The True Treasury, Chapter 4

The True Treasury · Chapter 4

p. 146CHAP. IV.

FOr a ſecond Vſe of this point: Are the Scriptures GODS owne word and a part of his Name, Acts 9.15. and 21, 13? This mainely meetes with and makes againſt ſuch as ſeeke either to debaſe and oppoſe it, or to pervert and abuſe it: eſpecially ſince God hath magnified his word above all his name.Pſalme 138.2.Ps 138:2

Section I.

OF the firſt ſort, (beſides thoſe monſtrous tyrants above mentioned that ſought to extirp and extinguiſh it, and thoſe other Heretickes ancient and moderne, Saduces, Manichees, Marcionites, Anabaptiſts, p. 147&c. That rejected the holy Scriptures, either wholly or in part,) the men we are moſt to deale withall here, are our adverſaries the Papiſts; who beſides thoſe forementioned tearmes and titles of diſhonour they have blaſphemouſly beſtowed upon the Booke of God,Melius conſultum fuiſse Eccleſia, ſi nulia unquam extuiſſet Scriptura, Tilen. Syntag p. 17. one of no meane ranke among them feares not to ſay, that had it bin better with the Church, had there never beene any Bible. Others of them referre the riſe and Originall of the Scriptures, not to the Holy Ghoſt, as Saint Peter doth,ad fortuitas quaſdam occaſiones a Prophetis & Apoſtolis foreign arreptas referunt. lb. but only to certaine occaſionall events, and accidentall occurrences, befalling the Prophets and Apoſtles, as it hapned. They tell us that Saint Paul wrote his Epiſtles, not for the common uſe of the Churches of all ſucceeding ages, but only for the particular uſes of thoſe particular places whereto,Pareus in 1. Cor. 1.1.1 Cor 1:1 and times wherein hee wrote: that he was ſo tranſported with pangs of zeale and eagerneſſe in moſt of his diſputes, that there was no great reckoning to be made p. 148of his aſſertions;Relation of Weſt. Religion by Sir Edw. Sands, an eare witneſſe. yea that he was dangerous to reade, as ſavouring of hereſie in ſome places and better perhaps hee had never written. Oh tongues worthy to be pulled out of their heads with hot burning pincers, cut into gobbets, and driven downe their throates, thoſe open Sepulchers, wherein they thus ſhameleſly ſeeke to entombe the name, and Word of God! It hath beene ſeriouſly conſulted among them, ſaith mine Author, to have cenſured by ſome meanes, and reformed Saint Pauls Epiſtles,Jdem, Ibid. whom they teach in the Pulpit not to have beene ſecure of his preaching, but by conference with Saint Peter; nor that he durſt publiſh his Epiſtles till Saint Peter had allowed them, prodigious blaſphemy! but what better can we expect from thoſe that hold and teach that the Apoſtles were men as others are,Piggbius lib. 1. Hier. Eccleſ. c. 8. pag. 8.Eccl 8 and therefore might erre, lye and forget (as others) deceiving and being deceaved. As for Saint Paul, Annal. Tom. 1. Anno Chriſti 51. Num. 39.Baronius ſtickes not to withſtand him as ſtoutly as ever p. 149Paul did Peter, and dares defend it that Peter was not to be blamed, but Paul a great deale too buſie rather. As Iohannes Mollinus alſo was with the Pope and Cardinals, when diſputing before them out of Saint Paul, concerning Originall ſin,Fox Martyrol. fol. 855. Iuſtification by faith, free-will, &c. when they could not refell his doctrine, they ſent him away with this anſwer, that it was truth which he affirmed, but not meete for this time: for that it could not be taught or publiſhed without the detriment of the Apoſtolike Sea. Wherefore he ſhould hence-forth abſtaine from the Epiſtles of Saint Paul (as delivering dangerous doctrine) and ſo returne againe ſafe to Bonony: Lectio Bibliorum citius haereticum Lutheranum quam Catholicum Romanum faciet. Apud Haſſenmull: Hiſt. Jeſuit. c. 9.and there profeſſe Philoſophy. Reading the Bible, ſaith a Ieſuite, will ſooner make a Lutheran Hereticke, then a Roman Catholike. At a publike Aſſembly of the States of Germany, one Albertus (Biſhop of the people there called Vindelici) lighting by chance upon a Bible, and reading therein, when one of the Counſellours p. 150asked him what booke that was?D. Prideaux Orat: inaug. p. 17. ex Luthero. I know not, ſaid hee, what booke it is, but this I know, that whatſoever I reade in it, is utterly againſt our Religion. So Iohn Biſhop of Miſnia confeſſed, that reading the holy Bible, he found therein a Religion much differing from that that was then eſtabliſhed,Scultet: Aanal: which was Popery. The Biſhop of Dunkelden in Scotland ſtoutly ſaid, I thanke God, that I never knew what the old and New Teſtament was,Fox Martyrol. fol. 1153. neither care I to know more then my portuiſe and Pontificall. Goe your way, Deane Thomas, and let be all theſe fantaſies. Tindall told a Doctour,Ibid. fol …82. Vide Be…man: de Origin: L…g: Lat. in diſſert. with whom he diſputed, that if God gave him life, ere many yeares, he would cauſe a boy that drives the plough to know more of the Scriptures then he did. In his prologue before the bookes of Moſes he teſtifieth, that the Prieſts of his time (many of them) were ſo rude, and ignorant,Jdem ibidem. that they had ſeene no more Latine then that onelyonly which they reade in their Porteſſes, p. 151and Miſſals. And when for their and others uſe, he had tranſlated the Bible into Engliſh, they raged extreamely, ſome affirming that it would make the people Heretickes: Others, that it would cauſe them to rebell. They ſcanned and examined every title therein ſo narrowly, that if but an i lacked a pricke over his head, they noted and numbred it to the ignorant people for an Hereſie.Ibidem fol. 983.

