Sermon Preached 14 February 1607, Part 8
The eightth wound.
IN former ages, as superstition grew, and religion decayed, so Images began to be worshipped more & more; & ceased not til at the last they came to this, that eueryevery Image was to bee worshipped with the same worship that was due to him whose Image it is… so that some three hundred yeares agoe, or somwhat more, it seemed by Aquinas to be their generall and receiued doctrine, that15The eight wound; That an Image of God or a Crucifix are to be worshipped as God and Christ, that is with diuine worship. An Image of Christ, and the crosse wheron Christ died, and a Crucifixe; are all to bee worshipped with the same worship due to God and Christ Iesus, that is with foreign yAquinas Summa par. 3 quaest. 25. ar…. 3.
A fearefull doctrine, maintaining horrible Idolatry; for nothing, but GOD, may bee worshipped with diuine worshippe: but they teach that those creatures may bee worshipped as God himselfe is, that is, with diuine worshippe: therefore they make those creatures God: and by this argument it is apparant, that the present religion of the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous religion, as long as this doctrine stands vnrepealed.
Let vsus then see, if this bee healed: 16The eight wound not healed, but made vvider and deeper and deadlier eueryevery day.But alas, it is so farre from being in any part reforme… that it is rather the generall and common receiued doctrine of al their approoued writers. I wil not stand (as I could) to shew it successiuely through all ages since the daies of Aquinas, til these times: but sp…ring that labour, till better leasure, I will referre the Reader to most of the elder Authors, and insist onelyonly on some fewe, and those of the latest: it beeing my speciall purpose at this time to shew that the Romish Babylon is euen now not healed of her deadliest wounds. Which in this particular I will labour a little the more fully to demonstrate out of the moderne authors, now extant and approued, because this imputation is generally cast off with this answere; It is not so, it is but an ignorant or malitious …lander: for the Romish Church giues onelyonly a certaine reuerence to holy Images; but doth not worship them, at all, at least with no diuine worship. And some of our owne profession are either so ignorant they know it not, or so malitious, they will not confesse it, or else so hollow harted to vsus, and such secret friends to them, they would not hauehave it discouered though it be so: for my part… I pitie the Ignorant (knowing my own weakenesse) I care not for the malitious, and I hate the hollownesse of all dissembling professors. And therefore let others couer and conceale her shame, and hide the Whore of Babilons filthine…, as they wil; I say for my selfe, Let the tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I spare to discouer her skirts, and lay open her filthinesse to the world; that all men seeing her as she is, may detest and forsake her. Therfore in the words of truth and sobernesse, I do heere offer to this honorable aud…ence, that I will willingly come to this place and recant it with shame, if I proue not apparantly to the iudgement of eueryevery reasonable man, that this is the common and generall doctrine of the greatest number of their best approued authors that hauehave written in these latter daies; namely, That an image of God, or a Crucifi…ce, especiallie one made of the wood whereon Christ died, or that Crosse it selfe, are to bee worshipped with foreign, that is, with the worshippe due vntounto God.
And first of all, I will in this case spare Bellarmine, aVide Bellarminum to. 2. lib. de Imag. sanctorum 2. cap… 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. & de Concil. lib. 2. cap. 8.seeing hee (as hauing some grace in him) seemes somewhat ashamed of the matter, and therfore playeth fast and loose: and betwixt God and his conscience on the one side, and the Pope and his allegeance to him on the other, hee cannot tell what to say: and therefore winding himselfe into a labyrinth of general and confused distinctions of per se & per acciden…, primariò & secundariò, propriè & impropriè, and such other which may serue for all purposes; at last hee leaues the matter as doubtfull as he findes it: yet must it bee confessed, if he incline either way, it is to the worse: which (by conference of his other writings) I think he doth rather for feare, or to please the Pope, then out of his owne iudgement and conscience.
Therefore leauing him, I begin with Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuite, & a Professor of diuinitie as Bellarmine is, of his owne sect, of his owne time, and accounted by some papists more learned; but approoued of all: he writeth thus; bGregor. de valent. …om. 4. disp. 1. quaest. 24. punct. 2. pag. 467.It is certaine that Images are to bee worshipped, so as properly the worship shall r…st in them, not for themselues, nor for the matter, nor formes sake, but for his sake they resemble: & in this sēse they are to be worshipped so, as they bee whome they resemble; and therfore the Image of Christ, as man, is to be worshipped with the same worship due to Christ himselfe.
