The Apostasy of the Latter Times, Part 2
PART II.
Vers. 2.
Through the hypocrysie or faining of lyars, foreign: of those who have their consciences seared, foreign.
Vers. 3.
Of those who forbid to marry, and command to abstaine from meats, foreign; which God hath created to bee received with thanksgiving of them that beleeve, and know the truth, foreign.
OF the first part of this Prophesie, being a description of the Condition of that solemne defection which was to come, I have spoken hitherto. I come now to the second part of the division, the quality of the persons, and the meanes whereby it was to enter, and to be advanced, which is set forth in the verses now read; which though you may finde by others otherwise translated, yet I hope the translation which I have propounded, if the judicious Reader please to examine it, will approve it selfe not onelyonly not to be an enforced one, but such as salves that incongruity of construction, which the other could not avoid, for it is usually translated intransitively, with reference to the persons expressed in the former verse, viz. that they should speake lies in hypocrisie, having their conscience scared with an hot iron, and forbidding marriage, and commanding to abstaine from meats; so as that which in the former verse, is named Doctrines of Devils, should onelyonly meane that in generall tearmes, which in these verses is particularly instanced, to be doctrines of prohibiting mariages, and abstaining from meats, as two branches of that devillish doctrine; for so Calvin, Melancton, and some others seeme to expound it. But why this interpretation should not be the most likely: my first reason is:
First, because it makes Saint Paul, who speaks of that great Apostasie of Christians, which was to be in the Later Times, to instance onelyonly in the smaller; and if I may so say, almost circumstantiall errours; and to omit this maine and principall, which the Scripture elsewhere tels us, should be Idolatry, or spirituall fornication; who can beleeve that we could so balk the substance, and name that only, which in comparison is but an Appendix thereto.
Secondly, He prophesies here in expresse words, of such things as were to come, foreign, in the Later Times; but errours about marriage and meats, were no novelty in the Apostles owne times, as the diligent Reader may easily collect out of their Epistles; which makes it improbable that he would specifie the Apostasie of the later times in these alone.
Thirdly, But my last reason whereunto I thinke I may trust, is, that the Syntax of the words in the Greek is uncapable of such an intransitive construction, and consequently of the sense depending thereon; for the persons intimated in the former verse, are expressed in casu recto, foreign; but the persons here intended, we finde in the genitive; foreign, which I cannot see how they can agree with foreign, after the manner of intransitive construction, without breach of grammaticall congruity, not elsewhere sampled in our Apostles Epistles; indeed they would agree with foreign, but that would be a harsh sense every way; for either we must say as some doe,Calvin, Beza. that by devils are meant devillish men, or men led by the devill, which is an hard signification; or else it would be a stranger sense, and I think not over-pliable to the usuall exposition, to say that devils should lie, have seared consciences, and forbid marriages, or meats: So that Beza, with others; had rather confesse a breach of Syntax, than incurre the inconvenience of such a forced sence. Major est habita (saith he) sententia, quam constructionis ratio; the Apostle heeded more the matter than he did the Grammar. But what needs this, so long as there is a better way to salve it? namely, to conster the words transitively, making all these genitive cases to be governed of foreign, as, foreign, by, or through the faining of lyars; foreign, through the faining of those who had their consciences seared; and so forward: which construction is observed and followed by Andreas Hiperius, one of our reformed Writers, who translates it, per simulationem falsiloquorum, &c. and expounds it, de modo qu… fallent spiritus impostorum, fallent per simulationem, seu hypocrisin falsiloquorum, &c. and I beleeve that *So Cafiellio seem…s to understand it, translating it per …mulationem hominum falsiloquorum.many others have so taken it; for our late translations are indifferent to be taken either way: howsoever it be, I see no way but this, to keep the Syntax true and even, and wholly to avoid the fore-mentioned inconveniences: which as it is easie and obvious, and not strained, so I hope to let you see the event to have been most answerable thereunto: That this was the manner, and this the meanes, this the quality of the persons, whereby the doctrine of Daemons was first brought in, advanced and maintained in the Church, viz. through the hypocrisie, faining craft, or counterfeiting of those who told lies, of those who had their consciences seared, &c.
As for the use of the Preposition (foreign) to signifie causam instrumentalem, or modum actionis, he that is not a stranger in the Scripture, knowes to be most frequent, the Greeke text borrowing it from the use of the Hebrew Preposition foreign which the Hebrewes call foreign as when it signifies In, foreign (1) subjecti. But two or three examples will not doe amisse: Mat. 5.13. If the salt hath lost its savour, wherewithall shall it be salted? foreign? Acts 17.31. Because God hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousnesse, foreign, by the man whom he hath ordained. 2 Pet. 3.1. I stirre up your pure minds, foreign, by way of remembrance. Tit. 1.9. That he may be able, foreign, Vide etiam Ephes. 4.14.by sound doctrine, to exhort and convince the gainsayers, and most naturally to the businesse we have in hand. 2 Thes. 2.9, 10. Of the man of sinne, whose comming (saith the Apostle) is after the working of Sathan, foreign, with all powers, and signs, and lying wonders (or through them) and through all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse, &c. So in my Text, foreign, &c. through the hypocrisie of Lyars.
Now for the unfolding of these words, this must first be observed in generall, that they are not so to be underderstood, as if these, who are the bringers in, and advancers of the doctrines of Daemons,In o…ni distribut…e omitti… copulativa videtur, vix apponi. Li…acr. Nonne sic etiam in Graecis. should every one of them be guilty of all the severall imputations in this description; but they are to be construed rather as an a syndeton, by understanding the Conjunction, as if it had been thus uttered: Through the hypocrisie of Lyars, and through the hypocrisie of men of seared consciences, and lastly, by the hypocrisie of those who forbid marriages, and meats. Or thus: through the hypocrisie, partly of Lyars, partly of men of seared consciences, partly of those who forbid marriage, and command to abstaine from meats: and so though many were guilty of all, yet some may be exempt from some; as namely some may be guilty of the last note, of forbidding marriage, and abstaining from meats, and yet free of the former, of being counterfeit Lyars, and men of seared Consciences: which I speak for reverence of some of the Ancients, who though otherwise holy men, yet cannot be acquitted from all the imputations here mentioned, nor altogether excused from having an hand, through the Fate of the times wherein they lived, in laying the ground-work, whereon soon after the great Apostasie was builded.
This therefore being remembred, I come now to the unfolding of them in severall: and first of the first, the hypocrisie of Lyars, foreign. The word foreign signifies dissimulation, a faining, counterfeiting, a semblance, and shew of that which is not so indeed, as it seemeth; and this word we must repeat, foreign, as belonging, in common, with the rest which followes; for all should be counterfeit: lying should carry the counterfeit of truth; the seared Conscience, a semblance of devotion; the restraint of Marriage should be but a shew of chastity; and abstaining from meats, a false appearance of abstinency: for the persons of whom they are spoken, should either make a shew of what themselves knew was not; or that which they thought they had, should be no better than a false shew, and counterfeit of that they took it for.
The Vulgar Latine in Mar. 12.15. and the Syriack in the same place, turne the word hypocrisis, versutia, dolus, craft and subtlety: which sence, if need were, would not be denied admittance here. But I return to foreign, the hypocrisie of Lyars, which I conceive to be the same, and no other, than that which our Apostle speaks in the same case, 2 Thess. 2. where he tels us, that the comming of the man of sinne, and the Apostasie attending him, should be after the working of Sathan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders; and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse, or unrighteous and ungodly deceiving; and that God should send them strong delusions, that they might beleeve a lye, &c. Yea some of this, and of that which followes in that place, may extend also to the rest which followes in my Text, howsoever the most thereof, as you heare, doth most evidently expound this foreign, this hypocrisie of Lyars. Now according to the event, this hypocrisie of Lyars doth appeare in three things: 1 Lyes of Miracles. 2 Fabulous Legends of the Acts of Saints, and sufferings of Martyrs. 3 Counterfeit writings under the name of the best and first antiquity. Lyes of Miracles will display their hypocrisie in three particulars. 1 Forgery. 2 Illusion, 3 Misapplication. 1 Forgery of Miracles never done, as were the reports of wondrous dreames, and visions, which had no other credit, but the Authors honesty; or miraculous Cures, by the power and reliques of Saints deceased; as when those who never were blind, made others beleeve they had newly received sight. 2 Illusion; when though something were done, yet it was but a seeming, and a counterfeit onelyonly of a miraculous work, indeed some jugling trick of the Divell, or of his instruments. Lastly, Misapplication; either when that was attributed to a divine power, which was nothing but foreign, the work and operation of the Divell: or when it was interpreted, and abused to invite and confirme men in some Idolatrous errour, as it happened in the miracle of the Shrines and Sepulchres of the holy Martyrs, which were interpreted to bee for the confirmation of their Power, Presence, and notice of humane affaires after death, and to warrant us, and encourage men to have recourse unto them by prayer, and invocation, as unto Mediatours; and to give that honour unto their Reliques, which was due unto God alone. The like is to be said of the Miracles of Images, and of the Host, which though they smelt strong of Forgery, or Illusion, were supposed by a divine disposition to be wrought for the like end and purpose. All which was foreign, the power of seduction, or strong delusion, to make the world beleeve a Lye, as Saint Paul speakes 2 Thessal. 2.11.
