Moyses receiveth the Decalogue or ten commandments of God, for all the people. 23. with repetition that they shall not make false-gods, nor make Altars but of earth or unhewed stone, and without steps.Moyses receiueth the Decalogue or tenne commandments of God, for al the people. 23. with repetition that they shal not make false-goddes, nor make Altars but of earth or vnheued stone, and without steppes.

The third part of this book: containing the Divine Laws Moral, Ceremonial, and Judicial.The third part of this booke: containing the Diuine Lawes Moral: Ceremonial: and Iudicial.

And our Lord spake all these words:AND our Lord spake al these wordes:Locutusque est Dominus cunctos sermones hos :

²I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of servitude.I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the Land of Ægypt, out of the house of seruitude.Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus, qui eduxi te de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis.

³Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.Thou shalt not haue strange goddes before me.Non habebis deos alienos coram me.

⁴Thou shalt not make to thee a graven thing, nor any similitude that is in heaven above, and that is in the earth beneath, neither of those things that are in the waters under the earth.Thou shalt not make to thee a grauen thing, nor any similitude that is in heauen aboue, & that is in the earth beneth, neither of those thinges that are in the waters vnder the earth.Non facies tibi sculptile, neque omnem similitudinem quæ est in cælo desuper, et quæ in terra deorsum, nec eorum quæ sunt in aquis sub terra.

⁵Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:Thou shalt not adore them, nor serue them: I am the Lord thy God mightie, ielous, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, vpon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:Non adorabis ea, neque coles : ego sum Dominus Deus tuus fortis, zelotes, visitans iniquitatem patrum in filios, in tertiam et quartam generationem eorum qui oderunt me :

⁶and doing mercy upon thousands to them that love me, and keep my precepts.and doing mercie vpon thousandes to them that loue me, and keepe my preceptes.et faciens misericordiam in millia his qui diligunt me, et custodiunt præcepta mea.

⁷Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. for the Lord will not hold him innocent that shall take the name of the Lord his God vainly.Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine. for the Lord wil not hold him innocent that shal take the name of the Lord his God vainly.Non assumes nomen Domini Dei tui in vanum : nec enim habebit insontem Dominus eum qui assumpserit nomen Domini Dei sui frustra.

⁸Remember that thou sanctify the Sabbath day.Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath day.Memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices.

⁹Six days shalt thou work, and shalt do all thy works.Six dayes shalt thou worke, and shalt doe al thy workes.Sex diebus operaberis, et facies omnia opera tua.

¹⁰But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work in it, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, thy manservant, and thy womanservant, thy beast, and the stranger that is within thy gates.But on the seuenth day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt doe no worke in it, thou and thy sonne, and thy daughter, thy manseruant, and thy womanseruant, thy beast, and the stranger that is within thy gates.Septimo autem die sabbatum Domini Dei tui est : non facies omne opus in eo, tu, et filius tuus et filia tua, servus tuus et ancilla tua, jumentum tuum, et advena qui est intra portas tuas.

¹¹For six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested in the seventh day, therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and sanctified it.For six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth, and the sea, and al thinges that are in them, and rested in the seuenth day, therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and sanctified it.Sex enim diebus fecit Dominus cælum et terram, et mare, et omnia quæ in eis sunt, et requievit in die septimo : idcirco benedixit Dominus diei sabbati, et sanctificavit eum.

¹²Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayst be long lived upon the earth, which the Lord thy God will give thee.Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayst be long liued vpon the earth, which the Lord thy God wil geue thee.Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longævus super terram, quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi.

¹³Thou shalt not murder.Thou shalt not murder.Non occides.

¹⁴Thou shalt not commit adultery.Thou shalt not commit adultry.Non mœchaberis.

¹⁵Thou shalt not steal.Thou shalt not steale.Non furtum facies.

¹⁶Thou shalt not speak against thy neighbour false testimony.Thou shalt not speake against thy neighbour false testimonie.Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testimonium.

