the deuill Act. 13.8.10 Our onely way then is to be as zealous in good We must shew a proportionable zeale against sinne as euer wee haue beene forward in euill and whereas perfection in this life is to be measured rather by our desires affections resolutions and indeauours then by performance to shew our zeale first by our hatred of euill 1 By our confession and our confessing and bewailing of sinne aggrauating it against our selues by the same degrees by which we trespassed against God Dan. â—5 and 7. saying with Daniel for himselfe and the people in captiuitie We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy precepts c. 2 In our new obedience and willingnesse Secondly by being ready and willing to our power yea beyond our power to yeeld obedience to Gods Commandements that so for our readinesse and resolution to obey we may say with Dauid Psal 40.8 Psal 11â— 34 I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart and pray with him Giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart that so it may be said of vs generally in respect of all good duties what Paul said of the Macedonians in the matter of almes 2 Cor. â— 2 To their power I beare record yea beyond their power they were willing This resolution to obey God euen in his hardest commands whether by obedience actiue or passiue our Sauiour Christ would haue to be in vs all Luke 14 20. saying If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple This affection was in S. Paul and should be in vs when for Christs sake and the Gospels he said to the Philippians Yea Philip. 2. â—â— and if I be offered vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I ioy and reioyce with you all 3. In our sorrow for sinne Thirdly by our sorrow for sinne committed and by the fruits thereof that so also it may be said of vs as S. Paul said of the Corinthians 2 Cor. â—â—â— Behold this selfe-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what reuenge Such Yeaes as these would eccho well to this Yea in my text where it is said Yea they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters vnto Deuils THE HEIGHT of ISRAELS Heathenish Jdolatrie PSAL. 106.37 Yea they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters vnto Deuils SECTION II. CHAP. I. Wherein is proued that the gods of the Heathen were Deuils NOw let vs consider this sinne in particular and because it is a sinne of this nature belonging to Idolatrie and false worship Of the Idoll gods of the Iewes and Heathen let vs first take a view of these Idoll gods Secondly of the sacrifices and seruice done vnto them It s here said They sacrificed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deuils or to destroyers and spoilers so called from the effect not to any Platonicall or good Daemon but to the deuill himselfe our malicious aduersarie If wee compare this place with Deut. 12.31 we shall see that these deuils were the gods of the Heathen There the Lord forbids his people to doe vnto him as the Heathen did to their gods for they saith the text haue euen burnt in the fire their Sonnes and Daughters to their gods and Deut. 32.17 Moses in his Song complaines of the Israelites that they sacrificed vnto deuils not to God to gods whom they knew not to new gods that came newly vp These gods were the Idols of Canaan verse 38. of this Psalme and the Idoll Moloch whereof in particular God gaue his people caueat Leuit. 18 21. which Idoll was the Image of a Calfe vast and hollow hauing seuen chambers or roomes in it according to the variety of seuerall gifts and sacrifices which were to be consumed in it whereof one was appointed for a sheepe another for a lambe a third for a calfe but the last was for children who by their parents were cast in and burnt quicke â—hat they were Deuils â—â—oued â— From Scripâ—â—â—â— Here wee will shew first that the gods of the Heathen were indeed Deuils Secondly How Deuils came to bee acknowledged and worshipped for gods That they were Deuils will plainly appeare if first we consult with the Oracles of God Saint Paul tels vs 1. Cor. 10.20 that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Deuils and not to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies euill spirits and the very Deuils according to the vse of Scripture which by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstands diabolos Deuils as 1. Tim. 4.1 where mention is made of doctrines of Deuils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Leuit. 17.17 God chargeth his people that they shall no more offer their offerings vnto Deuils after whom they that is the Gentiles haue gone a whoring And so is Rehoboam said 2 Chron 11.15 to haue ordained him Priests for the high places and for the Deuils and for the Calues which he made and my text is plaine which saith They sacrificed their Sonnes and Daughters vnto Deuils â— From their accepting of sacrifice See Baruch chap. 6. A further proofe hereof is that they were neither the true God for Saint Paul tels the Galathians ch 4.8 that when they knew not God they did seruice to them which by nature are no gods neither good Angels for they both require and accept sacrifices which good Angels know to be due to the true God onely and so indeed they are for saith Saint Augustine a August de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 19. As when we pray to or praise God we direct our words to him onely to whom we offer in our hearts the thing signified by our words so in our sacrifices we offer not any visible sacrifice but to him b Non altere quam illi cuius in cordibus nostris invisibile sacrificium nosipsiâ—sse debemus onely to whom we owe the inuisible sacrifice of our owne hearts and selues Therefore the good Angels being perfect in charity both towards God and man will neither by accepting any sacrifice dishonour God which euen good men Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.14.15 refused to doe nor seeing they loue vs as themselues will they haue vs to attaine happinesse by other meanes then they themselues doe so that seeing as the same Father saith August ut supr lib. 10. cap. b. 4.7.19.25.26 The summe of both Tables is fulfilled in this that we should c Et a quibus diligimur duci quos diligimus ducere both be gained to God our selues by such as loue vs and
