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
to St. James in pilgrimage adding that St. James had no foot to come against them no hand to welcom them neither tong to speak to them so reproving the worship of Images I have openly said Alize Higuel Feb. 5. 1490. That Images of Saints be not to be worshipped that when devout Christian People of their Devotion be wont to offer their Candles burning to the Image of St. Leonard I have for their devotion called them Fools furthermore shewing in this wise when St. Leonard woll ete a Candle and blow out an oder then I will offer him a Candle else woll not Also when I have seen Cobwebs hanging before the Face of the Image of our Lady I have said and reputed them Fools that offereth to that Image but if she would blow away the same Cobwebs from her Face I have affirmed Robert Makam June 17. 1506. and said That the Crucifix and other Images in the Church made of Stocks and Stones are but Idols and ought not to be worshipped adding and saying that Ball the Carpenter or Pyke the Mason could make as good as the Crucifix for it is but a crooked Stick I have said John Bennet Feb. 7. 1507. That no manner of Image ought to be worshipped for that they can neither smell speak nor hear Sometimes their Confessions and Abjurations run after this manner viz. I have said Isabel Dort July 19. 1491. That it were better to give a poor blind or lame Man a Penny than to bestow their Mony in Pilgrimages and worshipping the Images of Saints for Man is the very Image of God which ought all only to be worshipped and no Stocks ne Stones I used to say Thomas Stochin March 22. 1498. We should rather worship the Image that God hath made that is to say the poor Man than the Image that Man hath made and painted the which standeth in the Church All these things they renounce as contrary to the common Doctrine and Determination of the Vniversal Church of Christ and as false Doctrines contrary to the Christian Faith as great Heresies and false Opinions reproved and damned by all Holy Church and against the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles And yet these Sayings thus condemned by the Second Nicene Council and thus renounced as great Heresies in all parts where the Power of the Church of Rome prevailed in these latter Ages are either the express Sayings and Doctrines of the Ancient Fathers or little different from them in sense whence any Man may easily discern how great an opposition there must be betwixt the Doctrine of the Ancient and of the present Church of Rome the true Catholick Church of Christ in the Primitive Ages and that which now usurps the name of Catholick CHAP. III. That the Ancients did not bow down to or venerate Images is farther proved 1. Because they never were concerned as are the Romanists to Answer the seeming repugnancy of this practice to the Second Commandment or to use any of the Distinctions so frequent in the second Nicene Council to that effect § 1. 2ly Because they answer all the Objections urged by the Nicene Council against the Protestant sense of this Precept viz. the instance of the Cherubims and of the Brazen Serpent c. § 2. 3ly Because many of them declare that this Precept rendred the very Art of making Images unlawful to the Christians § 3. 4ly Because they generally declare that by this Precept the Christian is forbid to give any outward Worship to Images or to bow down to them § 4. 5ly Because they reject and confute all the Distinctions used by the second Nicene Council and by the Romanists to reconcile this Precept to their Practice asserting 1. That this Command is moral and perpetual and obligatory to all Christians 2. That this Precept doth not only forbid the Worship of Images with Latria but all outward Adoration of them 3. That this is the Second Commandment and not a part of the first only 4. That not only Idols but Images are by this Precept forbid to be adored § 5. § 1. THat the Ancients knew nothing of this pretended Tradition will be still more evident from their Discourses touching that Commandment which so expresly saith Thou shalt not make unto thy self an Idol nor the similitude of any thing in Heaven or Earth For had they generally practised had they received a Tradition touching the Veneration of the Images of Christ his Blessed Mother and the Saints and Martyrs is it not wonderful that none of all the Fathers ever did that which all Christians who entertained the Worship of them ever did viz. That they should never offer any Answer to the obvious Objection from this Commandment against it or in the least attempt to reconcile this Precept with their Practice or to propose any of those Distinctions Limitations or Excuses which are so frequent in the Writings of the Romish Doctors and which they judg so necessary to prevent Idolatry and to inform aright the Minds of them who venerate their Images and to satisfy the importunity of those who scruple at it and do suspect it is a breach of this Commandment The Matter of this Image-worship looks so ill it seems so manifestly repugnant to the Command forbidding us to worship any similitude of any thing in Heaven or Earth it is at least in appearance so like to that very practice which they derided in the Heathens that it was highly reasonable if this had been the Doctrine and Practice of their Times that these Primitive Fathers should at least have considered and stated the Question How far and in what sense it was lawful and with what Intention and in what Degree and with what Cautions and Distinctions this might lawfully be done The present Doctors of the Church of Rome are not so careless now adays as were the Fathers in this Matter When they write Catechisms for the Instruction of the People sometimes they (a) Vid. Dall de Imag. p. 77. wholly leave out this Commandment sometimes they do abbreviate it and make it only say Thou shalt not worship Idols Or if they be so daring as to present the whole Commandment to the view of Roman Catholicks they carefully expound and clog it with many Limitations and Distinctions that their Proselytes may not be tempted to think the words do mean what in their plain and obvious sense they do import Thus was it also with the Bishops of the Second Nicene Council who introduced this Image-worship into the Eastern Church Constantinus Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus seems to insinuate That the Reason which moved God to make this Injunction was not the Evil of Image-worship but the propenseness of the Jews unto Idolatry For saith he (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 200. vid. Act. 6. p. 468. when the People were moved to commit Idolatry then God spake thus to Moses Thou shalt make no similitude to serve them In
