A TREATISE against IMAGES and PICTURES in Churches And an Answer to those who object that the times are changed Written by George Salteren Esquire LONDON Printed for William Lee and are to be sold at the signe of the Turks head in Fleet-street 1641. A TREATISE against IMAGES and PICTURS in Churches And an Answer to those who object that the Times are changed THe old Serpent the father of lies is still the same he is full of inventions and devises to draw men from god and to bring them to destruction And the wicked heart of man is still like it selfe apt to apprehend whatsoever that Serpent suggesteth so it be pleasing to their depraved dispositions and corrupt affections Although it bee most cleare and evident that the setting up of the pictures of Saints in Churches is 1. no way warranted by the word of God 2. but severely prohibited and condemned 3. And therefore justly accursed by our common prayers 4. And so declared by the doctrine of our Church in the Homilies yet he hath found a shift to say that the Homilies were made for those times namely for the beginning of the Reformation and therefore the more severe but now the times are changed and a milder course is taken As if the whole Authority condemning these vanities and abominations depended only upon the Homilies and not upon the eternall and immurable truth of Gods holy Word and Commandement Let us not deceive our selves for the neglect of Gods Commandements which the Prophet Samuel calleth Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft apt to delude and blinde us But they that look into the cleare light of Gods word doe know that the negative precepts of Gods Law Obligant semper ad semper as our Church and all our godly and reverend Bishops and learned Divines in their books allowed authorised and published have taught us These books also agree with the doctrine of the Homilies that the words of Gods Law are to be taken by a Senechdoche speciei pro genere according to the doctrine of our Saviour Mat. 5. And the rules thereupon collected by the learned fathers of the Primitive Church Augustine Isidor c. And therefore the word graven Images must be extended to all Images whether molten carved or painted the word similitude to all kindes of similitude though but in conceit and the word thou shalt not worship nor bow downe to them to all kindes of worship though it bee but setting them in honorabili loco as our Homilies speake out of Saint Augustine And this hath been taught us for truth now almost these 80 yeares together And this truth is not made more strong but more cleare and evident to us by the constant expositions of godly men both before and since the making of the Homilies Vox populi Dei vox Dei est praxis Sanctorum interpres praeceptorum which yet is more manifest by the Lawes Ordinances Canons and Constitutions both Ecclesiasticall and Politick as well consequent as concurrent and by the continuance and renewed confirmations of the Articles and book of Common prayers without alteration or qualification in this point and lastly by the absurdities of the Consequents that must bee inferred upon this new conceit of the change of times For what will or can they say If wee demand when this change was made by whom and by what authority wherein how declared and how accepted was the doctrine of the Homilies true then and is it not so now or was the sense and meaning of the Law of God so then and it is not so now Is the truth of the eternall God mutable and temporary Are Gods Lawes subject to times Or is it not a meere non-sense or contradiction to say that Gods Law was once so to be understood but not so now Why then is the fact and judgement of that learned and godly Bishop Epiphanius together with the consent of S. Hierom. S. Augustine S. Ambrose the Elibertin Councell and all the Primitive Church the Councell of Constantinople the excellent godly Bishops Serenius Nassitiensis Claudius Thaurinensis Guilielmus Miniatensis whereof some with their hands and all with their writings and authority did teare and break downe Pictures and Images of Saints Why are they so highly commended and approved therein by our late godly and learned Bishops and Doctors Iewell of Sarum Hall of Exon. usher of Armagh Peter Martyr Mr. Perkins Doctor Iames Doctor Mayor the Catechist and others some of which books were new printed and set forth within these five yeares last past together with that excellent book of Martyrs ordeined to be set open for every man to read in all Cathedrall Churches and Bishops houses I demand therefore when this change was made that they pretend was it within these three yeares or two or one I demand also by whom or by whose authority For it is manifest and knowne to all the world that