worship to whose honour they are dedicated Vasquez (n) Ibid. c. 10. n. 344. will have them worshipped relatively as Images to whom he gives Divine adoration with respect to him in whose service they are used 'T is no sin to worship the word Jesus whether it be pronounced or written and some will have honour given to the word for it self so (o) Ipsi etiam voci secundum se câ—nset honorem aliquem tribui Ibid. n. 342. Corduba and others (p) Simul cum Christo quem significat vox illa Ibid. n. 343. Idem quod de imagine de voce quoque Jesus alijs rebus inanimis manifeste sequitur quamvis diceremus quia imagines exemplaribus substituuntur ideo cum ipsis adorari quis audeat asserere vocem Jesus aut scâ—iptam aut prolatam in locum significati non subrogari c. Ibid. n. 344. Some will have the word worshipped together with him that it signifies as the Image and the exemplar are both worshipped together So that they will have the word Jesus to be worshipped as the Image of Jesus 'T is no sin to worship the Accidents of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist where the object worshipped is not only Christ there nor is it the substance of Bread and Wine for they say there is no substance left but that which they worship is the colour figure or tast of the Elements The colour when there is nothing that is coloured the tartness when there is nothing that is tart the roundness when there is nothing that is round To these wonderful not to say monstrous accidents some will have a single (q) Alij vero recentiores eodem modo de speciebus Sacramentalibus atque de imaginibus docent nempe eas adorari posse eodem motu adoratione lâ—triae cum Christo sâ—b ipsis contento pâ—sse etiam secundum se propria adoratione coli quae non reseratur in Christum ibi contentum siâ—ut in terminum proximum adorationis sed tanquam in motivum remotum sicut de imaginibus de nomine Jesu docuerunt Idem Ibid. c. 11. n. 360. worship due but that the very same worship that is due to Christ and besides that Divine adoration which is common to them with Christ will have also a proper worship given without reference to Christ but all of them agree that they are to be adored with (r) Eandem adorationem qua Christum ibi colimus ad eas terminari dicendum est ut docet Claudus Cello 6. Sed per accidens sicut adoratio exemplaris in imaginem quoque terminatur Id expresse tradit Algelus l. 2. de Euch. c. 3. idem ibid. Divine worship and some say that this adoration is terminated on them as the worship of the Exemplar upon the Image They will not only have the Manger wherein Christ lay and the Thorns wherewith he was Crowned and the Spear that wounded him to be worshipped (s) Si autem pingeretur Sacrum praesepium vel lancea vel spinea corona vel aliquid simile non minus quam ipsa crux in veneratione esse debere Id vero quod de pictura vel sculptura dicimus de ijsdem rebus naturalibus dicendum esset si in ornamentum crucis monimentum passionis vel alterius mysterij publice ponerentur c. Idem ibid. l. 3. c. 6. disp 2. n. 73. but the Picture of these when they are but painted they are to have the same worship which the true Cross has that is Divine Adoration and so are natural Thorns or a common Manger or Spear to be worshipped when they are made use of to adorn the Cross or to set off the passion of Christ as they are wont Theatrically to represent it 'T is no sin to worship any thing that Christ touched or that touched him how injuriously soever Therefore they teach that the Ass upon which Christ rode is to be worshipped hereby it appears sayes (t) Inde etiam constat quo pacto recte possit asinus cui Christus insedit adorari Ibid. n. 76. Vasquez how rightly the Ass upon which Christ did ride may be worshipped and that the very (u) Nil tamen obest quo minus aliquis sincera fide recta intentione affectum animum solum in Christum intendens labia Judae alia quae injuste Christum tetigerunt reverenter osculetur ibid. lips of Judas that Traitor and Devil as Christ calls him for kissing Christ when he betrayed him for that very act wherein he shew'd himself a Traitor and Devil are to be worshipped If they had but those Traitors lips they would reverently and devoutly kiss that is adore them and it is strange if they have them not among their Sacred Relicks since they say they have the (x) Ex dictis infertur Christi praeputium sanguinem relictum in terris sive sit sub forâ—a sanguinis sive sub alia non secundum se hyperdulia sed ex affectu latriae circa Christum eodem motu adorationis cum ipso sicut