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
towards his chosen people and to shew that none can curse them whom he will blesse Thus he did put his spirit of prophecie vpon the wicked Sorcerer and Witch Balaam and spake vnto him to blesse his people being indeed hired to curse them Numb 23.16.19 and 24 2. Otherwhiles we know that the Sibyls the prophetesses of the Gentiles did foretell and prophecie many true things concerning Christ Of whom worthy Zanchie saith Ea non nisi ex asslatu diuino praedixerunt They foretold such things only by diuine inspiration And S. Ambrose his speech is knowne Omne verum à quocunque dicatur à spiritu sancto est All truth whosoeuer be the speaker of it is from the holy Ghost The reason why God spake by them is diuersly rendred Thomas Aquinas saith he did it the more to illustrate and make credible his truth which should receiue testimony euen from the enemies thereof Or secondly by this meanes to instruct and teach the Heathen who would giue eare and credence to their owne Prophets which they would deny vnto Gods true Prophets But I approue rather their iudgement that say the end of such true prophesies by these heathenish Prophetesses was that the Gentiles afterwards who should not beleeue Christ nor our Scriptures testifying and prophesying of him might by their owne Prophets be conuinced of the truth and made the more inexcusable in the day of iudgement And to this end many verses and oracles of the Sibyls are alledged against the Heathen by Iustin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Eusebius and others as appeareth by their bookes But secondly 2. Or by means of the Scriptures the Deuill knowes many things out of Scripture which in diuers things he better vnderstands then we men by reason of his quicke sight and also because he can in regard of his long experience lay the state of all things together which we cannot doe neither is this in him so strange seeing that as Porphyry relates Porphyry as he is cited by Monaeus de vâ—rit Christianae relig cap. 25. fine the religious sect of the Essens among the Iewes by reason that they occupied themselues in the prophesies of Scripture made a profession of prophesying and seldome missed which I thinke Master Caluin aymes at when he saith writing on Esa 41.23 and hauing spoken of Gods goodnesse to the Iewes out of Amos 3.7 who hid nothing from them which was behoouefull to be knowne Hâc praerogativâ indâ—gâ—â— â—cclesâ—â—alâ— si sunt Iudai qui ex friuolis suis praedictionibus quaestum passim inter gentes sâ—cerunt The Iewes intoleraâ—ly and sâ—â—lâ—rously abused this prerogatiue who from their â—â—iuoloâ—â— predictions picked out a liuing among the Gentiles as doe now many running rogues with vs by telling of forâ—unes But if the Essens or Iewes were so cunning Satan is much more cunning and therefore his Oracle being demanded by King Alexander the great before he warred with Darius King of Persia what should be the euent and issue of his enterprise might well answere him as it did Inuictus erâ—s Alexander Thou shalt bee vnconquerable ô Alexander and indeed the successe was answerable which was yet fâ—rther signified by an Eagle which in the conflict with Darius houered and fluttered ouer Alexanders head gliding and glauncing and darting it selfe towards his enemies This knowledge the Deuill had out of the prophesies of Isaiâ— and Daniel who doe expressely point at Alexander In the 11. chapter of Daniel verse â— it is sayd A mighty King shall stand vp and shall rule with great dominion and doe according to his pleasure The circumstances of the â—ext are plaine and cleare for Alexander and so taken by Iaddus the high-Priest of Ierusalem who when Alexander had subdued the Persians and was now come to Ierusalem â—et him in his priestly attire as Iosephus records carried him vp to the Temple and shewed him the booke of Daniel wherein it was prophesied certaine hundred yeares before that a certaine Greeke should come and conquer the Persians which now fell out to be himselfe Thus he knew the destruction also of Tyre by Alexander out of Isay 23.1 where by the land of Cethim or Cittim is plainely vnderstood Macedonia whereof Alexander was King 〈◊〉 many doe interprete it and accordingly did foretell that he Satan vnder the name of Apollo would leaue the City as we read in Quintus Curtius And thus might hee know the translation of the Assyrian Monarchy vnto the Medes and Persians and that by Cyrus whose name long before his birth is expressely recorded Isa 45.1 and so many the like as Tortullian reckons them Now concerning Christs natiuity life and death the Sibyls haue foretold in veâ—sâ— many things and a Virgil from them In their bookes wee finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being smitten he shall be silent out of Esay chap. 53.7 where it is said he was oppressed and afflicted yet opened he not his mouth and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall weare a crowne of thornes And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most plainly out of Psal 69.21 They gaue