A collection of several discourses against popery By William Wake, preacher to the honourable society of Grays-Inn.

SECT. II.

To make good the Charge of Image-Worship against you, and Answer those Evasions, by which you endavour to clear your selves of it.

17. NOW that you give Religious Worship to Images, has been so fully proved in that Learned Book I have before refer'd you to, in Answer to T. G. both from the Definitions of your Councils of Nice and Trent, and from the unanimous Voice

of almost all the great Men of your Church, who have written any things of this matter, that I shall need say but very little here in Confirmation of it. And therefore not to multiply Quotations by transcribing what has been already collected as to this matter, I shall content my self with this plain, and I think unexceptionable manner of proceeding against you;

• 1st, I will propose to you the Voice of your Church in her Defi∣nitions.
• 2dly, I will give you the Interpretation of her Sense in these Defi∣nitions, from Card. Capisucchi only; and out of that Book to which Mons. de Meaux himself appeals.
• 3dly, I will from both vindicate the Account I have given of the Practice of your Church, in Conformity to these Princi∣ples.

18. 1st, For what concerns the first of these, the Voice of your Church, as to this Point; the Council of Trent declares,

That the Images of Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and of the Saints, are more especi∣ally to be had and retained in Temples, and that due Honour and Vene∣ration is to be paid to them. Not that it should be believed that there is any Divinity or Virtue in them, for which they are to be Worshipped; or that any thing is to be Asked of them, or that any Trust is to be put in Images; but because the Honour which is given to them, is re∣ferr'd to the Proto-types which they Represent; so that by the Images which you Kiss, and before which you uncover your Heads, and fall down; you Adore Christ, and Worship the Saints which they Re∣present.

19. Thus that wary Synod; Neither determining what Honour should be given to Images, nor yet setting any bounds to any. But then, as it expresly allows them the external Marks of Divine Worship, so by fixing the Grounds of this Honour to be the passing of it to the Proto-type, not only Soto, Turrian, and Naclantus, three great Di∣vines concern'd in that Synod, but also the Generality of those who have treated since of this matter, have concluded, that the same Adoration is to be paid to the Image, and the Proto-type; So that if Christ himself be worshipp'd with Divine Worship, then must the Crucifix also be worshipp'd with the very same. But this will better appear,

19. 2dly, From the Account I am to give of the Doctrine of your Church, as to this Worship, from Cardinal Capisucchi.

And to whose Book since Mons. de Meaux has thought fit to Appeal, I am content to submit the Decision of this Controversy to his Sentence, and shall leave the World to judg whether I have Misrepresented, or whether the Bishop and You have not de∣parted from the Doctrine of the Council of Trent.

20. Now that we may know precisely, what in his Opinion, that due Honour and Veneration is, which you pay to Images, and which the Council so cautiously declined the telling us; we will consider first of all, what was thought to be so by them, whose Opinions he rejects, as not fully delivering your Churches Sense. Such were

21. First of all Durandus;

Who thought that properly speak∣ing, the Images are not to be Adored; but because they resemble things worthy Adoration, which by remembrance are Adored in Presence of the Images, therefore the Images themselves improperly are, and may be said to be Adored.

Now this he Rejects, be∣cause (says he) in truth, it takes away the

Worship of Images; and concludes it with another of your great Men, Raphael de Tuire, to be Dangerous, Rash, and savouring of Haeresy; or as Fer∣dinandus Velosillus phrases it, False, Rash, and Erroneous; but espe∣cially, since the Definition of the Council of Trent

22. The next whose Opinion he Rejects, is Vasquez;

Who taught that the Images themselves were no otherwise to be Adored, but because in the Presence of them, and about them, are exhibit∣ed the external Signs of Honour, such as Kneeling, Kissing, uncover∣ing the Head, &c. But that for the inward Act of Adoration, this was by no means to be directed to the Image, but to the thing represented by the Image.

And this too he Rejects upon the same Grounds that he did the foregoing, viz.

Because that by As∣serting, that the inward Act of the Adorer terminates only upon the thing represented by the Image; he do's by consequence affirm, that the Images themselves are not TRULY and PROPERLY to be ADORED.

23. The next Opinion which he rejects, is that whereby an Infe∣rior Honour is supposed due to Images, and not an Honour of the same kind with that which is paid to the Exemplar. And this has been proposed with some variety. Catherine and Peresius thought that no other Worship besides this inferior, honorary respect, was due to

them. Sanders distinguish'd, That the Images consider'd by them∣selves, and without any regard had to the Exemplars, deserved only an inferior Honour; but being consider'd conjunctly with the Exemplar, were to be worship'd with the very same Worship that the Exemplars themselves were. And this was also the opinion of Suarez,

That Images consider'd only as Sacred Utensils, were to have no other Honour than was usually given to any other the like holy things; but that being consider'd as Images, they were to have the very same Worship with the Proto-types whom they represented. Lorca deliver'd his Opinion yet more subtilly:

1.

That the Image of Christ might by accident be adored with the same adoration as Christ himself; but that this was only impro∣perly call'd the Adoration of the Image, it being Christ himself that alone was truly and properly adored. 2. That for that Ado∣ration which terminates on the Image, it is an Adoration much infe∣rior to that wherewith Christ himself is adored. 3. That tho the Adoration wherewith the Image of Christ is adored, be in the kind of the Act different from that with which Christ himself is worshipped; yet that it proceeds from the same habit, the vir∣tue of Religion, from which the Adoration of Christ himself pro∣ceeds, and upon that account may be called by the same name with it. And all these Opinions the Cardinal still rejects upon his old principle,That the Image is adored with the very same Act with which Christ himself is adored, and by consequence must be worship'd with the same Divine Worship.

