Imaginem scidi illud magis dedi consilium custodibus ejus loci ut pauperem mortuum eo obvolverent efferrent illique contra murmurantes dixerunt si scindere voluerat justum erat ut aliud daret velum atque mutaret quod cum audiissem me daturum esse pollicitus sum illico esse missurum Nunc autem misi quod potui reperire precor ut jubeas Presbyteros ejusdem loci suscipere velum à latore deinceps praecipere in Ecclesia Christi istiusmodi vela quae contra Religionem nostram veniunt non appendi Decet enim honestatem tuam hanc magis habere sollicitudinem ut scrupulositatem tollat quae indigna est Ecclesia Christi populis qui tibi crediti sunt Apud Hierom. Epist To. 2. F. 58. Epiphanius to John Bishop of Jerusalem where he saith When I was come into the Village called Anablatha and entring into the Church to pray found there a Veil dyed and painted and having the Image as it were of Christ or of some Saint for I do not well remember whose Image it was But seeing this that contrary to the Authority of Scriptures the Image of a Man was hanged up in the Church of Christ I rent it and gave counsel to the keepers of the Place that they should rather wrap up and bury some dead Body in it They murmuring said That having rent this he should send them another Which saith he I promised and have now sent and I desire you to bid the Presbyters of the Place receive it of the Bearer and henceforth to command them That such Veils as these which are repugnant to our Religion should not be hung up in the Church of Christ for it becomes you to be the more careful for the taking away that Scrupulosity which is unworthy of the Church of Christ and of the People committed to your charge This Epistle is extant in the Works of (m) Ep. To. p. 58. Jerom both Manuscript printed It is owned as genuine by (n) In Concil Narbon p. 616. Sirmondus and Petavius It was long since cited against Image-worship by the Councils of (o) Lib. Car. l. 4. c. 25. Frankford and (p) Synod Paris c. 6. Paris and so the Truth of it cannot be reasonably disputed This being thus premised I observe 1. That he declares it contrary to the Authority of Scripture to hang up in the Church of Christ the Image of a Man He doth not say the Image of a wicked Man but simply and without all distinction Imaginem Hominis the Image of a Man. 2. He clearly doth insinuate That for any thing he knew to the contrary the Image which he rent was the Image of Christ or of some Saint for whether it was so or no saith he I do not well remember Whence evident it is that had it been the Image of Christ or any of his Saints he would have rent it He therefore did not think that to destroy those Images which were erected for his Worship was to offer a most vile Affront unto his Saviour as afterwards the second Nicene Council did and now the Papists do conceive 3. He positively declares That all such Veils so hung up in the Church were contrary to the Religion of the Christians 4. He desires the Bishop of Jerusalem to charge his Presbyters that they should suffer no such thing hereafter to be done i. e. no painted Images to be hung up in the Church of Christ and that because it was unworthy of the Church of Christ the People committed to his charge to be scrupulous or concerned about such Trifles 5. Observe That when he rent this Veil and counselled the Men of Anablatha to wrap and bury some poor Body in it they did not say for ought appears and he did not regard it if they said so that this was to prophane the Sacred Image or that he offered an Affront to Christ or to his Saints by rending of it but they say only this That having rent that he should provide another Whence it is evident that they had then no Custom or Doctrine of the Church which could maintain the hanging up or could condemn the rending of this Veil § 4. The Aversation which all good Christians had to Images was so well known to the Enemies of the Church that they made their advantage of it to withdraw her Subjects from Communion with her For the Donatists well knowing how detestable a thing it was unto the Christians of that Time to see an Image set up in the Church and more especially upon the Altar they framed this Calumny the more effectually to draw them off from her Communion (q) Dicebatur illo tempore venturum esse Paulum Macarium qui interessent Sacrificio ut cum Altaria solent niter aptarentur proferren illi Imaginem quam primo in Altari ponerent Sic Sacrificium offerretur hoc cum acciperent aures animi perculsi sunt ut omnis qui haec audierat diceret qui inde gustat de Sacro gustat Optat. l. 3. p. 75. That the Catholicks Paulus and Macarius would bring an Image and place it on the Altar whilst the Sacrifice was offered This Rumor startled the Faithful for when the fame of it was spread abroad the Ears and Minds of all Men saith Optatus were much troubled at it and all that heard it began thus to speak Whosoever tasts of any thing from thence doth tast of a forbidden thing Whence we with (r) Masius in Josh Cap. 8. v. 31. Masius a Learned Romanist observe how much the Ancient Christians did detest the sight of any Image on the Altar that is how much they did detest the present practice of the whole Church of Rome 2ly Observe the Answer of the Christians of those Times unto this Calumny They do not say true it is we do set Pictures upon our Altars and that not only for Ornament and Memory but for Veneration also And we do well to do so and suitably to the Tradition of the Church of Christ so that you ought not to be troubled at it or frighted from our Communion by it which is the only Answer the Church of Rome can make to this Objection and which the Fathers ofthat they should be made § 4. But 2ly these Fathers do with one Voice declare That by this Precept the Christian is forbidden to worship to bow down or to give that Age would have made had they then practised as the Church of Rome doth now but they do utterly deny the Thing rejecting it with detestation and abhorrence Optatus doth confess That (s) Et rectè dictum erat si talem famam similis veritas sequeretur at ubi ventum est à supradictis nihil tale visum est nihil viderunt oculi Christiani quod horrerent visa est puritas ritu solito solennis consuetudo perspecta est cum viderent divinis Sacrificiis nec
all Persons who do not profess that our Lord was circumscribed as to his Humanity and therefore they pronounced this Anathema on all who held That his Humanity was present in the Sacrament by way of Transubstantiation since 't is agreed on all hands that his Body is not there circumscribed or present after the manner of a Body And so much for the Observations which concern the things delivered in the second Nicene Council What follows from the Doctrine here established against the Tenets of the Romish Church and the Assertions of the Guide of Controversies is as followeth 1. Hence it is evident That in Judges subordinate dissenting R. H. Disc 2. c. 3. §. 23. p. 100. there is no Universal Practice obliging us to adhere to the Superior or in those of the same order and dignity to the Major part For neither could Christians be obliged to adhere to this false decision of the Pope and second Nicene Council nor did the Councils of Frankford Paris or the German French or British Churches think themselves obliged so to do 2. Here also it is evident in the judgment of these Councils and Churches R. H. Disc 1. c. 3. That the subordinate Clergy may be a Guide to Christians when opposing the Superior for so these Councils and Churches thought themselves when they opposed the Pope of Rome and the Decrees of the second Nicene Council and so undoubtedly they were provided the Decisions of that Council approved by the the Pope be false 3. Here also is demonstrated the fulness of that Assertion of R. H. That Christians ought to submit to the Decisions of such Church Guides declaring the Sense of the Fathers Disc 2. c. 2. §. 19. the sense which was imposed on them by the Nicene Synod being notoriously false and by the forementioned Councils and Churches declared so to be 4. R. H. Disc 3. c. 2. §. 13. Hence it follows That if acceptance of a considerable part of Church-Governors absent from any Council is that and only that which renders it equivalent to a General Council The second Nicene Council for 500 Years after their sitting could not be General seeing the greatest part of the Western Church-Governors were absent from it and for 500 Years did not accept of its Decrees but reject condemn and abhor them and how it should become after so long a Period what for so many Years it was not I am yet to learn. 5. Disc 3. c. 3. §. 16. Hence it must follow That if according to R. H. all Persons dissenting from and opposing a known definition of the Church in Matters of-Faith be Hereticks Then must that of the second Nicene Council be no Definition of the Church in Matters of Faith or all the forementioned Councils and Churches that so long dissented from and opposed it must have been Hereticks during that whole time and consequently the Pope himself and all that Communicated with them for five Centuries must be unchurched also 6. Hence we Demonstratively learn That Councils by the Church of Rome reputed general may confidently pronounce Anathema's put their Decrees into their Creeds and call Men Hereticks who disown them as did the second Nicene Council when yet it is extreamly evident that their Decrees are false their Anathema's wicked and unjust and they whom they stile Hereticks may be Good and Orthodox professors of Christianity 7. Disc 3. c. 10. p. 314. Hence it appears how absurdly R. H. and other Romanists assert That none can be sufficient Judges of the Misarguings of Councils unless it be some following Councils of the same Authority and that private Men can by no better way learn what is Tradition but from the Church speaking by her Councils and that Apostolical Tradition cannot be known but by the Judgment of the present Church for sure our Reason was given us for little purpose if it cannot serve us to discover that this Nicene Council hath argued amiss and delivered that as Apostolical Tradition which was far from being truly such 8. Hence also we may learn the vanity of the Objections framed against the use of Reason in judging of the Truth or Falshood of Things defined by such Councils viz. That it is great pride for private Persons to oppose their Judgments to the Definition of a General Council to think they can see clearly what so many Persons could not see With many other things of a like Nature urged with much Rhetorick but with more weakness by the Roman Catholicks for in such Cases as these are the private Person doth not rely upon his private Judgment but on his Judgment concurring with the Judgment of all Learned Protestants in this and former Ages and of the whole Church of Christ for Six Centuries and with the major part of the Western Church for so many more and with the Confessions of many learned Persons of the Church of Rome And what absurdity it is to prefer the Judgment of so many joyn'd with the clearest evidence of Scripture what pride to follow the Evidence produced here let any reasonable Person judge Lastly Because some Persons take the liberty to say The Church of Rome and her Councils do not require Men to venerate to worship or bow down to Images let them know that their Trent Council hath decreed Sess 5. eis debitum honorem venerationem impartiendam esse that due honour and veneration is to be imparted to them according to the Definition of the second Nicene Council And that the Fathers of that Council generally say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) Act. 2. p. 130 132 133 135. Act. 3. p. 183 189 192. I worship and adore the Sacred Images and anathematize those who do not so confess or practise In the 7th Session they declare We should (q) P. 555. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salute and give them honorary Worship In the same Session they declare That it is without doubt acceptable and well-pleasing to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship and salute the Images of Christ the Blessed Virgin of Angels and all Saints Adding That if any one doubt or be wavering touching the Worship of Holy Images (r) Act. 7. P. 584. vid. Act. 4. p. 248. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Holy Synod assisted by the Holy Ghost doth Anathematize him The (s) Part. 3. Ch. 2. §. 24. Roman Catechism enjoins the Parish Priest to declare That Images of Saints are placed in the Church ut colantur that they may be worshipped and they have forced those who held the contrary to renounce it as Heresy When therefore any English or French Papists tell us That they do not venerate or bow down to Images or that the Church of Rome doth not enjoin them so to do they either know not what their Church doth teach or wilfully prevaricate all Roman Catholicks being obliged by these Councils and taught by this Catechism to pay this Veneration and Worship to them Mendae sic
