CHAP. XXV. The bringing in, and increase of Idolatry, or Image worship, is much alike with the Gentiles and the Romanists.

THere is a certaine natural shamefastnesse against the spiri∣tuall vvhoredome of Idols in the hearts of all men, both Gentiles, and those vvho vvould be counted Christians; In∣somuch that Idolatry hath rather crept into the world, then inuaded it: craftily stole, then violently broken into the Temples and Churches. Long time it was ere any man vvas so senselesse, and so base, as to fall downe before a blocke, and to vvorship the figment of his owne hands. Cornelius Ta∣citus is witnesse,a that the ancient Germanes vvere wont not to shut vp their Gods within walles, or to paint them like to any similitude of our humane proportion.

Plutarch saith,b that the ordinance of Numa Pompili∣us concerning the images of the Gods, vvas altogether like the doctrine of Pythaegoras. For, the first beginning hee thought to be a minde inuisible and vncreate, subiect neither to sense nor perturbation: hee did therefore prohibite the Romanes to thinke, that the likenesse of God might be resem∣bled, either by the fashion of a Man, or by the forme of a∣ny thing liuing. Wherefore there vvas neither counterfeited, nor painted likenesse of God amongst them: but in the first hundred and seuentie yeares they built temples and holy Chappels vnto them, but made no bodily image of them.

Ʋarro (as Austen vvitnesseth) doth write,c That the Romanes did vvorship Gods a hundred and seuenty yeares vvithout images: which (saith he) if it had continued still, the Gods should haue beene more purely serued. Eusebius is witnesse,d that the people called Seres by an established law prouided that none should worship Images,

The ancient Persians (as Herodotus and Strabo vvitnesse) were enemies not onely to images, but to Temples and Al∣tars: thinking (as Xerxes also did)e that it was not lawfull to Page  461 immure the Gods, and imprison them in houses. Wherefore Natales Comes, a man most exercised in these studies, calleth the worship of Gods without images,fPriscā Theologiam, old Theologie.

After this there were Images made of gods,g first either in wood or clay (for gods of siluer and gold came not into Rome before the ouercomming of Asia) and then were on∣ly the ancient authors of some publique benefites set vpon rude vnpolisht stones, Pillers & stocks, for the signe of their Gods.

The same beginning, the same progresse, had the images of the Christians. For, at the first in Christian Churches vvere neither images, nor pictures of God, or of his Saints. And if out of the custome of Gentiles such were made, the impietie by wholesome lawes and industry of godly Doctors was pre∣sently opposed; as wee see in the constitution of Valence and Theodosius, vvho prohibited all men to paint, or carue in co∣lours, in stone, or in any other matter, the image of our Sa∣uiour Christ: and wheresoeuer pictures should bee found, they commanded them to bee taken away, chastising vvith most grieuous punishment, those that should resist their de∣crees and commandements herein.

Epiphanius vvitnesseth of himselfe in his Epistle to Io. Hi∣rosol. by Saint Ierome translated, that he cut in pieces a certain vaile or curtaine hanging before the doore of the Chappell at Anablatha, wherein vvas the picture of Christ,* or of some Saint: which (he saith) he did, because it did hang there a∣gainst the authoritie of Scripture. Many things in this histo∣rie are worthy noting. Epiphanius remembred not certain∣ly, vvhether it were the picture of Christ, or of a Saint; ther∣fore little reuerence it is like he gaue thereto, & no difference did he make, whether it were the picture of Christ, or Saints: against Religion it was, and against Scripture it was: Hee found it hanging but before the doore, and in a Curtaine. What would he haue said, if it had beene placed vpon the Altar, Tapers and lights before it, adorned with Iewels, perfumed with incense, sprinkled vvith holy water?

But, as amongst Pagans, so amongst Christians, in tract of time Images crept into the Church, not to be kneeled vnto, or to pray before them, or to be sought to in Pilgrimage: but to expresse the noble acts of famous Martyrs, and worthy teachers in the Church. Such was the Picture of Cassianus that famous Schoole-master, and Martyr, in the Temple of Forum Sempronij, full of wounds, with a thousand stripes ouer all his body, which were giuen vnto him by his owne Schollers, who were pictured cutting, launcing, and stab∣bing the members of their Christian Maister with Pen∣kniues and gaddes, by the permission of the persecuting Ty∣rant. Which picture Prudentius recordeth himselfe to haue beheld.

Such was the picture of Christ, which Tertullianh spea∣keth of in his time to be grauen about the cups, in the habite of a Shepheard bringing home the wandring sheepe vpon his shoulders. Cyprian saith;i Images were made to keepe the countenance of the dead in a picture: afterward those became holy things, which at the first onely were consola∣tions.

Paulinus saith,k pictures were placed in the Church of Nola, that when the people came to celebrate the natiuity of S. Foelix, and did banquet in the Church, being occupied in the contemplation of the pictures, they might eate more temperately, and feed more soberly.

Gregory set vp Images in Churches, not to be worshipped, but to be Lay-mens bookes: yet Serenus Bishop of Marsillia brake the Images set vp in his Citie, because he saw the peo∣ple did worship them.lGregory reproued him for brea∣king the Images: but allowed him, in that he forbad them to be worshipped.

The Heathens from making of Images, and curious trim∣ming of them fell to worship them. Tully witnesseth,m that to Caius Marius in all High-waies Statues were set vp, and frankincense and lights burnt before them. So the image of Iuno was set vp with a Scepter, and a Diadem vpon her head, as the Queene of the heauenly powers. And Adriann the Page  463 Emperour to her image in Euboea, did dedicate a golden Pe∣cock whose traine was full of precious stones, with a Crown and a Pall of gold, in which was grauen the marriage of Hercules and Hebe.

