:^'/^3j^j^ - "/fa/hi c- /7S3 
 
 
 7 
 
 — . ■ • / , /< 
 
 
^/. 5Mr 
 
Dr, Mayhew's 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 O N 
 
 POPISH IDOLATRY. 
 
 liUt^ 
 
POPISH IDOLATRY ; 
 
 A 
 
 D I-^ C O U R S E 
 
 PELIVERED IN THE 
 
 CHAPEL OF HARVARD-COLLEGE 
 
 IN 
 
 CAMBRIDGE, NEW-ENGLAND^ 
 May 8. 1765. 
 
 AT THE 
 
 LECTURE founded by the Honorable 
 
 PAUL DUDLEY, Esc^uire, 
 
 B Y 
 
 Jonathan Mayhew, D. D. 
 
 Pastor of the West Church in Boston. 
 
 ^ ' If any man that is called a brother be — an idolater-— 
 
 ' with fuch an one no not to eat.' Apoftle Paul. 
 . ' Be not deceived : Neither fornicators, nor idolaters 
 
 ♦ (hall inherit the kingdom of God.' Idem. 
 c— — ' Idolaters — fhall have their part in the lake which burnetla 
 
 ' with fire and brimPione ; which is the fecond death,' 
 
 Apoftle John, 
 . 'Without are dogs and idolaters' Id. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 Prioted by R.Sc S. Draper, Edes &GiLL,andT. &J. Fleet 
 
 MOCCLXTo 
 
J 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 2 Corinth. VI. i6. 
 
 ^-^What agreement hath the temple of 
 GOD with idols ?— 
 
 0>^xOx^>-<QW O branches of the popifh con- 
 ^ -^-^-^J- 'i troverfy, viz. the infalHbility 
 6 T T O ^'""^ fupremacy claimed by the 
 I T_ ^ 5 bifhop and church of Rome, 
 Q^X^A ^^^^^ handled by the two aged 
 ""^ and learned divines t» whom I 
 have the honor to fuccecd in this department 
 of the Dudleian LeBurc. It is now propofed, 
 by divine affillance, to offer fomething con- 
 cerning the idolatry of that church ; it being 
 one of the capital errors objedled againft her. 
 This branch of the controverfy alone is ^o 
 fruitful, that it would require many difcourfcs 
 to handle it in all its extent and variety. 
 This learned audience will, therefore, expeft 
 nothing more in a fingle difcourfe, tho' long, 
 than a general idea of popifh idolatry ; an 
 imperfed iketch, the outlines of it. 
 
 Idolatry 
 
 I The Rev. Edwaro Wigguesv/orth, D. D. late 
 Hoi>Li3 Pfofeflbr of Divinity ; and the J^ey, Mr. 
 
 Thomas FoscRcrr^ of Boston,, 
 
6 The Idolatry ofworjhipping 
 
 Idolatry confifts in general in the fervice of 
 idols, or falfe, imaginary deities. But this,. like 
 all other crimes, admits of various degrees. 
 The vvorfhip of a creature under the formal 
 notion of its being the true God, exclufively 
 of him, is the grofiell kind of idolatry. The 
 worfhip of any creature in common with him, 
 as though it were equally God, is a lower, but 
 flill very high degree of it. A third fpecics 
 thereof is paying fuch fervice to creatures, un- 
 der the notion of religion, as God hath forbid- 
 den, and as tliey are unworthy of ; although 
 it may be profeftedly paid to them, not as gods, 
 but in fubordination to him, as the ultimate 
 obje(fl of worlhip. It is alfo idolatry to wor- 
 ihip the true God by images, or under any 
 fuppofed material reprefentations of him. And 
 it may be laid down as a general rule, that all 
 fuch practices as the fcripture hath condemned 
 as idolatrous in Jews or Pagans, are equally 
 idolatrous in profcfTcd Chriflians. 
 
 Proteflants have not accufed Papifts of the 
 firft and grofTcfl: kind of idolatry, or worlhip- 
 ping idols exclufively of the true God ; but 
 they have charged them with all the others : 
 And to make good this old accufation, is the 
 "bufinefs now before me. In the profecution 
 of which, a fummary account will be given of 
 the doctrine and practice of the church of 
 Rome refpecling the worHiip of the eucharid, 
 faints v^nd angels, pi^flures and images. 
 
 Chriflians 
 
the Eucharijh y. 
 
 Chriftians early began to fpeak too myfli- 
 cally, not to fay unintelligibly, concerning the 
 euchariil, or Lord's fupper. They did fo more 
 and morcjtillthe doctrine of tranfubllanciation, 
 and the worlhip of the facrament, wereiully 
 eflablifhed. The council of Trent, confirmed 
 by pope Pius IV, and confidered as an authen- 
 tic itandard of popery, defines the doetrine of 
 the church of Rome as to this, and many other 
 points, more particularly than had been done 
 by any former council. In iefTion 13th that 
 council declareth as follows : ' Principio do- 
 ' cet fanda fynodus,' &c. In the firji place the 
 holy fynod t cachet h, and openly and Jimply pro- 
 fejjeth, thdt in the pure Jacrament of the holy 
 cHcharift^ after the confecratlon of the bread 
 and luine^ our Lord Jefus Chr'ift, true God and-. 
 vian, is truly ^ really and fiihftantially contained un- 
 der the fpecies [or appearances] of thofe fenfihls 
 things^. This great myftery is increafed in 
 chapter 3d of the fame feflion, where the coun- 
 cil attempts to explain it. It is there faid, 
 * Statim pofl confecrationcm,' &c. That ini- 
 mediately after confecratlon^ the true body of our. 
 Lord^ and his true bloody exift under the fpecies of 
 bread and ivine ^together ^anth his foul andDivinity ; 
 his body indeed under the fpecies of bread, end his 
 blood under the fpecies of wine, by virtue of the 
 I'jords [of confecration ;] but the body itf elf un- 
 der the fpecies ofivifie, and the blood under the 
 fpecies oj bread, and the foul under both, by virtue 
 of thai natural connexion and concomitancj, by 'cuhich 
 
 the 
 
 ■\ Cone, Trident. S^ciT. 13. .c,?p; i. 
 
8 T^t? Idolatry of worjhipping 
 
 the parts of Cbriji the Lord, who prefentJy roje 
 from the dead to die no more^ are united together ; 
 and alfb theDivinity, becati/e of the admirable hy- 
 poftatical union thereof -with the body and foul. 
 Wherefore it is mofi true, that one and the fame 
 thing [or as much*] is contained under either 
 fpecies, and under both : for whole and perfeB 
 Chrif} exifleth under the fpecies of bread, and un- 
 der every part of its fpecies ; alfo under the fpe- 
 cies ofiuine, and under its parts. 
 
 Thus thefe venerable fathers. And this 
 wonderful change of the bread and wine is 
 faid, in the next chapter, to have been conve- 
 niently and properly called tranfuhflantiation. It 
 follows, chapter jth, * Nullus itaque dubitandi 
 * locus relinquitur,' &c. There is therefore no 
 room left for doubt, but that ail the faithful of 
 Chrift, according to the praBice ever received in 
 the catholic church, fould in reverence give the 
 worfiip of latria, which is due to the true God, 
 ta this 7noft holy facrament. For neither is it 
 therefore the lefs to be adored, becmfe it was in- 
 flltuted by Chrift the Lord, to be taken [or eaten 
 and drunk] J. Thus the council : And in the 
 Roman ritual this lacramcnt is honored with 
 the title of our Creator. 
 
 It muft be obfcrved here, that the church 
 of Rome diilinguifhes wordiip into latria, du- 
 lia, hyperdulia and coadoration. By the firll 
 of which, latria, they underfland the higheft 
 kind of worfliip, or that which is due to God 
 alone. And the council of Trent exprefly 
 
 declares, 
 
 * tantwrnOcfn. % ut fumatur. 
 
the Euchar'jft, ^ 
 
 declares, that the eucharlft is to be worfhipped 
 therewith. The do(rrrine and pra(5lice of the 
 church of Rome in this refpe<5l are exactly con- 
 formable to each other. The eucharift is wor- 
 fhipped by them in the moftfolemn manner, with 
 proftrations, prayers and incenfe. The hoft is 
 often carried in proceflions, with the greated 
 folemnity : And thofe who are but cafually pre- 
 fent where it paiTes along, are obliged to kneel 
 down, as in an ad: of worlhip to God ; unlefs, 
 perhaps, they will run the rifque of the inqui- 
 fition, or of being knocked on the head by the 
 devout rabble that attend it.* 
 
 B Their 
 
 * it IS well known, that the chief accufation againft the old 
 reformers, was, that they denied tranfubftantiation ; tho' 
 feme even of thofe who fuffered death, particularly John Hus 
 and Jerom of Prague, did not differ matefiaUy from the 
 oliurch of Rome in this point ; as plainly appears from Monf. 
 Lenfant's Hiftory of th.e council of Conjiance. And what great 
 ftrefs the cliurch of Rome lays upon this doflrine, as a mod 
 ciiriinguilhing and eifenti^l article of faith, will further appear 
 from the canons, i. e. curfes, of the council of Trent, fefl", 13. 
 ^:oii^L' of which are here faithfully tranflated, partly with that 
 view, and partly with a view to give the unlearned reader a 
 clearer idea of what the church of Rome holds, as to this 
 matter. They are as follows. 
 
 Canon i. "Si quis negaverir,' &c. * If any one {hall deny, that 
 in the moil holy facrament of the eucharift the body and blood, 
 together with the foul and divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 are truly, really and fubftantiaUy contained, and therefore 
 ■whole Chrift ; but fhall fay, they are in it only as in a fign, 
 or figure, or in virtue ; let him be anathema,'' 
 
 Can. II. ' If anyone lliall fay, that the fubUance of bread and 
 wine remain in the holy facrament of the eucharift, together 
 with the body and blood of our Lord Jefus Chrill ; and fhall 
 deny that admirable and fingular converfion of the whole 
 fublUcce of bread into body, aod of the whole fubftance of 
 
 •wine 
 
io The Idolatry of worjlnpping 
 
 , Their dot^rine and worfhip being harmo- 
 nious in this refpe^l ; it follows, that if the 
 do<51rine of tranfubliantiation is falfe, their wor- 
 fhip grounded thereon is idolatry. It is be- 
 yond the defign of this difcourfe to enter into 
 a particular difcufiion of that do6lnne, or the 
 arguments by which it is defended : It Ihall 
 fuffice to obferve a few things with relation 
 thereto. 
 
