Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 10
#Sect. 10. How ſome contrarie to the Papiſts meaning and writings denie adoration to be giuen to the aëreall Croſſe.
THe friends of the Croſſe denie (ſome of them) our antecedent. Some of them our conſequent: which diſagreement is ſuch amongſt them, as that on both the former heads, there grow more heads then one. For euen of them that denie our propoſition, ſome ſtand on this, the ſigne of the Croſſe is not purpoſely adored by the Papiſts; ſome on this, we confeſſe the Papiſts hauehave a purpoſe to adore it, but they cannot: the vaniſhing nature of this ſigne being not capable of their worſhip. As for the former of theſe twaine, they coyne a diſtinction betweene a materiall Croſſe and aereall, as if the Papiſts did onelyonly worſhip the Croſſe materiall with Latria which is aboliſhed, and not this aereall ſigne, the vſe whereof is vrged. And this diſtinction is helde forth by them, as if it were an Aiax buckler, vnderunder which they are ſecure, whereas (indeed) it will not ſerue ſo much as for an Oſtrich-buſh, to couer the leaſt part of their nakedneſſe from our agumentes which they can neuer awarde nor anſwere. Firſt, whatſoeuer Papiſts write, of the Croſſe in generall, that muſt be meant of eueryevery Croſſe, elſe both of the lawes are broken, of which the Canonicall ſpeaketh thus:aRegul. Iur. in ſext. 80. In toto partem non eſt dubium contineri. The Ciuill thus,bDigeſt. li. 50. tit. 17. ſemper ſpecialia, generalibus in ſunt. And the Ieſuites words are cleare,cVazq. de adorat. lib. 3. diſputat. 2. cap. 4. bactenus probatum manet, in vniverſum, ſignum crucis, in honore & reuerentia habendum, ex quibus idem dicendum de ſigno in aere, &c. Another ſpeaking of the aereall Croſſe by name hath theſe words in ſpeciall of it:dSuar. tom. 1. in Tho. diſput. 56. ſect. 3. Modus hujus adorationis iuxta ea, quae de imaginibus & de nominibus ſacris diximus, eſt explicandus. Doe they not preſſe the miracles of the aereall ſigne when they proue the Croſſes worſhip? GiueGive they not inſtance in the Croſſe*Vid. Attil. ſerran. de 7 eccleſ. vrb. Rom. pag. …5. aereall, when they proue the Croſſes vertue? not to be tedious; the teſtimonies which they cite belong they not indifferently now to the aereall, now to the materiall, as they firſt come to hand or ſerue fitteſt for the purpoſe. Secondly, we muſt not diſtinguiſh of their worſhip, when they themſelues diſtinguiſh not. Now they hold that eueryevery Croſſe is to be worſhipped,eVazq. de adorat. li. 3. diſpu. 2. c. 4 Quocun que modo expreſſa, as they ſpeake of themſelues: Sub quacun que figura à ſe facta, & fabricata (ſay we) and ourfWhitak. cont. Durae. lib. 10. pag. 868. Amand. Polan. in Orat. de ſcient. cruc. writers of them. Photius agPhot. de 7 Concil. ca. 7. Patriarch of Couſtantinople doth thus interpret the Councell of Nice, erucis ſignum adoramus, &c. We adore the ſigne of the Croſſe, by which the troupes of Diuils are chaſed, and diſeaſes cured, grace and power being once exhibited in the ſamplar which now diffuſeth like vertue downe into the examples: worſhipping therefore all theſe (to wit) the Image of Chriſt and his Croſſe, and the note of his Croſſe with honour, and with adoration &c. hConcil. 8. Conſtantinopl. can. 3.But let a Councell it ſelfe ſpeake. Dignum eſt, &c. It is a worthy thing and according to congruitie of reaſon, and auncient tradition, that for the honour of the principall, all other deriuatiue Images ſhould bee honoured, and adored as typus praetioſa crucis, the type of the precious Croſſe. When Papiſts cite out of Sedulius,
lSedulius. Carruin. paſchal. lib. 5.Neue quis ignoret, ſpeciem crucis eſſe colendam.
