Wanting to collect quotations on idolatry of images of God

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While it seems to be viewed as tilting at windmills by most Presbyterian and Reformed today (and there are other issues like it, like the sanctification of the Lord's Day), what are your best, perhaps more obscure quotations, quotations from the Reformed confessions, reformers, puritans, presbyterians, on the unlawfulness and ungodliness and idolatry of creating images of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)? I am in a meme making mood but don't have the time to do a lot of searching (and I only have Dennison's Reformed Confessions in print and I don't have time to read through it). Thanks in advance!
 
Romanism is a gigantic system of sacrament-worship, Mary-worship, saint-worship, image-worship, relic-worship, and priest-worship! In one word, Romanism is a huge organized idolatry!

I know how painful these things sound to many ears. To me it is no pleasure to dwell on the shortcomings of any who profess and call themselves Christians. I can say truly that I have said what I have said with pain and sorrow.

I believe that many a poor Catholic at this day is worshipping with an idolatrous worship, simply because he knows no better. He has no Bible to instruct him. He has no faithful minister to teach him. I remember all this; and I say that the Catholic eminently deserves our sympathy and compassion.

But all this must not prevent my saying that the Church of Rome is an idolatrous Church. I would not be faithful if I said less.

My own conscience would rebuke me if I did not warn men plainly that the Church of Rome is an idolatrous Church, and that if they will join her, they are “joining themselves to idols!”

That heart can hardly be right with God, which can think of the millions who are sunk in heathenism, or honor the false prophet Mahomet, or daily offer up prayers to the Virgin Mary — and not cry, “O my God, what shall the end of these things be? How long, O Lord, how long?”

Christ rightly known, Christ truly believed, and Christ heartily loved — is the true preservative against ritualism, Romanism and every form of idolatry! - J. C. Ryle
 
“the mystery of that wicked one”, as the Syriac; meaning either antichrist himself, and the spirit of antichrist, which were already in the world, 1 John 2:18, “mystery” being one of the names of antichrist, Rev. 17:5 and anciently this word was engraven on the mitres of the popes of Rome: or the evil doctrines and practices of antichrist may be intended; for as the doctrine of the Gospel is called a mystery, and the mystery of godliness; so the doctrines and practices of antichrist may be called the mystery of iniquity, especially as they were now secretly spread, imbibed, and practised: the foundations of it were now laying in the church by false teachers; for errors and heresies of every sort, respecting the person and offices of Christ, and in opposition to them, were now broached; idolatry, and holding communion with idolaters, now obtained; worshipping of angels was used by some; and superstition and will worship, John Gill
 
However, the most subtle and abominable form of idolatry in the world is that which Paul calls “WILL WORSHIP,” the worship of one’s self, attributing to self the work of God (Col. 2:23). All who attribute salvation, in whole or in part, to the will, work, or worth of man are idolaters. They worship themselves. Any who believe that the determining factor in salvation is the will of man, the work of man, or the worth of man is an idolater. - Don Fortner
 
"God forbids trying to capture the Lord God in any mental or visual images, for such efforts are a contradiction of His uncreated, immaterial and infinite spirituality, a rejection of God’s sovereignty, a denial of His incomparable majesty, and represent attempts to control God by magic. They amount to a rejection of God’s moral order for human society and the creation of a satanic world order based on a principle of revolt against God. Furthermore they reveal a gross misunderstanding of God’s covenant with His people."

—Joseph C. Morecraft, III, Authentic Christianity: An Exposition of the Theology and Ethics of the Westminster Larger Catechism, 1st ed., 5 vols. (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision Press, 2009), 4:129.
 
My apologies; I do not have time to properly cite these works. If you do end up needing the proper citations, let me know.

Godefridus Udemans:

Any image. This means a statue cut of wood or hewed in stone.

Or any likeness. These words refer to all kinds of likenesses, whether cut, hewed, cast, or painted.

Of anything that is in heaven above. This phrase refers to the sun, moon, stars, birds (Deut. 4:19), and God, who is invisible.