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
THE FALLIBILITY OF THE Roman Church Demonstrated from the manifest Error OF THE 2d NICENE TRENT Councils Which Assert That the Veneration and Honorary Worship of Images is a Tradition Primitive and Apostolical IMPRIMATUR Maii 28. 1687. Guil. Needham LONDON Printed by J. D. for Randal Taylor near Stationers Hall M.DC.LXXXVII The Preface to the Reader TO that which I have said in the close of this Discourse touching the Infallibility of the second Nicene Council and her Authority in proposing Articles of Faith interpreting of Holy Scripture and in declaring what was the Tradition of the Church of Christ I think fit here by way of Preface to add these things 1. That if she hath a just and an assured Title to these Privileges then must she be infallible in the interpretation of these following Scriptures (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Nic. Conc. Can. 15. Let not a Clergy-man from the time present be placed in two Churches this being an Argument of filthy Lucre and alien from the Ecclesiastical Custom For we have heard from our Lord's Mouth That no Man can serve two Masters for he will either hate the one and love the other or he will cleave to the one and despise the other Let therefore every one according to the Apostles Injunction remain in that Calling wherein he was called and place himself in one Church only for those things which are done in Ecclesiastical Affairs for filthy Lucre are alien from God. Now either those words of St. Paul do really command all Clergy-men to abide in that Church in which at first they were placed and those words of Christ do in their true and proper sense forbid them to have two Benefices with Cure or two Churches under their care or they do not so If they do then do the Doctors of the Church of Rome continually practise what is forbid by Christ and as continually neglect what is commanded by St. Paul we also have according to the determination of this Council a full conviction that they are generally addicted to filthy Lucre and are above all other Clergy transgressors of Ecclesiastical Custom If these Texts do not bear the sense here put upon them then hath this Council erred in their interpretation of these Scriptures and if they have so evidently erred in those Interpretations of the Scripture which concern the Manners and Duty of the Christian Clergy why may they not err also in those things which concern their Faith Moreover it being evident and confest that the Command to tell the Church especially concerns Offences against good Manners and that our Lord's Promise is to be with these Guides teaching Men to observe those things he hath commanded surely it must be evident that these Texts are impertinently alledged for the infallibility of General Councils in their interpretations of the Holy Scripture if they do not prove the infallibility of this General Council in their interpretation of these Scriptures 2ly This Council in her second Canon speaketh thus (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Nic. Concil Can. 2. Since when we sing we promise to meditate in the Judgments of the Lord and not forget his words * Psal 119.16 it is most wholsom that all Christians should observe this but especially the Hierarchy And therefore we command that all who are promoted to a Bishoprick should altogether know the Psalter Now I desire to know of the Romish Doctors how they will reconcile the sense here given of the Psalmist 's words with their publick singing in an unknown Tongue For if it be wholsom that all Christians should observe this and it be certain that they cannot do it unless they do entirely know the Psalter 't is also certain that when the Psalter is only sung in Latin all Christians cannot meditate in these Judgments of the Lord how wholsom soever it may be to them so to do Again if the forementioned Privileges did certainly belong unto this Council then must she also be infallible in these following Decisions viz. 1. In that of Canon the 3d which runs thus (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Can. 3. All Elections made by Princes of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons shall be void according to that Rule which saith If any Bishop by using the secular Powers obtain a Bishoprick let him be deposed and they who do communicate with him let them be excommunicated According to which Canon all the Elections of French and English Bishops must be void and all Christian Princes must be deprived of their just Prerogative in this Affair 2ly In their first Canon they confirm all the (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Canons of the Apostles and of the six Holy and Oecumenical Synods and also of the Topical Councils assembled to make such Determinations and of the Holy Fathers because all these being enlightned by one and the same Spirit decreed things expedient whom therefore they anathematized deposed or separated from Communion we also do anathematize depose and separate from Communion And in particular they frequently