make us friends of our unrighteous Mâ—nmon to be content with food and raiment to have our conversation in heaven to seek the things that are above to lay up our treasures in heaven where neither â—oth can spoil nor thiâ—ves break through and steal 5. The excellency of Christianity may be proved from the multitude of witnesses or martyrs and Confessors who have not only forsaken father and mother lands and possessions and whatsoever else was dear to them but likewise their lives and that with all chearfulnesse for the name of Christ and which is most strange in the midst of flames and other torments they did sing and rejoyce and account it no small 〈◊〉 happines to suffer for Christ being fully perswaded that the afflictions of this lâ—fe were not worthy of the glory that should be revealed and that after they had fought the good fight and finished their course a Crown of righteousnesse was laid up for them 6. The excellency of the author commends Christianity above all other religions which have been delivered by men onely and those sinfull men too as Moses â—ycurgus Minos Solon Numa and Mahomet c. But the author of Christianity was both God and man whose humane nature was without spot or sin original and actuall for though he became sin for us yet he knew no sin there was no guile sound in his mouth he had done no violence he was oppressed and afflicted yet opened he not his mogth but was brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shiarers was dumb c. Isa. 53. his very enemies could not accuse him of sin he prayed for those that crucified him and died for his enemies he was obedient to his father even to the death of the Crosse he did not lay heavy burthens upon other mens shoulders which he did not touch himself but as well by practise as by precept he hath gone before us in all holy duties and as he died for sinners so he rose again for them the third day ascended into Heaven where he now sits at the right hand of his father and will come again to judge the quick and the dead He is the true Messias who in the fulnesse of time came upon the accomplishing of Daniels seventy weeks not long before the destruction of Ierusalem as was foretold by the Prophets by whose presence the glory of the second Temple far exceeded the glory of the first though in all things else inferiour to it He is the true Shilâ— at whose coming the Scepter departed from Iuda and as it was foretold that he should come of David be born in Bethlehem have a Virgin for his mother preach in Galiâ—ce and heal all manner of infirmities and should reign over the Gentiles so these things came to passe 7. Never was there any Religion propagated through the world in that wonderful manner as this was if we consider either the authours that spread it who were illiterate fâ—sher-men and yet could on a sudden speak all languages or the manner how it was spread without either violence or eloquence whereas Mahumetanisme and other religions have been forced upon men by the Sword Christianity was propagated by weaknesse sufferings humility patience plainnesse and working of miracles the suddennesse also of its propagation the great opposition it had by the Potentates of the world whom notwithstanding these fisher-men conquered the largenesse of this religions extent as being spread over the four parts of the habitable earth I say all these being considered musâ— needs shew us what preheminence this religion hath above all others the course whereof could not be retarded either by the force policy or cruelty of Tyrants who exposed Christians to a thousand sorts of torments yet in spite of all opposition it went like a mighty torrent through the world and like the Palm the more it was suppressed the more it flourishedâ— Per tela per ignes ab ipso ducit opes animumque ferrâ— What religion could ever name such Martyrs either 〈◊〉 number or constancy as the Christian can To be brief how far truth exceedeth error one God multiplicity of Gods his sincere and pure worship the idolatry of worshipping evil Spirits Starres dead Men bruâ—â— beasts yea meere accidents and phansies and hoâ— far divine power exceedeth all humane power so far doth Christianity exceed Gentilisme Again how much Christ exceedeth Moses and the Gospel the Law and how far the precept of patience and meeknesse taught by Christ exceedeth the precept of revenge delivered by Moses how far Baptisme excelleth Circumcision and the Lords Supper the Iewish Passeover the true propitiatory sacrifice of Christs body all the sacrifices of beasts and birds how far the easie yoke of Christ is lighter than the heavy burthens of Moses and the true Messiah already come exceeds the Iews supposed Messiah yet expected so far doth the Christian religion excell the Iewish superstition Lastly how far Iesus in respect of his humane nature exceedeth Mahomet the one being conceived of the holy Ghost and born of a Virgin the other bâ—ing conceived and born after the manner of other men the one being without sin the other a thief and robber the one teaching love peace and patience the other hatred war and revenge the one curâ—ing mens lust by Monogamy the other letting loose the reins to uncleannes by Poligamy The one planting Religion in the soul the other in outward Ceremonies of the body The one permitting the moderate use of all Gods creatures the other prohibiting Wine and Swines-flesh The one commanding all men to search the Scriptures the â—ther prohibiting the vulgar to read the Alcoran or to translate it into other tongues out of the Arabick the one working by miracles the other onely by cheating tricks The one propagating Religion by suffering patience and humility the other by cruelty oppression and tyranny The one choosing for his followers innocent and holy men such as followed their trade of fishing the other wicked and profane persons whose trade consisted in thieving robbing and murthering The one teaching sound and wholsome Doctrine the other ridiculoâ—s and favourlesse fables in his Alcoran I say how far in all these things the man Christ Jesus not to speak of his Divinity did exceed Mahomet so far doth Christianity excel Mahumetanism And thus have I with as much brevity as I could taken and given a view of all known Religions and have set down what use is to be made thereof and withal have shewed the excellency of Christianity above all other professions in the world God grant that as it is the best of all Religions so we of this Land may prove the best of all the professors thereof learning to deny our selves to take up the Crosse of Christ and follow him in meeknesse patience humility justice sobriety holinesse love and all other vertues wherein the life of Religion consisteth laying aside self-interest idle quarrels needlesse debates unprofitable questions
death of this 〈◊〉 great many with resolute mindes made it their businesse not only to bring his doctrine into suspicion but into utter disesteem unanimously resolving to embrace 〈◊〉 was good sound and consonant to Christian doctrine and reject the rest as hereticall In the meane time the report beat up and downe both among the people and the more learned that this man of ingenuity and authour of private doctrines this very David George was a contagion and a destructive pestilence a devoted incendiary of a most dangerous Sect that though most falsely he was born a King and that he accounted himselfe the true Messias The Magistrate being extreamly moved at these things not deferring his zeale any longer when the glory of God and his Son Iesus Christ was so much concerned caused all those who were conceived to be infected with the pestilence of that Religion to be brought to the Palace to whom he rubbed over what things had been transacted some years before that is to say acquainted them how that they had been banished their Countrey upon the account of the Gospel and upon their humble addresses received into the protection and made capable of the priviledges of the City c. But that it had appeared since that they had fled for refuge to Basil not for the propagation of the Gospel but for that of the leaven of the sacrilegious David though by all outward appearance they had hitherto been accounted favourers and professors of the true Religion In the first place therefore the Senate being desirous to know the truth required to have his true proper name for some have thought as some authours deliver that his name was Iohn Brâ—â—es Secondly whether he had privately