Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 22
XXII. Propoſition. That Images are to be in Churches, and that not onelyonly for inſtruction, but alſo to be adored:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
1. IT doth forbid them, Deut. 4. 23. where is forbidden the making of a grauen ſimilitude: which Moſes ſaith is a forgetting of the Couenant. And in verſe 15. hee ſaith, You ſaw no ſimilitude in that day. And a reaſon is giuen, Leſt perhaps deceiued, you might make you a grauen ſimilitude, or Image. Here the drawing of any ſimilitude of God is vtterly condemned. So in Rom. 1. 23.
Exod. 20. 4. Thou ſhalt not make to thee a grauen thing, nor any ſimilitude, &c. thou ſhalt not adore them, nor ſerue them.
Here is not onelyonly a grauen thing, but any ſimilitude forbidden, without any reſtriction, or exception at all, and alſo the adoration of them. And a reaſon is in Eſay 42. 8. I will not giuegive my glory to another, nor my praiſe to grauen things: neither can God be likened to any thing, or an Image be made of him, Eſay 14. 18. & 46. 5. Act. 17. 29. Wiſd. 14. 17. This commandement condemneth in matter of Religion, the making of our owne heads a grauen thing, and any likeneſſe, not onelyonly of things which be not (which they ſay are Idols, repreſentations of things which are not, falſe Similitudes,) but a grauen thing, and ſimilitude of any thing which is in heauen, which is in earth, and of things which are in the waters, to adore and ſerue them, Leu. 26. 1.
Secondly, their Bible layeth folly to their charge, and affirmeth that ſuch are vaine in their cogitations, and their fabliſh heart darkened, who make God in ſimilitude of a man, Rom. 1. 21, 22, 23. This hath God fearefully puniſhed, and that with a ſpirituall plague, Rom. 1. 26. Hee is pronounced accurſed, that makes a grauen and molten thing, an abomination to our Lord, the worke of the hands of Artificers, and puts it in ſecret (how much more openly?) to worſhip it; and all the people are to ſay, Amen. Let them be confounded, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that adore ſculptils, Pſal. 96. 7. The Iewes to this day, hate Images: which ſhewes, that they were taught by the Law to hate them.
Thirdly, by their Bible we learne, that this was an Heatheniſh practice. The Heathen inuented this making of Images of the dead, Wiſd. 14. 15. They decked them, lighted Candles before them, offered to them, Baruch 6. and worſhipped them, Wiſd. 14. 17, 18. and their Prieſts were ſhauen, and beguiled the people Baruch 6. as the ſhauen Prieſts of Rome doe.
Fourthly, their owne Bible telleth, that no good commeth thereof, but euill, Hab. 2. 18, 19. What profiteth the thing engrauen, that the forger thereof hath grauen it a molten and a falſe Image? What canit teach? Hee telleth vsus, that an Image cannot teach. The Doctrine of their vanity is wood, ſaith Ieremie, chap. 10. 8. and eueryevery Craftsman confounded in his ſculptill, becauſe it is falſe, which hee hath melted, and there is no ſpirit in them. They are vaine things, and a worke worthy to be laughed at, verſe 14. 15. It is changing the verity of God, into lying, Rom. 1. 25. For the ſhadow of a Picture, is a labour without fruit, the louers of euill, are worthy to hauehave their hopes in ſuch things: both they that make them, and that louelove, and that worſhip them, ſaith the Author of the Booke of Wiſedome, ca. 15. 4, 6.