me gall in my meate and in my thirst they gaue me vinegar to drinke With many the like Now lastly see how the gods of the Heathen Deuile indeed foresaw and foretold the ceasing or Oracles and their owne silencing as out of many other place â—â—â—â—cially out of Zacharie 13.2 where In 〈…〉 Lord of Hosts I will cut off the names of the 〈◊〉 out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and I will 〈◊〉 the Prophets and the vncleane spirit to 〈…〉 So that when Christ was at hand to whom they knew they must needs yeeld yet that they might still keepe their credit seeme to be ignorant of nothing they foretold the same Hence that prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foreteling that the place where Apollo gaue his answers should be made obscure and hence to adde no moe examples when Augustus Câ—saâ— in whose reigne our Sauiour was borne did demand of Tâ—â—chia Propheceâ—â—e to Apollo who after him should succeed and be Monarch of the whole world he had his answer in diuers Greeke verses which in sence sound thus much that an Eâ—â—â—w child greater then the gods of the Heathen had commanded him to leaue that place and to betake him to his infernall denâ—â— therefore saith he be gone and from henceforth aske me no moe questions The verses runne thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to conclude this point Satans ayme in giuing forth such true Oracles which accord with our Scriptures is not the same with Gods ends of which formerly but first that by the truth of these Oracles he might winne credit to his lies and deuillish doctrines concerning the worshipping of idols Secondly that thus he might get to himselfe the name and estimation of God himselfe whose propertie alone it is to speake truth And thus saith Tertullian
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
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
againe if seducers can but get men at the first to see their monasteries and other religious places which are gloriously resplendently beautified with images lights c. which are able to dazle the eyes of the simple and to winne from them a kind of reuerence who naturally are inclined to idolatry they will hope well for the future especially if they can but winne them to be present at their idolatrous seruice If Alipius in Saint Augustine August lib. confess 6. cap. 8. Of which infrà Sect. 3. by the importunity of his companions can bee ouer-intreated to goe to the bloody spectacles of the gladiatory combatants though he resolue to shut his eyes and so to be absent according to his owne inclination whiles he is present according to his friends desire it is enough some sudden fall of the wounded some outcrie of the people shall make him open his eyes and what he sees shall breed in him an itch to returne againe with the formost It is enough for Papists if the sluces be once opened the waters must then needs runne in aâ—daine Of this sort are such as desire onely a toleration of their Religion as if this would content them and such as would be Reconcilers of vs and the Romanists they would haue vs yeeld in some things vnto them But we dare not lest they at the length obtaine what they ayme at If errour get but once into the belfrey as said a Doctor of our owne D. Fulke See also that worthy and vsefull booke called the Deceitfulnesse of mans heart hap 15.2 Deceit it will neuer leaue till it be in the chancell if it may be suffered to bee in the porch it will not be long but you shall see it possessed of the Church it selfe and setting it in the Pulpit This tricke of insinuation according to both the branches of it they particularly make vse of in their intangling of young Gentlemen who trauell beyond the seas as may be seene worthily and elegantly handled by that graue and iudicious Diuine Doctor Hall in his Censure of Trauell Quo vadis Sect. 16.17 to whom I remit the Reader In the next place 7. By imitation Popish seducers vse an apish kind of Imitation euen as wee haue shewed the Deuill was Gods Ape among the Heathen for looke what were the chiefe means by which the reformers of Religion preuailed in all places all those courses haue the popish sort made vse of with no little aduantage to their side These were First diligence and assiduitie in preaching together with their publishing of diuers treatises of piety and spirituall exercises and deuotions Secondly education and catechising of Youth in the principles of Christian Religion Thirdly offers of disputation Fourthly writing of Histories and Martyrologies and other such like In all these now they haue affronted vs and for diligence in diuers of these quite gone beyond vs. But I meane not to insist as I might on these particularly especially seeing it is already in a better manner performed Relation of the state of Religion Sect. 27.28 to 32. then I am able by the relater of the Religion vsed in the West parts of the World to whom I referre the Reader 8. By Probabilities Lastly these men we speake of come with plausible perswasions and with probabilities which being indeed meerely Sophismes yet