call his Sonne out of Egypt it is no wonder the wonder is that hee did call him into Egypt It is true that Egypt could not hurt Christ the King doth not follow the Court the Court waits vpon the King wheresoeuer Christ was there was the Church But be our Israelites so sure of their sonnes when they send them into Egypt or any superstitious places It was their presumption to send them in let it bee their repentance to call them out The familiar societie of orthodox Christians with mis-beleeuers hath by God euer been most strictly forbidden and the neerer this coniunction the more dangerous and displeasing to the forbidder No man can chuse a worse friend then one whom God holds his enemy When Religion and Superstition meet in one bed they commonly produce a mungrell generation 2 Sam. 3.3 If Dauid marry Maachah their issue proues an Absolon If Salomon loue idolatrous women here is enough to ouerthrow him with all his wisdome Other strange women only tempt to lust these to mis-religion and by ioyning his heart to theirs hee shall disioyne it from God One Religion matching with another not seldome breed an Atheist one of no religion at all I doe not say this is a sufficient cause of diuorce after it is done but of restraint before it is done They may be one flesh though they be not one spirit The difference of religion or vertue makes no diuorce here the great Iudges sentence shall doe that heereafter And the beleeuing husband is neuer the further from heauen though hee cannot bring his vnbeleeuing wife along with him The better shall not carry vp the worse to heauen nor the worse pull downe the better to hell Quod fieri non debuit factum valet But now is there no tree in the Garden but the forbidden none for me to loue but one that hates the truth Yes let vs say to them in plaine fidelitie as the sonnes of Iacob did to the Shichemites in dissembling policie Gene. 34.14 Wee cannot giue our sister to a man that is vncircumcised either consent you to vs in the truth of our Religion or wee will not consent to you in the league of our Communion Saint Chrysostome calls this a plaine deniall of Christ Hee that eateth of the meate offered to Idols Gustu negauit Christum hath denied Christ with his tasting If hee but handle those things with delight Tactu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his touching Though hee touch not taste not yet if he stand to looke vpon the Idolatry with patience Visu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his eyes If he listen to those execrable charmes Auditu negauit Christum hee hath denyed Christ with his eares Omitting all these if he doe but smell to the Incense with pleasure O doratu negauit Christum hee hath denied Christ with his smelling It is said of the Israelites Commisti sunt inter gentes Psalm 106.35 They were mingled among the Heathen What followed Presently they learned their works The reason why the Rauen returned not to Noahs Arke is giuen by some because it met with a dead carkase by the way Why doe we pray Deliuer vs from euill but that wee imply besides all other mischiefes there is an infectious power in it to make vs euill Let vs doe that wee pray and pray that wee may doe it Yea Lord free vs from Egypt estrange vs from Rome separate vs from Idols deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen Thus farre we haue taken a literall suruey of the Text concerning the materiall Temple externall or obiectuall Idols and the impossibilitie of their agreement Now to come neerer home to our selues in a morall Exposition here first The Temple of God Is the Church of Christ and they are so like that we often interchange the tearmes calling a Temple the Church the Church a Temple of God The materiall Temple vnder the Law was a figure of the spirituall vnder the Gospell The former was distinguished into three roomes the Porch the holy place and the Sanctum Sanctorum or Holy of holies The Porch prefigured Baptisme which is the doore whereby we enter into the Church of Christ The Holy place the communion of the militant church vply earth separated from the world The Hoon of holies whereinto the high Priest only entred that once a yeare presignified the glorious kingdome of heauen wherinto the Lord Iesus entred once for all There was one Court of the Temple common whither accesse was denied to none though they were vncleane or vncircumcised thus farre they might be admitted There was another Court within that allowed to none but the Israelites of them to none but the cleane There was a third proper only to the Priests and Leuites whither the Laitie might not come thus farre they might bring their offerings but further they might not offer to goe In the Temple it selfe there was one roome into which the Leuites might not enter the Priests might Another whither the Priests might not come but onely the high Priest and euen hee but once yearely Some passages of the Christian Church are common to all euen to the vncleane hypocrites and foule-hearted sinners They haue accesse to Gods holy ordinances and tread in his Courts as the Pharisee came into the congregation and Iudas