Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 12
The second Commandment.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image,Second Commandment. or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the water under the Earth.
Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children, unto the third & fourth generation of them that hate me.
And shewing merciemercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandments.
The Affirmative part of this Commandment is this.Affirmative part of it.
Thou shalt worship God in Spirit and in truth, Joh. 4. 24.
Here we are first commanded to use the ordinary means of worshipping God: As
1. The calling upon the name of the Lord. First, by humble supplication, 1 Tim. 2. 1.
2. By harty thanksgiving.
3. By reading, hearing, talking, and continually meditating on the word of God.
4. By the use of the Sacraments, as Act. 2. 41. 42. and 20. 7.
Secondly, we are here commanded to use these means holily, that is, as God in his word hath commanded to use them, Matth. 28. 20. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Eccles. 5. 1. Ps. 26. 6.
Furtherance of Gods Worship Are leagues of amity, with those that truely fear God, and serve him according to his word, 2 Chr. 19. 2. Malaeh. 2. 11.
And such Covenants as the Magistrates and people make together with God, for the preservation of Christian Religion, 2 Chron. 15. 12. 14.
The Negative part of this Commandment is this:Negative part of it.
Thou shalt neither worship false Gods, nor the true God with false worship.
Here we are forbidden these things.
First, to represent God by any image, similitude, likeness, or figure whatsoever, Deut. 4. 15. 20.
For all idols are lies, Habak. 2. 18. Zach. 10. 2. Jer. 10. 8.
Secondly, we are here forbidden the least approbation of idolatry, Hosea 13. 2. Gen. 48. 10. And therefore all processions, plays, feasts, that are consecrated to the memorial, and honour of idols, Exod. 32. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 7.
Thirdly, all relicks, badges, and monuments of idols, Exod. 23. 13. Isai 30. 22.
Fourthly, we are here forbidden all society with infidels: As 1. Marriage with them, Genes. 6. 2. Deut. 7. 3. 4. Malach. 2. 11. Ezra 9. 14. 2 Kings 8. 18. 2. All leagues and confederacy with them in war, either to assist them, or to receive assistance from them, and that for these causes.
1. Because it doth obscure Gods glory, and maketh him in appearance either unwilling, or unable to aid his Church.
2. Because in so doing we shall without doubt infect our selves with their impieties and idolatries.
3. Because we are thus endangered to be made partakers of their punishments, 2 Chron. 19. 2. With idolaters we are also forbidden all traffick in such wares, as we know may further the service of their idols.
We are also forbidden with idolaters all Trials in Law, before Judges that are infidels, when Christian Courts are open, and may be frequented, 1 Cor. 6. 6. But if Christian Courts be not open, we may according to St. Pauls rule appeal from one Court of infidels to another; so from Festus he himself appealed to Caesar, Act. 25. 11.
Such necessities as these do make traffick, and other things to be frequently used, which otherwise are unlawfull.
We are here also forbidden all worshipping of the Beast, and receiving of his mark, Revel. 14. 9.
Fifthly,Idolatry and Superstition. we are here forbidden all Will worship, or worship of God after our own fancies, in wayes which are not waranted by the word of God, though we do pretend good intention for the doing of it, Collos. 2. 23. 1 Sam. 13. 9. 10. 13. whither it be by Superstitions, Sacrifices, Meats, Apparel, observing Ceremonies, Gestures, or by our Gate, Conversations, Pilgrimage, or by building of Altars, Pictures, or Idols, and the like; or by Temples, or by strange consorts of Musick, or by Monastical vows of single life, or of poverty, 1 Cor. 14 15. 1 Cor. 7. 9.
1. Such vows as these are altogether repugnant to the Law of God. 2. They are greater then mans nature can perform. 3. They do disanull Christian Liberty, and make such things necessary as are indifferent. 4. They do renew Judaisme: 5. They are idolatrous, because they make them part of Gods worship, and esteem them meritorious. 6. They are Hypocrisie, for they are but an outward shew of Gods worship, Matth. 15. 7.
The effects of Hypocrisie are these.Effects of Hypocrisie.
First, to make a glorious shew of serving God, and yet to seek nothing else by it, but the pomp and glory of the World.
Secondly, to observe and take notice of other mens faults, and behaviour, and not to see, or minde our own.
Thirdly, to be more zealous, and curious in the observation of the Ancient Traditions, then of the Statutes and Commandments of Almighty God.
Fourthly, to strain at a gnat, and swallow a Camel; or to omit serious affairs, and the weighty matters of Gods word, and to hunt after trifles, Matth. 23. 24.
Fifthly, to do all things to be seen of men, Matth. 6. 5. and 23. 5.
Sixthly, to fast with an opinion of Merit is Hypocrisie, and to make a distinction of meats for the same; The like also is all external abstinence from meats, if it be without an internal abstinence from sin, and unlawfull desires, Isai 58. 5. 6.
6. We are here forbidden all contempt, neglect, and intermission of Gods service, Revel. 3. 15. 16.
7. We are here forbidden all corrupting of Gods worship, and of that order of government, which he hath ordained for his Church; And this we do when we either add to Gods worship, or diminish it, or mangle it, Deut 12. 32.
