was instigated to introduce this
innovation by the unwarranted representation of the doctrine of the Trinity
by the First Tablet containing three commandments. The schoolmen followed
his example, and accommodated the words of God to the legislative
requirements of their new divinity, progressive development, which
terminated in the Church of Rome, in compelling them to command what He
strictly prohibits (See Ussher's _Answer_.)

"Hath God himself any where declared this to be only an explication of
the first commandment? Have the prophets or Christ and His apostles
ever done it? How then can any man's conscience be safe in this matter?
For it is not a trifling controversy whether it be a distinct
commandment or an explication of the first; but the lawfulness or
unlawfulness of the worship of images depends very much upon it, for if
it be only an explication of the first, then, unless one takes images
to be gods, their worship is lawful, and so the heathens were excused
in it, who were not such idiots; but if it be a new and distinct
precept, then the worshipping any image or similitude becomes a
grievous sin, and exposes men to the wrath of God in that severe manner
mentioned in the end of it. And it is a great confirmation that this is
the true meaning of it, because all the primitive writers[20] of the
Christian Church not only thought it a sin against this commandment,
but insisted upon the force of it against those heathens who denied
that they took their images for gods; and, therefore, this is a very
insufficient account of leaving out the second commandment (that the
people are in no danger of superstition or idolatry by
it.)."--Stillingfleet's _Doctrines of the Church of Rome, 25. Of the
Second Commandment_.

"If God allow the worship of the represented by the representation, he
would never have forbidden that worship absolutely, which is unlawful
only in a certain respect."--Ibid. _Answer to the Conclusion_.

With your permission I shall return to this subject, not of Images, but of
the Second Commandment, in reply to MR. GATTY'S Queries on the division at
present adopted by the Jews, &c.

T. JONES.

Chetham's Library, Manchester.

[Footnote 20: Thus St. Augustine himself: "In the first commandment, any
similitude of God in the figments of men is forbidden to be worshipped, not
because God hath not an image, but b