they could not agree together and contrarie to his word they would not seeke to serue him and therefore chose rather to bee without Christ altogether then to worship him and others with him against his will and commaundement And verilie God will take it in better part that thou deuote thy selfe to any religion be it neuer so bad then to make a hodge podge of religion and so to haue a mixture of good and bad religion together insomuch that I am perswaded that the worship of Mahomet lesse offendeth God then when such as are by profession Christians shall giue diuine honour to a piece of bread Eze. 20.39 As for you ô house of Israel saith God by the Prophet Ezechiel goe you and serue euery one his Idol seeing you will not obey me pollute my holie altar no more with your giftes and with your Idolls Where the Prophet intimateth that God had rather that the Israelites should bee professed Idolaters then to pretend his holie name with such corruptions True religion will admit no mixture but is simple God himselfe said Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender with diuers kindes Leui 19.19 Thou shalt not sowe thy fielde with mingled seede neither shall a garment of diuers colours come vpon thee signifying that wee must sticke to one religion which indeed requireth the whole man and cannot endure any doubling in the worship of God nor any blending of Iudaisme and Christianisme together nor any reconciliation at all betweene Christ and Belial betweene the table of the Lorde and the table of diuels betweene God and Melchom It is not possible that one wombe should containe Iacob and Esau one house the Arke and Dagon one temple prayer and merchandise one heauen Michaell and the Dragon and so God hauing ordained his Law stricktly to be kept without declining either to the right hand or to the left giueth vs to vnderstand that hee himselfe will be serued alone without corriualles of his glorie with all our heart strength and soule Sonne saith God giue mee thine heart Pro 23.26 and let thine eyes delight in my wayes but Sathan willing to part stakes with God crieth out with the Harlot Nec mihi nec tibi sed diuidatur Let honour and glorie and worship bee neither mine nor thine 1. King 3. but let it be diuided But the Lorde our God beeing a iealous God will not be crowded in a corner of the heart but he will haue either all thine heart or no part at all either all glorie or no glorie aut Caesar aut nullus And so we are taught by the word of God in Deuteronomie Deu. 61.4.5 Heare ô Israel the Lord our God is Lord only thou shalt lette the Lorde thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might that is we must loue God sweetely strongly perseuerantly Loue God with all thine heart that is kindely and affectionately Loue God with all thy soule that is wisely and discreetly Loue God with all thy might that is stedfastly and constantly Let the loue of thine heart inflame thy zeale towards him Let the knowledge of thy soule guide it with discretion Let the constancie of thy might and strēgth confirme it That is let thy loue bee feruent circumspect and inuincible So that thou maiest say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Ro 8.38 nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate mee from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus my Lorde Out of that which hath bene already spoken touching this point of mingling Gods worship with the worship of any other this conclusion or corollarie may be deriued which is this that if either thou serue God with my other as Saints Angels or anie creature which the Papists doe Or if thou serue him alone any other way then he prescribeth thou louest him not but thou doest hate him yea extreamely hate him and shalt finde at his hands the reward of a deadly enemie Strange therefore must needs seeme to bee this Doctrine of the Papists wherein they teach that wee may honour God as wee our selues can best deuise That if our intent be good and our meaning be good it skilleth not how or in what manner wee worship him That these kindes of worshippings of God which come of our owne heads without the expresse commandemēt of God are the more agreeable vnto him the more they proceede of our selues Which doctrine of theirs is the maine proppe of all idolatrie and the very roote of all superstition For the wayes of God are not as our waies his thoughts are not as our thoughts hee hath bridled our deuotion and hath taught vs to worship him not in such sort as may seeme good in our eyes but onely as hee hath commanded vs. God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle according to that order and forme shewed him in the mount neither durst Moses adde or diminish any thing or to doe more or lesse then God appointed him Certaine it is that our good meanings make not our doings good Neither is our zeale a rule whereby wee may measure out either our Faith or our good workes but onely the knowne will and pleasure