A Body of Practical Divinity

2. To worship God by an Image, is both absurd and unlawful.

I. It is absurd and irrational; for First, The Workman is better than the Work, Heb. 3.3. He who buildeth the House, hath more Honour than the House; if the Workman be better than the Work, and none bows to the Workman, how absurd then is it to bow to the work of his Hands? Secondly, Is it not an absurd thing to bow down to the Kings Picture, when the King himself is present? So to bow down to an image of God, when God himself is every where present.

II. It is unlawful to worship God by an Image; for First, It is against the Homily of the Church; it runs thus, The Images of God, our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, are of all others most dangerous, therefore the greatest care ought to be had that they stand not in Temples and Churches. So that Image-Worship is contrary to our own Homilies, and doth affront the authority of the Church of England. Secondly, Image-worship is expressly against the Letter of Scripture, Lev. 26.1. Ye shall make no Graven Image, neither shall ye set up any Image of Stone to bow down to it. Deut. 16.22. Neither shalt thou set up any Image which the Lord thy God hateth. Psal. 97.7. Confounded be all they that serve Graven Images. Do we think to please God by doing that which is contrary to his Mind, and which he hath expressly forbidden? Thirdly, Image-worship is against the practice of the Saints of old. Josiah that Renowned King, destroyed the Groves and Images,