Against Idolatry and Superstition, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON Witnessing more particularly against the Ceremonies of the Church of ENGLAND.
The Tex…, 2 King. 18 4.
And he removed the High places, and broke the Images, and …ut down the Groves, and brake in pie…es the brazen Serpent, that Moses had made, for unto those dayes, the Children of Israel did burn Inc…nse to it, and he called it Nehushtan.
THe Doctrine as you may Remember, was this,
That it is a thing very right, and pleasing in the sight of God, when the sin of Idola…ry and all the monuments of it, all the remembrances and remainders of it, are quite destroyed and rooted out from amongst his people.
This Truth hath been opened and largely proved upto you from many Scriptures: and partly also applyed; but not to repeat the Truths formerly delivered, there was one U…e which then we did but mention, but shall now proceed (in the help of Christ) to finish it. It was this,
This Doctrine Condemns and Cashiers at once all the Ceremonics, and other Corruptions, and Inventions of men which were introduced and brought into the worship of God by the Pope, in the time of Anti-Christian bordage and darkness, but they have been conti…u…d by some reforming Magistrates, who have made but inc…mpleat and imperfect Reformations. They are commonly known, and recommended by this name, the Ceremonies of the Church of England, the Doctrine whereof in the nine and thirty Articles, is ge…erally …w…d by good men as sou…d and good, but the worship hath too …uch …f th… old leaven of popish Corrup…ions unpurged out. I shall fi…st g…v… you some general g…ounds and Arguments against them. S…con…ly, speak to the chief of them more pa…ticularly. Is…a desi… a…tur. Th…d…y, Answer Obj…ctions, and then close up this Discourse with a wo…d of Use and Application.