(7.) A prince, or tutor, or schoolmaster, who is not a proprietor of the person, but only a governor, is not to be obeyed formally and for conscience sake, if he forbid his subjects or scholars such daily or weekly helps for their salvation as they have great need of, and have no necessity to forbear; such as are hearing or assembling with the church on the week days at convenient time, reading the Scriptures daily, or good books, accompanying with men fearing God, praying, &c.; because God hath commanded these when we can perform them.
Quest. CXII. Whether religious worship may be given to a creature? and what?
Answ. While the terms of the question remain ambiguous, it is uncapable of an answer.
1. By worship is meant either cultus in genere, any honour expressed to another; or some special act of honour. We must understand the question in the first general sense, or else we cannot answer it, till men tell us, what acts of honouring they mean.
2. By religious is meant, either in general, that which we are bound to by God, or is done by virtue of a religious, that is, a divine obligation, and so is made part of our religion; that is, of our obedience to God: or else by religious is meant divine, or that which is properly due to God. The question must be taken in the first general sense; or else it is no question, but ridiculous (to ask whether we may give God's proper worship to a creature).
And so I answer, 1. By way of distinction. 2. Of solution.
(1.) We must distinguish between the honour of worshipping acts of the mind, and of the body. (2.) Between idolatry as against the first commandment, and idolatry or scandal as against the second.
Af. Prop. 1. There is due to every creature, a true estimation of it according to the degree of its dignity or goodness; and a love proportionable: as also a belief, a trust, a fear, proportionable to every man's credibility, fidelity, power, &c.
2. There is an eminent degree therefore of estimation, reverence, and love, and trust, due to good men above bad, and to those in heaven above those on earth; and a peculiar honour to rulers as such, which is not due to their inferiors.[352]
3. This is to be expressed by the body, by convenient actions.