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

ANSWER TO THE FOURTH ARTICLE, OF IMAGES and RELIQUES.

IN the beginning of this Article you tell me (but with very little reason) that you might have past over this point without any further consideration; the best Argument you bring for it, being, if I mistake not, this, That you are not obliged to defend what I had advanced against you upon it. And in∣deed tho the reason be but a poor one, yet I am perswaded you had done better both for the interest of your Cause, and for your own credit, to have contented your self with it, and have past over this Article altogether; rather than by giving such loose An∣swers to my Allegations, to have satisfied the World, that you have no just Exceptions to make against them.

2. Were I minded in return to excuse my self the trouble of any farther Answer to you, I could, I believe, give you some more plausible pretences for it. I might tell you, (1st,) That your Di∣stinctions are now so well known, and have been so often explo∣ded by us, that there is no longer any danger that even

my friends the Vulgar should be circumvented by them.

I might add, (2dly,) And that with great truth, that this whole subject has been utterly exhausted by that Learned Man, I have so often men∣tion'd, in his Defence of the Charge of Idolatry against T. G. and from whom you have here again borrow'd your chiefest strength. I might mind you, (3ly,) How after two endeavours to reply to him, T. G. was forced to give over; and it is now above eight years since neither he nor any of your Church has thought fit to

carry on the Dispute. I might desire you, (4thly,) To compare your performances upon this point with what the Representer ventur'd not above a year since to make a flourish with; and see if you could find out but any one thing in all you here re∣peat, that his learned and judicious Adversary had not utterly con∣futed. But he too has forsaken the Cause; and I am now called upon to give you the same Answers that have been made to both these, and then without pretending to be a Prophet, I dare be bold to say for all your blustring, you will go off the Stage as tamely and quietly, as any of your Predecessors have done before you. There is a certain Circle of Shifts and Distinctions which you all run; and no sooner are those spent, but your bolt is shot; you drop the Question, and begin again upon a new score.

3. These and many other reasons I might offer to decline any farther Examination of this Point; but I have promised you be∣fore, that I would neither misrepresent your Doctrine, nor FOBB OFF your Arguments. And I will here perform it with such ex∣actness, that••even your Incense and Holy Water shall not be forgot∣ten. And if for our diversion you shall think fit the next time you write to add to these all your other follies, of Holy Ashes, Consecrated Candles, Agnus Dei's, and in one word, whatever Su∣perstitions of the like kind, your Pontifical, Ceremonial, Missal, Bre∣viary, Office of the Blessed Virgin, with all the Rationals and Comments that have ever been written upon them can furnish you with, I do once more promise you, that no pretence of their Imperti∣nence shall hinder me from sifting both them and you to the Bot∣tom. As to the present subject, I shall observe this plain Method:

• I. I will make good the Charge of Image-Worship against you.
• II. I will shew you, that in this service too, you are truly and properly guilty of Idolatry.

4. But before I enter upon these Particulars, I must stop so long as to consider the new Introduction you endeavour to amuse your Reader with: viz.

SECT. I.

Of the Benefit of Pictures and Images.

AND which brings to my mind what Tully (reckoning up the several Opinions of the Philosophers concerning the Nature of the Soul) said once of Aristoxenus, who of a Fidler became a Phi∣losopher, and asserted the Soul to be a Harmony;

Hic ab arti∣ficio suo non recessit, & tamen aliquid dixit.

You tell us then,

5. Reply, §. 19.]

That they are the Books of the Ignorant, si∣lent Orators, apt to increase in us the love of God and his Saints, and (O Elegant!) BLOW UP the DYING COALS of our AFFECTIONS into a FLAME of DEVOTION, That the representations of Holy persons, and of their glorious actions, do by their powerful Eloquence inflame us towards an imitation of their Graces and Virtues, and renew in us afresh the memory of the persons whom they represent, with a reverence and respect for them.

6. Answ.] In all which tho you fight with your own sha∣dow, and say nothing that either contradicts our Principles con∣cerning Worship, or justifies your practises; yet have you been so unhappy as to offer just matter for our Animadversion: For,

1st. It is no small mistake in you, thus to joyn Pictures and Images together, as if they were all one; when yet both your own Superstition, and the Opinion both of the Jews and Gentiles (as to the point of worshipping of them) have always made a very great difference between them. As for the ancient Heathens, they adored their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Statues, or Graven Images; because they conceived them most apt to be animated by their Gods, of which they were the resemblances. Whereas Pictures were not thought so capable of receiving that animation. The same was the distin∣ction of the Jews too, who upon this very account have always look'd upon the former sort of † Sculptures to be the thing espe∣cially forbidden in the second Commandment; insomuch that they thought it unlawful to have them even for Ornament; but for Pictures painted or woven, those they did not esteem to have been absolutely forbidden to them. And at this day in your Church, your Images are set up with solemn Consecrations to receive your

Adoration. But I do not know that any Pictures are dedicated for Altar-pieces, or other uses, with the like solemnity.

2. Another Confusion of the like kind you make in what fol∣lows, in speaking of the Pictures not only of Holy Persons, but of their Actions too. For every body knows how much more use there may be, and how much less danger there certainly is in Hi∣storical Representations, than in single Figures, but especially Carved Images.

3. Were the benefit of Images never so great, yet you know this is neither that which we dispute with you, nor for which they are set up in your Churches. Your Trent Synod expresly defines that due Veneration is to be paid to them. Your Catechism says that they are to be had not only for Instruction, but for Worship. And this is the Point in Controversie betwixt us. We retain Pictures, and sometimes even Images too in our Churches for Ornament, and (if there be such Uses to be made of them) for all the other Benefits you have now been mentioning. Only we deny that any service is to be paid to them; or any solemn Prayers to be made at their Consecration, for any Divine Vertues, or indeed for any Vertues at all, to proceed from them. This is our Business; the rest is all Impertinence in such Discourses as these, where men are to dispute, not harangue. And for Images set up in Churches, with these Cere∣monies, and for this purpose, I add

4. That were the benefits of them otherwise never so great, yet will not this be any manner of Excuse to you for the violating of God's Law, seeing, as you have been often told, and indeed do your self confess, No Evil is to be done, for any Good whatsoever that may come of it. Tho now

5. I am not altogether satisfied of the great usefulness of Ima∣ges for the instruction of the Ignorant. They may indeed serve to call Good things and Persons to their remembrance, when they have before been instructed, and by consequence in that respect are no longer ignorant of what is represented by them. But let a man, that is properly Ignorant, i. e. who never heard of the XIIth (for instance) of the Revelations, see the Virgin Mary ten thousand times painted with a Half-moon under her feet, I do not believe he would become one jot the Wiser for it. Nay,

6. In opposition to your Pretences, though all this is out of the way, yet I dare affirm, lastly, that for such Images and Pictures as are too often •…•…d both in your Churches and ••ouses, they are

so far from serving to any of those Uses you pretend, that on the contrary, if Men are not very well instructed, they will be apt to beget in them most pernicious Notions, contrary to the Honour of God, to the Nature of our Saviour Christ, and to the Covenant of His Gospel.

7. For tell me, I beseech you; Was not this the great reason wherefore God forbad any Resemblance to be made of Himself under the Law, that it was a lessening and debasing of his Nature so to do? And does not St. Paul urge this very consideration against the Athenian Idolatry? Acts XVII. 29. And is not the Divine Nature as excellent now, and as much debased by yours, as ever it was by their Representations of it? I need not tell you of the frequent Pictures of God the Father in the shape of an Old Man, and com∣monly in a Pope's Dress; and the meaning of which (if one may conjecture the design of this by the Natural tendency of it) can be no other than this, viz. to perswade the Ignorant, that as you sometimes call the Pope a God on Earth, so God is no other than the Pope of Heaven.

8. And this, were it only in some Sacred Places, would yet be too prophane for any Pious Christian to endure. But alas! you have not been so reserved. Every Office carries this Abuse in it; Hardly a Psalter or Catechism without it: Nay, I will add, what I should hardly be credited in, had not thousands among us with indig∣nation beheld it, that in the open Streets of your Cities, we may see That God who is over all blessed for ever, exposed to the scorn and meanness of a Sign-post.

9. How miserably have you by these Pictures, abused the My∣stery of the Sacred Trinity; sometimes you make it a Monster; As where you paint one Body with three Heads; One Head with three Faces; sometimes one Body with two Heads, and a Pigeon in the midst; of which Card. Capisucchi makes mention. The Sacred Trinity in the Belly of the Virgn, which Gerson says, He saw with his own Eyes in a Church of the Carmelites; the most ordinary Figures are, Either an Old Man holding a Crucifix in his Hands, and a Pigeon upon his Shoulder; Or, (as in your Eye-Catechism) on one side an Old Man with a Globe, on the other a Younger with a Cross upon his Shoulder, and a Dove betwixt them: And what is all this but to debase the glorious Godhead? In St. Paul's Phrase, to change the truth of God into a lie, by representing the Incorruptible God by an Image made like unto a Corruptible Man? And where is there a

Christian so insensible of that dishonour that is hereby done to the Majesty of that God, whom the wiser Heathens themselves never debased to the likeness of any created Being, as not with the same Apostle to have his Spirit stir'd within him, at the sight of such Impiety?

