A09453:267
A Reformed Catholic
A reformed Catholic: or, A declaration showing how near we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundry points of religion: and wherein we must for ever depart from them with an advertisement to all favourers of the Roman religion, showing that the said religion is against the Catholic principles and grounds of the catechism.A reformed Catholike: or, A declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and vvherein we must for euer depart from them with an advertisment to all fauourers of the Romane religion, shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the catechisme.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1598Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1598
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The difference.
Our dissent from them touching images stands in three points: I. The Church of Rome holds it lawful for them to make images to resemble God, though not in respect of his divine nature; yet in respect of some properties & actions. We on the contrary, hold it unlawful for us to make any image, any way to represent the true God: or, to make an image of any thing in way of religion, to worship God, much less the creature thereby. For the second commandment saith plainly, Exod. 20. 4. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image, or the likeness of anything in heaven, &c. The Papists say the commandment is meant of the images of false Gods. But, will they nill they, it must be understood of the images of the true Jehovah: and it forbids usd to resemble God, either in his nature, properties, or works, or to use any resemblance of him for any sacred use; as to help the memory, when we are about to worship God. Thus much the holy Ghost who is the best expounder ⟨p. 175⟩of himself, teacheth most plainly, Deut. 4. 15, 16. Thou sawest no image at all (either of false or true god) and therefore thou shalt not make any likeness of any thing. And again the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 40. 18. reproving idolaters, asketh to whom they will liken God, or, what similitude will they set upon him. And v. 21. Know ye nothing? have you not heard? hath it not bin TOLD you FROM THE BEGINNING? as if he should say, have ye forgotten the second commandment, that God gave unto your fathers? And thus he flatly reproves all them that resemble the true God in images. But they say further, that by images in the second commandment are meant idols, that is (say they) such things as men worship for gods. Ans. If it were so, we should confound the first & second commandments. For the first, Thou shalt have no other gods before my face, forbids all false gods, which man wickedly frames unto himself, by giving his heart and the principal affections thereof, to them: and therefore idols also are here forbidden, when they are esteemed as gods. And the distinction they make that