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feftly done, with a Defign to keep the poor People from ftartling at their idolatrous Image-worthip, (which they muft needs do, if they fhou'd be fuffered to know, that the fame is fo exprefly condemned by God) and they divide the tenth into two, that the Number may be complete, knowing the People will not be fatisfied without Ten. Now, if these wicked Jugglers, to fupport their Abominations, dare thus corrupt God's holy Law, and fupprefs, and alter, even the ten Commandments, at their Pleasure, what Forgeries may not we expect in Fathers, Councils, and other Monuments of Antiquity, that have paffed their facrilegious Hands? Or indeed, where, or in what, can we hope for any Sincerity or fair Dealing from them?

But, befides this Commandment, the Scripture abounds with Precepts of the fame Tenor; and God exprefly, and everywhere, condemneth Image-worshipers, and Image-makers, (a) "Take ye therefore good "heed unto your felves (for ye faw no Manner of Simi"litude on the Day the Lord fpake unto you in Horeb,out " of the Midft of the Fire) left ye corrupt your felves, " and make you a graven Image, the Similitude of any "Figure, the Likeness of Male or Female, &c." And, (b) Curfed be the Man, that maketh any graven or "molten Image, an Abomination unto the Lord." God faith, (c) "They are Snares to catch the Ignorant: "What profiteth the graven Image, the molten Image,

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a Teacher of Lyes, that the Maker of his Work "trusteth therein, to make his dumb Idols? Woe unto "him that faith unto the Wood, awake; to the dumb "Stone, arife, it fhall teach: Behold, it is laid over with "Gold and Silver; and there is no Breath at all in the "Midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy Temple: "Let all the Earth keep Silence before him, faith the 16 Holy Prophet.

(a) Deut. 4. 15, 16. (b) Deut. 27. 15. (c) Hab. a. 18, 19, 20.

As

As it is utterly unlawful to make any Counterfeit, fo it is impoffible to frame any true Image of God; because, God being "Incorporeal, Infinite, Incomprehen"fible, c." the most glorious of Creatures, or all of them put together, cannot in any Degree of Comparifon exprefs his divine Majefty. So faith the holy Prophet, (a) To whom then will ye liken God: Or "what Likeness will ye compare unto him? (b)

"We

ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver, or Stone, graven by Art, and Man's De"vice."

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Since then, we are not to make the Images of any Thing that is in Heaven above, nor any where else, to bow down to them, and worship them; we are therefore forbid to worship any Image of our facred Saviour, the blessed Virgin, or any other Saint; because, an Image is a Creature, and no God: And to honour the Creature in that Sort, is Idolatry.

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Epiphanius, the Bishop of Cyprus, entring into a Church, and finding there a Vail hung up, and the Image of Chrift painted in it, tore it in funder, and pulled it down, because it was done, as he writeth himself, (c) Contrary to the Commandment of God's Word." Again, he faith, "Such Vails are contrary to our Chrif"tian Religion." And again, "This Superftition is "unmeet for the Church of Chrift, and unmeet for "the People, that is committed unto thee."

The godly Emperors, Valens, and Theodofius, gave out this general Proclamation, throughout all Christendom.

(d)" Forafmuch as we have a diligent Care, in all "Things, to maintain the Religion of the most high "God; therefore we fuffer no Man to fashion, to grave, or to paint the Image of our Saviour Jefus Chrift,

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(a) Ifa. 4o. 18. (b) Acts 17.29. (c) Epif. Epipha. ad Joannem Epifcop. Hierofel. (d) Conftantinopolitan Council. P. Crinitus. Lib. 9. Cap. 9.

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either in Colours, or in Stone, or in any other Kind of "Mettal, or Matter. But, wherefoever any fuch Image "fhall be found, we command it to be taken down; affuring our Subjects, that we will most ftraitly pu" nifh all fuch as fhall prefume to attempt any Thing contrary to our Decree and Commandment." The fame Decree was afterwards put in Execution, and practifed by many Christian and Godly Emperors.

