The True Catholic, Tract · Section 3 · Chapter 18
18. Of Jdolatrie.
STella ſpeaking of the abuſe which ſome vſe in their Churches,In 21. Euang. Luc. who reſpect more the outward decking and adorning of the Church, then the ſpirituall and inward; declares after their opinion of Images: I doe not ſay this (ſaith he)aVt honorem & adorationem damnem imaginum. that I might condemne the honour and adoration or worſhip of Images, but I reprooue thoſe that doe ſo greatly make account of thoſe outward things, that they doe not lift vp their harts to pray to him, whom that Image or picture repreſenteth. Here is their opinion plainly ſet downe, that Images are to be adored and worſhipped, and that we muſt lift vp our hearts to him whomſoeuer the Image repreſenteth. Is not this to giuegive Latria to creatures? Dauid ſaith to God: I lift vp my heart to thee. Pſal. 25.1.This is a part of his honor; and ſhall we giuegive it to anie other? And God himſelfe ſaith: Thou ſhalt make thee no image of any thing, Exod. 20.4.in heauen aboue, nor in the earth beneath; thou ſhalt not bow downe to them, nor worſhip them. No doubt the firſt branche of this commandement is as large as the ſecond. As by this all Images of earthly things are forbidden: ſo by the other the Images of all heauenlie, euen of Angels and of Saints; yea of God himſelfe. And yet Stella here affirmes that we may worſhip Images: and is not this Idolatrie?
Eſay alſo ſéemes to expound this commandement thus:Eſay, 40.18. To whom will yee liken God, and what likeneſſe will you make for him? The workman hath made an Image, and the goldſmith hath couered it with gold, and melts chaines of ſiluer for it. The poore man alſo for an oblation chuſeth a tree that will not rot, and he wil ſeeke for a cunning workeman to make him a grauen Image that cannot mooue it ſelfe. Will you not know? will ye not heare? hath it not been ſhewed to you from the beginning? will ye not vnderſtand it by the foundations of the earth? He that ſits vponupon the ſpheare of the earth, and the dwellers thereof are like Locuſtes, ſtretcheth out the heauens like a webbe, and ſpreads them out as a tent to dwell in: God, who brings the rulers of the earth to nothing, and makes the iudges like a thing of nought; yea they hauehave not been planted, they hauehave not been ſowen; yea he hath not ſuffered their ſtocke to take roote in the earth, and he hath but blowen vponupon them with his ſpirit and they hauehave withered away, and the whirlewinde doth take them away like ſtubble. And to whom will ye liken me, and I ſhall be like to him, ſaith the holy one? The Prophet here ſéemes to expound the commandement: and therefore he ſaith, hath it not been declared to you from the beginning? will ye not yet vnderſtand that ſame olde and firſt commandement? And here he condemns not only poore mens Images, made in the honor of God of wood, but rich mens alſo of gold: naie by the wonderfull works of God, he prooues that they can make no Image like to him. And therefore their Images are not onlie againſt the commandement, but alſo againſt reaſon. And yet for all theſe ſpeeches and reaſons, the Papiſts will not know thus much at this day. They which paint God like a iudge ſitting in iudgment, or like a king ſitting vponupon his throne, doe diſhonor and diſgrace the Maieſtie of God. All the iudges and kings of the world are nothing vntounto him; as the prophet Eſay here teacheth vsus: and yet thus hauehave the papiſts painted him.
And yet Stella in another place plainly affirmes, that Images diſtract manie times the mindes of men,In cap. 2. Luc. and hinder deuotion, and that to take anie part of Gods glorie from him, is flat ſacriledge: he would faine defend their Images, and yet in truth he condemnes them. For thus he writes: Marke (ſaith hee) that oftentimes it chanceth, that men going into houſes or Churches, are diſtracted and let by pictures and Images, and ſuch like: but Chriſt being borne in a baſe cottage, would hauehave no pompe, that we ſhould marke and behold him alone. For externall trimming and decking is wont to diſtract the mindes, that ſometimes it lookes here, and ſometimes there, that being neglected, which moſt chiefly was to be looked vntounto. But Chriſt in his natiuitie was poore and baſe, becauſe that he would hauehave nothing but himſelfe to be conſidered. Stella here plainly confeſſeth, that images oftentimes diſtract mens minds, and hinder deuotion, & that in Bethleem where Ieſus Chriſt was borne, there were no images or pictures, becauſe that Ieſus Chriſt alone ought to be conſidered and marked. I would to God our Catholikes and Ieſuits at this daie, would alſo obſerue this leſſon, that in Bethleem in the Church, where as now alſo Ieſus Chriſt is daily borne, they would hauehave no images,1. Cor. 4.15. and that they would conſider and marke Ieſus Chriſt alone.
