Truth and Falsehood, Book · Chapter 29
Againſt Images in Churches, or any where elſe for Religions cauſe. CHAP. 29
THE PROTESTANTS.
ANd as wee muſt hauehave one onelyonly God, in whome we muſt truſt, to whō onelyonly we muſt pray: ſo we dare not make vntounto our ſelues any Image of God, or of any creature, to doe any kinde of worſhip vntounto the ſame. For firſt God hath commanded vsus, that wee ſhould not hauehave anie grauen thing, no nor yet the likeneſſe of any thing in heauen, in the earth, or in the waters to worſhip it. Then alſo mans great weakenes maketh vsus afraide to hauehave them. Becauſe more eaſily we wil worſhip the thing that we ſee, thē that which we ſee not. Thirdly, the godlie among Gods people did alwaies carefully take heed therof, coūting it a thing moſt vnlawfull. Laſtly, the beſt teachers of truth Chriſt & his apoſtles, did neuer cōmēd thē to vsus but rather the contrary. Which doubtleſſe they would hauehave done, if they had bin needefull.
THE PAPISTS
BƲt the Papiſts, whom neither Gods commaunment can reſtraine, neither experience (that teacheth euē) fooles) can admoniſh, though they may dayly ſee (if themſelues were not like their Idols, hauing eyes and ſee not, eares and heare not) the manifeſt and manifolde ſuperſtitions that by them are crept into their Churches: and although they want all warrant of the word, and hauehave no example, of the purer times of the primitiue church to induce them thereto: yet doe they dailie ſet vp thoſe dangerous ſtumbling blockes in their churches, I mean… the Images, before which men doe pray, vntounto which men doe bowe and kneele and ſerue. And that they might the eaſlier lead men and women to ſuperstition, they will ſometime make them to wag their head, moue their eies, fome at the mouth or ſhew other ſuch ſignes, that they are either pleaſed or angry with ſuch as come to them.
And if in anie article of their religion, then ſure in this, in my iudgement, they hauehave a moſt miſerable defence, ſeeing they cannot commend their Images as thinges commended to them of God, or vſed of the Godly. They can only plead not guilty. Our Images are not Idols. We worſhip them not with any vnlawful worſhip. And ſo all that they can doe, is to excuſe themſelues from being Idolaters. No it is more then they can doe, conſidering howe God hath forbidden them, and good men hauehave deteſted them. Are they not careleſſe thinke you of their owne, or other mens ſaluation, that will commend that to the people as good and neceſſary, whereof when they hauehave ſpoken the beſt they can, they cannot truely ſaie it is not euill? But let vsus ſee by what arguments they will proue that images are not euil, images I ſaie that hauehave anie worſhip done vntounto them. For ſuch images as are not in danger to be worſhipped, we ſpeake not againſt. Firſt they put a difference betweene an Idol and an image, & ſaie that an Idol is a falſe likenes of a thing, an image doth truely repreſent thinges vntounto vsus.Bellar. lib 2. de Imag. c. 5. Firſt in matter or ſubſtance they will confeſſe that there is no difference betweene them. For both are made of gold, ſiluer, wood, ſtone or ſuch like. Secondly, in forme they agree, for they are like ſome man or woman. Thirdly, they are of like might or power either againſt miſe or rats, or duſt and cobwebs, and alike able they are or rather vnable to helpe themſelues, or others. Fourthly, the vſe of the Idols that the gentiles had,De preparat. Euang. lib. 3. and that the papiſts hauehave is all one. For Euſebius ſheweth that the gentiles did vſe their Idols as bookes, to learne by them God himſelfe and his power,Contra gent. lib. 1. and to expreſſe and ſet forth the inuiſible things of God, by their images? And Athanaſius a little before him affirmeth the ſame. For he reporteth that ſuch as were the wiſer ſorte of them ſaid, they were as bookes or letters, wherein they might read and learne to know God. And are they not vſed in the popiſh church to be laie mens bookes? Let themſelues ſpeake. We deſire in this cauſe no other witneſſes. Why then ſaith Athanaſius in the place before alleadged, what is there in the image that doth repreſent God? Is it the matter? What neede was there then that a ſhape ſhould be giuen vntounto it? Or what need we ſeeke that in few places that is in many? For ſtone, wood, gold and ſuch like maie eaſlier els where be found then in churches. Is it the forme, the likeneſſe of men or other creatures? Why then ſhoulde it not bee thought that men themſelues, or other