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 Matron-like 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 't is 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 quà m 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 't is 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 septuag which the Hebrew calls perfect Stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 't is 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 't is a superfluous and vain devotion which God alloweth not 1. Neither by his Command 2. Nor by any Apostolical Rule for indifferent things 't is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a false Religion 26. Polanus defines it thus 'T is 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 't is 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 't is a worshipping of that which God commanded not Deut. 17.3 and 29.26 'T is 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 't is 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) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.23 and 't
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 't is 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 't is 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 't is 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
in a false manner For 1. Such binds Gods Presence and Influence of Grace to such places as God never bound his presence c. unto 2. There is neither precept nor promise for it 3. 'T is expresly forbidden Deut. 4.16 17 18 19. 101. And though they say we intend not to worship the Image but God in the Image this is not a sufficient salvo for the Israelites worshiped not the Calf but God in the Calf yet are they said to worship the Molten Calf and to sacrifice unto it in Gods account Exod. 32.8 God writes up sin where they write up service and 't is no matter what their meaning is in their worship so long as God abhors the manner of their worship 102. The Heathens in their Idolatry had such a meaning as this as Arnobius contra gentes lib. 6. tells us Deos per simulachra veneramur just saying as the Papists say at this day The Athenians and other Gentiles worshiped the true God Act. 17.23 yet by false mediums and meanings and if this worshipping the true God falsely be not Idolatry there hath been little in the World 103. Oecumenius tells us that the whole Inscription upon the Altar mentioned Act. 17.23 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intimates that besides Penates or houshold Gods for whom they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or devout Adorations they had also Gods of Asia Europe and Lybia which they religiously worshipped Yet the ultimate end of their adorations was to the true God whom yet they knew not dwelling in thick darkness 1 Kin. 8.12 Hereby Paul takes occasion to inform them that the worship of the true God consisted not in those made Gods the work of mens hands but in Spirit and Truth John 4.22 23. 104. But to leave the Idolatry of the Gentiles I have consulted Josephus about that of the Jews in the days of Jeroboam who says that Jeroboam worshiped God in his Calves yet was he esteemed an Idolater (c) Josephus Antiqu. lib. 8. cap. 3 4. He brings in Jeroboam speaking thus God is in all places in my two Temples at Dan and Bethel as well as in Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem therefore I have Consecrated two Golden Calves in those two places to the end that ye may adore God He doth not say Adore my Calves 105. Yet when Jeroboam's Wife went to the Prophet about their sick Son the Prophet as Josephus says bids her tell Jeroboam from God that he should be rooted up for honouring his new Gods and his people should be carried Captive for adoring those Gods that he had forged But more plainly and fully 1 Kings 14.9 Thou hast made thee other Gods not representations of God though he accounted them so yet God did not so account of them but was provoked to anger by them for no sin provokes God more to anger than Idolatry 106. Whereas the Romanists plead they do but worship God before their Images as Israel worshiped God before the Ark I answer Israel had an express Command from God to worship before the Ark and they had a promise also that their Persons and Prayers should be accepted there When the Church of Rome shall produce such a Precept and such a Promise for their worshipping God before an Image I shall then believe that she is not herein guilty of Idolatry 107 The Church of Rome indeed covers her Idolatry with Coverings but not of Gods Spirit Isa 30.1 rather with such Cobweb Coverings as that