the rather preuaile with the most because of mans naturall ignorance and corruption of nature who hath in him by nature the seeds of all error with an inclination thereunto Truth in it selfe and owne nature is farre more probable then falsehood yet with naturall men for the most part Truth is thought falsehood and falsehood Truth Seducing Sophisters therefore hauing the aduantage of mens ignorance and want of true iudgement by their art make falsehood it selfe very probable wherein they make humane eloquence wherewith commonly false teachers excell the true very seruiceable to their purposes who beare it out and would beare all down with boldnesse with probabilities and shew of words Thus they will perswade the common people we are heretikes scismatiks at the least as hauing departed from the vnitie of the Catholique Church and made a rent in it this seemes very probable to vnskilfull and vnstable soules yet is it most false for we haue not gone away as heretiks vse to doe from the true Church of Christ but which all that loue their soules ought to doe Paralogismes from the company and contagion of wicked hypocrites and idolaters so that when they haue said all they can they can yet neuer say that we haue departed from the word of God from the Apostles or from the Primatiue Church and the faith thereof But thus deale crafty deceiuers in all ages who catch men with shadowes who are not able to see or discerne the substance and truth it selfe Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 7.8.9 Thus Tertullian apologizing for the Christians of primatiue times tels vs that whereas it was their doctrine that in respect of the spirituall and eternall life men must onely feed on the flesh and blood of our Sauiour Christ that immaculate Lambe yet there were some enemies to the Crosse of Christ that made the people beleeue that the Christians were wicked and bloody men that they did kill men in sacrifice eate their flesh and drinke their blood And whereas they taught that with God there was neither male nor female Gal. 3.28 Act. 10.34.35 and in respect of iustification no distinction of persons but all were brothers and sisters in Christ there wanted not who calumniated them and said Idem ca. 39. that Christians made no difference either of age or kindred but like bruite beasts promiscuously lay together and accompanied one with another And when according to the necessity of those times of persecution Iuel Apol. Christians often met together into retired places to pray and to heare the Gospell the rumor was they conspired together among themselues and consulted to kill the Magistrates or to ouerthrow the Commonweale this was made more probable because factious rebels in like manner meet together in secret places And S. Augustine relates that because they in the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper vsed Bread and Wine they were therefore thought to worship not Christ but Bacchus and Ceres whom the Heathen with the like rites of Bread and Wine did worship These things were beleeued as no doubt the like now whereby true Religion and the professors thereof are blemished and blamed not because they were true but because they were probable and had some shew of truth Thus would Sauballat make men beleeue Nehemiah meant to rebell against the King Nehem. 6.6 because he fortified Ierusalem Gen. 39.18.19 Thus Iosephs mistris easily perswaded her husband concerning good Iosephs vnchast attempt by shewing him Iosephs garment as formerly his brethren perswaded their father Iacob of the truth of their false relation Gen. 37.32.33 by shewing
him the partie-coloured coat of Ioseph all besmeared with blood and torne From such probabilities and little grounds simple men conclude what others would and not what the premises well sifted and examined afford These deluders creepe into men also by Rhetoricall insinuations and deceiue by Sophisticall quirkes not teaching and shewing the fundamentall points of Religion to instruct men And perswasions but vsing probable perswasions to induce and seduce to errour Thus the Friars euen in France but more in Italy Relation of Religion Sect. 35. saith the Relator in their indeauours to conuert others will say it is lawfull to perswade them but not to dispute with them Tertul. adu Valent But what saith Tertullian Veritas docendo persuadet non suadendo docet the truth perswadeth by teaching and doth nor teach by perswading It seemes heathenish idolatours followed this art of perswading and left the true art and methode of teaching as appeares by * Procedant in medium pontifices conuocent nos ad conscionem distringant aciem ingeniorum suorum si ratio eorum vera est afferatur Parati sumus audire si doceant imitentur nos nos enim non illicimus sed docemus probamus ostendimus Lact. lib. 5. de Iustitia cap. 20. Lactantius But certainly the popish doctrine and practise sute well together as tending to the same end They teach that an implicite faith is as much as is required in ordinary Christians who therefore must not try the spirits by which men speake hereupon they are