Deut. 23. 14: the Painter no fuch thing, as that God had there in the Garden, any Shape T. p. 367. at all; They heard a Voice indeed, but (as it is faid of the People in Horeb) they faw no Similitude. And the Hebrew word there, which we render, walking, doth not in the leaft favour the Painting of Him as a Man. For it there manifeftly fignifies only his peculiar Prefence, as it doth in many other Places. They might as well paint him as a great Man, walking among Lev. 26. 12. them, He being as their God, and They as his People; or rather, as a General, walking in their Camp, to deliver them, and to give up their Enemies before them. He might alfo from David, as well draw the Heathen Eolus for the Wind, and adding Wings to him, He ought to paint God like an old Reverend Man Standing or going upon them, for he is faid to walk there also. I have faid, it is impoffible to paint the inward Effence or Nature of any Thing; But Painting of the Taille, the Proportion, Shape, Size, Features, Figure, Colour and the like of any vifible Thing, may properly be called, the Defcription of its outward Nature; as we fay a Child born with two Heads, three Hands, one Eye in the Forehead, with a Beak, or the Snout of an Elephant (and the like,) is an unnatural Birth, because it is not according to the ufual and natural Shape of a Man, for that is part of his NaNow then He that fhall dare to paint Ged in a Humane Shape, like an Old Man, fiting or ftanding in any Pofture, with Head, Eyes, Hands, and all other Members of a Man; certainly in his Picture he makes an outward Nature of the invifible God, to be the very fame with the outward Nature of Man; and by Bellarmin's confequence in his firft Article, makes a true Idol. ture. But why, faith he, pingere debet Deum in Forma Hominis, ought the Artist to faint God in the Shape of a Man? The Figure of any other Creature would have been, as really like Him as that of a Man; And a Picture of Apis, or a Calf might represent him as well; and once Aaron and all Ifrael thought it did fo. As for the beauty and comeliness of Man's Shape above that of other Creatures, I find it difputed in Tully; and one faid, That he dared not De Nat. Deor. to fay that he himself was more beautiful then that Bull was, which carried 1. 105. Europa on his Back. 3. Thirdly, faith he, a Thing may be painted not by way of Hiftory, but only to cxplain the Nature of a Thing by Analogy, or by Metaphorical and Myftical Significations; as Angels are painted like little, beautiful, naked, winged Boys, &c. To fignify their Grace and Virtues, their Swiftness, &c. Thus they paint Virtues, and thus we paint God the Father, when we paint Him in Humane Shape, extra Hiftoriam, not by way of Hiftory. How then do they paint Him? Simply, as He is a fupreme Being? No; but by mean and familiar Objects, only to put us in Mind of fome fublime Excellencies which are in Him to all Perfection. Thus they paint God as an Old Man, to reprefent his Reverence, Gravity, Wisdom, and Knowledge; for those Qualities are most remarkable in aged and experienced Men; fo they give Him an Imperial Crown to thew that he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and fo forth. But will not this juftify many of the Heathen Idols, and the monftrous Indian Pagods? They had all a myfterious Meaning in them, which was well known to the first Authors, and to thofe who were Initiated or Admited to their Secrets; but they were all kept hidden from the Vulgar and Pro- T. p. 363. phane, the more to amufe them; They who firft contrived or invented thefe amazing Figures, without doubt had a Myftical or Metaphorical Intention to themselves in defigning them. The Chinese Puffa in Kercher might be made Chin, illuftr. with fo many Arms and Hands on purpole, to iet forth God's infinite Strength par. 3. c. 2. and Power, either in Saving and Delivering, or in Punishing and Destroying; as the Arm of God, the Hand of the Lord, often fignifics in Scripture; fee how he there explains their Reprefentation of their Chief God, Fe. As much may be faid for all the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians, and all thofe extravagant Figures in Cartari; which fo much the more aftonish us because ed. Pad. 1626. we P. 137. Imag.delli Dei. T. p. 368. we cannot conceive or guess at the meaning of them. 22, 23. guefs at the meaning of them. Now