A Retractive from the Romish Religion, Motive 7

A Retractive from the Romish Religion · Motive 7

p. 173MOTIVE. VII. That Religion is to be abhorred, which maintaineth, commandeth, and practiſeth groſſe and palpable Idolatry; but ſo doth the Religion of the Church of Rome: Ergo, &c.

WHen I conſider the fearefull Idolatry of the Church of Rome, which for that cauſe is called The Whore of Babylon, and The Mother of fornications, Reuel. 17. 1. 2. IReuel. 17. 1. 2.Rev 17:1Rev 17:2 cannot chooſe but wonder, that any ſhould be ſo bewitched with the ſorceries of this Iezabel, or made drunke with the wine of her fornication, that they ſhould take her marke vponupon their forheads, and right hands, and ioyne with her in her abominations: and not rather come out of her with all ſpeed, as they are admoniſhed by the Angell, leſt they bee partakers in her ſinnes, and hauehave a ſhare alſo with her in herReuel. 18. 4.Rev 18:4 plagues: but then againe, remembring that which S. Paul faith, that the comming of Antichriſt ſhould be in all deceiueableneſſe of vnrighteouſneſſe, and that God ſhould ſend vponupon2. Theſ. 2. 10. 1…2 Thess 2:102 Thess 2:1 them ſtrong deluſion to beleeue lies: I turne my wondering at their ſottiſhneſſe into the admiration at Gods Iuſtice and Truth: the one in puniſhing their contempt of his Goſpell, with ſuch a giddineſſe of ſpirit: and the other in making good his owne word after ſuch an euident and manifeſt manner, that there by it moſt clearely appeareth, that the Pope of Rome is that Man of ſinne, and Sonne of perdition there ſpoken of, euen that Antichriſt which exalteth himſelfe aboue all that is called God, and ſitteth in the Temple of God, as if he were God. As this appeareth in many groſſe errors which they hold, ſo in none more, then in the horrible idolatry practiſed and preached, & defended in this Antichriſtian Church; of which I may truely ſay, as Plutarch ſaid of the heathen,Plutarch in vit▪ Romul. that they mingle heauen with earth, becauſe they made Gods of p. 174men, & men of Gods: So theſe, whilſt they giuegive diuine worſhip to earthly creatures, as the croſſe & pictures of Chriſt, and to the Saints in heauen; or attribute earthly affections, to heauenly creatures, make a plaine mixture of heauen and earth, ſpoyling the Creatour of his honour, due vntounto his Dietie, and adorning the creature therewith; and aſcribing that vntounto men, which is onelyonly proper vntounto God. That the Church of Rome is guilty of this impiety, I hope by Gods grace ſo to proue in this Motiue, that no Ieſuite (though neuer ſo ſubtill) ſhall bee able with any ſhew of ſound reaſon to hiſſe againſt.

2. The firſt propoſition in this Argument, though it be ofMAIOR. ſo euident a truth, that it needeth no further demonſtration, yet becauſe S. Paul ſaith, that an Idoll is nothing in the world, and thereupon, ſome may peraduenture conclude, that Idolatrie is a matter of nothing, and a ſmall and triuiall ſinne: I will therefore very briefly ſhew the greatneſſe and haynouſneſſe of this ſinne, and how odious and abominable it is in the ſight of God. As touching therefore that phraſe of Saint Paul, An Idoll is nothing, it is not to bee vnderſtood, either in reſpect of matter, for eueryevery Idoll hath a materiall being,Exod. 32. 4.Exod 32:4 and ſubſiſting, as the matter of the Calfe, which the Iſraelites made in the Wilderneſſe, was gold, and of the brazen ſerpent,2. Reg. 18. 4.2 Kgs 18:4 which was abuſed alſo as an Idoll, was braſſe, and of thoſe Idols, which the Prophet Eſay declameth ſo againſt, wereEſay 44. 10. Bel. de Imag. lib. 2. c. 5. Caiet▪ in loc.Isa 44:10 wood: nor yet in reſpect of forme, as Bellarmine and Caietane would hauehave it. As though the Apoſtle ſhould meane thus, that an Idoll, though it hath matter, yet it hath no forme, that is to ſay, is the repreſentation of ſuch a thing as hath no being in nature: for many of the Idols of the Gentiles were of ſuch things as truly were: but the Apoſtles meaning is, as Tertullian obſerues, and many other, both of ancientTertul. de core. milit. cap. 7. and late Writers, that an Idoll is nothing in reſpect of that which it is intended to bee, that is, that it is no God, nor hath any part of the Diuinitie in it, which deſerueth to bee worſhipped: or that it is nothing in regard of efficacie and power, that is, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, is not able to doe either p. 175good or bad, to hurt, or to helpe; to ſaue, or to kill: and this interpretation is authorized by S. Augustine and S. Chryſostome, Chryſoſt. hom. 20. in Epiſt. 1. ad Corin. Aug. cont. Fauſt. Manich. l. 20. c. 5the one ſaying thus, There are Idols indeede, but they can doe nothing, neither are they Gods: the other thus, Sunt Idola, ſed ad ſalutem nihil ſunt, There are Idols, but they auaile nothing to the attaynement of ſaluation: and it is alſo approued by many other Expoſitors, both ancient and moderne Proteſtants and Papiſts, and is moſt agreeable to the whole current of the Text. This then that S. Paul ſaith, That an Idoll is nothing, is both ſo farre from extenuating the ſinne of Idolatrie, that it aggrauateth the ſame, and alſo ſo farre from clearing the Church of Rome from the guilt of that crime, that it rather layeth a greater ſtayne thereof vponupon it.

3. As for the greatneſſe of the ſinne, it may appeare by three conſiderations; firſt, of the precept: for there is no one commandement of the Law ſo frequent in the whole Scripture, and ſo ſtrictly vrged, and mounded and fenced about with ſo many reaſons, as that is againſt Idolatrie: as we may ſee in the Decalogue. Secondly, in reſpect of the puniſhmentExod. 20. 2. 3. 4.Exod 20:2Exod 20:3Exod 20:4 denounced againſt, and inflicted vponupon the committers thereof, to wit, not onelyonly eternall death from the iuſtice of God, which is the wages of all ſinne vnrepented of: butPſal. 97. 7. 1. Cor. 6. 9. Apoc. 21. 8. Exod. 22. 20. Deut. 17. 5 6.Ps 97:71 Cor 6:9Rev 21:8Exod 22:20Deut 17:5 alſo temporall death from the iuſtice of man, as being vnworthy to breathe this common ayre, or to tread vponupon the earth, that thus ſinne againſt the Maieſtie of God: and that not onelyonly the worſhippers of Idols themſelues, but they that ſhould entice or perſwade any to Idolatry: The executionDeut. 13. 5.Deut 13:5 of which Lawes, wee ſee put in practice vponupon the Iſraelites, Gods owne people, in the 32. of Exod. and 23. of Numbers. Thirdly and laſtly, in reſpect of the nature of the ſinne: which is firſt a ſenſleſſe ſinne, full of folly, contrary to the very lightPſa. 115. 15. 16. Eſay 44. 9. 19.Ps 115:15Ps 115:16Isa 44:9Isa 44:19 of reaſon and nature, as both the Prophet Dauid and Eſay at large proue. And ſecondly, a ſinne, full of impiety, becauſe they that worſhip an Idoll, worſhip the Deuill, as S. Paul affirmeth, 1. Cor. 10. 20. And laſtly, a ſinne moſt oppoſite to the1. Cor. 10. 20.1 Cor 10:20 glory of God, and conſequently ſooner procuring the vengeance p. 176of God, then any other; for it is called in the Scripture ſpirituall forn…cation and adulterie, becauſe the IdolaterEſay 57. 7. 8. Ier. 3. 6. 7. Ezech. 16. 15.Isa 57:7Isa 57:8Jer 3:6Jer 3:7Ezek 16:15 forſaketh God, and proſtituteth himſelfe to an Idoll, and that in Gods preſence. And therefore as corporall fornication is the onelyonly cauſe of diuorce betwixt man and wife: ſo this ſinne onelyonly cauſeth God to diuorce himſelfe from his Church, and to take from her all her ornaments and Iewels, that is, his Word and Sacraments, and to giuegive her ouer into the hands of her enemies. Thus the greatneſſe of this ſinne of Idolatry, is manifeſt, and from thence I may conclude my firſt propoſition, that that Religion which maintayneth and commandeth this ſinne, ſo full of folly, impiety, and contrariety to God, is worthy not onelyonly to be ſuſpected, but euen abhorred, and deteſted of all men.

4. But let vsus come to the examination of the ſecond propoſition,MINOR. to wit, whether the Church of Rome bee guilty of this great ſinne or no. The Romaniſts mainly denie it, as they hauehave great reaſon: for if their Religion bee proued to maintaine Idolatrie, they know that it muſt needes fall to the ground: and therefore they deuiſe all manner of ſhifts, to deliuer themſelues from this imputation. But we on the other ſide confidently affirme it, and that the world may ſee, wee doe it not without great reaſon, wee confirme our affirmation with this ſtrong argument: Whoſoeuer aſcribeth diuine honour to any creature, is an Idolater: but the Romaniſts aſcribe diuine honour to many creatures, therefore they are Idolaters: and leſt any ſhould thinke this to bee the errour of priuate perſons, and not the hereſie of their Religion, I adde vntounto the Minor, that all the Romaniſts doe this from the very grounds of their faith, and that in ſo doing, they are warranted from their Religion it ſelfe.

5. They deny both the Maior and Minor propoſition in this argument, and in denying them, eſpecially the Maior, they giuegive iuſt cauſe of vehement ſuſpition, if not of plaine demonſtration, that they are guilty of the crime whereof wee accuſe them: for if a thiefe ſtanding at the barre, being accuſed of a robbery by the high way ſide ſhould anſwere that p. 177to take money from a man by the high way ſide at Nooneday, was not theft, all men would thinke that hee was guilty of the robbery, and ſo the Iurie would finde him: then certainely the Romaniſts, by denying this to be the true definition of Idolatry, which is propounded in the firſt propoſition, bewray their owne guiltineſſe, and giuegive vsus more cauſe to ſuſpect them, then we had before.

6. But let vsus heare their ſhifts: they principally are two, one of Bellarmine, the other of Ʋalentia, two maine poſts in the houſe of Popery. Bellarmine would faine vndermine this propoſition (to giuegive to creatures diuine honour, is Idolatry) by aBell. de Eccleſtriumph. l. 2. c. 5. diſtinction betwixt an Idol and an Image, affirming that an Image is the ſimilitude of a thing that hath a true being, but an Idol of a ſained thing, that indeed is not: and therevpon he ſeemes to conclude, that to aſcribe diuine honour to ſome Images, is not Idolatry, becauſe eueryevery Image is not an Idoll. In the proofe of this diſtinction he labours much, and profits little: for like the heedleſſe fiſh, hee leapes out of the Frying-pan into the fire, and tyes the knot faſter which he would ſeeme to vntie: for firſt, all the Idolatry of the Church of Rome conſiſteth not in worſhipping of Images, but in many other things, as ſhall appeare in the Diſcourſe following. Secondly, if to worſhip the Image of a true thing, be not Idolatry, then the Gentiles were not Idolaters in worſhipping the Image of Iupiter, and Mars, and Diana, and Romulus, and Aeſculapius, and the Sunne, becauſe (as Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth) all the Idols of the Gentiles were the ſtatues of Ibid. cap. 8. Aug. cont. Fauſt. lib. 20. cap. 3.men. And Saint Auguſtine alſo affirmeth, That the Gentiles did worſhip thoſe things which were in being, but were not to bee worſhipped: and then the Iſraelites did not commit Idolatry in the Wilderneſſe, when they adored the golden Calfe, nor was that Calfe an Idoll, contrary to the expreſſe Text of Scripture, Acts 7. 41. becauſe it was a repreſentation of a trueActs 7. 41. Exod. 32. 5.Acts 7:41Exod 32:5 thing, namely, of the true Iehouah, as it is euident, Exodus 32. 5. Thirdly, let it be graunted, that an Idoll is onelyonly the ſimilitude of an imaginary and fained thing; yet will not this acquite them of Idolatry, ſeeing they worſhip in the Romiſh p. 178Church, the Images of things which either neuer were, or were not ſuch as they are taken to bee, as the Image of S. Katharine, and Saint Chriſtopher, and Saint George, and ſuch others: the truth whereof they are not able to proue by any approoued Hiſtorie: Nay it is confeſſed, that many are worſhipped in the Church as Saints, which are tormented in hell fire for their ſinnes. This ſhift therefore of Bellarmine, to wipe off the blot of Idolatry, is but a ſilly one, and blurres them more then they were before.

7. Gregory de Ʋalentia labours to creepe out at anotherGreg. de Valent. de Idol. li. 2. ca. 7. hole, to wit, not by a diſtinction, but by addition: for hee would adde vntounto the definition of Idolatry theſe words, ſicut Deo, as to God: and ſo Idolatry ſhould bee not a giuing of diuine honour to a creature, but when it is ſo giuen to the creature, as vntounto God. Wherein, as he vnmannerly croſſethBell. de Eccl…ſ. triumph. li. 2 c. 5. his fellow Ieſuite, in calling the Images of Chriſt, Idols, and ſaying, that they are to bee worſhipped, latria, with diuine honour, the one whereof Bellarmine ſimply and abſolutelyGreg. de Valent. quo ſupra, & li. 1. cap. 5. denyeth, and the other he alloweth, but foreign, reſpectiuely; ſo likewiſe …e croſſeth reaſon, Scripture, Fathers, and conſequently all ſound diuinity.

8. For Reaſon: If an adultereſſe woman being taken in b…d with another man, ſhould excuſe her ſelfe thus, I am not guilty of adultery, becauſe, though I lent the vſe of my body to a ſtranger, yet I did it not to him as vntounto my husband: would this excuſe her? no, it would rather adde vntounto her crime. So the Romiſh harlot, committing ſpirituall fornication with her Idols, when ſhee goeth about to colour her crime with t…is vermillion, I giuegive diuine honour indeed to Images, but yet not as vntounto God. What doth ſhee elſe but adde car…all impudency vntounto ſpirituall vnchaſtitie? A filthy ſtopple for a more filthy bottle. Beſides, which is more vnreaſonable, he maketh things to be of a contradictory oppoſition, which are one and the ſame in nature: for to giuegive diuine honour to the creature, is not Idolatry (ſaith hee) but to worſhip a creature as God, is Idolatry: whereas in verie p. 179truth, to giuegive diuine honour to a creature, is to worſhip that creature as God; and to worſhip a creature as God, is no more nor leſſe, then to giuegive diuine honour vntounto it, as any man of vulgar ſenſe may eaſily diſcerne.

9. Scripture: for if none were Idolaters, but they which accounted the Idols which they worſhipped, to be very Gods: then were not the Iſraelites Idolaters, when they adored the golden Calfe in the Wilderneſſe: nor the tenne Tribes, whenExod. 32. 1 Reg. 14. 1. Reg. 18. 19.Exod 321 Kgs 141 Kgs 18:19 they offered ſacrifice to Ieroboams Calues at Dan, and Bethel: nor the Iewes, when they bowed the knee, and bu…nt Incenſe to the Image of Baal; for they did not eſteeme theſe Images as very Gods, but in them the two former worſhipped the true God, and the latter the God of the Sidonians, which was the ſame: and yet all theſe are condemned as Idolaters1. Cor. 10 7. 1 Reg. 4. 9. le…. 7. 9.1 Cor 10:71 Kgs 4:9 in the Booke of God: nay, many of the Heathen themſelues were to be freed from Idolatry; as the Athenians, who on that Altar which was dedicated to an vnknowne God, worſhipped ignorantly the true God, which made the world,Acts 17. 23. Acts 19. 27. …. proae…. com. in Epiſt. ad Epocſ. M…nut. Foelix in Octa…. F… us…n Act. cap. 17. Ca…et. n …. part. Tho. q. 25. art. 3. Ambraſ in …piſt. ad Epheſ. ca. 5. Aug. de Trinit. lib. 1. cap. 6. Aqui. in Epiſt. ad Epheſ. c. 5. l…ct. 3. Tertul. in Luc. cap. 4. Cypr. ad Fortun. Greg. Niſſ orat. in laud. Baſil. mag. Nazian. ora…. in Chriſt. Natiuit.Acts 17:23Acts 19:27Acts 17Eph 5Luke 4 and all things that are therein, as Saint Paul declareth, Acts 17. 23. and the Epheſians, who worſhipping the great Goddeſſe Diana, did not aſcribe diuine power to the Image, which was like vntounto a great pillar full of dugs, but vntounto nature repreſented by that Image, or rather God the nouriſher and conſeruer of nature, & of all things in nature▪ and the reſt of the wiſer rancke of the Gentiles, who as ſome of the Romiſh Writers themſelues confeſſe, worſhipped vnwittingly that ſame God, which was preached by the Apoſtles: and though they ſet before them diuers Images, yet their meaning was to worſhip in them the true God.

10. Fathers: for all of them with one conſent define Idolatry to be nothing elſe, but the attributing of diuine honour to the Creatures, as Thomas Aquinas out of them all concludes, that this is Idolatry, quando honor ſoli Deo debitus, exhibetur creaturae, that is, when that honour which is onelyonly due vntounto God, is beſtowed vponupon a creature. Hee that would ſee the Fathers particular definitions hereof, let him reade the places quoted in the Margent, which for breuity ſake I ouerpaſſe. p. 180And to conclude, to ſee how groſly this Ieſuite doth erre from the ſcope of truth, and how vnaduiſedly he brings in that fond addition (as vntounto God) the Catechiſme of theCatech. Trid. in explic. pr…cep. 2. Councill of Trent doth plainly affirme, that the Heathen ſet vp vntounto God the Images of diuers creatures, & that the Iſraelites worſhipped the true God in the golden Image of the Calfe. Theſe are the two vaine eu…ſions of theſe two great pillars, whoſe workes are approued by the cenſure of the Church, to bee wholly Orthodex, and to containe nothing contrary to the Catholike verity.

11. But enough of them: let vsus leaue the two Cubs in their holes, and come to the hunting of the olde Foxe, the Idolatrous Church it ſelfe. That the Church of Rome attributes diuine honour to creatures, appeareth by this, becauſe truſt, and confidence, inuocation, vowes, ſacrifice, adoration, all which are giuen by them vntounto creatures, are all parts of diuine honour, and worſhip: For truſt and confidence, the Prophet Ieremie ſo appropriateth it to the Lord,Ier. 17. 5, 7.Jer 17:5Jer 17:7 that he denieth it to all other, Ier. 17. 5, 7. Curſed be hee that trusteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. And then he addeth: but, bleſſed bee the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is: And S. Peter more plainely, 1. Pet. 5. 7. doth bid vsus, to caſt all our 1. Pet. 5. 7.1 Pet 5:7care vponupon God. Now if all confidence, and our truſt, or care, is to be repoſed in the Lord, then there is no part nor piece thereof to beeb ſtowed vponupon any creature, and that as all, ſo onelyonly it belongeth to the Lord. Chriſt himſelfe teacheth, Math. 4. 10. interpreting that place of Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20.Math. 4. 10. Deut 6. 13. & 10. 20.Matt 4:10Deut 6:13Deut 10:20 for whereas Moſes ſaith, Thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God and ſerue him. Chriſt the beſt Expoſitor of the Law that euer was, himſelfe being the end, and perfection of the Law, doth thus alledge it, adding this word (onelyonly) vntounto the Text, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue: Whereby he euidently declareth, that all the parts of Gods worſhip are to bee reſtrained by this word onelyonly, that is, that they ſo belong vntounto the Lord, that it is ſacriledge, if not Idolatry, to communicate them to any other, and ſo of p. 181inuocation, vowes, ſacrifice, and adoration: the ScripturePſal. 50. 15. loel 2. 32. Rom. 10. 14. Eſay 19. 21. Exod. 22. 20. Exod. 20. 5. Act. 10. 26. Apoc. 19. 10. Eſay 42 5. Hier. Ezech. l. 4. c. 14. Baſil. in Pſal. 7. Aug. de vera Re… c. 53. Epiphan. haereſ. 79. Ambroſ Rom. 1.Ps 50:15Rom 10:14Isa 19:21Exod 22:20Exod 20:5Acts 10:26Rev 19:10Isa 42:5Ps 7Rom 1 doth aſcribe them to God, as parts of his worſhip: and therefore by the ſame rule, onelyonly to God, and none elſe: the reaſon hereof, is giuen by the Lord himſelfe, Eſai. 42. 5. I am the Lord (ſaith he) this is my name, and my glory will I not giuegive to any other; but his worſhip is his glory: therefore no part of this may be giuen to any other.