Hee cannot denie, but manie learned of his own …ide teach the contrary: but hee reproo…es them all, and embraceth this as the commoner and truer opinion, and confirmes it and concludes it for truth.
Next to him I produce another Iesuite, Gretserus, of the same vniuersity, and either successor or fellow to Gregory de Valentia in the same place and profession; he who was chosen for the papists Champion, in the famous disputation holden at Regensperg 1600; & whome Posseuine the Iesuite calls the very hammer of heretikes: Thus he writeth; Thus we hauehave taught that the Crosse is to be worshipped: But now with what kinde of worship is it to bee worshipped? We answere and affirme, according to the more common opinion & more receiued in schooles, that the Crosse and all images, and signes of the Crosse are to be worshipped with foreign, that is with diuine worship.
Can anie speake more plainely then both these doe? Now, these bee Iesuites, and to these two I could adde more: but let vsus see what their Summists, and Casuists saie to this matter; which are the more to bee regarded, because they pretende to write such resolutions as may settle vnquiet and doubting consciences. If therefore any poore Papist aske the Romish Confessors, and Casuists, How farre may I worship a Crosse, and with what kind of worship; hearken how they answere.
And to let one speake for all, Ia…obus de Graffijs, a Monke of greate name, and Graund Pe…itentiarie at Naples, writing (as hee calls them) his Golden decisions of cases of conscience, some 3. yeares ago, answereth thus (g);Ia… de graff. decis. aur. ca…. cons. tom. 1. lib 2. c…p. 2 art. 3. Holy Images, considered as they be pieces of wood, or metall, or some such things, are to hauehave no honor giuen them: but in them another matter is lookt at namely, the image of him whom they resemble, and not the matter whereof they are made: in which respect looke what reuerence or worship is due to him whose Image it is, the very same by good right is to be bestowed on the image.
And to speake more fully and plainly, if it be possible: a little after he addeth; The first Commandement commaunds, that wee worship eueryevery Image with the same worship as we doe him whose Image it is: for example, that wee giuegive latria, that is diuine worship, to the Image of God, and of Christ, and euen to the signe of the Crosse, in as much as it brings to our mind the passion of Christ… and hyper dul… to the image of the blessed Virgin, and Dulia to the Images of the Saints.
How now? is not Babylon well healed? What can be said against this? that these be priuate men? no, they be publick professors, and their bookes allowed with at great authority as can bee: But will you hauehave that that is of souereigne authority, and that may not bee questioned? Then looke in their publicke Liturgy, which is of more credit & account then a 100. Doctors, and there you shall finde the crosse saluted and praied vntounto in these wordshVide Breular. Rom. pa…. hyemal. in fine. Ara Crucis, lampas lucis, vera salu… …hominum nobis pronum fac patronum quem tulis…i dominum. Salue lignum vitae, dignum ferre mundi pretium… Conser…sti plebi Christi crucis bene …icium.; Thou altar of the crosse, thou lamp of light, thou true saluation of men: make thou that Lord, whom thou didst bear, a louing & merciful Patron to vsus. Al…ail thou wood of life: thou that wert worthy to cary the price of the world, do thou bestow vponupon this congregation of Christ the fruit and benefit of his passion.
Oh admirable doctrine! First, heere is a prayer to the Crosse it selfe (but of that heerafter): thē the Crosse is made a mediator to Christ for vsus. And surely we shal lesse wonder heereafter that they make Saints Mediatours to Christ; seeing heere they shame not to send the wodden crosse to him, to make intercession for them: but as for that, where they giuegive a power to the Crosse to procure Christ to be good vntounto vsus, how it can bee spoken without Atheistical blasphemie, let them answere that made it.
Further, obserue how the Crosse is said to hauehave deserued to beare Christ: surely no maruell tho Saints can mori…, when a peece of wood can merit at Gods hands. Lastly, let all reasonable men iudge what the Romish Church holds of Christs death; seeing they praie to a wodden Crosse, to bestow the fruite and benefit of it vponupon them.
