giving the World and me a needless trouble of stating this Controversie which has been so long ago decided as to this Point by a Divine of his own Church But alas some Men who have for a long time from their Castle of Priviledge with a Noisy but Empty Controversie peevishly declaim'd against all sorts of Adversaries and there boastingly triumph'd where they know no body dar'd contradict or question them vainly think they may do the like in Print and that they may as easily impose upon all Readers as upon their Hearers And I desire our Answerer to consider how far he is here concern'd who thus dares to venture abroad with these Raw and Vnconnected Notions But the Answerer is resolv'd however to convince his Reader of the Unlawfulness of Images and in order to this tells him as before that the Antient Heretics were Friends to Images I wont ask here Why then do's the Church of England use them in her Places of Worship But I 'll tell him in his own Words that this is a Silly Artifice and that every thing is not to be condemn'd which was us'd by such a sort of People He knows I hope that the Antient Heretics us'd the Bible too as likewise Preaching and Churches and yet sure all these are not to be rejected upon this score I have here shew'd him already out of his own Authors who first declaratorily establish'd the use of Holy Images giving Reverence and Respect unto them and that this was a True Doctrin in it self before he ever profess'd it And what matter then if some Heretics admitted of the same who are wont to abuse even the best of things as the Answerer says the Gnostics did pa. 57. who rankt Christ's Image with those of Pythagoras Plato and Aristotle As to what he says before pag. 53. that Pope Gregory I. and II. contradict each other in this Point he would do well to explicate this fuller in his next for Pope Gregory II. is no more for Adoration of Images than Gregory I. as appears in that Letter of his to Leo Isaurus cited in Nubes Testium pa. 183. Where writing to the Emperor You charge us says he with the Adoration of Stones and Walls and Pictures But 't is not so as you affirm O Emperor What we do is only to refresh our Memory to raise our minds to Heaven and not as you urge to Worship them as Gods no God forbid we place no hope in them How then do's he contradict Gregory I. while he 's no more for Worshiping Images than he was But he that has Forehead enough to charge me with a Notion of Invocating of Images as he do's pa. 66. when I have no such Word or Hint must not be call'd to an account for every thing he says I have little more to consider in this Letter of the Answerer besides his great Kindness and Affection to the Heathens who with his Good Friend Dr. Stillingfleet is so favorable to them as in a manner to excuse them from Idolatry so the better to fix this Crime upon the Papists Tho' the Doctrin of the Papists in this Point is so like what the Church of England teaches that as is shewn above there 's little difference betwixt them besides about School Terms and Words The World knows the good understanding there was between Sultan Solyman and Martin Luther and how friendly the Followers of this New Prophet were taught to be to the Turks but why our English Reformers upon Martin Luther should be at this day so kind to the Heathens must be left to every one to guess The Answerer assures the Person of Quality pa. 11. to whom he writes that to charge the Heathens with Worshiping Stocks and Stones as Gods is to Misrepresent them And yet how many times has this very thing been instill'd into the Peoples Heads as True of the Papists which now as we are inform'd is a Misrepresentation when affirm'd of the Pagans Are not the Pagans here deeply indebted to these Church of England Men in their owning them to be Misrepresented whilst the same Abomination is so liberally charg'd upon the Papists and yet no Misrepresentation there if you 'l believe ' em This is to make the Papists worse than Heathens and without either Respect to Duty or Good manners to advance even now that Plot-Divinity which was Preach'd by a Doctor before the House of Commons April 11. 1679. Who setting out Popery in such colors as might be most effectual to excite that Assembly to the Drawing of Blood after several Dreadful Characters at last pa. 30. thus concludes Nay says he it is a Religion that will engage you in a more Unnatural Idolatry than ever the Pagans were guilty of Is not this a rare Character of one Christian from another Nay from Church of England Christians too such who pretend to so much Charity and Moderation above their Neighbors and yet to cast forth so much Gall and Venom that could be expected from none but another Julian or a Lucian But I take no advantage here I consider this was deliver'd in a time of an Epidemical Madness and what wonder if the Pulpits did not escape the Contagion But why at this time of the day should this Lecture be read to the People Is not the Plot out of some People's heads yet Is the Infection so lasting But what shall we say the Enclosure of some Men's Religion is only to be against Popery They raise a monstrous Notion in their own Brains and while they expose this to the People they make