A short information, but agreeable vnto Scripture: of idol-images¨ Made vnto the Christian congregation at Prague, when as, by his Royall Maiesties most gracious command, the Castle-church there, was clensed from all images, on Sonday the twelfth of December, in the yeare 1619. By Abraham Scultetus. Faithfully translated according to the high Dutch copie printed at Heidelberge, by Gotthard Vœgeliu, 1620.

The Entrance.

I Doubt not but that there are many, who will thinke it strange, which either now do see and behold, or shortly shall heare and vnderstand, that the Altar and Images are remooued and put out of this Church. For many men will perhaps thus thinke and say with themselues: That God might euen as well haue bin serued and honored through the Images: That also they were the common peo∣ples Bookes and Bible: And that the Altar and Images did much adorne and beautifie the Church, which now (being dispoyled of these Ornaments) seemes to bee bare and naked like a Wildernesse.

Now therefore the better to meet with, and satisfie such conceited thoughts, I will for this time lay aside and pretermit the Text of the Gospell appointed for this day; and briefly, yet plainly and euidently declare vnto you, what al∣mighty Gods will and pleasure is, concerning such Images and Altars. Which will and plea∣sure of God, when it shall be brought forth, and made manifest out of the holy Scripture, as cleere as the day light and bright Sun-shine, then shall

not any bee iustly offended, at the clensing and purging of this Church from Images. But all godly minded people that doe see it, or shall heare of it, will spiritually much reioyce thereat, and be heartily thankefull for the same, first vnto the most high God, & next vnto his royal Maiesty.

Wherefore that all may become profitable vn∣to vs, we will first call vpon our Lord God, for the grace and assistance of his holy Spirit, with the same prayer which our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe hath taught vs, saying, Our Father, &c.

The Text.

Thus spake the strong and iealous God, out of the fire vnto the people of Israel: EXOD. 20. 4, 5, 6. Thou shalt not make vnto 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 wa∣ter vnder the Earth. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them, nor serue them: For I the LORD thy God am a iealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee: And shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue mee, and keepe my Commandements.

The Exposition.

ANd if Moses and Aaron stood here together, yet could they not sufficiētly vtter, with what

a fiery zeale the Lord God hath forbidden, to make & worship Images. For when the Lord gaue the ten Commandements, he threatned not in a∣ny Commandement so hard and grieuous a pu∣nishment vnto the transgressors; and promised not in any Commandement vnto the obedient perfor∣mers, so large a blessing, as in the Commande∣ment of Images. For hee will punish those who transgresse this Commandement, euen vnto the fourth generation; but will richly and ouer-abun∣dantly reward those with grace and mercy, who obediently obserue and keepe this Commande∣ment.

And the Lord God hath not repeated any Commandement so often, as hee hath done euen this Commandement of Images. For in the twen∣tieth Chapter of Exodus, when hee first gaue the ten Commandements, he doth not therupon pre∣sently repeat any other Cōmandement, then this, and saith: Ye haue seene that I haue talked with you * 1.1 from Heauen. Therefore yee shall not make with me (any thing) Gods of Siluer, neither shall ye make vnto you Gods of Gold. And when Moses was ready to dye, & admonisheth the people of their dutie, he presseth not any Inhibition so deeply in∣to their hearts, as euen that Inhibition of Images. For in the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomie, he thus speaketh vnto the people: Take ye therefore * 1.2 good heed vnto your selues. (For ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb, out of the fire.) Lest ye corrupt your selues, and 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

cording to his Essence and being: But yet he may bee grauen and pictured according to that forme, wherein he appeared vnto diuers of the faithfull in the old Testament.

To which I answere: God may at his pleasure, [Ans.] appeare in what forme or shape he will; but yet it becommeth vs to follow his Commandement: Thou shalt not make vnto thee any Image. Againe, Make not vnto you any Image, the likenesse of any fi∣gure. Besides, the formes and shapes wherein the Lord God did at any time appeare vnto any of the Saints, were not in any wise Gods Image and Pi∣cture. For God onely tooke such formes & shapes vpon him but for a time, and did soone after, lay them aside againe. And thus did he also shew and reueale himselfe, sometimes now presently after this forme, then anon againe, after another forme; in so much that a man must needs stand in doubt, which forme and shape was Gods true likenesse and similitude. Therefore the Prophet Esay, not∣withstanding he had seene the Lord sit on the Cir∣cle * 1.3 of the Earth, euen aboue on high, as vpon an eleuated seat, whose clothing filled the Temple; yet doth he reprooue all them who will make any Image, likenesse, or similitude of God, and asketh as was heard, saying: To whom then will ye liken me?