10. Nor are you at all less excusable in your Representations of our Blessed Saviour, and the Holy Virgin; not to descend to any other of the Saints. For besides that such Similitudes exhi∣bit only one, and that his inferior Nature, viz. his Manhood; how do these Pictures insensibly breed a mean Opinion of him, in the minds of the Ignorant and Unwary? As 1st, Nothing is more ordinary in the most solemn Places of your Worship, than to see our Blessed Lord still set forth as a Child, in the Arms of his Mother. And what Notions this has bred in many of your Communi∣on, I would to God the greater esteem they seem to have for the Virgin, than for Christ, did not too plainly shew. But that which renders this more intollerable, is, that you thus represent him not only upon Earth, but at this time even in Heaven; and indeed, seeing in your Legends, you speak of him as a Child still, I do not wonder if in your Pictures, you represent him too as such.

11. Thus in one of your Eye-Catechisms, set forth in Portugal, for the Instruction of the People; the latter part of the Ave-Ma∣ria, is set in this manner before them. All sorts of Men and Wo∣men upon Earth, are drawn in an open Scene, upon their Knees, and Hands lifted up to Heaven, and in the Clouds over them, the Blessed Virgin in Glory with our Saviour (as a Child) in Her Arms; and under it this Inscription, O Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us Sinners now, and in the hour of Death. Amen. Jesus.

12. In the Calender of the Saints of your Order, There is a Figure of St. Odilo, devoting himself to the blessed Virgin in this manner.

O most Holy Virgin, and Mother of the Saviour of all Ages, receive me from this day forward as your Servant, and in all my Causes, be my most merciful Advocate. For from this time, after God, I set nothing before thee, but voluntarily deliver my self for ever to be your Possession, as your proper Servant. Amen.

Above Him sits the Blessed Virgin in Glory, with our Saviour in her Arms, hold∣ing her about the Neck, after the manner of a little Child. Many of the like kind are there in those Volumes; but I may not insist upon them; I will add only some of those Figures, in which the whole Trinity are made to concur to her Honour. Thus

in the Office in the Virgin, printed at Antwerp. She is set forth in Glory in Heaven, with God the Father on the one side, and God the Son on the other, holding a Crown over her Head, the Holy Ghost above overshadowing Her, and all the People on the Earth be∣low Adoring.

13. I will not deny, but that these may be very good Instru∣ctions for Father Crasset's, or Doctor J. C's Disciples. But I can∣not see how any of the Expounding and Representing Party, will be able to prove such Pictures as these, to be much for the Edifi∣cation of the People. I shall finish these Remarks, (which have already run out into a greater length than I design'd, tho I might have added much more) with the account which the Learned Gerard Vossius gives us, of a Picture over an Altar in Flanders, in which that blasphemous Epigram is express'd of Mens doubting whether they should run to the Blood of Christ, in which alone there is Redemption to be obtain'd; or to the Milk of the Virgin. This is certainly to contradict the very Foundation of the Gospel; and to lead the Ignorant into Error in that Point, in which it is of all others the most dangerous to be mistaken; viz. Whether they ought to place the Hopes of their Salvation in the Redemption of Christ, or in the Mercy and Interest of his Mother.

14. You may at your leisure consider how to improve these things into Helps of Devotion, and useful Instructions for the illite∣rate Populace. I might have added, what has lately been else∣where observed, of the Prophaness of many (in Italy especially) in this Point: Where the most celebrated Madonna's, are the Pi∣ctures of the Painters Whores, set up in their Churches, as Objects of the Peoples Veneration. But this and other Excesses of the like kind I purposely forbear, lest I should be thought to please my self in your Impieties, which I heartily lament, and earnestly be∣beseech God to reform in you. Nor should I have said thus much, but only to shew how little Reason you had to enter on this new and most Impertinent Subject of the Benefit of Images; and that were our Cause to be try'd by this alone, we might even so expect to carry it against you. And this to your first Pre∣tence.

15. The next thing you offer in favour of your Images, is Reply § 20.]

That there is no now danger of Idolatry in this Pra∣ctice, seeing all Persons are taught that there is but one God, to whom Adoration is only due; and therefore, that they cannot be ca∣pable

of erring so grosly, as to give Divine Honour to an Image, or to think any Virtue annexed to them for which they ought to be adored. In short, it is (you say) by the subtilty of the Devil (who hates any thing that excites Devotion) that these helps to Piety, are now branded with the horrid Note of Idolatry, and Catholics represented, as if they paid the Act of Adoration to the Images themselves.

16. Answ.] That the Devil is an Enemy to Piety, and to all those things that may any way serve to promote it, I can easily believe; but that it is He, who upon this account stirs up us to oppose your Idolatry, I shall hardly Credit, tho you should give me as good an assurance of it, as ever your Brother the old Monk did the second Council of Nice, when he told them that the Devil himself had confess'd to him, how much he hated your Holy and Venerable Images. I am sure Tertullian was so far from this, that he thought 'twas the Devil that instigated Men to bring them into the World, and not to help to cast them out. But to over∣throw at once, both your Reflection and Argument together, I do here roundly affirm, That what you say is so far from being true, That there is now no danger of Idolatry in the Worship of Images, that on the contrary I will shew, that in the Worship of them pub∣lickly authorized and practiced amongst you, you do actually com∣mit it. And then every Body will see what Spirit it is that Acts us in opposition to this Service; and who it is that blinds you so far, as to make you contend for that, which both the Holy Scrip∣ture condemns, and the Primitive Christians neither knew, nor would have endured. And this brings me to my first Proposal; wherein I am

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;

SECT. III.

That the Church of Rome thus Worshipping of Images is truly and properly guilty of Idolatry.

73. THERE is nothing in all our Disputes with those of the Church of Rome that seems so much to offend them, as this Charge. They think it not only unreasonable to suppose that men in the clear light of Christianity should be capable of falling into Idolatry, but even destructive of the very nature of a Church, and by con∣sequence contrary to all those Promises of Christ in his Gospel,

That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against it;

And indeed were our Notion of Idolatry the same with what some of their late Advocates have set forth as the true and only Notion of it, I should not at all wonder at their resentments; but rather confess that we had justly deserved all those Reproaches which their intemperate Pens have of late bestow'd upon us.

74. But whatever their opinion of the true and only Notion of Idolatry be, yet common equity should have taught them to con∣fess, that we mean no more in our charge of it against them, than this, That those of the Church of Rome, in their worship of the Host, of Saints and Images, do give that Honour to the Creature, which ought to be given only to God. We do not pretend that you have either renounced the Worship of the Supreme Deity; or that you do adore either the Sun, Moon and Stars; or even Angels and Saints as such. And therefore howsoever you may dislike our Notion of Idolatry, yet you ought not to revile us for fixing a false Charge against you, but to shew that we give an ill Name to a true Charge. And because I now desire not to be mis-understood, I do first of all declare, that by my present Conclusion I intend no more than this,

That you do give the proper Acts of Divine Worship to Images, as I have already shew'd you do to Saints; and that this is truly and properly Idolatry.

75. To discharge therefore this last part of my Undertaking as I ought to do; I will proceed distinctly upon these two things,

Ist. To fix our Notion of Idolatry, against those New Idea's that have of late been given of it.

IIdly. To shew, that according to the true Notion of it, the Church of Rome in her Worship of Images is guilty of Idolatry.

I. POINT.

I. Of the true Nature of Idolatry.

76. This is what you desire me to reflect upon, and I hope it will not be thought amiss if I here with all imaginable tenderness communicate my Reflections to you.

Reply, p. 28.]

Three things (you say) there are required to make that Honour which we do pay to any thing, become Idolatrous. 1st, The Understanding must acknowledge an Excellency in the Object truly Divine, and worthy of Adoration in the strictest sense, where really there is no such Excellency. 2dly, The Will must have a propension and inclination to it as such, and pay that Ho∣nour to it. And Lastly, the Body must pay the exterior Obeysance, of bowing, kneeling, prostrating, kissing, &c. in pursuance of this interior Love and Knowledge.

77. Ans. That is to say, that no One is an Idolater, but what takes somewhat to be God that indeed is not so, and upon that account gives the Worship due to the Supreme God to a Created Being. And this explains what you had said before;

that you wonder how it could enter into the Minds of Men of common sense to conceive it possible, that in the clear light of Christianity, where all Persons are taught there is but One God to whom Adoration is only due, they should yet fall down and Adore a Stock or a Stone, and pay divine Honour to it. That the Idolatry of the ancient Jews and Heathens consisted in be∣lieving a plurality of Gods, and adoring them as such:

So that in short, let men but keep to the Knowledge of the One true God, and not worship Saints, or Images, as such; and then there is no danger of Idolatry for any Other Worship that may be paid to them.

