these are the things which defile the soul Mat. 15.19 which is also confirmed by experience for in all our voluntary actions we first think before we do whereby it is sufficiently manifest unto any reasonable man that all the miseries and calamities which heretofore have been or now are in the world or hereafter shall be originally proceed from evill thoughts wherefore if we could but plant the Nurse of pious thoughts amongst men we should in great part at least ease them of their miseries contentions civill warres Sects and brawls Neither would the planting of pious thoughts amongst mankind be a thing of so great a difficulty to bring to passe if they would but firmly and constantly believe the truth in this matter which is that evill thoughts do not only separate and divide one man from another and bring in all those calamities and miseries which we daily see amongst men but also divide man from God make divisions even in himself and deprive him of his everlasting weal as witnesse the Scriptures saying Perverse thoughts separate from God Wisd 1.3 Again in the same chapter The Holy Ghost will withdraw himself from the thoughts that are without understanding and yet more Jn the thoughts of the impious there shall be examination and the hearing of his works shall come to God to the chastising of his iniquities Again evill thoughts are abhomination to our Lord Prover 11.16 Whereupon God further saith by the Prophet I say take away the evill of your thoughts from mine eys Jsa 1.16 Again Let the impious forsake his wayes and the unjust man his thoughts and return to our Lord and he will have mercy upon him Isa 55.7 Again Woe be to you who think that which is unprofitable Micheas 2.1 And with these agree the Prophet Zachary saying Think ye not every man in your heart evill against his friend and a lying â—â—th love ye not for all these things are such as J hate saith the Lord Zach. 8.17 Thus the Sctiptures of the miseries and wretchednesse which accompany evill thoughts Now what man is there who is indued with reason and will be sensible of his own good or evill that the aforesaid miseries considered will not hate all impious thoughts and be glad of the means how to nourish in himselfe pious thoughts especially the Scripture saying He who thinketh to do evill shall be called a fool Prov. 24.6 of whom our Saviour saith Thou fool this night they the divells require thy soul of thee and the things which thou hast provided by wicked thoughts whose shall they be Luk. 12.20 for he saith S. Hieruome upon this aforesaid Text is truly to be called a foole who consenteth in his thoughts to the suggestion of sin although to the eys of men he seem never so wise For the aforesaid reasons our dear Lord and Saviour being carefull of the good and salvation of mankind reprehendeth man for his evill thoughts saying Wherefore think ye evill in your hearts Mat. 9.4 And S. Paul knowing the many miseries and wretchednesse which attend upon impious thoughts exhorteth all men to practise and nourish in themselves pious thoughts saying Brethren what things soever be true whatsoever honest whatsoever just whatsoever holy whatsoever amiable whatsoever of good fame if there be any vertue if any praise of discipline those things think upon Phil. 4.8 and for a reward of nourishing such pious thoughts addeth and the God of peace shall be with you whereupon S. Chrysostome upon this Text saith You may see how S. Paul would cast all wicked thoughts out of our minds for from evill thoughts all wicked deeds proceed From hence it is that the Prophet calleth those happy who presently correct or kill their evill thoughts which he calleth Daughters of Babylon saying daughter of Babylon Blessed is he that shall hold and shall crush thy little ones against the rock Psal 136.9 who are these little ones of Babylon saith S. Augustine upon this Text but our arising evill desires when it is a little one or as soon as it ariseth crush it We kill our little ones saith S. Gregory in the end of his expositions upon the fourth Penitentiall Psalme against the rock when we mortifie or kill the first unlawfull motions or thoughts by an intention to follow Christ for Christ was the rock 1 Cor. 10.6 Almighty God foreseeing so many evills to proceed from wicked thoughts to prevent those miseries of the ten Commandements which he gave unto men two of them are against vicious thoughts saying Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house neither shalt thou desire his wife Exod. 20.17 and writ them in the hearts of all people Rom. 2.15 whereupon Juvenal an heathen Poet in his third Satyr saith He who shall think any secret wickednesse within himself is guilty of the fact And Valerâ—us Maximus in the second chapter of his seventh book reporteth that Thales the Philosopher being demanded whether God were ignorant of the works of men answered No not of their thoughts wherefore saith he we ought not only to have pure hands but also pure minds seeing that we should believe the divine Godhead to be present at our secret thoughts From hence also if is that Alexander the Great as affirmeth S. Basil in his twenty fourth Homily knew that it was an offence by beholding to covet a woman in thought although he did not accomplish the fact And Cieero a morall man writing divers books of Offices unto his Son Mark for the well disposing of his life in his first book not farre from the beginning amongst other things admonisheth him That in all his opinions and deeds he should neither do nor think any thing libidinese lecherously the light of Nature teaching even the more morall sort of heathen men that evill thoughts were corrupters of good manners and originally the cause of all miseries and disorders and therefore desired that they might be avoided at least for the benefit of their Common-wealth CHAP. IV. The excellency of Pious thoughts and how good works and heroicall actions proceed from them THe substance of all mens souls are of one coelestiall incorruptible matter the difference between soul and soul in excellency beauty and purity in this life is the inherent grace infused vertues pious thoughts vertuous operations and in the other coelestiall splendour and everlasting blâ—sse which God bestoweth upon his servants all which in such as are baptized and of years of discretion of whom I intend only to treat depend upon the pious thoughts and vertuous operation of the soul in this life according to the words of our Lord saying Out of the heart come forth evill cogitations these are the things which defile the soul Mat. 15.19 of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. Whereupon S. Paul saith that Christ is a Discerner or censurer of the cogitations and of the intent of the heart Heb. 4.12 God will not only examine our outward works and words but also our very
