The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 1
That man knowing Idolatrie and ſuperſtition, ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the ſame. Chap. 1.
WE hauehave before declared, that the greateſt Folly wherewith man is poſſeſſed, is the offending of God. And contrariwiſe, that the beginning of all knowledge & wiſedome reſteth in walking in his louelove, feare, and obedience. Alſo, that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly, namely, to offend God, ſo we ought by amending our liues, heereafter to become more wiſe and better aduiſed. Now are we more particularly to vnderſtand, Wherein we are principally to amend. The firſt point therefore to be intreated of, conſiſteth in this, That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth, ought to renounce all Idolatrie, & in no wiſe to participate in the ſame. Many there are, who with their bodies aſsiſting at Idolatrie and ſuperſtition, do neuertheleſſe maintaine, that they deſerue not to be reproued, becauſe they diſallow the ſame in their hearts. Theſe men ſhould remember, that ſith Chriſt ſuffered both in body & ſoule for the redemption both of our bodies and ſoules, reaſon would that wee likewiſe ſhould glorifie him, as Saint Paul ſaith, both in our bodies & ſouls, which are his. And in deed, inaſmuch as man conſiſteth both of bodie and ſoule, we are to cleanſe both bodie and ſoule of all pollution, that we may, as Saint Paul admoniſheth, fulfill our ſanctification.1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a moſt ſacrilegious and intollerable diuiſion, to giuegive ouer our bodies to the ſeruice of the deuill, when we ſay that we reſerue our ſoules to God. Will the worſt husband among men bee content, that his wiſe proſtituting her bodie to whoredoome, ſhall ſaie for excuſe, that ſhe reſerueth her heart for him? S. Paule ſaith, our bodies are Chriſtes members, and that applying them to whoredome, we take them from the body of Chriſt, & make them the members of an harlot. But the holy Ghoſt calleth Idolatrie whoredome: he therefore that with his bodie aſsiſteth at Idolatry, diſmembreth himſelfe from Ieſus Chriſt,1. Cor. 6 and maketh himſelfe a member of the Idoll.
2 In this conſideration doth the Apoſtle exhort the Corinthians, to flie from Idolatrie: and leaſt they ſhould reply as theſe men do, ſaying: We diſallow it in our hearts: we know that the Idoll is nothing: 1. Cor. 10he addeth, I ſpeake as vntounto thoſe that hauehave knowledge, not to the ignorant. Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment, & the feeling of their owne conſciences by the vſe of the ſupper. For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine, hauehave a participation in Chriſt, and are made his members, ſo they that be aſsiſtants in the ſacrifice of the Idols, and doo eate of that that is ſacrificed vntounto them, are made partakers of the Idols, euen of the deuil, as he expreſly ſaith, becauſe that which is ſacrificed to Idols, is ſacrificed to the deuill. But (ſaith he afterward) yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of deuils: yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of deuils. And to the end to preuent all replication, he addeth, Do we prouoke the Lord to anger? Are we ſtronger than he? And this he ſaith, to ſhew vsus that notwithſtanding whatſoeuer we aledge, that we do not apply our harts therto, or that we know that the Idol is nothing, yet in that we aſsiſt with our bodies, we prouoke the wrath and indignation of God, we leuie warre againſt him, euen a woful warre to vsus, becauſe God being ſtronger than we, wil ouercome vsus. Spake not the ſame Apoſtle to thoſe that had knowledge of the truth, when hee ſayde, Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels, 2. Cor. 6for what fellowſhip hath righteouſnes with vnrighteouſnes? And what communion hath light with darknes? what concord hath Chriſt with Beliall, or what parte hath the beleeuer with the Infidell? VVhat agreement hath the temple of God with Idols, for ye are the temple of God, as God hath ſayd, I will dwell among them and walke therein. Here he ſpeaketh of the whole man, and conſequently not of the ſoule only, but alſo of the body, as in another place he ſaith, Our bodies are the temple of God, & therfore he addeth,1. Cor. 6.19 2. Cor. 6.18 Eſa. 52. Come out frō among the Idolaters, and ſeparate your ſelues, ſath the Lord, & touch not vncleane things, and I will receiue you. I will be your father, and you ſhal be my ſonnes, & my daughters, ſaith the Lord. If God will not receiue vsus to be his ſonnes and daughters, & if he wil not be our father, but vponupon condition, that wee touch no polluted thing, then contrarywiſe, thoſe men that voluntarily do touch them, & yet do notwithſtanding maintaine that ſtil they are the childrē of God, do gainſaie the very truth, and deſerue to be caſt off at his hands.