the most blessed Queen Elizabeth made none but constantly kept her selfe to her word semper eadem Our most noble and learned king Iames made none but by his Proclamation prefixed before the Common prayerbooke and every yeare new printed most straitly prohibited all Innovations Neither hath our most gratious and pious King Charles made any but by his Declaration before the Articles most severely forbiddeth all alterations and that also within these five yeares Who then are these that will have an Alteration or Innovation And by whose authority or by what meanes have they changed the times Thirdly how hath this change been made instituted or accepted For Leges instituuntur cum promulgantur confirmantur cum moribus utentium approbantur Lawes are then instituted when they are proclaimed and are confirmed when they are observed in the lives of the subjects What hath been done in this kinde Doe they think that Gods Lawes can bee altered by humane inventions or that Lawes once by supreme authority and publick consent made and approved can without equall authority and consent be altered and changed by the conceits of private men If they may by this trick shift off the doctrine of one Homily why not of all the rest why not of the Homily of reading the word of God of Faith of Repentance of Christian love and Charity of good works of Prayers of repairing Churches and lastly also those most godly Homilies of obedience and against disobedience and Rebellion and so set every mans conscience at liberty Yea why may they not proceed from the Homilies and by the same reason reverse also the consecrations of our Bishops and ordinations of our Ministers and all the Articles Canons and Constitutions Lawes and Statutes aswell of the Church as of the State and so bring all to confusion For if one Homily that hath been now these 80. yeares almost approved and by so many Canons and constitutions may now so easily be rejected and annulled why not all the rest If one Article may be so vacated why not all And if this setting
Tertull. This Doctrine of our Homilies is confirmed by the Canons made 1o. Iacobi Regis Whosoever affirmeth that the 35th Article of the Doctrine of the Church of England is erroneous which Article teacheth us that the Homilies against the perill of Idolatry containe good and wholesome Doctrine and very necessary for these times he that affirmeth the sayd Article to bee enoneous is excommunicate ipso facto by the fifth Canon but he that setteth up Images of Saints in Churches or affirmeth that it is lawfull to set up Images of Saints in Churches in so contradicting the Homilies by word or deed affirmeth that the said Article is erroneous for negatio sive in verbis sive in factis a negation either in word or deed c. is all one say both Divines and Lawyers according to Saint Paul Tit. 1.16 Tertul. de Idol Nazianzen in Tetrast S. Augustin Quid verba audiam câ—m facta videam Wesemberch Res ipsa loquitur c. Why shall I hearken to words when I see deeds the thing it selfe doth make it evident c. Therefore hee that setteth up Images of Saints in Churches or affirmeth that it is lawful to set them up in Churches is excommunicate ipso facto by the Canon See his Majesties Declaration that the Articles do containe the true Doctrine of the Church of England And let every man be well advised whether hee will oppugne his Majesties Declaration or not Neither is the setter up of such Images in Churches only excommunicate by the Canon but accursed also by our Church in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book upon the place of Deut. 27. next following Cursed is the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination unto the Lord the work of the hands of the crafts-man and putteth it in a secret place Deut. 27.25 This Curse is yeerly read in our Churches by the Canon of our common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book upon the 6th of March and the same is yeerly repeated with most solemne and devout Imprecation or commination upon every Ashwensday And what the sence and meaning of the said Curse importeth is declared likewise by our Church in the Homilies appointed to be read in our Churches by the Common-Prayer-Book Articles and Injunctions in these words Hom. 3. Against Idolatry pag. 63. Cursed bee the man c. Thus sayth God For at that time no man durst have or worship Images openly but in corners onely And the whole world being the great Temple of God he that in any corner thereof robbeth God of his glory and giveth it to stocks and stones is pronounced by Gods word accursed And hee that will bring these spirituall Harlots out of their lurking corners into Publick Churches and Temples that spirituall fornication may bee there openly of all men and women without shame committed with them no doubt that person is cursed of God and twice cursed And all good and godly men will say Amen and their Amen will take effect also Againe Homil. 