Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 2 · Section 32 [i.e. 31]
#Sect. 32. The ſecond obiection of the Oppoſites, There be many ſimilitudes in ſcripture drawne from Gods creatures, which imploy ſo many ſignes, &c.
THe ſecond telleth vsus, Sect. 32.there be many ſimilitudes drawn in the Scriptures from Gods creatures which imploy ſo many ſignes. which doth warrant vsus to vſe Gods creatures not only to vſes naturall, butaBucer. in lib. de re veſtiar. Rom. 1.20. ad ſignificationes etiam, & ad pias admonitiones. Firſt the Croſſe and Surplice quatenus talia are no creatures of God, but of Antichriſt rather: which, will he endure as ſignes determined in his couenant? Secondly, Gods creatures ſhew him, but ſignifie him not: that of Antonie is famouſly knowne:bTripartit. hiſt. lib. 8. cap. 1. The Theater of the world is my booke: and a booke teacheth indicantly, not Sacramentally. So that ourcGualt. in Luke 8. homil. 75. writers will hence conclude, that hauing naturall images, we need neither artificiall nor Sacramentall to be deuiſed. Thirdly, though in ciuill vſe, yet not in the Church, may the*See D. Bilſ ag. apolog. p. 4. p. 388 Alegories and ſimilitudes of the Scriptures be painted, ſeeing [dicere] and [pingere] are ſo [imparia] as that the words themſelues of Scripture (in ſomedIoſias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 83.86. mens iudgement) muſt not be painted on the Church walles, becauſe that place ſerueth for the preaching not for the painting of them. Swerue we from this, and ſuffer the Papiſt to ouerrunne vsus, who hath choſen the beſt Similitudes that are in the Scripture, to paint and acte them in Gods ſeruice. He putteth ſalt into the mouth of the Baptized to act the ſimilitude of ſalt vſed in the Scripture, and this rite is very auncient, for Auguſt. mentioneth it:eAuguſt. li. 1. confeſ. cap. 11. ſignabor ſigno eius & condiebar eius ſale. and Origen alludeth vntounto it when he willeth men to prepare themſelues [vt fOrigen. in Ezech. homil. 6.fiant ſal domini.] and not be Baptized like Simon Magus. He hath incenſe to act theſe words:gDurant. de rit. li. 2. ca. …9. ſect. 1. Let my prayer aſcend as the incenſe, and we hIdem. li. 1. ca. 9 ſect. 8ſpread abroad the ſauour of life. He hath lampes which he putteth into the handes of thelDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 19. ſect. 41 Baptized, to acte the parable of the virgins lampes, and other ſimilitudes of light in the Scripture. and the light is (alſo) auncient, as being vſed in themGregor. Nazianz. in oration. de ſanct. bapt. dayes of Nazianzen. He hath a white garment which he putteth vponupon the body of the Baptized, to acte the wedding garment and the armour of light, and the keeping of garmentes pure, and other ſimilitudes of the ſame ſtampe. the antiquitie of which ceremonie needeth no prooue. And to what ende? for through this libertie of acting ſimilitudes out of the ſcripture in Gods ſeruice, it is come to paſſe, that there is nothing now without ſignification. no part of the Church, but it is a ſigne of ſomewhat. the ſhutting of the doore; the comming in; the goeing to the deſke, &c. hauehavenMaximin. in myſtagogia. all of them their ſignifications. yea without the church and all, ſcarce any thing is free for vsus to behold, not as a ſigne; witnes theoDurant. de …rit. li. 1. ca. 22. ſect. 8. Cocke that ſtandeth on the ſteeple to acte the crowing of Peters cock, to put men in minde of awaking to repentance. Now what is that which our Croſſe blundreth? the ſcripture it ſelfe vſeth the name of the Croſſe to expreſſe Chriſtes death, therefore we may vſe the figure of it to act what Chriſt ſpeaketh? Then are the Papiſtes iuſt and righteous, & we muſt no more cry out againſt them for any of their forenamed actings. There are no better ſimilitudes to be choſen out of the ſcripture then thoſe which they doe act already. If thoſe be not lawfull, none are lawfull. if none, then not the acting of the Croſſes ſimilitude neither. Auguſtine telleth vsus that Chriſt in the ſcripture is compared to a Bull,pAuguſt. cont. Fauſt. Manich li. 18. cap. 6. propter virtutem Crucis cuius cornibus impios ventilauit. qRibera in Habac. cap 3. num. 26Hierome is very often to prooue, that where the word horne in the old teſtament is ſpoken of Chriſt, there hee figureth the Croſſe. This being graunted, let this poſition hold, it is lawfull to act what the ſcripture ſpeaketh by way of figure and ſimilitude, and it will be founde as warantable, as the ſigne of Chriſtes death, to put a paire of Bulls hornes vponupon the forehead of the baptized. A redde threed by this reaſon wilbe found as warrantable as the ſigne of the Croſſe for life, not only becauſe the Fathers make Rahabes red threed a ſigne and figure of Chriſtes death, but alſo becauſe formerrIacob. Vitriac. hiſto. Occident. lib. 2. ca. 36 pa. 396. times hauehave in Baptiſme vſed it accordinglie to this ende, togither with the Croſſe.