Sermons on Deuteronomy, Sermons · Sermon 23
On Thursday the xxiii. of May. 1555. The xxiij. Sermon, which is the fifth vponupon the fourth Chapter.
15 Therefore shall yee take good heede for your selues, that yee saw no maner of image in the day that the Lorde your God spake vntounto you in Horeb, from the middes of the fire:
16 That you marre not your selues, ne make you anie grauen image, or representation of anie portraiture, bee it the likenesse of man or woman,
17 Or the lykenesse of any beast vppon earth, or the lykenesse of any byrd that hath winges, which flyeth vnderunder the skye:
18 Or the lykenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground, or the lykenesse of any fishe that is in the water vnderunder the earth.
19 Also that when thou liftest vp thine eyes vntounto heauen, and beholdest the Sunne, and the Moone, and the starres, with all the hoste of heauen: thou bee not deceiued and bowe downe before them, and serue them, seeing the Lorde God hath imparted them to all people that are vnderunder the whole heauen.
20 But as for you, the Lord hath taken you and drawen you out of the yron fornace of Egypt, to be vntounto him a people of inheritance, as you be this day.
WE hauehave seene already heretofore the care that God had of his people, in willing them to take heede to themselues, and to watch well for their soules. For by those words he sheweth howe deare & chare our soule health is vntounto him. Here we see the like againe. Take heede to thy selfe (saith he) and keepe thy soule. If God did not beare a singular good will to men, he would not speake so. And therefore wee hauehave a sure and infallible warrant that God seeketh our saluation, to the end that we on our side shall thinke vppon it also. But wee must marke therewithall, whereof he treateth here: that is to wit, of the worshipping of God purely without disguysing of his maiestie. Then is it a token that the same belongeth chiefly to our saluation, and that wee runne to ruine and destruction when we swarue aside from the pure religion, and fall to deuising of any thing that beseemeth not God. If wee doe so, the diuell reigneth among vsus, and GOD must needes forsake vsus. Wherefore let vsus learne that the holding of religion purely & in such sorte as God alloweth it, as a thing of no small importance. For this kinde of speach were vnexpedient if to make images were either lawfull or but a small and light fault: and surely God would not speake so vehemently as he doth. And therefore whensoeuer the case concerneth the worshipping of God, let vsus marke well that it is one of ye principall poyntes of our saluation▪ & that men must not presume in this behalfe to take leaue to doe what they themselues thinke good, but rather this warning that is set downe here must induce vsus to walke in feare and carefulnesse. For what a shame is it, that our Lord shall tell vsus wee must stand vponupon our garde: and we in the meane while shall runne at rouers, as though wee needed not to passe greatly for the matter: And that God should so procure our welfare, and we make none account of it? And so ye see what we hauehave to marke vppon those termes.
But now let vsus come to the chiefe matter of this sentence. You sawe not (saith he) any image or portraiture, in the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb. Take heede therefore that yee marre not your selues by making you any carued image, or the lykenesse of any thing, whether it be of man or woman, bird or beast, woorme or fish: Beware of al such thinges. For your God hath shewed himselfe to you in such wise as was expediēt, and not in any shape. So then let vsus beare this lesson in minde, namely to worship him in spirit, because hee hath not a body, nor any thing in him that can be represented by the things that are seen with our eyes. Now this doctrine is cleare enough of it selfe, if men would followe it, and that the world would not wilfully resist so certeine a thing.Exod. 31.2. Rom. 1.32.But this pride hath bin in all ages and reigneth yet stil at this day, that men will needes hauehave a presence of God after their owne fashion and deuice. But surely their wittes are fleshly, by reason whereof they conceiue and imagine of God after their owne nature, and theruppon make images vntounto him. Neuerthelesse it is not for vsus to counterfeit God, or to attribute any thing vntounto him: but it belongeth to him to vtter himselfe: and therefore we must but onelyonly receiue that which hee sheweth vsus, and hold vsus wholly thereunto.
