A Protestant Antidote Against the Poison of Popery, To the reader
TO THE READER.
Candid and Chriſtian Reader,
IN Common Calamities every one is bound (pro virili ſuâ) to Contribute his beſt Aſſiſtance, though it be but one Bucket full of Water to quench a general Fire, or one ſod of Earth to ſtop an univerſal Deluge, wherewith the ſworn Swordmen of Rome have now threatned us: I have therefore caſt in my Mite into the Common Treaſury, (this[Opus Diei in die ſuo] a Word and Work in ſeaſon) to wit, a Graphical Deſcription of the Romiſh Religion: How it is as the Empty Houſe (in the Parable, Matth. 12.43, 44.) Poſſeſſed with ſeven unclean Spirits: How ſeven Abominations are in the very Heart of it, Prov. 26.25, 26. all Hateful to God and hurtful to men: How 'tis no better than the Babyloniſh Brat, whoſe Father was an Amorite and Mother an Hittite, Ezek. 16.33, The Mother of Harlots and of all Abominations, Rev. 17.5. How there is [Mors in Ollâ,] Death in the Pot, 2 Kin. 4.40. and the Broth of Abominanable things in its Veſſel, Iſa. 65.4. How [Mene Tekel] is writ upon its Wall, and being weighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary, 'tis found light, Dan. 5.25. to be driven away by the Breath of Chriſts Mouth, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. How this Foreign Plant is no better than a ſtinking weed, that hath never thriven in any Land, but where it hath been watered with Blood; and therefore is not to be Planted but to be Rooted up, Matth. 15.13. This Manual is made publick, That ſuch a curſed Plant may be plucked up (Root and Branch) and never be Replanted in Immanuel's Land, Iſa. 8.….) or England; wherein God hath ſo remarkably (even in capital Characters) Recorded his Name, Exod. 20.24. And wherein this wretched Weed hath had ſo many marvellous Extirpations by our Princes, Parliaments, and People. That this Nation ſo great (by having God ſo nigh it, Deut. 4.7.) may never ſuffer ſuch a Notorious Witch to live in it, Exod. 22.18. (Nor this curſed Jezebel to Prophecy in the Boſom of it, Revel. 2.20. That we may not (as the houſe in the Parable) though ſwept of Moral Vices and garniſhed with moral Vertues, (which God knows is not) yet be empty of the Power of Godlineſs, (which is the Intus exiſtens, prohibens alienum.) and ſo give an Opportunity for the unclean Spirit (of Antichriſt) to Reenter with thoſe ſeven worſe than the former, that Chriſt within us (If he be but here our Nation ſhall not dye, John 11.21, 32.) may keep Antichriſt without us. That Popery may never Return to us according to Dr. Uſher's Fear, and the Jeſuit Campian's hope, (crying at Tyburn, Proculdubio vincemus brevi, for our Multitude of Jeſuits will be too hard for your Parliaments, &c.) That this Jeſuits Hope may be as the giving up of the Ghoſt (which is but cold Comfort,) Job 11.20. That we may not (with fond Ixion) Embrace a Cloud for Juno; nor (with blind Iſaac) miſtake the Younger Religion for the Elder; nor (with cheated Jacob) Entertain blear-eyed Leah (the Romiſh) for beautified Rachel (the Reformed Religion) nor call Evil Good and Good Evil, Iſa. 5.20. This, in Short, (I would not have you to catch Cold in the Poreh) is the Unfeigned Prayer, and Utmoſt Endeavour of.
Your Brother, in The Beſt Bonds, Chriſtopher Neſſe. From my Study in Fleetſtreet London, J… 1. 1679.
AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST POPERY.
1. REligion is the totum hominis, the whole duty of man; Eccleſ. 12.13. the(a)foreign&c. one thing needful, which is(b)what have we more than it, (as Judg. 18.24.) Which bleſſeth what we have to us? that better paſt, that ſhall never be taken from him, Luk. 10.42. therefore ſhould man chuſe it above all things, and among all our gettings we ſhould get this principal thing. Prov. 4.7. For God looks down from Heaven, not to ſee how Rich, or Strong, or Beautiful we are; but principally how Righteous, how Religious, Pſ. 14.2. Rom. 3.10
2. Religion gives not only a Relative, but alſo a real worth to them that poſſeſs it; it makes them more excellent than their neighbours, Prov. 12.26. Gods peculiar Treaſure, Exod. 19.5. Precious Jewels, Mal. 3.17. Yea, ſuch as the World be pot worthy of, Heb. 11.38. While irreligious men be vile, thoſe are precious; they but Chaff, thoſe Wheat; they reprobate Silver, thoſe refined Gold; they Briars and Thorns, thoſe be noble Vines.
