sacred name of Jesus whereat three fountains gushed out which yet remain untill this day and was so desirous that all Christians should honor this name that he saith Whatsoever you do in word or work do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God and the Father by him Col. 3.17 Surius in the life of S. Ignatius who lived long with the Apostles writeth that being urged by the Pagans to deny Jesus Christ as their custome was in them times answered that it was a thing impossible for him to do because it was ingraven in his heart which after death they cut in pieces and found to be true his heart every where expressing in images the name of Jesus Nicephorus in the third chapter of his seventeenth book of histories writeth that there being a great Earthquake at Antioch about the year of our Lord 524. so fearfull that it destroyed almost the whole City yet divers having confidence in the name of Jesus writ over their doors Jesus is with us let no man move from his place they their houses escaped and stood firm S. Gregory the Great a man of no little credit in the Church of God in the first chapter of his first book of Dialogues writeth that Honoratus a holy man built a Monastery neer to the City of Pundi amongst the Alps where he had almost two hundred Monks under him and a mighty great stone breaking from under the hill under which his Monastery was built came rouling down as if it would destroy both his Monastery and Monks which the holy man Honoratus seeing he often called upon the name of Christ which was Jesus and with his right hand made the sign of the crosse upon it and so staid it presently even in the declining of the side of the Mountain Also the same S. Gregory in the third chapter of the same book relateth another miracle which was done by vertue of the same sacred name of Jesus which was as followeth certain Monks had an Orchard of fruits and herbs for their provision with a Lay-brother a holy man for the Gardner into which a thief used to break for to steal away the fruit and herbs which the pious Lay-brother perceiving the losse looking about found the place where he passed over the pale and seeking for a remedy found a Serpent whom he commanded saying follow me which the Serpent did untill he came to the passage which the thief used and then said to the Serpent I command thee in the name of Jesus that thou keep this passage and do not permit the thief to enter here any more presently the Serpent extended her self along the passage and the Lay-brother returned to his Cell About midday whilest all the Monks were at rest the thief according to his custome came and putting his fâ—ot ovâ—â— the pale to enter into the Oâ—câ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 suddain he perceived that 〈◊〉 Serpent lay in his passage whereat astonished he fell backward with his head downward and his foot fixed in the pale where the Lay-brother coming at his ordinary hour found him and said to the Serpent Thanks be to God thou hast done as thou wast commanded go thy ways which she did And then loosing the thiefs foot without doing him any hurt he said how durst thou brother so often steal the labours of the Monks follow me And so conducting him to the gate of the Orchard with much courtesie he gave him the fruit and herbs which he would have stollen saying Go thy way and hereafter do not steal but if thou shalt be in want come hither unto me and that which now thou labourest to take away by stealth I will freely give unto thee Moreover it was so common a thing for the Christians of the Primitive Church to reverence the name of Jesus with a relative religious worship that pious parents taught it their children even from their infancy as witnesseth S. Augustine in the fourth chapter of his third book of Confessions saying For this name according to thy mercy O Lord this name of my Saviour thy son had my tender heart even together with my mothers milk devoutly drunk in and carefully treasured up so that what book soever was without the name though never so learned or neatly and truly penned did not fully delight me Thus S. Augustine And to conclude this sacred name of Jesus and of God is so much to be honored worshipped upon earth that even in heaven the elect shall have them written in their foreheads there to remain with honor and glory for ever and ever as witnesseth S. Iohn saying And I looked and behold a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion and with him one hundred forty four thousand having his name and the name of his father written in their foreheads Rev. 14.1 whereby it will manifestly appeare unto any indifferent reader that to honour respect and worship the name of God and Jesus Christ our Lord with a relative religious worship for the persons they represent is a great signe of election and to make no more accompt of them then they doe of other vulgar names is an apparent signe of reprobation from which God of his goodnesse deliver thee Reader CHAP. XXII Of the honor and glory of the Crosse of Christ as it representeth his person and passion and how it shall distinguish the faithfull from the followers of Antichrist SO great is the obligation which all mankind hath unto the Son of God for his death and passion upon the Crosse for their redemption from everlasting pains that as S. Augustine saith he who is not thankfull to God for his creation is worthy to go to hell but he who is not willing to have a pious mind and thankfull remembrance for his redemption is worthy to have another hell created for his greater torments whereupon all pious faithfull Christians have ever born a venerable relative religious worship unto the sacred sign or image of the Crosse not as it is a piece of wood or stone or painted cloth or action of the hand but as it representeth unto our memories the sacred passion of our Lord as words do things and indueth our minds with pious thoughts whereupon S. Paul as inamored of the holy Crosse saith God forbid that I should glory but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6 14. And complaining of the little respect and reverence which the carnall men of his time bore unto the sacred Crosse of Christ saith Observe them that walk as you have seen our form for many walk of whom I often told you and now weeping also I tell you enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is the belly and their glory in their confusion Phil. 3.17 where he giveth us to understand that to be a lover and honorer of the sacred Crosse of Christ as it representeth unto us his passion for us is a signe of election and the neglect a token of