or publickly dispersed his Religion and what Tenets he held To which some made answer unanimously that they had left their countrey for the true Religions sake nor did they acknowledge themselves any other than the professors and practisers of the lawfull Religion That for his name he had not called himselfs by any other than his own proper name and for his doctrine they had acknowledged none either privately or publickly save what he had privately sometimes suggested which was not disconsonant to the publick The Magistrate perceiving this obstinacy of mind caused eleven of them the better to discover the reall truth to be secured and more narowly looked to In the mean time the Senate leaving no stone unmored in this businesse appointed some to bring forth into publick view some bookes and writings of David which should give no small light in the businesse and these the Magistrate recommended to men of the greatest learning to be read over and examined with the greatest care possible that so whatsoever they should meet with repâ—gnant to the Truth they should extract and give him an account thereof Those who had this charge put upon them presented the Senate with this extract of Articles out of his writings 1. THat all the Doctrine delivered by Moses the Prophets or by Jesus Christ himselfe and his Apostles was not sufficient to salvation but â—ress'd up and set forth for young men and children to keep them within decency and duty but that the doctrine of David George was perfect entire and most sufficient for the obtaining of salvation 2. He affirmed that he was Christ and the Messias the well beloved Sonne of the Father in whom he was well â—leased not born of blood nor of the flesh nor of the lust of man but of the holy Ghost and the spirit of Christ who vanishing hencelong since according to the flesh 〈◊〉 deposited hitherto in some place unknown to the Saints was now at length reinfused from heaven into David George 3. He held that he only was to be worshipped as whâ— should bring out the house of Israel and the true thaâ— is the professors of his doctrine tribe of Levi and thâ— Tabernacle of the Lords not through miseries sufferings crosses as the Messias of the Jewes did but with 〈◊〉 meekness love and mercy in the spirit of Christ granted unto him from the Father which is in heaven 4. He approved himself to be invested with the authâ—rity of Saving or condemning binding and loosing and that at the last day he should judge the twelve tribes of Israel 5. He further maintained that Jesus Christ was sent from the Father to take flesh upon him for this reason at least that by his doctrine and the use of his Sacraments men being as it were no better then children 〈◊〉 uncapable of receiving the true doctrine might be kept within duty till the coming of David George who should advance a Doctrine that should be most perfect and 〈◊〉 effectuall should smooth out mankinde and should consummate the knowledge of God and of his sonne and whatâ—ever hath been said of him 6. But he further affirmed That these things should not come to passe according to humane ceremonies but after a spiritual dispensation and after such a manner as haâ— not been heard of which yet none should be able to discern or comprehend but such as were worthy disciples of David George 7. To make good and prove all these things he wrested and misinterpreted many places of the holy Scripture as if Christ and the Apostles whom he commends had intiâ—â—ted not themselves nor any other Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 save only the coming of David George 8. And thence it was that he argued thus If thâ— Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles be most true and 〈◊〉 effectuall for the obtaining of salvation the Church which they had by their doctrine built up and confirmed could not possibly have been broken to peeces for as Christ himself testifieth against the true Church the gates of Hell shall not be able to prevaile But that building of Christ and his Apostles is overturned and pulled down to the very foundation by Antichrist as may be evidently seen in the Papacy according to the Testimony of the same Christ It therefore necessarily followes that the Doctrine of the Apostles is imperfect and interrupted whence he concluded his own doctrine and faith to be the only solid and sufficient doctrine 9. Moreover he maintained himself to be greater than John Baptist yea than all the Saints that had gone before him for that the least in the Kingdome of God according to the suffrage of Truth it self is greater than John But he said David George was one whose kingdome was heavenly and most perfect whence he makes himself not only greater than John but also sets himself above Christ since that he was born of flesh and that himself was born of the spirit according to a heavenly manner 10. He further allowed with Christ that all sinnes committed against God the Father and against the Son may be forgiven but those that are committed against the Holy Ghost that is to say against David George shall be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come by
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
their superstitious Church discipline if I may so call it Of which see Lucian in his Syrian Goddesse out of whom I have this description By this and by what we are to speak of the Gentile idolatry we may admire the madnesse of those men who being made after the image of God do subject and enslave themselves to dead images to senselesse blocks and stones which have eyes and see not eares and heare not then not without cause did David say that they who made them are like unto them he meanes those that worship them for not the Artificer but the Worshipper makes the Idol So the Poet Qui fingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus Non facit ille Deâ—s qui colit iste facit And it is strange to see how cold and sparing we are in the worship of the true God how zealous and expensive they are in the service of their false gods they can cut their flesh and cry from morning to evening with Baals Priests they can part from their gold and silver their jewels and ear-rings to make them a golden Calf yea they can offer their sons and daughters to be burned in the fire to Moloch and yet there is no sin so repugnant to God as Idolatry for it is repugnant to his entity because an Idol is nothing in the world saith the Apostle it is repugnant to his unity because he is but one but false gods or idols are many it is repugnant to him as he is verity because Idols are lying vanities it is repugnant also to him as he is life because Idols are dead and senselesse things it is repugnant to his purity for Idols are called filthinesse pollution and abomination in Scripture it is also repugnant to the love he carrieth to his Church for it causeth jealousie in him and therefore he calleth Idolatry Whoredom and Idoters Adulterers and they that worship Idols are said to goe a Whoring after other gods it is likewise opposite to gods goodnesse therefore idolatrie is particularly called sin as if it were the only sin in the world so Exod. 32. 22. This people is prone to sin that is to idolatry so Lament 1. 8. my people have committed a sin that is Idolatry and as it is most repugnant to Gods nature so it is to almost all his commandments To the first because it makes other gods then he To the seond because it makes graven Images and worships them To the third because it takes Gods name in vain by giving it to the creature even to stocks and stones To the fifth because it gives the honour due to parents uno senselesse Idols for the Idolater saith to the stock thou art my Father and to the stone thou hast begotten me Jer 2. 27. To the sixth commandement because the Idolater is a horrible murtherer in not sparing his own children To the seventh for Idolatry is not onely spiritual Adultry but the cause also of carnal pollution and of unnatural lust for among the Indiáns they practised Sodomy in the sight of their Idols as a part of that worship due to them Lastly it is against the eighth commandement for the Idolater is a sacrilegious thiefe stealing from God his due and giving it to his Idol as the Prophet complaineth Hos. 2. 8. There are three sins inseparable companions of Idolatry namely Witchcraft Coveteousnesse and carnal Pollution For the first The Apostle Gal. 5. 