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.

THE SECOND ARTICLE, WHETHER IT BE lawfull to haue the images of the Trinitie, of Christ, or of the Angels.

The Papists.

[error 39] THat Images may haue a good ciuill vse, as for decencie or comelines of some worke, or for vtilitie of storie, it is of neither part denied: but they further af∣firme, that it is lawfull to expresse the Trinitie by pictures; as God like an olde man, and with the world in his hand; Christ, as he walked vpon the earth; the holy Ghost in the likenes of a Doue; the Angels with wings: and these pictures (they say) are very meete and profitable to be set vp in Churches, Rhemist. Act. 17. sect. 5.

Arg. 1. To paint the Trinitie, or any one of them as they appeared visiblie, is no more inconuenient, then it was vndecent for them so to appeare. Rhem. ibid.

Ans. You flatly controll the law of God, which simply forbiddeth any simi∣litude to be made of things in heauen or in earth to worship God by. And Deut. 4.15. God expresly declareth, that he would not appeare in any visible shape when he gaue the law, lest the people should abuse that shape, to make an image of God after it. Lastly, the argument followeth not: for God sawe it was con∣uenient sometime by visible signes to appeare vnto men, and yet seeth it to be inconuenient for pictures to be made to resemble him by: for els he would ne∣uer haue forbidden it.

Arg. 2. The angels were pictured in forme of Cherubims: Ergo, Spirits may be portraicted.

Ans. When you can shewe an expresse commandement for your images, as the Israelites had for them, we will yeeld, that they are lawfully made. Againe, how followeth it, God may command images to be made for the vse of reli∣gion: Ergo, men may? for the law bindeth not the Lord who is the lawmaker. But the law sayth, thou shalt not make to thy selfe, that is, by thine owne autho∣ritie any grauen image. The Cherubims also were not made publikely to be seene and gazed vpon by the people, but were set in the holy place: so are not your pictures and images which are set vp openly in your Churches to entise people to idolatrie.

The Protestants.

TO set forth the Godhead and diuine nature by any picture or image, is im∣possible, and therefore both vnlawfull and inconuenient: but to bring them into Churches, and to make them for some vse of religion, is a high steppe vnto grosse superstition.

1. Such images of the Trinitie among the Papists, are made to resemble the diuinitie and Godhead: for to what purpose els should such images be made? Fulk. Act. 17. sect. 5. They picture God the Father like an old man: because in that forme he appeared to Daniel: but how knowe they whether it were God the Father, rather then God the Sonne, who is as old as God the Father, or then the whole Godhead? They commend also the image of God the Father with the world in his hand: which is a lying image, and maketh simple people to be∣leeue, that the world was made onely by God the Father, which was the worke of the whole Trinitie. Some of the Papists themselues, as Abulensis, Durandus, Peresius, doe hold, that the image of God ought not to be made, and that it is rather tolerated, then allowed in the Church.

As for the images of Christ in the forme of a Lambe, and the holy Ghost in shape of a Doue, Bartholomaeus Caranza, a papist, sheweth that they were for∣bidden in the sixt generall Synode, Canon. 28. And this Bellarmine denyeth not.

Concerning the picture of Christ as he was man, the Papists themselues con∣fesse, and we denye not, but it may better be made then the image of the Trini∣tie: yet can there not be any true image of Christ, as he was in forme of man: for the image doth onely expresse his bodily shape, not as he was God in the forme of man: and so such a picture were dangerous to the weake and ignorant: be∣ing a lying image, shewing Christ onely as man, who was both God and man. And againe, the image, which is made of his bodily shape, is no more the image of Christ, then of any other man, Fulk. Act. 17. sect. 5.

But some will say, if Christs image cannot conueniently be made, because it expresseth not his Godhead; by the same reason we cannot make a picture of a man, because his soule being inuisible cannot be painted.

Ans. The reason is not alike: for he that pictureth a man liuing, setteth forth the life, beautie and motion of the bodie, by which effects, by a consequent, the soule is resembled, which causeth and worketh these things in the bodie: but in the bodily shape of Christ, there cannot be made to appeare any such noto∣rious signes of his Godhead.