receiued the Communion Other are secret and reserued wherein the faithfull onely conuerse with God and solace themselues in the sweet fruition of his gracious presence The materiall Temple in three diuisions seemed to be a cleare representation of the Church in three degrees The first signified the externall and visible face of the Church from which no professor of Christ is debarred The second the communion of the inuisible Church vpon earth The last the highest heauen of Gods glorified Saints Neither did those roomes more exceed one another then do these parts of the spirituall house of Christ What are the most polished corners of the Temple to the spirituall liuing stones of the Church What be pebles to Saphirs or marbles to Diamonds Howsoeuer some are more transported with insensible monuments then with liuing Saints As it was a complaint long since Fulget Ecclesia in parietibus luget in pauperibus Yet Temples are built for men not men for Temples and what is a glorious edifice when the whole world is not worth one soule Dead walls bee of small value to the liuing Temples of the holy Ghost yea the temple of our body to the temple of Christs Body his Church yea the Temple of Gods Church militant on earth to that which is triumphant in heauen What is siluer and gold Cedar and Marble to those diuine graces faith truth pietie holinesse Salomons Temple did last but some 430. yeares the Church is for eternitie The Temple took vp but a little space of ground at most the Hill Sion the Church
shall bee called the house of prayer this was Gods Appropriation But you haue made it a den of theeues this is mans Impropriation Let vs take heed of impropriating Gods house remembring howhe hath reuēged such a profanation with scourges Wee are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore let vs glorifie God both in body spirit for they are his His purchase his Temple his inheritance his habitation do not lose so gracious an owner by the most vngracious sacriledge You see many ruined houses which haue bin once kings palaces learne by those dead spectacles to keepe your selues frō the like fortunes lest God say of you Hoc Templum meum fuit this was my house but now because it took in Idols I haue forsaken it Or what if wee doe not set vp Idols in these Temples when we make the Temples themselues Idols or say not with Israel Make vs gods while we make gods of our selues while we dresse altars and erect shrines to our own braines kisse our own hands for the good they haue done vs If we attribute something to our selues how is Christ al in all with vs Do we iustly blame them that worship the Beast of Rome and yet find out a new Idolatry at home Shal we refuse to adore the Saints Angels and yet giue diuine worship to our selues dust and ashes If victory crowne our battels if plenty fill our garners or successe answere our endeuours must the glory of all reflect vpon our own atchieuements This is a rivality that God will not endure to make so many Temples nothing but Idols But as the Lancashire Iustice said of the ill-shap'd Rood thogh it be not well fauoured enough for a god it will serue to make an excellent deuill So proud dust and ashes that arrogates the honor of God and impropriates it to himselfe though he be too foule for a Temple yet he is fit enough for an Idol When Dauid prayes Libera me ab homine malo Deliuer me from the euill man O Lord. Saint Augustine after much study and scrutiny to find out this euill man at last lights vpon him ab homine malo that is à me ipso Deliuer me from the euill man deliuer me from my selfe Deliuer Augustine from Augustine I am that euill man So of all Idolatries God deliuer vs from a superstitious worship of our selues Some haue Idolized their Princes some their Mistresses some their Manufactures but they are innumerable that haue Idolized themselues He is a rare man that hath no Idol no little god in a boxe no especiall sinne in his heart to which he giues vxorious and affectionate Indulgence The only way to mend all is for euery man to begin with himself In vain shall we blame those faults abroad which we tolerate at home That man makes himself ridiculous who leauing his own house on fire runs to quench his neigbors Let but euery man pull a brand from this fire the flame will go out alone if euery soule clense his owne Temple all shall be quit of Idols and God wil accept of all A multitude is but a heap of vnities the more we take away the fewer we leaue behind When a field is ouergrowne with weeds the best course to haue a good generall haruest is for euery man to weed his owne ground When we would haue the street cleansed let euery man sweep his owne doore and it is quickly done But while euery man censures none amends we do but talk against Idols with still vnclensed Tēples Let vs pray for vniuersall repentance like a good Iosias to purge the houses of God till lust and profanenesse pride and couetousnesse fraud and wantonnesse malice and drunkennes be no more found among vs till euery thing be cast out and nothing let in that is vncleane So shall the Lord dwell in vs with content and we shall dwell