Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Part 13
Of images.
AS concerning Images, either of God himselfe, or of the saintes, to be worshipped: there is no one thing, that the scripture more condemneth. It is the second commandement in the lawe: Thou shalt not make to thee any grauen Images, thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them. They, which vrge the bare words and letter so much in the Lords supper, here make small accompt of it (being so often repeated, and written, with Gods owne finger) to maintaine their superstition and Idolatrie. And this commandement is repeated and expounded thus: Deut. 4.15.And the Lord spake vntounto you out of the fire, and ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude, but a voice ye heard: as though he should saie, ye sawe no similitude of God, when he gaue the lawe, but ye heard a voice onelie: Therefore you shall make no Image or likenesse of God. For a voice cannot be pictured. And here the word (Temunah) which signifieth an Image or likenesse, is to be marked, which after is repeated so often. For so it followeth, that they should looke well to their soules, because they sawe no similitude when God spake vntounto them in Horeb out of the middest of the fire, least perchance beeing deceiued, they should make to themselues, anie carued worke, or likenesse or similitude, or Image. Anie likenesse, the similitude of man, or woman. So that, this hearing a voice onelie, which cannot bee pictured; this séeing no Image or likenesse or similitude, when God spake to them; this carefull keeping of their soules, least they should be deceiued; this multiplying of these wordes, of carued worke, likenesse, similitude, Image; argueth plainlie, that nor likenesse of God is to be made: and that Images of him are forbidden by this commandement, and not of Idolatrous Gods, as the Papists imagine and expound. The same doctrine is confirmed by the Prophet Esay,Cap. 40. v. 20. To whom will ye liken God (saieth the Prophet) or what similitude will ye set vp to him? The workeman melteth an Image, or the Goldsmith beateth it out in golde, or the goldsmith maketh siluer plates. Doth not the poore chuse out a tree, that will not rot for an oblation? he seeketh also a cunning workman vntounto him to prepare an Image, that will not be mooued. Know ye nothing? hauehave ye not heard it? hath it not beene tolde you from the beginning? hauehave ye not vnderstood it by the foundation of the earth? He sitteth vponupon the circle of the earth, and the Inhabitants therof are as grashoppers, he stretcheth out the heauens as a curteine, and spreadeth them out as tents to dwel in, he bringeth the Princes to nothing, and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity: as though they were not planted, as though they were not sowen, as though their stocke tooke no roote in the earth. For he did euen blowe vponupon them, and they withered, and the whirle-winde will take them away, as stubb…e: To whom now, will ye liken me that I should be like him (saith the holy one?) This place plainlie proueth, that no Image is to be made of God: and that, not the goldsmithes and carpenters, which made Idols, but euen they that made Images of wood, or golde, of God; are condemned. And not onelie that it is vnlawfull to make Images of God the father, but of Iesus Christ, to worship him withall. For of him in this chapter twise the Prophet prophesieth: And the glory of the Lord shall be reuealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And beholde the Lord will come with power, and his arme shal rule for him, behold his reward is with him, and his worke before him. And yet after this he addeth: Who will you liken me vntounto? [And séeing to make an Image of God, displeaseth him thus, it may séeme also that the same thing displeaseth his saints. For it is likelie that thing which pleaseth not the master; displeaseth also the seruants:] God will not be worshipped as the heathen worship their Gods: but their worship was to make Images to them: this vtterlie displeaseth God. And no doubt this is that, for which God reproueth the people of Israell, by the Prophet Ezechiell.Ezech. 20.32. Wee will be (saie they) as the heathen, as the families of the countries were, and serue wood and stone as the heathen did: For no doubt the heathen made their Images to them, whom they beleeued to liue in honour and in remembrance of them. It is a strange thing (saith Augustine) how God dwelles in some, which know him not,Epist. 57. and in s…me that knowe him, he dwelles not; for they doe not belong to Gods Church, because knowing God, they hauehave not glorified him, as God, nor giuen him thankes: and yet children sanctified by the sacrament of Christ, and regenerat by the holy ghost, belong to the Church, who truely so being regenerat, by reason of their age, cannot know God. Therefore whom they (meaning those idolatrous and vnthankefull men) can knowe and not hauehave: these, that is children, could hauehave before they knew. Oh therfore let all men glorifie God, as God, as they ought to doe, or else, hee will not dwel… in them.
