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-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
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
Agent but many times the consequent of the Act as in that of our Saviour Christ Matth. 5. He that looketh on a woman to lust c. The meaning is not only with an intention to lust but to look so as lust doth follow Whereupon our Saviour addeth If thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out c. And Saint Paul putteth the case that some may bee provoked to offend by seeing a man eat a thing offered to an Idoll and although he granteth that meat is a thing indifferent yet hee addeth If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no meat while the world standeth 1 Cor. 8. So here the consequent is to be avoyded The second ex consequentia suppositi For where the second Commandement is Thou shalt make no Image c. Hee that will adde this clause to the intent to worship it doth utterly evacuate and overthrow the judiciall part of the Commandement For it is manifest by Deut. 12. and 13. and many other places of Scripture that God ordained this Law to bee a Judiciall Law and the offenders to bee punished by the Magistrate which is not possible if it be restrained to the intent for de occultis cordium Indicabit Christus sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. cogitationis poenam nemo patitur sayth the Law As if a man should stab another and yet say he meant not to kill him or as if one should lie with another mans wife and yet say he did it not to the intent to commit Adultery will this excuse him Is it not an absurd thing to conster a Law according to the conceit of an offender and not according to the sentence of the Judge or Judiciall Interpreters So we have seene before that the learned Divines both of the Primitive Church and of our own present Church doe agree in this that colit qui facit colit qui locat in honorabili sublimitate hee worshippeth them who maketh them he worshippeth them who setteth them in an high place of honour Never regarding the intent and that to set up an Image aloft in the Church with what intent soever is not onely against this precept Thou shalt not make any Image but against this also Thou shalt not bow downe nor worship it The third ex sensu mandati for it is answered also by our Learned Catechismes that in the commandements one sinne is put commonly for all of the same ranke yea for all instruments occasions per Synechdochen speciei And this prohibition of making Images was as Tertull. sayth ad eradicandam materiam Idololatriae to subvert the causes of Idolatry Also commonly the greatest sinne is named to make all the rest more odious Therefore this word to worship it is not put to restraine but to aggravate Let us now therefore come to another point of Tertullians exposition and see how that also is confirmed both by the Ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church and by the now reverend Fathers of our Church Colit qui patitur quaedam patientia est Idololatria he worships them that permits them some kinde of permission is Idolatry sayth he Hom. 2. against Idol pa. 22. Epiphanius Bishop of Salanim in Cyprus a very holy and learned man who lived in Theodosius the Emperours time vriteth thus to Iohn Patriarch of Jerusalem I entred sayth Epiphanius into a certaine Church to pray I found there in it a linnen-cloth hanging in the Church doore painted and having in it the Image of Christ as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well whose Image it was Therefore when I did see the Image of a man hanging in the Church of Christ contrary to the authority of the Scriptures I did teare it and gave counsell to the Keepers of the Church that they should winde a poore man that was dead in the sayd cloth and so bury him And afterwards the sayd Epiphanius sending another cloth unpainted for that painted one which he had torne to the said Patriarch writeth thus I pray you will the Elders of that place to receive this cloth which I have sent by this bearer and command them that from henceforth no such painted clothes contrary to our Religion be hanged up in the Church of Christ And this Epistle as worthy to be read of many did Saint Hierom himselfe translate into the Latin tongue sayth our Church in the Homily adding further certain proofes that S. Hierom had this holy and learned Bishop Epiphanius in most high estimation and therefore did translate this Epistle as a writing of Authority And thereupon observeth these speciall points First that Epiphanius judged it contrary to Christian Religion and to the Authority of the Scriptures to have any Images in Christs Church Secondly that he rejected not onely carved graven and moulten Images but also painted Images out of Christs Church Thirdly that he regarded not whether it were the Image of Christ or of any other Saint but being an Image would not suffer it in the Church Fourthly that he did not only remove it out of the Church but with a vehement zeale tare it in sunder and exhorted that a Corse should be wrapped and buried in it judging it meet for nothing but to rot in the Earth Thus doth our Church and all our Reverend Bishops not only allow the judgement but commend the fact and zeale of Epiphanius And the same points were observed upon this Epistle of Epiphanius by our godly and learned Bishops in the time of King Edward in their reasons exhibited to the said King to shew why they would not agree to suffer Images in Churches as appeareth in the book of Martyrs pag. 1929. a book allowed by all our Bishops and Church and lately new Printed and set forth this last yeere and appointed by our Canons to to be set up in all our Cathedrall Churches for every man to read that Will. Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 61. Suffer Images to bee set up in the Churches and Temples yee shall in vaine bid them beware of Images as S. Iohn doth and flee Idolatry as all the Scripture warne us yee shall in vaine preach and teach them against Idolatry for a number will notwithstanding fall headlong into it what by the nature of Images what by the inclination of their owne corrupt nature Wherefore as a man given to lust to sit downe by a strumpet is to tempt God so it is likewise to erect an Idoll in this pronenesse of mans nature to Idolatry nothing else but a tempting c. What S. Augustines opinion is appeareth before Quis adorat vel orat intuens simulacrum c. Who worshippeth or prayeth looking upon an Image and is not perswaded in minde that the Image heareth him Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 49. What meaneth it that Christian men after the use of the Gentile Idolaters cap and kneele before Images infra is not this stooping and kneeling before them adoration of them Chemnic in exam Deus usum