the Innocent suffer for their Delusion They 'l joyn hands with the Turk or the Pagan so they can but make a Devil of the Papist And in this some of their Furioso's are so blindly rash that they care not how Antichristian they make their own Church so they can but set out the Papists for Idolaters For here I desire any serious Man to consider if the Papists were thus really Idolaters as bad or worse than the Heathens as these Men suggest what Advantage would this be to the Church of England What kind of Church must the Church of England be who has no Ordination Succession or Authority of Preaching but what she has receiv'd from these Idolaters What kind of Church must she be whilst she owns her self and These Idolaters to be Parts of the same Church What kind of Church must she be whilst she acknowledges that all her Members for a Thousand Years before Henry 8. were in Communion with these Idolaters and in all External Rites and Worship were comprehended in the Papacy Must not she have been a very Dissembling and Adulterous Church whilst believing internally the True and Pure Faith of Christ she did for so many years externally practise all the supposed Superstitions and Idolatries of the Church of Rome which she judg'd to be most Wicked and Damnable Is not this an admirable Character of a Pretended Church of Christ to have play'd the Hypocrit for so many Ages committing Adultery with the Supposed Whore of Babylon and partaking in all her pretended Abominations What greater Blow could an Enemy give to the Church of England than some of her Divines do thus with their own hands who like Spiritual Janizaries destroy their own Mother Church of which they are Members For is it not evident that whilst they endeavor to make the Church of Rome guilty of Idolatry they prove their own Church for so many years to have been Idolatrous to have been a Dissembling Church a Church denying Christ and his Religion a Church for Temporal Respects committing many Idolatries and Superstitions and consequently no Church at all And what more Forcible Argument need any Dissenters to justifie their Separation from the Church of England For since the greatest part of those things upon which the Dissent is founded are such as have been instituted and commanded by the Church of Rome why shou'd they receive them from the Church of England whilst these same Church-Guides who press the Observance take so much pains to prove those from whom they receiv'd them to be Idolaters and a sort of Christians worse than Heathens What reason has any Man to joyn in such a Form of Worship and Divine Service when he is assur'd that Those from whom the greatest Part is borrow'd are Idolaters Why should any be tied to such Ceremonies if those that instituted them were Idolaters 'T is but Rational for every Man to think that if the Papists are so Stupid so Sottish so Ridiculous such Idolaters so worse than Heathens as every little Church-Divine is pleas'd to render them that the Church of England who retains so much of their Service and Ceremonies must of necessity be so far like them in Sottishness Ridiculosity Idolatry and Heathenism and the only way to become a Pure Christian must be to shake off even that which She has retain'd This is a very Obvious reasoning and I don't question has so powerfully wrought upon the minds of Infinite Numbers and widen'd the Separation to that degree that the very Crime of the Church of England in her Bitter and Vnjust Invectives against the Papists has by a just hand of God prov'd her Punishment whilst her endeavors to alienate the Peoples minds from Popery has embitter'd them even against her self and been so fatal to her that by the same means she has made People no Papists she has made them Dissenters from her own Communion and rais'd to her self almost as many Enemies as she inteded against the Church of Rome Our Answerer has lent a helping hand in this Point I do not mean here by his Peevish Scandalous Pulpit Invectives but in this his pretended Answer to this Part of Nubes Testium whilst he has scarce any one Argument but what is levell'd as much against his own Church if that be really his which he pretends as against the Papists Tho' in reality to any Intelligent Reader there is but very little against either The whole being made up of Vulgar Sophisms Wordy Disputes and Arguing at Rovers But the Author is to be excus'd the Whole is nothing more than a Letter And every body knows that a Letter however proper it may be to the Person to whom 't is directed is many times very Absurd when 't is divulg'd and made Common wee 'l excuse therefore the Writer but really he is to blame that Publish'd it FINIS
