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Orthodox Confession
St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762
Part 3, 6. Questions 51–60
Question 51
Who be they that disobey this Commandment, and wherein do they transgress it?
Answer.
First, All those do mortally sin against this Commandment who do utterly deny and disown the Being of a God: As the Psalmist saith (Psal. liii. 1), The fool hath said in his Heart, There is no God. Secondly, Those who make unto themselves many Gods, unto whom they render Worship and Adoration as unto the true God, as did the Heathen. Thirdly, Those who sell themselves to the Devil, as Conjurers, and those who practise magical Arts and use Charms and Spells. Fourthly, Those who give themselves up to Superstitions and put their Trust in them; and those who, when they have any Sickness, have Recourse to Enchantments and Incantations, and follow after such like Superstition. Fifthly, They who betake themselves to seek for Omens and Divinations in everything. Sixthly, Those who do not with a right Faith believe that God, though in his Nature he be only One, is yet in Person Three. Seventhly, They who put more Trust and depend more in their own Prudence and Circumspection than in the Grace and Providence of God, or in their own Wisdom and Cunning, or in their Strength and Bravery, or in the Numbers, Wealth, and Mightiness of their Friends. Eighthly, They who love themselves and their worldly Possessions more than God. In a Word, all they sin against this Commandment who set up anything of any Kind whatsoever, or in any Manner whatsoever, for a God, and put their Trust therein besides the true God only.
Question 52
What, then, are we to think of the Invocation of Saints? For this seems to be the most suitable Place to treat concerning that Matter?
Answer.
We pray unto the Saints for their Intercession with God, that they may sustain our Cause with him by their Prayers; but we do by no Means call upon them as Gods, but as the Beloved of God, whom they serve, and whom they worship and glorify with united Hymns. And surely their Assistance is very necessary for us; not, indeed, that of their own Power they can help us, but because by their Prayers in our Behalf they may obtain the Grace and Favour of God for us. For, in like Manner, we are taught by the holy Scriptures that we should entreat the Saints, even whilst they remain in this Life, to make Prayers and Intercessions for us unto God: As St. Paul himself did (Rom. xv. 30), I beseech you, Brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s Sake, and for the Love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me. And elsewhere (2 Cor. i. 10), In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us, you also helping together by Prayer for us, that for the Gift bestowed upon us by the Means of many Persons Thanks may be given by many on our Behalf. In like manner he also prayed himself unto God for others, as he testifieth (Philip. i. 4), Always in every Prayer of mine for you all making Request with Joy. Now, from these Testimonies of his we learn these two Things. First, That the Saints, whilst they continue in this Life, entreat of others to make Prayers and Supplications to God for them. Secondly, That they themselves, on their Parts, do pray and intercede for others, not only privately and for Particulars, but openly and for all: As the Scripture witnesseth (Acts xii. 5), Peter therefore was kept in Prison, but Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him. Now, the Saints after their departure can much more recommend us to God, forasmuch as they have Nothing to hinder them in the Exercise of this Duty. Furthermore, if the Saints do procure the Punishment of the Wicked, as the Scripture beareth Witness (Rev. vi. 9), I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the Testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud Voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth? how much more shall they intercede with God for their Brethren, who are conflicting in the Christian Warfare; especially for those who stand in need of their Help and Intercession: As the Scripture teacheth (Rev. xi. 16), And the four and twenty Elders who sat before God on their Seats fell upon their Faces and worshipped God, saying, We give thee Thanks, O Lord God Almighty. And again (ver. 18), And the Time is come that thou shouldest give Reward unto thy Servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and them that fear thy Name, small and great. But some will say that the Saints do not know or understand our Prayers; to such we answer that although, indeed, of themselves alone they may not hear nor know our Prayers, yet nevertheless, by the divine Favour and Revelation wherewith God abundantly blesseth them, they will both see and understand; and as Elisha knew what his Servant hath done on the Way (2 Kings ch. v.), in like Manner, also, do the Saints know and hear the Necessities of those who call upon them, even by the divine Communications. Furthermore, also, we do address ourselves unto the Angels, that they would assist us with their Support and Favour before God, inasmuch as it is they who present the Prayers of Men, and our Deeds of Charity, and other good Works unto the divine Majesty. Now, seeing that after Death the Saints become as the Angels, they can therefore, undoubtedly, in like Manner both know our Necessities and hear our Prayers, and also help us by their Intercession. From whence it follows that we are far from offending against this Commandment when we put up our Prayers unto the Saints, who, standing always like faithful Servants before the divine Majesty, can therefore become Supplicants for our Salvation unto that One Only True God.
