The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 · Chapter 11
The .xi. Chapter. That it is vnlawfull to attribute vntounto God a visible forme, and that generally they forsake God, so many as do erect to them selues any images.
BUt as the Scripture prouiding for the rude & grosse wit of man vseth to speake after the common maner: so when it meaneth to make seuerally knowen the true God from the false gods, it chiefelye compareth him with idols: not that it doth allowe these inuencyons that are more suttelly and finely taughte by the Philosophers, but the plainlier to disclose the folishnesse of the world, yea rather their madnesse in sekyng God so long as they cleaue eueryevery one to their own imaginations. Therfore that exclusiue definition whych we commonly heare, bryngeth to nought all that maner of Godhead that men frame to themselues by their own opinion, because God hymselfe is the only conueniente witnesse of hymselfe. In the meane tyme, sith thys brutysh grossenesse hath possessed ye whole world, to couet visible shapes of God, and so to forge themselues Gods of timber, stone, golde, siluer, and other dead and corruptible matter, we ought to holde thys prynciple, that wyth wycked falshode the glorye of God is corrupted so oft as any shape is fained to represent him. Therfore God in the law, after he had once chalenged the glory of hys deitie to hymselfe alone, meaning to teache vsus what manner of worshipping him he aloweth or refuseth, addeth immediatly: Thou shalt make thee no grauen image,Ex. xx.iiii nor any similitude, in which woordes he restraineth our libertie, that we attempt not to represent him wt any visible image. And there he shortly reckneth vp all the formes wherwith of long time before, supersticion had begon to turne his trueth into lyinge. For we know that the Persians worshipped the sonne, yea and so many starres as the folish nations saw in the skie, so many goddes they fained them. And scarce was there any liuing creature whiche was not among the Egiptians a figure of God.Maximus Tiri us platonicus sermone. xx …viii. But the Grecians were thought to be wyser than the rest, because they worshipped God in the shape of a manne. But God compareth not images one with an other, as though one wer more and an other lesse mete to be vsed, but withoute any exception he reiecteth all images, pictures and other signes, wherby ye superstitious thought to hauehave God nere vntounto them.
Deu. …iii.x xii.xv.This is easy to be gathered by the reasons whiche he ioyneth to the prohibition. First with moses. Remember that the Lord hath spoken to thee in the vale of Horeb. Thou heardest a voice, but thou saweste no body. Therfore take hede to thy selfe, least paraduenture thou be deceiued and make to thy selfe any likenesse. &c. We see how openly God setteth his voice against all counterfaite shapes, that we may knowe that they forsake God whosoeuer do couet to hauehave visible formes of hym. Of the Prophetes onelyonly Esay shalbe enough whiche speaketh ofte and much herof,Esa. x….xviii. et. xli.vii. & xlv.ix. et. xlvi.v. Acte. xvii.xxix. to teache that the maiestie of god is defiled with vncomlye and folishe counterfaiting, when he beeyng without body is likened to bodily mater: being inuisible, to a visible image: being a spirit, to a thing without life: being incomprehensible, to a small lompe of timber, stone or golde. In like manner reasoneth Paule: For asmuch as we are the generacion of god, we ought not to thinke that the godhead is lyke vntounto golde, or siluer or stone grauen by art and the inuention of mā. Wherby it certainely appeareth, whatsoeuer images are erected or pictures painted to expresse the shape of god, they simply displease hym as certaine dishonors of his maiestie. And what maruel is it if the holy ghost do thonder out these oracles from heauen, sith he compelleth the verye wretched and blinde idolaters themselues to confesse this in earth? It is knowen how Seneca complained as it is to reade in Augustine.Li. vi. de …ui. dei. cap, x They dedicate (saieth he) the holy immortall and inuiolable gods in most vile and base stuffe, and put vponupon them the shapes of men and beastes, and some of them with kinde of man and woman mingled together, & with sondryshapen bodyes, and such they call gods whiche if they shoulde receiue breath and mete them would be reckened monsters. Whereby agayne plainly appeareth, that it is a fonde cauillacion wherewith the defenders of images seke to escape, which say that the Iewes were forbidden images, because they were inclinable to superstition. As thoughe that thyng perteyned to one nation onelyonly which god bryngeth forth of hys eternall beeing and the contynuall order of nature. And Paule spake not to the Iewes but to the Athenienses when he confuted theyr error in counterfaytyng a shape of god.
