the Crucifixion of our Saviour but especially in the New Common-Prayer-Books interleav'd with Pictures 2ly As to the Commemorative Vse of Images 't is receiv'd and approv'd in the Church of Rome as 't is explicated in the Council of Trent above cited where 't is said That the Use of Holy Images is Beneficial to the People because by them they are put in mind of the Benefits and Blessings receiv'd from Christ and by seeing the Wonderful Miracles wrought by the Power of God and the Exemplary Lives of the Saints they are excited to give God Thanks for such Favors to love him and compose their Lives according to the Exemple of such Holy Men. The same is declared in the Catechism ad Parochos ut sup where the Parish Priest is directed to inform the People That Holy Images are plac'd in Churches to put them in mind of the Divine Mysteries and Blessings that so they may be more Zealous and Attentive in the Love and Service of so Good a God. And that by beholding the Representations of the Saints they may be admonish'd to conform their Lives to such Examples Thus teaches the Church of Rome The Church of England likewise agrees with her in the same Doctrin and Practice allowing of Images as helps to Piety and for the affecting the minds of the Beholders with Pious Cogitations and encouraging them to a Vertuous and Exemplary Life This is most apparent in the Injunctions given by King Edward VI. to his Clergy and Ministers wherein they are order'd to Instruct the People in their Circuits that Images serve for Remembrance whereby Men may be admonish'd of the holy Lives and Conversation of them that the said Images Represent Which is the very Doctrin now mention'd in the Council of Trent and Catechism ad Parochos This Mr. Montagu explicates more at large in his Book call'd A New Gag c. where treating of Images he says to the Papists Images have these uses assign'd by your Schools The Instruction of the Ignorant the Refreshing of History and Exciting Devotion You and WE also give unto them these And a little after The Pictures of Christ the Blessed Virgin and Saints may be made and had in Houses set up in Churches The Protestants do it and use them for Helps of Piety In his Appeal to Caesar likewise he thus delivers the Sense of the Church of England in this affair c. 21. Our strictest Writers says he do not condemn or censure St. Gregory for putting upon them Images that Historical use of suggesting unto moving or affecting the mind even in Pious and Religious Affections For Instance in Remembring more feelingly and so being empassion'd more effectually with the Death Blood-shed and Bitter Passion of our Saviour when we see that Story fully and lively Represented unto us in Colors or Work by a Skilful hand And I know not the Man that is made of human Mold but when he readeth on this Painted Book his Tragical Endurances for Man will reflect upon himself and his own Soul and Conscience with a Lively apprehension of Man's Sin God's Love Christ's endeared Charity in undergoing these unknown Sufferings for our sake Thus this Eminent Author most feelingly explicates the Pious use of Holy Images as proper for the suggesting Good Thoughts and inflaming the Soul with most Christian Affections in order to the Love and Service of God. In this the Reader may behold how little Difference or rather how great an Agreement there is between the Legitimate and Genuin Doctrin of the Church of England and the Church of Rome as to these two first Points mention'd viz. The Historical and Commemorative Vse of Sacred Images Now when a Member of the Church of Rome has endeavor'd to shew that this Doctrin as to the Historical and Commemorative Vse of Holy Images is agreeable to the Antient Church as is done in Nubes Testium who could ever expect that any Member of the Church of England much less a Divine should appear bidding Defiance to such Doctrin with endeavors to shew the Practice of it to be Heathenish Heretical and but a Popish Invention Could a Man think that any Church of England Divine would take so much pains to abuse and Ridicule his own Church Certainly he must be either very Ignorant of what his own Church teaches or very blindly Malicious against the Church of Rome that to expose her should not care what Mischief he did his own Mother Church But thus it happens sometimes when Men are guided by Passion instead of Truth and Reason 't is impossible to avoid these Absurdities when such Bitter Spirits take Pen in hand who look no further in Answering than to Contradict their Adversary right or wrong And how far this Answerer has done this 't will be not amiss in this Place to consider 1st Then he pretends to shew pa. 20. That the first making of Pictures among Christians proceeded partly from the Example of some HERETICS This Bolt he shoots against the Papists But will not any Reader presently reflect that if Pictures in Churches be not a Christian Institution but the Corruption of Heretics that the Church of England for all the Pictures they set up in their