The Parſon of Rocking in a Sermon at Queene Maries firſt entring to the Crowne,Ibid. 1720. exhorted the people to beleeve the Goſpell, for it was the Truth; and if not, they ſhould be damned.An. Dom. 1525 Berlini Monachus qui l'aulum mendacij arguerat, ſub. ito in ſuggestu extinctus est apoplexiâ, die, Stephani. Buchol Ind. Chro. But in a ſecond Sermon he turnd tippet and preacht, that the Teſtament was falſe in forty places. The Schoolemen make little mention of Scripture in any of their diſputes. Ariſtotle was their Patriarch, and Logicall axiomes their prime proofes. Philoſophers they cite often, ſeldom the Apoſtles: tho ancient fathers if they cal in for confirmation of any thing, they make p. 152them of equall authority with the Scriptures,Lomb. lib. 2. ſent. diſtinct. 34. & l. 2. diſtinct. 9. & paſſim. and doubt not to hoour their writings with the name of Scripture. Their Richard de ſancto Victore, Lucifer-like, ſets himſelfe, for skill in Divinity, above the Prophets and Apoſtles.Paraeus, Hist. Eccleſ. medul. p. 344. And that graceleſſe Gratian bluſheth not to reckon the decretall Epiſtles of the Biſhops of Rome among the Canonicall Scriptures: which who ſo beleeveth not,Tilen: Sent: pag. 38. Jbid. p. 28. ſaith Pope Nicolas, is guiltie of blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt. A ſenceleſſe ſentence, worthy of ſuch an Authour, and deſerving ſuch an anſwer as his ſucceſſor Benedict the eleventh had from the Embaſſadours of the Counſell of Conſtance.Jn histor: Concil: Conſtant: When the Pope laying his hand on his boſome cryed with a loud voyce, Hic est arca Noae, they tarily, but truely replied. In Noahs Arke, were few men, but many beaſts, intimating that there were ſix abominations, and ſeven (as the Scripture ſpeaketh,) lurking in that breaſt, wherein he would have them beleeve that all right and Religion p. 153were lodg'd, and lockt up: Or ſuch as Philip the Faire, King of France returnd to Pope Boniface requiring homage of him,Anno 1924. Alſted: Chronol. page 359. Agnoſco te primogenitum Diaboli: Sciat tua maxima Fatuitas, Be it knowne to your egregious fooliſhneſſe. A title too good for ſuch as account the Goſpell fooliſhneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.20, 23. and the Bible a fable: as that firſt borne of the Devill Leo the tenth, who admiring thoſe huge maſſes of mony, which he had raked together, in Germany with wrench and wile, by his indulgences, is reported to have ſaid to Cardinall Bembus, ſee what a deale of wealth wee have got by this fable of Chriſt. And when the ſame Bembus brought him a place of the new Teſtament to comfort him,A…age has nugas de Christo. Dan: Parei Medull. Hiſt: Eccleſ. pag. 402. now lying upon his death bed, Away, ſaid he, with theſe bawbles concerning Chriſt. But I am weary of ſtirring any longer in this abominable ſinke, although I might further ſet forth, how this ſtiffe necked generation, Acts 7.51.Acts 7:51and uncircumciſed heart and eares doe alwayes reſist the Holy Ghoſt: as their fathers did, ſo do they, p. 154by defacing the firſt Commandement of the morall Law, diſannuling the ſecond, diſpenſing with the third.Hollienſis cap. 4 Poteſt de injuſtitia lacere justitiam, ex …hi…o aliquid, ex virtute vitium. Bell. l. 4. de Pont. Rom. The Canoniſts ſticke not to ſay that the Pope may diſpenſe againſt the Law of God, and of nature, againſt Paul, and all the commandements, of New and Old Teſtament, which they commonly, to this day, ſlander of obſcurity and ambiguity, to the Laity, ſending ſuch to learne of dumbe Images, thoſe teachers of lyes,**Hab. 2 18.Hab 2:18 and ſhutting them up cloſe priſoners in the Popes darke dungeon of heatheniſh Ignorance, which they commend to the people for the beſt mother of devotion; and that it is not neceſſary for the common ſort to know more than the Articles of the Creed.Commenti…ia pericula, & Panica terricula quibus pontificij tanquam Gorgone objecta a Scripturae lectione ſuos abſterrent. Tilen: Matth. 23.Matt 23 As for the Scriptures, it is hereſie to reade them, ſaith one: it was the invention of the Devill, ſaith another: A husbandman reading the Bible was poſſeſt, ſaith a third. Thus ſeduce they ſilly ſoules, laden with luſts, putting out their eyes, as the Philiſtims did Sampſons, and taking p. 155from them the key of knowledge, as the Phariſees did of old. The Fawlkner knowes hee can better rule his Hawke or taſſell,Paenè peccatu… putant Scripturas legere, ne ſic fiant haevetici: Eſpencaeus in Tit. c. 1. p. 104.105.Titus 1 when hee hath hooded him: ſo do Popiſh Fawlkners, Prieſts and Ieſuites deale, by their miſled and muzzled proſelytes, whom they therefore keepe in the darke. They ſuffer not any to read the Scriptures, no though he have taken degrees in Schooles, without a ſpeciall licence from his Ordinary: and then they tye him too to the Vulgar Latine Tranſlation,D. Prid: Lect. ex Greg. de Valentia. that Idoll of Trent, which they have made authenticall, and where it differs, ſaith the Ieſuite, in all Copies from other editions, the Hebrew, Chaldee, &c. thoſe other are rather to be corrected out of it, then it out of them. The beſt learned Papiſts doe know and yeeld the Originall Greeke and Hebrew fountaines to be pure and uncorrupt: affirming, that though ſome ſlips of Printers or Writers may be found in letters or words, yet they hurt not the ſenſe, nor derogate at all from their p. 156authority. Thus Bellarmine, Sixtus Senenſis, Veterum librorum fides de Hebruis voluminibus examinā da: novorum veritas Graeci Sermonis normam deſiderat. Gratian: ex Auguſt.Ribera, Acoſta, yea Gratian himſelfe yeelds to this truth, alledging a place to the ſame purpoſe, out of Auſtin. But Francis Xinnenius, Cardinall of Toledo, was of another judgement. For in his preface before the Bible, ſet out at Complutum in Spaine, he ſaith, that he ſet the Vulgar Latine betweene the Hebrew and Greeke, as Chriſt was ſet betwixt two Theeves. A proper compariſon, and well becomming ſo grave a Cardinall … How well may it be ſaid of theſe, that ſo magnifie the Vulgar, as that Chian ſervant ſaid of his Maſter who ſold the Wine, and drank the Lees, whileſt they had good, they ſought for that which was naught. But wot you what was the reaſon? The Proteſtants in the Reformation began to ſearch the Originals, and charged their Adverſaries thence to produce their proofes. The Papiſts to obviate this, decreed in the Counſell of Trent, that the Vulgar Latine ſhould be holden for the Originall: p. 157which ſome of them preferre before the Hebrew and Greek, that is, the foule channell before the faire fountaine. Gretſer ſaith, ſufficit aequatio, non praelatio. Its enough indeed, and more than enough. But bad wares love dark ſhops,Cameli lutulenta… aquas captant, puras reſugiunt, &c. Solinus. c. 63. and Camels trouble the cleare waters with their feete, when they drinke, that they may not ſee therein their owne deformities. Plutarch tells of a Painter that had illſavouredly proportioned a Hen, and therefore chaſed away the living Hennes, leſt his evill workmanſhip ſhould be perceived. So doe theſe bunglers, theſe Lucifugae Scripturarum, as Tertullian calles them, deale by the truth of God, revealed in the Scriptures: they wipe out Verbum Dei, Fox Martyr…l. fol. 1338.as the Painter in Queene Maries dayes, and as they have wiped out Origens Commentary upon the ſixth of Iohn, as fearing it ſhould confute their errour touching the Euchariſt: they think to dance naked in a n…t, and none ſhall ſee them when their ſhame lyes open to all the world,Jbidem. as Maſter p. 158Philpot long ſince told them in open Convocation. Some mens ſins, go before to judgement: and they that are otherwiſe then good, cannot bee hid, 1 Tim. 5.24, 25.

Section 2.

SEcondly, this doctrine condemneth ſuch of deteſtable wickedneſſe, as doe not indeed openly oppoſe, yet ordinarily abuſe the good Word of God, which they ought to tremble at: And this either in point of judgement or matter of practiſe.