God in dede, I graunt, somtyme in certayne sygnes hath geuen a presence of hys godhed, so as he was sayed to be beholden face to face, but all these sygnes that euer he shewed dyd aptly serue for meanes to teache, and wythall dyd playnly admonishe men of an incomprehēsible essence. For the cloude and smoke and flame, although they wer tokens of the heauenly glory,Deu. iiii.xi. yet did they as it were bridle and restraine the mindes of mē that they should not attempt to passe any further. Wherfore not Moses himself,Exod. xxx iii.xiii. to whom God disclosed himselfe most familiarly in comparison of other, obteined by prayer to see that face, but receyued this answere that man is not able to susteine so great brightnesse. The holy ghost appeared vnderunder the lykenesse of a doue,Mat. iii.xvi, but sith he immediatly vanished away, who doeth not see that by that tokē of so short a continuaunce of a moment the faithful are put in minde that they ought to beleue him to be an inuisible spirite, that holding them contē ted with his vertue & grace, they should make him no outwarde shape. This, that God appeared somtimes in forme of a man, was a foreshewing of the reueling that was to be made of him in Christ. And therefore it was not lawfull for the Iewes to abuse this pretense to erect to themselues a representacion of the godhead in the shape of man. Also the mercy seate wherin God shewed forth the presence of his power in the time of the law, was so made as it might teache that the best beholding of the godhead is this, when mens mindes are caried beyond them selues with administracion of it. For the Cherubins with their winges stretched abrod did couer it,Exo. xxv.xvii. the veile did hide it, and the place it selfe being set faire inwarde did of it selfe sufficiently kepe it secrete. Therefore it is very plaine that they be very mad that goe aboute to defende the images of God & of Saintes with ye example of these Cherubins. For, I pray you, what meant these litle images, but to shewe that images are not mete to represent the misteries of God? forasmuch as they were made for this purpose, that hiding the mercy seate with their winges they should not onelyonly kepe backe the eies of man, but also all his senses from the beholding of God, and so to correct his rash hardinesse. For this purpose maketh it that the Prophetes described the Seraphins shewed them in vision,Esa. vi.ii. with their face vncouered: wherby they signifie, that so great is the brightnesse of the glorye of God that the Angelles themselues are kept from direct beholding it, and the smal sparkes therof that shine in the Angels are withdrawen from our eies. Althoughe yet so many as rightly iudge, doe acknowledge that the Cherubins of whom we now speake, perteined onelyonly to the olde maner of introduction as it were of children vsed in the law. So to draw them now for an example to our age▪ is an absurditie. For that childish age, as I may so terme it, is passed, for the which such rudimentes were appointed. And it is much shame, that the painime writers are better expounders of the law of God than the Papistes are. Iuuenale reprocheth the Iewes as it were in scorne that they honor the white cloudes and the deitie of the heauen. I graunt he speaketh peruersly and wickedly: and yet he speaketh more truely in saying that they hauehave among them no image of God, than ye papistes do which prate yt they had a visible image of god. And whereas that people with a certaine hote hastinesse, brake out oftentim…s to seke them idols, euen as waters out of a great freshe spring boile out with violēt force: herby rather let vsus learne how great is the inclination of our nature to idolatry, least throwing vppon the Iewes the blame of that fault which is common to al, we slepe a deadly slepe vnderunder vaine allurementes to sinne.
To the same purpose serueth this saying. The idols of the gentiles are golde and siluer, euen the workes of mens handes. Beecause the Prophete doth gather of the stuffe it selfe,psa. cxv.b. & xiii.v.xv that they are no gods yt hauehave a golden or siluer image: and he taketh it for confessed truth, yt it is a folish fained inuencion whatsoeuer we conceiue of our own sense concerning God. He nameth rather golde and siluer than clay or stone, yt the beautie or the price should not serue to bryng a reuerence to idols. But he concludeth generally that nothing is lesse allowable, than gods to be made of ded stuffe. And in the meane while he standeth as much vponupon this point, that men are caried awaye with to mad a rashenesse, whyche themselues bearyng about with them but a borrowed breath, ready to vanish away at eueryevery moment, yet dare geue the honor of God to idols. Man must nedes confesse that himselfe is but a creature of a daies continuaunce, and yet he will hauehave a pece of metall to be compted God to which himselfe gaue the beginning to be a God. For whense came the beginning of idols but from the wil of mē? Uery iustly doeth the heathē poet geue them this taunt:
I was somtime a fig tree log,Hora… ser…. i. sat. viii a blocke that serued for nought:
The workeman douted what of me were fittest to be wrought:
A fourme to sit vponupon, or els a Priap God to be.
