and thereby most plainly to express the Weakness of Man and the Goodness of God the great infirmity of ourselves and the Might and Power of God the imperfection of our own Works and the most abundant Grace of our Saviour Christ and therefore wholly to ascribe the merit and deserving of our Justification unto Christ only and his most precious Blood shedding This Faith the Holy Scripture teacheth us The profit of the Doctrine of Faith only justifieth is the strong Rock and Foundation of Christian Religion this Doctrine all old and antient Authors of Christ's Church do approve this Doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the true Glory of Christ and beateth down the Vain-glory of Man this whosoever denieth is not to be accounted for a Christian Man nor for a setter forth of Christ's Glory but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of Mens Vain-glory. What they be that impugn the Doctrine of Faith only justifieth And although this Doctrine be never so true as it is most true indeed that we be justified freely without all merit of our own good Works as St. Paul doth express it and freely by this lively and perfect Faith in Christ only as the ancient Authors use to speak it yet this true Doctrine must be also truly understood and most plainly declared lest carnal Men should take unjustly occasion thereby to live carnally after the Appetite and Will of the World the Flesh and the Devil A declaration of this Doctrine of Faith without Works justifieth And because no Man should err by mistaking of this Doctrine I shall plainly and shortly so declare the right understanding of the same that no Man shall justly think that he may thereby take any occasion of carnal liberty to follow the desires of the flesh or that thereby any kind of sin shall be committed or any ungodly living the more used First you shall understand that in our Justification by Christ it is not all one thing the Office of God unto Man and the Office of Man unto God Justification is not the Office of Man but of God for Man cannot make himself Righteous by his own Works neither in part nor in the whole for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of Man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a Man might by his own Works take away and purge his own sins and so justifie himself But Justification is the Office of God only Justification is the Office of God only and is not a thing which we render unto him but which we receive of him Not which we give to him but which we take of him by his free Mercy and by the only Merits of his most dearly beloved Son our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ So that the true understanding of this Doctrine We be justified freely by Faith without Works or that we be justified by Faith in Christ only is not that this our own act to Believe in Christ or this our Faith in Christ which is within us doth justifie us and deserve our Justification unto us for that were to count our selves to be justified by some Act or Virtue that is within ourselves but the true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we hear God's Word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance Dread and Fear of God within us and do never so many Works thereunto Yet we must renounce the merit of all our said Virtues of Faith Hope Charity and all other Virtues and good Deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and insufficient and imperfect to deserve remission of our Sins and our Justification and therefore we must trust only in God's Mercy and that Sacrifice which our High Priest and Saviour Christ Jesus the Son of God once offered for us upon the Cross to obtain thereby God's Grace and Remission as well of our original Sin in Baptism as of all actual Sin committed by us after our Baptism if we truly repent and turn unfeignedly to him again So that as St. John Baptist although he were never so Virtuous and Godly a Man yet in this matter of forgiving of Sin he did put the People from him and appointed them unto Christ saying thus unto them Behold yonder is the Lamb of God John 1. which taketh away the sins of the World Even so as Great and as Godly a Virtue as the lively Faith is yet it putteth us from itself and remitteth or appointeth us unto Christ for to have only by him remission of our Sins or Justification So that our Faith in Christ as it were saith unto us thus It is not I that taketh away your Sins but it is Christ only and to him only I send you for that purpose forsaking therein all your good Virtues Words Thoughts and Works and only putting your Trust in Christ The Third Part of the Sermon of Salvation IT hath been manifestly declared unto you that no Man can fulfil the Law of God and therefore by the Law all Men are condemned Whereupon it followeth necessarily that some other thing should be required for our Salvation than the Law And that is a true and a lively Faith in Christ bringing forth good Works and a Life according to God's Commandments And also you heard the ancient Authors Minds of this Saying Faith in Christ only justifieth Man so plainly declared that you see that the very true meaning of this Proposition or Saying We be justified by Faith in Christ only according to the meaning of the old ancient Authors is this VVe put our Faith in Christ that we be Justified by him only that we be Justified by God's free Mercy and the Merits of our Saviour Christ only and by no Virtue or good Works of our own that is in us or that we can be able to have or to do for to deserve the same Christ himself only being the cause meritorious thereof Here you perceive many words to be used to avoid contention in Words with them that delight to brawl about Words and also to shew the true meaning to avoid evil taking and misunderstanding and yet peradventure all will not serve with them that be contentious But Contenders will ever forge matters of Contention even when they have none occasion thereto Notwithstanding such be the less to be passed upon so that the rest may profit which will be more desirous to know the Truth than when it is plain enough to contend about it and with contentious and captious Cavillation to obscure and darken it Truth it is that our Works do not justifie us to speak properly of our Justification that is to say our Works do not merit or deserve remission of our Sins and make us of Unjust Just before God But God of his own Mercy through the only Merits and Deservings of his Son Jesus Christ doth justifie us Nevertheless because
Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our Sins and that by Faith given us of God we embrace the Promise of God's Mercy and of the remission of our Sins which thing none other of our Virtues of Works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say That Faith without Works doth justifie And forasmuch as it is all one Sentence in effect to say Faith without Works and only Faith doth justifie us therefore the old ancient Fathers of the Church from time to time have uttered our Justification with this Speech Only Faith justifieth us meaning no other thing than St. Paul meant when he said Faith without Works justifieth us And because all this is brought to pass through the only Merits and Deservings of our Saviour Christ and not through our Merits or through the Merit of any Virtue that we have within us or of any Work that cometh from us Therefore in that respect of merit and deserving we forsake as it were altogether again Faith Works and all other Virtues For our own Imperfection is so great through the corruption of Original Sin that all is imperfect that is within us Faith Charity Hope Dread Thoughts Words and VVorks and therefore not apt to Merit and Deserve any part of our Justification for us And this form of Speaking use we in the humbling of ourselves to God and to give all the Glory to our Saviour Christ who is best worthy to have it Here you have heard the Office of God in our Justification and how we receive it of him freely by his Mercy without our deserts through true and lively Faith Now you shall hear the Office and Duty of a Christian Man unto God what we ought on our part to render unto God again for his great Mercy and Goodness They that preach Faith only justifieth do not teach carnal liberty or that we should do no good Works Our Office is not to pass the time of this present Life unfruitfully and idly after that we are Baptized or Justified not caring how few good VVorks we do to the Glory of God and Profit of our Neighbors Much less is it our Office after that we be once made Christ's Members to live contrary to the same making ourselves Members of the Devil walking after his enticements and after the suggestions of the VVorld and the Flesh whereby we know that we do serve the VVorld and the Devil and not God The Devils have Faith but not the true Faith For that Faith which bringeth forth without Repentance either evil VVorks or no good VVorks is not a right pure and lively Faith but a dead devilish counterfeit and feigned Faith as St. Paul and St. James call it For even the Devils know and Believe that Christ was Born of a Virgin that he Fasted forty Days and forty Nights without Meat and Drink that he wrought all kind of Miracles declaring Himself very God They Believe also that Christ for our sakes suffered a most painful Death to redeem us from everlasting Death and that he rose again from Death the Third Day They Believe that he ascended into Heaven and that he Sitteth on the Right Hand of the Father and at she last end of this VVorld shall come again and judge both the Quick and the Dead These Articles of our Faith the Devils Believe and so they Believe all things that be written in the New and Old Testament to be true And yet for all this Faith they be but Devils remaining still in their damnable estate lacking the very true Christian Faith What is the true and justifying Faith For the right and true Christian Faith is not only to believe that Holy Scripture and all the foresaid Articles of our Faith are true but also to have a sure Trust and Confidence in God's merciful Promises to be saved from everlasting Damnation by Christ Whereof doth follow a loving Heart to obey his Commandments And this true Christian Faith neither any Devil hath nor yet any Man which in the outward profession of his Mouth and in his outward receiving of the Sacraments in coming to the Church and in all other outward appearances seemeth to be a Christian Man and yet in his Living and Deeds sheweth the contrary They that continue in evil living have not true Faith For how can a Man have this true Faith sure Trust and Confidence in God that by the Merits of Christ his Sins be forgiven and he reconciled to the Favour of God and to be partaker of the Kingdom of Heaven by Christ when he liveth ungodlily and denieth Christ in his Deeds Surely no such ungodly Man can have this Faith and Trust in God For as they know Christ to be the only Saviour of the World so they know also that Wicked Men shall not enjoy the Kingdom of God They know that God hateth Unrighteousness Psal 25. that he will destroy all those that speak untruly that those which have done good Works which cannot be done without a lively Faith in Christ shall come forth into the Resurrection of Life and those that have done Evil shall come unto the Resurrection of Judgment Very well they know also that to them that be Contentious and to them that will not be Obedient unto the Truth but will obey Unrighteousness shall come Indignation Wrath and Affliction c. Therefore to conclude considering the infinite Benefits of God shewed and given unto us mercifully without our Deserts who hath not only Created us of Nothing and from a piece of vile Clay of his infinite Goodness hath exalted us as touching our Soul unto his own Similitude and Likeness But also whereas we were condemned to Hell and Death everlasting hath given his own natural Son being God Eternal Immortal and Equal unto Himself in Power and Glory to be incarnated and to take our mortal Nature upon him with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature to suffer most shameful and painful Death for our Offences to the intent to justifie us and to restore us to Life everlasting So making us also his dear Children Brethren unto his only Son our Saviour Christ and Inheritors for ever with him of his Eternal Kingdom of Heaven These great and merciful Benefits of God if they be well considered do neither minister unto us occasion to be idle and to live without doing any good Works neither yet stir us up by any means to do evil things But contrariwise if we be not desperate Persons and our Hearts harder than Stones they move us to render ourselves unto God wholly with all our VVills Hearts Might and Power to serve him in all good Deeds obeying his Commandments during our Lives to seek in all things his Glory and Honour not our sensual Pleasures and Vain-glory evermore dreading willingly to offend such a Merciful God and Loving Redeemer in VVord Thought or Deed. And the said Benefits of God deeply considered move us for his sake also
we do not speedily and earnestly Repent us of this Wickedness Thus ye have heard dearly beloved out of Gods Word what Reverence is due to the Holy House of the Lord how all Godly Persons ought with diligence at times appointed thither to repair how they ought to behave themselves there with Reverence and Dread before the Lord what Plagues and Punishments as well Temporal as Eternal the Lord in his Holy Word threatneth as well to such as neglect to come to his Holy House as also to such who coming thither do unreverently by gesture or talk there behave themselves Wherefore if we desire to have seasonable Weather and thereby to enjoy the good Fruits of the Earth if we will avoid Drought and Barrenness Thirst and Hunger which are Plagues threatned unto such as make haste to go to their own Houses to Ale-Houses and Taverns and leave the House of the Lord empty and desolate if we abhor to be scourged not with Whips made of Cords out of the material Temple only as our Saviour Christ served the Desilers of the House of God in Jerusalem but also to be beaten and driven out of the Eternal Temple and House of the Lord which is his Heavenly Kingdom Ephes 3. with the Iron Rod of Everlasting Damnation and cast into utter Darkness where is Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth if we Fear Dread and abhor this I say as we have most just cause to do Then let us amend this our negligence and contempt in coming to the House of the Lord this our unreverent behaviour in the House of the Lord and resorting thither diligently together let us there with Reverent hearing of the Lords Holy Word calling on the Lords Holy Name giving of hearty Thanks unto the Lord for his manifold and inestimable benefits daily and hourly bestowed upon us celebrating also Reverently the Lords Holy Sacraments serve the Lord in his Holy House as becometh the Servants of the Lord in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our Life and then we shall be assured after this Life to rest in his Holy Hill and to dwell in his Tabernacle there to Praise and Magnifie his Holy Name in the Congregation of his Saints in the Holy House of his Eternal Kingdom of Heaven which he hath purchased for us by the Death and Shedding of the precious Blood of his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one Immortal God be all Honour Glory Praise and Thanksgiving world without end Amen AN HOMILY AGAINST Peril of Idolatry and superfluous Decking of Churches The First Part. IN what points the true Ornaments of the Church or Temple of God do consist and stand hath been declared in the two last Homilies treating of the Right Use of the Temple or House of God and of the due Reverence that all true Christian People are bound to give unto the same The Sum whereof is that the Church or House of God is a place appointed by the Holy Scriptures where the lively Word of God ought to be Read Taught and Heard the Lords Holy Name called upon by publick Prayer hearty Thanks given to his Majesty for his infinite and unspeakable benefits bestowed upon us his Holy Sacraments duly and reverently ministred and that therefore all that be Godly indeed ought both with diligence at times appointed to repair together to the said Church and there with all Reverence to use and behave themselves before the Lord. And that the said Church thus godly used by the Servants of the Lord in the Lords true Service for the effectual presence of Gods Grace wherewith he doth by his holy Word and Promises endue his people there present and assembled to the attainment as well of Commodities worldly necessary for us as also of all heavenly Gifts and Life everlasting is called by the Word of God as it is indeed the Temple of the Lord and the House of God and that therefore the due Reverence thereof is stirred up in the Hearts of the Godly by the Consideration of these true Ornaments of the said House of God and not by any outward Ceremonies or costly and glorious decking of the said House or Temple of the Lord contrary to the which most manifest Doctrine of the Scriptures and contrary to the usage of the Primitive Chruch which was pure and uncorrupt and contrary to the Sentences and Judgments of the most antient learned and godly Doctors of the Church as hereafter shall appear the Corruption of these later days hath brought into the Church infinite multitudes of Images and the same with other parts of the Temple also have decked with Gold and Silver painted with Colours set them with Stone and Pearl clothed them with Silks and precious Vestures fancying untruly that to be the chief Decking and Adorning of the Temple or the House of God and that all People should be the more moved to the due Reverence of the same if all Corners thereof were glorious and glistering with Gold and precious Stones Whereas indeed they by the said Images and such Glorious decking of the Temple have nothing at all profited such as were Wise and Understanding But have thereby greatly hurt the Simple and Unwise occasioning them thereby to commit horrible Idolatry And the covetous Persons by the same occasion seeming to worship and peradventure worshipping indeed not only the Images but also the matter of them Gold and Silver as that Vice is of all others in the Scriptures peculiarly called Idolatry Ephes 5. Coloss 3. or worshipping of Images Against the which foul Abuses and great Enormities shall be alledged unto you First the Authority of Gods holy Word as well out of the Old Testament as of the New And secondly the Testimonies of the holy and ancient learned Fathers and Doctors out of their own Works and ancient Histories Ecclesiastical both that you may at once know their Judgments and withal understand what manner of Ornaments were in the Temples in the Primitive Church in those times which were most pure and sincere Thirdly the Reasons and Arguments made for the defence of Images or Idols and the outragious decking of Temples and Churches with Gold Silver Pearl and precious Stones shall be confuted and so this whole matter concluded But lest any should take occasion by the way of doubting by Words or Names it is thought good here to note first of all that although in common speech we use to call the likeness or similitudes of Men or other things Images and not Idols yet the Scriptures use the said two words Idols and Images indifferently for one thing alway They be words of divers Tongues and Sounds but one in Sense and Signification in the Scriptures The one is taken of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Idol and the other of the Latin word Imago an Image and so both used as English terms in the translating of Scriptures indifferently according as the Septuaginta
time very plain and single and nothing costly Lib. 1 Inst cap. 14. And Rabanus at large declareth that this costly and manifold Furniture of Vestments of late used in the Church was fetcht from the Jewish usage and agreeth with Aaron's apparelling almost altogether For the maintenance of the which Innocentius the Pope pronounceth boldly that all the customs of the Old Law be not abolished that we might in such Apparel of Christians the more willingly become Jewish This is noted not against Churches and Temples which are most necessary and ought to have their due use and honour as is in another Homily for that purpose declared nor against the convenient cleanness and ornaments thereof but against the sumptuousness and abuses of the Temples and Churches For it is a Church or Temple also that glittereth with no Marble shineth with no Gold nor Silver glistereth with no Pearls nor precious Stones but with plainness and frugality signifieth no proud Doctrine nor People but humble frugal and nothing esteeming earthly and outward things but gloriously decked with inward Ornaments according as the Prophet declareth saying The Kings Daughter is altogether glorious inwardly Now concerning excessive decking of Images and Idols with Painting gilding adorning with precious Vestures Pearl and Stone what is it else but for the further povocation and enticement to spiritual Fornication to deck spiritual Harlots most costly and wantonly which the Idolatrous Church understandeth well enough For she being indeed not only an Harlot as the Scripture calleth her but also a foul filthy old withered Harlot for she is indeed of ancient years and understanding her lack of natural and true Beauty and great loathsomness which of her self she hath doth after the custom of such Harlots paint her self and deck and tire her self with Gold Pearl Stone and all kind of precious Jewels that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them may please the foolish phantasie of fond Lovers and so entice them to spiritual Fornication with her Who if they saw her I will not say naked but in simple Apparel would abhor her as the foulest and filthiest Harlot that ever was seen According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great Strumpet of all strumpets the Mother of Whoredom Apoc. 17. set forth by St. John in his Revelation who by her glory provoked the Princes of the Earth to commit Whoredom with her Whereas on the contrary part the true Church of God as a chaste Matron espoused as the Scripture teacheth to one Husband our Saviour Jesus Christ whom alone she is content only to please and serve and looketh not to delight the eyes or phantasies of any other strange Lovers or Wooers is content with her natural Ornaments not doubting by such sincere simplicity best to please him who can well skill of the difference between a painted Visage and true natural Beauty And concerning such glorious gildings and decking of Images both Gods Word written in the tenth Chapter of the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 10. and St. Hierom's Commentaries upon the same are most worthy to be noted First the words of the Scripture be these The work-man with his Ax hewed the timber out of the wood with the work of his hands he decked it with gold and silver he joyned it with nails and pins and the stroke of an hammer that it might hold together They be made smooth as the Palm and they cannot speak if they be born they remove for they cannot go Fear ye them not for they can neither do evil nor good Thus saith the Prophet Upon which Text St. Hierome hath these words This is the description of Idols which the Gentiles worship their matter is vile and corruptible And whereas the Artificer is mortal the things he maketh must needs be corruptible he decketh it with Silver and Gold that with the glittering or shining of both Metals he may deceive the simple Which Error indeed hath passed over from the Gentiles that we should judge Religion to stand in Riches And by and by after he saith They have the beauty of Metals and be beautified by the Art of Painting but good or profit is there none in them And shortly after again They make great promises and devise an Image of vain worshipping of their own phantasies they make great brags to deceive every simple body they dull and amaze the Vnderstanding of the unlearned as it were with golden sentences and eloquence shining with the brightness of Silver And of their own devisers and makers are these Images advanced and magnified in the which is no utility nor profit at all and the worshipping of the which properly pertaineth to the Gentiles and Heathen and such as know not God Thus far of St. Jerome's words Whereupon you may note as well his judgment of Images themselves as also of the painting gilding and decking of them that it is an Error which came from the Gentiles that it perswadeth Religion to remain in Riches that it amazeth and deceiveth the simple and unlearned with golden sentences and silver-shining eloquence and that it appertaineth properly to the Gentiles and Heathens and such as know not God Wherefore the having painting gilding and decking of Images by St. Jerome's judgment is erroneous seducing and bringing into Error specially the simple and unlearned heathenish and void of the knowledge of God Surely the Prophet Daniel in the eleventh Chapter declareth such sumptuous decking of Images with Gold Silver and precious Stones to be a token of Antichrists Kingdom who as the Prophet fore-sheweth shall worship God with such gorgeous things Now usually such excessive adorning and decking of Images hath risen and been maintained either of Offerings provoked by Superstition and given in Idolatry or of Spoils Robberies Usury or Goods otherwise unjustly gotten whereof wicked men have given part to the Images or Saints as they call them that they might be pardoned of the whole as of divers Writings and old Monuments concerning the cause and end of certain great gifts may well appear And indeed such Mony so wickedly gotten is most meet to be put to so wicked a use And that which they take to be amends for the whole before God is more abominable in his sight than both the wicked getting and the more wicked spending of all the rest For how the Lord alloweth such gifts he declareth evidently in the Prophet Isaiah saying I saith the Lord do love judgment and I hate spoil and raveny offered in Sacrifice which the very Gentiles understood Dialog de legib 10. For Plato sheweth That such men as suppose that God doth pardon wicked men if they give part of their spoils and rapine to him take him to be like a Dog that would be entreated and hired with part of the Prey to suffer the Wolves to worry the Sheep And in case the Goods wherewith Images be decked were justly gotten Lib. 2. inst cap. 4. yet it is extream madness so
