vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God The meanes then are first a diligent searching and digging in the mines of the Scriptures But this must be done with humilitie and prayer without curiosity and with desire of sauing knowledge and with purpose of reformation of life according to that word 2. Prayer by which we obtaine the Holy Ghost as is promised Luk. 11.13 Iohn 16.13 Reuel 3.18 1 Iohn 2 27. which is the Spirit of truth and will lead vs into all truth This is that eye-salue by which our blind eies receiue sight Which annointing if once we receiue then need we not that any man teach vs for it teacheth vs all things If then Psalm 143.10 with Dauid we can pray Let thy good Spirit lead me vnto the Land of righteousnesse wee shall heare the still voice of Gods Spirit behind vs Isa 30.21 saying as is promised This is the way walke ye in it which way by the way is not Popery 22. which reserues and worships Reliques for it followeth ye shall defile also the couering of thy grauen images of siluer and the ornament of thy molten images of gold Lastly to name no other Obedience to Gods will and a care to liue according to the measure of knowledge receiued hath a promise to be guided by true knowledge for as sayth our Sauiour Iohn 7.17 If any man will doe his that is the Fathers will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And thus saith Dauid I vnderstand more then the ancients because I keepe thy precepts Knowledge is a talent and where any talent is rightly vsed and imploied it hath a promise Mat. 25.29 to him that hath it shall be giuen Looke then how good huswiues deale with their seruants they giue their maids their pensa towe on their rockes and set them other taskes which when they be performed more is giuen vnto them so God reueales himselfe to vs by degrees and where he sees any to indeauour himselfe according to his knowledge vsing it well God will not let him want a greater measure of further knowledge whereby himselfe is so much honoured And thus much of these idoll gods in my text who were Deuils and of the meanes how Satan became the god of the Heathen and of the Application thereof FINIS SECTION III. IDOLATERS BLINDE ZEALE In sacrificing their Children to the Deuill As also in many other particulars To the prouoking or else shaming of CHRISTIANS Deliuered in a Sermon preached at Saint Maries in CAMBRIDGE March 5. 1614. Newly published By R. I. Bachelour of Diuinity and late Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Robert Mylbourne 1621. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND Reuerend Mr. Doctor Ward Archdeacon of Taunton and Vice-chancelor of the Vniuersity of Cambridge and Master of Sidney-Sussex Colledge R.I. wisheth all attainable happinesse in this life and hereafter Right Worshipfull Sir and Euer-honored Tutor WHEN I looke backe and consider as duty bindes mee in what age of the world in what ripenesse of the Gospell in what Climate and Region I was brought forth together with the means of my education and trayning Then doe I finde my selfe for euer bound in soule and body to the mercy and goodnesse of the Almighty Lord God who thus gaue me my life being and motion and all other my abilities with the blessed opportunity of place time and meanes of the Gospel with a call to the preaching of it for the eternall saluation of mine owne poore soule and others Yet so that my Parents Friends Kindred and Countrey as also my Instructors and Tutors may iustly vnder God and according to his will claime a share and interest in mee My desire is in some acceptable measure to bee answerable to my duty in all the parts of it Now my whole life and strength is and euer shall be consecrated to the Honour and Seruice of my Lord and Master IESVS CHRIST to whose glory I haue by his grace spared time from mine ordinary ministeriall paines to publish this present Treatise for the behoofe information and inciting of my Christian Brethren to glorifie God by a zealous walking with him And for my kindred and Countrey among other parts of my dutie daily performed on their behalfe I thought good to expresse my thankfulnesse to the whole State of the Towne and County of Newcastle by dedicating to them the two former Sections of this Treatise in respect not onely of my breeding among them but chiefly of that encouragement which from their bounty my studies and Ministeriall labours doe finde Now good Sir I should much forget my duty and respect to you who vnder God were the onely Tutor and formor of my studies in the Vniuersity if remembring my thankfulnesse to others I should passe by your selfe Though I forget not my mother the Vniuersity nor the Colledges Saint Iohns and Immanuel the latter whereof gaue me entertainment and lodged me with you sixe yeares the other nourished and helped to maintaine mee twelue yeares Other requitall then this thankfull acknowledgement for them I haue not at this present Giue me leaue then thus publiquely to expresse my dutifull respect and thankfulnesse to you also by dedicating to your name this third Section contayning a Sermon preached in your hearing March 5. 1614. at a solemne Assembly in Saint Maries in Cambridge Your right to it as to all other my abilities in this kinde is the greatest of any mans I spare to speake what further right you haue in mee and how much I am beholding in my particular to the example of your integrity and conscionable course of life of your great and continuall paines humility and modesty euery way you being as eminent in and for humilitie as humble in eminency of gifts But I dare not presume to presse these while I praise them I know you had rather so bee then be knowne to bee further then Gods glory and the necessity of the Church requires and so you neither are nor can be vnknowne I will conclude propounding the example of your wonderfull diligence and constant paines as also modesty to such as in the Ministery seeke their owne ease and follow their pleasures and by the Ministery seeke dignities and preferments to themselues Doubtlesse labouring with like singlenesse of heart and modesty of minde they should finde little cause to doubt so much of Gods Prouidence as to despaire of Prouision proportionable to their gifts You haue found it vnsought for but shall finde the fruit and reward much more hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not presume to stirre vp you but my selfe and other sluggards in and with the words of Ignatius Ignat. epist 1. to one Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus I end Newcastle vpon Tine April 19. 1621. Yours euer in the Lord ROBERT IENISON IDOLATERS BLINDE ZEALE PSAL. 106.37 Yea they