Of the former ſort are ſuch as for the confirming of errours, or countenancing of enormities, wreſt the Scriptures to their owne deſtruction, 2 Peter 3.16.2 Pet 3:16wilfully miſalledge or miſinterpret them, as all heretickes do: and they have it from their father the Devill, who came not without his Scriptum eſt, his Bible under his arme, when he ſet upon our Saviour. In imitation of whom wee know who they are that argue thus out of Scripture: p. 159The Pope is Monarch of the Chriſtian Common-wealth,Paſce oves meas: id est, ſupremum in Eccleſia dominium tibi aſſere. Baron t'Regio more impera. Bel. foreign ſometimes ſignifies to govern (uſually to …eed) but foreign (twice uſed in the Text) alwaies to feed. becauſe Chriſt ſaid, when I am lifted up, I will draw all men to me, John 12.32. He may challenge ſupreme dominion over the Church, ſaith Baronius, rule like an Emperour ſaith Bellarmine, becauſe Chriſt bad Peter feed his ſheepe. He may kill and ſlay whom he pleaſeth, becauſe it is ſaid, Acts 10. Ariſe Peter, kill, and eate **Sententia Baronij ſuper excom. Venet, Concil. Trid. oratione Cornelij Epiſcopi Bipontini ſub Paulo tertio.: triumph over and trample upon Princes, becauſe it is ſaid, upon the Aſp and Lion ſhalt thou tread, &c. That ſaying of our Saviour, I came a light into the world, Iohn 12.45. (He meanes not a light by participation, as the Apoſtles were lights of the world, but by nature, as God is only) was deteſtably aſcribed and applied to the Pope in the Counſell of Trent. So in the Lateran Counſell, thus they blaſphemouſly beſpake the Pope. Thou art all and over all: All power is given to thee in Heaven and earth. The Pope replies, Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you. Hee, (ſay other of his p. 160claw-backe Canoniſts) takes away the ſinnes of the world, rules from Sea to Sea, is the root of David, Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, Saviour of the world,Tu merito in terris, diceris eſse Deus Fran. Zabar: Rev. 13.1, 2. 2 Theſ. 2.7.Rev 13:1Rev 13:22 Thess 2:7 God upon earth, &c. Is not this the beaſt (judge you) that hath a mouth like a Lion, and ſpeaketh great things and blaſphemies? Is not this the very ſame whoſe true name is blaſphemie, his pretenſed name, Myſtery? A myſterie indeed of iniquity, as Saint Paul hath it, and as Ioſephus ſaith of Antipater, that his life was a very myſtery of malice.foreign Ioſeph. Adrian the ſixth (afore he was Pope) taxed many errours and abuſes in the Court of Rome (ſo did Pius ſecundus) which being afterward preſſed to reforme, now that hee was in place, and had power in his hand, his anſwer was, when I was a child, I ſpake as a child, &c. Sphinx Philoſ.but being now a man, I have put away childiſh things. So when Philip King of Spaine. out of a bloudy zeale, ſuffered his eldeſt ſonne Charles to bee murdered by the cruell Inquiſition, becauſe he ſeemed to favour our Religion: p. 161that mouth of blaſphemy the Pope gave him this panegyr, He ſpared not his owne ſonne, but delivered him up for us. Hier: Catina.So in the holy Warre, as they called it, againſt the Waldenſes, (whither the King of France ſent his eldeſt ſonne in perſon) the Popes great army tooke one ſtrong populous Citie, and put to the ſword 60000. among whom were many of their owne Catholikes. For Arnoldus the Ciſtercian Abbot being the Popes Legate in this great Warre, commanded the Captaines, and Souldiers ſaying,Caeſarius Heiſterbachenſis Hiſt: lib. 5. cap. 21. Caedite eos: novit enim Dominus, qui ſunt ejus. Kill them up one among another, for the Lord knows who are his. So, Give not holy things to dogs, 2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19that is, the Scriptures to the ignorant.Staphyſus in Apolog. Ledeſma de div: ſcrip cap. 22. Our Saviour cloſed the booke after he had read a few verſes, Luke 4. therefore Divine ſervice is not to bee ſaid in a knowne tongue.Roffenſis adver: Luther. Acts 16. Tyraboſco Patriarch of Venice: Via tutae. page 164.Acts 16 Give us this day our daily bread, therefore wee muſt communicate in one kind only. There are ſeven Sacraments, becauſe Chriſt brake and divided to p. 162the people five loaves, and two fiſhes;Greg. de Ʋalen. de Jdolol. c. 7. ſome Idolatry is lawfull, becauſe Saint Peter condemneth the unlawfull ſervice of Idols, 1 Peter 4.3.Jn Colloquio Ratiſh. apud Polycar. Lyſer: Si… ex Jacob 5. & Marc. 6.13. Male intellecto pro pa…toribus Eccleſia habuit unguentarios, & pigmentarios. Bern. Confeſſ.Mark 6:13 The Bavarian Colloquutours exclude all women out of Heaven that have lived before Chriſts Incarnation, and alledge Scripture for it. Not that there is any ſuch thing there to be found: but that they factiouſly contend to faſten their own conceits upon God; and like the Harlot in the holy Hiſtory, they take their dead and putrified fancies, and lay them in the boſome of the Scripture, as of a mother: Ariſtotle tells us of one Antipheron Orietes that thought he ſaw his own ſhape and picture ſtill going before him. So in diverſe parts of Scripture, where theſe men walke, they will eaſily beleeve that they ſee the ſhadow of their owne opinions, wherewith they come prepoſſeſt.Chemnitius de Theologia Jeſuitarum. p. 48. What was it elſe that made Thammerus diſputing of the word foreign (ſo oft uſed by the Apoſtle in the 4^th to the Romans) to think that becauſe p. 163it comes of foreign which ſignifieth Reaſon,Item quia foreign a Ʋarino explicatur quod ſit foreign, ideo Tham. contendit ex Rom 3.24. operibiu noſtris reddi debitam mercedem: Ibid.Rom 3:24 therefore the righteouſneſſe of faith muſt be ſuch as a man may comprehend by naturall reaſon? What elſe ſhould make the Turkes to be of opinion that as Moſes did allude to the comming of Chriſt, ſo Chriſt did foretell ſomewhat of the appearing of Mahomet? whereupon it is ordinarily receaved amongſt them (ſaith Archbiſhop Abbots) that when Chriſt in Saint Iohns Goſpel I ſaid, that although he dep…rted,Geograph. p. 149. hee would ſend them a Comforter, it was added in the Text. And that ſhall bee Mahomet; but that the Chriſtians in malice towards them, have razed out thoſe words: Semblably Montanus the Hereticke gave out, that that promiſe made by our Saviour at his Aſcenſion, Acts 1.8.Beza in locum. Ye ſhall receave the power of the Holy Ghoſt comming upon you, was (next after the Apoſtles) fulfil'd in him and his Philumena. Some ſuch thing Epiphanius relates of Simon Magus, and others of Novatus. Now what is this elſe but to torment p. 164a Text, Caedem Scriptur: facere ad mate riam ſuam Ter. depiaſc. adv. haer.as one calls it? to ſlaughter the holy Scriptures to ſerve therewith their owne purpoſes, as Tertullian tearmes it? what is it ſelfe but to ſpeake perverſe or diſtorted things, foreign. loquitur Lucas ut de membris a ſuo cerpore crudeliter avulſls, pergens in eadem tranſlatione. Acts 20.30.Acts 20:30that they may diſcerp, or violently dragge Diſciples after them as Saint Paul foretold it? What is it elſe but afferre ſenſum ad Scripturas, non referre, as Hilary hath it; to give unto the Scripture, and not to receive from it the ſenſe; to impoſe it, and not to expect it? Laſtly, what is it elſe but to ſtretch Gods word to their ſinfull purpoſes, as ſhooe-makers do their greaſie over-leathers with their teeth? which Polydor Virgil long ſince obſerved and complained of to be the tricke of Popiſh Canoniſts. Non ſecus ac ſutores ſolent ſordidas dentibus extendere pelles-de invent: rer: lib 4. c. 9.Neither can we here excuſe the Iewes, who to countenance their conceit of the ineffability of the name Jehovah, miſallege that text Exod. Galatinus. Prov. 8.22. foreign, iſti lege…unt foreign creavit.Prov 8:223.15. This is my name (legnolam) for ever, which they reade Legnalam, to bee concealed. Much worſe the Arrians, who to diſprove the Deity of Chriſt, by p. 165changing of one little letter, corrupted the Text, and carried it a cleane contrary way to its owne meaning. The Neſtorians alſo abuſed that Text, Heb. 2.9. (reading foreign without God, for foreign, by the grace of God, to prove that he that ſuffered for us, was not God. And is not the like liberty, (or Legerdemaine rather) in uſe among Papiſts?As in ſtead of, Non habent Petri haereditatem qui Petri Fidem non habent, they print qui Petri Sedem non habent, ex Jnd: expurg: Make they not over-bold in this kinde, not with mens writings onelyonly, but with Gods alſo? Harding to prove ſatisfaction, allegeth, 2 Cor 7.1. ſeeing then we have theſe promiſes, dearely beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, making perfect our ſatisfaction in the feare of God. Where marke that the Doctour hath chopt the word ſatisfaction into the Text for ſanctification, Anſwer to Iew. Apol. part. 2. c. 16. fol. 117.and ſo quite altered the Apoſtles meaning. So Cardinal Hoſius for the ſame doctrine of ſatisfaction alledged (with like honeſty) that Rom. 6.19.Confeſs. Petri: c. 48. de Sacram: p…nit: fol. 127. Let us yeeld our members to ſerve juſtice unto ſatisfaction. p. 166Saint Paul ſaith ſanctification, but they are willing to miſtake him, that ſo they may ſeeme to make their adulterate coyne good ſilver. Somwhat like hereunto is that, Ʋnus è millibus, Iob 33.23. which their Vulgar Verſion corruptly reads Ʋnus è ſimilibus. Lightfoots Miſcel. p.62.The Septuagint alſo are ſaid to have tranſlated againſt their will: ſure it is we have but ſlipperie doings from them, Iob 2. they help Jobs wife to ſcold, adding there a whole verſe of female paſſion. I must now, ſaith ſhe, goe wander, and find no place to reſt in. And whereas Jonas 3.4. it is, Yet forty dayes, and Niniveh ſhall be deſtroyed, the Septuagint reades, Yet three dayes, &c. Beſides that,Taylor & Beotius cont Morin diverſe of the cleareſt propheſies concerning Ieſus Chriſt they have utterly perverted: which therfore the Apoſtles alledge out of the Hebrew verity, and not out of the Septuagint: if at leaſt this bee the Septuagints Tranſlation, that is now taken for it.Weemſes exercitat. Origen never ſaw it, as appeares by his Hexapla: for it was burnt by Diocletian (as ſome hold) p. 167in the Library of Alexandria: or (as others) by Iulius Caeſar when he burnt Serapion.

