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.

Admitting many differences betweene Iudas his lips, and the materiall Crosse, it followeth not, that the one may be wor∣shipped,

although the other may not: for there are many dif∣ferences [ A] betweene the brazen Serpent, and the Angell in the Reuelation, yet neither of these creatures might be religiously adored, 2. King. 18, 4. Apoc. cap. 19, & cap. 22.9. There are dif∣ferences betweene the Sunne, and king Nabuchadonozer, yet nei∣ther might be worshipped religiously.

Neither do the seuerall differences assigned by the Aduer∣sarie, conclude: Not the first, because there was something in Iudas his lips susceptible of respect, which was not in the mate∣riall Crosse, to wit, capacitie of Grace; for Iudas might haue repented, but an inanimate creature is not potentially suscep∣tible [ B] of sanctitie: Not the second, for by error an insensible creature may terminate adoration as well as an intellectuall, witnesse the idolatrie of Pagans. Thirdly, that the liuelesse and insensible Crosse, whereupon Christ suffered, was sancti∣fied by his Passion, must be beleeued when diuine ordinance is produced, to make the same manifest. But for ought I can ob∣serue, the Protestants vse not this obiection, taken from Iudas his lips a: and some learned Papists affirme, that Iudas his lips might be reuerently kissed b.

The last words, which are the Crosse, the Nailes, and the Lance that stayed in, and were ioined vnto the bodie of Christ, were instruments of Christs Passion, as lodged in his sacred Person, & as offered to his heauenly Father, affoord this Argu∣ment following for the Iesuit: [ D]

Those things which at the instant time of Christs Passion had a residence in Christs bodie, and were ioined thereunto as instruments of his Passion, and were offered by Christ to his heauenly Father, are thereby made most highly venerable.

But the Crosse, Nailes, and Lance were those things which at the instant time of Christs Passion, had a residence in Christs bodie, and were ioined thereunto as instruments of his Passion, and were offered by Christ to his heauenly Father, Ergo

The Crosse, Nailes, and Lance are thereby made most highly venerable. [ E]

Both Propositions are false in whole, or in part. First, those things which at the instant time of Christs Pas∣sion, had a residence in his bodie, and were ioined there∣unto

(per contactum phisicum) as instruments of his Passion, [ A] were not thereby made most highly venerable, because there is no diuine authoritie, or any other snfficient reason to prooue this assertion.

Secondly, these things were seperate instruments, and not perpetually conioined to his person, and if none did worship them when they were actually conioined, there is no reason to thinke that they are to be worshipped being diuided. If ap∣parrell when it is ioined to an honourable person, may be co∣worshipped with the person, yet when it is diuided from the [ B] person, and hangeth in a wardrobe, or is worne by a Page, it is otherwise a. Whiles God appeared to Moses in the bramble bush, the ground whereon Moses stood is called holy, Exod. 3.6. But this holinesse being only relatiue, transitorie, and de∣nominatiue, and not inherent or durable, the former vision and apparition being finished, the ground whereon Moses stood returned to his old condition. The like may be said of the wa∣ter of Iordan, considered when Christ was baptised with it, and againe considered, when his baptisme was finished, and out of the vse.

An Embassador during his embassage, is a publicke and ho∣nourable person; when his office ceaseth, the honour consecta∣rie and dependant vpon his office ceaseth also.

Secondly, the latter branch of the assumption, to wit, the Crosse, Nailes, and Lance were offered by Christ to his heauenly Father at his Passion, is impiously false, for nothing was offered by Christ to his heauenly Father at his Passion, but himselfe, and part of himselfe, Heb. 7.27. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he offered vp himselfe, [ D] Heb. 9. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, through the eternall Spirit he offered himselfe without spot to God, &c. Heb. 10. 10. Wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of lesus Christ, once for all, 1. Pet. 2.24. Col. 1.22. Heb. 9.12. By his owne bloud he entred once into the holy place, &c. 1. Pet. 1. 19. And if the Crosse, Nailes, and Lance were offered by Christ to his Father, then we were redeemed with corruptible things, contrarie to the Apostles doctrine, 1. Pet. 1. 18, and Wood, Nailes, and Yron were a part of the propitiatorie Sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world; which is a Iesuiticall, or rather an Antijesuine [ E] doctrine, that is, a doctrine ascribing to dead creatures, Yron, Wood, Steele, Nailes, &c. that which is most proper to the pretious blood of Iesus. This doctrine (maintained by Loio∣lists) is most sacrilegious, and more to be abhorred than Iudas

his lips. But it is fulfilled in these men, which Clement Alexan∣drinus [ A] saith of heathen Idolaters, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉? are they not prodigious monsters which adore stockes and stones?

Notes

• a

  Iunius. Ani∣madu. ad. Bellarm. d. Imag. c. 30. n. 10. Haec a nobis nòn afferuntur, &c.
• b

  Vasq. d. Ador. lib. 3. disp. 2. cap. 6. n. 69. Nihil obstat quo minus aliquis [ C] fincera fide & recta intentione affectum & animum in solùm Christum intendens, labia Iudae & alia quae iniu∣stè Christum tetigerunt, reuerentèr osculetur, pag. 438. Lud. Paramo. d. Orig. inquis. lib. 2. tit. 3. ca 8. n. 55. Nihil obstat quo minus labia Iudae & alia, puta manum percutientem Saluatorem, quae iniustè Christum tetigerunt, aliquis sincera fide, & recta intentione, affectum & animum in Christum intendens, reuerentèr osculetur.
• a

  Peres. Aiala. d. Diu. Trad. p. 3. d. Imag. Si purpura ab eo seperetur, quamuis ab aliquo cognoscatur vt Re∣gis purpura, non o∣pus est vt eadé ve∣neratione tunc ve∣neretur, qua ipse Imperator. Aug. d. verb. Dom. serm. 58. Si quis nostrū aut [ C] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aut diadema regale iacens inueniat, nunquid 〈◊〉〈◊〉 conabitur adorare?