in him with comfort Here we shall be a Temple for Him hereafter he shall be a Temple for vs. So we find that glorious Citie described I saw no Temple therein Reu. 21.22 but the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe was the Temple of it Wee are Gods Temple on earth God shall bee our Temple in heauen To this purpose the Spirit of God sanctifie vs and bee for euer sanctified in vs. Amen Some may haply long ere this haue preiudicated in their censures How is this Opus diei in die suo What is all this to the businesse of the day I might haue preuented the obiection by comparing Idolatrie with Treason the one being a breach of Allegiance to the Lord the other a breach of allegiance to the Lords Annointed Idolatry is a Treason against God and Treason is a kind of Idolatry against the King From both which the diuine grace and our holy obedience deliuer vs all I conclude with application to the Time This is one of those blessed dayes celebrated for the deliuerance of our gracious Soueraigne and well may the deliuerance of a King of such a King deserue a day of gratulation When God deliuers a priuate man he doth as it were repeat his Creation but the deliuerance of a King is alwayes a choyce piece in the Lords Chronicle The Story how he was endangered and how preserued this place hath diuers times witnessed and that in a more punctuall manner then I haue either strength or art or time to match A hard time it seemed to be when a King was imprisoned when he had no guard with him but his Innocency no subiect but a Traytor But there was a stronger with him then all they could be against him A good Prince hath more guards then one he hath 1. a subsidiary guard consisting of mortall men 2. An inward guard the integritie of his owne Conscience 3. A spirituall guard the prayers of his faithfull subiects 4. A celestial guard the protection of diligent powerfull Angels 5. A diuine guard his Makers prouidence that fenceth him in with a wall of fire which shall at once both preserue him and consume his enemies But my purpose is not to bring your thoughts back to the view of his perill but to stir your hearts vp to thankfulnesse for his preseruation He is iustly styled The Defender of the Faith he hath euer defended the Faith and the Faith hath euer defended him Hee hath preserued the Temple of God from Idols and therefore God hath preserued him from all his enemies Surely that Prouidence which deliuered him from those early Conspiracies wherewith he hath been assaulted from his cradle meant him for some extraordinary benefit and matchlesse good to the Christian world Hee that gaue him both life and Crowne almost together hath still miraculously preserued them both from all the raging violences of Rome and Hell Now when the Lord deliuered him what did he else but euen deliuer vs all That we might reioyce in his safety as the Romans did in the recouery of Germanicus when they ran with lampes and sacrifices to the Capitoll and there sung with shouts and acclamations Salua Roma salua Patria saluus Germanicus the Citie is safe the Country is safe and all in the safetie of Germanicus While we consider the blessings which we enioy by his gracious Gouernment that the estates we haue gotten with honest industry may be safely conueyed to our posterity that we sit vnder the shadow of peace and may teach our children to know the Lord that the good man may build vp Temples and Hospitals without trembling to thinke of sauage and barbarous violences to pull them down that our Deuotions be not molested with vproares nor men called from their callings by mutinies that our Temples be not profaned with Idols nor the Seruice of God blended with superstitious deuices that our temporall estate is preserued in liberty our spirituall estate may bee improued in pietie and our eternall estate assured vs in glory that our liues be protected and in quiet our soules may be saued for such a King of men blesse we the God of Kings and sing for his deliuerāce as they did for their Germanicus as priuatly euery day so this day in our publike Assemblies Salua Britannia Salua Ecclesia saluus IACOBVS Our Kingdome is safe the Church of God is safe our whole Estate is safe wee are all safe and happie in the safetie and happinesse of King IAMES O that as we haue good cause to emulate so also we would truly imitate the gratulation of Israel we for our King that hath preserued the Temple 2 Chron. 