A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

I would be unwilling to tire your patience, yet upon your reiterated desire I shall present you with one Instance more: and I will do it but briefly, because I must deal with you again about the same matter.

5. Your Church is fallen by Idolatry; as otherwise, so in that Religious Veneration of Images which she useth, whereunto you have added Heresy in teaching it for a Doctrine of Truth, and imposing the belief of it by your Tridentine Determination, on the Consciences of the Disciples of Christ. I know you would fain mince the matter, and spread over the corrupt Doctrine of your Church about it, with [Greek or Hebrew] silken words, as you do the Posts that they are made of with Gold; when as the Prophet speaks of your predecessors in that work, you lavish it out of the bag for that purpose. But to what purpose? Your first Council, the second of Nice (which yet was not wholly yours neither, for it condemns Honorius, calls Th•rnsius the Ecumenical Patriarch, and he expounds in it, the Rock on which the Church was built to be Christ and not Peter) your last Council that of Trent, your Angelical Doctor Thomas of Aquine, your great Champions Bellarmine and Baronius, Suarez, Vasquez, and the rest of ⟨p. 86⟩them, with the Catholic practise and usage of your Church in all places, declare sufficiently, what is your faith or rather misbelief in this matter. Hence Azorius Institut. Lib. 9 cap. 6. tells us, that, Constans est Theologorum sententia, Imaginem èodem honore & cultu coli, quo colitur id cujus est Imago; It is the constant judgement of Divines, that the Image is to be worshipped with the same honour and worship, wherewith that is worshipped whose Image it is. The Nicene Council, by the instigation of Pope Adrian, Anathematizeth every one who doth but doubt of the Adoration of Images, Act. 7. Thomas contendeth that the Cross is to be worshipped with Latria, p. 3. q. 25. a. 4. which is a word that he and you suppose to express Religious worship of the highest sort. And your Council of Trent in their decree about this matter, confirmed the Doctrine of that Lestricall convention at Nice, whose frauds and impostures were never paralleled in the world, but by it's self. And do you think that a few ambiguous flourishing words of you, an unknown person, shall make the world believe that they understand not the Doctrine and Practise of your Church, which is proclaimed unto them, by the Fathers and Msters of your persuasion herein, and expressed in practises under their eyes, every day?