of the blessed Virgin, or other saints? Why he keeps them by him to preserve in his mind the memory of the persons represented by them; as people are wont to preserve the memory of their deceased friends by keeping their pictures. He is taught to use them, so as to cast his eyes upon the pictures or images, and thence to raise his heart to the things represented, and there to employ it in meditation, love, and thanksgiving, desire of imitation, &c. as the object requires: as many good Christians, placing a Death's head before them, from the sight of it, take occasion to reflect often upon their last end, in order to their better preparing for it; or by seeing Old Time painted with his fore-lock, hour glass, and scythe, turn their thoughts upon the swiftness of time, and that whosoever neglects the present is in danger of beginning then to desire to lay hold of it when there is no more to come. These pictures or images having this advantage, that they inform the mind by one glance of what in reading might require a whole chapter. There being no other difference between them, than that reading represents leisurely, and by degrees; and a picture all at once. Hence he finds a convenience in saying his prayers with some devout pictures before him, he being no sooner distracted but the sight of these recals his wandering thoughts to the right object; and as certainly brings something good into his mind, as an immodest picture disturbs his heart with filthy thoughts. And because he is sensible that these holy pictures and images represent and bring to his mind such objects, as in his heart he loves, honours, and venerates; he cannot but upon that account love, honour, and respect the images themselves. As whosoever loves their husband, child, or friend, cannot but have some love and respect for their pictures; whosoever loves and honours his king, will have some honour and regard for his image. Not that he venerates any image or picture, for any virtue or divinity believed to be in them, or for any thing that is to be petitioned of them; but because the honour, that is exhibited to them, is referred to those whom they represent. So that it is not properly the images he honours, but Christ and his saints by the images as it is not properly the images or pictures of kings or other men that we respect or injure: but by their images or pictures we respect or injure the persons themselves. All the veneration therefore he expresses before all images, whether by kneeling, lifting up the eyes, burn

ing candles, incense, &c. it is not at all done for the image, but is wholly referred to the things represented, which he intends to honour by these actions, and how by so doing, he breaks the second commandment, he cannot conceive; for he acknowledges only one God, and to him alone gives sovereign honour; and whatsoever respect he shews to a crucifix, picture, or image, seems to him no more injurious to any of the commandments, than it is for a Christian to love and honour his neighbour, because he bears the image of God in his soul; to kiss and esteem the Bible, because it contains and represents to him God's word; or to love a good preacher, because he reminds him of his duty; all which respects do not at all derogate from God Almighty's honour; but are rather testimonies of our great love and honour of him, since, for his sake, we love and esteem every thing that has any respect or relation to him.

2. Of worshipping Saints.-The Papist truly represented believes there is only one God, and that it is a most damnable idolatry to make gods of men, either living or dead. His Church teaches him indeed, and he believes that it is good and profitable to desire the intercession of saints reigning with Christ in heaven; but that they are gods or his redeemer is no where taught; but detests all such doctrine. He confesses that we are all redeemed by the blood of Christ alone, and that he is our only Mediator of redemption: but as for mediators of intercession, (that is, such as we may lawfully desire to pray for us) he does not doubt, but it is acceptable to God, we should have many. Moses was such a mediator for the Israelites; Job for his three friends; Stephen for his persecutors. The Romans were thus desired by St. Paul to be his mediators; so were the Corinthians, so the Ephesians; so almost every sick man desires the congregation to be his mediators, by remembering him in their prayers. And so the Papist desires the blessed in heaven to be his mediators; that is, that they would pray to God for him. And in this he does not at all neglect coming to God, or rob him of his honour; but directing all his prayers up to him, and making him the ultimate object of all his petitions, he only desires sometimes the just on earth, sometimes those in heaven to join their prayers to his, that so the number of petitioners being increased, the petition may find better ac

the sight of God. And this is not to make that havy petitioners to God; it is not to make omers, but only intercessors to his Redeemer; - 10 hopes of obtaining any thing but of God alone, ugh the merits of Christ; for which he desires

s in heaven, and good men upon earth, to offer up ayers with his; the prayers of the just availing much More God. But now, how the saints in heaven know the vers and necessities of such who address themselves to them, whether by the ministry of angels, or in the vision of God, or by some particular revelation, it is no part of his faith, nor is it much his concern it should be determined. For his part he does not doubt, but that God, who acquainted the prophets with the knowledge of things, that were yet to come many hundred years after; that informed Elisha of the King of Syria's council, though privately resolved on, in his bed-chamber, and at a distance, can never want means of letting the saints know the desires of those who beg their intercession here on earth: especially since our Saviour in forms us, that Abraham heard the petitions of Dives, who was as yet at a greater distance, even in hell; and told him likewise the manner of his living, while as yet on earth. Nay, since it is generally allowed, that even the very devils hear these desperate wretches who call on them, why then should he doubt that the saints want this privilege, who, though departed this life, are not so properly dead, as trans lated from a mortal life to an immortal one; where, enjoy ing God Almighty, they lose no perfections which they enjoyed while on earth, but possess all in a more eminent manner; having more charity, more knowledge, more interest with God than ever, and becoming like angels. And as these offered up their prayers for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, so undoubtedly they likewise fall down be fore the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. Apoc. v.8.

