It is lawful to worship not only rational Creatures, (f)but any thing else in the whole world, whether living or lifeless. Any beast or creeping thing may be worshipped as the Image of God, which they hold is to be honoured with divine worship. So that not only the Planets, Stars, the Queen and the Host of Heaven, may be thus adored (for which the Lord condemns Israel and Judah as Idolaters): but the vilest Creature that lives on Earth, a Fly, or a Frog, or a Serpent, or a Toad may be thus worshipped. Yea meaner Creatures than any that have life, any inanimate thing whatsoever, though it be but a wisp of Straw; that is our Authors own instance, whereas, says he, (g)the Wickliffites object, that Christians who worship Images, may as well worship a wisp of Straw (modulum straminis the same Leontius (upon whose Authority he grounds all) would as freely grant this, of a bit of Straw; as he does it of every thing else in the World, so far is it from being counted absurd; yea, they may worship not ⟨p. 313⟩only vile but sordid things, (h)and not only God, but Angels and Saints in them, quaevis alia res mundi, any thing what-ever in the World, whether lifeless, unreasonable, or rational; may rightly have divine worship with God. And this is not only the judgment of their famous Vasquez, but of Cardinal Cajetan, and in consequence, of them all; for those great wits, well discerned, that the adoration of other things, approved and practised by the Romanists, could never be defended without extending their principles to such a Latitude. Thus it is manifest, that whatsoever the Apostate Israelites adored, or the Egyptians worshipped, or the Laplanders do worship, or the grossest and the most ridiculous Idolaters in the World, ever made an Idol: all that, with much more and worse, may lawfully be worshipped by Popish principles; there never was any Idolatry so absurd or horrid in the World, but may have Patronage, or excuse by this doctrine.
It is lawful to worship not only rational Creatures, (f)but any thing else in the whole world, whether living or liveless. Any beast or creeping thing may be worshipped as the Image of God, which they hold is to be honoured with divine worship. So that not only the Planets, Stars, the Queen and the Host of Heaven, may be thus adored (for which the Lord condemns Israel and Judah as Idolaters): but the vilest Creature that lives on Earth, a Fly, or a Frogg, or a Serpent, or a Toad may be thus worshipped. Yea meaner Creatures than any that have life, any inanimate thing whatsoever, though it be but a wisp of Straw; that is our Authors own instance, whereas, sayes he, (g)the Wickliffites object, that Christians who worship Images, may as well worship a wisp of Straw (modulum straminis the same Leontius (upon whose Authority he grounds all) would as freely grant this, of a bit of Straw; as he does it of every thing else in the World, so far is it from being counted absurd; yea, they may worship not ⟨p. 313⟩only vile but sordid things, (h)and not only God, but Angels and Saints in them, quaevis alia res mundi, any thing what-ever in the World, whether liveless, unreasonable, or rational; may rightly have divine worship with God. And this is not only the judgment of their famous Vasquez, but of Cardinal Cajetan, and in consequence, of them all; for those great witts, well discerned, that the adoration of other things, approved and practised by the Romanists, could never be defended without extending their principles to such a Latitude. Thus it is manifest, that whatsoever the Apostate Israelites adored, or the Egyptians worshipped, or the Laplanders do worship, or the grossest and the most ridiculous Idolaters in the World, ever made an Idol: all that, with much more and worse, may lawfully be worshipped by Popish principles; there never was any Idolatry so absurd or horrid in the World, but may have Patronage, or excuse by this doctrine.
- (f)Quaevis etiam alia res mundi sive inanima, & irrationalis, sive rationalis, ex natura rei & secluso periculo, rite cum Deo, sicut imago ipsius adorari potest. Hanc opinionem tradit. Cajetan. 2. 2. q. 103. art. 3. ad dub. 4. id docuit. Leontius. ibid. c. 2. n. 5.
- (g)Frustra igitur Wiclesistae objiciebant Christianis imagines colentibus, ipsos quoque modulum straminis adorare posse—idem enim Leontius, de modulo straminis, quod de quacunque re mundi, libenter fateretur; tantum abest, ut absurdum judicari debeat. ibid. n. 10.
- (h)In brutis animantibus & rebus sordidis, Deo exhibere notam submissionis primo aspectu indecens apparet: id tamen non obest, quo minus suapte natura in qualibet re mundi Deum ipsum adorare liceat: imo & sanctos homines seu Angelos, si eos cum rehus illis cogitation nostra possimus conjungere. ibid. n. 11.In brutis animantibus & rebus sordidis, Deo exhibere notam submissionis primo aspectu indecens apparet: id tamen non obest, quo minus suapte natura in qualibet re mundi Deum ipsum adorare liceat: imo & sanctos homines seu Angelos, si eos cum rehus illis cogitatione nostra possimus conjungere. ibid. n. 11.
