saint 9. That Gods will not sin is the cause of mans damnation 10. That man was a living 〈◊〉 before God breathed into him and that which God breathed was a part of his divine essence 11. That God is the onely Spirit and that Prince of the aire who ruleth in the children of disobedience 12. That the soul dieth with the body 13. That reprobation cannot be proved out of Scripture 14. That there is no Trinity of persons in God 15. That every creature is God as every drop in the River is water 16. That Christ is not essentially but nominally God 17. That Christ was polluted with original sin 18. That Christ was true man when he created the world yet without flesh 19. That Christ died onely for sinners and not for unbelievers for sins past before our conversion but not for sins done after conversion 20. That no man is damned but for unbeliefe and that man can satisfie for his own unbeliefe 21. That Heathens have the knowledge of Christ by the Sun Moon and Stars 22. That the end of Christs comming was to preach Gods love to us and not to procure it for us therefore did not obtain life for the Elect but a resurrection only and deliverance us from death temporal 23. That Christ preached not the Gospel but the Law for the Gospel was taught by his Apostles 24. That our unction is all one with Christs Divinity 25. That Christ with the Church of Jewes and Gentiles shall reigne one Earth a 1000 years in carnall pleasures 26. That the Heathens are saved without Christ. 27. That the Spirit of God neither dwells nor works in any but it is our own spirit which both works in the children of disobedience and sanctifies the Elect. 28. That God seeth no sin in his Elect. 29. That a man baptized with the Holy Ghost knows all things as God doth 30. That we may be saved without the word prayer Sacraments c. 31. That there is no inherent sanctification in believers but all is in Christ. 32. That Adam had died though he had not sinned 33. That we have no original sin nor is any man punished for Adams sin 34. That Gods Image consisteth onely in the face which Image was never lost 35. That men who know the Gospel are of themselves able to believe 36. That one man is not more spiâ—itual then another 37. That we have no free will not so much as in our natural estate 38. That the moral Law is of no use among Christians 39. That we are not justified by faith and that neither faith nor holinesse nor repentance are required in Christians 40. That the childe of God can no more sin then Christ himselfe can 41 That there should be no fasting days under the Gospel 42. That God doth not chastise his children for sin 43. That God loves his children as well when they sin as when they do well and therefore Abraham in denying his Wife sinned not 44. That Gods children ought not to ask pardon for their sinnes for though they have sin in the flesh they have none in the conscience 45. That the body of iniquity is the great Antichrist mentioned in Scripture 46. That men shal have other bodies given them in the resurrection and not the same they had here on Earth 47. That Heaven is empty of souls till the resurrection 48. That Infants shall not rise at all yet Beasts and Birds shall rise againe 49. That after this life there is neither Heaven nor Hell nor Devil but Hell is in this life in the terrours of conscience 50. That there is no true Ministery nor Church
Masse must be said on festival days for the dead except the body be present And although in the Masse for the living incense is burned to shew that their prayers like incense ascend before God yet in the Masse for the dead incense is not burned because their prayers are of no efficacy for do the dead praise thee saith David The corps may not be brought into the Church whilest Masse is saying for the living but must be set in the Porch till Masse be done and the Mass for the dead be begun in which Masse the kisse of peace must not be given because there is no communion between us and the dead neither can they answer us the dead corps is washed and anointed then it is carried to the Church but by the way the bearers rest three times to signifie Christs three days rest in the grave Holy water and Frankincense is put in the grave with the corps to keep off evil spirits thence and to shew that the deceased party hath offered to God the incense of his prayers and good life whilest he lived He is buried with green bayes to shew that his soul is alive and that it doth not â—ither with the body and with his face upward and his feet towards the East to shew his expectation of Heaven and his readinesse to meet Christ in the Resurrection whose appearance is believed shall be in the East Every Christian that is buried out of the Church or Church-yard hath a Crosse set at his head to shew he was a Christian. Câ—ergy men that have taken orders are buried in the habit of their orders all are wrapt in linnen because Christ was so yet some are buried in sackcloth to shew their repentance Antiently the names of holy men