That historie which Iosephus makes mention of, declareth the Catholique faith of the Iewes, how they alwaies expounded that commandement. Ioseph. lib. 18. antiquit. Iud. cap. 11.Caius the Emperour would hauehave had his Image set in the temple of Ierusalem, by Petronius, Lieutenant of Syria. But the Iewes so obstinately withstood him, that they saide, they would rather die, then suffer such a reproch: yea insomuch, that being now fully resolued to die for the matter, they left their fieldes vntilled. Petronius wondring at the constancy of the people, and detesting the wickednesse of Caius, promised to send Embassadours to Caius. He had scant ended his speech, when as behold a shower sodainly fell, contrarie to all mens expectation, on a faire day, when as there was no signe of raigne, and in a most fit time, when as they had almost beene vndone, for lacke of raine. The which miracle, made the Lieutenant thinke, that God cared for the affaires of the Iewes, and the Iewes to hope, that his suite should not bee frustrate. Petronius wrote diligently hereof to the Emperour, but hee continuing in his purpose, commanded that Petronius himselfe should be put to death. But before the letter came; Caius himselfe died: and so deliuered the temple from the Image, and Petronius from death. By this it should séeme, that the Iewes had in their temple no Image at all, neither of God nor of man, neither of Saint nor of Cesar: and that by the space of so manie hundreth yeares, because they thought it, against this commandement.
The prophesie of Abacucke, seemeth a generall or catholique prophesy, directed vnderunder the type of the Iewes, to the whole church of God. Hab. 1.13.He first complaineth of the crueltie, and great prosperity of the wicked, & of the iust punishment of God, by requiting their own dealings vponupon their owne heads. He teacheth the doctrine of faith, that thorowe patience, and faith we must still waite for Iesus Christ; euen as the Iewes for his first, so wee for his seconde comming. Cap. 2.4.This faith must be our strong castle and bulwarke: He that trusteth in himselfe, as a strong tower of defence, that retcheth vntounto the skyes, his hearte is not right in him: But the iust shall liue by faith He inueieth against couetousnes, Verse. 5.he complaineth of the proud and cou…ous man, that enlargeth his desire, as hell that can neuer hauehave enough, that loadeth himselfe with thick clay (for he maketh golde no better:) and that spoiles manie, Vers. 9.10.11.12.and thereby maketh him a glorious and statelie house: that buildeth a towne with bloud, and erecteth a citie by iniquitie: that maketh the people labour, as it were in the verie fire, without ioy or comforte, they are so hardlie dealt with all. He cryeth woe, against all such dealers, in Gods church: Wee shoulde be all mercifull, as our heauenly father is mercyfull. But his last woe, is against idolaters,Luke 6.36. Vers. 18.19.20. which say to a peece of wood, arise: and to a dumbe stone, awake; when as it is it selfe compassed with golde, and there is no breath at all in it. But the Lord (saieth he) is in his holie temple, and let all the earth keepe silence before him. As though he should saie: woe to them that call vppon God vnderunder anie Image, as though God were presente there, that saie to God vnderunder anie Image (as the prophet Dauid praieth often,) Let God arise. For so no doubt these phrases of the people are to be vnderstood. The people were neuer so sencelesse, as to saie to a stone or trée, arise or walke: but to the thing signified by them. But the Lord (saieth the prophet) is in his holie temple: not tyed to anie Image: and let all the earth keepe silence before him, that is, tremble to breake his commandements. And againe, he taketh awaie that common reason that is made for the defence of these Images, which saie that they are lay-mens bookes, that they teach the simple: But he saieth,Vers. 18. what profiteth the grauen Image? for the caruer of it, is the maker of it;Ferus. in Io. 18. Fol. 494. a thing molten or mingled together, and a teacher of lyes. Ferus also vponupon S. Iohn writeth thus: It was a custome among the Iewes, that one shoulde be let loose at Easter, in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt: but God (saieth he) in remembrance of this, had ordained the passeouer. But they not content with this signe giuen them of God, hauehave ordained an other, and that against the lawe of God, that some guilty person might be let loose, when as the lawe commands that all offenders should be punished: So hypocrisie is not content with the word of God, but alwaies either addeth or preferreth her owne deuises. Thus much Ferus himselfe writes, of ceremonies and superstitions, besides the worde of God, Rom. 1.20. Deut. 6.8. These are the laymens bookes euen of the Pagans.whereof the papistes religion was full. And the reason he alledgeth here is sufficiente to ouerthrow their doctrine of Images: for God hath giuen vsus the heauens to put vsus in mind of him (as S. Paul saieth) and his word, as Moses teacheth: what neede we anie other signes, anie other remembrancers of Images, and that against his worde? Is not this to imitate the superstitious Iewes? Idolatry (as one noteth) is worse then infidelitie: As in a kingdome, hee that preferreth or erecteth a new king, is a more greeuous offender, then hee that disobeieth onelie his lawfull prince. Such not traytors; but rebels against God are Idolaters. Lira in cap. 13. Reuel.And therefore Lira giueth this note, That euen the Turks kingdom hath so long continued, because in his religion (although otherwise wicked,) yet he banisheth all Images, and Idolatry: and euen for this cause (sayeth hee) God suffereth it to continue so long.