But sure (will some say) this is healed: I wil not deny but that in some of their new and later Breuiaries this is left out: but thereunto I answere;
First, that it is not cured, bue couered: for to the healing of a spirituall wounde, there needes confession and publique satisfaction to the Church offended by the fault: but heere is no confession of any fault nor euill, in these words to the Crosse; only they be cunningly kept out in the newer bookes: so that they are ashamed of them, and yet hauehave not the grace to confesse it, and therefore will leaue it out and yet shew no cause why. Now if it be naughtt; why do they not say so, and therfore put it out? if it be good, why do they put it out? So then it may be couered but is not cured.
Secondly, I answer that though they hauehave left out that, yet they hauehave kept in as bad or worse… for euen in their newest editions, and as they say most reformed, there is this prayer to the CrosseiBreuia…ium Rom. auto…itate Concil. Trident. & sūmo…um pontificū, Pij 5. & al. restitu…um, & editū: Sab…ato infra hebdomadam passionis, in Hymno pag. 302 editionis in 4. O Crux aue spes vnica hoc passionis tempore: augepijs iustitiam reis que dona veniam.. All haile ô Crosse, our onelyonly hope: wee pray thee in this holy time of Lent, increase iustice or righteousnesse in godly men, and grant pardon to the guiltie.
Heer the very wodden Crosse is called vponupon, & praied vntounto, to do that which Christ himselfe could neuer hauehave done, if he had not ben God. Some wil say, Surely they speake to Christ, howsoeuer the words seeme to be spoken to the Crosse: I answere, if they direct their hearts to Christ, why then direct they the words to the Crosse? Verily Christ is worthy of both, as well as one: But I answere further, it is a cleere case that they make and direct this prayer not to Christ, but to the very Crosse it selfe: else lo… Aquinas bee Iudge, who makes this argumentkAquinas summae par 3. q 25. art. 4.; That is to be worshipped with diuine worship, wherin wee put and place the hope of our saluation: but wee place the hope of our saluation in the Crosse that Christ dyed on, for thus sings the Church (and thē he alleageth this place & these words) All haile ô Crosse, our onelyonly hope: in this time of Lent, do thou increase righteousnesse in holie men, and graunt pardon to sinners: therefore the Crosse is to bee worshipped with diuine worship.
These be his owne very words, and are spoken of the Crosse, and not of Christ; as any man may see that will but looke on the booke it selfe: for, the question in generall, beeing concerning the adoration of Christ, hee diuides the generall into sixe particular questions: which are these;
1. Whether Christs humanity be to bee worshipped with the same worship as his diuinity.
2. Whether Christs humane flesh be to be worshipped with latria.
3. Whether the adoration or worship of latria bee to be giuen to the Image of Christ.
4. Whether to the crosse of Christ.
5. Whether to the Mother of Christ.
6. Howe the Relickes of Saints are to be worshipped.
So that we see, heere is Christ and his Crosse, and his Image, and his Mother are made 4. seuerall matters & of seueral & distinct consideration: then falling into the particulars; for the 2. first questions, he argueth them negatiuely, but concludes them affirmatiuely; touching which two we hauehave no controuersie with them at this time: then comming to the 3. & 4. which be these in question; touching the Image of Christ, whether it be to be worshipped with latria or no: he answereth, that it seemes no; & giues such reasons as he nor the world is able to answere, but concludes affirmatiuely that it is, as I hauehave set downe: namely, that Seeing Christ himselfe is to be worshipped with the worship of latria: therefore his Image is also to be worshipped, with latria. So comming to the fourth question, which is of the Crosse, demaunding whether it be to bee worshipped with latria or no; He answereth, that it seemes no: but concludes affirmatiuely that it is; and then giues his reason as I hauehave aforeset it down; & …rom thence drawes his conclusion in these words; The crosse of Christ, namely that whereon Christ was crucified, is to be worshipped with latria, for two causes; both for the representation or resemblance it hath to Christ, as also for that it touched the bodie of Christ: But the signe of that Crosse, or a crucifixe, of what matter soeuer, is to be worshipped with latria, onelyonly in the former respect.