Fiftly, by their Bible wee learne, that men worſhipping the worke of their owne hands, they doe worſhip idols, Diuels. 1. Therein we finde Heathen idols, Diuels, 1. Cor. 10. 20. repreſentations of falſe gods. 2. We finde the Iſraelites worſhipping the worke of their owne hands, the golden Calues, falſly repreſenting the True God, and theſe calues were idols, Act. 7. 41. and diuels, 2. Chro. 11. 15. Whereby wee ſee the repreſenting of the True God falſly, is a diuelliſh idol, as well as the repreſenting of a falſe god. 3. We finde idols, and ſo the worſhip of Diuels among the Papiſts, Reu. 9. 20, 21. where the workes of mens hands, of gold, ſiluer, braſſe, ſtone, and wood, are called idols, and diuels. But they worſhip the workes of their hands, made of ſuch things; and therefore worſhip idols and diuels. Thus God condemneth Imagerie for idols and diuels. And this very place may fitly be vnderſtood of Papiſts. For firſt theſe idolaters, here ſpoken of, are ſuch as fall out to bee vnderunder the ſixt trumpet, long after the deſtruction of the Heathen idolaters. 2. They are ſuch as be after the Starre is fallen, chap. 9. 1. and become a King of the Locuſts. But what Clergie man ſince Chriſt, euer wore a Crowne, but the Pope? 3. They are ſuch, as thoſe great Armies, verſe 16. were raiſed vp to plague, for their idolatry. But what can theſe be, but Turkes, the ſcourge of Popiſh idolaters, & idolatrous Chriſtians? 4. They are ſuch as ouer-ranne the true Religion, ſo as Chriſt ſends out his Word to recouer his from vnderunder this idolatrie, and from among them, chap. 10. 11. But who hauehave ſpred their idols ouer the Church? Not Iewes, nor Turkes, but Papiſts. And hath not Chriſt ſent out his Word to regaine his from among them? 5. And laſtly, the words, chap. 9. 20, 21. doe ſet out Papiſts. 1. They repented not of the works of their hands, whē they ſaw the Eaſteme Churches ouerthrowne by the Turkes for their idolatrie, after the ſecond Nicene Councell there eſtabliſhing it. 2. Theſe committed Murthers, Sorceries, Fornication, and Thefts. And doe not all know how theſe raigne among Papiſts? For murders, their maſſacres of Chriſtians, and vnheard of cruelties vponupon poore Indians, many millions witneſſe them. For Sorceries, is not ſpirituall Babylon, that is, Rome, full thereof, chap. 18. 23? Rome now is that Whore, drunke with bloud, chap. 17. which deceiued the Nations by her Sorceries, chap. 18. 23. For her Fornication, ſhe is called the Mother of whoredomes, chap. 17. And doe not her Stewes witneſſe it? What ſhall I ſpeake, how vnderunder colour of vowed pouertie, by Diſpenſations, Pardons, Indulgences, ſhee robbed eueryevery Kingdome? Therefore theſe are Papiſts, worſhipping idols, and diuels, and cannot ſo well bee applyed to any other vnderunder heauen, all the former circumſtances ſeriouſly and throughly weighed. See B. Carleton his Booke of Thanksgiuing, how he preſſeth this text vponupon Papiſts.
Contraried by Antiquitie.
Tertul. de idolat. God hath forbidden both the making, and worſhipping of an Idol. Now, by Idol, he meaneth eueryevery forme or repreſentation, as himſelfe there ſaith, and that the conſecration of Images is Idolatry.
Epiphanius. The ſuperſtition of Images is vnfit for the Church of Chriſt. He, ſeeing an Image in a Church, tare it in ſunder; hee alſo exhotred to bring no Images into the Churches, as an horrible wickedneſſe: yea, though it were the Picture of Chriſt himſelfe.
Lactantius ſaith, Out of doubt there is no Religion, where there is an Image.
Gregory, the Biſhop of Neocaeſaria, ſaith, Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. that Heatheniſme was the firſt deuiſer and head of Images.
Enſeb. l. 7. c. 17. calleth it an heatheniſh cuſtome.
Origen againſt Celſus. Common ſenſe doth will men to thinke, that God is not delighted with honour of Images made by men. And of his owne time hee ſaith thus, We worſhip no Images.
In Saint Auſtins time, it is cleere by that which hee writeth, on Pſal. 113. that there were no Images in Churches.
The Councell at Eliberis or Granada in Spaine decreed, that nothing which is honoured of the people, ſhould be painted in the Churches.
The firſt and ſixth Conſtantinopolitan Councell held againſt Images, that it was not lawfull, either to hauehave the Images of Saints, or to worſhip them: And if any from that time, durſt make, or adore them, in the Church or at home, if of the Clergie, he was to be depoſed; if of the Laity, accurſed.
The generall Councell, by the Commandement of the Apoſtolike See at Franckford, vnderunder Charles the great, where the Popes Legates were, condemned the worſhip of Images. Abb. Ʋſperg. Anno 793. Rhegino. Anno 794. Opus illuſtr. Caroli. Mag. contra Synod. p. 486. l. 4. c. 2. See Alan. Cope dial. 4. cap. 18.
The Ancient Chriſtians of the Primitiue Church had none.
Clem. Alexand. hort. ad Gent. pag. 14.
Minutius Foelix Octau. Atheuag. Legat.
Athanaſius againſt the Gentiles ſaith, If a liuing man cannot teach thee to know God, how can a carued ſtocke and a ſtone doe it, that is dead?
Gregory, Biſhop of Rome, lib 7. Epiſt. 109. commends the zeale of Serenus a Biſhop in France, who would hauehave nothing made with hands, worſhipped; and therefore brake the Images: which act though Gregorie commended not, yet hee would hauehave him keepe the people from the worſhip of them. The Biſhop of Orleance (Ionas lib. 1. de cultis Imag.) profeſſed his deteſtation againſt the worſhip of Images, and held the doers worthy to be curſed.
