Agent but many times the consequent of the Act as in that of our Saviour Christ Matth. 5. He that looketh on a woman to lust c. The meaning is not only with an intention to lust but to look so as lust doth follow Whereupon our Saviour addeth If thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out c. And Saint Paul putteth the case that some may bee provoked to offend by seeing a man eat a thing offered to an Idoll and although he granteth that meat is a thing indifferent yet hee addeth If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no meat while the world standeth 1 Cor. 8. So here the consequent is to be avoyded The second ex consequentia suppositi For where the second Commandement is Thou shalt make no Image c. Hee that will adde this clause to the intent to worship it doth utterly evacuate and overthrow the judiciall part of the Commandement For it is manifest by Deut. 12. and 13. and many other places of Scripture that God ordained this Law to bee a Judiciall Law and the offenders to bee punished by the Magistrate which is not possible if it be restrained to the intent for de occultis cordium Indicabit Christus sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. cogitationis poenam nemo patitur sayth the Law As if a man should stab another and yet say he meant not to kill him or as if one should lie with another mans wife and yet say he did it not to the intent to commit Adultery will this excuse him Is it not an absurd thing to conster a Law according to the conceit of an offender and not according to the sentence of the Judge or Judiciall Interpreters So we have seene before that the learned Divines both of the Primitive Church and of our own present Church doe agree in this that colit qui facit colit qui locat in honorabili sublimitate hee worshippeth them who maketh them he worshippeth them who setteth them in an high place of honour Never regarding the intent and that to set up an Image aloft in the Church with what intent soever is not onely against this precept Thou shalt not make any Image but against this also Thou shalt not bow downe nor worship it The third ex sensu mandati for it is answered also by our Learned Catechismes that in the commandements one sinne is put commonly for all of the same ranke yea for all instruments occasions per Synechdochen speciei And this prohibition of making Images was as Tertull. sayth ad eradicandam materiam Idololatriae to subvert the causes of Idolatry Also commonly the greatest sinne is named to make all the rest more odious Therefore this word to worship it is not put to restraine but to aggravate Let us now therefore come to another point of Tertullians exposition and see how that also is confirmed both by the Ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church and by the now reverend Fathers of our Church Colit qui patitur quaedam patientia est Idololatria he worships them that permits them some kinde of permission is Idolatry sayth he Hom. 2. against Idol pa. 22. Epiphanius Bishop of Salanim in Cyprus a very holy and learned man who lived in Theodosius the Emperours time vriteth thus to Iohn Patriarch of Jerusalem I entred sayth Epiphanius into a certaine Church to pray I found there in it a linnen-cloth hanging in the Church doore painted and having in it the Image of Christ as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well whose Image it was Therefore when I did see the Image of a man hanging in the Church of Christ contrary to the authority of the Scriptures I did teare it and gave counsell to the Keepers of the Church that they should winde a poore man that was dead in the sayd cloth and so bury him And afterwards the sayd Epiphanius sending another cloth unpainted for that painted one which he had torne to the said Patriarch writeth thus I pray you will the Elders of that place to receive this cloth which I have sent by this bearer and command them that from henceforth no such painted clothes contrary to our Religion be hanged up in the Church of Christ And this Epistle as worthy to be read of many did Saint Hierom himselfe translate into the Latin tongue sayth our Church in the Homily adding further certain proofes that S. Hierom had this holy and learned Bishop Epiphanius in most high estimation and therefore did translate this Epistle as a writing of Authority And thereupon observeth these speciall points First that Epiphanius judged it contrary to Christian Religion and to the Authority of the Scriptures to have any Images in Christs Church Secondly that he rejected not onely carved graven and moulten Images but also painted Images out of Christs Church Thirdly that he regarded not whether it were the Image of Christ or of any other Saint but being an Image would not suffer it in the Church Fourthly that he did not only remove it out of the Church but with a vehement zeale tare it in sunder and exhorted that a Corse should be wrapped and buried in it judging it meet for nothing but to rot in the Earth Thus doth our Church and all our Reverend Bishops not only allow the judgement but commend the fact and zeale of Epiphanius And the same points were observed upon this Epistle of Epiphanius by our godly and learned Bishops in the time of King Edward in their reasons exhibited to the said King to shew why they would not agree to suffer Images in Churches as appeareth in the book of Martyrs pag. 1929. a book allowed by all our Bishops and Church and lately new Printed and set forth this last yeere and appointed by our Canons to to be set up in all our Cathedrall Churches for every man to read that Will. Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 61. Suffer Images to bee set up in the Churches and Temples yee shall in vaine bid them beware of Images as S. Iohn doth and flee Idolatry as all the Scripture warne us yee shall in vaine preach and teach them against Idolatry for a number will notwithstanding fall headlong into it what by the nature of Images what by the inclination of their owne corrupt nature Wherefore as a man given to lust to sit downe by a strumpet is to tempt God so it is likewise to erect an Idoll in this pronenesse of mans nature to Idolatry nothing else but a tempting c. What S. Augustines opinion is appeareth before Quis adorat vel orat intuens simulacrum c. Who worshippeth or prayeth looking upon an Image and is not perswaded in minde that the Image heareth him Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 49. What meaneth it that Christian men after the use of the Gentile Idolaters cap and kneele before Images infra is not this stooping and kneeling before them adoration of them Chemnic in exam Deus usum
simulacrorum ad cultum simpliciten numerat inter Deos alienos ita prohibet at nullus elustoni aut acceptioni locus esse possit Et infra in statuis enim per statuas seu ad statuas seu imagines Deus nec se nec Angelos nec Sanctos nec ullam creaturam vult coli The use of Images for service is by God simply reckoned amongst strange Gods and therefore he prohibiteth all manner of delusions or exceptions And further for God will not have himselfe nor his Angels nor Saints nor any creature worshipped either in statues by statues or before statues or Images And againe he citeth another sentence of Epiphanius in these words Estote memores ne in Ecclesias Imagines inferatis neque in Sanctorum Caemiteriis eas statuatis sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus vestris Quin etiam ne in Domo communi tolerentur Non enim fas est Christianum per oculos suspensum teneri sed per occupationem mentis Be you carefull that you bring no Images into Churches nor into the Chappels of Gods people but alwayes carry God in your hearts for it is not lawfull that a Christian should be held in businesses of the eye but in contemplation of the minde Mark what he saith that it is not lawfull by Gods Law which is signified by the word Fas fas jus divinum est that a Christian should be held by the eyes but by the contemplation of his minde But our common Catechismes allowed and often printed most plainly teach the same doctrine namely the Catechisme called Mr. Balls Catechisme the eighth Edition 1631. page 176. upon the second Commandement to this Question What is here forbidden He answereth inter alia making of Images for a religious use Levit. 19.4 and 26.1 worshipping God in at or before an Image 1 King 19. will-worship grounded only upon good intent or custome Mat. 15.19 Col. 2. So the learned Catechisme of Doctor Mayer not only allowed but commanded in the fourth Edition 1630. page 212. What are wee forbidden in the second Commandement Answ All outward Idolatry which is 1. By making any Image of God or of any creature to bee worshipped 2. By falling downe before any Image 3. By serving God after our owne santasies and page 216. The second kinde of Idolatry is the falling downe before an Image whether with an intention the better to be put in minde of God or of any Saint or by bowing before the Image to give worship to the thing represented or ignorantly only according to the tradition of the fathers For howsoever or under what pretence soever if the knee be religiously bowed before any Image Idolatry is committed and this Commandement broken So the reverend Doctor Mayer with the consent of all our Church to which must be added that it is a point of Gods glory and worship to be alone in his holy Temple before whom not only all the earth must be silent Hab. 2.20 but the most holy Angels Cherubins and Seraphins must hide their faces and cover themselves yea both heaven and earth must flie away before him Apo. 20.11 And therfore in his Temple before him only we must performe those duties which the Prophet David so often calleth us to doe namely to come before him only to bow before him to kneele before him to worship before him to speak before him to sing before him Psal 95.96.98.100 c. even before him only in whose Temple all things must set forth his glory Psal 29.9 and who hath most solemnely sworne that he will not give his glory to any other Esa 42. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim hee shall bee wrath as in the valley of Gibeon that he may doe his work his strange work and performe his act his strange act Esa 28. Let us therefore returne and apply this to the sentence of the Scripture pronounced in our Common prayer book and expounded in our Homilies Cursed are the worshippers of Images And againe Deut. 27. Cursed is he that maketh the blinde to goe out of the way This curse is read and repeated in our Churches yearly Martii 6. and upon every Ashwednesday by the Canon of our Common prayer book and is thus applied by our Church in her Homily Hom. 3. against Idols pag. 55. I will out of Gods word make this generall argument against all such makers maintainers and setters up of Images in publick places And first of all I will begin with the words of our Saviour Christ Woe bee to that man by whom an offence is given Woe be to him that offendeth one of these little ones or weak ones Better were it for him that a mil-stone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the middest of the sea and drowned than hee should offend one of these little ones or weak ones And in Deut. God himselfe denounceth him accursed that maketh the blinde to wander out of the way And in Levit. Thou shalt not lay a stumbling block or stone before the blinde But Images in Churches and Temples have been bee and ever will bee offences and stumbling blocks especially to the weak simple and blinde common people deceiving their hearts by the cunning of the Artificer as the Scriptures expresly in sundry places doe testifie and so bringing them to Idolatry therefore woe bee to the erecter setter up and maintainer of Images in Churches and Temples Article 22. Anal. Propos 3. The Romish doctrine concerning Images is fond and not warranted by the holy Scripture nor consonant but contrary unto it Proofes out of the word of God Images are such an abomination to the Lord as to make them among all men odious he describeth the vanity of them by his Prophets as that they are the doctrine of vanity the work of errors the teachers of lies silver and gold the work of mens hands vanity c. He giveth a straight commandement not to bow down to them nor worship them not to make them to flie from them yea to destroy both Images themselves the Idolaters and the enticers to Idolatry Hee commendeth greatly and praiseth such men as have destroyed Images c. He finally curseth the Images themselves the Image-makers and the Image-servers or worshippers This Exposition of the Article above said is confirmed by all our Church and so published And his Majesty by his Declaration hath ratified these Articles commanding all his Subjects to continue in the uniforme profession of the same prohibiting the least difference from them and declaring that all the Clergy men within his Realme agree in the usuall literall meaning of the said Articles Which usuall literall meaning can be no other than that which is allowed by the authority of the Church of England and so published and namely upon the 22 Article in the words above Bishop Hall in his book of the old Religion cap. 10. commendeth the fact of Epiphanius and his famous Epistle which saith he is
honoured by the translation of S. Hierom concerning the Image found by him in the Church of the village of Anablatha though out of his owne Diocesse how he tore it in an holy zeale and wrote to the Bishop of the place beseeching him that no such Pictures might bee made contrary to our Religion infra Some flie saith he to the distinction of Images and Idols a distinction without a difference of their owne making not of Gods To be sure God takes order for both ye shall make you no Idol nor graven Image nor reare you up any standing Image neither shall yee set up any Image of stone in your land to bow downe to it And againe wee may well shut up all with that curse in Mount Gerezim Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination to the Lord the work of the hands of Craftsman and putteth it in a secret place and all the people shall say Amen and surely their Durandus after he hath cited divers Scriptures against Idols as Exod. 20. Levit. 