Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 30
PRINCIPLES VPONUPON THE SECOND COMMANDEMENT OF GODS LAVVE. XXX.
1 EVen as the acknowledging and inward worſhipping of on God, is eſpeciallie in the firſt commā dement: ſo the ſecond commandement doth ſet down the outward worſhip of the ſame God, from the contrary.
2 The end is, that all religious, worſhip, euen that which is outward, is due vntounto God onlie: and ſuch a worſhip, as is agreeable vntounto his ſpirituall nature.
3 This commandement conſiſteth of three members: for God firſt of all forbiddeth the making of any image to repreſent his diuine godhead. Secondly, he forbiddeth anie worſhip to be yealded vntounto him, in any image. Thridlie, hee bringeth a twofolde reaſon of this commandement: the one, becauſe hee is the onlie aeternall GOD, and therefore can bee repreſented by no bodilie ſhape or forme: the other, becauſe hee alone is able both to reuenge moſt ſeuerelie the contemners of his name, and alſo infinitly to bleſſe his true worſhippers.
4 All thoſe therefore, whoſoeuer hauehave at any time bin, not onelyonly the worſhippers of Images, as of holie thinges; but euen the markes of them to that purpoſe, are once for all condemned as ſuperſtitious in this commandement.
5 Fooliſh therfore is that opinion, which the Grecians hauehave nowe theſe many yeares maintained, who tolerating painted Images, doe altogeather refuſe grauen Pictures, or any that are made of ſolide matter.
6 Ridiculous alſo is their ignoraunce, who make a difference betweene the Greeke word IDOL, and the Latin name Image.
7 Friuelous alſo is that three-folde diſtinction of religious worſhippe, aWorſhip due vntounto God.LATRIA, bSeruice due vntounto Idols.DVLIA, and cAnd double ſeruice due to the Virgin Marie.HYPORDVLIA, which hath beene latelie in part inuented, and in part depraued by the Papiſts.
8 Neither is their euaſion to be leſſe condemned, who to the end, they may excuſe the ſin of Idolatrie, do affirme; that they worſhip not the Images, but that, which is repreſented by them.
9 Yet wee doe not holde all Images to be forbidden in this commandement, but ſuch as are ordained for Religion ſake; the religious vſe whereof, the worde of God doth therefore condemne; becauſe it is contumelious, both vntounto God and his creatures.
10 And ſeeing, that the Temples or Churches of Chriſtians, are ordained for the vſe of Religion; it is vnlawfull to place Images in them, which the ancient & purer churches wanted, for the ſpace of four hundred yeares, whereas ſince that time, ſtanding Images, were at the length ſuffered to come in after painted walles had beene admitted, & togeather with the ſtanding Images, that horrible madnes of Idolatrie ſuffered to take place, which cannot as yet be thruſt out.
11 We grant then, that there is another manifold lawfull vſe of Pictures: for ſome of them were Typicall, in the old Teſtament; yet not by man, but by Gods appointment, and not to the end, that any wiſe they ſhould bee worſhipped, but that they might repreſent ſome diuine thing, vnderunder the ſhape of that which was viſible vntounto the eie, as the braſen Serpent was the figure of Chriſt, and the ſhape of the two Cherubins, that ſat vponupon the holy Arke, reſembled the Majeſtie of God, attended vponupon by his Angels.
12 Theſe examples doe nothing auaile them, who by this pretence doe defend, that Images may be tolerated in the Churches of Chriſtians; For the figure of the Serppēt, was not placed in the Tabernacle, neither was it made to the end it ſhould be preſerued; much leſſe, that it ſhould be anie wiſe worſhipped, and it was afterward juſtlie broken in peeces; and the Cherubins, together with the Ark it ſelfe were ſo placed, as they were not be ſeen by thoſe that came into the Tabernacle.
13 There is alſo an Hiſtoricall vſe of them, whereby profitable ſtories drawen, either out of the Scriptures, or out of other writers, may be laid before vsus: the which, notwithſtanding, how dangerous they are to bee ſet vp in the places appointed for the vſe of Religion, both the practiſe of the auntient purer Churches, and alſo the admonitions of the writers of thoſe times doe witnes; and euen experience doth teach vsus.
14 No man alſo, of any ſound judgement douteth, but that ſome paintings and caruings may bee vſed for ornaments ſake, and euen in the places appointed for the exerciſes of Religion; ſo that they be ſuch, as it may appeare, that no opinion of any religious worſhipp, may any waies ariſe thereof: Of which ſort, there were not a fewe, in the workmanſhip of the Temple, and that among the verie holie veſſels themſelues.
15 They are alſo profitable, to come to the knowledge of the nature of manie things; as are the pictures of beaſts, Trees, Cities, and Countries: and that in ſuch ſort, as ſomtimes they are neceſſarilie required in the deciding of controuerſies in ciuill judgement.
16 The ſtrength of God oppoſed vntounto the vanitie of Idols, is mencioned aI Iehoua thy God, the ſtrong God am jelous.in this commaundement, againſt thoſe, who attribute vntounto them ſome abilitye aboue the power of men, either to hurt or to helpe.
17 God indeede is ſubject vntounto no paſsions or affection: He notwithſtanding doth here compare himſelfe vntounto a jealous Husband, that to the end we may know, that hee will hauehave vsus to bee wholie conſecrated vntounto himſelfe; and that he can in no wiſe abide, that any beſides himſelf ſhuld be partakers of our louelove.
18 The Sonne indeed ſhal not beare the iniquity of the Father; but the ſame ſoule that ſinneth ſhall die: Notwithſtanding ſinne is ſo odious in the ſight of God, that it is not a matter vnbeſeeming his juſtice, to depriue the ſeed of the wicked of his grace, the light of the truth, and all meanes of ſaluation: Yet can no man complaine, ſeeing all men are guiltie of the curſe.
19 The Children of the wicked then, are depriued of the bleſsing of God, becauſe the Lord doth take the occaſion therof from the ſinnes of their wicked Parents, whoſe waies the Children do tread, and whoſe proper ſins therefore, do deſerue temporal and aeternall puniſhment.
20 God doth louelove righteouſnes, in ſuch ſort, as he doth bleſſe, not onelie the Fathers themſelues, that are carefull of righteouſnes, but euen their poſterity alſo: and that, either by proſpering their affaires, in reſpect of the thinges of this life, or by rewarding them with aeternall life.
21 Yet is it an euill concluſion, which ſome doe make, to gather merite from the rewarde which God promiſeth vntounto the obſeruers of his law. For God doth not ſay here, that he will be faithfull and juſt; but that he will be mercifull towards them.
22 It maketh nothing againſt theſe things, that ſometimes the Children of the wicked, become carefull of well-doing: and contrariwiſe, that the ſeede of the Godlie, doe degenerate; becauſe thet Law-giuer ment not heere to ſet down an inuiolable rule which might degenerate from his Election.
23 Now, whereas God doth aſsigne foure generations vntounto his wrath, and doth ſtreatch his merciemercy vntounto a thouſand; it is an argument, that of his owne nature, he is more bent to ſhew mercy, then vntounto ſeueritie.
24 This threatning, and alſo this promiſe, doth indeed appertaine vntounto the reſt of the Commaundements; but it was eſpeciallie annexed vntounto this ſecond, that thereby wee may know, how greatlie God deteſteth Idolatrie amongſt all other ſinnes.
Defended by IOHN VALLETONVS Albenatienſis Occitanus.