a gift given by God the Father unto his Son Iesus that all his creatures which have understanding shall do honor and worship to the name of Jesus as it hath relation unto his Son he must be in the nature of an Infidell or beast who will not put off his hat or incline his head or bend his knee at it whether it be written ingraven or spoken S. Chrysostome in his Sermon of the praises of God set down in his fifth Tome so highly esteemed and reverenced this name of Iesus as it hath reference to Christ our Lord that he saith This name Jesus is a terror not only to those in hell but also to diseases and vices therefore lâ—t us challenge to our selves from it ornament and forces Thus S. Chrysostom whereupon Theophilact upon these words of S. Paul Whatsoever you do in word or in work all thingâ— in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ saith for the name of God driveth away divells and doth make all things easie unto thee and to succeed well which being so he is worthy to perish who will not beare a relative religious respect and honor unto this sacred name of Iesus From hence it is that Abulensis upon the twentieth chapter of Exodus saith That it is a greater-sin to take the name of Jesus in vain then that of God And giving a reason addeth The common and laudable custome of the Church doth more honor that name of Jesus then this of God From whence it is that the devout faithfull people as soon as they hear the name of Jesus either bow down their heads or bend their knees which they do not when they hear the name of God he therefore who doth offend against this custome dishonoring the name of Jesus doth commit a greater sin then he who dishonoreth the name of God Thus Abulensis of the outward and inward relative religious honor and worship which the Church of God hath alwayes given unto the name of Iesus because it is the proper name of the Word Incarnate and of God as he is our Redeemer a name so much honored by S. Paul as that he not only hath it 219. times in his Epistles but also the faithfull perswading him with many tears that he would not go to Hierusalem because as the Prophet Agabus had foretold there he was to be taken prisoner and to be cast into bands by the Jewes he answered I am ready not only to be bound but to die also in Hierusalem for the name of our Lord Jesus Acts 21.13 After the people of Israel were conducted by God through the red Sea and delivered out of the hands of Pharoah and the Egyptians Wisdome saith that they sung thy O Lord Wisdome 10.20 If this the faithfull in the Old Law did because they were preserved out of the hands of their temporall enemies by the passage through the red Sea how much more ought Christians to sing and extoll the name of Iesus who by the red Sea of his bloud hath redeemed us from our infernall enemies and say with the Prophet All Nations shall glorifie thy name because thou art great and doing marvellous things thou only art God conduct me O Lord in thy way and I will walk in thy truth let my heart rejoyce that I may fear thy name I will confesse to thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy name for ever because thy mercy is great upon me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lower hell Psal 85.9 O Lord our Lord how marvellous is thy name in the whole earth Psal 8.10 because thou hast magnified above every thing thy holy name Psal 137.2 the name of Jesus which is magnified above all names or temporall things whereupon S. Hilarius upon this Psalme saith J have manifested thy name to men and what name this was he shewed before saying Father the hour cometh cause thy son to be honored therefore he adoreth this name Now if the Prophet did adore the name of God not for the materiall letters or characters but for that it represented unto him an infinite goodnesse and greatnesse why should we now doubt whether we ought to adore and worship holy names pictures and signes which conduct us unto the same God with a relative religious worship seeing that it doth fill our souls with pious thoughts Again the same Saint saith upon the same Psalm He confesseth the Word made flesh in truth and the cause of his confession is taken from this because thou hast magnified above every thing thy name the name of God is not known to one Nation only but it is magnified above all things and the greatnesse of his sanctity is extended to all not a barbarous nor Soyth nor servant nor freeman neither woman nor man nor any age is exeluded from it for the name of God is magnified above all Temples fall downe Idols grow mute Oracles at the coming of the Saints are silent the credit of Augures is lost the only name of God is holy amongst all Nations Thus S. Hilary Arnobius also expounding this Psalm saith The Prophet doth confess unto his name because in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of the things in heaven of the things upon earth and of these things under the earth and what doth he confesse unto his holy name he saith thy mercy and thy truth A soul doth confesse nothing else to God in the sight of the Angels but the mercy wherewith he is redeemed and the truth which he is taught what truth without all doubt this wherein his holy name is magnified above all things for this is a name which is above all names Thus these Fathers of the relative religious honor respect reverence which the faithful in their times bare unto this sacred name of Jesus as it representeth Christ our Lord and all his mercies and putteth into their minds pious thoughts And to conclude the relative religious respect which the Primitive Christians bare unto this sacred name of Jesus was such that Procopius an antient Father who lived above eleven hundred years past in his Commentaries upon the forty fourth of Esay affirmeth they caused it to be imprinted with an hot iron upon their bodies and now the world is ascended to that height of pride that there are found men who will not call themselvs Christians and yet not vouchsafe either to uncover their heads or bend their knees or incline their stiffe necks at this sacred name to verifie upon them the prophecy of S. Paul saying In the last times men shall be haughty proud stubborn puffed up and lovers of voluptuousnesse more then of God 2 Tim. 3. If at the reading or publishing of a Proclamation all who are well-affected toward the King or State put off their hats or bow or bend their heads at the name of the King or State politique how much more ought all Christians to do it at the holy name of Jesus which is a name
