A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 34

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 34

p. 474JEZEBEL SET OUT IN HER COLOURS. A Sermon preached in Saint Pauls Church, Novemb. 20. Anno 1614. THE XXXIV. SERMON.

REVEL. 2.20.

Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezebel, which calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, to teach and ſeduce my ſervants to commit fornication, and to eate things ſacrificed unto Idols.

Right Honourable, Right Worſhipfull, &c.

IN this letter, indited by the Spirit, and penned by St. John, I obſerved heretofore,

1 Superſcription: and therein

1 The party from whom, with his eminent quality, the Sonne of God, &c.

2 The partie to whom it was ſent, with the title of his dignity, the Angel of Thyatira.

2 The contents: which are ſo manifold, and of ſuch importance, that if I had the tongue of an Angel I could hardly deliver them all in particular. I have heretofore preſented you with twelve ſorts of fruits anſwerable to the fruits of the tree of life aaApoc. 22.Rev 22deſcribed, all growing upon the two former branches of this Scripture, and this of my text; and yet I have not gathered the halfe. It reſembleth that wonderfull tree which Pliny ſaw atbbLib. 17. c. 16. nat. hiſt. Arborem vidimus …uxta Tiburtes Tulias omni genere pomorum onuſtam, alio ramo nucibus, alio baccis, aliunde vite, ficis, pyris, punicis, malorum que generibus. Tiburts, which bare all kind of delicious and wholeſome fruits. Seneca his obſervation p. 475is true, thatccSen ep. 23. ad Lucil. Levium metallorum fructus in ſummo eſt, illa opulentiſsima ſunt quorum in al…o latet vena aſsidoè plenius reſponſura fodienti. baſer metals are found neere the top, but the richer lie deep in the earth, affording great ſtore of precious oare. Such is the Mine I have diſcovered in this paſſage of Scripture: into which that you may ſearch deeper, with more profit and leſſe danger, I will beare before you a cleere light, made of all the expoſitions of the beſt learned Scribes in the houſe of God, who, to enrich our faith, bring forth out of their treaſuries new things and old.

And to the Angel, that is, the Biſhop or chiefe Paſtour, as heretofore I proved at large unto you. In the Old Teſtament we reade of the miniſtery of Angels; but here we finde Angels of the miniſtery, to whom the Sonne of God himſelfe kindly and familiarly writeth. Our uſuall forme of ſommoning your attention is, Hearken unto the word of God, as it is written; which here I muſt change, and ſay, Hearken unto the word of God, as it writeth. For to the Angel of Thyatira the ſecond Perſon, which is the Word of God, thus writeth.

Write. It is a great honour to receive a letter from a noble Perſonage: how much more from the Sonne of God? St.ddE…. 40. Quid eſt aliud Scripture ſacra n …i quaedam epiſtola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam ſuam. Gregorie excellently amplifieth upon this point in his epiſtle to Theodorus the Phyſician: If your excellencie (ſaith he) were from the Court, and ſhould receive a letter from the Emperour, you would never be quiet till you had opened it, you would never ſuffer your eyes to ſleepe, nor your eye lids to ſlumber, nor the temples of your head to take any reſt, till you had read it over againe and againe. Behold, the Emperour of heaven, the Lord of men and Angels, hath ſent you a letter for the good of your ſoule, and will you neglect to peruſe it? Peruſe it, my ſon ſtudie it, I pray thee, meditate upon it day and night. Where letters paſſe one from another, there is a kinde of correſpondencie and ſocietie; and ſuch honour have all Gods Saints: they have fellowſhip with the Father and the Sonne. O let us not ſleighten ſuch a ſocietie, whereby we hold intelligence with heaven: let us with all reverence receive, and with all diligence peruſe, and with all carefulneſſe anſwer letters and meſſages ſent from the Sonne of God, by returning ſighes and prayers backe to heaven, and making our ſelves, in the Apoſtles phraſe, commendatorie letters, written, not with inke, but with the Spirit.

Thus ſaith the Son of God. Not by ſpirituall regeneration, as all the children of promiſe are the ſonnes of God, but by eternall generation: not by grace of adoption, but by nature.

Who hath eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like fine braſſe. Eyes like a flame of fire, piercing through the thickeſt darkneſſe; feete like braſſe, to ſupport his Chuch, and ſtamp to pouder whatſoever riſeth up againſt it; like fine braſſe, pure and no way defiled by walking through the midſt of the golden candleſtickes. Whereſoever he walkes he maketh it holy ground. Quicquid calcaverit hic roſa fiet.

There are three ſorts of members in holy Scripture attributed to our head Chriſt Jeſus:

1 Naturall.

2 Myſticall.

3 Metaphoricall.

p. 476Naturall hee hath, as perfect man.

Myſticall, as head of the Church.

Metaphoricall, as God.

By theſe members wee may divide all the learned Commentatours expoſitions. They who follow the naturall or literall conſtruction of the words, apply this deſcription to the members of Chriſts glorified body in Heaven, which ſhine like flaming fire, or metall glowing in a furnace. But Lyra and Carthuſian have an eye to Chriſt his myſticall eyes, viz. Biſhops and Paſtours, who are the over-ſeers of Chriſt his flocke, reſembling fire in the heat of their zeale and light of their knowledge, whereby they direct the feet of Chriſt, that is, in their underſtanding; his inferiour members on earth likened to fine braſſe, to ſet forth the purity of their converſation; and deſcribed burning in a furnace, to expreſſe their fiery tryall by martyrdome. Alcaſar by the feet of fine braſſe underſtandeth the Preachers of the Word, whom Chriſt ſendeth into all parts to carry the Goſpel. Thoſe feet whicheeEſay 52.7. & Rom. 10.15. How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Goſpel of peace?Isa 52:7Rom 10:15 Eſay calleth beautifull, Saint John here compareth to the fineſt braſſe; whichffBeda in Apoc. Pedes ſunt Chriſtiani in fine ſeculi, qui ſimiles erunt orichalcho, quod eſt aes per ignem & plura medicamina perductum ad auri colorem, ſic illi per acerbiſſimas perſecutiones exercebuntur, & perducentur ad plenam charitatis fulgorem. Beda and Haimo will have to bee copper, rendring the Greeke foreign not the moſt reſplendent braſſe, ſuch as was digged out of Mount Libanus, but Orichalchum, that is, copper: and thus they worke it to their purpoſe. As braſſe the matter of copper, by the force of fire and ſtrong waters and powders receiveth the tincture of gold; ſo (ſay they) the Chriſtians that ſhall ſtand laſt upon the earth, termed in that reſpect Chriſts feet, ſhall by many exerciſes of their patience and fiery tryalls of their faith, be purified and refined, and changed into precious metall, and become golden members of a golden head.

I doe not utterly reject this interpretation of the myſticall eyes and feet of Chriſt, nor the former of the naturall members of his glorified body, becauſe they carry a faire ſhew and goodly luſtre with them: yet I more encline to the third opinion, which referreth them to the attributes of God. For (me thinkes) I ſee in the fiery eyes the perfection of Chriſt his knowledge, to which nothing can bee darke or obſcure; as alſo his vigilant zeale over his Church, and the fierceneſſe of his wrath againſt the enemies thereof. Bullenger conceiveth our Saviour to be pourtrayed by the Spirit with eyes like a flame of fire, becauſe hee enlighteneth the eyes of the godly: but Meyerus, becauſe he ſuddenly conſumeth the wicked; both the knowne properties of fire: for in flaming fire there is both cleare light and intenſive heat. The light is an embleme of his piercing ſight, the heat of his burning wrath. Where the eye is lightſome, and the object expoſed to it, the eye muſt needs apprehend it: but the Sonne of Gods eyes are moſt lightſome, nay rather light it ſelfe, in which there is no darkneſſe, andggHeb. 4 13.Heb 4:13 all things lye open and naked before him: yea, the hhApoc. 2.23.Rev 2:23heart and the reines which he ſearcheth. In Courts of humane juſtice, thoughts and intentions and firſt motions to evill beare no actions, becauſe they come not within the walke of mans juſtice; but it will not be ſo at Chriſts Tribunall, where the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be opened. Let no man then hope by power, or fraud, or bribes to ſmother the truth, or bleare the eyes of the Judge of all fleſh. For his eyes, like flames of fire, diſpell all darkneſſe, and carry a bright light before them. Let not the adulterer watch for the twi-light, and when hee p. 477hath met with his wanton Dalila, carry her into the inmoſt roomes, and locke doore upon doore, and then take his fill of love, ſaying, The ſhadow of the night, and the privacy of the roome ſhall conceale mee. For though none elſe be by, and all the lights be put out, yet he is ſeen, and the Sonne of God is by him with eyes like a flaming fire. Let not the Projector pretend the publike good, when he intends nothing but to robbe the rich, and cheate the poore. Let not the cunning Papiſt under colour of decent ornaments of the Church, bring in Images and Idols; under colour of commemoration of the deceaſed, bring in invocation of Saints departed; under colour of extolling charity, bring in the merit of workes; under colour of an Eccleſiaſticall Hierarchy, endeavour by degrees to bring in Papall tyranny: for the Sonne of God with his eies like flaming fire ſeeth the thin wire, and fine threed, by which he would draw in Popery.

Now, as the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour ſhines, ſo his wrath ſparkles in theſe eyes. When the heart is enflamed with rage, the eies are red andhhHom. Il. foreign. Virg Georg. 3. Flammantia lumina torquens. & Aen. l. 7. De alecto flammea torquet lumina. fiery, whereofiiAriſtot. prob. ſect. 31. Ariſtotle in his Problemes yeelds this reaſon, Quia ad partem violatam aſcendit calor, becauſe the eyes are moſt offended at the preſence of the object, which is hatefull unto us; and therefore nature ſends the beate thither, to arme that part with revenge. If Chriſts eies be like flaming fire, let the heart of all preſumptuous ſinners melt like waxe before him. Let none gather too farre upon his titles of the Lambe of God, and Prince of peace, and Saviour of the world. For as he is the Lambe of God, ſo he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah: as he is the Prince of peace, ſo hee is the Lord of Hoſts: as he is the Saviour of all, eſpecially the Elect, ſo he is the Judge of quicke and dead: and here he is brought in by Saint John with fire in his eyes to conſume, and a ſword in his mouth to ſmite, and braſſe in his feet to ſtamp his enemies to powder.

