to permit their daily worship vpon these mentioned or like occasions was from the beginning most vnexpedient and vnlawfull To continue or authorize it so begun is Idololatrical And yet as well the very arguments which some pretend for their religious vse as the circumstances of the time wherein their broken title prevaild perswads me they could never haue gotten readmission into the Church but from such indulgence to Heathen Converts as Gregorie graunted to our Forefathers Gregorie himselfe as well blames their superstition for worshipping images in the Church as Serenus for breaking the images because they had beene worshipped He aggravates his fault nor doth that mistaken example of Ezekia's crushing the brasen serpent any way warrant the exercise of Serenus zeale that he had his habitation amongst the Gentiles quibus pro lectione pictura est Lib. 9. Epist 11. lib. 7. epist 110. But now that custome by the analogie of lawes politique hath confirmed their auncient dignities vnto them the lawfulnesse of their religious service is by their worshippers justified partly from reason partly from instances of like practises in the Patriarchs and other godly men CHAPTER XXXIIII Of the disagreements betwixt the Iesuites themselues in what manner Images may be worshipped 1. BELLARMINE and his second Sacroboscus with most others of Aquinas his latter followers will haue the worship or adoration to be terminated immediately to the Image and accomplished in this termination although so terminated it redound vnto the honour of the partie whose image it is That is as they expresse themselues although they worship the image of God or a Saint onely with reference vnto God or the Saint yet they neither worship the image of God with the same worship wherewith they worship God immediately in spirit nor the image of any Saint with the same worship which they would exhibit to the Saint himselfe were he present This explication they further illustrate by this similitude As to be sent in Embassage by a King puts greater honor vpon the Embassadour for the time being then would fit his meere personall worth and yet invests him not with honour royall so the Image of God for the reference it hath vnto his Maiestie is worthy of greater honor than the stuffe or workmanship is capable of yet vncapable of that honour which is due to God Some of them adde withall that albeit the actuall worship which they performe vnto the Image may perhaps proceed from the same habit of Latria wherewith they worship God yet it doth not follow in their opinion that they should worship the Image cultu Latriae The acts whatsoever the habit be are much different and must be exprest in diverse termes especially seeing in this subiect not onely errour it selfe but every least shew of errour ought with carefulnesse to be avoyded At in vitium ducit culpae fuga si caret arte Their vnscholasticke warinesse to avoyde offence in the words wherewith they expresse their doctrine drawes these factions and their followers to commit reall Idolatrie in the practise as Vasques copiously and very acutely prooues against Bellarmine Vasques lib. 2. Disp 8. cap. 8. c. His arguments we shall by Gods assistance be able to make good against any solution or evasion that can be brought by the Cardinalls favorites Sacroboscus would faine haue said somewhat to them but he had so accustomed himselfe to play the scoffing mimicke with the reverend Doctor Whitaker that he could not leaue his wonted lightnesse when he met with his fellow Iesuite Hate and loue sayth he of divers obiects as of good and evill are from one and the same habit and yet hate is not loue nor loue hate No more in his opinion would it follow that we should worship Gods image cultu latriae albeit the act of worship proceed from the same habit wherewith we worship God himselfe The grounds of his illustration haue no coherence with the point which he intended to illustrate We may rather thus retort Though neither loue be hate nor hate loue yet if the loue of any spirituall good be truely religious the hate of the contrary evill must needs be religious likewise because they proceede from one and the same habit of religion So if the acts wherewith we worship Gods image for the reference which it hath to him proceed from the same habit of Latria wherewith we worship God men must of necessitie worship the Image as well as God cultu Latriae The rules which Bellarmine and others set for worshipping Images doe by Vasques his verdict teach the people to act Idolatrie And the method which Vasques prescribes for ratification of this error is by Sacroboscus his testimony so scholasticke and hard that ordinary capacities cannot follow it Were it not the part of a wise religious moderator such as the Pope professeth himselfe to be to cut of all occasion of subtile disputes about the manner of worshipping Images by vtter abandoning the matter it selfe or substance about which they contend or at the least to inhibite the people from all practise in this kinde till their Schoole-men could agree about the rules or patterne which they were to follow None of them I thinke hold the worshipping of Images to be in it selfe any necessary part of religion but necessary onely from the Churches iniunction All the generall that can be pretended for the conveniency of it can no way countervaile the danger that will necessarily ensue vpon the practicall mistakings of their Schoolmens prescripts yet the one partie must of necessitie erre in prescribing the manner how Images must be worshipped The manner as Vasques and some other more auncient thinke is thus It is rightly said that even the Image is worshipped and yet not worshipped after what manner we list but in as much as the prototype is represented in it Whence albeit the Image be worshipped yet is not the Image it selfe the cause why it is worshipped but the thing represented by it and contained in it is the cause or warrant of the adoration And in as much as one of these is not altogether divided from the other for albeit the prototype be in it selfe one thing and the image another yet in as much as the prototype is conspicuous in the image it is not segregated from it so the worship of them both is not divided but is one and the same as is apparant from the sentence of the Philosophers For they teach that one and the same motion is terminated to the image and to the obiect whose image it is by reason the subordination betwixt them is such as to make but one entire Teâ—me of the motion and the motion takes its vnitie or identitie from the vnitie or identitie of its Terme Therefore it must be granted that faithfull people in the Church doe not onely worship before the image as some desirous perhaps to speake cautelously affirme but that they worship the very image without
acknowledged by many to be the onely God from the former opinion became answerable to as many names as the world had principall parts and vpon diversitie of relations to effects or motioÌ„s presumed to issue from his amiable or liue presence subdivided into both sexes tearmed Neptune in the sea Liber in the vineyard Vulcan in the Smiths forge and Vagitanus in the Infants mouth in the aire Iuno in the earth Tellus Venilia in the sea-waue whilest current to the land Salatia in the same waue reciprocating The meere varietie of names or alteration of the sexe or gender would naturally suggest a multiplicity of gods and goddesses vnto the ignorant so would the diverse formes or shapes of those bodies whereof they imagined him to be the soule and spirit vnto the learned specially seeing the motions or operations of the elements or other inferior bodies haue no such vitall dependance vpon any one or few principall parts of the world as in man all other members with their functions haue on the heart the head and liver or perhappes all originally on the heart And yet the evident prerogatiue of these three parts hath perswaded great Philosophers to allot three severall soules really and locally distinct to each principall part one From which opinion it would with probability follow that in one man there should be three living creatures A plant a sensitiue and a rationall substaÌ„ce And Varro the most learned amongst the Romanes graunts that the auncient Romanes did worship mother Tellus Ops Proserpina and Vesta for distinct goddesses Though these titles in his refined Theologie rather imported so many severall vertues of the earth whose soule or spirit was but one And not absurdly as he thought might other goddesses be reduced to this olde Grandame Tellus But S. Austine demaunds how this can stand with the doctrine of his auncestors which had ordained severall rites to all these as vnto goddesses in nature different and consecrated peculiar votaries vnto Vesta It is not all one for one goddesse to haue many names and to be many goddesses or shall multiplicitie and vnitie be avouched of one and the same It may be saith Varro that in one many may be contained but this avoydes not the intended checke Saint Austine replies That as in one and the same man there may be many entities not many men so in one and the same goddesse there might be severall vertues not severall goddesses Varroes attempt to justifie his forefathers iolly and reconcile their grosse ignorance with his learned errors evidently bewrayes whose successors the Iesuites or other quaint moderne refiners of Schoole Paganismes are which hope to salue the contradictions of their doating forefathers and erring councells and patch vp the vnitie of their broken and divided Church by Schoole glue or Philosophicall querks 3. But concerning the animation of the world and its severall parts the opinions of Philosophers varied and their variation caused varietie of Idolatrie Every body had a peculiar spirit or genius besides Iupiter to whom the moderation of all was assigned whence we may without breach of charitie suppose the worshipping of dumbe and sencelesse creatures to haue beene a practise though wicked in all yet not altogether so brutish and sencelesse in some heathen as it is often generally censured without distinction For even the elements or inanimate creatures which they