Biſhop Durandin Rational. lib. 1. cap. 3. and Catharin. tract. de cult. Imag. thinke their vſe to be dangerous.
Gaineſaid by themſelues.
Polydor. Ʋirgil. lib. 6. cap. 13. de inuent. rerum, writeth, that by the teſtimonie of Ierome it appeareth, how in a manner all the ancient holy Fathers condemned the worſhip of Images, for feare of idolatry.
Eraſmus in Catechiſ. ſaith, that by the teſtimonie of ſound and approued Stories it is cleere, that till Ieromes time, ſuch as were of ſound Religion, would endure no image, either painted, or grauen, to be ſet vp in the Churches, no not the image of Chriſt himſelfe.
Holcot. in lib. Sap. lect. 7. ſaith, that no adoration is due to any Image, and that it is not lawfull to adore any Image.
Agobardus B. of Lyons, who liued in Anno 815. ſaith, (in Bibl. Paetrum) Whoſoeuer worſhippeth a Picture, molten or grauen Statue, worſhips an Idol, not God, nor Saint, nor Angel. See Roger Houeden, part. 1. Annal. fol. 272. where he ſheweth how the Church of God deteſted the Decree of the 2. Nicene about worſhip of Images.
Aquinas, Hales, Albertus, Bonauenture, Marſilius, and nine more, cited by D. White, in his laſt Booke, pag. 209. doe hold, that Adoration of Images was prohibited the Iewes. Then ſuch places as bee alledged for Images in the Old Teſtament by our moderne Papiſts, are but abuſed.
Bannes in Tho. 229. par. 10. pag. 170. ſaith, that the worſhip of the Images of Saints, is neither expreſſely, nor vnfoldedly taught in holy Scriptures. All Scriptures therefore alledged, are but abuſiuely alledged to beguile the ſimple.
Scriptures obiected anſwered.
1. For making Images to be worſhipped.
Exo. 25. 18. And thou ſhalt make two Cherubims, &c.
Anſ. This is no warrant now for vsus. For we hauehave a perpetuall law forbidding the making of Images & likeneſſes, Exod. 20. to worſhip them, Leu. 26. 1. This binds vsus for euer. But God is not bound: he makes a Law for vsus, not to himſelfe. And this commandement which he gaue, was extraordinarie, for a time, and therefore not imitable of vsus, no more then his command to Abraham to kill his ſonne; or to Iſrael, to rob the Egyptians, are to be warrants for vsus, to kill, or rob any.
2. This was not done before they had receiued this commandement. When we hauehave ſuch a command, then hauehave wee authoritie ſo to doe. But till then, wee muſt make no Images to worſhip them.
3. This is of making Cherubims: and is no warrant for picturing men and women, or the holy Trinitie.
4. After what faſhion they were made, is not ſhewed. For the conceit, that they were made with faces of beautifull yong men, is vncertaine, ſeeing they appeared in viſion otherwiſe,Ioſeph. Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. Ezek. 1. & 10.
5. Theſe were in the Sanctum Sanctorum, into which onelyonly the High Prieſt came, and that but once a yeere; the people ſaw none of theſe, nor were they to be worſhipped by any. What is this then for making Images openly for the people in Churches, to be adored by the people?
1. King. 6. 35. And he carued thereon Cherubims, &c.
Anſw. 1. Salomon did herein nothing of his owne head, but had a patterne to follow in eueryevery thing, 1. Chro. 28. 11, 12, 19. 2. Chron. 3. 3. Let them ſhew ſuch a warrant from Chriſt.
2. Theſe were not ſeene to the people, being in the inner Court, 1. King. 6. 27. into which onelyonly the Prieſts came.
3. This was a ſpeciall commandement, onelyonly for the vſe of the Temple, which being temporarie, for the time of the Ceremoniall Law, what warrant is this to vsus?
4. We muſt remember the Morall Law, Thou ſhalt not make, &c. This euer binds vsus; we may not take vponupon vsus of our owne Authoritie to make Images.
Heb. 9. 1, 5. The firſt couenant had ordinances of diuine ſeruice, and a worldly Sanctuarie, and ouer it the Cherubims of glory, ſhadowing the Mercy-Seat.
Anſw. The Author of the Gag would hence proue the Cherubims to be an ordinance of diuine ſeruice, and allowed for vsus to follow. But hee was grazing in ſo thinking. For all the building was called a ſecular Sanctuary: but we are a ſpirituall building, 1. Pet. 25. We therefore are to take heed of ſuch Iewiſh ordinances, and rudiments of the world, Col. 2. weake and poore elements, as the Apoſtle is bold to call them, Gal. 4. 9.