Concerning the hypocrisie of fabulous legend-Writers of the Acts of Saints and Martyrs, you know what it meanes, as also the last which was named Counterfeit Authors, under the name of Antiquity; as approving those errours which latter times devised; I shall not need here to use any further explication: and thus you see what is comprehended under foreign, the hypocrisie, counterfeiting, or faining of Lyars. I should now come to display the truth of this particular of this Prophesie in the event; but I will first unfold the next imputation, foreign, the hypocrisie of those who have their consciences seared; which though it might be exemplified in other things, yet I meane to instance onelyonly in that afore-mentioned, and so must give you the story of both together.
foreign, &c. Through the hypocrisie of those who have their consciences seared. For foreign, as I said before, is to be repeated foreign signifies both the place seared, and the mark printed by the searing with an hot iron. foreign is to cauterize, to sear with an hot iron, or cut off with searing, as Chirurgions doe rotten members: now that which is seared, becomes more hard and brawny, and so more dull, and not so sensible in feeling as otherwise. In this sense foreign signifies those who have a hard and a brawny Conscience, which hath no feeling in it: in the other sense as foreign is to cut off by searing, it must signifie those who have no conscience left; there is not much difference; but I follow the first, a hard and unfeeling Conscience. And whether those foreign, whereof we spake before (to use no other instances) were not of such metall, for their Conscience, I think no man can deny. Who could have coined, or who could have beleeved such monstrous stuffe, as the Legends are stored with, but such as were cauterized? If they had had any tendernesse or feeling, not only of Conscience, but even of sense, they could never have beleeved, or vented such stuffe as there is. As Vincent. hist. lib. 7. cap. 84. That the Virgin Mary should draw out her breasts, and milk in I know not what Clerks mouth. That she played the Midwife to an Abbesse, got with child by her Cater, and sent the Bastard by two Angels to a certaine Hermite to be brought up. Idem ibid. c. 86. That she came and lay the first night in the midst between a certain Bridegroome and his Bride. Idem lib. 7. cap. 87. Caesarius in his seventh book cap. 34. reports, that the Virgin Mary, for twelve whole yeeres together, did supply the place of a certain Nun, called Beatrice, while she lay in the Stewes, till at length returning, she freed the Virgin from standing Sentinel any longer. And lib. 7. cap. 33. That she said to a certain Souldier, I'll be thy wife, come and kisse me, and made him doe so. That she took a Monk about the neck and kissed him. In an Italian book called, The miracles of the blessed Virgin, printed at Millaine 1547. a certaine Abbesse being great with child, the holy Virgin willing to cover the crime, did in her stead present her selfe before the Bishop in form of an Abbesse, and shewed by ocular demonstration, that she was not with child. Fasciculus temporum, written many yeeres agoe, tels us of Saint Gilgols wife used to sing with her lower mouth, because she scoffed at her husbands Miracles.
But that which Johannes de Nicol. in his reformed Spanyard tels, that he read taken out of Trithemius, is the more worthy to be remembred, as being a principall motive in his conversion, who was till then extremely addicted to the Idol-worship of the blessed Virgin; which was much cooled, when he read that she came into the chamber of Fryer Allen (a Dominican that made her Rosary) made a ring of her owne haire, wherewith she espoused her selfe unto him, kissed him, let him handle her breasts, and conversed as familiarly with him, as a Bride is wont with her Bridegroome: whether think you not that these fellowes were seared in their conscience? what block could have beene more senslesse? Melchior Canus speaking of the golden legend, as they call it, a book fraught with such stuffe, as you have heard, me thinks almost expresses the meaning of a cauterized conscience. Hanc homo scripsit (saith he) ferrei oris, & plumbei cordis, a fellow of an iron mouth, and leaden heart, as if he had said, foreign, of a brawny and unfeeling conscience.
But I come to shew how this prediction of our Apostle hath beene accomplished, how foreign, the cousening and feigning of lyars, was the meanes whereby the doctrine of Daemons was advanced in the Church, I meane the deifying and worshipping of Saints and Angels, the adoring and templing of relicks, the bowing downe to Images, the worshipping of Crosses as new Idoll-columnes, the worshipping of the breaden god, or of any visible thing whatsoever upon supposall of any divinity therein: all which I have proved to be nothing else, but the Gentiles idolatrous Theology of Daemons, revived amongst Christians.
The first of these, the deifying and invocating of Saints, and adoring relicks is the most ancient for time of all the rest, and began to appeare in the Church presently after the death of Julian the Apostate, who was the last Ethnicall Emperour; the grounds and occasions whereof were most strange reports of wonders shewed upon those who approached the shrines of Martyrs, and prayed at their memories, and sepulchers: devils charmed, diseases cured, the blinde saw, the lame walked, yea the dead revived, and other the like, which the doctors of those times for the most part avouched to be done by the power and prayers of glorified Martyrs, and by the notice they took of mens devotions at their sepulchers; though at the beginning those devotions were directed to God alone, and such places only chosen for the stirring up of zeale and fervour, by the memory of those blessed and glorious Champions of Christ. But whiles the world stood in admiration, and the most esteemed of these wonders, as of the glorious beames of the triumph of Christ; they were soone perswaded to call upon them, as patrons and mediatours, whose power with God, and notice of things done upon earth, they thought that these signes and miracles approved.
Thus the reliques of Martyrs beginning to be esteemed above the richest jewels, for the supposed vertue even of the very ayre of them, were wonderfully sought after, as some divine Elixar, soveraigne both to body and soule. Whereupon another scene of wonders entred, even of visions, and revelations, wonderfull and admirable for the discovery of the sepulchers and ashes of Martyrs, which were quite forgotten, yea of some whose names and memories, till then, no man had ever heard of; as S. Ambrose's Gervasius, and Protasius. Thus in every corner of the Christian world were new Martyrs bones ever and anon discovered, whose verity againe miraculous effects and cures seemed to approve; and therefore were diversly dispersed, and gloriously templed, and enshrined. Hil. lib. ad Constantium intimates miraculous cures of the reliques of Martyrs to have been as ancient as his time, yea as the time of the Churches peace *Plus crudelitati vestrae, Nero, Deci, Maximiniane debemus. Diabolum …nim p…r vos vicimus, Sanctus ubi que beatorū Martyrum sanguis exceptus est; dum in his Daemones mugi…nt, dum … gritudines depelluntur &c. At tu (id …st Constanti) omnium crudelitatum crudeli…me damno majore in nos, & veniâ minore, desaevis, &c.. All these things happened in that one age, and were come to this heigth in lesse than 100 yeares. But here is the wonder most of all to be wondred at, that none of these miraculous signes were ever heard of in the Church, for the first 300 yeares after Christ, untill about the yeare 360; after that the Empire under Constantine and his sonnes, having publickly embraced the Christian faith, the Church had peace, and the bodies of the despised Martyrs, such as could be found, were now bestowed in most magnificen… Temples, and there gloriously enshrined. And yet had the Christians long before used to keep their Assemblies at the *See Clem. Con. fol. 106.Caemiteries and monuments of their Martyrs; how came it to passe, that no such vertue of their bones and ashes, no such testimonies of their power after death, were discovered untill now?
