Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part 2 · Chapter 10

Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies · Part 2 · Chapter 10

p. 136The concupiſcence of the Croſſe. Chapter 10.

THE laſt tranſgreſſion of the croſſe is againſt this laſt cōmaundment, in that it feedeth luſt habituall, breedeth luſt actuall: both of which are forbidden in this precept. For whereas it willeth vsus to fight againſt theſe foreſaid luſtes; as we fight againſt enimies whom we beſiedge, ſtopping all paſſages of our ſenſes whereby they may come by victuall, the ſigne of the croſſe not only ſerveth for a porter that letteth in, but even for a purveyer alſo that carrieth in the out temptations that doe nouriſh them in idolatrie and ſuperſtition. worthie are the wordes of Auguſtine to be conſidered,aaAuguſtin. ſerm. 3. de comun. vit …leric. & epiſt. 109. ad Monach Non ſolo tactu ſed & aſpectu appetitur & appetit foemina: Nec dicatis vos animos habere pudicos, ſi habeatis oculos impudicos. quia impudicus oculus impudici cordis eſt nuncius: & cùm ſe invicem ſibi etiam tacentelingua conſpectu mutuo corda nunciant impudica: & ſecundum concupiſcentiam carnis alterutro delectantur ardore, etiam intactis ab immunda violatione corporibus fugit caſtitas ipſa de moribus. Adde vntounto this, the admonition of a Councell, ſpeaking of thoſe that are not to marry, they muſt not onelyonly provide that no women dwell with them, but alſo that they hauehave not ſo much as any acceſſe to thē: vponupon this reaſon,bbConcil. Carthagi…enſ. 1. c. … etiam occaſiones amputandae ſunt peccatorum & tollendae quibus ſubtilitas Diaboli ſub pretextu charitatis & dilectionis incautas animas velignaras irretire conſuevit Omitt we not the Canon neither which tendeth to the very ſame purpoſe,ccDecret. p. 1 diſtinct. 8. …. 9. Congruum eſt inde etiam corporaliter avelli vbi quiſquis illecebris deſervivit. Nam & locus ipſe hoc in aſpecta mētis apponit, quod ſaepè ibi cogitavit vel geſsit. And that the conſort of our witneſſes may be full, refuſe we not the admonition of a privat & common man, who vponupon the experience of ſtratonice cauſing her lovers pulſe to beat as often as ſhe came in ſight, giveth this rule againſt concupiſcence,ddAntoni… Gubert. Coſtan. poly. hiſtor. c. 8. Nihil facilius quam amor recrudeſcit, & oculos & aures avertat qui alicuius rei deſyderium p… nere vult. What then? though we touch not the lippes of this Baall (the croſſe) as long as we feed our ſenſes with his ſight, our hearts remaine not pure & chaſt, neither are the occaſions done away, wherewith Satan will inſinuat him ſelfe into them (pretend the lawe what ende it will in the retayning & keeping of him) the ſenſuall pulſe will ever beat as longe as the ſenſes are not turned from him: the verie place it ſelfe putteth into the minde ill thoughtes, where any wanton action of ours hath ben cōmitted: how much more then the repreſentatiō of the wanton action it ſelfe, both which together in the croſſe are renewed vntounto the ſenſes. But to ſpeake more particularly, the firſt way whereby the croſſe ſturreth vp concupiſcence is that occaſion which an idoll or image hath, whē it is placed in the church though not adored: againſt which our owne doctrine which is cō firmed by act of Parliament, alleadgeth many reaſons. The firſt is drawne from the original of the image, and it hath this ground,ee…om… ag. peril of idolat. p. 1. what was ill at first riſing, can neuer prove good or profitable after. Our Oppoſites ſay the croſſe may be turned to good vſe howſoever it hath ben abuſed heretofore. therefore muſt they not ſubſcribe vntounto this homilie, becauſe the riſing of the croſſe was evill at firſt in Valentinus and Montanus, and here of late it ariſing out of the aſhes of the Antichriſtian croſſe, hath according to the homilie, not ſince grown profitable, but hath rather looked backe toward Sodom ever ſince, no whit breaking the Poets poſitiō, Ortus p. 137quaeque ſuos repetunt. The ſecond is drawne from the nature of an image, and it hath this grounde,ffIbid pa. 3. pag. 36. good things doe ever by litle and little decay: ill things by litle and litle increaſe: as the image wasggPa. 50. firſt paynted. after it grewe to be ingraved: and at firſt it was vſed but in private houſes: after it crept into Churches & temples: where at firſt it was not worſhipped, but ſhortlie after it began to be adored: firſt by the people that were ignorant: at laſt by learned men and all. None can denie but that all this downe right lighteth on the croſſe that doeth conſider howe from the beginning he hath increaſed by little and litle, from heretiques to chriſtians: from vſe private to publique: from a ſigne to an Idoll: and ſince that time that it hath ben refined amongſt vsus from a blocke offending the foote to a ſtone cruſhing even the whole body, as is to be ſeene this day. The third reaſon of the Homilie, is drawne from the proanes of men to idolatrie: For the image is anhhIbid pa. 3… pag. 45. harlot, and man is no otherwiſe bent to the worſhipping of it (if he may hauehave it and ſee it) then he is bent to fornication in the companie of a ſtrumpet. For allPag. 