creatures, ſhoulde more liuelie repreſent God than their image? Is it the cunning or workemanſhip? Then men that deuiſed this ſkill maie rather teach vsus, than the image which they made. Thus we ſee how this ancient writer doth confute ſoundlie, not only the opinion that Pagans had of the vſe of their Idols, but alſo that popiſh vſe of images to be laie mens bookes. And ſeeing in al theſe points they are ſo like, as if they were twinnes of one birth, why ſhould we doubt but they are al one. But they are not more like in anie thing, than in that definition of an idol which maiſter Bellarmine himſelfe hath ſet downe.De Imag. li. 2 cap. 5. The image of God the father. De Imag. li. 2 cap. 8. An Idol (ſaith he) is a falſe likeneſſe. But the popiſh images are falſe likeneſſes, therefore they are idols. Firſt the image of God the father to be made like an aged man, which maiſter Bellarmine liketh wel of, is but a falſe likeneſſe. For graie heires, and age, are rather a token of weakenes, than a picture fit to ſet foorth Gods maieſtie: and ſhew him rather to be pitied than powerful. Yea but God appeared (ſaith M. Bellarm.) to Daniel hauing The haire of his head like the pure wool. Daniel. 7.… .It is true, but he bid not Daniel paint him ſo. He appeared in that ſhape to Daniel only, whom he had indued with a principal ſpirit, but did not ſhew himſelfe ſo vntounto the people. He appeared vntounto his ſeruants in ſundry ſhapes not often in one ſort, to ſhew that he muſt not be made like vntounto anie one of them, for none of them all can ſet him forth vntounto vsus, as he ſhould be ſet forth, & therefore if we wil make them they are but lying ſimilitudes.The image of Chriſt. And for the image of Chriſt, it is but a lying likeneſſe. For his very ſhape, or outwarde forme is not by them expreſſed, but one painteth him after one ſort, another after another ſort. But the eſpecial things that we ſhould receiue comfort or inſtruction by, cannot bee painted, his godlines of life, & his office of beeing redeemer and mediator. Theſe things which are the chiefeſt, the grauer cannot graue, the painter cannot paint. Theſe are liuely deſcribed in Gods booke. But they that are moſt giuen to images, care leſt to learne theſe thinges. And ſeeing the image cannot teach vsus theſe things, for wee ſee nothing in it but a ſtocke or ſtone, or ſome other mettall made like a man, which cannot ſtirre or moue or helpe it ſelfe, therefore it is a falſe likeneſſe. But falſe alſo are ſuch images in another reſpect, namely, becauſe the eie beholding it, draweth the minde from the conſideration and meditation of better thinges, and hindereth more heauenlie cogitations.Falſe becauſe they intiſe to lies. Ier. 10.14.15. Habac. 2.18. And therefore wel ſaith God by his Prophet Ieremie, Their melting is but falſhood, they are vanity and the work… of errours. What profiteth the Image? (ſaith God by Habacucke) For the maker thereof hath made it an Image, and teacher of lies. Theſe bookes then, they are of a falſe print, and teach not truelie, but as are idoles, euen ſo are theſe images falſe likeneſſes.De conſenſ… euang. li. 1. cap. 10. And therefore worthely did S. Auguſtine finde fault with them Who ſought for Chriſt & his apoſtles, not in the holy ſcriptures, but in painted wals. And this is indeed a dangerous falſhood, vnderunder pretence of religion, to draw vsus from true religion. And by ſatiſfying the eie with a faire ſhew, to rob the ſoule, of the ſpiritual comfort and inſtruction. Laſtlie, they are like in name alſo. Which thing although M. Bell. & others would faine deny, yet G. Martin a great enemy to vsus euen in this cauſe,Againſt our engliſh tranſlat. ca. 3. ſect. 15. In Exod. 20. cannot but grant that the greeke word Idolum maie ſignifie an image. And Caietanus alſo another piller of poperie doth make an idol & an image alone, although M. Bellar. cenſure him for it. And the Hebrew names are ſo general,De imag. li. 2 cap. 7. as that they may very wel ſerue for image or idol: yea there is in the vſe of them ſmall difference. Sometime their names ſhew and tell what they are, as vanities, lies, abhominations, yea dirtie and dungie. Sometime they are called according to their making grauen or molten. Sometime according to the effect that they worke in ſuch as ſerue them, they are called fleabogs:Cap. 3. ſect. 5 Pſal. 106.36. and where Gregory Martin tranſlateth, they Serued grauen Idols, the word ſignifieth vexation. Becauſe idols bring vexation to them that ſerue them, they are ſo called.