And his feet like fine braſſe. Some of the Interpreters demand, why braſſe is here preferred to gold? and they yeeld this reaſon, becauſe braſſe is a ſtronger and harder metall, and the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt was to repreſent not only the glory of Chriſt in the ſplendour of this metall, but alſo his power in the ſtrength and ſolidity thereof. Now gold is a ſoft and bowing metall, not ſo apt to repreſent Chriſt his invincible power; and therefore here it is ſaid, that his feet were like fine braſſe, not burniſhed gold. The Heathen attributed to their gods feet of a heavier and baſer metall, to wit, of lead; whence grew that Proverb among them, That God had leaden feet, but kkEraſ. Adag.iron hands: in which their meaning was, that God proceedeth ſlowly to the puniſhment of wicked men, but when hee overtakes them, payes them home; tarditatem ſupplicii gravitate compenſans: but our Saviour, you ſee in my Text, hath feet of a quicker, ſtronger, and more precious metall, of fineſt braſſe, to ſupport his Church, and to knocke and tread downe whatſoever exalteth it ſelfe againſt his truth and kingdome. Now I marvell not that SaintllMat. 3.11.Matt 3:11 John thought not himſelfe worthy to unlooſe Chriſt his ſhooe latchet, who hath ſuch precious and beautifull feet, reſembling fine braſſe glowing in a furnace, on whichmmIn Apoc. c. 1. Dominus purgatiſsimos habet pedes, omnem calcat impietatem, omnem abſumit haereticam pravitatem, & vitam impuram.Rev 1 Bullenger engraveth this poſie, Our Lord hath moſt cleane and pure feet, wherewith he tramples on Satan, he treads downe all impiety, and burneth up all hereſie and impurity as hee walketh in the midſt of the ſeven golden Candleſtickes. But I may inſiſt no p. 478longer upon theſe braſen feet of our Saviour, I muſt haſte to that which followeth.

I know, that is, I approve. Gods knowledge of any thing in the Scripture phraſe often implyeth his approbation, as Pſal. 1. v. ult. As on the contrary, thoſe whom hee condemnes hee is ſaid not to know:nnMat. 7.23.Matt 7:23 Depart from mee, I know you not, ye that worke iniquity. I know you not, that is, I acknowledge you not, or take no ſpeciall notice of you. God doth not willingly know any thing but that which is good; whereas on the contrary, moſt men by their good will will know no good by any, but all the evill they can: like flies they light no where but upon the ſcarres and ſores of their brethren, and after the manner of horſe-leaches they greedily ſucke out their corrupt bloud. Whereas they might gather many ſweet flowers in the Spouſe her garden, they cull out nothing but weeds; much like the covetous Vintner, who ſold abroad all his beſt wine, and kept the worſt for his houſe; and being asked of one who ſaw him walking in his cellar what he was then adoing, anſwered,ooSphinx Philoſophica. c. In bonorum copia malum quaero. In abundance and ſtore of good I ſeeke for bad. I would wee had not juſt cauſe to renew the complaint of Gregorie Nazianzen; The onelyonly godlineſſe we glory in, is to find out ſomewhat whereby we may judge others to be ungodly: the onelyonly vertue is to finde vice in others, as if to ſoile others were the readieſt meanes to cleare our ſelves. To convict us of this malevolent diſpoſition I need no other proofe than the uſe of the verbe animadverto in Latine, and marke in Engliſh: for animadvertere in aliquem ſignifieth to cenſure, or puniſh; and to ſhew that wee marke nothing ſo much as mens vices and deformities, the very word mark in Engliſh, without any epithet added unto it, ſignifieth a deformity: as when wee ſay, Such an one is a markt man; and, Take heed of thoſe whom God hath marked. As venemous Serpents are nouriſhed with poyſonous roots and herbs, ſo men of corrupt minds greedily feed upon other mens corruptions, and deſire to know nothing more than the wants and infirmities of their brethren; herein direct contrary to the goodneſſe of God, who is here ſaid to know that onelyonly which he knoweth to be good and approveth; as the oppoſition betweene this ſentence and that which followeth (Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee) maketh it manifeſt. I know then, that is, I like, or I approve of

Thy workes, and charity, and ſervice, and faith, and patience. And thy workes, that is, thy workes begun, and thy workes ended; the workes of thy faith, and the workes of thy calling; thy workes at the firſt, and thy workes at the laſt. I commend thee for thy love of mee, and thy ſervice to me, and thy faith in me, and thy patience for me, and thy proficiency in all theſe, which moſt evidently appeares by this,

That thy laſt workes are more than the firſt. Take we here by the way an infallible note of a true Chriſtian, which is growth in grace and godlineſſe: he is like Veſpaſian in the Poet, melior pejore aevo, better in his worſer age. He never ſtandeth at a ſtay, butppPſal. 84.7.Ps 84:7 goeth on from ſtrength to ſtrength: like the trees planted in the houſe of the Lord, theyqqPſal. 92.14.Ps 92:14 ſtill bring forth more fruit in their age. As therrJohn 2.10.John 2:10 water-pots of ſtone, which our Saviour filled with wine by miracle, yeelded the beſt wine at the laſt; Thou haſt kept the good wine even till now: and as theſſPro. 14.18. But the path of the juſt is a… the ſhining light that ſhineth more and more untill the per…ect day.Prov 14:18 light of the Sun ſhineth more and more till it p. 479be perfect day: as the branches of the true vine, bearing fruit in Chriſt, are purged and pruned by the Father, that they may bring forth more fruit. ſſJohn 15.2.John 15:2Herein the ſupernaturall motions of the Spirit reſemble all naturall motions, which, as the Philoſopher teacheth us, are velociores in fine quam in principio, ſwifter in the end than in the beginning. Of all the proper markes of the elect children of God this is the moſt certaine, and therefore St.ttPhil. 3.13, 14.Phil 3:13Phil 3:14 Paul inſtanceth in it onelyonly: This one thing I doe, forgetting thoſe things which are behind, and reaching forth to thoſe things which are before. I preſſe towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. And St.uu2 Pet. 3.18.2 Pet 3:18 Peter cloſeth with it, as the upſhot of all: Ye therefore, beloved, beware leſt ye fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſſe: but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. It is not ſo in the ſpiritual as in the corporall augmentation: for the body groweth, according to all dimenſions, but to a certain age; but the ſoule may & muſt grow in ſpiritual graces till the houre of death: and the reaſon of the difference is, becauſe the aetas conſiſtentiae of our body is in this life, but of our ſoul in the life to come. Here the body arriveth to the foreign higheſt pitch of perfection, but the ſoule arriveth not to hers til we come to the heavenly Jeruſalem, and to thexxHeb. 12.23.Heb 12:23 Church of the firſt borne, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect. O that our bleſſed Redeemer had here made an end of his letter, and ſealed up all the Angels praiſes with this ſweet cloſe! what an admirable preſident ſhould we have had of a perfect Paſtour? what joy ſhould have beene in the preſence of the Angels for the unſpotted integrity and abſolute perfection of this Angell? But becauſe (as St.yyEp. ad …uſt. Apud Deum nihil tantum ſuave placet niſi quod habet in ſe aliquid mordacis veritatis. Jerome acutely obſerveth) that there was no uſe of hony in the ſacrifices of the old law, becauſe nothing pleaſeth God which is onelyonly ſweet, and hath not in it ſomewhat of biting truth; therefore after the ſweet inſinuation, I know, &c. there followeth a ſharpe reprehenſion, there is a Notwithſtanding that ſtandeth in this Angels light, and obſcureth the luſtre of all his former vertues.

Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee. Origen handling thoſe word,zzCant. 1.5.Song 1:5 Nigra ſum, ſed formoſa, I am blacke, but comely, draweth the face and lineaments of Chriſts Spouſe, if I may ſo ſpeake, with a blacke coale:aaOrig. in Cant. hom. 1. Quaerimus quomodo nigra & ſine candore ſit pulchra? poenitentiam egit a peccatis, ſpeciem ei largita eſt converſio, nigra eſt propter antiqua peccata, ſed propter poenitentiam habet aliquid quaſi Aethiopici decoris. How (ſaith he) can ſhe be faire that is all blacke? I anſwer, ſhe hath repented her of her ſinnes, and her repentance hath given her beautie, but ſuch as may be in a Negro or Blackmoore. Philoſophie teacheth that there is no pure metall to be found in the Mines of the earth, nor unmixed element in the world. What ſpeak I of the earth? the ſtarres of the skie are not cleane, nor the Angels of heaven pure in Gods eyes: (Job 25.5. Behold even to the moone, and it ſhineth not, yea the ſtarres are not pure in his ſight.) how much leſſe ſinfull man, whoſe conception is luſt, and birth ſhame, and life frailty, and death corruption? After St. Auſtine had blazoned his mothers vertues, as Chriſt doth here the Angels, he preſently daſheth them all through with a blacke line,bbAug. confeſ. l. 9. c. 13. Attamen vae laudibili vitae hominum, ſi remotâ miſerecordiâ diſcutias eum, Woe be to the moſt righteous upon earth, if God deale with them in ſtrict juſtice. ccAug. l. 10. c. 28. Contendunt laetitiae meae flendae cum laetandis moeroribus, & ex qua parte ſtet victoria neſcio. hei mihi, Domine miſerere mei. Contendunt moerores mei mali cum gaudiis bonis, & ex qua parte ſtet victoria neſcio: hei mihi, Domine miſerere mei. Ecce, vulnera mea non obſcondo, medicus es, aeger ſum; miſericors es, miſer ſum.As for me (ſaith that humble Saint) I confeſſe my ſinnes to thy glory, but my owne ſhame: my ſinfull delights contend with my godly ſorrowes, and on whether ſide ſtandeth the victorie I know not: woe is me, Lord p. 480have mercy upon me. Againe, my ungodly ſorrowes contend with my holy joyes, and on which ſide ſtandeth the victorie I know not: woe is me, Lord have mercy on me. Behold, I hide not my wounds: thou art a Phyſician, I am ſicke; thou art a Surgeon, I am thy Patient; thou art pitifull, I am in miſerie. If the light be darkneſſe, how great is the darkneſſe? If our righteouſneſſe be as menſtruous clouts (Eſay 64.6.) what are our monſtrous ſinnes? Yet the Prophet ſaith not that the covers of our ſinnes, but the robes of our righteouſneſſe are as filthy rags. WhereuponbbOrigen. in ep. ad Rom. c. 3. Quis vel ſuper juſtitia …uá gloriabitur, cum audiat Deum per Prophetam dicentem, quia omnis iuſtitia veſtra ſicut pannus menſtruataeRom 3 Origen groundeth that queſtion, which may gravell all thoſe that build upon the ſinking ſands of their owne merits: Who dare brag of his righteouſneſſe, when he heareth God ſaying by his Prophet, All our righteouſneſſe is as filthy rags? Surely Pope Gregorie was no Papiſt, at leaſt in this point: for he prizeth the beſt endeavours of grace in us at a lower rate than Luther or Calvin; they ſay our pureſt coyne is allayed with ſome quantity of baſer metall, he, that it is no better than droſſe: ccGreg. mor. l. 9. c. 11. Omnis humana iuſtitia injuſtitia eſſe convincitu…, ſi diſtrict… judicetur.All humane juſtice (ſaith he) examined according to Gods ſtrict juſtice, is injuſtice. Therefore if we ſay or thinke God hath nothing againſt us, he hath much againſt us for ſo ſaying or thinking. ForddPſal. 19.12.Ps 19:12 who knoweth how oft he offendeth? O cleanſe thou us all from our ſecret faults. Had we arrived to the perfection of this Angel in my text, and could exhibite letters teſtimoniall ſigned by our Saviour, ſuch as this Angel of Thyatira might; yet were it not ſafe to capitulate with God: notwithſtanding all our vertues and graces he hath ſomewhat againſt us, either for ſinnes of omiſſion, or ſinnes of commiſſion, or at leaſt ſinnes of permiſſion. I have ſomewhat againſt thee, that thou ſuffereſt

