A General View of Papistry, Book 2 · Controversy 9 · Part 2 · Question 7
THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF PILGRImages and Processions.
The Papists.
FIrst, they hold that pilgrimages made to Ierusalem and the holy land, as they call it, to Rome, and to the memories of Saints in other places, to aske and obtaine error 55 their helpe, are godly and religious, and to bee much vsed of Christians, Concil. Trident. sess. 25. Bellarm. cap. 8. The halt and lame went vp to Ierusalem to be healed in the poole of Bethesda, Iohn. 5. Certaine Greekes came vp to worship at the feast, Iohn. 12.20. The Eunuch went vp in pilgrimage to Ierusalem, Act. 8. Ergo, it is lawfull and requisite, Rhemist.
Ans. First, when you can proue that such miracles are wrought at the memories of Saints, as the scripture testifieth of this poole, men may be bold to goe vntounto them for their bodily health, as we see there is resort vntounto Bathes: but not for any religion. Secondly, the Grecians, that visited Ierusalem, were Iewes that dwelt amongst the Gentiles, or Proselytes, which were bound to visite the temple at Ierusalem. Thirdly, the Eunuch went not vp in pilgrimage to Ierusalem, but to worship: for there was yet no other knowne place of the world, where God was worshipped.
Secondly, their solemne processions, especially vponupon Palme Sunday, with carrying the Sacrament about, strawing of rushes, bearing of palmes, setting vp error 56 of boughes, hanging vp rich clothes, the quire and queristers singing: they would warrant by that action of our Sauiour Christ, Math. 21.8. when he came riding to Ierusalem, and the people strawed their garments in the way, Rhemist. annot. Math. 21. sect. 1.
Ans. First, your processions are horrible abusings and prophanations of the Lords institution, who ordained his Supper to be eaten and drunke, not to be carried about in procession like an heathenish Idol. Secondly, that which the people and Christs disciples did, they had warrant for out of the scripture: but who required this theatrical pompe at your hands? The riding of Christ vponupon an asse was before prophecied of, Zachar. 9. and the childrens crying out in the temple, Psal. 8. The cutting downe of palme branches was a ceremonie belonging to the feast of Tabernacles, truly accomplished by our deliuerance in Christ. But you hauehave turned the holy mysterie of Christs riding to Ierusalem, to a Maygame, and Pageant play.
The Protestants.
FIrst, that no places ought to be frequēted or resorted vntounto for religions sake, or more holines, or for the health of the soule: we proue it out of the word of God.
Saint Peter sayth, That in eueryevery nation, he that feareth God is accepted with him, Act. 10.35. Ergo, one nation is as holy as another. And now our Sauiour saith, That God will not be worshipped at Ierusalem, or in Mount Garrizin, but in spirit and truth, Iohn. 4. He therefore that seeketh places to worship God in, as though he were rather to be found in one place then another, hath left the spirituall worship.
Augustine thus writeth concerning pilgrimage: He wisheth men to seeke them teachers and instructors, by whom they might be taught: De erat in ea terra, quam incolebas: quae causa vtilius cogeret peregrinari? But is there no teacher in the countrey where thou dwellest? what better cause canst thou hauehave to trauell, and goe in pilgrimage to seeke one in other countries? De vtilit. credend. cap. 7.
Thus he would hauehave men to play the pilgrimes, not to runne gadding to Relikes and Images, but to seeke for teachers and instructors.
Secondly, the popish pompous processions are both superstitious, in reuiuing and renewing the Iewish ceremonies, such as the feast of Tabernacles was, which are all now abolished as shadowes by the comming of Christ. And they are plainly idolatrous, for they carrie about their breaden god in procession, and make an Idol of a piece of baked wheate: but Paul sayth, The Sacrament ought to be receiued with thankesgiuing in the Churches and congregations of Christians, 1. Corinth. 11.33. not to bee carried about to bee gazed vponupon in the fields. Seemely processions, voyd of superstition, which are vsed for ciuill purposes, as to maintaine the limits and bounds of townships, and withall by the sight of Gods blessing vponupon the creatures to bee stirred vp to thankfulnes, we neither mislike nor condemne.