2. Though it bee not simply vnlawfull to expresse in painting the visible shapes that were shewed in vision to the Prophets, if it be onely for vse and sig∣nification of the historie, or if there be any other commendable vse: yet to make those shapes for any vse of religion, or seruice of God, is abominable idolatrie, Fulk. ibid. Epiphanius sawe in a Church at Anablatha,* 1.2 an image painted in a

table, as it had been of Christ or a Saint, he tooke it downe and cut it in peeces: affirming that it was contrarie to the scripture for any image of a man to hang in the Church of Christ. The Elibertine Councel, Canon 36. decreed, that no pictures should be made in Churches. If no pictures, much lesse carued images, which are a more strong prouocation to idolatrie.

Augustine rendreth a reason, why it is dangerous to haue images in Chur∣ches, where there is yea but the least feare of superstition: Quis orat intuens simu∣lachrum, qui non sic afficitur, vt ab eo se exaudiri putet, nec ab eo sibi praestari, quod desideret, putet? Who (sayth he) prayeth beholding an image, and is not so af∣fected, as though he were heard of it, and hopeth not to haue that performed by it, which he desireth? Psal. 113.

THE THIRD ARTICLE, WHETHER THE images of Saints are to be worshipped.

The Papists.

[error 40] THat images are to be reuerenced and worshipped, so it be not with the di∣uine honour due vnto God, it was concluded in the late Tridentine Chapter, sess. 25. confessed by our Rhemists, Act. 17. sect. 5. maintained by the Iesuites, Bellarm. cap. 12.

Argum. 1. The brasen serpent was worshipped of the people, seeing it was set vp in a high place, and gaue health to those that looked vpon it: Ergo, ima∣ges may be worshipped, Bellarm. The people also fell downe before the Arke and tabernacle, and worshipped God: Ergo, lawfull, praying, to fall downe be∣fore a Crucifixe, Rhemist. annot. Heb. 11.21.

Ans. First, it was not the serpent that healed thē, but Christ who was thereby prefigured. Iohn 3.14. The serpent was lift vp, that the people might round a∣bout the better behold it, and it sheweth forth also the lifting vp of Christ vpon the Crosse. It was not set vp to be worshipped, neither was it worshipped till the people fell into superstition, and offered incense to it, and therefore because the people abused that monument, Hezekiah brake it downe, 2. King. 18. Second∣ly, it is not all one to fall downe before, in, or at the Arke and tabernacle, and to worship God, as to worship the Arke or tabernacle. You doe not onely fall downe before a Crucifixe, but worship it: neither is it as lawfull to worship be∣fore a Crucifixe, as it was before the tabernacle: for the one was commanded of God, the other is the superstitious deuise of men.

Argum. 2. As the image of Nabuchadnezzar was for his honour, so the image of Christ is for his, Rhemist. Reuel. 13.14.

Ans. A good similitude, if Christ himselfe had not forbidden so to be honou∣red and worshipped.

Argum. 3. Man is honoured because he is the image of God: Ergo, images

of Saints to be reuerenced, because they are their Images, Bellarm. cap. 12.

Ans. First, man is a liuely image of Gods owne making, images of Saints are the workes of men. Secondly, no image can so liuely represent a Saint, being but a dead thing, as man who hath a liuing soule is the image of God. Thirdly, we doe reuerence men with ciuill honour, not with religious worship, as they doe their images. Fourthly, though Gods image in man were to be worshipped: yet it would not followe, that Saints images should: for all diuine worship be∣longeth onely to God: but the Saints themselues, though they were aliue, are not to be worshipped, much lesse their images.

Argum. 4. The chiefe Iconomachi, that is, enemies or oppugners of Idols, say they, are the Iewes, Samaritanes, Mahometanes: yea the diuell himselfe loueth no images, Bellarm. ibid.

