proper to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee will neither haue to be giuen to others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 2 in which respect he doth forbid the worship of â—â—â—els nor to be inuented or prescribed by others in which respect he will haue vs cast away all shew of wisdome in will-worship or voluntary religion Now touching this religion the Apostle doth first call it pure thereby secretly implying that there is an impure religion as well as that which is pure there being a Church of the malignant as well as a company of beleeuers and faithfull ones but as for true religion it is Pure without the drosse of superstition and mixture of humane inuention it must be as it were purged by fire as haply the English word Pure doth signifie if it bee lawfull for vs to guesse that it is with a little alteration borrowed from that Greeke word which signifieth fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which well also answereth to the Greeke here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purgo which commeth of a word that doth signifie to purge Againe hee saith that this religion is vndefiled before God because it is a speciall propertie of true religion to approue it selfe to God False religions are all for shew and for outward pompe as harloâ—s are for garish and immodest attire to allure louers Psal 45. but the Kings daughter is all glorious within and standeth more vpon the vprightnesse of her heart to God than the ornaments of her body in the sight of men and Angels Duo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—rae reliâ—ionâ—s unam juvans proximum alterum sâ—rvâ—â—â—is seiâ—sum But doth true religion altogether make vs to approue our selues to God Principally it doth yet withall it worketh a helping of our neighbour and a sauing of our selues from the tainture of a wicked generation In respect of others it doth visit the fatherlesse and widowes signifying thereby thus much that it putteth vs into the honourable imployment of works of mercy to them that are in misery For though he nameth onely these two obiects of mercy both because no works of mercy are more eagerly or more often pressed than the defence of orphanes and widowes as also because such persons are tâ—â—y times most miserable and most neglected yet I am not without the iudgement of the learned if I comprehend all workes of mercy vnder it Againe in respect of our selues it preserueth or keepeth vs safe from the defilements or the blots and spots of the world Signifying thereby that religion will keepe vs from the wilfull breaches of the law which do make vs like spotted Leopards scandalous in the eyes of others couered with garments spotted of the flesh Ob. Yea but all this while you will say the Apostle hath not described the very life of true religion which stands in beleeuing and knowing by a comfortable experience that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Sol. It is true that the Apostle describes it not by the intrinsicall forme and essence of it but by the outward badges and markes whereby it is discouered Hee knew well enough that euery one that professeth religion will be apt to boast of these things concerning which because they are in the heart euery hypocrite may goe away with his owne brag without controll therefore as it was with the Psalmist when he asked who was a true member of the Church vpon earth and who should goe to heauen Psal 15.1 2 c. hee giueth almost all outward notes drawne from the second table which fall into other mens apprehensions euen so it is with our blessed Apostle he giueth visible and palpable notes of religion which doe occurre to the senses of ordinary men and are the recognizances of pure religion Thus I hauing opened and in some measure cleared the words wee come vnto the doctrine contained in the same the whole whereof so farre as I shall touch I shall striue to referre to these foure grounds First That euery one of vs must haue a religion Secondly Wee must be of that religion which doth most approue it selfe vnto God Thirdly â—his religion is a mercifull religion Fourthly This religion will keepe vs from professed and purposed tainture We must haue a religion As to the first point We may be sure of this that God would not learne vs to know religion if he did not withall require that wee should be of it In that therefore he marketh it out he doth imply that we must haue it to professe and cleaue vnto both in life and death and to try the truth of it by these notes which God offereth To presse then the hauing of a religion vnto vs doe but consider three grounds First Religion is that which assureth our hearts that we haue right in God and Christ and so are the temples of the holy Ghost Christs members and Gods children who may expect maintenance from him Who haue right in a King but they who are knit vnto him by subiection and loyaltie So none but they who are knit vnto God by religion can say that they haue either right in God or in the things of God He that is without God and without Christ as if hee should say without religion is an aliant from the common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 and a stranger from the couenants of promise and hath no hope Secondly Religion is that which is the mother of all diuine vertue whereby we are made like vnto God Religion saith Iames here will make vs doe good to others and preserue our selues Prou. 1.7 The feare of God that is religion is the beginning of wisdome The religious Proselites followed Paul and Barnabas for heauenly instructions Act. 13.43 The religion of Daniel made him to determine in his heart that hee would not defile himselfe with the Kings meat Dan. 1.8 The religion of Shadrach Dan. 3. Mesach and Abednego made them to refuse to bowe to that accursed Idol And the religion of Ioseph preserued him from vnchastitie and made him swallow downe as it were without sense the vnkindnesses of his brethren Gen. 50.19 Feare not saith he to his timorous brethren am I in Gods stead to take vengeance out of his hand or am not I vnder God Both which speeches doe manifest his religion and that it was that which brought forth this his vertuous carriage Thirdly Where there is no religion there can bee nothing but licentiousnesse and disorder all the wickednesse of men who goe shrowded vnder the religious title of Christians is practised by them for want of religion So professed Atheists if it were possible that they should be such at all times doe commit all their outrages for want of religion and for want of religion is it also that they who professe they know God but by workes deny him Tit. 1.16 are abhominable
and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate As without a counterfeit religion there could bee no ciuill vertue in which respect they who knew not the true God would still faine a religion to restrain nature so without the true religion there will be nothing but coloured vertue or outragious vice In the old world religion was corrupted and therefore it was no wonder that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth Gen. 6.5 Abraham saw that in the court of Abimelech there was no feare of God that is Gen. 20.11 no true religion and therefore he thought iustly that they would slay him for his wiues sake The Gentiles turned the glory of the incorruptible God Ro. 1.23 24 c to the similitude of an image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure-footed beasts and creeping things and therfore we doe not wonder though they were giuen vp in their hearts lusts to vncleannesse and to other abhominable and hatefull wickednesses Seeing therefore that religion doth assure our hearts of our right in Christ doth breed vertue and in the absence of it doth leaue a fearefull gap for all impietie it is necessary that we should haue a religion Ob. But it may be you will say that it is needlesse to presse this because all of vs haue a religion already Sol. I answer two things First there are many too many in all places who doe not know by experience in themselues what religion meaneth 2 Chro. 15.3 As it was in the daies of Asa Israel had been a long time without the true God so is it with many euen in these daies They can say with some of old In this religion I was borne In hac fide natus sum Eutyches olim dâ—xit In haâ— fide gâ—nitus sum vsque hodie vixi in ea opto mori and though I haue not found it yet it hath found me and I know none other and yet they cannot tell what religion meaneth To conceiue the truth of which point take but two meditations concerning religion First they who are knit to God by religion haue a kind of sweet violence offered vnto their natures are drawne with him into the practise of that which is good in Gods sight Ye know that according to that whereunto we are tied we are carried and swaied from this to that If we are linked to wicked men we are drawne to consent vnto them if vnto good men we will follow them Seeing therfore that according to our naturall motion by which we are carried downeward to be earthly sensuall Iam. 3.15 and deuillish we see too many men to cleaue vnto vaine vanities so to forsake their owne mercy Yea seeing we see a world of men lie in wickednes as it were drowned in the dregs of impietie it is euident that they are not tied vnto God by religion who would pull them another way Secondly they who are knit to God by religion will with carefull hearts pray to God that he would neuer cut the cord asunder nor euer let goe his hold but that he would euer goe with them support them from falling into any miserie We haue had experience of our danger when we were knit vnto the world the flesh and therefore finding a better and more comfortable band we will desire it may neuer be cracked As he that hangeth by a rope froÌ„ an high Tower or ouer a Well knowing himselfe to be at the mercy of him that holdeth it will cry to him and intreat him earnestly to hold fast so they who are vnited vnto God by religion and see their danger if he let goe will neuer giue ouer to pray that he will be intreated for euer to take such hold of them that they may with Cornelius be deuout men Act. 10.2 and religious Act. 13.43 50. as those proselytes honourable women are called Seeing therfore that this heauenly dutie of prayer is so much neglected and for the most part turned into a lip-labour and degenerated from the worke of the heart to the worke of the knowing head and voluble tongue it is a signe that many and many are not knit to God by religion Secondly consider that the religion of many doth not proceed froÌ„ the establishment of Gods free spirit and so Psal 51.12 it not being free is as none in truth Like the mony-changers of old many come to the Temple Ioh. 2. rather to sell doues than to serue God Many I say seeme to be religious either because they might gaine by others as that Pope who in honour of S. Peter dined vpon a net till hee had caught the Popedome or at the least because they would not lose as those who ioyne themselues to the assemblies of the Saints for feare of penalties These are like those who sought Christ not because they saw the miracles Ioh. 6. but because they ate were satisfied The Deuil may iustly fasten his vniust accusation of Iob vpoÌ„ such that they feare not God that is Iob 1.9 that they are not religious for nothing In which respect such may iustly doubt that they haue as yet no religioÌ„ as they should What shall I say then I desire to exhort euery one of vs to be of a religion Psal 110.13 and to giue our names to God for voluntarie or willing seruice All the while we are out of this knot we are a prey to the Deuill and are ready to be wound about the finger of euery seducer and to be blowne about with euery winde of doctrine For whence is it that men either alter their religion or stubbornly persist in their false religion but in part because they haue no religion at all as they should They went out from vs saith Iohn but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. As if hee should say If these limmes of the seducing Antichrists had euer had true religion they would not haue forsaken the fellowship of the Church and communion of the Saints To preuent this therefore we must be exhorted to haue a religion What we must doe to haue a religion But you will aske me What must we doe that wee may haue a religion I answer first we must consider that by nature as we are in the loynes of sinfull Adam and continue with his guilt and filth we are of the Deuils religion euen children of wrath Eph. 2.3 And though through Gods ordinance and appointment we doe receiue an outward signe and seale of the Christian religion in Baptisme Rom 4.11 yet so soone as euer we come to crawle we are so prone to euill and so backward vnto good as if we loued the Deuils religion best Secondly we must see this our miserable estate be ashamed of it and desire to enter into couenant with God that he may be our God and we his people This is called a bringing