Now let vsus marke the grounde that Moses taketh here: that is to wit: At such time as God spake vntounto you in mount Horeb, hee shewed not himselfe in anie visible shape. In speaking after that maner, Moses sheweth that we must not be hastie aforehand to conceiue what wee our selues thinke good, but must tary till God shewe himselfe. Take that for one poynt. For if men will needes giuegive way to their owne fleshlie reason in that behalfe, they shall ouerthrowe themselues and breake their neckes with their ouer much haste. But on the other side Moses sheweth, that GOD did manifest himselfe in such wife to his people, as there is no cause why men should any more say, how shall wee knowe God? How shall wee be sure that hee is neere vsus? How shall wee worship him? How can wee call vppon him? God therefore hath cut off all occasions of fond curiosities, by shewing himselfe to his people. And the same agreeth now fitly vntounto vsus. For when God published his lawe in mount Horeb: although he had then chosen the ofspring of Abraham: yet was it his intent to giuegive foorth a doctrine that should continue to the worlds end. Then let vsus vnderstand, that God in manifesting himselfe by voyce, meant to barre all images, not onelyonly in respect of the Iewes, but also in respect of vsus too. And therefore wee see that their beastlynesse is so much the greater, which nowadayes mainteine this corruption concerning images in the Popedome: for they alledge that this was spoken for the Iewes & not for vsus: Verily as who should say that Gods manifesting of himselfe by voyce, and not in shape of man or of any other liuing creature, serued not for all ages, but onelyonly for the people of olde time.
Againe, what is to bee sayd of the reasons that are alledged through the whole holy scripture? serued they but onelyonly for a time? or rather ought they not to stand fast for euer?Esa. … 25.… Beholde, Esay vpbraideth the Iewes, that they had disfigured the maiestie of God. And why? To whome hauehave yee likened me, sayth he? The complaint yt God maketh is this: dooth wood or stone resemble me? As for them, they be but dead & corruptible thinges. Doth it not wel appeare then, that dishonor and wrong is offered to my being, when men goe about after that sorte to represent mee vnderunder suche shapes? Now is God chaunged since that tyme? Is hee not the same that he was? Then if hee had no lykenesse to wood and stone in olde tyme: neither is hee lyke them now. And therefore it followeth that this neither ought to be nor can bee restreined to any one time, but must continue, for euer: Furthermore whereas the Papistes alledge, that Gods restreyning of idolatrie so straitly, was because the Iewes were so much inclyned to superstition: I would with all my hart that it were in their power to amend men and to drawe them from their error. But what? The world sees it is all one still. For if euer the Iewes were fleshed in their foolishe vanities: the world is neuer a whit amended now, but rather become woorse. As soone as men doe thinke vppon God, by and by they wil needes hauehave somewhat that resembleth their owne kinde, and thereupon they fall to making of images. And when they once hauehave any thing to gase at, they cling to that, and their deuotion is tyed to it, so as they neuer goe about to lift vp their heartes to heauen, to worship God and to call vppon him. Wee see this with our eyes. What a beastlynesse then is it to say, that onelyonly the Iewes were forbidden to worshippe images, that it is lawfull for vsus nowadayes to doe it? Yea, but we see how the new testament also doth speake of it. For the reasons as well of Moses as of the prophetes which wee hauehave touched already,Iohn 5.21. are alledged by Saint Paul,Act. 17.24. who saith that men went astray or rather vanished away in their owne imaginations,Rom. 1.21. and turned al things vpside down, and falsifyed Gods trueth, whēsoeuer they made any counterfeit of him, whether it were in the lykenesse of man or of beast. Doth Saint Paul speake there but onelyonly of the Iewes? Yes: and euen in the Sermon which hee maketh in the seuenteenth of the Actes, hee speaketh not to any one people alone,Act. 17.28.