The woman, foreign.eeCom. in Apoc. Ambroſius Ansbertus, Richell, Dionyſius, Carthuſianus, and Hugo Cardinalis, tranſlate the word in the Originall, uxorem, thy wife: which is the rather worth the noting in theſe Popiſh Interpreters, who yet condemne Prieſts marriage. Doubtleſſe this Angel was a good Biſhop, for he is highly commended by our Saviour; yet had he his wife by their confeſſion. Why therefore may not ſacred perſons enter into the ſacred bands of matrimony? Is it becauſe, as Pope Sirycius, and after him Cardinall Bellarmine, bear us in hand, conjugall acts and matrimoniall duties ſtand not with the ſanctity of the Prieſts function? Now verily this is a ſtrange thing, that marriage, according to the doctrine of their Church, is a Sacrament conferring grace, and yet a diſparagement to the moſt ſacred function: marriage is a holy Sacrament, and yet Prieſts are bound by a Sacrament (that is, an oath) never to receive it: marriage was inſtituted in Paradiſe, in the ſtate of mans innocencie, when the image of God, which the Apoſtle interpreteth to be holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, ſhined moſt brightly in him, and yet it is a cloud, nay, a blurre to the moſt holy calling: marriage was appointed by God as a ſpeciall remedie againſt fornication and all uncleanneſſe, and yet is an impeachment to holineſſe. The Aaronical Prieſthood by Gods owne order was to be continued in the line of Aaron by generation, not election; and yet marriage cannot ſtand with the holineſſe of Prieſthood. Who of the Patriarkes before the Flood was holier than Enoch, who walked with God, and was tranſlated, that he ſhould not ſee death? of the Prophets under the Law, than Ezekiel? of the Apoſtles, than St. Peter and Philip? and yet of Enoch we read, thatffGen. 5.22.Gen 5:22 he begat ſonnes p. 481and daughters: and SaintggChryſoſt. in Gen. homil. 21. foreign, &c. Chryſoſtome bids us take ſpeciall notice of it, that the Holy Ghoſt ſaith in the ſame Verſe, he walked with God, and beg at ſonnes and daughters, to teach us that the bonds of matrimony are no ſuch fetters, that they hinder us from walking with God. Ezekiels hhEzek 24.16.Ezek 24:16wife is mentioned in his prophecy, and Peters iiMat. 12.14.Matt 12:14wives mother in the Goſpel, and Philips kkActs 21 9.Acts 21:9daughters that propheſied in the Acts: with whoſe examplesllClem. ſtrom. l. 3. p. 327. 'H foreign. Clemens Alexandrinus mightily confoundeth, and convinceth thoſe ancient Heretickes, the fore-runners of our Papiſts, who diſparaged this holy ordinance of God: What, ſaith hee, will they blame the Apoſtles themſelves? For Peter and Philip begat children; Philip alſo gave his daughters in marriage. Neither can our adverſaries evade theſe inſtances, by ſaying that the Apoſtles indeed had wives before they were ordained Prieſts, but after they entred into that holy calling, forſooke them, and had no more commerce with them. FormmClem. ſtrom. l. 7 p. 529. Arunt B. Petrum cum vidiſſet uxorem ſuam duci ad mortem, nomine quoque compellâſſe, ac dixiſſe, Heus tu, memento Domini. Clemens informeth us, that Saint Peters wife kept with him till her death, and that when he ſaw her led to martyrdome, he called to her by name, and encouraged her, ſaying, Remember the Lord.

Howbeit the major part of the Expoſitors take not Jezebel here for the Biſhops wife, but a diſciple of the Nicolaitans, who is here named Jezebel, becauſe ſhee reſembled Jezebel eſpecially in three particulars.

1. As Jezebel brought amongſt the Iſraelites the falſe worſhip of the Idoll Baal; ſo this woman laboured to bring into this Church of Thyatira, Idolatry and other pernitious errours in doctrine and practice.

2.nn2 Kin. 9 22.2 Kgs 9:22 Jezebel was given to fornication, for which vice the Holy Ghoſt brandeth this woman alſo.

3. Jezebel was a woman of authority, and by her place and dignity did countenance and maintaine▪ Idolatry; and ſo it is likely that this was a woman of ſome place and ranke, which ſhe abuſed to countenance wicked opinions, and ſeduce Gods ſervants.ooHieron. de nom. Heb. Jezebel in the Hebrew ſignifieth fluxum ſanguinis, or ſtirquilinium, an iſſue of bloud or doung; both which were verified in the wife of Ahab, whoſe abominable life and fearfull death yee may ſee ſet forth in lively colours in the booke ofpp2 Kin. 9.33. ad finem. They threw her downe, and ſome of her bloud was ſprinkled on the wall, and on the horſes, and he trod her under foot. & Ver. 37. The carkeis of Jezebel was as doung upon the face of the field.2 Kgs 9:33 Kings, to breed in all men and women a deteſtation of the one, by the ſhame and horrour of the other. A lamentable ſpectacle (deare Chriſtians) to ſee the daughter and wife of a King trampled under foot in the dirt, and the dogges tearing her fleſh, and licking up her bloud. Shee who ſpent ſo much time in dreſſing and tricking up her ſelfe at the window, is throwne downe headlong out of that window: ſhee that looked ſo high, falls full low, and is trod under foot by her ſervant: ſhee who ſpilt Naboths innocent bloud in Jezreel, expiateth the place with her owne bloud: that face, on which ſhee a little before had laid coſtly colours and oyntments, is now beſmeared with dirt, and ſtained with her owne bloud: that fleſh of hers which ſhe pampered with all kindes of delicious meates, is now caſt to dogges.

Let them heare this and feare who weare Jezebels colours, and tread in her ſteps; who defile themſelves with corporall or ſpirituall fornication; who either idolatrize or idolize, worſhip painted images, or make themſelves ſuch. Jezebel was the firſt we reade of, that tooke the penſill out of the hand of her Maker, endeavouring to mend his workmanſhip; and what became of her you heard but now. And howſoever ſome of late, as they p. 482have ſowed pillowes under mens elbowes, ſo have tempered colours alſo for women, and made apologies for painting, yet all the ancient Fathers condemne it as a foule ſinne. SaintqqCyp. de hab. virg. Nonne metuis oro quae talis es, ne cum reſurrectionis dies venerit, artif…x tuus te non recognoſcat? ad ſua praemia & promiſſa venientem excludat, & removeat, increpans vigore cenſoris & judicis: opus hoc meum non eſt, nec haec imago noſtra eſt, cutem falſo medicamine polluiſti, crinem adultero colore mutáſti, Deum videre non poteris, cùm oculi tibi non ſint quos Deus fecit, ſed quos Diabolus infecit. Cyprian thus ſchooles a young Jezebel in his dayes: Art not thou afraid, ſaith hee, that plaiſtereſt thy face, and painteſt thy body, leſt at the day of judgement thy Maker will not know thee? but when thou preſſeſt among the reſt to receive the promiſed rewards to his ſervants, will put thee backe, ſaying: Who art thou? what face doe I ſee? this is none of my workmanſhip, I never drew this feature. SaintrrJerom. ep. ad Furiam. Quid facit in facie Chriſtianae purpuriſſa & ceruſſa? fomenta libidinum, impudicae mentis inditia? quomodo flere poteſt pro peccatis ſuis, quae lachrymis cutem nudat, & ſulcos ducit in facie? quâ fiduciâ erigat ad Deum vultus, quos conditor non agnoſcat? Jerome takes the like up in his time as ſharply: What makes paint and complexion on the face of a Chriſtian? it is no other than the fire of youth, the fuell of luſt, the evidence of an unchaſte minde: How can ſhee weep for her ſinnes, for feare of waſhing away her paint, and making furrowes in her face? How dare ſhee looke her Maker in the face, who hath defaced his image in her ſelfe? But becauſe I ſee it will be to no purpoſe, to draw this their ſinne of painting in its proper colours before them (for they cannot bluſh) I therefore leave them, and come to her in my Text

