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Dii.

also altogether of them, and to their praises, God's word being clean laid aside. And this we do altogether agreeable to the saints. as did the Gentile idolaters to their false gods. For these opinions which men have had of mortal persons, were they never so holy, the old most godly and learned Christians have written against the feigned gods of the Gentiles, and Christian princes have destroyed their images, who, if they were now living, would doubtless likewise both write against our false opinions of saints, and also destroy their images. For it is evident, that our image-maintainers have the same opinion of saints which the Gentiles had of their false gods, and thereby are moved to make them images, as the Gentiles did. If answer be made, that they make saints but intercessors to God, and means for such things as they would obtain of God: that is, even after the Gentiles' idolatrous usage, to make them of saints, gods, Medioximi called Dii Medioximi, to be mean intercessors and helpers to God, as though he did not hear, or should be weary if he did all alone. So did the Gentiles teach, that there was one chief power working by other, as means; and so they made all gods subject to fate or destiny; as Lucian in his Dialogues feigneth that Neptune made suit to Mercury, that he might speak with Jupiter. And therefore in this also, it is most evident, that our imagemaintainers be all one in opinion with the Gentile idolaters.

Anjos v.

Jahn iv.

Now remaineth the third part, that their rites and ceremonies, in honouring and worshipping of the images or saints, be all one with the rites which the Gentile idolaters used in honouring their idols. First, what meaneth it, that Christians, after the example of the Gentile idolaters, go on pilgrimage to visit images, where they have the like at home, but that they have a greater opinion of holiness and virtue in some images, than other some, like as the Gentile idolaters had? Which is the readiest way to bring them to idolatry by worshipping of them, and directly against God's word, who saith, Seek me, and ye shall live; and do not seek Bethel; enter not into Gilgal, neither go to Beersheba. And against such as had any superstition in the holiness of the place, as though they should be heard for the place's sake, saying, Our Fathers worshipped in this mountain: and ye say, that at Jerusalem is the place where men should worship; our Saviour Christ pronounceth, Believe me, the hour cometh, when you shall worship the Father, neither in this mountain, nor at Je

rusalem; but true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. But it is too well known, that by such pilgrimage going, Lady Venus and her son Cupid were rather worshipped wantonly in the flesh, than God the Father, and our Saviour Christ his Son, truly worshipped in the spirit.

And it was very agreeable (as St. Paul teacheth) that Rom. i. they which fell to idolatry, which is spiritual fornication, should also fall into carnal fornication, and all uncleanness. by the just judgments of God, delivering them over to abominable concupiscences.

Gen. xxii. and xxxiii.

What meaneth it, that Christian men, after the use of the Gentile idolaters, cap and kneel before images? which, if they had any sense and gratitude, would kneel before men, carpenters, masons, plasterers, founders, and goldsmiths, their makers and framers, by whose means they have attained this honour, which else should have been evil-favoured and rude lumps of clay, or plaster, pieces of timber, stone, or metal, without shape or fashion, and so without all estimation and honour, as that idol in the Pagan Poet confesseth, saying, "I was once a vile Horatius. block, but now I am become a god," &c. What a fond thing is it for man, who hath life and reason, to bow Adorare. himself to a dead and insensible image, the work of his own hand! Is not this stooping and kneeling before them, adoration of them, which is forbidden so earnestly by God's word? Let such as so fall down before images of saints, know and confess that they exhibit that honour to dead stocks and stones, which the saints themselves, Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, would not suffer to be given to them being alive; which the angel of God forbiddeth to be Apoc. xix. given to him. And if they say, they exhibit such honour not to the image, but to the saint whom it representeth, they are convicted of folly, to believe that they please saints with that honour, which they abhor as a spoil of God's honour; for they be no changelings: but now both having greater understanding, and more fervent love of God, do more abhor to deprive him of his due honour: and being now like unto the angels of God, do with angels flee to take unto them by sacrilege the honour due to God and herewithal is confuted their lewd distinction of Latria and Dulia; where it is evident, that the saints of God cannot abide, that as much as any outward worshipping be done or exhibited to them. But Satan, God's enemy, desiring to rob God of his honour, desireth exceedingly that such honour might be given to him.

1 Kings i Acts x.and xiv.

Matt. ir.

Wherefore those which give the honour due to the Crea tor, to any creature, do service acceptable to no saints, who be the friends of God, but unto Satan, God and man's mortal and sworn enemy. And to attribute such desire of divine honour to saints, is to blot them with a most odious and devilish ignominy and villany, and instead of saints to make them Satans and very devils, whose property is to challenge to themselves the honour which is due to God only.

And furthermore, in that they say that they do not worship the images, as the Gentiles did their idols, but God and the saints, whom the images do represent; and therefore that their doings before images be not like the idolatry of the Gentiles before their idols; St. Augustine, Lactantius, and Clemens, do prove evidently, that by this their answer they be all one with the Gentile idolaters. August. Psal. The Gentiles (saith St. Augustine) which seem to be of the purer religion, say, We worship not the images, but by the corporal image we do behold the signs of the things which we ought to worship.

CXXXV.

Laetan. 1. ii. inst.