world and to destroy mankind as he grievously threatneth at the last day saying goe and kill c. as is set down Ezechiel the nineth Again in the 22. chapter of his first book of Testimonies against the Jewes speaking of the said prophecy of Ezechiel he saith That in this signe of the crosse is salvation to all those who are signed in their forehead God in Ezechiel doth declare saying passe through the middest of Hierusalem and thou shalt make a signe in the foreheads of men c. So what will become of these men who will not have the signe of the crosse made in their foreheads Lactantius florished about the year 320. and he speaking of the practise of the Church of God concerning this point of the relative religious honor and worship which was given to the sacred signe of the cross in the twenty seventh chapter of his fourth book of Institutions saith Now it is time to declare the great power of the sign of the cross of what terror this signe is to the divells those know who have seene it forasmuch as that adjured by Christ they fly out of the bodies which they did possess for as Christ himselfe whilest he lived amongst us put to flight all the divells by his word and brought men againe into their former senses who had been troubled in mind and furiously mad by assaults of the divell even so now his followers both by the name of their Master and by the sign of his passion do expel the same wicked spirits out of men whereof the proof is not hard for if whilest the Pagans offer sacrifice to their Gods any one be standing by who beareth the signe of the cross in his forehead they cease from Sacrifice neither can the consulted Oracle give any answer and this hath often been the chief cause that evill Kings have taken occasion to begin a persecution for when some of our Christian servants have stood by their Lords whilest they offered Sacrifice and have made the signe of the cross upon their foreheads they put to flight their gods neither could they describe in the entrails of their victimes the things to come And in his verses of the benefits of Christ he said bond thy knee and adore the venerable wood of the cross c. whereby it appeareth what a good fee these Christians deserve to have from the divell who have beaten down crosses and call the signing of our selves and other creatures conjuring Eusebius lived about the same time who writing the life of Constantine the Great in his 32. chapter of his first book relateth how the sign of the cross appeared to him in heaven with this inscription in this sign thou shalt overcome that is to say his enemies and in the second chapter of his third book affirmeth that he used now and then to signe his forehead with that healthfull sign of the passion and many times very much rejoyced in that victorious Tropâ—e or sign S. Athanasius florished in the year 340. who in his book of the Word Incarnate saith A man onely using the sign of the cross doth drive away from him the deceipts of the divells c. let him come who will mâ—ke an experience of my words and amongst the illusions of the divels or impostures of their foretellings or prophecies or the miracles of their Magitians and do but make the sign of the cross which they deride and call upon the name of Christ and he shall see with his eyes how for fear thereof the divell flyeth away their prophecies cease and their inchantments and witcherafts are made void S. Basil the Great florished about the year 370. who in his Oration of the Martyr Gordian saith He fortified himself with the sign of the cross and so with great constancy of mind without any fear or changing of countenance went merrily to his death Again in the twenty seventh chapter of his book of the Holy Ghost he saith If we should go about to rèject these customes which are not delivered in writing as though they were things of no moment we should imprudently condemn many things which in the Gospell are esteemed necessary to our salvation of which sort is that I may repeat that first which is the first and most common thing used amongst us the sign of the cross for who hath taught in writing that we should signe those with the sign of the cross who have put their hope in Christ is it not by a tacit and secret tradition is it not from the doctrine which our Fathers have kept in silence which curious and idle people call in question S. Cyrill of Hierusalem lived at that same time with S. Basil the Great and he in his fourth Catechesis or instructions for Christian life saith Let us not be ashamed of the cross of Christ but if any one shall hide it do thou publikely sign thy self in the forehead with the cross that the divells seeing the standard of the King trembling may make hast to be gone see also that thou make this sign when thou beginnest to eat or drink when thou sittest down and when thou arisest when thou beginnest to speak or to walk and in every one of thy affairs S. Ambrose also florished at the same time with S. Gregory and S. Cyril who in the seventy seventh Epistle of his nineth book saith Christian people do in every moment write the contempt of death upon their owne foreheads for they know that without the cross of our Lord they cannot be saved Again in his fifty sixth Sermon he saith In what place the cross of Christ is erected or planted there presently the iniquity of the divell is driven away and tempests of winds cease and also the good husbandman when he prepareth his land by tillage and seeketh nourishment for life he doth not begin to go about it but by the sign of the cross S. Hierome chapter 6. of his eighth Epistle to Demetriades saith Thou often fortifiest thy forehead with the signe of the crosse least the Master of Egypt should find any abode or habitation in thee Again upon the eighth chapter of Ezechiel he saith In the Hebrew Characters which the Samaritans do use untill this day the last letter Thau is made after the likeness of the cross which is imprinted in the foreheads of Christians and often made with their hands And upon the fifty eighth Psalme he prayeth saying We beseech thee O Lord that guarded by the sign of the cross and defended by the assistance thereof we may deserve to be freed from all the deceipts of the divell And to conclude so honorable was the esteeme which the Primitive Christians had of the signe of the cross as that they used it in all the rites and ceremonies of their Religion in such sort as that they accompted no solemne act of their Religion to be well and perfectly performed unless the sacred signe of the cross was added unto it as witnesseth S. Chrysostome for
the conversion of Constantine the great the church of God for the most part remained in persecution as soon as he was converted and begun to erect Christian churches in the first church which he built which was the Constantiniana afterwards called the Church of our Saviour he placed in it the pictures and images of our Saviour and the Apostles as witnesseth Damasus in the life of S. Silvester saying Jn these times Constantine Augustus built the Church Constantiniana where he bestowed these gifts a balcone of silver with our Saviour sitting in the fore front thereof in a chair of five foot high weighing one hundred and twenty pounds and at his back the twelve Apostles every one of them of five foot in height weighing every one of them ninety pounds with crownes of most pure gold looking through the Cancells of our Saviour sitting in a throne of five foot of most pure silver c. Not long after Constantine lived S. Gregory Nazianzen who for his excellent knowledge in divinity was commonly called the Divine a man of noble parents and brought up at Athens with S. Basil the Great as his School-fellow yet this man making an