 This do(5trine is as plainly abfurd, felf-re- 
 pugnant, and impoffible to be true, as any one 
 that can be imagined. For what can be more 
 .fo, than that bread and wine fhould be changed 
 into the very body and blood of Chrift; while 
 yet all the known properties of bread and wine 
 remain, without the fubje6t or fubftance ; and 
 none of the peculiar properties of flefh or 
 blood are perceived ? What more impoilible, 
 than that this bread and wine fhould alfo be 
 changed, at the fame time, into an human foul, 
 and into the very fubftance of the Deity ? This 
 
 do6trine 
 
 wine into blood, the fpecies [or appearance] only of bread 
 and wine remaining; which converfion, indeed, the catholic 
 church moft fiUy calls tranfubftantiation; \eth.\vciht anathema.^ 
 
 Can. III. ♦ if any one fhall deny, that in the venerable facra- 
 ment of the evicharift whole Chrift is contained under each 
 fpecies, and under the feveral parts of each fpecies ; let him 
 be anathema.^ 
 
 On. VI, ' If any one (hall fay, that in the holy facrament of 
 the eucharift, Chrift the only begotten Son of God is not to 
 be adored with the worfhip of latria, even external ; — let 
 him be anathema.* 
 
 So important a dodrine is this, in the church of Rome : And 
 more perfons, it is apprehended, have fuffered death from her 
 for denying it, and refufmg to worfiiip the eucharift, than for 
 ^rty other Ibppofed hsrefy whatever. 
 
the Eucharljl, 1 1 
 
 d[0(5lrlne fuppofcs alfo, that the fame undivided 
 body of Chrifl: may be wholly in heaven and 
 wholly on earth, and in ten million different 
 places on earth, at the fame time. It fuppofes; 
 that tho' the bread is wholly changed into body, 
 and the wine wholly into blood ; yet both the 
 body and blood of Chrifl:, the foul and Divinity, 
 exifl: wholly and perfectly under each of the 
 fpecies feperately confidered, and under every 
 part thereof, be they ever fo minute and nume- 
 rous: Every apparent crumb of confecrated 
 wafer, and each drop of confecrated wine, how- 
 ever fmall, contains whole, in tire Chrifl un- 
 der that fpecies ; body, blood, foul and Divi- 
 nity ; and yet it is owned, that there is but one 
 Chrifl ! Befides ; this doctrine fuppofes, that 
 when our Lord inflitutcd the fupper, he took 
 his whole body into his ov/n hand, which was 
 but a part of it ; put himfelf into his own 
 mouth, fwallowed down his intire body in- 
 to his flomach, and at the fame time gave his 
 body and blood to be wholly eaten and drunk 
 by each of his apoflles ! Could the mofl fertile 
 imagination invent groffer, more ridiculous, or 
 more impious incongruities ? 
 
 The evidence of fenfe is the moft certain, 
 that we are capable of; and by this we know 
 that tranfubflantiation is falfe. The Romanifl's 
 do not pretend to deny, but that all the five 
 fenfes bear teflimony againft it, as much as they 
 pofTibly could if it were falfe, or if the bread 
 and wine remained after the iu^olinfj, hocu?- 
 
 B 2 pOCU=J 
 
X2 The Idolatry of -worjhippmg 
 
 pocusf trick, which they term confecration. 
 It is, therefore, at beft weak and puerile, in fuch 
 a cafe as this, to urge the teflimony of fcripture, 
 or divine revelation. For the truth oftheChrif- 
 tian revelation itfelf depends on the truth of 
 certain fads, by which there was an appeal made 
 to the fenfcs of men ; particularly the miracles 
 and refurrecftion of our Saviour. The evidence 
 of fenfe being fet afide as precarious, it cannot 
 be proved that ever our Lord uttered thofc 
 words, * This is my body' ; that he had any 
 body at all ; or that there was ever fuch a per- 
 fon in the world, as ' the man Chrift Jefus,' In 
 diftindlion from a mere phantafm, or, in the 
 language of our adverfarics, from the /pedes of 
 a man. Thus does the church of Rome, by 
 this doiftrinc, fubvert the very foundations of 
 chriflianity. We cannot be more certain, that 
 any one thing in nature is what it appears 
 to be, and not another, the mod different 
 therefrom, than that true bread and wine re- 
 main after ccufecration ; and confcquently, 
 that tranfubllantiation is the grofFcfl: impofition 
 and infult, that ever the priclHiood itfelf put 
 ppon the fuperlHtious creiiulity of mankind. 
 
 This do(flrine then, being plainly falfe, the 
 church of Rome is certainly guilty of idolatry^ 
 in worfliipping the eucharift as true God. For 
 what is idolatry, if it be not fo, to believe a 
 creature to be the Creator, and to pay divine 
 hom.agc thereto accordingly I Befides ; when, 
 
 to 
 
 f Hocus-pocus ftems onl/ a rornint pronunciatu-n uf livs 
 ■Jj} cor^m, • ■ 
 
the Euchariji, 15 
 
 to juftify their worlhip of the cucharift, fo 
 often objected again ft as idolatry, they alledge 
 tranfubftantiation ; making this fuppofed change 
 the ground of their worfhip ; this is an implicit 
 acknowledgment, that their worfhip would 
 actually be idolatrous, M there were no fuch 
 change : For why is this alledged, to exculpate 
 themfelves, if their worfhip of the eucharift 
 would not be idolatry without it ? 
 
 Some Roman-catholics have, indeed, ex- 
 prefly owned this confequencc. Cofterus par- 
 ricularly, a iearned jel'uit, exprelTeth himfelf 
 very llrongly, as cited by doflcr H. More. 
 Saith he, ' The errors of thofe were more to- 
 *■ ierable, who worfhipped fome golden or filvcr 
 
 * ilatue, or fome image of any other materials, 
 
 * for their God, as the heathen worfhipped 
 
 * their gods ; or a red cloth hung upon the 
 ' top of a fpear, as is reported of the Laplan- 
 
 * dcrs ; or fome IPve animal, as of old the 
 
 * Egyptians did ; than thofe who worfhip a 
 
 * bit of bread, as hitherto the Chriftians have 
 
 * done all over the world, if the doftrine of 
 
 * tranfubftantiation be not true.' Thus do 
 fome Roman-catholics fully agree with us in 
 this confequence ; but others deny it. And 
 the fubftance of what the latter fay, is, That 
 tlio' tranfubftatiation fhould be falfe ; yet the 
 Deity is certainly there prefent in the bread and 
 wine, fo that they do not mifs of the proper 
 oh]tt\ of adoration, while they feem to wor- 
 ship thcfe materi'^i objcfts • And, that they 
 
 eannof 
 
1^ The Idolatry of ivorpiipping 
 
 cannot be juftly charged with idolatry, becaufe 
 they do not intentionally worlhip a creature, 
 knowing it to, be fo, but firmly believing it to 
 be true God. Thus they try to exculpate 
 themfelves, on the very difagreeable fuppofition 
 that tranfubftantiation is an error, and their in- 
 fallibility miftakcn ; whether effectually, or not, 
 jpiay appear from the following confidcrations. 
 The divine nature is efTentialiy eyery-where ; 
 intimately and equally prefent in all fenfible 
 pbje(fls throughout the univerfe. And if mere- 
 ly the divine prefence in an object, will excufe 
 its worlhippcrs from idolatry, then all other 
 creatures may be worfhipped without idolatry, 
 as well as the eucharift ; provided the wor-r 
 fhippcrs intentionally dir€<^ their devotions 
 ultimately, not to thefe objeCls abftra<^tly con- 
 fidered, but as fymbols of the, Deity prefent in 
 ^hern. This is a plain confequence, and allow- 
 ed by fome Koman-catholics. Thus, np perfon, 
 who is a believer in the true God, an omni- 
 prefent being, can ever be guilty of idolatry, 
 how m.any material objeds ioever he may 
 worfhip in the fame fenfe that the Romanics 
 worjfhip bread and wine in the eucharift. Tho' 
 ^e^ch of thefe objecfls is fuppofed to be God, 
 .'and worfhipped under that perfuafion ; and 
 tho' the votary would be millaken in this 
 refpc<5l ; yet he would not mifs of the proper 
 objecl of adoration, becaufe, the v/orft come to 
 the worft, God is prefent therein, whom he 
 intends to worfliip ; which is fufficicnt to clear 
 
 him 
 
the lEuchariji. ij 
 
 him from idolatry. For example ; if one per- 
 fon fhould worfhip the fun, another an image 
 of wood or brafs, a third a man, a fourth, i. 
 beaft, and the fifth a devil, even with latria j 
 each of the devonionifts being fo infatuated a'S 
 to believe the object of his worfhip the living 
 and true God ; Roman-catholics could not, 
 upon the principle aforelaid, chargic them with 
 idolatry ; or do it without condemning them- 
 felves. They would, indeed, be miftaken, but 
 not idolaters ; becaufe it was their intention to 
 worfhip the true God. 
 
 But all idolatry, when people are flnccrc in 
 their worfhip, fuppofeth fome miflake, or error 
 in the judgment, either as to the obje^ or the 
 a6t of worfhip. Without fome erroneous bpi- 
 nions there can be no idolatry : And, as a 
 learned divine hath juftly obferved, where this 
 fin is committed the mofi in good earneji^ there 
 is the greatelt miftake in the judgment of the 
 worfhippcr. But they who alledge, thdt a 
 miftake with refpe(5t to tranfubftantiatioh, if it 
 be really one, excufes the worfhippers of the 
 bread and wine from idolatry, becaufe they 
 think they are worfhipping God ; do in effed 
 fay, that idolatry cannot be committed by any 
 one, who is fo erroneous as to believe the 
 creature he worfhippeth to be God mofi high. 
 This is quite abfurd : For according to this 
 way of rcafoning, the more ignorantly and ftu- 
 pidly any worfhip mere creatures, believing their 
 proper D^ity, and ths more devoutly they adore 
 
 them I 
 
1 6 The Idolatry of -worjhipplng 
 
 them ; fo much lefs liable they are to the im- 
 putation of idolatry. But the direft contrary 
 is manifeftly true : By how much more fin- 
 cerely any believe a creature to be the true 
 God, and worfhip it as fuch ; by fo much the 
 more grofs is their idolatry. Let us fuppofe, 
 for illuftration, that among the Ifraelites of old, 
 who worfhlpped golden calves, there were per- 
 fbns of different opinions ; that fome adored 
 them merely as fymbols, or reprefentations of 
 the true God ; but that others were fo fottlfii 
 as to believe the calf, to which they bowed 
 down, was really Jehovah himfelf under the 
 appearance ot /pedes of a calf; even the very 
 God that created, and brought them out of 
 Egypt. Now, on this fuppofition, would any 
 fenfible man fay, that the former were, indeed, 
 guilty of idolatry, but not the latter ; becaufe 
 they believed this four-footed beaft to be their 
 Creator \ Ought it not to be faid, on the con- 
 trary, that they were, for that very reafon, 
 more brutifh idolaters than the others, who 
 worfhipped it only as an image or fymbol of 
 the Godhead ? Or let us apply this to the 
 heathens. The ignorant vulgar, who worfhip- 
 ped fenfible objefts as real deities, were ever 
 and juftly accounted more fottifh idolaters than 
 thofe fpeculative perfons, who had no fuch high 
 opinion of thefe objefts, but worfhipped them 
 merely as reprefentations of the gods ; or rather, 
 as fome of them feem to have done, of the vari- 
 ous powers, virtues and perfeflions of one 
 
