A SERMON AGAINST HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIons; preached at S. Martin's in the fields, BY JOHN SELLER, BACHELOR IN DIVINITY.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Creed, for William Welbie. 1611.   

TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, AND MY VERY HONOURABLE GOOD LORD George, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace, Primate and Metropolitan of all England.  
IT may seem strange (most reverend, and mine honourable good Lord) that in this learned age of the world, wherein the truth of jesus Christ hath given so clear a light, and that God of his mercy hath restored the Gospel unto us, & caused the beams thereof to shine over all countries, in such sort, as now the simple, the unlearned, the rich, the learned, the worshipful, the Honourable, the States and Princes of the world are become the Professors, 
D. Bishop in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King.  and maintainers of it, there should notwithstanding, even in this kingdom remain such a number of recusant Papists, as the Papists themselves have made their cracks and vaunt, styling them all, with the name of Dutiful and well deserving Subjects. How Dutiful subjects they have been, quid audiam verb●●ùm videan facta? Let the sundry intended invasions against this Kingdom, and foreign practices abroad, procured only by their means: let their traitorous, and rebellious enterprises, their pivate plots, machinations, poison, murders, let the powder treason, the eternal shame of that murderous and bloody generation, the memory of which most detestable and damnable fact, all the indices expurgatorij in the world shall never be able to blot out, make manifest to all the Christian world, how unjustly, and untruly they challenge to themselves the name of dutiful and faithful subjects, whose deadly hatred and unnatural practices against our Church and Commonweal, have proved by many degrees far more dangerous, then ever were the practices, and plots, & rebellions of that cursed seed of the Canaanites, Ammonites, and jebusites against the state and government of the Israelites, the chosen people of God. Touching the number of recusant papists in other shires, I have no great skill: it may be, it is greater in tale than it is in strength. But howsoever it be, the greater the number of them is, the greater danger accrueth both to the Prince & state of this Land. Only thus much I may truly affirm, that if all the Province of Canterbury were as free from that leprosy and contagious infection of Popery, as is the Diocese of Canterbury, the Papists should have small cause to make their boast & cracks of so many & so many. For whereas there are in the Diocese of Canterbury & Rochester, some 398. parishes, between 90. & an hundred thousand communicants, there were not (as I am very credibly informed) found of record the last assize above the number of ten recusant papists. So that thus much I may truly report, for the honour of the County of Kent, that as in the time of julius Caesar, they alone were in his judgement of all the Britain's, accounted to be omnium humanissimi: and in the time of Edward the first reputed to be omnium bellicosissimi, & therefore as Geruasius affirmeth by a pre-eminence, in right of their manhood challenged to themselves the forward of all battles, as of right belonging unto them, because they were the only people of the land, that were never vanquished by the Conqueror, but yielded themselves by composition: even so at this day, considering the small number of recusants, & withal, the great number of reverend Preachers and Pastors dispersed over all the Country, men furnished and qualified with very rare and excellent gifts, for the work of the ministry, they may deservedly be reputed, omnium fidelissimi: the most loyal and faithful subjects of this kingdom. A large proof of whose fidelity, the late Queen of most blessed and happy memory, found in her greatest need, when upon the sudden arrival of the Spanish ships upon our Seas, by the policy and vigilancy of S. Thomas Scot, being then one of the Deputy Lieutenants for those parts (a knight of whom I can neither speak nor write without much honour, there were gathered together within the space of 24. hours, the number of eight thousand valiant fight men, ready to encounter the enemy. At which time there were sundry preachers of us in that Camp, some preaching on our horsebackes, some upon the tops of trees, others in pulpits made of turf, where we might behold and see that huge Armado of Spain, whom the Pope had blessed, & christened, by the name of the invincible Navy, which in very few days after, how it fell from an unmeasurable high joy to an unmeasurable deep despair, their great castles of comfort being overthrown, and brought to the ground: I need not further relate, the story thereof being yet fresh in the memories of many thousands living this day.  
This which I have here set down for the honour of our Kentish people, I have written it partly to note one special sweet fruit of the Gospel, wheresoever it hath free passage; that is, that it seasoneth the hearts of all that sincerely profess it, with fidelity, loyalty, and all manner Christian subjection to the higher powers.  
Partly again, that it may add some encouragement to your Gra: the more willingly (as leisure & opportunity shall fit) to come among us, specially when your Grace shall come to a people so civil, and so ingenuous, so kind, & so religious, and so loving, and respective of their Diocesan, as no one country of this Kingdom can afford us the like precedent. Which to be true, the late most worthy B: mine old Master, B: Whitgift, of most learned, & godly memory, found by good proof, at his first coming down into Kent, whom the whole Gentry of that Diocese entertained, no otherwise then the Galathians did the Apostle S. Paul: that is, like an Angel of God, with such obsequiousness, esteem, and reverence as was fitting for the condition and state of so grave a Bishop, and so worthy a Prelate.  
As for us both of the Laity and Clergy of your Grace's Diocese, as we have great cause of rejoicing offered unto us all, to stir us up to a thankful congratulation of your Lord: late deserved preferment, & withal, to magnify the great goodness of God towards us, in that he hath advanced your Grace to that height of honour, to make your Grace a glorious instrument of much good to this Church of England, the charge and government whereof, next under our gracious Sovereign, is principally committed; So for mine own particular, considering the continual flow of those manifold favours your Grace hath been pleased to show unto me, which with all due thankfulness, I most willingly acknowledge, having no other means out of my small fortunes to do you honour, I have presumed in a Christian boldness, by way of Dedication, to offer this paper present unto your Grace, a Sermon which this last month I preached before a very honourable, worshipful, and a most learned and religious auditory of the parish of S. Martin's in the fields. Thus presuming (as you see) of your Grace's acceptance, and bold dedicating this small and simple discourse unto your Grace, which I confess to be much unworthy your worthiness, I will not cease to pray unto God to requite, and recompense sevenfold into your bosom, both this, and all other your undeserved favours towards me. And thus beseeching the God of heaven and earth again and again, to multiply his richest blessings and mercies towards you, by giving you honour here, and honour ever, in his happy Kingdom of eternal comfort, I rest.  
Your Graces humbly devoted chaplain, in all duty to be commanded. john Seller.   

TO MY CHRISTIAN AVDItors of S. Martin's in the fields.  
Beloved in the Lord, this Sermon was lately preached in your parish; it is now to be acted (if I may say so) upon a Theatre; 
Theatrum mundus.  & I am entreated (as it were a prologue) to say unto you, Come and see. 
(a) joh. 1.46.  I need not to do it, for you, who are careful to come and hear, will (I hope) be as careful to come & see. Come therefore, I beseech you, and behold another john Baptist, in the spirit of Elias, preparing in your hearts a way for the Lord: 
(b) Luke. 3.4.  and saying unto you as God saith to all, This is the way, walk in it. 
(c) Isay. 30.21.   
Are you desirous of a guide in this way? here are two offering of themselves, 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 will worship in mount Zion; 
(f) Is. 2.2.3.  If the other you, must go up to mount Gerizim; 
(g) joh. 4.20.  and there adore jeroboams calves, 
(h) 1. King. 12.28.   
This latter is a way pleasing now a days to many, but the issues thereof are the ways of death? 
(i) Prou. 14.12.  And when the passing bell calleth, there is so little comfort in that passage, that many, who have gone it, forsake it at the last.  
I read of a learned popish doctor in Germany, who at the hour of his death, entering into a meditation of the insufficiency of his merits, cried out after this manner, 
(k) Selnec Instit. pag. 386.  Alas what shall I now do? No works do me any good; none comfort me; none cheer me; Since than I find nothing in myself to stay upon, this will I do; Have mercy upon me O Lord, for thy son Christ's sake, and receive my soul. It is the safest way as Bellarmine confesseth, and the only way, as the scripture proveth.  
Look not then upon Baal with his 450. false Prophets; 
(l) 1. King. 18.22.  but look upon God with his servant Eliah. 
(m) 1. King. 18.30.  Baal as an Ulysses will transform you; as a Siren seduce you; as an Helena corrupt you; and as Naash the Ammonite make no covenant with you, unless he may pluck out your right eye of knowledge, and so bring a shame upon Israel. 
(n) 1. Sam. 11.2.   
Our God is not like their God, our adversaries being judges. 
(o) Deut. 32.31.  He is our sun, 
(p) Psal. 84.11.  without him it is night: our star, 
(q) Reu. 2.28.  without him it is darkness, our life, 
(r) joh. 11.25.  without him it is death; and our guide, without him we shall never make our paths strait. 
(s) Ps. 25 8.   
It is better to limp in the straightway of God, then to run and ramp on in the broad paths of Baal; you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 
(t) joh. 13.17.  In a word, learn by this godly treatise, to detest that faith, not of jesus, but of the jesuits, which teacheth, that you must eat your God; and may kill your King.  Qui cum jesu itis, non itis cum jesuitis, 
You that do follow jesus trace,  
will never like the jesuits pace.  
The Lord make you as beautiful in the eyes of God, as you have made your Church to the eyes of man.  
April. 16. 1611. Your ancient servant in the Lord, Robert Hill.   

A SERMON AGAINST HALTING between two opinions.  1. King: Cap: 18. Ver. 20. & 21. 
So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the Prophets together to Mount Carmel:  
And Elias came to all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him: If Baal be he, go after him. And the people answered him not one word.  
AMong other blessings which God bestoweth upon his Church, a good Prince is one of the greatest, being set over his people, for the defence and maintenance of true religion and virtue. And for this cause it is, that the Apostle S. Paul willeth us, first and above all other things, to pray for Kings, and for all that are in authority, 
1. Tim: 2.1.2.  that [under them] we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. In the which words the Apostle setteth down three special good things which we enjoy under the government of a godly and religious Prince; namely, godliness, honesty, and peace, which being joined together, are the only supporters and upholders of all Christian Commonwealths and Kingdoms: but being severed one from an other, there falleth out a clean contrary sequel. For what is godliness without honesty, but plain hypocrisy? or what is honesty without godliness, but mere heathenish gentility? or what is peace without honesty and godliness, but carnal security? Now as for honesty and godliness without peace, there can be no great practice of either of them both.  