46. man given to luſt to ſitt downe by an harlot is to tempte God. ſo the ſetting vp of an image in the Church, and the ſitting of people by it, is in this proanes of mans nature nothing better then a temptation to idolatrie. Nowe if any will ſay (ſayth this Homilie) that this ſimilitude proveth nothing, yet lett Gods worde, out of which it is taken, prove ſome thing with them. Doth not the word of God call idolatie fornicatiō? doth it not call a paynted Image, a ſtrumpet with a paynted face? be not the ſpirituall wickedneſſes of an Idolls inticing like the flatterie of a wanton harlot? be not men and women as proane to ſpirituall fornication as to carnall? It muſt needes followe therefore that as it is the duetie of the godliemmPag. 48. Magiſtrate, lovinge honeſtie and hating whoredome, to moove all ſtrumpettes, eſpecially out of places notoriouſlie ſuſpected or reſorted vntounto by naughtie packes, ſo after the example of the godly Kinges Hezechias and Ioſias, to drive away all ſpirituall harlottes (I meane Idolles and Images) ſpeciallie out of ſuſpected places, Churches and Temples, which are daungerous for idolatrie to bee committed vntounto images, when they are placed in them. Damaſcene hath theſe wordes of the holy Sacrament,nnDamaſ. de orthodoxfid. cap. 14. Let vsus goe to it with ardent deſire, vt & oculis & labijs & frontibus impoſitis divini carbonis participes efficiamur. Nowe, as a good ſigne ordayned by God is a fiery coale to inkindle love, when the ſenſes are ſtricken by it: ſo a ſigne evill ordayned by man (ſuch as is the ſigne of the croſſe) and an harlot (ſuch as is every image elſe) is not onelyonly a coale to heate, but alſo a fire to enflame with luſt, as it is in the Comoedie, accede ad ignem hunc, caleſces plus ſatis. The fourth reaſon, is drawne from the inveterate love which men commonly beare vntounto their old cuſtomes: ſo that the people having heretofore honoured images (and the croſſe is an image that hath ben honoured) they will never bee wayned from them: as long as they hauehave them they will honour them. This wee ſee in the Iewes (ſaith theooPag. 2. p. 13.14. homilie) they hauehave bene ſo long envred to the rites and ceremonies that nowe they cannot tell howe to leaue them: which if God aboliſhed to take all occaſion from them, then how much more ought all Images to bee aboliſhed which are no ordinances of the Lord but deuiſes of man brought in thor…ugh blinde zeale and deuotion? Here let me turne to our Oppoſites a little: who thinke there is no neede to ſuffer in the cauſe of the Ceremonies againſt papiſtes as yet: Firſt the doctrineppPa. 2. p. 8. of the homilie is, we muſt follow the example of the auncient Fathers by name of Epiphanius, who remoued euerie Image out of the church aſſoone as they ſpied it, becauſe though yet they were not worſhipped, yet they were likelie in time to breed luſt & concupiſcence to Idolatrie. Secondly, the doctrine of ourqqIbid. p. 13 church inhibiteth out of Euſchius to keepe an Image indifferētly, that is in a cōtinued ſequence of yeres & times without interruptiō. ſo that by it a mā muſt ſuffer, rather thē ſuffer by his fault cerem. p. 138ſo deeply infected to runne on without interruption as nowe it is purpoſed theſe ſhall doe. The firſtrrPa. 3. p. 27 reaſon of our homilie is drawn frō experience paſt & preſent. we ſee it come to paſſe (ſaith it) that the Chriſtians entertayning the rites and ceremonies of the heathē, fell to the heathens idolatrie alſo: whichssPa. 2. p. 19 Serenus foreſeeing, threw all Images out of the church: which courſe if it had ben purſued, all idolatrie had ben overthrowne whereas their ſuffering in the church by Gregories meanes who commanded them to ſtand, though ne forbad them to be worſhipped, inſnared both the Weſt and the Eaſt in a publique adoring of them, & that by lawe: as when Gregorie and Leo the third made a decree in the Weſt, Irene the Empreſſe a lawe in the Eaſt they ſhould be worſhipped. Hereby came to paſſe which Serenus feared, and Gregorie the firſt forbad in vayne; ſo that indeed it is impoſſible any long time to hauehave images in publique churches & in temples without idolatrie: as by the ſpace of litle more then one hundred yeeres, betwixt Gregorie the 1. forbidding their worſhipp, and Gregorie, Paule and Leo the 3. cōmaunding their worſhippe, moſt evidently appeareth. All this being common to the croſſe, condemne we it rather then our owne church which thusttPa. 3. p. 4… adviſeth: It is trulie ſaid, the tymes paſt are ſchoolmaiſters of wiſedome to vsus that followe and live after. Let vsus therefore of theſe latter dayes learne this leſſon from experience of auncient antiquitie, that Idolatrie cannot poſſiblie bee ſeparated frō church images, but is an vnſeperable accident to them: as a ſhaddowe followeth the body when the ſunne ſhineth, ſo idolatrie followeth the having of images in the church. Finallie, as idolatrie is to be abhorred, ſo are images (which cannot be long without idolatrie) to be put away and deſtroyed.

