Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	great_a	rome_n	5,301	5	6.4962	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04378	The height of Israels heathenish idolatrie, in sacrificing their children to the Deuill diuided into three sections: where is shewed in the first, the growth and degrees of this, and generally of other sinnes and idolatries. In the second, that the Deuill was the god of the heathen; with the meanes by which he obtayned that honour. With a large application to our times, against popery, shewing the pride thereof, and malice both against soule and body; together with the meanes, sleights, and policies by which it seduceth, killeth, and in the person of the Pope, raiseth it selfe to its present height. In the third, the blinde zeale of idolaters. Deliuered generally in two sermons preached at S. Maries in Cambridge: the first whereof is much inlarged: by Robert Ienison Bachelor of Diuinitie, and late Fellow of S. Johns Colledge in Cambridge.	Jenison, Robert, 1584?-1652.	1621 (1621)	STC 14491; ESTC S107702	160,311	208

hinderances to the truth of God secondly wee note a double fetch of politique seducers The first to take the aduantage of the wils corruption and of our muddy affections thereby to dimme and obscure the cleare sight of the iudgment which they do not in women onely but in men also of womanish affections The second is that they beginne with women the weaker sexe and with the weakest of that sexe silly and simple women whom as they seduce so do they vse as instruments to seduce men by them Now this is a deuillish fetch first practised by the deuill who in deceiuing Adam by his wife Eue hath thus set a copy to such his schollers as are of the Schoole and Synagogue of Satan See how it was sampled by Balaam who not able to bewitch the Israelites by his sorceries yet by his wicked counsell hee did Numb 31.16 Much euill by women For as Moses tels vs Women namely the women of Moab caused the Children of Israel through the counsell of Balaam to commit trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor that is by entising them to carnall copulation they drew them on to spirituall fornication to Idolatry Psal 106.28 and to ioyne themselues vnto Baal Peor and to eate the sacrifices of the dead Numb 25.1.2 This lesson it seemes was all taken out by some in the Church of Pergamus Reu. 2.14 that held the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed vnto Idols and to commit fornication 1 King 11.3.4 Euen thus did Salomons wiues turne away his heart after other gods For as Nehemiah told the Iewes that had married wiues of Ammon Nehem. 13.26 and of Moab strange women caused him to sinne And certainly there was a mystery in it that women were the Deuils prophetesses among the Heathen by whom also as by Pythia he gaue forth his Oracles Yea in all ages of the Christian Church we shall finde women strongliest infected with error and the greatest abetters thereof so that deprauation of religion hath often beene hatched in and by their mariages and errors and heresies haue grown strong in their nurseries Constantia widow of Licinius and sister to Constantine the great being corrupted with the blasphemy of Arrius got her brother to call home Arrius from banishment So Iustinia mother to the Emperor Valentinian got the Arrians a Temple at Millan So Eudoxia perswaded her husband Theodosius to fauour Eutiches his faction against the Orthodoxe teachers and so was Arcadius seduced by his sister Eudoxia And had not Simon Magus his Helena and Apelles his Philumena and haue not other heretiques their seuerall women whom first of all they animated with the spirit of error Instances and particular examples in our owne times and neighbour Nations would be odious Yet this we may say safely and experience shewes vs as much that many are hooked in to imbrace Popery by vnfortunate mariages with women popishly affected there is seldome any marrying of such vnlesse men be first married to their Religion and the Whore of Rome Howsoeuer though they be no Papists before yet doubtlesse curtaine Sermons preuaile much with many to make them so If it be asked why especially the Deuill and his factors make so much vse of women in this kind and why they chuse them as apter for their purpose and end the answer is Because that sexe being carried more by affection then by iudgement is First easie to bee deluded through the credulity curiosity infirmity and simplicity of their sexe through the want first of iudgement and wisedome to see and auoid the sleights of Satan secondly of power to resist and as it is the easilier misled so the hardlier reclaimed as the weaker to resist by reason so the stronger to persist in wilfulnesse new fangled in their opinions as in their attire louing nothing that is vulgar Dallington in his Inference vpon Guicciardines Digression no not the truth as one pithily notes Secondly because that sexe is more fit and apt to delude by mouing perswading and intising of men who the more willingly often suffer themselues to become their spoile for their iudgements that they might be masters of the others affections Besides women rule more in the hearts of Children in diuers regards then the fathers which the popish sort of seducers are wise enough to obserue and make vse of Idem ibid. for they know that fathers doe but prouide for them but mothers feed them fathers are austere the mother indulgent fathers haue the awe mothers the loue fathers haue the eye but mothers the heart from whom with their milke they sucke this veriuice wherewith the