…9. but to all the heathen vniuersally. And to the same purpose he alledgeth them a saying of their owne heathen wryters. For it is written by a heathen Poet, that wee bee Gods generation.Aratus. Saint Paul reasoneth hereuppon, if wee be the generation of God, is it either comely or reasonable that wee shoulde make him any image either of woode or stone, golde, or siluer? None of these thinges can resemble him. But wee must marke that when this poore heathen man spake after that fashion, he meant not that wee resemble God either in eyes, or in nose, or in eares, but in soule, forasmuch as wee hauehave reason to discerne between good and euill, vnderstanding to conceiue and comprehend thinges,Psal. 8.4.7. and are so excellent aboue all brute beastes, that there is no creature in the world so noble as man. That is the thing wherein we resemble God. But now, with what paynting can mans soule be expressed? Seeke all the cunning that can be, & what portraiture can be made thereof? And yet for all that, what are our soules? They be but as little sparkes in comparison of the infinite brightnesse that is in God. Our soules are created, and God is without beginning: He is the ground and welspring of all thinges. Our soules are weake, subiect to ignorance, subiect to sin, and subiect to many wicked lustes. But God with his infinite being and maiestie is the perfection of all vertues. To be short, as oft as we thinke of him, wee ought to be rauished into wondering and astonishment. So then, is it not apparant that men are worse than mad, when they wil needs take vponupon them to shape out Gods being, seeing that no shape can be made of their owne soules, which are nothing in comparison of him? For seeing that S. Paul speaketh so to ye heathen, I pray you do not the Papistes shewe that their meaning is to reproue him of ignorance, and of the misapplying of Gods lawe? Or else must they not needes be confounded in their blasphemies? Yes: and therefore let vsus marke well, that this doctrine yt God will not hauehave any maner of image made of him, serueth not for two or three dayes, but for all euer. And there is euen one reason which ought to suffice vsus, which I alledged euē now out of the prophet Esay.Esa 40.15. How now, sayth God? consider who I am. If I listed to gripe ye whole world, I need not to stretch out my hād for the matter, For though I kept my hand shut, yet could I hold all the world close in it, as a little grayne of dust. It is true that God hath no handes, for he hath no bodie: but his speaking so is by a similitude. As if hee should say, doe yee thinke me to be like any creature? No: for all the world is nothing in comparison of me. It is but as a grayne of dust in a mans hand: & you your selues are here beneth as a sort of frogges and grashoppers. Now then, if yee will needes make some puppet to represent me, is it not as good as a defacing of my glory, & a spyting of me to ye vttermost of your power? Wee see that God is a spirit as the scripture declareth: & shall wee then goe about to make him a bodie?Iohn 4.24. It is he that giueth lyfe to all thinges: & shall we go take a dead thing to represent him thereby, and say: There is God? When we hauehave shaped out a stone or a peece of wood, and made it a nose, eares, and all the rest of mans limbes, yet hath it no feeling at all: and shall wee neuerthelesse say, Behold, there is God? What a dealing were that? For the same cause is it sayd in the psalme:Psal. 115.5. Are idols remembraunces of God? In deed men make them mouths, and they hauehave feete, handes, noses, & eares, but yet hauehave they no power to goe, nor any other abilitie, they be but corruptible & dead things. And is there any remembrance of God in thē? Serue they not rather to leade men into error & beastlynesse, so as they should make no more account of God? The very heathen men thēselues could skill to say it: not that they did practise it in deede: but God wrested such woordes out of their mouthes, to ye intent they might all be conuicted. And albeit yt neither Moses nor ye prophets spake vntounto them: yet was it Gods will to condemne thē by themselues. Ye see then how it is a sufficient peremptorie reason, that inasmuch as there is no lykenesse betweene God and any of all the shapes that can be made to represent him withall: hee hath wrong done vntounto him, and it is an abacing of his maiestie and glorie, when men doe make images of him after that sorte.
