The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 3 · Question 98 – Question 99
Queſt. 98. But may not Images be tolerated in Churches, which may ſerve for the uſe of the common people?
Anſw. No. For it is not ſeemly that we ſhould be wiſer then God, who will have his Church to be taught with the lively preaching of his wordaRom. 1.17. 2 Pet. 1.19. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17., and not with dumb imagesbJer. 10.8. &c. Hab. 2.18, 19..
The Explication.
THis is their demand, who grant that indeed the picture and images of God and Saints are not to be adored: but maintaine that they are to be retained in Chriſtian Churches as the books of lay-men, and for other cauſes alſo; ſo that the worſhipping of them be avoided. But we are to uphold the contrary, namely, that the images and pictures of God, or the Saints, are not to be tolerated in Chriſtian Churches, but utterly to be aboliſhed, and removed from the ſight of men, whether they be worſhipped or no.
Eight cauſes of ſuppreſsing images in Chriſtian Churches.3. Why images and pictures are to be aboliſhed in Chriſtian Churches.
THe chiefe cauſes for which images and pictures are to be abandoned our Churches, are; The expreſs cō mandement of God is, that they ſhould not bee made at all.Becauſe, that images ſhould be made and ſet up in Chriſtian Churches, it is quite contrary to the expreſſe commandement of God, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven image, nor the likeneſſe of any thing, &c. And whereas God will have no images made, whereby to repreſent him, or at which to worſhip him; in like manner will he not have them retained or kept which are made by others. They are inſtrumēts of Idolatry.Becauſe in time of Popery they were the occaſion and inſtruments of horrible Idolatry. They are commanded to be aboliſhed if they be made. Exod. 23.24. and 34.13. Num. 33.52. Deut. 7.5.Becauſe God preciſely commanded all Idols to be aboliſhed, and all the corruptions of the true worſhip of God, and of the true doctrine, to teſtifie his wrath and anger againſt Idolatry. The profeſsion of ſincere religion ſo requireth. Deut. 7.5, 6. 1 John 5.21.In reſpect of our confeſſion of the ſincere worſhip of God, and of our hatred againſt Idolatry. This confeſſion, whereby we profeſſe our ſelves not to be Idolaters, conſiſteth not onelyonly in words, but alſo in actions, and in outward ſhewes and ſignes. Yee ſhall overthrow their Altars, and breake downe their pillars, and yee ſhall cu… downe their groves, and burne their graven images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. Fly Idols; namely, in heart, profeſſion, and ſignes. The example of zealous & godly Princes herein. 1 King. 15.13. a King 10.30. & 18.4. & 13.Becauſe for the taking away and aboliſhing of Idols certaine zealous and godly Kings are praiſed in the Scripture; as Aſa, Jehu, Ezekias, Joſias. To avoide offence, ſuperſtition and Idolatry among our ſelves.For avoiding of offence, and perill of ſuperſtition and Idolatry, leſt by retaining of ancient images, or by ſubſtituting and adding new, the ſame danger come to the Church, and to the ignorant people thereby, which in times paſt we ſee to have iſſued hence on our Progenitors and Anceſtors. To avoid the offence of the Jews and other enemies of Chriſtianity.That the enemies of the Church by this ſpectacle, having ſo great a ſhew of Idolatry, be not the more alienated from the Church, ſo that they deſpite and reproach therefore the truth of God. Of this danger God himſelfe fore-warneth us in that dreadfull judgement on the Iſraelites for ſparing the Canaanites:Judges 2.3. Wherefore I ſay alſo, I will not caſt them out before you, but they ſhall be as thornes unto your ſides, and their gods ſhall be your deſtruction. So verily the Jews at this day, becauſe they ſee Images and Pictures in the Churches of thoſe that profeſſe Chriſtianity, are greatly offended, in ſo much that they prove the more averſe from Chriſtianity. Their evill ſucceſſe who of ancient maintained Images.We ſee that Images never brought any good to them which had them: but even Gods owne people was for the moſt part ſeduced thereby, as we may ſee often in the ſacred Story, eſpecially in the booke of Judges, and in the Kings, and in the Prophets. So prone and ready is our nature unto this evill, which hath after enſuing it moſt grievous puniſhments: as thoſe which the Lord reciteth by Moſes, Levit. 26.30.beſides many others: I will deſtroy, ſaith he, your high places, and cut away your Images, and caſt your carcaſſes upon the bodies of of your Idols, and my ſoule ſhall abhorre you. In like manner alſo the Angel of the Lord, upbraiding the Iſraelites, that they had made a league with the Idolatrous Cananites,Judges 2.3. ſaith: Wherefore, I will not caſt them out before you, but they ſhall be as thornes unto your ſides, and their gods ſhall be your deſtruction. For theſe cauſes, pictures and Images may not be tolerated in Chriſtian Churches, but muſt be taken downe and aboliſhed, yea, though they be not worſhipped.
