emendandae In Pref. p. v. l. 16. Marg. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Body of the Book p. 2. l. 12. Marg. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A DEMONSTRATION That the Church of ROME and her Councils have actually Erred c. CHAP. I. The Fathers of the Nicene and Trent Councils teach That Image-Worship is a Tradition of the Apostles received by all Christians from the beginning § 1. The Councils of Constantinople and Frankford in the same Age say It was the Tradition of the Apostles and the Fathers that Images were not to be worshipped § 2. This last Assertion is proved 1. From express Testimonies of the Fathers saying They had no such Custom or Tradition That Christ and his Doctrine taught them to reject and abandon Images and That they taught all their Converts to contemn them § 3. 2ly That Image-Worship was by them represented as an Heathenish Custom It being say they proper to the Heathens to make and worship them and proper to Christians to renounce the Worship of them § 4. 3ly When Heathens objected this to Christians That they had no Images or Statues yea that they laught at those who had them they own and justify the thing § 5. 4ly They commend the Policy of the Jews for having none and the Wisdom of those Gentiles who had none and held it a mark of their own Excellency that they had them not and that they shut their Eyes when they worshipped that they might not see any sensible Object § 6. 5ly They answer and reject those very Pleas when used by Heathens which afterwards were used by the Nicene Council and the Romish Church in the behalf of Image-worship § 7. 6ly These Fathers represent the having Images of Christ and of his Saints for Worship as a thing proper to the vilest Hereticks § 8. AMongst the many Evidences that might be easily produced to shew that the pretended General Councils of the Church of Rome have with great vanity and most apparent falshood defined That they received the Doctrines which they endeavoured to impose upon the Christian World from Primitive and Apostolical Tradition one is The Veneration or honorary Worship of the Images of Christ his Virgin Mother the Martyrs and the Saints departed For the second Nicene Council and the chief Bishops mentioned or residing in it do very frequently but also very falsly say That the Doctrine and Practice there declared and required touching the Adoration of S. Images is Apostolical from the beginning and that which hath been always practised by the Church of Christ § 1. Pope Gregory the Second having like a true infallible Interpreter of Scripture told us That in that Expression of our Lord's (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. 2. Con. To. 7. p. 12. Where the Carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together by the Carcass was to be understood Christ and by the Eagles Religious Men and Lovers of him He adds That (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. these Religious Men flew like Eagles to Jerusalem and having seen our Lord and James his Brother and Stephen the first Martyr they painted them as they had seen them And that Men no sooner beheld them but leaving the Worship of the Devil they fell immediately to worship these Images not indeed with Latria but with Relative Worship Pope Hadrian saith That (c) Sicut à primordio traditionem à sanctis Patribus susceperunt Act. 2. p. 103. Hoc enim traditum est à sanctis Apostolis p. 110. p. 99. In universo mundo ubi Christianitas est ipsae S. Imagines ab omnibus fidelibus honorantur p. 106. all Orthodox and Christian Emperors all Priests and religious Servants of God and the whole company of Christians observed the veneration of Images and Pictures for memory of pious compunction and even till then worshipped them as they received a Tradition from the beginning from the Holy Fathers to do That the special Honour Adoration and Veneration of them was delivered by the Holy Apostles And that throughout the whole VVorld where-ever Christianity was planted these venerable Images were honoured by all the Faithful Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople declares That this of the Venerable Images was (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. p. 348 388. the Tradition of the whole Catholick Church of God from the beginning Gregory Bishop of Possene cites for it a Synod of the Aposties met at (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 64. Antioch commanding Christians no longer to err about Idols but instead of them to paint the Image of Christ God and Man. And Leo Bishop of Rhodes adds That the Holy and Venerable Images were to be in the Church (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. according to the Custom delivered of old Times from the Apostles And at the conclusion of many of their Actions the Fathers (g) Act. 2. p. 132 133 136 152 153. 3. p. 188. Act. 4. p. 328. 5. 389. 7. 576. generally affirm That they embraced and practised the worship of Images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Tradition of the Holy Apostles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) Act. 2. p. 145. as they delivered to them who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of the VVord Yea the whole Synod doth frequently assert they were taught thus to judge of the (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 321. Adoration of Images by the Holy Fathers and by their Doctrine delivered by God. That their Tradition concerning it was (k) Act. 7. p. 553. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Tradition of the Catholick Church And that in defining and asserting it (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 556. they followed the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers taught them by God and the Tradition of the Catholick Church and knew this was the Doctrine of that Holy Spirit which dwelt in her That they (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. item p. 588. followed in observing this Tradition St. Paul and the whole Apostolical College and that thus the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers was confirmed thus the Tradition of the Catholick Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from one end of the Christian VVorld to the other held and practised That this was (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 581. the Doctrine received from the first Founders of the Christian Faith and their Divine Successors And lastly they do often with full Voice (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. p. 576. Act. 8. p. 592. cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Faith of the Apostles this is the Faith of the Fathers this is the Faith of the Orthodox this is that Faith which establisheth the VVorld And suitable to this is the Language of the Trent Council which commands all Bishops and others whose Office it is to
instruct the People to teach them diligently That the Images of Christ the Mother of God and other Saints are especially to be had and retained in Temples and that due Honour and Veneration is to be given to them because the Honour tendred to them is referr'd to the Prototype so that by the Images which they kiss before which they uncover their Heads and prostrate themselves they worship Christ and venerate the Saints whose Similitudes they are And this say they is done (p) Jâ—xta Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae usum à primaevis Christianae Religionis temporibus receptum Sanctorumque Patrum consensionem Sess 25. according to the custom of the Catholick and Apostolick Church received from the first Age of the Christian Faith and the consent of the Holy Fathers § 2. On the other hand the Council of Constantinople consisting of 338 Bishops assembled in the Year 754 declares That (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nic. 2. p. 452. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 508. this evil invention of Images neither hath its being from the Tradition of Christ or his Apostles nor of the Holy Fathers And having forbidden all Christians to worship any or to place an Image in the Church or in their private Houses they conclude unanimously thus (r) Ibid. p. 532. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Faith of the Apostles this is the Faith of the Fathers this is the Faith of the Orthodox The Council of Frankford consisting of 300 Bishops assembled by Charles the Great out of Italy Germany and France A. D. 794. declares That the (s) Quia ut hoc facerent ab Apostolis sibi traditum mentiebantur Lib. Carol. l. 2. c. 25 27. second Nicene Council had offended in two things 1. in decreeing that Images should be worshipped And 2. in saying falsly that this was delivered to them from the Apostles They add That (t) Relictis priscorum patrum traditionibus qui imagines non colere sanxerunt novas conari insolitas Ecclesiae consuetudines inferre Praesat in lib. 1. leaving the Traditions of the Ancient Fathers who decreed That Images should not be worshipped they endeavoured to bring into the Church new and unusual Customs That they endeavoured to bring into Christian Religion the new Adoration of Images (u) Absque Sanctorum Patrum doctrina consacerdotum per diversas mundi partes consensu L. 4. c. 21. without the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers and the consent of their fellow Priests throughout the World. That this of Image-Worship was (w) Praefat. p. 10. impudentissima traditio a most impudent Tradition And that this pretended Tradition was (x) Neque in Evangeliorum tonitruis neque in Apostolorum dogmatibus vel quorumlibet Orthodoxorum Patrum doctrinis uspiam reperimus insertam L. 4. c. 13. neither to be found in the Oracles of the Prophets nor in the Writings of the Gospels nor in the Doctrines of the Apostles nor in the Relations of the former Holy Synods nor in the Doctrines of the Orthodox Fathers That it was instituted by them nullo Antiquitatis documento vel exemplo without all Instruction or Example from Antiquity A Synod held at Paris under Ludovicus Pius and Lotharius Anno Dom. 824 saith That the (y) Contra Authoritatem divinam sanctorum Patrum dicta P. 23. second Nicene Council declared for Image-worship against the Divine Authority and the Sayings of the Holy Fathers And that (z) Ed. Pith. p. 25 26. they determined against the Worship of them according to Divine Authority and juxta sententias sanctorum Patrum according to the Judgments of the Holy Fathers Agobardus Bishop of Lions having declared against all Image-worship saith (a) L. de Imag. §. 30. p. 263. This is sincere Religion is Mos Catholicus haec Antiqua Patrum Traditio this is the Catholick Custom this is the Ancient Tradition of the Fathers as is easily proved even out of the Book of Sacraments which the Roman Church useth And again (b) Nullus Antiquorum Catholicorum unquam eas colendas vel adorandas fore existimavit P. 265. None of the Ancient Catholicks did ever think that Images were to be worshipped or adored Hincmarus Arch bishop of Rhemes informs us That (c) Secundum Scripturarum tramitem traditionémque Majorum Opusc 55. cap. 20. this Nicene Synod was condemned and evacuated by a General Synod call'd by the Emperor Charles the Great according to the way of the Scripture and the Tradition of the Ancients (d) De Gestis Franc. Lib. 5. cap. 28. Aimoinus also complains of them That they had decreed touching the Adoration of Images alitèr quà m Orthodoxi Patres antea definierunt