Babylas his bones were the first that all my search can finde, which charmed the devill of Daphne, Apollo Daphneus, when Julian the Apostate offered so many sacrifices to make him speak; and being asked why he was so mute, forsooth, the corps of Babylas the Martyr, buried neere the Temple in *A delicate subu…bs of Antioch.Daphne, stopped his windpipe. I feare, I feare here was some hypocrisie in this businesse, and the devill had some …eate to play: the very name of Babylas is enough to breed jealousie, it is an ominous name, the name Babylas; yea, and this happened too at Antioch, where Babylas was Bishop and Martyr in the persecution of Decius. Would it not doe the devill good, there to beginne his mystery, where the Christian name was first given to the followers of Christ? howsoever this was then farre otherwise construed, and a conceit quickly taken, that other Martyrs bones might bee found upon …riall, as terrible to the devill, as those of Babylas; which was no sooner tryed, but experience presently verefied with improvement, as you heard before; so that all the world rung so with wonders done by Martyrs, that even holy men, who at the first suspected, were at length surprised, and carried away with the power of delusion.
Besides the silence of all undoubted *Adde, that no such thing could bee, so long as they used to pray for Martyrs, as well as others of the dead. See Clement. & ali…s.antiquity of any such sepulchral wonders to have happened in the former ages, the very manner of speech, which the fathers living in this miraculous age used, when they spake of these things, will argue they were then accounted novelties, and not as continued from the Apostles times. Chrisostome in his oration contra Gentiles, of the businesse of Babylas speakes thus: foreign ▪ If any man beleeves not these things, which are said to be done by the Apostles, let him now beholding the present, desist from his impudency. Ambros. Epist. ad sororem Marcellinam, relating of a peece of the speech he made, upon the translations of the bodyes of Gervasius and Protasius, and the miracles then shewed, reparata (saith he) ve…usti temporis miracula cer…itis: You see the miracles of ancient times (hee meanes the time of Christ and his Apostles) renewed. S. August. lib. de civ. Dei 22. cap. 8. in a discourse of the miracles of that time, saith; We made an order to have bills given out of such miracles as were done, when wee saw the wonders of ancient times renewed in ours: Id namque fieri volumus, cùm videremus antiquis similia divinaru… signa virtutum, etiàm nostris temporibus frequentari, & …a non debere multorum notitiae deperire. But alas, now began the foreign, this was the fatall time, and thus the Christian Apostasie was to be ushered; If they had knowne this, it would have turned their joyous shoutings and triumphs, at these things, into mourning.
The end, which these signes and wonders aymed at, and at length brought to passe,In which respect foreign, though the Genitive case were taken actively, would signifie the Idolatry of Saint-worship, viz. the worship of the dead, which the Devils are wont thus to counterfeit. should have made them remember that warning which was given the ancient people of God: Deut. 13. If there arise among you a Prophet, or a dreamer of dreames, and giveth thee a signe or a wonder; and that signe or wonder come to passe, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us goe after other Gods and serve them; thou shalt not harken unto the words of that Prophet, or dreamer of dreames: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soule. But why should I goe any further, before I tell you, that even in this also, the idolatry of Saint-worship was a true counterfeit of the Gentiles idolatry of Daemons? Did not Daemon-worship enter after the same manner? was it not first insinuated, and afterward established by signes, and wonders of the very selfe same kinde, and fashion? Listen what Eusebius will tell us in his fifth book Praeparat. Evangel. cap. 2. according to the Greek edition of Rob. Stephen, when (saith he) those wicked spirits (as he proved them to be which were worshipped under the names of Daemons) saw mankinde brought off to a deifying of the dead (he meanes by erecting statues, and ordaining ceremonies and sacrifices for their memorialls) foreign; they insinuated themselves, and helped forward their errour: foreign; by certaine motions of the statues, which anciently were consecrated to the honour of the deceased: as also foreign; by ostentation of oracles and cures of diseases, whereby they then superstitious ranne headlong, sometimes to take them to be some heavenly powers and Gods indeed, and sometimes to be foreign; the soules of their deified worthies. And so (saith he) the earth-neighbouring-Daemons which are the princes of the Ayre, those spiritualities of wickednesse, and ring-leaders of all evill, were on all hands accounted for great Gods: foreign; and the memory of the ancients deceased was thought worthy to be celebrated with a greater service; the features of whose bodies the dedicated images in every city seemed to represent; but the soules of them, and those diviner and incorporeall powers, foreign; the wicked Daemons counterfeited by working many miracles.
Heare Tertullian also speak in his Apology to the Gentiles, cap. 21. in fine. Quaerite ergò si vera est ista divinitas Christi▪ si est ea quâ cognitâ ad bonum quis reformetur, sequitur ut falsa renuntietur, compertâimprimis illâ omni ratione, quae delitescens sub nominibus & imaginibus mortuorum, quibusdam signis & miraculis, & oraculis, fidem divinitatis operatur. Search therefore this Deity of Christ, whether it be true, or not; if it be that, by the knowledge whereof a man shall be reformed to good, it followes then, that the false be renounced; especially, that whole mysterie (he meanes of Gentiles Idolatry, and Daemon-worship) being discovered, which under the names and Images of the dead, through Signes, Miracles, and Oracles, obtaineth an opinion of divinity.
Chrysostome shall conclude, who in his Oration In Savil. Tom. 6. p. 376. alii Rem. primâ adversus Iud…os.Judaizantes saith, that the Daemons of the Gentiles wrought Miracles for the confirmation of Paganisme, foreign. For (saith he) they oftentimes by their skill cured diseases, and restored to health those that were sick; what should we partake therefore with them in their impiety, because of this? God forbid. Then he adds out of Moses, Deut. 13. that which we even now quoted; which, had it been as well applied to the miracles amongst Christians present, as it was to those of the Gentiles past, perhaps he that spoke it, would have questioned something which he enclined to beleeve.
The second particular I named of foreign, was fabulous Legends of the Acts of Saints and Martyrs; this was also another meanes to advance the doctrines of Daemons. For the true acts and stories of Martyrs being extinguished for the most part, by the bloody Edict of Dioclesian, they now began to supply againe that losse, by collecting such tales as were then current of them, and adding thereto such miracles as were fabled after death, fashioned all to the best advantage of what they meant to promote in the Church, and was already on foot in the same. Such was that wherwith the good Father Greg. Nazi… ▪ was abused in his funeral Oration upon Cyprian, and many others of the Greek Churches: that Cyprian, that great Cyprian, who was both Citizen and Bishop of C…rthage, in the reign of Decius (for of him Gregory speaketh expresly) even being formerly a Conjurer, and falling into love with a Christian Virgin Justina, some say of An…ioch, when … by wooing and ordinary meanes he could not with her unto his will, he went about to prevaile with Magick spells and conjurations; which the damsell perceiving, she having recourse to God, sell to work against him with prayer and fasting, and in her devotions also be…ought the Virgin Mary to succour her a Virgin in that jeopardy: by which meanes Cyprians Magicall enchantments were frustrated, and he convinced thereby, became a Christian. All which Baronius himselfe confesses to be a fable, as well he might, it being unknowne both to Pontius his Deacon, who lived with him, and wrote his life; and to the western, and African Churches, where he lived and died: who knew, and who could know better, that in his Paganisme he was not a Magician, but a Professour of Oratory at Carthage, farre enough from Antioch, and converted by one Caecilius? Neverthelesse, we have cause to think, that this tale, together with the like, served not a little for the advancement of the mystery of Daemons in the Easterne Churches; when we see our Adversaries so willing to have that passage (as seemes by their often alledging it) of calling upon the blessed Virgin to be authenticall; notwithstanding they know (which the Greeks so well could not, he being a Latine Bishop) that the whole story must needs be a fable. Of this stamp are the well known Legends of our Latine Churches, which almost all of them drive principally at this mark; it being also the ordinary conclusion of their tales (sure of our English) that since God hath done thus and thus by this holy Martyr, or sith God hath with such myracles honoured this martyr, let us pray unto him, that by his merits and Intercession wee may obtain salvation. Nor is it a late device; Greg. Turonensis above a thousand yeares agoe in his two books de miraculis martyrum, as his fabulous narrations,This Gregory of Towres died Anno 596. (which yet many of them hee referres to others before him) are excellently well framed for the promotion of Saint-worship; so in the Conclusion of them hee plainly confesses, that that was his ayme shutting up his first booke thus. Vnde oportet et nos …rum Patrocinia expetere, ut, eorum mereamur Suffragiis, vel quod nostris digninon sumus meritis obtinere, eorum possumus Intercessionibus adipisci, &c. His second thus; Ergò his miraculis lector incend…us intelligat, non aliter nisi Martyrum reliquorum que amicorum Dei adjutoriis se posse salvari. &c:
But among the Greeks Simeon Metaphrast…s hath a strain beyond us all,But I find now the same in the Aurea Legenda of all the foling Martyrs, save the first, which is not there. S. Barbara is but the Appendix. who makes prayers for many of his Martyrs, wherin they desire of God, that whosoever should pray unto him in their names, or have recourse to their sepulchers, when they were glorified, might obtain whatsoever they aske, yea remission of sins itselfe: which because it is so singular a counterfeit of a lying Greek I shal not doe amisse to insert the particulars, together with something about the occasion and time of this device.
