A letter written to a friend concerning Popish idolatrie Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691. 1674 Approx. 62 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A35023 Wing C6968 ESTC R3785 12246119 ocm 12246119 56943 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35023) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 56943) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 913:11) A letter written to a friend concerning Popish idolatrie Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691. [2], 33, [1] p. Printed for and are to be sold by Charles Harper ..., London : 1674. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Attributed to Herbert Croft. cf. NUC pre-1956. Advertisement: p. [1] Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Anti-Catholicism -- England. 2003-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-03 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-03 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER Written to a FRIEND Concerning Popish Idolatrie . LONDON , Printed for , and are to be Sold by Charles Harper , at the Flower-de-luce , over against St. Dunstan's Church , in Fleet-street . 1674. A Word to the READER . A Person , whom I greatly honoured , being much inclined to the Popish Religion , was , as I heard , much altered by the ensuing Letter ; which made me very industrious to get first a View , and then a Copy of it . And conceiving it may prove very beneficial to others also the same way inclined , I thought my self in Conscience bound to present it to publick view , I hope without offence to the Writer , who seems zealous to withdraw men from such Erroneous and Idolatrous Worship ; and therefore doubtless will be pleased to see the fruit of his labour much encreased by the Blessing of God upon it . Amen . SIR , I Am very sorry to find that the Books I directed you to , do not give you full satisfaction , but still you press me to say something of my own ; and what can I say that hath not been already said ? Really most of the Books that are written in these latter days of the World , are but as the same Cards shufflled and dealt into a new Game . But you tell me , their Discourses are so long , as you cannot carry them in your remembrance , the Quotations so numerous , pro and con , as there is no end in searching after them ; their Distinctions and way of arguing many times intricate , and seem to you rather subtil Evasions , than solid Answers : in sum , they do not satisfie , nor work much upon your Understanding . In answer whereto , I must consess , I have found by experience , that Mens Heads are like Locks with several Wards , which no Key will open , but one fitted to those very Wards : So Mens Understandings must be fitted and opened with such a way of arguing , as suits with their Apprehensions and Fancy ; and many times it happens , that weaker Arguments , in a method agreeable unto them ; prevail more than the Scholastick pressing form . This gives me some encouragement to set Pen to Paper , with hopes that I may chance to light on that Method , as may give you more agreeable satisfaction , especially you so much desiring it : weak Remedies , strongly fancied for good , have done great Cures , when Learned Physicians have . failed . I shall be as brief as may be , and the rather because longer labour may have as little success , as the larger Tracts of others have had . You seem much to applaud and lean on Doctor Thorndick's Judgment , who in his Just Weights , condemns those who charge the Papists with Idolatry , and therein both wrongfully accuse them , and also cast a wrong and foul Prejudice on our Church , and by necessary consequence make it no Church : For , if the Papists be Idolaters , their Church is not a true saving Church , it is no Church ; Idolatry , as he conceives , being inconsistent with a saving Church ; 't is as a deadly poyson , which presently destroys the vitals and brings inevitable death . And then , if the Papal Church be no saving Church , no Church now , they were none when those of the Reformation came out of it , their Church being the same then as 't is now , and so consequently our Church can be no Church , coming out from theirs which is none . Wherefore Dr. Thorndick is very desirous , that the Papists gross erroneous Worship should be called Superstition rather than Idolatry ; for first , this grievous accusation much incenses them , by making them no Church , and makes our Division the wider , and cuts off all hopes of Reconciliation with them ; Secondly , it makes by consequence our Church no Church , as he said , we descending from them . As to the first , I wonder , that this good Man , so knowing in Roman Principles , could hope for Reconciliation with them , but by wholly submitting to them ; for their Prime Principle being Infallibility , whereon all that Babel is built , the pulling down of any one Pinacle eradicates the very Foundation ; all being so link'd together with Infallibility , that one and all falls together . 'T is therefore bootless to talk of meeting them half-way , or three quarters and a half , who are so fettered to this Infallible Pillar ; you must be chained to it also , no other way of being one with them . As to the second , of nullifying their Church by Idolatry , and our own also as from them : if they by their Infallible Spirit will declare the consequence against themselves , let it be so ; but I fear it not against us . They cannot deny but the Head of their Church Pope Marcellinus , from whom their Popes ever since descended , was an Idolater in the grossest sence , sacrificing to a Heathen Idol in the time of Dioclesian's persecution ; if this makes them no Church , let them be no Church : but then we are none : hold there ; I am not bound to grant ( though I pass ) the Antecedent , much less the Consequent . First , 't is not so easie and quick a thing to determine what nullifies a Church , some things are plain and easie , some not . 'T is certain , the Jewish Church in our Saviours time , was a Church wherein salvation was to be had ; for our Saviour bid the people then hearken to those who sat in Moses Chair , and do what they thence commanded ; yet they were guilty of devillish practices & opinions also ; but still they believ'd in the only true God , and acknowledged his holy Word , though they notoriously swerved from it . And 't is as certain , that the generality of the Jewish Church did often fall into Idolatry , yet they continued still a Church to our Saviours days , as I shewed before : so that for my part I dare not presume to draw the exact Circular line of a Church , over which the Transgression makes it cease to be a saving Church : but as I said above , some cases are clear ; General Infidelity , as to renounce God and his Christ , doubtless makes it cease to be a Church ; but Idolatry , though it be as general as in Elijah's days , when he conceived himself only free from Baal-worship , doubtless doth make it not cease to be a Church : For we do not find that the Priests and Levites were consecrated a new after their defection to Idolatry . And therefore with Dr. Thorndick's good lieve , though we descend from a Church too too much given to Idolatry , yet our Bishops consecrated by them need no more a new Consecration , than those Jewish Priests who were most certainly polluted with Idolatry ; but relinquishing their Idolatry , and with penitential hearts sacrificing to the true God , were reconciled again to God , and in mercy accepted by the Divine Goodness . Who then can doubt that those Bishops of this Nation , who with penitent hearts renounc'd the Romish Idolatry , and so zealously embrac'd the truth of the Gospel , and God's sincere Worship in Spirit and in Truth , as to die in defence of it , I say , who can doubt but through the infinite goodness of the same merciful God , our Reformed Bishops were likewise accepted by him , and thenceforth acknowledged true and faithful Shepherds of his Church . Wherefore I hope you will be no more terrified with Dr. Thorndick's Bug-bear , the nullifying of our Church , which hath been , and I hope will continue a Church , professing One God the Creator of all , one Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of all , one Faith , one Baptism . And now I shall set before your eyes no Bug-bear , but a just fear of the Romish Idolatry , which pious Dr. Thorndick , out of a zealous desire of Unity ( which is impossible ) would willingly cloak under a milder and less hateful name . I am as willing to speak the truth in love as he , yet I must not out of love to Unity conceal the truth , or palliate falshood , but clearly set forth the Romish gross erroneous practice of Idolatry , which their Doctors daub over with plausible words , and make this heavy sin appear as light as a feather . I beseech you read and ponder it well , and doubtless your neck and shoulders will tremble at the weight . The Papists take it very heinously to be called Idolaters , because in Scripture the word Idolatry is applied , as they say , only to Heathens , who denyed the true God and worshipped false Gods. But I desire the Papists to tell me , whether Solomon was not guilty of Idolatry , in worshipping the Gods of his Wives , though he himself believed in the true God. And who doubts but a Christian believing aright in God and Christ may be guilty of Idolatry , as many true believing Christians were in the horrible persecutions under Heathen Emperors , meerly out of fear sacrificing unto them and their Gods , whom they abhorred in their hearts . And certainly the Papists Idolatry is a degree beyond this , for they worship the Saints both outwardly and inwardly with their hearts : and moreover I may truly say , they worship false Gods , as the Heathens did ; for though the Papists do not call them Gods in word , yet they make them Gods by deed , by their worship , as you shall see by and by . Idolatry is an act of worship not of belief ; error in belief is called Heresie or Infidelity , error in worship is Superstition or Idolatry . And though Idolatry , originally taken , signifieth the worshipping of an Idol , yet 't is commonly taken in a larger sence , as to give divine Worship to any Creature . Now whether you call this Creature God or not , this matters not , for 't is not the Name , but the Worship given to it , makes it Idolatry ; Covetousness in Scripture is called Idolatry , yet no man believes or calls Money a God , but in effect makes it a God by trusting in it , which is a principal part of our duty to God , to trust in him . And so a man is said to Idolize his Prince by trusting in his favour ; and so the Papists are said to Idolize the Saints and Blessed Virgin , by praying and trusting to them in time of trouble , which God requires of us as due to himself ; and it were far less sinful ( nay not sinful at all in some sence ) to call the Saints Gods , than to trust in them and pray to them ; for our Saviour himself declared out of Scripture , that 't was not unlawful to apply the name of God unto men ; I said ye are Gods. And the Heathens , who called their Heroes Gods , and sacrificed unto them , did believe them to be men , but of singular Vertue , for which after their death they were taken by the supreme God into Heaven ; and on this behalf the people sacrificed to them , gave them divine Worship ; just as the Papists do now their Saints , declared to be so by the Roman Consistory . And as the ancient Roman Senate Deified many as Heroes in Heaven , who were damned in Hell ; 't is not altogether improbable , I am sure 't is not impossible , but that some declar'd by the Roman Consistory for Saints in Heaven , may be in the same dismal Dungeon ; the hearts of men are known only to God ; the holiest out ward Professor may have a Devil's heart : for as the Devil can transform himself into an Angel of Light , so may a devillish man. As for the Popes Infallibility in the case , declaring such a one for a Saint , I will not now enter into that dispute , I will only ask the question , why , if the Pope cannot erre in the Case , doth he put the Inquisitors of the Rota to that excessive trouble , as to make diligent search several years together , before he determine the point , as if he himself feared ( however others confidently believe ) that his pretended holy Spirit may erre in the matter ? But I return to my business . Idolatry then is an Act of wrong Worship , not of wrong Belief ; and as Solomon and other right believing Jews were guilty of Idolatry , by giving divine Worship to Creatures , so may right believing Papists , if they in like manner give divine Worship to Creatures , though they do not believe them Gods : for he that believes in God a right , that believes him to be the Creator of all things , cannot believe any thing else to be God in this sence , 't is a flat contradiction ; for that thing would be a Creator and no Creator , being created , a God and no God. Now I pray you observe , he that believes aright in God cannot believe any Creature to be God ; if then it were ( as the Papists would have it ) that 't is no Idolatry to worship the Creatures unless you believe them Gods ( which a right believer cannot do ) it must needs follow , that a right believer , let him adore Saint or Angel , Man or Devil , with all his heart , with all his soul , yet not believing them Gods ( which he cannot do ) is not , cannot be guilty of Idolatry : was there ever any thing more madly affirmed ? 'T is evident then , as I said before , that Idolatry consists not in wrong Belief , but in wrong Worship ; and so , to give divine Worship to a Creature , consists not in worshipping that Creature with belief 't is a God ( which a true believer cannot do ) but in worshipping it with such Worship wherewith we worship God ; that is , by kneeling , praying , making vows to it , and the like , which we do , and should do to God only , we having no other Worship to render to his divine Majesty . And this Worship the Papists give to their Saints , and are hereby guilty of gross Idolatry , let their belief be what it will. When the ancient Christian Fathers accused the Heathen Philosophers of Idolatry , for giving divine Worship to their Heroes , the Philosophers endeavoured to retort it upon the Fathers , accusing them in like manner for worshipping Saints ; and I pray you how did the Fathers wipe off that calumny ? was it by distinguishing in point of Belief ( as the Papists now do ) and saying that they did believe in the true God , and did not call the Saints Gods , but the Creatures of God , and so worshipped them as Creatures only ? no such matter , the Fathers made no such reply , but absolutely denied the matter of fact , and said , they did not at all worship the Saints , but God alone , and only honoured the Saints as holy men and their fellow-servants of God , as you may see most clearly set down by St. Austin in his Eighth and Tenth Books de Civ . Dei ; where he particularly enumerates the parts of Divine Worship ; as Sacrifice , Invocation , Dedication of Churches and Altars , Oblations and Vows ( which the Scripture appropriates to God ) all which the Greeks , saith he , comprise in one word , viz. Latreia ; but the Latins have not any one word of full signification to express it : and then St. Austin flatly denies that the Christians do give Latreia , that is , any part of this Divine Worship , to the Saints ; and there challenges the Heathens to prove the contrary if they can . Whereas 't is as evident as the Sun at noon-day , that the Papists do