adored had in the opinion of some Philosophers their proper spirits though not to informe them as our soules doe our bodies yet to assist or guard them each of which spirits was held divine and indued with some peculiar power or vertue for producing or averting certaine effects proportionable to the bodies Authors for skill as well practicke as speculatiue not easie to be deceived and for their gravitie and morall honestie exempt from all suspition of purposed deluding others haue related strange apparitions about Mines The like might seduce some heathen to adore gold and silver not as mettalls but rather as visible pledges of an invisible Mammons presence conceived by them as a spirit or guardian of treasure by whose favour sollicited in peculiar rites or services wealth might either be gotten or increased The like conceit no question moved the â—ndians to present a Casket of gold jewels with such a solemne maske or superstitious daunce as they held most acceptable to their country-gods in hope Gold the Spanish God as they deemed it being pleased with their devotions would appease the Spanyards crueltie Why those semi-Christians should so hunger and thirst after gold and mettalls which could neither allay their hunger nor quench their thirst could not enter into these silly caitiffs hearts vnlesse it were to sacrifice it vnto some Mammon or spirit of Gold 4. Iulian the Apostata albeit he spared no cost to make Iupiter his friend whom he adored as King of gods and chiefe moderator of the world yet thought it no point of thrift or wisedome to neglect the Elementall spirits because these in the heathenish divinitie which he followed were powers truely divine able to qualifie their worshippers with the spirit of divination Neither was this opinion of their Deitie in the censure of those times or sects any Paradox nor the offering of placatory sacrifices any vnlawfull or superfluous practise Otherwise Amianus his plea to acquite his Master from suspition of sorcery or Magicall Exorcismes had beene as ridiculous in the sight of Heathens as it was impious in the judgement of Christians Because this Prince a professed louer of all sciences is by some maligned to haue gained the foreknowledge of things future by naughtie Arts we are briefely to advertise by what meanes a wise man as this Prince was may attaine vnto this kinde of learning or skill more than vulgar The spirit of all the elements saith this Author being enquickned by the vncessant motion of the celestiall bodies participate with vs the gift or facultie of divination and the favour of the substantiall powers or immortall substances being purchased by respectiue rituall observance the praediction of Fates or destinie is conveyed vnto mortalitie from them as from so many perpetuall springs or fountaines Over these substantiall powers the goddesse Themis sits as President so called by the Grecians because the iâ—revocable fatall decrees by her mediation become cognoscible This Themis the auncient Theologi haue therefore placed in the bedchamber and throne of Iupiter fountaine of life and liuelihood 5. Yet this conceipt of Themis soveraigntie was not the opinion of all or most auncient heathen Doctors For some haue taught that Tellus or the spirit of the Earth did giue Oracles before Themis medled in these businesses During the time of both their regencies Nox by others was esteemed at least as midwife of Revelations whereof sometime she had beene reputed Queene-mother because these secret praedictions of destinie or fatall doomes were vsually brought to light in silent darkenesses Not much different from Ammians Philosophy are
ReligioÌ„ being formerly accustomed to worship the fire for Goâ— and to adore the thunder and lightning with divine honor set groues or trees in common woods of vnusuall height had such authoritie from antiquitie for their sacred esteeme that to cut or burne them or offer them any violence was reputed a sacrilege so fearefull as would instantly provoke vengeance divine But the woods and groues being at length cut downe and wasted without the destruction or harme of any imployed in this businesse they grew more tractable and as if the woods had taught them obedience began to beleeue the Kings authoritie and command becomming at length forward professors of Christian Religion 7. The like superstitious feare had Constantines resolution in reformation expelled out of the Aegyptians who would haue perswaded him that if he tooke their sacred ell or fathom out of Serapes Temple the River Nilus which was vnder this conceited Gods patronage would cease to flow At ille Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aenum But whether Angells had not graced these nurseries of devotion by their appearance vnto Gods servants in them especially before the Law was given is easilier questioned than determined The generall observation of errors springing from ancient truths imperfectly related makes me suspect that the apparition of Angels or manifestation of Gods presence in like places vnto holy men and their demeanour vpon such manifestations was by preposterous imitation drawn to authorize the Idololatricall worship of such spirits as the heathen had seene in visible shape as also of the supersticious esteeme or reverence of the places themselues For in Constantines time as Eusebius tells vs the Heathens had erected their Altars in the oaken groue of Mambree in which the three Angells appeared to Abraham 8. But whether Constantine though much offended with the Altar did with it destroy the groue is vncertaine For albeit the title of the Chapter containing this story in our English Eusebius takes it as graunted that he did the text notwithstanding leaues it doubtfull if not more probable that he did not Nor was it necessary he should in this case follow the example of Iosias or Ezekias having that libertie which they had not to build a Temple in the same place to the Lord vnto zealous devotion in whose service the groue might afford no lesse plenty of fuell than it had done to heathenish supersticion and Idolatry For that which feedeth superstition through want of instruction onely or through licensed opportunities not naturally not of it selfe would proue best nutriment of true devotion to such as haue the spirit of grace or wisdome to disgest it especially if the practises which nourish superstition be controlled by plausible custome or authority No affection more fertile of either than the Poeticall temper according as it is well or ill imployed No place yeelds such opportunities for growth either of roote or branch as woods or groues or like shrowdes or receptacles of retired life nor could the sight or solitary frequenting any of these haue nursed such strange superstition in the heathen but onely by suggesting a liuelier notion of the Godhead than vsuall obiects could occasion And if other mens mindes be of the same constitution with mine our apprehensions of the true God as Creator haue a kinde of spring when he renewes the face of the earth Praesentemque refert quâ—elibet herba Deum The suddainâ— growth of every grasse points out the place of his presence the varietie of flowers and hâ—â—rbes suggestâ— a secret admiration of his inexpressible beautie In this respect the frequency of Sermons seemes most necessary in Citties and great Townes that their Inhabitants who as one wittily observeth see for the most part but the workes of men may daily heare God speaking vnto them whereas such as are conversant in the fields and woods continually contemplate the workes of God And nothing naturally more apt to awaken our mindes and make them feele or see his operations than the growth of vegetables or the strange motions or instincts of creatures meerely sensitiue The secret increase or fructification of vegetables without any inherent motion or motiue facultie and the experience of sensitiues accomplishing their ends more certainely without any sparkle of reason then man doth his by reasonable contriuance or artificiall policie moued some heathens to adore groues woods birds and sensitiue creatures almost of every kinde for gods who yet neither worshipped dead elements or liuing men Dead elemeÌ„ts they neglected because their qualities lesse resemble the operations of the liuing God with some notions of whose nature they were inspired Liuing men they much admired not in that the cause of every actioÌ„ which they effect and the manner of bringing their ends about was too well knowne They saw little it seemeth in their neighbours but what they knew to be in themselues whom they had no reason to take for gods and if one should haue worshipped another perhaps the rest would haue called them fooles as birds or other creatures would haue done so they had knowne what worship meant howbeit such men in every age as could either reveale secrets to come or bring things to passe beyond the observation or experience of former humane wits were even in their life accounted as gods or neare friends vnto some god 9. Others againe that would haue scorned to worship men or almost any other liue-creature otherwise then vpon these tearmes did adore the heads or first springs of Rivers whose continuall motion to feede the streames that flow from them without any visible originall whence their owne store should be supplied is by nature not stifled by art a sufficient motiue to call the invisible Creator and fountaine of all things to mans remembrance And some againe whom sight of ordinary fountaines did lesse affect were put in mind of some divine invisible cause or prime mouer by the annuall overflow of Nilus or the like experiments inscrutable by course of nature The admirable effects of Nilus overflow were the cause of that irreligious and brutish disposition which Seneca noteth in the Aegyptian husbandmen Nemo Aratorum in Aegypto Coelum aspicit No Plowman in Aegypt lookes towardes Heaven The like hath a Romane Poet Te propter nullos Tellus tua postulat imbres Aâ—ida nec plu vio supplicat herba Iove Aegyptian earth saue Nilus streames no water knowes No parched grasse or Ioue or moistned ayre there wo'es The soile being mellowed with this River seemed lesse beholden to heaven than Athens was where as some collect the art of tilling the ground was first invented amongst the Graecians Albeit I rather thinke it was the drinesse of the soile wherein that famous Cittie stood which occasioned that Idololatricall embleme whence some haue taken occasion to coniecture that the art of tillage was first manifested there Athenis vbi ratio colendi agrum primum ostensa esse Graecis dicitur simulachrum terrae extitisse suppliciter