Which calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe. As Novatus the Schiſmaticke ordained himſelfe a Biſhop, ſo Jezebel the Nicolait annointed (or rather painted her ſelfe) a Propheteſſe, that by this meanes ſhee might teach more freely, and perſwade more powerfully. The true Prophets of God received their name and calling from God, and wonderfully confirmed the ſincerity of their doctrine by the truth of their miracles, and the truth of their miracles by the holineſſe of their doctrine. So many tongues as they ſpake with, with ſo many teſtimonies; ſo many miracles as they wrought, with ſo many hands they ſigned and ſealed their calling: but deceivers and impoſtors grace themſelves with high and ſtrange titles, and glorious names, to bleare the eyes of the ſimple. So Pſaphon called himſelfe, and taught the birds to call him, magnus deus ſſRun. Comment. in Ariſtot. Rhet. MS.Pſaphon, great god Pſaphon. Theudas ſaid he was ſome great one. Simon Magus ſtiled himſelfe the great power of God, and gave it out among his ſcholars, That hee delivered the Law to Moſes in Mount Sinai in the perſon of God the Father, and in the reigne of Tiberius appeared in the likeneſſe of the ſonne of man, and on the day of Pentecoſt came downe upon the Apoſtles in the ſimilitude of cloven tongues. Montanus arrogated to himſelf the title of Paracletus, the comforter, and to his three minions, Priſcilla, Maximilla, and Quintilla, the name of Propheteſſes.**Manes foreign. Manes bare himſelfe as if hee were an Apoſtle immediately ſent from Chriſt; and his followers would be thought to be termed Manichei, not from their mad maſter, but foreign, but becauſe they poured manna out of their mouthes. The great Seducer of the Jewes, who in Theodoſius time drew thouſands after him into the ſea and there drowned them, perſwaded his followers that he was Moſes: and the abomination of the Turkes Mahomet calleth himſelfe Gods great Prophet. ttPlin. nat. hiſt. lib. 1. Inſcriptionis apud Graecos mira foelicitas favus, Cornucopia, ut vel lactis gallinacei ſperare poſſis hauſtu…, Muſae, Pandectae, inſcriptiones propter quas vadimonium deſeri poſſit, at cum intraveris dii deaeque quam nihil in medio invenies.Pliny derideth the vanity of the Greekes in this kinde, who uſually ſet golden titles on leaden Treatiſes. And Heretickes alwayes, like Mountebankes, ſet out their drugs with magnificent words. Neſtorius, though he were a condemned p. 483Hereticke, yet covered himſelfe with the vaile of a true Profeſſour, foreign. Ebion, though he held with the Samaritans, yet would be held a Chriſtian. The Turkes at this day, though it appeares out of all ſtories that they deſcended from Hagar, yet aſſume to themſelves the name of Saracens. The Donatiſt Schiſmatickes impropriate to their conventicles the name of the true Church. And no marvell that the Salmonian offſpring of Ignatius Loyola chriſten themſelves Jeſuits, ſith the Prince of darkneſſe not only uſurpeth the name, but alſo taketh upon him the forme of an uu2 Cor. 11.14.2 Cor 11:14Angel of light. It is a ſilly ſhift of a bankrupt diſputant in the ſchooles to argue a vocibus ad res, from the bare name of things to their nature: and yet Briſtow in his motives, and Cardinall Bellarmine in his booke of the notes of the Church, and other of the Pope his ſtouteſt Champions, fight againſt us with this feſtraw, We are (ſay they) ſirnamed Catholikes, therefore we are ſo. By this kind of argument Pope Alexander the ſixt his inceſtuous daughter might prove her ſelfe to be a chaſte matron, becauſe ſhe was called Lucrece.

—Lucrecia nomine, ſed re

Thais; Alexandri filia, ſponſa, nurus.

And Philemon his theeviſh ſervant might prove himſelfe to be honeſt, becauſe his name was Oneſimus: and the three Ptolomies, foreign, profitabl….whereof the firſt killed his Father, and the ſecond his Mother, and the third his Brother, might prove themſelves to be full of naturall affection, becauſe the one was ſirnamed11A lover of his Father. Philopater, the other22A lover of his Mother. Philometor, the third33A lover of his Brother. Philodelphus. Were mens names alwayes correſpondent to their nature,xxEraſ. apoph. in Philip. Philip of Macedon had loſt a witty jeſt, which he brake upon two brothers, Hecaterus, and Amphoterus, thus inverting their names, foreign, He whoſe name is either of the two deſerveth to be called both, becauſe hee is worth both; and he whoſe name is both ſhall be called neither, becauſe he is of no worth at all.

But to throw away foyles, and come to the ſharpe: Will they thus argue in good earneſt, Proteſtants are called Sectaries or Schiſmatickes, and Papiſts Catholikes, therefore they are ſo? Will they condemne the Primitive Chriſtians for Atheiſts, becauſe the heathen uſually ſo termed them, in regard they had no faith in their gods? Will they brand St. Paul for an Heretick, or the Truth himſelf for a Seducer, becauſe ignorance and malice faſtened theſe calumnies and blaſphemies upon them? Proteſtants are termed Heretickes by Papiſts, and are not Papiſts alſo by Proteſtants? what gaine then the Papiſts hereby? Papiſts are termed Catholikes; I would know by whom? If by any Proteſtant, they know well it is but by a Sarcaſme, or Ironie; as Alexander was called a god by the Lacedaemonians, Quoniam Alexander vult eſſe deus, ſit deus.

Yea, but they are ſo ſtiled by all that adhere to the Church of Rome: and were not the Arrians called Catholikes by Arrians? the Neſtorians Orthodoxe by Neſtorians? the Novatians the beſt Chriſtians by Novatians? the Donatiſts ſole members of the Church by Donatiſts? the moſt impure Sect of Anabaptiſts the Family of love by thoſe of their owne cut? p. 484If this argument may paſſe for currant; Papiſts terme themſelves Catholikes, therefore they are ſo: what exception can be taken againſt theſe and the like? The Turkes call themſelves Saracens, therefore they are the offſpring of Sarah: they of Satans Synagogue call themſelves yyApoc. 3.9.Rev 3:9Jewes, therefore they are Jewes indeed: the Angel of Sardis had a name that hezzApoc. 3.1.Rev 3:1 lived, therefore he was not dead: the Angel of**Apoc. 3.17.Rev 3:17 Laodicea ſaid he was rich, and needed nothing, therfore he was not wretched, & miſerable, and poor, & blind, and naked: Jezebel called her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, therefore ſhe was ſo indeed. Without queſtion Jezebel ſet ſome fairer colour upon the matter than this, elſe ſhe could never have dazled the eyes of Gods ſervants: well ſhe might offer to teach in the Church under this pretence, which yet S. Paul expreſſely forbids aaa1 Cor. 14.34.1 Cor 14:34 woman to doe; but certainely ſhe could never have foyled any ſervant of God with ſo weake an argument, grounded upon a bare title aſſumed by her ſelfe: yet the Spirit ſaith, that ſhe not onelyonly taught, but prevailed alſo with ſome, and ſeduced them.

To teach and ſeduce my ſervants. I doubt not but at the reading of theſe words your thoughts trouble you, and you begin to queſtion whether this doctrine is not a ſeduction, to teach that any of Gods ſervants can be ſeduced. Can any elect child of God fall from grace? Is it poſſible to plucke any of Chriſts members from his body? Can the Sun-beames by any winde or tempeſt be ſtirred out of their place?bb1 John 2.19.1 John 2:19 Doth not St. John diſpute ſtrongly? They went away from us, becauſe they were not of us: for if they had beene of us, they would not have departed from us. Is not St.ccCypr. de ſimplic. Praelat. Triticum non rapit ventu…, nec arborem ſolidâ radice fundatam procella ſubvertit, inanes paleae tempeſtate jactantur, invalidae arbores turbinis incurſione evertuntur. Cyprians obſervation as true as it is elegant? The winde bloweth not away the corne, neither is a tree that hath taken a deepe root in the earth overthrowne in a tempeſt: it is but chaffe which the winde ſcattereth abroad, and they are hollow and rotten trees, that are blowne downe in a tempeſt.

To diſpell all miſts of ambiguity, and cleare the truth in this point, I muſt acquaint you with two ſorts of Chriſts ſervants, or retainers at leaſt; ſome weare his cloth and cognizance, but doe him little or no ſervice, others perform faithful ſervice unto him: ſome give him their names only, others their hearts alſo: ſome profeſſe outwardly that they are Chriſtians, but have unbeleeving hearts: others are within that they profeſſe without: ſome are called onelyonly to the knowledge of the truth, others are choſen alſo to be heires of ſalvation. Of theſe latter our Saviour ſpeakes in St. John; ddJoh. 10.27, 28John 10:27John 10:28My ſheepe heare my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, and I will give unto them eternall life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man plucke them out of my hands. But of the former the words of my text ſeeme to bee meant.

Howbeit, becauſe the Diſcerner of all hearts calleth them his ſervants, ſaying, to ſeduce my ſervants; and it is not likely that he would grace hypocrites with ſo honourable an appellation: wee may yeeld ſomewhat more in this point, and without prejudice to the truth acknowledge, that the true ſervants of God, and miniſters alſo of Chriſt Jeſus, may be ſometimes ſeduced out of the right way, but not farre, I am ſure not irrevocably. The difference betweene them and others in this reſpect, is like that which theeeCic. tuſc. 1. Boni in ertorem ſicut aes Corinthium in aeruginem, & incidunt rariùs & facilius revocantur. Oratour obſerveth betweene the Corinthian and common braſſe: as the braſſe of Corinth is longer ere it ruſt, and when it is ruſtie is ſooner ſcowred, p. 485and more eaſily recovers the former brightneſſe than other braſſe; ſo good men are hardlier withdrawne from the true faith, and more eaſily reclaimed from their errours, than thoſe who beare no ſincere love to the truth, but are wedded to their owne opinions whatſoever they are, and oftentimes blinded by obſtinately ſetting their eyes againſt the bright beames of the Word. Out of the Arke of Noah, which was a type of the Church, there flew twoffGen. 8.7.Gen 8:7 birds, a Raven and a Dove; the Raven after hee had taken his flight returned not againe, but the Dove came backe with an Olive branch in her bill. The Dove (ſaith SaintggCypr. adver. N…vit. Proſp l. de prom. c. 7. Cyprian) repreſented the ſeduced Catholike, who after hee is gone out of the Church, never findeth reſt till hee returne backe with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth, and bee reconciled to the Church: But the Raven is the obſtinate Hereticke, who leaveth the Church with a purpoſe never to returne to her againe. And many ſuch Ravens have beene of late let flye out of the Arke, which never returne againe; or if they returne, it is to prey upon the ſicke and weake members of our Church, and to picke out the eyes of her deareſt children: and I pray God wee may never have cauſe to renew the Poets complaint, Dat veniam corvis, vexat cenſura columbas.

To commit fornication. Fornication, ashhLyra in Apoc. c. 2. Fornicatio eſt quadruplex, in …nimo, ſimulierem concupiſc…s, in actu, in cultu Idolorum, in amore terrenorum.Rev 2 Lyranus harpeth upon the word, is committed foure manner of wayes.