of God There wanted no good intent or good meaning either in the Israelites when they made a golden calfe Exod 3.2.4 or in Nadab and Al thu when they offered strange fire or in Saul when he spared king Agag or in Vzza Leuit 10.2 1. Sam 15.22 2. Sam 6.6 1. King 12.28 when he put his hand to the Arke to holde it nor in Ishu when hee would needs ioyne the worshipping of Ieroboams golden Calues with the worship of the true God of Israell and yet we see how that iealous God which could neuer abide to be worshipped otherwise then hee himselfe had giuen in commandement executed his fierce wrath vpon them all for their confected religions and halting consciēces And this for all the world is the very guise and manner of worship the papists vse True it is they worship God and they worship Christ but not according to his prescript but in ioyning the worship of other creatures with the worship of the only true God they proue themselues to be plaine Idolaters holding this for a most certaine doctrine that the Crucifixe is to be worshipped with the very selfe-same worship wherewith Christ himselfe is to be worshipped The difference then betweene the Papists and vs in the doctrine of the worship and seruice of God consisteth both in the manner and the matter of Gods worship In the manner of Gods worship wee vpon iust grounds doe varie from them because that whereas God being a Spirite loueth only such worshippers as worship him in spirite and truth and to that ende would haue religion it selfe to be free vnder very sure and most
learned and religious auditorie of the parish of S. Martins in the fieldes Thus presuming as you see of your Graces acceptance and bolde dedicating this small and simple discourse vnto your Grace which I confesse to be much vnworthy your worthinesse I will not cease to pray vnto God to requite and recompence seuenfolde into your bosome both this and all other your vndeserued fauours towards me And thus beseeching the God of heauen and earth againe and againe to multiplie his richest blessings and mercies towards you by giuing you honour here and honour euer in his happie Kingdome of eternall comfort I rest Your Graces humbly deuoted Chaplin in all dutie to be commanded Iohn Seller TO MY CHRISTIAN AVDItors of S. Martins in the fields BEloued in the Lord this Sermon was lately preached in your parish it is now to be acted if I may say so vpon a Theater Theatrum mundus I am intreated as it were a prologue to say vnto you Come and see (a) Ioh. 1.46 I need not to doe it for you who are carefull to come and heare will I hope be as carefull to come see Come therefore I beseech you and behold another Iohn Baptist in the spirit of Elias preparing in your harts a way for the Lord (b) Luke 3.4 and saying vnto you as God saith to all This is the way walke in it (c) Isay 30.21 Are you desirous of a guide in this way here are two offering of themselues God Baal the one will conduct you to the land of Canaan (d) Ios 1.2 the other will lead you blindfold to Samaria (e) 2. King 6.19 If you follow the one you wil worship in mount Zion (f) Is 2.2.3 If the other you must goe vp to mount Gerizim (g) Ioh. 4.20 and there adore Ieroboams calues (h) 1. King 12.28 This latter is a way pleasing now a daies to many but the issues thereof are the waies of death (i) Prou. 14.12 And when the passing bell calleth there is so litle cōfort in that passage that many who haue gone it forsake it at the last I reade of a learned popish doctor in Germanie who at the howre of his death entring into a meditation of the insufficiencie of his merits cried out after this manner (k) Selnec Instit pag. 386. Alas what shall I now doe No workes doe me any good none comfort me none cheare me Since then I finde nothing in myselfe to stay vpon this will I doe Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for thy sonne Christs sake and receiue my soule It is the safest way as Bellarmine confesseth and the onely way as the scripture proueth Looke not then vpon Baal with his 450. false Prophets (l) 1. King 18.22 but looke vpon God with his seruant Eliah (m) 1. King 18.30 Baal as an Vlysses will transforme you as a Syren seduce you as an Helena corrupt you and as Naash the Ammonite make no couenant with you vnles he may plucke out your right eye of knowledge and so bring a shame vpon Israel (n) 1. Sam. 11.2 Our God is not like their God our aduersaries being iudges (o) Deut. 32.31 He is our sunne (p) Psal 84.11 without him it is night our starre (q) Reu. 2.28 without him it is darknes our life (r) Ioh. 11.25 without him it is death and our guide without him wee shall neuer make our pathes straight (ſ) Ps 25 8. It is better to limpe in the strait waies of God then to runne and rampe on in the broad pathes of Baal you know these things happie are ye if ye doe them (t) Ioh. 13.17 In a word learne by this godly treatise to detest that faith not of Iesus but of the Iesuites which teacheth that you must eate your God and may kill your King Qui cum Iesu itis non itis cum Iesuitis You that doe follow Iesus trace will neuer like the Iesuites pace The Lord make you as beautifull in the eyes of God as you haue made your Church to the eyes of man Aprill 16. 