A treatise containing the originall of vnbeliefe, misbeliefe, or misperswasions concerning the veritie, vnitie, and attributes of the Deitie with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the fore-mentioned points. By Thomas Iackson Dr. in Divinitie, vicar of Saint Nicholas Church in the famous towne of New-castle vpon Tine, and late fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford.

SECTION IIII. (Book 4)

Of the Identitie or aequivalencie of superstition in Rome-Heathen and Rome-Christian.

CHAPTER XXII.

That Rome-Christian in latter yeares sought rather to allay than to abrogate the Idolatrie of Rome-Heathen: that this allay was the most commodious policie, which Sa∣than could devise for venting his detected poysons, vtterly condemned by primitiue Professors of Christia∣nitie.

1. HAD either the Romish Church no Orators at all, or heathen Temples as many, as skilfull and subtill, as it hath, to plead the lawfulnesse of their service; such as devoutly serue God in spirit and truth, would in the one case make no question, in the other admit no dispute, whether were worse. The formes of their Liturgies re∣presented to vnpartiall eyes without varnish or pain∣ting, would appeare so like; that if the one were ad∣judged nought, the other could not be approved as good; or both equally set forth by art, if the one see∣med

good and currant, the other could not justly be suspected for naught or counterfeit. That the Roma∣nists generally make better profession of the vnitie, the nature, and attributes of the true and onely God, than most Heathens did, argueth not their daily and solemne service of him to be better, but rather referres the issue of the controversie betweene them, to the determination of another like case, [Whether the setled and habituall carriage of a drunkard be worse in him that is daily drunk indeed, & hath his senses continually stupified, or in one that hath wit at will to conceiue and speake well in matters speculatiue or remote from vse, but wants will or grace to temper his carnall affections with sobrietie of spi∣rit, or season his conversation with civilitie]. Were rats∣bane as simply and grossely ministred to men, as it is to rats, few would take harme by it. And of Popes and Cardinalls, more haue vsed the helpe of ratsbane than of ratcatchers to poyson their enemies. It were a bru∣tish simplicitie to thinke the devill could not, & a pre∣posterous charity to thinke he would not, minister his receipts in a cunninger fashion, since the promulgati∣on of the Gospell, than he did before; although the poyson be still the same. To eare figgs, or other more cordiall foode, with the infusion of subtill and dead∣ly poyson, exempts not mens bodies from daunger. Much lesse can speculatiue orthodoxall opinions of the God-head free mens soules from the poyson of I∣dolatrous practises, wherewith they are mingled.

2. Taking it then as graunted, (what without pa∣radox we may maintaine) that the devill had as great a longing since Christ triumphed over him, as he had before, to worke the bane of mens soules throughout

Europe: He had beene the arrantest foole, that ever either vndertooke to contriue a daungerous and cun∣ning plott, or adventured to act any notorious mis∣chiefe or difficult villanie, if he had solicited men to grosse Heathenisme, or open profession of allegiance to those gods, in whose service they had knowne their fathers perish, the sodaine downfall of whose Idolls they had seene miraculously accomplished. To haue perswaded them hereto, had beene a more palpable importunitie, then if a man in kindnesse should profer a cup, wherein he had squeized the poyson of Spiders, to one which had seene his mate fall downe dead by taking the same potion. Now admitting a resolution in the great professor of destructiue Arts, so to refine or sublimate his wonted poysons, as they might the more secretly mingle with the foode of life: where can we suspect this policie to haue beene practised, if not in the Romish Church; whose idolatrous rites and service of Satan in former ages haue beene so grosse, that if we had seene the temptatiō, vnacquain∣ted with the success, we should certainly haue thought the great Tempter had mightily forgotten himselfe, or lost his wonted skill in going so palpably about his businesse? Nor could any policie haue so prevai∣led against Gods Church, vnlesse it had first beene sur∣prised with a lethargie, or brought into a relapse of Heathenish ignorance. To entise men vnto Heathe∣nisme since Romish rites and customes haue beene authorized or justified in solemne disputes; he had lesse reason than to haue tempted the olde world vn∣to Atheisme, whiles there was no delight or pleasure, which the flesh can long for, but had some seigned

god for it's patrone. And what branch of implanted superstition can we imagine in any sonne of Adam, which may not sufficiently feed it selfe with some part or other of the Romish Liturgie, or with some cu∣stomes, by that Church allowed, concerning the in∣vocation of Saints, the adoration of reliques, or worship of images. By entertaining either more orthodoxall con∣ceipts of the God-head, than the Heathens had, or better perswasions of one Mediatour betweene God and man than the morderne Iewes or Mahumetans do, they giue contentment to many carnall desires, espe∣cially covetousnesse, preposterous pride, and hypo∣crisie, which would be readie to mutinier, if simple I∣dolatrie should be restored to it's wonted soveraign∣tie.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Of the generall infirmities of flesh and bloud, which did dis∣pose divers auncient professors of Christianitie to take the infection of Superstition. Of the particular humors which did sharpen the appetite of the moderne Romish Church to hunger and thirst after the poysonous dregs of Rome-Heathens Idolatrie.

1. IN Churches of Pauls planting and Apollo his watering, the seedes of sound and wholesome doctrine tooke roote with greater facili∣tie, than sundry heathenish rites whereto they had beene so long accustomed, could be extirpated. That caveat [But I

would not haue you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them that sleepe, &c.] given to the Thessalonians,* 1.1 (o∣therwise most chearfull imbracers and zealous pro∣fessors of the Gospell) argueth some reliques of such superstitious demeano•• towards the dead, as they had practised, whiles they liued without hope of a resur∣rection to a better life; vnto which practises (perhaps) they were so much more prone than others, as they were naturally more kinde and loving. Now if the first receipts of life ministred by a Physitian so wise and well experienced as S. Paul, did not forthwith pu∣rifie this good natured peoples affections from the corrupt humors of Gentilisme; it was no wonder, if other lesse skillfull doctors, by seeking the speedy cure of this disease, did cast more vntoward patients then these Thessalonians were, into a relapse of a contrary, more hereditary and naturall to most Heathen. Whe∣ther for preventing vnseemly and immoderate mour∣ning for the dead, or for encouraging the living to constancy in persecution; the solemne celebration of their Funeralls, and publique blazoning of their blis∣full and glorious state after death, which had liued Saints and died Martyrs, was a method very effectuall and compendious. Howbeit in hearts not through∣ly purified and setled by grace, these panegyricall en∣comiasmes did reviue the seeds of superstitious respect to famous men deceased, as fast as they quelled the re∣liques of hopelesse feare, or abated naturall inclinati∣ons vnto immoderate mourning. And happily that point of truth, wherewith the Romanist seekes to con∣dite or sweeten the poysonous fruit of his idolatrous and superstitious speculations, might in part occasion

or embolden the auncients to scatter some seedes of them, before they had experience vnto what degree of malignācy they might grow, when they grew ripe. When the first Reformers of Religion demanded a difference betweene Heathenish adoration of inferior gods, and Popish worshipping of Saints; the vsuall and almost onely answer was, that the Heathens ado∣red naughtie and wicked men, either altogether vn∣worthie of any, or worthy of disgracefull memory af∣ter death; whereas the Church did worship such as deserved as much respect as men are capable of; men, to whom who so omitted performance of sacred re∣spect or religious worship, did thereby commit most grievous sacrilege.

2. To outstrip our adversaries in their owne poli∣cies, or to vse means abused by others to a better end, is a resolution so plausible to worldly wisedome (which of all other fruits of the flesh, is for the most part the hardliest and last renounced) that almost no sect or profession in any age but in the issue mightily over-reached or intangled themselues by too much seeking to circumvent or goe beyond others. The knowne successe of worldly policie in nursing Marti∣all valour, and resolute contempt of life, by decreeing divine honor to their heroicks after death, did quick∣ly set over the Christian world, being almost out-wea∣ried with continuall opposition of Gentilisme, to fo∣ster and cherish spirituall courage, by the like meanes. The practise whereof notwithstanding (as doe all like attempts by common course of nature) did continu∣ally, though insensibly grow more dangerous in the processe. This originall of superstitious performances

towards the dead hath beene set downe * 1.2 before, and is particularly prosecuted by a 1.3 Chemnitius, to whose labours I referre the Reader.

3. Againe the sweete comfort which some aunci∣ents of blessed memory, tooke in the consort of mu∣tuall prayers whiles they lived together, made them desirous that the like offices might be continued after their decease. Hence some in their life times (if my memory fayle me not) did thus contract, that such of them as were first called into the presence of God, should solicite the others deliverance from the world and flesh, and prosecute those suits by personall ap∣pearance in the Court of heaven, which they had joyntly given vp in prayers and secret wishes of heart, whiles they were absent each from other here on earth. To be perswaded, that such as had knowne our minds, and beene acquainted with our houres of de∣votion, whiles wee had civill commerce together, might out of this memory after their dissolution, take notice of our supplications, & solicite our cause with greater fervency than we can, is not so grosse in the speculatiue assertion, as daungerous in the practicall consequent. But if magicall feats can put on colou∣rable pretences, and * 1.4 Magitians make faire shewes vnto the simple of imitating Gods Saints in their ac∣tions; what marvaile, if Romish Idolatrie having in latter yeares found more learned patrones than any vnlawfull profession ever did, doe plead its warrant from speculations very plausible to flesh and bloud, or from the example of some auncients; the preiudi∣ciall opinions of whose venerable authoritie and de∣served esteeme in other points, may, with many, pre∣vent

the examinatiō of any reasons which latter ages can being to impeach their imperfections in this. Y••t experiments in other cases approved by all, ma∣nifest the indefinite truth of this observation, * 1.5 That such practises a•• can no way blemish the otherwise deserved same of their first practitioners, vsually bring forth reproach and shame to their vnseasonable or ill qualified Imitators. Now the pardonable oversight, or doubtfull speculations of some Auncients, haue beene two waies much malignified by later Romanists: first by incorporating the superfluitie of their Rheto∣rical inventions or eiaculations of swelling affections in panegyricall passages, into the bodie of their di∣vine service: secondly by making such faire garlands as Antiquitie had woven for holy Saints & true Mar∣tyrs, Collar•• (as a * 1.6 French Knight, in a case not much vnlike said) for every beast; or chaines for every a 1.7 dead dogs ne••ke, which had brought gaine vnto their Sanc∣tuary Tou••hing the former abuse [the incorpora∣ting of the••oricall expressions of the Auncients affec∣tion towards deceased Worthies, into the bodie of their divine service] b 1.8 Bellarmine is not ashamed to A∣pologize for the solemne forme of their publicke au∣thorized Liturgie, by the passionate ejaculation of Nazianzen his poeticall wit in his panegyricall Ora∣tion for S. C••priu••, and for his kinde acquaintance while she liv••d with Basill the great. It is enough, as this Apologizing Oratour thinkes, to acquit their service from superstition, and themselues from irreli∣gion▪ that this Father, who spake as they doe, was one

of the wisest Bishops Antiquitie could boast of. As in granting him to be as wise as any other, we should perhaps wrong but a few, or none of the auncient Bi∣shops or learned Fathers; so we should much wrong Nazianzen himselfe, if we tooke these passages, on which Bellarmine groundeth his Apologie, for any speciall arguments of his wisedome and gravitie. Howbeit Nazianzen might (without preiudice to his deserved esteeme for wisedome & gravitie) say much, and for the manner not vnfitly of Cyprian and Basill, which was no way fitting for latter Romane Bishops to say of their deceased Popes, or for the Popes whi∣lest they liued to speake of their deceased Bishops. But such a sway hath corrupt custome got over the whole Christian world, that looke what honor hath beene voluntarily done to men in office, as due vnto their personall worth, their successors will take deniall of the like or greater, as a disparagement to their places; albeit their personall vnworthinesse be able to dis∣grace the places wherein they haue liued, and all the dignities that can be heaped vpon them. Vpon this carnall humor did the mystery of iniquitie begin first to worke. The choisest respect or reverence which had beene manifested towards the best of Gods Saints or Martyrs, either privately out of the vsuall solecismes of affectionate acquaintance (alwayes readie to en∣tertaine men lately deceased with such louing remem∣brances as they had tendred them in presence) or in publicke and anniversary solemnities for others en∣couragement vnto constancy in the faith; were after∣terwards taken vp as a civill complement of their Fu∣nerall rites, or inioyned as a perpetuall honor to their

birthdayes, whom the Pope either of his owne free motion, or at the request of secular Princes, or some favorites, would haue graced with famous memory. a 1.9 Rome-Christian hath beene in this kinde more lavish than Rome-Heathen. And as in great Cities it is a dis∣paragement to any Corporation or Company to haue had few or no Majors or chiefe Magistrates of their Trade: so in processe of time it became matter of im∣putation vnto some religious orders, that they had not so many Canonized Saints as their opposits (lesse observant of their Founders lesse strict rules) could bragge of. For want of such starres to adorne their sphere, the order of theb 1.10 Carthusians, otherwise famous for austeritie of life, was suspected not to be celestiall. The fault notwithstanding was not in the Carthusians, or their Religion vnlesse a fault it were not to seeke this honor at the Popes hands, who did grant it a∣gainst their wills to one of their order and our Coun∣try-man, at the King of Englands suite. And left any part of Heathenish Superstition, that had beene prac∣tised in the Romane Monarchie, might be left vnpa∣ralled by like practises of the Romish Hierarchie; as the Deification of c 1.11 Antinous was countenanced with feigned relations of a new starres appearance and o∣ther like Ethnicismes vsually graced by Oracles: so

were * 1.12 Revelations pretended in the Papacy to credit their sanctifications, which stood in neede of some di∣vine testimony to acquit their sanctitie from suspi∣tion.

4. To giue the blessed Virgin a title vnto far grea∣ter honor then any Saint or other creature by their doctrine is capable of, it hath beene maintained, that she was conceived without originall sinne. And wan∣ting all warrant of Scripture, or primitiue Antiquitie for this conceit, they support it by revelations, which must be beleeved as well as any Scripture, if the Pope allow them. By whose approbation likewise every private mans relation of miracles wrought by any sui∣ter for a Saintship, becomes more authentique than Apolloes Oracles; by whose authoritie Hercules and o∣ther Heroickes were enioyned to be adored as gods amongst the Heathen.

5. It was an * 1.13 ingenuous and wise observation of

reverend Gerson, That famous miracles were to be suspec∣ted for lying wonders, vnlesse they had some speciall vse or extraordinary end. Now the onely vse or iust occa∣sion, we can obserue of Popish miracles in later times, hath bin either to purchase the reputation of Saints to such as wrought them whiles they liued, or to gaine a currant title to canonizatiō after their deaths. And the true reason in my opinion, why the Carthu∣sians of all other religious orders, wrought not many miracles, was because they had no desire to be Saints of the Popes making. If they had sought to be graced by his Holines with publicke sanctitie, they must haue graced themselues & their order with a fame of won∣ders: otherwise that exception which was brought a∣gainst Thomas of Aquine, would haue taken place a∣gainst them. For even this Angelicall Doctors title to canonization, was impeached by some, because * 1.14 he had wrought no miracles: vntill his Holines cleared the doubt by a more benigne interpretation then A∣pollo's Oracle could haue given: Tot fecit miracula, quot quaestiones determinauit; Locke how many doubts he hath determined, and he hath wrought so many miracles. But by this reason he should haue placed him aboue most Saints, amongst the Angells. For it is scarce credible, that any Saint hath wrought halfe so many miracles, as are the doubts which this Doctor after his fashion hath determined; appositely enough for the Romish Hierarchie. And hath not the Pope good reason to make the Church militant adore their soules as gods in heaven, which haue made his Holines more than a Saint, a very god on earth? But because they deny, that the Church makes gods of such as the Pope

makes Saints, we are in the next place to discusse whe∣ther invocation of Saints, as it is publickely maintai∣ned by them, be not an ascription of that honour to the creature, which is onely due to the Creator.

CHAPTER XXIIII.

In what sense the Romanists denie or grant that Saints are to be invocated. Whether the Saints by their doctrine be mediate or immediate Intercessors betweene God and man. That they neither can conceale, or will they expresse the full meaning of their practise.

1. BEllarmine lib. 1. de Sanctorum beatitudine, cap. 16.* 1.15 accounts the former imputati∣on for one of Calvins malitious slaun∣ders. Quis enim deo dicere auderet, Sancte Deus, ora pro nobis? We must not thinke they are so foolish∣ly impious, as to say, Holy God pray for vs. Nor did Calvin charge them with pulling downe God as low in every respect, as the Saints; but for exalting the Saints in sundry cases into the throne of God; howsoever they salute them by an inferior style. Nor will it follow that the Heathens did not worship many gods, be∣cause they did not equalize all with Iupiter, or vse the same forme of appellation vnto him & to their demi∣gods or Heroikes. Or admitting the Romanists make no Saints equall to God the Father, or to any person in the Trinitie considered according to his Deitie a∣lone: is it no sacril••ge to invest them with Christs royall titles or prerogatiues, as he is our high Priest and Mediator? It will vpon examination proue no

slander, but a just accusation, to say they make the Saints both sharers with Christ in his office of media∣tion, and with the glorious Trinitie in acts essentiall to the Deitie. But let vs first heare in what sense they themselues grant or deny Saints may be prayed vnto or otherwise adored, and then examine whether their answers to our arguments can stand with the forme of their Liturgie, or fit the maine point in question be∣twixt vs.

2. Some more auncient then Epiphanius (for he re∣futeth their heresie) held the Virgin Mary was to be prayed vnto after the same manner we pray to God. Betweene this excessiue honor thus ascribed vnto the chiefe of Saints, and the other extreame (as they make it) consisting in defect or deniall of invocation of any Saints, Bellarmine labours to finde out a meane, which he comprehends in these propositions following. Non licet à Sanctis petere vt nobis tanquam authores divi∣norum beneficiorum gloriam vel gratiam alia{que} ad beatitu∣dinem media concedant. Bellarmin. de Sanctorum beatitud. lib. 1. cap. 17. It is not lawfull to request the Saints, that they as Authors of divine benefits, would graunt vnto vs Grace or Glorie, or other meanes availeable to the attaine∣ment of Faelicitie His second proposition is; Sancti non sunt immediati intercess••res nostri apud Deum; sed quic∣quid a Deo nobis impetrant, per Christum impetrant. Ibi∣dem: The Saints are not our immediate Intercessors with God: but whatsoeuer they obtaine of Cod for vs, they ob∣taine it through Christ. I know not whether out of cun∣ning or incogitancie, he hath expressed himselfe, (or rather left their full meaning vnexpressed) * 1.16 in these tearmes, per Christum, not adding withall propter Chri∣stum.

In the declaration he commends three parties to our consideration when we pray to God. 1. The person of whom we craue every good gift. 2. Him through whose merites we request they may be given vs. 3. The partie which craues them. Saints by his doctrine cannot supply the first, or second, but the third and last place. The onely meaning, whereto vpon better examina∣tion he will stand, is this, that Saints cannot be sub∣stituted in the stead of God the Father, or of Christ as he is the principall Mediator or primary Intercessor. But to say that we may not request favour of God the Father, propter merita Sanctorum, for merits of Saints; or request Saints to interpose their merits with Christs for more sure or speedie expedition, can neither stand with the profession or practise of the Romish Church. Bellarmine well vrged, will quickly be enforst to deny the conclusion, which he thus gathers from the pre∣mised propositions. * 1.17 We pray (saith he) to the Saints onely to this end, that they would vouchsafe to doe what we doe, because they can doe it better and more effectually than we can; at least they and we together may doe it better then we alone. And againe; we may request nothing of the Saints besides their intercession with God, that Christs me∣rits may be applyed to vs, and that through Christ we may attaine grace and glory. For praying thus far to Saints, that speech of S. Bernard warranteth them; Opus est mediatore ad mediatorem, nec alter nobis vtilior quam Maria; we haue neede of a mediator to our mediator, and none more fit than Mary. Hence they learne that Christ onely is the immediate intercessor, who is heard for his owne sake; the Saints are onely mediate interces∣sors, and can obtaine nothing which they aske with∣out

Christs mediation. Thus much is included in the forme of their prayers vpon Saints dayes, which are all conceived in this tenor;* 1.18 Grant vs these or these benefits at the intercession of such or such Saints.

3. The first part of his second proposition [That Saints are not immediate Intercessors for vs with God] he proues by places of Scripture so pregnant, that some of them directly disprooue all mediate or secondary Intercessors or Mediators, as Coloss. 1. It pleased God that in him should all fulnesse dwell. If all fulnesse, the fulnesse of mediation or intercession: and absolute fulnesse excludes all consort.* 1.19 As there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator betweene God and man, no secondary God, no secondary Mediator. 1. Ioh. 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes: the abso∣lute fulnesse of propitiation. And Ioh. 10. he enstileth himselfe the Doore and Way, such a doore, and such a way, as no man may come vnto the Father, but by Him. This restriction in our Divinitie, makes him the one∣ly doore, and the onely way; not so in theirs: For wee must passe through other doores, that we may come to this onely immediate doore; that is, he is the one∣ly doore, whereby the Saints are admitted into Gods presence, but Saints are necessary doores for our ad∣mission vnto him; Opus est Mediatore ad mediatorem. Were this Divinitie, which they borrow from S. Ber∣nard, true, they much wrong Aristotle and Priscian in calling him, Immediatus Intercessor aut Mediator, and are bound to right them, by this or the like alteration of his title; He is, vnicus vltimus, aut finalis Mediator, He is the onely finall or last Mediator. For a Mediator is not of one; whence to be an immediate Mediator,

essentially includes an immediate reference to two parties. Christ is no Mediator but betweene God and Man, and betweene them he is no immediate Medi∣ator, vnlesse men haue as immediate accesse to him, as he hath to God the Father. As God, he best knowes the nature and qualitie of every offence against the Deitie, vnto what sentence every offender is by justice liable, & how far capable of mercy; as man, he knowes the infirmities of men, not by hearesay or informati∣on, but by experience; and is readie to sollicite their absolution from that doome, whose bitternesse is best knowne vnto him, not at others request or instigation, but out of that exact sympathie, which he had with all that truely mourned, or felt the heavinesse of their burden. Whiles he was onely the sonne of God, the execution of deserved vengeance was deferred by his intercession. Nor did he assume our nature and sub∣stance, that his person might be more favourable, or that his accesse to God the Father might be more free and immediate, but that wee might approach vnto him with greater boldnesse and firmer assurance of immediate audience, than before we could. He expo∣sed our flesh made his owne, to greater sorrowes and indignities, than any man in this life can haue expe∣rience of; to the end he might be a more compassio∣nate Intercessor for vs to his Father, than any man or Angell can be vnto him. We need the consort of their sighes and groanes, which are oppressed with the same burden of mortalitie here on earth, that our ioynt prayers may pierce the heavens but these once presented to his eares neede no sollicitors to beate them into his heart. Surely if the intercession of

Saints had beene needfull at any time, most needfull it was before Christs incarnation or passion; when by the Romanists confession it was not in vse. The sonne of God was sole Mediator then.

