A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 16
CHAP. 16.
Of the Second Commandement.
The outward worſhip of God in general, in the ſecond Cōmandement: where conſider the
Things
Forbidden,
Generall.
Special, Images
Making.
Bowing downe and worſhiping.
Commanded,
Generall.
Speciall:
Subſtā tiall,
Ordinary,
Prayer.
Extraordinarie;
Faſting.
Feaſting.
Circumſtantiall, as conuenient geſtures.
Reaſon,
Threatning.
Promiſe.
EXOD. 20. 4. 5. 6.
4. Thou ſhalt not make vntounto thee any grauen Image, or any likeneſſe of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water vnderunder the earth.
5. Thou ſhalt not bow downe thy ſelfe to them, nor ſerue them: For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God, viſiting the iniquities of the fathers vponupon the children, vntounto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
6. And ſhewing mercy vntounto thouſands of them that louelove me, and keepe my Commandements.
Q. VVHat is the ſecond Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not make thee any grauen Image, nor likeneſſe of things, &c.
Q. VVhat is treated of in this Commandement?
A. The outward worſhip of God, as appeareth by the words, make, bow, worſhip.
Q. What learne you from this order of the Commandements?
A. It ſheweth, that the inward and outward worſhip of God ought to goe together: ſo that they who dare preſent their bodies to a Maſſe, or any other groſſe Idolatrie, and ſay they keepe their harts to God, are here conuicted of falſhood and hypocriſie.
Q. VVhat is forbidden in this Commandement generally?
A. All will-worſhip, how great a ſhew ſoeuer it hauehave.
Q. VVhat are the parts of that will-worſhip?
A. The outward worſhip of
any beſides God.
and of God any otherwiſe then hee commandeth.
Q. VVhat are the particulars forbidden in the outward worſhip of God?
A. Firſt, we are forbidden to make Images; and ſecondly, to bow vntounto them, or worſhip them.
Q. Why is this part ſo largely ſet forth?
A. To meet with the corruption of men, that by nature are exceeding prone to Idolatrie.
Q. Are all Images by this Commandement vnlawfull?
A. No, but ſuch as are made for religious ends and vſes: for in ciuill matters they may hauehave a lawfull and commendable vſe.
Q. What gather you of this?
A. That the Popiſh doctrine of Images (that they are Lay mens books), is directly contrary to the word of God; and therefore to be deteſted of all Gods children.
Q. What Images are moſt of all condemned?
A. Images of God: for it is a great ſinne to conceit or imagine in our hearts, that he is like any thing, how excellent ſoeuer we doe thinke it; but it is much worſe ſo to ſet him out to the view of others, conſidering that the mind can conceiue a further beautie, then the hand of the Artificer can expreſſe. And therfore the children of Iſrael did ſin grienouſly, and were Exod. 32. 4. 9. 10. 27. 28.worthily condemned, for worſhipping God, in the Image of a Calfe.
Q. Did not the Iſraelites worſhip the Calfe as God, as the Papists ſay?
A. No: but they worſhipped God in the Calfe: Exod. 32. 5.for they ſaid, Let vsus make a feaſt to morrow to the Lord.
Q. Wherein did they ſinne ſo grieuouſly?
A. In tying the preſence of God to the worke of their owne hands, and coupling him with their Idols, Exod. 20. 4. 5. 6. 1. King. 18. Matth. 15. Hoſ. 2. 16.which he cannot endure: for God ſaith by his Prophet Hoſea, You ſhall no more call vponupon me in Baal. So impoſſible it is truly to ſerue God by an Idoll, as the Papiſts doe.
Q. How appeareth it, that we ſhould make no Image of God?
A. In the 4. of Deuteronomie, the Lord forewarned Verſ. 12.the Iſraelites, that becauſe they ſaw no Image of him when he gaue the Law; therefore they ſhould make no likeneſſe of him.
Q. But what moues the Papists to paint God like an old man?
A. The falſe expounding of a place in Daniel, where Dan. 7. 5.he is called the Ancient of daies. Whereby is meant his Eternity, how he was before all times: But whatſoeuer Deut. 27. 15.property in God it be, that they ſet forth by an Image, it is execrable ſo to doe.