after in the middest of his Army was slain from heaven as affirmeth S. Gregory Nazianzen in his second Oration against him and Z zâ—menus in the 2. chapter of his 6. book of histories After Iulian the Apostata followed Xenaia a servant by condition and an Eutichian Heretike by profession a man who w s never baptized yet feigned himself a Christian Clergy-man and by the Eutychian Heretikes was made also a Bishop this man saith Nicephorus in in the 27. chapter of his 16. book of Histories was the f rst who in these times belched out this opinion that the images of Christ and of those who pleased h m were not to be worshipped and so to the Eutychian heresie added the contempt of sacred Images and died excommunicated by the Councell of Calcedon After him followed the Mahometans and Turks who do so abhor the Crosse as with the Sectaries of this age they call the Christians Idolaters for adoring it as witnesseth Cedrenus upon Heraclius neither do they permit unto those of their Sect the use of Images as appeareth by the 15. and 16. chapters of their Alcoran which Turks being enemies of Christ and Christian Religion are without all hope of salvation And this is sufficient to shew unto thee deare Reader the antient enemies of the Crosse and sacred images and the miseries they fell into In thee it lieth to be a follower of the Catholike Roman Church and to honor reverence and respect sacred images with a relation unto the things they represent thereby to nourish in thee good thoughts or with the Devill Jewes Turks Infidells and Heretikes to condemne them and fill thy heart and mind with filthy shapes vicious thoughts and ugly representations As for the more modern haters of the Crosse and sacred images and their evill ends or miseries which befell them If out of curiosity thou desire to see them I refer thee to the 12. chapter of Bellarmines book of the images of Saints and to the 9. Article of the 2. book of Coccius and to the 10. Article of his 5. book in his first Tome where they are set down at large CHAP. XXVII The visible and invisible relative religious worship which the faithfull in the Primitive Church used towards the sacred pictures signes and images of the written Word of God and thereby learned the true sense and indued their soules with wholesome meditations and pious thoughts IF thou wouldest dear Reader examine the cause from whence it proceedeth that divers in this age do so much apply their minds to the reading of the Bible that they have it almost continually in their hands or lying by them and are so earnest upon it as that many of them think they must have a text out of the Scriptures for whatsoever they doe or els they sin as witnesseth Mr. Sanderson a Protestant Minister in the sixth and eighth § of his second Sermon preached at Grantham in the year 1634. and yet for the most part reap no other benefit out of it but errors heresies and blasphemies against God thou shalt find the originall cause thereof to be First a pride of mind and a contempt or scorn to bestow any relative worship respect or honor upon the materiall character or books or letters sent from God himselfe unto his faithfull followers or chridren penned by the Holy Ghost as S. Peter affirmeth 2 Pet. 1.21 but handle look upon them and use them after the same manner and with the same respect they do the books or letters of sensuall carnall men and sometimes also to shew their contempt or little esteeme change the materiall word of God as though that should be the sacred word what they would and not what God had ordained And secondly a want of an invisible relative religious worshâ—p respect and honor unto the divine and supernaturall sense which God hath given unto his sacred word whereupon they also easily change the sense into their own or other prophane whereby they turn faith into infidelity truth into error and the things revealed by God himself into blasphemy and please themselves in it Whereas holy and sacred things are not to be handlâ—d or treated upon but holily with a relative religious worship respect and esteem for the sacred things which they do represent and as they do represent them the text of the Scriptures is not only called the holy or sacred Scriptures Rom. 1.2.2 Tim. 3.15 but also our faith is called our most holy faith Jude ver 20. those must needs fall into great errors heresies and blasphemies who read speak of or handle them without a relative religious honor and respect unto them for God disperseth the proud in the conceit of their hearts Luk. 1.51 Again To whom shall I have respect saith God but to him that trembleth at my words Isa 66.2 as at the words of his Creator S. Paul calleth the Gospell of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The Gospell of the glory of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.11 wherefore those who give no more religious worship and honor unto it then they give unto other books but rudely read interpret and handle them as they do prophane Authors must of necessity abound with errors heresies and blasphemies according to the words of our Lord saying Whosoever shall glorifie me I will glorifie him and they that contemn me shall be base 1 Kings or Samuel 2.29 as of no Religion established by the Son of God or Scriptures seeing that Religion even by the consent of our adversaries is described to be a due worship of God and holy things and fall into the error of those wicked Priests of whom God complained saying Between a holy thing and a prophane they have put no difference Ezek. 22.26 Whereupon the faithfull servants of God to profess a Religion and to nourish in their hearts and soules the pious thoughts and piety comprehended in the Bible alwayes honored and respected the sacred text or Bible with relative religious worship both for his sake that writ it and for the divine things it represented unto their memories in such sort as in the Old Law the faithfull Jewes kept it in the Tabernacle and adored it with the Tabernacle never touched it without first washing their hands kissed it as often as they either opened or shut it would not sit upon that seat upon which it lay and if by accident it fell to the earth they fasted for their negligence one whole day as affirmeth Cornâ—lius à Lapide in his preface to the phrases of the holy Scriptures The reason why they did so was for that wisdome will not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a body subject to sin Wisd 1.4 whereupon the Prophet prayeth saying establish thy word in thy servant in thy fear Psal 118.38 Again blessed is the man whose will is in the way of our Lord in his law he will meditate day and night Psal 1.1 where the Prophet affirmeth that those who walk in the way of
this craft of Satan believe Roman Catholikes really to be idolaters for the respect they bear to sacred images as they represent unto them pious thoughts and persecute them severely as idolaters to the losse of their own souls by their calumniations and cruelty with out cause Satan well knowing that the soul of man is so inclosed in his body that he cannot naturally understand supernaturall divine and invisible things but by some visible audible or sensible means and also that every vertuous action hath two vitious extremes as hath the use of signes pictures or images which extremes are superstition and prophanenesse and that it were a hard task for him to win men who formerly had been faithfull Christians to fall into superstition and publikely to use these or the like images signs or pictures as his similitudes and adore them to his honor and glory as if he were their God as he doth the Heathen and Gentiles suggesteth unto them in whom he hath power either to prophane them or wholly to deface or beat them down that though he cannot directly and publikely apply them or the like to his honor as he doth amongst the Pagans yet by breaking disgracing or casting them down he may at least conduct men into ignorance misprision or contempt of divine holy and supernaturall things and the mysteries of our faith so to lead them into such a prophane and barbarous kind of life as that they shall not bear any affection either unto Religion