Gods word and lastly he withdrew their obedience and loyalty from God Thus he beguiled Eue. 2. Cor. 11.3 2. King 22.10 34 Thus to Ahab he promised nothing but good yet being a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets hee intended nothing but hurt to him and so to others Ierem 27 10. Neither intended he any good to King Philip of Macedon when by his Prophetesse Pythia as Demosthenes said he did a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan ab initio mundi fallax se per mendaâ— mentitur vt fallat blanditur vt noceat bona promittit vt mala tribuat vitam pollicitur vt perimat Cyprian lib. 1 Ep. 8. 1. Cor. 11.13.14.15 flatter and seeme to speake as King Philip would haue him And thus to be worshipped of our Sauiour Christ he promised no lesse then all the kingdomes of the world But what he obtained not of him he easily obtained among the Heathen especially when by seeming miracles reuelations and predictions he confirmed and authorized whatsoeuer hee taught commanded and required From these premises we will now vrge the Apostles argument which in effect is this Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light therefore no maruaile if false Apostles be deceitfull workers Secondly in his instruments and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ it is no great thing if Satans ministers be transformed as the ministers of righteousnesse No maruaile indeed for seeing Satan is still the same he was and also hath like aduantage of our weaknes we may easily imagine he will stirre vp instruments like himselfe by whom he may effect all his forenamed ends which are three First to seduce our soules secondly to kill our bodies thirdly to become our God who also themselues haue like ends For the first namely the seducing of our soules 1. To seduce the Soule and the corrupting of our minds before we speake of his trickes and policies by his instruments in these our daies it will not bee amisse to shew what aduantage is afforded vnto them from mans naturall frailty Their aduantage first from mans frailty and readinesse to be deceiued Shewed first in Eue. and readinesse to bee deceiued that so we may not wonder to see so many seduced by errour in these our daies in comparison of sound and sincere professors This frailty we may first see and obserue in our great grandmother Eue who herein is a liuely type of the Church of God on earth both before her fall and after She may signifie the spotlesse spouse of Christ the true Catholike Church which as she was taken out of Adams side while he slept and after brought and espoused to Adam so sprang of the water and blood which issued out of the side of our Sauiour the second Adam while he slept the sleepe of death which two are the matter of our regeneration and is thus espoused spotlesse to Christ her onely husband being that Ierusalem from aboue which is the mother of vs all Gal. 4.26 But the slie Serpent seduced the woman to disobedience from the simplicity of Gods word and her obedience thereunto in which consisted her safety and felicity and herein she is a type of the visible Church and of such as fall from outward grace through disobedience and from the simplicitie which is in Christ Iesus If therefore the Serpent had then craft enough to deceiue her being in perfect innocency how much more may he deceiue vs whose frailty euen the best is such in all the parts and faculties of soule as whereof Satan can easily 2. In the parts and faculties of each mâ—s soule â—â—aâ—â— 19.20 yea doth ordinarily take too great aduantage He is the father of lies and errours and a master seducer our flesh and concupiscence is the mother thereof Idolatry variance seditions heresies are made the workes of the flesh which is Satans concubine who therefore while we sleepe and are secure Matth. 13 2â— sowes his seed his tares from whence issueth this bastard and vnholy brood And this mother now Satans concubine 〈…〉 Eph. 4.22 1. In the vnderstanding is that old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts where within our selues we haue both corruption and deceit First in the vnderstanding naturally is ignorance accompanied with a deprauation yea a naturall incapability of receiuing diuine truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiues not he cannot know the things of the spirit of God Nay the Deuill takes aduantage of our ignorance euen of good arts and sciences as Logicke Philosophy and of the tongues and so deceiues vs with sophistry and paralogismes as hee did Seruetus and other hereticks how much more then of our ignorance of Scripture which is made the maine cause of errour Matth. 22.29 which therefore Satan labours to depriue vs of 2. In the will Act. 7.51 Secondly our wils afford him like aduantage which first often euen resist the known truth and the holy Ghost Yet I hold not that mans faith and assent depends onely and wholly on the command of the will in assenting or dissenting Quoad specificationem quoad exercitium though the vnderstanding doth for the exercise of it as to thinke or not to thinke Secondly our will affecting a liberty makes choice of her religion and opinions Coloss 2 20-23 Isa 66.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence proceeds all wil-worship and cultus electitij whereby men chuse their gods which properly according to the word is an heresie Thirdly it causeth obstinacy in errour and consequently heresie especially in women Ierem. 44 10.17 who hold fast the conclusion with this band they will because they will 2 In the conâ—ience T it 1.15 â—6 1. â—â—m 1 19. 〈…〉 Thirdly our conscience being naturally impure causeth shipwracke of faith and being also erroneous as it must needs be when diuine truth guides it not both misleads to error and holds men in errour who commonly haue nought to say for themselues but their consciences and this the Deuil knowes well enough Fourthly our affections also naturally being corrupt 4 In the affections helpe to corrupt the iudgement which this Serpent knowing makes vse First of fleshly pleasures as his snares to hold and lead captiue silly women especially laden with sins and led with diuers lusts Secondly of mans naturall pride 2 Tim. 2.26 and 2. Tim 3 6 which Saint Augustine maketh the mother of all heresies this causeth first Schisme through selfe-conceit and singularitie of opinion secondly heresie through obstinacy and stiffenesse in defending that opinion Thirdly Satan makes vse not to name ambition and flattery of which 1. Thes 2. verse 3.4.5.6.7 of couetousnesse in men and of their loue of mony which saith the Apostle 1. Tim 6 â—â— while some couet after they erre and are seduced from the faith And therefore Mammonists are the greatest Satanists And now I pray you