It was a great hindrance to the people of Israel in their devotions, when by the cruelty of Pharaoh they might not be permitted to go into the wilderness to serve God. And afterwards in the captivity of Babylon, they were forced to sing the Lords song in a strange land: Peace and tranquillity are ever an occasion of great increase and edification. In the Acts when the Churches had rest throughout all judea and Galilee, and Samaria, they were edified, 
Acts, 9.31.  and walked in the fear of the Lord, and were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost. Where we may see how in a quiet and peaceable Church, daily teaching and preaching is of very great force to plant godliness and the fear of God in men's hearts, and withal, discipline of manners: whereas in a Church which is under the cross, it falleth out still for the most part, that ecclesiastical assemblies are hindered and forbidden to be practised. Ministers and Preachers are either imprisoned, driven away, or put to death: Parents, and fathers of Families driven away out of their houses; whereby such houses being dissolved, children are bereaved of good education, godly men are severed one from another: in which dissipation sound doctrine is not to be had: Faith languisheth: all godly exercises in training up of youth lieth still, and all other godly and Christian meetings quite given over: far otherwise then it was under the reigns of David, Ezechias, josias and jehoshaphat, in whose days the people enjoyed those three blessings before remembered; namely, godliness, honesty, and peace. All those godly and religious Kings, not only by words encouraging the people to serve God, but by their examples, drawing great multitudes to imitate the same zeal and fervency, which they saw to be in such Princes under whom they lived. But on the other side, when God in his anger and just indignation sendeth wicked Princes to sit in place of judgement and authority, religion and virtue goeth to decay, God's honour is defaced, the people drawn to idolatry, the worship and service of God profanely abused: the truth whereof as it appeareth by diverse and sundry examples of wicked Kings in the holy scriptures, so in none more plainly then in King Ahab, of whom I shall have occasion hereafter to speak, of whom the Scripture thus recordeth, that he sold himself to do wickedly in the sight of the Lord, that he did exceeding abominably in following idols, 
2. King: 10.30.31.  according to allthat the Ammonites did, being provoked thereunto by jezabel his wife. For it was a light thing for him to walk in the sins of jeroboam, except he took jezabel also the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sydonians to wife, and served Baal, and worshipped him. In whose days what an havoc there was made of the Saints and servants of God, what an increase there was made of most gross idolatry, by joining God's worship and Baal's together; what slaughter of the Prophets of God living in those times, which went up and down, wandering in sheepes-skinnes and goats skins, being destitute, tormented, and afflicted; and for the safeguard of their lives, being glad to wander in the wilderness and mountains, and dens and caves of the earth, 
Heb: 11.37.  is plainly to be seen by the complaint and request of the Prophet, 
2. King: 19.14.  which he made unto God against Israel, saying, O Lord the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, cast down thine Altars, and slain thy Prophet with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. (Albeit the answer of God said unto him, I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, 
Rom: 11.3.4.  which have not bowed the knee to Baal:) In this great and miserable desolation, and confusion of his Church, the Lord remembering his people of Israel, when they little looked for it, and less deserved it, sent Elias the Prophet unto them, who, the more forcibly to draw both the King and his Subjects to a serious consideration of their sins, and to show how greatly the Lord was displeased for their idolatrous worshipping of Baal, 
1. King: 17.1.  told king Ahab to his face, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, but according to my word: which indeed according to the saying of the Prophet came to pass. For as Elias (moved by the instinct of God's holy spirit) prayed unto God earnestly that it might not rain, 
Iam: 5.17.  so according to his prayer, it reigned on the earth, for three years and six months. By means whereof, the famine was so great in Israel for lack of rain, that man and beast were ready to perish: and rain they could have none but at Elias word, as Elias had told the king before the drought began. At the end of the three years and six months of drought, 
1. King: 18.1.  the Prophet Elias was commanded to show himself to king Ahab, and albeit he was greatly dissuaded so to do by Obadiah, whom he met in the way, yet the Prophet was resolute, solemnly protesting to Obadiah, As the Lord of Hosts liveth, in whose presence I stand, I will surely show myself unto Ahab this day. 
1. King: 18: 15.  Meeting therefore with Ahab, and being challenged by him as the author of that famine, and troubler of Israel, he discharged himself, and protested before the King, that God plagued the whole Land, because he and his Father's house had forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and followed other Gods. And to justify his speech, he offered to prove before all Israel, on the danger of his own head, that the king and the Land were but seduced and abused by the Prophets of Baal, and that he would prove by no worse means then by miraculous fire from heaven, which should show them whose sacrifice was accepted, assuring them of rain abundantly after their conversion to the true GOD, for which cause at this time he was sent unto them.  
To this the King gave his consent, and by the persuasion and motion of Elias, sent by his Princely authority, for all Israel, that they should gather themselves together in mount Carmel, together with the Prophets of Baal, 450. (which were dispersed throughout all the tribes of Israel,) the prophets of the groves, 400. which did eat at jezabels' table. The King, & the chief heads of the people of Israel, and the prophets of Baal, being thus assembled together in mount Carmel, Elias cometh to the people, and saith thus unto them; How long will ye halt between two Opinions, & c? In the which words of the Prophet, I observe four special things worthy of consideration.  
Divisio.  
First, he reproveth the Israelites for their halting consciences between two religions.  
Secondly, he declareth unto them that they cannot serve both Baal and God together, and that religion is not a thing indifferent.  
thirdly, he exhorteth them to constancy in religion, and in following of God.  
fourthly, the success which followed this reproof of the Prophet.  
In the reproof of the Prophet.  
I observe these four points.  
First, who it is that reproveth, Elias.  
secondly, the persons whom he doth reprove; The people of Israel.  
thirdly, the person before whom: King Ahab.  
fourthly, the thing he reproveth in the people: their wavering and unconstancy in matter of religion.  
In the person of Elias, 
The person of Elias.  we have to observe the great zeal, constancy, and boldness, which should be in the ministers and preachers of the Gospel. For unto them it belongeth to preach the preachings the Lord hath bidden them, and to proclaim his vengeance against sinners, yea even to stand at the gates of paradise with a flaming sword in their mouth against obstinate and unrepentant sinners. That which the prophet Micheas saith of himself, 
Mich. 3.8.  that he was full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of strength, to declare unto jacob his transgression, and to jacob his sin, was as truly verified in his own person whom neither the Courtlike persuasions of the Eunuch that went for him, nor the consent of 400. Prophets, nor the favour of two Kings, nor the danger of his own head could drive him from the word of God: And when the Eunuch had said unto him, behold now the words of the Prophets declare good things unto the King with one accord: 
1. King. 22.13.14.  let thy word therefore, I pray thee be like unto the word of one of them, and speak thou good, Micheas answered him roundly, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.  
The like zeal and courage we read in Scripture to have been in Elizeus the Prophet, unto whom when King jehoram, Ahabs' son had sent to know of him what success his battle intended against the King of Moab was like to have, the Prophet very boldly answered the King after this manner; What have I to do with thee? get thee to the Prophets of thy Fathers, and to the Prophets of thy mother, 
2. King. 3.13.14.  and said moreover unto him, as the Lord liveth, in whose sight I stand, if it were not that I regard the presence of jehosaphat the king of judah, I would not once have looked towards thee nor seen thee. But of all others commended in scripture for zeal and courage, the prophet Elias may carry the praise from them all: Of whom in Ecclesiasticus it is thus reported, 
Ecclesiast. cap. 48.1.  that he stood like a fire, and his words burned like a lamp, and because the people of Israel could not away with the commandment of the Lord, by the word of the Lord he shut the heaven, and so brought a famine upon them. He was appointed to reprove in due season, and to pacify the wrath of the Lords judgement before it kindled, 
Malac. 4.6.  and so to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Unto the which place the Angel Gabriel prophesying before hand unto Zacharie, what manner of person his son john Baptist should be, alludeth, saying; 
Luk. 1.17.  that he should go before the Lord in the power and spirit of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. O that all the Preachers and Ministers of this kingdom were so possessed with the power and spirit of Elias, that by beating down sin and wickedness, by the sword of the spirit, and by giving knowledge of salvation to the people of God, they might prepare the ways of the Lord by pulling down the mountains, by raising and filling up the valleys, by making crooked things strait, by making rough ways smooth; By the mountains are understood, men that are very high and proud in the opinion of their own righteousness, which by the preaching of the Gospel shall abate their pride, and so come to Christ. By the valleys are meant, men that are utterly despair of all men, and altogether living in despair: such shallbe raised up to the fellowship and communion of the kingdom of heaven: By crooked things are signified such things as have been warped and writhed sundry ways, 
Psal. 119.9.  which shall be made strait by the level and squire of the Gospel. For how shall a young man (saith David) cleanse his ways, but by ruling himself after the word of God. As for the rough ways that shallbe made plain, they are called rough by reason of the thorns of manifold vices, and naughty desires and lusts, the short is, that the course of all things shallbe changed to such contraries, that all impediments and lets that shall hinder the course of the Gospel, shall be broken, and so the Preachers of Christ's sacred word & Gospel, shall make ready a people prepared for the Lord. But alas we are fallen into these miserable days, even the worst and last days, that we are so far off from suffering ourselves to be reproved when we sin, that we do rejoice when we do wickedly.  
We cannot abide to have our faults touched. Our Pride is grown as high as the Heaven: our covetousness is sunk as deep as hell; and yet we cannot in any wise suffer ourselves to be reproved. We say to the preachers, Peace, and talk not unto us in the name of the Lord; tell not us of the Scripture: Tell not us of Christ, of Peter, of Paul: we bid the preacher speak us fair, and we bid him bless those things, which are accursed by Gods own mouth. Nay, many there are which are already weary of the Gospel, and weary of their preachers, they call them Pulpit-men of the spirit, Priests, and I know not what, as though themselves had nothing to do with the spirit of God. They say the Preacher is too busy, he meddleth with that he knoweth not. Yes, thou foolish man, he knoweth it well enough. He knoweth that pride is pride: that extortion is extortion: that covetousness is covetousness: that sacrilege is sacrilege: that usury is usury: that sin is sin: and thou, and thine own conscience knoweth it too, if thou wouldst be known of it.  
But God is just, and as the extreme disdain of God's truth, and his holy Gospel, deserveth the extremity of God's vengeance; So can it not be without speedy, and earnest repentance, but that this Gospel, that we are already so weary of, shall be taken away from us; even the kingdom of God, which is the true understanding of God's word, shall be taken away from us: And then, what can there remain, but blindness and ignorance, which is the kingdom of the devil.  
But this is the only comfort that Preachers have in this great contradiction and opposition of the world, that if they have a careful endeavour to discharge a good conscience in crying out against wickedness: and lifting up their voices, like a Trumpet against the disorders of common life, God Almighty will so arm all such zealous preachers, with such an invincible strength and constancy, that all the powers of the world shall never be able to overcome them.  
Be not afraid, (saith God to the Prophet jeremy) of their faces, for behold (saith he) I have this day made thee a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and walls of brass against the whole land, against the kings of juda, and against the Princes thereof, 
jer. 1.18.  against the Priests thereof & against the people of the land. They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee. For I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord.  
What saith S. Cyprian, Shall the invincible Tents of Christ, defended with the strength of the Lord, 
Lib. 1. Epist. ad Cornel:  give place to the terrors and threatenings of men? Shall the Church yield to the Capitol? Shall the outrages of mad men be greater than the judgements and censures of ministers? No, God forbidden, it must not be so. For, are not the preachers the lights of the world, and therefore appointed by God to espy faults? are they not the voice of john Baptist? why then should not they cry out against sins? Seeing therefore, they are the seers of the Lord, they must not be blind: and being the Lords criers, they must not be dumb, nor tongue-tied. And thus much touching the person of Elias.  