taught to beleeue without vnderstanding and what lies then may they not belieue they are told that the grounds of Christianity and the proofes that the Scriptures are the word of God are onely credible and probable but cannot be demonstrated that the chiefe proofe is the testimony of the Church which is further guided by the spirit of God the worke whereof is faith which faith searcheth not the particular necessitie of the truth of things deliuered but relieth in generall vpon the approued wisdome truth and vertue of him that doth deliuer it that therefore he that will haue necessary proofe of the seuerall articles of Religion doth but wittily deceiue himselfe that the high vertue of Christianity is in the humility of vnderstanding and the merit in the readinesse of obedience to embrace it What madnesse then were it for any man to waste his spirits in tracing the controuersies of these dayes and not rather to betake himselfe to the true Church whereunto the custody of heauenly truth hath beene committed and to receiue faithfully and obediently without question making whatsoeuer it deliuereth c. This methode being as well plausible as probable This methode and art of perswading may be seene more largely in the wise-obseruer himselfe in his Relation of Religion Sect. 12. is vsed as the chiefe meanes and course of their perswading at this day whereby finding themselues not able to keepe the laity-wholly and grossely ignorant as informer times they cunningly indeauour so to lead them out of the briars as to enter them withall into a second kind of ignorance that being not content to see vtterly nothing at leastwise they may be perswaded to resigne vp their owne eye-sight and to looke through such spectacles as they temper for them For they finde by certaine experience that the ignorance of the Laity was euer the greatest and surest sinew of their greatnesse and glory But we are taught and must teach otherwise first to know and then to beleeue at the least faith must not bee without knowledge Christs sheepe follow him Iohn 10.4 for they know his voice Wherein all other sheepe are herein sheepe indeed which blindly follow their guide though it be to breake their bones by falling and following from some high rocke or other downefall Our Sauiour saith of his Iohn 17.8 they haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send me And as if the Lord meant purposely to meet with Papists in this point and to let vs know that error in iudgement and practise depended on an ignorant beleefe he instanceth in a point of popery namely abstaining from meats which is also a doctrine of Deuils and tels vs 1 Tim. 4.3 that God hath created meats to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth Which from hence we may conclude Papists doe not And thus much for the vnderstanding as by other meanes so also by Paralogismes but this to speake with the Apostle Coloss 2.4 I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and haue said lest any man should beguile you with entising words CHAP. IX Deuillish and Popish Policies for the corrupting of the will affections and outward senses 2. Popish policies for the corrupting the affections of men BVt now see further how this aduantage is followed by Hereticall and Popish Seducers which they haue from the corruption of our nature For as formerly they more directly set vpon the vnderstanding with Paralogismes and other delusions so they would also wooe the Mistris by the Maid they would deceiue Adam by his wife Eue and with the Philistims politickely get and hire Dalilah to lull Sampson asleepe that he might be taken captiue that is by the affections and outward senses of the body they seeke to corrupt and blind yea to captiuate and bind the iudgement This was the Deuils policy when he indeed bewitched the first Adam by his wife Eue whose eyes he first pleased Gen. 3.5.6 whose affections he first tickled before he either by himselfe preuailed ouer her or by her ouer her husband And this was his deuillish and politique attempt when he set vpon the second Adam our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ First he speakes to our Sauiours eies Matth. 4.8.9 for he taking him vp into an exceeding high mountain shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them And by this sight presented to the eye hee would tickle his affections saying All these will I giue thee thus doth he flatter him with faire promises before he tels him what he desires of him for his fetch was thus to get our Sauiour to fall downe and worship him Which is done But particularly the popish practise herein and imitation of their father appeares in their first abusing secondly polluting thirdly pleasing the affections and senses of men 1. By abusing them First how do they abuse mens affections when in their perswasions to popery they lay the ground-worke thereof on that naturall loue and affection which men beare to their kindred fathers and forefathers for hereon they ground a most pestilent perswasion to entertaine the loue of their errors for and with the loue of their persons What say they do you thinke that all your forefathers who liued and died in popery are damned haue ye not more charitable conceits of them then so if then you haue why doe you not
