The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 28 – Article 29

The Buckler of the Faith · Part · Article 28 – Article 29

p. 288THE XXVIII. ARTICLE. Of the Confession of faith. Whereupon M. Arnoux disputeth againe of the perpetuitie of the Church, and of her markes, and of Saint Peters Supremacie.

In this Article we professe, that there where the p. 289word of God is not receiued, where they make no profession to subiect themselues thereunto; and where there is no vse of the Sacraments, to speake properly, we cannot affirme that there is any Church. Therefore we condemne the assemblies of the Papists, because the pure truth of God is banished from thence, wherein the Sacraments are corrupted, adulterated, falsified, or wholly annihilated: and wherein all superstitions and idolatries hauehave their full swinge. We hold therefore that all those which deale in such actions & communicate therein, separate and cut themselues off from the body of Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse, because that as yet there resteth some small traces of a Church in the Papacie, and that the substance of Baptisme still remaineth there: as also that the efficacie of Baptisme dependeth not vponupon him which administreth the same: we confesse, that those which are baptized therein, hauehave no need of a second baptisme. Yet in the meane time, by reason of the corruptions that are therein, children cannot be presented thereunto without pollution.

ARNOVX.

Section. 106 If all that be true, the Sonne of God is not yet come into the world, seeing that one of the principallest markes of his coming, is the destroying of Idols. Now if by their reckoning the Romish Church be idolatrous, idolatrie was neuer in such credit, nor was so farre spread abroad as it is now, nor neuer had larger limits then it hath, and hath had since fiue or sixe ages, from whence they deriue the beginning of the corruptions of the Church.

MOVLIN.

By the same reason I could proue, that there are no more vices nor errors in the world, because Iesus Christ is come into the world to take them away. M. Arnoux is but ill p. 290seene in histories, if he beleeueth that Iesus Christ by his comming hath wholly expelled and remoued idols. Seeing that since Iesus Christs time vntill now there hath alwayes bene an infinite number of Idolaters, as in China, India, &c. And the Senate of Rome were Pagans and Idolaters 400 yeares after Iesus Christ, as we may see by Symmachus Epistles. Reade Reuelation, 9.20. and you shall see that the Spirit of God foresheweth, that men did not repent of the seruice which they did to Idols. This prophesie is not against vsus, which neither adore, Idols, Images, Relicks, nor Sacraments; but adore God onelyonly, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, and eleuate our hearts and adorations vp to heauen where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God: neither do we cut off the second commandement from the Law of God, wherein the seruice of Images in prohibited.

The aduersarie is likewise misaduised to presume that the Church of Rome is not Idolatrous, because it hath a precinct largely extended. Pagans and Infidels, which are manifest idolaters, hauehave much greater territories. The Church is a little flocke, Luke. 12.32. The gate is narrow which goeth in to life eternall, and few there are which find it, Math. 7.14. All the earth followeth the beast, Reuel. 13.4.

ARNOVX.

Section. 107 They note no places at all. This period of wrongs offered to the spouse of the Lambe, hath no proofe in the Scripture.

MOVLIN.

Our Confession saith, that the pure word of God is banished out of the Papists assemblies. To proue it, it is not possible to alledge any places out of the Scripture: for the Scripture speaketh neither of Pope nor Papacie (vnlesse by way of prophesie.) It containeth not an historie of corruptions happened since the Apostles time, but onelyonly speaketh of rules how to shun those corruptions. Adde hereunto, that eueryevery error of the Papacie whereby the pure word of God is corrupted, p. 291is confuted by the places noted vponupon the margents of our Confession; and it was not necessarie nor possible to put all the places which are nored vponupon the other Article, in the margent of this 28 Article.

Touching the title of the spouse of the Lambe, which M. Arnoux giueth to the Church of Rome, it agreeth ill wlth that which Bellarmine saith lib. 1. cap. 9. De Pontifice Rom. §§Ac ne fortè. Profectò si Ecclesia quae est in terris Christo secluso, non ineptè comparatur sponsae, secluso etiam Christo vnu… caput habere debet.where he saith, That the Pope is the spouse and head of the Church, Christo secluso, Iesus Christ being excluded or set aside. This excellent title, properly belongeth to the Church of the elect, and so is this word taken, Reuel. 21.9. And if by analogie this title be communicated to the visible Church, it belongs not to a particular Church to attribute the same vntounto her selfe aboue all others, & much lesse to the Church of Rome, whereof the head, Reu. 17.15, is described by a woman cloathed in scarlet, which sitteth in that towne which hath seuen hils, which maketh the kings of the earth drunke: whereof it is foreshewed, that he shall call himselfe God, and that he shall worke signes and wonders, 2. Thess. 2. And his doctrine is noted, to wit, the forbidding of meats and mariage, 1. Tim. 4.3. Reade ouer all the histories, and runne ouer all the earth, and see if you can find any other then the Pope of Rome, to whom these markes belong.

ARNOVX.

Section. 108 On the contrarie, the Prophets in all places promise the Church which was pure from errors in the beginning, perseuerance in her integritie.

MOVLIN.

That is not so. The Prophets say no such thing: you should alledge those places: for the Prophets knew well that the Church of Israel which was pure in the beginning, became idolatrous in Aegypt, Ezech. 20.7.8. They knew well that the children of Israel had worshipped the golden Calfe, Aaron himselfe the high Priest participating with them in the same sinne. They knew well that in the time of the Iudges, the p. 292people of Israel many times left the seruice of God to follow idolatrie. They knew that in the times of Achas and Manasses, idolarrie was erected in eueryevery towne, and that Vrias the high Priest erected an idolatrous alter in the Temple, 2. Kings. 16. The Churches of Ierusalem and of Antiochia were pure in their beginning, and established, the one by Iesus Christ, the other by Saint Peter; and yet the Church of Rome holdeth that they were corrupted. Why may not the like happen to the Church of Rome, which is but a particular Church, which swalloweth vp the rest, and hath no particular promise that it shall neuer erre, but rather threatnings to be cut off, if she perseuer not in the bountifulnesse of God? Rom. 11.22.

ARNOVX.

Section. 109 It is therefore with the eyes of affection that the Ministers looke vponupon the catholicke Church, and not with the eyes of ancient faith, which makes vsus know the same by infallible signes, as by antiquitie contrarie to noueltie, by succession contrarie to interruption: by vniuersalitie, contrarie to smalnesse of number: by vniformitie, contrarie to diuision: and by eminence of doctrine, contrarie to licenciousnesse and impietie.

MOVLIN.

All this hath bene examined before in the 95. Section and the rest of the Sections following, where we hauehave shewed, that not one of these markes belong to the Church of Rome.

Of Licenciousnesse and prophane life.

Section. 110 Touching Licenciousnesse and impietie, wherewith M. Arnoux vpbraideth those Churches that are separated from the Church of Rome, therein he speaketh against his owne conscience. For he knowes well, that in those points the Church of Rome beares away the bell for prophanenesse of life and impietie, from all the Churches in the world. I speake p. 293not of particular persons, among whom I doubt not but that there are many that liue with ciuill honestie, and which thinke that in their religion they do seruice to God. I speake onelyonly of publike orders. For in all other Churches, vices are accounted euils and corruptions, but in the Church of Rome, vices are accounted vertues, and are become lawes. None but the Church of Rome teacheth periurie, which by a decree of a**This is to be seene in the 19. Sessiō of the Councell of Constance. Councell, declareth that men are not bound to keepe faith and promise with heretikes: and which teacheth that the Pope can dispense with oathes made to God.

None but the Church of Rome, by publike order, hath established the Stewes, and by law permitteth fornication.

None but the Church of Rome, giueth remission of sinnes, vponupon condition to do euill, and which maketh the grace of God to be a reward of disloyaltie and wickednesse. So whilest the last warres of the League in Fraunce continued, the Pope gaue nine yeares of pardon to all those French-men that should reuolt from the obedience of the King. Those pardons were set vp vponupon church doores, and on the corners of the streets.

None but the Church of Rome, maketh God an example of iniustice, and of deceitfull reuenge, in this, that they teach, that God pardoneth mens faults, but not the punishment for them, quitting our debt, but not the payment of the debt. For so he that shall hauehave receiued any iniurie, and hath pardoned the partie that did it, may, after pardon giuen, be reuenged on him, and say, that he did pardon his offence, but not the punishment of the offence. For, why will they hauehave a man to be more iust and mercifull then God? We are too much inclined to do euill, without being incited thereunto by the example of God.

None but the Church of Rome, giueth way to crueltie, teaching that he is not a murtherer which with zeale to the holy mother Church of Rome, killeth one that is excommunicated, which is Pope Vrbans doctrine, in the Canon Excommunicatorum, Causa 23. Quaest. 5.

None but the Church of Rome, dispenseth with subiects p. 294oathes of Allegiance to their Kings, and which inciteth them to rebellion, when it hath pleased the Pope to pronounce sentence of Deposition against a King. Whereof there is a Canon and a Rule in the Councell of Latran, vnderunder Innocent the third, Canon 3. And the Councell of Constance practised the same against Fredericke Duke of Austria in the twentieth Session.

None but the Church of Rome dispenseth with children to be disobedient and to leaue the subiection to their fathers and mothers, commanded by the Law of God, when against their fathers and mothers wils, they saue themselues, and enter into a Monasterie as into a Sanctuarie of rebellion. Reade Numbers 30.4.5.6. where the vowes of a daughter, made contrary to her fathers will, are declared voyd, and of no force.

None but the Church of Rome permitteth Doctors, by word of mouth, and by writing, to maintaine, that it is lawfull to vse equiuocation in iustice, and that confessions of enterprises against the liues of Kings and Princes, ought not to be reuealed,**Toletus libr. 5. de Instruct. sacerd. Cap. 1. In duobus casibus filius debet accusare patrē; in crimine laesae maiestatis, & in crimine haeresis. Suares in his booke against the K. of great Britaine, li. 6. c. 4 saith, that the lawful successor of a King which is deposed by the Pope, ought to kill that King. and that it is lawfull for a sonne to accuse his father, and to procure his death, if he be an heretike.

None but the Church of Rome selleth sacred things, and praiers for the dead, and maketh open trafficke of Benefices and Ecclesiasticall functions.

None but the Church of Rome suffereth a man which calleth himselfe, Head of the Church, to weare the Crosse of Christ vponupon his shoe, and to lay the holy Scripture at his seete when he cometh into Councels. The practise whereof was seene in the first**Officiales, ad pedes sanctiffimi Domini nostri iactis sacrosanctis scripturis praestiterunt corp…rale iuramentum. Session of the last Councell of Latran.

None but the Church of Rome permitteth fables to be read, and forbiddeth the reading of the holy Scripture.

If I would display and set forth what is done in Rome, from whence these rules come, and shew how vices against nature are there become naturall; how men there burne those which beleeue that there is no other Head of the vniuersall Church but Iesus Christ, no other Purgatorie then p. 295his blood, nor other propitiatorie Sacrifice then his death; and where neuerthelesse they let the Iewes liue in peace, which affirme Iesus Christ to be a deceiuer, and which for money buy libertie to blaspheme. It is an easie matter to make long and true discourses vponupon this subiect, and yet I should say nothing, but from the Popes themselues, and from the writers in the Roman Church, which make the like complaints.

And I say that the vices of other Churches are more tollerable then the vertues of the Romish Church, seeing that vertues there are degenerated into outward shewes; and pietie into a scrupulous deuotion: as also that there they presume to do greater numbers of workes, and such as are perfecter then God hath commanded, in such sort that God is debter to men, and is bound to make them restitution. For God easlier beareth with sinnes for which men repent, then with righteousnesse proudly presumed on.

Seeing also, that in stead of framing men to a voluntarie obedience, and to a filiall louelove, by the knowledge of the louelove which God beareth vntounto vsus, she inciteth men to good works, by the feare of a fire prepared for the children of God in Purgatorie, planting in their spirits a trembling pietie, and a seruile feare, in stead of a filiall louelove; and to be short, a repentance, whereof they must repent.

Of Saint Peters Supremacie.

ARNOVX.

Section. 111 Contrary places of Scripture, I say vntounto thee, that thou art Peter, and vponupon this stone I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it.

By this place, first the Sonne of God assigneth some recompence to the notable and excellent confession of the Apostle, who first afore all others, acknowledged the naturall Sonne of God.

p. 296MOVLIN.

Others before Saint Peter made that confession, as Nathanael, Iohn 1.49. Thou art that Sonne of God, thou art that King of Israel. And all the Apostles knew that Iesus Christ was the Sonne of God, hauing heard the voice of God speaking from heauen, saying, This is my welbeloued Sonne, heare him. It was not by his owne naturall sense but by diuine reuelation, that Peter acknowledged Iesus to be the Sonne of God; as Iesus Christ himselfe said vntounto him in the same place, Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vntounto thee, but my Father which is in heauen.

This promise therefore which the Lord made vntounto him in this place, is an augmentation of graces, and not a recompence for merites.

