The Apostasy of the Latter Times, Part

The Apostasy of the Latter Times · Part

p. 1THE APOSTASY OF THE LATER TIMES.

A Treatise on 1 Timothy Chap. 4. Ver. 1, 2.

foreign, &c.

Which I conceive may bee thus translated, viz.

Howbeit the Spirit speaketh expresly, that in the later times some shall revolt from the Faith, attending p. 2to erroneous spirits and **Doctrinis Deastror…m.Doctrines of Daemons, through the hypocrisie of lyars, having seared consciences, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstaine from meats, &c.

THe words I have read, are a prophesie of a revolt of Christians from the great mystery of Christian Worship, described in the last verse of the former chapter; which according to the division of the Ancients, should bee the first of this: for that last verse, together with the first six verses of this and halfe the seventh verse, make the seventh title or main Section of this Epistle, expressed in the Edition of Robert Stephen; and so supposed, from the grounds of that division, to belong all to one argument. The words therefore of my Text, depend upon the last of the former chapter, as the second part of a discreet proposition; that howsoever the foreign the mystery of Christian Religion, which is, God manifested in the Flesh, justified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, and assumed into glory: Though this mystery was a great one, and at that time preached and beleeved in the world; neverthelesse, the Spirit (foreign) speaketh expresly, that in the later times there shall be a revolt or departing from the faith, though not in all parts of it, yet from a main and fundamentall part thereof, namely, the assumption of this God and Man to the throne of glory, and the incommunicable majesty in Heaven, where he hath a name given him above every name, and whereof no creature in Heaven or in earth can be capable: which connexion is the reason why the Apostle putteth this assumption into glory in the last place of his description, which should else in the true order have followed the words, justified in the spirit, and beene before preached unto the Gentiles, and beleeved on in the world. But it is the method of the Scripture, sometimes p. 3to translate the proper order, and to mention that in the last place whereunto it is to joine, and from whence it is to inferre the next words that follow after. And unlesse this reason be allowed here, there will hardly be found any other reason of this misplacing. But more of this shall be both spoken and made better to appeare hereafter.

I come now more neer to my Text; the words whereof I divide into two parts: First, a description of this solemne Apostasie, in the first verse. Secondly, the manner or means whereby it was to come to passe in the following verse, viz. through the hypocrisie of lyars, who had seared consciences, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats.

For the description of the Apostasie it selfe, we shall 1finde it first generally and indefinitely expressed both in the word foreign they shall apostatize or revolt; and in the next foreign shall attend to erroneous Doctrines, or Doctrines of errour.

Then particularly, 1 what these erroneous Doctrines 2should be for the kinde or quality, namely new Doctrines of Daemons, or a new Idolatry. 2 The persons who should thus apostatize, not all but foreign some. 3 The time when it should be, in these later times. 4 The proofe or warrant of this prophesie, it is that which the Spirit hath elsewhere long agoe foretold foreign in the written word verbatim, totidem verbis or in expresse words. For the second part (viz.) the means; Consider first the manner or method used, by lying hypocrisie or hypocriticall lying; Secondly, the quality and description of the authors and furtherers thereof, they should be such as had their consciences seared, who forbade marriages and meats. Where, before I go any further, I must give an account of thus translating these later words which I make the second part, because they are commonly translated otherwise, (viz.) intransitively, as referring the words of the two last verses to the persons mentioned in the first (viz.) those some who p. 4should apostatize and give heed to erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils, as they usually translate it: so that the words of the second & third verses should be the expression by particulars of that which was before generally comprized under erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils, which should consist partly in forbidding lawfull marriage, and partly in commanding abstinence from meats, thereby abridging Christian liberty. But this interpretation seemes very unlikely; for first, since S. Paul intendeth here to describe that great apostasie of the Christian visible Church, as is evident by the pointing out of the time foreign in the later times; who can beleeve that he who aymeth at this, would instance only in the smaller and almost circumstantiall errours, omitting the main & fundamental, which the Scripture elswhere telleth us should be Idolatry or spirituall fornication. Secondly, as for errours about marriages and meates, they were not proper to the last times, but found more or lesse in the Apostles owne times, as may be gathered by some passages of their Epistles: why should then our Apostle, here speaking of the Apostasie of the last times, instance only in these things which the first times in some measure were never free from? Lastly, which I take alone to be sufficient, the Syntax of the words will not beare it, to have them so translated; for the persons in the first verse foreign are expressed in casu recto, whereas the persons in the verses following foreign, are in the genitive: now by what Syntax can these be construed intransitively? how will foreign agree with foreign &c. without breach of Grammar, unsampled in our Apostles Epistles? If any say, they may be referred then and agree with foreign, that indeed would be a strange sense, and nothing to their purpose, to say that Devils lie, have seared consciences, and forbid marriages and meates. But to construe it transitively, and to make all these genitive cases to be governed by foreign p. 5and take the preposition foreign to signifie Caus…m or Modum actionis, **Hy…erius … exp…unds it in his Comm. on this Epistle.as is most usuall in Scripture: this, as it keepeth the Syntax true, so I hope to make it appeare hereafter to bee the very meaning and the event most answerable thereunto, when you shall heare proved out of Story, that the Apostasie of the visible Church came in by lying wonders and all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse, mannaged by those who either professed or doted upon Monasticall hypocrisie, the affectation of which errours, at length surprizing the body of the Church, is that which S. Paul 2 Thes. 2. calls not the Apostasie it selfe, but a not-love of the truth, for which God gave them over to strong delusions that they might beleeve a ly. But this is out of its place, only I have anticipated thus much, lest you should be too long in suspence of the grounds of this novelty in translating: and yet this difficulty concerning the Syntax, hath stumbled many of our later interpreters, as amongst others Beza, who solves it only by saying, that the Apostle more regarded the matter than the construction; which for my part I cannot beleeve: others who can, may if they please. I returne now unto the first part of my Text, the description of that solemne Apostasie; where I will consider the five parts or points thereof as I have propounded them, though it be not according to the order of the words. And first in the more generall expression of the words, as I called it: I say in these words, foreign, & foreign (foreign) is as much as to say, they shall make an Apostasie; now foreign in Scripture use, when it looks towards a person, signifies a revolt or rebellion; when towards God, a spirituall revolt from God or rebellion against divine Majesty, whether totall, or by Idolatry and serving other gods; for the Seventy, whence the new Testament borrows the use of speech, usually translates by this word the verb foreign to rebell, and foreign rebellion; both which when they have reference to a spirituall Soveraignty, p. 6meane nought else but Idolatry and serving of other gods, as may appeare Josuah 22.19. where the Israelites supposing their brethren the Rubenites and Gadites, in building another Altar upon the banks of Jordan, had meant to have forsaken the Lord and served other gods, they said unto them, foreign you have rebelled against the Lord, and presently, rebell not against the Lord, nor rebell against us; where the Seventy hath foreign, and in the two and twenty verse foreign rebellion is translated foreign in the words, the Lord God of gods he knoweth if it be in rebellion or transgression against the Lord; also Numb. 14. ver. 9. when the people would have renounced the Lord upon the report of the spyes, Josuah and Caleb spake unto them, saying, foreign rebell yee not, where the Seventy hath foreign be not apostates from the Lord; so Nehem. 9.26. in that repentant confession which the Levites make of the Idolatry of their nation, they were disobedient say they foreign and rebelled against thee; the Seventy hath foreign, and Daniel in the like confession chap. 9. ver. 9. foreign the Seventy foreign wee have rebelled; so the Idolatry of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. and 29. is by the same interpreters called foreign and he foreign revolted greatly from the Lord.

I will not trouble you with the places where foreign translated foreign is used for treason and rebellion against earthly Princes, which are many: it is sufficient to gather from what we have quoted, that apostasie having reference to a soveraignty and lordship, betokens a withdrawing of subjection and service therefrom; which if the soveraignty and majesty be divine, is done by Idolatry**H…nce the phrase in Scripture fornicaria Deo, to apostatize from God by spirituall fornication: vide Psal. 73. Hosea 9.4. Ezek. 23. see Concord. Kirch.Ps 73Hos 9:4Ezek 23, and service of other gods, as well as if the majesty of the true God were renounced altogether. The use of the New Testament is answerable, Hebr. 3.12. Take p. 7heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe, foreign in departing from the living God, and which is more neer to our purpose S. Paul in his 2 Thes. 2. meanes no other thing in his prophesie of the man of sinne by foreign than Christian Idolatry, foreign (Syr. foreign) foreign unlesse that apostasie come first, that is, unlesse there be a breach of allegiance and faith given unto Christ, by Idolatry under Antichrist: the like therefore I conclude to bee intended in my Text by foreign, namely, that in the later times men should break their oath of fidelity to Christ, that in and through him alone they should approach and worship the divine Majesty: and so hath the use of the word foreign taught us something, at least it hath wrought an indefinite suspicion of what should befall Christians in the later times; howsoever we are yet in suspence whether this departing from Christ and the mystery of godlinesse should be totall in not acknowledging him at all, or whether hereticall in serving other gods besides him. For the Jewes we know, when they forsook the Lord most, yet did not forsake him altogether, but their apostasie was in not serving him only and alone, but others besides him, as Calves, the host of Heaven, and Baalim.

Let us therefore see if the next generall words will affords us yet further information,foreign and foreign i. e. foreign, Chaldaeis & Targumis…is est Idolum, & foreign est Idola colere & scoriari. Rom. 1.27. 2 Pet. 2.18. 2 Thes. 2.18.Rom 1:272 Pet 2:182 Thess 2:18 viz. foreign attending to erroneous spirits, or as some read, foreign spirits of errour. It would be unprofitable and tedious here to tel of the divers use of this word spirit, in Scripture: some take it in this place for Doctors of spirituall things, and so foreign, or as some read foreign should be Doctors of errour.

But I had rather take Spirits in this place for doctrines themselves, for so Divines observe it to be used 1 Joh. 4.1. foreign beleeve not every spirit, i. e. every doctrine foreign but try the spirits p. 8foreign if they be of God: foreign, because many false Prophets, &c. and so onward in that chapter foreign signifies the false doctrine of Antichrist; so if this sense be admitted, wee are something lesse in suspense than we were, and may guesse that this revolt should not be totall but hereticall, for wee shall not easily finde the word spirit to be otherwise used but either for the doctrines or Doctors of Christianity, or for heresies under the same: It seemes therefore to be some revolt from Christ by Idolatry, even in those who would seeme to worship him.

