PILGRIMAGES.

TO speak of pilgrimages, I say, that a christian man, so that he leave nothing undone at home that he is bound to do, is free to go whither he will, only after the doctrine of the Lord, whose servant he is, and not his own. If he go and visit the poor, the sick, and the prisoner, it is well done, and a work that God commandeth. If he go to this or that place, to hear a sermon, or because his mind is not quiet at home, or if because his heart is too much occupied on his worldly businesses by the reason of occasions at home, he get him into a more quiet and still place, where his mind is more abstract and pulled from worldly thoughts, it is well done. And in all these places, if, whatsoever it be, whether lively preaching, ceremony, relick, or image, stir up his heart to God, and preach the word of God, and the ensample of our Saviour Jesus more in one place than in another, that he thither go I am content. And yet he bideth a lord, and the things serve him, and he not them. Now whether his intent be so or no, his deeds will testify, as his virtuous governing of his house, and loving demeanour toward his neighbours: yea, and God's word will be alway in his heart, and in his mouth, and he every day perfecter than other,

For there can nothing edify man's soul, save that which preacheth him God's word. Only the word of God worketh the health of the soul. And whatsoever preacheth

him that cannot but make him perfecter.

But to believe that God will be sought more in one place than in another, or that God will hear thee more in one place than in another, or more where the image is, then where it is not, is a false faith, and idolatry, or image service. For first God dwelleth not in temples made with hands. (Acts xvii.) Item, Stephen died for the contrary,

and proved it by the prophets. (Acts vii.) And Solomon in the viiith of the third of the Kings, when he had built his temple testified the same, and that he had not built it for God to dwell in, yea, and that God dwelleth not in the earth, but that he should out of heaven hear the prayers of them that prayed there. And the prophets did often testify unto the people that had such a false faith that God dwelt in the temple, that he dwelt not there. Moreover, God in his Testament bindeth himself unto no place, nor yet thee; but speaketh generally (concerning where and when) saying, (Psalm xlix.) In the day of the tribulation Psalm xlix. thou shalt call on me, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. He setteth neither place nor time; but wheresoever and whensoever: so that the prayer of Job upon the dunghill was as good as Paul's in the temple. And when our Saviour saith (John xvi.) Whatsoever ye ask John xvi. my father in my name, I will give it you, he saith not in this or that place, or this or that day; but wheresoever and whensoever, as well in the fields as in the town, and on the Monday, as on the Sunday. God is a spirit, and will be worshipped in the spirit. (John iv.) That is, John iv. though he be present every where, yet he dwelleth lively and gloriously in the minds of angels only, and hearts of men that love his laws, and trust in his promises. And wheresoever God findeth such an heart, there he heareth the prayer in all places and times indifferently. So that the outward place neither helpeth or hindereth except (as I said) that a man's mind be more quiet and still from the rage of worldly businesses, or that some thing stir up the word of God and ensample of our Saviour more in one place, than in another.

WHENCE IDOLATRY OR IMAGE SERVICE
SPRINGETH.

Circumcision.

remonies of the old law

were

preachers
to the
ple.

peo

NOW that thou mayest see whence all this idolatry or image service is sprung, mark a little, and then I will answer unto the arguments which these image-servers Sacraments. make against the open truth. All the ceremonies, ornaments, and sacrifices of the Old Testament were sacraments. That is to wete, signs preaching unto the people one thing or another. As circumcision preached unto them, that God had chosen them to be his people, and All the ce- that he would be their God, and defend them, and increase and multiply them, and keep them in that land, and bless the fruits of the earth, and all their possessions. And on the other side it preached, how that they had promised God again to keep his commandments, ceremonies, and ordinances. Now when they saw their young children circumcised, if they consented unto the appointment made between God and them, moved by the preaching of that same, then they were justified thereby. Howbeit, the deed in itself, the cutting of the foreskin of the manchild's privy member justified them not, nor was a satisfaction for the child's sins; but the preaching only did justify them that received the faith thereof. For it was a badge given indifferently, as well unto them that never consented in their hearts unto God's law, as unto the elect, in whose hearts the law was written. And that this was the meaning of circumcision, may be proved many ways: But namely, by Paul, (Rom. ii.) where he saith, Circumcision is much worth, if thou keep the law, whose sign it was, and else not. And (Rom. iii.) where he saith that God did justify the circumcised of faith, (whose sign it was on the other side) and else not.

The Jews by faith

were justi fied and not by the deeds of the

law.

Lamb.

And the paschal lamb was a memorial of their deliver- Paschal ance out of Egypt only, and no satisfaction or offering for sin.

And the offering of their first-fruits preached how they First fruits. had received all such fruits of the hand of God, and that it was God that gave them that land, and that kept them in it, and that did bless and make their fruits grow. In token whereof, as unto a lord royal, they brought him the first ripe fruits of their harvest. Which remembrance, as long as it abode in their hearts, it moved them to love God again, and their neighbour, for his sake, as he so oft desired them. And out of this ceremony was fetched the blessing of our new ripe fruits for like purpose, though we have lost the signification.

And their other offerings, as the sacrifice of doves, Sacrifices. turtles, lambs, kids, sheep, calves, goats and oxen, were no satisfactions for sin, but only a sign and token, that at the repentance of the heart, through an offering to come, and for that seed's sake that was promised Abraham, their sins were forgiven them.

And in like manner, the ornaments, and all other cere- Ornaments. monies, were either an open preaching, or secret prophesies, and not satisfactions or justifyings. And thus the works did serve them, and preach unto them, and they not the works, nor put any confidence therein.

Works mus serve us and

not we the works.

FALSE WORSHIPPING.

BUT what did the children of Israel and the Jews? They let the significations of their ceremonies go, and lost the meaning of them, and turned them unto the works to serve them, saying that they were holy works commanded of God, and the offerers were thereby justified, and obtained forgiveness of sins, and thereby become good as the parable of the pharisee and publican de

The Jews became ser vants and

Luke xviii. clareth. (Luke xviii.) And as it is to see in Paul, and throughout all the Bible: and became captive to serve, and put their trust in that which was neither God nor his word. And so the better creature against nature did serve the worse; whereof all likelihood God should have accepted their work, by the reason of them, if their captives to hearts had been right, and not have accepted their souls for the blood's sake of a calf or sheep, for as much as a man is much better than a calf or sheep, as Christ testifieth. (Matt. xii.) For what pleasure should God have in the blood of calves, or in the light of our candles? His pleasure is only in the hearts of them that love his commandments.

their works.

The blind reason of

Then they went further in the imagination of their blind hypocrites. reason, saying, Inasmuch as God accepteth these holy works, that we be made righteous thereby, then it followeth that he which offereth most, is most righteous, and the best man: yea, and it is better to offer an ox than a sheep, because it is more costly. And so they strove who might offer most, and the priests were well apaid. Then went they further in their fleshly wisdom, saying: If I be good for the offering of a dove, and better for a sheep, and yet better for an ox, and so ever the better Oblind and thing I offer, the better I am; oh, how accepted should foolish ima- I be, if I offered a man, and named him that I most gination! loved! And upon that imagination, they offered their own children, and burnt them to ashes before images that they had imagined.

Holy day.

And to confirm their blindness, they laid for them (no doubt) the ensample of Abraham, which offered his son Isaac, and was so accepted, that God had promised him, how that in his seed all the world should be blessed. Hereof ye see unto what abomination blind reason bringeth a man, when she is destitute of God's word.

And to speak of the sabbath (which was ordained to be their servant, and to preach, and to be a sign unto them, that God through his Holy Spirit and word did