Second aduantage from Gods prouidence 2 Thes 2.9 10 11. Deut. 13.1.2.3 Dan. 11 3â— 1. Cor. 11 1â— Third from their owne suttleties Reuel 7 7.8-10.11 hath not Satan men at great aduantage especially further considering first that God giues him some and liberty and that first to worke with all power and lying wonders with all deceiueablenesse and strong delusion in such as receiue not the loue of the truth secondly thus to proue and so to approue and manifest the loue the faith sincerity and constancy of the faithfull Secondly considering that as Satan in deceiuing Eue had and abused the Serpent as his instrument so hath he now some of Serpentine disposition who yet the more easily to abuse our simplicity haue their faces as ours the faces of men and their haire as the haire of women but yet they are Serpents and their tailes are like vnto Scorpions and these are hereticks and seducers of all times Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4. cap. 1â— ex Jren Whence Policarpe the ancient Martyr called Marcion the heretick Primogenitum diaboli the first borne of the Deuill and yet some were borne a little before him euen in S. Pauls time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 11.13.14 Act. 20 29.30 2. Pet. 2.1.2.3 of whom he saith they are false Apostles and deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ Such as these he also prophecied of whom he describes by the name of grieuous Wolues who speake peruerse things to draw disciples after them of false teachers who priuily shall bring in damnable heresies speaking euill of the way of truth and through couetousnesse with fained words making marchandize of men And these are they who being deceiued themselues deceiue others also Iude 10. who being corrupt themselues yea corrupting themselues like bruit beasts in what they know naturally corrupt others also as doth their mistresse that whore which did Reuel 19.2 and now doth corrupt the earth with her fornication Now all these sleights this guile and deceitfulnesse to delude and seduce are foretold vs of Antichrist of whom it is said 2. Thess 2.9.10.11 His comming is after the working of Sataen with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and for this cause it is added God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye c. Where wee see that the sonne of perdition must vse all guile and deceitfulnesse to delude and seduce men from the truth of God how needfull then is it for vs to feare what Saint Paul feared on the behalfe of the Corinthians Cor. 11.3 saying But I feare lest by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ especially when wee see and feele in our selues both in Court and Country the stinging effects of this serpentine Romish brood who take and make vse of all the forenamed aduantages especially in these our Northren parts where our peoples eyes are put out Reuel 9.2 and our Sunne in great part darkened by the smoake of the bottomlesse pit out of which come these Locusts to vs. Qui cauet ne decipiatur vix cauet cum etiam cauâ—tâ—etiam cum cauisse ratus est saepe is cautor ceptus est Plaut captiu Prouerbs 17. Therefore there is scarce any humane caution sufficient against them who want neither will nor skill to hurt by deceiuing so that the most warie is not so warie but for all his warinesse hee may bee warred and foiled Moderate feare may here be commended vnto vs by that commendation which the wisedome of God giues to the feare of God It is the beginning of wisedome For as also saith euen naturall wisedome in Aristotle Feare causeth consultation Arist in Rhet. and consultation causeth wisedome Who then are easiliest misled and seduced but the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minime mali and such as are least of all distrustfull The Scripture cals such simple I would they were not also vnwise children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prouerb 1.4 Prouerb 8.5 Matth. 10.10 It is said of seducers causers of sects and offences that by good words and faire speeches they deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 What then ought wisdomes worke to be in vs she tels vs her selfe to giue suttlety to the simple and her counsell is O ye simple vnderstand wisedome There is wisedome then required in the children of light to espie and preuent the wisedome of the children of the world and therefore we are bid be wise as Serpents wise not to doe euill but to preuent euill and this our wisedome consists in cautelousnesse As the Apostle hath foretold vs of grieuous wolues so he bids also haue an eye to Philip. 3.2 and beware of dogs beware of euill workers Now I need not much beware of that dog that giues me warning by his barking but I will haue an eye to the close sullen Cur that will pinch me by the heele ere I be aware If our aduersaries were all of hasty dispositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and free spirited to expresse themselues boldly then by Aristotles rule I need not much feare them but being still and close fellowes dissemblers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceiuers and as Saint Paul said deceitfull workers there is too iust cause of fearing such These saith Aristotle are to be feared and so are as he cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such impostors as can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imponere that is put a tricke vpon a man finely Concerning all which Saint Paul warnes vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes 2.3 2. Cor. 113. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Popish policies for the corrupting of mens soules beginning his discourse concerning Antichrist with this caueat Let no man deceiue you by any meanes wherefore not doubting but the Pope of Rome and that succession is Antichrist his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and meanes of deceiuing and corrupting mens minds are now to bee considered which being both for the supplanting of truth and planting of errour we may reduce with the Apostle to our minds that is partly to the vnderstanding on which the will much-what dependeth partly to the affections and sences all which these seducers seeke to corrupt 1. For the corrupting the vnderstanding 1. Which they doe 1. By blinding it First for the vnderstanding It they goe about to blind and to delude Their first tricke is to put out the light and with Vlysses to put out Poliphemus his eye while the people are secure so that the hurt is done And that 1. By denying the Scriptures to the people and Vtis No-body hath done it This is done first by wresting the Scriptures out of the