26. Deut. 4. Num. 21. c. at last concludes ex his similibus c. By these and the like Authorities is condemned the too much use of Images And againe the holy jealousie of the Almighty will not abide any of his honour divided with his creature and what ever worship more than meere humane is imparted to the creature sets it in Rivality with our Maker So the learned and eloquent Bishop Hall in his book of the old Religion Now whether the setting up of Images in Churches be not nimius usus Imaginum upon all that which hath beene said before whether the setting up of them in honorabthi sublimitate as S. Augustine speaketh in the appointed place and height of honour and worship where the living God only is to be worshipped as the Homily out S. Augustine speaketh be not a worship more than meere humane let every man judge Truly S. Ambrose in his book de fuga saeculi agreeth with the Fathers above cited saying Ecclesia inanes Idaeas varias nescit simulacrorum figuras Doctor Vsher Archbishop of Armah in his answer to the Iesuits Challenge likewise utterly condemneth the setting up of such Images and Pictures in Churches citing and approving the sentences and judgements of Epiphanius S. Hierom S. Ambrose Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Serenus Bishop of Massilia and many others which book now lately was new Printed in Anno 1631. Did all these goe upon Temporall reasons Doth our Common prayer book pronounce and yearly renew such heavie and dreadfull Curses for a Temporall respect only as our late Imagers or Imaginers would have us to imagine Why do then our common Catechismes give us this generall doctrine and instruction that where one vice or sinne is forbidden all of the same kinde and that necessarily depend thereon as also the lest occasion or enticement thereunto are likewise forbidden upon the words of our Saviour Mat. 5.21.22 c. and 1 Ioh. 3.15 To this let us adde the heavie sentences judgements and curses pronounced by God against those that suffer and doe not oppose themselves against the open enimies and contemners of God and his lawes Iudg. 5.23 Curse yee Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty So Iudg. 8. sheweth how severely Gideon punished the men of Succoth and Penuel for refusing to help him in his pursuit of Gods enimies so Iudg. 21. is set forth the fearfull judgements so terribly executed upon the men of Iabes because they came not to help the Israelites and to assist them in the punishment of that great sinne committed and maintained by the Benjamites Wherein also is to bee noted that that holy man Phinehaz was at that time alive and was high Priest without whose advise they did nothing So Ier. 48. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully Ioh. 10. Hee that is an hireling saith our Saviour and not the Shepherd and whose owne the sheep are not seeth the Wolfe comming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the Wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep Zach. 11. Woe to the idle Shepherd that leaveth the flock the sword shall bee upon his arme and upon his right eye his arme shall be cleane dried up and his right eye shall be darkened I know a spirituall understanding may be of the arme and the right eye But are not the judgements of God many times corporally executed And many a man without offence ask how the Pastors of some Churches wherein Images are set up doe by their eyes Revel 2.20 I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel c. So the common Rules and Maxims of all Lawes Consentientes agentes pari paenâ constringantur Bis peccat qui peccanti obsequium accommodat Qui non vetat peccarecum possit jubet Let the consenter and the actor receive equality of punishment He is a double offender who abetteth an offence He who sorbiddeth not an offence when it lies in his power commandeth it And of the severall kindes of consents Lyra in Praeceptorio Consulo praecipio consentio provoco laudo Non relego culpam non punio non reprehendo Participo defendo reum me talia reddunt I counsell bid consent provoke commend I suffer punish not nor reprehend I share in I defend a crime these bring Me into judgement for the selfe same thing So Anstas Damasus and Innocentius in Decret Error cui non resistitur approbatur veritas cùm non defenditur opprimitur Negligere quippe cum possis perturbare perversos nihil est aliud quà m fovere Neque caret scrupulo societatis occultae qui facinori manifesto definit obviare An errour which is not resisted is approved and truth when it is not defended is oppressed For to neglect the opposition of the perverse when it lies in thy power is no other than to maintaine them Nor is he free from the censure of private consent who withstandeth not a manifest offence Aug. and out of him the Decree Vterque reus est qui veritatem occultat qui mendacium dicit quia ille prodesse non vult iste nocere desiderat Both are guilty as well he that concealeth the truth as he that telleth a ly because the one will not doe good the other desires to doe harme Chrisostome and the Decree Non solum ille proditor est veritatis qui transgrediens veritatem palum promendacio Loquitur sed etiam ille qui veritatem non liberè pronunciat quum liberè pronunciare oporet aut non liberè veritatem defendit quum liberè defendere convenit He is not only a traitour to trueth who transgressing the trueth telleth a lie but hee also who freely speaketh not the trueth when it is needfull or doth not freely defend