A Catholicon, Part 1 · Subpart 6
The sixt lecture.
Uers. 8. Likewise these dreamers] The Apostle proceedeth to describe the sinnes of these hypocrites, hauing thus propounded the examples of Gods iudgements: & first he chargeth them with three sinnes, vncleannesse, despising of gouernment, & enuie in speaking euil of things they know not, v. 10. wherein they are like to the example before expressed; in vncleannesse to the Sodomites, enuie to the angels, rebellion to the Israelites; as afterwards also he resembleth them to three other examples, to Cain for enuie, to Balaam for vncleannesse, who gaue that counsell to Balaack, to allure Israel to defile thēselues, for rebellion to Core.
Dreamers, foreign] They are called dreamers, not as Ioseph was called a Doctr. 1. Dreamers in religion, what they are.dreamer, foreign, Gen. 37. 19. for his dreames were no dreames, but true visions; but they are called dreames in two respects, both in regard of their ignorance, they imagined to themselues many opinions and erroneous doctrines: and for their sense because it is dull, as he that dreameth and sleepeth feeleth nothing, as Eccles. 5. 2. Multitude of businesse causeth dreames: and their foolish imaginations breed vaine and false opinions. Lot perceiued nothing in his sleepe.Gen 19.
Doctrin. That we be not as dreamers or sleepers in matters of religion, either without iudgement or affection.
Testim. Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest. which he expoundeth, v. 17. to vnderstand what the will of God is.
Examp. Such a dreamer was Balaam, Numb. 24. 14. 15. who had his eies shutte vp, and dreaming of his reward, went on as in a sleepe to curse Israel: such a dreamer was Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. vtterly ignorant in the matter of regeneration, as one a sleepe.
Exornat. Who are like to those dreamers, Isay, 29. 8. that dreame of meate and drinke beeing hungrie and thirstie, and yet are not a whit fuller: so are they which feed themselues with their owne dreames and fansies.
Aitiolog. As the heauinesse of the eies is the cause of sleepe, Math. 26. 43. so the heauinesse or hardnesse of the heart is the cause of the slumber of the soule. Eph. 4. 18. hardenesse of heart, foreign, is the cause of ignorance, Rom. 11. 7. 8. hardnes of heart causeth the spirit of slumber, foreign.
Applicat. 1. Against the papists whose doctrine is knowne to be fuller of fables Error. 20. …op…y full of dreames.and dreames, then any religion in the world beside: so they dreame of purgatorie fire, of Christs carnall presence in the sacrament, their doctrine of merits, of adoration of images, inuocation of Saints; what are they but meere dreames? 2. Against carnall professours, to whome the mysteries of religion seeme to be but dreames, as Psal. 126. 1. they thought their deliuerance to be as a dreame: and as Act. 12. 15. they thought the maide to be mad, for saying Peter was at the doore: euē such dreaming and drousie professours of the word are many nowe a daies.
Defile the flesh] by fornication, & other vnlawfull lusts and vncleannesse, giuing Doct. ….themselues to all licentiousnesse.
Doctrin. That we should not defile our bodies with vncleane lusts, with riot, excesse, but possesse them in holinesse.
Testim. 1. Thess. 4. 4. possesse their vessels in holinesse, wherein he alludeth to the vse of the lawe, who vsed holy vessels for holy things, 1. Sam. 21. 5.
Exemp. Such vncleane persons were the Nicolaitanes in the Church of Pergamus, who like vntounto Balaam taught the people to commit fornication: and the false prophetesse Iezabel in Thyatyra, Reuel. 2. 15. 20. Contrarie example in Peter, Act. 10. 14. who as he ate nothing polluted, so committed no vncleane acte: and S. Paul was vnrebukable as concerning the law, Phil. 1. 6.
Exor. Like as Moses was bid put off his shooes, Exod. 3. and the Israelites to wash their cloathes, Exod. 19. so we should keep our bodies cleane.
Aitiolog. 1. Cor. 6. 20. Our bodies are the temples of the spirit: he that destroieth or polluteth Gods temple, him will God destroy, 1. Cor. 3. 17. and because no vncleane thing shall enter into heauen, Reu. 21. 27.