And againe in the ſame place vponupon theſe words: Glorie to God on high, he writes thus: By which place we muſt learne, in all things and chances whatſoeuer, to giuegive glorie to God alone: neither let that thought euer come into thy minde, that thou wouldeſt violently take that from him, becauſe that then thou ſhalt be moſt grieuouſly puniſhed. For in euerie good thing thou doeſt, two things are to be conſidered: the praiſe or honour, and the profit: whereof God chuſeth the honor as due to himſelfe; but the profit or gaine, he reſerues for thee. Therefore if thou ſhalt with a wicked & violent hand, take away the honor due to God; God will alſo take from thee the reward, which alſo was thine. Therefore if thou ſhalt doe this hainous act, thou ſhalt not only be worthy to hauehave no gift giuē thee of God; but he wil moſt ſeuerely puniſh thee. So the Angell ſtrooke Herod, as we read in the Acts, becauſe he gaue not the honour vntounto God. For it is plaine theft and robberie not to giuegive God his proper honor; no leſſe then to ſteale any veſſell of ſiluer from thy neighbour.
And a little after: That ſame holy Ioſeph, when as his vnchaſt Lady did entiſe him to ſinne, ſaid thus: My Lord hath giuen me al things beſides thee, which art his wife: how then dare I ſinne againſt my Lord? So God hath giuen thee all things beſides his glorie, which is as it were his wife; how then dareſt thou ſin againſt thy Lord God, in taking from him his glorie? Thus far Stella. It is of all ſins a moſt hainous ſin, in anie part to impaire Gods glory. The ſaints of God hauehave learned this leſſō here on earth: and ſhall we thinke, that they hauehave forgotten it in heauen? Shal we now worſhip thē? or knéele to thē? or call vponupon them? when as now they caſt downe all their crownes before the lamb and giuegive him the glorie? In one of the firſt miracles,Reu. 4.10. that euer was done after our Sauiours aſcenſion, I would to God all true Catholikes would marke what a leſſon Peter giues them, when as he had healed that lame man:Act. 4.12. Ye men of Iſrael (ſaith he) why maruell you at this, or why looke you ſo ſtedfaſtly on vsus, as though by our owne power and godlineſſe, we had made this man go? The God of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his ſonne Ieſus, &c.
It was not the power or holineſſe of Peter that healed that lame man, but it was the power and might of Ieſus Chriſt. And ſo no doubt the ſame power wrought all miracles after in the primitiue Church. The glorie of all thoſe miracles belonged to Ieſus Chriſt: For ſo Saint Peter here teſtifieth; The God of our fathers hath glorified his ſon Ieſus. No part of the glorie of them appertained, either to the Apoſtles, or Martyrs following: as Peter here plainlie teacheth.
But as the Iewes then looked vponupon Peter and Paul; ſo in the age ſuccéeding, the people began to reuerence the Martyrs, and to acknowledge that by their vertues partly, theſe miracles were wrought.Aug. de cura pro mortuis agenda cap. 1. And a proofe hereof is, that a widow burying her ſon neere to a Martyr, asked Paulinus iudgement, and he S. Auſtens counſell: whether ſuch a buriall were not profitable to the ſoule of her ſonne or no. And this queſtion (as ſhould ſeeme) gaue an occaſion to S. Auſten of writing that booke. And S. Auſten himſelfe, reaſons (as we ſaie) pro & contra; and cannot well tell what to make of that queſtion: as in that booke more at large appeares. They had forgotten as ſhould ſéeme, that leſſon of Peter, that euen he by his owne godlineſſe and power did not worke that firſt miracle: but by the power of Ieſus Chriſt. Ieſus Chriſt is euen now as he was then, Heb. 13.8.and ſhall be for euer, that ſame onelyonly fountaine, from which all vertue and power of doing miracles doth procéede.Luc. 8.43. Who ſaith euen now as he ſaid then (when as that woman, that was ſicke ſo dangerouſly of a deſperate bloudy iſſue, which paſſed all the Phyſitions cures that ſhe could meete withall, when as ſhe had with a liuely faith touched him, Verſe, 46.and now was healed) who hath touched me? For I feele vertue to hauehave proceeded from me. All other miracles whatſoeuer proceed from the ſame fountaine. It is not the touching of Peter or Paul, much leſſe of anie other Martyr, or to be buried nigh them, that can profit anie man, but onlie the touching of Ieſus Chriſt by a liuely faith; as it did that woman. This touching, after his reſurrection, our bleſſed Sauiour taught Marie Magdalen. Ioh. 20.17.Touch me not: For I hauehave not yet aſcended to my father. As though he ſhould ſaie: Heretofore you hauehave touched me corporallie; but henceforth touch me no more ſo: but touch me ſpiritually, touch me with a liuelie faith, and be ſure that ye ſhal find vertue to procéed from me. If this firſt leſſon had béen taught and firmely obſerued in the Church; ſo much ſuperſtition, and reuerence, & inuocation of the ſaints departed, would neuer hauehave crept into the Church, as hath done. And afterward they began to beléeue that when miracles were done at the toombes of the martyrs, that they, by their holines & power, had wrought them. And ſo it grew by little and little from glorifying Ieſus Chriſt alone, which Peter here teacheth, that men glorified ye martyrs alſo with Ieſus Chriſt. And ſo they became théeues, as Stella here cals them, by robbing God of his glory.