departed were registred in scrolls or â—olding tables called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Diptycha the Latin Church retained these were kept by the Bishop and the â—ames publickly read in time of divine service to shew that the just shall be had in everlasting remembrance The prayers that are made for the dead are not for the Saints in Heaven for they need not our prayers but our praises to God for them nor for the damned in Hell seeing our prayers can availe them nothing but onely for those who dying in venial sins unrepented make satisfaction in Purgatory Lastly there is neither Gloria in exceâ—sis nor Hallelujah sung in the office for the dead Of these passages see Alcuiâ—us de divin offic Amalar. Fortunat. de Eccles. officiis Stephanus Durantus de ritibus Eccles. Cathol Guliel Durandus in rationali c. The Contents of the Fourteenth Section Of the Eastern Religions and first of the Greeks 2. Of the Church dignities and discipline in the Greek Church at this day 3. Of the other Nations professing the Greek Religion chiefly the Moscovites and Armenians 4. Of the Monks Nunâ— and Eremites of Moscovia 5. Of the form of service in their Chu ches 6. How they administer the Sacraments 7. The Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Russian Church at this day 8. Of their Marriage and Funeral Ceremonies 9. Of the profession of the Armenians 10. Of the other Greek Sects namely the Melchites Georgians and Mengrelians 11. Of the Nestorians Indians and Jacobites 12. Of the Maronites Religions 13. Of the Cophti 14. Of the Abyssin Christians 15. Wherein the Protestants agree with and dissent from other Christian Churches SECT XIIII Quest. 1. HAving taken a view of the differences in Religion among the Romanists and Anti Romanists in the West what Religion do the Christians in the East professe A. In the East the Greek Religion prevaileth in many places chiefly in those Countries of Europe namely Greece Macedon Epirus 〈◊〉 Thrâ—ce Servia Basciâ— Moldavia Walachiâ— Bosnia Podolia and Moscovia In the Islands also of the Aegean Sea and in some parts of Poland Dalmatia and Croatia in some parts also of Asia namely in Natolia Circassia Mengrelia and Russia The Greekâ— place much of their devotion in the worship of the Virgin Mary and of painted but not carved Images in the intercesâ—ion prayers help and merits of the Saints which they invocate in their Temples They place justification not in faith but in workes School-divinity chiefly the works of Thomas Aquinâ—s which they have in Greek are in great request with them The Sacrifice of the Masse is used for the quick and the dead and they use to buy Masses they do not hold a Purgatory fire yet they believe there is a third place between that of the blessed and the damned where they remain who have deferred repentance till the end of their life but if this place be not Purgatory I know not what it is not what the souls do there Though they deny the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son yet they baptise in the name of the Three Persons Priests among them may marry once but not ofâ—â—er That marriage is unlawfull which is contracted within the seventh degree of Consanguinity and Affinity They use leavened bread in the Sacrament and administer in both kinds they have four Lâ—â—ts in the year they deny the Popes supremacy abstain from blood and things strangled observe the Jewish Sabbath with the Lords day They use neither confirmation nor extream unction and will not have either the blessed souls iâ— Heaven to enjoy Gods presence or the wicked in Hell to be tormented â—ill the day of judgement preaching is little used amongst them but Masses often therefore one of their Monks whom they call Coloieri for preaching sometimes in Lent and at Christmasse and Eastet was accused and banished to Mount Sinai by the Patriarch of Constantinople as Chytraus witnesseth They esteem equal with the Scriptures the Acts of the seven Greek Synods and the writings of Basil Chrysostoâ—e 〈◊〉 and their traditions They believe that the souls of the dead are bettered by the prayers of the living They are no less for the Churches authority and for Traditions then the Roman Catholicks be when the Sacrament is carried through the Templâ— the people by bowing themselves adore it and falling on their knees kisse the 〈◊〉 Q. 2. What Ecclesiastical Dignities and Discipline is there in the Greek Church at this day A. They have their Patriarch who resides at Constantinople who is elected by his Metropolitans and Arch-Bishops but is confirmed by the great Turkes chief Bassa who upon promise of some thousand Duckets from the Patriarch doâ—h ratifie his priviledges He hath no more authority with the great Turk then any Christian Embassadour who thinks it a great honour to be admitted to fall down at the Seigniors feet and to kisse his cloak Next to the Patriarch are the Metropolitans who are placed according to their antiquity Of thes Metropolitans are 74. under whom are Arch-Bishops and Bishops The Metropolitan of Thessalonica hath ten Bishops under him he of Athens hath six Corinth hath foure Bishops and one hundred Churches Mitylena had five
