A General View of Papistry, Book 2 · Controversy 9 · Part 2 · Question 2
THE SECOND QVESTION CONcerning the adoration of Saints.
THis question hath three partes, First, whether saintes are to be adored: Secondly, of the diuerse kindes of adoration: Thirdly, concerning the worship due vntounto holy men liuing, as the kissing of feete, and such like.
THE FIRST PART, WHETHER SAINTS are to be adored and worshipped.
The Papists.
THey doubt not to affirme, that there is a kynde of Religious woorshippe due vntounto Saintes, not that great Religious woorshippe which is proper error 25 vntounto God, but a kinde somewhat lesse and inferiour to that, yet a religious adoration, which is the meane or middest betweene that highest worship due vntounto God, and ciuill honour which is giuen vntounto men. So this is their sentence, that religious worship is due both to God and to the saints: heerein onelyonly (say they) the difference is, the more religious worship belongeth onelyonly to God, the lesse vntounto the saintes. Bellarm. cap. 12. lib. 1. de Sanctor. beatit.
Argum. 1 The Psalmist saith, Adore his footestoole, Psal. 99.5. and Heb. 11.21. Iacob adored the top of his rod: Ergo, it is lawfull to adore creatures. Bellarm. cap. 13. Rhemist. annot. 11. Heb. sect. 9.
Answer. In the first place by the footestoole is vnderstood the Tabernacle with the Arke: the Prophet saith not, Adore his footestoole, but, At or before his footestoole: for we deny not, but that we may kneele downe, and fall prostrate in adoring of God before such thinges, but none is to be adored but God. In the same place the Apostle saith, that Iacob worshipped toward the end of his staffe, that is, leaning vpō his staffe. The vulgar latine readeth corruptly adorauit fastigium baculi, He worshipped the end of his staffe: for then the Greek preposition foreign, were superfluous. And Augustine expoundeth it aright, saying, that Iacob by faith worshipped God vponupon the end of his staffe: quaest. in Gen. 162. Fulk. annot. Heb. 11. sect. 9.
Argum. 2. Nabuchadnezzar bowed himselfe to Daniel, and caused odors to be offered vntounto him, and worshipped him, who for so doing was not reproued of the Prophet: Ergo, Saints are to be worshipped. Bellar. ibid. Rhemens. annot. Apocal. 19 sect. 5.
Ans. 1 The offering of sacrifice, is a worship, by our aduersaries owne confession, proper to God, though they graunt most grossely, that it is lawfull to offer incense to the images of saints. Bellarm. cap. 13. The King therefore commanding in this place sacrifice to be offred to Daniel, did attribute vntounto him the godly worship: and therefore no doubt he was reproued of Daniel, though the text make no mention of it. Bellarmine, by offering of sacrifice, here wold vnderstand the bringing of gifts. Ans. This is shewed afterward verse. 48. Howe the King made Daniel a great man, and gaue him great gifts: and the offering of presents is but a part of ciuil honor: but the King here doth yeeld religious worship to Daniel.
2 It appeareth verse 47. that the King was reproued by Daniel, and forbidden to worship him, and commaunded onelyonly to worship God, because the King confesseth, that Daniels God is a God of Goddes, and therefore onelyonly to bee worshipped.
The Protestants.
WE can finde in the worde of God but two kindes of worship or adoration: a religious worship only due vntounto God: and a ciuill honour vsed amongst men. As for the Angels and saints, we do honour them with louelove, not with seruice. We do also reuerence the holy men vponupon earth, as the Prophetes and Apostles were in times past, with a ciuill adoration or worship of louelove, not with a religious seruice. There is also a due reuerence & estimatiō of such things as are sanctified to holy vses, as of the Tabernacle, Arke, Altar, Sacrifice in the Law: such now are the Sacraments, which are duely to be reuerenced, yet not to be adored, or kneeled vntounto. So we conclude, that all religious seruice and worship belongeth onelyonly vntounto God, and it were great idolatrie, to giuegive it to any other, Fulke annot. Apocal. 19. sect. 5.
Argum. 1. The scripture is plaine: Math. 4 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue. 1. Tim. 1.17. To God only wise, immortall, inuisible, be all honour and glory: Ergo, all religious worship is onelyonly due vntounto God. Bellarmine answereth, that these places are to be vnderstoode of a certaine kinde of religious worship, which is onelyonly proper to God. Ans. All religious worship is forbidden in these places to be giuen to any but vntounto God: for Sathan did not tempt Christ, to worship him as God, but only to fall downe and worship him: he asked onelyonly of him, foreign, a certaine inclination of the body, which Christ denieth, as being onelyonly proper to God, Caluini. argum.