Granatenſis of the greatnes of this ſinne writes thus:Med. vitae Chriſti. 19. The whole world was nothing elſe but a temple of Idolatrie, a Caſtle of theeues, a denne of Cockatrices, and Serpents; a market of wiles and deceits, a houſe of confuſion, a gulfe of darknes; what ſhall I vſe manie words? The world was almoſt become a hell of diuels incarnate: From the Eaſt to the Weſt, in all Iſles, Kingdomes, and Countries, both by ſea and land, the diuell was worſhipped for God: and in the honour of ſuch monſters moſt ſtately Churches were built. Their Altars yeelded their ſmoakes to theſe; to theſe they burned their incenſe: to theſe they offered ſacrifice. And becauſe Idolatrie is the mother of all vices, there raigned alſo with her, all the filthines, abominations, wickednes, and faults of the whole world. So that the diuell, who is called in the Goſpel the ſtrong man, that is, armed, obtained the dominion of the whole earth in great peace, the obedience and ſeruice thereof (which was due to the true and lawfull Lord and owner) being quite taken away. Such an vgly monſter is Idolatrie; ſhe is the mother of all filthines and abominations, and ſins, and therefore carefully to be taken héed of, of all true Catholickes.
Ferus expounds the firſt commaundement thus:In Mat. ca. 22 I am the Lord thy God. As though he ſhould ſay, I euen I, I ſay, and no other: I am the Lord thy gouernour, thy God and thy Creator alſo, who as I hauehave created thee; ſo I gouerne thee: not thou thy ſelfe by thine owne wiſedome, ſtrength or righteouſnes, &c. I beſtow benefits vponupon thee, I redeeme thee from euils, ſinne and damnation. In my power are all things, which made all things. And how great ſoeuer I am, I am wholy thine; and in whatſoeuer I am able: OnelyOnly remember thou, that onelyonly thou acknowledge me to be ſuch a one, and ſuffer me to be thy God, that is, that thou looke for all good things of me; in all thy euils, thou looke vponupon me; neither that thou turne thine eies anie other way or applie thy heart. Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods: that is, hauehave nothing beſides me, in which thou maiſt truſt: vſe the creatures; ſet not thy heart vponupon them, &c. Here is an notable platforme of Chriſtianitie to beléeue that God is wholy ours, to looke for all things from him, in all daungers to flie to him, neuer to turne our eies from him. Thus ſaith Ferus. Agréeing here with Dauid: Pſal. 123.Euen as the eies of ſeruants looke vntounto the hands of their maiſters; & as the eies of a maiden to the hands of her miſtres: ſo our eies wait vponupon the Lord our God till he hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus. Seruants muſt not hauehave wandring eies: they muſt ſtedfaſtly attend vponupon their maiſters, that they may be readie to do their pleaſures; ſo muſt all Gods ſeruants hauehave their eies fixed vponupon him; neither turne to anie other in his ſeruice in their afflictions and daungers, euen vntill he hauehave merciemercy vponupon them. If this platforme of Chriſtianity were printed in euerie Chriſtian heart, they néeded no Images to put them in minde of God: God ſhould be euer before their eies: They néed no interceſſors to God: God is wholy theirs: who then dare doubt of his louelove?
Ferus of the honour of the ſaints writes thus: There be ſome which attribute too much to the ſaints: Fer. in Mat. ca. 11.And againe there are ſome which attribute nothing vntounto them. But here thou maiſt ſee that Chriſt praiſeth Iohn, and that excellently, euen to our inſtruction: but he praiſeth Iohn ſo, as he preferres himſelfe before Iohn. So I ſay, the ſaints are to be praiſed, who are worthie of praiſe both in their liues, and alſo in their deaths; and that which is worthie of praiſe in them, is to be highly commended, to the edification of others: but yet they are ſo to be praiſed as that they be neither preferred, nor made equall with Chriſt, but that they be ſubiect to him. They are to be praiſed as members of Chriſt, as friends, as ſeruants, as veſſels, and inſtruments of the glorie of God. It is praiſe enough to be a member and ſeruant of Chriſt. The bleſſed Virgine was content with this: Behold (ſaith ſhe) the handmaide of the Lord. And in her ſong ſhe ſaith: My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord. Neither will ſhe hauehave any thing commended in her then Gods fauour and gifts. So Paul in all places brags of this: That he is the ſeruant of Chriſt. So alſo Iohn Baptiſt witneſſeth of himſelfe: Hee that hath the bride, is the bridegroome: but the friende of the bridegroome reioyceth to heare the bridegroome ſpeake. As though he ſhould ſay; that is not to be attributed to me, which belongs onelyonly to Chriſt. I am verie well contented, that I am the friend of the bridegroome: neither do I attribute any other thing to my ſelfe; neither will I that any other attribute any other thing to me. Thus farre Ferus. Where he toucheth thoſe that giuegive too much to ſaints: And who be thoſe; but the papiſts? And he couertly expounds what he meanes by giuing too much to ſaints: That is (ſaith he) In making them equall with Chriſt; in ioyning them togither with him in his office, either of redemption or ſauing vsus, or of his mediation; in making them meanes betweene God and vsus: As ſome Catholicks hauehave done and taught; ioyning the bloud of Thomas to Chriſts bloud, in their ſaluation. This no doubt Ferus liked not, and wée muſt learne here, leaſt we do honor the ſaints too much, which here by Ferus iudgement we may not do, as ſome euen now do. The verie heathen were of this opinion, that all glorie was to be giuen to the Gods. And therfore the Athenians wondering at, and honouring one called Pytho, becauſe he had ſlaine Cottis: Plut. in Polit.Oh (ſaith hee) we muſt thanke the gods, who are the authors of this noble act, they hauehave onelyonly borrowed my helpe and hand. If a heathen confeſſed thus of his workes, much more ought a Chriſtian.