1611. Your ancient seruant in the Lord Robert Hill A SERMON AGAINST HALTING betweene two opinions 1. King Cap 18. Ver. 20. 21. So Ahab sent to all the children of Israell and gathered the Prophets together to Mount Carmel And Elias came to all the people and saide how long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him If Baal be hee goe after him And the people answered him not one word AMong other blessings which God bestoweth vpon his Church a good Prince is one of the greatest being set ouer his people for the defence and maintenance of true religion and vertue And for this cause it is that the Apostle S. Paule willeth vs first and aboue all other things to pray for Kings and for all that are in authoritie 1. Tim 2.1.2 that vnder them we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie In the which words the Apostle setteth downe three speciall good things which wee enioy vnder the gouernment of a godlie and religious Prince namely godlines honestie and peace which being ioyned together are the onely supporters and vpholders of all Christian Common-wealths and Kingdomes but being seuered one from an other there falleth out a cleane contrarie sequele For what is godlines without honestie but plaine hypocrisie or what is honestie without godlines but meere heathnish gentilitie or what is peace without honestie and godlines but carnall securitie Now as for honestie and godlines without peace there can bee no great practise of either of them both It was a great hindrance to the people of Israel in their deuotions when by the crueltie of Pharao they might not be permitted to goe into the wildernes to serue God And afterwards in the captiuity of Babylon they were forced to sing the Lords song in a strange land Peace and tranquilitie are euer an occasion of great increase and edification In the Acts when the Churches had rest thoroughout all Iudea and Galilie and Samaria they were edified Acts 9.31 and walked in the feare of the Lorde and were multiplied by the comfort of the holie Ghost Where wee may see how in a quiet and peaceable Church daily teaching and preaching is of verie great force to plant godlines and the feare of God in mens hearts and withall discipline of manners whereas in a Church which is vnder the crosse it falleth out still for the most part that ecclesiasticall assemblies are hindered and forbidden to be practised Ministers and Preachers are either imprisoned driuen away or put to death Parents and fathers of Families driuen away out of their houses whereby such houses being dissolued children are bereaued of good education godlie men are seuered one from another in which dissipation sound doctrine is not to be had Faith languisheth all godly exercises in training vp of youth
liue that we may truly and iustly say applying the words of our Sauiour Christ to ourselues blessed are the eyes which haue seene those things which we haue seene there hauing beene many millions and thousands of our forefathers which detesting the Antichristian pride other loose behauiour of the Romane Clergie endeuouring to serue the Lord after the prescript of his owne word desired to haue seene but one of the daies which we haue seene and could not who although with Lot they vexed their righteous soules in the middes of a spirituall Sodome yet like Sea-fish which is alwaies most fresh in salt-water they kept themselues vnspotted of the world and would not spot their soules with such horrible cōtaminations wherwith the whole world almost was defiled in those times of great darknesse and superstition The conclusion is this that seeing ouer all the Christian world where the Gospell hath had free passage all those places wheresoeuer the sound thereof is heard are full of the knowledge of the Lord and that on the other side where poperie preuaileth there is nothing but ignorance and superstition the truth with tyrannie crueltie being kept vnder by reason of the Spanish inquisition that this is a verie strong motiue to perswade that the Gospell this day preached in the reformed Churches of Christendome is the infallible and vndoubted word of God Fourthlie it was euer reputed and accounted for a speciall fruite of the Gospel to teach people obedience to their Gouernours to vpholde the State and Maiestie of Kings and Princes into whose hands God hath committed the sword of publike authoritie Now our aduersaries cannot chuse but see and all the Christian world can witnesse with vs this day that in all these places where at this present through Gods goodnes and mercy the truth of the gospel is taught all such places are become more obedient to superior powers then euer they were before That there is greater maiestie to be