In the person of king Ahab, I note how strongly and forcibly an evil example of a wicked Prince, draweth the people to imitate, and to make all the subjects with whom they live, as like unto them in naughtiness, as Bees are like unto Bees.  
Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis.  
We all know the force of Example, Like people, 
Esa: 24.2.  like Priest: like servant like Master: like maid, like Mistress: like buyer, like seller: like lender, like borrower: like giver, like taker to usury. So that the greater the example is, the greater authority it hath to draw to similitude.  
When Abimelech cut down his bough and bore it on his shoulder, than all the people did so and followed him. 
judi, 9.48. 1. King: 12.28.  When King jeroboam made two golden Calves, no great marvel if the people straightways began to Sacrifice in Dan and Bethel. Dionysius had no sooner left off the study of Philosophy, but all the Courtiers by and by gave it over.  
Prince's therefore, and such as are placed in higher degrees, had need to take heed, and diligently to beware how they sin the sin of jeroboam, which not only sinned himself, but caused Israel to sin, and so bind two sins together. The reason is, because the very credit, and countenance, and priority of their places, being so eminent, makes others the bolder to sin, because they sin with such actors. And yet this may seem strange in the corruption of man's nature, that the common people are more easily given to follow their evil examples and offences, then ready to take benefit of the good government of godly and religious Princes.  

2. Chron: 17.6.  jehoshaphat was a good king, who lifted up his heart unto the ways of the Lord, walking in the first ways of his father David: yet was not his good example so potent and forcible to retain his people in the profession of the true worship and service of God, as the evil example of Ahab was of power to entice his Subjects to become worshippers of Baal the Idol of the Sydonians.  
And whereas jehoshaphat in policy joined affinity with Ahab, and gave his Son in marriage unto Athaliah, daughter of jezabel: being persuaded that by this match there would grow a perpetual peace between the two kingdoms, being by blood so nearly conjoined together; and withal, concerning an assured hope, by this means to reduce the ten Tribes to the true worship of the God which then flourished in jerusalem: he was deceived, & so far off from attaining to his wished and desired end, that the Kings of Israel stood most stiffly in maintenance of their priest-mate idolatry, and by their wicked example, drew almost all juda to the same most abominable worship of Baal. For as the story of the scripture recordeth, jehosaphat was no sooner dead, but jehoram his son by the counsel of wicked Athalia his wife, being placed in the kingdom of his father, and making himself strong, slew all his brethren with the sword, and so continued to walk in the way of the kings of Israel, 
2. Chro. 21.4.  the reason whereof is set down by the holy ghost, because he had Athalia the daughter of Ahab to wife, but the Lord plaguea him, because he made juda and the inhabitants of jerusalem to go a whoring, 
2. Chro. 21.13.  as the house of Ahab went a whoring, and had slain the brethren of his father which were better than himself. So that after many calamities that befell jehoram the king for his falling away from God, the Lord smote his bowels with an incurable disease, and so after two years his guts fell out with his disease.  
His son Ahaziah partly moved by the example of his father to commit idolatry; partly egged on by the persuasion of his mother Athalia, who counseled him to do wickedly, and principally choosing only such to be his counsellors, which were of the house of Ahab, which were indeed to his destruction, going with jehoram his uncle the son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Aram, was slain by the hands of jehu, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab, whose destruction came of the Lord, because he joined himself with god's enemies. After his death Athalia seeing that her son was dead, to the intent there should remain none of the royal progeny of David, that should make title and claim to the crown and kingdom of juda, she arose and destroyed all the king's seed of the house of juda. But God almighty because of the covenant which he had made with David, and because he had made a promise to give a light unto him, and to his sons for ever, stirred up the heart of jehoshabeath the daughter of the king, and sister of Ahaziah to commiseration, who took Ioes the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from the king's sons that should be slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber, and so by hiding of him in the house of God during those six years wherein Athaliah reigned over the land, preserved his life. Thus we may see what it is for godly Princes to join affinity with the house of Ahab, and how quickly juda and the inhabitants of jerusalem were enticed and drawn to go a whoring, as the house of Ahab went a whoring; whereas none of all the kings of Israel could ever be drawn by the voices of the Prophets of God sent unto them to worship the Lord in jerusalem which was the place, where the Lord commanded his name to be called on. We read how the Egyptians notwithstanding the people of God continued many years among them in Egypt, where they might see how God was truly to be worshipped, yet for all their conversing with them, were little or nothing the better for them: but plain it is, that the Israelites after their departure from Egypt, did many years after smell of the leaven of Egypt, where they saw before their eyes both calves, sheep, and oxen worshipped in stead of gods, which caused them many times to commit most gross, & abominable idolatry, the reason why the nature of man is so pliable to learn all manner of wickedness (for dociles imitandis turpibus & pravis omnes sumus), is because the nature of sin is such, so potent & strong, that easily and quickly, it creepeth, and corrupteth, which in good things a man shall hardly see. A little sour will spill a great deal of sweet, but it is no small store of sweet, that will take away but a little bitterness. A little black will mar a great deal of white: but it is not so in the contrary. It is not so easy for a drop of water to quench a great fire, as it is for a little spark to burn up a whole city. By this which hath been already said, it may sufficiently appear how strongly the evil example of wicked Princes doth induce, and draw the common people to imitate such vices as they see in their Princes under whom they live. And let this suffice to have observed in the person of Ahab.  
Touching the people whom the Prophet reproveth in this, for their halting consciences, and doubling in matter of religion, we may see the proneness and inclination of man's corrupt kind and nature to the most abominable vice of idolatry. True it is, that man's nature at the first had understanding granted to the end that the truth might be learned by them, and the true worship of the one God, the only Lord and maker of all. But the devils malice craftily came in place, and caused men to forget their own estate, and the majesty of God for their own imaginations. So that flesh delighting in her own devices, hath made us prone above all other faults, to superstition and wicked worshippings. Sundry laws and ordinances almighty God delivered to his people to be kept: yet concerning none other matter, did he give either more, or more earnest, and express laws than those that concerned the true worshipping of him, and flying of idols, and images and idolatry, and yet it is strange to consider how the jews the only chosen people of God, notwithstanding they were so often, and earnestly warned, so dreadfully threatened concerning images; so many times and so extremely punished therefore, should yet for all this, like blind men without all knowledge and understanding dishonour and diminish the high majesty of the living God by the baseness and vileness of sundry and diverse images of dead stones, and stocks, and metals to whom they bowed and gave worship.  
The means how the people of the jews fell to such gross idolatry, was partly by the inclination of their own 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 serve wood and stone. We see how the jews forced Aaaron afore his brother Moses could descend from the mount, to make them a golden calf: Up say they to Moses, 
Exod. 32.1.  and Aaron, make us gods that may go before us. 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 idols of the country. Yea when they were in the land of Canaan, they had no sooner tasted of the sweetness thereof, but when they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, they offered there their sacrifices, 
Eze. 20 28.  and there they presented their offerings of provocation: there also they made their sweet savour, and powered out there their drink offerings. We may read and see in the book of judges, that notwithstanding God sundry times most grievously plagued them for their idolatry; yet still they went a-madding after their idols. We see that after the zealous kings Ezechias and josias had reform religion, and reduced it to his ancient purity, the people were so prone to the contrary, that immediately the people after their decease, returned to their vomit again. Yea when the ten tribes were brought to Captivity for serving God otherwise then he would, the tribe of juda was not by this their brethren's plague amended: nor when they were brought under yoke themselves, they considered any whit, the cause of their distress, which was the forsaking of the Lord their God. When they were in Babylon, they went as near as they could to the rites of gentility, and returning again into the land of promise, under Antiochus they fell again. Such is, and such hath always been the violent persuasion of error, and such is the force of superstition, that assoon as ever occasion is ministered, our corrupt nature inclineth to it, desiring always of ourselves to attemper god's service to our outward senses. That blessed imp, our late josias, K. Edward the 6. was no sooner departed this life, but the common people of the land, as though they had never heard of God, never heard any Preacher that showed them the good and right way, were mad after pilgrimages, pardons, &c: with other such idle toys. No marvel then, if all men generally being as well inclined of their own corrupt nature to spiritual fornication as to carnal, and that the nature of man is no otherwise bend to worshipping of images (if he may have them, and see them) then to whoredom and fornication in the company of harlots, no marvel I say, if so many occasions being ministered partly by the Priests and jesuits remaining in prisons, and lurking in diverse parts of this kingdom, and partly by the coming in of foreign Ambassadors into this land, which are in right permitted to have the free use and exercise of the present Roman Religion, there are so many of our people, specially of women (a sex ever too credulous and apt to believe) which are like the idolatrous jews, even mad in running to hear and see a Priest say Mass, which Mass they are strongly borne in hand, that it is the most precious treasure, and invaluable jewel that ever Christ left to his Church, that the want thereof is to be redeemed not only with the loss of an 100 marks, but with the loss of an 100 thousand lives. But to speak of the Mass, as the truth of the thing requireth, and as hereafter I will more largely prove, this I say, that the popish Mass, as now it is used in the Church of Rome, is a very sea of abominations, a gulf, a hell of iniquity, the vilest villain that ever crept into the Church of God, being so many ways derogatory to the death and bloodshedding of jesus Christ, wherein poor simple souls are forced to attribute divine honour to a piece of bread, which the Papists teach them to call their Lord and their God, and also made believe that the very hearing of a Mass is available unto them ex opere operato, that is, only because it is said and done; and lastly, that the Mass in all respects of power and virtue is as available and effectual for the remission of sins, as was the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross, the absurdity of which positions shall receive a just confutation, when I come to lay down such arguments and proofs as may be produced out of the word of God, for the disproving of their daily Sacrifice of their Mass.  
Having thus far spoken of the person of Elias, and of the person of Ahab, and of the people, whom the prophet Elias thus reproveth; 
The thing he reproveth.  it remaineth now that I speak of the special thing which he reproveth in them: that is, their halting between two opinions, not being resolved whether God were the Lord, or Baal. Which may seem the more strange, that this people which were the seed of Abraham, the Lords own inheritance, the dearly beloved of Gods own soul, a people whom the Lord had chosen among all Nations, to be a precious people to himself, above all people on the earth, in Name, praise, and glory: A people that so many times, and so solemnly had protested, God forbidden we should forsake the Lord our God, to serve other Gods: the Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey: that this people (I say) should stand in doubt, whether that GOD that had wrought so many miracles for their deliverance, which had brought them out of the Land of Egypt, with a strong and a mighty hand, which had led them, and fed them in the wilderness with Manna from heaven, for the space of 40. years, preserving them in all the way which they went, and destroying their enemies before them, & lastly in the end, bringing them into the Land of Canaan, whether he were the only true God to be worshipped and followed, or rather Baal, in so much, that when the prophet Elias had said unto them, If the Lord be God follow him: if Baal be he, go after him. Silence was the only answer they made him, being not able otherwise to answer him one word.  