3. Yea while Strangers to Religion are but [terrae filii] baſe born ones, thoſe that are truly Religious are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven, and (in a word) not only in alliance but Union with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; although they be never ſo poor and deſpicable to men. God accepts of Religion in Rags as well as in Robes,(c)God is not foreign Act 10.24. he is no reſpecter of Perſons, Act. 10.34.
4. As Religion brings worth to perſons, ſo it becomes ſafety to Nations: As it is the beauty, ſo it proves the bulwark of Countreys and Kingdoms, their muniment as well as Ornament. 'Tis the ſacred Anchor, by which the great Ship of the Common-Wealth is held faſt, that ſhe may not ſplit either upon the Rocks of Atheiſm, or Quickſands of Superſtition; both which are of great provocation to the Lord, and on which many Nations have been daſh'd in pieces.
5. What the Ark was to Iſrael, that Religion is to all Lands; while the Ark abode in Shilon, Iſrael had no Ichabod, but the Kingdom flouriſned in Victories. Joſh. 18.1. But afterwards, as the Atheiſm of the Canaanites had cauſed the Lord to root them out of that unclean Land, Ezra 9.11, 12. becauſe they were ſhameleſs ſinners before him: So the Superſtition of the Iſraelites in their high places, &c: Pſal. 78.58. made God to forſake not only Shiloh, v. 60. but alſo the holy Land which they had polluted. Ezek. 8.6. Iſa. 1.12, 21.
6. This Shiloh was in Ephraim, the Tribe of Joſhua, where he had placed the Ark by his own Palace, that the former might give Luſtre and ſafety to the Latter: The ſtability of the Ark conferred ſtability upon [his] houſe, and upon the whole houſe of Iſrael; and 'tis obſervable, that Tribe periſhed fiſt that loſt the Ark and Tabernacle firſt, Pſ. 78.62. 2 King. 17.6, 9, &c. Samaria in Ephraim falls before Judah.
7. Religion may truly be called the Chariots and Horſemen of Kingdoms, and an Eſtabliſhment of the true Religion, is the beſt way to an eſtabliſhment of a true Peace: Yea deſolate Countries may ſay of Religion, as Mary ſaid of our Redeemer in another caſe; Oh! Religion, if thou hadſt been here (in the truth and power of it) our Nation had not dyed; for this is that bleſſed Cement(d)Religio a Religando, to bind. that binds God and a people together in laſting love.
8. In Poetical Story, what the Palladium was to Troy, that Religion is to a place and people: The Heathen Oracle told the Trojans, that ſo long as they could ſecure this Image of Pallas, their City ſhould not be deſtroyed; which when crafty ſlyſſes heard of, he uſed his wiles to ſlay the keepers of it, and ſo ſtole it away; and ſoon after deſtroyed the City. How are the crafty Ʋlyſſes's of this Age uſing their wiles to ſlay the Keepers of our Religion, to ſteal away our Palladium for our ruine.
9. In ſacred Story; what Sampſon's hair was to him, that is Religion to a Nation ; the ſtrength of a Nation lies in it, as the ſtrength of Sampſon lay in his hair; and as ſoon as his Locks were cut, his ſtrength was gone: So if the Locks of Religion be once cut off, our ſtrength is abated.
10. How doth the Delilahs of the Romiſh Philiſtims ſing their Syrenian Songs, to lull the Sampſons of our reformed Religion aſleep, that they may cut off our Locks, (wherein our ſtrength lyes) and that their uncircumciſed ones may be upon us. We have a ſufficient Teſtimony hereof, in that late Proclamation which was iſſu'd out in November, 1666. for ſuppreſſing the inſolencies of Papiſts and for baniſhing their Prieſts and Jeſuits out of the Nation, ſo long before the diſcovery of this Plot now proſecuted in this year 1679.
11. The reformed Religion (like the Lord of it) is placed between two Thieves, to wit, Atheiſm and Superſtition. 1. Atheiſm on the left hand would lay waſt Religion, and trample upon it as a worthleſs thing, deviſed of men only in terrorem: This left hand Thief ſteals away the holy Scriptures, and Inſtead thereof ſets up Lucian for the Old Teſtament, and Machiavel for the New. This is the Fool(e)Pſal. 14.1. The Saples Fellow. foreign that ſays there is no God.
