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Ans. We must distinguish the things that are; and they be of three sorts, or rankes. In the first ranke, comes God the Creator; in the second, the Creatures: in the third, the Work
of the creatures.
For the first; Adoration that is due to God the Creator, must not be sociall, (for we are not Gods mates and companions,) but onely Religious. Yea, all religious worshippe is due to God, and to him alone; which I prooue thus. The Devill when he tempted our Sauiour, desired no more of him, but the prostrating of his body; Yet vpon this ground, that he was the giuer and disposer of all the king∣domes of the earth, But Christ denies it, and answers, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and HIM ONELY shalt thou serue, Math. 4. 10. Again, the very scope of Religious Ado∣ration, is to acknowledge the Godhead, and the properties thereof. And herevpon, it must be giuen to God alone, and consequently not to the creature, vnlesse we will acknow∣ledge a Godhead in the creature.
Here we are to remember two Caueats, touching Religious Adoration.
First, if Adoration be giuen to the true God, with a false and erronious intention, it makes him an Idol. For example; If the body be bowed, with this intent, to worship God out of the Trinitie, as the Turke doth; or if he be worshipped out of the Son, with the Iew; thus doing, wee worship not the true God, but an Idoll. The reason is, because God is so to be conceiued of vs, as he hath manifested himselfe in his owne word, and no otherwise. If otherwise, God is not conceiued, but an I∣doll
or fiction of the braine; and the Adora∣tion is not done to God, but to the Idoll.
Secondly, to worship God in, at, or before an Image, is Idolatry & superstion; and God so worshipped, is made an Idoll. For he that thus worshipps him, bindeth his presence, o∣peration, and grace, to those places, to which God never bound himselfe, or his presence, &c. God hath not appointed Images, to be pledges of these things, either by promise, or commandement. Hence it followeth, that the man, which worships God, otherwise then he would be worshipped, or lookes to be heard, when God will not be heard, is an I∣dolater. Againe, God expressely forbids the the worshippe of his Maiestie, in, at, or before any creature in heauen or in earth. Deut. 4. 16. 17. 18. 19.
But the Idolater in excuse of his sinne, is wont to pretend many things.
First, that whē he worshippeth, he intends not to worshippe the Image, but God in the Image. To this we answer, that it matters not what his meaning is. For let him intend what he wil, if God detesteth that manner of wor∣shippe, it is not to be tendred vnto him, in a∣ny sort. The Israelites worshipped not the calfe it selfe, but God in the calse, Exod. 32. 8. Yet then Moses saith, that they worship∣ped an Idoll.
Secondly he alleadgeth, that in the old Testament, God was worshipped before the
Arke; and that there he promised to heare the praiers of his people. Ans. The reason is not alike. For they had an expresse comman∣dement, giuen them by God, touching Ado∣ration before the Arke; and a promise, that they should be accepted and heard. But the Idolater hath no such commandement, or promise.
Thirdly, he obiecteth, that Subiects doe kneele downe before the chaire of estate in the absence of the King or Queene, in token of subiection due vnto them; and therefore much more may they to the Images of God, and Saintes in heauen glorified. Answ. This reason is also insufficient. For the kneeling before the chaire of estate, is a meere civill Testimonie of ciuill worshippe, and beeing referred to this end, to shew loyaltie and sub∣iection to lawfull Princes, it stands in force by the commandement of God. But there is no such warrant from Gods word, for bow∣ing to Images; neither is it his will, that they should be tokens, and pledges of his pre∣sence.
The second sort of things that be, are the creatures, which must be distinguished into foure kindes. I. Wicked Spirits. II. Good An∣gels. III. Liuing men. IIII. Men departed.
Touching wicked Spirits or Deuils, the Question is, What is the Adoration that is due vnto them?
Ans. They are the enemies of God, and
accursed of him; therefore no honour or ser∣uice belongs vnto them, by his will and ap∣pointment. And for that very cause, we are to haue no dealing with them at all. Nay, we are vtterly to renounce, and abandon, what∣soeuer things come from the Deuill, or his instruments; as namely all Spells, Charmes, Inchantments, &c. which serue to the wor∣king of wonders, and yet haue no such ver∣tue giuen them from God for that end, either by creation, nature, word, or institution.
