it

upon supposal of any divinity therein. What copy was ever so like the sample, as all this to the DOCTRINES OF DEMONS? And for the idolatry of the Eucharist, or bread-worship, though it may be reduced to imageworship, as being the adoration of a sign, or symbol,yet let it be considered whether, for the quality thereof, may not be taken rather for an idolatry of reliques, the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament being the mystical reliques which he left us, as monuments of his death till he come. Whichsoever it be, I must confess, it hath a strain above the abominations of the Gentiles, who, though they supposed some presence of their demons in their images and reliques, yet were they never so blockish as to think their images and reliques to be transubstantiated into demons.

But to come to the main again. I will confess, for myself, that I cannot think of this demon resemblance without admiration; nor do I believe that you will hear, without some astonishment, that which I am now to add further that the advancers of saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it, but even gloried, (*but their glorying was not good,) that they had a thing in Christian practice so like the doctrines of demons. We heard before, that Plato, in his Republic, would have the souls of such as died valiantly in battle to be accounted for demons after death, aud their sepulchres and coffins to be served and adored as the sepulchres of demons. Eusebius, lib. 13, Præpar. Evangel. cap. 11. quoting this place, adds with it," These things do befit at (or after) the decease of the favourites of God, whom, if thou shalt affirm to be taken for the champions of the true religion, thou shalt not say amiss: whence it is our custom Sed gloriatione non bona.

+ Ταυτα δε αρμόζει επι τη των θεοφίλων τελευτη, &ς τρα τιωτας της αληθές ευσέβειας, εκ αν αμάρτοις ειπων παραλαμ

βανεισθαι.

* όθεν και επι τας θηκας αυτών εθος ημιν παριέναι και τας ευχας παρα ταυταις ποιεισθαι, τιμαν τε τας μακαρίας αυτων ψυχας.

to go unto their tombs, and to make our prayers at them, and to honour their blessed souls." The purpose of Eusebius here was to shew, (as a preparation to draw men to Christianity,) how well the present use of Christians, in honouring the memories of their martyrs, by keeping their assemblies at their sepulchres, did agree with the Gentiles, (so much commended by Plato,) in honouring their champions and worthies for demons after death. But, alas! in the next age after, it proved too, too like it indeed for these ear-rings, which the Christians had borrowed or stolen from the Gentiles, at their coming out of Egypt, presently became a golden calf, as soon as the woman (the Church) came into the wilderness; yea, and Aaron the Priest had a foul part of it too,

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Read the eighth book of Theodoret,* concerning curing the affections of the Greeks, whose title is concerning martyrs+; or in the mean time take these few passages thereof. Thus he speaks, having quoted that passage of Hesiod, for demons commended by Plato :-" If, then, "the poet (Hesiod) calls good men, after their decease, guardians and preservers, or deliverers, of mortal men "from all evil; and, accordingly, the best of philosophers, " in confirmation of the poet's saying, would have their sepulchres to be served and honoured. I beseech you, "Sirs," (he speaks to the Greeks,)" why do you find "such fault with what we do? For, such as were "eminent for piety, and religion, and for the sake "thereof suffered death, we also call preservers and physicians in no wise do we term them demons; * De curandis Græcorum affectionibus. +De martyribus. * Ει τοίνυν και ο ποιητης και αλεξικακος και φυλακας θνητων ανθρώπων τες αριστα βεβιωκοτας, είτα τελευτησανίας, προση γορευσεν εκρατυνε δε τε ποιητε τον λογον των φιλοσοφων ο άρισος, και χρηναι εφη και θεραπεύειν τετων και προσκυνείν τας θηκας το δητα μεμφεσθε τοις παρ ημων γιγνομένοις, ω βελτισοι, τες γαρ εν ευσέβεια λαμψανίας, και υπερ ταύτης την σφαγην δεξαμενες, αλεξικακους ημεις και ιατρες ονομαζομεν, & δαιμονας καλοντες μη οὕτω λυττησαιμεν αλλα Θεω φίλες και ευνες θεραπονίας,

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σε

(God forbid we should ever fall into such a desperate "madness,) but the hearty friends and servants of God," * « That the souls of holy men, even when they were "out of the body, are in a capacity of taking care of “ men's affairs, Plato affirms in the eleventh book of his "Laws. The philosopher (you see) bids men believe even the vulgar reports"-[That is, the relations and stories which are commonly talked of, concerning the care which deceased souls have of men :]-" but you do not "only disbelieve us, and are utterly unwilling to hearken "to the loud voice of the events or effects themselves-" "The martyr temples are frequently to be seen, famous "for their beauty and greatness.'

§" They that are in health pray for the continuance "thereof; and they that have been long sick pray for “ recovery: the barren also pray for children. And they "that are to take a long journey, desire them-[viz. the martyrs]-to be their companions, or rather their guides, in the journey."

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"Not going to them as Gods, but making application "to them as to divine men and agents for them with « God."