But suppose it be so, yet still are we in suspence what these erroneous and idolatrous doctrines might be: For Idolatry, as we may see in the Jewish apostasies, was of divers kindes, as worshipping the host of Heaven, Baalim, and the Gentiles other things besides them. But wee shall not be long in doubt, the next words will cleare the case,foreign Ier. 10.8.Jer 10:8 and tell us they shall bee foreign doctrines of Daemons, not which Daemons or Devills are authours of, though it be true, as if the genitive case were active; but doctrines concerning Daemons, the genitive case foreign being here to be taken passively, for the object of these doctrines, as in Heb. 6. we have foreign doctrines of Baptismes, and doctrines of laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and eternall judgement, and doctrines about and concerning all these; and the same use may elsewhere be found even with the word Doctrine, as Acts 13.12. foreign the doctrine of the Lord, i. e. concerning him; so Titus 2.10. and Gal. 2.20. we have foreign, the faith of the Sonne of God, i. e. concerning him **So foreign Acts 3.…6. Phil 3.9. foreign 2 Thes. 2.13.Acts 3:6Phil 3:92 Thess 2:13. Semblably in my Text foreign are doctrines of Daemons or Doctrinae Deastrorum, that is, the Gentiles idolatrous Theology of Daemons should be revived among Christians: for I take the word foreign or foreign (for all is one) not in that worst sense, which no authour but p. 9the Scripture useth, but in the better and more indifferent sense, as it was supposed and taken among the Theologists and Philosophers of the Gentiles, and as it is also sometimes taken in Scripture, as I shall shew in due time.

Mean while let us first see what the Gentiles and their Theologists understood by Daemons: which when you have heard, I doubt not but you will confesse the deifying and worshipping of Saints and Angels, with other parts of their Idolatry, which doe this, to be as lively an image of the doctrine of Daemons as could possibly be expressed; and such a one, as whereby the apostasie of the later times is as by a character distinguished from the heresies, false doctrines, and corruptions of all other times whatsoever.

Daemons, in the Gentiles Theology, were Deastri or an inferiour sort of deified powers, as a middle betweene the Soveraigne Gods and mortall men: so saith Plato in Symposio foreign: so say all the Platonists, and well nigh all other sects of Philosophers; I am sure most doe: for it is a very ancient doctrine, insomuch that Plutarch (de deffectu Oraculorum) fetcheth this distinction between foreign, i. e. Soveraign Gods, and Daemons, as farre as the antiquity of Zoroaster; magnas & difficiles dubitationes (saith he) videntur solvisse qui foreign, medio inter Deos & homines loco constituerunt, & quod nos cum his quodammodo conciliat & conjungit, invenerint, sive haec Magorum, & Zoroastris doctrina sit, sive Thracica ab Orpheo perfecta, sive Aegyptiaca sive Phrygica, &c. The Soveraigne or highest Gods which amongst them were properly called foreign, were those whom they supposed to be in the Heavens, yea in the Sunne, Moon, and Starres, whence they called them Dii Superi, Dii Coelestes, whom they affirmed to have neither begining nor ending, as Apuleius speaks de Daemonio Socr. Immortales sine ullo vel fine vel exordio, sed prorsus à retro aeviterni. And because they dwelt in the heavenly p. 10lights, as it were soules in bodies, Plato thinks the name foreign first came quasi foreign of the everlasting running and uncessant motion of the heavenly bodies, Plat. in Cratylo.

Now these Soveraigne Celestiall Gods they supposed so sublime and pure as might not bee prophaned with approach of earthly things, or with the care or mannaging of mortall mens businesses; and therefore they bring in that middle sort of divine Powers which they call foreign or foreign to be as mediatours and agents betweene the Soveraigne Gods and mortall men: thus saith Plato in his Symposium foreign God is not approached by men, but all the commerce and inter-course betweene Gods and men is performed by the mediations of Daemons. Will you see the particulars foreign (saith he) foreign; Daemons are reporters and carriers from men to the Gods, and againe from the Gods to men; of the supplications and prayers of the one, and of the injunctions and rewards of devotion from the other. And Apuleius in the place forequoted describes them, mediae potestates per quas & desideria nostra & merita ad Deos commeant, inter mortales Coelicolasque vectores, hinc precum, inde donorum; qui ultrò citróque portant hinc petitiones, inde suspetias seu quidam utrinque interpretes & salutigeri: For, saith he, neque enim pro majestate Deûm Coelestium fuerit haec curare, it beseems not the majesty of the Soveraigne Gods to mannage these things of themselves. Whence it is that Celsus in Origen tearmes his Daemons summi Dei Satrapas, praesides, procuratores, Duces, qui neglecti non minùs laedere possunt, quàm Persarum, Romanorumve Regis Satrapae, praesides, ministri, &c. lib. 8. contra Celsum. pag. 940. Where note by the way, that p. 11Celsus as some others did, acknowledges but one Soveraigne God.

By reason of this office of mediation, Plutarch calls the order of Daemons foreign. Also foreign &c. agreeable to the doctrine of Plato, lib. de defec. Oracul. the order of agents, and ministers &c. To stay no longer here, take the summe of all in the words of Apuleius in the book forenamed, cuncta Coelestium voluntate, numine, & autoritate fiunt, sed Daemonum obsequio, opera, & ministerio. And if I should bring all which I might to this purpose, I should be too tedious. Porphyrius in Eusebius, Plutarch, skillfull men in this kinde of Philosophy, will satisfie them fully, to whom this is not sufficient. This was the Occumenicall Philosophy of the Apostles times, and of the times long before them: Thales, Pythagoras, all the Academicks and Stoicks, and not many to be excepted, unlesse the Epicures, taught this Divinity. Hee that had rather read a Father of the Church, let him but turne over the eighth and ninth books of S. Austin de Civ. Dei, the eighteenth chap er of the former book, having this Title; Qualis sit religio in qua docetur, quod homines ut commendentur Diis, bonis Daemonibus uti debeant Advocatis: of the one and twenty chapter this, An Daemonibus nuntiis & interpretibus Dii utantur? And of the ninth chapter of the ninth book the Title is this, An amicitia Coelestium Deorum per intercessionem Daemonum possit homini provideri? And of the seventeenth chapter this, Ad consequendam vitam beatam non talimediatore indigere hominem qualis est D…mon, sed tali qualis est unus Christus. The reading of which Titles alone were sufficient to shew what was the supposed office of the Daemons among the Gentiles.

This Philosophy therefore so generall was that, without doubt, whereof S. Paul admonisheth the Colossians to take heed lest they were spoyled with the vaine deceipt p. 12thereof, as being after traditions of men, and rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For some Christians even then under a pretence of humility, of not approaching too neerly and too boldly to God, would have brought in the worshiping of Angels in stead of this of Daemons; but S. Paul tells them, that as in Christ dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily, so that he needed no colleagues of mediation; so also were they compleat in him, and needed therefore no agents besides him. Let no man therefore (saith he) beguile you of your reward through humility, and worshipping of Angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seene, and not holding the head.

Neither is the holy Scripture ignorant of this distinction of Soveraigne Gods and Daemons: the first whereof the Celestiall and Soveraigne Gods, whether visible or invisible, it calls foreign the Host of heaven; The other sort it stileth by the name of Baalim, that is,Numb. 25. the Mid…anites called the people to the sacrifices of their Gods, and the people did eate. And Israel joyned himselfe to Baal P…or: But Psal. 106. it is said, they joyned themselves unto Baal Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Deut. 32.17. In the propheticall song of Israels Apostasie, they sacrificed unto Daemons, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new ones that came newly up, whom the Fathers feared not. The Seventy foreign Heb. foreign For cutting and launcing were funerall rites, as appeares Levit. 25.5. and chap. 19.28. and Deut. 14.1. Ier. 48.37. and chapter 16.6. and therefore retained in the funerall worship (as they call it) of those that were deified after death: qu…re; did not God forbid his people this rite because abused to Daemon Idolatry? yet did some transg…esse it, as Ier. 41.5. Moses body therefore hidden. Vide Isa. 65.4 Idolatrae in sepulchris, Item cap. 8. ver. 19. pro vivis ad mort…os. Loc. Isa. 8.19. Targ. vertit nonne haec via enim populo…um colentium Idolam. Vnusquisque populus ab…dolo su… req…irit, vivi a mortuis: the Seventy sic: foreign. Loc. Es. 63.3.4 Targ. sic; in … sacrificant Idolii & adol…nt aromata super lateres. 4. Qui habitant in domibus, quae edificantur de …ulvere sepulchorum foreign & eum cadaveribus filiorum hominum morentur. Seventy▪ foreign.Num 25Ps 106Deut 32:17Lev 25:5Deut 14:1Jer 48:37Jer 41:5Isa 65:4Isa 8:19Isa 63:3Isa 63:4 Domini, or Lords. And Manasses the king of Idolaters was compleat for both of them: so we read 2 Chron. 33.3. that he reared up Altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the Hoast of heaven, and served them: and 2 King. 23.5. that good Josiah is said to have put down all the Idolatrous Priests which burnt incense to Baal, to the Sunne, and to the Moon, and to the Planets, and to all the hoast of heaven: now that these Baalims were no other than Daemon-gods, appeares by their cutting and launcing themselves, who worshipped them: 1 King. 18. for these tragyck ceremonies are counted by those who treat about these mysteries, as certaine characters of Daemons but this you shall have further confirmed in due place, where the arguments may bee better understood.

p. 13This distinction also of Soveraign Gods and Daemons, I suppose our Apostle alludes to, 1 Cor. 8.5. where he saith, though there be many that be called gods, whether in heaven, or in earth; as there be foreign gods many, that is, Dii Coelestes Soveraigne Deities, foreign Lords many, i. e. foreign Daemons Presidents of earthly things; yet to us Christians there is but foreign, one Soveraigne God the Father, of whom are all things, and we to him, that is, to whom as supreame, we direct all our services; and but foreign one Lord Jesus Christ, in stead of their many mediators and Daemons, foreign, by whom are all things which come from the Father to us, and through whom alone we finde accesse to him. The allusion, me thinks, is passing elegant, and such as I think cannot be well understood without this distinction of superiour and inferiour Deities in the Theology of the Gentiles, they having a plurality in both sorts; and we Christians but one in each, as our Apostle affirmeth; there wants but only the name of Daemons, in stead of which the Apostle puts Lords, and that for the honour of Christ, of whom he was to inferre foreign, the name of Christ being not to be polluted with the appellation of an Idol: for his Apodosis must have beene otherwise foreign: p. 14or may bee hee alludes unto the Hebrew name Baalim, which signifies Lords: and those Lords, as I told you, were nothing else but Daemons; for thus would S. Paul speak in the Hebrew tongue, there are foreign and foreign many Gods and many Lords.

And thus have I shewed you, though but briefly in regard of the abundance the argument would afford, the nature and office of these Daemons according to the doctrine of the Gentiles: I come now unto another part of this doctrine, which concernes the originall of Daemons,Tertult. Idolatria parentationis est species, cap. 12. whom you shall finde to be the deified soules of men after death; for the canonizing of the soules of deceased worthies is not now first devised among Christians, but was an idolatrous trick even from the dayes of the elder world, so that the devill, when he brought in this Apostaticall doctrine amongst Christians, swarved but little from his ancient method of seducing mankinde.

Let Hesiod speak in the first place, as being of the most knowne the most ancient, he tells us that when those happy men of the first and golden age of the world were departed this life, great Jupiter promoted them to bee Daemons, that is, keepers, and protectors, or patrons of earthly mortalls, and overseers of their good and evill works, givers of riches; and this, saith he, is the kingly royalty given them. But heare his owne words:

foreign,

foreign AIMONES foreign

foreign.

foreign

foreign,

foreign.

And hence it is that Oenomaus, quoted by Eusebiús, calleth these Daemon-gods foreign Hesiods gods.

