4. The highest honour which we owe to any, is for the image of God in them; viz. 1. His natural image, as men. 2. His moral image, as saints. 3. His relative image of supereminency, as superiors. And so it is God in them first, and they next as the images of God, who are to be honoured.
5. There is no honour to be given to any creature, but that of which God himself is the end; viz. as it referreth to his glory.
6. Therefore all honour given to men must be thus far religious honour (or worship); for as all things are sanctified to and by saints, so all things that religious men do, must be religiously done.[353]
7. As persons, so places, books, words, utensils, times, &c. must be honoured for God's sake, as they are related to God, with such estimations and expressions as are suitable to their relations.
Neg. 1. No creature must be esteemed to be a god; nor any of God's proper attributes or honour given to any creature whatsoever.
2. No creature must be esteemed better, or greater, or wiser, than it is (as far as we have means to know it).
3. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour (by word or deed) are appropriated to the true God, 1. By divine institution; 2. Or by nature; 3. Or by received usage, that expression of honour ought not to be used to a creature, were the heart never so free from honouring it. (1.) Because it is bodily idolatry: (2.) And scandal as being idolatry interpretatively, in the just sense of others.[354]
4. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour idolaters have used, and do use, to signify their inward idolatry, or taking a creature or a fiction to be God, and so make it a tessera, or symbol, or professing sign of that their idolatry, if those actions are so used or esteemed among us, or within the notice of our actions, it is unlawful for us to use the like to any creature. Because the use of their expression maketh it to be a profession of idolatry by us, and so to be interpretative idolatry and scandal; for to use professing symbols is to profess.
Except when there is some notorious reason to use the same words or actions to another lawful signification, which is of greater weight than the scandal; and we make it as public to obviate the scandal, that we do it not to the idolater's intents.
For example, If the Mahometans make it a symbol of their religion, to say, God is but one, upon a false supposition that the christians make more gods than one; yet it is lawful for us to use that symbolical word to a better end. But if they add to their symbol, and Mahomet is his prophet, we may not use that, because it is, 1. Symbolical of a false religion; 2. And a falsehood of itself.