alias ejus reliquias adorandum esse ut notavit Corduba Sylvest Idem ibid. disp 4. n. 125. foreskin of Christ cut off at his circumcision and his very (y) Antiqua etiam traditione constat vultum sanctum Domini tempore passionis suae in linteo expressum fuisse Qualis Romae in Hispania ostenditur Taurius vero magna cum veneratione servatur nec minori religione colitur sindon qua Christus in Sepulchro fuit involutus cui impressam reliquit sui corporis siguram Idem ibid. l. 2. disp 3. c. 1. n. 29. countenance impressed by him upon a white cloath for one would think these as hard to come by however in diverse places they worship something at a venture which they count so It is no sin to worship the imaginary blood which flowes from a Crucifix or Image of Christ when it is wounded for they being given up to believe the most ridiculous lyes (a) Vid. Aquinas 3. q. 54. art 2. do believe that such blood hath issued from a mere Picture or Image (b) One at Berytus in Syria pierced by a Jew related in a Book ascribed to Athanasius falsely as Bellarmine confesses de script Eccles p. 78. of which our Author l. 2. disp 3. c. 1. n. 29. they keep it as a most Sacred Relique and it is to be (c) Idem dicendum de sanguine qui ex aliqua imagine Christi fluxit nisi quod ille non ratione contactus sed repraesentationis tantum adorandus est idem ibid. l. 3. disp 4. c. 2. n. 125. worshipped with the same worship they give to Christ himself It is no sin to give Divine worship to any man not only the Saints in Heaven or holy persons on earth but any men whatever in the world the wickedest not excepted may together with God have divine worship as the Image has with the Exemplar
Quoniam communiter non habent facultatem ad haec bella gerenda contra Principes imminent illis gravia pericula In 2. 2. Thom. q. 12. art 2. that Catholicks in England and Saxony are excused from rising up against their Protestant Princes with their Subjects because they commonly are not powerful enough and the attempt in such circumstances would expose them to great danger (a) Haeritici siquidem potest fieri sunt proculdubio extirpandi si autem non possunt quia sunt fortiores nobis periculum est ne si eos bello aggrediamur plures ex nobis cadant quam ex illis tunc quiescendum est De Laicis lib. 3. Cap. 22. p. 1319. Bellarmine speaks it as plainly if it were possible to root out the Hereticks without doubt they are to be destroyed Root and Branch but if it cannot be done because they are stronger than we and there be danger if they should oppose us that we should be worsted then we are to be quiet So that the reason why Protestants in such places are not presently ruined is because the Papists are not there strong enough we and others have the priviledge to Live because they are not yet able to Kill us and to seize on what we have When they have once power enough or but think they have it let us look to our selves for if Papists have any Conscience that any thing in their Religion can touch they must then destroy us utterly and leave us neither Liberty Estate nor Being unless they will resist Conscience and rebell against the Authority of that Church which they count most Sacred and Soveraign or which is all one in their Catholick sense they must either exterminate us or be damned themselves And to deal thus with us would be so far from being a sin that by their most infallible Doctrine the decrees of Popes and Councils it would be an act highly meritorious though in the common sense of mankind it be Robbery and Murder They may become the best Catholicks by abandoning Justice Mercy and Humanity it self and procure pardon of all other sins by the most detestable injustice and cruelty and obtain higher degrees of glory by such crimes as to use their own expression deserves all the fires of Heaven and Earth and Hell If Sathan could inspire all other Sects with this Catholick Doctrine it would be an expedient to satiate his enmity to mankind this would turn the world into a shambles and no sort of men should escape unbutchered but such who could find no party able to force them to the Slaughter-house yet this is the way to Heaven and transcendant glory for those who will follow the Roman conduct and believe what passes for most infallible amongst them Sect. 6. There is another crime which passes for an eminent vertue with them and is so esteemed and practised that is Sorcery and Conjuring In the Books of Devotion published for the use of their Exorcists there are such horrid practices in and upon the