24. The next whose opinion he refutes, is Card. Bellarmine; who supposed that,

The Worship which is properly given to an Image, is not the same with that which (for instance) is given to Christ Himself; but a sort of imperfect Worship, which may by a certain analogy be reduced to the same kind of Worship that is paid to the Exemplar. But yet that the Image may by accident be worshipped with the same Worship as the Exemplar, when the Ex∣emplar is considered as shining forth in its Image.

This also he refutes, utterly denying that any inferior honour is to be given to

an Image, which requires properly, and in its own nature the very same Worship that is paid to the Exemplar which it Represents.

25. Lastly, Cardinal Lugo's Opinion was, that the Image and the Exemplar were to be adored as two distinct Objects of Adora∣tion; as when a man sees the Son of his friend, he at the same time loves both the Son and the Father, not together with the ve∣ry

same Act, yet both directly: The Son for the Father's sake, and the Father accidentally upon the occasion of the Son's bringing him to his remembrance. Thus in the present case,

When a Chri∣stian beholds the Image of Christ, presently he calls his Blessed Sa∣viour to mind, and directly worships both the Image for Christ's sake, and Christ for his own.

And this also the Cardinal rejects, not so much for that it does not give sufficient Honour to the Image; for Lugo also held that the same Divine Honour was to be given both to Christ and his Image, as because it distinguish'd the Objects; whereas according to Card. Capisucchi,

Christ and his Image are to be Adored not only with the same Act, but also as the same Object of Worship.

26. Having thus rejected all those several Opinions, he finally concludes,

That the true Opinion, and which ought to be held, is, that the worship of the Images and the Exemplars, is one and the same; so that the worship of the Images is not distinct from that of the Exemplars, but they are both worshipped together.

This he proves to be the CHURCHES SENSE by a Cloud of Witnesses, from St. Thomas to this day; and shews it to be what both the second Council of Nice, and the later Synod of Trent designed in their definitions. And then finally, closes all with the instance of Aegidius Magistralis, I heretofore mentioned, who having de∣ni'd that Divine Worship was to be paid to Images, was forced by the Inquisition to recant and abjure it as Heretical; and exhorts

all those to consider it who find fault with St. Thomas for saying that the CROSS and IMAGES of CHRIST were to be ADORED

with SUPREME DIVINE WORSHIP.

27. And this may suffice by the way to answer your Excepti∣on against the Authority of Aquinas; who as you see allow'd a true and proper worship to be paid to the Cross as well as to Christ. And that you may not shift off this REPLY (as you have done my former Answer) only with scorn and derision, I must mind you, that 'tis not now a Doctor of the Populace whom you think uncapable of penetrating into the profound Mysteries of Scholastick Niceties, that says this; but Card. Capisucchi, a Schoolman and Disciple himself of St. Thomas, and whom perhaps you will allow to have as deep a reach as your self in these matters. For Vasquez having brought the very same interpretation of Aquinas's Doctrine that you now insist upon against me, the Cardinal thus roundly answers him,

That according to St. Thomas the Image of

Christ is absolutely and simply to be adored with the same Adoration with which Christ is adored.—And that therefore the same Adora∣tion which is given to Christ, ought to be given to his Image also.

27. And thus have I in short laid before you the sum of this Cardinal's Doctrine, who both approved M. de Meaux's Exposition, and to whom Monsieur de Meaux himself appeals for the Vindicati∣on of this very part of it. I have already sufficiently shewn how inconsistent these two are with one another; I will now only apply what I have here further added to my former account of this matter, to the point before us. And,

28. First, It may not be amiss to observe what great diversi∣ty of Opinions there has been in stating of that Worship which is paid by you to Images, and what difficulty you have found to de∣fend your practice against that Charge of Idolatry we have so just∣ly brought against you upon the account of it. How the Caution of some, and the distinctions of others amongst you, have been branded by the rest as Scandalous and Erroneous; and one forced to abjure as Heretical, what others have set up as the only true Ex∣position and Representation of the Churches sense. And this you will give me leave the rather to remark, because you are so often pleased to reflect upon our divisions, which yet are neither so frequent nor dangerous, as among you who pretend not only to Truth, but Infallibility in all you believe. And if the consequence you are wont from thence to draw against us, That because we differ in some things, therefore we have no certainty in any, be good, (as you say it is) you may now see that it will equally fall upon your selves too; and by so much the more heavily, by how much your pretences in this matter are greater than ours. But,

29. Secondly, Tho there be then such a diversity of Opinions amongst you as to this Worship; yet it is to be remarked that they who have allow'd the least Honour to Images, have yet still con∣fest that some Honour was due to them.

In this (says Capisucchi) all Catholicks do agree that Images are to be worshipped, and are rightly worshipped by the faithful. Even Durandus himself, who disapproves the Images of the Holy Trinity, yet allowing both the use and Worship of other Holy Images.

From whence therefore I con∣clude, That those in this Cardinal's opinion, are no Catholicks who tell us that,

All the Honour they have for them, is only such a respect as they pay to any other Sacred Utensils. That if they seem to act in their presence some external signs of Veneration, this is

meant ONLY to the persons whom they represent, but NOT to the Images themselves, which can claim NOTHING of that KIND from us. In short, as Monsieur de Meaux expounds it, That they do NOT WORSHIP the Images; No, GOD FOR∣BID; but ONLY make use of them to call to mind the Originals. The Council of Trent teaches NO OTHER USE of them.

30. Thirdly, It may from hence farther appear, that the Wor∣ship which this Cardinal thought due to Inages, was not an improper, accidental, abusive Worship, but a true, proper, and real Adoration; the Image being to be adored in the very same act with which the Exemplar was. So that now according to this Ex∣position, the Cross of Christ is to be worshipped truly and properly with a Supreme Divine Adoration. And that not only as to the outward acts, but by the inward sense of the Soul too; all which are so to be paid to Christ, as to terminate at once both upon him, and upon the Crucifix by which he is to be adored. And this,

31. Fourthly, We are to look upon, not as a private opinion, or a meer Scholastick Nicety, but as the true and proper sense of the Church, and to be held of all. So the Cardinal expresly declares; as being the Doctrine of the Councils both of Nice and Trent; and for denying of which, Aegidius Magistralis was by the Inqui∣sition forced to recant, and renounce his Doctrine contrary there∣unto, as Heretical.