A DISCOURSE OF THE Use of Images In Relation to the Church of England AND THE Church of Rome In Vindication of NUBES TESTIUM Against a Pamphlet Entitled The Antiquity of the Protestant Religion concerning Images directed against some Leaves of that Collection Publisht with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1687. A Discourse of the Use of Images In relation to the Church of England and the Church of Rome In Vindication of NUBES TESTIUM THE Factious and Unchristian Temper of our Age has so unhappily spread it self thro' all Ranks of Men that even those whose business ought to be the Advancement of Piety have not escap'd it 's malignant Influence And this they evidence too clearly to the world whilst They shew themselves so industrious in multiplying the number of many needless Contentions in the Church instead of endeavouring to lessen and abate them This is the Misfortune of him who undertakes to assert the Antiquity of the Protestant Religion concerning Images in Answer to a Dozen Leaves of Nubes Testium Who because he is a Profess'd and Virulent Enemy to Catholics seems resolv'd to contradict and Ridicule in a strain of Drollery more becoming the Stage than his Coat every thing they Believe and Teach tho' it be the very Doctrin of his own Church And like a Blind Combatant strikes at all before him without distinction of Friend and Enemy with a Have at all At this Game plays this Undertaker whose only care being to write an Answer in FULL Answers and Condemns even those Practices as are allow'd and approv'd by his own Church and in this new Method of Controversie spends the greatest part of his Twelve-penny Pamphlet So that tho' he pretends to be a Son of the Church of England yet whosoever considers how often he strikes that Church in the Face must needs question the Legitimation and necessarily conclude that 't is Uncertain What Church he is of whilst the only thing Certain is That he is No Papist This whole matter as to his needless multiplying of Controversies and opposing the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of England as well as that of the Church of Rome I 'll shew briefly in declaring what the Church of Rome and England teach concerning 1. The Historical Use of Sacred Images 2. The Commemorative Use of Images 3. The Respect and Honor due to Images In all which if it be made appear that the Two Churches agree there will need but little more to prove This Answerer a Trisler whilst he so laboriously sets himself against both and at the end of all says nothing to the purpose 1. As to the Historical Vse of Images 't is the Profess'd Doctrin and Practice of the Church of Rome to have the Pictures and Images of Holy Things and Passages both in Houses and Churches for the instruction of the Ignorant in the knowledge of the History of both the Old and New Testament that so they may be acquainted with those Sacred Persons of Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and be inform'd of the Wonderful Works wrought by God in Mans Creation and Redemption This appears in the Council of Trent Sess 25 and in the Catechism ad Parochos part 3. de Invoc Sanc. par 40. Both which agree that Holy Pictures and Images are made to inform the People of the History of Holy Writ and that for this end they are set up in Churches and other Places This same Historical Vse of Holy Images is conform likewise to the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of England as is evident in Mr. Montagu's Appeal to Caesar who declaring the Church of England's Own Proper True and Antient Tenets Ep. Ded. to the King such as be without any doubt or question Legitimate and Genuine such as she will both acknowledge and maintain for her own in this Book Authoris'd and Publish'd by Express order of King James and Charles l. and approv'd as containing nothing in it but what was agreeable to the Doctrin and Discipline establish'd in the Church of England Ib. says expresly c. 20. that Images were improv'd unto an Historical Vse in St. Gregory 's time and then adds Had the Church of Rome gon no farther in Practice or Precept than that which St. Gregory recommends our Church says he I suppose for so our Doctrin is would not blame them nor have departed from them about that Point And agen chap. 23. Doth the English Church condemn the Historical or Civil use of Images It do's not says he in Practice all the World knows that nor yet in Precept or Doctrin that I know And at the end of the same Chapter he says Images may be had and made ut Ornatui sint ut Memoriae ut Historiae For Ornament for Commemoration and for History and that they may be made for such Ends No Law of God forbiddeth says our Gamaliel pa. 203. ad Apol. Bel. From whose words in a Book so Authentic and approv'd by Two Kings Heads of the Church 't is beyond question that the Historical Vse of Images is agreeable to the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of England And this do's most Evidently appear to any that will but put his head into any Church of this Communion where presently Moyses and Aaron shew themselves to the Beholder and let him know the concern they had in Those Commandements which they there guard betwixt them This may be seen with great advantage in the Church at the Savoy where besides these Two Saints of the Jewish Law the Four Evangelists have their place in full proportion between the side Windows with St. Peter and St. Stephen and the Twelve Apostles in twelve Niches on the Front of the Gallery But above all the New Church in St. James's in the Fields commends this Practice in a Rare Piece of Workmanship where the hand of the Artist has set forth to the Life upon the Font the History of Original Sin and it's Cure in the Water