Section 3.

BVt (to ſpeake forward) a ſecond ſort of delinquents againſt Gods holy Word come here to be convinced of ſingular impiety, and they are ſuch as miſuſe it in matter of practiſe. Now of theſe, there are ſundry ſorts of ſinners againſt their owne ſoules.

Firſt, thoſe that wickedly produce and pleade it for defence of wickedneſſe. See an inſtance hereof Eccleſ. 4.6.Leo Judae. in Annotat. Better is a handfull with quietneſſe, ſaith the ſluggard, then both the hands full with travell, and vexation of ſpirit. This in its true meaning is not farre different from that, Prov. 17.1.Si det oluſcula mēſa minuſcula pace quietâ, Ne pete grandia lanta que prandia lite repleta. Better is a dry morſell, and quietnes therewith, then an houſe full of ſacrifices (or good cheare) with ſtrife. But this Scripture is here ill applyed by the idle perſon. For it is as if hee ſhould ſay: A little with eaſe is beſt: Better p. 168is a penny by begging, then two-pence by true labour. So Eccl. 8.15. Then I commended mirth, becauſe a man hath no better thing then to eate and drinke, and be merry, &c. This is the judgment of the fleſh, as that in the former verſe is of the ſpirit. Wicked men make ill concluſions of good premiſes, and perverſe applications of wholeſome precepts, as the Spiders ſuck poyſon out of the moſt fragrant flower, or as a ſoule ſtomacke turnes good food into ill nouriſhment. See this Eccleſ. 9.7. Goe thy way, eate thy bread with joy, drinke thy wine with chearefulneſſe, &c. Pemble in locum Quia nihil distat ſors pio…is & impiorum, ede, bibe lude, poſt mortē nulla voluptas, ut ſentit Sardanapa…icus greae. Leo Judae ad locum. Sardanapalus ſucceſſoribus poſt obitum ſuum inſcribi in Sepulchro hanc vocem mandaſse dicitur.The uſe that carnall men make of the point of Gods providence is ſenſuality and Epicuriſme. Whatſoever thy hand finds to doe (either in matter of profit or pleaſure) doe it with all thy might. As who ſhould ſay: ſpare for no paines, care for no coſt, but make much of one, and be merry. Why? For there is no worke nor device, &c. in the grave whither thou goeſt, as who ſhould ſay; After death there's no more to bee done, or deſired. p. 169Let us therfore eate and drink, for to morrow we ſhall dye. Theſe be evill words, foreign.(though they pretend Gods Word for their ground) that corrupt good manners. Neither are they the better to be liked, that think to excuſe their evill courſes by the ſinnes of Gods Saints ſet downe in the Scripture. Did not DAVID ſweare, ſay they, commit adultery, make Ʋriah drunke, make him away, &c. So for Noah, Lot, Peter, others. Holy men are called a cloud of witneſſes, Heb. 12.1. In things praiſe-worthy and imitable, they are as the cloud that led Gods Iſrael, and conducted them in their way to Canaan. But in things unwarrantable, in their faults and failings, they are as the blacke of that cloud, which who ſo followeth, with the Egyptians, is like to be drowned, as they, in the bottomleſſe lake. Briefly and in a word; to all theſe wicked God ſaith, what haſt thou to doe to declare my ſtatutes for defence of thy ſinnes, or to take my covenant in thy mouth, Pſal. 50.16, 17.Ps 50:16Ps 50:17thou that hateſt inſtruction, p. 170and caſteſt my words behind thee? High words are as unfit for a foole, as a gold ring for a Swines ſnowte: the Lepers lips ſhould bee covered according to the Law. To alleage Scripture in favour of ſinne, is to entitle God to that which he hates worſe than the Devill; it is to make him a patrone and patterne of wickedneſſe,Num 15.30, 31Num 15:30Num 15:31 and his word a ſword for ſatan his ſworne enemy; it is a kind of blaſphemy.

Section 4.

HOw much more then is it (in the ſecond place) an abhominable abuſe to the ſacred Word of God, to carp and cavill at it, as ſome doe. And firſt, at the homelineſſe of the ſtile: ſecondly at the harſhneſſe of the matter.