give , not one , but all those parts of Divine Worship , called in general Latreia , unto their Saints , unless it be the sacrificing of Beasts ; this they reserve to God alone , and truly he is much beholding to them for it ; they will give unto him the flesh of Bulls , Rams , Goats , but unto the Saints their own , their Hearts and Lips ; the Saints shall have their living , holy and acceptable Sacrifice , the very Soul of the Sacrifice , and God shall have the dead Body even stinking in his divine nostrils , which his Soul loaths and abhorrs , as he hath often declared in his holy Word . It was the devout prayer of the heart that sanctified and made acceptable the sacrifice of the Beasts , without which they were an abomination unto God , and are now in the pure times of the Gospel wholly laid aside , and the Calves of our Lips and of our Hearts and Souls , is the sacrifice of Christians , and the principal part of Divine Worship . Now I ask a Papist , was it lawful for the Jews to sacrifice Beasts to Angels or deceased Patriarchs , the very chiefest of them , Noah , Abraham , Moses , had not this been Idolatry in them , who can deny it ? and why had this been Idolatry ? Because Sacrifice is a Divine Worship , and to give Divine Worship to any Creature is Idolatry : Is it not much more Idolatry , to give unto Michael , Gabriel , Abraham , Moses , the purer , the holier , the diviner part of God's Service , the Worship of Prayer ? is not this greater Idolatry , can any man of sence deny it ? and yet this more holy part , more divine Sacrifice the Papists give unto their Saints ; and in sum , there is not any one thing that true Christians do , or can do to God , but the Papists do the very same to Saints , and transcendently to the Blessed Virgin , to whom the generality of the Papists pay ten times as much devotion as to God ; and are so far from being reproved for it , as they are encouraged to it by their greatest Doctors . I cannot but wonder at the grossand ridiculous mistake , or rather abuse in wresting of St. Austin's word Latreia , which he puts as a general word comprising all parts of Divine Worship ; but the Papists turn it quite to another sence , and will understand thereby the Belief wherewith they worship , which is not at all to St. Austin's purpose ; for there he mentions not any thing of Belief , but Matter of Fact , viz. what Worship is , and ought to be given to God only ; as invocation by Prayer , Dedication of Churches , Altars , Oblations , Vows ; all which in St. Austin's sence is Latreia : and all this the Papists give to the Blessed Virgin and Saints . But ( say the Papists ) they do not give this with Latreia , that is , they do not believe them Gods when they worship them , which they cannot do , as I shewed before . And thus they give them Latreia , but not with Latreia , Divine Worship , but not with Divine Worship ; a most ridiculous juggling foppery . Perchance a Similitude may make this matter plainer ; thus , The King makes a Law that it shall be Treason punishable with death , to give Kingly honours , to a subject , and then declares what he means by Kingly honours ; as to set a Crown on his head , to call him Majesty , to erect for him a Chair of State , to serve him on the Knee , &c. all which the King comprizes in one word Royalty , and , as I said , makes it treason to give Royalty to any Subject . Now the Earl of Kent , to whom the people of that Country are much devoted , comes thither to a Gentlemans House , who the more to magnifie this great Earl , sets a Crown on his head , calls him Majesty , erects him a Chair of State , serves him on the knee , &c. my Gentleman is called in question , accused of Treason for giving Royalty to the Earl ; the Gentleman confesses all the Fact , but pleads that he did not believe the Earl to be King , nor did intend to set him up as King , but only to give him all the honour he could ; 't is true he gave him Royalty in every part , but not with Royalty : the King , though full of indignation for such a bold presumption and total breach of his Law , burst out into laughter at the Gentleman 's ridiculous Plea , and answers the Gentleman ; Well , you gave your honured Earl all the honour due to me , you gave him Royalty , but not with Royalty ; so you shall die the death of a Traytor , but not as a Traytor . I suppose we shall at the day of Judgment hear the Papists subtil Doctors make this rare plea and excuse for their Idolatry , and distinguish the point ; 't is true they gave the Saints Latreia , but not with Latreia ; and I fear we shall hear their heavy doom for it . Alas , poor wretches ! the plain Text of Scripture must then take place , the subtil Distinctions of Aquinas and Scotus will then be ridiculous and eternally deplorable folly , 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the disputer of this world ? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? God of his infinite mercy open their eyes to see and bewail this their dangerous folly . The plain and clear Truth is this : They worship the Saints and chiefly the Blessed Virgin just as God , or rather more than God ; it will be no excuse to say they do not believe her to be the very God , nor call her God ; for , as I shewed before , 't is not the belief , nor the calling her God , makes it Idolatry , but the giving her the Worship due to God. And for the fuller convicton of the Papists , I pray observe , that though they do not call her in that very express word , God ; yet they give her words and titles fully declaring her a Goddess , as much or more than the Heathens did their Goddesses : all which I cannot doubt but she fully detests , her Humility being as great as her Dignity , and indeed raised her to it , as she expresses in her Magnificat , That God regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden ; surely then she cannot but abhorr that they should call her Queen of Heaven and make Oblations to her , so expresly declared Idolatry in Scripture , Jer. 7. 18. They make their supplications and call upon her in time of trouble , and even in the point of death , which God expresly requires to be performed to himself , Psal. 50. 15. As God is called the Father of Mercy , so is she called the Mother of Mercy : as Christ is called the Tree of Life , so is she , and a hundred more such divine Attributes they give unto her , as you may read in their printed Books of Litanies and Prayers to her , sufficient to make a man tremble with horror and amazement to read the wilde , as well as wicked blasphemous Titles their extravagant fancies invent to give her . Let any Christian Soul , who can but read the Scripture and understand common Sence , judge if this be not Idolatry ; for the Titles they give her do much more imply a Deity , than the word , God , and so is far greater Idolatry . There is one thing more , worthy your consideration in this business . All the learned Papists know that the ancient Fathers did urge , as a main Argument to prove the Diety of the Holy Ghost , the Ubiquity of his operation in the hearts of the faithful all the world over ; a clear evidence of a divine Power which no Creature is capable of : and will not the same Argument hold , to prove the Deity of the Blessed Virgin , if she , as the Papists believe , be able to be helpful to all her devoted Supplicants from all the four Quarters of the World at the same time ? Upon her great Festival-days , how many millions of Papists do at the same instant say unto her that Hymn , Ave Maris Stella , wherein are conteined these words , Thou that art the meekest of all , make us meek and chaste , grant unto us a holy life and safe journey . These and a hundred the like Expressions they use unto her . Now I pray observe ; sure the Papists suppose she can do this