Iltfiorieoftkefnclics. lib. 5* 



fp? aketh thus of fuch people , They are m [erMe, whofe 

 hopes may be counted among the dud , that have catted the 

 workes of wens handtsgods, asgo!de. t fiher^and the inventi 

 on 0ft he likenesofbsaftes, or ajruitlefjcftone&hicb hath no 

 thing mere in it than antiquitie. And hee dooth divinely f* .44. 

 follow this propofmon againft this errour and follie of J^;^ 

 the Gentilcs-as alfo the Prophets Efay, leremy y Barnc>& 

 Kins Z>4v/Wdoetreate thereof amply. It is convenient 



^? i j 



and neceffary that the Miniftcrs of Chrift which do re- 

 proove the errors of idolatry ,fliould have a good fight, 

 and confider well thefe reafbns which the holy-Ghoft 

 dorh fo lively (et downe, being all reduced into a fhort 

 fen tence, by the Prophet ofee , Hee that hath mads them 

 w& a workman, and therefore can they be no gods, therefore 

 the Calfe of SamariayZw/^ like the Spiders mbbe. Return 

 ing to our purpofe, there hath becne great curiofitie at 

 the Indies in making of idollcs and pifturcs of diverie 

 formes and mattei's, which they worfliipped for gods, 

 and in Peru they called them Guacas, being commonly 

 of fowlc and deformed beafts,at the leaft, fuch as I have 

 fccne,were fo. I beleeve verily that the Divel, in whofc 

 honour they made thefe idolles , was pleafed to caufc 

 himfclfe to be worfhipped in thefe deformities, and in 

 trneth it was found fo, that the Divell fpakeand anfwe- 

 red many of thefe Guacat or idolls, and his priefles and 

 niinifters came to thefe Oracles of the father oflies,and 

 fuch as he is,fuch were his counfells and prophefies. In 

 the provinces ofNew Spaine,Mexico, Tefcuco, TlafiaRa, 

 Cholula, and in the neighbour countries to this realme, 

 this kinde of idohtry hath becne more pa<5ti(cd than in 

 any other realme of the world. And it is a prodigious 

 'thing to heare the fuperftitions reherfed that they have 

 vfcd in that poy nt , of the which it fhall not be vnplea- 



A a font 