found lesse arrogancie and tyrannie the Prince more honoured the Common-wealth and Church in far greater quiet then in former time of corruption when neither the Prince knewe what belonged to him nor the subiects knewe what properly belonged either to Caesar or vnto God And verilie one reason to perswade anie mans conscience that poperie is not of God may be this that whereas the doctrine of the Gospel is a doctrine of obedience which Christ both taught and acted his Apostles both by precept and practise confirmed whereas the whole current and streame of antiquitie runneth the same way that all manner of persons yea the BB. of Rome themselues for many hundred yeares together did acknowledge the Emperour for their Lord liege Lord and Maister the doctrine of the present Church of Rome perswadeth flatly to disobedience and plaine rebellion It teacheth that the people vpon the Popes warrant may lawfully beare armes against their soueraigne that by dispensation from the Pope they may lawfully renounce their allegiance yea further vpon the Popes iubet they may lay violent hands vpon him And so the Iesuites haue deliuered it for the resolute and vndoubted iudgement of the Church of Rome that it is a thing both lawfull and meritorious to kill and to murther Christian Princes professing a contrarie religion to the doctrine and faith of that Church poperie therfore that professeth not a lawfulnes onely but a merite in such desperate attempts contrarie to the manifest voyce of God Thou shalt not kill doth clearely conuince it selfe and shew it selfe to be a religion of the diuell and not of God Let this then suffice for a conclusion of my fourth motiue to shew that this is the alone propertie of the Gospel wheresoeuer true religion flourisheth to season the hearts both of young and old with true subiection and Christian obsequiousnesse to the higher and superiour powers Fiftly if long peace wealth and prosperitie to the outward blessings of God as vndoubtedly they be whereby he declareth his speciall fauour vnto that Prince and kingdome which feare him and worship him sincerely and with whom he is well pleased according to his word and promises in the scriptures that this must be an argument both of the singular fauour of god to all protestant Princes that haue imbraced the Gospel and of the sincere religion professed by them wherewith he is well pleased For of all the Kings of Iuda who euer more abounded with all peace and worldly felicitie then those who were most religiously addicted and affected to the seruice of God as Iosias Ezechias Iehosaphat Dauid Salomon Thus the Lord spake to king Iehoiaekim by his Prophet Ieremie Iere. 22.15 Did not thy father Iosias eate and drinke and prosper when he executed iudgement and iustice and was not all this because he knew me saith the Lord What Prince was there euer in the world either more honoured or feared then Constantine the great was after he had once receiued the Christian religion all the kingdomes this day possessed with protestant Princes all the free cities and Common-wealths of Heleutia neuer were in more riches or setled tranquilitie neuer so potent nor so orderly gouerned as they be at this day religion there hauing so free a passage and course among them as it hath and to come neerer home to our owne daies if we doe but consider with our owne selues the long peaceable and prosperous raigne of our late dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth the very ioy of Christendome whose land in her daies was a sanctuarie to all the world groning for the libertie of true religion we shall perceiue that from the beginning of her most happie raigne vntill the day of her dissolution by gods singular goodnesse this kingdome of great Britaine hath enioyed more vniuersall peace the people of the land encreased in greater numbers in more strength with greater riches and lesse sicknesse the earth hath yeelded more fruits and generally al kind of worldly felicitie hath more abounded since and during the time of the Popes thunders bulles curses and maledictions then in any other long time before when the Popes pardons and blessings came yearely into the Realme as they did in Queene Maries daies And thus much for proofe that the outward blessings of God which he hath bestowed vpon such Kings and Princes and states as haue embraced the Gospel of his sonne Christ Iesus are vndoubted arguments and demonstrations of the true and sincere religion professed by them The last motiue to perswade any Christian man not wilfully blinde to embrace the religion this day professed in the reformed Churches is with an vnpartiall eye to consider the great strange and maruelous things which the Lord hath done for the honour and aduancement of the Gospel in such places where it hath bene receiued Is it not strange that Martine Luther hauing his enemies so many so malicious so mightie should notwithstanding after nine and twentie yeares preaching die quietly in his bed in peace both of body and
