The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 1 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Of many evils that have come upon Christendome for Idolatry.
IF we consider and search out the cause of the ruine of the East Empire, and of so many famous and flourishing Churches as were before time in the greatest part of Europe, and namely in Greece, we shall finde that Idolatry hath been the cause of all: for even as it got footing and increase in their dominions, so equally did the power of Saracens and Turkish tyranny take root and foundation among them, and prospered so well, that the rest of the world trembled at the report thereof; God having raised and fortified them, as before time he had done the Assyrians and Babylonians, as whips and scourges to chasten the people and Nations of the world that wickedly had abused his holy Gospel, and bearing the name of Christians, had become Idolaters: for no other name than this can be given them, that in devotion doe any manner of homage to Images and pictures, whatsoever may superficially be alleadged to the contrary. For be it the Image either of Prophet, Apostle, or Christ Iesus himselfe, yet it is necessary that the law of God stand whole and sound, which saith, Thou shalt make thy selfe no graven Image, nor any likenesse of things either in heaven above, or in earth beneath, thou shalt not how downe to them, nor worship them, &c. Wherefore he performed the part of a good Bishop, that finding a vaile spread in the entrance of a Church dore, wherein the Image of Epiphan. John Bishop of Ierusalem.Christ or of some other Saint was pictured, rent it in pieces, with these words, That it was against the authority of the sacred Scriptures, to have any Image of Christ set up in the Church. After the same manner, Serenus Bishop of Marscilla, beat downe and banished all Images out of his Churches, as occasions of Idolatry: and to shun them the more, it was ordained in the Elibertine Councell, that no Image nor picture should be set up in any Church: for which cause also the Emperour Leo the third, by an open Edict commanded his subjects to cast out of their Temples all pictures Paul. Diacon. lib. 6. cap. 14.and statues of Saints, Angels, and whatsoever else, to the intent that all occasions of Idolatry might be taken away: yea and he burned some, and punished divers otherwise, that in this regard were not pliant, but disobedient to his commandement. After which time, when Images were recalled into Greece and into Constantinople (the chiefe city and seat of the East Empire) it came to passe by a great and dreadfull (yet just) judgement of God, that this famous and renowned city, in the worlds eye impregnable, after long siege, and great and furious assaults) was at length taken by the Turks, who having won the breach, and entred with fury, drove the poore Emperour Palaeologus (even till then fighting for the cities defence) to that extremity, that in retyring among the prease of his own souldiers, he was thronged and trampled to death; and his slain body being found, was beheaded, and his head contemptuously caried about the city upon a launce. Now after the massacre of many thousand men, to make up a compleat, & absolute cruelty, they drew the Empresse with her daughters and many other ladies and gentlewomen to a banquet, where after many vile and horrible wrongs and disgraces, they killed and tore them in pieces in most monstrous manner. In all which, the execution of Gods most just wrath for Idolatry did most lively appeare: which sinne, accompanied with many other execrable and vile vices, must needs draw after it a grievous and terrible punishment, to serve for example to others that were to come: neither was it a thing by chance, or hap-hazzard, that the Christians were made a mocking stock to them in that wofull day, when in their bloudy triumphs they caused a Crucifix to be carried through the streets in contempt, and throwing durt upon it, cried in their Language, This is the gallant god of Christians. And thus did God license and permit these savage Turks to commit every day grievous outrages, and to make great wasts and desolations in all Christendome, till that they grew so mighty, that it is to be feared lest the saying Lactant. lib. 1. Institut. ca. 15.of Lactantius touching the returne of the Empire into Asia, be not verified and accomplished very shortly, if there be no amendment practised: for we see by wofull experience, that almost all the forces which Christian Princes have mustered from all quarters, in pretence to resist their fury and rage, have not only been bootlesse and unprofitable, but also that which is worse, given them further occasion by their bloudy victories, and wonderfull slaughter of so many millions of men, to make them more obstinate in their detestable Mahometisme & Turkish Religion than they were before: for they make their boasts thereof, and reare up trophies of their cruelties, taking no more pitty of the vanquished, than the Butcher doth of a Sheep allotted to the slaughter. Whereof we have a pittifull example in the overthrow of the French army, which Iohn the sonne of Philip Duke of Burgondy led against the Turke Bajazet, and by the treachery and cowardise of the Hungarians, who in the time of battell turned their backs and fled, was overcome: in that this wicked and cruell Tygre expresly charged, That all the prisoners (in number many) should be murthered one after another, which was readily executed before his eyes; so that saving the chiefe Captaines and certaine few Lords of the company, that were spared in respect of great ransomes, there escaped not one alive.