4. How and by whom Images are to be aboliſhed.
Two things to be obſerved in aboliſhing Images.IN aboliſhing and baniſhing Images, two things are diligently to be obſerved: The preaching of Gods true worſhip before their aboliſhment.That the doctrine concerning the true worſhip of God be preached before the aboliſhing of Idols. So we reade that Joſias did, who firſt commanded Gods Law to be read before all the people, and afterward proceeded to the execution of it; I meane, the ſuppreſſion and depoſition of all Idolatrous abominations. For a change in externall matters, without declaration and underſtanding of the cauſes, for which the change muſt goe on,2 King. 23.2. either maketh them Hypocrites, or alienateth and changeth their minds and affections from them, who are authors of the change. Let the word therefore goe before, and the Idols will fall to the ground. The aboliſhment muſt be executed, not by private men, but by publique authority.The Images, and the ſeats of Images, their Altars, and the like inſtruments of Idolatry, muſt be taken away, not by private men, but by publique Authority, whether of Magiſtrates, or of the people, it the right of Empire and Soveraignty belong unto them, and in thoſe places, where the Church hath chiefe rule and dominion. For ſo hath God commanded the Iſraelites; and ſo we reade that the Iſraelites, and their godly Kings put in practice, and ſo alſo Paul, Acts 17.8.being but a private man, ſeeing and diſliking the Idols of the Athenians, Epheſians, and others, did not yet himſelfe pull them downe and aboliſh them, nor exhort Chriſtians to pull them downe, but onelyonly to avoid them: becauſe indeed, neither himſelfe was a Magiſtrate, neither had the Church there the ſway and ſoveraigne authority:1 Cor. 5.12, 13. and in this caſe he giveth this rule; What have I to do, to judge them alſo which are without? Doe ye not judge them that are within? But God judgeth them that are without.
Object. 1. The books of lay-men, or the unlearned, are profitable, and therefore to be retained in Churches. Images are the books of the unlearned. Therefore they are profitable, and may be retained in Churches. Anſw. 1. Such books of lay-men are profitable, as are delivered unto them by God. But Images are forbidden them by God. 2. The Minor is falſe.Habac. 2.18. Zach. 10.2. For the Prophets teach far otherwiſe: as, An Image is a teacher of lyes. The Idols have ſpoken vanity. Whence we may thus reaſon. We ought not to ſpeake vaine things, or to lye of God, either in words, or in geſtures: But wood, or graven Images are lies of God, becauſe they cannot repreſent God, yea, becauſe they ſwerve ſo farre, and carry us with them from God, as their figure and ſhape is unlike God: and ſo conſequently they cauſe us alſo to lye of God. If then we will not lie of God, we muſt needs neither make, nor have any images, or graven ſemblances: For, as Jeremie ſaith, The ſtocke is a doctrine of vanity. Cap. 10.8.Now in this ſenſe we grant Images to be the books of the unlearned: to wit, becauſe partly they teach and ſignfie falſe things of God: and partly becauſe through the reverence of the thing ſignified, and the place, when as they ſtand to the open view in the Churches and elſewhere, they eaſily draw away others unto ſuperſtition, and teach the people Idolatry, as experience ſufficiently beareth witneſſe. 3. It followeth not, if it were ſo that Images did teach the unlearned, that therefore they ſhould be retained in the Church, as profitable books. For God will not have his Church to be taught by dumb Images, but by lively preaching of his word; becauſe faith is not by the ſight of Images, but by the hearing of Gods word.
