Idolatry â—ecause it proceedeth from the interne as â—ancheus Zanch de redempt lib 1 ca 17 Thes 5 very learnedly and largely â—eeweth Yf a man invocate to an Angell or giue a â—y honor internall to a creature shall it not â—e called Idolatry Ephe. 5.6 Colos 3 5 exceept he bowe outwardâ— vnto it How then doth Paull say that coâ—etousnes is Idolatry For a rich man doth â—ot outwardly worshipp his goodes yet beâ—ause he giueth vnto it interne Mark 10 24 1 Tim 6 19 Luke 12 15 confideÌ„ce â—hich is due vnto God it is truely called his â—doll as vnto the Sardanapali Phii 3.19 there belly is termed there god Right so the Papistes ascribinge to the signe of the crosse that honor and confidence which belongeth to God doe make it an execrable Idoll and so most vnfitt to stand in the sanctuary or to be annexed to the holy thinges of God For first they ascrybe vnto the signe of the crosse power and vertue to mcryt pardon at least for veniall sinnes quest disputat de venal pecto as appea-reth by r Tho. Aquinus s Bellermine and t Rhemistes de effect sacrument li 2 1 Tim 4 sect 13.14 Bellar. de effect sacr lib 2. cap 31 Vnto a rude clowne whos dull vnderstandinge cannot reach to higher thinges this only saith hâ— sufficeth for his saâ—uatioÌ„ Also it is held to partake of power efficient and imediatly v operatiue and that tâ— conuert sinners Marshal de cruce fol. 114 115. yea to gaine saluation Hosius x contra Brent p. 227. and generally the whole rablâ— of Romish Doctors do teach to putt great affiance in this signe for chasing away deuils and curinge diseases and sanctifiynge both man and other creatures to the vse of man Secondly I say indeed they doe giue outwarde aswell as inward worshipp to the crosse For it is apparant that they invocate it in the same manner that they invocate saints wheÌ„ they say per crucis hoc signum fugiat procul omne malignum by this signe of holy Crosse let euills all flie farre froÌ„ vs. Againe by the signe of the holy Crosse In officio sanct cruce printed in English anno 1599. from our enimies dcliuer vs o Lord our God Also in another place victorious Crosse and admirable signe make vs triumph and ioy in heauenly courtes divine Yea in prayers they ioyne it with Iesus Christ as in officio missae is to be seene where they supplicate By the mercy of Iesus Christ by the aâ—de signe of the crosse by the intercession of the blessed virgine â—per mise ecordiam Iesu Christi per aux ilium et signum crucis per intercessionem beate Mariae c. They couple it also with the bloud of Christ in these words defend me Iesu ab omnibus vitiis malis preteritis presentibus et futuris per signum sanctae crucis hor. present ad usâ—m sarum Parisijs impreâ—s anno 1498. et per inestimabile pretium iusti et pretiosi sanguinis tui All which doth most manifestly proue that amonge the Papistes it is religiously honored â—oth with inward confidence and outwarde reuerence And therfore if their Idolls may in no sorte be annexed to the seruice of ouâ— God the crosse in Baptisme ought necessarily to be crossed cursed out of our liturgy Neither is it a sufficient answer to say thaâ— the crosse amongst vs is neque numero nâ—que vsu the same that theirs is and thougâ— their crosse be an Idoll yet ours is not Foâ— when God commaunded his people to breakâ— downe the Images of the heathen and to extinguish the very name of them had they performed that charge if they had burnt alâ— the Idolls of Canaan and afterwarde madâ— newe of the same forme and to another vseâ— though not Idolatrous yet religious or how haue we discharged our dueties and sheeweâ— our detestation of that filthy Idolatry if hauing defaced all the popish crucifixes and Idolls we erect them newe in our Church though not to worshipp them yet to any other holy vse whatsoeuer It is true that our crosse and theirs is the same both in name and forme but not in vse for then were it Idolatrous now I doe not say that the church of England doth commit Idolatry but that it ought to absteine not only from the Idolatry or worshipp but euen from all religious vse of such humaine ordinances and inventions which others haue and doe Idolatrously adore For if to erect crucyfixes and other popish Images for holy vse be coÌ„trary to the commaundement a keeping of an honorable memory of the Idoll Exod 23.15 Deut 12 3. Hos. 2.17 howe can the religious vse of the crosse in Baptisme being aswell an Idoll as any of their Images be reteyned without breach of the law Babes keepe your selues from Idolles obiection The signe of the crosse in the first institution was free from superstition and Idolatry and if the abuse which grewe after be remooued why should it not recouer his auncient vse indiffrency like as as the bread in the Lords supper which the Papistes doe religiously adore Answer Of this nature are Churches Pulpets c. thinges of necessarie vse and warranted by God himselfe but the reteyning of the brazen serpent