Devil as fully answers the Titles of the Books one of which is called Horrible Conjuration and another Divelish Exorcisms He that has not seen them can scarce believe that such things should be practised by any that bear the name of Christians nor can they be heard without conceiving a horrour at them But they have been mentioned by others I will only insist on that which may seem more innocent but has indeed too much of Sorcery and Inchantment and that is their Sacramentals with things of like nature and supposed vertue Of this quality is their Consecrated water Salt Oyl Bread Waxen-Tapers Branches of Trees Roses Bells Meddals and Agnus Dei's To such things as these they ascribe marvellous and supernatural effects a vertue to save and sanctifie Souls to blot out sins to expell Devils to cure Diseases to secure Women in Travel to preserve from Burning and Drowning Pope Alexander in the decrees which they ascribe to him asserts that water mixed with salt and Consecrated does (b) De consecr D. 3. cap. aqua Sanctifie the people Purifie the unclean break the Snares of the Devil and bring health to Body and Soul The form of exorcising salt which we have in their authorized Books tells us it is exorcised that it may be to all that take it (c) In salutem credentium ut sit omnibus sumentibus sanitas animae corporis both health to Body and Soul The exorcised water is to (d) Ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici chase away all the power of the Devil and root him out The vertues of an Agnus Dei are discribed by Vrban 5. in verse wherewith he sent some of them to the Greek Emperour If you will believe a Pope who may be infallible in Rhime as well as in Prose (e) Omne malignum it drives away lightning and all malignancy delivers pregnant Women destroyes the force of fire secures from Drowning and which is more destroyes sin even as the blood of Christ does Bellarmine sayes (f) De cultu sanct l. 3. c. 7. p. 1594 they are of power for the blotting out of Venial sins for the chasing away Devils for the curing of Diseases Others ascribe to (g) Tribuitur Thomae Cajetan Soto in Suar. Tom. 3. disp 15. Sect. 4. them a power to excite gracious motions even ex opere operato Now it is acknowledged that the natural power of these things cannot reach such effects and that there is no vertue in or of themselves to produce them no more than there is in such things by which Magicians and Conjurers work their strange feats Nor has the Lord instituted them or any where promised to impower them for such purposes no more than he has promised to make the charm of any Sorcerer effectual for marvellous operations Bellarmine confesseth 1 Vim habent ejusmodi res non ex pacto Dei expresso ibid. that such things have their force not by any promise of God expressed And Suarez 2 Non est fundatus in speciali aliqua Dei promissione quia ut dixi de tali promissione non constat ibid. p. 187. sayes the effect thereof is not founded in any special promise of God because as he had said it does not appear there is any such promise And they confess there 's a tacit invocation of the Devil in using things for effects to which they have no power natural or divine There is such an invocation of the Devil sayes Cajetan (h) Sum. verb. divinatio when one uses any thing or word as having power for such an effect for which it appears not to have any vertue either natural or divine for then he tacitly consents to the aid of the Devil And so (i) Sum. v. superstitio n. 10. Sylvester after Aquinas If the things made use of for such effects appear to have no power to produce them it follows that they are not used for this
to avoyd a venial sin since by their doctrine a world of them can never damn a man and therefore it is not necessary for any Papist to worship God otherwise than principally for vain glory or ends equally criminal i. e. it is not needful for them to worship him at all for no man can imagine that he is worshipped when he is in the highest degree dishonoured and affronted and what greater affront can be put upon him than under a pretence of worship to debase the great God and thrust him lower in our designs not only than our selves and earthly trifles but lower than sin the vilest thing on Earth yea or in Hell and this is evidently done when vain glory a capital sin hath the preheminence of God in addresses to him and is regarded as principal when the Lord of Heaven and earth hath no regard at all or only in a lower place It is not worshipping of God but a horrid impiety