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
the trueth when it is expedient so to doe Augustine again and out of him the Decree Ecce inquiunt ut dicit Propheta Recedite exite indo immundum ne tetegeritis Quid est immundum tangere nisi peccatis consentire Quid est exire inde nisi facere quod pertinet ad correctionem quantum pro unius cujusque gradu atque persona salvâ pace fieri potest Behold say they as sayes the Prophet depart and come out from thence touch not the unclean thing What is meant by touching the unclean thing but consenting to sinne what by comming out from thence but doing what appertaines to its reformation as much as without breach of peace may bee done according to every mans degree and person Hereupon our Church in Hom. 3. against Idol p. 75. thus concludeth Ye have heard it evidently proved in these Homilies against Idolatry by Gods word the Doctors of the Church Ecclesiasticall Historyes Reason experience that Images have bin be worshipped and so Idolatry committed to them by infinite multitudes to the greater offence of Gods Majesty and infinite danger of soules and that Idolatry cannot possibly be separated from Images set up in Churches and Temples gilded and decked gloriously and that therefore our Images be indeed very Idols and so all the prohibitions Lawes Curses threatnings of horrible plagues aswell Temporall as Eternall contained in the Scriptures concerning Idols and the makers mainteyners and worshippers of them appertaine also to our Images set up in Churches and Temples and to the makers mainteyners and worshippers of them And all those names of Abomination which Gods word giveth to the Idols of the Gentiles appertaine also to our Images set up in Churches and Temples being Idols like to them and having like Idolatry committed to them And Gods owne mouth in the Holy Scripture calleth them vanities lies Deceits uncleannesse filthinesse dung mischiefe and abomination before the Lord. Wherefore Gods most horrible wrath and our most dreadfull danger cannot be avoyded without the destruction and abolishing of all such Images and Idols out of the Church and Temple of God Which to accomplish God put into the mindes of all Christian Princes And in the meane time let us take heede and be wise O yee beloved of the Lord and let us have no strange Gods c. So the Homily of our Church Bishop Iewels Reply pa. 517. The best remedy in this behalfe and most agreeable with Gods word is utterly to abolish the cause of the ill So the godly King Ezekias took downe and brake in peeces the brazen Serpent notwithstanding Moses himselfe by Gods speciall commandement had erected it notwithstanding it were an expresse figure of Christ hanging upon the Crosse notwithstanding it had continued so many yeares notwithstanding God by it had wrought so many miracles So the godly Bishop Epiphanius rent in sunder an Image painted in a cloth and said it was against Gods Commandement a thing superstitious and unmeet for the Church and people of God notwithstanding it were the Image of Christ So the godly Emperour Theodosius made his Proclamation over all his Dominions in this sort Signum Servatoris nostri quocunque loco reperitur tolli jubemus We straightly command that the Image of our Saviour be taken downe in what place soever it shall bee found notwithstanding it were the Image of our Saviour So it is decreed in the late Councell of Mogunce that when Images happen to bee abused by the people they bee either notably altered or utterly abolished Neither doth God through all his holy Scriptures any where condemne Image-breakers but expresly and every where hee condemneth Image-worshippers and Image-makers yea he saith they are snares to catch the ignorant Hee knoweth the inclination of the heart of man and therefore he saith Accursed be he that leadeth the blinde out of the way and accursed be he that layeth a stumbling block to overthrow the blinde So concludeth the reverend and learned Bishop Iewell and all our Church with him So all the holy Prophets Apostles Martyrs Doctors and Saints of God now triumphant in heaven who shall sit upon Thrones as Assessors with our Saviour Christ and judge the world as the Scriptures speak in their books and monuments which they have left behinde them to testifie their mindes doe unanimously pronounce the like sentences unto us And if wee could heare them speaking in heaven wee should heare their voyces as loud as Thunders or Trumpets proclaime that wee must not imagine that they will speak otherwise in heaven than they did upon earth Let me therefore conclude with that holy Doctor S. Augustine and that most blessed Apostle S. Paul in the name of all the rest Ergo fratres mei quot quot habetis inter vos qui adhuc amore saeculi praegravantur avaros perjuros adulteros inspectores nugarum c. quicquid inter vos malorum esse nostis quantum potestis improbate ut corde recedatis redarguite ut exeatis inde nolite consentire ut immundum ne tangatis Therefore my brethren as many as you have amongst you who are overcharged with the love of this world coverous persons perjurers adulterers beholders of vanity c. whatsoever evills you know amongst you reject them as much as you can depart from them in your hearts reprove them that you may come out from amongst them and consent not unto them that you may not touch the uncleane thing Come out from among them saith the Lord and touch not the uncleane thing I will receive you and yee shall bee my sonnes and my daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Christo Gloria FINIS