AnotherrelicofGentilismistheworshipofimages，neitherinstitutedbyMosesintheOld，norbyChristintheNewTestament；
noryetbroughtinfromtheGentiles；butleftamongstthem，aftertheyhadgiventheirnamestoChrist。BeforeourSaviourpreached，itwasthegeneralreligionoftheGentilestoworshipforgodsthoseappearancesthatremaininthebrainfromtheimpressionofexternalbodiesupontheorgansoftheirsenses，whicharecommonlycalledideas，idols，phantasms，conceits，asbeingrepresentationsofthoseexternalbodieswhichcausethem，andhavenothinginthemofreality，nomorethanthereisinthethingsthatseemtostandbeforeusinadream。AndthisisthereasonwhySt。Paulsays，“Weknowthatanidolisnothing“：notthathethoughtthatanimageofmetal，stone，orwoodwasnothing；butthatthethingwhichtheyhonoredorfearedintheimage，andheldforagod，wasamerefigment，withoutplace，habitation，motion，orexistence，butinthemotionsofthebrain。AndtheworshipofthesewithdivinehonouristhatwhichisintheScripturecalledidolatry，andrebellionagainstGod。ForGodbeingKingoftheJews，andHislieutenantbeingfirstMoses，andafterwardthehighpriest，ifthepeoplehadbeenpermittedtoworshipandpraytoimageswhicharerepresentationsoftheirownfancies，theyhadhadnofurtherdependenceonthetrueGod，ofwhomtherecanbenosimilitude；noronHisprimeministers，Mosesandthehighpriests；buteverymanhadgovernedhimselfaccordingtohisownappetite，totheuttereversionoftheCommonwealth，andtheirowndestructionforwantofunion。AndthereforethefirstlawofGodwas：
theyshouldnottakeforgods，alienosdeos，thatis，thegodsofothernations，butthatonlytrueGod，whovouchsafedtocommunewithMoses，andbyhimtogivethemlawsanddirectionsfortheirpeace，andfortheirsalvationfromtheirenemies。Andthesecondwasthattheyshouldnotmaketothemselvesanyimagetoworship，oftheirowninvention。Foritisthesamedeposingofakingtosubmittoanotherking，whetherhebesetupbyaneighbournationorbyourselves。
TheplacesofScripturepretendedtocountenancethesettingupofimagestoworshipthem，ortosetthemupatallintheplaceswhereGodisworshipped，are，first，twoexamples；oneofthecherubimovertheArkofGod；theotherofthebrazenserpent：secondly，sometextswherebywearecommandedtoworshipcertaincreaturesfortheirrelationtoGod；astoworshipHisfootstool：andlastly，someothertexts，bywhichisauthorizedareligioushonouringofholythings。ButbeforeIexaminetheforceofthoseplaces，toprovethatwhichispretended，Imustfirstexplainwhatistobeunderstoodbyworshipping，andwhatbyimagesandidols。
Ihavealreadyshown，inthetwentiethChapterofthisdiscourse，thattohonouristovaluehighlythepowerofanyperson，andthatsuchvalueismeasuredbyourcomparinghimwithothers。ButbecausethereisnothingtobecomparedwithGodinpower，wehonourHimnot，butdishonourHim，byanyvaluelessthaninfinite。Andthushonourisproperlyofitsownnaturesecret，andinternalintheheart。Buttheinwardthoughtsofmen，whichappearoutwardlyintheirwordsandactions，arethesignsofourhonouring，andthesegobythenameofworship；inLatin，cultus。Therefore，toprayto，toswearby，toobey，tobediligentandofficiousinserving；insum，allwordsandactionsthatbetokenfeartooffend，ordesiretoplease，isworship，whetherthosewordsandactionsbesincereorfeigned：andbecausetheyappearassignsofhonouringareordinarilyalsocalledhonour。
Theworshipweexhibittothoseweesteemtobebutmen，astokingsandmeninauthority，iscivilworship：buttheworshipweexhibittothatwhichwethinktobeGod，whatsoeverthewords，ceremonies，gestures，orotheractionsbe，isdivineworship。Tofallprostratebeforeaking，inhimthatthinkshimbutaman，isbutcivilworship：
andhethatbutputtethoffhishatinthechurch，forthiscause，thathethinkethitthehouseofGod，worshippethwithdivineworship。