simple Man of small wit and less knowledge one that was reputed among the Learned as an Ideot and he on Gods name would needs take in hand to dispute with this proud Philosopher The Bishops and other learned Men standing by were marvellously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doings they should be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstanding goeth on and beginning in the Name of the Lord Jesus brought the Philosopher to such Point in the end contrary to all Mens expectation that he could not chuse but acknowledge the power of God in his Words and to give place to the Truth Was not this a miraculous Work that one silly Soul of no Learning should do that which many Bishops of great knowledge and understanding were never able to bring to pass So true is the saying of Bede Where the Holy Ghost doth instruct and teach there is no delay at all in learning Much more might here be spoken of the manifold gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost most excellent and wonderful in our eyes but to make a long Discourse through all the shortness of time will not serve And seeing ye have heard the chiefest ye may easily conceive and judge of the rest Now were it expedient to discuss this Question Whether all they which boast and brag that they have the Holy Ghost do truly challenge this unto themselves or no Which doubt because it is necessary and profitable shall God willing be dissolved in the next Part of this Homily In the mean season let us as we are most bound give hearty thanks to God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ for sending down his Comforter into the World humbly beseeching him so to work in our Hearts by the power of this Holy Spirit that we being Regenerate and newly Born again in all Goodness Righteousness Sobriety and Truth may in the end be made partakers of everlasting Life in his Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen The Second Part of the Homily concerning the HOLY GHOST dissoâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 doubt Whether all Men riâ—htly 〈…〉 themselves the HOLY GHOST or no â—ohn 14. â—5 OUr Saviour Christ departing out of the World unto his Father promised his Disciples to send down another Comforter that should continue with them for ever and direct them into all truth Which thing to be faithfully and truly performed the Scriptures do sufficiently bear witness Neither must we think that this Comforter was either promised or else given only to the Apostles but also to the Universal Church of Christ dispersed through the whole World For unless the Holy Ghost had been always present governing and preserving the Church from the beginning it could never have sustained so many and great brunts of Affliction and Persecution with so little damage and harm as it hath And the words of Christ are most plain in this behalf saying John 24. Mat. 21. That the Spirit of truth should abide with them for ever that he would be with them always he meaneth by Grace Vertue and Power even to the Worlds end Also in the Prayer that he made to his Father a little before his death he maketh intercession not only for himself and his Apostles but indifferently for all them that should believe in him through their words John 17. Rom. 8 that is to wit for his whole Church Again St. Paul saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Also in the words following Ibidem We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Hereby then it is evident and plain to all Men that the Holy Ghost was given not only to the Apostles but also to the whole Body of Christs Congregation although not in like form and majesty as he came down at the Feast of Pentecost But now herein standeth the Controversie Whether all Men do justly arrogate to themselves the Holy Ghost or no The Bishops of Rome have for along time made a sore Challenge thereunto reasoning with themselves after this sort The Holy Ghost say they was promised to the Church and never forsaketh the Church But we are the chief Heads and the principal part of the Church therefore we have the Holy Ghost for ever and whatsoever things we decree are undoubted Verities and Oracles of the Holy Ghost That ye may perceive the weakness of this Argument it is needful to teach you First What the true Church of Christ is and then to confer the Church of Rome therewith to discern how well they agree together The true Church is an Universal Congregation or Fellowship of Gods faithful and elect People built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. Jesus Christ himself being the head Corner-stone And it hath always three Notes or Marks whereby it is known Pure and Sound Doctrin the Sacraments Ministred according to Christs holy Institution and the right use of Ecclesiastical Discipline This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God and also to the Doctrin of the Ancient Fathers so that none may Justly find fault therewith Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is at present and hath been for the space of Nine hundred Years and odd you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more For neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrin of Christ Jesu neither yet do they order the Sacraments or else the Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them But have so intermingled their own Traditions and Inventions by chopping and changing by adding and plucking away that now they may seem to be converted into a new Guise Christ commended to his Church a Sacrament of his Body and Blood they have changed it into a Sacrifice for the Quick and the Dead Christ did Minister to his Apostles and the Apostles to other Men indifferently under both kinds They have robbed the Lay people of the Cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ Ordained no other Element to be used in Baptism but only Water whereunto when the Word is joyned it is made as St. Augustine saith a full and perfect Sacrament Augustine They being wiser in their own conceit than Christ think it is not well nor orderly done unless they use Conjuration unless they Hallow the Water unless there be Oyl Salt Spittle Tapers and such other dumb Ceremonies serving to no use contrary to the plain Rule of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. who willeth all things to be done in the Church to Edification Christ Ordained the Authority of the Keys to Excommunicate notorious sinners and to Absolve them which are truly Penitent They abuse this Power at their own pleasure as well in
of the First Part was promised that this Truth and Doctrine concerning the forbidding of Images and Worshipping of them taken out of the Holy Scriptures as well of the Old Testament as the New was believed and taught of the old Holy Fathers and most ancient Learned Doctors and received in the Old Primitive Church which was most uncorrupt and pure And this Declaration shall be made out of the said Holy Doctors own Writings and out of the ancient Histories Ecclesiastical to the same belonging Tertullian a most ancient Writer and Doctor of the Church who lived about One Hundred and Threescore years after the Death of our Saviour Christ both in sundry other places of his Works and specially in his Book Written against The manner of Crowning Lib. contra coronandi morem and in another little Treatise Entituled Of the Souldiers Crown or Garland doth most sharply and vehemently write and inveigh against Images or Idols And upon Saint John's words the First Epistle and Fifth Chapter saith thus Saint John saith he deeply considering the matter saith My little Children 1 John 5. keep yourselves from Images or Idols He saith not now keep yourselves from Idolatry as it were from the Service and Worshipping of them But from the Images or Idols themselves that is from the very shape and likeness of them For it were an unworthy thing that the Image of the living God should become the Image of a dead Idol Do you not think those Persons which place Images and Idols in Churches and Temples yea shrine them even over the Lords Table even as it were of purpose to the Worshipping and Honouring of them take good heed either to Saint John's Counsel or Tertullian's For so to place Images and Idols is it to keep themselves from them or else to receive and embrace them Origen in his Book against Celsus saith thus Christian Men and Jews when they hear these words of the Law Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and shalt not make any Image do not only abhor the Temples Altars and Images of the Gods but if need be will rather die than they should defile themselves with any impiety And shortly after he saith In the Common-Wealth of the Jews the Carver of Idols and Image-maker was cast far off and forbidden lest they should have any occasion to make Images which might pluck certain foolish Persons from God and turn the Eyes of their Souls to the Contemplation of Earthly Things And in another place of the same Book It is not only saith he a Mad and Frantick part to Worship Images but also once to dissemble or wink at it And a Man may know God and his only Son and those which have had such Honour given them by God that they be called Gods But it is not possible that any should by Worshipping of Images get any knowledge of God Athanasius in his Book against the Gentiles hath these Words Let them tell I pray you how God may be known by an Image If it be by the matter of an Image then there needeth no shape or form seeing that God hath appeared in all material Creatures which do testifie his Glory Now if they say he is known by the form or fashion Is he not better to be known by the living things themselves whose fashions the Images express For of surety the glory of God should be more evidently known if it were declared by reasonable and living Creatures rather than by dead and unmoveable Images Therefore when ye do Grave or Paint Images to the end to know God thereby surely ye do an unworthy and unfit thing And in another place of the same Book he saith The invention of Images came of no good but of evil and whatsoever hath an evil beginning can never in any thing be judged good seeing it is altogether naught Thus far Athanasius a very Ancient Holy and Learned Bishop and Doctor who judgeth both the first beginning and the end and altogether of Images or Idols to be naught Laclantius likewise an Old and Learned Writer in his Book of The Original of E rour hath these words God is above Man and is not placed beneath but is to be sought in the highest Region Wherefore there is no doubt but that no Religion is in that place wheresoever any Image is For if Religion stand in godly things and there is no godliness but in heavenly things then be Images without Religion Lib. 2. c. 16. These be Lactantius his words who was above Thirteen Hundred years ago and within Three Hundred years after our Saviour Christ Cyrillus an Old and Holy Doctor upon the Gospel of Saint John hath these words Many have left the Creator and have Worshipped the Creature neither have they been abashed to say unto a Stock Thou art my Father and to a Stone Thou begottest me For many yea almost all alas for Sorrow are fallen unto such folly that they have given the Glory of Deity or Godhead to things without Sense or Feeling Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus a very Holy and Learned Man who lived in Theodosius the Emperors time about Three Hundred and Ninety years after our Saviour Christs Ascension writeth thus to John Patriarch of Jerusalem I entred saith Epiphanius into a certain Church to pray I found there a Linen Cloth hanging in the Church Door Painted and having in it the Image of Christ as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well whose Image it was therefore when I did see the Image of a Man hanging in the Church of Christ contrary to the Authority of the Sâ—â—â—ptures I did tear it and gave Counsel to the 〈◊〉 of the Church that they should wind a 〈…〉 â—hat was Dead in the said Cloth and 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 same Epiphanius sending another 〈…〉 for that Painted one which 〈◊〉 â—ad 〈…〉 said Patriarch writeth thus I pray you 〈…〉 Elders of that place to receive this Cloth which 〈…〉 sent by this bearer and Command them 〈◊〉 from henceforth no such Painted Cloths contrary to our Religion be hanged in the Church of Christ For it becometh your goodness rather to have this care that you take away such scrupulosity which is unfitting for the Church of Christ and offensive to the People committed to your charge And this Epistle as Worthy to be Read of many did Saint Jerome himself Translate into the Latin Tongue And that ye may know that Saint Jerome had this Holy and Learned Bishop Epiphanius in most high Estimation and therefore did Translate this Epistle as a Writing of Authority hear what a Testimony the said Saint Jerome giveth him in another place in his Treatise against the Errours of John Bishop of Jerusalem where he hath these words All notable Bishops were then called Popes Thou hast saith Saint Jerome Pope Epiphanius which doth openly in his Letters call thee an Heretick Surely thou art not to be preferred before him neither for Age nor Learning nor
Godliness of Life nor by the Testimony of the whole World And shortly after in the same Treatise saith Saint Jerome Bishop Epiphanius was ever of so great Veneration and Estimation that Valens the Emperor who was a great Persecutor did not once touch him For Hereticks being Princes thought it their shame if they should persecute such a notable Man And in the Tripartite Ecclesiastical History the Ninth Book and Forty Eighth Chapter is testified That Epiphanius being yet alive did work Miracles and that after his Death Devils Lib. 9. c. 48. being expelled at his Grave or Tomb did roar Thus you see what Authority Saint Jerome and that most ancient History give unto the Holy and Learned Bishop Epiphanius whose judgment of Images in Churches and Temples then beginning by stealth to creep in is worthy to be noted First he judged it contrary to Christian Religion and the Authority of the Scriptures to have any Images in Christs Church Secondly he rejected not only Carved Graven and Molten Images but also painted Images out of Christs Church Thirdly that he regarded not whether it were the Image of Christ or of any other Saint but being an Image would not suffer it in the Church Fourthly that he did not only remove it out of the Church but with a vehement zeal tare it in sunder and exhorted that a Corse should be wrapped and buried in it judging it meet for nothing but to rot in the Earth following herein the Example of the good King Ezechias who brake the brasen Serpent to pieces and burned it to Ashes for that Idolatry was committed to it Last of all that Epiphanius thinketh it the duty of Vigilant Bishops to be careful that no Images be permitted in the Church for that they be occasion of scruple and offence to the people committed to their charge Now whereas neither S. Jerome who did translate the same Epistle nor the Authors of that most ancient History Ecclesiastical Tripartite who do most highly commend Epiphanius as is aforesaid nor any other godly or learned Bishop at that time or shortly after have written any thing against Epiphanius his Judgment concerning Images It is an evident proof that in those days which were about four hundred years after our Saviour Christ there were no Images publickly used and received in the Church of Christ which was then much less corrupt and more pure than now it is And whereas Images began at that time secretly and by stealth to creep out of private Mens Houses into the Churches and that first in painted Cloths and Walls such Bishops as were godly and vigilant when they spyed them removed them away as unlawful and contrary to Christian Religion as did here Epiphanius to whose Judgment you have not only Saint Jerome the Translator of his Epistle and the Writer of the History Tripartite but also all the learned and godly Clerks yea and the whole Church of that Age and so upward to our Saviour Christs time by the space of about four hundred years consenting and agreeing This is written the more largely of Epiphanius for that our Image-maintainers now adays seeing themselves so pressed with this most plain and earnest act and writing of Epiphanius a Bishop and Doctor of such Antiquity and Authority labour by all means but in vain against the Truth either to prove that this Epistle was neither of Epiphanius's Writing nor Saint Jerome's Translation Either if it be say they it is of no great force For this Epiphanius say they was a Jew and being converted to the Christian Faith and made a Bishop retained the hatred which Jews have to Images still in his mind and so did and wrote against them as a Jew rather than as a Christian O Jewish Impudency and Malice of such Devisers it should be proved and not said only that Epiphanius was a Jew Furthermore concerning the reason they make I would admit it gladly For if Epiphanius his Judgment against Images is not to be admitted for that he was born of a Jew an Enemy to Images which be Gods Enemies converted to Christs Religion then likewise followeth it that no Sentence in the Old Doctors and Fathers sounding for Images ought to be of any Authority for that in the Primitive Church the most part of Learned Writers as Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Austin and infinite others more were of Gentiles which be Favourers and Worshippers of Images converted to the Christian Faith and so let somwhat slip out of their Pens sounding for Images rather as Gentiles than Christians as Eusebius in his History Ecclesiastical and Saint Jerome saith plainly That Images came first from the Gentiles to us Christians And much more doth it follow that the opinion of all the Rablement of the Popish Church maintaining Images ought to be esteemed of small or no Authority for that it is no marvel that they which have from their Childhood been brought up amongst Images and Idols and have drunk in Idolatry almost with their Mothers Milk hold with Images and Idols and speak and write for them But indeed it would not be so much marked whether he were of a Jew or a Gentile converted unto Christ's Religion that writeth as how agreeable or contrary to Gods word he doth write and so to credit or discredit him Now what Gods word saith of Idols and Images and the Worshipping of them you heard at large in the First part of this Homily Saint Ambrose in his Treatise of the Death of Theodosius the Emperor saith Helene found the Cross and the Title on it She Worshipped the King and not the Wood surely for that is an Heathenish Errour and the Vanity of the wicked but she Worshipped him that hanged on the Cross and whose Name was Written in the Title and so forth See both the godly Empress her fact and Saint Ambrose's Judgment at once They thought it had been an Heathenish Errour and Vanity of the Wicked to have Worshipped the Cross itself which was embrued with our Saviour Christs own precious Blood And we fall down before every Cross piece of Timber which is but an Image of that Cross Saint Augustine the best Learned of all ancient Doctors in his Forty fourth Epistle to Maximus saith Know thou that none of the Dead nor any thing that is made of God is Worshipped as God of the Catholick Christians of whom there is a Church also in your Town Note that by Saint Augustine such as Worshipped the Dead or Creatures be not Catholick Christians The same Saint Augustine teacheth in the Twelfth Book of the City of God the Tenth Chapter That neither Temples or Churches ought to be builded or made for Martyrs or Saints but to God alone And that there ought no Priests to be appointed for Martyr or Saint but to God only The same Saint Augustine in his Book of The Manners of the Catholick Church hath these words I know that many be Worshippers of Tombs and Pictures I know that there be
of the West would not acknowledg for their Emperor for they had already created them another And so there became two Emperors And the Empire which was before one was divided into two Parts upon occasion of Idols and Images and the worshipping of them Even as the Kingdom of the Israelites was in old time for the like cause of Idolatry divided in King Rehoboham's time And so the Bishop of Rome having the Favour of Charles the Great by this means assured to him was wondrously enhanced in Power and Authority and did in all the West Church especially in Italy what he list where Images were set up garnished and worshipped of all sorts of Men But Images were not so fast set up and so much honoured in Italy and the West but Nicephorus Emperor of Constantinople and his Successors Scauratius the two Michaels Leo Or Staurtius Theophorus and other Emperors their Successors in the Empire of Greece continually pulled them down brake them burned them and destroyed them as fast And when Theodorus the Emperor would at the Council of Lyons have agreed with the Bishop of Rome and have set up Images He was by the Nobles of the Empire of Greece deprived and another chosen in his place and so rose a jealousie suspicion grudge hatred and enmity between the Christians and Empires of the East Countries and West which could never be quenched nor pacified So that when the Sarazens first and afterward the Turks invaded the Christians the one part of Christendom would not help the other By reason whereof at the last the Noble Empire of Greece and the City Imperial Constantinople was lost and is come into the hands of the Infidels who now have overrun almost all Christendom and possessing past the middle of Hungary which is part of the West Empire do hang over all our heads to the utter danger of all Christendom Thus we see what a sea of mischiefs the maintenance of Images hath brought with it what an horrible Schism between the East and the West Church what an hatred between one Christian and another Councils agaist Councils Church against Church Christians against Christians Princes against Princes Rebellions Treasons unnatural and most cruel Murders the Daughter digging up and burning her Father the Emperor's Body the Mother for love of Idols most abominably murthering of her own Son being an Emperor at the last the tearing in sunder of Christendom and the Empire into two pieces till the Infidels Sarazens and Turks common Enemies to both parts have most cruelly vanquished destroyed and subdued the one part the whole Empire of Greece Asia the less Thracia Macedonia Epirus and many other great and goodly Countries and Provinces and have won a great piece of the other Empire and put the whole in dreadful fear and most horrible danger For it is not without a just and great cause to be dreaded lest as the Empire of Rome was even for the like cause of Images and the worshipping of them torn in pieces and divided as was for Idolatry the Kingdom of Israel in old time divided so like punishment as for the like offence fell upon the Jews will also light upon us that is lest the cruel Tyrant and Enemy of our Commonwealth and Religion the Turk by God's just vengeance should likewise partly Murder and partly lead away into Captivity us Christians as did the Assyrian and Babylonian Kings Murder and lead away the Israelites and lest the Empire of Rome and Christian Religion be so utteâ—ly brought under foot as was then the Kingdom of Israel and true Religion of God whereunto the matter already as I have declared shrewdly inclineth on our part the greater part of Christendom within less than three hundred years space being brought into Captivity and most miserable thraldom under the Turk and the Noble Empire of Greece clean everted Whereas if the Christians divided by these Image matters had holden together no Infidels and Miscreants could thus have prevailed against Christendom And all this mischief and misery which we have hitherto fallen into do we owe to our mighty gods of Gold and Silver Stock and Stone in whose help and defence where they cannot help themselves we have trusted so long until our enemies the Infidels have overcome and overrun us almost altogether A just reward for those that have left the mighty living God the Lord of Hosts and have stooped and given the Honour due to him to dead blocks and stocks who have Eies and see not Feet and cannot go and so forth and are cursed of God and all they that make them and that put their trust in them Thus you understand well-beloved in our Saviour Christ by the judgment of the old Learned and Godly Doctors of the Church and by ancient Histories Ecclesiastical agreeing to the verity of God's Word alledged out of the Old Testament and the New that Images and Image-worshipping were in the Primitive Church which was most pure and uncorrupt abhorred and detested as abominable and contrary to true Christian Religion And that when Images began to creep into the Church they were not only spoken and written against by Godly and Learned Bishops Doctors and Clerks but also condemned by whole Councils of Bishops and learned Men assembled together yea the said Images by many Christian Emperors and Bishops were defaced broken and destroyed and that above seven hundred and eight hundred years ago and that therefore it is not of late days as some would bear you in hand that Images and Image-worshipping have been spoken and written against Finally you have heard what mischief and misery hath by the occasion of the said Images fallen upon whole Christendom besides the loss of infinite Souls which is most horrible of all Wherefore let us beseech God that we being warned by his Holy Word forbidding all Idolatry and by the Writing of old Godly Doctors and Ecclesiastical Histories written and preserved by God's Ordinance for our admonition and warning may flee from all Idolatry and so escape the horrible punishment and plagues as well worldly as everlasting threatned for the same which God our Heavenly Father Grant us for our only Saviour and Mediator Jesus Christ's sake Amen The Third Part of the Homily against Images and the worshipping of them containing the confutation of the principal Arguments which are used to be made for the maintenance of Images Which part may serve to instruct the Curates themselves or Men of good understanding NOw ye have heard how plainly how vehemently and that in many places the Word of God speaketh against not only Idolatry and worshipping of Images but also against Idols and Images themselves I mean always thus herein in that we be stirred and provoked by them to worship them and not as though they were simply forbidden by the New Testament without such occasion and danger And ye have heard likewise out of Histories Ecclesiastical the beginning proceeding and success of Idolatry by Images and the