Anathematize and condemn among the List of Hereticks (e) Viz. Act. 7. p. 556 588. vid. Act. 3. p. 165 181. Act. 6. p. 421 424. Pope Honorius Now if all these Canons be not to be received either as to Matters of Faith or Manners then hath this Synod dangerously erred in determining that they were all to be received as being made by Men enlightned by the Holy Ghost in their decisions If they be to be thus esteemed to omit at present almost infinite Advantages which this Concession gives to our Cause then was the sixth Council in Trullo assisted by the Holy Ghost to determine thus 1. (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Trull Can. 13. Because we know that in the Roman Church they have made a Canon that they who are to be ordained Priests or Deacons shall promise no more to accompany with their Wives We following the old Canon of Apostolical appointment will have the conjugal society of Holy Men according to the Laws still firm and valid by no means dissolving their conjugal Society with their Wives nor defrauding them of the enjoyment of each other at times convenient If therefore any Person be found worthy to be ordained Subdeacon Deacon or Priest let him by no means be hindred from receiving these Orders because he lives with his lawful Wife nor shall any Man require him to promise that after his Ordination he will abstain from conjugal Duties lest by so doing we become injurious to that Marriage which God ordained and our Lord blessed with his Presence The Voice of the Gospel crying out What God hath joined let no Man put asunder and the Apostle teaching That Marriage is honourable and the Bed undefiled and saying Art thou bound to a Wife seek not to loosed 2. When they determine thus (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Can. 36. Renewing the Canon made by the General Councils of Constantinople and
Chalcedon We decree That the Chair of Constantinople shall enjoy equal privileges with that of Rome and be magnified in Ecclesiastical Matters as that is 3. When they decree thus (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Can. 55. Since we have understood that in the City of Rome they fast on Saturdays in Lent against the Tradition of the Church it seemed good to the Holy Synod that the Canon which saith If any Clergy-man be found fasting on the Lord's Day or any Saturday except one only let him be deposed if any Lay-man let him be excommunicated shall be inviolably observed in the Church of Rome also And 4. When in their first Canon they Anathematize Pope Honorius that is they by God's Spirit were assisted in the first Decree to condemn the Practice and Constitutions of the Church of Rome of that Age and much more the practice of the present Church of Rome as contrary to the Voice of Christ and his Apostles In the Second to decree against the Pope's Supremacy In the Third to charge the Church of Rome with walking contrary to the Tradition of the whole Church besides and give Laws to rectify that Abuse In the Fourth to declare not only that a General Council may be infallible without the Confirmation or even Concurrence of the Pope but also may infallibly condemn him for an Heretick Moreover in this Nicene Council this pleasant Story is twice related viz. That a certain Monk being haunted with the Spirit of Fornication a Spirit too familiar with such Professors of Continency who vehemently urged him to uncleanness The old Man miserably cried out How long will it be e're thou let me alone thou hast been with me even to old Age Then the Devil visibly appearing said Swear to me thou wilt tell no Body what I shall now say to thee and I will tempt thee no more Then the Monk swore by the High God that he would tell no Man what the Devil should say Whereupon Satan spoke thus to him Worship thou no more the Image of the Blessed Virgin with her Son in her Arms and I will no more molest thee The Monk hearing this notwithstanding his Oath goes the next day to Abbot Theodore and tells him all that the Devil said And the Abbot commending him for it farther told him That it was better for him to frequent all the Stews in the City than to deny to worship by that Image the Lord and his Holy Mother And when the Devil comes again and taxeth the Monk with Perjury he tells the Devil that he knew it very well but rests satisfied in this That it was only Perjury against his God and Maker Where note 1. That this ridiculous Tale is so acceptable to that Good Synod that they command it to be read Act the 4th P. 252. p. 381. and Act the 5th they make a repetition of it 2ly That they condemn the Monk 's Oath as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 253. a wicked Oath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a false Oath and so not binding and say That it was better to forswear himself than to keep an Oath for the destruction of Images and seem all to be pleased with the decision of Abbot Theodore Now if this be good Divinity then is it better to be perjured and take the Sacred Name of God in vain than not to worship Images yea it is better to commit Fornication and make the Members of Christ the Members of an Harlot than not to adore the Works of Mens hands Nom every Body knows that Perjury and Fornication are Sins against the Law of Nature and that no Law of Nature doth command the Veneration of the Images of Christ or of his Blessed Mother that Christ and his Apostles said expresly Thou shalt not forswear thy self thou shalt not commit Adultery but never said Thou shalt worship Images Who then can want discretion sufficient to discern that this Determination made in the Synod without exception of one Person must be false It would be endless to reckon all the idle Dreams and foolish Stories produced by this Synod in favour of their Images But it is also needless seeing the (i) Illi cum errore suo Scripturas Divinas cohaerere minimè posse senserunt ad Apocryphas quasdam