was noe where commaunded There is great difference betweene that which God hath created and commaunded and that which man hath ordeyned for 〈◊〉 one is necessary and no abuse can alter tâ— nature of it the other indifferent and by â—buse may become vnlawfull and therefoâ—â— Hezekia did worthely breake the brasen seâ—pent not seekinge to redresse the abuse of iâ— Now howsoeuer Bellarmyne would insinuâ— that the crosse is founded on scripture yâ— the weaknes of his argumentes doe bewray the vnsoundnes of the matter aut enim sgnum crucis habere vim speritualem Potissimum ex instituto Dei li. 2. de effect sacra et li. 2. de Imag ca 29 conatur venerationem crucis scripture autoritate stabilire de coronami and therforâ— Tertullians iudgment is to be preferreâ— which plainly saith that there is no warranâ— in scripture for it horum inquit 7 si legem postules scripturarum nullam in vâ—nies traditio tibi pretenditur autrix coâ—suetudo confirmatrix fides observatrix Nowe it is further to be noted that a double vse of the Crosse is mentioned in antiquâ—tie one ciuill the other religious against thâ— former we doe not dispute yeldinge all reuerence to those christians which by that notâ— sheewed their reioycinge and glory in that which the heathen counted their shame buâ— now that abuse hath turned both the Image and the signe of the Crosse into an Idoll it seemeth thereby to be made execrable For Gideons Ephod beinge first a ciull monumeÌ„t of victory when the people went a whoring after it was it lawfull for the Magistrate to erect in the tabernacle or sinagogue though not the same yet the like both in name and forme
A SHORTE TREATISE OF the crosse in Baptisme contracted into this syllogisme No humane ordinance becomming an Idoll may lawfully be vsed in the seruice of God But the signe of the crosse being a humane ordinance is become an Idoll ergo The signe of the crosse may not lawfully be vsed in the seruice of God Amsterdam Printed by I. H. 1604. The latine avthorities Englished 1 They which will treat of all sortes of Idolatrie must needes take the name of an Idoll in a larger signification By the name therefore of an Idoll is vnderstood whatsoeuer besides the true God a man doth propose or frame to himselfe to be worshipped either simplie or in some respect 2 For Idolls or images haue greater power to corrupt a silly soule in that they haue a mouth eyes eares nose handes feete then to correct it in that they neyther heare smell c. 3 The signe of the Crosse which is made in the forehead or in the ayre is sacred and venerable 4 We adore the signe of the Crosse by which we haue receaued the Sacrament of saluation 5 The christians from Christs time hithervnto haue worshipped with the highest loue both the woode of the Lords crosse the signe of the crosse with which they dayly fence themfelues 6 Defend me Iesu from all euill vices past present and to come by the signe of holy crosse and by the in estimable price of thy iust and precious bloud 7 If thou seeke any law for this in scripture thou shalt find none Tradition is avouched to be the author custome the confirmer and faith the obseruer 8 At euery passage at euery setting forward at euery cominge in and goeing out at putting on of our clothes shoes c. We stampe our forhead with the signe of the crosse 9 And with often crossinge guard thy for head that the destroyer of Egipt find no place in thee 10 Christs followers doe by the signe of the Crosse shut out the vncleane spirites 11 The Crosse guardeth the minde it taketh revenge on the deuill it cureth the deseases of the soule c. 12 Whose vertue perfecteth all sacramentes without which signe nothing is holy nor any consecration takâ—th effect and whosoeuer are the Ministers of the Sacramentes whatsoeuer hands doe dypp or annoynt the comers to Baptisme out of whatsoeuer mouth the sacreed word doe proceed the authoritie of operation doth by the signe of the Crosse make effectuallall Sacraments OF THE SIGNE OF THE Crosse in Baptisme The vse of the Crosse in Baptisme is not a thing indifferent but vtterly vnlawfull For this reason IT is against the Apostles precept 1. Io. 5.21 PROOFES OF THE MAIOR Babes keepe your selves from Idolls For the explanation wherof two thinges are to be scanned first what is meant by an Idoll Secondly how farr we are to keepe our selues from the Idoll An Idoll is whatso euer besides God is worshiped with divine honor quicquid preter deum diuino colitur honore and though some restraine an Idoll to a visible forme because it is deriued of apotou eidous â—et as a learned writer obserueth Zanch. de redem P. lib. 1. cap 17 Ths 5 Qui de omnibus Idolatrie generibus acturi â—unt latius nomen Idoli accipiant necesse est Idoli igitur nomine intelligiur quicquid homo tanquam deum vel â—â—mpliciter vel katati sibi extra verum Deum proponit fingitque colendum Neither is this spoken without good reaâ—â—n for nothing is properly