A Body of Practical Divinity

Use 1. See the goodness of God to our Nation, who hath brought us out of mystical Egypt, delivering us from Popery, which is Romish Idolatry, and hath caused the light of his Truth to break forth gloriously among us. In former times, and more lately in the Marian days, England was over-spread with Idolatry; we worshipped God after a false manner: That is Idolatry, not only to worship a ⟨p. 259⟩false God, but the true God in a false manner. This was our case formerly, we had Purgatory, Indulgences, the Idolatrous Mass, the Scriptures locked up in an unknown Tongue, Invocation of Saints and Angels, Image-worship: Images are Teachers of Lies, Hab. 2.18. Wherein do they teach Lies? Because they represent God in a Bodily shape, whereas he cannot be seen, Deut. 4.12. Ye saw no similitude, only ye heard a voice. Quod invisibile est, pingi non potest, Ambr. God cannot be pictured out by any Figure: You cannot Picture the Soul, being a Spirit, much less God, Isa. 40.18. To whom then will ye liken God? The Papists say, they worship God by the Image; which hath a great Absurdity in it; for if it be absurd to bow down to the Picture of the King, when the King himself is present, then much more to bow down to the Image of God, when God himself is present, Jer. 23.24. What is the Popish Religion, but a bundle of ridiculous Ceremonies? Their Wax, Flowers, Pixes, Agnus Dei, Cream and Oil, Beads, Crucifixes: What are these but Satan's Policy, to dress up a carnal Worship fitted to carnal Minds? Oh what cause have we to bless God for delivering us from Popery! It was a Mercy to be delivered from the Spanish Invasion, and the Powder Treason, but a far greater to be delivered from the Popish Religion, which would have made God give us a Bill of Divorce.

Use 1. See the goodness of God to our Nation, who hath brought us out of mystical Egypt, delivering us from Popery, which is Romish Idolatry, and hath caused the light of his Truth to break forth gloriously among us. In former times, and more lately in the Marian days, England was over-spread with Idolatry; we worshipped God after a false manner: That is Idolatry, not only to worship a