as the vulgar Heathen of old were, and the common Indians now are, fo fottish and bewitcht as to take those Myftical reprefentations of their Gods, for the real Gods themfelves; fo how will the Latins fecure their vulgar Votaries from falling into the fame grols Thoughts concerning thefe Analogical, Myftical, Metaphorical Images, or Pictures which are allow'd by the Cardinal? In fhort, all thefe Bodily or Vifible Reprefentations of God, (let him Glofs upon them, and interpret them as he pleafes) do ftill plainly offer and expofe to the Eye and Imagination, the Invifible God as a Body or meer Creature. What is this but to become vain in their Imagination, and to change the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image, or Picture, made like Corruptible Man? Or, Rom. 1. 21, in the likeness of an Image of corruptible Man; (as St. Paul hath justly defcribed the prefent Cafe;) the Schoolmen profeffing themselves to be wife, became fools. It is altogether as extravagant to urge thofe places in Scripture, (for Painting God either Hiftorically or in any Senfe) where his Appearance in a Dream or Vifion is mention'd; as in Daniel, fhould any Painter whatever go to defcribe the Antient of Days according to that narration, he must neceffarily add and mix variety of Fancies of his own, and make a meer Chimera partly from the Prophet, but most from his own conceit. He must purely invent the Figure of the Head, Face, Beard, Hair and all the Members and their feveral Poftures, the Fashion of the Garments, and the reft. The Colour of his Garment is faid to have been white as Snow, and the Hair of his Head like pure Wool; but the manner of the Hair; and fhaddowing of the Colour must be wholly the Painter's fancy. The Throne, is faid to be, like the fiery Flame, but the Fashion of it is not expreft; the burning Wheels and the fiery Stream before him, and the thousands of thousands Miniftring unto him, as they would give great occafion to his Invention. fo they would puzzle it to the utmoft and at laft fall infinitely fhort of expressing the Divine Glory; and it would at beft be as patcht and confufed a piece as Horace his Mare maid. As much may be faid of the Son of Man which there came before him. It is only faid, that he came with the Clouds of Heaven, to paint any thing more then that, must be altogether meer Man's device. Now becaufe God is faid in wonderful night Visions to have conveighed to Daniel a Prophefy and fome very Aftonishing but very Imperfect account of his Kingdom, by putting thefe Thoughts into him by a Dream, after the manner of T. p. 369. Men, fhall any Man, that is awake, dare from hence to paint the Invisible God, like an old Man, with a withered Face and decayed Flefh like one of us? What is this, I fay, but changing the Divine, r, Shechinah, Presence of the moft Glorious and Incomprehenfible Being, into the grofs Similitude Job. 17. 14. of a vile Worm and meer Corruption. Daniel himself knew not the meaning of thefe grievous and trouble fome Visions, till one that food by interpreted all unto him; and he was as ignorant of the meaning of many others of his own Prophecies, they were fealed up even from himself; and therefore as I think, that our Modern Interpreters fhould be carefull how they attempt to break off the Seals, and pry into thofe hidden Secrets, fo the Latins fhould forbear their bold and carnal conceits of God in this place, for the whole Vifion was purely of a Spiritual Nature; the, (Shechinah,) Divine prefence of God was manifefted to him in a Dream, as much as he was capable of receiving it, but the import of it was far beyond his apprehenfions. If becaufe God is figuratively called the Antient of Days, the Latins may paint him as an old Man, they might more properly paint him, as Fire; for he is again and again call'd a confuming Fire; and he was in the Fire of Mofes's Bufh; and he went before the People by night in a Pillar of Fire; and if a Man Exod. 3. 4. will be fo extravagantly fancifull, he may think and fay, that the perpetual Fire, which was kept always burning upon the Altars amongst the Perfians, was nothing but an Analogical Image of God, (reprefenting his Eternity, Power, Purity, Glory and the like) and he may think and fay as much of Arte Poet. verf. 13. verf. 7. verf. 15. 18. verf. 16. c. 12. 4, 8, 9. Deut. 4. 14. c. 9. 3. Exod. 13. 