Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 25

Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies · Part · Chapter 1 · Section 25

p. 37Sect. 25. THirdly, there is no Idolatry Cananitiſh, Paganiſh, Iewiſh, or what els ſoeuer, againſt which the equitie of this law, is more lyable, then againſt the Idolatry popiſh, ſo farre is it, that her reliques may bee better ſpared then theirs. For what is there written literally againſt Paganiſh Idolatry in the olde Teſtament, which is not Anagogically applied by theaaHieron. in Abac. 2. & Amos 5.6. & 8. Hoſ. 11. & 12. Zanch. 13. Lyran. in deu. 7. vid. Conrad. Lutzenburg. & Greg. Mardiſcour. c. 3. fol. 29.Hab 2Amos 5:6Amos 5:8Hos 11 Fathers againſt the hereſies of the new, of which (we know) the popiſh is the greateſt? Nay it is the common diuinitie of all ages, that hereſie in pretended Chriſtians, is farrebbHieron. in Hoſ. ca 4. Auguſt. de bapt. cont. Donatiſ… lib. 6. c. vir. Tho. Aquin. 2.…. q. 10. art. 6 worſe then any Idolatry of open Pagans. As for the hereſie of moderne popery in particular, we find it deſcribed through the Scripture, as the quinteſſenſe of all paganiſme, ſo that the ſecond beaſt of Rome ouertopt by the Papacie, that rideth on it, is araigned and found guiltie of11Apoc. 17. 1.2, 3, &c.Rev 17:1Rev 17:2Rev 17:3 more whoredome and blaſphemie, more ſpirituall drunkennes and tyrannie finally of more abhomination, then the firſt of22Apoc. 13. 1.2.3. &c.Rev 13:1Rev 13:2Rev 13:3 Rome. Paganiſh when the papacy did not rule it. And becauſe we are in a compariſon of the old Idolatry of the Cananites and other Pagans that were before the comming of Chriſt: as Rome for her Empire33Apoc. 13.2Rev 13:2 quartereth her Schutchion with the Lyon of Aſſyria, the Beare of Perſia, the Leopard of Macedonia, and with the vncouth ten horned beaſt of Syria and Aegypt, as if all the wickedneſſe of all the enemies of the Church were to the full transfuſed into her; ſo for her papacie ſhe is ſtiled44Apoc. 11.8Rev 11:8 Sodom, Aegypt, Babilon, with the like, as if ſhe were (as indeed ſhe is) the very Sea that receiueth into her channell all the filthines of all Pagans that were before. Neither is there Cananite, Moabite, Philiſtine, or any other, to whom the Papiſts are not equall. For it is to theſe Gentiles and heatheniſh nations, to which the ſpirit doth allude when hee calleth Papiſts by the name of55Apo. 11.2 Gentiles & heathen men; that treade downe with their feet the out court of the Temple, that66Apo. 20.9 compaſſe about the tents of the Saints. Finally that77Apoc. 19.15.Rev 19:15 fight againſt Chriſtes Church, for which he ſmiteth them with the ſword of his mouth, and breaketh them with his yron ſcepter. And as the Papiſts are in equipage with former Pagans ſo likewiſe with all moderne aliens, the Turke himſelfe being not excepted who is looſed88Apoc. 9.13.14.15Rev 9:13Rev 9:14Rev 9:15 from the Eaſt to puniſh them, and is not halfe ſo much aymed at in the booke of Gods Counſels (which the Lambe hath vnſealed to Iohn) as they are aymed at. No merucile,ccCypri. de ſimplicit. praelator. Plus metueudus & cauendus eſt inimicus (ſaith Cyprian) cum latenter obrepit, ea eſt Diaboli aſtucia, vt ſub ipſo Chriſtiani nominis, titulo, fallat p. 38in cautos. It is the Pope that is the Antichriſt, euen by our owneddDoct. Bilſ. cont. Apolog. p. tot. confeſſion. It is the Pope that is the992. Theſ. 2.4.2 Thess 2:4 aduerſary of God. He is alſo the11Apoc. 9.11Rev 9:11 Apolluon the deſtroyer. Yea the22Apoc. 13.11.Rev 13:11 dragon tongued beaſt, The man of ſinne, the child of perdition; the whore of Babell, the33Apoc. 17.5.Rev 17:5 mother of fornication and of all abhomination through the earth. This conſidered, what meaneth our torpor? what our frozen coldneſſe in zeale? wee may not (forſooth) bee ſo forward againſt the Papiſt, as the godly hauehave bene before vsus againſt the Pagans. Oh ſpeech vnworthy, becauſe making our ſelues vnworthy to be in the number of thoſe faithful and bleſſed inſtruments, who ſhall be called by the Lord, to bee the men that ſhall burne the very