The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 7 · Controversy 2

The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity · Book 7 · Controversy 2

p. 436Second Controverſie, OF THE SEVENTH BOOK. OF IMAGES.

CHAP. I. Of Gods Images.

HOly Scripture teacheth us, that God made man in his image and likeneſs. Men would do as much for God, making God after their image and likeneſs; changing the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 1.23. They would repreſent in ſtone, and wood, and colours, an infinite and incomprehenſible ſpirit, not only in Churches, but in the ſigns of Taverns; with leſs reaſon then if they repreſented an Angel in the ſhape of a Mouſe, or Alexander the great in the form of a pumpion. For between theſe things, though moſt unequal, there is ſome proportion: But between God who is infinite, and the figure of a man, there is no proportion: As the Prophet Iſaiah ſaith,Iſa. 40.18.Isa 40:18 To whom will ye liken God, or what likeneſs will ye compare unto him?

The wiſeſt among the Pagans have acknowledged ſo much.(a)(a)Lib. 1. Stromaton. Clemens Alexandrinus, and(b)(b)De Civitate Dei, Lib. 4. cap. 31. Dicit Varro antiquos Romanos pluſquam annos 170. Deos ſine ſimulachro coluiſſe. Quod ſi (inquit) adhuc manſiſſet, caſtiùs Dii obſervarentur. Cujus ſententiae ſuae teſtem adhibet inter caetera etiam gentem Judaeam. Nec dubitat eum locum ita concludere, ut dicat qui primi ſimulachra Deorum populis poſuerunt eos civitatibus ſuis & metum dempſiſſe & errorem addidiſſe. Auſtin alleadge Varro the moſt learned of the Romans, who affirmeth that the Antient Romans for the ſpace of 170. years ſerved the Gods without images, and that if that cuſtom had remained, the Gods ſhould be honoured with more purity. Of which opinion of his, he brings, among other things, the Jewiſh Nation for a witneſs, and makes no difficulty to make this concluſion, That they that firſt p. 437gave unto the people the images of the Gods, had taken the fear [of God] away, and had encreaſed errour in their Cities; prudently eſteeming, that the ſilly uſe of images might eaſily bring the contempt of the Gods. (c)(c)Clem. Alex. protreptico.Clemens addeth that Numa had expreſly prohibited images, and that the Romans had no other image of Mars but a ſpear. Origen in the 7. book againſt Celſus ſaith the ſame of the Perſians and Lydians, and of many other Nations.(d)(d)Initio libri foreign. Lucian in the Book of the Syrian Goddeſs, ſaith, that in old time the Temples of the Egyptians were without images. And Herodotus in the firſt Book, ſaith that the Perſians have neither ſtatues nor temples. Bardeſanes ſaith that among the Seres, Indians, and Bactrians, they yield no ſervice unto ſtatues, as Euſebius relateth in the ſixth Book of Evangelical preparation, chap 10. Strabo in the ſixteenth Book of Geography, ſaith that Moſes forbad the Jews to make images of any thing. Cornelius Tacitus in the Book of the manners of the Germans, ſaith that(e)(e)Nec cohibent parietibus Deos nec in ullam humani oris speciem aſſimilare ex magnitudine coeleſtium arbitrantur. the Germans do not ſhut up the gods within walls, and think it not convenient unto the greatneſs of the heavenly, to repreſent them with any likeneſs of humane face.

Upon this we have Gods commandment very expreſs, Deut. 5.8. even according to the vulgar verſion, the only authoriſed by the Council of Trent, Non facies tibi ſculptile nec ſimilitudinem omnium quae ſunt in coelo, &c. And according to the French verſion of the Doctors of Lovaine, (*)(*)Tu ne feras repreſentation taillee ne ſemblance, &c.approved by the Jeſuites, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf a graven repreſentation, or any likeneſs of that which is in heaven above, nor of that which is in earth beneath. Theſe Doctors forced by the truth, have acknowledged, that if Idol ſignifie the repreſentation of a thing which is not (as our Adverſaries will have it) they muſt not tranſlate, Thou ſhalt not make a graven idol, for that precept prohibits to make a repreſentation of things that are, not of thoſe that are not. And after they have been cavilling about the words of image and idol, yet the word of likeneſs which is added, takes away all difficulty. And that one may not doubt of the ſenſe of this precept, God himſelf expounds it in the fourth Chapter of the ſame Book, in the fifteenth verſe. The foreſaid verſion of our Adverſaries juſtifieth ſo much, You did not ſee any likeneſs on the day that the Lord your God ſpake to you in Horeb, from the midſt of the fire; leſt that perhaps, being deceived, you make to your ſelves a graven reſemblance, the image of male or female. Whereupon it will be good to hear the Expoſition which Theodoret gives to this commandment in his Queſtions upon Deuteronomy, in the firſt Queſtion,(f)(f)foreign. God ſaith that, teaching them not to make any image, neither to go about to make any image of God, ſeeing that they had never ſeen the likeneſs of the Original. And a little after, He teacheth them to make no image of the inviſible God. Euſebius extends himſelf much upon that, in the third Book of Evangelicall preparation, chap. 10.(g)(g)foreign, &c. foreign. How could one (ſaith he) frame an image for God? for what likeneſs hath the humane body with the divine mind? Nay I think not that mans body is any thing like his ſpirit, ſince his ſpirit is incorporeal, uncompounded, and without parts. And a little after, Who would be ſo mad as to affirm that a ſtatue made after the likeneſs of man, can bear the form and the image of the Soveraign God?

That errour of effigiating God, is not very antient in the Roman Church. For Baronius upon the year 726. of his Annals, relateth an Epiſtle of Pope Gregory the II. where the ſaid Pope ſaith,(h)(h)Cur tandem Patrem Domini Jeſu non oculis ſubjicimus ac pingimus? Quoniam quis ſit non novimus Deique natura ſpectanti proponi non poteſt ac pingi. that in the Church God is not repreſented before mens eyes, and that the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is not drawn in colours, becauſe Gods nature cannot be painted out, or put in ſight. But Baronius correcteth that Popes ſaying, and puts in the margent, that the Churches practiſe is otherwiſe now, and that the Church thought it good to ſet pictures of God in Churches.

Nicephorus a new Author, for he writ about the year of Chriſt 1300. ſpeaks thus in the 18. book, chap. 53. The Armenian Hereticks make the image of God, p. 438Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, which is a moſt abſurd thing. Long before him, Origen in the ſeventh book againſt Celſus was ſaying,(i)(i)foreign. We hold not any ſtatues to be images of God: for we do not repreſent the figure of God, who is inviſible and incorporeal.

Here, as in many other points, the Fathers are wanting to our Adverſaries, as well as the Word of God. Inſtead of proofs, they bring excuſes only, and ſay that Scripture aſcribes unto God hands and feet, eyes and mouth. As good as ſaying, Since Scripture ſpeaking of God uſeth metaphors, let us make ſtatues. Since Scripture ſpeaks of God in figurate ſpeeches, let us make the figure of God in wood and ſtone: This is not ſpeaking as men, or to men. They ſay alſo, that God appeared unto Daniel in mans ſhape. But Gods actions are not rules of Religion, but his commandments. God doth what he pleaſeth, but we muſt do what he commandeth. Wherefore neither Daniel, nor the Church of his time, or ſince his time, ever made any image of God in conſequence of that apparition. It is a new invention, of which the Romaniſts bethought themſelves ſome fifteen hundred years after Daniel.

It is to no purpoſe to ſay, that by the images of God they pretend not to repreſent his eſſence; for no more can they with pictures repreſent a mans being, no not the being of a worm: And that excuſe doth not diſpenſe them from Gods commandment, which no doubt but the Roman Church would have razed out of the Bible, if the Hebrew Originals and the Greek Verſion had been in their power, ſince they have put it out of the Hours and Offices which are put in the peoples hands. For as for the Bible, it is a Book which they are forbidden to read, as we have ſhewed.

The ſhape in which they repreſent God the Father, is that of a Pope. They put a Papal mantle about him, and a triple Crown upon his head, whereby the end appeareth for which that abuſe was coyned; it is plain, that it is not to honour God, but to honour the Pope; That the people ſeeing God Almighty ſet out in that dreſs, may imagine ſome Godhead in the Pope. Some may be found ſtupid enough to have a better opinion of God, becauſe of his Papal attire.

CHAP. 2. Of the images of Saints.

THe ſame commandment of God, which forbids making any graven image, or any likeneſs of things that are in heaven above, and in the earth beneath; forbids us alſo to make images of creatures for a Religious uſe, or for the ſervice of God. The firſt table of the Law, contains the rules of Gods ſervice: Whoſo then for Gods ſervice, and for a Religious uſe makes images of creatures, goeth againſt this commandment of God, Thou ſhalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeneſs of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth; Thou ſhalt not bow down thy ſelf to them, nor ſerve them. There God forbids two things, the one to make images for the uſe of Religion; the other to bow down before them, and defer unto them a Religious ſervice. The ſame prohibition is repeated, and more expreſly ſet down, Levit. 26.1. Ye ſhall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a ſtanding image; neither ſhall ye ſet up any image of ſtone in your Land, to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God.