Churches follow not Christ and his Apostles as they pretend but the Invention of Heretics And what Credit is this to his Church 2ly He asserts ib. that the making Pictures among Christians had it's Origin principally from the Fond Inclinations of those who being Converted from Heathenism to Christianity retain'd still an old relish and love of those Superstitious Practices to which they had been accustom'd so long Is not this to let the Person of Quality to whom he writes know that the Church of England in using and allowing Sacred Pictures of Christ his Apostles c. as is shewn above in Houses and Churches follows not only an Heretical Abuse but likewise the Superstitious Practices of Heathens 3ly He says that there was no such thing pa. 15. as the Vse of Images in the Primitive Ages Which is to inform his Reader that the Church of England as to this Point of Images is faln from the Christianity of the Primitive Times and that she stands in need of a Reformation 4ly He shews pa. 22. that the having Pictures in Churches is contrary to an Express Canon of the Council of Eliberis held An. 305. by the Fathers of the Primitive Church In which he condemns his own Church for contradicting the Positive Decrees of so Antient a Council 5ly From the Example of an Antient Bishop renting a Veil or Hanging whereon was the Image of Christ he declares pa. 25. in the words of the Bishop such Pictures to be contrary to the Authority of the Scriptures Which is plainly to tell the World that the Use of Hangings such as have Christ or his Saints Represented on them as may be seen in many Houses in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches are all contrary to the Word of God. These are some of the
satisfied the word Image-worship will do the work without much need of longer Proofs and therefore waving all such kind of Controversial Drudgery he falls to the Historical part in which from the different account of Historians the disagreement in Time and Place and other Circumstances he easily fills all with Confusion and Uncertainty A tedious work he makes about the second Council of Nice and sets it out in such abusive Language with so much contempt and scorn that he seems at his writing this Character to have come fresh from a Billings-gate Lecture Hear how he attacks that Venerable Synod They were a Pack of Greeks says he pa. 38. that were neither the wisest nor the honestest Men in the World. Then having undervalued the Proofs of that Council as Senseless and Ridiculous he adds pa. 39. Now you may judge whether these were not rare Greek Wits Yet we might forgive their want of Brains if they had been Men of Integrity but they were dishonest too In this manner do's he complement this great Synod with the Honorable Titles of Fools and Knaves Certainly he must be a wise Man in his own conceit who makes so bold with three hundred and fifty Fathers besides the Popes Legates and the Vicars of the Oriental Patriarchs But I leave him in this Buffoonry wishing him only much joy of his Admirable Talent in this kind The Chief thing he urges against this Council is their establishing as he pretends Superstitious Errors the Worship or Adoration of Images such as our Author judges to be nothing else than Idolatry in this doing altogether like himself who quarrels with every thing but how unlike the more Learned and Moderate Divines of his own Church who vindicate this Council from all such imputations Mr. Thorndike freely confessing that he must maintain as unquestionable that the Council of Nice injoyns no Idolatry Epil 3. pa. 363. And Dr. Field affirming that the Nicence Fathers mean nothing else by Adoration of Images but embracing kissing and reverently using of them and like to the Honor we do the Books of Holy Scripture Of the Church l. 3. c. 36. Thus do these Eminent Men deliver their Sense of this Council and it's Doctrin which our Author has thought fit to render so Ridiculous to the World. He catches at Words and without Examining or Understanding them makes Idolatry and Superstition of the most Orthodox and Christian Doctrin And this I look upon the occasion of his letting flie so furiously at this Venerable Synod and of all his Rallery against it But I proceed to consider his other Arguments The principal thing he insists on and which runs thro' his whole Pamphlet is that we cannot make it appear even as a thing probable that Images were so much as set up in Churches in the Primitive Times and upon this Practice now so common in the Church of Rome he presses her with the Guilt of Innovation An Excellent Argument well becoming a Leader of the People But this is the Motive of Reforming And do not some other Reformers upon the same grounds prove the use of Organs in the Divine Service to be an Innovation since it cannot be made appear even as probable that there were any such things known to the Primitive Christians of the first three or four hundred years And do not others still treading over the same steps make the use of Cathedrals and Churches