78. And now let Idolatry be as stabbing and cut-throat a word as it will; Be its punishment, if it were possible, greater than what a Reverend Author has lately told us is its least, Death and Damnation; If this be the only Idolatry, viz. to worship somewhat else besides God, as supposing it to be very God; I dare confidently affirm in be∣half of all those Popular Divines that have ever used that scolding word, That the Church of Rome is not Idolatrous in the worship of Saints or Images, nor has it in this sense ever been charged by us

as such. But to shew the Vanity of this Pretence; and yet more clearly express what we mean by this Charge, I will now very plainly examine these two things:

I. Whether, according to the Scripture-Notion of Idolatry, those may not be guilty of it, who yet both Know and Worship the One true God?

II. How such Persons may become Guilty of it?

I. Whether, according to the Scripture-Notion of Idolatry, those may not be guilty of it, who yet both Know and Worship the One true God?

79. And here it is not my design to enter on any large Discourse about the general Nature of Idolatry; but still remembring the par∣ticular Point before me, to prove it only in such Instances, as are more immediately applicable to it. And such are especially these two:

• 1st, The Idolatry of the Golden Calf.
• 2dly, Of the Calves of Dan and Bethel.

80. As to the former of these, it has of late been suggested, That it was made by Aaron as the Symbol of the Egyptian Apis or Osyris; and to whose Idolatry the Israelites now return'd in the Worship of it. But this is indeed a very weak Suggestion; and whosoever will but consider the Circumstances of what was done by that People on this occasion, will presently see, that they de∣sign'd that Calf to be the Symbol not of any Egyptian Deity, but of the true God, whom accordingly they worshipp'd in presence of it. And this will appear;

81. 1st, From the occasion of this Idolatry; which was not any Infidelity as to the true God, or that they had now any better Reasons given them for the Worship of others besides him; but because Moses delayed to come down from the Mount, therefore they urged Aaron to make them a God, that might go before them. They had now rested a long time in that place, and were impatient to go on to∣wards the Land of Promise. But having now no Moses to enquire of Gods Pleasure, they wanted an Oracle to consult upon these Occasions. And therefore they cri'd out unto Aaron, Up, make us Gods that shall go before us, for as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

82. Now that this was all they intended by it, will appear, 2dly, From the Character which the People presently gave to the

Calf, as soon as it was made: This is thy God; or as the Chaldee Paraphrast renders it, This is thy Fear, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt. For sure the People were not so stupid as to think it was either that Image which had brought them up out of Egypt; or that the Gods of Egypt had plagued their own People for their sakes, and with a high hand deliver'd them out of their Power. No, doubtless they understood by it their God, who but just before at the delivery of the Law, had assumed this as his own peculiar Character, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and out of the house of Bondage. And this naturally Suggests to me a third Evidence of this Truth.

83. From the Title which Aaron himself gave to that God, of which this Calf was the Symbol. Ver. 5.

And when Aaron saw it, he built an Altar before it; and Aaron made Proclamation and said, To morrow is a feast unto the LORD.

This was the peculiar and incommunicable name of the God of Israel, which he assumed un∣to himself, Exod. VI. 2. when he renew'd his Covenant with them; and we do not find any one place in all the Holy Scripture, where it has ever been attributed to any other.

84. 4thly, Had the People hereby designed this to be the Sym∣bol of the Egyptian Deities; how comes it to pass, that (as we read in the next Verse) they offer'd Burnt-offerings, and Peace-offerings un∣to it. For this, both the Scripture tells us, was an Abomination to the Egyptians; and a late Advocate for you, freely confesses, that they esteem'd Bullocks and Rams to be Sacred Animals, and there∣fore never offer'd any of them to their Gods.

85. Lastly, The Scripture plainly distinguishes this Idolatry from that of the Egyptians, and makes the one to have been the Punishment of the other. It is confess'd, or rather contended for by the Author I but now mentioned, that the Egyptian Idolatry consisted in worshipping the Sun, Moon and Stars, as the Supreme Deity: Now, this St. Stephen tells us, that God afterwards per∣mitted them to fall into, and therefore it must have been some other Idolatry, which in this Case they were Guilty of; For speaking of their setting up the Golden Calf, Acts VII. 41. He thus goes on, ver. 42. THEN God turned, and gave them up to wor∣ship the Host of Heaven.

86. As for the other Instance I proposed to consider; The Calves of Dan and Bethel; the Occasion of their making, was this.

When the ten Tribes had thrown off Rehoboam from being their King, and had chosen Jeroboam to Reign over them; This new Usurper, fearing lest if the People went up at the yearly Sacri∣fices to Jerusalem, where Rehoboam still Reigned over the other two Tribes, it might in time occasion their falling away from him, set up two Calves in Dan and Bethel, and made Altars before them, and perswaded the People, saying, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: Behold thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt.

87. Now that Jeroboam intended these Calves to be Symbols of the God of Israel, appears, 1st, From most of those Reflections I before made. He gives them the same Character by which they constantly understood the God of Israel; Behold (says he) thy God, that brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt. He offer'd Sacrifies before them, and consecrated the Priests that Ministred unto them, with a young Bullock and seven Rams. All which is exactly agree∣able to what God required of them, but was utterly inconsistent with the Idolatry of Egypt. But

88. 2dly, We have some more peculiar Proofs of this matter. I speak not now of the readiness of the People in complying with him, which it is not imaginable they would so easily have done, had he intended to lead them to the Worship of strange Gods. Nor will I insist upon the danger, which so sudden an Innovation might have brought to this new King, and who was not so little a Polititian, as to attempt such an Alteration at a time when he was hardly yet well establish'd in his new Usurpation. These are indeed great Probabilities, but such as this Cause needs not; seeing it has the Evidence of Holy Scripture fully confirming it; It being certain that the Idolatry of these Calves did not take them off from the Service of the true God. Let us examine all along the History of the Kings of Israel; we shall find them constantly worshipping the Jehovah, the God of Israel. Jehu was zealous for him; he destroy'd the Ido∣latry of Baal out of his concern for the Lord; and had the King∣dom by Gods own immediate Promise setled upon his Posterity for his so doing. And yet it is expresly said of him, Howbeit from the Sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to Sin, Jehu departed not from after them, viz. the Golden Calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

89. Who was it but the true God for whom Elijah appear'd so zealous? 1 King. XVIII. when he enter'd into that famous trial

with the Prophets of Baal; If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, than follow him. And the Fire came down from Heaven, and burnt up the Sacrifice, and all the people confest, saying,

The Lord he is the God; The Lord he is the God.

90. Hence it is, that when Ahab fell into that other kind of Idolatry which consists in worshipping of false Gods, he is repre∣sented as much more heinously offending God, than the other Kings of Israel, who worshipp'd the Calves of Dan and Bethel, 1 Kings XVI. 31.

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, that he went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

91. By all which it undoubtedly appears, that in both these cases, they design'd by those Calves to worship the true God; and then seeing it is confest they did commit Idolatry in that service, it must remain that men may know, and serve the true God, and yet by worshipping him in this prohibited manner, may in the in∣terpretation of the Divine Law commit Idolatry.

92. I shall conclude this with that Confession which the Evi∣dence of truth in this matter has extorted from Cardinal Bellarmin and and some others of your own Communion; where answering this objection, that when the Golden Calf was set up, Aaron pro∣claimed a Feast not to any other strange God but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the LORD, to the Jehovah,

It is (says he) the solution of Abulensis and others, that there were two sorts of Idols among the Hebrews. One without the name of any certain God, as that of Micha, Judges XVII. and perhaps the Golden Calf which Aaron made, Exod. XXXII. and Jeroboam renew'd, 1 King. XII. for the Scripture does not call the Calf the God Moloch, or the God Baal,

These are thy GODS, O Israel. The other sort of Idols had a certain name; as Baal, Moloch, Ashtoreth, Chamos, &c. as is plain, 1 King. XI. &c. They say therefore, and that not improbably, that it may be admitted of the former kind, That the Jews did think that in the Idol THEY WORSHIPPED THE TRUE GOD.

93. And now tho this might suffice to shew how consistent the guilt of Idolatry is with the acknowledgment of one true God, yet will I add a reflection or two more, for the farther confir∣mation of it. For,

First, Were such a Notion as this of Idolatry to be admitted, it would serve no less to excuse the Heathens than those of the Church of Rome of the guilt of it. For however they worshipp'd

other inferior Deities, as these do Saints and Angels with a lower degree of Religious Honour; yet even they too acknowledged one supreme God, who was over all, and to whom the highest Wor∣ship and Adoration alone was due. This has been so largely proved by T. G's worthy and learned Antagonist, not to mention any others who have occasionally treated of this Argument, that I shall not need to enter on any particular induction in order to the asserting of it.

