Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 1

Common Places · Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 1

p. 333IN treating vponupon this place, In 1. Kings 7. at the end1 Kgs 7it ſéemeth good to vſe this method, that firſt we conſider as touching the originall and beginning of images; afterward of the vſe of them, whether it be lawfull; laſt of all, if they hauehave anie vſe, whether they ought to be ſuffered in temples and holie aſſemblies. Looke In Rom. 1, 23, after the words Who is bleſſed, &c. & In 1. Cor. 8, 4.Rom 1:231 Cor 8:4As concerning the name, among the Hebrues, an image is called Temuna, Tſelem, and (as ſome will) Teraphim; of the Gréeks, foreign; of the Latins Imagines & ſigna, that is, Images and pictures. Thus much of the words. But as touching the thing, we muſt vnderſtand, that the thing ſignified by the image, is no abſolute thing; but muſt be placed in thoſe things, which hauehave relation to another. For euerie image is the image of ſome thing, euen as the likenes is called the likeneſſe of another thing. And thoſe things, which be compared either in quantitie or qualitie, hauehave relation one to another. And the things, which be compared togither in quantitie, be either equall, or greater, or leſſer: and in qualitie they are reckoned like, vnlike, and diuerſe. Séeing therefore that an image is counted (as I hauehave ſaid) among thoſe things, which hauehave relation one to another; it is among the number of thoſe, which apperteine vntounto qualitie: for it expreſſeth the lineaments, figures, and colours, and ſuch other like of a liuing creature. And therefore we may thus define the ſame; The definition of an image.An image is a certeine ſimilitude, whereby ſome thing is repreſented vntounto vsus, which may be diſcerned with the eies. And this I therefore ſaie, bicauſe we may as well read, as heare manie p. 334things alike, which properlie be not called images. The matter of images.The matter of images is not all one: for ſometimes they be made of ſtone, of wood, metall, plaiſter, claie, and ſuch other like. And ſundrie artificers doo make them of that matter, which they hauehave in hand: the potter, of claie; the carpenter, of timber; the maſon, of ſtone; the founders, of metall, braſſe, ſiluer, and gold; the painters alſo, of their colours.

And we muſt not paſſe it ouer, that idols alſo are images, Tertullian.wherof Tertullian wrote an elegant booke, which he intituled De idololatria; and he examining the word [idoll,] deriued it from foreign, and foreign is a likeneſſe, image, or forme: whervpon commeth foreign, which may be called, a little forme. The forme.The forme of images, is the view of a ſimilitude, wherein ſome thing is expreſſed, ſo as it may be perceiued of the beholders. The end whereto images are, The end.ſéemeth to be delight: for Ariſtotle in his Rhetorikes, among other things which bréed pleaſure, reckoneth imitation, where an image ſéemeth to be a certeine emulation of God. For God created all things; wherfore men being vnable to create the things themſelues, doo imitate the production of God, when they make images of thoſe things, which he himſelfe hath brought forth in nature. Images alſo are made for adorning ſake: for they beautifie the places where they be put. Furthermore, they hauehave inuented them, to the intent they might not ſuffer the remembrance of them which be abſent, or dead, or of things doone, to be extinguiſhed. Alſo they hauehave béene deuiſed for honour ſake: for if a man had well deſerued of the Common-weale, images were erected to him. So did Cicero counſell, that there ſhould be an image ſet vp vntounto Seruius Sulpitius, which died in his embaſſage. And there hauehave béene ſome among them in old time, which would not onlie hauehave others, but alſo themſelues to be worſhipped with images. Dan. 2▪ 1.Dan 2:1For Nabuchad-nezar king of the Chaldaeans cōmanded, that within his owne kingdome himſelfe ſhould be honoured by an image of gold. And among the princes of the Romanes, Caius Caligula would be expreſſed by imags, with this inſcription being added; Caius Caligula Caeſar, a god. And ſuch an image he indeuoured to bring into the temple of Ieruſalem; wherevpon there aroſe verie great troubles, ſeditions, and tumults in Iudaea. The which thing Nero afterward would hauehave to be doone, and for that cauſe the Hebrues reuolted from the people of Rome, whereof appéereth, that images were alſo tranſlated to the ſeruice of God. Neither did there want ſome, which erected images to the affects or appetites wherewith they were corrupted. The droonkards caried about, the banners of Bacchus; the laſciuious people, of Venus; the gréedie and couetous, of Pluto; the manquellers, of Mars: & to proſecute euerie one, it would be too long. Let the reader ſearch for this in Tertullian, in his booke De idololatria. But the honeſter ſort of men did frame images of vertue and honour: ſometimes alſo they erected the images of the elders, to the intent that men might be ſtirred vp to imitate their forefathers: of which matter Saluſt wrote in the prolog of his hiſtorie of Iugurth.

2 Séeing we hauehave ſaid inough touching the end, The efficient cauſe of images.it remaineth that we examine the efficient cauſe of images. Artificers indéed were authors of them, and ſurelie cunning workemen. Wherfore, from them they receiued their eſtimation: for the honour of images conſiſteth not of the matter, ſéeing they may be made vnhandſomlie euen of gold. Certeinlie, all their honour is of the forme, that in verie déed they may in perfect ſimilitude finelie repreſent that thing, which they betoken. Iupiter Olympius obteined honor and eſtimation of Phydias, and the picture of Alexander the great by Apelles, euen as the well grauen pots of Alcimedontes, and the inſtruments of Salomons houſe by Iramus that notable artificer. To theſe things let vsus ad, 1. King. 7, 131 Kgs 7:13that our forefathers, to bring the more eſtimation vntounto their images, fained them to hauehave fallen from heauen. Wherefore, the image of Pallas of old time was called foreign, that is to ſaie, Fallen from Iupiter. verſe. 34.Wherfore we read in the 19. of the Acts, that the towne clarke of Epheſus ſaid to the people; Who knoweth not that ye be worſhippers of the great goddeſſe Diana, whoſe image came downe from heauen? And it muſt not be omitted, that ſéeing the ages in times paſt were verie rude, the images at firſt were not orderlie & perfectlie wrought, as afterward they were. The images in old time.For of a long time men had vnwrought ſtones, ſtocks, and pillers, in ſtéed of images. Yea and in Rome, at the firſt, a ſpeare was the enſigne of Mars: afterward, by little and little, there ſuccéeded more cunning artificers, who ſo greatlie preuailed in the perfecting of art, that as the poet wrote, they drew liuelie countenances out of the marble ſtone. Wherefore their images in old time were called foreign, that is, Earthlie men; bicauſe they ſéemed to be like vntounto men. Images were made ſo faire and beautifull, that there were found, which doted in louelove towards them, and as it were coupled with them moſt filthilie.

3 Moreouer, In Iud. 8, 24. The antiquitie and originall of images.Judg 8:24there might be ſomewhat ſpoken of the antiquitie of images: but that thing is verie obſcure, and all be not of one mind touching the ſame. Some doo call backe the beginning of them vntounto Prometheus, which firſt ſhaped a man of claie, and afterward gaue life thervnto. The Hebrues aſcribe the originall of images, vntounto the nephew of Adam, which was called p. 335Enoch: Gen. 4, 26.Gen 4:26for it is ſaid, that then began the name of God to be called vponupon. Which they interpret, that men of that age began falſelie to giuegive the name of God vntounto images. Tertullian in his booke againſt idolatrie, bringeth the teſtimonie of Enoch againſt images. Wherevpon it appéereth, that the ſame booke of Enoch, which is reckoned among the Apocryphall bookes of ſcripture, was yet extant, when Tertullian liued. Thence alſo Iude in his epiſtle brought a teſtimonie. Iude. ver. 14And this we doo eaſilie prooue by the holie ſcriptures, Gen. 31, 19. and 35, 4.Gen 31:19Gen 35:4that in the time of Iacob, there were images, or idols: for we doo not onelie read, The idols of Laban.that Rahel carried awaie the idols of hir father Laban; but that Iacob alſo warned his familie, that they ſhould bring them all vntounto him, to the end he might burie them in the ground. Yea it is gathered by verie probable reaſons, that there was worſhipping of idols in Chaldaea, in the time of Abraham. But if the matter be reuoked to Chriſtendome, there were Gnoſtikes, and Capocratians, which are ſaid to hauehave had the images of Chriſt with them, which they priuilie worſhipped among themſelues, burning incenſe vntounto them, wherevnto they added the images of Paule, and alſo of Homer and Pythagoras, and of certeine others: as Irenaeus teſtifieth in his firſt booke, and 24. thapter.

The idolatrie of the Gnoſtikes.And among the Gnoſtikes, one Marcellina is much celebrated by Epiphanius, who had ſuch maner of images. The verie ſame thing dooth Auguſtine touch in his booke De haereſibus, ad quod vult Deum. Euſebius.Euſebius in the ſeuenth booke, and 18. chapter writeth, that there was kept among ſome, Images of the apoſtles.the images of the apoſtles and martyrs, which they had priuate at home with them; and he addeth, that he himſelfe ſawe them: and it is not to be omitted, that he confeſſeth this cuſtome to be deriued from the Ethniks. Damaſcene, Damaſcenewhere he purpoſelie intreateth of this matter, ſaith, that Chriſt ſent vntounto Abgarus the picture of his phyſnomie, printed in a cloth, to the intent he might comfort himſelfe therewith, when he could not ſée him preſent. They feigne alſo, that Chriſt going to ſuffer, deliuered the print of his face in a hand-kercher, to Veronica, the which they ſaie is kept at Rome: and vnderunder that name they honour and reuerence a certeine picture at this daie, with great ſuperſtition. Alſo Euſebius writeth, (and the ſame is reported by Sozomenus) that in the citie of Caeſaria, which was afterward called Apamea, there was an image of Haemorouſſa, togither with the image of Chriſt, the which afterward was remooued, and throwne downe by Iulianus the apoſtata. A feigned deuiſe touching LukeAnd there want not ſome raſh men, which affirme, that Luke was a painter, & that he drew verie manie pictures of the bleſſed virgine, the which being diſperſed abroad among the cities & prouinces, they worſhip at this daie with great ſuperſtition. Surelie, if we ſhall beléeue Ierom, Luke did exerciſe the ſcience of phyſicke. Luke was a phyſician not a painter. Col. 4, 14.Col 4:14And indéed Paule in his epiſtle to the Coloſſians, maketh plaine mention of Luke the phyſician. But whether the ſame were he that wrote the hiſtorie of the Goſpell, and of the Acts of the apoſtles; I knowe not: but that he was a painter, or a drawer of pictures, none of the ancient writers doo tell. And thus much touching the beginning of images. Now it reſteth that we ſhew ſome diſtinction of them.

4 The partition of them muſt be taken from thoſe things that are repreſented by them: A partition of images.for ſuch things as are referred to another thing, are woont to be diſtinguiſhed by their correlatiues. Wherefore, images doo either repreſent God the Creator of all things, or elſe, things created, which be the ſundrie workemanſhips of GOD. And among thoſe things, which be created, we place euen Chriſt himſelfe as touching his humanitie. This being ſet downe, it ſéemeth méet to be determined, that all creatures may be repreſented by images: yea the verie angels themſelues, I meane not in reſpect of their ſpirituall nature, but in ſuch ſort as they hauehave exhibited themſelues to be ſéene of men. Wherefore the godlie men, which either be dead, or yet liuing, kings, ſtars, plants, ſtones, earth, ſea, and ſuch like may be repreſented by pictures. Alſo we make a diſtinction of images, that ſome of them be true, and ſome of them falſe. Among the true, thoſe be reckoned, which doo repreſent thoſe things, which either be, or hauehave béene, or hereafter ſhall be. But thoſe are called falſe, which repreſent thoſe things, that neither be, hauehave béene, nor yet euer ſhall be: as are the Chymaeras and Centaurs. There be alſo ſome images filthie, & ſome honeſt, according as thoſe things be, which are expreſſed by them. Alſo they may be diſtinguiſhed, according to the circumſtance of the place; bicauſe ſome be ſet in a holie place, and ſome in places prophane. Againe, others there be, which are appointed in reſpect of worſhip and religion: but others are erected as ornaments, and onlie for the remembrance of a thing. Now are we to examine, according to the diſtinctions ſet foorth, what images be lawfull, and what be vnlawfull.

5 And firſt I thinke good to ſpeake of thoſe, which repreſent God. Images which repreſented God.But before all things, I ſtudie with myſelfe, for what cauſe ſuch images were inuented; & I ſuppoſe, that men thought, that by a certeine lawe it was laid vponupon them, that they ſhould worſhip GOD, and that they ſhould hauehave him preſent in their minds. But they ſawe themſelues diſtracted with manie cares, and that they could not doo the ſame continuallie. Whervpon they gathered, that it ſhould p. 336be néedfull to hauehave admoniſhers; that they being diſtracted, might call themſelues home againe to the worſhiping of God: and they iudged images fit things, whereby they might be often put in remembrance. In déed they ſuppoſed that which was verie true; namelie, that men partlie through infirmitie, and partlie by reaſon of ſundrie and manifold cares, ſhould hauehave néed of admoniſhers: but therein they erred, bicauſe they would procure to themſelues ſuch admoniſhers as were dumbe. God of his owne goodnes hath abundantlie helped this neceſſitie, who hath ſet foorth all his works for men to behold; to the intent that they hauing throughlie conſidered of them, might be admoniſhed of him that wrought them. Pſal. 19, 1.Ps 19:1Wherefore Dauid verie wiſelie ſaid; The heauens declare the glorie of God.

The Patriarchs, when they would ſacrifice, went vntounto high places, where they might behold the tall trées, the heauen, the flouds, and the earth lieng round about; and thereby lifted themſelues vp to the knowledge of God the creator. But contrariewiſe, fooliſh men would deuiſe images to themſelues, and at length fell to that, that they called ſtocks and ſtones, gods. Wherefore Ieremie, verſe. 27.in his ſecond chapter, earneſtlie reprooueth them, which feared not to ſaie vntounto a ſtocke; Thou art my father; and vntounto a ſtone; Thou haſt begotten me. And thus, while theſe men wold hauehave ſuch kind of admoniſhers, they were drawne farre awaie from the true worſhiping of God; and finallie, they attributed vntounto images, the purging of ſinnes. They held them alſo for gods, which did gard the quicke and the dead, & euerie particular man, and likewiſe the whole citie. From thence alſo they indeuor to wreſt oracles, and they make vaunt, that their praiers powred out vntounto them, are heard: and going yet further, they ſacrifice dailie before them. This boldneſſe or raſhneſſe of men, did excéedinglie diſpleaſe God, and not without cauſe. For a prince would take it in ill part, if the honour, which is onelie due vntounto himſelfe, ſhould be giuen vntounto his ſeruants: wherefore God himſelfe in the prophet Eſaie ſaith; Eſai. 42. 8.Isa 42:8I will not giuegive mine owne honour vntounto an other.