3. against Idol pa. 45. Idolatry which is most abominable before God cannot possibly bee escaped and avoided without the abolishing and destruction of Images and Pictures in Temples and Churches For that Idolatry is to Images and Pictures specially in Temples and Churches an inseparable accident as they terme it so that Images in Churches and Idolatry goe both together and therefore the one cannot be avoyded except the other specially in all publike places be destroyed Wherefore to make Images and publickly to set them up in Temples and Churches places appointed peculiarly to the Service of God is to make Images to the use of Religion and not onely against this precept Thou shalt make no manner of Image But against this also Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them Doth not our Church herein apparently confirme the judgement of Tertull. Colit qui facit hee worshippeth them that maketh them Yet againe our Church in the Hom. 3. against Idol pag. 62. out of S. Augustine Images placed in Churches are as it were in the appointed place and heigth of honour and worship as S. August speaketh where the living God only and not dead stocks stones is to be worshipped Which sentence is more at large recited by our learned Bishop Iewell in his reply 514. in these words They say we know that Images are creatures corruptible and therefore wee neither use them nor take them as Gods And thus they think themselves wise men that can know that which birds and children be able to know Even so the Heathen were wont to say of their Idols But Saint Augustine sayth Very children know that these Images have eyes and see not mouthes and speak not Wherefore then doth the holy Ghost so often teach and admonish us the same thing in the Scripture as if we knew it not He answereth Quia species membrorum in eminenti collocata suggestu cum honorari adorari caperit à multudine parit in unoquoque sordidissimum erroris affectum Because the Image of members set up in an eminent roome when it is once honoured and adored by the multitude bringeth forth in every one of them a most vile affection of their errour And againe Cùm in his sedibus locantur honorabili sublimitate ut a precantibus immolantibus attendantur ipsa similitudine animatorum membrorum atque sensuum quamvis sensu animâ careant afficiunt infirmos animos ut vivere atque spirare videantur When they are placed in such seats in an honourable sublimity that they may bee seene by those that offer up prayse and prayer by the very likenesse of living members and senses although they are voyd of life and sense infirme spirits are so affected that they seeme really to live and breath And againe Quis adorat vel orat intuens Simulacrum qui non sic afficitur ut ab ea exaudiri seputet Who worshippeth or prayeth looking upon an Image and is not moved in conceit that the Image heareth him Marke he doth not say adorat Simulacrum but orat intuens Simulacrum as of purpose to meet with these vaine and felse excuses and distinctions which that old Serpent the Divell saith the Ancient Doctor of the Christian Church Clemens uttereth by the mouthes of certain men Doth it not stand every man in hand to take heed how hee listen to the subtilties of that Serpent who was a lyer and a murderer from the beginning and taught our first Parents to distinguish and exclude themselves out of Paradise And is not this sufficient to shew how both the godly Fathers of the Primitive Church and the reverend Bishops of our Reformed Church have all agreed to that exposition of Tertullian Colit qui facit vel qui locat Hee worshippeth them who maketh them or setteth them up But why then is this word to worship it added in some places To which three answers are made the first ex vi termini for the particle To doth not only signifie the intention of the
simulacrorum ad cultum simpliciten numerat inter Deos alienos ita prohibet at nullus elustoni aut acceptioni locus esse possit Et infra in statuis enim per statuas seu ad statuas seu imagines Deus nec se nec Angelos nec Sanctos nec ullam creaturam vult coli The use of Images for service is by God simply reckoned amongst strange Gods and therefore he prohibiteth all manner of delusions or exceptions And further for God will not have himselfe nor his Angels nor Saints nor any creature worshipped either in statues by statues or before statues or Images And againe he citeth another sentence of Epiphanius in these words Estote memores ne in Ecclesias Imagines inferatis neque in Sanctorum Caemiteriis eas statuatis sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus vestris Quin etiam ne in Domo communi tolerentur Non enim fas est Christianum per oculos suspensum teneri sed per occupationem mentis Be you carefull that you bring no Images into Churches nor into the Chappels of Gods people but alwayes carry God in your hearts for it is not lawfull that a Christian should be held in businesses of the eye but in contemplation of the minde Mark what he saith that it is not lawfull by Gods Law which is signified by the word Fas fas jus divinum est that a Christian should be held by the eyes but by the contemplation of his minde But our common Catechismes allowed and often printed most plainly teach the same doctrine namely the Catechisme called Mr. Balls Catechisme the eighth Edition 1631. page 176. upon the second Commandement to this Question What is here forbidden He answereth inter alia making of Images for a religious use Levit. 19.4 and 26.1 worshipping God in at or before an Image 1 King 19. will-worship grounded only upon good intent or custome Mat. 15.19 Col. 2. So the learned Catechisme of Doctor Mayer not only allowed but commanded in the fourth Edition 1630. page 212. What are wee forbidden in the second Commandement Answ All outward Idolatry which is 1. By making any Image of God or of any creature to bee worshipped 2. By falling downe before any Image 3. By serving God after our owne santasies and page 216. The second kinde of Idolatry is the falling downe before an Image whether with an intention the better to be put in minde of God or of any Saint or by bowing before the Image to give worship to the thing represented or ignorantly only according to the tradition of the fathers For howsoever or under what pretence soever if the knee be religiously bowed before any Image Idolatry is committed and this Commandement broken So the reverend Doctor Mayer with the consent of all our Church to which must be added that it is a point of Gods glory and worship to be alone in his holy Temple before whom not only all the earth must be silent Hab. 2.20 but the most holy Angels Cherubins and Seraphins must hide their faces and cover themselves yea both heaven and earth must flie away before him Apo. 20.11 And therfore in his Temple before him only we must performe those duties which the Prophet David so often calleth us to doe namely to come before him only to bow before him to kneele before him to worship before him to speak before him to sing before him Psal 95.96.98.100 c. even before him only in whose Temple all things must set forth his glory Psal 29.9 and who hath most solemnely sworne that he will not give his glory to any other Esa 42. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim hee shall bee wrath as in the valley of Gibeon that he may doe his work his strange work and performe his act his strange act Esa 28. Let us therefore returne and apply this to the sentence of the Scripture pronounced in our Common prayer book and expounded in our Homilies Cursed are the worshippers of Images And againe Deut. 27. Cursed is he that maketh the blinde to goe out of the way This curse is read and repeated in our Churches yearly Martii 6. and upon every Ashwednesday by the Canon of our Common prayer book and is thus applied by our Church in her Homily Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 55. I will out of Gods word make this generall argument against all such makers maintainers and setters up of Images in publick places And first of all I will begin with the words of our Saviour Christ Woe bee to that man by whom an offence is given Woe be to him that offendeth one of these little ones or weak ones Better were it for him that a mil-stone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the middest of the sea and drowned than hee should offend one of these little ones or weak ones And in Deut. God himselfe denounceth him accursed that maketh the blinde to wander out of the way And in Levit. Thou shalt not lay a stumbling block or stone before the blinde But Images in Churches and Temples have been bee and ever will bee offences and stumbling blocks especially to the weak simple and blinde common people deceiving their hearts by the cunning of the Artificer as the Scriptures expresly in sundry places doe testifie and so bringing them to Idolatry therefore woe bee to the erecter setter up and maintainer of Images in Churches and Temples Article 22. Anal. Propos 3. The Romish doctrine concerning Images is fond and not warranted by the holy Scripture nor consonant but contrary unto it Proofes out of the word of God Images are such an abomination to the Lord as to make them among all men odious he describeth the vanity of them by his Prophets as that they are