Object. 2. The commandement concerning the aboliſhing of Images is ceremoniall: Therefore it pertaineth not to Chriſtians, but to the Jewes. Anſw. We deny the Antecedent: For it is no ceremony to aboliſh Images; ſeeing they are the inſtruments, ſignes, cauſes, and occaſions of Idolatry. Neither are the cauſes, for which this commandement was of ancient given, any way changed or diminiſhed; as namely, that the glory of God be maintained againſt Idolaters, and the enemies of the Church, and that God be not tempted through offering an occaſion of ſuperſtition, and of conceiving falſe and corrupt opinions of Gods worſhip, unto weak and ignorant men, which are of their owne accord inclining and prone unto Idolatry. Wherefore this commandement of taking away and aboliſhing Images made for the repreſenting of God, or for divine worſhip, is morall, and dureth perpetually.
Three differences between the images in Salomons temple & in ours:Object. 3. Salomon by the commandement of God ſet up Images of Cherubins, Lyons, Oxen, Palme-trees, &c. Therefore Images may be tolerated alſo in our Temples. Anſ. The examples are unlike. They had Gods ſpeciall warrant, ours have not.The figures and reſemblances of divers things and living creatures, as Oxen, Lions, Palme-trees, Cherubins, and ſuch like, painted in the Temple of Salomon, were warranted by the word of God, and by his ſpeciall commandement. But the word of God is flat againſt thoſe Images which the Papiſts have in their Churches. They could not eaſily be abuſed, ours have bin and may be.The Images which were painted in Salomons Temple, were ſuch as could not eaſily be drawne by any man into a ſuperſtitious abuſe. But the Images of God, and of the Saints, not onelyonly may eaſily be uſed to ſuperſtition, but (alas) have beene a long time hitherto the cauſe of too too filthie and ſhamefull Idolatry in Popery. They were types of ſpirituall things, ours can have no ſuch uſe.God had this cauſe for which he would have thoſe Images to be painted in the Temple, that namely, they ſhould be types of ſpirituall things. But this cauſe is now taken away by Chriſt. Therefore our Images cannot be patroniſed by this example: rather we are to obey the generall commandement, whereby we are forbidden to ſet up ſuch Images, which, or in ſuch a place where they may be a ſcandall to the members, or enemies of the Church.
Object. 4. Images and Pictures are not worſhipped in the reformed Churches. Therefore there they may be tolerated. Anſw. 1. God not only forbiddeth Images to be worſhipped, but to be made alſo, or to be had being made. Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven image, &c. 2. They are alwayes an occaſion of ſuperſtition and Idolatry to ignorant people; witneſſe the experience of former, and of preſent times. 3. They give occaſion of ſcandall, and matter of blaſpheming the Goſpel, to Jewes, Turkes, Pagans, and other enemies.
Object. 5. Images are the ornament of Churches. Therefore they may be tolerated. Anſw. 1. The true ornament of the Churches is the ſincere preaching of the Goſpel, the lawfull uſe of the Sacraments, true prayer, and worſhip according to the preſcription and direction of Gods word. 2. Churches were built, that in them lively images of God might be ſeene, not that they ſhould become ſtalls of Idols, and dumb blockiſh images. 3. The ornament of the Church muſt not be contrary to Gods commandement. 4. It muſt not be dangerous to the members of the Church, nor ſcandalous to the enemies thereof. Repl. The thing it ſelfe, and the uſe thereof is not to be inhibited and taken away for the caſuall abuſe of it: But Images by accident onelyonly or caſually become perilous and ſcandalous: Therefore they are not hereupon upon to be abandoned our Churches. Anſw. The Major is true, if the thing of it ſelfe, and in its own nature be good, and the uſe thereof lawfull, and if the accident inſeparably concurring therewith be not preciſely condemned by God. For otherwiſe both the thing and the uſe of the thing is unlawfull, and to be eſchewed. Now the Images of God and the Saints, erected in Churches for Religions ſake, neither are good, nor their uſe lawfull, but forbidden by the expreſſe Commandement of God. Beſides, and evill accident, namely, Superſtition or Idolatry (whatſoever the learned vaunt and boaſt of their knowledge) alwayes attend theſe Images, and accompany them amongſt the unlearned ſort: and this accident, Superſtition and Idolatry, is in like manner condemned in Gods Commandement. Repl. It ſufficeth that theſe Images by preaching of the word are rooted out of mens hearts: Therefore it is not neceſſary they ſhould be throwne and caſt out of our Churches. Anſw. 1. The Antecedent is falſe. For God forbiddeth not onelyonly that they be ſet up in our hearts, but alſo that they be advanced in the ſight of men: ſeeing it is his will that not only we ſhould not be Idolaters, but alſo that we ſhould not ſo much as ſeeme to be ſuch. Abſtaine from all appearance of evill. 2. Such is the perverſneſſe of mans heart, and his proneneſſe to ſuperſtition, that Idols, eſpecially garniſhed, trimmed, and decked, and ſo preſented to the view of the eyes, of themſelves ſink into and ſeate themſelves in the hearts of ſimple and ignorant men, what ſoever others teach to the contrary. 3. We thus retort this argument, They are to be rooted out of our hearts by preaching: Therefore alſo to be caſt out of our Churches. For Gods word revealed from heaven commandeth us, not onelyonly not to adore and worſhip them, but neither to make, not have them. And thus far have we inſiſted on the declaration of the Commandement.
The Exhortation added unto the ſecond Commandement.
THe Exhortation which is annexed to the Commandement, I am the Lord thy God, a mighty and jealous God, which viſit the ſinnes of the fathers upon the children, &c. conſiſteth of five properties of God, which ought to ſtirre us up to obey God.
1. He calleth himſelfe Our God; that is, our Maker and Saviour, and the author of all good things. Hereby then he advertiſeth us what execrable unthankfulneſſe it is not to yield due obedience to ſo bountifull a Benefactor, but to revolt from the true worſhip of him to Idolatry.
2. He calleth himſelf a Mighty God; that is, who is mighty in power, as well to puniſh the obſtinate, as to reward the obedient: Therefore he is to be feared and loved above all things.
3. He termeth himſelf a Jealous God; that is, a moſt ſharp defender of his owne honour: wonderfully diſpleaſed with ſuch as revolt from him, or violate or impaire his honour and worſhip. Now ſeeing jealouſie or indignation conceived from any injury or diſhoneſty, ariſeth from his love which is hurt, God doth hereby withall ſignifie, that he doth ardently and intirely love thoſe who are his.
4. He calleth himſelfe a God, which viſiteth the ſins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. Whereby he exaggerateth or increaſeth the grievouſneſſe of his anger and their puniſhments, when he threatneth alſo and denounceth unto the children, and to the childrens children, and to the childrens childrens children of his enemies, even to the fourth degree and deſcent, to take vengeance on the ſins of their anceſtors in them; if, namely, they alſo partake with the ſins of their anceſtors. But to this commination or denouncement the ſaying of Ezekiel ſeemeth to be repugnant:Object. Ezech. 18. The ſoule that ſinneth, it ſhall die. The ſon ſhall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither ſhall the father bear the iniquity of the ſon. But in the ſame place it addeth a reconcilement of theſe two places of Scripture. If a wicked man beget a ſon, that ſeeth all his fathers ſins which he hath done, and feareth, Anſw. Verſ. 14.19.neither doth the like, hee ſhall not die in the iniquity of his father, but ſhall ſurely live. He threatneth them, that he will puniſh the ſins of their anteceſſors in their poſterity, that is, ſuch as perſiſt in the ſins of their anteceſſors, whom it is meet and juſt to be partakers alſo of their puniſhments. If any man reply:Repl. 1. Anſw. That by this meanes the poſterity rue only their own ſins, and not the ſins alſo of their anceſtors, this reply is falſe, and of no conſequence: For there may be, and are oftentimes, moe impellent and motive cauſes of one effect; and the cauſe of one puniſhment are moe ſins as well of diverſe, as of the ſame men. If further it be urged,Repl. 2. That vengeance is not taken on the anceſtors ſins in the poſterity, becauſe the ſenſe and feeling of thoſe paines, which the poſterity ſuffer, reacheth not to the anceſtors; we anſwer,Anſw. that the poſterity are a part of their anceſtors, of whom they came. And therefore that is felt of them, as it were in ſome part of them, which their poſterity ſuffer.
5. He ſaith, that he is a God, which ſheweth mercy unto thouſands in them that love him, and keep his Commandements: by which promiſe he amplifieth his mercy, the rather to invite us to obedience, by the greatneſſe of his bounty, and by a deſire of our owne good and ſafety, and the good and ſafety of our poſterity. And whereas he here threatneth puniſhment only unto the fourth generation, he extendeth his mercy unto thouſands, thereby to ſignifie, that he had rather ſhew mercy then anger: and ſo by this meanes to allure us the more to love him.Object. 1. But unto this promiſe are oppoſed many examples of the godly, whoſe children and poſterity have periſhed. Whereunto God himſelfe anſwereth, That he will bleſſe the poſterity of the godly, Anſw. Ezek. 18.if they continue in the good converſation and godlineſſe of their anceſtors: but will puniſh them if they depart from it. If here it be demanded, Why he doth not convert their poſterity, Repl Anſw.ſeeing without his mercy they are not able to follow the godlineſſe of their Parents; we anſwer: 1. Becauſe this promiſe is not univerſall, but indefinite: and therefore God doth not therein binde his mercy unto every particular one of the godlies poſterity, but reſerveth his election free unto himſelfe. So that as of the poſterity of the wicked he converteth and ſaveth ſome; in like manner alſo he leaveth of the poſterity of the godly ſome in their naturall corruption, and in deſtruction, which all by nature deſerve: and this he doth, to ſhew that his mercy is free, as well in chuſing the poſterity of the godly, as of the wicked. 2. Becauſe he bindeth not himſelfe to performe the ſame benefits, or all the benefits to all the poſterity of the godly. Wherefore he ſatisfieth this promiſe, when he doth even vouchſafe corporall benefits to the wicked and reprobate poſterity of the godly. 3. Becauſe he promiſeth this felicity of the posterity unto them that love him, and keep his commandements; that is, to thoſe which are indeed godly, and of good converſation. But becauſe the love of God and obedience is even in the holieſt Saints in this life imperfect: therefore the reward alſo promiſed unto them is imperfect, and joyned with the croſſe and chaſtiſements, among which the wickedneſſe and unhappineſſe of their poſterity is not the leaſt; as may appeare in David, Solomon, and Joſias.
Object. 2. They who keep Gods Commandements, obtaine merciemercy: Therefore we merit ſomewhat of God by our obedience. Anſw. The contrary rather followeth. For God ſaith, I will ſhew them merciemercy. Therefore it is not of merit or deſert; for, Whatſoever is done of merciemercy, is not done of merit: and contrariwiſe, Whatſoever is done of merit, is not done of merciemercy. Therefore the objection is a fallacy, putting that for a cauſe, which is no cauſe. For when God addeth this promiſe, That he will ſhew merciemercy unto the thouſandth generation of them that love him and keep his Commandements, he ſheweth that he had rather ſhew merciemercy, then anger, thereby to allure us to love him.
Object. 3. This promiſe and commination belongeth to the whole Decalogue: why then is it peculiarly annexed to this Commandement? Anſw. This promiſe and commination is belonging verily to the obedience of the whole Decalogue: but is therefore eſpecially annexed unto this Commandement, both that we might know the firſt and ſecond Commandement to be the foundation of all the reſt; and alſo that God might ſhew that he is eſpecially angry with the depravers and corrupters of his worſhip, and puniſheth this kind of ſin both in them and in their poſterity: and contrarily, doth bleſſe alſo the poſterity of them which diligently regard and keep pure religion, or the true ſervice and worſhip of God.
ON THE 36. SABBATH.Queſt. 99. What doth God decree in the third Commandement?
Anſw. That not only by curſingaLevit. 24.15, 16., or forſwearingbLevit. 19.12., but alſo by raſh ſwearingcMat. 5.37. James 5.12., wee ſhould not uſe his Name deſpightfully or unreverently: neither ſhould by ſilence or connivence be partakers of thoſe horrible ſinnes in othersdLevit. 5.1. Prov. 29.24.: but that we uſe the ſacred and holy Name of God ever with great devotion and reverenceeIſa. 45.23.: that hee may be worſhipped and honoured by us with a true and conſtant confeſsionfMat. 10.32. Rom. 10.9, 10., and invocation of his NamegPſal. 50.15. 1 Tim. 2.8. and laſtly, in all our words and actions whatſoeverhColoſ. 3.17. Romanes 2.24. 1 Tim. 6.1..