of the Harlot Phaedra who committing lewdness with Hypolitus protested she embraced her Husband Theseus in him whom Hypolitus so nerely resembled As this protestation of Phaedra's would not free her from the guilt of Adultery no more will the protestation of the Whore of Rome saying she embraces the Person whom the Image nerely resembles while she commits lewdness with the Image it self free her from the guilt of Idolatry (f) Bishop Wren abandoning Scots Covenant pag. 20. Bishop Wren hath a good Notion saying Every thing that is not the Covenant of God is Baal let them nick name it what they will 't is an Idol and all the worship they give it is flat Idolatry no better than the worshiping of Baal That worship which is not found in the word or Covenant of God is Baal worship in his account no better than Idolatry the Romanists be halters 'twixt God and Baal 109. They that halt do incline their Bodies now one way and now another the Romanists as those Idolatrous Israelites 1 Kin. 18.21 halt in their worship 'twixt God and their Images inclining their minds now one way and now another to worship two Gods is a sin against the first Commandment but to mix the means of Gods worship is a sin against the second 110. That was a mixed Religion in 2 Kin. 17.28 32 and 34. 'T is said there that those Idolaters feared the Lord and also that they feared not the Lord v. 25. because though they worshiped the true God yet not according to his Law v. 38. as (g) Bishop Wren pag. 31. Abandoning of Covenant Bishop Wren in libro supra dicto pag. 31. says they thrust into their new model of Religion whatsoever pleased themselves so 't is accounted no fear at all They worshiped the true God and their own Gods too there was right worship of the true God but it was mixed with tricks of their own 111. That Mongrel Generation feared the Lord to wit acknowledged Jehovah to be a God and did offer some slight services and sacrifices to him yet 't is said they served their own Gods too v. 33. called Graven Images v. 41. Their Adrammelech which signfies a glorious King yet made in the shape of an horse and their Anammeleck or afflicting King in the form of a Mule Satan was glorious in their esteem yet afflicted them in the burning of their Sons to him 112. Those old Samaritans were halters betwixt two opinions They would swear by the Lord and swear by Malcham too Zeph. 1.5 They would consecrate themselves as by Oath to the service of God and yet they would worship Malcham also that Idol of the Ammonites otherwise called Molech 1 Kin. 11.7 and 2 Kin. 23.10 13. and Jer. 49.3 This is a joyning light and darkness or God and Belial together 2 Cor. 6.14 15. 113. Those worshippers of Malcham would not utterly renounce the true God yet would they set up Rivals with him to share of his honour which he will not give to another God cannot admit of any Corrivals They mixed Gods worship with their Idolatry or they worshipped God in this Idolatrous way as the Israelites did so the Papists do that divides worship some to God and some to their Images they swear by God and by their Saints too they pray to God and to their Saints also committing themselves to them together with God as to Patrons of their protection 114. Hereby the Church of Rome discovers her self not to be the true Mother of
the Child viz. Truth or Worship because she is for dividing it but God accounts it an abomination when any part of his Worship is imparted to Idols or Images God will have all or none at all and all Will-worship devised out of mans brain whereby men warp either to the Right Hand or to the Left from Gods prescribed Will the Lord abhors 115. The Just and Jealous God hateth and plagueth all Lukewarmness and Neutrality in Religion all dough-baked Duties or mixtures of Religion a mingling of the Cup of the Lord with the Cup of Devils 1 Cor. 10.21 The Religion of the house of Micah mixed Gods worship ship with the Devils Judg. 17.5 The Ephod resembling that of the High-Priests for the true worship of God and the (h) The Teraphim was the Image of a mans head wrung from the Body salted and spiced and under the Tongue spake the Unclean Spirit The King of Babylon had his Teraphim to consult with Ezek. 21.21 or Images Teraphim or Images in mans shape to divine by for the worship of the Devil 116. It was not lawful to mix Judaism with Gentilism Lev. 19.27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads nor make any cutting in your flesh for the dead c. These were the Ceremonies of the Heathen therefore the Lord prohibits his people from the observation of them Such a practice had the Aegyptian Priests