emendandae In Pref. p. v. l. 16. Marg. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Body of the Book p. 2. l. 12. Marg. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A DEMONSTRATION That the Church of ROME and her Councils have actually Erred c. CHAP. I. The Fathers of the Nicene and Trent Councils teach That Image-Worship is a Tradition of the Apostles received by all Christians from the beginning § 1. The Councils of Constantinople and Frankford in the same Age say It was the Tradition of the Apostles and the Fathers that Images were not to be worshipped § 2. This last Assertion is proved 1. From express Testimonies of the Fathers saying They had no such Custom or Tradition That Christ and his Doctrine taught them to reject and abandon Images and That they taught all their Converts to contemn them § 3. 2ly That Image-Worship was by them represented as an Heathenish Custom It being say they proper to the Heathens to make and worship them and proper to Christians to renounce the Worship of them § 4. 3ly When Heathens objected this to Christians That they had no Images or Statues yea that they laught at those who had them they own and justify the thing § 5. 4ly They commend the Policy of the Jews for having none and the Wisdom of those Gentiles who had none and held it a mark of their own Excellency that they had them not and that they shut their Eyes when they worshipped that they might not see any sensible Object § 6. 5ly They answer and reject those very Pleas when used by Heathens which afterwards were used by the Nicene Council and the Romish Church in the behalf of Image-worship § 7. 6ly These Fathers represent the having Images of Christ and of his Saints for Worship as a thing proper to the vilest Hereticks § 8. AMongst the many Evidences that might be easily produced to shew that the pretended General Councils of the Church of Rome have with great vanity and most apparent falshood defined That they received the Doctrines which they endeavoured to impose upon the Christian World from Primitive and Apostolical Tradition one is The Veneration or honorary Worship of the Images of Christ his Virgin Mother the Martyrs and the Saints departed For the second Nicene Council and the chief Bishops mentioned or residing in it do very frequently but also very falsly say That the Doctrine and Practice there declared and required touching the Adoration of S. Images is Apostolical from the beginning and that which hath been always practised by the Church of Christ § 1. Pope Gregory the Second having like a true infallible Interpreter of Scripture told us That in that Expression of our Lord's (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. 2. Con. To. 7. p. 12. Where the Carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together by the Carcass was to be understood Christ and by the Eagles Religious Men and Lovers of him He adds That (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. these Religious Men flew like Eagles to Jerusalem and having seen our Lord and James his Brother and Stephen the first Martyr they painted them as they had seen them And that Men no sooner beheld them but leaving the Worship of the Devil they fell immediately to worship these Images not indeed with Latria but with Relative Worship Pope Hadrian saith That (c) Sicut à primordio traditionem à sanctis Patribus susceperunt Act. 2. p. 103. Hoc enim traditum est à sanctis Apostolis p. 110. p. 99. In universo mundo ubi Christianitas est ipsae S. Imagines ab omnibus fidelibus honorantur p. 106. all Orthodox and Christian Emperors all Priests and religious Servants of God and the whole company of Christians observed the veneration of Images and Pictures for memory of pious compunction and even till then worshipped them as they received a Tradition from the beginning from the Holy Fathers to do That the special Honour Adoration and Veneration of them was delivered by the Holy Apostles And that throughout the whole VVorld where-ever Christianity was planted these venerable Images were honoured by all the Faithful Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople declares That this of the Venerable Images was (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. p. 348 388. the Tradition of the whole Catholick Church of God from the beginning Gregory Bishop of Possene cites for it a Synod of the Aposties met at (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 64. Antioch commanding Christians no longer to err about Idols but instead of them to paint the Image of Christ God and Man. And Leo Bishop of Rhodes adds That the Holy and Venerable Images were to be in the Church (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. according to the Custom delivered of old Times from the Apostles And at the conclusion of many of their Actions the Fathers (g) Act. 2. p. 132 133 136 152 153. 3. p. 188. Act. 4. p. 328. 5. 389. 7. 576. generally affirm That they embraced and practised the worship of Images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Tradition of the Holy Apostles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) Act. 2. p. 145. as they delivered to them who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of the VVord Yea the whole Synod doth frequently assert they were taught thus to judge of the (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 321. Adoration of Images by the Holy Fathers and by their Doctrine delivered by God. That their Tradition concerning it was (k) Act. 7. p. 553. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Tradition of the Catholick Church And that in defining and asserting it (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 556. they followed the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers taught them by God and the Tradition of the Catholick Church and knew this was the Doctrine of that Holy Spirit which dwelt in her That they (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. item p. 588. followed in observing this Tradition St. Paul and the whole Apostolical College and that thus the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers was confirmed thus the Tradition of the Catholick Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from one end of the Christian VVorld to the other held and practised That this was (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 581. the Doctrine received from the first Founders of the Christian Faith and their Divine Successors And lastly they do often with full Voice (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. p. 576. Act. 8. p. 592. cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Faith of the Apostles this is the Faith of the Fathers this is the Faith of the Orthodox this is that Faith which establisheth the VVorld And suitable to this is the Language of the Trent Council which commands all Bishops and others whose Office it is to
instruct the People to teach them diligently That the Images of Christ the Mother of God and other Saints are especially to be had and retained in Temples and that due Honour and Veneration is to be given to them because the Honour tendred to them is referr'd to the Prototype so that by the Images which they kiss before which they uncover their Heads and prostrate themselves they worship Christ and venerate the Saints whose Similitudes they are And this say they is done (p) Jâ—xta Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae usum à primaevis Christianae Religionis temporibus receptum Sanctorumque Patrum consensionem Sess 25. according to the custom of the Catholick and Apostolick Church received from the first Age of the Christian Faith and the consent of the Holy Fathers § 2. On the other hand the Council of Constantinople consisting of 338 Bishops assembled in the Year 754 declares That (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. 2. p. 452. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 508. this evil invention of Images neither hath its being from the Tradition of Christ or his Apostles nor of the Holy Fathers And having forbidden all Christians to worship any or to place an Image in the Church or in their private Houses they conclude unanimously thus (r) Ibid. p. 532. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Faith of the Apostles this is the Faith of the Fathers this is the Faith of the Orthodox The Council of Frankford consisting of 300 Bishops assembled by Charles the Great out of Italy Germany and France A. D. 794. declares That the (s) Quia ut hoc facerent ab Apostolis sibi traditum mentiebantur Lib. Carol. l. 2. c. 25 27. second Nicene Council had offended in two things 1. in decreeing that Images should be worshipped And 2. in saying falsly that this was delivered to them from the Apostles They add That (t) Relictis priscorum patrum traditionibus qui imagines non colere sanxerunt novas conari insolitas Ecclesiae consuetudines inferre Praesat in lib. 1. leaving the Traditions of the Ancient Fathers who decreed That Images should not be worshipped they endeavoured to bring into the Church new and unusual Customs That they endeavoured to bring into Christian Religion the new Adoration of Images (u) Absque Sanctorum Patrum doctrina consacerdotum per diversas mundi partes consensu L. 4. c. 21. without the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers and the consent of their fellow Priests throughout the World. That this of Image-Worship was (w) Praefat. p. 10. impudentissima traditio a most impudent Tradition And that this pretended Tradition was (x) Neque in Evangeliorum tonitruis neque in Apostolorum dogmatibus vel quorumlibet Orthodoxorum Patrum doctrinis uspiam reperimus insertam L. 4. c. 13. neither to be found in the Oracles of the Prophets nor in the Writings of the Gospels nor in the Doctrines of the Apostles nor in the Relations of the former Holy Synods nor in the Doctrines of the Orthodox Fathers That it was instituted by them nullo Antiquitatis documento vel exemplo without all Instruction or Example from Antiquity A Synod held at Paris under Ludovicus Pius and Lotharius Anno Dom. 824 saith That the (y) Contra Authoritatem divinam sanctorum Patrum dicta P. 23. second Nicene Council declared for Image-worship against the Divine Authority and the Sayings of the Holy Fathers And that (z) Ed. Pith. p. 25 26. they determined against the Worship of them according to Divine Authority and juxta sententias sanctorum Patrum according to the Judgments of the Holy Fathers Agobardus Bishop of Lions having declared against all Image-worship saith (a) L. de Imag. §. 30. p. 263. This is sincere Religion is Mos Catholicus haec Antiqua Patrum Traditio this is the Catholick Custom this is the Ancient Tradition of the Fathers as is easily proved even out of the Book of Sacraments which the Roman Church useth And again (b) Nullus Antiquorum Catholicorum unquam eas colendas vel adorandas fore existimavit P. 265. None of the Ancient Catholicks did ever think that Images were to be worshipped or adored Hincmarus Arch bishop of Rhemes informs us That (c) Secundum Scripturarum tramitem traditionémque Majorum Opusc 55. cap. 20. this Nicene Synod was condemned and evacuated by a General Synod call'd by the Emperor Charles the Great according to the way of the Scripture and the Tradition of the Ancients (d) De Gestis Franc. Lib. 5. cap. 28. Aimoinus also complains of them That they had decreed touching the Adoration of Images alitèr quà m Orthodoxi Patres antea definierunt otherwise than the Orthodox Fathers had before defined In that Synod saith (e) In èa Synodo confirmatum st Imagines adorari debere quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Annal. Part. 1. ad An. 791. Roger Hoveden it was confirmed that Images should be adored which the Church of God doth wholly execrate Now in this Matter let the Truth lie where you please 't is sure no little Prejudice against receiving any thing as a Tradition upon the evidence of a few single Fathers in Matters of meer Speculation as some Traditionary Doctrines of the Church of Rome most surely are that in a thing of this Nature which must be either daily practised or omitted by the Church whole Councils of 300 Bishops at the least in the same Age maintain such contradictory Assertions one saying frequently and expresly That this was the Doctrine of the Apostles and all the Ancient Fathers the others as expresly That it never was the Doctrine of either of them One That this was the practice of all faithful Christians the other That they never found it practised by any of the Orthodox Professors But though such contradictory Assertions in another Case might cause a wary Person to suspend his assent to either of them yet I am confident that whosoever is unprejudiced must in this case give in his Verdict against the Doctrine and Assertions of the Trent and of the second Nicene Council § 3. For notwithstanding all the confident Assertions of these Councils the Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers are so full and clear against that Honour and Veneration of Images which by these Councils is imposed upon all Christians with an Anathema to them who do assert or even think the contrary that he who doth impartially read them and doth not conclude that the whole Church of Christ did for 500 Years and more condemn this practice and in plain terms or by just consequence assert they had no such Tradition cannot sustain much loss if he quite want the use of Reason For 1. the Fathers do expresly say The Church of Christ hath no such Custom or Tradition (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud 2 Nic. Concil Act. 6. p. 492. We Christians saith Theodotus have no Tradition to form the Images of Saints
