fhip of the Image down (not only far below Bellarmine's and the Latins No- T. p. 391, tions, but) even to nothing at all, or to a meer cheat. How God Almighty may Interpret or Distinguish these four-fold feveral, Culcus, Worships, of himself, the Virgin, the Saints, and the Pictures, or allow of these nice, bold and dangerous Inventions of Men, in pretending to give to every one fome part; fince he hath most folemnly and plainly told us, that he is a fealous God, I fhall not dare to Judge; but I must again confider the vulgar Votaries, and I cannot but think that not one of a thoufand of them either hath or can have that Capacity and Readiness of Mind to make any fuch fubtle Distinctions in their Worship. It is Evident to all the World, that their outward Action is always one and the very fame; there is no difference in their Bowing, Kneeling, Proftration, or Falling flat down to Pictures or Images, and in their doing it to God himself; and fince they cannot have any of thefe Airy, Scholaftick Speculations in them, the Action of their Mind (if they have any,) muft needs also be the very fame. I remember I had once a Funeral Efcucheon of Sr. Dan. Harvey's Arms, hanging over my Desk where I ftood to read and write at Conftantinople, and three Greek Papa's coming to fee me, all Reverently bowed themselves before it, as they do to the Pictures of Christ and the Virgin Mary. I askt them what they thought it was; they faid they could not tell but that it was fome reprefentation of the Trinity ufed amongst us, for they had none fuch. The three Crefcents Argent in the Sable Chief, I fuppofe might miflead them. Buc my reflection upon it is this, if fuch Men as thefe, who are as the Greeks Guides, had fuch extravagant Conceptions, what must I think of the poor Dregs of their People? What Ejaculations they said or thought to themselves in the Action I know not, but if this may pass for their true WorShip of the Trinity, by this fuppofed Type, I fhould think it might be admit ted by the Latins for as good and as likely a Type, as theirs of an old Man, a Crucifix, and a Dove; or as that which of old was used as a common figu in St. Paul's Church-yard London; with three Faces fo contrived flat-ways as four Eyes ferved them all; the middle Face was to reprefent the Father, that supra p. 378 on the right hand of it, the Son, the other the Holy Ghost, and under all was placed a triangular device to fignify that all three were diftinct from one another, yet every one of them was God. The figure of all this yet remains in the Frontefpiece of Books fold there; by which the Ideots in thofe days Pupilla oculi. might be wonderfully amuzed, and confounded, but not one tittle enlightened. Joh. de Burgo You will not wonder at these things, when you read what Triftan tells us; 1510. How the Conftantinopolitan and afterwards the French Clergy had Reverenced T. p. 392. and Worshipped the Canonization or Apotheofis of Auguftus Cæfar, graved in T. 1. p. 101. the Famous Onyx then preferved in the Holy Chappel at Paris. The ignorant Fathers (of those days) in both Churches having Religiously mistaken it for the Triumph of Joseph in the Court of Pharoah. We find manifest Distinctions made in our civil Reverence to one another; to our meanest acquaintance a little Nod is enough; we move our Hat to another; so, to bow the Head, to incline the Body, to bow down to the Ground, to ftand Bare-headed, to fall on our Knees; (and thofe Greetings, How do you do, I am glad to fee you, your Servant, your Dutifull Son, your Loyal Subject) and fuch like, are several degrees of Refpect to Perfons of different Condition and Quality. And here I cannot omit a Paffage in Critopulus, who faith, that the Greeks kifs Chrift's Feet, the M. Epift.to Dr. Virgin Mary's Hand, the Saints Face, in their Pictures, as a Diftinction of their Tho. Gode in Lord Oxford's different Worship; I confefs I never obferved this as a constant Practice, yet if it Libr. p. 16. was enjoin'd to Ideots to be duly observed, it might fomething mend the matter in that Point. Now if the School-men instead of their Fancifull Distinctions had Invented fuch different ways of their, Cultus, Religious Worship; and had appropriated fuch varieties of outward Reverence, to exprefs every one of them; and had added to every one of them proper and peculiar words, to have been gotten by Heart, and to have been faid or thought on by the Ideots upon every occafion, as they have order'd diftinct Festivals and Offices (which thefe poor Crea- Breviar. Rom. A a a Quarto Paris Comment. Hift: Octav. Ven. tures 1676. p. 647.1 T. p. 392. tures know nothing at all of, and thousands of Priefts themselves do not use or fully understand,) fome common to All, others proper to fome particular ones, to Angels, Apoftles, Evangelifts, Martyrs, Confeffors, Doctors, Virgins, and the reft; I fay if they had taken fome fuch care of these poor Ignorant wretches as this, perhaps they might have been at leaft put in fome better way, and might have been in fome (though very little) manner reformed from thefe grofs Errors to which they are now enflaved. But, Hic labor hoc opus, this had been an endless trouble; and fo long as Images and Pictures are Worshipped, it would have been as Fruitless. How many of the, Canaglia, bafe and common People can but fay their Ave and Pater nofter in Latin rightly, which is the first thing that they are to learn when they begin to fpeak; and of thofe that can say them, not one in ten thousand can give you any account of their sense and meaning. It is well with our own common People, if when grown up they can fay their Catechifm; but it is unreasonable to expect from them any tolerable Explication of what is counted Myfterious. The understandings of their common People is no higher then thofe in ours, and therefore the Myfteries of their religious Worship, as the School-men have now made it, are to Part 3. pracept. them abfolutely unintelligible. I know that in Bellarmine, and in their Cate1. §. 13, 14 chifm, The, Parochus, parifh Prieft is admonished to inftruct, Rudes, the Ignorant (out of the Councils Nice and Trent,) and teach them the DoEtrine and ufe of Images; whether every fuch Prieft doth his Duty punctually herein or no, I cannot fay; but by the common Practice daily used amongst them, it is every where most notorioufly known that it hath had no Effect. God be Praised, we Honour the Angels by meditating of their wonderfull Power and mighty Deeds; one of them in one night flew a hundred fourfcore and five thousand Affyrians; and facred Hiftory tells us of many De vera Relig, more fuch amazing Exploits. It is a noble and a true faying of Augustin; The Saints are to be Honoured by our Imitation, not Adored out of Religion, and thus we Honour them in remembring their unfhaken Faith, and the Glorious effects which it wrought in them; they fubdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteoufness, obtained Promifes, stopped the Mouths of Lions, quenched the vioT. p. 393 lence of Fire, efcaped the edge of the Sword, out of Weakness were made Strong, waxed Valiant in Fight, turn'd to Flight the Armies of the Aliens; Women received their Dead raised to Life again, others were tortur'd not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better Refurrection; and others had Tryals of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment; they were Stoned, they were Sawn afunder, were Tempted, were Slain with the Sword, they wandred about in Sheepskins and Goatskins, being Deftitute, Afflicted, Tormented; of whom the World was not Worthy, they wandred in Defarts and in Mountains, and in Dens and Caves C. 12. 1, 2. of the Earth. Having this cloud of Witneffes and recounting in our Mind upon every occafion the particular History of each Saint, we make it our most carneft defire and only endeavour to imitate their Virtues; looking upon Jefus the, 'Agxnyor, prime author and Finisher of our Faith, and laying afide every Weight, and the Sin which doth fo easily befet us, and running with Patience the Race that is fet before us. If the Parish Prieft did expound these Hammond in Paffages to their People, and teach them who were the particular Saints, whofe Actions are there mention'd; and inftruct them how to follow their holy Examples; I doubt not but it would be infinitely more beneficial to them, and far more acceptaple to God himself, the Angels, and Saints, then all their fubtle Gloffes and Scholaftick Trumpery. 2 Reg. 19.15. c. 55. Heb. 11. 