in points of Religion but let us maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of love and know that Religion is not in words but in works not in opinions but in assurance not in speculation but in practice Pure Religion and undefiled before God is to visit 〈◊〉 Fatherlesse and widows c. to do good and to communicate for with such Sacrifice God is well pleased that not the bearers of the Law but the doers shall be justified that not they that cry Lord Lord shall enter into heaven but they who do the will of our Father that without peace and holinesse no man shall see the Lord that they who seed the hungâ—y and cloath the naked c. shall inherit the Kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world And God grant that we may run the wayes of Gods Commandements walk in love tread in the paths of righteousnesse â—ight the good fight run the race set before us with patience looking unto Iesus the Authour and Finisher of our faith that having finished our course and wrought out our salvation with 〈◊〉 and trembling may at last receive the Crown of righteousnesse In the mean while let us not forget our Saviours Legacy which is Love one another and my peace I leave with you Are we not all the members of one body the sheep of one fold the children of one Father Do we not all eat of the same bread drink of the same cup live by the same Spirit hope for the same inheritance are we not all washed with the same Baptisme and redeemed by the same saviour why then should we not be of the same heart and mind with the Apostles why is there such strugling in the womb of Rebecca such a noise of hammers in building Christs mysticall Temple such clashing of arms under the Prince of peace is this Christianity Alas we are Mahuâ—etanes or Gentiles in practise and Christians in name Now the God of peace that brought again our Lord Iesus from the dead give us the peace of God that passeth all understanding that we may all think and do the same thing That as there is but one shepherd so theâ—e may be but one sheepfold The Church of God is a little flock beset with many Wolves of Iews Turks Pagans Atheists why then should we not be carefull to preserve peace love and unity among our selves the onely thing to make us formidable to our enemies Concordia res parvae crescunt A bundle of Arrows cannot be broken except they be separated and disjoyned nor could the horse tail be plucked off as Sertorius shewed his Romans so long as the hairs were twisted together as hard a matter it will be to overcome us so long as we are united in love but let this band be broken and we are a prey to every enemy imbelles damae quid nisi praeda sumus If we will needs fight let us buckle with our profest and common enemies with the Devil the world and the Flâ—sh with Principalites and Powers with spirituall darknesse and chiefly with our selves Nec tonge scilicet hostes quaerendi nobis circumstant undique muros We have a Trojan horse full of armed enemies in the Citadel of our hearts we have Iebusites within us which we may subjugate but can never exterminate and such is our condition that we are pestered with enemies whom we can neither fly from nor put to flight Nec fugere possumus nec sugare If we did exercise our selves oftner in this spiritual Militia we should not quarrel so much as we do nor raise such tragedies every where in the Church of Christ about controversies opinions quarrelling about the shell of Religion being carelesse what become of the kernel With Martha we busie our selves about many things but neglect that Vnum necessarium playing Philosophers in our disputes but Epicures in our lives I wil end in the words of Lactantius Instit. 6. c. 1. 2. Innecentiam sâ—lam 〈◊〉 quis obtulerit Deo satis pie religioseque litavit He is the most religious man who offers to God the best giâ—t which is innocency For Christian Religion consisteth not in words but in gifts and sacrifices our gifts are perpetual our sacrifices but temporary our gifts are sincere hearts our sacrifices are praises and thanksgivings No Religion can be true but what is grounded on goodnesse and justice FINIS The Alphabetical TABLE of the chief things conteined in the severall Sections of The View of all Religions c. A. ABbots how elected 275. c. how consecrated 343. c. Abraxas the Sun 519. c. Abyssins their religion 494. c. Adamites 366. Adonis the Sun 517. Africa the religion thereof 94. c. African Islands their religions 102. Albati 318. etc. Albigenses and their opinions 223 c. America the religion thereof 102 c. Southern America the religion thereof 112. etc. Americans their superstitious fear and tyranny thereof 116 etc. Anabaptists 229 c. of Moravia 230 etc. their opinions and names 361 c. Angola its religion 100 c. Antinomians 366. Apis the Sun 518 c. Apollo the Sun 516. Apostles and their office 396. Arabians their religion and discipline 67 c. Armenians their religion 489 c. Arminians their tenets 367 c. Asia the religions thereof 1.2 c. Atys the Sun 518. S Austins girdle 257 c. B. Babylonians their ancient religion 58 c. Bel and Belenus the Sun 520. Bengala its religion 83. Bishops 399. 