At length he thought the better was a God to make of me.
Forsoth an earthly silly mā that breatheth out his …wn life in maner eueryevery moment, by his workemanship shal conuey the name and honour of God to a dead stocke. But forasmuch as Epicure in scoffingly iesting hath cared for no religion, let vsus leaue the tauntes of him and suche as he is, and let the rebuking of the Prophete pricke vsus or rather thruste vsus through where he sayeth,Esa. xliiii.xv. that they are to much beastly witted that with one selfe pece of wood do make a fier and warme themselues, doe heate the ouen to bake bread, do rost or sethe flesh, and do make them a God before which they fal down humbly to pray. Therfore in an other place he doeth not onelyonly accuse them by the law, but also doth repreche them that they hauehave not learned of the fundaciōs of the earth: for that there is nothyng lesse conuenient than to bryng God to the m…a…ure of fyue fote which is aboue all measure and incomprehensyble.Esa. ….xxi. And yet thys same monstrous thyng which manifestly repugneth agaynste the order of nature,Es. ii.viii. et. xxxi.v…i et. lvii.x. Os…. xiiii.ii i. mic. v.xiii. ps. …xv.viii custome sheweth to be naturall to men. We must moreover holde in minde, that superstitions are in Scripture commonly rebuked in thys phrase of speache, that they are ye workes of mens hande which want the authoritie of God: that thys may be certayne, that all these maners of worshipping that men do …euise of them selues are detestable. The Prophete in the Psalme doeth amplife the madnesse of them that therfore are endued wyth vnderstandyng, that they shoulde know that al thynges are moued with the only power of God, and yet they pray for helpe to thinges dead and senselesse. But because the corruption of nature carryeth as wel al nacions, as eche man priuatlye to so great madnesse, at last the holy ghost thondreth wyth terryble curse agaynst them saying: let them that make them become lyke to them and so many as trust in them. And it is to be noted that a similitude is no lesse forbydden than a grauen image, wherby the fonde sutteltie of the Grekes is cōfuted. For they thynke they ar wel discharged if they graue not a God, while in payntinges they do more licentiously outrage than any other nations. But the Lord forbyddeth an image not onelyonly to be made by the grauer, but also to be counterfaited by any other workmā, because such counterfaiting is euill and to the dishonor of his maiestie.
I know that it is a saying more than common among the people, ye images are lay mens bokes. Gregory so said, but the spirite of god pronounceth far otherwise, in whose schole if Gregorie had ben taught, he would neuer so hauehave spoken. For wheras Hieremy painly saieth that the stocke is a doctrine of vanitie:Hie. x.viii ha. ii.i viii and wheras Habacu… teacheth yt the molten image is a teacher of lyes: surely hereof is a general doctrine to be gathered, that it is vaine and lieng whatsoeuer men learne by images concerning God. If any man take excepcion, and saye that ye Prophetes reproue them only which abused images to wicked superstition: I graunt that to be true. But I adde further that which is easy for all men to se, that they condemne that thing wholy which ye Papistes take for an assured principle, that images are in s…ede of bokes. For they doe in comparison set images against God as thinges directly contrarye & such as neuer can agree together. This comparison I saye is made in those places which I hauehave alleged. Sith there is but one true god whō the Iewes did worship, it is a…sse & falsly done to forge visible shapes to represent God▪ and men are miserably deceiued, that therby seke for knowledge of God. Finally if it were not true that it is a deceitfull and corrupt knowledge of God that is learned by images, the Prophetes would not so generally condemne it. At least thus much I win of them when we shew that it is vanitie and lieng that men do attempte to represent God with images, we do nothing but rehearse word for word that which the Prophetes hauehave taught.