But the words as I hauehave ſaid, are very general. And therfore vniuſtly and without cauſe doth Gr. Martin find fault with our engliſh tranſlations, for tranſlating,Ca. 3. ſect. 20. Exod. 20.4. Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any grauen Image. For the wordes doe ſo well beare it, that euen their owne latine tranſlation, which they allow ſo wel of, doth often tranſlate that very word image as we doe, for the moſt abhominable Idols that are: as the images of the temple of Baal, 2. Kings. 11.1… . Ezec. 7.20. & 16.19. Ezec. 23.14.the idolatrous images which the Iſraelites made, the images of the Caldeans. And that word which with the Hebrews moſt properlie ſignifieth a likeneſſe or image, doth their old tranſlation tranſlate an Idol,De Imag. li. 2. cap. 5. if this word Simulacrum doe ſignifie an Idol, as maiſter Bellarmine ſaith it doth. For Tſelamim wich in Hebrew ſignifieth likeneſſes or images, that latin tranſlation calleth Simulacra Idols. 2. Cron. 34.3. Hoſ. 11.2. and els where. If the old tranſlatour might indifferentlie vſe the wordes that are of one ſignificatiō, why maie not our tranſlatours do the like, but they muſt by and by be falſifiers and corrupters? And more euidently to proue that the olde tranſlatour did not acknowledge this nice difference: marke the place that we alleadge againſt them out of Habacucke,Habak. 2.18. and it will appeare, that he maketh images, & that grauen thing which in this commaundement (Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any grauen thing) is forbidden, all one, putting no difference betweene them. For thus doth hee tranſlate that place. What profiteth the grauen thing, For hee that made it hath grauen it a molten thing, and a falſe image. Where he plainelie calleth that an image, which before he did tranſlate, as the word doth in truth ſignifie, a grauen thing. If this be no fault in him, I truſt the indifferent reader, will not thinke it to be a fault in vsus. Well then images and idols agreeing ſo wel as they doe, in matter, forme, vnabilitie, vſe, definition, and name, why maie they not bee birdes of one neſt? and whelpes of one litter, one of them taken for the other? If wee alſo conſider how in other places of Scripture the idols are deſcribed, and compare thoſe deſcriptions, with that which we ſee and know to be in their images,Pſal. 115.4.5.6. we ſhall ſee them to be alike. Their Idols are ſiluer and gold the worke of mens handes. They hauehave mouthes and ſpeake not, eies and ſee not, eares and heare not, noſes and ſmell not, handes and touch not, feete and walke not, neither make they a ſound with their throate. Are not the images ſuch? Much like vntounto this, is that that the Prophet Eſay ſaieth of them, That they muſt be borne vponupon mens ſhoulders, Eſa. 45.7.they muſt be carried and ſet in their place. So do they ſtand and can not remoue from their place. Though a man crie vntounto them, yet can they not anſwere, nor deliuer him out of his tribulation. If this be not true of their images alſo, then wee will confeſſe they are no idoles. And this is a thing well woorthy to bee noted,Bellarm. de imag lib. 2. cap. 5. that whereas the vſuall names that the ſcriptures giuegive idoles are theſe, as maſter Bellarmine confeſſeth, Elilim, falſe, or Auanim, lies, or Sheqed, a lie: neither theſe, nor any other of the moſt opprobrious names that are giuen vntounto idoles are vſed in the commaundement, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any grauen thing, but ſuch a name as they can not deny, but that it may be truely applied to their images. The holy ghoſt thereby preuenting this their ſubtill ſhift, when they ſay that images are not thereby forbidden: for the wordes as wel forbid images as idoles, yea any thing that is grauen: yea, and the ſence of the commaundement extendeth to any thing that is made with handes. For that that man can make, is not fit to be a god. And therefore Moſes that man of God hauing