the place where he hath promised to be present and where he will hear the Prayers of them that call upon him The which thing both Christ and his Apostles with all the rest of the Holy Fathers do sufficiently declare by this That albeit they certainly knew that their Prayers were heard in what place soever they made them though it were in Caves in Woods and in Desarts yet so oft as they could conveniently they resorted to the material Temples there with the rest of the Congregation to joyn in Prayer and true Worship Wherefore dearly beloved you that profess your selves to be Christians and glory in that name disdain not to follow the example of your Master Christ whose Scholars you say you be shew you to be like them whose School-mates you take upon you to be that is the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Lift up pure hands with clean hearts in all places and at all times But do the same in the Temples and Churches upon the Sabbath days also Our godly Predecessors and the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church spared not their Goods to build Churches no they spared not their Lives in time of Persecution and to hazard their Blood that they might assemble themselves together in Churches And shall we spare a little labour to come to Churches Shall neither their Example nor our Duty nor the Commodities that thereby should come unto us move us If we will declare our selves to have the fear of God if we will shew our selves true Christians if we will be the followers of Christ our Master and of those godly Fathers that have lived before us and now have received the Reward of true and faithful Christians we must both willingly earnestly and reverently come unto the material Churches and Temples to Pray as unto fit places appointed for that use and that upon the Sabbath day as at most convenient time for Gods People to cease from bodily and worldly business to give themselves to Holy Rest and Godly Contemplation pertaining to the Service of Almighty God Whereby we may reconcile our selves to God be partakers of his Holy Sacraments and be devout hearers of his Holy Word so to be established in Faith to Godward in Hope against all Adversity and in Charity toward our Neighbours And thus running our course as good Christian People we may at the last attain the Reward of everlasting Glory through the Merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory Amen The Second Part of the Homily of the Place and Time of PRAYER IT hath been declared unto you good Christian People in the former Sermon read unto you at what Time and into what Place ye shall come together to praise God Now I intend to set before your Eyes First how zealous and desirous ye ought to be to come to your Church Secondly how sore God is grieved with them that do despise or little regard to come to the Church upon the Holy restful Day It may well appear by the Scriptures that many of the godly Israelites being now in Captivity for their sins among the Babylonians full often wished and desired to be again at Jerusalem And at their return through Gods goodness though many of the People were negligent yet the Fathers were marvellous devout to build up the Temple that Gods People might repair thither to honour him And King David when he was a banished man out of his Countrey out of Jerusalem the Holy City from the Sanctuary from the Holy place and from the Tabernacle of God What desire what ferventness was in him toward that Holy place what wishings and prayers made he to God to be a Dweller in the House of the Lord One thing saith he have I asked of the Lord and this will I still crave that I may resort and have my dwelling in the House of the Lord so long as I live Again O how I joyed when I heard these words We shall go into the Lords House Psal 122. And in other places of the Psalms he declareth for what intent and purpose he hath such a fervent desire to enter into the Temple and Church of the Lord I will fall down saith he and worship in the holy Temple of the Lord. Again Psal 63. I have appeared in thy holy place that I might behold thy might and power that I might behold thy glory and magnificence Finally he saith I will shew forth thy name to my brethren I will praise thee in the midst of the Congregation Why then had David such an earnest desire to the House of God First because there he would worship and honour God Secondly there he would have a contemplation and a sight of the Power and Glory of God Thirdly there he would praise the Name of God with all the Congregation and Company of the People These considerations of this blessed Prophet of God ought to stir up and kindle in us the like earnest desire to resort to the Church especially upon the holy restful days there to do our Duties and to serve God there to call to remembrance how God even of his meer mercy and for the glory of his Name sake worketh mightily to conserve us in Health Wealth and Godliness and mightily preserveth us from the assaults and rages of our fierce and cruel Enemies and there joyfully in the number of his faithful People to praise and magnifie the Lords Holy Name Set before your Eyes also that Ancient Father Simeon of whom the Scripture speaketh thus to his great commendation and an encouragement for us to do the like There was a man at Jerusalem Luke 2. named Simeon a just man fearing God he came by the spirit of God into the Temple and was told by the same spirit that he should not die before he saw the anointed of the Lord. In the Temple his Promise was fulfilled in the Temple he saw Christ and took him in his Arms in the Temple he brake out into the mighty praise of God his Lord. Anna a Prophetess an old Widow departed out of the Temple giving her self to Prayer and Fasting day and night And she coming about the same time was likewise inspired and confessed and spake of the Lord to all them that looked for the Redemption of Israel This blessed Man and this blessed Woman were not disappointed of wonderful Fruit Commodity and Comfort which God sent them by their diligent resorting to Gods Holy Temple Now ye shall hear how grievously God hath been offended with his People for that they passed so little upon his Holy Temple and foulely either despised or abused the same Which thing may plainly appear by the notable Plagues and Punishments which God hath laid upon his People especially in this that he stirred up their Adversaries horribly to beat down and utterly to destroy his Holy Temple with a perpetual desolation Alas how many Churches Countries and Kingdoms of Christian
creeping upon the Earth in comparison to his Eternal Majesty and less regarding that they must give an account at the great day of every idle word wheresoever it be spoken Matth. 12. much more of filthy unclean or wicked words spoken in the Lords House to the great dishonour of his Majesty and offence of all that hear them And indeed concerning the People and Multitude the Temple is prepared for them to be Hearers rather than Speakers considering that as well the Word of God is there Read and Taught whereunto they are bound to give diligent Ear with all Reverence and Silence as also that Common-Prayer and Thanksgiving are Rehearsed and said by the Publick Minister in the Name of the People and the whole multitude present whereunto they giving their ready Audience should assent and say Cor. 14. Amen as Saint Paul teacheth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians And in another place Glorifying God with one Spirit and Mouth Which cannot be when every Man and Woman in several pretences of Devotion prayeth privately one Asking another giving Thanks another reading Doctrine and not regarding to hear the Common Prayer of the Minister And peculiarly what due Reverence is to be used in the Ministring of the Sacraments in the Temple the same Saint Paul teacheth to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. rebuking such as did Unreverently use themselves in that behalf Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in saith he Do ye despise the Church or Congregation of God What shall I say unto you Shall I praise you In this I praise you not And God requireth not only this outward Reverence of Behaviour and silence in his House but all inward Reverence in cleansing of the Thoughts of our Hearts Osee 9. threatning by his Prophet Osee in the Ninth Chapter that for the Malice of the Inventions and Devices of the People he will cast them out of his House Whereby is also signified the Eternal casting of them out of his Heavenly House and Kingdom which is most horrible And therefore in the Ninteenth of Leviticus God saith Levit. 19. Psal 5. Fear you with Reverence my Sanctuary for I am the Lord. And according to the same the Prophet David saith I will enter into thine House I will Worship in thy Holy Temple in thy Fear Shewing what inward Reverence and Humbleness of Mind the godly Man ought to have in the House of the Lord. And to alledge somwhat concerning this matter out of the New Testament in what Honour God would have his House or Temple kept and that by the Example of our Saviour Christ whose Authority ought of good reason with all true Christians to be of most Weight and Estimation It is written of all the four Evangelists as a Notable Act Matth. 21. Mar. 11. Luke 19. John 11. and worthy to be testified by many Holy Witnesses how that our Saviour Jesus Christ that Merciful and Mild Lord compared for his Meekness to a Sheep suffering with silence his Fleece to be shorn from him Isaiah 53. Acts 8. Isaiah 50. Matth. 5. and to a Lamb led without resistance to the Slaughter which gave his Body to them that did smite him answered not him that reviled nor turned away his Face from them that did reproach him and spit upon him and according to his own Example gave Precepts of Mildness and Sufferance to his Disciples Yet when he seeth the Temple and Holy House of his Heavenly Father misordered polluted and prophaned useth great severity and sharpness overturneth the Tables of the Exchangers subverted the Seats of them that sold Doves maketh a whip of Cords and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and profaners of the Temple of God saying My House shall be called the House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Thieves John 2. And in the Second of John Do not ye make the House of my Father the House of Merchandize For as it is the House of God when Gods service is duly done in it So when we wickedly abuse it with wicked talk or covetous bargaining we make it a Den of Thieves or an House of Merchandize Mark 11 Yea and such Reverence would Christ should be therein that he would not suffer any Vessel to be carried through the Temple And whereas our Saviour Christ as is before mentioned out of Saint Luke could be found no where when he was sought but only in the Temple amongst the Doctors and now again he exerciseth his Authority and Jurisdiction not in Castles and Princely Palaces amongst Souldiers but in the Temple Ye may hereby understand in what place his spiritual Kingdom which he denieth to be of this World is soonest to be found and best to be known of all places in this World And according to this Example of our Saviour Christ in the Primitive Church which was most Holy and Godly and in the which due discipline with severity was used against the wicked open Offenders were not suffered once to enter into the House of the Lord nor admitted to Common Prayer and the use of the Holy Sacraments with other true Christians until they had done open Penance before the whole Church And this was practised not only upon mean Persons but also upon the Rich Noble and Mighty Persons yea upon Theodosius that Puissant and Mighty Emperor whom for committing * The Peoples fault was most grievous The sentence executed otherwise and more cruel than it should a grievous and wilful Murder Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milain reproved sharply and ‡ did also Excommunicate the said Emperor and brought him to open Penance And they that were so justly exempted and banished as it were from the House of the Lord were taken as they be indeed for Men divided and separated from Christs Church and in most dangerous estate yea as Saint Paul saith * 1 Cor. 5 even given unto Satan †He was only dehorted from receiving the Sacrament until by Repentance he might be better prepared Chrys the Devil for a time and their company was shunned and avoided of all Godly Men and Women until such time as they by Repentance and publick Penance were Reconciled Such was the Honour of the Lords House in Mens Hearts and outward Reverence also at that time and so horrible a thing was it to be shut out of the Church and House of the Lord in those days when Religion was most pure and nothing so corrupt as it hath been of late days And yet we willingly either by absenting ourselves from the House of the Lord do as it were Excommunicate ourselves from the Church and and Fellowship of the Saints of God or else coming thither by uncomely and unreverent behaviour there by hasty rash yea unclean and wicked Thoughts and Words before the Lord our God horribly dishonour his Holy House the Church of God and his Holy Name and Majesty to the great danger of our Souls yea and certain Damnation also if
many that Banquet most riotously over the Graves of the Dead and giving Meat to Dead Carkasses do bury themselves upon the buried and attribute their Gluttony and Drunkenness to Religion See he esteemeth Worshipping of Saints Tombs and Pictures as good Religion as Gluttony and Drunkenness and no better at all Saint Augustine greatly alloweth Marcus Varro affirming That Religion is most pure without Images and saith himself Images be of more force to crooken an unhappy Soul than to teach and instruct it And saith further Every Child yea every Beast knoweth that it is not God that they see Wherefore then doth the Holy Ghost so often admonish us of that which all Men know Whereunto Saint Augustine himself answereth thus For saith he Lib. de 〈◊〉 Dei cap 43. In Psal 36. 113 when Images are placed in Temples and set in Honourable Sublimity and begin once to be Worshipped forthwith breedeth the most vile affection of Errour This is Saint Augustine's Judgment of Images in Churches that by and by they breed Errour and Idolatry It would be tedious to rehearse all other places which might be brought out of the Ancient Doctors against Images and Idolatry Wherefore we shall hold ourselves contented with these few at this present Now as concerning Histories Ecclesiastical touching this matter that ye may know why and when and by whom Images were first used privately and afterwards not only received into Christian Churches and Temples but in conclusion Worshipped also and how the same was gain said resisted and forbidden as well by godly Bishops and Learned Doctors as also by sundry Christian Princes I will briefly collect into a Compenâ—â—â—s History that which is at large and â—â—â—â—ssariâ—y places Written by divers ancient Writers and Historiographers concerning this matter As the Jews having a most plain and express Commandment of God that they should neither make nor Worship any Image as it is at large before declared did notwithstanding by the Example of the Gentiles or Heathen People that dwelt about them fall to the Making of Images and Worshipping of them and so to the committing of most abominable Idolatry for the which God by his Holy Prophets doth most sharply reprove and threaten them and afterward did accomplish his said threatnings by extream punishing of them as is also above specified Even so some of the Christians in old time which were converted from Worshipping of Idols and false Gods unto the true living God and to our Saviour Jesus Christ did of a certain blind zeal as Men long accustomed to Images Paint or Carve Images of our Saviour Christ his Mother Mary and of the Apostles thinking that this was a point of Gratitude and Kindness towards those by whom they had received the true knowledge of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel But these Pictures or Images came not yet into Churches nor were yet Worshipped of a long time after And lest you should think that I do say this of mine own Head only without Authority I alledge for me Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea and the most Ancient Author of the Ecclesiastical History who lived about the Three Hundred and Thirtieth year of our Lord in Constantius Magnus his days and his Son Constantius Emperors in the Seventh Book of his History Ecclesiastical the Fourteenth Chapter and Saint Jerome upon the Tenth Chapter of the Prophet Jeremiah who both expresly say That the Errours of Images for so Saint Jerome calleth it have come in and passed to the Christians from the Gentiles by an Heathenish Use and Custom The cause and means Eusebius sheweth saying It is no marvel if they which being Gentiles before and did believe seemed to offer this as a gift to our Saviour for the benefits which they had received of him yea and we do see now that Images of Peter and Paul and of our Saviour himself be made and Tables to be Painted which I think to have been observed and kept indifferently by an Heathenish Custom For the Heathen are wont so to Honour them whom they judged Honour-Worthy for that some tokens of old Men should be kept For the Remembrance of Posterity is a token of their Honour that were before and the Love of those that come after Thus far I have rehearsed Eusebius his Words Where note ye that both Saint Jerome and He agree herein that these Images came in amongst Christian Men by such as were Gentiles and accustomed to Idols and being converted to the Faith of Christ retained yet some Remnants of Gentility not throughly purged For Saint Jerome calleth it an Errour manifestly And the like Example we see in the Acts of the Apostles of the Jews who when they were converted to Christ would have brought in their Circumcision whereunto they were so long accustomed with them into Christs Religion With whom the Apostles namely Saint Paul Act 15. had much ado for the staying of that matter But of Circumcision was less marvail for that it came first in by Gods Ordinance and Commandment A Man may most justly wonder of Images so directly against Gods Holy Word and strict Commandment how they should enter in But Images were not yet Worshipped in Eusebius his time nor publickly set up in Churches and Temples and they who privately had them did err of a certain Zeal and not by Malice But afterwards they crept out of private Houses into Churches and so bred first Superstition and last of all Idolatry amongst Christians as hereafter shall appear In the time of Theodosius and Martain Emperors who reigned about the year of our Lord 460. and 1117. years ago when the People of the City of Nola once a year did celebrate the Birth day of Saint Foelix in the Temple and used to banquet there sumptuously Pontius Paulinus Bishop of Nola caused the Walls of the Temple to be painted with Stories taken out of the Old Testament that the People beholding and considering those Pictures might the better abstain from too much surfeiting and riot And about the same time Aurelius Prudentius a very learned and Christian Poet declareth how he did see painted in a Church the History of the Passion of S. Cassian a Schoolmaster and Martyr whom his own Scholars at the Commandment of the Tyrant tormented with the pricking or stabbing in of their Pointels or Brazen Pens into his Body and so by a thousand Wounds and more as saith Prudentius most cruelly slew him And these were the first Paintings in Churches that were notable of Antiquity And so by this example came in Painting and afterward Images of Timber and Stone and other matter into the Churches of Christians Now if ye well consider this beginning Men are not so ready to worship a Picture on a Wall or in a Window as an embossed and gilt Image set with Pearl and Stone And a process of a Story painted with the Gestures and Actions of many Persons and commonly the sum of the Story written withal hath another use in it
than one dumb Idol or Image standing by itself But from learning by painted Stories it came by little and little to Idolatry Which when godly Men as well Emperors and learned Bishops as others perceived they commanded that such Pictures Images or Idols should be used no more And I will for a Declaration thereof begin with the Decree of the ancient Christian Emperors Valens and Theodosius the second who reigned about four hundred years after our Saviour Christ's Ascension who forbad that any Images should be made or painted privately For certain it is that there were none in Temples publickly in their time These Emperors did write unto the Captain of the Army attending on the Emperors after this sort Valens and Theodosius Emperors unto the Captain of the Army Whereas we have a diligent care to maintain the Religion of God above in all things we will grant to no Man to set forth grave carve or paint the Image of our Saviour Christ in Colours Stone or any other matter but in what place soever it shall be found we command that it be taken away and that all such as shall attempt any thing contrary to our Decrees or Commandments herein shall be most sharply punished This Decree is written in the Books named Libri Augustales the Imperial Books gathered by Tribonianus Basilides Theophilus Dioscorus and Satira Men of great Authority and Learning at the Commandment of the Emperor Justinian and is alledged by Petrus Crinitus a notable learned Man in the Ninth Book and Ninth Chapter of his Work intituled De honesta Disciplina that is to say Of honest Learning Here you see what Christian Princes of most ancient times decreed against Images which then began to creep in amongst the Christians For it is certain that by the space of three hundred years and more after the death of our Saviour Christ and before these godly Emperors reigned there were no Images publickly in Churches or Temples How would the Idolaters glory if they had so much Antiquity and Authority for them as is here against them Now shortly after these days the Goths Vandals Huns and other barbarous and wicked Nations burst into Italy and all parts of the West Countries of Europe with huge and mighty Armies spoiled all places destroyed Cities and burned Libraries so that Learning and true Religion went to wrack and decayed incredibly And so the Bishops of those later days being of less Learning and in the midst of the Wars taking less heed also than did the Bishops afore by ignorance of Gods Word and negligence of Bishops and especially barbarous Princes not rightly instructed in true Religion bearing the Rule Images came into the Church of Christ in the said West parts where these barbarous People ruled not now in painted Cloth only but embossed in Stone Timber Metal and other like matter and were not only set up but began to be worshipped also And therefore Serenus Bishop of Massile the head Town of Gallia Narbonensis now called the Province a godly and learned Man who was about six hundred years after our Saviour Christ seeing the People by occasion of Images fall to most abominable Idolatry brake to pieces all the Images of Christ and Saints which were in that City and was therefore complained upon to Gregory the first of that Name Bishop of Rome who was the first learned Bishop that did allow the open having of Images in Churches that can be known by any Writing or History of Antiquity And upon this Gregory do all Image-worshippers at this day ground their Defence But as all things that be amiss have from a tolerable beginning grown worse and worse till they at the last became intolerable So did this matter of Images First Men used privately Stories painted in Tables Cloths and Walls Afterwards gross and embossed Images privately in their own Houses Then afterwards Pictures first and after them embossed Images began to creep into Churches learned and godly Men ever speaking against them Then by use it was openly maintained That they might be in Churches but yet forbidden that they should be worshipped Of which Opinion was Gregory as by the said Gregory's Epistle to the forenamed Serenus Bishop of Massile plainly appeareth Which Epistle is to be found in the Book of Epistles of Gregory or Register in the tenth part of the fourth Epistle where he hath these words That thou didst forbid Images to be worshipped we praise altogether but that thou didst break them we blame For it is one thing to worship the Picture and another thing by the Picture of the Story to learn what is to be worshipped For that which Scripture is to them that read the same doth Picture perform unto Idiots or the unlearned beholding and so forth And after a few words Therefore it should not have been broken which was set up not to be worshipped in Churches but only to instruct the Minds of the ignorant And a little after Thus thou shouldst have said If you will have Images in the Church for that instruction wherefore they were made in old time I do permit that they may be made and that you may have them and shew them that not the sight of the Story which is opened by the Picture but that worshipping which was inconveniently given to the Pictures did mislike you And if any would make Images not to forbid them but avoid by all means to worship any Image By these Sentences taken here and there out of Gregory's Epistle to Serenus for it were too long to rehearse the whole ye may understand whereunto the matter was now come six hundred years after Christ That the having of Images or Pictures in the Churches were then maintained in the West part of the World for they were not so forward yet in the East Church but the worshipping of them was utterly forbidden And you may withal note That seeing there is no ground for worshipping of Images in Gregory's Writing but a plain condemnation thereof that such as do worship Images do unjustly alledge Gregory for them And further if Images in the Church do not teach Men according to Gregory's Mind but rather blind them It followeth that Images should not be in the Church by his sentence who only would they should be placed there to the end that they might teach the ignorant Wherefore if it be declared that Images have been and be worshipped and also that they teach nothing but Errours and Lyes which shall by God's Grace hereafter be done I trust that then by Gregory's own Determination all Images and Image-worshippers shall be overthrown But in the mean season Gregory's Authority was so great in all the West-Church that by his Incouragement Men set up Images in all places But their Judgment was not so good to consider why he would have them set up but they fell all on heaps to manifest Idolatry by worshipping of them which Bishop Serenus not without just cause feared would come to pass Now if