Unto this base irresolution the people were thus desperately brought; partly being moved through fear of so great and mighty a Prince, and so greatly advancing the worship of Baal, as king Ahab did, by the enticement and provocation of his wife. So that perceiving how both the King and Queen, and almost all the Nobility, being wholly affected & addicted to the worship of Baal, by reason of the weakness and infirmity of their faith, were not able to resolve in themselves, what they might do, or how they might believe, standing in a mammering this way and that way, one and the same man would sometimes worship the Lord, and an other while Baal, and sometimes both together, being persuaded that religion was a thing indifferent, and that it did not matter how they served God, if they had any care at all to serve him, whether they served him alone, or served him with any other. But little did this people understand that religion is not as every common matter of man's life: but a thing to be measured, not by opinion, but by truth; to be chosen, not by example, but by judgement; to be holden, not for company, but for conscience sake.  
In this irresolution and wavering inconstancy of the people of Israel, we may as in a glass, behold and see ourselves, even the state and condition of our own people; how many there are yet in our days, which notwithstanding they have been bred and brought up in this religion, which by God's great mercy this day is professed in the Church of England, yet partly by the corruption of their own nature, partly led by the moving persuasions of recusant Papists, but specially being enticed thereunto, by those false impostors & deceivers of the world, I mean the Priests and jesuits, begin to call the truth of our religion into question, standing in a maze, what they may do, whom they may follow, what they may believe; sometime in love and liking of our religion, otherwhile again, being weary of the Gospel, embracing the Roman religion, falsely called by the name of the Catholic Religion, and so daily wavering between two opinions, declare themselves indeed to be of no Religion. For whom as my daily prayer to God is and shall be, that he would be pleased to grant them a  and strong persuasion in the profession and defence of the true, and only ancient Catholic faith of Christ delivered unto us in the holy scriptures of God, and withal, such a measure of heavenly wisdom, that they may be able to discern things that differ one from another, and to give a sound judgement between that which is counterfeit, and the true Catholic faith and religion of Christ. So I could wish, that they would consider with me, and that they would seriously ponder with earnest and upright advisement these few reasons, or motives, which here I will set down, which may serve in steed of so many several demonstrations, to prove that this same doctrine we preach this day in all the reformed churches of Christendom, is the very truth of the Gospel of Christ.  
First, I would have them but to weigh the beginnings and proceed of our religion, how in a manner, all the travels of our adversaries have come to nought, and how no body driving it forward without any worldly help, it hath taken increase, and by little & little is spread over into all countries And verily it cannot choose but carry great weight of persuasion, to move the conscience of any man, to see so many kingdoms and countries join together in the profession and obedience of one truth. And there is no doubt but even this day, many thousands are the sooner led to humble themselves to the Gospel of Christ, for that they see (to the unspeakable grief of the Pope and his favourites) the whole world, that is to say, the whole Church of God is contented, so willingly and so humbly to embrace the same.  
Again, let them but consider, that they have seen with their own eyes, how the Gospel which hath been preached unto them, and which sometimes with joy they have received, even amid so many storms and tempests, through death and persecution, notwithstanding the abundance of innocent Christian blood, which hath been shed over all the world, hath had a strange and wonderful increase, so that the more our religion hath been persecuted, the more still it hath increased, and this was ever reputed by the ancient fathers, to be the proper privilege and excellency of truth, about all other sects, to come out of persecution as gold out of the fire, more bright, more illustrious, more eminent than before.  
A third motive or forcible inducement to justify the truth of the Gospel now preached, may be this, even the due consideration of that universality of learning, and saving knowledge, wherewith God hath blessed these days of ours, more plentifully, and in greater measure than in former times he hath done. In so much that whereas the Prophet Esay speaking of that abundance of knowledge, which should be under the kingdom 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 cover the sea: and likewise the Prophet joel, 
joel. 2.28.  I will power out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy: Your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions, and also upon the servants, and handmaids will I pour my spirit. We may truly say in this accepted time, and this day of salvation, that these scriptures are fulfilled in our ears, even our enemies being judges, who have confessed that the word of God was never in any age so plainly taught and delivered, as in this time wherein we live, that we may truly and justly say, applying the words of our Saviour Christ to ourselves, blessed are the eyes which have seen those things which we have seen, there having been many millions and thousands of our forefathers, which detesting the Antichristian pride, & other lose behaviour of the Roman Clergy, endeavouring to serve the Lord after the prescript of his own word, desired to have seen, but one of the days which we have seen and could not: who although with Lot, they vexed their righteous souls in the mids of a spiritual Sodom, yet like Sea-fish, which is always most fresh in salt-water, they kept themselves unspotted of the world, and would not spot their souls with such horrible contaminations, wherewith the whole world almost was defiled in those times of great darkness and superstition.  
The conclusion is this; that seeing over all the Christian world, where the Gospel hath had free passage, all those places wheresoever the sound thereof is heard, are full of the knowledge of the Lord; and that on the other side, where popery prevaileth, there is nothing but ignorance and superstition, the truth with tyranny & cruelty being kept under, by reason of the Spanish inquisition, that this is a very strong motive to persuade, that the Gospel this day preached in the reformed Churches of Christendom, is the infallible and undoubted word of God.  
fourthly, it was ever reputed and accounted for a special fruit of the Gospel, to teach people obedience to their Governors, to uphold the State and Majesty of Kings and Princes, into whose hands God hath committed the sword of public authority. Now our adversaries cannot choose but see, and all the Christian world can witness with us this day, that in all these places where at this present through God's goodness and mercy, the truth of the gospel is taught, all such places are become more obedient to superior powers then ever they were before. That there is greater majesty to be found, less arrogancy and tyranny: the Prince more honoured, the Commonwealth and Church in far greater quiet, then in former time of corruption, when neither the Prince knew what belonged to him, nor the subjects knew what properly belonged either to Caesar, or unto God.  
And verily one reason to persuade any man's conscience, that popery 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 stream of antiquity runneth the same way, that all manner of persons, yea the BB. of Rome themselves for many hundred years together, did acknowledge the Emperor for their Lord, liege Lord and Master; the doctrine of the present Church of Rome persuadeth flatly to disobedience and plain rebellion. It teacheth that the people upon the Pope's warrant may lawfully bear arms against their sovereign: that by dispensation from the Pope, they may lawfully renounce their allegiance, yea further upon the Pope's jubet, they may lay violent hands upon him. And so the jesuits have delivered it for the resolute and undoubted judgement of the Church of Rome, that it is a thing both lawful, and meritorious to kill and to murder Christian Princes professing a contrary religion to the doctrine and faith of that Church, popery therefore that professeth, not a lawfulness only, but a merit in such desperate attempts, contrary to the manifest voice of God, Thou shalt not kill, doth clearly convince itself, and show itself to be a religion of the devil, and not of God. Let this then suffice for a conclusion of my fourth motive, to show, that this is the alone property of the Gospel, wheresoever true religion flourisheth, to season the hearts both of young and old with true subjection and Christian obsequiousness to the higher and superior powers.  
Fiftly if long peace, wealth and prosperity to the outward blessings of God (as undoubtedly they be) whereby he declareth his special favour unto that Prince and kingdom, which fear 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 favour of god to all protestant Princes that have embraced the Gospel, and of the sincere religion professed by them wherewith he is well pleased. For of all the Kings of juda, who ever more abounded with all peace and worldly felicity than those who were most religiously addicted and affected to the service of God, as josias, Ezechias, jehosaphat, David, Solomon? Thus the Lord spoke to king jehoiaekim by his Prophet jeremy; 
jere. 22.15.  Did not thy father josias eat and drink and prosper when he executed judgement and justice? and was not all this because he knew me, saith the Lord? What Prince was there ever in the world either more honoured or feared than Constantine the great was after he had once received the Christian religion? all the kingdoms this day possessed with protestant Princes, all the free cities and Commonwealths of Heleutia, never were in more riches or settled tranquillity: never so potent, nor so orderly governed as they be at this day, religion there having so free a passage, and course among them as it hath, and to come nearer home to our own days, if we do but consider with our own selves the long, peaceable and prosperous reign of our late dread sovereign Queen Elizabeth, the very joy of Christendom, whose land in her days, was a sanctuary to all the world groaning for the liberty of true religion, we shall perceive that from the beginning of her most happy reign until the day of her dissolution, by gods singular goodness, this kingdom of great Britain, hath enjoyed more universal peace, the people of the land increased in greater numbers in more strength, with greater riches, and less sickness, the earth hath yielded more fruits, and generally all kind of worldly felicity hath more abounded since, and during the time of the Pope's thunders, bulls, curses and maledictions, then in any other long time before, when the Pope's pardons and blessings came yearly into the Realm, as they did in Queen Mary's days. And thus much for proof that the outward blessings of God, which he hath bestowed upon such Kings and Princes, and states as have embraced the Gospel of his son Christ jesus, are undoubted arguments and demonstrations of the true and sincere religion professed by them.  
The last motive to persuade any Christian man, not wilfully blind to embrace the religion this day professed in the reformed Churches, is with an unpartial eye to consider the great, strange and marvelous things, which the Lord hath done for the honour and advancement of the Gospel in such places where it hath been received. Is it not strange that Martin Luther having his enemies so many, so malicious, so mighty, should notwithstanding after nine and twenty years preaching, die quietly in his bed, in peace both of body and mind, and be buried with that honour, that few of his rank and sort was ever before? Who could ever have thought that after such a strange and a most cruel massacre in France about the year 1572. there should have been remaining so much as any one Protestant alive? and yet notwithstanding all that cruelty, though few in number forsaken and destitute of all worldly assurances, being brought as it were to nothing, have yet strangely and indeed miraculously lifted up their heads again to the terror and confusion of their proudest enemies.  
Again how can we conceive it possible, that the city of Geneva should ever be able to hold out so long against so many intended invasions and plots by the Duke of Savoie intending their utter ruin and desolation, but that the hands of their armies were strengthened by the hand of the mighty God of jacob, their strong redeemer, who maintaining their cause against the rage of their enemies, compassed them about with many joyful deliverances, hiding them as it were a shaft in the quiver of his most careful, and merciful providence.  
What was purposed and intended by that invincible Navy of the Spaniards in 88 the Christian world can witness, that it was nothing else but to bring this noble Realm of England into slavish bondage. And did not almighty God the son stand upon our guard by getting himself honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all the Egyptians, even upon that great Armado, which had been so long in preparing, so that their Altar-God, their Crucifix God, their Capitolian God, were not as our God, our enemies being judges, sundry of the soldiers of Spain confessing, that during all the time of the fight at sea, Christ had showed himself a plain Lutheran. But let us look a little further into the exceeding favour of God showed in particular to the late Queen Elizabeth, how many and sundry times was her dearest blood sought, and how near the bloody traitors have been to the very execution of their devilish designments, some of them and more than once or twice, in nearest and private places with their murderous weapons in their hands, and yet behold how still they were prevented, the Lord striking them with such a sudden trembling of heart, and astonishment of mind, that they had never the power once to lay violent hands upon her?  