who worshiped the Idols Isis and Anuhis shaving round their heads or as others say had their Crowns shaven as the Popish Priests have at this day 117. Thus the Religion of the Gergasites was a mixt Religion who learned many things of the Heathen as to eat Swines flesh hence we read of herds of Swine which the Jews abhorred in their Country and not to circumcise c. And such is the Religion of the Ebionites who observe both the Jewish and the Christian Sabbath 118. Neither is it lawful to mingle Judaism with Christianism as the Galatians did who would observe the Ceremonies of the Law in times of the Gospel Those Ceremonies were in their own time mortales in Christs time after he had said consummatum est they were mortal but in following times they were mortiferae and a denying of Christs coming in the flesh for if the substance be come those shadows must vanish away yet those Galatians joyned a dead Law the Law of Ceremonies with a living Gospel 119. The Church of Rome is the speckled Bird that hath mingled Ceremonies with Gospel worship above all that went before her and surely Religion is past the Meridian in that Church where she can hardly be seen for the length of her own shadow The shadows of her Evening have been long a stretching out and her day is going away Jerem. 6.4 (i) Fuller Abel Redivivus pag. 72. Erasmus in his time found Doctrine turn'd into Sophistry and Discipline into Ceremony 120. The Romish Church hath sowed divers seeds in Gods Vineyard she hath plowed with an Ox and an Ass in Gods Husbandry She hath worn Linsey-woolsey Garments in the Temple of God contrary to Levit. 19.19 She hath set up Dagon with the Ark of God and though the Apostle forbid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play the huckfter with the word and worship of God 2 Cor. 2.17 yet hath she adulterated both 121. Her Bastard Devotion ought not to be admitted as Co-partner with the true worship of God for 't is opposite to the Nature of God to wit his Unity Soveraignty and Al-sufficiency as if there were more Gods than he more hearers of Prayer more pardoners of Sin and more Saviours from trouble than he And 't is opposite also to the Nature of Religion which is called a Bond the Reubenites may not build another Altar without warrant Josh 22.10 't is a spiritual marriage so must be chast or God will be jealous 2 Cor. 11.2 122. But the Romish Church hath played the Harlot and in the Revelation is called the great Whore with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Fornication and who knows not but that by spiritual Fornication is always in holy Scripture understood Idolatry And though indeed some of the Fathers say Antichrist shall be an hater of Idolatry they must mean only Paganish Idolatry for his worshipping a piece of Paste for Christ c. is as abominable Idolatry as Paganism was 123. That place in Dan. 11.38 literally meant of Antiochus but Analogically agrees to Antichrist Junius and Tremel reads it thus As for the God of Forces he to wit Antiochus shall in his Seat worship with Gold Silver c. a God which his Fathers knew not Thus the Pope hath set up a new God in the Church (k) To their breaden God they ascribe power to forgive sins to protect from evil and to bring to Heaven namely a piece of bread in the Mass which none of the Apostles knew and dedicates Gold c. to it yea burns all that will not bow to it 124. 'T is true the Romanists have found out sundry fine shifts to clear themselves of this Idolatry as their absolute and respective Adoration and their objectum quod and objectum quo Absolute Adoration is when the worship is terminated in the Creature as objectum quod Adorationis and the worship is limited to the Creature Respective Adoration is this when worship is given to dead and senseless things for the Examplar's sake 125. Then the Exemplar or Pattern is the objectum quo and the dead senseless thing or Portraiture is the objectum quod that is they adore the Portraiture for the Patterns sake the dead and senseless thing for the sake of it which is its Exemplar As when homage is done to the Viceroy for the King the Viceroy is the objectum quod and the King is the objectum quo thus the most modest of the Papists of old made but their Image objectum quod Adorationis and God himself objectum quo 126. But now they go further and maintain that Images are not only to be worshiped accidentally or improperly but also by themselves and properly so that they end and terminate their worship as they are considered in themselves and not only as they are Pourtraitures of the Pattern represented (l) Gregor di Valen. disput 6. quast 11. punct 6. and Greg de Val. saith that the same worship which is due to God is due to the Image too which he calls coâ—dâ—ratio or conjunct-worship 127. Plutarch tells us of Sysigambis Darius's Mother coming before Alexander the Great and mistaking Haephestion for Alexander she fell down before Haephestion but perceiving her mistake she began to blush but Alexander said to her Be not ashamed Non errâsti Mater nam Hephaestion est etiam Alexander (m) Thou art not mistaken Mother for Hephaestion is also Alexander But if a Papist falling down before an Image and mistaking the Image for Christ himself Christ will not say to him Be not ashamed thou