Heathens (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccles l. 7. c. 18. It is no marvel saith Eusebius that those of the Heathens who of old were cured by our Saviour should do such things i.e. erect his Image as did the Woman cured of her bloody Issue since we have seen the Images of the Apostles Paul and Peter yea and of Christ himself kept painted with Colours on Tables for that of old they were wont imprudently by an Heathenish Custom thus to honour them whom they counted their Saviours or Benefactors This therefore was an Heathenish and not a Christian Custom For had Christians customarily had such Statues and Pictures why doth Eusebius make this a Badg of Heathenism Why doth he say It was no marvel that Heathens should do thus If the Images of Christ and his Apostles had been then common in all Christian Oratories why is it mention'd as so rare a thing that he had seen them Why lastly doth he say that this was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Valesius imprudently and inconsiderately Adamantius the Manichaean cites those words of the second Commandment Effigies Imagines Contra Adam cap. 13. See that you make no Effigies or Images for I am a jealous God to reprehend the Zeal of the God of the Old Testament to which St. Austin answers That (b) Vult ergo videri favere se simulacris quod propterea faciunt ut miserrim vesanae suae sectae etiam paganorum concilient benevolentiam Ibid. he only quarrels with God's Zeal because it forbad Images and so would seem to favour Images which saith he these Men do to conciliate the favour of the Heathens to their mad and miserable Sect where we learn not only that Simulacra and Imagines are with St. Austin the same thing but also that it was only Heathens who then favoured Images and those who had a kindness for them Agobardus in the 9th Century saith That (c) Ob religionis honorem aut aliquam venerationem more Gentilium De Imag. p. 248. to use the Images of the Apostles or our Lord himself for the Honour of Religion or any Veneration is to use them after the manner of the Heathens and that if Constantine did adore the Images of St. Peter and Paul (d) Ex consuetudine Idololatriae pestifera p. 252. he did it from the pestiferous Custom of Idolatry So generally and so lately was this esteemed an Heathenish and Idolatrous Custom by the Fathers of the Church § 5. 5. This thing was so notorious to the Heathens that they object it to the Christians as their Crime that they had no Images that they would not make would not endure much less venerate them and that they laugh'd at those who did Celsus objects saith Origen That (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 8. p. 389 404. we avoid the making of Images And again (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 7. p. 373. In this that they will not endure Images they are like unto the Scythians c. and other irreligious and lawless Nations who dedicate no Image to their Gods and count them Fools that do so And a third time thou laugh'st at our Images (g) Quod non deorum alicujus simulacrum constituamus aut formam L. 6. p. 189. For this cause you lay great Impiety to our charge saith Arnobius because we make no Images or shape of any of the Gods. In a word When Adrian the Emperor had commanded that (h) Christo Templum facere voluit Severus quod Adrianus cogitasse fertur qui Templa in omnibus civitatibus sine simulacris jusserat fieri Hist August c. 43. Qui consulentes sacra repererunt omnes Christianos fieri si id optato evenisset ibid. Temples should be made in all Cities without Images it was by them conjectured that he made them for Christ saith Lampridius who adds That he was forbidden to proceed in this Enterprise by those who consulting the Oracles found that all Men would turn Christians if this according to their wishes should fall out Whence evident it is that it was not the use of Christians then to have Images in Churches but that the contrary was according to their wishes 6ly If we consider what the Father 's answered to this Accusation of the Heathens we shall more fully be convinced that they did not venerate but did intirely reject the use of Images as vain ridiculous and inconsistent with the Christian Faith and the true worship of a Deity For Whereas the Heathens complain'd that Christians laughed at their Images That Origen replies (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 8. p. 404. that they did not laugh at the insensate Statues but at those who worshipped them And he justifies this practice of the Christians by saying That (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. l. 7. p. 362. any Man of sound Reason could not but laugh at them who look'd upon Images and by the contemplation of them thought to ascend from what was seen and was a Symbol to what was understood 2ly They answer by distinguishing betwixt such Images as were the work of an Artificer saying That these they did reject and such as were spiritual consisting in the resemblance of the Vertues and Persections of their Lord and these they owned as acceptable to God and such as they regarded (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. L. 8. p. 389. The Images which are agreeable to God saith Origen are not such as are framed by servile Artists but those Vertues which are formed in us by the Word of God and are the Imitations of the First Born of the Creation in whom are the Examples of Justice Temperance Fortitude Prudence and Godliness and all other Vertues (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. In all therefore who are furnished with these Vertues are the Images with which we think it meet to honour the Prototype of all Images the Image of the Invisible God his only Son and (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. they who put off the old Man with his Works and put on the New which is renewed in Knowledg according to the Image of him that created him by receiving this Image of their Creator make such Images in themselves as God regards insinuating that God liked no other (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In sum saith he all Christians do attempt to make such Images as we have now related not such as have no Life or Sense nor such in which wicked Daemons may reside that is neither such Images as were in use amongst the Heathens nor such as are now used by the Church of Rome for theirs I suppose have neither Life nor Sense (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 390 391. Let therefore any Man that will saith he compare the Images I have now mentioned framed in the Souls of pious Persons with the Images of Phidias and Polycletus and the
like and he will manifestly discern that the latter are void of Life and corrupted by Time and therefore he concludes That there is no compare betwixt the Images of Christians and of Heathens So that the Images which are obnoxious to the Injuries of Time and which are void of Life and Sense were then accounted Heathen Images the Images of Christians were then only those which are framed in the immortal Souls of Men. According to that of Theodotus Ancyranus (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Conc. Nic. 2. Conc. To. 7. p. 492. We have no Tradition to form the Images of Saints in material Colours but we are taught to express their Vertues recorded in the Writings concerning them as their living Images And that of Amphilochius (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 484. We are not concerned to frame the fleshly Persons of the Saints by Colours upon Tables but to imitate the Vertues of their Conversations 3. To the Comparison made by Celsus betwixt them and the Scythians Moors and Persians in this Matter Origen replies (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 4. p. 374. That it is true both they and Christians were averse from Images but then the Christians rejected them on better Grounds than Heathens did viz. because they would not violate the Commandment forbidding the use of them and because they dreaded to debase the Divine Worship by bringing it down to Matter shaped in such a Manner and Figure And (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 8. p. 391. because finding by the Doctrine of Christ the way of Piety towards God they avoided those things which by appearance of Piety made Men wicked Which passages assure us not only that the Christians of those Times abstained from all religious use of Images but also that they did it in obedience to the Doctrine of Christ and the Commandment forbidding it i.e. upon the very Motives which move us to do so 4ly Arnobius in answer to the same Objection of the Heathens That Christians did contemn the Deities because they had no Images of any of them nor did they worship their Effigies whereas (u) Sequitur ut de simulacris dicamus qua multa arte componitis religiosa observatione curatis L. 6. p. 194. the Heathens made and with religious Observation did regard them gives this reason why the Christians had them not viz. (x) Honorum hac genera aut risui habere si rideant aut indignè perpeti P. 189. Because saith he we do conceive that if they certainly be Gods whom we worship and have that eminence which by that name is signified they will deride or be offended with such kind of Honour 2ly He tells them that he is not able to determine (y) Utrumne istud serio cum proposito faciatis gravi an ridendo res ipsas Ibid. p. 194. whether they themselves do this seriously or with intention to deride what they pretend to worship For (z) Si enim certum est apud vos Deos esse quos veneremini atque in summis coeli regionibus degere quae ratio est ut simulacra ista fingantur à vobis p. 195. if it be certain saith he they are Gods whom you worship and that they have their Habitation in the highest Heavens what reason can induce you to frame these Images of them Which Reason doth as much concern the Roman Images for they are Images of Christ the Virgin Mother and of those Saints and Martyrs whom they suppose to live in Heaven 3ly He calls upon the Heathens to clear up their Understandings and consider That (a) Simulacra ista quae templis in omnibus prostrati humiles adoratis ossa lapides aera sunt c. p 200. those Images before which they lie prostrate and which they humbly adore are Wood Stones Brass Silver or Gold and such are also all the Images of Roman Catholicks And having urged these and many other Arguments he concludes (b) Satis demonstratum est quam inaniter fiant simulacra p. 210. He had sufficiently demonstrated how vainly Images were made Whence evident it is that Christians then esteemed it a vain ridiculous thing and a dishonour to that Jesus whom they owned as God to worship him by Images and that they had no Image of any thing in Heaven And indeed the very silence of the Christians as to the Matter of Images when they professedly reply to this Impeachment of the Heathens is a sufficient Argument that they allowed no use of Images in their Religious Worship and that they paid no Veneration to them For should any Heathen now object against the Church of Rome