3. So also God should not, nor ought to bee * 1.4 grauen or pictured. For such Imagery is both hurt full vnto men, and dishonourable vnto God. It is hurtfull vnto men; for a man may soone thereby corrupt and vndoe himselfe, yea, and prouoke the

Lord God vnto anger against him, as it is written in the fore-alleaged fourth of Deuteronomy. It is dishonorable, and a disparagement vnto the Lord God, as whose Glory and Maiesty cannot by any meanes be grauen or pictured, with any manner of visible Image or Picture. Whence it is, that the holy Apostle Paul writes in the first Chapter to the Romanes, That the Heathen became Fooles, * 1.5 when they changed the glory of the vncorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible man, & birds, and to foure footed beasts, & creeping things.

This doctrine of ours concerning the forbidden Images and Pictures of God, is so cleere and eui∣dent, that it is also acknowledged of sundry prin∣cipal Popish Diuines, to be sound, good, and agree∣able to the will of God. For one of them called Gabriel Vasquetz, acknowledgeth plainly, speaking * 1.6 of adoration; that all manner of picturing of God, is directly forbidden in the second Commande∣ment. And the chiefe Sorbon Doctors at Paris, Claudius Espencaeus, Salignacus, Picherellus, as as also with them Bishop Monlucius haue long since shewed (as is to bee seene in the History of the Reformed Churches in France the fourth Booke) that they therefore wished, that all Ima∣ges and Pictures of the holy Trinitie, were cleane remoued and wholly put out of Churches and Houses, seeing the same are plainly forbidden by the Holy Scripture, by Councels, and by many godly, learned, and much praysed worthy men.

But yet here, mee thinkes, I heare some man ob∣iect [Obiect.]

againe and demand: Seeing that the Sonne of God is become man, whether he may not be pic∣tured according to his humanity?

To which I answere: Christ came not therefore [Ans.] into the World, that men might take his Picture; but that men should beleeue in him, and conuert themselues vnto him. And therefore is it, that we haue not any Commandement at all, to make any such Image or Picture, nor yet haue any example thereof in all the whole new Testament. As also he cannot possibly at this day be truly pictured, no not according to his humanitie, seeing there liues not now any man on the Earth that hath seene him. And heere hence it is, that one doth paint him with a yellowish, another with a flaxen, a third with a black, the fourth with a brown beard. And so then a man must take that for Christ his Picture, which the Painter holds in his opinion to be the best. Not to say any thing, that seeing Christ being true God and man, is in one person, they who boast to haue his Image and Picture, haue thereof notwithstanding but a false Christ.

Now as concerning the Images and Pictures of * 1.7 the Virgin Mary, of Elizabeth, and of other ho∣ly Saints: If a man knew of what forme and fa∣shion they properly were indeed, their Pictures might well be had in priuate houses. But they are not by any meanes to be there set vp in those pla∣ces, where men performe Gods publique seruice and worship, neither to bee prayed vnto, no nor yet for ornament sake. Not to bee prayed vnto,

that being a chiefe part of Gods worship. For it is written: Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe vnto * 1.8 them, nor serue them. And againe, Thou shalt wor∣ship * 1.9 the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serue, which is taken from the Law in Deuterono∣mie, * 1.10 where the word (onely) is wanting, and sup∣plyed by Christ as being Gods true meaning. Not for ornament sake; for it is written: Abstaine * 1.11 from all appearance of euill. Now the Images set vpin holy places, haue the appearance of being prayed vnto and worshipped: For there are many people who thinke and are perswaded, they are set vp there for that very end & purpose. And if they had not that appearance, yet there is great danger therein, that they may be prayed vnto, and wor∣shipped of superstitious people: as we haue hither∣unto seene, that it hath beene but too much prac∣tised in this place. And we ought, as much as in vs lyeth, indeuour to auoyd and preuent such danger. For it is written: Thou shalt not put a stumbling * 1.12 block before the blind, but thou shalt feare thy God, saith the Lord in Leuiticus. And againe, Christ * 1.13 saith, (out of Deut. 6. 16.) Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Wherefore the consequent follow∣eth not, nor is of any value: It is lawfull to haue the Pictures of the Apostles, and of other holy Saints of God in priuate houses: Therefore it is also lawfull to haue and set them vp publikely in Churches. For in a priuate house, (where the In∣habitants bee not superstitious) there is no appea∣rance of praying vnto them, and worshipping of

them, nor yet of any danger that they might bee prayed vnto, and worshipped of other superstiti∣ous people, and therefore are not there vnlawfull. And so much shall suffice to haue spoken of the first maine point; namely, that God should not nor ought not, that God cannot bee grauen or pi∣ctured.

