let him know, that the creature cannot comprehend the image of the Creator; and if it could, yet God would not be worshipped in it, because it is a dead thing: yea, the work of mans hands, not of God: and therefore is more base then the smallest living creature, of the which we may lawfully say, it is the work of God. This evinceth, that no kind of divine worship belongeth to an image, either simply or by relation, whatsoever the sophistical schoolmen jangle to the contrary.
If any man be yet desirous of images, he may have at hand the preaching of the Gospel, a lively image of Christ crucified. Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, to whom Jesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified? The like may be said of the two Sacraments. And that saying of Clemens is true, in his fifth book of Recognit. If you will truly adore the image of God, do good unto man, and ye shall worship his true image: for man is the image of God.
II. The least approbation of idolatry. Hos. 13.2. They say one to another whilst they sacrifice a man, let them kiss the calves. Now a kiss, is an external sign of some allowance of a thing. Gen. 48.11.
Therefore it is unlawful to be present at Mass, or any idolatrous service, though our minds be absent. 1. Cor. 6,20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirits, which are Gods. Rom. 11.4. What saith the Scripture? I have reserved unto my self seven thousand men, which have not bowed the knee to Baal. Euseb. 3. book. The Martyrs, when they were haled unto the temple of idols, cried out, and with a loud voice in the middest of their tortures testified that they were not idolatrous sacrificers, but professed and constant Christians, rejoicing greatly that they might make such a confession.
That which may be objected of Naaman the Syrian, who worshipped in the temple of Rimmon, is thus answered, that he did it not with purpose to commit idolatry, but to perform that civill obeisance, which he was wont to exhibit to the Kings majesty. 2. King. 5.17,18.
And for this cause, are utterly forbidden all such processions, plays, and such feasts, as are consecrated to the memorial, and honour of idols. Exod. ⟨p. 46⟩32.6.
let him know, that the creature cannot comprehend the image of the Creator; and if it could, yet God would not be worshipped in it, because it is a dead thing: yea, the worke of mans hands, not of God: and therefore is more base then the smallest liuing creature, of the which we may lawfully say, it is the worke of God. This euinceth, that no kinde of diuine worship belongeth to an image, either simply or by relation, whatsoeuer the sophisticall schoolemen iangle to the contrarie.
If any man be yet desirous of images, he may haue at hand the preaching of the Gospell, a liuely image of Christ crucified. Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that yee should not obey the truth, to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified? The like may be saide of the two Sacraments. And that saying of Clemens is true, in his fifth booke of Recognit. If you will truly adore the image of God, doe good vnto man, and ye shall worship his true image: for man is the image of God.
II. The least approbation of idolatrie. Hos. 13.2. They say one to another whilest they sacrifice a man, let them kisse the calues. Now a kisse, is an externall signe of some allowance of a thing. Gen. 48.11.
Therefore it is vnlawfull to be present at Masse, or any idolatrous seruice, though our mindes be absent. 1. Cor. 6,20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your bodie, and in your spirits, which are Gods. Rom. 11.4. What saith the Scripture? I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men, which haue not bowed the knee to Baal. Euseb. 3. booke. The Martyrs, when they were haled vnto the temple of idols, cried out, and with a loud voyce in the middest of their tortures testified that they were not idolatrous sacrificers, but professed and constant Christians, reioycing greatly that they might make such a confession.
That which may be obiected of Naaman the Syrian, who worshipped in the temple of Rimmon, is thus answered, that he did it not with purpose to commit idolatrie, but to performe that ciuill obeysance, which he was wont to exhibit to the Kings maiestie. 2. King. 5.17,18.
And for this cause, are vtterly forbidden all such processions, playes, and such feasts, as are consecrated to the memoriall, and honour of idoles. Exod. ⟨p. 46⟩
