Pansebeia, or, A view of all religions in the world with the severall church-governments from the creation, to these times : also, a discovery of all known heresies in all ages and places, and choice observations and reflections throughout the whole / by Alexander Ross.

The Preface to the Reader, concerning the use of this Book.

Christian Reader,

I Understand that some Momes have al∣ready past their verdict upon this Book, affirming that, (seeing the world is pestered with too many Reli∣gions) it were better their names and Tenets were obliterated than published. To whom I answer, that their assertion is frivolous, and the reason thereof ridiculous; for the end wherefore these different opinions in Religi∣on are brought into the light, is, not that we should embrace them, but that we may see their deformity and avoid them. Shall Lo∣gick be rejected for setting down all the waies of fallacious arguments? Or Philoso∣phy for teaching what are the different poy∣sons in Herbs, Roots, Minerals, &c. The Scripture nameth many sins, idols, and false gods, must it therefore be reproved of imper∣tinency? the Sea Coast is pestered with many Rocks, Shelves, and Quick-Sands, must they therefore be past over in silence in the art of Navigation? Were Irenaeus, Epiphanius, S. Austin, Theodoret, and other eminent men in the Church, fooles? for handling in their Books; all the hereticall opinions that infest∣ed Christianity, both before, and in their times? Do not these Censorious Momes know that truth though comly in it selfe, is yet

more lovely, when compared with falshood? how should we know the excellency of light, if there were no darknesse; the benefit of health, if there were no sicknesse; and the de∣lights of the spring, if there were no winter; Opposita juxta se posita clarius elucescunt: The Swans fethers are not the lesse white, because of their black feet; nor Venus the lesse beautiful, be∣cause of her Mole. The Stone is set out by the file, and the picture by its shadow. To infer then, that because the world is pestered with too many Sects and Heresies, therefore we must not mention them, is as much as if they would say, the way to heaven is beset with too many theeves, therefore we must not take notice of them. But how shall we avoid them, if we know them not; and how shall we know them, if concealed; its true the world is pestered with too many Religions, and the more is the pitty; yet this Book made them not, but they made this Book. He that detects errors makes them not. They that informed the Israelites there were Gy∣ants in the Land, did not place those Gyants there. But now I will let these men see the ends for which I have undertaken this task, of presenting all Religions to their view; and they are grounded on the divers uses that may be made thereof. 1. When we look up∣on the multitude of false Religions in the world, by which most men have bin deluded; are not we so much the more bound to the goodnesse of Almightie God, who hath deli∣vered us out of darknesse, and hath caused

the day Star of his truth to shine upon, and visit us; who having suffered the World round about us, to sit in the Valley of the shadow of death, and to be overwhelmed with worse than Egyptian darkness, hath not∣withstanding in this our Goshen aboundantly displayed the light of his truth; but how shal we seriously weigh or consider this great mercy, if we do not as wel look on the wret∣ched condition of other men as on our own happinesse, which we cannot do, if we know not the errors which make them wretched. What comfort could the Israelites have taken in their Land of light, if they had not known that the rest of Egypt sate in darkness. 2 When we look upon the different multiplicity of Religions in the world how that in all times, and in all places, men though otherwise bar∣barous, have notwithstanding embraced a religion, and have acknowledged a Divinity; I say when we look upon this, do we not ad∣mire the impudency of those Atheists in this age, who either inwardly in their hearts, or outwardly in their mouths dare deny the Es∣sence, or else the providence of God; and count all Religions but inventions of hu∣mane policy. How can those Atheists avoid shame and confusion when they read this book, in which they shall see, that no Nation hath been so wretched as to deny a Deity, and to reject all Religion; which Religion is a property no lesse essential to man, and by which he is discriminated from the Beasts, than rationality it selfe. 3. In the View of

all Religions, we may observe how the Chil∣dren of this world are wiser in their Genera∣tion than the Sons of God; for they spare no paines and charges, they reject or slight no∣thing commanded them by their Priests and Wizards; they leave no meanes unattempted to attaine happinesse: See how vigilant, de∣vout, zealous, even to superstition they are; how diligent in watching, fasting, praying, giving of almes, punishing of their bodies, even to death sometimes; whereas on the con∣trary we are very cold, carelesse, remisse, su∣pine, and luke-warme in the things that so neere concerne our eternal happinesse. They thought all too little that was spent in the service of their false gods, wee think all is lost and cast away which wee bestow on the ser∣vice of the true God. They reverenced and obeyed their Priests, wee dishonour, disobey and slight ours; they observed many Festivall daies to their Idols, we grudge to give one day to the service of the true God. They made such conscience of their Oaths taken in presence of an Idol, that they would rather loose their lives, than falsifie these Oaths: But wee make no more scruple to take the name of God in vaine, to sweare and forsweare, than if we worshiped Iupiter Lapis, meer stocks and Stones; such reverence and devotion they carried to their Idols, that they durst not enter into their Temples, nor draw near their Altars, till first they were purified; they did not onely kneel, but fall flat on the ground before their feigned Gods; they knock their breasts, beat their heads to the ground, teare