Church had 1. Error in her Faith 2. Idolatry in her Worship And 3. Tyranny in her Government and as excellently also that Truth must not be sacrificed for Peace yet should hold the Pope to be Principium Vnitatis to the Catholick Church and that the Romish determinations might stand excepting those of the last four hundred years p. 7 8. And there be many others as Reverend Mr. Baxter shows that be Protestant Reconcilers who do condescend thus far But saith he the Grotian Papists go farther making king the Church of Rome the Mistress of all other Churches and the Pope to be the Universal Head as Thorndike Pierce and others that defend Grotius who spake things Meliterio Consona that the Romish Faith was Vera Sincera true and sound see Mr. Baxter's Preface to five Disputatious p. 31. and Saravins's Character of Grotius But if we well consider the four abominable things in that Church as Dr. Boys in his Postils fol. p. 787. calls them to wit 1. Her unlimited Jurisdiction derogatory to all Princes 2. Her insolent Titles prejudicial to all Pastors 3. Her corrupt Doctrine injurious to all Christians And 4. Her filthy Life detestable to all men It will confirm us that Bishop Hall was in the right when considering her Principles and Practices he wrote his No peace with Rome 3. Notwithstanding all the endeavours of former and latter Reconcilers yet there is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great Gulf fixed as that in Luke 16.25 by the unmovable and immutable decree of God betwixt Papists and Protestants as there is 'twixt Light and Darkness 'twixt Truth and Falshood so that no Bridge of Reconciliation can be made over it Not unlike to that vast hollowness of the Valleys betwixt those exceeding high Mountains that Cambden speaks of in Merionethshire in Wales whose hanging tops come so close together that Shepherds can audibly talk together from the tops of them and yet will it be a days Journy before they can meet personally to embrace one another Thus upon sound and solid search such will be found that grand distance and remoteness 'twixt the Popish and Protestant Religion how nere soever they seem to be represented by the false glasses of our Reconcilers and tending to an Accommodation that they can never be rightly Reconciled no more than Aaron's Rod and the Magicians Rods until the former of the Rods have swallowed up the latter Exod. 7.12 The real Rod did swallow up the seeming ones and the true Christian Religion will swallow up the Romish that only seems to be Christian but is indeed Antichristian a mere delusion and Phantasm as Christ swallowed up sin and death in victory 1 Cor. 15.55 And though De Clara Grotius Cassander and others do seem to make fair proffers yet these be more of the nature of Baits than Gifts especially seeing they have no Commission from the Church of Rome to treat and therefore should their Offers be accepted as some would gladly do yet the Romish Church would not look upon her self as bound to pay their promises Mr. Fuller further saith though we should go ninety nine steps to meet them yet the Romish Church will not vouchsafe the odd one step to meet us Full. holy State p. 57. Besides this I add though the Church of Rome would reconcile yet sure I am the Court of Rome will never do it 4. 'T is therefore no better than a labour in vain to undertake any Reconciliation with Rome who will have either all or nothing If not the Church of Rome yet the Court of Rome abhors all Accommodations Hence some of great Reading and Judgment doubt not to say that our late Civil uncivil Wars were promoted by the Popes Influence merely for breaking the Project of Reconcilement that then was on foot for had that design been successful the Pope who will have all and will be absolute the way of Peace he knows not and hates would have been safe no where And therefore 't is not improbably said further that King Charles the First was wickedly murther'd by the Popes Instigation lest he and the French King together with Christiana Queen of Sueden should have constrained the Pope by means of such an Accommodation endeavoured to have lour'd his Top-Sail In fine 't is as unpracticable to Reconcile them as it is to Reconcile God and Baal Quà m malè inequales veniunt ad Aratra Juvenci Ovid. Epist How can any Concord be 'twixt Christ and Belial an Ox and an Ass might not be coupled together under the Law Levit. 