(a)(a)Vaſquez lib. 2. de Adoratione Imaginum. Diſput. 3. cap. 4. & Diſp. 4. c. 3. & in 3^am partem Thomae Qu. 25. Diſp. 104. c. 2.Vaſquez one of the prime Jeſuites preſt with the evidence of the words of the Law of God, which forbid not only to worſhip images, but even to make any for the uſe of Religon, makes a free acknowledgement, that by this Precept God doth abſolutely forbid to make any images, and to make any uſe of them. But he ſaith that the Church is not bound to keep that commandment, and that the ſaid prohibition is made in particular to the people of the Jews, becauſe they were more given to idolatry then any other Nation.

p. 439But it is an act of the higheſt raſhneſs, to give unto God an intention which he did not declare. The whole moral Law, contained in the two Tables (excepting only part of the fourth Commandment touching the Sabbath) is nothing elſe, but the Law of nature, to which all men are naturally obliged, as Irenaeus teacheth in the fourth Book, chap. 3. Wherefore alſo Tertullian in the Book of Idolatry, chap. 5. and Cyprian in the third Book to Quirinus, chap. 59. alleadge this Precept as made to the Chriſtians no leſs then to the Jews. We learn, Col. 2.16. that Chriſtians are no more obliged to obſerve Sabbaths. But as for the Precept of making no image, to defer unto them a Religious ſervice, we ſee not that Chriſt or his Apoſtles, made any alteration in it.

It is falſe, that the Jews were more prone to idolatry then their neighbours, by whom they were ſeduced to the ſervice of idols, or then the Egyptians that worſhipped Onions and Beaſts. And who would affirm that thoſe Nations did not ſin againſt that Precept?

Or if that Commandment is only for thoſe Nations that are moſt given to idolatry, then the Jews after their return from the captivity of Babylon were no more ſubject to that Precept, for ever ſince that time they had images in execration. And by that reaſon the Roman Church ſhall be more ſubject to that Precept then any other Church, becauſe that Church is come to that exceſs of idolatry, that they ſpeak unto wood, and that the Doctors teach that images muſt be adored with the ſervice of latria, as we ſhall ſee hereafter.

Alſo if that Precept was made only for the Jews, it will follow, that when a Jew turned Chriſtian in the time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, he ſhoke off the yoke of that Precept, and that the Law had but nine Commandments for him.

That the Church of the Old Teſtament believed, that by this Precept they were forbidden all uſe of images in Religion, it is evident, becauſe there was no image of any of the Patriarcks or Prophets, or of any Angel in the Temple, and in the Synagogues. For the Cherubims ſet over the Ark, were no images of certain Angels, but Symbols and Characters of the Angelical Office, ſuch as the pictures of Vertues and Vices. Beſides, they were put out of the peoples ſight, ſo that there was no fear that the people ſhould abuſe them to idolatry. Thus the brazen Serpent was not an image of Jeſus Chriſt; but the ſaving vertue which God ſet forth in that Serpent, for the healing of perſons bitten by the Serpents, was a figure of the ſaving vertue of Chriſt towards the ſouls infected by the antient Serpent, the Devil. Alſo God had commanded the making of that brazen Serpent, and of thoſe Cherubims, but he did not command the ſetting up of Saints images in Temples, much leſs did he command that they ſhould be worſhipped. Then the Cherubims were not images of any particular Angel, and were not named by any proper name. Our adverſaries would not ſuffer in their Churches an image without a name, and the repreſentation of an unknown Saint.

The Jews ſince the captivity of Babylon, have been moſt Religious obſervers of this Precept. Neither threatnings nor tortures could make them bow to idolatry. Some few private men excepted, who in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes turned Pagans. The Jews had images in ſuch execration, that being become ſubject unto the Romans, they could not ſo much as ſuffer the Roman Eagles in their Countrey. In Chriſts time, King Herod being faln ſick of the ſickneſs, of which he dyed, the Jews beat down all the Eagles which Herod had ſet up; that(b)(b)Joſeph. lib. 17. Antiq. c. 8. Eagle among others, which was over the great gate of the Temple. The ſame people raiſed a ſedition againſt Pilate, becauſe he had brought to Jeruſalem the images of the Emperour, which were joyned with the military ſtandards; For (ſaith Joſephus)(c)(c)Joſeph. Origin. lib. 18. c. 4. foreign. the Law hath forbidden us to make images. And Pilate moved with compaſſion towards that people, which held out their throats, to be ſlain rather then to live and ſee images, commanded them to be carried away. The ſame Author obſerveth that Vitellius Governor of Syria, made his Army to paſs about Judea, not through it, for fear that the ſight of thoſe Eagles and of Caeſars images ſhould offend the people; which could not ſuffer thoſe images, not only to be ſet up in Towns, but not ſo much as to paſs through the Countrey. Wherefore p. 440alſo Joſephus, who was a Phariſee, and profeſſed an exact obſervation of the Law, reproveth Solomon for putting brazen bulls under the molten Sea in the Temple, and Lyons upon the ſtairs of his Throne,(d)(d)Joſeph. lib. 18. c. 7. & Antiq. l. 8. c. 2. foreign. for (ſaith he) it was not lawful to do thoſe things.

Tertullians words are worthy of an eſpecial notice, in the fourth Book againſt Marcion, chap. 22.(e)(e)Quomodo Petrus Heliam, & Moſem cognoviſſet niſi in spiritu? Neque enim imagines eorum vel ſtatuas populus habuiſſet lege prohibente. How could Peter know Elijah and Moſes, but in the Spirit? For the people could not have their images and ſtatues, ſeeing that the Law of God prohibits them. Baronius An. 31. Sect. 74. maintains that the woman whom Chriſt had healed of her bloody flux, which ſet up an image unto Chriſt, was not Martha, (f)(f)Cùm non liceret ullo pacto Judaeis ſimulachrum cujuſvis quavis occaſione formare.For (ſaith he) it was not permitted to the Jews to make images of any perſon, or for any occaſion whatſoever.

That hatred of images paſſed from the Jewiſh Church to the Chriſtian, by the means of the Apoſtles and their diſciples. So far that not only they were not permitted to yield a Religious ſervice unto images, but they were not permitted to have them. So that the trades of Picture-drawers and Statuaries were unlawful among the primitive Chriſtians. Whereby the Fable about our Lady of Lauretta, and other images which are ſaid to have been drawn by Saint Luke, appeareth to be a fable indeed. For Saint Luke being a Jew, it was not lawful for him to exerciſe the Trade of Painting. And no more would the Chriſtians have ſuffered it then the Jews.

(g)(g)Pag. 18. foreign, &c.Clemens Alexandrinus in the exhortatory Oration to the Gentiles, ſpeaks thus, We are openly forbidden to exerciſe that deceitful Trade, &c. The ſame ſaith, that God hath prohibited the making of any image or ſtatue,(h)(h)Lib. 5. Stromaton. foreign. for (ſaith he) that diſparageth the venerable Majeſty of God. Juſtin Martyr in the Dialogue againſt Tryphon ſaith the ſame;(i)(i)foreign. Was it not God that commanded by Moſes not to make any image at all, nor any likeneſs of the things that are in heaven above, or in the earth beneath?

Hermogenes, againſt whom Tertullian writ, maintained that ſecond marriages were lawful, and he was a Painter by his Trade. For theſe two reaſons Tertullian inveigheth againſt him, and thus he handleth him in the very beginning of his Book,(k)(k)Praeterea pingit licitè, nubit aſſiduè, legem Dei in libidinem defendit, in artem contemnit, bis falſarius, & cauterio & ſtylo. Hermogenes giveth to himſelf the Licence of Painting and of Marrying continually. He defends the Law of God in favour of laſciviouſneſs, and deſpiſeth it in favour of his Trade, being twice a falſe man, by his pencill and by his ſtile. Himſelf in the Book of idolatry, chap. 3.(l)(l)Artifices ſtatuarum & imaginum & omnis generis ſimilitudinis diabolus ſaeculo intulit. The Devil hath brought the makers of Statues and Images, and all kinds of repreſentations into the world. And in chap. 4. God adding, Thou ſhalt not make any likeneſs of the things that are in heaven, or in the earth, or in the ſea, (m)(m)Toto mundo ejuſmodi artibus interdixit.hath interdicted thoſe trades over all the world unto his ſervants.

In thoſe Texts, and in many more, he doth not only condemn the ſervice of Pagan idols, but he maintains that it is not allowed by Gods Law to make any picture or repreſentation, and condemneth the trades of Painter and Statuary, as forbidden in Gods Law.

In the time of the Apoſtles Simon Magus did riſe; Whoſe Diſciples made images both of him, and of his wife Selene, and worſhipped them, as(n)(n)Imaginem Simonis habent Simoniani factam ad figuram Jovis, & Selenae in figuram Minervae. Irenaeus ſaith in his firſt Book, chap. 20. and Auſtin in the Book of Hereſies, chap. 1.

Shortly after came the Carpocratians, otherwiſe called Gnoſticks, of whom the ſame Irenaeus in the ſame Book ſpeaks thus,(o)(o)Etiam imagines quaſdam depictas, quaſdam autem de reliqùa materia fabricatas habent, dicentes formam Chriſti factam à Pilato. They have ſome painted images, ſome alſo made with other matter, ſaying that it is the figure of Chriſt made by Pilate. And Auſtin in the Book of Hereſies, chap. 7. They ſay that a certain Marcellina p. 441was of the ſect of Carpocrates, and ſerved the images of Jeſus, and Paul, and Pythagoras, worſhipping them, and burning incenſe to them. Epiphanius in the Hereſie of the Carpocratians ſaith the ſame, Sect. 6.