an Idoll as it is a visible forme but as it is religiously worshiped quate â—â—s est visibilis forma sed quatenus reliâ—â—ose colitur If therefore it be worshipped it mâ—y be an Idoll though it be no visible shape otherwise the worshipping of Angells and the soules of the iust men were no Idolatry seeing these are invisible spirites and therefore the signe of the Crosse If it be religiously worshipped may proue an Idoll though it be transiens quiddam a thinge vanishing in the Ayre and no permanent forme For as that learned Zanche speaketh there is a duplex A twofould Idol the on reall the other imaginarie conceiued only in the minde Idolum the one reall the other imaginarium et tantum mente conceptum For answer to the Second question Men may keepe themselues from Idolls two wayes viZ. a cultu et ab vsu Idoli from the worshipp and from the vse of the Idoll For the first How farr we are to keepe our selues from an Idoll 1 Cor. 10.15 to 23. S. Paule is so strict that he alloweth not the christians so much as to be present in the temple at the Idolatrous feasts though they did it without any internall opinion or externall action of worshippinge the Idoll But Iohn in this place doth not speake sâ— much of the worship as the vse of the Idoll for as Aug. in psalme 113. well obserueth thâ— Apostle commaundeth vt caueant non tantum a cultu simulacrorum sed a simulacris ipsis that they a voyd not only the worshipp of the Images but also the images or Idolls themselues Now the vse of an Image or Idoll may be ciuill or religious and both of them publike or priuate That an Image even such an Image as is Idolatrously worshipped may be made retained for cyvill respects of ornament story or such like we make no question though the tollarating of them in open and publick places even extra cultum be offensiue and turne into a snare as Gideons Ephod was to his posteritie when it was abused to Idolatrie And vppon this ground we yeld that though the Crosse be apparantly an Idoll yet in Princes Banners Coronations Coyne Crowne or any other cyuill respect it may haue a lawfull vse But that any thinge of mans deuisinge being worshipped as an Idoll should be used religionis ergo in the worshipp of God seemeth directly against S. Ioâ—â— precept for how doe I keepe my selfe from the Idoll or how doe I sheew my Zealous dâ—testation of that filthy Idolatry when I râ—tayne it and vse it so honorably as in thâ— Temple in the Sanctuary in the service oâ— God Which interpritation of this place of S. Iohn the Church of England e Homil. â—ga perill of Idolatrie part 2 doth on thâ— warrant of Tertullian approue comend And this poynt is further strengthened by the second commaundement f Exod. 23 34 13 Deut 7.5 Ps 16 4 which forbiddeth not only to worshipp but even to make any Image or any similitude whatsoeuer to witt ad cultum or for religious vse as according to the scripture the best g Caluin insti li 1 cap. 11 Vâ—â—in cathe in exposâ—t secundi precept Petr. Martyr loc comclas 2 cap 5 sect 22 Hooper in 2 precePt Zanch de redempâ—â— lib 1 câ—p â—5 interpretâ—ors partly against Images in Churches partly on the words of the precept doe most naturally expound it for suerly if Idolatry it selfe as amost execrable
thing be forbidden then all occasions and meanes leading therevnto are likewise prohibited And what stronger prouocation to that spirituall whordome then erectinge Images in the place of Gods worshipp Plus Babington on the 2. commaundement Perk. set caus ca 21 Allen on the 2 Com. Dod on the 2. com enim vt rectu Avgustinus in psal 113. Valent simulacra adâ—uruandam infelicem animam quod os â—abent oculos habent aures habent â—ares habent manus habent pedes haâ—ent quam ad corrigendam quod non â—oquentur non videbunt non audient â—on odorabunt non tractabunt non â—mbulabunt And therefore without doubt the meaâ—ing of the commaundement is to bynde â—he Church from all such snares and alâ—uerments to sinne and therefore doth Auâ—ustyne in quest suê“ Leuit. q. 68. well â—onclude from this commaundement that â—uch making of an Idoll can neuer be iust or â—awfull Now if no similitude at all be tollarable â—n Gods service then much lesse any that â—ath bene and is worshipped Idolatrously Tertullian against the Gnostickes acâ—ompted them Idolaters not only which worâ—hipped but those also which made and retained Images nemppe ad cultum or for holy vse and in his booke de Idolatria he vehemently reproued the very makers of Images though they did not themselues worshipp them which sheeweth in what execration the primitiue Churches held any religious vse of an Idoll The like we may finde in Epiphanius adâ— Iohannem EpuÌ„m Hicrosal Where he reporteth that finding an image of Christ or some Saint hanging at a Church dore heâ—rent it in peeces avouching that to hang aâ— picture in the Church of Christ was contra autoritatem scripturarum contra religionem christianam contrary to