The next shall be Plato, who in his Cratylus sayes, p. 15that Hesiod, and a great number of the rest of the Poets, speak excellently, when they affirme that good men when they die attaine great honour and dignity, and become foreign, which is (saith he) as much to say as foreign, that is, wise ones; for wise ones (saith he) are only good ones, and all good ones are of Hesiods golden generation.

The same Plato, de Repub. would have all those who die valiantly in the field, to be accounted of the golden kinde, and foreign effici, to be made Daemons, and the oracle to bee consulted, how they should be buried and honoured; and accordingly ever afterwards foreign, i. e. their sepulchers to be served and adored as the sepulchers of Daemons: In like manner should be done unto all who in their life time excelled in vertue, whether they died through age or otherwise: this place Eusebiu… quotes (lib. 14. Prep. Evang.) to paralell with it the then harmelesse practice of Christians, in honouring the memory of Martyrs, by holding their assemblies at their sepulchers; to the end that he might shew the Gentiles, that Christians also honoured their worthies in the worthiest fashion. But would to God that in the next ages after, this custome of Christians then but resembling, had not proved the very same doctrine of Daemons which the Gentiles practised.

But I goe on, and my next authour shall be Hermes Trismegistus, whose antiquity is said to be very neere the time of Moses; I will translate you his words out of his Asclepius which Apuleius made latine. There having named Aesculapius, Osyris, and his grandfather Hermes, who were (as he saith) worshipped for Daemons in his owne time; he addes further, that the Aegyptians call them (namely the Daemons) Sancta animalia, and that amongst them (namely the Aegyptians) per singulas Civitates coli eorum animas, quorum sunt consecratae virtutes. p. 16And here note by the way, that some are of opinion, that the Aegyptian Serapis, whose Idoll had a bushell upon his head, was Joseph, whose soule the Aegyptians had canonized for a Daemon after his death.

Philo Byblius the translator of Sancuniathon the ancient Phaenician Historian, who lived before the times of Troy, and wrote the Acts of Moses, and the Jewes (saith Eusebius) very agreeable to the Scripture, and faith, he learned his story of Ierom-baal a Priest of the God JEVO: Philo Byblius (I say) in a preface to his translation of this Author, setteth downe what he had observed, and learned out of the same story, and might serve to help their understanding who should read it: namely, that all the Barbarians, cheifly the Phaenicians and Aegyptians, of whom the rest had it, accounted of those for Dii maximi, who had found out any thing profitable for the life of man, or had deserved well of any nation, and that they worshipped these as Gods, erecting Statues, Images, and Temples unto them, and more especially they gave the names of their Kings (as to the elements of the world, so also) to these their reputed Gods: for they esteemed the naturall Deities of the Sunne, Moon, and Planets, and those which are in these, to be only and properly Gods: so that they had two sorts of gods, some were Immortals, and others were Mortals.

Thus saith Philo Byblius out of the Phaenician History, from which testimony we may borrow some more light concerning those Baalims in Scripture. **Hieron. in cap. 23. Ezech. Idolum autem Baal sive Bel, Assyrio…um religio est, consecrata a Ni…o Belis silio in honorem patris. Idem in Hos. cap. 2. Ninus in tantam pervemt gloriam ut pa…trem suum B… lum referret in Deum, qui He…raicè dicitur foreign & in multis prophetis, maximeque in Daniele: … juxta Theodosionem sub Idolo Babylon… hoc appellatur nomine, Hunc Sidonii, & Phaenices appellant, foreignHos 2For Baal or Belus, whose worship Iezabell the daughter of Ithabaal King of Tyre brought into Israel, was a deified Phaenician King of that name, as Virgil will tell us in that verse concerning the Phaenician Queene Dido: Implevitque mero pateram, quam Belus & omnes A Belo soliti, &c.

p. 17Nay, Baal, or in the Chaldee Dialect, Bel (for all is one) was the first King of Babel after Nimrod, Eusebii Chron. Chronicon Alexandrinum se… Fasti siculi. Hieron. …aulo post lecum proxi. mè citatum. Didicimus, in. quit exordium Daemonis, imo hominijs in Daemonem consecrati: Omnia enim Idola ex mortuorum errore creverunt. Idem in c. 46. Isa. Quem (i. e. Baal… Graeci Belum, Latini Saturnum dicunt, cujus tanta fuit apud veteres religio ut ei non solum humanas hostias ca…tivorum, ignobi iumque mortali…m, sed & suo… liberos immolarum…. Cyrillus contra Iulianum versus finem, Primus (inquit) regnavit in Assyriorum terrâ, foreign, vir superbus, & arrogans, Belus qui & primus hominum dicitur à subditis no men Deitatis accepisse; hic interpres vitio…è transfert Arbelus, & ubi mox s…qui ur foreign Interpres Arbeli, &c. Lactant. de sals. relig c. 23. & ult. originem Idolatrie ad Belum refert.and the first (as is written) that ever was deified and reputed a God after death; whence afterward they called all other Daemons Baalim; even as because the first Roman Emperour was called Caesar, thence were all the Emperours after him stiled Caesars: and it may be this is part of that which Philo Biblius out of Sancuniathon would tell us; That the Barbarians, especially the Phaenicians, &c. gave names from their Kings to such as were canonized after death: For so we see here that the Babilonians, and the neighbouring Countries, which spake the Hebrew tongue, or some Dialect thereof, called all Daemons Baalim, of the first Daemon, or deified King in the world, Baal, or Belus: for at that time when Belus reigned in Babel, was Phaenicia, with the neighbour people, under the kingdome of Babel: Whence may seeme also to have come their community of language and ceremonies; and here note a wonderfull mystery, that old Babel, the first pattern in the world of ambitious Dominion, was also the Foundresse of Idols, and the Mother of the fornication, and abominations of the earth.

And because we have fallen upon the naming of Daemons, let us observe another mystery of names, out of Plutarch (de defect. Orac.) which may helpe us out, or prevent some difficulties, namely, that Daemons are sometimes called by the names of those Celestiall gods, whose Ministers and Proctors they are, and from whom they receive their power and Divinity: As Apollo's Daemon. Apollo; Iupiter's Daemon, Iupiter, and so the rest. foreign p. 18foreign; Sicut & nostrum alius Iovius, alius Minervius, alius Mercurialis, &c. dicitur.

Thus Plutarch, with Cleombrotus there saith, he learned of a wonderfull and profound Egyptian Hermite, who lived about the red Sea, &c.

To which is agreeable what Eusebius Praepar. Evang. lib. 3. cap. 2. quotes out of Diodorus, viz. Aegyptios asserere mor…ales multos propter beneficia in Deos relatos, & eorumaliquos coelestibus Diis cognomines.

The same Plutarch in the same place doth acquaint us with this pretty conceit, which being to the purpose I will not omit; namely, that the soules of men tooke degrees after death,Dii … de quibus Lab…o libros scripse…a…, in quibus a…ebat (verba S…rvii) esse quaedam sacra quibus animae vertantur in d…os, qui appellantur animales, quòd de animis sia…t. first they commenced Heroes, who were as Probationers to a Daemonship; then after a time sufficient, Demons; and after that, if they deserved well, to a more sublime degree. Howsoever it be, Daemons, and Heroes differed but in more, and lesse antiquity, the more antient Heroes, being called Daemons, and the younger Daemons Heroes.

But that we may returne againe more close to the matter in hand, this order of Daemons, or soule-gods, as I may call them, found place in the Religion of the elder Romans, who called them Penates, Lares, and Manii Dii; and when once they began to canonize their deceased Emperours, which was from the time of Augustus, they called them Divi, which word before that time was more generall. Tully in his second booke de Legibus, shall be my witnesse, that his countrey-men acknowledged this distinction of Soveraigne Gods, and Soule-deified powers, for there you shall finde this law; Divos & eos, qui coelestes semper habiti, colunto; & illos, quos in coelum merita vocaverint. And againe, Deorum Manium jura, sancta sunto. Hos letho Datos Divos habento; would God the present Christian Romans had not renewed this Law.

p. 19Yea, so strongly was this doctrine embraced amongst the Gentiles, that some of their later Theologists thought, that even the soules of wicked men and Tyrants had a power after death, and that of these came mali Daemones, which hurt men; and yet to these they ordained Temples, and sacrifices to keepe them from hurting them, as well as to the good Daemons for helping them; but the Ancients gave this honour to the soules of vertuous men onelyonly.

Thus have you heard the originall of Daemons, according to the most ancient, and generall opinion of the Gentiles. But besides these Daemons, whose originall you have heard, I meane besides soule-Daemons, and canonized mortals; their Theologists bring in another kinde of Daemons more high and sublime, which never had beene the soules of men, nor ever were linkt to a mortall body, but were from the beginning, or without beginning, alwayes the same **Plutarch. de defect. Orac. in the person of Amonius the Philosopher makes two sorts of Daemons, foreign, soules separate from bodies, or such as never dwelt in bodies at all: Though both these sorts have the name of Daemons given them in common, yet are these which were the soules of men, otherwhile for distinctions sake called Heroes, (Plutarch de Plac. Philos. c. 8.) though some extend not this name in generall to all, but onelyonly to such as are either of an inferiour ranke, or but no vices, not yet promoted to the office of Daemons; as Punies, not yet called to the barre.. So Apuleius tels us in the booke forenamed; Est & superius aliud augustiusque Daemonum genus, qui semper à corporis compedibus, & nexibus liberi certis potestatibus curentur, Ex hac sublimiori Daemonum copiâ autumat Plato singulis hominibus in vitâ agendâ, testes & custodes singulos additos. This sort of Daemons doth fitly answer and parallel that sort of spirituall powers, which we call Angels, as the former of soule-Daemons doth those, which with us are called Saints.

But lest I might seeme to have no measure in raking up this Ethnicall dung-hill, I will now leave the Theologie of the originall of Daemons, and shew you yet another piece of that doctrine of Daemons, namely, concerning p. 20the manner how Daemons were to be worshipped, and as it were brought to the lure of men, when they had occasion of devotion with them.Vid. Athenag. Legat. pr… Christ in Bibliot…. Patr. p. 133.6. qui dicunt non alio modo homines conve…ire deos posse, scil. quam p…r simulac…ra. And this▪ was done by sacring of Images; this you shall heare from an ancient Authour, and passing skilfull in the mysteries, even Hermes Trismegistus, who in his Asclepius, speaketh, in English, thus, It is a wonder (saith he) beyond all wonders, (and he saith truly) that man should finde out a way to make Gods: Yet because (saith he) our forefathers erred much through unbeliefe concerning Deities, and had small regard of Religion, and Divine worship, therefore they devised an art to make Gods (he meaneth Images) and because they could not make soules (he meanes to these senslesse bodies) therefore they called the soules of Daemons, and Angels, and put them into their Images, and holy mysteries, by which meanes alone these Images have power of helping, and hurting; which thus incorporated (he saith) are called by the Egyptians, Animalia sancta. And in another place, that kinde of Gods (saith he) which men make, is composed of two natures, of a divine, which is first and more sacred; and of that which is amongst men, namely, the matter whereof they are made. The summe of all this mystery is, that Images were made as bodies,Tertul. de Idol c. 7. Artifices Idolorum Daemoniis corpora conf…rre. to be informed with Daemons as with soules: For an Image was a trap to catch Daemons, and a devise to tie them to a place, and to keepe them from flitting.

