Five Sermons Preached Upon Special Occasions, Dedication 3
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, SIR HENRY CAREY, Lord HVNSDON, Viscount Rochford.
MY LORD,
AMong the many absurdities, which giuegive vsus iust cause to abhorre the Religion of the present Roman Church, this seemeth to me none of the least; that they hauehave filled all the Temples vnderunder the commaund of their politike Hierarchy, with Idols: and changed the glory of the Inuisible God, into the worship of visible Images. They inuocate the Saints by them, yea they dare not serue the Lord without them. As if God had repealed his vnchageable Law; and in stead of condemning all worship by an Image, would now receiue no worship without an Image. I hauehave obserued this one, among the other famous markes of that Synagogue; that they striue to condemne that which God hath iustified, and to iustifie what he hath condemned. For the former; He hath precisely directed our Iustification only by faith in the merits of Christ: this they vehem…ntly dispute against. For the other; He hath (not without mention of his Ie…ousie) for bidden all worship that hath the least tang of Idolatry: this they eagerly maintaine. What large Volumes hauehave they written against the Second Commaundement! as if they were not content to expunge it out of their Catechismes, vnlesse they did also Dogmatice … it to the whole world. They first set the people vponupon a plaine rebellion, & then make shew to fetch them off again with a neat distinction. Thus doe they pumpe their wits to legitimate that by a distinction, which God hath pronounced a Bastard by his definitiue sentence: as if the Papall Decrees were that law, wherby the world should bee iudged at the last day. But who will regard a house of magnificent structure, of honourable & ancient memory, when the plague hath infected it; or theeues possesse it? And who, in their right senses, will ioyne themselues to that Temple, which after pretence of long standing, stately building, and of many such prerogatiues and royalties, is foūd to be be smeared with superstitions, and profaned with innumerable Idols? Why should wee delight to dwell there, where God hath refused to dwell with vsus.
I publish this argument as no new thing to your Lordship: but, wherein your well experienced knowledge is able to informe mee. OnelyOnly I hauehave beene bold, through your thrice honoured Name, to transmit this small Discourse to the world: emboldened by the long proofe I hauehave had of your constant louelove to the Truth, and the gracious Pietie of your most noble Mother, the best encouragement of my poore labours on earth. The best blessings of God bee still multiplied vponupon her, your selfe, your religious Lady, and your honorable Family: which is continually implored by.
Your Lordships humble Seruant. THO. ADAMS.