94. Secondly, It cannot be question'd but that this new Notion of Idolatry, set up on purpose to excuse you from that Imputa∣tion, is utterly repugnant to the Principles of the Ancient Fathers, who certainly charged those with Idolatry, who yet believed and worshipp'd the very same God with themselves. Thus St. Athanasius charges the Arrians with Idolatry for adoring Christ,

whom they esteem'd to be a Creature. He tells them, that no supposition of any Excellencies whatever in him, altho derived from God, would excuse them. But that if they thought him a meer man, and yet adored him, they would be found worshippers of men for all that.

Nay he doubts not to parallel them with the Gentiles, and to compare the ser∣vice they paid to our Saviour upon this supposition, with that which the other gave to their inferior Deities. And the same was the opinion of all the rest of those great men, Gregory Nazianzen, Nyssen, Epiphanius, &c. and whose words are so well known, that I shall not need to transcribe them.

95. But now that I have mentioned Epiphanius, I may not for∣get another sort of Idolatry exploded by him, and yet more near our purpose than the foregoing. I mean that Worship which some Superstitious Women in his time paid to the Blessed Virgin by offer∣ing a Cake to her. Now this that Holy Father condemns as down∣right Idolatry, and the device of the Devil. And to shew how consistent the charge of Idolatry is with the worship of one God, he gives us a similitude that would almost imply a necessity of acknowledging the one true God to compleat the nature of it:

Idolatry (says he) comes into the world through an Adulterous inclina∣tion of the mind, which cannot be contented with one God alone: Like an Adulterous Woman that is not satisfied with the chast em∣braces of one Husband, but wanders in her lust after many lovers.

So possible did those Ancient Fathers think it to be for Men in the clear light of Christianity, and retaining the acknowledgment of the true God, nevertheless to commit Idolatry.

96. I might add here the Exhortations of the New Testa∣ment, where both S. Paul and S. John, among other Cautions to the Christians of their Times, place that of fleeing from I∣dolatry; and this in such a manner, as evidently supposes them very capable of continuing the Profession of Christianity, and the Knowledg and Worship of God, and yet of falling into it. But I shall content my self, lastly, to close up this with the Confessions of Learned Romanists themselves, who have ac∣knowledged Idolatry to be consistent with the Worship of the true God.

97. S. Thomas defines Idolatry to be a Sin, whereby the singu∣larity of God's Dominion is taken from him: And Card Caje∣tane in his Notes upon this same Question, supposes that a Chri∣stian may commit Idolatry, and yet be so far from renouncing the true God, as not to violate any part of his Faith in him. Gregory de Valentia, says 'tis Idolatry;

Whensoever a Man in∣tends to apply to a Creature, either by Words or by Actions, any estimation which is proper unto the Majesty of God, whether it be done directly or indirectly.

Vasquez reckons those to be Idola∣ters, who give to an Image the Service due to God; and defines an Idol in general to be, Whatsoever is worshipped as God that is not truly so. Now all these either manifestly suppose the Knowledg of the True God, or at least do not exclude it.

98. But what need I insist upon Generals, seeing if we may believe those of your own Communion, you are not only ca∣pable, for all your Christianity, of falling into Idolatry; but in this very Point of Image-Worship, are actually guilty of it. For,

1st, Cardinal Bellarmine disputing against that which I have shewn by such a number of Witnesses to be the True Doctrine of your Church, viz.

That the Image of Christ is to be worshipp'd with proper Divine Worship;

doubts not to say this is Idolatry; And therefore argues in this manner against it:

That this Worship is either given to the Image for it self, or for the sake of another. If for it self, it is plainly IDOLATRY; if for another, it is not proper Divine Worship, because the very Na∣ture of that is to be given for it self. Again; Either the Divine Worship (says he) which is given to the Image relatively for a∣nother, is the same with that which is given to God, or it is an inferior Worship. If it be the same, then the Creature is equally

worshipped with God, which CERTAINLY IS IDOLATRY. For Idolatry is not only when GOD IS FORSAKEN, and an Idol worshipped, but when an Idol is worshipped together with God. If it be an Inferior Worship, then it is not the proper Di∣vine Worship.

99. So that now then the Point is reduced to a fair issue. Either we must pay the same Adoration to the Image that we do to the Original, and then Card. Bellarmine pronounces us Ido∣laters; Or we must give it only an Inferior Honour, and then Card. Capisucchi, and the Inquisition, damn us as Hereticks. Nay, but there is Idolatry committed go which way you will. For Vasquez, another Learned Jesuit, and whose Works have been no less approved than Card. Bellarmine's, tells us;

That if a Man give inferior Worship to an Image, distinct from that which is given to the Thing represented by it, he thereby incurs the guilt of IDOLATRY, because he expresses his submission to a meer inanimate Thing, that hath no kind of Excellency to de∣serve it from him.

And now seeing there is so much danger of Idolatry, whatever the Honour be that is given to Images, I hope we may be the easier excused, if admonished by these Confessions, and directed by God's Commandments, we refuse to give them any Honour at all. And thus much be said to the first Point,

That a Man may be capable of falling into Ido∣latry, though he continues both to know and worship the One true God.

My next Business is,

2dly, To shew, How this may be done by him.

100. I shall mention only two ways, and which I have al∣ready before infinuated; ••iz.

• 1. By worshipping the True God after an Idolatrous man∣ner.
• 2. By giving Divine Worship to any other besides Him.

1. By worshipping the True God after an Idolatrous man∣ner.

101. This was the Case of the Israelites, in the Examples I have before mention'd, of the Calves of Aaron and Jeroboam. They directed their Adoration to the JEHOVAH, the

LORD their God that brought them up out of the Land of Egypt. To him they proclaim'd the Feast, and offer'd Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices upon their Altars. Yet because they set up a Symbol of him, contrary to his Command, and worshipp'd him after an Idolatrous manner, they are expresly charged as Idolaters in Holy Scripture; and the Worship that was intended by them to God, is represented as given to a Molten Image.

102. And the same was the Case of that other Image which Card. Bellarmine joins with these, viz. the Teraphim of Micha, Judg. XVII. that these were designed for the Service of the True God, is plain, seeing both his Mother is said to have con∣secrated the Silver of which they were made 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the JEHOVA, Vers. 3. and Micha himself hired a Levite of the LORD's to be his Priest, Vers. 10, 11. And he comforted himself upon this consideration, Vers. 13.

Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest.

And again, Chap. xviii. 5. The Priest asked Counsel of GOD; for some of the Danites that enquired of him, and GOD, or the JEHOVA, gave them a true Answer. It is supposed by some in favour of this Micha, that being a Religious Man, and the publick Service of God being very much obstructed by the miserable Violence of those Times, he made himself a little Oratory, and placed in it all the Furniture of the Tabernacle, with these Teraphim to resemble the Cherubims of the Ark, whose Figure S. Hierome and others suppose them to have had. But whatever becomes of this Fancy, that which I have to observe now is, that what the Original Hebrew stiles Teraphim, the old Vulgar Latin calls Idols; and in that famous Passage, 2 Sam. xv. 23. they are both join'd in the same rank of Ilness with one ano∣ther;

For Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft; and to transgress an Idol and a Teraphim:

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so Symmachus rendèrs it; and so both the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that place must undoubtedly be understood. And indeed Card. Cajetan himself confesses as to the very Point before us, that the whole Work (however Micah intended it) was in God's estimation without question Idolatry: And to whose Opinion we have al∣ready seen Card. Bellarmine to have agreed; not to mention Tostatus and others whom he refers to as acknowledging the same likewise.

103. 2dly, As for the other way by which a Man may com∣mit Idolatry, who yet both acknowledges and worships the True God, viz. by giving Divine Worship to any other together with him; I have already offer'd Instances of that in the Cases of the Arrians and Collyridians; the one of which for worshipping Christ, whom they supposed to be but a Creature; the other for offering a Cake to the Virgin Mary, are charged by the Ancient Fathers as guilty of Idolatry. Nor is this without foundation from the Holy Scripture. For besides, that first of all we find there

all Religious Worship appropriated to God only;

and there∣fore to give such Worship to any other, must be practically to set up another God. To say nothing, 2dly; that if any such Worship has at any time been offer'd any Holy Men or Angels, they have not only constantly refused it as a great Abomina∣tion, but have still given this Reason for it, that they were Creatures, and by consequence not to be adored: Stand up (says St. Peter to Cornelius) for I also am a Man. Sirs, Why do ye these things? (says St. Paul to the Men of Lystra, who would have offer'd Sacrifice to him) We are also Men of like Passions with you. See thou do it not, (says the Angel to St. John) for I am thy fellow Servant: worship God. All which sufficiently shew, that to worship any other besides God, is to raise them above the state of Creatures, and in effect to make Idols of them. We may observe, 3dly, That to give even the least part of that Service which is due only to God to any Creature, is expresly called Idolatry. Thus because we ought to trust in God only: Covetous Men who (as St. Paul tells them) trust in uncertain Riches, are in the New Testament called Idolaters. And sure those do not less deserve this Character, who trust in the Bles∣sed Virgin and the Saints, or by any other Act of proper religious Worship, such as Prayer, and in one word all those other In∣stances of religious Adoration I have heretofore mentioned, shew that they divide the proper Service of God with them.