God The third ground whereto the doctrine of this Text is referred is this that True Religion is a mercifull Religion It maketh vs saith Iames here to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities Religion is as it were an order and seruice after Gods owne heart who is a God of loue and mercie When God promiseth to giue his people Priests who should pitie them and haue a mercifull care of them he calleth them Priests after his owne heart that is Ierem. who shall be mercifull as he is mercifull Religion therefore being an issue of Gods will and nature it must needs sauour of mercie and compassion Againe the fruits of Religion are Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Galath 5.22 Goodnesse which all are either mother daughter members or companions of that which wee call Mercie And how can Religion be other which is the exercise of a mother The Church is called the Mother of vs all and we know Galath 4. from that ancient iudgement of Salomon that shee who had most affection to the childe was the true mother that the exercise of a mother is mercie Now from this ground I would inforce two things Vse 1 First that euery one of vs must striue to be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull This is that which will assure vs that we are truly religious No mercie no religion God is immediatly mercifull to vs himselfe when he sends his Spirit into our hearts to teach vs correct and comfort vs according to our necessities and hee maketh all the creatures of heauen and earth to be liberall vnto vs and helpfull in some kinde or other and all to this end that we being knit vnto him by true religion may be prouoked to be mercifull also yea we must be so euen vnto the enemies of religion We see many times that no ciuill cause maketh a more seuere and cruel warre than Religion doth When the Reubenites Gadites and Manassites had set vp an Altar by Iordan their brethren thinking that it had beene to separate religion presently mustered their forces against them The Iewes and Samaritanes being of diuers religions euen Peter could smell of this naturall crueltie saying Master call for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes but Christ crushed it saying Yee know not of what Spirit you are Yea saith Christ speaking of them who shall take his Disciples to taske for religion sake They shall excommunicate you and kill you and in so doing they shall thinke that they doe God good seruice But we must striue against this crueltie and exercise mercie as the proper fruit of religion If we shall beleeue the declamations of the Iesuits they will tell vs that yet wee are not mercifull and therefore they crie out against our crueltie exercised vpon the Pope-holy Catholikes in tearing chopping and burning of them together with the making of their members a prey to the fowles of heauen and the like Is this mercie say they No surely as it is barely looked vpon without searching into the cause Yet when wee doe see many knowne Papists in the Land and none capitally punished but Traitors and when we doe see that such are punished no otherwise than traytours were punished when Popery vsurped vpon vs and when withall we doe consider that we haue no law to put any Papist to death for his conscience sake or if wee haue a law in that ancient Statute of their owne concerning the burning of Heretikes by vertue whereof they consumed vs that yet none of their bodies euer felt those flames when we doe see I say and consider these things we do reioice in our religion finding mercie in it and doe encourage our selues to goe on still both to proceed mildly against them to pitie and to pray for them and by walking holily before them to trie if yet God will haue mercie on them and bring them to know the Truth Vse 2 Secondly Wee learne also from the former ground that wee haue iust cause to suspect that the religion of the Church of Rome is not the true Religion We know that Rome is spirituall Aegypt Apoc. 11. and that shee letteth the corpses of the Saints lie dead in the streets We see that her instruments are fire and sword and that her meanes are power and policie by hooke and crooke as we say Euery time the fifth of Nouember returneth it calleth to our minde enough of this kinde if we could forget the Popes practises against the Emperours We know that their partie would haue destroyed our whole State euen the breath of our nostrils and creame of our Land at one blow Wee see also so farre as their close policie will giue vs leaue the crueltie of their Inquisitions They aske vs where is our religion saue in little nookes and corners of the world We answer that they might soone see if they would for it would burst out as the noone day in the midst of their darkest darknesse if their Holy-houses as they wrongfully call them did not deuoure the professors of it so soone as euer they looke out We see also how many men women young men and maids were by the cursed Idoll of the Masse brought to their buriall in their owne ashes They dare not for their liues lay this their crueltie aside lest liuing so like open and innocent Doues as we doe in respect of their Iesuited Papists they should soone bring their multitudes into a bunch or two after the Vintage or a gleaning after the haruest As therefore Iaacob said of Simeon and Leui Gen. 49.6 7. in whose habitations were the instruments of crueltie so let vs say to Popery Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell Ob. It may bee you will say Are they not full of workes of mercy in respect of vs Sol. It is true indeed that they are full in shew yet consider with me three things First If wee should neuer so much abound in them if we should exhaust our goods estates lands and liuings yet it would be nothing in their eyes They account them but morall and not religious workes euen such as Heathens doe worke and all because we are not Papists No maruell therefore though they cannot see what good we doe See Doctor Will. Cat. of good W. in the end of his Synop Heb. 6.10 Secondly Blessed be God there are thousands amongst vs of whom according to their abilities we may say as the Apostle to the Hebrewes God is not vnrighteous that hee should forget their worke and labour of loue which they haue shewed toward his name in that they haue ministred to the Saints and yet minister There are many I say whose bowels of mercy doe carry them to counsell the giddy Consule castâ—ga solare remitte fâ—r ora correct the obstinate forgiue the penitent comfort the wounded
amongst them and separate your selues and the like as if he should say being made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto you Ob. But you will say that in the Church where the truest religion doth reigne there is much wickednesse to bee found Sol. To this I answer three things First it is true that where God soweth his seed the deuill that euill one soweth tares For besides his malice to good he seeks to disgrace the generation of the iust so much as possibly he can Hee knew what line Iesus Christ should come of and therefore we see what blots he threw in the way in Dauid Iudah Tamar and the like Yea in this regard as sometimes he hath drawne professors of religion by his cunning sophistry to be fearefully scandalous in the way of God to the wounding of their soules so he hath thrust in hypocrites amongst them such as Simon Magus who for sinister respects of profit glory fellowship and the like haue made shew of godlinesse and religion Secondly though wickednesse may be found amongst them who professe themselues to be of the true Church yet not to be defended for cursed be such members There may be controuertible things which seeme to be sinnes to some and to others not so which may finde defences on both sides but none which are clearely iudged to be so by all sound members of the true Church Thirdly In vera ecclesia peccatum cuÌ„ improbatione emendatione in falsa cum excusatione defensione there may be sinne in the true Church with the griefe reproofe and amendment of the true members of it whereas in a false Church it domineereth with excuse defence and approbation How should I now apply this point but first vnto our selues and secondly to the Church of Rome Vse 1 As for our selues let vs be exhorted in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Iude vers 23. to grow vp to full holinesse and to hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh that so we may be assured that true religion doth rule in our hearts You haue heard that pure religion will keepe vs from open and professed tainture Carry wee it therefore not only in our heads but in our hearts that it may make vs doe so Oh what a shame it is that wee should professe our selues to be of the pure religion and yet liue in impuritie and prophanenesse What good will physicke doe to vs if we doe not take it So neither will pure Religion if it doe not dwell in vs for our amendment I confesse that as there were three parts of Salomons Temple the outer Court the Holy place and the Holy of Holies so like to these there is a three-fold holinesse corruptly so accounted The first is outward ioyned with outward prophanenesse like the outer court where good and bad came Such holinesse is among the multitude who thinke it holinesse enough to liue amongst holy people to heare holy Sermons and now and then to cast out a holy word how wicked soeuer their life be Of this cursed holinesse euen all assemblies will witnesse that there is enough The second is outward holinesse ioyned with a pretence of holinesse in heart like the holy place where wicked Priests came such as Ely his sonnes were who had Holinesse to the Lord ingrauen on their foreheads 1 Sam. â— 22 yet would lie with the women assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Of this holinesse also there is the Deuils plentie The third is outward ioyned with inward holinesse like the Holy of Holies where God spake from betweene the Cherubims Of this holinesse giue me leaue to speake a word to your consciences O yee coÌ„sciences that one day shal be as books opened to accuse and condemne before God speake and speake truly where is this holinesse Gen. 5.22 Gen. 6.9 Gen. 24 40. Psal 116 9. Were Enoch Noah Abraham or Dauid now aliue who walked with God and before God in the Land of the liuing they would shame and grieue to see our prophanenesse There is little dying vnto sinne or liuing vnto grace and godlinesse to be found in the world Holinesse is the end of our redemption Luke 1.75 and yet as Aulus Fuluius slew his sonne when he found him in the conspiracie of Catiline Non Catilinae tâ— genui sâ—d patâ—iae and said I begat thee not for Catiline but for thy Countrey so may God iustly deale with many and many of vs who are in head against him with his enemies and say I redeemed thee not for mine enemies but for