1The fourth ground of practise concerneth the worship of God: Exod. 20.5. Thou shalt not make to thy self any […] image, &c. The first point. The meaning: This Commandment hath two parts: the former forbidding the making of Images: the latter, the worshipping of them. The former in these words: Thou shalt not make unto thy self &c. In which is not simply forbidden the making of Images, as if they be for political or historical use, •ut the making of them in way of religion or conscience, to put us in remembrance of God, or to worship God in, by, or at the same. The latter in these words: Thou shalt not bow down &c. That is, thou shalt not so much as bow down thy body before such an Image made by others, neither to worship it, no• the true God in it: which exposition because it is oppugned by a great part of the world, I will prove by some reasons: First, that which was the sin of the Israelites in making Images, is here forbidden: but their common sin in the use of Images, was to make them representations of the true God, and to worship the true God in them, as appeareth Exod. 32.4.5. The Israelites having made a golden Calf, said: These be thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: that is, this is a representation of that God who brought thee out of Egypt: for they should have been worse then mad men, if they had called that Calf which was but one day old, that God which brought them many days before out of Egypt: besides that, Images true or false are usually called by the name of Gods, as being so in the reputation of the worshippers. F•rther, Aaron said,2 To morrow shall be the holy day of the Lord: signifying that the Calf was made to represent the true God, whom in the Calf they were to worship. Again, Judg. 17.3. Michael mother showeth that her intent was to worship God in the Image, when she saith, that she had dedicated eleven hundred shekels of silver to the Lord, to make a graven and molten Image; and having made the Image, she saith, Now will the Lord bless me: 3though his fact was gross Idolatry, yet he showeth that he worshipped the Lord in the Image, whose blessing he boasted of. Isaiah 40.18 To whom will y•• ••ken God? whence it is plain, they made Images of the true God to worship him in. Judg. 2.11.
1The fourth ground of practise concerneth the worship of God: Exod. 20.5. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any 〈…〉 image, &c. The first point. The meaning: This Commandement hath two parts: the former forbidding the making of Images: the latter, the worshipping of them. The former in these words: Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe &c. In which is not simply forbidden the making of Images, as if they bee for politicall or historicall vse, •ut the making of them in way of religion or conscience, to put vs in remembrance of God, or to worship God in, by, or at the same. The latter in these words: Thou shalt not bow downe &c. That is, thou shalt not so much as bow downe thy bodie before such an Image made by others, neither to worship it, no• the true God in it: which exposition because it is oppugned by a great part of the world, I will prooue by some reasons: First, that which was the sinne of the Israelites in making Images, is here forbidden: but their common sinne in the vse of Images, was to make them representations of the true God, and to worship the true God in them, as appeareth Exod. 32.4.5. The Israelites hauing made a golden Calfe, said: These be thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: that is, this is a representatiō of that God who brought thee out of Egypt: for they should haue been worse then mad men, if they had called that Calfe which was but one day old, that God which brought them many daies before out of Egypt: besides that, Images true or false are vsually called by the name of Gods, as being so in the reputation of the worshippers. F•rther, Aaron said,2 To morrow shall be the holy day of the Lord: signifying that the Calfe was made to represent the true God, whom in the Calfe they were to worship. Againe, Iudg. 17.3. Michae• mother sheweth that her intent was to worship God in the Image, when shee saith, that shee had dedicated eleuen hundred shekels of siluer to the Lord, to make a grauen and molten Image; and hauing made the Image, she saith, Now will the Lord blesse me: 3though his fact was grosse Idolatrie, yet he sheweth that he worshipped the Lord in the Image, whose blessing he boasted of. Esai 40.18 To whom will y ken God? whence it is plaine, they made Images of the true God to worship him in.
- 14. Ground.
- 2Vers. 5.
- 3Vers. 13.
