ship, but are subjected to him as conquered enemies. Which leads us to consider,

3. That they are guilty of the breach of this Commandment, who frame an image of any of the persons of the Godhead, or of any creature in heaven or earth, as a means or help made use of in order to their worshipping God. Here it must be enquired,

(1.) Whether the making images, absolutely, or in all respects, be unlawful. To which it is generally answered, that if pictures representing creatures, either in heaven or earth, be made with no other design, but in an historical way, to propagate the memory of persons, and their actions to posterity, it seems not to be a breach of this Commandment. But the sin forbidden therein, expressed in those words, Making to ourselves the image or likeness of creatures in heaven or earth, is when we design to worship God by them; and accordingly the using bodily gestures to them, such as those which are used in the worship of God; as bowing, uncovering the head, &c. wherein a person designs an act of worship, is idolatry. And if nothing else is intended but the worshipping of God by them, it can hardly be excused from the appearance of idolatry at least; so that, according to one of the rules before laid down for the understanding the Ten Commandments, it is to be reckoned a breach of the second Commandment; which is what we are now considering *.

(2.) It must farther be enquired, whether it be unlawful to represent any of the persons in the Godhead, by pictures or carved images? to this we answer, that God being infinite and incomprehensible, it is impossible to frame any image like him, Isa. xl. 18. chap. xlvi. 5. Acts xvii. 29. Moreover, he assigns this as a reason why Israel should make no image of him, be cause they saw no manner of similitude when he spake to them in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire; and adds, lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, Deut. iv, 15, 16. And the apostle styles this an offering the highest affront to God, when he speaks of some who changed the glory of the in corruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, Rom. i. 23.

There are others, who, though they do not much care to defend the practice of making pictures of God, yet plead for describing an emblem of the Trinity, such as a triangle, with the name Jehovah in the midst of it. But that which I would observe concerning this practice is, that if the design hereof be to worship God by it, it is idolatry; but if not, it is unwarrant able, and, indeed, unnecessary; since a Trinity of persons in the unity of the divine essence, is to be understood as reveal

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ed in scripture, and not brought to our remembrance by an emblem, which is an ordinance of our own invention.

It is farther enquired, whether we may not describe our Saviour, as he sometimes is by the Papists, in those things that respect his human nature? whether we may not pourtray him as an infant in his mother's arms; or, as conversing here on earth, or hanging on the cross ; as they not only describe him, but adore this image or representation of Christ crucified, which they call a crucifix? To this we answer; that whatever of Christ comes within the reach of the art of man to delineate or describe, is only his human nature, which is not the ob ject of divine adoration; and therefore this rather tends to de base than give us raised and becoming conceptions of him as

such.

As to what is argued by some, to prove that it is not un lawful to make an image of God, inasmuch as he is sometimes represented as having a body, or bodily parts; and the pro phet Daniel describes God the Father, as the ancient of days, Dan. vii. 9. therefore, they suppose, that it is not unlawful for them to make such representations of him by images. To this it may be answered, that God's being described by the parts of human bodies, is in condescension to the weakness of our capacities, or agreeable to human modes of speaking; in which the eye signifies wisdom, the arm power, the heart love, &c. We are, notwithstanding those modes of expression, to abstract in our thoughts, every thing that is carnal, or applicable to the @reature when conceiving of him, and therefore not to give occasion to any to think that he is like ourselves, by describing him in such a way. The Papists not only plead for making such like images, but set them up in churches, calling them the laymen's books, with a design to instruct them in those things which the image represents. To which it may be replied, that such a method of instruction is without any warrant from scripture, as well as contrary to the practice of the purest ages of the church, who always thought that the word of God was sufficient to lead them into the knowledge of himself, without making use of a picture to that end.

But notwithstanding this colour is put on their practice, of setting up such-like images in churches; yet there are some who plead for the worship of images, only with this distinction, that it is a subordinate or a relative worship that they give to them, while, at the same time, the highest worship is given to God only; in which respect they cannot exculpate themselves from the charge of idolatry. And, indeed, in some of their books of devotion, we find the same expressions used, when they address themselves to the creature, as though they were paying divine adoration to God; particularly in the book, that is well known among them, called the Virgin Mary's Psalter;

in which her name is often inserted instead of the name of God, which is the highest strain of blasphemy. Thus when it is said, O come let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, Psal. xcv. 6. instead of the Lord, they put the Virgin Mary. And when it is said, Have mercy upon me, O God, &c. Psal. li. 1. they pray, Have mercy upon me, O Lady, &c. which expressions cannot be read without detestation. And there are many more to the like purpose, in that book.

When this has been objected against them as a specimen of their idolatry, all the reply they make to it is; that the book was written by a private person, as an help to devotion, but not established by the authority of the church, which is not to be charged with every absurdity which some of their communion may advance. To which it may be replied, that the church of Rome has been very ready to condemn better books, written by those who were not in their communion; whereas they never publicly condemned this book, but rather commended it, as written with a good design.