And therewithall let vsus also beholde mens madnesse. Is it in mans power (as sayth the prophet Esay) to take a logge of wood,Esa. 44.15. and with part thereof to goe heate his ouen, or to seethe fleshe in a potte, or to bake his bread, or to warme himselfe: and to take another parte of it, and to fashion a nose and eares vppon it, and to say vntounto it: Thou art my God, and thereupon to worship it? Now when men make Gods, that is to say remembraunces or representations of God, at their owne pleasure, because the list to put a difference between two or three peeces of wood [to preferre one before another,] and say, behold, this is GOD: is it not too great a beastlynesse? yes, and the very heathen men themselues hauehave affirmed it, as I hauehave declared. Behold, a Paynim, a blinde wretch that was before the comming of Iesus Christ, sayth: Since the time that images came into the world,Varro. there hath bin nothing but errour,Aug. lib. 4. de ciu…. Dei. 9. and 31. and it hath bin the meane to make men brute beastes, and to turne them away from the truth. Seeing that euen blinde men knewe this, or rather that God did cast foorth those words by their mouth: is it not a horrible condemnation to suche as terme themselues Christians, if they take not heede to it? Another heathen man bringeth in an idoll speaking thus:Horace. The Carpenter or Caruer (sayth hee) was in doubt what to make of mee:1. Ser. Sat. 8 in the ende hee thought best to make me a God, and so am I now worshipped. See how this blinde wretch skoffeth at the beastlynesse that was among men, and yet hee himselfe ceased not to worship idols still. But what? God wrested this acknowledgement from him by force, to the ende that all mankinde shoulde bee condemned, and that there shoulde bee no more excuse. But as for vsus, wee will vaunt our selues to be taught by Gods word: and yet we will not knowe so much as the sillie infidels hauehave spoken. And truely, are not wee warned by them? If wee heare not the Prophets and Apostles: at leastwise yet ought those heathen men to teach vsus to our shame. Therefore it muste needes be that wee bee woorse than bewitched by Satan, if wee consider not all these reasons, specially seeing they be of Gods owne alledging, who will hauehave men to receiue them euen with all reuerence, as at his maiesties hand, and that for a further confirmation hee addeth the sayings of the infidels which I hauehave alledged. And therefore let vsus forbeare to take that vppon vsus which belongeth not to vsus, that is to witte, the choice and libertie of making images of God, for men to worship, or to cast the wood into the fire to make the potte seethe, and such other lyke thinges. For it is too much against reason.
Furthermore, let vsus also take heede to our selues. For assone as we begin to intangle our selues in our own imaginations: by and by there foloweth a sea of folish thoughts, which make vsus to run gadding heere and there, so as they carry vsus quite & cleane from God. If men knew their owne nature: surely they durst neuer aduenture to make any image. I told you at the first, that wee ought to know God. & that the same knowledge would be a good bridle to holde vsus in simplicitie, and to make vsus to preuent all superstitions. And when wee enter into our selues, that also ought to teach vsus well, that it is a turning of all thinges vpside down, when wee make any Image of God. For what is the cause that men are so eagre to hauehave some representatiō of God: but for that they cannot mount vp into heauen, for asmuch as their wits goe groueling downeward, and are alwayes wedded to the earth? And therfore would they hauehave God to come downe vntounto them. Now it is true yt God commeth downe vntounto vsus: howbeit, that is after his owne maner, and not at our appoyntment. And he must bee faine to stoope vntounto vsus, because we cannot moūt vp vntounto him: but yet he keepeth such a fashion & measure, yt therewithall he lifteth vsus vp to him. We for our part could finde in our hearts yt God were (as ye would say) vnderunder our feete, so as wee might treade vppō him: and yt is the cause why we hauehave idols. For ye beginning of idolatrie sprāg of this, yt men feeling their own infirmitie, would needes hauehave God in such wise as their owne wit was able to brooke. Now their wit styeth not high, but rather rucketh beneath vponupon ye groūd. And therefore although men had no idols at all: yet is idolatrie in them, & they hauehave ye seede of superstition, inasmuch as they would hauehave God to fashion himselfe to their lyking. Nowe then seeing yt this naughtinesse is rooted in vsus already: must not ye mischiefe become dubble, whē we meete wt an obiect? that is to say, when we hauehave any thing to set vsus foreward, & whē any new occasiō is ministred? So thē, if there be any idols or images to portray or represēt God: it cannot be but yt men shalbe dubble seduced. Seing they be to much inclined thereto of nature: it is a great inforcement whē they be further driuē foreward by ye thing yt they beholde. Therefore if we wist it were such a vice, surely we would abhorre idolatrie, knowing yt it turneth vsus quite away from God.Ier. … And for the same cause doth the prophet Ieremy say, that there is nothing but doctrine of falshood in Idols:Abac… and the prophet Abacuck verifying the same, & comparing idols with the liuing God, sayth that they be a schoole of lyes.