6 But ſome man will ſaie, that this inuention had no ill meaning; but rather a good and right intent (as they call it:) but the ſame right intent dooth oft times marre all. Neither dooth it ſuffice to make mens works righteous, vnleſſe thoſe things be added or put to, which we hauehave elſe-where ſufficientlie ſpoken of. Athanaſius wrote againſt idols, & among other things, he ſaith; They which liued in times paſt, made images, to the intent that out of them oracles might be vttered: and for ſo much as God might not be knowne, but by viſible ſignes, and therefore they iudged that God was to be called vponupon in images; bicauſe they thought heauenlie powers were preſent with them. Arnobius.And Arnobius in his ſixt booke againſt the Gentiles reporteth, that the nations ſaid, that they did not worſhip ſtones, but the preſence of God exhibited about theſe images. For they thought, that images through certeine dedications, were ſo adorned and purged, that the power of God came fullie vntounto them. And in dedicating of them, they thorough a certein peruerſe imitation of the old fathers, applied holie vnctiōs (as they called them.) For Iacob alſo annointed a ſtone, Gen. 28, 18. Exod. 40, 9.Gen 28:18Exod 40:9and Moſes was commanded to annoint in a maner all the neceſſarie implements about the Tabernacle. Euſebius alſo, in his ninth booke, the third and 11. chapters, writeth, that thereto did come the inchantments of diuels, and incredible ſorcerie: for ſo much as there were dailie woonders wrought at the images, whereby the ſillie people were in ſundrie wiſe ſeduced, to the great detriment of the church. He declareth the hiſtorie of Theotechnus, which was puniſhed for his wickedneſſe. Yea furthermore, Theodoretus in the fift booke, 22. chapter, ſaieth, that the craftineſſe of inchanters came héerevnto, Craftineſſe and falſe miracles about images.who erected images againſt walles, and gaue anſwer through holes bored in them. Wherefore the people were maruellouſlie amazed, when they ſuppoſed that the images ſpake. It can hardlie be credited, with how great labour and difficultie men could be brought from the worſhipping of images. Euſebius in his third booke of Conſtantinus life, ſaith; When images were ſubuerted, in them there was found the bones of dead men, drie ſkulles, lotheſome clothes, and ſmall faggots of ſticks: which things our men in ſhewing to the people ſaid; Behold (I beſéech ye) what ye hauehave hitherto worſhipped. And he affirmeth, that by thoſe ſame ſhewes, verie much was brought to paſſe with the people.

7 Now that the cauſes be ſet forth, Whether it be lawfull to repreſent God in images.whie men indeuoured to expreſſe God by images; it ſéemeth good to diſpute, whether it be lawfull to repreſent God by them. And it muſt be determined, and that fréelie without exception, that the ſame is not lawfull. For God commanded the children of Iſrael, The firſt cauſe. Deut. 4, 12.Deut 4:12that they ſhould remember they ſawe no image vponupon mount Horeb, and therfore forbad, that they ſhould make anie ſuch. Howbeit, the place is more large, if it be more diligentlie examined. For there he commanded that they ſhould not make anie images at all, to doo anie worſhip vntounto them. And in the fortie chapter of Eſaie he ſaith; To whom will ye reſemble God, verſe. 18.or by what ſimilitude wil ye expres him? And in the 44. chapter he confirmeth the ſame, verſe. 10.ſaieng; Who ſhall be ſo hardie to faſhion out God, or to make a molten or grauen image that is profitable for nothing? I maruell that p. 337among the Papiſts, Dominicus Azotus, vponupon the epiſtle to the Romans, the firſt chapter, durſt write, that by that commandement it is not forbidden vntounto the chriſtians, to make images reſembling the ſhape of man; ſéeing the lawe hath onelie made mention there, of créeping things, of birds and fiſhes: whereas neuertheleſſe it is there by expreſſe words forbidden, that no images ſhould be made, either of the male, or of the female.

Moreouer, it is thus written in the pſalme; Mouths they hauehave, & ſpeake not; feet they hauehave, and walke not; Pſal. 115, 4.Ps 115:4eares they hauehave, and yet heare not; noſes they hauehave, & ſmell not. And although the reſt of the members may be vnderſtood touching brute beaſts, yet that ſaieng, that They hauehave mouths, and cannot ſpeake, belongeth peculiarlie vntounto men, forſomuch as ſpéech was not giuen vntounto brute beaſts. Wherefore Lucretius called them beaſts without mouths. Which interpretation, Auguſtine brought in the ſame place. verſe. 15.Furthermore, Eſaie in the 44. chapter, laugheth the Carpenter to ſcorne, who of the one part of a trée being cut downe, maketh an image, of the other part kindleth fire, and therewith dreſſeth bread and meate. He carueth it (ſaith he) and maruellouſlie worketh it, verſe, 13.that he may expreſſe the ſimilitude of a man. By all theſe things it appéereth, that euen the images of men (which be ordeined for diuine ſeruice) are forbidden. It is prooued therefore, that images, which repreſent God himſelfe, be forbidden by teſtimonies of the holie ſcriptures. The ſecond cauſe.Wherevnto we muſt adde, that by the teſtimonie of them we be taught, that God is a ſpirit: Iohn. 4, 24.John 4:24wherof it followeth, that by lineaments and colours he cannot be expreſſed.

Iohn. 1, 18.John 1:18Further, it is there written; that None hath ſeene God at anie time. Wherefore, if he be ſéene of none, and Dwelleth in the light that cannot be atteined vntounto, how can he be ſet foorth in a picture or grauen image to be ſéene? Moreouer, he is infinite: but thoſe things, which be painted, grauen, or molten, be drawne togither and limited; yea rather, they be circumſcribed by the workmanſhip it ſelfe. Beſides this, images for the moſt part be made by men, to the intent that they, which be abſent, may after a ſort be preſent with vsus. But God is euerie where, nether is he abſent from anie thing. Wherefore it is written in the pſalme; Pſal. 139, 8.Ps 139:8If I go vp into heauen, thou art there; If I go downe into hell, thou art there alſo. We muſt not therfore make him preſent by images, ſéeing he is preſent alwaies, and in all things. The third cauſe.Herevnto adde, that we muſt in an image expreſſe with apt likenes, the thing which ſhould be repreſented. But when God by anie image is repreſented, things which rather be vnlike and contrarie, than like and agréeable, are likened vntounto him. Moreouer, God (as all men muſt of neceſſitie grant) hath no beginning; but all images are inuented by craftes-men. Wherevnto may be added, that GOD, what and how great an one ſoeuer he be, is continuallie moouing or dooing, and is neuer idle: whereas images be ſenſeleſſe, and doo no maner of thing at all.

Ouer this, The fourth cauſe.GOD himſelfe is all wholie knowledge and vnderſtanding: but images perceiue nothing, and doo vnderſtand nothing at all. Beſides, The fift cauſe.God not onelie conſiſteth of himſelfe, but alſo maketh all things to conſiſt, and ſtand by his word: but images are not able to conſiſt of themſelues, for they are ſtaied vp of artificers, by props and great poſts. The ſixt cauſe.Yea and further, God himſelfe hath no end of his nature and life; whereas images wax old, and in the end come to naught. And ſéeing God is of nature inuiſible (as hath béene confirmed before:) craftes-men, in picturing and painting him out, doo followe their owne imaginations, and not the diuine nature, which they cannot ſée. And they be not afraid to aſcribe thoſe imaginations and conceits of their minds vntounto the name of God: but this is altogither wicked and vngodlie. So it came to paſſe, when the Iſraelites ſaid vntounto Aaron; Make vsus gods, Exod. 32, 1.Exod 32:1which may go before vsus. And he made them a molten calfe, and called it by the name of Iehoua; Looke In 1. Kings. 12. verſe. 28▪ 1. Kin. 12, 281 Kgs 12:28For to morrowe (ſaith he) it is the feaſt of Iehoua. Ieroboam alſo, when he made the golden calues, commanded them to be worſhipped by the name of Iehoua. Wherefore, it is written in the 14. chapter of the booke of Wiſedome, verſe. 21.that they applied the holie and immutable name of God vntounto idols. And in the 17. of the Acts, Paule ſaith; The ſeuenth cauſe verſe. 29.We ought not to thinke that the Godhead is like to gold, or ſiluer, grauen by art and inuention of craftes-men. If ſo be then that the ſimilitude of God be not in images; thoſe which be of this kind muſt be vtterlie reiected.

The complaint of Seneca is commonlie knowne, whereof Auguſtine maketh mention in the ſixt booke De ciuitate Dei, and fortie chapter, out of the booke named D… ſuperstitione, which is loſt, and is not anie where to be found at this daie. Auguſtines words be theſe: for when he intreated concerning images; They dedicate (ſaith he) the holie, immortall, and inuiolable gods, in a matter moſt vile and vnmooueable, giuing vntounto them the habits of men, wild beaſts, and fiſhes: and ſome indue them with diuers bodies of a mingled kind. They call them gods, which if they ſhould receiue life, and ſuddenlie méet one, they would be taken for monſters. But the holie ſcriptures hauehave laughed to ſcorne this preſumption and fooliſhneſſe of men; eſpeciallie Eſaie, in the 44. chapter, as we hauehave p. 338alreadie heard before. The eight cauſe.To theſe things let vsus adde, that Ariſtotle in his ſecond booke De phyſico auditu, alledgeth the ſaieng of the philoſopher Protarchus, which ſaid, that Thoſe ſtones be fortunate, whereof images be made: for they be laid vponupon the altars, and hauehave honour and reuerence doone vntounto them by men; whereas others not vnlike to them, lie vponupon the pauement, are troden vponupon with their féet, and ſpit vponupon. The ninth cauſe.Beſides this, let it come to mind, that the verie works of God, which be extant in the nature of things, cannot perfectlie ſhew him. Wherefore ſéeing the workmanſhips of men be a great deale more vnperfect, bicauſe art alwaies faileth in compariſon of nature: how ſhuld we hope that God himſelfe can be expreſſed by the induſtrie of craftes-men? The tenth cauſe.Neither muſt it be omitted, that the ſcripture, when it ſpeaketh of images (to the intent it may driue men from them) it calleth them filthineſſe, Deut. 7, 26. Ierem. 10, 8 Habac. 2, 18.Deut 7:26Jer 10:8lies, things of nothing, abhomination, and affliction. Howbeit, we muſt grant, that God would hauehave ſome ſignes, whereby he would open himſelfe vntounto men. Such were the arke of the couenant, the tabernacle of Moſes, the temple of Salomon, and alſo the piller of fire, and of the cloud: but it muſt be conſidered, that he deuiſed and ordeined theſe ſignes for himſelfe. Neither is it lawfull for men, to doo ſo much as it is for God.

Auguſtine. The 11. cauſe.Auguſtine De fide & Symbolo, when he expounded the article, wherin is ſaid, that Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of his father, he ſaith; We muſt not imagine, that God is indued with the ſhape of a man, that Chriſt dooth bow his knées, and ſitteth on the right ſide of him: it is a wicked thing to hauehave ſuch maner of images. But in the fourth booke, The 12. cauſe.the ninth and 31. chapter De ciuitate Dei, he hath more manifeſtlie expreſſed the ſame, where he commendeth Varro, which wrot in his Theologie, that they which firſt of all others made images vntounto God, firſt tooke awaie the feare of them from men; namelie, bicauſe of the vile matter whereof they were formed, and bicauſe they mooued not of them ſelues: and they did erre more, for ſo much as in making of images, they did not reforme their error, but rather increaſed the ſame. Alſo he praiſeth Varro, who alloweth of the ancient people of Rome, bicauſe they, for the ſpace of 70. yéeres, worſhipped God without images: neither did Varro feare to bring the people of the Iewes to be a witneſſe of that thing. And he added alſo, that whiles the people of Rome worſhipped God without images, they honored him more purelie, than afterward they did. And theſe things be not onelie recited by Auguſtine, & Varro; The 13. cauſe.but they be alſo written by Plutarch in the life of Numa Pompilius, by Dionyſius Halicarnaſſus, by Clemens Alexandrinus, and alſo Tertullian, as it is recited by Euſebius. Beſides this, Herodotus in his firſt booke, The 14. cauſe.and Strabo in his 15. booke, doo ſhew, that the Perſians in old time made no images. When Tarquinius Priſcus, who was indued with the learning of the Gréeks & Hetruſcans, reigned at Rome, there were images brought into the citie. Which act Auguſtine dooth maruellouſlie miſlike of, who moſt euidentlie ſheweth, that it is not lawfull to counterfeit God by images. And in his eight booke De ciuitate Dei, 23. and 24. chapters he ſharplie reproueth Hermes Triſmegiſtus, who preſumed to ſaie, that Men doo well in making of images, that euen as God made heauenlie gods, ſo he gaue power vntounto men to make earthlie gods.

8 But at this daie in Chriſtendome, there be ſuch kind of images ſuffered, whereby God himſelfe may be repreſented. For, An image of the trinitie.to expreſſe the bleſſed Trinitie, thou maiſt ſée euerie-where in the churches, a man painted with thrée heads. In an other place they put a tall old man for God the father; who hath ſtanding before him a yoong man, that is to ſaie, the ſonne; and betwéene both they place the picture of a dooue, and that is in ſtead of the holie Ghoſt. Neither do the rulers of the churches take awaie theſe things, but allow of them: howbeit, with ſuch fond arguments, as be neceſſarie to repeate, leaſt we ſhould ſéeme to diſſemble anie thing. The ſeuenth Synod, which was held at Nice, The 7. Synod of Nice.in the reigne of Conſtantinus and Iren, thus concluded; For it is God, which the image teacheth, but it ſelfe is not God; looke vponupon this, but worſhip with thy mind, that which thou beholdeſt in the ſame image. But what is to be iudged of this Synod, we ſhall ſée in due place. In the meane time, let vsus heare the obiections of the aduerſaries.

Firſt of all they ſaie, that the holie ſcriptures hauehave giuen occaſion to forme images: The obiections of them which would hauehave images of God.for ſéeing they hauehave attributed vntounto God the parts of a man; namelie, eies, eares, head, noſtrels, féet, &c. There ſéemeth no cauſe whie, but that the painters and grauers may forme the verie ſame vntounto him. Alſo it is written in Oſe; Oſe. 12, 10.Hos 12:10I am likened by hands of the prophets. And in the ſeuenth of Daniel; verſe. 9.The ancient of daies was ſhewed vntounto the prophets, which had the heares of his head white like wooll. Ezech. 1, 26 Eſaie. 6, 1. Exo. 24, 10. and 33, 23.Ezek 1:26Isa 6:1Exod 24:10Exod 33:23Alſo there was ſhewed vntounto Ezechiel the ſimilitude of a man. Yea & Eſaie ſaith, that He ſawe the Lord ſitting vponupon a throne, &c. And Moſes alſo with the elders ſawe God ſitting vponupon a throne, & vponupon the mountaine he beheld his hinder parts like vntounto a man going awaie. Wherefore they ſaie, that ſéeing thoſe things hauehave béene ſhewed, and hauehave béene ſéene by the prophets, whie ſhall it be thought a wicked part, to plant out the ſelfe-ſame p. 339things in colours and engrauings?

1The firſt anſwer to thoſe obiections.Of ſome it is anſwered, that the diuerſitie of members, which is attributed vntounto God in the holie ſcriptures, did ſhew by a certeine myſterie, that the diuine nature ſhould in time to come take vponupon it a humane nature. 2But I let paſſe this anſwer for this time; affirming, that we ought héere to hauehave regard to the goodnes of God, whereby it did ſo humble it ſelfe vntounto our infirmitie, that ſéeing we can not vnderſtand his nature, he would vnderunder the name of members or parts, open, or rather ſhadowe vntounto vsus certeine of his properties. For by the eie he deſcribeth his prouidence, by the arme his might, by hands his workmanſhippe, by noſtrels his wrath, and the reſt of like ſort. 3Where it is afterward ſaid, that it is lawfull for vsus to vſe the ſame lineaments, colours, and engrauings, it followeth not: for there is no lawe giuen vntounto God. All things which he dooth rightlie and iuſtlie, are not lawfull for men to doo: for God taketh reuenge of his enimies; he commanded the father to kill his ſonne, and willed the Hebrues, to take away the goods of the Aegyptians, the which neuertheleſſe is wicked for men, either to doo, or command: Deut. 32, 35 Gen 22, 1. Exod. 11, 2.Deut 32:35Gen 22:1Exod 11:2for he appointed lawes for men, and not for himſelfe. And for ſo much as he is the author of the lawe, he may otherwhiles except ſome things from it. Wherefore we muſt aſſure our ſelues, that what he did, he did not without conſideration.

