Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 6
#Sect. 6. The Surplice as a Prieſtly and holy veſtiment, is to be adored.
NOw while we thus wholy bend our force againſt the Croſſe, the Surplice happilie may hope to eſcape, which muſt not be ſuffered. The things that be dead (ſaith the Papiſt) are not capable of adoration (per ſe). Howbeit as they hauehave (aVazq. de adorat. lib. 2. diſputat. 6. ca. 2. ordinem) & relation vntounto God, ſo they are capable and they hauehave an order to him which arebSuar. tom. prim. in Thom. diſputat. 54. ſect. 5. conſecrate to his ſeruice by the authoritie of the Church, which if it be publique it is authentique & in this buſines doth ſuffice. For though there be not in theſe, ſayth he, ſuch a relation vntounto God as cancIbid. formally &dVazq li. 2. diſput. 8. cap. 14. expreſly repreſent him like an Image and a Croſſe, yet being once conſecrate to his ſeruice, they begin to be things of God: yeaeIbid ca. 7. parts of God whoſe worſhip is a worſhip of God, ſo that with him they are to be worſhipped as the purple is wont to bee worſhipped with the king. Some difference I graunt there is among them about the manner of adoring, ſome thinke they are to be adoredfSuar. vb. ſupra diſput. 54. ſect. 4. & diſput. 56. ſect. 2. (per ſe) quatenus holy with an inferiour adoration: gVaſq. li. 2. diſput. 8. cap. 10.others thinke it is ſuperſtitious to worſhip any thing (per ſe) without relation vntounto God: and that the adoration due to holy things in this relation is not an inferior worſhip, but the worſhip ofhIbid. cap. 14. p. 12. latria, wherewith God himſelfe is worſhipped. Howbeit, about the matter they all accord that holy things muſt be adored aſwell as Images, aſwell as Croſſes, or any thing elſe that appertaineth to the Lord.lSynod. 8. can. 3. Vaſq. li. 2. diſput. 8. cap. 14. Doct. Bilſ. againſt Apolog part 4 pa. 319. They ſay, Images and Croſſes themſelues muſt be adored like holy veſſels, holy bookes, holy veſtiments, with the like.mVaſq. ibi. cap. 7. & 10. & 14. They ſay the cauſe of worſhipping Images, and of worſhipping other things holy is one and the ſame:nSuar. diſputat. 54. ſect 3. Vaſq. li. 2. diſput. 6. cap. 2. They proue by theſe reaſons Images muſt be adored and worſhipped, becauſe they are (res ſacrae) holy things: at a word holy things are euen n proprie, that is, properly to be worſhipt in their opinion, as the ground (ſay they) was to be adored and worſhipt where Moſes ſtood, becauſe it was holy: and the Arke, the Tabernacle with the reſt of the Temple were all worthy to be adored becauſe all holy to the Lord. This our owneoDoct. Bilſ. cont. Apolog. par. 4. pa. 319. diuines ſee well, who charge the Papiſts with Idolatrie to be abhorred in their worſhipping of holy bookes, veſſels, inſtruments, with the like. Indeed their worſhips ſpeake ſo much though they and we and all men elſe were ſilent,pVaſq. li. 2. diſput. 8. cap. 14. oblations, cenſings, lights, kiſſings, bowings, vaylings: which, are they notqDoct. Bilſ. ibid. p. 321 322, 323. Idolatrous worſhippings when communicated to a creature religiouſly? But the Surplice (you will ſay) is none of theſe. That were great pitie, conſidering how eminent aboue the reſt he is inrDurand. ra…iona. li. … cap. 1. Iacob. a Vitriac. hiſto. Occident. lib. 2. ca 34. holines, both for vſe and ſignification, wherewith becauſe I am loath to incumber my ſelfe, let this ſuffice, the veſtes ſacrae and thesSuar. diſput. 154. ſect. 3. Saund. de viſibl. Monarch. tract. de imag. … 2. cap. 1. Vaſq. lib. 2. diſput. 6. cap. 2. & lib. 3. diſput. 1. cap. 1. veſtes ſacerdotales, the holy and the prieſtly garments are not forgotten in the writings of the Papiſts, but named expreſly for holy things that muſt be adored and worſhipped. And muſt not the Surplice (then) packe with the Croſſe, and goe with him for company, it being a filthie Idoll like him? For if it were but a ſtone in a field, that had bin worſhipped as Papiſts adore and worſhipped it, it ought to hauehave bin long ſince aboliſhed as atC…ncil. Nanne…enſ. cap. 20. councell doth decree. In conſideration that ſuch Idolatry renounceth Chriſtianitie: which Idolatry cannot be remedied but by an vtter deſolation of the Idoll. And this we hauehave to ſay againſt the Croſſe and Surplice in that they are Idoles. Now to proceede, if they were but Idolothites they were to be abhorred by vsus, the which we can eaſily prooue againſt them.