soules with two distinct habites of Religion one of latria wherewith wee serue God another of dulia whereby we tender such respect and service as is fit for Saints and Angells For every abstract number without addition or subtraction of any vnitie without any the least variation in it selfe necessarily includes a different proportion to every number that can be compared with it and so doth every sanctified or religious soule without any internall alteration or infusion of more habites or graces than that by which it is sanctified naturally bring forth three severall sorts of religious and respectfull demeanour 1. towards God 2. towards Saints or Angells 3. towards Princes men in authoritie or of morall worth As it is but one lesson Giue honour to whom honour loue to whom loue tribute to whom tribute so it is but one religious habite or rule of conscience that teacheth the practise of it And in some sense it may be graunted that men in authoritie or of morall worth must be worshipped with religious worship in another sense againe it must be denyed that Saints are to be worshipped with religious worship though worthy of some peculiar religious respect whereto Kings and Princes vnlesse Saints withall haue no title 4. The respect or service which we owe to others may take this denomination of Religious from three severall References First from the internall habit or religious rule of conscience which dictateth the acts of service or submission secondly from the intellectuall excellency or personall worth of the partie to whom they are tendred thirdly from the nature and qualitie of the acts or offices themselues which are tendred to them with the manner or circumstances of their tendring According to the first denomination we must worship vngodly Magistrates and irreligious Princes with religious Worship For if wee must doe all things for conscience sake and as in the sight of God our service wheresoever it is due must be no eye service no faigned respect All our actions and demeanours must be religious as Religion is opposed to hypocrisie dissimulation or time-serving And in this sense religious and civill Worship are not opposite but coordinate Men truely religious must be religiously civill in their demeanor towards others If our respect or service take the denomination of Religious from the personall worth or internall excellencie of the partie whom we worship it is most true wee are to worship Saints with more than meere civill Worship None of our Church I dare be bound will deny that godly and religious men must be reverenced not onely for their vertues meerely morall or politicke but for their sanctitie and devotion Yet is this all that the moderne Papist seekes to proue against vs. And from this Antecedent which needes no proofe he presently takes that for graunted which he shall never be able to prooue either from these or other premises to wit That Saints are to be worshipped with religious Worship as it is opposed to civill Worship His meaning if it reach the point in question must be this Wee are bound to offer vp the proper acts of Religion as prayers with other devotions by way of personall honour or service to the Saints This wee say is formall Idolatrie 5. It is one thing to tender our service in lowlinesse of spirit for conscience sake vnto the Prince another to tender him the service of our spirit or subiection of our consciences Religion binds me to bow my knee or vse other accustomed signes of obeysance in vnfaigned testimony that I acknowledge him Lord of my body armed with Authoritie from the Maker of it to take vengeance vpon it for deniall of its service Or in case he punish me without cause the bond of conscience and Religion tyes me to submit this outward man in humilitie of spirit to the vnlawfull exercise of his lawfull power rather than I should graunt him the command or disposall of my Religion or honour him with the acts or exercises of it In like sort the sight and presence of any whom God hath graced with extraordinary blessings of his Spirit will voluntarily extort signes of submissiue respect from every sanctified and religious spirit in vndoubted token that they reverence Gods gifts bestowed vpon him and heartily desire their soules might take some tincture or impression from his gratious carriage or instructions which they can hardly doe without some nearer linke of familiaritie and acquaintance or at least would doe so much better by how much the linke were closer or their vicinitie greater The right end and scope whereto the instinct of grace inherent in our soules doth direct these externall signes of submission is to woe their soules and spirits whom we thus reverence to some more intimate coniunction This submissiue reverence though not required by them is on our parts necessary for holding such consort or iust proportion with the abundant measure of Gods graces in them as we may draw comfort and perfection from them Contemplation of others excellency without this submissiue temper in our selues either stirres vp envie or occasioneth despaire and yet all that these outward and vnfaigned signes of submission can lawfully plight vnto them is the service of our bodies or inferior faculties These we could be content to sacrifice not to them but for their sakes alwayes provided that we doe not preiudice the right or dominion which our owne spirits and consciences haue over our bodies immediately vnder God But to offer vp the internall and proper fruits of the Spirit vnto them by way of tribute and honour is to dishonour to deny that God which made them The seedes of grace and true Religion are sowne immediately by his sole powerfull hand and their natiue of-spring acts of faith especially must be reserved entire and vntouched for him Prayers intrinsecally religious or devotions truely sacred are oblations which may not which cannot without open sacriledge be solemnly consecrated to any others honour but onely to his who infuseth the Spirit of prayer and thankesgiving into mens hearts The principall crime whereof we accuse the Romish Church and whereof such as purposely examine the inditement put vp by Reformed Churches against her and her children are to take speciall notice is her open professed direct intendment to honour them which are no gods with those prayers or devotions with these elevations of mindes and spirits wherewith they present the onely wise immortall King in Temples dedicated to his service He that prayed in olde times to an Idoll in a Groue destinated to his worship did wrong the true God after the same manner that he doth which robs him of his Tyths before they be set apart for his house But to come into his house of prayer with serious purpose to honour him with the sacrifice of a contrite or broken spirit and in the time of oblation to divert our best intentions to the honor of our fellow-creatures is worse than Ananias and Saphirahs sinne a lying to the
greatest Angell and the least amongst the sonnes of men are fellow-servants Doe wee speake this as men vnwilling to bow their knees vnto their betters without hope of gaine or loath to spend their breath without a fee or doth not the Scripture say the same Doe not such of our Lord and Masters servants as are cloathed with glory and immortalitie and daily behold his presence in perfect ioy inhibite the first proffers of such obeysance to them present as the Romish liturgie solemnly consecrates to the shrines and statues of others much meaner in their absence How beautifull were the feete of that heavenly Embassador how glorious and ioyfull were the tydings he then brought vnto the Inhabitants of the earth Blessed are they which are called vnto the marriage supper of the Lambe these are the true sayings of God Such was the state of the messenger and such his message as did well deserue to haue an Apostle for his Scribe for He bid him write And yet when this his Secretary fell at his feete vers 10. to worship he said vnto him See thou doe it not I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren that haue the testimony of Iesus worship God Did S. Iohn want wit to reply So I will cultu latriae but Thee my Lord his Embassador also cultu duliae This is a distinction of such subtiltie that it surpasseth all skill or spirit of prophecies Otherwise S. Iohn might haue knowne the vse of it when he had better opportunitie to vse it than any had since Yet if he had beene so disposed the Angell prevented him I am thy fellow servant and it is the dutie of servants not to seeke honour one of another but to be yoke-fellowes in their Masters service conforts in setting forth his honour Bellarmine was conscious that his first answere to this place though borrowed from Antiquitie was erroneous or impertinent Corrigendus fuit adorator non propter errorem adorationis sed propter errorem personae Saint Iohn was not to be reformed for offring to worship Him whom be tooke to be Christ but in that he mistooke the Angell for Christ Saint Austines words vpon which Bellarmine was too wise to rely too much are these Talis apparuerat Angelus ut pro Deo posset adorari et ideo fuerat corrigendus adorator The Angel did so appeare as he might seeme to be God or to be worshipped as God and therefore the worshipper was to be rectified 3. But let vs try whether his second cogitations be any sounder Saint Iohn did well in preffering to worship the Angell as Abraham Lot and other of his godly auncestors had done but the Angel did prohibite him in reverence to Christs humanitie For since the Angels themselues haue done homage to Christs humanitie they will not receiue that homage from men which before Christs incarnation they did Let him pretend what authoritie he list for the