The like hath Eusebius out of Porphyrie, Imagines à Diis peramari, iisdem que circumscribi, quasi in sacrâ quâdam terrâ in sacratâ imagine contineri; quâ sublatâ, illud statim solvitur, quo Deus continetur. This is that which Psellus calleth foreign, the approaching or presencing of Daemons. And Iamblychus termeth these consecrated Idols, foreign, Images filled with divine fellowship, or with divine society. And our fore-mentioned Hermes calleth them Statuas animatas sensu & spiritu plenas.

p. 21Hence came that answer, or defence of the Gentiles, as Arnobius (lib. 6. advers. Gent.) makes them speake, Neque nos aera, argenti materias aurique, neque alia quibus signa conficiunt, eas esse per se Deos, & religiosa discernimus numina; Sed eos in his colimus, e…sque veneramur, quos dedicatio infert sacra, & fra…rilibus efficit habitare simulachris. And in another place he makes this objection for their behalfe; An numquid dicitis fortè praesentiam vobis quandam sub his numinum exhiberi simulachris, & quia Deos vider… non datum est, eos ita coli, & munia officiosa praestari? And thus have we seene the ground of the idolatrous use of Images, and found that the worship of them also is a doctrine of Daemons: for as at first they were ordained for Daemons, so whatsoever Deity is worshipped in this manner, though it were the true, and Soveraigne God, is thereby made a Daemon.

What I say of Images, must be understood also of Pillars, and Columnes, whereof we read, Levit. 26. Yee shall make no Idols, nor graven Images, nor reare you up a pillar to bow downe unto it: for howsoever Pillars and Images, through some confusion, at length surprizing the Gentiles superstition, may afterwards seeme to be ascribed to other Deities besides Daemons; yet by originall institution they were proper unto Daemons, and no other. The soveraigne, and celestiall gods, they were worshipped in the Sunne, Moone, and Starres, where they were supposed to dwell, but Images, and Columnes were for Daemons; and if they seemed to be made for any other, Plutarch's Hermite would resolve us, that they were but Daemons, called by the name of some soveraigne gods, whose Agents they were. The truth of this, the History of the beginning of Idolatry makes evident; for that Images and Pillars were at first devised and erected to the honour of dead men ““Vide Herod. Clio. c. 131. Persas statuas non▪ erigere, quod non ut Gr…ci sentiunt Deos ex hominibus esse ortos; ex opinione Herod.; this the fourteenth Chapter of the booke of Wisdome will tell us, p. 22that by the vain-glory of men they first entred into the world; no lesse will the long continuing custome of the world, using thus to honour not onelyonly the dead, but since also the living, be sufficient to perswade the truth: Minutius Faelix in his Octavius, will put us forth of doubt, Majores nostri (saith he) dum Reges suos colunt religio…è, dum defunctos eos desiderant in Imaginibus videre, dum gestiunt eorum memorias in statuis detinere, sacra facta sunt, quae fuerant assumpta solatia. When therefore those whom they thus honoured and remembred, were canonized for Daemons, then were these memorials also worshipped for some supposed presence, or divine respect of such Daemons, in or to them. The worshipping therefore of Images, and Columnes, is by its originall and institution, a piece of the doctrine of Daemons **Nam quod potest inte…ligentiâ so…um …ros…ici & comprehendi mente nec appetit formam, quâ cognoscatur, nec figuram admittit, ut imaginem & effigi…m. Ve…um ista omnia ad gra…iam mortuorum reseruntur: dum enim vixerunt homines, …rant corporum compagibus inclusi, Canstantin. Orat ad Sanctorum Coe…um. c. 4.; so that whatsoever is thus worshipped, yea, the glory of the incorruptible God himselfe is thereby changed into a Daemon.

Thus much of Images and Idoll-Pillars, of the reason of their supposed Divinity, and of the originall, and first occasion of worshipping them. But yet we have not done, there is another piece of Daemon-devotion yet behinde, namely, the worshipping of Daemons in their reliques, shrines and sepulchres **In mortuo…um Idolis Daemonia consislunt. Tertul. vide de Spectac. cap 11, 12, 13. serè totum., for this was also a part of the doctrine, and Theologie of Daemons. Plato, whom before we quoted for the Canonizing of Daemons, of the ghosts of such as died valiantly in the field, would have their shrines and coffins to be worshipped, foreign, as the coffins of Daemons: here also what Clemens Alexandrinus speaks of this Daemon-doctrine, Strom. lib. 6. Existimant (scil. Graeci) nihil referre an has animas (scil. Daemones quos invocant) Deos, an Angelos dicamus: Jam vero qui sunt eorum doctrinae periti in multis Templis tanquam Deorum statuas, omnes ferè mortuorum loculos posuêre, Daemones quidem vocantes eorum animas, eas autem coli ab hominibus docentes, ut quae divinâ p. 23providentiâ propter vitae puritatem, potestatem acceperint, ut ad hominum ministerium, locum qui est circa terram, obi…ent: sciebant enim aliquas animas ex naturâ corpore teneri. Out of which words observe, that they supposed the like presences, and power of Daemons at their coffins and sepulchres, which before we observed and heard of in their Images, as though there alwayes remained some naturall tie between the soules deceased, and their reliques, and therefore they there builded Temples unto them, where their bodies, and ashes were entombed; and hence it is that the Primitive Fathers which write against the Gentiles, do so often upbraid them, that their Temples were nothing else but the sepulchres of dead men; Specioso quidem nomine (saith Clemens in his Protrepticon) Templa dici, fuisse autem sepulchra, id est sepulchra ipsa vocata fuisse Templa. He goeth on speaking to the Gentiles; Vos autem vel nunc saltem Daemonum cultus obliviscamini, sepulchra colere erubescentes. To the like purpose Arnobius lib. 6. advers. Gent. Quid quod multa ex his Templa, quae tholis sunt aureis, & sublimibus elata fastigiis, auctorum conscriptionibus▪ comprobatur contegere ciueres, at que ossa, & functorum esse, corporum sepulturas? Nonne patet & promptum est aut pro Diis immortalibus mortuos vos colere, aut inexpiabilem fier… Numinibus contumeliam, quorum delubra & Templa mortuorum superlata sunt bustis?

I might further adde to these Oecumenicall doctrines of Daemons, that monstrous one of the Egytians, for which their fellow Gentiles derided them, who worshipped living bruit beasts, yea, onyons and garlick, and water it selfe, with divine worship, as supposing some Daemon or other to dwell in them; such were their Cow-god Apis, and their Bull-god Mnevis, and their Water-god Nilus, which it shall be enough onelyonly to have named, to make the former compleat, and that from it, and the rest of that kinde of abominations, we may gather this conclusion once for all, that since the Soveraigne p. 24and Celestiall gods, (as you heard before) might not be approached nor polluted by these earthly and materiall things, but kept alwayes immoveable, without change of place or presence, their heavenly stations; therefore the adoring or worshipping of any visible or materiall thing, for any supposed presence, or other relation of a divine power therewith, is to be accounted amongst the doctrines of Daemons.

And thus have you seene the Theologie of Daemons; first, for their nature and degree, to have beene supposed by the Gentiles an inferiour, and middle sort of divine powers, betweene the soveraigne, and heavenly gods, and mortall men. Secondly, their office to be as Mediators and agents betweene these soveraigne Gods, and men. Thirdly, their originall, to be the deified soules of worthy men after death; and some of an higher degree, which had no beginning, or ever were imprisoned in mortall bodies. Fourthly, the way to worship them, to finde and receive benefits from them, namely, by consecrate Images and Pillars, wherein to have, and retaine their presence at devotions to be given them. Fifthly, to adore their reliques, and to Temple them.

Now therefore judge impartially whether Saint Pauls prophesie be not fulfilled already amongst Christians, who foretold that the time should come that they should Apostatize and revive againe foreign, Doctrines of Daemons? whether the deifying and worshipping of Saints, and Angels, whether the bowing downe to Images, whether of men, or other things visible, breaden Idols, and Crosses like new Daemon-Pillars, whether the adoring or templing of reliques, whether these make not as lively an image of the Gentiles Theologie of Daemons (foreign) as possibly could be expressed? and whether these two words comprehend not the whole pith and marrow of Christian Apostasie, which was to consist in spirituall fornication or idolatry, as p. 25appeares by that name and denomination thereof given by Saint John in his Revelation, The whore of Babylon? Is not she rightly termed the Babylonish whore, which hath revived and replanted the doctrines of Daemons, first founded in the ancient Babel. And is not this now fulfilled which Saint John foretels us, Apoc. 11. That the second and outmost court of the Temple (which is the second state of the Christian Church) together with the holy City, should be troden downe, and overtrampled by the Gentiles (that is, overwhelmed with the Gentiles Idolatry) forty two moneths.

But perhaps I am yet too forward in my application; some things in our way must first be cleared, for howsoever the resemblance indeed be evident, yet first the Text seemes not to intend or meane it, because the word foreign, is in the Scripture never taken in the better or indifferent sense, howsoever prophane Authours doe so use it, but alwayes in an evill sense for the devill, or an evill spirit; now the signification of words in Scripture is to be esteemed and taken only according to the Scriptures use, though other Writers use them otherwise. Secondly, for the charge of Idolatry, though much of that wherein we have instanced, may be granted to be justly suspected for such indeed, yet neverthelesse, that whereupon this application mainly relieth, namely, the praying to Saints glorified, as Mediators and Agents for us with God, should not seeme to deserve so foule a name; for suppose it were a needlesse, yea, and fruitlesse Ceremony, yet what reason can be given why this should be more tainted with Idolatry, then is the like honour given to Saints and holy men whilst they live on earth, whom to desire to mediate and pray to God for us, was never accounted so much as an unlawfull matter? when these two scruples are answered, I will returne to continue my former application.

To the first therefore, for the use of the word foreign p. 26in Scripture, I say, that because those which the Gentiles tooke for Daemons, and for Deified soules of their Worthies, were indeed no other then evill spirits, counterfeiting the soules of men departed, and masking themselves under the names of such supposed Daemons, under that colour to seduce mankinde; therefore the Scripture useth the name Daemons for that they were indeed, and not for what they seemed to be; for no blessed soule or good Angell would admit any honour which did derogate from the honour of the onelyonly true God, who made them: neither doe the glorified Saints in heaven, or the blessed Angels, though Apostate Christians now invocate and worship them, accept of this honour, heare their prayers, or condescend to their devotions, by any signe or act whatsoever; but whatsoever is made seeme to be done by them, is done by the selfe same wicked spirits, which heretofore were masked under the names of Daemons; and therefore in this regard the one may as well beare the names of Daemons as the other, and be as likely to be intended by the use of that word. Secondly, though the Scripture often useth this word in the worst sen…e, yet followes it not it alwayes should doe so, because the word foreign it selfe, which the Scripture hath appropriated to signifie Satan the prince of hell-hounds, following therein the Seventy (who first gave it this notion, no where els sampled in any Greek Author) yet is this word foreign in the New Testament it selfe three severall times used in the common sense for a slanderer or false accuser, and that in three several Epistles, in both to Timothy, 1 Tim. 3.11. 2 Tim. 3.3. Tit. 2.3.1 Tim 3:112 Tim 3:3Titus 2:3and that to Titus; and why should the like seeme improbable for the word foreign or foreign? Nay, most certain it is so, as I come now to make manifest.