Oration in the presence of S. Basil of the death of his Father which is the nineteenth amongst his works highly extolleth his father for building a stately and sumptuous Church adorned with pictures so artificially made that they did not as he saith yeeld to nature it self yet prophane and vain pictures were never permitted to have places in Churches Moreover Helladius S. Basils successor in the Church of Cappadocia writing the life of S. Basil affirmeth That the pious man stood before the image of our Lady where also was painted the effigies of the famous Martyr Mercury and he stood praying that he might be freed of wicked Julian the Apostata and he learned of the said image the event that followed which was of his death S. Gregory Nissen was brother to S. Basil the Great and lived at the same time with S. Gregory Nazianzen yet he writing an Oration in the praises of Theodorus the Martyr and coming to describe the beauty and sumptuousnesse of a Church built to his honor in the City Euchita afterward called Theodorpolis of his name amongst other things saith The Painter also by the flower of his art hath set forth in pictures the valiant acts or deeds of the Martyr his repugnances his torments the figures of barbarous and savage tyrants the violent force of the flames of fire consuming the Champion a patern of the combates of our General Christ in humane shape and to conclude he hath expressed unto us as in a book which containeth the interpretation of tongues all the combates and labours of the Martyr by artificially painting them in colours Thus S. Gregory Nizzen to demonstrate unto us that in the primitive Church and even in the most florishing time of the Church the faithfull had the pictures and images of their Saints in their publique Churches and respected and reverenced them with a relative religious worship as Roman Catholiques doe at this day thereby to nourish in themselves pious thoughts Anastasius Sinaita Bishop of Antioch florished about the yeare 544. who as it is set down in the third Oration of S. Damascenus de Jmaginibus relateth that twenty Sarazens breaking into the Church of the aforesaid S. Theodorâ—s and making their retreat in it one of them as he saith shot an arrow at the image of S. Theodorus which wounded it upon the right shoulder whereat bloud issued out and ran down unto the lowest part of the image yet they all beholding what was done and seeing the arrow sticking in the shoulder of the image of the Saint and the bloud gushing out were nothing moved with this wonderfull miracle neither he who did it being sorry for it nor any of the rest for their evil behaviour within a few dayes they all died and none else except those Sarazens who had taken up their lodgings in the said Church This image saith he thus strucken with an arrow is yet remaining bearing the wounds of an arrow and the stains of bloud many of those who were then living and see this thing are yet alive and I also see the image and have written what I have seen Thus Anastasius Bishop of Antioch S. Chrysostome set forth a publique Church-Service-book for the Church of Constantinople translated out of Greek into Latin by Erasmus wherein is set down the manner how the Priest is to proceed in the Service of the Church and amongst other things he saith That the Minister or Deacon going before with a light the Priest cometh forth of the Vestry with the Gospel in his hands and turning himself to the image of Christ which stood betweene two doors bowing down his head saith with a loud voice O Lord Governor of all things c. The religious Nilus was a Disciple of S. John Chrysostome yet he instructing Olympiodorus a Proconful how he would have Churches adorned saith I would have the walls of the Church on both sides filled with the histories of both the Old and New Testament set forth by the work of a most skilfull Painter to this end that those who were not taught to read and cannot read the Scriptures by beholding the pictures may be taught who they were which by worthy deeds sincerely served God that they also may be moved to undertake the like glorious works by which these men have made an exchange of earth for heaven and honor these things by contemplation which they never see with their eys Prudentius in his Hymne of the Martyr S. Cassianus setteth downe at large how over his Tomb stood his image painted with a thousand wounds torn in all the joynts his skin broken with little pricks and a many boyes sticking bodkins into his wounded members shewing the cruelty of his death and Martyrdome yet Prudentius florished in the year 390. S. Augustine in the tenth chapter of his first book de consensu Evangelistarum saith In many places Peter and Paul were seen painted with our Saviour Evadius in the fourth chap. of his 2. book of the miracles of S. Stephen saith that before the memory or Altar of S. Stephen was a vail wherein was painted S. Stephen bearing a glorious crosse upon his shoulders Nicephorus in the second chapter of his fourteenth book affirmeth that Pulcheria Augustae placed in the Church which she had built in Constantinople in the yeare 43â— a picture of our blessed Lady received from Eudoxia at Hierusalem Theodoret Bishop of Syria writing the admirable life of Simeon Stilites saith an innumerable people from divers Nations came by troops unto him into the territories of Antioch and many from Spain Britany and France who in Rome it selfe was so famous that in all their porches and entrance into their places of offices they put little pictures of him thereby as he saith to procure help and defenâ—e unto themselves Yet Theodoret florished
sacred passion and of our redemption upon the cross CHAP. XXV Of four sacred images which were made of Christ our Lord whilest he lived upon earth and of the relative religious honor done unto them to the inriching of their minds with pious thoughts EVsebius in the 14. chapter of his 7. book of histories and after him Casiadorus Nicephorus and other historiographers relate that the woman which our Saviour cured of an issue of bloud by the touch of the hem of his garment as is set downe in the 9. of S. Matthew in gratitude thereof in the City of Peneada where she was borne erected two cast images or statues of brasse the one of her self kneeling and holding up of her hands as is used in prayer the other of our Saviour standing right over against it with his garment to his ancles and his hand stretched out toward the woman at the foot whereof even upon the thing it stood upon grew a strange kind of herb which when it ascended to that height as to touch the hem of his garment had vertue to cure all kind of diseases which Statua Eusebius going to the said City of Penedda saith that he see with his eys Zozomenus in the 20. chapter of his 5. book continuing the same history saith that Julian the Apostata being certified that in Caesarea Philippi for so now Peneada was called was the famous image or statua of Christ which the woman who was cured of an issue of bloud had set up sent to have it cast down and his owne to be set up in the place which being done saith Zozomen a violent fire descended from heaven struck