Againe, the Rhemists affirme, that the Images of Christ are not to be honou∣red or accounted of, but for the respect and relation they haue to our Sauiour, Annot. Philipp. 2.2. So the Tridentine Councel determineth, Sess. 25. Honos, qui eis debetur, refertur ad prototypa, quae illae repraesentant: The honor due vnto them is to be referred vnto those things which they represent. But Bellarmine teach∣eth cleane contrarie, that they haue not onely a respectiue honour, as represen∣ting other things, but properly and in themselues considered are to be worship∣ped. We may see by this, how handsomely they agree together.
2. Let vs see their absurdities. First, they hold that all images are not to be worshipped alike: for they make 3. degrees of religious worship; the highest, which they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ due vnto God; the lowest religious worship, which they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 proper to Saints; the middle or mean worship, called by thē 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as you would say, Superseruice, to be giuen onely to the virgine Mary. And as these three, Christ, the Virgine, the Saints doe differ, say they, in honour, so their Images accordingly must be distinguished in their worship.
Thus it commeth about, that a Roode of wood representing Christ, is more to be honored, then an Image of our Ladie of siluer; and Her image, if it be but of stone, is more to be reuerenced then a Saints image of gold: and thus the ex∣cellencie of nature, which is giuen these things by creation, is inuerted.
Againe, whereas beside these three deuised worships, which are properly due (as they say) to the Saints, not to their ••mages, the images also haue their proper worships: they make three other inferiour kinds of worship, which doe exceed in degree, as the other superiour kinds doe: so as Christ hath his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, worship, his image must haue 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his vnder worship, (for wee must coyne newe names for strange deuises) their Ladie Mary hath her 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, super-seruice: her image must haue an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and vnder-ouer-seruice: as the Saints haue their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, seruice, so their images must haue their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an vnder-seruice. And thus haue we sixe kindes of religious worship: as Bellarmine hath coyned them, cap. 25. and yet before the Iesuite tolde vs but of two kinds of religious worship, and the third a ciuill: three in all, Lib. 1. de Sanct. beatit. cap. 12.
But the scripture acknowledgeth one onely kind of religious worship, and that due onely vnto the Lord: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue, Math. 4.10. And the Angel forbad Iohn to fall downe be∣fore him, giuing a rule for all religious worship: Worship God, sayth he, Apo∣cal. 22.9.
Now, if our aduersaries deale plainly with vs, and tell vs in good sooth, that they would not haue images to bee adored with diuine worship: I aske them, whether to offer incense be not a part of diuine worship? They cannot denye it: for Hezekiah therfore brake downe the brasen Serpent, because the people bur∣ned incense to it, 2. King. 18.4. Seeing then the Iesuite alloweth censing & bur∣ning of odors before Images, Bellarm. lib. 1. de Sanctor. beatitud. cap. 13. they giue vnto them diuine honour. The Iesuites simple shift, that offering of incense