But yet for all this, the Papistes will affirme that images are laymens bookes: and that because all men cannot reade nor are clearkes, there must be some helpe for the ignorant. Very well: if a representation of God be made, that is a booke, that is as good as the Byble, say the Papists: and it is their chiefe ankerholde that they flee to in this case. True it is that this shifte is not of their owne deuising: it was deuised by a man not wicked of himselfe, notwithstanding y• he was somewhat atteinted with the corruption of papistrie. For he was a Pope himself, howbeit not when the Popedome was in such plight as it is nowadayes: but yet when it had already bin greatly corrupted, and the world was sore degenerated. Nowe then, this good man Gregorie thought it good to hauehave images, and that they would be as books for the vnlearned: & this hauehave the papists receiued as if it were ye oracle of some Angel from heauen. But contrariwise ye Prophet Ieremie auoweth that all the doctrine of idols is meere falshood, and likewise Abacuck in the second Chapter saieth that they teache nothing but lyes. Were it lawfull for a man to coine false money on his owne head, bicause he can get none of the right stamp? No: but yet hath God giuen his word to all men, so as he hath vouchsafed not onelyonly to speake to great Clerkes, but also to stoope to the rudenesse of the little ones. And for all this, men stoppe their eares, and say they can not knowe God but by a Puppet: and vnderunder that pretence they will needes hauehave it lawfull for them to beely the thinges that God hath reported of his owne being. Forasmuch then as wee hauehave warrant that there is nothing but falshood in images: let vsus send home such Bookes to the diuell: for it is certaine that he is the author of them, and that they came all out of his shoppe. And herein we see how that cursed Counsell which allowed images, was first caried away. For these were the worshipfull reasons that they alledged for the hauing of images. It is not ynough (saide they) that men bee taught by the eare: but their eyes also must hauehave some instruction too. And thereunto they wrested this saying of the Psalme,Psal. 88.9. Wee hauehave heard and seene: that as wee hauehave heard Gods worde, so must we also hauehave some thing to looke at: and (as I said) they referre this looking, vntounto images. But contrariwise the Prophetes meaning is, that God (besides his vttering of himselfe to his people by his word) had bestowed so many and so apparant giftes of grace vppon them, as they might well say, Our God hath sufficiently assured vsus that he was our Sauiour, not onelyonly by his promises, but also by the deede it selfe whereof we hauehave had experience. And yet notwithstanding vnderunder colour of that text, these rascals will needes beare men in hand, that God must be represented by puppets.
But if they will needes that there must be visible images: our Lord hath giuen vsus as many of them as he knewe to be for our behoofe. When we hauehave Baptisme,Eph. 5.26. Rom. 6.4. …. Cor. 12.13 is it not a visible image of the thing that is spirituall? that is to wit of the washing which we hauehave by the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ, when wee bee renewed by his holy spirit? And hauehave we not a representation of the heauenly mysterie set foorth to vsus in the Lordes supper? Yes: but yet for all that wee must not make any image at all of Gods being. And why? for it were not for our profit as I hauehave declared afore: but it would rather turne vsus away to lyes and besotte vsus in all manner of superstition. God therefore knowing that the hauing of images is an vntoward thing and as a deadly plague: hath not listed to giuegive vsus any, but rather holdeth vsus back to this, that hauing such signes as may conuey vsus vpward, we should trauell towardes him, howbeit without hauing any representation of his being. Thus ye see that the thing which wee hauehave to remember in effect, is that although the scripture did not expressely forbid vsus to hauehave any image or bodily representation of God: yet the reasons are such as wee ought to worshippe God in spirite, and to flye vp aloft into heauen, and not to sticke fast here belowe. Why so? For in knowing God, we must consider his Maiestie, how there is no proportion or likenesse between him and the creatures. Therefore it is but a misshaping of him when we make any bodily image vntounto him: he that is the welspring of life cannot be represented by a dead thing. If wee goe