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
these are the things which defile the soul Mat. 15.19 which is also confirmed by experience for in all our voluntary actions we first think before we do whereby it is sufficiently manifest unto any reasonable man that all the miseries and calamities which heretofore have been or now are in the world or hereafter shall be originally proceed from evill thoughts wherefore if we could but plant the Nurse of pious thoughts amongst men we should in great part at least ease them of their miseries contentions civill warres Sects and brawls Neither would the planting of pious thoughts amongst mankind be a thing of so great a difficulty to bring to passe if they would but firmly and constantly believe the truth in this matter which is that evill thoughts do not only separate and divide one man from another and bring in all those calamities and miseries which we daily see amongst men but also divide man from God make divisions even in himself and deprive him of his everlasting weal as witnesse the Scriptures saying Perverse thoughts separate from God Wisd 1.3 Again in the same chapter The Holy Ghost will withdraw himself from the thoughts that are without understanding and yet more Jn the thoughts of the impious there shall be examination and the hearing of his works shall come to God to the chastising of his iniquities Again evill thoughts are abhomination to our Lord Prover 11.16 Whereupon God further saith by the Prophet I say take away the evill of your thoughts from mine eys Jsa 1.16 Again Let the impious forsake his wayes and the unjust man his thoughts and return to our Lord and he will have mercy upon him Isa 55.7 Again Woe be to you who think that which is unprofitable Micheas 2.1 And with these agree the Prophet Zachary saying Think ye not every man in your heart evill against his friend and a lying â—â—th love ye not for all these things are such as J hate saith the Lord Zach. 8.17 Thus the Sctiptures of the miseries and wretchednesse which accompany evill thoughts Now what man is there who is indued with reason and will be sensible of his own good or evill that the aforesaid miseries considered will not hate all impious thoughts and be glad of the means how to nourish in himselfe pious thoughts especially the Scripture saying He who thinketh to do evill shall be called a fool Prov. 24.6 of whom our Saviour saith Thou fool this night they the divells require thy soul of thee and the things which thou hast provided by wicked thoughts whose shall they be Luk. 12.20 for he saith S. Hieruome upon this aforesaid Text is truly to be called a foole who consenteth in his thoughts to the suggestion of sin although to the eys of men he seem never so wise For the aforesaid reasons our dear Lord and Saviour being carefull of the good and salvation of mankind reprehendeth man for his evill thoughts saying Wherefore think ye evill in your hearts Mat. 9.4 And S. Paul knowing the many miseries and wretchednesse which attend upon impious thoughts exhorteth all men to practise and nourish in themselves pious thoughts saying Brethren what things soever be true whatsoever honest whatsoever just whatsoever holy whatsoever amiable whatsoever of good fame if there be any vertue if any praise of discipline those things think upon Phil. 4.8 and for a reward of nourishing such pious thoughts addeth and the God of peace shall be with you whereupon S. Chrysostome upon this Text saith You may see how S. Paul would cast all wicked thoughts out of our minds for from evill thoughts all wicked deeds proceed From hence it is that the Prophet calleth those happy who presently correct or kill their evill thoughts which he calleth Daughters of Babylon saying daughter of Babylon Blessed is he that shall hold and shall crush thy little ones against the rock Psal 136.9 who are these little ones of Babylon saith S. Augustine upon this Text but our arising evill desires when it is a little one or as soon as it ariseth crush it We kill our little ones saith S. Gregory in the end of his expositions upon the fourth Penitentiall Psalme against the rock when we mortifie or kill the first unlawfull motions or thoughts by an intention to follow Christ for Christ was the rock 1 Cor. 10.6 Almighty God foreseeing so many evills to proceed from wicked thoughts to prevent those miseries of the ten Commandements which he gave unto men two of them are against vicious thoughts saying Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house neither shalt thou desire his wife Exod. 20.17 and writ them in the hearts of all people Rom. 2.15 whereupon Juvenal an heathen Poet in his third Satyr saith He who shall think any secret wickednesse within himself is guilty of the fact And Valerâ—us Maximus in the second chapter of his seventh book reporteth that Thales the Philosopher being demanded whether God were ignorant of the works of men answered No not of their thoughts wherefore saith he we ought not only to have pure hands but also pure minds seeing that we should believe the divine Godhead to be present at our secret thoughts From hence also if is that Alexander the Great as affirmeth S. Basil in his twenty fourth Homily knew that it was an offence by beholding to covet a woman in thought although he did not accomplish the fact And Cieero a morall man writing divers books of Offices unto his Son Mark for the well disposing of his life in his first book not farre from the beginning amongst other things admonisheth him That in all his opinions and deeds he should neither do nor think any thing libidinese lecherously the light of Nature teaching even the more morall sort of heathen men that evill thoughts were corrupters of good manners and originally the cause of all miseries and disorders and therefore desired that they might be avoided at least for the benefit of their Common-wealth CHAP. IV. The excellency of Pious thoughts and how good works and heroicall actions proceed from them THe substance of all mens souls are of one coelestiall incorruptible matter the difference between soul and soul in excellency beauty and purity in this life is the inherent grace infused vertues pious thoughts vertuous operations and in the other coelestiall splendour and everlasting blâ—sse which God bestoweth upon his servants all which in such as are baptized and of years of discretion of whom I intend only to treat depend upon the pious thoughts and vertuous operation of the soul in this life according to the words of our Lord saying Out of the heart come forth evill cogitations these are the things which defile the soul Mat. 15.19 of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. Whereupon S. Paul saith that Christ is a Discerner or censurer of the cogitations and of the intent of the heart Heb. 4.12 God will not only examine our outward works and words but also our very