20. joyneth Idolatry and Witchcraft together The Ephesians as they were given to Idolatry so they were to Magical Arts and as soon as they forsook their idolatry they forsook also their witchcraft and burned their conjuring books Acts 19. 19. as Manasseh reared up Altars for Baal so he used inchantments and dealt with familiar spirits and Wizzards 2 Kings 21. 6. hence proceeded diabolical inspirations and Enthusiasmes Oracles and many other inchanting tricks As for covetousness it is no wonder that it accompanies idolatry for it is a kind of idolatry and so the Apostle calls it The covetous man worshippeth his god Plutus or Mammon with as great devotion as any Idolater doth his Idol he saith to the wedge thou art my hope and to the gold thou art my confidence he sacrificeth to his god the poor whom he oppresseth his own soul also and his body too which he macerates with care and deprives of things necessary King Ahaz no sooner gave himself to Idolatry but he presently shews his sacrilegious covetousnesse in robbing the house of the Lord of its wealth 2 Chron. 28. As for carnal uncleannesse how much that hath been practised by Idolaters is known to them that have read Histories for they did not think their daughters fit for marriage till first they had been prostituted before their Idols and though adultery fornication and Sodomy were thought sins yet these were held vertues and a part of religious worship in the presence of their gods and it is no marvel for their very gods were incestuous Adulterers and Sodomites and divers Strumpets after their death were deified as Lactantius instanceth in Laurentia the Wife of Faustulus who for her whoordomes among the Shepherds was called Lupa that is a Whore Such another was Leaena among the Athenians such was Faula Hercules his Whore and Flora who left her estate to the Romans In a word Idolatry hath been the cause of all sin and mischiefe in the world from whence proceed murthers rapine oppression injustice intemperance uncleannesse sorsery avarice c. but from this that men forsook the living God who is the punisher of vice and rewarder of vertue and served false gods who had been wicked men themselves whilest they lived and patronized wickednesse when they were dead Q. What Idolatrous Gods or Devils rather did the ancient Syrians worship A. Their chief god was Baal-Zebub or Beel-Zebub the Lord of Flies either because his Temple was much infested with Flies or else from the power he had in driving away Flies He was a great god at Ekron and is called in the Gospel Prince of the Devils Some take him for Jupiter others for Priapus others for Sumanus chief god of the Manes which some think to be Pluto 8. Baal-Phegor or Peor that is the gaping or naked Lord so called from the naked posture in which he was worshipped hâ— was the God of the Mâ—abites His Temple is called Beth-Peor Deut 3. 29. some take him for Priapus 3. Baal or Bel which signifieth Lord was a great god or Idol amongst the Babylonians Sidonians Samaritans and Moabites and sometimes among the Iews some take him for Mars others for Iupiter who by the Phoenicians is called Baal Samen that is Lord of Heaven by which I think they meant the Sun 4. Baal-berith that is Lord of the Covenant Iudg. 9. 4. by whom they meant Iupiter whose office was to confirme Covenants and to punish the breakers thereof Audiat haec genitor qui foedera sulmine sancit Virg. Aene. 12. So Aristophanes calls upon Iupiter to send his
killed poysonable creatures and sacrificed Of these Persian Rites see Herodotus Athenaeus Pausanias and others Q What was the Old Scythian Religion A. They worshipped first of all Vesta then Iupiter Apollo Venus Mars and Hercules they had neither Images Altars nor Temples for any of their gods except for Mars whose temples they erected of bundles of twigs heaped up together In stead of his Image they set up an old iron sword to which they offered yearly sacrifices of cattel and horses and of men every hundreth Captive with whose blood they besprinkle Mars his sword Then they cut off the right shoulders of the slain men and sâ—ing them into the air They used to wound first and then to strangle the beast which they sacrificed praying to that god to whom they offered the beast they kindled no fire of wood for the Country yielded none but they burned the bones of the beast to boyl the flesh withal if they want a vessel they boyl the flesh in the beasts paunch they use no Vows nor any other ceremonies Their chiefest sacrifices were Horses But of this see Herodotus and others Q. What Religious discipline had the Tartars or Cathaians A. They worshipped the Sun Stars Fire Earth and Water to whom they offered the first fruits of their meat and drink each morning before they eat and drink themselves They beleeve there is one God maker of all things yet they worship him not nor pray to him They place Idols at their Tent doores â—o preserve their cattel and milk To these silk and felt Idols for of such materials they make them are offered the first fruits of milk meat and drink the hearts also of beasts which they leave before them all night and then eat them in the morning they offer horses to the Emperours Idol which none afterward must ride they do not break but burn the bones of their Sacrifices by their discipline they must not touch the fire with a knife nor meddle with young birds nor pour milke drink or meat on the ground nor break one bone with another nor make water within their Tents and divers other such traditions which if violated are punished with death or else redeemed with much money They believe another world but such as this is When one dieth he hath meat set before him and mares milk his friends eat a horse and burn the bones thereof for his soul they bury also with him a Mare a Colt and a Horse bridled and sadled his gold and silver also and they set upon poles the horse hide that was eat that he may not be without a Tent in the other world they use to purifie every thing by making it passe between two fires When they pray they are injoyned by their Discipline to lift up their hands and smite their teeth three times They use to feed the Ghosts or Spirits with Mares milk cast in the air or poured on the ground They have their religious Votaries and Monasteries amongst which there is an Order called Senscin which eat nothing but bran steeped in hot water They worship not Idols nor do they marry but they hold transanimation and divers other ridiculous opinions as may be seen in Iohannes de Plano Carpini whom Pope Innocent Anno. 1246. sent Embassadour to the Tartarian Court. See also M. Paulus Venetus Vincentius Bellouack in specbist Math. Paris and others There is one thing commendable in their Discipline that they force no man to embrace their Religion But Ortelius mentioneth a strange custom amongst them that their Priests on high trees preach to them and after Sermon besprinkle their auditors with blood milk earth and cow-dung mixed together and no lesse strange it is that they do not bury their dead but hang them on trees Q. Had the Pagans any knowledge of the Creation A. It seems by these Tartars and divers other Gentile Idolaters of which we are to speak that many of them had some knowledge of the beginning of the world which they learned not from the Jewes with whom they had no commerce but from the heathen Philosophers and Poets and these were led to believe this truth by the guide of natural reason for when they considered the continual vicissitudes in the world the alteration generation and corruption of things the nature of motion and of time whereof the one presupposeth a Chief Mover for nothing can move it selfe the other consisteth in Priotity and Posteriority which depends upon motion and suteth not with Eternity when they observed also the Harmony Order and Beauty of things how every motion and mutation aimed at a certain End they concluded that this great Universe could not be ruled or have existence by chance but by providence and wisdom and that therefore this must needs have a beginning otherwise we could not know whether the Egge or the Bird the Seed or the Plant the Day or the Night the Light or the Darknesse were first And seeing the world consisteth of corruptible parts how can the Whole which is made up of such Parts be Eternal They found also that it was repugnant to reason for so many Eternals and infinite Entities to exist actually together for every Entity in the world must be Eternal if it selfe be eternal Besides that it is against the nature of Eternity to admit magis minus degrees