296 Of thegreat Errors, Sin and Danger P. No doubt but God is jealous againft Idolatry. He that knoweth not the trueGod from Idols, cannot honour him. And he that worthip . peth him not as a moft Great and Holy God, difhonourethor blafpherneth him on pretence of worliúpping him.. And to worthip himby an Image, is to perfwade men thatGód is like that which that Image, doth repre[ent ; which is to deny him to beGod. And nodoubt but the yews great tern- ptations to Idolatry from the Nations about them, were to be oppugned by great feverities of God. And no doubt but Mofes Law was to be honouredbyGods fevere executions'on the breakersof it. But when you come to Chrifts preaching, you find how oft he teacheth thePharifees to go learn whatthat meaneth, twill have Mercy, andnot Sacrifice. Whenhe conferrethwith the Woman ofSamaria,fohn4. the prefently turneth from thedodlrine of faith ( as seltaries do amongus ) to theControverfies of the times, [OurFathers fay, In thisMountain, and you fay At 5erufalem, men ought to worship.] But Chrift callethher off fuch low difcourfe, and teacheth herto worship God as a Spirit, in fpirit and truth, if ever the would be acceptedof him. S. But it is a timenowwhen Popery isflriving torife again,. andham unfeafonablywould you abate mens zeal againft it? P. Nomore than hewas againft his Lawyers Zeal, who grewhoarfe with fenfelefs . bawling for him, faying, I am glad he bathloft his voice, or elfe I might have loft myCaufe. I aro fo much againft Popery, that I with it viler and abler adverfaries, than felf-conceited unfludied Zeálots, who will honour Popery, by entitling it to theTruthsof God, and the Content of the Antient or Univerfal Church ; or would make people believe, that it confifteth in fome good or indifferent things, as in Come Dodtrines, Forms or Government, which others can fee no harm in; And fo teach men to fay, : If this be Popery, we will rather be Papiffs, than of them that rave as in their fleep, againft they know not what. Could thefe men be perfwaded to lay out their Zeal and diligence, in propagating the pradli-, cal knowledgeofChriftianity it felf, and let things alone which they un- derflandnot, and SUSPEND TILL THEY HAVE THROUGHLY STUDIED, or at leali to forbear hindering wifer men, andcalumniating and backbiting thofe that would by' wifdom defend that truth which by folly and rafhnefs theygo about to betray, they mightbe meet for their !hare of that honour which now they forfeit. S. Tom ftrive againft Gods yudgements by which he bath oft times dif- ownedPopery among as ; and would make that lefs odious, which God by wonders bath oft called as to abhorr. P. You fill miflake : It is only your ftrengthening them, or finning againft God by falfe and ignorant accufations, and calumniatingwifer men as favouring them, that I fpeak againft. God hath oft marvelloufly pre ferved us from their attempts. But if you will ufeuntruths againft them, they will repay you two for one, and with what rueafure youmete, itlhalh. be meafured to you. Little know you how odious they render us by lyes. abroad where they are believed : and I would have no honeft man to tate them. I will inftance to you in a fewof their Stories. Saith Thom. waldenfs (aLearned man) againft wicklo, citante 7ym pio, pag. 104. [ "Twill tell you aStory which I lawwith myown eyes Cathedral the at ofSt. Paul in London: where rho. Arundel a Venerable, "Prelate of happy memory, a Son, and Brother ofEarls ( the Bishop of "Norwich and others aftiftinghim) fitting in judgement, propofed force'. "queftiòns of the Eitchariff to acertainTaylor of worcefferfbire taken in. "Heretic; and when he could not be moved, and-would call the molt Sacred
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