A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. Hab. 2.18. What profiteth the Graven Image, the Molten Image, and a Teacher of Lies? Is an Image a Lay-mans Book? See then what Lessons this Book teacheth, it teacheth Lies, it represents God in a visible shape, who is invisible. For the Papists to say they make use of an Image, to put them in mind of God, is as if a Woman should say she keeps company with another Man, to put her in mind of her Husband.

Resp. Hab. 2.18. What profiteth the Graven Image, the Molten Image, and a Teacher of Lies? Is an Image a Lay-mans Book? See then what Lessons this Book teacheth, it teacheth Lyes, it represents God in a visible shape, who is invisible. For the Papists to say they make use of an Image, to put them in mind of God, is as if a Woman should say she keeps company with another Man, to put her in mind of her Husband.

Obj. 3. But did not Moses make the Image of a Brazen Serpent, why then may not Images be set up?

Resp. That was done by Gods special command, Num. 21.8. Make thee a Brazen Serpent; and there was a special use of it, both Literal and Spiritual; but what, doth the setting up this Image of the Brazen Serpent justify the setting up of Images in Churches? What, because Moses did make an Image by Gods appointment, may we therefore set up an Image of our own Devising? Because Moses made an Image to heal them that were stung, is it lawful therefore to set up Images in Churches, to sting them that are whole? This doth not at all follow. Nay, that very brazen Serpent which God himself commanded to be set up, when Israel did look upon it with too much Reverence, and began to burn Incense to it, Hezekiah defaced that Image, and called it Nehushtan, and God commended him for doing so,