ARNOVX.

Section. 112 Secondly, this recompence is giuen to none other but to him to whom onelyonly he addressed himselfe with all the circumstances which in any sort may make a discourse indiuiduall.

MOVLIN.

I answer with Saint Augustine, in the 118. Tractate vponupon Saint Iohn, That Saint Peter spake, that for all the Apostles, and receiued that for them all, as representing vnitie in his person: and with Saint Ambrose, vponupon the 38. Psalme: Quod Petro dicitur, Apostolis dicitur: That which was said to Saint Peter was said to the Apostles. And our Aduersaries confesse that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were giuen to all the Apostles. Whereby it followeth, that Iesus Christ (in this place) promising to giuegive the keyes to Saint Peter, promised them also to the rest of the Apostles. For he spake not vntounto them of the keyes, but in that place onelyonly.

ARNOVX.

Section. 113 Thirdly, the recompence which he assigned vntounto him, is a dignitie of preheminence, seeing he saith, that he is the corner stone of the foundation whereon all the house dependeth.

p. 297MOVLIN.

In this place Iesus Christ giueth not any power to Peter, but onelyonly maketh a promise thereof. And that which he here promised, he giueth and conferreth it actually vponupon him, Ioh. 20.22.23. where Iesus Christ speaketh thus to all the Apostles, saying, As my Father sent me, so send I you. Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit, they are remitted vntounto them, and whosoeuers sinnes you retaine, they are retained. So in the actuall conferring of the power which he had promised, he made the Apostles equall. As also Matth. 18.18. he speaketh thus to all his Apostles, Verily I say vntounto you: whatsoeuer you binde on earth, shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen.

And it is to be noted, that after that promise made to Saint Peter, the Apostles stroue among themselues for the superioritie, which they would not hauehave done, if they had vnderstood, that by those words the Lord had promised the superioritie to Peter, and would not hauehave vnderstood the commandement of the Lord. But M. Arnoux hath a conceit, that he vnderstandeth Iesus Christs words better then the Apostles did. Also it is false, that Iesus Christ did declare Saint Peter to be the corner stone of the Church. He saith not, Super te Petrum, but, Super hanc Petram, he saith not, Ʋpon thee Peter, but, vponupon this stone, which is cleare in the Greeke, where it is said: foreign, and not foreign. For foreign in Greeke also signifieth a stone: and so the allusiō had had a good grace. But the holy Ghost guiding Saint Matthewes penn, thought it better to lose the grace of that allusion, then to let vsus stumble at ambiguitie.

And certainly the Church of God is not grounded vponupon a mortall man; it was a Church before S. Peter was, and at Saint Peters comming, it altered not the foundation. And Saint Peter being dead, the Church must of force hauehave changed her foundation, and thereby hauehave bene much impaited. We are grounded vponupon the same foundation whereon Saint Peter was grounded, but he was not grounded vponupon himselfe. And if it be so, that the Church spoken of in this place, should be the Church of the elect, if Saint Peter was the foundation of p. 298the elect, he was also the foundation of the election. Now it appeareth that here the Scripture speaketh of the Church of the elect, because Iesus Christ saith, that the gates of hell, that is, the power of the diuell, should not preuaile against it, and by consequence that neither the diuell, nor hell can cast any one of those which are of the Church, into hell. Which cannot agree with the vniuersall visible Church, whereof Sathan seduceth many:Apocal. 13.7.Rev 13:7 against the which the beast shall make warre, and ouercome it. Our aduersaries themselues say, that Antichrist shall abolish the Masse, and therefore he shall preuaile against the Church of Rome.

Not that I denie, that Saint Peter may be called the foundation of the visible Church, so that by Saint Peter we vnderstand his doctrine, in which sence the Fathers vnderstand it. But also in this sence all the Apostles equally are foundations of the Church: as it is said, Ephes. 2.20. And are built vponupon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone. Note these words him selfe expressely set downe to discerne Iesus Christ from the Apostles, which are not foundations themselues, but in their doctrine.

Then this fundamentall stone is Iesus Christ, confessed by S. Peter: for Iesus Christ is commonly called the stone. As 1. Cor. 10.4. The rocke was Christ. And Psal. 118.22. Esay, 28.19. Rom. 9.33, and in many other places. So S. Augustine vnderstands it in his tenth Treatise vponupon the first of S. Iohn, saying. What meaneth this, VponUpon this stone I will build my Church? VponUpon this faith, vponupon that which hath bene said, Thou art the Christ,Super hanc confessionis Petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est. foreign, the Son of the liuing God. Reade also his 50 and 24 Treatise vponupon S. Iohn. And the 13 Sermon vponupon the Words of our Lord, where he earnestly insisteth thereuppon. And Saint Hilarie in his sixt booke of the Trinitie: VponUpon this stone of the Confession the Church is built. Chrysostome in the 55 Homilie vponupon the 16 of Saint Matth. saith: VponUpon this stone, that is, vponupon the faith of the Confession. And in the Sermon of Pentecost, he said: VponUpon this stone, & not vppon Peter. For he built not the Church vponupon men, but vponupon the faith. See S. Ambrose also vpō the second to the Ephesians.

p. 299Of Saint Peters Successors.

ARNOVX.

Section. 114 This dignitie which cannot die with Saint Peter, is necessarily transferred to his successors, for that God neuer changed the forme of the gouerment, once established by diuine right.

MOVLIN.

If Saint Peter had not the dignitie to be the chiefe corner stone of the Church, as we hauehave already shewed, he had no successors in a dignitie which he had not.

But put the case that Saint Peter had bene the head, and the foundation of the vniuersall Church: doth it from thence follow, that he had a successor in that dignitie? Moses was by God established to be the Prince, Law-giuer, and Priest in Israel, but left no successors, because God had not so ordained it. Saint Iohn Baptist had no successor. The rest of the Apostles had no successors in their Apostleship, why then should Saint Peter hauehave a successor in his? seeing that God in his Law did not ordaine it to be so? and that Saint Peter in his second Epistle which he wrote vntounto the vniuersall Church, doth not will Christians to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his successor? Was there euer any kingdome or temporall or spirituall soueraignty established in the world, without lawes made touching the succession thereof, and touching the forme of chusing or succeeding? Here we hauehave no such thing, nor no declaration of the will of God vponupon this matter.

Adde hereunto, that if Saint Peter was established head of the vniuersall Church, it was then when it was little, and compounded of a small number of men, which order could not be obserued when the Church began to spread abroad it selfe through out all the world. There are no one mans shoulders strong enough for so great a burthen. It would p. 300make a mans head giddie to be lifted vp so high.

And if after Saint Peters death, there had bene necessitie to hauehave a successor in the office of the head of the vniuersall Church, I make all men Iudges, that hauehave any sparke of free iudgement, whether that office ought not of right to appertaine to Saint Iohn or Saint Iames, whom Saint Paul, Gala. 2. calleth pillars, and which outliued Saint Peter long time, rather then to deferre it to Linus Saint Pauls disciple, of whom we know nothing but the name? or to Clement, who saith in his**Can. Dilectissimis causa. 12. Quaest. 1 Epistles, That mens goods and women ought to be common, and**Ib. 3. Constit. Apost. cap. 2. Id quod supra trigamiam sit manifesta fornicatio iudicatur. that fourth marriages are manifest fornication?

At the least, it had bene reason, and very requisite to hauehave done those excellent Apostles that honour to hauehave called them, and to hauehave askt their aduice touching the choise of a head of the vniuersall Church. Who wil beleeue that the people of the Citie of Rome had the credit, of their owne authority to giuegive a head to the Church of all the world, and that during the liues of the Apostles, and without making them acquainted therewith?

Especially after the death of all the Apostles, when by the witnesse of all Antiquity, Bishops, and among other the Bishop of Rome, were chosen by the voices of the people of the Citie: could the people of Rome giuegive a head to the Churches of Asia, Egypt, Persia, and the Indies, without acquainting them with it? No man will beleeue it, but he that hath a mind to be deceiued.

If Saint Peter was at Rome, and there erected the Church and the Bishopricke, as they say, the Bishop of Rome may be called Saint Peters successor, but not in the quality of an Apostle or head of the vniuersall Church, but in quality of the Bishop of the Citie of Rome, which is the highest qualitie which the ancient Bishops of Rome tooke on them in their Epistles. And yet this succession ceasseth when the doctrine begins to be corrupt.

Pag. 120.M. Arnoux about the end of his booke, to support the p. 301Popes supremacie, alledgeth a place out of the third booke of Irenaeus, cap. 3. but falsified and corrupted according to his manner. He maketh Irenaeus say, that it is absolutely necessary, that all the Church should agree, and adhere to the Church of Rome, wherein the preheminence of principality resideth. This place is falsly alledged, M. Arnoux hath added the word adhere, which is not in Irenaeus. Also he translateth the word conuenire, to agree, whereas it signifieth to arriue, or come from diuers parts to one place. To this falshood of words he addeth a corruption of the sence. For Irenaeus by this principall preheminence vnderstandeth the power of the Citie of Rome, because it was the Imperiall feate, and not the supremacy of the Bishop or of his Church. He would say,Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatē, necesse est omnium conuenire Ecclesiam. that because of the Imperiall seate, and of the Senate, Christians from all places of necessity came thither. This is the place as it is in Irenaeus, It is necessary that all Churches should come hither to this Church, because of the soueraigne power, that is, the power of the Empire. Which is the reason why the 9. Canon of the Councell of Antiochia ordained that the Bishops of great Cities should hauehave preheminence.**foreign. Because (saith the Councell) that all those that hauehave any businesse come to the Metropolitane Citie, therefore it hath bene ordained, that the Bishop thereof should hauehave a preheminence of honour. For that cause therefore the Church of Alexandria went before that of Antiochia, although the Church of Antiochia was the ancienter, and founded by Saint Peter, because that among the cities of the Romaine Empire, Alexandria according to ciuill order was the second n…xt to Rome. The 17. Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon speaketh expresly thereof, where it is ordained,foreign. that the order of Ecclesiasticall Dioces should be accommodated according to ciuill and publicke forme. Following that order, the 630. Bishops assembled at that Councell, ordained that the bishopricke of Constantinople should hauehave the same prerogatiues that the ancient Imperiall bishopricke of Rome had, and that it should be as much honoured as Rome in Ecclesiasticall affaires, as being the second Citie in rancke after Rome.

p. 302Of the Perpetuity of the Church.

ARNOVX.

Section. 115 Such an house of God founded vponupon this stone, hath for an infallible marke, that it shall neuer be shaken, and that the gates of hell, that is to say, heresies and persecutions shall hauehave no power against it. Then if there be any other Church which enioyeth this priuiledge of a perpetuall interruption and a succession neuer broken, let them shew it vsus. If there be not, let them pull this place out of their Bibles, or deface their Article, which striuing against the Church of Rome, disanulleth the promise of the Sonne of God.

MOVLIN.

If by Succession our Aduersarie vnderstandeth a succession of persons without succession of doctrine, this succession is nothing, but rather a corruption then a succession. Such (by the iudgement of the Church of Rome) is the succession of the Greeke Church, which hath continued from the Apostles time, and yet continueth, and is ancienter then the Church of Rome. But if by perpetuall Succession he vnderstandeth a line of succession of men perseuering in the same doctrine, this succession doth not in any manner belong to the Church of Rome. The latter Bishops of Rome, are nothing like the first, and it seemeth that the last are expresly risen vp to condemne the first. In the first age of the Church, were the Bishops of Rome temporall Princes? Did they weare a Regall Crowne? Did they take vponupon them to depose Emperors and Kings? Did they draw soules out of Purgatorie? Did they giuegive pardons for seuen or eight hundred thousand years? Did they allow adoration of Images? Did they prohibit to giuegive the cup to the people, & to reade the Scripture? Did they say seruice in an vnknowne tongue? Did they worship the host with diuine worship called Latria? Did they call vponupon Saints? Did they paint the Trinity? Did they call the virgine p. 303Mary Queene of heauen? These are smarting sores, which none of the aduersaries dare once touch, nor vndertake to produce a place of antiquity for any of these points. Therefore our aduersaries hauehave but little cause to boast of perpetuitie, after they hauehave made a new religion, and by consequence a new Church.

Neuerthelesse, say that the Church of Rome had continued euer since the Apostles time, doth it follow that perpetuall continuance of the Romish Church, is a marke of her puritie? Is the latter day yet come? Will M. Arnoux warrant it from this time vntill then from subuersion? A thing cannot be called perpetuall which hath not continued vntounto the end. This Doctor giues vsus his future hopes, for present markes of the church. Besides there are diuers false churches which hauehave continued from Christs time, and still continue to this day.

Of Idolatrie in the Romish Church, and in how many sorts the Church of Rome is Idolatrous, and what Idolatrie is.