of Baptism Adam and Eve stand beneath Confessing the guilt of that Sin for which Infants are brought thither to be cleans'd Round the Bason is seen Christ under the hand of the Baptist in Jordan authorising the Institution of that Salutary Laver And over it is an Angel as it were descending to move the Waters and to signifie that the efficacy of that Sacrament is from above Then if you turn towards the Altar in one Figure is represented the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament at the Last Supper The very same which is over the Altar at his Majesties Chappel at Whitehal and for the very same intent viz. A Pellican feeding her Young ones with her Blood to signifie what Christ gives to the Faithful his Children in the Sacrament that he feeds them with his Blood. Much more may be seen in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches of this kind not only in relation to the Old but New Testament even
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
Severe Reflections he makes upon his own Church while he 's blindly knocking down Popery Who could desire a better condition'd Antagonist than this who is so Good-natur'd as never to strike at his Adversary but he gives himself a Blow over the Face at the same time Has not he fairly defended his own Church while he thus exposes her under the Guilt of being Heathenish Heretical going contrary to the Primitive Church to Councils and Scriptures which is the Blackest of that Dirt he has done his best to cast upon the Church of Rome Hitherto the Reader has seen the Doctrin of the Church of Rome and of England as far as concerns the Two First Points viz. the Historical and Commemorative Use of Holy Images and how this Worthy Answerer with some wrested and misapply'd Passages of Antiquity strikes most rashly at Both Churches not caring so he can but overthrow the Church of Rome what other Church tho' his own falls with her Now we will consider the Third Point which is of the Honor and Respect due to these Images of Christ c. And as to this The Church of Rome teaches that the Images of Christ c. ought to be kept especially in Churches and DUE Honor and Veneration given them Not for that any Divinity or Vertue is believ'd to be in them for which they are to be Worship'd or that any thing is to be Asked of them or any Confidence to be placed in them as was done by the Heathens but because the Honor shewn to them is referr'd to the Prototypes or Things Represented by them So that by the Images we Kiss and before which we Kneel we Adore Christ and Reverence his Saints whom the said Images Represent So the Council of Trent delivers this Doctrin Sess 25. The like is shewn in the Catechism ad Parochos ubi sup And the whole meaning of it is nothing more than what was given at large by Leontius Bishop of Cyprus who flourish'd An. 620. that is above a Thousand and threescore years ago who thus makes his Apology for the Christians against the Jews who charg'd them with the breach of the second Commandment in giving honor to Images The Pictures and Images says he of the Saints are not ador'd amongst us like Gods. For if I Worship'd the Wood of an Image as God I might as well do the like to any other Wood If I honor'd the Wood as God I would never throw it into the fire when the Image is once disfigur'd As therefore he that has receiv'd a Commission from his Prince and kisses the Seal dos not respect the Wax the Paper or the Lead but gives the Honor to the King so we Christians when we shew Respect to the Figure of the Cross do not honor the Nature of the Wood but the Sign the Pledge the Remembrance of Christ through this beholding him who was Crucified on it we respect and Adore him And as Children full of a dear Affection to their Father who is Absent from them do kiss with Tears and with all Tenderness embrace his Stick his Chair his Coat which they see at home and yet do not adore these things but express their Desire and Honor they have for their Father Just so do all we Faithful honor the Cross as Christs Staff the most Holy Sepulcher as his Chair and Couch the Manger and Bethleem as his House c. Not that we honor the Place the House the Country the City or the Stones but Him that was Conversant amongst them who appear'd in our Flesh and deliver'd us from Error Christ our Lord and for Christ we honor those Things which belong to him describing his Passion in our Churches in our Houses in the Streets in Images upon our Linen in our Chambers upon our Cloths and upon every Place to the end that having these continually before our Eyes we may be put in mind and not like thee O Jew forget our Lord and God. As you therefore expressing a veneration for the Book of the Law do not Honor the Paper or Ink of which 't is compos'd but the Word of God contain'd in it So I shewing Reverence to the Image of Christ do not Adore no God forbid the Wood or the Colors but having an Inanimate Representation of Christ by this seem to be possess'd of and to Worship Christ himself As Jacob having receiv'd the party-color'd and Bloody Coat of his Son Joseph kiss'd it full of Tears and put it to his Eyes not doing this for any Love or Honor he had for the Coat but by this seeming