his statua above the brest and so cast the head together with the neck against the earth that it stuck fast in the ground with the face downward and even untill this day it remaineth black as burned with lightning At which time also the Pagâ—ns or heathen people so dragged the statua of Christ up and down with such sury as that they broke it into pieces but the Christians afterward gathering together the broken pieces placed them in the church where they are stil preserved Thus these antient Authors to shew unto us that the Primitive Christians honored worshipped with a relative religious worship the image statua's of Christ not for the matter or metal they were made of but for the pious thoughts they represented unto their memories as Roman Catholiques do at this day and that those who do deface sacred images beat down as Julian the Apostata and the Pagans are enemies of pious thoughts and Christianity Evagrius Scholasticus who florished about the yeare 596. in the 26. chapter of his fourth book of histories writeth that in the City Edessa neer unto the river of Euphrates where sometime Abgarus reigned as King there was a picture of our Saviour kept which he himself had sent unto the said King and the City being so straitly besieged by Costroes King of Persia that they were almost in dispair his works of great heaps of wood and tymber approaching so neer their walls that they could not defend them and they had made mines of fire underneath which could not burne for want of ayr not knowing how further to defend themselves saith Evagrius They brought forth the most holy image divinely made and not by the hands of men but by God Christ which he had sent to Abgarus when he desired to see him and put it into the mine which they had made sprinkling it with water whereof they had put a good quantity both into the fire and wood which was in their mine and so aid coming by divine power to their faith doing this that which before they could not perform was now easily done for presently a flame took hold of the wood which was below and burnt it into coals and after ascended to that which was above And when the besieged see the smoak to begin to break out above to blind the eys of their enemies they take little tankers and fill them with sulfur tow and such like as are apt to burn and make a smoke and and cast them upon the top of their enemies works which by the force of their throwing kindled and of themselves cast out smoke whereby they so obscured the smoke which came out of their mine that all those who were ignorant of the fact imagined that the smoke which they see came from the tankers and not from any other place but three daies after flames of fire were seen to break out of the earth and then the Persians who fought upon thesr bulwarks perceiving their danger Costroes striving against the divine vertue and power turneth the conduct of water which ran in the outside of the City upon the fire thinking thereby to extinguish it but the fire receiving the water as if it had been oyle or brimstone or some such other thing which easily taketh fire burnt the more untill it had destroyed all the works of the enemy and brought them to ashes whereupon Costroes failing of his hope returned home with shame Thus Evagrius of the picture which our Saviour had sent to King Abgarus Mention is also made of this image which our Saviour made by his divine power without workmanship of hands and sent to Abgarus by Procopius a Scholar of S. Augustines in his 2. book De bello Persico and by the seventh Generall Councell in the 5. Act where Leo a Lecturer of the Cathedrall church of Constantinople saith I your unworthy servant when J went into Syria with the Kings Commissioners passed to Edessa and there see the holy image not made with hands honored and also adored by the faithfull Of this image likewise make mention Adrian the first in the 18. chapter of his book to Charles the Great S. Damascenus in the 17. chapter of his 4. book Orthodoxa fidei and in his Oration de Imaginibus and Constantius Porphyrogenitus in his Oration made before the Emperors the Clergy and the people which is set down in Metaphrases upon the 16. of August Moreover this image was of such fame and respect that it was translated from Edessa unto Constantinople as witnesse Zonoras in Romana Lecapeno Nicephorus Callistus in the 7. chapter of his 2. book and S. Thomas upon the third of the sentences dist 9. q. 1. Art 2. Marianus Scotus in his Chronicle at the yeare 39. and others relate that our Saviour going to his passion a woman called Veronica gave him a handkerchiefe to wipe the sweat which run down his face and he returned it unto her again with his image upon it which image was in the time of Tyberius conveighed by the Christians to Rome where even untill this day it hath been preserved and reverenced with a relative religious worship of all pious Christians and is commonly set forth to be seen in S. Peters church upon Maunday Thursday Moreover Athanasius in his book of the suffering of the image of our Lord printed
part forcibly perswade us to think good or evill as it representeth If thou wilt Christian Reader have pious thoughts thou must alwayes or for the most part have before thine eyes and senses pious objects such as are the presence of God under some borrowed forme the passion of our Lord things of heaven and the mysteries of our holy faith which because they are all either invisible or absent or both it is requisite as long as thou art in this vale of tears whereas the Apostle saith we see by a glasse in a dark sort to have of the aforesaid things sacred artificiall pictures signes and images or borrowed formes which may represent unto thy senses these holy things as a Nurse to feed thy soul with pious thoughts Neither is it sufficient to the maintenance of pious thoughts only to have sacred artificiall pictures signes and images before you to behold but also it is necessary that you beare a relative religious honor and respect towards them for this doth not only prepare and open wide your heart to receive the said Species into your understanding and to love and understand the sacred things which they do represent but also doth imprint a perseverance of pious thoughts in your heart for every one easily imbraceth and entertaineth that which he honoreth and esteemeth as we see by daily experience for if a thing be never so good yet if you doe not esteem it to you it is not good but hurtfull who contemne a sacred thing For this cause S. John Baptist honored and worshipped the latchet of our Saviours shoes with a relative religious worship which ended in our Saviour saying whose latchet of his shoe I am not worthy to unloose John 1.1.2.7 And he who so much honored the latchet of his shoe as that he thought himself not worthy to touch it in respect of the supereminent honor which belonged to our Saviour imagine if you can the innumerable pious thoughts of God and of the mysteries of our faith which were in his soul seeing that God exalteth the humble whereupon S. Augustine upon this text saith He humbled himself very much in that he thought himself not worthy to do this