fleſh it ſelfe of the44Apoc. 27.16. harlot with fire; that ſo no footſtep, no remnant, no relique of her may remaine. Goe ye55Apoc. 18.21.Rev 18:21 Angels and bleſſed ſpirits, and (without vsus) throw ye Babell like of ſtone into the bottome of the ſea. Goe yee66Apoc. 19.17.Rev 19:17 foules of the ayre, and ye beaſts of the field, and (without vsus) deuoure and ſwallow the fleſh of her ſouldiers, and leaue not ſo much as a Iezabels skull behind. Go yee77Apoc. 18.20.Rev 18:20 Heauens Apoſtles, Prophets, and yee the Saints of the liuing God, and (without vsus) reioyce in her ruine. Yea, Goe ye88Apoc. 17.14. & 19.14.11.Rev 17:14Rev 19:14Rev 19:11 warryers faithfull and choſen, and (without vsus) fight vnderunder your glorious Captaine againſt her, and make your ſwords drunken with the blood of her ſlaine. While you are labouring, that neuer99Apoc. 18.23.Rev 18:23 candell ſhine in her againe, we muſt nouriſh her ſparcles leaſt her light bee quite extinguiſhed. While you cleanſe and rince your garments from her pollution, and put on linnen11Apoc. 19.14.Rev 19:14 pure & white, to war againſt her, we muſt buy of her Marchandize, and of the22Apoc. 18.12.Rev 18:12 linnen which ſhe ſelleth to the nations, while you like Sampſons ſtirre your ſelues, and ſhoute againſt the beaſt of Rome, (as againſt the greateſt enemie, that euer our good Ieſus had vponupon the earth) wee muſt let our weapons downe, and hang downe our hands, and coole our zeale. Yea ſound for Parlé, and thinke vponupon conditions of peace. More then this, we muſt euen turne our weapons againſt our owne brethren (who are our own bowels) as if they were worſe then Papiſts, and in fauour of Chriſtes enemies, become enemies vntounto the faithfull ſouldiers of Chriſt; we muſt take the crownes of our Martyrs and ſurrender them toeeParſon. in conuerſ. of Engl. p. 2. cap. 2. Parſons, as if they were not as bleſſed33Apoc. 14.13.Rev 14:13 now, who die in theſe dayes againſt Rome Popiſh, as they who died in older time againſt Rome Paganiſh. We muſt repeale our Act of Parliament, which findethffHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3. Paganiſime it ſelfe in poperie; wee muſt yeeld, and giuegive vp the very auncients of our army, & breake theirggIoh. Reynold. de Idolat. li. 2. ca. 3. ſect. 3.4.6.13.16 17.67. &c. Mat. Sutcliu. in Turc. papiſm. cum reliquis. golden pennes in peeces, who hauehave taught that the Images of God in poperie are as vile Idols, as the Images of the Pagans were; and that their worſhipping in the papacy is as abhominable, as the Pagan adoration. But what is the worſt that can bee ſaid of Turkes and Pagans? I trow this, that they ſerued deuils. And is not44Apo. 18.2 Rome an habitation, and cage of deuils? The factors of Rome, the55Apoc. 16.14.Rev 16:14 ſpirits of deuils? The66Apo. 9.20 Idols of Rome, euen deuils themſelues? This bringeth vsus home to the Croſſe & Surplice which being Idols of theirs,hhAuguſt. de tempor. ſerm. 241. are no otherwiſe to be thought of, thē we thinke of the deuill himſelfe. When the Corinthian thought it a thing indifferent to eate of the Idolothite, what (ſaith771. Cor. 10 21.1 Cor 10:21 Paul) call you that indifferent, which maketh you partake with deuils? The ſame may be ſayd of the Croſſe and Surplice, not onelyonly by vertue of the former text, which calleth them deuils (as they are vſed in poperie:) but alſo by ourllGault. Architip. in 1. cor. 10. Ioh. Reyn. de Idolola. li. 2. ca. 3. ſect 44. writers verdict, who giuegive good reaſon the diuill is worſhipped in popiſh Idols aſwell as in Paganiſh. As for the Croſſe, doth notmmAmbroſ. de obit. Theodoſ Ambroſe directly ſay, the adoring of it is a paganiſh error? I conclude with one of our writers.nnBulling. de orig. error. li. 1. cap. 36. Cum paromnino cultus ratio vtriuſ que gentis ſit, conſequens eſt omnia quae contra deos & Idola gentium, pronuntiata ſunt, à ſanctis etiam contra noſtros diuos, corum que imagines eſſe pronuntiata, & Idololatriam hanc, nobis non minus perſequendam eſſe, quam ſui ſaeculi Idololatriam, maiores noſtri perſecuti ſunt.