12. To this alſo, conſent all the Fathers: Ierome ſaith, If we muſt put our confidence in any, let vsus hauehave our affiance in God alone. And Baſil, As it is meete to worſhip nothing beſide God, ſo wee muſt fixe our hope in one God. Augustine thus. Saints are to be honoured for imitation, and not to be adored for Religion. Epiphanius thus. Let Mary bee honoured, but not adored: let the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt bee adored. Laſtly, Ambroſe determines the poynt moſt effectually, thus. Is any ſo mad (ſaith hee) that will giuegive to the Earle the honour of the King? Yet theſe men (marke this, you idolatrous brood of Babylon) doe not thinke themſelues guilty, who giuegive the honour of Gods name to a creature; and leauing the Lord, adore their fellow ſeruants, as though there were any thing more reſerued for God. This is iuſt your caſe, and therefore by the iudgement of this good Father, you ſtand as guilty before Gods iudgement ſeat of Idolatry.

13. But all theſe are but generall conſiderations: let vsus therefore ſee in particular, how theſe parts of Gods worſhip, are by the Religion of the Church of Rome, aſſigned vntounto creatures, and to what creatures they are aſſigned, that the Strumpet of Babylon may hauehave no mantle to couer her vncleanneſſe. I might here begin with the Pope himſelfe, and ſhew how hee is made an Idoll in the Church of Rome, and worſhipped as God: yea, takes to himſelfe the titles of God, and ſuffers himſelfe to be called God, and receiueth adorations, proſtrations, and kiſſing of the ſeete from all his followers:Aug. Stench. tom. 3. l. 2. de donat. Conſtant. Moſcon de maieſt. milit. Eccleſ. lib. 2. cap. 4. as is teſtified by their owne corrected Canon Law, and diuers of their learned Doctours: whereby hee doth plainely ſhew himſelfe to be Antichriſt, according to S. Pauls deſcription. I might ſhew alſo how good workes, to wit, p. 182almse-deedes, pilgrimages, workes of ſupererogation, vowed chaſtity; voluntary pouerty, Monkiſh obedience, which they eſteeme the chiefeſt good workes, are made Idols, in that they repoſe the confidence of their heart, and the hope of ſaluation in them through the power of meriting, which they aſcribe vntounto them: as alſo how they turne their Sacraments into Idols, by teaching, that they conferre grace, Ex opere B…l. de Sacram. l. b. 2. c. 1.operato, by the very worke done: and that effectiuely, actiuely, and immediatly, they produce in the heart, the grace of regeneration, and iuſtification, which is the proper and immediate worke of the Godhead: but I paſſe ouer theſe, & many other things, becauſe they admit in ſhew ſome probable exception, though no ſound confutation; and I inſiſt in thoſe things onelyonly, in which eueryevery Ideot, and almoſt Infant, may diſcerne moſt groſſe and palpable Idolatry. And thoſe are theſe fiue in number, the bread in the Sacrament, Images, Reliques, Angels and Saints departed. And laſtly, the Croſſe and Crucifix: of which in order.

14. The bleſſed Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ordayned for a perpetuall remembrance of his death and paſſion; and for the ſtrengthning, and nouriſhing of the ſoules of the faithfull, to eternall life, is tranſhaped by them into a moſt horrible Idoll. For this they teach and practiſe, that that very thing, which to all the ſenſes, is but bread, being but lately moulded and knead by the Baker, is to be worſhipped, and adored with diuine worſhip,…l. de Sacram. Euchar. l. 4. cap. 29. Coſter En…. de Euchar. Rub…c. in Miſſal. Rom. becauſe (forſooth) after conſecration, it is the true and naturall body of Chriſt. And therefore at the Prieſts eleuation of the hoaſt, they all fall downe vponupon their knees, and worſhip it with great deuotion, and expect from it forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, and all manner of earthly and temporall bleſſings, and whoſoeuer refuſeth to doe this, is an Heretike.

15. Their Apologie is, that there is a reall and naturall preſence of Chriſts body and bloud in the Sacrament, and therefore not the bread, but the body of Chriſt, into which the bread is tranſubſtantiate, is worſhipped of them, and ſo they thinke, to free themſelues. To which I anſwere, that if p. 183that were certaine, then their defence was iuſt, and their practice godly, and we in calling them Idolaters, for this cauſe ſhould bee ſlanderers of the truth: but ſeeing the contrary is rather certaine, to wit, that Chriſt is not corporally in the Sacrament, but in heauen: and that the bread remayneth ſtill true bread, both for matter and forme after conſecration: they cannot be excuſed from notorious Idolatry, in worſhipping a piece of Bakers bread, in ſtead of Chriſt, the eternall Sonne of God: for to the outward ſenſes, it beareth the ſhape, taſte, figure, and colour of bread. This is certaine, and to the vnderſtanding, in reaſon it is bread, becauſe accidents cannot be without a ſubſtance: this is as certaine, and to faith it is bread, becauſe the Word, which is the foundation of1. Cor. 10. & 111 Cor 10 ſaith, ſo calleth it, after the words of conſecration, neither is there any Scripture to auouch the contrary, ſaue that which may well receiue our interpretation as well, yea, better then theirs, as the beſt learned amongſt them confeſſe: for, Bellarmine B…l de Euchar. lib. 3. c. 23.confeſſeth, that it may iuſtly bee doubted, whether the Text (this is my body) be cleare inough to enforce tranſubſtantiation. And Scotus and Cameracenſis thinke our opinionSect. 4. d. 11. q. 3. tit. f. Cam…r. quaeſt. in 4. qu. 6. art. 2. tit. …. more agreeable to the words of institution: and thus they hauehave againſt them ſenſe, and reaſon, and faith, and for them onelyonly a doubtfull Expoſition of two or three places of Scripture; and therefore three to one but they are guilty of Idolatry.

16. Beſides, graunt that there is a reall tranſubſtantiation of the bread and wine, into the body and blood of Chriſt: yet the accidents of bread and wine remaine vnchanged, and the forme and ſhape. Now, howſoeuer the learned may here diſtinguiſh their worſhip, from the outward accidents, to the inward ſubſtance; yet the common people are not able ſo to doe, but worſhip confuſedly the outward accidents together with Chriſt contayned vnderunder them; and ſo in that reſpect, are Idolaters alſo: for accidents be creatures as well as ſubſtances: Yea, and Bellarmine alſo doth allow them ſo to d…e: for thus he writeth; Diuine worſhip doth appertaine to Bel. de Euchar. lib. 4. c. 29.the Symboles and ſignes of bread and wine, ſo farre forth as they are apprehended, as being vnited to Chriſt whom they containe. p. 184Euen as they that worſhipped Chriſt vponupon earth being clothed, did not worſhip him alone, but after a ſort his garments alſo. Here is a braue ſtraine of Diuinity, they worſhipped Chriſt in his clothes, therfore they worſhipped Chriſts clothes: So Chriſt is worſhipped vnderunder the formes of bread and wine: therefore the formes of bread and wine muſt be worſhipped. This is like the Aſſe, which bore vponupon his backe the Image of Iſis: and when men fell downe before the Image, he thought they worſhipped him: but hee was corrected with a cudgell for his ſawcineſſe; and ſo are they worthy for their folly, that cannot diſtinguiſh betwixt a man and his garments, Chriſt and the ſignes of Chriſt, but promiſcuouſly confound the worſhip of the one with the other. Rather therefore may we thus conclude: they which worſhipped Chriſt on earth, did not worſhip his garments that he wore: therefore they which will worſhip Chriſt in the Sacrament, muſt not worſhip the outward Elements; and ſo it will follow, that as it had beene Idolatry in any to worſhip the garments of Chriſt: ſo it is in the Romaniſts, to worſhip the accidents of bread and wine.

17. Laſtly, let it be ſuppoſed, that there is ſuch a reall preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament; yet according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome, no man can be certaine when it is, becauſe it depends vponupon the intention of the Prieſt: forSum. Roſel. verb. Lu…har. 3. nu. 47 Fr. Quand. 4. …. 13. Pro. 6.Prov 6 thus they teach, if the Prieſt ſhould ſay the words of conſecration, without intention to conſecrate the bread and wine, he ſhould effect nothing: or if hee intend to conſecrate but one hoaſt, and there chance to be two, or more, then nothing is conſecrated at all: and ſo the intention of the Prieſt, being vncertaine to the people, there muſt needes be an vncertaine adoration: and the Prieſt oftentimes intending nothing leſſe, then the matter it ſelfe which hee hath in hand, there muſt needes be certaine and vndoubted Idolatry: for if the bread and wine be not effectually conſecrated, as they are not without the Prieſts intention, then Chriſt is not really preſent; and ſo nothing is worſhipped, but the bare bread: for remedy hereof, they hauehave deuiſed two poore ſhifts: one, that the people muſt adore vponupon a condition, to wit, if the due forme p. 185in conſecrating bee obſerued: the other, that an actuall intention is not neceſſarily required, but onelyonly a vertuall, that is, when an actuall intention to conſecrate, is not preſent at the very time of conſecration, by reaſon of ſome vagation of the minde, yet it was preſent a little before, the operation is in vertue thereof.

18. This is Bellarmines. But to the firſt, I anſwere, That though the people ought to doe ſo, that is, adore vponupon condition; which notwithſtanding, is a thing neuer heard of before in any diuine worſhip, and implieth neceſſity of danger; yet becauſe not one amongſt a thouſand doe ſo, hauing neuer heard that diſtinction once named in their liues, nor vnderſtanding what it meaneth, therefore they are for this neuer a whit freed from Idolatry. To the ſecond, I anſwere, that oftentimes the Prieſt hath neither actuall nor vertuall intention: for what intent had the Monke Bernhardine, that poyſonedEgnat. the hoaſt, to the intent that he might poyſon the Emperour Henry of Lucenburgh, as he alſo did at the inſtigation of Robert King of Sicily? What intent had that Prieſt, thatSpondan Annal. Eccleſ. an. 1055. Volateran. Houed…n. Math. Pariſ. either did, or would hauehave poyſoned Pope Ʋictor the ſecond, as witneſſeth Baronius? or thoſe Prieſts that poyſoned William Archbiſhop of Yorke? for hee was poyſoned at the Maſſe, by the treaſon of his owne Chaplins: both with that, which was in the Chalice. If the Prieſt bee an Athieſt, as many of the Popes themſelues were, what intention hauehave they of conſecrating Chriſts body, when they beleeue not that Chriſt hath a body, or that there is a Chriſt now liuing in the heauens, and ſitting at the right hand of his Father, to be preſent in the Sacrament? or what intention can they hauehave to doe that which the Church doth, when as they beleeue not, that there is a Church: but that all Religion is a fable, and a matter of policy? Here muſt needes be groſſe and notable Idolatry, by their owne confeſſion: for I argue, Ex conceſſis, that is, out of their owne grounds. So that we muſt iuſtly conclude, notwithſtanding all their diſtinctions and ſhifts, that the Church of Rome, in worſhipping the conſecrated hoaſt, and that with ſuch worſhip, as is due vntounto God, is guilty of Artolatry, that p. 186is, of worſhipping a piece of bread, in ſtead of God, then which, what can be more Heatheniſh and palpable Idolatry?

19. Secondly, wee indite them of Idolatry, for that they2. teach, that Images are to bee worſhipped with diuine worſhip: and in their practice, they giuegive vntounto ſtockes and ſtones the honour which belongeth vntounto God. For this is their doctrine, that the Images of the bleſſed Trinity, and of Chriſt, and of the Virgin Mary the mother of Chriſt, and of other Saints, are to be had and retained, eſpecially in Churches:Concil. Trid. decret. de Imag. ijſque debitum honorem & venerationem impertiandam, and that due honour and worſhip is to be giuen vntounto them: they be the words of the Councill of Trent. Now, what that due honour and worſhip is, that is a great queſtion among them: ſome thinke it is the ſame which appertaineth to the perſons whom they repreſent; as if it be the Image of God or Chriſt: then it is to be worſhipped, latria, that is, with the highest degree of worſhip: if of the Virgin Mary, then with a little lower degree called foreign, if of the Saints, then with the loweſt, which they call foreign, and this is the tenet of many of their Rabbies (as reporteth Vaſques the Ieſuite) to wit, Aquinas, Ʋide Vaſq. Ieſuit. de adorat.Caietane, Bonauenture, Alexander, Coster, and diuers others. Others thinke, that the Image is not to be worſhipped at all: but onelyonly the Samplar before the Image. Of this opinion were Durandus, Alphonſus de Castro, and ſome others,Bel. d Imag. cap. 20. Durand. lib. 3. ſent. d. 9. q. 2. Alphonſ. de Caſtro. verb. Imag. but it is confuted by Catharine, and vtterly reiected by Bellarmine. A third ſort were of opinion, that Images ought to bee worſhipped in themſelues, and properly with a leſſe honour then the Samplar: and therefore that no Image was to be worſhipped with Latria. Of this opinion were Pereſius, Catharinus, Sanders, Gabriel, &c. But the Councill of Trent, which is their Church, in the wordes of the decree, and Bellarmine Bel. de Imag. cap. 20.which is their chiefe champion, doe manifeſtly incline to the firſt opinion: for this is the ſumme of his propoſitions: Firſt,Ibid. cap. 22. 23. 24. that the Images of Chriſt, & the Saints are to be worſhipped, not onelyonly by accident, and improperly, but euen by themſelues, and properly: ſo that they doe limit the worſhip, as they are Images; and not onelyonly as they ſtand in ſtead of their p. 187patternes. Secondly, that in truth and deed, Images may be worſhipped with the ſame kind of worſhip which belongeth vntounto their patternes, improperly, and by accident, and ſo with Latria in that condition. Thirdly, and laſtly, that though this be true, yet eſpecially in the pulpits, and before the people, it isP…aeſertim in concione ad populum. not to be ſaid that Images are to bee worſhipped with this kind of worſhip, but rather the contrary. Heere is excellent diuinity: the people muſt not bee taught the truth, nay the contrary rather, which is a lie, and that in the pulpit: beholde here a doctor of lies, and that by his owne confeſſion, whilſt he goeth about to maintaine Images, which Habacuk calleth,Habac. 2. 18. doctors of lies. Hab. 2▪ 18.

20. This is the ſumme of their doctrine. Out of all which theſe three concluſions doe ariſe. Firſt, that the bleſſed Trinity, that ſacred and incomprehenſible deitie, by their doctrine may be pictured on a wall, and worſhipped in or at an Image; yea, that ſuch an Image ought at leaſt improperly bee worſhipped with the ſame worſhip that is due vntounto God himſelf: as whē they picture God the Father in the ſimilitude of an old man, & God the Son in the likenes of a yong child, & God the holy Ghoſt in the likeneſſe of a Doue, which the Scripture in the ſecond Commandement condemneth as Idolatrie: and that the intendment of that Commandement is not againſt the Images of falſe gods onelyonly, as the Romaniſts would hauehave it, but alſo of the true Iehouah: Moſes the beſt expounder of himſelfe, teacheth moſt plainely, Deut. 4. 16. when hee ſaith,Deut. 4. 16.Deut 4:16 Take heed that you make not to your ſelues any grauen Image, or repreſentation of any figure: for you ſaw no Image in the day that the Lord ſpake vntounto you in Horeb, out of the midſt of the fire: and the Prophet Eſay confirming the ſame expoſition, ſaith, To whom will you liken God? or what ſimilitude will yee ſet vp vntounto him? Eſay 40. 18. as if he ſhould ſay, it is impoſſible to repreſentEſay 40. 18.Isa 40:18 God by any likeneſſe or ſimilitude. If they reply that they worſhip not the Image, but God in the Image, I anſwer, Firſt, that the very Image of God is an Idoll by this Commandement: and therefore, the erecting of it to a religious vſe, is Idolatry. Secondly, that it is falſe which they ſay, that they p. 188worſhip not the Image, but God in the Image: for their doctrine is contrary, as hath beene ſhewed, and their practice is contrary, as ſhall be declared hereafter. Thirdly, though it be true which they alledge, yet the worſhipping of God before an Image, is Idolatry: for when the children of Iſrael worſhipped the two golden calues at Dan and Bethel, they were not ſuch calues, to worſhip the outward calues, but God in them: and therefore the worſhip of them is called, the feare of Iehouah: 1. Reg. 17. 28.1 Kgs 17:28and yet they are branded for Idolaters in that reſpect. The like I might ſay of the golden Calfe in the wilderneſſe, and of that Image which Micha erected. Fourthly, and laſtly, that theIudg. 17.Judg 17 true God worſhipped in or before an Image, is made an Idol, becauſe (as Saint Auguſtine ſaith) they that worſhip God in any other ſort then he hath appointed, worſhip not him, but that which Aug. de conſenſ. Euangel. lib. 1. cap. 18.they had fayned, that is, an Idoll of their owne fancy: and therefore the Scripture ſaith, when the Iewes worſhipped God in the golden Calfe, they turned God into the likeneſſe of a beaſtPſal. 106. 20.Ps 106:20 which eateth graſſe.

21. The ſecond concluſion to bee obſerued, is, that by their doctrine the Images of Chriſt are to be adored with ſuch worſhip, as is belonging vntounto Chriſt himſelfe, though improperly: and that this worſhip is to be bounded within the compaſſe of the Image, without relation to the Samplar. By which is euident: Firſt, that by their owne confeſſion they are Idolaters improperly: and ſecondly, that truſt and confidence is to be put in ſuch an Image, & vowes, and prayers, and ſacrifices to be made vntounto it: for all theſe are parts of diuine worſhip, which muſt be confined to the Image, and ſo they are not improperly, but properly Idolaters: and then by this we may ſee that the caueat inſerted in the decree of the Councill of Trent, is but a meere ſophiſtication: for whereas the decree ſaith, that Images muſt be ſo worſhipped, that truſt and confidence be not placed in them: in affirming that ſome ought to bee worſhipped with Latria, they enioyne plainely, that men ſhould repoſe their truſt and confidence in them: and thus they bewray the fraud of the decree, and their owne ſecret impiety.

p. 18922. The third concluſion is that ſame Hyperdulia, or extraordinary reuerence, which they ſay is due to the Image of the bleſſed Virgin; and that Dulia, or common ſeruice, which they aſſigne to the Images of other Saints, is no leſſe then Idolatry, let them extenuate the matter neuer ſo much by titles and diſtinctions; for it is religious worſhip: all which is dueReuel. 19. 10. and 22. 9.Rev 19:10Rev 22:9 vntounto God onelyonly, Reuel. 19. 10. and 22. 9. The Angel would not ſuffer Iohn to performe any outward worſhip vntounto him, nor ſo much as proſtrate himſelfe before him; but commanded him to worſhip God; and yet Iohn knew him to be but an Angel, and therefore meant not to giuegive him any thing but outward reuerence, yet he refuſed it vponupon this ground, that all religious worſhip, both outward and inward, belongeth onelyonly vntounto God. So Mardochee the Iew refuſed to bow the knee to Haman the Agagite, becauſe the honour which was giuen vntounto him, was more then ciuill; for he was made a petty God: and therefore in the fragments of Hester, this reaſon is giuen by himſelfe, I did it, becauſe I would not preferre the honour of Heſter 13. 14.a man, before the glory of God, and would not worſhip any but thee, my Lord: therefore, the bowing of the knee, or proſtrating of the body after a religious manner, is due onelyonly vntounto God, and is part of diuine worſhip: to bow the knee, and proſtrate the body after a ciuill manner, is lawfull to Kings and Princes, and others that are either exalted in gouernment, or endued with excellent gifts and graces of God; but to doe the ſame in a religious reſpect, is proper onelyonly to God, becauſe it preſuppoſeth the knowing of the heart, an omni-preſence, and an infinite power to helpe. And thus this ſame Hyperdulia and Dulia, wherewith they worſhip the Image of the Virgin, and other Saints, is open and plaine Idolatry: and the rather, becauſe it is ſeldome or neuer ſeuered from Latria, that is, the inward worſhip of the ſoule, which, as they ſay, is onelyonly due vntounto God: as by their practice more plainely ſhall appeare.