for men to serve themselves instead of God but more intolerably impious to worship sin and that hath the worship and is honoured in the place of God which hath the highest advancement and is principal in Religious addresses yet no better than this is all the worship which by the Roman Doctrine is necessary from their Catholicks In short whereas by their Doctrine of non-attention formerly exaamined it is so evident that they discharge themselves from all real worship as they have no colour to hide it no shift to evade it but a supposal of some praevious intention to serve God when they are addressing themselves to their service this their last reserve they themselves ruine by their Doctrine concerning the end of worship For they teach besides what is premised that a man who comes to Masse or Divine service with a purpose not to worship God but to serve his Lusts doth satisfie the Precept (a) Praeceptum audiendi missam non obligat nisi taliter audire ut sit actus humanus qualis esse potest etiamsi aliud simul ad sit sinistrum propositum de just jur l. 10. q. 5. art 5. We are not obliged saith Soto to hear Masse but only so that it may be a humane act which it may be though there be a sinister intention in it Yea though the thing intended be a sin and that highly criminal for he adds (b) Quod si quis attente oret quamvis id faciat adjunctam habens vanam gloriam imo quamvis simul habeat propositum aliud mortale satisfaciet praecepto quantum ad substantiam ita ut non teneatur officium iterare Ibid. if one attend prayer though he do it for vain glory that is a small matter to stick at yea though it be with a purpose mortally wicked yet he fulfills the precept substantially Such are the commands of the Church of Rome for her most Sacred worship they may be fully satisfied by deadly wickedness there needs no purity of heart or hand for her Devotions a design damnably evil will serve the turn c Non tamen est tenendum illud S. Antonini scilicet eum qui ecclesiam a lit princiâ—… liter ad videndum aut alloquendum faeminam pulchram aut ob aliud quodvis illiâ—iâ—… non satisfacere huic praecepto cap. 21. n. 7. with him concurs Medina Addendum 〈◊〉 est pravam intentionem adjunctam voluntati audiendi missam non esse contrariam impletioni hujus praecepti Itaque quamvis quis eat ad ecclesiam ex libidinosa intentione videndi faeminam vel etiamsi officio missae cum eadem intentione assâ—stat tamen si non excludat voluntatem implendi hoc praeceptum sufficientur sit attentus implet illud It a Medina in Suarez tom 3. desp 88. Sect. 3. That of Antoninus saith Navarre is not to be maintained that he doth not satisfie the precept who comes to Church principally to look on a handsome Woman or to talk with her or for any other sinful thing If a man in going to Masse designs to satisfie his curiosity or his lust or any thing else which is wicked that Church is so good natur'd she will be satisfied with it and think her precept for worship well observed and you must believe if you can that the is a good Christian-Church that will have Christ worshipped at this rate He adds reason for it a (d) Potest quis malo fine ecclesiam adire bene in ea missam audire Ibid. p. 469. man may come to Church for a wicked end and yet hear Masse well enough there (*) Qui ecclesiam adit causa videndi vel etiam concupiscendi libidinose faeminas satisfacit De legib Disp 1. q. 1. p. 9. n. 1. Bonacina instances in several sorts of wickedness whereby the command for worship may be fulfilled This is one amongst the rest if a man go to Church on purpose to gaze on or to lust after Women lecherously he satisfies the precept and for the general Rule vouches not only Sotus Navar Medina and others of greatest Reputation in their Church but also their Angelical Saint Thomas I need not censure these things let those that are impartial consider the premises and see if this be not their sense that the people in the Papacy by its order do not or are not obliged to give God any real worship in publick and by their leaders are taught and encouraged instead of worship to present him with grosse wickedness If the measures of Religion may be best taken by its worship what can any indifferent person judge of Popery where a service so palpably irreligious is the best and the most excellent worship they have if this were duely considered I think it alone might be sufficient to reduce those that are deluded and to secure those against Temptations who are not yet ensnared Sect. 4. There is another publick exercise which