1.33. doc. Восит. Lab. conc. T. 7. We then fufficiently fee at least the extream Danger, if not the unavoidable Practice of plain Idolatry in the Ideots Worshipping of Images and Pictures. The Iconoclafts thought that they had very great Reafon to cry out againft, ἀπαταλὺ τῶν ὁμοιωμάτων, χρωματουργίαν, the deceitfull making with Colours of any Representations or Similitudes, because it draws down the Minds of Men from the high and becoming Worship of God, to the bafe and material Wor 1. p. 128. Worship of the Creature. If they called the very making of fuch things de- T. p. 393. I ceitfull (as I have proved thofe of the Invisible God to be Abominable,) what must they have faid or thought of Worshipping them. Patriarch Jeremi- Refp. 1. ab, though he feem'd to allow, ow,, the relative Worship of the Saints, yet he honeftly owns that there is great fear leaft thereby we should fall into Latria, that Worship which, porw To Dew good ya, belongs to God alone, (that is, grofs Idolatry,) un vérite, which God forbid. I will therefore now fee what the Cardinal fays to fecure his Worshippers from fo great a Sin. He pofitively lays down this Propofition, the Images or Pictures of Chrift De Imag. 1. 2. and the Saints, rectè coli, are rightly to be Worshipped; Then out of the c.12.p.319.G Council of Trent he gives us thefe three Cautions, 1. That no, Fiducia, Af- T. 14. Sel. 25. fiance, or Truft, be placed in them; 2. That nothing, petatur, should be P. 895. D. asked from them, 3. That no, Divinitas, vel virtus, Divineness or Power be believed to be in them for which they are to be Worshipped. Now let us T. p. 394fee what they in their Pontifical afcribe to them at their folemn Confecrations Pontif. Rom. of them. In that of the Virgin Mary, they pray God to Blefs and Sanctify Octav. Paris. that Image fitted up to her Honour, fo that whoever, coram hac Effigie fup- 1664. P. 379. plicitèr, before this Figure fhall with Supplications, or Prayers, Honour her, may be delivered from all eminent Dangers, and obtain Forgiveness of their Sins. If no Divineness and Virtue, or Power, be in the Figure, nor Affiance to be placed in it, why muft they Pray before it? Why would not their Supplications aud Prayers to her, be altogether as Effectual without it? It is plainly made a, Medium, Mean, at least, towards the obtaining of their Defires; and let that be what it will, it must neceffarily denote fome Divineness and Virtue in it, and by Confequence must require from the Votaries fome Trust and Affiance in it. Give me leave to give you the Confecration of her Figure with Chrift in her Arms out of an old Pontifical; Deus Om- Lloyd MS. nipotens hanc Formulam ejus, quæ incarnati unici tui, Domini noftri Jefu 1400. p. 267. Christi speciem gerit, Sanctifica ut Benedicta permaneat, O Almighty God-sanEtify this Figure of Her (the Virgin) which bears the Refemblance of our Lord Jefus Chrift thy only Incarnate, that it may remain Blessed, and may bring the Affiftance of thy healthfull Help to the Faithfull, that if Thun. ders and Lightnings and any hurtfull Flame, or Blaft, prevail, they may be more speedily exploded, or difperfed; that also the Floods of Rains, the Interruption of fair Weather, or the Commotion of civil Wars, or the Devaftation of Pagans, at it's Prefence may be fuppreft; that where the Prefence of this Image fhall be, Abundance of Peace and of all fafety, and of the Fruits of the Earth may be Multiplied; moreover that at thy Command, O Lord, the Mortality of Men and Beafts may ceafe by the Prefence of this Figure; and that all thofe may be satisfied by thee, who shall do Reverence to it, and pray to thee before it. Here I think was lodged a very great Power, and from thence as great an Affiance in the meer Prefence of the Figure, let who will be lookt upon as the giver of it. So in the La- Pontif. Rom. tins prefent Confecration of the Saints Images, we beseech thee, O Almightyp. 380. God, vouchsafe to Blefs and Sanctify this Image, or Sculpture, fitted up in Honour of N. N. (fuch or fuch a Saint) that whoever before it, fupplicitèr, by Supplications or Prayers, hall do Honour (to Him or Her) may by their Prayers and Affiftance obtain from thee Grace at prefent and Glory hereaf ter. Doth the Figure thus blefs'd now avail nothing? Doth it contribute nothing to the placing of an Affiance in it? In the old Pontifical in the Confecra- Ut fupra. tion of the linage of St. John the Apoftle and Evangelift, (for I find no other Saint's Image mention'd there) we meet with this larger Explication of this matter. O Lord Jefus Chrift, who art believed to perfect the Confecrations and Benedictions of thy Priefs by thy invisible Virtue or Power, do thou by the Impofition of our hands Sanctify, hanc Formulam, this Figure of St. John; let it be, Sancta, Holy, huic, to it, or by it, eliminans, filling of (or purging or taking away) all forts of Difeafes and Pestilences and Tempests; T. p. 395. fupr. b. the burnings of