If all this do not suffice for proof of the truth on our side, and not with the Papists, let gods special favour miraculously showed to the King's majesty that now is, and his exceeding blessings upon this our country by his most happy entrance unto this crown, and success to this kingdom, be to us as it is indeed, an argument that the religion professed this day, is the true religion acceptable to God, & conformable to his word: but as God in all ages hath showed his power in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church, and protection of his holy and eternal truth, so did it never more clearly show itself, then in the wonderful and mighty deliverance of our gracious K. james, the Queen, the Prince, and the rest of the royal branches, together with the Nobility, Clergy, and the Commons of this Realm, by the pouder-Traytors, the papists, appointed as sheep for the slaughter. And let thus much be sufficient to have spoken touching the strange and wonderful things which almighty God hath showed in these last days, for the honour of his Gospel, for the better satisfaction of them which as yet stand in doubt, whether the Gospel we preach, be the only true & Catholic faith of Christ.  
But besides those men which stand at a stay, and are not yet resolved, which religion, I mean ours or the papists is truest, there is risen another generation of men, that are of opinion, that there is no real difference between the doctrine of the present Roman church, & the religion of the protestāns, & so make a favourable compromission, that the questions of religion between us might easily be accorded, which I take to be a thing altogether impossible, the Papists standing in such terms of opposition against us as they do. I remember myself preaching at a certain country parish, some three years ago, a simple country man cometh unto me, and thus beginneth to question with me: Sir, your preachers make us simple men of the country believe, that there is a wonderful great difference between the new & old Religion. Pray Sir, saith he, what odds is there between Our Father, and Pater noster? None at all, said I, but only this, that the one is in Latin, and the other in English. You have answered right (saith he, and so I am persuaded) that there is no other difference at all between the Mass & our English Communion, but only that the one is in Latin, the other in English. And of this opinion it seemeth there be many, which think and are persuaded, that our religion, and the religion of Rome, are all one for substance. For satisfaction therefore of them which think our English Communion and the popish Mass all one for substance, I will set down certain real differences, whereby it may evidently appear, that the doctrine of the popish Mass, neither hath, nor can have any agreement at all with the lords supper. I speak at this time to men of great understanding & knowledge, judge ye what I say.  
First, whereas all the service and sacraments in S. Paul's time, were done in the congregation, in a known language, the whole service of the Mass is said either in the Greek or Latin tongues, not understood of the common vulgar people.  
Christ both gave bread, and likewise commanded them saying, Drink ye all of this; the Church of Rome will at no hand suffer and permit the Lay-people to drink of the Cup, calling them Heretics, and Calixtions, that desire to receive the Cup together with the bread, in the celebration of the Lords Supper.  
By Christ's institution the Priest and the people should both communicate together: but in their Popish Mass the Priest is suffered to eat and drink all alone, the people standing by, and not partaking the Lords supper with him.  
Christ at his maundy instituted a Sacrament of thanksgiving, and commanded us by eating and drinking to be partakers of his body that was wounded, and of his blood which was shed the next day, for the remitting and pardoning of our sins.  
But the Church of Rome hath turned this Sacrament into a Sacrifice. And whereas the Son of God said, Take this and eat it in remembrance of me, the Church of Rome saith, take and offer this to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead.  
Christ took the bread in his hands, blessed it, and gave it to his Disciples: but he did not say, look upon it, kneel, and knock unto it, and worship it with divine honour, all which the church of Rome commandeth to be done in their popish Mass: but as Christ took the bread, so he left it bread, whereas the popish Priest takes bread, and coniureth it away, by breathing upon it.  
Lastly, Christ ordained his last Supper, and instituted this Sacrament of his body and blood, to this end, that we should continually remember his death until his second coming, and for that cause it is called Eucharistia. And whereas Eusebius saith, that Christ commanded us to offer up a remembrance of his death in steed of a Sacrifice, the popish church not contenting themselves with this sacrifice of praise, and thanksgiving, wherein we celebrate the remembrance, and as Nazianzene calleth it, A figure of that great mystery of the death of Christ, they hold that their Mass, which they call The daily Sacrifice of the Church, is not a commemorative, but a real sacrifice, not a figure and remembrance of that which is past, but the thing itself: that the sacrifice Christ offered upon the Cross, and theirs in the Mass is all one: that the same body of Christ which was borne of the Virgin Marie, and which was offered up, upon the Cross for our Redemption, is the very same, even idem numero, with that which is offered up by the Priest, to God the Father in the Mass, for the remission of sins. By these material differences, which here I have set down, it is plainly manifest, that the popish Mass doth in many things vary & serve from the institution of Christ, as most plainly is to be seen, in the 11. cha: of 1. Corint: vers. 23. where the Apostle at large doth describe the whole order and institution of the Lords Supper.  
And thus it is evidently to be perceived, that the Mass as now it is used, is nothing else, but an heap of sinful devices, and abuses, invented by Satan and broached by Antichrist, to deface & frustrate the Lords supper: where besides their fruitless prayers, and superstitious ceremonies, their private and half communion subverteth the lords institution: their sacrifice derogateth from his death and bloodshedding: their adoration of bread and wine, convinceth them of heinous Idolatry.  
But to prove that Protestancy and popery cannot be reconciled: First, the Papists themselves bold the differences between us to be such: that it is impossible for any Protestant to be saved.  
Again, all the grounded divines of the Protestants religion insist upon the same difference. That sundry points of popery do quite raze the very foundation of Christian religion. Mark (saith Bishop jewel to D. Harding) What ye were lately, and what ye would now seem to be: what way ye trod then, and what way ye tread now: the difference is no less than between light and darkness; life and death; heaven and hell: so great a change (saith he) would require some good time of deliberation. Which asseveration of that worthy Bishop, how agreeable it is to the truth, and consonant to the practice of the ancient Catholic church, and Doctors thereof, who would never yield, I will not say in an opinion, but not so much as in a form of speech, or in the change of a letter, sounding against the orthodoxal faith: and whether there be not in sundry fundamental points of faith, great and many differences between Rome and us, let it be duly considered by these instances following.  
The first main point of Catholic doctrine, which the Papists go directly against, is the doctrine of free justification by faith alone, which doctrine D. Bishop in his Epistle dedicatory to the K. Majesty, setteth down as a main heresy, that Luther laid for the ground of his religion: namely, that a man is justified by faith alone. But I demand of any sober Papist, not too much wedded to the prejudice of his own opinion, what other, or what better foundation could any man lay, then that which is already laid, which is jesus Christ, which doctrine is the very life and soul of the Church.  
For this was the Catholic faith of the church of Rome, when S. Paul wrote his Epistle unto them, that a man is justified gratis, 
Rom. 3.24.  for God a mercy, for nothing, and that by the grace of God without the works of the law. Quite contrary to which doctrine of the Apostle, the Papists hold justification by works of grace, avouching that we are not justified before God, only by the merits of Christ, but also by our own doings, affirming that good works are truly and properly meritorious, and the causes of our salvation, and that heaven is as truly the reward of good works, as hell is the stipend of evil works: that good works do fully satisfy the law of God, and worthily deserve eternal life: and that good works wrought and done in the state of grace, are so far meritorious, as that God should be unjust, if he rendered not heaven for the same, charging the justice of God, not in respect of his promise, as the Apostle doth, but in respect of merit, and desert of works. Where we clearly perceive and see, that there is a great difference between the Church of Rome and us, even in the principal Article of our faith touching the Salvation of our souls; we believing steadfastly, that it is to be ascribed to the merits of Christ, they expecting it for the merit of their works.  
Another substantial point of the Catholic faith the Papists directly impugn, in maintaining a daily real sacrifice of the body of Christ in their Mass for the sins of the quick and dead, which they hold to be a very sovereign, true, and propitiatory sacrifice, & in all respects of power and virtue, as available, and as effectual as was the sacrifice on the cross for the remission of sins. For the disproof of which most wicked and blasphemous assertion, there be sundry arguments and proofs to be produced out of the word of God.  
First if Christ could have been offered more than once, then must he likewise after have suffered. Heb. 9.25.26.  
But now in the end of the world he hath appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb. 9.26.  
Therefore he cannot now any more be offered in the Mass.  
Again, that thing is in vain and to none effect, where there is no necessity it should be done: but to offer up any more sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and the dead, there is no necessity: the reason whereof the Apostle giveth to be this, because Christ hath offered one sacrifice, and with that one sacrifice, and offering up of himself, hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified, Heb. 10 12.14.  
This must then be the conclusion, that there is no necessity why we should offer up Christ any more for remission of sins.  
Thirdly, the reason why the Priests of the old law did yearly repeat their sacrifices was this, because those sacrifices yearly offered, could never take away sins, Heb. 10.11. But the sacrifice of Christ once offered hath sanctified the comers thereunto: for we are sanctified even by the offering of the body of jesus Christ once made, Heb. 10.10.  
Therefore seeing that Christ by that one oblation of himself hath purchased for us eternal redemption, Heb. 9.12. there needeth no more propitiatory sacrifice to be made for sin.  
Where there is remission of sins already obtained, there is no more offering for sin, there needeth no more sacrifice to be offered, Heb. 14.18. But Christ hath been offered once to take away the sins of many, Heb. 9.28. and by his own blood he hath entered once to the holy place to obtain eternal redemption for us: Heb. 9.12.  
Therefore the Mass cannot be a propitiatory sacrifice for sins, seeing already by the death of Christ we have remission of sins.  
Lastly, without blood and shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Heb. 9.22.  
But in the daily sacrifice of the Mass there is no shedding of blood, for they call their Mass an unbloody sacrifice.  
Therefore in the sacrifice of the Mass there is no remission of sins, and so by consequent the Mass can be no true propitiatory sacrifice. Thus we see how the doctrine of the popish Mass is ex diametro repugnant to the doctrine of the Apostle, and to the whole order and institution of the Lords Supper.  
A third very material and substantial point of the Christian Catholic faith impugned this day by the present Roman Church, is this, that contrary to the express words of our Saviour Christ, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt serve: 
Math. 4.10.  contrary to the commandment which the Angel gave to john, when he fell at his feet to worship him: See thou do it not, 
reve. 19.10.  I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren which have the testimony of jesus, worship God: contrary to the examples of Peter and Paul and Barnabas, 
Act. 14.15.  Which utterly refused all manner of adoration, Paul and Barnabas renting their clothes crying out to the people of Lycaonia, O men why do ye these things? We are even men subject to the like passions, ye be, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vain idols unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that in them are: 
Act. 10.25.  and Peter speaking to Cornelius, (Who at his first meeting of him fell down at his feet and worshipped him) said thus unto him, taking him up, stand up: for even I myself am a man, contrary to the continual and constant practice of the ancient Catholic primitive Church of Christ, which as S. Hieron witnesseth, did neither worship Sun nor Moon, nor Angel, nor Archangel, nor Cherubin, nor Seraphin, nor any other name, that is named either in this world, or in the world to come, lest they should serve the creature in steed of the creator, who is God blessed for ever: contrary to the determination of Gregory the great and first of that name, who also himself was Bishop of Rome, and therefore his voice to be accounted as an oracle of God, who albeit he did well like the having of images in the Church, yet he utterly condemneth the idolatrous worshipping of them alleging for proof thereof the place of scripture before named, 
Lib. 7. episto. cap. 109.  thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.  