23. Thus we ſee the morrow and myſtery of their doctrine diſcouered: now let vsus take a view of their practice. And firſt, what worſhip can bee more performed vntounto God, then they p. 190giuegive vntounto their Images? they kneele to them, they pray to them, they vow vowes to them, they offer offerings to them, they ſweare by them, they proſtrate their bodies before them: let Polydore Virgill, one of their owne ſworne fauorites, who would not, we may preſume, ſpeake any thing too lauiſhly of his owne, but rather bee ſparing in their diſgrace, deſcribe their manners. Men (ſaith hee) are growne to that madneſſe, Polyd. Virgil. de Inuent. l. 6. c. 13.that this part of piety is little differing from flat impiety: for there are very many of the rude and ignorant, which worſhip the very Images of wood or ſtone, of marble, or braſſe, or pictures painted vponupon the walls, not as figures, but euen as if they had verily ſenſe, and doe put more truſt in them, then they doe in Chriſt, or other Saints, to whom they are dedicated. Thus doth this man deſcribe the practice of their Idolatry; and much more might be found in him to that purpoſe, but that the Spaniſh Cenſours hauehave taken order by their Index Expurgatorius, that he ſhall not doe them much hurt. But if this mans teſtimony will not ſerue the turne, let vsus heare another of the ſame ranke, a man of great learning and iudgement, Cornelius Cornel Agrippa de vanit. cap. 57.Agrippa, who thus complaineth: The corrupt manner, and falſe Religion of the Gentiles, hath infected our Religion, and hath brought into the Church Images and pictures, with many vaine ceremonies of externall pompe, none whereof was found amongst the firſt and true Christians. Hence wee began to bring into our Churches dumbe Images, and to place them vponupon Gods Altars with great reuerence, and whither we account it vnlawfull for a man, the true Image of God, to aſcend, thither we tranſlate ſenſeleſſe Images: to them we bow our heads, giuegive kiſſes, offer lights, hang vp gifts, apply myracles, & buy pardons of them. To conclude, to them we goe a pilgrimage, to them we make vowes, them we inwardly worſhip, and not only outwardly adore, neither can it be vttered how great ſuperſtition; that I may not ſay Idolatry, is nouriſhed amongst the rude and ignorant people, in Images, the Prieſts winking thereat, and reaping thereby no ſmall gaine to their purſes. Adde vntounto theſe Caſſanders teſtimony, another learned man of an indifferent ſpirit. It is more manifeſt (ſaith he) then Caſſand. conſul…. de Imag.that it needeth any long explication, that the worſhip of Images p. 191hath too much preuailed, and that the affection, or rather ſuperſtition of the people, hath beene too much fauoured in this regard: ſo that Chriſtians ſeeme to be nothing inferiour to Pagans, in the adoration, which they vſed to exhibite to their Idols, and in the vanity, which they ſhewed in making and adorning their Images. And a little after, he bringeth in a ſaying of Gabriel Biell, toGab. Bielin ean. lect. 49. this effect. The blockiſh errour of certaine men is ſo great, and they are ſo affected to Images, that they thinke that ſome diuine grace, or ſanctity reſideth in them, by which they are able to worke myracles, and giuegive health: and for that cauſe they worſhip them, to the end, they might obtaine ſome ſuch benefit at their hands: and their ſimplicity is ſo great, that they worſhip with greater deuotion faire Images then foule, new then old, thoſe that are adorned with gold and purple, then thoſe that are naked and bare: yea, they make vowes, and binde themſelues to goe a pilgrimage, now to this, now to that Church, in regard of certaine Images, ſuppoſing that greater vertues doe ſhine forth in one then another.

24. Thus doth this learned man, together with the two former, deſcribe the miſerable Idolatry of the Church of Rome, which is committed by the worſhipping of Images. They were all three Romaniſts, and no doubt, but would ſpeake of their owne fauourites as fauourably as they could; and therefore we may well imagine, that their impiety was farre more groſſe, when it wreſted out of their owne mouthes this plaine confeſſion. But if a Proteſtant ſhould ſpeake, hee would tell another tale, and make them march in equipage with the Pagans in Idolatry, as Caſſander after a ſort confeſſeth; and that not without great reaſon: For firſt, theLactan. de fal. Relig. lib. 2. c. 20. Aug. in Pſal. 113. con. 2. & in Pſal. 96. Chryſoſt. hom. 18. in Epiſt. ad Epheſ. Senec. q. nat, lib. …. cap. 45. Pſal 115.Ps 113Ps 96Ps 115 Paynims, when they bowed to ſtockes & ſtones, pretended, that they worſhipped not the Images, but them, after whoſe likeneſſe they were figured, as teſtifie Lactantius, Augustine, Chryſostome, and Seneca. Now the Romaniſts doe vſe the very ſame excuſe to cloke their Idolatry, that they worſhip not the Images properly, but God, Chriſt, Angels, Saints in them, and at them. Secondly, the Paynims Idols are deſcribed in the 115. Pſalme, To hauehave eyes and not to ſee, eares and p. 192not to heare; …oſes, and not to ſmell, &c. And finally, to hauehave no breath in their noſtrils: but the Romiſh Images are in eueryevery reſpect like vntounto them: let them ſhew that their Images can heare, ſee, ſpeake, ſmell, and goe, better then theirs, and then we will not ſay their Idols to be like to theirs.

25. Peraduenture they will inſtance in the Roode of Wincheſter, Polyd. Virgil. hiſtor. lib. 7.which in the yeare of our Lord 1475. at a ſolemne Councill there holden about the marriage of Prieſts, ſpake in the behalfe of Dunſtane againſt the poore Prieſts, or in theHenr. Hunting. lib. 6. Baron. tom. 40. ad annum. 975. §. 12. Image of our Lady, that bade Saint Bernard good morrow, when he came into the Church, as it is reported: or in that Image of Saint Nicholas at Cheſter, which vſed to mooue the hand to bleſſe the people: or in that Image of our Lady, neere to the Abby of Ramſey, which vſed to ſweat when it was offered vntounto; and happy was he that could get any of that ſweet ſweat into his handkercheife, for it was of ſoueraigne vſe for many purpoſes and cures: But that they begunne to be halfe aſhamed of ſuch fables, eſpecially, ſeeing Polidore Virgil, a man not meanely affected towards their Religion, cenſured the firſt to be a Legerdemaine of Dunſtane to worke his purpoſe, and reported that diuers others vſed to doe the ſame at that day. And S. Bernard in a ieſting anſwere diſcouered the ſecond, when he anſwered, that it was againſt the Canons, for her Ladyſhip to ſpeake in the Church being a woman. And the Biſhop of Cheſter diſcredited the third, when he manifeſtedDownam de Antich. li. 1 c. 7. pa. 102. in the open Market place, that the Image was made with ſuch a deuice, that at the pulling of a certaine ſtring the hand would mooue vp and downe. And the laſt, eueryevery olde man and woman in the Countrie could tell to bee but a iuggling tricke of a crafty Prieſt, firſt anoynting the Image without, and then heating it within (for it was hollow) with a chafingdiſh of coales, from whence grew out that ſoueraigne and excellent ſweat.

26. Thirdly, the Paynim plants a tree, and after cuts it downe, and with one part thereof hee warmes himſelfe, with another part he roſts his meate; and of the third hee makes himſelfe a God, as the Prophet Eſay ſaith, and when he hathEſay 44. 15. 16.Isa 44:15Isa 44:16 p. 193done, he cenſeth that Image, and lighteth Tapers before i…, and falls downe and worſhips it. They of the Romiſh Church doe the very ſame by their Images in eueryevery reſpect. Four…hly, the Paynims ſay, that Images were Elements or Letters toAthan. orat. con. Gentes. know God by, and they vſed Images and other ceremonies to procure the preſence of Angels, and celeſtiall powers: the Romaniſts ſay and doe the ſame; they ſay that Images are Lay-mens Bookes, and that their worſhip of them doth procure the fauour of thoſe heauenly things whoſe repreſentations they beare. Laſtly, Paynims put their truſt and affiance in their Idols: ſo doe the Romaniſts in their Images, as appeareth by the conſecration of them, and their Prayers vntounto them: thus they conſecrate the Image of the bleſſed Virgin, Sanctifica, Deus, hanc formulam, &c. O God, ſanctifie this forme In pontifical.of the bleſſed Virgin, that it may miniſter the ſuccour of wholeſome helpe to thy faithfull people, that hurtfull thunder and lightnings may be ſpeedily auoyded, inundations of waters, commotion of warre, &c. may be ſuppreſſed. Againe, thus they conſecrate the Image of Saint Iohn the Euangeliſt, Grant, that all which behold this Image with deuotion, and make their prayers before it, may be heard: for what neceſſity ſoeuer they pray, let this Image be a holy expulſion of deuils, an aduocation of Angels, a protection of the faithfull, &c. Why ſhould not affiance bee placed in theſe Images that are thus qualified? But beare their prayers; To the Image of Ʋeronica they pray thus,

Haile, holy face, imprinted on a clont,Chemnit. exam. Concil. Trident. de Imagin.

Purge vsus from all ſinne within and without;

And ioyne vsus in the fellowſhip of the bleſſed rout.

Bring vsus to that Country, O holy Picture,

Where we may ſee the face of Chriſt, which is moſt pure.

Be vntounto vsus a ſafe helpe, a ſweet refreſhing;

And comfort vsus euermore with thy bleſſing:

That no force of enemie may vsus annoy;

But that we may eternall reſt enioy.

Before the famous Image of the Lady of Lauretto, menTurſell. Ieſuit. de virg. Laur. and women of all ſorts fall downe and pray, when they are p. 194in any danger, or extremity: to her they go a pilgrimage, and aſſoone as they come neere to the Towne of Lauretto, and behold the place where the Image is, they fall downe and worſhip, and ſo they doe againe at the Temple dore, and after in the Temple they humble themſelues in a moſt ſeruile and baſe manner: by all which it is euident, that they affie and truſt in the Image: as that Falkoner did, who being vponupon the gallows ready to be hanged, for ſuſpition of conuaying away his Maſters Hawke, by onelyonly conceiuing a prayer in his heart, vntounto this Ladie of Lauretto, the Hawke came gingling in the ayre, and light vponupon the gallowes, and ſo the poore man eſcaped the halter. He that will reade the fiue Bookes of Turſelline the Ieſuite, concerning this Lady, ſhall eaſily perceiue that ſhe is made a Goddeſſe amongſt them, and worſhipped with the very ſame worſhip which is due vntounto God. And thus it is as cleare as the Sun, both by their doctrine and practice, that the Church of Rome by worſhipping of Images, is guilty of heatheniſh and abominable Idolatry.

27. Concerning the Reliques of our Sauiour Chriſt and3. the Saints, whereof their Church hath infinite numbers, there is no leſſe Idolatry committed to them, then was before vntounto Images. For firſt, ſome of them confeſſe, that Reliquiae eodem Vaſq. de adorat. li. 3. diſ. 4. cap. 2.modo atque imagines ſunt adorandae, Reliques are to bee worſhipped after the ſame manner as Images. And therefore if there be Idolatrie in the one, it muſt alſo be needs in the other: for whether the worſhip be not to be reſtrained to the Image and Relique, but to be referred to the things whereof they are repreſentations and parts, as the forenamed Ieſuite thinkes, with ſome other: or whether it is to be confined to the matter of the Relique, and forme of the Image, without further relation, as Bonauenture, Aquinas, yea, and Bellarmine Bona. 3. d. 9. art. 1. q. 4. Aquin. in 3. d. 9. q. 1. art. 1. Bell. de Imag. li. 2 …a. 21.himſelfe, with many other, ſeeme to auerre: yet it is Idolatry both waies, becauſe in both, religious worſhip is giuen to the Creatures, in the one ſimply, in the other reſpectiuely, which indeed ſome what qualifieth the heate of the diſeaſe, but doth not at all cure the roote of it.

28. Secondly, others are of opinion, that there is greater p. 195cauſe of worſhipping Reliques, then Images: for (ſay they) a man cannot worſhip an Image, but his thoughts muſt needs be caried vp to the contemplation of him whoſe Image it is, but reliquia ſolùm adorantur ratione contactus, quo ſunt quodammodo Bona. Ibid. Aquin. Ibid. Marſil. in 3. q. 8. art. 2. Vaſques de adora. lib. 3. diſ. 4. c. 1ſanctificatae & conſecratae: Reliques are to be worſhipped, onelyonly in reſpect of their touching of Chriſt, or the Saints, by which they are after a ſort ſanctified, and conſecrated, and therefore they may be worſhipped ſimply by themſelues, by reaſon of that ſanctification without Chriſt or the Saint, of whom they are ſaid to be ſanctified. Here the former qualification for Images is taken away from Reliques, and therefore the Idolatry is more groſſe, yea, in regard of this contaction, ſome of them are not aſhamed to ſay, that the very wormes of the bodies of the dead, Vaſq. Ibid. l. 3. c. 8. nu. 114.are to be worſhipped with a right intention, and with a ſincere faith. Thirdly, not to ſtand vponupon priuate opinions; the determination of their repreſentatiue Church, the CouncillConcil. Trident. Decret. de Reliq. Sanctor. of Trent, doth proue the worſhipping of Reliques to be Idolatry: for it doth not onelyonly condemne thoſe which refuſe to giuegive worſhip and honour to them in any reſpect: but euen thoſe alſo, which opis impetrandae cauſa, To obtaine helpe by them, doenot honour them. Now hence thus I reaſon: to put our truſt and confidence in any creature, is Idolatry: but to ſeeke for helpe at the Reliques of Saints, is to repoſe truſt and confidence in creatures; therefore by neceſſary conſequence, the worſhip of Reliques is Idolatry, becauſe thereby they ſeeke for helpe; and ſo the Church of Rome is by the ſentence of their owne Councill, guilty of this foule ſinne: and this Councill of theirs, is guilty before God and man, of protecting, maintaining, and authorizing the ſame: a farre greater guilt then the former; by how much, according to the rules of Law, the Author of a ſinne is euer more guilty then the Actor.

21. Fourthly, their practice doth make this more euident: for as Caſſander ingeniouſly confeſſeth, In theſe laſt times too Caſſand. conſult. de venerat. Reliquiar.much is attributed to the Reliques and memories of Saints, in ſo much as the better ſort of men, and thoſe that were moſt zealous, hauehave placed the ſumme, and ſubſtance, as it were, of Religion, in p. 196ſearching out ſuch Reliques, adorning them with gold, and Iewels, and building temples and memorials for them; and the worſer and wickeder ſort hauehave repoſed falſe confidence in the fooliſh and ſuperfluous worſhipping of them. Here we ſ…e the practice both of the better and the worſer ſort of people, that is, indeed, of all for the moſt part, in the worſhip of Reliques; the one eſteeming it the chiefeſt part of Religion and piety; and the other relying wholly vponupon it, as the onelyonly meanes, for the purging away their ſinnes, and ſo an occaſion to harten them in the ſame, becauſe they thinke, as long as they performe this dutie, they may ſinne freely. If any man ſay, that the ignorance and miſdoings of ſome, is not to bee imputed as an errour to the Church: I anſwer, that it is not ſome, but all generally, for the moſt part, that are thus affected: and therefore Caſſander condemnes both good and bad, as guilty of this crime. But graunt, that many are otherwiſe minded; yet for all that, it cannot be denied, but the greater part are in this ranke: and that is inough to proue their Church Idolatrous, becauſe, according to the Logicall axiome, eueryevery denomination is to be taken from the greater part; neither is it a perſonall errour, but a dogmaticall poſition deriued from the grounds of their Religion, as from the Councill of Trent, which alloweth to worſhip them, Opis impetrandae cauſa, for to obta ne helpe of them, and from the reſt of their great Diuines: Some of whom would hauehave them to bee worſhipped with the ſame worſhip with Images, ſome with a greater reuerence then Images ob contactum: and they that mince it fineſt, with a religious reuerence, which they call adoration and veneration: in all which is that, in a ſort, either openly or couertly allowed by their doctrine, which is practiſed by their people.

30. But let vsus ſearch a little further into their practice. The cuſtome of the Church of Rome, is to take the bodies, aſhes, or bones of Saints out of their graues, and to adorne them with gold, and ſiluer, ſilke, veluet, and ſuch like, and to carry them about in publike proceſſions, and ſupplications, and to ſhew them to the people, to be touched, kiſſed, gazed vponupon, and adored as a ſingular and meritorious ſeruice p. 197to God: is not this Idolatry? They teach, that God doth tye his grace and vertue to thoſe Reliques, whereof they are partakers, that adore them with due reuerence, and offer precious gifts vntounto them: yea, they promiſe vntounto ſuch many indulgences, and Pardons for ſinnes. Is not this Idolatry? Againe, they teach, that their prayers are better, and more effectuall, and acceptable vntounto God, if they bee made before the Reliques of Saints, and therefore their practice is in times of neceſſity, to goe a pilgrimage to ſuch places, where the moſt famous Reliques are; becauſe they are perſwaded, that their prayers ſhall bee there ſooneſt heard of God: yea, they make men beleeue, that the Euchariſt hath a great deale of holineſſe added vntounto it, if Reliques of Saints bee included within the Altar. Is not this Idolatry? They light vp candles, and ſet vp before them Tapers, which S. Ierome calleth Idolatriae Hieron. Epiſt. ad Ripar.inſignia, the Enſignes of Idolatry, and cauſe them to burne, euen at noone day; and that as they ſay, in reſemblance of the golden candleſticke, which alwayes burnt before the Arke, Exod. 2. 5. but indeede rather in imitation ofExod. 2. 5.Exod 2:5 the heathen, who vſed to burne Tapers before their Images, in the Temples of their Gods: and therefore, me thinkes, it isBaruch. 6. 18. Virgil. Aenead. 1 Bel. de reliquiis, Sanct. l. 2. c. 3.Bar 6:18 ſtrange, that Bellarmine ſhould make this an argument why Reliques are to be worſhipped, becauſe Tapers and Candles are ſet vp before them: wheras rather he ſhould conclude, that Idolatry is cōmitted before them, becauſe of this. Againe, in their ſolemne oathes, they touch not onelyonly the Bible, but the Reliques of Saints, & ſo deuide the religion of an oath, which is a principall part of Gods worſhip, betwixt God and them, againſt which a plague is denounced by the Prophet Zephany, Zephan. 1. 5. Ier. 5. 7. Opus imperfect. in Math. …om. 12Zeph 1:5Jer 5:7Zephan. 1. 5. And it is alſo condemned by the Prophet Ieremie, Ier. 5. 7. And a reaſon is giuen of it in Chryſoſtomes 12. Homily vponupon S. Mathew: at leaſt if it be Chryſostomes; He that ſweares by any thing beſide God, deifies that thing, and thereby makes himſelfe an Idolater. Is not this then Idolatry? Laſtly, whereas in former times, where leſſe ſuperſtition preuailed, they placed the Reliques of Saints vnderunder the Altar, as Ambroſe Ambroſ. in Epiſt. ad Soror.witneſſeth of the Reliques of Geruaſins and Protaſius. p. 198Ille (Chriſtus videlicet) ſuper altare, qui pro omnibus paſſus eſt, iſti ſub altari qui ipſius redempti ſunt ſanguine. Chriſt was vponupon the Altar, who ſuffered for all, the Reliques of them vnderunder the Altar, who were redeemed with his bloud: yet nowCaſſand. conſult. de Reliq. p. 162. (as Caſſander well notes) contrary to the ancient cuſtome, their practice is to place the bodies of Saints vponupon the Altars, which place is only proper for the body of Chriſt. Is not this horrible Idolatry? And yet Bellarmine would hence proue,Bel. de Reliq lib. 2. c. 3. that they are to be worſhipped, becauſe they are placed vnderunder the Altar, becauſe (forſooth) the Altar is to be worſhipped: but what if the worſhipping of the Altar be Idolatry too, as without queſtion it is, if the Altar be a dead creature, and a heape of ſtones, or wood? This is to adde drunkenneſſe to thirſt, and to couer a filthy wound, with a more filthy plaiſter: beſides, the firſt bringers in of that cuſtome, though they placed them vnderunder the Altar in a religious manner: yet neuer meant, that they ſhould bee worſhipped by thoſe that approched vntounto the Altar, or that they did conferre any ſanctity to the Euchariſt. Thus we hauehave a ſhort view of their ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous practice in this point.