or Superstition or unto any kind of Sect good or evill more then may serve them for a cloak to colour their barbarism or advance their temporall affâ—irs or not to be discovered that they are Atheists or prophane Wherefore to prevent this mischiefe and the utter ruine of our Nation by Atheisme and prophanenesse I have written this book of The Nurse of Pious Thoughts thereby at large to shew unto thee dear Reader that the relative religious worship which Roman Catholikes do give unto sacred pictures signs and images and the use they make of them is neither idolatry or any sin or misdemeanour as theâ—enemy of mankindâ— suggesteth but to nourish in themselves and others pious thoughts divine meditations and elevation of their soules to heavenly things thereby to keep out the divell from dwelling in their hearts or doing them any mischiefe and to conduct the Holy Ghost to their infinite comfort and consolation to dwell with them for ever which is that I wish unto thee Reader and so I rest Thy servant in Christ Jesu F. P. Philopater The Contents of the Chapters Chap. 1. WHat our thoughts be in generall and how they are visions or words or speeches of our hearts p. 1 Chap. 2. Of pious and impious thoughts and what pious thoughts are 5 Chap. 3. How all evills proceed from evil thoughts 8 Chap. 4. The excellency of pious thoughts and how good works and heroicall actions proceed from them 17 Chap. 5. How the thoughts commonly follow the senses and that the senses consented unto beget our thoughts 25 Chap. 6. The power which the senses have to move the mind to think good or evill as they present 28 Chap. 7. How pious objects and sacred pictures furnish our soules with pious thoughts 34 Chap. 8. The necessity of sacred artificiall pictures signes and images to the nourishing of pious thoughts and what we call sacred pictures and signes 40 Chap. 9. What we mean by a relative religious worship and of the distinction of honor and worship 48 Chap. 10. That a relative religious worship belongeth unto sacred things pictures signes and images as they immediately or mediately conduct us to God 55 Chap. 11. Almighty God never prohibited either the making of sacred pictures signes and images nor yet their relative religious worship 67. Chap. 12. That it is lawfull to make holy artificiall pictures signs and images which may immediately or mediately bring us to think upon God and heavenly things and place them in Churches or Temples 75 Chap. 13. That in time of peace when there is no persecution the pictures and images of Angels and Saints ought to be placed in Churches and there honored with a relative religious worship 86 Chap. 14. How the Nurse of Pious Thoughts doth not only consist in the having and beholding sacred pictures signes and images but also in giving unto them a relative religious worship not for the materiall things themselves but for the sacred things which they represent 101 Chap. 15. How free Roman Catholikes are from idolatry by worshipping of sacred pictures signs and images with relative religious worship 107 Chap. 16. By the second Commandement God commanded all men to honor and worship his name which is but a sacred sign picture or image of himself with a relative religious worship thereby to beget pious thoughts in our souls 118 Chap. 17. The third Commandement commandeth all men to honor and reverence the Sabbath day which is but a sacred sign 124 Chap. 18. Of the sweet name or sign of Jesus and how this name is to be worshipped with a relative religious worship above all names thereby to beget pious thoughts of Jesus above all things 132 Chap. 19. Greater honor to be given unto the name Jesus as it signifieth Christ our Lord then to any other name of God 138 Chap. 20. How terrible the name of Jesus is unto the divells when it is honored with a relative religious worship 149 Chap. 21. Many miracles wrought in confirmation of the relative honor and worship given to the name of Jesus 155 Chap. 22. Of the honor and glory of the Crosse of Christ as it representeth his person and passion and how it shall distinguish the faithfull from the followers of Antichrist 163 Chap. 23. That the faithfull in the Primitive Church used a relative religious worship towards the sacred signe of the Crosse 173 Chap. 24. The Crosse adored with a relative religious worship in the Primitive Church not for the matter but for the holy passion of our Saviour which it representeth 191 Chap. 25. Of four sacred images which were made of Christ our Lord whilest be lived upon earth and of the religious relative honor done unto them to the inriching of their minds with pious thoughts 205 Chap. 26. Of the enemies of the Crosse and sacred images and of the miseries that befell them 214 Chap. 27. The relative religious worship which the faithfull in the Primitive Church used towards the sacred pictures signes and images of the written Word and thereby learned the true sense and indued their soules with pious thoughts 223 Chap. 28. Answer to objections 24â— The Conclusion 263 The Nurse of Pious Thoughts CHAP. I. What our thoughts be in generall and how they are visions or words or speeches of our hearts BEfore we enter into a discourse how to nourish pious thoughts it is necessary first to speak of thoughts in generall what they be and how they have place in our souls Then secondly
in his book of the sacred Egyptian letters and this kind of painting or setting forth of God by pictures and images hath also alwayes been lawfull otherwise those who write or print pictures and images for letters or characters could have no Bible or writ any thing of God or of the mysteries of our faith as the Egyptians and Chinois and this is called the expression of the nature of a thing by Analogies or metaphoricall and mysticall significations as also for example to set forth the strength agility and glory of an Angell by Analogy and mysticall signification we use to paint or print a beautiful young man with wings as were the pictures of Angels in the Temple this kind also of setting forth God or Angels hath always been lawful Ob. The Scriptures say whereunto have you resembled me and made me equal and compared me and made me like Isa 46.5 Ans This text as the former is spoken of idolls as appeareth by the text it self which saith whereunto have you made me equal which cannot be but by making of an idol no Christian Catholique either thinking or esteeming or imagining any artificiall picture or image to be equall with God and it presently followeth in the same text You that contribute gold out of the bag and wâ—â—gh silver with balance hiring a goldsmith to make a god to demonstrate unto us that this and such like places alledged out of the Scriptures only prohibit the making of idols or the going about to paint or print an image or picture which immediately shall set forth the nature substance or essence of God which is impossible and forbidden Ob. The Councell of Eliberis in the 36. Canon forbiddeth images in churches Ans It prohibiteth the painting of them upon the church wall in time of persecution least they should be prophaned or abused but confesseth that they ought to be worshipped