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
artificiall sacred signe gathered by the calculation of the Sun as is yet further manifest for that some begin the Sabbath day from the first appearing of the stars after the setting of the Sun as the Jews others from midnight as Catholique Christians others from Sun rising as the Protestants c. In some Countryes the dayes are sometimes as long as one of our moneths in others as two in others as three and in some it is day for half a year together so that if they did not calculate a time for the observance of the Sabbath they should either keep none or els sanctifie it for half a year together Again as I have said here before men cannot change essences and substances because these things belong to God but they have changed the Sabbath from Saturday unto Sunday as our Adversaries do confesse whereby it is demonstrated that that the Sabbath day is but a sacred sign of rest from the Creation of the world as also of the eternall rest of heaven and of the Resurrection of our Lord and of the people of God c. whereby they might be distinguished from other Nations and yet our adversaries themselves do honor reverence this day after their kind or manner with a religious worship though it be but a sign and no substance or person or God neither may they say that this sanctification of the Sabbath may be or is performed by a civill worship seeing that first the Commandements of God as I have said heretofore are divine and religious and pertaine to Religion Secondly civill worship may be used by Pagans and Heathens who cannot sanctifie any thing to God because they want faith without which it is impossible to please God Moreover that the Sabbath day or Sunday is but a sign or ceremony to put us in mind of another thing God himself doth yet further witnesse saying See that you keep my Sabbath because it is a sign betweene me and you in your generations that you may know that J am the Lord which sanctifie you keep you my Sabbath for it is holy unto you he that polluteth it dying shall dye Exod. 31.13 to demonstrate unto us that the Sabbath or Sunday is but a signe to distinguish the people of God and faithfull from the Infidells and reprobates and yet all faithfull people worship and honor it with solemn rites ceremonies and circumstances as offering of Sacrifice rest from labour attending to proper preaching reading of the Scriptures and other pious works and exercises so that it cannot be denied but that sacred signes pictures images and such things as represent unto us or have relation either immediately or mediately unto divine things or to the things of heaven or mysteries of our faith may be honored and worshipped with a relative religious honor and worship for the things of heaven or holy things which they represent and that this relative religious worship begetteth in us pious thoughts seeing God commandeth it Againe God would have this sign of the observance of the Sabbath or Sunday so much honored and respected by men as that he promiseth great rewards to those who shall religiously and carefully observe it saying If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy will in my holy day and call the Sabbath delicate and the holy of our Lord glorious and glorifie him by keeping it whilest thou doest not thine own wayes and thy will be not found to speak a word then shalt thou be delighted upon the Lord and I will lift thee up abâ—ve the neights of the earth and I will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy Father Isay 58.13 Thus the Scriptures to demonstrate unto us that there is no cause why our Adversaries should so dislike of the religious relative worship which Roman Catholikes do give to sacred signs pictures and images as they represent either heavenly things or the mysteries of their faith seeing that God not only commandeth it but also promiseth great rewards to those who shall zealously and carefully reverence and respect them The cause why Almighty God so presseth man to sanctifie the Sabbath day which is but a sign of the rest which he made from the creation of the world and of our Saviours Resurrection and of the eternall rest in heaven with a relative religious worship is because we cannot worship this sacred sign of the Creation of the World Resurrection of our Saviour and eternall rest in heaven without thinking upon these things and begetting in our hearts pious thoughts of the Creation of the World Resurrection of our Saviour and eternall joyes of heaven the Sabbath being a holy sign of those sacred mysteries as words are of things when we worship this signe with a relative religious worship for those things which it doth represent we cannot but think upon the things themselves because as I have said heretofore we cannot think upon two things at once from whence it is that the relative religious worship which is given to sacred pictures signs and images as they are such cannot but nourish in the doers pious thoughts for which cause the divell stirreth up those in whose heart he dwelleth to have them cast down or prophaned least by their remaining and the relative respect born unto them for the sacred things they represent and as they do represent them he should be forced to change his lodging And to conclude God speaking of the observation of the feast of Easter or Pasche saith The first day of the Pasche shall be holy and solemn and the seventh day with the like festivity shall be venerable Exod. 12.16 To shew unto us that the children of Jsrael by the Commandement of God gave honor and worship to the first and seventh day of the Pasche which are but instituted signes of our Lords passage over their houses in Egypt and of the Resurrection from death to life everlasting whereby we see that of the ten Commandements two command us to worship respect and reverence with a relative religious worship sacred artificiall signs pictures and images because this begetteth in us pious thoughts CHAP. XVIII Of the sweet name or signe of Jesus and how this name respectively is to be worshipped with a relative religious worship above all names thereby to beget pious thoughts of Jesus above all things ALthough the word signe or name Jehova was of great honor and worship amongst the faithfull Jewes yet it should be inferiour in honor and reverence to the name or word Jesus as it signifieth our Saviour amongst the Christians because Jehova doth signifie God as he is our Lord and Creator but Iesus doth signifie God as he is our Saviour and Redeemer wherefore as the benefit of our Redemption is greater then that of our Creation so the name of Iesus or a Redeemer or Saviour is greater then the name of God or a Creator whereupon the Church in the blessing of the Paschall candle saith It had availed us nothing