teeth of many great families are set on edge and whereby within these few yeares their number is increased here among vs exceedingly especially in these Northren parts of England This being the danger though I know godly Matrons should instruct their children in godlinesse and Religion as also Christianly aduise their husbands with all humility yet God by his Apostle will not suffer a woman to teach 1 Tim. 2.11.12 I suppose publickly nor to vsurpe authority ouer the man but to bee in silence and to learne in silence with all subiection And hee reproues the Church of Thyatira for suffering the woman Iesabel Reuel 2.20 which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce his seruants to commit fornication and to eate things sacrificed vnto idols To conclude in a word the whole body of popery as it is popery is in the respect last spoken of a Seducer and a forcible though a silent solicitor of mans will and affections to sinne and consequently to error while their whole doctrine almost opens a window thereunto For to giue an instance when men may haue absolutions from any sinne whatsoeuer for a certaine and that a very small price and piece of mony as all sinnes are valued and rated in their bookes of taxes who then that is of vnmortified and vnregenerate affections as we are all naturally would not yea doth not take liberty to sinne securely as knowing beforehand how and at what price hee may redeeme it or at the worst that his satisfaction is to be but temporary either in this life or in their imagined Purgatory This doubtlesse is though an inward and not acknowledged yet a powerfull motiue with many lustfull young men and women and with many who loue liberty to become Papists and so to captiuate their iudgements in matters of religion to the wils of others when they see that popery for the practise of it is but a very outside of Christianity and a meere formality of deuotion which they can easily performe by saying ouer their beads c. And when they see that not the deuoutest Papist yea not a Papist in Christendome euer prayeth dayly with his family or sings but a Psalme at home as not taking themselues so strictly tied

all if also according to the doctrines of Deuils if in this and the like they not onely doe against Gods commandement but also according to the commandements and doctrines of deuils how shall they not doe seruice to the deuill for all their good intentions God hath said Heb. 13.4 Heb. 13.4 Mariage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled And elsewhere 1 Cor. 7.9 It is better to marrie then to burne Againe Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure And 1 Tim. 4.4 Euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing This is the doctrine of God But saith the Apostle or rather by the Apostle The spirit speaketh expresly 1 Tim. 4 1-3 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth And this is the doctrine of Deuils But now these are the latter dayes wherein we liue and these selfe-same doctrines are both maintained and practised by Papists I would now know whom in these they obey and to whom they doe seruice to God or the Deuill The vnchaste and impure life of their Priests Monks and Nunnes wherein they burne in lust because they will not marrie to whom is this a sacrifice and seruice but to the Deuill And may not I truly say speaking of popish parents as in my text They sacrifice their sonnes and daughters vnto deuils Well the Lord open their eyes and giue vs to beware of such doctrines and practises and to iudge of things good and lawfull by that rule which only cannot deceiue vs and which yet can sufficiently instruct vs. Pretences and good ●●en ●ons may well blinde our eyes but Gods they cannot who iudgeth of things according to that they are indeed and not according to that they are to vs. Wisedome saith Prou 8● 〈◊〉 that hate me loue death yet no sinner will say he e●ther hates God and wisdome or loues death yet in Gods account it is otherwise So He that spareth the ro● ●ates the childe though with no such intention So saith God of Idolaters that they say to a stocke Thou art my ●at●●e● and to a stone Thou hast brought me forth not that any as I conceiue either said or thought so of the stone but in effect they did both But the spight is that wheras indeed such seruices deifie the Deuill yet they must be thought to be seruice acceptable to God 〈…〉 They shall excommunicate you saith our Sauiour to vs his disciples in this last age of the world yea the time commeth and I may say now is that whosoeuer killeth you will 〈◊〉 that he doth God seruice Nay some haue thought the Schoole-men that such good intentions doe make 〈◊〉 actions meritorious and that of life eternall Yet for all this we haue said we denie not but affirme that our good meanings and intentions are most necessary in actions good lawfull or indifferent without which they could not be good But yet as in things simply euill no● the best intention can make them good so in things ne●e● so well intended there is more required then the intention to wit that for matter they be also good and commanded To conclude how necessary then is it for all Christians w●o would serue God acceptably that they both labour to know what is the whole will of God and wholly sub●●● themselues and only thereunto Where this sound knowledge and care is wan●ing the●e will follow these sequ●●es First we shall vse had meanes to all 〈◊〉 to supposed good ends So the vncons●ionable Tradesman and the ●acking Landslord vnder pretence of prouiding for their families will vse deceit and