Of the second.

But yet there are people here found, who giue * 1.14 out, that it is true indeed, men should not pray, nor giue reuerence or worship vnto the Images & Pictures; yea, and that they themselues also doe it not. But yet say, that men may honour and wor∣ship God by and through the Pictures, according as these wordes following, stood written here on the beame vnder the great Crucifix:

Effigiem Christi, cùm transis semper honora: Non tamen effigiem, sed quem designat adora.

That is:

When ere thou do'st before Christs Image stand, Or passe it by; giue honour out of hand: Yet not to th' Image, which thine eyes doe see; But to the Lord it represents to thee.

Whereunto we giue this answere: That it were much to be desired, that Images were not indeed prayed vnto, and worshipped at all. But the prac∣tice and experience teacheth far otherwise: whilst it is daily seene, how the people doe come, and bow themselues before the Altars, Images and

Crucifixes; how they put off their Hats vnto them; how they kindle Lamps and Tapers vnto them. And should many of them see, that a Cru∣cisix should bee hewed in pieces, or burned into ashes, oh! how would euen their very heart then bleed for giefe? This is indeed truly to doe reue∣rence and honour vnto Images, and make Idols of them. But goe too: Say, they pray not vnto the Images; say, they giue no reuerence, nor doe ho∣nour and worship vnto them. Yet will not God haue, nor can endure, that we pray vnto him, that we worship him, and that we giue him honour in, by, or through Images. For hee saith at once roundly and expresly out: They shall not bee bowed downe vnto, nor serued. In which words he forbids all manner of seruice, honour, or wor∣ship, that may any way whatsoeuer be giuen vnto Images. As also it is written, Iohn 14. 6. that No man can come to the Father but by the Sonne: not by Images & sencelesse dumbe Idols. Besides, it excu∣seth not their Idolatry at all, that they pretend & say; that through and by the Image, they pray vn∣to and call vpon the Sauiour. For the Israelites would not be taken or thought to pray vnto, and worship the golden Calfe: as they themselues al∣so say, To morrow is a Feast (not vnto the Calf, but) * 1.15 vnto the Lord. And yet neuerthelesse the Lord saith vnto Moses, They haue worshipped the Calfe, and haue sacrificed thereunto, and therefore his wrath was waxen hot against the people to haue con∣sumed them. Yea, it faileth so farre that God will

be worshipped by Imagēs, as that he will not at all be so much as serued BEFORE IMAGES. For thus sound forth aloud his owne words. Yee * 1.16 shall make you no Idols nor grauen Image, neither reare you vp a standing Image, (or Pillar) neither shall yee set vp any Image of stone in your Land, to bow down vnto it, or before it. And therfore before Images we ought not to pray, not to baptize, not to administer the Lords Super. For whether a mā hood-winke himselfe, or no; whether a man see the Images, or see them not; yet it is all one, and directly against the will of God, that any should pray before Images.

If now it be not lawfull at all for vs to honour and worship the Lord Christ through and by I∣mages; then is it much lesse lawfull for vs to ho∣nour and worship the Saints deceassed, as the Vir∣gin Mary, Peter, Wenceslaus, Rochus, Sebastian & others, by and before the Images. For, besides that the Saints departed are not to be worshipped or prayed vnto, neither in regard of themselues; for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy * 1.17 God, and him onely shalt thou serue: nor yet in re∣gard of their being Mediators and Intercessors: For it is written: For there is one God, and one Me∣diator betweene God and Men, euen the Man Christ * 1.18 Iesus. Wherefore; If any man sinne, wee haue an * 1.19 Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righte∣ous: And hee maketh intercession for the Saints ac∣cording * 1.20 to the will of God. For hee is entered into * 1.21 Heauen it selfe, now to appeare in the presence of

God for vs. And therefore they haue great need to looke well about them and consider, how they will one day answere for it before God, who now so much loue Images, as that they honour them with the putting off of the Hat, with kneeling, and with other like Ceremonies. For they belong vn∣to the number of those, of whom the Prophet I∣saiah speaketh in his second Chapter, saying: Their * 1.22 Land is full of Idols, they worship the worke of their owne hands, that which their owne fingers haue made. There the meane men bow downe, & the great men humble themselues: This thou wilt not forgiue them.

