The ground of the Catholike and Roman religion in the word of God With the antiquity and continuance therof, throughout all kingdomes and ages. Collected out of diuers conferences, discourses and disputes, which M. Patricke Anderson of the Society of Iesus, had at seuerall tymes, with sundry bishops and ministers of Scotland, at his last imprisonment in Edenburgh, for the Catholike faith, in the yeares of our Lord 1620. and 1621. Sent vnto an honorable personage, by the complyer, and prisoner himselfe. The first part, or introduction.

That the Ministers haue corrupted the Bible in sundry places, to make Images odious to the people &c. The second Section.

THe Ministers by their corrupted Bible shew plentiful∣ly that they will euer take Antichrists part in denying the honour, and worship due to the Saints in heauen, the true friends of Christ; for the which cause they deny their merites, their good workes, their Reliques, their Images agaynst their owne Bible, which witnesseth that the Saints in heauen (as hauing bene, and being actually the speciall seruants and friends of God) should be honoured, & had in perpetuall memory:(a) 1.1 The iust shalbe in eternall memory, saith Dauid. Agayne,(b) 1.2 The memory of the iust shalbe blessed. To this end then they haue corrupted sundry places of the Bible, to make the Images of the Saints odious, as that of the Acts of the Apostles:(c) 1.3 Then the Towne-Clerke, when he had stayed the people, sayd: Yee men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not, how that the Citty of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great God∣desse Diana, and of the Image which came downe from Iupiter? Where the Ministers impiously, and maliciously haue put in the word Image which is neyther in the Greeke, nor in the Latin, to discredit therby the vse of holy Images. This forme of proceeding of the Ministers, in adding vnto the text, as it is most abominable before God, so in due tyme it will be punished with eternall damnation, cōforme to that of their owne Bible:(d) 1.4 If any man shall adde vnto these things, God shall ad vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke. S. Augustin was farre different in Religion frō the Protestants, who witnesseth that in his tyme the custome was to see at Rome the Images of S. Peter, and S. Paul paynted and ioyned together with the Image of Christ:(e) 1.5 Credo quod pluribus lo∣cis simul eos cum illo pictos viderunt, quia merita Petri, & Paulietiam propter eundem passionis diem celebriùs, & solemniter Roma commen∣dat. Declaring therby, that the Saints in heauen are honou∣red

in their Images; yea those holy Apostles Peter, and Paul, the Patrons of Rome are there more honoured then euer Romulus the builder of Rome, sayth the same holy Doctour:(f) 1.6 Shew me I pray you any Temple of Romulus of such honour at Rome, as I shall there shew the memory of Peter: who is ho∣noured in Peter but Christ, who dyed for all?

2. The second corruption is in that place of S. Paul:(g) 1.7 And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? Which place at the first casting down of the Churches in Scotland by the Lords of the Congregation was turned otherwise:(h) 1.8 And what agreement hath the temple of God with Images? If the Ministers had any conscience, any feeling of God, any de∣sire to teach the truth, any zeale to saue soules, and not to blind them lewdly; they would willingly learne, what difference is betweene Images, and Idols of S. Augustine that auncient holy Father, who sayth:(i) 1.9 Ipsa simulacra quae gracè appellantur 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quo nomine iam vtimur pro Latino, oculos habent & non vident, & caetera qua de his ideo dicuntur, quia omni sensu carent. If any man would say to my Lord Bishop of S. Andrews: My Lord, you are created to the Idoll of God, and you must ayme to perfit this Idoll of God in you, and to haue a particular care of your children, which are your Idols, insteed of saying: You are created to the Image of God &c. Would not such a man be thought foolish, & dol∣tish? Let vs speake more playnly. Idols, and Images are all one say the Protestants; but the Protestants giue honour to the Kings Images, at the least ciuill honour, Ergo the Pro∣testants are Idolaters, seing that no sort of honour can be gi∣uen to Idols: Agayne, euery King in his Kingdome is an Image of God, that is, an Idoll of God, Ergo, the Pro∣testants in that they worship, and serue the King, worship and serue Idols: can there be greater absurdities?