That they had no Images would they not answer They had the Images of Christ his Virgin Mother and of his Blessed Saints and Martyrs This therefore should in honesty and reason have been the Answer of the Ancient Christians to the like Objection of the Heathens made against them had it been suitable to the received Principles and Practice of their Times Moreover the Heathens as Lactantius informs us thought an Image so very requisite to the performance of Religious Worship That (c) Nec ullam Religionem putant ubicunque illa non fulserint L. 2. c. 6. p. 169. Ed. Leyd they imagined there could be no Religion where there was no Image And this induced them to conceive that albeit they knew not of any Images the Christians used yet had they some concealed amongst them And hence Caecilius asks the Christians (d) Cur occultare quidquid illud colunt magnopere nituntur cur nullas aras habent templa nulla nulla nota simulacra P. 10. Why is it that you hide and conceal the Thing you worship be it what it will Why have you no Altars no Temples no known Images not doubting but they had some Images concealed To this Imagination of the Heathens Origen thus replies L. 3. p. 120. We openly declare the venerable Principles of our Religion and do not hide them as Celsus doth imagine for we teach our Converts the contempt of Idols and of all Images Octavius also takes notice of it in these words (e) Putatis nos occultare quod colimus si delubra aras non habemus quod enim simulacrum Deo fingam cum si rectè existimes sit Dei homo simulacrum p. 36. You think we hide what we worship if we have not Temples with Images and Altars And then he answers in behalf of Christians with a free inunuation that they had no such things and gives these Reasons why they had them not What Image shall I make of God since if you rightly do esteem it Man is the Image of his Maker What Temple shall I build when the whole World cannot contain him What Sacrifices should I offer since a good Soul and pure Mind is the Offering that he will accept (f) Haec nostra sacrificia haec Dei Sacra sunt
That they worship the Images of Christ his Blessed Mother and the Saints That by their Pictures they may be able to ascend by Memory unto the Prototype And because the more they view their Images the better are they excited to the remembrance and desire of the Prototype and to give honorary Worship to the Images Now this as you have heard the Fathers have declared to be the very thing for which they laught at the Philosophers that by looking upon Images and Symbols they thought to ascend to what was understood and represented by them declaring That Christianity taught them to overlook these things and to ascend immediately to God and to his Son and that the rudest Christian did so by shutting of his bodily Eyes and not by looking upon what was sensible Accordingly the (l) Non corporeus nobis visus sed Spiritualis est necessarius Lib. Carol. l. 2. c. 21. Council of Frankford teacheth That to contemplate Christ who is the Vertue and Wisdom of God or to behold the Vertues which by God were derived upon his Saints they needed not that corporeal sight which was common to them with unreasonable Creatures but the Spiritual only 4ly The Fathers of the Second Nicene Council do not only stile these Images Sacred and Holy but declare They salute them in hope of being made partakers of Sanctification by them asserting That by paying honorary Worship to them they expect (m) Act. 4. p. 265 321 453 492. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made partakers of some Holiness and that they really do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derive some Holiness from the Action And doubtless the Heathens had the same conceit as is evident from the frequent Assertions of the Fathers against them and consequently against the Second Nicene Council That there could be nothing Sacred nothing Holy in an Image or in any thing made by an Artificer Accordingly the (n) Nec Sanctae dici debent L. 3. c. 2. Council of Frankford saith They ought not to be called Holy And the Synod held at (o) Qui Sanctus nuncupari sanxerunt sanctimoniam ab eis se adipisci posse professi sunt p. 20. Paris saith The Second Nicene Council erred not a little not only in saying That Images were to be adored but also in calling them Holy and saying That Holiness might be had by them Now can it rationally be supposed that they who thus declared That Images were needless that they knew no advantage could be received by them that all Men were to be taught not to admire them that they deserv'd to err who sought Instruction from them that as for Christians even the rudest of them rather chose to shut their Eyes when they performed their Devotion than to employ them about sensible Objects with many other things of a like nature Can it I say be well imagined that these very Men should judg these very Images fit to instruct to sanctify to work compunction in them yea to be Objects worthy of their Veneration § 8. Once more the Fathers represent this as a practice proper to the vilest Hereticks For of the Carpocratian and Gnostick Hereticks it is related by (p) Imagines quasdam depictas quasdam de reliqua materia fabricatas habent dicentes formam Christi factam à Pilato has coronant reliquam observationem circa eas similiter ut Gentes faciunt Epiph. Haer. 7. p. 108. Iren. l. 1. c. 24. Epiphanius That they had many Images some painted others framed in Gold and Silver and other Matter which they said were the Representations of Christ made under Pontius Pilate Carpocratians saith (q) Imagines quasdam depictas quasdam de reliqua materia fabricatas habent dicentes formam Christi factam à Pilato has coronant reliquam observationem circa eas similiter ut Gentes faciunt Epiph. Haer. 7. p. 108. Iren. l. 1. c. 24. Irenaeus have some painted Images some also made of other Matter saying That their Images of Christ were made by Pilate and these they crown and place with the Images of Plato Aristotle and Pythagoras and perform other Rites unto them as the Gentiles do that is they censed and worshipped them say (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anaceph p. 140. Epiphanius and (s) Colebat Imagines adorando incensumque ponendo August Haer. 7. St. Austin Thus of Marcellina a Carpocratian Heretick it is related by Epiphanius and St. Austin That she made the Image of Christ and Paul and Homer and Pythagoras and did cense worship or bow down to them Besides St. Austin doth affirm of Carpocrates That he (t) Hic Iesum hominem tantummodo putasse prohibetur Ibid. was reputed to have held That Christ was only Man and so could not intend to give him the Worship due to God. And Bellarmine himself confesseth That (u) Isti cum Christum colerent proculdubio imaginem ejus propter ipsum colebant De Imagine Sanctorum c. 24. §. sexta Ratio without doubt they of whom Irenaeus speaks did worship the Image for the Relation which it bore to Christ And thus the Doctors of the Church of Rome allow it worthy of Worship and so must be condemn'd by Irenaeus as much as are the Carpocratians Here then is undeniable conviction that what the Second Nicene Council have decreed to be the Worship due unto the Images of Christ and all the blessed Spirits and what the Church of Rome doth daily practise was deemed in the purer Ages of the Church a practice proper to the vilest Hereticks They have these Images say the Fathers They offer Incense and bow down to them and in this they do like Heathens and therefore not like Christians Therefore the Christians of those Ages did not so for what is more absurd than to reprove these Hereticks for doing that which the best of Christians daily practised CHAP. II. The Arguments of the Fathers against the Worship of Heathen Images conclude equally against those now used by Christians as v. g. 1. That it was incongruous to worship or bow down to them because they were made of Earth insensate Earth the same with that of which Vessels were made for common uses and they were sensual Objects and therefore were not to be adored but trod upon contemned and cast away § 1. 2ly Because they were worse than Beasts imperfect Insects and dead Things which yet it would be a vile and unbecoming thing for Men to bow down to § 2. 3ly Because the Artificer who made them was better whom yet 't was shameful to adore that being the Works of Mens Hands they could not be holy valuable acceptable to God and so not fit to be adored that the Works of God were not to be adored in honour of him much less the Works of Mens hands in honour of the Saints § 3. 4ly That Man who was the Image of God and was made upright was not to adore the Images of Men or
Nicene Council In a word Lactantius not only laughs at them who kiss and worship and bow down to these (x) Frustra igitur homines auro ebore gemmis deos excolunt exornant Ergo his Iudicris ornatis grandibus pupis unguenta thura odores inferunt his peplos indumenta pretiosa L. 2. c. 4. p. 154 157. great Puppits as he thinks fit to call them but also at the vanity of such as adorn them with Gold or Jewels that cover them with Vails or precious Garments that offer Incense or sweet Odours or consecrate Gold or Silver to them and who they are who do these things at present we are not to learn. § 8. And now let any Man of Reason judg whether all these Considerations do not as much concern the Images of Saints and even of our Blessed Lord as they concerned the Images of Heathen Deities whether their Images as well as those of Heathens be not made of Wood like to that we burn or of polish'd Earth like to that we tread upon and trample under feet and of which Vessels are oft made for viler uses whether they be not sensual Objects things void of sense and without Life Motion or ability to speak whether they be not made by the Artificer are not the work of servile Artists Stone-cutters Mechanicks whether they be not the Works of Mens hands whether they be not in the Roman Church adored and reverenced by Men made upright after God's Image and dedicated to his Honour and who have what Images have not and do what Images cannot do whether any who adore them desire to be like unto them whether the Images which Papists reverence be not the Images of Heavenly Powers of Beings now in Heaven the Images of dead or absent Persons or made for the Commemoration of such Persons And being so Whether these Sayings of the Fathers do not equally concern them both Or whether they do not equally condemn the Worship of the Images of Saints and Heathen Deities If then these very Fathers had themselves made and worshipped Images subject to all or any of these Characters and had received a Tradition from Christ and his Apostles so to do themselves and teach all Christians so to do who can imagine that they would have spoken such plain and frequent Contradictions both to their Practice and their Doctrine and talk'd as if they equally intended to condemn and even ridicule the Christian and the Heathen way of Worship § 9. Again suppose the Fathers could have been thus destitute of common sense and void of fore-sight Would not the Heathens have taken this advantage to retort upon them all that they argued against their Image-Worship and tell them That which they condemned in them was only what themselves did daily practise and taught all Christians to observe Could Celsus Porphyry Hierocles Eunapius Julian and all the other Heathen Wits have wholly waved and neglected such a plain Advantage Put case they heard these Fathers daily telling them that 't was a wickedness to adore that which was made of Earth that it was impious and foolish to adore the Works of Mens hands or what was void of sense that they renounced the Name or being of a Man who bowed down to venerate earthly things that they could not but judg them impotent and blind who called such things Sacred or deemed it piety to adore them and that they could not chuse but laugh at and upbraid their Folly. Should all the Pagans know that what they thus objected against their Image-worship was of equal force against that which themselves did daily practise that there were Images in every Christian Church made by Mens hands of Earth as void of sense as any they adored and that the Christians did esteem and call them Sacred adore bow down to venerate them could they abstain from saying in the words of the Apostle Thou art inexcusable O Christian whoever thou art that judgest us for doing these things for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things When this Corruption began to spread it self through the Eastern Churches and to be