21. the Lev. 6 12,13. the Jews perpetual Fire, from whence the Perfians borrow'd their Practice. T. p. 369. So even in this place of Daniel, the fiery flaming Throne on which the Antient of Days fat; and the Wheels of burning Fire, and the fiery Stream that came forth from before him, were all much more Analogical Reprefentations of the true God, then the Figure of an old Man fitting upon them; and they came infinitely nearer to expreffing the true Shechinah, the Divine Prefence or Effence of God, (which then partly revealed it felf to the Pro. phet,) then the whiteft Garments or Hair like the purest Wooll could do; far he is covered with Light instead of a Garment; and the greatest and most Pf. 61. 104.2. Skillfull Artist is not able to paint the common Light it felf much less the light in the Vision; but infinitly much lefs the Glory which it covered. Since then as it is most plain, that Images and Pictures cannot in the least express the real Life and Soul or Mind of Man, or the inward Effence of any Creature, but are only empty Shadows of the meer outside and shell of Beings, and do exprefs even that, infinitely fhort of what it truly is; all Figures, Forms, Colours, Poftures and Visible Reprefentations of God, (who is a Spirit) offer'd to our Mortal Eyes, must be fo Abominable, and unworthy any ways to exprefs or raise in us any lively notion of him, as in the Imagination of every beholder they must needs infinitely debafe him, and thruft him down beneath the meanest of his Creatures; there is fomething in a very Shadow which the cuoningeft Artist can not exactly imitate; his Picture of it will be at best but an imperfect shadow of a shade. What an abominable abuse and horrible affront then muft it be to the Infinite Majefty of the All-glorious and Incomprehenfible God, upon any Occafion or Account or Pretence whatsoever, to repre- T. p. 376. fent him to our Eyes by what is abfolutely less then any Creature; In this very obvious Senfe we make him an Idol indeed, that is, nothing in the Cor. 8. 4. World. I Therefore notwithstanding all these pretended Solutions of Bellarmine Mofes's Knot still hold us faft, thou shalt not make unto thee any likeness; (of God or for a God,) to use it Religiously. Other Figures for Ornament were permitted, but in Religious Worship, no likeness whatever was to be suffered. For it would infallibly have begotten in the Jews as grofs Conceptions of the true God, as the Heathens had of their falfe ones. Cotta in Tully faid truly, De Nat. Deor. Is it Deos eâ facie novimus, we know the Gods by that Face which the Painters. 1. 110. and Artifts have given them, and not only by the Face, but alfo by the Drefs, Age, and Garment; Jupiter had a Beard, Apollo bad none. not the fame thing with the Latins to paint God the Father with a Snow white Beard, the Son with a Forked one? I have (in the hands of my worthy Friend Mr. Ralph Lane) feen a Turkish Pedegree down from Adam to the last Grand Seignor, Mahomet the fourth; where all the Perfons of Renown, in the direct Line and in the Colateral ones, are Painted in Miniature. Chrift's Face is very Serene and Sedate; his Head (as ufually) is drawn with lank Hair and a divided Beard; Mahomet's whole Body is fetting, cloathed all in 'Green, Err. l. 5. c. 7. but with his Face and Hand quite covered. The defign of the Painter (who was a Muffel-man) feems to me to be this; he left Chrift's Face bare, after the common manner of the Chriftians, (thereby perhaps flily infinuating that it is thus Worshipt by them) but he covered his own Prophet, that none of his Followers fhould ever be abused or debauched, by any pretended likeness of his Countenance, and thereby tempted to Idolatry. That famous Infcription, on the Plut. de Ifid. & Temple at Sais in Egypt; had the very fame meaning; y dμí nav To yεyo- Ofir. p. 354.c. xòs, xý dv, xj éœóμevov, I am all that has been, Is, and shall be, and my, Peplum, or Veil na Martal hath ever yet uncovered. The great Eternal God, the thrice Holy Lord God Almighty, which Was, and Is, and is to come; Rev. 4. 8. who is All in All; and worketh All in All; is fufficiently understood by the Cor. 15. 28. things that are made; for the Heavens declare his Glory, and the Firma- m. 1. 2. ment beweth his handy Work; But as to his Nature and Effence, they are, Pf. 19. 