itself as Bowing. Both are in proper Circumftances made Use of to teftify our Respect either to God or his Creatures; and the Nature or Quality of the Ref pect, we shew by thofe Actions, are chiefly diver fified by the Intention of the Will. So that if Bowing to the Name of Jefus be no more than an inferiour Relative Honour, which terminates wholly in Chrift himself, Kneeling to and Kiffing the Croß are like wefe no more. And if this be properly call'd Worshipping the Croß, the other is as properly call'd Worshipping the Name of Jefus : Or call it by what Name you please, provided you give the fame Name to both, G. $. 37. Some Touches of prophane Burlesque. M Y Lord, there is another strange Latria paid to the praputium of Chrift, or the « Fore-skin, that was cut off at his Circumcifion. Your « Doctors are at great Pains to know what is be- » come of it. They might as well ask what is be- « come of the Pairings of his Nails. Whither will «e Superftition run? They had it at Antwerp; but the « Hereticks took it away. From thence it travell'd « by many Miracles to the Church of St John Lateran « at Rome. And how it was thence tranflated to the « Church of Cornelius and Cyprian at Calcata about «<< twenty Miles from Rome', I have read at large the « Account in a Book in Folio intituled de Bafilica « & Patriarchio Lateranenfi ad Alex. VII. Pont. Max. « Authore Cafare Rafpono ejufdem Bafilica Canonico. «e Romæ 1656. p. 364. &c. And of the miraculous Difference it shew'd, when it was touch'd by Virgins « and by Marr'd Women, fee the Devotions of the 19 $.37. » Roman Church, pag.31. Where you will find other » Authors quoted, as Bolandus, A&t. Sanit. ad Fan. 1. » de praputio Chrifti. And Rivet: Apologia pro Sanita Maria Virgine. Lib. 1. C. 17. Cardinal Tolet: in Caput 2. Luck, Annot. 31. And Salmeron in Evang. »Tom. 3. Tract. 36. And that tho it is ftill at Cal➜cata, yet it is carried about at Podium with great » Veneration upon the Feast of the Afcenfion. Salmeron in the Place above quoted tells us out of the Legend of Jacobus de Voragine, that the Blessed Vir gin gave this Præputium firft to Mary Magdalen, and that it was brought afterwards by an Angel to » Charles the Great at Aken, and how after it came to be laid up in the Lateran; whence these Verses. » Circumcifa Caro Chrifti, Sandalia Sacra, Christ's Fore-skin, and blessed Sandals are kept here, » And what was cut from off his Navel dear. I fuppofe they meant the Cutting of his Navel» ftring. And his Sandals (tho it is not said that he "wore any; for he is always painted bare-foot) » will come in here too for Latria, for the fame Reason, which Thom. Aquinas gives for Latria as » due to the Croß propter Membrorum Chrifti contac» tum, because it touch'd the Body of Chrift. Then » all his Cloaths muft come in for the fame Reason, and the Nails and Spear that pierced him. And why » not the Spittle that was thrown in his Face? For "the Croß was as much his Enemy (as far as Wood » could be) as any of the other, or the Spittle it» felf. And I know not why the Crucifiers should not » be admitted too, tho they touch'd him with an » Hoftile Mind: as fome have Sainted Judas, because he was an Inftrument in our Redemption. For there « Stop in Superftition more than in other Arts. «e pag. 162.163. 164. «. L. Sr, Buffoonery ought at least to have it's Bounds, and keep at a refpectful Distance from every Thing belonging to the Sacred Perfon of Christ. So far ought we to be from Making any Thing relating to him the Subject of Burlefque What a Number of Queftions as undecent as prophane might not an Atheist or Deift ftart concerning our Saviour's Circumcifion and Paffion. And would you think them worth a ferious Anfwer? Now, Sr, the Legendary Stuff you have rehearsed concerning our Saviours Foreskin is as impertinent as thofe Questions would be, and 'tis a Subject not fit to be jefted with. And therefore when any of our Authors write of it, let their Relations be as fabulous as you please (for that is beneath my Concern) they obferve at least a Decorum, and fpeak not of it like Jack puddings in Bartholemy-faire, or in the Ribaldry-Stile of Merry Andrews to make Sport for Libertines and Atheists, But as to that undecent Piece, for which you quote the Devotions of the Roman Church, I am not furpriz'd at any Sort of Filth coming from that Sink of Forgeries and Scandals. 