countenanced at Rome and many had submitted to these superstitious Practices the Heathens presently began thus smartly to reply upon those Christians who condemned their Image-worship (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Nic. Conc. Act. 5. p. 353. What have you not also in your Churches Images of Saints and do not you pay worship to them What is the practice of you Christians (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. do not you represent in Images that which you call a God viz. your Saviour (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. p. 373. Why to refore do you complain of us who are your selves more superstitiously addicted to the like practices The Heathens saith Tarasius Patriarch of C. P. and the great Champion of Image-worship defended their Idols by condemnation of the Martyrs saying (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 376. Why strive you with us and refuse our Images when you have Images of your own Why is it then that the more Ancient Pagans Hierocles and Lucian Porphyry and Celsus Caecilian and Symmacus Julian Eunapius and others object such things against the Worship of the Christians as were most evidently false viz. the Worship of the Sun an Asses Head of the Clouds and the Priests Genitals or most apparently impertinent as the Worship of a crucified Malefactor bâ—t never mention this which if the practice of the Christians had given them occasion so to do had been so proper and so obvious that the most rude and unskilful Adversary could scarce neglect to mention or avoid taking notice of These Persons surely neither wanted skill nor Wisdom to know what made for their Adâ—antage and what was proper to retort upon their Adversaries They had no kindness for the Christians which might induce them to wave this obvious Reply to these Accusations of the Christians brought against them nor could they possibly be ignorant of what the Christians practised in this kind they being some of them Apostates from the Christian Faith and admitted to their publick Worship 'T is therefore certain that the Practice and Doctrine of those purer Ages gave them no occasion to retort these things § 10. 3ly Let us reflect a little upon the Language and Deportment of those who have professedly admitted of the Veneration of the Images of Christ and of his Saints and see if we find any thing resembling these Sayings of the Fathers in their Words or Actions Since that this Image-worship hath obtained amongst the Latins who ever heard such Language from them What Romanist will say The Christian Doctrine did not permit them to be sollicitous about Images and Statues but to relinquish them to reject them that Christ came to cause them to desist from the worship of them and to elevate them from earthly
〈◊〉 l. 4. p. 181. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 6. p. 321. the Jewish Polity admitted of no Painter or Statuary the Law ejecting all such out of it And all these Arts of graving and of painting Images he also stileth Arts of Wickedness And again (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. l. 6. p. 321. As for Painters Carvers Image-makers we think that they who do respect their Evil Arts not taking off their Minds from all things visible and sensible to fix them upon him who is Light are yet in Darkness Tertullian saith (s) Jam vero ipsum opus personarum quaero an Deo placeat qui omnem similitudinem vetat fieri De Spect. cap. 23. Et conjungens neque similitudinem c. toto mundo ejusmodi artibus interdixit servis Dei. De Idol c. 4. Even of the Work of such Persons I enquire Whether it can please that God who forbad any likeness to be made how much more of his Image The Author of Truth loves not what is false whatsoever is feigned is Adultery with him The Divine Law proclaims Thou shalt make no Idol and adding neither the likeness of any thing in Heaven or Earth hath through the World forbidden the Servants of God to exercise such Arts. And to this Objection of the Image-maker I have no other Trade to live upon He answers What hast thou to do with God if thou wilst live by thy own Laws (t) Patet Exclesia omnibus si nulla exceptio est artium quas Dei disciplina non recipit c. 5. The Church permits all Men to labour but not to labour in those Arts which the Discipline of God receives not Chrysostom saith I (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matt. Hom. 49. p. 316 317. condemn the Arts of making Pictures as no Arts for they only tend to superfluous Expence whereas the Name of Arts is only to be given to those Trades which appertain to things necessary and belonging to the Life of Man. For God for this cause gave us Wisdom that we might find out Methods by which we might advantage our Life But tell me Where is the profit of making little Images or Animals on Walls or Garments And lastly The (w) Apud Concil Nic. 2. Act. 6. p. 425. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 505. Council of Constantinople consisting of 338 Bishops calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unlawful Art of making Pictures Judge therefore whether the Christians of those five first Centuries could have any custom received from Tradition to adore what they declared unlawful for any Christian Man to make though he did not adore it Whether they held it necessary that Images should be worshipped who held it both superfluous and wicked outward Veneration to any Image whatsoever Origen in that very Homily upon Exodus which Romanists do cite in favour of their Exposition of the word Idol to signify a thing that hath no real Being in the World is very clear in this Particular declaring (x) Quae nunc fermo Dei universa complectens simul abjurat abjicit non solum Idolum fieri vetat sed similitudinem omnium in terra c. Hom. 8. in Exod. That the Command forbiddeth not only to make an Idol but also the similitude of all things so that if any Man in any Metal of Gold Silver Wood or Stone makes the resemblance of any four-footed Beast Serpent or Bird and sets it up to be adored he maketh not an Idol but a Similitude or if he make a Picture to that end he doth the same And that the Word of God comprehending all these things together casts away and abjures them and doth not only forbid an Idol to be made but also the similitude of all things which are on the Earth in the Waters and the Heaven adding and saying Thou shalt not adore nor worship them (y) Aliud est colere aliud adorare potest quis invitus adorare colere verò est toto his affectu studio mancipari utrumque ergo resecat sermo divinus ut neque affectu colas neque specie adores Ibid. Now it is one thing to adore another thing to worship for a Man may unwillingly adore as they who flatter Kings who are addicted to such things may seem to adore Idols when in their Hearts they know an Idol is nothing in the World but to worship is to be devoted to them with our whole Affection and Study both which the Divine Word cuts off providing That thou shouldst neither worship them with thy Affection nor adore them in appearance or external shew The other Author whom they cite to countenance their Exposition of the Word Idol is Theodoret who there declares indeed That Idols signify things which have no Existence but then he adds That Similitudes here signify the Images of things subsistent as of the Sun Moon Stars and Men which things saith he (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Exod. q. 38. the Commandment enjoins us neither to worship outwardly nor with Latria or with the Worship of the Soul teaching both these kinds of Worship to be wicked Clemens of Alexandria writing against the Antitactes who rejected the God of the Old Testament and acted in opposition to his Commands tells them that if they would act suitably to their Principles (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 3. p. 441. Seeing God by Moses had forbidden to make any graven or molten Images they should adore them plainly insinuating that this Adoration was forbidden by this Precept I have already shew'd that (b) L. 7. p. 375. Origen declares That Christians abstained from the worship of all Images by virtue of this Command and that which saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve And Tertullian That the Cherubims seem therefore not to be forbidden here because they were not made for Worship but for Ornament Epiphanius saith That (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer. 69. p. 759. if the Son of God had been a Creature God would not have propounded him to be worshipped he himself having said Thou shalt not make to thy self any Similitude and thou shalt not worship it God saith Fulgentius (d) Omni creaturae adoratio servitus vehementissimè prohibetur Prorsus interdixit ne quis auderet creaturam adorare creaturaeque servire Ad Donat. p. 592 593. in the first Precept of the Decalogue most vehemently forbad all the Faithful to give Adoration or Service to any Creature and commanding himself to be adored he wholly forbad that any one should dare to adore or serve a Creature And therefore in the end of that first Commandment he speaketh thus of all things he created Thou shalt not worship them nor serve them In the sixth and seventh Centuries when the Historical use of Images began to find admittance in the Church and Christians were permitted to adorn the Walls and Windows of
of his Time (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Nic. Conc. Act. 6. p. 473. Attend to your selves and remember that you bring not Images into the Church or into the Dormitories of the Saints nor yet into your common Houses for it is not lawful for a Christian to wander after them with his Eyes (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. de Div. Laz. p. 565. Picture not Christ saith Asterius Bishop of Amasa but bearing him in thy Soul carry the incorporeal Word in thy Mind The Council of Eliberis decrees (c) Placuit in Ecclesiis picturas esse non debere nè quod colitur adoratur in parietibus depingatur Can. 36. That Pictures should not be in the Church not because in times of Persecution they may be abused by Heathens as Baronius nor because they haply may be defaced by the moisture of the Walls as others descant on that Canon but least that which is worshipped and adored by Christians should be painted upon Walls This Canon was made by the Orthodox Fathers saith (d) Ob hujusmodi evacuandam superstitionem De Imag p. 266. Agobardus to evacuate the Superstition of Image-worshippers And whatsoever is the import of it it manifestly doth forbid the introduction of any Image into the Church to be adored for saying That it is our Pleasure or our Judgment that Images ought not to be in Churches it must by consequence forbid the giving any adoration to them since what we must not have we cannot worship and what we are forbid to have to that we are forbid to exercise those Actions which presuppose the having of it It also doth apparently forbid the introducing the Image of our Blessed Lord and Saviour and painting that on the Church Walls for he was surely adored and worshipped by Christians and that this is indeed the meaning of the Canon will be very probable if we consider that about that time some superstitious People in imitation of the Heathens who were accustomed to paint within their (e) Bochart de l' Orig. des Images des Saints p. 598 599. Temples the Images of those Gods they worshipped began to paint upon the Walls of Churches the (f) Euseb de Vit. Const l. 3. c. 48. Gospel Parables viz. our Lord (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Nic. 2. p. 121. Concil Trull Can. 82. carrying a Sheep upon his Shoulder to represent the Parable of the Lost Sheep the Gospel Histories as our Lord in the form of a Lamb with the Forerunner pointing to him Which Picture was afterwards approved of by the sixth Synod though the Council of Eliberis thought it not fit thus to paint what was by Christians worshipped § 2. And suitable to these Declarations of their Judgment and these Exhortations hath been the practice of the most Learned Fathers of the Church Even to the days of Jerom saith (h) Usque ad atatem Hieronymi erant probatae Religionis viri qui in templis nullam ferebant Imaginem ne Christi quidem Vol. 5. Symbol Catech. p. 989. Erasmus Men of approved Religion would not suffer any painted carved graven Image no not of Christ himself And therefore when Constantia the Sister of the Emperor Constantine being in Palestine desired Eusebius to send her the Picture of our Saviour Christ To this Request (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Apud 