to kiss Joseph and hold him in his Arms So all Christians holding or kissing any Image of Christ of his Apostles or Martyrs do the like to Christ himself or his Martyrs in the affection of their Souls By all which 't is evident that all the Honor and Veneration paid by Catholics to any Picture or Image of Christ or his Martyrs is only to express the Love and Honor they have for Christ and his Martyrs and that in thus doing they no more commit Idolatry or make Gods of those Pictures than that Woman is disloyal to her Husband who in affection to him respects and kisses his Picture than that Subject is a Traytor to his Prince who Honors his Portraiture or than all those who pay a Reverence to the Chair of State for the Relation it has to the King make a King of the Chair in so doing This then is the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of Rome The Church of England seems to concur with the Church of Rome in all this Point This may be gather'd partly out of the Ecclesiastical Canons agreed to An. 1603. in the First year of King James I. where Can. 30. 't is said That the Holy Ghost did so Honor by the mouths of the Apostles the very NAME of the Cross that it did not only comprehend even Christ Crucified under that Name but likewise the efficacy of Christ's Death and Passion c. In which words this Church acknowledges the Giving Honor to the NAME of the Cross to have been the Practice of the Apostles as they were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost And that the Name of the Cross was not only to put them in mind of the Person whom they were to Worship as a Modern Doctor says of the Name of Jesus but that the Holy Ghost did by the Apostles Honor the very NAME it self Spiritus S. per Apostolorum ora ipsum Crucis Nomen usque adeo honoravit And in honoring that Name did honor Christ Crucified Christum ipsum Crucifixum sub eodem comprehenderet Which is the very Practice and Sense of Catholics both as to the Name of the Cross of Jesus and of Pictures Names or Words being Pictures to the Ear as Pictures are Words to the Eye But it comes nearer our Case what is added in the same Canone 2 o. Honor ac Dignitas Crucis Nomini acquisita etiam SIGNO Crucis vel
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
afterwards he terms a Reverence and if I may so call it a Religious Respect to Sacred Places and Things In which words tho' there 's some Mincing it yet it delivers in some manner the whole Doctrin of Catholics The two Churches thus agreeing in the lawfulness of placing Images in Churches and that an Honor or Reverence or even Worship in it's kind is necessarily due to them as they serve for helps to Piety of Affection or Rememoration and have Relation to God. The Answerer of these leaves of Nubes Testium lets fly at all this like one of Montagu's FVRIOVS ONES or SINGVLAR ILLVMINATES He runs it down under the Name of IMAGE-WORSHIP and is sure with this very Word alone so far to prevail upon the Ignorant and Vulgar at least with whom by his loose arguing he seems chiefly concern'd as to gain their Votes in crying down the Papists for Idolaters and then his Business is done Upon this strain he runs to the end of his Pamphlet proving that Image-Worship is contrary to Fathers to Antiquity to Councils Image-Worship Image-Worship is all the Cant But never tells what this Image-Worship is and never reflects that his own Church is for an Image-Worship too Thus unhappily in the midst of Dust and Noise he manages the Controversie with the Papists without ever Stating the Question or declaring what the Papists hold unbecoming a Scholar and multiplying many Needless Contentions unbecoming a Christian If he had examin'd the Doctrin of his own Church and understood what Catholics teach he would have soon discover'd the vanity of this Engagement and found that after so much bustle upon this matter there 's but little more in 't besides Fighting about Names and Words and that however tolerable this may be in a School for a Logic Dispute 't is unworthy of a Divine who pretends to be a Preacher of the Gospel of Peace 'T is already here made out to any unprejudic'd Considerer that according to the Doctrin of Protestants especially those of the Church of England 't is impossible to separate even the Historical Use of Holy Images from a Respect and Reverence which necessarily follows them Much less can they serve as Helps to Piety for the exciting Devotion and bringing to mind the Persons Represented but they force from the beholders an Interior Love and Honor so that as 't is impossible for a Good Subject to have by him the Picture of his Prince and of a Traytor without being differently affected in his Soul towards them even in the very same manner as he is to the Persons they Represent So neither can a Faithful and Good Christian behold the Pictures or other Representations of Christ of Judas of Mahomet but his Soul will be differently mov'd towards them with Love Respect Honor Veneration on the one side with Indignation and Contempt on the other as he finds himself affected to the Persons Represented by them Thus far is acknowledg'd by Protestants and may be gather'd from what is above cited out of Montagu