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
perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie So that whereas Papists require of vs such things now and challenge vs to be no true Church because we worke no miracles but from miracles would approue themselues for the only true Church of God vpon earth we contenting our selues with that establishment of our doctrine which we haue from the Miracles and Reuelation of Christ and his Apostles whose doctrine wee hold and professe doe rest herein secure assuring our selues wee are thus farre no part of the Church of Antichrist whose propertie it must be in the latter dayes to worke miracles wishing them of the Church of Rome seriously to consider whether they or we or yet any other Church in the world be liker to be the Church of Antichrist seeing they bragge and stand so much on Miracles and Visions as to iustifie their Church thereby especially considering that the consciences of many among them are conuinced of the falsehood and forgerie of many of their Miracles and that some of themselues allow the faining of tales fables and Legends and Miracles of Saints for the prouoking of the common people to deuotion towards their Saints which therefore they call their pias fraudes godly and holy deceits We heare and read of many strange Miracles and Visions in Popery on which it is for many if not most chiefe points founded and by which it stands Wee had once here in England a holy maid of Kent Elizabeth Barton a Nunne which by the deuice of certaine Monks and Friers could seeme only to be fed by Angels strangely to alter her countenance and other parts of her body and so lying in a traunce to speake many things in commendation of Poperie and particularly in disallowance of King Henries diuorce from the Lady Catharine But the knauerie being found it cost them all their liues A like holy Nunne wee reade of Mary de la Visitation in Spaine about the yeere 1588 Prioresse of a Monasterie in Lisbon of whose Miracles Wounds Visions a Dominican Frier wrote in French dedicating his booke to the Queene of France This Mary saith he our Lord Iesus tooke to wife often appearing to her granting her many particular graces and fauours conuersing and speaking as familiarly with her as euer God did with Moses he oftentimes being accompanied with He and She Saints The Instructions drawne by that Frier from her Miracles and Visions were That it is needfull to honour Images That Saints in Paradise are Intercessours for vs That it is needfull to acknowledge the truth of the Sacrament of the Altar The like fountaines of Miracles are opened in the houses of our Lady of Lauretto of which there is a speciall booke written and translated into English of Hales of which Lipsius makes relation But we may obserue that all of them tend either to seduce from truth to falsehood or to giue allowance to treacherie and murther or lastly to exalt the Pope For the first it might easily be shewed how that the end of all popish miracles and visions is to confirme if not to teach establish such popish doctrines as haue no ground in the holy Scriptures Purgatory a maine prop of Popery for which our aduersaries themselues confesse they haue no expresse Scripture hath no better ground then visions and apparitions of the dead So is the Masse confirmed by many Miracles which the consecrated Host hath done So Garnet a traitor is now made a canonized Saint by an artificiall face vpon a straw taken vp being first cast downe at the place of his execution Thus their aduancing of Images their making the blessed Virgin to haue beene wholly without sinne and so the Feast of her Immaculate Conception the making of her also more mercifull then Christ many the like points of Popery receiue strength from visions and dreames of their owne the which might with ease very plentifully be shewed but that I take none of themselues can or will deny it I will content my selfe hauing already exceeded the bounds which at the first I set to my selfe to instance in their doctrine of Inuocation of Saints which hauing no expresse testimony of Scripture by their owne confession hath no better ground then apparitions of Satan in and vnder the likenesse and names of deceased Saints a thing wherein they may be very easily deluded For if Satan can take vpon him the person of an Angell of light if hee also among the Heathen could take vpon him the names of Iupiter Iuno and the like who we â—â—en and get himselfe worshipped vnder their names how may he not also by Gods iust permission vsurpe the names of deceased men or women whether indeed Saints or no and shew himselfe vnder the names of Valentinus or Anastaâ—ius or Barbara c. And doth he not so especially when hee meetes with the credulous Euseb 〈…〉 Eusebius tels vs that one Potamiaena some three dayes after her martyrdome by night stood by Basilides her tormenter put a crowne vpon his head