19.19 upon which Scripture the Doctors of Doway give this notorious Note Here say they all participation with Hereticks is prohibited and they have no better mind to an Accommodation than to a Participation with us 5. If we then seriously consider 1. The vast Opposition of the Popish Religion to the true Christian Protestant Religion almost in all the fundamental points of Christianity as Reverend Beza shows at large in the End of his Confessio fidei Christianae from p. 263. to 357. Almost an hundred Pages doth that learned Man write to shew how the Romanists deny all truth concerning God in his Attributes Christ in his Offices Mans Fall Law Gospel Faith Works Sacraments Ministry c. none of all which he shews they do know aright 2. Considering the Architects or Arch-Master builders of this Babel are Jesuits who make Princes find them Materials perswading them that their work is designed for the House of their Kingdom and for the Honour of their Majesty Many hewers of Wood and drawers of Water they have and such as tread Mortar also and rather than their Mortar should be over dry they will have the blood of Hereticks to mingle it This cursed Faction of the Jesuits is a most agile sharp Sword whose Blade is sheathed at pleasure in the Bowels of every Common-wealth but the handle of it reacheth to Rome They are uncessantly sollicitous every where as if ubiquitarians to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves 'T is a thousand pityes that such a sweet Name as Jefu is who went about doing good Act. 10.38 should be put upon this Viperous brood who go about doing evil those Sons of Belial shall be all of them as Thorns thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands saith holy David 2 Sam. 23.6 7. How then can our Reconcilers handle those untractable Thorns that have been pricking Bryars and grieving Thorns in the sides of all Nations where they come they are fitter for burning than for building withal as they are doomed Revel 19.20 Heb. 6.8 Josh 4.13 And suppose they could handle them still Having is not Holding what hold can they have of those Monkeys that slips on a Collar for their Masters pleasure and slips it off again for their own 3. Considering their Master the Popes Insolency that can never condescend that so much as one stone should be stirred out of his Babel Tower lest his yielding
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 't is 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 CHAP. I. In General The seven bad Properties of Popery viz. 1. Superstitious 2. Idolatrous 3. Damnable 4. Bloody 5. Novel 6. Inconsistent with publick peace 7. Irreconciliable to the Protestant Christian Religion Those seven bad Properties are as the seven Unclean Spirits which possessed the empty house Matth. 12.43 45 64. IN my disswasive from Popery I shall I. show in general the seven wretched Properties of the Romish Faith for which it may not be embraced but rather to be abhorred 1. Of the first The Romish Religion is a superstitious Religion 't is made up of a worship altogether supra statutum as sundry intimations hereof afore mentioned do abundantly illustrate 't is so notoriously clogg'd with Ceremonies of Humane invention while the Magnalia legis lay neglected that while they write up service God writes up sin saying who requir'd those things at your hands Isa 1.12 65. Superstition sprung up betimes in the Church of Rome Satan sowed Tares so he is called superseminator very early Many superstitious Doctrines from this superseminator did the Bishops of Reme bring into the Church in the first six hundred years after Christ which signifies that Antichrist was then growing up there until the time of his full maturity for his Revelation in that place 66. Alexander the First Bishop of Rome brought in the mingling of water with the Sacramental Wine and of Salt with water for benediction agreeable to the Pagans about 112th year after Christ After him about 20 years comes Telesphorus and ordained a Lent-Fast for seven weeks about the year 130 after Christ and about the year of Christ 144. Pius the first appoints the celebration of Easter upon the Lords day 67. About the year of Christ 159. the