#Sect. 2. Three replyes againſt the evidences of the Croſſes Concupiſcence.

AGAINST theſe evidences of the croſſes concupiſcence, there are three things replyed. Firſt, that the materiall croſſes onelyonly tempte, like Idolls and Images, and not the aereall, which nowe we call the ſigne of the croſſe. We anſwer, It hath been proved, that the croſſe aereall is an Image and an Idoll, aſwell as the materiall: and in ſome reſpectes farre worſe. and all the reaſons whereby our Homilie throweth other Images out of the Church to prevent their tempting, beat directly againſt this Croſſe. Firſt (aaHomil ag peril of Idolat pag. 3. pag. 13. ſayth it) the Image is in the church a tempter, becauſe it hath heretofore been worſhipped: and the aereall ſigne of the croſſe hath been worſhipped, yea even adored with higher honour then any other repreſentation of Chriſt materiall. Secondly, the Image cannot be placed in the Church without daunger of tempting, becauſe though we worſhippe him not, yet is he worſhipped in ſundrie places nowe in our tyme: ſo is this aereall croſſe. What if he were not? For ſeeing the Homilie caſteth out of the Church of God not onelyonly that which maketh love vntounto it ſelfe, but alſo that which maketh love to other things which it doeth countenance, the ſigne of the Croſſe muſt needs be caſhired, becauſe though it tempt not to ſuperſtition towardes it ſelf, yet doth it towards the Idolls of croſſes materiall, whom it reſembleth vntounto the people, & graceth before them. The third reaſon of the homilie, proveth the image in the church to be a tempter, in reſpect of time to come: ſuperſtitiō being an inſeperable accidēt to the image that is in the church; ſo that though the croſſe aereal for the preſent did not tempt, yet there is daūger he wil ſturre & raiſe concupiſcence in time to come Secondly, our Oppoſites themſelves will graunt that the aereall croſſe partaketh of the inwarde idolatrie as well as the materiall doth: p. 139we ſay it doth more for that vertue, yea admirable vertue which thebbBellarmin de effect. ſacra. c. 31. papiſtes repoſe in it ad producendos effectus ſpirituales: and for that ſpecial helpe it hath againſt the Divell, of which one thus,ccIoh. Molan. de decalog. ca 4. concluſ. 3. Nota. 19. ea adhibenda ſunt remedia quae adverſus Daemonum illuſiones, vexationeſ que eccleſiaſtica ſanxit authoritas, vſuſ que firmavit, vti ſunt ſignum Crucis, aqua benedicta. &c. It being ſo, they muſt needes graunt likewiſe, that it hath a power and vertue, to rayſe concupiſcence towards inward idolatrie: which is it ſmall?ddConfeſſ. Eccleſ. Mansfel. ap. Conra. Schluilelba tom. 13. p. 558. cum per Ceremonias Diabolus arcetur & quotidiani lapſus eluuntur vt docet agmen Pontificium, tum verò in pernicioſam idololatriam vertuntur, quā Deus prohibuit, as one of the forraigne Churches teacheth. I needed not gone over the ſeas for this, our owne Church at home doetheeHomil pa 3. pag 98. teach vsus, that Idolatrie chieflie conſiſteth in the minde: and inffIbid p. 109 perticular it telleth vsus, that to aſcribe a power of ſupernaturall effectes to any creature (as the papiſtes doe to this ſigne) is ſuch an Idolatrie, as may not be tollerated. yeaggD. Bilſ. ag Apolog. p. 4 p. 344.345. our Oppoſites them ſelves are very large in their invectives againſt the idoll of the heart, whē only God is not ſerved as he ſhould, how much more thē ſhould they inveigh againſt this ſigne, which doth not only raiſe idolatrous fancies of God, through conceaving & worſhipping of him beſides his worde, but alſo ſturre vp idolatrous thoughtes & cogitations towards it ſelfe: for which cauſe, if not in it then in nothing, ishhAuguſt. de verb. dom ſecun. Math. ſerm. 6. Auguſtines counſell to be followed, prius id agamus vt Idola in eorum cordibus confringamus. Thirdly, the effectes of the croſſe aereall bewray that he is a tempter: which in the people (not wel reformed from their old cuſtomes) are the ſame whichllIoh. Reynold de Idolotat. lib 2. ca. 3. lect 26. & 68. our writers vſe to bring to prove the idolatry of the pagans towards their images & their