and Junius Catholics say the same and so cannot be censur'd or condemn'd for this What then is their Crime The Charge urg'd against them is that they shew this same Honor and Veneration outwardly to these Holy Images of Christ the Apostles c. They kiss them pull off their Hats they Bow they Kneel Burn Tapers Incense and Pray before them This is the Crime this the Image-Worship and Idolatry of the Catholics And here in their behalf and to bring this Voluminous Controversie into a Narrower Compass I must ask of the Answerer If it be lawful for Protestants and Catholics to have an INTERIOR Respect Honor and Reverence for Holy Images as appears evidently confess'd above how comes it to be so Vnlawful and Abominable for Catholics to signifie and express outwardly this same Respect Honor and Reverence which is so Commendable for all Christians both Catholics and Protestants to have Inwardly in their Souls Certainly That Honor and Reverence which in the Heart is Christian cannot but be Christian in the Expression And 't is very absur'd to think a Duty can become Idolatry by professing it If a Christian has a greater Reverence in his Soul for the Book of the Holy Scriptures than for any other Book whatsoever may not he lawfully express this Reverence by Kissing it If the Woman in the Gospel respects and Honors in her Heart the Hem of our Saviours Garment is the Kissing that Hem any more Idolatry than was that Affection and Reverence she had in her Soul towards it If a Christian has a Respect and Reverence even for the House of God or Church above other Houses that are not Dedicated to his Service may not he shew this Respect by Vncovering his Head If a Christian Honors the Communion-Table above other Prophane Tables may not this Honor be exteriourly profess'd by setting Candles on it and Plate and adorning it with Hangings and then Bowing to it without a Crime If a Christian Reverences and Honors in his Heart the NAME of Jesus or of the Cross as the Church of England says the Apostles did can it be Idolatry outwardly to profess this same Honor by Bowing or Bending the Knee And if he Respects the Sacrament may not he shew this exteriorly by receiving it Kneeling And if these Exterior Professions and Acknowledgments of the Interior Respect Honor and Reverence that is due to these things may be thus commendably shewn by Kissing Vncovering the Head by Tapers Ornaments Bowing and Kneeling without any Abomination in the sight of God or just Scandal to our Neighbor why may not the like Interior Respect and Honor acknowledg'd due to Holy Representations of Christ or his Saints be profess'd outwardly by the same Visible Expressions of Respect and Reverence Especially since what is done to all these things is upon no other account than the Relation they have to God and as appertaining to him and his Service Neither let the Answerer think to take Sanctuary in calling this Veneration shewn to Pictures and Images of Christ a Worship as an Image-Worship For however this may work upon the Mobile and Unthinking Crowds and fill their heads with a Notion of Idolatry yet every Man of Sense and unbiass'd Judgment knows that this word Worship is equivocal and that 't is not every thing is presently made an Idol of which is any ways said to be Worship'd As is shewn at large in The Pap. Misrep 2. Part. c. 5 6. For 't is not only the Honor which Catholics shew to Holy Images is call'd a Worship but likewise that is a Worship which Protestants give as is own'd by Junius above so that in this Sense Protestants may be said and prov'd to be Image-Worshipers too The Reverence likewise shew'd by Protestants to the Sacrament is call'd by Jewel Rep. to Hard. a Worship The Honor given to the Bible he stiles a Worship In the same way of speaking the Respect to the Communion-Table may be
term'd a Worship Bowing in Reverence to the Name of Jesus may be styl'd a Worship And in this Sense 't will not only be laid to the Church of England's charge that she teaches and approves Image-Worship but likewise Bread Worship Book-Worship Table-Worship and Name-Worship And 't will not be very difficult by the equivocation of this word and the help of a little Pulpit-Sophistry to paint out This Church as Black with Idolatry and Superstition to the People as she has done the Church of Rome And it do's not at all reflect upon the Church of Rome or her Doctrin that some of her Divines call this Respect Honor Veneration or Worship paid to Holy Images a Religious Respect or Honor c. For this is only a Dispute about a Word and let it be call'd by what Name they please whether Honorary Religious or Divine this alters not the Nature of the thing for 't is but the same thing by whatsoever Name it be express'd If some will have every Respect or Veneration shewn to Holy Things as to the Bible the Sacrament the Name of Jesus for the Relation they have to God to be call'd a Religious Worship let 'em call it so in God's Name And if others will have no Veneration or Worship to be Religious but that which is directly and immediatly given to God let 'em have their way These are fine Notions and pretty Entertainments for School-debates but are no concern of our Religion or Conscience For