shaving of the Priests Crowns was brought into the Church by Anicetus the Bishop of Rome to whom Polycarp came about composing the differences concerning the Celebration of Easter because it was pretended that the celebrating of it on Sunday (y) The dissenters were called Quartadecimani as they called it one Hermes received by Revelation from an Angel in a Shepherds habit This having of Crowns was a superstitious Custom derived from the practice of the Aegyptian Priests of Isis 68. This superstitious Shaving was condemned by divers of the Fathers as Clemens of Alex. Paedagog lib. 3. cap. 11. Optatus Contra Parmenionem lib. 2. and Jerome on Ezek. 44. Yea and the fourth Council of Toledo cap. 40. About the year of Christ 221. were also introduced into the Church the Fasts of four times by Calixtus the first and about six years after silver Cups were brought into the Celebration of the Supper by Pope Vrbane 69. About the year 240. It was ordained by Pope Fabian that new Chrism should be made every year and that the old should be burnt at the Eucharist then about the year 277. Pope Foelix appoints Divine Service to be Celebrated upon the Sepulchres of Martyrs About five years after Pope Eutychianus brings in the Benediction of the fruits of the Earth upon the Altar as if with the Manichees they had held them unclean until they were thus purified 70. This Pope Eutychianus the Tuscan is said to bring in that custom that no Martyr should be buried but in the Vestment called Palmatica and a Purple Hood Thus Superstition began to grow unto some strength in the Church of Rome betimes and that not only in matters of Ceremony but also of Doctrine for then began Temples to be built to the honour of the Virgin Mary of the Apostles and Martyrs to the great dishonour of God in following Ages 71. Augustine witnesseth that as all divine Worship is to be given to God so all Temples that are for the exercise of that worship are to be erected to him Angust contra Maxim Arrian lib. 1. tit 11. Yet Sylvester the first perswaded Constantine to erect that Church in Rome dedicated to the honour of St. Peter himself digging the Foundation and carrying away twelve Baskets full of Earth in honour of the twelve Apostles upon his Imperial Shoulders and at his instance many other Churches were built to many other Saints And Ciricius about this time brought in that doctrine of Daemons forbidding the Priests to marry and commanding those that were married to repudiate their Wives urging it from that place
Alexander and Croesus than to Christ or to any of his Apostles Illyricus Catal. Test Verit. pag. 2052. Yea Bernard long before Erasmus said that the Pope in his pomp was more like the Successor of Constantine than of Peter Idem ibidem 163. Greg. Nazian c. 3. They do plainly Heathenize which is worst of all for Tertullian saith de Corona Militis mihi crede hoc Rita habitu Apparatu Idolis immolatur In such like Vestments believe me the Heathens do sacrifice to their Idols 17. They do heathenize in their Holy Garments in their Holy Water and in many other things if we believe Baronius who saith not only their Lustral Water and sprinkling of Sepulchres may be found in Juvenal's sixth Satyr as before but also their Lights in Sepulchres are mentioned in Suetonius his Octavius and their Lamps lighted upon Saturdays in Seneca's 96th Epistle and distribution of Tapers among the people in Macrobius's Saturnals c. Good Warrants all as if God had never said to his people Be not like unto the Heathen do not conform to their customs Matth. 6.8 not so much as to name their Gods without abhorrency Exod. 23.13 Psal 16.4 Yet Cardinal Bembus most grosly affirmeth of their St. Francis Quòd in Numerum Deorum ab Ecclesiâ Romanâ sit Relatus that he was reckoned by the Romish Church among the number of the Gods This must be the Heathen Gods for Christians know but one Only and True God 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6. The Gods of the Heathen are good fellows thirty thousand of them in Hesiod's time as his Verse snews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Romanists have made them a great Army since that time with their St. Francis and many other Canonized Saints much good may this good fellowship do St. Francis It was the Devil's Grammar that first taught to decline Deum in the Plural Number Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 but the true God is a jealous God and will not share his Glory with another Isa 43.10 11. and 45.5 6 14. and 48.11 But to return to their Priestly Vestments Assuredly such Vestments were not known in primitive times nor