risu dignas naenias pedem verterunt Libr. Carol. l. 3. c. 30. Council of Frankford hath well observed That when these Fathers perceived that their Doctrine by no means would accord with Scripture they turn'd themselves to Apocryphal and Ridiculous Tales And (k) Graeci qui Imagines defendebant Daemonum spectris muliebribus somniis parum verecundè abusi sunt ut in Nicaena Synodo videre licet Comment in 2. ad Tim. p. 155. Espencaeus doth ingenuonsly confess That the Greeks defended Images with the Apparitions of Devils and the Dreams of Women as is to be seen in the Nicene Council 3ly Observe That from the Epistle of Germanus Bishop of Constantinople cited with approbation by this Nicene Synod we learn not only That the People then received the Sacrament in both kinds but also that they received both (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Conc. Nic. 2. Act. 4. p. 314. according to Christ's own Tradition for the commemoration of his Death and of his Resurrection and that they were divinely moved with an insatiable desire of partaking of his Holy Body and Blood which shews that then they held our Lord's Tradition and the Memorial of his Death obliged the common People to receive both Kinds and that their desire of both was a desire inspired by God And then what Inspiration must that be which moved the Councils of Constance Basil and Trent to hinder them of the enjoyment of the Cup and even to forbid them to desire it it is not difficult to determine 4ly Observe That one Reason which the Fathers of this Council give for the Worship of the Image of Christ is this because (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anastas apud Syn. Nic. 2. Act. 4. p. 249. he himself was not sensibly present with us but only present as to his Divinity and that he was not to remain with us (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist Germani Episcopi Constantinop apud Syn. Nic. 2. Act. 4. p. 305. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corporeally They therefore could not believe Transubstantiation or his Corporeal Presence in the Sacrament for having that still kept upon the Altar or in the Pyxis or Ciborium had they believed Christ was corporeally present in it they must have also thought that he remained still corporeally present with his Disciples and his Church on Earth and not denied such a presence with them as they plainly do and must have owned some other presence of our Saviour with us than that of his Deity which yet apparently they do not Moreover they pronounce (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. 2. Act. 7. p. 578. Anathema against
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
inward groanings to him that seeth in secret They therefore doubtless thought not Images then needful to excite Devotion or to move compunction in them though by the (r) Act. 2. p. 103. Second Nicene Council they were afterwards declared useful to these Ends. § 7. And therefore whereas Heathens had many of the same pretences for having and for using Images in their solemn Worship which that Nicene Council and the Church of Rome have since took up the Sayings of the Fathers equally confute them both For 1. Whereas the Trent Catechism saith That the having Images in Churches and the giving Worship and Respect unto them tends maximo Fidelium bono (s) Part. 3. cap. 2. Sect. 24. to the great benefit of the Faithful And the Second Nicene Council doth frequently in effect declare the same Theodotus smartly puts this Question to those who used them in his Time (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Nic. p. 492. Let them say who do erect such Forms What profit can redound unto them by so doing or to what spiritual Contemplation are they led by that remembrance (u) Strom. 7. p. 714. Clemens of Alexandria expresly saith That they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain and Prophane (w) L. 2. §. 5. p. 161. Lactantius that they are insensibilia vana vain and insensate things Origen and St. Austin That they were dangerous and hurtful to the Christians and for that cause avoided by them 2. Whereas the Heathens said That they used their Images (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 porphyr apud Euseb praepar Evang. l. 3. c. 7. only to represent things invisible by what was visible and to teach them as it were to read the Things concerning the Gods out of these Image-Books that these Things were as Letters which did instruct them in the Knowledg of God and by inspection of which they attained unto it That the Divinity was to be propounded to the Mind and these Things only to be used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) Max. Tyr. dissert 38. p. 370 377. to bring God to their remembrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as it were a Manuduction or way to bring him to their Minds That they were but (z) Plutarch de Iside Osir p. 382. as Glasses whereby to represent God to them and that they ought to be approved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who do not worship them but by them the Godhead The Fathers having mentioned these Notions of the Heathen Wisdom say That nothing can be more ridiculous and greater matter of their shame and that they are more like to (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas contr Gent. p. 21 23. Euseb praepar Evang. l. 3. c. 13. l. 5. c. 14. writers of Fables than Divines that God was not honoured by such Symbols that they who know the Truth ought not to think to honour the Divine Vertues by Images made of insensate Matter but they should openly teach all not to admire things obvious to Sense but only the invisible Maker of them and worship his invisible and incorporeal Vertues not thinking to honour the Divinity with insensate Statues which can have nothing well-pleasing to God nor be the Images of Divine Powers but with sound Doctrine and a pure Mind