Serenus his Judgment thinking it meet that Images whereunto Idolatry was committed should be destroyed had taken place Idolatry had been overthrown For to that which is not no Man committeth Idolatry But of Gregory's Opinion thinking that Images might be suffered in Churches so it were taught that they should not be worshipped What ruine of Religion and what mischief ensued afterward to all Christendom Experience hath to our great hurt and sorrow proved First By the Schism rising between the East and the West Church about the said Images Next By the Division of the Empire into two parts by the same occasion of Images to the great weakening of all Christendom whereby last of all hath followed the utter overthrow of the Christian Religion and Noble Empire in Greece and all the East parts of the World and the increase of Mahomet's false Religion and the cruel Dominion and Tyranny of the Saracens and Turks who do now hang over our Necks also that dwell in the West parts of the World ready at all occasions to over-run us And all this do we owe unto our Idols and Images and our Idolatry in worshipping of them Eutrop. lib. de rebus Ro. 23. But now give you ear a little to the process of the History wherein I do much follow the Histories of Paulus Diaconus and others joyned with Eutropius an old Writer For though some of the Authors were Favourers of Images yet do they most plainly and at large prosecute the Histories of those times Platina in vitis Constantini Greg. 2. whom Baptist Platina also in his History of Popes as in the Lives of Constantine and Gregory the second Bishops of Rome and other places where he treateth of this matter doth chiefly follow After Gregory's time Constantine Bishop of Rome assembled a Council of Bishops in the West Church and did condemn Philippicus then Emperor and John Bishop of Constantinople of the Heresie of the Monothelites not without a cause indeed but very justly When he had so done by the consent of the learned about him the said Constantine Bishop of Rome caused the Images of the ancient Fathers which had been at those six Councils which were allowed and received of all Men to be painted in the entry of Saint Peter's Church at Rome When the Greeks had knowledge hereof they began to dispute and reason the matter of Images with the Latins and held this Opinion That Images could have no place in Christs Church and the Latins held the contrary and took part with the Images So the East and West Churches which agreed well before upon this contention about Images fell to utter enmity which was never well reconciled yet But in the mean season Philippicus and Arthemius or Anastasius Emperors commanded Images and Pictures to be pulled down and rased out in every place of their Dominion After them came Theodosius the Third he commanded the defaced Images to be painted again in their places But this Theodosius reigned but one year Leo the third of that Name succeeded him who was a Syrian born a very wise godly merciful and valiant Prince This Leo by Proclamation commanded That all Images set up in Churches to be worshipped should be plucked down and defaced And required specially the Bishop of Rome that he should do the same and himself in the mean season caused all Images that were in the Imperial City Constantinople to be gathered on an heap in the midst of the City and there publickly burned them to ashes and whited over and rased out all Pictures painted upon the Walls of the Temples and punished sharply divers maintainers of Images And when some did therefore report him to be a Tyrant he answered That such of all other were most justly punished who neither Worshipped God aright nor regarded the Imperial Majesty and Authority but maliciously rebelled against wholsom and profitable Laws When Gregorius the Third of that Name Bishop of Rome heard of the Emperors doings in Greece concerning the Images he assembled a Council of Italian Bishops against him and there made Decrees for Images and that more Reverence and Honour should yet be given to them than was before and stirred up the Italians against the Emperor first at Ravenna and moved them to Rebellion Treason and Rebellion for the defence of Images And as Vspurgensis and Anthonius Bishops of Florence testifie in their Chronicles he caused Rome and all Italy at the least to refuse Obedience and the payment of any more Tribute to the Emperor And so by Treason and Rebellion maintained their Idolatry Which Example other Bishops of Rome have continually followed and gone through withal most stoutly After this Leo who Reigned Thirty four years succeeded his Son Constantine the Fifth who after his Fathers example kept Images out of the Temples and being moved with the Council which Gregory had assembled in Italy for Images against his Father He also assembled a Council of all the Learned Men and Bishops of Asia and Greece although some Writers place this Council in Leo Isauricus A Council against Images his Fathers later days In this great Assembly they sate in Council from the Fourth of the Idus of February to the sixth of the Idus of August and made concerning the use of Images this Decree It is not lawful for them that believe in God through Jesus Christ to have any Images neither of the Creator nor of any Creatures set up in Temples to be Worshipped but rather that all things by the Law of God and for the avoiding of Offence ought to be taken out of the Churches And this Decree was executed in all places where any Images were found in Asia or Greece And the Emperor sent the Determination of this Council holden at Constantinople to Paul then Bishop of Rome and commanded him to cast all Images out of the Churches Which he trusting in the Friendship of Pipine a Mighty Prince refused to do And both he and his Successor Stephanus the Third who assembled another Council in Italy for Images condemned the Emperor and the Council of Constantinople of Heresie and made a Decree That the Holy Images for so they called them of Christ the Blessed Virgin and other Saints were indeed worthy Honour and Worshipping When Constantine was dead Leo the Fourth his Son Reigned after him who Married a Woman of the City of Athens named Theodora who also was called Irene Or Eirene by whom he had a Son named Constantine the Sixth and dying whilst his Son was yet young left the Regiment of the Empire and Governance of his young Son to his Wife Irene These things were done in the Church about the year of our Lord 760. Note here I pray you in this process of the Story that in the Churches of Asia and Greece there were no Images publickly by the space of almost Seven Hundred years And there is no doubt but the Primitive Church next the Apostles time was most pure Note also
great contention in the Church of Christ about them to the great trouble and decay of Christendom And withal ye have heard the Sentences of old Ancient Fathers and Godly Learned Doctors and Bishops against Images and Idolatry taken out of their own Writings It remaineth that such reasons as be made for the maintenance of Images and excessive Painting Gilding and Decking as well of them as of the Temples or Churches also be answered and confuted partly by application of some places before alledged to their Reasons and partly by otherwise answering the same Which part hath the last place in this Treatise for that it cannot be well understood of the meaner sort nor the arguments of Image-maintainers can without prolixity too much tedious be answered without the knowledge of the Treatise going before And although divers things before-mentioned be here rehearsed again yet this repetition is not superfluous but in a manner necessary for that the simple sort cannot else understand how the foresaid places are to be applyed to the Arguments of such as do maintain Images wherewith otherwise they might be abused First it is alledged by them that maintain Images that all Laws Prohibitions and Curses noted by us out of the Holy Scripture and Sentences of the Doctors also by us alledged against Images and the worshipping of them appertain to the Idols of the Gentiles or Pagans as the Idol of Jupiter Mars Mercury c. and not to our Images of God of Christ and his Saints But it shall be declared both by God's Word and the Sentences of the ancient Doctors and Judgment of the Primitive Church that all Images as well ours as the Idols of the Gentiles be forbidden and unlawful namely in Churches and Temples And first this is to be replyed out of God's Word that the Images of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost either severally or the Images of the Trinity which we had in every Church be by the Scriptures expresly and directly forbidden and condemned Deut. 4. as appeareth by these places the Lord spake unto you out of the middle of Fire you heard the voice or sound of his words but you did see no form or shape at all left peradventure you being deceived should make to your self any graven Image or likeness and so forth as is at large rehearsed in the First Part of this Treatise against Images And therefore in the Old Law the middle of the propitiatory which represented God's Seat was empty lest any should take occasion to make any similitude or likeness of him Isaiah Isaiah 40 after he hath set forth the incomprehensible Majesty of God he asketh To whom then will ye make God like or what similitude will ye set up unto him Shall the Carver make him a Carved Image And shall the Goldsmith cover him with Gold or cast him into a form of Silver Plates And for the poor man shall the image-maker frame an image of timber that he may have somewhat to set up also And after this he cryeth out O wretches heard ye never of this Hath it not been preached to you since the beginning how by the Creation of the World and the greatness of the Work they might understand the Majesty of God the Maker and Creator of all to be greater than that it could be expressed or set forth in any Image or Bâ—dily Similitude Thus far the Prophet Isaiah who from the Forty fourth Chapter to the Forty ninth treateth in a manner of no other thing And Saint Paul Acts 17. in the Acts of the Apostles evidently teacheth the same that no Similitude can be made unto God in Gold Silver Stone or any other matter By these and many other places of Scripture it is evident that no Image either ought or can be made unto God For how can God a most pure Spirit whom Man never saw be expressed by a gross bodily and visible Similitude How can the infinite Majesty and Greatness of God incomprehensible to Man's Mind much more not able to be compassed with the Sense be expressed in a small and little Image How can a Dead and Dumb Image express the Living God What can an Image which when it is fallen cannot rise up again which can neither help his Friends nor hurt his Enemies express of the most Puissant and Mighty God who alone is able to reward his Friends and to destroy his Enemies Everlastingly A Man might justly cry with the Prophet Habakkuk Habak 2. Shall such Images instruct or teach any thing right of God Or shall they become Doctors Wherefore Men that have made an Image of God whereby to Honour him have thereby dishonoured him most highly diminished his Majesty blemished his Glory and falsified his Truth Rom. â— And therefore Saint Paul saith that such as have framed any Similitude or Image of God like a mortal Man or any other likeness in Timber Stone or other matter have changed his Truth into a Lie For both they thought it to be no longer that which it was a Stock or Stone and took it to be that which it was not as God or an Image of God Wherefore an Image of God is not only a Lie but a double Lie also But the Devil is a Liar John 8. and the Father of Lies Wherefore the lying Images which be made of God to his great dishonour and horrible danger of his People came from the Devil Wherefore they be convict of foolishness and wickedness in making of Images of God or the Trinity for that no Image of God ought or can be made as by the Scriptures and good Reason evidently appeareth Yea and once to desire an Image of God cometh of Infidelity thinking not God to be present except they might see some sign or image of him as appeareth by the Hebrews in the wilderness willing Aaron to make them gods whom they might see go before them Where they object that seeing Isaiah and Daniel by certain descriptions of God as sitting on a high seat c. Why may not a Painter likewise set him forth in colours to be seen as it were a Judge sitting on a Throne as well as he is described in Writing by the Prophets seeing that Scripture or Writing and Picture differ but a little First it is to be answered that things forbidden by Gods Word as Painting of Images of God and things permitted of God as such descriptions used of the Prophets be not all one Neither ought nor can Man's Reason although it shew never so goodly prevail any thing against God's express Word and plain Statute-Law as I may well term it Furthermore the Scripture although it have certain descriptions of God yet if you read forward it expoundeth it self declaring that God is a pure Spirit Infinite who replenisheth Heaven and Earth which the Picture doth not nor expoundeth it self but rather when it hath set God forth in a bodily similitude leaveth a Man there and will easily bring
one into the Heresie of the Anthropomorphites thinking God to have Hands and Feet and to sit as a Man doth which they that do saith St. Augustine in his Book De fide symbolo cap. 7. fall into that Sacriledge which the Apostle detesteth in those who have changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible Man For it is wickedness for a Christian to erect such an Image to God in a Temple and much more wickedness to erect such an one in his Heart by believing of it But to this they reply that this reason notwithstanding Images of Christ may be made for that he took upon him flesh and became Man It were well that they would first grant that they have hitherto done most wickedly in making and maintaining of Images of God and of the Trinity in every place whereof they are by force of God's Word and good Reason convicted and then to descend to the Tryal for other Images Now concerning their Objection that an Image of Christ may be made the Answer is easie For in God's Word and Religion it is not only required whether a thing may be done or no But also whether it be lawful and agreeable to God's Word to be done or no. For all wickedness may be and is daily done which yet ought not to be done And the words of the reasons above alledged out of the Scriptures are that Images neither ought nor can be made unto God Wherfore to reply that Images of Christ may be made except withal it be proved that it is lawful for them to be made is rather than to hold ones peace to say somewhat but nothing to the purpose And yet it appeareth that no Image can be made of Christ but a lying Image as the Scripture peculiarly calleth Images lies for Christ is God and Man Seeing therefore Rom. 1. that for the Godhead which is the most excellent part no Images can be made it is falsly called the Image of Christ Wherefore Images of Christ be not only defects but also lies Which reason serveth also for the Images of Saints whose Souls the most excellent parts of them can by no Images be presented and expressed Wherefore they be no Images of Saints whose Souls reign in joy with God but of the Bodies of Saints which as yet lie putrefied in the Graves Furthermore no true Image can be made of Christ's Body for it is unknown now of what Form and Countenance he was And there be in Greece and at Rome and in other places divers Images of Christ and none of them like to other and yet every of them affirmeth that theirs is the true and lively Image of Christ which cannot possibly be Wherefore as soon as an Image of Christ is made by and by is a Lye made of him which by God's Word is forbidden Which also is true of the Images of any Saints of Antiquity for that it is unknown of what Form and Countenance they were Wherefore seeing that Religion ought to be grounded upon Truth Images which cannot be without Lies ought not to be made or put to any use of Religion or to be placed in Churches and Temples places peculiarly appointed to true Religion and Service of God And thus much that no true Image of God our Saviour Christ or his Saints can be made Wherewithal is also confuted that their allegation that Images be the Lay-mens Books For it is evident by that which is afore-rehearsed that they teach no things of God of our Saviour Christ and of his Saints but Lies and Errors Wherefore either they be no Books or if they be they be false and lying Books the teachers of all Error And now if it should be admitted and granted that an Image of Christ could truly be made yet it is unlawful that it should be made yea or that tho Image of any Saint should be made specially to be set up in Temples to the great and unavoidable danger of Idolatry as hereafter shall be proved And first concerning the Image of Christ that though it might be had truly yet it were unlawful to have it in Churches publickly it is a notable place in Irenaeus Lib. 1. c. 24. who reproved the Hereticks called Gnostici for that they carried about the Image of Christ made truly after his own proportion in Pilate's time as they said and therefore more to be esteemed than those lying Images of him which we now have The which Gnostici also used to set Garlands upon the Head of the said Image to shew their affection to it But to go to Gods word Be not I pray you the words of the Scriptures plain Beware lest thou being deceived Levit. 26. Deut. 5. Sculptile Fusile Similitudo Deut. 27. make to thy self to say to any use of Religion any graven Image or any Similitude of any thing c. And Cursed be the Man that maketh a Graven or Molten Image abomination before the Lord c. Be not our Images such Be not our Images of Christ and his Saints either Carved or Molten or Cast or Similitudes of Men and Women It is happy that we have not followed the Gentiles in making of Images of Beasts Fishes and Vermines also Notwithstanding the Image of an Horse as also the Image of the Ass that Christ rode on have in divers places been brought into the Church and Temple of God And is not that which is written in the beginning of the Lords most Holy Law and daily read unto you most evident also Thou shalt not make any likeness of any thing in Heaven above in Earth beneath or in the Water under the Earth c. Could any more be forbidden and said than this Either of the kinds of Images which be either Carved Molten or otherwise Similitudes Or of things whereof Images are forbidden to be made Are not all things either in Heaven Earth or Water under the Earth Exod. 20. And be not our Images of Christ and his Saints likenesses of things in Heaven Earth or in the Water If they continue in their former answer that thâ—â—â— prohibitions concern the Idols of the Gentiles and not ouâ— Images First that answer is already confuted concerning the Images of God and the Trinity at large and concerning the Images of Christ also by Irenaeus And that the Law of God is likewise to be understood against all our Images as well of Christ as his Saints in Temples and Churches appeareth further by the Judgment of the old Doctors and Primitive Church Epiphanius's renting a painted Cloth wherein was the Picture of Christ or of some Saint affirming it to be against our Religion that any such Image should be had in the Temple or Church as is before at large declared judged that not only Idols of the Gentiles but that all Images of Christ and his Saints also were forbidden by Gods Word and our Religion Lactantius affirming it to be certain that no true Religion can