as long as 't is own'd that there 's a Respect and Reverence due to such Holy things as in some particular manner have relalation to God and his Service and we only express this Respect outwardly which interiorly we feel in our Souls let this be call'd an Honor a Worship an Adoring let it be said to be Honorary Religious or Divine let it be deem'd Absolute or Relative 't is equally alike to us since we are satisfied the wrangling of the Learned about Names and Words has no influence upon the Acts of our Souls and cannot make that to be Idolatrous which in it self is not so Here then may the Reader see how stands this Controversie between Catholics and the Church of England Protestants Both Churches acknowledge that there 's an Honor and Reverence that may be lawfully given to the Holy Images and Pictures of Christ Both Churches express this Honor outwardly Protestants by using them in their Churches and Prayer-books which as Montagu says cannot be abstracted from giving them Honor and Reverence While Catholics go farther and say that 't is lawful to express this Honor and Reverence due to them as they have relation to God by Kissing them pulling off the Hat Bowing Setting of Tapers c. before them in the same manner and with no more just occasion of Scandal and no more breach of any Commandment than the Church of England do's express the Veneration She shews to the Bible in Kissing it to the Church by pulling off the Hat to the Name of Jesus by Bowing to the Communion-Table by setting Candles on it Which being so many Actions intended to signifie the Interior Sentiment and Affection of the Soul there can certainly be no more of Idolatry in them or Superstition than there is in the Intention or in the Act of the Soul the one being the same outwardly what the other is inwardly And however some Divines and Leading Men of the Church of England who are in love with wrangling and thro' the Influence of an Unchristian Temper seem to be afraid of a better Understanding coming amongst Christians take pains to blow up this Controversie with some School and Empty Notions yet 't is not to be thought there 's any great difference between the Two Churches were they to Speak their Sense in a Cool and Moderate Temper where they might be free from the Suggestions of such Hot and Fiery Spirits who seem to be rather Men of State and Policy than of Religion For can it be imagin'd that the Church of England who confesses that the Holy Ghost himself the Apostles and Primitive Christians instructed by the Apostles Honor'd the NAME of the Cross and had an Honorable Esteem for the SIGN of the Cross can be in good earnest against those who express outwardly this Honor which in it self is thus acknowledg'd of Divine Institution and to have been the Doctrin of the Apostles If the Apostles too as she owns above did honor the NAME of the Cross by their Mouths and Words can she condemn those who do the like with their Hands their Heads or Knees If it be the Doctrin of the Holy Ghost to have this Honor for the Name and Sign of the Cross in our Hearts and the Apostles by the instinct of that Holy Spirit did express this by their Words may not We do so too And if We may do this in Words may not we do it in any other way of Expressing our Sense which Nature has given us and are answerable to Words Words are nothing more than for their Signification and if we signifie our thoughts by any other way as by Signs by any Motion or Gesture of our Body these Actions being to express the same affection of our Soul which we other ways do by Words they are as Innocent as our Words and 't is impossible the Actions should be Idolatrous whilst the Words are Orthodox Since being taught by the Apostles to have an Honor in our Hearts for the SIGN of the Cross 't is the same thing before God and Men whether we signifie this outwardly by our Tongues or by our Lips or by our Hands or by our Heads or by our Knees these being only so many different kinds of Speaking to signifie one and the same sense of our hearts And whilst they are so there can be nothing justly charg'd upon any one of these ways of Expressing but will as certainly fall upon all the rest for they being all upon the same intention and design of shewing outwardly the Honor we are taught by the Apostles to have in our hearts and this Honor thus severally express'd being but one and the same founded upon the Relation the Sign of the Cross has to Christ if it be a Religious Worship when 't is signified by the Knee 't is Religious too when signified by the Tongue and alike Religious whilst 't is in the Heart if it be Idolatrous to express it by the Knee in bending 't is Idolatrous too to express it with the Tongue in Words and most of all Idolatrous as it is in the Heart Upon this Point turns the Greatest part of this Controversie which of it self is very inconsiderable But our Answerer takes little care to see how the Question stands He 's for exposing the Church of Rome and as long as he has the knack of doing this by Ridiculing and Drolling what should he trouble himself with such impertinencies as are stating the Question and speaking to the Point He 's
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