And Lactantius saith, The Gentiles say, we fear not the images, but them after whose likeness the images be made. and to whose names they be consecrated. Thus far Lactantius.

And Clemens saith, That serpent the Devil uttereth these words by the mouth of certain men: We, to the honour of the invisible God, worship visible images: which surely is most false. See how, in using the same excuses which the Gentile idolaters pretended, they show themselves to join with them in idolatry. For, notwithstanding this excuse, St. Augustine, Clemens, and Lactantius prove them idolaters. And Clemens saith, That the serpent, the Devil, putteth such excuses in the mouth of idolaters. And the Scriptures say, they worship the stocks and stones, (notwithstanding this excuse) even as our image-maintainers do. And Ezekiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians, stocks and stones, although they were but images of their gods. So are our images of God and the saints named by the names of God and his saints, after the use of the Gentiles.

And the same Clemens saith thus, in the same book: They dare not give the name of the emperor to any other, for he punisheth his offender and traitor by and by: but they dare give the name of God to others, because he for repentance suffereth his offenders. And even so do our image-worshippers give both names of

God and the saints, and also the honour due to God, to their images, even as did the Gentile idolaters to their idols. What should it mean, that they, according as did the Gentile idolaters, light candles at noon-time, or at midnight, before them, but therewith to honour them? For other use is there none in so doing. For in the day it needeth not, but was ever a proverb of foolishness, to light a candle at noon-time. And in the night it availeth not to light a candle before the blind, and God hath neither use nor honour thereof. And concerning this candle-lighting, it is notable that Lactantius, above a thousand years ago, hath written after this manner: If they would behold the heavenly light of the sun, then should they perceive that God hath no need of their candles, who for the use of man hath made so good a light. And whereas in so little a circle of the sun, which for the great distance seemeth to be no greater than a man's head, there is so great brightness, that the sight of man's eye is not able to behold it, but if one steadfastly look upon it a while, his eyes will be dulled and blinded with darkness. How great light, how great clearness may we think to be with God, with whom is no night nor darkness? And so forth.

And by and by he saith, Seemeth he therefore to be in his right mind, who offereth up to the Giver of light the light of a wax candle for a gift? He requireth another light of us, which is not smoky, but bright and clear, even the light of the mind and understanding.

And shortly after he saith, But their gods, because they be earthly, have need of light, lest they remain in darkness, whose worshippers, because they understand no heavenly thing, do draw religion, which they use, down to the earth, in the which, being dark of nature, is need of light. Wherefore they give to their gods no heavenly, but the earthly understanding of mortal men. And therefore they believe those things to be necessary and pleasant unto them, which are so to us, who have need either of meat when we be hungry, or drink when we be thirsty, or clothing when we be cold, or when the sun is set, candle-light, that we may see. Thus far Lactantius, and much more, too long here to write, of candle-lighting in temples before images and idols for religion: whereby appeareth both the foolishness thereof, and also that in opinion and act we do agree altogether

our candle-religion with the Gentile idolaters. What meaneth it that they, after the example of the

Lib. vi. In

stit. cap. 2.

Coltre

Cultus.

Gentile idolaters, burn incense, offer up gold to images, hang up crutches, chains, and ships, legs, arms, and whole men and women of wax, before images, as though by them, or saints (as they say) they were delivered from lameness, sickness, captivity, or shipwreck? Is not this colere imagines, to worship images, so earnestly forbidden in God's word? If they deny it, let them read the cleventh chapter of Daniel the Prophet, who saith of Antichrist, He shall worship God, whom his fathers knew not, with gold, silver, and with precious stones, and other things of pleasure: in which place the Latin word is Colet. And in the second of Paralipomenon, the twenty-ninth chapter, all the outward rites and ceremonies, as burning of incense, and such other, wherewith God in the temple was honoured. is called Cultus, (to say) worshipping, which is forbidden strictly by God's word to be given to images. Do not all stories ecclesiastical declare, that our holy martyrs, rather than they would bow and kneel, or offer up one crum of incense before an image or idol, have suffered a thousand kinds of most horrible and dreadful death? And what excuses soever they make, yet that all this running on pilgrimage, burning of incense and candles, hanging up of crutches, chains, ships, arms, legs, and whole men and women of wax, kneeling and holding up of hands, is done to the images, appeareth by this, that where no images be, or where they have been, and be taken away, they do no such things at all. But all the places frequented when the images were there, now they be taken away, be forsaken, and left desert; nay, now they hate and abhor the place deadly; which is an evident proof, that that which they did before was done in respect of the images. Wherefore, when we see men and women on heaps go on pilgrimage to images, kneel before them, hold up their hands before them, set up candles, burn incense before them, offer up gold and silver unto them, hang up ships, crutches, chains, men and women of wax before them, attributing health and safeguard, the gifts of God, to them, or the saints whom they represent, as they rather would have it; who, I say, who can doubt, but that our image-maintainers, agreeing in all idolatrous opinions, outward rites and ceremonies, with the Gentile idolaters, agree also with them in committing most abominable idolatry? And to increase this madness, wicked men, which have the keeping of such images, for their greater lucre and advantage, after the example of the Gentile idolaters, have reported and

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