the doctrine of vanity the work of errors the teachers of lies silver and gold the work of mens hands vanity c. He giveth a straight commandement not to bow down to them nor worship them not to make them to flie from them yea to destroy both Images themselves the Idolaters and the enticers to Idolatry Hee commendeth greatly and praiseth such men as have destroyed Images c. He finally curseth the Images themselves the Image-makers and the Image-servers or worshippers This Exposition of the Article above said is confirmed by all our Church and so published And his Majesty by his Declaration hath ratified these Articles commanding all his Subjects to continue in the uniforme profession of the same prohibiting the least difference from them and declaring that all the Clergy men within his Realme agree in the usuall literall meaning of the said Articles Which usuall literall meaning can be no other than that which is allowed by the authority of the Church of England and so published and namely upon the 22 Article in the words above Bishop Hall in his book of the old Religion cap. 10. commendeth the fact of Epiphanius and his famous Epistle which saith he is
is Idolatry So this ancient and learned Doctor of the Church hath expounded to us the second Commandement first shewing the true meaning and large extent of the word Idolum that it comprehendeth as much as the word forma which all learned Logicians doe know is the fourth species of the predicament of quality and so comprehendeth all things which may be reduced to that species either by Aequipollence or Subdivision whether it be Image or simulacrum or effigies as Tertullian himselfe speaketh upon 1 Io. 5. or whether it be exemplar or species as the learned Bishop Castaneas sheweth or Statue or Picture as Divines do teach And yet he addeth similitudinem or likenesse a word much more large as that which runneth throughout all the foure species of quality and extendeth as well to the invisible conceits and imaginations of our minde as to the exterior visible formes and figures for what is there either in the world or out of the world in act or in conceit but it may be called simile or dissimile like or unlike And againe eorum quae in Coelo quae in terra quae in mari c. Omnia saith he colit humanus error praeter ipsum omnium Conditorem And qui dixit omnia nihil omisit Heb. 2.8 of those things which are in heaven in the earth in the sea c. humane errour worshippeth any excepting only the Creatour of all And hee who hath spoken all hath omitted nothing Hebr. 2.8 Secondly he answereth the objection of the brazen serpent made by Moses to which also may be reduced saith our excellent learned Bishop Iewell with the consent of all our Church the making of the Cherubins by Moses and Salomon and as I conceive the allowance of Caesars Picture upon his Coyne and such like To all which that answer which this most learned Doctor maketh will serve Well and good sayth hee according to the Translation of our Iewell One and the same God both by his generall Law forbade any Image to be made and also by his extraordinary and speciall commandement willed an Image of a serpent to be made If thou be obedient to the same God thou hast his law make thou no Image But if thou have regard to the Image of the serpent that was made afterward by Moses then doe thou as Moses did make not any Image against the law unlesse God command thee as hee did Moses for God is free and subject to no law Hee commandeth us and not himselfe saith our Iewell And for the Picture of Caesar may not I adde make no Image unlesse our Saviour Christ allow it as he did Caesars Picture Or which at lestwise the holy Catholick Primitive Church within the first foure hundred yeers after our Saviours birth hath declared to be allowed as the sign of the Crosse May not I say also upon the same grounds Make thou no Image of those things whose forme countenance God our Saviour Christ would have to be altogether hidden unknown and forgotten as Moses body the countenance of Christ of his Apostles of the Prophets of the Martyrs Saints Of whom no true Image can be made because it is unknown of what forme or countenance any of them were And therefore as soon as any Image is made of them straightway a lie is made sayth our Church in her Homilies Thirdly the said learned Doctor Tertullian goeth forward to answer another objection Facio ait quidam non colo as now some do say we set them up for ornament and not to worship to which he answereth in like sort as our Church doth in her Homilies Yes thou worshippest them which makest them because now they may been worshipped yea thou worshippest them thy selfe to them thou offerest up thy spirit and thy soule namely thy wit thy labour thy