1. and were, and ever will be quite covered from Mortal Eye; and for ever bid no den C. 12. 6. Kom. ye liken T. p. 37°. den from all human Imagination and Conceit; to whom then will him, faith the Prophet? See this Egyptian Infcription thus at large expoundIntell. Syft. 1. 1.ed by the learned Cudworth. c. 4. p. 341. Gen. 1. 26. 27. 1 Cor. 11. Col. 1. 15. I find indeed two Images of the one Invisible God expreft in Scripture; onc is Man himself in general, made in his Image and after his likeness; and 7.for as much as he is the Image and Glory of God, I will Worship and Adore 1Joh. 4. 20. 21 my God, by Loving and Reverencing my Brother. If I love not this living Image which I daily fee, how fhall I pretend to Love or Worship my God whom I have not feen? The next is Chrift himself, who is the exprefs Image of the Invisible God; I will Worship and Adore the everliving God .by living up, as well as I can, to the light of his glorious Gospel. John Damafcen who was, eixovoλáτgns, a great Patron of Image-Worship, owns Christ to have been the first, Natural and, trueft or, most like, Image of the Invisible God; in himself fhewing the Father, for no Man, faith he, ever faw God himself; thefe two Images every good Chriftian may without all Controversy Adore and Worship in Spirit and in Truth. As for a fenfelefs Representation of him, they that make them, or trust in them, are like unto them. 3. P. 770. Joh. 4. 24. 2. The next thing that I fhall here note as a grand Difference between the prefent Greeks and the Latins is this. The Latins make and allow of Statues and Pictures to reprefent the Trinity; they do it most commonly by an old Man with a tripple Crown, for the Father; holding a Crucifix, or Chrift upon the Cross, before him, for the Son, and by a Dove upon the upper End of the Cross, for the Holy Ghost. Such reprefentations as this of the Trinity, are very commonly to be met withall in Popish Countries; and they have been formerly in England; and they do yet remain in fome of our publick Seals. I have feen fome fuch Statues here and there yet left amongst old Rubbish and Ruins; I remember one was in the Commandery at York in 1688. But I never faw any fuch thing in all my Travels amongst the Greeks, either used or permitted by them. Neither did I ever fee a Material, Maffive, Cifix, or one in Picture, made or kept by any one of them; except in a little Greek Church as we went to Prufa in the Bay of Montania, we once found a little fhort Wooden one ftanding there over the door going into the Sacriftia or Chancel; (which place formerly in England was called the Rood loft) but the Papas there had been brought up at Rome, and brought this, and fet it up here out of his own humor. I do folemnly proteft that I never faw, during all my stay and Traveling up and down in Turkey, amongst the Greeks, any other Statue or Crucifix but this, neither did I ever meet with any other Religious Bassi Rilievi, Sculptures or Carved work in any of the Chriftian Churches or Oratories; though Allatius hath impudently faid, that nothing is more common amongst them. It would almoft feem Incredible, fhould I fhew what a moft furious Averfion the Turks have to all forts of Images and Pictures, especially fuch as are counted Religious. The Perfians allow of Painting, and I believe Mr. Lane's Pedigree was done by fuch a one; and I have fome Arab Medals with the Sultan's Face upon them; but the Turks have only Letters upon their Coin; and there are only Writings (as Verfes out of the Alcoran and the like,) upon the walls of their Mofchs. I remember both the Grand Seignor and the Vifier lookt with feeming neglect and dislike upon our King's Picture, which was drawn (in the C,) in the first Letter of his Name, when his letter was laid open before them. But I fhall mention no more here, then that common ftory which happen'd at the first taking of Buda by the Turk. There were it feems many fine antient Pictures there; which the Latin Fathers of those Churches valued extreamly. The Turks had feized on them all, amongst which were fome of God the Father, fome of the Trinity. The chief of the Fathers went to the Basha or Governor to beg that these might be fpared and return'd to them again. He ask'd them if they had any Painters now amongst them who had made any of thefe, or could make the like; They anfwer'd anfwer'd that they had then one there who made fome of thefe. He defired T. p. 371 De rel. Sanct. 