About the year of Chriſt, 132. the Emperour Adrian willing to gratifie the Chriſtians, cauſed Temples without images to be built for them in ſeveral Cities; which Temples ſince that time were called Adrians Temples. Alexander Severus would do the ſame, but he was diſſwaded from it. Theſe are the words of Lampridius in the life of Alexander Severus, (p)(p)Alexander Chriſto templum facere voluit; eumque inter Deos recipere, Quod & Adrianus cogitaſſe fertur qui templa in omnibus civitatibus ſine ſimulacris juſſerat fieri, quae hodie idcirco, quia non habent numina, dicuntur Adriani.Alexander would make a Temple unto Chriſt, and receive him among the Gods. Which alſo Adrian thought to have done, as it is reported of him: Who had commanded that in all towns, Temples without images ſhould be made; which Temples for that reaſon are called Adrians Temples, becauſe there are no Gods in them. A certain proof that Chriſtians in that age had no imagss, ſince thereby their Temples were diſcerned from other Temples. Of thoſe Temples that bore(q)(q)foreign. Adrians name, mention is made by Epiphanius in the Hereſie of the Ebionites, and in that of Arrius, where he ſaith that in Alexandria there was a Church called Caeſareana, which before had been a Temple of Adrian, and ſince had been a place for wraſtling and bodily exerciſe under the Emperour Licinius.

Origen in the ſeventh Book againſt Celſus, anſwereth to Celſus, who objected unto Chriſtians, that(r)(r)foreign. they could not abide to ſee either Altars or Statues; and ſaith that Chriſtians abſtained from thoſe things becauſe it is ſaid, Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God, and ſerve him alone, and thou ſhalt make unto thee neither image nor likeneſs of things that are in heaven. And in the eighth Book,(ſ)(ſ)foreign. Celſus ſaith that we avoid the ſetting up of Altars, and Images, and Temples. To which Origen anſwereth,(t)(t)foreign. True images, and that which is fit to conſecrate unto God, are not images made by ſordid Tradeſmen, but thoſe that are enlightened by Gods Word, and are formed within us, which are Vertues.

Thus in the Dialogue of Minutius Felix, the Pagan Octavius asketh(u)(u)Cur nullas aras habent templa nulla, nulla nota ſimulacra? Why Chriſtians have no Altars, no Temples, no Images that appear? And in the ſame place(x)(x)Quod ſimulacrum Deo fingam, cum ſi recte exiſtimes ſit Dei homo ipſe ſimulacrum? What image ſhall I make unto God, ſeeing that man is the image of God?

Lactantius came ſoon after, who in the firſt Book of his inſtitutions, ſaith that(y)(y)Hi daemones ſunt qui fingere imagines & ſimulacra docuerunt, qui ut hominum mentes à cultu veri Dei averterent, fictos mortuorum Regum vultus & ornatos exquiſita pulchritudine ſtatui conſecrarique fecerunt. Devils have taught to make images and ſtatues, and that to turn men away from the ſervice of the true God, they cauſed faces of dead Kings well adorned and ſet out with excellent beauty to be ſet up and conſecrated. And in chap. 18. It is a perverſe and ill beſeeming thing that the image of man be ſerved by the image of God. And in chap. 19. It is a thing without doubt, that there is no Religion where there is an image.

For theſe cauſes the Eliberin Council about the year 300. of Chriſt, made this order in the 36. Canon,(a)(a)Placuit in Eccleſiis picturas eſſe non debere, ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus pingatur. It is decreed that there muſt be no pictures in Churches, leſt that the thing which is ſerved and adored be painted on the walls. At which Canon the famous Melchior Canus is chafing, and it is good ſport to ſee how he is ſtorming about it, ſaying,(b)(b)Melch. Canus loc. Theol. l. 5. cap. 4. Non imprudenter modo verum etiam impiè à Concilio Eliberino lata eſt lex de tollendis imaginibus. The law of taking images away was eſtabliſhed by the Eliberin Council, not only imprudently, but impiouſly alſo. Obſerve theſe words of the Council, It is decreed that there muſt be no pictures in Churches, that one may not ſay that the Council permitteth images and pictures, that may be removed from place to place, and that the Fathers of the Council forbid only the drawing of pictures upon walls, as the Jeſuit Vaſquez eſteemeth in the ſecond book of the adoration, Disp. 5. cap. 6. Sixtus Senenſis in the fifth book of his Library, in the 247. Annotation, acknowledgeth that this Council hath abſolutely prohibited p. 442(z)(z)Non eſt dubium quin religio nulla ſit ubicunque ſimulacrum eſt.the images in Churches: But he excuſeth it, ſaying, that this Council hath done it, becauſe they had found no better remedy againſt idolatry, then to prohibit images; which is a notable confeſſion.

In the time of that Council, that excellent man Euſebius of Ceſarea lived, of whom all the Fathers that followed are Diſciples and Prentices. In the ſeventh Book of his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, chap. 18. ſpeaking of Chriſts ſtatue in the City of Ceſarea Philippi, (c)(c)foreign.ſet up by a Pagan woman whom Chriſt had healed of a bloody flux, ſaith, that it is no wonder that Gentiles, that had received ſome benefit from the Lord did ſuch things. As we have ſeen alſo the images of his Apoſtles Peter and Paul, and of Chriſt himſelf, preſerved in pictures of colours, ſeeing that the antients did conſtantly uſe by an heatheniſh cuſtom ſo to honour thoſe whom they held for their Saviours. Note that he ſaith, that making images is an heatheniſh cuſtom, and by conſequent, not received in the Chriſtian Church.

The ſame Euſebius being deſired by the Empreſs Conſtantia to ſend her Chriſts picture, anſwereth, as not underſtanding what image ſhe meant: Whether ſhe would have the immutable image of Chriſt, which is his Divine nature, or the image and form of a ſervant, which he took for us. And he ſaith, that neither the one nor the other way, the image of Chriſt can be repreſented with dead and inanimate colours, and by a ſhadowed picture. This is related more at large in the ſeventh Univerſal Council aſſembled at Conſtantinople, in the year of Chriſt, 754.

Amphilochius Biſhop of Iconium, (d)(d)foreign.We care not to repreſent the carnal faces of Saints with colours in pictures, for we have no need of that, but to imitate their converſation with vertue. That teſtimony with many more, is found in the ſecond Council of Nice.

Soon after thoſe three famous men came, Epiphanius, Ambroſe and Hierom. The firſt of them is alleadged by the ſecond Council of Nice, in theſe words,(e)(e)Eſtote memores dilectiſſimi filii, ne in Eccleſiam imagines inferatis, neque in Sanctorum coemeteriis eas ſtatuatis. Sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus veſtris. Quinetaim neque in domo communi tolerentur. Be mindful, dear children, that you bring no images into the Churches, and that you ſet up none in the burying places of the Saints; but bear God in your hearts continually: Yea let them not be ſuffered in your ordinary houſes.

The ſame Epiphanius paſſing through a Borough of Paleſtina, called Anablata, and ſeeing at the Church door a painted vail hanging, where the image of Chriſt or ſome Saint was repreſented, he did that which himſelf relateh in an Epiſtle of his to John of Jeruſalem, (f)(f)Inveni ibi velum pendens in foribus ejuſdem Eccleſiae tinctum atque depictum, & habens imaginem quaſi Chriſti vel Sancti cujuſdam, non enim ſatis memini cujus imago fuerit, cum ergo hoc vidiſſem in Eccleſia Chriſti, contra authoritatem Scripturarum, hominis pendere imaginem, ſcidi illud & magis dedi conſilium cuſtodibus ejuſdem loci ut pauperem mortuum eo obvolverent, &c. That Epiſtle is found among Hierom's Epiſtle, and was tranſlated by Hierom.I found (ſaith he) a painted vail hanging at the Church door, having the image as it were of Chriſt, or of ſome Saint, for I remember not very well whoſe image it was. I then ſeeing a mans image hanging in Chriſts Church, againſt the authority of Scripture, tore that vail, and gave counſel to the keepers of the place, that they ſhould rather make it a winding-ſheet for the corpſe of ſome poor man. And a little after he deſireth the ſame John, that for the future a prohibition ſhould be made againſt hanging ſuch vails in the Church of Chriſt, as are contrary to Religion.

Sixtus Senenſis in the fifth book of his Library, in the 247. Annotation, ſaith that Epiphanius did that to prevent abuſe.

Vaſquez in the ſecond Book of Adoration,(g)(g)Diſput. 5. cap. 4. ſaith that Epiphanius tore that vail, becauſe the image painted in it, was the image of ſome prophane man. But Epiphanius declareth the contrary, ſaying that it was the image of Chriſt, or of ſome Saint. Alfonſus de Caſtro a Franciſcan Fryer, deals more roundly, for he puts Epiphanius among the deſtroyers of images, who are declared Hereticks by the judgement of the Church of Rome.

The ſame Father in the 79. Hereſie, which is that of the Collyridians, ſpeaks p. 443thus,(h)(h)foreign. The Devil alwayes inſinuating into mens minds with the pretence of righteouſneſs, deifying the mortal nature of man before the eyes of men, hath repreſented images made after the humane ſhape by ſeveral trades. They that are worſhipped are dead, but their ſtatues which never had life, are brought to be worſhipped. He ſpeaks againſt the Collyridians, who had images of the Virgin Mary, and made offerings of cakes unto her; which he calls idolatry.

What Hierom's opinion was about images, he ſhewed it ſufficiently by the pains he took to tranſlate the forementioned Epiſtle of Epiphanius into Latine. Upon the firſt of Daniel he ſpeaks thus,(i)(i)Deos coli imaginem adorari dicunt, quod utrumque ſervis Dei non convenit. They ſay that they ſerve the Gods, but adore their images, neither of which is fit for Gods ſervants to do.