In the Martyrdome of Anastasia a Roman Virgi… under Diocletian, he tells us if we be so wise as to beleeve it,
That at the time of her suffering, when she had, as was fit, given thanks unto God, and prayed for the happy accomplishment of her Martyrdome, and afterward made suit for those who being si…k should have recourse unto her (viz. after death) she heard a voice from heaven certifying, that what she had asked was granted her.
Saint Barbara, a Virgin of Heli…polis, martyred under Maximilianus, he makes, under the Executioners hand, to pray in this manner:
And thou O King (God) now heare my prayer, that whosoever shall remember thy name, and this my conflict, no pestilent disease may enter upon this house, nor any other of those evils, which may bring dammage, or trouble to the bodies of men. She had no sooner spoken, saith he, but a voice was miraculously heard from heaven, calling her and her fellow Martyr Julian to the heavenly places, and promising also that those things, which she had asked, should be accomplished.
In Saint Blasius (who suffered, saith Baronius, under Licinius) our Simeon tels us,
That when a woman came unto him to cure her son, who had a fish-bone sticking in his throat, he prayed in this manner: Thou O Saviour, who hast been ready to help those who called upon thee, heare my prayer, and by thy invisible power take out the bone which sticks in this child, and cure him; and whensoever hereafter the like shall befall men, children, or beasts, if any of them shall remember my name, saying, O Lord hasten thy help through the intercession of thy servant Blasius, doe thou cure him speedily, to the honour and glory of thy holy name.
Againe he tels us, while they were carrying him before the President, he restored to a poore widow a hog, her onelyonly hog, which a Wolfe had taken away from her. And when as afterward, in signe of thankfulnesse she brought the hogs head and feet boiled to the Martyr in prison, he blessing her, spake in this maner: Woman in this habit celebrate my memoriall, and no good thing shall ever be wanting in thy house from my God: yea and if any other, imitating of thee, shall in like manner celebrate my memoriall, he shall receive an everlasting gift from my God, and a blessing all the dayes of his life.
When he comes to suffer, he makes him pray to God thus: Heare me thy servant, and whosoever shall have recourse to this thine Altar, (he meanes himselfe) and whosoever shall have swallowed a bone, or prickle, or be vexed with any disease, or be in any affliction, necessity, or persecution, grant Lord to every one his hearts desire, as thou art gracious and mercifull, for thou art to be glorified now and evermore.
When he had thus prayed (saith he) Christ descended from heaven in a cloud, and overshadowed him: and our Saviour said unto him, O my beloved Champion, I will not onelyonly doe this, but that also which thou diddest request for the widow; and will blesse also every house which shall celebrate thy memory, and I will fill their store-houses with all good things, for this thy glorious confession, and thy faith which thou hast in me.
Saint Catharine, whom he calls Aecatharina, a Martyr of Alexandria, under Maximilianus, he makes to pray thus at her Martyrdome.
Grant unto those, O Lord, who through me shall call upon thy holy Name, such their requests as are profitable for them, that in all things thy wondrous works may be praised now and evermore.
But above all the rest, Marina's prayer, whom we Latines call Saint Margaret, is compleat, and for the purpose; she suffered under Dioclesian, and thus she prayed, if your dare beleeve Simeon.
And now, O Lord my God, whosoever for thy sake shall worship this Tabernacle of my body, which hath fought for thee; and whosoever shall build an Oratory in the name of thy handmaid, and therein offer unto thee spirituall sacrifices, oblations, and prayers; and all those who shall faithfully *O happy Simeon.describe this my conflict of Martyrdome, and shall read and remember the name of thy handmaid; give unto them, most holy Lord, who art a lover of all the good, and a friend of soules, remission of sinnes; and grant them pr…pitiation and mercy, according to the measure of their faith, and let not the revenging hand come neere them, nor the evill of famine, nor the curse of pestilence, nor any grievous scourge; nor let any incurable destruction either of body or soule betide them. And to all those who shall in faith and truth adhere to my house (her Oratory or Chappell) or unto my name, and shall unto thee, O Lord, offer glory and praise, and a sacrifice in remembrance of thine Handmaid, and shall aske salvation and mercy through me, grant them, O Lord, abundant store of all good things; for thou alone art good and gracious, and the giver of all good things for ever and ever. Amen.
While she was thus praying with her selfe (*If she prayed this prayer with her selfe, by what revelation was it made knowne to others? saith Simeon) behold there was a great earthquake, yea and the Lord himselfe, with a multitude and host of holy Angels standing by her, in such sort as was perceptible to the understanding, said; Be of good cheare Marina, and feare not, for I have heard thy prayers, I have fulfilled, and will in due time fulfill whatsoever thou hast asked, even as thou hast asked it.
Thus saith Simeon; who neverthelesse in the very entrance of this his tale of Marina, or Margaret, complains much, forsooth, that not a few of these narrations of the acts of Martyrs, were at the beginning forgot, yea profaned (as he saith more truly than he was aware of) Evidentissimis Daemoniorum doctrinis. Besides, he calls I know not what narration of the Virgins Martyrdom, in that sort corrupted, dictio Daemoniaca; but for his own part, he would reject all counterfeit fables, and tels us nothing but the truth; which how honestly he hath performed, and what touchstone he used, let the Reader judge. aIn notis ad martyrologium …oman. …ul. 13.Baronius I am sure is quite ashamed of him, who though he can be sometimes content to trade with not much better ware, yet this of Simeons he supposes will need very much washing and cleansing, before it be merchantable.
But for the better understanding of this mystery of iniquity, and what necessity there was of such desperate shifts, when time was; ye shall know, that this Simeon lived towards the end of that time of great and long opposition against Idolatry, in the Greeke and Easterne Churches, by divers Emperours, with the greatest part of their Bishops, Peeres, and people, lasting from about the yeere of our Lo…d 720, till after 840, that is, 120 yeers; which was not against Images onelyonly, though they bore the name; but the worship of Saints, and their reliques; the state whereof shall not be amisse to represent out of such records of Antiquity, as our Adversaries themselves have been pleased to leave us; if it be but for their sake who so often ask us, whether there were ever any of our religion before Luther. Let us therefore hear what Writers of their own sect, such as then lived, and were eyewitnesses, will tell us. Leo Isaurus (saith Theophanes, miscel. lib. 21. cap. 23.) erred not onelyonly about the foreign.respective adoration of venerable Images; but about the intercession of the most chast Mother of God, and all the Saints, whose reliques also the most wicked man abominated, like unto his masters the Mahumetans. This was the first of those Emperours: the next was Constantinus, whom they sirnamed Copr…nimus, of whom the same Author (ibid. cap. ult.) speaks as followeth: This pernicious, (saith he) inhumane, and barbarous Emperour abusing his authority tyrannically, and not using it lawfully, at the very beginning made an Apostasie from God, and from his undefiled Mother, and from all his Saints. Again, lib. 22. c. 4…. VponUpon the twenty sixth yeere of his reign he shewed himself wicked, beyond the frenzie of the Mahumetans, to all that were Orthodox (so he calls Idolaters) under his Empire, Bishops, Monks, Laymen, and others his subjects: every where, as well by writing as by speech, banishing, at unprofitable, the Intercession of the holy Virgin and Mother of God, and of all the Saints, through which all succour is conveyed unto us; and causing their holy reliques to be rejected and despised: and if the reliques of any notable Saint, soveraigne both to body and soule, were knowne to lie any where, and wer…, as the manner is, honoured by those which were religious, presently he threatned such as these with death, as wicked doers, or else with banishment, proscriptions, and torture. As for the reliques acceptable to God, and esteemed by the possessours as a treasure, they were taken from them, from thence forward to be made hatefull things.
Again, cap. 48. of the next yeere.
If one getting a fall, or being in pain, chanced to utter the usuall language of Christians, saying, O Mother of God help me; or were found keeping vigils, &c. he was adjudged as the Emperours enemy, and stiled Immemorabilis, unworthy of memory; this was a title of infamy.
Again, cap. 54. anno regni 31.