which they pray for , otherwise they are ridiculous to pray for it : so then they believe that she can work upon the hearts of her supplicants all the World over , making them meek and chaste , &c. at the same time ; which was the Argument to prove the Deity of the Holy Ghost : doth it not in like manner prove the Deity of the Blessed Virgin ? and doth not this their belief and practice make her a Goddess ? and doth not this make them Idolaters in full measure ? what did the Heathens more ? Nay , doth not the praying to her or any other Saint at so vast a distance , and supposing them to hear , imply a Deity in them ? Is not this far beyond the sphere of Activity in any Creature ? Can any Creature hear their praying voice one quarter of a mile ? sure then they must be of a Divine power , to hear so many millions and millions of miles ; much more is it a Divine property to see the thoughts of their hearts at that distance , or indeed to see them at all , were they never so nigh ; for God alone is the searcher of hearts : yet the Papists often offer up to them the meditation of their hearts , as well as the voice of their mouth , making both mental and vocal Prayer unto them ; is not this apparently to make them Gods ? As for that rare excuse , That though the Saints hear not our prayers , much less see our hearts at this distance , yet they see all in God's infinite comprehensive Heart . Hold , I beseech you , whither are we come ? to excuse Idolatry , I fear , with horrid Blasphemy ; are the Saints then the searchers of God's Heart and know all his secrets ? this is Deity in the highest degree : no , but God of his infinite Goodness discovers this to the Saints : may I be so bold as to ask , who discovered this to the Papists ? why , St. Francis , St. Dominick , St. Ignatius , and many others , in their Seraphical Meditations , have been rapt up into the third Heaven , yea , far higher than St. Paul , into the ninth Heaven , and have had this and much more reveiled to them . Pardon me , I humbly conceive , 't is far more unlawful for these Seraphical Saints to utter these words , than it was for Saint Paul to utter what he heard in the third Heaven . Sir , I hope neither you nor any rational Man will build his Faith and Salvation upon their vain Legends ; well may they twattle these things to Children , not to serious Men who build their Faith on the infallible Word of God alone , where we find not one word of all this , but much to the contrary . Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God , and him only shalt thou serve ; If God only , sure no other . Wherefore St. John in his Revelation tells us , how he was twice severely rebuk'd with a Cave , for his worshipping the Angel , See thou do it not , I am thy fellow-servant , worship God. But the Papists will needs have this to be a Complement only of humility in the Angel , to this great Apostle St. John ; truly a very severe form of Complement ; See thou do it not ; which sounds to me rather a Threat than a Complement , and in the Original , the Greek sounds more a Threat than our English expresses : and sure we should the rather take it so , because St. Paul doth so expresly forbid the worshipping of Angels , as a Will-worship according to to the Will and Doctrine of men , under pretence of humility , but is indeed out of Pride , vainly puff'd up in their fleshly minds , intruding into those things they have not seen , and obtruding them as saving Doctrines upon their ignorant Proselytes ; which thing all that are godly wise according to Scripture , must needs hold foolish and sinful , all being so fully laid out unto us by St. Paul Col. 2. and again , 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediator between God and man , the man Christ Jesus . Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest . Call upon me in the time of trouble , and I will hear thee . The Scripture saith their is one Mediator between God and man , the Papists will needs have many , whether more foolishly or more sinfully 't is hard to say : for , have they any Mediator more powerful , or more merciful , or more willing to hear and help them ? nay , put the Power , the Love , the Mercy of all Saints and Blessed Virgin together , is it greater , is it equal , is it near in any degree , can it add one degree to the infinite Power and Love and Mercy of Christ God and Man ? is it not blasphemy to affirm it ? is it not then great sinfulness , great madness to seek any other , as if he were not complete ? as if he could not , or as if he would not do what he promises to do ? Will not his Power , his Promises , his Command oblige these Self-will-worshipping Papists to come to this One Mediotor ? no , but they will go to others to their own wilful destruction . As for that poor weak excuse , That we may as well , or rather pray to Saints in Heaven to pray for us , than pray Men on Earth to pray for us , 't is not worth the answering , the disparity is so great ; for the latter is an act of mutual Charity , to which we are commanded ; the former an act of Religious worship which we are forbidden , as I have shewed . But had some great admirer of St. Francis here on earth then built a Church in his honour , erected an Altar , set him or his Picture on it , kneel'd down and prayed to him , had not this been gross Idolatry ? The Idolatry is the same , and the folly greater , now he is in heaven , because there he neither hears nor sees their Devotion . Certainly , Sir , I need say no more in this point , but pass to another part of the Papists Idolatry , their worshipping of Images . A Papist lately had the strange confidence ( I will not say impudence ) to put out a Pamphlet , wherein he affirmed , that they make no other use of Pictures and Statues , than meerly as Remembrancers of those persons or things they represent ; and so when they enter the Churches or other places where they are set up they give them only some glancing looks to this end , far from any Worship ; and to assure you of this , he farther adds , that when they are by age or accident decayed , so as not well to represent what they were made for , they cut them in pieces and burn them , as any other common Wood ; so little reverence do they afford the Pictures or Statues themselves . What credit can you give such persons who so monstrously prevaricate ? who ever yet saw the Papists burn any one ancient Picture , ever so decayed and defaced by Antiquity , but rather reverence it much more ; as you may see by the ancient Picture or Statue of the Blessed Virgin , reported to be made by St. Luke , whereof more by and by . Let us now see what passing glances they give to them . Among the multitude of their various Devotions used on good Friday , this is one ; A Crucifix which stands on the Altar , is taken down and laid on a Cushion , at the steps which ascend to the Altar ; the Bishop or chief Priest their present , falls down on his knees at a little distance from it , rising up and advancing a step or two , falls down again ; the third time comes to the Cross , and there prostrate along kisses the Crucifix again and again , with all reverence and affection ; and so the rest of the Clergy in order , and many other Devotees , as far as the time will permit : the mean while the Quoire chants forth a Hymn , Dulce Lignum , dulces Clavi , &c. Sweet Wood , sweet Nails , &c. Call you these passing glances , to prostrate on the ground and adore them ? But I pray farther observe ; the Crucifix stood before on the Altar , a place most conspicuous to be seen and put them in remembrance of Christ ; were this all , as they falsly pretend , why then take it down ? meerly to express their great devotion to it , by humbling themselves to the ground to kiss it . But they will tell you this their Devotion is to Christ , for the honour done to his Image redounds to Christ : I answer , that 's false however , that they use Pictures only as remembrances , and give them no Worship ; for they confess a Worship to the Picture in relation to Christ , as we forsooth to the Kings Chair of State. What would the Papists have done without this Chair of State ? 