Of the third.

Here hence now it is easie to conclude, what * 1.23 then a Christian Magistrate is to doe, when for his seruing of God he taketh in a Church, which is re∣plenished with Idol-Images? The Lord him∣selfe determines the matter, Exod. 34. 13. Thou shalt destroy their Altars, breake downe their Ima∣ges, and cut downe their groues. And Deut. 7. 5. Thus shall ye deale with them; Ye shall destroy their Altars, and breake downe their groues, and burne their gra∣uen Images with fire. Againe, Deut. 12. 3. You shall ouerthrow their Altars, and breake their Pillars, and burne their groues with fire, and you shall hewe downe the grauen Images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. And 1. Sam. 7. 3. Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying: If ye doe returne vnto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth from among 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

The first supposed ground is,

That God speaketh in the ten Commandements, [Obiect. 1] of the Idol-Images of the Heathen and vnbeleeuing people: Therefore the Commandement of Images, concerneth not at all the Images of Christians vn∣der the new Testament.

The Answere is: It is false, that God in the old [Ans.] Testament, spake onely of the Idols of the Hea∣then. For the tenne Commandements are Gods e∣uerlasting vnchangeable will, and extend vnto all people, and euery one in the whole World; as also vnto all and euery age and time, both of the olde and new Testament. Now as a Thiefe or an Adul∣terer in the new Testament, sinnes as well against the ten Cōmandements, as did a Thiefe and an A∣dulterer in the old Testament: euen so, whosoeuer honoureth and worshippeth Images in the new Testament, he sinneth as wel against the ten Com∣mandements, as hee who did honour and worship Idols in the old Testament.

The second supposed ground.

Yet God himselfe had in Salomons Temple all [Obiect. 2] manner of Images.

I answere: It is very true indeed: But there [Ans.] were not there any Images at all of any of the Saints departed, as of Abraham, of Isaack, and of Iacob; there were not any Historicall commemo∣ratiue Images, of which it is here spoken.

The third supposed ground.

But yet the common lay people may by Images bee [Obiect. 3] put in mind of many good things: especially by the Crucifix, of the Death and Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ.

I answere: It stands not in mans will and plea∣sure, [Ans.] that hee institute and ordayne vnto himselfe, a publike remembrance and commemoration of the benefits of God; but that belongs vnto the Lord God alone to doe, as it is written, Psal. 111. 4 He hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in re∣membrance: the Lord is gracious and full of compas∣sion. And euen for this purpose hath the Lord God ordayned the preaching of his Gospell, that by the same the benefits of our Lord Christ might bee as it were together painted before mens eyes: According as the Apostle Saint Paul witnesseth of himselfe, Gal. 3. 1. 2. 5, 6. &c. That he had euident∣ly set forth Iesus Christ before their eyes; not by a Crucifix, but as himselfe further acknowledgeth, through and by the preaching and hearing of faith. And euen to this end did our Lord Iesus institute his holy Supper, that we should celebrate it in re∣membrance * 1.24 of him. For the bread that we breake, * 1.25 is it not a notable remembrance (I beseech you) that Iesus Christ endured and suffered for vs ma∣ny bitter sorrowes, and such as neuer man suffered (Consider, and behold, if euer there were sorrow like * 1.26 my sorrow) and at length death it selfe, when bo∣dy and soule were pulled asunder the one from the other vpon the Crosse? The Cup of Blessing or Thanksgiuing, is it not an excellent remem∣brance, that the bloud of Christ Iesus ranne gent∣ly out of his body, and was shed for our sinnes? These Remembrancers hath our Lord Christ in∣stituted, and Saint Paul hath repeated them. But

the Idoll and Imagery Remembrancers hath An∣tichrist, euen the Pope instituted. Before whose being, there was not any Image-remembrancer knowne of in the Church of God. But this was well knowne, that euery Image was falshood, Ier. 10. 14. And that they be teachers of lyes, Habac. 2. 18.

The fourth supposed ground is an Obiection made by Protestants:

For the abuse of a thing, a man must not there∣fore [Obiect. 4] cast away the thing it selfe: As a man will not cast away good Wine, because that some abuse it to drunkennesse. Euen so we may still retayne Images in Protestant Churches, if we doe but forbeare to wor∣ship them and pray vnto them.