auction or diminution which it must needs do if the world be eternal for if there have been infinite annual revolutions of the Sun and infinite monethly revolutions of the Moon there must needs be something greater then Infinity for the revolutions of the Moon are far more then of the Sun by these reasons they were induced to acknowledge a beginning of the world of which Merc. Trismegistus in Poemandra speaketh plainly in saying That God by his word made and perfected the world dividing the Earth from the Heaven and the Sea from the Land c. Orpheus in his Argonaâ—tes singeth How Jupiter hid within his breast the world which he was to bring forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the pleasant light c. this same song is sung by Hesiod Homer AEschilus Sophocles Euripides and other Poets Pythagoras as Plutarch and Laertius testifie taught That the world was made by God Thales Empedocles Anaxagoras and the other ancient Philosophers ascribe a beginning to the world some from one element some from another The Platonists alwayes held the creation of the world and the Aristotelians affirming there is a first mover must conclude that the world which is moved had a beginning they say also that the world doth depend upon God how then can it be Eternal seeing dependance and eternity are incompatible Aristotle in his Book de mundo and in his Metaphysicks saith That God is the cause and Author not onely of living creatures but also of nature it selfe and of the world Cicere in his Books of the nature of the gods confesseth That every thing had a beginning and that
Doctrin of the Trinity was not unknown even by the light of nature to the Gentile Philosophers Poets and Sibylls Zoroastres speaketh of the Father who having perfected all things hath delivered them to the second Mind which Mind saith he hath received from the Father knowledge and power Here is a plain testimony of the first and second person Concerning the third he saith that the Divine love proceeded from the Mind or Intellect what else is this Divine love but the Holy Ghost The Chaldaean Magi which were their Philosophers acknowledged three beginnings to wit Ormases Mitris and Ariminis that is God the Mind and soul Mercurius Trismegistus taught his Egyptians that God who is life and light begot the Word who is the other Intellect and maker of all things and together with him another who is the firie God or Spirit here the three persons are distinctly named He sheweth also that the subtil intellectual Spirit by the power of God did move in the Chaos this is consonant to the words of Moses the spirit of God moved on the waters Orpheus singeth the praises of the Great God and of his word which he first uttered Pythagoras and his Schollars were not ignorant of this Mystrey when they placed all perfection in the number of three and made love the Original of all things Zeno the Stoick confesseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is God and the Spirit of Iove Socrates acknowledgeth God to be the Minde or Intellect that the Essence of God is his Idea which he begets by the knowledge of himself and by which he made the World Numenius the Pythagorean Plotinus Iamblichus and others do write very plainly of the three Hypostases or Persons in the Trinity so that no Christian can write more fully as may be seen in their own words as they are alleadged by Du-Plessis in his Book of the truth of Christian Religion who citeth also certain Oracles of Serapis the Egyptian chiefe Idol or Devil and of Apollo out of Suidns by which we may see how the evil Spirits are forced to confesse the Trinity I could also alledge the testimonies of the Sybills to the same purpose but because I study brevity and these heathen testimonies and Sibyllin verses are cited by Clemens Alexandrinus Origin against Celsus Cyril against Iulian Eusebius in his preparation Saint Augustine in his bookes of the City c. I forbear to insist any more on this subject And as the Gentiles gave testimony to this plurality of persons so did the Jewes also though now they reject this doctrine thinking that we by worshipping the Trinity do worship three Gods but their ancient Rabbins do prove the Trinity out of the Old Testament as Rabbi Simeon the Sonne of Iohai brings a place out of Rabbi Ibba upon Deuteronomy 6. Hearken O Israel the Lord our God is one God In the Hebrew thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah Elohenu Iehovah Echad He shewes that the first Iehovah is God the Father the second word Elohenu our God is God the Son for so he is called by the Propher and Evangelist Emanuel God with us The third word Iehovah is God the holy Ghost And the fourth word Echad that is One is to shew the Unity of Essence in this plurality of persons Many other passages I could alleadge out of the writings of the ancient Rabbies to confirme this truth but this is already performed by Galatinus in his books de arcanis catholicae veritatis Q. 6 Who were Simons principal Scholars and what were their opinions A. 6. Menander a Samaritan also and a Magician He flourished at Rome in the time of Titus about 49. years afser Christ. He held the same impious opinions that Simon did but differed from him in saying that himself and not Simon was the Saviour of the world and that therefore all should be baptized in his name and not in the name of Simon or Christ and that all such should in power excel the Angels and should live immortally here so he denied the Resurrection of the flesh To him succeeded Saturninus and his fellow Scholar Basilides about the fifteenth year of Adrian the Emperour and after Christ the hundreth Saturninus was of Antioch and infected Syria with his poyson as Basilides did Egypt Saturninus held the same impieties with Simon and Menander but differed from them in saying that the world was made onely by seven Angels and not by all against the Will and Knowledge of God He taught also that some men were naturally good and some naturally evil and that nothing must be eat that hath life in it which was the Doctrine afterward of the Manichees And impiously affirmed that some of the antient Holy Prophets spake and were sent by Satan Basilides also was a Simonian Heretick but differed from him in holding there were so many Heavens as dayes in the year to wit 365. the chiefe god he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the letters of which name are contained 365. He held also that this inferiour world and man was created by the 365th or last Heaven He taught also that the superiour god Abraxas begot the Minde this the Word Of the Word came Providence and of Providence Wisedome Of Wisdom the Angels were begot the last of which was the God of the Jewes whom he calls an ambitious and a turbulent God who had attemped to bring all Nations in subiection to his people He said that Christ was sent by Abraxas to oppose the turbulent God of the Jewes and doth not call him Iesus and Saviour but Goal a Redeemer He held it unlawful to suffer Martyrdom for Christ He permitted Idolatry and taught that no voluntary sin was pardonable and that Faith was not the gift of God but of Nature as also election The other errours which this Egyptian held for he was of Alexandria were the same that Simon maintained Q. 7. What was the Religion of the Nicholaitans and Gnosticks A. The Nicholaitans so called from Nicholas one of the seven Deacons Act. 6. and whose works Christ hated Rev. 2. gave themselves to all uncleannesse and sflshly lusts teaching that men ought to have their Wives in common They made no scruple of eating things offered to Idols At their meetings or love Feasts they used to put out the lights and commit promiscuous adulteries with each others wise They taught that the world was made by the copulation of light and darknesse out of which Angels Daeâ—ons and Men were procreated Mans seed and menstruous blood were with them sacred and used by the Gnosticks in their divine service whereby they brought an odium upon Christianity They would not have God but Angels creators of this inferiour world which Angels they called by divers barbarous names Nicholas the father of this Sect was by birth an Antiochian whose doctrine began to spread about the beginning of Domitians reign after Christ 52 yeers before S. Iohns banishment into Pathmos The professors of this