12. There is much of Satan in this left hand Thief, for the Devil is the grand(f)Rom. 1.30. foreign or God-hater, and would (if poſſible) deſtroy as well as deny the being of God; Deicidii Reus eſt Diabolus: And yet though he do all he can to make men either ſpeculative or practical Atheiſts, he cannot make himſelf one; for the Scripture ſaith, he believes and trembles, Jam. 2.19.
13. We do not find that ever God wrought a miracle to convince Atheiſm, becauſe his ordinary works do convince it: The book of Nature confutes it as well as that of Scripture; the glorious Fabrick of the World muſt have a Maker, for it could not make it ſelf; and that Nature which is in man contradicts it: for man naturally in all extremities runs to God. Ariſtotle, when the terrors of death, (that foreign, as he called it) was, up on him, cryed, foreign, and Cauſa Cauſarum, miſerere mei.
14. Yea Epicurus himſelf conceived an infinite ſpace for his Atomes, and could he imagine a greater eaſe to the Mind, in conceiving an Idea of that, than of an Infinite Being? And Tully ſays of this Epicurus, that though he did Re tollere Deos, yet he did Nomine ponere, imagining God Corporeal. [Nec quenquam vidi, qui magìs ea, quae timenda eſſe negaret, timeret; mottem dico et Deos.] Epicurus was afraid of God and Death, though he denyed them. Tully de Nat. deor.(g)Tully de Naturâ Deorum, lib. 1. cab. 86.
15. Thus we ſee this great Patron of Atheiſm, though he proſtituted his Conſcience to a denyal of God and Religion; yet he could not ſilence it even in Tully's opinion: And we may appeal to the Conſciences of the worſt Atheiſts, if at ſome time they believe not a Deity.
16. The Conſciences of the worſt Atheiſts will tell us upon appeal to them, that at ſome time of pangs or affrightments they have believ'd that there is a God; (h)Diagoras's words was rather votum than judicium, be wiſhed there were no God to puniſh his Sin.though now either through incogitancy or reluctancy, they have ſmothered thoſe Igniculos or Scintillas, which be eaſily put out as to any open manifeſtation: ſtrong corruption may pat out the light of Nature.
17. It were well if this Atheiſm were not ſo promoted by our diviſions about Religion,(i)Lactan. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 4. Lactantius ſpeaks of Arceſilas, that pondering the many contradictions and oppoſitions among Philoſophers, he became a deſpiſer of them. Thus carnal men that are Atheiſtically minded, viewing the many differences and digladiations amongſt Profeſſors in the matters of Religion (which is a ſtumbling block God judicially lays in their way, Ezek 3.20.) they come to this reſolve, to be of no Religion at all.
18. Thus have we ſeen the firſt Thief that oppoſes Religion on the left hand; I come now to the ſecond Thief upon its Right Hand, to wit, Superſtition, which ſpoils Religion of its Native Beauty, and puts it into ſuch a painted gaudy dreſs, as makes it a ridiculous Puppet, and more meretricious than Matronlike.
19. Plutarch makes this right-hand Thief the worſt of the two, ſaying that Atheiſm is better than Superſtition; for the Superſtitious do Worſhip ſordid, baſe, and cruel Gods: Inſomuch that it were far better there were no Gods at all, than ſuch as they worſhip; 'tis leſt impiety to ſay there is no God, than to give divine honour to bloody Devils and ſenceleſs Stocks or ſtones.
20. And ſo he concludes, that Superſtition is the cauſe of Atheiſm, becauſe men looking upon the ridiculous Geſtures practiſed in their Temples, that are ſuperſtitious Worſhippers; they conclude it were better to have no Gods, than to give Gods facred honour to ſuch abominable Deities. I had rather (ſaith he) men ſhould ſay there is no Plutarch, than that they ſhould ſay, that Plutarch is what he is not. Plutarch de ſuperſtit.
Whether Plutarch be miſtaken in this aſſertion altogether, I ſhall not here determine: Such Problems as [utrùm praſtat non eſſe quàm malè eſſe] belongs to the Schools to decide; and whether Superſtition (which is a Nimiety(l)Paul the ſecond Pope, ob nimiam Religionsm factus eſt Cardinalis (Paſciculus Temporis.) and exceſs in Religion) be worſe than Atheiſm, (which is a defect therein) is not much(k)Plutarch de ſuperſt. in Moral. to our purpoſe, 'tis enough to diſcover them both as Thieves to Religion.
