Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE DIFFE∣rence betweene Idols and Images.

The Papists.

THere is great difference (say they) betweene an Image and an Idoll: an Image called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is the true similitude of a thing: an Idoll, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [error 38] in Greeke, translated simulachrum, doth represent that which is not, as were the Idols of Venus, Minerua, women Goddesses, which was a meere deuised thing. Images they confesse they haue, but no Idols, Bellarm. cap. 5.

First, S. Paul sayth, 1. Corinth. 10. That an Idoll is nothing: that is, doth re∣present a thing that is not: as such were their heathenish Idols, Bellarm.

Ans. First, the place is not so vnderstood: for the Apostle sayth, That things offered to Idols also are nothing, which were not made to represent any thing: But his meaning is this, that of themselues they are nothing to breede offence, neither were it needfull to shunne eating of Idoll sacrifices, or to abhorre an Idoll, but that they are abused and turned to the seruice of diuels, as it followeth in the next verse. Therefore an Idoll is not sayd to be nothing, because it repre∣senteth a thing imagined, but that of it selfe, being but wood, or stone, or such like, it were not offensiue, if it were not abused to idolatrie. Secondly, all the portraictures of the Heathen were not Idols in this sense: for Iupiter, Mars, A∣pollo, Hercules, whose images they had, were men sometime liuing. Thirdly, you haue images representing nothing: as the pictures of Angels, of God the Father, of the holy Ghost, which haue no shape nor likenes. Againe, you haue also your imagined Saints, as o 1.1 S. George, S. Christopher, for there were neuer any such: and therefore you haue Idols as well as the Heathen.

The Protestants.

THough the name Idoll haue an odious signification in the English tongue, yet neither the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, nor the Latine simulachrum, doe sound so euill vnto the eares: and in many places of the scripture we may in differently reade, idoll or image: for all worshipping of Images is idolatrie. If we will distinguish them, they are thus rather to be seuered: An Idoll is that image, which is set vp with an intent to be worshipped: an Image is a generall name as well to vnlaw∣full pictures set vp for idolatrie, as lawfull, which haue but a ciuill vse. But that the Papists Idols are images, thus we proue it.

Argum. 1. The scripture calleth the Gentiles Idols, images, Rom. 1.23. there the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is vsed: Ergo, idoll and image are taken for one: they haue ima∣ges set vp for religious or rather irreligious vses, Ergo, Idols.

Arg. 2. Apocal. 9.20. There is mention made of Idols of gold, siluer, brasse, which cannot be vnderstood of the Idols of the Gentiles, which were abolished

long agoe: and that prophecie is to be vnderstood of men liuing after the ope∣ning of the seuenth seale, which is toward the end of the world. Wherefore it must needes be vnderstood of the Papists, who are the onely knowne people in the world, that worship images: Ergo, they haue Idols.

Augustine taketh imago, and simulachrum, which is the Latine for the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for all one: for the loue of the dead (sayth he) images were first made, whereof the vse of simulachers or Idols doe arise.

Notes

• o 1.1

  Bellarm. lib. 1. de sanctor. beati. ca. 20.