 almighty, 
 
the Euchariji. 17 
 
 almighty, fpirkual and Invlfible being. Thus, if 
 among the andent Perfians fome adored the 
 rifing fun, only as the moft glorious fymboi of 
 rile Deity, and a principal mean or inftrument 
 cf his munificence, while others worfhipped it 
 as' being itfelf God ; the idolatry of the latter 
 was certainly more grofs than that of the for- 
 mer. By the fame rule, the more fincerely 
 any believe tranlubftantiation, and worfhip the 
 eiicharifl- as God ; the more fottifh is their ido- 
 latry. Their idolatry would be lefs fcandalous, 
 thb' real, if they worfhipped it merely as a re- 
 prefentation oFthe Deity, or a facred memorial 
 of our redemption by Chrift. And here it is 
 natural to obferve, that the idolatry of the Ro- 
 manifts is more grofs in this refpecfl-, than that 
 of the Ifraelites in worihipping golden calves, 
 or than many perfons, even among the Pagans, 
 were chargeable with. There is no good rea- 
 foil' to think, that the Ifraelites believed a gol- 
 den calf, which they had juft made, to be the 
 triieGod, theirCreator ; as the Papifh do, bread 
 and wine. And it is certain, that fome of the 
 more intelligent heathens difclaimed, with much 
 indignation, the thought of worfhipping any 
 material obje(5ls , otherwife than as fymbols of 
 the Deity ; while the vulgar adored them, as 
 having divinity belonging to them. So that 
 popifh idolatry, in this refped, approachedi 
 nearer to that of vulgar Pagans, than to that of 
 the more enlightened among them. And in- 
 deed, none of them were ever fo brutal and 
 favage, as to eat what he took for a deity : at 
 C leait 
 
I 8 l.'he Idolatry oj worjhipping 
 
 leaft we read of no fuch fed: as that of God- 
 eaters, even in the moft barbarous nations 
 and ages. And ic is certain that theEgy ptians, 
 who worfliipped many forts of animals, roots 
 and vegetables, that were good for food, as 
 gods ; yet thought it impious at once to adore 
 and devour them : But the Papiits, it fccms, 
 are lefs delicate, or fqueamifh. 
 
 Let me difmifs this part of thcfubjecl with 
 a remark of the late Dr. Middleton, agreeable 
 to what was juil: now faid, in his excellent 
 Letter from Kome, fliewing an exac^l con- 
 formity between popery and paganifm in 
 many particulars. ' As to that celebrated 
 
 * ad of popifh idolatry, the worfliip of the 
 ' hofl,' faith he, ' I mud confefs, that I can- 
 
 * not find the lead refemblance of it in any 
 
 * part of the pagan worfhip : and as often as 
 ^ I have been llanding by at mafs, and feen 
 
 * the whole congregation proftrate on the 
 
 * ground, in the humbled pollute of adoring; 
 
 * I could not help reflecting on a padage of 
 
 * Tully, when fpeaking of the ablurdity of 
 ' the heathens in the choice of their gods : 
 
 * But lUcis inaii, fays he, ever fo mad as to take 
 
 * ti)at which he feeds upon far a god ? § This 
 
 * was an extravagance refcrved for popery a- 
 ^ lone: And what an c/^ Roman could not 
 ' but think too grofs even for Egyptian idola- 
 
 * try to fwallow, is now become the princi- 
 ' pal part of worlhip, and the mod didinguiih- 
 
 * ing article of faith, in modern Rome.* 
 
 LET 
 
 ^ Scd ecquem tarn amentcctt cflc putas, qui iHu-i, quo vefcatur, 
 Dcum crcdat ciTc. Cic. dc Na. Pcor. jjj. 
 
Saints and Angels, 19 
 
 LET us now proceed to the worfliip of 
 faints and angels, as pradifed in tiie fame 
 church ; by which the charge of idolatry will 
 be further fixed upon her. 
 
 The worfliip of demons, or the fouls of 
 renowned perfons after their deceafe, is a very 
 ancient fpecies of idolatry ; as fome fuppofe, 
 even more ancient than the flood. Be that as 
 it may, this became afterward almoft an uni- 
 verfal pradice. For it is pall difpute, that 
 the greater part of the gods and goddeffes 
 worfhipped by the heathens, were demons ; 
 deceafed heroes and kings, the inventors of 
 arts, and other famous perfons, male and fe- 
 male. This kind of worfliip was flriclly pro- 
 hibited to the Ifraelites ; but yet they forae- 
 times fell into it, in conformity to their hea- 
 then neighbours. Chriftianity, which was 
 defigned to be the religion of the world, not 
 of one nation only, was particularly adapted 
 to put an end to this, and all other kinds of 
 fuperfl:itious,falfe worfliip among the Gentiles; 
 and to eftablifli that of one God, by one Me- 
 diator, thro'out the earth. * For there is one 
 
 * God, and one Mediator between God and 
 ' men, the man Chrift Jefus ; who gave him- 
 
 * felf a ranfom for all, to be teilified in due 
 
 * time.'f And * there is none other God but 
 
 * one. Fortho' there be that are called gods, 
 
 * whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be 
 
 * god$ many, and lords many,) but to us there 
 
 * is but one God, the Father, of v*'hom are 
 
 C 2 * all 
 
 t I Tim. ii. ^. 
 
20 l^he Idolatry of worjhipping 
 
 * all things, and we by him ; and oneLord, Jefus 
 
 * Chrilt, &c. ' * The primary bufmefs oi the 
 apoftlcs, when they went among the Gentiles, 
 W'as ro convert them from the worlliip of de- 
 mons, and other idols, to the faith and wor- 
 fhip of the tru-e God. * We preach unto you/ 
 laid they, ' that ye fhould turn from rhefe vani- 
 
 * ties unto thelivingGod, which made heaven 
 
 * and earth, and the fea, and all things that 
 ' are therein '||. Daring the apoftolic age, and 
 fome time after, Chrillians in general were fo 
 averfe to the worfhip of demons, and all other 
 forts of idolatry, that they determinately re- 
 fufed any compliances with the worOiip of 
 their heathen neighbours, even at the expence 
 of their blood. They conlldered the worfhip 
 of angels and demons as inconfiiient with the 
 religion v/high they profeiTed ; and as what 
 would have been an imphcit renunciation of 
 it. But the church of Rome is, in effed:, for 
 reconcihng thefe things together ; even the 
 temple of God "with idols. For many ages paft, 
 the worfhip of demons, or angels, and the 
 fouls of dead men and women, has been fully 
 eftablifhed therein, and as much pia(^fifed as 
 ever thelike worfliip was among the heathens. 
 The chief difference is, that the Romanics do 
 not call the faints or angels gods and goddefles; 
 though, for aught that appears, they attribute 
 as much power to them at leaft, as the pagans 
 did to their inferior deities ; and depend as 
 much upon them. 
 
 The 
 
 * I Cor, vuL 4, 5, 6. |1 A<^3 sir. 
 
Saints and Angels. 21 
 
 The rife and progrefs of this fpecies of idola- 
 try in the Chriftian church, was briefly as 
 follows. The martyrs were juftly held ia 
 great honor after their deceafe. The csemete- 
 ries, or pUces of their burial, ufed to be much 
 frequented, even from the earHeft times : 
 There the people prayed, not to them indeed, 
 but to God ; and fometimes fung hymns in 
 honor of their memory. All this was done 
 for fome time, without any thought of wor- 
 jfhipping them, though not wholly without 
 fuperftition. But an extravagant, and even 
 idolatrous veneration for them fucceeded, at 
 leall: as early as the fourth century. For Vi- 
 gilantius, who lived at the latter end of it, as 
 Dr. Middleton has obferved, publicly charged 
 the ruling clergy with paganizing and idola- 
 try, on account of feveral heathenilh culloms 
 thea in the church ; particularly the veneration 
 of faints and reliques. * We fee, fays he, in 
 
 * efre(fl,a pagan rice introduced into our chur- 
 
 * ches, under the pretext of rehgion ; when 
 
 * heaps of wax candles are lighted up in 
 
 * clear fun-fhine, and people are every-where 
 
 * kifliiig and adoring, I know not what, con- 
 ' temptible dull, preferved in a little veflel, 
 
 * and wrapped up in precious linnen. Thefe 
 ' men do great honor truly to the bleffed mar- 
 
 * tyrs, by lighting up paultry candles to thofe, 
 
 * whom the Lamb in the midft of the throne 
 
 * illuminates with all the luftre of his majefty/ 
 It is faid that Jerom, who attempted to an- 
 
 f'vver 
 
2 2 7/5^ Idolatry of worjhipping 
 
 Iwer Vigilantius, neither difowned thefe prac- 
 tices, nor denied that they were borrowed 
 from the pagan worfhip ; but juftified them 
 by faying, * That was once done to idols, and 
 ' was then to be detefted ; but this is done to 
 * the martyrs, and is therefore to be received.'* 
 So it feems, that even in Jerom's opinion, 
 what was detertable fuperftition and idolatry 
 when done by Pagans in honor of their gods, 
 demi-gods and goddeffes, was good and pious 
 when done by Chrillians in honor of the 
 martyrs : There needed only to transfer the 
 veneration from thofe idols to the faints, 
 in order to render it laudable, at lead ad- 
 miflible : The kind of worfliip might be 
 retained, if the particular objects o'i ic were 
 chingcd, and chriitian demons introduced in- 
 ftead of pagan demons ! 
 
 But worldly policy, as well as fuperftition, 
 had fome hand in eltablifhing faint-wor(hip. 
 When Chriftian teachers became corrupt and 
 worldly-minded, thro' the indifcrete zeal, or, 
 perhaps, policy, of Conllantine the Great, 
 they aimed more at increadng the number of 
 nominal Chriltians, for fecular ends, than that 
 of real ones ; or preferving their religion in 
 its original pjricy and fimplicity. And ac- 
 cordingly, oblcrviiig how attached the Pagans 
 were to the worfhip of their gods and demi- 
 god^jto their magnilicent temples, images, and 
 the feafts kept in honor of their deities ; the 
 Chriftian leaders were for bringing them over, 
 
 by 
 
 • Vid, Lttterffm RemCf the latter end. 
 