Apelleso made the picture of Venus out of the Sea, whose proportion he took out of his Paramour Phrynes face, and set it vp in the great feast of Ceres, for all the Grecians to gaze vpon, with her garments loose, and hayre dissheueled. Many thousands may be recited of this kinde;p for then the Heathens said vnto the wood, Awake: and to the dumbe stone, Rise vp.

The like progresse was in the Idolatry of the Romish Church: for Images became necessary in the Church. Inso∣much that one Isidorus, a Bishop, in the second Councell of Nice, saith,qThat he held the Church nothing worth without Images. The Councel of Senon saith; A man may learne more out of an Image in a little time, then out of the Scriptures in a long sea∣son. From hence then receiued Bellarmine the poyson which he vomiteth:r Where (saith he) shall the Images of Saints better be placed, then in their houses, that is, their Oratories, where their Reliques do rest? So likewise he saith, The Temple is the Image of heauen; wherefore their Images ought there to be placed whose soules are aboue in heauen. And againe,sWe auouch that the images of Saints are no where better placed, then in the Temples.

Now hence springeth the beautifying of Christian Ima∣ges with the most curious cunning, and all the wit of man. Whatsoeuer Art, hand or colour, gold or siluer, could bring to their adoration, it was performed: Their garments most costly, the Rings, the Spangs, the Aiglets, the Brooches, the Pearles, the precious Stones vpon them, were of the greatest price.

Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the exami∣nation of William Thorpe,t commendeth the manner of Image-makers; who, when they shall carue, cast in mould, or paint any Images, go first vnto a Priest, and shrieue then, as cleane as if they should then die: and take penance, and Page  462〈1 page duplicate〉Page  463〈1 page duplicate〉Page  464 make some certaine vow of fasting, or of praying, or pilgri∣mage doing: praying the Priest specially to pray for him, that he may haue grace to make a faire and deuout image.

The Heathens at the first formed their Images grauely, co∣uered them with pitch: or (as Pliny witnesseth) in long gownes they were honestly attired: but afterward they were made wanton, obscene, naked. The same progresse hath Ido∣latry in the Church also. For at the first they were onely painted (as is said) modestly, to bee representations of the history of Saints: but now they are made so, that they can bowe, and becke, and roule the eyes, and salute, and bid wel∣come vnto those that visite the Church; as sundry examples testifie.

The Imageu of the Crucifixe in a Church of Saint So∣phia, when a certaine Notary together with his Master en∣tred into the Church and prayed, seemed to fixe his eyes vp∣on the Notary: which his Master obseruing, caused the No∣tary to stand at his right hand: but the Image rouled the eye to the right hand. Wherefore he commanded the Notary to go on the left hand, and the Image turned the eye and be∣held him then on the left hand. Whereat the Master maruai∣uelling, and enquiring the cause, the Notary answered, that he knew no merit in himselfe, but that being once tempted by the diuell to renounce God, he would not do it.

Luitiprandus witnesseth the like of the bones of Forme∣sus;w that when they were brought into the Church of S. Peter, all the Images did bow.

The Heathens had some Imagesx of their owne ma∣king, and some that came downe from heauen, and were sent vnto them (as they say) by their gods themselues. Such they esteemed the Image of Diana at Ephesus; as we reade iny the Acts.

The Romish Church doth equalize the Heathens in this deuice also. For they speak of the Image of Iesus most liue∣ly impressed into a handkerchiefe by the Lord himselfe, and sent to Agbarus: and they tell vs of a picture of Christ, made by the Euangelist Luke, and sent vnto Veronica: and of ano∣ther, Page  465 made by Nicodemus; and of the picture of S. Stephen,z made by an Angell.

And Surius in his Comment witnesseth,a that in the daies of Queene Elizabeth, a woman of good account in Kent found a crosse, not formed in colours by any man, nor made by needle;b but it appeared to be made by an heauen∣ly influence. But all these are fables, destitute of any true au∣thority or credible witnesse, whose testimonies might moue vs to beleeue such fooleries.

The ancient Heathens for the authority of their Imagesc pleaded the miracles, that were wrought by them. And the same argument the Romish Church vseth for her Ima∣ges also. But it is the punishment of God both vpon the one, and vpon the other: who suffereth men for their su∣perstition, to be led away by the illusions of Sathan; accor∣ding to that in the Thessalonians, where the Apostle witnes∣seth, thatdthe comming of the wicked man, is by the working of Sathan, with all power and signes, and lying wonders.

In the Images of the Heathen sometimes Sathan wrought to blinde the Priests, ase when the ship stucke fast, which carried the Idean mother, and could by no force of men be remoued: yet by the girdle of Clnudia it was towed out: Sometimes the Priests wrought to blind the people; as in the History of Bell and the Dragon, we finde.

So in Popery also, some miracles are wrought at the Ima∣ges of Saints by the diuell, to infatuate both Priest & people; as when the Crucifix spake to Thomas Aquinas;fThou hast written well of me Thomas: And the Image, of which in the life of Dunstane, the English Legend speaketh: who concer∣ning the restoring of married Priests into their places, open∣ly and audibly pronounced;gLet it not be so, let it not be so.

Some Images wrought miracles by the falshood of Priests, and Monks, and Friers. And so Bernard esteemed of that voice which the Image of the virgin vttered, saluting him, and welcoming him into the Church; your Ladiship (saith he) is to blame, the Apostle Paul permitteth not a wo∣man to speake in the Church.

Out of that which hath been spoken it is now plaine, that Ierusalem and Samaria, Aholiah and Aholibah, the Spirituall and the Worldly Babylon, are sisters: The beginning, the progresse, the continuance, the height of their Idolatry alike.