commaundement yet because they must deliuer a decalogue of Gods commaundements ten in number they haue diuided the last as hauing most words in it into two in which diuision although they pretend Saint Austen for them yet the whole streame of orher Fathers some doubt is onely made of Dionise of Alexandria is against them therein who all otherwise deliuer and expound the same I vrge them not so much for their diuision as for that they being so continually reproued for this their abuse yet they will not * Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen thing nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or the earth beneath thou shalt not bow downe to thē nor worship them for I thy Lord God am a iealous God c. set these words downe in their Catechismes at least as a part of the first commaundement that such simple persons as by them are forbidden to read the Scriptures might at least be instructed the law of God in their Catechismes who conceiueth not what is the cause of this truly their horrible and Paganish abuse of making and worshipping Gods pictures which they would not haue discouered to the simple and ingenuous Papist But how doe these prophane Pagane Philosophers Diuines and Christians I dare not herein cal them defend themselues from the sinne of Idolatrie Iustly as c Dio. Chrisost or at 12. de prima dei cognit maxi Tir. serm 38. Lamprid. in Alexand. see Austen in Fsal 113. Dio Chrisostomus Maximus Tyrius Mercurius Trismegistus Lampridius and other heathenish Philosophers did defend themselues against the ancient Christians obiecting vnto them idolatrie in their Image and Idoll-worshipping an Idoll and an Image adored is all one For as they said summum primum maximum c. We worship and adore the chiefest first greatest God creator of all things and conseruer of all things in and by the Images of gold siluer and ebonie not as though they did beleeue those Images to be God himselfe but the representations onely of him euen so do our Pontificians excuse themselues The Tridentine Fathers in their f Catechis Trident in expos primi praecepti See Ferus in 17 Act. Apost Caietan in 3. q. 25. art 3. Catechisme doe seeme to acknowledge that the wisest Ethniks did set diuers of their Images to represent the true God and that the Iewes also did by their golden Calfe which they worshipped represent the true God of Israel which also most clearly agreeth with holy Scripture where Aaron saith that the g Exod. 32. feast which he appointed hauing dedicated an Altar for the golden Calfe was a feast instituted to Iehona the same also was done and professed to be done by Micheas his mother h Iudg. 17. who protested of the siluer whereof she had made her Idoll she had sanctified it to Iehonah And truly it is a matter so cleare in the old Panims that there is scarce any ancient i Eusebius in l. b. de praeparat Euang. soepe Var ro apud August de ciuit lib. 7. Sceuola apud eundem ibidem lib. 4. Plato in Phoedon Iudaei in Egypto apud Ierem. cap. 44. Historian with Eusebius who deliuereth not their Pontificianlike excuses for their adorations of Images when the anciēt Christians obiected Idolatry to them So these men Vasques Cajetane Paliot Nauar Zuares Valentia acknowledge that they giue diuine honour to the Images of Christ but they commit not idolatrie forsooth because they do not giue their worship to Images as to Gods or for that they beleeue any diuinitie to be in them but this their excuse maketh them more inexcusable as k Ionas Aurel. lib. de cultu imagin Ionas Aurelianēsis worthily sheweth because not esteeming them as Gods nor beleeuing any diuinitie to be in them yet notwithstanding they yeeld vnto them the same worship as to God himselfe for Gods sake and respect O ye heauens be astonished they bow they adore prostrate groueling vpon the ground to dead Images senselesse papers blockes they burne incense lights and candles to the same and yet forsooth they must not be called Idolaters because they worship God with the Images and all the worship they giue to the Images is for his sake O most crooked metaphisicall conceits Heathenish Philosophie is the parent of most blasphemous idolatrie which is so generally obserued amongst you that there is no Church no Chappell nor priuate Oratorie where you commit not these idolatrous fornications I remember how conformely to this their idolatrous diuinitie the famous Ignatian l Valent. lib. 2. de Idolatria cap. 7. Valentia writeth whose saying I could neuer read without astonishment thus it is Neque absurde profecto putaueres B. Petrum c. Neither shalt thou absurdly thinke blessed m 1. Pet. 4. Peter to haue insinuated some worship of simulachrorum grauen things to wit sacred Images to be lawfull when as he would by name dehort the faithfull from the vnlawfull worships Idolorum of Idols for what * See how this doctrine of Valentia agreeth with sacred Scripture 1. ad Corinth 12. Act. 7. 15. 