Theythatseekthedistinctionofdivineandcivilworship，notintheintentionoftheworshipper，butinthewordsdouleiaandlatreia，deceivethemselves。Forwhereastherebetwosortsofservants：thatsortwhichisofthosethatareabsolutelyinthepoweroftheirmasters，asslavestakeninwar，andtheirissue，whosebodiesarenotintheirownpowertheirlivesdependingonthewilloftheirmasters，insuchmannerastoforfeitthemupontheleastdisobedience，andthatareboughtandsoldasbeasts，werecalledDouloi，thatisproperly，slaves，andtheirservice，Douleia；theother，whichisofthosethatserveforhire，orinhopeofbenefitfromtheirmastersvoluntarily，arecalledThetes，thatis，domesticservants；towhoseservicethemastershavenofurtherrightthaniscontainedinthecovenantsmadebetwixtthem。Thesetwokindsofservantshavethusmuchcommontothemboth，thattheirlabourisappointedthembyanother：andthewordLatrisisthegeneralnameofboth，signifyinghimthatworkethforanother，whetherasaslaveoravoluntaryservant。Sothatlatreiasignifiethgenerallyallservice；butdouleiatheserviceofbondmenonly，andtheconditionofslavery：andbothareusedinScripture，tosignifyourserviceofGod，promiscuously。Douleia，becauseweareGod’sslaves；latreia，becauseweserveHim：andinallkindsofserviceiscontained，notonlyobedience，butalsoworship；thatis，suchactions，gestures，andwordsassignifyhonour。
Animage，inthemoststrictsignificationoftheword，istheresemblanceofsomethingvisible：inwhichsensethefantasticalforms，apparitions，orseemingsofvisiblebodiestothesight，areonlyimages；suchasaretheshowofamanorotherthinginthewater，byreflectionorrefraction；orofthesunorstarsbydirectvisionintheair；whicharenothingrealinthethingsseen，norintheplacewheretheyseemtobe；noraretheirmagnitudesandfiguresthesamewiththatoftheobject，butchangeable，bythevariationoftheorgansofsight，orbyglasses；andarepresentoftentimesinourimagination，andinourdreams，whentheobjectisabsent；orchangedintoothercolours，andshapes，asthingsthatdependonlyuponthefancy。Andthesearetheimageswhichareoriginallyandmostproperlycalledideasandidols，andderivedfromthelanguageoftheGrecians，withwhomthewordeidosignifiethtosee。Theyarealsocalledphantasms，whichisinthesamelanguage，apparitions。Andfromtheseimagesitisthatoneofthefacultiesofman’snatureiscalledtheimagination。Andfromhenceitismanifestthatthereneitheris，norcanbe，anyimagemadeofathinginvisible。
Itisalsoevidentthattherecanbenoimageofathinginfinite：
foralltheimagesandphantasmsthataremadebytheimpressionofthingsvisiblearefigured。Butfigureisquantityeverywaydetermined，andthereforetherecanbenoimageofGod，norofthesoulofman，norofspirits；butonlyofbodiesvisible，thatis，bodiesthathavelightinthemselves，orarebysuchenlightened。
Andwhereasamancanfancyshapesheneversaw，makingupafigureoutofthepartsofdiversecreatures，asthepoetsmaketheircentaurs，chimeras，andothermonstersneverseen：socanhealsogivemattertothoseshapes，andmaketheminwood，clay，ormetal。Andthesearealsocalledimages，notfortheresemblanceofanycorporealthing，butfortheresemblanceofsomefantasticalinhabitantsofthebrainofthemaker。Butintheseidols，astheyareoriginallyinthebrain，andastheyarepainted，carved，moulded，ormolteninmatter，thereisasimilitudeoftheonetotheother，forwhichthematerialbodymadebyartmaybesaidtobetheimageofthefantasticalidolmadebynature。
Butinalargeruseofthewordimageiscontainedalsoanyrepresentationofonethingbyanother。SoanearthlysovereignmaybecalledtheimageofGod，andaninferiormagistratetheimageofanearthlysovereign。AndmanytimesintheidolatryoftheGentilestherewaslittleregardtothesimilitudeoftheirmaterialidoltotheidolintheirfancy，andyetitwascalledtheimageofit。ForastoneunhewnhasbeensetupforNeptune，anddiverseothershapesfardifferentfromtheshapestheyconceivedoftheirgods。AndatthisdayweseemanyimagesoftheVirginMary，andothersaints，unlikeoneanother，andwithoutcorrespondencetoanyoneman’sfancy；
andyetservewellenoughforthepurposetheywereerectedfor，whichwasnomorebutbythenamesonlytorepresentthepersonsmentionedinthehistory；towhicheverymanappliethamentalimageofhisownmaking，ornoneatall。Andthusanimage，inthelargestsense，iseithertheresemblanceortherepresentationofsomethingvisible；