22. However there is not much difference 'twixt nequam and nequaquam, the Proverb is, [as good never a whit as never the better] betwixt making Sin a duty, and making a duty ſin: Superſtition makes ſin a duty,(m)Supperſtition will by all means hew the Stones of Gods Altar; as if whole Stones were not fine enough for God though he command it ſo. Exod. 20.25. and Deut. 27.6. Superſtition deſpiſes thoſe foreign. ſeptuag. which the Hebrew calls perfect Stones. foreign Abanim Shelemoth. in worſhipping the true God after a falſe manner, Act. 26.9, 11. [I verily thought with my ſelf that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jeſus] and Atheiſm makes a duty ſin in not worſhiping God at all, as if it were a ſin to do it.
23. Thus Religion (with the Lord and Founder of it) ſuffers hard things betwixt two Thieves, and 'tis not very eaſie to determine which of thoſe two is more injurious to Religion (and the Author of it) whether that which makes the Principles of it to be queſtion'd, or that which makes the practice of it to be deſpiſed, as the ſuperſtitious worſhip of the Romiſh Church makes the Jews at this day to contemn the Chriſtian Religion.
24. This is a moſt certain truth, and taken [pro confeſſo of all, that Superſtition is a Reproach to Religion, and without a Vail is a very deformed thing; though the Church of Rome would not willingly own any ſuch deformity in her, but like the Adulterous woman, Prov. 30.20. Eats and wipes her mouth, and ſaith I have done no wickedneſs, yet will be found guilty.
25. Superſtition (Grace foreign) is a Vice oppoſite to Religion according to exceſs. Thus Aquinas in his Sec. Secundae quaeſt. 92. Art. 10. or thus. Superſtition is when worſhip which is only due to God, is not exhibited to him in that manner as it ought; or when it is exhibited to him to whom it ought not: Thus Mich. de Obellis. Or, 'tis a ſuperfluous and vain devotion which God alloweth not, 1. Neither by his Command, 2. Nor by any Apoſtolical Rule for indifferent things; 'tis called alſo foreign, a falſe Religion.
26. Polanus defines it thus: 'Tis a Vice inhering in the Mind, ariſing through Satan's craft by which men departing from the word of God (contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles.) take up erroneous Opinions of God and falſe ways of worſhipping him, Polanus Syntag. Theol. lib. 9. cap. 3. pag. 579. and Szegedin thus, Eſt opinio quae nec habet mandatum Dei, nec phyſicam rationem; vel eſt nimia et ſuperabundans pietas, ſen Religio. Virgil brands this Vice thus.
Vana ſuperſtitio veterumque ignara Deorum.
27. Superſtition is cauſed (1.) from the pravity of our Nature, which is over-deſirous of forbidden evils, whereby man is become [inverſus decalogus] a diametrical oppoſite to God's holy will. (2.) from the wiſdom of the Fleſh, which loves to be wiſe above that which is written. (3.) Servile fear, for the Superſtitious do fear where no fear is, Pſal. 53.5. (4.) The inſinuations of Satan, and (5.) the falſe Romiſh Church; as the Devil begets them ſo the Mother of Harlots brings them forth.
28. Sometimes it is [falſely] applied to true Religion,(n)Beza in Act. 25.19. as Act. 25.19. but [truly] 'tis that Worſhip which God commanded not, nor came into his mind. Jer. 7.31. A worſhipping after our own hearts. Numb. 15.39. or a doing that which is right in our own eyes. Deut. 12.8. Judg. 17.16. Or 'tis a worſhipping of that which God commanded not. Deut. 17.3. and 29.26. 'Tis an obſerving of times, Deut. 18.10 14. Gal. 4.10. Levit. 19.26. or of Mans traditions, Math. 15.3, 9. Marks 7.4, 7. or 'tis Will-worſhip that hath more of mans Will than of God in it. Col. 2.18, 21, 23.
29. The Gentiles were guilty of Superſtition, Act. 17.22.(o)foreign, i. e. Fearers of evil Spirits. Act. 17.22. The Apoſtle ſaith, they were too ſuperſtitious:So were the Iſraelites in not eating of the ſinew of common meat, becauſe the ſinew of Jacob's Thigh ſhrank, Gen. 32.32. So were the Philiſtims in not daring to tread upon the Threſhold of Dagon's houſe, becauſe Dagon brake his Neck upon it:(p)1 Sam. 5.4, 5. So was Naaman in carrying two Mules load of Earth out of Canaan into his own Country, to make an Altar of:(q)2 Kin. 5.17. And laſtly, ſo were the Scribes, Phariſees and Jews, not only in ſtraining at the Gnat of entring into the Judgment Hall, when they ſwallowed the Camel of murdering Chriſt; Joh. 18.28. but alſo in all their Traditions.