Of the former ſort are the wits of the world, the Minions of the Muſes, Donſa.Mentemque habere queis bonam, Et eſſe corculis datum eſt, our cunning and curius critickes that deliver their words by waight, p. 171drive their clauſes to an even cadencie, eſchew nicely the meeting together of vowels, the harſh ſound of ſillables, are carefull to ſpeake no more than may breed admiration of their wit and worth. Their diſcourſes are ſo curiouſly coucht, ſo neately ſtarcht and ſet, their words ſo ranked and meetly marſhalled, as if they were a kinne to him whoſe name is ſixe hundred ſixtie ſixe. As for the contemptible courſeneſſe of Scripture phraſe, it grates their delicate eares, it offends their queaſie ſtomacks, which cannot away with theſe wholeſome (becauſe not toothſome) words, 2 Tim. 1.13.foreign. They ſcorne the grave eloquence, the ſtately plaineneſſe, the rich poverty, that humble majeſty that ſhines in the ſimplicity of the Scriptures, which they are no way able to peiſe or praiſe. Such a one was Politian, who being asked whether ever hee had read over the Bible?D Pezel. part 2. Poſtill: Mclanct. Yea once, ſaid he, but it was the worſt time that ever I ſpent. He preferd Pindars Odes before Davids Pſalmes, p. 172like a wretch as he was, and ſpent his time (which he counted caſt away, ſo much as hee laid out upon once reading over the Scriptures) in ſcanning whether a man ſhould pronounce Vergilius or Virgilius, preimus or primus, &c. (which was laborious loſſe of time, as the Philoſopher calls it.) And if hee had any further leaſure,L. Ʋives. foreign Ariſtot. hee ſpent it in making ſome Greeke Epigram, in commendation of leachery and Sodomy; being delivered up by God (and juſtly for contempt of his holy Word) to an injudicious mind as thoſe Heathens were,foreign Rom. 1.28.Rom 1:28 Rom. 1. Such another was that Country-man of his,P. Mornaeus de ver. Relig. Chr. cap. 26. Domitius Calderinus, who ſeriouſly diſſwaded young men, that ſtudied eloquence, from looking into the Bible: But what goodly matter then ſhould they reade? forſooth his Comment upon Virgils Priapus: Vixit Calderinus Anno 1477.a booke which a lmen, that have not altogether put off manhood, are abaſhed to ſpeake of. A grave judgment, in ſadneſſe, for men to ſet their minds upon. But what greater inducement to a good p. 173heart to honour the Scriptures, then that ſuch perſons deſpiſe them? as one ſaid once, that religion muſt needs be the right that Nero perſecuteth. Surely, ſaith Auſtin, where J underſtand the Prophets and Apoſtles: De doctrina Chriſtia. l 3.J never met with any thing, not onelyonly more wiſe, but more eloquent then they are. What a deale of imparallell Rhetoricke is to bee read in that twelfth of Eccleſiaſtes, all the former part of it? how bravely and exquiſitely doth hee purſue the allegory! Quot lumina, imo flumina orationis ibi exſerit, ſaith one?Heidelſeldius. See a like lofty paſſage in Moſes his ſong, Deut. 32.6. So what a deale of confidence and eloquence, of humility and majeſty, of reaſons and affections, is there in the Propheſie of Eſay? What compariſon betwixt the rowlings of Demoſthenes, or Cicero's flattering inſinuations, with childiſh excuſes of ignorance, and the lively and lofty entrances of Eſay? betwixt the Oratours long periods, the which he harkneth to ſo devoutly,P. Morn. de verit. relig. c. 6. and the others pi…rceing p. 174paragraphs: and preſſing diſcourſes, which are ſo many thunderſtrokes doubled and redoubled, able to daunt the ſtouteſt ſtomacke upon earth? Never any man came neere him (certainely.) Whether ye look to the evidence of his viſion or the eloquence of his ſtile til Paul ſet pen to paper.Audire mihi videor, non verb v…ſed tonitrua. Hieron. Hee indeed thundred as often as he ſpoke; When he ſpake to Elymas the forcerer eſpecially; he ſet his eyes upon him ſaith the Text, as if he would have lookt thorough him. After which lightning, followed that terrible thunder clap.Acts 13.9, 10.Acts 13:9Acts 13:10 O full of all ſubtilty and miſchiefe, thou child of the devill, &c. ſo when he unſtarcht the Oratours ſpeech (as one phraſeth it) afore Faelix, Acts 24.Acts 24and againe,Acts 26.Acts 26 when he pleaded his owne cauſe in the preſence of Agrippa, De Cicerone non nemo.Raptare eum judicem credas, involvere, praecipitem agere: noc incendere auditorem modò, ſed ipſum putes ardere, &c. Oh what an Oratour was he when he liſted I Pericles himſelfe could never have been more powerfull or perſwaſive. His adverſaries, the falſe Apoſtles, gave out againſt p. 175him, that his letters were weighty, but his bodily preſence weake, and his ſpeech contemptible. Whereunto hee anſwers. Let every ſuch one thinke this, that ſuch as we are in word by letters, 2 Cor. 10.10, 11.2 Cor 10:102 Cor 10:11when we are abſent, ſuch are we indeed, when preſent. And how is that? In brevitate verborum est luxuries rerum, ſaith Origen. Verborum parcus, ſententiarum dives. Lud. Vives.In fewneſſe of words there is fulneſſe of matter. Spare he is of words, rich in ſenſe, as one ſaith of Livy. Denſus & brevis & ſemper inſtans ſibi Thucydides: ait Quintil: l. 10. c. Aſtrictus & profluens. ſubtilis & clarus, ſine cura illa accuratus. Do Q. Curtio Lipſius. Hoc ipſo ornati quod ornamenta negligerent. Cic.Thicke and ſhort, pithy and patheticall, briefe and yet full, conciſe and yet cleare, careleſſe and yet accurate. Tully tels us of the bookes of his friend Atticus, that this was their chiefe ornament, that they neglected ornaments. This is properly true of this book of books: no part whereof is without a grave eloquence, ſuch as none could ever attaine to. The Apocrypha-writers that indeavour it, are yet but cold, and even barbarous in compariſon. Wherefore Marcilius Ficinus and IOHANNES Earle of Mirandula (the honour of ITALY and of his p. 176age for skill in all ſciences) having read all the good authours in the world,Mornaeus. came at length to reſt themſelves in our Scriptures, and were in the end out of liking with all others; but as for theſe, they could never have their fill of them.De Q. Curt… Colerus epiſt. For indeed, Lectorem citius defatigatum quā ſatiatū dimittunt: of theſe living waters the more we drink, the more we may,foreign. Iſoc. the deeper the ſweeter. In al other things is ſatiety, not of this. Other bookes like inſidiating Iael, may allure men with the blandiſhments of their ſtile, blanched over with the title of eloquence, till they have deſtroyed them. Wanton wits hunt only after pompous and painted words, rarities and nicities of ſpeech, high ſtraines, a ſoaring ſublimity of phraſes and choiſe compoſures; ſuch as they may meete withall in Apuleius and Sidonius, who ſpeake nothing almoſt without a figure, but abound with continual Metaphors and circumlocutions. Theſe Balaams ſee not ſuch Angelicall luſtre in holy writ as in p. 177the unhallowed writings of their ſo much magnified Magnificoes, and doe therefore diſdaine them.Res grandes ornatè dicere, pucrile eſt. Cicero. Ornari resipſae vetat, contenta doceri. Horat. But they muſt be told, that Summa ornari nolunt, true beauty needs no paint: the native comelineſſe of the Scriptures ſcornes the unnaturall drugs of theſe bewitching Iezabels. God would pleaſe theſe men well, ſhould he deale by inductions, as Plato, or Syllogiſmes, as Ariſtotle, or prettie ſleights as Carneades, or out-cryes as Cicero, or fine conceits, as Seneca doth. They could bee content hee would utter his words by weight, that they might fall in juſt meaſure and ſound, and that he would interlace ſome farre-ſought words, ſome allegoricall matters, ſome ſtrange devices wherewith common uſe is unacquainted. What is this but ſus Minervam? twere pitty ſurely, but thoſe men were pleaſed, and GOD, inſtructed how to deliver his mind a little better. Paul the babbler will not down with theſe Athenians, that hunt after novelties, and curious ſpeculations. But my ſpeech and my p. 178preaching, foreign. 1 Cor. 2.4. Tertullian.1 Cor 2:4ſaith he, is not with the perſwaſible words of mans wiſdome, but in demonſtration of the ſpirit and in power. The Valentinians had a tricke to perſwade before they taught: but the onelyonly penne men perſwade by teaching, they do not teach ſo much by perſwading, ſome of them (as I have ſaid) are wondrous eloquent above all humane authors whatſoever, God thereby ſhewes that hee could, if it had pleaſed him have fretted, as it were, the whole volume with excellency of words; Yet generally it is carried with a lower phraſe of ſpeech; w^ch nevertheleſſe ſavours not of any earthly mould, but makes one even in deſpite of himſelfe, to admire it. Thy teſtimonies are wonderfull, Pſalm. 119.129, 130.Ps 119:129Ps 119:130ſaith David, and yet the very entrance into them ſheweth light, fermentum cognitionis ets magis ineſſe quam bracte as eloquëtiae deprehendas De polyhistore ſuo Solinus.giveth underſtanding. Beſides that, under an humble and abject ſimplicity of words, it puts forth a divine vertue, whereby it lively affects the minds of men, above all the maſter-peeces of the moſt polite and Elaborate Oratours p. 179in the world. But to ſuch enough (if not more than enough) as ſtumble at the ſtile of holy Writ: We have a ſecond ſort to deale with.