him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the desert yea they turned backe and tempted God 2. Measure Secondly for quality manner degree and measure of sinne thus Hebr. 11.36 Others haue beene tried by mockings and scourgings of wicked men yea moreouer by bonds and prisonment For this is such a sin for height Luke 3.20 3. Impudency as Herod added aboue all his sinnes when hee shut vp Iohn in prison Thirdly for impudency Esay 3.9 Yea they declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not Fourthly for defence and iustification of them 4. Defence whereby in a manner merit is ascribed to them Iohn 16 2. Yea the time commeth that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke he doth God seruice Fifthly for delight in sinne Isay 66.3 Yea 5. Delight they haue chosen their owne wayes and their soule delighteth in their abominations Lastly for resolution Zach. 7.12 Yea 3. Of resolution they made their hearts as an Adamant stone lest they should heare the law Now surely if such was the generall ouer-flowing of sinne when these things were written what may wee thinke is it now in these last dayes of the world wherein Saint Paul hath told vs Perillous times shall come 2 Tim. 3.1.2.3.4.5 for men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud blasphemers c. We need not seeke farre to finde many amongst vs on whom we might instance all the former complaints of God and his Prophets which we might iustly take vp against the prophane miscreants of our times But leauing this generall consideration who feeles not in himselfe and sees not in others each sinne without timely resistance made growing to an height by the same degrees that man himselfe from nothing growes to his perfection This resemblance I follow the rather because it is vsed by S. Iames ch 1. v. 14.15 and Saint Paul Rom. 7.4.5 For sinne is a bastardly brood hauing the Deuill to its father and our corruption to the mother which is the Deuils concubine First Lust Eleuen degrees by which each sinne growes to its height concupiscence and the corruption of our nature is as the prostitution of the soule by which it lyeth open to the Deuils suggestions Secondly wicked thoughts whether steaming vp thence or cast in by Satan are as the seed in the wombe Then sudden delight is as the retention of the seed in the wombe Fourthly Consent is the conception of sinne Fifthly a more permanent and enduring delight vpon consent is as the fashioning and articulation of it Then Sixtly purpose to commit sinne is as the springing of the child in the wombe hastning the birth and egresse Then seuenthly followes the act it selfe as the birth of sinne These are the degrees about the breeding and hatching of sinne Yet foure more there are about the growth of it to be gathered out of Hebr. 3.8.12 which are as the increase perfect stature decaying and death of man First by iteration of the act of sinning the heart is hardened Secondly it becomes an euill heart then an vnfaithfull heart And Lastly it departs from the liuing God by vtter falling away from God grace and goodnesse Now that which will follow vpon all these is that one sinne perfited will draw on and make way for other greater sinnes so that without repentance men shall proceed from euill to worse till at the length they be tied and bound in infinite chaines and therein kept for the day of destruction Oh therefore that men out of the former considerations would but lay to heart this mysticall working of sinne that with feare they might either watch against the first motions of sinne or with speedy repentance but winde themselues out of the snares of the Deuill as knowing that otherwise God will one day wound the hairy scalpe of him that goeth on in his sinne We must resist sinne at the beginning What is then to be done Surely this should cause vs earnestly to intreat by daily and vnfained praier that we be not lead into tentation seeing there is no sinne so great into which we may not in time fall especially if God leaue vs to our owne corruption and Satans politique stratagems or otherwise in his iustice giue vs ouer from one degree of sinne to another This we may iustly feare when we are not carefull to resist sinne at the first If we giue entertainment to euill thoughts and lodge them 〈◊〉 our hearts Satan seeing how kindly we receiue and intreat his harbingers will come himselfe attended with legions and take vp the best roome in our hearts out of which he will not be dislodged till we seeke to and giue welcome to Christ and his spirit a stronger then Satan Here then is vse and need of our diligence watchfulnesse and wisdome Oh that we could be but as wise in this kinde as others are wicked