And first, Act. 17.18. where Saint Paul our Apostle, having at Athens preached Iesus risen from the dead, the Philosophers thus encountred him saying, This fellow, foreign, which we translate, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods, namely, p. 27Daemon-gods: for hearing of one Jesus after death to become a Lord and Saviour, and to be adored with divine worship, they tooke him presently, according to their owne principles in that kinde, to be some new or forreigne Daemon, for so it followes in the text, that they said thus, Because he preached unto them Iesus and the resurrection: Upon the same ground Celsus in Origen lib. 8. cont. Cels. cals the same Christ our Saviour the Christians Daemon; for whereas the Christians said, that they without hurt and danger blasphemed and reproached the Gentiles gods, Celsus replies, **foreign.Nonne vides bone vir, quod etiam tuo Daemoni opponens se quispiam, non solum convitiatur▪ sed terrâ marique illum exigit? where Origen answers Celsus, aaforeign.Qui nullos scit malos Daemones, nescio quomodo sui oblitus, Iesum vocarit Daemonem. But Saint Paul thus charged by the Philosophers, comming to make his Apologie in Areopagus, retorts their accusation, Yee men of Athens (saith he) I see you in all things, foreign, too full of Demons already, I shall not need bring any more amongst you; for thus the word foreign by Etymologie signifies a worshipper of Daemon-gods, and was anciently used in this sense; and so shall you finde it often in Clemens Alexandrinus his Protrepticon bbEt Strom. l. 7. p 504. foreign. Lactant. lib. 4. Instit. Divin. ait, Superstitiosi vocantur aut ii qui superstitem memoriam defunctorum …olunt, aut qui parentibus su… superstites, celebrant …magines eorum domi tanqua… Deos Penates. Nam qui novos sibi ritus desumebant, ut Deorum vice mortuos honorarent, quos ex hominibus in coelum receptos putabant; …os superstitiosos voca…ant. Eos verò qui publicos & antiquos Deos colerent, religiosos nomina…ant, undè Virgilius, Vana superstitio veterumque ign…ra Deorum. Martin. Lex. quem ulterius vide., not to speak of others, though afterwards from signifying foreign, as Budaeus speaks, it came to be applied to those who were too precise and anxious in their devotions: I (saith the Apostle) preach no new Daemon unto you, but that Soveraigne and coelestiall God, who made the world, and all things therein, who being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not (as your Daemon-gods doe) in p. 28Temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing (as you conceive of your Daemons) seeing he giveth to all, life, and breath, and all things: This God I preach unto you. And this place I take to be so unanswerable for the indifferent and common acception of the word foreign, that I care not now though the rest should faile me; but let us see what they are.

In Revel. 9.13. &c. The sixth Trumpet from Euphrates brings an huge army upon the Christian world, which destroyeth a third part of men, and yet those which remained repented not of those sinnes (vers. 20.) for which these plagues came upon the earth, viz. That they should not worship foreign, and Idols of gold, silver, and brasse, and stone, and of wood which can neither see, nor heare, nor walke. Is not this a Comment upon the Apostles prophesie in my Text?

The time which it concernes must needs fall into the last times, for it is the last Trumpet save one. The place must be the Roman Empire, or Christian world, for that is the Stage of all the Seales and Trumpets and how could it be otherwise, seeing Saint John at Pathmos saw them comming from the great River Euphrates? whatsoever comes from thence, must needs fall upon the territory of the Roman Empire. To hold you no longer, the best Expounders make it the Ottoman or Turkish invasion, which hath swallowed so great a part of Christendome. But what people are they, who in the Roman territory, doe in these later times worship Idols of gold, silver, brasse, and stone, and wood? Are they Ethnicks? there is none such. Are they Jewes? they cannot endure the sight of them. Are they Mahumetans? nay, they abhorre it also. Then must they needs be Christians, and then must Christians too worship foreign, for both are spoken of the same men. But what Christians doe, or ever did worship devils formally? But Daemon-gods p. 29(alasse) they doe, and long have done. Here therefore foreign is againe taken in the common and Philosophicall sense, or at least, which is all one, for evill spirits worshipped under the names of Daemons and deceased souls.

Besides my Text, there is but one place more in all the Epistles of Saint Paul, where the word foreign is used, namely, 1 Cor. 10. where if there be any allusion to the Gentiles conceit of Daemons, then all the places of Saint Pauls Epistles are bending that way: But some there are, saith Stephen in his Thesaurus who thinke the Apostle in his foreign, or Cup of Daemons, alludes unto that poculum foreign, used amongst the Gentiles. And further to strengthen the conceit of the Apostles allusion to the heathenish notion of Daemons **S…e Tertuli. …spectac. c. 13., the words of the former verse make much; for the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice (saith he) to Daemons, and not to God. Now this was the very tenet of the Gentiles, that the Soveraigne and Coelestiall gods were to be worshipped onelyonly, pura mente, and with hymnes and praises, and that sacrifices were onelyonly for Daemons, vid. Porphyr. in Euseb. praep. Evang. Her. Trismeg. in Asclepio Apuleium de Daemonio Socratis. He therefore who had given his faith to that, foreign, One Lord, to the foreign, to the onelyonly Potentate, to the foreign, to the onelyonly Mediator Jesus Christ, must have no communion, have no part in the service of these many Mediators, Lords or Daemon-Gods of the Nations; for Christs monarchicall Mediation excludes all other Mediators and Daemons: not that the woodden Idoll was ought of it selfe, but that the Gentiles supposed there dwelt some Daemon therein, who received their sacrifices, and to whom they intended their services. Thus may this place be expounded, and so the use of the word Daemon in the worst sense or directly for a Divell, will be almost confined to the Gospel: where the subject spoken of being men vexed with evill spirits, could admit no other sense or use; and yet S. Luke, the p. 30best languaged of the Evangelists, knowing the word to be ambiguous, and therefore, as it were, to distinguish it once for all, doth, the first time he useth it, doe it with an explication, chapter 4. verse 33. There was, saith hee, a man in the Synagogue foreign, having the spirit of an uncleane Daemon.

Thus much of the word Daemonium foreign in Scripture, whereby I hope that it appeares, that this place of my Text is not the only place where the word is used according to the notion of the Gentiles, and their Theologists: But you will say, did any of the Fathers, or Ancients expound it thus in this place? if they had done so, the mystery of iniquity could never have taken such footing; which because it was to come according to divine disposition, what wonder if this were hidden from their eyes. Howsoever it may seeme that God left not his spirit without a witnesse; For, as I take it, Epiphanius, one of the most zealous of the Fathers of his time against Saint-worship then peeping, took foreign in my text for a doctrine of worshipping of dead men; you may read him in the seventy eighth Heresie towards the conclusion, where, upon occasion of some who made a Goddesse of the blessed Virgin, and offered a cake unto her as the Queene of heaven, he quotes the place of my text concerning them, saying, foreign, which in English sounds thus, that also of the Apostle is fulfilled of these, some shall apostatize from sound doctrine, giving heed to fables and doctrines of Daemons, for (saith he) they shall be worshippers of dead men, as they were worshipped in Israel; are not these last words for an exposition of foreign? But what (will you say) doth he meane by dead men worshipped in Israel? I suppose he meanes their Baalim, who (as is already shewed) were nothing p. 31else but Daemons, or deified Ghosts of men deceased: yet he brings in two examples besides; one of the Sichemites, in his time, who had a Goddesse or Daemonesse under the name of Jephta's daughter; another of the Aegyptians, who worshipped Thermutis, that daughter of Pharaoh, which brought up Moses. Some, as Beza, would have these words of Epiphanius to be a part of the text it selfe in some copy which he used. But how is that likely, when no other Father once mentions any such reading; nay it appeares moreover, that Epiphanius intended to explaine the words as he quoteth them, as he doth foreign by foreign, and foreign by foreign, and so foreign by foreign. Otherwise wee must say he used a very corrupt copy, or quoted very carelesly. But grant that Epiphanius read so, either this reading was true, and so I have enough; because then the Apostle with his foreign &c. should expound himselfe by foreign, to meane the deifying of the dead: or it was not the originall reading, but added by some other for explication sake; and so it will follow, that those who did it, made no question, but that the words there, contained some such thing as worshipping the dead: Therefore take it which way you will, it will follow, that some such matter as wee speak of, was in times past supposed to bee in this text and prophesie.

Now I come to the second point, to maintaine and prove, that praying to Saints glorified, as mediators and agents for us with God is justly charged with Idolatry: for this is the hinge whereupon not the application only of my text, but the interpretation thereof chiefly turneth: for this is that which I told you in the beginning, that my text depended upon the last words of the former chapter and verse; received into glory: which were therefore out of their due order, put in the last place, because my text was immediately to bee inferred upon them; the p. 32like mis-placing, and for the like reason, see Heb. 12.23““See also Apocal. cap. 1. ver. 5. where Christ is named a…ter …he seven …pirits for the like reason.Rev 1:5. where, in a catalogue or recension of the parts of the Church, Christ the head, and the sprinkling of his blood, is mentioned in the last place, and after the spirits of just men, because the next verses are continued upon this sprinkling of Christs blood: Yee are come to the generall assembly, and Church of the first borne, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the Spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of Sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel: whereas the right order should have beene; first, God the judge of all: Secondly, Christ the mediator of the new Covenant: Thirdly, in the last place, the Spirits of just men made perfect; agreeable therefore to this dependance of my text I am to shew, that the Invocation of Saints glorified implyes an Apostasie from Christ, and a deniall of his glory and majesty whereunto hee is installed by his assumption into heaven, to sit at the right hand of God: which before I doe, I must premise some generall grounds, which are as followeth.

That as God is most one, and without all multiplicity, so must the honour and service which is given unto him have no communicability: Esa. 42.8. I am the Lord, that is my name, my glory will I not give unto another, nor my prayse to graven Images; for the one-most God must have an one-most service; Therefore in that action whereof God is the object, nothing must be an object but God, or in the Scripture phrase thus, in those actions which look towards the face of God, nothing may come betweene, whose face such actions may look upon besides him, whether by way of subordination to him, or representation of him: for I am the Lord thy God (saith hee) thou shalt have no other Gods before my face. Secondly, this face of God is not only the object of his person, but also the place of his presence, where his glory is revealed p. 33in the heavens, where we shall see him face to face, 1 Cor. 13.12. Revel. 22.4. and where the Angels in heaven behold the face of the Father which is in heaven, Matth. 18.11. No action therefore directed thitherward, to the face of his revealed presence and glory, may so much as look asquint upon any other object, or behold any other face but the face of God alone, for we must have no other Gods before his face.

