A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

We know it to be cultus religiosus creaturae exhibitus, any religious worship of that which by nature is not God: and so doth your Thomas grant it to be. Gregory de Valentia another of your great Champions contends, that tanqnam Deo, as unto God, is to be added unto the definition: As though religious worship could be given unto any thing, and not as unto God really and indeed, though not intentionally as to the worshipper. Where a man gives religious worship, there he doth ipso facto assign a divine eminency, say he what he will to the ⟨p. 55⟩contrary: Neither will his intention of not doing it as unto God, any more free him from Idolatry, than an Adultress will be free by not looking on her Adulterer as her Husband. I confess he adds afterwards a distinction that is of great use for you, and indispensably necessary for your defence; de Idol. lib. 2 cap. 7. St Peter he tells us insinuates some worship of Idols, cultum aliquem simulachrorum, to wit, that of the holy Images to be right, or lawful, when he deterreth believers ab illicitis Idolorum cultibus, from the unlawful worship of Idols; 1 Pet. 4. 3. [Greek or Hebrew], This were somewhat indeed, if all epithets were distinguishing, none aggravating or declarative. When Virgil said dulcia mella premes, Geor. 4. he did not insinuate that there was any bitter honey. Nor is it allowable only for Poets, to use explaining and declaring epithets; but Aristotle allows it in the best Orators also, so they use not [Greek or Hebrew], long or unseasonable ones, or the same frequently: and the use of this here by Peter is free from all those vices. When the Roman Orator cried out ô scelus detestandum, O wickedness to be abhorred, he did not intend to insinuate that there was a wickedness not to be abhorred, or to be approved. But if it will follow hence that your Church is guilty only of lawful Idolatry, I shall not much contend about it. Yet I must tell you, that as the poor woman when the Physicians in her sickness told her still that what she complained of was a good sign, cried out [Greek or Hebrew], good signs have undone me; your lawful Idolatry if you take not better heed, will undo you.

We know it to be cultus religiosus creaturae exhibitus, any religious worship of that whish by nature is not God: and so doth your Thomas grant it to be. Gregory de Valentia another of your great Champions contends, that tanqnam Deo, as unto God, is to be added unto the definition: As though religious worship could be given unto any thing, and not as unto God really and indeed, though not intentionally as to the worshipper. Where a man gives religious worship, there he doth ipso facto assign a divine eminencie, say he what he will to the