idolls. The Tyrians bewrayed, they thought to hauehave helpe by the image of Apollo whē they bound it faſt with chaines to keepe it faſt & ſure to their citie againſt Alexāder who thē beſieged it. The Athenians bewrayed the like when they made an image to Victoria without winges to the end ſhe ſhould not flie away from them. And the Sicilians when they cōplayned they had now no God in their cities to flie vntounto, becauſe Verres had takē away their Images. If the popiſhly addicted within this realme ar not in like feare to looſe the power & preſence of Ch. vponupon the loſſe of this ſigne, then are we gulled, not only by our owne experiēce, but alſo by the prudence of our Reverend Fathers which hath reſolved that it cannot be removed without a miſchief: for that the people will not miſſe it nor by any meanes leaue it: which if it be true, then even in their own cōfeſſion they chayne it faſt with the Tyrians, clippe the winges of it from flying away with the Athenians, & cōplaine with the men of Sicilie in caſe it be taken from them againſt their wills. The ſecond replie to the premiſſes is, that ſeeing they that be wiſe vſe the ſigne of the croſſe well inough, it is indifferent, & ſo at the Magiſtrates pleaſure whether he wil remoue it or no. eſpecially for the ſake of a few who are not to be regarded by him. To this ourmmHomil. vb. ſub pa. 3. p. 13. homily firſt replyeth, that if it doth hurt to anie it muſt be remooved: that though a man receaue no hurt by it him ſelf, yet that he muſt forbeare & remove it for other mens ſakes, as Paul cōmandeth 1. Cor. 8. the Magiſtrate him ſelfe not being excepted: touching whom itnnIbid. 61. demandeth, The good K. Hezechias did know wel inough that the brazen ſerpent was but a dead image, therfore him ſelf tooke no hurt thereby through idolatrie to it: did he therefore let it ſtand, becauſe himſelf tooke no hurt thereof? and laſt of all, that there is daunger to the moſt wiſe by every idoll and by everie image in the Church: as we ſee inooPag. 50. Salomon him ſelfe the wiſeſt. Wherevpon it is thus concluded, It is better ppPag. 51.even for the wiſeſt to regarde this warning: He that loveth daunger, ſhall periſh therein, and let him that ſtandeth beware leaſt he fall. rather then wittinglie and willinglie to laye a ſtumbling blocke for his owne feet and others. The third replye to the premiſſes is, that though the ſigne of the croſſe be a tempter, yet the cōcupiſcence to which he tempteth may be prevēted by other meanes, as by preaching, & by the autho. of the Magiſtrate. p. 140Firſt, this courſe is no other then that which Antich. doth preſcribe, as doeth appeare by theqqConcil. Trident. ſeſſ. 25. decret. de imagin. Councell of Trent, although it graunteth it is ſuperſtitiō credere quod inſit in imaginibus aliqua virtus propter quam ſint colendae, yet will it not hauehave them to be removed, but preſcribeth only the pariſh prieſt muſt remove the ſuperſtition, but let alone the images. Secondly, God preſcribeth another courſe: which is to remove all occaſions of Idolatrie and ſuperſtition,rrZanch. de imag. Theſ 3 p. 355. Homil. vb. ſup. p. 1. p. 4. & p. 3. pag. 12. amongſt which the verie having of an image or an idoll in the Church, is one of the chiefeſt. Thirdly, our owne doctrine of our church maketh anſwer to this obiection:ggp. 3. p. 42. affirming that neither the preaching of Biſhops, nor the Decrees of Councells, nor the Lawes of 8. Emperours in the Eaſt could ever remedie the idolatrie or the abuſe of images, when once they were to be had in churches: vponupon the experience whereof, and vponupon many other reaſons which ſhewe thatttIbid. p. 34 35. preaching againſt the abuſe, is inſufficient; it flatly determineth that in the retayning of every Idoll, & of every image in the church, there is a dangeruuIbid p. 7. vnavoydable of ſuperſtition: & that there is not only a difficultie, but alſo anwwpag. 36. impoſſibilitie of any remedie in this behalfe. and ſuch is the firſt way whereby the croſſe tempteth to concupiſcence: to witt, as an image and an idoll, when it is found in the ſervice of God.