104. Let us add to this, 4thly, That Cardinal Bellarmine himself confesses that Idolatry is committed, not only when God is forsaken and an Idol worshipped, but when an Idol is worshipped together with him. And this he proves from Ex∣od. XX. 23. Ye shall not make WITH ME Gods of Silver, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. says your Learned Vatablus, to worship them

toge∣ther

with Me: For I will that ye should worship ME A∣LONE, and not joyn any Companion WITH ME.

105. I shall finish this with the Consideration of that Charge which S. Paul brings against the Gnostick Hereticks, and in which he plainly argues against their Idolatry, Rom. 1. 25.

That they changed the Truth of God into a Lie, i. e. says Theo∣doret,

they gave the name of God to an Idol: and worshipped or served the Creature 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 besides, but yet toge∣thér with the Creator, who is blessed for ever, Amen.

For whereas (says the same Father) they ought to have worshipped the true God, they gave Divine Worship to the-Creature; To the same Accusation are they subject, who calling the only begotten Son of God of a Creature, do yet worship him as God. For they ought in their Divinity either not to rank him among the Creatures, but with God that begat Him, or if they will have Him to be a Creature, they ought not to give Worship to Him as a Deity.

106. Hence Athanasius calls this

the folly of the Arrians and Greeks: to worship the Creature, besides or with the Creator.

And again,

The Apostle (says he) accuses the Greeks that they worshipped the Creatures, seeing that they served the Creature be∣sides the Creator; seeing then the Arrians say that our Lord is a Creature, and serve him as such, wherein do they differ from the Greeks or Gentiles?

And lastly, S. Jerome in answer to the charge of Vigilantius, who accused them of Idolatry for worshipping the Reliques of the Martyrs, utterly renounces the Charge upon the same Foundation:

But as for us (says he) so far are we from adoring the Reliques of the Martyrs, that we do not worship the Sun or the Moon, not any Angels or Arch-angels, not the Cherubims nor Seraphim, nor any Name that is named either in this World or in that to come, lest we should serve the Creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.

107. And thus have I endeavour'd in as short a compass as I could, to clear the general Nation of Idolatry, as far as con∣cerned the Point before me, and in which I suppose you to have erred more for your Churches sake, than for any great difficulty there is in understanding the nature of this Sin. It will now be an easie task from these Principles to infer, (which is my next Point.)

II. That your Church in the Worship of Images is truly and properly guilty of it.

And this I shall shew according to what you desire;

• 1st, With reference to those who hold that Images are to be worshipped with the same Worship as the Things which they represent.
• 2dly, As it concerns their Opinion, who denying this, yet allow an inferiour Honour to them.

First, That they are guilty of Idolatry, who worship Images with the same Honour as the Things which they represent.

108. Where first I must observe, that this, however of late opposed by you and the rest of our new Representers, is yet not only the most general received Doctrine of the Roman Church, but so esteem'd to be the sense of your two Councils of Nice and Trent, that Card. Capisucchi produces a long Catalogue of your greatest Writers who have look'd upon it as savouring of Heresy to oppose it. And not only Monsieur Imbert in France, but also Aegidius Magistralis, and the French Gentleman, whose Case I before represented, will assure you, that in the Inquisiti∣ons of Italy, Spain, and Portugal, 'tis somewhat more than a Scholastick Nicety, or a probable Opinion, which may without danger be opposed by you. And therefore, tho to make good my promise, I shall also dispute this Point with you too upon your own Principles; yet I must needs declare that 'tis here I esteem my self truly to oppose the Doctrine of your Church in this particular.

109. Now that they who hold this sort of Image-worship are thereby guilty of Idolatry, is so evident that your own Card. Bellarmine could not forbear reproaching them with it: And whose words I will once more produce, not more for the Au∣thority than the Weight of them; where maintaining this Con∣clusion,

That Images of themselves and properly are not to be worshipped with the same Worship with which the Exemplar is worshipped, He thus argues against the contrary Opinion: Ei∣ther that Latria or Divine Worship which is given to the Image,

for another is the same with that Worship which is paid to God, or it is some inferiour Honour: If it be the same, then the Creature is equally worshipped with God himself, which is certainly Idolatry; For it is Idolatry, not only to forsake God and worship an Idol, but to worship an Idol together with God. As it is written, ye shall not make Gods of Gold or of Silver together with Me. Thus this great Writer.

And tho I ought not to expect such free Declarations from you, whose business it is to dissemble, and soften, and accommodate things all you can, yet have you plainly enough insinuated the very same. For when you lay down this Position,

That the Image of our Saviour Christ, or the Holy Cross, is upon no account whatsoever to be worshipped with Divine Worship, that Wor∣ship being due only to God:

All you have to say for the other Opinion is, that it MAY, nay that's not enough, it MAY POSSIBLY be defended, which is, I think, a tacit Confessi∣on, that, to say the truth, you doubted it could not. 'Tis true, you afterwards grow more confident, and improve your POS∣SIBLY into EASILY;

I say these Expressions of the Schools MAY be EASILY defended;

but then you add, that it must be done by

interpreting them so as not to shock this first Principle, That God alone is to be worshipped;

That is to say, by changing the Conclusion; and whereas they say,

That the Cross is to be worshipped together with Christ with Divine Worship; you give it the new turn, That not the Cross, but Christ in presence of the Cross is to be worshipped with Divine Worship. For otherwise you had before told us, that the Holy Cross it self must upon no account whatsoever be worshipped with Divine Worship;

and again here, this first Principle (say you) must not be shock'd,

That God alone is to be adored with Divine Adoration.

110. It appears by this how uneasy you are in this Case, and it is not a little Confirmation to us of the Security of our Condition, to see that you whose concern it so much is to be very well assured of what you do, yet cannot agree among your selves what Honour is to be given to Images. But one Party thinks that cannot be maintain'd without Idolatry, which the other declares may not be deny'd without Heresie. As for the Images of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, that those commit Idolatry who worship them with the same Religious Worship that

they pay to the Exemplars, will follow from what I have be∣fore said of your worshipping the Blessed Virgin and Saints themselves. For if it be Idolatry to give Religious Worship to the Prototypes, it must then be much more so, to pay it to the Images.

111. For your other Images, those of our Saviour Christ and the Holy Trinity, I shall need no other Argument than that of Card. Bellarmine before-mention'd, to shew the Worship of those too to be Idolatry. It being evident that to give Divine Ado∣ration to any Creature, that is, to worship any Creature as God, is to make an Idol of it, and therefore the Service that is thereby paid to it must be Idolatry. Now that this is the Case of those who hold this Opinion, if what I have already cited from them be not sufficient to show, and especially where they declare (as we have seen) that not only Christ, but the Image it self too is to terminate the Divine Worship which is paid to Christ by it; I am sure the Reason which they bring to establish their Conclusion will be more than enough to do it: viz.

That the same Indivisible Act is at once and indivisibly the Worship both of the Image, and of Christ represented by the Image. And if the Image of Christ be adored with the same indivisible Adoration with which Christ is adored, that Adoration must be the supreme Divine Adoration, seeing with such only Christ is to be adored.

112. But how then do's the Cardinal excuse this from being Idolatry. He answers,

That it is not Idolatry, because the Image as an Image is in that respect Christ himself. For in this respect (says he) the Image of Christ is not consider'd PRECISELY as it is a CREATURE, but as it is a Divine Thing, and Christ himself by Representation.

And then he dogmatically concludes,

That it is not at all inconvenient that a CREATURE as it is a Divine Thing, and after a certain manner one with God, should be honour'd with the very same Divine Honour, with which God himself is honour'd.

In short, he confesses that the Images of Christ, upon the ac∣count of their being so, may be adored with the very same Ado∣ration that Christ himself is; and that in such a respect it is not at all inconvenient for the Creature to have Divine Worship paid to it. He looks upon Idolatry to be then only committed when the Image is worshipped exclusively to God, but that it

is none to worship God by an Image, or to worship an Image together with God. But yet since he confesses that Images con∣sider'd as Images, in their Representative Natures, are still but Creatures, and to worship any Creature with the Worship due only to God (whatever the pretence be for the so doing) is in effect to set up another God, which must needs be Idolatry; It will remain that no pretence of Scholastick Niceties will be able to excuse this great Man from Card. Bellarmine's censure of Idolatry;

Seeing (as he truly tells us) it is Idolatry not only to forsake God and worship an Idol, but to worship an Idol together with God.

But all this will more evidently appear from the other Consideration, in which I am to shew,

Secondly, That even those who deny this Supreme Divine Honour to Images, are yet guilty of Idolatry in what they allow to them.

113. The truth is, the case of these Men is, I think, rather more inexcusable than that of the other kind, because that (in S. Paul's words) Rom. 1. 32.

Knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things as these are worthy of Death, they not only do the same, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. They assent to those who do them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

so Theophylact; they defend and patronize them: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. As Theodoret very well observes upon this place.

