τα C. 19. 19. • Socrat. 1. 17. Sozom. 1. 2. c. i. 441. B. John, élŋxe ém rỡ quvgs, we Tranflate it, put it on the Crofen Now confider. T. p. 411. ing the length or largenels of that Title written in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, Luk. 23. 38. if it was Written or Engraved upon the very Cross, it must make the top of the long Crofs very very broad; and if it was on the T Chrift's Head would cer tainly have covered or hidden a great part of it. But if çaug, be rendred over the Cross, as certainly it ought to be, (for fo it is exactly agreeable to all the rest, inavo tas nepaλns, over his Head, and, ez auras over him, or over Mat. 27. 37. it, if you will have it mean the Crofs) then it fuits as well if not better with Luk. 23. 38. the Crotch, then with the formal Crofs; whether the Title was only a written Schedule hang'd over his Head, (as our Cuftom in fuch Cafes is, ot, davis, Zúnov év Take λevnáμar, whether it was a Board Painted white and then written within or Carved, (as fome will have it, ) it is all one in this point; we are told, that when the three Croffes were found, that this Title fay feparated by it felf, and it could not be difcovered to which of them it belonged, and therefore was as capable to have been fixt over any one of them. We may alfo confider that in those words apply'd to our Saviour's Crucifixion in the Scripture, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a Tree, the Hebrew word T. p. 412. . gnetz, is not only taken for a Gibbet, or Gallows, or Tree, or dry Wood in general; but is by the Septuagint once remarkably rendred, ei uns diduu8923. and by the vulgar Latin, in patibulo, on a crotched Stake, or upon an open raf- Jof. 8. 29. ter of Wood, as Caufabon hath made it good. I might add that I have, obferved that many of the oldeft Croffes, as Charing, Geddington, Northampton, Coventry, and feveral others in England, as well as elfewhere, are placed in diq what we call, a three way Leet, that is, where only three ways meet like, Y which may give fome colour to this conceit; and there feem to have been 2 12 1967), great notice of old taken of fuch a place, by that Paffage in Ezechiel, where c. 21. 21. the King of Babylon ufing Devination, flood at the parting of the way (Heb. (the Mother of the way) at the Head of the two ways, The LXX, dr nπí Thr áρxaíav ódovéπ åρxñs tãr dúo oder, fuper antiquam viam in Principio duarum + ·2 adet · viarum, on the old way at the beginning of two ways. But I remember that Gal. 3. 13. 《བ I have read it fomewhere, that an Anathema was once folemnly pronounced (as against Hereticks) Tas Tiμor cupor qëλxav àroxaλ801; against all those who call the Honourable Cross, a Fork, or Crotched Stake; and therefore I will vid. Du Cange. meddle no farther in this Point, being in thefe matters perfectly of St. Augu. Gloff. in 982ftin's mind, errare poffum, Hæreticus effe nolo, I may be mistaken, in my conceits, but I will not be a Heretick, by urging them to the Offence and Difturbance of good Men who think otherwife. ng Preng. De Imag. 1. 2. c. 12. p. 321.C. c. 30. p. 337, H. Now my whole defign in all this long Digreffion is only this, to know, the Devil, as they tell us, flees from the bare fign or mark of the Cross, which Crofs or Mark is most Effectual? Or whether all thefe Signs and Marks barely and purely in themselves will do this bufinefs alike? Again the Cardinal, tells us that Chrift redeem'd us not by the Golden or Silver or Stony Cross, or the Cross painted or fign'd in the Air, fed illâ unâ ligneâ cujus eft Imago quam veneramur ; but by that one Wooden Crofs of which this we now WorJhip is only the Image; and again, we Worship all Croffes, because they are all Images of the true Cross; and again, all are made to exprefs. that . firft Cross; and fo are Images of it; thus then every common Crofs is but a Type of the true Crofs which it felf (according to him) is but a Type of Chrift's Suffering; fo that in fine it is but a Type of a Type of the Prototype. But now if Chrift really died upon an ordinary crotched Stake like Y all the common Croffes, or any one of thofe numerous ones which the Heralds have invented, or the T it felf, would be very abfurd and improper Images or Types of it. Yet for my part I fhall freely profefs, that I can by no means. blame our Custom in England of fetting up the Figure of the common Crofs upon our Churches and in other publick places; for I fhall by the Grace of God pay this Reverence to it, and to all the reft of thofe other Marks and Signs, †+. T. Y. IHC. XPC. 1C. XC. NIKA. and the like, (and I question not but that every c. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 2. 2. Gnl. 5. 16, 17. 1 John 5. 4. up T. p. 412. every Pious, Understanding, Thinking, good Christian in our Church will allow the fame as the true use of them) wherever I fee any one of theem L fhall look upon them as conftant Memorials, defigned only to put me in Mind of Chrift's Sealing the Covenant of Grace and Remiffion of Sins, by Shedding his Blood for me, and for every true Penitent Believer. I fhould not fcruple to use, with this alteration, the very words which are in the Roman Pontifical, at the Confecration of a Crofs, I beseech thee Mercifull Father, that as often as I shall fee any of thefe Marks of the Humility of Chrift Crucified, I may reflect upon it, and obtain greater Affiance in thee, and more Courage against the Enemy, and ever Practice all humbleness of Mind from his most glorious Example. And I hope by God's help that all our Hearts on every fuch Memorial will, (as time will give leave,) ever break forth into a ferious and hearty Sacrifice of Thanks and Praife to our most mercifull God, who hath vouchfafed to us fuch Gracious and Wonderful means of obtaining our Salvation. Such pious Meditations and Reflections, as thefe, upon the fight of any one of thefe Memorials, will indeed be able to drive away the Devil from us, and chase away (his whole Black guard,) all evil Thoughts which are always ready to affault us. Refift the Devil and he will flee from you, faith St. James; is any fo void of common Sense as to think this will be done by a flight Mark, or by a quick ftroak or two of my Fingers? Or can any one thirk litterally, that it is by struggling with him as with a Man? No, it is only by fuch an inward Couragious thought as this, Eph. 6.16. this, our only Shield of Faith, will enable us to quench all the fiery Darts of the Devil. What can guard us more fafely from the Devil or his Abetters in all Temptations, then a ready Faithfull Thought of Christ, and him Crucified for us? O Christian, In hac Fide non in hoc figno vinces, by this Faith Rom. 8. 37. and inward steady Reflection, not by this or that poor outward Cypher; thou T. P. 413. wilt be more then Conqueror over the Flesh and the World, as well as over the Devil himself. As I have faid of the Pictures of Saints, we may rightly use them not only as Ornaments of our Churches, but as Memorials to put the Intelligent Perfons in mind of their glorious Deeds, and encourage them to imitate them; fo I fay all thefe Marks and Signs may be rightly ufed as notes, very fignificant to every skillfull Chriftian, to raise in his Mind Humility, Patience, Forgiveness, by that most Ravishing and Triumphant t Cor. 15. 57. thought, that Chrift died to deliver him from the Power of the Devil, and Sin and everlasting Death. Had I a good Picture of any Modern notorious Traitor, or a true one of even Judas himself, I fhould never cast my Eye upon them but I fhould be inwardly fiered with Indignation and abhorrence of all Treafon and Rebellion, and all fuch abominable and accurfed Ingratitude. Should a Romish Bigot fhew me a bloody Stone, and fay it was one of thofe killed St. Stephen, I fhould pity his credulity, but certainly magnify that Captain of the Martyrs. I fhall rejoice at any Memorial which fhall remind me of my Christian Profeffion, of my Condition, and of my Duty; and must heartily commend, any fenfible way-faring Man, who as he paffes by a Gibbet or Gallows, fhould blefs God who hath fo far preferved him from all fuch Wicked ways, fuch urighteous Courses, fuch wretched Companions as ufually bring Men to fo lamentable an End, and most earnestly befeech God to be still his Keeper. Were I a Country Farmer I fhould be glad whenever I took a Fork in my Hand, not that I fhould Worship or Adore it, but that God fhould then immediately touch my Heart with an Humble and Thankful 2 Cor. 5. 21. Meditation in Memory of the Innocent Jefus, who for my Sins was made Sin and hanged upon a Tree. Should I fee a Red Cross upon the Door of an Infected House, I fhould (as pious Bishop Hall once did,) certainly make some ferious Reflection upon it; bewailing our grievous Sins which justly brings down these heavy Judgments upon us, and humbly befeeching God, for the Crucified Jefus fake to remove them from us; This I am fure would be acceptable in his fight, but whether my flight bowing down to it, or a faint Mat. 27. 