By all which Sayings they equally condemn the Symbolical Images of the S. Trinity and God the Father tacitly allowed by the (b) Doceatur populus non propterea divinitatem figurari quasi corporeis oculis conspici aut coloribus vel figuris exprimi possit Ses 25. Jam enim receptae sunt fere ubique Trent Council in these words When 't is expedient for the unlearned in Figures to express the Histories and Narratives of Holy Scripture they must be taught That the Divinity is not therefore pictured as if it could be seen by a corporeal Eye or express'd by Colours or by Figures and †Bell. de Rel. Sanct. l. 2. c. 8. received generally in all Roman Churches And 2ly whereas the (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 60. Nicene Council and the Roman Church have introduced Images of Christ the Blessed Virgin and the Saints under the same pretence as tending 1. to Instruction viz. The Images of Christ being framed say they that his Incarnation may be made known to all and the Images of the Apostles Prophets Martyrs to be a short VVriting and Excitation and teaching of the People especially the most simple And 2ly for the remembrance of the Prototypes I say whereas these are the Romish and the Nicene Pleas the Fathers do expresly say (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amphil. apud 2. Nic. Concil Act. 6. p. 484. They cared not to make any such Images of Saints because they had no need of them (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodot ibid. p. 482. they knew not to what spiritual contemplation they could be erected by such remembrance of them they had the Writings of the Saints which were their living Images and with them were content St. Austin speaking of some who said That our Lord Christ had written Books of Magick and committed them to St. Peter and Paul he conjectures that they therefore made mention (f) Credo quod pluribus locis simul cum illo pictos viderunt of these two Apostles because they had in many places particularly at Rome seen those two pictur'd with him And then he adds (g) Sic omnino errare meruerunt qui Christum Apostolos ejus non in Sanctis codicibus sed in pictis parietibus quaesierint De Cons Evang. L. 1. c. 10. So verily deserve they to err who sought Christ and his Apostles not in the Holy Bibles but on painted VValls an Expression which deserves to be considered by them who have taken from them those Books in which St. Austin judged it fit to seek Christ and his Apostles and substituted in their room these VVall Lecturers which it is evident he approved not of And much less the Council of Frankford witness these words (h) Quae vesania est dicere per imaginem ad memoriam veniemus de ejus in terra praesentia Lib. Carol. l. 4. c. 2. VVhat madness is it to say That by a painted Image we may come to the memory of Christ's Presence on Earth Oh unhappy Memory which that it may remember Christ who never should recede out of the mind of a good Man needs the beholding of an Image 3. The Heathens say That by beholding of their Images and Statues they ascended to the Prototype and that their Images were invented for this End confessing That if any one was able streight to erect his Soul to Heaven and go directly to God (i) Max. Tyr. dissert 38. p 369. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such in likelihood could need no Images The Second (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 320. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. p. 556. Nicene Council in like manner saith
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
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
throughout the Churches of the East and were stiff Assertors of the Obligation of the Law of Moses and held (c) Euseb Hist Eccles l. 3. c. 27. That Men were to be saved by the observation of it 2. We know that in the Judgment of the Jews who lived about our Saviour's Time and after nothing was more detestable nothing was more repugnant to the Law of Moses than the admitting of an Image in the place of Worship much more the bowing down to it They constantly declared to Pilate upon occasion of the Roman Eagles That (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph Halos l. 2. c. 14. they could not permit any Image to be placed in their City And that (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 2. c. 8. l. 18. c. 4. l. 2. c. 17. their Law was violated by the little Images of Caesar annexed to the Roman Standards and that they would rather die than endure them there They tell Petronius That it could not be permitted to have the Image either of God or Man in their most sacred Temple or elsewhere They perswade Vitellius not to come thither with them because it was not suitable to the Laws of their Country to see an Image brought into it And they declared to Herod Son of Antipater That (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archeol l. 18. c. 7. l. 15. c. 11. whatsoever they endured they would not suffer the Images of Men within their City 3. Certain it is that for a long time no Samaritan or Jew ever objected to the Christians their violation of the Second Commandment or at the least pretended to be scandalized at their defection from this Law of God. No single instance of this Nature can be produced from all Antiquity till after the fifth Century when Images began to be admitted into Churches provided that they were not worshipped Then was it that the Jews began to call the Christian Churches upon that account Batte Aboda Zara the Houses of Idolatry And from that time they have not ceased to object to them the violation of this Law and to profess that they were scandalized at it In the second Nicene Council Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople confesseth That (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 300. p. 240. upon this account the Jews did often cast reproach upon them and that the