In the Primitiue church also it séemeth, the fathers verie strictlie obserued this commaundement: and suffered no Images in the church: as appeareth by Epiphanius, who comming into the church and seeing a vaile hang there,Epiphan. in Epist. ad Iohan. Episc. Ieros…lo. hauing painted on it the Image, as it were, of Christ, or of some sainte, against the authority of the scriptures, he did rent it in peeces; and gaue counsell to the church wardens, that they should bury some poore man with it. Sée first howe he rent it in peeces; declaring it to be a thing not tolerable in the church of God: Euen as Moses with like zeale, broke the golden calfe in peeces,Exod. 32.20. and beate it into powder; and strowed it vponupon the water, and made the children of Israell drinke of it. Secondly he alledgeth the authoritie of the scriptures against it, meaning no doubt the breach of the second commandement. If this had béene the catholique faith, once giuen to the saints, to hauehave Images of Christ, or of his saintes: no doubt Epiphanius being a Bishoppe, and who wrote against all heresies, woulde hauehave knowne it. But as it shoud seeme, this point of catholique religion, was not knowne in his daies; but crept in after. And soe indéede Alphonsus de castro confesseth. Therefore it is no true pointe of the catholique faith, for which here S. Iude biddeth vsus to striue. Nay to hauehave Images, and that of Iesus Christ, he accomptes to be an heresie: For thus hee writeth of ye heretikes called Gnostici,Epiphan. contra haeres. Lib. 1. To. 2. haeres. 27. that they hauehave images painted with colours, and some of them of gold and siluer, which they say to be the Images of Iesus. And these Images of Iesus to hauehave beene made, in the tyme of Pontius Pilate, when as he was liuing amongst men: But they hauehave these Images secretlie. If these had done well, if these had beene precious Iewelles (as nowe of counterfaite Images manie make accompte, which they are not sure, whether they be the true Images of Christ or no:) hee woulde neuer hauehave numbred them among their heresies. Lactantius also an auncient writer, condemneth the worshipping, or hauing of images. Lact. de origine erroris 2. li. c. 19.Whosoeuer (saith he) endeuours to maintaine this mysterie of man, and the reason of our nature; let him lift vp himselfe from the ground, and with a right minde, looke vp with his eies into heauen: let him not looke for God vnderunder his feete, nor draw out of his steppinges, that thing, hee will worshippe; for whatsoeuer is vnderunder man, must needs be more vile and base, then man: but let him looke for it aloft. For there can be nothing greater then man, but that which is aboue man; but God is aboue man; therefore he is aloft, he is not beneath: neither is hee in this lowe region, but in the highest to bee sought for. Wherefore it is no doubt, there is no religion, where there is any image. And in another place. Lib. 2. cap. 2.I demanded (saith he) if one behold the image of one, that is gone a farre iourney, that he might thereby receiue some comfort of him being absent, whether he be well in his wits, if when he is present, or returned home againe, he will continue i… beholding the image, and will not rather enioy the beholding of the man himselfe? No truely. For the mans image then seemes necessary, when he is farre from home, but to no purpose, when he is at hand. But the image of God therefore, whose spirit and power is spread eueryevery where, is alwaies in vaine, and to no purpose. And a little after in the same place: That is not the image of God, which is made of stone, brasse, or any other matter, but man himselfe: because he feeleth, moueth and doth notable workes. Marke first Lactantius zeale. First, there is no religion (saith he) where there is any image. Secondly, God is present in euerie place, therefore there néedeth no image of him. Thirdly and lastly, if wee wil hauehave an image of god, man himselfe is his most liuely image. And he liued 300. yeares after Christ. Arnobius, who was Lactantius master, of Images writes thus: As much as in vsus lieth, let vsus go to the Lord of all things, with our heart and our minde:Lib. 2. cont, gent. let vsus bee lift vp from these places, and let vsus translate the wauering thoughtes of our hearts vponupon him; let vsus remember him continually. And although he cannot be pictured in any mans imagination: yet by beholding him, let vsus imagine to our selues, as it were, a certaine soft or still ayre of him (as Elias did.) And againe, Lib. 3.and if you will heare a true opinion, either God hath no shape; or if he hauehave any, we know not what it is. For that which we neuer sawe, to be ignorant of, we accompt it no dishonest thing. And againe: you worship the pictures of men, as the power of God: neither are you ashamed to giuegive them the shape of a mortall creature. And againe: If you refuse not to heare the iudgement of our mindes, we are so farre off from giuing any corporall lineaments to God, that we are afraid to ascribe to such an