Numb. 21. 8. Make a brazen Serpent, and ſet it for a ſigne.
Anſw. 1. This had a ſpeciall warrant for the making. Neither Moſes nor Aaron durſt inuent it of themſelues. This being a ſpeciall and extraordinarie commandement, is not of vsus to bee imitated, againſt a perpetuall precept, Exod. 20.
Secondly, this was made, not to be worſhipped, but to bee a typicall and operatiue ſigne, as the euent teacheth.
Thirdly, this had a miraculous effect by Gods diuine power; a promiſe annexed to it of life, to eueryevery one bitten, that looked vponupon it, Numb. 21. 9. being a liuely type of Chriſt, Ioh. 3. 14.
Fourthly, this was abroad in the Campe; ſet on a pole, not in the Tabernacle. What is this to Images in the Churches?
Fiftly, this was an Images of a Serpent. Is it fit to ſet vp ſuch in Churches to adore them?
Sixtly, Hezekiah, 2. King. 18. 4. did, among other defacings of Idolatries, breake in pieces this Brazen Serpent: for that the people burnt incenſe to it. And the vſe being paſt, and a foule abuſe crept in, in contempt he called it Nehuſhtan, a piece of braſſe.
Math. 22. 20. This place ſpeakes of an Image vponupon a piece of coyne. What's this to Images ſet vp in Churches? We doe not deny but ſuch Images for ciuill vſe may be made. And I thinke that Image-mongers louelove well theſe ſtamped Images, and get many of them by their grauen Images.
Exod. 31. 2. & 35. 30. God beſtowedon Bezaleel and his fellow, wiſedome, vnderſtanding, and knowledge, to carue, graue, and paint.
Anſw. We approue of the Art, and the vſe thereof to the right end, as of God: and that to make ſuch Images as God commanded them, to be in the Tabernacle. But Gods furniſhing them for his ſpeciall ſeruice then, is no warrant for any man now, to abuſe his skill, now to make Imagery in Churches, contrarie to Gods morall precept, Exod. 20.
Gen. 28. 13. Exo. 33. Eſa. 6. Amos 9. Dan. 7. All theſe places ſhew how God appeared: and there is aſcribed to him eyes, hands, and face; and therefore may God be pictured.
Anſw. 1. Howſoeuer it pleaſed God to appeare, and ſet out himſelfe to vsus; yet hee hath plainely forbidden vsus to ſet out any ſimilitude of him, Deut. 4. 15, 23.
Secondly, the ancient Prophets, and people of God neuer made any ſuch vſe hereof.
Agrippa told Caligula, that the Temple neuer admitted any Image made with hands, and ſaid farther, Our forefathers hauehave holden it a thing vnlawfull, to paint or carue him that is inuiſible. Philo. Iud. de Legat. ad Caium. But if they had learned this Popiſh Diuinitie, as lawfull from ſuch apparitions, and from ſuch aſcribing of parts of mans bodie to him, they would hauehave done it.
Thirdly, Saint Auſtin de fide & Symbolo. cap. 7. ſaith, To forme an Image of God, is abominable.
In Gregory the ſeconds time, Anno 726. in an Epiſtle to Leo Iſauricus, it is ſaid, they vſed not to paint, or repreſent God the Father.
The ſixt generall Councell holden, Anno 687. Can. 28. forbidsCaranz. ibid. the making of the holy Ghoſt in the forme of a Doue: yet he ſo appeared. Thoſe Fathers had not yet learned this Popiſh Doctrine.
Durand calleth it a foolery (hee might better hauehave ſaid, an horrible impietie,) to make or adore an Image of the Trinitie, in 3. diſt. 9. q. 2. Many Papiſts hold it vnlawfull to paint the holy Trinitie.
Caietan, Catharinus, Diegus, Abulenſis, Pereſius, and others.
Fourthly, if God may be ſo pictured, as hee by apparitions or words ſets himſelfe forth; we ſhould hauehave repreſented to our ſenſes, a very abominable Idol, in ſuch varietie of parts and faſhions, as it ſhould be a very Idolatrous Monſter; a picture of that which is not, which they themſelues ſay is an Idol, and ſo forbidden.
Fiftly, howſoeuer God did appeare: yet was he neuer ſeene, Ioh. 1. 18. 1. Tim. 6. 16. Moſes could not ſee his face, and liue, Exod. 33. 20. For Gods ſpeaking to him face to face, is expounded of a familiar manner, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, as is there in the Text. How can hee be truely pictured that neuer was ſeene, nor can be ſeene?