Or that is in the earth beneath. This portion of the commandment refers to man, woman, cattle on the earth, or anything that creeps on the ground (Deut. 4:16). Or that is in the waters beneath the earth. These words refer to fish, both great and small (Deut. 4:18). The Lord narrates these species in detail to remove any excuse to worship idols. This is because some people worshipped images of heavenly creatures, such as the star of the god Remphan (Acts 7:43). Others served images of earthly creatures, such as the golden calf (Ex. 32) and the calves of Dan and Bethel, which Jeroboam, the son
of Nebat, constructed so the Israelites could worship in their country instead of in Judah (1 Kings 12:28). Some people worshipped the images of water creatures, such as Dagon, the god of the Philistines, which was human above the waist and fish from below, as mermaids are portrayed (Judg. 16:23). See also Romans 1:23, where various species are recorded. This narration of species helps us refute the excuses of papists, who say the images they bow to are not idols. They say the word idol refers only to images of fanciful things that are not real beings, such as Venus and Minerva.1 Images of the Trinity, angels, or saints are not idola, or idols, they say, even though they bow before them. Clearly they are deceived about the true meaning of the second commandment. It forbids the worship of all images because they are idola, or idols (which the papists acknowledge). Likewise, the images of real beings in heaven, on earth, and in the sea are forbidden when they are made to be worshipped. These images of beings become idols when someone bows before them. In addition, the word idolum is derived from a Greek word for a material image, whether alive or dead, as Tertullian testifies in his book Idololatria. He says idolatry is the service and worship of a statue or image. Cicero also acknowledges, in Finibus bone & mali, that idolum means the same in Greek as imago in Latin, which is an image. We conclude therefore that all images are forbidden, whether of real or imagined beings, when they are made to be worshipped.

Godefridus Udemans. The Practice of Faith, Hope, and Love (Kindle Locations 3304-3315). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.
 
William Perkins in A Reformed Catholic:

The Church of Rome holds it lawful for them to make images to resemble God, though not in respect of His divine nature; yet in respect of some properties and actions. We on the contrary hold it unlawful for us to make any image, any way to represent the true God, or to make an image of anything in way of religion to worship God, much less the creature thereby. For the second commandment says plainly, “Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, or the likeness of anything in heaven, etc.” (Ex. 20:4). The papists say the commandment is meant of the images of false gods. But, will they, nill they, it must be understood of the images of the true Jehovah. And it forbids us to resemble God either in His nature, properties, or works, or to use any resemblance of Him for any sacred use—as to help the memory when we are about to worship God. Thus much the Holy Ghost, who is the best expounder of Himself, teaches most plainly. “Thou sawest no image at all (either of false or true God) and therefore thou shalt not make any likeness of anything” (Deut. 4:15–16). And again, the prophet Isaiah, reproving idolaters, asks, “to whom they will liken God, or what similitude will they set up unto Him?” (Isa. 40:18). And, “Know ye nothing? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning?” (v. 21). As if he should say, “Have you forgotten the second commandment that God gave unto your fathers?” And thus, he flatly reproves all them that resemble the true God in images. But they say further that by “images” in the second commandment are meant “idols,” that is (say they) such things as men worship for gods. Answer. If it were so, we should confound the first and second commandments. For the first, “Thou shalt have no other gods before my face,” forbids all false gods which man wickedly frames unto himself, by giving his heart and the principal affections thereof to them. And therefore, idols also are here forbidden when they are esteemed as gods. And the distinction they make that an image is the representation of true things, and idol of things supposed, is false. Tertullian says, that every form or representation is to be termed an idol. And Isidore says that the heathen used the names of image and idol indifferently in one and the same signification. And Saint Stephen in his apology calls the golden calf an idol [Acts 7:41]. Jerome says that idols are images of dead men. Ancient divines accord with all this which I have said. Lactantius says, Inst. lib. 2. cap. 19, “Where images are for religion’s sake, there is no religion.” The Council of Elibera, can. 36, decreed, that “nothing should be painted on the walls of churches, which is adored of the people.” Origen, “We suffer not any to worship Jesus at altars, images, and temples, because it is written, ‘Thou shalt have none other gods.’” And Epiphanius says, “It is against the authority of the Scriptures to see the image of Christ or of any saints hanging in the church.” In the seventh Council of Constantinople these words of Epiphanius are cited against the Encratitae: “Be mindful, beloved children, not to bring images into the church, nor set them in the places where the saints are buried, but always carry God in your hearts. Neither let them be suffered in any common house: for it is not meet that a Christian should be occupied by the eyes, but by the meditation of the mind.”