4. As the impietie of their practises doth grieue my spirit, so the dissonancy of their doctrine, doth as it were grate and torture my vnderstanding, while I con∣template their Apologies. Sometimes they beare vs in hand that God is a great King, whose presence poore wretched sinners may not approach, without meanes first made to his domestique servants. The conceipt it selfe is grossely Heathenish, and comes to be so censured in the next * 1.20 Discourse. Now, seeing they pretend the fashion of preferring petitions to earthly Princes, to warrant the forme of their suppli∣cations to the Lord of heaven and earth, let vs see how well the patterne doth fit their practise. Admitting the imitation were lawfull, how could it iustifie their going to God immediately with these or the like pe∣titions; Lord I beseech thee heare the intercession of this or that Saint for me through Iesus Christ our Lord. What fitter interrogatories can I propose vnto these sacrile∣gious supplicants, then Malachy hath vnto the like delinquents in his time? If I be your Lord and King (as you enstyle me) where is my feare? where is my honour, saith the Lord of Hoastes, to you Priests that despise my name? and yet (being chalenged of disloyaltie) they scornefully demand, Wherein haue Wee despised thy name? Yee bring polluted offrings into my Sanctua∣ry: and yet yee say wherein haue wee polluted thy Sanctua∣ry? If yee offer such blind devotions, as these, is it not e∣vill? Offer them now to thy Governour, to thy Prince, or

Soveraigne; Will he be pleased with thee or accept thy per∣son, saith the Lord of Hoastes? He would either be thought to mock the King, and come within iust cen∣sure of disloyaltie; or els be mocked out of his skin by Courtiers, that durst exhibite a petition in this forme vnto his Maiestie; Vouchsafe, I beseech you, to pardon my offences against your Highnes, and admit me into good place at the intercession of your Chauncellor, Treasu∣rer, Chamberlaine or Controller, in honor of this his birth∣day, for the Princes sake your sonne my good Lord and Ma∣ster: yet if we change onely the persons names, this pe∣tition (which could become none but the Princes foole to vtter) differs no more from the forme of Po∣pish prayers vpon Saints dayes, then the words of Ma∣trimony vttered by Iohn and Mary doe from them∣selues, whilest vttered by Nicolas and Margaret. The former respectlesse absurditie, would be much aggra∣vated, if the Courtiers birthday, whom the petitioner would haue graced with the grant of his petition, should fall vpon the Kings Coronation day, or when the Prince were married. Of no lesse solemnitie with the Romanist is the feast of the Crosses invention, it is Christs coronation or espousals: and yet withall the birth-day of two or three obscure Saints, whom they request God to glorifie, with their owne deliverance from all perills and dangers that can betide them, through Christ their Lord. This last clause must come in at the end of every prayer, to no more vse than the mention of a certaine summe of mony doth in feoffe∣ments or deedes of trust, onely pro formâ. Praesta quoe∣sumus omnipotens deus, vt qui sanctorum tuorum Alex∣andri, Eventij, Theodoli at{que} 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••nalis natalitia colimus,

a cunctis m••lis imminentibus, eorum intercessionibus libe∣remur per Dominum, &c. * 1.21 Grant we beseech thee Almigh∣tie God, that wee which adore the natiuitie of the Saints, of Alexander, Event, Theod. and Iuuenal, may by their in∣tercession be delivered from all evills that hang over vs, through Iesus Christ our Lord. To be delivered from e∣vils at or by the intercession of such Saints, is as much in ordinary constructiō, as to be delivered from them for their merites. And this is to share or divide the mediation of Christ betwixt him and such Saints, by even portions. For of the two principall parts of Christs Mediatorship, which the Auncient and Or∣thodoxall Church did exactly distinguish in the forme of their prayers, the first is, our hope or beliefe to be heard propter Christum, for Christs sake, for whose sake alone God graunts whatsoever He grants vnto man∣kinde: the second is, our beliefe or acknowledgement, that those blessings which God doth grant for Christs sake, are not conveyed or imparted vnto vs, but through Christ, or by Christ. He is not onely our O∣rator to God, but Gods hand to vs. Now the Romish Church in their solemne Liturgie expresly giues the first part of this mediation vnto Saints, and leaues the latter onely vnto Christ. The hymne sung or said vnto the Crosse vpon the same day, con∣ceived in the character of magicke spells falls vnder the same censure, that worshipping of Saints Ima∣ges or worshipping God in every visible creature doth. Of which Chap. 35, 36. The Hymne is thus; O crux splendidior cunctis astris, mundo celebris, homini∣bus multùm amabilis, sanction vniversis: quae sola fuisti digna portare talentum mundi, dulcia ferens pondera: sal∣ua

praesentem cateruam in tuis hodie laudibus cōgregatam, halleluia, halleluia. ibidem. O Crosse more splendent than all the starres, famous throughout the world, most amiable a∣mongst men, more holy than the Vniverse (or all things besides) which alone wast worthie to carry the Talent (or price) of the world, saue this present Congregation this day assembled to set forth thy prayses. Prayse the Lord, prayse the Lord. They that can be thus familiar with God, as to indent with him, at whose intercession their re∣quests should be graunted, doe they in modestie neede Mediators vnto Christ?

5. Were there any hope of full or direct satisfacti∣on, I would presse this demand to any learned Papist; What order those three parties whom Bellarmine makes joynt Commissioners in the audience of pray∣ers, obserue in prayers of this forme: Whether they expect that God the Father should first take their pe∣titions and acquaint Christ with them, and Christ the Saints; or that the Saints should take them immedi∣ately and deliver them vnto Christ, that he may ac∣quaint his Father with them. They graunt the Saints can heare no prayers immediately from our mouths, much lesse discerne their conception in our hearts: they vnderstand them onely by seeing God; and for this reason happily prayers of this forme, are in the first place directed to God the Father, or to the Trini∣tie. Is God then, as the booke wherein they are writ∣ten, altogether senselesse of their meaning, vntill the Saints, whose intercession they craue, read them vnto him? or hearing them, is he vnwilling to grant them, vntill the Saints haue expounded them? But what is Christs office in the meane time? to request his Father

that he would heare the Saints for his sake? or contra∣riwise, doth he and the Saints mediate for sinfull men both together, as joynt advocates? or doth He first o∣pen the case, and leaue the Saints to prosecute it? or doe the Saints onely sue in his name, that God would communicate his merits vnto them; as sometimes in earthly Courts one of principall note beares the name, whilest another manageth the businesse? The supplicant should, methinkes, in good manners frame some petition to Christ, or aske his leaue, to vse his name in such suites as they would haue managed by this or that particular Saint, in honour of his birth∣day.

6. Perhaps this forme of prayer was first invented by such (for such in the * 1.22 Romish Church there are, and aunciently haue beene) as deny Christ any kinde of intercession with his Father, besides the representa∣tion of his Humanitie. And mens hearts once wrought to this perswasion, would forthwith take the impres∣sion of artificiall begging, as the best forme of tendring their devout supplications vnto God. Now amongst beggers commonly one shewes his maimed limbs, or other rufull spectacle, to moue pittie; and others read the lecture vpon them. And thus doe these sacrilegi∣ous supplicants vpon great Festivals make Christ and their peculiar Saints, such sharers in the office of in∣tercession, as the Creeple and the Gabler are in mens benevolences at Faires or Markets. The one must moue Gods eyes, and the other fill his eares.

7. If it shall please the Reader to compare Bellar∣mines pretended detection of fraudulent dealing in our Writers (Chap. 16.) with the declaration of his

second proposition hitherto discussed; He will easily assent vnto me, that the onely tricke this cunning So∣phister had to saue his mothers credit and her sonnes, was to call Reformed Churches whores first, and their children lyars. For who but the impudent sonne of an adulterous Mother, or one accustomed to shuffle beyond the compasse of a professed lyars art memo∣ratiue; could haue avouched, what in the declaration of this second proposition he doth; Sanctos invoca∣mus ad hoc solum, We pray to Saints onely to the end, they may doe what we doe, that is, as he expounds himselfe afterwards, that Christs merits might by intercession of Saints be applyed vnto vs. This (were this the onely end of praying to them) were in effect to request them, to stoope a little below their ranke, and become joynt supplicants with vs for reliefe of our necessities, and advancement of Gods glory. Is it then all one to re∣quest them to joyne with vs in the honor and service of God for our good, and to intend their honour and service in the prayers and requests which wee make; either to them, or to God, that he would accept their intercession for vs? Now it is but one part of the que∣stion betweene the Churches Romish and Reformed, [Whether it be lawfull to request Saints deceased to ioyne in prayer with vs, as they did, or might haue beene lawfully requested to haue done, whilest they liued;] The other part (whereto Bellarmine should haue framed his an∣swere) is; [Whether it be not formall Idolatrie to offer vp our devotions to Saints by way of honor, or to intend a re∣ligious worship or service of them, in those prayers, which wee offer vp to God in his Sanctuarie]. It is so constant∣ly agreed vpon by all professed members of the Ro∣mish

Church, (and was so expresly set downe by Bel∣larmine himselfe, as nothing but extreame necessitie of playing tricks, could haue shuffled it out of his me∣morie,) that of the seaven parts of Religious Worship due to canonized Saints, the second is Invocation in publique Liturgies, the fourth, sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing, which they offer vp to God in honour of such Saints: and of this latter kinde are the prayers before mentioned, vsuall vpon every Saints day. And* 1.23 Bellarmine thus begun the chapter next saue one before that wherein his former declaration is contei∣ned; Demonstravimus sanctos esse colendos, sed quia pe∣culiaris difficultas est de cultu Invocationis, &c. We haue alreadie demonstrated that the Saints are to be worshipped: but because the peculiar difficultie is concerning the wor∣ship of Invocation, &c.

8. This indeed, is the principall point in question, vpon whose deniall they endite vs of sacrilege against the Saints, as we doe them of flat Idolalatry, or rob∣bing God of his honour, for avouching the affirma∣tiue by their practise. Cultus Invocationis, the worship of Invocation, wee know well, is somewhat more then Invocation; and to invocate Saints in ordinary lan∣guage, is more then onely to request their prayers: albeit to request these after their death, is but a relique of Ethnicke foolery; a superstitious impietie in profes∣sed Christians. What then? Doth that glory where∣with God arayes his Saints, vtterly strip them of all honor and respect from men? Is the felicitie which they haue gotten, Bonum magis laudabile, quam hono∣rabile? Are they worthy of prayse and not of honour? Their memory is honorable, but their persons not to

be honored by vs. Their absence makes them vnca∣pable of such petitions, as we may (without danger) make vnto others lesse holy, with whom we haue not onely mysticall communion, but civill commerce. And civill worship without the support of civill com∣mercement, is but a phantastique groundlesse cere∣mony, and an Apish observance. From these consi∣derations did Calvin justly deny all civill worship or signification of such respect to Saints deceased, as was due vnto them whilest they lived; and vtterly disclai∣med all religious worship either of them or of other creatures dead or living. And because the Iesuites delude the ignorant or vnobservant by trickes of that art, wherein they are best seene; to vnfold these termes, with whose aequivocall vse they play fast and loose, will be no losse of time, nor interruption of discourse.

CHAPTER XXV.

What Worship is. How it is divided into civill and Religi∣ous. In what sense it is to be graunted or denyed, that Religious Worship is due to Saints. That the Romish Church doth in her practise exhibite another sort of Religious Worship vnto Saints, than her Advocates pre∣tend in their Disputations.

1. THat some worship or honor more then civill is due to Saints, whether liuing with vs or departed, is the chiefe hold whereat our Adversaries in this con∣troversie ayme; whose cunning surprisall, as they pre∣sume,

would make them entire Conquerors without farther conflict. Worship or adoration of what kinde soever, hath, (as both acknowledge) two degrees or parts.

* 1.241. The internall affection or serviceable submissi∣on which is as the soule or life.

2. The externall note or signe of such submission (as bowing, kneeling, supplication) these are the body or materiall part of Worship or Honour.

The internall submissiue affection (without which the externall signe or gesture would be interpreted but a mockerie) is due onely vnto Intellectuall Natures; & must be differenced by the diversitie of their excel∣lencies. Now intellectuall excellency is either Cōmuni∣catiue and finite, or infinite and incommunicatiue. Such onely is the excellency of the divine Maiestie, where∣vnto they appropriate a correspondent Worship or service, which they enstampe Cultus latria: Nor doe we disproue it as counterfeit, though lately coyned, if we respect the expresse difference it beares for its di∣stinction from all other kindes of worship. Thus much onely might be added for explication; [We are bound not onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to Honour God, infinitely more than man for his infinite excellency; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to doe him ser∣vice and beare allegiance to him infinitely more absolute then we owe to Princes, in that he is our Lord, Creator and Redeemer.] Though both be alike due, yet service is more peculiar to him, than Honor. For in as much as we beare his image, wee are in some sort partakers of his intellectuall excellency, but altogether vncapa∣ble of its Infinitie: but the glorious prerogatiue of Creation or Redemption is altogether incommuni∣cable.

In these workes he admits no instrumentall ser∣vice; much lesse can he brooke a partner in the glory redounding from them.

2. Intellectuall excellency communicated to his creatures, consists;

• 1. In Naturall, Morall or Civill endowments, as in Wisedome, Valour, Magnanimitie, Nobilitie of birth, emi∣nencie of place, or authoritie.
• 2. In gifts and graces of the Spirit, as sanctitie of life, heavenly wisedome, and favour with God.

Vnto the former, which we may tearme temporall ex∣cellency, they assigne civill respect or morall Worship; vnto spiritual excellency, a peculiar respect or reverence of a middle ranke, inferior to latria, or the worship which they giue to God, superior to that wherewith they honour Kings and Princes, secular Nobles or men in authoritie. And this for distinction sake they call cultus duliae, a Worship of service. Howbeit a 1.25 one of their principall Advocates for customary Traditi∣ons, will not in this case allow the pretended custome of the Schooles, to prescribe against the evidence of the naturall and Grammaticall vse of this word in all good Writers: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Peresius, is to serue, and wee are not the Saints servants, but their fellow-servants. And b 1.26 Bellarmine should either haue spared to censure this his good friend for scrupulositie, or els haue gi∣ven a better resolutiō of his doubt, than he hath done; by alledging onely one place in Scripture, wherein 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is taken not for slavery or servitude, but for ho∣norary subiection. As when the Apostle saith, Galat. 5.13. Vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh, but by loue serue one another. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉].

Indeede, to serue one another by course, is no act of servilitie; but a twisting of brotherly loue or chaine of good Fellowship: but if the bond of service be le∣gall and not mutuall; he that is bound to serue, is properly a servant, and he that hath right to demand service of another, is truely a Master: such is the case betweene the Saints and vs, by our adversaries doc∣trine. Wee are bound in conscience to serue and wor∣ship them, cultu 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: so are not they (I hope) bound to serue vs. Bellarmines instance makes more for Pere∣sius than against him. But seeing their tongues are their owne, and no man may controll them in the vse of words: let them enioy their dialect; wee will take their meaning and follow the matter. The nature and qualitie of this cultus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they expresse (in oppo∣sition to vs) by Religious Worship.

3. Partly vnder the multiplicitie of importances which these termes involue; partly, vnder a colour of reall distinction betweene the habites or fountaines whence these severall kindes of Worship must be de∣rived, their sleightie conveyance is not easily discerned, vnlesse they be well eyed. To admit no greater multi∣plicitie of habites or graces, than we haue neede of, is a point of good vse in every part of Divinitie. And set∣ting aside * 1.27 Aquinas his authoritie (which we may o∣uersway with S. Austines) what necessitie is there of cloathing our soules with two distinct habites of Re∣ligion; one of latria, wherewith wee serue God; ano∣ther of dulia, whereby we tender such respect and ser∣vice as is fit for Saints and Angells? For every abstract number, without addition or subtraction of any vni∣tie, without any the least variation in it selfe, necessa∣rily

includes a different proportion to every number that can be compared with it: and so doth every sanc∣tified or religious soule, without any internall altera∣tion, 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 * 1.28: 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 reli∣gious worship, though worthy of some peculiar reli∣gious 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 intellec∣tuall 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 circumstan∣ces of their tendring. According to the first denomi∣nation, we must worship vngodly Magistrates, and ir∣religious 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 op∣posed 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 Re∣ligious 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 one∣ly 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 pre∣sently takes that for graunted, which he shall never be able to prooue, either from these or other premi∣ses, to wit, That Saints are to be worshipped with re∣ligious 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 vn∣faigned 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 out∣ward man in humilitie of spirit, to the vnlawfull exer∣cise 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 vndoub∣ted token that they reverence Gods gifts bestowed vpon him, and heartily desire their soules might take some tincture or impression from his gratious carri∣age or instructions, which they can hardly doe with∣out some nearer linke of familiaritie and acquain∣tance: 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 con∣iunction. This submissiue reverence, though not re∣quired 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 preiu∣dice 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. Pray∣ers intrinsecally religious, or devotions truely sacred, are oblations, which may not, which cannot without o∣pen sacriledge be solemnly consecrated to any others honour, but onely to his who infuseth the Spirit of prayer and thankesgiving into mens hearts. The prin∣cipall crime whereof we accuse the Romish Church, and whereof such as purposely examine the indite∣ment 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 Tem∣ples 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 Sa∣phirahs sinne: a lying to the holy Ghost, or a mockery of him; a sacrilegious put loyning of that which was brought vnto the Sanctuary, and solemnly consecra∣ted to the Lord of the Temple.

CHAPTER XXVI.

That the Worship which Sathan demanded of our Saviour, was the very same wherewith the Romish Church wor∣shippeth Saints, that is, Dulia, not Latria according to their distinction. That our Saviours answere doth abso∣lutely prohibite the offering of this worship not onely to Sathan, but to any person whatsoever, besides God. The truth of this assertion proued by S. Iohns authoritie and S. Peters.

1. THe doctrine delivered in the former Chapter, was a truth in olde times so cleare, and so well approued by the constant practise of liuing Saints, that the very quotation of that Law whereon wee ground it, did put the Devill himselfe, for the present, to a non-plus. But he hath bethought himselfe of new an∣swers since, and found opportunitie to distill his in∣toxicating distinctions into moderne braines through Iesuiticall quills. Howsoever, to eyes not darkned with the smoake of hell, it will never take the least tincture of probabilitie, much lesse any permanent colour of solid truth, that the Tempter should demand cultum latriae (as now it is taken by the Iesuites) of our Saviour. Or, although he had set so high a price at

the first word vpon so faire commodities as he proffe∣red; there could be no doubt of his readinesse to fall lower at the second, rather than to hazzard the losse of his Market. For he loues to play at small games, rather than altogether to sit out. And if the Iesuites answers to our arguments were currant; their Master with halfe of one of their skill in Sophistrie, might haue put ours to a new reply, as he did him twice, to a scriptum est. It is written (sayth our Saviour) Thou shalt worship thy Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou seruea 1.29. True, sayth the Iesuite, cultu latriae: for it is writ∣ten, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For this kinde of worship (exprest by the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) by our b 1.30 Adversaries doctrine is due to Saints. What was it then which the Devill did ex∣presly demand of our Saviour, Latria or Dulia? neither expresly, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Adoration. But this Worship may be demanded vpon some higher style than befits Saints to accept or vse. It may be demanded in testi∣fication of homage royall, or in acknowledgment of the partie to whom it is tendred for Lord and Sove∣raigne of the parties which tender it. To him that would thus reply, the reioynder is readie out of the text: for the Devill did not exact any externall signe

of submission vnto himselfe, as vnto the supreame dis∣poser or prime fountaine of the temporall blessings, which he promised. The tenor of his promise was thus; * 1.31 All this power will I giue thee, and the glory of the kingdomes: for that is delivered vnto me. By whom? que∣stionlesse by some Superior & more soveraigne Lord, from whose right he sought to deriue his warrant to bestow them; To whomsoever I will, I giue it. The war∣rant pretended in respect of the parties capable of the donation of it, is very large, but not without conditi∣ons to be performed by them: If thou therefore wilt fall downe before me, and worship me, all shall be thine. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or falling downe before him, being all the Tempter did demaund; our Saviours reply had nei∣ther beene direct nor pertinent, vnlesse the exclusiue particle onely be referred as well to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 worship or prostration, as to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or supreame service. Is it then but a meere tricke of wit, or poynt of Sophistrie without sinne thus palpably to divide that sense of Scripture which God had so closely joyned? Is it a pettie presumption onely, for a Iesuite to thinke he could haue caught the Devill more cunningly in his owne play, or haue gone beyond him with a mentall reservation, or evasion; if the like proffer had beene made to him, as was to our Saviour? For this in effect is the Iesuites answer. The Law forbids 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 onely, the Devill required onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: therefore he de∣maunded nothing forbidden by the Law. To be able thus to play fast and loose with the sacred bond of Gods Law at his pleasure; or to loose the linke of ab∣solute allegiance to supreame Maiestie with frivolous distinctions pretended from some slips of the Aunci∣ents,

is that wherein the Iesuite glories. Such of this sublimated sect as stifly maintaine, that not onely all Image-worship, but all civill vse of Pictures was for∣bidden the Iewes, are not ashamed to stand vpon the former glosse, as the best rocke of their defence for maintaining the distinction between Dulia and Latria. But the words of the Law are still the same, and there∣fore can admit no distinction now, which they might not then haue borne. Howbeit, were that Law abro∣gated so far as it concernes the vse of Images, it could not disanull this new distinction, were this grounded vpon any other pregnant Scripture, but so grounded it is not, it cannot be.

2. Such as would blush at the former Glosse, will perhaps reply, that the lowest degree of any worship was more than the Devill had right to chalenge, and more than might be tendred to him by any Intelli∣gent creature. The exception I graunt were good, if our Saviour had onely refused to worship him, be∣cause he was Gods enemy; but it no way toucheth the reason of his refusall, which is vniversally perpetuall. For he tooke no notice of the Devils ill deserts, but frames such an answer to the demaund it selfe, as was to stand for an vnalterable expositiō of that indispen∣sable Law in respect of every creature either tempting or tempted in like sort, to the worlds end. None may worship or serue any Creature with religious Worship; all of vs must so worship and serue God alone. The words of the Text it selfe, as well in the Septuagint as in the Hebrew; are no more than these: Thou shalt feare thy Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serue. The su∣per-eminent dignitie of the partie whose feare and

service are enioyned, doth (in our Saviours Logicke) make the indefinite Forme of the Commaundement, fully aequivalent to this vniversall Negatiue: [No man may tender any act of religious feare, worship, or service, to any man or Angell, to any thing in heaven or earth, or in the regions vnder the earth, but onely to him who made all, who is Lord of all; whom all are bound to feare and wor∣ship, with all their hearts, with all their soules and all their might]. And of all kindes of religious feare or service, Cultus duliae is either most improperly or most impi∣ously tendred to Saints and Angels. For though as in Gods house there be many Mansions, so no doubt there be severall degrees or rankes of Attendants, yet the highest and the lowest members of Christs mysti∣call body are brethren; 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 obey∣sance to them present, as the Romish liturgie solemn∣ly 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; * 1.32 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 mes∣senger, 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 ser∣vice; conforts in setting forth his honour. * 1.33 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 * 1.34 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 aun∣cestors had done: but the Angel did prohibite him in reve∣rence to Christs * 1.35 humanitie. For since the Angels them∣selues

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 imper∣tinent 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 acknowledg∣ment 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 Brenti∣us, 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 Al∣mightie would haue his children of the Church mili∣tant 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 perempto∣rily forbidden, [See thou doe it not,] had beene enough to disprooue the solemne practise of it in whomsoe∣ver. 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 Na∣amans; runne to their Rulers in these heavenly Pro∣phets names, to demaund such gratifications, vpon false pretences, in their absence, as they resolutely re∣fused, when in all reason they best deserved them, if at any time they might haue taken them. The Disci∣ple 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 o∣beyed 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 vnrighte∣ousnesse; That as the Horse-leach sucketh onely the melancholy humor out of mens bloud: so these Lo∣custs having relinquished the pure fountaine of truth, must long after the dregs of Antiquitie in their doc∣trine, 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 vp∣on 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 admirati∣on 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 affec∣tion 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 contempla∣tiue 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 extraordi∣nary passion of feare arising from apprehension of im∣minent danger, or of ioy for vnexpected safetie; should bestow royall titles on his speciall benefactor, or pre∣ferre 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 Apo∣stle: 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 hay∣nousnesse, 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 re∣gister 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 ac∣cepted from him whiles he spake with them face to face? * 1.36 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 fa∣miliaritie with Angels, is in other men; and this is the reason that they set so high a price vpon it. O∣thers coniecture the spirit of Prophecy did priviledge this great Apostle from the common service of An∣gels. But the greater skill he had in heavenly myste∣ries, the greater were his motiues to worship this An∣gell (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 Vir∣gine, a Gentile by birth, and a novice in faith; com∣mitted by the Angell of God to S. Peters instruction. He was in conscience and Religion bound to reve∣rence 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 advo∣cate 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 a∣gaine: 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 inter∣nall misconceipt? Sure he that was so well acquainted

with the Iewish Religion, and * 1.37 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 Corne∣lius 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 in∣struments for their extraordinary good, is a temptati∣on wherewith good natured men, (such as Cornelius was) without spirituall instruction are soonest over∣taken. And out of the abundance of affectionate de∣sire to testifie his thankfulnesse in the best sort that he could; he renders that to the Embassador which was due onely to his Maister. * 1.38 Hic est vetustissimus referen∣di bene merentibus gratiam mos, vt tales numinibus ascri∣bant; The most auncient manner of expressing thankful∣nesse to speciall benefactors, is to inroll them in the Kalen∣d••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 in••stimable blessing, whereof all were made par∣takers, yet as the immediate Intercessor which had procured it? No: S. Peter had so well instructed Cor∣nelius before, that as the * 1.39 Text resolues vs, the first fruits of their new tongues, were offred vp immediate∣ly 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 no∣thing, 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 wise∣dome 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: * 1.40 Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humilitie and worshipping of An∣gels, intruding himselfe into things which he hath not seene, vai••ely puffed vp in his fleshly minde. If so maine a pillar of Christs Church, as S. Iohn (who foresaw the gene∣rall Apostasie from the sincere worship of God to An∣tichristian Idolatry) were thus shaken with this temp∣tation, 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 stupi∣ditie

more than Iewish, hath befallen most of the mo∣derne Romanists for their wilfull relapse into Heathe∣nish 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 * 1.41 Vasquez and Salmeron, with others, haue made to this instance of S. Peter and Cornelius. S^t Peter, say these Iesuites (in part approved by * 1.42 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 mo∣destie. 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 mo∣ved S. Peter himselfe, no lesse than the peoples daun∣cing 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 ge∣stures 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, (sup∣posing they were really present with vs) doth differ one∣ly 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 S^t Peter, or the Angell whom S^t Iohn proffered to adore, should vn∣doubtedly appeare vnto vs, and vouch∣safe 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 sanc∣titie) which should exceed all the reverence wee owe to ordinary godly men, as much as the civill Honca•• 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 trans∣cend 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 reve∣rence, 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 la∣titude of civill honour, (in respect of Monarchs and their meanest officers) can afford; because the ampli∣tude 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 sove∣raigntie communicated to them from God, not com∣municate 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 necessi∣ties would compell vs to request their prayers to God for vs; so good manners would reach vs to fit the man∣ner 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 bet∣ter 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 re∣straine 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 pray∣er, if the prayers themselues, which it brings forth be as they contend, Cultus ver è religiosus, true or intrinse∣cally 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 our hearts on anything besides God, is a spirituall fornication or adultery; but thus to elevate our spirits which Christ hath espoused vnto himselfe by grace, vnto Saints

and Angels (as they doe, that direct religious prayers vnto them) in the house and Temple of God, is like an incestuous pollution of the marriage bed; as if a woman betrothed vnto the eldest brother and heyre apparant vnto the Crowne, should prostitute her bo∣die vpon her marriage-day to his kinsman or younger brother.