30. As there is a Pagan Superſtition (which I ſhall not ſpeak to here, as being beſide my preſent purpoſe) ſo there is a Papagan Superſtition, whereby Papiſts think it a greater Crime to eat fleſh on Fryday, than to commit Adultery; this is a being Righteous (or Religious) overmuch, Eccleſ. 7.17.
31. This Papagan Superſtition conſiſts either in the worſhip of the Creator, or of the Creature. 1. In the worſhip of the Creator, a ſuperſtitious man doth frame to himſelf a worſhip of God out of his own Will and not out of Gods will, which is called foreign, Col. 2.23. and 'tis a Wonder how pleaſing thoſe forms of worſhip are, that be of mans deviſing; when that which the wiſe God himſelf preſcribes is diſpleaſing to men; but that which is highly eſteemed among men is abomination to God(r.)Luk. 16.15.
32. Or 2. In the worſhip of the Creature, which is either the Creature of Gods making, as Saints or Angels; or the Creature of mans making, as Images of Wood or Stone, &c. of this ſee Infrà at large.(ſ)In the 2d part about Image-worſhip. 'Tis clear that the Romaniſts do worſhip Saints and Angels with divine honour, in dedicating Temples to them; which Auguſtine makes Sacrilege. Sacrilegium eſt cuicunque Creaturae Templum extruere, upon 1 Corinth. 6. And on Pſal. 94. he ſaith, Templa, ſacrificia, Iuſtituti Sacerdotes non niſi uni Deo haec omnia debentur.
33. Beſides their dedicating of Temples and Altars to them, they call upon the Saints and upon their Images; whereas Invocation is due to the only true God. Cyril ſaith, Sanctos Martyres neque deos eſſe dicimus, neque eos adorare conſuevimus, &c. Contra Julian lib. 6. This is Popiſh Superſtition to make Images of Saints departed and to worſhip them with Maſſes, Faſtings, Prayers, Pilgrimages, &c.
34. As there is Superſtition in Religious things, ſo likewiſe in civil affairs; as 1. In ſeeking after the event of things: As how long a Man or Woman ſhall live? or when they ſhall dye? what Proſperity or Adverſity ſhall befal them in their lives? or what manner of Wife or Husband they ſhall have, &c. This is enquired after among the Superſtitious either by Chiromancy (which is a viewing the Tablelines of the hand) or by Phyſiognomy (which is a conſidering the Countenance and other parts of the Body,) or by Necromancy, (conſulting with Ghoſts) Dreams, Viſions, &c.
35. They likewiſe that undertake to foretell by judiciary Aſtrology, contingent future things; are guilty of this ſin of Superſtition: For they enquire after hidden things by unlawful means, attributing to the Stars what belongs to God, and reducing men to mere Gentiliſm: for the ſame things that the Gentiles aſcribed to Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury; they do to the Stars of the ſame Name, and audaciouſly prognoſticate the fates of Perſons, Families, and Empires, ſuch as God hath reſerved to himſelf, Act. 1.7.
36. Superſtition alſo carries men into Sorcery, and into all unlawful Arts about healing the ſick, with ſome charms hung about the(ſ)Cùm ergò in auribus Evangelia nihil proſunt, quomoao poſſunt circa collum ſuſpenſa ſalvare? Chryſoſt. on Matth. 23. The imperfect Work. Neck, &c. And about finding loſt goods (quick or dead) all which may be done by colluſion, God alone muſt be our healer in the uſe of all lawful things, Exod. 15.26. Pſ. 103.3. and ſuch practices are contrary to the word of God as Levit. 20.27. and Deut. 18.10, 11. &c.
37. Of the ſame Alloy be thoſe ſuperſtitious practices of driving away Devils by the Sign of the Croſs, practiſed by Julian the Apoſtate, in the Year of Chriſt 356. who (conſulting with a Magician about obtaining the Empire, and Devils appearing at the Magician's Conjuration) being ſtricken with fear, ſigned his Forehead with the Sign of the Croſs, whereupon the Devils preſently diſappeared: But his Magician told him, that the Devils fled not away for his Croſs, but for hatred of his ſo doing. Oſiand. lib. 3. cap. 12. Hiſtor. Eccleſ. Cent. 4. pag. 295.