Section. 116 The 28. Article of our Confession saith, that in the Church of Rome all superstitions and idolatries are permitted. This accusation is of no small moment, seeing that, 1. Cor. 6.9. the Apostle saith, that Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen. Therefore we cannot intreate of a matter of more importance, because it concernes saluation, and exclusion out of the kingdome of heauen. If the word Idolatrie doth offend our aduersaries, we would hauehave them to consider, that we cannot call things otherwise then the word of God calleth them; and also to beleeue, that our intent is not thereby to offend them, but to make them know and feele their owne euill: which cannot be done by flattering them, or by disguising the truth. And that if they be offended at this which we say of them, God is much more offended at that which they do vntounto him. And if for propounding the word of God vntounto them, they hate vsus, we neuerthelesse will not ceasse to take p. 304compassion on them, and lend them our helping hands, at least to discharge our owne consciences.

I say that in sixe things the Church of Rome committeth idolatry. First, by adoring the host which the Priest holdeth in his hands, and calling that God which is not so. Secondly, by attributing that honour to Saints which onelyonly appertaineth to God; by calling vponupon them, by making them mediators, by asking saluation of God by their merits, and by beleeuing that they know the hearts and thoughts of men. Thirdly, by calling the virgine Mary the inuentrix of grace. Queene of heauen, and Lady of the world: for the royalty and empire ouer all creatures belongeth to God onelyonly. Fourthly, by adoration and worshipping of images. Fifthly, by adoring the crosse. And sixtly, by worshipping the bones, apparell, and other relickes of the dead. The first sort of idolatrie, shall be spoken of in the end of this worke. The second and third sort hath bene declared and discoursed on at large in the 24. Article of our Confession. There remaine the three last, that is, adoration of images, of the crosse, and of relicks. VponUpon all which in generall we say, that we call those idolaters which yeeld a worship and religious seruice to creatures, or that partly or wholly transport to creatures, that honour which is due to God. By which definition it appeareth, that the most holy and most excellent creatures may be transformed into idols by those that are superstitious: so farre, as that ancient Christians called the Arians idolaters, because denying Iesus Christ to be the eternall and soueraigne God, neuerthelesse they called on him, and yeelded religious seruice vntounto him. From whence it followeth, that those which honour Saints with such honours wherby God is dishonoured, do wrong to Saints by honouring them, seeing that as much as in them lyeth, they transforme them into idols.

Of the words Image and Idoll. And of the Hebrew words Pesel and Temunah, which God vseth in the Law.

p. 305Section. 117 Before we proceed further, you must vnderstand the words: Image is a Latin word, and Idol is a Greeke word: both the one and the other in their first originall, and as they are taken and vnderstood by good and ancient Authors, signifie resemblance and representation. Tertullian a great Doctor touching significations of words, calleth all figures and representations Idols, in his third chapter of the booke of Idolatrie. Idos **Idos Graecè formulam sonat, ab eo diminutinum Idolum doductum, aeque apud nos formulam facit: Igitur omnis forma vel formula idolum dici exposcit.in Greeke signifieth a forme or representation, from whence the diminutiue Idolon is deriued, which signifieth a little forme or figure, and therefore eueryevery figure or forme should be called Idol. Cicero of the same in his first booke De finibus saith,**Imagines quae idola nominant, quorum incursi… ne non solum videamus sed etiam cogitemus. Images which they call Idoles, by which we both see and thinke: Taking Image and Idoll for one thing. Chrysostome vponupon the third chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians, Homilie 10. saith,**foreign. We beautifie and set out our houses, placing Idols and Images in them. And Xiphilinus the Abridger of Dion, in the life of Seuerus, in stead of saying that there was an image or figure of wax at the funerall pompe of the Emperour Pertinax, representing the dead Emperour, saith,**foreign. That there was an Idoll of wax triumphantly adorned. In all these places and infinit others, Image and Idoll signifie one selfe same thing, and the word Idoll is taken in good part, and simply signifieth a resemblance or representation. Reade Isidore in his eighth booke of Originals, cap. De Dijs Gentium.

Therefore Iohannes Molanus appointed to be Censor and Examiner of the Nomenclator of Adrian Iunius, vponupon the chapter of the Tooles, Instruments, or Mooueables of the Church, giueth this censure, saying,Non male Nomenclator, statuam, sculptile, imaginē, simulacrum, idolum pro ijsdem habet. The Nomenclator hath not done amisse to take the words, proportion, carued, representation, Image, Idoll, and figure, all for one thing. Neuerthelesse, the Reader ought to remember, that some of these words, by the vse of the Scripture, and Ecclesiasticall Authors are taken in euill part.

These words therefore in their proper signification, signifie all one thing. But common vse hath restrained the signifition of the word Idoll, in such sort, that now it is taken in p. 306euill part: and in the new Testament written in Greeke, the word Idoll is taken for the Image of a false god, or for an Image which men do abuse vntounto Idolatrie. From whence it followeth, that he should be thought to speake amisse that should say that Iesus Christ is the Idoll of the inuisible God, in stead of saying, the Image; or that should say, that God made man according to his idoll or likenesse. In this sence, and according to the common vse, Image is more generally vsed then Idoll, and eueryevery Idoll is an Image, but eueryevery Image is not an Idoll.

The words by the which God in his Law forbiddeth vsus to make any grauen Image, or the likenesse of anie things which are in heauen aboue, or in the earth below, are Pesel and Themuna; whereof the last signifieth eueryevery image and resemblance, but the first signifieth a grauen image or figure: and is not taken in euill part, but when the sence and circumstance of the place constraines vsus to take it for an Image forbidden, and which is abused for Idolatrie. Therefore the word Pesel by the Greeke Interpreters is translated foreign, which signifieth a carued or grauen Image, as in the first verse in the 26. of Leuiticus, and Deuter. 4.16.25: and 5.8. and in many other places, and sometime foreign, Idolum, as Exod. 20.4. sometime foreign, which signifieth Image and resemblance, as Esay 40.18.20. The Romish translation ordinarily translateth Pesel, sculptile, that is, a grauen Image and also an Image or representation, specially in these places alledged, out of Exodus, Leuiticus, Deuteronomie, and Esay.

Our Aduersaries, which make a controuersie about these words, thereby to hinder the examination of things, will hauehave men to translate the second commandement of God, in this manner; Thou shalt make no grauen Idoll, nor any resemblance of things which are in heauen, &c. And say, that Idoll is the resemblance of a thing which is not, but that Image is the representation of a thing which is; wherein they contradict their owne Bible. These are the very words whereby this commandement is set downe, Deut. 5.8. in the French p. 307Bible translated in Louaine, and approued by the Facultie of Diuines there: Thou shalt make no grauen representation, nor any likenesse whatsoeuer, of that which is in heauen, &c. And in Deuter. 4.16. To the end, lest peraduenture being deceiued, you should make to your selues a grauen similitude, …or the Image of male or female: And Esay 40.18. To whom then hauehave you likened God, and what Image do you set for him? In which places the word Pesel, which our Aduersaries would hauehave translated, a grauen Idoll, is translated in our Aduersaries Bible, resemblance, Image, and grauen representation. And their Latin Bible hath, Non facies tibi sculptile: Thou shalt not make any carued or grauen Image.

And whereas in this commandement they will hauehave Idoll to signifie the representation of a thing that is not: it proceedeth from a voluntarie blindnesse; for the words following, Nor resemblance of things which are in heauen, &c. shew, that God speaketh of the Images of things that are. It is true that S. Paul 1. Cor. 10.19.20. saith, that The Idoll is nothing; because it is no diuine thing, but onelyonly wood or stone; but that may also be said of the Images of things which are, and that become Idolles, when religious seruice is attributed vntounto them. And it is certaine, that although the Sunne and the Moone are fixed and seene, yet to adore the Sunne and the Moone, is Idolatrie.

Of the Images of God, and of the Trinitie.

Section. 118 The Temples of the Romish Church are full of Images of the Trinitie; they paint an old man sitting in a chaire apparelled like a Pope, with a Papall triple crowne, and a robe, to the end (it may be) that he should be respected because of his clothes. They also make a Pigeon hanging at his beard, and a Crucifixe in his armes. Such pictures are printed at the beginnings or titles of the Bibles printed at Rome, by authoritie of the Popes, Sixtus the fifth, and Clement the eight. They also serue for Signes for Alehouses and Innes, which is a common thing in Paris: where they say, Monsieur is lodged p. 308at the Trinitie, and his men at Gods head, making a derision of diuinity. The title of the 8. chap. of Bellar. book of Images, is, That the Images of God are not forbidden. That seemes to be done, to render to God as much as he hath done for vsus. For seeing that God hath made man according to his Image; man, in recompence, makes God according to mans image.

This error is of late times crept into the Church of Rome, by the conniuence of an obscure age, wherein the holy Scriptures being taken away, the people had no other knowledge of God, then that which was giuen them in Pictures. The second Councell of Nice, wherein it is ordained that Images should be adored, excēpteth the Images of God, as a thing wherof as then they spake not. Baronius **Cur tandem Patrem Domini Iesu Christi non oculu subijcimus ac pingimu…? Quoniam quis sit non nouimus, Dei{que} natura spectanda proponi non potest ac pingi.in the 726. yeare of his Annales speaketh of two Epistles written by Pope Gregorie the 2. a great defender of Images; in the first whereof he saith, that they painted the Sonne, but not the Father; saying, Why do we not set before mens eyes and paint the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ? Because we know not what he is, and the nature of God cannot be painted nor set forth to mens sight. Whereupon Baronius noteth in the margent, that since that time they hauehave vsed to paint God in Churches, and found it requisite to do so, against that Popes determination. Nicephorus, a new Author,**Imagines Patris et Spiritus Sancti essigiant quod perquam absurdum est. in libr. 8. cap. 53. saith, The Armenian heretickes paint the Image of God the Father, and of the holy Ghost, which is most absurd. Auentine, libr. 7. of the Bauarian historie saith, that Pope Iohn the 22, which liued in anno 1318. calleth certaine men (that dwelt in**Quosdam qui in finibus Bohemiae at{que} Austriae supremam, illam maiestatem senis, adolescentis, columbae imagine pingebant, laesae religionis accersinit, Anthropomorphitas esse renunciauit, quosdam ad ignem condemnauit Bohemia and Austria) Anthropomorphites, (that is, men which thought God to hauehave humane shape and members) because they painted the diuine maiestie in forme of an old man, with a young man and a pigeon; and condemned them to be burnt. And among the new Doctors of the Romish Church, Durand, Abulensis, and Peresius, condemne those Images, and will not hauehave the Image of the Trinitie to be painted in any manner.

1 Against this abomination we hauehave a formall commandement p. 309in the first Table of the Law of God, according to our Aduersaries translation: Thou shalt not make vntounto thy selfe any grauen representation, or any likenesse whatsoeuer of that which is in heauen, &c. Deut. 5.8. Could he more expresly forbid the making of the likenesse of God which is in heauen? And in the 4. of Deut. 15.16. it is said, Take ye therefore good heed vntounto your selues, (for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vntounto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire) lest ye corrupt your selues, and make you a grauen Image, the similitude of any figure, the likenesse of male or female. And in Esay 40.18. To whom then will you liken God, or what likenesse will you compare vntounto him? In all these places it is formally forbidden to make any resemblance of God, or to represent him by Images, and that according to the translation receiued in the Church of Rome, as also in the Hebrew.

2 Therefore, neither in the ancient Tabernacle, nor in Salomons temple, was there any picture or Image of God: although it was then a time of shadowes and figures.

3 The Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 1.23. among the causes for the which God blinded the Gentiles, placeth this for one, Because they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man.

4 And without the word of God, Reason it selfe is most euident and plaine against it: for euerie Image and representation, ought in some sort, to resemble that which it representeth. Now what resemblance can the infinite Spirit hauehave with a peece of wood? an inuisible and immateriall substance, with a visible picture? or a Spirit without bodie, with a substantiall Image? What King will endure to hauehave his picture made like a Frog or an Ant? And yet the distance and difference betweene the greatest Monarch in the world, and the least creature that is, is not infinite, for that both the one and the other are finite. But betweene God which is infinite, and a mortall creature, what excellencie soeuer it is of, the distance and inequalitie is infinite. For this our Aduersaries bring some small excuses, not for an answer, but because they will not seeme to say nothing.

p. 3105 They say, that in representing God, they intend not to represent his essence. But it is to no purpose to shew to what end men represent God by images, seeing the commandement giuen by God, not to represent him by images, is generall and without exception. Also it is certaine, that no man was euer so brutish, as to thinke he could represent the essence of God in a picture seeing y^t it is impossible to paint the essence of a man, or of the least beast that is. By this distinction then it may by said, that the prohibition which God so expresly maketh (with thteatnings) not to represent him by any image, is made to no body, seeing that no man euer went about to represent the essence of God. And there is no Pagan idolater but may excuse himselfe by this meanes.