¹⁷Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor servant, nor handmaid, nor ox, nor ass, nor any thing that is his.Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor seruant, nor handmaid, nor oxe, nor asse, nor any thing that is his.Non concupisces domum proximi tui, nec desiderabis uxorem ejus, non servum, non ancillam, non bovem, non asinum, nec omnia quæ illius sunt.

¹⁸And all the people saw the voices, and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking: and being frighted and stroken with fear they stood a far off,And al the people saw the voices, and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking: and being frighted and stroken with feare they stoode a farre of,Cunctus autem populus videbat voces et lampades, et sonitum buccinæ, montemque fumantem : et perterriti ac pavore concussi, steterunt procul,

¹⁹saying to Moyses: Speak thou to us, and we will hear: let not our Lord speak to us, lest perhaps we die.saying to Moyses: Speake thou to vs, and we wil heare: let not our Lord speake to vs, lest perhappes we die.dicentes Moysi : Loquere tu nobis, et audiemus : non loquatur nobis Dominus, ne forte moriamur.

²⁰And Moyses said to the people: Fear not: for God came to prove you, and that his terror might be in you, and you should not sin.And Moyses said to the people: Feare not: for God came to proue you, and that his terror might be in you, and you should not sinne.Et ait Moyses ad populum : Nolite timere : ut enim probaret vos venit Deus, et ut terror illius esset in vobis, et non peccaretis.

²¹And the people stood a far off: But Moyses went unto the dark cloud wherein God was.And the people stoode a farre of: But Moyses went vnto the darke cloude wherein God was.Stetitque populus de longe. Moyses autem accessit ad caliginem in qua erat Deus.

²²Our Lord said moreover to Moyses: This shalt thou say to the children of Israel: You have seen that from heaven I have spoken to you.Our Lord said moreouer to Moyses: This shalt thou say to the children of Israel: You haue seene that from heauen I haue spoken to you.Dixit præterea Dominus ad Moysen : Hæc dices filiis Israël : Vos vidistis quod de cælo locutus sim vobis.

²³You shall not make gods of silver, nor gods of gold shall you make to you.You shal not make goddes of siluer, nor goddes of gold shal you make to you.Non facietis deos argenteos, nec deos aureos facietis vobis.

²⁴An Altar of earth you shall make to me, and you shall offer upon it your and , your sheep and oxen in every place where the memory of my name shall be: I will come to thee, and will bless thee.An Altar of earth you shal make to me, and you shal offer vpon it your holocaustes and pacifiques, your sheepe and oxen in euerie place where the memorie of my name shal be: I wil come to thee, and wil blesse thee.Altare de terra facietis mihi, et offeretis super eo holocausta et pacifica vestra, oves vestras et boves in omni loco in quo memoria fuerit nominis mei : veniam ad te, et benedicam tibi.

²⁵And if thou make an Altar of stone unto me, thou shalt not build it of hewed stones: for if thou lift up thy knife over it, it shall be polluted.And if thou make an Altar of stone vnto me, thou shalt not build it of hewed stones: for if thou lift vp thy knife ouer it, it shal be polluted.Quod si altare lapideum feceris mihi, non ædificabis illud de sectis lapidibus : si enim levaveris cultrum super eo, polluetur.

²⁶Thou shalt not go up by unto mine Altar, lest thy be discovered.Thou shalt not goe vp by grises vnto myne Altar, lest thy turpitude be discouered.Non ascendes per gradus ad altare meum, ne reveletur turpitudo tua.