and told him she made request to God for him Bonfin 〈…〉 So Bonfinius tels vs that one Conrade a Germane was enioyned this penance by Hildebrand the Pope that carrying with him a catalogue of his sinnes sealed vp in letters he should seeke remission of them by going a Pilgrimage to all holy places of the world and that praying at the graue of Emmericke sonne to Stephen King of Hungary his letters were open and his sinnes quite blotted out of the paper Hereupon to this Chappell concourse was made from the remotest countries Now here to this purpose one fetch of the Papists is remarkable To confirme the doctrine and practise of Inuocation they take the aduantage of soueraigne baths and waters and where they espie any fountaine good against the stone or other diseases presently there is the Statue of Image of some Saint or other sent and erected by it by whose vertue the cure and miracle must seeme to be done or some Chappell is erected to this or that Saint vnto whom prayers before and thankes after washing must be offered 2 For the next points I will giue but one instance for each of them When in the yeare 1588. Philip the 2. King of Spaine intended the conquest and subuersion of England the forenamed Prioresse gaue incouragement to the enterprise blessed his Standard Royall and deliuering it to the chiefe Generall the Duke of Medina Sedonia openly pronounced and promised good successe and victory to him This Standard was after carryed in solemne Procession For all this the euent proued her a false Prophetesse 3 See one tricke of legerdemaine in this kind vsed by an ambitious spirit aspiring to the Popedome When Celestine the 5. poped it and had made himselfe odious and hated for his humility in riding on an Asse by our Sauiours example especially for beginning reformation of
manners in the Clergy at Rome see a pretty politique deceit practised by Benedict a Cardinall by which hee attained the Popedome vnder the name of Boniface the eight He suborned diuers who priuily in the night by a reed or trunke conueyed to the eare of Celestine admonished him saying Celestine Celestine renounce the Papacy giue it ouer if thou meanest to be saued the burthen is beyond thy strength Hereupon the simple deluded man taking it for the voice of God which many nights thus spake vnto him by no intreaty could be perswaded to retaine the Popedome Thus an Angell of Satan transforming himselfe into an Angell of light and of God seated himselfe in the Papacy who as he entred like a Foxe so hee ruled like a Lyon and at the length died like a Dog CHAP. XIII The Conclusion of the former Discourse and Vse concerning Satans Sleights ALL our former discourse giues vs easily to iudge of Popery and shewes vs also Conclusion contrary to Popish doctrine the necessity of Saint Iohns admonition 1 Iohn 4.1 not to beleeue euery spirit but to trie the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world This was the iust commendation which our Sauiour gaue to the Chuch of Ephesus Reuel 2.2 that she had tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and had found them liars Necessity of trying the Spirits And doe not we now see cause why we should doe so likewise surely if wee bee so wise as not to receiue into our bodies an vnknowne dainty before wee haue approued it by smell or taste why should wee be so foolish as hand ouer head to entertaine into our soules any strange or yet questioned doctrine which without triall may proue the bane of our soules especially considering we haue an aduersary that laboures to put poyson into our drinke and offers delightsome baits but sliely couers a deceitfull and pernicious hooke We are also wise enough to trie suspected coyne by the touchstone and ballance before wee receiue it for good or currant and waight The like wisedome should appeare in our triall of doctrine 1 Thess 5.21 to trie all things but to keepe that which is good and like good mony-changers to reiect all adulterate coyne if it haue not Caesars image on it if it be not circled about with Caesars posie But if once we spy the face of Christ shining in it then to purse it vp in the close receptacles of our heart The Scriptures the onely rule of triall Isa 8.20 Act. 17.11 Now Gods word written is our onely Touchstone the one true ballance the onely true Light so that If any speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them By this those noble Beraeans tried what they heard receiuing the word with all readinesse of mind and searching the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Mat. 4. By Scripture our Sauiour repelled all Satans suggestions and this is a sound way of triall seeing this is that onely truth which is from Heauen all other doctrines being either of men or of the deuill 1 Tim. 3.16 The Spirit by which the Scriptures were inspired is but one and therfore called the Spirit of Truth Iohn 16.13 whereas for spirits of errour there are many And because the truth of Christ is but one and alwaies like it selfe â— Tim. 4.1 we make this a firme kind of reasoning against all Seducers This doctrine is not