6 They adde, that the Scripture attributeth feete, hands, eyes, and mouth to God; and therefore that we may represent God in the same forme. This argument hath as good reason as if they should say, Because the Scripture in words maketh figures, let vsus also make images of stones; let vsus paint God with wings, and in forme of a bird; or let vsus paint him like a rocke, or like a fountaine, or like a Lion, because the Scripture saith that God couereth vsus with the shadow of his wings, and calleth him our rocke, the fountaine of life, and compareth him to a Lion. This reason therefore is without reason: for the word of God which attributeth feete, hands, and eyes vntounto God, expoundeth it selfe, and oftentimes elsewhere declareth, that God is a Spirit, and that he is infinite. But the images of God expound not themselues, and there are no other images that speake to preuent the error and their grosse conceits. The people of God, and all the Patriarkes and Prophets vnderstood not this subtilty; for from those figuratiue words whereby God spake vntounto them, they drew no such strange consequences, neither tooke any liberty there by to erect images of God.

7 The reason ensuing, which is, that whereof they make the greatest shew, doth also make against thems…lues. They say, that God sometime appeared in forme of a man, as to Daniel in forme of an old man. From whence they inferre, p. 311that we may paint God in the same forme wherein he appeared. But they ought rather to reason thus, and to say that God appeared to Daniel in forme of a man, and yet the Church at that time did not represent God in that forme, but obey…d the commandement of God, which forbiddeth them, to corrupt themselues by making God after the image of male or female, Deut. 4. Therefore we ought to do as the Church at that time did, and obey the commandement of God. For here we argue not what God hath done, but what God will hauehave vsus to do. The commandements and not the actions of God, are the rules of our liues. It is by his commandements & not by his apparitions that we shall be iudged at the latter day. It is mad religion to violate the commandement of God, and to counterfeit his actions: as if a man should despise the Law of God and go about to counterfeit thunder. And I cannot finde that God euer appeared in that forme wherein the Church of Rome represents him. He neuer appeared with a Miter with three Crownes, in a Popes robe, nor set in a Pontificall chaire.

8 Bellarmine was not ashamed to reason in this manner, God made man according to his image:Lib. 2. de reliquijs & imaginibus Sanctorum, cap. 8. § Quinto. then we may make images of God. But this Cardinall, which playes with God, and maketh a iest of his word, is not ignorant, that man is created after the image of God, because his soule is illuminated with knowledge, and his will adorned with righteousnesse and holinesse: those are the lineaments and prints of image of God. In this sence it is good and necessarie that man should frame himselfe after the image of God. But from this, that God hath created man with righteousnesse and holinesse, to inferre, that man may paint God after the image of man, is to hauehave more need of a Physition then of a teacher, and of purgation then of instruction.

Whether it is lawfull to set vp pictures and images of the Saints that art dead, in the Church, for aides and helps of pietie and deuotion.

p. 312Section. 119 The Romish Churches are full of images and pictures, diuersly adorned and set forth, one with a sword; another with keyes; another with a hog, as Saint Anthonie; another with a dog, as Saint Roc, another with rats and mice, as Saint Padagond; and those beasts also hauehave part of the incense, and are as much lighted with candels as the Saints themselues. Saint Anthonie could not reade, yet ouer the gate of Saint Anthonies Abbey, not far from Paris, he is made with a booke in his hand. There are diuers images of Saints which are poorely clad: and there are diuers images of one Saint, some apparelled in silke, laid on with lace of gold, and which oftentimes change their apparell; others dustie, and before whō they light not many candels. Hard by an image clothed in white damaske; you shall see one starke naked, which is the image of God. At the death of a Prince you shall see both he and shee Saints clad in blacke, and our Lady enduring part of the affliction. They say, they are helpes in deuotion, yet they hide them in Lent time, which is the time of deuotion. They call them the bookes of the ignorant: and there are many Saints which were neuer in the world, and which are Saints and neuer were men. As the three kings, Saint Longinus, Saint Vrsula, Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret, Saint Martiall, Saint Christopher, and the 11. thousand virgins, &c. And if the idoll be an image of a thing which is not, it is certaine that such images are idols, and by consequent, those that serue them are idolaters.

The naturall inclination of man hath hatched this error, but the subtiltie and pollicie of the Bishop of Rome hath bene the nurse thereof. For naturally man loueth images: little children louelove babies, specially if they be finely clothed, and hauing set them in some eminent place, beare them I know not what …espect. This childish humor hath crept into religion, and as babies are childrens idols, so images and pictures are mens babies. For in regard that all our knowledge commeth by sense, man desireth to see an obiect of sensible deuotion: and will hauehave something to bind or prouoke his attention. Whereunto also the pleasure of the eye & easinesse p. 313inuiteth him. For it is an easier thing to see pictures then to comprehend doctrines, and to forme prayers to the image of man, then to forme man to the image of God.

Popes by their subtilty hauehave dexterously serued their turns with this inclination, to draw the light of the Scripture from the people, that in a darke mistie night they might lay the foundation of their Empire. For the people did easily neglect instruction, when they fed them with recreation, and were vsed to hauehave images in stead of sacred books, pictures for doctrines, and candles lighted at noone day, in stead of the light of the holy Scripture, which driueth away the obscuritie of ignorance. And we see in Histories, that as fast as ignorance increased, images also multiplied, and the Popes Empire was strengthened.

Against this permission to fill Churches with images, we hauehave the commandement of God, which not only forbiddeth to serue images or to worship them, but also to make them. For the first table of the Law is expresly made to order religion and the seruice of God. Then I say, that in matter of religion, God forbiddeth to make images. The words are very direct: Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image, nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue, nor in the earth below, nor in the waters vnderunder the earth: Thou shalt not bow downe to them, nor worship them. There it is manifest, that in matter of religion and piety, he forbiddeth two things, one to make any image or likenesse of things that are in heauen or earth: the other, to bow downe to them, or worship them. He saith not, Thou shalt make no any grauen image to worship it, but he saith, Thou shalt make no grauen image, nor worship it. For although the end for the which images are forbidden in matter of religion, is for feare lest men should fall into idolatrie by worshipping them, yet God knowing that man is naturally giuen to idolatry, did not onelyonly forbid the worship of images, but also the making of them for any religious vse, and hath prohibited the meanes and inducements thereunto for feare of the end. The like prohibition is made, Leuit. 26.1. You shall make you no idols, nor grauen image, neither reare you vp p. 314a standing image, neither shall you set you vp any image of stone in your land to bow downe to it. For I am the Lord your God.

Therefore also the Israelites in their Temple and in their Synagogues, had not the images of Abraham, Iacob, Moses, Samuel, nor Dauid; persons neuerthelesse which were of as much worth as S. Iuniper, or S. Amador.

Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 23. and 24. saith, that the Gnostiques**Etiam imagines quasdam depictas, quasdam de reliqua materia fabricatas, dicentes formam Christi factam à Pilato. had certaine painted images, and others made of other matter, saying that they were the figures of Christ made by Pilate.

Saint Augustine in his booke of Heresies, cap. 7. speaking of the Carpocratians, saith,****Colebant imagines Iesus eas adorando & incensum ponendo. They serued the images of Iesus, worshipping them, and offering incense vntounto them. The Collyridians are blamed for the same by Epiphanius in his 79, Heresie: who also being at Anablata, tore a veile in a Church wherein there was a picture of Christ, or of some other Saint; saying that it was contrary to the authority of the Scriptures, as he reciteth in an Epistle translated by Saint Hierome, and which is found in the second Tome of the said S. Hieromes Epistles.

Placuit in Ecclesiis picturas esse non debere, ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus pingaturThe 36 Canon of the Councell of Eliberia, held at the same time that the Councell of Nice was holden, saith thus: It hath bene ordained that there should be no pictures in Churches, for feare lest men should adore that which is painted vponupon the walls.

Our aduersaries reasons to the contrary, are rather excuses and shifts then proofes. They say, that images are the bookes of the ignorant; and they say true, for they maintaine ignorance. It is hard for them that hauehave chosen stones to be their teachers, to attaine to any instruction: as S. Augustine saith,**Aug. de Consensu Euang. lib. 1. cap. 10. Sic omnino errare merentur, qui Christum & Apostolos eius non in sanctis codicibus, sed in pictis parietibus quaesierunt. So they deserue to be seduced, which hauehave sought Iesus Christ and his Apostles, not in the holy Scriptures, but in painted walles. The books of the ignorant are good, when they are a remedy of ignorance. Such are the sacred bookes of the old and new Testaments: which they hide from the people, lest they should instruct the ignorant. And it is not without a mysterie, that in Lent, which is the time of preaching they hide the images, to shew that images ought to p. 315hide & draw themselues out of the way, before the preaching of the Gospell. And certainly they would hide themselues for euer, if that which they preach in the Church of Rome were the doctrine of th… Gospell. The Prophet Habak. cap. 2.18. calling the images of idolaters, teachers of lyes, without doubt answereth to Pagans and Iewes that were idolaters which made the like excuse.foreign. And Athanasius in his Oration against the Gentiles saith, that Pagan idolaters made this excuse, saying, That images serued men in stead of bookes, wherein reading, they might comprehend the knowledge of God: and a little after,**foreign. If these things serue you for bookes, as you falsly alledge, to behold and contemplate God.

They also say, that Moses by Gods commandement made a serpent of brasse, which was a figure of Iesus Christ, in that it healed the bitings of the old serpent, which is the diuell. But speaking in this manner, they make answer vntounto themselues, and confute their images. For they say that Moses made that serpent by the expresse commandement of God, but they set vp images in the Church without Gods commandement, and against his commandement. And yet it is false that the serpent was properly an image of Iesus Christ, (howsoeuer it were a type of Christs grace:) for what resemblance had the forme of a serpent with the humanity of the Sonne of God? Considering also that our aduersaries say, that idols are figures of things which are not, but that images are figures of things that are. But then the humanity of Christ was not; and therefore the brazen serpent could not be an image of Iesus Christ: howbeit the sauing vertue which God displayed in the serpent, was an example and a figure of the sauing efficacie of Iesus Christ, & of the healing of our soules by his vertue. The figure was not in that heape of brasse, but in the healing.

They also alledge the image, of the Cherubins or Angels, placed vponupon the Arke by Gods commandement. But what makes that for the images of Saints, which God hath not cōmanded? And yet it is false that those Cherubins were the images of some Angels: for let them tell me of which of the p. 316Angels those Cherubins were figures? As also that the resemblance of Angels which are inuisible and incorporeall, cannot be made in any corporall figure. Then we must say, that those Cherubins were not the images of any Angels, but symboles and characters of their office, in the same manner as men paint vertues and vices. So we paint Enuie leane, Pride swolne and puft vp, Iustice with a sword and a paire of ballance. Which symbolicall pictures produced diuers Saints, as S. Christopher, S. Margaret, and S. George which were not the images of any Saints that euer liued in the world, but figures and characters of Christians and combats of faith, as Baronius in his booke of Martyrs is oftentimes constrained to confesse.

Being put from these weake proofes, they alwayes returne to this, that we must translate, Thou shalt make no grauen idoll, and not, no grauen image. What need hauehave we to dispute hereof, seeing that the words following do auoyd the disputation: for God addeth, Nor resemblance or similitude whatsoeuer. These words cut it cleane off, and admit no exception. Besides we hauehave shewed before, that our aduersaries**The Latine hath sculptile, in the 20 of Exod. The French hath representation in the 5. of Deut. Bibles, both Latine and French, translate the words as we do, grauen image, and representation.

Our aduersaries themselues sufficiently shew, that this commandement displeaseth them, seeing they hauehave taken it out of their Ladies Houres and Seruice books, which they suffer the poore people to reade. Behold word for word how the first table of**Printed at Paris by Heureux Blanuilain in S. Victors streete at the signe of the three Moores, anno 1611. the Law is set downe in our Ladies Houres after the manner of Rome, and which at this day are most vsed.

1. Commandement.

I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not hauehave, nor worship any other God but me.

2. Commandement.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine.

3. Commandement.

Remember to keepe holy the Sabboth day, and feasts.

With the like corruption they hauehave put the commandements of God into verse, where the prohibition to make any grauen image is cleane omitted. So the Councell of Ausbourg p. 317which is in the last Tome of Councels,One onelyonly God thou shalt adore, & louelove him perfectly. Thou shalt not sweare by Gods Name in vaine. holden anno 1548. puts the commandements of God in high Dutch as they are to be propounded to the people, wherein there is no speech of images: nor of the resemblance of things which are in heauen or in earth.

Herein our aduersaries do as he doth, that out of ten bags of mony stealeth one, & then puts one of the nine that are left into two bags, to the end y^t his theft may not be perceiued. For hauing taken one out of the ten commandements of the Law, they cut the last in two, making the not coueting of a mans wife, the ninth commandement, and the not coueting of the house, the man seruant, and the maid seruant, &c. the tenth. By this meanes they might make 14. commandements, if on eueryevery thing whereof God forbiddeth the coueting they would make a commandement apart. But God, by his prouidence hath taken all excuse from our Aduersaries: for in the 20 of Exodus, the not coueting of our neighbours wife, which they make the ninth commandement, is thrust into the middle of the tenth, and put after the not coueting of thy neighbours house, whereby it followeth, that according to the Church of Rome, in the 20. of Exodus there is no ninth commandement.