31. Fiftly and laſtly, that they may be voyd of all excuſe and pretext, an infinite number of their thus worſhipped Reliques, are meere falſe and counterfait; not true members, parts, or remainders of any Saints, but fained impoſtures of couetous Prieſts, and often the members not of men, but of baſer creatures. At this day (ſaith Caſſander) when the world ſeemeth Caſſand. Ibid.to be full of Reliques, it may bee feared, leſt vponupon diligent examination, moſt detestable frauds and impostures be found out, as it appeared ſometime to S. Martin, who found a place honoured in the name of an holy Martyr, to be the Sepulcher not of a Martyr, but of a wicked Robber. This kinde of couſonage beganAug. de oper. monach. cap 28. Gregor. lib. 3. Epiſt. &c. to ſpring in Augustine and Gregories times: for the one complaineth of certaine Hypocrites, that caried about, and boaſted of the members of Martyrs, ſi tamen Martyram, if ſo be they were Martyrs. And the other affirmeth, that certaine Greeke Monkes being found digging vp the dead bodies of men, in a certaine field of Rome, confeſſed that they meant to p. 199carrie their bones into Greece, as the Reliques of Saints.

32. But ſince Popery grew to perfection, this is alſo growne to ſuch a height of impudencie; that it is a wonder to heare what ſtrange Reliques are to bee ſeene in the world. S. Peter being buried whole in one place, to wit, at Rome inBaron. Annal. tom. 1. & 3. anno 69. & 324. Onuphr. de ſeptem vrb. Eccleſ. Bel. de Eccleſ. triump. lib. 2. cap. 4. Onuphr. Ibid. the Vaticane, as Baronius writeth: yet is found halfe in another; to wit, in via Ostienſi, as Onuphrius teſtifieth: and for all this, a part of him is to be ſeene at Constantinople, as Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth. Nay further, beſides theſe three places, his head is reſerued in a fourth, to wit, in the Laterane Church at Rome, by Onuphrius teſtimony. And beſides this whole head, another piece of his head, in the Church of Saint Praxis; by the ſame Author: and in a fixt place, one of his iaw-bones, with his beard, is kept for a monument: this is at Poytiers in Fraunce, as witneſſeth Caluine: his teeth areCaluin. admonit. de Reliquijs. not confined to his iawes; nor yet at one place, but to bee ſeene in many places; at Rome in the Church of S. Vincent, and Anastaſius and the holy Croſſe, and S. Sauiour, and S. Lawrence Onuphr. Ibid. Caluin. Ibid.without the walls: his braine is to be ſeene at Geneuah, at leaſtwiſe if a Pumice ſtone be his braine: for it is nothing elſe. Many of his bones are to be ſeene at Treuers, a piece of his ſhoulder at Rome in the Church of the holy Croſſe, a toe in the Church of S. Praxis, and the ioynt of another in England, Eraſ. pereg. reſig. ergo.at the Lady of Walſingham, as Eraſmus teſtifieth; as it were of a Giants toe: theſe with many moe, be the Reliques of S. Peter: all which are held in great honour and worſhip of them. Now either S. Peter muſt bee a Monſter, or many of theſe counterfait Reliques.

33. But S. Peter is not alone in this, for Chriſt himſelfe is abuſed: three praepuces, or foreskinnes of his are ſhowne,Caluin. de neceſſit. reformand. Eccleſ. and worſhipped in three diuers places: ſo foureteene nailes, when as he felt but three; three coats, whereas hee had but one, and that without ſeame, for the which the ſouldiers caſt loſts: two titles that were ſet vponupon the Croſſe, foure poynts of the ſpeare wherewith his ſide was pierced, fiue Linnen clothes, wherwith he was wrapped, and many ſuch like trumperies. Nay, there is ſcarce a Saint that is any thing famous, p. 200to whom they do not faine two or three bodies. Saint Barbaries Luther. poſtil. in Euangel. feſt. exalt. crucis.head is to be ſeene in ſo many places, that ſure, ſhe muſt needs hauehave beene a monſter, if all thoſe were true members. Saint Apollonia had ſo many teeth, being all ſoueraigne medicinesAbbas Amelm. Chemnit. exam. Concil. Trident. de Reliquijs. for the tooch-ache, that when King Edward labouring of that diſeaſe, ſent through England, for all her teeth to be brought vntounto him, two or three hogſheads could not hold them that were found out. It is reported and recorded of a certaine Relicke-monger that boaſted, that hee carried about in a box ſome feathers of the holie Ghoſt. Now, another merry companion ſtealing away theſe feathers, foiſted in, in their roome, certaine coales: The other not perceiuing the coozenage, the next day began to vaunt of his holy relickes, and to ſhew them to the people, which ſtood ready by to adore them with great reucrence: but when he opened his caske, he found nothing but coales: whereat, being nothing amazed, like a skilfull Artiſan, he turned Cat in the pan, and told the people, that thoſe coales were taken from vnderunder the Grediron of Saint Laurence, when he was broyled to death: thus any thing will ſerue their turnes for relickes, when need requireth: and ſo more then Aegyptian is the blindneſſe of the Popiſh crue, that they beleeue all to bee true, and take all this traſh for good ware.

33. There is almoſt nothing that our Sauiour touched, or that touched him, or that hee had any thing to doe withall, but is turned into a Relicke: as the Manger wherein hee was laid at his birth, is to be ſeene in Rome at Saint Mary Maior: the Linnen cloth wherein he was ſwadled, at Saint Paul: and another piece at Saint Sauiour in Spaine: his Cradle and the Shirt which his mother made for him, at the ſame place: the Pillar which he leaned vntounto, when hee diſputed with the Doctours, and the water-pot in which he turned water into wine, which are to be ſeene at diuers ſundry places, to wit, at Rauenna, at Piſa, at Andegauum, and in Spaine at Saint Sauiours, the Table which he eate his laſt Supper on, at Saint Iohn Laterane, a piece of the bread at Saint Sauiours in Spaine, the Knife where with he killed the Paſſeouer, at Treuers, the Cup p. 201wherein he gaue the Sacrament of his bloud to bee drunke, at Saint Maries neere Lyons, which Cup alſo is to bee ſeene among the Heluians, in a certaine Monaſterie of the Auguſtine Friers: ſo the diſh wherein the Paſchall Lambe was put, is viſible at Rome, at Genua, and at Arles: ſo the to well wherwith he wiped his Apoſtles feet, is to be ſeene in Rome at S. Iohn Laterane, and yet the ſame is ſhewed at Aquae in Germanie, and at Saint Cornelius, with the marke of Iudas his foote imprinted in it: a piece of one of thoſe loaues wherewith Chriſt miraculouſly fed the multitude in the deſart, is yet extant at Rome, at Saint Maria Noua: and another piece at Saint Sauiours in Spaine.

34. What ſhould I ſpeake of the Croſſe found out by Helena? whereof, as Hiſtories report, ſhe gaue one part to her Son Conſtantine, which was placed on a porphyrie pillar in Conſtantinople: and the other part encloſed in a ſiluer caſe, ſhee ſent to the Biſhop of Hieruſalem to be kept. It is admirable to ſee, into how many pieces and patches it is now ſubdiuided: one man was able to beare it ſixteene hundred yeares agoe: and now ſixteene men (nay, if I ſaid a hundred, it were not amiſſe) are ſcarce able to carry the fragments of it: yea, they would load a whole ſhip, and that of good burthen. The nailes, as I ſaid before, which were but three, as all know, hauehave ſpawned eleuen more, and are become foureteene, where of two are to be ſeene at Rome, one at Saint Hellens, another at Saint Croſſes, a third at Ʋenice, a fourth at Sene, a fift at Colne in Germanie at the three Maries, a ſixt at Treuers, a ſeuenth at S. Dennis in France, an eight at S. Sacell, a ninth with the Carmelites, a tenth among the Biturigions, an eleuenth in an Abby, &c. his crowne of thornes is diuided into ſo many portions, that either it muſt needs be of huge bigneſſe, or elſe ſome of thoſe fragments which are taken for parts of it, muſt needs be meere impoſtures: his ſeameleſſe Coat hath begot diuers others; for one is to be ſeene at Argentolium, another at Treuers, a third the Turke hath with him. I ſhould bee too long in this friuolous argument, if I ſhould reckon vp all the reliques of our Sauiour Chriſt that are notoriouſly extant, p. 202and to all which, worſhip and adoration is performed.

35. As for the Virgin Maries relicks, they are alſo very many and notable; her haire and her milke are reſerued in ſo many places, that neuer any woman gaue ſo much milke in all her time of bearing, as ſhe did in that time that ſhee gaue ſucke: her Smocke is had in great honour both at Carnutis, and alſo at Aquae in Germany, and is carried vponupon the end of a pole to be worſhipped; it is of that bigneſſe, that the bleſſed Virgin ſhould ſeeme by it to hauehave been a woman of an incredible ſtature: which is the more to be wondred at, becauſe Ioſephs breeches, which are carried with the ſmocke in the ſame pompe, are ſo little, that they would fit a little boy or adwarfe: her Kerchiefes are to be ſeene, one at Treuers, another at Liſium in Italie: a little Croſſe-cloth of hers is at Bononia, her girdle at Pratum, and another at Monferrat, her Slippers at Saint Saniacquery, her Shoo at Sanfloridum, her Combes, one at Rome, another at Ʋeſontium, her marriage Ring is at Peruſium (as if then mariage was made with Rings, as it is at this day) her Garments, or at leaſt, pieces of them are to be ſeene at ſo many places, that the Virgin Maries wardrobe might compare (if all were hers) with the greateſt Princeſſe in the world; foure pictures are to be ſeen of her, which Saint Luke himſelfe drew.

36. What ſhould I reckon vp the Relicks of other Saints, which are all of the ſame nature, though not number? Saint Michaels Sword and Buckler wherewith he ouercame the diuell, is a monument of great eſtimation, they are kept at great Saint Michaels in France, a place much frequented by Pilgrims. And what kind of things are they, thinke you? mary, the ſword is like a Childes dagger that hee weareth at his back, and his Buckler like a little cupping-glaſſe: or like the boſſe of a Bridle: fit weapons (without doubt) for an Archangell, and more fit for him to fight with the Diuell withall? What ſhould I ſpeake of the Relicks of Saint Iohn Baptiſt? breuity bids me paſſe them ouer: and yet I cannot chuſe but relate one or two which are moſt famous: as that finger of his wherewith he poynted vntounto Chriſt, when he ſaid, Behold p. 203the Lambe of God: this finger is multiplied; for it is to be ſeene at Veſontium, and at Tholoſſe, and at Lyons, and among the Bituriges, and at Florence, and neere Matiſcone. Behold a wonder, ſixe fingers on a hand, or elſe one finger begetting fiue more, and ſo turned into ſixe, both a like miraculous: one of his ſhooes is in Paris among the Carthuſians, behold here another miracle, it was ſtolne away vponupon a time, and another of a ſodaine came in the roome thereof: ſure, a ſhoo will neuer bee wanting, as long as there be Shoo-makers in Paris.

37. Such like are the relickes of the reſt of the Saints, as of Peter, and Paul, and Iohn, and Iames, with the other Apoſtles, the Popiſh Churches are repleniſhed with thē, and ſome of them are in diuers places at once, after a miraculous maner, as the Altar whereon Peter ſaid Maſſe, is both to bee viewed at Rome, and at Piſa, his ſtaffe is at Colne, and at Treuers. Andrew hath one bodie to be ſeene at Tholoſſe, and another at Melphis: Iames the leſſer, and Philip, hauehave each of them two bodies, one of them at Tholoſſe, another at Rome: ſo alſo hauehave Simon and Iude: Bartholomew is to be ſeene at Naples: and yet for all that, his body is at Rome too, in a Church dedicated vntounto him. Mathew hath three bodies, one at Patauium, another at Rome at Saint Mary Maior, and a third at Treuers: the Cup wherein Iohn the Euangeliſt drunke the poyſon, after he was condemned by Domitian, is both at Bononia, and at Rome to be ſeene. Saint Anne hath three bodies, one at Apla, another at Prouince, and a third at Lyons: and ſo her head is in three places, at Treuers, at Turen, and at Thuring. Lazarus the Brother of Marie is like wiſe a Gyant of three bodies, one of them is at Maſſilia, another at Anguſtodune, and the third at Auelona.

38. I… would fill a volume, if I ſhould reckon vp all their ſtrange relicks. Let him that deſireth to ſee more of them, reade Caluins Tractate, called Admonitio de Reliquijs, where he ſhall finde a whole thraue of them. I for this time end with three or foure braue ones for the nonce, which are worthy neuer to be forgotten. It is written of Dunſtane the Abbot p. 204of Glaſtenbury, that as he was hallowing a certaine Church, he beheld the right thumbe of Editha, then Abbeſſe of Wilton, Guiliel. Malmſbur. lib. 2. de Pontif. Vincent. lib. 25. cap. 33.as ſhee was croſſing and bleſſing her forhead, and much delighting therein, hee tooke it into his hand, and ſaid, Neuer might this thumbe periſh. By vertue of which prayer of his, after Edithaes death, when all her body was turned into aſhes, that thumbe, and another part of her body, which it ſeemeth, he had bleſſed too, were found ſafe and ſound, and ſo became Reliques. We read alſo of a certaine Monke, who gaue out,Verger. annot. in Catalog. haeret. an. 1559. fol. 17. that he had brought from the Eaſt ſome of the ſound of the Bels, which hung in Salomons Temple, and that he could ſhew among other Reliques, ſome of the haires which fell from the Seraphicall Angell, when hee came to imprint the fiue wounds of Chriſt in S. Frauncis body. Yea, ſome of them are not aſhamed to ſhew to the Pilgrimes that goe to Ieruſalem, a three cornerd ſtone, which they beare them in hand, is that very ſtone, whereof Dauid ſpake, ſaying, The ſtoneBellon. obſeruat. lib. 2. c. 85. which the builders refuſed, is the head of the corner. Laſtly, at Cour cheuerin neere vntounto Blois, is kept for a monument the breath of S. Ioſeph, which he breathed, when he claue wood being a Carpenter: at Burgos in Spaine, is ſhewne a Crucifix, whoſe nailes and beard are cut eueryevery monethmonth, they grow ſo faſt, and in theſe excrements, they ſay, is great vertue. At Rome is to bee ſeene the fore-skinne of our Sauiour, which was cut off at his circumciſion: and in Galicia (as Pilgrimes report) are preſerued ſome of the feathers of certaine chickens, which are of the race of that Cocke, which crowed when Peter denied his Maſter. And at S. Denis, is to bee ſeene the Lanthorne which Iudas caried in his hand, when he came to betray his Maſter, with a number other ſuch like. Theſe bee their goodly Reliques which they would hauehave men to worſhip with ſuch great deuotion: of all which, or at leaſt, of moſt of them, we may truly auouch that which Augustine ſaith of miracles, that they are vel figmenta mendacium hominum, vel Auguſt, de vnitat. Eccleſ.portenta fallacium ſpirituum, That they are nothing but mere impoſtures, and coozening deuices, either of diuels or of auaricious Prieſts, Friers, and Monkes, to nouzle the people p. 205in ſuperſtition, and to line their owne purſes with crownes.

39. The bare narration of them is ſufficient to bewray their falſhood, but much more the Logicall contrariety and naturall repugnancie that is among them, which all the wit of man is not able to reconcile. And laſt of all, their nouelty for moſt of theſe Reliques, was neuer heard of in this world for three hundred yeeres aft…r Chriſt; ſo that it may iuſtly be wondred where they lay hid all that while, and by what meanes they were found out at laſt, or how they could continue ſo long. If they ſay, they were diſcouered by diuine reuelation, as the bodies of Geruaſius and Protaſius, to S. Ambroſe, Ambreſ. Epiſt. Aug. confeſſ. lib. 9. cap. 7. Epiſt. Lucian. Beda de ſex aetatibus. Zozomen. lib. 7. cap. vlt.of Stephen and Nichodemus, to one Lu…anus, and the head of Iohn Baptist to two Monkes, and the bones of Abacuk and Michaeas, to a certaine Biſhop: and the body of S. Barnabe, with the Goſpell of S. Mathew vponupon his breſt. I anſwere: that though all theſe were true, yet they were not reuealed to that end that they ſhould be worſhipped: neither yet did the God of truth euer by his teſtimony bolſter out ſuch notorious lyes as are found in the Romiſh Reliques. We may confidently therefore conclude, that moſt abominable Idolatry is committed in the Church of Rome, by the worſhipping (at leaſt) of falſe Reliques, whereof there is ſuch a ſwarme: for the greateſt part of their Reliques being counterfait, the greateſt part of the worſhip which is done vntounto them, muſt needes be Idolatry.

40. The Ieſuites, to this obiection of ours, giuegive two anſweres; one is Bellarmines, who flatly denieth the ReliquesBell. de Eccleſ. triumph. li. 2 c. 4 in Churches to be counterfait, becauſe none are receiued but by the authority of the Biſhop of Rome. And as for the multiplicity of bodies, hee ſaith, that the parts of them are often found in diuers places, and by a figure of ſpeech, are called by the name of the whole. But the Ieſuites anſwere, by his leaue, is idle and friuolous: for firſt, all theſe fore-named falſe Reliques are not caried about by priuate men, but found in their Churches; and therefore if authorized by the Popes holineſſe, the more ſhame for him, and the more certainty for vsus, that he can erre like a ſinfull man, euen ſitting in his chaire of doctrine. And p. 206ſecondly, though it were true which he ſaith, concerning the bodies of Saints, yet it cannot hold in other things, as in Iohn Baptists finger and his ſhooe, and the nailes of Chriſts croſſe, and the Virgin Maries milke, and ſuch like. Therefore Vaſques Vaſques de ador…t lib. 3. cap. 8. diſp. 3.the Ieſuite hath deuiſed another anſwere, and that is, Though the Reliques be vncertaine and falſe, yet if they bee worſhipped, it is no ſinne, but a good worke, Becauſe, as it is not the ſinne of Idolatry (ſaith hee) to worſhip a beame of light, vnderunder which the diuell lurketh, when a man taketh it for Chriſt: ſo if a man worſhip a falſe Relique, ſuppoſing it to bee ſome true part of a Saint, Merito ſuae deuotionis non caret, He wanteth not the merit of his deuotion. But this anſwere is not onelyonly friuolous, but impious: for by the ſame reaſon the Iewes ſhould be cleared from ſinne, when they crucified Chriſt, becauſe S. Paul ſaith, they did it through zeale, though not according to knowledge, Rom. 19. 2. and the Gentiles, whenRom. 19. 2. they put Chriſtians to death, becauſe our Sauiour ſaith, that in ſo d…ing, they thought they did God good ſeruice, Iohn Ioh 16. 2.John 16:216. 2. but they both ſinned notwithſtanding moſt grieuouſly. And their owne rule is, that ignorantia non excuſat à toto, ſed à tanto, that is, ignorance doth not excuſe the whole fault committed, but onelyonly leſſens the guilt of it. I conclude therefore, that notwithſtanding all that can be ſaid, yet in the worſhipping of Reliques, is committed manifeſt and deteſtable Idolatry.