this way to worke, then shall wee neuer bee marred nor imbaced, but rather wee shall seeke God in such wise, as he hath vouchsafed to vtter himselfe vntounto vsus, and we shall not bee so shettle headed as wee bee. For as soone as wee hauehave taken any toy in our heades, wee bee so doted and intangled, that wee thinke the ground beares vsus not. If wee knewe this (I say,) wee should be soberer. But what? The world must shewe it selfe blind as it is, and be sotted with this drunkennes of Idolatrie, to bee caried away thereby, that it may euer turne away from God. For although men be naturally contented to hauehave some Religion: yet seeke they by al meanes not to come at God, I meane in trueth. They will well ynough say alwayes, God is to be worshipped, and our intent is to doe so, wee must resort vntounto him. But how? Whereas they should seeke God in heauen by faith: they will needes goe about the bush. Verie well say they, wee will hauehave some image of God. And that is all one as if they shoulde say. Behold, here is a God that shall not trouble vsus: for wee will deale well ynough with him at all times, he shall not speake a worde, he shall but onelyonly make a mowe. See how the world making countenaunce to seeke God, doeth drag backe from him as much as is possible, shrouding them selues vnderunder this pretence, that it is ynough to hauehave a representation of God, & that his power shall neuerthelesse be infinite still. But nowe we hauehave to marke, that God is not contented with such reasons, forasmuch as he hath tolde vsus that it is not lawfull for vsus to hauehave any image of him to represent him withall. And shall wee reply against him when wee hauehave the woorde of his mouth? What shall we win by it? When wee hauehave pleaded our fill, suppose wee that wee hauehave any deuises in our braine, that can make God beleeue that he considered not all thinges well? No: and therefore (to be short) as many as couet to hauehave any image of God, bewray themselues to bee ranke rebels against him, they bewray a diuelish malapertnesse, in that they presume to forge and set vp Gods after their owne fansie: yea and they bewray their owne beastlinesse also, in that they doe against nature. For they would allow God such a representation, as agreeth as fitly to him, as if they shoulde liken him to a sticke, or I wrote not what else. Men therefore doe in all respectes sufficiently shewe themselues to be vnexecusable, when they turne so away after their images.
But by the way wee hauehave to marke further, that all manner of images and representations are not meant here. For our Lord saieth expresly that he shewed not himself to his people any otherwise than by his onelyonly voyce, and therefore that it is a corruption to make images. If this should be drawen to conclude, that it is not lawfull to make any picture at all: it were a misapplying of Moseses testimonie, as some doe, who being too simple in this behalfe, doe say it is not lawfull to make any image: that is to say, it is not lawfull (to their seeming) to paint any storie or to make any portraiture. But when the holy Scripture saieth, it is not lawfull to shape any resemblaunce of God, bicause he hath no bodie: it extendeth not so farre: for it is otherwise as concerning men. Now then looke what wee see, that may wee represent by picture. And therefore let vsus see that wee apply the textes against the Papistes as wee ought to doe, that we may bee armed to prooue our case iust. Buy yet must wee bee fully resolued of this, that if any man goe about to expresse Gods Maiesti… by any shape: he doeth him wrong, and it is high treason to him, because he is vncomprehensible in his glorie. Marke that for one point. Now wee see that the Papists hauehave gone about to expresse God by shapes: therefore it followeth that they hauehave marred all Religion. And whereas the alledge that there were Cherubins painted vppon the vaile of the Temple,Exod. 25.18. and that two likewise did couer the Arke: it serueth to condemne them the more. When the Papistes pretend that men may make any manner of image: What, say they? Hath not God permitted it? No: but the imagerie that was set there, serued to put the Iewes in minde that they ought to abstaine from all counterfeiting of God, insomuch that it was a meane to confirme them the better, that it was not lawfull for them to represent Gods Maiestie, or to make any resemblance thereof. For there was a vaile that serued to couer the great Sanctuarie, and againe there were two Cherubins that