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
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
Dei execratur Hoved. Ibid. Dunelm ad A. 792. Nicene Synod were many things contained which were inconvenient and contrary to the true Faith and that in the said Council was established a Decree That Images should be worshipped which thing the Church of God wholly abhors And here let it be noted that in these Writers we find not the least hint of a Distinction between due and undue worship of an Holy Image or betwixt Worship which the Church of Christ allows and which the Church abhors but Imagines adorari debere that Images should be worshipped is declared to be the Doctrine which God's Church abhor'd In the 14th Century Robert Holcot Professor in Oxford most plainly asserts That (o) Ideo aliter potest dict quod nulla adoratio debetur Imagini nec licet aliquam imaginem adorare Quia autem propter Imaginem Christi excitamur ad adorandum Christum coram Imagine adorationem nostram facimus Christo ergo dicitur large loquendo N. B. quod Imaginem adoramus In Ecclus Lect. 158. c. 13. Vide Reliqua no Adoration is to be given to any Image nor is it lawful for any Man to worship Images And Matthew of Westminster condemning the Decree of the second Nicene Council as Hoveden had done before him Ad A. D. 793. In the 15th Century (p) Omnino prohibentur fieri ad hunc viz. finem ut adorentur colantur unde sequitur neque adores neque colas ea ad adorandum igitur colendum prohibentur Imagines fieri Sequitur non adorabis neque coles inter quae sic distingue non adorabis sc veneratione Corporis ut inclinando eis vel genu-flectendo neque coles sc affectione mentis Comp. Theol. in Explic. 1. praecepti Tom. 2. p. 25. Gerson Chancellor of Paris saith We do not worship Images and that they are forbidden to be worshipped that the second Command forbids us to bow the Body or the Knee to them or to worship them with the Affection of the Mind And (q) Quod vero Christiana Religio Imagines sustinet in Ecclesia Oratoriis non permittit eo fine ut adorentur ipsae sed ut fidelium mentes per earum inspectiones excitentur ad reverentiam honorem exhibendum his quorum sunt Imagines in quorum cognitionem recordativam ducunt Et hic modus dicendi videtur esse Rob. Holcot super illud sapientiae infelices sunt mihi videtur dicendum quod neque adoro Imaginem Christi quia lignum nec quia Imago sed adoro Christum coram Imagine Christi quia scilicet Imago Christi excitat me ad amandum Christum hic modus loquendi originem videtur trahere ex dicto quodam B. Gregorii Sereno Episcopo c. Et quidem quia eos adorare vetuisses omnino laudamus fregisse vero reprehendimus c. In Can. Miss Lect. 49. F. 127. Gabriel Biel an Oxonian Doctor teacheth That then some of their Doctors held that any Image is not to be worshipped either for it self as it is Wood or Stone nor yet consider'd as a Sign or Image And that the Christian Faith permits them to be reserved in the Church not that they may be worshipped but that the Minds of Men may be excited to give reverence to them whose Images they are and that this they said according to P. Gregory In the 16th Century (r) Imagines in Ecclesia ideo tolerantur ut admoneant non ut colantur alioquin omnino excusari possunt minime In Act. Apost cap. 7. p. 94. Ferus a Learned Preacher at Mentz saith That Images are tolerated in the Church that they may admonish not that they may be worshipped for otherwise they can admit of no excuse Yea a Council held at (s) Can. 14. Mentz A. D. 1549 during the Session of the Trent Council speaks thus Let our Pastors accurately teach the People that Images are not propounded to be worshipped or adored but that by them we may be brought to the remembrance of those things which we ought profitably to call to mind CHAP. V. Against this pretended Tradition of the second Nicene Council it is farther argued 1. Because the Jews though zealous for the observance of the Law of Moses and generally believing that it forbad the having and much more the bowing to an Image did never for the five first Centuries condemn the Christians for this practice as afterwards when Images began to be received into Churches and adored they always did § 1. 2ly Because the Apostles and succeeding Fathers who answer all the other Scruples of the Jews against the Christian Faith speak not one word in Answer to this great Objection that it allowed of Image-worship in opposition to the second Commandment § 2. 3ly Because the Evidence of Truth hath forced many Learned Writers of the Romish Church to confess That the Primitive Church had no Images or did not adore them § 3. From this Discourse these four things are inferr'd 1. That the Councils received by the Church of Rome as general are not infallible Interpreters of Scripture or infallible Guides in Matters of Faith. § 4. 2ly That the second Nicene Coucil hath imposed that on Christians as a Tradition of the Church of Christ which was not so and therefore was deceived and did deceive in Matter of Tradition § 5. 3ly That Roman Catholicks do vainly boast of the Consent of Fathers on their side § 6. 