2. But admit S. Peter or some Angell should by Gods appointment vouchsafe their locall residence againe amongst the Inhabitants of the earth, worke miracles, heale diseases, and instruct vivâ voce, in the remote deserts of Africke or in the Indies, where we could neither haue personall accesse vnto them, nor commend our suites vnto them by letter, or interpo∣sed messenger; might wee here in England kneele downe, and turning our faces towards the place of their residence, poure forth the requests of our hearts vnto them as Daniel being in exile did his towards Ie∣rusalem, wherein God had promised to dwell? This were to outstrip the Heathen as well in the essentiall forme of Idolatrie, as in the degrees of superstitious or magicall folly? What heathen did ever exhibit so∣lemne worship, or poure forth their petitions for ayde or succour vnto Apollo, Mercurie, or Aesculapius, much lesse vnto their Demi-gods or Heroikes, saue onely in places where they supposed them resident, as in their Temples, about their Oracles, or before shrines or I∣dols, which (according to Ethnicke Divinitie) were in a sort animated with their presence? Or, admitting any heathen living in Asia, should haue directed his prayers towards Hercules his Temple in Greece, might not his folly haue beene iustified by the same Apolo∣gie,

which the Romanist brings for his, if that were iust and orthodoxall? Iupiter est quodcun{que} vides, The su∣preame power adored by him vnder the name of Iupi∣ter, he might (with good approbation of the Lear∣ned,) haue avouched to be every where able and wil∣ling to acquaint the lesser Gods (his more intimate friends, with whom he might be bolder) with his pe∣titions in so great distance. To be perswaded that any Saint should be able at all houres of day and night, to take notice of all the petitions, that are or can be made vnto him in Italy, Germanie, France, and Spaine, or throughout the whole world, is to ascribe greater divinitie vnto him, than any Heathens did to their ordinary Gods, whom notwithstanding they concei∣ved worthy of divine Honour. The fruition of his presence who knowes all things at all times, cannot make Saints or Angels so capable of this perpetuall vbiquitary knowledge, as personall vnion with him, who is every where essentially present, might make Christs body of vbiquitary locall presence: yet to maintaine it to be so present every where, is in our Adversaries judgement, an heresie; but a farre greater to ascribe this vbiquitary knowledge vnto Saints. And out of this conceipt to direct prayers to them in heaven from every part of the earth, is formall Idola∣trie, as well in practise as in opinion; For God even God onely knowes the hearts of all the Children of men. 1. King. 8. ver. 31.

3. To conclude; with what manner of respect or observance (in particular) glorified Saints or Angels are to be entertained by vs mortall men, is a point im∣possible to be determined, vntill wee haue iust occasi∣on

to dispute it. And other occasion we can haue none, saue what their presence or commerce with vs shall administer. Or, admitting their vndoubted ap∣paritions were at this day as rife, as heretofore they haue beene pretended, it would be the first part of our dutie to fashion our selues vnto such observance as they would prescribe vs, not to prescribe them what manner of honour they were to receiue from vs. Gods word concerning their worship is silent, saue onely that Saint Paul hath advised vs to content our selues with ignorance in these secrets, vnto whose search we are not called; to affect whose knowledge, wee can haue no provocation or impulsion besides the vaine-swelling of our fleshly mindes. But, whatsoever respect or observance might lawfully be tendred to their infallible appearance, cannot without impious folly be seriously proffered to them whilest they ap∣peare not: and solemnly to consecrate it to their I∣mages whose persons we never sawe, is the height of impietie. Civilitie & common sense may enforme vs that to tender such respect or signes of submission to Princes or great Personages, whom wee see a farre of, as would become vs being admitted to conference with them, would argue either distraction of minde, or clownish simplicitie. Though it were lawfull to ex∣presse our necessities with bended knees to Saints or Angels vouchsafing their presence, and to implore their intercession for vs with sighes and teares; yet may not such as haue eyes, pray to them or any whom they cannot see, saue onely to him who is invisible. None that haue sense, may pray to any of whose ver∣tuall presence or acquaintance with our affaires, we

haue no sensible vndoubted pledge; saue onely to him whom we know not by sense, but by the spirit of grace and faith, every where to heare and know all things that are done or sayd any where. Howbeit for every man at all times, in every place, vpon all occasions to worship him in such manner, as they without offence, with true devotion, haue done, vnto whom his extra∣ordinary presence hath beene manifested, would be but a superstitious observance. For although we be fully assured, that he sees our gestures, knowes our hearts, and heares our petitions, at all times and every where alike; yet he sees that we haue not alwayes the like occasions, which they had, to pray or worship as they did. And any extraordinary manner of worship without extraordinary impulsion, is will-worship. More particularly; Religious prayers being proper acts of faith, vnlesse they be made in faith, are most properly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not of faith, quite contrary to the rule of faith, which in any point to crosse, is a pre∣sumptuous sinne; but to contradict it in matters of religious worship, is the sinne of Idolatrie.

Now reli∣gious prayers cannot be conceived or exhibited to any in faith, without certaintie of faith, that they to whom they are exhibited, doe heare vs. Seriously to tender requests to the soules of Saints deceased, far∣ther distant from vs than any one part of the earth is from another, after the same manner we might do, vpon certaine notice of their presence, or mutuall pledges of commerce with vs, is but to offer the sa∣crifice of fooles vnto the winde, or to sow the ele∣ment wherein we breath, with the poysonous seedes of Ethnicke superstition. And so in fine the Romanist

doth not enrich the Saints, but stockes and stones (the workes of his owne hands) with that honour whereof he hath robbed his God. His adoring, his kissing and his worshipping of Saints and Images with bended knees and other signes of submission, is but a solemne invitation of infernall ghosts to keepe residence about them. These are the Harpies which defile Gods service, and devoure the peoples offrings, which their inchanted Priests would per∣swade them were presented to & accepted by Gods Saints.

To thinke the Saints should be permitted to receiue our particular petitions, and not be permitted to returne their particular answers; or not be enabled as freely to communicate their mindes to vs, as we to impart our desires to them, is an imaginatiō so grosse, that it can haue no ground either of faith or common reason. Wee may retort Bellarmines and his Consorts arguments for invocation of Saints vpon themselues. That the Saints, whom they invocate, doe not im∣part their mindes vnto their supplicants in such par∣ticular manner as their supplicants impart their de∣sires to them, it is either because they will not, or they cannot. To say they will not if they can, is to impeach them of pride or want of charitie: to say they cannot, is to slander them with impotencie, or with want of favour with God. For He that enables them as they suppose He doth to heare vs speak from earth to hea∣ven can questionlesse enable them so to speake or ex∣presse themselues, that wee might heare them from heaven to earth. It is but one and the same branch of his infinite power and goodnesse to giue Saints de∣ceased the like vse and exercise of spirituall tongues,

as He graunts them, by the Romanists doctrine, of spi∣rituall eares.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The Romish Church in her publicke Liturgies expressely giues those glorious titles vnto Saints, vnto which no o∣ther reall worship besides the worship of Latria is an∣swerable.

1. SEeing as well prayers in the first place directed vnto Saints, as these which they tender immediately vnto God vp∣on Saints dayes, are offered vp in ho∣nor of the Saints, in the same place wherein, and with the same externall signes of observance wherewith they solemnly worship God: what note of difference haue they left to distinguish themselues from grosse Idolaters? Onely the internall conceipt which they haue of divine excellency, as much greater then An∣gelicall dignitie. But how shall we know this different esteeme of God, of Christ and of his Saints to be true∣ly seated in their hearts, without open confession of the mouth, making some distinction in the solemne and publicke profession of allegiance to both? Is the forme then of their devotion to God and Christ, as ac∣curately distinguished by any soveraigne title from their supplications vnto Saints, as petitions to Kings and Princes are from petitions made vnto their offi¦cets? One of the most peculiar titles of Christ as Me∣diator, (by Bellarmines confession) is that in the tenth of Iohn, Ego sum ostium, I am the doore; for from this

attribute he proues him to be the only immediate Me∣diator. If He who is the doore be the onely immediate Mediator, what manner of Mediatrix must shee be which is the gate, the blessed gate by which the righ∣teous enter. Did he conceiue his second proposition before mentioned in termes more wary then we were aware of; Sancti non sunt immediati intercessores, Saints are not our immediate intercessors, but some Sain∣tesse may make immediate intercession? For so they pray vnto the blessed Virgine;

* 1.43Ave maris stella, Dei mater alma, At{que} semper virgo, Foelix coeli porta;

Haile, starre of the Sea, Gods sweete Mother (and Mate,) Everlasting Virgine, Heavens happie gate.

And yet it seemes they make her withall the founda∣tion or foundresse of our faith: for so it followeth in the same hymne;

Funda nos in pace.

Yea the fountaine of sanctification, from whose full∣nesse we receiue grace for grace:

Virgo singularis, Intra omnes mitis, Nos culpis solutos, Mites fac & castos. Vitam praesta puram, Iter para tutum.

Of Virgines the very prime and floure; Whose brest of meekenesse is the bowre: From guilt vs free, which soule doth waste; And make, oh make vs meeke and chaste. Our liues vouchsafe first to make pure; Next that our Iourney proue secure.

And because God is called the King of heaven and Father of mercy, who hath the issues of death in his hands, shee must be entitled the Mother of mercy, &c.

* 1.44 a 1.45 Maria mater gratiarum, Mater misercordiae; Tu nos ab hoste protege, Et horâ mortis suscipe.

Mary of grace, Mother milde, Who hast mercie for thy childe; Hide and saue vs from our foe, When from bodies soules shall goe.

From this her milde and mercifull temper, they hope (it seemes) that shee is able to let some into heaven by the window, which may not be allowed to come in by the ordinary doore or foregate:

Coeli foenestra facta es. Officium B: Mariae, &c.

The attributes of Wisedome, Ecclus the 24. are sung or sayd as part of her honour; Ab initio, & ante secul. creata sum, & vs{que} ad futurum seculum non desinam, et i•• habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi. Of this stamp•• is that Hymne to the Apostles, cited by Bellarmine without blushing. Lib. de Beatitud. Sanct. cap. 17.

* 1.46Quorum praecepto subditur, Salus & languor omnium; Sanate aegros moribus, Nos reddentes virtutibus.

By whose decree all like or pine; To soule-sicke Patients health resigne; And vnto Vertue vs incline.

But more sacrilegious by much is that Hymne vnto S. Iohn, so well knowne and so common, that the notes for Plaine-song were taken out of it, (vt, re, mi, fa, sol, la) which we might haue just cause to mislike did not the syllables sound otherwise extra dictionem than in dictione they did.

* 1.47Vt queant laxis Resonare fibris, Mira gestorum Famuli tuorum; Solve peccantis Labij reatum, Sancte Iohannes.

That with free hearts thy servants may, Thy wondrous Acts and prayse display; From sinnefull lips guilt take away, O Holy Saint Iohn.

Did not such as first conceived or commonly vsed this song, intend to honour S. Iohn with the best kinde of worship that was in their breasts, when they desire their hearts and soules may be purified, to the end they might more clearely sound forth his prayse? Could the sweet Singer of Israel haue consecrated his best devotions in more solemne sort vnto God, then these words imply? In as much as wee never reade,

that S. Iohn did either send downe fire from Heaven, or cause the mouths of these Priests of Bell to be stopt with haire and pitch; this is to me, and will be vnto the vnpartiall Reader, a better argument that this blessed Saint did never heare those or like prayers di∣rected vnto him; than the Romish Church shall be a∣ble to bring, That Saints deceased are (ordinarily) ac∣quainted with mens petitions or desires in particular. Yet vnto all these & many like we must expect no answere but one: but that wee may well expect should be a sound one and worthy the noting: Est ergò notandum cum dicimus non deberi peti à sanctis, nisi vt orent pro no∣bis, nos non agere de verbis sed de sensu verborum. It is to be noted (saith * 1.48 Bellarmine) that when we affirme, it is not lawfull to request any more of the Saints, than that they would pray for vs, our meaning is not to be tryed by the words which wee vse; but by the sense and meaning of them.

2. They thinke they may safely vse these formes of words; Saint Peter haue mercy on me, saue me, open me the gate of heaven, giue me health of bodie, patience, vertue, &c: so they make this mentall or tacite con∣struction, saue me, or giue me this or that by thy prayers, by thy merits. Are these the blessings then which they craue by his merits? If so, what neede is there to pray to God for them? For, if they be his by right of pur∣chase, he may dispose of his owne at his pleasure. But what warrant haue they for this forme of prayer? * 1.49 Nazianzene so speakes in his funerall Oration for S. Cyprian; and so doth the vniversall Church in the hymnes to the blessed Virgine. The more vniversall the practise hath beene, the more vniversall should

the reformation be. For albeit every Romanist which vseth the fore-mentioned prayers, should vse withall that mentall expression or tacite reservation of his own meaning (which Bellarmine commends vnto him as an Antidote) to the Saints and himselfe: yet for all this, he should truly and really dishonour God by ver∣bally honouring the Saints with His glorious Attri∣butes. Yea the deniall of reall honour to the Saints fully answerable to the titles, which he giues them, must needs be as true and reall a mockerie of them, as it would be to a Baron or Gentleman, if their Inferiors should thus petition the one; I beseech your Maiestie or excellencie, that is, your Lordship or Honour to heare me; or thus salute the other, God blesse your Honour, meaning your Worship.

3. But is it credible that either Nazianzene, or the Romish Church tooke that speech of S. Paul for their patterne, which Iesuites now vse (post factum) for their defence. Paul sayth of himselfe that he saued some, not as God, but by his ministry of preaching & praying. Where sayth Paul so? Rom. 11. vers. 13, 14. I speake to you Gentiles in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles; I magnifie my office, if by any meanes I may provoke to e∣mulation them which are my flesh, and might saue some of them: and 1 Cor. 9. I am made all things to all men,* 1.50 that I might at least saue some. Durst Bellarmine or any of the Romish Church haue sung the former hymne in so∣lemne service vnto S. Paul, or haue enstyled him Savi∣our in their devotions and religious prayers; vpon this warrant of his owne words? To haue entitled him Saviour, much more to haue prayed vnto him for sa∣ving-health, had beene a great deale more inordinary

construction, than to haue said Iam Pauls, though that in his doctrine were to devide Christ. The first sound of such sacrilegious congratulations in his cares, would haue rent his heart, and made him teare his clothes with greater indignation, than he did at the Lycaonians idolatrous behaviour towardes him when they tooke him for Iupiter. He had seene as plentifull fruites of his Apostolicall function, as any other had done. Yet all he ascribed or would permit to be ascri∣bed vnto himselfe, was paine and travaile; he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a co-worker with God, who in the effica∣cy or encrease (to whose doner the worship of invoca∣tion is onely due) could haue no sharer. In respect of these neither was the externall worke, nor the visible workeman any thing.

4. But be it granted, for disputations sake, that the title of ministeriall or secondary Saviour, might well haue become S. Paul, whilest he travailed in the Gos∣pel: yet seeing the chiefe meanes he vsed for others safetie, was submission of his high calling to their frailtie, and symbolizing with their weakenesse; the excellencie of his ministeriall function or Apostoli∣call power, did not enlarge it selfe but rather expire by his dissolution. The ground of this our Assertion is so firmely laid by our Apostle him selfe, that, whiles the world stands, it shall never be shaken by any assault the Romish Church can make against it: nor shall any distinction which the Iesuites can frame, be ever able to vndermine the Conclusion which wee ground vp∣on it. Thus we argue: Had S Pauls favour with God beene so mightily improoved by death, as they con∣tend, and his affectionate notice of his followers ne∣cessities

continued the same or greater; His speedie dissolution or departure to Christ had beene as expe∣dient for the Churches which he planted, as for him∣selfe. For so (to vse the Romish language) they might haue had a patrone in the Court of Heaven, the vn∣cessant intercession of whose effectuall prayers might haue procured pardon for their sinnes, and plentie of teachers to water what he had planted. But S. Paul hath expresly sayd it, and we must vndoubtedly beleeue it, that to * 1.51 liue for ever to make incession for vs, is the essen∣tiall prerogatiue of the vnchangable Priesthood, the peculiar title of the everlasting Priest. * 1.52 It was expedient for his disciples that he should leaue them and goe to his Fa∣ther, otherwise that Comforter would not haue come vnto them. But it never was expedient for any Church or Congregation, to be deprived of their godly & faith∣full Pastors bodily presence. The onely reason of this diversitie is, because Christ liues for ever, and hath an everlasting Priest-hood; whereas Saints and godly men which are departed this life, although they still liue vnto God, are, (touching intercession or other acts of their ministeriall function) dead to vs. Vpon these advantages we may here constraine Cardinall Bellarmine either to call in his vnanswerable argument (as he enstyles it) or to admit of that answer to it, which our Writers haue given: Why the invocation of Saints should be vnlawfull or vnprofitable, no other reason can be alledged but either because they cannot heare the prayers which we make vnto them, or will not pray as hear∣tily to God for vs, as they did when they lived, or are not in such favour with God to obtaine what they aske. Bellar. l. 1. de Sanctorum beatitud. cap 19. I onely reply; if Saints

deceased can both heare our prayers, and be sooner heard of God for our good, which (as our Adversaries suppose) they still tender in particular so much the more then liuing here they did, as their charitie is en∣creased: it is expedient for the Church militant that the godliest and best Ministers die the soonest, and the fastest. For so of ordinary Pastors they may become more than Apostles, able to heate the prayers and vn∣dertake the patronage of many thousands, with whom they could neither haue commerce or confe∣rence while they liued in the flesh.

5. How vtterly these men evacuate the eternitie of Christs Priesthood as well by continuing a successiue multiplicitie of sacrificers to reiterate his everlasting sacrifice here on earth, as by joyning other everlasting intercessors with him, as his assistants in heaven, is an argument more directly pertinent to some Articles following in the Creede. My present observations must be limited by the references to the maine con∣clusion intended. [That the Romish Church in her pub∣licke Liturgie, doth often giue the realtie of Christs sove∣raigne titles, sometimes the very titles themselues vnto Saints, sometimes leauing not so great difference betweene the divine Maiestie or glorious Trinitie and other coelestiall inhabitants, as the Heathens did betwixt their greater and lesser Gods, or as we do between ordinary Princes and their subiects.] Ty••urne or Bedlam would quickly take order with him, that would seeke, or suffer an act of the pre∣rogatiue royall (as granting of pardons, creation of Barons, calling of Parliaments) to passe joyntly in the name of the Kings Maiestie, of the Queenes or Princes, & in the name of all the officers of the Court

and Common-wealth, descending as low as Bay liffes, Constables, Church-wardens, and Tythingmen. And the Pope would take it as an hereticall diminu¦tion of his plenary power, if every Bishop should re∣ceiue his Pall, every sinner his indulgence, every soule in Purgatory her dismission, in his Holines name, and in the name of all his Cardinalls, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Yet in the translation of a Christian soule from this life to a better; after they haue directed their supplications to all the severall orders of Saints for their intercession with God; in the very agony of death they draw their safe conducts in this forme:

Depart out of this world in the name of God the Father Almightie, who hath created thee; in the name of Iesus Christ the sonne of God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the holy Ghost, who was powred forth vpon thee; in the name of Angells and A••changells; in the name of thrones and dominations, in the name of principalities & powers; in the name of Cherubims and Seraphims; in the name of Patriarckes and Prophets; in the name of holy Apostles and Evangelists; in the name of holy Mar∣tyrs and Confessors; in the name of holy Monkes and Eremites; in the name of Virgins, and of all Gods Saints and Saintesses. This day let thy soule be in peace and thy habitation in holy Sion * 1.53.

If thus they pray with their lips onely, they mocke God as well as the Saints. If thus they pray with internall affection of heart and spirit, they really worship Saints with the selfe same honour, wherewith they honour God. Nor is it cre∣dible, they doe intend, or possible (though intended) they should in one and the same prayer or continued supplication, produce the like change in the affecti∣ons

of their heart and spirit, as an Organist doth in Musicke by changing the stoppes. Or though they could produce the like change in every severall eja∣culation, yet the honour wherewith they honour God and the Saints should continue still of the same kind, and differ onely in degree or modulation. Or might they not with lesse impietie admit a Christian soule into the Church militant, than translate it into the Church triumphant in other names besides the Tri∣nitie? They might better baptize them, onely in the name of God the Father, and of S. Francis, S. Bennet, and S. Dominicke, &c. without any mention of God the sonne and holy Ghost, rather than joyne these as commissioners with them, in dismissing soules out of their bodies. To censure this part of their Liturgie as it deserues, it is no prayer but a charme, conceived out of the dregs and reliques of Heathenish Idolatrie, which cannot be brought forth but in blasphemie, nor be applyed to any sicke soule without sorce∣ry.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Proouing by manifest instances and confessed matters of fact, that the Romish Church doth really exhibit divers parts of that honour or worship vnto Saints, which by her confession is onely due vnto God. That her nice di∣stinctions of Dulia and Latria, or the like, argue no dif∣ference at all in the reallitie or substance of the Worship, but (at the most) divers respects of one and the same Worship.

1. THe more vpon these occasions I looke into the Romane Liturgie, the more I am enforst to commend the Heathen Philosophers ingenuous reply to A∣naxarchus sophisticall allegations, for honouring A∣lexander as a God. * 1.54 I for my part (sayth Callisthenes) doe not thinke Alexander vnworthy of any honour which is convenient to be given to men. But the differences betwixt

Honour humane and divine are determined,* 1.55 as by many o∣ther things, so by the building of Temples, by the erection of Statues. Wee consecrate shrines and offer sacrifice and in∣cense to the Gods: vnto the same Gods Hymnes are due, as prayses are to men. But the honour due to the Gods is speci∣ally differenced by the manner of adoration. Men are gree∣ted with kisses; but the Gods are saluted with adoration, being placed so high that wee may not touch them. Vnto the Gods likewise wee expresse our ioyfull thankesgiving in so∣lemne dances and songs. And no marvell, if the honour which we giue to Gods be distinguished from the honour which we giue to men, seeing divers kindes of honours are allotted to divers Gods. The honour given to Heroickes de∣ceased differeth from honour truely divine. It is therefore vnfitting to confound these; vnfitting to extoll men by la∣vish honour aboue humane state, or to coarctate the Gods vnto a state vnfitting their dignitie, or to worship them af∣ter the same manner as wee doe men. Nor could Alexander himselfe be well pleased, if a priuate man should vsurpe roy∣all titles by election, or vnlawfull suffrages. Much more iustly will the Gods be moued with indignation, if any mor∣tall man shall either arrogantly affect, or willingly accept divine honours, though proffered by others.

2. Yet thinks the Romanist either God will not be an∣gry, or els his anger may be quickly appeased with the mentall conception of former distinctions never vtte∣red. Albeit they make the Virgin Mary Queene of Hea∣ven and Mother of mercie, and bestow his other best ti∣tles (in hymnes or solemne service) vpon the Saints: it must suffice him that some few other parts of divine honour mentioned by this Heathen, as offering of sa∣crifice, erection of Temples and Altars, are reserved

onely to his Maiestie. These, by their own confession, are proper acts of that religious worship, which may not be communicated to any Saint or Angell; and so are vowes conceived in solemne and legall forme. Let vs see then how well their practises sute with their speculations in these points, and what neede the de∣votions of vulgar breasts haue of sublimated braines to preserue them from the poyson of damnable and more than Heathenish Idolatrie. If I should aske one of them, What service is this you celebrate to day? Whose Church is this wherein you celebrate it? they would make no scruple to say the one was S. Peters Church, the other his Masse. If both Church and Masse doe beare his name, and be consecrated to his honour, may they not offer that vnto S. Peter which is S. Peters; and present him with a sacrifice vpon that Altar which beares his image and superscription? No•• they may not offer a sacrifice, saue onely to God. But they may offer it vnto God in honour of S. Peter; or in testimony that S. Peter is the patron of that place, or of such as in it supplicate vnto him, or in token of their desire that his intercession for them might be accepted.