Whereupon we should giuegive them good matter to make fowle exclamations against vsus, if we should follow them. For what would they say of vsus, or rather what would they not say, if we had bene so bold as to cut off or to suppresse one only syllable of that most sacred Law which God pronounced by his owne mouth, and wrote with his finger in Tables of stone? which he published from the midst of the fire and the smoke, with an extraordinary maiestie? Shall wormes of the earth be so audacious to correct the Law of God, or to find any thing superfluous therein? Will men be so bold to enterprise to cut off, and to change that soueraigne Law, by the which they must be iudged at the latter day? to the end that they may be culpable, to hauehave not onelyonly transgressed the Law by disobedience, but also to hauehave pared it through contempt, yea and to hauehave made it shorter by a commandement, wherein p. 318God speaketh with great maiestie calling himselfe strong and iealous, and thereunto adding his threatnings and his promises?

Of adoration of Images, and of the seruice and worship which is yeelded and giuen vntounto them.

Section. 120 The holy Scripture speaketh of two adorations, one ciuill, the other religious. Ciuill adoration is that which is giuen to Princes and Superiors, yea although they be wicked. So Genesis 23, Abraham bowed himselfe before the Hethites; and Genesis 33. Iacob bowed himselfe before his brother Esau. In which places the Hebrew word is the same which we translate to worship, when we speake of the worship of God.

Religious adoration, is an action of religion, whereby a reasonable creature humbleth himselfe before one, calling vponupon him, and seruing him with seruice belonging to religion, appearing before him as before one that knoweth his heart and his thought and that can heare his prayers. When we dispute of the adoration of Images, we vnderstand religious adoration: for this adoration is done in the Church, and by order from the Pastors; and is an act of religion, by the which in worshipping the Images of Saints, men thinke they do seruice to God.

In this point, the Church of Rome hath vnmeasurably gone astray, and hath directly striuen against God. The second Councell of Nice, which the Church of Rome placeth among the generall Councels, whereof Pope Adrian the first was the procurer, aboue twenty times ordaineth that Images should be adored. And finally, for conclusion setteth downe this determination, which is found in the seauenth Act: We hold that we must adore, and salute the Images of the virgine Mary the vndefiled mother of God, and of the p. 319glorious Angels, and of all the Saints. And that if any one be of a contrarie opinion, and doubteth or wauereth touching the adoration of venerable Images, our holy and venerable Synode holdeth him to be accursed. In the same Councell there is an Epistle written by Pope Adrian to Thaerasius Patriarch of Constantinople, where the said Pope faith thus; Let your Holinesse perseuer to serue and**Imagines omnium Sanctorum beatitas vestra colere & adorare pergat. adore the Images of all the Saints. There also Images are aduanced to such degree of excellencie and holinesse, that in the fourth action it is said, That**Vt etiam meo iudicio cum sanctis Euangelijs & veneranda cruce aequiualeant. Images are of like and equall value with the holy Gospell. Also, Maior est Imago quàm oratio. And, to the end that men might paint Angels, it is said in the fift Action, that The Church**Ecclesia sentit non omnino esse corporis expertes & inuisibiles, verùm tenui corpore praeditos aerio siue igneo. holdeth, that Angels are corporeall and not inuisible, hauing a body either of aire, or of fire.

Now, to the end that by adoring we should not onelyonly vnderstand to reuerence, honour or respect, but also to yeeld and to giuegive them religious worship, the Patriarch Tharasius, which was President at that Councell, pronounced this sentence in the 6. Action: All those which confesse that they reuerence Images, & neuerthelesse refuse to adore them, are reproued by the holy father Anastasius to be hypocrites: for when they refuse that adoration, which is a signe or marke of honour, it is manifest that they do the contrary, that is, that they speake iniuriously of the Saints.

Following this doctrine, our Aduersaries hauehave written diuers bookes De cultu Imaginum: Of the worship of Images. Cardinall Bellarmine, in the 22. chapter of his booke of Images, will hauehave them to be adored, not onelyonly in regard of that which they represent, but also in themselues; saying, The ordinarie adoration which men giuegive to externall Images, is in themselues, and properly. And in the 21. chapter he setteth downe this maxime in great letters, saying, that**Imagines Christi, & Sanctorum venerandae sunt, non solum per accidens, vel impropriè, ita vt ipsae terminēt venerationem vt in se considerantur, & non solùm vt vicem gerunt exemplaris. the Images of Christ, & of Saints ought to be worshipped, not onelyonly by accident, and improperly, but in themselues, and properly: in such manner, that the worshipping is limited to the Image considered in it selfe, and not onelyonly p. 320in this, that it representeth the person for whom it is made.

Gregorie de Ʋalentia **Editionis Paris. p. 1610 Nec absurdè putaueris B. Petrum insinuasse cultum aliquem simulacrorum (nēpe sacrarum Imaginum) esse, cùm fideles nominatim ab illicitis idolorum cultibus deterrere voluit.the Iesuite, in his second booke of Idolatrie, cha. 7. hath these words; It is not absurd to thinke, that Saint Peter would say, that some religious seruice of Images (which are sacred Images) is good, when he would expresly withdraw the faithfull from vnlawfull worship of Idoles. The reason is, seeing that Saint Peter forbiddeth the vnlawfull worship of Idols, it is a signe that there is a lawfull worship.

But this is worse, and such as would make a mans haire to stand vpright vponupon his head to heare it. Ʋasques the Iesuite, De adoratione, lib. 3. disp. 1. cap. 2. p. 458. printed in Moguntia, anno 1601, in 8.**Non solùm Imago depicta, & res sacra authoritate publica in cultum Dei exposita; sed quaeuis etiam alia res mundi siue inanima & irrationalis, siue rationalis ex natura rei, et secluso periculo, ritè, cū Deo sicut Imago eius adorari potest. Ibi. §. 8. p. 455 Quid quaso obstare potest quo minu… quamcunque rem mundi cum Deo qui in ea est secundùm essentiam & quam contin…a sua virtute conseruat, secluso periculo, adorare & colere possimus? maintaineth, that all things, euen vnreasonable creatures, and without life, may be adored with God, as being his Image. In such manner, that according to this Doctors opinion, men may worship a Frog or a Mouse, considering them to be the Images of God, and in as much as God is present in them. Nay, he proceedeth further, to maintaine that it is lawfull for Christians to worship a straw. saying, The Wicklessians in vaine obiect against Christians which worship Images, that they may as well adore a straw, because in it there appeared some signe or token of the Trinitie. For Leontius would as willingly hauehave confessed the same touching a straw, which he confessed of al other things; so farre off is it to be thought to be absurd.

Then seeing that the Doctors themselues are so blinded, it is no maruell that the common people are so furiously superstitious, about the seruice and worship of Images. For**Cap. De Oratione: Cum ad Imaginem sancti alicuiu… orationem Dominicam prenuntiat, itatum sentiat, se tum ab illo petere vt secum eret. they fall downe before them, they light Candles vntounto them, they put costly apparell vponupon them, and bring them offerings. In the beginning of Lent, the people go on procession to the Image of our Lady, to hauehave leaue to eate butter. Poore old women rub their kerchers vponupon the feet of an Image, and then kisse them. The Catechisme of the Councell of Trent, p. 321thinks it good, that before the Image of an he or a she Saint, men should say, Our Father which art in heauen. It is an ordinarie thing to speake to a peece of wood or to a painted Image, as if it vnderstood them. There are particular prayers which are made to the Image of the face of Iesus Christ,Salue sancta faci…s nostri redemptoris. In qua nitet species diuini splendoris: Impressa panniculo niuei candoris. Salue vultu… Domini imago beata. Nos deduc ad propria ô foelix figurā ad videndam faciē quae est Christi pura. printed in a peece of linnen cloth, wherein the words are directly spoken to the painted cloth and to the Image, and are not agreeable to Iesus Christ. The prayer saith: I salute thee, oh holy face of the Redeemer, printed in a white cloth, giuen to Ʋeronique in signe of louelove. Cleanse vsus from vices, & ioyne vsus in societie with the blessed. Oh blessed Image, and happy figure, cause vsus to see the face of Iesus Christ. With the like abuse, when they lift vp the Image of the Crosse, they say, Aue lignum triumphale, All haile triumphant wood. And, Aue crux spes vnica, All haile ô crosse our onelyonly hope, increase righteousnesse in the faithfull, and pardon sinners. This superstition beganne already to enter into the mindes of some particular persons in Saint Augustines time, of whom he speaketh thus, Libr. 1. cap. 34. of the Customes of the catholike Church: saying,**Noui multos esse sepulcrorum & picturarum adoratores. Noui multos qui super mortuos luxurio sissimè bibant. I know that there are many worshippers of Sepulchers and Pictures: I know many which drinke excessiuely ouer the dead.

Against this so prodigious an abuse, and so lamentable blindnesse, we hauehave the commandement of the Law of God, which our Aduersaries hauehave put out of their Ladies houres and seruices; Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image, nor the likenesse of any thing which is in heauen aboue, nor in the earth below, nor in the waters vnderunder the earth, thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them. This word pronounced with thunder and lightening, as yet thundreth against idolatrie, and lighteneth darknesse. So Iesus Christ said to the diuell, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue. Reade Leuit. 26.1.

Against this so cleare and manifest word of God, accompanied with terrible threatnings, our aduersaries shroud themselues with weake reasons, as if a man should hide himselfe in the water, against raine.

p. 3221 They contest about the words Idoll and Image, but the Bible of their owne translation saith, grauen image and representation. And the general prohibition not to make any resemblance of things which are in heauen and in earth, (which is added thereunto,) stops all euasions whatsoeuer.

2 They say y^t they reserue all diuine worship called Latria vntounto God & yeeld an inferior religious worship called Dulia, to Saints and their images: but the word of God speaketh but of one religious seruice, and that is to be performed to God onelyonly. When the prohibition to adore Images is generall in the Law, it belongs not to man to make any restraints or exceptions against it, drawne out of their owne braines. Such distinctions are to be receiued when they are contained in the word of God. It belongs to the law maker, and not to subiects, to make exceptions vponupon the law. Now our aduersaries neither bring places out of the Scripture, commandement of God, nor any examples, which in any sort do approue or establish religious adoration of creatures. But on the contrarie, in the Scripture this religious seruice which our aduersaries call Dulia, is expresly reserued to God onelyonly, with an expresse prohibition to attribute it to any other but to God. So in Sam. 1.7. The Greeke hath, foreign: Direct or prepare your hearts to the Lord, and giuegive Dulia to him onelyonly. And Paul, Gal. 4.8. foreign, Then when you knew not God you gaue Dulia, that is, you serued those who by nature were no Gods. And whosoeuer vnderstandeth Greeke, knoweth that Latria is lesse then Dulia; for Latria simply signifieth seruice of honour, reuerence, and subiection; but Dulia, (besides that,) importeth a slauish seruitude. Saint Augustine in his 20 booke, cap. 21. against Faustus a Manichee, & in his Questions vponupon Genesis, lib. 1. cap. 61. vseth this distinction, but in contrary sence to our aduersaries. For he saith, that Dulia is giuen to men that are aliue▪ and consequently by the word Dulia he vnderstandeth no religious seruice. And in fine, who seeth not the p…ruersitie of this proceeding? For after they hauehave suppressed p. 323the second commandement of the Law, if any one make it knowne to the people, they set before them a forked distinction of words in bad Greeke, which the people vnderstand not, and which those that are wise know to be mistaken, raising vp a cloud of dust with their Latria, Dulia, and Hyperdulia, to escape through this thicke mist.

3 If these two sorts of religious adoration were receiued, the proofes which the Scripture vseth to proue the diuinity of Christ, would be weake and of no force. As when the Apostle, Hebr. 1.6, proueth Christs diuinitie by this which he writeth of him, That all the Angels of God worship him; the enemies of his diuinitie would say, that there he speakes of an inferior adoration, and which may be attributed to a creature.

4 They say, that the honour which men do to Images, turneth to the honour of that which they represent; which is the speech of all idolaters. So Michaes mother, Iudges 17.3. determining to make a molten Image in the house of God, said, I had wholly dedicated the siluer vntounto the Lord from my hand, for my sonne to make a grauen Image. And therupon Micha perswaded himselfe that God would blesse him. It appeareth by the 5 and 6 verses of the 18 chapter, that the prayers made before that Image were directed vntounto God. The same excuse a Pagan made kneeling on his knees before an Image, as Saint Augustine saith vponupon the 113. Psalme, saying, I worship not the Image, but thereby I represent vntounto my selfe the resemblance of that which I should adore.