Annotations

20:3Strange gods. Protestants pretend here to prove, that all Catholics are Idolaters, for honouring Saints, and their Relics and Images. And they have so defamed Catholic Religion in this behalf, that the vulgar sort of deceived people, otherwise knowing Catholics to be ordinarily of moderate conversation in life, of just dealing towards their neighbours, addicted to prayer, fasting, alms, and many good works, more wanting among themselves: yet supposing them, notwithstanding these laudable qualities, to be Idolaters, are thereby averted from Catholic Religion. And surely it were a just cause, if it were true. As well therefore to purge our selves of so heinous an imputed crime, as to remove this dangerous block of erroneous conceit, we shall here note some of the Protestants egregious lies against the whole Church militant, and blasphemous reproaches against the glorious Saints: then briefly declare the true and sincere doctrine and practice of the Catholic Church in this point. Luther in his postil upon the Gospel of our Lords Incarnation, saith: Papistæ Virginem Mariam Deum constituunt: Omnipotentiam ei in cœlo, et in terra tribuunt. The Papists (saith he) make the Virgin Mary God: they attribute to her omnipotency in heaven and in earth. In Papistry all expected more favour and grace from her, than from Christ himself. His scholar Melancton (in locis communib.) postiling the first Precept, saith: Papists invocate Saints, and worship Images in heathenish manner. Calvin (l. de necess. refor. Eccles.) saith: those of the Emperors religion (meaning all Catholics) so divide Gods offices among Saints, that they join them to the Sovereign God, as colleagues; in which multitude God lieth hidden. Against the most glorious virgin mother the same Luther (ser. de natali virg. Mar.) feared not to say, that he esteemed no more of the prayer of St. Mary, than of any one of the people. And his reason is worse than his wicked assertion, for that, saith he, all that believe in Christ are as just, and as holy as the virgin Mary, or any other Saint how great soever. The Magdeburgian Centuriators (l. 1 Cent. 1) affirm that the virgin Mary sinned grievously, yea compare her imagined faults with the sin of Eve in paradise. (l. 2) They charge St. Peter and St. Paul (also after their conversions) with diverse great crimes. Calvin (l. 3 Inst. c. 2 par. 31) condemneth Sara and Rebecca of great sins (c. 4) reprehendeth Judas Machabeus for superstitious, and preposterous zeal, in causing Sacrifice to be offered for the dead. In his commentary (in 32 Exodi) he accuseth most holy and meek Moyses of arrogancy and pride. And (l. 3 Inst. c. 20 par. 27) he scurvily scoffeth at all Saints in general, saying: If they hear mortal mens prayers, they must have ears so long, as from heaven to earth. And calleth them not only homines mortuos, dead men, (which St. Jerome reproved in Vigilantius) but also umbras, larvas, colluviem: shadows, night goblins, stinking filth: yet more, (l. de vera refor. Eccles. rat.) he calleth them Monstra, carnifices, bestias, monsters, hangmen, beasts. These and like blasphemies modest men cannot but abhor and detest. Their lies also are convinced by St. Jerome, handling this matter of purpose against Vigilantius, by St. Augustine touching it by occasion (l. 20 c. 21) against Faustus the Manichee, Thomas Waldensis (To. 3 tit. 13 de Sacramentalibus) against Wiclif, by all Catechisms and Christian Instructions, teaching nothing like, but quite contrary to these mens reports. In sum they all teach, that Saints are to be honoured with religious honour, which is greater than civil, but infinitely inferior to divine, as the excellency of God surmounteth all excellency created.