And euen Diogenes condemned Images.Plut. de tranquillitate animi I iudge that ſaying of Diogenes worthie of al memorie, who when he ſaw in Lacedemonia, a ſtranger adorning himſelfe vponupon an holiday: What (ſaith hee) to a good man euerie day is an holiday: nay if we were wiſe a great holiday. For this world is a moſt holy Church, and moſt meet for God: And man when he is borne, is admitted into this Church, not to behold Images made with hands and void of ſenſe; but rather the Sun, the Moone, & the Stars; from which the beginnings of life & motions do proceed, which Gods prouidence hath giuen vsus to behold, that theſe ſenſible things ſhould be Images of thoſe things which are vnderſtood, and imitations or patternes of them as Plato ſaid. The verie blind Phyloſopher aymed in the darke, at that which the Apoſtle teacheth. That the Inuiſible things of God are ſeene being vnderſtood by the creation of the world, Rom. 1.20.and by thoſe things which God hath made. Theſe are the liuelieſt Images of God. And herein this blind Philoſopher came néerer the marke, then the papiſts who make ſtocks and ſtones (which he condemned) Images of God.
Of the honour due to the ſaints, Ferus writes thus. It is the holy Ghoſt (ſaith he) that by the ſaints works all good things; Fer. in ca. 7. act.yea (ſaith he) the holy Ghoſt ſpeakes by them, as by an Organ or inſtrument: wherefore ſo the ſaints are to be praiſed, that in the end all the honour may redound to God. And therefore the kingly Prophet ſaid, Praiſe God in his ſaints. The prayſe belongs to the muſition, not to the inſtrument.
Fer. in 19. ca. act.And againe in another place: It is expreſſely put downe here that the Lord did miracles, &c. leaſt any ſhould attribute them to ſaints, or leaſt that any ſhould hauehave reſpect onelyonly to the ſaints, and not to God himſelfe: As the Iewes did, who more wondered at Lazarus, who was raiſed from the dead againe, then they maruelled at Chriſt, who raiſed him vp againe. Marke here alſo, that by the garments and handkerchiefs of Paul, God did worke miracles: againſt thoſe which do attribute all the miracles of ſaints vntounto the diuell. That which God is ſaid to hauehave done heere, hee could alſo, and hath often done at the toombs & reliques of martyrs. Let vsus be thankefull therfore to God with mouth and worke: Let him do good vntounto vsus, by what meanes ſoeuer pleaſeth him: yea let vsus embrace and wonder at his goodnes, who doth vsus good by ſo manie meanes. God doth the miracles, and not the ſaints, ſaith Ferus.
Ferus of the honouring of ſaints writes thus. It is not euill to behold and looke vponupon the Apoſtles and other godly men. For Peter ſaid to the lame man looke vponupon vsus, Fer. in ca 3. act.&c. but that is euill, to ſticke onelyonly in the ſaints; and to attribute to them thoſe things which belong to God. There be ſome which thinke that they cannot honour the ſaints too much; but thou ſeeſt here how Peter refuſeth that honour, that derogateth anie thing from the honour of God: Why looke ye on vsus? Behold here the minds & wils of al the godly, they cānot abide that they ſhould be extolled for the gifts of God, but they attribute all things to God, & ſo they moue God to beſtow greater things vponupon them. So all flouds ſpringing from the ſea, flow thither againe, that they may plentiouſly flowe backe againe. God truely makes his Saints glorious and wonderfull: but contrariwiſe they aſcribe all to God. So the Angell ſaies to Iohn, which was about to worſhip him: See thou doe it not; worſhip God. So the mother of God the virgine Marie, when ſhee was magnified of Elizabeth: My ſoule (ſaith ſhee) doth magnifie the Lord. Furthermore, when it is manifeſt by the ſcriptures that God works many and wonderfull things by his Saints, learne by this text how we are to deale in theſe things. Firſt, marke diligently what God workes in them. Secondly, when as God vouchſafeth to louelove them and to dwell in them, deſpiſe not, nor raile on them. Thirdly, marke moſt diligently of all, that they are Gods inſtruments, which can doe nothing of themſelues, but doe all things from God and by God. Therefore eſpecially marke the chiefe workman and yeeld the worke to him, giuegive him the glorie, praiſe him in the Saints, and reuerence them chiefely in God and for Gods ſake: whereby it ſhall come to paſſe, that thou ſhalt not altogither make no account of the Saints as many do, neither ſhalt thou make them equall with God, nor ſhalt preferre them before him, which no ſmall companie doe; but both acknowledge only God by the meane of the Saints and in the Saints, and acknowledging him, glorifie him. Thus farre Ferus. Wherein he doth teach vsus manie notable leſſons. Firſt, not to giuegive to Saints thoſe things which belong to God. Secondly, that we maie honor the Saints too much; which ſome I thinke at this daie do not beléeue. Thirdly, what is the minde of all Saints: they cannot abide that they ſhould be extolled for any of Gods gifts. Fourthly, that they are but Gods inſtruments, and do nothing by their owne power: as hath been taught and beleeued moſt commonly in the darkneſſe of Poperie; when as men went a pilgrimage and offered to them; as if they of their own power could helpe them. Fiftly, let all men in all wonderfull works acknowledge God the chiefe workman: and giuegive him all the glorie and praiſe, and magnifie him in his Saints: as the firſt Chriſtians did in Paul; they did not magnifie Paul. Gal. 1.24.Neither that they make anie of them equall with God.