4ly That the Doctrine of the Church of England is much safer in this particular than that of Rome § 7. MOreover that Image-worship was no Doctrine delivered to the Church of Christ either by Writing or Tradition from the Apostles that it was not practised in the first Ages of the Church will be apparent from the deportment of the Jews towards the Christians and the consideration of what they thought of the erection of an Image in the place of Worship and of the adoration of them § 1. And (1.) Act. 21.20 we know that even the believing Jews were zealous for the strict observance of the Law of Moses and were much offended at St. Paul because they apprehended he had taught the Jews to forsake the Law of Moses and not to circumcise their Children or walk after the Customs of their Fathers We also are informed by (a) Tum poene omnes Christum Deum sub Legis observatione credebant Sulp. l. 2. c. 45. Euseb Chron. Eusebius and Sulpitius that this Zeal continued among the Jewish Christians for a considerable time after the death of the Apostles viz. till the destruction of the City by Hadrian For till that time the Bishops of Jerusalem were of the Circumcision and almost all who believed in Christ did yet observe the Law. The Sect of the (b) Ep. ad August August contr Faust l. 19. c. 18. Orig. contr Cels l. 2. p. 56. l. 5. p. 272. Ebionites and Nazarens continued till the days of Jerom they were dispersed
have practis'd or to declare as doth the second Nicene Council that this Commandment only forbad the worshipping of Idols or of Images as Gods or to give any other satisfaction to the Jews in this particular The Apostles and the Fathers do jointly labour to remove the Scandal of the Cross and to convince the Jew that it was reasonable to worship him who was crucified upon it but they say nothing to remove that which was a greater Scandal to them as the confession of the Jew now mentioned doth assure us viz. the worship of the Cross and of an Image which was the Work of their own Hands They tell the Gentiles That no Man had reason to condemn them for not observing the New Moons and Jewish Sabbaths but give them not one Item that they had no reason to condemn them for making and adoring Images The whole New Testament which takes especial notice Rom. 2.22 that the Jews abhorred Idols gives not the least distinction betwixt an Image and an Idol nor the least hint of any of those Evasions and Limitations by which the Church of Rome now finds it necessary to reconcile her Practice to the second Commandment nor of those Expositions or Retortions used in the second Nicene Council to refute the Clamours of the Jews Which is a full conviction that the Ancient Church had no such Doctrine or Practice which could make it necessary for them to fly unto these Romish Shifts and Subtilties § 3. To conclude The Suffrage of Antiquity is so very clear the Testimonies of it are so numerous and so convincing that they have forced many Learned Persons of the Church of Rome ingenuously to confess either that in the Primitive Church they had no Images did not regard them or that they paid no veneration to them but rather disapproved and condemned it The Vniversal Church saith (o) Statuit olim Universa Ecclesia ut nullae in Templis Imagines ponerentur Lib. de Nov. Celebrit p. 151. Nicholaus de Clemangis being moved by a lawful Cause viz. on the account of them who were converted from Heathenism to the Christian Faith commanded That no Images should be placed in Churches (p) Quem non modo nostrae Religionis expertes sed teste Hieron omnes fermè veteres sancti Patres damnabant ob metum Idololatriae De Invent. Rerum L. 6. c. 13. The Worship of Images not only they who were not of our Religion but as St. Jerom testisieth almost all the Ancient Holy Fathers condemned for fear of Idolatry saith Polydore Virgil where the opposition of these Holy Fathers to others not of our Religion and the mention of Pope Gregory among them shews the vanity of what the (q) Apud White p. 249. Jesuit Fisher saith That Polydore speaks this of the Fathers of the Old Testament not of the New. (r) Nos dico Christianos ut aliquando Romanos fuisse sine Imaginibus in primitiva quae vocatur Ecclesia Syntagm L. 1. p. 14. This surely I cannot omit saith Giraldus that as the Ancient Romans so we Christians were without Images in that Church which is called Primitive (s) Saevissimis his temporibus de Sanctorum imaginibus ne cogitârint Episcopi abstinebant ad tempus De Concil Eliber l. 3. c. 5. The Bishops in these times of Persecution saith Mendoza little thought of Images of Saints they abstained from them for a while least the Heathens should deride them and should conceive that Christians worshipped them as Gods. All these are Witnesses against the second Nicene Council that the Practice was not Apostolical Vniversal and Primitive What Opinion the Fathers had of this Practice these following Persons will inform you Petrus Crinitus saith That (t) De Hon. Disciplin l. 9. c. 9. Lactantius Tertullian and very many others with too much boldness did affirm That it belonged not to Religion to worship any Image (u) Erasm vol. 5. Symbol Catech p. 989. Even to the days of Jerom who died in the fifth Century Men of approved Religion saith Erasmus would not suffer any painted or graven or woven Image no not of Christ himself (w) Certum est initio praedicati Evangelii aliquanto tempore inter Christianos praesertim in Ecclesiis Imaginum usum non fuisse Consult cap. de Imag. p. 163. It is certain saith Cassander that when the Gospel was first preached there