5.12.13 as they for their King that built the Temple while the Leuites and singers stood with Harps and Cymbals and Viols and the Priests blowing with Trumpets as if they had all been one man and made one sweet harmony to the praise of God For these publike extraordinary blessings God requires publike and extraordinary praises that this great Assembly with prepared hearts and religious affections should magnifie his glorious Name if it were possible by some vnusuall strain of our vnited thāks pierce the very skies giue an Eccho to those celestiall Quires singing Honor praise and glory bee to our gracious God for all his mercifull deliuerances both of Prince and people Yea O Lord still preserue thine own Annointed conuert or confound all his enemies but vpon his head let his Crown florish Long long liue that royal keeper of Gods holy Temple the Defender of that Faith which he hath of old giuen to his Saints and let all true-hearted Israelites say Amen yea let Amen the faithfull witnes in heauen the Word Truth of God say Amen to it For our selues let vs heartily repent of our former sins religiously amend our future liues abandon all our intestine Idols serue the Lord with pure hearts and still and still God shall deliuer both Him and vs from all our enemies This God grant for his mercies sake Iesus Christ for his merits sake the Holy Ghost for his Names sake to whom three persons and one eternall God be all praise and glory obedience and thanksgiuing world without end FINIS
well fortifie the coasts the raging sea would soone determine the controuersie and by force of her waues take it from them both There is a contestation betwixt vs and the Pontificians which is the true Church but should not wee in meane time carefully defend the Faith of Christ against Idols Superstition would quickly decide the busines and take the possession of truth from vs both A proud peruerse stomach keeps them from yeelding to vs God and his holy word forbids our yeelding to them they will haue Idols or no Temple we wil haue the Temple and no Idols now till the agreement bee made betwixt the Temple and Idols no atonement can be hoped betwixt vs them I Paul say vnto you Gal. 5.2 that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing He that would not endure a little leauen in the lumpe what would hee haue said of a little poyson If Moses ioyned with Christ the ceremoniall Law with the Gospell were so offensiue to him how would hee haue brooked Christ and Belial light and darknes righteousnes and vnrighteousnes the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils the Table of the Lord and the table of deuils the Temple of God and Idols In the tuning of an Instrument those strings that be right we meddle not with but set the rest higher or lower so as they make a proportion harmony with the former The same God who of his gracious mercy hath put vs in the right vniarring harmony of truth bring them home in true consent to vs but neuer suffer vs to fall back vnto them Hitherto the contention between vs hath not been for circumstance but substance not for the bounds but for the whole Inheritance whether God or man grace or nature the bloud of Christ or the milke of Mary the written Canon or vnwritten Tradition Gods ordinance in establishing Kings or the Popes vsurpation in deposing them shall take place in our consciences and be the rule of our faiths and liues We haue but one Foundation the infallible word of God they haue a new foundation the voice of their Church which they equalize in presumption of certaintie with the other Wee haue but one Head that is Christ they haue gotten a new head dare not but beleeue him whatsoeuer Christ saies Sponsus Ecclesiae nostrae Christus Christ is our husband they haue a new husband While Rome was a holy Church she had a holy husband but now as Christ said to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4. â—8 He whom thou now hast is not thine husband so he whom the Romanists haue now got is an adulterer he is no husband So that here is Foundation against foundation Head against head Husband against adulterer Doctrine against doctrine Faith against vnbeliefe Religion against superstition the Temple of God against Idols and all these so diametrally opposed that the two Poles shall sooner meet then these be reconciled Michael and the Dragon cannot agree in one Heauen nor the Arke and Dagon in one house nor Iacob and Esau in one wombe nor Iohn and Cerinthus in one Bath nor the cleane and the leprous in one camp nor truth and falshood in one mouth nor the Lord and Mammon in one heart nor religion superstition in one kingdom nor God and Idols in one Temple The silly old Hermite was sory that God and the Deuill should be at such odds and he would vndertake to make them friends but the Deuill bad him euen spare his labour for they two were euerlastingly fallen out No lesse vaine a busines doth that man attempt that would worke an agreement betwixt the Temple of God and Idols I take leaue of this point with a caution Flie the places of infection come not within the smoke of Idols lest it smother the zeale of Gods Temple in your hearts Reuolting Israel cals for gods but why should this god of theirs be fashioned like a Calfe What may bee the reason of this shape Whence had they the originall of such an Idol Most likely in Egypt they had seen a blacke Calfe with white spots worshipped there This Image stil ran in their minds and stole their hearts now they long to haue it set vp before their eyes Egypt wil not out of their fancies when they wanted meat they thought of the Egyptian flesh pots now they want Moses they thinke of the Egyptian Idols They brought gold out of Egypt that very gold was contagious the very Eare-rings and Iewels of Egypt are fit to make Idols The Egyptian burdens made