If one were found to have a relique but to keep (that is, though he worshipped it not) yet neverthelesse did Lichanodraco the Emperours President burn it, and punish him that had it as a wicked doer. Thus farre Theophanes.
Habetur in op…ribus D… m…sceni auctis, interprete Jacobo Billio, ex Reginae matris bibliothe…a, & apud Surum, Tom. 6 Nov. 28.Heare now what the Author of the Acts of Monk Stephen, whom the same Emperour made one of their Martyrs for patronizing Idols, can tell us; heare what he saith of the great Councell of Constantinople, held in this Emperours reigne against Images.
O Christ, how should I not admire thy lenity! — To that height did those most impodent tongues yet: further break out, that they were not afraid to utter that monstrous and impious speech, viz. that the very Virgin Mother of God her selfe was now after her death unavailable, and no use to be made of her, nor could she help or protect any one.
The same Author thus deplores the state of those times, abusing the words of Psalme 79.
O God the heathen are come into thine Inheritance; thy holy Temple have they defiled, and made Hierusalem an heape of stones; The dead bodyes of thy servants have they given to be meat to the foules of the aire, and the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth; that is (sayth he) the venerable and sacred reliques of the Martyrs, quas partim igni, partim mar…, partim deni que (ô facinus orbi universo damnum ferens) praecipitiis tradiderunt; which they cast partly into the fire, partly into the water (O villanous act wherby the whole world is damnified) partly threw down into precipices.
There is nothing yet in these relations will doe any man hurt, by engendring a misconceit, especially if hee remember the tale is told by malicious Adversaries, that counterfeit reliques were plentifull in those dayes as well as now: That Hezekiah brake in pieces that brazen Serpent, made by Gods owne Commandement, a holy monument and type of Christ, when it was once abused to Idolatry.
After the death of this Emperour Constantine, and his son, who reigned not long after him, the idolatrous faction, under Constantine his nephew, and the Queen mother Irene, againe for some yeeres prevailed; and that so farre, as to pack a *Called the second of NiceCouncell, the Bishop of Rome having a maine stroke therein; whereby the former Councell of Constantinople was condemned, and the worship of Images again established. But Leo Armin…s comming to the Empire, the Orthodox part again prevailed, as before they had done, during the reigne of three Emperours more. The last Emperour of the opposers of Idols was Theophilus, the last Patriarch John, and that to the very end; the Idolatry of Saint-worship was opposed more or lesse, as well as that of Images, as may be gathered out of that foreign,Habetur apud Baron an. 842.28. or the song of triumph, which the Greeks used to sing the first Sunday in Lent, for a memoriall of their last and finall conquest of the opposers of Images, ever since that time, where in the hymne of Theodorus Ode 8. I find this verse, foreign: (i. e.) The sacred reliques of the Saints, and their Images, were not at all to be worshipped, said most wickedly the renouncers of piety, the barbarous L…zick and John. This Iohn is that Patriarch of Constantinople which I said was the last of the opposers of Idols, and is often mentioned in this song, as is also Lezick, but what he was in uncertaine. But the whole story being delivered unto us onelyonly by profest enimies, if they should fasten no worse calumnies upon the opposite side than yet you have heard, you would think perhaps that the Patrones of Idols then were farre more ingenuous to their Adversaries, than we find their Successours now.
Heare therefore something of this kind also, that you may see as they agreed with us in the same profession against Idols, so did they also in suffering the like slanderous lyes from their Adversaries; in discoursing whereof I shall be neerer to foreign, than I was before.
In that great Councell of 338 Bishops, held at Constantinople against Idols, under Constantinus Copronymus, were, by some that wished well to Saint-worship, though they consented against Images, these two Canons inserted into the first draught of the definition of the Synod. First, if any one should not confesse the holy and ever blessed Virgin Mary, truly and properly Deipara, (the Mother of God) to be higher than any visible or invisible creature, and with a sincere faith implores not her intercession, let him be Anathema. Secondly, If any one shall not confesse all the Saints which have been from the beginning of the world untill now, to be honourable before God both in soule and body, or shall not entreat their prayers, let him be Anathema: which, when the definition came to be read in the Councell, the prevailing part of the Fathers caused to be blotted out; aforeign, saith t…e Con…u…er Co…, Nic. 2. act. 6. tom. 6.whereupon that slander, fastened on them by their enimies, may seem to have taken the first hint, as if forsooth by their rejecting these two foisted Canons, they had therefore denied whatsoever was contained in them, as that the Virgin Mary was Deipara, or Mother of God; or that the Saints were to be honoured so much, as with that honourable title of Saints.
For Cedrenus would make us beleeve, that this Emperour Constantine published a generall law, foreign, that none of the servants of God should in any wise be called Saints: yea that such of their reliques as were found, should be despised, and their intercession not to be prayed for; because, said he, they can availe nothing. The prophane wretch added (saith the same Authour) Let no man pray for the intercession, no not of Mary, for she can doe him no good, foreign; moreover, that she could not be called Deipara, the Mother of God. Then he tels us, that hee compared the blessed Virgin, after she was delivered of Christ, to a purse of gold, after it is emptied of the gold that was once in it. The same with Cedrenus, almost word for word, hath Suidas, so that the one may seem to have been transcribed out of the other.
But Theosterictus, one who lived at the same time,Apud Surium Apr. 3. tom. 2. whereas Cedrenus was more than 240 yeeres after, seemes much more ingenuous, for in his funerall Oration upon Nicetas, a aVnderUnder Leo Arm…nius.Confessour of those times, whose Disciple he was, relating otherwise the same things that Cedrenus and Suidas doth; yet when he comes to the story of the purse, he brings in the Emperor, expresly calling the Virgin Mary, Deipara; but finds fault, that he would not vouchsafe her the name Saint. Ita Deiparen… Maria (Viz. The Emperour. saith he) neque enim sanctam dignabatur nominare illam (saith Theosterictus) indignus ille; quo tempore Christum in se habebat, valdè honoranda illa erat; ex quo autem tempore illum peperit, nihil differebat à reliquis. Indeed it seemes at the wiping out of these fore-mentioned Canons, there passed something in the Councell (as is wont in such disputes) concerning an indifference or lawfulnesse in ordinary speech to mention such places, as were dedicated to the memory of Saints, without the addition of the name Saint. For I find that Stephen the Monk, afterward forsooth a Martyr, at what time the Emperour sent some of the Bishops and others unto him, to require his subscription to the decree of the Councell, thus expostulates with them: Did yee not (saith he) discard that adjective Saint from all the Just, from all the Apostles, from the Prophets, from the Prophets, Martyrs, and other godly men? for it was bravely decreed by you, That when any one were going to any of these, and were asked whither he went, he should answer, to the Apostles, to the fourty Martyrs; or being asked whence he came, he should in like manner say, From the Temple of Martyr Theodore, or from the Temple of the Martyr George.
But Theosterictus tells the same thing of the Emperour Constantine himselfe. Sanctos Martyres (saith he) quantum in ipso erat, honore privavit, cum praeceperit illos non esse Sanctos appellandos; sed simplicitèr nominari Apostolos, quadraginta Martyres, Theodorum, Georgium, & alios similitèr: he deprived, as much as in him lay, the holy Martyrs of honour, in that he commanded, they should not be stiled Saints, but simply named the fourty Martyrs, Theodore, George, &c. Whereby it appeares, that this law (whatsoever it was that these Authors charge the Emperour with) was something which proceeded from the Councell it self, as Monk Stephen even now charged them. Besides, that it was something onelyonly about the calling of places dedicated to Saints, though our Authors (as Calumniators use) tell it of Saints at large.
Lastly, it seemes to have growne upon some question, how farre, and in what kind, Saints were to be honored, which was occasioned by the wiping out of those Canons afore-mentioned.
Johannes Curopalata and Cedrenus relate, that Michael Balbus, the last save one of the Emperours that opposed Idols, foreign (foreign) foreign; ordained, that the word Saint should not be set upon any Images wheresoever they were painted (for this was, and as some say *Possevinus in sua Moscovia.is yet, the fashion of the Greeks, to add the names of the Saints to the Images that represent them) now if any such thing as this were done, or discoursed of, in the dayes of Constantinus, whom they call Copronimus, you may easily ghesse what fuell it might adde to the fire of that slander we speak of.