threatned to the tranſgreſſours of Gods lawe deſolation of their land, and captiuitie to themſelues in a ſtrange land, hee addeth:Deut. 4.28. And there ſhall yee ſerue gods the worke of mens handes, wood, and ſtone, which neither ſee, nor heare, nor eate, nor ſmell. Yea Moſes before in that chapter, expoundeth vntounto them this ſecond commaundement, and teacheth them what is meant by that grauen thing, Verſe 15, 16and how they ſhould vnderſtand it. Ye ſaw not (ſaith he) any likeneſſe in the day that the Lord ſpake to you in Horeb, out of the midſt of the fire: leſt peraduenture ye might be deceiued and ſhould make vntounto your ſelues, any grauen likeneſſe, or any image of man or woman, &c. Wherein Moſes telleth them, that God appeared not in any forme, becauſe he would not hauehave them to make any image. In which place I vſe their owne tranſlation, becauſe they may ſee, that not idols only, but images alſo are by it condemned. Laſtly, the very practiſe of Gods people, and the deteſtation that they alwaies hauehave againſt images, may ſufficiently perſuade vsus how they vnderſtoode the commandement. For as Bellarmine ſaith of the Iewes, that after Chriſts time they were moſt ſuperſtitious againſt images, Lib. 1. de Imaginib. ca. 7and ſay that they are forbidden by Gods lawes: ſo he and all his fellows will neuer be able to proue, that the godly amōg them would at any time admit of images, vnleſſe it were ſome few that were but to beutify the tēple, or that God cōmanded to be vſed in the temple, as the beaſts that held vp the caldron, or ſuch like, and the cherubes ouer the arke, which are no proofe for popiſh images. For popiſh images had no commaundement, but the images in the temple of Ieruſalem had. Againe, the images that were in the temple were not praied vntounto, or any way worſhipped, as were popiſh images. Yea, and if Bellarmine wil beleeue Ioſephus a Iew, writing of their ſtory, he ſhal find that the Iewes were very ſcrupulous and preciſe in that point,Ioſep. anti. cap. 11. Cap. 4. inſomuch as they would not onelyonly ſuffer the emperors image to be placed in their temple, but his verie banners wherein the emperor was painted from the waſte vpward, and thoſe that had the egle painted in them, they would not admit into their city, though no worſhip to them were demanded or looked for: & al becauſe they would not breake the ſecond commandement. Whether they did herein wel or euil, I do not define. But hereby it appeares how they vnderſtood this commandemēt, which could not hauehave bin, if their forefathers had at any time before admitted of images, (other than ſuch as God commanded) to be vſed among them. This (I truſt) may ſuffice to prooue that images, ſuch as the papiſts ſet in their churches, are idoles: and that the haui… and … rſhipping of the … againſt the ſecond com… ment. Now let vsus ſee … … cuſe themſelues … doing vnla… ull … They ſay they doe not worſhip … … ut ho… them as Gods creatures.Of the worſhip of Images. I… e … … ter of the im… e as the wood or ſtone is gods … ea… e, & therfore good, & ſo in their kinde to be honoured. But the image it ſelfe is th… worke of mens hands, & none of gods creatures, but a dangerous ſtumbling blocke in the way of the ſimple, & curſed of God. And this very image it ſelf,De imag. li. 2 cap. 21. to ſpeak in Bellar. own words, is, to be worſhipped not only by accident or improperly, but of it ſelfe and properly, ſo that the worſhippe hath reſpect but vntounto the image conſidered in it ſelfe, not as it repreſenteth that whereof it is an image. We ſee then the papiſtes will hauehave their images worſhipped. And then for the external worſhip, as capping, kneeling, bowing, cenſing and ſuch like,De imag. li. 1. cap. 12. M. Bellarmine confeſſeth, they are al one that are done to God, and to their images. So that he thinketh the difference betweene the worſhip of God and the image only to conſiſt in this, that in the worſhip of God, the mind is in the