1. By the impure luſt of the heart.

2. By the uncleane act of the body.

3. By the religious worſhip of Images or Idols.

4. By the immoderate love of earthly vanities.

For when the ſoule turneth away from God, and ſetteth her love wholly upon vile and baſe creatures, ſo farre below her, that God hath placed them under her feet; what doth ſhee but like a Lady of noble deſcent, married to a Prince, which diſloyally leaveth his bed, and maketh love to the groome of her chamber? Certainely this is ſordidum adulterium, not onelyonly filthy, but baſe adultery.

Howbeit, I take it, this was not the ſtaine of the Church of Thyatira; but either fornication properly ſo called, which is corporall Idolatry; or idolatry, which is ſpirituall fornication. For idolatry defileth the Spirit, as adultery polluteth the fl…ſh: idolatry provoketh God, as adultery doth man to jealouſie: as adultery is a juſt cauſe of ſeparation betweene man and his wife, ſo idolatry maketh a breach betwixt God and the ſoule, and cauſeth in the end a divorce: by reaſon of which ſeparation for diſloyalty and unfaithfulneſſe, SaintiiCypr. de hab. virg. Prius vidu…s quam nuptas, non mariti, ſed Chriſti adulteras. Cyprian wittily tearmeth certaine virgins widowes before they were married wives, yea and adultereſſes too; not to their husbands, (which they had not) but to Chriſt, to whom they had plighted their troth. And looke how a jealous husband would bee tranſported with paſſion, if hee ſhould finde his wife embracing a ſtranger in bed; ſo doth p. 486the wrath of God burne like fire, and his jealouſie breake out like a bright flame againſt ſuch as Pigmalion-like entertaine an Idoll for him in the bed of their ſoule, and commit fornication with it.

To commit fornication, and to eat meat ſacrificed unto Idols. There is ſo neare affinity betwixt carnall and ſpirituall fornication, that few defile their ſoules with the one, but are defiled in body with the other; as Jezebels ſcholars here, who by eating meat ſacrificed unto Idols, were provoked to corporall uncleanneſſe. One ſinne, as it breedeth, ſo it feedeth another: and as blindneſſe of eyes was inflicted upon Elymas for his blindneſſe of heart, ſo God in his ſecret and juſt judgement here puniſhed the Nicolaits ſpirituall with corporall fornication; that as they provoked him to jealouſie by familiarly and freely converſing with Idolaters, ſo they were provoked to jealouſie by their wives keeping company with adulterers.

Touching eating meats ſacrificed unto Idols, which the Spirit in this place, and Saintkk1 Cor. 10.20.1 Cor 10:20 Paul, and all thellActs 15.20.Acts 15:20 Apoſtles in their decretall Epiſtle ſo ſtrictly forbid, you are to underſtand that the Chriſtians in the Primitive Church, in reſpect of their acquaintance and alliance with the heathen that dwelt among them, did not ſticke, when they were invited by them, to goe to their banquets and feaſts, which they kept in the Temples of their Idols, when they ſacrificed unto them, and there they ſpent the remainder of ſuch cates and wines as had beene offered to their Paynim gods. The pretence which the Chriſtians had for their reſorting to theſe feaſts was this, that they knew the Idoll was nothing, and therefore, giving thankes to God for his creatures, they did eat of all things without any ſcruple of conſcience, howſoever they had beene uſed, and to whomſoever they had beene offered. This our Saviour here reproveth the Thyatirians for, and St. Paul the Corinthians in the place above alledged; ſhewing, that though the Idoll was nothing in it ſelfe, yet ſith the Gentiles did offer ſuch things as were ſerved-in at their Idols feaſt, not to God but to Divels, the Chriſtians could not ſit at the ſame tables with them, rejoycing and feaſting in the names of them, but they muſt be partakers of their idolatry. The maine argument he uſeth may bee thus reduced to forme.

They that eat of things offered unto Idols are partakers of the Divels table, and are as it were in meſſe with him: But none of Gods family may table with the Divell; therefore all Chriſtians ought to make conſcience of accepting the heathens invitation to ſuch feaſts, wherein they were to feed upon the Devils reliques. Now that the ſervants of God may not meddle or make with the Divell or any of his inſtruments, needs no proofe at all.mm2 Cor. 6.14.2 Cor 6:14 For what Communion hath light with darkeneſſe? or what fellowſhip hath Chriſt with Belial? And that they that keepe gaudy dayes for the Divell, and make merry with his reliques, have fellowſhip with him, the Apoſtle ſheweth by the like examples. They that eat of the ſacramentall bread have their communion with Chriſt, they that eat of the legall ſacrifices are partakers of the Altar; even ſo they that eat things offered unto Idols divide commons as it were with the D…vell.

Thus have I glanced at all the parts of this Scripture; but my principall p. 487aime was from the beginning at Jezebel, ſet as a faire or rather foule marke in the midſt of this verſe (I have ſomewhat againſt thee, that thou ſuffereſt Jezebel.) It is not onelyonly evill to doe, but alſo to ſuffer evill, when it is in in our power to hinder it; as I proved heretofore at large by arguments drawne

1. From the Law, forbidding to plow with an Oxe and an Aſse, and puniſhing Idolaters with death.

2. From the Goſpell, denying the ſervice of two Maſters, and interdicting all fellowſhip and communion of light with darkneſſe, or Chriſt with Belial.

3. From the Spirits bill of enditement, framed againſt the Angels of Pergamus and Thyatira, for tolerating the Nicolaitans.

4 From Gods threatning to cut off all ſuch as ſweare by him, and by Malchim.

5 From the Kings command in the parable, to compell all the gueſts that were bid to come to his marriage feaſt.

6. From the imputation which is laid by the Spirit upon many Kings of Iſrael and Judah, for not taking away the high places.

7. From the examples of Aſa, Joſiah, Ezechiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Conſtantine, Jovian, Theodoſius, and other religious Princes, who by ſevere lawes reſtrained hereſie and idolatry, and conſtrained the true worſhip of God.

8. From the verdict and depoſitions of the ancient Fathers, Tertullian, Cyprian, Jerome, Auſtine, Leo, Gregory, Clemens Alexandrinus, Epiphanius, and Bernard, who all ſtrengthen the armes of the Magiſtrate, and ſharpen his ſword againſt heretickes.

9 From the lawes of the ancient Grecians, Romanes, and almoſt all the heathen, who cenſured ſome way or other all innovation in religion, and profanation of divine worſhip.

Laſtly, from the great danger of hereſie, which like a canker ſoone ſpreads over the whole body of the Church, and, if it bee not looked into, killeth, and that eternally, thouſands of ſoules, breaketh the bands of nature, and cutteth aſunder all ſinewes of humane ſociety; putteth enmity, variance, and implacable diſcords in families, ſoweth ſeeds of ſedition in the State, reacheth dagges and daggers to ſubjects to aſſacinate the ſacred perſons of the Lords annointed, layeth traynes in the deepe vaults of diſl…yall hearts, to blow up Parliaments, and offer whole Kingdomes for an Holocauſt. It now remaineth that I appeach the Whore of Babylon of Jezebaliſme, and diſcover her filthy abominations, and abominable filthineſſe in the face of the ſunne.

The Spirit here deſcribeth Jezebel by three markes:

1. Impoſture, She calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe.

2. Impurity, She teacheth to commit fornication.

3. Idolatry, She alloweth eating meat ſacrificed unto idols.

With theſe three crimes I dare more confidently charge the Romane p. 488Synagogue, becauſe with a whoriſh forehead ſhee ſeemeth rather to ſtand upon the juſtification of them, than the deniall. For among her religious practiſes ſhee reckoneth pious frauds, as if ſhee verily beleeved that which heathen Varro writeth,nnExpedit falli…n religione civitates. That it is expedient for men to be cheated in matter of religion. And hereupon Vincentius Bellovacenſis in the life of Saint Dominicke, intitles one chapter, De ſanctâ ejus hypocriſi, Of his holy hypocriſie: And for impurity, Caſa the Archbiſhop of Beneventum layeth colours of eloquence upon that foule ſinne, which God puniſhed in Sodome with fire and brimſtone. And for idolatry, Gregory de Valentiâ, the prime of the Schoole-men, profeſſedly pleads for it, and endevours to prove it to bee lawfull out of the words of Saint Peter; oo1 Pet. 4.3. Greg. de Val. de cult. …mag. Quid attinebat ita det…rminatè cultus ſimulacrorum illicitos notar…, ſi omnino nullos ſimula…hrorum cultus licitos eſſe cenſuiſſet?1 Pet 4:3When ye walked in laſciviouſneſſe, luſts, revellings, banquettings, and unlawfull and abominable idolatries. What need (ſaith hee) Saint Peter deterre us from unlawfull idolatries, if ſome kind of idolatry were not lawfull? Good God! Idolatry lawfull, holy hypocriſie, pious frauds, honeſt ſodomy! Did ever Nicolaus of Antiochia, or Jezebel of Thyatira ſet abroach ſuch impure and unſavoury doctrine? did ever the Carpocratians, who let the reines looſe to all kinds of lewdneſſe and villany, maintaine more damnable poſitions?

But to keepe cloſe to the patterne in my text, and to draw a perfect picture of the Church of Rome by notes taken from Jezebel.

Impoſture.Firſt, Jezebel called her ſelfe a Propheteſſe: and doth not the Church of Rome uſurpe the ſame title, and boaſt of her Propheticke Spirit? If any be ignorant hereof, let him caſt but a looke into**L. 4. c. 15. D…odecima nota eſt lumen propheticum. Bellarmine his booke of the notes of the Church, there ſhall he ſee Lumen propheticum, the light of propheſie, drawne out in a faire and goodly character, for the twelfth note of the Romane Church. You ſee the firſt marke of Jezebel viſible in the Church of Rome: As Jezebel calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, ſo the Church of Rome arrogateth to her ſelfe that ſupernaturall gift.