truth of this reply it is impertinent to the point in question and we may driue him to another shift by pressing this evasion For if the Angels since Christs incarnation haue released men of their wonted homage or rather wholly resigned it into Christs hand abandoning the least acknowledgment of religious worship when they come as Gods Embassadors in person wee demaund whether the Romish Church did well or ill in commaunding her sonnes and daughters to worship them still in this latter age wherein wee expect Christs comming in glory to Iudgement The forme of Bellarmines second answere is very strange and such as he derides Brentius for vsing in a matter farre more capable of it Wee rightly worship Angels and the Angels rightly refuse to be worshipped by vs. For after the Angell had given out his prohibition Vide ne feceris cap. 19. ver 10. See thou doe it not the Apostle offers to doe the like againe cap. 22. ver 9. as well knowing that he did well in worshipping and the Angell as well in refusing to be worshipped Nor may wee suspect that Saint Iohn was either indocile or forgetfull Much lesse may we suspect that God Almightie would haue his children of the Church militant and triumphant to complement it all the yeare long in such manner as strangers will for a turne or two at their first meeting the one in good manners offring and the other better refusing the chiefe place or precedence least of all may we thinke that one of Gods glorious Embassadors could out of maydenly modestie be driven to maintaine false doctrine To haue avoided the first proffer of worship so peremptorily forbidden See thou doe it not had beene enough to disprooue the solemne practise of it in whomsoever But not herewith content he giues a generall reason of his prohibition See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-servant worship God May wee not supply his meaning by Analogie of our Saviours Comment vpon the Text of the Law Worship him alone whom the Angels can never worship too much nor any man on earth enough 4. It is a warrant to our Churches fully sufficient not to doe homage vnto Angels absent because in presence they refuse and forbid it By what warrant the Romish Church can obtrude it vpon them against their wills let her sonnes looke to it Wee haue cause to suspect and they to feare that the Devill and his swift messengers haue played Gehazies with their Naamans runne to their Rulers in these heavenly Prophets names to demaund such gratifications vpon false pretences in their absence as they resolutely refused when in all reason they best deserved them if at any time they might haue taken them The Disciple is not aboue his Maister much lesse is the pupils practise to be imitated before the Tutors doctrine S. Iohn in this Dialogue was the pupill doe they then grace him by taking his proffer to worship this Angel for their warrant or rather wrong the Angel in not admitting his two-fold inhibition at both times obeyed by this his schollar for a sufficient caveat to deterre them from making the worshipping of Saints and Angels a speciall part of their solemne service But this is the curse which by Gods just judgement is fallen vpon them for detayning the truth in vnrighteousnesse That as the Horse-leach sucketh onely the melancholy humor out of mens bloud so these Locusts having relinquished the pure fountaine of truth must long after the dregs of Antiquitie in their doctrine and in their practise feede principally vpon such infirmities of the flesh as sometimes mingle them selues with the spirituall behaviour of Gods Saints For even the soules of Gods dearest Saints haue their habitation during this life with flesh and bloud And albeit we sinfull men may not passe our censures vpon S. Iohn nor measure his carriage in the Angels presence by any the least oversight in our selues who are never raught beyond our selues in such admiration of spirit as he then was yet the holy Angel with whose glorious appearance
he was astonished might discover the misplaced motions of his spirit or affection by some such outraying or mis-fashioned lines in his bodily gesture or outward behaviour as an expert Courtier would quickly espie in a meere contemplatiue Scholar called into some Court-like audience This carriage was for the present more pardonable in him than the continuall imitation of it can be in any A gratious Prince would take little or no displeasure if a man in a dreame or traunce or in some extraordinary passion of feare arising from apprehension of imminent danger or of ioy for vnexpected safetie should bestow royall titles on his speciall benefactor or preferre extemporary petitions or gratulations ore tenus in such submissiue style or gesture as might impeach as well the greatest subject in the Kingdome that should accept them as the meanest that could offer them of disloyaltie if they were drawne into legall forme or daily practise Admitting the Angel had not twice disallowed the worship proffered by the Apostle yet if we consider the extasie or strange exultation of spirit whence it was wrested the delinquencie of the Romish Church vsing his example for a patterne of their behaviour in publicke and solemne service when no occasion of like passion is offred either by Angelicall presence or joyfull Embassage argueth more wilfull and contemptuous disloyaltie towardes God than the former supposition implieth towardes earthly Princes And as it is a point of indiscretion to shew such peculiar observance to great Personages in the Princes presence as good manners else-where would exact so to tender such solemne worship to Saints and Angels in the Church or house of God is a circumstance which much aggravateth the haynousnesse or rather induceth an alteration of the qualitie of the Worship it selfe enough to make it superstitiously Religious though otherwise decently civill or offensiue onely in excesse 5. But to what end did the Apostle so carefully register the Angels two-fold prohibition or his owne reiterated checke To blazon his owne dignitie and high respect with Angels or to embolden others of meaner place in the Church Militant to fasten that kindnesse vpon them absent which would not be accepted from him whiles he spake with them face to face Some Romanists thinke such lowly obeysance did not so well become S. Iohn because he was a Priest others because he was a Virgine and the office of Priesthood is in their doctrine as great Virginitie in a man of his age a greater dignitie than Angelicall excellencie Virginitie I thinke is more scarce and rare in Romish Priests than the gift of Prophecie or familiaritie with Angels is in other men and this is the reason that they set so high a price vpon it Others coniecture the spirit of Prophecy did priviledge this great Apostle from the common service of Angels But the greater skill he had in heavenly mysteries the greater were his motiues to worship this Angell vnder God his principall Instructor And Saint Peters refusall of like obeysance from Cornelius doth so crush all these and whatsoever pretences can be brought that they can never seeme whole or sound againe to such as first made them 6. Cornelius was neither Prophet Priest nor Virgine a Gentile by birth and a novice in faith committed by the Angell of God to S. Peters instruction He was in conscience and Religion bound to reverence this great Apostle not onely for his religious and sanctified life but as his Father in God his chiefe Gardian vnder Christ But might he therefore worship him with religious worship as his intermediate advocate or intercessor with God as his peculiar patron No when he offred no other signe of submission to S. Peters person than every Romish Priest and Prelate doth vnto his Image he tooke him vp and warnes him not to fall downe before him or any Saint so againe I my selfe also am a man But may not this speech imply that Cornelius tooke him at first sight for a god and so polluted his externall worship with this internall misconceipt Sure he that was so well acquainted with the Iewish Religion and so well spoken of by the Iewes did not acknowledge more Gods than one And he could not be ignorant that one Simon Peter which lodged with one Simon the Tanner was neither this one God whom he before had worshipped nor any God For would the Angell haue willed him to send to Ioppa for God to come vnto him But albeit Cornelius from the first to the last did perfectly know Simon Peter to be a man yet he knew him to be a man sent from God to instruct him in the way of life And out of that naturall infirmitie of flesh and bloud which wanting such as S. Peter was to checke or controll it brought forth Idolatry in the Heathens and the Romanists he sought to entertaine Gods Embassador in most lowly and submissiue fashion To set their hearts too much vpon such creatures as are Gods instruments for their extraordinary good is a temptation wherewith good natured men such as Cornelius was without spirituall instruction are soonest overtaken And out of the abundance of affectionate desire to testifie his thankfulnesse in the best sort that he could he renders that to the Embassador which was due onely to his Maister Hic est vetustissimus referendi bene merentibus gratiam mos vt tales numinibus ascribant The most auncient manner of expressing thankfulnesse to speciall benefactors is to inroll them in the Kalendâ—r of Gods or divine powers After the holy Ghost to the astonishment of the circumcision had fallen vpon all that heard Peters words in testimony that they were the words of God did either Cornelius himselfe or the meanest Gentile present fall downe and worship S. Peter though not as the author and fountaine of that inâ—stimable blessing whereof all were made partakers yet as the immediate Intercessor which had procured it No S. Peter had so well instructed Cornelius before that as the Text resolues vs the first fruits of their new tongues were offred vp immediately in sacrifice vnto God which had given such gifts to men The spirit whereof they were partakers taught them to glorifie the giver onely not man which had nothing which he had not received 7. Never had any man juster occasion to worship an Angell than S. Iohn or a Saint than Cornelius and his company had The reason why the Lord in wisedome would haue aswell their willingnes to worship as the Angels S. Peters vnwillingnes to accept their proffered submission so expressely registred was to imprint the true meaning of that Law in the hearts of all that should reade those Stories Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue as also the necessitie of that caveat which another Apostle had given to posteritie Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humilitie and worshipping of Angels intruding himselfe into things which he hath not