#Sect. 3. The ſecond temptation the croſſe giveth, is, that it maketh men to think it is the ſame in our vſe with the popiſh and ſuperſtitious croſſe.

THE ſecond way whereby the ſigne of the croſſe tempteth, is by that ſhewe which he hath to make men thinke he is the ſame in our vſe with the popiſh and with the ſuperſtitious croſſe. Thamars habit whereby ſhee is like a common ſtrumpet to be hired enlureth Iuda, togither with her ſitting in place convient for the ſinne. The croſſe, as vſed in our church, beareth the habit of the harlot, and ſitteth in the very place where the ſpirituall fornication was wont of olde to bee committed. which being alſo an holy place and religious, augmenteth much our ſinne. The Councell forbiddeth any ſacred perſon to be preſent in ſuch places,aaConcil. Agathenſ. …. 39. vbi amatoria cantantur, aut obſcoeni motus corporuns choreis & ſaltationibus efferuntur: ne auditus aut obtutus ſacris myſterijs deputati turpium ſpectaculorum, atque verborū contagione polluantur. Are not the ſenſes deputed to holy ſightes in baptiſme? hauehave not the making of the croſſe and our ſigning the infant with it, therby to receaue him into the church, and to dedicate him to God a greater ſhewe of ſpirituall & the popiſh fornication then the ſight of dauncing hath of the bodily? and hath not this a greater incitment to the one, thē that hath to the other? What that the Councell forbiddeth every tempting ſight and ſpectacle at other times, and in other places, whereas this is propoſed in the tyme of Gods ſervice it ſelf, whereby it offendeth againſt that Canon,bbDecret. p. 2. cauſ. 18. q. 2. c. 6. Miſſas quoque publicas in Coenobijs ſieri omnimodo prohibemus: ne in ſervorum Dei receſsibus & in eorum receptaculis vlla popularis conven tus praebeatur occaſio, vel mulierum fiat illis introitus, quia non expedit animabus corum. And for aſmuch as it is in a ſacrament where this tempter ſitteth to enlure, there may be very well applyed againſt it, what once was ſpoken againſt Severus, ccSynod. 5. Conftantinop. ar. 1impudicitiam muliebrem non dignam divini baptiſmatis introduxit, & ſtare fecit iuxta ſacrum fontem. againe, excaecatus eſt animi oculus, cùm ſtat in ſacrificio ſine ſanguine quod dignis vtile fuit, non illi qui omnem intellectum proijcit in intuitum mulierum; neſciens quod ex ſolo adſpectu peccatum contrahitur iuxta divinam ſcripturam. Secondly, as the ſhewe of our croſſe tempteth like an harlots habit in place convenient, ſo alſo like the paynting of a womans face: who for her ſelfe is honeſt. Now this cannot butddTertul. lib de cult. foe miuar. tentationibus viam aperire & permovere ſcandalum ſaltem in ſpiritu: So that we may ſay of our croſſe, though of her ſelfe ſhe were honeſt and lawfull, what was ſaid againſt ſuch paynting, ſimus & moribus ijſdem, ſi ſuperſicie eadem, Chriſtianae pudicitiae p. 141non ſatis eſt eſſe, verū & videri. In regard of this our ſeeming not to be chaſt, and of this ſhewe of famenes with popiſh vnchaſtitie, we anſwer to thē who ſay the croſſe is indifferent per ſe what was anſwered to the women that did ſtande vponupon the indifferencie of their paynting, omnia licent ſed nō omnia aedificant, facilius illicita timebit qui licita verebitur. Againe, when we are told it is peeviſh to feare a ſcandall by the croſſe, we may wel anſwer, what was to thē likewiſe replied who laughed at choſe who feared ſuch paynting would prove a ſnare, timor fundamentum ſalutis est. praeſumptio impedimentum timoris. qui ſaecurus agit, non poſsidet firmam ſecuritatem, at qui est ſollicitus, is verè poterit eſſe ſaecurus. Laſt of all, when it is ſaide we vſe the croſſe without ſuperſtition, what hindreth to borrowe the anſwer w^ch was given to them when they proteſted in like maner, we vſe our paynting without all concupiſcence of vnchaſtitie, as knoweth the Lorde who knoweth our heartes, probum tamen veſtrum non apparet coram hominibus, that ſo you might be probae etiam alijs both exemplo & testimonio, as ye ought to hauehave been. Thirdly, as the ſigne of the croſſe tempteth like the habit of an harlot, and the paynting of an honeſt woman, ſo alſo like the wanton carriage betweene men and betweene women: an example whereof we hauehave in him who waseeAntonin. Gubert. Coſtam. Poly hiſt. c. 4. cenſured even by the heathen them ſelves for kiſſing his wife before his daughter. who will deny, but that this geſture was lawfull enough, yet becauſe there was a ſhewe and a repreſentation in it which would put ill thoughtes into the minde of a yong & tender Virgin, therefore it was ſcandalous. Nowe a ſhewe there is greater in our croſſing, not of any lawfull action, but of a wanton dalliance.