2. Nic. Conc. Act. 6. p. 494 496. Eusebius returns this Answer What Image is it you would have That of his Divinity This I suppose you did not ask for since no Man knows the Father but the Son and no Man knoweth the Son but the Father or is it the Image of his Humane Nature that servile Form which for our sakes he took upon him This certainly is that whose Image you desire but we have learned this is now temper'd with the Glory of the Godhead and that this mortal is swallowed up of Life And if his Disciples in the Mount were not sufficient to endure the lustre of it when transfigured who shall be able to express the splendor of his Glorious Body in dead and sensless Colours and Adumbrations now that putting off Corruption and Mortality the similitude of the Form of a Servant is changed into the Glory of the Lord. Whence it is evident he judged Christ's Humane Nature was not then to be painted or represented to the Eye and therefore knew of no such custom then approved by the Church For had such Images then been common in all Churches and all private Oratories had they then been received by all Christians from one end of the World to the other as the second Nicene Council saith Why did Constantia send as far as Palestine for what was every where to be had Or why should Eusebius refuse to satisfy her in a Request so reasonable Why doth he put her off with an Excuse which was as opposite to the Opinion of the Church of Christ confirmed saith that Council by their daily practice as it was opposite to her Request Olympiodorus being to build a Church in honour of Christ and of the Martyrs writes to Nilus a celebrated Monk and a Disciple of St. Chrysostom to know whether he should set up any Images of them in the Choire or Sanctuary or any other Images in the House of God for the gratification of the Eyes of the Beholders To this Request (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Nic. 2. Act. 4. p. 228. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Nilus returns this Answer That it was a very childish Business to cause the Eyes of the Faithful to wander after the aforesaid Things and that it was the Indication of a strong and manly apprehension to have in the Sanctuary only one Cross framed that the Church might be filled indeed with Histories of the Old and New Testament done by the Hand of an excellent Painter that they who could not read the Scriptures might by the sight of these Pictures have the memory of the courageous Actions of the Servants of God and might be provoked to an emulation of their glorious Actions So that he clearly shews that then no Pictures were allowed in Churches but for Historical uses that no Images of Christ or of the Martyrs were thought fit to be placed in the Choire that the use of them to gratify the Eyes was childish and not suitable to Men of strong and Manlike Vnderstandings § 3. Thus Matters stood in the middle of the 5th Century but in the 4th it was thought opposite to Scripture and Religion to admit Images into the Christian Churches Witness the Epistle of (l) Quando venissem ad Ecclesiam quae dicitur Anablatha inveni ibi velum pendens in foribus Ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum habens Imaginem quasi Christi vel Sancti cujusdam non enim satis memini cujus Imago fuerit cum ergo hoc vidissem in Ecclesia Christi contra autoritatem Scripturarum hominis pendere
mutatum quicquam nec additum Ibid. had the Thing been true the Separation of the Donatists would have been just that this use of Images would have been a pollution of Divine Service and a thing alien from the Custom of the Church and which the Eyes of Christians could not have beheld without horror Clearly condemning by this Answer the practice of the Church of Rome and justifying the separation of Protestants from her Communion had it been only made on this account You have already seen from the Testimony of Nilus That in the East they admitted nothing in the Sanctuary but the Cross and in particular no Image In the West likewise the placing of an Image on the Altar was forbidden in the 9th 10th and 11th Centuries Regino cites a Constitution of a Council held at Rhemes in which it is commanded (t) Nihilque super eo ponatur nisi capsae cum Sanctorum Reliquiis quatuor Evangelia De disc Eccles l. 1. cap. 60. That nothing shall be placed upon the Altar but a Chest containing the Reliques of the Saints and the four Evangelists And this Constitution seemeth to forbid the placing Images upon the Altar saith Baluzius upon that Canon And this saith he seems also to have been the Sentence of the French Council held at Tours A. D. 567. And therefore in the old form of Synodal Admonitions which was read in Churches by the Deacon after the Gospel one Admonition is this (u) Nihil ponatur nisi capsae reliquiae aut fortè 4 Evangelia aut pyxis cum corpore Domini Adm. Antiq apud Baluz ib. p. 603. That nothing shall be placed on the Altar but the Chests and Reliques or perhaps the four Gospels or the Pyx with the Body of the Lord for the viaticum of the Sick. But in the two new Forms of Admonition published by Baluzius the last of which is used at present in the Romish Church the Admonition runs in these words (w) Et desuper nihil ponatur nisi reliquiae ac res Sacrae pro Sacrificio opportunae Adm. Nov. p. 607 611. Let nothing be placed upon the Altar but Reliques and things Sacred and fit for the Sacrifice The Introduction of Images upon the Altar making it necessary to make this Alteration in their Admonition Even in like manner as the defalcation of the Cup in the 14th and 15th Centuries made it necessary to change the old form of Admonition in which they warned all the Faithful (x) Omnes fideles ad Communionem Corporis Sanguinis Domini accedere admonete Adm. Antiq. p. 605. to come to the Communion of the Body and the Blood of Christ on Christmass Easter and Whit-sunday into that now extant in the New and only inviting them (y) Omnes fideles ad communionem Corporis Domini Nostri invitate Admon Nov. p. 609. Admonete p. 613. to come to the Communion of the Body of Christ By which and by an hundred Instances of a like Nature we may learn how impossible it is for them who have made that the present practice of their Church which was forbidden by and was detestable to their Fore-fathers to innovate in any Matter or alter the received Customs of the Church and what a goodly Argument is brought from the present Customs Traditions Doctrines of the People of that Church to provethey always held the same Doctrines and practised the same Religious Rites § 5. Moreover when Images began to be admitted into Churches and by some Superstitious People to be adored the Fathers of the Church both by their Words and Actions shewed their dislike and their abhorrence of it It was the custom of some Christians to pay some outward civil Worship unto the Images of their Christian Emperors till they themselves forbad it This Jerom taking notice of doth plainly in his Comment on the Prophet Daniel condemn and reprehend saying (z) Cultores Dei eam adorare non debent ergo Judices Principes seculi qui Imperatorum Statuas adorant Imagines hoc se facere intelligunt quod tres pueri facere nolentes placuerunt Deo Et notanda proprietas Deos coli Imaginem adorari dicunt quod utrumque servis Dei non convenit In Dan. 3. p. 256. Whether we call it a Statue or a Golden Image the Worshippers of God ought not to adore it let the Judges and Princes of the Age who adore the Statues and Images of the Emperors understand that they do that which the three Children refusing to do pleased God. And here the propriety of the Words is to be noted they say That Gods are to be worshipped the Image to be adored neither of which is to be done by any Servant of God. When the Manichees upon occasion ministred by some rude and superstitious People had charged some Christian Churches with Image-worship St. Austin writing of the Manners of the Catholick Church against them directly severs the Case of those rude Persons from the approved practice of the Catholicks (a) Nolite mihi colligere professores nominis Christiani nec professiōis suae vim aut scientes aut exhibentes nolite consectari turbas Imperitorum qui vel in ipsa vera Religione superstitiosi sunt De Morib Eccl. Cath. c. 34. Do not saith he mention to me such Professors of the Name of Christ as either know not or keep not the Force of their Profession nor the companies of rude Men which either in the true Religion it self are superstitious or so given to their Lusts as that they have forgotten what they promised to God. Then as an instance of those superstitious Persons he adds That (b) Novi multos esse Sepulchrorum Picturarum adoratores Ibid. Nunc vos illud admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis vituperando mores hominum quos ipsa condemnat quos quotidie tanquam mafilios corrigere studet Ibid. he himself did know many who were worshippers of Tombs and Pictures but how vain how hurtful how sacrilegious these Men are I have purposed to shew in another Treatise Now this do I admonish you Manichaeans that you cease to speak evil of the Catholick Church by upbraiding it with the Manners of those Men whom she her self condemneth and seeketh every day to correct as naughty Children These things St. Austin speaks of those who were Professors of the Name of Christ and Children of the Church they therefore cannot be supposed worshippers of Heathen Idols such heathenish Persons being never own'd as Christians by the Church of Christ but still rejected as her Enemies and publickly condemned by many of her Canons and Decrees Nor doth St. Austin say these Persons worshipped Pictures with Divine Worship or that they esteem them as Gods Had he conceived this to have been their Crime he would not have said That in the True Religion they were superstitious but rather that they were meer heathenish Idolaters the (c)
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 6. p. â—17 second Nicene Council having told us That never any Christian Man did give Latria to an Image Nor can it reasonably be conceiv'd that many who profess'd the Name of Christ should be such Sots as to believe an Image made by their own hands could be the Great Creator of the World the Maker of the very Man that made it and of that very Metal which composed it Moreover St. Austin here requires the Manichees Not to upbraid the Church of Christ with the practice of these naughty Children whom he calls worshippers of Pictures they being only a rude multitude of superstitious People of such as either did not know or did not answer their Profession such as the Church condemned and still endeavoured to correct Had then St. Austin and all good Christians of his Age been themselves worshippers of Pictures had he believed that the Doctrine and Tradition of the Church of Christ required all good Christians to give them honorary Worship would he so generally without distinction or exception have condemned all Worshippers of Pictures as superstitious rude and ignorant of what Christianity required Would he so fully have declared That the Church of Christ condemned and did endeavour to correct them for it Would he have charged the Manichees with great injustice for imputing Picture-worship to the Church of Christ and not have given some of those Limitations and Distinctions with which the second Nicene Council and the Romish Doctors do so much abound to put a difference betwixt the avowed and constant practice of the Church and what both he and she condemned in these Worshippers of Pictures St. Austin therefore must be a very dolt or else must here demonstrate the Church of Christ did in his Time conceive all Picture-worship to be superstitious and opposite to the Profession of Christianity and that which she condemned and did endeavour to correct in those that practised it § 6. And as those Fathers so expresly declared against the Doctrine of the second Nicene Council before they had decreed it so afterwards from the 8th to the 15th Century it was expresly contradicted and rejected by the most Eminent Persons of the Western Church In the same Century it was condemned by the Council of Frankford consisting of three hundred Bishops A. D. 794. as hath been shew'd already It was condemned in the same Century not only by Albinus or Alcuinus Tutor to Charles the Great and Scholar of Venerable Bede who wrote a Book against the second Nicene Council and that Assertion of it (d) Contra quod scripsit Albinus Epistolam ex Authoritate Divinarum Scripturarum mirabiliter dictatam ilamque in persona Episcoporum Principum