Impurity.The ſecond marke is as foule as the other is faire in ſhew: She teacheth to commit fornication. I would be loth to caſt ſo foule an aſperſion upon the Roman Church, if the ancient Rubrick in the Canon law bluſhed any thing at theſe words,qqDiſtinct. 34. Qui non habet uxorem loco illius concubinam debet habere. He that hath not a wife, ought to have a concubine in ſtead of her: or the Pope his holineſſe were aſhamed to draw a revenue of many thouſand Duckets by the yeere out of ſomewhat worſe than Veſpaſian his tribute ex lotio. But ſith the Marozia of Sergius, the Matildis of Gregory the ſ venth, the Lucretia of Alexander the ſixt, the Magdalena of Leo the tenth, the Conſtantia of Paul the third, were as infamous as Ovids Corinna; ſith ancient Popes have erected ſtewes, and later take toll of them at this day in Rome,Vid. Weſſ…l Groni…g. de indulgent. Avennion, and elſewhere; ſith ancienter Popes have diſpenſed with unnaturall luſts, and the later with inceſtuous marriages; ſith the Riarius of Sixtus the fourth, the Germanus of Julius the ſecond, the Hippolytus of Leo the tenth, and Innocentius de monte of Julius the third, gave but too much cauſe to Mantuan, and other later Poets to proclaime to the world,

Sanctus ager ſcurris, venerabilis ara cinoedis

Servit, honorandae divûm Ganymedibus aedes.

p. 489Sith their ownerrL. method. concord. Ne admittantur ſacra concubinariorum, quos Deus magis odit qu…m manifeſtarios inceſtus. Wicelius profeſſeth himſelfe ſcandalized at the allowed concubines of Maſſe-Prieſts; and the Germans in theirſſL. centum gravam. Gervam. Epiſcopi, & eorum Officiales, non tantum ſacerdotum tolerant concubinatum, dummodo certa perſolvatur pecunia, ſed & Sacerdotes continentes, & qui abſ que concubinatu degunt, concubinatus cenſum perſolvere cogunt. grievances put up this for one, That the Biſhops and their Officials doe not onelyonly tolerate concubines in Prieſts, ſo they pay a certaine rate for them, but alſo conſtrain Prieſts, who live continently, and keepe no concubines, to pay the former taxe: ſith Picus Mirandula (in ep. ad Leo. 10.) and Cardinal Alliacus in his treatiſe of the reformation of the Church, report of their Cels, that they were become meere ſtewes: ſith Coſterus, yea and Cardinal Bellarmine, teach in expreſſe words, That it is a greater ſinne in a Prieſt or Votary to marry, than to commit fornication; Eſt majus malum ſic nubere quàm fornicari: ſith Panormitan their great Lawyer delivereth it for a ruled caſe,ttPanor. extra de conſang. & affin. Ideo hodie ex ſimplici fornicatione clericus non deponitur. That a Clergy man is not to be depoſed for ſimple fornication: nay, ſith the Councell of Toledo uuConcil. Tol. Poteſt admitti ad communionem qui concubinam habet, modo non ſit uxoratus.admitteth ſuch perſons to the holy Communion, who keepe a concubine (ſo they bee not married:) no Papiſt can have an action of ſlaunder againſt me, for charging their Church with ſomewhat more than bare toleration of ſimple fornication. Verily**Eſpenc. com. in Tit. c. 1.Titus 1 Eſpenceus had good cauſe to affirme, That more naughtineſſe and filthineſſe might bee learned out of Taxa camerae Apoſtolicae, (whereunto I adde Zanche's de Matrimonio, and other Caſuiſts) than out of all the obſcene ſatyres, and epigrammes of profane Poets. What Chriſtian eares can endure that preface of Pope Gregory, xxGreg. extrav. de jud. c. 4. De adulterio, & aliis minoribus criminibus, poteſt Epiſcopus cum Clericis poſt poenitentiam diſpenſare.For adultery and other leſſer ſinnes the Biſhop may diſpence with a Prieſt after penance.

But I liſt not to bring to light other of their works of darkneſſe; let the night cover her owne ſhame. I proceed from Jezebels corporall to her ſpirituall whoredome, wherein the Church of Rome exceedeth her. For Jezebel taught onelyonly that it was lawfull to keepe company, and make merry with Idolaters, and partake of their offerings: but the Church of Rome partaketh with them in their Idoll-worſhip. For albeit ſhee pretendeth that ſhee tendereth no religious ſervice to the Idols of the Heathen, the enemies of God, but to the images of Saints, and ſhrines of Martyrs; this no way cleareth her from ſpirituall uncleanneſſe. For it will not be allowed for a good plea in a diſloyall wife, to ſay that ſhe gave no entertainement to any of her husbands enemies, but onelyonly made much of his deareſt friends, and admitted them into bed for his ſake. The adulterie in it ſelfe is foule, with whomſoever it be committed; and Idol-ſervice in it ſelfe is abominable, to whomſoever it be performed. To pay the debt of conjugall love to any ſave her husband in a wife is adulterie; and to tender divine honour to any ſave God is idolatrie. Therefore if wee can bring any good proofe hereof, that the Church of Rome doth this, and avoweth the doing of it, we doe her no wrong to call her the great Whore, of whoſe cup of abominations whoſoever drinke become ſo giddie, that they fall before ſtockes and ſtones; like men whoſe braines are intoxicated, take images and pictures for men and women, bring preſents to them, put coſtly apparell on them, ſpeake to them, embrace and kiſſe them.yyLactan. divin. inſtit. l. 2. Adorant inſenſibilia, quiſentiunt; irrationabilia, qui ſapiunt; exanima qui vivunt; terrena, qui oriuntur è coelo. O ſottiſh folly! the living image of God falleth downe before dumb and dead pictures and ſtatues; men to whom God hath given ſenſe and reaſon, adore unreaſonable and ſenſeleſſe creatures; they who are capable of wiſedome aske counſell of ſtockes and ſtones; they who receive their ſoules from heaven, doe homage, and performe religious ſervice to the vileſt and baſeſt creatures on the earth. p. 490O curvae in terra animae, & coeleſtium inanes.

But to draw a formall bill of enditement againſt the Church of Rome.

Whatſoever Church attributeth divine honour to a creature, is guiltie of abominable Idolatrie:

But the Church of Rome attributeth divine honour to divers creatures;

Ergo ſhe is guilty of abominable Idolatry.

The propoſition of this ſyllogiſme is impregnable; and if it be aſſaulted, we have anzzReynold. l. 2. de Idol. Rom. eccl. c. 3. & 9. probat. ex Rom. 1.13. & 2.12. Jude 17. & Acts 7 41. & Pſal. 115.5, 6, 7, 8. & Aug. l. 1. de Trin. c. 6. & Tertul. de Idol. c. 1. & Cypr. de exhort. martyr. c. 2. & Lactan. divin. inſtit. l. 1. c. 19. & Nazianz. orat. in Chriſt. nat. & Aquin. in ep. ad Eph. c. 5.Rom 1:13Rom 2:12Jude 1:17Acts 7:41Ps 115:5Ps 115:6Ps 115:7Ps 115:8Eph 5 armie of authorities already muſtered for the defence of it; therefore I fortifie the aſſumption againſt which the Adverſarie is like to lay his batteries. Whoſoever allow the ſame honour to the Image, and to him whom it repreſenteth, that is to ſay, to the Image of God and God himſelfe, to the Image of Chriſt and Chriſt himſelfe, they by a neceſſarie conſequent yeeld divine honour to Images, which are creatures: butaaAlenſ. 3. p. q. 39. art. ult. Alexander Alenſis, bbAquin. p. 3. q. 25. art. 7.Thomas Aquinas, ccCajetan in Thom.Cajetan, ddBonavent.Bonaventure, eeMarſil.Marſillius, ffAlmain.Almaine, ggCarthuſ.Carthuſian, hhCapreol. in 3. ſent. diſtinc. 9.Capreolus, iiHenric. quodlib. 10. q. 6. Idem honor debetur Imagini & exemplari.Henricus, and many other joyntly teach, that the ſame honour is due to the Image, and to the perſon repreſented by it: and particularlykkSuarez. in p. 3. Thom. Tom. 1. diſput. 54. ſec. 4, 5. Suarez contendeth, that divine honour is to be given to the Images of the Trinitie, by the decrees of the Councell of Trent: therefore the Church of Rome by her chiefeſt pillars ſupporteth and maintaineth idolatrie in the higheſt degree. Which will yet appeare more evidently by theſe few inſtances: 1 Doe they not devote themſelves, dedicate Temples, conſecrate Altars, appoint offices, make daily prayers, vow pilgrimages, and preſent offerings to the bleſſed Virgin, and doe all ſuch outward acts as properly appertaine tollAug. l. 3. c. 32. de Civit. Dei. Templa ſacra, Sacerdotes & quicquid ad latriam pertinet. Latria? Is not this to equalize her with her Son? SurelymmVega in Ap…c. 12. ſec. 2. Conſtituta eſt ſuper omnem creaturam, & quaecun que Jeſu curvat genu, matri quoque pronus ſupplicat; & filii gloriam cum matre non tam communem judico quam eandem. Vega and Biels words import no leſſe: She is placed (ſaith Vega) above all creatures, and whoſoever boweth the knee to Jeſus, falls downe flat before his mother; the glory of the mother and the ſons I account to be the ſame. Almighty God (ſaithnnExpoſit. ſuper Can. Miſ. Biel) hath divided his kingdome betweene himſelfe and her, in ſuch ſort that all matter of juſtice he reſerveth to himſelfe, but matter of merciemercy he referreth to her. In which conſideration, or ſome ſuch like, it is, that in countries ſubject to the See of Rome, all men and women, whereſoever they are, in the Citie or the field, thrice a day, when the Ave marie bell rings, ſend up their united devotions to her; and where one profeſſeth himſelfe a devoto to our Saviour, whoſe Townes devote themſelves to her: where oneooEdw. Sanas his relation of Religion. prayeth at a crucifix, ten pray at her Image: where one faſteth on Friday, which they account our Lords day, many faſt on Saturday, which they count our Ladies day. To conclude: they conclude all their prayers with an Ave Maria, as we doe with our Lords prayer, and moſt of their treatiſes with Laus deiparae Virgini, praiſe be to the Virgin mother of God: and in the Pſalter called Bonaventures, they have p. 491entituled all the hundred and fifty Pſalmes of David to her; and where hee ſaith Lord, they put Lady.

2. Secondly, doe they not make an Idoll of the Croſſe of Chriſt, when they profeſſe that they worſhip it cultu latriae? To omit Aquinas and Andradius alledged by meooConc. 12. elſe-where,ppCap. 49. Aſſerimus cum ſententià communiore & in ſcholis magis tritâ, Crucem colendam eſſe latria, id eſt, cultu divino. Gretzer the Jeſuit in his book of the Croſſe ſaith, Wee affirme, according to the more common and received opinion in the Schooles, that the Croſſe of Chriſt is to be worſhipped with latry, that is, divine worſhip.