die the death of those righteous persons and that his latter end might be like vnto theirs This is then the exhortation which Elias giueth to those wauing and wauering Israelites which could not resolue whether God or Baal was to be worshipped if God be the Lord follow him cleaue fast vnto him and serue him with all the desire of your hearts but God is the Lord yea the onely Lord therefore he onely is to be worshipped It is the Lord onely that formeth the light and createth the darkenesse it is he that hath made all things which hath spread out the heauens alone and stretched out the earth by himselfe it is he that can foretell things before they come to passe it is he alone that can say my counsell shall stand and whatsoeuer I will haue come to passe shall come to passe it is he that bringeth Princes to nothing and maketh the iudges of the earth as vanitie yea it is the euerlasting God that hath created the ends of the earth and bringeth out all their armies by numbers and calleth them all by their names And therefore he onely is the Lord. As for Baal if he be a God let him plead for himselfe against him that cast downe his Altar Iudi. 6.31 saith Ioas the father of Gideon after that his sonne had destroyed the Altar of Baal and cut downe the groue that was by it Baal can giue you nothing he can doe neither good nor euill and therefore he is no god though a man cry vnto him yet cannot he answere him nor deliuer him out of his tribulation and therefore he is no God The Papists are much grieued with vs because we will not acknowledge the Sacrament of the Altar to be our Lord and our God and thereupon cast this vniust aspersion vpon vs and falsely charge vs that We call the bodie of Christ an abominable idoll True it is indeed that we call that an abominable idoll Which they terme the body of Christ and vnder that pretence fall downe before it to worship it and call it Lord and God in doing whereof what other thing doe they but make a God of a peece of bread and vnder the name of the bodie of Christ set vp an Idoll in the Church of God But as for the bodie of Christ wee haue euermore confessed with Chrysostome that it is worthie of the highest honour 1. Cor Homil 14. as being inseparablie ioyned to his God-heade in one person sitting now at the right hand of God and wee adore it and worship it euen as the bodie of the sonne of God not onely for the turning of an hand as the Papists vse to do while the priest is able to hold vp the Sacrament and that with doubt of our selues whether wee doe well or no which thing is vtterly vncomfortable and dangerous and full of terrours to the conscience but we worship that blessed and glorious bodie as that blessed Martyr S. Stephen did being in heauen at the right hand of the power of God and therefore without doubt or danger and that at all times and for euer and we belieue and thus wee teach that Iesus Christ euen in the nature and substance of our flesh is the Lord in the glorie of God the Father Howbeit we say Christs bodie is one thing the Sacrament another The Sacramēt is an earthly thing Christs bodie an heauenly thing the Sacrament is corruptible Christs bodie is glorious the Sacrament is receiued into our bodies Christs body is only receiued into our soules and entreth not into our bodies S. Luke reporteth how that the Disciples of Christ being abashed at Christes suddaine presence among them Luk 24 38.39 and through feare supposing they had seene a spirite or Ghost our Sauiour spake vnto them in this manner Why are yee troubled and wherefore doe doubts arise in your hearts behold mine handes and my feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see me for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue and so shewed them both his hands and his feete Euen so verily the Sacrament it selfe if it could speake would speake in this manner at the time of the eleuation to the standers by why doe such thoughts arise in your harts as to thinke that I am your Lord and God Why stand ye thus gazing thus knocking your breasts and bending your knees to me Handle me taste me and looke vpon me and see whether I haue not all the naturall properties of true bread that is whether I haue not the very forme shape sauour smell colour and weight of bread As for the bodie of Christ it cannot bee broken with hands or grated with teeth or conueied into the bellie as you see that I am The bread of life cannot be felt seene or tasted or discerned by any outward sence as you see that I am and therefore belieue them not which teach you otherwise for I am bread I am no God Quarta Pars. Hauing thus farre spoken of the exhortation of the Prophet Elias wherein hee exhorteth them to be constant in religion and constant in the confession of him which is the onely true God it remaineth now in the last place to shewe vnto you what the successe was which insued vpon the Prophets reproofe which at the first