or reverenced as I have shewed heretofore Ob. Tertullian in the 12. chapter of his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles saith they did not adore statues or images Ans Not as the Gentiles did theiâ— statues or images with divine honor as Gods but with a relative religious worship as in the 16. cha of the same book he affirmeth saying who doth not think us to be religious towards the cross or of the cross Moreover the faithfull Christian souldiers at all times adored the image of the Roman Emperors in the Imperiall standard as witnesseth S. Gregory Nissen in his first Oration against Julian the Apostata number 76. saying They think it not enough that they themselves are adored unless it be given also unto them in their pictures and images The like hath Zozonteus in the 4. cha of his 1. book of histories saying The souldiers used to adore the Ensign of war called Labarum which was inferiour to sacred pictures signs or images Ob. They adored the pictures and images of the Emperors with civill worship but not with a religious worship Ans Then first you confesse that adoration may be given unto the pictures and images of Christ and his Saints but not a religious adoration for if it be lawfull to adore the pictures or images of heathen men you cannot deny it unto the pictures of our Saviour and his Saints who are far more eminent and that relative religious worship may be given unto them I have proved in the former chapters and by the same reason that civill adoration may be given to the eminent temporal things of the world by the same reason a relative religious adoration may be given to eminent religious or spiritual things in the Kingdom of Gods church because the hierarchy in the one is answerable to the Monarchy in the other wherefore seeing that you grant a civill adoration to the pictures of eminent men in the one you cannot with any reason deny a relative religious adoration to the pictures or images of Christ and his Saints in the other Ob. Some of the Fathers say that neither Angels or Saints or any other creature may be worshipped or adored with a religious worship Ans As I have said heretofore the vertue of Religion hath divers acts or operations whereof the chief is extended to God only such as is the profoundest humiliation and prostration of the will as to the first truth first beginning the chiefest good and last end of man which for his excellency is or may be called absolute adoration or a religious worship without addition or a divine worship because it hath no relation or dependence upon any other and this may not be given unto any creature So when the Fathers say that a religious worship may not be given to the Angels and Saints c. they understand this absolute religious worship which is made with a whole prostration or submission of the will as to the chiefest good and last end of man which were injustice to bestow upon any creature and when they say that a religious worship may be given to creatures as S. Augustine doth in the 21. cha of his 20. book against Faustus and others they intend this relative or inferiour kind of religious worship which we call for distinction sake relative which may be bestowed either upon the eminent creatures of God according to the supernaturall excellency or dignity which he hath communicated unto them or upon sacred pictures signs or images for the relation they have unto the mysteries of our faith or things in heaven so as when we say God only is good for that he is good of himself infinite and independent it doth not hinder us to say that his creatures are good by communication from his goodnesse no more doth it hinder us to say that his eminent creatures upon whom he hath bestowed grace and glory or sacred pictures signes or images which have a relation to the mysteries of our faith or to the things of heaven may be worshipped with a relative religious worship depending upon God and sending us unto him as unto our last end According to this argument you may prove that we ought not to use charity or love towards our neighbour or towards any man because the Scripture saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and thy whole mind Deut. 5.6 Mat. 22.37 therefore may you say as you do of religious worship you may not use charity or love unto any creature which is absurd but as the highest charity and chiefest extension of our loves belongeth to God alone as to our chiefest good and an inferiour kind of charity with relation unto him may be used and ought to be used towards his creatures so likewise in the vertue of Religion some acts are due unto God alone others to be communicated to his eminent creatures and if you can understand this of charity you may easily understand the same of religious worship or of any other vertue how it may be used towards God alone and how it
of pious thoughts and how to attain unto them and last of all how to cherish and nourish them that we may abound with piety which is a vertue of so great eminency and excellency that as S. Paul saith It is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 and withall as there he saith hath the promise of this life that now is and of that to come and what more can be desired of men in this vale of tears Now for the better understanding what our thoughts are it is necessary first to observe that many things in the outward senses are two which in the inward soul are but one as for example to see and to hear in the outward senses are two reall distinct things which in the inward soul are both one The soule having reall distinct powers but not parts from whence it cometh to passe as S. Augustine in the nineth and tenth chapters of his fifteenth book of the Trinity excellently noteth that to heare and to see as also to speak and to see in the inward soul are both one Whereupon he describeth a thought saying A thought is a certain vision of the soul whether these things be present which are seen with the corporalleys or perceived by the other senses or they be absent and their likenesse only is seen by thought or if neither of these but these things are thought upon which are neither corporall nor yet have corporall shapes as vertues and vices or as the thought it self when it is thought upon Thus S. Augustine of our thoughts Again in the same place he saith also That thoughts are speeches or words of the heart which he proveth by the Scriptures which say They said thinking within themselves Wis 2.1 Again certain of the Scribes said within themselves Mat. 9.3 Again The Scribes and Pharisees began to think saying Luk. 5.21 where the thoughts of men are called the words or sayings of the heart so that a thought is rightly described according to S. Augustina to be a vision word or speech of the heart which if we could bring to be pious in all men and to be strengthened and nourished we should easily make piety to abound in the world for as S. Aug. there saith When we say that thoughts are words of the heart we do not therefore deny them to be visions sprung from the vision of things signified unto us because in the inward soul they are both one Now if it could be brought to passe that men in their inward souls