But why should we trouble our selves any longer to find out the originall of that, which we are certain was a notorious lie? for it is apparent in the definition of the Councell it selfe, which is thus calumniously charged, that they both give the title of Saints often to the Apostles, Fathers, and others, and of Deipara to the blessed Virgin. I shall not need to recount every place where they give the title of Saint to particulars; heare but what they say in generall: Sancti qui Deo placuerunt, & ab ipso sunt, foreign, dignitate sanctitatis honorati vivunt semper Deo, licèt hinc migraverunt: the Saints which pleased God, and are by him honoured with the dignity of Saint-ship, though they be departed hence, yet to God they live alwayes. Againe, N…fas est Christianis, foreign, D…monum cultricum Gentium moribus uti, & Sanct…s qui tali & tantâ gratiâ resplendebunt (sc. conregnar… cum Christo, & judicare orbem …errarum, & conformes fieri gloria ipsius) in ingloriâ & mortuâ materiâ, foreign, contumeliâ afficere: It is unlawfull for Christians to use the fashions of Gentiles, who worshipped Daemons or Devils; and in a base and livelesse matter (they meane Images) to dishonour the Saints, who shall one day shine, in such and so great grace and glory, viz. to reigne with Christ, and to judge the world, and to be made like to his glory, as they said a little before, Concil. Nicen. 2. Art. 6. Tom. 4.
As for the other part of the calumny, about stiling the the Virgin Mary, Deipara, heare not onelyonly what they practised, but what they expresly decreed, ibid▪ Tom. 6. foreign: If any one shall not confesse God to be truly Emmanuel, and therefore the holy Virgin to bee Deipara, the Mother of God, let him bee Anath…ma. Here the blessed Virgin hath both the name of Saint (foreign) and foreign, mother of God given her. All this you shall find in the sixth act of the idolatrous Councell of Nice, where the enimies, while they would confute the definition of the Synod of Canstantinople, have preserved it, which else had utterly perished▪ as the Acts thereof have done.
Now judge whether Constantine and his Councell were guilty or not, of what the idolatrous faction charged them with. We may wonder the lesse at this notorious impudency of lying companions, seeing we have like experience of such calumnies fastened upon our selves this day; though there be so many thousand eyes and eares, and writings too, which confute them.
And thus you have seen what manner of times they were, about the end of which our Simeon Metaphras…es lived. Was it not high time for him thinke you, and those hands to which hee was beholding (for I will not charge him with all) to ply the old craft, and reenforce the Legends with new lyes, when the credit of Saint-worship lay thus a bleeding? It is not credible they would bee so much wanting to themselves. And it is as apparent, that those tales of the new strain, which wee had out of Simeon, were coined in this age, and not before; For if any such thing had been knowen, or delivered from elder times, how came it to passe, no notice therof was given us by any writer of Ecclesiasticall story, by any father, by any Compiler or forger of Martyrs lives and miracles till now? Certainly so miraculous and wonderfull things, as voyces from heaven, and Christ descending thence in a cloud, and the like, had been worth the telling: But alas, they could speak but little of these Martyrs, save only the names and times of their sufferings. And thus I end my digr…ssion, which yet I hope hath not been altogether impertinent to the present argument.
The last particular of foreign, the Hypocrisy of lyars I made to bee counterfeit writings, under the names of the first and best Antiquity: S. Pet…rs liturgy; the Liturgy of S. Iames; Mathew; Mark; the Apostles Councell at Antioch; foisted workes under the names of Austin, Origen, Cyprian, Athanaesius and others: Through which wee need not doubt, but the doctrine of Daemons was promoted, when we see some not ashamed still to maintain it▪ by these counterfeit authorityes.
Thus you see, how the first-borne and the most ancient part of the doctrine of Daemons, the Deifying of Saints & Martyrs was advanced by the hypocrisy of liars. The same you shall find to have bin verified also in the advancing of the next-born D…mon-changling Image-worship, and of the third, the Idolatry of the Masse-God, all brought in, and established by the means and wayes aforesaid. I need not spend time in Historicall allegations, they are well enough knowne; and primu… in unoquo que genere est mensura duplicate page duplicate page consequentium. By that I spake of the first, you may Judge of those which follow; yet for Images I will tell you a story or two for a tast: Bale our Country-man (Script. Illust. Britan, Cent. 11. ca. 91.99.) relates, that about the yeare 712, one Egwin of Worcester published in writing certain Revelations, yea expresse Visions he had seen, wherin hee was enjoyned to set in his Diocesse of Worcester the Image of the blessed Virgin, for the people to worship; which Pope Constantine the first having made him confirme by oath, not only ratifyed by his Bull; but caused Brithwald the Arch-Bishop to hold a Councell of the whole Clergy at London, to commend them to the people.
In that Idolatrous Councell of the second of Nice, one of their proofes, among many the like for worshipping of Images, is a tale quoted out of I know not what Sophronius, of a certain Recluse, who using to worship an Image of the Virgin Mary, holding Christ in her armes, had been a long time tempted by the divell to fornication; wherat on a time the old man being much aggrieved, the Devill visibly appearing told him in plaine termes (but under an oath of secrecy) that hee would never cease to vex him, untill he left worshipping the Image of the blessed Virgin. The Monke notwithstanding hee had made him sweare by the most high, hee should tell no body, yet acquaints one Abbot Theodore with the businesse, who not only allowes of his perjury in revealing it, but gives him this ghostly resolution: foreign. It were better he frequented all the Stewes in the City, than not to worship Christ and his mother, in an Image. I am afraid some of their Monk successours still observe this wholesome counsell.
I must tell you also some of the miracles and lyes for laying the foundation of Transubstantiation, and thence advancing the Idoll of the Masse. A certaine Monke reports, that hee saw Jesus Christ in forme of a child sitting upon the Altar. Another sayth, yea more then one, that Wittikind King of the Saxons entring disguised into a Church, and diligently observing the Christians fashion of receiving the Communion, saw them put a little pretty smiling boy into their mouths. These wonders and others of the like apparitions of flesh and blood began not, till about the end of the 800 yeares. But that they might seeme ancienter, Simeon Metaphrastes hath a forged Legend of Arsenius the Hermite; and some body counterfeited the life of Saint Basil, under the name of Amphilochius his companion, which now they begin to be ashamed of. And for feare the people might suspect that these were illusions, they keepe yet some of the flesh and blood which was thus transubstantiated, for a monument, in many Churches. To these apparitions, to make all compleat, they tell us of a hive of Bees seen in Saint Gervais his Monastery in Paris, which built a Chappell of wax in honour of the Host, which some body put into the hive; and a miracle of an Asse that left his provender to worship the Host; and many other the like: but I have staied too long amongst them, and therefore let here be the conclusion of foreign, that we may passe on to that is yet behind.
foreign, *Vide opus Hierarchicum seu Cosin. Migalian. in Timoth. ubi ex Home… foreign, l…. O…cu….foreign, &c.
I come now to the last description of the meanes whereby the doctrine of Daemons was to be advanced, viz. through the hypocrisie of such as forbid marriage, and command to abstaine from meats. Who are these? The wonderfull correspondence of the event makes me verily beleeve, that the Holy Ghost intended here (at least chiefly) to decipher unto us Monks, and Doctors of Monkery, by two such marks, as ar… the chiefe points and grounds of that singularity of life. For prohibition of marriage, and difference of meats are inseparable characters of Monasticall profession, and goe common to all that crew of hypocrites, whether solivagant Hermites, or Anchorites which live alone, or Coenobites which lived in society. And if we take them joyned together, as our Apostle doth, I think they can befit no other kind of men by way of rule and precept, but these alone. 'Tis true, all Antichrists Priests are forbidden marriage, generally and absolutely; but meats they are not, save onelyonly upon certaine dayes and times, which is not their case alone, but the people also partake with them in the like restraint. But Monks are bound by the vowed rule of their profession, to abstain from both absolutely and perpetually. Concerning the first heare S. Chrisostome speak; hom. 7 in Math. Nobis & Monachis (saith he) omnia mandata Dei sunt communia, praeter connubium: all the commandments of God are common to us, with Monks, besides marriage. Wherefore in the Councell of Chalcedon is an expresse Canon, cap. 16. Vt nec Deo dicata Virgo, nec Monachus nubant: that no Nun or Monk should marry, (i. e.) they might not forsake their profession.