114. Now that this is indeed truly your Case appears, 1st, In that at the same time that you assert in express terms, that you do not worship Images, God forbid: That the Cross is upon NO ACCOUNT WHATSOEVER to be worshipp'd with Divine Worship; you nevertheless comply with those others before mention'd in all the most forbidden Instances of Divine Adoration. You incense them, you carry them solemnly in Processions, you consecrate them for this very end that they may be worshipped, you prostrate your selves before them in the Church of God, and in the time of Prayer, you desire several Graces to accrue to you by your serving of them, nay you address your very Prayers to them, which your own Aquinas makes use of to prove that a proper Divine Adoration is due to the Cross; for having laid down this Conclusion, that the Cross is to be adored

with the same Adoration that Christ himself is; He immediately subjoins,

And for this cause it is that we speak to the Cross, and pray to it as to Christ himself. Where you must observe

(says Card. Cajetan in his Notes on that Passage) that S. Thomas

brings our speaking to the Cross as an effect of the same Adora∣tion with which Christ is adored. For because we speak to the Cross as Christ, 'tis a sign that we recur to the Cross as to Christ.

By all which it appears that you are in this matter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or self-condemned: If you believe this Wor∣ship to be lawful and yet deny it, of Hypocrisy towards us; if you think it to be Idolatrous, and yet comply with it, of a great Sin towards God.

115. And that which yet farther confirms me in this is, to consider what wretched Evasions you make use of to excuse your selves in these Particulars. Can any thing be more piti∣ful than the Expositions you have here offer'd, of your Conse∣crating of Crosses, of your Good-friday-Service, and of the Hymns of your Church, which I had alledged as Instances of that Wor∣ship you give to Images? Do not these plainly shew a desperate Cause: and that you are but too sensible that your old Practices are not to be reconciled with your new Pretences.

116. If while I am endeavouring to convince you of Idolatry, I do by the way discover your Insincerity, 'tis what I cannot help. But all the use I shall make at present of these Remarks shall be to observe, that even those among you who pretend the most to deny a Divine Worship to Images, yet must allow such Acts of it as these I have here recounted. Now that even this will involve you in this Guilt, is evident from the Scripture-Notion of Idolatry before establish'd. For I desire you to tell me, if you can, what did those Israelites do when they wor∣shipped the Golden Calf, that you do not at this day practise in the very same manner? Was it, 1. that they worshipped God by an Image? But if this be Idolatry, you cannot deny but that you do the very same. Or, was it, 2. that they did not re∣fer their Worship finally to God, but terminated their Adoration upon the very Image it self? Nay, but Aaron in express terms proclaim'd a Feast unto the Lord; and to whom can we suppose that they offer'd their Burnt-offerings and their Peace-offerings, but to the same LORD to whom the Feast it self was pro∣claim'd?

117. To conclude; There is nothing in that whole History to make us doubt but that they design'd that Calf only as a Symbol of the God of Israel: And their Idolatry by Conse∣quence was no other than what the most moderate Men of your Church must confess themselves to be guilty of, viz.

That, contrary to God's express Command, you set up Graven Images as Representations of our Saviour Christ and the Holy Trinity; and worship the infinite and incomprehensible God,

in a Figure made like unto a Mortal Man: Which God himself has warranted us by his holy Word to call Idolatry.

118. It remains therefore upon the whole, that either you must shew us to be mistaken in our Notion of Idolatry; or you will never be able to acquit your selves of the Charge of it. And when you have done this, we shall then only tell you, that you commit a Sin in this Service, that you violate God's holy Law which forbids it; but for the denomination of it, we shall leave it to you, whose Sin it is, to give it what particular Name you your selves think fit.

Of RELIQUES.

119. IN the Point of Reliques you offer only two things in answer to all that I had said upon that Subject, viz.

Reply] First,

That the whole of my Discourse proceeded upon verbal Dispute, what we are to call that Honour which you give to them, and which you deny to be properly Worship. Secondly, You once more egregiously cavil about the Trans∣lation of that Part of the Council of Trent which con∣cerns this Subject, and deny that you seek to the sacred Mo∣numents or Reliques of the Saints for the obtaining of THEIR Help and Assistance.

120. Answ.] For answer to which Pretences, because I as little love to prolong Disputes at any time, as you do when you have no more to say in order to the carrying of them on; I will lay aside words, and bring the Issue to the things themselves,

and shew how miserably you have prevaricated in this Point too, as wellas in the foregoing, by proving,

• I. That you do properly worship the Reliques of your Saints.
• II. That you do seek to them for Help and Assistance.

And when this is done, I shall not need say any thing to prove that you here also commit Idolatry; seeing you allow the Cases of Images and Reliques to be the same; and the Council of Trent makes this to be the very difference between the Heathens and them, and that by which they hope to escape the Censure of Idolatry, viz.

That they do not believe any Divi∣nity or Virtue in Images for which they ought to be worshipped, or that any thing is to be asked of them, or any trust to be put in them.

Tho how truly they declare this, the account I have before given of your consecrating both of Crosses and Agnus Dei's will sufficiently show.

I. That you do truly and properly worship the Reliques of your Saints.

121. This is a Point that in any other Age, or Country but ours, would have needed no Proof. And it is not the least Argu∣ment of an innovating Spirit in you, that no Words or Expressions are of any value with you, as often as you are minded to give us what you call the Churches Sense. Let your Writers use never so many Phrases to assure to us their Opinion that Re∣liques are to be worshipp'd, all this signifies nothing, they meant no more by it than an

Honour or Veneration due to the sacred Re∣mains of those Saints who were once the Temples of the Living God; and not a Worship or Adoration taken in its strict Sense.

There is hardly an Expression that can signifie a proper Worship which your own Authors have not made use of to declare the Service they thought due to them.

I ADORE, WORSHIP, embrace the Reliques of the Saints, said one in the second Council of Nice, and the whole Assembly resolved, Act. IV. That their Bones, Ashes, Raggs, Blood, and Sepulchres, should be ADORED, only Men should not offer Sacrifice unto them.

Card. Baronius speaks of it as an Honour done Him by Pope Clement VIIIth, that tho most unworthy of so great an under∣taking,

he was yet sent by him to examine and ADORE the venerable Body of S. Cecilia. And though the cautious Synod of Trent said only that Reliques should be VENERATED, yet seeing it neither condemned the Opinions of those who taught they were to be worshipped, but rather allow'd the Acts of proper Divine Service to be paid to them. What can we conclude, but that they made use of a loose Expression to satisfy the more moderate Party of your Communion, at the same time that they resolved by their practice to favour the Superstition of those who properly adored them?

122. Now that this was truly the Case, will appear,

First, From what I have before said, concerning the Holy CROSS; which is consider'd by you in a double Capacity, both as an Image and as a Relique; and is upon both accounts decla∣red to be worthy of the very SAME ADORATION that Christ himself is; And I hope that is a proper Worship in the strictest sense. For thus St. Thomas argues;

If we speak of the very Cross upon which Christ was crucified, it is to be wor∣shipped with Divine Worship, both as it represents Christ, and as it touch'd the Members of Christ, and was sprinkled with his Blood. And for this Cause we both speak to the Cross and pray to it, as if it were Christ Crucified upon it.

Where note, (says Cajetane)

That our speaking to the Cross is here produ∣ced as an Effect of the same Adoration with which Christ is ado∣red.

This I think is plain enough, and may serve to shew both with what sincerity you deny that properly speaking you do worship Reliques; or that 'tis not the Cross, but Christ Cru∣cified upon it, to whom you speak in these Addresses; and which I have before vindicated against your Cavils.

123. Now this is the more to be consider'd, in that here you cannot say, as you do in the Case of Images, that the Figure and the Proto-type are in a manner united together, and that therefore the Image in its representative Nature is in some sort very Christ: The reason of this Worship being only a former Relation to our Saviour; because (says Aquinas) it heretofore touch'd his Sacred Members, or was sprinkled with his Blood. Upon which single account Cardinal Capisucchi doubts not to affirm,

That the Wood of the Cross is so sanctified and consecrated by

Christ, that every the least Particle of the Cross divided from the whole, and from the other parts do's remain Consecrated and Sanctified; and therefore that every the least piece of the Cross is to be adored with the very same supreme Divine Adoration that Christ himself is.

So truly have you told us, that you do not allow Relicks a Worship or Adoration taken in its strictest sense.

124. And what I have now said of the Cross, will in the next place no less hold for the Nails, Lance, and other In∣struments of his Passion. Upon which account, as we have seen that you address to the Cross, so you also do to the Lance;

Hail O triumphant Iron! Happy Spear! Wound us with the Love of him that was pierced by thee.