skill and cunning And might he not have said thy money and thy time which is thy life thus he sheweth how largely the word Colere is to be understood And lastly he answereth divers other objections and doubts shewing with all how many wayes Idolatry may be committed yea sometimes by giving an almes to a poore body accepting his thanks or prayers in some sort adding that generall sentence that patience is sometimes Idolatry c. So largely doth this godly Faexpound this Commandement To whose judgment all the holy Fathers of the Primitive Church within foure hundred yeeres after the birth of our Saviour which is the proper time of the true Fathers as by Vincentius may bee collected and all our godly and reverend Bishops for almost 80. yeeres now together as well in their Authenticall Articles Canons and Constitutions and in their Dogmaticall Books Sermons and Catechismes allowed as in their Polemicall disputations have agreed and confirmed Which I note partly to stop the mouthes of some that would make this a Schoole point or Controversie partly to touch the timidity and coldnesse shall I say or unworthinesse of others which are afraid to speak of that in the Pulpit which is allowed and commanded to bee read publickly and taught in our common Catechismes as well by every good Pater-familias as by every Preacher as by that which followeth shall appear for indeed the whole Scripture even all the old new Testament are but a very short and briefe Epitome of the infinite wisdome truth mercy and justice of our heavenly Father and of his incomprehensible love to us in our Lord Christ Jesus passing all understanding and therefore in most places and specially in the Decalogue is to bee taken Synechdochically of the part for the whole speciei pro genere continentis pro contento c. in the largest sense that the rule of faith will admit as Saint Augustine and all other learned Divines have taught us Let us go forward therefore Our said learned and reverend Bishop Iewell in his reply to Harding pag. 498. citeth some of the sentences of Tertullian above mentioned approving the same which book of Iewell 's is by order of our godly Bishops set up in all our Cathedrall Churches publickly to be read of all men that will Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 19. Deus in summa regione quaerendus est Quare dubium non est quin religio nulla sit ubicunque est Simulacram Nam si Religio ex Divinis rebus est Divini autem nihil est nisi ex Coelestibus rebus carent ergo Religione Simulacra Which by all our Bishops and whole Church in the Homilies is thus rendred God is to bee sought in the highest Region Wherefore there is no doubt but that no Religion is in that place wheresoever any Image is For if Religion stand in godly things and there is no godlinesse but in heavenly things then are Images without Religion Note that he sayth there is no Religion wheresoever there is Simulacrum any Image so that the suffering of any Image to be in a place excludeth Religion out of that place Patientia est Idololatria sayes
honoured by the translation of S. Hierom concerning the Image found by him in the Church of the village of Anablatha though out of his owne Diocesse how he tore it in an holy zeale and wrote to the Bishop of the place beseeching him that no such Pictures might bee made contrary to our Religion infra Some flie saith he to the distinction of Images and Idols a distinction without a difference of their owne making not of Gods To be sure God takes order for both ye shall make you no Idol nor graven Image nor reare you up any standing Image neither shall yee set up any Image of stone in your land to bow downe to it And againe wee may well shut up all with that curse in Mount Gerezim Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination to the Lord the work of the hands of Craftsman and putteth it in a secret place and all the people shall say Amen and surely their Durandus after he hath cited divers Scriptures against Idols as Exod. 20. Levit. 26. Deut. 4. Num. 21. c. at last concludes ex his similibus c. By these and the like Authorities is condemned the too much use of Images And againe the holy jealousie of the Almighty will not abide any of his honour divided with his creature and what ever worship more than meere humane is imparted to the creature sets it in Rivality with our Maker So the learned and eloquent Bishop Hall in his book of the old Religion Now whether the setting up of Images in Churches be not nimius usus Imaginum upon all that which hath beene said before whether the setting up of them in honorabthi sublimitate as S. Augustine speaketh in the appointed place and height of honour and worship where the living God only is to be worshipped as the