was no use of Images for sometime among the Christians as is evident from Clemens of Alexandria who flourished at the close of the second and from Arnobius who flourished at the beginning of the fourth Century And again (x) Quantum veteres initio Ecclesiae ab omni veneratione Imaginum abhorruerunt unus Origenes declarat p. 168. How much the Ancients in the beginning of the Church abhorr'd all veneration of Images Origen alone in his Book against Celsus shews And a third time (y) Sane ex Augustino constat ejus aetate simulacrorum usum in Ecclesiis non fuisse p. 165. Truly it is manifest from the Discourse of St. Austin on the 113th Psalm that in his Age the use of carved Images or Statues was not come into the Church Lastly he adds That in the Days of Gregory the Great that is in the sixth Century (z) Quae fuerit mens sententia R. Ecclesiae adhuc aetate Gregorii satis ex ejus Scriptis manifestum est viz. ideo haberi Picturas non quidem ut colantur adorentur c. p. 170. Consuetudo R. Ecclesiae pariter consractionem adoratiouem improbat p. 17◠this was the Mind and Doctrine of the Romish Church That Images should be retained not to be adored or worshipped but that the Ignorant should by them be admonished of what was done and be provoked to piety That the Roman Church did equally condemn the adoration and the breaking of Images That the second Nicene Council Graeca illa Synodus qua Parte Imaginēs adorandas censebat damnata fuit ut quae consuetudini R. Ecclesiae adversaretur p. 172. as far as it determined for the Adoration of Images was by the general consent of the Fathers of the Council of Frankford condemned and rejected as being a Determination which was repugnant not only to the Holy Scriptures and the Ancient Tradition of the Fathers but also to the Custom of the Roman Church And in a word Fortasse optandum esset ut Majores nostri huc usque in prisca illa Majorum suorum sententia integrè perstitissent p. 175 179 180. That it were to be wished perhaps that our Predecessors viz. those of the Church of Rome had continued in that old Doctrine of their Ancestors to wit that Images neither should be broken nor adored (z) De Van. Scient cap. de Imag. The corrupt Custom and false Religion of the Heathens saith Cornelius Agrippa hath infected our Religion and hath introduced into our Church Images and Idols and many barren pompous
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 200. The Old Testament had Cherubims shadowing the Mercy Seat let us have Images of Christ and of his Holy Mother shadowing the Altar for because the Old Testament had such Things the New received them This say the (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Synod is the truth This say the Princes is the Command of God. But why did they not conclude also for another Ark and Mercy-Seat another Tabernacle a Golden Censer and a Pot of Manna seeing it was but saying as in the case of Images they do because the Old Testament had these things let us Christians have them too and it infallibly must be so And tell me now Can any one who reads these powerful Demonstrations from and excellent Expositions of the Holy Scripture doubt of the Truth of that which is so oft asserted by this Synod That (n) Act. 3. p. 157. Act. 7. p. 580 581 585. they were certainly assisted by the Holy Ghost But to be serious If all or any of these places have any strength to prove that Images should be set up in Churches or adored by Christians why do not any of their Writers use them to that end if they do not Why may not they be taxed with weakness who use such Proofs as none but the most undiscerning Persons could produce and which their best Friends are ashamed of § Inference 2. 5. 2. Hence it is evident that the second Nicene Council grosly was mistaken in that Determination and Assertion so frequently repeated in that Council That Image-worship had been delivered to them by the continual Suffrage and Approbation of the whole Church of Christ and was the Tradition of the whole Church Catholick even from the Times of the Apostles And consequently that this Council hath been actually deceived in Matter of Tradition as well as in her Interpretations of the Holy Scripture For whereas it is frequently there said That this was the constant Doctrine and Tradition of the Holy Fathers of the Catholick Church the opposition is not greater betwixt Light and Darkness than betwixt the Assertions of the Fathers and the Determinations of the Council For 1. The Fathers of that Council do pronounce Anathema (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57.4 p. 317.5 p. 389.7 p. 576.8 p. 592. against all Persons who take such places of the Holy Scripture which are spoken against Idols as spoken against Holy Images i.e. who say the second Commandment forbids the Worship not of Idols only but of Holy Images And so they do pronounce Anathema against Justin Martyr St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Tertullian St. Cyprian St. Austin Theodoret Fulgentius Agobardus the Councils of Constantinople Frankford and Paris 2ly The Fathers of the same Council pronounce Anathema (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 57. against all Persons who say That the erection of Images is the Invention of the Devil and not the Tradition of the Catholick Church and so they do pronounce Anathema against