3. Or to gather the resolutions into such distinct tearmes, as yonger or weaker capacities may strike at their errors without iniury to the truth which they would make vs beleeue doth vnderprop them: Deus est vnicus terminus, non vnicus finis sacrificij oblati; God is the only party to whom the sacrifice is offered or solemne∣ly presented, not the onely partie whose honour is by the offering or solemnitie intended. They haue as true an in∣tention to honour S. Peter as to honour God, though

in a lower degree; and (for any construction I can make of their assertions) S. Peters honour though in it selfe lesse, is notwithstanding more specially and principally intended. So that by offering sacrifice vn∣to God onely, we may in some respects grant they ho∣nour God more than S. Peter, in others we must accuse them for honouring S. Peter more than God. For illu∣strating this collection, I will alter onely the matter and persons, not a whit of the forme of the Action or order of intention. The case is the same, as if some great Family or Corporation should tender the King a royall present in most submissiue and loyall manner, but petitiō withall to haue some favorite, whom they most affect, made Baron or Governor and Fee-farmer of the Citie or Territories which vnder his Maiestie they inhabite, reserving all rents and services, aunci∣ently due out of the lands, vnto the Crowne; or rea∣die, if neede were, a little to raise them. A wise King in this case would neede no spectacles to discerne the true reason of their professing more than ordinary loyaltie to his Highnesse, at this time and place, to haue bin their extraordinary affection vnto the partie whose honour they sought for their owne patronage; vnto whose coffers more gaine were likely to accrew for the proprietie of the revenewes granted, than could come to the Chequer from the Fee-farme or Royaltie. And the Romanists (I am perswaded) would be more ready to deride our simplicitie than to commend our charitie, if we could not suspect that S. Peter in Rome, S. Dennis in Paris, S. Iames in Compostella, the Lady Ma∣rie in Loretto, or other worse deserving Saints in the places wherof they are Patrons, in the Churches and

Temples dedicated to their memorie, did not gaine a greater portion of the peoples hearts, and a truer pro∣priety in their devotions, vnder the title of Dulia, than is reserved for the great King, vnder the title of Latria. If then we consider not the physicall forme of the sa∣crifice onely, but the end and circumstances of the whole service, they honour God with greater titles of Religion, but with lesse realtie of religious respect or affection, then they doe those Saints, whom they conceiue as their immediate Lords, their peculiar Pa∣trons or especiall Benefactors. As for the Sonne of God, seeing they make him the matter of the offering wherewith they hope to induce his Father to grace the Saints, (by granting immunitie vnto themselues vnder their patronage and protection) they no way honour, but (as much as in them lies) disdignifie him in such solemnities. The indignitie offred by them vnto Christ, though for its measure much lesse, is in proportion much what the same, as if a saucie petitio∣ner or dishonest supplicant, should seeke to worke the King to grant his petition for his owne gaine and his friends honour, by presenting his Maiestie with rarest Iewells of the Prince his onely Sonne, without his ex∣presse consent, or vpon presumptuous hopes of his presumed approbation.

4. But let vs take their confession concerning the other points proposed in their owne language. We demand, whether S. Peter haue no better interest in the Churches & Altars that beare his name, of which his image hath taken possession, than he hath in the service that is celebrated in the one, or in the sacrifice that is offered vp on the other? Here such as joyne

hands and hearts in the repairing of the new Babell, are somewhat divided in their language. Some grant the tenor of his interest to be one & the same in both, and therefore make the same plea they did before, [That one Church is called S. Peters, another S. Ma∣ries, admits (in their doctrine) this exposition; Both are dedicated vnto God, but the one in the name and memo∣rie of S. Peter, the other of S. Marie: or they are dedica∣ted vnto God, to the end that they may vse the intercessi∣on of S. Peter or S. Marie in that place]. As the Masse is called S. Peters masse, not that the sacrifice is offered vnto him, but vnto God, by way of thankesgiving for the grace bestowed on S. Peter, and Peter withall may be there pray∣ed vnto as their Patron and Advocate with God* 1.56. This, sayth Bellarmine, is a godly exposition and conforma∣ble to the rites which the Church obserues in the consecration of Temples. For sometimes the Bishop, amongst the prayers belonging to such solemnities, professeth that he consecrateth the Temple in hono∣rem Dei, & nomen talis, vel talis Sancti; to the honor of God and name of such a Saint: but directly to God vnder the title of Latria, to the memorie of the Saint vnder the title of Dulia. But Bellarmine foresaw, that their practise and forme of consecration, well examined, might be enforc'd to cōfesse more then this exposition implies; and vpon this foresight hath framed another more wary plea to our inditement: for whose better successe he had conceived his fourth proposition concerning the right vse or end of building Temples in these tearmes; Sacrae domus non solum Deo sed etiam Sanctis, &c. Sacred palaces or religious houses may be lawfully built and dedicated not onely to God but vnto Saints. To bring

in this conclusion in due place and order, not Fathers and Councells onely but holy Scriptures also must be wrested to countenance blasphemie; and blasphemie (having put on an impudent face vpon presumption of their warrant) must man in such heathenish Idola∣trie, as not so guarded would blush or be affraid to appeare amongst Christian spectators. Salomons Tem∣ple (sayth he) was erected not onely to be an house of prayer or of sacrifices, but to be withall an habitati∣on for the Arke, as Davids intendment (1 Chron. 17. Psal. 132.) and Salomons accomplishing of it (2 Chron. 5. cap:) bare manifest record. This being proued which no man denyeth, he thus assumes: The same or greater honor is due to the sacred reliques of Christ and his Saints, than vnto the Mosaicall Arke. Ergo, it is as lawfull to erect a Temple over the sepulcher of Christ, as over the Arke: and if over the sepulcher of Christ, then over the sepulcher of the Saints, for there is one and the same reason in all: they differ onely secundum magis & minus.

He addes withall, (lest the people should be too scrupu∣lous) that vnder the name of sacred reliques he cō∣prehends not only the bones or garments of Saints, but the places where they suffred, where they dwelt, or did any famous act; as S. Cyprian had two sacred houses erected to him, one where he suffred, another where his body lay. Nay such houses may be erected to Saints in any place; onely to preserue or inlarge their fame or memory, by retaining their Images or names, to the intent that such as enter into them being put in minde of their dutie by the image, or knowne name of the Temple, may remember Saint Peter, &c. and worship him in that place as their pa∣tron, and pray to him.

5. He hath brought the point to this issue for vs; Temples may not be erected to any besides God for∣maliter, they may be erected to Saints materialiter; that is, one and the selfe same sacred house, which is a true Temple, and wherein sacrifices are offered vp to God, may be erected in honor of this or that Saint, but not as it is a Temple. How then? As it is a sacred seat or re∣ceptacle of the Saints bodie, or as a monument of his fame: as (that he may justifie one impiety by another) one and the same stone is both an Altar and a Tomb∣stone, or Sepulcher; an Altar in as much as they offer sacrifice vpon it vnto God, a Tombstone or Sepulcher in as much as it covers the bodie of some Martyr. For (as he tells vs for our learning) all Altars are Sepul∣chers or Tombstones of Saints. His finall resolution is,

[As the same stone is rightly dedicated to this or that Saint, not in consideration that it is an Altar, but in consideration that it is a Sepulcher: so the same house, which is a Temple, is truely dedicated to the Saint; non sub ratione Templi, sed sub ratione Basilicae (not as a Temple but as a sacred Palace, for the Saint to rest or to be worshipped in). Now, as it would be plaine Idolatry to erect Altars to Saints, but no Idolatry to erect the same stones vnto them which are Altars: so it would be Idolatry to erect Temples to Saints, vnder this respect, that they are Temples; but no Idolatry to erect the same houses vnto them, which are Temples, not as they are Tem∣ples, but as they are sacred Palaces].

Did the Masons or Carpenters, or such as set them a-worke about a thousand yeare agoe, either lay the foundation, raise the walles, or put on the roofes of Temples, which

they built to Saints, by the rule of this distinction? If they did not, they committed grosse Idolatry. And, for ought I can gather from Bellarmines Apologie, he makes no scruple to confesse that Romane Catho∣liques doe still commit Idolatry; all his care is to avert the imputation of committing this foule sinne quate∣nus ipsum, or formally, as it is Idolatry, that is, of pollu∣ting their soules with it by art and methode, or of be∣getting it by expresse conceipt of it's essentiall diffe∣rence; with which none but the Schoolemen haue especiall acquaintance. Nor will I (for mine owne part) charge them thus deepely, for dedicating Tem∣ples vnto Saints▪ it sufficeth me to proue, that they are in this point plain down-right Idolaters. But I would gladly in the next place, be resolved how they can ac∣quit themselues from the imputation of committing Idolatry quatenus Idolatrie, in solemnizing Vowes to Saints.

CHAPTER XXX.

Solemne Vowes are by confession of the Romish Church, parts of that worship, which her Advocates call Latria. The Romish Church doth worship Saints with solemne vowes, not by accident onely, but by direct intendment.

1. IT was a received doctrine in Aquinas his time, that Vowes were part of divine Worship, or cultus latriae. And whereas their custome of vowing obedience vn∣to Governors, might seeme to impeach them of gi∣ving that to men which belonged only to God: He di∣vides

vowes into their matter and forme; bequeathing the former part to glorified Saints and living men, the latter onely vnto God. This arbitrement betwixt God and living men (though such as the harlot, before Salo∣mon, did plead for) likes * 1.57 Bellarmine very well, because in vowing obedience to Prelates or Governours, men intend not to honour them but God.

On the contra∣ry, he that vowes a fast or pilgrimage vnto Saints; intends directly to honor them with religious wor∣ship. Vnto this part of Aquinas his arbitrement, Bellarmine will not subscribe. Because Caietan before him had condemned Aquinas his resolution out of the mouthes of preaching Fryars.

For they, whilest they professe or promise the materiall part of their vow to men, tender the formall parts as directly to Saints as vnto God. I vow to God, to S. Marie, and all the Saints, that I will faithfully obey my Governour. Caie∣tans answer to the difficultie proposed, is so slight that it seemeth he cared not much, if there had beene no practitioners in this kind, or that their practise might want Patrons. Somewhat notwithstanding he was to say for fashion sake. But his distinction is so acute, that indeed he denies any vowes or promises to be truely made vnto Saints; as they are reasonable crea∣tures, or for their internall excellency.

2. Bellarmine to avoyd this scandall; avoucheth it as a generall agreement amongst all Catholiques, that they make promises as directly and truely vnto Saints as vnto God. For if it be lawfull to build sacred ••••ala∣ces, to erect Sepulchers, and burne Lampes before them, why should it not be as lawfull to make solemne promises vnto them? Thus one impietie being allow∣ed

and admitted into their Church, must in charitie approue another. Now every promise that is made to God or Saints deceased, is a formall vow, as he very well declares; nor can the Church, by his acknow∣ledgement, make the same plea in this case as in the former, that their vowes are directed only vnto God, though in memory and honor of the Saints; for they are terminated joyntly and directly vnto God, and to the Saints. Here (methinkes) they should invoke the ayde of some Saint or other, to vntie this knot, which he vainely thinkes will vntie it selfe, by the former di∣stinction.

The promise (saith he) is indeed one and the same, but is not made after one & the same manner: They bind themselues vnto God, in token of their thankfulnesse towards him as the fountaine of all good, and in recognition of blessings received from him, as from the first author of all things. And, by this apprehension or recognition, solemne promises made to him become cultus latriae, proper acts of diuine worship. But they bind themselues vnto Saints onely in signe of their thankfulnesse towards them, as Mediators or Intercessors by whose favour they receiue blessings from God; and this acknow∣ment 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, al∣low, or authorize them, can transforme them into Cul∣tus 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 bles∣sings 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 I∣dolatry to performe that religious service vnto Saints which the holy Spirit hath appropriated vn∣to God; because the Canon of Scripture was accompli∣shed before the Custome of vowing vnto Saints begun, (or rather the authoritie of it was abandoned by in∣troduction of this custome, if not before.)

This reply seemes to insinuate, that if Gods Spirit had commit∣ted 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 objec∣tion, 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 ap∣propriated vnto God, is because they are a more im∣mediate and especiall part of his worship than sacrifi∣ces are. He that offered legall sacrifices of his Cattell or of the fruites of the earth, did thereby testifie his gra∣titude 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 sa∣crifices, were oftimes the matter of religious vowes. The forme of religious worship or service and the im∣mediate end of such sacrifices, was * 1.58 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 offe∣ring of sacrifice. And whether the vow were concei∣ved out of gratitude vnto God for benefits past, or out of sorrow for sinne, or former ingratitude: the religi∣ous observance of it was a true part of that living sa∣crifice or reasonable service, which our* 1.59 Apostle requires at our hands, as the patterne or prototypon of Leviti∣call offerings. May we then offer any part of our rea∣sonable 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 obliga∣tion, wherein we stand bound to him and them joynt∣ly. 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 La∣tria 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 speci∣all patrons of those places) the Saints shall haue the principall interest in the Votaries affections.

4. The * 1.60 Fathers in the second Nicene Councell, and others more auncient whose authoritie they pre∣tended for establishing that abominable decree (as one of our Historians many yeares before Luther was borne, doth censure it;) concerning Image-worship, did divide Adoration into two parts, externall and in∣ternall.

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 a¦gainst

them (if neede shall require, or occasion be of∣fered) by logicall remonstrance. If the worship of La∣tria, and in particular the nuncupation of vowes be proper onely vnto God, than he or they, or whosoe∣ver they be, every person to whom Latria or nuncupa∣tion 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 can∣not 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 apprehen∣sion or esteeme of divine powers, which is seated one∣ly in the braine, vntrue in respect of the esteeme or re∣ligious 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 excel∣lencie 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 sen∣tence 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 presumpti∣on of some custome, without iust or expresse warrant of law; so the inclination of the will (in which the na∣ture 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 vn∣derstanding 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 apprehensi∣on 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, where∣in religious worship doth consist. Or admit the appre∣hension of Gods excellencies and the Saints were al∣wayes 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 vn∣derstanding should carry their correspondent affecti∣ons so levell and paralell in the practise or perfor∣mance, as they should not intermingle, or one crosse another. We see in other cases of common life, where∣in 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 ac∣quainted 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 v∣sually drencht in the dregges of misery and basenesse, being drawne awry or pulled downe by the contagi∣ous 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 at∣tractiue 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 devoti∣on? 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 admit∣ting 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 hear∣tily 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 feli∣citie 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 gene∣rally doth in others: Communia negliguntur, The com∣mon 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, how∣soever 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 other∣wise they would, if every one may haue his supposed private benefactors, or the inhabitants of severall pla∣ces 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 * 1.61 Cominaeus in the Inhabitants of Pauia. If such as builded them Cities or endowed their Churches with lands, may haue their Images cu∣riously wrought and adorned to be daily saluted with

the same outward signes of submission which they tender vnto God or Christ: the a 1.62 Wise-mans obser∣vatiō is not out of date in respect of these latter dayes. And S. * 1.63 Augustine tells vs, that the erection of a stately Temple vnto Iupiter eclipsed the honour of Summa∣nus, 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 per∣sons, 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 Chri∣stians, which was denyed vnto the Iewes; are parcels of that maine Question, Whether the second Com∣mandement according to our division were morall or ceremoniall; of which (if God permit) in the expo∣sition 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 au∣thoritie

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 de∣ceased. The vse of Images in Churches or sacred Li∣turgies was held so incompatible with Christian wor∣ship of God in spirit and truth; that when Adrian in∣tended 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 testi∣mony ratifies the Wise mans observation in Rome-heathen, and Lampridius in Rome-Christian. Whether we begin our accompt from the Law of Nature a∣mongst the Nations, or from the promulgation of the Gospell, Images were not from the beginning. Wisedome 14. ver. 12. But after the Church which during the time of her infancy had kept her virginitie vnspotted, began in her full age to play the harlot in vowing, in praying, in erecting Altars and Temples to Saints; the instinct of her impurity did lead her to vse Images, as secular wantons doe lascivious pictures for provo¦king lust. They were rather the fewell, than the be∣ginning or first kindling of Rome-Christians spirituall whoredome. Her down-fall into these dregs of Idola∣trie or soule acts of more than brutish bestialitie, was the iust reward of her wantonnesse with the Saints. after shee had beene betrothed to Christ. That which

shee falsely pretends for her excuse, is vsually true of secular adulterers or adulteresses. These for the most part delight in pictures for their prototypons sake, with whose liue beautie they haue beene taken. And yet many deprived of their Minions reall presence by death or other separation, haue been so besotted with doting loue of their resemblances, as to loath the company of their lawfull Consorts. Howbeit no vn∣chast doting lover did ever tye his fancie with so ma∣ny loueknotts vnto his Mistris picture, as the Romanist doth his soule and spirit vnto the Images which he a∣dores. The maine bond, is Religion it selfe, the lesser cordes are kissing, bowing, kneeling, imbracements, and powring forth his very heart before them. Besides all these, he suffers this peculiar disadvantage in re∣spect of secular doteards; these cōmonly haue seene their feature whose true resemblances they ioy in; the Romanist never had any acquaintance by sight or other sense, with the persons of those Saints, vnto whose Images he makes all this loue; but frames these materiall and visible representations of them out of his owne braine or fancie. These and the like circum∣stances, were they duely examined by the rules of true Philosophie or knowne experiment, how quickly the pursuite of ordinary meanes doth in most cases alie∣nate our desires from the end vnto which we seeke to be directed by them; it would appeare to be without the compasse of any morall possibilitie, that the Ima∣ges which these men make their visible spokesmen vnto the Saints, should not play false with both par∣ties, and betroth the soules of doating suiters vnto themselues, or rather vnto the devill, whose stales in∣deede they are.

2.

But what if some honestly minded vnderstan∣ding Papist should solemnely sweare vnto me, that he loues S. Peter, not his Image; or S. Peter him∣selfe much better than the Image which he loues onely for his sake: shall not his religious oath be ta∣ken before any mans coniecture, concerning his owne affections? Can any search his heart better than his owne spirit can?

I will in charitie beleeue, that he speakes and sweares as he verily thinkes and is perswaded. But if out of like Christian charitie, (though not towards me, yet towards himselfe) he will giue me leaue to vnsold some practique fallacies, with which his sceptique Catechizers seldome med∣dle; I shall giue him iust reason to mistrust his owne thoughts or perswasions, as altogether groundlesse, and vncapable of any solid truth. Can the most devout Franciscan or Benedictine, conceipt either the truth or fervency of his loue vnto S. Francis or S. Bennet, more strongly than the latter Iewes did the integrity of their zeale to Moses? For that Moses sake which they had made vnto themselues, they would haue died with greater patience, than a Fryer could suffer imprison∣ment for S. Francis. But from the true Moses and his doctrine no Heathen vnder the Sunne were so farre alienated in affection as were his successors in place, and kinsmen according to the flesh, the sonnes of Aa∣ron and Levi. To haue enstamped their soules and af∣fections with his true and liuely Image (whereto a∣lone so great loue might be safely tendered,) the one∣ly way had beene to haue layd his sacred rules vnto their hearts; to haue worshipped God in spirit and in truth as he did. Quite contrary, they fastned their

proud affections vnto that false picture or Image of Moses which had surprised their humorous fancies, before they had seriously consulted their hearts, or examined their imaginations by the rules of his doc∣trine.

3. And whether wee speake of Adultery carnall or spirituall, the first acts of both are alwayes committed within vs; betweene the fancie or imagination and the corrupt humor which sets it a working: every pre∣dominant humor or corruption of the heart, delights to haue its picture drawne in the braine. The fancie is as a shop of devises, to adorne it; and so adorned, it growes mad with loue of its owne representation; as Narcissus did with his shadowe. Thus corruption of heart and humorous fancie pollute each other, be∣fore they can be polluted by any externall consort: whose vse is onely to accomplish the delight concei∣ved, or to confirme this internall combination, be∣tweene the heart and the braine; and this service every visible or sensible object well suited to delightfull fancies, succesfully performes. As imagine the Iewes might haue had some gaudie picture of Moses in the Temple, wherevnto they might haue made daily profession of their loue, by kissing, kneeling, and other like tokens, which the Romanists vse vnto the reliques and Images of every supposed Saint: how would this practise haue fortified their foolish imaginations? eve∣ry kisse bestowed vpon his picture would haue beene as a wedding ring or visible sacrament, for confirming the internall league betweene their corrupt affections & humorous fancies. But Image-worship was a brood of impietie so base and vgly, that the devill durst not

so much as mention the match betweene it and the latter Synagogue; though he haue espoused the mo∣derne Romish Church vnto it. Howbeit (so inevitable are his entisements, vnlesse we abandon all familiari∣tie with his visible baites, when we come to doe our homage to God) he hath stollen away the Iewes hearts from God and his servant Moses, by drawing them to such dalliance with the booke of the Law, as the Pa∣pists vse with the pictures of Saints. Kissing and so∣lemne adoration of Moses his writings, vpon no other occasion than for testification of their allegiance to God by reverencing them; are held no acts of wan∣tonnesse, no whorish tricks, by the faithlesse Syna∣gogue. And to speake the truth, her protestations of chast and loyall loue to God and his servant Moses, will sway more with every indifferent arbitrator, than any oath or other assurance which the Romish church can make of her fidelitie to Christ, or sincere respect to those Saints, whose liuelesse Images shee adores with no lesse devotion, than the Iew doth the dead letter of the Law. For, though no protestation may be taken against a fact; yet the fact is more apparantly idolatrous in the Romanist, in as much as bowing down to carved Images, kissing or worshipping them, are expressely forbidden by Moses his Law, as acts of open and palpable adultery. The last and most mise∣rable sanctuary, whereto these malefactors closely pur∣sued are glad to betake themselues, is, That this com∣mandement, Thou shalt not bow downe to them, was meerely ceremoniall, and concerned the Iewes onely, not Christians. Our Saviours manifestation in the flesh hath manifested the Synagogues pretended loue

to God and his Law, to haue beene but carnall, false and idolatrous, being indeede a loue onely of their owne humorous superstitious fancies. Now the symp∣tomes and signes, subsequent as well as antecedent, being the same in the Romish Church, sufficiently te∣stifie her disease to be the same, but more dangerous, because it is morbus complicatus. Her whole Religion, wee may without offence to God, or wrong to it, though not without some distast to her children, fitly define to be a mixture or complication of Iewish vaine-glorious delight in worthy Auncestors, and of Hea∣thenish grosse and palpable superstitious worship of their Images, in whose memorie shee so delights. The brasen Legendaries by how much more they are in other ca∣ses vncapable of any trust, yeeld vs so much greater plentie of canonicall proofe for evincing the truth of this definition or observation concerning the originall matter of Rome-Christians disease. So great is the mul∣titude of her Saints, so prodigious are the manifold miracles wherewith shee graceth every Saint in par∣ticular whilest he lived, or his image after his death, and all avouched with such confidence; that if the old Roman which cut a whetstone in pieces with his pen knife, were to arbitrate betweene the Legendaries, the latter Iewish Rabbines, and the Poeticall Enco∣miasts of heathen Gods or Heroikes, and were bound to reward every one according to his deserts, he could not bestowe lesse than nine parts of ten vpon the Le∣gendaries. The symptomes notwithstanding of this vanitie, hath beene perpetuall crueltie, as well in the Romanist as in the Iew. The distempered zeale which the one bare vnto a Moses of his owne making and

magnification, did empoyson his soule with deadly hate of the true prototypon exhibited in presence of life, and of his Disciples, which were the liue Images of Moses and Abraham, Abrahams sonnes as truely by reall likenesse of holy life, as by descent of bodie. The flames of the others wild and ill-kindled loue to such dead Images of Christ and his Saints, as he hath fashioned to please his fancie, hath caused his stonie heart to boyle over with vnstaunchable bloudie malice against the liue-images of Christ, and truest successors of his Saints; against all within these thousand yeares that would not run a whoring with them after their imaginations. As Antiochus Epiphanes was an illustri∣ous type of the Romane Antichrist, so his short and fu∣rious persecution of the Orthodoxall Iewes, was but a Map (though an exquisite one) of the Papacies con∣tinuall jealous rage against all that will not bow their knees vnto the Idols, or offer sacrifices vpon the Al∣tars, which they haue erected to vnknowne Gods in holy Temples.

4. This carnall vaine-glorious loue whether vnto imaginary Patriarcks in the Iew, or to fancied Saints in the Romanist, did never swell so much in either, as when themselues were most vnlouely in the sight of God and his Saints. Both begunne to be most affected with their worthy Auncestors prayses, when them∣selues were least prayse-worthy. As it commonly falls out in other cases, from a secret instinct or working of hypocrisie, they sought to stuffe their fancies with imaginations of their holinesse, from whom they carnally descended: that as fresh colours bring some comfort to sore eyes, or gentle plaisters ease to festered

wounds; so the reflex of their Auncestors integritie vpon their hearts, might in some sort allay the smart of their galled consciences. And their consciences by this meanes finding ease, afterwardes being lulled a∣sleepe with the continuall sweete sound of others prayses; they dreamed the substance of that holinesse to be rooted in their hearts, whose shadowe or repre∣sentation floated in their braines: as the * 1.64 Philosopher obserues that a drop of sweete Phlegme tickling the tast in slumber or light sleepe, makes men thinke they swallowe honey, or that they are glutted with sweete meates. For wedging in this selfe-deceiving fancie, and perpetuating the pleasant phrensie whereinto the Iew and Romanist had cast themselues; the visible monuments of Prophets and Saints did the old ser∣pent very great service. To embolden the Iew in cru∣ell practises against our Saviour and his disciples, he could devise no fitter sophisme, than to employ them in adorning the tombes or other like testifications of loue vnto the Prophets reliques, whom their Fathers had slaine; being by this meanes perswaded that they loved the Prophets themselues and their doctrine much better than their Fathers had done; they could not easily mistrust their hate of our Saviour for vniust. For if he had beene a true Prophet, would not they which loved all other Prophets, and justified them be∣fore their fathers, haue loved him and maintained his doctrine? The conclusion of these Fallacious collecti∣ons was, that from this vaine confidence or presumed freedome from guilt of their fathers sinnes, they came by degrees to make vp the full measure of them, in crucifying the hope of Israel. The like successe hath

the same fallacie had over Rome-Christian: shee by ado∣ring the Images and reliques, by lavish garnishing the monuments of those Saints, which Rome-heathen had persecuted with fire and sword, hath beene fet over by the great Tempter to accomplish and consolidate that mystery of iniquitie, whose shape or surface the irreligious tyranny of Rome-heathen, had drawne in bloudy lines. For mistaking this strong internall affec∣tion which shee bare vnto her owne fancie (and by consequent to Saints of her owne imagination, and to their reliques) for an vndoubted pledge of great zeale vnto that truth which they professed, her con∣science became so seared with this wild-fire, that shee persecuted all that did controll her without remorse or scruple, as greater enemies to Religion, than Here∣tickes or Infidells. And thus the Romanist, as well as the Iew, by reiecting the written word for the rule of life, haue kindled the Almighties wrath and indigna∣tion by those very sacrifices, which without his war∣rant, they instituted to appease it. Both of them pre∣sumed their zealous costs vpon Saints monuments, should either supererogate for their predecessors sins, or cleare all reckonings betweene God & themselues, for any wrong done to his servants. This triumphant confidence in exercising remorslesse crueltie vpon all (without exception) that contradict her idolatrous doctrine, vpon presumption that they are sacrilegious contemners of Gods Saints, is that which the Pro∣pheticall Apostle termes drunkennesse with the bloud of Saints: shee hath drunke so deepe of the cup of abomina∣tions, that shee takes bloud for milke, and feedes on it, as on the foode of life. Thus much of the originall, the effect

and Symptomes of Romish Phreneticall zeale to Ima∣ges.