one Nature and one Will some affirming him to be onely God some onely man some made up of both some altogether deny him some will have his body come from Heaven some from the Virgin some from the Elements some wil have our Souls Mortal some Immortal some bring it into the body by infusion some by traduction some wil have the soul created before the world some after some will have them created altogether others severally some will have them corporeal some incorporeal some of the substance of God some of the substance of the body So infinitly are mens conceits distracted with variety of opinions whereas there is but one truth which every man dims at but few attain it every man thinks he hath it and yet few enjoy it The main causes of these distractions are pride self-love ambition contempt of Church and Scripture the Humour of Contradiction the Spirit of Faction the desire of Innovation the want of preserment in high Spirits Anger Envy the benefit that ariseth to some by fishing in troubled waters the malignant eye that some have on the Churches prospeâ—ity the greedy appetite others have to Quailes and the Flesh-Pots of Egypt rather then to Manna though sent from Heaven the want or contempt of Authority Discipline and order in the Church which like Bulwarks Walls or Hedges keep out the wild Boars of the Forfest from rooting up the Lords Vineyard and the little Foxes from eating up the Grapes thereof Therefore wise Governours were forced to authorize Bishops Moderatours or Superintendents call them what you will for regulating curbing and punishing such luxurious wits as disturbed the peace of the Church and consequently of the State by their fantastical inventions knowing that too much liberty was no lesse dangerous then Tyranny too much mercy as pernitious as cruelty and a general permission in a Kingdom or State no lesse hazzardous to the publick tranquillity then a general restriction The Contents of the Ninth Section The first original of the Monastical Life 2. The first Eremites or Anchorites 3. The manner of their living 4. Their Excesses in Religion 5. The preheminence of the Sociable Life to the Solitary 6. The first Monks after Anthonie 7. The rules of Saint Basil. 8. Saint Hieroms order 9. Saint Austins order 10. If Saint Austin instituted his Eremites to beg 11. Of Saint Austins Leathern Girdle used at this day 12. The institutions and exercises of the first Monks 13. Why Religious persons cut their Haire and Beards 14. Whence came that custom of Shaving 15. Of the Primitive Nuns 16. Of What account Monks are at this day in the Roman Church 17. How the Monks and Nuns of old were consecrated 18. The Benedictine order 19. Of the orders proceeding from them 20. Of Saint Bennets rules to his Monks 21. The Benedictines Habit and Dyet 22. Rules prescribed by the Councel of Aix to the Monks 23. The Rites and Institutions of the Monks of Cassinum 24. The manner of electing their Abbots 25. The Benedictine Nuns and their rule 26. Of the Laws and Priviledges of Monasteries SECT IX Quest. 1. HAving taken a view of the Opinions in Christian Religion for 1600 years it remains that we now take notice of the strictest observers thereof therefore tell us who they were that separated themselves from other Christians not so much in opinion as in place and strictnesse of living and what was the first original of this separation A. When the Christian Religion in the beginning was opposed by persecutors many holy men and women to avoid the fury of their persecutors retired into desart places where they gave themselves to fasting prayer and meditation in the Scriptures These were called Eremites from the Desart where they lived and Monachi from their single or solitary life And Anchorites from living a part by themselves Such were Paul the Eremite Anthony Hilarion Basil Hierom and others Afterward the Eremites growing weary of the Desarts and Persecution at an end betook themselves into Towns and Cities where they lived together and had all things in common within one building which they called Monastery Covent or Cloyster These Monks were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshippers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exercisers or Wrestlers in Christianity Clerici also as being the Lords inheritance and Philosophers from their study and contemplation of Divine and Humane things Their houses were called Caenobia because they held all things among them in common and Claustra or Cloysters because there they were inclosed from the rest of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schools of cares and discipline and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places of exercise As the men had their peculiar Houses or Cloysters so had the women who were willing to separate themselves from the world these were called Nâ—nnâ— or Nuns from the Egyptian word Nennus for there were the first Monasteries from their solitary life they are named Moniales and from their holinesse Sanctimoniales and from the Roman phrase Virgines Vestoles now because these holy men and women lived at first in caves and subterraneal holes they were named Mandritae for Mandrae signifies caves or holes and Troglodyta from those Ethiopians in Arabia neer the Red Sea who lived on Serpents flesh and Roots whose skins were hardned with the nights cold and tanned with the Suns heat They were so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their caves where they dwelt Q. 2. Who were the first Eremites or Anchorites A. If we take Eremites for such as have lived in desarts for a while to avoid persecution then we may say that Eliah Iohn Baptist and Christ himself were Eremites For they were forced sometimes to live an Eremitical or solitary life in desarts But if by Eremites we understands such as wholly addicted themselves to an Eremitical or solitary life from the world and worldly affairs that they might the more freely give themselves to fasting prayer and contemplation then the first Eremite we read of since Christ was Poul the Theban who having lost in the persecution under Decius both his Parents and fearing to be betrayed by his Sisters Husband betook himself to a cave at the foot of a Rocky Hill â—bout the year of Christ 260. and there continued all his life to wit from fifteen years of age till he died which was the one hundred and thirteenth year of his life All which time he saw no body but Antonius who being Ninety years old by divine instinct came to Paul on the day he died This Antonius instituted this Eremitical life in Egypt Being twenty years old he sold his Estate and bestowed it on the poor then in remote places he lived alone but that sometimes he would visit his disciples At 35. years he betook himself to the desart till he was 55. Then he returned to the Cities and preached Christ there Afterward he returned again to the desart where he spent the remainder of his life and dyed the 105. year of
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
Regum timendorum in prâ—prios greges Reges in ipsâ—s imperium est Iâ—vis Horat. 10. If it were not for the force of Religion few Common-wealths could defend themselves what souldier would fight with that courage or expose his life to danger if he did not expect a greater reward a more durable garland hereafter then any they could expect here This made the Iewes so resolute against their neighbour Gentiles this animated the Romans against their enemies they fought Pro Aris for their Altars in the first place this animateth the Turks against Christians and these against the Turks Q. 3. Ought not then Princes aud Magistrates to have a special care in the setling and preservation of Religion A. Yes for no means is so powerful to establish and perpetuate their thrones and authority as Religion no Guard so strong as this no Castle so impregnable no Spur so sharp to stir and extimulate peoples affections towards the defence obedience reverence and maintenance of their Governours as Religion therefore the wise Roman Emperors took more pride and delight in the titles of Pius and Sanctus of Pious Holy Religious then to be stiled wife Fortunate Stout or Valorous and to let the people know what care they had of Religion they alone would be called Pontifices Maximi or chief Bishops There is no Epithet that the wise Poet gives to Aenaeas so often as that of Piety Pius Aenaeas pietate insignis armis insignem pietate virum c. Qun justior alter â—ec pietate fuit c. Virgil. That good Emperour Antoninus who succeeded Hadrian preferred the title of Pius to all his other honorable titles and as wise Princes have been