Of the Picture of St. _Christopher_.
The Picture of St. _Christopher_, that is, a man of a Giantlike stature,
bearing upon his shoulders our Saviour Christ, and with a staff in his
hand, wading thorow the water, is known unto Children, common over all
_Europe_, not only as a sign unto houses, but is described in many
Churches, and stands _Colossus_ like in the entrance of _Nostre Dame_ in
_Paris_.
Now from hence, common eyes conceive an history sutable unto this
description, that he carried our Saviour in his Minority over some river
or water: which notwithstanding we cannot at all make out. For we read
not thus much in any good Author, nor of any remarkable _Christopher_,
before the reign of _Decius_: who lived 250 years after Christ. This man
indeed according unto History suffered as a Martyr in the second year of
that Emperour, and in the _Roman_ Calendar takes up the 21 of _July_.
The ground that begat or promoted this opinion, was, first the fabulous
adjections of succeeding ages unto the veritable acts of this Martyr,
who in the most probable accounts was remarkable for his staff, and a
man of a goodly stature.
The second might be a mistake or misapprehension of the Picture, most
men conceiving that an History which was contrived at first but as an
Emblem or Symbolical fancy: as from the Annotations of _Baronius_ upon
the _Roman_ Martyrologie, _Lipellous_[SN: _Lip._ De vitis Sanctorum.] in
the life of St. _Christopher_ hath observed in these words; _Acta S.
Christopheri à multis depravata inveniuntur: quod quidem non aliunde
originem sumpsisse certum est, quam quod symbolicas figuras imperiti ad
veritatem successu temporis transtulerint: itaque cuncta illa de Sancto
Christophero pingi consueta, symbola potius, quam historiæ alicujus
existimandum est esse expressam imaginem_; that is, The Acts of St.
_Christopher_ are depraved by many: which surely began from no other
ground, then, that in process of time, unskilful men translated
symbolical figures unto real verities: and therefore what is usually
described in the Picture of St. _Christopher_, is rather to be received
as an Emblem, or Symbolical description, then any real History. Now what
Emblem this was, or what its signification, conjectures are many;
_Pierius_ hath set down one, that is, of the Disciple of Christ; for he
that will carry Christ upon his shoulders, must rely upon the staff of
his direction, whereon if he firmeth himself, he may be able to overcome
the billows of resistance, and in the vertue of this staff, like that of
_Jacob_, pass over the waters of _Jordan_. Or otherwise thus; He that
will submit shoulders unto Christ, shall by the concurrence of his power
encrease into the strength of a Giant; and being supported by the staff
of his holy Spirit, shall not be overwhelmed by the waves of the world,
but wade through all resistance.
Add also the mystical reasons of this pourtract alleadged by _Vida_ and
_Xerisanus_: and the recorded story of _Christopher_, that before his
Martyrdom he requested of God, that where ever his body were, the places
should be freed from pestilence and mischiefs, from infection. [SN:
Anton. Castellionæi antiquitates Mediolanenses.] And therefore his
picture or pourtract, was usually placed in publick wayes, and at the
entrance of Towns and Churches, according to the received Distich
_Christophorum videas, postea tutus eris._