A37049:327
A practical exposition of the X. Commandments with a resolution of several momentous questions and cases of conscience.
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
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.
And it may also 4. appear from this, That the Heathen gods for the most part (even those of them that were most commonly worshipped) were some famous men, after death supposed to be Deified, to whom they made statues and Images, and yet still the honour was intended to those to whom they appointed the Images, though they supposed that their gods in an especial manner dwelt in these Images, and answered from them.
In the second place this may be made to appear from the Command, Deut. 12.31. where the Lord forbiddeth not only the worshipping of Idols, but of himself by Images, Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God, that is thou shalt not worship me by Images as the Heathen do their gods, and therefore this is not only possible, but is also, and that most certainly, a grievous guilt, even though they pretended it was not Idols but God they worshipped; yet it was not so they worshipped not him but the Idol.
In the second place this may be made to appear from the Command, Deut. 12.31. where the Lord forbiddeth not onely the worshipping of Idols, but of himself by Images, Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God, that is thou shalt not worship me by Images as the Heathen do their gods, and therefore this is not only possible, but is also, and that most certainly, a grievious guilt, even though they pretended it was not Idols but God they worshipped; yet it was not so they worshipped not him but the Idol.
3. We shall clear it yet further, That the true God may be worshipped (by Idolaters) as they pretend, and yet in Gods account their worship is nothing but Idolatry committed with their Images.
We shall give four instances of this. The first is from Exodus 32. where it is clear, 1. That the image they set up was not it self acknowledged to be God, but as something to represent the true God, for 1. It cannot be thought their minds were so soon darkened as altogether to forget what God had done, and to imagine that the thing which was new made with hands was God, though they be charged with forgetting God, because they were practical forgetters of him, and their sin did speak it out indeed. 2. The image is called Jehovah that brought them out of Egypt, which was a mercy past before the Calf had a being, and therefore the reason why they gave it this name, must certainly be, because they aimed by it to represent Jehovah. 3. It is not likely that now they would have worshipped the gods of Egypt, or that they would have attributed their delivery from Egypt to them, seeing these gods were also plagued; also that Aaron should do so is incredible, who yet joined with them in this transgression. 4. Beside can it be thought, that so soon they thought it to be God, and yet so easily afterwards passed from it? certainly the words, That it may go before us, that is, not to Egypt, but Canaan, whether God called them, do clearly imply, that they looked on it only as a representation of Jehovah.
We shall give four instances of this. The first is from Exodus 32. where it is clear, 1. That the image they set up was not it self acknowledged to be God, but as something to represent the true God, for 1. It cannot be thought their minds were so soon darkened as altogether to forget what God had done, and to imagine that the thing which was new made with hands was God, though they be charged with forgetting God, because they were practical forgetters of him, and their sin did speak it out indeed. 2. The image is called Jehovah that brought them out of Egypt, which was a mercy past before the Calf had a being, and therefore the reason why they gave it this name, must certainly be, because they aimed by it to represent Jehovah. 3. It is not likely that now they would have worshipped the gods of Egypt, or that they would have attributed their delivery from Egypt to them, seeing these gods were also plagued; also that Aaron should do so is incredible, who yet joyned with them in this transgression. 4. Beside can it be thought, that so soon they thought it to be God, and yet so easily afterwards passed from it? certainly the words, That it may go before us, that is, not to Egypt, but Canaan, whether God called them, do clearly imply, that they looked on it only as a representation of Jehovah.
2. It is clear that they sacrificed burnt Offerings and peace Offerings before this image, and this was the same service which was due to the Lord, and so it was proclaimed, Exod. 32.5. and therefore it was to the Lord, and not to the image (for it self) that they sacrificed.
3. It is clear that they are charged for turning out of the way, and that because of their making a molten image, which seemeth to infer, that their guilt was rather in the manner of worship and making of that image for worship •, than in quitting God altogether; and thus they grossly failed in the manner of worshipping him, by occ •si •n of Moses his absence, for now they want that sign of Gods presence, which formerly they had, and have not such a visible commerce (as it were) with God, it is that they complain of. and this want of a visible sign (and not of God simply) do they intend to make up by this image.
3. It is clear that they are charged for turning out of the way, and that because of their making a molten image, which seemeth to infer, that their guilt was rather in the manner of worship and making of that image for worship •, than in quitting God altogether; and thus they grosly failed in the manner of worshipping him, by occ •si •n of Moses his absence, for now they want that sign of Gods presence, which formerly they had, and have not such a visible commerce (as it were) with God, it is that they complain of. and this want of a visible sign (and not of God simply) do they intend to make up by this image.