fraud griping and grinding the faces of the poore So the Papist and Church of Rome to fray simple people from reading our bookes will agree that a he may be inuented against Heretickes And thus to bring the simpler sort amongst them in detestation of vs and of our religion here in ENGLAND they misinforme the simpler sort of Papists at Rome of vs. There may be seene in some of their Churches Dall●ngton 〈◊〉 Inference 〈◊〉 Gu●●●tr●●● digression Tables hung vp to pourtray and expresse to the life and eye the seuerall persecutions of Catholickes here in ENGLAND in the late Queenes time some worried to death in beasts skins by mastiffes others pricked vnder the nailes with sharpe needles others drawne in peeces with wild horses and almost all the seuerall sorts of torture represented vnto vs in historie out of the ten first persecutions of the Primitiue Church So by leasing and insinuation the Iesuites bring the simpler sort here into admiration or rather adoration of their Pope And to prouoke the people to deuotion towards their Saints they will allow the faining of tales fables miracles legends which therefore they call their pias fraudes holy deceits Secondly if we be giuen too much to follow our owne conceits opinions and intentions in time and that often by Gods iust iudgement there shall nothing no law no not the law of nature it selfe be able to preuaile against them Bodinus de Rep. 〈◊〉 5. ex Herodo● From hence saith Bodin it comes to passe that in Thracia men vnder pretence of pietie and loue to their parents being now very old vsed to slay them and eat them lest they should languish too long in the sicknesse of old age and after become meat for base and filthy wormes Let that relation be as true as the Authors are of credit Surely we see on the contrary by authoritie vndeniable that vpon as weake grounds parents became vnmercifull and vnnaturally affected towards their owne children for they killed and sacrificed them and that to their enemies for such my text they sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters vnto Deuils From the former considerations wee further obserue in the third place 3. The miserie of Pagans and generally of Idolaters Their God is the Deuill the wofull and wretched estate and condition of all Pagans and Heathens out of the Church yea and of all Idolaters in the Church Their whole miserie is reduced to this summe Their God is the Deuill Seeing then they are without the true and only God we conclude that all their best seruices and deuotions though neuer so strict neuer so hard are neither acceptable to the true God nor yet rewardable but with eternall punishment They belong to another kingdome and are in truth as we are all by nature deuoted slaues to the deuill hauing him to rule and reigne in their hearts as their god They must needs then serue a hard master that serue him more cruell and tyrannicall then euer Pharao was to the Israelites yea requiring harder seruice then that whereby the deuils themselues serue him their prince great

hand it selfe hath planted which is the house of Israel and which he hath fenced shall bring forth wild grapes Isa 5.2.5.7 then will God take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten vp and breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe So the Boare out of the wood shall wast it Psalm 80.12.13 and the wild beast of the field deuoure it In which case no walles nor munition no abundance of wealth nor strength and wisedome of men can keepe out the wrath of the Lord if he their defence once depart from them Sinne then generally See and compare Numb 13.27.28 with Numb 14.9 and more specially our trusting to man and to our meanes more then to God if this sinne shall euer raigne among vs will make our strength that is God himselfe depart from vs. See and compare 2. Chron. 14.9.10.11 with 2 Chron. 16.7.8.9 Ioel 3.10 Whereas the Lord sheweth himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfit towards him and who rest and rely vpon him So that the weakest of such may say I am strong Besides this trusting on meanes there are other three maine exorbitancies for which God vsually sends changes by his iudgements not onely in whole Kingdomes and States Pucer in epist praefix Carionis Chron. but also in particular Cities Townes and Corporations The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impietie and vngodlinesse The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniustice The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luxurie and wantonnesse whereof the first troubles the state of the Church the second of the Common-wealth the third of priuate families And each of these helpes and furthers the rest so that want of domesticall discipline in Parents and Masters of families tends to disorder in the body of the Common-wealth as contrariwise euill gouernment and disorder in the State rebounds backe againe to the further hurt and disordering of priuate families And the contagion of both these infects the Church of God and makes the Ministerie of the word lesse auaileable On the other side where Religion is either polluted or not duly respected there the rest fall for perfidiousnesse iniustice doing wrongs as also lust and luxurie depend on irreligion and vngodlinesse See Rom. 1. from verse 23. to the end and also on idolatry as both in the auncient and moderne Romanists may be seene Where these or any of these through the negligence of Magistrates are suffered and not mowed downe by the sword of Iustice there ere long we may looke for changes 1. Religion hath three