~o6 Meditatiolu and DifcourfeJ kind of effects on their minds and Affections, but quire of another nature than thofe which are the real effeCts of true evangelical Grace. This is openly evident in this fttbftitution of Images inftead of the reprefentation of Chrift and his Glory made in the Gofpel. HOWEVER there is a general fuppofition grant~d on all hands ; namely, that there muft be a view ~f ChriFf, and his Glory, to (;aufe us to love him, and thereby to make us conformable or like unto him. But here lies the difference ; thofe of the Churc,h of Rome fay that this muft be done by the beholding of Crucifixes with other Images and PiCtures of him ; and that with our bodily eyes : We fay it is, by our b~holding his Glory by faith, as revealed in the ·Gofpe1, and no otherwife. And to confefs the Truth, we have fome, who as they reject the ufe of images, fo they defpife that fpiritual view of the Glory of Chrift which we enquire after. Such perfons on the firft occa.. fion will fall on the other fide; For any thing is better than nothing. BUT as we have a filre word of Prophefie"to fecure us from thefe abominations by an exprefs prohibition of fi1ch Images unto all ends whatever fo unto our ftabi1ity in the profeffion of the truth, an experience of the effica-cy of this fpirirual view of Cbrift transformir~g our fouls into his own Iikenefs, is abfolutely neceffary. For if an Idolater £hould plead, as they do all, that in the beholding of the Image of Chrift, or of a Crucifix; efpecially if they are fedulous and conftant therein, they find their affeCtions unto him greatly ex !l;ited, increafed, and inflamed (as they will be, ~11.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=