Twenty Second Sunday After Pentecost The Gospel Matt.22.v.15.Wednesday Meditation: A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634


GOSPEL Matt. 22:15-21 
At that time, the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk. And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, "Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money." And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, "Whose is this image and superscription?" They say unto him, "Caesar’s." Then saith he unto them, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s." 

WEDNESDAY MEDITATION

The essence and nature of Relatives is, as the Logicians say, to be wholly referred to one another: as for example: a father, as he is a Father, is wholly referred to his son; and a son, as a son, wholly to his Father, without which relations we cannot understand a Father or a son from other men.

An Image is a Relation of similitude, or likeness with that whereof it is the image, and therefore its essence, or nature, as it is an image, is to be referred unto that, whereof it is an image: in so much that St. Thomas of Aquine, the Prince of Divines, holdeth, that the honor or respect done to an Image, passeth altogether with one and the same motion of our mind, to that whereof it is an Image, there being in giving honor and respect to an Image, not two distinct motions of our mind, one to the image, and another to that whereof it is an image, but one only; as when we look in a glass, and the things represented in the glass with one and the same look: but we look not in the glass to see the glass, but the things being the terminative object of our looking in the glass, the glass but the transitive; and the like of a pair of Spectacles, which we look on, not to see them, but other things by them: & just so is it in an image, we honor an image, and that which is represented unto us thereby, with one and the same act, but that which it representeth, is the terminative object of that act, unto which we direct the honor; the image is but the transitive object, which Conveys all the honor to the thing represented thereby: this appeareth plainly by these two examples.

If I stab, or trample any mans image, it will be taken that I do it out of contempt & dishonor, not of the image, but of him whom it represents, because that which is done to the image, passeth to that whereof it is an image.

The other example is, that all Idolaters who were learned & wise in all human learning and wisdom, use images of their false Gods, as the best means and instruments that were to derive honor unto them, wherein they did not err in the manner or way of their honor or worship, but in that they directed it thereby to a false God whereas if they had directed it to the true God, they had done most religiously and well, as the Church after much discussion of this point, hath defined men do, when by the use and means of Images they honor the true God and his saints with their due honor, and do call such Images holy Images, because they are used to holy end.

And surely since we are commanded I the holy Scripture to honor God and his Saints, and the use of images is defined to be a most fit means to derive honor unto them; if they be not commanded at least, they are much commended unto us, whatsoever these new times tell us.

Now to return to our purpose, Christ called for a piece of Coin, and demanded whose image and Superscription was stamped on it? They answered Caesars, he said: Give that which is Caesars unto Caesars, because those that are Princes and Governors of a Country, have authority only to stamp money, and do commonly stamp their own image thereon, & to them Tribute doth belong from their subjects.

Out of this we may


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