Serm. IX. Of Conflancy in the ProfejJïonofthe`Irue Religion. 69 God, and him only do we ferve. We do not fall down before Images and Wor- fhip them : We addrefs all our Prayers to God alone, by the only Mediation and Intercefiïon of his Son Jefus Chrift, as he himfelf bath given us Command- ment, and as St. Paid doth plainly direft, giving us this plain and fubftantial Rea- fon for it, becaufe as there is but one God, fo there is but one Mediatorbetween God andMen, the Man Chr yefue. The publick Worfhip and Service of God is perform'd by us in a Language which we underftand, according to St. Paul's exprefs Order and Direftion, and the univerfal Praftice of the ancient Church, and the Nature and Reafon of the thing it felf. We adminifter the Sacrament ofthe Lord's Supper in both kinds, ac- cording to our Saviour's Exampleand plain Inftitution, and the continual Praftice of all the Chriftian Churches in the World, for above a thoufand Years. 2. We believe nothing as neceffary to Salvation, but what bath been own- ed in all Ages to be the Chriftian Doftrine, and is acknowledged fo to be by the Church of Rome it Pelf ; and we receive the whole Faith of the Primitive Chriftian Church, (viz.) Whatever is contained in the Apoftles Creed, and in. the Explications of that in the Creeds of the four firft General Councils. By which it plainly appears, that all Points of Faith in difference betwixt us and the Church of Rome are meer Innovations and plain Additions to the ancient Chriftian Faith : But all that we believe, is acknowledged by them to be un- doubtedly the ancient Chriftian Faith. 3. There is nothing wanting in our Church and Religion, whether in Matter of Faith or Pra&ice, which either the Scripture makes neceffaryto Salvation, or was fo efteem'dby the Chriftian Church for the firft five hundred Years ; and we truft, that what was fufficient for the Salvation of Chriftians in the beft Ages of Chriftianity, for five Hundred Years together, may be fo 11111; and we are very well content to venture our Salvation upon the fame Terms that theydid. 4. Our Religion is not only free from all Idolatrous Worfhip,. but even from all Sufpicion and probable Charge of any fuch thing : But this the Church of Rome is not, as is acknowledged by her molt Learned Champions, and as no Man of Ingenuity can deny ; and the Reafon which the Learned Men give, why the Worfhip of Images and the Invocation of Angels and Saints departed were not praftifed in the Primitive Church, for the firft three Hundred Years, is a plain acknowledgment that thefe Practices are very liable to the Sufpicion of Idolatry; for they fay, that the Chriftians did then forbear thofe Praftices, be- caufethey feem'd to come too near to the Pagan Idolatry, and left the Heathen fhould have taken occafion to have juftified themfelves, if thefe things had been praftifed 'among Chriftian ; and they cannot now be ignorant, what Scandal they give by thefe Praftices both to the Yews andTurks, and how much they alienate them from Chriftianity by this Scandal; nor can they chufe but be fenfible, upon how great difadvantage they are in defending thefe Praftices from the Charge ofIdolatry, and that by all their blind Diftinftions, with which they raife fuch a Cloud and Duft, they can hardly make any plaufible and tolerable Defence of themfelves from this Charge; infomuch, that to fecure their own People from difcerning their Guilt in this Matter, they have been put upon that shameful fhift of leaving out the Second Commandment in their common Catechifms and Manuals, left the People feeing fo plain a Law of God, againft fo common a Praftice of their Church, fhould upon that Difcovery have broken off from them. 5. Nor is our Religion incumbered with fuch an endlefs number of fuperfti- tious and troublefoin Obfervances, as theirs infinitely is, even beyond the Num- ber of the yewifh Ceremonies, to the great Burden and Scandal of the Chriftian Religion, and the diverting of MenMinds from the fpiritual part of Religion, and the more weighty and neceffary Duties of the Chriftian Life; fo that, in truth, a devout Paftor is fo taken up with the external Rites and little Obfer- vances of his Religion, that he hath little or no time to make himfelf a good Man, and to cultivate and improve his Mind in true Piety and Virtue. 6. Our
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