should neither heare nor see nor speak or that which is all one not think of any thing but with detestation which were not pious they must needs abound with piety and be very happy because as S. Paul saith they should be profitable to all things and also be partakers of the promises which God hath made unto his servants in this life and in that which is to come here to be happy by grace and in the other by glory which I heartily wish unto thee Reader CHAP. II. Of Pious and impious thoughts and what Pious thoughts are NOt every thought of a good thing is therefore presently a pious thought The divell sometimes thinketh upon God though he cannot have a pious thought because he is confirmed in malice and evill men think many times upon good things but with an evill intent Wherefore as S. Augustine in his twelfth Sermon upon the 118. Psalm saith We should not only think that it is good which we do but also and that chiefly if it he good for which we do it Wherefore for a thought to be pious it is not onely sufficient that we think of a good thing but also that we think upon it to a good end God being the last end of man then our thoughts are truly pious when we think on holy and sacred things or the works of mercy or the obligations of our estate c with an inclination of mind to adhere unto them as unto things which may either immediately or mediately conduct us to God the end of all our hâ—pes So that in few words an absolute pious thought is an inward vision speech or motion of the mind by which we either immediately or mediately adhere unto God the last end our happinesse From hence it is that the Prophet David a pious man and a man according to Gods own heart saith I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for ever for reward Psal 118.112 Again in the same Psalm I have not declined from thy Testimonies Thus the Prophet to instruct us that the only thinking upon a holy or sacred thing is not sufficient to beget an absolute pious thought but the thinking upon it with an inclination of mind to adhere unto it for the benefit we receive by it and for Gods sake the end of our happinesse On the contrary an absolute wicked thought is a full or deliberate consent of the mind or thought to do any thing against the Commandements of God whereby men become cursed and wicked as witnesseth the Prophet in the same Psalm saying Thou hast very much commanded thy Commandements to be kept cursed are they that decline from thy Commandements though it be but with full consent of thought as he further witnesseth in the said Psalm saying Thou hast despised all that revolt from thy judgements because their thought is unjust or wicked As to think upon an evill thing or to have a suggestion of evill put into our minds either by the flesh world or divell who are our enemies without any inclination of will or consent of heart to do it is not properly called an evil thought but a suggestion carnall motion or temptation So likewise to think only upon a good or holy thing without any inclination of heart or mind unto it is not properly a pious thought but when we have an extension of heart to adhere unto it as unto a thing which may either immediately or mediately conduct us unto God the last end of all our happinesse CHAP. III. How all evills proceed from evill thoughts IF we would seriously consider from whence all the evills miseries and mischiefs which have happened in heaven or earth are originally sprung or have had their beginning or yet do daily arise we shall easily find that they originally have proceeded and even at this day do proceed from impious and wicked thoughts In heaven all the Angells and intellectuall Spirits lived in peace and unity with God and amongst themselves untill Lucifer one of the chiefest amongst the Intelligencers or Angells begun to think wickedly and to say in his heart I will ascend into heaven above the starres of God I will exalt my throne Esay 14.13 And upon earth there was no evill sicknesse or infirmities or miseries amongst men untill man began to think impiously that he would be like God Gen. 3.5 Whereupon truth it self saith Out of the heart come forth evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications theft false testimonies blasphemies
thoughts and intentions of our hearts whereupon the Prophet Jeremy saith Wash thy heart from malice O Hierusalem that thou mayest be saved how long shall hurtfull cogitations abide in thee Jer. 4.14 to signifie unto us that no outward act of almes or prayers or of any other seeming good deed is acceptable or of esteeme before God as long as wicked thoughts or impios intentions have place in the soul but first it is necessary to wash our hearts and cleanse our souls from malicious thoughts and evill intentions before we can doe any good deed or be saved Amongst the Sacrifices which were offered to God in the old Law the Sacrifice which was to be acceptable and propitious to his expectation who offered it The extrails and feet which signifie the thoughts and affections were washed with water before they were offered upon the Altar Lev. 1. to signifie unto us that no Sacrifice of any kind was acceptable or propitious before God for the remission of our sin unlesse it were offered with pious thoughts and sincere affection or intention whereupon though throughout the book of Leviticus God had commanded Sacrifice to be offered unto him and also the feasts of the new-Moone and Sabbaths and other festivall dayes to be kept yet he saith to the Jewes To what purpose do you offer to me your victimeâ— the holocausts of rams and the fat of fat things and the bloud of calves and lambs and buck goats I have not desired who sought for these things at your hands The new Moon and the Sabbath and other festivities I will not abide Isay 1.11 And shewing the reason why he was so a versed from the things which formerly he had expresly commanded addeth because they were not performed with such pious thoughts and purity of heart as he desired saying Your assemblies are wicked your hands are full of bloud wash you be clean take away the evill of your cogitations from mine eye c. and come and accuse me saith our Lord if your sins shall be as scarlet they shall be made white as snow and if they be red as vermilion they shall be white as wooll Isa 13. So that neither corporall nor spirituall Sacrifice nor any other outward act is gratefull or acceptable to God unlesse they be accompanied with pious thoughts and intentions to do them for the love of God whereby appeareth the excellency of pious thoughts for that they give grace beauty and lustre unto all our actions before God The Patriarch Abraham resolved with himself so far to obey God as to sacrifice unto him his only son Isaac though by the providence of God he was hindered from the fact yet because he had a reall intention and pious thoughts to performe it this work was so acceptable unto God as that thereupon the made unto him the proâ—â—â—ise That in his seed Christ all Nations should be blessed King David resolved with himself to build a glorious Temple for God wherein though he was prevented by Gods own appointment yet he received so great a