On the other Hand, if we despise and reject the Assistance and labouring for us of the Saints, we shall most grievously offend the divine Majesty; forasmuch as we refuse to do Honour unto those who have most faithfully and most holily served him.
Having now finished the Doctrine of this Commandment, we shall conclude with laying down two Things which every Christian ought to understand aright. The First is, that we do not in any way trespass against this Commandment of the Decalogue, nor weaken its Authority; neither do we in any wise act beside the Intention and Meaning thereof by our praying to the Saints, seeing that the Honour which is done unto the Saints is rendered through them to the Majesty of God himself, unto whom the Saints are become dear and acceptable because of their Faith, and the Lives, adorned with all Virtues, which they lived whilst on Earth. Wherefore it is right and a Duty to reverence the Saints of God, according to the Scripture (Psal. cxxxix. 17), O how dear unto me are all thy Saints, O God! forasmuch as through them we obtain the Favour and Assistance of God, as formerly the Friends of Job whom the Lord commanded that they should go unto his faithful Servant Job, that he might pray for them, and that for his Sake their Offences might be forgiven. The second necessary Point is, that this Commandment forbids that we should worship any created Thing whatever with the Worship called Latria, which we have before expounded. For we do by no means worship the Saints of God with that most holy Worship of Latria, but modestly call upon them as our Brethren and the Friends of God, praying that they would obtain the divine Help and Assistance for us their Brethren, and be as Mediators with God for us. And this is in no wise repugnant to this Precept of the Decalogue; for as the People of Israel sinned not in calling upon Moses to intercede with God for them, so neither do we sin in desiring the Assistance and Intercession of the Saints.
Question 53
What is the second Commandment?
Answer.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor the Likeness of any Thing that is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the Waters under the Earth. Thou shalt not fall down to them, nor worship them.
Question 54
How is this Commandment to be understood?
Answer.
This Commandment is distinct from the former, for that treateth concerning the True God, and his being only One, and taketh away and prohibiteth the vain Crowd of false Gods; whereas this Commandment relateth to certain outward Rites and Ceremonies, namely, that we should not only not worship false Gods, but that we should also not make or dedicate any graven Image in Honour of them, nor give religious Worship unto Idols, or perform Sacrifices and solemn Rites to them. Those, therefore, sin against this Commandment who worship Idols as Gods, and offer Sacrifice unto them, and trust in them: According to the Psalmist (Psal. cxxxv. 15), The Images of the Heathen are but Silver and Gold, the Work of Men’s Hands. They have Mouths, and speak not; Eyes have they, and they see not. They have Ears, and hear not; neither is there any Breath in their Mouths. Those that make them are like unto them; and so are all they that put their Trust in them. They also break this Commandment who give themselves up to Covetousness, of whom the Scripture speaketh thus (Coloss. iii. 5), Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth; Fornication, Uncleanness, Effeminacy, inordinate Affections, evil Concupiscence, and Covetousness, which is Idolatry. Gluttons, likewise, and they who are given up to riotous Living, sin against this Precept, of whom the Scripture thus speaketh (Philip. iii. 19), Their God is their Belly, and their Glory is in their Shame, who mind earthly Things. Moreover, they are guilty of breaking this Commandment who use Enchantments and Juggling, who put their Trust and Confidence in Fortune and Fate, who seek by Soothsaying and Divinations to know what is to come to pass, and pretend to foretell future Things by the Lines of the Hand, by Witchcraft and conjuring up of Spirits, by Observations of Water, and the like. They also who endeavour by Spells and Sorcery to transform Men into brutal Forms, and they who wear Amulets for turning away of Evils, and who carry about them, or bind on their Bodies, Scrolls inscribed with Oracles, or Prophecies, or magical Characters, and by looking on such Scrolls, or muttering over them certain Invocations, or whirling them around them, do believe that nothing, whilst such Charms are present, can have Power to hurt them, whether Fire, or Water, or Sword, or any other Weapon. And all they who use conjuring Wands, knotted Strings, and other unlawful Remedies, which are also condemned and disallowed by the Art of Curing and Physicians, whether the same be by magical Verses, or Characters, or any other kind of Thing which they hang up, interweave, untie, or any Way else apply, as in Earrings for the Ears, in Rings for the Fingers, or otherwise.