Saracens did the same Gregrory in his Epistle to him adds That (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 288. if any one do accuse this Image-worship of Idolatry he is one who calumniates after the manner of the Jews In the fifth Action a Jew is introduced speaking thus (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 356 357 384 348. I believe in a crucified Jesus who is the Son of God but I am scandalized at you Christians because you worship Images whereas the Scriptures every where command us not to make any graven Image or Similitude The Christians are to be reckoned Idolaters saith (k) Dr. Pocock Not. Miscell p. 322. R. Kimchi because they bow down and adore the Image of Jesus of Nazareth (l) Catechism c. 33. p. 68. B. Fabianus Fiogus a Jewish Convert informs us That the Jews dispute after this manner God in the Decalogue writ with his own Finger hath command that no kind of Image or Similitude should be made c. but Christians make and worship Images they therefore violate this Precept this saith he is an undoubted thing among them and therefore they call the Christians Worshippers of Idols Joseph King of Cosri is said to prefer the Jews before the Christians (m) Buxt Praesat ad Cosri because the latter bow themselves to the Works of their own hands Had therefore the first Christians received a Tradition from the Apostles to adore Images and had all Christians practised suitably to this supposed Tradition both the Believing and the Unbelieving Jews being such Zealots for the observance of the Law of Moses and professed Enemies of Images and of the adoration of them must have been scandalized at it We see that they were very much incensed against St. Paul for teaching Act. 21.20 That the Gentiles were not obliged to observe their Law that they would not endure him unless he also would walk orderly and keep the Law. If then St. Paul and Peter as (n) Apud 2. Nic. Conc. p. 101. P. Hadrian averrs if the rest of the Apostles as the second Nicene Council saith had taught and practised this Image-worship so flatly opposite to their Law and therefore execrable to them this must have stirred up their indignation against St. Paul and Peter much more than their asserting That the Ceremonial Law did not oblige the Gentiles could have done 'T is surely difficult to conceive that they who thought their Law so highly violated by framing the Picture of a Man or of an Eagle and would rather die than admit of them because they held they were forbidden by their Law should either being Christians continue zealous to assert the Obligation of that Law and yet admit the Doctrine which did enjoin them both to frame and worship Images or should continuing unbelieving Jews never accuse the Christians of a Crime so execrable in their sight nor disswade any Christian from complying with this great violation of their Law § 2. Yea farther had this Practice or Tradition obtained in the days of the Apostles or the five following Ages the Apostles and Primitive Fathers would likely have endeavoured to remove this Scandal from the Jews and to return some Answer to an Objection so very obvious for their prejudice against Image-worship being greater than against any other thing they had the greatest reason upon the supposition of such a practice of the Christians to labour to remove it And yet we find not that St. Paul in his Epistles writ partly to satisfy the Jews that Circumcision was not to be imposed upon the Gentiles and partly to warn the Gentiles not to bear the Yoke of Jewish Festivals and Cerimonies or in that purposely designed to teach the Jews that the Priesthood being changed the Ceremonial Law must also change together with it or that St. Peter or St. James in their Epistles to the dispersed Jews take the least notice of so great a Prejudice or spend one word to reconcile the Jew to this supposed Image-worship Justin Martyr Origen Tertullian St. Cyprian G. Nyssen Epiphanius St. Chrysostom St. Austin with many others have writ on purpose to take off the Objections of the Jews against Christianity and in these Writings they have been very diligent in taking off the Scandal of the Cross and proving That the Jewish Festivals and Sabbaths were abolished and that their Laws concerning Circumcision and Sacrifices were abrogated but they spend not one word to shew that Christians were exempted from that Precept which forbad the bowing down to any Image or Similitude or to excuse that Worship of them they are supposed to
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
Ceremonies none of which was found or practised among the Primitive Professors of Christianity And now from what hath been discoursed in these Chapters I infer § Inference 1. 4. 1. That the Councils received by the Church of Rome as the infallible Proposers of their Faith namely the second Nicene Council and that of Trent have erred and have imposed a false Interpretation of that Precept which doth command us not to bow down to the similitude of any Thing in Heaven or Earth and therefore they are falsly said to be infallible in Matters of Faith or true Interpreters of Holy Scripture And indeed whosoever seriously will consider of those Scriptures which are produced either by this whole Council or by Pope Hadrian with approbation of this Council or offerr'd by some Members present or contained in some of the Citations produced by them for the having Images in Christian Churches or for the giving Adoration to them will find them so apparently perverted and horribly impertinent as that he will be forced to question not only the Infallibility but even the common Wisdom or Discretion of those Men who had the confidence to use them to these purposes For 1. John the pretended Vicar of the three Oriental Patriarchs saith That (a) Act. 4. p. 200. Jacob wrestling with him saw God Face to Face which yet can do no Service to the Maker or Worshipper of Images