5. αυτοχεδιάσμ. 72. Stroke 2 Sam. 24.16. Stroke or two upon my Forehead or Breaft, would chafe away the destroy T. p. 413. ing Angel, I very much must doubt. I am very well fatisfied that the Origi nal and Primitive use of the Sign of the plain Cross, when it was taken first into Practice, was meerly to diftinguish a Chriftian from an Unbeliever; and therefore it was in many Places, and upon many occafions, branded or marked upon the Forehead, or fome vifible part of the Face, to fhew that that Perfon fo markt was a Profeffed Chriftian. When I was in Africa to view the Ruins of Carthage, in a Valley fome little way diftant, we found a Colony or Company of People who live like the Antient Nomades; (they call them, as I remember, now Beduines, or Beguines) they were Arabs who live only in Tents, and move up and down with their Herds, (of almost all forts of Cattle) as they find Forage; we had the Curiofity to go amongst them; all I fhall now rehearse, is this; Every one of their Women had (amongst other marks) plain blew Cross, (made as the notes upon the Pilgrims Arms at Jerufalem) either on their Cheeks, or on the fide of their Nofe, or Mouth, or Chin, but most commonly upon their Forehead; the Occafion I learn'd to have been this. Some Africans formerly, who first were Profeffed Chriftians, did afterwards Apoftatize to Mahometanifm; afterwards they, who Profeffed themfelves to be Chriftians amongst them, had a Crofs fet on their Face, by which they thought them fecured from turning Mahometans again, or leaving their Religion for any other. However in procefs of time Mahometanifm prevailing, and Chriftianity by degrees being quite extinct, the Women notwithstanding kept up this blew Cross upon their Faces ftill, as a fashionable Beauty-Spot, though the Original of it is quite forgotten amongst them; I have at large difcourfed of this Practice in another place; and fhall here only add, that the Ja- smet. Antiq. cobites in Mefopotamia, and elsewhere in the Eaft, not only Baptize their In-Neomag. p. 49. fants but Burn their Foreheads with a hot Iron in the mark or Form of a vol. 1. p. 32. My Travels, Crofs. But I am Zonaras &c. Kevel. 2. 4. T. p. 414 33. out of Leo This ufe then of the Crofs at that time was not to drive away the De- ric. Crucius. Afric. Victor. vil from them, (as if he fled from it,) but to drive them from him; to keep them by Fear and Shame from leaving their first Love. fully perfwaded that at first there was yet this more general and common use amongst Christians of Signing themselves with the Crofs, viz. To fignify to one another privately or publickly, (even before the Heathen on occafion) by this outward Action that they were Chriftians; It was (as I may fo fay) as a kind of Shibbaleth, (as it is to this very day all over the Eaft, to profess ones self a Christian; when you can by no other Language be understood this very Croffing your felf expreffes to every one what you are; no Turk, or Jew, or Heathen will do it. Many and many times, as poor Ruffian Slaves and others, came Begging and Singing by in the Streets, and I could speak no Language to their understanding, if looking out of my Window upon them, I Croft my Breast, they would certainly do fo too to fhew me that they were my fellow Chriftians; and often Travelling in Turkish Habit (as we are Privileged to do in that Countrey) when we came to a great Village or Town they should be afraid to give us any Entertainment, or fay that they had any thing to fell, especially Wine (a very neceffary comfort upon the Road) for fear we thould take and deftroy all they had as being forbidden ware; But when I Croft my felf and faid, eis to "voua To margos, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and thereby only own'd my felf to be a Chriftian, they would bring forth what they had, and freely let us have any thing which they had for our Money. I fhall here briefly recount part of a remarkable thing which happen'd when I was at Conftantinople. I have largely fet it down in my Travels, and you have much of it out of a letter of mine to my most Worthy and moft Reverend friend Dr. Womock, afterward Bishop of St. David's, which he made ufe of in his excellent Treatife against Alfop's Me-verdict upon lius Inquirendum, in Vindication of the fign of the Crofs ufed by our Church the in Baptifm. A poor Greek was by fome Bigotted Turks craftily enfnared and drawn Diffenters Plea. a. p. 244 to 247. 