I say not, that a man may not turne his face upon the face of any other thing when he turnes his face towards the face of God; for how then should we worship him at all, seeing which way soever we turne us, something will alwayes bee before us? but it is not the face of our bodies, or their posture, but the face and posture of the act wee doe, which must not have the face turned upon any thing else, when it is directed at the face of God: namely, that action in which God is faced, must face nothing else but God, where God is the object, whether in regard of his person when we pray unto him, or of his throne of presence when we would approach it or direct our supplica-towards it, there nothing is to have any respect of an object, but God alone. So although when we pray unto God, wee turne the face of our bodies towards Heaven, the Sunne▪ the Moon, and Starres, yet doe we not worship the host of heaven therefore, because our action hath no relation to them as to an object, but to God alone; and howsoever they are betweene God and us in place, yet as an object of our devotion neither they nor any thing in them come any way betweene us and him: Now for the reason (if you ask it) of this incommunicablenesse of all actions and services directed to God-ward, you shall have it, because the Lord whose name is jealous, is a jealous God, jealous not only lest he should not be honoured as God, but jealous lest he should not be honoured as one God; for as by honouring him, we acknowledge him God, so by the incommunicablenesse of honour we acknowledge p. 34him one God: For this cause, God being to give us a Mediator, by whom we should have accesse unto his presence, and whom, without his jealousie, wee might interpose in our devotions and supplications unto himselfe, or offered at the throne of his majesty and glory in the heavens, provided that admirable mystery of communicating to the nature of a man borne of a woman, the hypostaticall union of the second Person of the Deity: and him, after he had vanquished death, to exalt, to sit at his right hand of glory, and power, in the heavens, there in his owne presence and throne, to receive our requests, and to deale as an agent betweene us and him.

Thus at length I am arrived at that port which I all this while made for: viz. to shew that this glory of Christ which is stiled his sitting at the right hand of God, is that incommunicable royalty to which of right belongeth in the presence of God to receive and present our devotions to the divine Majesty, as in it, which now followeth, shall appeare. Sessio ad dextram Dei is to be installed in Gods throne, or to have a God-like royalty, which is defined in Scripture foreign, the Majesty of Christ in heaven; whence it is said, Heb. 1. foreign he sate downe on the right hand of Majesty on high. Heb. 8.1. it is called foreign the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens: it is called also by Christ himselfe, Mark. 14.62. foreign, Luke 22.69. foreign, the right hand of power, and the right hand of the power of God: For as to the right hand belongeth both dignity and strength, so doth this glory of Christ include both a God-like sublimity and a God-like power; the first foreign, the second foreign. The proper place where the Majesticall glory is revealed, is the heavens, as may appeare almost wheresoever this sitting at the right hand of God is mentioned, Eph. 1.20. foreign: Colos. 3.1. foreign. p. 35Heb. 1. foreign, Heb. 7.26. foreign, 1 Pet. 3.22. foreign &c. heaven, heavenly places, high places and the like, being alwayes thereto annexed, and everywhere appeareth to be a consequent of his ascension into heaven, as we say in our Creed, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God; and therefore in the words whereon my text depends, is expressed by assumed or taken up into glory, foreign, for as God himselfe is stiled Pater in Coelis, not because not elsewhere, but because his glory is there revealed: So Christ sits ad dextram in Coelis, because there the beames of the Majesty given him by his Father, are revealed; whence it comes that his Kingdome is called the Kingdome of heaven, a Kingdome whose Kings residence and Kingly Throne are both in heaven: This glorious Throne of Majesty, this sitting at the right hand of the power of the Almighty is a name incommunicable, an exaltation whereof no creature in heaven or earth is capable, which is that the Apostle meanes to tell us when he saith, Eph. 1.21. Farre above all principalities and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that it named, not only in this world, but in the world to come: and Phil. 2.9, 10. wherfore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name (that is created name) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Revel. 3.21. he that overcommeth (saith Christ) I will give him to sit with me in my throne, even as I have overcome, and am set with my Father in his throne; here is mention of two thrones, you see, of which, my throne, that is, Christs throne, is the condition of a glorified man; in this throne his Saints shall sit with him; but his Fathers throne is the power of divine Majesty, wherin none must sit but God, & the God-Man Jesus Christ.

These grounds layd, I say, that the honour of being prayd to in heaven, and before the throne of presence, is a prerogative of dextra Dei, and to receive our devotions p. 36there, a flower of Christs sitting at the right hand of God, as S. Paul, Rom. 8.34. conjoines them, saying, Who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen againe, who is at the right hand of God, and who makes intercession for us: for by right of this his exaltation and majesty hee comes to bee a Priest after the order of Melchisedech, as appeares Psalme 110. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstoole; then followes the effect thereof verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech; and by the same right also he becomes the only and eternall Priest wh…ch hath to doe in the most holy place, the heavens: For as the high Priest only entred the most holy place beyond the vaile in the earthly Tabernacle; so Christ Jesus our only high Priest, through his body, as the first Tabernacle, by his owne blood, entred into the second Tabernacle or holy place, not made with hands, as was the figure, but into heaven it selfe, foreign, to appeare in the presence of God for us: all this you have in the same words at large, Heb 9 7.11.12.24. Now in the Tabernacle of this world, as was in the first Tabernacle, we may happily finde many Priests whom to imploy as agents for us with God: But in the second Tabernacle which is heaven, there is but one agent to be imployed, but one who hath royall commission to deale betweene God and men, that Angel of the presence, as Isaiah calls him, 63.9. and one only Mediator Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, who in this prerogative is above both Saints and Angells: For to which of the Saints and Angells, said God at any time, Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole, Heb. 1.4.9.13. neither will this demonstration admit that vulgar acception to be of any force, namely that expiatory mediation, or meritorious intercession in heaven should indeed appertaine to Christ p. 37alone, but favourable intercession to pray for us, not so: and therefore for this, wee may without derogation to Christ sollicite either Saints or Angels; I could say, that this ragge is too too narrow and short to cover their nakednesse, who lay hold of it, in whose supplication to Saints and to God too in their names, nothing is more usuall than the expresse mention of their merits, blood, and sufferings, as motives to God to heare them; but we shall not need this answer; for we have demonstrated, that as in the Law, none but the high Priest alone was to doe office in the holiest place; so Christ Jesus now is the only agent for whatsoever is to be done for us in the holiest Tabernacle of heaven: besides, wee read that none but the high Priest alone was to offer Incense, or to incense the most holy place when hee entred into it: But Incense is the Prayers of the Saints, sent thither from this outward Temple of the militant Church as the Incense of the Law was fetched from without the vaile: This therefore none in heaven but Christ alone must receive from us, to offer for us; and this is that Angel with the golden Censer, Revel. 8. who there offers the Incense of the prayers of the Saints there given him to offer upon the golden Altar before the Throne, alluding expresly to the golden Altar before the Testimony.

For the fuller understanding, and farther confirmation of what hath beene spoken, take this also; that notwithstand…ng the man Christ Jesus in regard of his person, being God as well as Man, was from his first incarnation capable of this royalty and glory; not only for the incomparable sufficiency of his person, which by reason of his twofold nature, is alwayes and in all places present both with God and men; and so at one instant able and ready at every need, to present to the one what he should receive from the other; but cheifly and most of all, for that being very God himselfe, his Fathers p. 38jealousie, which could never have brooked the communication of this glory to any other, which should not have beene the selfe-same with himselfe, was by this condition of his person prevented and secured.

Neverthelesse and notwithstanding, all this capability of his person, it was the will of his Father in the dispensation of the mystery of our redemption, not to conferre it upon him, but as purchased and attained by suffering and undergoing that death which no creature in heaven or in earth was able to undergoe but himselfe, being a suffering of a death, whereby death it selfe was overcome and vanquished, to the end that none by death save Jesus Christ alone might be ever thought or deemed capable of the like glory and sublimity; but that it might appeare for ever to be a peculiar right to him.

And this, I think, is not only agreeable to the tenour of the Scripture, but expresse Scripture it selfe, Heb. 2.9. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels by the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: for it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sonnes to glory, to make the captaine of their salvation perfect by sufferings. Phil. 2.8. And being found in fashion of a man, he humbled himselfe, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Crosse: and the ninth verse, Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, Heb. 10.12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes, for ever sate down on the right hand of God. Rom. 14.9. For to this end Christ both died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living: See besides, Acts 5.30, 31. Rom. 8.34. Ephes. 1.20. 1 Pet. 1.11.

Lastly, for that particular parcell of this glory of Christ (viz.) to be that only name in which we are to ask at the hands of God whatsoever we have to ask, is not this also annexed and ascribed to his triumph over p. 39death? John 14.13. I go unto my Father, viz. through death, and whatsoever yee ask in my name, that will I doe. John 16.16. & 23. A little while yee shall not see me, and a little while ye shall see me, because I goe to my Father, and in that day when I am gone to my Father, yee shall ask me nothing: Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever yee shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you, vers. 24. Hitherto yee have asked nothing in my name, ask and yee shall receive. Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, for such an high Priest became us who is made higher than the heavens.

How is it then that some extenuate that kinde of Saintworship, wherein prayers are not made unto them directly, but God is prayed unto in their names, and for their mediation sake to grant our requests. Is it not a deniall of Christs prerogative, to ascribe unto any other, for any respect of glory or neernesse to God after death or otherwise, that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable Death, triumphant Resurrection, and glorious Ascension? certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title, is it selfe also incommunicable. To conclude therefore with the words of S. Paul, 1 Tim. 2.5. There is but one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: as God is one, so the Mediator is one, for it is a God-like royalty, and therefore can belong but to one: There is but one God in heaven, without any other gods subordinate unto him; therefore but one Mediator there, without any other mediators besides him: as for the Angels and blessed Saints, they have indeed a light of glory too, but they are but as lesser lights in that heaven of heavens: And therefore as where the sunne shines, the lesser stars of heaven, though stars, give not their light to us: so where this glorious Sunne Christ Jesus continually shineth, by his presence, sitting at the right hand of God; there the glory of the Saints p. 40and Angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any flower of this divine honour, which is God-like and so appropriate to Christ, by right of his heavenly exaltation in the throne of Majesty; whatsoever Spirit saith otherwise,Colos. 2.19.Col 2:19 foreign, holds not the head, but is a Christ-apostate-spirit which denies the faith of Christs assumption into glory, and revives the doctrines of Daemons.