't is a main Argument with them , and they are perpetually dunning our ears with it ; and I shall in requital now dunn them , and shew their absurdity . First then , did they ever see any , the most observant Courtier ( the King himself being personally present in some other part of the room ) go up to the Chair of State , make his leg formally to that , or kneel down and kiss it , and if he did , would not all count him ridiculous ? Yet the Papists do this to their Crucifix , Christ himself being both personally and corporally ( as they believe ) their present on the Altar in their Host ; are not they then as ridiculous ? Secondly , Do men naturally of themselves perform this homage to the Chair of State , or by Court-order ? Bring a Country Gentleman ever so rational , ever so civil , to Court ; where at the Gate is erected ( I will suppose it so for argument sake ) a goodly Statue of the King , then carry him up to the Guard-Chamber where hangs a fair Picture of the King , then into the Presence-chamber where stands this Chair of State : Let my ceremonious Papist take this civil Gentleman and conduct him along , and say nothing to him of Court-order , but tell him , that 's the King's Statue , that 's his Picture , that 's his Chair of State ; if my Gentleman of himself take off his Hat , and make a Leg to the first , second or third , be he ever so devoted to Royalty , then take off my Head : but when he comes into the Presence-chamber , if his Conductor tell him , 't is the Order of Court to put off the Hat where-ever he sees a Chair of State erected , as representing the Kings Majesty , no doubt but Reason and Civility both , will move him to observe Court-orders while he is there . But 't is probable Reason may prompt this Country Gentleman to ask , why he must not as well put off his Hat to the Statue at the Gate , or Picture , so much more lively representing the King ? I believe my Papist Conductor will scarce find any other reasonable Answer to give him , than that there is a Court-order for the one , and none for the other . 'T is evident then that the Order only makes the Ceremony observed at Court , not the Chair of State : So if my Papist can shew me a Divine Order to kneel down , and prostrate my self to a Crucifix , in honour to Christ , I shall as readily do it as he , adore it , kiss it , hug it , any thing which God tells me is acceptable to his divine Goodness : But seing I cannot find any thing from God to this purpose , but much to the contrary , and that which seems to my poor Understanding as full and clear a Prohibition as can be ; Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image to bow down to it or worship it . And therefore the Popish Doctors ( as you know Sir ) do wisely in their Generation , dash out of their Decalogue this Commandment , and supply it by dividing the last of Coveting into two parts ; pretending that this Commandment against Images was a meer Ceremonial Command to the Jews , so prone to Idolatry , that it was not lawful for them so much as to make Pictures , which hath ever been allowed to Christians by all sober moderate persons . And I pray what sober moderate person will say it was unlawful for the Jews to make Pictures , seeing God himself appointed them to make some , but neither appointed nor allowed them to worship any , but absolutely forbad it ; and therefore the Brazen Serpent , made by God's own appointment , was broken when worshipped ; which clearly confutes Dr. Thorndick's supposal in his Nineteenth Chapter , That the Commandment only forbids the worshipping of Idols , that is by his interpretation , Statues set up in honour of false Gods : for the Brazen Serpent was not an Idol set up in honour of any false God , but in honour of a Mercy conferred by the true God ; yet broken down when worshipped , contrary to this Commandment . And I pray you observe how this Serpent is ranked with the Images and Groves , and other Idolatrous things destroyed by good Hezekiah . And what was the Idolatrous Worship given to this Brazen Serpent ? They did burn Incense to it , the very same the Papist Priests do to their Images of Christ , the blessed Virgin , and Saints . And ought they not likewise to be broken down as well as the Brazen Serpent set up in honour of the true God , and which is more , by the special Command of the true God , which the Papists have not for their Images ? Yet Dr. Thorndick will needs have it , that there is no fear of Idolatry among Christians now , though we now see such gross Idolatry committed by them . 'T is evident then that this Commandment concerns Christians as well as Jews and all Mankind ; for give me lieve to say , that all Mankind always were , and will be , prone to Idolatry , as appeared by the gross Idolatrous Worship of the wisest Heathens of old , the Greeks and Romans ; the Chineses and Papists now . We are by nature very sensual , much pleased with sensible things , but averse to spiritual . To worship God in Spirit and in Truth is a sublime thing far above Nature ; this will always incline men to Idolatry and to worship God by sensible things , by Pictures and Images , contrary to his Command . And you may be sure the Devil will be more forward to tempt Christians to it , than ever he was to tempt Jews or Heathens , his malice being more against us , which makes our danger of Idolatry greater than theirs , being as prone by Nature , and more tempted by the Devil . This made St. Austin very averse to Image-worship , and gives the reason in his Tract on , Psal. 113. Plus valent Simulacra ad curvandam infoelicem animam , &c. Images having the appearance of men , with eyes , ears , mouths , hands , and the like , do more deprave the minds of their Worshippers , and more encline them to Idolatry , than they are rectified and kept from Idolatry , in that the Image doth not really see , hear , speak , and the like . 'T is strange the Papists will allow this holy Father for a Doctor and Saint of the Church , for no man in the World can argue more against their Image-worship than he doth ; ' t is true his whole Discourse was intended against the Heathens , because at that time there were no Christians that made use of Images by way of Worship , as now the Papists do ; but his Arguments are as clearly and fully against the Papists now , as they were against the Heathen then . The Heathens then told St. Austin , that they did not worship the Idol it self , but the Deity represented by it ; just as the Papists say now ; and St. Austin in effect replies to both : Let them excuse the matter how they please , yet their practice was abominable ; for , saith he , the worshipping of any thing by an Image , doth soon bring the Worshippers to forget the thing represented , and apply their whole Worship to the Statue representing , and come by degrees to be so affected to it , as to believe the very Statue sees , hears , and furnishes them with those things they pray for , The people set up a Statue in honour to the Sun , and at length turn their backs to the Sun , but their faces to the Statue ; pray , offer Incense , sacrifice , and perform all their devotions to that . Here you have St. Austin's Opinion of Statue and Picture-worship , how by degrees it draws away the hearts of men from the Persons represented by them , and brings them at length to worship the Statues themselves . And this Idolatrous inclination of the people is very much advanced by the Popish