Harlots which prostitute their bodies to filthy lusts labour by all meanes they can either to hinder the conception or to kill the childe in the wombe or to drowne it or otherwise to make away with it afterwards that so they may auoid the shame of the world and charge of bringing it vp When Pharaoh would hinder the multiplying of the children of Israel in Aegypt Come on Exod. 1.10.16.22 saith he to his people let vs deale wisely with them lest they multiplie Hereupon as he set hard Taske-masters ouer them so he commanded the Hebrew Midwiues when they did the office of a Midwife to the Hebrew women to kill all the males Which when it tooke not effect he then charged all his people saying Euery sonne that is borne ye shall cast into the riuer Happy we if we were so wise in dealing thus with the children and fruit of our concupiscence either to hinder the conception of them by not consenting or the birth by not committing sinne or being borne to dash these little ones the children of confusion against the stones Psal 137.9 or rocke Christ Iesus But alas sinne and Satan are too wily for vs and our owne hearts too treacherous and our nature weake so that in this state of mortalitie we cannot possibly hope to be free of sinne Humanum est labi errare decipi we must cease to be men before we can hope to cease from sinning To sinne is inseparable from mans nature and that man doth sinne it must be ascribed to humane frailtie as it s said of Ephraim and Iudah Hos 6.7 But they like men haue transgressed the couenant What then Seeing we cannot but sinne shall wee delight in sinne God forbid Thus of men we should become beasts namely filthy dogges and swine 2 Pet. 2.22 whose propertie it is to returne to the vomit and to wallow in the mire Much lesse then must we become deuils by defending knowne sinne or being enemies of righteousnesse or resisting the good motions of Gods Spirit or the truth for which Elymas deserued the name of childe of
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
all if also according to the doctrines of Deuils if in this and the like they not onely doe against Gods commandement but also according to the commandements and doctrines of deuils how shall they not doe seruice to the deuill for all their good intentions God hath said Heb. 13.4 Heb. 13.4 Mariage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled And elsewhere 1 Cor. 7.9 It is better to marrie then to burne Againe Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure And 1 Tim. 4.4 Euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing This is the doctrine of God But saith the Apostle or rather by the Apostle The spirit speaketh expresly 1 Tim. 4 1-3 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth And this is the doctrine of Deuils But now these are the latter dayes wherein we liue and these selfe-same doctrines are both maintained and practised by Papists I would now know whom in these they obey and to whom they doe seruice to God or the Deuill The vnchaste and impure life of their Priests Monks and Nunnes wherein they burne in lust because they will not marrie to whom is this a sacrifice and seruice but to the Deuill And may not I truly say speaking of popish parents as in my text They sacrifice their sonnes and daughters vnto deuils Well the Lord open their eyes and giue vs to beware of such doctrines and practises and to iudge of things good and lawfull by that rule which only cannot deceiue vs and which yet can sufficiently instruct vs. Pretences and good â—â—en â—ons may well blinde our eyes but Gods they cannot who iudgeth of things according to that they are indeed and not according to that they are to vs. Wisedome saith Prou 8◠〈◊〉 that hate me loue death yet no sinner will say he eâ—ther hates God and wisdome or loues death yet in Gods account it is otherwise So He that spareth the roâ— â—ates the childe though with no such intention So saith God of Idolaters that they say to a stocke Thou art my â—atâ—â—eâ— and to a stone Thou hast brought me forth not that any as I conceiue either said or thought so of the stone but in effect they did both But the spight is that wheras indeed such seruices deifie the Deuill yet they must be thought to be seruice acceptable to God 〈…〉 They shall excommunicate you saith our Sauiour to vs his disciples in this last age of the world yea the time commeth and I may say now is that whosoeuer killeth you will 〈◊〉 that he doth God seruice Nay some haue thought the Schoole-men that such good intentions doe make 〈◊〉 actions meritorious and that of life eternall Yet for all this we haue said we denie not but affirme that our good meanings and intentions are most necessary in actions good lawfull or indifferent without which they could not be good But yet as in things simply euill noâ— the best intention can make them good so in things neâ—eâ— so well intended there is more required then the intention to wit that for matter they be also good and commanded To conclude how necessary then is it for all Christians wâ—o would serue God acceptably that they both labour to know what is the whole will of God and wholly subâ—â—â— themselues and only thereunto Where this sound knowledge and care is wanâ—ing theâ—e will follow these sequâ—â—es First we shall vse had meanes to all 〈◊〉 to supposed good ends So the vnconsâ—ionable Tradesman and the â—acking Landslord vnder pretence of prouiding for their families will vse deceit and fraud griping and grinding the faces of the