of Deanries and Prebendaries an Innovation in Christianity since in the Primitive times there were no such things heard â—f After this rate some Men are pleas'd to argue and at this pace the Reformation may go on improving every day till there 's nothing of Christianity left if such Principles and Reasons of some Church of England Reformers are but follow'd as Just and Convincing But these can have no authority but with some Weak and Passionate Men. Others who weigh things duely know that the Circumstances of the Primitive Christians their being under Severe Persecution their living and conversing in the middle of Pagans and Jews c. did make many things inconvenient and unseasonable at that time especially such as related to the Solemnity and Order of the Church which otherwise were Good and Apostolical This Mr. Montagu a Wise and Learned Man throughly consider'd and particularly in relation to Images which he says in the first Ages were but few or none in publick not because they were then Unlawful or contrary to the Doctrin of the Apostles but because they were inconvenient in those times of Persecution and Paganism I 'll here set down his own words to satisfie the Answerer and to let him see the difference between the Spirit of Peace and Moderation and that of Bitterness and Wrangling Thus then that Worthy Divine argues in his Appeal to Caesar c. 23. As the Ancient Fathers of the Primitive Times had very few or no Churches at all at least of Note Dignity or of Receipt because they liv'd in Times of fierce Persecution and were seldom or Few of them Stationary but compell'd subinde mutare sedes so had they very few I grant or no Pictures at all in public use amongst them not so much as for Ornament sake And the reason was because they lived continually amongst Pagans and were themselves for the most part such as had abandon'd and come over from Paganism unto Christ that were bred in brought up in inur'd to and fast setled unto Idolatry in Image-worship Therefore they spoke against them with some tartness and inveighing sort lest haply by conversing with or neighboring upon Pagans or thro' former use of being mis-led by those Pagans the Novel and tender Shoots of Christianity might receive hurt and learn to worship Idols as those Pagans did In which words this Author plainly declares that tho' there was not the public use of Images in the first Ages yet the admittance of them afterwards into Churches was no Innovation as our Answerer pretends but the practising of a thing which in all the precedent Ages had been just and lawful but not expedient for the reasons here assign'd by him Which thing the same Author has thus clearly deliver'd in the foregoing Chapter where speaking of the use of Images Before St. Gregory says he I know no such confest employment for them He was the first that gave such public approbation unto them DECLARATORILY tho' it was TRVE DOCTRIN IN IT SELF before he ever profess'd it such Can any thing be more clearly express'd Is it not evidently here acknowledgâ—d by a Church of England Divine that the Use of Images as approv'd and allow'd by Pope Gregory who was for giving Reverence and Respect unto them as this Author confesses in the same Chapter was a True Doctrin in it self tho' it was never professedly declar'd before this time And yet our Answerer unacquainted it seems with the Doctrin of his own Church and with the Circumstances of the Primitive Church comes here with the full Cry of Innovation
ipsa Apostolorum aetate neque enim contrarium ostendi potest existimationem peperit Honorificam The Honor and Esteem shewn to the NAME of the CROSS did produce even in the Age of the Apostles an honorable Esteem likewise for the SIGN of the Cross neither can any thing contrary to this be prov'd What can be plainer than that according to this Canon 't is the Sense of the Church of England that the Primitive Christians were taught by the Apostles not only to Honor the Name of the Cross but likewise the SIGN of the Cross And certainly if according to this Church the Apostles taught their Followers to honor in their Hearts and Souls the Sign of the Cross it can neither be contrary to the Apostles nor this Church to do so now and to express this Honor outwardly which they are thus taught to conceive inwardly and entertain in their hearts 'T is an Absurdity sure too great to fall upon the Church of England thus absolutely to approve the Affection of Honor and Esteem towards the Sign of the Cross in Christians Hearts as both a Christian Duty and an Apostolical Doctrin and then afterwards to condemn the same Honor and Affection of the Soul as Idolatry and Superstition when 't is express'd Outwardly either in Words or Gesture For how is it possible that what is Apostolical in the Heart should by being express'd outwardly become Idolatrous This Doctrin is deliver'd more expresly by Mr. Montague who in his Book call'd a New Gag thus declares the Express Tenet of Catholics and of his own Church p. 318. You say the Pictures