but by supposing with the old Hereticks call'd Anthropomorphites that God hath Face or Features like a Man. Leontius Bishop of Neapolis saith (b) Act. 4. p. 239 240. If thou accusest me for worshipping the Wood of the Cross thou must accuse Jacob for blessing wicked and idolatrous Pharaoh which instance will be only pertinent when it is proved that Pharaoh was an Image and that Blessing is an Act of Adoration Pope Gregory the Second saith That (c) Cum figuram vellet aut simulacrum videre ne force erraret orabat Deum dicens Ostende mihi teipsum manifesstò ut te videam p. 11. when Moses desired to behold an Image or Similitude lest he should be mistaken in the Visien he said to God Shew me thy self manifestly that I may see thee but doth not prove that Moses desired to see an Image or material Likeness of God or that God shewed him any such Similitude Germanus Bishops of Constantinople argues for Images after this manner (d) Act. 4. p. 304. In the Book of Numbers the Lord speaks to Moses saying Speak unto the Children of Israel and bid them make themselves Fringes in the borders of their Garments and put upon the Fringe of the Border a Ribband of Blue and it shall be unto you for a Fringe that you may look upon it and remember all the Commandments of the Lord and do them Now if saith he the Israelites were bid to look upon these Fringes and remember his Commandments much more ought we by the inspection of the Images of Holy Men to view the end of their Conversation And yet there seems to be some little difference betwixt a Fringe and a graven Image betwixt remembring God's Commandments to do them and to break them Pope Hadrian finds in Isaiah a Prophecy concerning Gospel-Images as clear as the Nose upon your Face for Ecce signum (e) Quemadmodum Esaias propheta vaticinatus est Act. 2. p. 110. In that Day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the Land of Egypt and a Pillar at the Border thereof to the Lord and it shall be for a Sign He also finds the sweet Singer of Israel harping oft upon the same String and prophesying of Images to be adored in the Gospel-times saying (f) Magnoperè vultum ejus secundùm humanitatis ipsius dispensationem adorari praemonuit inquiens c. Psal 4.6 The Light of thy Countenance signatum est super nos is signed upon us And again Psal 25.8 Lord I have loved the Beauty of thy House and the place of the Tabernacle of thy Glory And a third time Psal 27.8 Psal 44.12 Thy Face Lord will I seek And a fourth Even the Rich among the People shall intreat thy Face And Psal 96.6 lastly in those words Honour and Majesty are before him Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary And what can be more evident for Image-worship than these Texts which do so plainly mention the Face and Countenance of God. Theodosius proves That we Christians must have Holy and Venerable Images because 't is said (g) Act. 4. p. 213. Whatsoever things were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aforetime were written for our Learning wherefore the venerable Images being written upon Wood and Stone Rom. 15.4 and Metal must be for our Instruction Away with those ignorant Fellows who can derive the Pictures of Christ and his Apostles no higher than St. Luke and Nicodemus this Theodosius finds them among the Writings of the Prophets as clear as the Noon Day see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were engraven afore-time even before Christ's Humane Nature or his Apostles had a being and had it not been thus we Christians had been void of Hope for these things were written that we through comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these Pictures might have hope They have all found it in the Book of Canticles or something which makes for it for there it is most appositely said (h) Act. 6. p. 408. Cant. 2.14 Psal 48.8 Shew me thy Face and let me hear thy Voice for thy Voice is sweet and thy Countenance is comely And in that of the Psalmist As we have heard so have we seen (i) Act. 4.197 Ezekie 's Temple was made say they with Cherubims and Palm Trees so that a Palm Tree was between a Cherub and a Cherub and every Cherub had two Faces so that the Face of a Man was toward a Palm Tree on the one side and the Face of a young Lion toward the Palm Tree on the other side and thus it was throughout the House round about So that it seemeth to them to have been an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an House of Imagery and yet should you ask them where this Temple was built or what Existence had these Cherubims but in the Vision of the Prophet it will puzzle their Infallibilities to answer you Lastly They argue from the Author to the (k) Ibid. Hebrews thus Verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances and a worldly Sanctuary there was a Tabernacle made in which was first the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread which is called Holy and after the second Veil the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all which had the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with Gold wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna and Aaron 's Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant and over it the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-Seat If then say they (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Church with them or to engrave and paint them the better to express or represent the History of Parables recorded in Scripture they do excuse themselves from being thereby guilty of the breach of this Commandment or any other of like nature by this distinction That they had Pictures only for Remembrance not for Religious Veneration Thus when Serenus Bishop of Marseilles finding his People prone to worship Images did after the Example of good Hezekiah break and remove them from the Church though Gregory the Great approves not of his breaking of them yet he commends