AN APPENDIX CONCERNING THE HOLY LAND, and holy warres for the same, as they were called.
The Papists.
THey which are but a little acquainted with ancient stories, shall finde, that error 57 there were neuer in Christendome such bloodie warres, and for so long a time, as those, which were at the instigation of the Popes, taken in hand by christian Princes for the recouerie of the holy land in so much that they were made to beleeue, that it was a meritorious work…. Whereupon King Richard the first, calling to minde his rebellion and disobedience to his father, in part of satisfaction purposed a voyage into the Holy land, as it was called, to redeeme Christs patrimonie from the Infidels, Fox. pag. 235. Bellarm. de laicis. lib. 3. cap. 16. First, for why? they say it is an Holy land: for if the places of Gods apparition are coun… holy. Exod. 3.5. Iosua. 5.15. much more the places of Christs natiuitie, buriall, passion, and resurrection. Saint Peter calleth the place where Christ was transfigured,2. Pet. 1.18. The holy mount, Rhemist. 1: Timoth. 4▪ sect. 10.
Ans. The places, where God appeared in times past, were holy for that time onelyonly of Gods presence, not for euer after: and the mount is called holy in respect of the time, wherein the transfiguration was; not that the holines of the place doth alwaies continue: for that place which Iacob called Bethel, the house of God, Genes. 28. is by the Prophet called Bethauen, the house of wickednesse, Ose. 4.15. because of the idolatries there committed: what was now become of the holines of the place?
The Protestants.
TO warre against the Turkes vponupon iust cause, as to seeke to defend our selues from their inuasions, and to maintaine the confines and bounds of Christendome, to deliuer Christians vniustly and cruelly kept in slauerie vnderunder him, we hold it lawfull: but to wage battaile with him, onelyonly for a superstitious deuotion to the land of Palestina, to recouer it out of his hand, we see no warrant at all for it.
Argum. 1. The euill successe that Christians hauehave had against them, and the shamefull ouerthrowes that they hauehave sustained at their hands, doe euidently shewe, that God was not pleased with those superstitious warres. While Princes had a good quarrell, seeking onelyonly to maintaine their owne, and to deliuer Christian countries from the thraldome of the Turkes, God prospered them, as the famous victories of Scanderbeius, and Iohannes Hunniades obtained against Amurathes the 8. Turkish Emperour, do notably testifie: but those superstitious and pope-holy warres, though sometime they had good successe, yet in the end all went to wracke. And as their cause was not good, so neither were the meanes that they vsed: for they brought S. George, and S. Denys into the field against the Turkes, and left Christ at home If the Israelites could not be deliuered from the Philistims by the presence of the Arke, but thirtie thousand fell before them, and all because of their sinnes: let not men thinke that popish Saints can defend them, while their liues remaine vnreformed at home.
2. That the heathen are not to be prouoked to warre, but vponupon iust cause: that is, when they prouoke vsus; it appeareth by the example of the Israelites, who as they came from Aegypt, sent vntounto the King of Edom and Moab, that they might hauehave leaue to walke through their land: but they not granting so much, yet the people of God offered them no violence, but went a longer iourney about, Iudg. 11.17.
Augustine sayth, Sapiens gesturus est iusta bella: sed multo magis dolebit iustorum necessitatem extitisse bellorum: A wise man will take iust warre in hand:De ciuitat. dei. 19.7. but it more grieueth him that he hath iust cause to warre. And what he meaneth by iust warre, he further sheweth: Iniquitas partis aduersae iusta bella ingerit gerenda sapienti. The iniquitie or iniuries of the aduerse part, doth giuegive vntounto a wise man occasion of iust warre. Iust warre therefore ariseth, when men are prouoked by iniuries.