4In déed he expreſſed himſelfe ſome times by certeine apparitions; but in them there was no danger of idolatrie: for who is there that worſhippeth words either ſpoken or written; elſe offereth ſacrifices vntounto them? For words paſſe awaie, knowledge alſo and conceits of the mind are put out of remembrance: but if ſo be things themſelues be painted or ingrauen outwardlie, men will readilie adore them, burne incenſe to them, and praie vntounto them. 5Further, let vsus conſider, that the prophets, which had ſuch kind of formes in their mind, did neuer picture them, nor yet made images of them: for they did knowe, that God forbad ſuch things to be doone. Neither did they diſpute with themſelues in this maner; God hath thus declared himſelfe vntounto vsus, therefore it is lawfull ſo to expreſſe him out in images. 6Beſides this, God commanded that there ſhuld be a propitiatorie vponupon the arke, Exo. 25, 17.Exod 25:17as though his ſeat ſhould be there: but the ſame was an emptie ſeat, neither was there anie image of God therein. 7Moreouer, the ſcriptures which doo ſhadowe God manie waies, if they be attentiuelie read, will teach vsus, that God is a ſpirit, and without a bodie: and ſo doo they méet with that error, which might ariſe in our minds. But a picture or image, although we behold the ſame a thouſand times, doth ſignifie none other thing, than that which was ſhewed at the firſt ſight. Wherefore there is neither waie the like reaſon. And it is trulie prooued, that God is not to be expreſſed by images. But they make their mone, & ſaie; What ſhall we then doo? Shall not God be ſome maner of waies counterfeited, that our minds thereby may be caried or lifted vp to the conſideration of heauenlie things?

We anſwer, 1that of his images there be enow alreadie extant: for Chriſt is the liuelie image of him, let vsus therefore behold him & his acts, and in him we ſhall know God abundantlie. 2Furthermore, we hauehave in the holie ſcripture, which moſt perfectlie painteth out God to vsus, ſo much as is requiſite to the painting out of him. What néed hauehave we either of wood, braſſe, gold, ſiluer, or other ſenſible matter? 3Againe, if it delite vsus to behold the liuelie images of him, let vsus looke vponupon godlie men, which now be, and ſometime hauehave béene in the church: for they vndoubtedlie were from the beginning created, and afterward were reſtored to the image of GOD. 4We hauehave moreouer, as it is aboue declared, all the works of nature, wherein the printed ſteps of Gods power doo appeare. 5Further, we hauehave the viſible ſacraments, wherewith the word of God is ioined. Surelie theſe things may ſuffice, and ought to be inough to lift vp mens minds to the beholding of God and his properties. 6But curious and importunate men, beſides theſe things which I hauehave recited, bring yet into the church, marble, braſſe, and wood; but they which doo theſe things, be reprehended in the holie ſcriptures, and are moſt weightilie reprooued of whordome, bicauſe they be not content with God, to whom all the faithfull are maried. But call vntounto themſelues other huſbands, that is, images and idols, and with them commit moſt abhominable adulterie. 7Damaſcens iudgement touching images.Damaſcenus, which otherwiſe defended images manie waies, yet in the 4. booke and 8. chapter, he writeth, that to endeuor to faſhion out God, is both a fond and alſo a wicked part. Neither doth he allow of the images of God.

9 But ſéeing the papiſticall church receiueth in a maner all kind of images, neither excludeth images of the trinitie, and of God; it hath flattering ſophiſters, which woonderfullie defend all thoſe things. Cardinall Caietane held with images.Cardinall Caietanus writeth, All ſuch images may ſomtimes be made of purpoſe; to declare, and affirme, that God hath the forme or figure of a bodie. And they which be of this mind, both doo fooliſhlie, and alſo contend againſt the holie ſcriptures, which moſt plainelie teach, that God is a ſpirit. But if ſo be that either painters, or image-workers beléeue not, that God is not indued with a bodie, and yet paint out thoſe images, whereby God hath declared himſelfe in the ſcriptures; they are not to be diſallowed or hindered, that they ſhould not go p. 338duplicate page p. 339duplicate page p. 340through with their works. And againe, if they deuiſe vntounto God a ſimilitude or figure; not bicauſe they iudge that he is ſuch a one, but bicauſe they will by that maner of meanes ſtirre vp men to contemplate higher matters than be expreſſed in the image of God, they are to be allowed. Wherefore, in the diſtinctions, which he bringeth in; the firſt member he diſalloweth, and the other he admitteth. An anſwer to the arguments of Caietane.But God reaſoneth not ſo ſophiſticallie, but he ſpeaketh plainelie and roundlie, and commanded that they ſhould make no images for to worſhip them religiouſlie. Yea and the prophets, being the interpretors of Gods lawe, defied them in euerie place. And they which will be wiſer than God and his prophets, muſt not be receiued. The ſame author added, that thoſe two ſorts of images, which he allowed of, muſt not abſolutelie and barelie be receiued; but apparelled with ſome certeine circumſtances. The firſt is, that we be ſure there be no danger like to inſue, by reaſon of errors, and that we hauehave ſufficient triall, that the church being well inſtructed, dooth beléeue no ſuch things of God. The ſecond is, that ſuch things be not doone after the fanſies of men, but that they be as it were expreſſings of the doctrine and traditions receiued by the church.

But I would gladlie demand of him, as concerning the church; what church that was, of whom theſe things were deliuered and ordered? Doubtleſſe not the primitiue church: for the apoſtles taught no ſuch matter, nor yet the church that followed; bicauſe the good fathers receiued no ſuch pictures and images of God; as we hauehave prooued out of Auguſtine. It remaineth that the ſame was the latter church, wherein antichriſt, and the diuell doo now exerciſe their tyrannie. Moreouer, how ſhall they be ſure of the right inſtruction of the ſimple ſort, which be in the church? How can they vndoutedlie knowne, that when they ſée ſuch images, they will not fall into error? Surelie theſe fained matters are inuented by Sophiſters, not for the furthering of the truth, but for the maintenance of abuſes. And Thomas Aquinas is alſo to be woondered at, An argument of Thomas Aquinas.who ſaith, that God forbad the Iewes, that they ſhould not make images; bicauſe at that time the word had not taken vponupon it the nature of man. An anſwer thereto.What is this to the purpoſe; ſéeing we ſpeake at this preſent of the images & pictures of the verie nature of God, which by art, colours, and lineaments cannot be deſcribed? Wherefore there is all one reaſon, as well of the old Hebrues, as of the Chriſtians; bicauſe that God, by the courſe and alterations of times, hath not changed his nature, that now at length he ſhould hauehave ſuch a nature, as may be expreſſed, and then had far otherwiſe.

But there be others, which vſe a more ſubtiler kind of ſophiſtication; and ſaie, that God vntounto his commandement added this reaſon; Deut. 4, 12.Deut 4:12Bicauſe in the mount ye ſawe no image. If this be a true and iuſt cauſe, whie ſhould he not afterward be drawne and expreſſed, when he ſhewed himſelfe by ſo manie ſhapes? And they prooue, (as they thinke) that he may be pictured and grauen by ſuch ſimilitudes, as he in proceſſe of time reuealed himſelfe. I would that thoſe men ſhould vnderſtand, that the commandement was ſimplie and abſolutelie ſet forth; namelie, that they ſhould not counterfet God by images. Neither is that, which after is added, the whole cauſe of the commandement; but as ſome probable thing added, to perſuade that which was commanded. But we find in the prophets, that the chéefe cauſe is, for that the diuine nature cannot be expreſſed, but falſlie and wickedlie: and alſo, bicauſe God forbad it. Iuſtlie therefore we muſt determine, that ſuch images ought not to be ſuffered.

10 Now, as touching thoſe images, which reſemble things created; let vsus ſée how they may be ſuffered, or not ſuffered. And firſt of all, Chriſt commeth verie well to remembrance, Of the image of Chriſt.in that he is man: for in that reſpect he may be reſembled, & painted out. For that is not againſt the nature of the thing; ſéeing he was verie man; neither againſt the art of painting, which may imitate bodies. True in déed it is, A decree of the ſeuenth Synod touching the image of Chriſt.that in the 7. Synod, which the papiſts allow not, (being held by Conſtantine and his ſonne) it was decréed, that Chriſt ſhould not be painted or faſhioned out, no not as touching his humane nature. And the reaſon is ſet downe; bicauſe nothing but his humanitie can be expreſſed by art. Wherefore they, which make ſuch things, ſéeme to embrace the Neſtorian hereſie, which ſeparated the humane nature from the diuine. But to ſaie trulie, I doo not much allow of this reaſon; which if it were true, it ſhould not be lawfull to picture anie man, bicauſe the ſoule, which is a ſpirit, cannot be expreſſed. And they which deſcribe the humane nature of the Lord, doo not exclude the diuine nature from the vnderſtanding; neither doo they ſhew or allow, that the humanitie of Chriſt, either was, or is deſtitute of his godhead. Although Theodoſius and Valentinianus ſéeme to hauehave commanded, that Chriſts picture ſhould not be ſet foorth in metall, nor in flint ſtones, nor yet in tables of wood. As we hauehave in the firſt booke & eight title of the Code. The lawe ſtandeth in ambiguitie, which ſéemeth to ſignifie, that he ſhould not be expreſſed in the pauement; leaſt (forſooth) it ſhould be troden vnderunder féet, or ſpet vponupon. But Petrus Crinitus ſaith, that he ſawe that lawe written abſolutelie, whereby is commanded, that the image of Chriſt ſhould not be made of anie matter. But that he cannot p. 341be counterfeited, as touching his humane nature, there are no firme reaſons brought.

11 The angels, as touching their ſubſtance and nature, ſéeing they be ſpirits, cannot be expreſſed; yet is it lawfull ſometimes to picture them in ſuch wiſe, as they hauehave ſhewed themſelues vntounto men: for they be not, as God is, infinite; but are bounded and limited. Neither dooth the commandement of God forbid this, vnleſſe their pictures were made, to the intent they ſhould be religiouſlie and deuoutlie worſhipped. That men may be pictured.Alſo men may be pictured and counterfeited, ſéeing the ſame is not repugnant either to the thing, either to art, or elſe to the commandement of God. So is it lawfull alſo, to forme and picture foorth the croſſe of the Lord, The image of the croſſe of Chriſt.trées, fruits, and other ſenſible or viſible bodies: for the arts of painting and counterfeiting be the verie gifts of God; wherefore they muſt ſerue to ſome vſe. 1And by this I gather, that they be the gifts of God; bicauſe he indued the builders of Moſes tabernacle, with his ſpirit; Bezeleel (I meane) and Aholiba. Exod. 31, 2, and 6.Exod 31:2Exod 31:6Neither is it lawfull to ſaie, that God dooth inſpire euill things with his ſpirit, and ſuch things as be againſt his lawe. 2Moreouer, the power it ſelfe of imitating, ſéeing it is naturall vntounto man, verelie he had the ſame of God, and not of himſelfe. And it followeth of right, that ſome vſe ſhuld be therof: bicauſe God hath beſtowed no gifts vponupon his creatures, eſpeciallie vponupon men, which ſhould not be lawfull for them ſometime to vſe.

3Neither dooth he take awaie the vſe of thoſe gifts; bicauſe manie doo abuſe them: and this is eaſilie confirmed by manie ſimilitudes. The power of procreation is giuen vntounto men, although ſome doo ſhamefullie abuſe the ſame vntounto luſts. So the ſight is granted, which they doo peruerſelie vſe, who for luſt ſake doo behold women, which be none of their owne. And ſo it might be ſaid of the reſt. 4Againe, we knowe that Salomon would hauehave images to be made for his roiall throne, 1. Kin. 10, 191 Kgs 10:19which ſhould hauehave the forms of yoong lions: neither was he for that matter reprehended by anie prophet. Wherefore in a prophane thing it is lawfull to hauehave pictures and grauen images. 5I am not ignorant, that the ancient fathers, and ſpeciallie Clement and Tertullian deteſted the acts of painters and image-makers. But I vnderſtand this, in reſpect that theſe workmen did profeſſe Chriſt: and yet they made images & pictures, which might eaſilie be worſhipped, and peraduenture they diuided them among the idolaters, thinking it ſufficient to their owne ſaluation, if they themſelues did not worſhip them. The opinion of the Turke touching images.But the Turks be of the opinion, that there ſhould be no images made at all: wherevpon in their coines they onlie hauehave letters, which be written in the Arabian toong: and vponupon their tapeſtrie they alſo vſe to weaue certeine knots.

The vſe of images may be good, for the kéeping of things in memorie, for the garniſhing of houſes, eſpeciallie of kings and noble perſonages, and alſo to ſerue for ſome honeſt pleaſure, wherewith men ſometime may both delite and recreate themſelues. Howbeit, in ſuch light commodities, there are oftentimes manie faults; for falſe images are ſundrie times thruſt in, in ſtéed of true. As if ſo be a nation or people be deſcribed to be ouercome by their enimies, which neuertheleſſe was the vanquiſher: that muſt néeds be reprooued, ſéeing it dooth iniurie vntounto others. Alſo if one be pictured to hauehave doone ſome heinous act, which in verie déed he did not. Neither muſt they be borne with, which doo paint falſe miracles, whereby idolatrie may win credit. And doubtleſſe in our time, there hauehave not wanted ſuch, as hauehave indeuoured to paint the miracles of Chriſts infancie: which things are no where found written, and ſéeme to be altogither fabulous. So, ſome likewiſe doo paint out in manie places, Chriſtopher and George rather monſtruouſlie than trulie. We muſt therfore take héed, leaſt men be perniciouſlie ſeduced by falſe images: I hauehave added, perniciouſlie; bicauſe the Gentaures, & other things of like ſort, may, for garniſhing ſake, be expreſſed without anie harme vntounto them, which are beholders. Others attempt to paint out vertues, which hauehave no bodies, Images of vertues.but doo belong vntounto the mind, which is a ſpirit. Alſo they painted or faſhioned them like to virgins and matrones: and therein I thinke is no deceipt, whereby the beholders can be deceiued. Howbeit, this ſéemeth the ſafeſt waie of all other, that if things ſhould be painted, the profitable and holie hiſtories ſhould chéeflie be painted; whereby the beholders may receiue ſome edifieng.

Further, we muſt beware of lauiſhing out of monie: for there be ſome, which in procuring of pictures and images, are ſtarke mad. Theſe coſts muſt not be preferred before the neceſſities of the poore. How greatlie herein it hath béene offended, A ſuperſtitious vſe of images.the temples from our forefathers, which be yet extant, doo euidentlie declare. Beſides this, we muſt take verie diligent héed, that there be no filthie things painted: Againſt ſhamefull picturings.for we are otherwiſe, of our owne vileneſſe and corruption of nature, ſufficientlie kindled vntounto luſt. If it be trulie ſaid; 1. Co. 15, 331 Cor 15:33that Euill ſpeaking corrupteth good maners: no leſſe doo filthie images corrupt the beholders. Tertullian writeth, Tertullian in his apologetico.that the Ethniks painted the image of Chriſt with aſſes eares, in deſpite of our Sauiour Chriſt. Wherfore, ſuch an image ought to be accounted blaſphemous. Laſtlie, from them muſt be remooued all religious worſhip, the which that it be p. 342not giuen them, it muſt be alwaies prouided, that they be not placed in the churches.