Argum. 2. When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and would hauehave worshipped him, he was forbidden by Peter, Act. 10.25. So the Angell would not suffer Iohn to worship him, Apocal. 22. Paul and Barnabas stayed the people that would hauehave offered sacrifice vntounto them, Act. 14.14.
Bellarm. answereth to the first, that Peter of modestie refused the homage of Cornelius.
Ans. Peter giueth this reason, why he would not hauehave Cornelius so to do, I also am a man (saith he:) thereby letting him to vnderstand, that such kind of worship ought not to be giuen to any man: The same reason is rendered Acts. 14. by Paul & Barnabas, why they refused sacrifice: We also (say they) are men. If Peter did of modesty refuse Cornelius worship, then Paul and Barnabas did for modesty sake onelyonly likewise refuse to be sacrificed vntounto, which I am sure they will not graunt.
Bellarm. to the second saith, that Iohn did well in worshipping the Angel, and the Angell did well in refusing to be worshipped: for though the Angels of right are to be worshipped, yet they do well to refuse it, for reuerence to the humanitie and manhoode of Christ. Ans. first, let it be noted that Bellarmin shapeth a cleane contrary answer to our Rhemist. as appeareth before, cont. 8. quaest. 3. part. 1. For they say, that Iohn was deceiued in the person of the Angel, taking him for Christ, & is forbidden by the Angel to worship him as God: but Bellarmine altogether freeth Iohn from all error, and commendeth his dooing: whereas it is certaine, that Iohn knew well enough that he was an Angell, but being carried away in the ecstasie of his minde, did for the present time forget himselfe. And that the Angell did not of modestie refuse to be worshipped, but absolutely and simply, it is made manifest by his answer to Iohn, Worship thou God: He would not hauehave the Apostle to worship him, but God.
Bellarmine to the third saith, that the Apostles did well in refusing to be sacrificed vntounto: because to offer sacrifice is an external act of worship to be performed onelyonly to God, cap. 14.
Ans. 1. What reason hauehave they to burne incense vntounto saints and their images, rather then to offer sacrifice? For it appeareth in the law, that the burning of incense was more precious, & a more high point of the Leuitical seruice, then was the offering of sacrifice. 1. The Altar of incense was more curiously made, being ouerlayed with fine golde, and was called the golden altar, the other for burnt offerings, the brasen Altar, Exod. 40.26.
2. The altar of incense was placed in the Tabernacle neare vntounto the most holy place, the other altar stood at the doore without, Exod. 40.26.29. 3. The ministers were diuerse: the priests offered sacrifice in their courses, but Aaron onelyonly and his successours the high priests burned incense, Exod. 30.7. 4. VponUpon the brasen altar incense was offered with other sacrifices, Leuit. 2. But vponupon the golden altar no burnt sacrifice or any oblation, but onelyonly incense was offered vntounto God. 5. Of all offrings & oblations, it most liuely prefigureth the sacrifice of atonement wrought by Christ vponupon the crosse, who therefore is called by the Apostle, A sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vntounto God, Ephe. 5.2. Seeing then that the offering of incense was a more soueraigne thing in the Lawe, then was the oblation of sacrifices: there is small reason for it, that our aduersaries should reserue the lesse, that is, the offering of sacrifices for the Lord, and participate the greater & more worthie seruice, that is, censing of odors & perfumes vntounto saintes, as Bellarm. doth, cap. 13.
Ans. 2. If sacrifice were not then to be offered to saints, much lesse are prayers to be made now vntounto them: for to cal vponupon God is a greater thing, thē to offer sacrifice, Psal. 50. ver. 8.14. If saints can not chalenge the lesse, that is, to hauehave sacrifices, they hauehave no right to the greater, namely, to bee called vponupon and prayed vntounto.
Lastly, Augustine sayeth, Non sit nobis Religio cultus hominum mortuorum, quia si piè vixerunt, non sic habentur, vt tales quaerant honores, sed illum a nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante laetantur meriti sui nos esse consortes: honorandi ergo sunt propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionē. Let vsus not make it any part of Religion to worshippe men that are dead: for if they liued well, they are now in that state, that they need not, neither do require any honour at our handes: but they would hauehave vsus to worship God: by whose illumination or reuelation, they may vnderstand, and do reioyce, that we are partakers and fellowes in the same faith. They are then to be honored for imitation, not to be adored for Religion. Haec August. de vera Religion. cap. 55.
AN APPENDIX TO THIS FIRST part, concerning vowes and othes made to or by Saintes.
The Papistes.