the authoritie of the scriptures and the christian religion From hence I conclude that if the godly fathers were so vehement against erectingâ— Images of Christ and of Saintes even aâ— that time before any worshipp was giuen vnto them Much more would they withstand it now after men haue made Idolles of them And if they would not suffer an Idoll so much as in the place of Gods worship would they endure themselues to vse such an â—doll as the Crosse in the seruice and sacramentes of God Their Zeale against that spirituall fornication would neuer permitt â—hem so highly to honor such an execrable thing neither was their Zeale herein without ground of knowledge For the spirit of God in Psa 115.8 speaking of Idolls They saith he that make them are like vnto them and so are all they that trust in them Where a plaine difference is made betweene makers and worshippers of Idolls and both condemned as curssed transgressors of the law shall any then make the Idoll of the crosse and that religionis causa and yet be innocent Quâ—stionlesse by Dauids Psa 16 14 example we must make no mention that is keepe no honorable memory of an Idoll and therfore with out doubt not giue it so much honor as to vse it or the memoriall thereof in the house of God and in his holy worshipp but as Isai saith Isai 50.22 We must pollute the reliques and the very couering and ornament of the Idoll cast them away as amenstrous cloth and say vnto it gett thee hence PROOFE OF THE MINOR Now if any doubt whither the signe of the crosse be adored and so made an Idoll lett him well consider the tract of Bellarmine de a doratione crucis where distinguishing the Crosse on which Christ was hanged from the similitude thereof he saith other crosses like to this are accounted sacred Images cetere cruces illi similes inter sacras imagines numerantur and after he distinguisheth those similytudes of Christes Crosse into the Image and signe of the Crosse so that if the Image of the crosse be taken for an Idoll who knoweth not that it is the vniuersall Idoll of popery and to be adored euen cultuâ—latrie which worshipp as they themselues hould is due only vnto God the signe of the crosse must needes be taken for no better Besides the same De Image lib 1â— 3â— Bellarmyne hauing as is said distinguished the crosse into three sortes the crosse the Image of the crosse and the signe of the crosse he layeth downe this doctrine generally of them all omnes cruces adoramus and perticulerly of the signe of the crosse he saith we adore all crosses de Imag. lib 2 cap. 29. signum crucis quod in fronte vel in aere pingitur esse sacrum et venerabile To this agreeth Portiformus Sarisb 4 where it is thus professed adoramus crucis signaculum per quod salutis sumpsimus sacramentum And that the Image and signe of the crosse is of one and the same account with papists appereth evidently as by diuers so perticularly by Hart For Docter Raynoldes Confer with Hart Cap 8 diuis-4 sheewing that the Church of England hath iustly left the signe of the crosse out of the supper for the Idolatry thereof doth proue that it is worshipped as an Idoll by such testimonies as indeede belonge to the Image of the crosse which Hart no way excepted against doth imply that looke what estimation they haue of the Image the same they haue of the signe and what honor is due to the one is due to the other For in very deed they carefully teach Andra. orthod eâ—pli lib 9. Bellarm. de imag lâ—b 2 cap â—0 Tho. Aquin part 3. q. 2 art qâ—art dâ—uers other that it is not in regard of thâ— matter wherein the crosse is painted or thâ— couler whereby it is shaddowed but only anâ— simply for the expressing of the liknes oâ— Christes crosse and for the representing oâ— Christ crucyfied which the signe performeth as well as the Image that the adore thâ— crosse with the same honor that is due vntâ— Christ himselfe And this no doubt was thâ— meanning of Aquinas when he saith thâ— every effigies or liknes of the crosse wherof the signe is one is to be adored culâ—latrie and Costerus doth avouch that thâ— same worshipp is due to the signe Ibidem as belongeth to the very crosse of Christ when â— saith though falsly Coster Enâ—hâ—â— cap 11 christiani a Chrisâ— temporibus semper summa veneratiâ—ne coluerunt ipsum signum dominicâ— crvcis et signum crvcis qvo se qvotidiâ— maniunt Marke that the signe of the croâ— is worshipped summa veneratione with tâ— highest degee of honor and as Oâ—thod explâ—ce lib 9 Andraâ—â—s in expresse words saith in the same manâ—er that the Image of Christ himselfe is â—orshipped then the which what can be â—ore clere to proue that not only the Image â—ut the signe of the crosse is by the papistes â—ost Idolatrously worshipped Yf any say that to the signe of the crosse â—one boweth the knee or vaileth the bonnet â—nd therfore it is not adored I answer First â—hat adoration is interne and externe and â—he externe adoration is therfore