seene vaiâ—ely puffed vp in his fleshly minde If so maine a pillar of Christs Church as S. Iohn who foresaw the generall Apostasie from the sincere worship of God to Antichristian Idolatry were thus shaken with this temptation it was not to be expected that any after that Sathan who can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light was let loose should be able to stand without vigilant attention vnto Iohns admonitions and these fayre warnings which God had given the world in him and Cornelius A senselesse and reprobate stupiditie more than Iewish hath befallen most of the moderne Romanists for their wilfull relapse into Heathenish Idolatrie What heathenish Priest did ever frame an answere to the obiections of the Orthodoxe either so ridiculous in it selfe or which might argue such a respectlesse esteeme of the divine Maiestie whom they were chalenged to wrong as Vasquez and Salmeron with others haue made to this instance of S. Peter and Cornelius St Peter say these Iesuites in part approved by Bellarmine who loues to haue two strings to his deceiptfull Bowe disclaimed the worship offred him not as if it were not due vnto him How then In modestie Doth this make for them or against them If it were his modestie to refuse it from Cornelius it would be good manners in them not to offer it till they know more of his minde or meete him face to face as Cornelius did who yet did not presse him to take it as in good manners he should if out of modestie onely he had refused it But they haue made S. Peters Image of such a mettall as it will not easily blush charm'd it with such new distinctions as it shall not tremble whiles they doe such homage to it as would haue moved S. Peter himselfe no lesse than the peoples dauncing before the golden Calfe did Moses The Image they thinke doth well approue of their service in that it doth not disallow it nor bid them stand vp saying what it could not truely say albeit these Impostors could teach it to speake for I also am a man Yet if S. Peter himselfe heare their prayers and see their gestures to it as well as if he were amongst them will he not be as modest in Gods presence who is alwayes an vndoubted spectator of this their service as he was before Cornelius Will he not disavow their practise as quite contrary to his example and their doctrine as directly contradictory to his instructions And doe they truely honour or rather fouly vilifie S. Peter and the rest of Gods glorious Saints in obtruding greater honour to their Images of liuelesse wood and stone than any Christians offred to them whilest they liued or were they present yet are capable of CHAPTER XXVII That the respect which wee owe to Saints deceased supposing they were really present with vs doth differ onely in degree not in nature or qualitie from the respect which wee owe vnto true liuing Saints That the same expression of our respect or observance towardes Saints or Angells locally present cannot without supersitition or Idolatrie be made vnto them in their absence 1. SVppose St Peter or the Angell whom St Iohn proffered to adore should vndoubtedly appeare vnto vs and vouchsafe vs libertie of proposing our desires vnto them we might and would tender them respect and reverence not for their civill dignitie or hopes of promotion from them but for their personall sanctitie which should exceed all the reverence wee owe to ordinary godly men as much as the civill Honcaâ— we giue to Kings doth our civill respect of any subiect that is our better But as our soveraigne observance of Kings or supreame earthly Maiestie may not transcend the latitude of civill honour so neither might wee tender such honour reverence or worship to S. Peter or the Angell were they present as would transgresse the vtmost bounds of that respect or reverence which is in some measure due to every godly man The difference betweene our respect to Angells the blessed Virgine or to Saints of the highest ranke and the lowest may be greater in degree than the latitude of civill honour in respect of Monarchs and their meanest officers can afford because the amplitude of sanctifying grace doth for ought we know farre exceed the measure of morall vertues or latitude of civill dignitie But the severall observances which we owe to Kings and to others that are our betters in the ranke of subiects differ more in specificall qualitie and essence than the severall respects which are due to Angels or Saints of the highest order and to religious Lazarus were both equally present For Kings in matters concerning our goods or bodies haue a soveraigntie communicated to them from God not communicate by them to their greatest subiects so haue no Saints or Angels in matters spirituall any Lordship or dominion over vs wee owe no allegiance of our spirit saue onely to one Lord. Christ in these cases is our sole King whose felicitie is communicated to all his followers his soveraigntie to none in respect of him the greatest Saints and Angels be our fellow-subiects What respect or reverence then doe we owe them in respect of prayers or invocations suppose we might speake with them face to face As our necessities would compell vs to request their prayers to God for vs so good manners would reach vs to fit the manner of our observance or submissiue entreatie to the measure of their sanctitie or of that favour which they haue with God in respect of ordinary godly men whose prayers we craue with due observance of their persons The rule of religious discretion would so proportion our obedience to their instructions as their instructions are proportioned to the directions of vsuall Pastors we would be readie to doe them any bodily service with so much greater fidelitie and better affection than we doe to others as we conceiue them to be more faithfull and fervent in Gods service than others are But Religion it selfe and the rule of Gods word which they most exactly obey would restraine vs from falling downe before them with our bodies with purpose to lift vp our minds vnto them as to our patrons or secundary Mediators To offer vp the fruites of the spirit or consecrate the spirit of prayer and thankesgiving to the honour of any saue onely of him that made redeemed and sanctified our soules and spirits is wee maintaine it vnto death sacrilegious heathenish impiety Yet must dulia which these men consecrate wholly to the honour of Saints be of necessitie an essentiall part of the spirit of prayer if the prayers themselues which it brings forth be as they contend Cultus ver è religiosus true or intrinsecally religious worship Religion is the bond or linke betweene the Creator and the creature the essence of religious prayers consists in the elevation of the spirit the vse and end of the spirits elevation is that we may be ioyned in spirit with Christ To fixe
receiue blessings from God and this acknowment of their subordination vnto God makes the same vow or solemne promise vnto them to be but cultus duliae But the question was whether solemne vowes be not essentiall parts of latrie and if such they be as most of their Church doe hold them to be no mentall respect or consideration of such as make allow or authorize them can transforme them into Cultus dulia Besides the distinction is naught this great Champion did either evidently misapply it to this difficultie or els did much amisse in not applying it to the former For might he not as well haue sayd They erected Temples or offered sacrifice to Saints in signe of thankefulnesse to them as Mediators or Intercessors but vnto God onely as to the first fountaine of blessings received 3. It is confessed by our adversaries that the name of Vow in sacred writ or dialect alwayes imports a promise made to God and yet they thinke it no Idolatry to performe that religious service vnto Saints which the holy Spirit hath appropriated vnto God because the Canon of Scripture was accomplished before the Custome of vowing vnto Saints begun or rather the authoritie of it was abandoned by introduction of this custome if not before This reply seemes to insinuate that if Gods Spirit had committed ought to writing since vowes were enacted as parts of religious worship due vnto Saints deceased He would haue fitted his language to their custome How ever this answere takes but a part of our objection though more by much than this Goliah was able to deale with For we argue not onely from the vse of the word in Scripture but from the reason why it is so vsed Now the reason why vowes in Scripture are appropriated vnto God is because they are a more immediate and especiall part of his worship than sacrifices are He that offered legall sacrifices of his Cattell or of the fruites of the earth did thereby testifie his gratitude vnto God as vnto the supreme Owner of these and sole author of all other blessings and as vnto him which gaue man power to gather substance But he that vowed vnto the Lord did acknowledge him to be the searcher of the heart the just avenger of perfidious negligence the bountifull rewarder of fidelitie and diligence in his service Hence it was that legall sacrifices were oftimes the matter of religious vowes The forme of religious worship or service and the immediate end of such sacrifices was performance of the vowes whose neglect plentie of sacrifices could not recompence But fidelitie in performance of what was lawfully vowed did please God without the offering of sacrifice And whether the vow were conceived out of gratitude vnto God for benefits past or out of sorrow for sinne or former ingratitude the religious observance