FIrst, vowes may be made to Saints (say they) properly as vntounto God, though not altogether in the same manner: Prayer may be made to saintes, therefore error 75 vowes also. A vow in the Greeke toung is called foreign, votum, prayer foreign or al…o. As they differ not in name, so neither in deede are they to bee seuered. Bellarm. lib. 3. de sanct. cap.
Ans. 1. He taketh that for graunted, which is chiefely in question: for it is idolatry to pray vntounto any other but vntounto God: Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, Psalme 50.15. It is not lawfull to pray vntounto saintes, therefore not to vow.
2. To make vowes is a more strict and binding act of religion, then prayer is: for in eueryevery vow there is a prayer: we pray God to giuegive vsus grace to performe the thing vowed: and there is beside a full purpose of the heart with a solemne promise, whereby we bind our selues to the perfourming. Again we may make petition & request vntounto mortal men, but vowes we can make none vntounto them: It would not therefore follow, though saints might be prayed vntounto, that they are also capable of our vowes.
Secondly, it is also lawfull (they say) to sweare by the name of Saintes, because all is referred to the honour of God; as hee that sweareth by the temple, sweareth also by him that dwelleth therein. Rhemist. Mathew 21. sect. 8.
Ans. 1. In this place Christ reproueth the Pharisies for their swearing▪ and condemneth it by this argument: that howsoeuer they thought it a smal matter to sweare by the Temple, yet in effect they did sweare by God himselfe. See thē the boldnes of these men, that dare iustifie swearing by creatures by the same reason, that Christ condemneth it. 2. Our Sauiour saith nothing but this, that in eueryevery othe there is an inuocation of the diuine power, and therefore whosoeuer sweareth by a creature, committeth idolatrie, in making it his God.
The Protestants.
1. THat it is great impietie to make vowes vntounto Saints, it is thus proued, Isay 19.21. In that day the Egyptians shal know the Lord, and shal do sacrifices, and vow vowes vntounto the Lord. But sacrifices are not due vntounto saintes, but onelyonly to God: therefore neither vowes.
Againe, the vowes of Christians are not to binde them selues to go in pilgrimage, or to offer vntounto this Saint or that, this Image or that, as Augustine saith, alius pallium, alius oleum, alius ceram, one voweth a cloke, another oyle,De tempor. Sermo. 7. a third a wax Candle: God careth not for these vowes, saith he, Sed hoc, quod hodie redemit, ipsum offer, hoc est, animam tuam. But offer and vow vntounto God, that which as this day hee hath redeemed, that is, thy soule. The vowes therefore of obedience and repentance and all Christian dueties are the true vowes, the vowing of body and soule to the seruice of God, Rom. 12.1. But this can not bee vowed vntounto any but to him that redeemed vsus: Ergo, not to any Saint.
2 That wee ought onelyonly to sweare by the name of God, the scripture is plaine, Deuteron. 6 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him, and shalt sweare by his name; and by no other, Exod. 23.13. But saintes are not to be feared nor serued, for the Septuagint translate: foreign, Thou shalt worship God, which kinde of worship the Papists themselues dare not attribute to saintes: Ergo, neither are we to sweare by them.
Againe, to sweare, is to cal him to witnesse by whome we sweare, and so to make him our God: for whom we sweare by, wee confesse to be a searcher and knower of our hearts, and a reuenger of false swearers. To sweare then, is to call God to witnesse. Quid tu facis, cum iuras? Deum testem adhibes. Augustine. What doest thou,Serm. 10. Sermonū 17. when thou swearest? Thou callest God to wintesse: But they that sweare by saints, call them to witnesse, and none els are called to witnesse, but they by whom they sweare: Ergo, they make Saints their Gods, seeing God is called vponupon in eueryevery oath.
THE SECOND PART OF THE distinction of the two kindes of worshippe foreign, and foreign,
The Papists.
error 26 THat kinde of worship which is proper to God, they say, is fitly expressed by the Greek word foreign, neither is this word vsed, but for the worship of God: the other word foreign, is taken for all kind of seruice both of God & men: so that the religious worshippe, which is called foreign, is onelyonly to be giuen to God: the other called foreign, may bee attributed to Angelles and Saintes, Bellarmine, Cap. 12.
The Protestants.
This distinction is but of late inuented and coyned of our aduersaries, somewhat to countenance them out in their idolatrous and superstitious worship of saints. We thus do refell it.