Clemens of Alexandria St. Ambrose Theodotus Amphilochiùs St. Jerom and St. Chrysostom Agobardus Hincmarus and the three foremention'd Councils who all declare That this was no Tradition of the Catholick Church And against Clemens of Alexandria Tertullian Lactantius Eusebius Theodotus Anoyranus and the whole Council of Constantinople who say expresly That Image-making or Image-worship was the Invention of the Devil 3ly These Fathers do pronounce Anathema (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 389.7 p. 576. to all who violate break or dishonour S. Images which Epiphanius Serenus and all the Fathers of Constantinople did and upon all that knowingly communicate with them who contumeliously speak of them or dishonour them Now seeing all the Christians of the 4th Century did certainly communicate with Epiphanius of the 6th Century with Serenus since all the Fathers mentioned in my second Chapter do in their sense dishonour Images they in effect pronounce Anathema against them all 4ly They pronounce Anathema (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 317.5 p. 389. against all Persons who detract from or who speak evil of their S. Images Now since the Fathers have declared concerning Images in general That they are worse than Mice and Worms that they are the Invention of the Devil with many other things of a like nature mentioned Chapter the second they must be all obnoxious to this Anathema 5ly They pronounce Anathema (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4. p. 212. against all who do not call them Holy and Sacred Images that is against St. Clemens of Alexandria Origen Lactantius Eusebius and others who have declared That they cannot be Sacred and that they are Men of impotent Spirits and lame Minds who so esteem them 6ly They denounce Anathema (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61.7 p. 584. against all those who do not worship Images or who doubt of or who are disaffected to the worship of them Now this Anathema if what is here produced cannot be refuted must certainly be pronounced against the Blessed Apostles and all the Christians of the five first Centuries Lastly Whereas Origen declares That the first thing which Christians taught their Converts was the contempt of all Images the Fathers of this Synod pronounce Anathema (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. p. 61. to all who do not diligently teach all Christian People to adore the Images of all Good Men from the beginning of the World. § 6. 3ly Hence also may be seen how vainly and unjustly Roman Catholicks do boast of the consent of Fathers on their side and say That they expound the Scriptures according to that Sense which they received from the Ancients it being evident from what hath been discoursed that in their Exposition of these words Thou shalt not make to thy self the Similitude of any Thing in Heaven or Earth c. Thou shalt not bow down to them they do embrace a Sense which no Father for the first six Centuries did ever put upon them and do reject that Sense they generally did impose upon these words § 7. 4ly Hence I infer That the Religion of the Church of England is in this particular much safer than is that of Rome For if Image-worship be not forbid in this Commandment nevertheless we only do neglect that practice which their best Writers deem (x) Illud ante constituendum Imagines ex carum per se genere esse quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominantur hoc est quae ad salutem omninò necessaria non sunt nec ad substantiam ipsam religionis attinent sed in potestate sunt Ecclesiae ut ea vel adhibeat vel ableget pro eo atque satius esse decreverit Petav. Theol. dogm To. 5. l. 15. cap. 13. §. 1. Ea est hujusce miserrimae dissensionis materia sine qua sicut multis videtur salva per fidem spem charitatem incunctanter in hoc seculo in futuro salvari potest Ecclesia quorum sensus sententia talis est quid fidei spei charitati obesse potuisset si Imago nulla toto orbe terrarum picta vel ficta fuisset Epist Eugenii P. 2 Act. Synod Paris P. 130 134. indifferent which no Jew ever did perform to any Patriach or Prophet nor any Christian for 600 Years to any Apostle Saint or Martyr and which no Scripture hath commanded and so we only do neglect to do that which neither Example of the Ancients nor any Precept doth commend to our practice Whereas if Image-worship should be here forbid to us Christians which to speak modestly seems highly probable the Church of Rome must practise and enjoin that Worship which provokes God to jealousy exhort and force her Members to perform that Worship from which God doth exhort them to abstain least they corrupt themselves She must enjoin that Action upon pain of her Displeasure and of the Wrath of God which he commands us to avoid because he is a jealous God she must imprison and cut off by Excommunication and by the Sword Christ's Servants because they will not by doing that which God so frequently and so directly hath forbid incur the hazard of his Wrath who saith Deut. 4.25 26. If ye corrupt your selves and make a graven Image of the likeness of any thing I call Heaven and Earth to Witness this day that you shall soon utterly perish And it is easy to determine which we ought most to fear the Wrath of God or Man. FINIS
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