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 no Axiome of Nature, that euerie Artificiall Image deuised by man, may, and ought to stand for the Proto∣type, and is by imagination to bee taken as if it were the very Person, and what wee outwardly doe to the Image, is done by imagination, to the Person, but onely of such Images as are lawfully appointed, either by Ciuile or Diuine Ordi∣nance [ E] to these ends.

The brasen Serpent, was a Figure, and Image of Christ, and yet it did not in such sort stand for the Prototype, as that outward Adoration and burning of Incense might lawfully

be done vnto it a. In like sort, the Paschall Lambe was a [ A] figure of Christ, Ioh. 1. 29. & cap. 19. 36. and yet no holy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kissed, or saluted, or censed, or bowed downe to the Pas∣chall Lambe. The Cherubins (according to our Aduersaries Tenet) were Images, and yet they were neuer honoured or adored with kissing, kneeling, Incense, or any other signe, in speciall directed to them. And if any man (saith Vas∣ques b) hold otherwise, it is a conceit of his owne braine, hauing no foundation.

It is not necessarie therefore (according to the Law of Na∣ture) but at the furthest contingent, to exhibite the same out∣ward Actions of Honour, Loue, Reuerence, and Obeysance to Figures, and Images, which belong to the Principall.

In ciuile Comportment, it is lawfull, and in some cases, it is a matter of dutie, to be vncouered, and to vse reuerence in [ D] the Kings Chamber of Presence, and before his Chaire of E∣state, when his Person is absent: but these and the like Acti∣ons, exceed not the bounds of ciuile Obseruance. In the Church (which is Gods house) wee vncouer our heads, and wee kneele, and make Obeysance before the Altar, or Com∣munion Table; not to the figure of the Temple, or to the Ta∣ble, materially or formally considered, but to Christ himselfe. And when wee worship towards the East (as the antient Chri∣stians did c) if there be a Crucifix painted in the Window, for Ornament, or Memorie, wee direct no part of our Obey∣sance [ E] to that painted Image, but to our blessed Sauiour, who hath visited vs 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Day, or Easterne Light, from on high, Luc. 1. 78. And it is so farre from beeing vniuersally true, that the Image is to be taken for the Prototype, that in

some cases wee may adore the one, and deface and abolish the [ A] other, as appeareth in the Brasen Serpent. If (saith Alphonsus Castro a) Christian people were in our dayes as prone to Idolatrie, as the people of Israel then were, and that they could not otherwise be reclaimed, I should thinke, that Images were to be broken in peeces. The same is affirmed by Corduba and Tapia.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hal. 3. q. 3. m. 3. ar. 3. Signum per nstitutionem.
• a

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. in 3. p. Thom. q. 25. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 104. cap. 5. Iussit Deus, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 & stantes, absque vlla 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nota & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in ipsum aspicere, vt tota 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in Deum Aucto∣rem illius 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nullam vero corporalem Adorationem aut submissionis notam in eum dirigerent. Quare quando Ezechias ipsum confregit, [ B] quod videret ei incensum adoleri, cum tamen in solam memoriam praeteriti beneficij a Deo accepti, in populo illo seruaretur, non ideo fecit, quia existimaret à populo pro Deo iam coli & adorari, sed quod aliquem cultum, qualem etiam imaginibus deferre nos consueuimus, qui omnino erat populo illi prohibitus, videret ei adhiberi. Adolebant enim illi incensum, nec aliam causam, ob quam Ezechias ipsum confregit Scriptura nobis exposuit: at incensi oblatio non est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sacrificium soli Deo debitum, sed quae etiam rebus inanimis, aut imaginibus 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• b

  Vasques, d. Ador. lib. 2. Disp. 4. cap. 6. n. 101. Nunquam Cherubinis, aut ex 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fusili, aut ex 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, a summo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ingrediente semel in anno 〈◊〉〈◊〉, honorem aut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad∣hibitam fuisse, aut osculo, aut genuflexione, aut oblatione thuris, aut alio signo peculiari ad ipsos 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 illius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & venerationem, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ipsam & propitiatorium, tanquam in Thronum & suppedaneum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dei fuisse relatam: ita vt signa honoris externa, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, animus autem Sacerdo∣tis in Deum, qui ibi sedebat, & responsa dabat, non in Angelos ipsos, qui erant exemplaria illarum figurarum, esset 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Nec quisquam nisi ex 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cerebro, & absque vllo 〈◊〉〈◊〉, contrarium poterit affirmare. Tho-Aquin. 1.2. q. 102. ar. 4. ad. 6. Similitudines Seraphin non ponebantur ad cultum, quod prohibebatur primo Le∣gis praecepto, sed in signum ministerij. Tertull. c. Marcion. lib. 2. cap. 22. Sic & Cherubin & Seraphin, aurea in [ C] Arcam, figuratum exemplum, certe simplex ornamentum, accommodata suggestui, &c. Vasq. in 3. p. Thom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. q. 25. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 3. Disp. 104. cap. 6. Quo loco non docet Tertullianus, vt falso Pamelius putauit in vetere Lege solum esse prohibitum similitudines & effigies pro Dijs adorari, &c. pag. 996.
• c

  Orig. sup. Num. Hom. 5. Tertull. A∣pol. c. 16. Iustin. ad Orthod. q. 118. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d. plur. & necess. Quest. q. 14. Greg. Nissen. li. d. Orat. Basil. d. Spirit. sanct. c. 27. August. serm. in Mont. li. 2. c. 19. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Or∣thod. fid. li. 4. c. 13.
• a

  Alphons. Ca∣stro. c. Haer. lib. 8. verb. Imago. Si er∣go populus Chri∣stianus, esset nunc aeque pronus ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vt tunc fuit populus Israel, nec aliter posset ab errore reuocari, quam imaginibus confractis, crede∣rem eas merito debere 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in 3. q. 27. ar. 8. Quamuis imaginum vsus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bonus, & Ecclesiae vulis, si tamen inde Idololatria ita oriri cognosceretur, vt ei communi pesti aliter occurri non possit, nisi imaginibus deletis, essent procul dubio illae iudicio & praecepto Maiorum delendae. Cordub. Questionar. q. 5. dub. 5. p. 84.