their skines, wound and cut their flesh, think∣ing thereby to pacifie their false gods: Where∣as we will not debarre our selves of the least pleasure or profit to gaine Heaven; and so ir∣reverent is our behaviour in the presence and house of Almighty God, Before whom the Cherubims and Seraphims dare not stand, but with covered faces: as if he were our equal, and not our Lord or Father, for (to speak in the Prophets words) Malach. 1: 6. If hee bee our Father, where is his honour? and if hee bee our Lord, where is his fear? Doubtlesse these false worshippers shall stand up in judgement a∣gainst us, who know our Masters will, but doe it not; is not their zeal in the practice of religious duties, to be preferred to our care∣lesnesse; and their ignorance, to our know∣ledge; which without practice, will but ag∣gravate our damnation, for he that knoweth his Masters will, and doeth it not, shall he beaten with many stripes; Wee are in the right way to Heaven; they are in the wrong way; but if we stand still, and walk not, they will be as neer their journies end as we. They worship I∣dols, we commit sacriledge: But is not a sacrilegious theefe as hateful to God as an ignorant Idolater? 4. When we look upon the confused multitude of Religions in the world, let us learne to tremble at Gods judgements, to make much of the light whilest we have it, to hold fast by the truth, to em∣brace it with all affection, and the Ministers thereof; for if once we forsake the right way, which is but one, we shall wander all our daies after in by-paths, and crooked lanes of

error, which are innumerable: if we reject the thread of Gods word presented to us by the Church: a thread I say, surer than that of Ariadne, we shall be forced to ramble up and down, through the inextricable Labyrinth of erronious opinions. It stood with the justice of God, to suffer men who in the begining were of one language and religion, to fall in∣to a Babel and confusion, both of tongues and false religions, for not retaining the truth; to dig to themselves broken Cesterns, which would hold no Water, for rejecting the fountain of living Waters; to surfet upon the poysonable flesh of quails, who grew weary of the bread of Angels; and with the swine to eat husks, who would slight the wholsome food of their Fathers house. If the Iewes put Gods word from them, and judge themselves unworthy of Eternal Life, Loe, Paul and Barnabas will turn to the Gen∣tiles, Act. 13. 46. 5. In reading this Book we shal finde, that the whole rabble of vain, phan∣tastical, or prophane opinions, with which at this day, this miserable distracted Nation is pestered, are not new revelations, but old dreams, of ancient Hereticks, long agoe con∣demned by the Church, and exploded by the publick authority of Christian Magistrates; but now for want of weeders, these Tares spring up again in the Lords field, and are like to choak the good corne; unlesse the Lord of the Harvest send forth labourers into his Harvest. 6. The reading of this Book, may induce us to commiserate the wretched condition of a great part of the World buri∣ed

as it were, in the darknesse of ignorance, and tyranny of superstition:

To blesse God for the light and freedom we enjoy, whereas they are not greater sinners than we; but except we repent, we shall all like∣wise perish; let us not then be too high∣minded, but fear, and when we think we stand, let us take heed-least we fall:

God hath already permitted divers of those old, obsolet, and antiquated hereticall opinions to break in amongst us;

the times are now come, that men will not suffer wholesome Doctrine; but having itching ears after their own lusts, get them an heap of teach∣ers, turning their ears from the truth, and giving themselves unto Fables.

2 Tim. 4. Thus is the Lord pleased to deal with us, he suf∣fers Heresies to repullulate, that they who are ap∣proved among us, may be manifested. He per∣mits Prophets and Dreamers amongst us, but it is as Moses saith, to prove ••s, and to know, whether we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls, Deut. 13. To conclude, whereas all men are desirous of happiness, and immortality, but few walk in the right way that conduceth to it; being there are such multitudes of by-waies, as we may see by this Book, let us follow the coun∣sel of the Prophet, Ier. 6. 16. Stand in the waies, behold and ask for the old way, and walk therein, and yee shal finde rest for your souls. And thus good Reader having shewed thee the true use of this book, I leave it to thy perusal, besee∣ching God to keep us from the by-waies of error, and to lead us into the way of truth.

A. R.