be where any Image or Picture is as is before declared judged that as well all Images and Pictures as the Idols of the Gentiles were forbidden else would he not so generally have spoken and pronounced of them And S. Augustine as is before alledged Lib. 4. c. 3. de Civ Dei in Ps 36. 113. greatly alloweth M. Varro affirming that Religion is most pure without Images and saith himself Images be of more force to crook an unhappy Soul than to teach and instruct it And he saith further Every Child yea every Beast knoweth that it is not God that they see Wherefore then doth the Holy Ghost so often admonish us of that which all Men know Whereunto S. Augustine answereth us For saith he when Images are placed in Temples and set in Honourable Sublimity and begin once to be Worshipped forthwith breedeth the most vile affection of Errour This is S. Augustine's Judgment of Images in Churches that by and by they breed Errour and Idolatry The Christian Emperors the Learned Bishops all the Learned Men of Asia Greece and Spain assembled in Councils at Constantinople and in Spain Seven and Eight Hundred years ago and more condemning and destroying all Images as well of Christ as of the Saints set up by the Christians as is before at large declared testifie that they understood Gods Word so that it forbad our Images as well as the Idols of the Gentiles Sap. 1â— Origen cont Celsum l. â— 8. Cyprianus contra Demetrium And as it is written Sap. 14. that Images were not from the beginning neither shall they continue to the end So were they not in the beginning in the Primitive Church God grant they may in the end be destroyed For all Christians in the Primitive Church as Origen against Celsus Cyprian also and Arnobius do testifie were sore charged and complained on that they had no Altars nor Images Wherefore did they not I pray you conform themselves to the Gentiles in making of Images but for lack of them sustained their heavy displeasure if they had taken it to be lawful by Gods Word to have Images It is evident therefore that they took all Images to be unlawful in the Church or Temple of God and therefore had none though the Gentiles therefore were most highly displeased following this rule Acts 5. We must obey God rather than Men. And Zephyrus in his Notes upon the Apology of Tertullian gathereth that all his vehement persuasion should be but cold except we know this once for all that Christian Men in his time did most hate Images with their Ornaments And Irenaeus as is above declared reproveth the Hereticks called Gnostici for that they carried about the Image of Christ And therefore the Primitive Church which is specially to be followed as most incorrupt and pure had publickly in Churches neither Idols of the Gentiles nor any other Images as things directly forbidden by Gods Word And thus it is declared by Gods Word the Sentences of the Doctors and the Judgment of the Primitive Church which was most pure and sincere that all Images as well ours as the Idols of the Gentiles be by Gods Word forbidden and therefore unlawful specially in Temples and Churches Now if they as their custom is flee to this answer that Gods word forbiddeth not absolutely all Images to be made but that they should not be made to be Worshipped and that therefore we may have Images so we worship them not for that they be things indifferent which may be abused or well used Which seemeth also to be the Judgment of Damascene and Gregory the first as is above declared And this is one of their chief Allegations for the maintenance of Images Damas l. 4. de fide orth c. 17. Greg. in Epist ad Serenum Massil which have been alledged since Gregory the First his time Well then we be come to their Second Allegation which in part we would not stick to grant them For we are not so Superstitious or Scrupulous that we do ahhor either Flowers wrought in Carpets Hangings and other Arras either Images of Princes Printed or Stamped in their Coins which when Christ did see in a Roman Coin we read not that he reprehended it neither do we condemn the Arts of Painting and Image-making as wicked of themselves But we would admit and grant them that Images used for no Religion or Superstition rather we mean Images of none Worshipped nor in danger to be Worshipped of any may be suffered But Images placed publickly in Temples cannot possibly be without danger of Worshipping and Idolatry wherefore they are not publickly to be had or suffered in Temples and Churches The Jews to whom this Law was first given Origen cont Celsum l. 4. Joseph antiq l. 17. c. 8. l. 18. c. 5. l. â—8 c. 15. and yet being a Moral Commandment and not Ceremonial as all Doctors interpret it it bindeth us as well as them the Jews I say who should have the true sense and meaning of Gods Law so peculiarly given unto them neither had in the beginning any Images publickly in their Temple as Origen and Josephus at large declare neither after the restitution of the Temple would by any means consent to Herod Pilate or Petronius that Images should be placed only in the Temple at Jerusalem although no Worshipping of Images was required at their Hands but rather offered themselves to the Death than to assent that Images should once be placed in the Temple of God neither would they suffer any Image-maker among them And Origen added this cause lest their Minds should be plucked from GOD to the Contemplation of Earthly Things And they are much commended for this earnest zeal in maintaining of GOD'S Honour and true Religion And Truth it is that the Jews and Turks who abhor Images and Idols as directly forbidden by GOD'S Word will never come to the Truth of our Religion whilst the stumbling blocks of Images remain amongst us and lie in their way If they object yet the brasen Serpent which Moses did set up or the Images of the Cherubims or any other Images which the Jews had in their Temple the answer is easie We must in Religion obey Gods General Law which bindeth all Men and not follow Examples of particular Dispensation which be no warrants for us Else we may by the same reason resume Circumcision and Sacrificing of Beasts and other Rites permitted to the Jews Neither can those Images of Cherubims set in secret where no Man might come nor behold be any example for our publick setting up of Images in Churches and Temples But to let the Jews go Where they say that Images so they be not Worshipped as things indifferent may be tolerable in Temples and Churches we infer and say for the adversative that all our Images of God our Saviour Christ and his Saints publickly set up in Temples and Churches places peculiarly appointed to the true Worshipping of God be
possible as both reason and experience teacheth Wherefore Preaching cannot stay Idolaâ—ry Images being publickly suffered For an â—maâ—e which will last for many hundred years may for a little be bought but a good Preacher cannot without much be continually maintained 〈◊〉 if the Prince will suffer it there will be by and by many yea infinite Images but sincere Preachâ—rs were and ever shall be but a few in respect of the multitude to be taught For our Saviour Christ saith The harvest is plentiful but the workmen be but few which hath been hitherto continually true and will be to the Worlds end And in our time and here in our Countrey so true that every Shire should scarcely have one good Preacher if they were divided Now Images will continually to the beholders preach their Doctrine that is the worshipping of Images and Idolatry to the which Preaching mankind is exceeding prone and inclined to give ear and credit as experience of all Nations and Ages doth too much prove But a true Preacher to stay this mischief is in very many places scarcely heard once in a whole year and somewhere not once in seven years as is evident to be proved And that evil Opinion which hath been long rooted in mens hearts cannot suddenly by one Sermon be rooted out clean And as few are inclined to credit sound Doctrine as many and almost all be prone to Superstition and Idolatry So that herein appeareth not only a difficulty but also an impossibility of the Remedy Further it appeareth not by any story of credit that true and sincere Preaching hath endured in any one place above one hundred years But it is evident that Images Superstition and worshipping of Images and Idolatry have continued many hundred years For all Writings and Experience do testifie that good things do by little and little ever decay until they be clean banished and contrariwise evil things do more and more increase till they come to a full perfection of wickedness Neither need we to seek examples far off for a proof hereof our present matter is an example For preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by process of time waxed less and less pure and after corrupt and last of all altogether laid down and left off and other inventions of men crept in place of it And on the other part Images among Christian men were first painted and that in whole stories together which had some signification in them Afterwards they were embossed and made of Timber Stone Plaister and Metal And first they were only kept privately in private mens houses And then after they crept into Churches and Temples but first by painting and after by embossing and yet were they no where at the first worshipped But shortly after they began to be worshipped of the ignorant sort of men as appeareth by the Epistle that Gregory the first of that name Bishop of Rome did write to Serenus Bishop of Marselles Of the which two Bishops Serenus for Idolatry committed to Images brake them and burned them Gregory although be thought it tolerable to let them stand yet he judged it abominable that they should be worshipped and thought as is now alledged that the worshipping of them might be stayed by teaching of Gods Word according as he exhorteth Serenus to teach the People as in the same Epistle appeareth But whether Gregory's Opinion or Serenus's judgment were better herein consider ye I pray you for Experience by and by confuteth Gregory's Opinion For notwithstanding Gregory's writing and the preaching of others Images being once publickly set up in Temples and Churches simple Men and Women shortly after fell on heaps to worshipping of them And at the last the learned also were carried away with the publick Error as with a violent stream or flood And at the second Council Nicene the Bishops and Clergy decreed that Images should be worshipped and so by occasion of these stumbling-blocks not only the unlearned and simple but the learned and wise not the People only but the Bishops not the Sheep but also the Shepherds themselves who should have been guides in the right way and lights to shine in darkness being blinded by the bewitching of Images as blind guides of the blind fell both into the Pit of damnable Idolatry In the which all the World as it were drowned continued until our Age by the space of above eight hundred years unspoken against in a manner And this success had Gregory's Order which mischief had never come to pass had Bishop Serenus his way been taken and all Idols and Images been utterly destroyed and abolished for no man worshippeth that that is not And thus you see how from having of Images privately it came to publick setting of them up in Churches and Temples although without harm at the first as was then of some wise and learned men judged and from simple having them there it came at the last to worshipping of them First by the rude People who specially as the Scripture teacheth Sâ—p 13 14 are in danger of Superstition and Idolatry and afterwards by the Bishops the learned and by the whole Clergy So that Laity and Clergy Learned and Unlearned all Ages Sects and Degrees of Men Women and Children of whole Christendom an horrible and most dreadful thing to think have been at once drowned in abominable Idolatry of all other vices most detested of God and most damnable to man and that by the space of eight hundred years and more And to this end is come that beginning of setting up of Images in Churches then judged harmless in experience proved not only harmful but exitious and pestilent and to the destruction and subversion of all good Religion universally So that I conclude as it may be possible in some one City or little Countrey to have Images set up in Temples and Churches and yet Idolatry by earnest and continual preaching of Gods true Word and the sincere Gospel of our Saviour Christ may be kept away for a short time So it is impossible that Images once set up and suffered in Temples and Churches any great Countries much less the whole World can any long time be kept from Idolatry And the godly will respect not only their own City Countrey and Time and the Health of Men of their Age but be careful for all places and times and the Salvation of men of all Ages At the least they will not lay such stumbling-blocks and snares for the feet of other Country-men and Ages which experience hath already proved to have been the ruine of the World Wherefore I make a general conclusion of all that I have hitherto said If the stumbling-blocks and poisons of mens Souls by setting up of Images will be many yea infinite if they be suffered and the warnings of the same stumbling-blocks and remedies for the said poisons by preaching but few as is already declared if the stumbling-blocks be easie to be laid the poisons soon provided
and the warnings and remedies hard to know or come by if the stumbling-blocks lie continually in the way and poison be ready at hand every where and warnings and remedies but seldom given and if all men be more ready of themselves to stumble and be offended than to be warned all men more ready to drink of the poison than to taste of the remedy as is before partly and shall hereafter more fully be declared and so in fine the poison continually and deeply drunk of many the remedy seldom and faintly tasted of by a few How can it be but that infinite of the weak and infirm shall be offended infinite by ruine shall break their necks infinite by deadly venom be poisoned in their souls And how is the charity of God or love of our Neighbours in our hearts then if when we may remove such dangerous stumbling-blocks such pestilent poisons we will not remove them What shall I say of them which will lay stumbling-blocks where before there was none and set snares for the feet nay for the souls of weak and simple ones and work the danger of their everlasting destruction for whom our Saviour Christ shed his most precious Blood where better it were that the Arts of Painting Plaistering Carving Graving and Founding had never been found nor used than one of them whose souls in the sight of God are so precious should by occasion of Image or Picture perish and be lost And thus is it declared that preaching cannot possibly stay Idolatry if Images be set up publickly in Temples and Churches And as true is it that no other remedy as writing against Idolatry Councils assembled Decrees made against it severe Laws likewise and Proclamations of Princes and Emperours neither extream Punishments and Penalties nor any other remedy could or can be possibly devised for the avoiding of Idolatry if Images be publickly set up and suffered For concerning writing against Images and Idolatry to them committed there hath been alledged unto you in the Second Part of this Treatise a great many places out of Tertullian Origen Lactantius S. Augustine Epiphanius S. Ambrose Clemens and divers other learned and holy Bishops and Doctors of the Church And besides these all Histories Ecclesiastical and Books of other godly and learned Bishops and Doctors are full of notable examples and sentences against Images and the worshipping of them And as they have most earnestly written so did they sincerely and most diligently in their time teach and preach according to their writings and examples For they were then preaching Bishops and more often seen in Pulpits than in Princes Palaces more often occupied in his Legacy who said Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to all men than in Embassages and Affairs of Princes in this World And as they were most zealous and diligent so were they of excellent learning and godliness of life and by both of great Authority and Credit with the People and so of more force and likelihood to perswade the People and the People more like to believe and follow their Doctrine But if their Preachings could not help much less could their Writings which do but come to the knowledge of a few that be learned in comparison to continual Preaching whereof the whole multitude is partaker Neither did the Old Fathers Bishops and Doctors severally only by Preaching and Writing but also together great numbers of them assembled in Synods and Councils make Decrees and Ecclesiastical Laws against Images and the worshipping of them neither did they so once or twice but divers times and in divers Ages and Countries assembled Synods and Councils and made severe Decrees against Images and worshipping of them as hath been at large in the Second Part of this Homily before declared But all their Writing Preaching assembling in Councils decreeing and making of Laws Ecclesiastical could nothing help either to pull down Images to whom Idolatry was committed or against Idolatry whilst Images stood For those blind Books and dumb School-masters I mean Images and Idols for they call them Lay-mens Books and School-masters by their carved and painted Writings teaching and preaching Idolatry prevailed against all their written Books and preaching with lively voice as they call it Well if Preaching and Writing could not keep men from worshipping of Images and Idolatry if Pen and Words could not do it you would think that Penalty and Sword might do it I mean that Princes by severe Laws and Punishments might stay this unbridled affection of all men to Idolatry though Images were set up and suffered But experience proveth that this can no more help against Idolatry than Writing and Preaching For Christian Emperors whose Authority ought of reason and by Gods Law to be greatest above eight in number and six of them successively reigning one after another as is in the Histories before rehearsed making most severe Laws and Proclamations against Idols and Idolatry Images and the worshipping of Images and executing most grievous punishments yea the penalty of Death upon the maintainers of Images and upon Idolaters and Image-worshippers could not bring to pass that either Images once set up might throughly be destroyed or that men should refrain from the worshipping of them being set up And what think you then will come to pass if men of learning should teach the People to make them and should maintain the setting up of them as things necessary in Religion To conclude it appeareth evidently by all stories and writings and experience in times past that neither Preaching neither Writing neither the consent of the Learned nor authority of the Godly nor the decrees of Councils neither the Laws of Princes nor extream punishments of the Offenders in that behalf nor any other remedy or means can help against Idolatry if Images be suffered publickly And it is truly said that times past are School-masters of Wisdom to us that follow and live after Therefore if in times past the most vertuous and best learned the most diligent also and in number almost infinite ancient Fathers Bishops and Doctors with their Writing Preaching Industry Earnestness Authority Assemblies and Councils could do nothing against Images and Idolatry to Images once set up what can we neither in learning nor holiness of life neither in diligence neither in authority to be compared with them but men in contempt and of no estimation as the World goeth now few also in number in so great a multitude and malice of men What can we do I say or bring to pass to the stay of Idolatry or worshipping of Images if they be allowed to stand publickly in Tempâ—es and Churches And if so many so mighty Emperors by so severe Laws and Proclamations so rigorous and extream Punishments and Executions could not stay the People from setting up and worshipping of Images what will ensue think you when men shall commend them as necessary Books of the Lay-men Let us therefore of these latter days learn this Lesson
of the Experience of ancient Antiquity that Idolatry cannot possibly be separated from Images any long time but that as an unseparable accident or as a shadow followeth the body when the Sun shineth so Idolatry followeth and cleaveth to the publick having of Images in Temples and Churches And finally as Idolatry is to be abhorred and avoided so are Images which cannot be long without Idolatry to be put away and destroyed Besides the which experiments and proof of time before the very nature and origine of Images themselves draweth to Idolatry most violently and mens nature and inclination also is bent to Idolatry so vehemently that it is not possible to sever or part Images nor to keep men from Idolatry if Images be suffered publickly That I speak of the nature and origine of Images is this Even as the first invention of them is naught and no good can come of that which had an evil beginning for they be altogether naught as Athanasius in his Book against the Gentiles declareth and St. Jerome also upon the Prophet Jeremy the sixth Chapter and Eusebius in the Seventh Book of his Ecclesiastical History the xviij testifieth that as they first came from the Gentiles which were Idolaters and worshippers of Images unto us and as the invention of them was the beginning of Spiritual Fornication as the Word of God testifieth Sap. 14. So will they naturally as it were of necessity turn to their origine from whence they came and draw us with them most violently to Idolatry abominable to God and all godly men For if the origine of Images and worshipping of them as it is recorded in the eighth Chapter of the Book of Wisdom began of a blind love of a fond Father framing for his comfort an Image of his Son being dead and so at the last men fell to the worshipping of the Image of him whom they did know to be dead How much more will Men and Women fall to the worshipping of the Images of God our Saviour Christ and his Saints if they be suffered to stand in Churches and Temples publickly For the greater the opinion is of the Majesty and Holiness of the Person to whom an Image is made the sooner will the People fall to the worshipping of the said Image Wherefore the Images God our Saviour Christ the Blessed Virgin Mary the Apostles Martyrs and others of notable Holiness are of all other Images most dangerous for the peril of Idolatry and therefore greatest heed to be taken that none of them be suffered to stand publickly in Churches and Temples For there is no great dread lest any should fall to the worshipping of the Images of Annas Caiaphas Pilate or Judas the Traytor if they were set up But to the other it is already at full proved that Idolatry hath been is and is most like continually to be committed Now as was before touched and is here most largely to be declared the nature of man is none otherwise bent to worshipping of Images if he may have them and see them than it is bent to Whoredom and Adultery in the company of Harlots And as unto a man given to the lust of the flesh seeing a wanton Harlot sitting by her and embracing her it profiteth little for one to say 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 4. Heb. 13. Beware of Fornication God will condemn Fornicators and Adulterers for neither will he being overcome with greater inticements of the Strumpet give ear or take heed to such godly admonitions and when he is left afterwards alone with the Harlot nothing can follow but wickedness even so suffer Images to be set in the Churches and Temples ye shall in vain bid them beware of Images as St. John doth 1 John 5. and flee Idolatry as all the Scriptures warn us ye shall in vain preach and teach them against Idolatry For a number will notwithstanding fall headlong unto it what by the nature of Images and what by the inclination of their own corrupt nature Wherefore as for a man given to Lust to sit down by a Strumpet is to tempt God so is it likewise to erect an Idol in this proneness of mans nature to Idolatry nothing but a tempting Now if any will say that this similitude proveth nothing yet I pray them let the Word of God out of the which the similitude is taken prove something Lev. 17. and 20. Numb 25. Deut. 31. Baruch 6. Doth not the Word of God call Idolary spiritual Fornication Doth it not call a gilt or painted Idol or Image a Strumpet with a painted Face Be not the spiritual wickednesses of an Idols inticing like the flatteries of a wanton Harlot Be not Men and Women as prone to spiritual Fornication I mean Idolatry as to carnal Fornication If this be denied let all the Nations upon the Earth which have been Idolaters as by all stories appeareth prove it true Let the Jews and the People of God which were so often and so earnestly warned so dreadfully threatned concerning Images and Idolatry and so extreamly punished therefore and yet fell into it prove it to be true as in almost all the Books of the Old Testament namely the Kings and the Chronicles and the Prophets it appeareth most evidently Let all Ages and Times and Men of all Ages and Times of all Degrees and Conditions Wise men Learned men Princes Idiots Unlearned and Commonalty prove it to be true If you require Examples For Wise Men ye have the Egyptians and the Indian Gymnosophists for wisest men of the World you have Solomon the wisest of all other For Learned men the Greeks and namely the Athenians exceeding all other Nations in Superstition and Idolatry as in the History of the Acts of the Apostles St. Paul chargeth them Acts 17. Rom. 1. For Princes and Governors you have the Romans the rulers of the rost as they say you have the same forenamed King Solomon and all the Kings of Israel and Judah after him saving David Ezechias and Josias and one or two more All these I say and infinite others wise learned Princes and Governors being all Idolaters have you for examples and a proof of mens inclination to Idolatry That I may pass over with silence in the mean time infinite multitudes and millions of Idiots and unlearned Psal 23. the ignorant and gross People like unto Horses and Mules in whom is no understanding whose peril and danger to fall on heaps to Idolatry by occasion of Images Sap. 13.14 the Scriptures specially foreshew and give warning of And indeed how should the unlearned simple and foolish scape the Nets and Snares of Idols and Images in the which the wisest and the best learned have been so entangled trapped and wrapped Wherefore the Argument holdeth this ground sure That men be as inclined of their corrupt Nature to spiritual Fornication as to carnal which the wisdom of God fore-seeing to the general prohibition that none should make to themselves any