338. E. H. vil. T. p. 414. drawn in to read in one of their Books thofe words, which are commonly lookt upon as their folemn confession; God is but one God, and Mahomet is his Prophet; upon this by force they immediately circumcifed him; and then because he would not abfolutely renounce his Chriftianity and turn Turk,' he was, after much barbarous ufage, at laft beheaded before his own door. I faw him when he was led to his Execution; (as I had often done before;) and all the way as he went through the Streets, when we could not hear any thing which he faid in the throng which prest about him, he almost continually Croft himself after the Greeks manner; publickly and stedfastly thereby profeffing himself to live and die a Chriftian. Thus according to the very words of our Church in Baptifm, he was not ashamed to confefs the Faith of Chrift Crucified, and manfully to fight under his Banner, as his Faithfull Soldier and Servant to his Lives end. This fhews the Grand and Primitive ufe of this Sign of the Cross; and every one of us, at our Confirmation, taking upon us what was ftipulated for us by our God-fathers at our Baptism, is bound to give at least this publick outward Teftimony of his Faith, when he cannot otherwife exprefs it. I know that many weak People amongst us here at home, think that the Cross in Baptifm, and this folemn declaration upon it, is at least an infignificant, if not a fcandalous thing; but they who go abroad amongst Barbarians and Infidels will find it much otherwise upon occafion, if they be not ashamed of their Chriftian Profeffion. Thus with Christians this Signing of themfelves with the Sign of the Cross, was at first a very Innocent, Picus, and Laudable usage; but it is now made a meer formal thing, I may fay, a plain Charm or Scarecrow to fright away the DeDe cultu Imag. Bellarmine counts all Magical Characters and Figures fuperftitious 1. 3. c. 30. p. and unlawfull, quia non funt operativæ naturaliter, because they can work nothing by their own Nature; And thus much he exprefly confeffeth of the Sign of the Cross, non operatur ex virtute fua naturali, it doth not work by its own natural Virtue, or Power; Then Magical characters, faith he, bave not their Effects from God, cum nulla talis Dei promiffio reperiatur, for there is no fuch Promife of God to be found for them; and I would fain see such a Promife for the Sign of the Cross as to make it a Philactory, lastly, nec Deus invocatur, neither doth the Magicians, faith he, (neither need the Staurolaters or Cross-makers, fay I, according to him) invoke God; for according to his Doctrine the bare Sign of the Cross alone is fufficient to guard us, as I have out of him fhewn above; wherefore I muft fay of the Latins use De rebus Eccle of the Cross what Walafridus Strabo faith of Images and Pictures, there may fiafticis, c. 8. be devout ufe made of (both it and) them, fed fuperftitionem & Hebetudinem, but the Superftition and fottish Dullness of Worshipping them, (or it) must be condemned, by which mistaken or deluded Men endeavor to tra duce, or bring down, Spiritual Worship, to meer corporeal or bodily Performances. If then the Sign of the Cross, ufed or made as a Phylactory, hath no Institution or Promife of God for its Effect; nor can work any thing naturally of it felf, neither is God called upon in its application, (as is manifeft in most of the Devoto's, efpecially the Ideots, ) it is as plain Magick, according to the Cardinal's Declaration, as any thing elfe. If any devout Person wears a Crofs or Crucifix about his Neck, or in his bofom only, as a Memorial, to put him in Mind of his belief and truft in Christ Crucified, I fhall blame him no more then I would do for his wearing a Ring in remembrance of his departed or abfent Friends; both of thefe may often ftir him up to pray for himself and them, or to imitate the Virtues of the Dead; but if it is worn as a Phylactory to keep him from the Devil, I must think it is as grofs Superftition and Folly, as what is faid of the Turks In his Lite Once ftriving for, and wearing, pieces of Scanderbegh's bones in their Pockets, verfus finum. or Jewfdans, to make them as Bold and Couragions as he was. T. p. 415. The Jews in Turkey are obliged to wear a Cap (like the deep crown of a Hat without any brims) to distinguish them from all other People; and if any devout Chriftian fhould P. 393 fhould wear a Crofs or Crucifix (either voluntarily or by Command) only to T. p. 415 fhew what he was, I know no harm in it; but if he should wear, Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God in wax, or the little Gospels, or his hours of Prayer, or a Cross, or Crucifix, of Wood or any other matter, only as a Philactory, as fome fuperftitious Women even in St. Jerom's days did; I fhould with him In Mat. 23. 