3. Thirdly, doe they not make an Idoll of the Sacramentall bread, or the Hoſt, as they call it; to which they pray and confeſſe, before which they fall downe, when it is carried in ſolemne proceſſion on corpus Chriſti day?

Laſtly, doe they not make Idols of their Images, and Reliques of Sanits, before which they burne incenſe, and bow downe when they pray, directing their prayers toward them, and faſtening their eyes on them?

Here to ſtop the mouthes of our clamorous adverſaries, who traduce us for nothing more than partiality in handling controverſies; I will acquaint you with the anſwer they give to the former Bill of enditements.

1. Some of them ſay, that they worſhip not the Image, but God by the Image.

2. Others confeſſe, that they worſhip Images, but deny them to be Idols: to worſhip an Idoll is idolatry, not to worſhip an Image, ſay they.

3. Others ſalve all with a diſtinction of dulia and latria; they give dulia to Saints and their Images, and hyperdulia to the bleſſed Virgin, but latria only to God.

But they ſhall not ſo evade: for to their firſt evaſion wee oppoſe theſe barres:

Firſt, that it is idolatry to worſhip God in, or by an Image.

Secondly, that their learned Clerkes of later time maintaine, that the image it ſelfe is to be worſhipped.

That it is unlawfull and offenſive to the Higheſt, to worſhip him by a proxie, or ſet up an image to conveigh honour unto him by it; I evict out of the fortieth of Eſay, Ver. 18.21. To whom will ye liken God? or what likeneſs will you compare him unto? And out of the fourth of Deuteronomy, Ver. 15. Take good heed therefore unto your ſelves: for yee ſaw no manner of ſimilitude in the day that the Lord ſpake unto you in Horeb, beware leſt you corrupt your ſelves, and make you a graven image, the ſimilitude of any figure. Certainly, if God cannot, if he will not be likened by any thing, he will not like of that worſhip which commeth to him by or through an image; if it be unlawfull to make an image of God, what ſuppoſe you is it to make a god of an Image, by adoring it in Gods ſtead? Was not Phoedra an adultereſſe, when ſhee lay with Hipolytus, becauſe ſhee proteſted that ſhee embraced Theſeus in him, whom he ſo neere reſembled? Were the Jewes that worſhipped the Calfe, or they that worſhipped the braſen Serpent, or the image of Baal, free from idolatry? They dare not ſay it, becauſe the Spirit of God condemneth them for Idolaters; yet they might plead for themſelves, as Papiſts doe, that they worſhipped God in the Calfe, and Chriſt to come in the Serpent, and him that dwelleth in a light that cunnot bee approached p. 492unto in the image of Baal or the Sunne. For they were not ſuch Calves as to fixe their devotion on a Calfe of their owne making; they were not ſo deceived by the old Serpent, as to attribute divine power to a Serpent of braſſe; their eyes were not ſo dazled with the beames of the Sunne, that they miſtooke the Sunne for God: No, the words ofqqExod. 32.5.Exod 32:5 Aaron, To morrow is a feaſt Jehovae, to the Lord: and thoſe of God himſelfe, Thou rrHoſ. 2.16.Hos 2:16ſhalt call me no more Baal: for I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouth; make it a cleare caſe, that they made but a ſtale of the Image who bowed downe before it, intending the honour to God himſelfe, asſſJoſeph. antiq. Jud. Jeroboam inſtituit ut in vitulis Deus coleretur. Joſephus teſtifieth of Jeroboam: Jeroboam, ſaith hee, appointed that God ſhould bee worſhipped in thoſe Calves which he ſet up in Dan and Bethel. And what ſhall we ſay, if Papiſts are indebted to the Heathen for this anſwer? who ſet this varniſh upon their idolatrous practice, as you may ſee inttLact. divin. inſtitut. l. 2. c. 2. Non ſimulacra colimus, ſed eos ad quorum imaginem ſunt facta. Lactantius, uuTyr. ſer. 38. Dicunt ſe maximum Deum in ſimulacris colere.Tyrius, and**Clem. conſtit. Apoſtol. lib. 1. cap. 6, 7. Aiunt, nos ad honorem inviſibilis Dei, viſibil…s Imagines adoramus. Clemens Romanus. Saint Paul alſo teſtifieth as much of the Heathen in generall (Rom. 1.23.) They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to foure footed beaſts, and to creeping things. And of the Athenians in particular (Acts 17.23.) Whom therefore yee ignorantly worſhip, him declare I unto you. The greateſt God, as Tyrius ſpeaketh, the inviſible God, as Clemens, the incorruptible God, as the Apoſtle, the God whom Paul preached, the Lord Jehovah is the true God that made heaven and earth: yet the Jewes and Gentiles, who worſhipped him by an image, or according to their own imaginations, in Scripture ſtand charged with Idolatry, and for ought appeares to the contrary as deeply, as if their devotion had pitched and ſettled upon the image of the Calfe, the Serpent, the Sunne, the ſtarre Rempham, the ſimilitudes of men, birds, or creeping things, and not glaunced by them to their Maker. Yee heare that the Papiſts plea, take it at the beſt, is no better than the idolatrous Jewes plea, the Prieſts of Baals plea, the Gentiles plea: and what if the learnedeſt of their owne ſide debarre them of this plea alſo? what if their great Doctors teach, that the image is to be worſhipped for it ſelfe, and not only in relation to the prototypon, as they ſpeake? what if they curſe all thoſe who make any ſcruple of the veneration of Images? Certainly CardinallxxLib. 2. de Imag. Sanc. c. 21. Imagines Chriſti & Sanctorum venerandae ſunt, non ſolum per accidens & impropriè, ſed etiam per ſe & propriè, ita ut ipſae terminent venerationem, ut in ſe conſiderantur, & non ſolùm ut vicem gerunt exemplaris. Bellarmine his words are plaine enough: The Images of Chriſt and Saints are to be worſhipped not only by accident and improperly, but alſo by, or for themſelves, and properly in ſuch ſort, that they bounded & termined the worſhip, as they are conſidered in themſelvs, and not only as they ſtand for the ſamplar, that is, the perſon or thing they repreſent. This his aſſertion he there endeavoureth to prove out of the ſecond Councell of Nice, and the late Conventicle at Trent, which who ſo readeth, cannot but ſee that ſpeech of the Prophet David verified in the Patrons thereof: They that make Images are like unto them, and ſo are all they that put their truſt in them. To which text Clemens Alexandrinus, as it ſeemeth to mee, had an eye, in that his pleaſant alluſion, whereby hee repreſenteth the folly of Idolaters: As (ſaith hee) the naturall birds were beguiled by the counterfeit, and flew to the Pigeons that were drawne in the Painters ſhop; ſo naturall ſtockes flye to artificiall, ſenſleſſe men to ſenſleſſe Idols. How wardeth the Cardinall off this blow? after this manner: Wee have no recourſe unto, nor performe any religious ſervice to any Idoll, though p. 493wee both teach and practice Image-worſhip. Why? what is the difference between an Image and an Idoll? An Image (ſaith he) is the repreſentation of ſomething which really ſubſiſteth, as of God, Angel, or man; but an Idoll is the ſemblance of a thing feigned or imaginary, that hath no beeing at all, but in the fancy of the deviſer. God in the Law forbiddeth us to worſhip the later ſorts of ſimilitudes, not the former.

Let us try this new coined diſtinction by the touch-ſtone of Gods Word: How is it written?yyExod. 20.4.Exod 20:4 Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe Peſell, that is, any thing that is carved or graven, as not only the interlineary, Vatablus, Tremelius, zzforeign, Sculptile.and the Septuagint; but the vulgar Latine alſo, corrected by Sixtus, aaforeign, Sculpſit, dolavit, Buxtorf. Epit. rad.and reviſed by Clemens, render the Hebrew.

Admit that the word Peſel ſignifieth not an Image, as Juſtin Martyr tranſlateth it foreign, but an Idoll, ſay theſe firſt words of the commandement meet with the worſhippers of Idols, not of Images, yet certainly the clauſe following (nor the likeneſſe of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth) reacheth home to all Images. For all Images are likeneſſes of ſomething in heaven, earth, or under the earth. The Idoll of Baal was the likeneſſe of ſomething in heaven, the Calfe of ſomething on earth, Dagon of ſomething in the waters under the earth. For the firſt was the repreſentation and ſimilitude of the Sunne, the ſecond of a Beaſt, the third of a Fiſh: yet the Scripture calleth theſe images Idols, and their worſhippers Idolaters: therefore the Papiſts are in the ſame damnation with them, and contradict themſelves in terminis, in ſaying they worſhip Images, not Idols. For every Image worſhipped is an Idoll. True (ſay the later Papiſts) if it be worſhipped cultu latriae, with divine worſhip, not cultu duliae, which is an inferiour kinde.

To cut off this third head of Hydra with the ſword of the Spirit.

Firſt, we ought not to diſtinguiſh where the Law diſtinguiſheth not: It is a good rule in the civill Law, and holds in Divinity; but this diſtinction of dulia and latria hath no ground in Scripture, where the words dulia and latria are indifferently uſed; and as latria is attributed unto men, ſo dulia to**Mat. 4.10. Rom. 12.11. Vid. Humfridum in vit. Juel.Matt 4:10Rom 12:11 God.

Secondly, the Commandement forbiddeth expreſly all both inward and outward worſhip: all outward in thoſe words; Thou ſhalt not bow downe before them: all inward in the words following, nor worſhip them. If therefore their dulia imply either an inward, or an outward worſhip of the likeneſſe of any thing that is in the world, it is prohibited in the ſecond Commandement.

Thirdly, if it ſhould be granted them, that there is ſome difference between dulia and latria, proper worſhip and improper, per ſe and per accidens, abſolute and relative; yet queſtionleſſe the honeſt vulgar are not able to tithe this Mint and Cummin, and cut theſe ſcholaſticall diſtinctions to a haire, their dulia is latria, and latria dulia; and asaaComment. in lib. Aug. de …. Dei. Ludovicus vives confeſſed before they clipped his tongue, they exhibit a like manner of devotion to Saints, and their Images and Reliques, to that which the Heathen did to their gods and goddeſſes.