otherwise than the Orthodox Fathers had before defined In that Synod saith (e) In èa Synodo confirmatum st Imagines adorari debere quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur Annal. Part. 1. ad An. 791. Roger Hoveden it was confirmed that Images should be adored which the Church of God doth wholly execrate Now in this Matter let the Truth lie where you please 't is sure no little Prejudice against receiving any thing as a Tradition upon the evidence of a few single Fathers in Matters of meer Speculation as some Traditionary Doctrines of the Church of Rome most surely are that in a thing of this Nature which must be either daily practised or omitted by the Church whole Councils of 300 Bishops at the least in the same Age maintain such contradictory Assertions one saying frequently and expresly That this was the Doctrine of the Apostles and all the Ancient Fathers the others as expresly That it never was the Doctrine of either of them One That this was the practice of all faithful Christians the other That they never found it practised by any of the Orthodox Professors But though such contradictory Assertions in another Case might cause a wary Person to suspend his assent to either of them yet I am confident that whosoever is unprejudiced must in this case give in his Verdict against the Doctrine and Assertions of the Trent and of the second Nicene Council § 3. For notwithstanding all the confident Assertions of these Councils the Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers are so full and clear against that Honour and Veneration of Images which by these Councils is imposed upon all Christians with an Anathema to them who do assert or even think the contrary that he who doth impartially read them and doth not conclude that the whole Church of Christ did for 500 Years and more condemn this practice and in plain terms or by just consequence assert they had no such Tradition cannot sustain much loss if he quite want the use of Reason For 1. the Fathers do expresly say The Church of Christ hath no such Custom or Tradition (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud 2 Nic. Concil Act. 6. p. 492. We Christians saith Theodotus have no Tradition to form the Images of Saints
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 200. The Old Testament had Cherubims shadowing the Mercy Seat let us have Images of Christ and of his Holy Mother shadowing the Altar for because the Old Testament had such Things the New received them This say the (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Synod is the truth This say the Princes is the Command of God. But why did they not conclude also for another Ark and Mercy-Seat another Tabernacle a Golden Censer and a Pot of Manna seeing it was but saying as in the case of Images they do because the Old Testament had these things let us Christians have them too and it infallibly must be so And tell me now Can any one who reads these powerful Demonstrations from and excellent Expositions of the Holy Scripture doubt of the Truth of that which is so oft asserted by this Synod That (n) Act. 3. p. 157. Act. 7. p. 580 581 585. they were certainly assisted by the Holy Ghost But to be serious If all or any of these places have any strength to prove that Images should be set up in Churches or adored by Christians why do not any of their Writers use them to that end if they do not Why may not they be taxed with weakness who use such Proofs as none but the most undiscerning Persons could produce and which their best Friends are ashamed of § Inference 2. 5. 2. Hence it is evident that the second Nicene Council grosly was mistaken in that Determination and Assertion so frequently repeated in that Council That Image-worship had been delivered to them by the continual Suffrage and Approbation of the whole Church of Christ and was the Tradition of the whole Church Catholick even from the Times of the Apostles And consequently that this Council hath been actually deceived in Matter of Tradition as well as in her Interpretations of the Holy Scripture For whereas it is frequently there said That this was the constant Doctrine and Tradition of the Holy Fathers of the Catholick Church the opposition is not greater betwixt Light and Darkness than betwixt the Assertions of the Fathers and the Determinations of the Council For 1. The Fathers of that Council do pronounce Anathema (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57.4 p. 317.5 p. 389.7 p. 576.8 p. 592. against all Persons who take such places of the Holy Scripture which are spoken against Idols as spoken against Holy Images i.e. who say the second Commandment forbids the Worship not of Idols only but of Holy Images And so they do pronounce Anathema against Justin Martyr St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Tertullian St. Cyprian St. Austin Theodoret Fulgentius Agobardus the Councils of Constantinople Frankford and Paris 2ly The Fathers of the same Council pronounce Anathema (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57. against all Persons who say That the erection of Images is the Invention of the Devil and not the Tradition of the Catholick Church and so they do pronounce Anathema against Clemens of Alexandria St. Ambrose Theodotus Amphilochiùs St. Jerom and St. Chrysostom Agobardus Hincmarus and the three foremention'd Councils who all declare That this was no Tradition of the Catholick Church And against Clemens of Alexandria Tertullian Lactantius Eusebius Theodotus Anoyranus and the whole Council of Constantinople who say expresly That Image-making or Image-worship was the Invention of the Devil 3ly These Fathers do pronounce Anathema (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 389.7 