according to Christ not according to his doctrine but such as drawes vs from him therefore wee will none of it Thus the Apostle himselfe teacheth vs to reason Coloss 2.8 Wee therefore reiect all triall of doctrine by Miracles and Visions now in these dayes and we will now iudge of Miracles by doctrine Luk. 16.29.30.31 not of doctrine by Miracles We must heare Moses and the Prophets and not hearken after any that shall rise from the dead We are taught to iudge of Signes and Miracles Dreames and Visions by their end which if it be to withdraw vs to false deities or doctrines we reiect and renounce for so we are warned Deut. 13. Vers 1.2.3 And we are assured that howsoeuer thus Seducers preuaile with others yet with Gods children so long as they hold them to Gods onely word they shall not preuaile though perhaps they thinke with the false prophets of old Ierem. 23.27 To cause Gods people to forget his name by their Dreames which they tell euery man to his neighbour Therefore as by this note of triall we reiect the Miracles of the Heathen because they tended either to establish false gods for thus some were made gods for their driuing away of Grassehoppers for killing of Frogs Crickets and Flies whence it came that the Canaanites called their Beelzebub by the name of Scarâ—â—ly and the Greekes their Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to iustifie the wicked in their wickednesse thus the iustly suspected â—â—sâ—all Virgin carried water in a Sieue and another with her only Girdle hailed that Ship which formerly the strength of men and oxen could not moue So by this word of God we reiect all Popish Miracles as being brought to confirm such points of doctrine as the Scriptures allow not of and as we formerly instanced in yea all such doctrine howsoeuer confirmed by Popish Miracles as tends to exalt the Pope against God or yet into the seat of God I read in Maximus Tyrius of one Psapho in Lybia who desirous to be worshipped as God taught a sort of prating Birds to sing Magnus deus Psapho Psapho is a great god and so let them flye into the woods where other birds learned the same lesson by which fraud the country people began to worship him Iust so the Pope of Rome desirous to withdraw the people of this Land from their allegiance due to his Maiesty their lawfull Soueraigne and to get himselfe acknowledged as their head and God maintaines a sort of discontented fugitiues in his Seminaries as in so many cages where he easily teacheth them what tune he pleaseth These being sent home againe teach other birds which are * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same feather the same ditty But we being taught the former lesson and note will not admit of any such strange god or doctrine Galat. 1.8.9 but with the Apostle Saint Paul If any man though an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospel vnto vs then that we haue receiued we hold him accursed Meanes to come to the knowledge of the truth Prouer. 2. vers 3.4.5 To conclude If any be desirous in the midst of such varietie of doctrine to know what doctrine is true let him vse but diligence and let him not despaire For if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest vp thy voice for vnderstanding if thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou
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
of Deuils Hinc sumentes temporum quasdam sortes diuinitatem aemulantur dum furantur diuinationem that is They hence that is from the preachings of Gods true Prophets taking the obseruation of the lots and conditions of times emulate and imitate Gods diuinity while they steale from him their diuination and skill to foretell future euents CHAP. IIII. Of the diuers wayes and meanes whereby Satan imitated the true God in his predictions and miracles BY the forenamed meanes Satan became furnished with knowledge whereby hee was able to giue such answers to the Heathen as he did not but hee also foretold through his impudency such things as whereof he had no certainty for such is the presumption of wicked Fiends that they dare foretell what they certainely doe not know foreshewing diuers things as Thomas Aquinas saith onely quoad superbiam temerariam praesumptionem through pride rashnesse and presumption Now see how Satan mocks God in the manner and meanes of the manifestation of his knowledge and how to winne himselfe credit hee would seeme to haue all things answerable Satan imitated God in his predictions 1. By giuing forth Oracles Exod. 25 22. Numb 7.89 God diuers wayes reuealed himselfe and his will sometimes by voyce either his owne immediately or of his Prophets sometimes without voice as by lots and by the Vrim and Thummim So the Deuill And therefore first as God himselfe immediately gaue answers and Oracles from the propitiatory so Satan indeuoured to giue answers by Oracles also whereof there were many among the Heathen and also by Images which we reade haue sometime spoken or rather he himselfe in and by them For the winning of credit vnto which the Heathen in their dedication of Images vsed to annoint