41. Neuertheleſſe, we proteſt againſt the ſlanders of our aduerſaries, that albeit wee abhorre all falſe and counterfait Reliques, and refuſe to worſhip with adoration thoſe that are true: yet for theſe laſt ſort, when they are certainely knowne vntounto vsus, wee giuegive vntounto them a due honour and reuerence: that is, wee confeſſe them to bee holy as the members of Chriſt, and Temples of the holy Ghoſt, if they bee the parts of Saints and Martyrs: wee ſay with S. Augustine, That their Aug. de ciuit. lib. 8. c. vlt.memories are to be celebrated to the end (not that they may be worſhipped but) that thankes may be giuen to God for their victories, and we may be ſtirred vp to the imitation of their crownes, by calling vponupon God to our helpe. We acknowledge with Caſſander, p. 207that Vowes and Pilgrimages vntounto places, famous forCaſſand. conſult. de reliquijs. the Relickes of Martyrs, were in olde time profitable, Whileſt that the memory of the Martyrs was yet freſh and certaine, and as long as God by vndoubted myracles did manifeſt, that their ſoules did liue, who were thought to bee dead: and whileſt all theſe things were referred to this end, that the Chriſtian faith which they by dying profeſſed, might bee confirmed (as it were) by theſe ſignes. Yea, we affirme with Agrippa, that as Agrip. d… vanit. cap. 57.the abuſe of Relicks is an execrable wickedneſſe; ſo the irreuerent contempt of true Relickes is a deteſtable herfie: onelyonly the matters we ſpeake againſt, are theſe corruptions: firſt, a ſuperſtitious confidence in the worſhip of true Relickes: ſecondly, a ſacriligious forging of falſe ones: and thirdly and laſtly, an immoderate expending our riches in adorning and guilding the bones and Relickes of dead men; when in the meane while we ſuffer the poore that liue, to famiſh for hunger, or to go naked for want of clothes. As the heads of Peter and Paul are incloſed in ſo much ſiluer as weigheth foureCom. l'ij 2. li. 8. thouſand pounds, beſides Iewels and precious ſtones, of ineſtimable price: And the golden Tombe of Thomas of Canterbury was couered with Diamonds, Vnions, and Carbuncles,Eraſ. coll. de per…g. Rel. ergo. the baſeſt part of it was Gold. How much better might theſe treaſures hauehave been imployed to the reliefe of the poore, and other charitable vſes! This is all we finde fault withal; and this is inough to prooue them ſenſl…ſſe and blinde Idolaters, and their Church, which maintaineth all theſe things, an Idolatrous ſynagogue.

42. The fourth maine arme of Idolatry iſſuing out of the4. body of the Romiſh Church, and the roote of their religion is, their doctrine and practice touching the Inuocation of Saints and Angels. They maliciouſly ſlaunder vsus, and ſay, that we are enemies to the Saints, and that we deny them all honour and reuerence, comparing vsus therefore to the Caianian and Eun…ian Heretickes, for our wicked and ſacrilegious contempt of the Saints of God, as they falſly affirme: but we returne this reproch vponupon themſelues, and confidently affirme, that they wrong the bleſſed Saints more in making p. 208them Idols, and giuing them more honour then is their due, then we doe in giuing them too little, if that were true that we did ſo: for what can be more iniurious to the honour of thoſe bleſſed Creatures, who liue in the preſence of God, and ſing Haleluiah to him continually, with all honour, Reuel. 7.Rev 7praiſe, and glory be aſcribed to him that ſitteth vponupon the Throne, and to the Lambe for euermore: whoſe chiefe ioy and delight is to aduance the honour of the eternall God, then to hauehave any part of that honour due vntounto him aſcribed vntounto them? they had rather be deueſted of all theirs, then any iot of his glory ſhould be diminiſhed. More iniurious therefore are they to the Saints, if they giuegive them too much, and that in derogation from God, then we, if we giuegive them too little.

43. But wee deny that wee giuegive them too little; wee giuegive them their due honour and reſpect. For firſt, we giuegive God thankes for them, and for the benefits which God vouchafed by them to his Church; as the Church glorified God for the conuerſion of Saint Paul, and Paul gaue God thankes for theGal. 1. 13.Gal 1:13 graces of the Theſſalonians. Secondly, we highly extoll and1. Theſ. 1. 2.1 Thess 1:2 commend the Saints departed, and magnifie the graces and gifts of God in them; wee account them bleſſed, as the Virgin Marie propheſied of her ſelfe, that all Nations ſhould call her bleſſed: And wee keepe a perpetuall and a reuerend remembranceLuke 1. 48.Luke 1:48 of them, as our Sauiour promiſed to that Marie, that powred the boxe of precious oyntment vponupon his head,Marke 14. 9. Prou. 10. 6.Mark 14:9Prov 10:6 And Salomon confirmeth alſo to all the iuſt, that their memoriall ſhould be bleſſed. And thirdly, we propound them as examples for imitation, that their vertues may bee as patternes for vsus to imitate, and their falls as markes to make vsus warie: and their conuerſation as guides and directions for vsus in the way to the heauenly Canaan. Thus much honour we willingly attribute vntounto the Saints: but no further dare we goe, leſt we derogate from the honour of God; and in ſo doing, not pleaſe or content, but vexe and grieue the bleſſed Saints, who caſt downe their Crownes; that is, ſtrippe themſelues of all honour,Reuel. 4. 10.Rev 4:10 before the Throne of him that liueth for euer. But the Church of Rome are ſo lauiſh and prodigall in their honouring p. 209of them, that they deſpoyle God of his honour, and inueſt them therewith, committing Idolatry vntounto them. And this they doe three waies principally, firſt by outward adoration; ſecondly, by inuocation; and thirdly, by repoſing their truſt and confidence in their merites and mediation.

44. Touching outward adoration, which conſiſteth in theſe things principally, to wit, in bowing the knee, proſtrating the body, dedicating Temples, conſecrating Feſtiuall daies, and making vowes to the Saints departed; all whichBell de cultu Sanct. lib. 3. outward worſhip the Romiſh Church alloweth, and the Popiſh crue affoord vntounto the Saints departed: it cannot by any meanes bee eſteemed any whit leſſe then a practice of Idolatry, ſeeing by their owne confeſſion, it is more then a ciuill adoration, and being more then ciuill, it muſt needes be religious: for there are but two kinds of worſhip commanded by the law of God, the one enioyned in the firſt Table, namely, the diuine worſhip of God: and the other in the firſt commandement of the ſecond Table, which is the honour wee ought to giuegive to our ſuperiours. Now this worſhip of Saints muſt of neceſſity be one of theſe: but it is more then ciuill (ſay they) therefore it muſt needes bee a religious and diuine worſhip. For thus I reaſon, This worſhipping of Saints is either an iniunction of the firſt Table, or of the ſecond, or of neither: if they ſay, Of the firſt, then it is diuine and religious worſhip, for the firſt Table of the Law containeth vnderunder it onelyonly diuine and religious duties, the obiect whereof is God himſelfe, and none other, as the ſeuerall precepts thereof doe declare: if they ſay, Of the ſecond, then it is meere ciuill and politike, for the ſecond Table is onelyonly a bond of ciuill duties: if they ſay, It is of neither, thē it muſt needs be a wil worſhip, deui…ed by their own braines, and not warranted by the word of God: which is alſo confeſſed by Eckius in his Enchiridion,Eckius Enchir. Concil. Trid. decret. de Inuocat. Sanctor. and inſinuated by the Councill of Trent, when in ſetting downe that decree, it alleageth no Scripture; but onelyonly the ancient cuſtome of their Church, conſent of Fathers, and decrees of Councels.

45. But to the poynt: I ſay, that ſeeing by the rule of p. 210Gods word, we find but two kinds of worſhip, one religious and diuine, contained in the firſt Table; the other ciuill and humane, inioyned in the ſecond: If therefore the worſhip of Saints be not a meere ciuill worſhip, belonging to the ſecond Table of the Law, then it muſt needes be religious, and pertaine to the fi…ſt and ſo conſequently Idolatrous. This twofold worſhip and no more is approued by Saint Auguſtine, Aug. de ciuit. lib. 10.who by that diſtinction of foreign, and foreign, putteth difference betwixt the worſhip that muſt bee giuen to God, and that ciuill honour which is due vntounto men: for by foreign ▪ hee mea…eth that kind of worſhip and honour, which wee may and muſt performe to thoſe that excell either in place of authority, or in gifts and graces of God, which is meerely humane and ciuill, and by foreign, that d…uine worſhip which the creature oweth vntounto the Creatour onelyonly: and that former is that which he alloweth onelyonly to the Saints: and that in that acception of the word which is before ſpecified, to wit, as it is a ciuill and humane worſhip, as appeareth more euidently by that which he affirmeth in another place, in theſe words,Aug. cont. Fauſt. li. 10. cap. 21. Colimus Martyres eo cultu dilectionis & ſocietatis, quo & in hac vita coluntur Sancti Dei homines, ſed illos tanto deuotiùs, quantò ſecuriùs poſt incerta omnia ſuperata. In which words it is plaine, that the kinde of the worſhip exhibited to Saints triumphant, and Saints militant, is all one, but the extenſion of it is greater to the one then the other, according to t…e proporti…n of gifts and graces, more apparent in one then the other.

46. But the Romiſh Doctours, and principally the Ieſuites, adde a third kinde of worſhip, yea, a fourth to theſe two; albeit therein they neither agree with themſelues, nor with their fellowes, as it commonly falleth out when men build vponupon their owne fancies, (a rotten foundation) and not vponupon the word of God, which is the ground of truth. For Bellarmine Bell. de Sanctor. beat. li. 1. ca. 12.ſaith, that there is a ciuill worſhip due vntounto men, for ſome ciuill reſpect: and there is a religious worſhip due vntounto Saints, in reſpect of their Sanctity and holineſſe, which he calleth dulia; and a diuine worſhip proper onelyonly vntounto p. 211God, which he calleth latria: and that middle hee ſubdiuideth into two degrees; the firſt, he ſaith, is dulia, propriè dicta, ſo properly called, which agreeth to the Saints; and the ſecond Hyperdulia, which belongeth onelyonly to the humanity of Chriſt, and the bleſſed Virgin his Mother: and ſo hee maketh foure diſtinct kinds of worſhip, whereof two are without the compaſſe and reach of Gods Commandements, and therefore I know not where to place them, except in the diuels. The like doctrine is deliuered by Ʋaſques another Ieſuite,Vaſq de ador. li. 1. ca. 2. diſ. 5. Caniſ. Catechiſ. Bell. Ibid. lib. 1. cap. 14. Vaſq. Ibid. lib. 1. cap. 1. diſ. 6. and Caniſius, and almoſt all the reſt of that Ieſuiticall ra…ble: but marke their harmony; Bellarmine ſaith, that this worſhip o… Saints is Cultus, and therefore an acte of Religion, though in a ſecondary reſpect. Ʋaſques denyeth it flatly to be an act of Religion at all, but of ſ…me other vertue. Thomas Aquinas, Bonauenture, Gabriel, and Albertus, are of mind, as teſtifieth Ʋaſques, that it is one and the ſame kind of worſhip wherewith wee honour men, aduanced in ciuill dignity, and the Saints; and that the difference is in the degrees of proportion, not in diuerſity of kind. And in this they fully conſent with vsus, as alſo with Saint Auguſtine, and with the truth; but this is contradicted by Bellarmine, Vaſques, and all the rabble of the Ieſuites, as may appeare in the places before quoted.

47. Paluda nus makes three kindes of Hyperdulia, the firſt due to the humanity of Chriſt, for it ſelfe; the ſecond, to thevaſq. Ibid. bleſſed Virgin; & the third, to the reſt of the Saints: but as for dulia, that he applyeth onelyonly to that honour which we owe to all reaſonable creatures, except the damned: but this is croſſed by all the reſt. Againe, Durandus (as Vaſques reporteth) is of opinion, that the worſhip of Saints departed, and men, in ciuill dignity, proceedeth from one and the ſame vertue,Vaſq. Ibid. and differeth onelyonly in the act applyed vntounto the degrees of excellency. But Bellarmine, Vaſques, and all of that ſtampe, renounce vtterly that opinion, as I hauehave ſhewed. Laſtly, Vaſques that acute Ieſuite, as they brag of him, affirmeth, that the worſhip of Saints is not an act of Religion: and yet in the ſame Chapter he calleth it cultus ſacer & religioſus, A holy p. 212and religious worſhip; then which, what can be more contradictory? for if it be a religious worſhip, then muſt it needs be a worſhip of religion, and an act of religion; and if no worſhip of religion, then no religious worſhip: for coniugata (by the rule of Logicke) ſe inuicem ponunt & tollunt. And that which i… to bee noted aboue all the reſt, hee is conſtrained to deuiſe a new ſpeciall habite of vertue, to which this worſhipVaſq. Ieſ. Ibid. of Saints may be referred, neuer heard of before, neither in Morall Philoſophy, nor yet in diuinity: and that without name, and ſo without nature and being, except in the Ieſuites braine onelyonly. Thus wee may ſee how errour, like Proteus, turneth it ſelfe into many ſhapes, and at laſt is ſtrangled with it owne halter.

48. But that this outward adoration of Saints departed is Idolatrous, appeareth ouer and aboue that which hath beene ſaid, by theſe reaſons: firſt, becauſe they aſcribe vntounto them a preſence, not onelyonly in one place, but in all places where they are worſhipped: ſecondly, a power of hearing, ſeeing, and helping: and thirdly, an ability of knowing and ſeeing the heart: all which imply an infinite power, and ſuch as is properly diuine. And therefore it is nothing but a vaine ſhift, when they ſay they giuegive diuine worſhip to God, and no more but a certaine kinde of ſeruice to the Saints, when in truth they giuegive that which is Gods to the Saints, beſides touching, kneeling, and proſtrating the body in a religious manner. Peter Acts 10. 26.Acts 10:26refuſed to hauehave it done vntounto him by Cornelius: and the Angell rebuked Iohn twice for offering it vntounto him: if it hadReuel. 19. 22.Rev 19:22 beene lawfull, ſure, they would not hauehave refuſed it; for neither did Cornelius take Peter to be a God, but for a holy man: nor Iohn, the Angell for the Creator, but for an excellent creature, as euidently appeareth in the Texts; and therefore they intended not to worſhip them as Gods: yet becauſe the manner of their worſhip was more then befitting a creature, hauing in it a touch of diuine worſhip and religion, therfore it was reiected; the one ſaying, Stand vp, for I my ſelfe am a man; inſinuating, that a man muſt not bee religiouſly adored: and the other, See thou doe it not, for I am thy fellow p. 213ſeruant, implying thereby, that Angels, and if Angels, then Saints are but our fellow-ſeruants, and therefore not to bee worſhipped with any part of diuine and religious worſhip.

49. To the example of Peter, Bellarmine and Vaſques Bell. de Sanctor. beat li. 1. ca. 14. Voſques de adorat. li. 1. diſ. 5. c. 3giuegive two anſwers, the one out of Hierom in his Booke againſt Vigilantius, that Cornelius was worthily corrected by Peter, becauſe he thought ſome diuine thing to be in him aboue othermen: the other out of Chryſoſtome vponupon this place, that it was no fault in Cornelius to exhibite, but modeſty in Peter to refuſe that honour which was due vntounto him. Bellarmine is in different which of theſe two anſwers we take; and therefore without propounding his owne iudgement, leaues thē to our choyce. and yet the one of them ouer-turneth the other; for Hierom ſaith, it was a fault in Cornelius; Chryſoſtome, that it was no fault: Hierom, that Peter did well in reprouing Cornelius; Chryſoſtome, that he did not reprooue him at all, but of modeſty refuſed the honour giuen to him. What reaſon had he to leaue theſe to our choyce, being thus contrary? It plainely ſheweth, that he knew not what to anſwere. Therefore Ʋaſques the Ieſuite renounceth Hieroms anſwere vponupon this ground, that Cornelius knew the true God, before Peter came vntounto him, and therefore could not erre ſo groſſely, as to aſcribe any diuinity to a mortall man, and inſiſts vponupon Chryſoſtomes, that hee did it for modeſty ſake: but by as good warrant we may reiect Chryſoſtome, as he doth Hierom: eſpecially, ſeeing our reaſon is as effectuall; for Peter giues this reaſon of his denyall, for I my ſelfe am a man: which muſt needs be the medium of a ſillogiſme, thus to be concluded: No religious worſhip is to be giuen to man; but I my ſelfe am a man, therefore thou doeſt euill to worſhip me. Here is not a ſtrayning at courteſie for modeſty ſake, but a plaine renunciation of Cornelius his ſact as vnlawfull: if it had been a tricke of modeſty onelyonly, he ſhould rather hauehave ſaid thus comparatiuely, I am not worthy of this honour from ſuch a man as thou art, or ſuch like: but in ſaying, I my ſelfe am but a man, he inſinuateth, that Cornelius did more then he ought to do.

50. If they ſay, I but though you thus eſcape from Chryſoſtome, p. 214yet Hieroms interpretation will hold you faſt: I anſwere, Beſides Vaſques reaſon whereby he reiecteth Hierom, that it maketh nothing againſt vsus, but for vsus rather, & againſt them, becauſe Hierom ſeemeth to condemne as idolatrous, all ſuch adoration of Saints, wherein any part or propertie of the diuine nature is attributed vntounto them: but the Romaniſts in kneeling and proſtrating their bodies to the Saints, aſcribe the properties of God vntounto them, to wit, either to be preſent in many places at once, o… to heare, being as farre remote from them as …ea…en is from earth, and to know the heart, and to hauehave power to helpe, &c. all which properly are proper vntounto God.

51. To the example of Iohn and the Angell, the former two Ieſuites oppoſe alſo a double anſwere: firſt, that the Angell did appeare vntounto Iohn in that maieſty, that he might bee thought to be Chriſt himſelfe: And therefore that Iohn was rebuked, not for the errour in his adoration, but for his errour in the perſon adored. This anſwere Vaſques names onelyonly, and then reiects as friuolous: But Bellarmine propounds it as good and authenticall. Which ſhall we beleeue in this caſe? Ma…y, ſauing his reuerence, though hee be now a Cardinall, the plaine Ieſuite is to be preferred before him, both becauſe this anſwere is croſſed and contradicted by the ſecond; and alſo, becauſe the Ieſuite giues a reaſon of his reiection. And the Cardinall goeth to it by downe-right authority, as if, becauſe he is their chiefe Rabbi, hee may ſay what hee liſt: his reaſon is, becauſe Iohn did truely know him to be an Angell, and not God, and therefore that there was no errour in the perſon. Secondly, they anſwere, that the Angell would not now, as in time before, be worſhipped of men, becauſe now God was become man, and by his incarnation brought ſuch dignity to the nature of man, that the very Angels ſhould doe reuerence vntounto it, not be adored and reuerenced by it; eſpecially of Chriſts Apoſtles, and Princes of the Church. To which I anſwere, firſt, that by this allegation it muſt needes follow, that Angels are not now to bee adored in the Church of Chriſt, howſoeuer they were before; which is contrarie to p. 215their owne doctrine, and generall tenent of their religion.Bell. de Sanctor. be…t. li. 1 ca. 13. Vaſques de adora. lib. 1. diſ. 5. c. 3 And ſecondly, if not Angels, then much leſſe the Saints, who at their higheſt, though they be made like, yet are farre inferiour to the Angels in excellency of graces, and gifts. And th…ly, the reaſon where with the Angell, after he had reproued Iohn, directeth him to the right obiect of religious worſhip, doth ouerthrow this expoſition: for he ſaith, Worſhip God: he doth not ſay, Forbeare to worſhip me, becauſe your nature is dignified by the incarnation of the Sonne of God: but forbeare, becauſe I am not God; and all diuine and religious worſhip belongeth vntounto him. And thus notwithſtanding all that is yet ſaid, all religious kneeling and proſtrating the body to the Saints, is Idolatrous.