Let be red what Lactantius and Eusebius hauehave writtē of this matter which sticke not to take it for certayne yt they wer al mortal of whō images are to be seen. Likewise Augustine: whiche withoute douting pronounceth that it is vnlawfull not onelyonly to worship images, but also to set vp images to God. And yet sayeth he none other thyng but the same which many yeares before was decreed by the Elibertine councel,Concil. …bert. ca. vi. ca. xxxvi. wherof this is the .xxxvi. Chapiter. It is ordeined that no pictures be had in the church, that the thing which is honored and worshipped be not painted on the wals. But most notable is that which in another place Augustine allegeth out of Uarro,Lib. iiii. de Ciuirate dei cap. ix. &. xxxi. and confirmeth it with his owne assent, that they which first brought in the images of gods, both toke away the feare of God, and brought in erroure. If Uarro alone should say this, paraduenture it should be but of smal authoritie. Yet ought it of right to make vsus ashamed that a heathen man groping in darknesse came to this light, to se that bodily images are therfore vnmete for the maiestie of God, because they diminish the feare of God and encrease error in men. The proufe it selfe witnesseth that this was no lesse truly than wisely spoken. But Augustine hauing borrowed it of Uarro, bringeth it forth as of his own mind. And first he admonisheth, that the first errors wherwith men were entangled concerning God, beganne not of images, but as with new matter added encreased by them. Secondly he expoundeth that the feare of god is therefore minished or rather taken away therby, because his maiestie may easely in the folishnesse and in the fonde and absurde forging of images grow to cōtempt. Which seconde thing I would to god we did not by proufe finde to be so true. Whosoeuer therefore will couet to be rightly taught, let him elles where learne than of images, what is mete to be knowen concerning God.
Wherfore if the papistes hauehave any shame, let them no more vse thys shyft to say that images are lay mens bokes, which by many testimonies of Scripture ar so openly confuted. And althoughe I graūt them so much, yet should they not muche get thereby for defense of their idoles. What monsters they trust in, in the place of, God is wel knowen. The pictures and images that they dedicate to Saynctes, what at they but examples of extreme riot & vnclennesse, wherunto if any would fashion himselfe, he were worthy to be beaten with staues? Surely the brothe… houses can shewe harlots more chastely and soberly attyred, than their temples shewe images of these whom they would hauehave called virgins. Euen as vncomly array geue they to the martirs. Lette them therfore fashion their idols at least to some honest shewe of shamefastnesse, that they may somwhat more colorably lye in saieng, that they are the bokes of some holinesse. But if it were so, yet then would we answere, that this is not the ryght way to teache the faythful people in holy places, whom God would hauehave there instructed with farre other doctryne than wyth these trifles. God commaunded in the churches a common doctryne to be set forth to al men in preaching of his woorde and in his holy misteryes: whereunto they shew themselues to hauehave a minde not very hedeful, that cast their eies about to beholde images. But whom do the Papistes cal lay and vnlearned men whose vnskilfulnesse may beare to be taught only by images▪ forsoth euen those whō the Lord knowledgeth for hys disciples, to whom he vouche saueth to reuele the heauenly wisedome, whom he willeth to be instructed with ye holsome misteries of his kingdom. I graunt in dede as the matter standeth that there ar at this day many which cannot be without such bokes. But whēse I pray you groweth that dulnesse but that they are defrauded of ye doctrine whiche only was mete to instruct them with? For it is for no other cause that they which had the cure of churches gaue ouer their office of teachyng to idoles, but because themselues were dumme. Paule testifieth that Christ is in the true preaching of the gospel,Gal. iii.i. painted out and in amaner crucified before our eyes. To what purpose then wer it to hauehave cōmonly set vp in churches so many crosses of wood, stone, siluer and golde, if thys were wel and faythfully beaten into the peoples heads, that Christ dyed to beare our curse vponupon the crosse, to cleanse our synnes with the Sacrifice of hys body, and to wash them away wyth hys bloud, and finally to reconcile vsus to God the father? Of which one thyng they might learne more than of a thousande crosses of wood or stone. For parhaps the couetous do set their mindes and eyes faster vponupon the golden and siluer crosses than vponupon any wordes of God.