The ſame Ferus manifeſtly refutes that ſame obiection, which the Papiſts make commonly for their pictures and images of God.Fer. in 2. Act. God (ſay they) hath appeared often times in many formes and ſhapes: and why may we not then paint him according to that forme he appeared in? Here firſt beſides that this their picturing of God is manifeſtly againſt the ſecond commandement; and againſt the doctrine of the prophet Eſay, where God as it were euen reaſons with theſe idolaters,Eſay 40.18. and ſaith; To whom will ye liken me, &c. Ferus yéelds another reaſon of theſe appearances of God. God (ſaith he) in himſelfe is inuiſible, yet we reade that he hath oftentimes appeared. And all ſuch his appearances are for the moſt part, as the matters required for the which hee appeared. So Eſay ſaw God ſitting as a iudge: for the iudgement of Iſrael was at hand. He appeared to Moſes in a buſh burning and not conſuming: For then ſuch like was the ſtate of the people of Iſrael in Egypt: for they were in the fire of aduerſitie, and were not conſumed. Alſo he ſhewed himſelfe to the eies of man at ye giuing of the law in thunder, lightning, cloud, and an earthquake, to declare that that law ſhould be a fearfull lawe, and ſhould cauſe wrath. So the Angell hauing a ſword drawne in his hand, ſhewed himſelfe to Ioſuah now ready to fight; whereby he declared that he would fight againſt the enemies of the Iewes. So to Zacharie Angels appeared like horſemen: for it was a time of feare and trembling for the inuaſions of the Perſians. So the holy Ghoſt was ſeene vponupon Chriſt in the ſhape of a Doue, that he might declare that ſingular and rare innocencie, puritie and mildneſſe, which was in Chriſt: For a Doue is a gentle, ſimple, and plaine creature, without any gall. So in the transfiguration of our Lord, which is a type of the reſurrection, the holy Goſt appeared in a bright cloud, that he might declare, that at the laſt reſurrection ſhall want no comfort not glorie. Here alſo the holy Ghoſt appeared in toongs and fire: for the ſtate of the matter then euen ſo required it. The Apoſtles ſtood need of toongs; but both of firie and heauenly toongs. So Ferus giues theſe reaſons of theſe apparitions: and not that we ſhould by them make images of all theſe things.
Ferus alſo concerning images quite diſſents from M. Bellarmine. Bellar. de imag. lib. 2. cap. 12.M. Bellarmine writes thus: We with the Church affirme, that the images of Chriſt and the Saints are to be honoured, if ſo be that as it is declared in the councell of Trent, Seſſ. 25. we put no truſt in the images: neither that we aske any thing of them: neither that we thinke that there is any diuinitie in them.
And againe, anſwering after the obiection of the golden calfe, which the Iſraelites made, he anſweres,Cap. 13. that the Iſraelites thought verily that they had receiued their deliuerance out of Egypt, not of the God of Moſes, but of Apis the god of the Egyptians, which they had ſeene in Egypt worſhipped of the Egyptians: and therefore to him they made the image of a calfe.
But Ferus is of another and better iudgement, vponupon theſe words, Make vsus Gods, &c. he writes thus:Fer. in 7. c. Act. He ſhewes that they were not only rebellious againſt Moſes, but alſo againſt God. By gods here they meane (ſaith he) ſome worſhip of God, by which they might purchaſe his helpe. For they were not ſo blockiſh that they beleeued that Aaron could make them a god. And this prooues that which Aaron ſaid: Tomorrow is the holy day vntounto the Lord: therfore they worſhipped ye true God with this worſhip. The which thing is euident alſo by their owne words: Theſe are the gods, &c. For they knew well enough that that calfe was not then, when they came out of Egypt: therefore no worſhip whatſoeuer pleaſeth God, which he himſelfe hath not appointed. Therfore they ſinned herein two waies. Firſt, in that they made an image againſt the firſt commandement of God: Secondly, in that they worſhipped him with a worſhip deuiſed of themſelues. The true worſhip of God is in ſpirit and truth. He worſhips God which beleeues in him, truſts in him, loues him, feares him, praiſeth him, and obeyeth him. This worſhip is to be preferred aboue all others, nor any other are auailable without this. Images are therefore tolerated and borne withall in the Church, that they may put vsus in minde, not that they ſhould be worſhipped: otherwiſe they cannot at all be excuſed. Here Ferus quite diſſents from M. Bellarmine. Firſt he plainly affirmes, that the Iſraelites, as we doe teach, did worſhip the true God vnderunder the image of the golden calfe, and not Apis the God of the Egyptians, as M. Bellarmine affirmeth. Secondly, that images are not to be worſhipped at all. And that their worſhip cannot be defended: and yet M. Bellarmine goeth about to defend it. Thirdly, he teacheth, that no worſhippe whatſoeuer can pleaſe God, which God himſelfe hath not ordained.