All this I say notwithstanding the Church of Rome this day, even in this clear light of the Gospel maintains and defends the worship and adoration of Angels: the worship of Saints departed: the worship of the images of the trinity: the worship of the cross and crucifix: the worship of images which they set up in their Churches, to the intent the people may attribute divine honour unto them, and lastly the worship of their breaden-God, their sacrament of the Altar, as they term it, whom they call their Lord and their God, crying out to a piece of bread, O Lord, O God, O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, and receive our prayers.  
And verily were there no other cause to induce all good Christians to departed from the fellowship and communion of the Church of Rome, this one doctrine of adoration, wherein they teach the common people to call the sacrament their Lord and God, and so by giving the honour of God to a creature that is no God, to commit gross and manifest Idolatry, this point alone were cause sufficient for them to detest both them and their religion for ever.  

jere. 2.27.  For what odds I beseech you is there between those blind jews, which said to a stock, thou art my father, & to a stone thou hast begotten me, and those wilful and blind Papists which cry upon the Sacrament of the Altar, in substance a base and corruptible creature, Lord I am not worthy, Lord be merciful to me a sinner: O Lord, O God, O Lamb of God receive our prayers. The one sort the H. Ghost hath traduced for a memorable, and detestable crew of idolaters; and so may we by the like reason, and upon as good ground and warrant condemn all the Papists living this day for most vile and shameful idolaters, for adoring and worshipping a piece of bread. O most horrible idolatry!  
Tully himself being an heathen man could say, Who was ever so very a fool, 
De natu. deorum.  as to believe the thing he eateth to be his God? The very children in Grammar School can tell us, that the heathens that adored Bacchus and Ceres, which first found out, and taught the use of bread and wine, whereas before they had fed on acorns, and drank water: yet notwithstanding they were never so foolish, or so besotted as to give godly honour to bread and wine.  
By this then, which hath been already spoken, it is clearly proved, that there is no compatibilitie between protestancy & Popery, and that the diversity between us, is of so material and needful points, that if they be right, we are wrong: if we be right, they are wrong: both they and we cannot be both together Catholic members of the true Church.  
The reason why we cannot account Papists for members of the true Church, is, because they maintain sundry points which go directly against the Christian faith, they do not content themselves only with Christ, nor with his Sacraments, but set up other mediators in heaven, other doctrines and sacraments on earth. Besides that, as I have already proved, they adore the creatures of bread and wine, in steed of Christ. They bow their knees to painted & carved images: they join nature with grace: man's merits with God's mercies: unwritten verities with holy scriptures: their own satisfactions with the blood of Christ, and so directly impugn sundry fundamental points of the Christian faith, which generally otherwise they will seem to hold.  
Object: But I hear some man saying unto me, if the case be such, the differences so great between the religion of the Papists and our religion, how is it possible that any Recusant papist now living can be saved?  
Solut: I answer, that as in the rebellion which Absolom made against his Father David, there were many true subjects of David, that went after Absalon, to take his part in their simplicity, 
2. Sam: 15.11.  as the scripture recordeth, knowing nothing, whereunto the treacherous plots of Absalon did tend. So no doubt charity moveth me to think that there are many in this Kingdom, honest men, blinded with some opinions of popery, as in the questions of the real presence, or in the number of 7. Sacraments, or in the doctrine of Auricular confession, or some such school question, not knowing or believing all points of popery, which indeed is the very mystery of iniquity. Of such I say, that in the simplicity of their hearts, think of the Pope's doctrine, no otherwise then David's subjects did of the rebellion of Absalon; I will not despair, but verily hope that such may be saved, notwithstanding their misperswasion in some points of religion, which do not destroy any article of faith, and Christian belief.  
But as for the rest of our wilful recusant papists, which both err in the foundation, & hate the truth of the Gospel revealed unto them, which hate instruction, and stop their ears against the word, we offer unto them, holding the infallibility of the Pope's judgement; the universality of his jurisdiction and power, to dispose of the Kingdoms of the world, which believe free will to perform, and to do the actions of virtue without assistance of special grace: which hold and maintain perfections of inherent righteousness, satisfactions, merits of condignity, propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass: which give God's honour to images, maintain justification by works, and such like, of such I say, I may without breach of charity affirm, that if they so live, and so die, in the arms of the whore of Babylon, they can never be saved.  
Object: But the Papists reply upon us, and further object, that if the case of recusant papists be such, why then (say they) we must likewise condemn all our forefathers to the pit of hell, who held none other but the same opinions we hold this day.  
Solut: Touching our forefathers, we both speak and think of them, as charity leadeth us to think: we take not upon us to know either the faith or repentance of them, that died before our time, and therefore we commit their judgement unto God. We say with the Apostle, 
2. Tim: 2.19  The foundation of God standeth firm and sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth who are his: and according to the scriptures thus we believe of them all, that such as held the only foundation which is Christ jesus, in a true & lively faith, were all saved, although they built upon this foundation, chaff, straw, or wood: and doubt not therefore, 
1. Cor: 3.15  but that many thousands of our ancestors, even in those times of great blindness and corruption, holding only the same foundation jesus Christ were saved, and so died the servants of God: notwithstanding they were misled and carried away with sundry errors and superstitions, for want of due knowledge of the word of God, which their pastors and leaders should have instructed them withal.  
But for a further answer to this objection, I say, that the case of our recusant Papists living at this day, and the case of our forefathers, living in times of great corruption are not peers, nor nothing like at all.  
The disparison is this: our forefathers lived in a time of great blindness, wherein there was a general decay of learning, wherein all good liberal Arts and learning were abolished. The sky growing even dark with the misty fogs of ignorance, when their pastors and leaders were not only Sir john lack Latines, but S. john lack honesties, who could neither speak Latin, nor read English, nor understand the articles of our faith, nor any part of the scriptures, clouds without rain, lanterns without light, salt without savour, blind guides, dumb dogs, that (as one saith) seem to have their souls given them in steed of salt to keep them from stinking; and what marvel then, if the people being led by such blind guides, became blind themselves, and fell into sundry errors? But as for our recusant papists, they live in the learnedst age that ever was, since the time of the Apostles, when as the word of God and knowledge of saving truth, was never so plentiful and flourishing as now it is.  
Again, the errors of our forefathers proceeded of mere simplicity and want of judgement. 
Lib. I. de bap. cap. 18.  Of whom I may say the same that S. Augustine said of Cyprian and his colleagues, erring in the doctrine of Rebaptisation; That if they had been in his time, when upon exact and full discussion of things, it was resolved otherwise, they would have been of an other mind: So verily, if our forefathers, whose zeal was exceeding great, and a religious care to serve God, had lived in these latter times, and had seen the true grounds of our religion, they would most willingly have embraced the same truth we profess this day: many thousands of them in their life time, desiring to have seen & heard those things which we to our unspeakable comfort have both heard and seen. And howsoever many of our forefathers were in some points deceived, yet it is manifestly to be proved that the worthiest and best learned men in former times thought no otherwise then we do in all substantial points of Christian belief, complaining even as we do of the intolerable burdens which the Popes laid on them in those days, wishing the removing of such things as we have removed.  
But as touching the errors of our obstinate and wilful recusant Pap: they proceed of mere obstinacy, pertinaciously defending most dangerous errors, He that is deceived, 
Cypri. ad juba.  and erreth of simplicity may be pardoned: but after the truth is once revealed, who so nevertheless continueth in his former errors wittingly and willingly, sinneth without pardon of ignominy, as being over borne by presumption and wilfulness. And this I take to be the very case of all our recusant Papists this day. So great an odds there is between simple error and wilful defence. Verily for my part I am persuaded, that there is never a sober and learned papist in this land, that can deny (if he will truly say, and as he thinketh in his own conscience) but that we are come as near, as possible we could to the Church of the Apostles, and Catholic Bishops, which Church was sound and perfect, and spotted with no kind of idolatry, and have directed according to their customs and ordinances, not only the doctrine this day professed in the Church of England, but also the sacraments, and form of common prayers, and divine service established here among us: the psalms we sing, are David's: the books we read are canonical: the prayers we make are consonant to the rule and proportion of faith, and true godliness. And so it appeareth, that our whole liturgy with great judgement, and reasonable moderation, was purposely so framed, out of the grounds of religion, wherein both sides do agree, that the papist himself might resort unto it, without any scruple or scandal, if faction more than reason did not prevail.  
A third difference between our forefathers, and our Romish recusants is this: our forefathers never for their part ever understood the mystery of popish iniquity, but in singleness of their hearts embraced the general doctrine of the Gospel, concerning salvation by faith in Christ: those damnable and treasonable positions which the Church of Rome proposeth to be holden, as verities of the Catholic faith, were never known in the days of our forefathers, that is, these fundamental points of popish religion, viz: that the Pope is god's vicegerent here on earth, and therefore superior to the King of England.  
That it is the Pope's power to depose the King of England, and deprive him of his crown.  
That the Pope may absolve his subjects from their oath of allegiance to him.  
That at the Pope's commandment, the people are to take arms against him.  
That it is both lawful and meritorious before God, to kill, and to murder any Christian Prince, if he fall into tyranny or misbelief.  
The secrets of this occupation were never so much as heard of in those days, I mean this king-killing, and Queene-killing Doctrine of the papists, for proof whereof I will allege unto you one famous and memorable example as I find it recorded.  
In the woeful wars with the Barons, when King john was viewing of the Castle of Rochest held against him by the Earl of Arundel, he was espied by a very good Arcubalaster, who told the Earl thereof, and said that he would soon dispatch that cruel tyrant, if he would but say the word. God forbidden, vile varlet (quoth the Earl) That we should prove the death of the holy one of God. What said the Soldier, swearing a monstrous oath, he would not spare you, my Lord, if he had you at the like advantage? No matter for that quoth the Earl, God's good will be done, and he will dispose thereof, and not the king: an answer fitting and beseeming that most noble Earl far contrary to the practice of our powder-Traitors, and likewise contrary to the practice of the late pope's of Rome, who have been so far off from saving, and sparing the life of Christian Kings and Princes, that as Pope Hildebrand gave the first precedent, they have hired Assacinours to murder them, & to lay violent hands upon them, as it is plainly to be proved by the practice of Pius quintus, Gregory the thirteenth, Sixtus quintus, who not only resolved that parricide of Princes was lawful, but promised both earthly and heavenly recompense to such as would offer their service to kill and murder them. The truth whereof is clearly to be justified by the letters of Cardinal Como written to William Parrie, wherein contrary to the manifest voice of God himself, Thou shalt not kill, he encourageth him to the slaughter of his liege Lady and Mistress, as to an honourable and holy exploit.  