were they reputed among necessary things in that first Council Act. 15. wherein the Holy Ghost sat President The necessary things are there mention'd but not Garments and Paul bids Timothy be content with Food and Raiment 1 Tim. 6.6 7. but he bids him not load himself with Pontifical Raiment yet speaks he of Women's Raiment in Chap. 2. The Novelty hereof therefore appears that it is not found in the Word but only in the Synodal Acts of Anselm in the eleventh Century Anno Dom. 1106. as Authors shew 18. Fourthly their Latin Service is a mere Novel Novice Device which hath the Inscription of the Heathen Altar at Athens Act. 17. upon it to the unknown God It is not a getting under the Tree of Knowledge and looking towards the Tree of Life it is not a praying with the Vnderstanding and using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words easie to be understood 1 Cor. 14.9 c. Thus its absurdity appears when a Popish Priest gets into a corner and mumbles over his Latin Services which the people cannot so much as hear much less understand but least of all how can they say Amen to it as Christ in his Apostle commands but Antichrist forbids Their own Commentators confess it were more to edifying but the Church hath allowed it upon weighty Grounds Why do they not preach in Latin as well as pray Dr. Davenant Determ pag. 185. and the Novelty of it appears in this that Pope Vitalianus appointed Latin Service◠in the year 666. the Number of the Beast Rev. 13. last Magdeburg Cent. 7. cap. 6. pag. 141. and Osian Cent. 7. cap. 10. pag. 191. c. Balaeus Cent. 1. 19. The Conclusion Thus might I enlarge in shewing the novelty of all the other inferior yea and superior points of the Popish Doctrine and Practice but to avoid prolixity I shall only make a reference of them to Authors the first Author is Duplessis or Philip Mornaeus De Sacrâ Eucharistiâ who shews the Novelty of the foppery of Popery He saith first that about the year 340. they began to give Panem Vino intinctum Bread dip'd in Wine before they took away the Cup pag. 270. which was not done till Thomas Aquinas time pag. 257 297 298. the Eastern Church using both 2. Worshipping of Images began from the second Lateran Council which established it pag. 447. Which Council brought in also 3. the Canon of the private Mass about the year 1200. pag. 605.4 Forbidding Priests Marriages he shews was from the Heathens pag. 649 667. and that Nicolaus Diaconus brought it into the Church pag. 698. which was after confirmed by Pope Hildebrand that Brand of Hell who notwithstanding kept his Whore Matildah pag. 706. which caused a World of wickedness pag. 712. and 717.5 Their Purgatory he shews was from the Heathens pag. 1003. and how it had its progress in the Romish Church pag. 1059.6 Their Invocation of Saints was not known in the Church for four hundred years after Christ pag. 1215.7 Their Transubstantiation was not any Article of their Faith until the Trent Council pag. 1666 8. He shews also the foppery of their Altars Crosses c. and that they were unknown till a thousand years after Christ pag. 382. Cum multis aliis c. The second Author is famous Peter de Moulin de Novitate Papismi both French Worthies He and Du-plessis whose Book stands unanswerable to the everlasting disgrace of the Romish Religion The third Author is honourable Bishop Vsher de Statu Successu Ecclesiae which can never be answered The fourth is Reverend Mr. Baxter both our own Countrymen who hath challenged the Papists for Novelty in thirty two points in his Key for Catholicks pag. 143 144. yet unanswered The fifth Author learned Dr. Willet in his Synopsis Papismi at large The sixth Author Godly Hildersham upon John pag. 37. and pag. 141. Numb 46. To say nothing of their Monks Fryars and Nuns see Dr. Willet on Rom. pag. 711. Dr. Boy 's Postil's in fol. pag. 572. Rosse's Panscheia pag. 259. and many others of this and all other their fooleries all which shew the Romish Religion is a Religion to be abhorred as an upstart Religion of all sober minds The last Author is King James in his Tortus lyes confuted where he shows the Novel Doctrines thereof with a brief declaration of their Novelty See the Particulars CHAP. VI. The Sixth Property Its Inconsistency with Publick Peace 1. THere is a three-fold Inconsistency that the Romish Religion hath as a remark upon it As 1. It s Inconsistency with holiness to God as it both allows of and wallows in a most impure worship which is both contrary to his Holy Nature in their downright Idolatry by Adoration of Images and Invocation of Saints and Angels and contrary to his holy Scripture in the very