my selfe I pray God make it otherwise with vs and giue vs hearts to endeuour otherwise especially considering that holinesse makes vs to be the preseruers of the Country Citie Town or house where wee liue Had there beene but ten holy men in Sodome it had beene spared Had not God ordained holy Moses to stand in the gap when the Israelites played the Calues in worshipping that cursed Idoll they had perished in their sinne Yea the Lord sought for a man in Ierusalem that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap in the Land that he might not destroy it Ezek. 22.30 31. And because he found none therefore he poured out his wrath and consumed them with the fire of his indignation True it is Ex. 10.7 that Pharaoh accounted Moses an offence to his Aegypt and Ahab thought Elyas to be a troubler of Israel 1 King 18.17 But in truth as Laban was the better for Iacob and Pharaohs Court for Ioseph so Abraham was to be a blessing Gen. 12.2 and all the Seed of Abraham that is Holy people are as the horsmen of Israel and the Chariots of the same to defend and guard the places where they liue If then you will aske me How we may procure holinesse how we may procure this holinesse that we may not be spotted of the World I answer Looke what course a neat man doth take that he may be cleanly the same course in a spirituall sense must we take that we may be holy First he doth willingly looke himselfe in a Glasse He is not angry with the partie that doth set the Glasse before him but he calleth for it that he may see what spots are about him looketh neere that he may discerne them So we must be willing to looke into the Word of God that blessed Glasse of our Soules We must not be angry with the Ministers of God who are deputed to hold it out vnto vs. But as we are as ready to offer it as to pay our debts because as Paul saith Rom. 1.14 We are debters both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians so you must be ready to aske it to this end euen to discouer and rifle the closets of your hearts Here is an excellent difference betweene those who are in the way to cleannesse and vncleannesse These cannot endure to take notice of
their filthinesse their guiltie hearts will endure no sounding those haue a purpose to be cleanly and would haue the least filthinesse to be discouered Secondly he beginneth with those spots which are most conspicuous to the eye of those whom they may offend so must we begin with our vngodly hearts which are most offensiue to the eye of God As when God pulleth a sinner to him Ezek. 36. he diggeth out the quarry of stones from the heart So must we looke to that principally and say with Dauid Psal 51. Create in me a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me Those that meane neuer to be cleane begin at the feet and hand that is the outer man and if in outward conuersation they doe abstaine from rebellion whoredome murther and the like they thinke all is well when they are but painted sepulchres full of rotten stuffe and stinke Thirdly hee proceedeth to all parts that they may be sutable So must we that we may attaine vnto holinesse be carefull that all our vessels be preserued in holinesse and honour 1 Thess 4.4 and that the new man be cleansed from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. â— 1 and grow vp in full holinesse in the feare of God Fourthly he proceedeth to his garments and will not wittingly endure filth vpon them So we must hate the garment spotted of the flesh that is all occasions and inducements to sinne yea all sinfull appearances and such as we cannot auoid we must hate whereas the slouenly Christian thrusteth himselfe vpon all occasions and because he is filthie he careth not to be more filthie still Fiftly he is carefull to keepe himselfe cleane so long as he can So we must labour to increase faith which may purifie our hearts wee must oft besprinkle our soules with the bloud of Christ which is like purging fire and like Fullers sope and is that Fountaine opened for sinne and for vncleannesse Wee must reuerently frequent the Word and Sacrament and when wee heare Christ say That if he wash vs not we haue no part in him we must fall downe before him in faithfull prayer saying O blessed Sauiour wash me thorowly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sins Oh wash my feet my head my hands my affections my imaginations and my actions that I may be vnspotted of the world Thus we haue heard the meanes of holinesse God giue vs grace to vse them to Gods glory and our eternall comfort Vse 2 Hauing applied this point vnto our selues we must apply it also to the Church of Rome and seeing it is naturall to pure religion to keepe vs from open professed tainture we learne that the religion of Rome is a false counterfeit religion True religion is as you haue heard according to godlinesse whereas the religion of Rome is the mystery of iniquity and 2 Thes 2.7 if we will be but carefull to marke we shall see that they teach and professe sins against all the grounds of religion Epis Derens Diatrib de Antich l. 3. c. 6 7. Thomps Antich arraâ—g pag. 96 97 c. Perk aduertis Willet Synopsis others Some of our side doe open it one way some another as they doe abound in their owne sense but I open it as it followeth as plainely as I can As Adam in his cursed apostasie from God brake the whole law of nature in that one sinne of eating the forbidden fruit He brake the first commandement by choosing the deuills temptation cleauing vnto him rather than to God and his coÌ„mandements The second by not being ruled by Gods Word the rule of Gods worship The third by falling away from sinceritie and perseuerance and giuing way to the blasphemies of Satan The fourth by making himselfe vnfit to keepe the Sabbath for as we sin against the Sabbath vpon the Sabbath day when we doe not holily performe the duties of it so we may sin against it also vpon other dayes both when we doe not walke in the strength of the duties of that day and also when we doe make our selues vnfit to keepe the Sabbath when it comes The fifth commandement by exposing his owne honor to contempt in yeelding to the inticement of his wife and in not prouiding for the good of his posteritie The sixth by bringing death vpon himselfe and all the children of men the seuenth by being too vxorious for as there may be vncleannesse abroad so dotage at home the eight by depriuing of himselfe and all mankinde of their right to the creatures the ninth by giuing way to the schisme and heresie of Satan and to the lie of the woman and the tenth by disturbing concupiscence at home making a mutinie in the passions lusts and affections Euen so the Pope his faction in his departing from Iesus Christ haue do breake the whole law of God They sin against the first commandement by cleauing vnto Saints by faith and hope in praier and by putting trust in their Masse merits Against the second by making the images of God and idolatry or worshipping of Images and the Crosse Doctor Carier considerat p. 7. It is poorly blanched of them that say that the Papists do vse images for no other purpose but only for a deuout memory and representation of the Church triumphant which is most fit to be made in the time and place of praier where after a speciall manner we should with all reuerence haue our conuersations amongst the Saints in heauen This I say is a poore shift of those that wilfully will not see that they will haue images worshipped properly and for their owne sake Bellâ—r de Imag. l. 2. c. 21. â— 23. Azor. Iustit mor. pâ—r 1. l. 9. c. 6. 7 c. yea some images by the helpe of some nice distinction with the same worship which is due to God as euen their conscience men or casuists do offer it vnto vs. Against the third commandement they sin by swearing by Idols as the Masse and the creatures as the Saints by absoluing from oathes by making impious vowes of those things which they cannot keepe by making promises which they will not keep to wit with heretickes according to the decree of the Councell of Constance Against the fourth coÌ„mandement by more solemne solemnities on some holy daies than on the Lords daies thereby equaling and preferring the appointments of the Church before the ordinance of almightie God Against the fifth coÌ„mandement by abusing parents in pulling and exempting their children who haue taken vpon them Monkish vowes from their paternall power yea by abusing Kings in exempting the Clergy or Church-men as they are called from the power of their sword and so robbing them of a great part of their subiects as also by blanching such execrable treason as hath beene committed against them with their seeming to abhor the fact Doctor Car. consid p. 8. their not
mother of whoredomes hath this name written in her forehead A Mysterie 2. Thess 2.7 Apoc. 17.5 This apostacie of Rome held communion with the true Church still Hodiè effusum est venenum in ecclesiam and when prosperitie like poyson was powred out vpon the Church she tooke aduantage vpon the deadnesse of mens hearts to make her owne gaine and while men were either diuerted by other occasions or rocked asleepe in the cradles of ease profit pleasure honour or blinded with the outward splendor and glorie of her whorish and hypocriticall attire to sowe tares in stead of good wheat which yet was neuer so closely carried but that some faithfull men still obserued her and opposed her in euerie age as hath beene shewed by diuers Du Plessis his Mysterium iniquitatis White his Way who still lye vnsatisfied though her policie and tyrannie still did crush them to her power Oh therefore seeke not truth at Rome where you haue so good causes to doubt that the true head is not yea know of old that truth hath sought for succour in Cloysters and could finde none seeke it therefore at home where the true head Christ is calling vs from our dead sleepe of sinne Pauli Ferrij Schol. ortho Spec. pag. 102. giuing vnto vs the habit of faith for our sanctification the act of faith to receiue Iesus Christ for our iustification the spirit of adoption to seale vs vnto the day of our redemption Ob. Be not scarred with this bugbeare that we confesse that a Papist so liuing and so dying may be saued and therefore the truth is good enough amongst them Sol. For you must vnderstand it of those that are in the Antichristian state not of it and chained with ineuitable ignorance hauing the key of more distinct knowledge kept from them by tyrannie and policie and doe forsake their popish grounds as it is said that the Bishop of Chichester that then was would haue had Gardner to doe when hee did comfort him vpon his death-bed with Gods promises and with free iustification in the bloud of Christ Fox Martyrol To whom Gardner did answer What my Lord will you open that gap now then farewell altogether To me and such other you may speake it but open this window to the people then farewell altogether Thus likewise Bellarmine after his large discourse of that confidence which we may draw from our workes layeth downe this proposition as his last sanctuarie Propter incersitudâ—nem propâ—iae iustiâ—iae periâ—uâ—um manâ—s glorâ—â— tutissiâ—iâ— est siduciâ—m totam in sola Dei miscâ—i cordia et benâ—gnitate reponere that By reason of the incertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaineglorie it is most safe to put our whole trust and confidence in the mercie and bountie of God alone Now if Papists shall doe in truth and sinceritie of heart as these say renouncing the trappings of the whore of Rome though they die in the Popish Church they being chained in the fetters of Rome they may giue a good ground for the iudgement of charitie to worke vpon concerning their saluation with GOD. Neither be ye moued with this which they so often bellow out against vs That our truth was not knowne before Luther for though for many of our negatiues whereby we doe deny their false nouelties there was no vse of them though the Spirit of God foreseeing the mysterie of Antichrist left sufficient ground for them in the Scriptures yet we willingly disclaime all that cannot draw a longer pedigree than Poperie Thou art of yesterday saith the Pharisie to Christ Before Abraham was I am saith Christ to the Pharisies So may our truth say in respect of Luther It appeared more plentifully in his time not otherwise than a cleere morning after a darke and drowsie night no otherwise than faire weather after a tedious storme no otherwise than health after a lingring sicknesse And if it seemed to be new wee may thanke the Church of Rome for it which so preuailed with our improuident fathers through glorious titles and outward splendor and the mysterie of abhominations in the golden cup that their mother truth being iustled out of doores for a time was not at the last when she came againe scarce acknowledged of her owne children Let vs be wiser and acknowledge her though shee come naked and in rags remembring that true but fearefull saying 2. Thess 2.10 11 12. Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth Thus haue I shewed you how you may know your selues to be of the true Church amongst vs Motiues that so your desires may pant after it As Dauid added two motiues to prouoke himselfe to hunger after the house of the Lord so shall I adde the same to further vs to desire to be and to be still of the true Church amongst vs. The first is the beautie of our Church 1 The beautie of our Church which doth stand in the beautie of that Religion which it doth professe I know that the Papists doe what they can to disgrace it and to make it appeare ougly in the sight of men Ps 45.13 yet though the Kings daughter be all glorious within and her best ornaments without are but needle-worke full of stitches and prickes though the whore do excell in her garish attire the modest and honest woman in which respect it cannot grieue vs that they obiect against vs as the heathens of old did against the lesse ancient Christians the want of glorie in our outward seruice and worship yet I say there are diuers things which make our religion beautifull aboue that which doth so much stand vpon outward feature and proportion First our religion cannot bee disgraced without lying She is a beautifull woman who standeth so for currant except to them who will say White is blacke or that shee painteth and borroweth complexion of Art or the like when it is nothing so so is it with our religion Yee know how often they charge vs and our religion with noueltie when yet we doe relye vpon the first truth to wit the Scriptures So likewise they doe make their blinded disciples beleeue that we hold God to be the author of sinne likewise that it is enough to haue onely faith that the Church failed many hundred yeeres till Luther and Caluine that all is very easie in Scriptures that God forceth vs against our wills without any respect of our consents that we allow no fasting but morall temperance and fasting from sin that we esteeme nothing of Christian workes towards saluation but condemne them as vncleane sinfull hypocriticall that God imputeth the righteousnesse of Christ to iustification though we be not iust as if the righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith did not cure as well as couer
purge sinne as well as pacifie Gods wrath for sinne These and the like odious lies doe they put vpon vs and our religion But blessed and beautifull are we when such men as they are speake all manner of euill against vs falsely We cannot thinke our selues the more deformed for their false charges whose whole Apostacie is a mixture of lying and vanitie from head to taile They call the Pope the Head of the Church when he is neither able to be present with the whole bodie nor infuse capitall spirits into any one member The Pope calleth himselfe A seruant of seruants when yet he seemes to be a prouder Lord than the Turke breathing out nothing but soueraigntie and vnlimited iurisdiction and would thinke foule scorne that any earthly Potentate or King should be preferred before him Their Iesuites will be so lyingly called of Iesus the Truth when as it hath beene often told them and cannot be disproued as Abshalom was vniustly called the Fathers peace being the Fathers warre so they are not without blasphemie so called seeing they doe nothing more than cunnicatch the wealthy gull the poore disloyalize subiects conspire against Princes vndermine States and Kingdomes and vnder the hood of Religion kindle warres and closely lay the cause vpon others Yea and what is their religion but like these grand practisers one thing in shew another thing in truth and none other but a draught of deadly wine in a golden cup. Secondly our Religion striues by all might and maine to keepe the head whole and that is Christ only Yee know that hee is called beautifull whose head is so though hee haue a crooked bodie a withered hand and a gowtie toe so may our Church and Religion well be accounted because we cleaue vnto keepe whole and sound to our power our whole head both God and Man by nature Priest Prophet and King by office that hee might be the alone Sauiour of his people We know how the Church of Rome doth share out his honour with his offices and diuide them betweene Christ and others See of this subiect Dr. Fownes his Trisagion His Kingly Office is parted betweene him and the Pope his Priestly betweene him and the Saints his Propheticall betweene him and their traditionall Church But for vs Ephes 1.23 we desire that he may fill all in all things we doe striue that he may increase though we and all the world perish decrease and come to nothing yea as Dauid said of the sword of Goliah which was laid vp behind the Ephod there is none to it so say wee of our blessed King Priest and Prophet there is none to him neither shall there be any but hee in whom wee will seeke the least dragme of beautie Thirdly our Religion is not only beautifull in the head but scoureth off the least blot from the whole bodie It keepeth all the Commandements entire When wee consider that they were written with Gods owne finger and deliuered with so many miracles we neither dare change the first Commandement See for this Hispa Refor Bellar. Ample declaration of Christian Doctrine nor dash out the second as the Church of Rome doth We dare not admit of the Masse for feare of hauing any other god saue the true God We dare not embrace Popish Traditions for feare of giuing God that worship which is not his owne our consciences will not so farre abuse vs as to giue vs leaue to entertaine a seruice vnknowne lest we should serue God in vaine and not giue him his worship in the right manner we cannot spend the Lords day in seeing Masse or only in praying though it be the sweetest of our seruice knowing that because God doth in the Commandement of the Sabbath chiefly aime at our edification Es 2.3 we must goe vp to the house of the Lord that he may teach vs his waies and wee may walke in his paths We settle the Chaire of State vpon Princes renouncing a superiour power among men to excommunicate them and put case the Pope doe to his vtmost hunge them with his Bulls we renounce and hate the not accounting of them Kings and the executing of them as delinquents to him and to his Pope-holy-Church Yet lest wee should flatter them we tell them that they must be Fathers not Tyrants that so they may not be wilfull hinderers of that honour which is due vnto them Hauing thus pressed vpon the head for orderly politique gouernment we learne of God to presse vpon the heart the seat of valour that there be no taking away of life through base cowardise Can we thinke of poisonings stabbings vnderminings strengthning the hands of wickednesse sadding the hearts of the good by lies and impostures We can sooner looke vpon the persons of our enemies without malice their wrongs without desire of reuenge their prosperitie without enuie and digest all our griefes by venting them into Gods bosome by feruent and faithfull prayer We presse vpon the seat of Lust and teach our appetites that as we must liue so we must liue honestly lest we be a burthen to the earth We cannot abide the slighting of Fornication the blanching of Priests Minions and Concubines the stinke of Stewes with that cursed caution If thou canst not liue chastly yet carrie it warily Si non castè tamen cautè We teach that honest persons must haue honest maintenance by possessing their owne that they must maintaine their right by truth As we cannot maintaine our Religion by lying Legends or our persons and causes by equiuocation so can we not but be carefull to presse and teach that there be no lyer amongst vs for gold or gaine yea wee will not suffer the whole soule to be at rest with her concupiscence Can wee flatter the heart with the neglect of the first motions of sinne by the flesh though the spirit doe not consent as if a knaue be not a knaue because an honest man reproues him for it No wee will labour that there be peace at home without mutinie that there be such soundnesse of minde and such a peaceable possession of our owne soules in the enioyment of God as nothing that is others may or doe disquiet vs. Thus doth our Religion rub off the rust of all sinne pressing this as a note of an vpright man to haue an equall respect to all Gods Commandements yea that the least rubbish of Hypocrisie may not by our good wills sticke vpon our Church wee aime at and endeuour the through mortification of the whole bodie of sinne and reformation of all our hearts The Popish Church whatsoeuer it talke of mortification and what glorious shewes soeuer it doth make to that end either by whippings wherein yet Baals Priests went beyond them or by drawing their bloud like Pharisee draw-blouds or by going bare-foot like the Heathens in their bare-foot solemnities Nudepedalia sacra or by their precious Pilgrimages forced Fastings and the like yet it is farre
vsurie to the pit of hell as God shall cleerely manifest vnto vs what it is and as we alreadie doe so farre as we are come To the second question I answer that if we did permit vsurie yet it cannot stand in equall ballance with a stewes for to sinne against a mans goods is lesse than to sin against a mans person and continuance and chaste preseruation in this world That God that will establish the chaire of estate to superiours in the fifth commandement will giue superiours chiefly in charge the life of man in the sixt next to that that their life may not stinke to heauen will haue it preserued by honestie in the seuenth next to that because honest persons must be maintained by honest meanes will haue iustice in the eighth in the ninth commandement that honest meanes may bee settled vpon honest persons will haue truth vsurie therefore failing against the iustice of the eighth commandement though detestable in it selfe yet from Gods order seemes to me to be of a shorter size than the Stewes which fighteth against the person in the seuenth The last beautie of our religion which I shall speake of is this That our religion needs not policie to maintaine it It hath preuailed in all ages since Iesus Christ against all power against all policie The bloud of the Martyrs hath bin the dung of our Church And as Pharaohs policy when he would work most wisely could not preuaile against Israel so in the greatest Egyptian darknesse vnder the dominion of Antichrist our Church could not be so obscured but that she hath felt the strength of Romes policy the stroke of her power without her subuersion And at the time when it pleased God to make light to shine out of darknesse that our religion might by degrees climbe againe to its wonted glorie what could the power of the Emperour with the policie of the Pope preuaile against a poore weake man Luther who came with the spirit of power in the name of the Lord For the further propagating of our religion it neither hath neither doth it stand in need of policie If wee should hold a Councell wee need none of the trickes of the Councell of Trent We need not either propound our Canons in such ambiguous termes as will admit of diuers constructions Vpsalensis and Armachanus were created Arâ—h bishops as we reade in the Councell of Trent who yet were Nullatâ—ncases like the ancient Oracles of Apollo neither need wee to create either Archbishops or Bishops to fill vp the number that our voyce may be the more full who haue neither Church nor Diocesses Wee need no bloudie Inquisition to clap the title and punishment of an Heretike vpon euerie one who doth smell either by conuersation or conference of a religion opposite to vs wee need not that Idoll sacrifice of the Masse to fill our purses that poore and poeticall conceit of purgatory to warme our kitchins their Auricular confession to make vs terrible by being of the secretest counsell wee defie to purge either Fathers or any other Authors of their true meaning to make them our witnesses or to be so exact in the prohibition of Hereticall bookes Mar. Anto. de Dom. prosectionis consilium p. 8. 