52. As for the dedicating Temples, conſecrating Feſtiuall daies, making vowes to them, they are all within the ſame compaſſe, and that partly for the reaſons before ſpecified, being acts of a religious worſhip: but eſpecially, becauſe theBell. decult. Sanct. li. 3. c. 4. & lib. 3. ca 9. & cap. 16. Idem, Ibid. ca. 4. doctrine of their Church is, that theſe things are ſo properly directed vntounto the Saints, that the end of their conſecration is determined in them. And therefore Bellarmine reprooues their opinion, which ſay, that Temples cannot properly bee erected to any, but to God: and affirmeth, that they may be dedicated directly vntounto Saints, and that vowes may bee made to them determinately; and ſo alſo Holy daies conſecrated: which cannot be any leſſe then plaine Idolatrie: ſeeing, as Saint Auguſtine ſaith, Cuiconuenit Templum, ei conuenit Aug. de ciuit. lib. 22 ca. 10.ſacrificium, to whom a Temple, to him a Sacrifice belongeth. And ſeeing the Scripture in many places teſtifieth, that vowsNumb. 30. 3. Deut. 23. 21. Eſay 19. 21.Num 30:3Deut 23:21Isa 19:21 muſt onelyonly be made to God; I am not ignorant of their cuaſion, that they doe not dedicate Churches to Saints, as they are Temples; but as they are Baſilicae, that is, ſtately buildings for memorials of the Saints: and that a Vow is made to God in ſignum gratitudinis …rga authorem, & primum principium omnium b…n…rum, as a ſigne of our thankfulnes to God the authour, and firſt cauſe of all good things: but to the Saints, as a ſigne of gratefulneſſe towards our mediatours and Interceſſours, by whoſe meanes wee receaue benefits from p. 216God. And that the honour of the holy day, though it immediately pertaineth to the Saints, yet mediately and ſecondarily it amounteth to God.

53. Theſe be Bellarmines goodly, but ſcarce godly diſtinctions: for theſe, and ſuch like as theſe are, hee vſeth as engines to vndermine the truth, and as vizards to couer the face of vgly falſhood. But they may well bee ouerthrowne with this one blaſt, that the holy Scripture neuer taught them, neither hauehave they any warrant from Gods Spirit: and therefore they are rather to be accounted forgeries of a frothy wit, then fruits of truth. But let vsus examine them a little: A Church is dedicated to God as it is a Temple; and to a Saint, as it is a Baſilica, Why then it ſeemeth, that either ſometimes it is a Temple, and ſometimes not a Temple, according to the fancie of thoſe that approach vntounto it: or elſe it is alwaies a Temple, and yet alwaies a Baſilica too, and then the honour muſt be diuided betwixt God and the Saints: let them take which they will; the firſt is impiety, the ſecond Idolatry. Againe, for Vowes, though we vow chiefly vntounto God, and ſecondarily to the Saints; yet the ſame worſhip in nature is giuen to theſe as to him, onelyonly it is not in the ſame degree: but Idolatry is to afford any part of Gods worſhip to a creature, as hath beene ſhewed. And laſtly, touching feaſt daies; if they be immediately applied to the honour of the Saint, and in a mediate and ſecondarie reſpect to God, as his diſtinction importeth, then the creature is adored not onelyonly with the like worſhip in nature, but with a higher degree then God himſelfe. And thus the miſt which he ſeeketh to caſt ouer mens eyes, by the ſubtiltie of his diſtinctions, is quickly diſpelled, aſſoone as the light of truth ſheweth it ſelfe: and therefore as Ixion, imbracing a cloud, in ſtead of Iuno, beg at a monſtrous off-ſpring: ſo, the entertaining of thoſe cloudie diſtinctions, without deciphering them to the quicke, hath bred, and doth breed moſt of thoſe monſtrous errors in the Church of Rome. Thus we ſee, that this outward adoration is tainted with moſt groſſe Idolatrie.

54. The ſecond branch of their Idolatrie to the Saints, is, p. 217by Inuncation and Prayer directed vntounto them. For, Prayer is a proper and peculiar part of Gods worſhip, and therefore not to be giuen to any other beſides, without a plaine touch of Idolatry: for the commandement of God is in the OldePſal 5….Ps 5 Teſtament, Call … of … not vponupon my … gels or my Saints, but vponupon …nd t… be alone is … inuocated, the reaſon following declareth, …d I will deliuer thee: from whence ariſeth this concluſion, he alone is to be inuocated by prayer, that is able to deliuer vsus in the day of trouble: but God alone can doe that, therefore he alone is to be prayed vntounto. Againe, it is the commandement of our Sauiour Chriſt in the New Teſtament to his whole Church, that it ſhould thus pray, O, our Father, not, O, our mother, nor, O, our brother, nor, O, our ſiſter, nor, O, our fellow-ſeruants, as the Popiſh Church prayeth: but, O, our Father. If there had been any neceſſity of praying to Saints, ſure, our Sauiour would here hauehave preſcribed it, where he ſetteth downe a perfect forme of prayer to be vſed in his Church for euer. Infinite be the places of Scripture …ending to this end; neither is there ſo much as one precept or example in the whole Booke of God, that either inioyneth or approueth Inuocation of Saints, as Caſſander confeſſeth; albeit his inference therevponCaſſand. conſult. art. 21. is abſurd, that therefore it may be done, becauſe, as there is no mandate nor example extant to warrant it, ſo there is no prohibition to interdict it: as if it were not neceſſarily required, that as all our actions, ſo our prayers ſhould bee grounded vponupon faith, without which it is not onelyonly impoſſible Iames 1. 6. Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14 23. Rom. 10. 17.Jas 1:6Heb 11:6Rom 14:23Rom 10:17to pleaſe God, but alſo, whatſoeuer we doe, is ſinne; but ſaith is grounded vponupon the word of God only, It commeth by hearing, ſaith the Apoſtle, and hearing by the word of God. How then can the Inuocation of Saints bee but vaine and vnprofitable; yea, impious and dangerous, ſeeing it is without ſaith, and ſo without all hope of Gods acceptance?

55. Suarez and Salmeron, two famous Ieſuites, confeſſeSuar. in 3. Them. q 52. d…ſ. 42. ſee 1 Salmer. com. … 1 Tim. 2 diſ. …. §.1 Tim 2 as much as Caſſander: for the one ſaith, that we neuer reade that any directly prayed vntounto the Saints departed, that they ſhould pray for them: and the other, that the Inuocation of Saints is p. 218not expreſſed in the New Teſtament, becauſe it would hauehave beene a harſh precept to the Iewes, and dangerous to the Gentiles. Thus, here are three, and thoſe not of the meaneſt, that acknowledge the inuocation of Saints, not to bee found in Scripture. And yet Bellarmine and …ius, and Coſter, and others … aſhamed to …eſt di…laces of Scripture to prooue it: but with what impude…y of ſpirit, and euill ſucceſſe, I ſhall not neede to ſhew, being ſufficiently diſcouered by others, and the very fight of them being a ſufficient refutation.

56. As for his reaſon which he braggeth to be vnanſwerable, me thinkes, it halts of all foure: for, becauſe we entreat Gods children here in this world to pray for vsus, doth it thereforeBell. de Sanctor. beat. li. 1. ca. 19. follow that we muſt pray vntounto them, being departed out of this world? By the ſame reaſon it may bee inforced, that we ought to giuegive almes vntounto them, and entertaine them into our houſes, and waſh their feete, and comfort them, and aduiſe them, and preach vntounto them: for all theſe duties of charity wee performe to Saints militant. If they ſay, Why, but they are remooued from vsus, and alſo from their bodies; and therefore as they ſtand not in neede of our charity, ſo wee cannot extend it vntounto them: The ſame anſwere cutteth the throte of this argument, they are ſo farre exalted aboue vsus, and ſeuered from all commerce with our affaires, that though we vſed their prayers here on earth, yet it is in vaine to inuocate them in heauen, our prayers, as our deeds of charity, being not able to ſtretch ſo farre. This I take to be a ſufficient ſolution to that vnſoluble argument: Albeit, we hauehave alſo another anſwere in readineſſe, to wit, that there is not the ſame reaſon of the inuocation of Saints in heauen, as of the mutuall prayers of Gods children on earth, but a great difference; here we know one anothers neceſſities, there the Saints knowEſay 63. 16. 2. Reg. 22. 20.Isa 63:162 Kgs 22:20 not our wants; here we are preſent with them whom we requeſt to pray for vsus; but we are not preſent with the Saints in heauen, nor they with vsus; and therefore the one is a fruite of charity, but the other a practice of piety and religion: here one liuing man may requeſt anothers helpe by word of p. 219mouth or letter: but inuocation of Saints is often performed by the ſecret deſires of the heart, without the vtterance of any ſpeech: here we ſtand as fellow members in our prayers, and make requeſt for each other, not in our owne names, but in the name of Chriſt our Mediatour: but when men inuocate the Saints in heauen, they make them more then their fellowes, euen mediatours of interceſſion betweene them and God. Laſtly, for mutuall praying for one another here, wee hauehave both an expreſſe commandement, and plaine examples in the word of God; but for praying to the Saints, wee hauehave neither commandement, nor example, nor promiſe in the whole Scripture.

57. But that I may leaue theſe things, and come to the poynt in hand, that Saints are made Idols by inuocation, may appeare by theſe reaſons: Firſt, becauſe they aſcribe vntounto them an omnipotent power to know the heart, which is a peculiar property belonging vntounto God onelyonly, Ier. 17. 10.Ier. 17. 10.Jer 17:10 Secondly, an infinite preſence in all places, and that at once: for when one prayeth to Saint Peter at Rome, another at Paris, another at London, another at Conſtantinople, and all at one inſtant, muſt not he needs be preſent in all thoſe places, or elſe how can he heare their prayers? Thirdly, a diuine power to helpe and deliuer all thoſe that call vponupon them, and that not onelyonly from outward calamities, but from inward ſinnes and corruptions. Fourthly, a property belonging onelyonly vntounto God, namely, to bee beleeued in: for how ſhall they call vponupon him in whom they hauehave not beleeued, ſaith S. Paul, Rom. 10. 14?Rom. 10. 14.Rom 10:14 And laſtly, a diuine worſhip, which is ſacrifice for prayer, is a ſpiritual ſacrifice of Chriſtians. Heb. 13. 13. which, as all know,Heb. 13. 13. Mal. 1. 11. 1. Tim 2. 8. Aug. de ciuit. li. 8 cap. 27.Heb 13:13Mal 1:111 Tim 2:8 pertaineth onelyonly vntounto God. And as Saint Auguſtine well confeſſeth, when he ſaith, We doe not ordaine Prieſts, nor offer ſacrifices to the Martyrs, becauſe it is vnfit, vndue, and vnlawfull, and due onelyonly to God alone: and againe in the ſame Chapter, becauſe not they, but their God is our God.

58. Againſt theſe arguments our aduerſaries make a ſhew of oppoſition (and but a ſhew) after this manner: Firſt, that they doe not aſcribe to the Saints an omnipotent power, or p. 220an infinite preſence by inuocating them; for they ſay, Beatifica Bell. de Sanctor. beat. li. 1. ca. 20.viſione, by that bleſſed viſion of God, they doe behold all things which pertaine vntounto them to know in him, tanquam Coſter. Enchir.in ſpeculo, as it were in a glaſſe. Secondly, that the Saints helpe, not as Authours, but as inſtruments and impetrators. Thirdly, that wee may beleeue in them, though not as in God, but as in our Patrons and Protectours. And that Bellarmine proueth by Hierome vponupon the Epiſtle to Philemon, Philem. 1. 5.Phlm 1:5on theſe words, When I heare of thy louelove and faith which thou haſt towards the Lord Ieſus, and towards all Saints. Laſtly, that Prayer is an improper kind of ſacrifice, ſo called by a figure of ſpeech, and not ſo, being in it owne nature.

59. But all theſe are but meere ſhifts, which may in ſome ſort blanch the fouleneſſe of this errour to the dim eyes of the ignorant; yet thoſe that are quicke-ſighted, can eaſily diſcerne their falſhood: and therefore that I may a little diſcouer their iuggling, I anſwere to their obiections in order; to the firſt three things: Firſt that t… is glaſſe, in which all things are ſaid to be ſeene, is no where to be found in the Scripture, and therefore is a plaine forgerie of their owne braines: for we reade, Mat. 5. 8. That the pure in heart are therefore Mat 5. 8.Matt 5:8bleſſed, becauſe they ſhall ſee God. From whence it may be gathered, that Viſio beatifica eſt beatitudo videntium: In the bleſſed ſight of God conſiſts the happineſſe of the Saints: but that thereby they ſhould behold, as it were in a glaſſe, all things which they would, is no where to be ſound in the Scripture of God. Secondly, it is contrary to Scripture: for Reuel. 6. 9.Reuel. 6. 9.Rev 6:9 it is ſaid, that the Saints vnderunder the Altar cry, How long, Lord, holy and true, wilt thou not reuenge our bloud! and Acts 2. 7. ItActs 2. 7.Acts 2:7 is not (…aith our Sauiour-to his Apoſtles) in you to know the times and ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his owne power. And that this is meant not onelyonly of the Saints in this life, but alſo in heauen, appeareth by that which Chriſt …aith, Mat. 24. 23. that the Angels know not the houre of the laſt Iudgement: & if not the Angels, much leſſe the Saints: but all theſe things doe in ſome ſort pertaine vntounto thē as well as the prayers of the liuing: and yet it is plaine, that they ſee them p. 221not in that glaſſe. Thirdly, if that be certaine, that they ſee in this glaſſe the prayers and neceſſities of their ſuppliants; Why doth Coſter and others affirme, that they attaine this knowledgeCoſter Enchir. by the relation of Angels? and yet they aſſigne to eueryevery man but one Angell: ſurely, that Angel is well employed in aſcending and deſcending eueryevery houre to carry newes to the Saints. And why doe others ſay, that the Saints are after a ſort by a wonderfull celerity of their glorified nature in eueryevery place? This is a wonderfull celerity indeed, if it were poſſible for them to be ſo; and yet be it as they would hauehave it, it cannot euince an audience of thoſe prayers which are made at one and the ſame inſtant, in diuers and farre diſtant places. And laſtly, why doe ſome others affirme, that they hauehave this knowledge not by the viſion of God, but by ordinarie and continuall reuelation from God? If by viſion, then not by reuelation: and if by reuelation, then not by viſion. And thus, like men in the darke, they fight with one another, and whileſt they forſake the light of the truth which ſhineth in the word of God, they fall into grieuous errours, hammered out of their owne fancies if they ſay it is no matter how they know our wants▪ but certaine it is that they doe know them: they take that for granted which is the queſtion to be proued, & which by no ſufficient argument they can euince.

60. To the ſecond obiection I anſwere, that moſt ignorant perſons eſteeme the Saints, to whom they pray, as the very authours and giuers of thoſe good things which they pray for, without any reſpect vntounto God, ſaue that they thinke hee hath put them into their hands to bee diſtributed at their pleaſure; and therefore they pray to one for their Horſes, and to another for their Hogs, and to a third for their Kine, &c. Yea, not onelyonly the ſimple ſort doe this, but it is the doctrine of their Church, as may appeare by this rime in their authorized Seruice-Bookes, to the bleſſed Virgin.

In te pluit, inte fluit Deus ſuam gratiam:

Ergo tuanobis plu… gratiae clementiam:

Ad beati tui Nati tranſfer praſentiam,

Et cunctorum delictorum confer indulgentiam.

p. 222That is: God raines his grace abundantly on thee:

Of that thy grace let vsus partakers bee:

Bring vsus vntounto the preſence of thy Sonne,

And pardon all the ſinnes which we hauehave done.

Here the Virgin Marie is not made the Impetrator, but the giuer of grace: and ſo are the reſt of the Saints, as ſhall more fully appeare in the next Section.

61. To the third I anſwere, that to beleeue in a creature, is to deifie that creature. For as Auguſtine well obſerueth,Aug. Tractat. in Iohn 54. Wee beleeue the Apoſtle, we doe not beleeue in the Apoſtle: and we beleeue the Church, and not in the Church: and thereforeIdem ſer. de temp…r. 131. in the Apoſtles Creed, where we ſay, I beleeue in God; wee doe not ſay, I beleeue in the Catholicke Church, but I beleeue the Catholicke Church: whereby is plainely inſinuated, that none but God is to be beleeued in, becauſe to beleeue in a thing, is to put our truſt and confidence in that thing. As for that place in the Epiſtle to Philemon, it maketh nothing for this purpoſe; for there the word Faith is referred to the Lord Ieſus, and LoueLove to the Saints: neither ought Saint Hieromes authority more preiudicate vsus in this interpretation, then it doth them in many ſuch like, whom they reiect as they do the reſt of the Fathers, at their pleaſures: eſpecially, ſeeing no man elſe beſides himſelfe is of that minde: at leaſt wiſe, if he vnderſtand by faith, to beleeue in the Saints, and not to beleeue them onelyonly: the one whereof is proper to the Creator, the other to the creatures.

62. To the laſt I anſwere, that Prayer is properly one of the ſacrifices of the New Teſtament; for here the ſacrifices are not corporall, but ſpirituall, as may bee prooued in generall by that which our Sauiour ſaith, Iohn 4. God will be worſhipped in Spirit, and truth. And in particular, by comparing Mal. 1. 11. with 1. Tim. 2. 8. for whereas Malachie prophecyingMal. 1. 11. 1. Tim. 2. 8.Mal 1:111 Tim 2:8 of the Kingdome of Chriſt, had ſaid that Incenſe, and a cleane offering ſhould be offered to God in eueryevery place: Paul ſheweth what is meant hereby, when he commandeth to lift vp pure hands vntounto God in eueryevery place. But ſuppoſe that it were improperly called a ſacrifice, yet it looſeth not the knot; for all p. 223kinde of ſacrifices, both proper and improper, corporall and ſpirituall, are due onelyonly vntounto God: for to whome belongeth a Aug. de ciuit. li. 8 cap. vlt.Temple and Altar, to him belongeth a ſacrifice, ſaith Saint Auguſtine: but no Temple or Altar, proper or improper, is to be built, or ſet vp to any but to God: and therfore no ſacrifice is to be offered but to him.