them run to the true God the Egyptian examples led them to a false god What meane our wanderers by running to Rome such superstitious places vnlesse they were weary of the Church of God would fetch home Idols If it were granted that there is some little truth among them yet who is so simple as to seeke his corne among a great heap of chaffe and that far off who may haue it at home winnowed and clensed to his hand The very sight of euill is dangerous and they bee rare eyes that doe not conuey this poison to our hearts I haue heard of some that euen by laboring in the Spanish galleys haue come home the slaues of their superstitions Egypt was alwayes an vnlucky place for Israel as Rome is for England The people soiourned there and they brought home one Calfe Ieroboam soiourned there and he brought home Two calues Iudg. 17. an old woman in all likelihood had soiourned there and shee brought home a great many The Romish Idols haue not the shape of calues they haue the sense and meaning of those calues and to fill the Temple full of Calues what is it but to make Religion guilty of * Non-sence Pulls Consider it well ye that make no scruple of superstitious assemblies it will bee hard for you to dwell in a Temple of Idols vntainted Not to sinne the sins of the place we liue in is as strange as for pure liquor tunn'd vp in a musty vessel not to smel of the caske Egypt will teach euen a Ioseph to sweare a Peter will learne to curse in the high Priests Hall If we be not scorch'd with the fire of bad company we shall be sure to be black'd with the smoke The soundest body that is may be infected with a contagious ayre Indeed a man may trauel through Ethiopia vnchanged but he cannot dwell there without a complexion discoloured How hath the common practise of others brought men to the deuillish fashion of swearing or to the bruitish habit of drinking by their owne confessions Superstition if it haue once got a secret liking of the heart like the plague will hang in the very clothes and after long concealement breake forth in an vnlook'd for infection The Israelites after all their ayring in the wildernesse will still smell of Egypt We read God saying Math. 2.15 Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne That God did
externall and internall Idols there bee ordinary and extraordinary Souldiers Euery Christian as hee is a Temple of God so not without the assault of Idols there is a ciuill warre a Rebellion within him wherewith hee is continually exercised In this militant estate of the Church none are free onely he that giues full allowance to his owne corruptions is not a Temple of God but a Synagogue of Satan a sinke of vncleannesse rather then a Sanctuary of holinesse Thus from one generall arise many particulars and you will say Behold a company Gene. 30.11 as Leah said of her sonne Gad a Troupe commeth Yet all these branches haue but one root they are but like the wheeles of a Clocke taken a little in sunder to view then to bee put together againe Let not their number discourage your attention When a wealthy fauourite of the world sent his seruant to bespeake lodging for him he told the Host Here will come to night the Lord of such a Mannor the Land-lord of such a Town the Keeper of such a Forrest the Master of such an Office the Lay-parson of such a Parish a Knight a Iustice of Peace a Gentleman an Vsurer and my Master Alas answeres the Host I haue not lodging for halfe so many Bee content replies the seruant for all these are but one man So if you distrust your memories for roome to entertaine so many obseruations yet be comforted for all haue but this one Summe There is no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and Idols The Temple That which was built by Salomon was iustly called the Wonder of the world a white and glorious Monument set on the hill of Sion inuiting passengers to see it and amazing their eyes when they beheld it It was of white Marble without of Cedar and Gold within all of the best all beautifull precious durable So magnificent was that holy Structure that al nations haue admired it Psalm 48.2 all times celebrated it Beautifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth is Mount Sion While the fauour of heauen was set vpon Ierusalem the ioy of the whole earth was mount Sion It is fit hee that made the world a house for Man should haue a house in this world made for himselfe neither could it be too costly seeing all the materialls that went to it were his owne Euery rotten Cottage is too good for Satan no Fabricke could be too sumptuous for God While his people dwelt in Tents Himselfe was content to dwell in a Tabernacle in the flitting condition of Israel hee would haue his owne house a moueable that they might neuer remoue without him But when their residence was setled in the promised Land he would haue his Tabernacle turned into a Temple that they dwelling where he appoynted them Hee might also dwell among them The former was for motion the latter for rest the one for progresse the other his standing house All this while God had but one House at once first the Tabernacle then that gaue