#sect. 4. The third temptation of the croſſe is by renewing the ſpirituall fornication and popiſh delight which it bred in former times of darknes.

THE third way whereby the ſigne of the croſſe tempteth, is by calling vntounto minde the ſpirituall fornication, and by renewing the popiſh delight which was wont to be taken in it in former times of darknes: for that ſuch a remēbrance is a tempter, and therefore ought to be removed, appeareth clearly by the equitie of Moyſes lawe: of which thus Auguſtine, aaAuguſt. ſup. Levit. ad cap. 19. q. 74.pecora inde credendum est iuſſa interfici, quia tali flagitio contaminata, indignam refricant facti memoriam. Nowe the croſſe rubbeth vp the memorie of croſſe idolatrie both by worde and by deed. We will begin with this latter firſt. Knowe we not that the very expreſſing of the dalliances of adulterie vponupon a ſtage infecteth with thoughtes at leaſt involuntarie, which be forbidden in this commaundement? For we are forbidden by the Apoſtle foreign to any luſt of our former ignorance, to witt, Pet. 1.14.as abbH. Stephā. in Theſau. player is framed and faſhioned to the geſtures and wordes either of drunkenes or of adulterie, when he played them on the ſcaffold of the Theater. In regard hereof the croſſes ſuperſtition being a luſt of former ignorance, we doe ill, as it ſeemeth to expreſſe the faſhioning of it in a ſacrament, a place which is ſuch (in reſpect of provoking to ſpirituall fornicatiō) as is the ſtage in reſpect of the bodily. Remember we here that which Cyprian ſpake once againſt a ſtage playe, etiam ccCypri. epiſtolar. lib. 2.geſtus in. quinat: adulterlum diſcitur etiam cùm auditur. and it is a provocation etiam exprimere impudicam Venerem. You will ſay, we hauehave no purpoſe to make the popiſh croſſe: but ſo the player hath no purpoſe to cōmit the acte of adulterie: his ſinne is in that he geſtureth and expreſſeth the dalliances of it to the polluting of their thoughtes, that heare and behold him. Nowe it will ſeeme very ſtraunge vntounto me, if our geſturing and expreſſing of the croſſes vnchaſt dalliance in the ſacrament of Baptiſme be not graunted to hauehave, even a greater and ſtraunger tempting power then that of a player vponupon a ſtage, ſeeing his ſpectators hauehave a light in them to reſiſt ill thoughtes for that they know the adulterie which he expreſſeth p. 142is a ſinne, which the beholders of the croſſe in baptiſme want, in that they thinke the very popiſh vſe thereof is pious and good. and as for the church it ſelf wherin this geſturing is acted, it tempteth more then a ſtage, becauſe it is the bedd it ſelfe, which alſo adorned with ſpirituall complement, hath a greater force to enlure thē a bedde decked with ornaments of Egypt. to give inſtance but in one: the coūtenance of autho: Pro. 7.16.Prov 7:16the grace which the lawe doth give it, the power that maketh it to ſeeme great before the people, is it a ſmall temptation to them? Sure, as Cyprian ſaid once of the ſtage play when it was by law authorized, the ſame may we now ſay of this ſigne, it is malum publicae authoritatis Lenocinans ad vitia. So by deed our croſſe rubbeth vp the remembrance and the memorie of the auncient croſſe adulterous. Come we nowe to that memorie which it doth renewe by word. Epheſ. 5.3.Eph 5:3for as the very name it ſelfe of the bodily fornicatiō ought not to be heard amongſt the ſaincts, ſo the very name it ſelf of the popiſh adulterie ought to hauehave ben long ſince buried, which our croſſe not only keepeth aboue ground, but alſo on foote. Nullius rei atrocis aut vilis commemoratio melior eſt, quod in facto reijcitur in dicto etiam reijciendum. and ſo by conſequent in geſtu. Againe,ddTertul. li. de ſpectacu vetuſtas horror expreſſa ad imaginem, veritatis actione replicatur, ne ſaeculis tranſcuntibus exoleſcat quod aliquando commiſſum eſt. Nunquam crimen by theſe meanes temporibus obruitur. Nū quam ſcelus oblivione ſepelitur. It cā not be denyed but that our croſſe commemorateth the popiſh croſſe, replicateth in action the popiſh croſſing, continueth the memorie of idolatrie committed to it, ſo that it cannot be forgotten. all which open a windowe to