And ſo Ambroſe, (k)(k)Ambroſ. Epiſt. ad Valentinianum Imperatorem. Non vult ſe Deus in lapidibus coli.God will not be ſerved in ſtones; ſo he calleth images or ſtatues.

Auſtin is excellent and pregnant upon this ſubject: In the firſt Book of the manners of the Catholick Church, he complains of the creeping in of that ſuperſtition among ſome in Africa. I know (l)(l)Novi multos eſſe ſepulchrorum & picturarum adoratores, multos qui ſuper mortuos luxurioſiſſimè bibunt.(ſaith he) that many are worſhippers of tombes and pictures: I know that many will drink with exceſs over the dead.

And in the firſt Book of the conſent of the Evangeliſts, chap. 10.(m)(m)Sic omnino errare merentur qui Chriſtum & Apoſtolos ejus non in ſanctis codicibus ſed in pictis parietibus quaeſierunt. So they deſerve to fall into errour, that would ſeek Chriſt and his Apoſtles, not in the holy Scriptures, but on painted walls.

And in the 119. Epiſtle to Januarius, (n)(n)Non quia non habet imaginem Deus, ſed quia nulla ejus imago coli debet, niſi illa quae hoc eſt quod eſt ipſe.We muſt not ſerve any image of God, but that image which is that which himſelf is; meaning Chriſt, who is one God with him.

The ſame upon the 113. Pſal. in the ſecond Sermon, ſpeaking of that which is ſaid in the Pſalm, that the images of the Gentiles have eyes and ſee not, ſaith, that the Church indeed hath veſſels, but it may not be ſaid of them that they have eyes and ſee not. Then he addeth,(o)(o)Illa cauſa eſt maxima impietatis inſanae quod plus valet in affectibus miſerorum ſimilis viventi forma quae ſibi efficit ſupplicari, quam quod jam manifeſtum eſt non eſſe viventem ut debeat à vivente contemni. Plus enim valent ſimulacra ad curvandam infelicem animam, quod os habent oculos, &c. quàm ad corrigendam quod non loquentur non videbunt, &c. The principal cauſe of that frantick impiety is, that the figure like to a living man, which makes the people to bow the knee to it, hath more ſtrength over the affections of miſerable men, then the evident certainty that it is not living, is powerful to make it contemned by the living. For images have more force to bow a miſerable ſoul, becauſe they have a mouth, eyes, ears, noſtrils, hands and feet; then they have to correct her, becauſe they ſpeak not, they ſee not, they hear not, and ſmell not. How ill would it have become Auſtin to upbraid the Pagans, that their images have eyes and ears without either ſeeing or hearing, if Chriſtians had had images, of which the Pagans could have ſaid as much? Can any deny but that one may ſay of the images of the Saints, that which David ſaith of the images of Pagans, They have eyes and ſee not, they have a mouth and ſpeak not: But Auſtin found nothing in the Chriſtian Church, that the Pagans might object unto him, but the veſſels of the Church, as the tables, cups, plates, books: of which Auſtin ſaith, that one needs not fear that they be abuſed to idolatry, becauſe they have neither eyes nor ears, nor any likeneſs of humane ſhape.

The ſame Doctor in the 49. Epiſtle to Deo gratias, (p)(p)Et idola quidem omni ſenſu carere quis dubitat? Verumtamen cum his locantur ſedibus honorabili ſublimitate ut à precantibus immolantibuſque attendantur, ipſa ſimilitudine animatorum membrorum atque ſenſuum quamvis inſenſata atque exanima afficiunt infirmos animos, ut vivere ac ſpirare videantur accedente praeſertim veneratione multitudinis.Who makes a doubt (ſaith he) that idols are deſtitute of ſenſe? Yet when they are ſet up in ſuch places, in an honourable height, that they may be lookt upon by thoſe that pray and ſacrifice; by the reſemblance of animate members and ſenſes, though they have neither ſoul nor ſenſe, they work upon the ſouls of the infirm, ſo that it ſeems to them that they are both living and breathing, eſpecially when one ſeeth the multitude to yield veneration unto them. Particularly, of the images of God the Father, who is repreſented ſitting in a chair, he ſpeaks thus in the ſeventh Chapter of the Book of the Faith, and of the Symbol, Tale ſimulacrum Deo nefas eſt in templo collocare. It is not lawful for a Chriſtian to ſet up ſuch an image in the Church: For (ſaith he) it is falling into the p. 444ſacriledge of thoſe whom the Apoſtle hath in execration, who have changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into the likeneſs of a corruptible man.

The ſecond Council of Nice alleadgeth a teſtimony of Theodorus Biſhop of Ancyra, who lived in the 400. year of Chriſt,(q)(q)Sanctorum formas & species in materialibus coloribus formari minimè decorum putamus. Horum autem virtutes quae per ſcripta traditae ſunt veluti vinas quaſdam imagines reficere ſubinde oportet. Ex his enim ad ſimilium imitationem & zelum pervenire poſſumus. Dicant enim nobis qui illas erigunt ſtatuas quaenam utilitas ex illis ad ſe redit? An quod qualiſcunque recordatio eos habet ex tali ſpeciali contemplatione? Sed manifeſtum eſt quod vana ſit ejuſmodi contemplatio & diaboli deceptionis inventum. We hold it not convenient (ſaith he) to form images of Saints with material colours, but to refreſh from time to time, the vertues that are written of them, as ſo many lively images: For thereby we may attain to their imitation. Let thoſe men that ſet up images to the Saints, tell us, what utility ariſeth unto themſelves out of that? Is it only to get ſome indifferent remembrance of them by ſuch a ſpecial contemplation? But it is manifeſt that ſuch a contemplation is vain, and an invention of Satans deceit.

In theſe places it is conſiderable, that the Fathers ſpake not only againſt the images of the Pagans, but alſo againſt the images of God and the Saints; and that many of them abſolutely condemn the trades of Painters and Statuaries, as unlawful and wicked; and that the things which they ſay of the images of the Pagans, may alſo be fitted unto the images of the Saints; when they ſay that the images of the Pagans have no ſenſe, that they have eyes and ſee not, that they have ears and hear not, that being ſet up in high places, they bow the minds of the ignorant and draw reverence; That they are great puppets, as Lactantius ſaith in the ſecond Book of his Inſtitutions, chap. 4. As in effect, images are mens puppets, juſt as puppets are childrens idols. The ſame Fathers deride the cuſtom of the Pagans, who cloathed their images, burnt incenſe unto them, and ſet them out with various attires, tools and weapons. Thus Lactantius in the fore-alleadged place,(r)(r)Ergo his ludicris ornatis & grandibus puppis, & unguenta & thura, & odores inferunt. Then to theſe great puppets well adorned, they offer ſweet perfumes, incenſe and odours. Arnobius in the ſeventh book, deſpiſeth that cuſtom of burning incenſe before images of the Gods.(ſ)(ſ)Si temporibus priſcis neque homines neque Dii hujus thuris expetivere materiam, comprobatur & hodie illud fruſtra inaniterque praeſtari quod neque antiquitas neceſſarium credidit, & ſine ullis novitas rationibus appetivit, &c. Habent Dii nares quibus ducant aerios ſpiritus, ut penetrare illas poſſint nidorum differentium qualitates? If in the antient times (ſaith he) neither men nor Gods deſired that drug of incenſe, it followeth that nowadayes alſo the ſame is vainly and unreaſonably done, which Antiquity believed not to be neceſſary, and the modern age hath deſired without reaſon, &c. And in the ſame place he asketh, Whether the gods have noſtrils to draw in the reſpiration of the air, and to ſmell the difference of odours. And as for the equipage of images, the ſame Author makes a ſport with the key of Janus, and with the horns of Jupiter Ammon. With what countenance could cheſe Authors have reproached the Pagans with ſuch things, if in the Chriſtian Churches there had been images with clothes, ſhifted according to the ſeveral Holy-dayes, and with incenſe burning before them? Or if the Chriſtians had had then Saint Peters image with a key like Janus? Or the image of Moſes with horns like Juppiter Ammon? Or that of St. George with a ſpear like Mars? Or that of St. Euſtach, with a ſtag like Diana? Or that of St. Paul, with a ſword? Or of Saint Laurence, with a Gridiron? Had not the Pagans had juſt matter of recrimination and reproaching the Chriſtians, that the images of their Saints, ſet up in Churches and Church-yards, had no more ſenſe then the images of their gods? that they had eyes and ſaw not? that they were ſet up in eminent places? that incenſe was burnt to them? and that they had ſeveral and various attires beſtowed upon them? Which yet they do not, and never uſe that recrimination againſt the Chriſtians.

Here truth is ſo ſtrong, that it draws many confeſſions from our Adverſaries. George Caſſander, a Divine of Collen, in his conſultation, in the Chapter De Imaginibus & ſimulachris, thus begins the Chapter,(t)(t)Ad imagines vero Sanctorum quod attinet certum eſt initio praedicati Evangelii aliquanto tempore inter Chriſtianos, praeſertim in Eccleſiis, imaginum uſum non fuiſſe, ut ex Clemente & Arnobio patet. As for the images of the Saints, it is certain that in the beginning of the preaching of the Goſpel, for ſome ſpace of time, images were not in uſe among Chriſtians, eſpecially in Churches, as it appears by Clemens and Arnobius. And a little after, Truly it is manifeſt by Auſtin, that in his time the uſe of images was not in Churches; eſpecially by that which he writ upon the 113. Pſalm.

p. 445If the firſt Chriſtians had no images, and ſuffered none in the Church, what would they have ſaid of thoſe that not only have their Churches full of images of Saints of both ſexes, ſome of them wantonly ſet out, and ſome that never were in the world; but alſo beſtow upon them a religious ſervice, kiſs them, and worſhip them?