Homily out S. Augustine speaketh be not a worship more than meere humane let every man judge Truly S. Ambrose in his book de fuga saeculi agreeth with the Fathers above cited saying Ecclesia inanes Idaeas varias nescit simulacrorum figuras Doctor Vsher Archbishop of Armah in his answer to the Iesuits Challenge likewise utterly condemneth the setting up of such Images and Pictures in Churches citing and approving the sentences and judgements of Epiphanius S. Hierom S. Ambrose Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Serenus Bishop of Massilia and many others which book now lately was new Printed in Anno 1631. Did all these goe upon Temporall reasons Doth our Common prayer book pronounce and yearly renew such heavie and dreadfull Curses for a Temporall respect only as our late Imagers or Imaginers would have us to imagine Why do then our common Catechismes give us this generall doctrine and instruction that where one vice or sinne is forbidden all of the same kinde and that necessarily depend thereon as also the lest occasion or enticement thereunto are likewise forbidden upon the words of our Saviour Mat. 5.21.22 c. and 1 Ioh. 3.15 To this let us adde the heavie sentences judgements and curses pronounced by God against those that suffer and doe not oppose themselves against the open enimies and contemners of God and his lawes Iudg. 5.23 Curse yee Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty So Iudg. 8. sheweth how severely Gideon punished the men of Succoth and Penuel for refusing to help him in his pursuit of Gods enimies so Iudg. 21. is set forth the fearfull judgements so terribly executed upon the men of Iabes because they came not to help the Israelites and to assist them in the punishment of that great sinne committed and maintained by the Benjamites Wherein also is to bee noted that that holy man Phinehaz was at that time alive and was high Priest without whose advise they did nothing So Ier. 48. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully Ioh. 10. Hee that is an hireling saith our Saviour and not the Shepherd and whose owne the sheep are not seeth the Wolfe comming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the Wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep Zach. 11. Woe to the idle Shepherd that leaveth the flock the sword shall bee upon his arme and upon his right eye his arme shall be cleane dried up and his right eye shall be darkened I know a spirituall understanding may be of the arme and the right eye But are not the judgements of God many times corporally executed And many a man without offence ask how the Pastors of some Churches wherein Images are set up doe by their eyes Revel 2.20 I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel c. So the common Rules and Maxims of all Lawes Consentientes agentes pari paenâ constringantur Bis peccat qui peccanti obsequium accommodat Qui non vetat peccarecum possit jubet Let the consenter and the actor receive equality of punishment He is a double offender who abetteth an offence He who sorbiddeth not an offence when it lies in his power commandeth it And of the severall kindes of consents Lyra in Praeceptorio Consulo praecipio consentio provoco laudo Non relego culpam non punio non reprehendo Participo defendo reum me talia reddunt I counsell bid consent provoke commend I suffer punish not nor reprehend I share in I defend a crime these bring Me into judgement for the selfe same thing So Anstas Damasus and Innocentius in Decret Error cui non resistitur approbatur veritas cùm non defenditur opprimitur Negligere quippe cum possis perturbare perversos nihil est aliud quà m fovere Neque caret scrupulo societatis occultae qui facinori manifesto definit obviare An errour which is not resisted is approved and truth when it is not defended is oppressed For to neglect the opposition of the perverse when it lies in thy power is no other than to maintaine them Nor is he free from the censure of private consent who withstandeth not a manifest offence Aug. and out of him the Decree Vterque reus est qui veritatem occultat qui mendacium dicit quia ille prodesse non vult iste nocere desiderat Both are guilty as well he that concealeth the truth as he that telleth a ly because the one will not doe good the other desires to doe harme Chrisostome and the Decree Non solum ille proditor est veritatis qui transgrediens veritatem palum promendacio Loquitur sed etiam ille qui veritatem non liberè pronunciat quum liberè pronunciare oporet aut non liberè veritatem defendit quum liberè defendere convenit He is not only a traitour to trueth who transgressing the trueth telleth a lie but hee also who freely speaketh not the trueth when it is needfull or doth not freely defend