couered the Arke of ye couenant. Whereto commeth all this, and what is ment by it, but that when the case concerneth our going vntounto God, we must shut our eyes and not preace any neerer him, than he guideth vsus by his word? Then let vsus hearken to that which he teacheth, and therewithall let vsus bee sober, so as our wits bee not ticklish, nor our eyes open to imagine or conceiue any shape. That is ye thing which God meant to betoken in his Law. And so are we the more confirmed in the doctrine that I spake of. But as for the images which the Papistes make of their Heesaints and Sheesaints as they terme them: there is other reason to condemne them. For GOD hath forbidden two things. First the making of any picture of him, bicause it is a disguising and falsifying of his glorie, and a turning of his trueth into a lie. That is one point. The other is, that no image may bee worshipped. But nowe, doe not the Papistes worship images? If they say, it is requisite …o to doe, for it is a continuall stirring vp of the peoples deuotion: that is too fond a reason. For first of all, when we come to the Church, it can not be but that we shall be caught in some errour, if wee hauehave neuer so little occasion offered vsus. For (as I saide) although there bee no image at all to drawe our eyes: yet are wee inclined to earthly imaginations euen of our selues, and wee nourish superstition in vsus of our own nature. Now then if we be furthered and thrust foreward vntounto euill, so as wee finde as it were spurres to pricke vsus foreward: I pray you shall wee not bee as good as madde? Therefore the setting vp of images in Churches is a defiling of them aforehande, and can serue to no purpose but to drawe folke from the pure and true knowledge of GOD. Againe, to what end doe the Papistes set vp images in Churches? Is it to hauehave knowledge of their Histories? No: but there standes a sort of puppets with demure countenaunces, as it were to summon folke to come to doe them homage: insomuch that an image is not so soone set vp in a Church, but by and by folke goe and kneele downe to it, and do a kinde of worship to it. And can a man deuise to teare the Maiestie of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and to deface his glorie more, than by ye thinges that the Papistes doe? Beholde, they paint and portray Iesus Christ, who (as wee knowe) is not onelyonly man,1. Tim. 3 Colos. …. but also God manifested in the flesh: and what a representation is that? Hee is Gods eternall sonne, in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead, yea euen substantially. Seeing it is said, substantially, should wee hauehave portraitures and images whereby the onelyonly flesh may bee represented? Is it not a wyping away of that which is chiefest in our Lorde Iesus Christ, that is to wit, of his diuine Maiestie? Yes: and therefore whensoeuer a Crucifix stands mopping & mowing in the Church, it is all one as if the Diuell had defaced the sonne of God. Ye see then that the Papistes are destitute of all excuse. Againe wee see howe they behaue themselues: the images are worshipped among them, as if God were present there in his owne person. Where saye they their Pater nosters, but before some puppet? And yet are they not contented with that: for they will needes make idoles of al things, yea euen to the verie Sacramentes: insomuch that they hauehave falsified them, to drawe the worlde from the right Religion. Is there a more abhominable idol, than that which they hauehave inuented vnderunder pretence of ye Supper of Iesus Christ▪ No: for they say, that GOD is there, and there he must bee worshipped. So then, no maruaile though they abuse their puppets and pictures after that fashion, seeing they hauehave bene so bolde as to peruert the thinges, that God hath appointed to the furtherance of our faith.
And by the waye let vsus marke, that the true meane to seeke God after such sorte as he vttereth himselfe, is, that after we once knowe him, wee doe also consider that hee stoopeth to our rudenes, and yet ceasse not to seeke him by moū ting vp higher, and by conceiuing the thinges spiritually which the Sacramentes doe shewe vsus. It is true that by them God commeth downe to vsus: howbeit, that is not to hold vsus downe here beneath still: but to make vsus flie vp aloft vntounto him. It is all one as if hee shoulde reache vsus his hand and say, Come to me, and worship me spiritually. Wherefore let vsus learne to seeke GOD euermore aboue vsus, and not to tie him to our fleshly and earthly vnderstanding.
Now finally Moses sheweth the vnthankfulnesse of the worlde in seeking new Gods, and in conueying ouer of the Maiestie of the liuing God to dead creatures. It was a verie common thing in the East Countries, to worship the Sun and the Moone and the Starres, bicause that to their seeming they were not as the earthly creatures are nor had any corruption to be seene in them, nor were subiect to such changes as men, beastes, trees and waters are, for we see howe all things vnderunder the skie are chaungeable: but seemed to bee things immortall and incorruptible. Yea verily, so seemeth it to men that are become brutish, and hauehave not the wit to goe to the creation, to knowe that God hath giuen the Sunne, Moone & Starres such nature and proprietie as he listed: but yet for all that, howsoeuer those creatures fare, they bee liuelesse. But here Moses rebuketh the wicked fantasticalnesse of men in worshipping the Sunne. They sawe there a kind of Maiestie. Oh (said they,) these lightes of the skie are excellent thinges: surely there is some Godhead in them: therefore must wee needes worship them. But in so doing (saieth Moses) mē became vnthankefull towardes God. For why? What is the Sunne? Our Seruant: & the Moone is our Handmaide. And for proofe thereof, was not the Sunne ordained to giuegive vsus light? Is not he our Candlesticke?Gen. 1.15. Yea and besides that he is the Candlesticke, he is also the Candle it selfe, euen to doe vsus seruice. It is true that God coulde well giuegive vsus light without the meane of ye Sunne: but hee meant to shewe howe greatly he esteemeth and loueth vsus, in that he hath put such seruants vnderunder vsus, and aduaunced vsus so high as to make the Sunne the Moone and the Starres to doe vsus seruice. Now then, sith wee see that God hath made his heauenly creatures subiect to vsus after that fashion: are wee not too churlish and vnkinde if wee worship him not? Is it not a refusing of the good turne that God hath done vsus, and a shutting of our eyes to reiect his gratious fauour, as if they would say in despite of him, wee will not acknowledge the good that thou hast done vsus? In deede we see yt the Sunne & Moone doe serue vsus: but yet will wee not take them for our seruants. Must it not needes bee that men are become starke diuels, when they bee so froward & malicious, as to refuse the receiuing of so great a benefit at Gods hand? That then is the thing that Moses sheweth here.
Moreouer he addeth for a conclusion, that the people of Israel excelled all other Nations. It is true (saith he) y• God hath vouchsafed to make ye Sun & Moone seruants to the whole world: but thou excellest all other nations of the earth, inasmuch as he hath chosen thee for his inheritance. And seeing it is so: yu oughtest at leastwise to worship him as thy God, & to feare him and reuerence him as thy father, & in any wise to beware that thou defile not thy selfe wt the abhominations of idolatrie. For what a thing were it, if a Kinges sonne should refuse to be in his fathers palace, & go keepe company wt some swineherd, yea or go wallow abrode wt brute beasts, & fall to wrooting vp of the ground to eate filthy things like ye swine thēselues? What a thing were it? But Moses telleth vsus, yt those whō God hath chosen to bee his people, do the like, whē they go to cast thēselues downe before creatures. Therefore let vsus learne to worship our God in spirit & trueth,Iohn 4.24. and to doe him homage, & to acknowledge the good yt hee doth vsus, specially for that it hath pleased him to adopt vsus to bee his children, through freebestowed adoption in our Lord Iesus Christ.
Now let vsus kneele down in the presence of our good God with acknowledgement of our faults, praying him so to open our eyes, as wee may no more aduēture to deuise any thing after our own fleshly vnderstāding, but resort altogither to his holy word whereby he hath reuealed himselfe to vsus, & also receiue his Sacraments wherby we be yet better confirmed in his knowledge, so as our whole seeking may be to follow the purenes that is set forth in his doctrine, yt no error may lead vsus away frō him nor from the pure religion yt hath bin taught vsus: And in ye meane season, yt as we do him homage in spirit, so likewise wee may serue him wt all our heart, assuring our selues yt wee can not serue nor worship him by any Ceremonies or outward things, wtout yeelding him the honor & praise yt he requireth. And finally that it may please him to correct all ye idolatrie & superstitiō in the world, & to rid it in such wise frō the earth which he hath appointed to ye vse of men: as his name may be purely called vponupon there. For the performāce wherof, it may please him to raise vp true and faithful ministers of his word, &c.