9. that carefull Students in Diuinitie yea Bishops may not reade bookes contrarie to our opinion without licence wee say with the Apostle Iudge yee what I say doe not sweare to the truth of our words except ye finde them so yea of the common people into whose hands many Popish bookes doe fall wee doe but desire this fauour that they would reade them with our answers and humbly desire God that they may finde out the truth remembring thaâ— sweet speech of our blessed Sauiour Iohn 7.17 If any man will doe Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether we speake of our selues Pia mendacia We abhorre godly lies as they terme them to worke deuotion blinde obedience equiuocating can finde no countenancing amongst vs yea our religion perswades to die and manfully to confesse the name of Iesus rather than thus to lye Neither these nor any other trickes of policie blessed be God doe we stand in need of but confidently expect the turning of Achitophels wisdome into folly and the ruine of the spirituall Egypt and Sodome of Rome in Gods due time notwithstanding all her politike factors and agents throughout the Christian world Thus haue we considered the first motiue to further our desiâ—es to be and to be still of the true Church amongst vs. The second is that in it we may inquire 2 Matter of direction in it and haue full and sound direction to bring vs to life eternall And that it is thus amongst vs may be seene in two things First in this that we haue the oracles of God to consult withall Rom. 3.2 as the Apostle calleth the Scriptures Euery meane Artizan with vs may winde vp his heart from all the distractions and troubles of this world by a daily conferring with God out of the diuine acts of his owne heauenly wisdome The booke of God is or may be in euery mans house and hands And if the word of the great Cham of Tartarie standeth for a law because he is blasphemously called of his subiects the sonne of God and the shadow of God Filius Dei Vmbra Dei Anima Dei. Colos 3.16 and the soule of God then infinitely more worthily doe we account the word of our God to be a law vnto vs it being the shadow of his wisdome And therefore he commanding the Colossians no vnnecessarie obedience we hold it as necessarie for vs that the word of Christ dwell plentifully in vs. Yea we account it our happinesse that as in the Island Rhodes the Sunne is neuer so masked with a cloud but that once in a day it doth shine vpon it so our worldly imployments doe neuer so dampe and darken our spirituall life light and heat but that there is or may be at the least some little comfortable intercourse betweene vs and the word of God day by day if we be not our owne enemies We are sure that we are bound to follow Gods will and therefore we are not afraid to know it Yea we hold it our dutie as Gods children to looke into our Fathers Will and Testament that we may be the better furnished not to breake it And if at any time we neglect the reading and searching of the holy Scriptures we doe desire God that he would send his fatherly rod to whip vs vp to more diligence and to say vnto vs as Aristippus said vnto one who asked him what was become of the friendship betweene him and Aeschines It is asleepe but I will awake it Can we thinke it a fault deseruing burning to haue and to reade a Bible in our natiue tongue Or can we be so miserable as not to obey God in reading
soules let vs watch and these things shall not moue vs. For first we depend not vpon any priuate man or spirit for that doctrine which we allow but vpon the publike Spirit of Iesus Christ speaking in the Scriptures We embrace not the Scriptures for mans sake as the Papists doe so farre as the Pope approueth but man and his opinions for the Scriptures sake and so farre as we finde them agreeable to them so farre we consent vnto them Secondly we may not thinke it strange that Luther and other gracious reformers should be railed at by his and their enemies who felt his priuie and powerfull blowes to the shaking of the Popish Monarchie It is ordinarie to faithfull Teachers to be subiect to the disgracings of their aduersaries both in respect of their persons and doctrines Tertullus said of Paul Acts 24.5 Ierem. 18.18 Seâ— for thiâ— also these places Iohn 8 48. Iohn 10.20 Acts. 6.11 Act 10.20 21. Certainly we haue found this man a pestilent fellow a moouer of sedition Ieremiahs enemies say of him Come and let vs imagine some mischiefe against him come and let vs smite him with the tongue Why vpon what ground will they deale thus with Ieremie Surely they doe not say because the Pope for whom we work cannot erre and the Church whereof wee are members cannot want the spirit to guide it yet they speake something like it when they say For the Law shal not perish from the Priest nor Counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet So that we may not thinke it a new thing that learned and resolute Luther should when he is with God be thus trampled vpon by men Thirdly it is very likely yea in its kinde certaine that a As certaine as those things whiâ—h come vnto vs by humane relation Luther was a reuerend and holy man For though his professed enemies such as Coclaeus Parsons and the rest of the Iesuites are doe declaime against him yet in his daies he had the testimonie both of God and man Of God in that miraculous successe which he had in his preaching for the spreading of the truth against the power and policy of the Emperour and Pope and what euer other enemies he had which were neither few nor of small place and respect in the world Dr. White his Way Caâ—sa Regia Couent Liâ—hf Episc cap. 3. sect 16. pag. 119. Of man in the testimonie of Erasmus which is often laid on the trencher of our aduersaries and cannot be wiped off Notwithstanding which testimonie we doe freely acknowledge both that his many oppositions and multiplicitie of troubles made him more pettish and rash in words than hee should haue beene as also that hee had two other faults as Erasmus is said wittily to passe his iudgement concerning him to the Duke of Saxonie to wit That he medled with the Popes Crowne and with the Monkes bellies Fourthly put case that Luther and the rest of those godly Reformers were wicked shall we not haue the same libertie which the Church of Rome hath When we obiect the horrible and outragious wickednesses of many Popes who were for the time Heads of their Church vnder Christ to conuey spirituall life into the whole bodie they doe answer in effect that we need not take so much paines as to cast it in their teeth for they doe of their owne accords acknowledge it and are not ashamed to make the most brutish and cursed villanies of the Popes Bellarm. in his Preface to his Bookes De Pontif a proofe of the excellencie of that Chaire and of the prouidence of God ouer it If then they proue the holinesse of their Religion from the vnholinesse of their Popes why should they proue the impietie of our Religion from the impietie of Luther if it were true Fiftly as for Luthers learning from the Deuill I answer two things distinctly First put case that Luther had said that the Deuill did preach vnto him the true doctrine of the Sacrament Is it any newes that the Deuill should preach the truth to disgrace it Doth nor Iesus Christ for this cause hinder the Deuil from saying that he knew him Marke 1.34 because he needed not his testimonie though he was readie enough to giue it which could doe him no good And did not the woman who had the diuining Deuill say of Paul and Silas Acts 16.17 That they were the seruants of the most high God shewing the way of saluation In which the truth was spoke and yet saith the Text it grieued Paul because by this meanes it might seeme that the Deuill and the Spirit of God taught one doctrine So that we may conclude that the Deuill will preach the truth for his owne aduantage But secondly the truth is that this is but the slander of an enemie For all of vs that haue beene vrged with it as we cannot thinke Luther such a foole as to bewray his owne secrets and openly to professe that the Deuill was his master to the so great disaduantage of his cause So vpon diligent search we can finde but this to be the vpshot of what he saith in this kinde namely that he hauing learned the true doctrine of the Sacrament in the Schoole of Christ the Deuill vrged it strongly against his former practise of Massing to draw him to despaire because he had so often dishonoured God Lastly concerning our refusall as they please to tearme it of disputation with them First we see their pride in boasting of their learning among their blinded disciples as if it were so great that our side were afraid to looke â—hâ—m in the faces Secondly we cannot thinke ouâ— cause to be â—he worse because we do not dispute with them for the garland Who knoweth not that a quicke wit a nimble tongue a confident spirit and a bold face will goe beyond a good cause at such a time Doe we not see that a wrangler will haue the last word what euer his cause be and I am sure it had beene better with Eue if she had neuer disputed the case with the deuill and it would bee better with all of vs if in arguments against the truth wee could attaine to Pauls Logicke Rom. 3.4 5 6. to hold the conclusion whatsoeuer the premises are Thirdly the world hath beene well acquainted with Popish disputations and vpon what aduantages they haue beene vndertaken Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage and Luther can witnesse against whom there was more power than arguments and wee cannot forget how holy Bradford coâ—plained that they would dispute with him Fox his Maâ—tyrol Abstâ— by Mâ—sâ—â— to wit that hee should dispute against the things which they had alreadie determined whereby it appeared that they sought not the truth but his destruction and their owne glory yea and wee see still that where the Popish power reacheth whatsoeuer be the propositions the conclusion is the Inquisition and the mercy of those holy Fathers by fire