For the second, the abstaining from meats, Saint Bennet can tell us best, who is the father and founder of welnigh all the Monks of the West. His rule, which they all bind themselves to observe, …aith; à carnibus omnes abstineant, let all abstaine from flesh. Again, Carnium etiam quadrupedum omninò ab omnibus abstineatur comestio: let all abstaine together from the eating of flesh of foure footed beasts. Hence is that decree of Bishop Fructuosus in Gratian dist. 5. Carnem cuiquam Monach… nec gustandi, nec sumendi est concessa licentia: no Monk hath leave granted him to take, or so much as to taste a peece of flesh. And these were the two principall observations of the first Monks, before they came to be gathered into a society of a common life, under certain set rules. Paulus Thebaus the first pattern of this kind of life, abstained as from marriage (whereof there is no question) so from all meats, save bread and dates. Anthony the next eate nought but bread and salt, and both drank no other drink but water. Epiphanius in his Anchorato tels us of differing observations in this kind. Some eat no flesh, but fish; some neither of both, but fruits and hearbs: some eat flying creatures, but abstained from all besides. But if you will take meats in this place in a larger sense, you shall have a full definition of Monkery, and take in that other Monasticall principle of renouncing possessions, & having no propriety in any thing, which they account the second fundamentall principle, next to the vow of chastity or single life. Now may not foreign, meats, be expounded in this sense? We know the word (Bread) in Scripture signifies all thing needfull for the maintenance of life; omnia vi…ae subsidia; and therefore we ask them a…l in the Lords prayer under that name, Give us this day our daily bread. Marke the words of David to Ziba, 2 Sam. 9. Thou and thy sonnes, and thy servants, shall till the land for him (Mephibosheth) and shalt bring in the fruits, that thy masters sonne may have foreign food to eat. Here bread, or food, is taken for Mephibosheths whole maintenance, the whole profit of the land which Ziba tils. Matth. 10.9.10. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brasse in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither coats, nor shoes, nor yet staves; for the workman is worthy foreign. Here gold, silver, brasse, cloaths, and staves, and all come under foreign, that is, meat. In stead whereof Saint Luke chap. 10. ver. 7. putteth foreign, his hire. Pro. 30.8. Agur saith, Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, foreign. By all which appeares, that food and meat in Scripture is often taken for foreign, as Saint James speakes cap. 2. ver. 16. for all provision of things for the use of the body, and this life; maintenance, revenue, estate, possession▪ why may not then abstaining from meats in this Prophesie meane or include abstaining from possessions, votum paupertatis, the vow of poverty, and renouncing of the world, as the hypocrites call it? to which the following words, foreign, are every way as pliable as to the stricter sense, and may be read thus: which God hath created to be enjoyed with thankesgiving of them which, &c. Let us heare S. Bennets rule speak for all· Nemo aliquid proprium habeat, nullam omnino rem, ne que codicem, ne que tabulas, ne que graphiarium, sed nihil omnino: Let no man have any thing proper or as his own, no kind of thing, neither book, nor writing, nor Inkehorne, nor any thing at all. And those who had once imposed upon themselves this law, were prohibited forever to returne to the world againe. Monachis non licere ad s…culum redire, saith the Canon of a great Councell. Heare a story of S. Hierome Epist. ad Eustochium. A certain Monke being dead was found to have been so good an husband, as to have had lying by him one hundred Solidi, which hee had gotten by weaving of linnen; hereupon great doubt there was, what it should be done withall, whether given to the poore, to the Church, or to what use. But Pambo, and Isidorus, and the other Fathers (of the Monks) laid their heads together, decreed it should be buried with him, with this blessing; Pecunia tua sit tecum in perditionem; thy money perish together with thee. The like sentence gave Gregory the great against Justus a Monk, for the like fault, Dial. …. c. 55.
I conclude therefore, that these words, are a description of Monkery by such notes as are fundamentall, which way soever wee take them, either containing single life and discrimen ciborum, the differencing of meats, or the two vowes of chastity and poverty, or all three of them, Chastity, Poverty, and abstaining from meats. As for that other vow of obedience, it was not from the beginning, nor common to all; not to Hermites and Anchorites, but such as lived in common under an head. And these are the men through whose hypocrisy, and by whose meanes the doctrine of Daemons should be brought in, and advanced among Christians in the latter times.
Now let us see and behold with admiration the truth of this part also of the prophesy. Where first observe that this singular kind of life began even just at the time when the doctrine of Daemons was to enter. For Paulus Thebaeus, and Anthony, the first patterns thereof, died, the former in the reigne of Constantine, the latter a little before the yeere 360; whence, or neere unto which time, we began our reckoning before of the first entrance of Saint-worship into the Church. About that time (Monks till then having been confined to Egypt) Hilarion brought them into Syria, and presently Saint Basil gave them a certain rule to live together in forme of a Polity; and with the assistance of his brother Gregory Nyssen and Gregory Nazianzen (who all entred this new kind of life) dispersed them over all Asia amd Greece; whose encrease was so wonderfull, that almost in an instant they filled the world, and their esteeme was so great, that there was scarce a man of note, but took upon him this kind of life.
Though therefore it be most true, that our Apostles prophecy will bee verified, whichsoever of the two, either such as themselves entred the restraint of a Monastick life, or those who approved, taught, & maintained the holinesse of tht profession (as the rest did) were the ring-leaders and Foster-fathers of this defection; (for both come within the verge of such as forbid marriage, and command to abstain from meats) yet wee will not content ourselves with so loose an application, but see what an hand Monks and Friars themselves (chiefly I suppose intended by the holy Ghost) had in this businesse.
And first in the doctrin of Daemons, adoring of Reliques, and Invocation of Saints: where that which I first speak of shall be in the words of Chemnitius, lest some more tender of the honour of our fathers upon earth, than of the glory of our father in heaven, might take exception. Heare therefore not mee, but Chemnitius in his examen Concilii Tridentini: About the yeare of our Lord God 370 per Basilium, Nissenum, et Nazianzenum in publicos Ecclesia conventus, occasione orationum Panegyricarum Invocatio Sanctorum invehi coepit; eodem tempore cùm ab iisdem authoribus Monachatus ex Aegypto et Syriâ in Graeciam introduceretur, Et videtur (saith he) haec sive portio, sive Appendix Monachatus fuisse. By Basil, Nissen, and Nazianzen, upon occasion of Panegyricall orations, Invocation of Saints began to be brought into the publick Assemblyes of the Church, at the same time, when by the same Authors the profession of Monasticall life was was brought out of Aegypt and Syria into Greece; and it seemes (saith he) that this was either a part, or an appurtenance of Monkery &c. Againe speaking of St. Ambrose when he had once turned Monke, howsoever hee was before; Non tamen nego (inquit) Ambrosium, tandem cùm Monochatum à Basilio mutuò sumpsisset, etiàm ad Invocationem Sanctorum inclinare coepisse, ut patet ex libro de viduis. I deny not (saith he) but Ambrose at length, when he had once borrowed Monkery from Basil, began also to incline to the Invocation of Saints, as appeares in his book De viduis. Thus Chemnitius.
And that you may yet further see how operative Monkes were in this businesse, heare Saint Augustine de opere Monachorum, cap. 28. Tam multos hypocritas sub habitu Monachorum usquequa que dispersit Satan, circumeuntes provincias, nusquam missos, nusquam fixos, nusquam stantes, nusquam sedentes. Alii membra Martyrum, si tamen Martyrum venditant; & omnes petunt, omnes exigunt, aut sumptus lucrosae egestatis, aut simulatae pretium sanctitatis. The Devill (saith he) hath dispersed in every corner such a crew of hypocrites, under the habit of Monks, gadding about every Countrey, sent no whither, staying no where, every where restlesse, whether sitting or standing; some sell the limbs of Martyrs, if so be of Martyrs; and all asking, all exacting either the expence of a gainfull poverty, or the hire of a counterfeit sanctity. These were those surely which occasioned that rescript of Theodosius the Emperour, Nemo Martyrem distrahat, nemo mercetur; let no man sell, let no man buy a Martyr: whereby we may gather what honesty was like to be used amongst them: we know, Laudat venales qui vult extrudere merces; Merchants use to commend their commodities. Gregory of Tours, who lived and died somewhat before the yeere 600, tels us this, Monachos quosdam Romam venisse, ac prope templum Pauli corpora quaedam noctu effodisse, qui comprehensi fassi sunt in Graeciam se ea pro Sanctorum reliquiis portaturos fuisse; That certain Monks came to Rome, and neere unto Saint Pauls Church, in the night time, digged up certain bodies; who being apprehended, confessed they meant to have carried them into Greece for reliques of Saints. The same Author, l. 9. c. 6. Hist. Franc. relates a story of another counterfeit Monk, who pretended to come out of Spaine with Martyrs reliques; but being discovered, they were found to be certaine herbs, with bones of Mice, and such like stuffe: and he tels us there were many such seducers which deluded the people. And he said true, there were many indeed, and many more than Gregory took for such, even those h…e took for honest men. For though it must not be denied, but God had some of this order which were holy men, and unfainedly mortified, notwithstanding their errou… in thinking God was pleased with that singularity of life; yet must it be confessed, that the greater part were no better than hypocrites, and counterfeits, and that the lamentable defection of the Christian Church chiefly proceeded from, and was fostered by men of that profession, as in part we have heard already.
