The Novelty of Popery Discovered, Chapter 13
CHAPTER XIII.
The Noveltie of the worship of Images.
TO come, then, to the discocoverie of the Noveltie of this grosse sort of Idolatrie,Iacobu… Naclātus in Epist. ad R… c. 1. sol. 4… Edit. Venet. an…o 1557. which is not onelie to worship by or before an Image, but to worship the Image it selfe: for which cause sayeth one of the Bishops, It must not onelie bee confessed, that the faythfull in the Church, doe adore before the Image, (as some perhaps would warilie speake) but also doe adore the Image it selfe without any scruple: yea, with that same worship, where with they adore the thing that is represented thereby.
First,Cassand. cōsult▪ art. 2… their owne Cassander telleth vsus, that it is certayne in the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell, (sayeth hee) and a good while after, that there was no vse at all of Images amongst Christians, but especiallie in Churches: so that whē Adrian the Emperor had commanded that Temples should bee made in all Cities without Images,Lampridus in Alexa…dro. it was presentlie conceaved, that hee was preparing these for Christians. And when the auncient Christians themselues were demanded by the Gentiles, why they had no Images,Minutius Foelix in Octavio Minutius F…elix returneth them this answere, What Image should wee make to GOD, when man himselfe is GOD'S Image? (sayeth hee.)
The primitiue Church lykewyse, for preventing of that Idolatrie which thereafter ensued, was so carefull and provident, that the Councell of Eliber i… in Granado in Spayne, Cōcil. El. b. …. 36.(in Anno 305) decreed plainlie, that no Pictures at all should bee brought within Churches, for feare of adoration, which might ensue thereafter.
Neither was this the decree of a provinciall Assemblie onelie, but an ordinance also, in all other parts of the whole Church,Lib. de non celeb. non in stitut. c. 11. as witnesseth their owne Clemangis, … Parisian Doctor, and Arch-deane of Bajon, saying, Of olde the whole vniversall Church did decree, (beeing induced thereto by good reason) for their cause who … Gentilisme, were converted to the sayth, that no Images should bee set vp in Churches.
The first breach, and violation of which ordinance, wee, finde …o hauehave beene in Epiphanius time,Epiphanii Epist. ad lohan. Hierosol: tom. 1 oper… Hieronymi Epist. 60. Bishop of Salamins in Cyprus, (about the yeare 390) who as hims…lfe …, entering into a Chappell for his owne private devotion at Anablatha, and seeing a certayne Vaile hanging on the wall thereof, having paynted therevpon the Image of CHRIST▪ or some Saynct, (sayeth hee) hee tooke downe the same, and rent it in pieces, and thereafter wrote to the Patriarch of Ierusalem, within whose precinct it was, finding fault, that anie such thing should hauehave beene done within his boundes; and desiring him that hee would command, that thereafter in the Church of CHRIST▪ no more such Vailes or Pictures should bee hung vp: this beeing contrary to the authority of Scriptures, and agaynst our Religion, (sayeth hee.)
But a good while there-after, how they were more commonlie brought in into Churches, Corneli…s Agrippa thus doeth declare,Agrippa de van. scien. c. 57. saying, The Heathnish custome, and their false Religion, hath also infected ours, and hath brought into Churches, Images, and Pictures, with manie other pompous Ceremonies, none whereof were found amongst the first and true Christians.
VnderUnder what specious pretence also, and for what ende at fi…st this was done,Cassand. cōsult. … their owne Cassander hereby clearly testifieth, saying, At last it is evident, that Pictures were admitted into Churches, to represent onlie the …torie of things done: altho Augustine spake plainlie agaynst it,Aug. de co… sens… Evāg. l. 1. c. 9. et …0. saying, These deserue to bee thought altogether to er…e, who seeke the knowledge of CHRIST and His Apostles, not in holie Scriptures, but vponupon paynted walles. But how farre the auncient Fathers, who lived in the primitiue Church, did abhorre from any worship of Images, onlie Origen wryting against Celsu… may declare, (sayeth hee.)