The ſecond Council of Nice held in the year 788. commands above thirty times the adoration of images. Theſe words are found in the ſecond Action, We hold that the images of the impolluted Virgin Mother of God, and of the glorious Angels, and of all the Saints, ought to be adored and ſaluted. And if any hath another ſenſe; and doubts about the adoration of the venerable images, our holy and venerable Synod, doth anathematize him. And that none may take the word adoring for a veneration only, the ſame Council in the fourth Action ſpeaks thus, All thoſe that confeſs that they venerate images, and yet refuſe to adore them, are reproved by Father Anaſtaſius as hypocrites. In the ſame Action it is ſaid that images are of the ſame price as the Gospel. And that major eſt imago quam oratio. The image is greater then the word.

Then lived Pope Adrian, who writing to Tharaſius Patriarch of Conſtantinople, Preſident of that Council, ſaith to him,(u)(u)Imagines omnium Sanctorum Beatitas veſtra colere & adorare pergat. Let your bleſſedneſs continue to ſerve and adore the images of all the Saints. Yea he writ a book purpoſely for the defence of that abominable Council, which was condemned a little after by the Council of Franckford held under Charls the Great, as Ado teſtifieth in his Chronicle, and Hinckmar in the book of the fifty five chapters, chap. 20. Where alſo he ſaith that in his youth(*)(*)Tempore Caroli Magni Imperatoris juſſione Apoſtolicae ſedis generalis eſt Synodus in Francia convocante praefato Imperatore celebrata & ſecundum Scripturarum tramitem traditionem que majorum ipſa Graecorum pſeudo-Synodus deſtructa & penitus abdicata. De cujus deſtructione non modicum volumen quod in palatio adoleſcentulus legi ab eodem Imperatore per quoſdam Epiſcopos miſſum. he read a book written againſt that falſe Synod (for he calls it ſo) ſent by the Emperour Charls the Great unto the Pope, which is the book of Charls the Great againſt images remaining to this day. Theſe two witneſſes Ado and Hinckmar are of the ſame age as the Synod of Franckford, and ſpeak of things that happened in their time.

Under Lewis the Meek, ſon to Charls the Great, another Synod was aſſembled at Paris againſt images. Of which we have all the Acts well preſerved▪ in the beginning of his reign Claud. Biſhop of Turin broke all the images he found in his Biſhoprick, ſtrongly oppoſing the Biſhop of Rome, who ſtood for the adoration of images; yea, and he writ a book agianſt Images. The Pope durſt not do any thing againſt him, becauſe he was maintained by the Emperours authority, who then had the chief rule in Italy.

(x)(x)Zonoras Annal. l. 3. Cedrenus Ammonius Monachus Hiſt. Franc. lib. 5. cap. 27. Sigebertus An. 755.A little before, a Council of three hundred thirty eight Biſhops had been aſſembled at Conſtantinople, where images were condemned. Of that Council we have the fragments in the ſecond Council of Nice.

Bellarmin in the ſecond book of Images, chap. 22. ſaith, that a Council of Mentz chargeth Preachers carefully to admoniſh the people to beware of worſhipping images. Which is alſo the Counſel that Pope Gregory the firſt gave to Serenus Biſhop of Marſeille, who had broken the Images of Marſeille. For whereas he approved not that violence, yet he praiſeth him for hindering the people to adore them. Now it is not like, that any of that people was ſo beſotted with the love of images, as to beſtow a ſoveraign adoration upon them. For ſo he had adored the images of the Saints with a higher adoration then the Saints themſelves.

Upon this Auſtin is pregnant, Epiſt. 119. chap. 11.(y)(y)Prohibetur coli aliqua in figmentis hominum Dei ſimilitudo; Non quia non habet imaginem Deus ſed quia nulla imago ejus coli debet niſi quae hoc eſt quod ipſe. It is forbidden in the Law to ſerve any image of God made by men. Not becauſe God hath no image, but becauſe no image of God muſt be ſerved, but that which is the ſame as himſelf, meaning Chriſt.

But in the end God angry with the hardneſs of men, ſuffered the worſhippers of images to prevail. About which the Popes did powerfully labour. For taking away the holy Scripture from the people, they had need to give them ſomething inſtead of it; Depriving them of inſtruction, they muſt give them recreation, and amuſe their eyes with pictures, ſtatues, and variety of ceremonies. All is full of images in the Roman Church; There you ſhall ſee a people made of ſtones, and the people that have ſoul and life are kneeling before the people that have none. Man who is the image of God, adoreth the images of men, p. 446whereas theſe images, if they had knowledge, would rather worſhip man. The very image-makers worſhip their own work. And the evil is gone ſo far, that moſt part of the Romiſh Doctors aſſert, that images muſt be adored with the ſame adoration as the thing repreſented; and that the image of the Crucifix muſt be adored with the worſhip of latria, that is, with the ſoveraign adoration w…ich is due unto God. Thomas the head and the chief ornament of the School.(z)(z)Thom. Sum. part. 3. qu. 25. Art 3. Sequitur quod eadem reverentia exhibeatur imaginibus Chriſti & ipſi Chriſto. Cum ergo Chriſtus adoretur adoratione latriae, conſequens eſt quod ejus imago ſit adoratione latriae adoranda. It followeth (ſaith he) that the ſame reverence is given unto the image of Chriſt, as unto Chriſt himſelf: Seeing then that Chriſt is adored with the adoration of latria, it followeth that his image muſt be adored with the adoration of latria. And Azorius, (a)(a)Joh. Azor. Inſtit. Moral. Tom. 1. lib. 9. cap. 6. Conſtans eſt Theologorum ſententia imaginem eodem honore & cultu ho…orari & coli quo colitur id cujus eſt imago.This is a conſtant opinion among Divines, that the image is honoured and ſerved with the ſame honour and ſervice, that the thing whereof it is an image is ſerved. And Gabriel Biel in the forty ninth leſſon upon the Canon of the Maſs,(b)(b)Si fuerint imagines Chriſti, adorantur eadem ſpecie qua Chriſtus, id eſt, adoratione latriae. Si beatiſſimae Virginis, hyperduliae, &c. If they be images of Chriſt, they are adored with the ſame kind of adoration as Chriſt, that is, with the adoration of latria. If they be images of the moſt bleſſed Virgin Mary, they are worſhipped with the ſervice of hyperdulia: If of St. Peter or ſome other Saint, of dulia.

The Jeſuite Vaſquez in the third book of the adoration,(c)(c)Vaſquez lib. 3. de Adorat. Imaginum Diſp. 4. cap. 4. Res inanima jure naturae adorari poteſt. ſheweth at large that this is the belief of the Doctors, of whom he alleadgeth above thirty. To which multitude he joyneth himſelf, and it is no wonder that he will have images to be adored with the ſervice of latria, ſeeing he maintaineth that inanimate things may be lawfully worſhipped with the worſhip of latria, as heaven and earth,(d)(d)Idem l. 3. Diſp. 1. c. 2. and a beam of light in which the Devil lyeth hidden; yea, even a ſtraw. The Jeſuite Gretzer affirmeth the ſame in the book of the Croſs, chap. 57.

Cardinal Bellarmin in chap. 21. of the book of images, will have images adored, not only becauſe of that which they repreſent, but becauſe of themſelves,(e)(e)Imagines Chriſti & ſanctorum venerandae ſunt, non ſolùm per accidens vel impropriè, ſed etiam per ſe & propriè, ita ut ipſae terminent venerationem ut inſe conſiderantur, & non ſolùm ut vicem gerunt exemplaris. Images (ſaith he) muſt be ſerved in themſelves, and properly. And in the ſame chapter he layeth this for a fundamental maxim, That the images of Chriſt and of the Saints muſt be venerated, not only by accident, and improperly, but in themſelves and properly, ſo that the veneration is terminated in the image, conſidered in it ſelf, and not only in that it repreſents.

And in the Roman Church they ſpeak with images, as if they underſtood; and ſuch things are ſaid unto them, as cannot be ſaid to the thing repreſented by the image. Such is the prayer ſaid to that holy cloth upon which the face of Chriſt is printed, Salve ſancta facies noſtri Redemptoris, Impreſſa panniculo nivei splendoris, Data Veronicae in ſignum amoris. Salve vultus Domini imago beata, &c. Hail holy face of our Redeemer, printed upon a ſnow-bright cloth, Given to Veronica in ſign of love: Hail thou face of the Lord, bleſſed image, &c. Thus alſo they ſpeak to the wood of the croſs,(f)(f)Ave lignum triumphale. I ſalute thee triumphal wood, &c. It cannot be ſaid, that by a figure which is called Metonymia, by the image of Chriſt, Chriſt himſelf is underſtood, ſeeing that in that prayer the image of the face of Chriſt is expreſly diſtinguiſhed from Chriſt, for they pray to that painted face,(g)(g)Deduc nos O felix figura ad videndum faciem quae eſt Chriſti pura. that it make them ſee the true face of Chriſt. Can there be a greater abſurdity then to ſpeak to an inanimate thing that underſtands not? They ſay of Diogenes, that he would beg alms of ſtatues to accuſtom himſelf to be denyed: For indeed whoſoever comes to pray to an image, muſt come reſolved to obtain nothing,

Here I know not which are worſe troubled to juſtifie their doctrine, they that will have the image worſhipped with the ſame adoration as the thing repreſented by the image, or they that will have it worſhipped with an inferiour adoration. For the firſt, that are worſhipping a wooden crucifix with the ſame adoration as Chriſt, and with a ſoveraign adoration, which they call latria, they are idolaters in the higheſt degree, ſince they put the creature and the creator in the ſame rank. And they are condemned by the ſecond Council of Nice in the firſt, third and ſixth Action, where it is expreſly ſaid, that images ought not be adored with the ſervice of latria. But if (as they ſay) the adoration of the image is relative, p. 447and reſpective to another thing, it cannot be worſhipped with the ſame adoration as God.