5 If we consider what honours men yeeld and giuegive vntounto Images of Saints, we shall finde that the honour is properly done to the Image, and that the Saint is neuer the more honored; and that Bellarmine hath reason to say, that the Image is worshipped for it selfe. For when they clothe an Image, the Saint is not adorned thereby; if they offer to an Image, the Saint hath no part thereof; if they set vp candles lighted before an Image, the Saint is not lighted therewith; if any man speakes to an Image, the Saint esteemeth himselfe to be no more honored then if a King should thinke himselfe to be honoured, when a man speaketh to his picture before his face.

p. 3246 The abuse is euident, in that our aduersaries to vntwine themselues, twist intricate cords of darke words, giuing vsus an adoration of Latria, Dulia, and Hyperdulia, and each of them either absolute or relatiue; in such manner, that there are sixe sorts of religious adoration which the people neither vnderstand nor practise, who falling downe before an Image, come thither with all their deuotion, and diuide not their intents into so many parts. Whosoeuer shall enter into the examination of these adorations, shall find that in them there is not onelyonly deceit and intricatenesse, but also manifest foolishnesse: for the last refuge of our aduersaries is, to say, that the adoration of Images is a relatiue adoration, and which hath regard to the thing represented by the Image. But that is nothing, for to adore an Image relatiuely, is to adore the Image; and to adore an Image, hauing a regard to the Saint which it representeth, is no adoration of the Saint. And seeing that the adoration of the Image is relatiue, and the adoration of the Saint is absolute and not relatiue, it followeth, that the adoration of the Saint, and the adoration of his Image are two sorts of adoration. And which is more, If this relatiue adoration be receiued, there is no creature in the world but it may be adored. So men may adore and worship the Sunne, and the Moone, and beasts, and trees, and say that such adoration is relatiue to God, & that they adore them because of him that created them, and in respect of him.

7 Adde hereunto, that all these distinctions onelyonly serue to shew what the intent of the Church of Rome is, but not to ground this intention vponupon the word of God, nor to shew that God or the Saints approue this relatiue adoration. For if it were lawfull to worship and adore Saints, yet before we should adore their Images with relatiue adoration, it were good to be assured that the Saints will be honoured in that sort. Seeing it is not likely that a king would thinke himselfe to be honoured by him that should do reuerence to his picture, or that should speake to his cloke, although he should say, that the honour he doth is relatiue, and the reuerence respectiue.

p. 3258 They adde, that the abuse offered to an Image redoundeth to him that is represented by that Image; whence, say they, it followeth, by a reason drawne from cōtraries, that the honour which is done to an Image, is an honour to him that is represented thereby. I answer, it is false, that the disgrace done to an Image, doth alwayes disgrace him that is represented thereby: for oftentimes he which is represented, hateth that representation. So the King ordaineth that his Image stamped vponupon false money shall be cut in peeces, and molten. The Israelites worshipped the brazen serpent in honour of God▪ and yet Ezechias did well to breake downe that serpent; for it is not credible that those which worshipped that brazen serpent did beleeue that a peece of brasse was the soueraigne God: but they referred an inferiour adoration vntounto it, in remembrance of the vertue which God had shewed thereby.

9 They mend the matter much, by saying that they worship not the Images of false gods, as the Pagans did, but the Images of the friends and seruants of God. For we must not transport that religious seruice which is due to God onelyonly, to his friends nor to his enemies. If it be euill to honour euill things, it is euill to abuse good things, and to vse Gods friends to prouoke him to iealousie. Idolatrie in the Scripture is called adultery. A woman is not excusable, although she giueth her body adulterously to none but to her husbands friends. Then this excuse shall be allowed, when they hauehave proued that God will hauehave the Images of his seruants to be adored.

10 They also alledge a number of false miracles, done by Images. But if they were true, doth it follow y^t we must adore all that wherby God hath done miracles? Then we must adore the asses iaw which Samson vsed, Moses rod, and the water of Iordan which healed Naaman, and many such like things.

11 Wanting reasons, they hauehave recourse to the Scripture, hoping that that will serue them without reason. The second Councell of Nice, and Pope Adrian which expresly made a declaration fot the defence of that Councel, with a ridiculous subtiltie collected an heape of places out of the Scripture for p. 326the adoration of Images: as in the second of Cant. it is said, Shew me thy face, Act. 6.Acts 6& let me heare thy voyce. In the second of Genesis it is said, God made man after his own image. And Exod. 18 Moses bowed downe to Iethro his father in law. And Rom. 15. Paul saith,Act 4. Act. 6.Acts 4Acts 6 That all things which are written, are written for our instruction. And Psalme 47, As we hauehave heard, so we hauehave seene. And Luke. 18, No man after he hath lighted a candle, setteth it vnderunder a bushell. VponUpon these places those reuerend Fathers grounded the adoration of Images. They forgot Goliah combat with Dauid, and Samsons foxes, for those may be alleadged to as good porpose for the adoration of Images. Whosoeuer doth not acknowledge the absurditie of these proofes, is blinder then images themselues.

12 New commers vse other weapons. Bellarmine in the 12 chap. of the booke of Images,Imagines Cherubin super arca existentes necessariò adorabantur ab ijs qui arcam adorabant. saith, that the Iewes worshipped the Cherubins placed vponupon the Arke. First I say, if that be true, it must needs be that God commanded it, but that is no where to be found. Secondly, if the Israelites adored the Cherubins, they would much more hauehave adored the Angels figured, as they say, by those Cherubins; which before we hauehave shewed to be false. Thirdly, if the Israelites adored the two Cherubins placed vponupon the Arke, then the Cherubins must needs hauehave bene the Images of some certaine Angels, otherwise they should hauehave adored they knew not what. In the Church of Rome it selfe, they worship not any Image whose name they know not, and what Saint it representeth: but those Cherubins had no names, nor were the figures of any particular Angels. Then to worship them had bene a seruice done to an vnknowne Cherubin, as in Athens they worshipped the vnknowne God. Fourthly, adde hereunto, that if the Israelites adored those Images, then it must needs be that they saw them. But the Cherubins were shut vp in the Sanctuarie, and the people saw them not, no more then those that were painted in the curtaines in the holy place. And for the space of 500 yeares and more after Salomons time, the people saw them not. God by taking them away from the peoples sight, preuented idolatrie. Fiftly and lastly, p. 327put the case, that the people did adore the Arke, (which neuerthelesse is false) yet thereby it followeth not, that they adored the Cherubins placed vponupon the Arke. He that saluteth the king, doth he salute his hat, or his clothes? There is neither reason nor apparence thereof.

13 In the end, failing of better proofes, they produce two notable falsifications of the Scripture. They say, that in the Psalme 98. verse 5. it is said, Worship the stoole vnderunder his feete. From whence they draw this ridiculous consequence, that we must adore Images. But according to the Hebrew it is, Worship towards the stoole vnderunder his feete. So the holy place is called, towards the which the people turned their faces when they worshipped; in the same manner & termes as it is said in the last v. of the same Psal. Worship toward the mountaine of his holinesse. The Chaldean Paraphrase expounds it so, & Nicola… de Lira, Pagninus, and Arias Montanus do the like. It is true, that to adore God, or to fall downe before God, are all one thing. And when we speake of ciuill adoration, to worship the king, or to kneele before the king, is all one. But when we speake of things insensible, to kneele downe before an altar, or before a mountaine, is not to adore the altar or the mountaine: specially in matter of religious adoration, which God reserued to himselfe onelyonly, and which is enioyned by his commandement.

14 With the like falsenesse and to the same end, they alledge Hebrewes, 11.21. where it is said according to the Romane translation, that Iacob dying, Adorauit fastigium virgae eius.blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and worshipped the end of his staffe. But in Greeke it is foreign, he worshipped vponupon the end of his staffe. The second Councell of Nice in the second Act translateth faithfully, saying, Iacob in summitate virgae adorauit, and not summitatem. The Iesuites Ribera and Emanuell Sa, translate this place as we do. The thing is as cleare as day, and the falsification of the place most euident.

p. 328Of adoration or worshipping of the Crosse. And of the signe of the Crosse made in the aire.

Section. 121 The Crosse of Christ is the glory of the faithfull, the support of their hope, and their principall consolation. This Crosse is a terror to the diuels the victory of hell, the death of death eternall. It is the body of the shadowes of the Law, the truth of figures, the substance of Prophecies, the foundation of the Couenant made with God, the effect of the Gospell. For in it consisteth our learning to know Iesus Christ and him crucified. This Crosse is more worth then kings Crowns; the sufferings of the Sonne of God surpasse the triumphs of mighty Monarkes, his death is more worth then the life of all men.

But by the Crosse of Christ I do not vnderstand a peece of wood, but the sufferings and passion of our Sauiour, Colos. 1.18.19. it is said, For it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himselfe, through peace made by that bloud of the Crosse. God hath washed our soules in his bloud, and buried our sinnes in his death. There is nothing sweeter to our consciences then the remembrance of this bitternesse, nothing more honourable then this reproch.

Ancient Christians in Tertullians time, that is 200 yeares after the birth of our Lord, marked their foreheads with the signe of the Crosse, to witnesse that they were not ashamed of the Crosse of Christ. Not long after they proceeded to paint the figure of the Crosse. The Labarum or standart borne in the wars before the Emperors of Rome, namely before Constantine, was made like a Crosse. But Constantine added thereunto the name of Christ, which made some say, that Constantine fixed the signe of the Crosse in his standart. Kings made that signe to be stamped vponupon their moneys, and carried it in the flags of their Christians ships. Vntill that time there was nothing to be disliked therein.

But when deuotion began to degenerate and turne to superstition, eueryevery age adding some new thing, after that p. 329men had once learned to make wisedome or comelinesse a rule, in stead of subiecting themselues to the rule of the word of God, the signe of the Crosse made both in the aire, and painted, did insensibly change his nature. Men began to make the signe of the Crosse in the aire by forme of coniuration to driue away diuels: and to make a precise multitude of Crosses vponupon the host, and vponupon the chalice by order; and if a Priest failed in that number, the mysterie was spoyled. Pope Innocent the third in his booke of the Mysteries of the Masse, cap. 58. saith,**Efficit super ea crucis signaculum, vt per crucis virtutem omnis conatus diabolicae malignitatis effugiat, ne contra sacerdotem vel sacrificium aliquo modo praeualeant. That the Priests make signs of the Crosse vponupon the host to withstand the force of diuels, lest they should preuaile against the Priest, or against the host, which is Iesus Christ, (if we will beleeue it.) This did come in good time to Iesus Christ. It is no small benefit that a Priest doth to his God to defend him with signes of the Crosse made in the aire against the force of the diuell.

With an abuse much worse then that, they adore little peeces of wood, which they say to be peeces of the wood of the true Crosse, with diuine worship called Latria, that is, soueraigne adoration which belongeth to God onelyonly;****Thomas 3 parte. Quaest. 5. Artic. 3 & 4. & Caietanus in Thomam. Ibid. Alexander 3. parte. Quaest. 30. art. vltimo. Bonauentura, Marcellus, Almano Carthusianus, Capreolus in 3. dist. 9. Henricus quodlibetico, 10. 4. 6. Nanclantus in epist. ad Rom. c. 1.Rom 1 as almost all the Doctors of the Romish Church teach. And they adore the Image of the Crosse with religious worship, as Cardinall Bellarmine in the 30 chap. of his book of Images saith,**Omnes cruces adoramus quia omnes sunt imagines verae crucis. We worship all Crosses because all of them are Images of the true Crosse, yea and simple Crosses without the crucifixe. We adore (saith he) the Crosse it selfe without the crucifixe thereon. Therefore also they offer incense vntounto it, as we see in the Pontificall. And when they lift vp the Crosse, they say, Ecce crux, adoremus. And they speake to the wood of the Crosse, saying, Aue lignum triumphale, All haile triumphant wood, and Aue crux spei vnica, auge pijs iustitiam, reis{que} dona veniam: I salute thee oh Crosse, our onelyonly hope, increase righteousnesse in the faithfull, and pardon sinners. You must note that they do not worship the Image of the Crosse but after it hath bene consecrated, and that he which did consecrate it, presently thereupon doth worship it, as the Pontificall teacheth, in the chapter of the Blessing of a new Crosse: p. 330**Hoc signum crucis tuae sit remedium salutare generi humano, sit soliditas fidei, profectus bonorū operum, redemptio animarum, solatium & protectio ac tutela contrà saua iacula inimicorum.and that when the Crosse is blest, they be se… oh God, that that signe of the Crosse may be a sauing remed…e, the redemption of soules, and a defence against the cruell arrowes of aduersaries.

But we, who by so many afflictions and persecutions hauehave learned to beare the Crosse of Christ, and to glory in his reproch, and which with the Apostle, Galat. 6.14. say, God forbid that I should reioyce, but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified vntounto me, and I vntounto the world; because of the abuse hauehave left off making the signe of the Crosse and painting it in our Churches, knowing how therein d… ceite is easie, and superstition credulous, and the effects dangerous, so farre as to worship a peece of wood with that worship which is due vntounto God onelyonly.