Section 5.

ANd they are ſuch,Durus eſt hic ſermo, Ioh. 6.John 6 as are miſgrieved at the matter of the word, as if it were a hard word, and God the Authour of it an auſtere Lord,Luk. 19.21.Luke 19:21 for requiring of them (as once he did of the rich Phariſee) ſuch things as they are not willing to performe.Prov. 19.….Prov 19 The wickedneſſe of a man perverts his way, and (when hee hath no other way to eaſe himſelfe) his heart frets againſt the Lord: hee riſeth up againſt his precepts as the horſe caſteth his rider and riſeth up againſt him.Rom. 7.12.Rom 7:12 The Law is holy and juſt and good, founded upon ſo much right reaſon, that if God had not enjoyned it, yet had it been our beſt courſe in (ſelfe-regard) to have obſerved it. Howbeit by accident and through our ſingular corruption, this good Law irritates naughty p. 180nature and makes bad men worſe, as the meſſage of diſmiſſion did Pharaoh. The waves doe not beate or roare any where ſo much as at the banke which reſtraines them: nor would the vapour in a cloud make that fearefull report, if it met not with oppoſition. Corruption when checkt, growes mad with rage, and askes, who is the Lord? Let us breake his bonds, ſay they, Pſal. 2. and live by the lawes of our owne luſts: Let us eate and drinke and riſe up to play,Exod. 34.Exod 34 for as for this Moſes, we cannot tell what is become of him: and as for his Man,Luke 19.14.Luke 19:14 we will not have him to rule ouer us, neither will we ſubmit to the lawes of his kingdom. But who art thou, O man, that thus chatteſt againſt GOD,foreign, ex ad…erſo reſponſus. Rom. 9.20.Rom 9:20 and quarrelleſt with his word? Gods will therein revealed is the ſupreme rule of right: the Kings ſtandard, as it were, and the Kings beame; and is not therefore to be regulated or corrected by any other, but to determine and over-rule all. But theſe Yokeleſſe Belialiſts ſnuffe at it as p. 181over-ſtrict, and ſay in effect to it, as the Sodomites to Lot.

Baſe buſie ſtranger, comeſt thou hither thus

Controller-like to preach and prate to us?Sylveſters Du-Bartas.

There is in Peter Lombard this ſentence cited out of Austin de vera innocentia cap. 56. The whole life of an Infidell is ſinne, neither is any thing good without the chiefeſt good. At this truth Ambroſe Spiera a certaine poſtiller ſhooteth his fooles bolt, ſaying, Crudelis eſt illa ſentencia. This is a cruell ſentence. The like cenſure paſſeth many a wicked Atheiſt upon the righteous Oracles of God, imputing to them falſhood, unlikeliehood, iniquity, extremity, what not? warding off (as well as they can) Gods blow, motting themſelves up againſt his fire, not ſuffering his terrours to ſeiſe upon their ſoules, like Lots ſonnes in Law, till at laſt (all too late) they feele them ſticking in their ſoules and fleſh,Iob 6.4. Pſalme 15.5.Job 6:4Ps 15:5 as ſo many venomed arrowes of the Almighty, throughout all eternity.

p. 182Section 6.