the service of the Lord. And here by the way it is to be noted that at that time there was no Churches or Temples erected unto any Saint Euseb l b. 8. Cap. 19. and lib. 9. cap. 9 De ciâ—itate lib. 8. cap. 1. but to God only as St. Augustine also recordeth saying We build no Temples unto our Martyrs And Eusebius himself calleth Churches Houses of Prayer and sheweth that in Constantine the Emperors time all men rejoyced seeing instead of low Conventicles which Tyrants had destroyed high Temples to be builded Lo unto the time of Constantine by the space of above three hundred years after our Saviour Christ when Christian Religion was most pure and indeed golden Christians had but low and poor Conventicles and simple Oratories yea Cryptae Caves under the ground called Cryptae where they for fear of Persecution assembled secretly together A figure whereof remaineth in the Vaults which yet are builded under great Churches to put us in remembrance of the Old state of the Primitive Church before Constantine Whereas in Constantine's time and after him were builded great and goodly Temples for Christians Basilicae called Basilicae either for that the Greeks used to call all great and goodly places Basilicas or for that the high and everlasting King God and our Saviour Christ was served in them But although Constantine and other Princes of good zeal to our Religion did sumptuously deck and adorn Christians Temples yet did they dedicate at that time all Churches and Temples to God or our Saviour Christ and to no Saint Novel constit 3. 47. for that abuse began long after in Justinian's time And that gorgeousness then used as it was born with as rising of a good zeal so was it signified of the godly learned even at that time that such cost might otherwise have been better bestowed Let St. Jerome although otherwise too great a liker and allower of external and outward things be a proof hereof who hath these words in his Epistle to Demetriades Let others saith St. Jerome build Churches cover Walls with Tables of Marble carry together huge Pillars and gild their tops or heads which do not feel or understand their precious decking and adorning let them deck the doors with Ivory and Silver and set the golden Altars with precious stones I blame it not let every man abound in his own sense and better is it so to do than carefully to keep their Riches laid up in store But thou hast another way appointed thee to clothe Christ in the Poor to visit him in the sick seed him in the hungry lodge him in those who do lack harbour and especially such as be of the houshold of Faith And the same St. Jerome toucheth the same matter somewhat more freely in his Treatise of the Life of Clerks to Nepotian saying thus Many build Walls and erect Pillars of Churches the smooth Marbles do glister the Roof shineth with Gold the Altar is set with precious Stones But of the Ministers of Christ there is no election or choice Neither let any man object and alledge against me the rich Temple that was in Jewry the Table Candlesticks Incense Ships Platters Cups Mortars and other things all of Gold Then were these things allowed of the Lord when the Priests offered Sacrifices and the blood of Beasts was accounted the redemption of sins Howbeit all these things went before in figure and they were written for us upon whom the end of the World is come And now when that our Lord being poor hath dedicated the poverty of his House let us remember his Cross and we shall esteem Riches as Mire and Dung What do we marvel at that which Christ calleth wicked Mammon Whereto we do so highly esteem and love that which St. Peter doth for a glory testifie that he had not Hitherto St. Jerome Thus you see how St. Jerome teacheth the sumptuousness amongst the Jews to be a figure to signifie and not an example to follow and that those outward things were suffered for a time until Christ our Lord came who turned all those outward things into Spirit Faith and Truth And the same St. Jerome upon the seventh Chapter of Jeremy saith God commandeth both the Jews at that time and now us who are placed in the Church that we have no trust in the goodliness of Building and gilt Roofs and in Walls covered with Tables of Marble and say The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. For that is the Temple of the Lord wherein dwelleth true Faith godly Conversation and the company of all Vertues And upon the Prophet Agge he describeth the true and right decking or ornaments of the Temple after this sort I saith St. Jerome do think the Silver wherewith the House of God is decked to be the Doctrine of the Scriptures of the which it is spoken The Doctrine of the Lord is a pure Doctrine Silver tried in the fire purged from dross purified seven times And I do take Gold to be that which remaineth in the hid sense of the Saints and the secret of the heart and shineth with the true light of God Which is evident that the Apostle also meant of the Saints that build upon the Foundation of Christ some Silver some Gold some precious Stones that by the Gold the hid sense by Silver godly utterance by precious Stones works which please God might be signified With these Metals the Church of our Saviour is made more goodly and gorgeous than was the Synagogue in old time With these lively stones is the Church and House of Christ builded and Peace is given to it for ever All these be St. Jerome's sayings No more did the old godly Bishops and Doctors of the Church allow the over-sumptuous Furniture of Temples and Churches with Plate Vessels of Gold Silver and precious Vestments St. Chrysostom saith in the ministery of the Holy Sacraments there is no need of golden Vessels 2 Offi. capuâ— 28. but of golden Minds And St. Ambrose saith Christ sent his Apostles without Gold and gathered his Church without Gold The Church hath Gold not to keep it but to bestow it on the necessities of the Poor The Sacraments look for no Gold neither do they please God for the commendation of Gold which are not bought for Gold The adorning and decking of the Sacraments is the Redemption of Captives Thus much saith St. Ambrose St. Jerome commendeth Exuperius Bishop of Tolose that he carried the Sacrament of the Lords Body in a wicker Basket and the Sacrament of his Blood in a Glass and so cast Covetousness out of the Church And Bonifacius Tit. de consecra can Triburien Bishop and Martyr as is recorded in the Decrees testifieth that in Old time the Ministers used wooden and not golden Vessels And Zephyrinus the sixteenth Bishop of Rome made a Decree that they should use Vessels of Glass Likewise were the Vestures used in the Church in Old
Congregation of his faithful People by his grace by his favour and godly assistance according to his most assured and comfortable promises Why then ought not Christian People to build them Temples and Churches having as great promises of the presence of God as ever had Solomon for the material Temple which he did build As touching the other point that Solomon's Temple was a figure of Christ we know that now in the time of the clear light Christ Jesus the Son of God all shadows figures and significations are utterly gone all vain and unprofitable Ceremonies both Jewish and Heathenish fully abolished And therefore our Churches are not set up for figures and significations of Messias and Christ to come but for other godly and necessary purposes that is to say That like as every man hath his own House to abide in to refresh himself in to rest in with such like commodities So Almighty God will have his House and Place whither the whole Parish and Congregation shall resort which is called the Church and Temple of God for that the Church which is the company of Gods People doth there assemble and come together to serve him Not meaning hereby that the Lord whom the Heaven of heavens is not able to hold or comprise doth dwell in the Church of Lime and Stone made with mans hands as wholly and only contained there within and no where else for so he never dwelt in Solomon's Temple Moreover the Church or Temple is counted and called Holy yet not of it self but because Gods People resorting thereunto are Holy and exercise themselves in Holy and Heavenly things And to the intent ye may understand further why Churches were built among Christian People this was the greatest consideration that God might have his place and that God might have his time duly to be honoured and served of the whole multitude in the Parish First there to hear and learn the blessed Word and Will of the everlasting God Secondly that there the blessed Sacraments which our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus hath ordained and appointed should be duly reverently and decently ministred Thirdly that there the whole multitude of Gods People in the Parish should with one voice and heart call upon the Name of God magnifie and praise the Name of God render earnest and hearty thanks to our Heavenly Father for his heap of benefits daily and plentifully poured upon us not forgetting to bestow our Alms upon Gods Poor to the intent God may bless us the more richly Thus ye may well perceive and understand wherefore Churches were built and set up amongst Christian People and dedicated and appointed to these godly uses and wholly exempted from all filthy profane and worldly uses Wherefore all they that have little mind or devotion to repair and build Gods Temple are to be counted People of much ungodliness spurning against good Order in Christs Church despising the true honour of God with evil examples offending and hindring their Neighbours otherwise well and godlily disposed The World thinketh it but a trifle to see their Church in ruine and decay But whoso doth not lay to their helping hands they sin against God and his Holy Congregation For if it had not been sin to neglect and slightly regard the re-edifying and building up again of his Temple God would not have been so much grieved and so soon have plagued his People because they builded and decked their own Houses so gorgeously and despised the House of God their Lord. It is sin and shame to see so many Churches so ruinous and so foully decayed almost in every corner If a mans private House wherein he dwelleth be decayed he will never cease till it be restored up again Yea if his Barn where he keepeth his Corn be out of reparations what diligence useth he to make it in perfect state again If his Stable for his Horse yea the Stie for his Swine be not able to hold out Water and Wind how careful is he to do cost thereon And shall we be so mindful of our common base Houses deputed to so vile employment and be forgetful towards the House of God wherein be treated the words of our eternal Salvation wherein be ministred the Sacraments and Mysteries of our Redemption The Fountain of our Regeneration is there presented unto us the partaking of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ is there offered unto us And shall we not esteem the place where so Heavenly things are handled Wherefore if ye have any reverence to the service of God if ye have any common honesty if ye have any conscience in keeping of necessary and godly ordinances keep your Churches in good repair whereby ye shall not only please God and deserve his manifold Blessings but also deserve the good report of all godly People The second point which appertaineth to the maintenance of Gods House is to have it well adorned and comely and clean kept Which things may be the more easily reformed when the Church is well repaired For like as men are well refreshed and comforted when they find their Houses having all things in good Order and all corners clean and sweet so when Gods House the Church is well adorned with places convenient to sit in with the Pulpit for the Preacher with the Lords Table for the Ministration of his Holy Supper with the Font to Christen in and also is kept clean comely and sweetly the People are more desirous and the more comforted to resort thither and to tarry there the whole time appointed them With what earnestness with what vehement zeal did our Saviour Christ drive the buyers and sellers out of the Temple of God Mat. 21. and hurled down the Tables of the changers of Mony and the Seats of the Dove-sellers and could not abide any man to carry a Vessel through the Temple He told them that they had made his Fathers House a Den of Thieves partly through their Superstition Hypocrisie false Worship false Doctrine and insatiable Covetousness and partly through Contempt abusing that place with walking and talking with worldly matters without all fear of God and due reverence to that place What dens of Thieves the Churches of England have been made by the blasphemous buying and selling the most precious Body and Blood of Christ in the Mass as the World was made to believe as Diriges at Months minds at Trentals in Abbeys and Chantries besides other horrible abuses Gods Holy Name be blessed for ever which we now see and understand All these abominations they that supply the room of Christ have cleansed and purged the Churches of England of taking away all such fulsomness and filthiness as through blind Devotion and Ignorance hath crept into the Church these many hundred years Wherefore O ye good Christian People ye dearly beloved in Christ Jesus ye that glory not in worldly and vain Religion in phantastical adorning and decking but rejoyce in heart to see the glory of God truly
either earnestly lament and bewail their sinful lives or did addict themselves to more fervent Prayer that it might please God to turn his wrath from them when either they were admonished and brought to the consideration thereof by the preaching of the Prophets or otherwise when they saw present danger to hang over their heads This sorrowfulness of Heart joyned with Fasting they uttered sometimes by their outward behaviour and gesture of Body putting on Sackcloth sprinkling themselves with ashes and dust and sitting or lying upon the Earth For when good men feel in themselves the heavy burden of sin see damnation to be the reward of it and behold with the eye of their mind the horror of Hell they tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse themselves and open this their grief unto Almighty God and call unto him for mercy This being done seriously their mind is so occupied partly with sorrow and heaviness partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of Hell and Damnation that all desire of meat and drink is laid apart and loathsomness of all worldly things and pleasure cometh in place so that nothing then liketh them more than to weep to lament to mourn and both with words and behaviour of body to shew themselves weary of this life Thus did David fast when he made intercession to Almighty God for the Childs life begotten in Adultery of Bathshtba Vriah's Wife King Ahab fasted after this sort when it repented him of murdering of Naboth bewailing his own sinful doings Such was the Ninevites Fast brought to repentance by Jonas preaching When forty thousand of the Israelites were slain in Battel against the Benjamites the Scripture saith All the Children of Israel and the whole multitude of the People went to Bethel and sate there weeping before the Lord and fasted all that day till night Judges 20. So did Daniel Hester Nehemias and many others in the Old Testament fast But if any man will say it is true so they fasted indeed but we are not now under the yoke of the Law we are set at liberty by the freedom of the Gospel therefore those Rites and Customs of the old Law bind not us except it can be shewed by the Scriptures of the New Testament or by examples out of the same that fasting now under the Gospel is a restraint of meat drink and all bodily food and pleasures fro◠〈…〉 First that 〈…〉 is a truth more manifest than that it should here need to be proved the Scriptures which teach the same are evident The doubt therefore is whether when we Fast we ought to withhold from our bodies all meat and drink during the time of our Fast or no That we ought so to do may be well gathered upon a Question moved by the Pharisees to Christ and by his answer again to the same Why say they do John's Disciples fast often Luke â— and pray and we likewise but thy Disciples eat and drink and fast not at all In this smooth Question they couch up subtilly this Argument or Reason Whoso fasteth not that man is not of God For Fasting and Prayer are works both commended and commanded of God in the Scriptures and all good men from Moses till this time as well the Prophets as others have exercised themselves in these works John also and his Disciples at this day do fast oft and pray much and so do we the Pharisees in like manner But thy Disciples fast not at all which if thou wilt deny we can easily prove it For whosoever eateth and drinketh fasteth not Thy Disciples eat and drink therefore they fast not Of this we conclude say they necessarily that neither art thou nor yet thy Disciples of God Christ maketh answer saying Can ye make that the children of the wedding shalt fast while the Bridegroom is with them The days shall come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them In those days shall they fast Our Saviour Christ like a good Master defendeth the Innocency of his Disciples against the malice of the arrogant Pharisees and proveth that his Disciples are not guilty of transgressing any jot of Gods Law although as then they fasted and in his answer reproveth the Pharisees of Superstition and Ignorance Superstition because they put a Religion in their doings and ascribed holiness to the outward work wrought not regarding to what end Fasting is ordained Of Ignorance for that they could not discern between time and 〈◊〉 They knew not that there is a time of rejoycing and mirth and 〈…〉 â—tation and mourning which both he teacheth in his answer as shall be touched more largely hereafter when we shall shew what time is most fit to fast in But here beloved let us note that our Saviour Christ in making his answer to their question denied not but confessed that his Disciples fasted not and therefore agreeth to the Pharisees in this as unto a manifest truth that whoso eateth and drinketh fasteth not Fasting then even by Christs assent is a withholding of meat drink and all natural food from the Body for the determined time of Fasting And that it was used in the Primitive Church appeareth most evidently by the Chalcedon Council one of the four first General Councils The Fathers assembled there to the number of 630. considering with themselves how acceptable a thing Fasting is to God when it is used according to his word Again having before their eyes also the great abuses of the same crept into the Church at those days through the negligence of them which should have taught the People the right use thereof and by vain glosses devised of men to reform the said abuses and to restore this so good and godly a work to the true use thereof decreed in that Council that every Person as well in his private as publick Fast should continue all the day without meat and drink till after the Evening Prayer And whosoever did eat or drink before the Evening Prayer was ended should be accounted and reputed not to consider the purity of his Fast This Canon teacheth so evidently how Fasting was used in the Primitive Church as by words it cannot be more plainly expressed Fasting then by the Decree of those six hundred and thirty Fathers grounding their determination in this matter upon the Sacred Scriptures and long continued usage or practice both of the Prophets and other godly Persons before the coming of Christ and also of the Apostles and other devout men in the New Testament is a withholding of meat drink and all natural Food from the Body for the determined time of Fasting Thus much is spoken hitherto to make plain unto you what Fasting is Now hereafter shall be shewed the true and right use of Fasting Good works are not all of one sort For some are of themselves and of their own proper nature always good as to love God above all things to
by the abundance of Riches let us call to mind what Solomon writeth in the xxi Prov. 21. of his Proverbs He that loveth wine and fat fare shall never be rich saith he And in the xxiii Prov. 23. Chapter he maketh a vehement exhortation on this wise Keep not company with drunkards and gluttons for the glutton and drunkard shall come to poverty He that draweth his Patrimony through his throat and eateth and drinketh more in one hour or in one day than he is able to earn in a whole week must needs be an unthrift and come to beggery But some will say what need any to find fault with this He hurteth no man but himself he is no mans foe but his own Indeed I know this is commonly spoken in defence of these beastly belly-gods but it is easie to see how hurtful they are not only to themselves but also to the Common-wealth by their example Every one that meeteth them is troubled with brawling and contentious language and oft-times raging in beastly lusts like high-fed Horses they neigh on their neighbours wives as Jeremy saith and defile their children and daughters Their example is evil to them among whom they dwell they are an occasion of offence to many and whilst they wast their substance in banqueting their own houshold is not provided of things necessary their Wives and their Children are evilly treated they have not wherewith to relieve their poor Neighbours in time of necessity as they might have if they lived soberly They are unprofitable to the Common-wealth For a drunkard is neither fit to Rule nor to be ruled They are a slander to the Church or Congregation of Christ and therefore St. Paul doth excommunicate them among Whoremongers 1 Cor. 5. Idolaters Covetous Persons and Extortioners forbidding Christians to eat with any such Let us therefore good People eschew every one of us all intemperancy let us love sobriety and moderate diet oft give our selves to abstinency and fasting whereby the mind of man is more lifted up to God more ready to all godly exercises as Prayer hearing and reading Gods Word to his spiritual comfort Finally whosoever regardeth the health and safety of his own Body or wisheth always to be well in his wits or desireth quietness of mind and abhorreth fury and madness he that would be rich and escape poverty he that is willing to live without the hurt of his Neighbour a profitable member of the Common-wealth a Christian without slander of Christ and his Church let him avoid all riotous and excessive banqueting let him learn to keep such measure as behoveth him that professeth true godliness let him follow St. Paul's Rule and so eat and drink to the glory and praise of God who hath created all things to be soberly used with Thanksgiving to whom be all Honour and Glory for ever Amen AN HOMILY AGAINST Excess of Apparel WHereas ye have heretofore been excited and stirred to use temperance of meats drinks and to avoid the excess thereof many ways hurtful to the state of the Common-wealth and so odious before Almighty God being the author and giver of such Creatures to comfort and stablish our frail Nature with thanks unto him and not by abusing of them to provoke his liberality to severe punishing of that disorder In like manner it is convenient that ye be admonished of another foul and chargeable excess I mean of Apparel at these days so gorgeous that neither Almighty God by his Word can stay our proud curiosity in the same neither yet godly and necessary Laws made by our Princes and oft repeated with the Penalties can bridle this detestable abuse whereby bâ—th God is openly contemned and the Princes Laws manifestly disobeyed to the great peril of the Realm Wherefore that sobriety also in this excess may be espyed among us I shall declare unto you both the moderate use of Apparel approved by God in his Holy Word and also the abuses thereof which he forbiddeth and disalloweth as it may appear by the inconveniencies which daily increase by the just judgment of God where that measure is not kept which he himself hath appointed If we consider the end and purpose whereunto Almighty God hath ordained his Creatures we shall easily perceive that he alloweth us Apparel not only for necessities sake but also for an honest comeliness Even as in Herbs Trees and sundry Fruits we have not only divers necessary uses but also the pleasant sight and sweet smell to delight us withal wherein we may behold the singular love of God towards mankind in that he hath provided both to relieve our necessities and also to refresh our senses with an honest and moderate recreation Therefore David in the hundred and fourth Psalm Psal 104. confessing Gods careful Providence sheweth that God not only provideth things necessary for men as Herbs and other meats but also such things as may rejoyce and comfort as wine to make glad the heart oyls and oyntments to make the face to shine So that they are altogether past the limits of humanity who yielding only to necessity forbid the lawful fruition of Gods benefits With whose traditions we may not be led if we give ear to St. Paul writing to the Colossians Coloss 2. willing them not to hearken unto such men as shall say Touch not Taste not Handle not superstitiously bereaving them of the fruition of Gods Creatures And no less truly ought we to beware lest under pretence of Christian Liberty we take License to do what we list advancing our selves in sumptuous Apparel and despising others preparing our selves in fine bravery to wanton lewd and unchaste behaviour To the avoiding whereof it behoveth us to be mindful of four Lessons 4 L ssons taught in Holy Scripture whereby we shall learn to temper our selves and to restrain our immoderate affections to that measâ—re which God hath appointed The first is that we make not provision for the flesh Rom. 13. to accomplish the lusts thereof with costly Apparel as that Harlot did of whom Solomon speaketh Proverbs the seventh Prov. 7. which perfumed her bed and deckt it with costly ornaments of Egypt to the fulfilling of her lewd lust but rather ought we by moderate temperance to cut off all occasions whereby the flesh might get the victory The second is written by St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. in the seventh Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinths where he teacheth us to use this World as though we used it not Whereby he cutteth away not only all Ambition Pride and vain pomp in Apparel but also all inordinate care and affection which withdraweth us from the contemplation of Heavenly things and consideration of our Duty towards God They that are much occupied in caring for things pertaining to the Body are most commonly negligent and careless in matters concerning the Soul Mat. 6. Therefore our Saviour Christ willeth us not to take thought what we shall