32. This is an Instance which with Card. Capisucchi I will take the liberty to recommend to your consideration. For certainly if what he says be true, you who deny that the Cross is upon any ac∣count whatsoever to be worshipped with Divine Worship, can be no o∣therwise than a downright Heretick. And tho you are at pre∣sent secure in a happy Expounding Country, where you may safely make what representation of your Doctrine you please, or rather that the necessity of your present circumstances moves you to do, without any other danger than that of losing your credit with honest and inquisitive men, which you do not seem much to value; yet should time and other circumstances invite you hereafter into a hotter Cli∣mate, you might run some worser hazards among those who have not given themselves up to follow your Innovations. It hap∣pened not many years since, that a French Gentleman being travell∣ing in the East-Indies, fell into some company at Goa, and there discoursing about matters of Religion according to your Princi∣ples, maintain'd,

That the Crucifix was no otherwise to be adored,

than by reporting all the Honour to our Saviour Christ represented by that Image. And another time, he fortuned to say of an Ivory Cru∣cifix which hung up at his Beds-head, that it was onely a piece of Ivory.

For this he was clapt into the Inquisition, and after some years imprisonment for his Heretical Sayings, hardly escaped the fire, with this Sentence,

that He was declared Excommunicate; that for reparation of his fault, all his Goods should he confiscated; Himself banish'd the Indies; and condemn'd to serve in the Galleys (or publick Prisons) of Portugal five years; and further accomplish those Other Penances which should more particularly be enjoin'd Him by the Inquisitors.

As for his Crime, it is thus set forth in the Pre∣amble to his Sentence,

That he had said that we ought NOT to ADORE IMAGES; and had BLASPHEMED against that of a certain Crucifix, by saying of a Crucifix of Ivory, that it was a piece of Ivory.

33. This was plain dealing, and a sensible convicton that it is not meerly a Scholastick Nicety with the Fathers of the Inquisition,

that the CROSS is to be worshipped with DIVINE WORSHIP.

The truth is, the contrary Opinion of Durandus, Holcot, Mirandula, and some others, (and who allow'd all the Acts of external Honour to be paid to them, only they deni'd them that inward Veneration which makes it properly a religious Worship) has been always e∣steemed as false and scandalous, and savouring of Heresie; and is ex∣presly censured as such by those great Men, Suarez, Medina, Vi∣ctoria, Catherine, Arriaga, Cabrera, Raphael de Turre, Vellosillus, and many others at large, collected by Cardinal Capisucchi on this oc∣casion, as Abettors with himself, of a true Divine Adoration to be paid to the Holy Cross, and other Images of God, and the Blessed Trinity. I go on finally from these Principles,

34. Thirdly, To vindicate the Account I have heretofore given of your Practices in consequence to this Doctrine.

And first, I observed that in the solemn Procession made at the reception of the Emperor, the Legat's Cross is appointed by the Pon∣tifical to take place of the Emperor's Sword, because LATRIA or DIVINE WORSHIP is due to it.

35. This you cannot deny to be faithfully quoted out of your Pontifical: but you say there

is some kind of impropriety in the Speech;

and we must understand it so, not as if Divine Worship were due to the Cross, but to Christ crucified upon it. A strange

liberty of interpreting this, which turns plain Affirmatives into downright Negatives; and this contrary to the sense, not only of your greatest Authors, (as I have shewn) but in their opinion contrary to the sense of your Church too. These all say with the Rubrick,

that a Divine Worship is due to the Cross; you declare 'tis no such thing; No, God forbid. Such Worship is upon NO AC∣COUNT WHATSOEVER to be given to the Cross, but only to Christ represented by the Cross.

I will not desire you to con∣sider what wise arguing you make of what your Pontifical here says; That the Cross must take place of the Emperor's Sword, because Christ is to be worship'd with Divine Worship: It shall suf∣fice me to leave you to the Censures of your own Learned Writers and Inquisitors, who have already pronounced this Exposition to be false, scandalous, and savouring of Heresie. Only let me once more caution you to remember the hard fate of poor Monsieur Imbert, of Aegidius Magistralis, and the French Traveller I just now mention'd; For however it may be safe enough to dissemble with us here, yet will it behove you to take great heed that you alter your tone, if ever you should chance to fall into those Parts, where the Old Po∣pery Doctrine is still the measure of the Inquisitors Proceedings.

36. My next Instance was from your form of blessing a New Cross: To your Cavil about my omitting some words, I have said enough heretofore; but the dear Calumny must be continu'd, tho not only those two words were added, but so many more set down, that you seem as much dissatisfied with my length here, as you pre∣tended to be with my brevity before.

37. You pray,

That the Wood of the Cross which you bless, may be a wholsome remedy to mankind: a strengthner of Faith; an in∣creaser of Good Works; the Redemption of Souls; a Comfort, Pro∣tection, and Defence against the Cruel Darts of the Enemy.

You incense it; you sprinkle it with Holy Water; you sanctify it in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and then both the Bishop and People devoutly ADORE it, and Kiss it.

38. This is in short the sum of that Ceremony; In which you desire to know what is Amiss? I answer; That take this whole Office together, with the Ceremonies, Prayers, and other Circum∣stances of it, and it is Superstitious and Idolatrous; and I shall not doubt once more to repeat, what before so much offended you, That the Addresses you here make, look more like Magical Incan∣tations, than Christian Prayers. For,

39. First, If we enquire into the design of this Ceremony; it is to Consecrate a piece of Wood or Stone, that it may become a fit Object of Adoration: which being directy contrary to the Second Commandment, cannot be done without a very great Sin.

