Beelzebubwhy refem bled rntoFlies. Sondayin Lent. SeraB. `295 head and face ; or becaufetheDeuill and thefeFlies arc much alike in theireuil difpofition, [According to that of Salomon, cMufa morikntes,perdurtfuauitatem vnguenti,DeadFlies doe marre thefweetnefof the oyntment ] or for thatthe Flìe is tue Emblemofaproud Deuill ; ipfe eft Rexjaperomnesftliosfuperbi e. This De- uill is aproud daring Deuill : proud in his Motto Similia ero Altimo, Iwillbee like to the moll High : andproud in that his proffer, To haue the Kingof Kings our Sauiour Chrift to doehim homage; Hai.amnia tibi debo, fi cadens adoraueris see, 4l1thefethings wiglgiuethee,cf thou wilt fall downe and worfhip me. Or whi- ther he werefo called for thatother attribute of his, towit, his daringneffe and his audacioufneffe 5 Nihil audacitsa mufca, Nothing bolder thana Flie : And for this caufe (faith Homer)did theLacedemonians beare Flies for their Deuice in their Shields ; which is confirmedby Pierit a. TheDeuill occupieth the North, IwillJet in thefidesoftheWort h.From the North commethalleuill ; Your Flies they doe thelike. Fli eiefaith, Thatyour Beesare forcedtoforfake their hiues,and to flieour ofyour Northerneparts, forthe trouble thatthe Flies there gine them. TheDeuill is importunate, impudent, neuer ceafeth, neuergrowes wearie with temptingvs : And no leffe vexatiue andtroublefome areyour Flies. Saint Gre- gorie calls thefe our fenfuall imaginations, Flies. Pieriva reporteth, That to the importunate manthey gaue the nameof Flie ; And there is no fuchbule bodie as the Deuill. Laftly, Your Flies doe aboundmuff in the Dogdayes ; and the greater is the heat of our fenfualities, the greater (tore of Deuills it hatcheth. OfMarie (Magdalen Saint Luke faith , That ourSauiour Chrift caft out ofher feuenDeuilis. -Andhowbeit there were other greatGods amongftthe Gentiles, (according to Eatabluahis repott)asone Balberid ; that is,DominuaFideus,that prefideth in al kind ofdealingand contraétations in Innes andVictualling houfes ; and was fo rich an Idoli, byreafon of the great Aimesand deuotions which your Traders and dealers inthe world did offer vntohim,that by the helpe thereof; Abimelech killing feuentieof his brethren,catriedaway the Kin ;dome of Ifraell. There was likewife oneBelfegor, whodid command in Chiefe inGlutronie; andwas a veriepoore Idoli, in regard that they whowere dcuoted vntohim; fpent all that theycould rapeand wring , in bellie cheereandgourmand i zing.Notwithflan- ding allthefe, Beelzebub, whom they like wifecalled the God ofAcharon, was more famous thanall the refs of that rabble. And theProphets for todiuertthe People from the adorationofthefe Idolls, did impofe infamousnames vpon them as Beelzebub Godof the Flies. Andthe People wondred. Acknowledging, Thatthey had neuer feen fo prodi- gious amiracle in Ifrael[Xunquamapparuitfc in ifael;] Infomuch that fomeof them whifpered amongft themfelues, That he was the Sonneof God ; Nunquid hic eft FilisesDei ? others did defire fignes fromHeauen; others faid,inBeelzebub, erc. Saint Hierome faith, That thiswas that Deuill which deceiued Eue ; as alto he that tempted our Sauiour IefusChrift. But here is tobe f eneagreatermira- elethan this, That Christ giuing fight tothis one blind man, fhould leaue fo ma- nyothers more blind than he : WhichmadeEfy crieout,obffupefcite,' admira- mini, Stayyourfelues,and wonder, theyareblind,andmakeyoublind. It were able tofirike aman into amafenrent,to fee thatapooreTillieoldwoman fhould feethe light ofHeauen,and the blindlikewife that is borne blind ;and that the Scribes andPharifees fhouldcontinue foblindas theydoe. The heart that is hardned is like vnto theAnuile,which the more you beat vpon ir,the harder it waxeth : Or like vinofand, which the more the waters wafhir, the cloferit fettles, and Screws. Efay 14. Mat,9. Efay 20.
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