405. c. Bisnagar its religion 87 c. Brasil its religion 113 c. S. Bridgets Order 313 c. Brownists their kinds and tenets 363 c. Buildings first erected for divine service 4. Burial of the dead an Act of justice and mercy 131 c. C. Calvins doctrine 236 c. Camaldulenses 283. Cambaia its religion 84. Canons of S. Saviour 318. of S. George 319 c. of Lateran 320. Carmelites 300 c. Carthusians 284 c. Cerberus the Sun 527. Ceremonies in religion 513 c. Charom the Sun 526 c. Chinois their religion 79 c. Christianity its beginning 181 c. It yeelds to Mahumetanisme 182 c. Its excellency 538 c. Christian duties urged 542 c. Churches from the beginningâ— 1 2. etc 1 2. c. set Day Sacrifices and Church-Government from the beginning 5 c. Under Moses 6. After Moses 7. Under David and Solomon 8 c. After Solomon 9 c. Among the ten Tribes 11. In and after the Captivity of Babylon 28 c. Among the Iewes at this day 29 c. Church Offices sold among the Iewes 49 c. Church how to be governed 409. Church-Governours ibid. c. Alterable 410. Church of Arnhem vide Millenaries Church of England deplored and Remedy against her growing errours 427. Of Protestant Churches 496 c. Church of Rome wherein different from other Churches 429 c. Cluniacenses 282. Colours of the Sun worn
with them immortal Their great mens Funeral Pomps are celebrated yearly with much lamentation drinking and bestial ceremonies both men and women casting aside all modesty He that will know more of this stuff let him read the forenamed Authors Q. What is the Religion of Brasil A. They acknowledge the immortalitie of the foul and believe that there are rewards and punishments after this life For they hope that if they kill and sacrifice many of their enemies they shall be carried beyond the Mountains into pleasant Gardens there to dance and rejoyce with their fore-fathers They stand in much fear of the Devil who is still vexing of â—â—em therefore they chiefly worship him and when they go abroad they commonly carry fire with them as their defence against the Devil who they think is afraid of fire They have their solemn Festivals which they celebrate with dancing howling and tatling The Husband hath power to kill the adulterous Wife Their marriages are without any ceremonies They bury their dead upright in a pit with their goods The Husband playes the Midwife to the woman washeth painteth and nameth the child by the name of some wild Beast they have some knowledge of Noahs flood of these passages see Masscus Lerius Stadius c. Q. What Religion did the people of Peru professe A. Their chief god was Wiracocha by whom they understood the maker of all things next to him they worshipped the Sun and the Thunder after him The images of these three they never touched with their bare hands they worshipped also the Stars Earth Sea Rainbow Rivers Fountains and Trees They adored also wild Beasts that they might not hurt them and in sign of their devotion when they travelled they left in the cross ways and dangerous places old shoes feathers and if they had nothing else stones They worshipped the Sun by pulling off the hairs from their Eye-brows when they fear they touch the earth and look up to the Sun They worshipped also the dead bodies of their Emperors and indeed every thing they either affected or feared They have some glimring knowledge of the beginning of the world of Noahs flood and they believe the end of the world which still they fear when the Sun is Eclipsed which they think to be the Moons Husband they held their Priests in such esteem that no great matter was undertaken by Prince or people without their advice None had accesse to the Idols but they and then only when they are cloathed in white and prostrate on the ground In sacrificing they abstained from women and some out of zeal would put out their own eyes They used to consult with the Devil to whom they sacrificed men and dedicated boyes in their Temples for Sodomy They had also their Temples richly adorned with Gold and Silver and their Monasteries for Priests and Sorcerers Their Nuns were so strictly kept that it was death to be deflowred after fourteen years of age they were taken out of the Monastery either to serve the Idols and such must be Virgins still or else to serve as Wives and Concubines to the Ingua or Emperor They are very frequent and strict in their confessions and cheerfully undertake what pennance is injoyned them But the Ingua confesseth onely to the Sun after confession they all wash in baths leaving their sins in the water They used to sacrifice Vegetables Animals and men chiefly Children for the health or prosperity of their Ingua and for victory in War in some places they eat their men-sacrifices