Question 55
What are we to think of the Images which the Church worshippeth and reverenceth?
Answer.
There is a very great Difference between Images and Idols. An Idol is a mere Fiction and Invention of Men, as the Apostle testifieth (1 Cor. viii. 4), An Idol is nothing in the World. But an Image is a Representation showing forth a real Thing that is actually being in the World, as the Image of our Saviour Christ, of the holy Virgin Mary, and of all other Saints. Besides, the Heathens worshipped their Idols as God, and offered Sacrifices unto them, thinking Gold and Silver to be true Deities, as of old did Nebuchadnezzar. Whereas we, in worshipping and reverencing Images, do not adore the Painting or the Wood, but we respect the Saints who are thereby represented, and worship them with that kind of Worship which is called Dulia, placing them, by the Representation, before our Eyes as if they were in our Sight and we really beheld them; as, for instance, whilst we worship a Crucifix, we thereby set Christ himself before our Mind hanging upon the Cross of our Salvation; and unto him, with religious Gratitude, do we bend our Knee and bow down our Heads. So, in like manner, when we reverence the Image of the Virgin Mary, we ascend in our Minds unto the most holy Mother of God; to her it is that we bow down our Heads, to her we bend our Knees, and it is her that, with the Archangel Gabriel, we proclaim the most blessed of all Men and Women. It is evident, therefore, that the Worship of holy Images, which is received into the orthodox Church, is not contrary to this Commandment, as it is neither the same with that which is given to God, nor is it addressed unto the Work of Art — that is, the Picture — but unto the Persons of those Saints whom the Images represent unto us. Furthermore, as the Cherubim that overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant represented those real Cherubs who serve God and stand before his Face in Heaven, and the Israelites worshipped and reverenced them without breaking this Commandment of God; and, in like manner, as the Jews sinned not, nor broke this Command of the Decalogue, but rather honoured God with more Glory, when they worshipped the Ark of the Covenant, and received it with Honour and Respect (2 Sam. vi. 13); So neither do we transgress this Command of the Decalogue by reverencing holy Images, but rather more highly praise God, who is wonderful in his holy Places (Psal. lxviii. 35). Nevertheless we must take Care that every Image has the Name of the Saint it representeth inscribed on it, that thereby it may the more readily answer the Intention and Design of the Worshipper.
We may add, furthermore, in Confirmation of what we have said concerning the Worship of holy Images, that the Church of God, in the seventh General Council, hath pronounced a dreadful Anathema against the Image-breakers, and hath established and confirmed to all Ages the Worship of holy and venerable Images: As is manifest in the Ninth Canon of the Council.
Question 56
For what Reason, then, was Hezekiah praised in the Old Testament, who broke in Pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had formerly set up and dedicated? (2 Kings xviii. 4.)
Answer.
Because the Jews began to fall away from the Worship of the true God, worshipping the Serpent as true God, and offering Incense unto it, as the Scripture showeth. Therefore to cut off this Evil, and that it might not spread farther, Hezekiah breaks in Pieces the Serpent, that it might give no further Occasion of Idolatry to the Israelites. But had there not been given unto it the Worship of Latria, he would not have broken the Serpent, nor have condemned the Israelites of Idolatry. We Christians do not worship Images as God, nor in our Approaches to them do we depart from the Latria, which is due only to God himself; but rather by the Help of the Image are we, as it were, led by the Hand unto God; whilst in their Images we honour the Saints, as the Friends of God, with the worship of Dulia, and beseech them to render our God propitious and favourable unto us. But if any one out of Ignorance should worship Images otherwise than herein is taught, surely it would be better that such an one should be instructed rightly in this Matter than that the Worship of venerable Images should be banished of the Church.