Christ makes as necessary as any Evangelical service what-ever and that is Preaching and hearing the word of God But the Romanists are not of his mind in this (e) Cum missa sit sub praecepto non praedicatio Sum. v. Domin n. 8. Audire missam est in praecepto audire autem concionem non ita Suar. 13. tom 3. disp 88. Sect. 1. vid. v. 2. defess The Masse is commanded but not Preaching saith Sylvester and he one of the order of Predicants Accordingly hearing Masse is commanded but hearing Sermons is only matter of Advice saith (f) Audire praedicationem in festis non est de praecepto simpliciter patet per praedicta ac etiam nullo jure cavetur sed solum de missa Sum. Rosell Dominic n. 4. another which may be neglected without imputation of sin and if observed is an act of Supererogation They conclude it no duty in such circumstances where it would be counted necessary if ever it is no duty on the Lords day (g) Jac. de Graff l. 2. c. 33. n. 8. 16. Sotus
quae dicit Deus haec etenim est etiam in Daemonibus perditissimis hominibus Confut. artic Lutheri art 1. Contarenus is not it by which we believe that there is a God or by which we believe that the things are true which God speaks For this also is in the Devils and the most wicked men Yet at other times this is with them THE CHRISTIAN THE CATHOLICK FAITH as if it were enough to make them true (*) Concil Trident. Sess 6. c. 28. Christians and Catholicks but sure they will not seek for their Christianity and Catholickness in a Room lower than Purgatory However instead of a faith which the Scripture calls for as saving and justifying they commend to Christians a faith which hath no connexion at all necessary or probable with Salvation or Justification All they have to say is That it must necessarily be joyned with love but when they have said this they undo it and all by making love it self unnecessary as we saw before Sect. 3. In fine they seem little concerned for faith who hath it or hath it not or how little it be or how seldome acted It is not (h) Non enim fides interior Romani Pontificis ecclesiae est necessaria Canus loc Theol. lib. 6. c. ult p. 344. necessary that the Pope himself should have this faith though the Devils want it not yea or any other vertue for all his Holiness the Body may do well enough though the Head of it be an Infidel They are obliged to maintain this because their Popes often have been no better And the body may shift pretty well without it too This may be the true Catholick Church made up of the whole company of believers when not one amongst them all hath faith for time was say they (i) Abbas in Sylvest sum v. Concil n. 3. when none at all had faith but only one Woman and it may be so again As for the exercise of it Hurtado thinks an act of faith may be requisite once in a year (*) Existimant aliqui precepeum eliciendae fidei obligare singulis annis veâ—uâ— hoc communiter negatur Petr. a S. Joseph sum de 1. praecep art 1. p. 6. but the Jesuite may seem to deal unmercifully with them putting them to believe some of their Creed once in Twelve moneths those of other Orders would not have them so much oppressed once in 12 years will be enough Bonacina (k) Tom. 2. in 1. praecept disp 3. q. 2. punct 2. saith 4 or 5 moments in a whole life may suffice for this and specifies them but because this may seem too hard he signifieth withall how they may he eased in a manner of them all For once though that be at the point of death an (l) n. 12. implicite act may serve At an other time or two the precept for faith doth not of it self oblige to the act only (m) n. 9. 11. it is requisite by accident and so the neglect of it then will be no special sin nor need be confessed At another time or more if there were occasion ignorance or want of consideration may (n) n 8. excuse them for these two though they ruine the greatest part of the World eternally yet are the greatest security of Roman-Catholicks and not only exempt them from that which is most the duty of Christians but will not suffer them to sin at least mortally do what they can So that after all one act of their faith once in a life time will be enough (o) Existimo tamen sufficere ut isti rudes semel assensum explicite praebuerint articulis ad salutâ—m necessarijs dum sibi proponebantur a confessario vel ab alio Ibid. n. 14. ibi Malderus alij Peter a S. Joseph reduces all the moments and occasions where an act of faith may be thought requisite to six heads and then declares upon each severally either that the precept doth not of it self oblige or that they may be excused from sin in neglecting it at any of them Sum in 1. precept art 1. p. 3. 