The way being now cleared, I may (I hope) now safely resume my application which I have already given some taste of, that the doctrine of Daemons comprehends in most expresse manner the whole idolatry of the mystery of iniquity, the deifying, and invocating of Saints and Angels, the bowing downe to Images, the worshipping of Crosses as new idol-columnes, the adoring and templing of reliques, the worshipping of any other visible thing upon supposall of any Divinity therein: what coppy was ever so like the sample, as all this to the doctrine of Daemons? and for the Idolatry of the Eucharist or bread-worship, though it may be reduced to Image-worship, as being the adoration of a signe or symbole; yet let it bee considered whether for the equality thereof it may not be taken rather for an idolatry of reliques, the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament being the mysticall reliques which he left us as monuments of his death till he come: whichsoever it bee I must confesse it hath a straine above the abomination of the Gentiles, who though they supposed some presence of their Daemons in their Images and reliques, yet were they never so blockish, as to think their Images and reliques to be transubstantiated into Daemons: But to come to the maine againe, I will confesse for my selfe that I cannot think of this Daemon-resemblance without admiration, nor doe I beleeve that you will heare without some astonishment, that which I am now to adde farther: That the advancers of Saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it, but even gloried p. 41(sed gloriatione non bona) that they had a thing in Christian practice so like the doctrines of Daemons: we heard before, that Plato in his Repub. would have the soules of such as died valiantly in the battell, to be accounted for Daemons after death, and their Sepulchers and Coffins to bee adored and served as the Sepulchers of Daemons. Eusebius lib. 13. Praepar. Evangel. quoting this place, adds with it, foreign, these things doe befit at (or after) the decease of the favourites of God, whom if thou shalt affirme to be taken for the champions of true Religion, thou shalt not say amisse, foreign, whence it is our custome to goe unto their tombs, and to make our prayers at them, and to honour their blessed soules.

The purpose of Eusebius was here to shew, as a preparation to draw men to Christianity, how well the present use of Christians in honouring the memories of their Martyrs, by keeping their assemblies at their Sepulchers, did agree with that of the Gentiles (so much by Plato commended) in honouring their champions and worthies for Daemons after death: But alas, in the age next after, it proved too too like it indeed: For these earerings which the Christians had borrowed or stolen from the Gentiles at their comming out of Aegypt, presently became a golden calfe, as soone as the woman the Church came into the wildernesse, yea and Aaron the Priest had a foule part in it too.

Read the eighth book of Theodoret de curandis Graecorum affectionibus, whose title is de Martyribus, or in the meane time take these few passages thereof: Thus hee speaks having quoted that passage of Hesiod for Daemons, commended by Plato; Quod si Poëta Hesiodus auxiliares custodesque mortalium eos vocat qui sanctè olim beneque vixerunt, eamque hujus Poëtae sententiam, Philosophorum p. 42optimus Plato adeò confirmavit, ut eorum hominum Sepulchra …olenda esse atque adoranda censuerit; Quid ita quaeso, boni viri (i. e.) Graeci, quae ipsi facimus, accusatis? nos etenim pari modo (N. B.) eos qui illustri pietate viguerunt, proque eâ jugulati ac caesi sunt, & auxiliares & medicos nominamus; at non Daemones tamen; absit à nobis absit hic furor: sed amicos Dei, fidelesque servos dicimus fuisse— Ibid. posse sanctorum animas, vel cum extra hoc corpus fuerint hominum curare negotia, Plato etiam II legum libro affirmat verba Platonis citantur—

Cum ita que Philosophus credendum esse rumoribus censeat (id est sermonibus qui vulgò habentur de illâ animarum defunctarum curâ circa homines) vos tamen nobis non solùm fidei nihil habetis, clamantem que eventorum vocem audire non vultis, &c. Ibid. Martyrum templa conspicua —

Quique homines prosperá valetudine sunt, conservari eam sibi à martyribus petunt: Qui verò agritudinem aliquam patiuntur, sanitatem exposcunt,— Insuper & steriles &c. — Item qui peregrè proficiscuntur &c. — non qui se ad Deos accedere arbitrentur, sed qui orent Dei martyres tanquam divinos homines, intercessores que sibi eos apud Deum advocent & precentur—

Piè verò & fideliter precatos …a maximè consequi quae desiderant, testantur illa quae votorum rei dona persolvunt, manifesta nimirum sanitatis adepti iudicia:

Nam alii oculorum, alii manuum simulachra suspendunt, exargento auro que confecta, — paulò post— Quid, quod eorum qui passim Dii ferebantur memoriam è mente hominum martyres aboleverint— Suos mortuos Dominus Deus noster in templa, pro Diis vestris (i. e.) Daemonibus iduxit, ac illos quidem cassos gloriâ vanos que reddidit, suis autem martyribus honorem illorum dedit:

Propandiis enim Diasiis que , & Dionysiis (i. e.) Jovis, Liberique Patris solennitatibus; Petro, Paulo, Thomae, Sergio, aliis que sanctis martyribus solennitates epulo populari peraguntur: Cùm itaque tantam utilitatem ex honore martyribus p. 43collato provenire, homines videatis, fugite (quaeso) errorem Daemonum, pravioque ductu martyrum, facibus que utentes, viam capessite quae ad Deum perducit, &c. Now judge whether hitherto foreign hath beene fitly applyed or not: I will goe on.

Having therefore by so many arguments made apparant (I hope) what I endeavoured to prove: I desire we may observe, among so many corruptions, both now and heretofore over-whelming the Church of Christ, what it is wherein the Holy Ghost placeth the essence, and counteth as the very soule of the great Apostasie under the man of sinne, and would have us to make the pole-starre of our discovery thereof.

Not every errour, not every heresie, how fowle soever; but foreign, Idolatry, and Spirituall fornication: as for other heresies, though accompanying this, yet are they but accidentall, and not of the essence of the great Apostasie which was to come.

Even as whores are seldome without other great faults, which yet are no part of whoredome: so hath the spirituall whore many other heresies, but her whoredome is only Idolatry and the doctrine of Daemons.

Neither is heresie of it selfe, no though damnable heresie, a character whereby the great Apostasie can bee knowne from other sects and blasphemies.

Fowle heresies were in the first ages of the Church, yet Antichrist and his time were neither of them yet, come; when his time approached neerer, the Arrians, Macedonians, Nestorians, Eutychians, were abominable heretiques.

And the Arrians possessed for a time the face of the visible Church; yet was not theirs the solemne Apostasie looked for.

But Idolatry or spirituall whoredome,1 Thes. 1.9. Conversion to Christianity is described a turning from Idols to serve the true▪ and living God, and to wait for his Sonne Iesus Christ; therefore Ap…stasie is a returne to Idols from the living and true God and his Sonne Iesus Christ.1 Thess 1:9 which in that storme the Devill was a working, this is the only character and note whereby the Apostasie under the man p. 44of sinne is discovered and distinguished from all other blasphemies, sects, and heresies of what age or time soever. Which that I may not seem to ground only upon the exposition of my text, which whatsoever the probability thereof be, may yet be thought alone too weak to support the weight of so maine a conclusion: I desire you to take these arguments for a full confirmaiion thereof; some of them have already beene intimated, but now all are mustered up together.

First, that Babylon is entitled in the Revelation of S. John, not the Lyar of Babylon, not the Tyrant of Babylon, not the Heretique of Babylon, nor the Murdresse of Babylon, but the Whore of Babylon, yea that Great Whore and the Mother of fornications, and abominations of the earth. Doth not God (think we) give the name as he accounts the nature? or is there any one will deny that this Babylon is that mystery of iniquity which our Apostle so calleth, as being in opposition to the great foreign mystery of true worship and Religion? if any should foreign mystery Babylon in her forehead, would help to reclaim him: And what Whore is that with whom the Kings and Nations and Kingdomes of the earth commit fornication▪ can it be any other but a spirituall Whore? Without question therefore S. John meanes no other thing here than what he foretold in the eleventh chapter, That the Second and outmost court of the Temple (which is the second state of the Christian Church) together with the holy City, should bee trodden downe, and overtrampled by the Gentiles forty two moneths, that is, overwhelmed with the Idolaty of the Gentiles, which is, foreign, as long as power shall bee given to the Beast to make warre with the Saints, as long as the witnesses must weare sackcloth, and the woman which escaped the fury of the Ethnicall Dragon, be fed in the wildernesse.

Secondly, S. Paul tels us, that the great Apostasie p. 45should enter by strong delusions, by signes and lying wonders; consider then what corruptions of the Christian faith were thus ushered in to begin with the begining and first corruption of that kinde; Invocation of Saints; with the adoration of their shrines; and reliques; how were these advanced in the Church, was it not by miraculous cures of the sick, healing of the lame, restoring of the blinde, yea raising of the dead (as seemed) sometimes by the only touch and aire, sometimes of the shrines and reliques of soules deceased? was it not still confirmed by strange apparitions, and other meanes wonderfull to heare? for discovery of bones and reliques unknowne and forgotten, yea of men whose names they never heard of before. And which I shall shew better hereafter: no such experience for thirty yeares together observed in the Church, untill the totall and fixed time began to enter. The worshipping of Images, the second, for time, of the Churches fornications: was not this also allowed and at length fully ratified by like signes and miracles, shewed upon those who approached them in their devotions? Read the legend, and see what store there is of strong delusions and lying wonders. That which for time came in last, but deserves a place among the foremost, I meane the Idolatry of the Masse, and adoration of the breaden god; search and see if it be not also thus attented!

If all this be true, then would I know what doctrine of theirs besides was installed with these solemnities; there is but one only left for exception, and it is Purgatory; but what if all the delusions of Purgatory, with all the apparitions of Purgatorian Ghosts, were but an indirect device of Satan ayming partly to advance the Masse into an Idoll by the miraculous efficacy (forsooth as the Ghosts report) of the oblation thereof for them; partly to install the Sonne of perdition (a Daemon I yet speak not of, and yet a Daemon) to sit as God in the p. 46Temple and Throne of Christ, with the keyes of **Apocal. 1.13.Rev 1:13Hades and death, to deliver them? what stronger presumption can there be of this than the event; and that the errour of Purgatory had so long beene working before the Devill seemed to know how to make this use of it, which at length he spied out and plied lustily with signes and wonders. If all this be true, then it followes still that it is spirituall fornication which the Holy Ghost in Scripture intendeth, and the event hath marked out for the soule of Antichristian abomination and impiety; But of the matter of miracles and lying wonders more in the second part of my text, which is the proper place thereof.

Thirdly and lastly, the great Apostasie is a thing proper to the foreign the latter times; which I will shew (when I come at it) to be the last times of the fourth kingdome of Daniel, Dan. 7.25. & alibi; but amongst all other corruptions, only the spirituall fornication of the Church and spouse of Christ will bee found proper to these times.

But you will say, if Idolatry and Spirituall fornication bee the matter, why should not this rather be laid upon Painims, and Turks, and Saracens, who acknowledge not Christ, rather than upon Christians who doe?

I answer, S. John and S. Paul prophesied of things to come, not of that which was in being when they prophesied. But Ethnicall and Painim Idolatry at that time overwhelmed the whole earth, yea and persecuted and made warre with the Saints, and no time hath yet beene when this Idolatry was not to be found. It must needs be then some other whoredome (for whoredome it was to be) which was prophesied of to come.

In Saracen. Frid. Sylburg. citante Martins …. p. 1903. Lex. foreign.Againe, neither Saracen nor Turk (the greatest unchristian p. 47States since Christ) neither of these, I say, can bee Antichrist wee speak of, nor their blasphemy that mystery of iniquity foretold by the Apostles and Prophets.