40. 2dly. To this End, secondly, you pray that several benefits may proceed from this Wood of the Cross; and if those words sig∣nify any thing, whereby you beseech God, that it may be a whol∣some remedy to Mankind, a strengthner of Faith, &c. We must then look upon it, that you do believe, that by this Consecration there is a Virtue, if not residing in it for all these purposes, yet at least proceeding from it; which your Council of Trent confesses was one of the things that made the Worship of Images among the Hea∣thens to be Idolatrous. Nor will your little Evasion here stand you in any stead; that

you pray only that the Cross may be a means for the obtaining all these Benefits; and that this is no more than a Preacher may desire for his Sermon, or the Author of a good Book for what he is about to publish:

For, 1. A piece of Wood or Stone, carve it into what Figure or Shape you please, is not certainly so proper a means for the conveying of such Benefits to men, as a good Book or a good Sermon are: And therefore what may be very naturally desired for the One, cannot without great Superstition be applied to the Other. I may, and I heartily do pray, that what I am now writing may be a saving remedy to you, by correcting your Faith, and encreasing your Charity; because I am perswaded here are Arguments proper to such an End, if it shall please God to dispose you impartially to consider them; but now, I believe, you would think me very Extravagant, should I pray to God to sanctify the Paper on which 'tis printed, or my Bookseller's Sign that sells it, as you pray to God to sanctify the WOOD of the Cross; that as often as you see the leaves of this Book, or look upon the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard, these good effects may be wrought in you.

41. Again, 2. As the thing it self is not a proper means of pro∣ducing these Effects in us; so the manner by which you pray it may be done, renders it yet more Superstitious. To get instruction by hearing or reading; to have ones Faith confirm'd, or Charity enlarged, or Zeal heightned, by pious Considerations, or powerful Motives, all this is very natural; and we may therefore lawfully pray to God for to bless them to us in order to these Ends. But to pray to God, that by bowing our selves down before a Cross, we may find health of Soul and Body; to sanctify a piece of Wood, that by ITS

MERITS it may free men from all the Sins they have committed, this must be more than a natural Effect, neither the thing nor action being proper to produce it; and whether such Requests be not more like Magical Incantations than Christian Prayers, I shall leave it to any indifferent person to consider.

42. But 3dly, That this which you pretend, is not all that your Church designs by those Prayers, is evident, in that this Ex∣position cannot possibly be applied to several of those things which you ask of God in those Addresses. For instance, you pray,

That the blessing of the Wood upon which our Saviour hung, may be in the Wood of the Cross which you consecrate; and that by the Ho∣liness of that, he would Sanctify this; that as by that Cross, the World was delivered from Guilt, so by the Merits of this, the de∣vout Souls who offer it, may be free from all the Sins they have committed.

Now tell me in Conscience, if you dare speak the truth; Is not all this somewhat more, than to pray that the Cross may accidentally become a means of working good Effects in you, by putting you in mind of the price of your Redemption? Do you not here see somewhat, which your Council of Trent calls the Idolatry of the Gentiles? viz. an encouragement to Worship the Cross, as if some Divine Virtue were in it, for which it ought to be Ado∣red. For, so certainly he must do, who believes that by these Prayers, the blessing of that Cross, on which our Saviour hung, is in this which he Worships; and that bowing down before it, he shall find Health both of Soul and Body. Nay, but

43. 4thly, I must once more ask you that Question, I before proposed on this Occasion; and which, tho you heartily rail at, yet you shift it off without answering one wise word to it. If you design no real Virtue to proceed from the Cross which you thus consecrate, nor allow any Adoration to be paid to it, but in∣tend it meerly for a memorative Sign, and no more: To what purpose all these Prayers, and Sprinklings, and Smokings, and Bles∣sings, and other Ceremonies for the Consecration of it? As to your Question, why we dedicate our Churches to God? I will then allow it to be a Parallel, when you can prove that we pray that God would Sanctify the Walls or Seats of them, That they may become a wholesome Remedy to Mankind, and by their Merits free us from all the Sins we have committed. In the mean time it shall suffice to tell you, that as all we design in those Ceremonies, is no more than a solemn setting of it apart for Prayer and Devotion to God only;

so all we desire, is, that God would vouchsafe favourably to ac∣cept our Offering of that Place to his Service, and give a blessing to those Holy Offices that are from thenceforth to be peformed in it.

44. But 5thly; and to conclude this Point; He that would know what your Intention in these Prayers is, need only consider what Prayers you make in behalf of other things of the same Na∣ture: And in which you so evidently desire a Divine Virtue may proceed from the very things themselves which you Sanctify, that there is no doubt to be made of it. I shall give but one Instance of this, viz. the Prayer you make at the Consecration of your Agnus Dei's; in which you thus Address your selves to God.

Do thou vouchsafe to Bless ✚, Sanctify ✚, and Consecrate ✚ them, that being sanctified by thy liberal Benediction, they may receive the same Virtue against all diabolical Subtilties, and the deceits of the evil Spirit; that for those who carry them devout∣ly about them, no tempest may prevail against them, no Adversity may get the Dominion over them, no pestilent Breath, no Corruption of the Air, no Falling-sickness, no Storm at Sea, no Fire, nor any Iniquity may overcome them, or prevail against them.

45. Such are the admirable Virtues which you desire may proceed from these little Images; and by the Prayers you make at the Con∣secrating of these, we may easilly understand how to interpret your Addresses for the same purpose in the other. But now to make your Practice exactly parallel with the old Heathen Supersti∣tion; I must observe,

That it is not enough that you carry these Agnus Dei's devoutly about you, but they must be Worshipped too;

For so your Prayer of Consecration says;

Bles ✚, and Sanctify ✚ these blessed things, that through the VENERATION and HONOUR of them, the Crimes of us thy Servants may be blotted out.