4 5 6. I think it sufficient saith he after many others for those that are rude to give an explicite assent once to the Articles necessary to Salvation while they are propounded by their Confessor or some other But how must the Confessor propound these Articles to them so as they may pass this one act of faith upon them once for all Why the best way (p) Bonacin ibid. n. 16. he tells us is by a mode of forming the sign of the Cross as it is described for this purpose by Graffius Bellarmine and other great Divines I had the curiosity to see how a Confessor can make the most ignorant persons true believers by the sign of the Cross and so effectually as they never need more believe than once while they live and found it lying thus (q) Graff decis part 1. l. 1. c. 24. n. 3. let the Confessor teach him to form the sign of the Cross with three singers to signifie the mystery of the most Sacred Trinity But first it must be drawn from the top of the head or front to the Navel to shew that the Son of God descended from the highest Heavens into the bowels of his Mother then draw the cross line from the left Arm to the right so the cause of the Incarnation is expressed He came from Heaven to Earth that we who were to be placed amongst the Goats at his left might be removed to his right hand amongst the Sheep This is the admirable expedient the grave Benedictine reflecting on it was put into a transport for he adds (r) Ecce quanta nobis fidei nostrae mysteria unica formandae crucis ratione Mater Ecclesia docuit ut si nihil praeterea sciret rudis homo vel hoc solum ad salutem illi sufficere queat ibid. behold what great mysteries of faith Mother-Church hath taught us by one mode of forming a Cross so that a rude person needs know nothing besides this even this alone may be sufficient for his Salvation Here is a compendious way indeed to Salvation and all the knowledge and faith needful for it he that can be satisfied with it and give himself up to absurd and ridiculous delusions against all the evidence of Gods word may in few minutes with once making the sign of the Cross get all the faith requisite for a Roman-Catholick and when by such admirable conduct of the Cross he hath but once believed he need never more trouble himself with faith while he lives (s) Praeceptum fidei non obligat perse nisi semel forte in vita vid. Jo. Sanc. disp 41. n. 32. Advertant praeceptum fidei non obligare per se nisi tempore usus rationis advenientis vel postea si tunc non est impletum taliter quod post semel elicitum actum fidei raro vel fortasse nunquam
(d) De homine qui est viva Dei similitudo imago nec aliqua institutione in cultum Dei dedicata docent Alexander Waldensis Cajetan cum posse esse adorationis materiam sicut de imagine picta dixerunt hoc est in illo per illum ita Deum adorari posse ut ipse etiam homo eodem motu signo submissionis colatur sicut imago cum exemplari atque idem de Angelo dicere debent ibid. disp 1. c. 1. n. 4. cap. 3. n. 17. since every man is the living Image of God This is not only the doctrine of Vasquez but of Alensis of Waldensis and of Cardinal Cajetane only in the practice of this there must be caution for Albertus Magnus and Aquinas say there is danger least a man being of more excellency than an Image divine worship should be given him not for Gods sake but his own dignity (e) Ubi periculum non esset non negarent adorari posse sicut imaginem pictam ibid. but where this danger is not they would not deny but any man may be so worshipped even with divine worship So that if Paul and Barnabas with the Lycaonians Act. 14. had but proceeded with the caution of these Doctors and taken care that those people should so worship them only for Gods sake they might lawfully have admitted the worship offered them though they not learned in this kind of Doctrine chose rather to be stoned than so honoured It is lawful to worship not only rational Creatures (f) Quaevis etiam alia res mundi sive inanima irrationalis sive rationalis ex natura rei secluso periculo rite cum Deo sicut imago ipsius adorari potest Hanc opinionem tradit Cajetan 2. 