concupiſcence towardes the ſame. In deed what force ſuch commemoration and repreſentation of adulterie hath to open a windowe even to very Sathan him ſelfe, this author ſheweth by the example of a chriſtian womā poſſeſſed at a Theater, Sathā giving this reaſon why at that time he entred in to her, quia invenerat eam in ſuo. No mervayle then, if diverſe be poſſeſſed ſtil with the croſſes ſuperſtitiō, ſith whom he findeth at this replication, commemoratiō, repreſentation of the old popiſh croſsing, he doth (in a maner) finde them in ſuo. OureeR. Hooke li. 5. ca. 65. adverſaries talke how the ſight of the croſſe worketh much by imagination vponupon whoſe cell it beateth. ſpeake they not herein more truely then they be a ware of? For the example of our croſsing throughout the conceyt & apprehenſion of the ſimple is much avaylable to breed in them an imagination, or rather an image of a ſuperſtitious croſſing, ſith affMath. Kelliſon in Survey. in epiſt. to the Kinge. Ieſuit him ſelfe affirmeth of the ſuperiours example in generall, that it effecteth aſmuch in the ſoule as the ſight of Iacobs roddes wrought in his ſheepe which ſawe them. This effect of this imagination is foretold vsus by the Apoſtle, he that ſeeth thee vſing an Idolothious croſſe of Rome, will he not begin to like the better both of Rome her ſelf and of her idolatrie, 1. Cor. 8.101 Cor 8:10and of her idoll of the croſſe by their example? When the concubine of Pope Nicholas▪ had brought forth a childe like a beare, his ſucceſſor Martine, who entertayned the ſame concubine, commaunded the armes of theggIoh. Criſpin. Chronolog. in Martin. 4. Vrſini to be razed out, becauſe the ſight of a Beare in them had bred thorough her imagination (as he ſuppoſed) this monſter. So we muſt away with all the armes and badges of poperie, elſe the ſight of them wil bring forth popiſh monſters againe in the mindes of the ſimple, in whoſe infected imagination, what will not our example doe?

#Sect. 5. The croſſe tempteth alike to ſpirituall fornication as the preſence of a woman to bodily fornication.

FIftly, the croſſe tempteth to a concupiſcence of a ſpirituall fornication, as the ſcandalous preſence of a woman (otherwiſe honeſt) tempteth to the bodilie.aaGualt. in Math. 5.Matt 5 Spurina, perceaving that many women were tempted to luſt at the viewe of his beautie, mangled and deformed his face: which needed not, ſith he might hauehave p. 143forborne their cōpanie. or if he had any neceſſarie buſineſſe with them, the fault was theirs not his. Indeed without neceſſarie buſines, for him to hauehave preſented him ſelfe before them, or for a beautifull woman now to preſent her ſelfe before thoſe who are in louelove with her, it is no leſſe then a ſcandalum datum, as the ſchoolebbSumma. Silueſtri…s. in verb. ſcandal. Divines determine. TheccConcil. Turonic. 2 cap. 14. Councells alſo are of the ſame iudgement, which forbid, that if a Biſhop hauehave no wife of his owne, that then no women ſhal be in his houſe vponupon this reaſon, becauſe in ſuch caſe there is no neceſſarie buſines for any woman in his houſe. alſo they forbid vntounto Clerikes,ddCap. 10. Nullus deinceps Clericorū pro occaſione neceſsitatis faciendae veſtis aut cauſa ordinandae domus extraneam mulierem in domo ſua habere praeſumat vponupon this reaſon, becauſe nihil opus eſt in domo ſerpentem includere pro veste. TheeeDecret pa 1. diſtinct. 23. cap. 3. Canon lawe thinketh the ſame, which preſcribeth to the Clerickes, Ne ſpectaculis & pompis interſint: vt convivia publica fugiant: as alſo Viduarum & Virginum frequentationē. The Fathers walke in the ſame ſpirit, amongſt whom thus Hierome, ffHieron. ad Neporian. & alibi vid diſtinct. 32 cap. 17.Hoſpitiolum tuum aut raro aut nunquam mulierum pedes terant, quia non poteſt toto corde cum Deo habitare, qui foeminarum acceſsibus co pulatur. Foemina conſcientiam ſecum paritur habitantis exurit nunquam de formis multerum diſputes: foeminae nomen tuum noverint, vultum neſciant: foeminam quam benè videris converſantem mente dilige, non corporali preſentia. The practize of the church hath ben anſwerable: for vponupon this cauſe in auncient time (asggDurant. de rit. lib. 2 ca 54. ſect. vlt. Amala. de Eccleſiaſtic. offic. lib. 3. ca. 32 Amalarius teſtifieth) men and women were ſevered in the church non ſolum ab oſculo carnali, ſed etiam ſitu locali: ne hhCyril. in prefat. Catecheſ.