William Perkins. The Works of William Perkins, Volume 7 (Kindle Locations 2242-2244). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.
 
The Second Helvetic Confession:

And because God is an invisible Spirit, and an incomprehensible essence, He cannot, therefore, by any art or image be expressed. For which cause we fear not, with the Scripture, to term the images of God mere lies. We do, therefore, reject not only the idols of the Gentiles, but also the images of Christians. For although Christ took upon Him man’s nature, yet He did not, therefore, take it that He might set forth a pattern for carvers and painters. He denied that He came “to destroy the Law and the prophets” (Matt. 5:17), but images are forbidden in the Law and the prophets. He denied that His bodily presence would any way profit the church (Deut. 4:15; Isa. 40:18). He promises that “He would by His Spirit be present with us for ever” (John 16:7; 2 Cor. 5:5); who would then believe that the shadow or picture of His body in any way benefits the godly? And seeing that He abides in us by His Spirit, “We are therefore the temples of God” (1 Cor. 3:16), but “what agreement hath the temple of God with images?” (2 Cor. 6:16). And seeing that the blessed spirits and saints in heaven, while they lived here abhorred all worship done unto themselves (Acts 14:15; Rev. 14:7; 19:10; 22:8–9) and spoke against images, who can think it likely that the saints in heaven and the angels are delighted with their own images, to whom men bow their knees, uncover their heads and give such other like honor?

But that men might be instructed in religion, and put in mind of heavenly things and of their own salvation, the Lord commanded “preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15), not to paint and instruct the laity by pictures: He also instituted sacraments, but nowhere did He appoint images. Furthermore, in every place, in whatever way we turn our eyes, we see the lively and true creatures of God, which if they are marked, as is meet, they much more effectually move the beholder than all the images; or vain, unmovable, rotten, and dead pictures of men whatsoever; of which the prophet spoke truly, “They have eyes, and see not” (Ps. 115: 5). Therefore, we approve the judgment of Lactantius, an ancient writer, who says, “Undoubtedly there is no religion, wheresoever there is a picture.” And we affirm that the blessed bishop Epiphanius did well, who, finding on the church doors a veil, that had painted on it the picture as it might be of Christ or of some saint or other, he cut and took it away; for, contrary to the authority of the Scriptures, he had seen the picture of a man hanging in the church of Christ: and, therefore, he charged that from thenceforth no such veils, which were contrary to our religion, should be hung up in the church of Christ, but that rather such scruple should be taken away which was unworthy the church of Christ and all faithful people. Moreover we approve this sentence of St. Augustine, “Let not the worship of men’s works be a religion unto us. For the workmen themselves that make such things are better; whom yet we ought not to worship” (De Vera Religion, Chap. 55).

James T. Dennison Jr.. Reformed Confessions of the 16th and 17th Centuries in English Translation (Kindle Locations 29150-29162). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.
 
I opted to use the 1634 edition of Perkins' Reformed Catholic (some of the footnotes may not be right in the RHB edition). I didn't have time nor room to track the cited councils.
Perkins-ImagesChrist-1.jpg
 
Zacharias Ursinus and G. W. Williard, The Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism (Cincinnati, OH: Elm Street Printing Company, 1888), 531.