38. I leave the Reader to judge concerning the truth of this miracle: Suppoſe a truth in it, ſurely God would not teach us hereby, that a wicked and profane wretch (ſuch a one as Julian was) could drive away Devils; or that the Sign of the Croſs hath any ſuch power in it, to deſtroy the works of the Devil: For the Scripture no where aſcribes any ſuch thing to the Sign of the Croſs, nor can it be imagined that the Devil is afraid of it.
39. It may rather be concluded that this was one of the Devils cheats, and that thoſe Devils by this counterfeit flight would confirm the ſuperſtition of the Vulgar; as if by the Sign of the Croſs the Devils might be driven away. Non enim Diaboli (ſaith Oſiander in loco praedicto) crucis vel effigiem, vel ſignum, ſed crucifixum metuunt: Et, Chriſtus crucifixus fide apprehenſus, Satanae terrori eſt non autem ſignum crucis. It is Chriſt crucified, apprehended by Faith, that is a terror to Satan; not the Sign of the Croſs.
40. And the ſame Oſiander tells us, there is no leſs than foul Superſtition in thoſe Bonefires that are kindled upon St. Johns day; and in leaping through the Flames of them, as if they were purged hereby from (I know not what) ſins. This (he ſaith) is an honour done to Pluto the God of Hell, (as the heathen Poets feigned) and ſuch like wicked Ceremonies ought to be aboliſhed in every Chriſtian ſtate. Oſian. Epitome Cent. 7. lib. 1. cap. 21. pag. 52.
41. He relates alſo the 65 Canon of the Council at Conſtantinople, that was held under Juſtinian the Second, which is expreſs againſt this ſuperſtitious practice; ſaying, Qui rogos ante ſuas officinas accendunt ſupra quos ineptè & delirè ſ…tare ſolent, jubemus deinceps ceſſare; quiſquis ergò tale quid fecerit, ſi ſit Clericus, deponatur; ſin autem Laicus ſegregetur. Oſiand. Epit. Leut. 7. lib. 4. cap. 13. pag. 162. This Council degrades Clergymen and excommunicates Laymen for this ſuperſtition.
42. He tells moreover in the ſame place, how ſuch wicked cuſtoms were uſed in Germany, upon the Feaſt of St. John Baptiſt; but their Godly Magiſtrates put out thoſe Fires, and drove out of the Streets all ſuch ſuperſtitious people. It were to be deſired, that good Magiſtrates in all Countries (profeſſing the Reformed Religion) might ſuppreſs this and all other Superſtition.
43. There be many more fooliſh Cuſtoms and Obſervances, wherein Superſtition conſiſts, as the choice of lucky days, either for ſolemnizing Marriages, or for building of houſes, or for beginning of Journeys on; as alſo the falling of Salt towards one at the Table, the croſſing of a Traveller by a Hare in his way, the chattering of Magpyes near a mans dwelling houſe, Cum multis aliis quae nunc perſcribere longum eſt. It would be too tedious to enumerate them.
44. I ſhall add but one inſtance more, as that of ſaying [God bleſs you] at ones ſneezing: Athenaeus ſpeaks of this Cuſtom of crying [foreign, God help] when a Neighbour ſneez'd, and ſays there was ſome that hereby thought; that either ſneezing it ſelf, or the Brain from which it came, to be a God; and ſo were worſhiped in this cuſtom by men: See for this Dr. H. Hammond of Idolatry, pag. 171. in his practical Catechiſm, &c.
45. All thoſe, and many more ſuperſtitious obſervances are found in the Romiſh Church, and therefore this Right-Hand Thief and Enemy to Chriſt and Religion will be found there, although the ſame Dr. Hammond would help to wipe her mouth, in ſaying that there can be no ſuperſtition in a bad ſence, in any unpreſcribed Ceremonies: Could this be made good, it would prove a notable medium for wiping the Harlots mouth of Superſtition.
46. The Dr. makes foreign, or Superſtition to be Daemonum cultus, a worſhipping the Poetical Gods, or of Angels or dead men; and yet he calls it a creditable word, as alſo foreign. How theſe things can be, I cannot underſtand; for as it is a deifying of Daemons, it cannot be a word that is creditable: But to ſay ſo, belongs rather to the doctrine of Daemons, which the Apoſtle condemns in 1 Tim. 4.1, 2.