the nature of Charity concluding that because they did pray for men on Earth therefore they do much more the same now in Heaven Then may it be said by the same reason that as oft as we do weep on Earth they do also weep in Heaven because while they lived in this World it is most certain and sure they did so And for that place which is written in the Apocalyps namely that the Angel did offer up the Prayers of the Saints upon the golden Altar it is properly to be understood of those Saints that are yet living on Earth and not of them that are dead otherwise what need were it that the Angel should offer up their Prayers being now in Heaven before the face of Almighty God But admit the Saints do Pray for us yet do we not know how whether specially for them which call upon them or else generally for all men wishing well to every man alike If they Pray specially for them which call upon them then it is like they hear our Prayers and also know our hearts desire Which thing to be false it is already proved both by the Scriptures and also by the Authority of Augustin Let us not therefore put our trust or confidence in the Saints or Martyrs that be dead Let us not call upon them nor desire help at their hands but let us always lift up our Hearts to God in the name of his dear Son Christ for whose sake as God hath promised to hear our Prayer so he will truly perform it Invocation is a thing proper unto God which if we attribute unto the Saints it soundeth to their reproach neither can they well bear it at our hands When Paul had healed a certain lame man Acts 14. which was impotent in his Feet at Lystra the People would have done Sacrifice unto him and Barnabas who rending their clothes refused it and exhorted them to worship the true God Likewise in the Revelation Apoc. 19. when St. John fell before the Angel's feet to worship him the Angel would not permit him to do it but commanded him that he should worship God Which Examples declare unto us that the Saints and Angels in Heaven will not have us to do any Honour unto them that is due and proper unto God He only is our Father he only is Omnipotent he only knoweth and understandeth all things he only can help us at all times and in all places he suffereth the Sun to shine upon the good and the bad he feedeth the young Ravens that cry unto him he saveth both Man and Beast he will not that any one hair of our Head shall perish but is always ready to help and preserve all them that put their trust in him according as he hath promised Isai 65. saying Before they call I will answer and whilst they speak I will hear Let us not therefore any thing mistrust his goodness let us not fear to come before the Throne of his Mercy let us not seek the aid and help of Saints but let us come boldly our selves nothing doubting but God for Christs sake in whom he is well pleased will hear us without a Spokes-man and accomplish our desire in all such things as shall be agreeable to his most Holy Will Chrysost 6 hom de profectu Evang. So saith Chrysostom an ancient Doctor of the Church and so must we stedfastly believe not because he saith it but much more because it is the Doctrine of our Saviour Christ himself who hath promised that if we Pray to the Father in his name we shall certainly be heard both to the relief of our Necessities and also to the Salvation of our Souls which he hath purchased unto us not with Gold or Silver but with his precious Blood shed once for all upon the Cross To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God be all Honour Praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen The Third Part of the Homily concerning PRAYER YE were taught in the other part of this Sermon unto whom ye ought to direct your Prayers in time of need and necessity that is to wit not unto Angels or Saints but unto the eternal and everliving God who because he is merciful is always ready to hear us when we call upon him in true and perfect Faith And because he is Omnipotent he can easily perform and bring to pass the thing that we request to have at his hands To doubt of his Power it were a plain point of Infidelity and clean against the Doctrine of the Holy Ghost which teacheth us that he is all in all And as touching his good will in this behalf we have express Testimonies in Scripture Psal 50. how that he will help us and also deliver us if we call upon him in time of trouble So that in both these respects we ought rather to call upon him than upon any other Neither ought any man therefore to doubt to come boldly unto God because he is a sinner For the Lord as the Prophet David saith is gracious and merciful yea Psal 107. 1 Tim. 1. his mercy and goodness endureth for ever He that sent his own Son into the World to save sinners will he not also hear sinners if with a true penitent Heart and a stedfast Faith they Pray unto him Yea 1 John 1. if we acknowledge our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness as we are plainly taught by the Examples of David Peter Mary Magdalen the Publican and divers others And whereas we must needs use the help of some Mediator and Intercessor let us content our selves with him that is the true and only Mediator of the New Testament namely the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For as St. John saith If any man sin 1 John 2. we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins And St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. in his first Epistle to Timothy saith There is one God and one Mediator between God and man even the man Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransom for all men to be a testimony in due time Now after this Doctrine established you shall be instructed for what kind of things and what kind of persons ye ought to make your Prayers unto God It greatly behoveth all men when they Pray to consider well and diligently with themselves what they ask and require at Gods hands lest if they desire that thing which they ought not their Petitions be made void and of none effect There came on a time unto Agesilaus the King a certain importunate suiter who requested him in a matter earnestly saying Sir and it please your Grace you did once promise me Truth quoth the King if it be just that thou requirest then I promised thee otherwise I did only speak it and not promise it The man would not
People have of late years been plucked down and over-run and left waste with grievous and intolerable Tyranny and Cruelty of the Enemy of our Lord Christ the Great Turk who hath so universally scourged the Christians that never the like was heard or read of Above thirty years past the Great Turk had over-run conquered and brought into his Dominion and Subjection twenty Christian Kingdoms turning away the People from the Faith of Christ poisoning them with the devilish Religion of wicked Mahomet and either destroying their Churches utterly or filthily abusing them with their wicked and detestable Errors And now this Great Turk this bitter and sharp Scourge of Gods Vengeance is even at hand in this part of Christendom in Europe at the Borders of Italy at the Borders of Germany greedily gaping to devour us to over-run our Country to destroy our Churches also unless we repent our sinful life and resort more diligently to the Church to honour God to learn his blessed Will and to fulfil the same The Jews in their time provoked justly the vengeance of God for that partly they abused his Holy Temple with the detestable Idolatry of the Heathen and superstitious Vanities of their own Inventions contrary to Gods Commandment partly they resorted unto it as Hypocrites spotted imbrued and foulely defiled with all kind of wickedness and sinful life partly many of them passed little upon the Holy Temple and cared not whether they came thither or no. And have not the Christians of late days and even in our days also in like manner provoked the displeasure and indignation of Almighty God partly because they have profaned and defiled their Churches with Heathenish and Jewish abuses with Images and Idols with numbers of Altars too too superstitiously and intolerably abused with gross abusing and filthy corrupting of the Lords Holy Supper the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood with an infinite number of toys and trifles of their own devices to make a goodly outward shew and to deface the plain simple and sincere Religion of Christ Jesus partly they resort to the Church like Hypocrites full of all iniquity and sinful life having a vain and dangerous fansie and perswasion that if they come to the Church besprinkle them with Holy Water hear a Mass and be blessed with the Chalice though they understand not one word of the whole Service nor feel one motion of Repentance in their Hearts all is well all is sure Fie upon such mocking and blaspheming of Gods Holy Ordinance Churches were made for another purpose that is to resort thither and to serve God truly there to learn his blessed Will there to call upon his mighty Name there to use the Holy Sacraments there to travel how to be in Charity with thy Neighbour there to have thy poor and needy Neighbour in remembrance from thence to depart better and more godly than thou camest thither Finally Gods vengeance hath been and is daily provoked because much wicked People pass nothing to resort to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God and godliness and care not with devilish example to offend their Neighbours or else for that they see the Church altogether scoured of such gay gazing sights as their gross phantasie was greatly delighted with because they see the false Religion abandoned and the true restored which seemeth an unsavoury thing to their unsavoury taste as may appear by this that a Woman said to her Neighbour Alas Gossip what shall we do at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly Sights we were wont to have are gone since we cannot hear the like piping singing chaunting and playing upon the Organs that we could before But Dearly Beloved we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of all those things which displeased God so sore and filthily defiled his Holy House and his Place of Prayer for the which he hath justly destroyed many Nations according to the saying of St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. If any man defile the Temple of God God will him destroy And this ought we greatly to praise God for that such Superstitious and Idolatrous manners as were utterly naught and defaced Gods glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his People edified are decently retained and in our Churches comely practised But now forasmuch 〈◊〉 ye perceive it is Gods determinate pleasure ye should resort unto your Churches upon the day of Holy Rest seeing ye hear what displeasure God conceiveth what Plagues he poureth upon his disobedient People seeing ye understand what Blessings of God are given what Heavenly Commodities come to such People as desirously and zealously use to resort unto their Churches seeing also ye are now friendly bidden and joyntly called beware that ye slack not your Duty take heed that you suffer nothing to let you hereafter to come to the Church at such times as you are ordinarily appointed and commanded Our Saviour Christ telleth in a Parable that a great Supper was prepared Guests were bidden many excused themselves and would not come I tell you saith Christ none of them that were called shall taste of my Supper This great Supper is the true Religion of Almighty God wherewith he will be worshipped in the due receiving of his Sacraments and sincere preaching and hearing of his Holy Word and practising the same by godly conversation This Feast is now prepared in Gods Banqueting-House the Church you are thereunto called and joyntly bidden if you refuse to come and make your excuses the same will be answered to you that was unto them Now come therefore Dearly Beloved without delay and chearfully enter into Gods Feasting-house and become partakers of the Benefits provided and prepared for you But see that ye come thither with your Holy-day Garment not like Hypocrites not of a custom and for manners sake not with lothsomness as though ye had rather not come than come if ye were at your liberty For God hateth and punisheth such counterfeit Hypocrites as appeareth by Christs former Parable My Friend saith God how camest thou in without a Wedding-garment And therefore commanded his servants to bind him hand and foot and to cast him into utter darkness where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth To the intent that ye may avoid the like danger at Gods hand come to the Church on the Holy-day and come in your Holy-day Garment that is to say come with a chearful and a godly Mind come to seek Gods glory and to be thankful unto him come to be at one with thy Neighbour and to enter in Friendship and Charity with him Consider that all thy doings stink before the face of God if thou be not in Charity with thy Neighbour Come with an Heart sifted and cleansed from worldly and carnal affections and desires shake off all vain
Cursing the Godly with Bell Book and Candle as also in Absolving the Reprobate which are known to be unworthy of any Christian Society Whereof they that Lust to see Examples let them search their Lives To be short look what our Saviour Christ pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel the same may be boldly and with safe Conscience pronounced of the Bishops of Rome namely that they have forsaken and daily do forsake the Commandments of God to erect and set up their own Constitutions Which thing being true as all they which have any light of Gods Word must needs confess we may well conclude according to the Rule of Augustin That the Bishops of Rome and their adherents are not the true Church of Christ much less then to be taken as chief Heads and Rulers of the same Whosoever saith he do dissent from the Scriptures concerning the Head August contra Petilian Donatist Ep. cap. 4. although they be found in all places where the Church is appointed yet are they not in the Church a plain place concluding directly against the Church of Rome Where is now the Holy Ghost which they so stoutly claim to themselves Where is now the Spirit of Truth that will not suffer them in any wise to err If it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then is it at Rome otherwise it is but a vain brag and nothing else St. Paul as you have heard before saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his And by turning the words it may be truly said If any man be not of Christ the same hath not the Spirit Now to discern who are truly his and who not we have this Rule given us that his Sheep do always hear his Voice And St. John saith John 10. John 8. He that is of God heareth Gods Word Whereof it followeth that the Popes in not hearing Christs voice as they ought to do but preferring their own decrees before the express Word of God do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possessed with his Spirit But here they all alledge for themselves that there are divers necessary Points not expressed in holy Scripture John 16. which were left to the Revelation of the Holy Ghost Who being given to the Church according to Christs promise hath taught many things from time to time which the Apostles could not then bear To this we may easily Answer by the plain words of Christ teaching us that the proper Office of the Holy Ghost is not to institute and bring in new Ordinances contrary to his Doctrin before taught but shall come and declare those things which he had before taught John 16. so that it might be well and truly understood When the Holy Ghost saith he shall come he shall lead you into all truth What truth doth he mean Any other than he himself had before expressed in his Word John 16. No. For he saith He shall take of mine and shew unto you Again he shall bring you in remembrance of all things that I have told you It is not then the Duty and part of any Christian under pretence of the Holy Ghost to bring in his own Dreams and Phantasies into the Church but he must diligently provide that his Doctrin and Decrees be agreeable to Christs holy Testament otherwise in making the Holy Ghost the Author thereof he doth Blaspheme and Belie the Holy Ghost to his own Condemnation Now to leave their Doctrin and to come to other Points What shall we think or judge of the Popes intolerable Pride The Scripture saith that God resisteth the Proud and sheweth grace to the Humble Also it pronouceth them blessed which are Poor in Spirit Matt. 5. Matt. 14. promising that they which humble themselves shall be exalted And Christ our Saviour willeth all his to learn of him because he is humble and meek As for Pride St. Gregory saith it is the Root of all Mischief And St. Augustin's judgment is this that it maketh Men Devils Can any Man then which either hath or shall read the Popes Lives justly say that they had the Holy Ghost within them First as touching that they will be termed Universal Bishops and Heads of all Christian Churches through the World we have the judgment of Gregory expresly against them Lib. 3. Epist 76.78 who writing to Mauritius the Emperor condemneth John Bishop of Constantinople in that behalf calling him the Prince of Pride Lucifers Successor and the fore runner of Antichrist Serm. 3. de resur Dom. St. Bernard also agreeing thereunto saith What greater Pride can there be than that one Man should prefer his own judgment before the whole Congregation as though he only had the Spirit of God Dialogorum lib. 3. And Chrysostom pronounceth a terrible sentence against them affirming plainly that whosoever seeketh to be chief in Earth shall find confusion in Heaven and that he which striveth for the Supremacy shall not be reputed among the Servants of Christ Again he saith To desire a good work it is good Chrysost sup Mat. but to covet the chief degree of Honor it is meer Vanity Do not these places sufficiently convince their outragious Pride in Usurping to themselves a Superiority above all other as well Ministers and Bishops as Kings also and Emperors But as the Lion is known by his Claws so let us learn to know these Men by their Deeds What shall we say of him that made the Noble King Dandalus to be tied by the Neck with a Chain Sabell Ennead 9. lib. 7. and to lie flat down before his Table there to gnaw Bones like a Dog Shall we think that he hath Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Clement the VI. What shall we say of him that proudly and contemptuously trod Frederick the Emperor under his Feet applying the verse of the Psalm unto himself Thou shalt go upon the Lion and the Adder Psal 60. the young Lion and the Dragon thou shalt tread under thy foot Shall we say that he hath Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Alexander the III. What shall we say of him that Armed and animated the Sun against the Father causing him to be taken and to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the Law both of God and also of Nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Pascal the II. What shall we say of him that came into his Popedom like a Fox that reigned like a Lion and died like a Dog Shall we say that he had Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Boniface the VIII What shall we say of him that made
transitory Life and endue you with all manner of Benediction in the next World in the Kingdom of Heaven through the merits of our Lord and Saviour To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honor everlasting Amen AN HOMILY OF The State of Matrimony THe Word of Almighty God doth testifie and declare whence the Original Beginning of Matrimony cometh and why it is ordained It is instituted of God to the intent that Man and Woman should live lawfully in a perpetual Friendship to bring forth Fruit and to avoid Fornication by which Mean a good Conscience might be preserved on both Parties in bridling the corrupt inclinations of the Flesh within the limits of Honesty for God hath straitly forbidden all Whoredom and Uncleanness and hath from time to time taken grievous punishment of this inordinate Lust as all Stories and Ages have declared Furthermore It is also ordained that the Church of God and his Kingdom might by this kind of life be conserved and enlarged not only in that God giveth Children by his Blessing but also in that they be brought up by the Parents godly in the knowledge of Gods Word that thus the knowledge of God and true Religion might be delivered by Succession from one to another that finally many might enjoy that evâ—rlasting Immortality Wherefore for as much as Matrimony serveth us as well to avoid sin and offence as to encrease the Kingdom of God you as all other which enter the State must acknowledge this benefit of God with pure and thankful minds for that he hath so ruled your hearts that ye follow not the example of the wicked World who set their delight in filthiness of sin but both of you stand in the fear of God and abhor all filthiness for that is surely the singular gift of God where the common example of the World declareth how the Devil hath their hearts bound and entangled in divers snares so that they in their Wifeless State run into open abominations without any grudge of their Conscience Which sort of Men that live so desperately and filthy what damnation tarrieth for them St. Paul describeth it to them saying Neither Whoremongers 1 Cor. 6. neither Adulterers shall inherit the Kingdom of God This horrible Judgment of God ye be escaped through his mercy if so be that ye live inseparatly according to Gods Ordinance But yet I would not have you careless without watching for the Devil will assay to attempt all things to interrupt and hinder your Hearts and godly Purpose if ye will give him any entry For he will either labor to break this godly knot once begun betwixt you or else at the least he will labor to incumber it with divers griefs and displeasures And this is the principal craft to work dissension of Hearts of the one from the other that whereas now there is pleasant and sweet Love betwixt you he will in the stead thereof bring in most bittet and unpleasant discord and surely that same Adversary of ours doth as it were from above assault Mans nature and condition For this folly is ever from our tender Age grown up with us to have a desire to rule to think highly of our selves so that none thinketh it meet to give place to another That wicked Voice of stubborn Will and Self-love is more meet to break and to dissever the love of Heart than to preserve Concord Wherefore married Persons must apply their minds in most earnest wise to Concord and must crave continually of God the help of his Holy Spirit so to rule their Hearts and to knit their Minds together that they be not dissevered by any Division or Discord This necessity of Prayer must be oft in practice and using of married Persons that oft times the one should pray for the other lest hate and debate do arise betwixt them And because few do consider this thing but more few do perform it I say to pray diligently we see how wonderfully the Devil deludeth and scorneth this State how few Matrimonies there be without Chidings Brawlings Tauntings Repentings bitter Cursings and Fightings which things whosoever doth commit they do not consider that it is the instigation of the Ghostly Enemy who taketh great delight therein for else they would with all earnest endeavor strive against these mischiefs not only with Prayer but also with all possible diligence yea they would not give place to the provocation of Wrath which stirreth them either to such rough and sharp Words or Stripes which is surely compassed by the Devil whose temptation if it be followed must needs begin and weave the Web of all Miseries and Sorrows For this is most certainly true that of such beginnings must needs ensue the breach of true Concord in Heart whereby all Love must needs shortly be banished Then can it not be but a miserable thing to behold that yet they are of necessity compelled to live together which yet cannot be in quiet together And this is most customably every where to be seen But what is the cause thereof Forsooth because they will not consider the crafty Trains of the Devil and therefore give not themselves to pray to God that he would vouchsafe to repress his Power Moreover they do not consider how they promote the purpose of the Devil in that they follow the wrath of their hearts while they threat one another while they in their folly turn all upside down while they will never give over their right as they esteem it yea while many times they will not give over the wrong part indeed Learn thou therefore if thou desirest to be void of all these miseries if thou desirest to live peaceably and comfortably in Wedlock how to make thy earnest Prayer to God that he would govern both your Hearts by the Holy Spirit to restrain the Devils power whereby your Concord may remain perpetually But to this Prayer must be joyned a singular diligence whereof St. Peter giveth this precept saying You Husbands deal with your Wives according to knowledge giving honor to the Wife as unto the weaker Vessel and as unto them that are Heirs also of the grace of Life that your Prayers be not hindred This precept doth particularly pertain to the Husband for he ought to be the Leader and Author of Love in cherishing and increa ing Concord which then shall take place if he will use Moderation and not Tyranny and if he yield something to the Woman For the Woman is a weak Creature not indued with like strength and constancy of Mind therefore they be the sooner disquieted and they be the more prone to all weak affections and dispositions of Mind more than Men be and lighter they be and more vain in their Fantasies and Opinions These things must be considered of the Man that he be not too stiff so that he ought to wink at some things and must gently expound all things and to forbear Howbeit The common sort of Men do judge