CHAPTER. XXXIII.

By what meanes the publicke worship of Images was finally ratified in the Romish Church. Of the vnadvised in∣structions which Gregory the Great gaue vnto Au∣stine the Monke for winning the Pagan-English to the profession of Christianitie.

1 IT is a very observable observatiō of some * 1.65reverend and learned writers of this age, that the Pope should make the first step or entry to his oecumenicall Supremacie by stickling for Images against the Emperour. God (methinkes) by the circumstances of the Story, and this briefe * 1.66 Comment vpon it, would giue vs to vn∣derstand; that to serue graven Images was to fall downe and worship Sathan; seeing the admission of their worship into the Church, gaue the Pope liverie de seasin of that heritage which Sathan proffered to our Saviour, vpon condition he would fall downe and doe him homage for it. The devill had too much wit, either to tempt our Saviour to adore Images in that

age, wherein this service was so detested by the whole seede of Abraham, or to sollicit professed Christians to adore his person immediately; seeing our Saviour had so foyled him in this attempt. His best policie to bring the visible Church to acknowledge this allegi∣ance to him, was to appoint dumbe Images (with which he had beene so well acquainted in time of Gentilisme) his Feoffees in trust. If any inquire more particularly of the opportunities which he tooke for bringing this match about, they were in part these.

2. As in secular States we see those factions which haue beene expelled the Court with indignation at one gate, to winde themselues in againe by gratious favour of new alliance at another; especially after the impression of their vile practises in most mens memo∣ries be abated; or after Courtiers beginne (as within the compasse of one age they often do) to change the old fashion of contention: so, that Image service which the primitiue Church had abandoned as the Liturgie of hell, did, out of an affected desire in Christians to hold correspondencie or to symbolize with the Hea∣then Barbarians which had seated thēselues through∣out Europe, finde opportunitie to gaine readmission into Temples, to beare the same place and sway in the Courts of God, that they had done in the Syna∣gogue of Satan. The execution of such instructions as Gregory the Great gaue vnto Austine the Monke for winning the Pagan-English vnto Christianitie, would in any indifferent Polititians judgement (that duely considers the estate wherin these westerne kingdomes then stoode,) bring over Christians vnto Paganisme,

or occasion these Converts to propagate a medley of both religions to their posterity, whose religion being conquerors was likely to continue longest. Greg. l. 9. Ep. 71. Cum vero vos Deus omnipotens ad reverendissi∣mum virum fratrem nostrum Augustinum Episcopum pro∣duxerit; dicite ei quod diu mecum de causa Anglorum co∣gitans tractaui: viz. quia fana idolorum destrui in eadem Gente minime debeant; sed ipsam quae in eis sunt idola de∣struantur. * 1.67 Aqua benedicta fiat, in eisdem fanis asperga∣tur, altaria construantur, reliquiae ponantur: quia si fana eadem bene constructa sunt, necesse est vt à cultu daemonū, in obsequium veri Dei debeant commutari; vt dum gens ipsa eadem fana sua non videt destrui, de corde errorem de∣ponat, & Deum verum cognoscens & adorans, ad loca quae consueuit familiariùs concurrat. Et quia boves solent in sa∣crificio Demonum multos occidere, debet etiam his hâc de re aliqua solennitas immutari: vt die dedicationis vel nata∣litio sanctorū Martyrum, quorum illîc reliquiae ponuntur, tabernacula sibi circa easdem Ecclesias, quae ex fanis com∣mutatae sunt, de Ramis arborum faciant, & religiosis con∣vivijs solennitatem celebrent. Nec Diabolo iam animalia immolent, sed ad laudem Dei inesu suo animalia occidant, & Donatori omnium de satietate suâ gratias referant; vt dum eis aliqua exteriùs gaudia reservantur, ad interiora gaudia consentire faciliùs valeant. Nam duris mentibus simul omnia abscindere impossibile esse non dubium est:

quia is qui locum summum ascedere nititur, gradibus vel passibus non autem saltibus elevatur. Sic Israëlitico popu∣lo in Aegypto Dominus se quidem innotuit: sed tamen ei sacrificiorum vsus quos Diabolo solebat exhibere, in cultu proprio reservavit; vt eis in sacrificio suo animalia immo∣lare praciperet: quatenus cor mutantes aliud de sacrificio amitterēt, aliud retinerent: vt et si ipsa essent animalia quae offerre consueverant, veruntamen Deo haec & non Idolis immolantes, iam sacrificia ipsa non essent. Haec igitur dilec∣tionem tuam praedicto fratri necesse est dicere, vt ipse in praesenti illic positus perpendat qualitèr omnia debeat dis∣pensare.

3. A great part (I dare avouch) of his advice had no patterne either in the Apostles doctrine or practise of the primitiue Church. The warrant it selfe which he pretends from Gods example in the old Testament (though what was Gregory the Great if wee compare him with the Almightie, that he should vsurpe the same authoritie) is meerely counterfeit. God did not onely permit the Iewes to offer sacrifice for the hard∣nesse of their hearts, but commaunded oblations as part of his service. He required them of Abraham, yea of Abel before the devill sought them of any heathēs. Nor had he ever sought them vnlesse God had requi∣red them first: for the devill is Gods ape, and alwayes sollicites men either to institute such rites vnto him as he knowes God requires, or (which is an equivalent sinne) to obtrude such vnto God, as for the time pre∣sent he hath abandoned. To haue offered such sacri∣fices (then) vnto that holy one, as Gregory there com∣mands, had beene the same sinne (onely inverted) as to haue offered sacrifice, before Christs comming,

vnto Idols. And yet we may presume that Gregorie the Great, was not the most indiscreet reformer of Pa∣ganisme amongst all the Romane Bishops or Prelates throughout Europe, that lived during the time that those Barbarians invaded Christendome or setled themselues amongst auncient Christians. Nor did the peculiar disposition of the English draw him to per∣mit greater libertie vnto them, than he, his predeces∣sors, or successors either were enforced, or thought fit to grant vnto other Pagans, whose spirituall salva∣tions they sought, or whose temporall Armes they feared. And somewhat, in both respects (I graunt) might lawfully be tolerated, which to continue after such extraordinary occasions ceased, was heresie in doctrine, and Idolatry in practise. For the retaining of those lawes as necessary iniunctions for all ages, which the Apostles had commended as expedient onely for late converted Gentiles, was by orthodoxall antiquity adjudged no lesse than an heresie in the sect of Nazarens. To haue suffered an historicall vse of Saints images in Temples, might, vpon peculiar cir∣cumstances of times haue argued religious discretion in Church governours: but to permit their daily wor∣ship, 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 pre∣tend 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 wor∣shipped. He aggravates his fault (nor doth that mis∣taken 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 po∣litique 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, Sacrobos∣cus, with most others of Aquinas his latter followers, will haue the worship or adoration to be terminated imme∣diately to the Image, and accompli∣shed 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 refe∣rence 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 explicati∣on 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.

* 1.68 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 where∣with they worship God: yet it doth not follow in their opi∣nion 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 sub∣iect 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 ex∣presse 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 ar∣guments 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 fel∣low

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 ne∣cessitie worship the Image as well as God cultu Latriae. The rules which Bellarmine and others set for wor∣shipping Images, doe by Vasques his verdict teach the people to act Idolatrie. And the method which Vas∣ques prescribes for ratification of this error, is by * 1.69 Sa∣croboscus 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 I∣mages, by vtter abandoning the matter it selfe or sub∣stance about which they contend: or at the least to in∣hibite the people from all practise in this kinde, till their Schoole-men could agree about the rules or pat∣terne 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 one∣ly 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 School∣mens 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.

* 1.70 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 proto∣type 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 a 1.71 Philoso∣phers.

For they teach, that one and the same motion is ter∣minated 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 Te••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, de∣sirous perhaps to speake cautelously, affirme, but that they worship the very image without further scrupulositie: and worship it they doe with the selfe same worship wherewith they worship the prototype. Wherefore if the prototype be to be worshipped with Latria (as God is to be worship∣ped) the image must be worshipped with Latria If the pro∣totype be to be worshipped with Hyperdulia (as the blessed Virgine by their doctrine ought to be worshipped) the image likewise is to be worshipped with Hyperdulia. If the prototype be to be worshipped with Dulia (so ordinary Saints by their doctrine ought to be worshipped) the Image likewise must be worshipped with Dulia.

I haue made his declaration somewhat more plaine in English than it is in Latine, and yet I thinke, if any English Romane Catholique should adventure to practise Image-worship by this Authors rule, he should finde Sacroboscus his words before cited, true, Modus iste valde difficilis est, This manner of worshipping Images is very hard to be observed by the simple and ruder sort e∣specially. But leaving this Bishop Naclantus and his de∣claration, to the censure of that * 1.72 worthy and learned Author of the Homilies concerning the perill of Ido∣latry, (who I take it was a reverend Bishop;) the man∣ner of worshipping images which he tooke vpon him to declare, as Vasquez (who hath most diligently read

the divers Authors, and most accurately sifted their severall opinions) telleth vs, was both very well knowne and very auncient, according to the antiqui∣tie of Image-worship and Schoole Divinitie. His words with the Authors names avouched by him I haue here set downe at large.

Pervulgata et antiqua Theologorum sententia, quam ego veram existimo, est motum adorationis in imaginem, ita in eius prototypon, et exemplar transire, et vtrum{que} sub ean∣dem venerationem cadere; vt nec sola cogitatione, imago per se sinè illo, vel ab eo separata adorari possit: non solum quia necesse est propter exemplar, tanquam propter ratio∣nem remotam, sicut Legatū propter Regem, imaginem coli, sed quia qui imaginem adorat, in ea quo{que} et per eam ex∣emplar, vt terminum et materiam proximam adorationis, necessario venerari debet. Hanc sententiam, ex Theologis scholasticis tradiderunt Alex. 3. p. q. 30. m. 3. ar. 3. sect. 1. S. Thom. 3. p. q. 25. ar. 3, 4, 5. Caietanus et recentiores aliqui ibidem. Alber. in 3. d. 9. art. 4. Bonavent. eadem d. art. 1. q. 2. & q. 4. S. Thom. eadem d. q. 1. ar. 2. Ricard. ar. q. 2. & 3. Palud. q. 1. sect. Inquirendo tam de his. Ca∣preol. q. 1. art. 1. conclus. 2.3. art. 3. ad argumenta con∣tra easdem conclusiones. Almain. q. 1. conclus. 5. Maior. 1. qui de cruce Christi dicit, non esse terminum adorationis secundum se, sed ratione exemplaris: idem{que} de imagine

dicere debet. Eandem sententiam securi sunt Mars••••n 3. q. 8. art. 2. dub. 2. conclus. 3. Th••m. Vuald. t••mo 3. c. 156. num, 6, 7. Ferrariens. 3. contra Gentes, cap. 120. sect. Cir∣ca latriae adorationem. Sotus L. 2. de Iust. q. 4. ••rt. 2. in fi∣ne, Turre cremata in cap. Venerabiles de consecrat. dict. 3. Antonius. 3. p. titulo 12. cap. 9. sect. 4. Hier••nimus An∣gestus contra Lutherum cens. 10. ad. 3. obiectionem Haere∣ticorum, versiculo, Hinc enim est colendi modus, & inter Compendiaria d••gmata. Clichtoueus in propugnaculo eccle∣siae. l. 1. cap. 10. Iac••bus Paiua. l. 9. Orthodoxarum expli∣cationum. sect. At Kemnitius. Franciscus Turrianus. l. 1. pro canonibus Apostolorum. cap. 25. & l. 3. de dogmaticis Characteribus satis ante medium; Alphonsus de Castro ad∣versùs haereses, verbo, Adoratio. De cuius modo loquendi, at{que} Almaini, qui fuit etiam Gregorij Magni, diximus disput. 6. huius lib. cap. 1. & in hac disputatione cap. 12. nonnihil dicemus. Vasquez. lib. 2. de Adoratione, disput. 8. cap. 3.

2. This opinion concerning the manner of wor∣shipping Images, he strongly proues, first by such coun∣cells; secondly by such of the Fathers as favoured the worshipping of Images; 3^ly, by reasons effectuall in his judgement amongst all such as himselfe was, that is, Romane Catholickes. For to worship them any other way is by his collections superstitious and idololatri∣call. His arguments are all reducible to this common principle; That albeit every act of justice be not an act of Religion, yet every act of Religion and adora∣tion in particular, is an act of iustice. For adoration is but a serious rendring of religious honor vnto whom such honour is due. Now we cannot do iustice to any liuelesse or reasonlesse creature, although we consider

it as the goods or possession of this or that man. A man may be wronged or disgraced in his goods or reasonlesse creatures, but they are altogether vncapa∣ble of right or wrong, of disgrace or respect. Nor was Tiberius his horse though considered as Tiberius his horse, more capable of a Consulship or of the honour due vnto a Consul, than any other reasonlesse crea∣ture in Rome was. For the same reason no reasonlesse or liuelesse creature can in it selfe, though considered with its references,* 1.73 be capable of adoration. Whence Vasques acutely thus inferres; Every image however it be considered as an Image (whether it be of S. Peter, or of S. Paul) is still a liuelesse creature, and therefore vncapa∣ble of any Adoration (of kneeling or bowing) saue onely as it is coadored with the Saint, whose Image it is. The maior proposition, to wit, [No liuelesse reasonlesse creature is capable of adoration, but onely of coadoration with some reasonable creature] he demonstrates from the nature and definition of that act of Religion wherein adora∣tion consists: and this act of Religion is a will or desire of exhibiting such note and signe of submission to any excel∣lent

nature, as is due vnto the excellencie of it. Adoration it selfe consists and is accomplished in these two. First, in the externall signe (as bowing or inclination of the body). Secondly, in the internall affection answering to the signe. Now as the outward signe doth notifie an affection of submission and service: so the minde whence it pro∣ceedes ought to be so qualified that the Adoration be sincere, not faigned. And this sincere minde or vnfaigned desire of notifying submission or service, can onely be placed vpon him whom wee apprehend as our superiour, indued with some excellencie which wee want. For no man submits himselfe to any so far his inferior, that he cannot be appre∣hended as his better: much lesse can any man subiect him∣selfe to a reasonlesse or liuelesse creature. He that should ex∣hibite any note or signe of submission to such a creature out of any true affection or intention of submitting himselfe or doing service vnto it in it selfe considered, should not one∣ly declare himselfe to be of a perverse and abiect minde, but should withall incurre the crime of superstition and Ido∣latrie.

CHAPTER XXXV.

The principall arguments which the Romanists vse to proue the worshipping of Images to be 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 al∣leaged in favour or dislike of Image-worship, to the explication of that com∣mandement

wherein this controversie hath his pro∣per seat: the onely reason either worth their paines to fortifie or ours to oppugne, is that generall one wher∣on Vasques grounds his Apologie for adoration of I∣mages 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; * 1.74 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 possu∣mus, quàm 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 han∣die 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: * 1.75 Si enim Iacob Genes. 28. e∣rexit lapidem in titulum vnxit{que} oleo, & per illum & in illo Deum adoravit, post quam eo loco mirabilem visionem in somnijs vidit, et expergefactus dixit; vere locus iste sanc∣tus est; non quòd in eo loco aliquid sanctitatis esse putaret, sed quod in eo loco sanctus Deus apparere dignatus est: cur quaeso non poterit quis{que} rect â & syncerâ fide Deum in qualibet re intimè praesentem considerans, in ipsà & cum ipsâ adora••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 ado∣red 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 sin∣cere 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 re∣membrancer of Gods presence? * 1.76 Praeterea creatura irratio∣nalis et inanimata potest esse materia iuramenti, qui est ac∣tus religionis: ita vt dum per illam iuramus, nullam aliam in ipsa veritatem agnoscamus quàm divinam, nec ipsam vt superiorem nobis, in testem vocemus, sed Deum cuius veritas in ipsa relucet. Idem{que} dixit Dominus Math. 5. Nolite iurare per coelum, quia Dei thronus est, ne{que} per ter∣ram quia &c. quaevis ergò creatura poterit esse materia a∣dorationis, 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 su∣perior, 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 eve∣ry creature may be the matter of adoration which never∣thelesse 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 wor∣ship 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 ex∣presse vnto them were they present. Many learned ex∣positours are so farre from granting every creature to be the obiect of a lawfull oath, that they hold it vn∣lawfull, 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 ••••••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 ac∣quaint it with our customes. Now, might it be admit∣ted 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 Ima∣ges, than we Protestants doe solemne oaths (which many of vs grant, as Vasques presumes, to be acts of re∣ligious 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;* 1.77 This will make strongly for that manner of I∣mage-worship which Bellarmine and Sacroboscus com∣mend 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 parti∣cular tryall easily appeare most dislike. First, if we speake of particular oaths given onely for satisfaction of men, they include or presuppose a religious pro∣fession 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 institutions is to giue sa∣tisfaction vnto men in cases wherein no asseveration will be taken for sufficient, such as is solemnly and de∣liberatly conceived and vttered, as it were in the sight and presence of him, whom we acknowledge to be the searcher of all hearts, the supreame judge of all controversies, and the avenger of all falshood and wrong. And, for this reason, solemne oaths are not to be administred by any but by those whom he termes gods. These just occasions or necessity of taking oaths presupposed; the generall resolution or publicke in∣iunction to sweare onely by the name of the true and everliving God, is an honour to him, because we here∣by professe our selues to be only his servants, and him to be the cleare fountaine of truth, the severe avenger of all falshood in deede, word or thought. But his ho∣nour

would be no whit lesse, if the vse or necessitie of oaths amongst men were none; as in case every mans yea or nay were as good as his affirmatiue or negatiue oath; much better than his bond. But taking men as they are; to confirme every word vttered or promise made by them, with a solemne oath; would be a pro∣phanation of his name, by whom they sweare; al∣though they sweare or promise nothing but the truth. For it is one thing to sweare the truth, another to sweare in truth and judgement. This can never be performed without due observance of the end and occasion why oaths were instituted.

3. Far otherwise it is in supplications and thanks∣givings; the more often and solemnly we prayse God or pray vnto him, the more we honour him; because these are direct and immediate acts of his service, not instituted to giue satisfaction vnto men but onely to glorifie his name, and to better our owne soules. Be∣sides this difference in the subiects wherein they are v∣sed; the vse and end of Images in Romish devotions, is altogether different from the vse or end of the booke in administration of oaths. The image is vsed by them as the meane or messenger for transporting devotions or religious affections vnto God or the Saints, whose honour is principally and expresly aymed at, in their vnwildie ejaculations before stockes and stones; yet so, as the image is, in their intentions, a true sharer with the prototypon in such honour. We vse the booke one∣ly as a complement of the civill act whereby we giue satisfaction vnto men, or as a visible remembrancer partly to by-standers or spectators, whose eyes by this meanes may become as true witnesses as their eares,

that such protestations haue beene made; partly, vn∣to him that makes them, who will be more wary and circumspect what he avoucheth and protesteth; when he perceiues his speeches must be sealed with such re∣markable circumstances, as they cannot but be often recalled to his owne and others memory. To the same end men of honourable place or calling, vse to lay their hands vpon their hearts, when they take a solemne oath: yet no man will thinke that they intend hereby to honour themselues, or to share with him by whose name they sweare; although we grant oaths so taken to be true and proper acts of Religion or Gods service.

4. Nor doe such as sweare, or (at least) are thought to sweare by ordinary or obvious creatures, as, by this bread, by this light, intend the transmission of any pecu∣liar honour by them to the creator. Nor can such at∣testatiōs though in some cases, (for ought I conceiue) not vnlawfull, be in any case or vpon any occasions, more proper acts of divine worship or service than o∣ther asseverations of truth are; from which they dif∣fer not in nature but onely in degree of seriousnes or vehemencie. There is in all men by nature a pronesse or desire to make them, vpon provocation or mistrust: which naturall pronesse may (perhaps) by religious discretion, be severed from that corruption of nature, wherewith even oaths expresly conceived in Gods name, are often polluted. Though the forme be not alwayes so expresse, the intent and meaning of such attestations may, for the most part, be the same with that which Iosuah vsed, cap. 24. ver. 27. And Iosuah wrote these words in the booke of the Law of God; and tooke

a great stone, and pitched it there vnder an Oake that was in the Sanctuarie of the Lord. And Iosuah said vnto the people, Behold this stone shall be a witnesse vnto vs; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he hath spoken with vs; it shall be therefore a witnesse against you, lest you deny your God.

5. Againe, it will be graunted but by a few of our writers (though Vasques take it for vnquestionable) that Iacob did truely worship the stone, but God alone presente lapide, as * 1.78 some of his sect perswade them∣selues they honour God in the Images presence, not the Image. Of many expositions, to this purpose, I might make better vse against Bellarmine & Sacroboscus than I can against Vasques, who hath drawne the contro∣versie about Image-worship to such a strait and narrow issue, that by pinching him too hard or too hastily in these passages, we may giue him opportunity to brush vs of, or occasion him to stand at bay. Whereas if wee giue him leaue to take his own course through them, he will quickly run himselfe so far out of breath, that we may easily overtake him on plain ground, or driue him into that net, out of which there is no possibility of evasion. Be it granted then (to this end, and no far∣ther) that Iacob did not onely adore God praesente lapi∣de, but salute or adore the stone withall, in such a man∣ner as Vasques would haue Images worshipped, toge∣ther with their prototypons: will it hence follow that such as frame their devotions by Vasques his rule, doe not transgresse the law of God, doe not remoue the bounds of the ancient, or commit no more Idolatrie than Iacob did? Their pretended warrant from this in∣stance rather proues, that the devill wrought the Ro∣mish

Church vnto Idolatry by the same fallacy which seduced the Heathens, rude Pagans, or vncatechized Christians, vnto sorcery. For what professor of magi∣call secrets at this day is there, which cannot, which doth not pretend the like examples of Patriarkes or Prophets for their superstitious practises? As Satan is Gods ape; so Idolatry and sorcery, (the two princi∣pall parts of his service) haue their originall for the most part, from an apish imitation of some sacred ac∣tions, rites or ceremonies vsed by Gods servants. He is a counterfeit Lord, and his professed or domesticke servants must be cloathed in such liveries, as may beare some counterfeit colour of Saints garments. The reason why most men slide more easily and far∣ther into these two sinnes, than into any other (with∣out all suspition of any danger, oftimes with presump∣tion of doing well) may be gathered; partly from the propertie of mans nature assigned by the Philoso∣pher; partly from the Apostles character of the natu∣rall man: Qui non percipit quae sunt spiritûs Dei; who cannot perceiue matters of the spirit. Man by nature is of all creatures most apt to imitate, and the naturall man most vnapt rightly to imitate or expresse the suggesti∣ons or motions of the Spirit, which cannot be other∣wise than spiritually discerned; much lesse managed. Now he that hath no touch or sense of the spirit, must needs remaine altogether senslesse of his mista∣kings in imitating the spirit, wherein he glories no lesse; than apes doe in counterfeiting man.