For there are two unquestionable charactes of that mystery, which will neither of them,Mahomet in Alcorano inducit Deum ad se ita loquen…em: Pauper fuisti & ditavi te, Idolis servist… & vocavi te: Interpres Aretae in Praefatione sub finem. without doubt not both of them, agree to Turk or Saracen; videlicet, first, that it should sit in the Great City, which in S. Johns time reigned over the nations of the earth. Secondly, that it should bee an Apostasie from the Christian faith once embraced: But the Turk, whatsoever he be, is no Apostate, being of a nation which never was Christian; nor was the seat of the Saracen Empire, whilst it stood, either in the old or new Rome, or neere unto either;Mahomet was a Paynim, neicircumcised as the other Arabians were, nor bap…ized till he b…gun his false prophesy: when Abdalla the I…w did …he one unto him, and Sergius the Monk conferred the other, vid. Purchas P…gr. for I would seeme to yeeld for this time, that new Rome or Constantinople would serve the turne, though I am farre enough from beleeving it. Nor will I alleadge, that Mahomet himselfe and his nation were both Painims when they began their blasphemies; for you would tell me, that Sergius the Monk taught him to make the Alchoran: nor will I question now, whether the Christian or Mahumetan be the greater Idolater, though the doubt might soone bee resolved, seeing it is well knowne the Mahumetans worship no Images. But I have alleaged nothing save what is without exception, that both these characters I spake of cannot bee applied either to Turk or Saracen, though I beleeve that neither can be. When I spake of Painims and Mahumetans, I would have you remember, that there were some blasphemous sects in the first ages of the Church, which are no more to be accounted of as Christians than Mahumetans and Painims are; nay Mahumetanism is neerer Christianity than many of them were: for amongst whom the Christians Deity is not worshipped and received; those, though they spring up in imitation of Christianity, I account but new Painim blasphemies and not Christian heresies: such were p. 48the **Tertul. calls these Hereticks, Alterius divinitatis Haeretici.Cerinthians, Marcionites, Saturnians, Valentinians, and Manichees, &c. which neither professed the same Deity, nor acknowledged that divine word which we Christians doe; whereas yet the Mahumetans worship the same God with Jewes and Christians, God the Creatour of heaven and earth, and God the father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; howsoever they conceive otherwise of his nature and properties than Christians doe: But this by the way (lest it may put a rub in our discourse) of spirituall fornication.

But you will still alledge in her behalfe, who seemes all this while to be charged, that Antichrist, and the man of sin in Scripture, is set forth as the most hatefull and execrable thing that can be in the eyes of God Almighty. But how can such a thing be said, and comparatively to be where the true God, with Christ his son, God and man, are in any sort acknowledged and worshipped?

Lord! that the whole straine of Scripture, in the Prophets especially, and the example of the Church of Israel, should not cure this web, and take this filme from the eyes of men! Doth not the Lord say of Israel, that he had chosen them to be a speciall people to himselfe, above all people that are upon the face of the earth, Deut. 7.6. You onelyonly have I knowne (saith he) of all the families of the earth, Amos 3.2. And is not Christ the Lord of Christians? and is not the Church his Spouse? foreign, saith Saint Paul, Ephes. 5. This is a great mystery No warvell then where this mystery is not considered, if the mystery of iniquity be not understood. Alas poore Church of Israel, thy case it seemes should have beene a very hard one! for what Nation in the world ever suffered so much rebukes, so many plagues, so much wrath, as thou hast done? yet couldest thou say for thy selfe, thou never forsakedst the true God altogether, but wast still called by his name; onelyonly thou wouldest faine worship him in Calves and Images, as other Nations thy p. 49neighbours did their Gods; thou wouldest needs follow the fashion, and this was thine errour; thou never meanedst to cast of thy Jehovah altogether, but still wouldest have him to be thy God, and thy selfe to be his people; yet thou tookest this liberty, to have other gods besides the Lord thy God, viz. thy Baalims and Daemon gods of other Nations about thee, and yet hopedst Jehovah the God of heaven, thy onelyonly Soveraigne God, would not be offended thereat, since thou retainedst him in chiefe place and honour with thee still.

Why was thy God then so unkinde and cruell unto thee, to call thee Whore, and Prostitute Whore, so often? All his Prophets continually baiting thee with that so foul and odious a name of abominable Harlot? Why did hee scatter thee, and cart thee even naked among the Nations, afore his Jealousie would be satisfied? for it seemes he is farre more indulgent to his second wife the Church of the Gentiles, for she worships her God in Images and Crucifixes, yea calls a piece of bread, her Lord and her god, and yet saith, he is no whit jealous of her, but well pleased. She, though espoused to Christ Jesus the Son of the living God, as the sole Intercessor and Mediator in the presence of God his Father, yet thinks she may fall downe to Saints and Angels, yea to as many Images of them as ever the Jewes had of their Baalims, or the Gensiles of their Daemons.

And yet forsooth because she makes her Lord the chiefest still in the honour of her affections, and uses the rest of her lovers no farther than she may still yeeld the first and chiefe place to him, she verily supposes he is no whit offended with her; whereas Israel should have been called Whore a thousand times over for as little as this; yea and like enough to have beene carted too, and her nose slit, Ezek. 23.25. long before this time.

Nay but she wipes her mouth, and asketh why her Lord should be angry, for she calls him still her Lord, p. 50and acknowledges and professeth him still to be her Husband. If he hath a minde to be angry with any, let him goe to the Turks, Tartars, and other Mahumetans, or to the Painims, who will not acknowledge him at all to be their Lord God, though he hath offered himselfe, and perhaps woo…d some of them, but they would none of him, but married themselves to other husbands: here if he will be jealous, is matter for his jealousie.

But thou Christ-apostaticall S…rumpet, knowest thou not the first Commandment of thy Christian Decalogue to be,Hieron. in ca. 43 Ezek. Ego hoc arbi…ror, quòd non polluat nomen Domini, nisi ille qui v…sus est nomini ejus credere: & …uomodò tollit membra Christi, & …acit membra meretricis, qui priù… Christo …redidit; sic ill… polluit nomen Domini, qui priùs nominis eius fidem susceperit. Thou shalt have none other Gods (nor Christs) but m…. What dost thou with so many Christlings? knowest thou not that an husband is more grieved and dishonoured by his wises adultery, than if any other woman whatsoever, yea suppose his kinswomen and daughters, should play the harlots?

What are Turks and Tartars, and any other unbeleeving Nation under heaven, unto thy Lord and Saviour? are they not all as strangers to him, and he to them? But as for thee, he had chosen thee out of many nations to espouse thee to himselfe; so that thou mayest say with Israel, Isay 63.19. We are thine, but as for them, thou never barest rule over them, they were not called by thy name: but to thee, to use the words of Ezekiel, c. 16. he sware an oath, and entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest his, and wert called and wilt still be called by his name: Thee he washed with water, yea, throughly washed thee from the pollution of thy birth, and anointed the… with oyle. Thou wast decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linnen, and silke, and broydered worke, thou diddest eat fine flower, and honey, and oyle, and wast exceeding beautifull, and didst prosper into a kingdome. And thy renowne went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through the comelinesse which the Lord thy God had put upon thee. But thou didst trust i… thine owne beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy …, p. 51and pouredst out thy fornications upon every one that passed by. And of thy garments th… didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the har… thereupon. Thou hast also taken thy faire jewels of thy Lords gold, and of thy Lords silver, which he had given thee, and madest to thy selfe images of men, and didst commit whoredome with them. And tookest thy braydered garments and coveredst them: and thou hast set the Lords oyle and hi… incense before them. Judge now betweene the Lord and his people ye that have wives, and give sentence ye husbands whether of the two in question hath most dishonoured our Lord and Saviour, which of the two is most like to fret him, and kindle the co…les of fury and jealousie: those who never yet were in covenant with him, nor yet are called by his name: or whether his Spouse, his darling, his beloved one, to whom he was betrothed and married? Judge according to the manner of wedlock, and the notorious president of Israel▪ he that is a father (we say) is best able to understand the love of a father, and therefore Gods love to his children for the like reason: he that is an husband is sensible of the jealousie of an husband, and so of the case of Christ with his unfaithfull and trecherous Spouse the Christian Jezabel.

The decision and summe of all this, is this, That the whoredome of the Church of God is a spirituall adultery; and therefore betweene the Idolatry of Christians, and that of Infidels, and of Painims, is as much difference in Gods esteeme, as is between adultery and simple fornication. The one, as equall to murther, was in the law punished with death; the other with a much lighter punishment: whence in Ezekiel (in whose words I have beene so long) chap. 16. ver. 38. God saith to Jerusalem for their Idolatry, that he would …udge her as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged: he would give her blood in fury and jealousie. And this was the resolution p. 52of God himselfe against Israel, Amos 3.1, 2. Heare the word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, saying, You onelyonly have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities. And the same will be the judgement of the Christian Jezabel (howsoever Painims and Infidels speed) when Great Babylon shall come in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath. This I would have well considered and weighed by those whom the Mahumetan blasphemy hath so dazeled, that they can hardly beleeve that so hated and execrable a name of Babylon should belong unto any other, unlesse there be yet to come some other like barbarous Tyrant and Seducer after them: the cause of which errour is, That men have fancied another manner of Antichrist than the Holy Ghost meant of, and placed their eyes farre wide of the ground of Gods hatred, and of the nature of that mysterie of abomination. But Israels Apostasie, Gods Iealousie, and their unparalled punishment therefore, such as no Nation in the world, how Idolatrous soever, endured besides themselves, are in this case the onelyonly Polestarre to direct us.

But even this mistake, which is and hath beene of the mystery of iniquity, is it selfe a kinde of mystery, or not without one; for Antichrist is a Counter-Christ, and therefore his comming to be a counter-resemblance of the comming of Christ.

Christ was both to come, and accordingly looked for in the last times (that is) in the time of the fourth kingdome of Daniel; so Antichrist and his mystery of impiety was to be, foreign, in the latter times of these last times, that is (as I shall better shew hereafter) in the last times, or last Scene (as I may so speake) of the fourth kingdome of Daniel. When Christ came the Scepter was to depart from Judah, and that Commonwealth to be dissolved: so when Antichrist was to come, the Roman p. 53Empire was to fall, and he that hindered was to be taken out of the way, 2 Thes. 2.8. The Jewes expected Christ to come when he did come, and yet knew him not when he was come, because they had fancied the manner and quality of his comming like some temporall Monarch, with armed power to subdue the earth before him: So the Christians, Gods second Israel, looked the comming of Antichrist should be at that time when he came indeed, and yet they knew him not when he was come, because they had fancied his comming as of some barbarous Tyrant, who should with armed power not onelyonly persecute and destroy the Church of Christ, but almost the world, that is, they looked for such an Antichrist as the Jewes looked for a Christ.

Wherefore as Christ came unto his owne, and his own received him not; so Antichrist came upon those who were not his owne, and yet they eschewed him not: but yet as some Jewes, though few, knew Christ when he came, and received him; so did some Christians, though but few, keep themselves from the pollution of Antichrist. Lastly, as the Jewes ere long shall acknowledge, and run unto him, whom they pierced as not knowing him; so hath the Christian Church, for a great part, discovered that Son of perdition, whom a long time they had ignorantly worshipped, because they knew him not. O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out! But for our part, seeing our case is so like unto that of the Jewes, let their lamentable and wofull errour, in mistaking their Messiah by wrongly fancying him, be a warning and a caveat unto us, that we likewise upon like conceits and prejudice mistake and misdeeme not the Man of sinne.