to them that they study not either to Write fair to keep a Book of Account to study the Tongues and so to get wisdom and knowledge in such Books and Works as be now plentifully set out in Print of all manner of Languages Let young Men consider the precious value of their time and waste it not in Idleness in Jollity in Gaming in Bant queting in Ruffians company Youth is but Vanity and must be accounted for before God How merry and glad soever thou be in thy Youth O young Man saith the Preacher how glad soever thy Heart be in thy young days Eccles 11. how fast and freely soever thou follow the ways of thine own Heart and the lust of thine own Eye yet be thou sure that God shall bring thee into Judgment for all these things God of his mercy put it into the Hearts and Minds of all them that have the Sword of Punishment in their Hands or have Families under their Governance to Labor to redress this great enormity of all such as live Idly and unprofitably in the Common-weal to the great dishonor of God and the grievous Plague of his silly People To leave sin unpunished and to neglect the good bringing up of Youth is nothing else but to kindle the Lords wrath against us and to heap Plagues upon our own Heads As long as the Adulterous people were suffered to live Licentiously without Reformation so long did the Plague continue and increase in Israel Numb 25. as you may see in the Book of Numbers But when due correction was done upon them the Lords anger was strait way pacified and the Plauge ceased Let all Officers therefore look straitly to their charge Let all Masters of Housholds reform this abuse in their Families let them use the Authority that God hath given them let them not maintain Vagabonds and Idle persons but deliver the Realm and their Housholds from such noysom Loyterers that Idleness the Mother of all Mischief being clean taken away Almighty God may turn his dreaful Anger away from us and confirm the Covenant of Peace upon us for ever through the Merits of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honor and Glory World without end Amen AN HOMILY OF Repentance and of true Reconciliation unto God THere is noting that the Holy Ghost doth so much Labor in all the Scriptures to beat into Mens Heads as Repentance amendment of Life and speedy returning unto the Lord God of Hosts And no marvel why for we do Daily and Hourly by our wickedness and stubborn Disobedience horribly fall away from God thereby purchasing unto our selves if he should deal with us according to his Justice Eternal Damnation The Doctrin of Repentance is most necessary So that no Doctrin is so necessary in the Church of God as is the Doctrin of Repentance and amendment of Life And verily the true Preachers of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven and of the glad and joyful tidings of Salvation have always in their Godly Sermons and Preachings unto the People joyned these two together I mean Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins even as our Saviour Jesus Christ did appoint himself saying So it behoved Christ to Suffer and to Rise again the Third Day and that Repentance and Forgiveness of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations And therefore the holy Apostle doth in the Acts speak after this manner I have witnessed both to the Jews and to the Gentiles the Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Did not John Baptist Zacharias Son begin his Ministry with the Doctrin of Repentance saying Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand The like Doctrin did our Saviour Jesus Christ preach himself and commanded his Apostles to preach the same I might here alledge very many places out of the Prophets in the which this most wholsom Doctrin of Repentance is very earnestly urged as most needful for all degrees and orders of Men but one shall be sufficient at this present time These are the words of Joel the Prophet therefore also now the Lord saith Joel 2. Return unto me with all your heart with Fasting Weeping and Mourning rent your hearts and not your cloaths and return unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great compassion and ready to pardon wickedness Whereby it is given us to understand A perpetual Rule which all must follow that we have here a perpetual Rule appointed unto us which ought to be observed and kept at all times and that there is none other way whereby the wrath of God may be pacified and his anger asswaged that the fierceness of his fury and the plagues of destruction which by his righteous Judgment he had determined to bring upon us may depart be removed and taken away Where he saith But now therefore saith the Lord return unto me It is not without great importance that the Prophet speaketh so for he had before set forth at large unto them the horrible Vengeance of God which no Man was able to abide and therefore he doth move them to Repentance to obtain Mercy as if he should say I will not have these things to be so taken as though there were no hope of grace left For although ye do by your sins deserve to be utterly destroyed and God by his righteous Judgments hath determined to bring no small destruction upon you yet know that ye are in a manner on the very edge of the Sword if ye will speedily return unto him he will most gently and most mercifully receive you into favor again Whereby we are admonished that Repentance is never too late so that it be true and earnest For sith that God in the Scriptures will be called our Father doubtless he doth follow the nature and property of gentle and merciful Fathers which seek nothing so much as the returning again and amendment of their Children as Christ doth abundantly teach in the Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15. Ezek. 18. Esay 1. 1 John 2. Doth not the Lord himself say by the Prophet I will not the death of the wicked but that he turn from his wicked ways and live And in another place If we confess our sins God is faithful righteous to forgive us our sins and to make us clean from all wickedness Which most comfortable Promises are confirmed by many Examples of the Scriptures when the Jews did willingly receive and imbrace the wholesom counsel of the Prophet Esay Esay 33. God by and by did reach his helping hand unto them and by his Angel did in one night slay the most worthy and valiant Soldiers of Sennacheribs Camp 2 Par. 53. Whereunto may King Manasses be added who after all manner of damnable wickedness returned unto the Lord and therefore was heard of him and restored again into his Kingdom
them to beware of the subtil suggestions of such restless ambitious Persons and so to flee them that Rebellions though attempted by a few Ambitious through the lack of maintainance by any multitudes may speedily and easily without any great labor danger or damage be re-ressed and clearly extinguished It is well known as well by all Histories as by daily Experience that none have either more ambitiously aspired above Emperors Kings and Princes nor have more perniciously moved the ignorant People to Rebellion against their Princes than certain Persons which falsly challenge to themselves to be only counted and called Spiritual I must therefore here yet once again briefly put you good People in remembrance out of Gods holy Word how our Saviour Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles the Heads and chief of all true Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Men behaved themselves towards the Princes and Rulers of their time though not the best Governors that ever were that you be not ignorant whether they be the true Disciples and followers of Christ and his Apostles and so true spiritual Men that either by Ambition do so highly aspire or do most maliciously teach or most perniciously do execute Rebellion against their lawful Princes being the worst of all carnal Works and mischievous Deeds Mat. 17. d. 25. Mark 12. b. 14. Luke 20. d. 25. Mat. 27. Luke 23. Rom. 13. a. 1 c. 1 Tim. 2. a. 1. 1 Pet. 2. c. 13. John 6. b. 15. and 18. f. 36. Mat. 20. d. 25. Mark 10. f. 42. Luke 22. c. 25. Mat. 23. a. 8. Luke 9. f. 46. 2 Cor. 1. d. 24. 1 Pet. 5. a 3. Mat. 18. a. 4. 20. d. 28. Luke 9. f. 48. 22. c. 27. Sex decre lib. 3. tit 16. cap. unic lib. 5. tit 9. cap. 5. iâ— glossa The holy Scriptures do teach most expresly that our Saviour Christ himself and his Apostles St. Paul St. Peter with others were unto the Magistrates and higher Powers which ruled at their being upon the Earth both obedient themselves and did also diligently and earnestly exhort all other Christians to the like obedience unto their Princes and Governors whereby it is evident that Men of the Clergy and Ecclesiastical Ministers as their Successors ought both themselves specially and before other to be obedient unto their Princes and also to exhort all others unto the same Our Saviour Christ likewise teaching by his Doctrin that his Kingdom was not of this World did by his Example in fleeing from those that would have made him King confirm the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Clergy all Princely Dominion over People and Nations and he and his holy Apostles likewise namely Peter and Paul did forbid unto all Ecclesiastical Ministers dominion over the Church of Christ And indeed whiles the Ecclesiastical Ministers continued in Christs Church in that order that is in Christs Word prescribed unto them and in Christian Kingdoms kept themselves obedient to their own Princes as the Holy Scripture doth teach them both was Christs Church more clear from ambitious Emulations and Contentions and the State of Christian Kingdoms less subject unto Tumults and Rebellions But after that Ambition and desire of Dominion entred once into Ecclesiastical Ministers whose greatness after the Doctrin and Example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves and that the Bishop of Rome being by the order of Gods Word none other than the Bishop of that one See and Diocess and never yet well able to govern the same did by intolerable Ambition challenge not only to he the Head of all the Church dispersed throughout the World but also to be Lord of all Kingdoms of the World as is expresly set forth in the Book of his own Canon Laws most contrary to the Doctrin and Example of our Saviour Christ whose Vicar and of his Apostles namely Peter whose Successor he pretendeth to be After this Ambition entred and his Challenge once made by the Bishop of Rome he became at once the spoiler and destroyer both of the Church which is the Kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian Kingdoms as an Universal Tyrant over all And whereas before that Challenge made there was great amity and love amongst the Christians of all Countries hereupon began Emulation and much Hatred between the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy and Friends on the one part and the Grecian Clergy and Christians of the East on the other part for that they refused to acknowledge any such Supream Authority of the Bishop of Rome over them The Bishop of Rome for this cause amongst other not only naming them and taking them for Schismatics but also never ceasing to persecute them and the Emperors who had their See and continuance in Greece by stirring of the Subjects to Rebellion against their Sovereign Lords and by raising deadly hatred and most cruel Wars between them and other Christian Princes And when the Bishops of Rome had translated the Title of the Emperor and as much as in them did lie the Empire it self from their Lord the Emperor of of Greece and of Rome also by right unto the Christian Princes of the West they became in short space no better unto the West Emperors than they were before unto the Emperors of Greece for the usual discharging of Subjects from their Oath of Fidelity made unto the Emperors of the West their Sovereign Lords by the Bishops of Rome the unnatural stirring up of the Subjects unto Rebellion against their Princes yea of the Son against the Father by the Bishop of Rome the most cruel and bloody Wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all Kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian Men being slain by Christians and which ensued thereupon the pitiful losses of so many goodly Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdoms sometime possessed by Christians in Asia Africa Europe the miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks the lamentable diminishing decay and ruin of Christian Religion the dreadful increase of Paganism and Power of the Infidels and Miscreants and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Romes own Favorers and Friends to be seen and as well known unto all such as are acquainted with the said Histories The ambitious intents and most subtil drifts of the Bishops of Rome in these their Practices appeared evidently by their bold attempt in spoiling and robbing the Emperors of their Towns Cities Dominions and Kingdoms in Italy Lombardy and Sicily of ancient right belonging to the Empire and by joyning of them unto their Bishoprick of Rome or else giving them unto strangers to hold them of the Church and Bishop of Rome as in capite and as of the chief Lords thereof in which tenure they hold the most part thereof
the Quietness and Peace of the same And whereof cometh this Contention Strife and Variance but of Pride and Vain-glory Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty Hand of God 1 Pet. 5. Luk. 1. which hath promised to rest upon them that be humble and low in Spirit If we be good and quiet Christian Men let it appear in our Speech and Tongues If we have forsaken the Devil let us use no more Devilish Tongues He that hath been a railing Scolder now let him be a sober Counsellor He that hath been a malicious Slanderer now let him be a loving Comforter He that hath been a vain Railer now let him be a ghostly Teacher He that hath abused his Tongue in Cursing now let him use it in Blessing He that hath abused his Tongue in evil-speaking now let him use it in speaking well All Bitterness Anger Railing and Blasphemy let it be avoided from you If you may and if it be possible in no wise be angry But if you may not be clean void of this passion yet then so temper and bridle it that it stir you not to Contention and Brawling If you be provoked with evil-speaking arm yourself with Patience Lenity and Silence either speaking nothing or else being very soft meek and gentle in answering Overcome thine Adversary with Benefits and Gentleness And above all things keep Peace and Unity Be no Peace-breakers but Peace-makers And then there is no doubt but that God the Author of Comfort and Peace will grant us Peace of Conscience and such Concord and Agreement that with one Mouth and Mind we may glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be all Glory now and for ever AMEN HEreafter shall follow Sermons of Fasting Prayer Alms-Deeds of the Nativity Passion Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour Christ Of the due Receiving of his Blessed Body and Blood under the form of Bread and Wine Against Idleness against Gluttony and Drunkenness against Covetousness against Envy Ire and Malice with many other matters as well fruitful as necessary to the edifying of Christian People and the increase of Godly Living GOD Save the KING THE Second PART OF THE HOMILIES LONDON Printed for George Wells at the Sun Abel Swall at the Unicorn in St. Paul's Church-yard and George Pawlett at the Bible in Chancery-Lane 1687. AN ADMONITION TO ALL Ministers Ecclesiastical FOR that the Lord doth require of his Servant whom he hath set over his Houshold to shew both Faithfulness and Prudence in his Office It shall be necessary that ye above all other do behave yourselves most faithfully and diligently in your so high a Function That is aptly plainly and distinctly to Read the Sacred Scriptures diligently to instruct the Youth in their Catechism gravely and reverently to Minister his most Holy Sacraments prudently also to choose out such Homilies as be most meet for the time and for the more agreeable Instruction of the People committed to your charge with such discretion that where the Homily may appear too long for one Reading to divide the same to be Read part in the Forenoon and part in the Afternoon And where it may so chance some one or other Chapter of the Old Testament to fall in order to be Read upon the Sundays or Holy-days which were better to be changed with some other of the New Testament of more Edification it shall be well done to spend your time to consider well of such Chapters before-hand whereby your Prudence and diligence in your Office may appear so that your People may have cause to glorifie God for you and be the readier to embrace your Labours to your better Commendation to the discharge of your Consciences and their own THE TABLE OF Homilies ensuing I. OF the Right Use of the Church Page 93 II. Against Peril of Idolatry Page 102 III. For Repairing and keeping Clean the Church Page 282 IV. Of Good Works And first of Fasting Page 289 V. Against Gluttony and Drunkenness Page 309 VI. Against excess of Apparel Page 322 VII An Homily of Prayer Page 334 VIII Of the Place and Time of Prayer Page 356 IX Of Common-Prayer and Sacraments Page 370 X. An Information of them which take Offence at certain places of Holy Scripture Page 385 XI Of Alms-Deeds Page 402 XII Of the Nativity Page 421 XIII Of the Passion for Good Friday Page 434 443 XIV Of the Resurrection for Easter Day Page 455 XV. Of the Worthy Receiving of the Sacrament Page 467 XVI An Homily concerning the coming down of the Holy Ghost for Whitsunday Page 480 XVII An Homily for Rogation-Week Page 497 XVIII Of the State of Matrimony Page 539 XIX Against Idleness Page 540 XX. Of Repentance and true Reconciliation unto God Page 556 XXI An Homily against Disobedience and wilful Rebellion Page 583 AN HOMILY OF THE Right Use of the Church or Temple of GOD and of the Reverence due unto the same The First Chapter WHereas there appeareth in these days great slackness and negligence of a great sort of People in resorting to the Church there to serve God their Heavenly Father according to their most bounden duty as also much Uncomely and Unreverent behaviour of many Persons in the same when they be there assembled and thereby may just fear arise of the Wrath of God and his dreadful Plagues hanging over Head for our grievous Offences in this behalf amongst other many and great Sins which we daily and hourly commit before the Lord. Therefore for the discharge of all our Consciences and for the avoiding of the common Peril and Plague hanging over us let us consider what may be said out of Gods Holy Book concerning this matter whereunto I pray you give good Audience for that it is of great weight and concerneth you all Although the Eternal and Incomprehensible Majesty of God the Lord of Heaven and Earth whose seat is Heaven and the Earth his Footstool cannot be inclosed in Temples or Houses made with Mans Hand as in dwelling places able to receive or contain his Majesty according as is evidently declared by the Prophet Isaiah Isaiah 66. Act. 7.17 3 Reg. 8. 2 Par. 2. and 6. and by the Doctrine of St. Stephen and St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles And where King Solomon who builded unto the Lord the most glorious Temple that ever was made saith Who shall be able to build a meet or worthy House for him If Heaven and the Heaven above all Heavens cannot contain him how much less can that which I have builded And further confesseth What am I that I should be able to build thee an House O Lord But yet for this purpose only it is made that thou mayest regard the Prayer of thy Servant and his Humble Supplication Much less then be our Churches meet dwelling places to receive the Incomprehensible Majesty of God And indeed the chief and special Temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and most delighteth to dwell
and continue in are the Bodies and Minds of true Christians and the chosen People of God according to the Doctrine of the Holy Scripture declared in the First Epistle to the Corinthians Know ye not saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. that ye be the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any Man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy For the Temple of God is Holy which ye are And again in the same Epistle Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you whom ye have given you of God 1 Cor. 6. and that ye be not your own For ye are dearly bought Glorifie ye now therefore God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods And therefore as our Saviour Christ teacheth in the Gospel of Saint John John 4. they that worship God the Father in Spirit and Truth in what place soever they do it worship him aright For such Worshippers doth God the Father look for For God is a Spirit and those that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and Truth saith our Saviour Christ Yet all this notwithstanding the material Church or Temple is a place appointed as well by the usage and continual Examples expressed in the Old Testament as in the New for the People of God to resort together unto there to hear Gods Holy Word to call upon his Holy Name to give him thanks for his innumerable and unspeakable benefits bestowed upon us and duly and truly to celebrate his Holy Sacraments in the unfeigned doing and accomplishing of the which standeth that True and Right Worshipping of God aforementioned and the same Church or Temple is by the Holy Scriptures both of the Old Testament and New called the House and Temple of the Lord for the peculiar service there done to his Majesty by his People and for the effectuous presence of his Heavenly Grace wherewith he by his said Holy Word endueth his People so there assembled And to the said House or Temple of God at all times by common order appointed are all People that be godly indeed bound with all diligence to resort unless by sickness or other most urgent causes they be letted therefore And all the same so resorting thither ought with all quietness and reverence there to behave themselves in doing their bounden duty and service to Almighty God in the Congregation of his Saints All which things are evident to be proved by God's Holy Word as hereafter shall plainly appear And first of all I will declare by the Scriptures that it is called as it is indeed the House of God and Temple of the Lord. He that Sweareth by the Temple saith our Saviour Christ John 2. Matth. 23. John 2. Sweareth by it and him that dwelleth therein meaning God the Father which he also expresseth plainly in the Gospel of Saint John saying Do not make the House of my Father the House of Merchandize And in the Book of the Psalms Psal 5. the Prophet David saith I will enter into thine House I will Worship in thy Holy Temple in thy Fear And it is almost in infinite places of the Scripture especially in the Prophets and Book of Psalms called the House of God or House of the Lord. Somtimes it is named the Tabernacle of the Lord Exod. 25. and somtimes the Sanctuary that is to say the Holy Place or House of the Lord. And it is likewise called the House of Prayer Levit. 19. 3 Reg. 8 2 Par. 6. as Solomon who builded the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem doth oft call it the House of the Lord in the which the Lords Name should be called upon Isaiah 56. Matth. 12. Matth. 21. Mark 11. Luke 19. Luke 18. Luke 2. And Isaiah in the Fifty sixth Chapter My House shall be called the House of Prayer amongst all Nations Which Text our Saviour Christ alledgeth in the New Testament as doth appear in Three of the Evangelists and in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican which went to pray in which Parable our Saviour Christ saith They went up into the Temple to pray And Anna the Holy Widow and Prophetess served the Lord in Fasting and Prayer in the Temple Night and Day And in the Story of the Acts it is mentioned Acts 3. how that Peter and John went up into the Temple at the Hour of Prayer And Saint Paul praying in the Temple at Jerusalem was wrapt in the Spirit and did see Jesus speaking unto him And as in all convenient places Prayer may be used of the Godly privately So it is most certain that the Church or Temple is the due and appointed place for common and publick Prayer Now that it is likewise the place of Thanksgiving unto the Lord for his innumerable and unspeakable benefits bestowed upon us appeareth notably at the latter end of the Gospel of Saint Luke Luke 24. Acts 22. and the beginning of the Story of the Acts where it is written that the Apostles and Disciples after the Ascension of the Lord continued with one accord daily in the Temple always praising and blessing God And it is likewise declared in the First Epistle to the Corinthians Cor. 11. that the Church is the due place appointed for the use of the Sacraments It remaineth now to be declared that the Church or Temple is the place where the lively Word of God and not Man's Inventions ought to be Read and Taught and that the People are bound thither with all diligence to resort And this proof likewise to be made by the Scriptures as hereafter shall appear In the Story of the Acts of the Apostles Acts 13. we read that Paul and Barnabas Preached the Word of God in the Temples of the Jews at Salamine And when they came to Antiochia they entred on the Sabbath-day into the Synagogue or Church and sate down and after the Lesson or Reading of the Law and the Prophets the Ruler of the Temple sent unto them saying Ye Men and Brethren if any of you have any Exhortation to make unto the People say it And so Paul standing up and making silence with his Hand said Ye Men that be Israelites and ye that fear God give Ear c. Preaching to them a Sermon out of the Scriptures as there at large appeareth And in the same Story of the Acts the Seventeenth Chapter is testified how Paul preached Christ out of the Scriptures at Thessalonica And in the Fifteenth Chapter James the Apostle in that Holy Council and Assembly of his Fellow Apostles saith Acts 15. Moses of old time hath in every City certain that preach him in the Synagogues or Temples where he is read every Sabbath-day By these places ye may see the usage of Reading the Scriptures of the the Old Testament among the Jews in their Synagogues every Sabbath-day and Sermons usually made upon the same How much more then is it