Saints and Angels, 23 
 
 by imitating many of their cuftoms. Then 
 fpacious churches were built, fumptuoufly 
 adorned, and dedicated to the martyrs ; pic- 
 tures, images and altars were brought into 
 ufe therein ; and the formal invocation of 
 faints encouraged. Thus Chriftians rivalled, 
 if not furpaffed Pagans, in their own way, 
 with a view to bring them over to the faith 
 of Chrift, at lead to a profefTion of it. By 
 which temporizing policy, as bifhop Stilling- 
 fleet obferves, chriftianity came at laft to be 
 little or nothing elfe but * reformed paganifm,' 
 as to its external worfhip : Or, as Turretin 
 fays, * the empire was brought over to the 
 ' faith, but the church alfo infected with the 
 ' pomp of the empire ; the Pagans were con- 
 
 * verted to Chrift, but the Chriftian worfhip 
 
 * depraved to the fafhion of paganifm. ' * 
 
 The worfhip of faints prevailed more and 
 more until the Reformation, tho' not equal- 
 ly in all parts, nor without oppofition. It 
 continues in the church of Rome to this day, 
 nearly in as high credit as ever. J They are 
 
 from 
 
 * See more relating to this, Letter from Rome, fub fin. 
 
 J That the faints are to be invocatcd, and feftivals and 
 temples confccratcd to thero, is an article of faith in the 
 church of Rome, and mentioned as fuch, in common 
 with the moft eflential dodtrincs of chriftianity ; without 
 the belief of which there is fuppofed to be no falvation. 
 
 * Septimus articulus ecclcfiaeRomana; eft, fandos in cocio 
 
 * regnantes efle honorandos, ac fcftos dies atque bafi 
 
 * licas illis confccrandas cffc.' Vid. Prsslud. nonum in 
 Summam csneil, omn* Per Francifcum L»Dgum a Cori- 
 olanutn. 
 
24 7^^ Idolatry of worjhipping 
 
 from time to time canonizing new faints, tho' 
 more fparingly than in fome ages palt ; juft as 
 in old pagan Rome they were from time- to 
 time enrolling more dead men in the number 
 of the gods. They erecl oratories and altars 
 to them, proltrate themfelves before their 
 fhrincs, and burn incenfe to them ; all nearly 
 in the fame manner, that the Pagans did to their 
 factitious -deities. And the Pantheon at Rome, 
 formerly the temple of all the gods, is now 
 dedicated to Mary and all the faints. They 
 alfo make formal vows and prayers to them 
 for. bleflings temporal, fpiritual and eternal. 
 Why miglat they not as well olfer Ihecp and 
 oxen in facrifice to them, as pay them fuch 
 worfhip as this ; and yet be free from idola- 
 try ? 
 
 Let me inllance in a few of their hymns gnd 
 prayers to the faints, by way of fpecimen. To 
 St. Nicholas they addrefs themfelvesas follows: 
 " Ergo pie nos exaudi,' 8cc. Therefore gracioujly 
 hear us, who are intent on praijing thee^ left we 
 are fuhjeBed to the fraud of the enemy ; bring us 
 help. Deliver us from all evil ; conduB us in the 
 right way ; and after this life, introduce us into 
 eternal jojs. To St. Agnes thus : * Ave, Agnes 
 * gloriofa, ' &c. Hail, glorious y^gnes ; preferve 
 me in the right faith, O fiveet and beloved viigin, 
 I intreat thee with prayers. Grant /« all, that 
 they may in perfect charity worflnp God^ by whotn 
 thou waft eletled. They have longer forms of 
 devotion to other faints ; in which they dif- 
 tindly implore of them almoll every blefTing 
 
 that 
 
Saints and Angels. 2^ 
 
 that can be named ; at leaft as many and great 
 ones as the Pagans ufed to pray for to any of 
 their gods, not excepting their Jupiter optimus 
 maximus ; altho' they call this worfhip, which 
 they pay to the faints in common, only dulia, 
 in diftin^tion from latria. But their worfhip of 
 the virgin Mary they term hyperdulia ; by which 
 it is not eafy to know what they mean, only in 
 general, that it is fomething more extravagant 
 and outrageous than their worfhip of other 
 faints, or of angels. In her R&farie, as it is 
 called, that is, a kind of liturgy for the virgin 
 Mary, and in other devotional books, they give 
 her the following titles : Queen regent of hea- 
 ven, mifl:refs of angels, mother of grace, mother 
 of mercy, mother of God, the hope of the 
 world, the truft of finners, the repairer and favi- 
 our of dcfpairing fouls, the giver of fpiritual 
 grace, the female faviour of the world, the 
 healer of the fick, the confirmer of the jufl, 
 the reflorer of them that go aftray, the helper 
 and hope of the dcfolate, a mofl ready helper ; 
 and the like. 
 
 They feldom fpeak of the merits and inter- 
 ceiTion of Chrifi:,but in conjunction with thofe of 
 Mary ; and in language that exprelFcs their hope 
 of falvation by her's, as truly as by his"f . They 
 folciiinly confefs their fins to God and to her, 
 in the fame breath ; as may be feen in feveral 
 parts of the Ritual. They fomctimcs befeech 
 D her 
 
 f Sec particularly, in the Ritual, the offices called \)^z facr.-.tfirr.t 
 of repentance, and the vijlatlon of ihi Ji:k ; aifo ilie pfaycr 
 for a woman afur child bcaiing. 
 
26 The Idolatry of ^orflnpping 
 
 her to exercife the authority of a mother, and 
 to command her f on. And in the office intitled 
 Ordo commendation'u animae^ the dying perfon is 
 'direfted to pray to her in thefe terms : * -Maria, 
 ' mater gratise', &c. O Mar}\ mother of grace, 
 mother of mercy ^ do thou proteSi me from the 
 enemy, and receive me in the hour of death. Let 
 me here fubjoin a prayer or hymn to Mary out 
 of the Rrfar'ie, as follows : ' Reparatrix 
 * faivatrix', &c. Thou female repairer and faviour 
 of the defpairing foul, the fhowerer down and 
 bcfozver of fplr'itual grace, heal my wojinds, I 
 pray, I fervently defire ; and grant the gfts of 
 grace to the foul that calleth upon thee : 'That I 
 may he chafe and modefl, gentle, valiant, foher, 
 godly, regular, circumfpecl, a fir anger to revenge, 
 luell infrucled, and guarded by the divine ora- 
 cles ; conftant, grave andpleafant, benign, lovely, 
 prudent in heart, carefid tofpeak the truth, hat- 
 ing evil, ever cleaving to God in pious works. ■ 
 Part of another of thgfe admirable collects in 
 the Rofirie, is as follows : ' Cor mcum illu- 
 ' mina', 8<c. Enlighten my heart, thou refulgent 
 far of the fea, and ever defend me from the de- 
 vices of the enemy, O glorious virgin Mary, 
 mother of the eternal King, deliver us from all 
 evil, and from the punifljment of Hell. This is 
 a fpecimen of hyperdulia. 
 
 They have another approved book among 
 them, called the Mary-Tfalter, and the T/alter 
 of our Lady, the Avork of their fcraphic doctor 
 13oKavcnturc, and him^Jf, if we can believe fo 
 Ih-an^e a thing, bo[h a faint and a cardinal ; in 
 
 which 
 
Samts and Angels. 27 
 
 which book the devotional pfalms of David arc 
 turned into forms of prayer and praife to Mary: 
 So that, with fome little variations, the fame 
 devotions which David offered to the King o^ 
 heaven, they offer to the ^leen of heaven, at 
 once, according to their divinity, his mother, 
 fpoufe and daughter. Part of one of thcfe 
 pfalms is thus paraphrafed : * In te, Domina, 
 
 * fperavi', &c. In thee, Ladj, have I hoped ; I 
 JJjall never be confounded. Receive me to thy 
 favor ; inchne thine ear unto me, and rejoice me 
 
 in my trouble. Thou art 7ny firength and my 
 refuge, my confolation and my protection. Unto 
 thee have I cried luhen my heart was in difrefs ; 
 and thou heardejl me from the top of the eternal 
 hills. Into thy hands, O Lady, I commend my 
 fpirit, viy ivhole life, my lafl day. Another thus : 
 ' Salus fempiterna', &c. Eternal f ah at io7i is in 
 thy hand, O Lady ; they that will duly honor 
 thee,fljall receive it. Thy clemency Jhall not 
 fail thro eternal ages ; and thy mercy is from 
 generation to generation. Another thus* ' Dif- 
 
 * pofitione tua mundus', &c. By thy difpofition 
 [or providence] the world endureth, which thou, 
 with God, has founded from the begimiing. O 
 Lady, I a?n wholly thine ; fave me, bccaufe thy 
 pr a fes are delightful in my pilgrimage. This is 
 hypcrdulia witha witnefs ! And to thefe fpcci- 
 mcns ot devotion to iMary let me fubjoin part 
 of an equally pious infcription mentioned by 
 Dr. Middleton, over the gate of a great church 
 in Italy ; viz. ' There is no one^who can be 
 
 * fivedj O mod holy^ virgin, but thro' thee- — — 
 
 D 2 ' Marv, 
 
2 8 The Idolatry of ivorjhipping 
 
 * Mary, indeed, opens the bofom ©f her mercy 
 ' to all ; fo that the whole univerfc receives out 
 ' of her fulnefs ; The captive, redemption ; the 
 ' fick, a cure ; the fad, comfort ; the fmncr, 
 
 * pardon ; thejuft, grace ; the angle, joy ; the 
 
 * whole Trinity, glory'. The learned writer 
 iafl: named, very pertinently remarks, that ' when 
 ' Jeremiah rebukes the people of Indah for 
 
 * burning incenfi to the ^leen of heaven^ one 
 
 * can hardly help imagining, that he is prophc- 
 
 * tically pointing out the worfhip now paid to 
 
 * the virgin ; to whom they actually burn in- 
 ' cenfc at this day under that very title'*. It is 
 alfo well known that their churches, efpecially 
 in Italy, are filled with votive tables and offer- 
 ings to Mary and other faints, for fuppofed cures 
 and deliverances wrought by them ; in like 
 manner as the heathen temples were adorned, 
 in honor of the gods and goddcifcs. And Dr. 
 Stillingileet relates, that there was once a difputc 
 among; fome Romancathoiics, whether the 
 hord'mprayer might, or might not, be ufed to 
 the faints. ' And it was well relolved, and very 
 ' fubtilly', fays he, * that ultimately, principally, 
 ' primarily and (triftly, they might not ; but 
 
 * Jcconckirih, lefs principallj and largely, and 
 
 * relatively they might'. 
 