As concerning the beginning of idols, that is by common consente thought to be true which is written in the boke of wysedome, that they were the first authoures of them,Sap. xiiii xv. which gaue thys honor to the ded, supersticiously to worship their memorie. And truly I graunt that thys euil custome was very auncient, and I deny not that it was ye fierbrand wherwith the rage of men being kindled to idolatry did more and more burne therin. Yet do I not graunt that thys was the fyrst orygynall of thys mischiefe. For it appeareth by moses that images were vsed before that this curiositie in dedicatīg the images of dead mē, whereof the prophane wryters make otfen mention, were come in vre. When he telleth that Rachel had stolen her fathers idols, he speaketh it as of a common fault.Ge. xxxi, xix. Wherby we may gather that the wit of man is, as I may so cal it, a continual worship of idols. After the generall floud, there was as it were a new regeneracion of the world, and yet there passed not many yeares but that men according to their own lust fained them gods. And it is likely that, the holy patriarch yet liuing, his childrens children wer geuen to idolatry, so that to his bitter griefe he saw the earth defiled wt idols, whose corruptions the Lord had but late purged with so horribe iudgement.Ios. xxiiii.ii. For Thare and Nath…r euen before the birth of Abraham were worshippers of false Gods, as Iosue testifieth. Seing the generation of Sem so sone swarued, what shal we iudge of the posteritie of Cham, who were already cursed in their father? The minde of men, as it is full of pride and rashe boldenesse, presumeth to imagine God according to her own conceit: and as it is possessed with dullnesse, yea ouerwhelmed with grosse ignoraunce, so it conceiueth vanitie and a fende fātasie in stede of God. And to these euils is added a new mischiefe, that man attempteth to expresse in workemanshippe suche a God as he inwardly conceiueth. Thus the minde begetteth the idole, and the hande bringeth it forth. The example of the Israelites proueth that this was the beginning of idolatrie, that men do not beleue that God is among them, vnlesse he shewe himselfe carnally presente. We knowe not (saied they) what is become of this Moses: make vsus gods that may go before vsus.Ex. xxxi.i They knew that there was a God whose power they had had experience of in so many miracles: but they did not beleue that he was nie vntounto them, vnlesse they did see with their eies a corporall representaciō of his face, to be a witnesse vntounto them of the God that gouerned them. Their minde was therfore to knowe by the image going before them, that God was the guide of their iourney. This thing daily experience teacheth, that the flesh is alway vnquiet till it hath gotten some counterfaite deuise like it self, wherin it may vainly delite as in an image of god. In a manner in al ages since the creation of the world, men to obey this blinde desire hauehave erected signes wherin they imagined God to be present before their carnall eies.
After such inuencion forged, by and by foloweth worshipping. For when men thought that they beheld God in images, they did also worship him in them. At lēgth being both with mindes and eies altogether fastened theron, they beganne to waxe more and more brutishe, and to wonder at them and hauehave them in admiracion, as if there wer some nature of godhed in them. So appeareth that men brake not out into the worshipping of images, till they were perswaded in some grosse opinion: not to thinke the images to be gods, but to imagine that there dyd a certaine force of Godhead abide in them. Therefore whether thou represent to thy selfe either God or a creature in the image, when thou fallest down to worship, thou art already bewitched wich some superstition. For this reason the Lord hath forbidden not onelyonly images to bee erected that ar made to expresse a likenesse of him, but also any titles or stones to be dedicated, that should stande to be worshipped. And for the same reason also in the commaundemente of the lawe, this other point is added concerning worshipping. For so sone as thei hauehave forged a visible forme for God, they also tye the power of God vntounto it. So beastlie folish are men, that there they fasten God where they counterfaite him, and therfore must they nedes worship it. Neither is there any differēce whether they simply worship the idole, or God in the idole. This is alway idolatry when honoures due to God are geuen to an idole, vnderunder what color soeuer it be. And because God wil not be worshipped superstitiously, therefore what soeuer is geuen to idols is taken from hym. Lette them take hede hereunto that seke for pretenses to defende the abhominable idolatrie, wherwith, these many ages past, true religion hath been drowned and ouerthrowen. But (saye they) the images are not taken for goddes. Neither were the Iewes themselues so vnaduised to Forgett that it was God by whole hande they hadde been broughte oute of Egipte before they made they calfe. Yea when Aaron saied, that those were the Goddes by whom they were deliuered oute of the lande of Egipte, they boldly assented, shewing a plaine tokē of their meaning, that they would still kepe that God that was their deliuerer, so that they mighte see him goe before them in the calfe. Neither is it to be beleued that the heathen were so grosse as to beleue, that God was no other thing but stockes and stones. For they changed their images at their pleasure, but still they kepte the same Goddes in their mynde: and there were many images of one God, and yet they dyd not according to the multitude of images faine them many Gods. Besyde that they did daily cōsecrate newe images, yet did they not thinke that they made newe goddes.in ps. cxiii Lette the excuses be read whiche Augustine saieth were pretended by the Idolaters of his age. When they were rebuked, the common forte aunswered, that they did not worshippe that visible thing, but the deitie that did in it inuisibly dwell. And they that were of somwhat better religion, as he calleth it, did saye that they did neither worshippe the image nor the spirite in it, but by the corporall image they did beholde the signe of that thing whiche they oughte to worship. Nowe then? All idolaters, whether they were of the Iewes, or of the gentiles, were none otherwise minded than as I hauehave saied: being not contented with a spirituall vnderstanding of God, they thought by the images he should be more sure and nerer imprinted in them. After once that suche disordered counterfaiting of God well liked them, they neuer ended, till daily more and more deluded with newe deceites they imagined that God did shewe foorth hys power in images. And neuerthelesse, both the Iewes were perswaded that vnderunder suche images they did worshippe the one true Lorde of heauen and earth: and lykewise the gentiles, their false goddes, whom yet they fayned to dwell in heauen.