chiefly careful of Religion to preserve it pure and uncontaminate so have they bin diligent in suppressing Atheists the chief enemies thereof for they saw that Atheisme did introduce Anarchy for he who is an enemy to God cannot be a friend to Gods Vice-Gerents therefore in all wel governed States they have been either put to death or banished as being enemies to government and humane society Wise Princes finde that as religion uniteth peoples affections to them so it makes them fortunate and successful in all their actions and undertakings never was there a more religious Prince then King David and never a King more successful against his enemies the like we may see in Constantine Theodosius Charles the Great and many others no lesse famous for their Religion than for their Victories and because wise Law-givers are not ignorant how much religion is prevalent with the people therefore they delivered them no Laws but what either they received or said they received from some Deity so Lycâ—rgus gave out that his Laws were delivered to him by Apollo Minos received his Laws from Iupiter with whom he was familiar nine years together Zaleucus makes Minerva the Author of his Laws Numa ascribes his Laws to the Nimph AegerÃa with whom he had familiar conferences in the night And Mahomet will have his Laws backed by the authority of the Angel Gabriel such is the force of Religion that without this men would neither receive nor obey Laws for this cause God himself appeared often to the Patriarchs and came down in lightning thunder upon Moâ—nt Sinai when he gave the Law Neither hath there been any more forcible way to appease tumults and popular seditions then the conceit of Religion When the Câ—ty of Florence in a civil dissention was washed with her own blood Francis Sodorinus the Bishop in his Pontificals having the crosse carried before him and accompanied with his Priests struck such an awe of Religion into the hearts of the Citizens with his very presence that they flung down their arms the like religious Stratagem was used by Iaddus the High Priest of the Jewes to obtain the favour of Alexander as he was marching against Ierusalem with his Army who was so struck with the Priests majestical presence and Vestiments that he both adored the Priest spared the City and conferred on it divers benefits The like respect and successe had Pope Vrban from Attila when he besieged Aquileia and many more examples may be alledged Q. 4. Are Pluralities of Religions tolerable in a State A. 1. Publickly one Religion onely is to be allowed because there is but one God who is the Object of Religion therefore as his Essence is most simple and indivisible so should his worship be because diversities of Religion breed diversities of opinions concerning God 2. As there is but one truth so there ought to be but one Religion for false Religions either teach to worship false Gods or else in a false manner to worship the true God therefore God himselfe prescribed to the Jews the rule and manner of his worship strictly commanding them not to alter any thing therein and Saint Paul sheweth That the Gospel which he taught was the onely true Gospel so that if an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel let him be accursed Galat. â—3 As there is but one Church which is the ground and pillar of truth and one faith to lay hold on that truth and one spirit to lead the Church into the way of truth so there should be but one Religion which is the Doctrine of that truth 4. There is but one way to Heaven and life â—â—ernal but the wayes to destruction are many therefore there ought to be but one Religion to conduct us in that way to eternal happinesse 5. Religion as is said is the Foundation of all States and Kingdoms therefore in one State or Kingdom there ought to be but one Religion because there can be but one foundation for one Building cannot have many Foundations 6. â—eligion is the band and cord by which the unity of the State is preserved if this band be broken into many pieces how can it binde the affections of people and preserve their unity either amongst themselves or with their Princes and Governours As therefore a City divided against it self cannot stand neither can that State subsist which is divided into different Religions which occasioneth diversity of affections and withall many jars and contentions 7. As in bodies natural contrary qualities cause destruction so in bodies Politick contrary Religions for if there be but one true Religion the rest must needs be false and what can be more contrary then truth and falshood so that the belly of Rebecca must needs be tormented where such opposite twins do struggle Hence proceed heart-burnings emulations strifes proscriptions excommunications and such like distempers by which the seamlesse coat of Christ is torne in pieces 8. Diversitie of Religions beget envy malice seditions factions rebellions contempt of Superiors treacheries innovations disobedience and many more mischiefs which pull down the heavy judgements of God upon that State or Kingdom where contrary Religions are allowed because whilest every one strives to advance his own Religion above the other all these distempers now mentioned must
Obedience for God himself prescribed multitudes of ceremonies to the Jews And since the first establishing of the Christian Church she hath alwayes made use of some decent Ceremonies which do not argue any defect or want in Religion but the weaknesse onely of those that are children in Relâ—gion who must sometimes be fed with such milk Râ—ligious Ceremonies are like the Priests ornaments which are not parts of his essence and yet procure him reverence which Iaddus knew when in his robes he presented himself to Alexander who doubtlesse had he appeared without them had gone without either reverence or benevolence so that Ierusalem did owne her safety and deliverance to the high Priests vestments Religion without Ceremonies is like solid meat without sauce Though in the Church of God some are so strong that they need no sauce of Ceremonies to the solid meat of Religion yet most stomacks are so weak that they cannot digest the one without the other Christ deals not so niggardly with his Church as to afford her cloaths onely to cover her nakedâ—esse he is content to see her in rings bracâ—lets jewels and other ornaments Thus he dealt with his first spouse of the Jewish Church I cloathed thee saith he with beoydered work and shod thee with badgers skin c. I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silk I decked thee also with ornaments and put bracelets upon thine â—ands and a chain on thy neck and a frontlet upon thy face and ear-rings in thine ears and a beautifull crown upon thine head Ezek. 16. 10. c. If God was so bountifull to his first Wife why should he be so sparing to his second as to afford her no outward Ornaments at all Is she so rich that she needeth not any I wish it were so but I find it otherwise for she stands in as much need of some outward decent and significant Ceremonies to help her knowledge and devotion as the Jews did though not of so many not of the like nature I observe that where are no Ceremonies there is small reverence and devotion and where some cost is bestowed even on the outside of Religion there some love is manifested as our Saviour proves that Mary Magdleâ—â—â— had more love to him than Peter had because she had washed his feet wiped them with her hairs kissed them and anointed his head with pretious ointment which Peter had not done This cost was not pleasing to Iudas yet Christ commends her for it I know the Kings daughter is glorious within yet heâ— cloathing is of wrought gold and her rayment is of needle-work Thiâ— I write not to commend either superfluous needlesse or too costly and frivolous Rites but to shew how requisite it is to have some decent significant and such as may further knowledge and devotion Q. 9. What else may we observe in the view of all these Religionâ— A. That some of them are meerly Heathenish somâ— Iewish some meerly Christian some mixed either of all or some of these Mahumetanisme is mixed of Iudaisme Gentiâ—isme and Arrianisme the Moscovite Religion is partly Christian partly Heathenish In the East are many Sects partly Christian partly Iewish observing Circumcision with Baptisme and the Sabbath with the Lords day Among the Corinthians some professed Christianity and yet with the Gentiles denyed the Resurrection but God alwayes abhorred such mixed Religions as joyn with Micah the Ephod and Teraphim and halt between God and Baal who are Hebrews and yet with the Gentiles round the corners of their heads and cut their flesh c. Levit. 