 With fuch-like vain diffinftions tliey amufc 
 themfelves, impofe upon the ignorant, and en- 
 deavour to palliate their idolatrous worlhip of 
 faints and angels. They f\y, they do not call 
 
 them 
 
 * Vid. Ortic. B. Virg. • S^Ivc Rf^ioa ; Ave Rr^ha ccelorum ; 
 Domiaa ac:'clorum' 
 
Saints and Angels, *i(^ 
 
 them gods, or worflilp them with latria ; but 
 with an inferior worfhip. The council of Trent 
 fays, in feflion 25th, * San6los una cum Chrifto 
 * regnantes', &c. That the faints reigning to- 
 gether with Chrijl^ offer wp their prayers to God 
 for men : that it is good and prof table humbly to 
 invocate tbem^ and to fly to their prayers^ help 
 and aid, for bleffings to be impet rated of God by 
 his Son, &c. By which cautious manner of 
 fpcaking, it fecms the council was a little afraid, 
 cither exprcfly to condemn or to juftify faint- 
 worlhip in all its enormous extent, or in the 
 manner in which it was then, and is now aftu- 
 ally pradifed. I mull crave leave to make fe- 
 veral remarks, relative to this point. 
 
 The diftin^lion between latria and dulia, on 
 which the church of Rome lays fo much ftrefs, 
 is an arbitrary one, without any folid foundation 
 in fcripturc. But taking their own explanation 
 of thefe terms, the difl:in<5lion will not excufe 
 them from idolatry. People may be guilty of 
 this, by paying an unwarrantable worfhip to 
 f\ints and angels, or other creatures, tho' they 
 do not adore them as equal to God in nature 
 and dignity, but worfhip them as inferior to him. 
 We are, indeed, to give honor, or, if they pleafe, 
 vv'orfhip, which is an equivocal term,* to all 
 thofc to whom it is due ; and in fuch manner 
 and meafure as it belongs to them, either by the 
 cxprcfs appointment of God, or by natural rea- 
 ion and right, in vlriue of t!ie known relation 
 
 ill 
 
 * Tins word is di.rrs t'mes ufed in fcnptnre, ti exprrf; the 
 honor ch<ji may L jail.';- due, acd paid to creajuris. 
 
^o The Idolatry of worjlipping 
 
 in which they ftand towards us. But the thing 
 infifted on is, that that fervice and refpeft, whe- 
 ther it be called honor only, or worfliip, which 
 the church of Rome pays to faints and angels, 
 is unwarranted by reafon, contrary to fcripture, 
 and properly idolatrous. Tho' the holy angels 
 arc all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter to 
 the heirs of falvation ; yet wc are forbidden to 
 worfhip them thus. * Let no man beguile you 
 ' of your reward,' fays the apoi>le, ' in a volun- 
 ' tary humility, and worfhipping of angels, in- 
 ' truding into thofe which he hath not fcen'f — 
 When John fell at the feet of an angel, paying 
 him too profound a reverence ; tho' it cannot 
 be fuppofed, that he thought the angel was God, 
 or meant to worfliip him as God, he received a 
 check from him : ' See thou do it not : I am 
 ' thy fellow-fervant', &c. J And the council of 
 Laodicea, convened anno 320 or 321, exprefly 
 condemned the worfhip of angels under the 
 name of idolatry^ and as a forfaking our Lord 
 Jtjus Chrifl ''% Now, furely, if even angels are 
 not to be bowed down and prayed to by us, 
 tho' we know they minifter to us, and are a fu- 
 perior order of beings ; much lefs are the faints 
 to be thus worfhipped. We are to be follow- 
 ers, but not worihippers of them., who thro' 
 faith and patience inherit the promifcs ; unlefs 
 thinkinff and fncakinp of them with honor* and 
 imitating their virtues, be to worfhip them. 
 We know not that they have any concern witli 
 
 hurniwi 
 
 t Col. II 18 
 
 t Re« XIX 10. anJ XXII. §. 
 * ViJ. Cone. LuoJ. c c;c. 
 
Saints and Angels, gi 
 
 human affairs, or that they have any knowledge 
 of what is pafTing in this lower ^^orld. But 
 we are fure, neither they, nor the angels are 
 omnifcient, omnipotent or on-jniprefent : Which 
 confideration alone fliews the folly, at leafl, of 
 worfhipping them in the manner the Papifts do. 
 Befides ; the worfliip of demons [iMif.Miv ] 
 is condemned by the apoftle. ' I would not, 
 
 * fays he, that ye fliould have fellowfhip with 
 
 * demons. Ye cannot drink the cup of the 
 ' Lord, and the cup of demons' f . And giv- 
 ing heed to ^ doctrines of demons', is one cha- 
 ra^leriftic of thcfe who iliould ' depart from 
 
 * the faith' in the laft days. Now, this Greek 
 word certainly ijgnifies an angel or fpirit, whe- 
 ther good or bad. For Socrates, by the de- 
 mon, of which he boafted, furely meant not 
 the devil, or an evil m.alicious being, but a good 
 genius, angel or fpirit ; and all the popifh faints 
 are properly demons*. It i? well if fome of 
 them are not demons even in the bad fenfc of 
 the word. 
 
 Moreover ; tho' they do not give their faints 
 the titles of dii and dea:, gods and goddclTes ; 
 yet they call them divi and numina ; as the 
 Pagans of old Rome called dead men and wo- 
 men after their apotheofisj. And it appears 
 
 from 
 
 t Vid. I Cor. X. 19 — 22. 
 
 * This is clearly evinced V.y many learned Protcftants ; particu- 
 larly Mr Jof. Medc in his atmflucy of the latter times. See 
 a!fo Sir Haac Newton'/ Oofirvations on Daniel and the 
 ^^pocalypje, ch 14 I-.ic I. 
 
 \ If the indignation t»f the reader will not be too frach raifcd, it 
 may be an i-gretahle aniur.'ment to him to compare I'ne foUow- 
 iflg pa^aa aiiJ pypiih icfcnptions, exLiUiied by Dr. Midviie- 
 
 toa 
 

 The Idolatry of -worpiipping 
 
 from the example before produced, that they 
 dire<ftly implore of them the greateft blcflings 
 of time and eternity ; heakh of body and mind, 
 guidance in the tr.uc faith, fpiritual grace, pro- 
 teiftion from the devil, deliverance from all evil, 
 falvation from the pains of hell, a gracious re- 
 ception at death, and admiffion to the joys of 
 heaven. They may,if they pleafc,call this only 
 dulia and hyperdulia : But what more, what 
 greater or better do, or can they, pray for to 
 God himfclf ? Thefe are bleiTmgs, which he 
 alone can beftow. And when they pray thus 
 to the faints, exprefling their confidence in their 
 prote(5tion in the fame terms, in which good 
 men u(e to exprefs their's in the power, provi- 
 dence 
 
 ton in oppofitc colamns, to fliew how nearly Papifts have a- 
 doptcd the language, as well as fpirit of paganilm ; and af- 
 cribed the fame powers, chaudlen and attributes to their faiats, 
 which bad formerly beco afcribed to heathen deities. 
 
 Pagan infcriptions. Popifli infcriptions. 
 
 Mercurio et Minervae Maria et Francifce 
 
 Diis Tutelarib. Tutelares mei. 
 
 Dii qui huic templo Divo Euftorgio 
 
 prGefident. Qui huic templo 
 
 prasfidet. 
 
 Numini Mercurii facr. Numini 
 
 Herculi vi6lori pollenti po- Divi Gcorgii 
 
 inviifto. (tenti pollentis potentis 
 
 invItSli. 
 Prsediti Jovi. 
 
 S. Divis 
 
 Diis Prxfhiibus juvantibus 
 
 Deabufque Gcorgio Stephanoc|ue 
 
 CUM Jove. cum Deo opt. max. 
 
Saints and Angels, ^g 
 
 dencc and grace of God ; this is really giving 
 divine honors to them : And if latria, as they 
 fay, is the v^'orl]lip that belongs exciufively to 
 God ; then this is plainly latria, whatever they 
 may call it. To give fuch worfliip as this to 
 the faints, is an implicit afcription o'i divine per- 
 feftions to them, while they are explicitly ov/ned 
 to be but creatures. It is a kiitd of worfliip, 
 which fuppofes them to be omnipotent, omni- 
 fcicnt, and omniprefent ; fince Kc alone, 
 who is poiTefTed of thofe perfections, can 
 be fiippofed t;o hear prayers at all limes, 
 from all parts of the earth at the fame time ; 
 and able to grant fuch blelFings. How poor an 
 cvafion is it then, for Romancatholics to fay, 
 they neither call the faints gods, nor worfhip 
 them with fupreme worfnip \ For is not. th's to 
 fuppoR* them really gods \ And is nox. that even 
 fupreme worfliip, which can, with propriety, be 
 given only to God almighty ? It is of no confc- 
 quence, except as a matter of criticiim, '.vhether 
 this be called latria or dulia : And if they are 
 guilty of an apparent inconfiftency in this ref- 
 pecl, as well as of idolatry ; it much more con- 
 cerns their own infallibility to clear it up, than 
 it concerns us. 
 
 Befides ; this diftinclion might ferve fome 
 pagan idolaters as well as it does them ; all 
 thofe, who acknowledged one God, as fupreme. 
 For him alone they proFelTodly worfhipped with 
 fupreme honors, anfwering to the latria of the 
 PapiRs ; the others they worfliipped as fubordi- 
 nate, with a worfhip anfwering to dulia or hyer- 
 E dulia. 
 
34 ^^^^ idolatry of -worfliippuig 
 
 dulia. But can wc think that the apoftic Paul 
 ■would have been fatlsfied with fuch an apoloy as 
 this ? Suppofe an Athenian Sophill, for example, 
 had faid to him : ' Altho' you fee us worfhip, 
 ' and offer facritices to, many invifible beings, 
 
 * male and female ; ^q that you confider us as 
 ' polythcifts and idolaters ; you are miftanken, 
 
 * for want of attending to our learned di{lin<fl:i- 
 
 * ons. You mufl: know then, that fome of us 
 
 * at lead, own one furreme and moft perfc<5l 
 ^ being : Him only we intentionally honor with 
 
 * latria ; the rell we worfhip only with dulia, 
 
 * or hyperdulia, as fubordinate to him. Obfervc 
 
 * well this dillin^lion, good Mailer Paul ; and 
 ' you will then fee we are no idolaters, how 
 
 * many demons, dcmi gods and goddclfes foever- 
 
 * we worfhip'. Now, one may be pretty cer- 
 tain, that the holy apoftle's fpirit would not have 
 been lefs * ftirred in him', for an apology of 
 this fort, than when he came to Athens, and 
 
 * faw the city wholly given to idolatry't- Nor 
 is an apology of this kind more f\'Lisfa<^l:ory 
 from the mouth of a modern Romaniil:, than 
 it would have been from that of an oldAthenian. 
 
