Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part 2 · Chapter 7
The Adulterie of the Croſſe. Chap. 7.
THough the ſigne of the Croſſe may ſeeme to be free from the ſinne of adulterie, yet being tryed by the ſeaventh commaundment, Rom. 1.24.he will be found guiltie for that occaſion which it contayneth of vncleannes. Firſt it occaſioneth adulterie, Apoc. 9.20.in that it is an abhominable Idoll: it being a iuſt thing with the Lord to puniſhe the ſpirituall adulterie of the ſoule, by giving the Idolaters over to defile their owne bodies the Idolaters of the ſixt trumpet by name (which are the Idolaters of the croſſe) ſo farre to defile them, Apoc. 11.8.till Rome become as an Aegypt for the ſpirituall, ſo a Sodome for the bodilie fornication. Secondly, ſuppoſe the croſſe were no Idoll, an Idolothite it muſt needes be, becauſe it pertaketh of that definition which the Ieſuites deliuer,aRhem. in annot. in Apoc. 2. ſect. 8. Though the creature be good by creation, yet doeth it become an Idolothite, and is made execrable, by the prophane bleſsings of heretiques & of Idolaters. Now God giveth over to adulterie, not onelyonly for the Idolls ſake, but alſo for the Idolothites, as doeth appeare by two examples. The firſt is of the Iſraelites, who being preſented with daintiebIoſephus Antiquit. lib. 4. c. 6. diſhes, that had been conſecrate to Baall Peor, and not refrayning but eating of them, were left by the Lord to commit vncleannes with Moabs virgins, who brought theſe Idolothites to them. The other example is of the Nicholaitans, num. 25.21 Apoc. 2.14.20.21.who defiling them ſelues with meates Idolotious, were likewiſe by the Lord relinquiſhed to like vncleannes. Thirdly, the verie monument of Idolatrie not deteſted nor aboliſhed in the ſervice of God, is curſed by him, for that honour which it giveth to forraigne Idolatrie, and for that occaſion which is in it to home ſuperſtition both for the preſent and for the time that is to come: even as the doctrine of our own church teacheth, which is cōfirmed by act of Parliament: To throw out Images though vnworſhipped out of the church (in whoſe ranke we moſt worthely repoſe the croſſe) it reaſoneth thus:cHomil. ag. peril of idolat. p. 1. p. 16. Vſuallie ſpirituall and carnall fornication go together. Againe,dIbid. p. 3…. p. 21. it is verie agreeable (as Paule teacheth) that they which fall to idolatrie, which is ſpirituall fornication, ſhould alſo fall into carnall fornication, by the iuſt iudgement of God, delivering them over to abhominable concupiſcence. Againe, the Image retayned in the church, hath annexed vntounto it (as aneIbid. p. 3. p. 44. accident inſeparable) anfIbid. p. 7. vnavoydable daunger of idolatrie: as thegpag. 44. image came vntounto vsus from the Gentiles which were idolaters: and as the invention of them was the beginning of ſpirituall fornication, ſo will they naturally (as it were) and of neceſſitie, turne to the origen from whence they came, and moſt violently drawe vsus with them to idolatrie. Thus, many wayes doeth the Croſſe occaſion the fornication of the body, as a iuſt deſerved plague of the adulterie of the ſoule, which he committeth as he is an Idoll: with which he partaketh as he is an Idolothite: and which he occaſioneth as he is a monument of Idolatrie. Survey the continuall execution of this plague from time to time. Firſt, whereas the papiſtes makehIo. Beleth. de divin. offic. cap. 151. Heraclius the authour of their Idolatrie which they commit in the feaſt of the Croſſes exaltation (although we might proove he adored it not as they doe nowe) yet omitting this defence we only will them to conſider, how little cauſe they hauehave to boaſt of him, ſeeing the Lord did giuegive him over to commit inceſt by the marriage of his Neece: and further puniſhed him with ſolSigon. de reg. Ital. li. 2. an. 629. Genebrad. Chronol. lib. 3. An. 616. ſtraunge a diſeaſe; as that when ſoever he vttered his vrine, it ſprinckled his face if a table had not been placed about his navell to drive it backe. Secondly, who are the greateſt croſſe coyners of chriſtendome, but the Popes, whoſe open and impious tolleration of the ſtewes (mMat. Surclin. in Tur co papiſm. 3000: Romane harlotts being at one time enrolled in the exchequor booke of Paule the third, that payed yeerely tribute to him) ſheweth how vncleane they are in body, to omit perticulars, as the famous Marozia of Sergius: the Mathildis of Gregorie the ſeaventh, the Lucretia of Alexander the ſixth: the Magdalena of Leo the tenth: the Conſtantia of Paule the third (the three laſt of whom were owne daughters or ſiſters: and that which I am aſhamed to ſpeake of the Riarius of Sixtus the fourth: the Germanus of Iulius the ſecond: the Hippolitus of Leo the tenth: and (laſt of all) Innocentius de Monte, who was the Ganymed of Iulius the third. Thirdly, who are the greateſt Croſſmongers of Chriſtendome, but the inhabitantes of the Monaſteries? who what they were for vncleannes bodily, ſome of their owne doe witnes: who report of their Cells, that they are becomenSynod. Aquiſgran. de ordin. rectotum. c. 12. Aliacus de reformat. eccleſ. c. 4. F. Pie. Mirandul in epiſtol. ad Leon. 1…. meere ſtewes? Fourthly, who are the chiefe champions for the Croſſe, but they that write for it? of whom Bellarmine belcheth forth his bodily filthines,oBellar. de Monach. lib. 2. c. 34 Eſt maius malum ſic nubere quam fornicari: ſpeaking of a Votarie vnable to contayne. Martiall was a ſpeciall writer for the Croſſe: Nowe he, when he was VſherpCalfh. ag. Mart. art. 5 fol. 129. of Winceſter, cauſed the boyes to know that, which Maiſter Hide ſcholemaiſter there ſeverly puniſhed. In Queene Maries raigne, one being taken in adulterie in red croſſe ſtreete in London, made this excuſe when his friendes chodde with him,qIdem Art. 8. fol. 156 Yet I thanke God I am a good Catholique, I thinke well of the Sacrament of the Altar. whoſe wayes I would fewer followed nowe a dayes: who amiddeſt all enormitie of life, ſmoth vp their cōſciences with this comfort, Yet I thanke God, I am no puritan, I liue in order and obey the lawes: For other examples of the croſſes vnchaſtitie, I referre my ſelfe to one of ourtCalfh. Ibi. writers, who doeth mention them.