poore So the Papist and Church of Rome to fray simple people from reading our bookes will agree that a he may be inuented against Heretickes And thus to bring the simpler sort amongst them in detestation of vs and of our religion here in ENGLAND they misinforme the simpler sort of Papists at Rome of vs. There may be seene in some of their Churches Dallâ—ngton 〈◊〉 Inference 〈◊〉 Guâ—â—â—trâ—â—â— digression Tables hung vp to pourtray and expresse to the life and eye the seuerall persecutions of Catholickes here in ENGLAND in the late Queenes time some worried to death in beasts skins by mastiffes others pricked vnder the nailes with sharpe needles others drawne in peeces with wild horses and almost all the seuerall sorts of torture represented vnto vs in historie out of the ten first persecutions of the Primitiue Church So by leasing and insinuation the Iesuites bring the simpler sort here into admiration or rather adoration of their Pope And to prouoke the people to deuotion towards their Saints they will allow the faining of tales fables miracles legends which therefore they call their pias fraudes holy deceits Secondly if we be giuen too much to follow our owne conceits opinions and intentions in time and that often by Gods iust iudgement there shall nothing no law no not the law of nature it selfe be able to preuaile against them Bodinus de Rep. 〈◊〉 5. ex Herodoâ— From hence saith Bodin it comes to passe that in Thracia men vnder pretence of pietie and loue to their parents being now very old vsed to slay them and eat them lest they should languish too long in the sicknesse of old age and after become meat for base and filthy wormes Let that relation be as true as the Authors are of credit Surely we see on the contrary by authoritie vndeniable that vpon as weake grounds parents became vnmercifull and vnnaturally affected towards their owne children for they killed and sacrificed them and that to their enemies for such my text they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters vnto Deuils From the former considerations wee further obserue in the third place 3. The miserie of Pagans and generally of Idolaters Their God is the Deuill the wofull and wretched estate and condition of all Pagans and Heathens out of the Church yea and of all Idolaters in the Church Their whole miserie is reduced to this summe Their God is the Deuill Seeing then they are without the true and only God we conclude that all their best seruices and deuotions though neuer so strict neuer so hard are neither acceptable to the true God nor yet rewardable but with eternall punishment They belong to another kingdome and are in truth as we are all by nature deuoted slaues to the deuill hauing him to rule and reigne in their hearts as their god They must needs then serue a hard master that serue him more cruell and tyrannicall then euer Pharao was to the Israelites yea requiring harder seruice then that whereby the deuils themselues serue him their prince great
against the Iewes who daily went about to kill him thinking and alledging that otherwise their kingdome could not stand thus seeking by his ruine to establish their owne kingdome saying If we let him thus alone all men will be eâ—nâ— in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation Hereupon they sought to kill him both they and the Deuill by them But our Sauiour concludes that euen in this regard they were the sonnes and children of the Deuill saying If ye were Abrahams childrâ—n as yee pretend yâ—…â—oulâ— doe the workes of Abraham But now yee seeke to kill me â—a man that hath told you the truth which I haue heard of God this did not Abraham ye doe the â—eed of your father ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe he was a murtherer from the beginning c. And surely we may as firmely conclude against all such as vpon like grounds goe about to establish and vphold their kingdome of Antichrist by shedding the innocent blood of harmelesse Protestants and especially of religious Kings thinking that both Kingdomes cannot stand together theirs and Christs Practising 〈◊〉 Hereupon they most deuilishly practise and most shamelessely by writing excuse yea warrant and giue allowance to the murthering of Christian Kings and Princes witnesse that bloody butchery not long since practised vpon the persons of two Kings of France successiuely Henry the third and Henry the fourth who both being popish were not thought popish enough and their Apologies written in excuse of Iohn Chastel who attempted to kill Henry the fourth which after villanous Rauiliac performed Instances of Popish practises cruelties and attempts in this kind there might be giuen many not onely in forraigne nations but euen in our owne witnesse their Spanish nauy which in the yeare 1588. was sent to subdue the whole nation and came prouided of all cruell instruments of death and dolour which could be imagined Witnesse also their many attempts vpon the person of the late Queene Elizabeth of happy memory as also of our gracious Soueraigne King Iames. But that which swallowes vp the mention and remembrance of al the rest was the Pouder-plot such a strange and malicious plot as for strangenesse could neuer haue by any Poets faigned inuention beene imagined and for maliciousnesse neuer haue proceeded from any mans soft harmelesse and relenting heart From whence then but from that subtile Serpent and deuouring Lyon great Beelzebub our vtter enemy their great god for so we may conclude against