orbothtogether，asithappenethforthemostpart。
ButthenameofidolisextendedyetfurtherinScripture，tosignifyalsothesun，orastar，oranyothercreature，visibleorinvisible，whentheyareworshippedforgods。
Havingshownwhatisworship，andwhatanimage，Iwillnowputthemtogether，andexaminewhatthatidolatryiswhichisforbiddeninthesecondCommandment，andotherplacesoftheScripture。
Toworshipanimageisvoluntarilytodothoseexternalactswhicharesignsofhonouringeitherthematteroftheimagewhichiswood，stone，metal，orsomeothervisiblecreature，orthephantasmofthebrainfortheresemblanceorrepresentationwhereofthematterwasformedandfigured，orbothtogetherasoneanimatebodycomposedofthematterandthephantasm，asofabodyandsoul。
Tobeuncovered，beforeamanofpowerandauthority，orbeforethethroneofaprince，orinsuchotherplacesasheordainethtothatpurposeinhisabsence，istoworshipthatmanorprincewithcivilworship；asbeingasign，notofhonouringthestoolorplace，buttheperson，andisnotidolatry。Butifhethatdothitshouldsupposethesouloftheprincetobeinthestool，orshouldpresentapetitiontothestool，itweredivineworship，andidolatry。
Topraytoakingforsuchthingsasheisabletodoforus，thoughweprostrateourselvesbeforehim，isbutcivilworship，becauseweacknowledgenootherpowerinhimbuthuman：butvoluntarilytoprayuntohimforfairweather，orforanythingwhichGodonlycandoforus，isdivineworship，andidolatry。Ontheotherside，ifakingcompelamantoitbytheterrorofdeath，orothergreatcorporalpunishment，itisnotidolatry；fortheworshipwhichthesovereigncommandethtobedoneuntohimselfbytheterrorofhislawsisnotasignthathethatobeyethhimdoesinwardlyhonourhimasagod，butthatheisdesiroustosavehimselffromdeath，orfromamiserablelife：andthatwhichisnotasignofinternalhonourisnoworship，andthereforenoidolatry。Neithercanitbesaidthathethatdoesitscandalizethorlayethanystumblingblockbeforehisbrother：becausehowwiseorlearnedsoeverhebethatworshippethinthatmanner，anothermancannotfromthencearguethatheapprovethit，butthathedothitforfear；andthatitisnothisact，buttheactofhissovereign。
ToworshipGodinsomepeculiarplace，orturningaman’sfacetowardsanimageordeterminateplace，isnottoworshiporhonourtheplaceorimage，buttoacknowledgeitholy；thatistosay，toacknowledgetheimageortheplacetobesetapartfromcommonuse，forthatisthemeaningofthewordholy；whichimpliesnonewqualityintheplaceorimage，butonlyanewrelationbyappropriationtoGod，andthereforeisnotidolatry；nomorethanitwasidolatrytoworshipGodbeforethebrazenserpent；orfortheJews，whentheywereoutoftheirowncountry，toturntheirfaces，whentheyprayed，towardthetempleofJerusalem；orforMosestoputoffhisshoeswhenhewasbeforetheflamingbush，thegroundappertainingtoMountSinai，whichplaceGodhadchosentoappearin，andtogiveHislawstothepeopleofIsrael，andwasthereforeholyground，notbyinherentsanctity，butbyseparationtoGod’suse；orforChristianstoworshipinthechurcheswhichareoncesolemnlydedicatedtoGodforthatpurposebytheauthorityofthekingorothertruerepresentantoftheChurch。ButtoworshipGodasinanimatingorinhabitingsuchimageorplace；thatistosay，aninfinitesubstanceinafiniteplace，isidolatry：forsuchfinitegodsarebutidolsofthebrain，nothingreal，andarecommonlycalledintheScripturebythenamesofvanity，andlies，andnothing。AlsotoworshipGod，notasinanimating，orpresentintheplaceorimage，buttotheendtobeputinmindofHim，orofsomeworksofHis，incasetheplaceorimagebededicatedorsetupbyprivateauthority，andnotbytheauthorityofthemthatareoursovereignpastors，isidolatry。FortheCommandmentis，“Thoushaltnotmaketothyselfanygravenimage。“GodcommandedMosestosetupthebrazenserpent；
hedidnotmakeittohimself；itwasnotthereforeagainsttheCommandment。ButthemakingofthegoldencalfbyAaronandthepeople，asbeingdonewithoutauthorityfromGod，wasidolatry；notonlybecausetheyhelditforGod，butalsobecausetheymadeitforareligioususe，withoutwarranteitherfromGodtheirSovereign，orfromMosesthatwasHislieutenant。