3 When God to comfort Elias, ſayd,1. King. 19.18 I hauehave yet reſerued to my ſelfe 7000. in Iſrael, euē all the knees that hauehave not bowed vntounto Baal, & eueryevery mouth that hath not kiſsed him: doth he not ſhew, that he cōdēneth all outward adoration and bodily reuerence to the Idoll, and accounteth them markes of reprobation. As alſo ſaying by Eſay, I liue, Eſa. 45.23euerie knee ſhall bowe vntounto me. Hee ſheweth that all adoration, euen in bodie, is an homage due to God onelyonly. When ſatan ſayd to Ieſus Chriſt,Math. 4.9. All theſe kingdomes will I giuegive thee, if falling down thou wilt worſhip me: It would hauehave ſufficed him, if Ieſus Chriſt woulde hauehave made him but an outward reuerence with his bodie onelie. And I praie what doo the tyrants, perſecuters of Gods children pretend, but to cauſe men with their bodies to countenance theyr maſſe? For as they cannot command the heart, nor knowe the inward ſecretes of man, ſo doo they require onelyonly the outward view and obedience of the bodie. And in deed, ſuch as perſecute, euen againſt their owne conſciences, the children and ſeruants of God, will not ſticke to whiſper vntounto them and ſaye, Beleeue what yee will, ſo yee goe to maſſe. If it were lawfull to abandon our bodies to ſuch idolatrie, as in heart wee doo condemne, the croſſe of Chriſt ſhoulde bee aboliſhed, and all perſecution taken awaie. A man might ſo profeſſe himſelfe a Iewe and Turke, yea, hee myght countenance and aſsiſt all the greateſt and moſt abhominableſt Idolatries in the world, ſo long as in heart he diſlyked of them. But then what ſhould become of Chriſts martyrs? Wherfore hauehave they ſuffered death? Why did not they, reſeruing their hearts to God, abandon their bodies to the ſeruice of Idols,Dan. 3 Manut. and Morel, vppon the paſ. of S. Cyptian. And in Saint Auguſtines ſermon of Ciprian the martyr. And of his paſsion after the olde manuſcripts. & obey the commandements of Idolatrous kings? When Nabuchadnezzer commanded to worſhip the golden Image, he required onelyonly the outwarde adoration and reuerence, and yet the three Hebrew princes choſe rather to bee caſt into the burning furnace, than to obey it. S. Ciprian was heerein ſo certaine and ſo fully reſolued, that when the tyrant offered to ſaue his life, if hee woulde obey his commaundement, and offer incenſe or ſacrifice to the Idol, counſelling him to thinke vponupon it: he conſtantly anſwered, that he needed neither conſultation, nor deliberation in ſo iuſt a matter: that he would rather die than ſhew any teſtimonie of approuing ſuch Idolatrie. Yet might he hauehave eſcaped by yeelding onelyonly his bodie to idolatrie, & keeping his heart vntounto God. Some Iudges there are, who hauing knowledge of the truth, do giuegive ſentence of condemnation againſt the faithful: in hart diſalowing the ſentence, yet in mouth pronouncing the ſame.Exod. 20.4 Are theſe men, thinke you, excuſable in the ſight of God? When God in his law forbiddeth making any grauen images, or liknes of any thing: Speaketh he to the hād, or to the hart? Likwiſe when he addeth, Thou ſhalt not bow downe to them nor worſhip them. When (for ſo the word that he there vſeth doth ſignifie) he prohibiteth not only to worſhip & ſerue thē in mind, but alſo he ſpeaketh of the whole man, & rather more expreſſely of the bodie, forbidding all adoration and outward ſeruice inuented by men.