And now I shall leave it to you, to try once more your gift of Expounding, and see if you can bring all this to your new Sense: And for your Encouragement in it, I will promise you if you can, to give you something more of this matter, which will be more difficult, and which I forbear at present to insist upon.

46. I should now go on to the next Instance; but I must in∣treat the Reader's excuse, if I stop one moment to follow your ram∣bling Discourse in two Points, as little to your purpose, as the handling of them will appear to have been for your Reputation.

47. I. The first is concerning the Use of Holy Water.

Reply]

Which you tell us was established by Pope Alexander the I. An. 121. and is good for dispelling Incantations and Magic Frauds, rather than introducing them; and has been famed for sundry Miracles, which God has been pleased to work thereby in several Ages.

48. Answ.] For the Antiquity of this Usage, I wonder you should stop at Pope Alexander I. when had you but look'd into the Clementine Constitutions (a much more authentick Piece than your Decretal Epistle) you might have found St. Matthew to have been the Author of it. And the one would have been as easily believed as the other.

49. Nor have you been less defective in setting out the Benefits of it, than you were in your account of its Antiquity. And there∣fore to spare your Modesty, I will help to publish them for you.

Holy Water then (if all be true that is in Print) is good, not only to drive away Evil Spirits, but more over to cure Infirmities; to wipe out Venial Sins; to cleanse the Pollutions of defiled Consciences; to cure Distractions; to elevate the Mind, and dispose it for Devotion; to obtain Grace, and dispose Men for the Holy Sacrament. It cures Barrenness, preserves the Health, purges the Air from Pestilential Va∣pours; besides a great many other good things that are not so fit to be named.

All the mischief is, that it is nor certain it do's any of these things; because (as Bellarmine well ob∣serves) there is no Promise of God made to it; but yet being sanctified by the Prayers of the Church for these ends, you may as securely believe it, as many other things that have no better a Foundation.

50. And are not these now rare Follies for a Man to force us to publish whether we will or no? Did ever any Mountebank set out his false Ware with greater Vanity, than those of the Church of Rome have here done theirs? And indeed was there ever less reason to believe his Remedies, than in this Case there is to Cre∣dit your Pretences? In short, seeing you sanctify Water in the

Name of God, by Prayer for these Ends, either shew us some Pro∣mise, some Warrant at least from the Holy Spirit of God so to do; or all reasonable Men will look upon this after all you have said for it, as none of the least both of your Follies, and of your Superstitions.

II. The other thing you mention is your Incense.

51. And this is indeed to our purpose; and I shall presently shew you how little you consider'd your own interest in the mention of it. I pass by your pretended significations of it, as im∣pertinent in a Discourse where Truth only is sought. For the An∣tiquity of it you refer us to Dionysius and St. Ambrose; in which you again shew your skill in Church-History. The one of these being an Author that lived not till the latter end of the Fourth Century, and the other probably much later. But now the use of Incense, in the Greek Church especially, was of a much earlier date. The Apostolical Canons speak expresly of it: And if that Oration of Hyppolitus about the End of the World, be truly his, as from St. Jerome's mentioning of it in his Catalogue it seems to be; we have then two considerable instances to assure us that it was in use in the Greek Church even in the Third Century. You see how far I am from detracting any thing from the force of your Argument: But yet now after all, without fear of censuring Primitive Antiquity in this matter, whose Innocence I as freely ac∣knowledg, as I heartily honour its piety; I shall not doubt to say that the present usage of it in your Church is so far from being innocent, that it is in truth Superstitious and Idolatrous.

52. First, it is Superstitious. For indeed what else can we make of your praying to God, (as in this very Ceremony of Consecrating a Cross you do) that,

He would Bless ✚, and Sanctifie ✚ this Creature of Incense, that all weaknesses and infirmities, and all the snares of the Enemy perceiving its smell, may flie and be separated from his Creatures; that they may never be hurt by the biting of the Old Serpent, who have been redeemed with the precious blood of his Son.

53. Now if you make this prayer in faith, that it is pleasing to God, and have a confidence that it shall be accepted by him, you must then shew us some grounds, some security in the Word of God for it. But if you cannot do this, what is it but Superstition, that is, a vain and fond service, to intreat the favour of God in the

usage of a thing to which he has neither annexed any promise, nor for the doing whereof has he any where given us the least encou∣ragement. But,

54. Secondly, The Use you make of this Incense, is yet worse than the Consecration of it. You offer it up to Creatures, nay to the very Images which you worship; and in doing of which I do not see how you will excuse your selves of being guilty of Idola∣try. That the burning of Incense was part of that Religious Worship under the Law, which God was pleased to appropriate to Himself only, is not to be denied. It was indeed a more peculiar act of Divine Worship, than that of bloody Sacrifices themselves. And therefore both the Altar on which it was offer'd was cover∣ed with Gold, and it stood in a more Holy place than that of the Burnt-offerings; and is in a more singular manner said to be

Most Holy unto the LORD, Exod. XX. 8, 10.

Hence it was that King Hezekiah immediately brake to pieces the Brazen Serpent, as soon as he consider'd that the children of Israel burnt Incense before it. And yet if we enquire into the use that is made of it in your Church, we shall find it offer'd not only to the Saints, but even to their very Images and Reliques. Vasquez ingenuously confesses, that the Israelites gave no other Worship to the Brazen Serpent than what you give to your Images at this day; and that Hezekias therefore commanded it to be broken in pieces, not that he thought the people adored it as a God, but because he saw such a Divine Worship paid to it. It is one of the chief things remarked by your own Writers in the Life of a great Saint of your Order, St. Gerard Bishop of Chanade in Hungary, whom you Commemorate Septemb. 24. That he caused a Church to be built in Chanade, His Episcopal See; and in it

dedicated a Chappel to the Honour of the Blessed Virgn; where having set up her Statue, He every day of∣fer'd Incense to the Figure, and took care by an Ordinance which He made, that Her Altar should never be without fine Odours upon it, which should continually smoke to Her Honour.