6. In matters of secular civilitie or moralitie, many things well beseeme one man, which are very vncome∣ly in another. Even in one and the same mans behavi∣our

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or deportment, many things are decent and law∣full whiles they are drawne from him by speciall or rare occasions; whose vsuall practise, vpon dislike or no occasions, becomes (according to the nature of the subiect) ridiculous or dishonest. Now in subiects of highest nature, as in the service of God or matters spirituall; the least digression or declination from proposed patternes (though it be not so observable to common sense) is far more dangerous, than a grea∣ter errour in moralitie; the precipitation once con∣tinued is irrecoverable. The best and most Catholicke remedie against the two fore-mentioned Catholicke mischiefes, would be the serious observation of this generall rule: [Such actions as haue beene managed by Gods spirit, suggested by secret instinct, or extracted by ex∣traordinary and speciall occasions, are then onely lawful in others, when they are begotten by like occasions or brought forth by like impulsions.] Their purposed or affected imitation is alwayes vnseasonable and preposterous, and, by continuall vse or custome, becomes magicall or Idololatricall. Ionathan did not sinne in taking an Omen (whether by the spirit of prophesing or by some inferior kinde of instinct) from his enemies invitati∣ons. For another to attempt the * 1.79 like enterprise by warrant of his example, vpon like speeches, would be a superstitious tempting of God; no better than a ma∣gicall sacrifice. The same observation will fit the prognostication of Abrahams servant, sent to be speake his yong Master Isaac a wife, Gen. 25. * 1.80 An Italian in latter-times of greater spirit than meanes, going out to his worke with his axe, whilest a great Armie was passing by, comparing the hopelesse possibilities of

his present profession with the possible hopes of a martiall life; out of this doubtfull distast of his present estate, whose best solace was security from bodily dan∣gers, frames a presage vnto himselfe not much vnlike vnto that of Ionathans, and it was to throw vp his axe into an high tree, having conditioned with himselfe, that if it came downe againe, he would take it vp and follow his wonted trade; but if it should chance to hang in the boughs, he would seeke to raise himselfe and his familie by the warres; as afterward he strangely did: for he himselfe became so great a Commander, that Sforza his sonne, vpon the foundations which he had laid, did advance him∣selfe to the Dukedome of Millaine. For every repining discontented peazant to put the forsaking or follow∣ing of his wonted calling vnto the like casuall devo∣lution, would be a tempting of God: to prognosticate the same successe, from experience of the like event; albeit he had opportunitie to try the conclusion, with the same axe, vpon the same tree, would be superstiti∣ous: to rest confident in such perswasions, would be to settle vpon the dregs of sorcery. Charles the fift did once salute the Spanish shore, whereof he was, (vnder God,) the supreame Lord, in such an affectionate and prostrate manner, as his meanest vassall could not or∣dinarily haue saluted either him, or it, without just im∣putation of grosse Idolatry. And yet I should suspect him to be way wardly superstitious or superstitiously peevish, that would peremptorily condemne this his strange behaviour, of superstition, or censure it as ill beseeming so heroicall a spirit, for the present; though at other times it might haue seemed, not

vaine or foolish onely, but Apishly impious. His late farewell to the warres and resignation of the Empire, his longing desire to giue solemne testimony of his loue to the Spanish Nation, his safe arrivall (after long absence and escapes of many dangers) in that soyle, many of whose sonnes had spent their liues in his service, and wherein he purposed to spend the rest of his life in the service of his God, in that soyle, vn∣to whose custody he then publickly bequeathed his bones, did extract these significant and extraordinary expressions of his extraordinary and swelling affecti∣on from him. And such expressions as are ridiculous or rather impious when they are affected or fashioned by forced affection, are alwayes pardonable, for the most part commendable, when they proceede from an vnexpected instinct or vnmasterable impulsion. All extraordinary dispositions, as loue, ioy, sorrow, or feare, whether naturall or sacred, naturally desire a speedie vent, and that vent is fittest, which first pre∣sents it selfe without seeking. The suddaine motions wherewith such full passions seeke to expresse them∣selues, are vncapable of rule or method. To put the characters of ordinary complement or behaviour vp∣on them; breeds greater violence or incumbrance, than gyues or fetters to a man disposed to daunce, or manicles to one provoked to boysterous fight. And as the Sunne in his strength cannot directly ejaculate his beames vpon any body capable of heat and illu∣mination, but others adioyning will be secondary participants of these qualities by reflection; so cannot our affections be strongly and intensiuely set vpon a∣ny object extraordinarily amiable or louely, but some

rayes or branches of them will redouble vpon those sensible creatures which haue speciall affinity with it, though of themselues vncapable of any loue. Tender and endeared respects to mens persons, will alwayes leaue some touch of gratefull affection towardes the place wherein we haue enioyed any memorable fruit of their presence. Thus Andromache bereft of her yong sonnes company, desires his garments to rest her vn∣wildie affections vpon them. Nor dare I censure this her desire as vnlawfull, lest I should condemne the generation of the just. For did not old Iacob expresse the tender affection which he bare to the sonne of his age whom he now never lookt to see againe, by kis∣sing his coate? yet to haue hanged it vp about his bed or table, that it might receiue such salutatiōs evening and morning, or at every meale-time, might haue countenanced many branches of superstition. Once and vse it not, in most like cases is the true rule of dis∣cretion; continuall vse of that, which vpon all occa∣sions is not vnlawfull, degenerates (no man knowes how) into abuse. God in his Law permits a kinde of ceremonious mourning for the dead, but prescribes a meane withall. So then to mourne is naturall; but to mourne continually, or to feed our griefe by artifi∣ciall representions, is superstitious.

7. To the instance of Iacobs worshipping the stone: the internall sense or touch of Gods extraordinary presence, inspired his breast with extraordinary pas∣sion. And to reflect or exonerate themselues vpon sen∣sible circumstances, is altogether as naturall to the fulnesse of those affections which proceed from su∣pernaturall causes, as to their fulnesse, whose causes

are meerely naturall. The meere imitation of naturall motions is alwayes artificiall, never naturall. The imi∣tation of such motions or externall actions, as natu∣rally flow from supernaturall inspiration, is hypocri∣ticall; artificially Sathanicall. Howbeit the Romanist cannot so properly be sayd to imitate, as to invert Ia∣cobs behaviour, whiles he seekes to raise his affections by saluting or adoring Images, or to transmit the af∣fection which he so raiseth, to God or the Saints by Images of his owne erection. This is in truth not to invocate but to conjure God or the Saints. The imi∣tation (if so we call it) is as preposterous, as if a man should striue to prophesie or counterfeit visions by affecting to speake non-sence, because some Prophets in their visions haue beene raught beyond their sen∣ses. In fine, the scholasticke ape, while he exactly imi∣tates his master Satan that sets him a worke, and his manner of worshipping God by Images, hath the same proportion to Iacobs worshipping (which he pretends for his warrant) that the voyces or motions of bodies assumed by wicked spirits, haue to the vitall motions or speeches of living men. The one moue themselues as the spirit which God hath implanted in them directs; the other suffer such motions as ma∣lignant spirits put vpon them. The old Saracens ado∣ration of a stone, may with better probabilitie be ju∣stified by Iacobs example, than the vsuall worship of I∣mages in the Romish Church.

8. Many passages in the Fathers though cruelly rackt by the Romish Church, will reach no further than the former instance in Iacob. Adoration, in many of their languages, is no more than decent salutation.

The phrases (as Vasques obserues) are with them in∣different, nor were they sollicitous in what termes they expressed those expressions of their loue or reve∣rence vnto those visible obiects, which had affinitie with their extraordinary passions, or peculiar refe∣rence vnto God or Christ; as knowing the respect, which they tendred, to be voide of superstition when it flowed only from abundance of internall affection, or was drawne from them vpon speciall impulsions. They did not affect submissiue salutation, or that em∣phaticall expression of their affections which they of∣ten vsed, as a part of religious dutie or daily worship, but as a point of decent behaviour. And decent beha∣viour doth change the subiect only, not alter its owne nature or forme, whiles it is vsed in matters sacred. Nor is the habit of civill complement or good man∣ners such an vnhallowed weed, as must be laid aside when we come into the Sanctuarie, or into places sometimes graced with their extraordinary presence, whom we reverence for their Religion and pietie. The vse or frequencie of it notwithstanding must be limited by iust analogie to the knowne or approved vse of it in matters civill.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

The Arguments drawne from Iacobs fact, and the like ex∣amples answered by Vasques himselfe in another case, and by the Analogie of civill discretion.

1. WIth what secret ioy or exultation, the vn∣doubted sight of our Saviours sepulcher, of mount Tabor, or like sacred Monu∣ments would feed my soule and spirit; or in what externall testifications the abundance of these internall dispositions would vent themselues, I cannot tell, vntill I haue iust occasion to trie them. But my heart (I am perswaded) should not afterward smite me much, if, vpon our first meeting, I saluted them in such a manner as did I daily repaire vnto them, with purpose to tender them the like salutati∣ons, or to invite the former affections or exultations by kissing or bowing to them, would convince my conscience of transferring the honour of God, to stockes and stones. The most learned amongst our Adversaries whiles they seeke to giue satisfaction to our obiections, are enforced, to acknowledge not one∣ly the equitie of this libertie, which we grant, but the necessitie of the restraint (which to their preiudice) we make; from the authoritie of a story more canoni∣call with them then with vs. For Mordecai to haue bowed his knees to a mortall man was not (even in Romish glosses vpon Gods Lawes given to the Iewes) altogether vnlawfull. Nor did Haman desire to be ado∣red Cultu latriae, though some * 1.81 Romanists for want of

a better answere haue beene put vpon this shift. But their dreames * 1.82 Vasques hath very well refuted. First, because Assuerus himselfe never affected this kinde of honour, and Haman could not be so foolish, though so impious, as to exact greater honour than had beene done vnto his soveraigne. Secondly, because Morde∣cai protested his readinesse to doe Haman greater ho∣nour than was exacted, so his people might haue bin preserved or advanced by his deiection. Yet to haue honoured Assuerus himselfe, or any mortall man, with divine honour, had beene such an open wrong vnto the God of his Fathers, as Mordecai would not haue done for prevention of any mischiefe that could haue befallen his people. However; if the protestation of his readinesse, to kisse the soles of Hamans feete, vpon condition the state of his people might be thereby bettered: what truth is there in his pretence that be∣ing a Iew he durst not bow his knee to Haman, lest by so doing he should transfer the honour of his God to a mortall man, specially seeing the safetie of his nati∣on was at that time so deeply indangered by refusall of worship which had beene tendered by his religious auncestours not onely to Kings and Prophets of Iu∣dah, but even to heathen Princes. To this scruple * 1.83 Vasques out of Caietane hath made answere very ap∣positely for Mordecai and for vs; Noluit illud signum honoris praebere, quia indignum ei videbatur, vt solum re∣verentiae civilis gratiâ, nisi magnâ aliqua causa exigente, homini quotidie signum illud exhiberetur, non quòd lege Iudaioâ id prohibitū esset, sed quia ex cōmuni consuetudine non nisi magnâ aliqua ex causâ regibus et principibus illud signum exhibebatur: sed soli Deo tanquam supremum cō∣muniter

erat reseruatū. At{que} hac ratione dixit Mardochae us, Timui ne honorem Dei, id est signum quod consuetudine populi nostri, dei cultui applicatum est, in hominem trans∣ferrem. The briefe or abstract of his reply is this: The signe of submission which Haman exacted, was vsually tendered onely vnto God; to Kings or Prophets or o∣thers in preeminence very seldome, and vpon speci∣all occasions; as in testification either of vnusuall sor∣row, or of thankfulnesse more than ordinary. The truth of his observation is apparant out of Ruths be∣haviour to Boaz, of Iudeths to Holofernes, of Abigails and Mephibosheths to David, and of the Captaines to E∣liah. 4. King. 1. And albeit Haman was bent to doe the Iewes an extraordinary mischiefe for Mordecais sake; yet Mordecai had no opportunitie offered him by di∣vine providence to prevent it by submission of him∣selfe to Haman, but rather by standing out against him. In this generall then, Vasques and wee well agree, that such externall worship as vpon speciall and rare occa∣sions may be lawfully exhibited to some creatures, be∣comes Idololatricall by vse or continuance, without concurrence of like occasions. The issue which wee desire to joyne with him and his fellowes, from these grounds, shall be this First,

whether the homage, which they doe to Images be not in it selfe much greater, and, in respect of many circumstances, far more solemne than Haman required of Mordecai? Secondly, whether the exhibition of it in Gods Temples be not more frequent and vsuall, than Mordecais occasions and necessities of saluting Ha∣man could haue beene in Assuerus Court?

Herein onely they truely follow Mordecais example, that they

seldome or never communicate Gods honour to secu∣lar Princes; but on stockes or stones they vsually be∣stow all the signes of submission or other solemnities that can be appropriated to Gods service.

2. The strict tenour of Gods commandement, and that significant character, whereby he expresseth his speciall observance of mens demeanour in this point, evidently condemne the Romish Church of abomina∣ble Idolatry; yet in my judgement it doth no way preiudice the performance of such externall respect, or such testification of reverence vnto true reliques of Saints, or vncouth places (sometimes extraordinarily graced with Gods presence) as Iacob tendered vnto the stone. We ought in these cases to moderate the impulsions which their sight would procure, by the analogie of that libertie, which discretion and good manners grants vs in other points, wherewith the occasions of Idolatrie haue most affinitie. For Idola∣try is but a spirituall fornication or adultery. Now there is no man of discretion, though otherwise more iealous than he hath iust cause, but will permit his wife to salute his friends vpon speciall occasions, or at first meetings after long absence. But suppose a wan∣ton, vpon this libertie, should presume to continue the same salutations evening and morning, or most houres of the day, for a moneth together, and plead her excuse from the analogie of Romish Catechismes in cases of conscience concerning spirituall adulterie, thus; Sir, I thought I might as freely kisse my friends and yours, at one time, as at another; at all times, as well as at any, so long as I kisse them onely with kisses of loue and kindnesse, not of lust and wantonnesse.

Would this distinction giue iust satisfaction to any husband, no farther iealous than he hath occasion? I thinke no Iesuite would relie vpon it, if he should be detected to be thus over familiar with another mans wife of better spirit. And yet in expresse denying the equitie of this apologie, they implicitly graunt that their mother doth presume farther vpon the patience of the Almightie (who in this case hath protested his especiall iealousie) than any secular Strumpet dare, vpon the patience of her loving or doting husband. She hath done all the workes of a presumptuous whorish wo∣man, building her high places in the corner of every way, and making her high places in every street, and hath not bin as an harlot that despiseth a reward, but as a wife that play∣eth the harlot, and taketh others for her husband* 1.84. She is contrarie,

Other harlots receiue rewards of their lo∣vers, which for the most part repaire vnto them. She compasseth sea and land and rangeth through all the Courts of the great Kings dominion, with gifts in her hand to entice, with the sacrifice of prayse and hymnes in her mouth to enchaunt the chast and loyall servants of her Lord vnto her lust.

And being deprived of their company prostrates her selfe, evening and morning, all the houres of the day and night, vnto carved Images of both sexes; with whom her Lord and husband hath so strictly forbid∣den her all familiaritie. And yet, in pride of her who∣rish cunning, presumes shee is able to bleare that all-seeing eye, vnto whose brightnesse light it selfe is in comparison but as darkenesse; to whom the most se∣cret corners of darknesse shine more clearely than the noone-light doth vnto vs; if shee haue but leasure to

wipe her lippes with this distinction, I did kisse thy servants, vnto whom I prostrated my body, only with kisses of dulia, not of latria. The sent of dead corps cannot draw the Vultures halfe so far, with such gree∣dinesse, as every vnsavoury tale or ridiculous wonder doth her children, to feed their soules with the sight of counterfeit and putrified reliques. The wisest of her sonnes are now become so foolish, as to publish with their mouths, what she had long since said in the pride of her heart: Tush God was a iealous God in the dayes of the Synagogue his former wife, which wanted discretion and proued vnfaithfull:

but this his new Spouse, our holy mother the Catholicke Church, is more wise and gratious in his eyes, able to warrant whatsoever is done by her appointment; she knows how to hu∣mor and please her loving husband, who is not like man that he should be jealous of her carriage, that meanes no harme & cannot behaue her selfe amisse, though, to vnfaithfull eyes, she may seeme outward∣ly to doe as wantons doe.

3. God indeed is never jealous as men are, without grounds of just occasion, yet more tenderly observant of his spouses demeanour in this kinde, than any hus∣band is of his wifes; because he knowes (as by his law he would giue vs to vnderstand) that familiaritie or dalliance with strange and wanton lovers, is not so powerfull to corrupt the weaker sex, as kissing or so∣lemne salutations of graven Images, is to pollute the wisest soules, or to enveigle the strongest faith. And vnlesse we knew he had determined to confound the wisedome of the wise, it would seeme more than mi∣raculously strange, how such great schollers as are the

Iesuites, should be ignorant, that the visible exhibition of Christ in the flesh, makes all service of graven Ima∣ges more abominable in the Christians, than it could haue beene in the Iew. It is a truth sealed by the new Testament as well as by the Law, We heard a voyce, we saw no similitude besides the engraven Image of Gods substance, by whom, though he speake most plentifully to the world, yet spake he nothing con∣cerning Images. Neither is there any instance or mat∣ter of fact in all the new Testament, that can be pre∣tended for worshipping Images or other visible crea∣tures, with such shew of probabilitie, as the former in∣stance of Iacob may be. But whether Iacob did onely worship God, praesente lapide, or whether he did in some sort externally worship or coadore the stone with God; or whether he did make vnto himselfe such sensible attestation of his solemne vow, by anointing the stone, and erecting it into a pillar, as wee doe of our solemne oaths by kissing of the booke: I leaue it to the Reader; though for mine owne part I like this last forme of speech the best. But however mens opiniōs may vary concerning the forme of speech, the matter most to be considered by all (which seemes to me a truth vnquestionable,) is this:

If the wisest or most circumspect man on earth should worship God in e∣very place, after the same manner (for every cir∣cumstance) that Iacob did God in Bethel; or, if the most accurate Anatomist of his owne thoughts or affections, should take every stone into such consi∣deration, whilest he worshippeth God, as Iacob did that stone: He should become a grosse Idolater without all helpe from any distinction, wherewith

the Romish Church can furnish him. The truth is, that Iacob did so worship God in the presence of the stone, as his posteritie were bound to worship him before the Arke of the Covenant. Both worshipped him in or by those creatures, after such a manner, as wee may not worship him in any created visible substance, saue onely in that created substance where∣in he dwelleth bodily.

The manner of his presence (then) at Luz or Bethel, and in the Arke, were sha∣dowes or pledges of his inhabitatiō in the man Christ Iesus; in whom, were he present on earth, wee might and ought to adore God in such a manner, as would be sacrilegious to adore him in any other man or bo∣die.

4. But it is the propertie of whoredome as well spirituall as carnall, to lead such as taste her baytes with delight, like Oxen to the slaughter, without any apprehension of dangers approach, vntill death sur∣prise them. Lots mischance is become the Romish Churches perpetuall heritage; she is so besotted with the grapes of her owne planting, that shee knowes not what abomination shee commits, nor with whom. Like an harlot drunke in a common Inne, or a fran∣ticke whore in an open market, she prostrates her selfe to every passenger, and sets open all the temples of God, whose keyes haue beene committed to her cu∣stodie, that they may serue as common stewes for sa∣tiating the foule lustes of infernall spirits; whom she thither invites by solemne enchantments, as by sacri∣ficing and offering incense vnto Images. And finding pleasure in the practice, dreames shee imbraceth her Lord and husband, whilest these vncleane birds, en∣cage

themselues in hers and her childrens breasts.

CHAPTER. XXXVII.

Whether graunting that it were lawfull to worship such Saints, as wee vndoubtedly beleeue to be true Saints, we might lawfully worship such as we suspect to be no true Saints.

1. IF to honour true Saints and heires of blisse with prayers, temples, sacrifices, and vowes, be Idolatrie; we shall want termes to expresse the abomination of their sacriledge, in performing these points of service vnto such as the world hath either no warrant to ac∣count members of Christs mysticall body, or just rea∣son to suspect for sonnes of darkenesse. In doubtfull cases of this nature, some honestly minded Romanists vsed to conceiue their prayers with such conditions as the French-man did his to S. Cuthbert, Si sanctus sis, ora prome, If you be a Saint, pray for me. It was a despe∣rate resolution, better befitting an impudent Monke, than S^r. * 1.85 Thomas More, to censure this caution of scru∣pulositie, or to reject it as no lesse superfluous or vn∣mannerly, than this forme of request vnto one of our living neighbours; If you be an honest man, I would re∣quest you to remember me in your prayers; if not, I will not trouble you. The good Gentleman was out of his ele∣ment, when he wrote controversies in Divinitie; for he would haue sooner taken an Apple in stead of an Nut at a banquet, than haue iudged two cases of civill justice, so dislike, as these which he here brings, by

one and the same rule of law. There is no man ho∣nestly wise, but would sooner request his prayers whom he knows to be dishonest or of irreligious life, then beare a solemne testimony of his honestie or reli∣gion. Mutuall prayer, is a dutie enioyned vs while we liue together▪ the practise of it, is the best meane to make bad men good, and good men better. But men deceased, whether elect or reprobates, are vncapable of amendment, either by our prayers for them, or theirs for vs. Nor doe the Romanists enioyne vs to pray to supposed Saints, with purpose to encrease their happinesse, or, as if they stood in need of our devoti∣ons. To pray for any whom it is lawfull publickly to pray vnto, is by their doctrine a foule disgrace vnto the Saint; a point of infidelitie in the supplicant. Praying to Saints is by their opinion on our part a dutie or tribute wherewith we are bound to honour them: their prayers or intercessions for vs, are Prince∣ly favours or graces which must be sought, not as acts of debt or mutuall dutie, but by religious service and supplication. Now, admitting it were lawfull to sup∣plicate thus vnto S. Peter, or vnto others whom we beleeue and know to be true Saints; yet, in publike liturgies, to offer vp our prayers and vowes vpon our knees, either in honour of those with whose liues and deaths we are altogether vnacquainted, or of those whom we suspect to haue lived and dyed not so well, as we could wish to doe our selues, is a sinne, so much more grievous to good consciences, than bearing te∣stimony vpon oath for mens positiue honestie whom we know not; as stealing of treasure out of the Church is in respect of simple theft or burglarie. Testimonies

given vpon oath require certaintie of sence or experi∣ment; and tendering of prayers as a tribute or honor, or in testification of our religious respect, requires cer∣taintie of faith, that the partie to whom they are ten∣dred, is worthy of them.

2.

The ground of this difference betweene pray∣ing to living men, and praying to deceased Saints, (which the superstitious Doctors seeke to conceale from the simple) may very well be gathered by ana∣logie of * 1.86 Bellarmines resolution in another point of their service. Promises (sayth he) religiously made to living members of the Church militant, are but promises: but so made vnto Saints or members of the Church tri∣umphant, they are truely and properly vowes. His first reason is, because a vow is but a promise vnto God, and our promises vnto Saints are liker our promises vnto God than vnto the promises, which we make to mortall men. For, as that which we promise vn∣to God, is vnprofitable vnto him, but profitable vn∣to vs, and is tendered onely by vs in signe of honour and thankfulnesse; so whatsoever we promise vnto Saints, it cannot profit them but our selues. Their happie estate stands in need of nothing that is ours; all that we offer and promise them, is in testimony of the honour which wee owe them, or in signe of our thankfulnesse to them. But performance of our promises, either is or may be profitable to living men, because mortalitie stands in neede of many things. Secondly, the Saints can haue no title to our vowes, Nisi quatenus sunt Dij per participationem; but in as much as they are Gods by participation. Now we know the Saints which raigne with Christ to be

such: but that such as liue with vs, are partakers of the divine nature, wee may hope well, certaine wee cannot be. Thirdly, the Saints in heaven are hap∣pie, glorious, the sonnes of God, Gods by participati∣on, because they are confirmed in their estate, and are not subject to change or Apostasie; to both which all in this life having their blisse and glory rather in spe than in re, are (in his judgement) still obnoxious.

From these resolutions wee thus infer. If promises, then the prayers which we make to Saints, haue greater affinity with the prayers which we make to God, than with our request to living men, that they would pray for vs. To speake properly, we pray men, we doe not vse to pray vnto them. But as vnto God, so vnto Saints, men of the Romane Churches catechizing vse to pray, & that solemnly, because they hold them Gods by participation. Now as we might not worship our redeemer Cultu latriae with divine worship, vnlesse we were by faith assured that he were truely God: so admitting the invocation or worshipping of true Saints Cultu Duliae, were warranted by the word of God; yet might we not worship any with this kinde of worship, without like certaintie of faith, that they are Gods by participation, or heires of glory. Had this great Clerke beene mindfull, in his third booke con∣cerning the worshipping of Saints, of what he had said before in the first, he would in wisedome haue concealed these conclusions. Or if he had in the first booke foreseene the necessitie of this resolution con∣cerning vows, shame would haue made him disclaime the practise of praying though privately vnto vnca∣nonized Saints, whose lawfulnesse, he there maintains

by the same plea, that Sir Thomas More vsed; Oramus viuentes etiamsi nesciamus esse Sanctos, cur non defunctos quando maiori ratione confidimus esse sanctos, We pray li∣ving men to pray for vs, albeit we know them not to be Saints; and why not men deceased, whom we may on bet∣ter reasons hope to be Saints; though this we may not doe in publicke Letanies and sacred Service? Now; they may not invocate such Saints in publicke Liturgies, be∣cause the Church hath forbidden it, otherwise Nazi∣anzens Prosopopaeia, in his Panegyricke to Basil or Atha∣nasius might haue beene a sufficient warrant to haue conceived a publicke hymne in the same forme. But (as I said) we pray living men to pray for vs, as we are readie to doe for them; we pray not vnto them; we giue no solemne testimony of their sanctitie, whose sinceritie we mistrust; though this were lesse sacrile∣gious and dishonourable vnto God, then praying vn∣to them whom we know not to be Saints, albeit to pray vnto knowne Saints, were no sacriledge. For what preposterous partialitie is this? that God must manifest his right to supreme honour by his workes of creation and providence; that our Saviour which died for vs, must plead his title to the like, by miracles, whilest he lived; by his resurrection from the dead, and glorious ascension into heaven: and yet men that were subiect to the same passions as we our selues are, must be worshipped after death, with such worship as is more like to the honour which wee owe to God, than any respect or reverence, which is due to the best man living; and all this without any evidence of their sanctitie, or just proofe of their right vnto such obse∣quies.