19. 27. God will not have any mixture in the ointment flour mirrhe or incense that is offerd to him but will have all pure he would not have the Oxe and Asse yoaked together therefore the Apostle reproveth sharply the Galathians for using their Iewish Ceremonies with Christianity The Samaritans are condemned for worshipping the Lord and Idols Christ haâ—ed the works of the Nicolaitans who were partly Christians and partly Gentiles and punished the Gergasites by drowning their Swine in the Sea For being Iews they rejected Circumcision and eat swines flesh with the Gentiles For this cause That the Jews might not learn the Religion of the Gentiles God would have them dwell apart by themselves and not mix with other Nations nor dwell near the Sea-side and yet we see how prone they were to Idolatry by the Golden Calf the Bâ—azen Serpent the Ephod Teraphim and Graven Image taken out of the house of Micah and set up in Dan. Iudges â—â—20 The Chariot and horses of the 〈◊〉 set up in the Temple as we may read in Ezeâ—hiel The Golden Calves set up by Jeroboam The Idolatry of Solomon Manasse and other Kings and the falling away of the Ten Tribes from God The reason of this pronenesse in them to Idols was their education in â—gypt the mother of strange Religions where they had been seasoned with idolatry and so pleasing is idolatry to flesh and blood that they will spare no cost nor time nor pains nor their own lives and childrens to please their Idols thus the Hebrews could rise early in the morning and parâ— with their golden-Ear-rings to make a Calf The Baalites could cut their flesh with knives and lanceâ—s till the blood gushed out and could cry from morning till evening Yea many Idolaters did not spare to offer their children to Mâ—loch but there is no sin more hatefull to God than Idolatry which the Scripture calls abomination and Idols lying vanities and sorrows And Idolaters are named Fornicators and Adulterers and God will have the very places of Idolatry to be destroyed Deut. 12. 2 3. The Iews must not eat of things offered to Idols nor marry with the Heathen who having forsaken the true God made gods of their Forefathers and Benefactors by setting up their images at first in memoriall onely and then fell to adoration of them and because they could not see God who is invisible they would have his visible presence in some outward Image or representation thinking they could not but bâ— in safety so long as they had his image with them This made the Trojans so careful of their Palladium the Tyrians of their Apollo other places of their tutelar gods Q. 10. Which of all the Religioâ—s we have viewed seems to be most consonant to naturall Reason A. The barbarous and butcherly Religions of the Gentiles in sacrificing men in worshipping stocks stones c. Divers Tenets also in Mahumetanisme Iudaisme and many opinions in hereticall sects among Christians are against reason The doctrine of the true Orthodox Christian is above naturall â—eason for the natural man saith the Apostle understandeth not the things of the Spirit But the Religion of those Gentiles who worshipped the Sun seemed to be most consonant to their naturall reason because they could not conceive what God was being a Spirit incomprehensible for all knowledge comes by the sences and
the honour to wear a long robe of Gold and Purple and on his head a Crown of Gold beset with Jewels The ancient Greeks also priviledged their Priests to wear Crowns whence they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rome the Flamen Dialis or Iupiters Priest had this honour that his bare word had the force of an Oath and his presence was in stead of a Sanctuary if any guilty person had fled to him he was free that day from any punishment He had power to exercise Consular authority and to wear Consular garments and whereas none had the Honour to ascend the Capitol in a Sedan or Litter save onely the Pontiseâ— and Priests we see in what reverend esteem they were in old Rome and no lesse honour but rather more the Priests and Bishops of modern Rome have received from Christian Princes Among the Iews we find that Eli and Samuel were both Priests and Judges the Levites were as Justices and by their word used to end all strife Deut. 21. in Davids time 6000 of the Levites were Judges and after the captivity some of the Priests were Kings of Iudâ— 1. Chrom 23. in the Christian Church we see how at all times the Clergy hath been honoured in Scripture they are called Fathers Embassadours Friends of God Men of God Prophets Angels c. Tertullian L. de poeniten shews that in the Primitive Church Penitents used to fall down at the feer of their Priests and some write that they used to kisse their feet In what esteem the Bishops of Italy France Germany and Spain are now in and in England have been in is known to all that read the Histories of these Places In Moscovia the Bishops not onely are endowed with rich Revenues but also with great honours and priviledges and use to ride in rich apparrell and in great state and magnificence What respect the Great Turk giveth to his Mufti or High Priest and in what esteem he hath the Christian Patriarch of Constantinople is not unknown to those that have lived there or read the History In a word Religion flourisheth and fadeth with the Priests Ministers thereof it riseth and falleth floweth and ebbeth as they do and with Hippocrates Twins they live and die together so long as the Gâ—ntile Priests had any maintenance and respect left them so long their superstition continued in the Empire even under Christian Emperors but as soon as Theodosius took away their maintenance Gentilisme presently vanished and went out like the snuff of a Candle the tallow or oil being spent Q. 12. What Religion is most excellent and to be preferred above all others A. The Christian Religion which may be proved first from the excellent doctrines it teacheth as that there is a God that he is but one most perfect infinite eternall omniscient omnipotent absolutely good the authour of all things except sin which in a manner is nothing the Governour of the world and of every particular thing in it that Jesus Christ the son of God died for our sins and rose again for our justification c. 2. From the reward it promiseth which is not temporall happiness promised by Moses to the Iews in this life not sensual and beastly pleasures promised by the Gentile-Priests to their people in their Elysium by Mahomet to his followers in his fools Paradise but eternal spiritual immaculate and Heavenly felicity in the full and perpetual fruition of God in whose presence is the fulnesse of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore such as the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard and cannot enter into the mind of man 3. From teaching the faith of the Resurrection which none of the Gentiles did believe and not many among the Iews for the Saduces denyed it onely Christianity believes it being assured thâ—t he who by his power made the great world of nothing is able to remake the little world of something neither can that which is possible to nature prove impossible to the aâ—thour of nature for if the one can produce out of a small seed a great tree with leaves bark and bougâ—s or a butterfly out of a worm or the beautifull feathered Peacock out of a mis-shapen egge cannot the Almighty out of dust raise our bodies who first out of dust made them 4. No Religion doth teach how God should be worshipped sincerely and purely but Christianity for other Religions consist most in sacrifices not of beasts and birds onely but of men also likewise in multitudes of unnecessary ceremonies whereas the Christian Religion thâ—weth that God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth That outward Ceremonies are but beggerly rudiments That he will have mercy and noâ— sacrifice That thâ— sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart That he is better pleased with the circumcision of our fleshly lusts than of our flesh with the mortification of the body of sin than of the body of nature He caâ—eth not the flesh of Bulls nor drinks the blood of Goats but we must offer to him thanksgiving and must pay 〈◊〉 vows The best keeping of his Sabbath is rather to forbear the workâ— of sin