them as our Sauiour before against the Iewes in like case that herein they doe not the workes of Iesus whose name they take vpon them but the workes of their father that is of him whose lusts they do and who hath bin a murtherer of the Saints from the beginning that is the Deuill whose instruments herein they were in which regard I may say and conclude of the first inuenter of that plot which was Catesby in regard of his designe and attempt that which Socrates writes of Nestorius that he was Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 29. totius diabolicae nequitiae capax instrumentum vereque totius Ecclesiae Anglicanae incendium a large receptacle and instrument of all deuilish wickednesse and the very firebrand of the whole English Church And thus haue we seene how Satan is still himselfe and cannot forget to be cruell and that now he reignes as god also in this regard as well as in former times Heretofore indeed he by Oracle publikely commanded the killing of men and was obeyed but God be thanked our Sauiour Christ by his comming hath put him to silence in his person yet now he teacheth the same lesson and is also obeyed in this as in many things else For we know there are doctrines of deuils whereof these last times are in danger and there are Doctors of deuils which say they are Christians and Iesus his disciples calling themselues Iesuites yet are they not but the Synagogue of Satan These are they by whom especially Satan exerciseth his malice both against mens soules by seducing and their bodies by killing them by both Satan goes about seeking whom he may deuoure and that not only in his owne person but in the person of his instruments especially Iesuites and generally the popish faction These seeke first to seduce and where they speed not so they proceed to the second They first compasse sea and land to make proselytes to withdraw men from their obedience and loyaltie to God and their lawfull Kings if they preuaile not thus then presently they proceed either to fire and fagot if power and authoritie be in themselues or else to secret practises tending to no lesse then death and destruction And here we may obserue the rage and zeale of the wicked which is not zealous enough vnlesse it end in blood Thus the Iewes dealt with our Sauiour Christ who not content that he should be whipped by Pilate and mocked by themselues they must needs crye Away with him and againe away with him Iohn 19 1-6-15 crucifie him and againe crucifie him So they dealt with Saint Paul Philip 3 6. Acts 21.4 who himselfe while he was a blind Pharisie persecuted the Church yea vnto the death but being once a true conuert he was persecuted himselfe and oftentimes whipt Yet this being not enough see the rage of the Iewes against him Acts 22 â— for more then forty men bound themselues with a solemne oath that they would neither eat nor drinke till they killed Paul So now adaies cursing with Bell Booke and Candle disgraces wrongs iniuries and excommunications are not enough our enemies crie still for fire and faggot This our Sauiour hath foretold vs of Iohn 16.2 They call presently with the rashly zealous disciples of Christ for fire from heauen to consume vs at once and when our Sauiour denies them this they will fetch it from the vaults of hell it selfe but they will haue it Herein plainely manifesting whose children they are for euen so doth their father and master for whom he hath any hand ouer he labours to serue as he did that Lunatick whom he possessed whom oft times he cast into the fire Maâ—â—â—â—â— and into the water to destroy him And as he did with the Heathen and Israelites in my text nothing could please him vnlesse they made away with and sacrificed themselues and children to him From this raging and furious malice of the Deuill in his owne person and in his instruments we may yet make further vse And first if the Deuill bee now so maliciously bent against mankind 〈…〉 Satan 〈…〉 and with such sauage crueltie vse them now that euen professe his seruice as did the Heathen and these Iewes what shall we then thinke will be his furious rage when in hell he shall haue full power ouer the damned when his fury shall be exasperated with the present sence of Gods
est praecipua conseruatrix quasi custos virtutum omnium nihilque est quod nos ita hominibus gratos Deo faciat quae si vitae merito magni humilitate infimissimus Hieron Ep. 14. ad Celant then humility so on the other side there is nothing more hatefull to God and more grieuously punished of God then is pride for as by it men most directly sinne against him in the breach of the first Commandement so doth he most directly oppose and set himselfe against such according to Iam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud b Tanquà m dicat meus iste aduersarius est qui me lacessit mihi debetur ista congressio Ambros in Psal 118. Ser. 7. as if God had vndertaken a speciall combat with such See this and seeing let vs feare in the examples of Lucifer and his angels for their pride throwne downe from heauen in the builders of the Tower of Babel who when they had said let vs make vs a name then God himselfe is said to come downe Gen. 11.4.5.8 and to haue scattered them abroad from thence vpon the face of all the earth Looke also vpon Nebuchadnezzar and as you heare him thus crowing vpon the top of his royall Palace Dan. 4.30.31.32 Is not this great Babylon that I haue built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Maiesty so hearken