seuen children by foure or fiue seuerall women See my Serm. vpon Psal 27.4 These and all other doctrines of the like stampe which I haue touched in another place we renounce and presse both in publike and priuate 2 Cor. 7.1 the cleansing of our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and growing vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God together with the approuing of our selues to be liuely professors of the truth by a liuing faith bringing forth fruits vnto God Thirdly they will tell you of the humilitie of their religion 3 Humilitie Oh how they reuerence their Priests Altars and Images How doe they come to God by Angels and Saints and how doe their sackcloth and ashes appeare to the world but watch ouer these things and thinke vpon these two things First that the humilitie of the Popish religion is not such as they pretend They proudly will haue some share in their owne conuersions and therefore they will haue their owne free wills part-stakes with the grace of God yea and why should wee not say that they will proudly be ioynt-purchasers of heauen with Christ seeing they teach the doctrine of merits Roma Irrec §. 9. pag. 88. Vno ex meritis Christi sibi per gratiam communicatis altero ex meritis proprijs Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustific cap. 7. In which respect if my memorie faileth mee not Bellarmine is charged to say That a iust man hath a double right to the same glory the one from the merits of Christ communicated to him through grace and the other from his owne merits And though he saith indeed that hee who would haue any confidence in his owne merits must not be proud yet as it is most likely he espying pride in their greatest humilitie resolueth that it is safest for vs to put our trust in the mercie of God May we not also see pride euen in the head of their religion the Pope 2 Thess 2. who doth exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped Yea we doe see it and we hate to thinke that he that calleth himselfe The seruant of seruants and should be an humble Father in the Church of God should so Lord it ouer the whole Church which is a burden vnsupportable and ouer the consciences of men which is Gods prerogatiue Secondly put case their humilitie were as they say doe we not know that they of old haue crept into the Church of God who haue beene the patron and defenders of falsehood vnder this pretence Yee know how it was in the Church of the Colossians there were some who brought in worshipping of Angels and other traditions vnder â—hat pretence Coloss 2.18 but the Apostle saith Let no man beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of minde What though it make a great shew in the eyes of men I confesse saith the Apostle that these things speaking of the worshipping of Angels and other traditions haue a shew of wisdome in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the bodie Vers 23. not hauing it in any estimation in regard of the flesh as the Papists who doe boast of fasting sack-cloth and other penances yet they must neuer the sooner be approued or practised of vs. Fourthly they will tell you of their learning miracles and great dangers which they doe vndergoe Learning euen for Religion sake But watch distinctly ouer these things that they gaine not vpon vs to entertaine that doctrine with which they may infect and poison vs. As for their learning remember these things First we haue heard them of old crie out against the basenesse of our vnderstandings Rhem. Testam in Heb. 5.9 and boast of the deepenesse of their learning and profoundnesse of the mysteries of their Religion as if the feeblenesse in the Faith Rhem. Test in Heb. 5.11 and weaknesse of vnderstanding in the Primitiue Church were not able to comprehend them and that therefore belike they were reserued in sacred tradition til the more ripe age of the Church Thus they boast of the deepe mysteries of their Idoll-Masse that they may the better thrust it vpon the Church without warrant from God in his word Secondly though we hate and abhorre all traditionall learning that is against Gods word and can call it none other than our blessed Sauiour called the learning of that Prophetesse Iezabel namely The deepenesse of Satan Apoc. 2.24 what shew soeuer it carrieth to outward view yet we freely acknowledge their learning wherein it appeareth in truth and wish that they would vse it better than to make it an instrument to fight against the truth Thirdly put case that their learning were neuer so great yet it should not moue vs against the truth I know it was cast as a choake-peare in the teeth of those officers who gaue good testimonie of Iesus Christ Iohn 7.48 Doe any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees who are wise and learned men beleeue in him But when we doe remember the thanksgiuing of Iesus Christ vnto his Father Matt. 11.25 26. Because he had hid the mysteries of the Gospell from the wise and men of vnderstanding and opened them vnto babes euen because his good pleasure was such and when we doe withall consider what Paul saith That not many wise men after the flesh 1 Cor. 1.26 27. not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise we cannot thinke that learning and religion cannot be diuorced or that we must presently embrace the doctrine of them who bring learning in their mouthes Miracles To come in the second place to their Miracles which they so much pretend wee know that they are powerfull to perswade people yet when we doe consider that the miracles of the Primitiue Church are sufficient to confirme primitiue doctrine Iohn 10.41 and that all that Iohn preached may be true though he did no miracle and also that the Church of Rome were not Antichristian if it should not pretend miracles 2. Thess 2.9 Apoc. 13.13 we cannot presently conclude that he is no dreamer or inticer to false gods Deut. 13.1 2. who can giue a signe or wonder that commeth to passe Sufferings Lastly as for their sufferings for religion we know that many Heretickes haue died in a stiffe maintenance of their cursed conceits 1 Cor. 13. and that the Apostle implieth that it is possible for a man to giue his bodie to be burned and not haue charitie In which respects though sometimes wee see Priests and Iesuits like Pharisees compassing sea and land to winne a Romish proselite and at the last to come to the Gallowes iustly prouided for them when they haue fallen out of the way of Religion into the way of Rebellion yet wee cannot thinke their doctrine which they teach against vs to be more true Oh therefore let neither
againe vnto the Lord 2 Chro. 19.4 the practise of which wee may see in Iosiah who while he was yet a childe began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father 2 Chro. 34.3 And this example ought to be a monitor from generation to generation of what euery one of vs ought to doe Thirdly we must with care and conscience attend vpon the meanes of saluation as they are offered vnto vs in the ministery of the Church of God that so wee may know the vertues and powers of this couenant to doe thereafter 2 Cor. 1.24 For though wee haue no dominion ouer your faith in which respect the Apostle saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.15 Iudge ye what I say yet wee are helpers of your ioy and are ministers by whom yee beleeue 1 Cor. 3.5 As therefore Moses said of the bush which burned and not consumed Ex. 3.3 I will turne aside now and see this great sight So must wee say of the Church which is afflicted and yet is not quite ouer-borne I will turne aside now and heare what this great message is which it bringeth to direct me to heauen and happinesse Fourthly we must openly professe our selues to be in couenant with God Titus 1.1 This the Apostle calleth an acknowledgement of the truth which is according to godlinesse and euery one of vs must labour for it both by encreasing our knowledge in the things of God as also by labouring for a good and a godly life and preparing our selues to giue a reason of the hope that is in vs 1 Pet. 3.15 through the vse of such meanes of knowledge and holinesse as God hath appointed I know that euery one of vs cannot attaine vnto the like measure in this kinde For some of vs are so slow of heart and dull of hearing Luke 24.25 that when as concerning the time we ought to be teachers Hebr. 5.11 12. yet wee haue need againe to be taught the first principles of the word of God and are become such as haue need of milke and not of strong meat yet for all that wee must aime at and striue that through long custome in hearing meditation and conference Hebr. 5.14 we may haue our wits exercised to discerne both good and euill that so wee may with more boldnesse appeare before the greatest enemies of truth and profession Fiftly we must renue our couenant with God in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so often as conueniently we can and with feare and trembling desire God to assure vnto vs the comforts of the Gospell according to the sinceritie of our hearts Yee know that Sacraments are called seales and the reason is because in their lawfull and holy vse they haue a confirming conueying and concluding nature They doe confirme because they doe as pledges visibly strengthen our faith in the promises They doe conuey because as written instruments by the ordinations of Princes are conueyances of houses and lands and inheritances vnto vs though we are many miles from them so by the ordination of God the Sacraments are no naturall but voluntary instruments to settle and assure Iesus Christ vpon and vnto vs being fitly prepared according to his will though he be ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand of God They doe conclude because as sealing and deliuering is the latter end of a bargaine and doth shut it vp so the Sacraments doe conclude and shut vp the couenant betweene God and vs to our endlesse comforts if according to those abilities which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs we keepe touch with him In this regard as we do publikely enter couenant with God in Baptisme and manifest our consciences in the same when we turne from our wicked waies to serue the liuing God in vprightnesse and truth so we doe or should renue our couenant in the Lords Supper to our more watchfull and warie walking in the waies of pietie and godlinesse Per delicta quotidianae incursionis Lastly because through the treacherie of the flesh wee cannot but faile through daily errours in a greater measure than wee would therefore if wee will be of a religion wee must humbly dâ—pend vpon God by prayer for pardon against sinne past and for spirituall power against sinne to come and that euery day Thus I haue taught you what wee must doe to haue a religion But yet we are not the nearer to God if wee be not of that religion which is pleasing to him and therefore we must now leaue this point and passe along to the next The second ground then to bee considered is this That We must be of that Religion which doth most approue it selfe to God For this is the reason that this Religion We must haue that Religion which doth most approue it selfe vnto God which we must haue is described to be pure and vndefiled before God thereby implying that the true Religion doth most labour for that And that it must be so will appeare by diuers considerations First In shew the religion of Hypocrites hath equalled the true Religion It hath equalled it in sacrifices for Kain brought an oblation to God of the fruit of the ground Gen. 4.3 So likewise in prayer for the hypocriticall Iewes stretched out their hands and made many prayers vnto God Esay 1.15 So likewise in preaching for we haue Iudas a Preacher as well as Peter and many hypocrites will say Matth. 7.22 Haue wee not by thy name prophecied So likewise in hearing for as God saith to hypocrites by Esay Yee seeke me daily to wit Esay 58.2 in the Ministerie of the Word and will know my waies euen as a Nation that did righteously So by EZâ—kiel My people fit before thee Ezek. 33.31 and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make iests and their hearts are after couetousnesse So likewise in profession for euen they shall say Lord Lord who shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 7.21 And the foolish Virgins who receiued this doome Matth 25. I know you not hâ—d lampes of profession and said Lord Lord. So likewise in fasting for the Prophet speaketh of such dissembling wreâ—ches who fasted vnto strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse that they draw neare to God on the day of their Fast and say Esay 58.2 3 4. Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest it not We haue punished our selues and thou regardest not as if they were the sincerest fasters in the world So likewise euen in giuing of almes for euen the hypocrites of old did giue almes Matth. 6.2 and that with a great grace when they made the trumpet to be blowne before them Thus the hypocrites religion in shew hath beene as good as the best Secondly in shew the religion of open wicked men hath beene as good as the true 2 Sam. 15. Matth. 2. Absolon will