As the Image of Chrift is not to be worshipped, fo, neither is the Image of the bleffed Virgin, or any Saint, or Angel.

Origen faith, (a) "It is impoffible that any Man may "worship God, and an Image, both together.

(b) Polydore Virgil, a Man of late Years, expreffing the great Abufe that he faw in the Church, in his Time, writeth thus, " Now, let us intreat of the worshipping "of Images, which not only the Heathens that were "void of our Religion, but also, as St. Hierom faith, "all the old godly Fathers condemned, for fear of Idolatry." And of the Abuse and Disorder of the Church therein, in his Time, he writeth thus, (c) "The "World is come to fuch Outrage, and meer Madness herein, that this Part of Holinefs differeth now very little from open Wickedness."

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We dwell the longer upon this Point, because we wou'd gladly root up this idolatrous Conceit out of the World. And if no Examples of true primitive Antiquity be able to convince our obftinate Romanifts; yet, at least, we may hope, it will be a fufficient An tidote, to deter Proteftants from embracing fuch an impious, wooden Religion, or Piece of revived Paga. nifm.

For, moft certain it is, that the Original thereof, was from the Heathens, and Infidels, that knew not God.

(a) Ori. contra Celfum. Lib. 4. Invention. Rer. Lib. 6. Cap. 13. (c) Ibid.

(b) Po. Vir. de

Thus

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Thus the Prophet Baruch openeth, and declares the Religion of Babylon, (a) " The Priefts fit in their Temples, having their Heads and Beards fhaven, and nothing upon their Heads. They roar and cry before "their Gods." Thus (b) Heliogabalus, Adrianus, and Alexander Severus, being Infidels, and heathen Princes, had, in their Chappels, and Clofets, the Images of Abraham, of Mofes, of Chrift, and of others.

Thus the Gnoftick, and Carpocratian Hereticks, who favoured much of Heathenifm, had, and worshipped the Images of Chrift, of Paul, of Pythagoras, and of

Homer.

By these few Authorities and Examples it appeareth, that the first erecting of Images came, not from God, but from the Heathens, that knew not God. As for the Jews, that had the Law and the Prophets amongst them, and therefore, fhou'd best know God's meaning in that behalf, they had no Manner of Image, neither painted, nor graven in their Temples, as Dion (c) faith. And as Origen (d) faith, they cou'd not abide any Painter, or Graver to dwell amongst them.

Moft lamentable it is therefore, that any, calling themselves Chriftians, fhou'd be thus feduced; efpecially, if we confider, how great a ftumbling Block this Image-worship is at this Day to the Jews, and an Hindrance to their Converfion.

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But, "Demetrius made Silver Shrines, and they brought no fmall Gain to the Craftimen; " and thereupon he bluftred for them, and cry'd out, (e)" Sirs, 66 ye know by this Craft we have our Wealth." This is the very Cafe of the Roman Church: She caufes Images to be made, and prefcribes Worship to them, because thereby the reaps no fmall Advantage: Witness the great Wealth at Loretto, our Lady of Hales, &c.

(a) Bar. 6. 31, 32. (b) Lampridius Julius Capitol. Epiph. Auguf. ad quod Deum. Iraneus, Lib. 1. Cap. 24. (c) Lib. 37. (d) Con. Celfum, Lib. 4. (e) Acts 19.

25.

Since

Since therefore, the worshipping of Images is prohibited by God in his Word, unknown to the primitive Church, borrowed from the Heathens, abfurd to Reafon, contrary to the pure Dictates of Nature, fcandalous to Chriftianity, introduced and fupported by Lyes, and maintained only for filthy Lucre; the Declaration of Mojes, and the Priests and Levites, by God's Command to the Men of Ifrael, fhall be our Conclufion for this Article of the Romish Faith, (a) “ Curfed be the Man that "maketh any graven or molten Image, an Abomination "unto the Lord, the Work of the Hands of the Crafts"man, and putteth it in a fecret Place: And all the People "fhall answer and fay, Amen.

(a) Deut.27. 15.

CHAP.

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