A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

The Resolution.

Thou shalt not make] This is the first part of the commandement, forbidding to make an idol: Now an idol is not onely a certaine representation, and image of some fained God, but also of the true Iehouah. The which may be prooued against the Papists by these arguments. The first is, Deut. 4.15, 16. Take ther∣fore good heede vnto your selues: for yee saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb, out of the middest of the fire, that yee corrupt not your selues, and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure: whether it be the likenesse of male or female. Out of the words vttered by Moses, a reason may be framed thus:

If ye saw no image (namely of God) ye shall make none:

But ye saw no image, onely heard a voyce:

Therefore ye shall make no image of God.

The second reason: That idolatrie which the Israelites committed, the very same is prohibited in this commandement.

But the Israelites idolatrie was the worship of God in an image, Hos. 2. 16. At that day, saith the Lord, thou shalt call me no more Baali, but shalt call me Ishi.

The golden calfe was an image of God: for when it was finished, Aaron proclaimed that to morrow should be a feast to Iehouah. Exod. 32.5. And the same calfe is tearmed an idol. Act. 7.41.

Therefore the worshipping of God in an image, is here prohibited.

Any grauen image] Here the more speciall is put for the more generall, namely, a grauen image for all counterfeit meanes of Gods worship.

The first part of the commandement is here illustrated, by a double distri∣bution. The first is drawne from the causes. Thou shalt not make thee any idol, whether it be engrauen in wood, or stone: or whether it be painted in a table. The se∣cond, is taken from the place. Thou shalt not make thee an idol of things in heauen, as starres and birds: or in the earth, as of man, woman, beasts: or vnder the earth, as fishes.

This place is so expounded by Moses, Deut. 4. 14. to the 20. verse.

Thou shalt not bow downe to them] This is the second part of the commande∣ment, forbidding all men to fal downe before an idol. In this word, Bow down, is againe the speciall put for the generall: for in it is inhibited all fained wor∣ship of God.

For I] These words are a confirmation of this commandement, perswa∣ding to obedience, by foure reasons.

The Lord] (which is strong) The first reason, God is strong, and so able to reuenge idolat••ie: Heb. 10.31.

A iealous God] This speech is taken from the estate of wedlocke: for God

is called the husband of his Church. Esay 54.5. Eph. 5.26,27. And our spiri∣tuall worship, is, as it were, a certaine marriage of our soules, consecrated vnto the Lord. Ier. 2. 2. I remember thee with the kindnes of thy youth, and the loue of thy mariage, when thou wentest after me in the wildernes, in a land that was not sowne. Here is another argument drawne from a comparison of things that be like. Gods people must alone worship him, because they are linked to him, as a wife is to her husband, vnto whome alone she is bound: therefore if his peo∣ple forsake him, and betroth themselues vnto idols, he will vndoubtedly giue them a bill of diuorcement, and they shall be no more espoused vnto him.

Visiting] To visit, is not onely to punish the children for the fathers offences, but to make notice, and apprehend them in the same faults: by reason they are giuen ouer to commit their fathers transgressions, that for them they be puni∣shed. And this is the third reason drawne from the effects of Gods anger.

Hate me] It may be, this is a secret answer, the obiection whereof is not here in expresse wordes set downe, but may be thus framed. What if we vse Idols to inflame and excite in vs a loue and remembrance of thee. The answer is this by the contrarie: You may thinke that your vse of idols kindleth in you a loue of me, but it is so farre from that, that all such as vse them cannot choose but hate me.

Shew mercie] The fourth reason deriued from the effects of Gods mercie to such as obserue this commandement. Here may we first obserue, that Gods mercie exceedeth his iustice. Psal. 103.8. The Lord is full of compassion and mer∣cie, slow to anger, and of great kindnes. vers. 17. The louing kindnes of the Lord, en∣dureth for euer. vers. 9. He will not alway chide, neither keepe his anger for euer. Se∣condly, we may not surmise, that this excellent promise is made to euery one particularly, who is borne of faithfull parents. For godly Isaak had godlesse Esau to his sonne, and godlesse Saul, had godly Ionathan.