12 Séeing therefore it is now declared, what things it is lawfull to picture, after this we muſt diligentlie examine, whether it may be lawfull to vſe anie adoration or worſhipping in images. In the diſputation whereof, we will firſt recite what our aduerſaries hauehave thought, What a holie worſhipping is.& what kind of worſhip ſhall be ſpoken of. Holie worſhipping the Gréekes call foreign, and the Latins Pietas, Looke In Rom. 1. vponupon theſe words, Whom I ſerue.Rom 1that is, Godlineſſe: which neuertheleſſe is extended both vntounto the parents, and vntounto the countrie. But we now talke onlie of religious worſhipping, & inquire, whether the ſame may be attributed vntounto images. Diuine worſhip or honor is expreſſed of the Hebrue in two words; A diſtinction of diuine worſhip.of the verbe Iare, which is, To feare; and Auad, which is, To ſerue. And vndoubtedlie, vnderunder the name of feare, is comprehended all religion, which is placed in the mind. By Auad, is declared an outward ſeruice, which is conteind in ceremonies, beſides an inward worſhipping. Wherefore it is rightlie ſaid; Deut. 6, 13.Deut 6:13Feare the Lord thy God, and ſerue him. Moreouer, Chriſt did fight with this place againſt the diuell, ſaieng; Matth. 4, 10Matt 4:10Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelie thou ſhalt ſerue. Wherevpon Auguſtine deuiſed a difference betwéene religious worſhippings, calling that which is onelie due vntounto God, foreign, A difference betweene foreign & foreign.and that which is lawfull to doo vntounto creatures, he called foreign. In his 49. epiſtle Ad Deo gratias, and againſt Fauſtus, the 20. booke, and 21. chapter, he calleth foreign, that ſeruice which is onlie doone vntounto the Godhead; and he addeth, that the ſame cannot in one word be expreſſed of the Latins. Alſo in the 20. booke De ciuitate Dei, and firſt chapter, he wrote verie much of this matter. Surelie, for my part I hauehave not read of anie ſuch diſtinction in the fathers, before Auguſtines time.

And certeinlie Laurentius Valla vponupon Matthew, the 4. chapter, affirmeth; that There is no difference, as concerning the words; bicauſe the verbe foreign, ſignifieth as well To ſerue God as men. And he alledgeth a place out of Xenophon, where a huſband ſaith, that he was readie with his ſoule, that is, his life; to redéeme that his wife ſhould not ſerue anie man: in which place he vſeth the verbe foreign. And againe, the wife ſaith, that ſhe would redéeme with hir life, that hir huſband might not ſerue: where the verbe foreign is written. And Suidas ſaith, that foreign is to ſerue for reward. And vndoubtedlie, according to this ſenſe, the holie ſcriptures doo interpret foreign. For where it is commanded, that there ſhould be no maner of ſeruile worke doone on the ſabboth daie; it is written in the Gréeke text, foreign. And foreign, among the Gréeks, ſignifieth a Handmaid; and foreign a Manſeruant, but foreign a Reward. Wherevpon in times paſt, Latrones were called Mercenarie ſoldiers. Whom ſome (I knowe not how well) hauehave thought ſo to be called, as if one ſhould ſaie Laterones, as they that ſhould gard the perſons of kings and princes. In Luke it is written; Ye cannot ſerue God and Mammon: Luk. 16, 13.Luke 16:13where, for ſeruing, the verbe foreign is written, as common vntounto both the ſeruices. Paule alſo calleth himſelfe in manie places foreign Christi, Rom. 1, 1. Phil. 1, 1.Rom 1:1Phil 1:1The ſeruant of Chriſt. And in the Acts he ſaith, that he continued among the Epheſians, Acts. 20, 19.Acts 20:19foreign, Seruing GOD. And vntounto the Coloſſians he ſaith, foreign, that is, Col. 3, 24.Col 3:24Serue God. But Auguſtine himſelfe ſéemeth not conſtantlie to hauehave reteined that difference: for in the 94. queſtion vponupon Exodus, he handling theſe words in the 23. chapter; If thou ſerue other gods, they will make thee fall to ſinne. In this place (ſaith he) is foreign, and not foreign: verſe, 33.for foreign is due vntounto God himſelfe, in reſpect that he is our Lord, and foreign in reſpect that he is our God.

13 But paſſing ouer the words, One maner of honour is giuen vntounto men, and another vntounto God.let vsus rather deale with the matter it ſelfe. It cannot be denied, but that the honor which we attribute vntounto God, is not that which we giuegive vntounto men: for that is the higheſt honor, which is giuen to one onelie God: and it chéeflie conſiſteth in theſe things. Firſt, that we repoſe in him all the hope of our ſaluation, that we account him for our chéefe happineſſe, by ſubmitting our ſelues vntounto him, without adding of anie condition, but euen ſimplie and abſolutelie. But vntounto princes wée muſt ſubmit our ſelues, and all that is ours: yet ſo, as they command vsus not to do things repugnant vntounto the word of God. But vntounto God we are ſubiect, without anie maner of condition or exception. Furthermore, it is neceſſarie, that we beléeue in him ſimplie and abſolutelie; and that we declare him to be as the fountaine of all good things, in giuing him thanks for all the benefits which dailie doo happen vntounto vsus: and wée muſt declare his honor by outward calling vponupon him. Alſo, ſome honor is due vntounto the excellent creatures, ſuch as be princes, prophets and godlie men. Wherefore Auguſtine De ciuitate Dei, the 22. booke, and 10. chapter, writeth; that Thoſe are to be honored in the right of charitie and ſocietie. For we hold them for our fellowes and brethren, and therefore we louelove them; wée wiſh well vntounto them, and we ioie with them in their good hap. Moreouer, in his booke of true religion 25. chapter, he ſaith; that We muſt honor excellent men in reſpect of imitation, by following the ſteps of their good life; when as yet in reſpect of religion, they muſt not be worſhipped. And of this kind of honor, Paule wrote, ſaieng; In giuing honor, go one before another. p. 343Rom. 12. 10Rom 12:10Againe, as brethren they are to be holpen with mutuall good turnes.

Further, in the churches the ſaints are onelie commended, and the noble gifts, which God beſtowed vponupon them, be celebrated after ſuch a maner, Luke. 16, 1.Luke 16:1as Chriſt alloweth of the faithfull and diligent ſeruant, which rightlie and prudentlie behaued himſelfe, in ordering of the monie which he had receiued. But and if ſo be they will vſe the word foreign, in this kind of worſhipping; we will, that they may retaine it, ſo that they knowe, the ſame diſtinction to be conteined in the holie ſcriptures. They hauehave inuented alſo the word foreign, which they would hauehave to be attributed vntounto the moſt excellent creatures; namelie, vntounto Marie, and to the humane nature of Chriſt. A difference of honors we diſallow not: but thoſe things which apperteine onelie to the high God, we can not ſuffer to be attributed vntounto creatures. Which thing out of doubt they doo: for they proſtrate themſelues before images, they light wax candles to them; and at them they inuocate thoſe dead men, which are repreſented by them. Auguſtine in manie places taketh awaie from all creatures, churches, prieſthoods, ſacrifices, and altars. But that praiers be the ſacrifices of Chriſtians, no man doubteth. Yet the Papiſts hauehave communicated all theſe things, not onelie vntounto men departed this life, but alſo vntounto images and pictures: and for the defenſe of their dooing, they vſe manie ſophiſtications, when as God notwithſtanding plainelie ſpeaketh and forbiddeth, that images ſhould in anie wiſe be made vntounto religious worſhipping. And that, which he hath abſolutelie ſpoken, and commanded, muſt not be cunninglie ſhifted off by mans craftineſſe.

14 But it is good to heare a little while, with what leaues and gréene branches they can couer this ſhame of theirs. The arguments of idolaters.Firſt, they affirme, that the cogitation, whereby we are carried to the image, and the thing expreſſed thereby, is the ſelfe-ſame, and not diuerſe. Wherefore, that honor, which is giuen vntounto an image, is doone vntounto the thing repreſented by it. And ſo they conclude, that ſuch and ſo much honor is due vntounto the image, as is due vntounto the thing, which is repreſented by the image. Wherevpon they teach, that the ſigne of the croſſe is to be adored with the ſeruice of foreign, or of diuine worſhipping; bicauſe Chriſt himſelfe ſuffered vponupon the croſſe. And they ſaie, that if the marble ſtone, gold, or ſiluer, be conſidered apart, there is no religious honor due vntounto them; inſomuch as they atteine not to the dignitie of a reaſonable creature. But if they be taken as ſignes, the ſame honor is due vntounto them that is doone vntounto the thing ſignified. Further, they alledge Baſil in the 27. chapter De ſpiritu ſancto, who ſaith, that the honor doone vntounto the ſigne, is referred to the example it ſelfe. An anſwer.To theſe things, I will repeat that which once or twiſe I hauehave alreadie ſaid; namelie, that God is not ſatiſfied with theſe kind of diſtinctions, who ſaid abſolutelie, that images and pictures muſt not be worſhipped. The 2. reaſon.Alſo by a new diuiſion they make a difference betwéene croſſes; that of them, one is true, whereto Chriſt was faſtened. And they contend, that the ſame muſt be adored with high kind of reuerence; bicauſe Chriſt did ſanctifie it by his touching; and againe, for that it repreſenteth the Lord him-ſelfe crucified. An anſwer.But if there be ſo great conſideration had of touching; whie doo they not iudge, that the bleſſed virgine ſhould be worſhipped with diuine worſhip, who bare Chriſt in hir wombe nine moneths, and gaue him ſucke a long time? Eſpeciallie, ſéeing that ſame touching was naturall, and the other was violent. But for ſuch touching ſake, we ſhould worſhip the thornes and the ſpeare with diuine worſhip. The 3. reaſon.Againe, theſe men would alſo hauehave a croſſe to be worſhipped in other matter; bicauſe it repreſenteth the true croſſe. But that is moſt abſurd: An anſwer.for by that meanes we ought to worſhip all hedges, and all thornes, nailes, ſhips, and aſſes; bicauſe they reſemble thoſe things which Chriſt touched. Surelie, this argument Claudius the biſhop of Tarent vſed, againſt the worſhipping of images. Wherefore it appéereth, that there hauehave béene alwaies ſome, which hauehave deteſted images adorned with ſacred honors. But the ſuperſtitious ſort hauehave béene ſuperior, both in number, power, and armes; and they not onelie defend peruerſe worſhipping, but in verie déed they attribute vntounto the croſſe diuine honor. Neither are they aſhamed on this maner to ſing in the churches; All haile O Croſſe, our onlie hope; in this time of paſſion increaſe righteouſneſſe to the godlie; and giuegive pardon vntounto the offenders. They alſo ſing; A ſong concerning the holie croſſe.Behold the trée of the croſſe, come let vsus worſhip it. Againe they ſaie; O Lord, thy croſſe doo we worſhip; thy holie reſurrection we doo glorifie. Wherin they attribute much more vntounto the croſſe, than to the reſurrection.

Alſo Gregorius of Rome, the patrone of ſuperſtitions, ſaith in his praiers; Gregorie the patrone of ſuperſtitions.Grant vntounto vsus Lord, that they which come to the adoring of thy holie croſſe, may be deliuered from the bonds of their ſinnes. Howbeit, Durandus, Durandus.among the Schoole-diuines, allowed not of this opiinion; namelie, that the croſſe of the Lord ſhould be worſhipped with high adoration: but he is reprooued by other ſophiſters, and that for this reaſon, that he had attributed too little to the eccleſiaſticall traditions. Alſo Pereſius ſéemeth to followe Durandus, attributing p. 344to the croſſe, for manie reaſons an other kind of adoration, I knowe not what. 1Firſt, for that it is falſlie ſaid, that the cogitation or knowledge is all one, both of the ſigne, and of the thing ſignified; for ſomuch as they be two things, which are diſtinguiſhed one from an other. For firſt this or that thing is perceiued to be a ſigne; afterward, we behold the thing which is ſignified. Indéed, they be togither at one time; but yet in nature and reaſon one of them goeth before an other. Further, although a ſtone, a marble, or metall be made a ſigne, yet dooth it not therfore change his owne proper nature; neither dooth it paſſe the bounds of inſenſible things, neither attaineth it to the dignitie of a reaſonable creature, nor hath ioined with it the thing which it ſignifieth. Doubtleſſe, we worſhip a king in his purple robe, the which being ſeuered from an emperor, we would not yéeld vntounto it the honor of a king.

Auguſtine writeth, in his 58. homilie, De verbis Domini, that The humanitie of Chriſt muſt be worſhipped with diuine honour, bicauſe it hath the Godhead ioined therewith: which, if it ſhould be ſundered from him, as it cannot be, he ſhould not be worſhipped with diuine honour. How much leſſe therefore muſt not the croſſe, (which in verie déed is ſeuered from Chriſt) be worſhipped with diuine honour? Therefore he reiecteth that doctrine, whereby it is taught, that both the ſigne, and the thing ſignified, ſhould be honoured with the ſame maner of worſhip. And thus he affirmeth, that the higheſt adoration is due vntounto the thing ſignified, that is, vntounto Chriſt himſelfe; but to the croſſe, that honour (howſoeuer it be called) which is attributed vntounto ſuch notable things. An anſwer.Pereſius ſaith ſomewhat well; but yet in this point he erreth, that he attributeth ſome maner of adoration to the croſſe. But I maruell at him, that he alſo vſed this argument. All men agrée that the holie Ghoſt is preſent in baptiſme, and yet is there none, which dooth worſhip baptiſme with diuine honour. Wherefore, much leſſe is that kind of honour to be giuen vntounto the croſſe: for it ſéemeth, that it cannot be auoided, but that they doo euill, which adore the Euchariſt, although they perceiue Chriſt to be preſent, euen as touching his diuine nature. 2He addeth further; If ſo be the verie ſame honour ſhould be due vntounto images, which is giuen vntounto the thing ſignified; now ſhould it be lawfull to giuegive them churches, ſacrifices, and altars; when as Auguſtine (as it hath béene declared) hath taken from them theſe things. An anſwer.It ſéemeth, that Pereſius had ſome light: but héerein he was intangled in the darke, that he attributed anie kind of worſhipping at all vntounto ſuch kind of ſignes. Eraſmus (me thinketh) among other things, hath verie wiſelie written this; namelie, that Images may more eaſilie be remooued, than a reaſon and meane of worſhipping them can be preſcribed. So now, when Pereſius indeuoured to preſcribe a meaſure, otherwiſe than had béene appointed by the Schoolemen, his labour was vaine and fruteleſſe.

15 Wherefore, we confirme by the ſentence of the holie ſcriptures, that there muſt be no religious honour doone vntounto idols, images, and ſignes. For (as we hauehave declared) the lawe of God ſaith; Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelie thou ſhalt ſerue. A place of Deuteronomie expounded. Deut. 6, 13. Matt. 4, 10.Deut 6:13Matt 4:10Neither helpeth it our aduerſaries, that in the ſixt chapter of Deuteronomie, there is not that particle [Onelie;] ſéeing Chriſt (as we read in Matthew) being the iuſt and true interpretour of his owne lawe, added the ſame. And in the ſame booke of Deuteronomie it is written; Deut. 5, 9.Deut 5:9Thou ſhalt make no images, nor worſhip them. And what is to worſhip images? Euen to put a confidence in them, to louelove them, to call vponupon them, to crowch and knéele to them, to offer them incenſe, and to burne candles to them: all which things we ſée at this daie are doone vntounto images. God, to the intent he might turne men awaie from ſo peruerſe a worſhipping, declared himſelfe to be a gelous God, that is, one who will reuenge ſo great wickedneſſe with earneſt indeuour. Let theſe men (if they can) ſhew out of the old teſtament, where the images of patriarchs, prophets, or of godlie princes were worſhipped and adored by godlie men. A place of Gregorie touching the worſhipping of images.Yea and Gregorie himſelfe the father of ſuperſtitions wrote thus to Serenus the biſhop of Maſſilia, which threw downe images; In that thou forbiddeſt them to be worſhipped, we allow it; but whereas thou takeſt them awaie, we diſallow it. Wherefore euen he would not hauehave images worſhipped and adored.