55. Now this being the undoubted Practice of your Church, and such as you cannot deny to be contrary to the express Com∣mand of God under the Law; insomuch, that Cardinal Bellarmine freely confesses it would have been Criminal in a Jew to have offer'd Incense to any besides God only; either you must evidently prove to us, That those Acts which were then appropriate Acts of Divine Worship, are not so now, but remain indifferent to be paid

to the Creature, as well as the Creator; or you must give us leave to conclude, that you do in this, attribute that Honour to an Image, which God has reserved as peculiar to Himself; and are by so doing, guilty of Idolatry.

56. And thus have I dispatch'd the two Things you called me, without any Provocation of mine, to examine; and which it may be you will now begin to think you might as well have let alone: I return to my Defence, in which I am next to consider, what you have to except against my third Argument, which I brought to shew, that you do truly and properly Adore the Cross; and that was from your Good-Friday Service.

Reply.] To this you Answer,

That you bad here also shown my UNSINCERE TRICKS, in adding and diminishing Words, to make your Church speak as I would have it. And you pronounce me once more a CALUMNIATOR, for saying, that this proves that your Church do's Adore the Cross, in the utmost propriety of the Phrase.

57. Answ.] These are hard Words; but I have always observ∣ed, that men are most uneasy when Truth touches them to the quick. If you are not yet sensible that it was indeed a pitiful Cavil to pretend I had false translated your Service, by what I have offer'd in my former part from Mons. Imbert's Case, and who for opposing that Interpretation of those Words which I deliver'd, was used after the manner that I have declared; I am confident you are the only Person even of your own Church, that needs to be convinced of it. In all the French Translations of your Missal, I have ever seen, it is render'd in the very words that I gave it, Behold the Wood of the Cross, come let us Adore IT: And particularly in that of Mons Voisin, approved by those of your Church, even to excess, you will find it in these express terms, Voila le Bois de la Croix, R. venez Adorons LE.

58. In the Missal of Salisbury, the Determination of that Ad∣dress to the Cross, is undeniably evident. The Priests uncover the Cross, and sing the whole Antiphone,

Behold the Wood of the Cross, come let us Adore; to which the Quire kneeling down, an∣swer; We adore thy CROSS, O Lord.

And I cannot but observe, that when Jo. Aegidius Canon of Sevil (of whom I have so often spoken) was forced to retract, as Heretical, his denial of

Supreme Divine Worship to the Cross; Ludovicus de Paramo tells us, that the Fathers of the Inquisition convicted him of his Heresy, espe∣cially by this Argument, taken from your Good-Friday Service; viz. That the Church on that solemn day did truly and properly Adore the Cross, when it said, We Adore thy CROSS, O Lord.

59. And this may by the way suffice, to shew how falsely you expound even those Words, not to signifie the Cross of Christ, but his Passion. Which besides, that it is foreign to the Ceremony of Worshipping the Cross, which you are then about; and not a little Nonsence into the bargin; is here interpreted, not only by me, but by the Fathers of the Inquisition, of the Cross properly so called; and whose Authority I presume you will not care to de∣spise. And now I shall leave it to any Jury that you please, to judg of my Translation; and what Character you deserve for your little Reflection upon me. And I do assure you withal, that I will never from henceforward so far distrust my Reader's Memo∣ry, as to say the same things again, tho you should give me the same occasion.

60. For the other Point; That this do's plainly shew, that your Church Adores the Cross in the utmost propriety of the Phrase; If you will allow those great Men I before quoted, to understand the Sense of your Church in this Point, then 'tis plain, that my Assertion must stand good. You see they freely confess it; nay, what is more, they pronounce you a Heretick for denying it. As for your applying of this Worship to our Saviour Christ; if you mean thereby to signify that Christ only is worshipp'd in this Cere∣mony, exclusive to the Cross; it is evidently false, seeing the whole Action, as well as Words, shew, that the Cross is at least wor∣shipped together with him; or rather (to speak more precisely) Christ is worshipped together with the Cross. Nor will Cardinal Bellarmine, to whom you direct me, stand you in any stead. For even he allows the Cross to be improperly and accidentally Worshipp'd with the same kind of Worship that Christ himself is. And if you please to let me send you to another Cardinal, and who being both a great Schoolman himself, and Master of the Sacred Palace, may be presumed to know somewhat of your Churches Sense; he will tell you, that your Cardinal Bellarmin was too wary in his Distinctions: And that he ought without any of those softning Limitations, freely to have asserted, That the Cross was truly and properly to be worshipped with Divine Adoration. And that I think, is much the

same with what I said, That you do Worship the Cross in the utmost propriety of the Phrase.

61. But you have here two singular Arguments to excuse this Service from the charge of Idolatry, and which ought not to be forgot. For,

Reply.]

First, St. Paul (you say) lookt upon it to be no Supersti∣tion, to fall on our Face in the assembly, and Worship GOD, 1 Cor. XIV. 25.

Answ.] Ergo (ô Lepidum Caput!) If St. Paul may be Judg, 'tis no Idolatry in you to fall on your Faces in the Assembly, and worship the CROSS. What would T. G. have given to have met with such a Consequence in his Learned Adversary? But indeed we needed not this Proof to convince us (in that Gentleman's Phrase) that you never look'd over Aristotle's Threshold, however your ill Genius has prompted you to become a Controvertist.

62. Well, •…•…t if St. Paul wont do, yet at least you are sure the Primitive Christians were on your side. And you prove it by an Instance most fit to keep company with the foregoing Argument. The Case in short is this.

Reply.]

St. Athanasius relates how some Jews in his time, in the City of Berthus (Berytus) in Syria, used great Indignities to a Crucifix, which a Christian had accidentally left behind him, when he removed from his Lodgings. And you desire your Antagonist to answer you this Question: Whether I would have excused those Jews, because they did those Actions to an inani∣mate Being; or would not rather have interpreted their Intention, as passing from the Cross to our Blessed Saviour.