bookes for 15. yeares together and after came to light and was by Iunius left as a gift and monument of their shame in the study of the Count Palatine of Rheine The Spanish Index was found first and discouered by our English in the taking of Cales Now by the direction of these Indices the ancient Fathers and first Authours are made to speake not their owne words and meaning but what the late Councell of Trent hath deliuered The bookes thus purged or rather polluted are often reprinted and these latter Editions onely authorized all other are disallowed called in consumed with threats added against all such as shall presume to keepe them And as thus they deale with the printed bookes so in likelihood they haue an Index for the purging of the manuscripts also for in the Vatican library at Rome Iames appendix to the aduertisement prefixed to his booke of the Corruption c. certaine men being maintained onely to transcribe the Acts of Councels or Copies of the Fathers workes they haue beene seene in transcribing to imitate the letters of the ancient Copies as neere as can be expressed In which copying out of books it is to be feared they adde alter and take away at the pleasure of their Lord the Pope The euent may proue it so herein dealing with and deluding the world as the Gibeonites did Ioshua with old sacks old bottles old shooes and garments wherein they are said to worke wilily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inâ—statia Iâ—sh 9.4.5 Now by all these meanes the triall of a questionable point in religion is like that triall of a Nisi prius at the common law where for witnesses are brought not good Free-holders Probi legales homines but base wanderers burnt in the eare for Rogues who know neither father nor mother â— With corrupting euen the Bible at selfe Corruption of Fathers part 3. or at the best bribed and corrupted But what if these bold bauds goe about to corrupt the Bible it selfe by adding detracting altering To make a little further vse of Doctor Iames this easily appeares by the infinite varieties contradictions oppositions which may be seene of any that shall compare two Bibles set forth by two Popes Sixt. 5. Clem. 8. and that within 2. yeares 1590. 1592. The second Commandement is also quite discarded out of their vulgar Catechismes which they communicate with the people and to keepe the number of ten the last is made two Now whereas both the shame of the world and also the power of God keepes them from daring to attempt vpon the text of the Bible it selfe yet see how neare they come it by corrupting the glosse and marginall note In the Bible of Robert Stephens vpon Genes 15.6 where the words are And he Abraham beleeued in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousnesse the note in the margent is Abraham fide iustus Abraham is iustified by faith yet these words which are all one with the words of the text euen as the Dowists read and translate them namely Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed to him vnto Iustice yet I say these words are commanded to be put our deleatur illud Abraham fide iustus Index Rom. pag 48. Rom. 4.3 Galat. 3.6 Iames 2.23 Index Rom. ibid And yet the authority of that place is vrged thrice in the new Testament So on Leuit. 26.1 they haue expunged the glosse or marginall note deleatur illud sculptilia prohibet fieri let this be put out say they God forbids the making of grauen images and yet God in the text forbids the making of them Lastly 1. Sam. 7.3 Samuel saith Prepare your hearts vnto the Lord and serue him onely the glosse saith in the margent Seruiendum soli Deo God only must be serued now saith the Romane Index deleantur illa verba SeruienduÌ„ soli Deo Index Rom. pag. 50. let these words be blotted out God only must be serued Hence iudge what they would doe to the Scriptures if they durst And thus we haue seene how by prohibiting and corrupting these diuine and ancient monuments they corrupt mens vnderstandings Yet this is not all To plant their errours they furtheâ— delude mens minds they haue other tricks of deceit and delusion whereby they not only supplant the truth but also plant their owne errours and make them passable Their next tricke then is to dazle the eyes of the simpler 4. With protestations of truth sort with Protestations of truth and swelling words of vanitie so that vnder pretence of preaching the Truth they supplant the truth Hilarie Antichrist saith a Father vnder colour 〈◊〉 preaching the Gospell shall be contrarie to Christ Euen so S Ambrose describes false teachers to be such as vnder the name of Christ Qu◠〈◊〉 nonum 〈…〉 preach against Christ so that the Lord Iesus is denied whilst men thinke he is preached And as the Deuils prophets of old tooke vpon them the glorious name of Prophets of God so seducers will be prophets of God and prophecie in the name of God though they so prophecie a lie and can with the true Prophets of God say Thus saith the Lord. Thus Nestorius though he were an Heretike yet could he couer himselfe vnder the vaile and shew of the Orthodoxe faith as said Theodoret of him and generally false prophets can vse the name of Christ to deceiue others thereby Ma◠〈…〉 concerning whom our Sauiour hath giuen vs a caueat saying Take heed that no man deceiue you for many shall come in my name and shall deceiue many In my name Some making themselues Christs and Sauiours some bearing my name not only of Christ but of Iesus some presuming to be my Vicars on earth some teaching lies and falsehoods in my Name and as my Doctrine Thus Iesuites yea the Pope himselfe shroud themselues vnder the name of the Lambe Mat 〈…〉 1 Ti◠〈…〉 but inwardly are rauening Wolues and speare â—iâ— the Dragon teaching indeed doctrines of Deuils This Whore of Rome giues out her false doctrines in a cup of gold Reâ—◠〈…〉 she hath in her hand Poculum Aureum Plenum Abominationum a cup of Gold full of Abominations where behold a Mysterie the initiall or capitall letters of these words written in the language of the Church of Rome whether casually or by speciall prouidence being put together are obserued to make vp the word Papa or Pope We may well compare the Deuill and all his instruments to craftie Pyrats who will hang out the same colours they will seeme to be what indeed they are not Thus the Arrian Heretikes of old bragd they only were Catholikes as for all the rest they called them sometime Ambrosianos sometime Athanasianos sometime Ioannitas So the Mahumetanes now though they deriue their pedegree from Agar the bond-woman yet will be called not Agarens but Saracens from Sara the free-woman Euen so the Iewes bragd they were Abrahams sonnes