excellent maiestie, the ornaments of soules, and those same vertues, in which it is granted but to very fewe to excell. For who will call God strong, or constant, liberall, or wise, &c. These are the god vertues of men, and by the opposition of vices, hauehave deserued commendations. Who is so brutish as to thinke God great, in the good thing that belonges to man? All mens vertues and affaires are nothing to God. Lib. 6.And againe: In this matter ye are wont to lay a great fault to our Church, that we build no churches for our diuine seruice, nor that we make no images or likenesse of the Gods, that we build no altars, that we giuegive not to them the bloud of beasts, nor frankinsence, nor come sprinckled with salt, nor wee power no wine out before them; which all, we doe not leaue off to doe or builde, as though we carried impious and froward mindes against the Gods, or that through some rash desperation we had conceiued some contempt against the Gods: but because, that we suppose and beleeue that the Gods, if they be Gods in deede, and endued with the excellency of this name, do laugh at all these thinges, (if they can laugh) and are displeased with them, if they can be angry. If the gentiles should sée the Churches in the popish kingdome, they would neuer …a…e these faultes vntounto Christian religion, they should sée altars, and Images end we. But as it should seeme, the ancient and true Christian religion, had no such. And after: Wee build them no Churches, neither doe we worship their Images, neither doe we kill them any sacrifices, nor doe we offer them any frankinsence or wine. And what more honour or worship can we doe to them, We may note here how he giues the chiefe place to Emperours and Kings.then that we set them in place, wherein we place the head of all things, the Lord and most high king, and doe honour the Gods, as the chiefe Lordes and kings of all things.
Here we maie sée first, that in Arnobius daies ye christians builde… no churches, which was 300. yeares after Christ: and that christian religion consisteth not in the outward pomp or curious magnificency of churches or buildings, as ye pope hath made men beléeue. Againe, we maie obserue, by reading histories, when churches began to be builded; & when they were builded, how they were called and accomted of in true catholique religion. Euseb. of this matter writes thus: The hid force and might which remaines in our sauiour appeareth, of the things he hath effected or done: and all excellent things which are done, are not the workes of one that liueth, &c. And now a fit time offereth it selfe, of shewing what thinges our sauiour hath done in our times, and of knowing perfectly the actes of the liuing God, which as it were euen nowe liue for the fresh memorie of them, &c. Our Sauiour hauing ouercome mighty tyrants and infidels, forthwith caused ensignes of his victorie to bee erected in all landes, and the whole world to be adorned with holy temples, and with stately or large buildinges of Churches; yea and euen in the wildernesses of the Barbarians, churches and temples to be dedicated and consecrated to the onelyonly God of all thinges, and Lord of all creatures, wherof also those temples, which were consecrated to him, tooke the name of the Lorde, which name was not giuen them of men but of God: and therefore they are called the Lordesaforeign. houses. Thus farre Eusebius. Their faith then agreed with the scripture. Christ saith, My house shall be called a house of praier to all nations, That is, al churches & houses of praier among all nations, are my houses. And according to this, Iacob called the place wherein God appeared vntounto him, Bethel: that is, Gods house: So here in Constantines daies, they called their Churches foreign: that is, the Lords houses: as they also called their Sabaoth, the Lords day. They followed S. Paules precept, they did all thinges in the name of Iesus Christ. In Constantines daies, large and statelie churches were builded, in all the countries of the world: and they were called the Lords houses. They were not dedicated to anie Saint: … nor long after. Austen in his daies, as shall hereafter be alleaged, saith, that we build no churches to Martyrs. And though the Diuell was then preparing stones to such churches, yet then there were none of them as yet erected. Theodoret makes mention of a church of S. Michaell, on the third chapter of the Coloss. but it was but in a corner of the world in Phrygia, and was condemned by the councell of Laodicea. But after, this worke went forward …ce in the world. For it was the first worke of that prowd Bonifacius, successour of humble Gregorie, (who refused the name of vniuersall Bishop) after he had obteined that prowde title of Phocas, to conuert the Temple called Pantheon, that is, In templian omn… martyrum & E. virginis.the Church of all the Gods, into all saintes church. So that the naming of the Churches generallie, after the names of Saintes, as should séeme, began with poperie. This is reported in Summ. Conc. by a Frier of their owne.
