LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE

CHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER AS

SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED

TO YOUTH.

LECTURE XL.

(Continued from page 197.) We now proceed to consider more particularly

II. What the second commandment forbids. "The second commandment," says our Catechism, "forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word." It may be proper at entering on the consideration of the prohibitions in this commandment, to remark that they relate exclusively to the making and use of images for religious purposes. "It is lawful," says Fisher in his Catechism, "to have images or pictures of mere creatures, provided they be only for ornament; or the design be merely historical; to transmit the memory of persons and their actions to posterity." The tabernacle of Jehovah made by his order in the wilderness, and especially the temple erected for his worship and with his approbation by Solomon, called into exercise, very extensively, many of those which are now denominated "the fine arts." You perceive then, that the statuary, the painter, the engraver, the worker in metals, or any other artist, who employs his skill on sensible and created VOL. VII. Ch. Adv.

objects, or even on objects of fancy -if fancy do not intrude on the prerogatives of God, or cause his worship to be desecrated by the productions of his art-is not to be considered as violating this commandment in any respect or degreeThe command relates only to images, made for, and employed in the worship of God.

We have already, in explaining the import of the first commandment, considered at some length the sin of idolatry; and I had occasion then to remark, that if worship be paid to an image of any kind, there is, in every such act, a violation of the first precept of the decalogue, as well as of the second. Now if images be used at all in religious service, all experience shows that they will be worshipped. Admit that the avowed and real purpose be, to make use of the visible representations merely to impress the mind more powerfully with a sense of the invisible God, still there is such a disposition in mankind to overlook and forget what is invisible, and to regard that only which is addressed to the outward senses, that idolatry is the certain result; and hence we may see at once, the propriety and importance of this second command.

We find the pretence that the worship of the true God may be assisted by the use of images, pointedly disallowed in several express

2 H

declarations and representations of holy Scripture. Thus, to mention but one, the molten calf which Aaron made at Horeb, was avowedly intended to aid in the worship of the true God; for we are told, Exodus xxxii. 5-" When Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the LORD"-in the original-" to JEHOVAH." Yet this was considered and treated as directly contrary to the divine order, and they who professed to worship Jehovah before the golden calf, are expressly charged with worshipping the worshipping the image itself "They have made them a golden calf, and have worshipped IT."

Some of the ancient heathen had sagacity enough to perceive the danger there was that the use of images, even in the worship of their false gods, might produce a forgetfulness of the gods themselves. History assures us that Numa Pompllius, the second king of Rome, and the institutor of the religious rites and ceremonies of the ancient Romans, taught them not to worship the gods by the use of images, and that accordingly no graven or painted statue was permitted to appear in their temples, till more than a century and a half after the time of Numa. How surprising does it seem, that Christian Rome should abound in an impious folly which heathen Rome, in its origin, had wisdom enough to prohibit and avoid? It is not true, as the Romanists tell us, that they do not worship the images or pictures of which they make so profuse a use in their churches, and indeed in the whole of their religious ritual. We have seen the natural tendency of this practice to introduce idolatry, and we have seen the practice itself charged as idolatry on the Israelites, by Jehovah himself. But all this apart, it is too palpable to admit of a plausible denial, that by the great mass of the Romish communion the images and pictures

which they constantly use are actually worshipped, and that little or no pains are taken to prevent it, by their religious teachers. Nay, we do not go too far when we assert, that a reverence (truly and strictly idolatrous) for visible symbols, is encouraged and even inculcated, by the highest authorities in the church of Rome. What is more notorious than that, in the very streets of a city, all are required to bow to, and actually worship THE HOST, that is, a consecrated wafer, which is carried round for the purposeEven strangers and Protestants are, in many places, compelled to do homage to this abominable idolatry.