seede and blood yet saith our Sauiour to them Iohn 3.39 â—â— You are of your father the Deuill So Papists now who but they they only must be the true Catholikes the true Church for vs we are Lutherans Caluinists Schismatikes Heretikes with such swelling words of vanitie they bewitch and corrupt the mindes of the simpler sort from the simplicitie which is in Christ Iesus euen as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his suttletie 2 Cor. 1â— 3 2 Pet. 2.17 18 19. Of these we reade in the 2. Pet. 2. who though indeed they be but Wels without water promising refreshing to the thirstie but leauing their soules emptie promising to others liberty but are themselues the seruants of corruption yet in speaking great swelling words of vanitie they beguile or allure and catch like fishes them that were cleane escaped from them which are wrapped in errour Hitherto referre we their great brags and vauntings whereby they astonish men and dazle their eyes with the name and report of the Church of Rome with Antiquitie of her doctrine with her Vniuersalitie Succession of Bishops Miracles Authorities of Fathers and lastly with the great rumour and report they giue of the learning of Papists Who doubts but many are bewitched with these sorceries who haue not the spirit of discerning to put difference betweene the emptie name of a Church and the Faith professed in a Church betweene Antiquitie and Nouelitie of Doctrine betweene true Vniuersalitie and a number of men giuen ouer to belieue lies betweene Succession of Bishops and Succession of Doctrine betweene true Miracles and lying wonders such as is said Antichrist should worke betweene Authorities of Fathers and Scripture truly alledged and the same wrested if not falsified and forged lastly betweene true and sauing Knowledge and a generall and swimming knowledge in the braine without obedience or without sufficient warrant and ground from Scripture for seeing they speake not alwayes according to this word Isa 8.20 It is because there is no light in them 5. With shewes of Holinesse Besides the aduantage from their vaunting and shewes of truth we may obserue how they can daube on artificiall colours of a holy profession and life thus Iesabel-and harlot-like to draw the eyes of men to looke vpon them loue and like them vnder which colour doubtlesse they beguile the simple and preuaile much Doe we not see how the Pope insinuates himselfe through deceit and vnder the shew of sanctitie In the Pope He is therefore called abstractiuely His Holinesse but how farre from communicating therein later Popes haue bin might easily and plentifully be shewed if I thought fit to rake in that dunghil He stiles himselfe in a shew of greatest humility With Canaan Gen. 9.25 Seruus seruorum Dei the Seruant of the Seruants of God yet indeed takes vpon him as Dominus Dominorum Lord of Lords suffering himselfe to be called and honoured by the name of God in the singular number We read of Pope Martin the fourth that hauing excommunicated the Sicilians Morn Myster Progress 53. Of this Pope was this Epitaph made Hîc iacet ante chorum submersor Toutonicorum Pastor Martinus extrà qui totus ouinus Et lupus introrsus c. and Peter of Arragon in fauour of Charles King of Sicilie they in the midst of their troubles had recourse vnto him and so prostrate vpon the earth they were inioyned to cry out aloud farre off from him Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem O Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vnto vs peace Which blasphemie he no waies put back Thus while hee shewed the hornes of the meeke Lambe Christ a Dragon spake out of his mouth for euen so he is described Reuel 13.11 Of this ranke generally are all false Prophets who come to vs in sheepes cloathing perhaps with the name of Iesus who is the Lambe of God vpon them but inwardly are rauening Wolues Mat. 7.15 who vnder colour of long Prayers and more then ordinary holinesse Mat. 23.14 deuoure Widowes houses Such are our Iesuites In Iesuites who deceiue not moe eyes through their dissembled apparell whereby they iet vp and downe vnknowne in the habit of Gentlemen Noblemen c. then they doe hearts and minds of the simple through their seeming deuotion whom you may behold now folding their hands now looking vp towards heauen now sighing now leauing the high-way when they meete women from whom they turne their eyes yet these men in secret doe such things as is not meete to name painted Tombes c. inwardly full of faction hatred of the truth cruelty c. Such also is the holinesse of their Monkes In Monkes who brag so of singular perfection good Workes Prayers Fastings voluntary Pouerty contempt of the World forbearing the very touch of Money Virginitie c. The outward austeritie in the habits and outward shew of some of them preuailes much in this kind with well-meaning soules which being simple and plaine dealing themselues conceiue of others by themselues who yet with the false prophets of old doe weare a rough garment to deceiue Zach. 13.4 Iustin Hist lib. 1. fine I cannot fitlier compare these then to Zopyrus who caused himselfe to be whipped and filthily mangled his nose cares and lips to be cut away yet all in hypocrisie to the end he might betray the Babylonians to whom he fled into the hands of his Master King Darius as he also did So these whip and scourge themselues c. that so by seeming to auoid hypocrisie and to meane sincerely they might become guides to the people which they no sooner obtaine but presently they betray them into the hands of their god Pope Herein also they resemble the Scribes of old who adorned themselues with large and broad Phylacteries that is Mat. 23.5 ex Deut. 6.8 as S Ierome noteth with parchments in which the Law of God was written namely the Decalogue which folding vp they bound to their foreheads in fashion of a coronet that they might be still before their eyes Now they that would seeme more zealously obseruant of Gods Lawes then others made their Phylacteries broder then ordinary that they might therein write moe sentences of the Law These that they might be knowne to differ from the common sort carried Gods Lawes more beautifully decyphered on their garments Thus they seemed to be clad with holinesse hauing it written in their foreheads as had Aaron Holinesse to the Lord. Thus certainly they got what they looked for estimation in the world and won credit in the hearts and thoughts of the people But what were they in our Sauiours account Matth. 23.3.5 what were they in truth Hypocrites doing all to be seene of men none greater transgressors of the Law then they Thus were they and thus are the Scribes of our times like to our Alehouses which on the wall haue some goodly sentences of