It is possible you may find out this too in the Corpus Poctarum; and by the same Figure that the Cross signifies at once both the Material Cross, and our Saviour that hung upon it, may make the Spear here signify at once both S. Longinus's Spear, and the Body of Christ that was wounded with it. And that you may see how much it will be worth the while to have such an Ecclesiastical Trope invented. I will add one Instance more of another Relique that has an Address made to it altogether as much wanting it as either of the foregoing. The Relique I mean is the Veronica, or Cloth which our Saviour Christ wiped his Face, and left the Impres∣sion of his Visage upon it. And to this you thus pray;

Hail Holy Face of our Redeemer, printed upon a Cloth white as Snow; purge us from all Spot of Vice, and join us to the Company of the Blessed. Bring us to our Country, O happy Figure! there to see the pure Face of Christ.

This is I suppose a plain Instance enough what kind of Honour you pay to Reliques. And that this Cloth might never want Votaries to worship it, your Pope John XXII, has vouchsafed no less than Ten thou∣sand Days Indulgence to every repetition of this Prayer. I might add other Instances of this kind of Superstition: But I go on,

125. Thirdly, To another Instance of your giving religious Worship to Reliques; and that is your allow'd practice of swear∣ing by them. Now that to swear by another, is to give that thing by which you swear the VVorship due to God only; both the nature of an Oath, which implies a calling of God to witness,

and therebly acknowledges him to be the Inspector of the Heart, and the just Avenger of the falshood of it, and the Authority of Holy Scripture plainly declare;

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, says Moses, Deut. vi. 13. and shalt serve him only, and swear by his Name. How shall I be favourable unto thee? says God by the Prophet Jeremy, Chap. v. 9. Thy Children have forsaken me, and sworn by those that are no Gods.

But now the Catechism of your late Synod of Trent allows you to swear by the Cross, and Reliques of your Saints; and there is nothing more common among you than so to do. When the Emperor comes to Rome to take the Imperial Diadem at his Holiness's Hands, he thus swears:

I King of the Romans SWEAR—By the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and by the VVood of the Cross, and by these Reliques of the Saints, &c.

In which we find the Holy Trinity join'd in the same rank with the Wood of the Cross, and with the Reliques of the Saints.

126. Nor am I here concern'd in those Pretences that are sometimes brought to excuse this, viz. that you hereby intend no more than to swear by God, seeing it is plain that you do it at once both by God and Them. And again; That you do not believe that thereby any strength is added to the Oath which it would not otherwise have; for allowing this, yet still you do swear by them; and if there be neither any reason for it, nor benefit in it, you are never the less culpable, but the more inexcusably so upon this account. But indeed you do ex∣pect a benefit by this swearing; and suppose that the Saints do hereby become Sureties with God to you to see the Oath fulfill'd, and to punish the Perjury if it be not. And so you not only swear by the Reliques as well as by God, but ascribe all the rea∣son and design of an Oath to the Saints in common with God. I will illustrate this in one of your own Instances, which will clear this Matter to us. It happen'd that one of your Saintesses, S. Guria, was married to a Goth, a Souldier in the Roman Army, that was sent to deliver the City Edessa from the Hunns. The Siege being raised, and the Army recall'd, the Souldier requi∣red his Wife to go home with him. Her Mother could not bear this; but being forced to comply, she brings the Souldier and her Daughter to an Altar, under which were buried the Bodies of three Saints. And being there, she thus spake to him;

I will not give thee my Daughter, unless laying thy hand upon this

Tomb, in which are contain'd the Reliques of the Holy Mar∣tyrs of Christ, thou shalt swear that thou wilt treat my Daugh∣ter well.

This he readily did: But yet soon after, without any regard to his Oath, he used her very ill. It were too long to recount all the Circumstances of her Misfortunes, or her miraculous deliverance out of them, by the aid of these Holy Martyrs. I observe only as to my present purpose, that being reduced to the utmost degree of despair, the Saint now, as her last refuge, puts the Holy Martyrs in mind of her Husband's swearing by their Reliques, and how they were thereby become SURETIES to her Mother for her good Entertainment, and ought not to suffer her to be thus abused. Immediately, the Martyrs spoke to her, and told her, that as FAITHFUL SURETIES they would deliver her: and straightway she was miraculously brought out of a Coffin under Ground (for her Husband had buried her alive) to the very place where their Bodies lay, and where her Husband had sworn to her. And then they once more spoke to her to this effect:

We have now satisfied our SURETISHIP, Go to thy Mother.

It was not very long after this, that the War breaking out again, the same Souldier came back to Edessa, where he was surprised to find his Wife alive; and being prosecuted for the Injuries he had done her, and for the Perjury he had committed, was condemn'd to be hang'd for it. But,

127. Fourthly, And to conclude this Point. I will to these add those Superstitions which are your common practice; and of which every one that has lived any time among you, must needs have been Eye-Witnesses. Such are your running to visit the Shrines of your Saints upon their Solemn Festivals; which with what devotion you do it, all Paris on the 3d of January every Year is sufficiently sensible. Your carrying them in Pro∣cession is indeed very remarkable; and of which I shall leave those who have ever known a dry time in the City I last men∣tion'd, to consider what they have then seen. But because I must not expect to be credited by some Men in any thing that can possibly be deny'd; I will leave these Matters of Fact to those who have been Spectators of them: and for the satisfa∣ction of those who have not, will give a short extract of the

form of Procession, with which you bring the Reliques of your Saints into a New Church.

128. First the Bishop with his Clergy leads the Procession to the place where the RELIQUES were lodged the Night before; When they are come to it, they sing this Anthem, Move your selves, O ye Saints of God from your Mansions, and hasten to the place which is prepared for you. Then the Bishop uncovering his Head before the RELIQUES prays thus. Grant unto us, O Lord, we beseech thee, that we may worthily touch the Members of thy Saints that are more especially dedicated unto thee.

Then the Incense being prepared with the Cross, and lighted Candles leading the way, and follow'd by the Clergy, singing their Anthems, the Priests appointed take up the Carriage, and one going by them all the way incenses the Reliques. The Bishop and Clergy singing, among others, this Anthem, Rise up ye Saints of God from your Habitations; SANCTIFY the PLACES; BLESS the PEOPLE, and KEEP us sinful Men in PEACE.—Walk O ye Saints of God; Enter into the City of the Lord, for a Church is built unto you, where the People may adore the Majesty of God.

Being come to the Door of the Church, they make a stop whilst some other Ceremonies are performed. Then the Bishop crosses the Door with Holy Chrism, and bids it be Blessed, and Sanctified, and Consecrated, and Consign'd, and Commended, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And so they carry in the Reliques, the Bishop and Clergy singing as before.

This is the Order of that Solemnity. What Name it de∣serves I shall leave it to others to say. But sure I am, that all this is somewhat more than such an Honour and Respect which you pretend is all that you give to them. Let us see,

IIdly, Whether you do not seek to these Sacred Monuments for Help and Assistance?

129. It is indeed a hard Case that we must be forced now to prove that which is a known practice of daily experience a∣mongst you. The Council of Trent it self confesses,

That by

them many Benefits are bestow'd by God upon Men;

and then I am confident it will not be thought at all improbable, that it should encourage Men to recur to them for their help. But here you have a notable evasion.

You do not deny but that Men go to these Sacred Monuments and Reliques to receive Be∣nefit; but this you say will not justify my Translation unless when they come there they pray to the Reliques, instead of desiring the Saints, whose they are to pray for them.

And to make this look like a Rational Answer, you change the Terms of the Question; which was not (as you falsly insinu∣ate) whether the Council of Trent directs you to IM∣PLORE the Aid of the Monuments or Sacred Reliques; But whether it do's not condemn those who say that for the † OBTAINING of THEIR Help the Memories of the Saints are in vain frequented. And though they do not PRAY to the Reliques; yet if for the OBTAINING their Help your People do recur to them, which you cannot deny but that they do, the presumption offer'd in vindication of my rendring that Passage of your Council is still good; and you have shewn nothing but your own falseness in this new Answer to it. If it were necessary to prove that you do pray to Re∣liques, you may see by what I have already offer'd, that even so you would not have secured your self from having made your self a false Translation, where you charge me with One. But you have chosen your Jury, and I accept of it; and only for their better direction, I must desire them to look the words in the Council it self, and not in your Transcript of them; who have purposely omitted all the Antecedent to which the EORUM refers; that so they might be sure to see no more than what made for your Purpose. Should I have done this, I should have found all the variety of hard words mu∣ster'd up against me, Mutilation, Falsification, False Imposition, wilful Prevarication, wilful Mistake, unsincere Trick, &c. that either your Margin could have contain'd, or your Malice have invented; And the Truth is, I should have deserved them. But I shall leave this also to your Jury to judg of: And for all your good assurance, I dare venture all my little Learning, against all your Little, that the Verdict is brought in a∣gainst you; and that you are concluded in this Matter

to have been either very blind, Aut illud quod dicere nolo.