Alſo Ionas the biſhop of Aurelia, writing againſt Claudius the biſhop of Taurinum, of whom I made mention before, ſaith; that Images muſt be had, but yet muſt not be worſhipped. Howbeit, at this daie they doo as well worſhip them, as adore them. Alſo for an other cauſe the worſhipping of images is to be reiected; to wit, ſince thereby the charitie towards the poore is diminiſhed. For the worſhippers of them doo decke them moſt ſumptuouſlie with rich owches, with pretious ſtones, with couerings for the head, veſtiments and garlands; and they doo heape and hang vponupon them infinite offerings: all which things might with ſingular pietie be beſtowed vponupon the néed of chriſtians. Doubtleſſe, holie and godlie men, while they were in the fleſh, did liue modeſtlie and frugallie, and commended that kind of life, as well by their doctrine, as by their example. But now, they which honour their ſignes, and images, feare p. 345not to deuiſe in them ſuperfluitie and vaine ornaments: which things they did euermore miſlike. But they ſaie, that pomps, and ſuch kind of ornaments, doo ſhew vntounto vsus the glorie, gorgiouſneſſe, and dignitie, which they now enioie in heauen. As though the ſcripture did not ſufficientlie inſtruct vsus in theſe things. Adde héere vntounto, that through theſe men, the gréedineſſe of théeues and church-robbers is ſtirred vp: for the richer that the ornaments be, which are put about them, the more be they inflamed to imbezell them.

Moreouer, I would demand of them, wherefore they, leauing their idols at home in their owne countrie, doo trauell ſo great iournies to worſhip others? If they will worſhip God in his images, why rather doo they it not in liuing men; which (as the holie ſcriptures put vsus in mind) be created vntounto his image? Why idolaters do not worſhip liuing men.They anſwer, that in liuing men it is not doone; leaſt peraduenture the minds of the worſhippers ſhould be ſetled vponupon them, and ſhould not lift vp themſelues higher, that they might thinke vponupon God and Chriſt. As who ſhould ſaie, their cogitations cannot alſo be carried vntounto images; either for the excellencie of the workmanſhip, or elſe for the richnes of their attire, which men hauehave béene accuſtomed with great pleaſure to behold. Verelie I hauehave ſéene, Images at Rome moſt artificiall.eſpeciallie at Rome, diuerſe images, ſo artificiallie wrought, that manie men, which were ſkilfull of thoſe arts, ſpent manie houres in the diligent beholding of them. God hath ſet all creatures before men, that they might be certeine tokens and ſignes of his goodnes and excellencie: neither did he feare, leaſt men would ſtand ſtill in the beholding of them. Further, he commanded, that euerie one ſhould louelove his neighbour, and be beneficiall vntounto him: neither did he miſtruſt, leaſt anie man, forſaking him, would imploie his onelie indeuour towards his neighbour.

A place in Iohn touching idols. verſe. 12.16 Moreouer, when we obiect againſt them the teſtimonie of Iohn, in the firſt epiſtle, and fift chapter; Keepe your ſelues from idols, theſe men ſaie, that their images be not the images of ſtrange gods, but the images of holie men; namelie, of the faithfull, and of the members of Chriſt. But they perceiue not, no not they, which ſéeme wiſeſt of all men in their owne conceit, that if they be the images of men, they ought not to be worſhipped nor adored: for men themſelues can not be worſhipped with religious worſhip. If then it be taken from themſelues, much leſſe can it be granted vntounto their images. Auguſtine Ad Deo gratias ſaith; Auguſtine.that No man, although he be a ſaint, muſt be adored. Beſides this, they hauehave not alwaies béene wicked men, whom theſe men thinke to hauehave béene ſtrange gods. For excellent men, which well deſerued as touching humane things, were oftentimes reputed among the gods. Moreouer, doo they knowe, that all thoſe were in verie déed good and godlie men, whom they iudge to be ſaints, and doo worſhip them in their images? The ſentence of Auguſtine is well knowne, that The bodies of manie are woorſhipped vponupon the earth, whoſe ſoules are tormented in hell. The word of God, when it deteſteth and forbiddeth the idols of nations, it ſheweth not of what things the idols were: onelie it ſaith; Pſal. 117, 4.Ps 117:4They be the works of mens hands, they hauehave eies and ſee not, &c.

Now let vsus conſider, whether the images of Papiſts be ſuch. Are not they wrought by the hands of men? What maner of images the Papiſts hauehave. verſe. 10.Doo they not altogither want ſenſe and moouing? Seeing therefore all theſe things be like vntounto thoſe, they be images condemned by the ſcriptures. Alſo Paule, in the firſt to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter, ſaith; Flie from idols. And Peter, in the firſt epiſtle, the fourth chapter, verſe. 3.calleth The worſhipping of idols abhominable. But here our aduerſaries trifle fondlie againe, and indeuor to put a difference betwéene Idolum and ſimulachrum [both ſignifieng an image] ſaieng, that Idols are forbidden, but not images. Neither perceiue they, The difference between Idolum and Simulachrum.that there is no other difference betwéene theſe, but that the one is a Latine word, and the other a Gréeke. Wherevpon Lactantius writeth, that Simulachrum is written of Simulando, which ſignifieth, Reſembling or Counterfeiting. With whoſe teſtimonie or authoritie, if they be not ſatiſfied, let them read Plinie, in the 43. booke, and fourth chapter, where he ſaith; The firſt image of braſſe was made vntounto Ceres, at the proper coſts and charges of Spurius Caſſius. Here we ſée, that this writer calleth the idoll of Ceres, Simulachrum. Vitruuius, in his ſecond booke, and eleuenth chapter, where he intreateth of the hewing of ſtuffe, calleth the image of Diana, Simulachrum. The ſeuentie interpretors, where it is in Hebrue Atſabbim, there they tranſlate it in Gréeke, foreign: but the Latine text hath Simulachra.

Yea and Iohn, in the place a little before alledged, ſaith; Defend your ſelues from images. 1. Ioh. 5, 211 John 5:21We read it in the Latine tranſlation; Fugite ſimulachra. Ierom vponupon the eleuenth chapter of Eſaie declareth, that Idols be the images of them which be dead. Wherefore it appéereth, that theſe men deuiſe diſtinctions, which be fond and ridiculous. Againe, it muſt be conſidered, Frō whence the worſhipping of idols came into the church of Chriſt.that this worſhipping of images, which is outwardlie of them vſed, hath béene fetched as well from the Hebrues, as alſo from the Gentils. For in the tabernacle of Moſes, there was the candleſticke and the altar, and alſo the incenſe; ſuch as theſe men doo ſet before their images. Albeit Chriſt is now come, and hath abrogated the ceremonies p. 346of Moſes. Cicero, in his third booke of offices ſaith; that Perfumes and wax candles were ſet before images. Wherefore, ſuch rites or ceremonies were deriued, aſwell from the Gentils, as from the Hebrues. But at the laſt, the matter came to ſuch paſſe (which is more intollerable) as it is now thought of them, which be called chriſtians, that ſome diuine power is in thoſe images. In which point I ſée not what they differ from Ethniks.

They vndoubtedlie did thinke, that ſuch as vſed the image of Alexander, were more fortunate than other men. Wherefore Auguſtus, which had before vſed the image of the Sphynx, did afterward vſe the image of Alexander. Marius was delighted with a ſiluer eagle, the which came afterward to the hands of Cateline, who alſo worſhipped the ſame himſelfe, and praied victorie of it. Euen ſo doo they at this daie attribute ſundrie vertues vntounto images: they make ſacrifice vntounto them, and doo aſke manie things of them. Ierom vponupon the 57. chapter of Eſaie declareth, that in his time at Rome, the image of Tutela was worſhipped in the entries of houſes, The image of Tutela worſhipped at Rome, in the time of Ierom.with tapers and lights. But for vsus (if we be true chriſtians) it is no decent thing to take rites and ceremonies, either from the Iewes, or from other nations: but we muſt onelie vſe thoſe things, which are commanded vsus in the word of God. 1. Co. 11, 231 Cor 11:23Wherevpon Paule, being deſirous to commend the vſe of the Lords ſupper, ſaith; that He deliuered vntounto the Corinthians, that which he had receiued of the Lord.

17 Wherefore, ſéeing we hauehave it manifeſt out of the word of God, that we muſt not worſhip images, we ought to obeie, ſuffering our ſelues to be gouerned by the lawe of God, and not by the inuentions of men. Moreouer, we knowe, Iohn. 4, 23.John 4:23that God muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth: but no man is ignorant, that images be not ſpirit and truth, for ſo much as they be things which may be ſéene. 2. Co. 5, 16.2 Cor 5:16And Paule ſaith, that We knowe Chriſt no more after the fleſh: therefore much leſſe after an image. I beſéech you, let vsus conferre the ſtate of the primitiue church (where, vntounto the ſeruice of God, images were not vſed at all) with the latter ſtate, wherin they be allowed; and it will moſt manifeſtlie appéere, that all things are become more corrupt. Moreouer, Auguſtine in his booke De quantitate animae, moſt wiſelie wrote; that It behoueth him that is worſhipped, to be much better, than he that dooth yéeld the worſhip: but all men vnderſtand that images be not better than men. Further, if they might be indued with life and reaſon, they would honor their makers, by whoſe hands they were made. When men ſinne in this kind of worſhipping, they doo nothing elſe, but (as S. Paule taught the Romans) They change the glorie of God into the ſimilitude of a mortall man, of birds, Rom. 1, 23.Rom 1:23of foure footed beaſts, and of ſerpents. Thoſe which defend and mainteine ſuch worſhippings, doo drawe awaie men from the true worſhipping of God. For, 1. kin. 12, 28when as Ieroboam went about to drawe awaie the children of Iſrael from the worſhipping of the true God; he erected two images of calues, one in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

Furthermore, in this matter we knowe the forwardnes of men: for whereas Chriſt hath commanded, that we ſhould beare his croſſe, we had rather worſhip the ſame, and all to becroſſe our head and forehead therewith: which thing he commanded vsus not. Neither can we but grant, that the Chriſtians (as we may learne by Tertullian) began euen at the firſt to fortifie themſelues with the ſigne of the croſſe. Matt. 13, 25.Matt 13:25For the diuell began foorthwith to ſowe cockle vponupon the good ſéed of the church. Alſo Paule putteth the Corinthians in remembrance, 1. Cor. 12, 2.1 Cor 12:2that they were ſometime carried awaie vntounto dumbe images: the which verie thing we ſée doone at this day in euerie place. We read not anie where in the time of the primitiue church, that faithfull and godlie men did direct their praiers vntounto pictures and images. But now this is vſed euerie where, and it is come to that paſſe, that men giuegive more honor vntounto images, than they doo vntounto the word of God. For there is not a man found at this daie, that dooth worſhip and honor the holie ſcriptures. Chriſt, when he was vponupon the earth, Iohn. 15, 7.John 15:7bicauſe he was now readie to depart, comforted his apoſtles, ſaieng, that Vnleſſe he departed, the ſpirit of the Comforter ſhould not be ſent vntounto them. Which the interpretors expound to be ſaid, bicauſe that the preſence of Chriſt, as concerning his fleſh, would hinder them, that they ſhould not be fit to receiue the ſpirit. Which thing if it be trulie ſaid, as touching the fleſh of the Lord, how much rather ſhall it be affirmed of his images and pictures? Neither doo we doubt, that Peter would not be worſhipped of Cornelius the Centurion, If Peter would not be worſhipped himſelfe, much leſſe his image.who was not to be thought that he would doo diuine honor vntounto him. With what mind, thinke we, dooth he beare, that his images and pictures ſhould now be worſhipped among men? But if they will ſaie; We doo not honor them with the chéefeſt honor: let them vnderſtand, that neither Cornelius minded ſo to worſhip Peter.

18 Neither muſt we be ignorant, Apo. 19, 10. and 22, 9.that the angell in the Apocalypſe, did twiſe reprooue Iohn, for that he would hauehave worſhipped him. Then, if ſo be that neither angels nor men muſt be worſhipped, much leſſe their images and pictures. And it was not without conſideration, that the angell forbad it: for I am (ſaith he) like p. 374vntounto thee, and vntounto thy brethren which hauehave the teſtimonie of Ieſus Chriſt: that is, which beléeue in him. Séeing therefore we be all of one degrée, neither that one is more excellent than an other, adoration can not hauehave anie place among vsus. An obiection.Although the argument be plaine, yet is it not void of all difficultie. Bicauſe, if the worſhipping of angels were not lawfull, whie were they worſhipped in the old teſtament, which reuealed themſelues vntounto the ſaints? Neither doo we read, that the fathers of old time were reprooued for that cauſe. An anſwer.To this obiection manie things may be anſwered. 1For ſome ſaie, that as then the ſonne of God had not taken vponupon him the nature of man; A compariſon between men and angels.wherefore men were placed much lower than angels, and therefore it was lawfull, that they ſhould worſhip and honour them. But now, by reaſon of a new coniunction of the word with the fleſh, there is made a certeine equalitie betwéene men and angels. Wherefore, it is not lawfull to interpoſe an adoring betwéene theſe natures. The reaſon that is brought is verie weake: for, although Chriſt be now incarnate, yet are other men much inferiour vntounto angels.

2But others ſaie, that angels were then worſhipped; bicauſe the ſonne of God, vnderunder the name and title of them, appéered to the fathers. But this reaſon is not altogither true: for the ſonne of God, vnderunder the name of an angell appéered vntounto the Patriarchs; but not alwaies, nor yet ſo, but that other angels alſo did make manifeſt themſelues. For certeine it is, that the ancient of daies was ſhewed vntounto Daniel, vnderunder the perſon of God the father, and likewiſe the ſonne of man, when alſo there was preſent an angell, whom Daniel worſhipped. Dan. 7, 9. and. 13.Dan 7:9Dan 7:13But it may more eaſilie be anſwered, that the fathers of old time, when they did yéeld anie honour to angels themſelues, they kept themſelues within the bounds of ciuill honour; and that they did not giuegive anie religious honour vntounto them. But yet, bicauſe that might ſéeme to belong vntounto religion, therefore were men at the length to be kept vnderunder, leaſt they ſhould worſhip angels with a kind of diuine worſhip. 3And it ought to be ſufficient for vsus, that the matter was at anie time found fault withall. But whie God would find fault therewith more at this time, than at that, it is not our part to inquire. Neither muſt we ſaie, that it is now lawfull; which then was borne withall after a ſort. The verie which reaſon might be brought of the marriage of manie wiues, The mariage of manie wiues lawfull.of diuorſe, and ſuch like; which things were afterward taken awaie by Chriſt, when as before that time they were ſuffered after a ſort. Neither are we bound of neceſſitie, to cléere the fathers alwaies of all fault.

4Furthermore, it might be ſaid, that the ſame worſhipping was then borne withall; bicauſe, albeit the Hebrues did oftentimes fall into idolatrie, yet did they knowe by the lawe of God, that the thing, whereto they inclined, was vnlawfull. But when as the Goſpell was to be ſpred abroad amongſt the Gentils, it behooued, that idolatrie, and euerie kind thereof, wherein the nations were trained vp, ſhould be repreſſed, leſt they ſhould thinke it a thing permitted, & ſo it might take déeper root. For the like cauſe Paule did more earneſtlie labour to perſuade the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 6, 151 Cor 6:15that fornication is ſinne, than is endeuored in the old teſtament; bicauſe the Ethniks did not thinke it to be ſinne, but reckoned it for a thing tollerable and lawfull. Wherefore it was néedfull to reſtraine that miſchéefe with many reaſons. A ſhift of the aduerſaries, for the worſhiping of angels.Séeing therfore our aduerſaries ſaie, that the fathers, in worſhipping of angels after that ſort, either ſinned, or elſe ſinned not. If they ſinned, whie were they not reprooued? If they ſinned not, whie was Iohn ſo reſtrained? I might grant as well the one as the other: firſt, that they committed ſome fault; or elſe, that they offended not: bicauſe they did kéepe themſelues within the bounds of ciuill reuerence. But that, bicauſe it was a dangerous thing, therfore God would at the length hauehave that cuſtome to be amended; leaſt perhaps they, which were not ſo well inſtructed, might be hurt by that example, and be eaſilie led to idolatrie.