1. 2. c. 8. T. 2: by all means that he thould be brought to him. One of the Pictures of God, or the Trinity, being brought he askt the Painter if he made it. He anfwer'd, Yes. Said the Governor I have a great defire to have my great Grand-father's and my Grand father's Pictures drawn; can you do that for me. He answer'd, yes, if any of them were alive, or if he had already any Picture of them he could Copy it; but unless he faw them or their Picture or Likeness, he could not do it. Then the Governor in great Zeal and Wrath faid to him, thou most Impudent and Prophane Dog, if you cannot draw any of my Grand-fathers because you never faw them, will you pretend to draw the Eternal God, whom no mortal Eye ever yet faw? So he had him laid down and foundly drub'd, and caufed all thofe Idolatrous Pictures immediately to be burnt before him. Undoubtedly there were, amongst these, Pictures of God and the Trinity, fome very extravagant, and perhaps very different from the common one above mention'd; for Bellarmine himself complains of the intollerable Bold- T. p. 372. nefs of the Painters in contriving ftrange Images of the Trinity; and particularly inftances in thofe of Hungary, which he faith, the Reformed Minifters P. 314. E. there had expofed as Ridiculous and Abominable; calling them, Cerberos, Geryones, Janos trifrontes, three headed and three Bodied Monsters, and the like; by which Images, faith the Cardinal, our Painters certainly gave occafion of Blafpheming; I fuppofe he would have us think, it was to thofe Minifters; and I must think that the poor Ignorant Latin Votaries took as certain an occafion, from them, of grofs Idolatry. There was a common Sign of the Trinity in St. Pauls Church-yard, London, with one whole Face in the middle, and half another Face on each fide of it; fo contrived as the right Eye of the middle Face, might make the left Eye of the half Face which was on the right fide of it; and the left Eye of the middle Face might make the right Eye of the half Face which was on the left fide of it. This was perfectly a new kind of Janus Trifrons; you will fee it in the Title page of Johannes de Burgo his Pupilla Oculi, Printed at Paris Anno 1510. and then fold in Vid. Infra pe St. Paul's Church-yard London, at that Sign of the Trinity aforefaid. I could give fome flagrant Examples of it, which I my felf have obferved, once in a Spanish Seaman, and others, whom I have feen beating their Breafts and Proftrating themselves before the common Image of the Trinity; as in Magna Napoli and elsewhere. We all believe that in God's good time there will be fullfilled, the calling of the Gentiles; and that all the World fhall become Luk. 21. 24. one Fold under one Shepherd; but I hardly believe, that that Fold will ever be after the prefent Model of the Latin Church; the Turks, in particular, will never adinit of their Religious Images, much less ever be brought to Wor Ship them; the Latin Emiffaries dare never in the least attempt to Convert them; No, their bufinefs in the Eaft (as I have often noted) is a Design of quite another Nature. 391. Rom. 11. 25. 2. c. 8. T. 2. p. 313. D: After all Bellarmine himself is forced to declare, non effe tam certum in Ec- De relig Sanēts clefia, that it is not fo certain in the Church, whether Images of God and", the Trinity may be made (according to the Latins) as thofe of Chrift and the Saints; This latter is own'd by all Catholicks, (even by the Greeks) and is matter of Faith; the other (of Pictures of God and the Trinity) eft in Opinione, is only Opinion; and he cites feveral other Latins who are of the fame mind. If then it is only matter of Opinion, and the danger of Idolatry from fuch Images is fo very great; why do the Latins ftill allow of them and keep them in their publick Affemblies, giving thereby fuch fhamefull scandal to the Greeks as well as to us? there is alfo this very remarkable paffage in the Cardinal; Idiotæ qui vident Picturas, Idects who fee thefe Pictures, and can- Ut fupra. H. not read the Scriptures, may and ought to be Inftructed by the Bishops and Preachers; otherwife faith he, I confefs fuch kind of Pictures cannot be expofed, imperitis, to the Ignorant, or Unlearned, without great danger. The Brafen Serpent though it was fet up by God's own Command and Appointment, Num. 21. 8. yet |