of it was a true part of that living sacrifice or reasonable service which our Apostle requires at our hands as the patterne or prototypon of Leviticall offerings May we then offer any part of our reasonable service to any other besides God vnto whom onely his people were to offer legall sacrifices The apprehension of greater excellency in God than in the Saints can no more alter the nature of the service than the different titles of the King and his Nobles doe alter the nature of the debt or tenor of the obligation wherein we stand bound to him and them joyntly Now Romish Votaries bind themselues by one and the same solemne act to God and the Saints ioyntly And is it possible that the performance of one and the same act should be Dulia in respect of the one and Latria in respect of the other Rather as sometimes it falls out that one of meanest place may be principall creditor in bonds ioyntly made to him and others so in some cases as in vowes of Virginitie solemnely made to God and to the blessed Virgin joyntly of pilgrimage to Saints whom they conceiue as speciall patrons of those places the Saints shall haue the principall interest in the Votaries affections 4. The Fathers in the second Nicene Councell and others more auncient whose authoritie they pretended for establishing that abominable decree as one of our Historians many yeares before Luther was borne doth censure it concerning image-Image-worship did divide Adoration into two parts externall and internall 1. The externall as they describe it by note of submission or emphaticall expression of affection they did assigne vnto Images 2. The internall adoration or adoration in spirit which they call Latria they appropriated vnto God And of this internall adoration or Latria they make intercession or nuncupation of vowes essentiall parts But Bellarmine after he had prooved by authoritie and reason that solemne vowes are parts of Latria and after he had given it vs for graunted by their whole Church that the worship of Latria is proper onely vnto God finally attempts to share this worship of Latria which is a great deale more indivisible than was our Saviours garment betweene God and his Saints But sooner shall the Iesuites be able to teach an Art of dividing indivisibilities or of setting vnitie at variance with it selfe than to justifie this division or sharing of vowes betwixt God and his Saints We shall be ready to iustifie and maintaine these inferences against them if neede shall require or occasion be offered by logicall remonstrance If the worship of Latria and in particular the nuncupation of vowes be proper onely vnto God than he or they or whosoever they be every person to whom Latria or nuncupation of vowes is solemnely tendred either alone or ioyntly vnto God is a God in their esteeme that so tender or make them But the Romane Catholicke doth directly and solemnly offer his vowes to S. Dominicke S. Francis and S. Bennet c. Therefore S. Dominicke in his divinitie is a God S. Francis a God S. Bennet a God so is every Saint to whom he makes his vowes ioyntly with God To say they acknowledge the three persons in the blessed Trinitie to be a greater God than all or any of these persons mentioned as it cannot excuse them from Idolatrie though it were true so neither can it in their divinitie be absolutely true but onely in part It is true in respect of the apprehension or esteeme of divine powers which is seated onely in the braine vntrue in respect of the esteeme or religious respect of divine powers which is seated in the heart or affection CHAPTER XXXI That the apprehension of different excellencies in God and the Saints deceased cannot prevent the contagion which mens soules are naturally apt to take by making solemne prayers and vowes ioyntly to God and to the Saints 1. RELIGION as Bellarmine well observeth consisteth not in the apprehension or speculatiue acknowledgement of excellencie in the partie worshipped but in the inclination of the will or affection The former is as the warrant the latter as the execution And as sentence may
be often given but not executed so may this apprehension be in the vnderstanding without the inclination of the will or affection as greatest school-men haue not beene alwayes devoutest Saints Or againe as many things are acted vpon presumption of some custome without iust or expresse warrant of law so the inclination of the will in which the nature of religious worship in their divinitie consists doth often prevent the distinct or right apprehension of the vnderstanding as many things are often most affected sometime or other by all of vs which the vnderstanding seasonably consulted would not esteeme the worthiest of our best affection And is there any likelihood that he which conceiues a vow in one and the same thought and professeth it with one and the same breath ioyntly to God to the blessed Virgin and to other Saints should scholastically distinguish their severall excellencies or proper titles and proportion the degrees of severall worships to them The very termes whereby they expresse them as Latria Dulia Hyperdulia argue onely difference in the apprehension of the obiect no diversitie of internall habits or graces in the heart much lesse diverse inclinations of the will or elevations of the mind and spirit wherein religious worship doth consist Or admit the apprehension of Gods excellencies and the Saints were alwayes expresse and distinct and had severall degrees or rankes of internall affection exactly proportioned vnto them and expresly intended in the conception or first profession of the Vow it is no way credible that our speculatiue conceipts or apprehensions of the vnderstanding should carry their correspondent affections so levell and paralell in the practise or performance as they should not intermingle or one crosse another We see in other cases of common life wherein the danger in all likelihood is much lesse how quickly our affections flag in pursuite of those marks whereto our soaring contemplations did first direct them No mans heart in his first ayme is set on money for it selfe but as it is the viaticum to some better end And yet how rare a thing is it to see a man much acquainted with this mettall not to affect it as his God to whose service he consecrates his best intentions True felicitie is the center whereto all our thoughts doe naturally sway but most mens cogitations are vsually drencht in the dregges of misery and basenesse being drawne awry or pulled downe by the contagious filth which their senses haue sucked in from too much familiaritie with their naturall obiects 2. And shall not the affectionate apprehension of such excellency as these men ascribe vnto Saints whom they conceit as liue spectators of their inward thoughts and outward carriage get much greater attractiue force than gold or pearle can haue over their soules these being daily powred out vnto them in prayers in vowes and other inticing issues of devotion Especially seeing their worship of what kinde soever is not intended onely as a meane or passage to the worship of God but as the marke or scope of that religious affection which they call Dulia Or admitting there were a twofold affection or inclination of the will as they imagine it were impossible that this inferior one which they call Dulia seizing so heartily vpon the Saints should not interrupt the others flight towards God and misperswade men that his worship did consist in devotion towardes them as men are drawne as it were in a dreame to thinke felicitie is seated in those meanes which are subordinate and subservient to it Finally it would so fall out in this case especially as by corruptiō of nature it generally doth in others Communia negliguntur The common good though most magnified is most neglected and Qui multis benefacit a nemine gratiam reportat Publicke benefactors though their bountie extend in large measure to each particular are lesse remembred or respected than such as gratifie vs in our priuate superfluous desires though perhaps to the preiudice of others necessities Thus howsoever the divine excellencie as well in respect of it selfe as of the benefits flowing from it to all mankind might still be most admired in every mans speculatiue apprehension or conceipt yet in as much as he is good to all without respect of persons few or none will respect him so much in their affections as otherwise they would if every one may haue his supposed private benefactors or the inhabitants of severall places their peculiar patrons in heaven The distinction of Dulia and Latria though ministred fasting to such as vow fasts or pilgrimages vnto Saints will not purge their hearts especially if they be rude and illiterate from that grosse humor which Tullie observed in the Alabandenses or Cominaeus in the Inhabitants of Pauia If such as builded them Cities or endowed their Churches with lands may haue their Images curiously wrought and adorned to be daily saluted with the same outward signes of submission which they tender vnto God or Christ the Wise-mans observatiō is not out of date in respect of these latter dayes And S. Augustine tells vs that the erection of a stately Temple vnto Iupiter eclipsed the honour of Summanus who had beene held the more honourable God before CHAPTER XXXII A paralell betweene the affectionate zeale which the Iewes did beare vnto Moses and his writings and the like zeale which the Romanist beares vnto Saints deceased and their Legends That the Romanists zeale is obnoxious to greater hazard of miscarriage and the miscarriage of his affection more dangerous by his daily practise of worshipping Images 1 WHether Images of the Godhead of the Trinitie or of the severall persons of Angels or other invisible substances may be lawfully made whether of these or other Images any lawful profitable or pious vse be granted to Christians which was denyed vnto the Iewes are parcels of that maine Question Whether the second Commandement according to our division were morall or ceremoniall of which if God permit in the exposition of the Decalogue In the meane time it is to vs it ought to be to the whole Catholicke Church a great presumption that the Commandement is one and the same to both Iew and Gentile of as great authoritie now as ever in that the primitiue Church did not reenter vpon this auncient libertie if at any time it had beene free to bow downe to graven Images to adore the pictures of Gods appearances or of men deceased The vse of Images in Churches or sacred Liturgies was held so incompatible with Christian worship of God in spirit and truth that when Adrian intended to honour Christ as a God he commaunded Temples to be erected without Images But his good purpose wanting effect the Temples so erected did beare his name not Christs or any other Gods as wanting Images to take possession of them And not their names onely but their revenewes might quickly Escheate vnto the Emperour without some visible patron to lay some claime vnto them Varroes testimony
