Wesley Corpus

On the contrary, the Second Commandment teaches us, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,” &c. “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.” In which there are two words to be considered: The one, pesel, which we rightly translate graven image; for it properly signifies anything carved and cut out of wood or stone; and so it is about forty times rendered in the Greek translation, 7 Aurlov, “a graven thing.” So that an idol and an image are there forbidden. The next word is themunah, which doth properly signify a similitude or likeness, (as is confessed,) and is always so translated. And thus it was understood by the Fathers. So Justin Martyr, when he recites this law, saith, “God forbad every image and similitude,” sixova was ouoloux. And therefore Cassander grants that the ancient Christians “abhorred all veneration of images.” (Consult, art. 21, de Imagin.) Indeed, the command is so express against this practice, that there has been a kind of self-condemnation in the Church of Rome; whilst they commonly either altogether leave out this Commandment, (The Child's Catechism, printed 1678) or render it imperfectly and by halves: “Thou shalt not make to thee an idol.” Q. 45. What do they profess is their intention in the reverence they give to images and pictures? A. They declare that the honour given to images and pictures is referred to the prototypes, (Concil. Trid, ibid.,) or the persons represented by them, whether God the Father, Christ, angels, or saints; and when they fall down before the image or picture, they worship God, or Christ, the angel, or saint. REPLY. If an image be a representation of a divine person, and worship be due to the image for the sake of the person represented in it; then, such as the person is, such must the worship be that is due to his image; and what is due to the person, if present, is due to the image in his absence. For to give one honour to the person, and another to the image; a superior to the person, and an inferior to the image; is to terminate the worship in the image, and not pass it from thence to the person, as Gretser, the Jesuit, argues: (De Cruce, l. 1, c. 49, sec.