them with holy oyle as they called it supposing hereby to binde the power of God vnto them herein imitating the Patriarch Iacob who annointed the stone he rested on and Moses Pet. Martyr in loc com who annointed all the instruments almost about the Tabernacle Secondly as God had his Prophets so had the deuill his 2. By inspiring his Prophets whom he either really possessed or otherwise inspired who yet had the glorious name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophets of God For as Gods Prophets gained authoritie to their sermons by deliuering all in the name of God saying euer and anon Thus saith the Lord and as from God and from peculiar reuelation as did Moses who was for many dayes alone with God in the Mount so in imitation hereof Minos Zoroastes Zamolxis Charondas Licurgus Pompilius and Solon to winne estimation to their lawes pretended to haue conferences and consultations with Iupiter Horomasis Vesta Saturne Apollo Minerua and the goddesse Aegeria Hermes also surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermes dial 1. thrice-great before he could instruct Esclepius Tatius and others in the principles of his profound philosophie beares them in hand that himselfe was first instructed and inspired by one Pymander whom he calleth the Word the Sonne of God Thirdly 3 By reuealing himselfe in visions and dreames God often inspired his Prophets with the knowledge of things to come by visions and dreames so did the Deuill his Therefore Apollo or the Deuill did cast his Priests into a sleepe in the den by the Oracle And whosoeuer came to consult with the Oracle of Mopsus vsed to sleepe in his Temple as Plutarch relates Plutarch de defectu oraculorum So wee read that Aesculapius had his Temple at Epidaurus a citie of Achaia to which a great multitude of sicke persons did resort and some in their sleepe had shewed vnto them that medicine by which they might be cured 4. By manifesting his will by Vâ—im and Tâ—â—râ—mâ—â— Fourthly God often manifested himselfe by the iudgement of Vrim and Thummim Answerable hereunto the Heathen had their Chrystallomantia and Hydromantia where water being put into a violl of glasse a childe was set to view it who had somewhat therein shewed him namely as Psellus saith deuils in some appearance were seene creeping in the bottome and heard to vtter some obscure and whispering sound yet nothing distinctly that so whatsoeuer the euent should be it might seeme to haue beene foretold by them So Pausanias tels vs of the Temple of Ceres in Achaia by which was a fountaine and as some relate â—â—â—lotâ— Vâ—â—â—â—ad Aligâ—ll de 〈◊〉 Dei lib. â— cap. 5. a glasse in it into which sicke folkes after sacrifice offered looked and by the resemblance of a face which appeared either of a dead or liuing mâ—â— saw what should become of themselues So we might instance in their diuination by Lots by their foresight of danger from Thunders strange cracks and the like which God often also makes forerunners of iudgements So also in their foreshewing of the conditions and future state course and fate of men by names giuen them and imposed at their birth Gâ—â—eoctus Mâ—â—tius de promisiua doctrina cap. 1. and in die lustrico as of Tantalus Aristoteles c. for so God gaue names to the Prophet Isaiahs children as signes of somewhat to follow Isa 7.3 and 8 3. so to Ioshua Iesus Matth. 1.21 But let that suffice which hath beene said And thus much for Predictions â— The Deuill Gods Apeâ—â—â— miracleâ— Now secondly more briefly for Miracles by which also Satan bewitched the mindes of the Heathen and for the doing of good or euill God we know did often great miracles for the manifestation of his truth and Godhead and for other ends as in Aegypt by Moses and since by the Prophets of old our Sauiour and his Apostles So also the deuill in his instruments would at the least seeme to doe the like by the Magicians in Egypt And therefore seeing our Sauiour Christ to doe such wonders in healing the sicke lame blind and men hereupon to beleeue in him and in God whom he preached he must likewise take vpon him to ease men of their torments and to free Cities from the pestilence as once he is said to do Rome whither he was brought being fetched from Epidaurus in his owne likenesse namely in the forme of a great Dragon or Serpent yet vnder the name of Aesculapius as Liuy Valerius and Lactantius relate who expounds it of the Prince of Deuils himselfe that old Serpent and great red Dragon as he cals him Ipse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So for the manner of working he being a spirit incorporeall can easily wind himselfe into mens bodies corrupt their health cause sicknesse blindnesse c by these meanes causing men to flye to him for helpe well being inuocated he remoues the malady which himselfe inflicted and ceaseth to hurt ceasing to hurt hee is thought to helpe and to doe good whereby men are confirmed in their seruice of him Thus he would seeme to imitate Gods greatest workes and miracles and his manner of working And in the manner of working them and therefore as God by his