1 Then to begin with adoration of peeces of the Crosse, Paul Rom. 14.13. saith, that whatsoeuer i… not of faith is sinne: and speaketh this concerning the vse of meates, in which that a man sinne not, he will hauehave him to vse them in faith, that is to say, with assurance that God liketh that which he doth therin, & that it is not contrary to his word: by greater reason then, we must hauehave this assurance in matters of adoration, and when question is made touching the yeelding of religious seruice to the creature. For first, how shall a man be assured that that chip of wood is a peeece of the true Crosse? seeing that if the wood of the Crosse which at this day is kept in relickes, were all put together in a heape, it would be wood enough to loade fiftie carts? Specially seeing there was a publicke trafficke made of that wood in our fathers times, and that the same wood is distributed abroad like merchandise? In the yeare of our Lord 1239. Iohn de Brennet calling himselfe king of Ierusalem, hauing need of money, sold the Crowne of thornes to Lewis the ninth king of France, a meeke, vpright, and religious Prince according to the time, but easie to be circumuented: and the true Crosse to the Venetians, who sold the same againe for twice the value that they paid for it, to the said king Lewis: who for those relicks onelyonly caused the holy Chappell in the pallace of Paris p. 331to be built to keepe them in.

2 Secondly, it is impossible to worship peeces of wood with assurance that God liketh of that adoration, seeing that God hath not commanded it, and that there is not one word spoken thereof in the Scripture: besides that God hath forbidden to worship and serue any other but himselfe, as we hauehave proued in the precedent Section, and that the Prophets in all their Prophecies condemne those that worship wood and stone.

3 Adde hereunto, that if a peece of wood which men by coniecture suppose to be a peece of the true Crosse, ought to be adored with religious worship, much more the whole Crosse. And if at this day a peece of rotten worme eaten wood ought to be worshipped, by greater reason the whole Crosse ought to hauehave bene adored when it stood vpright, and was yet bloudy and hote with the bloud of Iesus Christ: and yet the Apostles did not then adore it, nor commanded the faithfull to adore it. It had bene an easie matter for eueryevery one of them to hauehave cut a peece thereof to beare about them, to serue them for a preseruatiue against euill aire, against thunder, and against the diuels; but they neuer thought vponupon it. And not onelyonly they, but also the Christians after them for the space of three hundred yeares, left that Crosse, without once troubling themselues to seeke for it. Certainly our aduersaries by their scrupulous dilligence accuse the Apostles of carelesnesse and negligence.

Bellarmine in the Booke of Images, cap. 20 and 22, perceiuing that in it there is an abuse, opposeth himselfe against that multitude of Doctors who will hauehave the Crosse to be worshipped with diuine worship called Latria, which is due to God and will hauehave the Crosse to be worshiped with an inferiour worship, by that meanes making the worshipping of the crosse to be another worship then that wherewith men worship the crucifixe, which ought to hauehave soueraigne worship. And hereby he troubled the imagination of the people, who worshipping the Crosse, thinke they do but one worship but Bellarmine will hauehave them to do two at one time, p. 332and to cut their deuotion in two peeces. But how soeuer he pretend to adore the Crosse with inferiour religious seruice, yet still he yeeldeth religious seruice to the creature, and so incurreth that punishment set downe in the Law of God, against those that serue the creature in stead of seruing God onelyonly.

It is to no purpose for them to say, that the wood of the true Crosse is to be worshipped, because it touched the body of Iesus Christ. If that be so, that part of the Crosse which touched the body of our Lord, ought to be more worshipped then that part which touched it not. And by that reason we must worship the ground whereon Christ went, and the riuer wherein he was baptized, and their handes that strooke him, and Iudas mouth that kissed him. And we must therupon hauehave some commandement of God, to worship those things which touchted the body of our Lord.

Certainly if the body of our Lord by being touched did sanctifie insensible things, in such manner as to make them worthy of worship, much more would he hauehave sanctified those, who bearing great louelove vntounto him, had touched him. Then why would he hauehave depriued Marie Magdalen of that grace,Ioh. 20.17.John 20:17 saying vntounto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father? The Church of Rome doth not worship emptie chalices, although they beleeue that the bloud of Christ hath bin in them. It doth not worship the Priest when it beleeueth that he hath Iesus Christ in his stomacke. And certainly after the death of a Priest, it is a wonder that his stomacke which was wont to be the ordinarie receptacle of Iesus Christ, is not layed vp among Relickes, and consecrated for that touching.

Touching the adoration of the Image of the Crosse, we hauehave already condemned it to be idolatrie, by all that which we formerly produced against adoration of Images. And if it be idolatrie to worship the Image of a liuing thing, much more to worship the Image of a senslesse thing. And I would gladly know, to whom they speake, when in the Romish Church they say, I salute thee wood. Do they speake to Iesus p. 333Christ? Iesus Christ is not wood. Do they speake to the wood? That wood vnderstands them not. Do they speake to that wood in honour of Iesus Christ? That whereunto men speake in honour of Iesus Christ, ought to vnderstand what a man saith. No man (if he be not mad) doth speake to the wood of the kings chaire in honor of the king. But on the contrary, he were worthy to be bound with Hyppocrates bands, that speaketh to a painted chaire, and doth reuerence thereunto. That is it which is done in the Romish Church: where they not onelyonly speake to the Crosse, but also to the Image of the Crosse, adoring it.

To be short, we must alwaies hauehave recourse to the commandement of God, and to the prohibition to make any Image, nor the likenesse of things which are in heauen or in earth, nor to fall downe before them, nor to do any worship vntounto them.

Touching this custome of carrying a peece of the wood of the true Crosse about men, note by the way, that the nature of false religions is to change vertues into outward shewes, and necessary piety into superfluous ceremonies. And so to obey the commandement of our Sauiour, that will hauehave vsus to beare his Crosse; & for example, in the Church of Rome they beare a peece of wood hanging about their necks. They carrie the Crosse hanging down vponupon their bellies, but that belly is an enemy to Iesus Christ. But touching the true Crosse wherof Iesus Christ speaketh, which is affliction for the Gospell, the Church of Rome makes vsus beare that: persecuting those which say the Crosse of Christ is our onelyonly satisfaction, our onelyonly merit, and our onelyonly propitiatory sacrifice.

Of Relickes, and of their worship.

Section. 122 Our difference is not, whether we must with honour keepe the relickes of Saints, or whether their sepulchers ought to be set in decent places, and their memories honourable. That p. 334is not questionable: for if with a commendable curiositie we visite the Sepulchers of ancient Pagan Emperors, and persons of great fame, either for military vertues, or knowledge in good learning, and doing so we are not blamed: how much more willingly would we see the tombes of the Apostles, and of thoses organs of the holy Ghost, which yet speake now after they are dead? And if their sepulchers were in an vndecent place, or exposed to the comtempt and disgrace of infidels, it were a godly duty and a good worke, to transport them into some more conuenient and sure place. If Vigilantius said, that the bones of Saints ought to be cast vponupon dunghils; & if Hierome did truly and without passion report the opinion of that person, there is not one of vsus but would abhorre those profane words. It is true, that our aduersaries obiect against vsus, that during the troubles and ciuill warres, we burnt the Saints relickes, and melted the shrines wherein their bodies lay: But if those relickes had bene true relickes, and worthy of reuerence, yet they do wrong to impute that to the religiō which was done by the insolency of certaine souldiers, wherof a great part were of the Romish Church; & seruing those that first hired them, had authority among ours to hauehave part of the booty. They ought also to remember, that those things were done by the souldiers without warrant frō the Church, to reuenge those massacres and burnings which were done vponupon and against vsus many yeares before we thought vponupon our owne defence. It is a small matter to spoyle Churches, in respect of burning and massacring of the faithfull, which are the temple of God. And it is an hard & a difficult thing, when men are once entred into armes, to retaine and hold them that are prouoked to anger within the bounds of mediocritie. But the chiefe point is, that all those relickes which were in that manner dispersed, were of the same nature with those which are yet left, that is, false relickes of true Saints, or true relickes of false Saints that liued not long since, and were beholding to the Pope for their title of Saints. Which if those that worshipped them had buried in perpetuall obliuion, they had thereby healed Christendome of a great wound and had p. 335abolished strange superstition. Adde hereunto, that by the dissipation of relickes obiected vntounto vsus, the number of relickes is rather increased then diminished. For soone after they forged others in greater number, which being newer and lesse vsed, ought to be of greater value, and hauehave more vertue.

Who could here declare the enormitie of this abuse? In the Church of Rome they adore bones old clothes, milke, and haires: they speake vntounto those relickes, they kisse them, they perfume them with incense they offer vntounto them, and they carrie them about in procession. When they shew them vntounto the people, alwaies the basin is hard by, whereinto eueryevery one throwes a peece of money. The second Councell of Nice holden anno 787. in the 6 Action, will hauehave their bones,Edit. Colon. p. 104. Ossa, cineres, pannos, sanguinem, sepulcra deni{que} martyrum adoramus. §. 14. Me tanto licet munere indignissimum praemisit explorare & adorare venerandum Caeciliae corpus. ashes, and old clothes worshiped. Bellarmine in the fourth chapter of the booke of Relickes grounded the worshiping of them vponupon these words of Chrysostome, in his Sermon vponupon Iuuentius and Maximus: Tumulos martyrum adoremus: Let vsus adore Martyrs tombes: putting adoremus for adornemus, by an euident falshood. Cardinall Baronius in his 9 tome, an. 821, saith, that Pope Clement the 8, sent him to view and to worship the venerable body of Caecile. Without the quire of Saint Pauls Church in Paris on the left side, the miracles of Saint Roc are painted, with this inscription, That men are healed of a bile or a plague-sore by adoring his pretious body. The catechisme of the Councell of Trent, in the exposition of the third commandement, approueth the custome to sweare by the relickes of Saints. Now to sweare by any thing, is to take it for a witnesse of the puritie of our conscience, & for a reuenge in case of periurie: which belongs onelyonly vntounto God, whose commandement in the sixt of Deuteronomie is thus, Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and shalt serue him, and sweare by his name. This was the forme and manner of an oath vsed in Israel, The eternall liueth, and, As true as God liueth, &, I call God to witnesse. But they neuer sware by the creature. It is a friuolous excuse to say, that to sweare by relickes, is to sweare by God which hath sanctified them: for by the same reason we p. 336may sweare by the Sunne, and by heauen, and by the earth, and excuse our selues and say, that we vnderstand by them God which created those things. As also when they speake to those relickes, worshipping them, they say things vntounto them which are not agreeable vntounto God. When they say, God preserue thee triumphant wood, they speake not to God, which is not wood. Or if men speake to wood in honour of God, that thing whereunto one speaketh in honour of God, must alwayes vnderstand that which is spoken vntounto it. The worship of relickes ought to be relatiue, so the greater part of our aduersaries say. Then to adore relickes, is not to adore God, for we must adore God with absolute adoration, and for the louelove of God onelyonly. So the prayer which they make to the Iron point of the speare, is spoken in termes which are not agreeable with Iesus Christ; for after they hauehave said vntounto it,In hymno, Aue ferrum triumphale. Felix hasta nos amore, per te fixo saucia. I salute thee triumphant Iron, they say vntounto it, Wound vsus with the louelove of him, whom thou didst pierce. To these relickes the people go with such feruent desire, that the seruice of God is key-cold in respect of that. All the Angels together hauehave not the fourth part of the honour which the people in Paris giuegive to the shrines of Saint Geneuiefue, and Saint Marcel.

But if we looke nearer into these reliques, we cannot but admire their ingredients, and the diuersitie of trinkets and toyes contained in them. The cautions of the Masse ordaine, that if Mice hauehave eaten the body of our Lord, those beasts shall be taken and burnt, & their ashes put into coffins or shrines for relickes. The same commandement is made touching the casting vp of the sacrament by a priest, or a sicke person that shal hauehave cast his god out of his belly. At Beauvais in Beauvoisis, there is one of S. Christophers teeth, so great, that a dozen such teeth will fill the mouth of an ouen. At Rome, in Saint Iohn de Latrans Church, they keepe the foreskin of Iesus Christ. In the Church which is in the Parke of wood at Vincennes, they hauehave some of the powder of Saint Martins cloake, and one of Iesus Christs sucking teeth. At Courchiuerney neare to Bloys, they keepe Iosephs hemme at p. 337the sound of his breathing when he hewed timber. Our pilgrimes from Galicia bring feathers of hennes that are of the race of that Cocke which crowed when Saint Peter denied Iesus Christ. Cardinall Baronius, in the nine hundred and two and twentieth yeare of his Annales, maketh mention of a locke of the haire of Saint Peters beard which did miracles:Quantumlibet ipsi qui fu praeius sedem sedent eam impugnēt moribus praeuis. And although (saith he) those that do sit in his Throne, seeke to ouerthrow it by euill manners. And these reliques are kept so many yeares, and neuer corrupt. They say, that the virgine Maries Milke hath continued sixeteene hundred yeares, and neuer was sowre.

