The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
ANd this I doubt not,Nine reaſons againſt popiſh and profane Wakes. Hieronin Mat. 23. but they would be more eaſily induced and perſwaded to doe, if they did adviſedly conſider of theſe or the like reaſon, which might rectifie their judgements in theſe things.
1 That the celebration of ſuch Wakes and feſtivals is utterly deſtitute of all warrant of Gods Word, for who hath requited theſe things at their hands? Iſay 1. Rom. 14. ult. Lih. Inter. cap. de Cer. Bulling. de Origine excap. 35. p. 111.And whatſoever is done without warrant, … never be done with any comfort, or good fruit, either in the a… the iſſue of it.
2 That theſe are … baſe and baſtard brood of the man of ſinne, begotten by Sathan, upon the body of that Whore of Rome, in the darke night of Popiſh and Heatheniſh ſuperſtition; and therefore we are called to come out of Babell, ſo many as are Gods people, and never to be partakers of her ſins, leſt we be partakers of her plagues alſo.Aug. l. 22. De Civit. Dei. c. 10. Euſeb. eccl. hiſt. l. 7. c. 14. Sigon. de Regno Ital. l. 3. An. 721.726.
3 That as one err our is a pregnant, and faithfull mother of many more: ſo this commemoration of Saints, and Martyrs, did breed and bring forth reſervation of their Reliques, Adoration of their Images, Invocation of their Names, and Peregrination to their Shrines, and that with great confidence in them, and great expectation of bodily and ghoſtly help, and comfort from them. Of all which errors and impieties, they muſt needs be guilty, and ſtand convicted before God, who (whether they be of the tribe of Levi, as was Korah, or of the Princes of the people, as were Dathan and Abiram) ſhall, or do riſe up in any tumultuous and rebellious manner againſt Moſes or Aaron, Magiſtrate and Miniſter, with their Cenſers in their hands, to offer incenſe unto ſuch Idols.
4 That ſuch ſervice unto Saints, is but witt-worſhip,Calv. de vera eccl. reform. rati. Bulling. de Orig. error. c. 32. f. 104 Parſ. in 3. Converſ. Rain. idol. l. 1.0.5. §. 25 &c. Hoſpin. de Fest. in Cathar. Nov. 25 Anton. hist. part. 3 tit. 19 c. 1 §. 3 4. will-worſhip, and Idol-ſervice, all which are both hatefull unto God, and hurtfull unto their owne ſoules, that either do them, or conſent to the doing of them.
5 That oftentimes by the Popiſh Calendar, ſuch Saints are commended unto them for commemoration of their perſons, and celebration of their Feaſts, as either never were, as Saint Christopher, and Saint George, Saint Katharine, and the like; or ſuch as it had beene good for them, that they had never beene, as was our Boniface the idoll Saint of Banbury, Saint Dominic a grand agent for Antichriſt, and bloody perſecutor of the true Church of Chriſt; or ſuch as were not much better than beaſts for their converſation, as Medardus, Lubinus; or ſuch as having their ſoules frying in Hell, are yet adored as Saints, in their Feſtivalls, and Wakes, here amongſt us upon earth, and that after a more ſolemne and devout manner, than either they themſelves would, or could require, if they were now in company, and held ſociety with the Saints in heaven.
6 That to have fellowſhip with ſuch as celebrate theſe Idoll-Feaſts, is reckoned by the Apoſtle for no leſſe a ſinne, than to have fellowſhip with Divels, nor is any thing that is offered to ſuch Idolls, accounted any better ſervice, than a ſacrifice unto Divels. Now, God forbid, that they that profeſſe the feare of God, and beare the name of Chriſt, ſhould ever ſo farre forget their communion with God, as to have any fellowſhip with Divels, or ſo forſake the Lord the Fountaine of living waters, and digge unto themſelves broken Ciſternes that can hold no water.
7 That uſually ſuch aſſemblies upon ſuch occaſions, are for the moſt part, a confluence of all vaine and vile perſons, a concurrence of all vices, a combination of the Popiſh and prophane, a very randavous of all rogues, and vagabonds, and many times no better, than as the Prophet ſpeaketh, a very aſſembly of rebels againſt the Lord. Now, wee are charged to depart from the tents of ſuch wicked men, to ſeparate our ſelves from ſinne and ſinners, not ſo much as to cate, or drinke with ſuch perſons, to hate the garment ſpotted by the fleſh, and to touch no uncleane thing, if ever we will have the Lord to receive us, and to take us for his ſons and daughters.
8 That the attendants and conſequents, effects and fruits of ſuch Wakes, and Idol-Feaſts, are commonly as baſe and bitter, as the ſonnes of Beliall can beget, or the vines of Sodome or Gomorrah can bring forth: ſuch as are ſwearing, and blaſpheming; drunkenneſſe, and ſurfetting; brawling, and quarrelling; wantonneſſe, and uncleanneſſe; riot, and exceſſe in all manner of wickedneſſe, and ungodlineſſe; ſeldome any ſuch meetings, but they either are ſprinkled with blood, or ſpotted with ſome groſſe filthineſſe. Now, what honeſt heart can abide in thoſe places, or endure thoſe perſons, that will bee ſure to vex his ſouls with their wicked converſation, and grieve his ſpirit, with that which hee ſhall daily and hourely heare and ſee amongſt them. Woe is mee (would David ſay) that I am conſtrained to dwell in Meſeck, and to have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar. My ſoule is among Lions, I have dwelt too long amongſt them, that want grace, and hate peace.
9 And laſtly, if they would ſet before their eyes, and conſider the holy examples of good and great men, who loving the truth, and hating a lye, could never endure any fellowſhip with ſuperſtitious and idolatrous perſons, nor would ever yeeld themſelves to joyne with them in the ſmalleſt things, having any appearance of evill in them. Daniel would not bee perſwaded to defile himſelfe with any portion of the Kings meat, being once preſented before an Idoll. David will neither touch, nor taſte of the dainties, and delicates of wicked and profane men. Polycarp would not ſo much as make a ſhew of ſaluting Caeſar, as others did, nor of burning incenſe unto their Idols, though he might have ſaved his life, and come to great honour alſo in ſo doing. S. Iohn durſt not abide in the Bath, where the Herelike Cerinthus was, but preſently got himſelfe away, leſt the Bath for his ſinne ſhould fall upon him, and upon all that were with him for his take.Tripart. hiſt. l. 6. c. 35. Bullin. de Origin. Er. c. 36. f. 115 Ʋalentinian that valiant and noble man, being ſprinkled (againſt his will) with ſome of that heatheniſh holy water, which the Miniſters of Fortunes Temple caſt upon him, as hee went in and out before the Emperour Inlian, and finding a drop thereof upon his cloake, with great indignation, gave the miniſter a box on the care, in the Emperours preſence, telling him, that he thought not himſelfe purged, but polluted by ſuch ſprinklings. All which being well and duly pondered and conſidered, I conceive good hope, that men of any religious affection, or ingenuous diſpoſition, will not only refraine themſelves from ſuch aſſemblies of vaine men, but according to their place and power will bee ready to reſtraine, and ſuppreſſe (as this worthy Gentlemen did) all ſuch popiſh and profane Wakes and Feaſts that are amongſt them or about them.