nostrorum Regi Francorum attulit Hoved Ann. part 1. F. 232. B. That Images ought to be adored confuting it from Holy Scripture but also by the Princes and Bishops of the Church of England in whose Name that Book was sent to Charles the Great It was condemned in the 9th Century by the Council held at Paris A. D. 824. It was in the same Century declared to be (e) Pseudo-Synodus l. contr Hincmar Laudan c. 20. Chron. ad A. 792. ad An. 794. falsly called a Synod because it decreed for Image-worship by Hincmarus Rhemensis by Ado Viennensis and by Regino Abbas Prumiensis It was condemned also by Agobardus Bishop of Lyons who was made Bishop by the consent of the whole Clergy of that Nation for in his Book yet extant against this Image-worship he declares amongst many other things already cited from him thus (f) Nemo se fallar quicunque aliquam Picturam vel fusilem five ductilem adorat Statuam non exhibet cultum Deo non honorat Angelos vel Homines Sanctos sed simulacra veneratur Sect. 31. Let no Man deceive let no Man seduce or circumvent himself Whosoever adores any Picture any molten or graven Statue he doth not worship God or honour Angels or Holy Men but he venerates Idols And yet (g) Ego crediderim Agobardum scripsisse quod omnes tum in Gallia ut etiam à Sirmundo observatum est sentiehant Bal. Not. in Agob p. 88. Baluzius and Sirmondâ—s do ingenuously confess that Agobardus hath writ only that which the whole Church of France did then acknowledg Papirius Massonus who abridged him saith (h) Graecorum Errores de Imaginibus Picturis manifestissimè detegens negat eas adorari quam sententiam omnes Catholici probamus c. Praefat. That he did manifestly detect the Errors of the Greeks i.e. the Nicene Coâ—ncil coâ—cerning Images and Pictures denying that they were to be adored which Doctrine all we Catholicks approve and follow the Testimony of Gregory the Great corcerning them which as you have seen was this That Images were neither to be broken nor yet adored (i) Ecclesiae Gallicanae Germanicae in hac sententia constantissime aliquot seculis perdurarunt Cap. de Imag p. 173. The German and French Churches saith Cassander after the Council held at Frankford most constantly continued for some Ages in that Sentence which they first received from the Church of Rome viz. That Images were neither to be broken nor yet to be worshipped If for some Ages they must assuredly continue in it till the 11th Century and that they did so is evident from the Chronicle of Hermannus Contractus who stiles the second Nicene Council a false Synod on the forementioned account Chron. ad A. D. 794. That the Germans continued of the same mind in the 12th Century is evident from the plain words of (k) Quippe apud Alemannos Armenios S. Imaginum adoratio aeque interdicta est L. 2. de Imp. Aug. Angel. p. 199. In qua Synodo de Imaginibus adorandis aliter quam Orthodoxi Patres antea diffinierant statuerunt Nicetas Coniates who saith That then among the Almains and Armenians the worship of Holy Images was equally forbid That the French Church was still of the same mind is evident from the Continuator of (l) De Gestis Francorum l. 5. c. 28. Aimoinus who plainly saith That the Fathers of the Nicene Synod otherwise decreed concerning Image-worship than the Orthodox Doctors had before defined And from the Collection of Decrees made by Ivo Bishop of Chartres who declares the Judgment of the Council of Eliberis to be this That (m) Picturas in Ecclesia non esse adorandas Decret Part. 3. c. 40 41. Pictures ought not to be worshipped but that they only ought to be Memorials of what is worshipped and cites the Passage of Pope Gregory to that effect In the same Century Simon Dunelmensis an Oxonian Doctor and Roger Hoveden their Professor both assert That in the second (n) In quo proh dolor multa inconvenientia verae Fidei coÌ„traria reperiebantur maxime quod pene omnium Orientalium Doctorum unanimi assertione confirmatum fuerit Imagines adorari debere quod omnino Ecclesia
Dei execratur Hoved. Ibid. Dunelm ad A. 792. Nicene Synod were many things contained which were inconvenient and contrary to the true Faith and that in the said Council was established a Decree That Images should be worshipped which thing the Church of God wholly abhors And here let it be noted that in these Writers we find not the least hint of a Distinction between due and undue worship of an Holy Image or betwixt Worship which the Church of Christ allows and which the Church abhors but Imagines adorari debere that Images should be worshipped is declared to be the Doctrine which God's Church abhor'd In the 14th Century Robert Holcot Professor in Oxford most plainly asserts That (o) Ideo aliter potest dict quod nulla adoratio debetur Imagini nec licet aliquam imaginem adorare Quia autem propter Imaginem Christi excitamur ad adorandum Christum coram Imagine adorationem nostram facimus Christo ergo dicitur large loquendo N. B. quod Imaginem adoramus In Ecclus Lect. 158. c. 13. Vide Reliqua no Adoration is to be given to any Image nor is it lawful for any Man to worship Images And Matthew of Westminster condemning the Decree of the second Nicene Council as Hoveden had done before him Ad A. D. 793. In the 15th Century (p) Omnino prohibentur fieri ad hunc viz. finem ut adorentur colantur unde sequitur neque adores neque colas ea ad adorandum igitur colendum prohibentur Imagines fieri Sequitur non adorabis neque coles inter quae sic distingue non adorabis sc veneratione Corporis ut inclinando eis vel genu-flectendo neque coles sc affectione mentis Comp. Theol. in Explic. 1. praecepti Tom. 2. p. 25. Gerson Chancellor of Paris saith We do not worship Images and that they are forbidden to be worshipped that the second Command forbids us to bow the Body or the Knee to them or to worship them with the Affection of the Mind And (q) Quod vero Christiana Religio Imagines sustinet in Ecclesia Oratoriis non permittit eo fine ut adorentur ipsae sed ut fidelium mentes per earum inspectiones excitentur ad reverentiam honorem exhibendum his quorum sunt Imagines in quorum cognitionem recordativam ducunt Et hic modus dicendi videtur esse Rob. Holcot super illud sapientiae infelices sunt mihi videtur dicendum quod neque adoro Imaginem Christi quia lignum nec quia Imago sed adoro Christum coram Imagine Christi quia scilicet Imago Christi excitat me ad amandum Christum hic modus loquendi originem videtur trahere ex dicto quodam B. Gregorii Sereno Episcopo c. Et quidem quia eos adorare vetuisses omnino laudamus fregisse vero reprehendimus c. In Can. Miss Lect. 49. F. 127. Gabriel Biel an Oxonian Doctor teacheth That then some of their Doctors held that any Image is not to be worshipped either for it self as it is Wood or Stone nor yet consider'd as a Sign or Image And that the Christian Faith permits them to be reserved in the Church not that they may be worshipped but that the Minds of Men may be excited to give reverence to them whose Images they are and that this they said according to P. Gregory In the 16th Century (r) Imagines in Ecclesia ideo tolerantur ut admoneant non ut colantur alioquin omnino excusari possunt minime In Act. Apost cap. 7. p. 94. Ferus a Learned Preacher at Mentz saith That Images are tolerated in the Church that they may admonish not that they may be worshipped for otherwise they can admit of no excuse Yea a Council held at (s) Can. 14. Mentz A. D. 1549 during the Session of the Trent Council speaks thus Let our Pastors accurately teach the People that Images are not propounded to be worshipped or adored but that by them we may be brought to the remembrance of those things which we ought profitably to call to mind CHAP. V. Against this pretended Tradition of the second Nicene Council it is farther argued 1. Because the Jews though zealous for the observance of the Law of Moses and generally believing that it forbad the having and much more the bowing to an Image did never for the five first Centuries condemn the Christians for this practice as afterwards when Images began to be received into Churches and adored they always did § 1. 2ly Because the Apostles and succeeding Fathers who answer all the other Scruples of the Jews against the Christian Faith speak not one word in Answer to this great Objection that it allowed of Image-worship in opposition to the second Commandment § 2. 3ly Because the Evidence of Truth hath forced many Learned Writers of the Romish Church to confess That the Primitive Church had no Images or did not adore them § 3. From this Discourse these four things are inferr'd 1. That the Councils received by the Church of Rome as general are not infallible Interpreters of Scripture or infallible Guides in Matters of Faith. § 4. 2ly That the second Nicene Coucil hath imposed that on Christians as a Tradition of the Church of Christ which was not so and therefore was deceived and did deceive in Matter of Tradition § 5. 3ly That Roman Catholicks do vainly boast of the Consent of Fathers on their side § 6. 4ly That the Doctrine of the Church of England is much safer in this particular than that of Rome § 7. MOreover that Image-worship was no Doctrine delivered to the Church of Christ either by Writing or Tradition from the Apostles that it was not practised in the first Ages of the Church will be apparent from the deportment of the Jews towards the Christians and the consideration of what they thought of the erection of an Image in the place of Worship and of the adoration of them § 1. And (1.) Act. 21.20 we know that even the believing Jews were zealous for the strict observance of the Law of Moses and were much offended at St. Paul because they apprehended he had taught the Jews to forsake the Law of Moses and not to circumcise their Children or walk after the Customs of their Fathers We also are informed by (a) Tum poene omnes Christum Deum sub Legis observatione credebant Sulp. l. 2. c. 45. Euseb Chron. Eusebius and Sulpitius that this Zeal continued among the Jewish Christians for a considerable time after the death of the Apostles viz. till the destruction of the City by Hadrian For till that time the Bishops of Jerusalem were of the Circumcision and almost all who believed in Christ did yet observe the Law. The Sect of the (b) Ep. ad August August contr Faust l. 19. c. 18. Orig. contr Cels l. 2. p. 56. l. 5. p. 272. Ebionites and Nazarens continued till the days of Jerom they were dispersed
have practis'd or to declare as doth the second Nicene Council that this Commandment only forbad the worshipping of Idols or of Images as Gods or to give any other satisfaction to the Jews in this particular The Apostles and the Fathers do jointly labour to remove the Scandal of the Cross and to convince the Jew that it was reasonable to worship him who was crucified upon it but they say nothing to remove that which was a greater Scandal to them as the confession of the Jew now mentioned doth assure us viz. the worship of the Cross and of an Image which was the Work of their own Hands They tell the Gentiles That no Man had reason to condemn them for not observing the New Moons and Jewish Sabbaths but give them not one Item that they had no reason to condemn them for making and adoring Images The whole New Testament which takes especial notice Rom. 2.22 that the Jews abhorred Idols gives not the least distinction betwixt an Image and an Idol nor the least hint of any of those Evasions and Limitations by which the Church of Rome now finds it necessary to reconcile her Practice to the second Commandment nor of those Expositions or Retortions used in the second Nicene Council to refute the Clamours of the Jews Which is a full conviction that the Ancient Church had no such Doctrine or Practice which could make it necessary for them to fly unto these Romish Shifts and Subtilties § 3. To conclude The Suffrage of Antiquity is so very clear the Testimonies of it are so numerous and so convincing that they have forced many Learned Persons of the Church of Rome ingenuously to confess either that in the Primitive Church they had no Images did not regard them or that they paid no veneration to them but rather disapproved and condemned it The Vniversal Church saith (o) Statuit olim Universa Ecclesia ut nullae in Templis Imagines ponerentur Lib. de Nov. Celebrit p. 151. Nicholaus de Clemangis being moved by a lawful Cause viz. on the account of them who were converted from Heathenism to the Christian Faith commanded That no Images should be placed in Churches (p) Quem non modo nostrae Religionis expertes sed teste Hieron omnes fermè veteres sancti Patres damnabant ob metum