Contrarie alſo to M. Bellarmines expoſition,Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 cap. 4. who expounds that place of the ſecond to the Coloſſians thus: I ſay ſecondly that foreign, voluntarie worſhip; doth not ſignifie any voluntarie worſhip whatſoeuer not commanded of God, or deuiſed of man: but onelyonly ſuperſtitious worſhip, as our interpreter hath rightly tranſlated it; or falſe religion, as S. Ierom expounds it in his Epiſtles in his tenth queſtion to Algaſia. Therfore (ſaith he) Caluin muſt prooue the worſhip of reliques to be ſuperſtitious, or falſe, if he will hauehave it reprooued here of Paul. Thus farre M. Bellarmine. He affirmes that ſome worſhip of God deuiſed of man, or beſides that which God hath commanded, ſo that it be not ſuperſtitious, maie pleaſe God. But Ferus plainly condemnes all worſhips of God whatſoeuer, beſides thoſe which he hath appointed himſelfe. And to this purpoſe he writes thus after vponupon theſe words:Fer in 7. Act. Ye hauehave taken the Tabernacle. Moloch (ſaith he) was an Idol of the Ammonites. The Iewes oftentimes deſired to ſerue God with ſtrange worſhips. So they yeelded vntounto the true God the worſhippe wherewith Moloch was worſhipped of the Ammonites; in the meane while omitting that which he had commanded. So Ieroboam appointed calues; as though that had bin a more acceptable worſhip to God, then that which Moſes had preſcribed: ſo Achaz in the Temple placed an altar like that which he had ſeene at Damaſcus: ſo Achab beſides Ieroboams calues, brought in the worſhip of Baal. In that thing therefore wherein they thought greatly to pleaſe God, they greatly offended him. Therefore in the ſacrifices of God, a good meaning (as they ſay) is not ſufficient, vnleſſe it agree with the word of God. Ferus herein teacheth vsus two things: firſt that vnderunder the worſhip of Baal, the Iewes worſhipped the true God. And to this his expoſition ſéemes to agrée that place of Oſea: Oſea 2.16.At that day (ſaith the Lord) thou ſhalt call me Iſhi, and ſhalt call me no more Baali. And that ſpéech of Rabſake: 2 king, 18.22.But if you ſay vntounto me, we trust in the Lord our God: Is not that he whoſe hie places and whoſe altars Ezechias hath taken away, and hath ſaid to Iudah and Ieruſalem, ye ſhall worſhip before this altar at Ieruſalem? Secondlie, that all worſhip be it neuer ſo auſtere and ſharpe in pinching themſelues, as was Baals; or ſo coſtly of gold and ſiluer, as was Ieroboams calues; or ſo ſtately in building, as was the high places, which no doubt, of their ſtatelineſſe tooke their name, can pleaſe God, if it bee not commaunded in his word, and by himſelfe ordained.
And after Ferus declares vntounto vsus the greateſt thing that the Diuell takes pleaſure in, and what he labours moſt about: I would to God all Catholickes would marke his leſſon, and not further the diuell in his worke: Behold (ſaith he) the diuell hath euer gone about and goes about yet, that the glorie of God omnipotent may be yeelded to creatures: As on the contrarie, Fer. in ca. 8. act.the holy Ghoſt counſels vsus to giuegive all glorie to God.
Of Idolatrie and what it is, the ſame Ferus writes thus: As God abhorres no other ſin more then Idolatrie: In cap. 17. act.ſo thou ſhalt find the ſaints of God to hauehave beene moued to anger with no ſin more then with Idolatrie. Moſes is a witnes hereof, who for this ſinne brake the tables written with Gods owne finger: Helias is a witnes hereof, who for this ſinne ſlew many hundreds of the ſacrificers: Ioſias alſo, and Matathias is a witnes hereof, who ſlue Antiochus ſeruant, compelling the Iewes to Idolatrie: ſo alſo Phinees, &c. For a godly man cannot patiently endure and ſee the contempt of God: And ſurely, he that can behold and endure this hath no religion in him: So Paul was greatly moued when as he ſaw the citie moſt famous for learning and religion, to be wonderfully giuen to Idolatrie. Paul had trauelled thorow many cities, yet it is reported of none of them, that they were altogether giuen to Idolatrie, but of Athens, where learned men were. So the olde prouerbe was verified: The more learned, the more wicked. So amongſt all the Iewes, the inhabitants of Ieruſalē were the worſt: So is it alſo now amongſt vsus. And after he ſheweth what is Idolatrie, thus: Ye men of Athens. It may be gathered out of the text, that the Athenians were ſtudious of Gods honour: for ſo it is ſaid before that Paul ſaw the citie giuen to Idols: And after that they erected altars to vnknowen gods. But Paul cals this worſhip not religion but ſuperſtition. Then he proues that they are not to be called Gods, which dwell in temples made with hands and ſtand need to be helped of others. Religion is one thing, and ſuperſtition is another; yet many thinke it comes to paſſe, that they which ſeeme religious to themſelues, before God are accounted nothing but ſuperſtitious.