ſalutis ſtudium eſſet occaſio perditionis. Thus Aagustine, mmAuguſt. ad pſal. 50.M…lier longe, libido prope. Further yet, The TurkeiſhnnIoachim. Vadian. women when they come abroad, caſt a vayle over their faces. a cuſtome and faſhion vſed by them, becauſe the light of nature tells them, that the ſcandall which vſeth to come by ſight it ſelfe, is by every convenient meane to be prevented. As the cuſtome of Turkey hath made this vayle of the women a meane convenient to prevent ſcandall, ſo alſo the cuſtome of the church ofooBeat. Rhenan. in Tertul de veland. virgin. Carthage made the vayle of the Virgine when ſhee came abroad to church a meane convenient in that place for the very ſame purpoſe. Apply this to the croſſe we may well: he is beautiful in the eyes of the popiſhly addicted he hath no neceſſarie buſines that he ſhould be preſented to them: pretended neceſſitie ſuch as was [pro veste] mentioned before will not diſpence for the nouriſhing of ſuch a ſerpent, therefore the people muſt be ſevered from him and from the Surplice. And the like after the example of Amalarius his dayes, & the croſſe it ſelfe muſt be ſeperated from them by every meane, whether generally commaunded ſuch as the equitie of deſtroying Canaans monuments doth preſcribe, or particularly convenient ſuch as the proportion of the Turkeiſh and Carthage vayle enioyneth to vsus. We are not ignorant we ſhall be hated as too pure & peeviſh for this doctrine, but ſo at Carthage they were hated as too preciſe who came with a vayle into the church. Turtullian would take part withppTertul. de Veland. Virgin. vsus now, as then he tooke part with them. For theſe reaſons of his, non de integra conſcientia venit ſtudium placendi per decorem, quem naturaliter invitatorem libidinis ſcimus ipſa concupiſcentia non latendi non eſt pudica. patitur aliquid quod virginis non eſt ſtudium placendi viris. &c. may be thus applyed to the croſſe we thinke we cannot with a good cō ſcience deſire to pleaſe the ſimple people with the ſight of the croſſes ſeemelines: which we knowe by tryed experience inciteth vſually to a popiſh humor in thē: and our ſerving of God ſuffereth ſome thing as we ſuppoſe which is not chaſte, when it vnvayleth before their eyes a tempter to vnchaſtitie. To the ſame effecte may be applyed what he hath elſewhere,qqTertul. de cult. Faeminar. ſancta foemina ſit naturaliter ſpecioſa, non adeo ſit occaſioni: certe ſi fuerit non ignorare ſed etiam impedi…e ſe debet. by proportion from whence ſhould we not ſtaye & hinder the croſſe from that occaſion which he giveth of ſuperſtition. But this is denyed which though it be a matter of fact, and therefore may be ſufficiently proved by experience, yet let me reaſon with p. 144the ſame Tertullian. When it was ſaid to him, the ſtage-playes were no accaſions of evill, he prooved it thus:rrIdem de ſpectacul. Nemo ad voluptatem venit ſine affectu: nemo affectum ſine caſibus ſuis patitur: vbi voluptas ibi ſtudium, per quod ſcilicet voluptas ſapit. The ſame reaſon may we vſe nowe. the popiſhly minded take more pleaſure and delight in the croſſe of Baptiſme, then the well inſtructed doe, therefore they louelove it with an other louelove, and bare a deare affection towardes it of another kinde, which doeth not want his popiſh paſſions, howe elſe could this delight of theirs be ſavourie to them if they had not a monethes minde to that, wherein they doe delight ſo much? But what if the ſigne of the croſſe doe not breed in men the ill thoughtes of popiſhe concupiſcence, doeth he not ſatisfie this commaundement, vnleſſe he fill the ſoules of men with thoughtes of louelove ſpirituall. This doe all the ceremonies which God hath ordayned. who, becauſe he hath not ſanctified to ſo good a worke this ſigne, therefore we may boldly thusssIdem ibid conclude of it, An Chriſtianus cogitabit de Deo poſitus illic vbi nihilest de Deo? avertat Deus à ſuis, tantam voluptatis exitioſam Cupiditatem.

AMEN. S. D. C.