was thus that the people answered him not a word standing in doubt whether hee were the onely God or no. But a little afterwards when they saw how miraculouslie the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked vp the water which was in the ditch 1. King 18.38 being moued with this strange and miraculous worke of God they were sodainly changed in their opinions and falling on their faces cryed out the Lord is God the Lord is God Where we may see that howsoeuer it may be that God permitteth his owne people for some certaine time to fall into manie dangerous errours yet such is his great mercie towards them that first or last he calleth them home againe and will not suffer them finallie to perish as here hee dealt with his owne people of Israell There is no one thing more commonly obiected by Papists against the religion of the Protestants then that as they say wee haue no miracles in our church If your Church be the true church if the doctrine you teach be the true Catholike faith of Christ where bee your miracles say they and where bee those signes and wonders among you which may proue vnto vs that your religion is of God To the which objection I answere with Chrysostome Opere imperfecto Hom 49. that there was a time wherein of olde it was knowne by miracles who were true Christians who were false and where a man might finde the true Church of God indeede but now saith hee the working of miracles is quite taken away and is rather found among them that are false Christians Which
common people to imitate such vices as they see in their Princes vnder whom they liue And let this suffice to haue obserued in the person of Ahab Touching the people whom the Prophet reproueth in this for their halting consciences and doubling in matter of religion we may see the pronenesse and inclination of mans corrupt kind and nature to the most abominable vice of idolatrie True it is that mans nature at the first had vnderstanding graunted to the end that the truth might be learned by them and the true worship of the one God the onely Lord and maker of all But the diuels malice craftily came in place and caused men to forget their owne estate and the maiestie of God for their owne imaginations So that flesh delighting in her owne deuises hath made vs prone aboue all other faultes to superstition and wicked worshippings Sundrie lawes and ordinances almightie God deliuered to his people to be kept yet concerning none other matter did he giue either mo or more earnest and expresse lawes than those that concerned the true worshipping of him and flying of idolles and images and idolatrie and yet it is strange to consider how the Iewes the onely chosen people of God notwithstanding they were so often and earnestly warned so dreadfully threatned concerning images so many times and so extreamely punished therefore should yet for all this like blinde men without all knowledge and vnderstanding dishonour and diminish the high maiestie of the liuing God by the basenesse and vilenesse of sundrie and diuerse images of dead stones and stockes and mettalles to whom they bowed and gaue worship The meanes how the people of the Iewes fell to such grosse idolatrie was partly by the inclination of their owne corrupt nature and partly occasioned by the gentiles and heathen people dwelling round about them which were idolaters for thus the Prophet Ezechiel testifieth of them that they were wont to say Eze. 20.32 we will be as the heathen and as the families of the countries and we will serue wood and stone We see how the Iewes forced Aaaron afore his brother Moses could descend from the mount to make them a golden calfe Vp say they to Moses Exod. 32.1 and Aaron make vs goddes that may goe before vs. Ezechiel affirmeth that when the Israelites were yet in Egypt they had rebelled against the Lord and had not cast away the abominations of their eyes nor yet forsaken the idolles of the countrie Yea when they were in the land of Canaan they had no sooner tasted of the sweetnesse thereof but when they saw euery hie hill and all the thicke trees they offered there their sacrifices Eze. 20 28. and there they presented their offerings of prouocation there also they made their sweete sauour and powred out there their drinke offerings We may reade and see in the booke of Iudges that notwithstanding God sundrie times most grieuously plagued them for their idolatrie yet still they went a madding after their idolles We see that after the zealous kings Ezechias and Iosias had reformed religion and reduced it to his ancient puritie the people were so prone to the contrarie that immediately the people after their decease returned to their vomite againe Yea when the ten tribes were brought to Captiuitie for seruing God otherwise then he would the tribe of Iuda was not by this their brethrens plague amended nor when they were brought vnder yoke themselues they considered any whit the cause of their distresse which was