higheſt degree humbled, and abaſed with an apprehenſion of God as the chiefeſt good. O miſerable blindneſſe that poſſeſſeth the hearts of theſe blind guides? how can it bee, that the nature of man, being ſo inclining to Idolatry, as the common experience of all times teacheth vsus, hauing his eies faſtened vppon an Image, and hauing a purpoſe to worſhippe it, ſhoulde not ſtriue to doe the greateſt worſhippe that hee can doe to it, and thinke that all that hee can doe is to little? Theſe colours maie well ſerue the ſimple, or ſuch as are willing to be deceiued, to make their eyes dazell, that they ſhall not well iudge betweene trueth and falſhoode. But I warrant you that whoſoeuer will ſet himſelfe deuoutlie to praie before an Image, as they vſe to ſpeake, wil humble himſelfe as deuoutly as he can before the ſame. As for that their diſtinction of Latria Latriawhich is the worſhip that they will allow God: and Dulia Dulia.which is that that other images muſt be content withall: I neede not ſtand to confute it. For M. Bellarmine confeſſeth that theſe wordes are not of their owne nature proper to diuine worſhip, but that the ſchoolemen hauehave deuiſed this diſtinction. Then let the ſchoolemen play with ſuch toyes, and fight with ſuch bables. But Gods people ſhould be fed with ſounder foode. But what meaneth this caueat that M. Bellarmine giueth,De Imaginibus li. 2. c. 22 that a man muſt not ſay, eſpecially when he preacheth vntounto the people, that any images are to bee worſhipped with that worſhip that belongeth to God? If it be true, why may not the people know ſo much? Perchance M. Bellarmine doubteth whether that their opinion will proue true,Ibid. cap. 20 that the ſame honour is due to the Image that is due to him, whom it repreſenteth. And therfore that the image of Chriſt ſhould be worſhipped with that worſhip that belongeth vntounto God. Indeede theſe their rules can neuer prooue good, becauſe they are not commaunded of God. For it is alwaies in ſuch thinges true that Tert. ſaith,De Monogamia. that which the ſcripture doth not ſet downe, it doth forbid. Hee learned it of Gods owne mouth, who anſwered the ſuperſtitious Iewes pleaſing themſelues in ſuch ſeruices as they had deuiſed,Eſay 1.12. who required theſe things of your hands? But as they hauehave no warrant for that they teach, and therefore ought not of chriſtians to be heard: ſo their opinions are in themſelues ſo abſurd, that but to ſhew them, is enough to make ſuch as hauehave any care of their owne ſaluation to ſhunne them. But how ſhall the afflicted mindes, which would giuegive all that they hauehave for a little comfort, vntounto whom the feare of death is nothing, in compariſon of the terrour of ſinne: how ſhall they finde comfort in the conflicts of conſcience, when faine they would aſke, but they knowe not of whome: and pray, but they knowe not howe? for, if their teachers and Doctours, at their beſt leaſure, can not yet reſolue themſelues, how they ſhould pray vntounto their ſtockes and ſtones: how ſhall he that hath to thinke of death, and to ſtriue againſt the aſſaultes of ſinne, and many feares, knowe in ſuch a caſe which way to turne him? And therefore, as Cyprian ſaith to the chriſtians that ſacrificed to idoles, O wretched man, De lapſis.why bringeſt thou an offering with thee? when thou comeſt to offer or intreate, why doeſt thou lay on thy ſacrifice? Thou thy ſelfe commeſt an offering and a ſacrifice vntounto the altar: thou haſt there offred thine owne ſaluation, thy hope. In thoſe wicked fires thou haſt burned thy faith. Euen ſo I may ſay to thoſe miſerable men and women that are carried away after ſuch vanities, that their owne imaginations ſhall puniſh them, and They ſhall eate the fruit of their owne way, Prouer. 1.3… . Prouer. 22.8. Eſa. 50.11.and be filled with their owne deuiſes. For it is good reaſon, that he that ſoweth iniquitie ſhould reape affliction, and ſee by the ſparkes of the fire that he hath kindled.