Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsWisdom 14

The father made unto himself the image of his son.

^[1] Calvin here chargeth this book with error, in affirming that idolatry began by superstitiously honouring images of the dead. Against which he allegeth that Laban's idols, ^[2] and others more ancient, were before any images of dead men were honoured. But he argueth upon a false ground. For Laban's idols were images, as the Hebrew word Theraphim signifieth, and is so translated in the English Bibles (1552. and 1577.) but because they were images of false gods, and for that Laban called them his gods, a later Bible (1603.) translateth it better, idols, ^[3] as the Latin and Greek have idola. It is also certain that Ninus King of the Assirians, long before Laban, yea before Abraham, set up the image of his Father Belus (otherwise called Jupiter) to be publicly honoured by the people, as S. Cyril sheweth li. 3. in Iulianum, near the end, and S. Ambrose, or another grave Author writeth the same in cap. 1. ad Romanos. Likewise S. Cyprian li. de Idolorum vanitate. S. Chrysostom. hom. 87. in Matth. and Egesippus apud S. Ieronym. li. de Viris Illustrib. testify, that the making of men's images in memory of the dead, was the occasion and beginning of idolatry, according as this place reporteth, that a Father sorrowing for the death of his son made an image in his memory, ^[4] & began to worship him as a god, causing his servants also to honour his dead son, with rites and sacrifices. Which private idolatry was absolutely the first, that is recorded in holy Scripture, or any other good author. And the first public is counted by most authors that of Ninus, worshipping the image of his father Belus with divine honour, who also pardoned all offenders, how enormous soever their crimes were, that fled unto that image. Which allurement together with so great a King's authority, drew innumerable to public idolatry. Whereupon S. Jerome noteth (in cap. 2. Osee) that Ninus became so great and glorious, as to make his father to be honoured as a god. ^[5]

• 1 Calvin falsely chargeth this book with error.
• 2 Gen. 31.
• 3 Images of false gods are rightly called idols.
• 4 Idolatry began by worshipping images of dead men with divine honour.
• 5 Private idolatry was before public.