Now concerning the good Angells; If they did now appeare vnto vs, and we had certaine knowledge thereof, we might adore them. But how? onely with ciuill and sociall worshippe. For so we read Gen. 19. 1. that Lot seeing twoo Angels comming towards Sodome, rose vp to meete them, and bowed himselfe with his face to the ground. By which example it appeareth, that though Angels may be a∣dored, yet not with Religious, or that which is mixed with Religious worship, but with worship purely & meerely ciuill. Wherevpon it was, that the Angell refused the worship done vnto him by Iohn, saying, See thou doe it not: I am thy fellow seruant, and one of thy bre∣thren, &c. Rev. 19. 10. I adde moreouer, that sith at this day, the Angels appeare not vnto vs; we may not worshippe them at all, either in ciuill or religious manner, albeit we must euer haue a reuerent estimation of them.
As for liuing men, Adoration meerely ci∣vill
is onely due vnto them, and that in re∣spect of the gifts of God, which we see to be in them, as also of their authoritie and place, which they haue amongst men. This is ex∣pressely inioyned in the fist Commandement, Honour thy father, &c. and confirmed also by the example of Abraham, who stood vp, and bowed himselfe, before the people of the land of the Hittites, Gen. 23. 7. Prouided al∣waies, that this Adoration, be according to the laudable custome of the countrey, where they liue.
But for worship, either simply religious, or mixt, it is in no sort to be yeelded them. Thus Peter (when Cornelius met him, and fell downe at his feete) refused to accept of the honour done vnto him; which notwithstan∣ding was not a diuine, but a mixed kinde of worship, performed vnto Peter, in a reuerent opinion of his person, as beeing more then an ordinarie man, Act. 10. 25, 26. In like man∣ner, Mordecai the Iewe denied to worship Haman, because the honour which the King appointed to be giuen vnto him, was an ex∣cessiue honour, hauing some diuine worship in it, such as was done to himselfe. Of the same sort, is the kissing of the Popes feete, which indeede is ciuill worship, but mixed with religious. For it is tendered vnto him, as to the Vicar of Christ, and one that can∣not erre; the like to which, is not done to a∣ny Emperour or Potentate on earth.
Lastly, touching dead men, or Saints de∣parted, as Peter, Paul, and the rest; all the worship we owe vnto them, is no more, but a reuerent estimation of their persons, and i∣mitation of their •…•…es. Religious or ciuill Adoration due vnto them, we acknowledge none; because neither we haue to deale with them, nor they with vs. Therefore Romish Adoration of them we renounce, as flat Ido∣latrie; considering it giues vnto them a Di∣uinitie, making them present in all places, to know our hearts, and heare our praiers at all times, which is the prerogatiue of God a∣lone.
Now for vnreasonable creatures, no Ado∣ration at all appertaineth to them, but onely a reuerent, and holy vse of them. For Adora∣tion, is a signe of Subiection of the inferiour to the superiour; but man is their superiour, and therefore he is to doe them no worship or seruice. And hereupon, we iustly condemne the Adoration of the reliques of Saints, of the bread and wine in the Sacrament, &c.
The Third sort of things, is the Worke of the Creature, to wit, Images. Where if it be demanded, what Adoration is due to them? I answer, None at all. Reasons. 1. We haue an expresse inhibition to the contrarie, in the third Commandement, Thou shalt not bowe downe to them, nor worship them, &c. 2. The superiour must performe no adoration to the inferiour. Now though it should be gran∣ted,
that they were the Images of God, yet man is a more excellent Image then they, and they are inferiour not onely to him, but euen to the baser sort of creatures. The wo•…•…e is one of the basest creatures vpon the earth, yet it is a worke of God. The I∣mage is a worke not of God, but of man. Man therefore may as well in all reason, and better, worship the worme, then the Image.