Living, True, and Everlasting God: Also of True and False. Religion. The Fifth Sermon
Toucuineg God, what he is in person, what in quality, and what in substance? I have told you already; not as I ought, but as I was able. I have likewise shadowed out how good and ready his will is towards man, whom he hath ordained to life everlasting in his only-begotten Son; whom also he hath made Lord of all things in this present world, all things being brought in subjection unto him.
Now, that man should not be ignorant what he oweth to so mighty a God, and to a Father so loving and liberal, I will anon join a disputation touching this living, true, and everlasting God, of man to be adored, called upon, and worshipped. For man is neither created nor born to behold and gaze upon the stars, as the philosopher doted; but that he should be the image and temple of God, in whom God might dwell and reign; and that he should therefore acknowledge God, reverence, adore, call upon, and worship, and also? be
[1 vilissima, Lat.] [2 quantus sit, Lat. ] [3 Seneca, de otio Sapientis, cap. 32.] [4 adeoque, Lat.; and so..]
joined unto God, and live with him eternally. And first of all IT will speak of adoring God; next of calling upon God; and lastly, of serving God: whereupon we shall perceive without any trouble at all which is the true religion, or which is the false. The places truly expounded” are very plentiful; but in few words I will comprehend what the scripture doth teach us concerning them; howbeit not every one particularly, but the chiefest, and so much as seemeth sufficient for our salvation and sound knowledge.
To adore or worship, in the holy scriptures, doth signify, for honour’s sake to uncover the head, to bend the body, to incline or bow the knee, or with the whole body to lie prostrate upon the ground, to fall flat on the face at one’s feet, after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners, in token of humility, submission and obedience; and it is referred chiefly to the gesture or habit of the body. The Hebricians use one only word Schahal”, which all interpreters have expounded by this word adorare, to adore, bend, bow, and lie along with the face downward. The Grecians have expounded it by the word προσκυνέω, that is, 1 bow the knees, I uncover or make bare the head, I humbly beseech or adore. And προσκύνησις, adoration, is so called either of kissing, or of moving the hat; for κυνέω signifieth, I kiss. And that a kiss was sometimes a sign of worshipping, reverencing, or adoring, it is to be gathered out of the thirty-first of Job. What, and is it not a fashion very much used even at this day, for honour and reverence sake to kiss-the hand? Again, κυνῆ signifieth a hat, a bonnet, or a cap; so that, to adore, is to make bare and uncover the head for reverence sake. The Latinists also, peradventure, had an eye to the habit of the body; for orare, to pray, signifieth both as well to crave as to speak a thing. He therefore doth adore, that, casting his countenance upon a man, doth crave something suppliantly. Likely it is that the Germans also had a respect hereunto: for they turn adorare, to adore, by this word anbatten; which might moreover have been turned Zu fussen jfallen.
[6 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577 propounded; propositi, Lat.] [6 deditionisque, Lat.]: [7 More correctly, the Hithpahel form of this verb, viz. mown]
[signifies, to worship.] [8 to fall at the feet.] 13—2]
In the ninth of Matthew thou dost read: Behold, a certain ruler came to Jesus, and worshipped (or adored) him.” But Mark, writing the same history, “And behold,” saith he, “there came one of the princes of the synagogue, whose name was Jairus; and when he saw him, he fell down at his feet, and besought him instantly (or much;)” thus expounding to us what to adore is, to wit, to fall down at one’s feet, and to submit and beseech like a suppliant. For so we read in the old Testament of Jacob Israel, our father: “And he, going before them, bowed himself to the ground seven times, until his brother Esau approached and drew near.” Of David and xxv. Abigael thus we read in Samuel: “When Abigael saw David, she hasted, and lighted off her ass, and fell before David on her face, and worshipped on the ground, and she fell at his feet, saying: Let that iniquity be counted mine, my lord, ὅσο.” Likewise of Nathan the prophet, it is read thus written: “Απᾷ when he was come in to the king he worshipped” (or or made obeisance) “upon his face on the ground.” For God, communicating this honour, doth allow the same unto men, either for their old age, their authority, or worthiness’ sake: for man is the lively image of God. And it pleaseth God himself to call men that excel other in authority, gods. Whereupon the apostles of Christ, Peter and Paul, instructing the people of God, taught them, he verily, “Fear God, honour the king;” and this, “The magistrate is God’s minister: give therefore to all men, honour to whom honour belongeth; fear to whom fear is due.” In the law the Lord a. saith: “In the presence of ἃ hoar head rise ἀρ; and, “Honour thy parents.” In consideration of this commandment of God the godly do reverence the aged, their parents, and magistrates; and please God also with faithful obedience.
But to adore, worship, or honour images, what representation likeness soever they bear, the Lord doth nowhere like or allow; for he saith in the law: “Thou shalt not bow down nor worship them!” And by his prophet Isaie, “None (saith he) considereth within himself of this matter, and saith: One piece of the wood I have burnt in the fire, I have baked bread with the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh therewithal, and eaten it; and should I now of the residue make an abominable idol, and fall down and worship a rotten piece