I answere: This rule (A thing is not therefore presently to be cast away, because it hath beene a∣bused) [Ans.] hath not any place or being, in those things which are not of themselues necessary, and yet are withall dangerous. Now all Protestants doe ac∣knowledge and confesse that Images are not of themselues at all necessary. And that they are dangerous, wee haue here seene and beheld with our eyes in this very Church. Therefore Images may not by the foresaid Rule, bee at all defended or excused. Besides, who knoweth not that the brazen Serpent commanded by God to bee set vp * 1.27 and looked vpon, was againe broken downe, when it came to be worshipped by the people?

The fift supposed ground.

Why (may some say) thou standest now thy selfe [Obiect. 5] in that Pulpit, from whence much Idolatrous mat∣ter

hath bin preached. Thou doest celebrate the Lords Supper in that Church, wherein the Papists haue held their Masse. Wherefore then is not both Pulpit and Church broken downe together?

I answere: We teach not that all that should be [Ans.] broken downe, which men haue abused, or might abuse vnto Idolatry. For so should Heauen, and all created things bee destroyed. But wee teach thus, That all those things which a man may well spare, and which are dangerous, and may lightly giue vnto this or that body an occasion to Idola∣try, bee in time remoued and cast away, agreeably vnto the cleere and plaine Word of God, 1. Tim. 5. 22. Be not partaker of other mens sins: keepe thy selfe pure. Againe Thou shalt not tempt the LORD thy God. According to this Rule did the godly Priests (in the time of magnanimous, heroicall Champion Iudas Maccabeus) reforme all, when as the holy Place had bin grieuously prophaned by that wicked Antiochus. They brake not down the Temple, in which there had beene shamefull Ido∣latry commited: but they clensed, and bare the defiled stones into an vncleane place, as it is written, 1. Mac. 4. 42. 43. According to this Rule, our Lord, Mat. 21. 12, 13. made reformation at Hierusalem. For he neither brake downe the Temple, nor yet the Pharisies Pulpit, from whence they taught meerely mens traditions and inuentions. But he cast out all them that bought and sold in the Temple, and ouerthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold Doues; wherby they had made his House of Prayer, a Den of theeues. The 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

What? Will ye be wiser then the Ancients? Our [Obiect. 8] fore-fathers had for many hundred yeares agoe, the Images in worth and honour in this place.

I answere: Whether in this respect wee will bee [Ans.] wiser then the Ancients, I therunto let King Dauid answere in his 119. Psalme, 100. v. where he saith: I vnderstand more then the Ancients, because I keep thy Precepts. But if a man will enquire of the age of Images amongst Christians, then it will ap∣peare, that afore twelue hundred yeares, afore thirteene hundred yeares, afore fourteene hun∣dred yeares, afore fifteene hundred yeares, afore sixteene hundred yeares, there was not any I∣mage of God the Father, any Image of God the Sonne, any Image of God the Holy Ghost, any Image of any Saint departed, found at all in any of the Christians Churches and Houses of Prayer. Yea, looke how many Images, how many Altars, how many Challices, how many Massing Vest∣ments are yet found amongst vs; so many present witnesses are there, that wee are stept aside from the ancient simplicitie: when as they knew not of any Image, of any Altar, of any Challice, of any Massing Vestments. As the same is as cleere as the Sun-shine, to be shewed out of Iustin Martyrs se∣cond Apologie, out of Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and other much esteemed worthy anci∣ent Fathers.

The ninth supposed ground.

And if we will haue the Images put downe, then [Obiect. 9] ought they first to be put out of mens hearts, and af∣terwards from before their eyes.

I answere: Thus say men here on Earth; and it [Ans.] is all earthly humane reason. But God that is in Heauen, saith farre otherwise: Breake them downe, destroy them, burne them; that is, put them away from before your eyes, and out of your sight. And that not without great reason. For euen like as a man will not see a Thiefe that hee steale, and will not see an Adulterer that hee breake Wedlocke, with an opinion that Theft and Adultery must be first shewed vnto him out of Gods Word to bee vnlawfull: Euen so should not, nor can a Christian Magistrate see and behold that men rob the Lord of his honour, and vse alliance with Images; see∣ing the Commandement: Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe any Image, thou shalt not bow downe vnto it nor worship it; is euen as cleere and euident, as the Commandements: Thou shalt not steale: Thou shalt not commit Adultery.

The tenth supposed ground.