againe and you shall heare while the word is in his mouth a voice from heauen saying O King the Kingdome is departed from thee and they shall driue thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field Numb 16. c. So Corah and his complices not content with their Leuiticall function sought the office of the Priest also and when in like presumption they came with their Censors to try the matter before the Lord he visited them himselfe making a new thing the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp or rather downe Corah and his company so low as before they had exalted themselues high Lastly looke vpon Herod in his pride smitten by an Angell of the Lord and eaten vp of wormes because he tooke Gods honour to himselfe when vpon an Oration made the people shouted Act. 12.22.23 saying The voice of God and not of man Each of these examples cals to vs and in effect saith as Senacheribs image one who was destroyed for like pride which was set vp in Aegypt with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Learne at the sight of mee to feare God and in his feare to be humble And thus much for Satans pride CHAP. VIII Satans Sleights and Suttleties in himselfe and by his instruments and that first for the seducing of the soules of men by blinding and deluding the vnderstanding 3. Satans sleights and policies 1. In himselfe FRom the former discourse we are further to take notice of a third quality of Satan which is that to effect the former two ends namely to wreake his malice vpon man and to aduance his owne honour he vsed diuers suttleties policies trickes and deuises which euen now also hee vseth though perhaps more couertly in his wicked instruments of whom by their resembling of Satan in their deuillish policies we may giue iudgement Deuillish policies I call them that so I might not be thought simply to condemne all policie for there is an allowable policie practised by such as neuer were schollers either to Satan or to Machiauel Ioshua vsed a politique stratagem in besieging of the City Ai and that with direction from God himselfe Saint Paul for his owne safety acknowledged himselfe a Pharisie though withall hee concealed part of the truth But that policy I call deuillish when men as the Deuill in policy say doe intend contriue and plot any thing which is either against the honour and glory of God or against the good either spirituall or temporall of man or which is to preiudice the Truth of God especially the Gospell But such were Satans policies among the Heathen for all his farre shewes and transformations and apish imitations of God and his dealings with his Church whither tended they First to the hurt of mankind which hurt was intended first and chiefly against the soule which thus he laboured to seduce by withdrawing it from the seruice of God to the seruice of himselfe Secondly also against the body ouer which he did cruelly tyrannize by being blindly obeyed of men in voluntary selfe-sacrifices Secondly they tended to the manifest dishonour of God and his truth namely to the seating of himselfe in the place of God These were his ends but to effect them he had his reaches his fetches his heights and his depths Reuel 2 2â— 2 Cor. 2. â—â— 2. Cor 4 4â— 2. Cor. â—â— 3 The Scripture tels vs of the depths of Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of his deuises his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he hath for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or minds by which hee blindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minds of them which beleeue not and corrupts mens minds He had also his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his policies and his sophismes which yet he hath and in which hee is now farre more exercised then before Of whom therefore we may say as was once said of the Lacedemonians The hurts he doth are fresh and new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his trickes and sophismes by which he doth them are old and ancient without which his colours and angelicall apparitions and trickes his malice could haue effected nothing as is said Hence it is that to seduce men in their minds he tooke the aduantage of their naturall ignorance and vsed probable perswasions To get them to yeeld sacrifices of men to him he perswaded them it was seruice acceptable to him that is as they thought to God thus also bewitching them with a conceit of high desert and merit hereby To get them to doe honour to himselfe he drew them on partly by faire promises and partly by threatnings so by imitating of God seeming to be the author of good and euill Thus he * Formas se vertit in omnes hostiliter insequens falaciter subâ—eniens vtrobique nocens August de Ciu. Dei lib. 10. cap. 10. turned himselfe into al formes shewing himselfe sometimes as a friend sometimes as an enemy but prouing alwaies a deceiuer and one that intended hurt Thus in his first deceit when there were but two in the world he deceiued the one by the other his suttlety appeared in that he tempted Adam by Eue beginning with the weaker and more credulous and curious hee tooke the aduantage of her husbands absence he vailed and masked the danger by making vse of the Serpent as his instrument he pretended nothing but loue friendship honour and happinesse to them he promised nothing but what might seeme pleasant to the flesh he detracted from
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
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