Writers , who in their Legends mention several Statues and Pictures , which have moved and spoken to their Worshippers , and thereby have made the silly people run a madding , and as the Scripture phrases it , run a whoring after their Idols . So that St. Austin's Opinion is as fully verified among the Papist Christians , as ever it was among Heathens , as you will see by that which follows . When our late King of blessed memory went into Spain , several of this Nation were Eye-witnesses of what I now relate ; At Madrid , upon a Festival-day of the Blessed Virgin , the Bishop , Priests , with hundreds of Monks and Friars , and many thousands of the City , went in solemn Procession , carrying an Image of the Blessed Virgin under a rich Canopy of State , born by several Noble persons , with innumerable Torches and Wax-candles born by others , the Priests and Religious Orders singing the Litany made to her , the houses and streets all along garnished , and here and there , at the house of some great person , much devoted to her , was erected an Altar most splendidly adorned , upon which the Image was set down to rest , and some Hymn made to her was there sung ; mean while the Bishop and Priests putting Incense on Censers , offer it up to her : At length they came to a large place , where was an Altar on the one side , and a Theater on the other , magnificently set forth ; the Image was placed on the Altar , the Bishop , Priests , &c. attending , the Actors come forth on the Theater , and begin a holy Comedy ; the people eager Spectators , forgetting their duty to their Lady on the Altar , flock round about the Theater ; the Officers of Misrule with great indignation fall on the people fiercely , and forcing them to give place , make a Lane from the Altar to the Theater , that their Lady might have a full view of the Play ; a pleasant Comedy indeed , and made all our English Protestants very merry : but some of the discreeter English Papists there present , were much troubled at this , supposing ( with good reason ) it would be laid home to their charge as gross Idolatry : for , just as Saint Austin saith , by the Papists great Devotion to this Statue , they came to believe it had seeing Eyes and hearing Ears , and so partakes much of this Comical entertainment ; and if so , truly the Officers had just cause of indignation , to see the people so rudely rush between their Lady and the Theater . In the word of a Christian I affirm , that one of the discreeter English Papists , there present , told me this passage , and therefore there can be no doubt of the truth . In the principla Church at Rome , dedicated to the Blessed Virgin , called Sancta Maria Majore , The great holy Mary , is a most stately high Altar , and a little above it in the Wall is made a hollow place like a Cabinet , where is reserved a Picture , reported to be made by St. Luke , which is commonly shut up ; but upon the special Feasts of the Blessed Virgin 't is exposed to view , with store of goodly rich silver Lamps burning before it , the smoak whereof hath black'd and quite defaced the Picture ; ( is it therefore cast away into the fire ? mark ) on the Door of this Cabinet is another fresh and excellent Picture , lively representing the Blessed Virgin ; yet this is no way reverenced in comparison of the other : for when it is exposed , it is just as if God should visibly come down from Heaven ; you may see persons of very good quality as soon as they come within the Church-door fall down on their knees , and so on their knees go creeping towards this Picture , and when they approach near it , prostrate themselves on the Pavement , kiss the ground , then up again , stretch forth their hands towards it , groan and sigh as if they would breath forth and ejaculate their very Hearts unto it . What think you , Sir , of this ? Again , At that famous place Loretto , is reputed to be the very House where the Blessed Virgin lived and nursed up our Saviour , transported thither by Angels ; ( Turselin the Jesuit's History of this is a rare Romamce : ) this is now converted into a Chappel , cased about with fine Marble , and stands in the middest of a fair Church built over it ; this Chappel of the House hath an Altar at one end divided from the rest , and above over the Altar an Image of the Blessed Virgin with our Saviour in her arms , reported likewise to be made by St. Luke , no doubt of it , an excellent Painter and Statuarist , as well as Physician ; this Image also , with the continual smoak of Candles and Lamps , Gold and Silver of mighty value , is made as black as any Gypsie ; insomuch that the Vulgar believe that she was made so by her abode in aegypt . To this Image they come in pilgrimage thousands of miles , leaving at home Pictures and Statues far more lively representations , but all is nothing to this . When men are in any danger by Sea , they vow some great offering for their deliverance , which hath filled several rooms there with a vast Treasure ( the Turks have long been greedy of this Prey : ) the Devotion paid to this Image , by Pilgrims at their approach , is of the same stamp and rate , as the before-mentioned to the Picture . There is at the upper corner of this little Chappel a Door , which lets men into the place railed in for the Altar , over which the Image stands : and to be let into this sanctum sanctorum , the holiest of holies , so near this divine Image ( which is seen as well without ) is a favour for which you must well reward the Door-keeper ; this is the very Paradise of Souls , blessed is the man that enters here . And the reason why they pay this mighty veneration to this Image is , because of the gteat Holiness and wonderful Vertue they fancy in it : so holy , as whatsoever touches it , receives wonderful and powerful Virtue from it : wherefore they humbly desire to have their Beads and Medals sanctified thereby , and give them to the Keeper of the Closet , who hangs them on a forked Staff reserved there for that purpose , and rubs them somewhat rudely on our Saviours and Ladies faces , and if he be more than ordinarily fee'd , their Faces also pay doubly for it , brush'd and box'd with the Beads , to extract the more Virtue out of them : If you ask , why so rude to their Faces ? the Reason is , the rest is covered with rich costly Garments , whereof they have great variety , and on the great Festivals most magnificent ; all being the Oblations of Devotees on several occasions . If you ask again , why our Ladies Garments should not be able to confer Vertue , as well as her Statue ? I must leave the Papist Priests to answer you , who reserve this divine Mystery close in their breasts ; all that I observe and learn is , how divine a Power they attribute to this Statue , which is able to confer such Vertue to dead Beads , as to give them the same power over Devils , as our Saviour gave his Apostles . For a pair of these Beads put about the neck of any possessed by the Devil , he is not able to endure the Sanctity thereof , but crying and roaring rusheth forth . The Ephesian Image of Diana , which fell from Jupiter , came much short of this ; and therefore this much better deserves to be worshipped by the whole World , of Papists at least . And , Sir , never expect to be saved with them , unless you worship with them : though the Priests , to get you to them , will tell you there 's no necessity of worshipping Images and praying to Saints , yet you must believe 't is great Piety and profitable Devotion to do both . Now he that believes this with them , and yet will not worship with them sure deserves not Salvation , rejecting such helpful means ; and if ever he be saved at length , he shall be sure to fry in Purgatory till Doomsday ; who will pray for his Soul , who refuses to pray to our Lady , the