in others they onely dried and preserved them in Silver Coffins they anoint with blood the faces of their Idols and doors of their Temples or rather slaughter houses See Acosta Cieza Gomara c. Q. What festival days did the Peruvians observe A. They had Feasts and sacrifices every moneth of the year in which were offered multitudes of sheep of different colours which they burned The Ingua's Children were dedicated in these Feasts their ears were pierced then they were wiped and their faces anointed with blood in sign that they should be true Knights to their Ingua In Cusco during this moneth and feast no stranger might remain but at the end thereof they were admitted and had a morsell of bread presented to each man that they should by eating thereof testifie their fidelity to the Ingua In the second moneth which is our Ianuary for in December in which the Sunne returnes from Capricorne was their first moneth they flung the ashes of their sacrifices into the river following the same sixe leagues and praying the River to carry that present to Viracocha in three following months they offered one hundred sheep In the sixth they offered one hundred sheep more and made a feast for their Maiz. In the seventh they sacrificed to the Sun In the eighth and ninth moneths two hundred sheep were offered In the tenth one hundred sheep more and to the honour of the Moon burned torches washed themselves and then were drunk four days together In the eleventh moneth they offered one hundred sheep and upon a black sheep poured much Chica or Wine of Maiz to procure rain In the twelfth moneth they sacrificed one hundred sheep and kept a feast They have also their fasts which continue in mourning and sad processions two days and the two days after are spent in feasting dancing and drinking See Ios. Acosta Q What was their belief of the departed souls A. That they wander up and down and suffer hunger thirst and cold therefore they carry them meat drink and cloathes They used also to put gold and silver in their mouths hands and bosomes much treasure hath been digged out of graves But they believed that the souls of good men were at rest in glory The bodies were honoured after death sacrifices were offered to them and cloaths The best beloved Wife was slain and attendants of all sorts To the Ingua's Ghost young children were sacrificed and if the Father was sick many times the Son was slain thinking this murther would satisfie death for the Father Of these and their other impious Ceremonies see Acosta By these horrible murthers committed among the poor Americans we may see what a cruel and barbarous tyrant superstitious fear is and what wretched slaves they are who are captivated by this tyrant far more savage then Mezentius Phalaris Busyris or any other tyrannical butcher that ever was for there is no tyrant so powerfull or barbarous but may be avoided by flying from him to remote places but who can fly from that superstitious fear which a man doth carry continually about him Quid terras alio calentes Sole mutamus patria quis exulse quoque fugit a man may fly from his country saith Horace but not from himselfe this tyrant haunts the superstitious wretch continually as the evil Spirit did Saul Againe no tyrant can tyrannize over a man longer then he lives death sets every slave at liberty but this tyrant
leaves not his slave in death but with the terrors of future torments in hell doth vex his soul when it is departing hence Curae non ipsa in morte relinquunt there is no slave so wretched and miserable no pain so great no captivity so unpleasing no chaines so heavy no prison so loathsome which in sleep are not forgotten for then the slave is at liberty the pain is eased the chaines are light and the darkest dungeon is then a beautiful Pallace but this Deisedemonia as the Greeks call it this superstitious fear will not permit it s captivated slave to rest or take any quiet but affrights him in his sleep with horrid dreams and hideous phancies so that sleep which should be his comfort and ease becomes his tormenter Besides Temples and Altars which use to be Sanctuaries for Delinquents are no ease or sanctuary at all to the superstitious sinner any servant might be defended from his Master by laying hold of the Altar but no Altar no Temple no Sacrifice can priviledge the superstitious soul who is still jealous and fearfull of his cruel gods and what wonder is it if we consider the nature of those insatiable devils whom they worship who are never satisfied with the blood of beasts men women and children but are still thirsting after more with the horse-leech if these be the gods which the Gentiles serve surely as Plutarch saith they had been in no worse condition if the Typhones and Giants had overthrown these gods for they could not have been moâ—e cruel nor have exacted more bloody victimes And doubtlesse as the same Plutarch saith these poor wretches do not love their gods but rather hate them because they still fear some hurt and