than the works of of our hands and to wash our hearts in innocency rather than our hands in water The service he expects from us is the presenting of our bodies â—living sacrifice and holy which is our reasonable service No Religion like this doth teach us the true object of our faith and hope which is God of our charity which is our neighbour of temperance which is our selves of obedience which is the Law of prayer which is the Kingdome of Heaven and the righteousnesse thereof in the first place and then things concerning our worldly affairs in the second place no Religion but this teacheth us to deny our selves to forgive our enemies to pray for our persecutors to do good to those who hurt us to forget and forgive all injuries and to leave vengeance to God who will repay no Religion like this teacheth the conjugal chastity that ought to be between one man and one wife for other religions permit either plurality of wives or divorces upon light occasions or fornication amongst young people unmarried Crede mihi non est flagitium adolescentem scortari Terent or that which is worse and not to be named but Christianity forbids unchast talk immodest looks and even unclean thoughts Other Religions forbid perjury this swearing at all except before a Judge to vindicate the truth No Religion doth so much urge the mutual justice or duties that ought to be between masters and servants parents and children Princes and people and between man and man all these oppression extortion usury bribes sacriledge c. are forbid even all kind of covetousnesse and immoderate care but to cast ouâ— care upon God to depend on his providence to use this world as if we used it not to cast ouâ— bread upon the Waters to
one only God in a Iudaical sense To that I and the Father are one they were used to retort thus Doth the unity in this place denote co-essency It must therefore follow that it is as much where the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 3. 8. He that planteth and he that watereth are one They accounted the word Trinity a laughing-stock and a Fiction that the Sonne of God was a Creature and that the Holy-Ghost was both born of Christ and conceaved and begotten of the Virgin Mary All that were baptized in the name of the blessed Trinity they baptized again They denied that Christ was the sonne of God according to the Spirit and the Godhead they denied God his own Sonne While Arrius was disburthening himself of the necessities of Nature his bowels came forth and with them his life And so he who was the successor of those Arch-Hereticks Artemon who lived about the year of our Lord two hundred and Paulus Samosatenus who lived about two hundred forty one came to a miserable death in the yeare three hundred thirty six See Athanasius Epiphanius Hilarius Hieroâ— Augustine Ambrose Basil Theodoret Eusebius Socrates Nicephorus Sozomen and other Ecclesiastical writers who have treated of these things more at large MAHOMET Adsum Ingens Mahometes ego lachrymabile mundi Prodigium omnigeni dux et origo mali THE CONTENTS MAHOMET characterized He made a laughing stock of the Trinity He agreed with Câ—rpocâ—ates and other hereticks He renewed Circumcision and to indulge his disciples he allowed them Polygamy c. His Iron Tombe at Mecca IN the year six hundred twenty two Honorius the fift being Bishop of Rome and Meraclius Caesar Emperour of the East a transcendent Arch-heretick called Mahomet exchanged Hell for earth a Prophet by Nation an Arabian but most deprav'd and corrupt He had sometimes been a Merchant extremely rich and withall very subtle to be short he was a serious professor of diabolical Arts a most ungodly instrument of Satan the Viceroy of Antichrist or his sworne fore-runner This man endeavoured to extoll his brother Arrius with such praises as are correspondent to his Heaven He also with Sabelliâ— â—â—aewed the laughing-stock of the Trinity He with Arrius and 〈◊〉 most fervently and contumeliously held that Christ was onely a Mâ—n and that he was onely called God 〈◊〉 dici that is to say according to a certain manner of speaking He agrees with Carsocrates who denied that Christ was a God and a Prophet This is also he that shakes hands with Cerdonâ—â— who utterly abjur'd the Godhead of the Sonne or that he was co-substantial with the Father He imagined with the Manichees 〈◊〉 it was not Christ but some other that was fastented to the Crosse. With the Donatists he contemned the rurest Sacraments of the Church With the most impure Origen he affirmes that the devils shall be eternally saved according to an humine yet an invisible manner He with Cerinthus placed eternal Felicity in the lust of the flesh Circumcision that was long since abolished and antiquated he renewed Upon his disciples he bestowed the priviledges of Polygamy Concubines and Divorce as Moses had done and with such dreams and an imaginary Phrensy was the miserable wretch ever troubled This man when he died was put into an iron Tombe at Mecca which by the strength of Loadstones being as it were in the middle and centre of an arched edifice hangs up to the astonishment of the beholders by which means the miraculous sanctity of this Prophet is greatly celebrated All the dominions of the Great Turk professe this mans faith whom they acquiesse in as a miracle BALTHAZAR HuBMOR Ille ego qui vndarum mysteria sacra negavi Igne cremar fato disce cavere meo THE CONTENTS HUBMOR a Patron of Anabaptisme He damned usury He brought in a worship to the Virgin MARY c. The Senate of Suring by a Councill reduced him He renounced the heads of his former doctrine Himself or Sect still active He is taken and imprisoned at Vienna in Austria He and his wife both burned DOctor Balthazâ— Hubmor of Friburg a man excellently well learned another Roscius in his affaires a Clergy man at Ingolstade was the third eminent Patron of Anabaptisme and asworne promoter of that worthy Sect. This man in his Sermons at Regenburgh inveighed so bitterly and so implacably against the usury of the Jewes that he banished it even to eternal damnation he brought in a certain religious worship to be done to the Virgin Mary and some superstitious vowes and was the cause of great tumults and insurrections and had built up his doctrine upon very firm and solid foundations until the most wise Senate of Suring applyed the universal medicine of a Council to these things and assigned a day to reduce and root out that sect which was the seventeenth of Ianuary in the year one thousand five hundred twenty five wherein the Senate being present and a great presence of people the most learned Zwinlius and other sonnes of learning opposed this our Doctor by whom and the strength of truth after most hot and serious debating on both sides he ingenuously confessed himself to be overcome The heads of the Doctrine which he before defended and whereof he afterwards made his abrenâ—nciation were these That he detested the cheat and humane invention of Anabaptisme He affirmed that the spirit both before the fall and after was uncorrupt and unblamable and that it never dies in sin whence it should follow that not it but the flesh is deprived of liberty he also acknowledged that the spirit overcomes and triumphs over the flesh Though his Recantation was made and divers rebaptized into their better sences yet the Torrents of this sect neither stood still nor were dried up but increased in Switzerland into a deluge which overturned almost all This man escaping the endeavours of spies and shunning the Halter was at length taken with the figtree leafe of divine vengeance and cast into prison at Vienna in Austria Being afterwards put much to the question it being the designe of vengeance the râ—venging fire soon turned him to ashes His wife being also baptized into the same whirle-pool of Baptisme they both with mindes hardened to their own perswasions were not disengaged of thâ—t faith but with the departure of their lives JOHN HuT. Huttus ab Hubmoro excrescit cervice resectâ Sic vnâ in gâ—minum pullulat Hydra caput THE CONTENTS IOHN HUT the prop and pillar of Anabapt sme His credulity in dreames and visions He is accounted a true Prophet by his Proselytes At Merhern his Fraternity became as it were a Monastery IN the times of the forementioned Bâ—lthazar â—ise up Iohn Hut a learned man the prop and pillar of Anabaptisme an eminent despiser of Pâ—dobaptisme which kind of baptisme be accounted the execrable fiction of the schoolmen whence it came that he