3. The third corruption is in the Epistle to the Ro∣manes:(k) 1.10 But what sayth the answere of God to him? I haue re∣serued vnto my selfe seauen thousand men, which haue not bowed their knee to the Image of Baal. Beza and sundry Bibles of the Hugenots in France do thus trāslate, putting to the text the word Image, which is neyther in the Hebrew of the old Te∣stament

(whereout this place is taken) nor in the Greeke of the new Testament; yet our gentle Maisters by the in∣ternall motion of the holy Ghost may adde, and take away to the written word as it pleaseth them: but the article, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sayth Beza,* 1.11 sheweth that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should be vnderstood: wher∣in Beza is a manifest ignorant, for as much as that, rather Astartes Iezabel her Goddesse should be vnderstood, as pro∣ueth manifestly the first of Kings Chap. 18. 19. 2. Because the word Baal being generall to all Idols, Gods or God∣desses, is now and then of the masculine or feminine gen∣der, as witnesseth(l) 1.12 Theodoretus: And the Hebrew word it selfe Bahbal, which signifieth properly to commaund, to go∣uerne, is diuersly attributed, now to one God or Goddesse, then to another, as(m) 1.13 And Israel coupled himselfe vnto Baal-peor, called so from the hill Peor, wheron that false God was ho∣noured. The like is in the second of the(n) 1.14 Kings where he is called Beelzebub; that is, Lord of the Flyes, by reason of the great multitude of flies, which commonly were vpō the Gentiles Altars in regard of the beasts there immolated.

4. The Puritans accuse vs Catholikes of Idolatry for the vse of Images; but I intreate the Christian reader to set aside passion, and to consider, how that the doctrine, and Religion of the Puritans, is nothing else but manifest, and abominable Idolatry. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be remaked, that the holy(o) 1.15 Fathers with one con∣sent do auow, that Idolatry then is committed, when the ho∣nour due to God only is giuen to the creatures, as to the Sunne, to the Moone, to Hercules, to Mercury, and such lyke. Now there be two sorts of this Idolatry, say the same holy Fa∣thers, the outward, visible, and materiall Idolatry, which is giuen outwardly to the visible Idols, and Gods; and so the Persians, and Chaldeans adored the Starres for their Gods; the Aegiptians adored sundry beasts, plants, & other pictures; the Graecians their Captaynes, and the foure Ele∣ments; the Romanes as they ouercame any nation, or king∣dome, they worshipped lykewise the Gods of that king∣dome, hauing made, and builded in Rome to such an in∣finite multitude of Gods a place yet extant, and called Pan∣theon,

that is, to all the Gods. The other sort of Idolatry is cal∣led spirituall, inward, and inuisible; which is then, when a man doth imagine with himselfe inwardly, and in his mind a God different from the true God, and defendeth ob∣stinatly erroneous opinions agaynst the true God. The outward Idolatry was in Salomō perhaps without the in∣ward:(p) 1.16 For Salomon followed Ashtaroth the God of the Cydoniās, & Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. It is very lykly that Salomon after so many blessings, & guiftes of God thought not those Idols truly in his mind to be God. The inward, is in all those, who with passion, and obstinacy of mind de∣fend, or follow any opinion agaynst the true Church of God. So the Prophet Samuell called King Saul his trans∣gression, and rebellion agaynst God, Idolatry:(q) 1.17 For rebel∣lion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and transgression is wickednesse, and Idolatry. Because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord, ther∣fore he hath cast away thee from being King. For who disobeyeth God or his Lieutenant, or Gods true Pastours (wherefore our Sauiour sayd playnly(r) 1.18 He that heareth you heareth me, & he that despiseth you, despiseth me,) leaueth the Counsell, and Will of God, and honoureth, and adoreth his owne pro∣per iudgement, and fantasie. Conforme to which doctrine S. Hierome sayth of the Iewes:(s) 1.19 As the Gentiles adored their corporall Idols, euen so the Iewes do hold for Gods the Idols which they haue made in their soule, and minde, and therefore are Idolaters. And S. Augustin explicating those wordes of Iosue:(t) 1.20 Then put away (sayth he) the strange Gods which are among you, and bow your harts vnto the Lord God of Israel, sayth:(u) 1.21 Thinke not that when Ioshua vsed such wordes, that the Iewes had any Pagan Idols among them, since a little before he praysed their obedience: But the Prophet Ioshua then did see that the Iewes had in their harts many er∣roneous opinions of God, and against Gods Maiesty, which as Idols the Prophet Ioshua commanded to be put away. Likewise, S. Paul calleth the inward, and sinnefull motions of the minde, I∣dolatry,(w) 1.22 Fornication, vncleannesse, the inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, and couetousnes, which is Idolatry.