63. Laſtly, touching the authority of the Fathers, which are alleaged ſo frequently by Bellarmine, to prooue the Inuocation of Saints: and from which Caſſander would draw this concluſion, That it was not credible that thoſe holy men would admit any doctrine or cuſtome, which they ſuppoſed to bee contrary to the Euangelicall and Apoſtolicall doctrine, or detract any thing from the glory of God, or the merit of Chriſt, when as they vnderwent ſo heauie conflicts for Chriſts ſake. Here, (not to keepe the Reader in ſuſpenſe, referring a fuller ſatisfaction to this argument to a more fit place) foure things are to bee noted; firſt, that for the ſpace of two hundred yeares after Chriſt, the Interceſſion and Inuocation of Saints, were doctrines vnknowne vntounto the Church: and therefore they alledge no Father within that compaſſe, ſaue Dioniſius Areopagita: Dioniſ. Areopag. Eccleſ. Hier. c. 7.Cap. 7. Eccleſ. Hierarch: which booke, as diuers other that goe vnderunder that name, Illyricus hath proued to bee counterfeit by impregnable reaſons. And Iraeneus, Lib. 5.Iraeneus cont. haereſ. lib. 5. contra Haereſ. who ſaith, that the Virgine Mary was made the Aduocate of the Virgine Eue: by which hee could not meane that Eue did pray vntounto Mary here on earth, ſeeing Mary wasOrig. in Epiſt. ad Rom. lib. 2. & hom. 3. in Cant. Nazian, de laud. Gorgon. & Orat. 1. cont. Iulian. & Orat. de Baſil. & epitap. patris. Hier. Epiſt. ad Nepotian. Aug. de cur… pro mort. cap. 16. & 13. & in Pſal. 108.Ps 108 not then borne when Eue liued: nor that the Virgine Mary did pray for Eue whilſt ſhee liued, becauſe then ſhee her ſelfe was not: both which muſt needes be, if by this teſtimony the Inuocation of Saints ſhould be proued.

64. Secondly, thoſe Fathers that liued in the next two hundred yeares, ſpeake of this matter very variouſly and doubtfully, as if it were a doctrine which they knew not what to ſay to, & were not fully reſolued in. Thirdly, of thoſe Fathers which he alleageth, though in ſome places they ſeeme to allow that cuſtome which was then brought into the Church: yet in other places they diſallow the ſame. Yea, and they are p. 224diſapprooued alſo of others that liued in the ſame age. Thus true Athanaſius condemneth Inuocation of Saints, Orat. 2. & 3. contra Arianos: and falſe Athanaſius alloweth it, Sermon. in Euangel. de Sanctiſſima Deipara. Baſil approueth it, but Nazianzene doubteth of it, and Epiphanius that liued alſo about that time, vtterly condemneth i…. Chryſoſtome in ſome places ſeemeth to allow of it; in others, he ſpeaketh againſt it: and ſo doth Auguſtine, and the reſt, as you may ſee at large prooued by Chemnitius in his examine of the Councill ofChemnit. exam. de Inuoc. Sanct. Trent. And that which is not to be forgotten, they alleage many falſe and counterfeit Bookes, vnderunder the name of the Fathers, as Dionyſius Areopagita. Eccleſiaſt. Hierar. Athanaſ. Serm. de Sanctiſſima Deipara. Chryſoſt. hom. ad pop. 66. and many others of the like impreſſion, as the ſame Chemnitius hath learnedly and vnanſwerably prooued.

65. Laſtly, thoſe Fathers which doe defend this Inuocation, yet do not defend it as it is now practiſed in the Church of Rome: for firſt, the Fathers, if they did allow of this Inuocation, yet it was in their priuate deuotions, not in the publike Leiturgie of the Church: for it cannot bee prooued, that in any of the ancient Leiturgies this Inuocation was vſed, vntill Gregorie the firſts time (for as for that which was called Chryſoſtomes Maſſe, all know it is a baſtard brat, and not a true Child of that good Father) but in the Church of Rome it is practiſed in their publicke ſeruice, and ſo is come from a matter of priuate deuotion, to a generall practice of Religion. Secondly, the Fathers, though they may ſeeme to hauehave prayed ſometimes vntounto the Saints, out of the heate of their deuotion; yet it was but now and then, and as it were, by the way, whereas their ordinary prayers and deuotions were directed vntounto God: but in the Church of Rome the Saints are more prayed vntounto, then God; he hath the leaſt, and they the greateſt ſhare in their deuotion; witneſſe the Letanie of the bleſſed Virgin Marie, and the Marie Pſalter, and their Common practice. Thirdly, the Fathers, albeit they directed their prayers ſometimes to the Saints, yet they repoſed moſt confidence in their prayers to God, and in the mediation p. 225of Chriſt, as appeareth by that which Chryſoſtome ſaith; Ad Chryſoſt. hom. 12 in Math.Deum non oſtiar…o, &c. We need no Porter, nor Mediator, nor Miniſter, to bring vsus to God: ſay but, Miſerere mei Deus, &c. And in another place hee ſaith, that when wee pray our ſelues to Idem hom. de prof. Euang.God, wee obtaine more, then when others pray for vsus. But the ſuperſtitious Romaniſts thinke to ſpeede better when they pray to the Saints, then when vntounto God: And therefore they are not aſhamed to ſay, that we muſt appeale from the CourtBernardine in marial. of Gods iuſtice, to the Court of his Mothers mercy. Fourthly, the Fathers did not ſo much as dreame of any merits of ſupererogation which ſhould be in the Saints, and by them ſhould be communicated vntovs: but all the intereſt and benefit which we hauehave to & in the merits of the Saints, in their iudgement, was, by vertue of the Communion of Saints: that as the members of one body enioy the ſtrength and vigor that is in each other; ſo the members of Chriſt militant,Aug. in Pſal. 130Ps 130 receiue a certaine benefit from the gifts of God, beſtowedCaſſand. conſult. de Inuoc. Sanct. vponupon the Saints triumphant, and doe as it were merite by their merits, becauſe they are all members of one and the ſame myſticall body. But the Romaniſts hold, that the Saints doe ſupererogate, that is, hauing more merits then they need themſelues, doe conferre ſome of their ſuperabundance vponupon their poore brethren that want. Fiftly, the Fathers, when they ſpake of praying to the Saints, did not ſpeake poſitiuely, but tropically, and figuratiuely, by hyperbolicall, and Rhetoricall Apoſtophers, as may appeare plainely in the Orations of Nazianzen, and other of their writings: But the Romaniſts conclude poſitiuely, and doctrinally, without any Rhetoricall figures, or Hyperbolicall elocutions. Sixtly, as Caſſander confeſſeth, when the Fathers ſaid to the Saints, Orate pronobis, they meant, Vtinam oretis pro nobis, Would to God they would pray for vsus; and ſo they were rather wiſhes, then prayers: But the Romaniſts admit no ſuch extenuation, but flatly affirme, that wee ought directly to pray vntounto them as our Patrons, Protectors, and Interceſſors. And laſtly, the Fathers relyed not vponupon the interceſſion of Saints, except there were in themſelues a care and conſcience of a godly p. 226life: but in Popery, notorious, wicked, and vngodly perſons, that neuer thinke vponupon amendment of their liues, but perſeuere in their ſinnes without repentance: yet doe aſſure themſelues to bee ſaued by the merits and interceſſion of the Saints. And thus, howſoeuer they make a ſhew of Fathers, to cloke their Idolatry withal; yet the Fathers, if they be rightly vnderſtood, are as much different from them, as blacke is from white. And the Fathers might bee free from Idolatrie, when as they remaine guiltie.

66. The third and laſt way whereby they turne the bleſſed Saints into Idols, is by putting their truſt and confidence in their merits and mediation: which kinde of ſpirituall worſhip is due only vntounto the diuine Maieſtie, as hath been ſhewed. The truth of which aſſertion may be proued, firſt, by their doctrine, & ſecondly, by the publike practice of their Church. Touching their doctrine, to omit the impious, impudent, and blaſphemous opinions of their Monkes and Friers, who hauehave egregiouſly exceeded the bounds of all pietie in this point, left the Romaniſts ſhould ſay, that they were but priuate mens conceits, and not the receiued doctrines of the Church; I will onelyonly relate ſome few ſentences out of their moſt publicke and athenticke writings.

67. And to begin with Peter Lumbard; he ſaith, that theLumbard lib. 4. diſt. 45. Saints doe intercede for vsus both by their merite, and by their affection: therefore we pray vntounto them, that their merits may helpe vsus, and that they would will our good; becauſe, if they will it, God alſo will will it, and it ſhall be done. Thus hee makes Gods will to depend vponupon theirs, and not theirs vponupon Gods; and conſequently, more truſt to be repoſed in them, then in God. Alexander Alenſis, the moſt ancient of the Schoolemen,Alex. Alenſis in 4. Sentent. q. 92. me…b. 1. art. 4. writeth, that the Saints are to bee prayed vntounto for three cauſes: Firſt, eyther for our pouerty in meriting, that where our merits faile; others may patronize vsus: or for our pouertie in contemplation, that wee not being able to behold the higheſt light in it ſelfe, may behold the ſame in the Saints: or for our pouertie in louing, becauſe the efficacie of prayer ariſeth from deuotion: and for the moſt part, an imperfect man doth feele himſelfe more …ffected p. 227towards the Saints, then towards God. Secondly, for the glory of the Saints, that whilſt wee obtaine that which wee deſire by their ſuffrages, wee may magnifie them. And thirdly, for the reuerence of God, that a ſinner that dares not come vntounto him in his owne perſon, may fly to the Saints, and implore their helps. Bonauenture affirmeth, that the Saints by their merits hauehave not Bonauent. in 4. ſentent. D. 45.onelyonly deſerued happineſſe and glory to themſelues, but alſo by their merits of ſupererogation, hauehave power to helpe others that pray vntounto them. And againe he ſaith, He that was before vnworthy, by praying to the Saints is made worthy. Aquinas giueth this reaſon for praying to the Saints; Quia vltima reducuntur Aquinas ſuple… ▪ 3 part. qu. 72. art. 2.in Deum per media: Becauſe the extremes are reduced to God by the meanes, therfore Gods benefits are conuayed vntounto vsus by the meanes of the Saints. Biel ſaith, that we oughtGab. Biel. ſuper Canon. to fly to the refuge of the Saints, that we may be ſaued by their merits and prayers: and he ſaith further, that God hath giuen halfe his Kingdome to the bleſſed Virgine, the Queene of heauen; as Aſſuerus promiſed to Queene Eſter: and ſo retayning iuſtice to himſelfe, he hath graunted mercy to her to be exerciſed. And vponupon this ground, is that ſaying of Bernhardine, that weBernhardine in marial. Antonin. part. 4. tit. 15. muſt appeale from the Court of Gods iuſtice, to the Court of his Mothers mercy. But Antoninus, the Archbiſhop of Florence is more playne then them all: for hee telleth vsus, That it muſt needs be, that to whomſoeuer the bleſſed Virgin turneth her eyes, they muſt be iuſtified and ſaued. And againe, that Chriſt is not only an Aduocate, but a Iudge: and therefore a ſinner dareth not approch vntounto him; but that God hath prouided vsus of an Aduocatreſſe, which is ſweet and milde, and in whom is no bitterneſſe. And againe, Mary is that Throne of grace, ſpoken of Heb. 4. 16. to whom we muſt approch with confidence, that we Heb. 4. 16.Heb 4:16may obtayne mercy, and find grace, in the time of neede: Againe, he calleth the Virgin Mary, the gate of heauen, becauſe whatſoeuer grace euer came out of heauen into the world, came out by her meanes: and whatſoeuer thing entreth into heauen, muſt enter by her: and ſo he calleth the other Saints, Portas coeli: The gates of heauen. Becauſe by their prayers they carry vsus intoSotus in confeſſ. Cathol. heauen. Sotus ſaith, that the Saints are coadiutors, and p. 228cohelpers in the worke of our ſaluation. Many ſuch-like blaſphemousSotus in confeſſ. Cathol. ſayings might bee alledged out of their ſubtile Schoolemen, whereby it euidently appeareth, that in thoſe dayes the poore ignorant Romaniſts were taught to repoſe the truſt and confidence of their ſaluation, in the merits and mediation of the Saints; yea, and that more then in Chriſt: as that publike Picture which was extant in many of their Churches doth more fully prooue: when as Chriſt our Sauiour was painted like a ſterne man caſting darts, and the people flying for ſuccour to the Virgine Mary, who interpoſed her ſelfe, and ſhewing her Sonne her breſts, receiued his darts in her garment. If this bee not, beſides Idolatrie, horrible and fearefull blaſphemy, let all men iudge.

68. But what? is the doctrine of latter times any whit purer? no verily: for the Councill of Trent, that was called in pretence to this end, to reforme abuſes in the Church, and to reſtore Religion to ſome puritie, doth approoue and confirmeConcil. Trident. Seſſ. 9. all theſe groſſe opinions of the Schoole Diuines: for thus it decreeth; that it is good and profitable, humbly to inuocate the Saints, and to fly to their prayers and ſuccour for the obtayning of bleſſing from God in Chriſt. And that wee may ſee the meaning of this Decree, the Romane Catechiſme, whichCatechiſ. Roman. was made by the commaundement of the Biſhop of Rome, doth more expreſſely affirme, that the Saints are therefore to be called vponupon, becauſe they pray continually for the ſaluation of men: and God beſtoweth many benefits vponupon vsus for their merit and grace ſake: and that they obtaine pardon for our ſinnes, and reconcile vsus into the fauour of God. And for the refining Ieſuites, they hauehave not yet refined this errour: for, Coſter writeth,Coſter Enchir. that the Saints are to be inuocated, both that they may mediate our cauſe to God, and alſo, that themſelues may helpe vsus. Ʋiega, another Ieſuite, ſaith, that they are as it were the dores, Viega in Apocal.by which an entrance is opened to vsus vntounto the moſt holy places in heauen. Oſorius, another of the ſame ſtampe, affirmeth, thatOſorius …om. 3. co…ci…. pa. 6…1. God giueth vsus all good things by the interceſſion of the Saints. And laſtly, to make vp the meſſe, Bellarmine himſelfe, that isBell. de Sanctor. be…t. li. 1. ca. 20. more wary then all the reſt, doth not bluſh to ſay, that Gods p. 229predeſtination is helped & ſupported by the prayers of the Saints, Bell. de Sanctor. beat. l. 1. c. 20.becauſe God hath determined to vſe their prayers for the effecting of mans ſaluation. Behold here a Map of the Romiſh doctrine. Who can now chooſe but account them Idolaters, when they thus teach the people, That all bleſſings deſcend vponupon them by the meanes of the Saints; and ſo encourage them to repoſe their confidence in their merits?

69. But from their doctrine, let vsus come to the practice of their Church, and we ſhall ſee this more cleerely: and heere ſome few examples ſhall ſerue for a taſte; for to propound all in this kinde, would bee both tedious and needleſſe. Thus therefore in their publike Seruice Bookes, Roſaries, and Breuiaries, they pray vntounto the Saints:

To Saint Paul.

Vouchſafe to bring thy humble ſuppliants to heauen after the end of this life, to whom thou haſt reuealed the light of truth.

To Saint Iames the greater.

Haile, ô ſingular ſafeguard of thy pilgrims, bountifully heare the prayers of thy ſeruants, helpe them that worſhip thee, and bring them to heauen.

To Saint Thomas thus:

Vouchſafe to eſtabliſh vsus, thy ſuppliants, in his faith, by handling of whō, thou deſeruedſt to acknowledge to be God.

To Saint Iohn.

Haile, ô holy Apoſtle of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, I intreat thee by his louelove who choſe thee out of the world, that thou wouldeſt deliuer me, thy vnworthy ſeruant, from all aduerſitie, and from all impediments of body and ſoule, and receiuing my ſoule at the houre of death, wouldeſt bring me to life euerlaſting.

To Saint George thus:

Hee ſaue vsus from our ſinnes, that wee may reſt with the bleſſed in heauen.

Here Saint George is made a Sauiour, and that from ſinne: and ſo either Chriſt is cleere put out of his office, or George ioyned with him in his office.

p. 230Againe, to Saint Eraſmus.

Graunt, that by thy merits and prayers, we may ouercome all the ſnares of our enemies, and be freed from the pouerty of body and minde, and from eternall death.

To Saint Chriſtopher.

O glorious Martyr, Chriſtopher, bee mindefull of vsus to God, and without delay, defend our body, ſenſe and honor, thou that deſeruedſt to carry in thine armes ouer the Sea, the Flower of heauen, cauſe vsus to auoid all wickedneſſe, and to louelove God with all our hearts.

To Saint Coſmus and Damianus.

O moſt holy Phyſicians, who ſhine in heauen moſt cleerely by your merits, preſerue vsus both from bodily plague and diſeaſe▪ and alſo from the death of the ſoule, that we may liue in grace, vntill we enter into heauen.

To Francis the Fryer, thus:

O Francis, ſunnes light, ſingular crucified Saint, &c. be… thou to vsus the way of life, make ſatisfaction for vsus alway, ſhew to Chriſt the marks of thy wounds.

This Frier Francis they make equall to Chriſt: and thereforePoſſeuine bibl. ſelect. pag. 295. …oz de ſig. eccleſ. tom. 2. pag. 200. they ſay, that Chriſt imprinted his fiue wounds vponupon him, as if he alſo were to ſuffer for the world, and redeeme mankind, and that they were alike in all things: as thoſe blaſphemous Verſes of two ſhameleſſe Ieſuites, Turſelline and Bencius doeExue Franciſc… …unica lacera que cu…ullo: qui Franciſcus erat, iam tibi Chriſtus crit. declare.

70. What ſhould I trouble thee (gentle Reader) with any more of this trumpery? their Bookes are full of ſuch-like prayers, if any pleaſe to read them: and that we may plainely ſee, that they put their truſt and confidence in them, not onelyonly the words doe ſufficiently ſignifie, but alſo the liberallFranciſci exuvijs (ſi qua lice…) indue Chriſtum▪ iam Franciſcus crit, qui modo Chriſtus erat. indulgences their Popes hauehave annexed to the deuout ſayings of ſuch Oriſons: As Pope Sixtus hath promiſed eleuen thouſand yeeres pardon to them that ſhall ſay a certaine prayer before the Image of the Virgine Mary, beginning thus; Aue ſancta Mater Dei, &c. But to leaue the reſt of the Saints, and to come to the bleſſed Virgine, whom with Epiphanius, we bleſſe and honour, but in … caſ… worſhip: it is aEpiphan. lib. 3. p. 231wonder into what an abominable Idoll they hauehave tranſlated, not her (for ſhee abhorres their impietie,) but the Idea and fancy of her, which they hauehave deuiſed in their owne braynes: for they call her the Queene of heauen, the Mother of mercy, the Gate of Paradiſe, the Life and hope of a ſinner, the Light of the Church, the Lady of the world, the Aduocatreſſe and Mediatrix of mankinde: yea, they ſay, that the deathBernhardinmariale. and paſſion of Chriſt and the holy Virgine, was for the redemption of mankinde; and that ſhe alſo muſt come betwixt God and vsus for the remiſſion of ſinne; and that her Sonne Pet. Galatin. de arcan cathol. verit. pag. 515.and ſhe redeemed the world with one heart: as Adam and Eue ſold the world for one apple. And thus they ioyne the Virgine Mary with Chriſt in the office of our redemption, and ſo make her equall with him, which were ſomewhat tolerable, if they could ſtay there, but they climbe higher in impudency, and not onelyonly match her with Chriſt, but ſet her aboue him: For they tell vsus of a viſion, How Chriſt preparing to iudge the world, there were two Ladders ſet, that reached to heauen: the one red, at the top whereof Chriſt ſate; theSpec. exempl. d. 7. 11. 4. other white, at the top whereof the Virgine Mary ſate: and when the Friers could not get vp by the red Ladder of Chriſt, but euermore fell downe, Saint Francis called them to the white Ladder of our Lady, and there they were receiued. And a late Ieſuite hath ſet forth to the view of the world certaineCarolus Scriban. alias, clarus Benarſcius. Verſes, wherein he preferres the milke of our Lady, in many reſpects, before the bloud of Chriſt: yea, they ſubiect Chriſt, now raigning in the heauens, to his Mothers command: as it is ſung in ſome of their Churches:Gab. Bi…l lect. 80. in Canon miſſ…. Caſſand. conſult. pag. 155.

O happy Virgine, that our ſinnes doſt purge,

E…treate thy Mother, and thy Sonne doe vrge;

Command him, though Redeemer that …e be,

By right of Motherhood, which is giuen to thee.