3. Of addressing more Supplications to the Virgin Mary than to Christ.-The Papist truly represented believes it damnable to think the Virgin Mary more power. ful in heaven than Christ; or that she can in any thing com→ mand him. He honours her indeed, as one that was chosen to be the mother of God, and blessed amongst all women;

and believes her to be most acceptable to God, in her intercession for us: but owning her still as a creature, and that all she has of excellency is the gift of God, proceeding from his mere goodness. Neither does he at any time say even so much as one prayer to her, but what is directed more particularly to God; because offered up as a thankful memorial of Christ's incarnation, and acknowledgment of the blessedness of Jesus the fruit of her womb: and this without imagining there is any more dishonouring of God in his reciting the Angelical Salutation, than in his first pronouncing it by the Angel Gabriel and Elizabeth; or that his frequent repetition of it is any more an idle superstition than it was in David to repeat the same words over twenty-six times in the 126th Psalm.

4. Of paying divine Worship to Relics.-The Papist truly represented believes it damnable to think there is any divinity in the relics of saints, or to adore them with divine honour, or to pray to their rotten bones, old rags or shrines, or that they can work any strange cures or miracles, by any hidden power of their own. But he believes it good and lawful to keep them with veneration, and to give them a religious honour and respect. And this he thinks due to them, inasmuch as knowing himself obliged to respect and honour God Almighty from his heart; he looks upon himself as obliged to respect and honour every thing that has any particular relation to him; but this with an inferior honour; such as the Jews shewed to the Ark, to the Tables of the Law, to Moses's rod, to the Temple, to the Priests. Such as we generally allow the Bible, because it contains God's word; to the church, because it is God's house; to holy men and priests, because they are God's servants. And so he does to relics, because they appertain to God's favourites: and being insensible things, are yet sensible pledges, and lively memorials of Christ's servants, dead indeed to this world, but alive with him in glory. And more especially because God himself has been pleased to honour them, by making them instruments of many evident miracles which he has visibly worked by them; as is evident upon undeniable record. And this he believes as easy for God Almighty now, and as much redounding to the honour of his holy name, as it is in the old law, to work such miraculous effects by Moses's rod, by Elias's

mantle, after he was taken up into heaven, Eliseus's bones, and infinite other such like insensible things: and also in the new law, by the hem of his own garment, by the shadow of St. Peter, by the napkins and handkerchiefs that had but touched the body of St. Paul, casting out devils, and curing diseases, and such like. And thus by having a veneration and respect for these, he honours God: and does not doubt, but that they that contemn and profane these, do the like to God, as much as they did who profaned the bread of propitiation, the temple, and vessels that belonged to it.

5. Of the Eucharist.-The Papist truly represented believes it abominable to commit any kind of idolatry; and most damnable to worship or adore a breaden god, or to give divine hononr to the elements of bread and wine. He worships only one God, who made heaven and earth, and his only Son Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who, being in all things equal to his Father, in truth and omnipotency, he believes, made his words good, pronounced at his last supper; really giving his body and blood to his apostles; the species or accidence of bread and wine, remaining as before. The same he believes of the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, consecrated now by priests; that it really contains the body of Christ, which was delivered for us; and his blood, which was shed for the remission of sins: which being there united with the divinity, he confesses whole Christ to be present, And him he adores and acknowledges his Redeemer, and not any bread or wine. And for the believing of this mystery, he does not at all think it meet for any Christian to appeal from Christ's word to his own senses or reason, for the examining the truth of what he has said, but rather to submit his senses and reason to Christ's words in the obsequiousness of faith; and that being the son of Abraham, it is more becoming him to believe as Abraham did, promptly with a faith superior to all sense or reason, and whither these could never lead him. With this faith it is he believes every mystery of his religion, the Trinity, Incarnation, &c.; with this faith he believes, that what descended upon our Saviour at his baptism in Jordan, was really the Holy Ghost, though senses or reason could discover it to be nothing but a dove; with this faith he believes, that the man that Joshua saw