Sixtly, though he might be pictured as he appeared: yet the popiſh picture is an abominable idol: for no where euer appeared he like an old ſide-bearded man, with three crownes, yea, and ſometime with three faces, ſitting on a fear, with his Sonne before him, and a Doue ouer his head. This childiſh baby, or rather Idol, is their owne inuention.
For the worſhip of Images.
Exod. 3. 5. Put off thy Shooes, &c.
Anſw. 1. Here is no Image.
2. The ground was holy in reſpect of Gods preſence: yet did not Moſes fall downe to adore the ground, but ſtood vp. But Papiſts will hauehave men to fall downe before Images.
Thirdly, Moſes was here forewarned of Gods preſence, and holineſſe of the ground. Let them proue to vsus by Gods owne voice, as here, that their Images are holy, and that Gods preſence is in them. And yet for all that, will not this procure adoration to them, no more then Moſes adored the earth.
Fourthly, this place, if Images were holy, ſhould rather keep vsus from them, then make vsus come to them. For it is ſaid, Approach not, or come not hither; looſe off thy ſhooes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou ſtandeſt, is holy ground. Its therefore rather againſt going to Images, then to goe to worſhip them.
Ador… …e the footſtoole of his feet. Ʋnderſtood (ſay they) of the Arke, 1. Chron. 28. 2. Which was worſhipped of the Iewes, in regard of the Images ſet vponupon it.
Anſw. Vnderſtanding this footſtoole of the Arke, as they ſay; it will helpe nothing their worſhip of Images.
For firſt, the Arke was of Gods own appointment to be made for manner, matter, and end, Exod. 25. 9. but ſo bee not their Images.
Secondly, the Arke is called his footſtoole. But Images are not ſo called: neither claimeth he them for his.
Thirdly, God promiſed his preſence with the Arke, Exod. 25. 22. But where is his promiſe to be with their Images?
Fourthly, the Arke was not an Image. What is this then to an Image?
Fiftly, the Arke was in the moſt holy place, into which none could enter but the High Prieſts. Therefore the people could not adore it, but a farre off, as being in the out-Court, without any ſight thereof. Now, their Images are neere, and in the peoples view; and not only where the High Prieſt of Rome comes. If they will hauehave Images, as the Arke, then let his High Prieſtſhip keepe them in his moſt holy Chappell for himſelfe, and let them be for him only, as the moſt Holy was for the high Prieſt.
Sixtly, by the Arkes being in ſo remote a place, its cleere, that the words muſt be tranſlated, Adore yee towards his footſtoele, as in 1. King. 8. 44. Pray towards the holy Citie, and the houſe which hee had choſen. And then the Arke was not adored, but God, it being the ſigne of Gods preſence, before which they worſhipped, 1. Sam. 1. 19.
Seuenthly, if it was worſhipped becauſe of the Images vponupon it, then was it only worſhipped in the Sanctum Sanctorum. For there the Cherubims were ſpred ouer it, and not elſewhere; and then onelyonly the High Prieſt adored it: for he onelyonly ſaw the Images ouer it. And then this Text ſeemeth to ſpeake, not to all, but to him. What is this to the peoples worſhipping of Images?
Eighthly, and laſtly, it is vntrue, to ſay the Iewes worſhipped it, becauſe of the Images on it. For firſt, they neither did, nor could euer ſee any Image vponupon it. Secondly, wee reade of the Arke, brought forth; in their iourneyings in the wilderneſſe; ſo in going ouer Iordan; alſo into the Campe of Iſrael, 1. Sam. 4. 5. and at other times: but wee neuer read of any that did worſhip it. But if this had beene a commandement here, ſurely there would hauehave beene ſome example of adoring it. Thirdly, they were commanded to worſhip God, Deut. 6. 13. & 10. 20. but no where to worſhip any other thing. Fourthly, how could it be, that they worſhipped the Arke, becauſe of the Images vponupon it; when the angels, which by the Images were repreſented, were not adored of them? Would they worſhip the Image, and not the things themſelues? For as Origen ſaith, NoContr. Celſ. lib. 5. man adored the heauenly Angels, which did ſubmit himſelfe to the Law of Moſes.
Phil. 2. 10. At the name of Ieſus, &c.
Anſw. 1. Here is no Image mentioned. What is this to Saints worſhip, and their Images? For this Text ſpeakes of Ieſus, our Lord & Sauiour Chriſt, becauſe we muſt bow downe to him the Sonne of God, one perſon God and Man, when wee doe make mention of his name: Will it follow therefore, that we ſhould doe ſo to dead Images.