Protestants charge all Catholics to be Idolaters.They abuse their followers.They belie the Church militant.Blaspheme the triumphant.All modest men will condemn these blasphemies.Catholic doctrine and practice convince their lies.The true Catholic doctrine. For better declaration whereof, it is to be considered, that seeing by the law of God and nature honour is due to excellency, there must be so many distinct kinds of honour, as there be general kinds of excellency, which are three. The first of God, infinite, and incomparably above all: the second is supernatural, but created, as of grace and glory: the third is human or natural, consisting in natural gifts, or worldly power and dignity, all three as distinct as God, heaven, and earth. To these three general kinds of excellency pertain therefore other three as distinct kinds of honour, to wit, Divine due to God only, called by use and appropriation of a Greek word Latria: the second Dulia, belonging to Saints, and other holy things, elevated by God above the course of nature, in diverse degrees, but within the rank of creatures: the third is civil honour, due to human and worldly excellency, according to diverse states and qualities of men. The first of these, which is divine, may in no case be given to any creature, how excellent soever. The third which is civil, as both Catholics and Protestants hold for certain, is not competent nor agreeable to Saints, but to mortal worldly men in respect of temporal excellency. And the controversy therefore is about the second. Which Calvin (l. 1 Inst. c. 11 and 12) and all Protestants writers deny and reject, and so would have no honour at all given to Saints. Objecting as old heretics did, that Catholics do all the same external acts, as standing bare-head, bowing, kneeling, praying, and the like to Saints, as to God himself. We answer, that the distinction of honour consisteth not always in the external action, but in the intention of the mind. For when we do such external acts of honour to God, we intend thereby to honour the Creator and Lord of all, and so it is divine honour; but doing the same external acts to a Saint, we conceive of him, as a glorious servant of God, and so we honour him as a sanctified and glorified creature, Gods subject and servant. Without this diversity of intention in your mind, you cannot show difference between the honour you do to God, and that you do to the king, by bowing, kneeling, and the like. For it is the same external action: yet no Christian doubteth but he honoureth God with divine honour, and the king with civil. Again we answer, that we do not all the external actions of honour to Saints, which we do to God. For Sacrifice is done only to God, and to no Saint; and because Altars pertain to Sacrifice, they are erected to God only, though oftentimes in memory of Saints. Margin: Honour due to excellency.Three kinds of excellency.Therefore three kinds of honour.Protestants deny any honour to be due to Saints.Their objection.First answer.Example of this necessary distinction.Second answer. Both which answers St. Augustine gave long since to Faustus the Manichee arguing that Catholics by doing the same external acts, worshipped Martyrs with divine honour, and so turned them into Idols, as that heretic inferred. Whereupon St. Augustine declareth, that Christian people celebrate together the memories of Martyrs with Religious solemnity, to stir up imitation, to be partakers of their merits, and to be holpen by their prayers. Yet so that we erect not Altars (because they are for Sacrifice) to any Martyr, though in memory of Martyrs, but to God of Martyrs. For who ever standing at the Altar, in places of Saints bodies, said: We offer to thee Peter, or Paul, or Cyprian, but that which is offered, is offered to God, who crowned the Martyrs, at their memories, whom he crowned, that by commonition of the very places, greater affection may arise, to enkindle charity, both towards them, whom we may imitate, and towards him, by whose help we may. We honour Martyrs with that worship of love and society, wherewith holy men are worshipped in this life. Whose heart we perceive is prepared to like sufferance for the Evangelical verity: but Martyrs more devoutly, by how much more securely, after all uncertainties are overcome, and with how much more confident praise, we preach them now victors in a more happy life, than others yet fighting in this. But with that worship, which in Greek is called Latria, a service properly due to God, which in Latin cannot be expressed by one word, we neither worship, nor teach to be worshipped but one God. And for so much as offering of Sacrifice pertaineth to this worship (whereof they are called Idolaters, that offer sacrifice to any Idols) we by no means offer any such thing, nor teach to be offered, either to any Martyr, or blessed soul, or holy Angel. Thus far St. Augustine. The same teacheth Theodoret (l. 8 ad Græcos) Our Lord hath deprived false gods of honour, they had in Temples, and in place of them caused his Martyrs to be honoured: yet not in the same manner, for we neither bring hosts, nor libaments to Martyrs, but honour them, as holy men, and most dear friends of God. It would be too long to cite many ancient Fathers, testifying and teaching that Saints are to be honoured. Margin: St. Augustine declareth this doctrine: and giveth both the former answers.l. 22 c. 21.Three causes of celebrating Saints memories.Latria is honour proper to God.Sacrifice only to God. More compendiously we will take our adversaries confession, the Magdeburgian Centuriators. Who (Pref. Cent. 6) holding that the Church was only pure from idolatry the first hundred years of Christ, and that it began to fail in the second and third age, more in the fourth and fifth, and was utterly perished in the sixth, impute the cause of her ruin, that the very chief men taught and practised the honour to Saints. First of all (say they) these horrible and pernicious darkness, as certain black clouds covering the whole firmament, rose up in the very assembly of teachers. For that partly the very Doctors of the Church, partly other superstitious men, augmented ceremonies and human worships in the Temples. For sacred houses began to be built in all places, with great cost, altogether in heathenish manner: not principally to the end, Gods word might there be taught, but that some honour might be exhibited to the Relics of Saints, and that foolish people might there worship dead men. And how pleasantly eloquent is that Gregory, called the Great, how fervent, when as from his three footed stool, he preached the manner of consecrating these houses? And a little after. By this occasion dead creatures, and bloodless half worm-eaten bones began to be honoured, invocated, and worshipped with divine honour. All which the Doctors of the Church not only winked at, but also set forward. Thus the reader seeth, notwithstanding their lies, scoffs, and blasphemies, Protestants do confess, that the Church and her chief pillars, straight after the first hundred years of Christ, five hundred next following, honoured Saints and their Relics. Neither want there authentical examples of holy Scriptures, whereby the same is proved. As Gen. 32, 48; Exod. 3, 32; Num. 22; Josue 5; 3 Reg. 18; 4 Reg. 2; Psalm 98, and elsewhere. Margin: Protestants confess that the ancient Fathers honoured Saints, and their Relics.Manna was put in a golden vessel. Heb. 9.How saucy are heretics to scoff at so renowned a Doctor!