enemies Heretickes Schismatickes Hypocrites with whom I will ioyne in this businesse profane liuers The first sort opposeth the Truth and veritie of Religion the second the vnitie the third the sinceritie and sanctitie of it without which three neither Religion nor any State can long stand Not Religion and that through these inward weaknesses and the forenamed wants of Truth Vnity and Sincerity 1. Truth in it selfe is most auncient and is also eternall for standing vpon its owne that is a sure foundation which is God it is impregnable and able to beare out it selfe against all assaults Great is Truth and mighty aboue all things 1 Esd 4. it endureth and is alwaies strong and it liueth and conquereth for euermore It is founded vpon God who is immoueable and a sure anchor The man that hath it is by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immoueable and inuincible and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firme and stable euen like the rocke in the Sea which though assaulted by boisterous winds and waues yet neither moues nor remoues for his faith is built on the rocke Christ Iesus and on the foundation of Gods eternall election so that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against him neither though others who might seeme pillars fall away to Heresie and Apostasie See 2. Tim. 2.17.18 with 19. shall he because he neuer depended on man But he that wanteth truth is as a waue of the Sea Ephes 4.14 driuen with the wind and tossed caried about with euery wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men c. Secondly Vnitie is conseruatiue so that things whose nature is to be vnited continue firme by continuing vnited Nature it selfe teacheth each creature to preserue it selfe by preseruing vnitie The drop falling from the Eues of the house as long as it can holds vnity with it selfe by gathering round till the ponderositie of it preuaile So the same drop falling on the drie ground keepes together else seuered it is soone dried vp The fencer lies as close as he can to keepe himselfe the safer yea the poore worme and vrchin in danger gather themselues into a lumpe lest distraction and distention of the parts of their bodies make them more subiect to diuision and separation Thus each element holds together with its owne kind and all of them keepe the vnitie of the world by their continuitie one with another so that rather then any vacuitie or discontinuitie fall out in nature which indeed would threaten the dissolution of the fabricke of the world they will moue not onely besides but euen contrarie to their owne proper motion and will forsake their owne place and condition for the preseruation of the whole as water will ascend vpward Euen thus is it among men Christians especially who of all other sorts of men haue the least interest in themselues so liuing when they liue as they should as giuen to others lent onely to themselues These being linked together in a spirituall societie by breaking the vnity which ought to be among all indanger themselues as being members of the same body Thirdly Sincerity is a sure band of continuance for where Religion seasons the heart there Grace is as water in the fountaine and as sap in the root which makes the streames perpetuall and the branches euer greene The single heart in all things aimes at Gods glory and makes the sincere Christian euer like himselfe vpon all occasions in all estates and companies as it did * Ioseph vnum habebat propositum placere Deo hoc nullâ varietate temporis immutatum est nec fratrum inuidiâ nec conditione seruitutis nec aetatis illecebris nec dominae repromissis nec squalore carceris nec posteà tumore Aegyptiae potestatis sed semper vnꝰ fuit c. Hieron comment in ep ad Ephes l. 3. c. 4. Hoc idem inquit de Iob sentiendum est c. Ioseph and Iob. Whereas insinceritie and a clouen heart or a heart and a heart causeth instabilitie and inconstancie and a falling away Thus Iames 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes So of the Israelites it is said Ps 78.35 36 37 Their heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his couenant Where Religion by any of the foresaid defects or yet by open prophanenesse growes to a

yea when they see that the Lords day is no where vnder the iurisdiction of Rome duely kept nor scarce any Commandement the breach of which being made vp and amends made with a crosse a drop of holy water or a little money as is said Certainely this religion must needs be pleasing to a carnall man and the way of outward fashionablenesse in religion and inward liberty of heart cannot but seeme faire to nature and winne many to walke in it In the third place therefore 3. By pleasing them popish religion being thus most agreeable to our corrupt nature and so inclining to sensuall see what variety of baites this Church of Rome hath to please men and to solicite the affections and wils of all sorts of men of what affection condition or age soeuer Here wee shall find a play-fellow for euery sense Church-musicke for the eare fine pictures and glorious shewes for the eyes and so forth Here is for the ambitious and aspiring pompe and magnificence waiting on the Cardinals and Prelates for base and sordid spirits the orders of Friars Capuchins and Feuillants inuiting to their fellowship Loues any man ease and belly-cheare this may be hoped for if turning popish he can get into the Popes kitchin into an Abbay or Priorie or such other place which is richly indued with lands and reuenues But if any shall rather like to liue as a Beggar hee hath foure orders of