These be his very words. And heere by the way, obserue how ridiculous and absurd poperie is, in this point: for it giues greater worship to the dead Image and wodden crosse, then to the blessed Virgin Mary the mother of Christ; of whom he concludes in the next article, that shee is by no meanes to be worshipped with latria, but onelyonly with an inferiour worship called hyperdulia; and marke what wodden arguments are giuen for it: One, Shee is a reasonable creature, & therefore must not be worshipped with latria: Lo, shee must not, because she is a reasonable creature, and yet the crosse shal which is vnreasonable & dead. Another; A crucifixe is like to Christ: therefore it shall bee worshipped with latria: But is not she liker to Christ then anie crosse can be?
A third; the crosse did beare CHRIST, and did touch his bodie: therfore it must bee worshipped with latria. But did not she beare him, and touch him and his blessed Bodie in a farre more excellent manner then the Crosse either did or could? See what pittiful arguments be here brought to fortifie this damnable Idolatry. Who could think that so great learned doctors should thus childishlie dally with holie thing, and be so blinded in their vndestandings? But this it is to bee drunke with the wine of the spirituall Babylons abhominations.
But to returne to the matter: by these wordes of his, Aquinas hath cleared that doubt and aunswered that obiection made afore; that these wordes are not spoken to the crosse or image, but to Christ: No saith Aquinas; they are spoken to the cross.
What can bee saide to all this? but one thing more, that in the time of Aquinas it may be this was holden, but since then it is reformed, & now it is not so. But I answere; this wound is not healed: for as it is thus as I hauehave reported in the olde copies of Aquinas both Manuscript, and printed; so is it also without the least alteration in the new and later editions, reformed and purged as they pretend: and printed within these fewe yeares. And (which is more euill) whereas, some thirty yeares agoe, all Aquinas was reuiewed at Rome by commandement of Pope Pius Q…intus, and purged and altered as they thought good, and so printed: yet had not the Pope so much grace in him; nor so much zeale of Christs glory as to amend this horrible impietie, but to the perpetuall blemish of Aquinas, and euerlasting shame of their Romish synagogue, lets it stand for good currant Catholicke doctrine, euen at this daie, that A Crosse is to be worshipped with the same worship as Christ himselfe.
Yet if any will stand vponupon it, that this wound is healed, then let him shew vsus what Pope hath cōdemned this doctrine; nay what popish Doctor approued by their Church hath reproued this doctrine, or taught and written the contrary. Which wher they or anie other that take their part, shal not be able to shew: I contrariwise to make it manifest to all the world that this wound is not healed, but ra…kles deeper, & spreds further, will shew out of their latest and … writers, that this their doctrine is rather made worse then any way reformed. To this end, let the Reader bee pleased to marke the words of a great Doctor of theirs well approued amongst them & a spanish professor of diuinitie for the order of the Cistercians: who not 7. yeares agoe writing 2. volumes of Commentaries, which he entitles de verbis Dominae, Of the words of our Lady, and dedicating his booke vntounto the Pope himselfe CLEMENT the viii. hath these words, But what do wee speake so much of the Crosse,Ioh. Chryso…t. a visitatione, de verbis dominae. tom. 1. lib. 6. cap. …. seeing there is nothing vsed in the passion of Christ that is without honour? the na…iles, the speare, the coate, the crowne, and all such other things, are honoured so much, as that (in regard they touched Christ) men doe therefore worship them, yet not with the same worship with which we worship the Crosse it selfe: which inasmuch as it represents vntounto vsus the figure of Christ extended vponupon it, and inasmuch as it touched the seuerall parts of his bodie, and inasmuch as it was died with a good part of his most pretious bloud: Wee doe therefore worship it with the same worship with which wee adore Christ himselfe; namely, with the worship of latria. For which cause it is, that we speake to the verie Crosse it selfe, and pray vntounto it, as vntounto him that was crucified on it, and do repose the hope of our saluation vponupon it heereupon the Church singeth in the liturgie, … words of the Crosse: All haile ô Crosse our onelyonly hope: in this time of …ent do thou increase righteousnes in good men, and grant pardon to sinners, &c.