reward for these his pious thoughts and good intentions that God said unto him by the Prophet Nathan I will give thee rest from all thine enemies and will make thee a house when thy daies shall be accomplished and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will raise up thy seed after thee which shall come forth of thy womb and J will establish his Kingdome He shall build a house to my name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdome for ever 2 Kings 7. Our Saviour sitting over against the Treasury of the Temple observed how the multitude did cast money into the Treasury and many rich men gave liberally but when there came a poor widow she cast in two mites which is a farthing he calling his Disciples together said Amen J say to you that this poor widdow hath cast in more then all the rest for all these of their abundance have cast into the gifts of God but she of her penury hath cast in all her living that she had Mark 12. Luk. 21. So though her gift in substance was the least yet the piety of her mind and purity of her thoughts made it amount to be the highest in value before God As our ears saith S. Augustine upon the 148. Psalm are to our voyces so the eares of God are to our thoughts as our ears listen unto our words or unto the tune of our voyces to give testimony what they are even so saith S. Augustine the eares of God watch upon our thoughts I know saith God their works and their cogitations Isa 66.18 and as there it followeth I will judge every man accordingly whereby it doth appear how carefull and vigilant every one ought to be of his thoughts It is not possible saith S. Augustine in the place before cited that he can have evill deeds or works who hath good thoughts for the deeds or works proceed from the thoughts neither can any man do any thing or move any of his members to do any act unlesse first the commandement of his thoughts precedes Even as whatsoever the Emperor in his inward Pallace doth command passeth throughout the whole Empire and into all the Provinces what a motion or stir is made at the command of the Emperor sitting within his Pallace He only moveth his lips when he speaketh and all the Provinces are moved to do that which he saith So in every one of us the Emperor is within he sitteth within in our hearts if he commands good good things are dene if he command evill evil and sin is committed Thus S. Augastine And this is sufficient to shew unto thee Reader the excellency of pious thoughts that they make all a mans life pious and vertuous and have promise of this life and of that which is to come CHAP. V. How the thoughts commonly follow the senses and that the senses consented unto beget our thoughts THe Philosophers seeking out how the understanding of men come to know or think good or evill thoughts affirm with one consent as a generall maxime or principle that there is nothing in the understanding which either by it selfe or els by some resemblance shadow or picture was not first in some of the senses in such sort as Aristotle in the 8. cha of his 3. book of the soul absolutely affirmeth That sensible things in sensible formes are also forms in the understanding whereupon it cometh to passe saâ—th he That he who wanteth senses can neither learn nor understand any thing as also we find by experience for he who is born deaf though the organs of his tongue be never so perfect yet he cannot learn to speak and he who is borne blind though he have his other senses and understanding perfect yet shall he never be able to discerne or dispute of colours The senses bring in the outward visible species images signs figures or forms of things and place them in the phantasie and memory
part forcibly perswade us to think good or evill as it representeth If thou wilt Christian Reader have pious thoughts thou must alwayes or for the most part have before thine eyes and senses pious objects such as are the presence of God under some borrowed forme the passion of our Lord things of heaven and the mysteries of our holy faith which because they are all either invisible or absent or both it is requisite as long as thou art in this vale of tears whereas the Apostle saith we see by a glasse in a dark sort to have of the aforesaid things sacred artificiall pictures signes and images or borrowed formes which may represent unto thy senses these holy things as a Nurse to feed thy soul with pious thoughts Neither is it sufficient to the maintenance of pious thoughts only to have sacred artificiall pictures signes and images before you to behold but also it is necessary that you beare a relative religious honor and respect towards them for this doth not only prepare and open wide your heart to receive the said Species into your understanding and to love and understand the sacred things which they do represent but also doth imprint a perseverance of pious thoughts in your heart for every one easily imbraceth and entertaineth that which he honoreth and esteemeth as we see by daily experience for if a thing be never so good yet if you doe not esteem it to you it is not good but hurtfull who contemne a sacred thing For this cause S. John Baptist honored and worshipped the latchet of our Saviours shoes with a relative religious worship which ended in our Saviour saying whose latchet of his shoe I am not worthy to unloose John 1.1.2.7 And he who so much honored the latchet of his shoe as that he thought himself not worthy to touch it in respect of the supereminent honor which belonged to our Saviour imagine if you can the innumerable pious thoughts of God and of the mysteries of our faith which were in his soul seeing that God exalteth the humble whereupon S. Augustine upon this text saith He humbled himself very much in that he thought himself not worthy to do this certainly saith S. Augustine he was full of the Holy Ghost what a consequence is this S. John said I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoe and thereupon S. Augustine inferreth that he was full of the Holy Ghost because that relative religious honor which he gave unto the latchet of our Lords shoe for our Saviours sake opened wide his lâ—â— art to receive into it all kind of pious thoughts or any impression of our Saviour or of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth with a contrite and humble spirit Isay 57.15 From hence also it is that the faithfull in the Primitive Church so much honored with a relative religious honor the shadow of S. Peter and the handkerchiefs of S. Paul as that they did bring forth the sick into the streets and laid them in beds and couches that when Peter came his shadow at the least might overshadow them Act. 5.15 and brought from S. Pauls body napkins or handkerchiefs unto the sick Act. 19.11 that by any thing which had relation unto these holy servants of God they might at least beget in the sick pious thoughts and sometimes also health of body or cure of their diseases From hence also it is that the faithfull at all times have not onely had respect and reverence to the memory of the Martyrs the locall places of Churches Chappell 's and Altars and to the holy name of God and Iesus Christ our Lord but also