make shew of performing a Vow at Hebron Herod of worshipping Christ and of another Herod hearing Iohn gladly Prou. â— yea the Harlot her selfe hath made her peace offerings and payed her vowes and Christ doth so discouer the rich Gluttons wickednes that we may yet see the religion of his linage saying They haue Moses and the Prophets Lâ—ke 16. What wicked man doth not frame a religion to himselfe in appearance and shew to stop the mouth of his conscience and gloze with the world None shall bow lower than he none shall looke more sowre in the day of fasting and in all the kindes of superstition none shall more glister with deuotion in the view of men especially in the day of affliction and houre of death Thirdly in shew euen false religion may imitate the true Let God haue a Temple so hath the Deuill yea where God hath his Church the Deuill hath his Chapell and Synagogue Apoc. 2.12 as his Throne in Pergamus and Antichrist with his apostacie in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 If God answer from betweene the Cherubims the Deuill will haue his oracles Let him haue his Priests the Deuil also will haue Arch-flamines and Flamines his Druids Sophists Sacrificers and the like The Deuill and his instruments haue still beene seene to be Gods apes to imitate him so farre as it hath been permitted vnto them in the great workes of his creation and prouidence Fourthly in shew false religion may not only imitate but outstrip the true If true religion haue golden Priests and woodden Chalices false religion will haue with woodden Priests golden Chalices Let true religion haue a sacrifice of beasts the false will haue a sacrifice of men If the true haue washings the false will haue abundance of washings and other ceremonies which shall goe vnder the name of the traditions of the Elders In which respect they who reade the exceptions of Atheists and Heathen against the true religion shall â—â—nde this to be one that it was farre behinde the heathenish religion in the beauty of their Temples array of their Priests gestures and significant representations in their deuotions Thus let vs carry with vs these foure meditations and conclude from them thus much that seeing the religion of hypocrites and wicked men may equall and false religion may imitate and outstrip the true religion in shewes therefore we must iudge righteous iudgement wee must not chuse religion according to appearance and shewes but striue to be of that which doth most approue it selfe to God What vse shall we make of this point now but this to learne to cleaue to that religion which we shall finde to be more in heart than in shew I know that we must not neglect such shewes as God hath appointed as praying preaching hearing reading bowing the knees lifting vp the hands and eyes together with a decent course and cariage in Gods whole seruice Of these we say as Christ to the Pharisies These ought yee to haue done Matth. 23.23 yet the sincere seruice and glory of the heart ought not to be left vndone the principall end of a good religion being to approue the heart vnto God Gods seruice doth chiefly consist in the holy exercise and vsage of the vnderstanding and affections of the heart according to Gods will What hypocrite cannot draw neere to God with the lips What carnall wretch cannot make a crucifix or other image to be a mouer of fleshly deuotion Objectum motivam vehiculum devotionis and as it were a popish chariot of desires to the persons whom they doe represent What Idiot whose vnderstanding is idle cannot giue God a knee and a knocke vpon the breast at the Popish Latine seruice and Masse of humane inuentions Alas for them whose religion is in shewes If the shew and outside of religion were ordained by God yâ—â— as it might sometimes be omitted without sinne as Circumcision and the Passeouer yea and the feast of Tabernacles for a thousand yeeres together Neh. 8.17 if my Chronologer deceiue me not euen so also may it be practised of vs without grace Oh therefore beleeue not neither trust in shewes but cleaue vnto that religion whose grace and glory doth stand in inward worship which cannot be omitted without sinne nor practised without grace We draw neere to God with our hearts we heare the word with faith feare loue and full assurance we pray in the Holy Ghost yea though wee vse the helpe of others yet we make such prayers our owne by a thorow applying them to our wants and graces when we sing Psalmes we make melodie to God in our hearts and when we doe receiue the Lords Supper we doe it in remembrance of Christ and shew forth his death till he come yea like true worshippers we are so farre from delighting in shewes that as God said of old They shall say no more The Arke of the couenant of the Lord Ier. 3.16 for it shall come no more to minde neither shall they remember it neither shall they visit it so doe we willingly forget all the typicall rites and ceremonies wherewith the Church of Rome did Iewishly and heathenishly abuse our forefathers and doe striue to build vp the hid man of the heart and to worship God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. not neglecting such outward expressments as are warranted either by generall or particular rules and examples out of the holy word But as for garish shewes let children and babies delight in such rattles We account our selues to haue iust cause to suspect the religion of Rome which is all for shewes They know right well that euery man would be accounted godly and that the wickedest wretch and wisest politician of the world would faine goe to heauen To this end therefore as it may seeme namely to please the wise men of the world and desperate sinners who know by nature that they must frame a kinde of religion to procure Gods fauour they haue patched together as the secure times of the world and their preuailing faction would giue them leaue an outward seruice glorious in shew to stop the mouth of conscience for a time Their faith is resolued into a glorious and pompous Church for shew Their repentance stands only in contrition confession and satisfaction by visible penances which being performed in shew receiueth an absolute forgiuenesse of sinne They boast of their altars sacrifices washings and anointings they adorne their altars images priests and temples They haue their Iubilees processions pilgrimages to their ridiculous Ladies vigils trentals diriges and requiems and all for shew still They haue musicke and chaunting for the eare without the exercise either of vnderstanding or heart They haue golden and veluet silken and taffatie Images for the eye They haue Incense or other sweet perfumes for the nose They haue iuncates and banquets on their falsly called fasting daies for their pallates though they will not ordinarily eat
flesh on Fridaies And that the wise men of the world may be led vp and downe as men without wit by the nose they haue a glorious Latine seruice in an vnknowne tongue though it be impossible for him that hath the roome of the vnlearned to such a seruice to say Amen 1 Cor. 14.14 15 16 17. Here is a gay religion indeed O let vs haue our eyes in our heads and which of our religions doth most approue it selfe vnto God let euery one of vs with care and conscience iudge This must the rather be obserued and taken care of because to an heart and eye that is not sanctified and guided by God these shewes are fit allurements How doe they preuaile vpon the rotten and putrid members of the Church from time to time As Labans sheepe did conceiue by the eye so is it with many Christians also Hence is it that ye shall heare some plead the Iesuites causes thus Doe not those reuerend men leaue country and kindred and hazard their liues for religion and expose themselues to a thousand dangers Here is a great shew indeed yet there is many a theefe who can plead so much for himselfe before the Iudge My Lord haue not I broke my sleepe to be vpon the high way left the embracings of my louing wife and hazarded my life and estate and yet I hope the Iudge liketh not his cause the better nor thinketh him the more honest man Some againe plead the Popish cause thus Doe not they shew you thousands of religious persons who doe renounce the world and giue themselues wholly to prayer and contemplation They haue a shew of such indeed but all is not gold that glistereth Wee can shew them thousands of true Christian Nazarites who are Recluses from the world in Vniuersities and Colledges where they doe wholly giue themselues to prayer studie and conference with other good exercises that they may be further fitted for the seruice of the Church of God But as for their religious persons as when they are shut vp their light doth not shine before men to the glory of God their Father as it should so they are blasphemers of the Gospell in seeking perfections out of Christ and are cloakes of a foule deale of hypocrisie Humiles sine despâ—ctâ— paâ—pâ—â—â—s sine defectu â—â—vites sine labore while they are humble without deiection poore without want rich without labour or that I may vse the words of the Duke of Saxonie of old as Melancthon hath them There are three things saith he in the Citie of Lypsia which are worthy of admiration and they are three kinds of Monks The first who had much corne and no possessions The second who had much money and no reuenues The third who had many children and no wiues Loe these are they who doe renounce the world and giue themselues to prayer as they are discouered by those who haue liued amongst them Others againe plead for them thus Doe not they canonize Saints and giue good works and workers due honours These things indeed haue a great shew amongst them If we had beene but at Madrid this last yeere Merc. Gallob in anno 1622. lib. 2. tom 14. and seene the canonization of Ignatius Loyola the ancient founder of the Iesuites order in the solemnizing whereof all the Churches glittered with gold and precious hangings the statue of their dead Saint was bedecked with gold and precious stones by no meane hands it was carried in a glorious procession with a wonderfull troope and traine of many degrees with musicke for the eares and for the eyes with thirtie banners and fourescore siluer crosses If I say that we had seene this shew of honour of works and workers how could wee haue done lesse in reason than to haue said with that French Dame when shee saw a stately procession to passe by the streets O what a fine religion is ours meaning Poperie Quo vadis sect 4. pag. 15. yet in truth we doe not enuie them this finenesse Our Saints are in this world many times in ragged coats and when God hath taken them to heauen they need none of our pictures and solemnities neither doe we need such Aduocates We haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and care for no other particular Aduocates in heauen 1 Ioh. 2.1 And for our works though in the doctrine of Iustification wee hate to giue them any honour because our well-doing extends not to God Psal 16.2 Iob 22.3 and what is it to God that wee are righteous yet in the doctrine of sanctification wee doe humbly acknowledge the honour which God doth giue vnto them 1 Pet. 1.22 Prov. 16.6 in making of them meanes as contrary acts to mortifie and represse sinne in making them qualifications to sit vs for Gods residence Apoc. 3.20 and to be that sanctified way wherein wee must walke vnto glory Heb. 12.14 and the like yet wee must adde this that wee haue most comfort of those works which are least