A catechism, or, Familiar instructions on the principal points of the Christian religion written for the use of his own family by Mr. Drelincourt.

Of the second Commandment.

Quest. SAY the second Commandment?

A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the Waters under the Earth, thou shalt not bow to them, nor worship them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children, to the third and fourth generation, of them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thousands, in them that love me, and keep my Commandments.

Q. Is not this one and the same Commandment with the proceeding?

A. No. For in the precedent God teaches

us who it is whom we ought to adore, and wor∣ship, and in that he teaches us how we ought to adore and worship him.

Q. Those of the Church of Rome blame us, that we teach you to say, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, and hold that it must be said, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Idol, what do you say to that?

A. I say that they are very ill grounded, and that they contradict themselves, for in the French Bible of Lovaine in the 5th Chap. of Deut. there is, thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Representation, or any Representa∣tion graven, and Image graven; it is the same thing furthermore in the old Edition of the same Bible, in the 20 of Exod. and the 5. of Deut. you'll find these words, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, in some new Heures, Printed at Paris, with approbation and privi∣ledge you'll find this, You shall not make to your self any Idol, or graven Image; in fine, the Latin Bible, which was declared Canonical in the Councel of Trent, bears formally, thou shalt not make any sculptory work.

Q. Have we great Interest that it be said, thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, or else thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Idol?

A. We have no other interest in it, than that of the Truth; for let it be Image or Idol, it is no matter; since the Law of God adds, nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the Water under

the Earth; and the Images of the Church of Rome are the likeness of the things that are in Heaven and in Earth, and consequently they are forbidden by the Law of God.

Q. But doth God forbid generally all sorts of Images?

A. There are two sorts of Images, some are made to represent the Creator, and the others to be the Effigies of the Creatures, these to Re∣present the Creator are absolutely forbidden.

Q. What proof have you thereof?

A. It is impossible to have a clearer one, or more convincing, than that of the 4. Chapt. of Deut. Take you therefore good heed unto your selves, (for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire) Lest you cor∣rupt your self, and make you a graven Image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of Male or Female, and in Isaiah the 40. To whom then will you liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him: wherefore God puts a∣mongst the greatest sins of the Antient Heathens, that of having changed the glory of the Incor∣ruptible God into an Image made like to Cor∣ruptible. Man, and to Birds and four-footed Beasts, and creeping things. Rom 1.

Q. What do you say of the Imag••s, which are made to represent the Creatures?

A. The Images of the Creatures are of two uses, the one Political and Civil, and the other Sacred and Religious. The civil use of Images is not forbidden, and there may be some to serve for Ornament and for Memorial; but God will not have them be employed for his

worship, and in regard of that he saith, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, &c.

Q But did not God command Moses to make gold Cherubims, and to set them on the mercy seat.

A. He who makes the Law is above the Law, God doth not say, I who am your Lord and your God will never make any graven Image, but he saith, thou shalt not make to thy self, that is to say, of thine head, and of thine In∣vention; besides those Cherubims were only symbolical figures of the vertue and offices of Angels, and were not exposed to the peoples view; so that there was no danger of Idolatry thereby.

Q. Did not Moses make a Brazen Serpent which he did set up in the Wilderness. Numb. 21.

A. Yes, but he did not make it of himself, God expresly commanded it, he did not set up that Serpent to be worshipped, but only to be seen, and when afterward the Children of Israel committed Idolatry, and burnt In∣cense unto it, the King Ezechias did break it in pieces, and said it was but a piece of brass. 2 Kings 18.

Q But if we did meet with those who have ve∣neration for Images, should we do ill, if to have peace with them, we did accommodate our selves to their Worship?

A. Yes most assuredly, for God doth not only forbid to make Images to employ them to his Worship, but in case that there be some made, he forbids us to prostrate our selves before them, ••nd to worship them.

Q. Those of the Church of Rome, do they sin against this Divine Ordinance?

A. Yes, most visibly: for they set in their Temples all sorts of Images, they put them up∣on their Altars, and render them the honour which God forbids; they pull off their Hats to them, they bow to them; they kiss them, and kneel before them; that is directly against the formal words of this Law, thou shalt not bow down to them; besides, they dress them up, they crown them with Flowers, they light Candles to them, they burn Incense to them; they carry them upon their Shoulders in processions, and they go unto them in Pilgrimages; all which is against what is said, thou shalt not worship them.

Q. Why is that God calls himself jealous?

A. To speak properly, it is not that God has the passion of jealousy which troubles men, but by that he will reach us first, that he loves us ardently; secondly, that he cannot bear a com∣parison, nor his Glory to be given to another; thirdly, that he will punish rigorously all Ido∣laters.

Q Why is it that in the threatning of his punish∣ments, he mentions but three or four Generations, but that he stretches his promise of Graces and Mercy unto thousands.

A. To shew us that he is more inclined to be merciful than to exercise vengeance, so that the saying of St. James may be applied to him, that Mercy rejoyceth over Judgment, Jer. 2.

Q: But doth God punish all the Children of the wicked?

A. If the Children of the wicked follow the way of their Father, God will punish them two∣fold, because of the criminal life of their pre∣decessors,

but if they repent and live in the fear of God, the sins of their Fathers shall not be imputed to them, for the Father shall not bear the iniquity of the Son, and the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father, but the Soul of him that sineth, is that which shall dye, Ezek. 18.

Q. And doth God pour down his Graces upon all the Children of the faithful?

A. Yes, upon all those who imitate the Piety of their Fathers; nay, have a twofold blessing of all sorts of blessings; but as to those who turn aside from it, and who give themselves to do evil, they bring upon them the wrath of God and his just vengeance.

Q. Can you tell what is the design of this second Commandment, and what God demands of us therein?

A. The same which our Lord Jesus Chirst teaches us, in John 4. that the Father will have true worshippers, who worship him in spirit and truth. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth.

Notes

• A Manual of Prayer of the Church of Rome.