to tell them: yea, and the very meaning of some and right se no man can tell? Riches bestowed on images or relicks. And as for the riches that is bestowed on images and relicks, they cannot prove but that it is abominable, as long as the poor are despised and uncared for and not Arst served, for whose sakes, and to find preachers, offerings, tithes, lands, rents, and all that they have, was given the spiritualty. They will say we may do both. May or Objection. not may, I see that the one most necessary of both is not Solution. done: but the poor are bereaved of the spiritualty of all that was in time past offered unto them. Moreover, to English, the you favour of dead saints (and not to move you, and to put which are in his Son, and to follow the ensample of the F To worship idolatry. images is PILGRIMAGES. grimage is to walk from place to place the better to serve God and to help my neigh bour. If he True pil-TO speak of pilgrimages, I say, that a christian man, so that he leave nothing undone at home that he is bound to do, is free to go whither he will, only after the doctrine of the Lord, whose servant he is, and not his own. go and visit the poor, the sick, and the prisoner, it is well done, and a work that God commandeth. If he go to this or that place, to hear a sermon, or because his mind is not quiet at home, or if because his heart is too much occupied on his worldly businesses by the reason of occasions at home, he get him into a more quiet and still place, where his mind is more abstract and pulled from worldly thoughts, it is well done. And in all these places, if, whatsoever it be, whether lively preaching, ceremony, relick, or image, stir up his heart to God, and preach the word of God, and the ensample of our Saviour Jesus more in one place than in another, that he thither go I am content. And yet he bideth a lord, and the things serve him, and he not them. Now whether his intent be so or no, his deeds will testify, as his virtuous governing of his house, and loving demeanour toward his neighbours: yea, and God's word will be alway in his heart, and in his mouth, and he every day perfecter than other. God dwel leth not in temples made with men's hands. For there can nothing edify man's soul, save that which preacheth him God's word. Only the word of God worketh the health of the soul. And whatsoever preacheth him that cannot but make him perfecter. But to believe that God will be sought more in one place than in another, or that God will hear thee more in one place than in another, or more where the image is, then where it is not, is a false faith, and idolatry, or image service. For first God dwelleth not in temples made with hands. (Acts xvii.) Item, Stephen died for the contrary, and proved it by the prophets. (Acts vii.) And Solomon n the viiith of the third of the Kings, when he had built is temple testified the same, and that he had not built it For God to dwell in, yea and that God dwelleth not in the earth, but that he should out of heaven hear the prayers of hem that prayed there. And the prophets did often tesify unto the people that had such a false faith that God welt in the temple, that he dwelt not there. Moreover, God in his Testament bindeth himself unto no place, nor Yet thee; but speaketh generally (concerning where and hen) saying, (Psalm xlix.) In the day of the tribulation Psalm xlix. hou shalt call on me, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. He setteth neither place nor time; but wheresoever and whensoever: so that the prayer of Job upon the dunghill was as good as Paul's in the temple. And when our Saviour saith (John xvi.) Whatsoever ye ask John xvi. my father in my name, I will give it you, he saith not in this or that place, or this or that day; but wheresoever and whensoever, as well in the fields as in the town, and on the Monday, as on the Sunday. God is a spirit, and will be worshipped in the spirit. (John iv.) That is, John iv. though he be present every where, yet he dwelleth lively and gloriously in the minds of angels only, and hearts of men that love his laws, and trust in his promises. And wheresoever God findeth such an heart, there he heareth the prayer in all places and times indifferently. So that the outward place neither helpeth or hindereth except (as I said) that a man's mind be more quiet and still from the age of worldly businesses, or that some thing stir up the Word of God and ensample of our Saviour more in one Place, than in another. F 2 WHENCE IDOLATRY OR IMAGE SERVICE Circumcision. remonies of the old law were preachers to the ple. peo NOW that thou mayest see whence all this idolatry or image service is sprung, mark a little, and then I will answer unto the arguments which these image-servers Sacraments, make against the open truth. All the ceremonies, ornaments, and sacrifices of the Old Testament were sacraments. That is to wete, signs preaching unto the people one thing or another. As circumcision preached unto them, that God had chosen them to be his people, and All the ce- that he would be their God, and defend them, and increase and multiply them, and keep them in that land, and bless the fruits of the earth, and all their possessions. And on the other side it preached, how that they had promised God again to keep his commandments, ceremonies, and ordinances. Now when they saw their young children circumcised, if they consented unto the appointment made between God and them, moved by the preaching of that same, then they were justified thereby. Howbeit, the deed in itself, the cutting of the foreskin of the manchild's privy member justified them not, nor was a satisfaction for the child's sins; but the preaching only did justify them that received the faith thereof. For it was a badge given indifferently, as well unto them that never consented in their hearts unto God's law, as unto the elect, in whose hearts the law was written. And that this was the meaning of circumcision, may be proved many ways: But namely, by Paul, (Rom. ii.) where he saith, Circumcision is much worth, if thou keep the law, whose sign it was, and else not. And (Rom. iii.) where he saith that God did justify the circumcised of faith, (whose sign it was on the other side) and else not. The Jews were justi law. Lamb. And the paschal lamb was a memorial of their deliver- Paschal ance out of Egypt only, and no satisfaction or offering for sin. And the offering of their first-fruits preached how they First fruits. bad received all such fruits of the hand of God, and that it was God that gave them that land, and that kept them in In it, and that did bless and make their fruits grow. token whereof, as unto a lord royal, they brought him the first ripe fruits of their harvest. Which remembrance, as long as it abode in their hearts, it moved them to love God again, and their neighbour, for his sake, as he so oft desired them. And out of this ceremony was fetched the blessing of our new ripe fruits for like purpose, though we have lost the signification. And their other offerings, as the sacrifice of doves, Sacrifices. turtles, lambs, kids, sheep, calves, goats and oxen, were no satisfactions for sin, but only a sign and token, that at the repentance of the heart, through an offering to come, and for that seed's sake that was promised Abraham, their sins were forgiven them. And in like manner, the ornaments, and all other cere- Ornaments. monies, were either an open preaching, or secret prophesies, and not satisfactions or justifyings. And thus the works did serve them, and preach unto them, and they the works, nor put any confidence therein. not Works mus not we the serve us and works. FALSE WORSHIPPING. B JT what did the children of Israel and the Jews? lost the meaning of them, and turned them unto the works to Serve them, saying that they were holy works commanded of God, and the offerers were thereby justified, and obtained forgiveness of sins, and thereby become good: as the parable of the pharisee and publican de |