the forsaking of the Lord their God When they were in Babylon they went as neere as they could to the rites of gentilitie and returning againe into the land of promise vnder Antiochus they fell againe Such is and such hath alwaies been the violent perswasion of errour and such is the force of superstition that assoone as euer occasion is ministred our corrupt nature inclineth to it desiring alwaies of our selues to attemper goddes seruice to our outward senses That blessed impe our late Iosias K. Edward the 6. was no sooner departed this life but the common people of the land as though they had neuer heard of God neuer heard any Preacher that shewed them the good and right way were mad after pilgrimages pardons c with other such idle toyes No maruaile then if al men generally being as wel inclined of their owne corrupt nature to spirituall fornication as to carnall and that the nature of man is no otherwise bent to worshipping of images if he may haue them and see them then to whoredome and fornication in the company of harlots no meruaile I say if so many occasions being ministred partly by the Priests and Iesuites remaining in prisons and lurking in diuerse parts of this kingdome and partly by the comming in of forraine Embassadours into this land which are in right permitted to haue the free vse and exercise of the present Romane Religion there are so many of our people specially of women a sex euer too credulous and apt to beleeue which are like the idolatrous Iewes euen mad in running to heare and see a Priest say Masse which Masse they are strongly borne in hand that it is the most precious treasure and inualuable iewell that euer Christ left to his Church that the want thereof is to be redeemed not onely with the losse of an 100 markes but with the losse of an 100. thousand liues But to speake of the Masse as the truth of the thing requireth and as hereafter I will more largely proue this I say that the popish Masse as now it is vsed in the Church of Rome is a very sea of abominations a gulfe a hel of iniquitie the vilest villaine that euer crept into the Church of God being so many waies derogatorie to the death and bloodshedding of Iesus Christ wherein poore simple soules are forced to attribute diuine honour to a peece of breade which the Papists teach them to call their Lord and their God and also made beleeue that the very hearing of a Masse is auailable vnto them ex opere operato that is onely because it is said and done and lastly that the Masse in all respects of power and vertue is as auailable and effectuall for the remission of sinnes as was the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse the absurditie of which positions shall receiue a iust confutation when I come to lay downe such arguments and proofes as may be produced out of the word of God for the disprouing of their daily Sacrifice of their Masse Hauing thus farre spoken of the person of Elias and of the person of Ahab and of the people whom the prophet Elias thus reproueth The thing hee reproueth it remaineth now that I speake of the speciall thing which hee reproueth in them that is their halting betweene two opinions not being resolued whether God were the Lord or Baal Which may seeme the more strange that this people which were the seede of Abraham the Lords owne
inheritance the dearly beloued of Gods owne soule a people whome the Lorde had chosen among all Nations to be a precious people to himselfe aboue all people on the earth in Name praise and glorie A people that so many times and so solemnlie had protested God forbid wee should forsake the Lord our God to serue other Gods the Lord our God we will serue and his voyce wee will obey that this people I say should stand in doubt whether that GOD that had wrought so many miracles for their deliuerance which had brought them out of the Land of Egipt with a strong and a mightie hand which had led them and fed them in the wildernes with Manna from heauen for the space of 40. yeares preseruing them in all the way which they went and destroying their enemies before them lastly in the ende bringing them into the Land of Canaan whether he were the onely true God to be worshipped and followed or rather Baal in so much that when the prophet Elias had said vnto them If the Lorde be God followe him if Baal be hee goe after him Silence was the onely answere they made him being not able otherwise to answere him one word Vnto this base irresolution the people were thus desperately brought partly being moued through feare of so great and mightie a Prince and so greatly aduancing the worship of Baal as king Ahab did by the inticement and prouocation of his wife So that perceiuing how both the King and Queene and almost all the Nobilitie being wholly affected addicted to the worship of Baal by reason of the weakenesse and infirmitie of their faith were not able to resolue in themselues what they might doe or how they might belieue standing in