Q. What other Inuentions of men (beſides Images) are here forbidden?
A. All ſuch inuentions of men, as are deuiſed for any worſhip or ſeruice of God: likewiſe all repreſentations of any grace of God, otherwiſe then God hath appointed, or may be allowed by his word. And herein wee are to obſerue the Apoſtles rule and practice, 1. Cor. 11. where he ſaith, That whicb I hauehave receiued of 1. Cor. 11.the Lord, I hauehave deliuered vntounto you: for if he might adde nothing to Gods Ordinance, much leſſe may we.
Q. What elſe is here condemned?
A. Firſt, to vſe any Word publikely in the Church, beſides the writtē word of God, contained in the Canonicall Scripture. Secondly, to deuiſe any other miniſterie, then that which God hath appointed. Thirdly, to goe to Witches, to conſult with Starre gazers, or the like, to whom Moſes oppoſeth a Prophet, as the onelyonly lawfull Miniſter of God, & warrantable meanes to know his will by.
Q. What further is forbidden?
A. All the meanes and occaſions of Idolatrie, and al Deut. 7. 3. 4. 1. Cor. 11. 39.league and amity with Idolators; therefore no profeſſor of the true worſhip of God ſhould marrie an Idolater, or an apparent prophane and irreligious perſon.
Q. What other things are here forbidden?
A. All ſuch Eccleſiaſticall ceremonies, and rites of Religion, as are repugnant to Gods word, or not warrantable by the generall grounds thereof.
Q. What is to be obſerued of that it is ſaid, Thou ſhalt not bow downe to them, nor worſhip them?
A. Heereby is noted a further degree of Idolatrie, which heere alſo is forbidden; as when men ſhall 1. King. 19. 18.ſhrine, clothe, and couer Images with precious things; Ezra. 16. 18. 19.kneele and creepe vntounto them, light candles before thē, & ſuch like; or when men ſhall not only vſe, but commend and extol, and by authority vrge the inuentions of men: wherein the groſſe Idolatrie of Poperie is condemned, which though it bee taken away from amongſt vsus, yet the corruption cleaueth ſtill to the harts of many; as may be ſeene in them, that make courteſie to the chancell where the high altar ſtood, and who giuegive the right hand vntounto ſtanding croſſes, Crucifixes, &c.
Q. What kind of Images are heere forbidden, to bee worſhipped?
A. All kinds, whether ſuch as are made with mans hands, of which Eſay ſpeaketh, ſaying, One peece of wood Eſay 44. 15. 17. Hoſ. 8. 4.is caſt into the fire, and another of the ſame tree is made an Idoll: or ſuch as in themſelues are the good creatures of God; as thoſe which Hoſeah ſpeakes of, ſaying, They worſhip their gold and ſiluer. Yea, of whatſoeuer things it may be ſaid, that they hauehave eyes & ſee not, mouthes and ſpeake not, eares and heare not, noſes and ſmell not, feet and goe not; vntounto them is this worſhip forbidden to be performed. Although therefore the Papiſts worſhip not Iupiter, Mars, and ſuch like Heathen Idols, but the holy Saints (as they ſay) in, and by their Images; yet by that, which hath been ſaid, it appeares, that euen that worſhip of theirs, is impious and abominable Idolatrie.
Q. VVhat further is forbidden here, vnderunder the worſhip of Images?
A. To vſe any thing that God hath commanded 1. King. 18. 4. 1. Chron. 15. 13.for his worſhip, otherwiſe then hee himſelfe hath appointed; for the braſen Serpent abuſed, was worthily broken in peeces; and the Iſraelites for carting the Arke, were worthily puniſhed.
Q. VVhat elſe is forbidden?
A. To pray for ſuch things as God hath made no promiſe of, or for ſuch perſons as he hath made no promiſe vntounto: as when men pray for ſoules departed, or for thoſe that ſin to death; or to giuegive thankes to God 1. Ioh. 5. 14. 16.for things vnlawfully gotten.
Q. Proceed to the reſt of the things forbidden.
A. The abuſe of the Sacraments, which in Poperie Luk. 22. 25, 26. 1. Pet. 5. 23.are made Sacrifices; alſo the abuſe of the Miniſtery, to other ends, then thoſe for which it is ordained: as whē Miniſters exerciſe tyrannicall Lordſhip ouer the flocke, or their fellow-ſeruants; as the Biſhops of the Church of Rome vſe to doe. Or when in the execution of their function, they ſeeke themſelues, and not the edification of Gods people, &c.