1. Ioh. 5 where the Latine word fimulachrum is vsed for Images worshipped that is for Idols needed he so determinately to note vnlawfull worshippes simulachrorum of grauen things Images or Idols if he had altogether iudged no worships fimulachrorum of Images or grauen things lawfull Thus farre most absurdly their Morish and Pagane Valentia alas Christian Reader into what extremicie are these men driuen when they will thus depraue Scripture to maintaine their superstitious kinde of image atrie or Idolatrie to be lawfull Their owne consciences tell them that traditions they haue none if they haue I challenge them to produce them n Grego epist 111. lib. 7. ep 9. lib. 9. Saint Gregorie the first hath Traditions for them I wish them to read him and when they shall haue read him I giue them leaue to adore Images if they regard his authoritie I aske them also what tradition Saint o August in Psal 113. epist 119. alias soepe in lib. de ciuitate dei Austen deliuereth commenting vpon the Psalmes and writing to Ianuarius who in the later place hath this saying Precepto primo prohiberi ne quis colat vllam imaginem Dei nisi vnam candem cum ipso videlicet Christum It is forbidden saith he by the first commaundement that any man worship any Image of God himselfe but one and the same with himselfe to wit Christ and heere you see by the way Saint Austens diuision of the tenne commaundements maketh nothing for them whose doctrine is so expresse against all adoration of the Images of God himselfe as nothing can be clearer but belike they will expound him with all the auncient Farhers forbidding the worshipping of Images to wit that they must not be worshipped as Gods themselnes but may be worshipped for Gods sake with diuine honour So most vainly the vaine Ignatian Valentia answereth and Cardinall Bellarmine the Romane p Cardin. Bellar. lib. 2. de Ecclesia triumph writeth thus Si imagi c. If the same worship be giuen to an Image which is giuen to God the creature is worshipped alike
with a sincere faith in a stonc or by a stone He teacheth also that a maÌ„ may worship God by the deuils substance as he is cited by Eudaemon l. 3. numer 31. Caieta in 3. q. 25. art 3. Azor institut lib. 9. cap. 6. Valentia lib. 2 de idololat cap. 7. Bananent Albertus Richar in 3. dist 9. alâ—i poene omnes by Thomas Aquinas their Angelicall Doctor by the very Councell of Trent as Suares and Vasquez expound it of diuine adoration of Images and other Ignatian Readers of diuinitie at Rome as I haue often heard It is the most expresse doctrine of rheir famous Casuist Nauarre and almost all their Summists of Valentia wherein he is most vehement of Vasquez who as Eudaemon citeth him teacheth that a man may worship God with a sincere faith per lapidem vel in lapide by a stone or in a stone and if I forget not he affirmeth that a man may sincerely worship God in and by the Diuels substance u Bellarmine would seeme to haue an opinion and explication by himselfe but wherein he would seeme to differ he affirmeth as badly if not farre worse then others doe he would haue forsooth the prototipon or person to be worshiped directly and per se for it selfe or by it selfe but the Image per accidens accidentally and indirectly as it is considered and vsed as an actuall representation of the Prototipon by which doctrine hee composeth in truth a certaine Idol of Christs Images and the Images of Saints with their persons making of them and their Images one obiect of adoration x Valentia lib. 2. de Iodol cap. 7. Valentia seemeth in this doctrine to be impudent persons for the good Ignatian will not sticke to affirme that diuine worship honour may and must be giuen directly per se to the Images so it be not giuen to theÌ„ as to Gods theÌ„selues and so saith he it is not Idolatrie O curuam animam O earthly and crooked soule It were impertineÌ„t to cite Authors for this purpose it is generally by them all most expresly affirmed by famous Cardinall Palliotto and Azorius the Ignatian my master in Rome deliuereth y Azorius lib. 9. institut cap. 6. that it is generally the doctrine of all their doctors that Images are to be adored and worshipped with the very worship of the Persons which they represent for the PersoÌ„s sake But I here protest before God that as often as I haue read this doctrine in the Pontifician doctours yet I neuer receiued it and euer I haue perswaded my acquaintance neither to beleeue it nor to practise it and therefore as I hope I haue the sooner found mercy but yet I am blame-worthy that I would so long continue in communion with such impious and most abominable Idolaters yea and also sometimes do some externall worship before Images but my intention was euer caried from the Images to God and his Saints I call this doctrine of adoration of Images most impious and abominable because most expresly against the sacred z Deut. 4. Exod. 20. Sapi. 14. ad Rom. 1. Epist. Ioh. 1. cap. 4. Isai Ierem. Baruch Psalm saepissime word of God and his second eternall commaundement of the decalogue which they curtalled and mamed doe deliuer in their Catechismes because they would not haue ther ignominie discouered it is also a-against the authoritie of all ancient Fathers whatsoeuer and I challenge all the adorers and worshippers of Images to produce but one authenticall sentence on t of some ancient Doctor of the Church for their adoration and worship They that will vnderstand what the ancient Church did beleeue concerning the adoration of Images may read Saint a August in Psal 113. epist 119. 