A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 23
Verſe 23. For they turned the glory of the incorruptible God to the ſimilitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and foure-footed beaſts, and of creeping things.
NOw followeth the euidence of their idolatrous folly: they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God, &c. The Apoſtle ſeemes to allude to that place of the Pſal. 105.20. The glory of God, vnderſtand the glorious maieſtie of God himſelfe: which they are ſaid to turne or change, not that they were able to bring any alteration into the Deitie; but this is ſpoken, as Chryſostome ſaith, eyther according to their intendment, and nature of the fact, as much as in them lay: or in reſpect of the euent, quoad populum, whom by this meanes they occaſioned to thinke GOD to be like vntounto thoſe things, in whoſe image they did repreſent him. Obſer.
Where firſt obſerue: that the Gentiles themſelues intended their images moſt of them to repreſent the true God, creatour and gouernour of the world. And howſoeuer they erred in hypotheſi imagining that to be this true God, which was not; yet in theſi they erred not in reſpect of their intention. Sundry teſtimonies might be produced to this purpoſe out of Diuines, and heathens. Ʋſe.
And the rather obſerue I this, becauſe Papiſts to defend their image reſemblances, and worſhip, often inſiſt on this; that the images condemned in Scripture, were ſuch onelyonly as were made to repreſent falſe Gods, and things that were not: whereas a man that … hath eyes to ſee, may eaſily perceiue, that the Lord forbids not onelyonly images of falſe Gods, but images of himſelfe alſo, the true Iehouah. Compare theſe places. Deu. 4.15. Exod. 32.4.5. Iudg. 17.5.13. Pſal. 40.18. &c.
Now that wherein their folly chiefely appeared, was the diſproportion of the image to the thing thereby reſembled, GOD incorruptible, man corruptible; what poſſibilitie of reſemblance? Obſer.
Whence may be gathered a reaſon vnanſwerable againſt repreſentations of Gods maieſtie, by any image of creatures whatſoeuer: becauſe none of them can repreſent God ſo as he is in his nature or properties. And it is vſed often by the Prophets and other Diuines. Iſay 40.18. The Lord thus reaſons againſt the Images of the people. I am omnipotent, infinite in eſſence, power, maieſtie, &c. to whom then will you liken me? Lactantius de orig. erroris, lib. 2. cap. 2. The Image of God that liues for euer, muſt be like him, liuing and ſenſible; and if ſimulachrum hath his name from likenes, how can theſe images be thought like vntounto God, ſeeing they hauehave neither ſenſe nor motion?
Now if this be thought a good reaſon againſt images of the heathen, (viz.) the deſparitie, and diſproportion that muſt needs be betwixt God and all images of creatures made to repreſent him, why holds it not againſt images of Papiſts, made to repreſent the Trinitie, though not as liuely repreſentations of Diuine eſſence, yet as anologicall ſhadowes as it were of his properties, and actions?
They teach indeed, that there can be no image deuiſed by man liuely to repreſent God as he is; yet ſome analogicall reſemblances there may be to help vsus in conceiuing the properties and actions of the Trinitie. But how vainely? for firſt, what is Gods eſſence but his properties? what his properties, but his eſſence? ſecondly, marke the reaſon of the Spirit of God here, and Iſay 40. and you ſhall ſee the ground of it is this: what image ſoeuer doth not liuely repreſent the nature of GOD: that may be made to repreſent GOD, but no image doth ſet forth GOD as hee is: therefore may none be made to reſemble him. And where as they ſay, that Angels though inuiſible may be reſembled by an image: therefore God alſo though inuiſible. Anſ. Firſt, with M. Zanchius in praecept. ſecund. that I like not the libertie Painters take to themſelues herein. Secondly, that there is manifeſt diſparitie betwixt the two: Angels▪ being, though inuiſible, yet finite; GOD not inuiſible onelyonly, but alſo infinite, and vnmeaſurable, as Damaſcene himſelfe ſpeakes, de orthodoxa fide, lib. 4. Cap. 13. But more of this by and by.
Obſer. In the meane time, marke the madneſſe of vaine man, when hee once begins to corrupt himſelfe in this kinde; not contented to reſemble the incorruptible God in the image of a corruptible man, which was diſhonour enough to the Deitie, but proceedes to foules, and beaſts, yea, to ſerpents and creeping things. The truth whereof appeares in the hiſtories of the heathen themſelues. The Egyptians eſpecially were mad in this kinde, erecting images of oxen, dogs, cats, rats, ſerpents, &c. as repreſentations of God, vponupon this ground as the learned hauehave thought, becauſe that in reſpect of ſome benefits they receiued by theſe creatures, they apprehended them as inſtruments of Gods goodneſſe towards them. Ʋſe. See Plutarch, de Iſid. & Oſir.
And let it teach vsus to magnifie the name of God for his mercy, in that he hath hitherto preſerued vsus from that extreamitie of ſpirituall blindnes; and ſpecially be our caueat, how we begin to corrupt our ſelues, either in the apprehenſion, or worſhip of GOD: there is a ſteepe downefall in ſuch corruptions. See Ier. 10.14.