63. Answ. This is indeed a most melting Argument, and which as I remember, set all the good Fathers of the second Council of Nice, a crying. But Sir, be not you too much affected with it, for I will venture to give you that Consolation, which one of your Brethren once did his Congregation in France; when having preach'd in a most Tragical manner about the Passion, not of a Crucifix, but of our Blessed Saviour himself, insomuch, that the whole As∣sembly was in Tears at it; the good Father bid them not weep, for that, after all, it may be it was not true. For

1st, As to the Book which you cite for this goodly Story, 'tis certain it was written above 420 years after Athanasius was in his Grave, and is of no manner of Credit among the Learned.

2dly, As to the Story: It was invented in the time of Irene the Empress, when all the World was set upon making and finding out Fables and Miracles, for establishing the Worship of Images.

3dly, All the Authority we have, that ever there was any such thing done, and that it was not a meer Invention (as were many others of the like kind at that time) is that of Sigebert, whose Chronicle besides, that it was written yet another 400 years after this supposed Insult upon the Crucifix, was also an Author whom Bellarmin himself confesses, is not to be credited in every thing he says. And especially, when in all probability he had no other Warrant for it, than the Acts of the Council of Nice, and the pretended Treatise of St. Athanasius, which you quote for it. So unlucky a thing is it for you to meddle with Church-History.

64. But whether the Relation be Truth or Fable; The Questi∣on is put, and must be Answer'd: Would I not have thought that these Jews hereby intended to affront our Saviour Christ? I answer, Yes; No doubt they did. And

why then (say you) should I not in like manner interpret this Service of yours to terminate not upon the Crucifix, but to tend to him who suffer'd upon the Cross?

I answer, 1. That had you put your Question as you ought, you should have ask'd, Why then we do not look upon your Intention to be to Honour, not the Cross, but Him that suffered upon it. Now there is a very great Difference between these two. And how∣ever your Friend T. G. supposes, That Actions must necessarily go whither they are intended; yet I think both he and you ought by this time, to be satisfied of the falseness of that Maxim? And therefore should we allow your Intention to be only to worship Christ, and not the Cross, yet it do's not thence follow that all your worship must by the Interpretation of Gods Law terminate upon him. But now, 2. I have shown, that for all your Pretences, it is not your Intention that your Worship should so terminate upon Christ, as not to terminate also upon the Cross together with him. 3. If it were, yet for all your intention you would nevertheless be far from Honouring Christ: seeing that to worship Christ by an Image is a prohibited Act; and God cannot be Honour'd in the very same Act in which he is disobey'd. And though an intention to dis∣honour

Chris••, by abusing his Image, is sufficient to do it, (as in all other Cases, one ill Circumstance will make the whole Action to be Evil;) yet a good intention alone is not sufficient to make an Act good, nor by consequence for the glory of God, unless that Inten∣tion it self be also govern'd by the Rules of His Commandments. For otherwise a man might do the worst things with a Good in∣tention, and that should be sufficient to sanctify all his Villanies. So far have you hitherto been from producing the least shadow of an Answer to overthrow the force of my Allegations. My Last Instance was:

65. Fourthly; From the Hymns of your Church. In which I shewed that you address your selves to the Cross, and beg spiri∣tual Graces of it; and that you could not say the Cross was here put by a Figure to signify Christ crucified upon it; because the very words of the Hymns shew, that 'tis the Material Cross as distin∣guish'd from Christ, of which they speak.

66. And here you are in a great distress; you catch at every thing that comes near you; but for the most part without con∣sidering whether it be to any purpose or no. As for instance: You observe, First, That I am brisk and confident, and have a mind to

expose your Literature as well as your Idolatry.

But, Sir, may I beg leave to ask you on this Occasion the very same Question that you do Me. Who is it you mean, when you say, I have a mind to expose YOUR Literature? If you understand that of your Par∣ty, I must tell you I am so far from exposing it, that I shall pre∣sently shew you that they are the most Learned Men of your Church whom I follow in the Application of that Hymn I alledged. But if by YOUR Literature you meant your own, you have then made a most unlucky piece of Work of it, in joining your Literature and your Churches Idolatry together; and I doubt your Brethren will have but little cause to applaud the Comparison. For do but grant it to be as easie to Prove the One, as it is to Expose the Other, and I will never desire a fairer Advantage against both, than you have here offer'd to Me. For,

67. Secondly, You say I must confess that your Churches Hymns were made by Poets, unless I will be so great a Hypocrite as to deny that Prudentius and Fortunatus were Poets. I suppose Pru∣dentius and Fortunatus clubb'd together to make the Hymn that I refer to: Only the mischef is, that the One lived in the End of the IVth, the other not till about the middle of the Vth Century.

Nay, but what now if neither of these were Author of that Hymn? I am sure Gretser, a very inquisitive Man in these matters, speaks very doubtfully of it, and leaves it in Question, whether Venantius Fortunatus, or Theodulphus Bishop of Orleans, was the Author of it; and He lived yet later, about the beginning of the IXth Century. But to let this pass; and consider,

68. Thirdly, How you prove these Men to be Poets, for indeed it is very remarkable. You tell me, that if I will but look into the Corpus Poetarum, I shall find them to have had a place among the Poets. A most undoubted way this, to find out whether an Author were a Poet or a Schoolman; And I dare say you were be∣holden to no man's Literature but your own for this Remark.

69. Well, but to grant that which I perceive you do not know very well how to go about to prove, that the Author of this Hymn, whoever he was, was a Poet; what will follow? Why then you say, Fourthly, I shall presently find the Figure he there uses; his Title being not

Of the CROSS, but of the PASSION of our LORD.

And then you take a great deal of pains to prove, what no man ever deni'd,

that the Cross in Holy Scripture is of∣tentime put to signify, the Force, Effects, and Merits of Christ's Death and Passion.