Flames, or Fire, or Lightning, the furious contrivances, Machinamenta, of Wars, the dangers of Thunders, which may avail us, and the various Scourges of hurtfull irs; tu propter eam, do thou for it, or, by it, keep to us the Flowers and Fruits of our Trees and IVoods; Preferve the Corn and all other neceffary things that Grozz; remove all fudden Plagues, or Difeafes, of our Cattle; Increase the plenty of Wine, Fowls, and Fishes, multiply the Fruitfulness of the Valleys, Fills and Mountains; that we may give to thee, the giver of all Good, Thanks, &c. Did they not in those days think that all thefe things fhould be done proprer eam, for (or through) that Image? Did they not pray and Believe that the invisible Pontif. Rom. Power of Chrift fhould reft upon it? Thus they pray'd that the Virtue, or Lloyd MS. ut Power, of his Spirit might defcend upon their Confecrated Books and other holy Things. Now I perceive these old Confecrations are left off, and I hope Euchol. p. 854. the Latins may be grown in this Point fomething better. Thus Goar mentions this matter; Præ incuria antiquato, the use, faith he, of thefe by too much Careleffness is grown out of Fashion, and they remain only in our Books. There in him we have the Greeks Confecration of a Picture which is ftill Practifed by them. The Picture is first fmeer'd in four places of it, with the holy Ointment. Then the Prelate prays God, to fend down, Twxzg! TY ἁγία πνεύματα και τὸν ἄνγελον ἐπὶ τὴν εἰκόνα ταύτην ἁγία», the Grace of his Holy Spirit and his Angel upon that holy Picture, that, ess auriv el Tis deron, if any one Prays before it, it might be made, eis inhgaow tûs déhoews aurõ, for, or to, the fulfilling of his Prayer. Is there no Divineness nor Virtue, or Powcr, there where the Grace of the Holy Spirit is thought to refide? And where an Angel always attend? Or in that before which they pray as a. Medium, Mean, (or a kind of Co-mediator) for obtaining their Defires? Thefe things (as the Trent Fathers own expreflions, in my poor Apprehenfion, seem De Relig Sanft, ncceffarily to infinuate) muft rankly favour of Idolatry. And Bellarmine is forced to own the very fame Truth. He faith, that the Prelates and Preachers, according to that Council, can and ought to inftruct the Ideots, alio qui fatcor, otherwife I confefs that fuch Pictures (as are made of God; I fay the fame of the Saints;) cannot be expofed to the Ignorant without dan ger. Can the wifcft Prelate or Preacher amongst them ever make their Di. ftinctions fink into the Minds of Ideots, fo as they may any ways apprehend them? I would have them expound but one Chapter of the Cardinal, and teach them that they may thoroughly understand how and when they fhould WorShip a thing, propter fe aut propter aliud, for it felf or for another thing; per fe & propriè vel non, by it felf and properly, or improperly; Proftratione voluntatis vel corporis vel utriufque, by the Proftration of the Will, or of the Body or of both; Majori cultu or Minori, with the greater IVorship or with the leffer; (and what is really the one or the other) uno motu Intellectus & voluntatis in Imaginem & Exemplar, vel divifo, with one Motion of the Understanding and Will to the Image and to the Exemplar, or by dividing them; objectivè vel in oblique, as the Object, or by the by; in fe vel participatione, in it felf, or wholly by it felf, or by Participation; and I would have the Ideots alfo perfectly taught (what I have mention'd before) what is Analogically, Reductively, and, etiãs, Respectively. and when they are to p. 856. B. be ufed rightly. The Synod orders all Superftition in the Invocation of Saints to be taken away; and that, debitam Venerationem, the Worship which is due to them, fhould be given them; and I fuppofe the Ideots must be alfo taught fully and plainly what that is; I affure you when they have thorough ly learned all this fublime Leflon they fhall pals with me for most admirable School-men. But now when there are fuch great Varieties of Opinions amongst the topping School-men about this matter; whofe Doctrine mult the poor, Parochus, Parish Priest (or Preacher, or even the Prelate himself, follow ? Thus faith Durandus and his followers; another thing faith Perefius and Biel; fo faith the glorious Thomas and all his numerous Tribe; Bellarmine (as is 1. 2. c. 8. p. 313. H. Lib. 2. de Imag c. 24. T. p. 396. p. 895. D. P. 321. B. abovefaid) likes none of them, but hath a Notion of his own; and fince by T. p. 396 moft Op. Theol. T. |