130. For what concerns the thing it self; Whether you do not seek to the Monuments of the Saints for the obtaining the Help of their Reliques; this is what will need no proof to those who are but never so little acquainted with your Su∣perstition: And have seen with what Zeal you touch your Beads and Psalters at the very Shrines in which they ae con∣tain'd, to sanctify them thereby. How upon all occasions they are brought forth by you: To cure your Sickness; to pre∣serve you from Tempests at Land, and in Storms at Sea; but especially to drive away Evil Spirits, for which they are the most beneficial. The Messieurs du Port Royal, have given us a whole Volume of the Miracles wrought by the Holy Thorn. There you may see how Sister Margaret, one of the Nuns, being ill of the Palsy, was carried to ADORE the Holy Thorn. How another being sick, recurr'd to it for its help, and found it too; having no sooner ADORED the Holy Thorn, and kissed it, but she was well of her Infirmity. In∣finite Examples of the like kind might be produced, but I shall content my self to shew what Opinion you have of the Power of your Reliques, from the very Prayer that you make at the blessing of those little Vessels in which they are put.

We most humbly beseech thee Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless these Vessels that are prepared for the Honour of thy Saints through the Intercession of the same Saints: That all those who shall venerate their Merits, and humbly embrace their Reliques [may be defended] against the Devil and his Angels, against Thunder, Lightning and Tempest; a∣gainst the Corruption of the Air, and the Plagues of Men and of Beasts; against Thieves and Robbers, and Inva∣sions of Men, against evil Beasts, and against all the seve∣ral kinds of Serpents and creeping things, and against the wicked Devices of evil Men.

Here I hope are benefits enough to invite a Man to seek to them, and if they can help in all these Cases, we need not doubt but they shall have Votaries enough to recur to them for it.

131. But that which is most admirable is, that in all these Cases, false Reliques are every jot as good as true ones; and which makes somewhat for the Opinion of Vasquez, that pro∣vided a Man do's but think 'tis the Relique of a Saint, he may securely worship it, tho it may be 'tis no such thing. We have before heard what mighty Cures were wrought at the Monu∣ment of the famous Bishop and Martyr VIARUM CURAN∣DARUM: And whether the Council of Trent prescribed it or no, Ressendius assures us, all the Country round about did come to the Monument of this pretended Saint, for the ob∣taining Help and Assistance, and fancied at least that they found it too. Tho it afterwards appear'd that 'twas an old Heathen Inscription, and those words far enough from signifying either the Name of a Man, or the Character of a Bishop. Many have been the Cheats of the like kind, and which ought very much to lessen the Credit of those Miracles that you pretend are wrought in your Church: But I shall finish all with one so much the more to be considered, in that it was the happy occasion of undeceiving a very great Person, and disposed him to receive that Truth he afterwards embraced: And may it please God, that the recital I shall here make of it, may move those who are yet in Captivity to these Superstitions to deliver themselves from the like Impositions.

132. Prince Christopher, of the Family of the Dukes of Rad∣zecil, a Prince much addicted to the Superstitions of your Church, having been in great Piety at Rome to kiss his Holiness's Feet; the Pope at his departure presented him with a Box of Reliques, which at his return soon became very famous in all that Country. Some Months had hardly pass'd when certain Monks came to him to acquaint him that there was a D. Man possess'd of the Devil, upon whom they had in vain try'd all their Conjurations, and therefore they humbly intreated his Highness that for his relief, he would be pleased to lend them his Reliques which he had brought from Rome. The Prince readily complied with their desires, and the Box was with great So∣lemnity carried to the Church, and being applied to the Body

of him that was possess'd, the Devil presently went out with the Grimaces and Gestures usual on such occasions. All the be∣holders cry'd out, A Miracle! and the Prince himself lifted up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven, and blessed God who had fa∣vour'd him with such a Holy and powerful Treasure.

It happen'd not long after that the Prince relating what he had seen, and magnifying very much the Virtue of his Reliques: One of his Gentlemen began to smile, and show by his Actions how little Credit he gave to it. At which the Prince being moved, his Servant (after many promises of Forgiveness) in∣genuously told him, that in their return from Rome he had unhappily lost the Box of Reliques, but for fear of being ex∣posed to his Anger, had caused another to be made as like as might be to the true one, which he had filled with all the little Bones, and other Trinkets that he could meet with, and that this was the Box that his Monks made him believe did work such Miracles.

The Prince the next Morning sent for the Fathers, and en∣quired of them if they knew of any Demoniaque that had need of his Reliques: They soon found one to act his part in this Farce; and the Prince caused him to be exorcised in his presence. But when all they could do would not prevail, the Devil kept his Possession, he commanded the Monks to with∣draw, and delivered over the Man to another kind of Exorcists, some Tartars that belonged to his Stable, to be well lash'd till he should confess the Cheat. The Demoniaque thought to have carried it off by horrible Gestures and Grimaces, but the Tar∣tars understood none of those Tricks, but by laying on their Blows in good earnest quickly moved the Devil, without the help of either Hard Names, Holy Water, or Reliques, to con∣fess the truth, and beg Pardon of the Prince.

As soon as Morning was come, the Prince sent again for the Monks (who suspected nothing of what had pass'd) and brings their Man before them, who threw himself at the Princes Feet, and confess'd that he was not possess'd with the Devil, nor ever had been in his Life. The Monks at first made light of it, and told the Prince it was an Artifice of the Devil who spoke through the Mouth of that Man. But the Prince calling for his Tartars to exorcise another Devil, the Father of LIES, out

of them too, they began presently to relent, and confess'd the Cheat, but told him they did it with a good Intention to stop the Course of Heresy in that Country.

Upon this he dismiss'd them, but from that time began se∣riously to apply himself to read the Holy Scriptures, telling them that he would no longer trust his Salvation to Men who defended their Religion by such pious Frauds, so they called them, but which were indeed Diabolical Inventions. And in a short time after, both himself and his whole House made open Pro∣fession of the Reformed Religion. Anno 1564.

And thus much be said in Answer to your IVth Article.

FINIS.

Notes

• Reply, p. 25.
• Reply, Ibid.
• Reply, Pref.
• Reply, Pref.
• Reply, p. 26.
• Tusc. Qu. l. 1. Sect. 17.
• Reply, p. 26, 27.
• †

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Maimon. See Dr. Hamm. of Idolatry, Sect. 40.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Id. Ibid.
• Rev. XII. 1.
• Deut. IV. 15. Isa. XI. 18.
• Act. XVII. 29.
• Capisucchi, pag. 613. Gerson.
• Rom. I. 23, 25.
• Acts xvii.
• Tom. 1. Jan. 1.
• De Idololatria
• 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.
• Reasons for Abrogating the Test, p. 80, 81.
• Reply, p. 29.
• Reply, p. 27.
• Ibid. p. 28.
• Reasons for Abrogating the Test, p. 71, &c.
• Reasons for Abrog the Test, p. 85.
• Exod. XXXII.
• Ibid. ver. 4.
• Exod. XX.
• Ibid 5.
• Ver. 6.
• Reasons for Abr. the Test, p. 114, &c.
• 1 Kings XII. 28.
• 2 Chron XIII. 9.
• 2 King. X. 29.
• Ibid. 39.
• 1 King. XVI. 31.
• Bellarm. lib. 2. de Imag. c. 13. p. 2130, 2131.
• Defence of the Disc. of Idolatry, par. 1
• Athanas contr. Arrian. Orat. 1. p. 286.
• Ib. 387.
• 22dae q. 94. Ar. 3. resp. ad 2. Cajet. pag. 340
• Lib. 1. de Idol.
• Vasquez in 3. T. 1. p. 721.
• Bellarm. de I∣mag. Ss. l. 2. c. 24. p. 2153. C.
• In 3. T. 1. p. 778.
• Comm. Jude 17. Vers. 2.
• Acts 10. 26. Acts 14. 15. Rev. 22. 9.
• Colos. 3. 5. Ephes. 5. 5.
• Bellarm. L. C. §. 98. supr.
• Vatabl. in L••c.
• Tom. 1. p. 385. C.
• Jeronim. Epist. ad Ripar. T. 3. Erasm. fol. 54.
• Reply, Pref. pag. 18.
• Card. Capis. de cult. Im. qu. ii. par. 9. pag. 650.
• Ibid. par. 18. p. 677.
• Ibid. 679.
• Aqu. 3. p. qu. 25. ar. 4. in Corp.
• Reply, p. 42, &c.
• Reply, ibid.
• Reply, p. 44.
• Reply, p. 42.
• Annal. ad. Ann. 821. §. 14.
• Aquin. 3. Par. Qu. 25. Art. 4.
• Cajet. in Th. Ibid.
• Aquin. loc. cit.
• Paragr. Ap∣pendix. p. 690.
• Reply, p. 42.
• Vid. Card. Ca∣pisuch. l. c.
• In 2. praec. de∣cal. p. 267.
• Pontific. Ro∣man. de Bene∣dictione Eccle∣siae, p. 119, &c.
• Full Answ. pag. 6.
• Full Answ. Ibid.
• †

  See Expos. p. 17. Defence, pag. 25.
• Reponse à un Ecrit publié sur les Mira∣cles de la Ste Espine. p. 15. Pag. 18, 22.
• Pontific. Ro•• pag. 164, 165.
• See above 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3.
• Drelincourt Response à M. le Landgrave Ernest. p. 348. §. lx.