place to the Temple and Salomons Temple being defaced was supplied by Zorobabels Now he hath many houses euen so many as there bee nations as there bee congregations as there bee persons professing Christ Wee haue houses of our owne why should not God haue his A Prince hath more houses then one why should the King of Heauen be abridg'd A King in his owne person can dwell but in one house at once let God haue neuer so many hee can at once fill them all Hee hath a house of flesh so euery Beleeuer is his Temple a house of stone so this materiall one is his Temple a house neither of flesh nor stone but immateriall immortall in the heauens And as Christ sayes Iohn 14. that in his Fathers House there are many Mansions so in his Fathers militant Church there are many houses It were vaine to aske what God should doe with a house when wee consider what we do with our owne what but dwell in it But how God doth dwell in it seemes to be a question seeing the Apostle saith that hee dwells not in Temples made with hands Actes 17.24 Indeed he dwels not in them as wee dwell in ours Our house defends vs God defends his house our house comprehends vs God comprehends his house Wee are onely within our houses and they are without vs God is so within his house that hee is also without it elsewhere euery where yea his house is within him When we are abroad we cannot keepe our houses yea when wee are in them asleepe they serue to keepe vs. God can neuer be absent from his nor doth the keeper of this Temple euer sleepe Now euery materiall Temple wherein the Saints are assembled the truth of the Gospell is preached and professed the holy Sacraments duely administred and the Lords Name is inuocated and worshipped is the Temple of God Why is it called His Temple but for the testification of his presence When Cain stood excommunicated for murdering his brother and might not come to the place appointed for Gods seruice he is said to be cast out from the presence of the Lord. Genes 4.16 Some haue interpreted the like of Ionahs flying from his presence Ionah 1.3 that he fled from the place where the Prophets vsed to stand ready to besent of God Leuit. 10.2 Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord that is before the Altar of the Lord. That which was done before the Arke or Altar in the Tabernacle or Temple was said to be done coram Domino And yet too many come to the Temple with so little reuerence as if they thought God were not at home or did not dwell in his owne house But the Lord is present in his Temple in vaine shall wee hope to finde him elsewhere if we do not seek him here Math 18.20 I will bee in the midst of you gathered together in my Name not any where not euery where but here Indeed no place excludes him but this place is sure of him hee fills all places with his presence hee fills this with his gracious presence Heere hee both heares vs and is heard of vs Bern. Audit orantes docet audientes hee heares our prayers and teacheth vs our lessons No place sends vp faithfull prayers in vaine no place hath such a promise of hearing as the Temple It is the Lords Court of Audience his Highnesse Court of Requests There humble soules open their grieuances from thence they returne loaden with graces Why are many so voyd of goodnesse but because they are negligent of the publike deuotions They seek not the Lord where hee may bee found therefore deserue to misse him where they pretend to seek him Why should they thinke to finde God in their Closets while they care not to seeke him in his Temples When wee need the helpe of our friend do we tarry till we meet him by chance or till hee come to vs or shall wee
which was deuised against the will of heauen Doth not God threaten them with the addition of plagues that shall adde to his precepts If such deuices be good and necessary why did not God command them Did he want wisdome If they bee not necessary why doe wee vse them Is it not our presumptuous folly The Lords Ielousie is stirred vp by the rivalitie not onely of a false God but of a false worship Nothing is more dangerous then to mint his seruices in our owne braines In vaine doe they worship mee teaching for doctrines Math. 16.9 the commandements of men Is it not grieuous for men to lose all their labour and that in the maine busines of their life That so many hundred oblations so many thousand prayers so much cost of their purses so much affliction to their bodies so much anguish of their soules should be all forceles fruitles Like a dog that hunts counter and takes great paines to no purpose Euill deeds may haue sometimes good meanings but those good meanings are answered with euill recompences Many bestow their labors their goods their bloods and yet receiue torments in stead of thanks When the Apostle bids vs mortifie our earthly members Coloss 3.5 hee does not intend violence to our selues but to our sinnes There is one mortification to cast our selues out of the world there is another mortification to cast the world out of vs. A body macerated with scourges disabled with fastings wearied with pilgrimages was none of S. Pauls mortification