unto the sacred text of the Scriptures pious books and service of the Church which are but holy signes notes pictures similitudes and objects to our senses which may Furnish our soules with pious thoughts as S. Augustine after his conversion in the sixth chapter of his nineth book of Confessions affirmeth they did in him with great consolation saying By the notes of the Church so sweetly sung the words did flâ—w into my ears and the truth which was contained therein distilled mâ—lting into my heart and the affection of piery even boyled in my breast my tears ran trickling down my cheeks and it was well with me Thus S. Augustine to demonstrate unto us that as obsceane and filthy objects and the names and notes of prophane loves and vitious things respected beget in our hearts impious and wicked thoughts so pious objects and sacred pictures when they are respected for the holy things which they represent do presently furnish our minds with pious thoughts as I shall further shew in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. VIII The necessity of sacred artificiall Pictures Signes and Images to the nourishing of pious thoughts and what we call sacred Pictures and Signes THe thoughts for the most part following the senses as I have shewed in the precedent chapter to have pious and golden thoughts it is not only necessary to avoid vaine and idle species and formes but also to have often or for the most part before our eyes sacred artificiall pictures signes and images thereby to imprint in our hearts sacred and pious thoughts but we call these sacred artificiall pictures signes and images which represent unto us holy and divine and invisible things or the mysteries of our faith c. and as they do represent them unto us and imprint in our hearts the knowledge of the aforesaid divine things or mysteries and beget in our minds pious thoughts these we call sacred not for the matter they are made of but for the sacred things they do or may represent and as they do represent them unto us this we understand by sacred artificiall pictures signes and images and nothing els Now how necessary these things are to the begetting in us pious thoughts appeareth first by what I have said in the former chapters for if we can learn nothing or understand or think of any thing but either by it selfe or els by some resemblance picture or signe it must passe by the senses and all the things of heaven and mysteries of our faith c. are invisible and insensible to the senses unlesse we use sacred artificiall pictures signes and images we can never come to know any thing of the heaven of glory or of the mysteries of our faith c. as further appeareth by the Heathen and Pagan people who for want of the use of these things and of a Preacher to preach or teach them these things by audible sacred artificiall signes or visible sacred artificiall pictures signes and images remain untill this day in their infidelity or Paganism And we also who at this day and in â—ormer timâ—s are Catholique Christianâ— have lâ—arned our Christiâ—â—â—â—y by those sacred artificiall signs pictures and images neither otherwise could we ever have knowne it as witnesseth S. Paul saying how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 If Preachers had not come and taught all the
may be communicated to his creatures depending upon him Ob. Some of the more simple sort of people amongst you adore your pictures of God or pray unto them as unto a living thing Ans I never could either see or hear of any such amongst them If we cannot find a dog that will not be able to distinguish between a true living Hare and a painted how much more the simplest man but if any such things should be amongst them he could not be a Roman Catholique but an heretique or infidell and as such would have been punished Ob. Mr. Lâ—mbert in his preambulations and divers of our Authors do write of the abuses which were committed in England about images Ans These abuses and the like were committed by Protestants and after the time that King Henry the VIII had separated himselfe from the Cat holike Roman Church and had by vertue of his Supremacy and the Supremacy of his Protestant Clergy placed Protestant Bishops Abbats and Abbatesses in the Monasteries who to disgrace them and bring them to desolation and ruine into which they after fell invented these and the like abuses that they might with the better colour seize upon their lands and goods as appeareth for that images were not taken out of the Churches Monasteries untill the the time of King Edward the VI. in the year 1547. which was about thirteen years after that the Popes Authority was by Parliament excluded out of England as do witnesse your own Chronicles Neither is it a sufficient cause to take away a good thing from amongst men for that divers doe abuse it for so we should neither leave Bible nor Sacraments in the church seeing that both are abused by many our Lord saith the Prophet will not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just Psal 124.3 The Conclusion FOr conclusion it is necessary to observe that amongst the many oppressions which the enemy of mankind practiseth over those who by sin he hath made his slaves this is one that he permitteth not unto any one of them the use of a pious thought but if at any time a pious thought begin to appeare in any of their hearts or minds he presently snatcheth it away as witnesseth our Saviour Matth. 13.19 thereby to force his subjects to begin their hell here upon earth Wherefore if you permit no text of Scripture publikely to passe amongst the people but such as is corrupted by dissenting translations nor any Sermons to be heard but such as are made vain by differing opinions in faith nor sacred pictures signes and images to be seen which shall not be beaten down as Idols and their relative religious respect and reverence to be preached against as superstitious as they are in this Island what will be the issue but that both pious thoughts and works banished every mans heart will be his hell not only to the losse of their souls but also in processe of time to the destruction of our Nation by vicious life and wicked deeds The Scriptures command us saying Labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 But as S. Augustine in the 6. châ—p of his book of Grace and free will wâ—ll observeth There could be no good works if good thoughts did not go before them wherefore if you will take away the abundance of iniquity wicked deeds witchcrafts and other impious crimes which raign amongst men in this Island it is necessary that you not only publikely admit of true Copies of the holy Scriptures Sermons of the Catholike Fâ—ith which only is true end of sacred pictures signes and images but also that they be reverenced and respected with a relative religious respâ—ct and worship for the divine things which they represent and as they do represent them thereby not onely to put good thoughts into the hearts of men but alâ—o to nourish them to the bringing forth of an abundance of good works to the honor of God salvation of our soules and prosperity of our Countrey which God grant Amen To only God be honor and glory