certainly saith S. Augustine he was full of the Holy Ghost what a consequence is this S. John said I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoe and thereupon S. Augustine inferreth that he was full of the Holy Ghost because that relative religious honor which he gave unto the latchet of our Lords shoe for our Saviours sake opened wide his lâ—â— art to receive into it all kind of pious thoughts or any impression of our Saviour or of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth with a contrite and humble spirit Isay 57.15 From hence also it is that the faithfull in the Primitive Church so much honored with a relative religious honor the shadow of S. Peter and the handkerchiefs of S. Paul as that they did bring forth the sick into the streets and laid them in beds and couches that when Peter came his shadow at the least might overshadow them Act. 5.15 and brought from S. Pauls body napkins or handkerchiefs unto the sick Act. 19.11 that by any thing which had relation unto these holy servants of God they might at least beget in the sick pious thoughts and sometimes also health of body or cure of their diseases From hence also it is that the faithfull at all times have not onely had respect and reverence to the memory of the Martyrs the locall places of Churches Chappell 's and Altars and to the holy name of God and Iesus Christ our Lord but also unto the sacred text of the Scriptures pious books and service of the Church which are but holy signes notes pictures similitudes and objects to our senses which may Furnish our soules with pious thoughts as S. Augustine after his conversion in the sixth chapter of his nineth book of Confessions affirmeth they did in him with great consolation saying By the notes of the Church so sweetly sung the words did flâ—w into my ears and the truth which was contained therein distilled mâ—lting into my heart and the affection of piery even boyled in my breast my tears ran trickling down my cheeks and it was well with me Thus S. Augustine to demonstrate unto us that as obsceane and filthy objects and the names and notes of prophane loves and vitious things respected beget in our hearts impious and wicked thoughts so pious objects and sacred pictures when they are respected for the holy things which they represent do presently furnish our minds with pious thoughts as I shall further shew in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. VIII The necessity of sacred artificiall Pictures Signes and Images to the nourishing of pious thoughts and what we call sacred Pictures and Signes THe thoughts for the most part following the senses as I have shewed in the precedent chapter to have pious and golden thoughts it is not only necessary to avoid vaine and idle species and formes but also to have often or for the most part before our eyes sacred artificiall pictures signes and images thereby to imprint in our hearts sacred and pious thoughts but we call these sacred artificiall pictures signes and images which represent unto us holy and divine and invisible things or the mysteries of our faith c. and as they do represent them unto us and imprint in our hearts the knowledge of the aforesaid divine things or mysteries and beget in our minds pious thoughts these we call sacred not for the matter they are made of but for the sacred things they do or may represent and as they do represent them unto us this we understand by sacred artificiall pictures signes and images and nothing els Now how necessary these things are to the begetting in us pious thoughts appeareth first by what I have said in the former chapters for if we can learn nothing or understand or think of any thing but either by it selfe or els by some resemblance picture or signe it must passe by the senses and all the things of heaven and mysteries of our faith c. are invisible and insensible to the senses unlesse we use sacred artificiall pictures signes and images we can never come to know any thing of the heaven of glory or of the mysteries of our faith c. as further appeareth by the Heathen and Pagan people who for want of the use of these things and of a Preacher to preach or teach them these things by audible sacred artificiall signes or visible sacred artificiall pictures signes and images remain untill this day in their infidelity or Paganism And we also who at this day and in â—ormer timâ—s are Catholique Christianâ— have lâ—arned our Christiâ—â—â—â—y by those sacred artificiall signs pictures and images neither otherwise could we ever have knowne it as witnesseth S. Paul saying how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 If Preachers had not come and taught all the
visit Orphans and Widows in their tribulations and to keep himself unspotted from the world where likewise he supposeth that Religion and religious worship may be exercised in visiting Widows and Orphans and the acts of vertue Aristotle in the third chapter of his book of Politiques taught by the light of reason saith Honor is justly given when it is destributed according to dignity And S. Paul saith Render to all men their due Rom. 13.7 And some men are religious as witnesseth the Scriptures saying All religious blesse ye our Lord Dan. 3.90 Again There were at Hierusalem Jewes religious men of all Nations Act. 2.5 Again Cornelius the Centurion is called Religious Act. 10.2 and you cannot give honor according to the dignity of one who is religious or render unto him his due unlesse you give him some kind of religious honor or worship all other being inferiour unto his dignity whereby it appeareth that some kind of religious worship may be given unto creatures Civill honor worship and adoration may be given unto prophane men as witnesseth the fact of Jacob who seeing Esau coming towards him going forward he adored prostrate to the ground seven times Gen. 33 3. yet Esau was a prophane person as witnesseth S. Paul Heb. 12.16 The Roman souldiers of all Nations as well faithfull as Infidells adored the Imperiall Ensign called Labarum as witnesseth Zozomenus in the fourth chapter of his first book of histories and all people and Nations who are not exceeding barbarous have worshipped and honored the Chair of Estate Scepter Crown and the very name of their Kings and Emperors when it hath been pronounced in publike Edicts whereby it appeareth that a worship more then civill is due unto the friends of God and sacred things dedicated to his honor and service otherwise you put no difference betweene sacred things and prophane which God condemneth saying Her Priests have contemned my law and have polluted my Sanctuaries between a holy thing and a prophane they have put no difference Ezech. 