Queen of Heaven and Earth , of Angels and Saints , &c. I could go on to relate the like Devotion to several other Statues of our Lady . as that of Sicham , Foy , Goodnews , &c. and some of other Saints ; but this of Loretto carries the Bell clear away from them all ; and I hope I have said enough to keep you far from them all : for by what I have said , you plainly see St. Austin's words verified , of the Papists , as well as of the Heathens , that the Papists think there is powerful Vertue in the very Statues , and that the Statues furnish them with those things they pray for ; why else do they make Vows and Pilgrimages to the Statue of Loretto , more than to any other Statue they have at home ? and the Blessed Virgin is as near them at home , as at Loretto : sure they believe the Blessed Virgin also adores her own Statue at Loretto ( as he that was enamoured of his own Picture in the water ) and confers favours on them for that Statues sake , because she is honoured for that Statues sake ; 't is evident , because they will not afford her those rich Oblations elsewhere , but she must go in Pilgrimage also to Loretto to receive them , and thank that Image for them ; and so at length , as St. Austin saith , our Lady is set aside , and become the Shadow of her own Statue . God of his infinite mercy open their blind eyes , that they may see the grosness of their Idolatry . Setting this their Idolatrous Worship aside , I honour the Blessed Virgin with my heart , as much as any of them , and this they shall see , if ever I meet them before her the Blessed Mother of my Saviour , Blessed for ever . Amen . There remains yet the Third part of Popish Idolatry , committed in adorning the consecrated Host at the Mass , which will require no further proof than the Confession of their prime Doctors ; That this their Idolatry is as gross as ever any Heathens were guilty of , if there be no Transubstantiation . Now that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper , there is a large Volume learnedly written by Morton , Lord Bishop of Durham , never yet answered . But you are not for such long Tracts and numerous Quotations ; shall we then consider what the Scripture saith in this matter ? where you conceive the Papists have more advantage against us , than in any one point controverted between us . Indeed it were strange if in so many points in difference , they should not have some colour at least in Scripture for one or two . Let us see what Scripture they have for their Transubstantiation . A very clear one . Our Saviour taking Bread in his hand , said , This is my Body . Sure we believe our Saviour could change Bread into his Body , why then do not we believe that he did change it ? I pray you give me lieve to make the like Argument to you . Our Saviour as positively said , I am the bread which came down from heaven . Sure you believe our Saviour could change his Body into Bread , why then do not you believe he did so ? Are we not upon equal Terms ? If then you deny the latter to me , why may not I deny the former to you ? You see how unconscionably they accuse us as a sensual and faithless Generation , that will not believe any thing beyond our Senses ; do not we believe the Trinity , our Saviour's Incarnation , the Resurrection , and much more far above all Sense and Reason also ? and should as readily believe this , were there any just ground for it in Scripture . But the Papists come upon us again and urge , doth not our Saviour say , Joh. 6. My flesh is meat indeed , and my blood is drink indeed , and much more in that Chapter ? I must confess the words in this Chapter are far more pressing upon us than those in Matthew : This is my body , &c. for'tis apparent the words in John made many take them in a literal sence , as if Christ would give his very Flesh and Blood to be eaten and drunk ; whereat many of his Disciples were much offended and went from him : but when at supper he said , This is my body , and gave it his Disciples to eat , no man was offended at it , or made any scruple to eat what he gave ; which no doubt some one at least would have done , had they apprehended it to be his very Flem. Thomas , who so hardly believed his Resurrection , often declared unto him before hand , and attested to him by all the rest after , and the thing it self so much more easie for him to believe , that the Soul should enter the same Body but two whole days after death , when he had seen Lazarus raised after four dayes ; doubtless this slow believing Thomas would have somewhat boggled at believing the bread converted into Christ's Flesh , and to eat it ; yet we do not find he or any other was startled at it , but swallowed it down as readily as the former meat ; for our Saviour had before informed them , that the words he spake were spirit and life , therefore they ought not to be offended at them : all which makes me confidently believe , they did not believe it to be Christ's very Flesh , but took the words as figuratively spoken , as you and all others do those words , I am the bread , &c. And I do as confidently believe , that had they believed wrong , our Saviour would have rectified their belief , and would have fully instructed them . But now , I beseech you consider those words in Joh. which are so much more pressing for a literal sence of Christs very flesh given ; if those by the Papist Doctors are taken in a figurative sence , and will not be endured by them in a literal sence , have you not much more reason to take those in Matthew in a figurative sence ? The Papist Doctors dare not take the Words of St. John literally , because they so clearly condemn the taking away the Cup from the Laity , and denying them the Blood of Christ , which our Saviour there so absolutely requires to be drunk by every one that will enter into Life . Now consider into what a strait the Papist Doctors have brought themselves into : if they take the words literally , their taking away the Cup is declared damnable to the Laity ; if they take them figuratively , their Transubstantiation is condemned as a grand Imposture . But , blessed be God , we are free from both , and fully confirmed in the figurative sence by St. Paul , 1 Cor. 11. 23. Where he tells the Corinthians that he delivered to them what he received of the Lord , who said , This Cup is the New Testament in my blood ; which words differ much from those spoken by our Saviour , and are as different in the sence also , if taken literally ; for they denote a change of the Cup into Christ's Blood , and therefore of necessity must and are taken by all figuratively , and then they signifie the same with our Saviour's words : and I hope the Papists will not accuse St. Paul to have told the Corinthians a false story , and delivered that unto them which he never received of Christ. Sure you will rather stand up for St. Paul , and accuse their Transubstantiation of falsity . I could dilate on this Subject much more ; but I love brevity as well as you , and when you desire more there is enough to be seen in Bishop Morton , . & e. The Conclusion is made by the Papist Doctors , that , there being no Transubstantiation , they are as great Idolaters in adoring the consecrated Hoste , as any Heathens ever were . God of his infinite mercy preserve you from having any Communion with them . I shall now end this business , as I began with Dr. Thorndick's Judgement thereon . He , in his Sixteenth Chapter , speaking of the Papists praying to Saints , saith , there was no such thing in use till a good while after Constantine the Emperour , who died Anno Dom. 350. so that , by this Computation , it must be about 400 years . And can any one in reason think it fit to venture on so dangerous a practice in Religion , unknown to the Church 400 years , when Faith was purest , Devotion most fervent , Sanctity most eminent , and when all helps to Salvation were most eagerly pursued , yet no praying to Saints practised ; which is now come to that height , as Dr. Thorndick himself there calls it , A precipice of horrible danger ; sor , saith he , they ask the same things of the Saints , and especially of the Blessed Virgin , in the same terms in which they are desired of God , even in the holy Scripture . And this which the Doctor affirms , is most evident in their printed Books of Prayer ; wherein though they sometimes mention the Saints Intercession ( and this we do to Christ also perfect God ) yet other times they pray to the Saints and Blessed Virgin directly for the things . Thus you see they make no distinction between God , Christ , Blessed Virgin and Saints in their form of Prayer or things prayed for . And is not this Idolatry , far greater than to sacrifice to them Bulls and Rams , to give them the divinest part of God's Worship ? Is not this to deifie them in the highest degree ? Is not this to worship false Gods ? They make them Gods as much as ever the Heathens made their Heroes Gods , for the Heathens believed their Heroes to be mortal Men , they knew them living , they saw them dying , but for their great Virtues believed their Souls were carried up into heaven . and therefore worshipped God ; is not this the very same that the Papists believe and do to their Saints ? is their any difference but only this , that the Papists do not call their Saints Gods , which , as I shewed before , matters not ? I say then again , that as the Heathens their Heroes , so the Papists make their Saints Gods ; and sure they are no true Gods , therefore false Gods , and they worship these false Gods , are they not then Idolaters , according to Dr. Thorndick himself , and Scripture also ? Nor is this their Idolatry any way abated , but rather aggravated , in that they know and believe the true God ; for the Heathens , who did not know the true God , were far more excusable in sacrificing and communicating the same Worship to several Gods , there being no great disparity between Jupiter , Mars , Apollo , &c. But for those that know one God , the Creator of all things , and that the greatest Angels , or Archangels , Patriarchs , Prophets , Apostles or Martyrs , are but his Creatures , of infinite degree inferiour to the Eternal Almighty God ; the poor creeping Worm in the dust , is not so far inferiour to an Emperour of the whole Earth ; I say then , for them , who know this infinite Almighty God , to give the divine Worship due unto him , to poor wretched creatures , and also to Pictures and Images , even to Stocks and Stones , is so high and presumptuous Idolatry , as Heathens , not knowing the True One God , never were , nor could be guilty of . And yet notwithstanding all this , Dr. Thorndick would fain excuse them from Idolatry , because the Popish Church hath put forth a Profession of Faith more tolerable than their Practice ; just as if the Papists having made some declaration of Allegiance to the King , should be acquitted of the Gunpowder-Treason , endeavouring to blow up the King , Queen , Prince , and Chief of the Kingdom at one clap . Truly by this Rule they may sacrifice to Baal , and be excused from Idolatry . I am amazed to find that so rational and sober a person should discourse so irrationally , so wildly : he hath fully verified the old Saying , — Semel insanivimus omnes As for your Postscript wherein you ask , why we should so much fear the Growth of Popery , if their Practices be so gross and Idolatrous , as to be even ridiculous ? I conceive 't is in part answered already , where I shewed how all Mankind is inclined to Idolatry . For sure no man is so simple as to think , this Vice ran in the Blood of the Jews more than any other Nations , but rather less ; for they all came out of the loins of Abraham , the Father of the faithful , and consequently according to Nature should be rather better Believers than others : and therefore it is a very silly supposal , that the Commandments against Idolatry were intended more for the Jews than for any other Nation , but only out of God's special favour to them , and Fatherly care to preserve them more from it than other Nations ; whom he suffered to run on in their natural blindness and sensual Worship , till the Fulness of Time came for the Conversion of the Gentiles : Then God was pleased to make them equal partakers of the Favours and Graces bestowed on the Jews ; then was the Light both of the Law and Gospel manifested to all ; and all Laws , not purely Ceremonial ( which were abolished in Christ ) equally concerned all the Nations of the Earth , and ought to be esteemed as gracious helps to preserve us from things unlawful , not burthensom restraints from things lawful . Wherefore Idolatry being so grievous a sin , and our Nature so prone to carnal and sensual Worship , Christians , who lie under so much a greater Obligation to serve God , should be so much the more careful to avoid all temptations to it ; as the worshipping of Saints much more sutable to our carnal Nature , and more easily comprehended by us , than the spiritual Worship of the incomprehensible God ; in which the sublimest part of Man , our Rational Faculty , labours hard , as we all find by sad experience , and can scarce keep our thoughts raised up and fixed on it two or three minutes . This makes the Papists so much inclinable to the more easie Will-worship of their Fellow-creatures , and so expatiate in their Devotions to the Saints , as God is at length almost forgotten by them , and all his divine honours conferred on the Creatures . And so in like manner Statues and Pictures being things very acceptable to our Senses , and , as St. Austin observes , by them work so powerfully on our Minds , as to inveigle our hearts to give them also much of God's Worship , we should be extreme wary in the use of them , or having much converse with those that use them ; which made God so severely forbid the Jews matching with other Nations . Evil communication corrupts good manners ; very chaste persons , by degrees , become great Whoremongers and Adulterers , Terms in Scripture frequently given to Idolaters , to shew the Sympathy our Carnal Nature hath alike to both , and therefore ought to be restrained alike from both , and severe Laws to be made against both . The grossness of the Sin will never deterr our gross Nature from it , no nor the folly of it neither ; Stultorum plena sunt omnia : a great part of the World consists of silly Women and Children , pleased with Toys , which makes the weaker Sex much incline to the trinketting Ceremonies of the Papists ; and a great part of men are as weak as they ; and as for the small remaining part of understanding men , their Reason is so deprest by their affection to their Wives and Children , as they are content to go to Puppit-plays with the one , and ride Hobby-horses with the other . And when the general Current of mens Devotion runs this filly carnal course , and he thought to have no Devotion that runs not with them , wise men will soon deviate into the same silly course , condemned by themselves , but applauded by others , rather than be condemned as irreligious by others , though applauded by themselves . If Socrates , the wisest Heathen in the , World , and Solomon , the wisest Believer in the World , forsook their own Reason to sacrifice with the Vulgar and with Women ; who may not be seduced into the like Error ? so vain a thing is Man. He that loveth danger shall perish therein , Ecclus. 3. 26. Thus I have endeavoured to satisfie your Scruples , whereof if I have failed , yet sure I have satisfied your desires , requiring it at my hands , which I have obeyed , as , SIR , Your humble Servant .