 One cannot well help remarking here, by the 
 way, the great difingcnuity and affurance of 
 thofe Romancatliolics, who pretend that ihey 
 pray to the faints only as friendly intcrccfIbrs,to 
 pray for them. Were this true, it would not 
 cxcufe them ; but nothing can be more falfe. 
 And indeed, they arc {o much given to deny^ 
 hig notorious facU, and alfciting known falfc- 
 
 hoods, 
 i t Acis xvn 1 6. 
 
Saints and Angels. ^j; 
 
 hoods, in their difpiites with Protcftants ; that a 
 famous ancient hieroglyphic in DiofpoHs, ought, 
 methinks, to be infcribed in all their churches ; 
 the nearer the pulpit or altar the better. In that 
 hieroglyphic a young child fignificd coming in- 
 to the world ; an old man, going out oi it ; an 
 hawk, the Deity ; an hippopotamus, hatred ; 
 and a crocodile, impudence. All which, being 
 taken together, in the Egyptian manner, exprcfT- 
 ed this ufeful lefTon ; O ye that come into the 
 ivorld^ and that go out of it ^ God hates impudence. 
 Never did any pagan idolaters implore greater 
 bleffings of their fupremc, or fo great of their 
 inferior deities, or demons, as the Romancatho- 
 lics implore directly of their faints, cfpccially of 
 Marv. But it has fomctimes been faid by them, 
 that there is a material difference in this refped: 
 That thofe dead men and women, whom the 
 heathens worfliipped, were ignorant of true rc^ 
 ligon, and black with crimes in their life-time ; 
 whereas thofe that are worfhipped in the church 
 of Rome, were very holy perfons, adorned with 
 many (hining virtues, the workers of miracles, 
 the fpcciai favourites of heaven ; and the like. 
 Be it ^o : But the queftion is not, who were tht 
 beil, the moil worthy of imitation, and an ho- 
 nourable remembrance ; but whether any de- 
 mons, or dead men, were they ever (o holy, can 
 be thus worihipped without idolatry P True, it 
 is more fooliih and wicked to adore an ill man 
 thus after his de€cafc,than a wir*: and good (me: 
 But yet the latter is as truly idolatry as the o- 
 ther. If the Pagans v/ere idolaters in woril:ip- 
 
3 6 The Idolatjy of ivorjhjpping 
 
 ping their dcceafcd Isings and heroes, it vias 
 neither only nor chiefiy,becaure they were wick- 
 ed ; but becaufe they were demons, or dead 
 men ; creaUires that ought not to be thus wor- 
 fhipped, altho' they had been virtuous & good. 
 And fince the Romanifts pay the like, if not 
 greater honors, to dead men and women, or de- 
 mons ; this mufl:, for the fame reafon, be ido- 
 latry in them alfo. 
 
 But it may be remembered, that fome of thofe 
 men, whom the Pagans deified, had really been 
 great bcncfae^tors to their refpedive countries 
 and ages ; teachers of agriculture, and other ufe- 
 ful arts ; the dedroycrs of tyrants, and other 
 wild beaih and monfters ; the founders of cities 
 and empires ; wife legiilators ; upright judges, 
 and good kings, the fathers of their people. In 
 which refpefts they had at leaft as good a title 
 to great honors, both living, and after their dc- 
 ceafe, as fome of the popiili faints ; I think a 
 much better. For divers of thofe, who adorn 
 the Roman kalendcr, were but ignorant enthu- 
 fiafts, fcarce better than madmen ; perfons who 
 never did any thing worthy of applaufe. Was 
 Symcon Stilites worthy of fignal honors for 
 having his ilation thirty years on a high pillar, 
 like a Iktue on its pedcilal I or the more like a 
 god ? Was Anthony, for peaching to birds, beads 
 and fifhes r Was Francis, for hearing Chrifl's 
 voice, as they fay, come from a crucifix * ; and 
 being {o tranfportcd with pious zeal or fomething 
 
 elfc, 
 
 * This circumnance is nirniion.td by bp Sti;iiri£ficct, as from 
 cardinal 13o(iaTtacure. 
 
Satnis and Angels, 37 
 
 clfe, as to throw away his breeches ? Were 
 others, for wearing out much hair-cloth 
 and whip-cord on their backs, and no ihoes 
 on their feet, for many years I or for thofe 
 numerous ridiculous feats, which knaves re- 
 ported, and fools believed, as miracles ? But 
 ocher popifh faints had, if pofTibie, even lefs 
 fan6lity than thefe ; being rebels, traitors and 
 alTaffines ; the pefts of fociety, and difhirbers 
 of kingdoms. Were not Ofiris, Hercules and 
 -/^fculapius, Vulcan, Rhadamanthus and Ro- 
 mulus, at ieail: as worthy to be enrolled a- 
 mong the gods, as Ignatius Loyola, Garnet 
 and Thomas a Becket, among the faints ? It 
 is more abfurd to worlhip fuch contemptible 
 and wicked perfons as fome of the popiOi 
 flints were, than fome of thofe, whom the 
 Pagans deified ; or even than to worfliip the 
 ftars and elements, which are fo ufcful to us. 
 And * I would gladly know,' fays one, * why 
 
 * I may not as well honor God by giving 
 
 * worihip to the fun, as to Ignatius Loyola, 
 ' or St. Francis, or any other late canonized 
 
 * faint ? — The fun is a certain monument of 
 ' God's goodnefs, wifdom and povv'er, and I 
 
 * cannot be miliaken therein ; but I can ne- 
 
 * ver be certain of the holinefs of thofe per- 
 
 * fons I am to give divine worfhip to. For 
 
 * all that I can know, Ignatius Loyola was a 
 
 * great hypocrite ; but I am lure that the fun 
 
 * is none ; but that lie fhincs, and communi- 
 
 * cates perpetual iufinences, to the huge ad- 
 ' vantage of the world.' J But 
 
 % Dr. Siil!in£fl:ct. 
 
3 8 The Idolatry of 'worflnppwg 
 
 But to have done with faint-worfliip ; the 
 dodrine and precepts of fcripture arc clearly 
 againlt this pradice of the Romanilts. And 
 what fcripture example there is of it, which 
 they may think worthy their imitation, I 
 know not ; except, perhaps, it be that of the 
 wicked rich man in hell, who earncftly pray- 
 ed Saint Abraham, but in vain, to fend Laza- 
 rus to cool his tongue with a drop of v/ater. 
 But, methinks, it is time enough for men to 
 follow this example, when they come into 
 that place of torment themfelves,, and defpair 
 of God's hearing their prayers. A dreadful 
 extremity ! to which we pray our advcrfarics 
 may never be reduced : And if there is any 
 fuch place as the purgatory they talk of, we 
 fhould be rejoiced, if there were any good rea- 
 fon to hope they might efcape even that alfo — • 
 For, by their own account, it is a very tedi- 
 ous, round-about and painful way to heaven. 
 
 THERE is time to add but little concern- 
 ing the worfhip of pin^f ures and images. 
 This was probably introduced into the 
 church in the fourth century, in common 
 with other bad cufloms ; and fpread faft, tho' 
 not without oppofition. In the eighth cen- 
 tury the indignation of many was fo raifcd 
 againfl: it, that they deftroyed all the images 
 in churches, whcre-cver they could ; and 
 were therefore called the Iconocliifts, They 
 chiefly occafioned the calling of the fecond 
 
 council 
 
Ti8urcs and Images. j^ 
 
 council of Nice, anno 787 ; in which they 
 were ccnfured, and the worfhip of images 
 confirmed ; efpecially as that council expref- 
 fcrh it, ' the image of the Lord and God, our 
 Saviour Jcfus Chrift ; nextly that of our 
 immaculate lady the mother of God, of the 
 venerable angels, and then thofe of all the 
 faints.' The council, however palliates this 
 idolatry by faying, they did not mean to give 
 images the worfhip of latria, but an honorary 
 adoration, as to a type ; which redounds to 
 the honor of the prototype. * Imaginis enim 
 ' honor,' &c. For the honor of an image ter- 
 minates on the prototype ; and he that adsres an 
 image ^ alfo adores therein what is reprejented, by 
 it. f This council alfo fpeaks of the great 
 benefit of pictures and images, in edifying the 
 people, efpecially the vulgar, who could not 
 read. * The council of Tretit refers to, aiKl 
 
 confirms 
 
 t Vid. Con. Nicaen. II. Ad. 7. 
 
 * The author here fubjoins a trarflation of a paflage or two, hj 
 which the fcr.fc of Romantmholics as to the worfhip of cruci- 
 fixes, and other images of Chrilt, may further appear ; as alfo, 
 what is meant by coadoration, a term ufcd, but not explained, 
 in tlxis difcoorfe. ' Nee jndc fequitu*-, hoc polilo, imagines', 
 &c. Nor does it follow, this being fuppofed, that images are 
 to be retained oaly to help the memory, as modern heretics 
 would have it : for memory is purely hiftorical, and memory 
 cxciteth to render v/orfhip to God and the fnints ; but accor- 
 ding to this notion images would be kept for that latter re- 
 membrance [only 3 Nevcrthclcfi the other opinion is more 
 probable, and more agreeable to the fynod, that images fhould 
 be honored even in thcinfcives, and fhould be the material ter- 
 minuive objeift of veneration, and not only the exemplar, ap- 
 prehended in them, or at the prefcnce of them ; beca.ufe when 
 ihe council fiys, that images are to Lc adored, but not with 
 
 htri«. 
 
^o. The Idolatry of -worfhipping 
 
 confirms the decrees of this ; adding feme 
 farther explanations and cautions, relative to 
 this. point; particularly the following: Non 
 * propterea Divinitatem figurari', &c. \ That 
 the Divinit; is not therefore figm^ed^ as thd it 
 could be Jcen with bodiiy eyes, or expreffed by co- 
 lors or figures [a good reafon why it fliould 
 not be at all attempted.] Moreover, adds the 
 council, let aUJitperJtition in the invocation of 
 faints, in the veneration ofreliques, and in the 
 facredufe of images, he taken away. 
 
