Sermon Preached 14 February 1607, Part 7
The seuenth Wounde.
THey taught the people in olde time, namely, for two or three hundred yeares past, that images were good lay mens bookes: and euen then, when they denied them the Scripture as vnfit for them, and obscure, and dangerous for seducing them to heresies, were Images allowed and commended vntounto them as good meanes of Instruction13The seuenth wound; Images are good lay mens bookes..
Some three hundred yeeres ago, liued a Frier called Gulielmus Peraldus, learned (for that time) & wel approued of their Moderne Censurers: hee writes thus; As the Scriptures are the bookes, and containe the learning of the Clergie: so Images and the scripture are the learning and bookes of laie men (p).
Lo heere, how Images are associated and ioined with the Bible. Search the Scripture, saith Christ: looke on them; and on Images saith the Pope; how readest thou, saith Christ: what …eest tho… saith the Pope: It is written saith Christ: it is painted and grauen saith the Pope: thy word (saith Dauid) is my light (not the golden Cherubins): but nowe saith Poperie euen in the new Testament, The scriptures and Images are lay mens lights: What a wrong is this to God, and what an iniurie to his worde?
But is this healed? Oh that it were! but let the Reader iudge, by that that followeth14The seauenth wound not healed, but made worse and worse..
One of their greatest Casuists, Laelius Zecchius, a great Diuine, a famous Lawyer, and of late yeares Penitentiary of Bresse, writing a great volume of Cases of conscience dedicated to Pope Clement the viij. amongst many other strange doctrines touching Images, teacheth, that It is not lawfull onelyonly, but profitable to hauehave Images in Churches; to cherish and encrease charitie towards God and man, &c… and to preserue faith; seeing Images are to bee held as bookes for them that bee vnlearned, to draw them vntounto knowledge, memorie, and imitation of holy and diuine matters, &c.qLaelius Zecchius, Summa moral… theolog. & casu… no… sci. tom. 2. cap. 90. art. 18. pag. 609.
Lo here, this doctor; who beeing Penitentiary, is by his place and calling to heale wounds and satisfie Consciences, comming to touch this wound, handled it so roughly, that in steed of healing it, he makes it sorer then it was. For whereas Peraldus gaue Scripture so much honour, as to be ioyned in commission with Images, they 2. to be ioint teachers of the Laity; Now comes the great Penitentiary, & is wel allowed by the Pope to leaue out the scripture, as needlesse, and to giuegive all the power to Images, not onelyonly to put men in minde, but euen to cherish and increase faith and charity. And certainly, if Images can do so, it is no maruell that Papists cast out the scriptures, and in roome thereof, doe bring Images into the Churches.
But to make vp the measure of this iniquity; Feuardent the famous Franciscan …rier, yet preaching at Paris, and to whome Possevine wisheth a long life, goeth one step further, and to heale vp this wound perfectly, teacheth this doctrine; By sight and contemplation of Images, the common and ignorant Laie men, doe easily and in a short time learne those diuine mysteries, miracles and workes, which out of the holy books they shall verie hardly or not at all bee able to perceiue*.Strange and fearefull doctrine of poperie; Images are better and easier bookes for the laye people then be the scriptures.
Heere now is Popery growen to his ful ripenesse. And marke the degrees how this wound hath beene made still deeper and wider. First, they taught, the Scripture and Images together were good bookes for Lay mentPeraldus,. Then, that Images without the scripture were to be accounted bookes for Lay menuLaelius Zecchius.. Now at last, Images are readier and easier, & therefore better books for Layemen then be the scripturesxFeuarde… tius..
So then seeing this wound is so well healed, let vsus leaue it, and search another.