4. This may be further confirmed from Acts 7.40, 41, 42. where it is said, that because of this si • they were given up to gross idolatry which could not be, had this been idolatry of the grosses • sort.
The Second instance is from Judges 17. where you will find that that Idol, which Micah made is not by him or his Mother accounted God, but is made use of by them, as they think, for furthering them in Gods service, as appeareth, 1. From this, that it getteth not the name of any strange god. 2. That he seeketh a Levite for a Priest to it, and promiseth to himself Gods blessing from that, not that the Idol would bless him, but Jehovah, ver. 13. 3. That it is said, the Priest asked counsel of Jehovah for the Danites, Judges 18.6.
The Third instance is that of Jeroboam, who did sin and made Israel to sin, by the Calf he set up at Dan and Bethel, that they were not intended to be worshipped as Idols, for themselves, but as means, whereby they might be helped to worship the true God, may appear, 1. From Jeroboam's motive, which was not to divert the people from the true God, at least as he supposed, or to make them alter their God, but to alter their manner of worship, and to divert them from going up to Jerusalem to worship, from which his fear of their revolt to Rehoboam arose; hence the Calves are not provided to prevent worshipping of God, but are put in place of their going up to Jerusalem; as the colour of reason pretended by him for this alteration showeth; and so one service is ⟨p. 64⟩put for another, without changing their God, and all the reproofs that his sins meeteth with from the Prophets run at this, that he altered the manner of Gods worship in putting up new signs in new places, and appointing new sacrifices and Priests. 2. It appeareth from this, that as it was distinct from that way of serving God, which was in Judah, so was it from the way of the Heathens, yea from the way used by such idolatrous Kings as Ahab, who are said to do worse; because they did set up strange gods (which the Calves are not called) and Baalim; and Jehu when he destroyed the false Gods, yet he retained this manner of Worship; and there were no cause to discriminate Jeroboam's sin from Achabs, or to look upon it as any thing lesser, if all the difference had been only in the change of worshipping the image of one Idol into the worshipping of the image of another, but the difference was in this, that the one worshipped the true God in these images, the other Idols indeed. 3. Hence there was still some knowledge of God in that land, and Prophets sometimes sent them by the Lord, yea when they were led captive, and others sent into their place, it is said 2 Kings 17.26. &c. They learned the manner of the god of the land, that is th • true God though they corrupted themselves with serving their Idols also, and thus the Samaritans continued worshipping they knew not what, though they pretended to worship the true God, John 4.22.
The Third instance is that of Jeroboam, who did sin and made Israel to sin, by the Calf he set up at Dan and Bethel, that they were not intended to be worshipped as Idols, for themselves, but as means, whereby they might be helped to worship the true God, may appear, 1. From Jeroboams motive, which was not to divert the people from the true God, at least as he supposed, or to make them alter their God, but to alter their manner of worship, and to divert them from going up to Jerusalem to worship, from which his fear of their revolt to Rehoboam arose; hence the Calves are not provided to prevent worshipping of God, but are put in place of their going up to Jerusalem; as the colour of reason pretended by him for this alteration sheweth; and so one service is
The Fourth instance is that corrupt practice used sometimes in Judah of setting up high places and groves, when yet they did not th •reby intend to serve Idols, but the true God, and yet they are reproved for this as a gross Corrupting of the worship of God.
And it would seem clear sometimes in Judah and often in Israel, even when they are charged with idolatry, that yet the knowledge of the true God, was not obliterate among them, nor they so brutish in their worship as other Nations about them; we take it then for a clear truth, that they often did worship the true God, by images, when they did not worship the images directly.
And it would seem clear sometimes in Judah and often in Israel, even when they are charged with idolatry, that yet the knowledge of the true God, was not obliterate among them, nor they so bruitish in their worship as other Nations about them; we take it then for a clear truth, that they often did worship the true God, by images, when they did not worship the images directly.
The Second thing may be easily cleared and made out, to wit, that all worshipping of God by images though the worship be pretended to be given to the true God, and not to the image but to the thing signified or represented by the image, is yet unlawful and idolatry, forbidden by this commandment what ever sort of worship it be, if it be religious, as hath been said, and this we shall make out by these Arguments.