On the other ſide, they that will have the adoration of the image to be an inferiour, and another kind of adoration, plunge themſelves into inſoluble difficulties. For they call the adoration deferred unto creatures dulia. If then the images of Saints muſt be adored with a leſſer adoration then the Saints, then that adoration is leſſer then dulia, and there is no name as yet found for it. And whereas the word dulia ſignifies the ſervice yielded unto one, as to a Maſter (as Auſtin ſaith in the book of Queſtions upon Exodus, qu. 94. Dulia is due unto God, as unto him that is Maſter) if we muſt defer an adoration of dulia unto images, we muſt ſay that images are our Maſters or Miſtreſſes.

And ſince the Dulia due to God, muſt be of another and greater nature then that which our Adverſaries defer unto Saints, and that of the Saints greater then that which is deferred unto their images; behold three ſorts of different dulia: To which if you add the dulia which is deferred unto the images of God and of Chriſt, which muſt be greater then that which is deferred unto the images of Saints; We ſhall have four ſorts of dulia, which neither the people, nor the very Doctors are able to diſcern. So that they muſt come to th…s that God, and a wooden crucifix, and the image of St. Francis, are equally worſhipped with Dulia, and that the ſame ſervice is yielded unto them.

Eſpecially in the adoration of the image of the Croſs, the error is palpable. For in the Roman Church upon Paſſion-Sunday, they ſpeak thus to the image of the wood of the Croſs,(h)(h)O Crux ave ſpes unica, Hoc paſſionis tempore. Auge pus juſtitiam. Reiſque dona veniam. I ſalute thee O Croſs our only hope, In this time of the paſſion, Increaſe righteouſneſs to the godly, and give pardon to the guilty. And that it may not be ſaid that by a Metonymy that which is ſpoken to the image of the Croſs muſt be underſtood as ſaid unto Chriſt, ſuch things are added as cannot be ſaid unto Chriſt,(i)(i)Sola dignata fuiſti ferre ſaecli pretium. Crux fidelis inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Thou haſt been alone worthy to bear the price of the world. And a little after, Thou faithfull Croſs, the only noble among trees. And in another hymn,(k)(k)Beata cujus brachiis Saecli pependit pretium. Thou bleſſed Croſs, out of whoſe arms the price of the world did hang. Can one without impiety ſpeak unto wood, and call it our hope and ask of it increaſe of grace, and remiſſion of ſins?

This is ſuch a groſs abuſe, that many of our Adverſaries complain of it; and wiſh it amended with moderation. Caſſander in his conſultation in the chapter of images. It is too evident (ſaith he) that the ſervice of images is too much increaſed, and that too much [licence] was granted to the affection, or rather ſuperſtition of the people. So that it ſeems that our men are not at all behind the Pagans as for the ſoveraign adoration which they were wont to yield unto their images. Wherefore the moſt prudent of the Catholick Church have long ago deſired that ſome moderation were uſed about it, and that the current of the ſuperſtition were ſtopt. Whereupon he alleadgeth William Durand, John Billet a Divine of Paris, Gerſon, and Gabriel Biel; and complains of the ignorant ſimplicity of the people that worſhip handſome images with more devotion then the ugly, and the new then the old, and thoſe that are clad and well adorned then the naked and ill in clothes; and vow pilgrimages to certain Churches in conſideration of certain images that are there, believing that they have more vertue and holineſs, then other images of the ſame Saint which are in other places. He ſaith alſo, that they that ſhould correct that abuſe feed the people in it, that themſelues may be fed. Then he makes this ingenuous concluſion, that Chriſt in the day of judgement will not tell them, What you have done unto theſe images you have done it unto me, but What you have done unto theſe little ones, that is, theſe poor ones, you have done it unto me; Silently taxing the ſtupidity of thoſe that clothe images, and leave the poor naked: Perſons, whoſe ſuperſtition choaketh their charity, and who are cruell, becauſe they are devout.

Herein their folly is evident, that if the image of our Lady lyeth down upon the Churches floor, no body worſhips it: But if it ſtand, and is ſet up in a high place, it receives many ſalutations and bowings: Alſo that in the ſame Church you may ſee the image of the Trinity duſty and neglected, and that of the Virgin p. 448Mary curiouſly attired. The images of that good Virgin are a thouſand times richer in clothes, then ever ſhe was in her life time. Thoſe ornaments are given to her images which her ſelf deſpiſed. Silver images are made for the Apoſtles, who in their life time ſaid, Gold and Silver I have none. Acts 3.6. When a Prince dyeth, the images of Saints are clad in mourning, while theſe Saints are in the higheſt degree of joy. Near the image of a Saint they ſet that of a Dog or a Hog: And thoſe beaſts have equal part of the incenſe, and of the light of Tapers.

CHAP. 3. Reaſons of the Adverſaries for the adoration of images.

THE falſhood of this doctrine which commands the adoration of images, appears by the reaſons that are brought for it; They ſay that Jacob worſhiped the end of Joſephs ſtaff. That grounded upon a text of Heb. 11. falſified in the verſion of the Roman Church, Jacob adoravit faſtigium virgae ejus. But there is in the Greek, foreign, He worſhiped upon the end of his ſtaff. So the ſecond Council of Nice alleadgeth that text in the ſecond Action, and Auſtin in the book of queſtions upon Geneſis, queſt. 162. Hierom in the Hebrew traditions upon Geneſis confuteth that verſion, Some in vain would make us believe that Jacob worſhiped the end of Joſephs ſtaff, but it is quite otherwiſe in the Hebrew.

With the like untruth Cardinal du Perron affirmeth, that Joſhuah worſhipped the Ark, Joſ. 7.6. For in that text it is written, that Joſhuah fell to the earth upon his face, before the Ark of the Lord. And ſo Pſal. 99.5. Worſhip at his footſtool. It is one thing to bow down before the Ark, and another thing to bow down to the Ark. It is one thing to worſhip his footſtool, another thing to worſhip at his footſtool.

They that ſay, that the honour deferred to the images of God and his Saints returns unto God and his Saints, thereby alleadge their own reaſon, not the word of God. They ſhould have enquired before, whether God will be ſo honoured, and ſhould have told us how they are ſure that the Saints accept of that ſervice; For all adoration muſt be made in faith: now faith is founded upon the word of God. Beſides I think not that the Saints are the warmer, when their images are well clad, or that they ſee better when wax-lights are burning before them, or that they are the richer by the offerings given to their images, but taken by the Prieſts. Or that Chriſt is more honoured, when one ſpeaks to a face painted in a cloth. Hail thou holy face of the Redeemer, painted on a white cloth, O bleſſed image, &c. A King would take it for an abuſe offered to his perſon, if one ſpake to his picture.

It is falſe, that the contempt of the image reflects alwayes upon him that is repreſented by the image. For the falſe coyn that bears the Kings image is broken and melted in obedience to the King. Had the King forbidden, that any ſhould erect to him a ſtatue, he that ſhould break ſtatues made for him againſt his will, ſhould not deſpiſe the King, but obey his command. Epiphanius and Serenus Biſhop of Marſeille had no intention to deſpiſe Chriſt and the Saints, when they brake their images. And if the Saints muſt not be adored, much leſs their images of wood and ſtone.

The texts of Scripture, which the ſecond Council of Nice uſeth for the adoration of images, are theſe in the ſixth Action: Shew me thy face, and let me hear thy voyce, Cant. 2. And, as we have heard, ſo we have ſeen, Pſal. 48. And in the ſecond Action there is an Epiſtle of Adrian Biſhop of Rome, whereby he approveth images, becauſe God made man after his image. He alleadgeth alſo Pſal. 27. Thy face Lord will I ſeek. And Pſal. 4. Lift up the light of thy countenance upon p. 449us, inſtead of which the vulgar ſaith, Signatum eſt ſuper nos lumen vultus tui. Whence he inferreth, Quam ob cauſam hiſtorias imaginum illorum honoro & palam adoro, falſly aſcribing that ſentence unto Baſil, For this cauſe I honour and publickly adore the ſtories of their images. The ſame Pope made a Book in the defence of the ſecond Council of Nice, where ſpeaking of the Fathers of that Council, he praiſeth them for ſaying, that deſpiſers of images have laid the candle under the buſhell. It muſt be a very ill cauſe that is put to ſuch ridiculous proofs.

CHAP. 4. That the excuſes and reaſons which our Adverſaries bring for the defence of their Images, are the ſame which the Pagans alleadged againſt the antient Chriſtians.

