For the Lord will retain no such soldiers in his Camp, as shall bear a flattering ⟨image 5⟩face towards his enemies, and associate them selves with his adversaries, he will have no such serving men in his Court,1 as shall halt on both sides,2 being neither hot nor cold, seeking to please two contrary masters,3 God, and Mammon: yea, he accounteth all those pretensed friends, for utter enemies, that will visit the table of devils,4 and his also: that seek to couple Christ with Belial, light with darkness, righteousness with unrighteousness, the believer with an infidel, and the Temple of god with Images. In all these things thou art culpable O England, through thy dissimulate hypocrisy, in declining from the trueth: notwithstanding thine earnest promise, vow, and consent, to continue a faithful Soldier, a true servant, and an unfeigned friend: for who is he in thee, at this present (a few only excepted) that ether for fear of men, or love of the world doeth not abandon the persecuted, imprisoned and exiled congregation of God, his faithful servants, and join himself with the company of Idolaters and masmongers his enemies? who is he that is not now contented to abandon the table of the Lord the holy communion and Sacrament of Christs body and blood, and to unite himself unto that sacrificing bloody altar of the blasphemous breddē God, the romish Idol? who is he that doeth not now with all diligence (instead of the lively water of Gods holy word truly preached) repair unto the filthy puddles of mens superstitious doctrines, therewith ⟨image 5⟩to satisfy their thirst? yea, who is he now in thee, that notwithstanding before time he condemned with knowledge of conscience all manner of Images and Idols, that doth not now daily repair unto the Temples of Idolaters, in whose company and that before their Idols, they pray, they kneel, they are bareheaded, they lift up their hands, they receive holy water, and holy bread, with divers other exterior gestures of the body: And yet (that worst is) they affirm they do not offend in as much (as they say) they do it not with the consent of their heart, but only with the outward gesture of the body, and therefore no sin, in as much as the Lord only requireth the heart,5 the which they give unto him:
For the Lord wyl reteyn no such souldiers in his Campe, as shall beare a flattering ⟨image 5⟩face towardes his enemies, and associate them selues with his aduersaries, he wyl haue no such seruing men in his Court,1 as shall halt on both sydes,2 beyng neyther whote nor cold, sekinge to please two cōtrary maysters,3 God, and Mammon: yea, he accoumpteth all those pretensed frendes, for vtter enemyes, that wyl vysite the table of deuylles,4 and his also: that seke to couple Christ with Beliall, lighte with darkenes, righteousnes with vnrighteousnes, the beleuer with an infydell, and the Temple of god with Images. In al these thinges thou art coulpable O Inglande, through thy dissimulate ypocrisie, in declining from the trueth: notwithstāding thine earnest promyse, vowe, and consente, to continue a faythfull Souldiour, a trew seruaunt, and an vnfayned frend: for who is he in thee, at this present (a few only excepted) that ether for feare of men, or loue of the worlde doeth not abandon the persecuted, imprisoned and exyled congregation of God, his faythful seruauntes, and ioyne himselfe with the company of Idolaters and masmongers hys enemyes? who is he that is not now contented to abandon the table of ye Lord the holy communion and Sacrament of Christes body and bloud, and to vnyte himself vnto that sacrifycing bloudye aultar of the blasphemous breddē God, the romishe Idol? who is he that doeth not now with all diligence (instede of the lyuely water of Gods holy worde truely preached) repayre vnto the fylthy puddels of mennes superstitious doctrines, therwith ⟨image 5⟩to satisfye theyr thyrste? yea, who is he now in thee, that notwithstāding before tyme he condempned with knowledge of consciēce all maner of Images and Idols, that doth not now dayly repayre vnto the Temples of Idolaters, in whose cōpany and that before theyr Idolles, they praye, they knele, they are bareheaded, they lifte vp theyr handes, they receyue holy water, and holy bread, with dyuers other exteriour iestures of the bodye: And yet (that worst is) thei affirme they do not offend in as muche (as they saye) they do it not with the consente of theyr harte, but onely with the outward iesture of the body, and therefore no sinne, in as much as the Lord onely requyreth the harte,5
- 1iij. Re. 18
- 2Apoc. iij.
- 3Math. vi
- 4i. Corin. x ij. Cor. vi
- 5Roma. x.