Idololatriae De Invent. Rerum L. 6. c. 13. The Worship of Images not only they who were not of our Religion but as St. Jerom testisieth almost all the Ancient Holy Fathers condemned for fear of Idolatry saith Polydore Virgil where the opposition of these Holy Fathers to others not of our Religion and the mention of Pope Gregory among them shews the vanity of what the (q) Apud White p. 249. Jesuit Fisher saith That Polydore speaks this of the Fathers of the Old Testament not of the New. (r) Nos dico Christianos ut aliquando Romanos fuisse sine Imaginibus in primitiva quae vocatur Ecclesia Syntagm L. 1. p. 14. This surely I cannot omit saith Giraldus that as the Ancient Romans so we Christians were without Images in that Church which is called Primitive (s) Saevissimis his temporibus de Sanctorum imaginibus ne cogitârint Episcopi abstinebant ad tempus De Concil Eliber l. 3. c. 5. The Bishops in these times of Persecution saith Mendoza little thought of Images of Saints they abstained from them for a while least the Heathens should deride them and should conceive that Christians worshipped them as Gods. All these are Witnesses against the second Nicene Council that the Practice was not Apostolical Vniversal and Primitive What Opinion the Fathers had of this Practice these following Persons will inform you Petrus Crinitus saith That (t) De Hon. Disciplin l. 9. c. 9. Lactantius Tertullian and very many others with too much boldness did affirm That it belonged not to Religion to worship any Image (u) Erasm vol. 5. Symbol Catech p. 989. Even to the days of Jerom who died in the fifth Century Men of approved Religion saith Erasmus would not suffer any painted or graven or woven Image no not of Christ himself (w) Certum est initio praedicati Evangelii aliquanto tempore inter Christianos praesertim in Ecclesiis Imaginum usum non fuisse Consult cap. de Imag. p. 163. It is certain saith Cassander that when the Gospel was first preached there was no use of Images for sometime among the Christians as is evident from Clemens of Alexandria who flourished at the close of the second and from Arnobius who flourished at the beginning of the fourth Century And again (x) Quantum veteres initio Ecclesiae ab omni veneratione Imaginum abhorruerunt unus Origenes declarat p. 168. How much the Ancients in the beginning of the Church abhorr'd all veneration of Images Origen alone in his Book against Celsus shews And a third time (y) Sane ex Augustino constat ejus aetate simulacrorum usum in Ecclesiis non fuisse p. 165. Truly it is manifest from the Discourse of St. Austin on the 113th Psalm that in his Age the use of carved Images or Statues was not come into the Church Lastly he adds That in the Days of Gregory the Great that is in the sixth Century (z) Quae fuerit mens sententia R. Ecclesiae adhuc aetate Gregorii satis ex ejus Scriptis manifestum est viz. ideo haberi Picturas non quidem ut colantur adorentur c. p. 170. Consuetudo R. Ecclesiae pariter consractionem adoratiouem improbat p. 17◠this was the Mind and Doctrine of the Romish Church That Images should be retained not to be adored or worshipped but that the Ignorant should by them be admonished of what was done and be provoked to piety That the Roman Church did equally condemn the adoration and the breaking of Images That the second Nicene Council Graeca illa Synodus qua Parte Imaginēs adorandas censebat damnata fuit ut quae consuetudini R. Ecclesiae adversaretur p. 172. as far as it determined for the Adoration of Images was by the general consent of the Fathers of the Council of Frankford condemned and rejected as being a Determination which was repugnant not only to the Holy Scriptures and the Ancient Tradition of the Fathers but also to the Custom of the Roman Church And in a word Fortasse optandum esset ut Majores nostri huc usque in prisca illa Majorum suorum sententia integrè perstitissent p. 175 179 180. That it were to be wished perhaps that our Predecessors viz. those of the Church of Rome had continued in that old Doctrine of their Ancestors to wit that Images neither should be broken nor adored (z) De Van. Scient cap. de Imag. The corrupt Custom and false Religion of the Heathens saith Cornelius Agrippa hath infected our Religion and hath introduced into our Church Images and Idols and many barren pompous
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 200. The Old Testament had Cherubims shadowing the Mercy Seat let us have Images of Christ and of his Holy Mother shadowing the Altar for because the Old Testament had such Things the New received them This say the (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Synod is the truth This say the Princes is the Command of God. But why did they not conclude also for another Ark and Mercy-Seat another Tabernacle a Golden Censer and a Pot of Manna seeing it was but saying as in the case of Images they do because the Old Testament had these things let us Christians have them too and it infallibly must be so And tell me now Can any one who reads these powerful Demonstrations from and excellent Expositions of the Holy Scripture doubt of the Truth of that which is so oft asserted by this Synod That (n) Act. 3. p. 157. Act. 7. p. 580 581 585. they were certainly assisted by the Holy Ghost But to be serious If all or any of these places have any strength to prove that Images should be set up in Churches or adored by Christians why do not any of their Writers use them to that end if they do not Why may not they be taxed with weakness who use such Proofs as none but the most undiscerning Persons could produce and which their best Friends are ashamed of § Inference 2. 5. 2. Hence it is evident that the second Nicene Council grosly was mistaken in that Determination and Assertion so frequently repeated in that Council That Image-worship had been delivered to them by the continual Suffrage and Approbation of the whole Church of Christ and was the Tradition of the whole Church Catholick even from the Times of the Apostles And consequently that this Council hath been actually deceived in Matter of Tradition as well as in her Interpretations of the Holy Scripture For whereas it is frequently there said That this was the constant Doctrine and Tradition of the Holy Fathers of the Catholick Church the opposition is not greater betwixt Light and Darkness than betwixt the Assertions of the Fathers and the Determinations of the Council For 1. The Fathers of that Council do pronounce Anathema (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57.4 p. 317.5 p. 389.7 p. 576.8 p. 592. against all Persons who take such places of the Holy Scripture which are spoken against Idols as spoken against Holy Images i.e. who say the second Commandment forbids the Worship not of Idols only but of Holy Images And so they do pronounce Anathema against Justin Martyr St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Tertullian St. Cyprian St. Austin Theodoret Fulgentius Agobardus the Councils of Constantinople Frankford and Paris 2ly The Fathers of the same Council pronounce Anathema (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57. against all Persons who say That the erection of Images is the Invention of the Devil and not the Tradition of the Catholick Church and so they do pronounce Anathema against Clemens of Alexandria St. Ambrose Theodotus Amphilochiùs St. Jerom and St. Chrysostom Agobardus Hincmarus and the three foremention'd Councils who all declare That this was no Tradition of the Catholick Church And against Clemens of Alexandria Tertullian Lactantius Eusebius Theodotus Anoyranus and the whole Council of Constantinople who say expresly That Image-making or Image-worship was the Invention of the Devil 3ly These Fathers do pronounce Anathema (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 389.7 p. 576. to all who violate break or dishonour S. Images which Epiphanius Serenus and all the Fathers of Constantinople did and upon all that knowingly communicate with them who contumeliously speak of them or dishonour them Now seeing all the Christians of the 4th Century did certainly communicate with Epiphanius of the 6th Century with Serenus since all the Fathers mentioned in my second Chapter do in their sense dishonour Images they in effect pronounce Anathema against them all 4ly They pronounce Anathema (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 p. 389. against all Persons who detract from or who speak evil of their S. Images Now since the Fathers have declared concerning Images in general That they are worse than Mice and Worms that they are the Invention of the Devil with many other things of a like nature mentioned Chapter the second they must be all obnoxious to this Anathema 5ly They pronounce Anathema (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 212. against all who do not call them Holy and Sacred Images that is against St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Lactantius Eusebius and others who have declared That they cannot be Sacred and that they are Men of impotent Spirits and lame Minds who so esteem them 6ly They denounce Anathema (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61.7 p. 584. against all those who do not worship Images or who doubt of or who are disaffected to the worship of them Now this Anathema if what is here produced cannot be refuted must certainly be pronounced against the Blessed Apostles and all the Christians of the five first Centuries Lastly Whereas Origen declares That the first thing which Christians taught their Converts was the contempt of all Images the Fathers of this Synod pronounce Anathema (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61. to all who do not diligently teach all Christian People to adore the Images of all Good Men from the beginning of the World. § 6. 3ly Hence also may be seen how vainly and unjustly Roman Catholicks do boast of the consent of Fathers on their side and say That they expound the Scriptures according to that Sense which they received from the Ancients it being evident from what hath been discoursed that in their Exposition of these words Thou shalt not make to thy self the Similitude of any Thing in Heaven or Earth c. Thou shalt not bow down to them they do embrace a Sense which no Father for the first six Centuries did ever put upon them and do reject that Sense they generally did impose upon these words § 7. 4ly Hence I infer That the Religion of the Church of England is in this particular much safer than is that of Rome For if Image-worship be not forbid in this Commandment nevertheless we only do neglect that practice which their best Writers deem (x) Illud ante constituendum Imagines ex carum per se genere esse quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominantur hoc est quae ad salutem omninò necessaria non sunt nec ad substantiam ipsam religionis attinent sed in potestate sunt Ecclesiae ut ea vel adhibeat vel ableget pro eo atque satius esse decreverit Petav. Theol. dogm To. 5. l. 15. cap. 13. §. 1. Ea est hujusce miserrimae dissensionis materia sine qua sicut multis videtur salva per fidem spem charitatem incunctanter in hoc seculo in futuro salvari potest Ecclesia quorum sensus sententia talis est quid fidei spei charitati obesse potuisset si Imago nulla toto orbe terrarum picta vel ficta fuisset Epist Eugenii P. 2 Act. Synod Paris P. 130 134. indifferent which no Jew ever did perform to any Patriach or Prophet nor any Christian for 600 Years to any Apostle Saint or Martyr and which no Scripture hath commanded and so we only do neglect to do that which neither Example of the Ancients nor any Precept doth commend to our practice Whereas if Image-worship should be here forbid to us Christians which to speak modestly seems highly probable the Church of Rome must practise and enjoin that Worship which provokes God to jealousy exhort and force her Members to perform that Worship from which God doth exhort them to abstain least they corrupt themselves She must enjoin that Action upon pain of her Displeasure and of the Wrath of God which he commands us to avoid because he is a jealous God she must imprison and cut off by Excommunication and by the Sword Christ's Servants because they will not by doing that which God so frequently and so directly hath forbid incur the hazard of his Wrath who saith Deut. 4.25 26. If ye corrupt your selves and make a graven Image of the likeness of any thing I call Heaven and Earth to Witness this day that you shall soon utterly perish And it is easy to determine which we ought most to fear the Wrath of God or Man. FINIS