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。