47. And though the word may have an Euphemiſmus (or good ſence) after the Pagan Conſtruction; for with them,(t)Explicat Plutarchus eſſe nimium Deorum metum unde exortae ſunt ſuperſtitioſae Ceremoniae. Beza. foreign, is one that fears the Gods; but if we conſider that the Pagan Gods were no other but Devils, (Moſes called them ſo, Lev. 17.7. Deut. 32.17. and David, Pſ. 106.37. And more plainly the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.20. The Gentiles Sacrifice to Devils. I ſee not how a word that indeed ſignifies a worſhipper of Devils, ſhould be a creditable word in any Chriſtian (though it may in Pagan) conſtruction.
48. The large Annotator on the 17 of the Acts v. 22. ſaith, that there (as commonly) 'tis taken in the evil ſence, and he quotes Clemens Alexandr. for ſignifying a ſuperſtitious man (by this word) ſuch an one as Lactantius deſcribes a worſhipper of the Images of his Anceſtors, the Penates or houſhold Gods; this Virgil calls Vana Superſtitio, &c. and not creditable.
49. Although the worſhipping of Daemons be indeed a Superſtition (as it is a foreign, a falſe Religion) practiſed amongſt Pagans; yet [the] Superſtition (properly ſo called, quaſi ſupra ſtatutum, more than is appointed in the Law of God) will upon enquiry be found among the Papagans, which the ſoundeſt Divinity defines to be a Vice oppoſite to Religion(u)Yea, Aquinas himſelf gives it this Definition; ut ſupra. according to exceſs, and a ſuperſtitious man to be rather Gods flatterer in circumſtantials, than his Friend inSubſtantials.
50. Yea, there is a ſuperſtitious worſhip of the true God (as well as of falſe Gods) when man either chuſes a worſhip for God, or thoſe things whereon divine worſhip depends; or when he exceeds the meaſure in worſhipping, and (as Polanus ſaith) Serviliter, Muliebriter, Pueriliter ſe gerit. Syntag. Theol. lib. 9. cap. 3.pag. 580. To the ſame purpoſe ſpeaks the Author of the(w)Polyanthaea. Polyanthaea (though a Papiſt) that Superſtition is not called an exceſs in Religion, becauſe it gives more to divine worſhip than the true Religion doth, but more than it ought to do, de ſuperſt.
51 This ſuperſtitions worſhip of God is, when a certain ſingular force and efficacy is aſcribed (ex opere operato) to external Rites preſcribed of God: As when a power of driving away Devils and healing of Diſeaſes, is attributed to ſome words repeated, or writings hung about the Neck; whereas thoſe words and writings have no ſuch power, neither from their own Nature nor from any divine Inſtitution▪
52. To aſcribe that to any thing, which it hath no natural power unto, nor divinely enabled for, is notorious. Superſtition; as to attribute to the Sacraments a power of themſelves both of Sanctification and Salvation, from the work done; or to ſo many prayers and vows, a vertue of well deſerving at Gods hand, or to give to ſome meats or days more ſanctity than others beyond any divine warrant: Yet all this Superſtition and much more is found in the Church of Rome, as will appear more plainly in the ſequel of this Treatiſe.
53. Dr. Hammond acknowledges that Superſtition is a nimiety or exceſs in Religion; then are not thoſe Romiſh Rites and unpreſcribed Ceremonies (which are of a myſtical ſignification) to uſe his own word, a nimiety? and is not a placing of vertue in the ſign of the Croſs &c. an exceſs in Religion? why doth he then ſay 'tis a dogmatizing to abſtain from unprohibited Ceremonies (as well as from unprohibited Meats, Col. 2.) for to argue from a non-prohibition (ſuppoſe they were not prohibited) is an argument ab authoritate negative, and ſo of no force.
54. However this Dr. gratifies the Romaniſts in his charitable gloſſes upon Superſtition and Will-worſhip, or worſhipping of Daemons: I am ſure learned Mede does not ſo in his Doctrine of Daemons, who applies it wholly to the Popiſh Church in her bowing to breaden Idols and Croſſes (like Daemon pillars) &c. all which make a lively Image of the Gentiles Theology of Daemons.
55. Thus we ſee as Atheiſm is a defect in Religion) ſo Superſtition is an exceſs; 'tis a going ſuper ſtatutum (as Iſidore ſaith) beyond the precepts of God which commands us to do only thoſe things that he biddeth us do; whatſoever thing I command you, obſerve to do it; thou ſhalt not add thereto nor diminiſb from it. Deut. 12.32. with Ch. 4.2. If any man ſhall add unto thoſe things which God bath commanded, God ſhall add unto him the Plagues that are written in the Book; and if any man ſhall take away from them, God will take away his part out of the book of life. Rev. 22.18, 19. as Atheiſts are guilty of the latter, ſo the Superſtitious of the former.
