He declares, then, that a true image of God is not to be found in all the world and hence that His glory is defiled, and His truth corrupted by the lie, whenever He is set before our eyes in a visible form. Since, therefore, men are thus deluded, so as to frame for themselves the materials of error from all things they behold, Moses now elevates them above the whole fabric and elements of the world for by the things that are "in heaven above," he designates not only the birds, but the sun, and the moon, and all the stars also as will soon be seen. And hence too the vanity of men is declared, since, whithersoever they turn their eyes, they everywhere lay hold of the materials of error, notwithstanding that God's glory shines on every side, and whatever is seen above or below, invites us to the true God. The command that they should not make any likeness, either of any thing which is in heaven, or in the earth, or in the waters under the earth, is derived from the evil custom which had everywhere prevailed for, since superstition is never uniform, but is drawn aside in various directions, some thought that God was represented under the form of fishes, others under that of birds, others in that of brutes and history especially recounts by what shameless delusions Egypt was led astray. The words simply express that it is wrong 1 for men to seek the presence of God in any visible image, because He cannot be represented to our eyes. It is necessary, then, to remember what God is, lest we should form any gross or earthly ideas respecting Him. For hence have arisen the carnal mixtures whereby God's worship has been profaned, that they estimate Him according to their own reason, and thus in a manner metamorphose Him. For although Moses only speaks of idolatry, yet there is no doubt but that by synecdoche, as in all the rest of the Law, he condemns all fictitious services which men in their ingenuity have invented. The sum is, that the worship of God must be spiritual, in order that it may correspond with His nature. The former indeed precedes in order, viz., that believers are to be contented with one God but it would not be sufficient for us to be instructed to worship him alone, unless we also knew the manner in which He would be worshipped. Now, since these are two distinct things, we conclude that the commandments are also distinct, in which different things are treated of. In the First Commandment, after He had taught who was the true God, He commanded that He alone should e worshipped and now He defines what is His Legitimate Worship. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Et faciens misericordiam: in mille diligentibus me, et custodientibus praecepta mea.Ĥ. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.Ħ. Non adorabis ea, neque coles ea, ego enim Jehova Deus tuus, Deus zelotes, visitans iniquitatem patrum super filios, in tertiam et quartam generationem in his qui me oderunt:Ħ. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ĥ. Non facies tibi sculptlie, neque ullam imaginem eorum quae sunt in coelo sursum, neque eorum qae in terra deorsum, neque eorum quae in aquis sunt subter terram.ĥ. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:Ĥ.
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