a mammering this way and that way one and the same man would somtimes worship the Lord and an other while Baal and sometimes both together being perswaded that religion was a thing indifferent and that it did not matter how they serued God if they had any care at all to serue him whether they serued him alone or serued him with anie other But little did this people vnderstand that religion is not as euerie common matter of mans life but a thing to be measured not by opinion but by truth to be chosen not by example but by iudgement to be holden not for companie but for conscience sake In this irresolution and wauering inconstancie of the people of Israel wee may as in a glasse beholde and see our selues euen the state and condition of our owne people how manie there are yet in our dayes which notwithstanding they haue bene bred and brought vp in this religion which by Gods great mercy this day is professed in the Church of England yet partly by the corruption of their owne nature partly led by the mouing perswasions of recusant Papists but specially being inticed therevnto by those false impostors deceiuers of the world I meane the Priests and Iesuites beginne to call the truth of our religion into question standing in a maze what they may doe whome they may followe what they may belieue sometime in loue and liking of our religion otherwhile againe being wearie of the Gospell imbracing the Romane religion falsely called by the name of the Catholike Religion and so daily wauering betweene two opinions declare themselues indeed to bee of no Religion For whom as my daily prayer to God is and shall be that he would be pleased to graunt them a solide and strong perswasion in the profession and defence of the true and onely ancient Catholike faith of Christ deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures of God and withall such a measure of heauenly wisedome that they may be able to discerne things that differ one from another and to giue a sound iudgement betweene that which is counterfaite and the true Catholike faith and religion of Christ So I could wish that they would consider with mee and that they would seriously ponder with earnest and vpright aduisement these fewe reasons or motiues which here I will set downe which may serue in steed of so many seuerall demonstrations to proue that this same doctrine we preach this day in all the reformed churches of Christendome is the verie truth of the Gospel of Christ First I would haue them but to weigh the beginnings and proceedings of our religion how in a manner all the trauels of our aduersaries haue come to nought and how no bodie driuing it forward without any worldlie helpe it hath taken increase and by little little is spread ouer into all countreys And verilie it cannot chuse but carrie great weight of perswasion to moue the conscience of any man to see so many kingdoms and countries ioyne together in the profession and obedience of one truth And there is no doubt but euen this day manie thousandes are the sooner led to humble themselues to the Gospell of Christ for that they see to the vnspeakeable griefe of the Pope and his fauourites the whole world that is to say the whole Church of God is contented so willingly and so humbly to imbrace the same Againe let them but consider that they haue seene with their owne eyes how the Gospell which hath bene preached vnto them and which somtimes with ioy they haue receiued euen amiddes so many stormes and tempests through death and persecution notwithstanding the abundance of innocent Christian blood which hath beene shed ouer all the world hath had a strange and wonderfull increase so that the more our religion hath beene persecuted the more still it hath increased and this was euer reputed by the ancient fathers to be the proper priuiledge and excellencie of truth about all other sects to come out of persecution as gold out of the fire more bright more illustrious more eminent then before A third motiue or forcible inducement to iustifie the truth of the Gospel now preached may be this euen the due consideration of that vniuersalitie of learning and sauing knowledge wherewith God hath blessed these daies of ours more plentifully and in greater measure then in former times he hath done In so much that whereas the Prophet Esay speaking of that aboundance of knowledge which should be vnder the kingdome of Christ in the time of grace hath these words Esa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea and likewise the Prophet Ioel Ioel. 2.28 I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie Your old men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and handmaides will I poure my spirit We may truly say in this accepted time and this day of saluation that these scriptures are fulfilled in our eares euen our enemies being iudges who haue confessed that the word of God was neuer in any age so plainely taught and deliuered as in this time wherein we