4 Saint Paul proteſteth that Idolaters ſhal not inherite the kingdome of God. 1. Cor. 6.10.Here he ſpeaketh to the members of the Church and ſo to thoſe who knowing the truth, did not in hart allow of Idolatry: he therfore threatneth thoſe that ſhall aſsiſt therat in body. Likewiſe Gods horrible iudgemēts executed vponupon diuers, euen in our time, as vpō Frances Spiera an Italian, & others, who knowing the truth became notwithſtāding aſsiſtants at Idolatry & falſe ſeruice, alowing in body that which they in hart condemned, do take away all excuſe, & make thoſe worthy double puniſhment, that do pollute their bodies in Idolatry, and ſo ſhew an outward teſtimonie of allowing that which their hart (cōdemning the actiō of the body) do abhorre. To be ſhort, what is this aſsiſtance at the maſſe, & bowing of knees before the Idol, but an actual teſtimonie that they allow all the Idolatries & blaſphemies there committed? It is an opinion & impreſsion which they ſeeke by their aſsiſtance to infuſe into others: It is as if that the body ſhould cry out & ſay, you ſee of what religion I am. The body ſpeaketh in liew of the mouth. And thus inſtead of confeſsing Chriſt & his truth, they do in action renounce him: & ſo are to looke for no other ſentence then the ſame which Ieſus Chriſt himſelf hath pronounced, ſaying.Mat. 10.3…. Whoſoeuer ſhal deny me before men him wil I deny before God my father. If ſuch men could but a little cōprehend how villanouſly Chriſt is diſhonored in the maſſe, how his office is vſurped, his ſacrifice aboliſhed, his death made fruſtrate, & the inſtitution of his holy ſupper reuerſed, the zeale of the houſe & glory of God would euen eate vp & conſume their harts, whereby they ſhould bee moued to ſhunne and abhorre the ſame, and neuer to be aſsiſtant thereat.
5 It may ſeeme to ſome, that I need not to ſtand ſo long vponupon ſo plaine a caſe. But ther be hipocrites, that dare alledge, that they do it becauſe they would not offend their neighbors. This ſurely is a goodly charity. Firſt, they ſpeake againſt their cōſciences: for their own harts do conuince thē that it is only ſelfe louelove, with the feare of the loſſe of their goods, dignity, country, kindred & frends that induceth them to ſuch diſsimulation. Moreouer, that contrariwiſe they do by their going to maſſe & worſhipping the Idols, offend their neighbours. For what is offence, but to caſt a ſtone in a blind mans way to make him to ſtumble, that is to ſay, to giuegive the ignorant occaſion to offend God by confirming them in their error:1. Cor. 8.9. & becomming an example, to ſuch as hauehave ſome knowledge of the truth, to induce thē to commit Idolatry with vsus? It is therefore a double offēce, & deſerueth double puniſhmēt in the ſight of God. S. Paul, ſharply reprouing ſuch as did eate of things ſacrificed to Idols, ſheweth what a ſtumbling block they therby make thēſelues to the ignorant. Take heed ſaith hee leaſt by any meanes this power of yours, to eate indifferently of al things, be an occaſion of falling to thē that be weake: For if any man ſee thee which hast knowledge ſit at the table in the Idols temple, ſhal not the conſcience of him which is weake be boldned to eate thoſe things wich are ſacrificed to Idols? And through thy knowledge ſhall the weake brother periſh, Rom. 14.23for whom Chriſt died. Becauſe that thou who knoweſt that the Idol is nothing & therfore that the fleſh ſacrificed therto is not polluted therin, abuſing thy power that otherwiſe thou haſt to eate, doſt by thy example induce the ignorāt to eate without faith & ſo …o ſin. If then the eating of the thing which in it ſelfe is lawful, is an offence to thy neighbors, & a meanes to make him to periſh, becauſe after thy exāple, he eateth without faith: how much more grieuous is the offence of thoſe, who by aſsiſting at the maſſe, & other Idolatries, in their own knowledge damnable before God, do cōfirme the ignorant in their error, wherby they continue their offence to God, & enduce others to follow them in the ſame? That good old man Eleazar choſe rather to die,2. Mac, 6. thē by his diſsimulation to induce the Iewes to eate ſwines fleſh, & ſo to offend God. Yea this fauor they offered him, that he ſhould eate fleſh alowed in the law that he might commit nothing prohibited therein, onelyonly hee ſhold diſſemble & make the world belieue that it was ſwines fleſh. This is a wonderful conſtancy & notable example, to condemn al ſuch as by their diſsimulation giuegive others occaſion to offend God.