Now if this be any thing to the purpose, as all that drops from a Person of your Literature must be supposed to be; then I must conclude, that seeing the Title of that Hymn is

Of the Passion of our Lord,

whereever I meet the word CROSS in it, I am to understand it not of the Material Cross, but of Christ's PASSION. This you must mean, or else all this ado is meer Re∣verie, and Impertinence. Now then let us see what mad work we shall according to this new Exposition make of that Hymn.

The PASSION of our King comes forth; The mystery of the PASSION shines; upon which PASSION the Maker of our Flesh was hanged in the Flesh.

Beautiful and bright PASSION! Adorned with the purple of a King. Chosen of a fit Stock to touch such sacred Members.

Blessed PASSION! upon whose Arms the price of the World hung. Hail, O Passion! our only Hope; In this time of the PASSION, increase righteousness in the Godly, and give pardon to the Guilty.

70. Now this I am confident a man of so much Literature as you are, will not allow to be a proper paraphrase of this Hymn: And if instead of the Passion, you put Christ for the Cross, this will yet

more increase the Nonsense and Confusion. In short; If all the Cor∣pus Poetarum were alive, and should lay their Heads together with you, they could not find out any of their Figures that would do the business; but must have some new Ecclesiastical Figure found out to make the Cross signify Christ and his Passion, at the same time, and in the same place in which it distinguishes both from the Cross. And such a Figure I do say would be as Great a Mystery, in Verse, as Transubstantiation is in Prose. And I desire you, if you can, to give me but one parallel Text of Scripture, in which the Cross is at once taken both literally for that Cross on which Christ suffer'd; and figuratively, for Christ and his Sufferings upon it.

71. In the mean time it shall suffice me Once more to mind you of what I perceive you have nothing to say to; viz. That Aquinas and his Followers, who have been sometimes reckon'd men of Literature in your Church, have understood this Hymn according to the plain and literal meaning of it: and that so confidently as to conclude from it, that your Church holds Divine Honour to be due to the Cross.

We ought to worship the Images themselves (says Soto) for the Church doth not say, We worship THEE, O Christ; But, We adore thy CROSS, O Christ.

And again,

O CRUX AVE, &c. We direct our Words and signs of Adoration to the Ima∣ges, (says Catherine) to which likewise we burn Incense:

as when we say to the CROSS, O Crux Ave. And to the same purpose, Marsilius ab Ingen; Ludovieus de Paramo; Philippus Gamachaeus, &c. See Dr. St. Answer to T. G. Part 2.

72. But if all this will not yet satisfy you, but you are still resolved to adhere to your new Figure, I will then give you ano∣ther Instance, and which I believe may be Prose, for I do not re∣member I ever saw it in the Corpus Poetarum, though this I shall leave to your Literature to determine: And I pray be pleased to send us the Paraphrase of this Antiphone, according to your New Method of Expounding:

O CROSS! brighter than all the Stars; famous in the World; exceeding amiable to Men; more holy than all things; which alone hast been thought worthy to bear the weight of the World. Sweet Wood! bearing the sweet Nails, and sweet burdens; SAVE the present Company gathered together this day to THY PRAISE.

And this may serve for the Second Point; which was, To make good the Charge I had brought against you, of giving Divine Wor∣ship to Images. I proceed now finally to shew;

Notes

• Card. Capis. Controv. p. 624, 625.
• Ibid. 625.
• Card. Capis. Ibid. par. ii. p. 625.
• Id. par. iv. p. 634, 635.
• Capis. Par. V. pag. 636.
• Ibid. Par. VI. pag. 637.
• Card. Capis. contr. par. VII p. 639.
• Vid. p. 649.
• Reply, p. 29, 30, 31.
• Reply, p. 31.
• Capis. contr. p. 630.
• Capisucchi, lb. pag. 605.
• Reply, Pre••. p. 17, 18.
• Reply, Pref.
• Relation del' Inquisition de Goa, pag. 14, 15. cap. 2, 21. cap. 3.
• Ibid. cap. 27. pag. 151, 152. Edit. Leyd. 1687.
• Reply, p. 31.
• Reply, p. 32.
• Reply p. 32, 33.
• Sacrar. Ce∣rem. Lib. I. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. de Consecr. Agn. Dei.
• Reply p. 33.
• Lib. VIII. cap. 35.
• See Domenico Magri Notizia de Vocaboli Ecclesiastici in aqua Bene∣dicta. Marsili∣us Columna Hydragiolog. Sect. 3. c. 2.
• De Cultu ss. l. 3. c. 7. p. 2226. B.
• Pontifical. Rom de Be∣nedict. Nov. Cruc.
• Exod. XX. 8, 10. 2 King. XVIII. 4. Bellarm. de SS. Beatit. l. 1. p. 2026. c. 13. D. Vasquez. in 3. Vol. 1. q. 25. Disp. 104. Art. 3. c. 5. p. 735.
• Vie des Sts. Calend. Ben. ad Sept. 24.
• Bellarm. de Imag. SS. l. 2. c. 17. p. 2144.
• Reply p. 35.
• Lud. de Par. de Orig. S. In∣quis. l. 2. tit. 3. c. 8. n. 19.
• Reply p. 37, 38.
• Reply p. 38.
• Card. Capis. ib. ub supr. & par. XVI. pag. 670.
• Reply p. 38.
• Reply p. 38.
• De la con∣formitè des merveilles an∣ciens avec les moderns, Par. 1. Ch. 25. P.
• Bell. de Scrip. Eccles. p. 283.
• Reply, p. 39.
• Ib. p. 40▪
• Lib. 1. de Cruce, c. 35.
• Soto de Just. & Jure. l. 2. q. 3. Art. 2. Cathar. de Cult & Ador. Imag. p. 133.
• Breviar. Rom. May 3. p. 797. Paris 1643.