** Now that they who made faithful prayers have ob* Οτι και επι μελείσθαι των ανθρωπινων δυνανται πραγμάτων αι των οσίων ψυχαί και τω σωμαΐς εκτος γενομεναι, ο Πλατων και τέλο εν τω ενδεκατω των Νόμων εδίδαξε

† Αλλ ο μεν φιλοσοφ@ κελευει και ταις φήμαις πιςεύειν υμείς δε 8 μόνον ημιν απισείτε, και της των πραγματων φωνης βίωσης & βαλεσθε

* Οι δε των μαρτύρων σηκοι λαμπροι και περιβλεπίοι γέθει διαπρέπεις.

και με

§. Οι μεν υγιαίνοντες αΐτεσι της υγείας την φυλακην οι δε τινι νοσω παλαιονΊες την των παθηματων απαλλαγην αιτωσι δε και αγονοι παιδας και οι μεν εις τινα αποδημίαν ςελλομενοι, λιπαρουσι τουτους ξυνοδοιπορες γενεσθαι και της οδε ηγεμόνας.

|| 8χ ως θεοις αυτοις προσιόντες, αλλ ως θείες ανθρώπους αντιβολουντες, και γενεσθαι πρεσβευίας υπερ σφων παρακαλουντες. ** Οτι δε τυγχανεσιν ὧνπερ αιτεσιν οι πιςως επαγγέλοντες,

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"tained their petitions, clearly appears by the presents and gifts brought by the votaries, as so many grateful acknowledgments of their recovery. Accordingly some “ do present (to be hung up in the Church) the effigies "of eyes, others of hands; and these made of gold or of "silver.'

*"Nay, the martyrs have utterly abolished and wiped "out of the minds of men the memory of those who were called Gods."

σε

+ Our Lord God hath brought his dead (viz. the martyrs) into the place (the temples) of your Gods, whom " he hath sent packing, and hath given their honour to "his martyrs. For instead of the feasts of Jupiter and Bacchus, are now celebrated the festivals of Peter and Paul, and Thomas and Sergius, &c. and other holy "martyrs."

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"Wherefore, since you see there is so much advantage " by honouring the martyrs, be persuaded, I beseech you, to flee from the errors of demons; and making use of the martyrs as so many lights and guides, follow “ the way which leads directly to God,” &c.

Now, judge whether THE DOCTRINES OF DEMONS hath hitherto been fitly applied or not. I will

go on.

αναφανδόν μαρτυρεί τα τετων αναθήματα, την εατρειαν δηλοντα. οι μεν γαρ οφθαλμων, αλλοι δε χειρων προσφερεσιν εκτυπώματα. και οι μεν εν χρυσου, οι δε εξ αργυρs πεποιημενα.

* και γαρ αυτών των καλεμένων θεων την μνημης εκ της των ανθρωπων εξήλειψαν διανοιας.

† τους γαρ οικειες νεκρους ο δεσποτης αντεισηξε τοις υμετεροις θεοίς, και τους μην Φρεδες απέφηνε, τουτοις δε τα ενείνων απένειμε γερα αντι γαρ των Πανδίων και Διονυσίων, Πετρε και Παύλου, και Θωμα και Σεργι8 &c. και των αλλων μαρτυρων επιτελονται δημοθοίνιαι.

* Ορωντες τοινυν της των μαρτύρων τιμης το ωφελιμον, φεύγετε ω φιλοι, των Δαιμονων τον πλανον και τουτοις φωςήρσι και Πο δηγείς κεχρημένοι, την προς τον Θεον άγεσαν πορείαν οδεύσατε, &c.

H

CHAP. VIII.

THAT IDOLATRY IS THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH'S APOSTASY, PROVED BY THREE ARGUMENTS.

HAVING, therefore, by so many arguments, made apparent (as I hope) what I endeavoured to prove, I desire we may observe, among so many corruptions both now and heretofore overwhelming the Church of Christ, what that is wherein the Holy Ghost placeth the essence, and accounteth as the very soul of the great apostasy under the man of sin, and would have us to make the pole-star of our discovery thereof; not every error, not every heresy, how foul soever, but Doctrines of Demons, idolatry and spiritual fornication. As for other heresies, though accompanying this, yet are they but accidental, and not of the essence of the great apostasy which was to come. Even as whores are seldom without other foul faults, which yet are no parts of whoredom, so hath the spiritual whore many other heresies, but her whoredom is only idolatry and the doctrine of demons.

Neither is heresy of itself: no, though damnable heresy, a character whereby the great apostasy can be known from other sects and blasphemies. Foul heresies were in the first ages of the Church; yet Antichrist and his time were neither of them yet come. When his time approached nearer, the Arrians, the Macedonians, Nestorians, Eutychians, were abominable heretics; and the Arriaus possessed for a time the face of the visible Church, yet was not theirs the solemn apostasy looked for.

But idolatry, or spiritual whoredom, which in that storin the Devil was a working, this is the only character and note whereby the* APOSTASY under the man of sin is

* 1 Thess. i. 9. Conversion to Christianity is described, a turning from Idols to serve the true and living God, and to wait for his son Jesus Christ; therefore Apostasy therefrom is a return to Idols from the living and true God and his son Jesus Christ.