A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Now the aim and scope of false doctrine, is to hearten this Jezebel that bew• cheth us: that whosoever is led by it, may share the testimony, the infamy, the penalty with Ahab, 1 King. 21.25. He hath sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of God, whom Jezebel his wise provoked. The doctrine of Rome may here justly be i• dicted for Asoticall, the nurse of voluptuousness. O you wrong it; nothing is more corrective, restrictive, austere: Doth it not command fasting? No: what not Rome? No, not Rome: it commands abstaining from some kind of food, but not fasting. A merchant is following his business all day, at night comes home; he must have no flesh: but he hath his cullises, his jellies, his junkets, ten times more provoking than moderate flesh. The poor labourer, if at night he eats a piece of Bacon, O he is an heretic, but the other an excellent Catholic. But does it not forbid marriage, and commend vows of chastity and celibate? Yes, that it may allow Stews, and have large fees out of harlots hires. But there is a curse against them, Mich. 1.7. They gather it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the wages of an harlot. Why do they not boast their Pauline order, founded by Ghastalia, a Countess of Mantua: where mortification was so throughly taught, that a certain old woman Julia, indeed little better than a Bawd; would lay a young man and a maid in one bed together, with a Crucifix between them, to keep them from scratching one another; that thus they might learn to mortify the flesh? Do they not commend [Greek or Hebrew], Prodigality; when they tempt a young landed man to part with all he hath, to u• do his parents that depend upon him; that he may take their order, and they •• vide his Inheritance? Do they not approve [Greek or Hebrew], lasciviousness; when they forbid marriage to a chaste wife, and tolerate turpitude with an unchaste courtesan? Whether then we take it for the first or second, the third will fit all, as our translation reads it; Damnable ways. In that Tertio they all meet: whether it be a Luxurious way, or a Lascivious way, it is still a Damnable way.

Now the aime and scope of false doctrine, is to hearten this Iezabel that bew• cheth us: that whosoever is led by it, may share the testimonie, the infamie, the penaltie with Ahab,