 Here is a plain conccflion, that they fgu re 
 the Divinity, even while they acknowledge 
 it cannot be {een, or exprelTed by figures or 
 colors : Which might, perhaps, pafs for a con- 
 tradiction in any church, but an infallible one. 
 But not to Hand on fuch niceties with them ; 
 
 to 
 
 latria, it intends th.it another thin;; fhould be adored bcfiJes 
 the exemplar only ; for fince Chrift ihould be a.'orcd with true 
 latria, the fyood would not deny the woilh'p of Utria to his 
 image, if indeed in the adoration of it, not his image, but Chrifl 
 hinifelf were adored, to whom no other adoration befidts that 
 of l.itria, belongeth. So that it intimates hereby, that fomc 
 adoration belongeth to images, di(tin<5t fiom the veneration and 
 honor of the prototype, and which, in the kind of worlhip, is 
 inferior.— An imigc is honored two ways. Firft. as it is itfeif 
 the material terminativc objedl of worlhip, but the prototype 
 the caufe for which it is worfhippcd. Secondiy. fo thdt the 
 image is honored together with the prototype ; yet fo that the 
 prototype fliouId be primarily honored, the image fccondarily, 
 as the royal robes are honored together with the king ; and 
 th^t is called coadoration rather than adoration. Thus I ap- 
 prehend in my mind him that was crucified, together v.i h the 
 crofs { parhaps not ulvjays^ and in adoring the Crucified wir'i 
 a dired intention, the crofs itfelf is coadored in the fame aft. 
 Suma concil. omn. Opera & (ludio M. L. Bail. Abbavil. Deft. 
 Theol. ac Propisaiten. Parif. In codc. I^icaci. 11. 
 
 + ViJ. Coac. Trident, fcfs. XXV. 
 
T'lBures and Images, /|.l 
 
 to make and worOiip any picture or image of 
 Chrift, confidered as God, which is what they 
 chiefly intend here, is idolatry ; and dire£lly 
 contrary to the iecond commandment, whe- 
 ther it be latria, or dulia only, that is paid 
 thereto. And the diftincftions, of which the 
 Papifts ferve themfelves, would ferve as well 
 to juliify the Ifraelites of old, provided they 
 worfhipped golden calves only as fymbols or 
 types of Jehovah ; intending this honor fliould 
 terminate on him, as the prototype. Upon, 
 the fame principle, thofe Pagans who wor- 
 fhipped images, not for their own fake, but 
 as fuppofed reprefentations of the invifible 
 God, could not be charged with idolatry, 
 how often foever they might kifs, prdftrate 
 themfelves before, and offer incenfe and facri- 
 fices to them. Some pagan worfhippers of 
 idols and images could, probably, h^ve made 
 fuch a plea as truly, and with a much better 
 grace, than thofe of the Romancatholics 
 who have the holy fcriptures ; in which all 
 image-worfhip is plainly forbidden. And, 
 indeed, the leaders in the cnurch of Rome 
 have fhewQ a confcioufnefs, that fcripture 
 was againd them in this refpedl, by leaving 
 the fecond commandment wholly out of thofe 
 which are defigned for common ufe, and di- 
 viding the laft of the ten into two, to gompleat 
 the number. 
 
 As to other pictures and images ; if ic be 
 
 idolatry to worfhip faints and angels, as it is 
 
 F pra<5tifed 
 
42 The Idolatry of -worflnpping 
 
 pradlifed in the church of Rome ; it is ev^n 
 more fo, to worfhip their images. As fome 
 have jufily obferved, they are guilty of double 
 idolatry in this refpcd ; firfl, in worihipping 
 faints and angels themfelves, and then in a- 
 doring their images, with the like exrernal 
 worfhip of prayers, prollrations and incenfe : 
 tor either of thefe things would be idolatry, 
 ."without the other. The fame arguments 
 which prove, that the Pagans worfliipping 
 the images of their demons, or inferior deities, 
 was idolatry, will alfo (hew the idolatry of 
 the church of Rome, in worshipping the ima- 
 ges o{ angels and faints, w^ho are, ftriflly and 
 properly, their demons. The more intelli- 
 gent fort of pagans did not afcribe divinity to 
 their images themfelves ; nur honor them with 
 a more profound reverence, internal or exter- 
 nal, than Romancatholics pay to theirs. Nay, 
 fome of them were intirely againft the ufe of 
 any images in their religious fervices ; as tend*- 
 ing to give people toogrofs confceptions of the 
 Deity. And when the council of Trent fo 
 gravely injoins, that oWfuperfiition in the wor- 
 ihip ol faints and rcliques, and in ih^facred ufe 
 of images, Ihould be taken away, ftill encouraging 
 thefe pra6i:ices themfelves ; it is as anti-fcriptu- 
 ral and irrational as if thofe fathers had decreed, 
 that men fhould commit fornication, but with- 
 out unchaftity ; theft and robbery, but with* 
 out injuf^ice ; murder, without breach of cha- 
 rity ; and blafphemy, without impiety-. The 
 
 facred 
 
TiBures and Images, i},j 
 
 facred life of thefe vices, is hardly a greater 
 folecifra than the other. The fupcrflition of 
 this kind of worfhip cannot be taken away, 
 without taking away that worfhip itfelf. Nor 
 is there any better foundation for a diflindlioh 
 between the ufe and abufe thereof, than be- 
 tween the ufe and abufe of lying and adultery, 
 inceil: and perjury. Indeed, the leaders in 
 the church of Rome find all thefe crimes very 
 ufiful in their turns, and fubfervient to the?r 
 own ends, when kept under their difcrete an^ 
 fkilful management: So that, in their opinion, 
 laying them wholly afide might;, perhaps, bb 
 the greateli poffible abufe of them. For what 
 would then become of their difpenfations, 
 pardons, indulgencies, and I know not what ; 
 the wicked tr^'//, by which they have their 
 zuealth ? 
 
 THE patience of this learned and refpec- 
 table audience fhall be rcquefted nO 
 ioniser, than while I fub^oin a few reflexions. 
 
 If then, the churcfi of Rome be grofly ido- 
 latrous ill the feveral refpeds aforefaid ; high- 
 ly dilhonouring God, and the one Mediator 
 whom he hath appointed, by an undue wor- 
 fhip of, and dependence upon, many creatures; 
 it follows, that fhe is fo far from being the 
 only true church, and chafte fpoufe of Chrhf^ 
 that Ihe is a mod corrupt one, a filthy profli- 
 :^ute, who hath forfaken her iirfl: love, and is 
 F 3 becoir.c 
 
^^ RefieBions. 
 
 become, indeed, the ' mother of harlots. 
 Some Papilh exprefsly own, that ' if the 
 * church of Rome is guilty of herefy, much 
 ' more, if guilty of idolatry, it falls under the 
 ' apoflle's excommunication, Gal. I. 8.' And 
 if ilie be not actually guilty of both, it will be 
 difficult at lead, I believe abfolutely impofli- 
 ble, to fhew what church or perlbn ever was, 
 that named the name of Chrift. If foundnefs 
 of dodrine and purity of worfhip are eflcntial 
 marks of a true church, as they allow ; we 
 muft look for them, not in that of Rome, but 
 elfe-where ; unlefs we proceed upon the 
 quaint maxim of one who faid, that wdioever 
 •would find what he is in fearch of, muft look 
 for it where it is noty as well as where it is. 
 And if thefe marks are wanting, another, 
 •which they likewife boall of, mull alfo fail 
 them ; viz. holinefs : At lead, it is not eafy 
 to fee how that can be an holy church, how- 
 ever catholic it may be, in which fuch abo- 
 minable idolatry is publicly authorized, and 
 univerfally pradifcd. 
 
 It further appears from hence, what great 
 danger there is of perdition in the communioii 
 of this church ; eyery true fon and daughter of 
 .-which is, and muft be, an idolater. The wrath 
 of God has not been revealed from heaven more 
 frequently, or in rnorc awful terms, againft any 
 one clafs of linners, than againft idolaters. And 
 one of the moft diftinguifhing chara(^^ers of the 
 great apoftacy from the faiih, foretold, is 
 
 idolatry^ 
 
RefleSion's. 45 
 
 idolatry, will-worfhip, a voluntary, affe<5ted hu- 
 mility, and worfhipping of angels and demons. 
 * The Spirit fpake exprefly, that in the latter 
 times fome fhould apoftatize from the faith, 
 giving heed to erroneous fpirits, and doctrines 
 concerning demons, thro' the hypocrify of 
 lyars, having feared confciences ; forbidding to 
 marry, and commanding to abftain from meats, 
 which God,' &c.'^ It is fo much eafier to find 
 all thefe chara(5ters in a certain church now in 
 the world, than the marks of a true one ; that 
 there is hardly any room to doubt about the 
 right application of them. 
 
 i he ancient Babylon was famous for idola*- 
 try; of which it feems to have been the firll 
 feat after the flood ; perhaps was the principal, 
 for a confiderable time before either Egypt or 
 Phoenicia obtained the infamous preheminence. 
 If fo, this fuggefts one intelligible reafon, why 
 the apoftate, idolatrous party in the chriftian 
 world fliould be defigned by the fpirit of pro* 
 phecy, under the title of Babylon : And even 
 the Romancatholics generally own, that Rome 
 is the Babylon of the new teitament ; only they 
 fay, it is Rome pagan, not chriftian. Which, 
 tho' faid without any good reafon, and even con- 
 trary to ftrong evidence, was yet necellary for 
 them to fay ; unlefs they would farther own, that 
 the moft dreadful curfes in the whole bible are 
 
 pointed 
 
 * 1 Tim. IV. I, 2, 3. The author has followed the learned 
 and excellent Mr. Jof. Mede's tranflation of this pafiag©, 
 which is unqueltionablj ihe moft granatnatlcal and proper. 
 
4^ 
 
 RefleBiom. 
 
 pointed direclly againfl: themfelves ; for thefc 
 are pointed againft: Babylon. Nor is it wholly 
 unworthy of remark, that the modern Babylon 
 alfo nearly refembles the ancient in refpcdt of 
 the particular kind of death, which fhe infli(5ls 
 on thofe, who renounce her idolatrous worfhip. 
 In the ancient, they who would not fall down 
 and worfhip idols, were caft into a furnace of 
 fire : In the modern, burning to death is the 
 ordinary punifhment for fuch diffenters and 
 fchifmatics ; and in her is found the blood of 
 -prophets and of faints. The former was a moil: 
 inhuman enemy and perfecutor of God's peo- 
 ple: But yet, where fhe flew her thonfands, 
 the latter has flain her ten thoufands. So much 
 does the pretended only true and unerring 
 church exceed the ancient Babylon in execrable 
 cruelty, perfecution and tyranny ! 
 
