A compend of the controversies of religion wherin the trueth is confirmed, and errour convinced, by authoritie of Scripture, witnessing of antiquitie, and confession of partie. Most necessary for all, in this backe-slyding age. By W.G. minister of God's word.

§. 2. That no Adoration is to bee given to Images, (as the Papists teach: S••e Bellarmine, lib. 2. de reliq. c. 21.) nor no signe there-of.

1. Authoritie of Scripture.

EXod. 20.5. Thou shalt not bow downe to them, nei∣ther worship them.

Note then, That bowing downe is for∣bidden, as well as wo••shipping.

Levit. 26.1. Neither shall yee set vp anie image of stone in your land, to bow downe to it, for I am the Lord, your God.

Note th••refore, That as all religious worsh••p is due onlie to God, so all re∣ligious bowing of the knee▪ as a token of th t wo••sh••p, is onelie due to God; and therefore forbidden to bee given to images.

Rom. 11.4. I haue reserved vnto My selfe seaven thousand men, who haue not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Note then, That the Lords true wor∣shippers will not bow their knee to an image: for to doe so, except to God on∣lie, is palpable idolatrie.

Rom. 14.11. For it is writ∣ten, Everie knee shall bow to Me, and everie tongue shall confesse to God.

If prayer then belong not to deafe images, nor confession of sinnes; so nei∣ther doeth religious kneeling, but onlie to God alone; and so not to blind idoles.

Eph. 3.14. For this cause (sayeth Sainct Paul) I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.

Note then, That hee exhibiteth reli∣gious kneeling, as due onlie to God.

2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.

BY Scripture testimonies it is to bee showne [sayth Gregorie] that it is not lawfull to worship what-so-ever is made by the hand of man: (and thereaf∣ter hee sayeth) and therefore eschew, by all meanes, the adoration of images, Greg. lib. 9. Epist. 9. ad serenum.

3 Confession of Partie.

AS for the worship of images (sayth Polydorus) not onlie those that are not of our religion, but as Sainct Ierome testifieth, all the ancient Fathers almost, condemned the same, for feare of idola∣trie. Polyd. virg. lib. 6. de invent. rerum, c. 13. Neither is that a reason worthie, which is obtruded by some (sayth their owne Cassander) that they giue that ho∣nour, not to the images, but to those whom they represent: for this colour of excuse, the verie Pagans had. Cassand. consult. art. 21.