22.26 whereupon our Saviour when he had made as it were a whip of little cords he cast them who sold oxen and sheep and doves and bankers out of the Temple Joh. 2.13 And S. Paul reprehended divers Christians for eating in the Church saying Have you not houses to eat and drink in or contemn you the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 The Officers of Christ in his Church are his Legats according to the words of S. Paul saying We are Legats for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 and Legats by relation do participate in some part of the honor and worship which is due unto their Lords and Masters wherefore seeing that to God is due an absolute religious worship to the Officers of Gods Church or his Legats must be due an inward and outward relative religious worship whereupon S. Paul saith The fathers of our flesh we had for instructors and we did reverence them not with civill honor only but with some kind of religious as instructors of Religion Heb. 12.9 Our Saviour saith of his followers You are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 Again of the world they are not as I also am not of the world Ioh. 17.17 and therefore there did belong unto them an honour and worship not worldly which is religious Father and Son are relatives and the Son by all right though in an inferiour degree is partaker of his Fathers honor and worship our Adversaries confesse that religious honor belongeth unto God and the Scriptures confesse that pious and devout Christians are the adoptive sons of God saying We are the sons of God and if sons heires also heirs truly of God and coheirs of Christ Rom. 8.17 whereby it may justly be doubted that those who deny an inward and outward relative religious worship unto the Saints and eminent servants of God have neither part nor portion in the inheritance of Christ The things which are dedicated to the service of God are called sacred by God himselfe Exod. 31.10 therefore there is due unto them an inward and outward sacred relative worship which is the relative religious worship we speak of whereupon all the Lexicons and Dictionaries not onely of Romane Catholiques but also of our adversaries themselves as of Thomas Thomasius do interpret this word Religio a true worship of God or holy things and all Nations cannot be deceived Moreover our Adversaries cannot deny but that there are religious things or things which belong unto Religion as the Scriptures Preaching Teaching Prayer the Sacraments unto which if our Adversaries will grant no kind of religious worship they destroy all Religion and prove themselves to be prophane as Esau Heb. 12.16 Religion and holinesse do not really differ as S. Thomas 2.2 ae quaest 81. Art 8. proveth therefore neither can their operations or effects really differ but holinesse is exercised about creatures as witnesseth the Scripture saying follow peace with all men and holinesse Heb 12.14 Againe holinesse becometh thy house O Lord Psal 92.5 not an absolute holinesse for so God only is holy but a relative as conducting us by meanes unto God who is only holy of himselfe so likewise the chiefest part of the Tabernacle was called The Sanctuary of Sanctuaries and Holy of Holies Exod. 26. God also commanded Moyses to make holy vestments for Aaron and his sons wherein they might minister unto him or serve him Exod. 28. But to serve God belongeth to Religion therefore these were religious vestments and had both an inward and outward relative religious reverence and respect born unto them seeing that none might wear them but Aaron and his sons and then only when they attended unto the service of God The like we may say of all the things which belonged unto the Temple and vessells of the Altar of holy ground holy Mountain holy Scriptures c. which are holy by a holinesse that referreth us to God and also religious and to be reverenced with a relative religious worship for the same cause holy and religious being really both one And to conclude at all times and in all ages the faithful honored and worshipped sacred things whether they were immediately or mediately dedicated to the service of God which are inward and outward relative religious worship as I shall further shew in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. XI Almighty God never prohibited either the making of sacred Pictures Signes and Images nor yet their relative religious Worship ALmighty God commanded us that we should not make vain and idle graven things that might divert us from him for our owne pleasures or for our selves without any respect unto him saying Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven thing Exod. 20.4 but it is never read in the Scriptures that he prohibited either the making or worshipping of sacred pictures signes or images with a relative religious worship when they are made to his honor and glory and not our own only or to our selves
hereupon it followeth in the same text Thou shalt not adore them which thou hast made to thy self and not to the honor of God nor serve them for this is Idolatry but faithfull Roman Catholiques never make any such pictures to themselves only much lesse do they worship them or serve them or adore them God created all things in heaven and upon earth for man and man for himself so that man may not use any of the creatures of God or himself for himselfe or to himselfe onely or do any thing to himselfe or for himself only without offence to God much lesse may he make pictures signs and images to himself only or to bow down to them or worship them or serve them for himself only This is self-love or Philantia not onely forbidden by the first Commandement and condemned by S. Paul saying In the last dayes shall approach perillous times and men shall be lovers of themselves 1 Tim. 3.1 but also by the moral Philosophers as by Aristotle in the third chapter of his second book of Politiques and in the eighth chapter of his nineth book of Moralls ad Nichomachum saying They use to call those who love themselves filthy people whereupon Suidas reporteth of Narcissus as beautifull young man who was enamored of himselfe that the Nymphs upbraided him saying Many hate thee because thou too much lovest thy selfe wherefore seeing that Almighty God bindeth all men by the obligation of their creation to love and serve him with all their hearts no marvell that he hath tyed man from making or doing any thing for himself as for himself and from adoring or serving such things after they be made especially pictures and images seeing there is nothing so hurtfull to the love and service of God as selfe-love and the working or doing any thing for our selves or the worshiping or serving it whereupon the Antients compared self-love to the love of the Ape unto her Cub which she killeth with imbracing as they do who make to themselves and not to God graven things or images or pictures and after fall down to them and worship them without any reference or order to God Our Saviour to keep all Christians from this self-love or from making any graven thing or image for themselves and not with reference order or relation to God taught them saying If any will come after me to heaven let him deny himself Mat. 16.24 that is saith S. Basil in his answer to the sixth Interrogation of his large disputation upon Rules forsake all his own pleasures and do or make nothing for himself much lesse to make a graven thing or image for himself and after to bow down unto it and serve it This to be the sense of these words the Scripture doth witnesse saying in the same chapter You shall not make gods of silver nor gods of gold shall you make to