his (e) Et quidem zelum vos ne quid manufactum adorari possit habuisse laudamus sed frangere easdem imagines non debuisse judicamus Tua Fraternitas ab earum adoratu populum prohibere debuit l. 7. Ep. 110. Convocandi sunt eisque sacrae scripturae est testimoniis ostendendum quod omne manufactum adorare non licet quoniam scriptum est Dominum tuum adorabis si quis imagines facere voluerit minimè prohibe adorare vero omnibus modis veta Al. de vita Ep. l. 9. c. 9. Zeal against the adoration of what was made with Hands declaring it the peoples Sin which was to be forbidden by all means and bids him calling them together shew from the Testimonies of the Scripture that it is not lawful to adore any thing that was made with hands because it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve He adds That he was moved with an inconsiderate Zeal in breaking of them to prevent their being worshipped because they were set up in Churches not to be adored but only to instruct the Minds of the Simple and especially the Pagans which abounded in his Diocess and that it was one thing to adore a Picture another by the History of a Picture to learn what was to be adored Where this great Pope without distinction or limitation condemns all adoration of an Image declaring in opposition to the Fathers of the (f) Act. 4. p. 248. 7. 584. second Nicene Council That nothing was to be adored which was made with hands And proving this from that very Testimony of Scripture which in that Council is twice said to make nothing against the Adoration of them because the word only is not join'd to Adoration but to the Service of Latria He also doth command Serenus to forbid the adoration of them omnibus modis by all manner of ways opposing to this forbidden Adoration the having of them (g) Frangi non debuit quod non ad adorandum in Ecclesiis sed ad instruendas solummodo mentes nescientium collocatum Ibid. only for Instruction which manifestly proves that the Adoration rejected and condemned by him as contrary to the Holy Scriptures was all kind of Adoration all that is more than using of them for Instruction only To weaken this plain Testimony of so great a Pope they have since put words into an Epistle writ by him to Secundinus the Monk in which he is made to speak according to the late Distinctions of the Schools and to admonish that Monk not to worship the Image of our Saviour viour (h) Imaginem salvartoris nostri non ideo petis ut quasi Deum colas Nos quidam non quasi ante Divinitatem ante illum prosternimur Epist l. 7. Ep. 54. as a God and to inform him That Christians do not prostrate themselves before it as before the Divinity concluding hence that he elsewhere condemned only the worshipping of Images as Gods But the gross Forgery is happily detected by the industry of (i) Corruption of the true Fathers p. 75 76. Dr. James who collated this Epistle with seven good Manuscripts in all which no such words were to be found (k) Apud Gerson Comp. Theol. Expl. 1. praecept To. 2. F. 25. No Word of God forbids that Images be made saith Bede but it by all means doth forbid that they be made unto this end viz. that they be worshipped and adored This Command saith Agobardus (l) Non de solis similitudinibus alienorum Deorum sed de coelestibus creaturis Lib. de Imag. p. 221. must not be only understood of the Similitude of false Gods but also of the Heavenly Creatures or of those things which humane Fancy hath invented for the Honour of God. And from them and the 4th of Deuteronomy he saith (m) Quanto magis opera manuum hominum non sunt adoranda colenda nec in honore eorum quorum similitudines esse dicuntur p. 222. this chiefly ought to be observed That if the Workmanship of God's Hand is not to be adored no not in Honour of that God who made it much less may we adore the Workmanship of Man in honour of those Persons whose Images they are said to be And hence as you have seen already the Councils of Frankford and Paris and the Western Clergy condemned the Decree of the second Nicene Council as being contra Authoritatem Divinam Scripturarum tramitem against Divine Authority and the course of Scriptures § 5. Moreover these Fathers clearly and abundantly confute all the Distinctions used by the Romanists and by the Second Nicene Council to reconcile their Practice with this Precept and all the specious Pleas they have invented for that end as v. g. 1. Do they with Mr. Thorudyke say that this Commandment is not (n) Num Deus primum per naturalia praecepta quae ab initio infixa dedit hominibus admonens eos id est per Decalogum quae si quis non fecerit non habeat salutem nihil plus ab eis exquisivit Iren. l. 4. c. 28. c. 31. Decalogi quidem verba ipse per semetipsum omnibus similiter Dominus locutus est ideo similiter permanent apud nos extensionem augmentum sed non dissolutionem accipientia per carnalem ejus adventum perpetual and moral and so not obligatory to the Christian The Fathers generally assert against them That all the Precepts of the Decalogue excepting only the carnal Observation of the Sabbath oblige all Christians that the words of the Decalogue Christ spake alike to all and therefore they remain alike with us receiving their Augmentation and Extension but not their Dissolution from our Saviour's Advent they being natural and common to all That they were not only spoken to the Israelites going out of Egypt (o) Origen Hom. 8. in Exod. sed multo magis ad te much more to the Christian (p) Numquid propterea dicturi sumus non ad nos pertinere quod scriptum est maximéque ipsum Decalogum qui duabus illis lapideis tabulis continetur excepta Sabbati observatione carnali quae spiritualem sanctificationem quietémque significat quis enim dicat non debere observare Christianos 1. ut uni Deo Religionis obsequio serviant 2. ut Idolum non colatur 3.
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
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