3. The infinite extent of this Idolatry with suspi∣cious Saints in times past, is so well prosecuted by many, that it needs no long declaration. No Iesuite will take the defence of the Churches practise vpon him. For reformation of such palpable abuses as no distinction can salue, all of them pleade a necessitie of having Saints canoniz••d, that is, of having their sup∣posed incorporation into the Church triumphant authentickly published, and their worship authorised by the Church, whose testimony may ground certain∣ty of faith. Bellarmine tells vs a story, out of Sulpitius, of one that was worshipped for a Martyr, whose soule notwithstanding made his appearance before S^t Mar∣tin, (who suspected the service as vnlawfull, because not warranted by tradition of antiquitie,) and inge∣nuously confessed that it was the danmed ghost of a certaine robber, which had beene sentenced to vio∣lent death by course of law. And Pope Alexander the third checkt some of his time, (nor were they altoge∣ther without blame) for adoring one as an holy Mar∣tyr, which had beene slaine in a drunken fray. But graunting this story of S^t Martin to be true, vnlesse there be some authentike judges to determine, which are true revelations, which not; the doctrine of pray∣ing to Saints, being indefinitely allowed, it is altoge∣ther as likly, that many theeues might be worshipped vpon false or pretended revelations, as that the wor∣ship of one theefe should be recald by revelatiō made to S^t Martin. Hath the Pope then passed this infalli∣ble censure vpon all the revelations that haue beene in this case pretended? or taken other order to secure the world from all possibility of imposture? If he haue,

we would desire to be acquainted with his determina∣tions. In the meane time, we will enquire first whe∣ther the disease without some soveraigne medicine be not alike dangerous in Rome-Christian, as it was in Rome-Heathen? Secondly, whether the medicine pre∣tended by Rome-Christian be applyed according to her owne prescriptions? Thirdly, whether so applied it be not more deadly than the disease?

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Rome-Christian as vaine and foolish in making imaginary Saints, as Rome-Heathen in making false Gods.

1. THe solemne worship of * 1.87 locall Saints, did either first begin or multiplie its first beginnings throughout these parts of the world with the inundati∣on of Barbarians, as the Reader may gather out of Gregorie of Towers, and Beda, &c. Nor would I deny, that many of these late converted Paynims prayers to God, though conceived out of an opinion of the Saints mediations, were often heard; as the auncient Romanes, though their devotion were clad with Idola∣try, as bones with flesh, were often rewarded with such temporall blessings, as God in justice denyed to other Idolaters, lesse devout in their kinde. The Carthagini∣ans might haue sacrificed vnto Fortune for victory, or vnto stormes and tempests in their distresse, with worse successe, than some Romane Generalls did, be∣cause their respect or esteeme of divine power & pro∣vidence indefinitely considered, was not so good.

So might those prayers of the French Kings tendred vnto S^t Martin, be sometimes better heard, than the prayers which their enemies made vnto their Gods. All this notwithstanding being granted, the decrees of solemne honour to their Images might be as Idola∣trous as Rome-Heathens erection of Temples vnto for∣tune or stormes. In opposition to Atheisme or irreligi∣on God vsually accepts devotiō though tainted with superstition. And vnto this case, I will reduce those prayers which that devout Virgin (whose chastitie * 1.88 Cyprian, before he was a Saint sought to expugne by helpe of magicke) presented to the Virgin Marie in extremitie of conflict with foule lustes. That prayers thus made, out of ignorance, whether to Saints or false Gods, haue sometimes found successe, is to be ascribed to the abundant mercie of the true God: to continue the like practises, vpon these experiments, is the fruit of mans superstitious impietie, and hath beene the mother or nurse of much Idolatrie.

2. As Fortune vpon experiments of good successe in doing her service had more Temples in Rome than any other God or Goddesse: so the blessed Virgin vp∣on such relations as this of Nazianzene concerning the forementioned * 1.89 maid, hath beene presented with more Ave Maries by maides and women (and that with better devotion) than God with Pater nosters. Though the lawfull honor which was given to her redounded to Gods glory: yet in honouring her more than him, they dishonour him more, than if they adored fortune whom they cannot dishonour, because she is not: but the blessed Virgin they much dishonour in honoring her as a Goddesse, or a compeere of God; and her dis∣honour

is by their owne confession Gods dishonour. But as to pray to her, sutes best with womens desires; so other perplexities or conditions of life had pecu∣liar Saints, to symbolize with them; whose respect vp∣on particular occasions or exigences, will (from the temptation before mentioned) be much greater than Gods, if their invocations may be permitted. From this opportunitie did the multitude of Rome-Christi∣ans locall Saints exceed the number of Rome-Heathens topicke Gods. Thus as Rome-Heathen had a Goddesse for corne before it was sprouted, another for it after it was come vp, a third for the straw, a fourth for the knot, and a fifth for the eare; so hath Rome-Christian one Saint for this part of mans body, another for that; one for the pestilence, another for fevers, one for tooth∣ach, another for paine in the side, &c. And would not men, women, or children, deeply affected with these bodily grievances, pray as heartily and vow as de∣voutly to their supposed patrones as vnto Christ? It is vsuall with merry companions, when they heare gamesters pray for good lucke, to say; God was never good player at cards and dice. Every man in sence of extreame paine, would be as readie to say; Christ I know is a good man, and hath experience of all infir∣mities, but we never reade that he was so much trou∣bled with the tooth-ach, as S. Apollonia hath beene, or with the side-ach, as S. Roccha. Hath not S. Sebasti∣an vpon these motiues berest him of his titles for his cure of pestilence? An heathen that should read Gods attributes of wounding and making whole, or Christs miraculous cures of all diseases, albeit he neither be∣leeved one or other, would vndoubtedly beleeue, that

the hymnes which haue beene sung vnto S. Sebastian, had beene consecrated to the Christians God and Re∣deemer; or they might well thinke that to avoyd the censure of Paganisme, the Papists did honour their Aesculapius vnder another name; or that out of envie to his vniversall skill in curing diseases, this Empy∣ricke had beene set vp to eclipse his fame and robbe him of patients in cure of the pestilence.

Tu qui Deo es tam charus, Et in luce valde clarus, Sana tuos populos, Et à peste nos defende: Opem nobis hanc impende Contra morbi stimulos.

Thou who art a God so deare, And in light exceeding cleare, Health vnto thy people bring, Vs from pestilence defend: Ayde vnto thy people send, 'Gainst diseases that them sting.

3. Experiments registred in the Records of Anti∣quitie pretended against vs, will confirme our obser∣vation, that as Conquerors vsually change the names of Townes and titles of Regiments, with whose emo∣luments or reall titles they grace their followers: so the * 1.90 professors of Christianitie having expelled the

profession of Paganisme, before their hearts were thoroughly clensed from the reliques of it, shared the dignities or signiories of the old Heathen Gods, a∣mongst the Saints or Martyrs, which they best affec∣ted. Thus was the Temple of Pantheon, that is, of all the Gods, with the rights or honours due vnto it, alie∣nated by Rome-Christian to all Saints, whose service (by aequivalency) is celebrated as superstitiously by Rome Christian vpon the day which wee solemnize in the memory of all true Saints deceased. The lake in Cyrene, which had beene Pallas her joynture and bare her name, was in S. Augustines time bequeathed to S. Marie, and instead of Tritonidis Palus, named Mariae Palus, that is, of Pallas her lake, made our Ladies lake. Civill modestie would not suffer latter ages to make the blessed Virgin Patronesse of Wantons; therefore was this part of Venus honourable office, bestowed on Marie Magdalene,* 1.91 and on one Afra; but Venus regencie over the Sea fell to S. Maries lot vpon as little ground, I suppose, as the Heathens had to entitle Venus to it.

a 1.92Venus orta mari mare praestat eunti —Tranquillum.

Venus (as thought the Heathens) tooke nature and substance from the froth of the Sea, and the blessed Virgins name imports as much as a Sea or multitude of waters; and is enstyled in their Liturgies * 1.93 Stella maris. This will-worship begunne vpon these motiues, did multiplie Gods by subdivisions (occasioned from the diversity of sexes or other references) in as prodigious sort as the Heathens had done. If the good-man pray

to Pelagius for the welfare of his Oxen, the good-wife would pray to S. Bride for the welfare of her Kine. S. Anthonies extraordinary and tender care over swine, could not content them without another peculiar & more immediate president of Sowes. Their shamelesse and sottish vanitie in this kinde, is prosecuted at large by others; the Reader, if it be worth his contempla∣tion, may view it with lesse paines than I can draw the Mappe or survey of it. Amongst others it is wittily set downe by the famous * 1.94 Knight of the Mount or Lyon King at Armes, who for conclusion challengeth the Heralds of will-worship to blazon the difference, if any there were, betweene Heathenish and Romish Idolatrie. He though as well skill'd as any of his time in titles of honour, could discry no difference betweene their services.

4. Rome-Heathen in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or full growth of su∣perstition made he Gods of the masculine, and she Gods of the feminine names of affections, as Pavor, Clemen∣tia, &c. Rome-Christian clothed imaginary Saints with formed names, fitted of purpose to their humors which were to worship them, lest their marchandise should want chapmen. For humorous affection is al∣wayes charitable to beleeue that hath reall existence, whose imagination is pleasant. It would be hard for any Legendary to produce the warrant of any Writer sacred or ecclesiasticke, why Vrbanus should be repu∣ted a Saint. Horace, I thinke, is the most canonicall Author he can alledge, Faecundicalices quem non fecere disertum? Pleasant companions were to haue a pa∣trone as well as others, and none so fit for them as Vr∣banus. As a coate given by the Herald makes a clowne

a Gentleman: so this name devised by a writer of Le∣gends, was matter enough for men so disposed to cre∣ate a Saint out of it. Or perhaps some such, as they name in sports, had beene killed in a drunken fray, and taken for a Martyr of his followers. But out of question some good fellowes in meere merriment set vp Gutmannus for the Warden of pudding-makers. The pedigree of many other solemnly worshipped in times past, and in some places (perhaps) at this day, cannot be derived from any reall ancestors, but had names from the matters, whereof they are supposed presi∣dents, as mammon in the Syriack and Plutus in Greeke. In mindes once wrought to this effeminate levitie and credulitie, the very sight of emblematicall or hie∣rogliphicall devices would make impression of reall Saintships. Vnto this topicke we may refer the raising of S. Christopher or mounting of S. George. Both in some Countries had beene adored as Gods, though but men of the Painters or Heralds making. That most naturall branch of superstition which had spread it selfe, like the Vine amongst the Heathens (exemplified hereto∣fore in Balak) did recover sappe and leafe againe in greater quantitie in the Romane Church. The prayers which the blessed Virgin either could not heare, or would not graunt at Winchester, were so effectually heard at Walshingham or Loretto, that the Ladie of Win∣chester, Walsingham and Loretto did in vulgar esteeme, differ as much in person as these Townes did in place, and were conceipted to emulate each other no lesse, than as if they had beene Ladies of diverse families in the Princes Court.

5. This leaven of Gentilisme, which had thus dif∣fused

it selfe through the Romish Masse, or the Romish Churches pretended service of God, and thus shared his heavenly regiment amongst the Saints; (as Conque∣rors doe the Lands which they conquer, among their followers) making them not proprietaries onely, but in a sort absolute Princes within their Territories, and God onely a titulary Monarch of the whole or pro∣prietary in some principall parts; after it had thus wrought downeward did in the issue reflect vpward. The intellectuall conceipt of Gods proper attributes, their prayers immediately directed to the Trinitie, to the Godhead or Christ, were tainted with a spice of that sorcery or vaine observance, which was before observed in the Heathens. Some of their Liturgies argue as great a confidence in altering Gods attributes in their supplications, as Balaam did in the change of places for his sacrifice. Of foure or fiue Letanies, which the Church of Ravenna had in S. Gregories time (but more corrupted since) all now abrogated, not for any superstition but for conformitie to the Romane Church, this here following was doubtlesse the best; because the writer of that Historie would not haue the patterne lost, and the beginning is good, but all the rest nought.

Creator mundi Deus, miserere nostri.* 1.95 Pater de Coelis Deus, miserere nostri. Fili Redemptor mundi Deus, mis: no: Spiritus sancte Deus, mis: no: Trinus & vnus Deus, mis: no: Rex regum mis: no: Rex exercituum mis: no:

Archangelorum aeternitas mis: no: Bonitas Patriarcharum mis: no: Charitas sacer dotum mis: no: Diuitiae Prophetarum mis: no: Electio Apostolorum mis: no: Fides Martyrum mis: no: Gloria Confessorum mis: no: Haereditas Levitarum mis: no: Iuste Iudex mis: no: Charitas Potestatum mis: no: Lux Gentium mis: no: Misericordia captivorum mis: no: Navigantium gubernator mis: no: Orphanorum pastor mis: no: Pacis conditor mis: no: Qui es indultor, mis: no: Remissio peccatorum mis: no: Sanitas infirmantium, mis: no: Tutela virginum, mis: no: Consolatio viduarum, mis: no: Excitatio mortuorum, mis: no: Initium saeculorum, mis: no: Zelus & corona Martyrum, mis: no: Salvator totius mundi, mis: no: Pacem & concordiam da nobis, Domine. Sancta Maria, mis: nob:

After a Catalogue of particular Saints and Saintesses first invocated by their proper names, and afterward by way of an vniversall conclusion made vp out of the induction of particulars,

Omnes Sanctae virgines Dei interced: Omnes sancti & sanctae deae interced:

They returne againe to Christ and ranke his attributes in a short rime:

Christe fili dei vivi, mis: no: Tu es Deus omnipotens, mis: no: Qui in hunc mundum venisti, mis: no: Qui pro nobis flagellatus fuisti, mis: no: Qui in cruce pependisti, mis: no: Qui mortem propter nos accepisti, mis: no: Qui in sepulchro iacuisti, mis: no: Qui ad inferos descendisti, mis: no: Qui tertia die resurrexisti, mis: no: Qui in Coelos ascendisti, mis: no: Qui Spiritum paracletum in Apostolos misisti, mis: no: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, mis: no: Qui venturus es iudicare vivos & mortuos et seculum per ignem, mis: no: Miserere nobis Domine, miserere nobis: Kyrie eleison.

6. Whiles I reade these and other Letanies vsed by the Romish Church, I cannot but congratulate the wise∣dome and moderation of the Church wherein I was borne and baptized; which hath so well extracted the spirit of primitiue devotion from the grossenesse of later and declining ages superstition. These admitted new Mediators into their Liturgies, with as great fa∣cilitie, as our corporations doe strangers, (whom they would haue graced) into their fraternities, or as Vni∣versities doe Students into their Registers. Gregorie the Great had crept into this Letanie of Ravenna, (as mine Author thinkes) after his death, but it seemes they had allotted him his place whilest he lived; o∣therwise

they might, without offence vnto posteritie, haue set him below S. Hierom and S. Augustin. Our Letanie, as it admits no compeers with Christ, no se∣cundary Mediators or Intercessors; so it vseth no in∣terpellations of him or any person in the Trinitie, but such as well becomes the sinceritie and gravitie of or∣thodoxall devotion. Howbeit, the next point I am to prosecute, is the ill successe, which the Romish Chur∣ches intended reformation of abuses in praying to Saints hath found, not the good successe of our own: of which in this place I haue no more to say, saue onely; The Lord of his mercy grant, that we may be as well inwardly as outwardly conformable to the good orders which our religious Auncestors haue prescribed.

CHAPTER. XXXIX.

That the medicine pretended by Rome-Christian for curing the former disease, did rather increase than asswage it.

1. AS ordinary Bishops haue their distinct diocesse without which their pastorall staues cannot reach: so some Saints were particularly honoured in this or that Province, not in others. Every Bishop, by custome more auncient than the Romish Religion which now is, might haue enjoyned his flocke to do homage vn∣to Saints of his owne erection; though to binde the whole Church vnto the service of any hath beene an act of oecumenicall jurisdiction, ever since this cu∣stome came vp. But to permit the same libertie to eve∣ry

Bishop within his Diocesse, which the Pope chal∣lengeth over the whole world, seemed too much vnto later Popes. For Alexander the third and Innocent the third, seeing the abuses which grew by this licenti∣ousnesse, made a restraint that none after their times, should be enrolled in the Catalogue of Saints or wor∣shipped, though in some particular Country or Pro∣vince onely, without the approbation of their succes∣sors. So approved, it was a point of sacriledge to deny them solemn worship, or doubt of their admission in∣to the Church triumphant. To invest the soules of men deceased with robes of glory, is by this recko∣ning but an exercise of the same authoritie, which giues Bishops their palls: we will suppose so. But did Basil, Ambrose, Hierom, Austin, Gregorie the Great, or o∣thers adored for Saints by the Catholicke Church Romane, attaine to this dignitie by any Popes donati∣on? Were they as solemnly canonized as S. Bernard, S. Thomas Becket, S. Francis, S. Dominick, S. Thomas of Aquine, or some others that died since Innocent the se∣cond? If they were not; either the Popes approbation is nothing worth, or S. Francis and S. Dominicke are so much better Saints, than Hierom, Ambrose, or Austin, as it is worth. Or were these men of such extraordina∣ry worth that they needed no Papall testimony? Ra∣ther to affirme this were to deny the Popes Suprema∣cy: a point of greater danger in Rome, than to say in England any could be made Dukes or Earles without the Kings Maiesties consent or approbation. How then came these reverend Fathers by such honour, as hath bin done vnto them for many hundreth yeares by the vniversall Church? More by custome than by

expresse law or solemne warrant. * 1.96 Bellarmine out of Aquinas, prima secundae quaest. 97. Articulo 3. giues vs to vnderstand, that as customes in other cases haue the force of lawes, from the tacite consent of the Prince (without which they haue no force at all; but rather antiquitie of errour and continuance of cor∣ruption:) so the worship of Saints though brought in by the generall custome of particular Churches, hath iust force and authoritie either from the expresse or racite approbation of the Pope. He is the sole spirituall Monarch* 1.97. I haue often read it (though I never belee∣ved it,) that the visible head of the Church speaking ex cathedrâ, cannot erre in matters of faith: but I ne∣ver suspected it had beene any where written what now I read in Bellarmine, that the bodie of the Church cannot erre in matters of fact, made publicke onely by example and custome, (whose originall is more hard to be found out than the head of Nilus) if it shall please the Pope to be silent or not to pronounce a∣gainst them ex cathedrâ. But we must cease to be men, before we can beleeue his Holinesse to be such an om∣nipotent God, as can make all them Saints whom the people throughout most Churches haue made choice of for their Patrons. Such abuses as bad custome had brought into some places about the time of Alexander the third, might, for ought we know, haue overspread many Churches in times before.

2. But if the Popes approbation be sufficient to warrant the publicke adoration of Saints, Alexander the third was two wayes too blame.

First, in seeking to reforme the abuses or bad customes of most par∣ticular Churches; seeing these by his connivence

would haue beene no abuses, or by his approbation lawfull services. Secondly, in so applying his medi∣cine as there was no likelihood but it should rather exasperate, than asswage the present disease or pre∣vent future contagion.

For how far did he restraine the people from wonted superstition? Did he prohi∣bite all men to present their devotions vpon their knees, or to vow pilgrimages to any that were not ca∣nonized by him or his Successors? No; in that the words of the Decree expresly forbid all publike wor∣ship of Saints not canonized; the Interpretors gather, it was his purpose to allow them private worship. They may yet haue houshold Saints of their owne choosing, to whom they may tender all the points of religious obsequies hitherto mentioned, not in secret onely, but as many looking on as lift, so it be not in the open Church or in solemne service. For publicke worship, (such as in that Decree is onely forbidden) is not opposed to secret or private worship, where none besides God and good friends be present. The prohibition of it, vnlesse the penaltie be great, and the enquirie strict, licenceth any worship, that is not tendred in the name, & as the institution of the whole Church. Now, as Printers sometimes gaine more by forbidden bookes, then by such as are authorized for publicke sale: so hath the divell found opportunitie to enlarge his service, by this vnseasonable restraint of it. The vniversall prohibition to worship any for Saints in publicke Liturgies that were not canonized, hath, by a kinde of Antiperistasis, intended the peo∣ples superstitious bent to worship more private Saints than otherwise would haue beene thought on, with

greater devotion in their chambers or private chap∣pells, than if their open service had beene authorized in Churches. A man may take a deadly surfeit as well at home as at a publicke feast; and spirituall surfeiting or drunkennesse being the disease, which Pope Alex∣ander sought to cure, his prescript was no better, than if a Physician should strictly charge an intemperate glutton or drunkard to be abstemious at great feasts a∣broad, leaving him to his bellies discretion, at his owne Table or amongst his companions in private meetings.

3. This our judgement (by these Analogies) vpon Pope Alexanders successe-lesse medicine, wants not approved experiments. For the intollerable abuse of submissiue servitude to a numberlesse rout of base & obscure private Saints, was never greater, never more rise than in the ages betweene the reformation pre∣tended by Pope Alexander, and Luther. And (it seemes) the * 1.98 Trent Councell was partly of this minde, in that to Bishops within their Diocesses, it leaues more authoritie in judging of miracles, in admission of new reliques, in setting vp new fashioned images, than the former decree (by Bellarmines interpretation) did. Yet if any doubtfull case, or questionable abuse of greater moment, should any where happen: the consent and advise of the Metropolitan and other neighbour Bishops must be demanded in a provinci∣all Synode, before the Bishop of the Diocesse take vp∣on him precisely to determine one way or other; al∣wayes provided that no novelties or rites, before vnu∣suall in the Church be established before they know his Holines pleasure.

CHAPTER XL.

That the medicine on which the present Romish Church doth now relie is worse than the disease it selfe. That they make the Pope a greater God than the Heathen did any other God besides Iupiter.

1. FRom this positiue decree we may infer, that not all their private doctors onely, as Valentian and Bellarmine in the name of the rest avouch, but their whole Church representatiue, the Councell and Pope, joynt∣ly agree in this conclusion, Whatsoever religious rite or forme of worship is once approued by the Pope (thus con∣sulted) may not be suspected of superstitiō, &c. And when the Councell professeth their desire, that all supersti∣tion may be abandoned in the inuocation of Saints, the adoration of reliques, or worshipping of images; their meaning was, as if they had prayed that the Pope would approoue of whatsoever the people should publickly practise; for it is but another part of the former conclusion, that all whom he shall vouchsafe to canonize, may be lawfully adored by the vniver∣sall Church in publicke and solemne Liturgies; so that to worship such, is now more necessary than it was before.

2. Never had the infernall powers, since their fall, so just occasion given them by any creatures, of insul∣tation and triumph at the wonderfull successe of their policies, as by these latter Romanists; who as well by

Apologizing for their superstition towards the dead (whereof others haue chalenged them,) as by seeking to reforme some grosse abuses whereof themselues were ashamed, haue beene fetcht over to commit more detestable and more blasphemous idolatry with living men, than any Heathen ever did with their de∣ceased Heroicks, with their false Gods, or true devills. Such as worshipped those beastly Romane Emperours, whom their Successors consecrated, were not bound to beleeue, nor could their Successors perswade them∣selues, that the Senate could not erre, or doe amisse in decreeing divine honour to them. That people not knowing what faith meant, did onely as their chiefe Magistrates commanded them, nor did these com∣mand all throughout the Empire to be partakers with them in their idolatrous worship. But now to dispute whether the Pope doe well or amisse in canonizing men after death, whom he knew not living; is held a point of heresie or infidelitie. His absolute infallibi∣litie as well in declaring who are Saints, as in deter∣mining what honour is due vnto them, is prest vpon vs as a Maxime of faith. And is not this to worship him with divine honour? That conceipt which the old Romanes had of their consecrated Emperours, came as farre short of this divine excellency, which Papists imagine in the Pope, as the Iewes opinion of their Messias whom they expected should be a King, doth of that esteeme which true Christians make of Christ, whom they adore as God. The superstitious knowledge, or rather the practicall ignorance of the true God differeth no otherwise in Rome-Heathen▪ and Rome-Christian, than the ordinary knowledge of

Christ in the old Testament and in the New. The idolatry of Rome-Heathen agrees with the idolatry of Rome-Christian, as the type or shadow with the body or substance.

3. Bellarmine giveth Melancthon the lye for saying the Romish Church ascribes a divine power to Saints in knowing mens thoughts. I aske them, not knowing our thoughts, how can they know our petitions? No Catholique (saith he) did ever teach, that they know our prayers as they are cōceived in our minds, but as they are in God, who reveales them to his Saints and Angels. He would not thus fiercely avert the imputation of the Antecedent, vnlesse he knew the inference to be legall and vnavoydable. To pray then to Saints, out of presumed beliefe that they know the secrets of our hearts, were by his confession to ascribe a divinitie vnto them, and to worship them with divine honour: plaine idolatrie. Therefore they pray vnto them out of assurance that God who sees our hearts, acquaints them with our hearts desires. Yet that one Saint, that every Saint should by this meanes know every mans prayers, that is enjoyned to pray vnto them, necessarily supposeth a participa∣tion of that infinite knowledge, which is incommuni∣cable. To see the secrets of mans heart, is one of Gods peculiar titles. If Saints by enioying his presence, en∣ioy this sight; no reason can be conceived why in see∣ing him they may not see all things that are in him, all that he sees. And so they shall not be onely Gods, but (as was observed before) Gods Almightie by par∣ticipation. But admitting that all such as enioy Gods presence doe heare our prayers; I demaund what

ground of beliefe Romane Catholiques can haue that many whom they must pray vnto, are partakers of Gods presence? Onely this; The Pope hath canonized them. But seeing the world is full of dissimulation and hypocrisie; seeing men are partiall to giue better te∣stimony of such as they seeke to preferre, than they can deserue: how can his Holines know them to be true Saints, vnlesse he know their hearts by better te∣stimony than humane? As a Christian, he knowes that onely the pure in heart enioy the blessed sight of God. But how can he so infallibly know, as becomes a Pope, whether such as lived in England, in Spaine, in Asia, America, or other remote parts of the world, were pure in heart or but hypocrites? If he may erre in this knowledge, the people must erre in prac∣tise.