Secondlie, the Christians offered to the Gods no corporall thinges. But in time of poperie, they hauehave both vsed frankinsence after the manner of the heathen, and also offered euen eg…, and such like base thinges. And againe Arnobius saith, That the true worshipping of God is in the heart, and an opinion worthie of the Gods: neither the offering of bloud profits any thing. And of the signe of the crosse he writes thus: Lib. ….As for crosses, wee neither worship them, nor wish for them: But you which doe make Gods of wood, perchance worship crosses, as parts of your Gods. For your ensignes and standards of your tentes, what are they else but golde… and braue crosses? For your ensignes of victorie, doe not onelyonly resemble the figure of the crosse, but of a man crucified. We see the signe of the crosse liuely in the ship, when it is carried with lofty sailes, when it slides away, her sailes being spread abroad, when as*Three speares set a crosse, vnderunder which the conquered were made to go vnarmed. a yoke is erected, it is the signe of the crosse, when man worships God stretching out his hands with a pure minde, it is the signe of the crosse. So the signe of the crosse either leaneth to naturall reason, or agrees to religion. Here we maie plainlie sée, howe Arnobius giues reuerence and holie estimation to the signe of the crosse: But he takes awaie adoration from it. And S. Augustin of Iesus Christ writes thus: De fide & sim…l. cap. 7.We beleeue he sits on the right hand of God. And yet for all this wee must not thinke, that God the Father is compassed abou… with mans shape, that when we thinke of him, we should thinke that he hath either right side or left, or that because the father is said to fit, we should suppose that to be done, with bending his thighes; least we fall into that sacriledge, wherewith the Apostle correcteth those which hauehave turned the glorie of the incorruptible God into the likenesse of a corruptible man. &c. It is a horrible thing, for a christian to make such an image of god in the church, but it is much more wicked in the heart, where is the true temple of God, saith Austen. And yet such images hauehave béene made of God in time of poperie.
Concerning Images, also Iustin the Martyr writes thus: Neither doe we worship with many sacrifices,Apol. 2. and with garlands of flowers, those which men picturing doe place in temples, and call Gods. And after, we accompt this thing to be done against all reason, and with dishonor of the gods, who hauingaforeign. a glorie which no man can vtter, and shape; their names are giuen to corruptible thinges, and to such thinges as needes the care of men. Ignatius also of Images writes thus: LoueLove one another in the Lord, asbVi Dei sim… lachra. Epist. 5. ad Phil. the Images of God. See, you men, that you louelove your wiues, as your own members. These were the images of god that were made accompt of in his daies. The councell of Frankford was called together Ann. Dom. 794. by Carolus Magnus, wherein the decrees of Adrian the Bishop and of the Germanes, concerning the worshipping of images, were disallowed. It should séeme, Charles the Great misliked the worshipping of images: and yet of him I read this great commendation. Fasciculus tempor. de Caroto magno.And this mans excellencie in all thinges that may commend a prince, who is able to praise sufficiently? This is sufficient at this time to say, that from the beginning, to the ende of his raigne, in such a great and troublous time, he behaued himselfe so commendably, that there was no one found, which could finde fault with him in any thing. For in truth, what could fraile man finde fault with, in him, whom Gods power alwaies protected and directed?
The verie heathen countries some of them hauehave detested Images. The temples of the Egyptians, Alex. lib. 2. c. 22.although they were verie curiouslie wrought, with marble and gold, with great excesse and wonderfull cunning; yet there were no images of the Gods in them: but in stéed of them, as liuing Gods, Apes, Ibis, Crocodiles, Eus. lib. 6. Praep. Euang.and such like plagues of the Magitians and wonders of Egypt, were worshipped for Gods. Among the people called Seres, it was forbidden by lawe that no images should be worshipped. In the temples also of the Romanes, Clemens saieth, by the decree of Numah, following the lawes of Moses, in the space of an hundreth and seauenty yeares, after the building of the citty, there was no Image seene, neither painted nor fained. Plutarch also affirmeth the same in the life of Numah, and he yéeldes a reason; because it were a wicked act, to resemble a better thing, by that which were worse: and that God would no otherwise bee conceiued, but by our vnderstanding. The Germans also, as Tacitus writes, thought it not lawfull to set Gods on walles; neither thought it agreeing with the maiestie of the Gods, to liken them to any shape of man. Lycurgus among the Lacedemonians, Alex. lib. 2. c. 22.although he were the inuentor of manie ceremonies among the Gentiles, yet there was no image of him deuised for the gods: but he for bad anie Image of beast or man, to be made to the gods.