follow their steps Thus haue some Popish parents vpon their death-bed charged their childrens loue with an obedience to their last command which was that they should also liue and die in the same religion and this is the chiefe reason which some of them can giue of their faith as in experience I haue found Thus also he is no Gentleman that is no Papist whereas God knowes men how noble soeuer neuer cease to bee Gentlemen in Gods account till then for then indeed doe they cease also to be men * See Lactant. Instit lib. 2. de Orig. erroris cap. 1. fine Ipsi ergo sibi renunciant seque hominum nomine abdicant qui non sursum aspiciant sed deorsum cap. 2. fine when they beginne so slauishly to subiect themselues to man yea to cast themselues downe before and vnder Images of earth and mettall whereas God and Nature hath giuen vnto man an erected face and countenance to looke in his deuotions to heauen the place and seat of Gods glory Vpon the like ground when they finde any vntractable through too much prejudice they labour to temper him with their plausible conuersation winding themselues into credit reputation loue c. thus to gaine some interest and possession in the hearts and affections of such as they would seduce All this while not a word must be spoken of Religion as if that were no part of the errand Euen thus saith a worthy Obseruer D. Hall in his Quo vadis Sect. 16. haue wee seene an Hawke cast off at an Heron-shaw to looke and flye a quite other way and after many carelesse and ouerly fetches to towre vp vnto the prey intended All this is that at least for loue of their persons the poyson of their after-perswasions may be loued taken and digested For now hauing got themselues the reputation of a sweet ingenuitie and delightfull sociablenesse opportunitie is found to bestow some witty scoffes vpon those parts of our Religion which lye most open to aduantage and so from them with many protestations of loue warily and by degrees to other points Thus especially are our English Gentlemen who crosse the seas wooed and dealt withall by their insinuating countrimen smooth Papists who vpon notice formerly giuen them expect and waite their comming Now contrariwise especially among their owne and with others also the Teachers and Louers of the Truth are both secretly and also openly and impudently traduced calumniated and euill spoken of that so the truth they preach and professe may be distasted by reason of that prejudice which mens naughty affections haue conceiued against their persons Euen thus did the false apostles of old deale â— Cor. 10.10.12 who vainly vaunting and commending themselues did withall vilifie S. Paul and speake of him to the people as of a bragging fellow who seemed terrible a farre off by his letters but yet being present was but weake and his speech contemptible It were infinite to relate particularly what slaunders and vile imputations are laid vpon Protestants and true professors so that calumniations lies slanders falshood are now one chiefe pillar of Popery on which it stands It is the Popish practise if not doctrine Calumniare audacter semper aliquid haerebit lay on load wound them in their good names calumniate and charge them falsly for what though the wound be closed and cured yet some scarre will euer remaine there will bee some or other to beleeue it Relation of Religion Sect. 30. Thus as is obserued they suborne post-men to write the Legends of Protestants that afterwards they might cite them as approued authors and histories as is euident in the liues of Caluin and Beza written by their sworne enemy Bolseck the twice banished and thrice runnagate Friar and Physitian who being by their side requested to write thus is in their writings alledged as Canonicall Now this they gaine by such slaunders they put the party slaundered to iustifie and proue the negatiue which in Logicke is made alwayes very difficult and often impossible which yet if he be notable directly to doe the other triumphs as in a matter of infallible truth and victory But as bare deniall doth not alwayes cleare a man so should not a bare accusation especially of an enemy bee taken as sufficient to condemne him for then as Iulian answered Delphidius who shall be found guiltlesse Surely few that haue enemies as all good men haue Againe whereas corrupt affections and manners 2 By polluting the affections partly of their owne nature partly by Gods iust iudgement cause error in minde and vnderstanding so that where the will is inclined to euill there the minde is bent to falshood behold how Satans bawds goe about to bewitch mens affections and pollute them by corrupting and inclining them to sinne that so the iudgement may conceiue of things not as they are in themselues but as they appeare through the false glasse of affections which not onely raise vp fogges and mists to blinde the iudgement but also plead mightily for what they affect It is obserued by some that so many bookes of bawdry and ribaldry as are by Popish factors of purpose translated out of Italian into English doe turne more from the truth at home then their contentious bookes abroad For our English becomming once Italionated are by that meanes effeminated and consequently Satanized Such bookes in what language soeuer must needs proue exceeding prejudiciall to the chastitie both of body and of minde and of the minde because of the body I wonder what sound iudgement in religion could that Archbishop of Beneuentum Bartholomaeus de la Casa and the Popes Nuncio at Venice be of who wrote published that booke which he entitles De arte diuina Of the diuine Art yet being indeed De arte Sodomitica of the art of Sodomie being written in the commendation of that most vnnaturall sinne And what sound mindes can they haue that delight eyther in that booke or in that sinne or any other of like nature Rom. 1.27.28 Surely we cannot imagine but God giues such ouer to a reprobate minde so that it is no hard conquest to make myriads of such to be Romish prosylites and conuerts and such indeed are the greatest part of their conuerts none or few of very good affections but such as eyther take or from that religion seeke liberty to the flesh Howsoeuer if they finde them not such there shall not sometimes want their endeuour to make them such by the meanes aforesaid or otherwise Wee reade our owne times prophecied of and wee see the truth of the Prophecie with our eyes whereby wee are told of a sort of men which creepe into houses 2 Tim. 3.6.7 and lead captiue silly women laded with sinnes and led away with diuers lusts euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth Out of which words for our purpose we note first that corrupt and sinfull affections are enemies and