But suppose that the reasonableness and importance of the precept before us were not, as we have seen that it is, plain and obvious, still, as heretofore shown, God may justly, and for an important purpose, require us to yield a ready and prompt obedience to any plain command given by himself, although we may not be able at once to perceive its utility. Now there is not a plainer or more explicit command in the whole revealed will of God, than this which forbids the use of images in his worship. There is even a particularity in it, which is scarcely equalled in any other article of the decalogue. Not resting in a general inhibition of "graven images," the holy oracle goes on to specify, that it must be regarded as extending "to any likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." Then, as to the worship of idolatrous objects, it specifies "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them." It is truly painful to remark, that it would seem as if this command of the Most High had been scrutinized, for the very purpose of going contrary to its provisions, and this by a large portion of those who bear the Christian name. Of "things in heaven," I know of none

of which they have not attempted to make likenesses-of the ever blessed God himself, of the holy angels, of the mother of our glorious Redeemer, of the saints, or imaginary saints, innumerable. Of" things on earth" likenesses of the cross, are exhibited in the very structure of their places of worship, and in as many conspicuous parts of them and approaches to them, as the structures will permit. These likenesses are also fabriIcated in miniature, as if to rival the silver shrines that were made by the craftsmen at Ephesus for the heathen goddess Diana; and they are vended and worn as sacred ornaments,* both by men and women-as amulets or charms against evil spirits, and as mementoes and aids of devotion. A church without pictures, or statues, is considered as incomplete, and hardly fit to be used as a place of worship. But indeed it is wholly impracticable to give a detail of the various likenesses of things in heaven and things on the earth, which men bearing the Christian name, have formed, in pointed violation of the command we consider. Equally palpable too is the contravention of that part of the precept that forbids "bowing down" to these images for the purpose of religious service. Men, as already remarked, are required to bow down before them; and to refuse or neglect this act of homage, is viewed as an impiety approaching to sacrilege; and on the other hand, acts of devotion before these images, are considered as peculiarly meritorious and acceptable. In short, if you suppose a person ignorant of what is passing in the world, and to have learned simply from the first and second commands of the decalogue what is the acceptable worship of God, both as to mat

"On her white breast a sparkling cross

she wore,

Which Jews might kiss, and infidels

adore."--POPE.

Gentlemen,-I believe that there are among you many excellent souls desirous of their salvation, who, in order to fortify their consciences against religious fears, would esteem themselves happy to know accurately what God has determined in his word. But as the spies, who were sent into the Holy Land, brought back to the children of Israel an evil and defamatory account of the country; so the Doctors, who should teach you, cause you to dread the holy Scriptures as a dangerous book. Afraid that you should drink of those waters of Siloah, they make you believe that they are poisoned by he: resy. They persuade you that we have corrupted the text of Scripture, that we quote it falsely, and that we draw unwarrantable inferences from it. In a word, unbounded calumny has published, that we have abandoned the Bible. Now, although there are arms enough in Israel to oppose the errors of this age, nevertheless, we have thought proper to borrow those of our adversaries. To show you the triumph of truth, we might use, with the ut

most propriety, our own Bibles, as exhibiting a faithful translation of the original: but to remove the scruples which might arise in your minds, we have judged it better to use the Louvain version. For, although the Louvain doctors have blunted the point of this sword of the spirit, still it possesses sufficient efficacy to reach error in its lurking places, and to pierce it to the heart. You will readily acknowledge this, if you should be at the pains to look over this little treatise. will see here, in miniature, the principal errors in which you are nourished. Moreover, you will see here, these same errors met and refuted by the express text of a Bible which you cannot suspect.

You

I know, gentlemen, that they who labour to hinder the course of the gospel, endeavour, by every means, to render us odious. They represent us as execrable; and whatever comes from us, they cause you to hold in abhorrence. But if you could see our hearts, you would see engraved there, the doctrine which we propose to you. You would see there the flames of a genuine zeal, and of a charity unfeigned. You would easily discover that we have no other end than the glory of God, and the salvation of your souls. "We pray you, in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God." Meanwhile, were we even such as calumny describes us, let not the consideration of our persons injure our cause. Regard not the speaker, but meditate upon what he tells you. Do not stickle at the frailty of the vessel, but taste the heavenly beverage which God presents in it to disordered souls. Diamonds lose not their value for having been touched by leprous hands; and medicine, presented by a blear-eyed physician, does not fail, on that account, to operate a cure. What matters it who lends a hand, provided he draw us out of the mire? What matters it who casts us into the pool, provided we are healed by

it? Jesus Christ, at the last day, will judge us according to his gospel, and not according to the quality of the ministers who announced it.