Fourthly, all worſhip is either civill or religious; to performe civill worſhip to Images, as if they were our concives, is ridiculous: to yeeld religious, p. 494is impious. If by cultus duliae they mean civill complement, they muſt ſhew what familiarity or civill ſociety the living have with the dead, and what courteſie their Images can returne backe againe. Indeed we reade of an Image of our Lady thatbbDoctor Andrewes reſp. ad apol. Bellar. Obvertit ei poſteriora. turned her backe parts to a Carthuſian that came tardy to Mattens; but never of any that performed any complement before. No civill reſpect therefore is due to any Image, and much leſſe religious: for SaintccLib. 14. cont. Fauſ. Maniche. Auſtin teacheth expreſly, that the Apoſtle forbiddeth any worſhip of religion to be given to a creature.

Laſtly, the Jeſuites and Schoolmen before alledged teach, that the Image of God, and of Chriſt, and of the Croſſe; and all Papiſts teach, that the elements of bread and wine after conſecration in the Sacrament, are to be worſhipped cultu latriae, or with divine worſhip. Therefore notwithſtanding all their ſlips and evaſions, the ſecond Commandement taketh hold of them, and Gods fearfull judgement againſt Idolaters will ſeize on them alſo, if they avert them not by turning from dead Images to the living God.

I will cut off the thread of my diſcourſe with Ariſtotle his ſharpe cenſure of the Mileſians,ddAriſtot. politic. foreign, The Mileſians are not fooles, yet they doe juſt the ſame things which fooles doe: even ſo though we forbeare to faſten the name of Heatheniſh Idolaters upon Papiſts; yet ſurely they doe the ſame things as they did.

Firſt, the Heathen carried their gods of gold and ſilvereeBaruch 6.4.Bar 6:4 upon their ſhoulders; ſo doe the Papiſts beare out their Images and Reliques, incloſed in chaſſes of gold and ſilver, in their ſolemne proceſsion on high dayes.

Secondly, the Heathen decked their Images, as if they were men and women, with apparrell (yet cannot theſe gods ſave themſelves from ruſt and moth, though they be ffVer. 11.covered with purple raiment) and who knoweth not that Papiſts put coſtly apparrell on their Images? almoſt every Saint among them hath his holy day and working day ſuit.

Thirdly, the Heathen lighted candles before their Images,ggVer. 19. though the Image ſeeth not one of them: and doe not Papiſts ſet tapers before theirs?

Fourthly, the faces of the Heathen Idols were blacked with hhVer. 21.ſmoake: ſo are the Popiſh Images with the fume of the incenſe they burne to them.

Fifthly, the HeatheniiVer. 41. ſpake to their Idols as if they were able to underſtand them: ſo doe the Papiſts to the wood of the Croſſe; Ave lignum ſpes unica.

Sixthly, the Heatheniſh Prieſts beards and heads were kkVer. 31.ſhaven: and ſo are our Popiſh Prieſts crownes.

Seventhly, Baals Clergy (if I may ſo ſpeake) was divided into Priests and Chemarims, ſo termed for the blacke attire they ware: ſo is the Popiſh into Seminary Prieſts and Jeſuites, birds of the ſame feather with the Chemarims.

Eighthly, the Heathen about thellPolid. virg. de invent. rerum. l. 1. c. 5. calends of February viſited all their Temples with lights: a like ceremony the Papiſts uſe at Candlemaſſe.

Ninthly, at the beginning of the Spring the Heathen kept their Hilaria feaſts, in which it was lawful to revel & riot in all kinds of diſorder: in place whereof the Papiſts have brought in their Carnivals about the ſame time.

Tenthly, the Heathen commended every City and Village to the protection of ſome god or goddeſſe: Juno was Lady guardian of Carthage, p. 495Venus of Cyprus, Diana of Epheſus, Pallas of Athens, &c. and have not the Papiſts likewiſe multiplyed their Saints according to the number of their Cities? and doe they not ſhare the patronages of them betweene them? Doth not Venice fall to Saint Markes lot? Paris to Saint Genoviefe's? Spaine to Saint James's? France to Saint Denniſes? Scotland to Saint Andrewes? Ireland to Saint Patrickes? England to Saint Georges?

Eleventhly, the Heathen aſſigned ſeverall offices to ſeverall gods, calling upon Ceres for corne, upon Bacchus for wine, upon Aeſculapius for health, upon Mercurie for wealth, Apollo for wiſedome, &c. In like manner the Papiſts addreſſe themſelves to particular Saints upon particular and ſpeciall occaſions; to Saint Genoviefe for raine, to Saint Marc…an for faire weather, Saint Michael in battell, Saint Nicholas in a ſea tempeſt, Saint Euſtace in hunting, Saint Roch and Sebaſtian for remedies againſt the plague, Saint Raphel againſt catarres, Saint Apollonia againſt the tooth-ach, St. Anthony againſt inflammations, Saint Margaret for ſafe delivery in childe-birth, and to other Saints upon other occaſions, as if God had granted a kind of Monopoly of the ſev…rall commodities of this life to ſeverall Saints.

Twelfthly, will you have yet more? Hercules hath left his club to Saint Chriſtopher, Janus hath reſigned up his keyes to Saint Peter, Lucina her office of midwife to Saint Margaret, the Muſes their inſtruments of muſicke to Cecilia, and Jupiter Hammon his hornes to Moſes.

Sentio me jam de faece haurire, I now draw very low, the very lees and dregges of Popery, which whoſoever ſucketh, unleſſe hee caſt them up againe by repentance, is like to ſup up the dregges of the viall of Gods wrath. And now (mee thinkes) I ſee the Sonne of man looke upon ſome of the reformed Churches with eyes ſparkling like fire, and ſtamping with his brazen feet, to ſee theſe abominations of Jezebel winked at as they are in ſo many places. I meddle not here with any deliberation of State, fitter for the Councell Table than the Pulpit: but diſcover to every private Chriſtian what his duty is, to refrain from the ſociety of Idolaters; & I beſeech them for the love of him, who hath eſpouſed their ſoules to himſelfe, and hath decked them with the richeſt jewels of his grace, and made them a joynter of his Kingdome, to beware that they be not enticed to ſpirituall fornication, to forbeare the company of all thoſe who ſolicite them in this kind: nay farther, to detect ſuch perſons to authority, that they may learne not to blaſpheme the truth of our Religion, nor ſeduce his Majeſties ſubjects from their allegiance to the Prince, and conformity to his Lawes. Pliny writeth of certainemmPlin. nat. hiſt. l. 8 c. 15. Indiginis innoxii, peregrinos interimunt. Efts in Tyrinth, and Snakes in Syria, that doe no hurt to the natives, but ſting ſtrangers to death: it may bee ſome have the like conceit of our Engliſh Seminary Prieſts and Jeſuites, who have done ſo great miſchiefe beyond the Sea, that they have no power or will to hurt any here at home; and therefore dare more boldly converſe with them, becauſe their outward carriage is faire. But I beſeech them to conſider that the Panther hideth her ougly viſage, which ſhee knoweth will terrifie the beaſts from comming neere her, alluring them with the ſweet ſmell of her body; but as ſoone as they come within her reach, ſhee maketh a prey of them. Therefore as you tender the ſalvation of your body and ſoule, your eſtate in this life, and the life to come, take heed how you play at p. 496the hole of the Cockatrice, and familiarly converſe with the great Whore, or any of her Minions, leſt they draw you to naughtineſſe and ſpirituall lewdneſſe. Have no part with them that have no part in God, or have part with abominable Idols. If the good Biſhop Saint Ambroſe, being commanded by Valentinian the Emperour to deliver up a Church in his Dioceſſe to the Arrians, gave this anſwer, That hee would firſt yeeld up his life: Prius eſt ut vitam mihi Imperator, quàm fidem adimat: ſhall wee give up our ſoules, which are the Temples of the living God, to Idolatrous worſhip? If Saint John the Evangeliſt would not ſtay in the bath with Cerinthus the Hereticke; ſhall we dare freely to partake with worſer Heretickes in the pledges of ſalvation, and waſh our ſoules with them in the royall bath of Chriſts bloud? ooAmbroſ. ep. 37. Pollui ſe putabat, ſi Aram vidiſſet: ferend…mve eſt, ut Gentilis ſacrificet Chriſtianus interſit?Conſtantius the Emperour thought himſelfe polluted, if he had but ſeen an Heatheniſh Altar; and Saint Ambroſe propoſeth it as a thing moſt abſurd and intolerable, that a Chriſtian ſhould be preſent at the ſacrifices of the Heathen. Our Saviour in this place, and Saintpp1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 Paul in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, would not have Chriſtians to eate any of thoſe things that were ſacrificed unto Idols: Nay, the ProphetqqPſal. 16.4.Ps 16:4 David profeſſeth, that he will not ſo much as name an Idol: Their offerings of bloud will I not offer, nor make mention of their names in my lips.

I end, and ſeale up my meditations upon theſe words ſpoken to an Angel, with the words ſpoken by anrrApoc. 14.9.Rev 14:9 Angel: If any worſhip the Beaſt and his Image, and receive his marke in his forehead, or in his hand, the ſame ſhall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, and he ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone before the holy Angels & the Lamb: and the ſmoake of their torments ſhall aſcend for ever & ever. And they ſhall have no reſt neither day nor night, which worſhip the Beaſt and his Image, & whoſoever receiveth the print of his name.

Gracious Lord, who graceſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel with the title of Angels, make them in their knowledge and life angelicall: keep them not only from ſinnes of omiſsion and commiſsion, but alſo from ſinnes of permiſsion; that all may ſee their works, and their love, and their ſervice, and their faith, and their patience; their love of thee, and their ſervice to thee, and their faith in thee, and their patience for thee, and their growth in all theſe graces, and that thou maiſt have nothing againſt them. And ſith thou haſt diſplayed the Romiſh Jezebel unto us by her three markes, of impoſture, impurity, and idolatry, breed in us all a greater loathing and deteſtation of her abominations: preſerve us by the ſincere preaching of the Word, and powerfull operation of thy Spirit, that wee bee neither deceived by her impoſture, to beleeve her falſe propheſies, neither defiled in our body by her impurity, to commit fornication, nor in ſoule by her idolatry, to eate things ſacrificed unto Idols.

p. 497SERMONS PREACHED AT OXFORD.