added which they cannot hide from the eyes and obseruation of the wise but because this depth of Satan is bottomlesse as reaching to hell it selfe we cease to search further into it as hauing already beene drawne on further then at the first we intended These are the deuillish policies of such as would seduce the soules of men from the truth of God whereby yet as they deceiue so are they deceiued being those very deceiuers which S. Paul so long since hath warned vs of 2 Tim. 2.13 For behold while they are playing their feates you may as it were see Satan looking ouer their shoulders setting them also and heartning them on and by them working his owne purposes hee being the grand-deceiuer deceiues both and laughes to see the deceiuer deceiued by himselfe Yet if you please to looke vp higher you may see God the Great Master of this game and tragicke-comedy who by his infinite wisdome being as it were the Poet contriued purposed the being of each thing and from eternitie disposed of them you may I say see him ruling ouer-ruling and disposing the actions of them all so that while euery one workes for himselfe and for his owne end he makes vse of all for his owne glory either in the iust condemnation of them that perish whether they be deceiuers or deceiued or the saluation of his chosen Ezek. 14.9 10 11 1 Cor 11 19. who thus are proued and approued On him then and on his onely word wee are to depend for direction Yet are wee also wisely to obserue and take notice of the policies of enemies which when we know wee are to take heed of lest Satan should get an aduantage against vs for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.11 wee are not ignorant of his deuices The same Apostle saith of seducers They shall proceed no further 2 Tim. 3.9 for their follie shall be manifest to all men Where we may note the reason why seducers so long and so much preuaile is from mens ignorance of their follie madnesse and plots Wee may iustly then bewaile the estate of the commoner sort of Papists for others they are iustly hardned whose eyes are blinded so that they can neither see the sophismes trickes by which they are deluded nor yet the euidence and onely rule to iudge both of truth and falsehood Gods sacred word in the Scriptures which word tels vs what Pastors and Teachers we are to hearken vnto namely to such as Christ gaue at his ascension and still giues to make vs perfect men in him and that we henceforth should be no more children Ephes 4 1â— tossed to and fro and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceiue The remedie he giues vs is double in the next verse the first is to speake or follow the truth in loue And â—â— otherwise we may feare to be giuen ouer to strong delusion 2 Thess 2.10.11 and to haue our portion with them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued This loue of God and his truth is made a note of a true professor whom God by false prophets doth proue whether he loue the Lord with all his heart or no. The second is Deut. 13.2.3 to grow vp into him in all things which is the head euen Christ For as it is in the same chapter said by him and by his ministerie we may become perfect men Verse 13. and attaine to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ In Christ then there is a fulnesse and from him we haue a fulnesse Therefore I conclude with the Apostle S. Paul Coloss 2.3 4. And verses 8.9.10 that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge And this I say lest any man should beguile you with entising words CHAP. X. Satans policies in himselfe and by his Instruments the Popish sort for the killing the bodies of the Saints 2. Popish plots and policies for the effecting of their second end Namely For the killing the bodies of the Saints LEt vs now in the next place see if we cannot also finde like deuillish sleights and policies vsed for and in the killing of the bodies of the Saints Satan to animate the Heathen to the voluntary murthering and killing themselues children in sacrifice to him wanted not his tricks of deceit and delusion his religious pretext of most acceptable seruice when our dearest things are not spared for Gods sake his plausible perswasions as of a thing most reasonable viz. that man who sinneth should also by his bloud expiate sinne especially the innocent as are children die for the nocent In the 3. Sect. and the like of which more hereafter In like manner we may now finde him by his instruments plotting and politiquely practising the death of Gods dearest seruants on earth I doe not speake of that Popish bewitching the minds of their owne whereby men are perswaded and made willing to vndergoe an imaginarie and false martyrdome but of those pretences grounds colours and deuices which are vsed by them for the animating of others to attempt and practise the murthering of Christs harmelesse sheepe Our Sauiour hath foretold vs that whosoeuer killeth his seruants Ioh. 16.2 will thinke that he doth God seruice So now the time indeed is come when the doctrine and practise of killing Gods Saints especially of Christian Kings is made passable and approued vnder pretence of pleasing God All now is shrouded vnder the habit of Catholike zeale and the Catholike cause Let vs in particular see vpon what grounds and pretences they goe and by what degrees they proceed First they haue learned one point of policie of old practised by others Pharaoh king of Aegypt who knew not Ioseph nor Gods people and children with him seeing the Children of Israel to increase abundantly and fearing herevpon the weakning of his kingdome called a Conuocation and said to his people Come on Exod. 1.10 1â— 22 let vs deale wisely with them lest they multiply c. Hereupon when hard taskes could not keepe them vnder hee commanded the Hebrew midwiues to kill all the males as soone as they were borne and that not taking effect his owne people to cast them into the riuer and drowne them Now this was a Deuillish Policy and fit for him to practise who is a deuouring Dragon which accordingly he did for fearing what now hee feeles namely the weakning of his kingdome by the birth of Christ Reuel 12.2 He stood before the woman which was ready to be deliuered for to deuoure her childe as soone as it was borne Mat. 2.13.16 Euen so did Herod seeke to destroy and kill our Sauiour so soone as hee was borne whose Kingdome he imagined would be contrary to his and consequently ruinate it The very same the Iewes his owne people to whom he
