Against Popery, Treatise · Argument 5
THE FIFTH ARGVMENT touching the ende of true religion.
THat that we hauehave ſaide of the contrarietie and difference betwixt popery in the former things and betwixt that religion which the Scriptures commend, may alſo be ſaid touching the end of that religion which the ſcriptures commende, and the ende of poperie. For the ſcriptures commend that religion, wherein all things are referred to the glorie of God. The Prophet ſaith, Not vntounto vsus, O Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glorie, Pſal. 115. 1. And againe, Helpe vsus, O God, of our ſaluation, for the glorie of thy name, deliuer vsus and be mercifull vntounto vsus for thy names ſake, Pſal. 79. 9. Our Sauiour beginneth his praier which he commendeth vntounto all men, with this petition, Hallowed be thy name, and concludeth it with theſe words, For thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie. The Apoſtle commaundeth whether ye eate or drinke, or whatſoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glorie of God. 1. Cor. 10. 30. All the Apoſtles ſay▪ VntoUnto him (that is, vntounto God) be praiſe in the Church by Christ Jeſus, throughout all generations for euer. Eph. 3. 20, 21. And againe, VntoUnto God euen our father be praiſe for euermore, Amen. Phil. 4. 20. And againe, Now vntounto the King euerlaſting, immortall, inuiſible, vntounto God onelyonly wiſe be honour and glorie for euer and euer, Amen. 1. Tim. 1. 7. And again, To God onelyonly wiſe our Sauiour be glorie and maieſtie. Iud. 25. So alſo the Angels gaue glorie and honour and thankes to him that ſate vponupon the throne, Rev. 4. 9. All creatures alſo in heauen and on earth, and vnderunder the earth, and in the ſea, and all that are in them did Iohn heare to ſay, Praiſe, and honour, and glorie, and power, be vntounto him that ſitteth vponupon the throne, which liueth for euer and euer. Revel. 5. 13. Many other the like teſtimonies of ſcripture there are in the ſame booke, in the pſalmes and elſwhere, teaching that all things are to be referred to the glorie of God, and that this glorie of God ſhould be the principall ende of all things, and that nothing ſhould be done but that whereby God might be glorified. Matth. 5. 16. This is likewiſe manifeſt by reaſon: becauſe God hath made all things, ruleth all things, and all things hold of him, and ſerue vnderunder him: therefore it followeth that all things ſhould ſeeke his praiſe and glorie aboue all things, and referre all things thereunto.
2 Now what doth poperie? doth it thus reſpect God his glorie in all things? doth it referre all things thereunto? Nothing leſſe: what with inuocation of Saints, and truſting in them, what with making images and worſhipping of them, what with giuing of the Pope the name of god, the headſhip of the Church, power to forgiue ſinnes, to let out of purgatorie, to command the deuills in hell, to open heauen gates, and magnifying him accordingly, what with turning of bread into the bodie of Chriſt, and adoring the ſame, what with commending the free will of man, and teaching his abilitie and ſtrength to keepe the commandements of God, what with the doctrine of the blood of Martyrs, of merits, and of works ſupererogatorie, what (I ſay) with theſe, and other the like things, they aſcribe ſo much to theſe things, and ſo much reſpect the praiſe, honour, and glorie of theſe things, that they doe nothing almoſt for the glorie of God. Therefore they may ſay, if they would ſpeake truly and according to their doctrine, and all their practiſe. Not vntounto thy name, O Lord, not vntounto thy name, yea they may adde the third time, Not vntounto thy name giuegive the glorie, but unto ſaints, vntounto Pope, vntounto bread, vntounto Martyrs, vntounto vsus. If they will yet ſay, that all theſe things make to the glorie of God, let them ſhew how & which waies, and what glorie God hath by them. Our Sauiour Chriſt, Ioh. 7. 18. ſaith thus of and for himſelfe, He that speaketh of himſelfe, ſeeketh his owne glorie: but he that ſeeketh the glorie of him that ſent him is true, and no vnrighteouſnes is in him. In theſe words he prooueth himſelfe to be true and free from vnrighteouſnes, becauſe he ſought the glorie of God that had ſent him: and on the contrarie, that he that ſeeketh his owne glorie ſpeaketh of himſelfe, and is not ſent of God. This may be well applied againſt Pope and poperie. For our Sauiour ſpeaketh as well generally, as of himſelfe. The Pope therefore ſeeking his owne glorie and not the glorie of him by whome he ſaith he is ſent, doth manifeſtly condemne himſelfe to ſpeake of himſelfe, and not to be ſent by him of whom he boaſteth. Poperie likewiſe ſeeking the glorie of it ſelfe, and of other things not of God, doth alſo bewraie it ſelfe not to be of God, nor acceptable vntounto God.
3 As for our religion it aſcribeth nothing to Saints or any other thing, neither to our ſelues, but all to God. Our doctrine and whole religion abaſeth all things, yea our ſelues alſo, and all that is in vsus, acknowledging that we hauehave no power in our ſelues, and of our ſelues, to doe, ſpeake, or thinke any thing that is good, confeſſing alſo our ſelues to be full of all euill naturally, and prone to all ſinne and wickednes; teaching that what good ſoeuer is in vsus, it is onelyonly of God, and that no good thing is euer perfect whilſt here we liue: further alſo profeſſing that whatſoeuer good we doe, we merite nothing thereby at God his hands: but that God for all that, if he would deale with vsus according to our vnworthines, might moſt iuſtly caſt vsus out of his preſence for euer. Thus, I ſaie, doth our religion teach, and thus we freely confeſſe, and with heart and tongue we ſaie, Not vntounto vsus, O Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glory. Therefore as this was a good argument for Chriſt, thereby to approoue himſelfe to be ſent from God; ſo alſo it is as good and firme for iuſtifying and approouing of our religion to be of God, becauſe it ſeeketh the glorie of God. Thus much for the ende of Poperie.