59 Tertul lib. de idololatria soepe Amb deebitu Theodosij in epist ad Valentinian 31. non â—ult se deus in lapidibus coli God will not be worshipped in stones Et in epist D. Pau. ad Eph. And in his comment vpon the Epistle to to the Romans by what reason or by what authority may the Images of Saints or Angels be adored when as the Angels and Saints would not suffer themselues to be adored Lactant sapissime Hieron m 2. Dani Minutius Felix in Octauio alii omnes Austen with other Fathers fully and clearely pronouncing against the adoring of such creatures The Councel of Frankford consisting of all the Bishops of the West assembled in the time of Charles the Great against the Nicene Speudosinode vnder Constantine and Iraenes where the adoration and worshipping of Images although not so abhominably as is now taught by the Pontificians Ignatians was decreed vtterly condemned and detested the adoration of Images But it is a world to see how b Bellar lib. 2 de imag cap. 14. Bellarmine endeuours to shift of the authoritie of this Councell of Frankford which sometimes hee would gladly haue â—o be counterfaite sometimes he endeuoreth to say that the Fathers at Frankford did not condemne the second Nicence Councell which commanded the adoration of Images but another Councel of Constantinople which consisting of almost al the Bishops of the East did command the abolishing of all Images in respect of the horrible abuses committed in the worshipping of them the which Councell ought to take place as being both before and as frequent an assembly of Easterne Prelates as that of Nice was but it is too too apparant in the Councell of c Liber Caroli magni prafat See Roger Houe den continuat Bedae anno 792. Regino adann 594. Hinâ—ma Archbishop of Rhemes in his Epistle against Hinâ—mar of Laoun affirmeth as much clonas Episc Aurelâ—an lib de cultu Imag. Abbas Vrsper Also testifieth as much although the word Constantinople be foisted into his Historic Chron. 793. Frankford that they condemned that Easterne Councell of Nice in expresse termes which had commanded the adoration of Images and therefore the Fathers with ioynt voyce concurring pronounced that although sacred Images were to be kept yet notwithstanding they would not adore or worship them least by so doing they should make c Idols of them Obserue Christian reader the cunning impietie of the Pontificians God hauing proclaimed in the institution of his law by Moses in the second commaundement against the adoration and worshipping of any Images of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath yea and of himselfe as is there most perspicuously deliuered according to the exposition of the ancient d Origen contra Celsum lib. 4. Damasc de orthod fide lib. 4. cap. 17. Theod. in Deuteron q. 1 Sinod Nicen. 2. Act. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. August de fide Simbol c. 7. Nicet lib. de imaginibus Abulensis in 4. Deutron Lira Arnobius contra gentes lib. 8. Omnes antiqui ex recentioribus quamplu res Fathers and their owne best later doctours they haue to blinde the eyes of the simple depriued them in their Catechismes of the second
of Heads or cheefe Gouernors yea made so plaine that p Parsons in his Catholike letter against our Kings Apology Iobn Hart also acknowledged the same to Doctor Reinolds Conference cap. 10. in the end Parsons himselfe acknowledgeth that as our o Our King in his Apology Soueraign doth declare and explane his Title of headship and Supremacy it is sound and in some sort allowable they haue left that saying but yet thereby it is cleare that Antichrist in their owne estimation when he shall come shall be a kind of tyrannicall and vsurping Churchman The prouerbiall prophecy of of Saint Hildegard spoken of by many hath the same meaning vnum vos monco Cauete Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are ill carryed away with the loue of walls naughtily doe you worship the Church as if it were within couers and edifices badly vnder these doe you offer the name of peace what can it be doubted that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines Woods Lakes Prisons Whirlepooles shall bee more secure to me for Prophets either staying in these or thrown into these haue prophecied with the spirit of God thus she who hath not heard of the Prophecy of Ioakim Abbot which ought to bee of credit with the Pontificians considering how eager Stapleton q Stapleton in promptu is against the very haire to make him prophecie of the Order of the Ignatians as of a speciall Order to be raised vp by God for defence and propagation of the Romane Church But for prophecies the like might bee produced out of r Lib. reuelat 4. Ciril lib. reuelat related by Aytmger in Method Briget and Ciril and others