you ver 23. Again mine Angell shall bring thee unto the Amorrheite and Hetheite and Pherezeit and Canaanite and Hâ—veit and Iebuzite whom I will destroy you shall not adore their gods nor serve them Exod. 23.23 Again He hath cut down cedars taken the elm tree and the oak c. he took of them and was warmed and kindled them and baked bread but of the rest he wrought a God and adored he made a graven thing and bowed down before it halfe he burnt with fire c. but the rest thereof he made a god and a graven thing to himself he howeth down before it and beseeching saying Deliver me because thou art my god Isa 44.14 whereupon when the children of Israel in the desert fell into Idolatry whilest Moyses was in the Mount with God about these Commandements God said to Moyses Thy people have made to themselves a molten calfe and have adored and immolating hosts unto it have said these are thy gods Israel Exod. 32.8 whereby it is manifest that this text onely forbiddeth the making of Idols and of vain and idle pictures or images which have no reference or relation to God but to men only and the affection or service done to them which is by all Roman Catholikes accompted sinfull and wicked and therefore if any Roman Catholique make to himself any such image sign or picture their Adversaries shall doe well to punish him That these words a graven thing or as it is in the Hebrew text Pesel signifieth an idol or vaine image made to a mans selfe and not to the honor of God the seventy Interpreters of the Scriptures who were assigned for that purpose by the Jews to translate the Old Testament into Greek do witnesse for they translate for the Hebrew word Pesel which our Adversaries erroneously call a graven image Idolum an Idol In like manner Origen in his eighth Homily upon Exodus and S. Augustine twice in his 71. question upon Exodus readeth this text Thou shalt not make to thy self an Idol And Calvin himself in his Commentaries upon the second of Exodus put forth in French saith upon this text Moyses only speaketh of Jdols And a little after That which some foolishly have thought here to be condemned all graving and images needeth no confutation seeing that Moyses hath no other intent but to exempt the glory of God from all fictions which tend to corrupt it whereby it appeareth that this text maketh nothing either against the making of sacred pictures signs or images or the adoring or worshiping them with a relative religious worship which conducteth us to God and heavenly things In like manner this first Commandement or the second as our Adversaries will have it is again set down in the fifth of Deuteronomy where it is also said Thou shalt not make to thee a thing graven nor the similitude of any thing that is in heaven above c. thou shalt not adore them nor serve them where Almighty God prohibiteth the making of graven things pictures signs or images to our selves and not to his honor and glory and likewise prohibiteth the adoring or worshipping of such pictures signes and images as are made to our selves and not to his honor neither in all the Bible is there found any prohibition either to make any sacred artificiall picture sign or image or to adore or worship them being made with a relative religious worship for the holy things they doe represent where upon I may conclude that Almighty Gâ—â— neither prohibited the making of sacred artificiall pictures signs and images nor yet their worship after the manner abovesaid as I shall yet further shew in the ensuing chapters CHAP. XII That it is lawfull to make holy artificiall Pictures Signes and Images which may immediately or mediately bring us to think upon God and heavenly things and place them in Churches or Temples FIrst the arts of painting carveing printing and writing were never prohibited and if it be lawfull to exercise these arts in naturall and morall things it cannot be denied but that they may be used to assist our minds
to be born if we had not received the benefit of our redemption Moreover the name of God a Redeemer doth include in it the name of God as Creator but not the contrary whereby it appeareth that the word or name Jesus respectively is more holy and more to be honored and worshipped amongst Christians then was the Word or name Jehova in the Old Law seeing that respectively it is of greater dignity and eminency as Abulensis in his seventh question upon the twentieth chapter of Genesis proveth more at large where upon I may conclude that we are bound to honor with a relative religious worship the sweet name of Jesus by the first and second Commandement Christ Iesus saith S. Paul humbled himself made obedient unto death even to the death of the crosse for the which thing God hath exalted him and hath given him a name which is above all names that in the name of Jesus every knee bow of celestialls terrestialls and infernalls Phil. 2.8 Thus the Scriptures to demonstrate unto us that we may honor and worship graven things signs pictures and images when they are not made to our selves as are Idols or vain images but to expresse and represent unto us sacred and holy things and have relation unto God the end of all goodnesse S. Paul here saying In the name of Jesus whether it be ingraven and so a graven thing or painted and so a picture or printed or written or spoken and so a sign every knee shall how The Angel Gabriel said to our B. Lady Thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bear a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and he shall be called the son of the most high Luke 1.31 so great as that S. Peter said in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you did crucifie in this same this lame man standeth before you whole c. neither is there any other name under heaven given to men wherein we may be saved Act. 4.10 wherefore if it were an offence as it was amongst the people of Israel not to honor and worship the name Iehova which signified God as God and Creator of all things much more it must be an offence amongst the Christians not to honor and worship the name Jesus as it belongeth to Christ our Lord because it signifieth the whole work of the Incarnation and our redemption wheâ—â— to doe concur the wisdome power goodnesse Majesty and all the attributes of God more then in any his other works made oâ— created and putâ—eth us in mind of all these things wheâ—â— upon the Scriptures say A most strong tower the name of our Lord the just unneth to it and shall be exalteb Prov 18.10 Again whosoever shall invocate the name of the Lord shall be saved Ioel 2.22 Rom. 10.13 for as S. Paul saith None can say our Lord Jâ—sus but in the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 that is saith Sedulius upon this text in heart word and work In this name the Fathers and Prophets of the Old Law rejoyced saying as it may be read in the Hebrew J will expect thy salvation or thee Jesus O Lord Gen. 49.18 Again the Prophet David foretelling the preaching of the name of Jesus amongst the Gentiles saith our Lord hath made known his salvation or his Jesus in the sight of the Gentiles Psal 97.2 Again in the same Psalm all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God