begging Friars to ioyne himselfe vnto where yet vnder colour of being poore hee may possesse all things If you affect solitarinesse you haue the Hermites if to keepe company the conuentuall Monkes if you bee desirous of knowledge you haue the Iesuites that professe it if of ignorance you haue the ignorant Friars which haue made a vertue of ignorance Doth austerity and shew of mortification like any man at Rome you haue couents of cloistered Monkes wonderfull for their austerity if lasciuiousnesse and reuelling you haue the common Stewes hard by on the one side of the street a cloister of Virgins on the other a stie of Curtezans with publike permission And thus in effect are these varieties of recreations exercises and professions which all of purpose are so sorted to rauish all mens affections and to fit and please each humour decyphered by a worthy writer of our times Peter du Moulin See also Relation of Religion Sect. 13. and in our common cause who though he loue our Nation yet is he not of it Who yet addeth that there are none in popery euen to little children of 6. or 7. yeares old but shall haue some thing or other which shall content them There are certaine feasts of purpose for them as the feasts of S. Catherin and S. Nicholas when they are clad in gay apparell when they are led about in procession and haue little painted images giuen them to beare in their hands A pretty deuice betimes to bind the affections of children to them Thus againe for discontented minds they haue their preferments and for the buying of mens consciences rewards are proposed to such as shall relinquish the Protestant profession and turne to theirs as in Ausburie where they say there is a knowne price for it of ten Florens a yeare Their religious orders are made to serue for this purpose among others Such as in their discontented humours either through crosses in their estate or some notable disgrace or other miscarriage of themselues can finde no other place of repose resolue then to goe Friers as they terme it Yea Relation of Religion Sect. 10. whosoeuer by his monstrous blasphemie or other like villanie hath deserued all the tortures and deaths in the world saith mine Author if before the hand of iustice lay hold vpon him he voluntarily professe himselfe a Capuchin or Hermite or of such like strict order the Pope forbiddeth any further pursuit as thinking his voluntary perpetuall penance sufficient and in this manner is the greatest sort of their gentry Capuchins for so are the most of the order by birth What notable policy is this of this wise though viperous generation by these varieties of baits to draw fish of all sorts to their nets These must not bee thought to bee among them as it may be in other places of the world by casualty without order or of necessity but more purposely as being sorted into great parts into seuerall professions countenanced and honoured many wayes Now certainly this also is policy learned from Satan whom wee may obserue to haue made vse of mens inclinations whether of nature and complexion or through the current and sway of the times to frame Religion among them in time according to their inclinations Thus the Chaldeans who gaue themselues much to the inquisition of Nature and view of the heauens Peucerus de diuinationum gen●ribus turned their religion into Philosophy and worshipping of the creatures The Aegyptians being by nature or custome superstitiously affected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giuen to the search of mysteries fell at the length to most grosse superstition and to Magicall Arts. The Grecians who naturally are witty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inuectiue and contentious turned their religion into vaine disputations and allegories Thus the Romanes who naturally are ambitious and aspiring framed and formed their religion both before and now also since our Sauiours time according to their politicall Empire and Monarchie The Germanes now as indeed generally all men louing liberty if not licence Philip. Melan●● in locis Manl●● turne their religion accordingly into liberty licentiousnesse and carnall security The Schoolemen hauing addicted themselues much to the study of Philosophy haue tempered their religion and their iudgements accordingly and framed them much what according to Aristotles Ethickes And thus hath Religion beene swayed in all ages Satan taking his aduantage from mens naturall corruption and inclinations according to mens humours and affections which being obserued by the disciples of Satan is more purposely made vse of that each inclination and humour might receiue content in Popery And herein their policy passeth for whereas in the former instances religion degenerated onely or chiefly according to the particular inclinations of each country and nation it is otherwise in Popery which is compacted of infinite contrarieties all tending to entertaine the seuerall humours of men that so finding what may please their owne priuate humours they may like better of Popery which affords them that content For here is multitude of ceremonies for the superstitious high honour from the Cardinals hat and Popes triple crowne for the ambitious and aspiring voluptuousnesse for the dissolute knowledge professed by the Iesuits for the louers of it prayer for the deuout workes of piety for the charitable and other like varieties formerly named This pleasing then of mens affections is one politique meanes besides all the former whereby Popery is euen yet in many places daily increased To these others might be