Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 48
XLVIII. That it is not lawful to make, or have Images.
Anſwer.
THIS is another ſhameleſs ſlander, as his own Bellarmin confeſſes;…. 2. de Eccleſ. Triumph. c. 8. who ſays, the opinion of Calvin himſelf is this, That Images are not ſimply forbidden, but he admits only of an Hiſtorical uſe of them. The ſum of our Doctrine is this, That it is not lawful to make an Image of God (and ſo ſome of their own Church have confeſſed) nor to make any Image to be worſhipped. If we ſhould have further added, That it is unlawful to make or have Images, becauſe of the danger of Idolatry, we could have juſtified our ſelves by the Authority of as wiſe men, as any in their Church. For more than one of the Ancient Fathers were of this opinion; who were never condemned by the Ancient Church, nor was this reckoned among their Errors.
His Texts of Scripture are impertinently alledged.XXV. Exod. 18. For God might command that to be done (XXV. Exod. 18.) which he forbad them to do, without ſuch a ſpecial Order. And there is no proof that the Cherubins were made with Faces of beautiful young men, as this Writer aſſerts; but the contrary is apparent, as many have demonſtrated. He belies St. Hierom alſo, when he makes him ſay, the Jews worſhipped them: which the beſt of their own Authors deny. Particularly Lorinus, a famous Jeſuit, upon XVII. Acts 25. Concerning the Cherubims made by God's Command, and other Images made by Solomon, it muſt be ſaid, that they were only an Appendix, and additional ornament of another thing: and were not of themſelves propounded for adoration; which it is manifeſt the Hebrews did not give them. And Vaſquez ſaith the ſame out of Tertullian, that no worſhip was given to the Cherubims; alledging no leſs than twelve Schoolmen of that opinion. Why ſhould I trouble my ſelf therefore any further with ſuch a Writer, whoſe next Scriptures are ſtill about the Cherubims, and therefore are already anſwered? For he doth not believe, I hope, that when the Apoſtle, IX. Hebr. 1. ſpeaks of the Ordinances of Divine Service, that is, Commandments about the Worſhip of God (as Theodoret, and from him Menochius expounds it) and after many other things, mentions the Cherubims of glory, he intended they ſhould have divine ſervice performed to them. If not, then his obſervation is frivolous; for no body denies there were ſuch things as Cherubims in the moſt holy place: where no body ſaw them, much leſs worſhipped them.
When he hath done with his Scriptures, he goes about to prove (ſo fond he is of Images) that an Image is of divine and natural right, becauſe we always form one in our mind, when we conceive and underſtand any thing. As if it were all one to form an Idea inviſibly in the mind; and to make a vſible, ſtanding repreſentation of it, in Wood, Braſs, or Stone. Such Writers tire one with their folly and falſhood: which is notorious in what he quotes out of Saint Auſtin in the concluſion of this Chapter; Who taking notice that ſome Pagans had forged a Story of I know not what Books, written by Chriſt to Peter and Paul, concerning the ſecret Arts of working Miracles, ſays they named thoſe two perhaps rather than other Apoſtles, to whom thoſe pretended Books were directed, becauſe they might have ſeen them painted with Him in many places. Which, whether it be meant in private Houſes (as is moſt probable) or in publick places, it is manifeſt St. Auſtin did not regard ſuch Pictures; for he preſently adds, in the very next ſentence (which this falſe Writer conceals) theſe remarkable words: Thus they deſerved to err utterly, who ſought for Chriſt and his Apoſtles, not in the holy Books, but in painted Walls. And it is no wonder, if they that counterfeit (in forging Books he means) were deceived by them that paint.