Whosoeuer deny that it hath thus ben done in time past, yea within our own remembraunce, they impudently lie. For, why fall they down before thē. And when they pray, why turne they toward them as to the eares of God?in ps. cxi. For it is true that Augustine saieth, that no man praieth or worshippeth when he so beholdeth an image but he is so affected in minde that he thinketh himself to be heard of it, or that it will do for him what he desireth. Why is there such difference betwene the images of one God. yt passing by one image with litle reuerence or none done to it they honor an other solemnely? Why doe they werry thēselues with vowed pilgremages to visit those images wherof they hauehave like at home? Why do they at this day in defense of them as it were for their religion and countrey, fight to slaughter and destruction, in suche sorte as they would better suffer to have the one only God than their idols to be takē from them? And yet I do not recken vp the grosse errors of the cōmon people, which are almost infinite, and do in manner possesse the hartes of all men. I do only shew what thēselues do confesse when they meane most of al to excuse themselues of idolatry. We do not cal them (say they) oure Goddes. No more did the Iewes nor the gentiles cal them theirs in tyme paste: and yet the Prophetes eche where cesse not to caste in their teeth their fornicacion with stockes and stones, for doing no more but such things as are daily done by them that would be compted Christians, that is to say, that they carnally worshipped God in stockes and stones.
Although I am not ignoraunt, nor thinke good to passe it ouer as if I knew it not, how they seke to escape with a more suttle distinction, wherof I shal againe make mention more at large hereafter. For they pretend that the worship which they geue to images is Idolodulia which is seruice of images, and not Idololatria which is worship of images. For so they terme it when they teache that they may lawfully withoute any wrōg done to God geue vntounto images and pictures that worship which they cal Doulia or seruice. And so they thinke themselues without blame if they be but the seruauntes and not also the worshippers of idols: as though it were not a litle lighter matter to worship thā to serue. And yet while they seke a hole to hide thē in the Greke word, they childishly disagre wt themselues. For seing Latreuein in Greke signifieth nothing but to worship, their saying cōmeth but to this effect, as if they woulde say yt they worship in dede their images, but without any worshippinge. And there is no cause why they shuld say yt I seke to catch thē in words: but they thēselues while they seke to cast a mist before the eyes of ye simple, do bewray their own ignoraunce. And yet though they be neuer so eloquent, they shal not atteine by their eloquence to proue vntounto vsus that one selfe same thing is two sondry thinges. Let thē (say I) shewe me a difference in yt thing it selfe wherby they may be thought to differ frō the old idolaters. For as an adulterer or a murderer cānot escape giltinesse of his faulte, by geuing his sinne a newe deuised name: so is it a verye absurditie to thinke that these men be quitte by newe deuise of a name, if in ye matter it selfe they nothing differ frō those idolaters whom they thēselues are cōpelled to condēne. But so far are they frō prouing that their case differeth frō the case of those idolaters, yt rather the fountaine of al this whole mischiefe is an vnorderly counterfaiting, wherin they hauehave striued with them while both with their own witt they deuise, and with their own handes they frame them signifieng formes to expresse them a fashion of God.