The first is from the general scope of this Command, which is to forbid not only the over-turning of Gods Services, but also all Will-worship, though mixed in with the Service (as it seemeth, that was which is mentioned, Col. 2.18. of worshipping Angels, which yet was so subtle that they pretended, they were far from taking from God any thing that was his due) that this is the scope of this Command, is clear from Deut. 12.8 where the Lord forbiddeth men in his Worship To do what seemeth good to every one in his own Eyes▪ But so it is, that the worshipping of God before Images, &c. is Will-worship, &c., till it be shown that it is prescribed by God.
The first is from the general scope of this Command, which is to forbid not only the over-turning of Gods Services, but also all Will-worship, though mixed in with the Service (as it seemeth, that was which is mentioned, Col. 2.18. of worshipping Angels, which yet was so subtile that they pretended, they were far from taking from God any thing that was his due) that this is the scope of this Command, is clear from Deut. 12.8 where the Lord forbiddeth men in his Worship To do what seemeth good to every one in his own Eyes▪ But so it is, that the worshiping of God before Images, &c. is Will-worship, &c., till it be shewen that it is prescribed by God.
Secondly: That way of Worshipping God is clearly condemned by the more particular scope of this Command; which is first, to discharge all gross thoughts of God or his Service; which scope, As it sayeth, God cannot dwell in Temples, So, neither can He be worshipped by mens hands, that is, by Images made with mens hands, as these in Athens did, Act. 17.24, 25. For they ignorantly worshipped the true God; 2. To show that he should not be served as Idolaters served their Gods by Images, Deut. 4, & 12.30, 31, 32. This binds us to the Word for all institute worship, but especially restraineth us from Idolaters, their way of worship as well as from their Idols, Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God: Note, that So set down, v. 4▪ relateth to Groves, Images, High places, &c. mentioned v. 3▪ which place doth not only discharge such Service to be given to Idols, but the giving of any such Service to God himself, who will have no such Service: And if it be clear, that worshipping him by Groves and High places be condemned, why not worshipping him by Images also? for the prohibition So, looketh to all.
Secondly: That way of Worshiping God is clearly condemned by the more particular scope of this Command; which is first, to discharge all gross thoughts of God or his Service; which scope, As it sayeth, God cannot dwell in Temples, So, neither can He be worshiped by mens hands, that is, by Images made with mens hands, as these in Athens did, Act. 17.24, 25. For they ignorantly worshiped the true God; 2. To shew that he should not be served as Idolaters served their Gods by Images, Deut. 4, & 12.30, 31, 32. This binds us to the Word for all institute worship, but especially restraineth us from Idolaters, their way of worship as well as from their Idols, Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God: Note, that So set down, v. 4▪ relateth to Groves, Images, High places, &c. mentioned v. 3 which place doth not only discharge such Service to be given to Idols, but the giving of any such Service to God himself, who will have no such Service: And if it be clear, that worshipping him by Groves and High places be condemned, why not worshiping him by Images also? for the prohibition So, looketh to all.
Thirdly: This Command hath a general prohibition in it, that leaveth no Image out, whether of God, Saint, or any other thing for any Religious use under whatsoever shape: For 1. It dischargeth the making of any Image of any thing, for any Religious use. 2. It dischargeth all Worship to be given them, whether outward by Bowing, or inward by Service, or whatsoever followeth on these; and therefore no distinction used by Idolaters can salve the matter, or avoid the strength of this Command, especially considering that it directeth men in ⟨p. 66⟩the manner how they should serve the true God, and doth not simply prescribe who is to be acknowledged as true God, which is done by the first Command.
Thirdly: This Command hath a general prohibition in it, that leaveth no Image out, whether of God, Saint, or any other thing for any Religious use under whatsoever shape: For 1. It dischargeth the making of any Image of any thing, for any Religious use. 2. It dischargeth all Worship to be given them, whether outward by Bowing, or inward by Servico, or whatsoever followeth on these; and therefore no distinction used by Idolaters can salve the matter, or avoid the strength of this Command, especially considering that it directeth men in ⟨p. 66⟩the manner how they should serve the true God, and doth not simply prescribe who is to be acknowledged as true God, which is done by the first Command.
Fourthly: If by this Command Heathenish Idolatry, or the Serving God by Images be condemned? then the serving of God by Images also amongst Christians is here condemned; But the Heathens serving God by Images, is here condemned, Ergo, &c.