20:4A graven thing. Here the same falsifiers of Christian doctrine do not only pervert the sense of holy Scripture, wresting that against Images, which is spoken against Idols, but also shamefully corrupt the text, by translating graven image, neither following the Hebrew, Greek, nor Latin. For the Hebrew word, pesel, is the very same that sculptile in Latin, that is a graven or carved thing. The Greek hath εἴδωλον, an idol. So all Protestants English Bibles are false. In the mean time till they correct their books, they may please to remember, that God shortly after this (Exod. 25) commanded to make Images of Angels, to wit Cherubins. Likewise a brazen serpent (Num. 21) Also oxen and Lions (Reg. 6 and 7) Neither are Puritans so precise, but that they engrave, carve, print, paint, cast, sew, embroider, and otherwise make and keep Images, portraits, and pictures of men, and other things. As for worshipping of sacred Images the second Council of Nice (Act. 4) The Council of Trent (sess. 25) St. Gregory the Great (l. 7 ep. 5 and 53) St. John Damascene in diverse whole books, and many others, and all Catholic Catechisms and Christian Instructions teach, that the honour is not done to the Image for it self, but at the presence of the Image, to Christ, or Saint, whose Image it is.

God commanded to make Images.Christ and Saints are honoured in their Images.(concordance) Protestants have corrupted their English Bibles. Another controversy Calvin here maketh, who from these words, Thou shalt not make, beginneth the second precept, so counting four precepts in the first table, and six in the second. But being no matter of faith, how they are divided, so all the words, and the number of ten commandments be acknowledged (for holy Scripture calleth them ten Exod. 34 v. 28; Deut. 4 v. 13 and 10 v. 4) we will not contend: but only as more reasonable we follow the common manner of dividing the first table into three precepts directing us to God, the second into seven belonging to our neighbour, approved for the better by St. Augustine (q. 71 in Exodum) and generally received of all Catholics; grounded upon this reason, among others, because to make or have a picture, or similitude of any creature, to the end to adore it as God, were indeed to have a strange God, which is forbid in the first words: and so all that followeth to the commination and promise, forbiddeth false gods, and appeareth to be but one precept in substance. But the desire and internal consent to adultery, and to theft, differ altogether as much, as the external acts of the same sins; and therefore seeing adultery and theft are forbidden to be committed by two distinct precepts, the prohibition of the internal desire, with mental consent to the same, doth also require two precepts. Margin: The first table containeth three precepts, the second seven.The first cannot well be divided.The ninth and tenth are as distinct, as the sixth and seventh.

Chapter 20 of 40

Annotations