The Gentiles worshipped,for gods,Jupiter and others that,living,were men perhaps that had done great and glorious acts;and,for the children of God,diverse men and women,supposing them gotten between an immortal deity and a mortal man.This was idolatry,because they made them so to themselves,having no authority from God,neither in His eternal law of reason,nor in His positive and revealed will.But though our Saviour was a man,whom we also believe to be God immortal and the Son of God,yet this is no idolatry,because we build not that belief upon our own fancy or judgement,but upon the word of God revealed in the Scriptures.And for the adoration of the Eucharist,if the words of Christ,"This is my body,"signify that he himself,and the seeming bread in his hand,and not only so,but that all the seeming morsels of bread that have ever since been,and any time hereafter shall be,consecrated by priests,be so many Christ's bodies,and yet all of them but one body,then is that no idolatry,because it is authorized by our Saviour:but if that text do not signify that (for there is no other that can be alleged for it),then,because it is a worship of human institution,it is idolatry.For it is not enough to say,God can transubstantiate the bread into Christ's body,for the Gentiles also held God to be omnipotent,and might upon that ground no less excuse their idolatry,by pretending,as well as others,a transubstantiation of their wood and stone into God Almighty.
Whereas there be,that pretend divine inspiration to be a supernatural entering of the Holy Ghost into a man,and not an acquisition of God's graces by doctrine and study,I think they are in a very dangerous dilemma.For if they worship not the men whom they believe to be so inspired,they fall into impiety,as not adoring God's supernatural presence.And again,if they worship them they commit idolatry,for the Apostles would never permit themselves to be so worshipped.Therefore the safest way is to believe that by the descending of the dove upon the Apostles,and by Christ's breathing on them when he gave them the Holy Ghost,and by the giving of it by imposition of hands,are understood the signs which God hath been pleased to use,or ordain to be used,of his promise to assist those persons in their study to preach His kingdom,and in their conversation,that it might not be scandalous,but edifying to others.
Besides the idolatrous worship of images,there is also a scandalous worship of them,which is also a sin,but not idolatry.For idolatry is to worship by signs of an internal and real honour;but scandalous worship is but seeming worship,and may sometimes be joined with an inward and hearty detestation,both of the image and of the fantastical demon or idol to which it is dedicated;and proceed only from the fear of death or other grievous punishment;and is nevertheless a sin in them that so worship,in case they be men whose actions are looked at by others as lights to guide them by;because following their ways,they cannot but stumble and fall in the way of religion:whereas the example of those we regard not,works not on us at all,but leaves us to our own diligence and caution,and consequently are no causes of our falling.
If therefore a pastor lawfully called to teach and direct others,or any other,of whose knowledge there is a great opinion,do external honour to an idol for fear;unless he make his fear and unwillingness to it as evident as the worship,he scandalizeth his brother by seeming to approve idolatry.For his brother arguing from the action of his teacher,or of him whose knowledge he esteemeth great,concludes it to be lawful in itself.And this scandal is sin,and a scandal given.But if one being no pastor,nor of eminent reputation for knowledge in Christian doctrine,do the same,and another follow him,this is no scandal given (for he had no cause to follow such example),but is a pretence of scandal which he taketh of himself for an excuse before men.For an unlearned man that is in the power of an idolatrous king or state,if commanded on pain of death to worship before an idol,he detesteth the idol in his heart:
he doth well;though if he had the fortitude to suffer death,rather than worship it,he should do better.But if a pastor,who as Christ's messenger has undertaken to teach Christ's doctrine to all nations,should do the same,it were not only a sinful scandal,in respect of other Christian men's consciences,but a perfidious forsaking of his charge.
The sum of that which I have said hitherto,concerning the worship of images,is this,that he that worshippeth in an image,or any creature,either the matter thereof,or any fancy of his own which he thinketh to dwell in it;or both together;or believeth that such things hear his prayers,or see his devotions,without ears or eyes,committeth idolatry.And he that counterfeiteth such worship for fear of punishment,if he be a man whose example hath power amongst his brethren,committeth a sin.But he that worshippeth the Creator of the world before such an image,or in such a place as he hath not made or chosen of himself,but taken from the commandment of God's word,as the Jews did in worshipping God before the cherubim,and before the brazen serpent for a time,and in or towards the temple of Jerusalem,which was also but for a time,committeth not idolatry.
Now for the worship of saints,and images,and relics,and other things at this day practised in the Church of Rome,I say they are not allowed by the word of God,nor brought into the Church of Rome from the doctrine there taught;but partly left in it at the first conversion of the Gentiles,and afterwards countenanced,and confirmed,and augmented by the bishops of Rome.