Question 57
What is the third Commandment?
Answer.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain.
Question 58
What doth this Commandment teach us?
Answer.
First, It teacheth us that we should hold the Name of the Lord God in the highest and most awful Respect and Honour, nor ever use it lightly or jestingly, nor on trifling Occasions or for unjust Purposes. Secondly, That by no means we call the Name of God to gain Credit to a Falsehood, nor perjure ourselves. Thirdly, That we do not give Occasion or Advice to others to be Forsworn. Fourthly, that we do most devoutly observe and fulfil whatever Vows we make unto God, according to that Scripture (Deut. xxiii. 21), When thou shalt vow a Vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be Sin in thee. And in this Sort are all they guilty who, having promised in their Baptism that they would persevere in the right and true Faith of God to their Life’s End, yet afterwards suffer themselves to be drawn away for selfinterest or Danger of Suffering; as, namely, for fear of being hurt in their worldly Honours, or Estate, or Life, and do therefore abjure and renounce that which they had before so solemnly sworn and promised unto God: Concerning the Danger of which Apostasy the renowned Apostle St. Paul rejoiceth in these Words (2 Tim. iv. 7), I have fought a good Fight; I have finished my Course; I have kept the Faith.
Question 59
What is the fourth Commandment?
Answer.
Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day; six Days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do. But the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt do no manner of Work, thou, nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, nor thy Man-servant, nor thy Maid-servant, nor thy Cattle, nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates; for in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh Day: Wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh Day and hallowed it.
Question 60
What are we to learn from this Commandment?
Answer.
Hereby we are to know that God hath set apart one Day in seven, to the end that Mortals might be mindful of the Benefits which he continually bestoweth upon Mankind, and that for an especial Memorial of all his Blessings and Mercies he hath hallowed this Day, in which Men, meditating upon the gracious Goodness of God, might give thanks unto him and glorify his Majesty. Therefore, when in six Days God had created the whole Universe out of nothing, and had rested the seventh Day, he sanctified it; that Men, laying aside all other Employments, might with extraordinary Devotion worship and praise God, in Remembrance of the great Blessings he hath bestowed upon us in the Creation of the World. So, likewise, when he had delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, he was pleased to establish the Feast of the Passover by Moses; as also many other Feasts and solemn Times, which are mentioned in the Old Testament, and were to be observed. But we Christians, instead of the Sabbath, keep holy the Lord’s Day, which we do because on the Lord’s Day the World was renewed and human Nature delivered from the Bondage of the Devil by the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore we ought to abstain this whole Day from every kind of Work and Employment, that with quiet and undisturbed Minds we may entirely be given up the whole Time unto Prayer and holy Meditations for the great Benefits we have received. And, likewise, our Families and Servants must do no work on that Day; but being at Rest and Leisure, let them be employed only in holy Things, praying unto God and praising him. Furthermore, by this Commandment we are obliged to observe and keep all such other Days as the Church hath required us to keep holy, such as the Feasts of Thanksgiving, of the Nativity of Christ, of the Circumcision, of the Epiphany, of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, of the Resurrection, Ascension, &c.; also the Festivals of the Ever-Virgin-Mary, the Apostles, the Martyrs, and of other Saints. Now, after what Manner the Lord’s Day ought to be observed the sixth General Council teacheth in the Ninety-first Canon. Moreover, another Cause of transferring the Sabbath to the Lord’s Day is this, namely, that Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, according to the Scripture (Matth. xii. 8), For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day. If, therefore, Christ be Lord of the Sabbath, then surely the Sabbath is with great Reason transferred to the Lord’s Day, both because Christ might not seem to be in any Subjection thereunto, and also because on that Day, and none other, did Christ arise from the Dead: Whereby the World, as to its eternal Salvation, was renewed and restored.