8. We are here forbidden all Religious reverence of the Creature, Revel. 22. 8. Acts 10. 25.
9. We are forbidden all worship of Devils, under which is comprehended all kindes of Magick.
Magick is a mischievous Art,Magick▪ a wicked Art. accomplishing wonders by the assistance of the Devil.
The Devil effects wonders and merveils, not by making a new thing which was not at all before, but by moving, transporting, and applying natural things diversly, by making a thin body thick and foggy, and by bewitching and holding of mens senses.
The foundation of Magick is a Covenant with Sathan.
And this Covenant is such a contract, as doth make, men mutually to have to do with the Devil:
The Original of this mutual contract is this. First,The foundation of Magick is a contract with the Devil.
Sathan, or the Devil makes choice of such men to be his servants, as are by nature, either notorious bad persons, or else very seemingly silly, or indeed, silly Souls.
Then doth he offer to them divers means, either by Magicians, or by their writings, or by teaching and instruction from himself.
The means which the Devil offers for this purpose, are such as are used for the producing of such an effect, as by their own nature they were never ordained for: Nor is there any word of God for the doing of them, but against it.
These Satanical means are obscure words, and words of Scripture wrested and abused; Holy water, Sieves, Seals, Glasses, Images, bowings of the knee, and such like divers gestures, The use of which according to his own will, and to his own purpose, he teacheth sometimes by secret whispers, or suggestions; and sometimes, either, by the words, or writings of Magicians. And when they have embraced these means, and do declare their Satanical confidence by their earnest endeavour to use, and practise this kinde of wickedness by these means, the Devil standeth ready to assist them, and he alone it is that doth by these means, which are void of all such vertue as is supposed, effect that which his wicked instrument intended.
Then having brought them on thus far, the Devil Counterfeits God, and makes as though he was God. And as God hath his word and Sacraments, and Faith; so likewise the Devil hath his Characters, Gestures, & Sacrifices, which are as it were his Sacraments, by which he doth signifie to his Devilish Magicians; his own Devilish pleasure, and by the use of the same they do testifie their obedience to him.
And as God is delighted with his servants calling upon him. So likewise the Devil is delighted with the Magical ceremonies of his servants, and with their invocations.
The Covenant with the Devil isThe Covenant with the Devil is either secret, or express. either secret, or express.
The secret Covenant with the Devil is, when the party doth not expresly compact and Covenant with the Devil, but yet in heart doth allow of his means, and doth assuredly believe that by the using of such means wonders may be effected.
Express Covenant with the Devil is when the party doth not onelyonly trust in him, but also Covenant with him, and give himsel holely to him upon condition that he may by the observing of certain ceremonies accomplish his desires.
Magick is either Divining, or working.
Divining is a foretelling of things to come by the help of the Devil.Divining.
Prediction, or foretelling is done either with means, or without means.
Prediction, or foretelling of things by means are chese.
1. Sooth-saying, or Divining by the flying of birds, Deut. 8. 10.
2. Divination by looking into the entrails of beasts, Ezek. 21. 22.
3. Necromancy, or Conjuring,Necromancy. This is, an asking counsel at the dead, The Devil doth appear to them that thus ask counsel, in the form of the dead man, as appeareth by the story of the Witch of Endor, 1 Sam. 28. 11. 13. 14.
Divining, Prediction, or foretelling without means, is called Pythonisme.
Pythonisme is▪ when one is possessedPythonism. with an unclean Spirit, and doth immediatly use the help of the same Spirit to charm with, or to reveal, and discover secrets by. Such a one was the Damsel Pythoness, spoken of by the Acts, that by her Spirit of Divination brought her Master much gain, Acts 16. 16. Concerning this kinde of Divination there is mention made, Isai 29. 4. where God threatning his judgements upon Jerusalem, saith, Thy voice shall be out of the ground, like him that hath a spirit of Divination (or a familiar Spirit) and thy talking, or speech shall whisper, or peep, or chirp out of the dust.
Working Magick,Working Magick. or Magick operative hath two parts.
1. Jugling, which is when as the devil doth work by his conveyance, many things which seem great and hard, as Exod. 7. 10. 11. 12.
2. Enchantments, or charmings, by these kinde of Charms,Enchantments. Beasts, young Children, and Men of ripe years are offt enfected, poysend, hurt, bounden, killed, and otherwise molested.
By charms the Devil doth also offt cure diseases:Charms. As
1. By mumbling up some few words.
2. By making certain Characters and figures.
3. By framing of Circles.
4. By hanging Amulets about the Necks, and other parts of the body, a thing too frequently used now adays for the curing of diseases, which Physicians call a curing of diseases by occult, and specifick qualities of remedies.
5. By the abuse of Herbs and Medicines to this purpose.
To such as these it is that Solomon, speaketh in Eccles. 10. 11. saying, Surely the Serpent will bite without enchantment.
Those that do consult with Magicians do also worship the Devil, for they do revolt from God to the Devil; Howsoever, they do plaster up their impiety with untempered Morter, as that they seek Gods help though by the means of Magicians, 1 Sam. 28. 13. Levit. 20. 6. Isai 8. 19. 20.