The heathen men themselues, despise images. As Stasicrates a notable workeman regarding nothing that delighted the eies, calling painters idle artificers, he determined to make a worke not vnworthie of Alexander.Plus. 2. orat. de fortuna Alex. The great Athos (saith he) the hill of Thracia, whose toppe may be seene a farre off, hauing members and partes like vntounto a man, being laboured and portraied out, shall be Alexanders image. Who with his feete shall touch the sea, and in his left hand, shall hold a most famous city, and in his right hand, a boull, out of which shall runne a great riuer into the sea. Alexander commended the inuention of the man: but (saith he) let Athos remaine in his place still. For it is sufficient, that it hath beene a monument of one kinges folly. But Caucasus, and Tanais, and the hils Emodi, and the Caspian sea, shall portraite forth me. These are the Images of my actes. Wen as the countries of Gréece also, would hauehave erected images in their famous cities, to Agesilaus, he wrote to them thus: Let my image neither be painted nor grauen.Plut. in Apophth. Xenoph. orat. de Agesil. rege. And Xenophon writer▪ That he vtterly refused that his image should be painted or pictured: but he laboured earnestly to adorne his minde, affirming that the other, was the caruers worke; and that this, was his owne. W…e maie note here, how the verie heathen men themselues hauehave condemned images: And doe we thinke the saints of God doe nowe delight in them? It cannot be denied but that the heathen by the dimme sight of nature, aimed in this point verie neere to truth: and shall we thinke, that the saintes, hauing the true lighte of gods spirit, to shoote further off the marke? The Turkes doe detest and abhorre all images, either painted or carued, and do call Christians because they delight in these, Cuspin.Idolaters and worshippers of deuils.
Let vsus marke also howe Arnobius refutes, all the obiections that maie be made, for the defence of images. But one saieth or obiecteth, you are deceiued and you iudge amisse. For wee doe not iudge, neither brasse nor matters of siluer and gold, or other matters, whereof they make images, to be Gods by themselues, or powers to be worshiped: but we worship and reuerence those in them, whom the holy dedication puts vsus in minde of, and causeth to dwell in those images made with hands.Arnob. lib. 6. contra gent. An excellent reason (saith he) which some simple, or perchance some learned man may beleeue: as though the Gods would leaue their seates in heauen, nor refuse to dwell amongst men. Sée the verie ground of all popish obiections: For they say, they worshippe not the image, but that holie faint sheet the image doth represent to our mindes: and so saide the heathen of their Images. And againe, that the gods power was present at their images: so the papists imagine, when they praie before the images of their saintes. And both these reasons Arnobius reiectes. And after: The ancient Fathers were not ignorant,Lib eodem. that these signes had no power in them, nor no sense: but for the vnrulie and simple people, whereof cities and townes most consist, they hauehave deuised such wholsomly and to good purpose, that as it were, a certaine shew of the gods, being set before the eies of the common people, through feare, they might cast away that their rage and fiercenesse; and thinking themselues, as it were to liue in the presence of the Gods, they might lay apart all wicked actes, and should become men, by the …anging of their manners. And for no other cause they gilded them: but that as it were a maiestie of them might appeare, and might not onelyonly dazell their eies, but also terrifie their mindes with their bright beames. Sée also here howe the heathen made their images the …ie mens bookes (as they call them) and erected them, to teach … instruct them, and to kéepe them in awe. But this reason also Arnobius refutes. And againe: They say that these holy things are ordained for the honouring of the Gods; and for the cause of their honours, they doe, that they doe:Lib. 7. and by these meanes to increase the power of the Gods. And after: Doe you thinke, as little children are made afraid with puppets or hearing strange noises: so the diuine powers, are delighted with the noise of the shawmes, or are appeased at the tune of organes or cimbals? We maie plainlie here sée, howe the Gentiles made the selfesame obiections for their images, as the Papistes doe nowe for theirs. And howe Arnobius refutes …em.
Augustine also writes thus: But there is some subtill disputer, I cannot tell who he is, which seemes learned to himselfe,In psal. 96. and he saieth, I worship not that stone, that Image that is without sense, &c. but I reuerence that I see, but I serue that I see not. And what is that? an inuisible power which ruleth ouer the Image. By making this answere for their images (saith Augustine) they seeme wise to themselues. And they which doe not worship Idols, worship deuils. And after he writes thus: Tell me what spirits thou worshippest. Tell me, doest thou worship deuils, or good spirits? such as are Angels. For there are euill spirits, and good angels. I tell thee (saith Augustin) that in thy Churches, there are none other worshipped, but euill spirits, which proudlie do require to themselues sacrifices, and will hauehave themselues worshipped as gods. They are euill, they are proud. Such are as diuels, men which seeke their own glorie, & despise the glory of God. But marke good men, which are like to the Angels, when thou shalt find a good man a seruaunt of God: if thou wilt worship him & adore him, for God; he forbids thee; he will not take to himself the honour of God, he will not be a God to thee: but with thee he will be vnderunder God. Thus did the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas, when men would hauehave sacrificed vntounto them. And after: Marke therefore, how these men forbadde them that woulde worship them as Gods; and they will rather that one God only to be worshipped, one God be adored, to one God sacrifice be offered, & not to them. So al the saints and Angels seeke his glorie, whom they louelove; they studie to inflame all men whom they louelove, to his worship, to pray to him, to meditate vppon him. They declare him vntounto them, not themselues, because they are his messengers. And because they are Gods souldiers, they cannot but seeke the glorie of their captaine. Augustine denyeth this worshipping of saintes, and he expoundes what this worship was, to offer them sacrifices, to pray vntounto them? No, he alloweth not anie worship vnderunder an image, as the heathen did. And Tertullian writes thus: We hauehave here need to expound the word foreign: In the greeke it signifieth a shape or forme,Lib. de. Idolat. and thereof is foreign a diminutiue, deriued, which likewise signifieth in our language, a little forme. Therefore eueryevery forme or shape, be it little or great, is an Idoll: And thereof Idolatry, is anie seruice about any outward sonne or shape. Thus Tertullian plainely defineth Idolatrie.