56. Superſtition is a being righteous (or religious) overmuch, Eccleſ. 7.16. (as Atheiſm is a being righteous (or religious) over little;) as when men do hot only believe that Chriſt is our ſatisfaction for ſin, but alſo there is need of Alms, Prayers, Faſtings, Vows, &c. to ſatisfie for our ſins; this is an addition of our own merit to the merit of Chriſt, as if the righteouſneſs of Chriſt were not complete enough without the beggarly Eeke of our filthy righteouſneſs. This nimiety or exceſs is found in the Church of Rome.
57. Tertullian condemns all things to be vacuae obſervationis, et ſuperſtitioni deputanda, quae fine ullius Dominici aut Apoſtolici praecepti autoritate facta ſunt. Tertul. de oratione, Chap. 12. V. It ſeems he was not of the Dr.'s Opinion, that thinks it enough, that Ceremonies (though they be not commanded) if not prohibited, may be embraced: Tertullian was for a divine warrant, and I have ſhewed in my Tractate of Ceremonies, that they are prohibited in [thou ſhalt not add.]
58. All divine Worſhip muſt have divine Warrant, and whatſoever exceeds divine warrant is Superſtition; the Commands of God ought diligently to be obſerved, Matth. 28.20. Act. 1.2. Revel. 12. laſt v. But to obſerve more than God commands, is to be ſuperſtitiouſly wiſe above that which is written: Such were the Phariſees in the Jewiſh Church, that Taught for Doctrines the Commandments if Men, Matth. 15.9. that their Laws muſt be obſerved though they were inconſiſtent with Gods Law.
59. The Chaldee Paraphraſt and the Syriack Verſion, renders thoſe two Scriptures, [Iſa. 29.13. Matth. 15.9.] Reverentia, quam mihi exhibent, eſt ex praecepto et documento humano; plainly unputing the reaſon of Gods rejecting their worſhip to be, the want of a divine command : What the Scribes and Phariſees did in the Jewiſh Church, that the Prieſts and Jeſuits do in the Romiſh Church, impoſing upon people not only additions to, but alſo inconſiſtencies with the Commands of God; therefore God rejects their worſhip, as that of the Jews.
60. Finally, Superſtition is an undue or ungrounded worſhip of God, not grounded upon Gods word but upon mans wiſdom not only for the manner but alſo for the matter; or 'tis a putting more into the means, than God puts into them, as the Jews put more into the Sabbath than God put into it, and many more ſuperſtitious obſervances as I could tranſcribe out of Buxtorf's Jewiſh Synagogue; whereby they do violate the Inſtitutions of God with their Inventions, and Amos. Co. 5. v. 26, 27. ſhows, they carried a Tabernacle for Venus and Saturn, as well as for the true God.
61. Having now made this large diſcovery of this right-hand Enemy of the true Religion, it remains that I make known where this Thief hath his principal Reſidence, that would ſteal away from us our Religion, (which is a daughter to the King of Heaven, and the beauty of all the Kingdoms of the Earth) and would put ſuch a cheat upon us, as Michael did upon Saul, 1 Sam. 19.12, 13. in diſmiſſing David and laying an Image (that was bed-rid in his ſtead(x)Suppoſed to be the Teraphim that was made in the ſhape of a man: Hebr. Teraphim ſignifies Images.
62. I ſhall now largely prove that as Atheiſm had its chief Reſidence in Rome-Pagan, ſo Superſtition hath its principal ſeat in Rome-Anti-Chriſtian: This is the deſign of our preſent Treatiſe, for the preſervation of our bleſſed Religion (received from our godly Anceſtors) to the ſalvation of our poor poſterity; and for the prevention of that Romiſh cheat in diſmiſſing our David [of the Reformed Religion] and laying the Image [of their own Religion] in the room of it.
63. That I may the better manifeſt how the Romiſh Religion is but an Image of Straw, (whereas the reformed Religion hath the real David and Chriſt in it) I ſhall uſe this method; diſcourſing 1. Generally, and then 2. Particularly of it, and all to ſhew, the rottenneſt of the Romiſh Faith (that threatens us ſo much at this day) and to ſecure our own, as our beſt treaſure.