Lastly, images have never resulted in any good to those who have had them. The people of God, the Jews, were for the most part seduced by them, as sacred history abundantly testifies, especially in the books of the Judges, Kings, and Prophets. We are, therefore, prone by nature to the sin of idolatry, which is followed by those dreadful punishments which God in many instances threatened through Moses. “I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.” (Lev. 26:30.) The angel of the Lord, in reproving the Israelites, because they had made a league with the Canaanites, said: “Wherefore I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.” (Judges 2:3.) For these reasons, therefore, images and statues are not to be tolerated in the churches of those who profess Christianity, but they must be removed, even though they be not adored.​
 
Andrew A. Bonar, A Commentary on the Book of Leviticus, Expository and Practical (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1851), 471.
​
The Lord alone must be worshipped (ver. 1), and He must be worshipped as he requires (ver. 2). The Lord seeks our whole heart, our unaverted eye, our entire soul. “No idols;” other objects that sit on the throne of our heart, whether of silver and gold, or of flesh and blood, or of earth’s common objects, like houses and lands, riches and honor, all these are אֶלִילִים, “things of naught”—utterly despicable in his view. “Graven images,” and “standing images,” (or pillars like obelisks,) and “images of stone,” (or “stones of imagery,” such as Ezekiel 8:8, describes)—all these are wholly abominable to the Lord. Set up no rival, none that approaches near; not even father or mother, wife or child.​
 
Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 7 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson, 1864), 472.

I beseech you, let us consider with ourselves, if we be not more thankful upon these occasions for these deliverances, and work our hearts to love religion, and to hate popery more, it will be just with God that they shall be thorns in our sides more than they have been, and pricks in our eyes; that we shall see what a dangerous faction they are, and what case we are in. For those that are drunk with the cup of this harlot, it takes away their wits from them. Those that worship images and stocks, they are stocks themselves. Though the danger be great to themselves, yet they labour to make others worse than themselves. There is no trusting to them. We should more fear them than foreign enemies. Both reasons of state, and reasons of religion, and reasons of our own safety, all should be forcible to have a special regard to prevent the growth of popery.​
 
Stephen Charnock, The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock, vol. 4 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson; G. Herbert, 1864–1866), 406.

[The LORD's Supper] is all the picture Christ hath left of himself; he never appointed any images or crucifixes, never imprinted the features of his face upon Veronica’s napkin. Is it not ingratitude to neglect the remembrance of him in his own method, when he might have put hard conditions upon us; and when it is not a mere sight of him, but a spiritual feast with him, wherein we may suck his very blood into the veins of our souls, as well as the wine into those of our bodies?​
 
Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, vol. 3 (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1871), 89.

Adoration of images. Idolaters are usually represented as sottish; as Ps. 115:8, ‘They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.’ He had described the senselessness of the idols before. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not, &c. Now as idols are senseless, so the idolaters are brutish; that is, the makers, worshippers, and servers of them, are as void of true wisdom as the images are of sense and motion: Isa. 44:18, ‘They have not known, nor understood; for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.’ There is a fatal obduration upon them all along there. Their senselessness is set forth from ver. 9 to ver. 20; they that worship the work of their own hands are themselves but stocks and stones, being blinded by the just judgment of God. If it be said this is meant of the idols of the Gentiles, not of the images of God, and Christ, and the Virgin Mary, and saints; still God will not be worshipped by an idol, and there is no difference between the images of the papists and the heathens, but only in the name.​
 
Robert L. Dabney, Discussions by Robert Lewis Dabney: Secular, ed. C. R. Vaughan, vol. 4 (Mexico, MO: Crescent Book House, 1897), 557.

[M]an untaught and unchecked by the heavenly light always shows a craving for sensuous objects of worship. He is not likely, in our day, to satisfy this craving by setting up a brazen image of Dagon, the fish-god; or of Zeus, or the Roman Jupiter; or of the Aztecs’ Itzlahuitl. But still he craves a visible, material object of worship. Rome meets him at a comfortable half-way station with her relics, crucifixes, and images of the saints. She adroitly smoothes the downhill road for him by connecting all these with the worship of the true God.​
 
Have you been sitting alone musing in your minds of this wonderful unseen God? You say to us, we look for him with our minds, but we do not find him. You say to us, show us a picture, an image of your God. Ah! we cannot make an image of our God. He is too great to be represented by any work of the little fingers of man.