Who hath required this at your hands Where is no commaund imposed no reward proposed no promise made if you doe no punishment threatned if you doe not what fruit can be expected but shame Must wee needs either doe nothing or that which is worse then nothing Shall we offer so much suffer so much and all in vaine Quis haec à vobis Let him pay you your wages that did set you on worke Neuer plead your owne reason where God hath set a plaine interdiction He that suffers his faith to be ouerruled by his reason may haue a fat reason but a leane faith That man is not worthy to bee a follower of Christ who hath not denied himselfe therefore denied his Reason for his reason is no small piece of himselfe If Reason get the head in this diuine businesse it presently preuailes with will and will commands the affections so this new Triumvirate shall gouerne the Christian Saboll par 1. not Faith But as when three Ambassadors were sent from Rome to appease the discord betweene Nicomedes and Prusias whereof one was troubled with a Megrim in his head another had the Gowt in his toes and the third was a foole Cato said merrily that Ambassage had neither Head nor Foot nor Heart So that man shall neither haue a head to conceiue the truth nor a foot to walke in the wayes of obedience nor a heart to receiue the comforts of saluation that suffers his reason will and affections to vsurpe vpon his faith Hence it comes to passe that the most horrid sinnes are turned into Idols by setting our owne reasons against the manifest will of God Thus lies shall bee father'd vpon the Father of truth and truth vpon the Father of lies Thus breach of faith and periurie shall be held Orthodoxe opinions Yea that execrable monster whereof this day remembers vs Treason it selfe shall be held good Doctrine Rude cacodaemon that stigmaticke Idol that grosse deuill shall be worshiped Si fas cadendo coelestia scandere If this be the way to the kingdome of heauen if thus men may merit to be starres in the Firmament by embruing their hands in the bloud-Royall of Princes what Iesuite will not be a Star When such bee their principles such must needes bee their practices What though God condemne Treason to hell when the Pope will aduance it to heauen What though the Diuine Scripture doth ranke traitors among dogs deuils when the Pope will number them among Saints It was wont to be said Ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius euery block is not fit to make an Image Yet now the most monstrous sinne that euer the deuill shaped in his Infernall forge is not onely by the practice but euen by the Doctrine of Rome turned into an Idol What is that we shal call fin when murther Treason is held religion Alas for our age to beare the date of these impieties That our posterity should euer reade in our Chronicles In such a yeare in such a day Traitors conspired against their lawfull Gracious Soueraigne and that in those dayes there was a sect of men liuing that did labour in voluminous writings to iustifie those horrible facts But oh may those pestiferous monuments be as fast deuoured by obliuion as the authors and abettors themselues are swallowed vp by confusion And the same God deliuer vs his people from their conspiracies that hath deliuered this his Church from their Idolatries Thus wee haue looked abroad but now haue we no Idols at home O how happy was it if they were as farre from the Temple as they are from agreement with the Temple I will not abound in this discouery there be three maine Idols among vs Vaine Preasure vaine Honor and Riches it is to be feared that these three vanities haue more clients then the Trinity that made vs. The first is an Idol of the water the next an Idol of the ayre the last an Idol of the earth 1. Vaine Pleasure and oh what a world of foolish worshippers flocke to this merry Goddesse Shee hath a Temple in euery corner Ebrietie sits in Tauernes burning smoky Incense and sacrificing drink-offrings to her So that if a man should prophesie of wine and strong drinke Mich. 2.11 he were a Prophet fit for this age but to preach sobrietie is held but a dry doctrine We commend wine for the excellency of it but if it could speak as it can take away speech it would complaine that by our abuse both the excellencies are lost for the excellent man doth so spoile the excellent wine vntill the excellent wine hath spoiled the excellent man O that a man should take pleasure in that which makes him no man that he should let a thiefe in at his mouth to steale away his wit that for a little throat-indulgence hee should kill in himselfe both the first Adam his reason but euen the second Adam his regeneration so commit two murders at once In euery Brothell this Idol hath her temple where the bed of vncleannes is the Altar the Priest a strumpet and the sacrifice a burning flesh offred to Moloch It is no rare thing for a man to make an Idol of his Mistres and to spend more time in her courtings then he doth at his prayers more cost on her body thē vpon his own soule Images were but dead Idols but painted Popinjayes be liuing Idols Pleasure hath a larger extent then I can