And yet am I not so superstitious that I thinke no images maye be suffred at al. But forasmuch as caruing and painting are the giftes of God, I require that they both be purely and lawfully vsed. Least these things which god hath geuē vsus for his glory & for our own benefite, be not only defiled by disordred abuse but also turned to our owne destructiō. We thinke it vnlawful to hauehave God fashioned oute in visible forme, because himselfe hath forbiddē it, & because it cannot be done wythoute some defacemente of hys glory. And least they thynke that it is onelye we that are in this opiniō, they that hauehave ben trauailed in their works shall finde that all sounde writers did alway reproue the same thynge. If then it be not lawfull to make any bodily image of God, muche lesse shall it be lawfull to worshippe it for God, or God in it. It remayneth therefore lawfull that onelye those thynges bee painted and grauen whereof our eies are capable: but that the maiestie of God which is far aboue the sense of our eies, be not abused with vncomly deuised shapes. Of this sorte are partly histories and thinges done, partly images and fashions of bodies, withoute expressing of any thinges done by them. The first of these hauehave some vse in teaching or admonishing a man: but what profite the seconde can bring saue only delectacion, I see not. And yet it is euident, that euen such were almost al the images that heretofore hauehave stande vp in churches. Wherby we may iudge that they were there set vp not by discrete iudgemente or choise, but by folishe and vnaduised desire. I speake not howe muche amisse and vncomely they wer for the moste parte fashione, nor howe licentiously paynters and caruers hauehave in this pointe shewed their wantonnesse, whiche thynge I hauehave alredy touched. Only I speake to this end, that though there wer no fault in them, yet do they nothing auaile to teache.
But leauing also that difference, let vsus by the waye consider, whether it be expedient in Christian temples to hauehave any images at al, that doe expresse either thinges done or the bodies of men. Fyrst if the authoritie of the aunciente churche doe any thyng moue vsus, let vsus remember that for about v.C. yeares together, while religion yet better florished, and sincere doctrine was in force, the Christian churches were vniuersally without images. So they were then first brought in for ye garnishment of churches, when the sinceritie of ministracion was not a lyttle altered. I wil not now dispute what reason they had with them yt were the first authors therof. But if a man compare age with age, he shall see that they were muche swarued from that vpryghtnesse of them that were wythoute images. What? doe we thynke that those holye fathers would hauehave suffered the church to be so long wythoute the thyng which they iudged profitable and good for them? But rather because they saw eyther litle or no profit in it, and much daunger to lurke vnderneth it, they did rather of purpose and aduisedly reiect it,Epi. xlix. than …y ignoraunce or negligence omytte it. Whyche thyng Augustine doeth also in expresse words testifie. When they be set in such places (saieth he) honorably on hye, to be seen of them that pray and doe Sacrifice, although they want both sense and lyfe, yet with the very likenesse that they hauehave of liuelye members and senses, they so moue the weake mindes, that they seeme to liue and breath.in ps. cxiii &c. And in an other place. For that shape of members doeth worke and in manner enforce thus muche, that the minde liuing within a body doeth thynke that body to hauehave sense, whiche he seeth like vntounto his own. And a litel after, Images do more auaile to bow down an vnhappy soule, but this that they hauehave mouth, eyes, eares, and fete, than to amend it by this that they neyther speake nor see nor heare nor goe. This truely semeth to be the cause why Iohn willed vsus to beware not onelye of worshipping of images,1. Iohn. v.xxi. but also of images themselues. And we hauehave founde it to muche in experience, that throughe the horrible madnesse whiche hath heretofore possessed the worlde, to the destruccyon in manner of all godlynesse, so sone as images be set vp in churches, there is as it were a signe sette vp of idolatrie, because the folly of men cannot refraine it selfe, but it muste foorthwith runne on to supersticious worshippinges. But if there were not so muche daunger hanging thereby: yet when I consider for what vse temples are ordeined, me thinkes it is verie ill beseming the holinesse therof to receiue any other images than these liuely & natural images. whiche the LORDE by hys woorde hath consecrate, I meane Baptisme and the Lordes supper, and other ceremonies wherewyth our eies ought both more earnestly to be occupyed and more liuely to be moued, than that they should nede any other images framed by ye witt of men. Loe this is the incomparable commoditie of images, whiche can by no value be recompensed, if we beleue the papistes.