71. And this the Roſarie of the Virgine Mary doth more euidently manifeſt: for Dominicke, who was the firſt inuentor of it, ordayned that fiftie Ane Maries ſhould be recited, and at eueryevery tenth, one Pater noſter, which together make a p. 232Roſarie: and for this purpoſe the ſame Dominicke framed fiue and fiftie Stones or Beades, and hung them together on a ſtring, betwixt eueryevery ten little ones, one great one, and called them Patriloquia, as it were prayers to the Father; which he might more properly hauehave called, Matriloquia, prayers to the Mother: for here are ten Aues, to each Pater noſter. And this was the originall of praying vponupon Beads. Now out of theſe Roſaries, ſprung there Mary Pſalters: for three Roſaries, to wit, an hundred and fifty Aue Maries, and fifteene Pater noſters, make one Mary Pſalter, becauſe, forſooth, the Pſalter of Dauid conſiſts of ſo many Pſalmes: and to the fraternitie of this Pſalter, and the ſayers thereof, were giuen by diuers Popes, as Sixtus the fourth, and Innocent the eighth, threeſcore thouſand yeeres of indulgence, and plenary remiſſion both from the puniſhment and fault, one, in the time of life, and one in the houre of death. Is not heere, I pray you, the worſhip of the Virgine Mary exalted aboue the worſhip of Chriſt? who can doubt of it, ſeeing the proportion is ten to one, fifty to fiue, an hundred to ten, an hundred and fifty to fifteene? And no maruell, if it bee thus in their prayers, ſeeing it is as euill or worſe in their deeds: for whereas wee hauehave one Church, or religious houſe, dedicated to Chriſt, we ſhall finde ten dedicated to Mary the Mother of Chriſt: and ſo the Mother is aduanced aboue the Sonne, and yet ſhe but a woman of fleſh and bloud, ſaued by her Sonne, and bleſſed by that faith which ſhee had in him, and hee the Sonne of God, as well as the Sonne of Man, the Sauiour and Redeemer of mankinde.

72. But the moſt horrible Idolatrie and blaſphemy of all the reſt, is to be found in another Mary Pſalter of theirs, compiled (as they ſay) by Bonauenture, and authoriſed in theCaſſand. conſult. pag. 155. Church of Rome: wherein they apply all the whole Pſalter of Dauid, to the Virgine Mary; and whereſoeuer they finde the name, Dominus, Lord, they put in, Domina, Lady: as for example, in the third Pſalme, for, Lord, how are my foes increaſt; they ſay, Lady, how are my foes increaſt! and in the ſixt Pſalme, for, O Lord, correct mee not in thy wrath; they ſay, p. 233O Lady, correct me not in thy wrath. And in the 31. Pſalme, for, Bleſſed are they, O Lord, whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen; they ſay, Bleſſed are they whoſe hearts louelove thee, O Virgine Mary; for their ſinnes ſhall be forgiuen them by thee: and ſo cleane through the Pſalter. If any deſire to ſee the gulfe and dunghill of Superſtition and Idolatrie, practiſed in the Church of Rome, vnderunder the Inuocation of Saints, let him but read this one Pſalter, which alone, if there were no other argument, is ſufficient to conuince their whole Church of open and notorious Idolatrie: and that, Caſſander himſelfe confeſſeth in the place aboue quoted.

73. Thus they exalt the Virgine Mary aboue Chriſt, and equall her with God: yea, which is horrible to ſpeake, and fearefull to be recorded, they place her aboue God himſelfe: for they teach, that a man may appeale to the Virgine Mary, not onelyonly from a Tyrant, and from the Diuell; but euen from God himſelfe. This writeth Bernardine de Buſto, about 120.Bernardine de Buſto. marial. p. 3. ſer. 3. pa. 96 Poſſeuine in Appar. ſacr. Pet. Mathaeus com. ſub conſtit. Pii. 2. pag. 20. yeeres ſince, and his booke was authoriſed by Pope Alexander the ſixt, and yet remaines ſo farre from all diſallowance, that it is approoued by Poſſeuine, as a learned and godly booke. Out of which it muſt needes follow (which I tremble to vtter) that by their doctrine, the Virgine Mary is greater then God; becauſe eueryevery appeale is from the leſſer to the greater.

74. But no maruell, if they preferre Mary to Chriſt, that is, the Mother before the Sonne, ſeeing they doe as much to two Fryers, Francis and Dominicke. He that would ſee how Francis is matched and exalted aboue Chriſt, let him read the booke of his Conformities, and hee will bee aſtoniſhed at their madneſſe. Alſo, of Dominicke they write moſt ſtrange things, and ſuch, as Chriſt neuer did the like: as for example; Chriſt rayſed but three dead (ſaith Antoninus:) but Dominicke Antonin. part. 3. tit. 23. c. 1. …. 3.rayſed three at Rome, and forty that were drowned in a Riuer neere to Tholoſſe. Chriſt being made immortall after his reſurrection, entred twice into the houſe, the dores being ſhut: but Dominicke, being a mortall man, entred into a Church in the night, the dores being ſhut, that he might p. 234not waken the brethren. Chriſt had all power committed vntounto him in heauen and earth: and Dominicke did partake the ſame power with him; for the Angels ſerued him, the Elements obeyed him, & the Diuels trembled at him. Chriſt was the Lord abſolutely, and by authority: but Dominicke principally, and by poſſeſſion. Chriſt was laid at his birth in a Manger, and wrapped in clouts to keepe him from cold: but Dominicke being an infant, would often get out of his bed, and as if hee abhorred all delights of the fleſh, lye vponupon the bare ground. Chriſt neuer prayed, but hee was heard, if he would; except in the Garden, when hee prayed that the Cup might paſſe away from him, where praying according to his ſenſuall part, would not be heard according to reaſon: but Dominicke neuer deſired any thing of God, but it was graunted vntounto him. Chriſt being borne, a Starre appeared in the Eaſt, which directed the Wiſe-men to him, and foreſhewed that he ſhould be the light of the world: but Dominicke being borne, and ready to bee baptized, his Godmother ſaw a Starre in his forehead, foretelling a new light of the world. Laſtly, Chriſt loued vsus, and waſhed away our ſinnes by his bloud: ſo did Dominicke; for hee whipt himſelfe thrice eueryevery day with an Iron chayne, and drew bloud each time out of his ſides: once for his owne ſinnes, which were very ſmall; the ſecond for thoſe that were in Purgatory; and the third for thoſe that liue in the world. Is not Dominicke heere in ſome things equalled, and in others preferred before our bleſſed Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt?

75. And thus to paſſe ouer all their falſe and counterfeit Saints, which eyther neuer were in rerum natura, or were not ſuch as they make them: as Chriſtopher, George, Catherine, Bel. de beat. Sanct. lib. 1. ca. 9.and ſuch like. For it is a true ſaying of Auguſtine, or of ſome other; Multorum corpora honorantur in terris, quorum animae torquentur in inferno: The bodies of many are honoured on earth, whoſe ſoules are tormented in hell. And to omitCaict. tract. de concept. & Indulg. Bel. de eccleſ. triump. l. 1. c. 9. that the Pope may erre in the canonizing of Saints, it being grounded vponupon falſe miracles: as Caietane acknowledgeth, and others; though Bellarmine be of another minde, p. 235and laboureth to prooue the contrary: but (God wot) with very ſhallow reaſons, as any may diſcerne that will but read him. To omit (I ſay) all this, by that which hath beene ſayd it is moſt cleere, that vnderunder the doctrine and practice of Inuocation of Saints in the Church of Rome, lyeth lurking moſt abominable Idolatry.

76. The laſt principall branch of Idolatry, maintayned and practiſed in the Church of Rome, is the adoration and worſhipping of the Croſſe. Now by the Croſſe they vnderſtand, eyther the true Croſſe of Chriſt, together with any part or portion thereof; or the picture or image of that Croſſe, whether it bee materiall and permanent, or tranſeunt and formall onelyonly. Of both which this is the doctrine of the Church of Rome: that not onelyonly that Croſſe whereon Chriſt dyed, but eueryevery picture and repreſentation of it, whether grauen or paynted…, or expreſſed in the ayre, with the hand and fingers, is to be kiſſed and adored. This is the poſitionVaſques de Adora. l. 3. c. 2. Bel. de Imag. l. 3. c. 27. 28. 29. of Ʋaſques the Ieſuite; and hee ſaith, that it is the doctrine and faith of the Romane Church. And the ſame is auouched by Bellarmine, and confirmed by many arguments (weake ones, God wot) in three whole Chapters: wherein hee laboureth to prooue; firſt, that the Croſſe it ſelfe: ſecondly, that the Image of the Croſſe: and thirdly, that the ſigne of the Croſſe, are all to be worſhipped: and with what kind of worſhip? Aquinas reſolues vsus in that point, whē he affirmeth,Aquin. Sum. part. 3. art. 4. that the very Croſſe of Chriſt, whereon he was crucified, is to bee worſhipped with diuine worſhip: for two cauſes; both for the repreſentation or reſemblance it hath to Chriſt; as alſo, for that it touched the body of Chriſt: but the ſigne of the Croſſe or Crucifix, is to be worſhipped with latria, onelyonly in the former reſpect. And this is ſtill the doctrine of their Church: for neither is it taxed in their late editions for errour, nor contradicted by any other Romiſh Doctor. Yea, aChryſ. a viſitat. de verb. domini, tom. 4 l. 6. c. 7 late famous Papiſt, and a profeſſor of Diuinitie, doth plainely confirme the fame: dedicating his booke to Pope Clement the eighth, for he ſaith in playne words, that they worſhip the Croſſe with the ſame worſhip wherewith they adore Chriſt him▪ p. 236ſelfe: and that they pray vntounto the Croſſe, as vntounto him that was crucified on it, and repoſe the hope of their ſaluation vponupon it.

77. And this is the doctrine of the Romiſh Synagogue at this day; and their practice is correſpondent thereunto: for they kneele vntounto the Croſſe, they kiſſe it, they creepe vntounto it, they pray vntounto it; yea, they repoſe the hope of their ſaluation in it: as appeareth in that forme of prayer vſed in their Maſſe booke:

All haile, ô Croſſe, our onelyonly hope; in this time of Lent, doe thou increaſe righteouſnes in good men, and graunt pardon to ſinners.

Now that this is heatheniſh Idolatrie, may appeare by theſe reaſons: Firſt, becauſe outward religious adoration is giuen to a piece of wood, or braſſe, or gold, or ſome other matter.Aug. in Fauſt. lib. 15. Secondly, becauſe diuine worſhip, euen latria, which Auguſtine ſaith, is proper onelyonly vntounto God, is giuen to a creature: for ſuch is the Croſſe, at the beſt. Thirdly, becauſe they pray vntounto it, as vntounto a liuing thing. Fourthly, becauſe they repoſe the hope of their ſaluation in it. And laſtly, becauſe many, if not all of theſe Reliques, which are beleeued to bee fragments of Chriſts Croſſe, are falſe and counterfeit; as hath beene ſhewed already. In all theſe reſpects the Croſſe is made an Idoll, and the worſhippers of it are no better then Idolaters.

78. Ob. I, but the Croſſe touched Chriſt, and therefore it is to bee worſhipped with diuine worſhip. R. So did the Manger wherein hee lay, being an infant; and the Graue wherein he was layd, being dead; and the Pillar whereunto he leaned, being whipped; and the Aſſe where on hee rode, being in his iourney to the City: yea, ſo did the wombe of the bleſſed Virgine his Mother, before hee was borne: and yet they will not ſay that any of theſe are to bee worſhipped with latria. I am ſure the Apoſtles cannot bee found to hauehave giuen any maner of religious worſhip to any of theſe things, much leſſe diuine worſhip: though I deny not, but that the true Reliques of Chriſt, and thoſe things that any waies pertayned vntounto him, were reuerenced without doubt by his p. 237friends after his departure: and ſo farre we alſo willingly condeſcend vntounto them; but that any religious worſhip was giuen vntounto thē they can neuer prooue. Ob. I, but the Croſſe was theBell. de Imag. lib. 2. cap. 27. inſtrument of Chriſts paſſion, and Mans redemption, and the Altar of that great Sacrifice, and the Ladder by which Christ aſcended into heauen; therefore it is to bee worſhipped. R. So was Iudas an inſtrument of Chriſts paſſion, and our redemption: as Saint Auguſtine teacheth, when he ſaith, thatAug. in Pſal. 34.Ps 34 Iudas was elected by Chriſt, to the end, that by him hee might fulfill our redemption; and ſo was Pilate and Caiphas: yet theſe are not therefore to be worſhipped, vnleſſe wee will reuiue the old hereſie of the Cai…nians and the Marrionites. And ſoAug. de baereſ. cap. 18. Iraen. li. 1. ca. 29. was the Speare that let out his heart bloud, which was the price of our redemption; and yet they themſelues doe not giuegive diuine worſhip vntounto it for that cauſe, albeit they make an Idoll of it, as hath beene declared. Ob. I, but manyBell. de Imag. lib. 2. cap. 27. myſteries are ſignified by the Croſſe: as firſt, Chriſtian perfection, in the longitude, latitude, height, and profunditie of it: the profundity ſignifying faith; the height, hope; the latitude, charitie; and the longitude, perſeuerance. Secondly, the effect of Chriſts paſſion: the higheſt peece of wood ſignifying, that heauen was opened, and God pacified: the loweſt, that was faſtned in the ground, that bel was emptied, and the Diuell conquered: the ouerthwart peece, that the whole world was redeemed, &c. Thirdly, the vniting of Iewes and Gentiles: the two armes of the Croſſes vnderunder one title, repreſenting the vnion of two people vnderunder one head. Theſe, and diuers other myſteries are hidden vnderunder the Croſſe, therefore it is to be worſhipped with diuine worſhip. R. Suppoſe that all theſe myſteries were there to be cōceiued; yet to ſay, that therefore it is to be worſhipped, is a ſilly reaſon, and ſcarce befitting the learning of Bellarmine: for by the ſame argument, all their Sacraments, and many other things, ſhould be worſhipped with diuine worſhip. Ob. I, but the Croſſe was miraculouſly found out by Helena: and that not before Conſtantines time, when it might ſafely bee worſhipped; and it was reuealed to bee the true Croſſe, by euident p. 238miracles: therefore it is to be worſhipped with diuine worſhip. R. Graunt all this to bee true, which notwithſtanding may probably be queſtioned: yet that this doth not prooue that the Croſſe is to bee worſhipped, Helenes owne example doeth ſhew: for as Ambroſe writeth, Shee worſhipped Ambroſ de obitu Theodoſ.not the wood of the Croſſe, but him that hung vponupon the wood, becauſe this (ſaith he) is a heatheniſh errour, &c. neither can they euer prooue that it was therefore reuealed, that it might be worſhipped.

79. Did euer any man read more pittifull arguments? the reſt which …ee vſeth are all of the ſame ſtampe. Ob. I, but a Crucifix is like vntounto Chriſt, ſaith hee, therefore it i…to beeBell. ibid. worſhipped with latria. R. But the Virgin his Mother was more like to him, and yet they giuegive not vntounto her ſo high a worſhip. Ob. I, but the Fathers held the Croſſe in great reuerence, and the Image of the Croſſe, and worſhipped them. R. True, they reuerenced them, and held them in great eſtimation: but yet there was no worſhip giuen vntounto them, vntill neere 400. yeeres after Chriſt. About that time began this ſuperſtition: for in Saint Ambroſe time it was not crept in, as appeareth by that teſtimony before alledged: not in Arnobius time, who plainely affirmeth, that they did Arnob. lib. 8.not worſhip Croſſes. Againe, thoſe Fathers that did adore them, did not worſhip the Croſſe or the Crucifix, but him that hung vponupon the Croſſe; as may appeare by Hieroms teſtimonyHierom in epit. Paulae. concerning Paulae, who ſaith, that ſhee falling proſtrate before the Croſſe, worſhipped as if ſhee had ſeene the Lord there hanging before her: by which it is playne, that ſhe worſhipped not the Croſſe, but the Lord. And Ambroſe alſo witneſſethAmbroſ. de obitu Theodoſ. the ſame, when he calleth it an heatheniſh errour, and the vanitie of wickedmen to worſhip the Croſſe. But the Romaniſts teach, that the Croſſe it ſelfe, and the Crucifix are to be worſhipped, and that with the higheſt worſhip. Ob. I, but many and ſtrange miracles hauehave beene wrought by the ſigne of the Croſſe; therefore it is to bee worſhipped. R. The argument is naught: for if eueryevery worker of miracles ſhould be worſhipped with diuine adoration, then all the Apoſtles p. 239might challenge this honour vntounto them. So might Iannes and Iambres that reſiſted Moſes. Yea, ſo might Antichriſt himſelfe: for his comming is with lying ſignes and wonders: lying, not onelyonly in reſpect of their ſubſtance, which is ſometimes counterfeit: but alſo in reſpect of the end, which is to ſeduce, when the miracle for ſubſtance may bee true: and this is both Saint Chryſtoſtomes and Saint Auguſtines expoſitionChryſoſt. in 2. theſ. 2. Aug. de ciuit. lib. 20. c. 19. of that place: beſides, the myracles that were done at or before this ſigne, were effected by the power of the faith and inuocation of Chriſt crucified; and not by the bare ſigne of the Croſſe, as moſt of the Fathers confeſſe, and all ofAug. ſer. 19. de▪ …and. Cyril. catechiſ. 13. Nazian. ad Nemeſ. Orig. cont. Celſ. Euſeb. hiſt. l. 8. c. 7. them doe ſecretly inſinuate. And therefore the ſigning of themſelues with the Croſſe, was a ſecret kinde of inuocation of Chriſt crucified; as Bellarmine himſelfe acknowledgeth. And thus it followeth, that thoſe myracles which they talke of: as the driuing away of Diuels, and ouercomming mortall enemies, and ſuch like, are not to be aſcribed to the ſigne of the Croſſe, but to inuocation, and prayer, and faith in Chriſt crucified.

80. Ob. I, but the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, God forbid that I Gal, 6. 14.ſhould reioyce in any thing, but inthe Croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Gal. 2. 14.Gal 2:14Christ: and, He tooke the handwriting that was againſt vsus, and Gal. 2. 20.Gal 2:20nayled it on his Croſſe: and, he ſet all things at peace through the bloud of his Croſſe, &c. therefore it is to be worſhipped. R. The conſequent of this arguments as good as the former; for how can it follow, that becauſe the Croſſe was the inſtrument of our redemption, therefore it ſhould be adored? The weaknes of this ſequell is before diſcouered. Beſides, by the Croſſe is vnderſtood moſt commonly in the Scripture, eyther the whole worke of Chriſts paſſion, or afflictions and perſecutions for Chriſts ſake; neyther of which, eſpecially the latter, are to be adored with diuine adoration. In a word, there is nothing they can alledge, that doth carry with it any ſhew of ſound reaſon, to hide the ſhame of their Church in this open Idolatrie, and yet they labour tooth and nayle for it; but they profite but a little.

81. Wee confeſſe that there was a holy and commendable p. 240vſe of the tranſcant ſigne of the Croſſe in the primitiue Church: to wit, as a badge of Chriſtian profeſſion, to ſignifie that they were not aſhamed of their crucified God, which the heathen and wicked Iewes vſed to caſt in their teeth: and ſo of the permanent Croſſe erected in publike places, to be as it were a trophee and monument of the exaltation of him that dyed on the Croſſe. But now Popery hath turned this laudable vſe of the Croſſe into Paganiſh abomination; and hath giuen to it that honour which belonged to him that dyed vponupon the Croſſe: and therefore wee moſt iuſtly accuſe them of fou…e Idolatrie, and finde them guilty without all controuerſie, and that not onelyonly in th…s laſt enditement, touching the Croſſe, but alſo in the foure former heads. And therefore the concluſion is by neceſſary conſequence moſt firme and true, that ſeeing the Church of Rome is thus many wayes guiltie of Idolatry, therefore it is to bee abandoned and forſaken, and that religion which maintayneth this impiety, worthily to be abhorred.