6 They alſo make abuckler of the example of Naamā the Aſsirian but according to the prouerb,2. King. 5. they couer thēſelues wt a wet ſacke. Firſt, wher he ſpeaketh of bowing himſelfe in the temple of Remmon, whē his maſter leaneth on his arme, he therin doth ſeruice to his king, not to the Idol, & ſo it was but a ciuil bowing in reſpect of his office, & tended not to religion. This doth he cōfirme plainly proteſting he wil worſhip no ſtrang Gods: beſides yt he praieth that the bowing bee not imputed to him. Such therefore as will excuſe their adoration of Idols by his example, ought rather to confeſſe their ſin & to craue pardō at Gods hand, not for a politick bowing proceeding of ſom office, but rather for their worſhipping of Idols. Yet is ther thus much more. This Naamā not only proteſteth that he wil not worſhip any ſtrange Gods, but alſo he craueth two Aſſes laden wt the earth of Iudea, yt at his return into Syria, he might ther vpō worſhip the true God, & ſo make profeſsion of the true religiō but theſe men do not abſtaine from ſacrificing to ſtrange Gods, ſo farre are they from forſaking the falſe worſhip of Idols, & publike worſhipping, as Naaman did of the true God, according to his word. But albeit there were (as there is not) ſome colour in this example of Naaman, yet what reaſon hauehave they, leauing a path alredie beaten by the example of ſo many martyrs, and approued by ſo many teſtimonies of Gods worde, to enter into a blinde waie, where they ſee the ſteppes but of one heathen man, who was but newly entered into the knowledge of the true God?
7 As for the example, of S. Paul,Act. 21.26. in cauſing his head to be ſhauen in Cenchrea, & purifieng himſelfe in the temple with other Iewes, The ſame is but badly alledged, and woorſe argued from a matter indifferent (as at that time theſe ceremonies wer, Chriſt being new riſen) to manifeſt abhomination and Idolatry. As alſo it is an abuſing of Pauls zeale and charitie, who conformed himſelfe, in this matter indifferent, to the Iewes, that he might win them to Chriſt, to execuſe their louelove of themſelues, in that they conforme themſelues to the Idolatrous, onelyonly for the preſeruation of their goods, dignities, and other carnall commodities.
8 As concerning that which they alleadge out of Baruch,Baruch. 6.3. where he ſayth, When being captiues in Babylon yee ſhall ſee Gods of ſiluer, of golde, and of wood, borne vponupon mens ſhoulders, and the multitude before and behinde worſhipping of them: beware that ye be not like vntounto them, but ſaie in your harts, O Lord we must worſhip thee. Firſt, Ieremy ſaith not, Bowing your bodies before the Idols, ſaie in your hearts. But rather this ſentence, as alſo the whole ſequel of the Chapter is a condemnation vntounto them. For it doth euidently appeare, that the authors intent was to perſwade them that theſe Idols were falſe Gods, and therefore that not they were to be feared or worſhipped, but only the true God. Likewiſe, ſpeaking of the Babilonians that carried & worſhipped their Idols, he ſayth expreſly to the Iewes. Bee not yee like vntounto them. As in deede with what conſcience coulde they hauehave worſhipped thoſe Idolles before men, when in theyr heartes they ſayde and proteſted before God, that hee onelyonly and not the Idols was to be worſhipped? Moreouer, where the Author in the ſame Epiſtle addeth, that all they that do ſerue them ſhal be confounded By that threatning, he indeuoreth to diuert the Iewes therefro, In briefe, his intent is to teach the Iewes, beeing ſtrangers among the Babilonians, & in their perſons all thoſe that ſhall hap into the like condition & eſtate, when they ſhal chance to ſee the ignorant carry their Idols in proceſsion & ſerue & adore them, not to do as they do, neither to fall vponupon them to beate downe their Idols, but rather to lift vp their harts to God & to ſay. O Lord, thee nly must we worſhip. Let thē therfore, in liew of wreſting this ſentence of Baruch to diſpence with thēſelues to be Idolaters with their bodies whereby to perſwade that they be ſo in their harts, obey Ieremie who enioyned thoſe poore Iewes, captiues in Babilon, to make cō feſsion of their religion, by condemning the Idols & mainteining the true God.Iere. 10.11. You ſhal ſay thus, ſaith Ieremie, The Gods that hauehave not made the heauen & the earth ſhall periſh from the earth & from vnderunder theſe heauens. He hath made the earth by his power, &c. Wherein we are to note, that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew, yet this one ſentence is ſet downe in the Caldean or Babilonian ſpeech, therby admoniſhing the captiue Iewes to diſaduow Idols, & to cōfeſſe the true God plainly & ſenſibly, in a language knowen to the Idolaters. If this confeſsion bee required of theſe poore captiue Iewes, how can theſe men be excuſed, who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters, do aſsiſt at their Idolatry, thereby to giuegive the world to vnderſtand that they alſo are Idolaters, & therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols?