19 Moreouer, in the firſt epiſtle, and ſecond chapter of Iohn, it is written; If we ſin, we hauehave an aduocate with the father, euen Ieſus Chriſt. verſe. 1. A good expoſition of a place in Iohn againſt the inuocation of ſaints.In which place Auguſtine ſaid; The apoſtle dooth not ſaie, Ye hauehave me to be an aduocate; but he putteth himſelfe into the number of them, which hauehave néed of an aduocate. If then it be not lawfull to vſe the apoſtles for aduocates, how much leſſe the images of them? And we muſt not paſſe it ouer, that Paule reckoneth the worſhipping of images among the works of the fleſh; Gala. 5, 20.Gal 5:20and numbereth it among thoſe things, which exclude vsus from the kingdome of heauen. Wherefore, when the Hebrues began to honour the image of the ſerpent, the godlie king Ezechias brake it in péeces. But at this daie, 2. Kin. 17, 42 Kgs 17:4they fight euen to the fire and faggot, for the worſhipping of thoſe images, which they themſelues hauehave made; not by the commandement of God, as in times paſt that ſerpent was made. And vndoubtedlie, looke how manie kings were commended for their godlineſſe ſake, thoſe did rid awaie images: but contrariwiſe, they which be diſpraiſed, did increaſe the number and worſhipping of images. Certeinlie, if ſome woman, which hauing hir huſband abſent, would chooſe an other vntounto hir, A ſimilitude.and him would imbrace; ſhe might not eſcape the crime of vnchaſtitie. And Paule affirmeth, that we (as a chaſte ſpouſe) are ioined vntounto our p. 348Chriſt. Why then do we make pictures and images in ſtéed of him, the which we imbrace, worſhip, An obiection.and honour in ſtéed of him? But they ſaie, that they doo this, bicauſe theſe ſignes and images, by a certeine ſimilitude doo repreſent Chriſt. The verie ſame alſo might that woman allege for hir ſelfe, An anſwer.ſaieng, that the man, which ſhe had taken in the place of hir huſband, did reſemble hir huſband, both in age, in fauour of countenance, in maners, and in condition.

Another obiection.They feigne alſo, that they doo no ſacrifices vntounto images; as though praiers are not a méet ſacrifice of chriſtians. Doubtleſſe, they be a ſacrifice, which is left vntounto vsus, now that the old ceremonies be abrogated. Tertullian and Ierom, interpreting the words of Malachie, that The ſacrifice of praier, immediatelie vponupon the comming of Chriſt, is offered vntounto God, from the riſing vp of the ſunne vntounto the going downe of the ſame. Col. 2, 23.Col 2:23Alſo, in the epiſtle to the Coloſſians, frée will worſhip is condemned, although it be offered vntounto angels. And I will not omit that, which was ſpoken by Claudius biſhop of Thurine, againſt thoſe, which did proſtrate themſelues before the image of the lambe, whom Iohn Baptiſt ſhewed with his finger; Theſe men (ſaith he) doo worſhip painted lambes, but deuoure liuing lambes. Againe; They honour painted lambes, but they doo flea and ſpoile the true lambes of Chriſt. Furthermore, the godlie, which be departed, are bleſſed; yet are they not become gods, that they ſhould be worſhipped and adored: much leſſe the images of them. But God (ſaie they) adorneth his ſaints; and therefore ſo it becommeth vsus to doo. True indéed it is, that God indueth his ſaints with honour, and with vncorruptible reward; ſéeing he giueth them eternall life. Let vsus doo the ſame in like maner, by ſpeaking well of them, & by ſetting them foorthvnto the church to be followed. Let vsus conſider beſide, that God dooth make his ſaints honourable, yet dooth he not either adore them, or put them foorth to be adored. Matt. 25, 40.Matt 25:40But it is ſaid by Chriſt; that Whatſoeuer ye did to the leaſt of mine, that ye hauehave doone vntounto me. But theſe words muſt be vnderſtood; as touching the duties of charitie; and not as touching worſhip and adoration. And certeinlie, what Chriſt ment, he himſelfe verie well expounded, Ibidem. 35.when he ſaid; I was hungrie, and ye gaue me meate; I was thirſtie, and ye gaue me drinke.

Why chriſtians oght to flie the worſhipping of images.Origin, in the eight booke againſt Celſus, ſheweth a reaſon why the chriſtians ſhould abhorre the worſhipping of images, and he ſaith; Images we hauehave indéed, not outward images, which hauehave béene made by moſt vile carpenters; but the minds of the faithfull and holie men, from whence procéedeth (as from the altar of God) moſt ſwéet ſauour of praiers, which doo reach vp euen vntounto heauen. Wherefore, in the reuelation of Iohn, Apoc. 5, 8.Rev 5:8the praiers of godlie men are called ſwéet odours. And Dauid ſang; Let my praier be in thy ſight as the incenſe. Pſal. 141, 2.Ps 141:2Afterward he addeth; We abhorre the worſhipping of images, bicauſe they hauehave no ſenſe. Another obiection.This alſo is woont to be obiected; that If vponupon the death of one emperour, there ſuccéeded another, the images of the firſt were deſtroied throughout all the prouinces of the empire, vntounto which images, honour was doone, as vntounto the emperour, who was not preſent. This I grant: but that was onelie a ciuill honour, whereby they teſtified themſelues to be ſubiect vntounto him; and they receiued their new emperour with ioifull voices. Alſo, this muſt be well conſidered; Idolatrie hath beene ſpoken againſt in all ages.that there hauehave béene alwaies ſome men, in euerie age, which hauehave fréelie cried out againſt the worſhipping of images. And vndoubtedlie for that cauſe manie of the Graecian emperours; as namelie, the Philippicans, the Conſtantines, & the Leos, reſiſted the Romane biſhops; againſt whom, on the other ſide, the Romane biſhops oppoſed themſelues, of a certeine hatred: bicauſe they deſired earneſtlie to be rid of their ſubiection. For which cauſe, they ioined themſelues with the French men, and by that meanes rent in ſunder the Romane empire. Wherefore it is no maruell, if at this daie alſo for images ſake, they ſtir vp vaine contentions.

Further, they obiect woonders and maruels, Miracles are obiected for the defenſe of idolatrie. An anſwer.which are wrought before images. And did not Peter (ſaie they) while he was vponupon the earth, worke things of great woonder and admiration? This cannot be denied: and yet did he not ſuffer himſelfe to be adored. Wherefore, the argument is moſt féeble, namelie; Some miracles be doone at ſignes and images; Ergo they muſt be worſhipped and adored. Antichriſt alſo ſhall come with manie woonders, 2. Theſ. 2, 9.2 Thess 2:9and yet to followe and honour him, is a heinous wickednes. Alſo the braſen ſerpent did heale them, 2. Kin. 18, 4.2 Kgs 18:4which were hurt in the wilderneſſe; which neuertheleſſe, when it was worſhipped, it was aboliſhed by Ezechias. In like maner the Ethnikes ſhewed manie ſignes and miracles, for the eſtabliſhing of their idols; as we may read in Valerius Maximus, Liuius, and other old writers. They obiect for their idols the tradition of the church. An anſwer.At the laſt (when they hauehave nothing elſe) they ſaie; that This worſhipping is the tradition of the church, and therefore muſt be ſtill reteined. Verelie, we reiect not all the traditions of the church; but thoſe without controuerſie we reteine, which agrée with the word of God; & thoſe alſo, which be not ſuperfluous, nor bring in a new ſeruice or worſhipping. But if there be anie, which be repugnant to the word of God, or burdenſome to the church of God, or doo import ſome new kind of ſeruice, we (vponupon iuſt cauſe) reiect them. Moreouer, p. 349how is the worſhipping of images an apoſtolicall tradition, when as the primitiue church vſed no ſuch things? Naie rather (as we hauehave before declared) ſome of the ancient fathers, not onelie condemned images, but alſo the makers of them. And moſt vaine is that, which theſe men hauehave alwaies in their mouth; It is a tradition, inquire not of it. But I on the other part ſaie; It is a tradition, therefore inquire diligentlie of it, whether it be agréeable to the word of God; or whether it were in times paſt allowed of all the ancient fathers. But as concerning miracles, which be obiected vntounto vsus; we muſt vnderſtand, that the diuell dooth manie times put himſelfe among, who is accuſtomed to nothing more, than to eſtabliſh ſuperſtitions and idolatrie. Againe, the miracles which are of that ſort, be doone by the iuſt iudgement of God; bicauſe men doo caſt awaie from them the louelove of the truth: 2. Theſ. 2, 122 Thess 2:12as it is in the epiſtle to the Theſſalonians.

Note.20 The diuell ſéeing the ſigne of the croſſe, faineth himſelfe to flie: when neuertheleſſe, by ſuch counterfeiting, he créepeth more and more into vsus. The ſtrength and power of the croſſe conſiſteth not in the ſigne, but in the true and ſound faith of Chriſt crucified. The ſacrificing prieſts alſo doo report, that they ſanctifie in a maner all things with the ſigne of the croſſe. But the ſcriptures ſpeake farre otherwiſe, which teſtifie, that meates are ſanctified by faith, praiers, and by the word of God. 1. Tim. 4, 5.1 Tim 4:5Wherevnto while we aſſent, and doo praie for the vſe of things, to the cleane all things are made cleane. I denie not, but that certeine miracles hauehave ſometimes béene wrought by the ſigne of the croſſe, as Auguſtine reporteth in his 22. booke De ciuitate Dei, and eight chapter. But I hauehave alreadie declared the cauſe thereof, which ſéemeth not néedfull to be repeated: onelie this I will report, that the diuell is maruellouſlie fed and delighted with mans errors. And withall it is to be added, that manie of thoſe miracles were forged: Fained and falſo miracles.for the ſacrificing prieſts and monks ſéeking after gaine, doo ſpread abroad manie things altogither falſe, which were neuer anie where doone or ſpoken. But whie the elders (as we hauehave aboue ſaid) ſigned their forehead with a croſſe, it is no eaſie matter to alledge the certeine cauſe. Before in art. 14.But I thinke that there were two reſpects: 1firſt, to teſtifie themſelues to be Chriſtians; as though they were not aſhamed of the croſſe of Chriſt. And this I gather by Auguſtine De verbis apoſtoli, the eight ſermon: for the Ethniks triumphed ouer the Chriſtians, caſting their follie in their téeth, bicauſe they worſhipped Chriſt that was nailed on the croſſe. To whom that father maketh anſwer; A hart in déed we hauehave, but yet no ſuch as ye hauehave: neither are we aſhamed of him that was crucified; but in that part, where the ſigne of ſhamefaſtneſſe is, there hauehave we the ſigne of his croſſe.

2An other cauſe is, that they would of a certeine euill and prepoſterous zeale, imitate the legall ceremonies: and bicauſe it might not be lawfull, after the comming of Chriſt, to ſacrifice after the maner of the Hebrues, Exod. 12, 22Exod 12:22who were bidden to beſprinkle the doore-poſts of their houſes with the blood of the paſchall lambe: our Chriſtians in ſemblance thereof, ſigned their foreheads with the croſſe. As Auguſtine dooth teſtifie in the 20. chapter De catechizandis rudibus. 3Moreouer, they perſuaded themſelues (as it is alreadie ſhewed) that the euill ſpirits were by ſuch a ſigne chaſed awaie. Yea, and Gregorius Romanus alſo, in his third booke of Dialogs writeth; A wonderfull hiſtorie of a Iew that came by night into the temple of the idols.that A Iew entering by night into a temple of an idoll, there to take his reſt, and being greatlie aſtoniſhed with the ſight of verie manie wicked ſpirits, which were in that place, armed himſelfe by the ſigne of the croſſe. And when the prince of the euill ſpirits vnderſtood that a man was preſent, he commanded one of the diuels, that he ſhould go vntounto him, and trie him what he was. Who, after he had beheld him, returned and ſaid; Trulie I found an emptie veſſell, but it was marked: and he left the Iew quite and cleane without anie harme. Which thing he conſidering with himſelfe, came to the religion of Chriſt. But Gregorie in that booke heaped vp togither manie vaine & fabulous things, the which not onlie may mooue the readers of them vntounto laughter; but alſo they are verie much againſt the religion of Chriſt.

The ſigne of the croſſe is worne by princes vponupon their crownes, without ſuperſtition: bicauſe by that ſigne they onelie teſtifie and profeſſe, that they honor and mainteine the religion of Chriſt. Further, if it be lawfull for a man to beare in armes the badge of his owne familie; it is alſo lawfull for him, by the ſigne of the croſſe, to profeſſe Chriſtian religion. The ſigne of the croſſe appeered vntounto Conſtantine.And in times paſt there appeared in heauen the ſigne of the croſſe vntounto Conſtantine the great, and an inſcription was added; In this ſigne ſhalt thou ouercome. For God was minded by a miracle to cōfirme him in the religion of Chriſt, which he had latelie receiued. Neither may he be condemned, for that he cauſed that ſigne to be expreſſed in the banner which he ment to vſe. But that he afterward made ſuch a maner of ſigne in gold, that I allow not; bicauſe by the dooing thereof he opened no ſmall gap to ſuperſtition. Concerning the finding of the Lords owne croſſe by Helen, wiſe men maruell that Euſebius Caeſarienſis, who was verie familiar with Conſtantine, and ſet foorth his life, wrote nothing p. 350of it. But Theodoretus & Sozomenus, indéed write ſomwhat of that matter. Howbeit, rather of the report of others, than by the certeintie of their owne knowledge. Yet, in the reading of that hiſtorie, there is found no mention of worſhipping: neuertheleſſe, it is ſaid, that it was placed in the temple. Moreouer, what great eſtimation Helen made of the nailes, which the report is that ſhe found, it appéereth; in that it is written, that ſhe put one of them in the bridle of that horſſe, which hir ſonne vſed, an other into his helmet, and the third ſhe caſt into the ſea, for appeaſing of tempeſts. The ſpeare which pearſed Chriſts ſide.At this daie alſo they worſhip and honour at Rome, (with ſingular adoration) the ſpeare, wherewithall they ſaie the Lords ſide was pearſed vponupon the croſſe. This is the wilineſſe of the diuell, that he may perpetuallie driue men forward, till at length they be throwne downe headlong into the bottomleſſe gulfe of impietie.

An other obiection.21 Our aduerſaries blame vsus, as being ouer hard and bitter: and they ſaie; If one walking by chance, ſhall eſpie a faire plant, not onelie gréene, but loden with fruit; and he being inflamed with an earneſt affection towards the moſt bountifull goodneſſe of God, and féeling his mind ſtirred to worſhip God the author of ſo beautifull a worke; what ſhould let, but that he may proſtrate himſelfe néere vntounto that pleaſant trée, and there worſhip God, and render thanks vntounto him for his ſingular benefits beſtowed on men? Nothing, as I thinke. So in like maner, if one ſhall behold the image of Chriſt, and is earneſtlie affected to the benefit of Chriſt his death; wherefore may he not worſhip Chriſt the author of his life néere vntounto the ſame? Héerevnto I anſwer, that the word of God muſt alwaies be before our eies, whereby it is forbidden (for religion ſake) to proſtrate before a creature. This ought to remaine alwais firme and ſure, and to be in force; that neither we proſtrate our ſelues vntounto a trée, nor yet vntounto an image. Neither is it lawfull to excuſe theſe things, by ſaieng; that they doo not worſhip the outward matter, neither the figure, nor the lineaments. What then [doo they honour?] They ſaie they honour the thing ſignified. So might the Ethniks likewiſe hauehave excuſed their idolatrie; that they did not worſhip ſtones, wood, and metall, but onelie the properties which were repreſented by thoſe ſignes. The epiſtle of Symmachus, of reſtoring images, confuted by Ambroſe.Verelie Symmachus wrote an epiſtle to the emperours, that they would at length reſtore the images of the Romans, and there he vſeth ſuch and ſuch like arguments verie Rhetoricallie: but Ambroſe moſt ſtronglie hath confuted them all. The writings on both parts are yet at this daie to be ſéene, in the epiſtles of Ambroſe. God commanded abſolutelie, that images ſhould not be worſhipped; wherefore we muſt rather obey his words, than the ſubtill ſophiſtications of men.