2. q. 103. art 3. ad dub 4. id docuit Leontius ibid. c. 2. n. 5. but any thing else in the whole world whether living or liveless Any beast or creeping thing may be worshipped as the Image of God which they hold is to be honoured with divine worship So that not only the Planets Stars the Queen and the Host of Heaven may be thus adored for which the Lord condemns Israel and Judah as Idolaters but the vilest Creature that lives on Earth a Fly or a Frogg or a Serpent or a Toad may be thus worshipped Yea meaner Creatures than any that have life any inanimate thing whatsoever though it be but a wisp of Straw that is our Authors own instance whereas sayes he (g) Frustra igitur Wiclesistae objiciebant Christianis imagines colentibus ipsos quoque modulum straminis adorare posse idem enim Leontius de modulo straminis quod de quacunque re mundi libenter fateretur tantum abest ut absurdum judicari debeat ibid. n. 10. the Wickliffites object that Christians who worship Images may as well worship a wisp of Straw modulum straminis the same Leontius upon whose Authority he grounds all would as freely grant this of a bit of Straw as he does it of every thing else in the World so far is it from being counted absurd yea they may worship not only vile but sordid things (h) In brutis animantibus rebus sordidis Deo exhibere notam submissionis primo aspectu indecens apparet id tamen non obest quo minus suapte natura in qualibet re mundi Deum ipsum adorare liceat imo sanctos homines seu Angelos si eos cum rehus illis cogitatione nostra possimus conjungere ibid. n. 11. and not only God but Angels and Saints in them quaevis alia res mundi any thing what-ever in the World whether liveless unreasonable or rational may rightly have divine worship with God And this is not only the judgment of their famous Vasquez but of Cardinal Cajetan and in consequence of them all for those great witts well discerned that the adoration of other things approved and practised by the Romanists could never be defended without extending their principles to such a Latitude Thus it is manifest that whatsoever the Apostate Israelites adored or the Egyptians worshipped or the Laplanders do worship or the grossest and the most ridiculous Idolaters in the World ever made an Idol all that with much more and worse may lawfully be worshipped by Popish principles there never was any Idolatry so absurd or horrid in the World but may have Patronage or excuse by this doctrine And now Heaven and Earth being furnished with their Idols one would think they need go no further but be satisfied without seeking Hell for any yet there is an inquiry which reaches that too 'T is a question amongst them if (i) An sit peccatum adorare radium luminis vel speciem Crucifixi sub qua Daemon delitescit ibid. disp 1. c. 5. n. 30. vid Bonacin Tom. 2. disp 3. q. 1. punct 4. n. 5. the Devil should appear in a beam of light or the form of a Crucifix whether that apparition may be worshipped Antisiodorensis Alexander Aquinas Marsilius Adrian and others will not allow it should be worshipped unless conditionally and with a condition express'd but Vasques is for adoration hereof absolutely (k) Quare nec conditionem expresse addere oportet ut recte legitime adoratio fiat multo minus ea exprimenda est quando Eucharistiam adoramus ut optime tradunt Alexand. S. Thom. Bonaventura qui cum dicant necessariam esse expressam conditionem quando adoratur Christus in specie Crucifixi ubi Daemon delitescit affirmant tamen eam non esse necessariam ut adoretur in hostia consecrata Idem sensiâ— Gabriel Quinimo ut Cajetan Hosselanus Claudius Sajnctes docent male faceret qui adderet conditionem ut securus adoraret ibid. n. 34. no condition express'd and he has those who are otherwise minded at a great advantage because they conclude for worship absolutely in a parallel case for they will have a consecrated Host to be worshipped without condition though the Devil were in it or lurked under it and if they think he would be worshipped in the former without the interposal of a condition he will be worshipped in the later where they will have no condition to exclude it I conclude this with what (l) Hominem posse mereri per fidem erroneam etsi contingat ut adoret Diabolum Resett Humphed de vita Juel p. 120. Holcott determines a man may merit by a mistaken belief although it so fall out that he worship the Devil These decisions were necessary to justifie their devout persons who have met with such adventures A great part of Popery is grounded upon Visions and Apparitions these were much affected and admired by their reputed holy Men and Women too who were admired and adored for them Satan in the darkness wherein this mystery did best thrive had the advantage to put store of Cheats upon them Many Monks and Heremites says a Lapide were deceived by him Particularly