THe Holy Scripture calling idolatry adultery ſheweth that it is no more lawful to uſe idolatry towards Saints, then towards Devils; for a wife is as diſloyal by proſtituting her ſelf to her husbands friends, as to his enemies. If thoſe Saints that are glorified with God, had a clear knowledge of things done below, they would be angry with thoſe that transform them into idols, and cloath them with perfections belonging to none but God. And Paul and Barnabas, who tore their garments when the Lycaonians would offer them ſacrifices; if they ſaw the men of our age, conſecrating Altars and Temples unto them, acknowledging them as ſearchers of the hearts, and chuſing them for their Patrons and Mediatours; no doubt but they would be no leſs offended at ſuch an abomination, as they were then: For the more they love God, the more are they jealous of his honour. Yea, I ſay, that as poiſons are more active in the moſt delicate meats, ſo the more the memory of the Saints is ſacred and venerable, the more is the idolatry pernicious which creeps under the name of true Saints, and turneth the helps to piety, into ſtumbling blocks. This hath been Satans work for many ages, and is now ſtill. For when he ſaw the Pagan idols beaten down by the preaching of the Goſpel, and Jupiter, Apollo and Mercury out of credit, he endeavoured to raiſe idolatry again under a more ſpecious title, and to make uſe even of Chriſtian Religion, which is a ſworn enemy to idols, to ſet up idols: Under a pretence of honouring God in his Saints, he hath ſought to diſhonour God by his Saints; tranſporting unto them part of that honour which belongeth unto God alone; attributing unto them the vertue of ſeeing all things, and knowing mens hearts, and the power of hearing our prayers; to that end, ſetting up ſtatues unto them in the Church, deferring a Religious ſervice unto them, and worſhipping their images.

Now as when two ſick perſons faln into the like ſymptoms, uſe the ſame remedies, we judge they are both ſick of the ſame ſickneſs: Likewiſe when we ſee Chriſtians deferring the ſame honours to their images, and with the ſame geſtures as the Pagans did to theirs, burning wax-lights and incenſe before them, kiſſing them, giving them changes of rayment, and honouring them with moſt devotion that are beſt in clothes; and when they are taxed of ſuch a groſs abuſe, cloaking their actions with the ſame reaſons and excuſes which the Pagans uſed; then I ſay, we may and ought to ſay aſſuredly, that the ſickneſs is the ſame, and that both are ſmitten with the like ſpirit of ſtumbling.

By the controverſies of the antient Chriſtians with the Pagans, and ſome idolatrous Chriſtians, it is evident, that as the faithful Chriſtians uſed the ſame reaſons as we do, ſaying that God forbids in his Law to make any image or likeneſs of things that are in heaven above, and that God will be adored alone, and that God who is an infinite Spirit, cannot be repreſented by images, and that the Church of Iſrael had not any image of Saints, or Patriarcks, or Prophets in the Temple; likewiſe p. 450the anſwers of the Pagans and of the idolatrous Chriſtians were the very ſame which the Roman Church of our age uſeth.

They would ſay, that they were not ſo ſtupid as to believe that theſe images were Gods, or that they had ſenſe; but that by the image, they adored him that was repreſented in the image. And that images were Scriptures unto the ignorant, and were the Books of ideots. Alſo that Moſes ſet up an image in the Wilderneſs, which was the brazen Serpent.

Thus Origen in the ſeventh Book againſt the Pagan Celſus, (a)(a)foreign.Celſus ſaith that he holds not thoſe ſtatues to be Gods, but things conſecrated unto the Gods. And the Pagans anſwer thus to Arnobius, (b)(b)Arnob. lib. 6. Erras, inquitis, & lab…ris, nam neque nos aera neque auri argentique materias neque alias quibus ſigna confiunt eas eſſe per ſe Deo… & religeoſa decernimus numina: ſed eos in his colimus coſque veneramur, quos dedicatio refert ſacra.Thou erreſt and faileſt, for we hold neither braſs, nor gold, nor ſilver, nor other materials of the images to be Gods of their nature, or divinities to which a Religious ſervice is due. But in theſe images we ſerve the Gods, and venerate thoſe whom the ſacred dedication repreſents unto us. Thus alſo in the Preface of the fourth Book of Euſebius of Evangelical preparation. Euſebius ſaith that(c)(c)foreign. it is an evident thing to the very Pagans, that the inanimate ſtatues are no Gods. And the Pagans make the ſame anſwer, in the ſecond Book of Lactantius, chap. 2.(d)(d)Non ipſa (inquiunt) timemus ſed eos ad quorum imaginem ficta & quorum nominbus conſecrata ſunt. We fear not theſe things (ſay they) but thoſe after whoſe image they are made and to whoſe names they are conſecrated. And Auſtin upon the 113. Pſalm, perſonateth an idolater, ſpeaking thus,(e)(e)Nec ſimulacrum nec daemonem colo, ſed per effigiem corporalem ejus rei ſignum intueor quam colere debeo. I worſhip neither the image nor a demon, but in this bodily repreſentation I ſee the ſign of the thing which I muſt worſhip.

It was alſo the excuſe of the idolaters, that images were the books of ideots, and ſerved the ignorant inſtead of Scripture. Porphyrie, the capitall enemy of Chriſts name would ſpeak ſo, as Euſebius relateth in the third Book of the Evangelicall preparation,(f)(f)foreign. Men have repreſented obſcure things by manifeſt repreſentations, to them who by the ſtatues, as by books, have learned to gather that which is written of the gods. And Athanaſius, in the Oration againſt the Gentiles, ſaith, that they excuſe themſelves, ſaying, that(g)(g)foreign. Images are unto men like Scriptures, which men meeting and converſing with, may comprehend ſomething of Gods knowledge. And in the ſame place,(h)(h)foreign. If theſe images be to you like Scriptures, to contemplate God, as you untruly ſay, &c. Where obſerve by the way, that our Adverſaries by ſaying that images are the books of ideots, ſay by conſequent that they muſt not be worſhipped. For themſelves would not worſhip the holy Scripture, though it be a thouſand times better then images. The books of the ignorant are good, when they are remedies againſt ignorance: But images maintain ignorance, and breed in mens minds groſs and unworthy conceits of the Deity.

Tertullian, in the Book of Idolatry, chap. 5. ſaith,(i)(i)Cur ergo Moſes in Eremo ſimulacrum ex aere fecit. That the image-makers alleadged the example of Moſes, who made a brazen Serpent in the Deſart. In effect it is the ſame ſtyle, as that of the Adverſaries. By the ſame language one may know that they were bred in the ſame School, and taught by the ſame ſpirit.

p. 451CHAP. 5. When the images of Saints were firſt brought into the Latine or Occidental Church, and of the progreſs of that abuſe.

WE have ſhewed in the firſt Chapter of this Controverſie, that in the time of Pope Gregory the II. who lived in the year of the Lord, 720. The Roman Church had not yet received the images of God. And that Nicephorus, who lived about the year 1300. doth deteſt the pictures of God as moſt abſurd things.

As for the images of Chriſt or the Saints, who ſo will run over the whole hiſtory of the three firſt ages of the Church, and more then half of the fourth, ſhall not find any trace in it, of images or ſtatues ſet up in Churches. The antienteſt Latine Author, that mentioneth images in Churches of Chriſtians, is the Poet Prudentius, who according to the vein of Poets, delighteth to deſcribe pictures, in which the ſufferings of the two Martyrs, Caſſianus and Hippolytus were repreſented. There was a crowd of people painted, and executioners, and horſes draging Hippolytus: That only for a memorial, and only in a flat picture, without any Religious ſervice. Let us ſuppoſe that Prudentius made no uſe of the Licenſe familiar unto Poets, who ſhould not be Poets, if they ſaid the truth alwayes.

(a)(a)Horat. de Arte Poetica. Pictoribus atque Poe…is, q…odl…bet audendi ſemper fuit aequa poteſtas.Painters and Poets in all times retain

Equal priviledge to deviſe and fain.

But the Reader may conſider, that Prudentius writ about the year of Chriſt 395. and that he ſpeaks not of ſtatues, nor of that which is called an image in our dayes, but only of hiſtories drawn with the pencill; and of that he hath ſeen in ſome place of Italy, not of the cuſtom of the Univerſal Church; and that theſe pictures were not venerated with any Religious ſervice, or with any adoration; and that this can have no force againſt the cuſtom of the four firſt ages, much leſs againſt the Word of God, to eſtabliſh, by vertue of the teſtimony of a Poet, the ſervice of images in the Chriſtian Church.

A little after, that is, about the year 425. Paulinus Biſhop of Nola in Italy, cauſed the hiſtories both of the Old, and of the New Teſtament, to be painted on the walls of the Church of Nola, to ſtay the eyes of thoſe that ſate at the Table of(b)(b)Theſe Agapes, or Feaſts of Charity were kept in the Church after the Communion: And becauſe of the abuſes that were committed in them, they were put down by the Councils. Agapes, or Feaſts of Charity, where many times they licenſed themſelves to ſpeak frivolous things, and many times alſo to drink till they were drunk.

At the ſame rime, that cuſtom being come over into ſome parts of Africk, Auſtin complains of it in a place lately alleadged, chap. 34. of the firſt Book of the manners of the Chriſtian Church,(c)(c)Novi mulios eſſe ſepulchrorum & picturarum adoratores: Novi multos qui ſuper mortuos luxurioſiſſimè bibunt. I know (ſaith he) that there are many worſhippers of ſepulchers and pictures, I know many that drink moſt riotouſly over the dead. Which he ſaith, becauſe the tombs of the Martyrs, were the Tables uſed for thoſe Feaſts of Charity.