 Altho' there haa been no other weighty ob- 
 je(flion againft the church of Rome, befides her 
 idolatry, this alone would fufHcientlyjuflify thofe 
 who have renounced her communion : ' For what 
 ^ agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?' 
 or his worfhip, with that of bread, demons and 
 images ? But fo enormoufly antichrilHan is this 
 church in many other refpefts, that we might 
 almoil: reckon idolatry itfelf among her leffer 
 errors and abominations ! In one view of it, in- 
 deed, or merely as it affefts civil fociety, it is 
 far from being the greatefl:. Noperfon, furcly, 
 can ever want good authority to leave the com* 
 munion of fuch a church. A warrant for it may 
 
 be 
 
RefleBionL j^y 
 
 be found in almoft every page of the bible ; par- 
 tieularly Revel, xviii. Where, after a defcription 
 of Babylon as ' fallen,' or apolbtized ; as 
 become the habitation of demons [^a'/AoWoTy] and 
 a cage of every imclean and hateful bird, 
 &c. it follows, * And I heard a voice from. 
 ' heaven, faying, Come out of her, my people, 
 
 * that ye be not partakers of her fins, and that 
 
 * ye receive not of her plagues : For her fins 
 
 * have reached unto heaven, and God hath re- 
 
 * membered her iniquities.* This Is fufficient 
 warrant to come out of a church, whether 
 Rome or any other, to vv^hich the chara<51crs of 
 Babylon actually agree. And how much foever 
 the church of Rome may curfe thofe of the Re- 
 formation, or iniprecate upon them the ven- 
 geance of Peter, Paul, the ^een of hearue^t^^nd. 
 the other faints ; v/e may be pretty fure, that 
 they, have neither power nor inclination to 
 harm us on this account; that they \n\\ ncl* 
 tiler deftroy us thcmfelves, nor pray God to do 
 it. They who invocate them to this end, in 
 folemn form, and fupport and propagate what 
 they mif~call religion, by pcrfecutlon, fire and 
 fword ; have far more rcafon to fear the im- 
 precations of thofe faints that were (lain for the 
 word of God, and for the teftimony which they 
 held ; whom John faw under the altar, while 
 they ' cried with a loud voice, faying. How 
 ' long, O Lord, holy and true, doft thou not 
 ' judge and avenge our blood on them diat 
 ^ dwell on the earth ff — O Babylon, if thou 
 
 feared 
 
 . . t Rev. VL 
 
48 RefleBions. 
 
 feareft- not the imprecations of thofe faints, 
 who have been (lain in and by thee, for the 
 tcftimony which they held again ft thy idolatry, 
 and other abominations ; at leaft fear him, 
 whom all faints and angels adore. Thou haft 
 made kings and nations drunk with the wine of 
 thy fornication ; and thyfelf v/ith the blood 
 of the martyrs of Jefus. And tho' thou 
 glorifieft thyfelf, andliveft delicioufly by fraud, 
 oppreffion and blood, faying, Iftt a queetiy and 
 JJoallfee nofdrrow ; yet know, that thy day is 
 coming : For Jlrong is the Lord God who 
 judgeth th€e\'\ 
 
 Deteftable as the idolatry of the church of 
 Rome is, there are other of her principles and 
 pradices, as has been intimated, which more 
 immediately afFecft the peace and order of civil 
 fociety, the honor of princes, and the liberty 
 and common rights of mankind. Our contro- 
 verfy with her is not merely a religious one : 
 It is not, on our part, only a defence of the 
 worfhip of one God by one Mediator, in op- 
 pofition to that of a thoufand demons or idols ; 
 of the authority of the facred oracles, in oppo- 
 fition to that of idle legends and traditions i 
 and of fober reafon in oppofition to the grofteft 
 fanaticifm : But a defence of outlaws, liberties, 
 and civil rights as men, in oppofition to the 
 proud claims and encroachments of ecclefiafti-' 
 cal perfons, who under the pretext of religion, 
 and faving mens fouls, would engrofs all power 
 and property to themfelves, and reduce us to 
 
 the 
 
 % Rev. XVIII. 
 
RefleBions^ 45 
 
 the moll abjcft ilavcry : It is a defence, if I 
 may fo exprefs it, of the common rights of 
 feeing, hearing, touching, fmelling, tafting; all 
 ■which popery attacks and undermines, by the 
 doftrihc of tranfubftantiation ; and would take 
 them from us, as a means of making us dutiful 
 fons, or rather wretched flaves of the church. 
 We muft not fee, tafte or fmell, but as the 
 church is pleafed to give us leave. If fhe fhews 
 us a morfel of bread, or a drop or two of wine, 
 after the prieft has played a few tricks with it ; 
 we mult believe it is no longer bread or wine, 
 but God. And whatever elfe fhe declares, we 
 mull implicitly receive it on her authority, on 
 pain of being burnt in this world, and damned 
 m the next ! So important is this controverfy, 
 as the honourable founder of this lecture well 
 knew ; having himfelf written and publiflied a 
 learned difTcrtarion relative thereto. % Altho* 
 We had no regard for true religion, yet we 
 ought in reafon and prudence to deteft the 
 church of Rome, in the fame degree that we 
 prize our freedom. Her laws, more arbitrary 
 than thofe of Draco, arc, in efFec^-, like his, all 
 written in blood. Popery and liberty are in- 
 compatible ; at irreconcileable enmity with 
 each other. May gracious Heaven ever pre- 
 ferve us from the one, and blefs us with" 
 the other : At leaft, if we are ever to be fo 
 unhappy as to lofe our hberty, God grant the 
 lofs may not be aggravated, by having it takeii 
 from us either by lordly, tyrannical prieftsjor by 
 G thofe 
 
 X On ' fiavcs, and fouls cf naen, Rev, XVIII. 13. 
 
JO Refledions, 
 
 thofe of the laity, from whom we have the beft 
 reafon to expert the defence and fccurity of it. 
 
 Popery is now making great ftrides in Eng- 
 land ; as great, perhaps, as it did in the reign 
 either of Charles or James the fecond : I pray 
 God, things may not at length be brought to 
 as bad a pafs ! Thoufands of weak and wicked 
 Proteftants are annually perverted to an impi- 
 ous, horrid fyllem of tyranny over the bodies 
 and fouls of men ; which lefs defervcs the 
 name of religion, than that of an outrage on 
 the fcnfes, and mod valuable rights of men, 
 and a fatire upon God. If we may believe 
 thofe who pretend to know, and probably do, 
 popifh prielts, jefuits, and other emifTaries, are 
 very open and bold in our mother-country of 
 late years, meeting with no vigorous oppofi- 
 tion : And even popijh bi/Jjops refide there, and 
 go about to exercife every part of their fiin^ion^ 
 -without offence. It feems, there is far lefs good 
 old proteftant zeal than were to be vvifhcd and 
 expe^fied : Many, who call rhcmfelvcs prote- 
 ftants, look upon popery as an harmlcfs, in- 
 different thing, notwithftanding its inherent, 
 reftlefs, intolerant malignity, and moll deihuc- 
 tlve tendency. Heaven only knows what the 
 end of thefe things will be ; tlie profpecH: is 
 alarming ! 
 
 TJie agents of Rome, ever reftlefs and fchem- 
 ing, compaj's jea and land to make proj'eljtes ; 
 going about continually from country to coun- 
 txyy/eeklrii^' i.uh'j?n they inay df'JQur : And, pro. 
 
 bably, 
 
Refle&ipns. r £ 
 
 bably, there is no proteflant country, in which 
 there are not fome of thcni, at leall lurking, if 
 they dare not difcover thfimfrlves. We fhould 
 not be ignorant of their devices ; nor ever off 
 our guard againfl: them. May this feminary of 
 learning, may the people, minillers and churches 
 of New-England, ever be preferved from popifh, 
 and all other pernicious errors. Our Saviour, 
 on a memorable occafion, faid to the tempter, 
 
 * It is written, T'hou fhalt worfliip the Lord thy 
 
 * God, and him only flialt thou ferve.' If our 
 popi(h tempters are not confounded and (ilenc'd 
 with the like anfwer, it fcems as if they had 
 even lefs modefty than he, who once faid, as 
 the church of Rome now, in c^eCt^ faith ; // 
 thou wilt fall doiun and -worjjjip AIE, alljliall 
 be thine. 
 
 To conclude : They who would keep them- 
 felvcs pure from every fpecies of idolatry, muft 
 not only abltain from the worfliip of idols in 
 the common grofs fenfe, as praftlfed by Pagans 
 and Papifts ; but alfo from an inordinate love 
 of this world, its pleafures and enjoyments ; 
 and love God fupremcly. The apollle ftiles a 
 covetous man ' an idolater' :f For there are 
 many that make gold their hope, and fay unto 
 the fine gold, ' I'hou art my confidence,' even 
 before it is formed into an image by art, and 
 man's device. By the fame rule, all other 
 wicked men are in fome fenfe idolaters. What- 
 ever ufurps that place, that preheminencc in 
 
 the 
 t Eph. V. 5. and Col. I!I. 5. 
 
5 2 RefleBions. 
 
 the affcftlons of men, which is due to God 
 alone; that is their idol, that is their God. 
 How many idolaters are there then, even among 
 proteftants ? They only, who love God above 
 all things, wor/hip him in fpirit and in truth, 
 whatever church they live in commuion with. 
 May fuch worfhippers, whom the Father 
 feeketh, be incrcafed in every church, to his 
 glory; even till * the man of sin,' whofe 
 coming is after the working of fatan, w^ith all 
 deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs in them that 
 perifh, fhall finally be confumcd by the breath- 
 of theLord, and ' deftroyed with the brightnefs 
 ^ of his coming' ! * 
 
 * 2 TheiT. n. 
 PAGE 30, line 12 from the top, read, thofe things 
 
 Advertifement. 
 
 AFTER repeated inquiry, the author CoUld never 
 obtain a fight either of the whole Rofarie of the 
 Virgin Mary, or of the whole Mary-Pfalter. Thofe 
 part^ of them, which are produced in the foregoing 
 difcourfe, were fele£led from among others of the 
 fame tenor, and tranilated by him from the Latin, as 
 he found it cited by authors of reputation ; particularly 
 docTtor Henry More. For other citations he is wholly 
 
 accountable himfelf. Many other prayers to the 
 
 fai.iis, even in the early ages of the church, may be 
 feen in Sir I. Newton's Obfervat'ions on Daniel, Szc. 
 Part I. ch. 14. And among them a pretty remarkable 
 prayer of Gregory Nazianzen to St. Athanafius ; the 
 latter of whom, as Sir Ifaac obferves, * even from his 
 
 * youth, looked upon the dead faints as mediators of 
 
 * our prayers/ &c. 
 
•*^» 
 
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