4. Their resolution of this point comes to this finall issue. Saints celestiall see our hearts in seeing God. Romane Catholiques see the integritie and puri∣tie of their hearts, whose faces they never saw, in the Pope or by reading his decrees. He stands as God to them on earth, as the true God is to the Saints in hea∣ven. He knowes as certainely who goes to heaven, and what they doe there, as God knowes what is done in earth. And out of this confident beliefe of his infallible all-seeing spirit, his creatures pray to S. Francis, Dominicke, Aquinas, as vnto secondary or intermediate Intercessors, with the same assurance of faith, that they doe to Christ, as to their princi∣pall Mediatour. And reason they haue so to doe. God Almightie hath said that Christ is in heaven; and the Pope hath sayd of Aquinas, Dominicke, or some

other, they are in heaven. Thus like foolish Mari∣ners or Fresh water Souldiers, after they had beene long carried vp and downe with the blasts of vaine doctrine, fearing ship-wracke in the open Ocean of former ages idolatrie, (and yet ashamed to returne to the Haven whence they loosed, lest wise men should laugh at them) they put in at the jawes of hell for Harbour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Thes. cap. 4. ver. 13.
• * 1.2

  Chap 20, 21. Sect. 3.
• a 1.3

  Chemnit. in Exam Con∣cil. Tridert. sess••n 9. & vlt. de Iuvo. Sanct.
• * 1.4

  See Chap. 19.
• * 1.5

  Vide Vin∣c••m L••t••en. Ma. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lau••an••ar, D••pui•• damnantur.
• * 1.6

  Car••us Ti∣e••cellinus Rup••ma••us antiqui m••∣ris c••ues. m••rd•• re••o••g nabū•• ••e∣pius d••xit, torquē C••n∣chyliatum, postquam in∣dignis p••••∣mis••••e c••m∣muni•• ce∣p••e•• 〈…〉〈…〉 vi••o••um in∣••ign•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 P••a∣rum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Thuan•• 2••.
• a 1.7

  Hinc cō•• prophetia••is, ••nem•• ca∣lorum 〈…〉〈…〉 tractat. 8. partitio 3. de custodia Ang••.
• b 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 de S••n••t•• beatitud. lib. ••. cap 19.
• a 1.9

  The true reason why the order of the Carthu∣sians haue had so few Saints: whereas the order of S^t Rennet (as may appear by a beg∣ging Briefe sent some few yeares agoe out of Spaine here unto Englād by the Pro∣vinciall or Generall of that order) doth brag of fiftie thou∣sand Saints, a••l Bennets Disciples: the number is more by ten thou∣sand, than wee reade sealed of any Tribe of Israel.
• b 1.10

  Haec sub brevitate contra eos qui impugnant ordinem Car∣ibusiensium, quia non fiant in eis miracula, immo nec velient, potius vero facientes occultarent, ••eut sapius repertum est. Quod autem similiter dicitur, quod ne habeant canonizatum, nisi vnum ••cilicet S. Hugonem, Linconiensem Episcopum; Restondeo quod necidem ex eorum vo∣luntate, sed regis Anglia & su•• ••an ••a est canonizatus, quanquam sanct••ssimae fuit vi∣tae, magnis miraculis claruerit & procarator Carthusia magna professis{que} ex••iterit. Gerson•• de abstinentia Carthusianorum, siue contra impugnantes ordinem Carthusiensiam Pag. 514.
• c 1.11

  See Chap. 21. parag. 3.
• * 1.12

  Qua horâ B. Virgo (Ca∣tharina) ani∣mā reddidit, Thomas Pen∣na Protonotarius Apostolicus vidit coelos apertos, eam{que} sublimè ascendentem inter choros arge∣lorum. Eandem pta vidua Semia triplici corona insignitam, vidit a Christo sponso in throno sa∣dente suscipi. D. Catharina Senensis Selectiora miracula formis Aeneis expressa. Antuerpia a∣pud Philippum Gatlaum. 1603. To prepare the credulous Readers heart the better to beleeue this vision of Saint Catharines ascension into Heaven, opening it selfe to receiue her, and her coronation with a triple Crowne, another relation perhaps was premised by the same Author, the effect whereof is, that having overthrowne the Devill after a grievous conflict, shee resigned her soule vnto God in the same yeare of her age, where∣in our Saviour Christ (vnto whom the blessed Virgin, as this Legend relates, had espou∣sed her with a ring) did resigne his soule into his Fathers handes. See Section fift, Chap. 41.
• * 1.13

  Prebatio autem sanc∣titatis per miracula tamen plurimum est suspecta, quia (vt suprà d••ctum est) malis sunt con∣munta, & multa non Christiana, s••d magicae artis ostentamenta sunt, qua a simplicibus qua•••• sanctitatis miracula acceptantur. Gerson ibidem. Demden ••tandum quòd in Legis temp••re per Moysen siebant signa ingentia, quibus mag•• quidam per incantationes fecer unt similia, &c. i∣bidem Hac autem antiqua miracula (per deum scilicet facta) qu••tidiè in mysterio r••no van∣tur in Ecclesia, quae etiam tanto maiorasunt, quanto non corporalis sed spirtiuilia. ibidem.
• * 1.14

  Vnde quum in canoniza∣tione sancti Thoma de A∣quino oppone∣retur, quod non fecerat miracula in vita, vel non multa, dictū fuit per Pa∣pam, non esse curand••m. Gerson ibi∣dem p. 512. Vide Plura Gerson. trac∣tat octauo super Magni∣ficat, partiti one tertia de custodia An∣gelica.
• * 1.15

  See Chap. 29. parag. 1.
• * 1.16

  Nota, tre•• pers••nas p••s∣se conside••a∣ri, quā•••• nos Deum ora∣mus; vnam ipsius Dei, a quo petimus beneficia; al∣teram Chri∣sti, per cuius meritum ea c••pi••nus no∣bis dar••; ter∣tiam eius, qui pe••i••en. ••••∣c••a▪ per Chri∣st••••n. Ex his tribus perso∣nis n••n potest prin•••• Sanc∣tis trib••••, vt iam prebaui∣mus: sed s••••ū tertia. Bellar. cap. 17. de Beat. Sa••.
• * 1.17

  Ita{que} San∣ctos invoca∣mus ad hoc solum, vt fae∣ciant id, quod nos facimus qui meliùs et efficaciùs ip∣si facerè pos∣sunt, quàm nos, meliùs il¦li et nos simul quàm nos so∣li. Probatur iam cōclusio; solus Chri∣stus est, qui mund••m re∣concilia ••t Deo, & qui meruit n••••is gloriam & gratiam & omnia neces∣saria ad sa∣lutem Bellar. ibidem.
• * 1.18

  Bellarminus ibidem.
• * 1.19

  1. Tim. 2.5.
• * 1.20

  Sect. 5. Chap. 42. Parag. 4.
• * 1.21

  In festo in∣ventionis Sanctae Cru∣cis.
• * 1.22

  Vide Ribe∣ram in 7. ad Hebrae: num. 72.
• * 1.23

  Bellarm. de beatitud. Sanct. l. 1. cap. 15.
• * 1.24

  Bellarm. l. 1. de Beatitud. Sanct. c. 12.
• a 1.25

  Peresius part. 3. de Tradit. con∣siderat. 7.
• b 1.26

  Bellarm de San••t bea∣titud. l. 1. cap. 12.
• * 1.27

  Vide Bellar. de Beatitud. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 12. pa∣rag. 5.
• * 1.28

  Rom. 13.7.
• a 1.29

  S^t Austine (whose au∣thority they wrest to this effect) was mistaken in the vse or significatiō of the word Latriae. His error was, in that he thought it did alwayes signifie reli∣gious wor∣ship or ado∣ration of spirit: and this kind of worship he knew onely to be due to God; wher∣as 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, D••minum deum tuum adora∣bis, & illi soli seruie••, cum Abraham sic honorauerit populum quendam gentium, ut etiam ado∣raret. Sed animaduertendum est in eodem praecept••, nondictum, Dominum deum tuum selū ado∣rabis, sicut dictum est, et illi soli seruies, quod est Graecè 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Talis enim seruitus non nisi Deo de••etur. Aug. quest. 61. super Gen.
• b 1.30

  Vide Vasques lib. 2. de adoratione disp. 8. cap. 12. num. 366.
• * 1.31

  Luk. 4. vers 6, 7. Matth. 4. vers. 9.
• * 1.32

  Rev. 19.9.
• * 1.33

  Bellar. l. 1. de Sanctor. beatitudine. cap. 14.
• * 1.34

  Aug. que∣stione. 61. in Gen.
• * 1.35

  Bellarmin. ibid de Sanc. beatitud••
• * 1.36

  Vide Bel∣larmin l••c•• citat••.
• * 1.37

  Acts. 10. ver. 5, 6.
• * 1.38

  Plinius in Historia. Similia ha¦bet Lactan∣tius
• * 1.39

  Acts. 10.46.
• * 1.40

  Coloss. 2. ver. 18.
• * 1.41

  Vasques. l. 1 de Adorat. disput. 5. cap. 3.
• * 1.42

  Bellarm. de Sanctor. beatitudine. lib. 1. cap. 4.
• * 1.43

  Vide Rosa∣riun Maria.
• * 1.44

  Vid De••ri. l. 4. c. 1. q 2 s. 2 Bellar. lib. 1. de Sanctor. beat••t. c. 17.
• a 1.45

  Concipitur et Deiparam Virginem vt sponsam, ••ua∣suram fuisse summipatris, cum illi edi∣derit vnige∣nitū▪ nec non mairem fu∣turam verae vita, & per hoc long? me∣lioris quàm Heua: quan∣doquidem fi∣cut Adamus, ita et Heua, in animā est ficta viven∣tem: at Ma∣ria sicut & Christus, in spiritum est electa viuifi∣cantem. Vnde & mater, ne∣dum dicitur, vita, sedgra∣tia et dilecti∣o ••pulchra: sicut et de illâ sacra canit Ecclesia. Ia∣••••bus Naclā∣tus ••piscopus Clugiensis in seri••turaeme∣dulla f••l. 37. pag. 1••6.
• * 1.46

  Compare these & the like eiacula∣torie hymns with the eia∣culations of heathen O∣rators and Poets. chap. 20.
• * 1.47

  Vid. Pute∣an. in Mod. Pallade.
• * 1.48

  Bellar. La. de Sanctor. beat. cap. 17.
• * 1.49

  Bellar. ibid.
• * 1.50

  1 Cor. 9. ver. 12.
• * 1.51

  Heb. 7. ver. 25.
• * 1.52

  Ioh. 16. ver. 7.
• * 1.53

  Brevia••••ū Roman. de ordine com∣mendatu••nis an••mae Deo.
• * 1.54

  Equidem Anaxarche, Alexandrum nullo plane honore, qui quidem ho∣minibus convenia••, indignum esse censeo. Caeterum statuta sunt inter homines divini & huma∣ni honoris discrimina; cùm multis alijs rebus, tùm Ten plorum exaedificatione, & statuarum erectione. Dijs enim delubra consecramus, ijs{que} sacra facimus & libamus. Rursus hymni deorum sunt, laudes hominum sed non cum adoratione coniunctae. The Greeke is, (sed prae∣cipue adorationis ritu.) Hominibus siquidem à salutantibus oscula dantur; eos ve••ò edita loco positos ne contingi quidem fas est, ideo adoratione coluntur. Tripudia etiam salutationes{que} dijs fiunt & paeanes cant••ntur. Ne{que} verò mirum id est, qu••m ex dijs alij alijs honores tribuan∣tur, & quidem heroibus alij etiam ipsi à diuinis honoribus diversi. Non est igitur consentane∣um haec omnia inter se confundere, ne{que} hominem nimijs honoribus supra humanum modum extollere, & deo•• ad statum ab illorum dignitate alienum redigere, vt nimirum eodem quo homine•• cultu colantur. Neque enim pateretur Alexander privatum aliquem regios honores electione s••ffragus{que} illegiti••••s vsurpare. Multò ita{que} iustiu•• deos indignaturos, si quis mor∣talium divin••s h••n••••es sibi arroget, aut ab alijs delatos sustineat. Arrianus de Expedit Alexan∣d••••. l. 4. pag. 86.
• * 1.55

  Cap. 29.
• * 1.56

  Bellar. l. 3. de beatitud. Sanct. cap. 4.
• * 1.57

  Lib. 3. cap. 9. de cultu Sanc∣torum.
• * 1.58

  See Psal. 50. ver. 7. &c. and the 14.
• * 1.59

  Rom. 12. ver. 1.
• * 1.60

  Subdit sta∣tim Tharasi∣us ex Ana∣stasiorationē. Quid enim aliud est, quam ho∣noris alicui exhibiti ve∣luti empha∣sis, adora∣tio? Latria vero nequa∣quam. Ac fi dicat, ideò a∣dorare licet, quia adora∣tioest empha∣sis, hoc est, symbolum et signum inte∣rioris cultus, et submissio∣nis; et tale signum ima∣ginibus prae∣beripotest: Latriam ve∣ro tribuere nequaquam licet. Nam cum hac sit seruitus in spiritu, et non in solo signo cōsistat, ima∣gini suli, qua non sentit, nonpotestexhiberi. Subiungit; Ne{que} etiam licebit 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (nempe imagi∣ues) quod est propriè Deum adorare. Verbum enim 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 deprecari, vota nuncupare, vel peragere significat: quod soli Deo fieripotest. Vasque••. lib. 2. de Adoratione. Disput 8. c. 12. num 368.
• * 1.61

  See Sec∣tion. 3. cap. 16.
• a 1.62

  Wisd. 14.
• * 1.63

  Sic apud ipsos legitur: Romani ve∣teres nescio quem Sum∣manum, cui nocturna fulmina tri∣buebant, coluerunt magis quàm Iovem, ad quem diurna fulmina per∣tinebant. Sed post quàm Ioui templū insigne ac sublime con∣structum est, propter adis dignitatem sic ad eum multitudo confluxit, ut vix inuenia∣tur, qui Summani nomen, quod audire tam non p••test, se saltem le∣gisse memi∣••••rit. Aug. lib. 4. de Ci∣uitate Dei. cap. ••3.
• * 1.64

  L••bro de Somno & vigilia.
• * 1.65

  See the se∣cond tome of Homi∣lies, pag. 32, 34.
• * 1.66

  Phocas igi∣tur, vt prae∣missū est, ex∣tincto Mau∣ritio eius{que} filijs, Roma∣norum regnū inuadit. Per octo annorum curricula principatus est. Hic, ro∣gante Papa Bonifacio, flotuit fedem Romanae Ecclesiae, vt eaput esset omnium Ecclesiarum: quia Ecclesia Constantinop lita••a primam se omnium Ecclesiarum scribebat. Idem, alio Papa Bonifacio petente, iussit in veieri fan, quod Pantheon vocabatur, ablatis Idololatriae sordibus, Ecclesiam beatae semper virginis Mariae, & omnium sanctorum martyrum fieri•• vt vbi quondam omnium non Deorum, sed Daemoniorum cultus agebat••r, ibi deinceps omnium fieret memoria Sanctorum. Paubus D••acon. lib. 18 c••ca medium. Vide Fo. cat lib. 1 pag. 33. It is likely Phocas did conse∣crate his Temple vpon the same motiues, that Domitian did his to the Heathen Gods. Verisim••le est D••••••••tia••••um nefandes criminibus spurcatum elui curasse fanorum molitionibus. Nam callida fuit crudesitatis, iti vt lenitatem tum maximè simularet,cùm erat cruciaturus a∣liquos. Fratris quo{que} Titi Imperatoris mortē accelerasse traditur, quo vno nihil elemantius fuit; nihil generosius. Forcatulus. lib. 3. pag. 120.
• * 1.67

  The vse of holy waters as it seemes was first borrowed from the Heathens, and in pro∣cess of time perverted from a civill to a magi∣call Cere∣monie. Ferunt vul∣go Tolosates Exuperium pro muris concionātem, lustrali equa sparsos Van∣dalos t••rru∣isse ac fugas∣se, quod prae∣terire non po∣tui, et si seue∣riores fabu∣lis a inumerent Planè constat veteres genere quodam caeremoniae aquam & ignem adhibuisse, cum aliquos extrudere aut a••cere volebant a suo consortio; vnde exulibus aquâ & igni inter∣dic••baturiure civili & hod evsurpatur in ijs, quibus sacrorum communium vsu ritè verbis conceptum interdicitur. Id{que} aduotauit Servius, alij fontem{que} ignem{que} ferebant velatilino, & verbena tempora vincti. Ita{que} Antistes inter commiluones non omnino Christi religione imbutos veterem ritum minunè n••xium ad arcendos hostes pro tempore retinuit. Forcatulus. lib. 6. fol. 856.
• * 1.68

  Sacrobos∣cus in defens. Decret. Tri∣den. Concil. & sentent. Bellar. par. 1 pag. 102.
• * 1.69

  Verum mo∣dus isle val∣dè difficilis est, meo{que} in∣dicio minimè ordinarius, Sacrobos. loc. citat.
• * 1.70

  Quare & scitè dicitur, quòd vti{que} adoratur i∣mago, et non secūdùm quā volueris ra∣tionē, sed se∣cūdùm eam, qua prototy∣pon relucet in illa; vnde etsi imago coli∣tur, ratio ta∣men absolutè ipsa non est, quòdcolatur; sedres reprae∣sentata, ac in ea contenta, ratio adorationis est. Et quoniam ficut vnum de facto non est diuisum ab alio, quo∣niam etsi prototypon absolutè aliud ab imagine est, vt tamen in ea emicat, ab illa segregatum non est: ita nec amborum diuisus est cultus aut adoratio, sed vnus idem{que} vtrius{que} est, sicut ex Philosophorum placitis liquet. Si quidem tradunt vnum eundem{que} motum ad imaginem, & remcuius imago est, terminari: eo quòd & vnum ratio est alteri, vt vnus integer{que} constitua∣tur terminus a quo, & vnus denominatur motus. Ergo non solum fatendum est, fideles in Ec∣clesia adorare coram imagine, vt nonmilli ad cadrelum fortè loquuntur, sed et adorare imagi∣nem, sine quo valueris scrupulo: quin & eo illam venerantur cultu, quo & prototypon eius; propter quod, si illud habet adorari latriâ, et illa latriâ; si dulia, vel hyperdulia, et illa pariter eiusmodi cultu adoranda est. Iacob. Naclantus Episcopus Clugiensis in cap. 1. Ep. Pauli ad Rom. folio 41, 42.
• a 1.71

  Surely Aquinas and Naclantus with their followers read Aristotles booke de S••mno & vigilia, when themselues were in a dreame. For he speakes onely of the Phan••asmes, and the obiects represented by them. Vide Mirandulam.
• * 1.72

  But Nac∣lantus blow∣eth forth his blasphemus Idolatrie, willing I∣mages to be worshipped with the highest kind of adorat••ō & worship: and lest such wholesome doctrine should lack authoritie, he groundeth it vpon Aristotle in his booke de somno & vigilia, that is, of sleeping and waking, as by his printed booke noted so in the margin is to be seene: whose impudent wickednesse and idolatrous iudgement, I haue therefore more largely set forth, that yee may (as Virgil speaketh of Sinon) of one, know all these Image-worshippers and Ido∣laters, and vnderstand to what point in conclusion, the publicke having of Images in Temples and Churches hath brought vs: comparing the times and writings of Gregorie the first, with our dayes, and the blasphemies of such Idolaters, as this beast of Belial Naclantus is. The 2. Tome of Homilies, folio 59.
• * 1.73

  Nulla res in∣anima aut irrationalis sine rationa∣li capax est secundùm se honoris, cul∣tûs, & reve∣rentiae seu a∣dorationis; sed imago res irrationalis & inanima, quantumuis vt imago, si∣ue exemplari tam••n consi∣deretur: ergo secundum se, sine exemplarinon est capax adorationis & reuerentiae. In hac autem ratione, sola maior propositio explicatione indiget et confirmatione; ex qua, euidentèr sequitur id, quod con∣tena••••us▪ ••••a ve••o ex natura et definatione actû•• religionis, qui est adoratio, tradita in primo libro di••qutat. 1 cap. 4. demonstrari potest. Est enim voluntas exhibendi alicui excellenti notam & signis •• submissionis, excellentiae ipsius debitum: Sic enim ex Damasc: ibidem ostendimus, a∣dorationem in••ncta submis••ionis consiste••e. Quarèh••c adorationis actus duobus constat & com∣pletur: sign•• videlice: externo, vt inclinatione corporis; et affectu illi respondente. Sicut autem sign••m externum indicat submissionis & seruitutis affectum, sic animus, ex quo procedit, talis esse debet, vt vera et non ficta sit adoratio. Animus vero submissionis et seruitutis erga illum solam ve satur, quem quis apprehendit sibi superioreme•• excellentiâ praeditum. Nam minoriqui nulla ratione, vt maior, potest apprehēdi, ••em•• se subijcit; multò ergò minus creaturae irrationali et inanimae. Qui enim et notam exhiberet submissionis ex affectuillo verae seruitutis erga illā se∣cundum se, peruersè ageret; esset{que} abiecto animo: imo vero crimen, et genus quoddam supersti∣tionis & Idololatriae committeret. Diceretur enim ex animo creaturae irrationali secundum se serv••re, grecè 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aut 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ac proinde eam, vt excellentem sibi{que}▪ superiorem, ag∣nosceret. Vasquez l••b. 2 Disp••t. 8 cap 8
• * 1.74

  Vasques. lib. 2 disp. 6. cap. 3.
• * 1.75

  Vasques de ador. lib. 3. disp. 1. c. 2. n. 8.
• * 1.76

  Vasques i∣bid. n. 10.
• * 1.77

  Ipsa igitur natura rerū et adorationis perspicuè do∣cet honorem exhibitum i∣magini ne∣cessariò ad ipsum primū fontem, scili∣cet exemplar, transire: quare et ado∣rationem i∣maginis, sicut etiam iura∣mentum per res creatas, et inanimas, esse actum verae religio∣nis, non qua∣tenus ad ip∣sas refertur secundum se, sed quatemis ex affectu per illas ad Deū transit. Vas∣quez lib. 2. De Adoratio∣ne. Disput. 8. cap. 8. n. 366
• * 1.78

  Vide Nac∣lantum epist. ad Rom cap. 1. loco citato.
• * 1.79

  Vide Aug. quaest. 62. in Genes.
• * 1.80

  Cottoniola. vid. inter a∣lios Varce∣vicium in Parall.
• * 1.81

  Alanus Co¦pus, Thomas Aquinas, Lyra, &c.
• * 1.82

  Vasques lib. 1. de a∣dorat. disp. 5. cap. 3. num. 156. &c.
• * 1.83

  Vasques ibid. n. 158.
• * 1.84

  Ezek. 16. ver. 31, 32.
• * 1.85

  S^r Thomas More in his Treatise of Invocation of Saints.
• * 1.86

  Bellar. l. 3. de Sanctor. beatitud. cap. 9.
• * 1.87

  See Secti∣on 3. cap. 18 par. 7. &c. and cap. 21. in the two last Parag.
• * 1.88

  Nazianz. in orat. pro Cypriano.
• * 1.89

  Compare this practise in Rome-Christian with the practises of Rome-Hea∣then. Sect. 3. cap. 17. par. 2, 3, 4, 5▪ &c.
• * 1.90

  Quare tum primùm il∣luxit, & in∣valuit splendor Christiana pietatis, Tolosani proceres ••ectorio inaurat•• speci••sum fanum, antea Palladi dedicatum, Maria Virgini consultissimè transcripserunt: tum quia Pallas virgo ex Io∣vis paremis cerebro nata finga••ur, tum quia consilio & opibus abundè fortunet mortales, & Maria virginitatem naturae obstupendam etinuit, & in Dei Opt. Max. mente ante solem & tempora versabatur, & aureā nobis aetatem prorsus reduxit, ac pariu m••rifico miseros agros{que} prosperavit. &c. Forcat. lib. 1. pag. 32.
• * 1.91

  See Chap. 28. par. 1. A vt maris stella.
• a 1.92

  Apollinis delubrum Clodoueus quintus Francorum Rex, eiecto numine amo∣ribus illicitis infamato, Virgini Ma∣riae veri solis genetricicō∣secra vit. Forcat. lib. 5. pag. 669.
• * 1.93

  Officium Beatae Ma∣riae.
• * 1.94

  S^t David Linsey.
• * 1.95

  Hieronymus Rubeus in his History of Ravenna.
• * 1.96

  Bellar. de Sanct. beat. lib. 1. cap. 8.
• * 1.97

  Bellar. ibid.
• * 1.98

  Sess. 25. de Invocatione.