And I am certain that if you should taste those fruits of Canaan, which we have received from the hands of your own "spies," you would desire, with a holy ardour, to enter upon the enjoyment of that inheritance, which has been wrested from you and that henceforth you would not look upon the gospel with fear, as a heretical book; but with a holy joy, as the Testament of your Father, and the covenant contract, which Jesus Christ has subscribed with his blood.

This is the saving grace which you may receive from the Father of lights, if you call upon him with ardent supplications. For "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and his covenant, to make them know it." May the great God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine in your hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. May it please his divine mercy to make us all think the same thing in our Saviour, that we may speak the same language, and lean upon the same arm of help. Amen.

Article II.

fore they contain all that is necessary to salvation.

Ibid. v. 16." All Scripture divinely inspired, is profitable for teaching, convincing, correcting, and instructing in righteousness." Note, we have in Scripture all that is necessary to regulate our faith and conduct. For it serves to teach truth, to confute error, to correct rvice, and to form virtue.

*

Ibid. v. 17.-"That the man of God may be completed, furnished for every good work." That which renders the man of God complete, and, as the Greek word imports, perfectly instructed to every good work, contains all that is necessary to salvation. But Scripture renders the man of God complete and perefectly instructed to every good work. Therefore it contains all that is necessary to salvation.

Psal. xviii. 8. [xix. 7.]-"The law of the Lord is spotless, [Heb. entire and perfect,]† converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to babes." That which is without spot, which converts sinners, and which gives wisdom to babes, is sufficient for salvation. But the Scripture contains doctrine without spot, which converts sinners, and gives wisdom to babes. Therefore it contains what is sufficient for salvation.

John, v. 39.-"Enquire diligently of the Scriptures: for you think by these to obtain eternal life; and

EngTioμivos, perfecte instructus: sic Scultetus et alii in loc.-TR.

they bear testimony of me." NoteOur Lord Jesus Christ does not find fault with those who think to have eternal life by the Scriptures; but, on the contrary, he exhorts them to search them carefully.

Ibid. xvii. 3.-" This is eternal life, to know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ." Now this knowledge is given us by Scripture. Chap. xx. 31.-"These things are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the son of God, and believing, have life through his name." That which teaches us the sovereign good, and the means of arriving at it, contains all that is necessary for salvation. But Scripture teaches us the sovereign good, viz: eternal life, and the means of obtaining it, viz: faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore it contains all that is necessary for salvation.

Rom. xv. 4.-" All things which were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that, by patience and consolation of the Scriptures, we may have hope." That which consoles us and supports us in the hope, which we ought to have in God, is sufficient for salvation. But the Scripture does all this. Therefore it is sufficient for salvation.

&c.) perfect, upright; as a noun, perfection, uprightness, integrity. See Gen. 6.9; 17. 1. Lev. 22. 21. Deut. 18. 13. 1 Sam. 14. 41. 2 Sam. 22. 33., &c.-TR.

The Septuagint and Latin Vulgate, to which Dr. Gill adds the Syriack, Arabick, Ethiopick, and Apollonarius, render the word (') as the Louvain doctors do. The root n, signifies to be seduced, enticed, persuaded; and the word in the text denotes a person, who is exposed, from his folly, ignorance, or inexperience and simplicity, to be easily led aside. In this sense, as easy to be enticed and ensnared, the word is applied to the dove, Hos. 7.

11.-TR.

1 John i. 1, 3.-"That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have beheld with attention, and our hands have touched of the word of life: that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you, that ye may have fellowship with us." The apostles saw and heard all that is necessary for salvation. But they declared, by their Writings, what they saw and heard of the things which concern salvation. Therefore they declare, by their writings, all that is necessary for salvation.

Ibid. v. 3, 4.-" And that our communion may be with the Father and his son Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you that ye may rejoice, and that your joy may be