To the vnknowne God. This was the title. To the Gods of Aſia, Europe, and Africa, ſtraunge and vnknowne Gods. Paul amends this title, putting in the ſinguler number, for that which they put in the plurall: And he applies that title to the one true God, who truly is the God of Aſia, Europe, and Africa, & of all the earth: but to that day vnknowen to the nations: The which you ignorantly worſhippe. This is moſt truly ſaid: For the Apoſtle did not preach anie new God (that which the Gentiles thought) but they ſhewed the ſame God which al the Gentiles worſhipped, not knowing him: for although they erected Images to themſelues: yet their mind was, to worſhip the true God.
Here we may learne what a horrible ſinne Idolatrie is. Men account it as nothing: but of all ſinnes it is moſt grieuous. And let vsus take héed that we incurre it not againe now by ſathans perſwaſions, with the olde Paganes. They worſhipped in their hearts the true God, to whom they made their images. But that was Idolatrie ſaith Ferus. And ſhall we commit the like? The grieuouſnes of the ſinne ſhould make vsus verie carefull, leaſt by anie meanes we ſhould come neere it. And of that fooliſh pitie, which mooues many ſimple mens hearts, when they ſée great buildings pulled downe, or golden images defaced,Fer. in 19. ca. act. Ferus writes thus: They which practiſed curious arts came and burned their bookes. True charitie reſpects not the price nor loſſe of anie thing, when ſhe ſeeth that it is contrarie to Gods commaundements. So Ezechias and Ioſias deſtroyed the Altars and Temples, although they were builded with great coſt.
Againe, a little after he writes thus: For the ouerthrowing of Idolatrie, of all other things, the Apoſtles moſt ſuffered perſecution. Diana was the Moone, which the Epheſians worſhipped for her ſpeciall influence, which ſhe hath towards theſe earthlie things. The Temple of Diana the Goddeſſe of the Epheſians was 220. yeeres in building of all Aſia. It was 425. foot in length, 220. in breadth: It had 127. pillars in it, euerie one of them built of a king, threeſcore foot in height; whereof 36. were engrauen. To conclude, this Temple was built in a marriſh ground that it ſhould not fal with earthquakes. Here I beſéech you mark how vngodlines ſpares no expēces & coſts in an euil & ſuperſtitious matter; whē as ſhe is moſt niggardly to giuegive any thing to a good worke: there are very many ſo ſuperſtitious amongſt vsus. That famous Church being ſo long in building, & built with ſuch great coſt, Paul pulled down in two yéers by the word of the goſpell. Therfore great is the glorie & force of the goſpell.
Fer. in act. 28.And againe vponupon theſe words: They ſaid he was a God: They ſaid this of the vanitie of the Gentiles, & of their falſe opinion they had concerning the Gods. The world can keepe no meane: for it either ouermuch deſpiſeth a man, or elſe it attributeth too much vntounto him. But a Chriſtian doth not iudge anie man, be he neuer ſo miſerable; and be he neuer ſo holy, he doth not match him with God.
Clemens Alexandrinus writes thus: Numa the king of the Romans was one of Pythagoras ſchollers, Lib. 1. ſtromat.and therefore being helped of thoſe things which he had receiued from Moſes, forbad the Romans, that they ſhould make anie image of God either like to man or beaſt. Therefore in the hundreth and ſeuentie yeeres wherin they builded their temples: they made neither carued or grauen nor painted Image. For Numa did ſecretly teach them, that it is not lawfull for any man to approach neere that which is the beſt thing of all other, but only with his heart and mind, &c. Thus Numa out of Moſes taught the firſt Romans. But now our Romaniſts will not learne this out of Moſes, nor Numa, nor Clemens, who all doe teach them this ſame moſt auncient and true leſſon.
Ferus alſo ſéemes to take away the verie foundation and ground of all idolatrie and images.Fer. in paſſ. part. 3. This cuſtome of letting one looſe at Eaſter (ſaith he) ſprang of their deliuerance out of Egypt, which was done on Eaſter day, and this cuſtome had a ſhew of pitie, and religion; but indeed it was againſt the law of God which commaunds to puniſh the offenders. Neither had the Iewes any need that by this deliuerance of a man out of bonds, that they ſhould be put in mind of their deliuerance out of Egypt: for God himſelfe ordained them a ſigne of the remembrance hereof, that is, the paſchall Lambe & all that feaſt. But they being not content with that ſigne which God had ordained, appointed another alſo themſelues; and that againſt the law: So hypocriſie is not content with the word of God; but euer addes and prefers her owne deuiſes before the word of God. And thus farre Ferus.
