A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

ANSWER.

It is againe to little purpose, to examine the places of the Fa∣thers, here produced, concerning the vtilitie which may follow vpon the visible aspect of Pictures & Images, for all these testi∣monies serue only to commend Historicall vse, but they prooue not Adoration. Also the vtilitie of Images, mentioned by them, [ C] is spoken onely according to their humane opinion. But that Images, by diuine institution, haue such vtilitie, or that God Almightie hath promised in his word any such effects and bles∣sings vnto them, is not affirmed by the Fathers, neither can it be warranted by diuine reuelation.

S. Ambrose Serm. 10. in Psalm. 118. a treateth of the liuely Images of God, to wit, iust persons, poore afflicted people, the members of Christ; these Images he exhorteth vs to honour, illustrating his Doctrine by an humane similitude, which is, He that crowneth the Image of the Emperour, honoureth him whose [ D] Image he crowneth, &c. Then he applieth the former similitude, saying b, By honouring the liuely Images of Christ, we worship Christ himselfe. But speaking of dead Statues and Pictures, he addeth, Gentiles lignum adorant, quia Dei Imaginem putant, sed inuisibilis Dei Imago, non in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est quod videtur, Gentiles adore wood, thin∣king it the Image of God, but the Image of the inuisible God, is in that which is inuisible, and not in it which is seene.

As for your storie of Canutus (the first Danish king raigning in England) wherewith you close vp your question of Images,

you name no Author, that so we might haue examined the qua∣litie [ A] of Canutus his action; and if the same happened according to your report, yet it is not antient, because it was a thousand yeeres and more after Christ a: Neither is the consequence ne∣cessarie, that because he placed his Crowne vpon an Image of the Crucifixe, therefore he worshipped the Image b: [ B] for Iacob powred oyle vpon the top of a Pillar, Gen. 28.18. yet his Ob∣lation was made onely to the Deitie, and not to the Pillar.

Lastly, Let it be obserued, that our Aduersarie hath manife∣sted wonderous weakenesse, in this Romish Article concerning worship of Images; for he hath not throughout his whole dis∣putation, produced one plaine Text of holy Scripture, or one cleare sentence of Antiquitie, proouing the necessitie or law∣fulnesse of Iconolatrie. Wherefore I conclude, that this do∣ctrine is destitute of all diuine authoritie, written or vnwritten; and consequently, that they are impostors, which impose the same as a necessarie dutie vpon the Church of Christ.

Notes

• a

  Ambr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. Psal. 118. Preuo∣sum est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 virū 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 e∣um secundum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dei. Si vi∣de imus in pau∣pere illum ad cuius 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 est, &c. Qui 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Im∣peratoris, vtiquè il∣lum honorat cuius Imaginem coronat, &c.
• b

  Vides quià in∣tèr multas Christi Imagines ambulamus? Caueamus nè coronam Imagini detrahere videamur, quam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 què Christus imposuit. [ E] Caueamus neal quid 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 ijs quibus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 debemus. Sed quod peius est, non solum non honesta∣mus pauperes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 etiàm 〈◊〉〈◊〉, destruimus, & persequimur, & ignoramus quas Dei Imagini, congeramus iniurias, cùm factos ad Imaginem Dei, putamus esse laedendos. Qui enim irridet pauperem, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eum, qui secit illum. Sed aderit ille 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & non de distis mihi manducare &c.
• a

  Anno Dom. 1017. he began to reigne.
• b

  Ambros. Orat. Funebr. d. obit. Theodos. Inuenit ergo titulū, regem adorauit, non lig∣num vtique, quia hic gentilis est error, & vanitas impiorum: sed adorauit illum, qui pependit in ligno, Scrip∣tus in ligno.