Besides we may farther observe, that there are many blasphemous expressions given to the virgin Mary, in their Breviaries and Missals, which are used by public authority. Thus she is often addressed to in such characters as these, viz. the mother of mercy, the gate of heaven, the queen of heaven, the empress of the world; and sometimes she is desired not only. to pray her son to help them, but, by the authority of a mother, to command him to do it. At other times they desire her to help and save them herself; and accordingly they give her the title of Redeemer, and Saviour, as well as our Lord Jesus Christ. And sometimes they profess themselves to put their trust and confidence in her. If this be not idolatry, where is there any to be found in the world?

To this we may also add, that idolatry which is practised by them in their devotion, to the images of other saints. Every saint in their Kalendar is called upon, in his turn; among whom some indeed were good men, as the martyrs, who refused to be worshipped while on earth; how much soever these worship them now they are in heaven. But there are others whom the Popes have canonized for saints, who were little better than devils incarnate, while they were here upon earth; and others have been rebels and traitors to their king and country, and suffered the just reward of their wickedness; such as these are found among those whom they pay this worship to. There are also others whom they worshipped as saints; concerning whom it may be much questioned whether there ever were such persons in the world; these may be called fabulous saints. Nevertheless, images are made to their honour, and prayers directed to them. And there are other things wor shipped by them, which never had life, as the picture of the

gross, and many pretended relics of the saints. So that upon the whole, we cannot but think that we have, in this mode of worship, a notorious instance of the breach of this Commanda ment. And we cannot but conclude, that herein they have a postatized, or turned aside from the purity of the gospel...

It may be observed, that the church, for the first three hun dred years after Christ, had comparatively, but little superstition, and no idolatry; but in the fourth Century, superstition began to insinuate itself into it; then it was that the pictures of the martyrs, who had suffered in Christ's cause, were first set up in churches, though without any design of worshipping them; and this was not universally approved of. As for image-worship, it was not brought into the church till above seven hundred years after Christ; and then there was a consi derable opposition made to it by some; and this kind of wor ship was set up in one reign, and prohibited in another; but afterwards it universally prevailed in the Romish church, when arrived to that height of impiety and idolatry, without opposi tion, as it is at this day. We now proceed to observe,

III. The reasons annexed to this Commandment, which are taken from the consideration of what God is in himself; I am the Lord, or Jehovah; which being a name never given to any creature, is expressive of all his divine perfections, which render him the object of worship, and oblige us to perform that worship which he requires, in such a way as is agreeable thereunto; he also styles himself a God to his people, I am thy God; therefore to set up strange gods, or to worship him in a way not prescribed by him, is a violation of his covenant, as well as not performing the duty we owe to him, and would render us unfit to be owned by him as his people. And it is farther observed, that they who thus corrupt themselves, and pervert his worship, are styled haters of him, and therefore can expect nothing but to be dealt with as enemies. This he gives them to understand, inasmuch as he styles himself a jealous, or sinrevenging God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children. For the understanding of which, let it be consi dered,

1. That though God does not punish children with eternal destruction, for the sins of their immediate parents, yet these oftentimes bring temporal judgments on families. Thus all the children of Israel that murmured and despised the good land, so far bare their fathers iniquity, that they wandered in the wilderness near forty years.

2. These judgments fall heavier on those children that make their parents sins their own; which was the case of the Jews. Upon which occasion our Saviour tells them, that all the bloga that was shed upon the earth, should come upon them, from the VOL. III. 3 N

blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar, Matt. xxiii. 35. They approved of, and committed the same sins which their fathers were guilty of, and consequently are said to fill up the measure of their sins; therefore the judgments of God, which they exposed themselves to, were most terrible.

3. Whatever temporal judgments may be inflicted on chil dren for their parents sins, shall be sanctified, and redound to their spiritual advantage, as well as end in their everlasting happiness, if they do not follow their bad example; and there fore it is farther observed, that God shews mercy unto thou sands of them that love him, and keep his Commandments, These are very great motives and inducements to enforce the observation of all God's Commandments, and this in particu lar.

QUEST. CXI. Which is the third Commandment ?

ANSW. The third Commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain.

QUEST. CXII. What is required in the third Commandment?. ANSW. The third Commandment requires, that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, writing, by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves and others.

QUEST. CXIII. What are the sins forbidden in the third Com mandment?

ANSW. The sins forbidden in the third Commandment are, the not using of God's name as is required, and the abuse of it, in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works; by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths, and vows, if lawful, and fulfilling them, if of things unlaw fut, murmuring and quarrelling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God's decrees, and providences, misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or any part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable ques