2. That they are more culpable than the heathens. (1.) As to their hypocrisy, by distinctions and veil of piety wherewith they disguise all this ; for this delight in unrighteousness was called before, ' the deceivableness of unrighteousness.' They profess to abhor idols, and yet worship images, and make that a point of Christianity which is directly contrary to the drift of it, which is to teach us to worship God in the Spirit. (2.) As to their helps against it, the pagans were never taught to do better ; though they sinned against the light of nature in worshipping God by images, yet they had no scripture, no such express prohibitions to caution them as we have from God. They pretend to believe the scriptures, yet how do they seek to evade the force of them by crafty distinctions that will never satisfy conscience, though they help to blind the mind and harden the heart. That which I urg^e is this, they were never interdicted this kind of worship by their gods ; but the.se know that it is severely forbidden by our God, and the second commandment so stareth in their faces that it is expunged out of their catechisms ; and Vasquez is bold to affirm that the second commandment is ceremonial. Lactantius of old said, Non est dubium, religio nulla est ubi cujusque siniulachrum est. (3.) The Pagans did adore their gods in their images, but never was any so sottish among them to imagine that an image was to be adored with the same degree of worship as God himself; but this is the corrupt doctrine of the papi.sts, that an image is to be worshipped with the same worship wherewith God himself is worshipped. Imagini Christi lairia debeiur (Aquinas) ; that is, the proper worship of God.
2 ThES. II. 12.] THE TENTH SERMON. 101
Use 1. To show how necessary it is to take heed that we be not found amonf!^ the followers of Antichrist, since these errors are damnable. Salvation and damnation are not trifles, nor matters to be played withal. Surely we need have our eyes in our head, and not to be hoodwinked, when we are upon the brink of a bottomless gulf. Both sides lay damnation at one another's door : they, for our depart- ing from the catholic church, out of which is no salvation, as they pretend ; we, upon their departing from the catholic faith and sim- plicity of the gospel. Kow external order is not of such consideration as faith ; but when they will be able to prove that Christ hath settled this order in the church, that all his subjects should be obedient to one universal visible head, and that this head is the Pope, and there- fore when their very order is an encroachment and usurpation, to depart from them is to return to Christ. Again, where is salvation most likely to be found ? rather with them who seek all their religion in the scriptures, and stick there, or with those who, not contented with the apostolical doctrine contained in the scriptures, have brought in unwritten traditions as an equal rule of faith with scripture, and the sacrifice of the mass and purgatory, the religious invocations of saints, and many other enormities, and uphold these innovations with all manner of tyranny and cruelty exercised upon Christ's faithful servants ? If men go to heaven without prayers which they under- stand, and scriptures, half Christ's sacrament, a piece of his merits, and some superstitious observances, yea, plain idolatry, then the way to heaven is sooner to be had in Popery. But he that hath but half an eye may soon see which is the surer side. Surely the surest way to avoid damnation is to avoid sin. Now, where are souls so much in danger of sin as in the Roman society, where so little is given to internal life and piety, and so much to external pomp and service ; and where errors are so palpable, that either men do not believe them with their hearts, or, if their hearts were upright and not perverse and obstinate, could not believe them ? But just so is the way of Popery to true Christianity. Surely whatever it be to papists, it would be absolutely damnable to us, as wilfully to tlirust ourselves upon apparent ruin. There is a cavil or pretence which I shall speak unto on this occasion : that many Protestants confess papists may be saved in their faith ; whereas they hold Protestants and other heretics may not be saved out of the catholic church ; and therefore it is safe to enter into that way which is safe by the consent of both, parts.
Ans. (1.) Men's opinions are no ground of faith. Persons may be in a sad, woeful case, that men speak well of : Luke vi. 26, ' Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you I ' It is not what man saith, but what the word of God saith. Now the word speaketh terrible things to them : Them that perish, and tho.t they all might he damned who believed not the truth, kc. (2.) The word of God teacheth us to judge of the way, rather than persons, who stand or fall to their own master. The way is damnable. If, on the one side, there be charity to some persons that sin of invincible ignorance, and are ' saved as by fire,' 1 Cor. iii. 13, which the other side will not grant to a con- trary persuasion ; it arguetk charity on one side, which hopeth all