Lo…, heere is a peece of refined popery indeed: we worship the Crosse saith he as Christ, wee speake to the Crosse it selfe, we pray to the Crosse it selfe, as well as to him that died on it; and hee confesseth freelie, that the prayer in the liturgie or masse booke is not made to Christ; but to the Crosse it selfe. From hence I gather these two conclusions; 1. That by P…pish religion the Crosse is a God.
This I collect thus: Latria (saith Augustine) is that worship of religion, which is due onelyonly and …olelie to God himselfe: and popery it selfe confesseth with one consent, that prayer is a part of latria: But popish religion prayeth to a wodden crosse, euen to the crosse it selfe; therefore by popist religion the wodden Crosse is a God. 2. That the Crosse is made a God, not by the doctrine and iudgement of their priuate Doctors, but of their Church and religion.
This I collect thus: Their Missalls and Breuiaries which containe their Liturgy are confirmed both by the Pope and the Councell of Trent aVide Miss… lia & Breuiaria omnia ab anno 70 & deinceps.: but the Popes determination, especially together with a Councell is the publicke and vncontroleable act of their ChurchbNone acknowledging himselfe a papist can denie this.: Therefore the doctrine and practice in their Liturgie is not priuate, or such as may be questioned, or doubted of, but publicke and general, and may not bee called in question. But in their late and reformed Breuiary allowed and confirmed by the Pope and Councell, they pray to the Cross and call vppon the Crosse, as wee heard before, and their owne doctors doe expound it that it is not to Christ but to the CrossecAquinas of old; and Chrysostomus a visitatione of late.. Therefore by the doctrine and religion of the Church of Rome the Crosse is a God.
Bellarmine would gladly heale this wound, or at lest couer it ouer, and saithdBellar in tom. 2. de Imag. sanctorū. lib. 2. c. 24. in re…p. ad argum.; that whereas the Church praieth so, surely either the crosse is taken for Christ, or else it is but a figure; as Moses saith, Hear O Heauens, Deutro. 32. No, no, say the Romish Doctors, (that wrote since Bellarmine) there is no such matter; that praier is to the Crosse it selfe.
And his brothereGa. Vazq. les. de cultu adorationis. li 2… disp. 3. cap. 4. Iesuit, Gabriel Vazquez beeing also much ashamed of the matter, would gladly help it, and to that ende is constrained to confesse, that there is not (as Bellarmine sayth) one alone, but two figures in that praier: which (saith he) vnlesse they bee admitted, it is an vnapt & absurd prayer; for it speakes vntounto the Crosse as vntounto our God and Sauiour. He therfore for his part saith, hee should thinke that by the crosse they meane Christ, and pray to him, not to the Crosse: and further saith, that many others thinke so, but hee names not one (tho in other points hee is a plentifull citer of other authors): but against him or who-euer else thinke so (beeing papists) I produce the Cistercian Doctor Chrysostome a visitatione: who writing sinec them alfFor V…zquez wrote since Bellarmine: namely, about the yeare 92. but this Chrysostome wrote sinec V…zquez some seauen yeares agoe., and whose book is of more authority then his,gFor Vazquez is dedicated but to a spanish ordinarie Bishop, but Chrysostome to the Pope himselfe., answereth all these doubts, & preuents all other obiections; saying plainely that in that prayer of the Church, We speake to the Crosse it selfe, we call vponupon and praie to the crosse it selfe.
And no more nor no worse, saith hee, then Aquinas himselfe, totidem verbis spake before himhAquinas summa par. 3. q. 25. art. 4.. Therefore (to conclude) til this doctrine of Aquinas be condemned for heresie, and til this fellow that cals him selfe golden mouth, be adiudged as he is, a leaden mouthed and blacke-mouthed blasphemer, and his booke burnt as heretical, and till the Romish Church hauehave satisfied the world for this great wrong, til then (I say) it is apparant to al men that in this wound She is not healed.
This wound hath beene deepe and wide, and therfore long in searching; and seeing it is found incureable, let vsus vsus proceed.