4. condemn him, and fay, væ nobis miferis, wo be to us wretches to whom the vices of the Pharifees are come; fuch as these have a Zeal of God but not according to knowledge; their Preffes and Cabinets, faith he, have Godly Books (and perhaps Croffes, Crucifixes and Pictures too, but they have not the Knowledge of God; no more have these poor deluded Souls. ... I fhall in the last place confider but one caution more above mentioned, as given by the Cardinal according to the Synod, about the Worshipping of Pictures and Images; and the cafe must be the fame in Worshipping the Cross or Crucifix. Ab eis non aliquid petatur, nothing must be asked from them. I know their common fhift in this Point is, that they pray not to the Image or Picture it self, but to the Prototype, to the Saint or Perfon which is reprefented by it; and that their Prayer is only this, ora pro nobis, pray for us. But how can they Juftify even that? They must believe, or at leaft fuppofe, that the Saints are, Omnifcientes & Omniprefentes, able (let that be, as I have noted, made out by them as well as they can) to know all our Wants and Neceffities and Conditions at all times whatever they are; that they are prefent with us, and hear us in all the moft fecret and diftant places over the whole World; they hear us here, and all thofe alfo at the fame time, who call upon them in the utmoft Indies and the Antipodes. But even this will not yet do their Bufinefs; for it is most notoriously known, and Evident by their publick Books of Devotion, Printed and allow'd by the Authority of their Popes and Inquifitors, that Petunt, they ask of them, or pray to them, T. p. 416. to do fuch great and mighty Deeds for them, and grant fuch Blessings to them, as are only in the Power of God himself to give, and belong to him alone to bestow upon them; asking fuch mighty and wonderfull Bleffings as these must make the Saints alfo, Omnipotentes, Almighty and Al·Sufficient. I fhould be extravagantly tedious fhould I recite all thofe amazing Petitions which are daily offer'd up to the Virgin Mary alone; I will touch only an Office or two which by chance I have now by me, there amongst others we have thefe; they pray her, to deliver them from their Enemies, to offic. B. Mariss receive them at the hour of Death, to loofe the bonds of the Guilty, to give confirm. Bulla. Light to the blind (bodily or fpiritually) to drive away all evils; (thefe Ven. 16. 1677. are to be faid in all her Festivals;) to come with all the Saints to their help p. 53. and Counsel in their Prayers and Petitions, in all their freights and necef P. 277. fities, in all things which they are to do, or to speak, or think, all the days p. 352, 353. and nights and hours and moments of their Life. But then as being confcious of her not being any ways able to do this for them of her felf, they pray her to obtain it of her Son. So again, to make their Heart flame with the love p. 358, 9, 60, of Chrift, to make them lament and fympathize with him, to be defended in 1, 2. the day of Judgment, to be glorified in Paradife, to take into her Cuftody their Soul and Body daily and in the hour of Death, committing to her all their Hope and Comfort in all their Streights and Miferies throughout their whole Life; that by her Interceffion and Merits all their works may be directed and difpofed according to Her Will and the will of her Son; (her Will and her Merits are not only to have their equal fhare in this work, but they are put before thofe of her Son) that by her they may escape eternal Damnation. You have fomething to the fame purpose in her Litany there. Pope Gregory the XIII. Established a Confraternity of her Rofary and Coro- p. 422. na, (the ufe of their Beads,) and Prayers were appointed for every particular divifion of their Chapplet, which are almost all of the very fame nature with these. You have the like in the Office of the Virgin's Immaculate conception Edit. Antwerp. approved by Paul v. 1615. Yet one thing I cannot but note there, we are 1661. Ddd rightly Pij. V. Edit. 85. 461. |