Cap. 1. gen.Origen also of images thus writes his iudgement: What else is the image of God (saith he) to which man was made, but our sauiour? which is the first begotten of all creatures, of whom it is written: Because he is the brightnes of the eternall light, and the expresse image of the substance of God; because he of himselfe thus speaketh: I in my father, and my father in me, he that seeth me, seeth my father: It may be asked (saith Origen) how the soule of Marie can magnifie the Lorde: If God can neither be increased nor diminished, how saith Marie, my soule doth magnifie the Lorde? If I consider saieth he my Lord and sauiour, to be the image of the inuisible God, and do see my soule to be made to the image of my maker, that it should be the image,Homil. 81. in. Luke. of the image; (for my soule is not speciallie or peculiarly the image of God, but it was made according to the likenesse of the former image;) then shall I see, according to the example of them that pai…te images, and for example, hauing taken one countenance of the king, they applie all their skill, to expresse that principall similitude or likenesse: So euerie one of vsus, framing his soule according to the image of Christ, either makes to him a greater or a lesser image, or a base and obscure, or a cleare and flourishing image, according to the picture of the principall image. Therefore, when I shall make an image of the image, that is my soule, and shall make her greate in thought and word, then I make a great image of God; and then the Lord, whose image is in our soule, is magnified. And as God by this meanes encreaseth in our soule: so if wee be sinners, he is diminished and decreaseth. Here wee maie sée what images were in Origens daies, Iesus Christ is the image of God the father, and euerie Christians soule, as neare as maie bee, is to bee pictured like to him. About the painting of these Images, they bended all their force, and emploied themselues, and not about anie other. And againe. The Christians and the Iewes, when they heare,Lib. 7. contra. Celsum. thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and thou shalt serue him alone, and thou shalt hauehave no other Gods besides me; Nor thou shalt make thee any Idoll, nor likenesse of any thing, that is in ye heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, or in the water vnderunder the earth, thou shalt not worship them, nor serue them, and thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue: For these, and such not vnlike to these, they do not onelyonly refuse these images, altars and temples of the Gods; but they will rather (if neede be) willingly dye, least by anie excesse or sin going beyond that which Gods lawe prescribes, they shoulde pollute that which they excellentlie thinke of God, the maker of all thinges. And after, speaking of all the creatures, he writes thus. Neither is it seemelie, or behooueth, that those things, which are in the bondage of corruption, should be honoured in the steade of God, which needeth no thing; or should take the roome or stead of Iesus Christ, the first begotten of al creatures. Origen here ioines the Iewes and Christians together, that as the one would rather dye, then suffer anie images whatsoeuer, come into their temple: so also the other. That Iewish lawe against images, by his iudgement is not abrogated, but stands in force still. And againe, all creatures are in bondage as long as this world endureth, and looke for their fréedome hereafter: And therefore now, to giuegive them anie honor, as the images of God, is to deliuer them from their seruitude and vanitie, before the time; nay, is to intrude them in the place of Iesus Christ, who is the onlie image of his father (as he hath proued before,) and by whom alone, God will bee honoured. And of the Iewes in another place he wrttes thus: Lib. 4. contra. Celsum.If one will marke diligentlie the olde manner of the Iewes lyfe, and marke the institutions of their lawes, he shall plainlie perceiue, these men to bee those, which carry a shadowe of the heauenly lyfe here vponupon earth, that is to say, amongst whom, besides him which ruleth ouer all thinges, nothing was euer accounted for God: nor there was any image maker, or maker of Idols in their common wealth, as whom their law droue f…rre awaie, least there should be any occasion, of making images by them, which should plucke awaie simple men from God, or shoulde withdrawe the eyes of the mind, to behould earthly thinges. Sée the zeale of the Iewes, because they would hauehave no images or Idols or carued workes in their churches, or common wealth, they banished all painters and caruers. And Origen ioines Christians in the like zeale with them: So that be like in his daies, were no images. Cyprian also of Idolatrie writes thus, If so be that (saith he) before the comming of Christ,De. Exhor. Martyr. these commandements were obserued, of the worshipping of God, and contemning of Idolles: howe much more are they to be obserued, after the