And if you can with patience heare him speak, I will add the testimony of Eunapius Sardianus, a Pagan Writer, who lived in the dayes of Theodosius the first, about the yeere 400, in the life of Edesius, most bitterly inveighing against the Christians for demolishing the renowned Temple of Serapis at Alexandria in Egypt: he speakes in this manner: When they had done (saith he) they brought into the holy places those which they call Monks, men indeed for shape, but living like swine, and openly committing innumerable villanies, not to be named; who yet tooke it for a peece of Religion thus to despise the Divinity (he means of Serapis:) for then (saith he) whosoever wore a black coat, and would demeane himselfe absurdly in publicke, got a tyrannicall authority; to such an opinion of vertue had that sort of men attained. These Monks also they placed at Canopus, in stead of the intelligible gods, to worship slaves, and those of no good condition; thus bringing a bond of Religion upon men. For having powdered the bones and skuls of such as had beene condemned of many crimes, and punished by a legall course of justice, they made Gods of them; prostrating themselves unto them, and thinking themselves the better for being polluted with Sepulchres; they called them forsooth Martyrs, and some Deacons, yea and Solicitours of their prayers with the gods; being indeed but perfidious slaves, who had been well basted with the whip, and carried the scars of their lewdnesse upon their bodies, and yet such gods as these the earth brings forth.
Thus the wretched caitiffe, and damned dog, blasphemes the Saints and servants of Christ, who loved not their lives unto death; the dust of whose feet he was not worthy to lick up. Yet may we make a shift to gather hence, what manner of offices Monks were then busied in. And if Baronius took leave to use his testimony for the antiquity of Saint-worship, why may not I with the like liberty alledge it, to shew that Monks and Friars were ring-leaders therein?
But when the Idolatry of Image-worship came to be added to those of Saints, whether Monks and Friars were not the chiefe sticklers therein, judge when you shall hear how it fared with them in that great opposition against Idols in the East.
Of Leo Isaurus, the first of those Emperours that opposed Images, we have this in generall out of the Greek Menology: That he raged most cruelly against Bishops and Monks, which maintained the worship of Images; and that he burnt a whole cloister of such kind of people in their Monastery, together with a famous Library, and all their furniture.
But Constantine his son made a worse fray amongst them. For the Author of the Acts of Monk Stephen tels us, That he being reproved and convicted for what hee had done (viz. against Images) by the religious and worthy professours of Monasticall life, he raised an implacable warre against them; calling that noble habit, foreign, the vesture of darknesse; and the Monks themselves, foreign, that is, unworthy of memory: and besides, terming them all Idolaters, for the worshipping of venerable Images.
The same is confirmed by Theosterictus, another Authour of that time, who saith, That the whole aime and study of this Emperour was to extinguish and root out the order of Monks.
And for particulars, here what Theophanes (himselfe a Monk, and a little singed too in this flame, before it ended) will informe us.
In the one and twentieth yeere of his reigne he caused (saith he) Andreas Calybites, a worthy Monke, who reproved him for his impiety (in demolishing Images) to be scourged till hee died, lib. 22. cap. 30. Hist. miscell.
In the five and twentieth yeere of his reigne hee caused Monke Stephen to be dragged by the heeles in the streets, till being rent in peeces, he died; both for the aforesaid offence, and because he drew and perswaded many to a Monasticall life, Ibid. cap. 39.
The same yeere the Emperour (saith he) disgraced and dishonoured the Monasticall habit, publickly commanding every Monk to lead a woman by the hand, so to march through the Hippodrome, all the people abusing them, and spitting upon them, Ibid. cap. 40.
In the seven and twentieth year, the Monasteries (he saith) partly he destroyed to the very foundations, partly bestowed them upon his Captains and Souldiers, Ibid. cap. 49.
In the same yeere, when he could not draw Peter à Metra, a famous Stylite, or Pillar-Monk, unto his opinions, he caused him likewise to be dragged by the heeles, and his body cast out into the streets, Ibid. cap. 48.
In his thirtieth yeere, his Praetor or Deputy Lichanodraco gathered all the Monks in his jurisdiction together, and commanded them to obey the Emperour, to put on a white coat, and to marry wives instantly, or to have their eyes put out, and to be sent into exile, Ibid. cap. 52. So the Emperor, when he would have Constantine the Patriarch abjure Monkery, he made him (saith the same Authour) eat flesh, Lib. eod. cap. 29.
In the one and thirtieth yeere the same Lichanodraco sold all the Monasteries, both of men and women in his jurisdiction, and sent the money to the Emperour. If hee found any one to have a relique of any Saint in keeping, he burnt it, and punished him that had it. He slew the Monks, some with stripes, some with the sword; and left not a man, where he had to doe, that wore a Monasticall habit; whereupon the Emperour wrote thus unto him, foreign: I have found thee a man after mine own heart, who fulfillest my whole will. Thus much of Constantine.
The like reports Cedrenus of Michael Balbus, That he abominated Monks, and diversly afflicted them, ordaining one punishment after another against them. As also of Theophilus, the last Emperour that opposed Images: Theophilus (saith he) ordained foreign, that no Monks should have accesse unto the Cities, and that they should by all meanes be banished; foreign, and not so much as dare to be seen in the Countrey: and that he caused the Monasteries and places of holy retirement to become common and secular habitations: what the reason was, we may learn by that the same Author tels us: Of those (saith he) which reprehended the Emperour, the Abramite Monks were the chiefe; who freely adventuring into his presence, did demonstrate that Monasticall life was not an invention of yesterday, or the other day, but an ancient and primitive institution, and that holy Images were familiar in the Apostles times, and that Saint Luke painted an Image of the blessed Virgin, &c. But it seemes the Emperour was not convinced by their demonstration: for this their boldnesse cost them full deare, as our Authour relates.
By this time I know you understand what the matter was that this Image-storm fell so heavily upon the heads of Monks and Friars: and yet notwithstanding all this, they at length prevailed, and carried the day (so God would have it) for their Idols. For another Theophanes, whom they call the Presbyter, a Writer also of his time tells, That Theophilus being dead, Theodora the Empresse (whilst she reigned in the minority of Michael her son) when she meant to restore Image-worship, which had been banished now the second time, ever since Leo Armenius, Re cum illis communicatâ, qui erant in magistratu & dignitate constituti, accersit cum ipsis eos, qui inter Monachos praestabant, & de Imaginum instauratione quaestionem proponit. Cum que idem omnes consentientes comperissent, diuturno que ejus re… desiderio teneri, at que animo excruciari propter Religionis in hâc re mutationem, postulat, …t se etiam Patrum authoritatibus ad veritatem confirmarent, quas variis in libris invenissent. Mandavit que quo in loco Palatii praefinito, …aetus Ecclesiasticus universus cogeretur, & ad populum eâ de re verba faceret, &c. that is, when she had acquainted the Magistrates, and those that were in authority, therewith, together with them she sent for the chiefest of the Monks, and propounded to them the question concerning restoring of Images: whom when she found all men for the purpose, yea very eager in the businesse, she called a Synod, whereby Idolatry was again publickly erected in the Greek Church, 120 yeeres after it first began to bee purged thereof, by Leo Isaurus the Emperour.
For the Idolatry of the masse-god, which was not in use, at soonest, till a thousand yeeres after Christ, when the opinion of Transubstantiation had gotten strength, we shall not need trouble our selves much to shew that Monks and Friars were the authors and advancers thereof; since by that time, these kind of men were become the onelyonly masters of Divinity: and therefore wee need not doubt, that what was then broached in the Church, came out of their shop.
Judge now, by what you have heard, how truly this Prophesie of Saint Paul is fulfilled, who told us, that the Doctrines of Daemons should bee brought into the Church, foreign; through the hypocrisie of those who forbid to marry, and (command) to abstain from meats.
FINIS.
Printed for SAMUEL MAN at the Swan in Pauls Church-yard.
End of the text · Joseph Mede, The Apostasy of the Latter Times (1641)