or the Jesus of our God whereupon the Prophet J say singing a song in Thanksgiving for the benefits the world was to receive by Christ saith God is my Saviour or Jesus J will do confidently and will not fear because our Lord God of God that is to say the son of god Iesus is my strength and my praise he is become my salvation or my Jesus and Saviour you shall draw waters of joy out of the Saviour fountains or out of the fountains of Jesu And you shall say in that day confesse to our Lord and invocate his name make his inventions known among the people Remember that his name is high J say 1â— 2 Thus these Fathers of the Old Law whereby it appeareth that more relative religious honor and worship is to be given unto the name of Jesus respectively as it representeth unto us Christ our Saviour then unto any other name of God otherwise the Scriptures and antient Fathers of the Old Law would not so highly extoll commend and rejoyce at this name more then in other names of God as I shall yet further shew in the ensuing chapter CHAP. XIX Greater honor to be given unto the name Jesus as it signifieth Christ our Lord then to any other name of God GOd the Father as it were rejoycing at the salvation of mankind and glorying at the name of his only Son our Lord said by the mouth of the Prophet Malachy Great is my name among the Gentiles Again my name is great among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hosts Malachy the first which words S. Irenaeus in the thirty third chapter of his fourth book of heresies expounding saith What other name is there by which he is glorified amongst the Gentiles but that of our Lords by which the Father is glorified and man glorified and because it is the name of his proper son who was made man by him he calleth it his name as if a King himself should paint the image of his son in two respects he might justly call that image his first because it is his sons and secondly because he made it so the name of Jesus Christ which throughout the whole world is glorified in the Church the Father doth confesse to be his both because it is his sons and he writing it hath given it for the salvation of men Thus S. Jrenaeus who lived with the Apostles Schollars to signifie unto us how glorious and honorable this name of Jesus as it calleth into our memory Christ our Lord and all the benefits received by him was in the Primitive church seeing that it was glorified as this Saint affirmeth in his time of the whole Church dispersed over the world and how could it be glorified so universally and early by all Christians if the Christians of these times should have given no more honor or worship unto it then they did to Dick or Tom or Iohn yet Origen in his fourteenth Homily upon S. Luke saith The glorious word Jesu is to be spoken or called upon with all honor and worship In these Primitive times the religious respect and reverence which the ancient Fathers bare unto this name of Iesus as it had a relation to Christ our Lord was so great that S. Ambrose chap. 9. of his book of Hexameron or six dayes work saith This is the gift of the eternall Father to his Son that in the name of Jesu every knee shall bow of these who are in heaven upon earth and under the earth Thus S. Ambrose Now if this be
may be communicated to his creatures depending upon him Ob. Some of the more simple sort of people amongst you adore your pictures of God or pray unto them as unto a living thing Ans I never could either see or hear of any such amongst them If we cannot find a dog that will not be able to distinguish between a true living Hare and a painted how much more the simplest man but if any such things should be amongst them he could not be a Roman Catholique but an heretique or infidell and as such would have been punished Ob. Mr. Lâ—mbert in his preambulations and divers of our Authors do write of the abuses which were committed in England about images Ans These abuses and the like were committed by Protestants and after the time that King Henry the VIII had separated himselfe from the Cat holike Roman Church and had by vertue of his Supremacy and the Supremacy of his Protestant Clergy placed Protestant Bishops Abbats and Abbatesses in the Monasteries who to disgrace them and bring them to desolation and ruine into which they after fell invented these and the like abuses that they might with the better colour seize upon their lands and goods as appeareth for that images were not taken out of the Churches Monasteries untill the the time of King Edward the VI. in the year 1547. which was about thirteen years after that the Popes Authority was by Parliament excluded out of England as do witnesse your own Chronicles Neither is it a sufficient cause to take away a good thing from amongst men for that divers doe abuse it for so we should neither leave Bible nor Sacraments in the church seeing that both are abused by many our Lord saith the Prophet will not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just Psal 124.3 The Conclusion FOr conclusion it is necessary to observe that amongst the many oppressions which the enemy of mankind practiseth over those who by sin he hath made his slaves this is one that he permitteth not unto any one of them the use of a pious thought but if at any time a pious thought begin to appeare in any of their hearts or minds he presently snatcheth it away as witnesseth our Saviour Matth. 13.19 thereby to force his subjects to begin their hell here upon earth Wherefore if you permit no text of Scripture publikely to passe amongst the people but such as is corrupted by dissenting translations nor any Sermons to be heard but such as are made vain by differing opinions in faith nor sacred pictures signes and images to be seen which shall not be beaten down as Idols and their relative religious respect and reverence to be preached against as superstitious as they are in this Island what will be the issue but that both pious thoughts and works banished every mans heart will be his hell not only to the losse of their souls but also in processe of time to the destruction of our Nation by vicious life and wicked deeds The Scriptures command us saying Labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 But as S. Augustine in the 6. châ—p of his book of Grace and free will wâ—ll observeth There could be no good works if good thoughts did not go before them wherefore if you will take away the abundance of iniquity wicked deeds witchcrafts and other impious crimes which raign amongst men in this Island it is necessary that you not only publikely admit of true Copies of the holy Scriptures Sermons of the Catholike Fâ—ith which only is true end of sacred pictures signes and images but also that they be reverenced and respected with a relative religious respâ—ct and worship for the divine things which they represent and as they do represent them thereby not onely to put good thoughts into the hearts of men but alâ—o to nourish them to the bringing forth of an abundance of good works to the honor of God salvation of our soules and prosperity of our Countrey which God grant Amen To only God be honor and glory