seene as of confidence loue feare humility mercy compassion c. which yet will manifest themselues in such fit fruits as God requireth Thus is our religion a walking in simplicitie and godly purenesse 2 Cor. 1.12 and not in fleshly wisdome and teacheth vs principally to approue our selues to God and to abandon that religion which stands in shewes and outward pompe I will say but three things more and so I shall passe to the next ground First a bulrush is greene and smooth he is curious to a miracle that can finde a knot in it yet within it hath but a vselesse and spongie pith in it in which respect God compareth hypocriticall fasters to such Es 58.5 Secondly the harlot goeth beyond the modest woman in garish attire yea shee will make such shewes as the honest woman shames Her adorning is not outward but in the hid man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Thirdly the Deuill finding that of all the senses the eye is the fittest for the working of his proiects he doth vse it much Euah saw that the tree was good for meat and shee tooke it and did eat Dauid saw Bathsheba and you know what followeth Ierushalem saw vermilion Images and she affected them God doth vsually call vs vnto him by the eare hee that desireth to lodge among the wise must prepare his Eare to hearken to the instruction of life Prou. 15.31 But the Deuill doth vsually call men by the eye it is the eye which is his ordinary broker and strikes the bargaine for him My conclusion is this that seeing faire shewes in Religion may be without sinceritie and that those may make greater shewes than ordinarie who are furthest from God and that yet the Deuill doth seeke to abuse vs and draw vs to his part by shewes wee must not choose our religion by shewes but cleaue vnto our owne which we shall finde most to approue it selfe to
beare with the weake and pray for all to be praied for Visito poto â—ibo redimo tego colligo condo There are many who doe visit the sicke giue drinke to the thirsty feed the hungry redeeme the captiues cloath the naked reduce the wandring and build houses of reliefe for the aged and impotent There are many and many such I say and I pray God that there may bee more knowledge of the Lord Es 11.6 7 8 9. euen as the waters that couer that sea that the Lions may eat straw that is that the cruell oppressors may not liue vpon rapine but innocently and that the Wolfe the Lion the Leopard and the Beare may bee lead by the little childe that is that the meanest of Gods Ministers may finde those that are most cruell by nature so obedient to the doctrine of Iesus Christ that they may be altered and lead to workes of mercy in such kinds as the Gospell requireth that so the mouthes of them of Gath and Ashkalon may be stopped and they may euer be ashamed to barke against vs againe Thirdly who are these that except against vs I am sure we haue more iust cause to except against the Popish works of mercy because whatsoeuer they doe it is in pride and vaine-glory to merit an eternall estate Their works proceed not from faith neither are they sanctified by faith because they tend to maintaine idlenesse and pride against God and Christ in Monasteries of perfection as they dreame which God doth not allow Ob. Yea but you will say herein doth the mercy of their religion appeare that in the daies of Poperie good house-keeping did more abound Sol. I answer first to the persons who doe obiect it and secondly to the obiection it selfe To the persons that plead thus I answer two things That such are either idle vnprofitable and ale-house drones who could be content for the most part to liue vpon other mens costs and to be maintained at other mens tables or else that they measure God and religion by the belly like the vnbeleeuing Israelites who because they had not plenty in the wildernesse where they were in the way to libertie would returne into Aegypt againe to their flesh-pots with Idolatrie To the obiection it selfe I say Put case that there were better house-keeping and greater plenty of all things is this a note of the true religion or of the mercy of it No surely For first plenty of all things is giuen to godlesse persons Psal 73.3 4 5. It was Dauids temptation that the foolish had no bands in their death but were lustie and strong and were not in trouble like others neither plagued like other men It was Iobs trouble Iob 21.7 8 9 10 11 c. that the wicked did grow in wealth that their houses were peaceable without feare that their bullocke gendred and failed not that they sent forth their children like sheepe well clad and their sonnes danced c. It was Ieremies griefe Ier. 12.1 2 c. that the way of the wicked did prosper and that they were in wealth who did rebelliously transgresse Secondly greater plenty may be in the times of Idolatrie than when true Religion is practised and embraced Neuer forget that of the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 44.16 17 18 19. Full. Misâ—eâ—â— lib. 1. cap. 13. He bringeth in the Idolaters who had gone a whoring after Ashteroth the queene of heauen that is the Moone pleading thus that they would burne incense to the queene of heauen and powre out drinke-offerings vnto her because when they did so they were well and had plenty of all things and felt none euill but since they left it they had scarcenesse of all things and were consumed with the sword and with famine Thirdly they who are void of loue may be good house-keepers and liberall persons This Paul seemes to imply when he saith 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I feed the poore with all my goods and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing and wee know that vaine-glory and the praise of men doe ordinarily produce these effects euen in Pharisies Matth. 6.1 2. Lastly we may not wonder that there should be worse house-keeping now than in former times of Idolatry For the poore receiue the Gospell and the things of this world which are the matter of hospitalitie are more generally giuen as the rewards of this life to them that haue no assurance of a reward in heauen There are many conuinced of the truth of the Gospell but few are conuerted and so they are not filled with mercy and compassion as they should be And yet wee are not to blame our religion which is mercifull but such hard-hearted persons that doe not make that vse of it which they should but had rather spend their estates in garish pompe pride and prodigalitie than in releeuing the Saints of God Loe thus doth it still stand good that our Religion rather than Poperie hath this marke of mercy vpon it notwithstanding these shewes The last ground which I propounded to be considered from hence is this that Pure religion will keepe vs from open and professed tainture This is that which the Apostle implieth when he saith that it keeps our selues vnspotted of the world to wit if wee hearken and yeeld vnto it for the ruling of our hearts For otherwise it will doe vs no more good than physick which is presently vomited vp againe Religion in the very essence of it is a doctrine of liuing well called 1 Tim. 3.16 The mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 and the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse The knowledge of it is of the truth which is according to godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Tit. 3.8 and the fruit of it is a carefulnesse to shew forth good workes all which doe imply that where true religion is it will keepe vs from open and professed tainture So long as Nicholas and Iezabel were ruled and swayed by true religion they were not spotted of the world but when they fell from that then was the one the founder and the other the protector of that cursed sect of the Nicolaitanes Psal 45.8 All Christs garments smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia saith the Psalmist It may be he would signifie thus much vnto vs from the nature and vse of these three things named that those garments or ornaments wherewith he couereth vs his bodie in the sight of his Father are Comfortatiue Compurgatiue and Conseruatiue that is that the riches of Gods glorious grace which are communicated to vs from Christ will comfort vs against the guilt of sinne will purge vs from the filth of sin and will preserue vs from the dominion and power of sinne In which respect God speaketh vnto the religious not only as to those that are comforted 1 Ioh. 5.21 but to those that are purged Flie from Idols 2 Cor. 6.17 and goe out from
doubting but that our Soueraigne might haue the powder-plot iudicially condemned if complaint were made in a iudiciall proceeding whereas any man may see that this were to yoake a free Prince vnder the girdle of Antichrist in seeking to him to condemne that which so holy a Father should be ready to condemne out of his own disposition but that he would faine be fingring of a Iudges power and authoritie in businesses betweene Princes and their subiects Against the sixth commandement by permitting sanctuaries for murtherers Principes à Papa excōmunicatos è medio tollere non solum licitum opus esse sed etiam meritorium and by accounting it not only lawfull but meritorious to kill such Princes as the Pope shall excommunicate Against the seuenth commandement by allowing stewes incest by taking away mariage from the clergie so giuing way to whoredome and other vncleannes Against the eight commandement by robbing men of their money by their fained Purgatory Pardons and power of Masses with the like Against the ninth commandement by defending officious lies and equiuocating before the throne of Iustice by defending their religion by lies as that our religion hath no ground Doctor Car. consid p. 9. but either the pleasure of the Prince and Parliament or the common cry voice of the people whereas we accurse all parts of religion which are not grounded vpon the holy Scriptures They beare false witnes also in canonizing them for Saints which are none yea and them for Saints which are rebels as their Thomas Becket They sinne against the tenth commandement by allowing the inward mutinie at home in our hearts by disordered lusts prouided we consent not as if he were not a knaue that did euill though he be an honest man that consenteth not but reproueth rather both these being in the same man Thus I haue shewed you that the Romish religion is not the true because it keepes not her professors from the spots of the world I know as they say that there are many corruptions in all states and that God hath no wheat field in this world where the deuill hath no tares growing but for wickednesse to arise out of the doctrine that is taught and out of the profession of it is a certaine signe of no pure religion Oh therefore as the wise man hath his eyes in his head so let vs. Let vs see the impuritie of their profession and as wee loue our soules let vs take heed of their mysterie of iniquitie in a golden cup. I might also shew you how they sin against the beleefe by their high Priest and King the Pope multitude of mediators merits Catholike particular Church Iustification Priestly absolute absolution and the like so also how they sin against the Lords praier by inuocation of Saints implicite faith freewill merit of workes and the like so likewise against the Sacraments by humane mixtures the sacrifice of the Masse corporall presence and so adoration But it will be enough to an honest heart to see day at a little hole and to learne by the paw to know and hate the whole bodie of Popery To end in a word therefore I haue taught you to haue a religion and to haue that religion which doth most approue it selfe to God I pray God therefore that we may be wise to discerne it by the mercifulnesse of it and by its freedome from spots that we renouncing all false religions worships may cleaue vnto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him ours euen in truth and faithfulnesse Euen so Amen Soli Deo Gloria