Apology for the Reformed Churches, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. That there are many other beliefs in the Church of Rome, which overthrow the foundations of our faith and ſalvation, as the Veneration of images, the Supremacie of the Pope, &c.
BUt beſides this Article, there are great ſtore of others, to the profeſſion and practiſe whereof they will oblige us againſt our wills; which are of ſo great importance in religion, that we cannot confeſſe them, nor obſerve them any more, then that of Tranſubſtantiation, without violating our conſciences, and expoſing our ſouls to an evident danger of offending God, and loſing that portion in his grace and glory, which we deſire and hope for.
For example, Believing (as we do) That there is nothing divine in images; and, That we are very ſeverely forbidden by our Lord to proſtrate our ſelves before them, under pain of moving Him to jealouſie, and ſtirring up His indignation againſt us and our poſteritie: How, and with what conſcience can we bow our bodies before thoſe in the Church of Rome, offer to them waxcandles, dreſſe them, and carry them in proceſſion, and go in pilgrimage to places, where they are conſecrated, and perform ſuch other acts, as ſhe demandeth of us in her Communion, to teſtifie that adoration which ſhe thinketh due to them in Religion? In times paſt, when a report was ſpred among the Donatiſts, That one Paul, and one Macarius, both Catholicks, would come into thoſe parts, and ſet an image upon the altar, where the Euchariſt was to be celebrated; the Chriſtians were much aſtoniſhed, ſaying one to another, That to eat there, was to eat of a thing ſacrificed to an idol. And Optatus, who recordeth it, ſaith, (lib. 3, pag. 356. E.) that if this rumour was true, they had good reaſon to ſay ſo. If the holy Fathers permitted the Donatiſts to abhorre the Churches of the Catholicks, to avoid communicating with them in the Euchariſt, as an unclean and profane meat; in caſe they could find any image upon the altar, where they conſecrated it: How can they be excuſed, who communicate at the Altars of Rome, partake of her Devotions, frequent her Churches, where we know (not by an uncertain rumour, but by the report of our eyes and other ſenſes) that every one is full of images, where we ſee them daily conſecrated anew, and the people crowding to proſtrate themſelves before them? Believing (as we do) that Chriſt is the ſole Head of the Catholick Church, with what conſcience can we give that title, and this dignitie to the Pope of Rome; and kiſſe his feet, and render him all other honours, which Rome is wont to give him in relation thereto? Believing (as we do) that the truth of the heavenly doctrine is the onelyonly foundation of our faith, with what conſcience can we depend upon the Authority of Pope or Councels, ſubmitting to them even the books of H. Scripture, which are divinely inſpired? Believing (as we do) that the ſacrifice offered by Chriſt upon the Croſſe, hath perfectly expiated our ſinnes; with what conſcience can we ſwear, That there is a neceſſity and efficacy in the ſacrifice of the Romane Altar? Believing (as we do) that invocation by prayers makes part of the ſervice of God; and not having learnt in the ſchole of the Scriptures, to pray to any but Him; how and with what conſcience can we addreſſe to ſo many ſeverall creatures, thoſe prayers and invocations, which Rome commandeth us to addreſſe to them? And particularly how can we invocate Dominicus a Monk, Ignatius Loyola, Charles Borromeus late Biſhop of Millain, and others like them, who we know hated and perſecuted that holy Faith, whereof we (by the grace of God) make open profeſſion? By the conſiderations already repreſented about the point of the Euchariſt, it is eaſie to ſee that theſe articles and divers others (which for brevity ſake I omit) overthrow the foundations of Faith and Piety: ſo that it is not lawfull for us to comply with thoſe which hold them.