Q. So much of the things forbidden: What are the things commanded?
A. Generall, or ſpeciall.
Q. What is the Commandement in generall?
A. To vſe ſuch outward meanes onelyonly in the worſhip of God, as himſelfe doth approue in his word.
Q. What are the things ſpecially commanded?
A. The outward Subſtance and Circumſtances of Gods worſhip.
Q. Wherein conſiſteth the outward Subſtance of Gods worſhip?
A. Partly in ſuch things as wee giuegive to God; and partly in ſuch things as God giueth to vsus.
Q. What are the things that we giuegive to God?
A. They are ordinarie, or extraordinarie.
Q. What are the ordinarie?
A. Prayer for ſuch things as we lacke, (and thankeſgiuing for ſuch things as wee hauehave receiued); which all men are bound to vſe, both publikely, and priuatly.
Q. What are the extraordinarie?
A. Faſting, and feaſting to God.
Q. What are the things God giueth vsus?
A. His creatures in the firſt place; alſo his Word and Sacraments, his Miniſterie, and the Cenſures of the Church.
Q. How doe we worſhip God in theſe?
A. In the Creatures, by beholding his glory in them; in his Word, by diligent hearing it, and carefull beleeuing and practiſing it; in his Sacraments, by receiuing them duly; in the Miniſtery and Cenſures, by ſubmitting our ſelues vntounto them.
Q. VVherein conſiſt the outward circumſtances of Gods worſhip eſpecially?
A. In the reuerend geſtures of the body, which being forbidden to be giuen to Images, are therein commanded to be giuen to God.
Q. How can there be any vſe thereof to God, ſith hee is a Spirit, and looketh to the heart?
A. Very well: for firſt, the whole man, and conſequently the body it ſelfe, oweth a duty to God. Secondly, it is a glaſſe, wherin the affections of the mind are beheld. Thirdly, the mind is the better holpen and furthered in the inward worſhip, when both body and minde doe goe together.
Q. VVhat gestures are most conuenient for the body?
A. Diuerſe, according to the diuerſe exerciſes of Religion: as at the reading of the Word, ſtanding; at Prayer, kneeling, caſting downe our eyes, in witneſſe of humility; and lifting them vp, to witneſſe our confidence, &c. except our infirmities, or the like lets ſhall hinder vsus herein.
Q. So much of the Commandement: what are the parts of the Reaſon?
A. A threatning, to reſtraine from diſobedience, and a promiſe to allure to obedience.
Q. What is the ſumme of the threatning?
A. That hee will puniſh the offender, both in himſelfe, and children, to many generations; the greatnes of which puniſhment hee ſhewes, by comparing his wrath to the rage of a iealous husband, vponupon the vnchaſt behauiour of his wife.
Q. Declare the ſame more plainly.
A. If any (being ioyned vntounto God in Chriſt) hauehave promiſed in Baptiſme to ſerue him alone; and yet notwithſtanding wil ſerue and worſhip others, how good ſoeuer they (be whether Angels, or Saints), they ſhall not eſcape Gods wrath: for if corporall adultery bee ſo ſeuerely puniſhed, much more ſhall ſpirituall.
Q. But how doth that agree with the righteouſneſſe of God, to puniſh one for another?
A. Very well: for if Princes (whoſe iudgments are ſhallow in compariſon of Gods, the depthes whereof are paſt finding out) doe with equitie diſ-inherit and put to ſhame the poſterity of Traitors: the Lord may much more iuſtly doe the like. For the wicked child following his fathers ſteps, is a Traitor himſelfe, hauing both his fathers ſinne, and his owne vponupon his head.
Q. Why will God be ſo extreamely reuenged of them?
A. Becauſe they are (as it is ſaid here) Haters of him.
Q. Is there any that hate God?
A. Yes aIoh. 15. 18. Rom. 1. 29. 30. & 8. 7. & 5. 10. Coloſſ. 1. 21.verily: for ſo many as worſhip him, otherwiſe then himſelfe hath commanded, doe hate him; for although eueryevery Idolater will ſay that hee loueth God; yet here God witneſſeth of him that hee is a liar, and that hee hateth God, in that hee hateth the worſhip that hee commandeth; in the louelove whereof, God will hauehave experience of his louelove.
Q. So much of the threatning: what is the ſumme of the promiſe?
A. That he will bleſſe the obedient vntounto many generations, both in themſelues, their children and poſterity, and in whatſoeuer belongeth vntounto them.