9 Sith therefore that the firſt ſermon both of Chriſt & of Iohn the Baptiſt do notably proclaime, Amend your liues: Let all ſuch as hauehave attained to the knowledge of the truth, reſolue with thēſelues to renounce all Idolatrie & ſuperſtition, & vtterly to denie all aſſiſtance & participation whatſoeuer therin either in hart or body. Let them remember, that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie, is a prophanation of the temple of God: That the yeelding of the body to the deuill, & reſeruing the hart to God, is intollerable ſacriledge: That the denial of the true God & the worſhipping of the deuill, is deteſtable hipocriſie: That thereby they blaſpheme Ieſus Chriſt & honor the Idol: that they giuegive offēce to their neighbours, as well by confirming ſome in their errors, as by inducing others to follow their examples. But eſpecially let them remember, that their pretended excuſe, will redound to their double damnatiō. For if he who thinking to worſhip God, yet of ignorāce throgh worſhiping an Idoll offendeth & deſerueth death: ſurely then he that boweth his body to worſhip that which he knoweth to be an Idoll,1. Con. 10.20. Luk. 12.47.48. yea a very deuil, as S. Paul calleth it, offendeth in far greater meaſure, & deſerues greter puniſhmēt. And ſo doth Chriſt himſelf pronounce concerning the diſobedient ſeruant, who knowing his maſters wil & not doing it,Exod. 20.5. ſhall be beaten much more grieuouſly thē he that was ignorāt therof. And indeed, it is not only a ſimple ſinne and tranſgreſsion, as in the ignorant: but more contempt and miſpriſion againſt the maieſtie of the law-giuer, as God in many places complaineth of his people that they hauehave diſpiſed him,Rom. 5.20. yea euen hated him as himſelfe faith in his law. And hereto likewiſe may be referred the ſentence of the Apoſtle, where hee ſaith. That God gaue the law, that ſinne might abound: becauſe the knowledge of the law, taking away ignorance, maketh the tranſgreſsion to be conioyned with contempt and deſpiſing of God.
10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie, the more we are to deteſt, abhor, and flie from it, and neuer flatter our ſelues in the preſence of God who knoweth our hearts. It is but a fooliſh enterpriſe to vndertake to deceiue the Lord, or to thinke to proſper by offending him. We feare the loſſe of our goods, dignities, countrie and life, if we go not to maſſe with other men and counterfeate our ſelues to bee Idolaters as they are: yet we feare not to looſe the treaſure and inheritance of heauen, life euerlaſting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie, euen by the aſſured teſtimonie of our owne hearts. We are not to order our duties after the eaſements of our fleſh, but according to the word of God. The meanes to obtaine ſafetie and felicitie conſiſteth not in prouoking God to wrath by ſeruing of Idols: but if we deſire his merciemercy and fauour towardes vsus, wee muſt renounce and denie our ſelues and the world that wee may worſhip and ſerue him onelyonly. Let vsus obey S. Iohn, who ſaith.1. Ioh. 5.21. Pſal. 97.7. 1. Cor. 6.20. My little children keepe your ſelues from Idols. And let vsus remember that the holy Ghoſt pronounceth woe to all thoſe that worſhip Idols. And contrariwiſe bleſſeth all thoſe that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde.