Englands Face in Israels Glass, Sermon 2
PSAL. 106.19,20.
They made a calfe in Horeb, and worſhipped the molten Image, &c.
I Began to handle theſe words the laſt Lords day. There are three things in them.
Firſt, the Idoll, a calfe, or young Oxe, or Bullock.
Secondly, their ſin in this calfe, in three things:
Firſt, in making of it.
Then, in worſhipping of it.
And then, in changing their glory into the ſimilitude of it.
They made a calfe in Horeb,
They worſhipped the molten Image.
They changed their glory, &c.
The third thing is the roote of this ſin, the cauſe of it, whence it grew; it grew from forgetfulneſſe of God and his works.
The God they forgat was their Saviour.
The works they forgat were,
Firſt, great works.
Secondly, wonderfull works.
Thirdly, terrible works.
They forgat God their Saviour, that had done great things for them in Egypt, wondrous things in the land of Ham, terrible things by the Red ſea.
Of the Idoll I have ſpoken; and of their firſt work in making of it; wherein I conſidred three circumſtances,
Firſt, who made it.
Secondly, where they made it.
Thirdly, of what they made it.
I now go on to the ſecond thing.
They worſhipped the molten Image.
This was the end for which they would have it made, and ſo conſequently, they turned the glory of God into this ſimilitude: Here was their ſin; which was not ſo much in making of it, they might have made it without ſinne; but to make it, to that end, to worſhip it, this was abominable.
Now, becauſe theſe are dangerous dayes wherein we live, and there are a generation of men, that will compaſſe Sea and Land to make a proſelyte. Out of my deſire to ſtabliſh your hearts in the true and ſincere worſhip of God, I ſhall, beſides my cuſtome, fall upon a matter of Controverſie, and diſcuſſe the queſtion, betweene the Church of Rome and us, about worſhipping of Images. There is a great diſpute betweene them and us, about this peoples Idolatry in worſhipping this calfe. We do beleeve the ſin was ſinfull above meaſure: but yet they would make it ſomewhat worſe then it was; becauſe they would not be thought to be Idolaters, as theſe were.
The thing will ask a little time to diſcuſſe it, more then I have to day; I ſhall but make an entrance into it. I ſhall tell you what order I will take in the handling of it.
Firſt, I will ſhew you, That the making of an Image is not ſimply forbidden, except it be, in way of Religion, to worſhip, and to ſerve God by it. That is the firſt. They made it, and, they worſhipped it.
A ſecond thing I will ſhew is this, That all application of divine honour to any Image whatſoever, is Idolatry.
I will ſhew you thirdly, That all Idolaters do change their God; they change their glory into the ſimilitude of that they worſhip.
I will ſhew you fourthly, That the Church of Rome doth commit as grievous Idolatry in worſhipping their Images, as this people did in worſhipping of this Calfe.
Laſtly, I will ſhew what uſe we are to make of the whole. I ſay, I cannot do all to day, I ſhall but begin it; but have patience till I can end it: And if, in the handling of theſe things, I alledge either Fathers, or Councels, or Traditions of the Church, or Hiſtory, more then I uſe, or more then I think is fit in popular Sermons; I pray beare with me, and conſider whom I deale with, with unreaſonable men, ſuch as will not be ſatisfied with the meere authority of holy Scripture.
For the firſt point; The making of an Image is no act of Idolatry, except it be, by way of Religion, to worſhip God by it: that is my firſt propoſition. God doth never in the Scripture ſimply forbid the making of an Image. He ſaith in the ſecond Commandement, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven Image: It is true, but you muſt know, that that is a Commandement of the firſt Table: Now the firſt Table concernes the worſhip of God; ſo you muſt underſtand it by way of relation to the worſhip of God; Thou ſhalt not make an Image. If you will heare God expounding his owne Law that it is thus, looke in Levit. 26.1. Ye ſhall make you no Idols, nor graven Image, neither ſhal ye ſet up any Image of ſtone in your land, to bow downe unto it. So, it is not the making of the Image that is forbidden, but the bowing downe to the Image we have made; or the making it to that end to bow downe, that is Idolatry.
If the making of an Image were ſimply and abſolutely evill, then ſurely the ſame Art, and skill, and cunning that ſome men have in carving and graving of Images, ſhould never be attributed to the Spirit of God as the author of it. Now you ſhall finde what God ſaith, I have filled Bezaleel and Aholiab with the ſpirit of wiſdome, and underſtanding, and knowledge, to work all ſuch rare curious inventions, whereof ſome were Images, as you ſhall heare anon.
God allows the making of Images to foure uſes, which I ſhall name unto you.
Firſt, he allows us to make an Image for the diſtinction of coines. The firſt coines almoſt that I can finde in all the Scriptures mentioned, they were ſtamped with a Lamb upon them, and were called for that cauſe Lambs. You reade in Gen. 33.19. that Jacob did purchaſe a field, a parcell of ground, of Hamor the ſon of Shechem; and he purchaſed it for an hundred pieces of ſilver, a hundred pieces of money; ſo it is called there: but the Hebrew phraſe is, with an hundred Lambs. He bought it with money, ſo Stephen ſaith. But why doth he ſay with an hundred Lambs? It was money ſtamped with a Lamb. So in Job ult. every one of Jobs friends brought to him a piece of money, our Tranſlation reads it ſo; but the Hebrew phraſe is a Lamb; a piece of money ſo ſtamped. As we call that piece of gold that is ſtamped with an Angel, an Angel; ſo the Scripture called that piece of money that was ſtamped with a Lamb, a Lamb. This was the ancient coine I finde.
Then that ſame ſhekell that we reade oft of in Scripture, it had two figures upon it; it had the likeneſſe of the pot of Manna on the one ſide, and the likeneſſe of Aarons Rod on the other ſide. Our Lord ſaid to the Herodians, Shew me a penny: Whoſe Image hath it? Caeſars. Our Lord diſliked not to have Caeſars Image upon a penny; but, ſaith he, Give to Caeſar that which belongeth to Caeſar, and to God that which is Gods. God allows us Images for diſtinction of coins, that is one.
Secondly, God allows Images for ornament. Solomon made a throne of Ivory that had ſix ſteps to it, and on both ſides of the ſteps, on the right hand, and on the left, were Lions made; there were 12. Lions: It was for ornament, an ornament of Glory; There was not ſuch a throne in any Kingdome, ſaith the Scripture. Nay, farther: here you ſee the people made a ſimilitude of an Oxe that eateth graſſe; Solomon he made twelve ſuch ſimilitudes of Oxen. Look in 2 Chron. 4.3,4. you ſhall finde, that the molten Sea ſtood on 12. Oxen that Solomon had made. This people made the ſimilitude of an Oxe that eateth graſſe; Solomon made twelve ſimilitudes, or likeneſſes of Oxen that eate graſſe: Solomon was never reproved for this; this people was plagued for theirs. There is the difference then; they made it for one end, and Solomon for another: they made it for worſhip, and Solomon for ornament. God allows us Images for ornament.
Nay, of what ſhape the Cherubims were that you reade of oft in Scripture, that were made in the Temple, it is hard to ſay: Joſephus ſaith, it cannot be affirmed, or conjectured. We uſually think the face of a Cherubim was like the face of a man; but you ſhall finde there is a difference betweene them, Ezek. 10.4. Every beaſt had foure faces; one face like the face of a Cherubim, another like the face of a Man; the third like the face of a Lion, and the fourth like the face of an Eagle. Theſe were all different faces; the face of a Cherubim, and the face of a Man then are different faces: But, of what ſhape ſoever they are, God commanded Cherubims to be made in his Tabernacle: yea, and Solomon made Cherubims; not only thoſe two Cherubims in the Sanctum Sanctorum, the moſt holy place; but he made Cherubims all along the wals of the Temple, and all upon the vailes of the Temple, and upon the brims of the veſſels, and upon divers utenſils in the houſe and ſervice of God Solomon made Cherubims.
And, together with them, he made the Images of Lions, and Buls, and Flowers, and Palme-trees, and of Pomegranates: All theſe were for ornament.
I conclude then, It is lawfull for us to adorne and beautifie our houſes: yea, it is lawfull to adorne and beautifie the houſe of God, the wals, the windows with ſuch Images, as
Firſt, may not hinder the people in their devotion.
Secondly, ſuch as are in no danger to be abuſed to Idolatry or ſuperſtition. That is my ſecond.
Thirdly, it is lawfull to make Images for monument. You know how the Brazen Serpent was made at Gods command in the wilderneſſe, and that though it were the ſimilitude of a Serpent; yet, notwithſtanding, this was preſerved afterward as a monument for the ſpace of 700. yeares, no fewer; for, as long as it was a monument, it was preſerved: but when it came to be abuſed to Idolatry, as you ſhall heare anon, then it was broken in pieces. Thoſe ſame Statues, thoſe Images of our Kings, and Queens, and Nobles, and great perſonages, in Weſtminſter or Pauls, that are ſet on their Tombes, to what end ſerve they, but to be monuments? The Father may ſet up a monument, a ſtatue, upon the grave of his deceaſed child, or the child upon the grave of his Father. This God hath allowed us; Chriſtian Religion never forbade it, and the Chriſtian Church hath alway practiſed it; for Monument.
Fourthly, it is lawfull to have an Image for Hiſtory; there is an hiſtoricall uſe of Images. The Naturall Hiſtory of beaſts, birds, and plants may be ſet downe by Imagerie: they cannot well be made knowne without the figures of theſe beaſts, and theſe birds. How profitable the figures of plants and herbs are in Herbals, I think there is no man but he doth know, that knows the uſe of an Herball, or Naturall Hiſtories.
Then ſecondly, the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories of the Church, the martyrdomes of the Saints, the ſacred hiſtories of the Bible, the hiſtorie of Adam and Eve, ſeduced by the Serpent, or the hiſtory of Abel ſlaine by Cain, or the hiſtory of Abraham ſacrificing Iſaac, or of David killing Goliah, or of Solomon judging and giving the Child to the right mother; yea, and the hiſtory of the Paſsion of Chriſt, the hiſtory of it, I ſay; this hath beene approved of in the Church of God. We reade anciently in Gregory Nyſſen, of the hiſtory of the Paſsion of Chriſt: The hiſtoricall uſe of Images we condemne not, God and the Church never diſallowed it. So then, now I goe over all; God allows us to make an Image for the diſtinction of coine, he allows it for ornament, he allowes it for monument: he allows the hiſtoricall uſe of Images, in Naturall hiſtory, in Sacred hiſtory, and in Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory.
But yet, let me give ſome cautions and proviſo's about theſe Images.
Firſt, no Image is to be made of the Trinity, to any uſe whatſoever, though it be not to a Religious uſe. God forbids this Deut. 4. Thou heardeſt a voice, but thou ſaweſt no likeneſſe; therefore thou ſhalt make no likeneſſe of me. So in Eſay 40.18. To what will yee liken me? To make a viſible Image of an inviſible God, it is no leſſe unlawfull, then impoſsible to make an Image of the Trinity, ſaith Damaſcene; who, though he was but an Imagemonger, a worſhipper of Images; yet, he abhorred this, to make an Image of the Deity: there is no leſſe follie then impiety in it.
Yet, notwithſtanding, you ſhall finde ſome ſuch Images in the books of Papiſts: in ſome of their Service-books, you ſhall finde the Trinity with three faces; in ſome of their books, you ſhall finde God the Father as an old man, and Chriſt his Son between his legs, and the Dove between them both: Theſe are abominable, ſuch as Chriſtian eyes ſhould not look on without horrour and deteſtation. No Image of the Trinity whatſoever is to be made.
Secondly, no falſe Image, no falſe repreſentation: I could name many in Popery. To paint the Virgin Mary now in glory in heaven, with Chriſt a little Babe in her armes, is a falſe, lying, blaſphemous repreſentation; no way anſwering the perſon and quality of them that are repreſented. The like I might ſay of Saint Dunſtan and the Devill; and of Garnets face in the ſtraw, as it is publike at Madrill in Spaine. Such like falſe repreſentations God condemnes, and we abhorre.
Thirdly, take heed of wanton laſcivious pictures, obſcene filthy pictures; thoſe are to be abhorred too. If evill words corrupt good manners; ſurely, lewd and obſcene pictures will do it more. Thoſe provocations to luſt that get into the heart at the eye, do a great deale more move the heart to uncleanneſſe, then thoſe provocations that get in at the eare; Segniùs irritant animos, &c. He that would have an eye to his heart, muſt have an eye to his eye.
Fourthly, take heed of all wanton exceſſe in a love of pictures. There are many men among us, that have ſpent even their eſtates in a dotage about theſe rarities, and excellent workmanſhip. Theſe rules obſerved, it is lawfull for us to make an Image; not in the way of Religion, to worſhip God by it.
Enough of that firſt point; let me come to a ſecond. I will but touch it. The ſecond is this:
All Religious worſhip, given or beſtowed on an Image, is Idolatry.
The application of Divine, Religious worſhip to an Image, is Idolatry.
Firſt, Brethren, know the difference between Images, and Idols; for this they charge us with: when we tell them of the ſecond Commandement, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven Image; Say they, you do us wrong to call it ſo: It ſhould be thus, Thou ſhalt not make a graven Idol. There is a great deale of difference, ſay they, between an Image, and an Idoll. There is a difference indeed in Eccleſiaſticall cuſtome of ſpeech, (and cuſtome muſt prevaile in that kind.) And know how this difference is; Imago in the Latin, Image, and Idolon in the Greek; they are all one originally: But we muſt ſpeake with common people. I ſay, Eccleſiaſticall cuſtome of ſpeech makes a difference betweene an Idoll, and an Image. And what is that? I will tell you: Every repreſentation of any creature in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth, that is an Image: but if this be to the uſe of Religion, then it is an Idoll, or elſe it is not. Omnis conſecratio Idololatria, &c. The conſecration of an Image maketh it an Idoll, ſaith Tertullian. An Image is an Image, and no more; but if it be ſet up by way of Religion, to ſerve God by it, then it is an Idol.
Let me give it in an example I ſhewed even now: The brazen Serpent was ſet up at firſt, at Gods appointment: Then there were miracles done by the ſight of the brazen Serpent; as many as were ſtung, and looked on that, were cured: Then the brazen Serpent was a type of Chriſt; As it was lifted up, ſo ſhould the Son of man be lifted up upon the Croſſe: and it was preſerved, as you heard before, 700. yeares. As long as it was a monument, there was no hurt in it; but when once the people began to burne Incenſe to it, which belonged to the worſhip and ſervice of God; then Hezekiah, that good King, out of his zeale to Gods glory, could not indure it longer, but brake it in pieces. Though it were ſet up by Gods appointment, and miracles had beene done by it: though it were a type of Chriſt, and had been reſerved 700. yeeres; yet he would not ſpare it, but breaks it in pieces, and calls it Nehuſhtan, a piece of braſſe: it was no more, when Divine Religious worſhip was given to it.
Divine Religious worſhip is twofold:
Inward.
Outward.
Divine inward Religious worſhip is the worſhip of the heart and affections. God requires the whole heart; My ſon, give me thy heart. He requires all the affections of the heart; our love, our feare, our joy, our confidence, our obedience, and ſubjection. Now, whatſoever thing it is that withdraws theſe affections from God to it ſelfe, that is an Idol: There is the inward worſhip. For this cauſe (not to give you other examples) the Apoſtle calls a covetous man, an Idolater, Epheſ. 5.3. He calls covetouſneſſe Idolatry, Coloſ. 3.5. The covetous man is an Idolater: Why? Becauſe gold and ſilver withdraw the heart and affections from God. You ſhall ſee how. Look upon his affections; What is his love? He loves more the picture of his Prince upon his coine, then the Image of God in his brother. Then go to his feare: he feares more the loſſe of his eſtate, then he feares hell; he feares more to be damnified, then to be damned. Go to his joy; he joyes more at the aſſurance of his money, then he joyes in the aſſurance of Gods favour to him in Chriſt. Go to his confidence; if any danger ariſe, what flies he to? To God? No; Solomon ſaith, The rich mans riches are his ſtrong City; and whither ſhould a man flee, but to his ſtrong City? He flees to his riches, he hopes that they will beare him out. He truſts more in uncertaine riches, then in the living God. He ſaith to his gold, Thou art my hope; and to the wedge of gold, Thou art my confidence.
Then looke to his obedience, you ſhall ſee all goes that way. God bids him give; Mammon bids him take, and he takes. God bids him ſcatter and diſperſe abroad, and give to the poore; Mammon bids him gather, and he gathers. God bids him relieve; Mammon bids him extort, and he extorts. God bids him lend freely, looking for nothing againe; Mammon bids him let his money for thus much in the hundred, and he lets it. See now, Mammon is the god; Mammon hath withdrawn the heart and affections, and withdrawn the obedience from God to it ſelfe. That which the Pſalmiſt ſaith of the Heathen men, Their Idols are ſilver and gold: turne but the words, and you may ſay of covetous men, Their ſilver and gold are their Idols: He is an Idolater. This is the inward worſhip. To outward worſhip pertaine prayer and thankſgiving, vowes and oathes, erection of Churches and Oratories, bowing of the body, all outward obſervances, the dedication of our ſelves, or whatſoever we have, to the honour of that that we worſhip. This is outward worſhip. Look, to what prayers are made, thankſgiving is rendred, vows are nuncupated, Oratories are built, Altars are dedicated, Holy-days are inſtituted: Look whatſoever is honoured, with any part of this Religious worſhip, that is made an Idol.
I ſhall ſhew, when I come to that point, that the Papiſts, in all theſe things, beſtow Gods glory on an Image.
Now, Religious worſhip appertaines to God, and to God alone: Ipfius eſt, &c. It is his, and none but his: God will not ſuffer any part of that to be given to any creature in heaven, or earth; if wee doe, it is Idolatry.
What ſay you to the Sunne, Moone, and Stars, glorious creatures, may we not worſhip them?
O, no; they are glorious creatures indeed; but yet they are ſuch as God hath made to ſerve us, he made not us to ſerve them.
But, what ſay you to Angels? we are lower ſomewhat then Angels; may we not worſhip them?
Marke what the Angel ſaith to John, Rev. 19. See thou do it not, I am thy fellow ſervant, worſhip God. We are not ſervants to them, they and we are fellow-ſervants to one and the ſame God, See thou do it not, worſhip God.
O, but what ſay you to the Virgin Mary? Is it not lawfull to worſhip her?
I will anſwer in the words of the old Church, Mariam, &c. Let no man worſhip the Virgin Mary: Let the Virgin Mary be had in honour, ſay they, and let her be called bleſſed in all generatious; but let God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt be worſhipped. Let no man worſhip the Virgin Mary.
Nay, I go further yet, The very humane nature of Chriſt, the manhood of Chriſt, is not to be worſhipped and otherwiſe then as it is united to the perſon of the Son of God. I will tell you the confeſsion of the primitive Fathers; Confitemur, &c. We confeſſe, that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is to be worſhipped in the fleſh, in the manhood, but not according to the manhood.
Neſtorius, that blaſphemous Heretick, divided the perſon of Chriſt, (we beleeve there is but one perſon, God, and Man) and made two perſons in Chriſt: He made one the ſon of God, that was not the ſon of Mary; and another the ſon of Mary, that was not the ſon of God; and yet he believed that that ſame ſon of Mary was to be adored, that was not the ſon of God. The Fathers in the Church of God have abhorred this, and condemned this doctrine of Neſtorius for Idolatry: Danmamus idololatriam, &c. We condemne the Idolatry of Neſtorius. Where marke, I pray: If the very manhood of Chriſt may not be adored and worſhipped with Religious worſhip, but as it is united to the perſon of the Sonne of God; if the manhood of Chriſt when it is worſhipped, be an Idol (for the word Idolatry implyes ſo much:) if it be an Idol, not being united to the perſon of the Son of God: then ſurely the Images of Chriſt muſt needs be Idols, ſeeing they are no way united, neither to the Godhead of Chriſt, nor yet to his manhood. I ſhould have ſaid more of this point if I had had time: I ſhall go on, by Gods grace, the next Sabbath.
FINIS.