p. 576. to all who violate break or dishonour S. Images which Epiphanius Serenus and all the Fathers of Constantinople did and upon all that knowingly communicate with them who contumeliously speak of them or dishonour them Now seeing all the Christians of the 4th Century did certainly communicate with Epiphanius of the 6th Century with Serenus since all the Fathers mentioned in my second Chapter do in their sense dishonour Images they in effect pronounce Anathema against them all 4ly They pronounce Anathema (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 p. 389. against all Persons who detract from or who speak evil of their S. Images Now since the Fathers have declared concerning Images in general That they are worse than Mice and Worms that they are the Invention of the Devil with many other things of a like nature mentioned Chapter the second they must be all obnoxious to this Anathema 5ly They pronounce Anathema (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 212. against all who do not call them Holy and Sacred Images that is against St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Lactantius Eusebius and others who have declared That they cannot be Sacred and that they are Men of impotent Spirits and lame Minds who so esteem them 6ly They denounce Anathema (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61.7 p. 584. against all those who do not worship Images or who doubt of or who are disaffected to the worship of them Now this Anathema if what is here produced cannot be refuted must certainly be pronounced against the Blessed Apostles and all the Christians of the five first Centuries Lastly Whereas Origen declares That the first thing which Christians taught their Converts was the contempt of all Images the Fathers of this Synod pronounce Anathema (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61. to all who do not diligently teach all Christian People to adore the Images of all Good Men from the beginning of the World. § 6. 3ly Hence also may be seen how vainly and unjustly Roman Catholicks do boast of the consent of Fathers on their side and say That they expound the Scriptures according to that Sense which they received from the Ancients it being evident from what hath been discoursed that in their Exposition of these words Thou shalt not make to thy self the Similitude of any Thing in Heaven or Earth c. Thou shalt not bow down to them they do embrace a Sense which no Father for the first six Centuries did ever put upon them and do reject that Sense they generally did impose upon these words § 7. 4ly Hence I infer That the Religion of the Church of England is in this particular much safer than is that of Rome For if Image-worship be not forbid in this Commandment nevertheless we only do neglect that practice which their best Writers deem (x) Illud ante constituendum Imagines ex carum per se genere esse quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominantur hoc est quae ad salutem omninò necessaria non sunt nec ad substantiam ipsam religionis attinent sed in potestate sunt Ecclesiae ut ea vel adhibeat vel ableget pro eo atque satius esse decreverit Petav. Theol. dogm To. 5. l. 15. cap. 13. §. 1. Ea est hujusce miserrimae dissensionis materia sine qua sicut multis videtur salva per fidem spem charitatem incunctanter in hoc seculo in futuro salvari potest Ecclesia quorum sensus sententia talis est quid fidei spei charitati obesse potuisset si Imago nulla toto orbe terrarum picta vel ficta fuisset Epist Eugenii P. 2 Act. Synod Paris P. 130 134. indifferent which no Jew ever did perform to any Patriach or Prophet nor any Christian for 600 Years to any Apostle Saint or Martyr and which no Scripture hath commanded and so we only do neglect to do that which neither Example of the Ancients nor any Precept doth commend to our practice Whereas if Image-worship should be here forbid to us Christians which to speak modestly seems highly probable the Church of Rome must practise and enjoin that Worship which provokes God to jealousy exhort and force her Members to perform that Worship from which God doth exhort them to abstain least they corrupt themselves She must enjoin that Action upon pain of her Displeasure and of the Wrath of God which he commands us to avoid because he is a jealous God she must imprison and cut off by Excommunication and by the Sword Christ's Servants because they will not by doing that which God so frequently and so directly hath forbid incur the hazard of his Wrath who saith Deut. 4.25 26. If ye corrupt your selves and make a graven Image of the likeness of any thing I call Heaven and Earth to Witness this day that you shall soon utterly perish And it is easy to determine which we ought most to fear the Wrath of God or Man. FINIS
Nicene Council In a word Lactantius not only laughs at them who kiss and worship and bow down to these (x) Frustra igitur homines auro ebore gemmis deos excolunt exornant Ergo his Iudicris ornatis grandibus pupis unguenta thura odores inferunt his peplos indumenta pretiosa L. 2. c. 4. p. 154 157. great Puppits as he thinks fit to call them but also at the vanity of such as adorn them with Gold or Jewels that cover them with Vails or precious Garments that offer Incense or sweet Odours or consecrate Gold or Silver to them and who they are who do these things at present we are not to learn. § 8. And now let any Man of Reason judg whether all these Considerations do not as much concern the Images of Saints and even of our Blessed Lord as they concerned the Images of Heathen Deities whether their Images as well as those of Heathens be not made of Wood like to that we burn or of polish'd Earth like to that we tread upon and trample under feet and of which