I thinke I had spoken enough of this thing alreadye, but that the Nicene Synode doeth as it were laye hande on me to enforce me to speake more▪ I meane not that most famous Synode which Cōstātine the Great assembled, but that which was holden eyght hundred yeares ago, by the commaundemente and authoritie of Irene the Empresse. For that Synode decreed, that images shoulde not onelyonly be hadde in churches, but also worshipped. For whatsoeuer I shoulde saye, the authoritie of the Synode woulde make a greate preindyce on the other syde. Although to saye trueth, that dooeth not so much moue me, as make it appeare to the readers howe farre theyr rage extended, that were more desirous of images than became Chrystians. But first let vsus dispatche this. They that at this day maynteine the vse of images, allege the decree of ye Nicene Synode for theyr defense. But there is extante a boke of confutaciō bearyng the name of Charles the Great, whiche by the phrase we maye gather to hauehave been wrytten at the same tyme. Therein are recited the sentences of the Byshoppes that were presente at that counsell, and the argumentes wherewith they contē ded. Iohn the Legate of the east partes saied: God created manne after his owne image: and thereuppon gathered that we oughte to hauehave images. The same man thought that images were commended vntounto vsus in this sentence: shewe me thy face, because it is beautifull. An other to proue that images oughte to be sette vppon altares, cyted thys testimonie: no manne lighteth a candell and putteth it vnderunder a bushell. An other, to shewe that the beholdyng of them is profitable for vsus, brought forth a verse oute of the Psalme: the lyghte of thy countenaunce is sealed vppon vsus. An other tooke thys similitude: As the Patryarches vsed the Sacrifices of the gentiles, so must Chrystian menne hauehave the images of Saintes in steade of the images of the gentyles. To the same purpose hauehave they wryshed thys saying: Lorde, I hauehave loued the beautie of thy house. But specially witty is the exposition of thys place, As we hauehave heard so hauehave we seen, that God is not knowen by onelyonly hearyng of hys worde, but also by lokyng vponupon images. Like is the sharpe deuyse of Byshop Theodore. Maruellous (sayeth he) is God in his Saintes. And in an other place: In the Saintes that are in the earth: therefore thys oughte to be referred to images. Finally so filthy are theyr vnsauorye follyes that it greueth me to rehease them.
When they talke of the worshyppyng: then are broughte foorth the worshyppynge of Pharao, and of the rod of Ioseph, and of the piller that Iacob sette vp. Albeit in thys laste example, they doe not onelyonly depraue the meanyng of the Scripture, but also bryng in that whyche is no where to bee read. Then these places seme to them maruelous stronge and meete proues. Worshippe his footestole. Agayne worshyppe on hys holye hyll. Agayne. All the rychemen of the people shall worshippe thy countenaunce. If a man woulde in scorne putte the personage of a riding foole vponupon the patrones of Images, coulde he gather together greater and grosser follies? But to putte all oure of doubte, Theodosius Bishoppe of Mira, doeth so earnestlye confyrme by the dreames of his Archedeacon, that images oughte to be worshipped, as if he had an oracle from heauen to shewe for it. Nowe lette the fauourers of images gooe and presse vsus with the decree of that Sinode. As thoughe those reuerende fathers doe not altogether discredit them selues, in either so childishly handelyng, or so vngodly and fowlie tearing the Scriptures.
Nowe come I to those monstruous impieties, whiche it is maruell that euer they durste vomitte, and twise maruellous that they were not cried oute againste with hie detestacion of all men. And it is good that this outragiously wicked madnesse be bewrayed, that at least the false coloure of antiquitie maye be taken awaye, whiche the Papistes pretende for the worshipping of images. Theodosius the Byshoppe of Amorum pronounceth curse againste all them that wyll not hauehave images worshipped. An other imputeth all the calamities of Grecia and the easte part to this, that images were not worshipped. What punishment then were the Prophetes, the Apostles and the Martirs worthy to suffer, in whose time there were no images? They adde further. If the Emperous image be met with perfume and censing: muche more is this honoure due to the images of Saintes. Constantius Bishoppe of Constance in Ciprus, professeth that he reuerently embraceth images, and affirmeth that he wyl geue to them the same honourable maner of worshippe that is due to the Trinitie that geueth life. And whosoeuer refuseth so to do, he curseth him and sendeth him away with the Manichees and Marcionites. And, that ye should not thinke that this was the priuate sentence of one manne, they did all assent vntounto it. Yea Ihon the Legate of the easte partes beeing further carried with heate, sayed it were better to bring al brothelhouses into the citie than to denye the worshipping of images. At lengthe by consente of them al it was decreed, that worse than all Heretikes are the Samaritanes, and worse than the Samaritanes are the enemies of images. And because the playe shoulde not be without hys solemne farewel, thys clause was added, let them be glad and reioyse that hauing the image of Chryst doe offer Sacrifice vntounto it. Where is now the distinction of Latria and Dulia, wherewith they are wonte to seke to blinde the eyes both of God and mē? For the counsell wythout any excepcion doeth geue euen as much vntounto images as vntounto the lyuinge God hymselfe.