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*

ANSVVER. [ A]

It is possible for imagination to build castles in the aire, and to conceiue the person of Christ, as present to his Image: yet if this imagination be fantasticall, and if in adoration, Christ and Images haue no agreement, 2. Cor. 6.16. then worshipping of Images, is not worshipping of Christ; for it is possible to imagine God to be in the Sunne, and to behold the Sunne as Gods Image a 1.1, yet they which vpon such an imagination, should worship the Sunne, which God hath not commanded, [ B] must be ranked amongst false worshippers, Deut. 4.19. & 17.3. Iob. 31.26.

And whereas the Obiector addeth, that according to Phi∣losophie, no falshood is in meere apprehension or imaginati∣on b 1.2, without iudging the thing to be, as we imagine. I an∣swer, That this being granted concerning fictions c 1.3, yet vpon such imagination, there may follow, or be inferred that which is false, or morally euill: to wit, if one imagine the Sunne, or a Lambe to be the figure of Christ, and, because in holy Scrip∣tures he is compared to these creatures, Mal. 4.2. Iohn 1.29. [ C] conceiue them as his image, shall it hereupon be lawfull by one and the same motion of the cogitation and affection, to worship the creatures with their Creator?

But that the solution of the former Argument may be more perspicuous, I will present the same in forme, and then applie mine answer. [ D]

If by imagination we may truely conioine Christ himselfe * 1.4 with his Image, then vpon that imagination, we may coworship Christ, and his Image:

But the first may be done, for he being incarnate, may be fi∣gured in the Image of a man, and being thus figured, may be pre∣sented to the vnderstanding, and people may imagine him as pre∣sent, in, or by his Image. Ergo,

Vpon that imagination, we may worship Christ and his Image.

Both the assumpsition, and also the sequel of this Argument, are denied.

First, taking truely, for that which is really true, we cannot by [ A] imagination so conioine Christ and his painted Image, as that we may conceiue them to bee one terminatiue obiect, of worship, for the reasons formerly deliuered. Neither is the Picture or Image of any other person the terminatiue ob∣iect of Loue, Reuerence, or Worship, but onely a motiue, and signe of remembrance, vpon aspect whereof, followeth the former actions (inward or outward) of Loue, Reuerence, or Worship, not towards the Image, but towards the principall.

Secondly, it is inconsequent to argue, that because some people imagine the Image and the sampler as things conioi∣ned, [ B] therefore they may coworship them; for religious adora∣tion primarie or secondarie, is not founded vpon euerie kind of vnion, as appeareth in mental Images a 1.5, but vpon certain kinds of vnion, to wit: First, Personal, as when the Humanitie of Christ is coupled with the Dietie: Secondly, Substantiall, as where the parts are coupled with the whole: Thirdly, Causall, Relatiue, or Accidentall, to wit, when by diuine ordination, things created are made instruments, messengers, signes, or receptacles of di∣uine grace, as the holy Sacraments, and the Word and Gos∣pell, and the Ministers of the Church, &c. Christ himselfe is [ C] present, assistant, and operatiue, in and by these instruments, and hath commanded reuerence to be vsed towards them, accoun∣ting the loue, faith, and honour which are yeelded to his created Word, to be loue, faith, and honour to himselfe b 1.6, Math. 10.14.42. 2. Cor. 8.5. Gal. 4.14. Act. 10.34. But Papisticall fancie and imagination, produceth none of these, nor yet any other true kind of vnion, neither hath God almightie in his word commanded duety, seruice, or worship to be giuen vnto them; but on the contrarie, by the Doctrine of holy Scrip∣ture, he condemneth the same. [ D]

Notes

• a 1.1

  Aug. sup. Psal, 103. c. 3.
• b 1.2

  Aug. d. Ver. Relig. c. 55. Non sit nobis 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉' no∣stris, &c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. E∣pist. 85. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 carnalis com∣positionem, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fermentú, vbi 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 incipit, conti∣nuò intus illo ad∣iuuante atquè il∣luminante, qui cùm talibus Idolis in corde nostro habitare nòn vult, ità ista confringere & à fide nostra excutere festinemus, & nè 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quidem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 talium phantasmatum illic remanere patiamur.
• c 1.3

  Aug. Quest. sup. Euang. li. 2. c. 51. Nòn omne quod fingimus mendatium est, &c. Fictio quae ad aliquam veritatem refertur figura est, &c. Aquin. p. 3. q. 55. ar. 4. ad. 1.
• * 1.4

  Henriquez. Sum. Theol. Mor. li. 8. ca. 32. Quarè ex patri∣bus sumpsit Caie∣tanus, dicens Ima∣go Christi, est ipse Christus, tùm quo∣ad rationē forma∣lem terminandi, tú quià Christus simul est vltimus termi∣nus. [ E] Non est Chri∣stus in esse reali, sed intentionali, vt verbum dicitur terminus, & dicitur ipsa res cognita in esse intensionali, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ordinis cum re: sic Imago Christi est eiusdem ordinis diuini, vt si 〈◊〉〈◊〉 species Dei in beatis.
• a 1.5

  Apud Ca∣brer. Internae Ima∣gines multo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 representāt ipsum exemplar, quā Imagines ex∣ternae, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 istae solum representant corporis lineamen∣ta, conceptus vero naturam specificā ipsius rei viuentis.
• b 1.6

  Ambros. Ep. 26. Domino defer∣tur cum seruul' ho∣noratur, &c. Greg. sup. Reg. lib. 5. ca. 1. Quam reuerendi sunt optimi Pasto∣res sanctae Eccle∣siae liquet. Dum e∣nim Deo fidelitèr seruiunt tantò ci amoris vinculo coniunguntur vt quicquid ois ingeritur, diuinae iniuriae ascribatur.