The last difference and odds which I observe between our forefathers, & our Romish recusants is this, that they, as they were generally forward and very zealous in that religion which they professed, so were they as careful to seek all the good means they could to come to the knowledge of the truth: they fasted often: they prayed much, they were most diligent resorters to the house of prayer, knowing that it was the place that God himself had made choice of to have his name called on: they would read all such good books as possible they could come by, for their better instruction in the knowledge of God: and as it is recorded, and storied of many of them they would sit up all night in reading and hearing, not caring for any expenses or charges, so they might attain to come by such books in english as they descried: they would not stick some of them to give five marks for a Bible to read in, and many of them most willingly would give a load of hay for some few Chapters of Saint james, or Saint Paul in English. And therefore we conceive this good hope of them, even of all such, who sought so carefully to use all the good means; whereby they might attain to the saving knowledge of truth, although deceived in some points, yet that they had mercy showed unto them, and do rest in peace with God, and that the same God, who gave them some measure of knowledge, and would require of them according to that which they had, and not according to that, which they had not, did receive them into the number of his blessed and elect. But the case of our recusants is a clean other case. They refuse almost all manner of conference with learned men: they will not, nor in deed dare, only for the fear of displeasing the Pope's holiness, resort to our Churches, as for 11. years together, in the reign of the late Queen of most precious and worthy memory, all the papists of this kingdom did, and that without any scruple of conscience, until they had received a countermand from the Bishop of Rome, commanding them upon pain of the black curse to come no more to the Church: they are forbidden to read the Scriptures: the Bishops in Queen Mary's days, caused it not only to be accounted heresy, but to be proclaimed felony for any lay man to have an English Bible in his house, for his private solace and comfort: the learned treatises written by our men, they permit not their Disciples once to read, but interdict them even to many of their Seminary Priests; no marvel then if taking this course, the jesuits and Priests keep their lay followers in a perpetual ignorance of true religion, having once framed them to this principle, that it is a deadly sin, either to read the books of the Protestants, or to hear their sermons, or to be present at their service, or to communicate with them in any religious duty whatsoever. And let thus much be spoken touching the Prophets reproving of the Israelites for wavering and halting between two opinions: It followeth in the next part to make proof unto you, that God and Baal cannot both be joined together in one service.  
There is a speech of Socrates greatly commended by S. Augustine, 
De consen. evang. Li. 1. cap. 18.  unumquemque deum sic coli oportere, quomodo seipsum colend m praeceperat. That is, every God was to be honoured, as u he himself had given in commandment. Upon which principle the ancient Romans in the time of Tiberius the Emperor grounding themselves, albeit they did admit the religion of all other gods, yet by no means they could be induced to receive the religion of the God of the Hebrewse. The reason was this, they saw it necessary that either all their idols must be excluded, and only the true worship of God entertained: or he only not admitted, the rest to be honoured. For by the word of God they found they could not agree together, and contrary to his word they would not seek to serve him, and therefore chose rather to be without Christ altogether, then to worship him and others with him against his will and commandment. And verily God will take it in better part that thou devote thyself to any religion, be it never so bad, then to make a hodge-podge of religion, and so to have a mixture of good and bad religion together, insomuch that I am persuaded that the worship of Mahomet less offendeth God, then when such as are by profession Christians, shall give divine honour to a piece of bread. 
Eze. 20.39.  As for you o house of Israel, (saith God by the Prophet Ezechiel) go you and serve every one his Idol, seeing you will not obey me, & pollute my holy altar no more with your gifts, and with your Idols. Where the Prophet intimateth, that God had rather that the Israelites should be professed Idolaters, then to pretend his holy name with such corruptions. True religion will admit no mixture, but is simple. God himself said, Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with divers kinds. 
Levi: 19.19.  Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment of divers colours come upon thee: signifying that we must stick to one religion, which indeed requireth the whole man, and cannot endure any doubling in the worship of God, nor any blending of judaisme, and Christianisme together: nor any reconciliation at all between Christ and Belial: between the table of the Lord, and the table of devils: between God and Melchom: It is not possible that one womb should contain jacob and Esau: one house the Ark and Dagon: one temple prayer and merchandise: one heaven Michael and the Dragon, and so God having ordained his Law strictly to be kept without declining either to the right hand or to the left, giveth us to understand, that he himself will be served alone, without corrivalles of his glory, with all our heart, strength, and soul. Son (saith God) give me thine heart: 
Pro: 23.26.  and let thine eyes delight in my ways: but Satan willing to part stakes with God, crieth out with the Harlot, Nec mihi, nec tibi, sed dividatur: Let honour and glory, and worship be neither mine nor thine, 
1. King: 3.  but let it be divided. But the Lord our God being a jealous God, will not be crowded in a corner of the heart, but he will have either all thine heart, or no part at all, either all glory, or no glory: aut Caesar, aut nullus.  
And so we are taught by the word of God in Deuteronomie: 
Deu. 61.4.5  Hear o Israel, the Lord our God is Lord only; & thou shalt let the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, that is: we must love God sweetly, strongly, perseverantly.  
Love God with all thine heart, that is, kindly and affectionately. Love God with all thy soul, that is, wisely and discreetly. Love God with all thy might, that is, steadfastly and constantly; Let the love of thine heart inflame thy zeal towards him: Let the knowledge of thy soul guide it with discretion: Let the constancy of thy might and strength confirm it: That is, let thy love be fervent, circumspect, and invincible. So that thou mayest say with the Apostle, I am persuaded, 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 be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus my Lord. Out of that which hath been already spoken touching this point of mingling God's worship with the worship of any other, this conclusion or corollary may be derived, which is this, that if either thou serve God with my other, as Saints, Angels, or any creature, which the Papists do.  
Or if thou serve him alone, any other way, than he prescribeth, thou lovest him not, but thou dost hate him, yea, extremely hate him, and shalt find at his hands the reward of a deadly enemy. Strange therefore must needs seem to be this Doctrine of the Papists, wherein they teach, that we may honour God, as we ourselves can best devise.  
That if our intent be good, and our meaning be good, it skilleth not how, or in what manner we worship him: That these kinds of worshippings of God, which come of our own heads, without the express commandment of God, are the more agreeable unto him, the more they proceed of ourselves. Which doctrine of theirs is the main prop of all idolatry, and the very root of all superstition. For the ways of God are not as our ways: his thoughts are not as our thoughts: he hath bridled our devotion, and hath taught us to worship him not in such sort as may seem good in our eyes, but only as he hath commanded us. God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle, according to that order and form showed him in the mount, neither durst Moses add or diminish any thing, or to do more or less, than God appointed him. Certain it is, that our good meanings make not our doings good. Neither is our zeal a rule whereby we may measure out either our Faith, or our good works, but only the known will and pleasure of God.  
There wanted no good intent, or good meaning either in the Israelites, when they made a golden calf: 
Exod: 3.2.4  or in Nadab and Al thou, when they offered strange fire: or in Saul, when he spared king Agag: or in Vzza, 
levit: 10.2. 1. Sam: 15.22. 2. Sam: 6.6. 1. King: 12.28.  when he put his hand to the Ark to hold it: nor in Ishu, when he would needs join the worshipping of jeroboams golden Calves, with the worship of the true God of Israel: and yet we see how that jealous God which could never abide to be worshipped otherwise then he himself had given in commandment, executed his fierce wrath upon them all, for their confected religions, and halting consciences.  
And this for all the world, is the very guise and manner of worship the papists use: True it is, they worship God, and they worship Christ, but not according to his prescript, but in joining the worship of other creatures with the worship of the only true God, they prove themselves to be plain Idolaters, holding this for a most certain doctrine, that the Crucifix is to be worshipped with the very self-same worship, wherewith Christ himself is to be worshipped. The difference then between the Papists and us, in the doctrine of the worship and service of God, consisteth both in the manner and the matter of God's worship. In the manner of God's worship, we upon just grounds do vary from them, because that whereas God being a Spirit, loveth only such worshippers, as worship him in spirit and truth, and to that end would have religion itself to be free under very sure and most manifest ceremonies of divine service, and therefore hath delivered unto us some few in steed of many, and the most easy to be done, 
john: 4, 29. Aug. de doct. Chri. l. 3. c. 9  most honourable for signification, and most clear and pure to be observed. The religion of the Papists is so laden with ceremonies, presumptions, & devices of men, that their manner of worshipping of God in their Temple, is become now altogether jewish and carnal, consisting in nothing else but altogether in outward and ceremonial exercises, in the doctrine whereof, there is neither faith nor spirit, nor any working of the holy Ghost almost required.  
Touching the matter of God's worship, wherein we differ from the Papists, thus it stands, we teach and hold, that only God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghost, are to be worshipped with divine honour, and no creature beside: grounding ourselves upon this principle and maxim in divinity, that adoration is due only to God, and therefore that God only is to be worshipped. 
Lu: 4. Deu: 6. De vera religi. cap. 54.  And so S. Augustine saith, It is very well recorded in the Scriptures, that man was prohibited by an Angel to worship none, but only God, under whom he himself was a fellow servant. And therefore he saith; Ecce unum Deum colo, Behold, I worship and adore none but God alone. And thence he deriveth the name of religion, quòd ei uni religet animas nostras, because it religeth our souls only to him: But the papists (as before hath been alleged in their service) join with the worship of God, the worship of Angels, the worship of the Crucifix, the worship of images, the adoration of the Sacrament of the Altar, as they call it, whereunto they ascribe divine honour and worship.  
Having thus far proved unto you that God and Baal cannot both be served together, no more than God and Dagon can stand together, it remaineth now in the third place that I entreat of the Prophet Elias his exhortion to the people wherein he exhorteth to constancy in religion and following God.  

Part. 3 3. Part.  
Constancy, preseverance and continuance in the true knowledge of God, are virtues required of all such as intend to lead a godly, and a Christian life, and finally resolve to finish the period of their lives in defence and maintenance of the true religion of jesus Christ. 
Math. 24.13. reve. 3.11.  He that continueth to the end shall be saved. Behold saith God to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia, behold I come shortly: behold that which thou hast, that no man take away thy crown. And in the 2. of the Revelation, thus the son of God speaketh to the rest of them of Thiatyra, which knew not the deepness of Satan, I will put upon you none other burden, but this, holdfast that which you have until I come. 
reve. 2.24.25. Heb. 10.23.  And the Apostle to the Hebrews giveth us this advise and counsel, that we should keep the profession of our hope without wavering, so that being rooted and grounded in true knowledge, and built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, jesus Christ himself being the head and chief corner stone, we should not henceforth be children any more wavering and carried about with every blast of doctrine, 
Ephe. 4.14.  by the deceit of men, and with craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.  