mischiefe from them therefore as some men flatter and give rich presents to tyrants not because they love them for indeed they hate them but that they may not receive hurt by them so deale superstitious men with their gods And in truth Plutarch is not altogether mistaken when he makes Superstition worse then Atheisme for the Atheists hold there is no god but the Superstitious honour such fordid base and cruel gods that it were far better there were no gods then such for it is lesse impiety to say there is no god then to give his sacred name and honour to such wicked greedy barbarous and blood sucking devils I had rather saith he men should say there is no Plutarch then that they should say Plutarch is an inconstant fickle cholerick a revengefull and cruel man And so he concludes that superstition is the cause of Atheisme and impiety because men looking upon the ridiculous gestures impurity cruelty injustice madnesse undecency and all kind of villany perpetrated in their Temples concluded it were better have no gods then such abominable Deities But see Plutarch himselfe in his book of superstition Q. What was the Religion of Hispaniola A. They worshipped the Sun and Moon which they say at first shined out of a Cave and their tradition is that out of two Caves came mankinde the biggest men out of the greatest Cave and the least men out of the lesser Cave They worship also divers Idols with ugly shapes by which the Devil useth to speak to them these they call Zaemes to which they kept divers festivals In these they had their publiqu dances with the musick of shells tyed about their armes thighs and legs The King sits drumming when the people present themselves having their skins painted with divers colours of herbs When they sacrifice they use with a sacred hook thrust down their throat to turn up their stomack Then they sit down in a ring crosse-legged and wri-necked about the Idol praying their sacrifice might be accepted In some places the women dance about their Idols and sing the praises of their ancient Kings then both Sexes on their knees offer cakes which the Priests cut and give to every one a piece this each man keeps as a holy relique all the year against dangers If any fall sick the Priests impute this to their neglect in the Idols service therefore exhort them to build a Chappâ— or dedicate a Grove to their god They think the Ghosts of the dead walk who assault such as are fearful and vanish from them who are not afraid Their several Rites are like those of the other Pagan Countries See P. Martyr Out of what I have written concerning the Idolatry of Asia Africa and America we may conclude with Tertullian lib. de Idolat that every sin by what name soever it be called or of whatsoever quality it is may be comprehended in the sin of Idolatry Idololatriae crimine expungitur to use his own phraise that is every sin is made up and attains to its perfection and consumination in idolatry so that as he sheweth in that book there is no such murtherer as the Idolater who not onely destroyeth the bodies of men and beasts to please his Idol but likewise murthereth his own soule there is no such Adulterer as he who not only goeth a whoring after false gods but also adulterates the truth for every false god is adultery there is no such thief as he for not only much robbery and oppression is committed to maintain false worship and idolatry as Arnobius instanceth in the Romans who to maintain the worship of their gods did rob all other gods and nations and with their triumphant gold Persius calls it aurum ovatum adorn their images but besides this theft the Idolater robs God of his right and honour giving it to such as are not gods I will not speak of the uncleannesse drunkennesse wantonnesse and other sins which accompany this master sin which Tertullian calls Principale crimen generis humani summus saeculi reatus c. devorâ—tâ—rium salutis the main wickednesse of mankind the chief guilt of the world the devourer or destroyer of mans happinesse and salvation therefore he will not have any Christian to paint or make graven images to be worshipped affirming that it is flatly against the law of God and likewise against their vow in baptism to forsake the Devil and his Angels how do they forsake him if they make him if they make it their trade to live by him how have they renounced him can they deny with their tongue what they confesse with their hand destroy that with their words which they build up with their deeds confesse one God and make many preach the true God and yet make false gods If any say that he worships none though he makes them Tertullian will answer him that he who makes false gods doth really worship them not with incense and sacrifice but with his wit sweat industry and skill which he impends on the making of them he is more then their Priest for without him they could have no Priest How can a Christian put forth that hand to touch the body of our Lord by which he hath made a body for the Devil And as it