comming of Christ. So that then, that commandement of making no Idoll, by Cyprian… iudgement, Lib. de van. Idolor.is as strictlie to be obserued nowe, nay rather more, then euer the Iewish church. And againe hee expoundes what hee meaneth by Idolles. Idolles are no Gods (saieth he) there is but one God. And to the faithfull it is giuen to knowe, that they are no Gods, which the people worship. They were in times past kinges, who for their kinglie memorie, afterwarde began to be worshipped of their friends at their deathes; and therefore they made them temples: And therefore they made them images, to keepe in remembrance the countenance of the dead by an image: And therefore they offered sacrifices vntounto them, and appointed them holie daies. Here is plainelie heathenish Idolatrie set downe, and shall we do the like to our martyrs, to our saints? All which the papists (building them churches) hauehave done to their saintes. Cyprian no doubt, would neuer hauehave condemned these images of famous men deceased among the Pagans, and this sacrificing to them, and making them holie daies; if Christians had done the like to their saintes: so that in his daies images had not crept into the church. S. Augustine also concerning images writeth thus: In the first commandement,Epist. ad Iam… we vnderstand the father, where is forbidden any likenesse of God to bee worshipped, after the imagination of man: not that God hath no image; but that no image of him ought to bee worshipped, but hee, which is the same, that he is. And this not for him; but with him. And Lib. 1. Retract. Cap. 1. Wheras he had said before, nothing at all is to be worshipped: but all is quite to be cast awaie, that is seene with mortall eies, whatsoeuer any sense of man apprehendeth: he addeth and correcteth (with mortall eie of the body.) So that then, all images are to be cast awaie by his opinion. And also he alloweth that notable sentence of Varro writing thus: Varro saith,De ciu. lib. 4. cap. 31. that the olde Romanes aboue one hundreth and twenty yeares, worshipped the gods, without images. The which thing (saith he) if it had continued yet, the gods had been more purely worshipped. And he alleageth for a witnesse of his opinion, the nation of the Iewes: wherfore (saith Augustine) when as he saith, they onelyonly found out, what was God, which beleeue him to be a spirit, gouerning the world: and he thinkes religion to be more purely obserued without Images: who seeth not, how neare he came to the truth? Here wee maie sée by Augustines iudgment, what is pure religion, and what was truth accompted in his daies, what néede I adde more? These three witnesses, one renting them in aEpiphanius.pieces, another bVarro.reasoning so stronglie against them; the third cAusten.(as a thréefold strong cable) giuing his consent to the Romanes, to the Iewes, being himselfe a Christian: I suppose are sufficient, to anie indifferent reader, to teach, what was Catholique religion in those daies. And yet for all this, we reade: Reu. 9. v. 21.that some (although plagued of God) in the end of the world, shall not repent of the workes of their handes, that they should not worship deuils, and Idols of gold, siluer, or brasse. And who should these be but the Papists? For the Turke hath no image in his religion.
But they will saie, they worship no deuils; let them take héede: I reade this historie of S. Bernard, who comming to Spira, read these wordes in an Image dedicated to our Ladie, O gentle! O sweete! O holy mother Marie! they saie there was a voice giuen out of the image, God morrow Bernard. But he suspecting that it was some illusion of the Deuill, answered: Paul forbiddeth that a woman should speake in the Church. They saie this image remaineth at this daie, behinde the Church doore at Spira. Ferus also of Images writes thus much: … 3. cap. Ios.The stones which the Israelites tooke out of Iordane, were erected for a memoriall: but the Iewes after the building of the temple, offered sacrifice vponupon these stones, thinking them more holy then the temple: when as they were not erected for oblations; but for a memoriall. So they abused the brasen serpent: wherfore it was broken in pieces of Ezechias. And we no lesse abuse the Images & pictures of the saints: when as they are only had in the church for this end, that they might admonish vsus of Christ & of the saints. Marke the onelie ende Ferus maketh of Images, to bee remembrancers of Christ, not to be kneeled vntounto, or worshipped or offered vntounto. This he confesseth to be an abuse. I will conclude this point, with the conclusion of Poligranes a popish writer, who writing in the defence of them, concludeth thus: It is sufficient to hauehave added these things concerning images, when as it is not needfull to be troubled much about them, which are none of Gods commandements. I would to God, all Papistes would thinke so of them, and with him confesse the trueth: and seeing they are none of Gods commandements, vtterlie forsake them.