listen to Saint Gregory his lesson Greg. 〈…〉 which is Iniustum est seruire diabolo qui nullo placatur obsequio We haue no reason to doe the Deuill seruice when nothing we doe can make him propitious He then that thus seekes heauen shall come as short of it as did those Carpocratian heretikes of whom Saint Austen August de haeres cap 7. who professedly taught the practise of all filthinesse that so by pleasing wicked Fiends in whose power they were they might be suffered to passe quietly without disturbance through their aery regions to the celestiall But for the true God God was much displeased therwith Deut. 12.31 Ier. 29.5 this kind of seruice could neither please him nor appease him he condemnes it here and elsewhere and his wrath was kindled against them for it verse 40. Yet might they say they intended nothing but well by it and if they erred it was an error of loue not loue of error seeing for his sake they spared not their dearest children Truth if Intentions without or against Gods word would excuse But wil-worship with disobedience is no plea at Gods bar Abrahams example doth not iustifie it Yet Abrahams zeale was commended true because it was coÌ„manded But Agamemnons was condemned because by the law Thou shalt not kill it was forbidden And was not Abrahams Yet is not the others zeale hereby warranted God who is aboue his Law tried Abraham by a special command dispensing with the general vnto which the other still stood bound as hauing no speciall Abraham obeyed while he disobeied if disobeyed not so the other Abraham was not blamed for his butchery but praised for his pietie A cult de ciuit 〈…〉 2â— saith S. Augustine Quòd voluit filiuÌ„ nequaquà m scelerate sed obedienter occidere Inasmuch as hee was ready to haue slaine his Son not scelerously but in obedience Abrahams readinesse being from diuine instinct is imitable of none who haue not the like Heroici motus non sunt imitandi Diuine and extraordinary motions are not to be imitated Wee are bound to the common rule but these diuine instincts are farre aboue it One particular Heroici motus sunt suprareâ—ulam saith Logicke is inferred proued or warranted by another onely where the cause and reason is alike in both but here the facts were not more like then the causes different But the truth is Abrahams obedience pleased God and not his sacrifice or rather his obedience was his sacrifice God is not delighted simply in our bloud no not of Martyrs but in our obedience whether actiue or passiue In Abraham wee see it Nam Deus qui iusserat vt id fieret Pet. Martyr in locis ne fieret prohibuit God who commanded the act yet forbade the acting of it Euen so though without iniury yea also iustly hee might require our bloud in ordinary sacrifice yet did hee require onely of the Iewes for it the bloud of beasts Thus both shewing them and vs our sinnes and death deserued by them and yet his readinesse to receiue an atonement yea the atonement of another for vs. Yet could not these outward sacrifices simply eyther appease his wrath as holding no proportion with the infinitnesse thereof or of our guilt or yet so much as please him without some better and more pleasing sacrifice August de ciuit Dei lib. 10. ca. Thus euen the Heathen Non boue mactato coelestia numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est sine teste Fide Ouid. ep 19. Sacrificium enim visibile saith Saint Austen invisibilis sacrificij sacramentum hoc est sacrum signum est For the outward visible sacrifice is a sacrament that is a holy signe of an inuisible sacrifice If God then from thence smelled a * Gen. 8.20 Act. 20.28 Sauor of rest it was from the sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ For as it by the rest was typified so the rest by it were sanctified and accepted This hath so sufficiently alone reconciled God to vs and satisfied his iustice as being the shedding of the bloud of God that to offer any other eyther sacrifice or seruice or yet this againe to that end were as to derogate from the sufficiency thereof so to make God as implacable as we haue shewed the Deuill to be CHAP. III. An application of the former point THus haue wee seene Idolatry zealous though it reape no acceptance nor yet good fruit of its zeale Though it lose yet may wee gaine from it this profitable and vsefull consideration Idolaters more zealous in their kinde then the children of light That the children of this world are not onely more wise but more zealous also in their generation then the children of light Whose zeale therefore if it expell not our coldnesse shall condemne both it and vs. Religion sailes and holds her course betweene two dangerous rockes of Superstition and Impiety On the one side saith Plutarch In Camillo there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superstitious vanity on the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Negligence and contempt of heauenly things And such saith he is mans infirmity that keeping no bounds it is hurried sometime to the one and sometime to the other Both are euill but yet the second iustifies the first as Ierusalem did Sodome Superstition at the least in shew and pretence bordering nearer to true piety Wee may see and yet shame to see our selues so farre behinde the zealous affections and practises of Heathen Heretikes Idolaters and generally of the wicked Wee may see in Scripture Samaria doting on her louers Ezek. 23.5 Isa 57.5 or set on fire with them and the Iewes inflamed or inflaming themselues with Idols and yet our selues like Moah through our ease and long peace setled on our lees Ier. 48.11 Zeph. 1.12 and like Ierusalem curded and frozen in our dregs In my Text wee haue seene children sacrificed by their Parents to the deuill and yet see professed Christians vnwillingly if at all eyther to chastise their children doing amisse or to consecrate them to the seruice and honour of God or their Country yea impatiently to take their death when God himselfe cals them away Anno 1293. Apud Laps Monit Exe. polit Yet wee reade of one Alphonsus Peresius Gusmanus a Spaniard who holding the Citie Tariffa for the King his Master was threatned by the enemies that vnlesse hee yeelded vp the Towne his onely sonne whom they had taken should be miserably mangled in his sight No said hee betray my trust I will not for an hundred sonnes of mine if you had them and if you will needs doe it loe here is a sword and so casting his owne sword vnto them his sonne therewith was barbarously murthered himselfe nothing appalled thereat Strange also it is Idolaters zeale in not sparing themselues 1 Kings 18.28 what butchery men haue executed on themselues for the pleasing pacifying and honouring of their Idols You shall