John Love, ‘Addresses to the People of Otaheite, Designed to Assist the Labour of Missionaries and Other Instructors of the Ignorant. To which is Prefixed A Short Address to the Members and Friends of the Missionary Society in London’ in Sermons Preached on Public Occasions: With Fifteen Addresses to the People of Otaheite, and A Serious Call Respecting a Mission to the River Indus (Glasgow: Maurice Ogle, 1826), p. 275.
 
"Paganism tried to borrow from Christianity its dogmas and its morals; Christianity took from Paganism its ornaments."

"there could not be a stronger argument against the efficacy of images than the rapid conquest by the Mahometans of many Christian cities which relied upon a miraculous defence by some images preserved in their churches"

Count Krasinski, Introduction to Calvin's Treatise on Relics
 
A favorite of mine. Beachgoers are more modest than the saints you see in some of these depictions.

Institutes, Book 1, Chapter 11, Section 7 - Hendricksen edition taken from Logos:

"Therefore, if the papists have any shame, let them henceforward not use this evasion, that pictures are the books of the uneducated, because it is plainly refuted by very many testimonies of Scripture. Even if I were to grant them this, yet they would not thus gain much to defend their idols. It is well known that they set monstrosities of this kind in place of God. The pictures or statues that they dedicate to saints—what are they but examples of the most abandoned lust and obscenity? If anyone wished to model himself after them, he would be fit for the lash. Indeed, brothels show harlots clad more virtuously and modestly than the churches show those objects which they wish to be thought images of virgins. For martyrs they fashion a habit not a whit more decent. Therefore let them compose their idols at least to a moderate decency, that they may with a little more modesty falsely claim that these are books of some holiness!"
 
RPEphesian said:
A favorite of mine. Beachgoers are more modest than the saints you see in some of these depictions.

Institutes, Book 1, Chapter 11, Section 7 - Hendricksen edition taken from Logos:

"Therefore, if the papists have any shame, let them henceforward not use this evasion, that pictures are the books of the uneducated, because it is plainly refuted by very many testimonies of Scripture. Even if I were to grant them this, yet they would not thus gain much to defend their idols. It is well known that they set monstrosities of this kind in place of God. The pictures or statues that they dedicate to saints—what are they but examples of the most abandoned lust and obscenity? If anyone wished to model himself after them, he would be fit for the lash. Indeed, brothels show harlots clad more virtuously and modestly than the churches show those objects which they wish to be thought images of virgins. For martyrs they fashion a habit not a whit more decent. Therefore let them compose their idols at least to a moderate decency, that they may with a little more modesty falsely claim that these are books of some holiness!"
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Along these lines, someone who'd seen them (I don't believe I have even online), thought the images of Christ at the late Dr. Sproul's church were indecent.
 
NaphtaliPress said:
Along these lines, someone who'd seen them (I don't believe I have even online), thought the images of Christ at the late Dr. Sproul's church were indecent.
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I cannot possibly understand that; especially because they make their saints and our Lord look effeminate on top of that. The wretchedness speaks for itself!

To quote Dr. Sproul:

:whatswrong:
 
RPEphesian said:
I cannot possibly understand that; especially because they make their saints and our Lord look effeminate on top of that. The wretchedness speaks for itself!

To quote Dr. Sproul:

:whatswrong:
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If I recall the comment accurately, Sproul's at least went more the manly greco-roman direction.
 
I don't know if I'll be able to track them down, but I've heard some men who aren't even confessionally Reformed denounce images. That may not help you but I found it interesting. I've heard J. Vernon McGee strongly denounce them. McGee was once a Presbyterian--PCUS I believe, before going independent. Some time ago Erwin Lutzer's broadcast ran a series on the 10 Commandments. He denounced images, although I think maybe he pulled his punches a little at the end if I recall correctly. (That is an older series, maybe from the 80s. I would assume he still believes that but you never know.) I think Albert Mohler comes out against them in his book on the 10 Commandments as well.
 
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