Ans. First, it followeth not, the Iewes and Turkes abhorre images, and there∣fore Christians ought to loue them: for the heathen hated many vices, which are also to be abhorred of Christians. Secondly, they were not the first Iconoma∣chi, Image haters: for Moses was an Iconomach, when he caused the golden Calfe to be burnt to powder: Hezekiah an Iconomach, that brake downe the brasen serpent: Iosiah an Iconomach, that caused the Idols to bee destroyed, 2. King. 23. Nay, God himselfe was the first Iconomach, that forbiddeth Images and Idols to be made in the moral law. Thirdly, I pray you where did the Iesuite learne, that the diuel hateth an image? I am sure the scripture speaketh contra∣rie, that what was offered to Idols was sacrificed to diuels, 1. Corinth. 10.20.

The Protestants.

THat Images or Idols are not at all to be reuerenced or worshipped, or to be made, or set vp in Churches, or in any other place for any religious, or rather irreligious vse: thus out of the holy scriptures we make it plaine.

Argum. 1. The making of any similitude or likenes, to fall downe before it and worship it, is flatly forbidden in the second commandement, Exod. 20. Er∣go, they are not to be worshipped. So likewise, Deut. 4.15. Isai. 40.18. and in many other places in the old Testament, Worshipping of Images, which is ido∣latrie, manifestly forbidden in the new Testament, Rom. 1.23. 1. Corinth. 10.20. 1. Iohn. 5.21. Ergo, not lawfull.

Ans. One Catharinus a great Papist, sayth, that the commandement in the lawe against images, was but temporall, and to continue but till the establishing of the new Testament. But Bellarmine vtterly misliketh this answere, being most absurd, for the morall lawe is perpetuall, De imaginib. sanct. lib. 2. cap. 7. They doe giue therefore a more deliberate answere: that the scriptures doe reproue and condemne the idolatrie of the heathen, which worshipped their images as Gods. But so doe not they: they make no account of them, as they affirme, for their matter or forme, but for that relation they haue to the things whose ima∣ges they are, Rhemist. Philipp. 2. sect. 2.

Ans. First, the Iewes also in their golden Calfe had a relation to that God that brought them out of the land of Egypt, Exod. 32.4.5. The like relation had Iero∣boam in setting vp of his Calues, 1. King. 12.28. for they were not so mad as to thinke that a Calfe brought them out of Egypt. And it appeareth yet more plain∣ly: for Exod. 32.5. Aaron sayth, To morowe shall be the Lords holy day: the word is Iehouah: which name the Iewes only ascribed vnto God: So Iudg. 17.3. Micah his mother sayth, that she had consecrated the shekles of siluer to the Lord Iehouah, to make a molten Image: wherefore in their Images they had re∣lation to God, and yet were they reproued for their idolatrie. The like relation the Gentiles also had in their Idols, as Augustine witnesseth: Non ego illum lapi∣dem colo, &c. adoro, quem video, sed seruio ei quem non video. Quis est ille? Numen quoddam inuisibile quod praesidet illi simulachro.* 1.3 I doe not worship that carued stone or Image: I reuerence that I see, but I serue or worship that I see not: that is, a certaine diuine spirit, which is president in that image. Wherefore popish idolatrie can no more be excused by this shift of reference or relation, then ei∣ther the Iewes or Gentiles, that pretended the same colour.

2 It may be proued by the practise of the popish Church in England, that simply without any such relation or signification they commanded Images to be worshipped. Thomas Man Martyr troubled, because he beleeued not in the Crucifixe.* 1.4 Robert Raue of Dorney molested, because he sayd, that an Image gra∣uen with mans hand, is neither God, nor our Ladie, but made for a remem∣brance of Saints: nor wee ought to worship any thing, but God and our Ladie, and not images of Saints,* 1.5 which are but stockes and stones. Mistresse Alice Dolie brought into trouble for saying, We should not worship that thing that hath eares,* 1.6 and eyes, and can neither see, nor heare. These good men and wo∣men, we see, were persecuted in those daies for denying worship to Images, as they were Images. So then the popish doctrine was (as it appeareth) that Ima∣ges were simply to be worshipped.