ANother intolerable abuſe in daily practiſe offered to Gods holy word is,In his Ʋltimis & peſſimis temporibus. Bern. when profane perſons take liberty to jeſt at it or out of it: a courſe too too common in theſe laſt and looſeſt times of the world. Scurrility and fooliſh jeſting in any kind is flatly forbidden by the Apoſtle,foreign Ariſlot: foreign appella… Epheſ. 5.4. foreign Ibid.Eph 5:4 as unſeemely for a ſaint, reckond among thoſe things that are not convenient, or conduce not to the maine end. How much leſſe lawfull is it to frame jeſts out of Scripture? Sith the greater any good is, the greater the abuſe, and the heavier will be the doome, when the Righteous Iudge ſhall be reveald from Heaven with thouſands of his Saints, foreign.to convince the ungodly (to ſet them down, and ſtop their ſoule mouthes, as the word ſignifies) of all their hard ſpeeches, foreign Iude 15.Jude 1:15dry wipes, ſlye taunts, bitter jeares and ſalt jeſts, that ungodly ſinners have utterd againſt him and p. 183his truth. This was that, that Henoch the ſeventh from Adam preached of old to thoſe ſpirits now in priſon, then in jollity, 1 Peter 3.1 Pet 3that jeared when they ſhould have feared, like thoſe in Ezechiel: that ſcoffed at Gods threats and ſaid, Let the word of the LORD come, that wee may ſee it. And of the ſame ſtampe were their nephewes in Noahs time. He, as a Preacher of Righteouſneſſe, ſpared for no paines in foretelling the floud, but to little purpoſe. They looked upon him, as one drownd in a deepe melancholy: they ſaid, ſure he dreamt (not of a dry ſummer but) of a wet Winter. Many a bitter flout they give the good old man whileſt hee is building his Arke and aske, what this madde fellow meanes to make ſuch a veſſell? whether he intended to ſaile on the dry land, or to make a Sea, when hee had made his Shippe? They held him in that worke no wiſer than the Prior of Saint Bartholmewes in London, Hollinſhead in Anno 1524.who upon a vaine prediction of an idle and addle-headed Aſtrologer, p. 184went and built him an houſe at Harrow on the Hill, to ſecure himſelfe from a ſuppoſed floud, that that Aſtrologer foretold. And therefore though hee clapped and called early and late, propoſing their danger, and preſſing them to provide for their owne ſafety,Pſalme 1.1.Ps 1:1 yet (being now ſate downe in the ſeate of the ſcornefull) they ſtird not a whit, neither abated an ace (as they ſay) of their looſe and lewd living. But they ate, they dranke, foreign. Aſyn deton …leg…ntiſſ: Luke 17.27.Luke 17:27they married, they gave in marriage, they remitted nothing, but paſſed, without intermiſſion, from eating to drinking, from drinking to marrying, from marrying to planting, and providing for poſterity, and would know nothing, that is, would take no knowledge of any thing, but lay buried in deep and deſperate ſecurity, till the very day, ſaith our Saviour, that the flood came, and buried them all in one univerſall grave of waters. Then might the old Preacher (had he had any mind to it) as fitly have ſat and gibed at them, as they once fooliſhly p. 185did at him. Now Jubal, let's heare one of your merry ſongs. Now, Iubal, whether is the wiſer work, the building of Tents, or the building of an Arke? Now ſirs, you that are ſuch men of renowne, you that were the brave gallants of the earth, now tell me who is the foole, and who is the Wiſeman now? By this time, from the tops of the mountaines they deſcry the Arke, and behold that with envie, which they erſt beheld with ſcorne. Surely,Prov 3 34.Prov 3:34 GOD ſcorneth theſe ſcorners, that ſpend their biting girds, and bitter jeſts upon holy things. GOD himſelfe will laugh at their deſtruction,Prov. 1.…6. Plaime 52.6.Prov 1:6 and mocke when their feare commeth. The righteous alſo ſhall ſee it and feare, and laugh at ſuch: as they did in Iulian the Apoſtates time, that notable ſcoffer, that would ſmite Chriſtians, in contempt, on the one cheeke, and bid turne t'other alſo. Hee reſuſed to heare their complaints of injuries, becauſe Chriſt bad them patiently ſuffer, nor would hee pay them their wages that they p. 186might be poore in ſpirit,…ibanius ſophiſta and ſo ſitted for the kingdome of Heaven. One of his boſome-birds tauntingly asked of them, what the Carpenters ſonne was now in framing? whereunto they replied,Septem libros in expeditione Parthica adverſus Chriſtum evomuit: Et Galilaeum ſtatim in praelio ſenſit, & mercedem linguae putdiſſimae, conto in …js perfoſsu…, accepit. Hieron. He is making a Coffing for Iulian: And it fell out accordingly: for hee was ſlaine ſhortly after, with an arrow of Chriſts ſhooting, and dyed raveing with Viciſti Galilaee in his mouth This was Iulian. And the like befell Hanun King of the Ammonites, that ſent away Davids ſervants, with ſhaven beards and ſhort garments, in deriſion of their law (likely) that forbad them both theſe. But was there not bitterneſſe in the end? had hee not ſowre ſawce to his ſweet jeſts ere he was a yeare elder? The holy oyle might not be put to a prophane uſe on paine of death, Exod. 30.32. No more may the holy word, on paine of Gods diſpleaſure, which is worſe than death.2 Peter 2.3.2 Pet 2:3 Surely their damnation ſtumbreth not, ſaith Saint Peter, of his ſcoffers, may we ſay of ours. David points them out for p. 187the worſt of ſinners, in that excellent gradation of his, Pſalme 1.1. theſe Rhetoricall mockers as one tranſlates that word,foreign. thoſe peſts or botches of humane ſociety, as the Septuagint render it. Theſe are the merry Greekes of our time, that had rather looſe their God then their jeſt: thoſe facetious and fantaſticall companions, that dare play with edge-tooles, and rather than want mirth will call in GODS Word (which they ought to tremble at,Iudges 16.25.Judg 16:25 and not to toy with) as the Philiſtims did Sampſon, to make them paſtime. Theſe are worſe than Pilate who when he heard but the name of the Sonne of God, was afraid:Iohn 19.….John 19 but theſe feare nothing more, then not to be held witty and conceited, like Sir Thomas Moore, of whom the Chronicler doubteth, whether to call him a fooliſh wiſe-man, Edw Hals Chronicle.or a wiſe fooliſh-man. And why? He thought nothing, ſaith he, to be well ſpoken except he had miniſtred ſome mock in the communication. And qualis vita, finis ita, as he lived a mocker, p. 188ſo he ended his life with a mocke in his mouth. A thing too too common among the French, who are ſaid to be great ſcoffers in matters of Religion, even upon their death beds, ſome of them. A Gentleman lying at point of death, when the Prieſt had perſwaded him, that the Sacrament of the Altar was the very body, and bloud of Chriſt, refuſed to receave it,D. Heylins Geog. pag. 77. becauſe it was Friday. Another ſeeing the Hoaſt brought unto him by a lubberly Prieſt, ſaid that CHRIST came unto him (as once) riding upon an Aſſe. What is this elſe but foreign, as Nazianzen calleth it, to play with myſteries, to make jeſts in high matters, then which what can be more abſurd and unſeemely. And hitherto may be referred,As the Heath…s called the Iewes Aſinarios, and the Chriſtians cruciarios ſarmentitios. Motive 48. that the Papiſts in ſcorn call us Evangeli…os & Scripturarios, Goſpellers and Scripturists, thinking thereby to jeare us out of our weake and falſe Caſtle of holy Scripture, into the plaine fields of Councels and Fathers, as their Briſtow adviſeth them. It is notoriouſly p. 189knowne, ſaith Doctour Fulke, Annot: in Rhe… Teſt. on Acts 11 Sect. 4. ex Chriſtoph Franch: Coll: Ieſuit: in ſine.Acts 11that the moſt honourable name of Chriſtian is in Italy and at Rome a name of Reproach, and uſually abuſed to ſignifie a Foole or a dolt. This is properly blaſphemy in the ſecond Table; for it reflects upon GOD Himſelfe, who will not ſuffer it to goe unpuniſhed; as little as he did in Domitian the Emperour, who to breake a jeſt upon Chriſt the Lords Anointed, and upon Iohn his ſervant,Pareus in Apoc. 1.9.Rev 1:9 who had written, ye have an unction from the father, &c. is ſaid to have caſt him into a veſſell of ſcalding oyle; out of which when he came forth unhurt and more freſh then before, Domitian baniſhed him into the I…e Pathmos where he receaved the Revelation, and whence he was called backe, after that the perſecutor had receaved his guerdon from the righteous hand of GOD. Now therefore be not ye mockers, (at holy things eſpecially) leaſt your bands bee made ſtrong. Eſay 28.22. Diſcite justitiam moniti: Virg.Isa 28:22Let it never be ſaid, that Religion is not more a matter of forme then of ſcorne amongſt p. 190amongſt us.Joſephus. Appion a Grammarian of Alexandria ſcoffing at the Iewiſh worſhip, and eſpecially at Circumciſion, had an ulcer the ſame time and in the ſame place. And one Iohn Apowell, in Queene Maries dayes ſtanding by William Maudon as hee was reading on a Primer at Greenwich, mocked him after every word with contrary gawde…,Acts & Moni. fol. 1906. and ſlowting ſpeeches unreverently, inſomuch that hee could no longer abide, but turning to him ſaid; John, take heed what thou doſt, thou mockeſt not me, but God in his Word, though I be ſimple that reade it. He mocked on, till Mawdon reading, Lord have mercy upon us, Chriſt have mercy upon us, the other with a ſtart ſaid ſuddenly, Lord have mercy upon me. With that, Mawdon turned about, and ſaid, what aileth thee, Iohn? He ſaid, I was afraid. Whereof? ſaid Maudon: nothing now, ſaid the other. After this, he asked him againe, who anſwered: When you read that, Lord have mercy upon me, me-thought the haire of my p. 191head ſtood upright with a great ſeare that came upon mee. On the next day he ran mad, and was bound in his bed. After that he lay almoſt day and night, never ceaſing to cry out of the devill of hell, &c. It ſeemes he was poſſeſt of an evill ſpirit. A faire warning for ſuch foule mouths, which ſhall one day ſmoke for it, as Diveſſes did. And then,Neſtorij lingua vermious exeſa. Euagr. l. c. Pſalm 5….Ps 5 what reward ſhall be given thee, thou godleſſe tongue? even ſharp arrowes with hot burning coales, yea thoſe very coales of hell from whence thou wert enkindled. Then woe to our mirth-mongers that laugh now, laugh themſelves fat; that are altogether ſet on the merry pinne, jearing and gibing at that which they ſhould heare and feare, Luke 6. Te miror, quorum …alla imitaris, eorum exitum nonperhorreſcere. Cicer… Anton. in Philip.Luke 6and doe no more ſo, as the Scripture ſpeaketh. Theſe ſhall one day howle as faſt, ſaith our Saviour, there where is wailing and weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Can we heare of ſuch mens ſinnes, and not tremble at their torment?