Applicat. 1. Against the Papists, whose religious sectaries are knowne to be notorious Error 21.defilers of the flesh. At the dissolution of the Abbeies, there were some found that had 6. some 7. some 10. some 20. concubines, as it may appeare in the acts and records of the Kings visitation, at the suppression of the Abbeies, as M. Bale hath set downe in his preface to hit booke, De actis Romanorum Pontificum. 2. This doctrine toucheth all carnall professours, that make no conscience to defile themselues with adulteries, fornications, drunkennes, which make their bodies vessels of vncleannes: doe they thinke, that such bodies shal be made vessels of honour, which they doe here in earth so defile and dishonour? for as Reuben by his vncleannes lost his birthright among his brethren, Gen. 49. 4. so they lose their birthright in heauē.
Despise gouernment:] They doe not only speake euill of the person of the gouernours, Doctr. 3.as it followeth afterward, but doe despise and ouerthrow the rule and order of gouernment itselfe.
Doctrine. That gouernment is necessarie, and to be honoured, & that they which thinke otherwise, are in a great errour, and lead with an erroneous spirit.
Testim. Isa. 34. 12. The nobles shall call to the kingdome, and there shall be none: the Prophet sheweth what a miserable state they are in, which hauehave no gouernour.
Exempl. Such an one was Ismael, Gen. 16. 12. a wild man, vnderunder no gouernment, his hand against eueryevery man, and eueryevery mans hand against him. Againe this was the state of the Israelites, Iud. 21. 25. EueryEvery man did what seemed good in his owne eyes, there being no King.
Exorn. Like as when the hedge is taken away from the vinevard, Isa. 5. 4. so is it where no gouernour is: like as a widow bereft of her husband. Isa. 47. 9.
Aitiolog. 1. Cor. 14. 33. Because God is the author of peace and order, not of confusion: therefore it is Gods will and ordinance, that there should be rule among men.
Appl. 1. Against despisers of gouernment either in general, as the Anabaptists and Libertines, that would hauehave no Magistrates among Christians: or in part, as the Papists, that denie Princes to hauehave authoritie Error 21. Papists despisers of gouernment.either in Ecclesiasticall causes, or ouer Ecclesiasticall persons: the Bishop of Rome hath trod vponupon Emperours necks, made them to kisse his foote, to hold his stirrop, to lead his horse by the bridle: what is this else but to despise gouernement?
2. They are reprooued, which doe wilfully and stubburnly resist and transgresse the good lawes and constitutions of princes, made for their owne good: they must be obeied for conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5. As, where good lawes are made against vsurie, extortion, theft, prophanation of the Lords day, negligence in resorting to diuine seruice: to be carelesse in these things and the like, is a contempt of Gods ordinance, namely the authoritie of the magistrate.
Speake euill or blaspheme them in dignitie] Doctrine. As it is one sinne to despise or Doctr. 4. Princes not to be railed vponupon.disobey authoritie, so it is an other, to reuile their persons.
Testim. Exod. 22. 28. Thou shalt not raile vponupon the Iudges.
Exemp. Shemei cursed Dauid, 2. Sam. 16. we see his reward for it, 1. king. 29. 46. S. Paul excuseth himselfe for calling the high priest painted wall▪ Act. 23. 4.
Exornat. Prou. 26. 27. He that speaketh euill of the prince, is as he that diggeth a pit, or rolleth a stone: it shall returne vponupon him.
Aitiolog. One reason to mooue vsus to take heed of this euill is because they murmure against God, which doe open their mouth against the Magistrate. Exod. 16. 8. An other, Pro. 10. 20. because the Lord by secret meanes and speedily will bring it to light: as we hauehave seene experience, that they, which hauehave spoken wordes euen in their bed chamber against the prince hauehave beene disclosed.
Applicat. 1. We may see what spirit the Papists are of, who in their writings doe Error 22.rayle of our Prince, and the Pope accurseth her, as Shemei did Dauid, but God hath turned it into a blessing, as Dauid saith, 2. Sam. 16. 12. 2. We are taught, that we should not onelyonly refraine our words, yea thoughts, from speaking and thinking euil; but on the contrarie, it is our part to pray for kings and princes, 1. Tim. 2. 1. First of all for kings, &c.