Auguſtine vponupon the 113. pſalme, wrote this argument; By the iudgement of Paule it is ſaid; Rom. 1, 25.Rom 1:25They turned the glorie and truth of GOD into a lie, and they deſired rather to worſhip the creature than the creator. The firſt part of Pauls ſaieng condemneth images; bicauſe they be lies, which are repugnant vntounto the truth and glorie of God: and the other part taketh awaie all excuſe, that there they worſhip not God; but creatures. And Claudius the biſhop of Thurine ſaid; If thou hauehave pictured vponupon the wall, Mars, Venus, and Mercurie, thou haſt no true gods; and when thou haſt there, Paule, Peter, & Iohn, thou haſt not verie men: wherefore the error is not quite taken awaie, but altered. Paule alſo ſaid vntounto the Corinthians; 1. Co. 10, 191 Cor 10:19We knowe that an idoll is nothing, but that which the Gentils doo offer, they offer vntounto diuels. Vndoubtedlie, if the excuſe brought now by our aduerſaries, were of anie weight, the Ethniks would eaſilie hauehave ſaid vntounto the apoſtle; Thou haſt doone vsus a manifeſt iniurie, for our purpoſe is to offer the ſacrifices, which we ſlaie, vntounto God, and not vntounto diuels. An other obiection more fooliſh.Alſo we méete with others more fooliſh, which ſaie, that this precept was giuen vntounto the Hebrues, & that it ought to be reckoned among the ceremonicall precepts; but that now the ceremonies being abrogated, we are no longer bound by it. 1An anſwer.They conſider not, that in the table of the ten commandements, there was nothing commanded, which did apperteine vntounto the ceremonies, onelie the kéeping of the Sabboth daie excepted, wherein neuertheleſſe ſome morall thing preſenteth it ſelfe vntounto them, which diligentlie doo behold the ſame. 2Auguſtine, in his 119. epiſtle vntounto Ianuarius, dooth acknowledge the ſame. I beſéech you let theſe wiſe men conſider, that if this thing ſhould hauehave béene reckoned among the ceremonies, the Ethniks had not ſinned in the honouring and worſhipping of images; bicauſe they were not bound vntounto the ceremonies of the Iewes. Moreouer, it is euident, that that ceremonies of the old teſtament were not reuoked by the apoſtle, nor yet the yoke of them laid vponupon the Gentils; who neuertheleſſe, in expreſſe woords commanded, that idols and images ſhould be auoided.

22 Séeing therefore it is plentifullie enough confirmed, Whether images ought to be put in temples. Note.that images muſt not be worſhipped nor adored; now it reſteth, that we examine this, whether it be lawfull to ſet them in holie places, where the congregations of the faithfull reſort. Some affirme that it is lawfull, ſo the worſhipping of them be forbidden. But (in my iudgement) it muſt not be allowed, that they ſhould be had in churches: firſt, bicauſe it is a p. 351verie dangerous thing. And experience hath taught, whither men at the length, thorough beholding of them, fell, when they ſawe them placed in the temples: for they worſhipped them. The waie therefore that leadeth vntounto idolatrie, muſt be cut off from the faithfull. Auguſtine writeth verie well and religiouſlie of this matter, vponupon the 113. pſalme; When images (ſaith he) be ſet in a high place, or elſe in ſome tabernacle, a naughtie affection is bred in mens minds, whereby the diuell is inuited to intermedle himſelfe. Alſo in his 49. epiſtle Ad Deo gratias, he was of the ſame mind. And ſurelie we perceiue, that this thing hath happened. 2Neither will I paſſe ouer the ſame father, in his ſixt ſermon vponupon the Lords ſermon made in the mount; They declare (ſaith he) in what place and eſtimation they account the image, when they appoint to erect an altar vntounto it: for vnleſſe they thought, that either it were god, or had ſome diuine power in it, they would not erect an altar therevnto. Wherefore, by this ſaieng of Auguſtine, almoſt all the temples of the Papiſts are condemned, wherein alwaies (in a maner) altars are ioined with idols.

3Epiphanius.Beſides, it may be prooued by the example of Epiphanius, that they ought not to be had in churches. He being in his iournie, and happening into a certeine towne that was called Anablatha, did ſée (as he paſſed by) a certeine candle burning; and demanding what place the ſame was, he vnderſtood that it was a church, or a place of praier for the faithfull, wherefore he entered in, that he might praie vntounto God. And he ſawe a curteine hang, wherein was painted the image of a man, as if it had béene of Chriſt, or of a holie man; inſomuch that when he ſawe the picture of a man hanged in the church, contrarie to the authoritie of the ſcriptures, he both plucked downe and rent the curteine, and counſelled the ſextons of the church, that they ſhould carrie it foorth, and wrap a poore dead man in it. Moreouer, he wrote vntounto Iohn biſhop of Ieruſalem (vntounto whom the cure of that place belonged) that from thence forward he ſhould take héed, that ſuch hangings, otherwiſe than religion would permit, ſhould not be ſuffered in the church of Chriſt. And that epiſtle ſéemed vntounto Ierom to be of ſuch weight, as that he vouchſafed to turne it into Latine: which he would not hauehave doone, if he had not béene of our mind. 4The latter ſynod of Epheſus.Alſo the latter ſynod of Epheſus condemned images: howbeit, the ſame ſynod is not allowed, and that vponupon iuſt cauſe; inſomuch as it fauoured the heretiks Neſtor and Eutyches. Such is the hap not onelie of humane affaires, but manie times alſo of eccleſiaſticall; that euill things are mingled with good. Wherevpon it commeth afterward to paſſe, that not onelie euill things, but good things alſo togither are therewithall reiected.

5Emperours which were Monothelites.So we ſée it happened vntounto ſome of the Graecian emperours, which aboliſhed images: for Philippicus the firſt, Leo the third, Conſtantine, and Leo the fourth: bicauſe they were Monothelites, that, which on the other ſide they iudged aright of images, was reiected. Which alſo commeth to paſſe at this daie, when, by reaſon of the corrupt conuerſation of them, which profeſſe the Goſpell, their ſincere doctrine is caſt out. 6Alſo the ſynod of Eliberinum condemned images; wherein was decréed, that within the walles of the churches there ſhould no image be painted, leaſt ſuch a thing ſhould be pictured out, as might be worſhiped. 7Pereſius, when he perceiued himſelfe to be hardlie beſet with the ſaiengs of theſe fathers, he ſaid vnaduiſedlie; A ſhift of Pereſius.that Their mind was not to hauehave all images to be taken awaie, but onelie thoſe, which were made deformedlie vponupon the walles; and not likewiſe thoſe that were doon vponupon clothes & tables. But afterward, when he perceiued that this alſo was but a vaine ſhift, he calleth to remembrance, that this ſort of pictures ought well to be taken away for a time, bicauſe men, in thoſe daies, worſhipped them with the honour due vntounto God. And in this opinion he is againſt Gregorie, which decréed, that they ſhould not for that cauſe be taken awaie; but rather, that men ſhould be warned not to worſhip them. Pereſius alſo determined, that after the ſame reaſon and ſort Epiphanius was to be excuſed.

23 Whereas afterward our aduerſaries demand of vsus, What they be that deſtroied images. 1. King. 18, 41 Kgs 18:4what woorthie men we hauehave ſéene to be deſtroiers of images? We anſwer: Ezechias a moſt godlie king, which brake in péeces the braſen ſerpent. Moſes alſo, which brake in ſunder the molten calfe. Exod. 32, 20Exod 32:20Other good princes alſo: and Serenus the biſhop of Maſſilia. Neither hauehave we euer perceiued, that the ſcripture condemned ouerthrowers of images, but the workers of images. The firſt perhaps, Who firſt painted churches.which painted the church, was Paulinus the biſhop of Nola, which yéelded this reaſon for the fact. When the faithfull ſort met togither vponupon the holie daie, to celebrate the memorie of Felix the martyr, they were interteined with a religious banket; and when they were more giuen to féeding of their bodie, than reaſon would, that father deuiſed to paint vponupon the wall, the hiſtories of the old teſtament & of the new, to the end that the people, by beholding of them, might the more ſoberlie behaue themſelues in their banket. But howſoeuer that holie and godlie father ment in other matters, yet in this matter he offended double. For firſt he ſhould not hauehave banketed the people in the church, ſéeing we know, that in the church of the Corinths there were manie things found p. 352fault withall by the apoſtle, 1. Co. 11, 221 Cor 11:22concerning thoſe feaſts. Moreouer he did amiſſe, in that he thought men were more inſtructed by dumbe pictures, than by the liuelie word of God. Wherfore did he not rather teach them by a liuelie voice, that they ſhould temperatlie and ſoberlie ſpend out the time of the holie feaſt? This had béene the ordinarie waie and meanes, and moſt void of all danger. PrudentiusPrudentius alſo, which liued in the time of Honorius and Theodoſius, ſinging the paſſion of Caſſianus the martyr, ſaid that The hiſtorie of him was pictured in the church.

And in the ſeuenth Synod, which was holden vnderunder Conſtantius and Hiren, Nilus a biſhop.one Nilus a biſhop is brought in, which counſelleth him that ſhould build a new church, to garniſh the wals on euerie ſide with images and pictures. But what biſhop this was, it is not knowen: a martyr indéed he is called, in this reſpect, that he ſo became for Chriſt, in the time of Diocleſian. But it can not be he, bicauſe it was not then permitted vntounto the chriſtians, to build churches publikelie. Further, in that ſecond Synod of Nice, we read manie feined things: and thoſe things which were cited by thoſe fathers, for the moſt part are not extant in the booke of thoſe men, which were of ſound iudgement. There alſo it is reported, that Gregorius Niſſenus wept, at ſuch time as he paſſed by the image of Abraham: but whether that image were in the waie, or in the temple, it appéereth not. There alſo it is read, that the martyrdome of Euphemia the virgine, was painted out in the temple of the citie of Calcedonia: howbeit, ſo farre as I can gather, theſe pictures were in the church-porch. Auguſtins temple had no images.But that Auguſtine had no images in his temple, it appéereth hereby, that he expounding thoſe words of the 113. pſalme; The images of the Gentiles be ſiluer and gold, euen the works of mens hands, he writeth: The works of mens hands; for they worſhip that, which they themſelues made of gold and of ſiluer. Doubtleſſe, we alſo hauehave manie inſtruments, and veſſels, of ſuch kind of matter or metall, for the vſe of celebrating the ſacraments: the which veſſels being conſecrated to the miniſterie it ſelfe, are called holie; in the honor of him, whom hereby we ſerue for our ſaluation. And theſe veſſels (I beſéech you) are they anie other thing, than the works of mens hands? Yet notwithſtanding hauehave they a mouth, & ſpeake not? HaueHave they eies, & yet will not ſée? Doo we praie to them, bicauſe through them we make ſupplications vntounto God? That is a verie mad cauſe of impietie. Wherefore it is manifeſt, that images were not there: for otherwiſe he would hauehave confeſſed himſelfe inexcuſable.

24 Moreouer, in the ſame Synod they cite Baſil, in his oration of the fortie martyrs. A place in an oration of Baſil expounded.But that which they alledge maketh nothing to the matter now in hand. For Baſil affirmeth not, that the acts of theſe martyrs were deſcribed in the temple: but in the commending of them, in his oration, he ſaith, that he would doo rightlie and orderlie, whereby others might againe and againe be ſtrengthened in faith. For painters, while they paint foorth the acts of valiant men, they ſtirre vp others vntounto laudable enterpriſes. Men began, euen at the firſt, vponupon a readie good will borne vntounto Chriſt, and to his apoſtles, to hauehave ſome of their images at home with them. Afterward, being not ſatiſfied with the priuate vſe of them, they ſet them not within the temples, but in the porches. Againe, they conſidered with themſelues; What if they ſhould be put in churches, would they not bring ſuch and ſuch things vntounto our memorie? And finallie there inſued an adoration. Conſtantine, with his ſonne Iuſtinian, at the temple of Sophia, made pictures; the which afterward Philippicus tooke awaie: for which cauſe there followed afterward verie fierce contentions. And ſéeing Paule ſaith; 2. Cor. 6, 16.2 Cor 6:16How agreeth the temple of God with idols? Is it not a ſhame at this daie, that churches ſhould be fraught with images? How the ancient Chriſtians ordered themſelues in praiers, Tertullian expreſſeth in his Apologetico, the 30. chapter; We (ſaith he) honor GOD with our eies lifted vp to the heauens, and not vntounto pictures. Lib. Inſtit. 2 cap. 2.Lactantius reproouing the Ethniks, ſaith; If ye thinke that thoſe whom the images doo repreſent, be in heauen, whie doo you not lift vp your eies vntounto heauen? Wherefore it is lawfull ſo to ſaie vntounto our aduerſaries; If ye thinke that the ſaints be in heauen, whie doo ye not lift vp your eies vntounto them, which ye turne vntounto the images in the temples?

Alſo, we may prooue by an other argument, Other arguments to proue that the Chriſtians had no images.that Chriſtians had no images in their temples. For Aelius Lampridius, deſcribing the liues of the thirtie tyrants, among other things, ſaith; that Adrianus the emperor had decréed to appoint churches vntounto the Chriſtians, but that there was one, which did diſſuade him that he ſhould not doo it. For he ſaid; If thou doo this, the temples and images will be forſaken, and all men will become Chriſtians. For thoſe churches, which the emperor was minded to giuegive them, he builded without images. Inſomuch as thoſe churches, which were afterward erected without images, were called the temples of Adrian. Moreouer, it muſt be conſidered, that thoſe things ought not to be had in the churches, which call men backe from the religion of Chriſt. Vndoubtedlie, verie manie, as well of the Turks as Iewes, would be content to become p. 353chriſtians, were it not that they be greatlie offended at our images. Paulus Ricius a learned Hebrue.Wherevpon Paulus Ricius, a verie learned Hebrue, which was chriſtened at Pauia, ſaid; It was verie expedient, that images ſhould be remooued out of churches; bicauſe manie of the Hebrues, by the meanes of them, be called awaie from the confeſſing of Chriſt. Eraſmus opinion, touching images.And Eraſmus, in his catechiſme, wrote manie things to this purpoſe; and finallie determined, that thoſe are not to be accompted heretiks, which want images, and will not receiue them. And in his booke called Eccleſiaſtes, he alloweth not of thoſe preachers, who, while they deale with the people in the pulpit, doo vſe pictures and images: for that (as he ſaith) is not decent for that place.

1. Cor. … .10.Paule vndoubtedlie, in the firſt to the Corinthians, exhorteth the faithfull, and that with manie words, that they ſhould beware of offending the weake. Wherefore, although there be manie, which ſaie, that they know that images muſt not be worſhipped; yet let them thinke this, that euerie one dooth not ſufficientlie knowe it. And ſurelie, the conſideration ſéemeth to be all one of images, and of things dedicated vntounto idols. Which the wiſe men of Corinth ſaid they knew what they were. 1. Co. 10, 191 Cor 10:19And yet neuertheleſſe, Paule commanded, that they ſhould not eate them: and he ſaid, Ibidem. 25.Buy ye meate in the market, eate at home, and not in places appointed for idols. Euen ſo may we ſaie; If ye will hauehave images, hauehave ye them at home, and not in the temples. Neither doo images placed in the temples leſſe harme vntounto the church, than did the diſſembling of Peter. Gal. 2, 13.Gal 2:13For he, in ſuffering the ceremonies of the Iewes, nouriſhed an euill opinion of them. In like maner is the fall of the weake, and peruerſe adoration confirmed, when images are ſuffered to be in churches. We hauehave (ſaie they) a right iudgement of them. Why doo ye not then remooue them? A right faith muſt be teſtified by déeds. And when as they be at anie time remooued out of the temples, I thinke it good to beware, that they be not kept ſound and whole: for if the ſtate change, Images muſt as well be broken in peeces, as remooued out of the temples.they may eaſilie be reſtored againe into their places. When Conſtantine the great was conuerted vntounto Chriſt, he ſhut vp the temples of the idols; but he deſtroied them not. Afterward came Iulianus the Apoſtata, and opened them againe. The which, if they had béene ſubuerted, they could not ſo eaſilie hauehave béene made anew. Which thing afterward Theodoſius and other chriſtian princes noting, they either deſtroied them vtterlie, or elſe granted them to the vſe of chriſtians.