Quae Dominum portauit ouans ratione potenti,
Quatuor in de plagas quadrati colligit orbis:
And out ofmSaund. de imag. ca. 13 Chryſoſtome, Crucis effigies & figura colenda est, adoranda que . Who can ſhut out the aereall ſigne which is a figure of the Croſſe, as well as the materiall? There is nothing more often in their writings, then the adoration of the ſigne.nPottifor. ſatisbur. in feſt. exaltat. cruc. Adoramus crucis ſignaculum. oDurand. de rit. lib. 1. pac. 6. ſect. …4.Crucis ſignum adorandum eſt omnibus populis. pDamaſce. de ſid. lib. 4. ca. 12.Adorandum eſt ſignum Chriſti. qPhot. vt ſupra.Signum crucis adoramus, with the like. Mow I aske which is the ſigne of the Croſſe properly? Bellarmine, anſwereth me. It is the aereall Croſſe. … Bellar. de imag. ca. 29And will any man then exclude from theſe ſpeeches the Croſſe aereall, it being ſignum crucis properly and only include the materiall Croſſe, which ſo properly is not ſuch? Thirdly, the ſame reaſons that mooue Papiſtes to worſhip the materiall Croſſe, are all found in the Croſſe aereall, what one of them is wanting? The materiall bulke? But we worſhip not any thing, ſay they, for thesSuar. vt ſupra. Alphonſ. de caſt. in verb. adorat. Rhemiſt. in Phil. 2. ſect. 2. matter, but for Chriſts repreſentation in it. I aske (then) wherefore worſhip they the Croſſe? becauſe ittTho. Aqu. pa. 3. qu. 25. art. 4. repreſenteth Chriſts death: that doth theuRemiſ. quo ſupra. aereall Croſſe aſwell as the materiall. Wherefore worſhip they the Croſſe? becauſe it is conſecrate in Chriſt his blood; and receiueth vertue from it: this is commonwRhem. in Luk. 24. ſect vlt. to the aereall, aſwell as to the materiall. Wherefore worſhip they the Croſſe? becauſe God is preſent in it, to worke ſpiritually and miraculouſly by it. This is done by thexBellar. de imag. c. 29. Mart. repl. art. 1. aereall aſwell as by the materiall. Laſt of all, wherefore worſhip they they croſſe; becauſe it is, Quid yAlphonſ. de caſt. in verb. adora.ad Chriſtum pertinens; zBellar. de imag. ca. 28Vexillum eius; ſignum eius. Becauſe it pertaineth to Chriſt, and is his ſigne and banner? The aereallaIon. Aurelianenſ. de cult. imag. lib. 1. ſigne hath as great a part in theſe titles, as any materiall Croſſe. Fourthly, wee hauehave flat and euident teſtimonies for the adoration of this ſigne: goe wee to the fountaine of the Croſſes Idolatrie, the ſecond Councell of Nice. Which after it had ſaid that the Croſſe is holy in it ſelfe, and to be worſhipped, ſubioyneth this of the aererall Croſſe by name,bConcil. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. ſatisfacit nobis figura, &c. The figure is ſufficient for vsus, which then receiueth ſanctification, when it is adored by vsus. For whether we imprint him as a ſeale in the forehead, or whether we draw in the emptie ayre the ſigne thereof, we hope and beleeue it is able to put the Diuill to flight.cEuthym. Panopl. tit. 20. cap. 14. Euthymius hauing to deale againſt the Armenians, that conſecrated the materiall Croſſe, after their manner before they adored it, diſproueth them by the holines of the ſigne aereall, which by the common conſent betweene them, was deemed more holy then the materiall, and ſo more worthy of adoration, although it were not conſecrate.dDamaſ. de fide. lib. 4. cap. 12. Damaſcen after hee had taught that the ſigne of the Croſſe is to be worſhipped, inferreth inſtances, and citeth figures which belong to the Croſſe aereall. The Vniuerſitie of Colen, after much ſpoken of the Croſſe, hath this concluſion,eCenſura. Colonienſ. in Catechiſ. Mohem. dialog. 3. Sitanta eſt, &c. If the efficacie of our Lords Croſſe be ſo great, when he is onelyonly with the hand imprinted in the fluyd ayre, then why ſhould it not be the ſame when he is pictured in a table? So ſpeaking, as if the aereall Croſſe & the materiall were of the ſame condition. What ſhould I here ſet downe at large the wordsfBellar. de imag. cap. 29. & 20. of Bellarmine? Who calleth it, Signūſacrū, & venerabile, An holy ſigne and venerable. OfgCoſter. Enchirid. cap. 11. Coſterus, who ſaith, that the ſigne of the Croſſe wherby men do fence themſelues, is, Summa veneratione colendum, Is to be worſhipped with moſt high veneratiō or trouble my ſelf with the large diſcours of Gretzerus or any other? The two laſt Ieſuits that hauehave written ſhal ſuffice. ThushSuar. in. Tho. tom. 1. diſputat. 