The people are offended at the taking downe, re∣mouing and putting away of Images. * 1.28

I answere: They tooke offence also at our Lord Christs preching, Ioh. 6. Should not Christ therfore haue preached? Whosoeuer doth the will of God, he hath not any need to feare any offence at all to be by him occasioned and giuen. But whosoeuer is offended at the full doing of the will of God, hee sinneth both against God, & against his Neighbor.

Out of all which, euery one may well perceiue and vnderstand, what a number of weighty and perswasiue reasons did together inforce his Roy∣all

Maiestie is not at all any way purposed, to compell or grieue any mans conscience: as also hee hath neuer yet done in his own hereditary Coun∣tries. For in this respect, he holds with the Empe∣ror Maximilian the second, who was wont to say: That Kings commanded and bare Rule ouer their Subiects bodies, but not ouer their Consciences. But yet for all this, his Royall Maiestie will not (as it were not sitting he should) haue his owne Consci∣ence insnared; and therefore desireth to serue the Lord God, according to that cleere knowledge wherewith God hath enlightned him, and accor∣ding to that his will, which he hath reuealed vnto him. And what that reuealed will of God is, yee haue now alreadie sufficiently vnderstood: Name∣ly, that

He will not be pictured, as also hee ought not, nor yet can be pictured.

He wil not be honored, by, through, or before Images

He will, that men breake downe all Images, and wholy depend on him alone with all the heart.

Whosoeuer therefore now (in the feare of God) truly thinkes on all these things, hee will not at all be offended at the remouing, and casting away of all Images herehence: But hee will much rather, greatly thanke the Lord God, that the publique abhomination and great offence, is in time remoo∣ued and taken away.

And if yet there should perhaps be any, who hath notwithstanding still some doubt and scruple in his minde, let him but please confidently to

come vnto vs: and he shall with all loue, mildnes, and well befitting good resolution bee answered, and haue more full information and satisfaction giuen vnto him by vs out of Gods Word. For it is our very intent and purpose, wholly so to labour and indeauour to bring much people vnto sauing knowledge, as that therby they may rightly come to know, and gladly acknowledge the true Will of God, and according to such knowledge, zealously and faithfully to serue him. Whereunto, the Lord vouchsafe both vnto vs & to you the holy Spirit, who hath promised and bound himselfe to giue it vs, if we call faithfully vpon him for it: euen Iesus Christ the righteous, blessed and praysed, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, now & for euer, Amen.

The Prayer after the Sermon.

ALmighty, most mercifull, most gracious, lo∣uing God and Father, we giue thee most hum∣ble prayse and thankes for all thy mercies and be∣nefits, which wee vncessantly haue receiued, and stil do of thy rich goodnesse; that thou hast so gra∣ciously gouerned vs all the whole time of our life long, protected and preserued vs, and euen hither∣unto hast kept vs. But especially and aboue all wee thanke thee deare Father, that thou hast suffered vs to liue to see the good day, wherin this Church is clensed and purged from all Idolatry & Images.

Wee beseech thee O eternall Lord God, graci∣ously to enlighten their eyes, who yet sit in the dark•• 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 22. 22, 23.
• * 1.2

  Deut. 4. 15, 16, 17, 18.
• * 1.3

  Esay 40. 22, 25.
• * 1.4

  3. God should not, nor ought to be pictured.
• * 1.5

  Ro. 1. 22, 23.
• * 1.6

  Lib. 2. de a∣dorat. disp. 4. cap. 2.
• * 1.7

  Of the Images of Saints.
• * 1.8

  Exod. 20. 5.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 4. 10.
• * 1.10

  Deut. 6. 3. & 10. 20.
• * 1.11

  1. Thes. 5. 22
• * 1.12

  Leuit. 19. 14
• * 1.13

  Mat. 4. 7.
• * 1.14

  2. God will not be called vpon or honoured by Images.
• * 1.15

  Exod. 32. 5, 8, 10.
• * 1.16

  Leuit. 26. 1.
• * 1.17

  Mat. 4. 10.
• * 1.18

  1. Tim. 2. 5.
• * 1.19

  1. Iohn 2. 1.
• * 1.20

  Rom. 8. 27.
• * 1.21

  Heb. 9. 24.
• * 1.22

  Isai. 2. 8, 9.
• * 1.23

  3. That Chri∣stian Magi∣strates ought to remoue all Images from the Churches, they meane to worship God in.
• * 1.24

  Luke 22. 19.
• * 1.25

  1. Cor. 11. 24 25, 26.
• * 1.26

  Lam. 1. 12.
• * 1.27

  2. Kin. 18. 4.
• * 1.28

  10. Obiect.