And hauehave not the papiſts themſelues done thus by erecting their Images, to put vsus in minde of Chriſts death, and his benefits? He hath ordained the ſacrament of the holy communion, to be a continuall remembrance vntounto vsus of that moſt excellent benefit. But this memoriall, by their Latine praiers not vnderſtood, they hauehave defaced, and deuiſed new ſignes and remembrances thereof of their owne, that is, images, and that againſt the law.Deut. 27.15. Where as God accurſeth the making of any molten Image, and ſetting it vp ſecretly, much more publikely, Secondly, another ſigne of remembrance of his goodnes and graces towards vsus, and an Image truly & liuely repreſenting vntounto vsus his Maieſtie, hath God appointed, & that is his moſt holy word, and he commaunds vsus all, to ſtudie and meditate therein day and night. Pſal. 1.3.He that doth fulfill this commaundement needs no Image to put him in minde of God, nay all the images in the world, are not able to repreſent vntounto vsus the maieſtie of God ſo liuely; nor to put vsus in minde of his benefits ſo effectually,Ier. 10.8. as this can do. In compariſon of this, all Images are lying teachers and ſchoolemaſters, as the prophet cals them. And this ſigne of remembrance alſo, hauehave they quite taken away from Gods people, and againſt his commaundement in ſteed thereof,Pſal. 1.2. Col. 3.16. hauehave erected them Images: which they call lay mens bookes. But God appoints them another booke to hearken vntounto. Moſes himſelfe who gaue the children of Iſrael the law againſt Images,Heb. 11.27. obſerued the ſame. By faith (ſaith ſaint Paul) Moſes forſooke Aegypt, and endured all things patiently, as though he had euer ſeene him, which is inuiſible. A liuelie faith muſt euer repreſent God vntounto vsus, as it did to Moſes, and not anie Images. In Deuteronomie alſo God expreſly forbids anie ſuch remembrances of Images.Deut. 17.22. Thou ſhalt not erect to thy ſelfe Ma…sbah, which, as Mercerus notes, ſignifies anie thing, that is made in remembrance, or ſignification of anie other thing, which thy Lord thy God hates. God hates ſuch remembrances; and ſhall we thinke to honour him therewith?
But the inſufficiencie of the teaching of theſe their Images, a papiſt himſelfe teacheth vsus.Michael ab …ſſel… in prafat Gran. Thoſe painters and caruers (ſaith he) are moſt commended, whoſe pictures do in euerie reſpect agree with them, of whom they were taken. And that was the cauſe, why Alexander would onelyonly be painted of Apelles, and formed of Lyſippus. But theſe with their Images ſhew onelyonly the members portraiture and colours of the bodie: but they cannot ſhew the manners and actes of a man. No nor they which write anothers mans life, in their oration, can ſo liuely paint him out, as a man doth ſet forth himſelfe in his owne writing. For not another mans, but a mans owne ſpeech declares what he is. And therefore euerie one may ſee of Ludouicus his works what kind of man he was, inflamed and lightened with the heat and light of Gods ſpirit, &c. All images therefore are inſufficient liuely to paint out any man. And the ſame reaſon which he alleadgeth here for Granatenſis, ſtands good in Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe. No painter can ſo liuely paint him out vntounto vsus: as his owne worde doth. I would to God the Church of Rome would allow the people this Image of Chriſt and God to looke on, and let their other woodden and carued Images go.
Franciſcus Euia in his direction to confeſſors:In direct. confeſſ. howe they ſhould examine thoſe that come to confeſſion, in the breaking of euerie one of Gods commandements, neuer ſpeakes word of the making or worſhipping of Images, or of the ſinne of Idolatrie; as though that were either a light, or els no ſinne at all: Whereas God addes to that commandement that moſt terrible threatning,Exod. 20.5.6. that he will puniſh the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. And S. Iohn in his Catholike Epiſtle biddes all Catholikes beware of Idols. 1. Ioh. 5.21.It is the laſt commandement in his Epiſtle. And as a ſpeciall caue at aboue all the other commandements; added as his commandement alſo in the end, and as it were the farewell of his Epiſtle: and ſhall we make no account of it? Nay S. Iohn in the Reuelation ſaith,Reu. 9.20. that ſome were dead that did worſhip not only deuils, as infidels: but alſo images of gold and ſiluer, as ſuperſtitious Chriſtians: yea, and that there were ſome liuing which ſhould be ſo addicted to this vaine ſuperſtition, that although they heard out of Gods owne mouth, that all ſuch idolaters ſhould die, yet they would not repent. If S. Iohn plainly ſaie, that to hauehave Images of gold and ſiluer be a ſinne, whereof we ought to repent; I maruell that in their penances the popiſh confeſſors will inioine no penance for this ſinne. They are not of S. Iohns minde.