The unruly devotion of the people, and mans natural inclination to love pictures better then doctrines, and the recreation of the ſight, then the inſtruction of the ſoul, made this evil ſo to encreaſe, that from flat pictures, they came to ſtatues, and from repreſentation to adoration, ſo that about the year 590. Serenus Biſhop of Marſeille, ſeeing his people falling to the adoration of ſtatues, brake them, and caſt them out of the Church. About which(d)(d)Gregor. Epiſt. li. 7. Epiſtola 109. Zelum vos ne quid manu factum adorari poſſit habuiſſe laudamus, ſed frangere eaſdem imagines non debuiſſe judicamus. Idcirco enim pictura in Eccleſiis adhibetur, ut hi qui literas neſciunt ſaltem in parietibus videndo legant quae legere in codicibus non valent. Pope Gregory the firſt reproveth him in two Epiſtles, ſaying, that images indeed ought not to be worſhipped, p. 452but that they ought not to be broken neither, becauſe they are inſtead of books unto the ignorant.

But it was not long before the Popes became the great Patrons of the adoration of images, and made it a means of their riſing; for when the Greek Emperours fell to the breaking of images, Gregory the II. took thence occaſion to ſhake off the yoke of the Emperours, as enemies of the Saints, and made Rome and part of Italy to revolt from the obedience of their Soveraign: And he made himſelf a temporal Prince, under that colour of defending images, as(e)(e)Sigon. lib. 3. Ita Roma Romanuſque Ducatus à Graecis ad Romanum Pontificem propter nefandam eorum haereſim impietatem que pervenit. Sigonius calls the enemies of images hereticks. Sigonius, after many others, relateth in the third book of the Kingdom of Italy. See alſo Anaſtaſius in the life of Gregory the II.

Another reaſon moved the Popes to maintain images. They were labouring to ſuppreſs Scripture, which they felt to be contrary to their Empire. Therefore to divert the people from it, they gave them images inſtead of books, and ſtones for their teachers, being ſure that ſuch books could not ſerve to diſpute againſt the Popes. Thus while they amuſed the peoples eyes, they did inſenſibly ſteal the Word of God from them. Yet thoſe images they hide in Lent, which is the time of Preaching, as acknowledging that images muſt hide themſelves before the Word of God, and that they muſt not appear in the time of devotion.

All that is brought out of Latine Authors before Prudentius, in favour of images, is either fabulous, or taken from ſuch Authors as are not receivable. Damaſus, whom they ſay to have lived in the year 376. ſaith in his Pontifical, in the life of Sylveſter, that Conſtantine built a Temple, where he ſet up the images of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. But(f)(f)Bellarm. de Scripto 116. Eccleſiaſtico in Damaſo. Tribuitur ſancto Damaſo liber de vitis Pontificum ſed liber ille eſt Anaſtaſii Bibliothecarii non Damaſi ut notum eſt. Bellarmine doth freely acknowledge, that the book is not of Damaſus, but of Anaſtaſius the Library-keeper. That Anaſtaſius writ in the year 858. when the Popes were fighting for images. So it is no wonder if a Library-keeper of the Pope, would lie in his maſters behalf; or if he being a man of ſhallow learning, was eaſily miſtaken about things ſo remote from his time.

The ſame I ſay of a(g)(g)Sermo de Gervaſio & Protaſio Tomo 3. Surii. Sermon concerning Gervaſius and Protaſius, attributed to Ambroſe, where it is ſpoken of the image of Saint Paul. For the finding of the bodies of Gervaſius and Protaſius, upon which that Sermon was made, was long after Ambroſe, as we proved before.(h)(h)In this ſame Book, I. Controv. chap. 11. Beſides in that Sermon, there is no mention of images in Churches, nor of any ſervice deferred unto them.

CHAP. 6. Of the Originall and progreſs of Images in the Greek and Oriental Churches.

THe Greek and Orientall Churches have been for many ages without images in their Temples. The Fathers of the three, yea of the four firſt ages, unanimouſly reject them, as I have fully proved.

For, as for Chriſts image Printed in a linnen cloth, given by himſelf to Veronica, and of another image made by Nicodemus, they are blind tales, no more believed by the learned among our Adverſaries. Neither do we need to diſprove them, for (as they are deſcribed) they were not images ſet up in Churches, or given to receive any Religious ſervice.

Euſebius in the ſeventh Book of his Hiſtory, chap. 14. ſpeaks of a ſtatue of Chriſt at Ceſarea Philippi, erected in the ſtreet before the door of the Canaanitiſh woman, healed by Chriſt of a bloody flux, in memory of that miraculous cure. And in chap. 9. of the fifth book of Evangelicall demonſtration, he ſpeaks of a Terebinth, (a tree known enough) under which Abraham entertained the three men that appeared unto him, near unto which tree, the inhabitants of the Countrey had ſet up the picture of thoſe three men. But beſides, that theſe examples ſpeak not of images ſet up in Churches, we heard the ſame Euſebius before, ſaying, that ſuch images were made by a Pagan cuſtom: As in effect, in the ſame p. 453places the people committed idolatry, as the ſame Euſebius relateth in the third book of Conſtantines life, chap. 51. In the thirtieth book of his Hiſtory, chap. 4. he punctually deſcribeth the Temple of Tyre, forgetting not ſo much as the forms and tables, but ſpeaks not of images.

The ſame Author in the life of Conſtantine relates, that the ſame Emperour built Churches in Jeruſalem and in Bethlehem, of which he deſcribes the form, the ſeeling, the pillars, the ornaments, but of images he makes no mention. He ſaith indeed in the third book, chap. 38. that Conſtantine ſet up the ſigns or marks of a good Shepherd in the market-place, and Daniel with the Lyons in the den, the whole work made of braſs over-laid with gold. But he ſpeaks of no images in Churches.

Athanaſius lived in the ſame time: A teſtimony of his is alleadged for images out of the Queſtions to Antiochus, Qu. 39. But that book cannot be of Athanaſius, ſeeing that (Qu. 3.) Epiphanius is alleadged, who writ many years after the death of Athanaſius. It is the ſame of all the Queſtions attributed to Athanaſius: For in the thirtieth Queſtion, upon the ſayings and parables of Scripture, the Author ſaith, that the Judge mentioned Luke 18. who neither feared God, nor reſpected men, and yet doth right to a widdow, to be rid of her importunity, is God himſelf, who feareth not himſelf. In the tenth Queſtion he ſaith, that Peter the Apoſtle was crucified; herein contradicting the true Athanaſius, who ſaith that he was ſtrangled.(a)(a)Editionis Pariſ. an. 1627. p. 416. In the 76. Queſtion, the Author ſaith, that the Romans are of the race of the French, that crucified Chriſt. It were hard to ſay more abſurdities in ſo few words. Such a great man as Athanaſius, could never come out with ſuch impertinencies. In the 86. Queſtion Gregory is alleadged, what Gregory ſoever he meaneth, he cannot have been but ſince Athanaſius.

About the year of the Lord 370. flouriſhed Baſil Biſhop of Ceſarea in Cappadocia. That Doctor in the Sermon upon the Martyr Barlaam, having commended the conſtancy of the Martyr, exhorteth Painters to paint out to the life his vertuous actions, which he could not repreſent with words. If that be only a paſſage of oratory, or whether it may be thence inferred that images were ſet up in the Churches of Cappadocia, let the Reader judge. At leaſt this remains, that he ſpeaks only of hiſtorical repreſentations in pictures, not of ſtatues, nor of any Religious ſervice deferred unto images.

Then alſo lived Gregory of Nyſſa, to the end of whoſe works a falſe piece was ſowed up, the Oration about the Martyr Theodorus, where it is ſpoken of pictures repreſenting the ſufferings of that Martyr; but we ſhewed(b)(b)In the I. Controv. of this 7. Book, ch. 11. before the falſhood of that piece. But though it were true, in that place there is mention only of hiſtoricall pictures, and that only in a corner of Cappadocia, not in the Univerſal Church.

Of the like ſtuff is the pretended teſtimony of Baſil, alleadged by the ſecond Council of Nice, where Baſil exhorteth to the adoration of images. But of that nothing is found in all the works of Baſil, nor any thing near it. That Council, ſtuffed with impiety, commanding the adoration of images upon pain of anathema, affirming that the Angels are corporeal, ſaying that images are as good as the Goſpel, and are better then prayer, and alleadging many Texts of Scripture for images in a ridiculous manner, deſerveth not to be believed.

So I give this for a certain truth, that from the Apoſtles time, unto the fourth Council, which falls in the year of the Lord 451. no formal example ſhall be found of ſtatues ſet up in the Greek and Oriental Churches, nor of any ſervice deferred to any repreſentation. We might come down lower yet, but it is enough for us to keep within the term ſet by Cardinal du Perron.

In the ſixth, ſeventh and eighth ages, images did multiply exceedingly, and the Greek Churches began to venerate them with a Religious ſervice. And this gave occaſion to a great encreaſe of the Mahumetan Religion, which profeſſeth a mortall hatred againſt images. For that reaſon, the Emperours of Conſtantinople, eſpecially Leo, in the year 725. and his ſon Conſtantine after him, brake images, p. 454and perſecuted the worſhippers of them; and that trouble and bloody ſtrife laſted till the year 788. when the Empreſs Irene and her ſon Conſtantine (whoſe eyes ſhe put out ſoon after) called the ſecond Council of Nice, where the adoration of images was eſtabliſhed. The Popes have been ſtriving with great fervour for the reception of that Council: And the French were a long time ſtriving againſt it. But in the end, the power of the Popes encreaſing, and with their power the ignorance of the people, the errour did overcome, and images took the place of Holy Scripture; and ſuch as would not bow their knee to wood and ſtone, and adore inanimate things, were perſecuted with fire and ſword.

That the people might not know the will of God upon this point, the ſecond Precept of the Law was put out of the Hours and Offices, which are put in thepeoples hands. And becauſe that Precept could not be put out of the Bible, the Pope hath forbidden the reading of it.