Argum. 2. Apocalyps. 9.20. Worshippers of Idols of siluer and gold are there condemned: which can be no other but the Papists: for that prophecie is to be fulfilled in the latter times towards the end of the world, after the opening of the seuenth seale and blowing of the sixt trumpet. But there is no knowne na∣tion in the world, nor hath not been many a day, that worshippe Images, but the popish Synagogue.

Argum. 3. Man is the image of God, and yet is not worshipped: how much lesse ought we to worship carued images, which are but made with mens hāds? As Augustine saith, Opera hominum non colenda, meliores sunt artifices: The han∣die workes of men are not to be worshipped, the workmen themselues are bet∣ter, and yet not worshipped. What foule idolatrie is this, to preferre the workes of mens hands, before the worke and image of God, to despise men, and haue in so great regard dead stockes and stones.

Argum. 4. Augustine sayth: Noui multos esse sepulchrorum & picturarum ado∣ratores: I know there are many which worship sepulchres and pictures. Of these

he warneth men to take heed, Noli consectari turbas imperitorum: Followe not such vnlearned and vnskilful multitudes. Bellarmine answereth, that Augustine wrote thus when he was a young man, and not fully conuerted, cap. 16. A sillie shift: yet we will vouchsafe an answere, though it be worthie of none. Let vs heare what Augustine thought when he was old, and stayed in iudgement: Iam verò artifex melior est eis, quem te tamen puderet adorare: melior & tu,* 1.7 quamuis ea non feceris, quoniam, quae illa non possunt facis, melior & bestia. The workman is better then the image, who gaue fashion and shape vnto it, yet thou wouldest be ashamed to worship him: thou thy selfe art better, for thou canst doe many things which that cannot: nay a bruite beast that heareth and seeth is better. By this we may see what Augustine thought of worshipping of Images.

THE FOVRTH ARTICLE, WHAT MANNER OF worship is to be giuen to Images.

The Papists.

BEllarmine, who is the mouth of the rest, setteth downe these two positions: First, that Images, though they are not properly to be worshipped with di∣uine [error 41] honour, neither is it safe so to teach in the hearing of the people, yet impro∣perly they may haue the same worship, which properly belongeth to the Saint whose image it is. Secondly, there is a religious worship properly due vnto ima∣ges, as they are considered in themselues, & non solum vt vicem gerunt exempla∣ris, and not onely as they represent another thing: Bellarm. de imaginib. sanctor. lib. 2. cap. 21.23.

The Protestants.

WE haue shewed before that Images ought not to be worshipped at all, and that all religious worship is due onely vnto God: wherefore to vs this question is superfluous, with what religious worship Images are to be adored: for no religious worship at all is due vnto them: yet let vs vouchsafe the while, to see the contradictions that are amongst them, and the absurdities that they are driuen vnto.

1 Our Rhemists confesse, that Images are not at all to be worshipped with any diuine honour, Act. 17. sect. 5. But it was decreed in the idolatrous Councel of Nice the second, and maintained by Thomas Aquinas, Bonauentur, Caietanus, and other papists, that the image of God is to bee worshipped with the same worship that is due vnto God. And Bellarmine commeth not much short of them, that sayth, improprie, improperly Images may haue the same worship: as the Kings ambassadour improperly is honoured as the King. I pray you how farre are these men from making their Images Gods? for they say they are the Lords deputies and Vicegerents, as the ambassadour is for the King.

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

was a sacrifice then, an so parte of diuine worshippe, but it is none now, is not woorth the answer. Bellarm. lib. 2. cap. 17.

Notes

• o 1.1

  Bellarm. lib. 1. de sanctor. beati. ca. 20.
• * 1.2

  Epiphan. epist. ad Iohann.
• * 1.3

  in Psal. 96.
• * 1.4

  Fox p. 815. artic. 7.
• * 1.5

  Fox. p. 850.
• * 1.6

  pag. 984.
• * 1.7

  in Psal. 113