Vessels are oft made for viler uses whether they be not sensual Objects things void of sense and without Life Motion or ability to speak whether they be not made by the Artificer are not the work of servile Artists Stone-cutters Mechanicks whether they be not the Works of Mens hands whether they be not in the Roman Church adored and reverenced by Men made upright after God's Image and dedicated to his Honour and who have what Images have not and do what Images cannot do whether any who adore them desire to be like unto them whether the Images which Papists reverence be not the Images of Heavenly Powers of Beings now in Heaven the Images of dead or absent Persons or made for the Commemoration of such Persons And being so Whether these Sayings of the Fathers do not equally concern them both Or whether they do not equally condemn the Worship of the Images of Saints and Heathen Deities If then these very Fathers had themselves made and worshipped Images subject to all or any of these Characters and had received a Tradition from Christ and his Apostles so to do themselves and teach all Christians so to do who can imagine that they would have spoken such plain and frequent Contradictions both to their Practice and their Doctrine and talk'd as if they equally intended to condemn and even ridicule the Christian and the Heathen way of Worship § 9. Again suppose the Fathers could have been thus destitute of common sense and void of fore-sight Would not the Heathens have taken this advantage to retort upon them all that they argued against their Image-Worship and tell them That which they condemned in them was only what themselves did daily practise and taught all Christians to observe Could Celsus Porphyry Hierocles Eunapius Julian and all the other Heathen Wits have wholly waved and neglected such a plain Advantage Put case they heard these Fathers daily telling them that 't was a wickedness to adore that which was made of Earth that it was impious and foolish to adore the Works of Mens hands or what was void of sense that they renounced the Name or being of a Man who bowed down to venerate earthly things that they could not but judg them impotent and blind who called such things Sacred or deemed it piety to adore them and that they could not chuse but laugh at and upbraid their Folly. Should all the Pagans know that what they thus objected against their Image-worship was of equal force against that which themselves did daily practise that there were Images in every Christian Church made by Mens hands of Earth as void of sense as any they adored and that the Christians did esteem and call them Sacred adore bow down to venerate them could they abstain from saying in the words of the Apostle Thou art inexcusable O Christian whoever thou art that judgest us for doing these things for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things When this Corruption began to spread it self through the Eastern Churches and to be countenanced at Rome and many had submitted to these superstitious Practices the Heathens presently began thus smartly to reply upon those Christians who condemned their Image-worship (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Nic. Conc. Act. 5. p. 353. What have you not also in your Churches Images of Saints and do not you pay worship to them What is the practice of you Christians (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. do not you represent in Images that which you call a God viz. your Saviour (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. p. 373. Why to refore do you complain of us who are your selves more superstitiously addicted to the like practices The Heathens saith Tarasius Patriarch of C. P. and the great Champion of Image-worship defended their Idols by condemnation of the Martyrs saying (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 376. Why strive you with us and refuse our Images when you have Images of your own Why is it then that the more Ancient Pagans Hierocles and Lucian Porphyry and Celsus Caecilian and Symmacus Julian Eunapius and others object such things against the Worship of the Christians as were most evidently false viz. the Worship of the Sun an Asses Head of the Clouds and the Priests Genitals or most apparently impertinent as the Worship of a crucified Malefactor bâ—t never mention this which if the practice of the Christians had given them occasion so to do had been so proper and so obvious that the most rude and unskilful Adversary could scarce neglect to mention or avoid taking notice of These Persons surely neither wanted skill nor Wisdom to know what made for their Adâ—antage and what was proper to retort upon their Adversaries They had no kindness for the Christians which might induce them to wave this obvious Reply to these Accusations of the Christians brought against them nor could they possibly be ignorant of what the Christians practised in this kind they being some of them Apostates from the Christian Faith and admitted to their publick Worship 'T is therefore certain that the Practice and Doctrine of those purer Ages gave them no occasion to retort these things § 10. 3ly Let us reflect a little upon the Language and Deportment of those who have professedly admitted of the Veneration of the Images of Christ and of his Saints and see if we find any thing resembling these Sayings of the Fathers in their Words or Actions Since that this Image-worship hath obtained amongst the Latins who ever heard such Language from them What Romanist will say The Christian Doctrine did not permit them to be sollicitous about Images and Statues but to relinquish them to reject them that Christ came to cause them to desist from the worship of them and to elevate them from earthly