Argum. 1. This distinction helpeth them not: for heere are onelyonly two wordes, which doo betoken two kinds of worship foreign, is the religious honor: foreign, is the ciuil dutie, such as seruants performe to their masters. They should hauehave found out three names for their three kindes of worshippe: they hauehave gained nothing by this distinction, but that ciuill adoration is due vntounto Saints, such as is giuen to men vponupon earth. As for their fayned word foreign, which may be called a superseruice, when they can find it in scripture, they shal know more of our minde: and yet receiuing this terme, it signifieth but a more ciuill seruice, it betokeneth not a new kinde of religious worship.
Argum. 2 Neither are the wordes so vsed, as they make vsus beleeue: for, the word foreign, which they make proper for the seruice of God, is applyed to men, as Leuit. 23. Opus seruile non facietis, You shal do no seruil work: the word is foreign: Lodouic. Viues also sheweth out of prophane authors, that somtime the word foreign, is taken for the seruice of men or maids to their masters: in 10. lib. Aug. de ciuit. Dei. cap. 1.
So contrariwise, the worde foreign, is taken in scripture for the proper seruice of God, as Gal. 4.8. Ye did seruice to them that by nature were no gods: the word is, foreign: Ergo, religious seruice is only due vntounto God, not to Angelles or saints, for they are not by nature gods.
Augustine saith, foreign debetur Deo, tanquam Domino: foreign, verò, nō nisi Deo, tanquam Deo: quaest. in Exod. 94. Religious seruice is due vntounto God as Lord: religious worship is onelyonly due vntounto God, as he is God.
THE THIRD PART CONCERNING the kissing of holy mens feete.
The Papists.
IT is a signe of reuerence done both to Christ and other sacred persons, as Prophetes, Apostles, Popes, or others representing his person heere vponupon error 27 earth, Rhemist. act. 4. sect. 3.
Argum. 1. The Shunamite fell downe and embraced Eliseus feete, 2. King. 4.27: Ergo, the Popes feete ought to be kissed.
Ans. 1 Your popes must be first as holy men as this Prophet was, who was thus reuerenced for his holynes, before they can challenge the like honor.
2 This reuerence to the prophet was voluntary in the woman, not looked for or exacted by the prophet, as the pope looketh for it of duty.
3 Heere is no mention made of kissing of feete, but onelyonly that she caught him by the feete, which was partly a signe of her ioy, that she had met with the prophet, partely by this sodain and disordered gesture, the prophet perceyued that she was troubled in minde, for Gehazi would hauehave thrust her away, but he said, Let her alone, for her spirite is troubled within her.
4 This is no warrant for the pope to offer his feete to be kissed of Kinges and Emperours, because the woman fell downe at the prophetes feete: think you, that if the King of Israel had so done, the prophet would hauehave suffered it?
Argum. 2. Marie kissed Christs feete: Ergo, the popes feete ought to be kissed.
Ans. What arrogancie is this, that the pope a mortall and sinfull man, should challenge that honor which was done to Christ being God in the flesh, and void of sinne? He might also with the like blasphemie challenge to be worshipped: because the women in the Gospel caught Christ by the feete and worshipped him, Mat. 28.9. We may see by this, of what spirit hee is, and whether he be not that Antichrist, that shal make him selfe as God, 2. Thess. 2.4.
The Protestants.
THe kissing of the feete, was an humble and lowly gesture, which was worthily vsed toward our Sauiour Christ, who was God in the flesh, and in his body and humanity annexed to his Godhead, as God to be worshipped: but it is too diuine, and too lowly an homage to be offered to any mortall man: and holy men in times past refused it, when any carried away with immoderat zeal and admiration of their person, were ready to giuegive it vntounto them.
Argum. 1. When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete, the holy Apostle would not suffer him to do it. The pope is of a cleane contrary spirite to S. Peter: for he refused it beeing offered: the Pope holdeth out his toe, and offereth it to be kissed, and vrgeth men thereunto.
Argum. 2 If such kissing of feete be commendable, how commeth it to passe that the pope only hath holy feete to kisse; and not other Bishoppes and Clergy men, as well as he?
Augustine thus wryteth vponupon those wordes of the Psalme, Worship his foote-stoole, reading according to the Septuagint▪ saith he, the earth is his foote stoole, but wee must not worship the earth: Conuer…o me ad Christū, & inuenio, quomodo sine impietate adoretur terra: suscepit enim de terra terram, quia caro terra est. in Psal. 98. I turne me (saith hee) vntounto Christ, and I finde, howe the earth may without any impiety be worshipped: for hee tooke earth of earth, flesh of the flesh of the Virgin, the flesh is earth: Out of these wordes I conclude that the flesh, the body, the humanity ought not in any to be worshipped, but onelyonly in Christ, for the neare coniunction of the Godhead and humane nature together: and therefore consequently no kissing of feete, which is an externall act of diuine worship, is seemely for any mortall man.