56. ſect. 3. Suarez, ex his intelligitur, &c. By this it is giuen to vnderſtand, that the ſigne of the Croſſe is venerable, and worthy to be adored. For he hath an holy vſe & ſignification. Neither is it material that he conſiſteth in a matter and action tranſeunt, becauſe the only diuerſity of matter, when the figure and ſignification is the ſame, doth not hinder adoration. Our other witnes is Vazquez. Whoſe maine theame runneth in theſe wordes,lVazq. de adorat. lib. 3. diſputat. 2. cap. 2. pag. 487. Non ſolum cruxilla, &c. Not onelyonly is that Croſſe to be adored, on which Chriſt died, but alſo eueryevery figure of the Croſſe, whether it be carued or painted, in ſome matter permanent, or whether it be faſhioned with the hand or with the fingers in the ayre, then which, what can bee playner ſpoken on our ſide? Fiftly, Our owne writers are our witneſſes in this truth. Yea, our enemies their owne iudges.mSymon Goulart. i… Cypri. epiſt. 56. fol. 158. Goulartius is cited againſt vsus by Maiſter Hooker. Now he findeth euen manifold Idolatries in the aereall ſigne of the Croſſe. So that although it were indifferent when the Fathers firſt vſed it, yet now he holdeth it no longer Indifferent, but an Idoll to be aboliſhed.nLamb. Dan. com. 7. li. …. c. …9 Danaeus giueth his iudgement thus, Etiam crucis ſigno in aere facto, &c. Euen to the aereall Croſſe which hath no ſubſiſtence. Bellarmine contendeth, religious worſhip ought to be giuen.oGuil. whitak. cont. Dur. lib. 10. pag. 859. Doctor Whitakers anſwering Duraeus, about the aereall Croſſe, hath theſe words, Idololatriam veſtram, &c. Your Idolatry and ſuperſtition whereby you worſhip the Croſſe with Latria, and ſigne your ſelues daily with Croſſes innumerable, as the Diuels do like well, ſo all good men with all their hearts deteſt with execration. Nay our moſt bitter oppoſites themſelues, that moſt deſire to cleare the Croſſe, hauehave felt the light of this truth ſo brightly ſhining in their owne conſciences, as that one of them acknowledgeth that the verypS. Harſnet in declarat. of Weſtons impoſtures cap. 20. expreſſion and ſignification of the Croſſe, is the ſame to the Papiſts, that the horne of Iupiters Goate, was to the heathens, and that they giuegive to it the ſupreme honour of our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe. AnqGab. Powell. de Antich. lib. 2. cap. 10. theſ. 11. other citeth out of Vazquez, that they worſhip the Croſſe and the ſigne thereof (to wit) the aereall ſigne, for that is Vazques Doctrine. ArTho. Hutton. ag. Deuonſhiere miniſt. third maketh this difference betweene the aereall Croſſe of the Papiſts, and ours at home, that they worſhip theirs, but we doe not ours. Neither hath the ſhift which ſome hauehave broached any couert to hide them. They onelyonly giuegive a reuerence to it (ſay they) whereas the materiall Croſſe they worſhip euen with Latria which is the worſhip of God himſelfe. For to omit all former profes which manifeſtly ſhew, they worſhip the aereall ſigne in the very ſame manner with the Materiall? What diſtinction call you this which is without difference? For doe not the Papiſts directly tell vsus, thatsVanq de adorat. li. 1. ca. 1. Idem ſunt reuerentia & adoratio, Reuerence and adoration are one and the ſame, that which Doctor Fulke long ſince obſerued. He confoundeth reuerence and adoration. Conſider the titles themſelues of their Treatiſes▪ Goe they not thus,tDoct, Fulk ag▪ Saund. of imag. cap. 13. De veneratione, when they write of the worſhip due to theuDurand. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 materiall Croſſe it ſelfe, or towSuar. in Tho. tom. 1. diſputat. 55. reliques, or toxIoh. Eckius. Enchirid. Saints? All which worſhips are Idolatrous? Conſider the reaſons vſed in their Treatiſes, proue they not theyIoh. Gropper. de Euchariſt. Euchariſte, the Image, theaRhem. in Mat. 4. ſect. 3. apud Fulk. ibid. relique, muſt be adored, becauſe they are venerabiles? Conſider (laſtly) the concluſions of their Treatiſes. We hauehave (bCoſter. Enchirid. cap. 11. ſumma veneratio) aſcribed by them, to the aereall ſigne of the Croſſe. When the higheſt adoration which they giuegive to the greateſt Image is but acLaurent. Surius. in monitiuncul. ante Concil. Nicen. …. reuerence; a godlydGreg. Mart. in diſcouer of Engliſh tranſlat. cap. 3. ſect. 16. reuerence; a dueeRhem. in Act. 17. ſect. 4. reuerence; a ſmallfW. Biſhop. ag. reformed Catholique. cap. de imag. reuerence; to wit, ſuch a ſmallgConcil. Nicen. 2. act. 2. pag. 69. reuerence onelyonly, as is that reuerent ſalutation which we ſinfull men doe giuegive in louelove one to an other.