Thus beeing, then, generallie set vp into Church, through the superstition of people, about the 600 yeare of GOD, in the tyme of Pope Gregorie the first, they began to bee adored: at what tyme Cerenus Bishop of Marsil…. publicklie opposed the same▪ by breaking all the Images, and removing out all the Pictures, that were within the Churches of his whole Diocesses:Greg. l. 9. Epist. 9. which thing Pope Gregorie himselfe doeth relate to vsus, in that Epistle of his written to Ser…nu…, commending his zeale which hee shew against any worshipping of Images, as being (sayth hee) altogether agaynst the Scriptures: but thinking amisse onelie, that so rashlie hee altogether had broken them in pieces.
What fierce contentions also afterward arose in the Church, concerning Images, it were too large a taske at length here to set downe, the Greeke Emperoures, Leo, Isaurus, Constantinus Caballinus, Nicephorus, Stauratius, Leo Armenus, Michaell Balbus, Theophilus and others, who were therefore called Iconomachi, or the enemies to Images, opposing them and their adoration constantlie in the East, till at last their worship was established in that second Councell of Nice, helde by that superstitious Empresse IRENE, in Anno 787; which Councell was quickly thereafter opposed, by the Councell of Franckeforde, convocate by Charles the Great, and helde in the West: at what tyme, (sayeth their owne Cassa…der) when the coppie of that Councell of Nice was brought vntounto Franckeforde, Cassand. cōsultart. 21 Ba…o. Tom. 9. An. 794, Sect. 3 9. e… 41.and diligentlie read, by the command of the Emperour Charles, the Councell of Franckeforde was indicted, at which the Legates of the Bishop of Rome were present, and there, by the full consent of the Westerne Bishops, (sayeth hee) that Grecian Councell, in so farre as the same decreed the worship of Images to bee lawfull, was disallowed, and condemned, as not onelie contrarie to Scripture, but also to the doctrine of the auncient Fathers, and to the custome of the Romane Church it selfe. So that wee see, 800 yeares after CHRIST, that the Romane Church was then as farre from the doctrine and practise of the Romane Church now, in this poynt of worshipping Images, a… ever Luther, or Calvin, or a…ie Protestant now.
Whereby it is evident, how falselie the Romane Catechisme affirmeth,Ca… chis. Rom. that it is not onelie lawfull to hauehave Images in th… Church,part. 3. c. 2. Sect. 14. and to giuegive honour and worship to them, but also that this hath ever, or in all ages beene done, to the great good of the …aythfull.
Ney…her was that reason or excuse, thought to bee of anie worth then,Cassand. ibidē, (sayeth their owne Cassander) which is by some now-adayes pretended, that this worship is not given to the Images themselues, but to them whom they represent: for this excuse (sayeth hee) was lyke-wyse made by Pagans, to colour their Idolatrie.
Which practise of Romish devotion and pietie, is come to that hight of madnesse,Polyd. Virg. l. 6. de inven…rum …. 13. (sayeth their Polydor Virg…ll) that this part of Religion, is little different from impietie: for there are manie so exceeding rude and stupide, (sayth hee) who worship Images made of Stockes and Stones, Brasse and M…rble; and these also, that are paynted over with dyverse sorts of Coloures vponupon walles: not is representing figures, but as if they had sense and feeling, and confide more in these▪ than in CHRIST Himselfe.
Yea, they so dote vponupon Images, (sayeth their owne Gabriell B…ell) that they belieue a certayne Deitie,Biell in Canon. Missae Lect. 49. grace or holinesse to bee in them, whereby they are able to worke miracles, restore health, and delyver from dangers, and to preserue men from hurtes and snares, out of the confidence of the fore-named, beeing moved to worship them, that they may obtaine some of the former thinges.
Whence it is also, (sayeth hee) that they vowe & obliedge themselues to vnderunder-goe Pilgrimages, some to this, and some to that Church, according as they respect the Images; beli…ving that this Image in such a place, to bee of greater vertue, than in another, and to bee more famous for miracles, and of greater power. And if at anie time miracles bee wrought vponupon men, who hauehave recourse vntounto them, this is not by the vertue duplicate page duplicate page of the Images. (s…yeth hee) but some-tymes by the operation of the Devill, to deceaue such Idolatrous worshippers, GOD so permitting, and their infidelitie so deserving the same.