'Tis a meet common Sewer, into which the Author has convey'd all the Dirt, he has with infinite Labour raked together to throw at us. However one short Anfwer to all the fine Stories that Author has told, and thofe you have now entertain'd me with, is, that when you find any of them either in the Decrees of our Councils, or Carechifms, or Profeffions of Faith, or when we infift upon them as Terms of Communion, then we are Refponfable for them, and not otherwife. So that Telling Old Wives Staries, or the indifcret Difputes or fabu II. Part, Ff lous Relations of particular Perfons to ridicule any Church is beneath a grave Divine, and betrays not only a Dearth of folid Arguments, but a Mistrust of his Caufe: fince he is forced to have Recourfe to fuch vile Means to fupport it. As to the Latria, which you run so much Difcant upon, I have already fufficiently explain'd St Thomas's Meaning of that Word, and how it may be applied to the Things you make yourself merry with. But this I affure you, that had I a Handkerchief, which had wiped off the Spittle from our S4viour's Face, or the Nails that pierced his facred Hands and Feet, I should keep them with a fingular Veneration and as a most precious Relique in Remembrance of him: and so I would the least Scrap of his Cloaths: Nor should any prophane Buffoon ever make me alter my Mind. How common a Custom is it to keep a Lock of a Person's Hair, whofe Memory is Dear to us, or even a Toy that but belong'd to him? And, if this Practice be grounded upon an inbred Impression of Nature, and is not thought abfurd in common Life, why should it be a Superftition in Religion to have a Veneration for Things, that have any Ways belong'd to our Divine Redeemer? The Woman, that was troubled with the bloody Flux, had a firm Faith, that if she could but touch the Hem of his Garment, she should certainly be cured. Now, if the Apostles had been Proteftants in their Principles, they would have upbraided her with Superftition. And how much more would St Peter have condemn'd those, that crouded to come within the Reach of his Shadow, and St Paul those Zealous Devores, that brought their Aprons and Hand erchiefs to touch his Body? But in thofe early Days of Chrif tianity Men had a Religions Respect for Things, that but touch'd the Body of a faithful Servant of Chrift 227 Believe me, Sr, they were not in thofe Days a Subject of Mirth and Laughter: That Sort of Wit is a Fruit of a later Growth, and was brought into Credit by the bleffed Reformation. Before which Time I find that Men were alfo fo ftupidly Superftitious, as to make a Difference between the Dead Inftruments of our Saviour's Paffion, all which they held in Veneration, and his Crucifiers, whofe Cruelty and Malice they detested: Thổ your more elevated Genius cannot ftoop low enough to make these Vulgar Diftinctions between Things and Things, or between Things and Perfons. All the World knows what honours Antiquity paid to the Croß of Chrift on Account of it's being the Inftrument of our Redemption: and with what Solemnity St Helena the Ancient Glory of Britain placed it again upon Mount Calvary, after it had diftinguish'd itself from the two Croffes found with it under Ground by the miraculous Cure of a Woman afflicted with a grievous Diftemper: And how being afterwards carried away by Chofroas King of Perfia, was fourteen Years after again recover'd by the Emperor Heraclius, who refused to make Peace with the Perfians, but upon Condition, that they should reftore the Croß; which himself carried on his Shoulders with great Pomp to the Place, where Chrift had fuffer'd upon it; and the like Honour was in thofe Days paid to the Nails, which faften'd him to it. But I never heard of any Honours paid by the Ancient Church to his Crucifyers. Which shews, they plainly faw a Difference, where you pretend to fee none viz. between the Dead Inftruments of our Saviour's Paffion, and the Criminal Actors in it. But fome Ora namental Strokes of Buffoonery are abfolutely Necessary to make Falsehood go down, and fupply the Defi Giencies of folid Reafon. |