these may suffice But heare a more forcible testimony out of our English Pontificians the Å¿ Annotat. in 2. ad thessalo 2. annot 5. Rhemists themselues who graunt that both Saint Austin and Saint Hierome doe interpret the sitting of Antichrist in the Temple of God for his sitting in Christs Church but not say they as though hee should be cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a speciall part of his mysticall body if they meane that in truth and verity Antichrist should not so be they neuer wrote truer Doctrine but if they meane that in the sense of the Fathers he should not as a pretended ruler and cheefe of the Church or as a pretended mysticall head of his body sit in the same it is most vaine and against the very haire for what doe they or can they else vnderstand by sitting in the Church but to rule and gouerne in the Church and therefore he alone is said to sitte in the Temple because he alone challengeth independently monarchically and Soueraignely according to the doctrin of Bellarmine t Bellar. lib. 1. de conci cap. 17. Baron in Annal. sepissime Allen. his defeÌ„ce of english Catholicks cap. 5. Baron Sanders Allen and all other who make the Church-Gouernment a Monarchy to Gouerne the whole Temple All other Bishops and prelates whatsoeuer being but his substitutes according u Bellar. lib. 1. de Romano pontific cap. 9. paragr proinde Turrecremat in sama lib. 3. cap. 44. to Bellarmines Doctrine as Viceroyes are substitutes vnder absolute Monarchs Yea these Rhemists forgetfull of what they said some few lines before by force of truth constrained thus they adde that Antichrist if hee euer were of or in the Church hee should bee an Apostata and a runnagate out of the Church and shall vsurpe vppon it by tyranny and by challenging worship religion and gouernement thereof so that himselfe shall bee adored in all Churches of the World which he list to leaue standing for his honour and this is to sit in the Temple or * Obserue Christian reader these gramarians they would make the prepositioÌ„ in with an ablatiue case to stand for against against the Temple of God as some what some are these interpret if any Pope did euer this or shall doe then let the aduersaries call him Antichrist Thus they Obserue ChristiaÌ„ Reader by their owne confession they acknowledge that the Bishop of Rome may be iustly called Antichrist if these things can be proued of him These Doctours neuer wrote truer line That hee is adored in all the Churches and congregations which he would haue to stand or hath reared vpon the ruines of such Churches as hee hath destroyed who can deny it it is as manifest as the sunne he is not named in the Masse or Letanies but with reuerence and as for the outward externall adoration and worship which is giuen him wheresoeuer hee personally sitteth it doth not onely surpasse all adoration and Honour giuen to any earthly Prince or Potentate but it farre passeth that which is giuen to their Sacrament it selfe which to them is not onely called as God or worshipped as a God but is beleeued to be very Christ himselfe yea and that the most blessed Trinity is to be worshipped as specially present in that Sacrament for to this Sacrament and God in it one adoration and genuflexion will serue when you come to pray but come to sue or supplicate to him that sitteth in the Temple one wil not serue but you must haue two or three adorations and genuflexions and as many at your departing whether you obteine your suite or not and almost prostrate also you must kisse his feete before you depart if you may be admitted to that Fauour For I assure you in Rome it is esteemed a fauour to kisse the Popes foote greater then in Aethiopia to see the great Presbyters great toe for which Purpose he hath caused the signe of our redemption to be drawne vpon his slippers where doubtlesse sometimes it hath homely droppes fall vpon it but it little mattereth for Christians mouthes saue the Popes groomes of their labour which adoration sweete licking if you please to beleeue the Cretian x Eudaemon paralell cap. 8. pag. 403. Ignatian Eudaemon was prophecied by King Dauid Pii Principes c. Let Godly Princes knowing what they owe to God in his Members and in his Ministers adore them with demisse countenance and lick the dust of their feet thus that lying parazite pardon me Christian reader for calling him so y He that shall reade his caluÌ„nious booke written aga nst the temperate and iudlcious book of the L. Bishop of Elye will easily perceiue how desperate that cause of the Pope is which hath such desperate Raylers set a worke to maintaine it what haue the Ignatians no better EudaemoÌ„ then this Cacodaemon Pardon me courteous Reader the foule mourhed Daemon who in euery page almost giueth either the lye or exprobrateth auaâ—ice to that worthy learned Prelate deserueth no lesse he is doubtlesse the most impudent lyer and most shamelesse calumniator and vainest parazite that euer put pen to paper and for his comfort some may tell him hee is so esteemed by almost all indifferent and iudicious Pontifician