Whoſe part it is to deſtroie images.25 But we muſt vnderſtand, that it is not the part of priuate men, to caſt downe images: therefore it muſt be doone by the publike authoritie of a magiſtrate. Sozomenus in his fift booke writeth, that vnderunder the reigne of Iulian, when he had opened the temples of the idols, certeine chriſtians threw downe images: in ſo much that emperours officers apprehended ſome, who were ſuſpected of that crime, and put them vnderunder torments, and examination; when they neuertheleſſe were innocent. But when the authors of the fact repented themſelues, and ſorrowed for the torments of others, they confeſſed that they did it, and were burned. Of this matter Auguſtine, in his ſixt homilie De ſermone Domini in monte, wrot verie well, where he bringeth the place out of the ſeuenth chapter of Deuteronomie; When the land ſhall be yours, verſe. 5. A place of Deuteronomie, verie well expounded.yee ſhall ſubuert the altars and images of them. Firſt (ſaith he) it behooued them to poſſeſſe the land, and to hauehave it in their power, before they could ſubuert the images thereof. And it is euident, that temples be publike places, and not the poſſeſſions of priuate men. Wherefore it is not euerie mans part there, either to caſt out or to deſtroie anie thing. They then, which beare rule, as well in ciuill as eccleſiaſticall cauſes, ought not to ſuffer thoſe images in churches. Otherwiſe, the ſimpler ſort, when they perceiue them to be ſuffred, euen for that cauſe they attribute the more vntounto them: for that they ſée the princes, biſhops, and paſtors doo not caſt them awaie. And it is verie friuolous, that they hauehave alwaies in their mouth; Whether idols helpe the faith of the ignorant. Rom. 10, 17Rom 10:17that images are certeine viſible words of God, which helpe the faith of them that be ignorant. For Paule teſtifieth, that Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: not by pictures or images. If anie be deſirous to hauehave Chriſt pictured, let him read the holie ſcriptures; let him hauehave in his hands the goſpels, the apoſtolicall epiſtles, and the Acts of the apoſtles: and let him be oftentimes preſent at godlie ſermons.

Wherefore Paule vntounto the Galathians ſaith, Gal. 3, 1. How Chriſt was painted by the apoſtles.Gal 3:1that Chriſt was painted before their eies; namelie, through the preaching of him and others, whereby they ſo faithfullie cleaued vntounto Chriſt, as it ſéemed vntounto them, that they beheld him faſtened vntounto the croſſe. Yet they are woont to ſaie; that If theſe ſignes be remooued, the mind… of them, which be weake, are offended. But they ſée not, that while they ſtudie to ſhunne the leſſe euill, they fall into the greater. For while they ſuffer images in temples, the weake be offended; and both the vngodlie are confirmed in their vngodlineſſe, and the godlie are damnified. Furthermore, it is to be conſidered, that our aduerſaries doo importunatelie, & without ceaſing, vrge, that it is an eccleſiaſticall tradition, and that therefore it neither may nor ought to be changed. But it is farre otherwiſe; ſéeing that eccleſiaſticall traditions may be changed and taken awaie, if edifieng doo ſo require. p. 354Wherefore, if they would ſuffer it to be an eccleſiaſticall tradition, it ſhould be lawfull to change the ſame. Thriſe dipping in baptiſme.In times paſt children were baptiſed with thriſe dipping: which cuſtome or tradition (as Gregorie writeth vntounto Leander) was taken awaie; bicauſe of certeine heretiks, which affirmed, that without thoſe thrée dippings, children were not baptiſed. By the ſame reaſon, why are not images caſt out of the temples, leaſt we ſhould ſéeme to conſent with idolaters? Pereſius reaſon.But Pereſius ſaith, that By taking awaie of images, we be againſt the ſenſe of humane nature, and alſo againſt God himſelfe. But we hauehave alreadie anſwered, that all kinds of images are not taken awaie by vsus; but we would not hauehave them worſhipped, nor to be in the temples, where adoration might eaſilie be doone vntounto them. Moreouer, if the reaſon of Pereſius were firme, we might prooue God to doo againſt himſelfe, who forbad by his lawe, that men ſhould not proſtrate themſelues before images. Why the fathers ſuffered not images.There be others, which ſaie, that the fathers in the primitiue church ſuffered not images; bicauſe men were then prone vntounto idolatrie. But (who I beſéech you) is able to knowe or affirme this? Is not now mans corruption the ſame that then it was? Are not images in this our age worſhipped and honoured euerie where?

26 At the laſt they come vntounto that, which was the cauſe that we tooke in hand this treatiſe. And they ſaie, Exod. 25, 18Exod 25:18that in the time of Moſes and Salomon, 1. King. 6, 231 Kgs 6:23God would hauehave Cherubim, and other images, in the tabernacle and temple. Herevnto ſome ſaie, that thoſe images were placed in the innermoſt holie place, Exod. 25, 31Exod 25:31where none might ſée them. It is a weake anſwer: for there were ſuch alſo in the court of the prieſts, where they made the burnt offerings and ſacrifices. Alſo in the engins, 1. King. 7, 291 Kgs 7:29which ſuſteined the lauatories, there were Cherubims, lions, and oxen. Moreouer the ſea of braſſe was ſet vponupon oxen of braſſe. 1. Kng. 7, 25Wherevpon others anſwer, that thoſe images were not there, to the intent they ſhould be worſhipped; but to be as it were a certeine training, and that they might garniſh the holie temple. But the Papiſts would, after the ſame maner, excuſe their images. Wherefore it is more fitlie anſwered, that God gaue the lawe, not to himſelfe, but vntounto vsus; ſo then we muſt followe the ſame: neither may we bring him into order, if he otherwhiles would anie thing of a ſpeciall prerogatiue. He muſt be ſuffered to doo after his owne will; but we muſt obeie the lawe that is made. Certeinlie thoſe images had ſome figuratiue meaning, but they were not ſet foorth as an example for vsus to followe. With them was ioined the word of God, which the images placed in our churches doo want. And ſéeing they were externall things, and had the word added to them; they were (after a ſort) ſacraments of thoſe times: and it is onelie God, and not men, which can make ſacraments.

And it is to be noted, that Salomon and Moſes, which made the Cherubims, durſt not make anie other: they onelie made that, which was commended vntounto them by God. They painted not vponupon the walles the acts of Abraham, neither the dooings of Adam or Moſes, nor of the other fathers. Whether an image of Chriſt may be ſet vp for ſhewing that he had a true bodie.They are alſo accuſtomed ſometimes to ſaie; We hauehave the images of Chriſt, to the intent we may conuince the Marcionites and Valentinians, which denied that Chriſt had a true bodie. Surelie a verie plauſible and ſharpe argument! But I would hauehave them anſwer, wherefore they hauehave the images of other ſaints. Was there anie man that admitted them to hauehave no true bodies? Doubtleſſe there be other reaſons to be vſed for the conuincing of heretiks; who, if they be not mooued by the teſtimonies of the ſcriptures, and by the acts which Chriſt did, ſurelie they will not be confuted by images. And ſo thoſe things, which be brought by our aduerſaries, be onelie pretences, leaues of fig-trées, & branches; whereby neuertheles they couer not their ſhame. If they would be ſéene to flie from Marcion the heretike, why doo they not in like maner ſhew themſelues to deteſt idolatrie? Neither is this to be let paſſe, that the image it ſelfe of Chriſt, if it be had in the churches, is far more dangerous than others be; by reaſon of the woorthineſſe and excellencie of the perſon whom it betokeneth.

27 Alſo that is friuolous, Images of Alexander Seuerus.which they report of Alexander Seuerus the emperour, that he had images in his priuie cloſet: for he receiued them not of the chriſtians. He was an Ethnike, and therefore no maruell if he delited himſelfe with images. Such examples are not to be ſought from him, and ſuch as he was. After theſe things they obiect the braſen image, An image of braſſe ſet vp in Caeſaria.which in times paſt was placed in the citie of Caeſaria Philippi. But if they will ſomewhat more diligentlie read the hiſtorie of Euſebius, they ſhall vnderſtand, that the ſame was not placed in the temple, but before the doore of the ſame womans houſe, which had receiued hir health of Chriſt. Among the Ethniks there was a cuſtome, that if one had receiued a great benefit of anie man, he would ſet vp an image of him, of whom he had reaped ſo great a benefit: ſo did ſhe behaue hir ſelfe toward Chriſt. Moreouer, Signes of Chriſt crucified.they defend the hauing of the image of Chriſt crucified vponupon the croſſe, in this reſpect, that vnleſſe thoſe ſignes be ſéene in euerie place, our redemption, that is, the death of the ſonne of God may be forgotten. Vndoubtedlie, if it be declared in ſermons, and often called to remembrance, the faithfull will not be forgetfull of the ſame. For p. 355the primitiue church had alwaies before their eies Chriſt crucified, although it vſed no idols nor images.

But the writing of Athanaſius, concerning the image [of Chriſt] wounded by the Iewes, ſéemeth to be both fabulous and fond. For there liued at that time manie famous & learned biſhops, whoſe works yet at this daie are extant among vsus; who, if ſo notable a thing had happened at that time, they would ſurelie hauehave made mention thereof in their books and hiſtories. Euſebius, Sozomenus, and Theodoretus, who wrote manie things of Athanaſius; yet did they vtterlie leaue out this, which is vainelie boaſted of by theſe men. A feined deuiſe that images doo teach.As touching the learning, which they ſaie is to be gathered by theſe things, we néed not ſtand vponupon it; ſéeing God, Chriſt, and the holie Ghoſt ſpeake largelie inough vntounto vsus in temples, in the holie ſcriptures, in ſermons, and in ſacraments: ouer and beſides which, what néed ſhould there be to bring in images vntounto them, which rather call vsus from the perceiuing of them, than helpe vsus? It is not the part of Chriſtians, to repaire vntounto the churches, to the intent they may féed their eies with pictures and images; but to praie, to heare the word of God, to receiue the ſacraments, to giuegive thanks vntounto God, and to celebrate the name of his maieſtie. The Lacedaemonians ordeined, that in the Senat houſe there ſhould be placed no image; to the intent the Senators there might be of readie wit, and moſt attentiuelie bend their cogitations vponupon thoſe matters, which were in counſell among them.

28 Wherefore in vaine doo our aduerſaries clatter, that images be the bookes of laie men; that while they notifie the acts of holie men, they teach the rude and vnſkilfull ſort. We indéed confeſſe, that ſomething is ſignified by pictures or images; howbeit verie ſlenderlie. But the minds of the vnſkilfull be ſo rude, as that they hauehave néed of the miniſterie of the word. And it commeth oftentimes to paſſe, that by images they be rather led into error, than trulie taught. Let the idiot or vnlearned returne as oft as he will vntounto a picture, it will alwaies tell one thing: and if anie doubt happen vntounto him, while he beholdeth the ſame, it will neuer anſwer anie thing for reſoluing thereof. But in the holie ſcriptures, and in godlie ſermons, whatſoeuer ſhall appéere ſomewhat darke in one place, is plainlie inough expounded in an other. Verelie a picture, if thou ſhalt once erre, it will neuer amend thée. Howbeit, we grant that images may hauehave a good vſe; namelie, to renew the memorie of things which hauehave béene doone. How the memorie of things done to renewed by images.Which thing, although not euerie where, yet in ſome places it happeneth conuenientlie: euen as ſometimes we ſpeake ſome things by ſignes, and dumbe men expreſſe manie things by geſtures. But whereas it is lawfull to vſe this at ſometime, and ſomewhere; doo we therefore vſe it alwaies, and in all places?

Shall he be accounted a wiſe Senator, that in the ſenate houſe ſheweth his iudgement by pointing and nodding? And there is no doubt, but we vſe water for the quenching of thirſt; yet if thou ſet the ſame before thy gheſts at a banket, thou ſhalt be called a foole and a couetous man: ſo in like maner images, although elſewhere they hauehave their commoditie, yet they muſt not be ſuffered in churches, where we may deale with God by far better waies & meanes; eſpeciallie ſéeing they can not there be had without danger. verſe. 14.For Ieremie in the tenth chapter ſaith, that Images doo tell lies. And euen this dooth Abacuk ſhew in the ſecond chapter. And in the 13. and 14. chapters of the booke of Wiſedome it is written; In the whole chapters.that Men be deceiued by them. And that the matter may appéere more euident, we muſt vnderſtand, that then crept into the church a frequented vſe of images; when as biſhops began to giuegive them ſelues to idleneſſe, when they ceaſed to teach the church that was committed vntounto them, and to féed the ſame with the word and ſacraments; then (I ſaie) they did ſubſtitute images, to be as it were vicegerents. I beſéech you let experience teach vsus, and let vsus ſée ſince that time, (wherein temples were defiled with images) whether the rude and vnlearned ſort hauehave béene made the better learned by the vſe of them, and hauehave become the more ſkilfull in diuine things by the vſe of them. Surelie Chriſt, and God, was much leſſe knowen than before. Was God ignorant of this commoditie of images?

29 Aſſuredlie, it could not be hidden from him, who with his eie beholdeth all things, and knoweth all things; if he ſawe it, and forbad it. He embraceth not vsus with fatherlie good will, who may ſéeme to denie men ſo great a good. Furthermore the apoſtles, Note.who omitted nothing which might further the ſaluation of men, made no mention in anie place of that ſo great a commoditie. But by their actions they bewraie them ſelues: for thoſe images, vntounto the which the fooliſh people runne on pilgrimage by heaps, be couered manie times with great deuotion, and hidden with great diligence; ſo that ſcarſlie they be opened to noble men, cardinals, and princes. And the ſéelie ignorant people, for whoſe ſake they will that thoſe images were deuiſed, ſhall alwaies hauehave thoſe bookes ſhut vp before them. Neither are we to paſſe much vponupon the ſecond Synod of Nice. For if a man doo weigh but with meane diligence, the reaſons of thoſe biſhops, whereby they eſtabliſhed images, he can not refraine from laughing. p. 356Moreouer, againſt that ſynod we will oppoſe the ſynod Eliberina, in the which (as I hauehave before declared,) pictures and images be forbidden. Further it is ſtrange, that theſe men be not aſhamed to obiect againſt vsus the place of Paule, wherein he ſaid; To the cleane all things be cleane: ſéeing in that place he intreateth onelie of meane and indifferent things, and not dangerous and forbidden things. And ſéeing now we hauehave ſpoken of the nature and antiquitie of images, and hauehave diſtinguiſhed them by the things which they ſignifie, that ſome repreſent God, others the creatures of God; and hauehave ſet foorth what mooued men to indeuour themſelues to expreſſe God by images, and hauehave ſhewed that it is not lawfull to repreſent God by pictures, partlie in reſpect it cannot be, and partlie bicauſe he himſelfe hath forbidden it; and hauehave alſo taught, that there is no let, but that things created may be reſembled in images, ſo that no honour or worſhip be doone vntounto them; and at the laſt hauehave prooued, that they ought not to be ſet in holie places: we thinke now, that we hauehave ſufficientlie ſpoken of them.