p. 192Section 7.

LAſtly ſuch come here to be convinced of notorious impiety, and indignity to the Scriptures,Ignatij conclave as abuſe them to ſpels and charmes The firſt verſe in Saint Iohns Goſpell is alwayes imployed in popiſh exorciſmes, and the Lords prayer to cure perſons foreſpoken (as they call it) and ayred. So to finde things that are loſt, there are that will have a ſeive, and a paire of ſhe…res, and repeate a place of Scripture. This is an horrible way of perverting God's Word, and proſaning his Name. This is to ſerve the Devils turne with the Scriptures, and to make them as it were, Sacraments to the Devill, than the which what greater abuſe can be poſſibly offered unto them?

Ob.Tell mee not here in defence of this abhomination, that the words then uſed are Gods Words: for, as thus abuſed,Sol. they are not Gods, but the Devils, who hereby inſenſibly p. 193poſſeſſeth himſelfe of mens ſoules: and every one that by ſeeking to ſuch conſults with Satan, as Saul did, worſhips him, though he bow not as hee did: that evill ſpirit deſires no other reverence then to bee fought unto: Sathan ſeekes to ſuch in his Temptations, they ſeeeke to him in their conſultations: and now that they have mutually found each other, if they ever part, it is a miracle. Say not again:Ob. How can there bee ſo much hurt in words ſo good?Sol. I tell thee that Samuel himſelfe could not have ſpoken more gravely, more ſeverely, more divinely then the fiend did to Saul, then when he preacht Sauls funerall,Oratio funebris Sauli dicta a Diabolo. Buchol. as one calls it. When the Devill himſelfe puts on gravity and Religion, who can wonder at the Hypocriſie of men? Had not Elymas (that child of the Devill) called himſelfe Bar…eus as if he had beene ſonne to but Saviour, or of his very neare alliance, Acts 13.6.Acts 13.6. Filium nominis i. viris celebrem.Acts 13:6 where the Syriack hath it Bur-ſhuma, a ſome of renowne, a famous perſon. And p. 194did not Simon the Sorcerer give out himſelfe to be ſome great matter? he ſo bewitched the Samaritans with a ſemblance of extraordinary holineſſe,foreign Acts 8.9. unde foreign.Acts 8:9 he ſo amazed them therewith, that he had gained them, they were more his then their owne, as the word ſignifies. Iuſtin Martyr, who was borne at Samaria, and lived neare thoſe very times, tells us, that this varlet had an image ſet up in honour of him with this ſuperſcription, Simoni Deo ſancto, to Simon the holy God. Epiphanius alſo hath left recorded, that this Hell-hound called himſelfe GOD the Father and Son, and his Helena (I abhorre to relate it) the Holy Ghoſt. But to ſpeake forward: When Saint Paul came to Epheſus a place too too much addicted to theſe damned ſtudies, (which gave occaſion to that Proverbe, foreign Epheſian learning, for the blacke art, Saint Luke ſpeakes the beſt of them, when he calls them foreign Curioſities) certaine of the vagabond Iewes, exorciſts, tooke upon them to adjure p. 195evill ſpirits by the name of Ieſus whom Paul preacheth. Here were good words, wee ſee, but out of an ill mouth, and for ill purpoſes: and therefore with as ill an iſſue to the ſpeakers, who were glad to fly out of the roome naked, and wounded, as hardly beſtead, and ſcarcely ſcaping with their lives. Whereupon the Name of the Lord Jeſus was magnified, the number of Chriſtians increaſed, and the curious conjuring books, though never ſo coſtly, burnt up and aboliſhed.Acts 19.13, to 21.Acts 19:13–21 Thoſe were good words that the Pythoniſſe cryed after Paul, and his fellow-labourers at Thyatira, Theſe men are the ſervants of the moſt high God, which ſhew unto us the way of ſalvation. Acts 16.17, 18.Acts 16:17Acts 16:18What could Lydia her ſelfe have ſaid more in their commendation? Yet Paul was grieved at it, and caſt out the Devill that ſpake it. So, what could any Peter have ſpoken better of his maſter CHRIST, then the Devill ſpake? Ieſus thou ſonne of the living God, &c. But where was his calling? What commiſſion p. 196had he to confeſſe Chriſt in that ſort? Surely none. Therefore hee heares, foreign, Be dumbe. Our Saviour Halters him up, and will heare him no further. No more will hee have any ſuch doings,Leu. 20.6. Deut. 18.10.Lev 20:6Deut 18:10 as this we ſpeake of amongſt his people: but will finde out both them, and ſuch as ſeeke to them: yea their ſinne will find them out. Gods word, for certaine, is no fit meanes for any ſuch purpoſe, as wee ſee in thoſe Epheſian Exorciſts. Neither can it bee of faith for want of a promiſe, and is therefore ſinne, yea a ſin of a double dye,Rom. 14. foreign.Rom 14 of a crimſon colour, ſuch as nothing can fetch out, but the bloud of Chriſt, or the fire of hell.

Say not to me,Ob. in the laſt place, we have received good by theſe men, and as for the Devill, we defie him, and will have nothing to do with him.

If any Iew had yeelded himſelfe to Rabſhakehs lure,Sol. had hee not gone with him to Senacherib his maſter? ſo do theſe to the devill, by reſorting to his inſtruments. As the fiſher catcheth the fiſh by the baits, ſo doth p. 197Satan hooke in mens ſoules, by thoſe ſmaller kindneſſes.Eſay 39.Isa 39 And as the Babyloniſh Embaſſadors brought Hezekiah ſome petty preſents but to carry away all: ſo is it here. The ſheep is never in ſo much danger of the Fox as when hee comes upon her in ſheepes clothing. If thy deadlieſt enemy drink to thee,—tim…o Danaos & dona ſerentes. Virg. though in a cup of gold, wouldſt thou take it for any better than ranke poyſon? ſuch are the Devils cut-throat kindneſſes this way. Laſtly (beſides the hurt done to the Charmer, who is hardned hereby, in his wickedneſſe, whereas without ſuch cuſtomers his trading would faile) God ſuſtaines a double injury. 1. In his glory, as if he were not able or ready to helpe his, but there muſt bee trudging to Endor or Ekron. 2. in his word thus wretchedly abuſed,2 Kings 1.2 Kgs 1 as hath beene already diſcourſed.