Besides these generall calamities, the Lord hath particularly shewne forth his indignation against private persons and places for Idolatry: as in Spoletium at one time there perished by an earthquake three hundred and Cent. 4. cap. 3.fifty, whilest they were offering sacrifice unto Idols. At Rome under the Empire of Alexander Severus, after that the left hand of the Image of Iupiter Cent. 3. cap. 14.was miraculously melted, the Priests going about to pacifie the anger of their gods with Lectisterns and sacrifices, foure of them together with the Altar and Idoll were stricken in pieces with a thunderbolt, and suddenly such a terrible darknesse overspread all the city, that most of the inhabitants ran out into the fields all amased. Moreover, did not the Lord send lightning from heaven to inflame that notorious Temple of Idolatry, of Apollo, or rather the Devill of Delphos, in the time of Iulian the wicked Theodor. lib: 3. cap. 9. & 10.Apostate, whilest he was exercising tortures upon one Theodorus a Christian, and did it not consume the Image of Apollo to ashes? The famous and rich Temple of Iupiter at Apamea, how strangely did it come to ruine and destruction? For when the President and Tribunes (who had in Nicephorus lib. 12. c. 27.charge to destroy it) thought it a thing almost unpossible, by reason of the strength of the wals, and matter of it; Marcellus the Bishop undertook the labour, and found out a man that promised to shake and root up the foundation of it by fire; but when he had put it in practise, a blacke Devill appeared and hindred the naturall operation of the fire: which when Marcellus perceived, he by earnest and zealous prayer drove away the Devill, and so the fire rekindled and consumed it to nothing. In all which examples we may see the wonderfull indignation of God against Idoll-worshippers when by such strange and extraordinary means he bringeth them to destruction. And this doubtlesse is no new course, for even since the beginning of the world (if we consult Histories) we shall finde, that well nigh all the kingdomes, places, persons, and countries that have been any wise infected with this sinne, have still come to some ruine or other, and to some great overthrow, and their Idolatry suppressed by some notable and strange accident. Whereof Saint Hierome may be a witnesse, who affirmeth, That when Iesus being a childe was carried into Aegypt for feare of Herod, all the Idols of Aegypt fell downe, and all their miracles became mute, which the Prophet Isaias foreseeing, saith, Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud. Isay 19. 1.and shall come into Aegypt, and the Idols of Aegypt shall melt in the midst of her. Besides, the generall silence of the Devill in his Oracles throughout the world presently upon Christs Incarnation, is a thing known and confessed of all men. Notwithstanding all which, the holy Pope will still maintain his Idolatry, albeit the Lord hath made manifest tokens of his indignation against it. As appeareth by that which happened in the yeare 1451, being the Popes Iubile, when such a concourse of people was made from all quarters of the world to honour that superstitious day: for the people being upon Adrians bridge, were so thrust together, that two hundred men and three horses lost their lives, being trampled upon and stifled to death: many fell into the water over the bridge, and so perished; of whom an hundred and thirty were buried at Saint Celsus. And these are the fruits of their Indulgences, which are too much bought and sought for, and of their Iubilies, proceeding from the Bishop of Rome his impious and sacrilegious zeale. Now to eschew these and such like misfortunes; the true and onelyonly meanes is, an unfained diversion from all Idolatry and Superstition, and whatsoever else contrarieth the pure service of God, and a conversation unto him, to serve him in spirit and truth, as the Scripture exhorteth.