of Christ the Blessed Virgin and Saints must not have Latria So We. You give them Dulia I quarrel not the Term tho' I could There is a Respect due unto and Honor given Relatively to them If this you call Dulia We give it too Let Practice and Doctrin go together We agree Nay he shews farther 't is impossible to keep or set up the Pictures of Christ or his Saints without having a REVERENCE and HONOR for them in due kind Hear him in his own words in his Appeal to Caesar c. 21. But it has distasted some says he that RESPECT and HONOR should be given unto them Images of Christ Strange it should displease any that can approve of any be it but a Civil use of them I cannot tell unless Men would insâ—â—ntly have them pull'd down in all places demolish'd stamp'd to powder whosesoever whatsoever wheresoever The setting of them up suffering them to stand using them for Ornaments for helps of Memory of Affection of Rememoration cannot be abstracted to my Vnderstanding from Reverence and Honor Simply in due kind Can a Man have the True Representation of his Prince Parents Patrons c. without Awe Respect Regard Love Reverence moved by Aspect and wrought in him I profess my Imperfection or what they will call it it is so with me Unco impacto in Latrinas in Gemonias in malam Crucem the Pictures Statues Paintings Representations of Christ the Virgin Apostles Martyrs Holy Men and Women unless the very having and preserving of them do in some sort imply RESPECT REGARD and HONOR done unto them without offence justly given without Scandal or Inclination to Impiety Then he urges the Truth of this Doctrin with the words of Junius Junius says he was no Papist not in your opinion I hope He in his Animadversions upon Bellarmin de Imaginibus says Hoc nemo NOSTRVM dicit non esse COLENDAS nec ullo modo Suo modo COLI probamus velut Imagines at non religioso cultu qui aut superstitiosus est aut impius nec cùm aliorum scandalo sive Cultus separatus sive conjunctus cum eorum Cultu intelligatur quorum sunt Imagines None of us say that Images are no ways to be worship'd We prove that they are to be worship'd in a way peculiar to them as Images but not with a Religious Worship which is either Superstitious or Impious Neither to the scandal of others whether the Worship be understood the same or different from that which is given to the things Represented by them Thus this Learned Man delivers and defends the Doctrin of his Church in relation to the Images of Christ and his Saints against the Arguments of some Informers which he thinks to be no other than Puritans and at best some FVRIOVS ONES of his own Church or SINGVLAR ILLUMINATES as he terms them ib. c. 20. And now what great difference here in this Point between the Two Churches The Council of Trent says that Images of CHRIST c. ought to be set up in Churches and DVE HONOR and VENERATION given them The Church of England by Mr. Montague says that the Images of Christ the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints may be set up in Churches RESPECT and HONOR may be given them in Due kind The using them for helps of Memory of Affection of Rememoration cannot be abstracted from REVERENCE and HONOR simply in DVE kind The Catechism ad Parochos says These Images are set up in Churches ut Colantur that they may be Honor'd or Worship'd that is in due kind The Protestants say by Junius None of us deny but they may be Honor'd or Worship'd in their kind Nay more We prove They are to be Worship'd in some manner that is as Images Both Churches then agree that Sacred Images may be set up in Churches that a Respect Honor and Reverence is due to them in their kind and both concur in terming this Honor or Reverence Cultus or Worship i. e. in it's kind Suo modo Junius expressing it due velut Imagines as they are Images The Council of Trent because they Represent Christ c. which is upon the very same reason and ground Besides this 't is agreed by both Churches that this Reverence shewn to these things is founded purely upon the Relation they have to God and is terminated finally upon him This as to the Church of Rome appears from what is already quoted out of the Council of Trent And as to the Church of England from the words of Montagu above mention'd And from Bishop Jewel who in Rep. ag Hard. says We Worship the Sacrament the Word of God we Worship all other things in such Religious wise to Christ belonging And then afterwards giving the Reason The Sacraments be Ador'd says he but the whole Honor resteth not in them but is passed over from them to the things Signified Which is the very Relative Honor mention'd so often by Catholic Divines And this Divinity is found likewise in some Modorn Church-Men as Dr. Stillingfleet who in his Def. ag T. G. pa. 600. says that Altho' no Irrational or Inanimate Being be capable of that real Excellency to deserve any Honor from us for it 's own sake yet such things may have a Relation to matters of so High a Nature as to deserve a different Vsage and Regard from other things And this