The devil knowing full well what this hope of our salvation is, ceaseth not continually to bend his force against the foundation and fortress of our faith. And surely, if Satan by his principal Ministers the jesuits and seminaries Priests, can once shake the ground work whereon we build our health and Salvation (which is the affiance in Christ our God, and credit to his word) if he can but once persuade us to retire from that hold and ground we stand upon, as upon an unmovable rock, then hath he won his desire: then enters he with banners displayed upon us, tossing us up & down with every blast of doctrine, and beateth us down to the pit of damnation. For the easier compass of this his wicked designment, some be persuaded by arguments, and by reasons to forsake their faith, and so by this means draweth them to sundry heresies and errors: others he forceth by torments and persecutions quite to give over their hold: others again he winneth, and allureth to himself with baits of pleasures to deny Christ: and so julian perceiving that torments could not prevail to cause the Christians to revenge their profession, gave them the greatest rooms and honours of his kingdom, even as Satan when he could not by argument overcome our Saviour Christ, offered him all the kingdoms of the world, if he would fall down before him and worship him. The only powerful means to withstand all the forcible assaults of Satan is, whensoever he offereth us to run to the walls of faith, betaking ourselves each man to his defence, as in the certain truth of gods eternal testament. 
2. Thess. 2.15. 1. Cor. 16.13,  Stand fast, saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians, and keep the traditions, which ye have been taught. And to the Corinthians to the same purpose he saith watch ye, stand fast: and quite your selves like men, and be strong. Let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Stick fast unto the Lord, and cleave unto him with a perpetual covenant which shall never be forgotten. Three ways there are whereby we may grow to this resolution: first by remembering the intolerable pains of hell if we do revolt; secondly by thinking of the unspeakable joys of heaven, if we continue firm: Thirdly looking upon such who have suffered before us, and to propose them unto us for examples of imitation. And so to show the like constancy in cleaving unto God which they did. We have recorded in scripture the examples of David; of the three children, of Eleazar and sundry others who for the zeal they bore to the religion of their God, were resolute to endure most cruel torments. The Apostle to the Hebrews mentioneth such, who being strong in faith, when they were tried by racking, yet would not, or cared not to be delivered that they might receive a better resurrection. 
Heb 11.35.  We have again in the Ecclesiastical Histories, the examples of eighteen hundred thousand Christians in the time of the ten primitive persecutions which were done to most cruel deaths, only because they would not forsake their Christian religion. And to come nearer home to our own days we have examples of our own brethren in Queen Mary's days, who for the zeal they bore to the house of God, were content to yield their backs to the scourge, their necks to the tormentors, their bodies to the furious flames of fire, their souls with joy into the hands of him that made them. Concerning whom I doubt not, but that every true member of the Catholic Church, may wish from her very heart, that his soul might die the death of those righteous persons, and that his latter end might be like unto theirs.  
This is then the exhortation which Elias giveth to those waving and wavering Israelites, which could not resolve whether God or Baal was to be worshipped, if God be the Lord, follow him, cleave fast unto him, and serve him with all the desire of your hearts: but God is the Lord, yea the only Lord, therefore he only is to be worshipped. It is the Lord only that formeth the light, and createth the darkness: it is he that hath made all things, which hath spread out the heavens alone, and stretched out the earth by himself, it is he that can foretell things before they come to pass: it is he alone that can say my counsel shall stand, and whatsoever I will have come to pass, shall come to pass: it is he that bringeth Princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity: yea it is the everlasting 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 only is the Lord.  
As for Baal, if he be a God, let him plead for himself against him that cast down his Altar, 
judi. 6.31.  saith joas the father of Gideon, after that his son had destroyed the Altar of Baal, and cut down the grove that was by it. Baal can give you nothing: he can do neither good nor evil, and therefore he is no god: though a man cry unto him, yet cannot he answer him, nor deliver him out of his tribulation and therefore he is no God.  
The Papists are much grieved with us, because we will not acknowledge the Sacrament of the Altar to be our Lord, and our God, and thereupon cast this unjust aspersion upon us, and falsely charge us, that We call the body of Christ an abominable idol. True it is indeed that we call that an abominable idol. Which they term the body of Christ, and under that pretence fall down before it to worship it, and call it Lord and God, in doing whereof what other thing do they but make a God of a piece of bread, and under the name of the body of Christ, set up an Idol in the Church of God. But as for the body of Christ we have evermore confessed with Chrysostome that it is worthy of the highest honour, 
1. Cor: Homil. 14.  as being inseparably joined to his godhead in one person, sitting now at the right hand of God: and we adore it, and worship it, even as the body of the son of God: not only for the turning of an hand, as the Papists use to do, while the priest is able to hold up the Sacrament, and that with doubt of ourselves whether we do well or no, which thing is utterly uncomfortable, and dangerous, and full of terrors to the conscience: but we worship that blessed and glorious body, as that blessed Martyr S. Stephen did, being in heaven, at the right hand of the power of God, and therefore without doubt or danger; and that at all times, and for ever: and we believe, and thus we teach, that jesus Christ, even in the nature and substance of our flesh, is the Lord in the glory of God the Father.  
Howbeit we say Christ's body is one thing, the Sacrament another. The Sacrament is an earthly thing, Christ's body an heavenly thing: the Sacrament is corruptible, Christ's body is glorious: the Sacrament is received into our bodies, Christ's body is only received into our souls, and entereth not into our bodies.  
S. Luke reporteth how that the Disciples of Christ being abashed at Christ's sudden presence among them, 
Luk: 24 38.39.  and through fear, supposing they had seen a spirit or Ghost, our Saviour spoke unto them in this manner: Why are ye troubled? and wherefore do doubts arise in your hearts? behold mine hands and my feet, for it is I myself: handle me, and see me: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have; and so showed them both his hands and his feet. Even so verily, the Sacrament itself, if it could speak, would speak in this manner, at the time of the elevation to the standers by: why do such thoughts arise in your hearts, as to think 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 look upon me, and see whether I have not all the natural properties of true bread: that is, whether I have not the very form, shape, savour, smell, colour, and weight of bread. As for the body of Christ, it cannot be broken with hands, or grated with teeth, or conveyed into the belly, as you see that I am. The bread of life cannot be felt, seen, or tasted, or discerned by any outward sense, as you see that I am: and therefore believe them not which teach you otherwise, for I am bread, I am no God.   

Quarta Pars.  
Having thus far spoken of the exhortation of the Prophet Elias, wherein he exhorteth them to be constant in religion, and constant in the confession of him, which is the only true God: it remaineth now in the last place to show unto you, what the success was, which ensued upon the Prophet's reproof, which at the first was thus, that the people answered him not a word, standing in doubt, whether he were the only God or no. But a little afterwards, when they saw how miraculously the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the  offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water which was in the ditch, 
1. King: 18.38.  being moved with this strange and miraculous work of God, they were suddenly changed in their opinions, and falling on their faces, cried out, the Lord is God, the Lord is God: Where we may see, that howsoever it may be, that God permitteth his own people for some certain time, to fall into many dangerous errors, yet such is his great mercy towards them, that first or last he calleth them home again, and will not suffer them finally to perish, as here he dealt with his own people of Israel.  
There is no one thing more commonly objected by Papists against the religion of the Protestants, then that, as they say, we have no miracles in our church. If your Church be the true church, if the doctrine you teach be the true Catholic faith of Christ, where be your miracles, (say they) and where be those signs and wonders among you, which may prove unto us, that your religion is of God?  
To the which objection I answer with Chrysostome, 
Opere imperfecto. Hom: 49.  that there was a time wherein of old it was known by miracles, who were true Christians, who were false, and where a man might find the true Church of God indeed: but now saith he, the working of miracles is quite taken away, and is rather found among them that are false Christians. Which speech of that learned father is truly verified this day in the church of Antichrist, where the Papists can make their Crosses to speak, their Idols to go, their images to weep, to sweat, to laugh, to shift themselves from place, to light their own lamps: Yea, the unholy fathers of the society of jesus, to set a glorious countenance of their miracles, tell us in great sadness, that with their holy-water, they have calmed the Sea, chased away mice out of the country, and have made barren women to conceive, and bear children. But against such miraclemongers, saith Augustine, My God hath armed me, saying, 
Tractat: in Ioh: 13.  in the latter days there shall arise false Prophets, working signs and wonders, to deceive the very Elect of God, if it were possible.  
True it is, the Apostles wrought miracles, but it was thereby to confirm the Gospel, they preached, as the Evangelist writeth, The Lord wrought with them, 
Mar: 16.20  & confirmed the word with signs that followed. And the Apost: to the Hebrues likewise saith, that salvation at the first begun to be preached by the Lord, & was confirmed unto us by them that heard him (meaning the Apostles) bearing witness thereunto with signs & wonders, & with divers gifts of the holy Ghost, 
Heb: 2.3.4.  according to his will. In the first beginning then, and gathering of the church, miracles were necessary. But as when we go about to plant a tree, so long we water it, until we see it hath taken root, but when it is once substantially grounded, and branches spread abroad, we take no more pain to water it. So likewise, as long as the people of the world were altogether faithless, this means of miracles for confirmation of doctrine, was of Indulgence granted then. But when once spiritual instruction had taken better place, the corporal signs surceased strait. The kingdom and Church of Christ was planted in the power of doctrine and miracles by the power of the holy Ghost. Now therefore it is against faith, if any look for miracles again to confirm the Gospel, which is already so confirmed, that if an Angel from heaven, should preach unto us any otherwise, then that which hath been preached unto us, let him be accursed. Seeing then the doctrine this day taught, professed, and preached in the Church of England, is the very same doctrine which Christ himself delivered to his Apostles, and they, to their aftercomers, there needeth no other confirmation by miracles to be wrought by us.  
Thus have I with what perspicuity and brevity the proportion of the time allotted unto me would permit, run over this portion of holy scripture. The Lord give a blessing unto the words which you have heard this day with your outward ears out of my mouth, and by the secret working of his holy spirit, give such force unto them, that they may become fruitful in the hearts of you all. And forasmuch as the Lord in these halcyon, and happy days of ours, hath dealt with us in far greater mercy, than he hath done with any other nation beside, in that we have of his great clemency these many years together enjoyed with liberty of body, and freedom of conscience, the greatest joy and felicity that ever betided any people, even the sincere preaching of his most sacred word and Gospel, with the right and due administration of his Sacraments, with health, peace, liberty, and quietness, under the wise, godly, and most peaceable government of his chosen servant Elizabeth, our late Queen and Mistress, & now at this time under the government of our most gracious Sovereign Lord King james, whose life the Lord preserve, and long continue among us: that considering how the Lord hath multiplied his graces, and blessings upon us, that we may evermore continue constant and steadfast in the profession of his eternal truth, that what opposition soever we find in the world of fawning flattery or persecuting cruelty, that we never suffer ourselves to be removed from the same, but that we may strive for the truth even to death, holding fast that which we have until the coming of our Lord jesus Christ: that we never halt or double in matter of religion, nor wave between two opinions, but that we may steadfastly cleave unto the Lord all the days of our life, that we never admit any fellowship, or communion with the Church of Rome, knowing that the whole religion of popery, wherein it differeth from us, is nothing else but a most wicked apostasy from the ancient faith. So that being confirmed and strengthened, and established in that Gospel, which hath been preached unto us, which we have received, wherein we continue, and which is able to save us, we may every day more and more, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord, and Saviour jesus Christ, to the which Christ jesus, together with the father, and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all power, glory, dominion, and Majesty, both now and evermore; Amen.   
FINIS.