5. The Turkes, and the Iewes in these our dayes haue no outward Idols, yea they belieue God to be Crea∣tour

of heauen, and earth: yet by reason that they haue left the true Church, and Religion, forging vnto themselues a God and Religion according to their owne fantasie, are called true Idolaters: Conforme to which doctrine S. Hie∣rome, with the rest of the Fathers auowe constantly, that those, who haue left the Catholike & Roman Church for∣ging vnto thēselues new opinions, are Idolaters:(x) 1.23 All he∣retiks haue their Gods, & whatsoeuer they haue forged, they adore the same as sculptile, and constatile, (that is) as a grauen, and molten Idoll. And agayne he auoweth, that whatsoeuer is spoken in the Scripture agaynst Idols, or Idolatry, is spoken lykewise against the he∣retikes as spirituall Idolaters. For as much as that in denying the authority of the holy Church, the vniuersall consent of the holy Fathers, they tye themselues to the Idoll of their owne fantasie, and iudgement, as the Protestants, and Pu∣ritanes do:(y) 1.24 Whatsoeuer according to the letter, is spoken against the Idolatry of the Iewes, thou must needs referre all this vnto them, which vnder the name of Christ worship Idols, and forging to them∣selues peruerse opinions, carry the tabernacle of their King the deuill, and the Image of their Idols; for the worship not one Idoll, but for the variety of their doctrine they adore diuers Gods: And he put in very well (which you made vnto your selues) for they receyued them not of God, but forged them of their owne minde. And speaking of the Idoll of Samaria he sayth: We alwayes vnderstand Samaria, and the Idoll of Samaria in the person of the heretikes, of whome it is said:(z) 1.25 Woe be vnto them that despise Sion, and trust in the mont of Sa∣maria, for heretikes despise the Church of God, and trust in the fals∣hood of their opinions, erecting themselues agaynst the knowledge of God, and saying, when they haue deuided the people (by schisme) we haue no part in Dauid, nor inheritance in the sonne of Isai. Which comparison of heresy, and Idolatry, is grounded in good reason: for as Idolatry was the ground, and spring of all vices among the Pagans, so is heresy the sinke of all abomi∣nations among the Christians. 2. Idolatry came first in when the world was full of corruption and vice, as of am∣bition, auarice, ignorance, and pride; euen so the heresies of this our age were planted by Luther, Caluin & Knox in a most corrupted time, & in an age infected with all sort

of vice, and abhomination, especially of pride, and igno∣rance. 3. Idolatry tooke away the true worship of God vn∣der pretext of naturall liberty; so the heresies of this our age doe take away the true worship of God vnder the pretext of the Ghospell, and reformation, teaching for iustice, iniu∣stice, for saluation perdition, perfidie vnder the pretext of Fayth, and Antichrist vnder the name of Christ, as wisely sayth S. Augustine:(*) 1.26 There is another sort of worshipping Idols much more wicked then this outward, which is then, when men adore their owne fantasies, and call Religion all that which is forged in the fornace of pride, and temerity. Wherfore the Puritanes leauing the path of the holy Church, not being able to proue, no not one debatable point of Religion by the expresse word of the Bible, refusing the constant, and vniforme doctrine of the holy Fathers, not making account of the Catholike Religion, which hath bene among all nations these six∣teene hundreth yeares, and forging to themselues new opinions, new translations of the Bible, new expositi∣ons of the word of God, and a new Religion; are conuic∣ted of manifest Idolatry, and of manifest Superstition, wherewith they seduce the poore people, vnder the cloke and pretext of Reformation.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Psalm 3. v. 7.
• (b) 1.2

  Psal. 10 v. 7.
• (c) 1.3

  Act. c. 19 v. 15. Quis nesci∣at Ephesio∣rum Ciui∣tatem, cul∣tricom esse magnae Di∣anae Iouis∣que prolu. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• (d) 1.4

  Reuel. cap. vlt. v. 28.
• (e) 1.5

  Aug. lib. 1. de consens. E∣uang. c. 10.
• (f) 1.6

  Tom. •• ep. 44.
• (g) 1.7

  2 Co∣rinth. cap. 6. v. 16.
• (h) 1.8

  In the Bible 1502.
• (i) 1.9

  In Psal. 133.
• (k) 1.10

  Rom. c. 11. v. 14.
• * 1.11

  In cap. 11. ad Rom.
• (l) 1.12

  Ad cap. 12. Ierem.
• (m) 1.13

  Num. cap. 25. v. 3.
• (n) 1.14

  Cap. 1. v. 3.
• (o) 1.15

  Tertul. lib. de Ido∣lu cap. 2. S. Cyprian in exhort. ad Marty∣res. S Aug. lib. 1. de Trinit. c. 6. & alij passim.
• (p) 1.16

  1. Reg. cap. 11. v. 5.
• (q) 1.17

  1. Sam. cap. 15. v. 23.
• (r) 1.18

  Luk. 10. v. 16.
• (s) 1.19

  S: Hier. in cap. 8. Hose.
• (t) 1.20

  Cap. 2•• v. 23.
• (u) 1.21

  Lib. 6. qq. in Iosua cap. 2••.
• (w) 1.22

  Colos. cap. v. 5.
• (x) 1.23

  Hier. in cap. 11. Hosee.
• (y) 1.24

  Hier. in 5. Amos.
• (z) 1.25

  In 8. Amos.
• (*) 1.26

  Dev••ra Relig. c. 30