In the meane time, we see the hosts which are called Iesus Christ, become mouldie in a few dayes, and the presence of Iesus Christ which is life it selfe, cannot keepe the accidents of this ridiculous corruption from moulding; by the which they will hauehave the roundnesse, the breadth, the whitenesse, and the softnesse, to mould and breede wormes; that is to say, that from Accidents they should turne into Substance. But not long since some reliques are become corrupt. For Gregorie of Tours, at the end of his Historie, saith, That hauing visited the reliques in S. Martins church in Tours, he found them to be very rotten, but many years after they were all whole againe. The falshood of these reliques appeareth not onelyonly by the absurditie, but in this, that they are contradicted by the truth of ancient Histories, as also by our aduersaries themselues.

At Chartres they hauehave the virgine Maries smocke, which was brought from Constantinople into France by Charles the Bald, as they say that keepe it. And so saith Fauchet (from their reports) in his eleauenth booke of the Antiquiies of France, chap. 7. But Charles the Bald was neuer in Constantinople. And in the virgine Maries time they wore no smockes, which was the reason they vsed so many baths to wash the sweate from their bodies.

The Councell of Constance, in the tenth Session saith,Edit. Colon. pag. 813. that Saint Iohns head is in Saint Siluesters Monasterie of Nunnes in Rome. But Amiens and Arras brag that they hauehave it: p. 338and Saint Iohn d' Angeri hath long time bene famous for that relique.

Who shall decide the controuersie betweene Treues in Germanie, and Argentueil neare Paris; for both of them boast to hauehave the coate without seames which our Sauiour Christ wore? Baron. in his Annals, anno 1052 produceth a Bull of Pope Leo the ninth; whereby he declareth that those of Saint Denis by Paris mistake themselues, pretending that they hauehave the body of Saint Denis Areopagita; and saith, that the body of that Saint is whole in Ratisbone, to a very finger.

All men know, that in Saint Iohn Baptists time, there were no altars in Iudea, but those that were in the Temple in Ierusalem: yet the booke of Romish Indulgences printed in Rome, saith, that Saint Iohn de Latran was guardian of the altar whereon S. Iohn Baptist said Seruice in the wildernesse.

§ 1. Christi natalis nobilissimum monimentum in ligno confictum. Nullá que argenti vel auri: Caelatura contectum post multa tempora inde translatum, Roma possidet.Baronius, in his Preface vponupon his Annales, 1. Tome, alledgeth a place of Chrysostome which saith, That the manger wherein Iesus Christ was borne, was of earth. Which he confuteth, because that which is kept in Rome is made of wood. Sigonius in the 7. booke of his Historie of Italie, saith, That at Genes they keepe a Cup made of Emeralds, wherein our Lord Iesus Christ celebrated the holy Supper. But Baronius, in anno 34. of his Annales, §. 63. (following Beda) saith, That it was a siluer cup with two handles or eares, and that the Sponge is in the Chalice.

At Collen men go to worship the three Kings, which neuer were. They call them Gasper, Melchior, and Baltazar: whereof the two first names were Dutch. This fable is confuted to be false, by all circumstances of times, places, and the history of Saint Matthew, Hist. 12, Can. Quis nesciat. Legant si in his prouincijs vllus Apostolus inuenitur aut legitur docuisse &c.as also by all antiquitie.

Spaine boasteth, that at Compostella in Galicia they hauehave the body of S. Iames the Apostle brother of our Lord, which they say died there after he had conuerted Lupa Qu. of Spaine, and planted Christianity in Spaine. But Pope Innocent the first denieth that any other Apostle besides Saint Peter, did teach the Gospell in France and in Spaine, And the p. 339truth is, that then there was neither King nor Queene in Spaine, it being at that time wholly vnderunder the dominion of the Roman Empire. And Saint Iames death which hapned not long after the death of Christ, Acts 12. gaue him not time nor leisure to make so long voyages. From this Saint Iames in Galicia Pilgrims bring Schallop shels, as from Saint Claude they bring Whistles; and from Rome holy graines. It is good, vponupon this subiect, to heare what**Disp. 3. ca. 8 §. 114. Quod verò apud aliquos incertè aliquando reliquiae sint, non obest quo minus eas quas humanis coniecturis & rationibus certas habemus reuerenter colere debeamus. Denique sicut in prima disputatione, ca. 3, diximus, nō esse peccatum Idolatriae adorare radiū luminis sub quo daemon delitescat. quā do quis putat esse Christum. Eodem modo si quis putans aliquam esse particulam Sancti, quae reuera non est, merito suae deuotionis non caret. Vasques the Iesuite in his third booke of Adoration, saith: his words are these: As touching this, that sometimes among reliques some are vncertaine, that hindereth vsus not from worshipping those reuerently which we hold to be certaine by coniectures, and humane reasons. To be short, euen as in the first Disputation, chap. 3. we hauehave said, that it is no sinne of Idolatrie, to worship a beame of the light vnderunder the which the diuell hides himselfe when any one thinketh it to be Christ: so when any one thinketh that that is a part or member of a Saint which is not, yet neuerthelesse he loseth not the merite of his deuotion.

George Cassander in his Consultation, in the chapter of the worshipping of reliques, after he hath said, that in times past, when the memorie of Martyrs was fresh, and their reliques certaine, miracles were done at their sepulchers, but abuse had crept in: That in the times of Basil, Ambrose, and Augustine, assemblies made in memorie of Martyrs, were changed into Faires, and into feasts, where the people are drunke: That to beguile the people, men hauehave supposed false reliques, and false miracles, and that oftentimes, by diabolicall illusions, superstitious persons hauehave beene abused: That trauellers, for profit and gaine hauehave made merchandise of false reliques: That the custome to lay the bodies of Saints vnderunder the altar, is changed, and that now they laid them vponupon the altar. At last he addeth these words, saying,**Hodie vero cum passim omnia reliquijs sanctorum plena videntur, verendū est, ne si Episcopi & Principes in veris reliquijs inquirendis & diiudicandis eam quam debent operam adhiberent, ingentes & detestandae imposturae patefierent, quemadmodum innonnullis locis factum est, vt olim B. Martino accidit, &c. At this day, when eueryevery place seemeth to be full of p. 340Reliques of Saints, it is to be feared, that if Bishops and Princes would take that paines which they should do, to search for and to examine which are true reliques, great and detestable impostures would be found, as it hath happened in some places: and as heretofore it hapned to Saint Martine, who going to a place of his Diocesse, famous because of the sepulcher of one whom they reported to be a martyr, found that the people reuerenced, and came, not to the sepulcher of a Martyr but of a wicked thiefe, which he presently caused to be razed and pulled downe to the ground. This testimony out of the mouth of one of our aduersaries is much to be considered.

Confutation of this worship of Reliques by the word of God.

Section. 123 Besides the places of Scripture produced in the precedent Sections, whereby we are forbidden to giuegive any worship, or to do any religious seruice to any other but onelyonly vntounto God, there are particular places against the worshipping of Reliques.

1 In the old Testament we see that the bodies of holie Patriarchs and Prophets were buried, and put in the sepulchers of their fathers. Ioseph dying, ordained that his bones should be kept vntill the people went out of Aegypt, Genesis 50.25.

2 Moses being dead, God would not let the Israelites know the place where he was buried, lest they should hauehave abused it to Idolatrie.

3 In the 2. and 23. of Kings, King Iosias forbad the people to take vp the bodie of a dead Prophet out of the earth, and willed them to let it lie where it was buried. He made no transportation of his bones, nor did no worship, no seruice, no offering nor adoration thereunto. The like is said in generall of all the bodies of the Saints, as of Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Samuel, and Dauid, whose bones hauehave not bene p. 341remoued, worshipped, nor separated one from the other, that diuers townes might hauehave their parts thereof. S. Peter in the 2.29. of Acts, witnesseth that then in his time Dauids sepulcher was to be seene, whose bones were not remoued from thence.

4 In the 2. of King. 13.21 verse, God raised a dead man, by touching the dead body of the Prophet Elisaeus: God by that miracle authorising the authoritie of that Prophets doctrine. Yet for all that it is not found that his body was taken out of his graue, nor laid vponupon an altar, nor that the people fell downe before his bones, nor that they offered vntounto it, nor that they kissed his bones, nor carried them about in procession.

5 If any man thinketh that the bodies of the Saints vnderunder the old Testament were polluted, or lesse holy then the bodies of the faithfull in this time, he is confuted by this example: for if euer any sepulcher of a Saint may be said to hauehave bene sanctified by God, it was that of Elisaeus, at the which God shewed forth so admirable vertue. Then the death of the iust was precious before God, as it is said, Psalme 116. And our aduersaries shew that they esteemed not the bon…s of the Saints vnderunder the old Testament to be lesse holy then others, seeing that they hauehave some of them yet among their pretended relickes. And this euasion cannot serue but for the bones of the Patriarches and Prophets, but not for their apparell and moueables, which then were not kept in shrines, as at this day they keepe small rags and torne coates and shirts of the Apostles and other Saints.

6 The Prophets, Esay 14. and Ieremie 22.19. among the threatnings and curses of God, make want of buriall one. Then how is that which God placeth among his curses, at this day turned into an honour? Why do men take the Saints bones out of the places where they rest? Why are they laid open to the sight of men? Why are they separated and carried to diuers places?

7 And to come to the new Testament, Acts 8. certaine men fearing God, layd the body of Saint Steuen which was p. 342stoned into the ground, but worshipped not his body, nor did not dismember it, to separate his bones into diuers places.

8 In the 19 of Acts many were healed by touching the kercher and linnen clothes that came from Saint Pauls body: yet those linnen clothes were not put into a shrine, nor any worship done vntounto them. These miracles were not done to cause them to adore those clothes, but to authorise the preaching of the Apostle.

9 The Prophet Esay 8.19.20. after he had reproued diuiners and inchanters which went to the dead to aske counsell for men that liued, saith not vntounto them, Why do you not rather go to the relickes of Saints that are dead, but sends them to the Law and to the Testimony, if they would be illuminated by the true light.

10 And to be short touching this worshipping of Relicks, when our aduersaries are pressed to produce one onelyonly place of the word of God for it, they are at a stay, and say nothing. And if they produce any thing, it is rather to mocke God, then to instruct men. Bellarmine in the fourth chapter of the booke of Relickes,§ Ad tertium Scriptura approbat cultum sepulcri & fimbriae Christi: Item vmbrae Petri, sudariorum & semicintiorum Pauli. falsly and against all truth, saith, that the holy Scripture approueth the worshipping or religious seruice done and vsed to the sepulcher of our Lord, to the skirts of his gowne, to the shadow of Saint Peter, and to S. Pauls kercher. A wise man cannot affirme it, vnlesse he speakes against his owne conscience: for he knoweth, that in the Scripture there is not one word spoken of religious seruice done to those things. And it is a wonder, seeing among the relickes which are worshipped he placeth Saint Peters shadow, that the Church of Rome doth not keepe some peeces of that shadow, as well of the blowing and breathing of Ioseph.

The same Cardinall in the beginning of the third chapter, falsly alleadgeth Esay 11.10, in these words, His sepulcher shall be glorious: but according to the Hebrew, it is, And his rest shall be glorious. A sepulcher may be honored without religious worship.

In the meane time, an indifferent Reader will consider p. 343what religion that may be, which hideth the writings of the Apostles from the people, and shews them their bones; which burieth their doctrine, and vnburieth their bones. As if a sonne should carefully keep old bootes, or a peece of his fathers skull, and hide away his Testament The best relickes of Saint Peters and Saint Paul are their writings diuinely inspired. That which onelyonly should be cherished, and sought for, is the onelyonly thing which is neglected: as the Iewes did, who beutified the sepulchers of the Prophets, and persecuted those which followed their doctrine. Wherein marke their policie. For they seeke for, and worship the bones of the Apostles, in stead of seeking for their writings, because those bones speake nor, but their writings speake, and say things that are odious vntounto the Papists: as also because in stead of those bones they can hauehave others; but they cannot make another holy Scripture. And because it is not so easie for them to trafficke with places in Scripture, as with peeces of relickes, whereof they onelyonly sell the sight, and make a trafficke of merchandise, and neuer deliuer it.

THE XXIX. ARTICLE.

As touching the true Church, we beleeue that it ought to be gouerned according to the polliticke order which our Sauiour Christ established. That is, that there should be Pastors and Deacons, to the end that the purity of doctrine may hauehave his course, that vices may be corrected and repressed, and that the poore and all others which are afflicted may be succoured in their necessities, and that their assemblies may be made in the name of God, wherein great and small may be edified.

The aduersary passeth ouer this Article, and saith nothing to it.