lawfull What difference there is betweene kissing of the booke in solemne oaths and the Romanists salutations of Images That Image-worship cannot be warranted by Iacobs annointing the stone or other ceremonies by him vsed 1. REferring the discussion of Authorities alleaged in favour or dislike of Image-worship to the explication of that commandement wherein this controversie hath his proper seat the onely reason either worth their paines to fortifie or ours to oppugne is that generall one wheron Vasques grounds his Apologie for adoration of Images and reliques And it is this Every creature of God seeing none are destitute of his presence none without some print of his power may be adored in such a manner as he prescribes Nulla est res mundi ex sententia Leontij quem saepius citavimus quam sincerè adorare non possumus in ipsa Deum lib. 3. disp 1. cap. 2. Cum quaelibet res mundi sit opus Dei et in ea Deus continuò sit et operetur faciliùs in ea ipsum cogitare possumus quà m virum sanctum in veste c. There is nothing in the vniversall world which by the opinion of Leontius often cited wee may not sincerely adore and God in it And againe Seeing every thing in the world is Gods handie worke in which he continually resides and worketh wee may with better facilitie consider God in it than an holy man in his weed or garment The same reason he further fortifies by this instance Si enim Iacob Genes 28. erexit lapidem in titulum vnxitque oleo per illum in illo Deum adoravit post quam eo loco mirabilem visionem in somnijs vidit et expergefactus dixit vere locus iste sanctus est non quòd in eo loco aliquid sanctitatis esse putaret sed quod in eo loco sanctus Deus apparere dignatus est cur quaeso non poterit quisque rect â syncerâ fide Deum in qualibet re intimè praesentem considerans in ipsà cum ipsâ adoraâ—e hoc animo sibi in titulum recordationem erigere c. If Iacob did erect a stone for a monument and annoint it with oyle if in this monument so erected he adored God after he had seene a miraculous vision in that place if vpon his awaking he sayd This place is truely holy not that he thought there was any holinesse inherent in it but because the holy Lord had there vouchsafed to appeare why I pray you may not every man by faith sound and sincere consider God as intimately present in every thing that is and adore God with it and in it and with this intention make choice of what creature he list for a monument or remembrancer of Gods presence Praeterea creatura irrationalis et inanimata potest esse materia iuramenti qui est actus religionis ita vt dum per illam iuramus nullam aliam in ipsa veritatem agnoscamus quà m divinam nec ipsam vt superiorem nobis in testem vocemus sed Deum cuius veritas in ipsa relucet Idemque dixit Dominus Math. 5. Nolite iurare per coelum quia Dei thronus est neque per terram quia c. quaevis ergò creatura poterit esse materia adorationis quae non ad ipsam secundum se sed ad Deum in illa terminetur The reasonlesse and liuelesse creature may be the matter of an oath which is an act of Religion so that whilest wee sweare by it wee acknowledge no other truth in it besides the divine truth nor doe wee call the creature by which wee sweare to witnesse as if it were our superior but God onely whose truth shines in it And seeing our Saviour hath said as much in these words Math. 5. Sweare not by the heavens because it is the throne of God nor by the earth because it is his footestoole therefore every creature may be the matter of adoration which neverthelesse is not directed or terminated to the creature as it is a creature but vnto God in the creature From these suppositions he elswhere inferres that as we may worship God in every creature wherein he is present and coadore the creature with him that is in his language exhibite signes of submission or reverence to it our of that internall adoration in spirit which we owe onely vnto God so men may worship S. Peter or S. Paul in their Images with Dulia and coadore their Images with them with such externall signes of submission as the internall worship of Dulia would outwardly expresse vnto them were they present Many learned expositours are so farre from granting every creature to be the obiect of a lawfull oath that they hold it vnlawfull vpon what occasion soever to sweare by any Yet besides the slipperinesse or questionable soliditie of his supposed ground the frame of his inference from it is so concise and imperfect that in stead of an answer we might without â—â—â—ng dismisse it with this Item Goe and learne your message better and you shall haue audience But because it is a stranger in our coasts and seemes to conceiue more than it well expresseth we will allow it the benefit of an Interpreter to acquaint it with our customes Now might it be admitted into our courts of Iustice I suppose it would plead that the Romish Church doth no otherwise divide her devotions betweene God or his Saints and their Images than we Protestants doe solemne oaths which many of vs grant as Vasques presumes to be acts of religious worship betwixt God and the sacred booke which we kisse For if we truely reverence it for the relation which it hath to God but with an inferiour kinde of reverence and submission than wee owe to God This will make strongly for that manner of Image-worship which Bellarmine and Sacroboscus commend to vs. Or if out of that internall reverence and submission of minde which we beare onely towardes God we deriue this outward signe of reverence to the booke not that we acknowledge it in it selfe though not of it selfe capable of any respect or submission of minde but onely reverencing God in it as in a visible and liuely pledge of his presence wee shall hardly be able to make any better plea for this solemne custome against the accusations of the Anabaptists than Vasques hath done for kissing and saluting Images 2. Few things are in colour more like to honey than sope or gall though none more vnlike in tast And these instances though they may seeme to haue some similitude at first appearance will vpon a more particular tryall easily appeare most dislike First if we speake of particular oaths given onely for satisfaction of men they include or presuppose a religious profession of our allegiance vnto God as to our supreame Iudge they are not such proper acts of his service as supplications thanksgivings and solemne vowes are The true end and vse of their
as it were the swaying voice betwixt them relent or decline from the point wherat it stood and either assent vnto the suggestions of sence for the time being as true and good or at least not expressely condemne them for false nor couragiously withstand them 2. Truths or mandates divine considered in generall or without incombrances annexed to their practise many there be which affect more vehemently than their more honestly minded brethren But this fervent imbracement arising not from a cleare intellectuall apprehension of their abstract truth or liue touch of their goodnesse but rather from a generall affectionate temper Volendi valdè quicquid volunt of willing eagerly whatsoever they will at all becommeth the shop of transforming or mispicturing Gods will revealed in his word whiles they descend to actuall choyce of particulars proffered in their course of life Men of this temper saith S. Augustine Ita veritatem amant vt velint vera esse quaecunque amant Such lovers they are of truth that they wish all might be true which they loue And vehement desires often reiterated multiply themselues into perswasions Sometimes it may be they eagerly affect vnopposed truth for its owne sake but withall more eagerly affect those sensuall pleasures which most oppose it Oftimes againe some thing in its nature truly good is mixed with or included in those particulars which they strongly affect and whiles this combination lasts goodnesse it selfe is imbraced with them ex accidente But being imbraced onely vpon these tearmes when the same particulars after the combination is dissolved come accompanied with other distastfull adherents it is loathed by them according to the degrees of former liking Socrates sayth a witty Writer when he defined loue to be a desire of that which was beautifull or comely should haue given this Caveat withall That nothing almost is in it nature so vnbeautifull or vncomely but will seeme faire and louely so it might haue a lovers eye for its looking glasse But Socrates his meaning was perhaps better than this witty Writers apprehension and was if I mistake not his Dialect this That not every desire of any seeming good or comely appearances but onely that desire which is set on goodnesse beautie or comelinesse it selfe is to be graced with the title of loue Howbeit loue or desire thus set cannot secure affectionate tempers from being tossed or shaken with sense-pleasing opportunities or temptations 3. That our Saviours advise is to be followed before any contrary counsell is a point so cleare as no Christian can deny the obedience of speculatiue assent vnto it yet many men almost every man in matters of practise prejudiciall to their private interests will traverse the meaning whether of his clearest Maximes or most peremptory Mandates His reply to Martha complaining of her sister for not helping her to intertaine him Martha Martha Thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull And Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her Luk. chap. 10. vers 41 42. includes a Maxime of sacred vse and will warrant this Aphorisme That a life priviledged with vacancie from secular imployments for better meditation on heavenly matters is the most compendious course to that endlesse life which every Christian proposeth as the sole end of this wearisome pilgrimage Were our hearts constant in themselues and stedfastly setled vpon the former generall truth it were impossible our inclination or assent to it should not be swayed as strongly to the practises subordinate Doth then our inclination or assent remoue from the former generall whiles it beares off from these or like particular practises Yes and would draw our soules to contradictious Atheisme did they not by a nimble tricke of sophisticall inversion retire backwards by a contrary way vnto the points from which they shrinke Their recovered assent or adherence to former generalities may in some sence be rather accounted the same then altogether diverse So might the Marriners needle be more truely said to be fixed vpon the same points rather then diverted from them albeit that end which was set vpon the South-pole were instantly turned vnto the North. The naturall situation of the former generall assent was thus The true sence and meaning of our Saviours advise is alwayes best and to be followed before any contrary counsell But when free choyce of opposite particulars is presented it turnes thus That which is the best course and most to be followed is certainly such as our Saviours words truely vnderstood doe advise vnto The assent is in effect the same onely inverted But from this inversion wee vsually draw Iustifications or Apologies for our most sinister choyces The ambitious minde from the inverted generall assent thus assumes Practicall imployments for preferment my opportunities and qualifications considered are the best course I can take either for mine owne or others good wherefore our Saviours advise to Martha rightly limited or interpreted is no way adversant to my intended choyce And if he can light of other sacred passages which mention the advancement of Gods Saints to civill dignities as Daniells wearing a purple robe and furtherance of the Churches cause by his high place in the Court these he takes as sealed warrants to authorize his ambitious desires or selfe-exalting projects 4. How many vnbeneficed men in our times haue with great zeale and presumed fervencie of that spirit by which holy Scriptures were written preached damnation against pluralities of benefices afterwards allured by the sweet of one to swallow more and not so content to condemne their former opinion as conceived from schismaticall expositions of Scriptures worthy of excommunication What was the reason In want or discontent they were perswaded that if no Clergie man should haue more livings than one they might hope to haue one at least amongst their neighbours And the necessitie of this doctrine being to them as they were now affected the better was apprehended by equall strength of the same affection as the more true and warrantable by Gods word But their appetite first sharpened by want being once fed with the fat of one did inflame their desires with vndoubted hope of more good likely to redound from two or more And because their first opinions or resolutions included lesse hopefull meanes or matter of contentment to their present desires it was to be condemned as vntrue or lesse probable than this which they now embrace especially in that the former had been conceived by them when they were scarce men or men of meane place or little experience in the world worse by three hundred pound a yeare than now they are 5. To maintaine their opinions with cracking flashes of burning zeale or to overlash in commendations of mens persons is a temper in young men especially very suspitious and more truely argues abundance of ambitious humour or vnpurified affection than any degree of sincere loue to truth or goodnesse For this reason when either
ingentia quibus magâ— quidam per incantationes fecer unt similia c. ibidem Hac autem antiqua miracula per deum scilicet facta quâ—tidiè in mysterio râ—no vantur in Ecclesia quae etiam tanto maiorasunt quanto non corporalis sed spirtiuilia ibidem * Vnde quum in canonizatione sancti Thoma de Aquino opponeretur quod non fecerat miracula in vita vel non multa dictuÌ„ fuit per Papam non esse curandâ—m Gerson ibidem p. 512. Vide Plura Gerson tractat octauo super Magnificat partiti one tertia de custodia Angelica * See Chap. 29. parag 1. * Nota treâ— persâ—nas pâ—sse consideâ—ari quaÌ„â—â— nos Deum oramus vnam ipsius Dei a quo petimus beneficia alteram Christi per cuius meritum ea câ—piâ—nus nobis darâ— tertiam eius qui peâ—iâ—en â—â—câ—a per Christâ—â—n Ex his tribus personis nâ—n potest prinâ—â— Sanctis tribâ—â— vt iam prebauimus sed sâ—â—uÌ„ tertia Bellar. cap. 17. de Beat. Saâ— * Itaque Sanctos invocamus ad hoc solum vt faeciant id quod nos facimus qui meliùs et efficaciùs ipsi facerè possunt quà m nos meliùs illi et nos simul quà m nos soli Probatur iam coÌ„clusio solus Christus est qui mundâ—m reconcilia â—t Deo qui meruit nâ—â—is gloriam gratiam omnia necessaria ad salutem Bellar. ibidem Bellarminus ibidem 1. Tim. 2.5 * Sect. 5. Chap. 42. Parag. 4. * In festo inventionis Sanctae Crucis * Vide Riberam in 7. ad Hebrae num 72. * Bellarm. de beatitud Sanct. l. 1. cap. 15. Bellarm. l. 1. de Beatitud Sanct. c. 12. a Peresius part 3. de Tradit considerat 7. b Bellarm de Sanâ—t beatitud l. 1. cap. 12. * Vide Bellar. de Beatitud Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 12. parag 5. * Rom. 13.7 a St Austine whose authority they wrest to this effect was mistaken in the vse or significatioÌ„ of the word Latriae His error was in that he thought it did alwayes signifie religious worship or adoration of spirit and this kind of worship he knew onely to be due to God wheras he had observed the Latine word adorare to be common both to civill and religious worship The same Father in 61. Question vpon Genesis acknowledgeth no medium or meane betweene Civill adoration and Latria that is betweene civill worship and the worship which is due onely vnto God The occasion of S. Austines distinction may be best gathered from his words Quaeritur quomodo scriptum sit Dâ—minum deum tuum adorabis illi soli seruieâ— cum Abraham sic honorauerit populum quendam gentium ut etiam adoraret Sed animaduertendum est in eodem praeceptâ— nondictum Dominum deum tuum seluÌ„ adorabis sicut dictum est et illi soli seruies quod est Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talis enim seruitus non nisi Deo deâ—etur Aug. quest 61. super Gen. b Vide Vasques lib. 2. de adoratione disp 8. cap. 12. num 366. * Luk. 4. vers 6 7. Matth. 4. vers 9. * Rev. 19.9 * Bellar. l. 1. de Sanctor beatitudine cap. 14. * Aug. questione 61. in Gen. * Bellarmin ibid de Sanc. beatitudâ— * Vide Bellarmin lâ—câ— citatâ— * Acts. 10. ver 5 6. * Plinius in Historia Similia habet Lactantius * Acts. 10.46 * Coloss 2. ver 18. * Vasques l. 1 de Adorat disput 5. cap. 3. * Bellarm. de Sanctor beatitudine lib. 1. cap. 4. * Vide Rosariun Maria. * Vid Deâ—ri l. 4. c. 1. q 2 s 2 Bellar. lib. 1. de Sanctor beatâ—t c. 17. a Concipitur et Deiparam Virginem vt sponsam â—uasuram fuisse summipatris cum illi ediderit vnigenituÌ„ nec non mairem futuram verae vita per hoc long melioris quà m Heua quandoquidem ficut Adamus ita et Heua in animaÌ„ est ficta viventem at Maria sicut Christus in spiritum est electa viuificantem Vnde mater nedum dicitur vita sedgratia et dilectio â—pulchra sicut et de illâ sacra canit Ecclesia Iaâ—â—bus NaclaÌ„tus â—piscopus Clugiensis in seriâ—turaemedulla fâ—l 37. pag. 1â—6 * Compare these the like eiaculatorie hymns with the eiaculations of heathen Orators and Poets chap. 20. * Vid. Putean in Mod. Pallade * Bellar. La. de Sanctor beat cap. 17. * Bellar. ibid. * 1 Cor. 9. ver 12. * Heb. 7. ver 25. * Ioh. 16. ver 7. * Breviaâ—â—uÌ„ Roman de ordine commendatuâ—nis anâ—mae Deo * Equidem Anaxarche Alexandrum nullo plane honore qui quidem hominibus conveniaâ— indignum esse censeo Caeterum statuta sunt inter homines divini humani honoris discrimina cùm multis alijs rebus tùm Ten plorum exaedificatione statuarum erectione Dijs enim delubra consecramus ijsque sacra facimus libamus Rursus hymni deorum sunt laudes hominum sed non cum adoratione coniunctae The Greeke is sed praecipue adorationis ritu Hominibus siquidem à salutantibus oscula dantur eos veâ—ò edita loco positos ne contingi quidem fas est ideo adoratione coluntur Tripudia etiam salutationesque dijs fiunt paeanes cantâ—ntur Neque verò mirum id est quâ—m ex dijs alij alijs honores tribuantur quidem heroibus alij etiam ipsi à diuinis honoribus diversi Non est igitur consentaneum haec omnia inter se confundere neque hominem nimijs honoribus supra humanum modum extollere deoâ— ad statum ab illorum dignitate alienum redigere vt nimirum eodem quo homineâ— cultu colantur Neque enim pateretur Alexander privatum aliquem regios honores electione sâ—ffragusque illegitiâ—â—s vsurpare Multò itaque iustiuâ— deos indignaturos si quis mortalium divinâ—s hâ—nâ—â—es sibi arroget aut ab alijs delatos sustineat Arrianus de Expedit Alexandâ—â— l. 4. pag. 86. Cap. 29. * Bellar. l. 3. de beatitud Sanct. cap. 4. * Lib. 3. cap. 9. de cultu Sanctorum * See Psal 50. ver 7. c. and the 14. * Rom. 12. ver 1. * Subdit statim Tharasius ex AnastasiorationeÌ„ Quid enim aliud est quam honoris alicui exhibiti veluti emphasis adoratio Latria vero nequaquam Ac fi dicat ideò adorare licet quia adoratioest emphasis hoc est symbolum et signum interioris cultus et submissionis et tale signum imaginibus praeberipotest Latriam vero tribuere nequaquam licet Nam cum hac sit seruitus in spiritu et non in solo signo coÌ„sistat imagini suli qua non sentit nonpotestexhiberi Subiungit Neque etiam licebit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe imagiues quod est propriè Deum adorare Verbum enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprecari vota nuncupare vel peragere significat quod soli Deo fieripotest Vasqueâ— lib. 2. de